Publications by authors named "R J Boucek"

Variability in space use among conspecifics can emerge from foraging strategies that track available resources, especially in riverscapes that promote high synchrony between prey pulses and consumers. Projected changes in riverscape hydrological regimes due to water management and climate change accentuate the need to understand the natural variability in animal space use and its implications for population dynamics and ecosystem function. Here, we used long-term tracking of Common Snook (Centropomus undecimalis) movement and trophic dynamics in the Shark River, Everglades National Park from 2012 to 2023 to test how specialization in the space use of individuals (i.

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Article Synopsis
  • Embracing local knowledge is crucial for biodiversity conservation, but there is a lack of effective frameworks to incorporate this knowledge properly.
  • Using a Wisdom of Crowds approach, the study tested whether diverse groups of individuals, with varying ages and fishing experience, provided better estimates of fishing quality compared to more uniform groups.
  • The research found that targeting a diverse group of 31% of survey participants captured most unique responses; small diverse groups were as effective as larger ones in assessing ecological conditions, highlighting the importance of including varied knowledge holders in research.
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  • Pharmaceuticals are emerging contaminants that can negatively impact wildlife, with this study focusing on bonefish in subtropical South Florida to quantify their exposure.
  • A total of 53 pharmaceuticals were detected in bonefish, with over half showing levels exceeding a risk threshold, indicating potential pharmacological effects due to cocktail exposure.
  • The study found significant links between the region and season of sampling and the levels of pharmaceutical exposure, highlighting the need for further research in coastal marine environments.
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To date, the presence of pharmaceuticals has been extensively documented across a wide range of aquatic systems and biota. Further, substantial progress has been made in transitioning from laboratory assessments of pharmaceutical fate and effects in fish to in situ assessments of exposure and effects; however, certain research areas remain understudied. Among these is investigation of differential accumulation across multiple internal tissues in wild marine fish beyond the species commonly sampled in laboratory and freshwater field settings.

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Pharmaceutical uptake involves processes that vary across aquatic systems and biota. However, single studies examining multiple environmental compartments, microhabitats, biota, and exposure pathways in mesoconsumer fish are sparse. We investigated the pharmaceutical burden in bonefish (Albula vulpes), pathways of exposure, and estimated exposure to a human daily dose.

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