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Thesis
EFFECTS OF ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION ON DEVELOPING VARIEGATED SEA URCHINS, LYTECHINUS VARIEGATUS
University of West Florida
Master of Science (MS), University of West Florida
2008
Abstract
Lytechinus variegatus larvae were used to examine the effects of ecologically relevant exposures of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) on larval morphology and settlement. The first experiment investigated the effects of variable time lengths of exposure on gastrula larvae. The second experiment investigated the blastula, gastrula, and pluteus stages of larval development for susceptibility to damage from UVR. In the first two experiments, an artificial light source was used to provide UVR. The third experiment made use of light filters of 280nm, 320nm, and 395nm under natural sunlight to investigate which wavelengths were most deleterious to larvae. Measures to assess UVR effects were larval post-oral arm lengths and percent settlement. Larvae in Experiment 1 displayed significant reduction in left post-oral arm growth two days after exposure. In Experiment 2, larvae in the blastula stage had a reduction in larval growth, while the gastrula stage, showed a significant reduction in percent settlement. No significant differences were seen between treatment groups in Experiment 3, likely because of the low dose rate on the overcast day of exposure. The experiments show that larvae have measurable morphological consequences and reductions in percent settlement from only a single exposure to ecologically relevant levels of UVR.
Details
- Title
- EFFECTS OF ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION ON DEVELOPING VARIEGATED SEA URCHINS, LYTECHINUS VARIEGATUS
- Resource Type
- Thesis
- Publisher
- University of West Florida
- Format
- text
- Copyright
- http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-EDU/1.0/
- Identifiers
- 99380090862606600
- 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