ORCID

0000-0002-6839-4048

Keywords

Lutjanus griseus, age and growth, otoliths, food web, oyster reefs, living shorelines

Abstract

Gray snapper (Lutjanus griseus) is a common reef fish inhabiting the western Atlantic Ocean. In estuaries of the Southeastern United States, such as Mosquito Lagoon, Florida, oyster reefs, seagrass, and mangrove shorelines are vital nurseries, also known as essential fish habitat (EFH), for juvenile fish. However, EFH in Mosquito Lagoon has declined from historic levels due to human activity. To mitigate these losses, oyster reef and living shoreline restoration projects have occurred to putatively increase the availability of EFH. For gray snapper in Mosquito Lagoon, past studies have assessed local habitat preferences and trophic structure, but the biotic and abiotic factors influencing age and growth rates have not been quantified. To address this knowledge gap, this study aims to quantify the mean age and growth rate of gray snapper in Mosquito Lagoon, and investigate if prey and/or other environmental factors (abiotic/biotic conditions, time, and location/site status) impact size at both lagoon and habitat-specific scales. Results indicate the most common life stage for gray snapper in Mosquito Lagoon are mid-stage juveniles, with living shoreline habitats having a greater proportion of younger juveniles and oyster reef habitats having a greater proportion of older juveniles. Estimated growth rate was 0.43 mm/day. Size was correlated with location/site status and lagged salinity levels, with said environmental factors outperforming stable isotope and gut content variables in model comparisons. Gray snapper mass was also correlated with size in all of the most parsimonious models, suggesting future research should consider including weight-length relationships when investigating the environmental or trophic influences on gray snapper growth. Collectively, this study increases our fundamental understanding of gray snapper population dynamics and provides insight that can be used subsequently to benefit the management of recreational and commercial fisheries in the Southeastern US.

Completion Date

2024

Semester

Fall

Committee Chair

Cook, Geoffrey

Degree

Master of Science (M.S.)

College

College of Sciences

Department

Biology

Format

PDF

Identifier

DP0028977

Language

English

Release Date

12-15-2024

Access Status

Thesis

Campus Location

Orlando (Main) Campus

Accessibility Status

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