Date of Award

2018

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

Submission Date

October 2026

Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]

Moore, Jon

Abstract

Estuaries, among the most productive systems in the world, are also among the most heavily influenced by anthropogenic activities. Arguably, most vulnerable are estuarine benthic invertebrates as they are often relatively non-motile making them highly susceptible to pollution, including runoff pesticides. To this end, the effects that pesticides have on non-target species have been investigated, however, little is known on the effects of carbaryl, a commonly used insecticide, on benthic estuarine community composition. Using chemical-exclusion experiments in the Loxahatchee River Estuary, I was able to study how carbaryl impacted the community composition of an artificial microhabitat simulating an oyster reef. The results indicate that carbaryl shifted crustacean community composition compared to controls with a particularly negative impact on the tube-building amphipod Amerocorophium ellisi. Ultimately, my results indicate that pesticide pollution in estuaries may shift benthic invertebrate community composition, potentially affecting valuable ecosystem services these organisms provide.

Comments

Includes bibliography.

Extent

74 p.

Identifier

FAUHT00024

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