Research Symposium

BIO

My name is Sophia Williams and I am an environmental science student from Dunedin, Florida. I am interested in marine science and conservation. My other involvements include Best Buddies and Hispanic Honors Society.

Effect of Harvest and Variable Food on Reproductive Investment of H. formosa

Abstract

Commercial fisheries and various environmental conditions can have many consequences for marine ecosystems and species due to harvesting and unreliable food. This experiment seeks to analyze the effects of selective vs non-selective harvest and variable vs constant food on the species Heterandria formosa. A sample of the female fish from each population that were harvested, were dissected and the female and the embryos were analyzed and weighed to see if there is an effect on the investment of energy into reproduction. Results suggest that variable food has a significant effect on embryo length in its respective stage of development and that both variable food and selective harvest significantly affect the overall somatic weight and length of the female. Overall, this can imply that human disturbances can affect the life history and reproduction of fish populations.

Keywords: Harvesting, fish, reproduction