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Filtering by: Creator Porrovecchio, Mark J. Remove constraint Creator: Porrovecchio, Mark J. Degree Field Zoology Remove constraint Degree Field: Zoology Resource Type Dissertation Remove constraint Resource Type: Dissertation

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  • Coral-reef fishes : insights into larval dispersal and invasion ecology

    Creator:
    Pusack, Timothy J.
    Abstract:
    Because many coral-reef fishes are observable in situ, are amenable to transplantation, have small home ranges and short generation times, they provide a excellent system to investigate many topics within general ecology, fisheries biology, and conservation biology. The primary goal of this dissertation was to use the coral-reef fishes system...
    Resource Type:
    Dissertation
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    Invasion Ecology AN ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION OF Timothy J. Pusack for the degree of Doctor of

  • Interactions among Invasive Pacific Red Lionfish, Fish Parasites, and Cleaning Mutualisms Native to Atlantic Coral Reefs

    Creator:
    Tuttle, Lillian J.
    Abstract:
    What makes invasive species successful, and how do they affect native populations and communities? I addressed these key questions in the context of the invasion of Atlantic coral reefs by Pacific red lionfish (Pterois volitans). To assess the role of parasites in contributing to the success of this invasion, I...
    Resource Type:
    Dissertation

  • Stage-structured interactions and their consequences across levels of biological organization

    Creator:
    Segui, Leah Mupas
    Abstract:
    A central challenge for ecology is to understand the dynamic nature of species interactions. A classic approach to community ecology assumes that individuals within a species are functionally identical and that consumer-resource dynamics can be predicted solely by using species abundances. However, one species can consist of multiple functional groups,...
    Resource Type:
    Dissertation
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    : ______________________________________________________ Mark Novak A central challenge for ecology is to understand the dynamic nature of

  • Larval settlement and juvenile group dynamics in the domino damselfish (Dascyllus albisella)

    Creator:
    Booth, David J. (David John), 1958-
    Abstract:
    Patterns of settlement of larvae and population dynamics of juveniles are poorly known for coral reef fishes. During 1987 to 1989, I studied these phenomena in the domino damselfish (Dascyllus albisella), a species endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. Larvae settle onto branching coral heads as new recruits (10-15 mm in...
    Resource Type:
    Dissertation
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    : David J. Booth Acknowledgements First and foremost I thank my major professor, Dr. Mark A. Hixon

  • Candidate Causes, Consequences, and Estimation of Individual Diet Specialization

    Creator:
    Coblentz, Kyle E.
    Abstract:
    Diet variation among individuals within populations is widespread. Often diet differences among individuals are attributable to obvious differences among individuals such as age, sex, or morphology. However, growing evidence suggests that individual diet variation is also common among seemingly identical individuals within populations. This phenomenon has been termed individual diet...
    Resource Type:
    Dissertation
    Full Text:
    , Consequences, and Estimation of Individual Diet Specialization Abstract approved: Mark Novak Diet variation

  • Effects of Predator Introductions on Population and Community Dynamics

    Creator:
    Ingeman, Kurt E.
    Abstract:
    There is increasing awareness that human activities are altering the ways that natural systems operate and that local shifts in species composition and abundance can lead to abrupt and irreversible global change. Therefore, understanding the processes that buffer biological communities from critical shifts and how our actions affect natural stabilizing...
    Resource Type:
    Dissertation
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    approved: ______________________________________________________ Mark A. Hixon

  • Selection on larval and adult body size in a marine fish: potential evolutionary responses and effects on population dynamics

    Creator:
    Johnson, Darren W.
    Abstract:
    Many species have complex life cycles in which a dispersive larval stage is followed by a relatively sedentary adult stage. For such species, reproductive output is often high and large variation in survivorship throughout early life-history phases (eggs and larvae) can lead to dramatic fluctuations in recruitment which may in...
    Resource Type:
    Dissertation
    Full Text:
    : ___________________________________ Mark A. Hixon Many species have complex life cycles in which a dispersive

  • Larval dispersal in marine fishes: novel methods reveal patterns of self-recruitment and population connectivity

    Creator:
    Christie, Mark R.
    Abstract:
    Many marine fish populations are severely declining due to over-fishing, loss of both juvenile and adult habitats, and accelerating environmental degradation. Fisheries management and the implementation of marine protected areas (MPAs) and other conservation tools are currently hindered by large gaps in knowledge about larval dispersal and its subsequent effects...
    Resource Type:
    Dissertation
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    DISSERTATION OF Mark R. Christie for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology presented on September 4

  • Behavior and Ecological Effects of Invasive Lionfish on Atlantic Coral Reefs and Seagrass Beds

    Creator:
    Benkwitt, Cassandra E.
    Abstract:
    Although only a minority of introduced species become established and have noticeable consequences in their new communities, some can displace native species, alter food webs, and cause local extinctions. Studying these invasive species can provide new insights into basic ecological questions as well as inform management strategies. Pacific lionfish (Pterois...
    Resource Type:
    Dissertation
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    : _______________________________________________________________________ Mark A. Hixon Although only a minority of introduced species become established and

  • Indirect effects of fishing on predators and their prey

    Creator:
    Stallings, Christopher Derek
    Abstract:
    Predators are fundamentally important for regulating and driving prey population dynamics as well as structuring ecological communities. Over-exploitation of marine resources has caused dramatic depletions of predatory fish species and shifts in marine community composition, with attendant declines in productivity and diversity of marine ecosystems. Despite the important ramifications of...
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    Dissertation
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    their Prey Abstract approved: ___________________________ Mark A. Hixon Predators