The Cougar Repository

This repository, hosted by the College of Charleston Libraries, holds a variety of scholarship produced by students from the Graduate School and the Honors College.

 

Communities in DSpace

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Recent Submissions

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Drivers of estuarine finfish assemblage structure: a case study of South Carolina estuaries
Bullard, Elizabeth Alyson
Researchers describe the structure of estuarine finfish communities by assessing diversity, community composition, and conducting species-level analyses. These metrics are used to evaluate spatial (and temporal) differences. Understanding how these communities correlate with abiotic and biotic factors gives insight into specific drivers of differences in species composition. Since 2010, researchers with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) have sampled marine organisms throughout salt marsh estuaries in South Carolina, USA, using three long-term monitoring surveys: trammel net, estuarine trawl, and adult red drum & shark longline surveys. This study leverages community data collected from those surveys to investigate spatial differences in finfish community structure across South Carolina’s estuaries using multiple metrics. Seven available environmental factors were assessed with each survey collection to identify drivers of community differences and provide a mechanistic understanding of similarities and differences amongst estuaries. Differences in alpha diversity were not detected among estuaries, but differences arose within each survey type when assessing community composition, within-estuary beta diversity, and indicator species. Results emphasize the uniqueness of otherwise similar estuaries. While all available environmental factors were seen to influence community differences at some level of analysis, impervious cover, access to deep water, and oyster area were consistently detected as the primary drivers through correlation assessments and constrained ordinations. Description of South Carolina estuarine finfish communities and identification of the disparate drivers of community structure across estuaries will allow researchers to develop a baseline for community understanding in these areas and to begin to assess the ecological importance of natural and anthropogenic factors on South Carolina’s estuarine environments.
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Navigating Coastal Conservation Careers: How to increase early undergraduate students’ self-efficacy and science identity in pursuing an environmental career
Infanti, Hannah Rose
Three organizations located in Charleston, South Carolina, and its surrounding counties, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR), the Ashepoo-Combahee-Edisto (ACE) Basin National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR), and the South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium (SCSGC), collaboratively developed an eight-week internship program. This internship was specifically designed to provide early opportunities for underserved undergraduate students, allowing them to explore opportunities related to stewardship, outreach and education, and fisheries management. The primary objective of this thesis research is to evaluate the impact of this internship program on increasing self-efficacy, as per the Social Cognitive Theory framework, and enhancing science identity, guided by priori themes of recognition, competence, performance, and perceived barriers. This assessment of the internship program employs a mixed methods approach, combining both quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative analysis involves the examination of pre- and post-survey means and standard error to determine increases. Qualitatively, open-ended responses are coded according to the priori themes. The overarching goal of this thesis research is to contribute to the commitment of these organizations to promote diversity within the environmental field. By assessing the effectiveness of this internship program, this study aims to shed light on its impact and potential for increasing self-efficacy and science identity among early underserved undergraduate participants, ultimately addressing the broader challenge of underrepresentation in this field.
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MICROBIOME ANALYSIS OF THREE MIGRATORY SHARK SPECIES OFF THE SOUTHEASTERN US
Quintrell, Anna Nicole
The bacteria living in and on an organism are essential for development, immunity, and nutrition; yet, this has been studied sparingly in most fishes, particularly sharks. The importance of understanding the microbiome of sharks applies not only to the health of an individual but also to the quality of the surrounding marine environment in which they exist. This interest has increased given the biological and ecological significance of these species. The primary aim of our study was to characterize the bacterial communities in the mouth, gills, epidermal tissue, and cloaca of three shark species: bonnethead (Sphyrna tiburo), blacknose shark (Carcharhinus acronotus), and finetooth shark (Carcharhinus isodon). Sharks exhibited species-specific microbial communities distinct from the surrounding water, predominantly composed of Gammaproteobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria, Cyanophyceae, Bacteroidia, and Verrucomicrobiae. Finetooth sharks displayed the greatest microbial diversity and had a higher abundance of Actinobacteria, Acidimicrobiia, Desulfobacteria, Desulfobulbia, and Planctomycetes. Bonnetheads exhibited the lowest diversity, suggesting variations in ecological niches and community structures. Dermal tissue supported the most diverse communities, whereas the cloaca displayed the least, indicating differences in ecological niches and community structures both between species and across various anatomical locations. Moreover, the microbial community of the cloaca was distinct from other anatomical sites. Understanding bacterial communities across the shark microbiome is crucial for predicting responses to a changing ocean and managing healthy populations in captivity. This study establishes a foundation for future research into shark health.
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Association of Human Longevity with Local Environmental Factors in Blue Zones
Arnett, Megan Renee
The world’s population age structure is undergoing a demographic transition, with the elderly population becoming the fastest growing age group, due to people living healthier and longer lives. However, there are certain locations where populations are living exceptionally longer than others. These locales have been identified as Blue Zones. The term ‘Blue Zone’ (BZ) refers to geographic regions with populations that have exceptional longevity and share a common environment and lifestyle. Thus far, five BZs have been identified: Sardinia, Italy; Okinawa, Japan; Ikaria, Greece; Nicoya, Costa Rica and Loma Linda, California. Isolated populations, lower rates of chronic diseases and numerous sociocultural aspects are commonalities among these regions. While lifestyle and dietary characteristics have been the predominate focus of these populations, there remains a gap in BZ research as to whether environmental factors are associated with longevity. This study aimed to determine if ambient environmental factors related to place are associated with this phenomenon in BZs. An important factor influencing human health is water quality, and degradation of this natural resource has become a global concern. Water is essential for the human body to function properly, and groundwater, the main source of potable water in BZs, contains added minerals that are advantageous for health. The present study utilized population and water quality data to analyze associations between human longevity and physiochemical parameters of water quality in BZs. Results from this research revealed a positive association between pH and longevity, high total water hardness levels and similarities in hydrogeology amid all BZ locations.
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Navigating Coastal Conservation Careers: How to increase early undergraduate students’ self-efficacy and science identity in pursuing an environmental career
Infanti, Hannah Rose
Three organizations located in Charleston, South Carolina, and its surrounding counties, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR), the Ashepoo-Combahee-Edisto (ACE) Basin National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR), and the South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium (SCSGC), collaboratively developed an eight-week internship program. This internship was specifically designed to provide early opportunities for underserved undergraduate students, allowing them to explore opportunities related to stewardship, outreach and education, and fisheries management. The primary objective of this thesis research is to evaluate the impact of this internship program on increasing self-efficacy, as per the Social Cognitive Theory framework, and enhancing science identity, guided by priori themes of recognition, competence, performance, and perceived barriers. This assessment of the internship program employs a mixed methods approach, combining both quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative analysis involves the examination of pre- and post-survey means and standard error to determine increases. Qualitatively, open-ended responses are coded according to the priori themes. The overarching goal of this thesis research is to contribute to the commitment of these organizations to promote diversity within the environmental field. By assessing the effectiveness of this internship program, this study aims to shed light on its impact and potential for increasing self-efficacy and science identity among early underserved undergraduate participants, ultimately addressing the broader challenge of underrepresentation in this field.