My project will take place the summer of 2013, where I plan to take samples from highly vascularized organs such as the heart, kidney, and liver. The samples will be cultured, then viewed under a microscope for the presence of Ichthyophonus. My target species will be Pacific Halibut collected in Homer, Alaska. Comparing the prevalence…
Marine Biology
Estimating age and shell growth rates in Pacific Razor Clams
I am investigating the size and age of Pacific Razor Clams on Ninilichik Beach, AK. My field work, conducted in the spring, consists of hand digging individual clams. By studying age and growth rates of individuals, I will design a model estimating the expected size for the succeeding harvest season. Because my results are likely…
Changes in size-at-age of Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolopis) and its relation to diet composition in the Cook Inlet, Alaska.
Since the late 1970s halibut growth rates have decreased in the Gulf of Alaska. The primary goal of this study is to determine if the trend in decreased growth rates is continuing in the Homer area of the Cook Inlet. The reason for this decrease is presently unknown, though may be correlated to changes in…
Spatiotemporal Distribution of Migrating Pacific Salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.), Relative to Tide, Temperature, and Time of Day.
This project is a collaboration with the Alaska Department of Fish & Game, who uses dual-frequency identification sonar (DIDSON) to enumerate sockeye, chum, and Chinook salmon in the Nushagak River, Alaska. My MSES thesis uses Nushagak DIDSON recordings in conjunction with tide, temperature, and light intensity data in order to determine how local environmental conditions…
Mossel Bay, South Africa
By: Chris Pavadore The senior project required of all APU undergraduates offers students a chance to synthesize years of education in an informative, directed study. The most exciting aspect of this project is that there are no limits as to what can be accomplished. As a senior in the marine biology program, I was interested…
Ninilchik Beach Razor Clam Study
MAR 224 Marine Field Work On November 17, 2010 thousands of Pacific Razor Clams were found dead on Ninilchik beach. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game speculated that a winter storm might have washed the clams up causing the die off. Working under a cooperative agreement between APU Marine Biology Professor Brad Harris and…
