http://hdl.handle.net/10125/2176 Sat, 18 May 2013 22:02:12 GMT 2013-05-18T22:02:12Z http://hdl.handle.net/10125/20938 Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2008.; Birds breeding in areas with large colonies experienced low fledging success and chick growth. This density-dependent pattern, on the scale of the birds' foraging area, supports the argument that reproductive rates are driven by food limitation. Shearwater populations are currently limited by breeding habitat availability due to human development and introduced predators, but as land managers protect more main-island breeding sites, food-limitation and its effects on reproductive rates may play an increasing role in population regulation.; Food availability also appears to influence how Hawaiian seabirds time their breeding. Species with large foraging ranges were found to breed at a more predictable time of year presumably because they are able to buffer against small-scale variation in prey abundance.; Food availability is thought to be an important factor influencing an organism's population dynamics, life-history, and behavior. In this dissertation, I explore the role that food availability plays in the ecology of tropical seabirds breeding in Hawai'i. I explicitly incorporate concepts of scale into the analyses to address processes that occur on various spatial and temporal scales.; The physical and biological processes that make food available to tropical seabirds have been insufficiently described. Using at-sea surveys, I found that skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) are vital to many species of Hawaiian seabirds in that they drive small fish and squid to the ocean's surface where the seabirds can access these prey. In a detailed study of the breeding ecology of one species of Hawaiian seabird, the Wedgetailed Shearwater (Puffinus pacificus), I found that regional low-wind events reduced chick growth rates and increased chick mortality, presumably through an interaction between physiological heat stress, increased energetic demands of foraging, and a dispersion of prey resulting from a breakdown in wind-driven currents and convergences.; This dissertation supports the argument that food availability plays an important role in the ecology of tropical seabirds. It also demonstrates how an exploration into these types of questions can best be addressed with an explicit incorporation of scale, whether it is to understand scaling effects on food predictability, or the spatial scale upon which birds forage and compete for food.; Includes bibliographical references (leaves 122-147).; Also available by subscription via World Wide Web; 155 leaves, bound 29 cm Tue, 01 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10125/20938 2008-01-01T00:00:00Z Hebshi, Aaron J http://hdl.handle.net/10125/20930 Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2008.; Active and passive tracking confirmed that C. argus are diurnal and highly site attached. In Moorea, home range size ranged from 230 to 1389 m2, mean = 700 m2 in, and 425 to 2300 m2, mean = 1236 m2in, in Hawaii. There was a significant positive correlation between the size of C. argus and home range size, and C. argus in Hawaii held significantly larger home ranges than C. argus in Moorea. C. argus in both regions spent the majority of their time in core use areas which corresponded with areas of high rugosity and reef complexity. Differences in home range area and habitat utilization between regions may be due to the lack of competing species, especially other groupers, in Hawaii. C. argus is known in Hawaii for causing ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP). CFP is caused by Gambierdiscus toxicus, which produces ciguatoxins (CTX) that are incorporated into the fish tissues. Standard length of C. argus and CTX score were positively correlated, however, small fish could be strongly positive, and cause CFP. At all sites, the majority of C. argus tested contained CTX levels at or above those considered unsafe for consumption. C. argus of a given length in Hawaii had lower CTX scores than fish of the same size in Moorea.; The blue-spotted grouper, Cephalopholis argus, was introduced to the Hawaiian islands from Moorea, French Polynesia in the late 1950s in an attempt to establish a grouper fishery in Hawaii. C. argus was introduced from a region of high grouper diversity into an environment with little competition from other large sedentary piscivorous species, and has flourished over the last 50 years. Total length, weight, and body condition were each significantly greater in introduced populations of C. argus in Hawaii than in native populations in Moorea. Both regions showed significant positive relationships between C. argus total length and: (1) prey total length, and (2) prey body depth. There were significant regional differences in diet; in Moorea C. argus consumed significantly deeper-bodied prey than their counterparts in Hawaii. These differences are consistent with competitive release experienced by C. argus in Hawaii.; Includes bibliographical references (leaves xxx-xxx).; Also available by subscription via World Wide Web; 131 leaves, bound 29 cm Tue, 01 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10125/20930 2008-01-01T00:00:00Z Meyer, Amanda Leilani http://hdl.handle.net/10125/12016 Mode of access: World Wide Web.; Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2005.; Includes bibliographical references (leaves 183-210).; Electronic reproduction.; Also available by subscription via World Wide Web; xv, 210 leaves, bound ill., maps 29 cm Sat, 01 Jan 2005 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10125/12016 2005-01-01T00:00:00Z Zabin, Chela Juliet http://hdl.handle.net/10125/12015 Mode of access: World Wide Web.; Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2004.; Includes bibliographical references (leaves 213-271).; Electronic reproduction.; Also available by subscription via World Wide Web; xix, 271 leaves, bound ill. 29 cm Thu, 01 Jan 2004 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10125/12015 2004-01-01T00:00:00Z Gruner, Daniel S http://hdl.handle.net/10125/12014 Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2004.; Includes bibliographical references (leaves 349-373).; Also available by subscription via World Wide Web; x, 373 leaves, bound ill. 29 cm Thu, 01 Jan 2004 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10125/12014 2004-01-01T00:00:00Z Bergman, Laura M. Rodman http://hdl.handle.net/10125/6915 Light traps were deployed in Hanauma Bay (the Bay) over a 2.5-year period to determine the effect of physical factors on the catch of larval fishes and Schindleriidae. Significantly more larval fishes and Schindleria were caught in light traps moored over sand habitat than in those over rubble, coral, or mixed habitats. The currents of the outer reef of the Bay were mapped using drogue analysis, but the recorded pattern (shoreward and westerly) did not explain the catches of larval fishes or Schindleria. Other measured physical factors (e.g., wave height, wind speed, temperature, etc.) were not statistically correlated with light trap catches; only tidal range had a significant (p=0.017) relationship with Schindleria catch. The strong swimming abilities of late-stage larvae and adult Schindleria can probably overcome small-scale physical factors, specifically currents typical to the Bay. Only 119 fish larvae were caught in 81 samplings, considerably less than reported in other regions. This is probably due to an absence, in Hawaiʻi, of the most common species caught in light traps elsewhere. In Kaneʻohe Bay, paired silent and sound traps were used to determine if sound is an attractant or deterrent for larval fishes and adult Schindleria. Sound appeared to be a deterrent for larval shorefishes (p=0.13) and Schindleria (p=0.058), and an attractant for larval reef fishes (p=0.104). Shorefishes and Schindleria may use sound to avoid predation and reef fish may use sound to recruit to suitable habitat. Schindleria, with two species in Hawaiʻi, are progenetic, cryptic fishes and little is known about their ecology. Otolith and histological analyses revealed that both species have extremely high growth rates: Schindleria pietschmanni grows an average of 0.72 mm/day and Schindleria praematura grows an average of 0.60 mm/day. For both species, females were found to be larger than males (p=0.007, p=0.001) and in S. pietschmanni, temperature was negatively related to growth rate and size (p=0+). This genus is abundant in Hawaiian waters (3600+ were caught in my light traps) and may be an important part of the energy budget of a reef, due to sheer number, fast turnover, and high productivity. xii, 100 leaves Mon, 01 Dec 2003 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10125/6915 2003-12-01T00:00:00Z Wittle, Amber G http://hdl.handle.net/10125/3065 The goal of this dissertation is to explore novel and non-traditional taxonomic characters that may be useful for mollusks, and combine them with radular and shell characters to carry out a taxonomic review of the genus Cribrarula (Cypraeidae). Shells in this genus have conspicuous dorsal spots, but like odler cowries, lack sculpture, spines, and other shell characters commonly used in gastropod taxonomy. For these reasons, cowrie shells are considered uninformative. The study of dorsal spots (DS) and related characters suggest that at least in this complex, the dorsal spots may represent a record of the mantle papillae. If the hypothesis is correct, then DS may provide information on the soft parts that previously was only available from the study of live or preserved specimens. Each species in the complex has a species-specific range of DS, marginal spots, and allied characters, thus suggesting that they may be useful in distinguishing species in the complex. The odontophore cartilage provides support for the radula and attachment for the muscles responsible for feeding. Although intimately connected to the radula and known since the 1800's, the taxonomic value of the odontophore has been overlooked. A study of odontophore variation in the family Cypraeidae proposes the structure as a novel taxonomic character, potentially applicable to most mollusks. The Cribrarula cribraria Linnaeus, 1758 complex is reviewed, and twelve species and six subspecies are recognized on the basis of multivariate analyses of shell characters, the radula, odontophore, and geographic distribution. The shell, radula, odontophore and distributional maps are illustrated for each taxon. The nominal species, cribraria, ranges from East Africa to the Central Pacific, and several populations are distinctive enough to be recognized as subspecies. The other eleven species are restricted to narrower ranges along the periphery of the distribution of cribraria. During the review of Cribrarula, a new species from New South Wales was described as C. gravida Moretzsohn, 2002. Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2003.; Includes bibliographical references (leaves 302-323).; Mode of access: World Wide Web.; Also available by subscription via World Wide Web; xxvii, 323 leaves ill., maps 29 cm. + Wed, 01 Jan 2003 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10125/3065 2003-01-01T00:00:00Z Moretzsohn, Fabio http://hdl.handle.net/10125/3063 The effectiveness of a small (0.34km2) "no fishing" marine reserve (Waikiki Marine Life Conservation District) was empirically evaluated by quantifying three components of reserve design and function: (1) spatial adequacy for containing daily movements of target species; (2) abundance and size of reef fishes in the reserve and adjacent fished areas; and (3) distribution and impact of fishing activities at the reserve site. Reef fish movements were quantified using a combination of sonic tracking and conventional identification tags. Tracked fishes were typically site-attached to well-defined home ranges and had predictable patterns of behavior including a crepuscular 'commute' between separate day and night habitats. Surgeonfishes (Naso unicornis) had relatively small home ranges that were strongly associated with high rugosity habitat contained within reserve boundaries. Goatfishes (Mulloidichthys jlavolineatus) and jacks (Caranx melampygus and C. sexfasciatus) had home ranges that were relatively large, and extended from the reserve into adjacent fished areas. Mobile species (goatfish and jacks) used a combined area of 1.013 km2, indicating that the existing reserve is too small to fully protect these species. Abundance & size of both target and non-target species was greater in reserve than in adjacent fished areas, suggesting that fishing is not the only factor determining patterns of fish abundance and size at Waikiki. Habitat complexity is generally greater in the reserve than in adjacent fished areas and appears to be an important factor determining patterns of fish abundance and size at Waikiki. Spear and shoreline pole & line fishing were the dominant fishing activities at Waikiki. Spear fishing had a higher catch per unit effort (kg/man h) and caught larger fish than pole & line fishing. Fishing activities were patchily distributed and clustered around public shoreline access points close to free parking. Some fishing did occur inside the reserve but at significantly lower levels than in adjacent fished areas. Little fishing occurred in the areas immediately adjacent to the northern and seaward reserve boundaries, suggesting that a fishing impact buffer zone exists around the reserve. This phenomenon may partly explain why mobile target species remain abundant inside the reserve despite daily excursions into adjacent, unprotected areas. Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2003.; Mode of access: World Wide Web.; Includes bibliographical references (leaves 113-134).; Electronic reproduction.; Also available by subscription via World Wide Web; ix, 134 leaves, bound col. ill., maps 29 cm Wed, 01 Jan 2003 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10125/3063 2003-01-01T00:00:00Z Meyer, Carl G http://hdl.handle.net/10125/3058 This dissertation explores the design of dolphin social acoustic signals by addressing the question: how have the signals used by these animals been adapted to the physical, sensory and social environments they inhabit? To obtain answers to this question, the behavior and acoustic signals of spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris) and spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) were examined. A rhythmic pattern of behavior is described for a population of spinner dolphins resident off the island of O'ahu. The population is tied to both trophic and physiographical resources associated with the island's coastline, where groups fuse and fragment in predicable patterns over the course of a daily cycle of activity and rest. Acoustic signals are thought to playa critical role in the coordination of animals within and between groups. A broadband analysis of the whistles and burst pulses of these two species reveals that they span a much broader range of frequencies than typically discussed in the literature. A considerable amount of energy is found in the higher frequency harmonics of whistles, as well as in the ultrasonic bands of burst pulses. Many burst pulses in fact have energy exclusively at ultrasonic frequencies and are thus inaudible to human hearing. Most if not all of the frequency hearing sensitivity typical for dolphins appears to be exploited in the design of their social acoustic signals. Evidence is also presented on the directionality of whistles together with a discussion on how the directional transmission of harmonics may provide important cues to listening animals about the orientation and direction of movement of a signaler. The "mixed-directionality" of dolphin whistles is proposed as a signal design feature that may be very important for the coordination of individuals within groups. Finally, a discussion is presented on how these findings fit together to provide a more complete picture of the nature of dolphin social acoustic signals. Their functional design is considered along with the features that make them well suited for echolocation and communication underwater. A roadmap is provided for future investigators who wish to further explore the design of dolphin social acoustic signals. Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2003.; Mode of access: World Wide Web.; Includes bibliographical references.; Electronic reproduction.; Also available by subscription via World Wide Web; xvii, 187 leaves, bound ill. 29 cm Wed, 01 Jan 2003 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10125/3058 2003-01-01T00:00:00Z Lammers, Marc O http://hdl.handle.net/10125/3052 Metamorphosis is the critical link between the larval and adult forms in the biphasic life cycle of many diverse metazoans. Metamorphosis in the marine gastropod Phestilla sibogae is rapid (taking less than 24 hours) and results in a change in habitat and feeding mode from larval facultative planktotrophs to benthic, carnivorous adults feeding on the coral P. compressa. During metamorphosis larvae of P. sibogae lose several structures such as the larval shell and operculum, the velum, larval kidney cells, larval retractor muscles, nephrocysts, and foot glands. In addition, morphogenic changes such as synthesis of the buccal mass and epidermal cell movement also occur during metamorphosis. The goal of this dissertation was to elucidate mechanisms that regulate metamorphosis in P. sibogae. A survey of agents with putative affects on transcription, translation, and phosphorylation indicated that further investigation into the possible role of transcription and translation in the progression of metamorphosis, and of phosphorylation in both the induction and subsequent metamorphic response is warranted. Pharmacological assays using transcription inhibitors to determine the importance of gene expression before, during, and after metamorphosis in the marine gastropod Phestilla sibogae indicated that no increase in the net rate of transcription occurs during metamorphosis. However, changes that occur within the first 12 hours, such as epidermal cells movement, degradation of larval musculature, and synthesis of the buccal mass, plus completion of metamorphosis, and early juvenile development may depend on de novo transcription. Additional approaches were necessary to measure quantitative changes in specific transcripts during metamorphosis, and therefore cDNA libraries were constructed and then a subtractive screen was performed to narrow the pool of possibly interesting candidate genes with a role in metamorphosis. Measurements by Real Time RT-peR indicated that the relative abundance of a putative laminin receptor in cDNAs isolated from a single metamorphosing larva was 8-fold greater than in an individual competent larva. Together these studies add to the knowledge of what role transcription plays during metamorphosis in P. sibogae. Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2003.; Mode of access: World Wide Web.; Includes bibliographical references (leaves 142-169).; Electronic reproduction.; Also available by subscription via World Wide Web; xi, 169 leaves, bound ill. 29 cm Wed, 01 Jan 2003 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10125/3052 2003-01-01T00:00:00Z Carmen, Kimberly A. del http://hdl.handle.net/10125/3049 In the Hawaiian Islands, a distinct, resident community of micronekton is distributed over the underwater slopes of the islands. Despite the importance of the mesopelagic boundary community to both nearshore and oceanic ecosystems, it has not been well studied. This work investigated the spatial and temporal dynamics of the mesopelagic boundary community and their impact the foraging behavior of its predators. Several active acoustic (sonar) techniques were utilized, complimented by trawling and optical techniques. Target strength measurements of live animals from the boundary community facilitated the use of echo-energy integration techniques and allowed conversion of acoustic backscattering measures to estimates of caloric content. Using these measures, ship-based echosounder surveys showed that mesopelagic animals are heterogeneously distributed, in both time and space. The Hawaiian mesopelagic boundary community fits the hierarchical patch structure model with patches within patches that are part of a larger scale matrix of patches. Surveys also revealed that the boundary layer undergoes diel horizontal migrations in addition to its vertical migrations. At night organisms were found within 1 km of shore, in waters much shallower than their daytime habitat. Because of this horizontal movement, the highest densities of mesopelagic animals, reaching up to 1800 animals/m^3, were observed nearshore. A series of bottom-mounted, sonar moorings measured vertical migration rates of 0-1.7 m/min and average horizontal rates of 1.67 km/hr. High levels of biomass were observed moving rapidly, over a great distance, into shallow waters very close to shore, providing insight into the significant link the boundary community provides between nearshore and oceanic systems. To understand how temporal and spatial heterogeneity of prey affected a pelagic predator, an echosounder was used to simultaneously measure the abundance of spinner dolphins and the boundary community. Spinner dolphins followed the migration patterns of their prey both horizontally and vertically. Overlap was observed between spinner dolphins and their prey from several minutes to an entire night, at spatial scales of 20 meters to several kilometers. An understanding of the spatial and temporal dynamics of the mesopelagic boundary community permitted the accurate prediction of predator movement patterns and an increased understanding of their behavior. Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2003.; Mode of access: World Wide Web.; Includes bibliographical references (leaves 235-272).; Electronic reproduction.; Also available by subscription via World Wide Web; xix, 272 leaves, bound ill. 29 cm Wed, 01 Jan 2003 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10125/3049 2003-01-01T00:00:00Z Bird, Kelly J. Benoit http://hdl.handle.net/10125/3038 Prolactin (PRL) plays a central role in fresh water (FW) adaptation in teleost fish. Consistent with the freshwater-adapting actions of prolactin (PRL), the release of this hormone from the tilapia pituitary is stimulated as extracellular osmolality is reduced both in vitro and in vivo. The main objective of this research was to investigate the mechanisms involved in the mediation between an osmotic stimulus and PRL release. The present studies also provided evidence of the unique osmosensitivity of the PRL cells when compared to the other pituitary cell types such as GH cells. Evidence now suggests that growth hormone (GR) acts in the seawater (SW) adaptation in some euryhaline fish. The release and content of PRL in response to long-term (days) changes in medium osmolality were markedly different than those of GH and corticotropin (ACTH) measured from the same pituitaries. Repeated blood withdrawal and transfer from SW to FW increased circulating PRL levels, whereas GH levels were unchanged. PRL release was not only more sensitive to a decrease in extracellular osmolality but long-lasting, when compared with the response of GH cells in dispersed cells and whole pituitaries. The tilapia PRL cell provides an excellent model to investigate osmoreception. Working with this model, a technique was developed for examining changes in cell volume and PRL release from the same preparation of cells, as well as measurements of [Ca2+]i. These approaches were utilized to demonstrate that the rapid increase in PRL release in response to reductions in medium osmolality is largely dependent on extracellular calcium. Studying the relationships between cell volume, [Ca2+] and PRL release in response to varying osmolalities, depolarizing conditions and ion channel blockers, provided evidence that stretch-activated calcium-permeant ion channels are responsible for the transduction of reduced extracellular osmolality into increased PRL release. The present findings support the proposed signal transduction model for osmotic stimuli in PRL cells. A decrease in extracellular osmolality leads to an increase in cell volume. Cell swelling increases the open probability of stretch-activated ion channels, and results in the entrance of extracellular calcium into the cell and stimulation of PRL release. Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2002.; Mode of access: World Wide Web.; Includes bibliographical references (leaves 135-148).; Electronic reproduction.; Also available by subscription via World Wide Web; xiii, 148 leaves, bound ill. 29 cm Tue, 01 Jan 2002 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10125/3038 2002-01-01T00:00:00Z Seale, André P