Analyzing Impacts of Multiple Environmental Variables on Minuca pugnax Behavioral Thermoregulation

Simple item page
dc.contributorBrennan, Patricia
dc.contributorHews, Sarah
dc.contributor.advisorBrodie, Renae
dc.contributor.authorRich, Jacquline
dc.date.accessioned2021-07-03T17:10:32Z
dc.date.available2021-07-03T17:10:32Z
dc.date.gradyear2021en_US
dc.date.issued2021-07-03
dc.description.abstractThe salt marsh dwelling fiddler crab Minuca pugnax is an intertidal ectotherm that navigates an environmentally variable habitat through using burrows for behavioral thermoregulation. Behavioral thermoregulation in fiddler crabs is impacted by multiple environmental variables. In this study, I examined the impacts of surface and burrow temperatures, density of conspecifics, and tidal height on duration of burrow retreat and surface activity in male M. pugnax. I analyzed video, temperature, and tidal height data recorded on Sapelo Island, GA in August 2019 and developed linear regression models informed by correlation analyses. I found that the duration of surface activity was impacted by changes in surface temperature, burrow temperature, and density of conspecifics. As surface temperature increased, the duration of surface activity decreased. As density of conspecifics increased, duration of surface activity also increased. However, density and surface temperature were correlated. The duration of burrow retreat was not impacted by any environmental variable. The average duration of burrow retreat was much shorter and more consistent than the average duration of surface activity, suggesting that crabs cool rapidly in burrows. These preliminary data illustrate the complex relationship between M. pugnax and its salt marsh environment.en_US
dc.description.sponsorshipBiological Sciencesen_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10166/6325
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.rights.restrictedrestricteden_US
dc.subjectFiddler Craben_US
dc.subjectMinuca pugnaxen_US
dc.subjectThermoregulationen_US
dc.subjectBehavioral Thermoregulationen_US
dc.subjectThermal Ecologyen_US
dc.subjectSalt Marshen_US
dc.subjectIntertidal Organismsen_US
dc.titleAnalyzing Impacts of Multiple Environmental Variables on Minuca pugnax Behavioral Thermoregulationen_US
dc.typeThesis
mhc.degreeUndergraduateen_US
mhc.institutionMount Holyoke College

Files

Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
Jacquline Rich Thesis.pdf
Size:
564.31 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Download

Collections

Student Theses and Honors Collection