Metrics
12 File views/ downloads
35 Record Views
Thesis
Disturbance In Seagrass Beds Due To Prop Scars And Their Impacts On Invertebrates
University of West Florida Libraries
Master of Science (MS), University of West Florida
2025
Abstract
Seagrasses are a habitat for a variety of invertebrate species. Despite the importance and ecosystem services that seagrass beds provide, seagrasses are at risk due to natural and anthropogenic causes including linear lines of unvegetated sections through seagrass beds left by boat propellers known as prop scars. This study examined 14 prop scars in Thalassia testudinum seagrass beds in the panhandle of Florida for changes in the invertebrate community in three separate areas: prop scar (bare sediment), beside prop scar (prop scar edge), and away from prop scar (2 meters into healthy seagrass). Seagrass bed and scar measures included epiphyte weight, blade length and width, shoot density, grain size, organic content, total invertebrates in cores (infauna), and total invertebrates in sweeps (epifauna). No significant changes were found among areas for epiphyte weight, blade length and width, shoot density, and total invertebrates in cores. There was some evidence for a shift in the three smallest grain size fractions between scar and away. Organic content was lower in scar compared to beside and away in seagrass, which were similar. Invertebrates were identified to various taxonomic levels for a total of 64 categories, with 24 of them common to both cores and sweeps. There were 45 taxa in cores and no difference in total mean number of invertebrates among scar, beside scar, and away from scar. Number of individuals in cores was relatively small compared to sweeps. There were 43 taxa in sweeps and there was a difference in total mean number of invertebrates among all areas with away from scar > beside scar > scar. Number of individuals by taxa in sweeps was very uneven. The gastropods Astyris lunata and Bittiolum varium, and the grass shrimp Hippolyte sp. were extremely abundant compared to other taxa. At least for epifauna, there appears to be a negative edge effect to a prop scar where invertebrates occur in lower numbers immediately adjacent to the prop scar.
Details
- Title
- Disturbance In Seagrass Beds Due To Prop Scars And Their Impacts On Invertebrates
- Resource Type
- Thesis
- Contributors
- Christopher M Pomory (Committee Chair)Alexis Janosik (Committee Member)Viktoria Esther Bogantes Aguilar (Committee Member) - University of West Florida, Biology
- Publisher
- University of West Florida Libraries
- Format
- pdf
- Number of pages
- 56
- Copyright
- Permission granted to the University of West Florida Libraries by the author to digitize and/or display this information for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires the permission of the copyright holder.
- Identifiers
- 99381469453706600
- Academic Unit
- Biology
- Language
- English
- Awarding Institution
- University of West Florida; Master of Science (MS)
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Science (MS), University of West Florida