| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/11401/76086 | |
| dc.description.sponsorship | This work is sponsored by the Stony Brook University Graduate School in compliance with the requirements for completion of degree. | en_US |
| dc.format | Monograph | |
| dc.format.medium | Electronic Resource | en_US |
| dc.language.iso | en_US | |
| dc.publisher | The Graduate School, Stony Brook University: Stony Brook, NY. | |
| dc.type | Dissertation | |
| dcterms.abstract | Seagrasses are a diverse group of clonal marine macrophytes. Their decline in recent decades has been an alarming component of estuarine urbanization, with large portions of historical coverage lost or degraded. Understanding patterns of dispersal and recruitment within and among the remaining populations is now critical to predicting the form and pace of recovery. Working in a developing eelgrass (Zostera marina) meadow in Shinnecock Bay, we combined field manipulations, genotypic surveys and correlative analyses to understand how vegetative growth and seedling recruitment contribute to space acquisition. First, we explored clonal foraging behavior and its effect on patch growth using subterranean nutrient additions over a two-year period, finding that enriched patch edges spread faster, were characterized by higher shoot densities, and followed a different seasonal growth pattern than un-amended controls. Second, we used high resolution, decade-long seagrass mapping with polymorphic microsatellite analysis to examine the interactive effects of pollination and seed dispersal distance on sexual reproduction and seedling recruitment. Pollination distances exceeded previously published reports by a factor of 5, with a maximum of 73.91 m. Seed dispersal varied systematically below 6 m for naked seeds, and randomly throughout the 56,250-m2 study site for seeds deposited by floating reproductive shoots. Pedigree analysis showed that seedlings readily recruited to natal beds, with full sibling groups clustering neatly within larger half-sibling kinships at scales of 2 - 6 m. Finally, after establishing the importance of seedlings to patch expansion and meadow development, we sought to relate inter-annual variation in recruitment success to environmental variables, including wave energy, wind speed and direction, rainfall, and bottom-water temperature. Two multiple regression models were developed, one appropriate for the dispersal of naked seeds, and another for rafted flowers; both highlighted the roles of physiological stress and physical disturbance in controlling the colonization process. This dissertation illustrates how traditional modes of observation (i.e., the quadrat and transect) can augment molecular and GIS approaches in exploring patterns at the largest temporal and spatial scales, providing strong correlative evidence for formative processes and tangible targets for future manipulative work. | |
| dcterms.available | 2017-09-20T16:42:18Z | |
| dcterms.contributor | Peterson, Bradley J | en_US |
| dcterms.contributor | Cerrato, Robert | en_US |
| dcterms.contributor | Collier, Jackie | en_US |
| dcterms.contributor | Fonseca, Mark | en_US |
| dcterms.contributor | Bell, Susan. | en_US |
| dcterms.creator | Furman, Bradley Thomas | |
| dcterms.dateAccepted | 2017-09-20T16:42:18Z | |
| dcterms.dateSubmitted | 2017-09-20T16:42:18Z | |
| dcterms.description | Department of Marine and Atmospheric Science. | en_US |
| dcterms.extent | 172 pg. | en_US |
| dcterms.format | Application/PDF | en_US |
| dcterms.format | Monograph | |
| dcterms.identifier | http://hdl.handle.net/11401/76086 | |
| dcterms.issued | 2015-12-01 | |
| dcterms.language | en_US | |
| dcterms.provenance | Made available in DSpace on 2017-09-20T16:42:18Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1
Furman_grad.sunysb_0771E_12265.pdf: 10169114 bytes, checksum: c3f802294d57eac577b7e9c46e55267d (MD5)
Previous issue date: 1 | en |
| dcterms.publisher | The Graduate School, Stony Brook University: Stony Brook, NY. | |
| dcterms.subject | Ecology | |
| dcterms.subject | clonal foraging, dispersal, kinship, recruitment, seagrass, Zostera marina | |
| dcterms.title | Space acquisition strategies of Zostera marina | |
| dcterms.type | Dissertation | |
