A community structure study of Gammaridean amphipods in a thermally impacted estuary at Anclote Anchorage, Florida
Document Type
Thesis
Degree
Master of Science (MS)
Major/Program
Environmental and Urban Systems
First Advisor's Name
Patsy A. McLaughlin
First Advisor's Committee Title
Committee Chair
Second Advisor's Name
George H. Dalrymple
Third Advisor's Name
Martin Tracey
Fourth Advisor's Name
Jose T. Villate
Date of Defense
12-1983
Abstract
The present study concerns the relationships of gammaridean amphipods to their environment in a thermally impacted estaury at Anclote Anchorage, Florida. Thermal effluent was created by a oil-fired power plant. Samples were collected bimonthly from January through December 1976, by bottom "grab" sampler. Physico-chemical measurements were also taken. Amphipod species from each sample were indentified and counted.
Temporal effects on amphipod community structure were detected; amphipod diversity, species richness, and density were slightly greater at effluent stations than control stations during the winter and spring, and were slightly lower during the summer and late fall. Species associations that were related to the thermal effluent were detected during the January and March sampling periods.
Total seagrass biomass was the most useful parameter for predicting large amphipod densities. The seagrass Syringodium filiforme was generally associated with high amphipod richness and diversity. Cymadusa compta was the dominant amphipod at Anclote, followed by Elasmopus levis and Amithoe longimana.
Identifier
FI15101587
Recommended Citation
Gillies, W. Neil, "A community structure study of Gammaridean amphipods in a thermally impacted estuary at Anclote Anchorage, Florida" (1983). FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 3995.
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/3995
Rights Statement
In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).