Date of Award
1999
Publication Type
Master Thesis
Degree Name
M.Sc.
Department
Biological Sciences
Keywords
Biology, Ecology.
Supervisor
Ciberowski, J. J. H.
Rights
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Abstract
Benthic Hexagenia embryos can be exposed to anoxic hypolimnetic water or can become buried in the sediment. In western Lake Erie, periodic anoxia resulting from transient stratification has eradicated Hexagenia populations. The ability of embryos to survive anoxia and hatch when normoxic conditions return would allow the population to recover after an anoxic event. I studied the survivorship and development of Hexagenia embryos at various developmental stages maintained in anoxic conditions for different time periods, at different temperatures. In 1996, Hexagenia nymphs were absent from several regions in western Lake Erie. I collected sediment cores from two such areas and two other areas supporting nymphs. I studied the effects of hypoxia on embryos by adding eggs to the sediment cores. The results of my studies are that Hexagenia eggs would be able to survive periods of anoxia at different temperatures over its embryological development. This would allow eggs to repopulate an area after a period of epibenthic anoxia that would eradicate the nymphs. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)Dept. of Biological Sciences. Paper copy at Leddy Library: Theses & Major Papers - Basement, West Bldg. / Call Number: Thesis1999 .G47. Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 39-02, page: 0443. Adviser: J. J. H. Ciborowski. Thesis (M.Sc.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 1999.
Recommended Citation
Gerlofsma, Jocelyn., "The effects of anoxia and temperature on the development and survivorship of Hexagenia (Ephemeroptera: Ephemeridae) embryos, and implications for western Lake Erie populations." (1999). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 3915.
https://scholar.uwindsor.ca/etd/3915