Sphaeroma terebrans, is an ecological engineer that can significantly modify the habitat of free-hanging aerial prop roots of Rhizophora mangle. The wood-boring isopod extensively burrows into red mangrove aerial prop roots for habitat and protection from desiccation and access to phytoplankton. However, the burrows created have major consequences on the mangrove habitat and aerial root inhabitants. It has been suggested that sessile species residing in aerial root communities can either encourage or discourage colonization by S. terebrans. Abiotic factors can affect the distribution and abundance of mangrove forest and are the same factors which determine the composition and abundance of organisms living on the roots. Surveys indicated that burrowing damage was found predominately in the first 20 cm of the root tip. Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to test multivariate hypothesized models looking at habitat relationships with S. terebrans in aerial root communities. Temperature and dissolved oxygen were shown to be important drivers in affecting submerged root length of aerial roots. Ultimately, the indirect effects between these parameters proved to be stronger in influencing the barnacle – isopod association, which causes direct negative effects on submerged root length. Colonial tunicates showed weak effects in masking aerial roots from the damaging barnacle – isopod association. Chlorophyll a was used as a proxy for phytoplankton biomass and proved to be less influential than habitat protection for S. terebrans. Results highlight the need for experimentation in addition to modeling in order to determine the mechanisms influencing aerial root community inhabitants and further effects on the habitat. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2020. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fau.edu/oai:fau.digital.flvc.org:fau_44445 |
| Contributors | Powell, Krystyna (author), Frazier, Evelyn (Thesis advisor), Proffitt, C. Edward (Thesis advisor), Florida Atlantic University (Degree grantor), Department of Biological Sciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science |
| Publisher | Florida Atlantic University |
| Source Sets | Florida Atlantic University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation, Text |
| Format | 90 p., online resource |
| Rights | Copyright © is held by the author with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder., http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
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