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Thesis
THERMAL ECOLOGY AND ACTIVITY PATTERNS OF JUVENILE LEMON SHARKS (NEGAPRION BREVIROSTRIS) IN A SHALLOW WATER NURSERY
University of West Florida
Master of Science (MS), University of West Florida
2008
Abstract
Ten juvenile lemon sharks (Negaprion brevirostris) captured between July 2004 and April 2005 were fitted with iButton temperature loggers and acoustic telemetry transmitters to simultaneously monitor diel movements and temperature selection. Temperature loggers were also used to record daily environmental temperatures within each shark’s nursery home range. Body temperature data show that juvenile lemon sharks did not attempt, and were perhaps precluded from, behaviorally maintaining a constant eccritic temperature. Rather the sharks appeared to behaviorally exploit their home range thermal heterogeneity in a way that allowed the juveniles’ body temperatures to approach the upper end of the temperatures available. It is possible that by maximizing thermal acclimation juvenile lemon sharks prolong activities such as feeding or digestion well into the cooler parts of the evening. Reductions in body temperature in the late evening and sunrise hours, on the other hand, may reduce post-feeding evacuation rates and increase absorption efficiency.
Details
- Title
- THERMAL ECOLOGY AND ACTIVITY PATTERNS OF JUVENILE LEMON SHARKS (NEGAPRION BREVIROSTRIS) IN A SHALLOW WATER NURSERY
- Resource Type
- Thesis
- Publisher
- University of West Florida
- Format
- text
- Identifiers
- 99380090738306600
- 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