Date of Award
5-2024
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.S.
Degree Program
Earth & Environmental Science
Department
Earth and Environmental Sciences
Major Professor
O'Connell, Martin
Second Advisor
Foster-Martinez, Madeline
Third Advisor
Smith, Patrick
Abstract
Bayou St. John is a degraded waterway located within the City of New Orleans. The Bayou, which is disconnected from Lake Pontchartrain by floodgates, has undergone restoration efforts to improve connectivity through frequent floodgate openings and marsh habitat restoration outside of the floodgates. To assess possible responses of local fish assemblages to these restoration efforts, I analyzed long-term fish assemblage data from three sites located inside of the floodgates and one site located at the restored marsh outside of the floodgates. Two sites inside of the floodgates experienced significant changes in assemblages between the pre-opening period (2006-2012) and post-opening period (Allen Toussaint Bridge, R = 0.125, p < 0.01 and Mirabeau Bridge, R = 0.051, p < 0.01). The restored marsh site also experienced significant changes in assemblages over time (BSJ Marsh, R = 0.421, p < 0.01), but these changes appeared due to a 2016 Bonnet Carré Spillway opening.
Recommended Citation
Jones, Alia, "Response of Fish Assemblages to Increased Connectivity and Habitat Restoration in Bayou St. John, a Degraded Waterway in New Orleans, LA" (2024). University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations. 3153.
https://scholarworks.uno.edu/td/3153
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.