Date of Award
Fall 12-2018
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.S.
Degree Program
Biological Sciences
Department
Biological Sciences
Major Professor
Phil Devries
Second Advisor
Tom Soniat
Third Advisor
Carla Penz
Fourth Advisor
Jerry Howard
Fifth Advisor
Mahdi Abdelguerfi
Abstract
The Louisiana oyster industry is greatly impacted by freshwater and sediment diversions that are part of the effort to restore the state’s coastline. A habitat suitability index (HSI) proposes species-habitat relationships that can be instrumental in creating impact assessments and suitability predictions for management as new diversions are implemented. An oyster (Crassostrea virginica) HSI was developed using three variables crucial to oyster sustainability: average annual salinity, minimum monthly salinity, and average salinity during the spawning season. These Legacy HSI visualizations show annual fluctuations in the distribution of zones suitable for oyster cultivation prior to proposed diversions in Pontchartrain and Barataria Basins from 1967 to 2016. Modeling suitability based upon these variables can provide crucial information for timing the use of diversions to lessen harmful effects upon the oyster industry as well as indicate new potentially suitable areas that the diversions may create.
Recommended Citation
Denapolis, Tasia MV, "Legacy Habitat Suitability of eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) in Louisiana: a prelude to Mississippi River Delta freshwater diversions" (2018). University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations. 2560.
https://scholarworks.uno.edu/td/2560
Included in
Aquaculture and Fisheries Commons, Biology Commons, Marine Biology Commons, Population Biology Commons, Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology Commons
Rights
The University of New Orleans and its agents retain the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible this dissertation or thesis in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. The author retains all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis or dissertation.