Honors Theses

Date of Defense

2026

Document Type

Honors Thesis

Degree Type

Bachelors of Science

Declared Major

Marine Biology

College

Halmos College of Arts and Sciences and the Guy Harvey Oceanographic Research Center

Faculty Advisor

Dr. David Kerstetter, Ph.D, Halmos College of Arts and Science

Faculty Advisor

Dr. Susana Caballero, Ph.D, Halmos College of Arts and Science

Honors Program Director

Aileen Miyuki Farrar, Ph.D., Director, Farquhar Honors Program

Faculty Fellow for Student Research

David Kerstetter, Ph.D., Faculty Fellow for Student Research

HCAS Dean

Robin Cooper, Ph.D., Dean, Halmos College of Arts and Sciences

Abstract

Invasive species outcompete native species and disrupt ecosystem functions, particularly in regions like South Florida where environmental conditions favor their establishment and spread. The grey-headed (Porphyrio poliocephalus), native to southern Asia, was introduced to Florida in 1996 and has since established a self-sustaining and expanding population. Using mitochondrial control region DNA, this study examined the genetic diversity of the P. poliocephalus population and compared it with two confamilial native species: the purple gallinule (Porphyrio martinica) and the common gallinule (Gallinula galeata). Mitochondrial DNA analysis revealed extremely limited diversity in the invasive population. A single haplotype was detected among 32 wild P. poliocephalus individuals, resulting in zero haplotype and nucleotide diversity. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that one specimen previously identified as P. poliocephalus was a black-backed swamphen (Porphyrio indicus), indicating a previously undocumented release of a different species. No evidence of multiple maternal introductions was detected in the Florida P. poliocephalus population over the sampled time period, indicating a founder effect.

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Available for download on Monday, April 12, 2027

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