HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations
Defense Date
12-6-2018
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.S. Marine Biology
First Advisor
David Kerstetter, Ph.D.
Second Advisor
Richard Brill, Ph.D.
Third Advisor
Andrij Horodysky, Ph.D.
Fourth Advisor
Tracey Sutton, Ph.D.
Abstract
Lionfish (Pterois spp.), an invasive species native to the Indo-Pacific, have permanently established themselves throughout the greater Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and regions of the Western Atlantic ranging from as far north as North Carolina to central Brazil. As their fundamental range expands, lionfish threaten to migrate into estuarine environments as they have been found to tolerate low salinities and an eclectic range of temperatures. The physiological capacity of invasion was assessed by quantifying the visual ecology of lionfish utilizing corneal electroretinography (ERG) as well as their metabolic scope and hypoxia tolerances under various temperature-oxygen-regimes utilizing intermittent-flow respirometry. Seasonal changes in temperature-dissolved oxygen levels consistent with Atlantic/Gulf of Mexico inshore estuaries not only exceed the physiological tolerances of lionfish, but also constrain metabolic scope at sub-lethal levels by significantly limiting maximum metabolic rate across all temperatures. Median Scrit values were 33%, 39%, 46%, and 54% at 15, 20, 25, and 30℃ respectively. Luminous sensitivities, temporal resolutions (Flicker fusion frequency), and spectral sensitivities scaled similarly with other estuarine piscivores indicating lionfish possess a visual system that can function effectively within estuarine photic conditions. Overall, visual characteristics of estuaries will not pose as a significant barrier to lionfish, but minimum winter temperatures and hypoxia will pose controlling and limiting factors substantially preventing further inshore invasion. However, caution should still be advised as lionfish may capitalize on specific temporal and spatial scales that provide suitable habitat quality and abundance of prey items. Further insight is needed to forecast the effects of temperature-dissolved oxygen on lionfish metabolic-scope.
NSUWorks Citation
Aaron Hasenei. 2018. Ecophysiology of lionfish metabolic and visual systems: Are there physiological limits to inshore invasion?. Master's thesis. Nova Southeastern University. Retrieved from NSUWorks, . (496)
https://nsuworks.nova.edu/occ_stuetd/496.
Included in
Comparative and Evolutionary Physiology Commons, Marine Biology Commons, Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology Commons
Comments
Fixed figure/table caption orientation