Tracey Magrann graduated June 2011

Dissertation title: Factors Affecting Phytoplankton Biodiversity and Toxin Production

Tracey's research involved developing a new water treatment program to reduce the levels of toxic algae in man-made lakes. By installing water treatment plants to remove phosphate, she hopes that algae levels will be greatly reduced thereby making the lakes healthier for the birds, fish, and other organisms that live there.

Wendy Billock, graduated August 2008

Dissertation title: Behavioral Evidence for “Contextual Decision Hierarchies” in the Hermit Crab, Pagurus samuelis.

Her research investigated cognition in the hermit crab, Pagurus samuelis. There is a wide variety of information available in the intertidal environment, and hermit crabs must sort through the various stimuli to make a decision. Her experiments have explored the various combinations of visual, chemical, and tactile cues that Pagurus samuelis uses in specific situations. She proposed that in each situation hermit crabs utilize a specific 'Contextual Decision Hierarchy' with a primary, secondary, and possibly tertiary cue.

Melissa Berube, graduated June 2010

Thesis title: Home Range and Foraging Ecology of Juvenile Hawksbill Sea Turtles around Roatan, Honduras.

Melissa worked on sea turtle research in Roatan, Honduras. She investigated the home ranges and habitat characteristics of juvenile hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) by tracking turtles through radio telemetry. Her work is an important componant of the Turtle Awareness and Protection Studies (TAPS) program under the Protective Turtle Ecology Center for Training, Outreach and Research (ProTECTOR). She was also involved with education outreach and local community capacity-building in regards to new conservation measures for all sea turtle species found in Honduras.

Janelle Shives, graduated June 2010.

Thesis title: Behavior and Physiology of Pagurus samuelis During Burial: Shell Abandonment and Lactate Accumulation.

She investigated hypotheses regarding the lack of hermit crabs found in association with gastropod shells in the fossil record. Although many gastropod shells are found throughout the fossil record with evidence that they have been "hermitted" (Walker & Carlton, 1995), questions remain as to why so few hermit crabs are found. Janelle's work focuses on the behaviors of Pagurus samuelis in various conditions of burial stress. She also investigated anerobic respiration in buried hermit crabs.

Mari-Lys Bacchus, graduated June 2007

Thesis title: Characterization of Resting Holes and Use by the Antillean Manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus).

She investigated the ecology and behaviors of Sirenians. During the summers of 2005 & 2006, Marie-Lys worked on her field investigations on manatees in Belize with Caryn Self-Sullivan. Marie-Lys is interested in understanding aspects of daily and nightly habitats of Sienians. She developed conservation and educational outreach programs to local communities while working with these marine mammals, and has analyzed her field data collected during those summers.

Viren Perumal, graduated June 2007

Thesis title: Responses to Salinity of Color Polymorphs in Two Populations of the Sea Star, Pisaster ochraceus.

His research focused on the color polymorphism that is seen in the ochre sea stars, Pisaster ochraceus and examined if one environmental factor (salinity) affects the color morphs differently. Across a longitudinal gradient in Washington State, a change in frequencies of color morphs of these sea stars can be observed. There are many more orange and brown individuals on the open coast of Olympic National Park, than in the Inland Straits near Rosario Beach, where the sea stars tend to be larger, and mostly purple.

April Sjoboen, graduated December 2007

Thesis title: Temporal Fatty Acid Fluctuations of Pachygrapsus crassipes in Southern California.

Her objective in this research was to test the hypothesis that fatty acids found in the hepatopancreas changed on a seasonal basis as well as between sexes. This could be important in understanding how these crabs are able to survive in the fluctuating environment in which they live. Changes in these fatty acids could be an adaptive mechanism used by Pachygrapsus crassipes to take advantage of the biochemical properties of fatty acids in different temperatures. Because fatty acid viscosity changes with fluctuations in temperature, it may be beneficial for them to store different types of FAs in different seasons. Changing fatty acid saturation and length with fluctuations in temperature could maximize the utilization of these energy stores, allowing Pachygrapsus to thrive in the variable conditions of the intertidal zone.