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(1 - 12 of 12)
- Title
- INTERPROFESSIONAL COLLABORATION BETWEEN CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND MENTAL HEALTH PRACTITIONERS REGARDING MENTALLY ILL OFFENDERS: PERCEPTIONS OF COLLABORATION FROM CRIMINAL JUSTICE PRACTITIONERS.
- Creator
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Sharp, Christopher, Surette, Raymond, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The federal program of deinstitutionalizing psychiatric facilities has resulted in a well documented, ever-increasing mentally ill population in the nation's prisons and jails. Historically, the criminal justice system has maintained a laissez-faire attitude toward the mentally ill, and only became involved with the mentally ill when a crime had been committed. As such, the President's Mental Health and Criminal Justice Consensus Project was developed to explore ways that the two...
Show moreThe federal program of deinstitutionalizing psychiatric facilities has resulted in a well documented, ever-increasing mentally ill population in the nation's prisons and jails. Historically, the criminal justice system has maintained a laissez-faire attitude toward the mentally ill, and only became involved with the mentally ill when a crime had been committed. As such, the President's Mental Health and Criminal Justice Consensus Project was developed to explore ways that the two systems could work together to address the growing problem of the mentally ill offender. However, challenges arise because the criminal justice system has typically been viewed as a loosely coupled, fragmented system that is unwilling or unable to address the social issue of the mentally ill offender. The concept of coupling between agencies has serious ramifications for the ability of agencies to successfully collaborate. Theoretical foundations for collaboration between mental health and criminal justice agencies lie partly in labeling theory and the drive to avoid the negative stigmatization of the mentally ill by the formal criminal justice system. A second theoretical foundation is found in developmental theories, which seek to explain the development of organizational knowledge and skills, in handling mentally ill offenders, through interaction between the mental health and criminal justice systems. In this study, it is asserted that agencies that are appropriately coupled and have experience with collaboration will perceive greater benefits from the collaborative exchange. Furthermore, this leads to the main hypothesis of the current study that agency coupling and collaborative experience will increase the perception of benefits of collaboration and support of collaborative efforts that deal with mentally ill offenders. To assess the main hypothesis of the current study, a modified Dillman methodology was utilized. The research population consisted of a complete enumeration of the 20 Florida State's Attorneys Offices, the 66 County Sheriffs, the 54 Probation Office Managers, and the 313 municipal law enforcement agencies for a total study population of 453 possible respondents, of which 49% responded. Overall, the findings of the current study illustrate a willingness of agencies to couple with outside agencies to address the phenomenon of the mentally ill offender. The results provide theoretical support for the need to reduce the negative stigma of a mentally ill individual being additionally labeled a criminal offender. The results additionally bolster the belief that the knowledge and skills to do this can best be accomplished through interaction with outside agencies.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2006
- Identifier
- CFE0001328, ucf:46982
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001328
- Title
- GRAVITY FAILS.
- Creator
-
Cowe-Spigai, Kereth, Rushin, Pat, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Gravity Fails is a collection of four short stories and two memoirs that explore the ways in which characters adjust and fit into to a world that is destructive, fragmented and sometimes alien. Many of these pieces deal not with the moment of crisis, but with the aftermath. In "Gravity Fails," the young Danielle struggles to feel safe after the violent murder of her mother. Eliza Morrison negotiates the disappearance of her husband in "More Colors." "Following Rebecca" chronicles a woman's...
Show moreGravity Fails is a collection of four short stories and two memoirs that explore the ways in which characters adjust and fit into to a world that is destructive, fragmented and sometimes alien. Many of these pieces deal not with the moment of crisis, but with the aftermath. In "Gravity Fails," the young Danielle struggles to feel safe after the violent murder of her mother. Eliza Morrison negotiates the disappearance of her husband in "More Colors." "Following Rebecca" chronicles a woman's return to normalcy after her alcoholic husband divorces her. These characters are not happy; they are not healthy. Their lives have, in some way, been fragmented. But they find ways to move on by whatever possible means, and at their core, they are searching not just for a way to survive, but for a way to put themselves back together and find wholeness.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2004
- Identifier
- CFE0000243, ucf:46268
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000243
- Title
- ANALYSIS AND INTEGRATION OF A DEBRIS MODEL IN THE VIRTUAL RANGE PROJECT.
- Creator
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Robledo, Luis, Sepulveda, Jose, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
After the accident of the STS 107 Columbia Space Shuttle, great concern has been focused on the risk associated to the population on the ground. Before this accident happened, re-entry routes as well as risk calculation of were not of public concern. Two issues that have been raised from this lamentable accident relate to spacecraft security and to public safety. The integration of a debris model has been part of the original conceptual architecture of the Virtual Range Project. Its...
Show moreAfter the accident of the STS 107 Columbia Space Shuttle, great concern has been focused on the risk associated to the population on the ground. Before this accident happened, re-entry routes as well as risk calculation of were not of public concern. Two issues that have been raised from this lamentable accident relate to spacecraft security and to public safety. The integration of a debris model has been part of the original conceptual architecture of the Virtual Range Project. Its integration has been considered as a specific research due to the complexity of the models and the difficulties to obtain them since the commercial off-the-shelf available software seems to be less accessible. This research provides solid information concerning what debris fragmentation models are, their fundamentals, their weaknesses and strengths. The research provides information of the main debris models being currently used by NASA which have direct relationship with the space programs conducted. This study also addresses the integration of a debris model into the Virtual Range Project. We created a provisional model based on the distribution of the Columbia debris fragments over Texas and part of Louisiana in order to create an analytical methodology as well. This analysis shows a way of integrating this debris model with a Geographic Information System as well as the integration of several raster and vector data sets which will provide the source data to compute the calculations. This research uses population data sets that allow the determination of the number of people at risk on the ground. The graphical and numerical analysis made can lead to the determination of new and more secure re-entry trajectories as well as further population-related security issues concerning this type of flights.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2004
- Identifier
- CFE0000193, ucf:46175
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000193
- Title
- The effects of urbanization on cypress (Taxodium distichum) in central Florida.
- Creator
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McCauley, Lisa, Jenkins, David, Quintana-Ascencio, Pedro, Hoffman, Eric, Ewel, Kathy, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Urbanization is accelerating in the United States and is contributing to fragmentation of natural habitats, causing changes in species composition and declines in native species. Human population growth in Orlando is typical of growth in the southeastern United States and throughout the range of cypress (Taxodium distichum). Orlando has numerous isolated cypress wetlands, called cypress domes, and many remain among the current urbanized area. This makes Orlando ideal to study the effects of...
Show moreUrbanization is accelerating in the United States and is contributing to fragmentation of natural habitats, causing changes in species composition and declines in native species. Human population growth in Orlando is typical of growth in the southeastern United States and throughout the range of cypress (Taxodium distichum). Orlando has numerous isolated cypress wetlands, called cypress domes, and many remain among the current urbanized area. This makes Orlando ideal to study the effects of urbanization on cypress domes. Specifically, I tested how urbanization and its effects on fragmentation, hydrology, and fire regime) affected (a) the numbers and spatial pattern of cypress domes in central Florida and (b) the recruitment of cypress within cypress domes. Analysis of historical loss found over 3,000 cypress domes identified in images from1984, of which 26% were lost or degraded (i.e., no longer cypress-dominated) by 2004. Due to changed land use, many remaining cypress domes, formerly surrounded by natural lands, have become surrounded by urban lands causing spatial clustering and homogenization. Surprisingly, I found that both natural and urban cypress domes showed lower recruitment than agricultural cypress domes, where the natural fire regime has not been altered. The probability of cypress recruitment in cypress domes urbanized for more than 20 years is very low. Previous to that, cypress tends to recruit on the edge of cypress domes where there is less competition and hydrological conditions are more favorable. I estimate that only ~50% of the current cypress domes are recruiting and the existence of those wetlands are tied to the lifespan of the current adults. By 2104, I estimate that ~89% of the cypress domes currently recruiting will fail to recruit. I believe that reducing urban sprawl and restoring the natural fire regime to natural cypress domes will mitigate the current fate of cypress domes. Without this, cypress in isolated wetlands in central Florida, and providing Orlando urbanization is typical, throughout urbanized areas of the range, could be at risk. Cypress in urban areas will be then relegated to riparian zones and with unknown consequences for the species that utilize the former cypress dome habitat.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- Identifier
- CFE0004136, ucf:49065
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004136
- Title
- Using Land Cover Mapping and Landscape Metrics to Evaluate Effects of Urban Development on Ecological Integrity in Florida.
- Creator
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Gilbrook, Michael, Weishampel, John, Hinkle, Ross, Jenkins, David, Brody, Samuel, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The widespread loss and degradation of habitat constitutes the largest threat to biodiversity in North America. While regulatory programs such as the Endangered Species Act of 1973 and wetland permitting under the Clean Water Act have addressed acute assaults on critical habitat, large areas of unprotected uplands have been lost. Urban development, particularly the advent of lower density suburban and rural sprawl, has greatly diminished the extent of contiguous patches of forest habitat and...
Show moreThe widespread loss and degradation of habitat constitutes the largest threat to biodiversity in North America. While regulatory programs such as the Endangered Species Act of 1973 and wetland permitting under the Clean Water Act have addressed acute assaults on critical habitat, large areas of unprotected uplands have been lost. Urban development, particularly the advent of lower density suburban and rural sprawl, has greatly diminished the extent of contiguous patches of forest habitat and introduced a host of other undesirable effects on ecosystem function. This study sought to evaluate the extent of urban sprawl and its effects on ecological integrity in Florida using Landsat-derived land cover data collected by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) circa 1987 and 2003. Chapter 1 described a novel GIS technique for correcting the systematic errors in the FWC 1987 and 2003 land cover data and converting those data to a common classification system so that they could be used in any ad hoc land cover change analysis. Comparison to ground-truth observations demonstrated a significant improvement in the accuracy of the land cover data following the Land Cover Correction Process (LCCP). Change detection between 1987 and 2003 using the correct land cover revealed trends in land cover conversion that were very different from previously published results derived from the original FWC land cover data. Conversion to urban uses in the corrected data was 47,293 ha lower, and conversion to agricultural uses was reduced by 196,773 ha, resulting in 244,067 ha less anthropogenic land conversion than had been previously estimated. Although the corrected land cover data showed that overall land conversion of natural areas was lower compared to the earlier estimate, the corrected data showed proportionally greater habitat losses for four important habitat types: Pinelands (-10.08% in the corrected land cover as compared to -5.90% in the original FWC data); upland forest (-9.46% versus 6.37%); sandhill (-13.90% versus 11.18%); and scrub (-15.52% versus -9.83%). Given the relatively small areal extent of some of these habitats, the larger percent loss estimates over the study period revealed by the corrected land cover data are cause for even greater concern by conservation planners and policymakers. Now that its utility has been demonstrated, the LCCP technique can be applied to any pair of roughly similar land cover mapping datasets provided that their original classification systems can be composed by a cross-walk into a single scheme, and that one or more ancillary data sets are available to serve in the tie-breaker role performed here by the land use data from Florida's Water Management Districts. The Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) and State Soil Geographic (STATSGO) soils data of the National Resource Conservation Service, the National Land Cover Dataset (NLCD) or the statewide habitat mapping of the USGS GAP Analysis Program could be adapted to provide the ancillary tie-breaker data required by the LCCP to conduct change detection between disparate land cover data sources heretofore considered too incompatible for that purpose.In Chapter 2, measures of urban sprawl, habitat loss and fragmentation in Florida were estimated using the corrected land cover data for 1987 and 2003. The Northwest and North regions of the state exhibited significantly higher indices of urban sprawl, habitat loss and habitat fragmentation via application of the Moran's I statistic. Reducing urban sprawl and habitat fragmentation spatial metrics to simple ordination variables through the use of non-metric multidimensional scaling produced new measures of urban sprawl and habitat fragmentation that correlated strongly with the original FRAGSTATS metrics, but could be more easily mapped and interpreted. Urban and Habitat ordination metrics were each spatially autocorrelated (Local Moran's I and K-means grouping analyses) but not correlated to each other using the Procrustes analysis PROTEST statistic (m2 = 0.952, p = 0.061). In contrast, individual urban sprawl metrics (CA, NP, LPI, ED, SHAPE_AM and DCAD) correlated with habitat fragmentation. NP and DCAD appeared to be particularly useful in predicting fragmentation, and county governments should take measures to reduce establishment of new urban patches to minimize NP and DCAD.Chapter 3 explored the relationship between environmental outcomes in habitat loss and fragmentation and the quality of county local government comprehensive plans. The use of NMS analysis provided a powerful technique for capturing the intrinsic variability of the Local Government Comprehensive Plan (LGCP) plan scoring systems of Brody (2003) and Pannozzo (2013) into a pair of variables each that could be used to explore associations with metrics of urban sprawl, habitat fragmentation and other county characteristics that influence urban growth and development. The geographic distribution of LGCP plan quality favored coastal counties with higher quality plans over inland counties, and there was some evidence that plans in Central and South regions of Peninsular Florida were superior to those in the North and Northwest Panhandle regions. Key factors in plan quality, specifically Coordination and Management, were strongly associated with urban sprawl or habitat fragmentation outcomes. The resources available to counties in the form of tax revenues, whether the county possessed a rural or urban economy, and the county's political makeup also appeared related to LGCP plan quality, urban sprawl or habitat fragmentation outcomes. More research will be needed to elucidate the specific causal mechanisms behind the implementation of local government planning that resulted in the observed environmental outcomes.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- CFE0005497, ucf:50353
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005497
- Title
- INVESTIGATING THE ROLE OF THE CASPASE-6 CLEAVAGE FRAGMENT OF MUTANT HUNTINGTIN IN HUNTINGTON DISEASE PATHOGENESIS.
- Creator
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McKinnis, Jourdan A, Southwell, Amber, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Huntington disease (HD) is a devastating and fatal neurodegenerative disease. At the moment, no disease modifying therapies are available, with only symptomatic treatment offered to alleviate psychiatric and some types of motor deficits. As a result, many people will continue to suffer and die from this disease. Small molecule therapies have failed to provide benefit in HD, necessitating more complex gene therapy approaches and the identification of less traditional therapeutic targets. A...
Show moreHuntington disease (HD) is a devastating and fatal neurodegenerative disease. At the moment, no disease modifying therapies are available, with only symptomatic treatment offered to alleviate psychiatric and some types of motor deficits. As a result, many people will continue to suffer and die from this disease. Small molecule therapies have failed to provide benefit in HD, necessitating more complex gene therapy approaches and the identification of less traditional therapeutic targets. A previous study demonstrated that preventing cleavage of the huntingtin (HTT) protein, the protein that when mutated causes HD, by caspase 6 (C6) at amino acid 586 prevents the onset of disease in transgenic HD model mice. This suggests that inhibiting the toxicity initiated by N586 cleavage could be a promising therapeutic strategy, but a safe and specific way to do this in humans has not been identified. General C6 inhibition is not a feasible strategy due to the vital functions it plays throughout life. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate whether the C6 cleavage fragment of HTT, N586, is itself a toxic species of HTT or if it initiates a toxic proteolytic pathway in order to identify more viable therapeutic strategies for HD. To accomplish this, we are using novel and highly sensitive immunoprecipitation and flow cytometry (IP-FCM) protein detection assays, specific for the N586 neoepitope of HTT, to evaluate the in vivo persistence of N586 in HD model mice. If N586 is detected, it is likely that it is itself toxic and promoting its degradation may be beneficial. Conversely, if it is not detected, N586 cleavage likely initiates a toxic degradation pathway and promoting its stability may be beneficial. The results of these studies have the potential to define new therapeutic strategies for HD that can be addressed more specifically than generalized C6 inhibition for the prevention of N586-mediated toxicity. The selective targeting of N586 toxicity, either to promote or prevent its degradation depending on our results, would ensure that therapeutic activity is restricted to HTT and reduce the potential for deleterious off-target effects
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- Identifier
- CFH2000395, ucf:45801
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000395
- Title
- MANY TELLING MOMENTS:THE ESSENCE OF FRAGMENTED IMAGE CULTURE.
- Creator
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Ebner, Bonnie, Haxton, David, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
My purpose in entering the UCF MFA program was to further explore and develop my passion for photography. During my time in the program, I developed my methodology--from having the traditional photography paradigm ingrained in my mind (and wanting to fit into it) to accepting and valuing my own unique process. I construct installations using diverse imagery and non-traditional presentation. In my installations, one may witness a reflection of the contemporary pace of image perception-...
Show moreMy purpose in entering the UCF MFA program was to further explore and develop my passion for photography. During my time in the program, I developed my methodology--from having the traditional photography paradigm ingrained in my mind (and wanting to fit into it) to accepting and valuing my own unique process. I construct installations using diverse imagery and non-traditional presentation. In my installations, one may witness a reflection of the contemporary pace of image perception--fragmented, complex, abundant, and disordered. Together, images and their arrangements are used to create a unified piece that satisfies a new system within apparent disorder. The resulting installations summon the sensation of thinking and processing information in a new way, allowing for re-contextualization of fragmented imagery. Technology has pushed photography to evolve. Previously held traditional notions of photography as art (e.g., "single telling moment" photographs and similar subject matter) are now being confronted by a vernacular of "many telling moments". The current state of the art world is in flux, and is greatly influenced by the faster pace set by technology; I coin our new vernacular Image Culture.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- Identifier
- CFE0002116, ucf:47561
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002116
- Title
- DEMOGRAPHIC CONSEQUENCES OF MANAGING FOR FLORIDA SCRUB-JAYS (APHELOCOMA COERULESCENS) ON AN ISOLATED PRESERVE.
- Creator
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Lyon, Casey, Stout, I. Jack, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Many species naturally occupy discrete habitat patches within a mosaic of habitats that vary in quality. The Florida scrub-jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) is endemic to Florida scrub, a habitat that is naturally patchy and greatly reduced in area over recent decades owing to development and urbanization. Because of this habitat loss, future management of Florida scrub-jays will focus on smaller, fragmented tracts of land. My study examines such a tract, Lyonia Preserve, southwest Volusia County...
Show moreMany species naturally occupy discrete habitat patches within a mosaic of habitats that vary in quality. The Florida scrub-jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) is endemic to Florida scrub, a habitat that is naturally patchy and greatly reduced in area over recent decades owing to development and urbanization. Because of this habitat loss, future management of Florida scrub-jays will focus on smaller, fragmented tracts of land. My study examines such a tract, Lyonia Preserve, southwest Volusia County, FL. This preserve was unoccupied by scrub-jays prior to habitat restoration. The preserve is now frequently managed exclusively for scrub-jays as a habitat island surrounded by development. Management of the preserve includes roller chopping, root raking, timbering, and "oak stripping" where islands of oak patches are left intact while the rest of the area is roller chopped. I investigate what, if any, demographic consequences may be associated with the habitat management and the spatial setting of the preserve. I used population data collected in this area since 1992 to examine population growth and responses to habitat restoration within the preserve and habitat destruction outside the preserve. I mapped territories and measured survival and recruitment of scrub-jays, and dispersal into and out of the study area, for two and a half years. Since restoration, the population has shown logistic growth, with the area supporting higher than average densities of scrub-jay family groups. Observed density of the population and territory size varied between study years. Breeder survival values were positively related to territory size and significantly lower during periods of highest observed density. However, recruitment (yearling production) showed no relationship to territory size. Dispersal to isolated habitat patches was observed; likewise, several failed dispersal events were noted. No immigration into the study area was observed; however these data may be underrepresented since not all scrub-jays in and outside of the preserve were banded, and data collection was limited during the initial colonization period. High densities inside the preserve may therefore be both a result of frequent habitat management in the form of mechanical treatment as well as crowding of individuals due to outside habitat destruction. The results indicate that carrying capacity of habitat for scrub-jays may be raised by frequent, mechanical management; however, if the area is isolated, management may result in high densities and negative demographic consequences, e.g., reduced breeder survival. Negative effects of management may be avoided by subjecting smaller areas to mechanical treatment with increased time between treatments. Land managed for Florida scrub-jays should be contiguous or connected with other scrub habitats so that surplus birds from the managed areas have a refuge and do not contribute to increased densities. Regulatory officials should use caution when allowing for "take" of scrub-jay habitat as the effects may extend beyond the local habitat being destroyed.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2007
- Identifier
- CFE0001769, ucf:47280
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001769
- Title
- Mass Spectral Studies to Investigate Butylbenzene Fragmentation Pathway and Pyrolysis Products.
- Creator
-
Lingam, Balasubramaniam, Sigman, Michael, Clausen, Christian, Campiglia, Andres, Miles, Delbert, Schulte, Alfons, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
In this dissertation research, two fundamental studies involving gas chromatography mass spectrometry of n-butylbenzene and pyrolysis products are presented. In the first study, fragmentation pathways of n-butylbenzene in quadrupole ion trap have been investigated. At low energy, product ion corresponding to m/z 92 and m/z 91 are formed via competitive parallel dissociation. Studies have also shown that at higher energy m/z 92 has sufficient internal energy to undergo further fragmentation...
Show moreIn this dissertation research, two fundamental studies involving gas chromatography mass spectrometry of n-butylbenzene and pyrolysis products are presented. In the first study, fragmentation pathways of n-butylbenzene in quadrupole ion trap have been investigated. At low energy, product ion corresponding to m/z 92 and m/z 91 are formed via competitive parallel dissociation. Studies have also shown that at higher energy m/z 92 has sufficient internal energy to undergo further fragmentation yielding m/z 91 via consecutive dissociation. Thus in order to discern the fragmentation pathways of n-butylbenzene, the technique of two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2DCOS) was applied to the mass spectral data. Application of 2DCOS resulted in two 2D correlation spectra namely synchronous and asynchronous. A third spectra known as coherence spectra was obtained from the ration of asynchronous to synchronous correlation intensities. For the elucidation of n-butylbenzene fragmentation pathways, all the three spectra were utilized in this study. The second study in this dissertation involves investigation of pyrolysis products to aid in fire debris analysis. One of the major concerns in fire debris analysis is that pyrolysis products can mask the patterns of compounds of interest and make the chromatographic results interpretation extremely difficult. One of the approaches for investigating the formation of pyrolysis products is to subject the commonly found building materials to controlled heating in laboratory. In this study, new heating methodologies for controlled heating of substrates involving furnace, paint-cans and flat steel pans have been developed. The substrates used for investigating pyrolysis products were polystyrene, polyvinylchloride, polybutadiene, yellow-pine, nylon carpet and padding. Experiments were also performed to investigate the influence of hydrocarbons on the formation of pyrolysis.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0005651, ucf:50167
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005651
- Title
- The next "killer" algae? Assessing and mitigating invasion risk for aquarium strains of the marine macroalgal genus Chaetomorpha.
- Creator
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Odom, Rachel, Walters, Linda, Hinkle, Charles, Hanisak, M. Dennis, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Biological invasions threaten the ecological integrity of natural ecosystems. Anthropogenic introductions of non-native species can displace native flora and fauna, altering community compositions and disrupting ecosystem services. One often-overlooked vector for such introductions is the release of aquarium organisms into aquatic ecosystems. Following detrimental aquarium-release invasions by the (")killer alga(") Caulerpa taxifolia, aquarium hobbyists and professions began promoting the use...
Show moreBiological invasions threaten the ecological integrity of natural ecosystems. Anthropogenic introductions of non-native species can displace native flora and fauna, altering community compositions and disrupting ecosystem services. One often-overlooked vector for such introductions is the release of aquarium organisms into aquatic ecosystems. Following detrimental aquarium-release invasions by the (")killer alga(") Caulerpa taxifolia, aquarium hobbyists and professions began promoting the use of other genera of macroalgae as (")safe(") alternatives. The most popular of these marine aquarium macroalgae, the genus Chaetomorpha, is analyzed here for invasion risk. Mitigation strategies are also evaluated. I found that the propensity for reproduction by vegetative fragmentation displayed by aquarium strains of Chaetomorpha poses a significant invasion threat(-)fragments of aquarium Chaetomorpha are able to survive from sizes as small as 0.5 mm in length, or one intact, live cell. Fragments of this size and larger are generated in large quantities in online and retail purchases of Chaetomorpha, and introduction of these fragments would likely result in viable individuals for establishment in a variety of geographic and seasonal environmental conditions. Mitigation of invasion risk was assessed in two ways(-)rapid response to a potential introduction by chemical eradication and prevention through safe hobbyist disposal. I tested the effectiveness of five chemicals used as algicides and found that acetic acid was highly effective at limiting survival and growth of aquarium Chaetomorpha. Chlorine bleach, copper sulfate and rock salt were effective at limiting growth but were inconsistent or ineffective in reducing survival of algal fragments. The algicide Sonar limited neither survival nor growth. If aquarium strains of Chaetomorpha are released, chemical eradication presents a viable management strategy, particularly through the use of acetic acid. A more cost-effective strategy, however, would be preventing introductions; thus safe alternatives to release were determined for hobbyist disposal of unwanted or excess aquarium Chaetomorpha. Here I present the minimum exposure durations necessary to induce full mortality of aquarium Chaetomorpha through boiling, microwaving, freezing, desiccation and exposure to freshwater. Hobbyist disposal by any of these methods would constitute safe alternatives to introduction of the alga into natural environments. Such preventative measures will inform outreach campaigns in order to limit the potential for aquarium-release introduction.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- Identifier
- CFE0004624, ucf:49918
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004624
- Title
- GENETIC AND PHENOTYPIC EVOLUTION IN THE ORNATE CHORUS FROG (PSEUDACRIS ORNATA): TESTING THE RELATIVE ROLES OF NATURAL SELECTION, MIGRATION, AND GENETIC DRIFT.
- Creator
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Degner, Jacob, Hoffman, Eric, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Understanding how migration, genetic drift, and natural selection interact to maintain the genetic and phenotypic variation we observe in natural populations is a central goal of population genetics. Amphibians provide excellent model organisms for investigating the interplay between these evolutionary forces because amphibians are generally characterized by limited dispersal abilities, high philopatry, and are obligately associated with the areas around suitable habitats (e.g. breeding ponds...
Show moreUnderstanding how migration, genetic drift, and natural selection interact to maintain the genetic and phenotypic variation we observe in natural populations is a central goal of population genetics. Amphibians provide excellent model organisms for investigating the interplay between these evolutionary forces because amphibians are generally characterized by limited dispersal abilities, high philopatry, and are obligately associated with the areas around suitable habitats (e.g. breeding ponds). Thus, on relatively small geographic scales, the relative effects of all of these evolutionary forces can be studied together. Here, we study the interaction of migration, genetic drift, natural selection, and historical process in the ornate chorus frog (Pseudacris ornata). We report the development and characterization of 10 polymorphic microsatellite genetic markers. Number of alleles per locus ranged from 2 to 21 averaging 9.2 and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.10 to 0.97 averaging 0.52. However, in an analysis of two populations, three locus-by-population comparisons exhibited significant heterozygote deficiencies and indicated that null alleles may be present some loci. Furthermore, we characterized genetic structure and historical biogeographic patterns in P. ornata using these microsatellite markers along with mitochondrial DNA sequence data. Our data indicate that in these frogs, migration may play a large role in determining population structure as pairwise estimates of FST were relatively small ranging from 0.04 to 0.12 (global FST = 0.083). Additionally, we observed an overall pattern of isolation-by-distance in neutral genetic markers across the species range. Moreover, our data suggest that the Apalachicola River basin does not impede gene flow in P. ornata as it does in many vertebrate taxa. Interestingly, we identified significant genetic structure between populations separated by only 6 km. However, this fine scale genetic structure was only present in the more urbanized of two widespread sampling localities. Finally, in this study, we demonstrated that there was a significant correlation between the frequency of green frogs and latitude. There was a higher frequency of green frogs in southern samples and a lower frequency of green frogs in northern samples. However, when we interpreted this phenotypic cline in light of the overall pattern of isolation-by-distance, it was apparent that the neutral evolutionary forces of genetic drift and migration could explain the cline, and the invocation of natural selection was not necessary.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2007
- Identifier
- CFE0001721, ucf:47319
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001721
- Title
- Mirrors and Vanities.
- Creator
-
Salas, Leslie, Rushin, Patrick, Poissant, David, Bartkevicius, Jocelyn, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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"Mirrors and Vanities" is a multi-modal collection which showcases the diversity of working in long and short storytelling forms. Featured in this thesis are fiction, nonfiction, graphic narrative, and screenplay.Using unconventional approaches to storytelling in order to achieve emotional resonance with the audience while maintaining high standards for craft, these stories and essays explore the costs inherent to the subtle nuances of interpersonal relationships. The fiction focuses on the...
Show more"Mirrors and Vanities" is a multi-modal collection which showcases the diversity of working in long and short storytelling forms. Featured in this thesis are fiction, nonfiction, graphic narrative, and screenplay.Using unconventional approaches to storytelling in order to achieve emotional resonance with the audience while maintaining high standards for craft, these stories and essays explore the costs inherent to the subtle nuances of interpersonal relationships. The fiction focuses on the complications of characters keeping secrets. A husband discovers the truth behind his wife's miscarriage. A girl visits her fianc(&)#233; in purgatory. A boy crosses a line and loses his best friend. Meanwhile, the nonfiction centers on self-discovery and gender roles associated with power struggles. A schizophrenic threatens to ruin my mother's wedding. I rediscover my relationship with my father through food writing. Sword-work teaches me to fail and succeed at making martial art. The title work of the thesis is a collaged story highlighting the tribulations of a physicist fixated on recovering his lost love by manipulating the multiverse. The multi-modal format implicates the nebulosity of physics theories and how different aspects of the narrative can be presented in various formats to best suit the nature of the storytelling.Through the interactions of characters in mundane and extraordinary circumstances, the works in this thesis examine the consequences of choice, the contrast between reality and expectation, coming of age, and the Truth of narrative.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- CFE0004745, ucf:49789
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004745
