Faculty Talks: St. Ed’s Professors Discuss Their Scholarly and Creative Work
The Center for Teaching Excellence and Office of Sponsored Programs invite all faculty and staff to join us for the final event of our spring 2015 series of faculty talks. This series features St. Edward’s faculty members discussing their original scholarly and creative work and how it has shaped their teaching.
Biodiversity of Texas Seagrass Habitats: Who Gives a Fish?
Paula Raelynn Deaton – Biological Sciences
Thursday, April 23
3:30 – 5:00 pm
Ragsdale Center, Mabee A
Wine and cheese reception to accompany the talk
RSVPs requested
Humans are currently in the midst of, and largely responsible for, the sixth mass extinction. This global decline in biodiversity is seen in several vulnerable ecosystems, including tropical forests, coral reefs, and seagrass habitats. Seagrasses beds are important coastal habitats because they provide critical habitat and nursery grounds for many microbes, invertebrates, and fishes. Seagrasses also aid in nutrient cycling for marine ecosystems, an important component of ecosystem health.
In Texas, eutrophication due to run-off and boat propeller scarring are the two major factors upsetting seagrass ecosystems. Boat propeller scars are particularly devastating to seagrass beds because seagrasses recolonize and grow much more slowly than other marine primary producers. This, along with the global decline in biodiversity, provides the impetus for further investigation into studying the ecology of the organisms inhabiting Texas seagrass habitats.
Herein, I discuss our research along the Texas coast assessing fish biodiversity in relation to seagrasses. We have assessed fish biodiversity through species richness and abundance in two bays in Texas. We also have conducted true population estimates of the charismatic syngnathid fishes (pipefishes and seahorses), which has not previously been done. Finally, we have assessed biodiversity in high vs. low impact areas in relation to boat traffic.
Our ultimate goals are to: 1) assess fish and seagrass biodiversity in Texas seagrass habitats; 2) better understand syngnathids as potential bioindicators in Texas seagrasses; and 3) further our understanding of the ecology and life history of the understudied syngnathid fishes in Texas; and 4) determine critical habitat for syngnathids in Texas. This research will aid in our overall understanding of Texas seagrass habitats, and mitigate conservation efforts as policies are developed to counter our sixth mass extinction.
Sponsored by:
The Center for Teaching Excellence
The Office of Sponsored Programs