Date of Award
5-2025
Document Type
Open Access Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Biology
First Advisor
Rachel Larsen, PhD
Second Advisor
Gesche Winkler, PhD
Third Advisor
Christine Maher, PhD
Keywords
Student Scholarship, Biology, Population dynamics, life history characteristics, environmental drivers, Neomysis americana, estuary
Abstract
Mysid shrimp (Neomysis americana) play a pivotal role in estuarine food webs by linking primary producers to higher trophic levels and serving as an important food source for commercially valuable fish. Despite their ecological significance, mysids are often under sampled, leading to gaps in our understanding of their population dynamics and life history traits. My study investigated N. americana over a full year (June 2023 to May 2024) in the temperate Damariscotta River Estuary in Maine. My research focused on how environmental factors such as temperature, turbidity, salinity, chlorophyll-a, and zooplankton biomass affect mysid density and reproduction. Temperature emerged as a key factor, with warmer temperatures leading to higher mysid density. My results also indicated distinct overwintering cohorts, highlighting that at least a portion of the population remains in the estuary year-round, with seasonal shifts in size distribution. These findings enhance our understanding of N. americana's ecological role in temperate estuaries, building on previous research of this important species.
Recommended Citation
Fogg, Allison MS '25, "Population dynamics, life history characteristics, and environmental drivers of Neomysis americana in the Damariscotta River estuary" (2025). All Student Scholarship. 447.
https://digitalcommons.usm.maine.edu/etd/447
