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THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE MIGRATION PHENOLOGY OF JUVENILE BLACKTIP SHARKS (CARCHARHINUS LIMBATUS)
No full textSeasonal temperature change has been shown to be a key driver of migration for many species. Increasing ocean temperatures have been observed to cause shifts in the range and timing of migratory movements in marine animals, including sharks. For harvested species, these behavioral changes could have significant implications for fisheries management. The blacktip shark (Carcharhinus limbatus) is one of the Gulf of Mexico’s most recreationally and commercially important species. Terra Ceia Bay, FL, is a nursery for blacktip sharks that has been extensively studied. In the late 1990s through early 2000s, young-of-the-year sharks were found to reside in the bay for the first 6 months of life, depart in October to November following water temperature drops of at least 1.5°C over two days, and return beginning in April. The goal of this study was to examine the current timing of immigration/emigration of blacktip sharks from this nursery and any potential cues associated with them. Departure and return dates of acoustically tagged juvenile blacktip sharks (n=25 sharks, tagged from 2016-2021; n =40 departures; n=16 returns) from/to Terra Ceia Bay, Sarasota Bay, and Manatee River were determined using a directionally-gated array of acoustic receivers. Mixed-effects models were used to examine the effects of absolute water temperature, change in water temperature, day length, and day of year on the timing of immigration and emigration. Results indicate a significant shift over the last two decades towards both later departures and earlier returns from/to this nursery. This study determined that the best predictor for emigration from / migration to this nursery are absolute temperature and day length, respectively. Significant differences were present between study animals based upon both age and sex
IMMATURE BULL SHARK HABITAT USE AND RESIDENCY IN THE MANATEE RIVER, A NON-THERMALLY ALTERED NURSERY AREA
No full textThe Manatee River is a non-thermally altered estuarine river that flows into the southern edge of Tampa Bay. Prior studies suggest that temperature and salinity are the primary factors driving juvenile bull shark habitat use. However, previously-studied nurseries at latitudes similar to the Manatee River have been in thermally-altered rivers. The objective was to examine immature bull shark use of this habitat in relation to variation in temperature and salinity. A network of acoustic receivers was deployed within the Manatee River to track movements of acoustically-tagged juvenile bull sharks (n=20). Incorporating data from New College’s temperature/salinity loggers and from USGS stations, the hourly temperature and salinity at each station in the river were modeled. The effect of temperature and salinity on the river distance of bull sharks from the mouth were examined, considering variation due to age. It was found that the bull sharks do overwinter in Manatee River, even though it is not warmed by thermal pollution. Habitat partitioning by salinity between age groups was also observed for sharks aged \u3c1 to 5 years of age. This study also found a much higher salinity preference range for the bull sharks than any previous study in Florida
CORALS, CASSIOPEA, AND CLIMATE CHANGE: AN ASSESSMENT OF CASSIOPEA XAMACHANA AS A MODEL ORGANISM FOR CORAL-ALGAL SYMBIOSES
No full textThe driving force between the high biodiversity and productivity of coral reefs is corals’ symbiotic relationship with photosynthetic dinoflagellates within the family Symbiodiniaceae. Recent studies have found that Symbiodiniaceae species differ in their physiological thermotolerances and that symbiont identity is a key determinant of a coral host’s susceptibility and acclimation to increased temperature. However, the specific thermotolerances between species and among species strains remain partially unknown. This is due in part to the difficulty associated with maintaining ex hospite symbionts in culture and sourcing intact coral-algal holobionts with a symbiont that has known physiology when in culture. Cassiopea xamachana jellyfish, which are easily sourced, cultured, and infected with a range of Symbiodinaceae strains, is a potential model organism for coral-algal symbioses. Here we compared the thermotolerance of Symbiodinium tridacnidorum (strain CassEL-1) when in culture versus in hospite within C. xamachana ephyrae. S. tridacnidorum cultures were found to be thermosensitive. Meanwhile, in hospite symbionts displayed significantly increased thermotolerance at the onset of treatment, which began to fade after 6 days at 32°C. This suggests that Cassiopea may provide symbionts with some degree of protection during initial stress exposure. Furthermore, host age, size, and health were found to not significantly affect symbiont photosynthetic efficiency and thermotolerance. Taken together, these results highlight the need for further study on host-symbiont interactions under environmental stress and provide valuable considerations for the future use of C. xamachana as a model organism
Native Representation in Typee and Heart of Darkness: An Examination of the Intersection of Anti-Imperial Critique and Ethnography
No full textNo abstract provided
PAVING OVER DEMOCRACY: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HIGHWAYS AND VOTER TURNOUT IN FLORIDA
No full textHighways are ubiquitous in the context of the United States, shaping much of American environmental, economic, and social geography. While urban planners have long heralded highways as the lifelines of American society, research has shown that highways have also enabled the segregation and displacement of resources from cities. Additionally, recent scholarship has connected such highway-induced processes to the polarization of American political geography. In this paper, I expand this connection by arguing that highways negatively impact voter turnout. Highways segregate, displace, and divide existing neighborhoods, producing contexts less conducive to the development of social capital. With less social capital, individuals near highways have fewer informal resources to help them overcome the costs of voting. Hence, residents living closer to highways are less likely to vote than those living further away. I test this hypothesis with an individual level analysis using the 14.5 million voters registered in the FloridaVoter File combined with additional data from the United States Census and GIS shapefiles of all of Florida’s major highways. My findings contribute to a broader theoretical debate on highways, by asserting that their “dividing” effects have ultimately outweighed their “uniting” effects on American society. This paper also supports the case for critically assessingthe role of infrastructure on context and political behavior
THE BEHAVIORAL RESPONSE OF WHITE-TAILED DEER (ODOCOILEUS VIRGINIANUS Zimmerman 1780) TO SCENTED BAIT STATIONS
No full textWhite-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are large, herbivorous ungulates which are known to be selective browsers. They can heavily modify the botanical landscape of an area if their population size becomes too large. White-tailed deer populations are growing too fast, and overpopulation is becoming a serious issue across the United States. Deer will heavily browse saplings and herbs, causing issues with forest regeneration and the protection of endangered herbs. Overpopulation of deer has also become a major issue due to the rise of zoonoses and deer vehicle collisions due to development. In the present study, use of scents such as predator urines, deer urine, and plant extracts as repellants or baits was studied as a method of management. I used camera traps to record deer visiting scented, corn-baited stations where aspects of their behavior, such as feeding, vigilance, and sniffing were observed. The time they spent doing each behavior was analyzed for the various scents and compared for differences. There were no significant differences found in vigilant or sniffing behaviors among any of the scents and the controls. There was a significant difference in feeding behavior when clover extract was present at two stations. Predator urines may also not be the best deterrent when used by themselves and may be more effective when used in combination with some other form of deterrent. Physical barriers may be a better alternative for protecting crop damage or smaller areas, but is expensive on a larger scale
IS ENGAGING IN SOCIAL ACTIVISM A PHYSICIAN’S ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY, SPECIFICALLY AS IT PERTAINS TO RACIAL JUSTICE?
No full textThis thesis answers the presented question in the affirmative, stating that it is a responsibility of physicians and other healthcare professionals (HCPs) to participate in social activism for racial justice. This is done in four section. The Introduction subsections aim to recognize structural racism in the medical field through historical examples and their residual impacts, explaining why physicians/HCPs should be included in the opposition and deconstruction of systemic racism, and why action should be taken in the form of social activism. Chapter 1 addresses the current literatures uses the terms of Advocacy and Activism in the health field. With subsections discussing and attempting to define and differentiate these terms in the medical context, real world application, and addressing the current extent of medical activism. Highlighting the need for an increase of activism in healthcare professionals, and what can be done as acts of activism rather than just advocacy. Chapter 2 is on social activism as an included responsibility for physicians and other healthcare professionals. This chapters subsection’s reasoning why it is included in their professional responsibilities and the counter argument. Also, mentioning obstacles physicians/healthcare professionals face impacting their engagement in social activism
SPATIAL MODELING OF THE RELATIVE ABUNDANCE OF BIRD POPULATIONS IN PENINSULAR FLORIDA USING CITIZEN SCIENCE DATA
No full textIn our thesis, we will model the relative abundance of ten selected bird species in peninsular Florida using data from eBird, a citizen science project developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. We will implement strategies developed by the Cornell Lab to make best use of citizen science data in the modeling context, such as imposing structure on the data by filtering for effort on the behalf of eBird participants. We will begin by conducting generalized linear modeling using the quasi- Poisson, negative binomial, and zero-inflated Poisson distributions for the response variable. We will use covariates related to both environment and effort. In particular, we will consider a full suite of land cover covariates instead of the smaller, manually selected subset used by the Cornell Lab. Next, we will model certain covariates as having nonlinear relationships with the response using generalized additive modeling techniques. To further extend on the previous work of the Cornell Lab, we will then incorporate spatial dependence into the modeling task by performing hierarchical generalized linear modeling with a spatial conditional autoregressive structure for random effects. Finally, we will investigate our model fits using predictive performance metrics and effect displays for the relationships between certain covariates and relative abundance. We found the quasi-Poisson hierarchical generalized linear model with spatial random effects to have the best overall quality; it performed better in certain predictive metrics than comparable models that did not account for spatial dependence. Additionally, environmental covariates were generally found to be less statistically significant after accounting for spatial dependence in the modeling process
INSIDE, OUTSIDE, AND UPSIDE DOWN: FINDING CREATIVE SOLUTIONS IN SOUND DESIGN FOR COVID-CONSCIOUS THEATRE
No full textWhen COVID-19 first hit, it stopped live theatre in its tracks, on both a local and global level. As theatres started to reopen, productions looked different. Performances were now held outside and with safety precautions such as social distancing and the wearing of Personal Protective Equipment for actors and audience members, there very quickly arose a new issue of the sonic intelligibility of a performance. The objective of this project was to observe and record the best practices of using sound in outdoor performance spaces on campus through practical experience and take note of the changes that COVID-19 has had on theater. I thoroughly documented each of the performances mentioned within this document, and with faculty guidance, organized my results in a way that they could be used by the production team for future performances at New College. The result is a reflection of the creative projects used in the forming of this thesis, as well as a document that is a practical guide detailing the methods of designing and carrying out a sound plan in different spaces around campus in a variety of situations. It includes technical ideas, such as mic placement or where is best to draw power, as well as more human elements, such as collaboration with directors and the production team
In Search for a Truer Sense of Experience: Two Approaches in Roberto Bolaño’s Storytelling
No full textThis thesis builds its arguments on a short reading of the translated short-story collection, Last Evenings on Earth, by Roberto Bolaño. In my first chapter, I examine aspects of the author’s life as presented through non-fictional works to make clear the ideologies that are reflected in his narrative material. The second chapter elucidates on exile as an aesthetic concept and historical condition of the self, I understand this as a framework to interpret the set of short stories by Roberto Bolaño. I describe the visual components of the narration, the narrative structure, and the links they tend with the author’s life history. I will describe the various ways in which altering perspectives are understood as the core of a visual reflection that runs through Roberto Bolaño’s literature into the personages and narrations of exile, that approaches them in their distance, uprooting and alienation. The final section of this thesis is a reflection of my own creative work and how I see Bolano’s stylistic devices emerge in a visual context. Finally, I present my own work (adapted script) itself