An evaluation of the synchronization in the dynamics of blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) populations in the western Atlantic

dc.contributor.advisorMiller, Thomas Jen_US
dc.contributor.authorColton, Amanda Raeen_US
dc.contributor.departmentMarine-Estuarine-Environmental Sciencesen_US
dc.contributor.publisherDigital Repository at the University of Marylanden_US
dc.contributor.publisherUniversity of Maryland (College Park, Md.)en_US
dc.date.accessioned2011-10-08T06:19:40Z
dc.date.available2011-10-08T06:19:40Z
dc.date.issued2011en_US
dc.description.abstractBlue crab populations along the east coast of the United States are known to fluctuate in size annually. Previously, the degree of coherence in abundance between these populations was unknown. My research used a combination of fishery-dependent and fishery-independent data to quantify the amount of synchrony among blue crab populations and to determine the mechanisms that drive abundance fluctuations. This was done by first fitting catch-survey models to time series of survey abundance and catch to obtain absolute abundance estimates. Subsequently, I used multivariate techniques to quantify the extent and pattern of synchronization. I found that a latitudinal pattern among blue crab populations exists among all the regions except Chesapeake Bay, which appeared to be anomalous. A combination of larval mixing in the coastal ocean and a Moran effect appear to be drivers of the synchrony among blue crab populations although more investigation into these mechanisms is needed.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/12023
dc.subject.pqcontrolledFisheries and aquatic sciencesen_US
dc.subject.pquncontrolledblue craben_US
dc.subject.pquncontrolledMoran effecten_US
dc.subject.pquncontrolledpopulation dynamicsen_US
dc.subject.pquncontrolledstock assessmenten_US
dc.subject.pquncontrolledsynchronizationen_US
dc.titleAn evaluation of the synchronization in the dynamics of blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) populations in the western Atlanticen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US

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