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    Anthropogenic Impacts on Herpetofaunal Diversity and Community Composition on a Barrier Island in the Southeastern United States
    ( 2013-03-08) Hanson, Keith Miller ; McElroy, Eric J ; Environmental Studies
    Habitat loss and degradation often negatively impact reptiles and amphibians. Understanding how human-induced habitat changes impact herpetofauna is crucial for effective conservation and management of their populations. My goal was to determine the impacts of human development on the herpetofauna of Kiawah Island, a barrier island in South Carolina, USA. I used drift fence arrays with pit and snake traps, cover boards and visual encounter surveys to sample herpetofauna at twelve sites in three areas along a gradient of developmental density (low, moderate and high). Species richness was highest in the low development area with 16 species, while the moderate and high areas contained 14 and 13 species, respectively. Abundance was also highest in the low development area with 587 individuals encountered. Amphibian diversity was highest in the low development area, while reptile diversity was highest in the moderate and high development areas. Species richness and abundance were significantly higher in forest habitats than in sand dunes. Fragment size had no impact on species richness, abundance or evenness, whereas canopy cover, plant species richness, and site elevation best explained variation in herpetofaunal species richness and abundance on the island. Community composition was fundamentally different between development areas, with the largest number of families, and largest range of sensitive species found in the low development area. Certain sensitive species were entirely absent from the high development area of the island, and were only found in the least developed, most inaccessible sites. Furthermore, the low development area had four unique species, whereas the moderate area hand one and high area had none. These results suggest that development on Kiawah has impacted species diversity and composition, as areas of high development area associated with low species counts and reduced numbers of sensitive species. Continued development and habitat modification on Kiawah will likely result in a herpetofaunal community dominated by a few, disturbance-tolerant species. These results indicate that a mixture of various levels of development, some of which must be low, may have the ability to maintain herpetofaunal species diversity and composition on Kiawah.
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    Sallie Chapin and the WCTU in the New South, 1880-1896
    ( 2013-03-08) May, Laura ; Ingram, Tammy ; History
    Sallie Chapin's professional career provided her with the platform to use rhetoric to negotiate gender and race in the New South. Chapin negotiated gender by affirming the female role of home protector and demonstrating that women had much to contribute to politics and society. Chapin used the social role of moral arbiter to create a public space for women in reform. Her discussions of race showed that she remained unapologetic for the Old South while still forging enough common ground on the issue of temperance with African American men and women allowing her to work with them. Chapin manipulated race issues for her own agenda. Chapin took a condescending, paternalistic view of race that appeared non-­‐threatening to white supremacy while still trying to encourage temperance for blacks as a method of racial uplift.
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    ASSESSMENT OF THE SPATIAL STRUCTURE, GENETIC DIVERSITY, AND TEMPORAL EFFECTIVE POPULATION SIZE OF RED PORGY (Pagrus pagrus) IN THE SOUTH ATLANTIC BIGHT, 1978 - 2010
    ( 2013-03-08) Murray, David ; Reichert, Marcel ; Marine Biology
    Red porgy, Pagrus pagrus, is a protogynous hermaphroditic reef fish that associates with hard-bottom habitats in temperate waters. Red porgy has been a recreational and commercially important species over the past 30 years, and is managed as a single species in the Snapper-Grouper complex under the South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council (SAFMC). During the early 1980's, increased fishing pressure began to significantly reduce the population in the South Atlantic Bight (Cape Hatteras, NC to Cape Canaveral, FL) resulting in a moratorium being enacted in 1999. The aim of my study was to determine how fishing pressure over the past 40 years has affected the genetic diversity of the South Atlantic Bight population of red porgy using nine microsatellite loci. An initial spatial evaluation of genetic diversity within the South Atlantic Bight was used to verify the previously identified lack of genetic structure using more robust sampling and marker designs. Genetic data coupled with life history data were used for a temporal comparison of allelic diversity, heterozygosity, and effective population size. Temporal analysis indicated that the genetic diversity of the stock has not been compromised with reductions in population size. Additionally, effective population size was estimated to be several orders of magnitude lower than census size (Ne = 179 - 1592), but remained relatively unchanged through time. The red porgy population has been experiencing heavy fishing pressure over the past 40 years, but appears to have maintained its genetic stability. However, the South Atlantic Bight red porgy is not in an optimal state and future efforts should continue to rebuild the population.
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    THE EFFECTS OF SEDIMENT GRAIN SIZE AND SHELL CONTENT ON THE BURIAL TIME OF THE COQUINA, Donax sp.
    ( 2013-03-08) Bricker, Tessa ; Bergquist, Derk C. ; Marine Biology
    Anthropogenic modifications of the coastal environment can significantly impact the physical characteristics and the biological communities of sandy beaches. This study examined how changes in the amount and the size of the shell in sediments affect the burrowing ability of Donax, an abundant and ecologically important genus of beach bivalves. Two laboratory-based experiments examining the burial behaviors of Donax sp. were performed: (1) a full factorial experiment utilizing four different grain sizes of sand (very coarse, coarse, medium, and fine) and four different percentages of crushed oyster shell (0, 25, 50, and 100%) and (2) a beach sediment experiment using sediment from two South Carolina beaches of differing grain size distributions along with shell mimicking those distributions and the shell grain size distribution found on the beach. In Experiment 1, increasing shell content increased time to complete burial, and the effect of percent shell varied by grain size. Shell had a significant effect on the burial time; the shortest burial times were in 0% shell and the longest were in 100% shell. Shell in fine and medium sand increased the burial time more than in coarse or very coarse sands especially at higher percentages of shell. Increasing the grain size distribution did not significantly increase the burial time. Coarseness due to shell increases the burial time more than coarse sand. This study may provide a mechanism behind some of the changes observed in the biological community as a result of changes in the physical characteristics of the beach sediment, particularly those following human impacts.
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    Societal responses following disaster: Exploring the association between social conflict and environmental disaster events
    ( 2013-03-08) Brown, Lauren ; Lovelace, Susan ; Environmental Studies
    Environmental disasters have the ability to place significant amounts of stress on an individual's normal day to day life. Increases in social conflict can be a result of the existence of additional stressors long after disaster. Some studies have found associations between social conflict following environmental disaster, while others have produced mixed results. As part of a study to explore the changes in well-being in the Gulf Coast states impacted by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Disaster, this project leveraged data collected from Gulf Coast counties for a ten year period to understand the relationships between the environment and public health. This study examines three measures of social conflict (divorce, domestic violence, and crime) in the northern Gulf of Mexico region following specific environmental events to determine if there is a relationship between social conflict and environmental disaster. Results of this study suggest environmental disaster events are a good predictor of divorce but not of crime or domestic violence in the Gulf Coast region and that disaster events could have a negative effect on well-being at both the individual and community level. These findings will be useful in the development of plans for mitigation of and response to social conflict in communities most sensitive to disaster.
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    Temporal Defeat, Divine Victory: The Origins of the Religion of the Lost Cause, 1860-1870
    ( 2013-03-08) Davis, Andrew Patrick ; Poole, Scott ; History
    ABSTRACTTEMPORAL DEFEAT, DIVINE VICTORY: THE ORIGINS OF THE RELIGION OF THE LOST CAUSE, 1860-1870A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for degree MASTER OF ARTSinHISTORYbyANDREW P. DAVISAPRIL 2012atTHE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON THE CITADEL GRADUATE COLLEGEApproved by:Dr. W. Scott Poole, Thesis DirectorDr. Tammy IngramDr. Amanda MushalDr. Amy T. McCandlesss, Dean of the Graduate SchoolThe religion of the Lost Cause did not slowly develop during the late 1860s and 1870s, only to provide a foundation for grieving southerners in the two decades that followed. Instead, its foundational ideas took shape as men marched off to battle and the idea of an independent Confederate nation remained very much within reach. The civil religion of this nascent nation then proved extremely malleable as proponents of the Lost Cause quickly altered its form and function to meet their own needs. The religious ideology of the Lost Cause allowed ex-Confederates to turn their temporal defeat into a stunning and total divine victory. Just as a phoenix rises from the ashes to begin life anew, so too would the Confederacy overcome its earthly demise and find rebirth in other realms.
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    RECOVERY FROM HYPOXIA AND HYPERCAPNIC HYPOXIA: IMPACTS ON THE TRANSCRIPTION OF KEY ANTIOXIDANTS IN THE SHRIMP Litopenaeus vannamei
    ( 2013-03-08) Kniffin, Casey Darling ; Burnett, Karen G ; Marine Biology
    The Pacific whiteleg shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, inhabits coastal and estuarine waters, which are prone to intermittent bouts of low oxygen (hypoxia) and high carbon dioxide (hypercapnia). The current study assesses the responses of key antioxidants in shrimp during exposure and recovery from hypoxia (H) and hypercapnic hypoxia (HH) by measuring changes in their associated gene transcripts using qPCR. In a typical semidiurnal tidal cycle episodic H and HH (4-6h) are followed by recovery to normal oxygen (normoxia) and carbon dioxide levels (8-12h). Similar oxygen recovery scenarios produce a large number of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in vertebrates as a result of a rapid influx of oxygen into tissues, and thereby oxidative injury can occur. While ROS can be detrimental to cells, they also play an important role in crustacean immune function and are eventually removed through the production of antioxidant (antioxidant) enzymes. In the current study we aimed to determine whether changes in relative gene expression of key antioxidant genes contributed to the ability of shrimp to tolerate fluctuations in oxygen and carbon dioxide. Three antioxidant systems were assessed to address different modes of removal of ROS. qPCR was used to measure relative transcript abundance of MnSOD, GST, GPX, TRX-1, TRX-2, and PRX. After recovery from H and HH it was clear that certain genes have differential expression patterns compared to the time matched normoxia controls. Significant increases in expression of MnSOD occurred after exposure to both H and HH treatment and during recovery from both short and long-term exposure times, providing evidence that MnSOD is a major route of elimination of ROS. However, other antioxidant genes (GST and TRX-1) exhibited decreases in expression or no regulation (PRX) in various treatment groups. Overall, a dynamic pattern of expression of antioxidant genes were observed with marked differences in the short term vs. long term exposure times.
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    Latitudinal Body Size Pattern in a Marine Isopod Suggests Local Adaptation to Predator Risk
    ( 2013-03-08) Manyak, Anna ; Sotka, Erik ; Marine Biology
    Geographic patterns of body size are of particular interest to biologists because they suggest a correlation between local environmental conditions and phenotypic expression. Bergmann's rule is a widely observed latitudinal pattern of body size in which organisms from colder latitudes possess larger body sizes than their warmer latitude counterparts. Although widely studied, the evolutionary mechanisms and environmental driving forces dictating these latitudinal patterns remain relatively underexplored. Consistent with Bergmann's rule, I found that field-collected individuals of the marine isopod Idotea baltica from Massachusetts sites are larger than individuals from Virginia sites. I raised juvenile I. balthica from populations from both regions at a range of temperatures (6°, 12°, 18°, 24°, and 30°C), and measured growth and survivorship regularly for 15 weeks or until sexual maturity. I found that body size varied positively with temperature, with individuals from Massachusetts populations possessing an overall larger body size than those from Virginia populations (MA, 18°C = 9.21 mm, MA, 24°C = 10.12 mm, VA, 18°C = 7.77 mm, VA, 24°C = 8.65 mm, p < 0.0001). Time to maturity was greater in Massachusetts populations (MA, 18°C = 71.02 days, MA, 24°C = 51.14 days, VA 18°C = 52.52 days, VA 24°C = 45.64 days, p < 0.0001), while growth rate at a given temperature was consistent across all populations, indicating that higher predation rates in Virginia habitats may be an important driving force. Field tethering experiments support this argument, with higher isopod survival rates in Massachusetts sites than Virginia sites (MA = 57%, VA = 13%, p-value = < 0.0001). My data indicates that the latitudinal body size pattern in I. balthica is adaptive, and that predation may have been an important driving force in the development of this pattern.
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    Locomotory fatigue in the Atlantic blue crab, Callinectes sapidus
    ( 2013-03-08) Stover, Kristin ; Burnett, Louis E ; Marine Biology
    The Atlantic blue crab, Callinectes sapidus (Rathbun), is an important commercial and recreational fishing species that resides in the estuarine waters of the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. These highly mobile crustaceans must locomote to find food, evade predators, find mates and avoid adverse conditions such as hypoxia. In effect, maintaining continuous activity and resisting fatigue for extended periods of time may be necessary for the daily survival of blue crabs. In this study we investigated: 1) the impact of locomotion on the ability of a blue crab to produce a force with their walking legs to hold onto and guard a mate, and 2) the effects of two levels of hypoxia (10.4 kPa, 50% air saturation; 4 kPa, 20% air saturation) on fatigue during sustained continuous exercise. Fatigue was induced by an exercise trial that entailed continuous sideways hexapedal walking on an underwater treadmill. A repeated pull force test is described here that mimicked the way a male holds a female during mate guarding, by measuring the force crabs used to hold onto a mesh grid. The pull force decreased during walking in normoxia by 7.88% h−1. The results indicate that the more time a male crab spends searching for a mate, the less ability he will have to hold and, therefore, guard his mate. Fatigue, defined as a 33% decrease in pull force, was reached after a mean 6.19 h walking for crabs in normoxic seawater, 4 h in 50% air saturation and 2 h in 20% air saturation. Fatigue-resisting behaviors (180° turns, stopping and riding to the end) increased from the initial time point by 0.9 behaviors h−1 in normoxia, 4.1 in 50% air saturation, and 13.8 in 20% air saturation. The force and behavioral results indicate that performance is decreased and fatigue is reached more quickly as the level of hypoxia intensifies.
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    A Characterization of Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) Interactions with the Commercial Shrimp Trawl Fishery of South Carolina
    ( 2013-03-08) Greenman, Justin Theodore ; McFee, Wayne ; Environmental Studies
    In the United States, interactions between the shrimp trawl fishery and bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) are known to exist, however the level of mortality is largely unknown. The current study attempted to determine if interactions between bottlenose dolphins and commercial shrimp trawlers pose a significant threat to dolphin populations and if fishery related mortality is underreported. This was accomplished with a combination of on-board observations, a shrimp fisher mail survey, and stranding record research. On-board observations were made during a 112 day field study consisting of fishery-dependent (Aug. - Dec. 2010) and fishery-independent (Apr. - Nov. 2010 & 2011) sampling. These observations focused on direct physical interactions with the gear and depredation behaviors. Additionally, a sub-sample of shrimp fishers in South Carolina was asked to participate in a mailed survey. The survey included questions related to gear, dolphin observations, and the status of the shrimp fishery. This study also utilized historical dolphin stranding data from the South Carolina Marine Mammal Stranding Network to ascertain signs of shrimp fishery interactions. A three-leveled flow diagram was developed to characterize each stranding case according to the likelihood that mortality resulted from trawler interaction. Field results point to significant dolphin presence around commercial trawlers (chi sq. = 23.406, p <0.001). In addition, survey results showed substantial evidence that fishery related mortality is higher than reported. Finally, stranding records revealed several more cases with signs of possible trawler interaction. Therefore, the current designation of the fishery as a Category II fishery is correct. In addition, increased observer coverage and improved communication with the fishery on the importance of reporting takes is warranted.
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    Emerging contaminants in the marine environment: An in vitro study of the immunotoxicological effects of DE-71, a commercial polybrominated diphenylether mixture, and perfluorooctane sulfonate on dolphin and murine immune cells
    ( 2013-03-08) Wirth, Jena ; Fair, Patricia A ; Marine Biology
    The effects of emerging contaminants on the immune system of mammals are poorly understood, with limited information available about the immunotoxicological effects of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and DE-71, a polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) mixture, at environmentally relevant exposures. Due to challenges of working with dolphins, this study assessed the effects of in vitro exposures of PFOS and DE-71 on immune functions in dolphins and mice to determine the predictability of in vitro effects to in vivo observations as part of a parallelogram approach to assessing risk. Bottlenose dolphin peripheral blood leukocytes and B6C3F1 mouse splenocytes were exposed in culture to PFOS at 0, 0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 0.5, 1.0 or 5.0 μg/mL concentrations or DE-71 at 0, 0.025, 0.05, 0.25, 0.5, 2.5, 5.0, 25 or 50 μg/mL concentrations. The immune endpoints assessed were natural killer (NK) cell activity and lymphocyte proliferation. PFOS significantly decreased NK cell activity at 0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 μg/mL concentrations in mouse splenocytes, but did not significantly alter dolphin NK cell activity. Mitogen-induced T cell proliferation was significantly decreased in murine cells beginning at the 0.05 μg/mL treatment, but not in dolphin cells. B cell proliferation was not statistically altered by PFOS exposure in either dolphins or mice. DE-71 in vitro exposure did not significantly alter NK cell activity or lymphocyte proliferation in dolphins. It also did not alter lymphocyte proliferation in mice, but did augment NK cell activity beginning with the 0.05 μg/mL treatment. Using these in vitro models and previous studies on in vivo models, the parallelogram approach was able to estimate potential effects of PBDE and PFOS in free-ranging bottlenose dolphin immune function.
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    Determining factors that influence the molecular quantification of the harmful raphidophyte Heterosigma akashiwo using a sandwich hybridization assay
    ( 2013-03-08) Doll, Cameron ; Greenfield, Dianne I. ; Marine Biology
    Molecular approaches for detecting and quantifying harmful algal bloom (HAB) species have become more commonplace because of their capability to distinguish taxa and species. Sandwich hybridization assay (SHA) is a molecular probe technique that uses two DNA probes to detect species or taxon-specific large subunit rRNA sequences and can be used to quantify cell abundances in environmental samples without nucleic acid purification or amplification. However, the influence of certain physiological and methodological factors on SHA optical density (OD) remains unclear. Elucidating such factors will help in evaluating SHA's reliability as a HAB management tool. The following specific factors were addressed; (1) do HAB strains from geographically distinct populations react differently on the SHA, (2) are samples preserved in Lugol's iodine solution stable enough for SHA quantification, (3) does algal growth phase or diel cycle influence SHA OD, and (4) how do nutrient or light limitation affect SHA OD? All experiments were carried out in the laboratory using the globally-distributed, ichthyotoxic raphidophyte Heterosigma akashiwo as the study species because SHA has been developed and rigorously validated for it. Results showed that SHA standard curves for some of the strains did not vary significantly from previously published results, but a few strains did display distinct reactions. Samples preserved in Lugol's were quantifiable for a week at room temperature and up to four months when refrigerated. SHA OD declined as a culture progressed from exponential to stationary and decline phases, and displayed a diel trend. Nitrogen limitation had a significant influence on SHA OD whereas low phosphorus and light did not.
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    Characterization of the Symbiodinium microadriaticum Spliced Leader RNA and its Response to Stress
    ( 2013-03-08) Feltman, Peter ; Van Dolah, Frances ; Marine Biology
    Spliced leader (SL) mediated RNA trans-splicing has been identified in diverse dinoflagellate species, including the coral symbiont, Symbiodinium microadriaticum. During the process of SL trans-splicing, first described in trypanosomes, RNA messages are trans-spliced with an identical, short leader sequence, donated from a small nuclear-encoded RNA known as the SL RNA. Under conditions of severe stress, trypanosome cells shut off transcription of the SL RNA gene, a response termed spliced leader silencing (SLS), resulting in a cellular decrease in mRNA maturation and translation. This study sought to characterize the Symbiodinium SL RNA and determine its response to cellular stress. Our results revealed a non-polyadenylated RNA with numerous characteristics in common with other published dinoflagellate SL RNAs including sequence identity, small size, and a divergent secondary structure. Utilizing this sequence information, a qPCR-based assay was developed to measure the abundance of SL RNA in response to cellular perturbation. This assay was found to be responsive to transcription inhibition by treatment with actinomycin D. Cultures were assayed for SLS following incubation at 34° C, a temperature that causes extreme physiological impairment, and treatment with 4 mM DTT, a known cause of SLS in trypanosomes. SL RNA levels were unaffected by either treatment, suggesting that SLS is not a Symbiodinium stress response. To determine if the trans-splicing machinery was affected by either treatment, independent of SLS; unspliced, immature messages were assayed for by northern blot. No evidence was found for a reduction in trans-splicing in response to either heat shock or DTT treatment. These results, combined with the uncertain origins of the SL trans-splicing mechanism, support the emerging view that functions of SL trans-splicing may differ among the diverse eukaryotic lineages in which it exists.
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    MONITORING AND FATE OF ORGANIC SUNSCREEN COMPOUNDS IN THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT
    ( 2013-03-08) Bratkovics, Stephanie Danielle ; Wirth, Ed ; Sapozhnikova, Yelena ; Environmental Studies
    Organic UV filters are increasingly being used in personal care products to protect skin from the damaging effects of UV radiation. In addition, chemicals found in this class of emerging contaminants are used as flavoring ingredients, as well as in plastic coverings for the preservation of food, in the manufacturing of insecticides and agricultural chemicals and pharmaceutical drugs. Consequently, it has been estimated that hundreds of tons of sunscreen compounds are released into the environment annually by both direct and indirect routes. In order to determine the concentrations of several major organic UV-filtering chemicals (oxybenzone, dioxybenzone, sulisobenzone, avobenzone, octocrylene, octinoxate, and padimate-O), a multi-residue protocol was developed to extract and quantify the target analytes from sea and potable water using HPLC/MS/MS. To better understand these chemicals behavior in marine waters, the fate of selected compounds in seawater under different light regimes was also evaluated. Concurrent to the laboratory investigations, marine samples were analyzed and used to assess the relationships between land use and the distribution of sunscreen compounds along coastal South Carolina. Finally, concentrations of sunscreen compounds were determined in nationally protected coral reef environments. Laboratory based fate experiments resulted in compound dependent degradation over the course of the experiment, and included the observed transformation of specific target analytes into possible tautomer/rotamer forms. Five of the seven target analytes were detected in seawater samples from coastal South Carolina over the course of the yearlong environmental monitoring venture. Patterns in concentrations were observed based on season and proportion of developed land at each of the South Carolina sites. Four target analytes were detected in reef sites in the Florida Keys, while two were quantified in samples from the Virgin Islands. The presence of the compounds at even remote sites in open water reef systems warrants further attention, as the compounds are known to have hormonal effects on various aquatic organisms, in addition to promoting the bleaching of coral species. Understanding the presence and quantities of anthropogenic UV-filtering chemicals, along with understanding the potential fate of these compounds in the aquatic environment, may allow for a more responsible approach for planning and management of beach and coastal waters as well as marine protected areas.
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    Ecological and Societal Benefits Derived from Coastal Restoration in Southern Louisiana
    ( 2013-03-08) Atkinson, Donald Lowell ; Lovelace, Susan P ; Environmental Studies
    This project examines specific coastal restoration projects in southern Louisiana to develop a method for determining which kinds of projects will most likely enhance the socioeconomic conditions of the surrounding region through physical improvement of the habitat. By applying an extensive review of the literature, examination of project compliance documents, and analysis of secondary data characterizing the well-being of parishes near selected restoration projects, I explored, conceptualized, and confirmed the relationship between specific, local ecosystem services (e.g. provisioning, regulating, supporting, cultural services) and various elements of human well-being (e.g. health, safety, economic security) impacted by four restoration projects and their respective restoration techniques: dredged material placement, sediment diversion, and artificial oyster reefs. Finally, I developed a qualitative evaluation matrix by which these projects and techniques were analyzed for their potential benefit to regional ecosystem services, and - through associations previously established on the national and regional scale - I made connections between these enhanced ecological services and the impact on community well-being.
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    Associations between parasite burden and health in the spotted seatrout Cynoscion nebulosus
    ( 2013-03-08) Cosmann, Paul Jerome ; de Buron, Isaure ; Marine Biology
    Spotted seatrout Cynoscion nebulosus are commonly infected by three species of parasites in South Carolina estuaries: the myxosporeans Kudoa inornata (in skeletal muscle) and Henneguya cynoscioni (in the bulbus arteriosus), and the digenean Cardicola laruei (in the ventricle). Because of potentially high pathogenicity by these parasites, we hypothesized that they negatively affect the fishes' health. Burden of infection by each parasite species was quantified in wild-caught spotted seatrout over the course of one year using histology. Fish health was assessed in terms of body and liver masses (measures of energy storage), and spleen mass (a measure of immune response and/or erythropoiesis). Using general linear models to control for the effects of body length, sex, and season, we found that C. laruei was associated with reduced body mass and that K. inornata was associated with reduced liver mass. All three species were associated with changes in spleen mass, with C. laruei being associated with enlarged spleens in all seasons, whereas the effects of K. inornata and H. cynoscioni on spleen mass were season-dependent, with a negative association for K. inornata in the spring and a positive association for H. cynoscioni in the spring. Overall, C. laruei was found to be the parasite that may impact the most the overall health status of the spotted seatrout and H. cynoscioni the least.
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    Effects of Light and Iron on Growth and Physiology of a Polar Diatom, Fragilariopsis cylindrus
    ( 2013-03-08) Bennett, Jennifer Melville ; DiTullio, Giacomo R ; Marine Biology
    The Ross Sea, one of the most productive Southern Ocean regions, accounts for a substantial proportion of global primary production and is responsible for up to one fourth of the C02 export in this ocean. Both primary and export production in this region are thought to be mediated by the interaction of light and iron (Fe) bio-availability. Future climate change may produce significant changes in the mixing-irradiance regime, and in the supply of macro- and micro-nutrients, in the highly productive waters of the Antarctic continental shelf. In this context, there is a pressing need to understand the responses of the major groups of Antarctic phytoplankton to such environmental changes. The diatom Fragilariopsis cylindrus is a prolific species on the Antarctic shelf, inhabiting both sea-ice (low irradiance) and open-water (high irradiance) regimes. Laboratory culture experiments were performed to examine the growth and physiology of this diatom under nutrient-replete conditions at irradiances of 5-500 μE m-2s-1, on both acute and long term timescales. These allowed the sub-optimal, optimal, and supra-optimal irradiance for growth (5, 100, and 500 μE m-2s-1, respectively) to be assessed for this species, under which growth at varying Fe concentrations (0 - 1000nM Fe-EDTA) could then be examined. Cell number, biovolume, photosynthetic efficiency (Fv/Fm) and effective absorption cross section of PSII (σPSII), photosynthetic and photoprotective pigments, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and intracellular particulate dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSPP) were measured in these experiments. The results indicated that F. cylindrus maintained relatively high growth rates (μ= 0.1-0.4) over a wide range of irradiance levels under nutrient replete conditions, probably using various physiological mechanisms including xanthophyll cycling and decreasing effective absorption cross section at higher irradiance. These mechanisms were also employed under light and iron stress, accompanied by an approximate 25% decrease in growth rate (µ) values. DMSPP levels (up to 60 mM) may also be serving as an antioxidant free-radical scavenging pool under both iron and light stress, thereby preventing oxidative damage, within the photosynthetic apparatus.
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    From Romanticism to Empire: Changing British Perceptions of Indian Architecture Throughout the Long Nineteenth Century
    ( 2013-03-08) Wood, Jennifer Lynne Bean ; Grenier, Katherine ; History
    Following the Sepoy Rebellion (1857), India's architecture came to play a key role in Britons' quest for knowledge and comprehension of India and Indians. For this reason, British perceptions of the subcontinent's architecture are intimately and foundationally linked to Britons' understanding of India. However, few scholars have addressed these architectural perceptions in their own right, which is the purpose of this thesis. An evaluation of scholarly papers, journal and newspaper articles, travel narratives, visual artistic works, history books, museum exhibit and exhibition accounts from the late eighteenth century to the early twentieth reveals that Britons' first introduction to Indian architecture came through the lens of Romanticism. Intellectual and artistic Romantic open mindedness created an environment in which Britons could appreciate and admire the unusual architectural traditions of the subcontinent. However, as the nineteenth century progressed, Romantic inquiry and depictions gave way to scientific methods of investigation and presentation while Britain increasingly committed herself to an imperial role in India. These occurrences worked together to dismantle the Romantic lens of the first introduction and reframe perceptions in the shadow of empire and its inherent Western supremacy. Through the lens of empire and Western supremacy, respect and admiration for Islamic traditions declined in British eyes while Hindu traditions only met with disapproval and disdain when given attention at all. Only the ancient Buddhist monuments of India with their Western aesthetic influences, respected religious association, and lack of native, living followers could Britons look on with high regard.
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    GIS-BASED VULNERABILITY MODELING OF SOUTH CAROLINA MARSH HAMMOCKS AND ASSOCIATED SPECIES TO SEA LEVEL RISE
    ( 2013-03-08) McCalley, Matthew Owen ; Gramling, Joel M ; Environmental Studies
    Hammock islands are low-elevation landforms in coastal marshes that host high biodiversity. Global sea level rise projections over the next century are at levels that will likely inundate many hammock islands. This analysis modeled the effects of accelerated sea level rise (SLR) to 226 hammock islands under three SLR scenarios and provided unique methods for DEM calibration and hydrologic connectivity modeling. The influence of two- and three-dimensional spatial parameters on hammock island species richness was assessed. LiDAR modeled changes in the strongest parameters were used to predict post-SLR species richness. The model indicates that collective island area is reduced by 27.42%, 59.02% and 74.07% for 52 cm, 82 cm and 1.0 m SLR scenarios, respectively. All modeled islands incurred inundation for at least 7% of the island's surface area. 91.6% of islands were >/=50% affected, 56.8% of islands were >/=90% affected and 29.2% of islands incurred complete inundation under the 1.0 m SLR scenario. The variables most strongly associated with species richness were the area of an island (r-squared=64.18) and the volume of an island above mean high water (r-squared=72.81). The relative change and magnitude of change for islands and associated species differed depending on island size. Applying changes in island volume to the predictive function indicated a 2.29%, 10.55% and 17.63% decrease in quartile-derived collective species richness for SLR at 52 cm, 82 cm and 1.0 m, respectively; post-SLR island area indicated an 8.33%, 21.50% and 30.67% decrease in collective species richness respective to the same SLR scenarios. SLR may potentially interact with South Carolina's marsh island regulation, as island size will change over the next century. Conservation efforts must harness active management to promote in-situ habitat resilience at the local scale while urging global greenhouse gas reductions.
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    Developing Participatory GIS Methods for Lowcountry Environmental Planning
    ( 2013-03-08) Baker, Liah ; Watson, Annette ; Environmental Studies
    The South Carolina Lowcountry has experienced significant population growth and urban and suburban development in the past few decades, which is caused mainly by in–migration. This thesis analyzes the community and fishing economy of the town of McClellanville, SC and examines how these changes have affected the residents’ way of life in a rural area. Data were gathered through interviews, focus groups, and Participatory GIS exercises and analyzed using an open coding method of data analysis. The categorized results were then examined through the framework of social–ecological resilience theory to discuss the characteristics of the community and economy that participants wish to preserve, identify threats and vulnerability to their current system, and suggest methods to reduce those threats. Participant responses showed that McClellanville residents feel threatened by encroaching development and have already seen negative impacts of in–migration in their community. Participants expressed a strong desire to preserve the fishing village ambiance and close–knit community in their town as well as preserving the abundant natural resources they utilize for commercial, recreational, and subsistence activities.