Note
Includes bibliography.
Member of
Contributors
Publisher
Florida Atlantic University
Date Issued
2018
EDTF Date Created
2018
Description
Elasmobranchs play ecologically important roles in coastal environments.
Unfortunately, the basic distribution and movement patterns of these species, particularly
rays, remain relatively unknown. This is especially true for the Whitespotted Eagle Ray
(Aetobatus narinari), a protected species in Florida with poorly described migratory and
habitat use patterns. I employed a combination of acoustic telemetry techniques to reveal
multi-scale spatial patterns of A. narinari around Florida. Movement patterns between the
east and west coast individuals were distinct; a majority of west coast tagged A. narinari
exhibited migratory or transient behavior while most east coast tagged individuals
remained resident in the Indian River Lagoon. Fine-scale tracking of A. narinari revealed
individuals spent a large percentage of time in the inlets and channels and frequently
reused habitats parallel to the shore. This study fills a knowledge gap on the species
ecology which may be used for adaptive management strategies throughout A. narinari’s
range.
Unfortunately, the basic distribution and movement patterns of these species, particularly
rays, remain relatively unknown. This is especially true for the Whitespotted Eagle Ray
(Aetobatus narinari), a protected species in Florida with poorly described migratory and
habitat use patterns. I employed a combination of acoustic telemetry techniques to reveal
multi-scale spatial patterns of A. narinari around Florida. Movement patterns between the
east and west coast individuals were distinct; a majority of west coast tagged A. narinari
exhibited migratory or transient behavior while most east coast tagged individuals
remained resident in the Indian River Lagoon. Fine-scale tracking of A. narinari revealed
individuals spent a large percentage of time in the inlets and channels and frequently
reused habitats parallel to the shore. This study fills a knowledge gap on the species
ecology which may be used for adaptive management strategies throughout A. narinari’s
range.
Language
Type
Form
Extent
124 p.
Subject (Topical)
Identifier
FA00013116
Additional Information
Includes bibliography.
Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2018.
FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Date Backup
2018
Date Created Backup
2018
Date Text
2018
Date Created (EDTF)
2018
Date Issued (EDTF)
2018
Extension
FAU
IID
FA00013116
Organizations
Attributed name: Florida Atlantic University
Attributed name: Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Attributed name: Department of Biological Sciences
Person Preferred Name
DeGroot, Breanna Clarice
author
Graduate College
Physical Description
application/pdf
124 p.
Title Plain
Movement and Habitat Use of Whitespotted Eagle Rays, Aetobatus narinari, throughout Florida
Use and Reproduction
Copyright © is held by the author with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Origin Information
2018
2018
Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Location
Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Place
Boca Raton, Fla.
Sub Location
Digital Library
Title
Movement and Habitat Use of Whitespotted Eagle Rays, Aetobatus narinari, throughout Florida
Other Title Info
Movement and Habitat Use of Whitespotted Eagle Rays, Aetobatus narinari, throughout Florida