Date of Award
8-12-2016
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Geosciences
First Advisor
Christy C. Visaggi
Second Advisor
Timothy L. Hawthorne
Third Advisor
Jeremy E. Diem
Abstract
The second largest reef in the world is experiencing a dramatic change in its environment with continued development and an influx in tourism having a direct impact on the physical and ecological balance of the reef. The introduction of hazardous materials and practices have contributed to reef degradation through excess sedimentation, overfishing, and increased shipping and have the ability to influence some of the reef’s most endangered inhabitants. A spatial examination using multiple variables impacting changes in certain populations of endangered and invasive fish species are studied, incorporating integrated species abundance and sighting data as well as potential environmental threats to aim to understand the trends and correlations between Belize’s recent spike in development, and the implications on its barrier reef.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.57709/8870620
Recommended Citation
Acker, Adam S., "Spatial Analysis of Environmental Factors Affecting Endangered and Invasive Fish Species on the Belize Barrier Reef." Thesis, Georgia State University, 2016.
doi: https://doi.org/10.57709/8870620