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dc.contributor.advisorBrierley, Andrew
dc.contributor.authorWidmer, Chad L.
dc.coverage.spatialix, 124en_US
dc.date.accessioned2015-03-25T15:47:23Z
dc.date.available2015-03-25T15:47:23Z
dc.date.issued2015-06-24
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10023/6326
dc.description.abstractJellyfish (Phylum Cnidaria, Class Scyphozoa) play important roles in pelagic ecosystems as predators and prey. Seasonally they form blooms facilitating reproductive success, but that are at times problematic for human enterprise. Medusa abundance has been correlated with environmental variables in several instances. However, the direct mechanisms for changes in medusa abundance are unclear. As global sea surface temperatures continue to change there is increasing concern that warming may enhance conditions favourable for the generation of jellyfish medusae. It is important to understand the ways in which temperature affects all life history stages of jellyfish if we are to begin to understand factors associated with jellyfish bloom formations, but how temperature and salinity affects life history stages of scyphozoan jellyfish from British waters remains largely unknown. In Chapter 1 I provide a general introduction to some key issues important to the formation of jellyfish blooms. In Chapter 2 I present results for experiments testing the effects of temperature on settlement and metamorphosis of planulae larvae of Cyanea capillata, Cyanea lamarckii, Chyrsaora hysoscella, and Aurelia aurita. Chapter 3 reports on the effects of temperature and salinity on survival, and asexual reproduction of scyphistomae of the same species. Chapter 4 reports on the effects of temperature and salinity on growth of newly released ephyrae of each of the above mentioned species, as well as the effects of starvation on survivorship on ephyrae of A. aurita originating from two distinct populations of scyphistomae. In Chapter 5 I provide a brief summary of significant findings for each life history stage, their theoretical implications when taken together, and next steps for future research. I also offer recommendations for ecosystem managers with an eye toward affecting the numbers of near-shore jellyfish medusae generated each season in the waters surrounding the British Isles.en_US
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherUniversity of St Andrews
dc.subjectScyphozoaen_US
dc.subjectJellyfishen_US
dc.subjectPlanulaen_US
dc.subjectEphyraen_US
dc.subjectScyphistomaen_US
dc.subjectLife cycleen_US
dc.subjectClimate variabilityen_US
dc.subject.lccQL377.S4W5
dc.subject.lcshJellyfishes.en
dc.subject.lcshReproduction, Asexual.en
dc.titleInfluences of temperature and salinity on asexual reproduction and development of scyphozoan jellyfish from the British Islesen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
dc.type.qualificationlevelDoctoralen_US
dc.type.qualificationnamePhD Doctor of Philosophyen_US
dc.publisher.institutionThe University of St Andrewsen_US
dc.publisher.departmentScottish Association for Marine Scienceen_US


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