b'A Comparative Study of the Arabidopsis thaliana eIF2alpha kinase, GCN2 using Protein Sequence Alignment and Homology ModelingTeressa K. AkuokoSponsor: Dr. LokdarshiAbstract withheld because of pending academic publication.Identifying the Effects of Algal Turbidity on Reproductive Success and Mating Behaviors of Dwarf Seahorses (Hippocampus zosterae)Darshi Narendrakumar PatelSponsor: Dr. RoseCoastal marine communities are vulnerable to nutrient pollution that can cause human-induced eutrophication that alters various aspects of aquatic life. This experiment investigated the effects of algal turbidity on mating and reproductive success of the genetically monogamous dwarf seahorse (Hippocampus zosterae). To quantify the effect of algal turbidity in varied sex-ratios, each replicate consisted of 1F:1M sex ratio and two sex-biased treatments (2F:1M and 2M:1F) set up in clear and turbid water (n=3, 48 seahorses used only once). Ongoing analyses of mating behaviors using the BORIS program indicate that majority of courting occurred during dawn. Latency in mating had an inverse relation with number of offspring, favoring turbid environments. Competition in male-biased treatments led to longer latency to mating, lower reproductive success for females, and unsuccessful egg transfers. However, males in turbid treatments had average of 20.45.8 offspring compared to 10.16.9 offspring in clear water treatments. The greater reproductive success in turbid treatments may be due to adaptations to turbid Tampa Bay waters that range in water clarity throughout different seasons. Additional replicates will be conducted next summer to create a robust dataset for statistical analysis to determine the effects of algae on seahorse reproduction.16'