Courses Taught Selected Publications Students Current Projects Research Interests Full CV	William F. Patterson III Associate Professor

Recent Titles:

Research Interests:

My research interests include population dynamics, population structure, and habitat requirements of marine fishes, which range from inshore estuarine-dependent to oceanic pelagic species. Although the types of questions my students, colleagues, and I ask are quite varied, the underlying theme in all our work is understanding the rates of ecological processes that drive the ecosystems we are examining. Typically, our research is focused on commercially or recreationally exploited fishes, but we also are examining population dynamics of ecologically important but non-exploited fishes to gain understanding of the ecological effects of fishing on non-targeted species and habitats. Techniques we employ include age and growth estimation from otolith thin sections; estimating population structure and connectivity with otolith shape and otolith chemistry analysis; artificial tagging to estimate site fidelity and dispersion of adult fishes; gut content and muscle stable isotope analysis to examine trophic position and source(s) of production; remotely operated vehicle-based estimation of reef fish community structure; and, various modeling approaches to examine population dynamics, population connectivity, and ecosystem function.

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Current Projects:

Minimizing discards in the Gulf of Mexico recreational red snapper fishery: Hook selectivity and the efficacy of a first fish rule. 2009-11. NOAA-NMFS-CRP.

Examination of red snapper fisheries ecology on the northwest Florida shelf. 2009-10. Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute.

Migratory pathways and population connectivity in Gulf of Mexico king mackerel: A pilot study using next generation pop-up satellite archival tags. 2008-10. NOAA-NMFS-MaRFIN.

The effect of unpublished artificial reefs deployed on the northwest Florida shelf.  2004-10. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

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Selected Publications:

Barnett, B.K. and W.F. Patterson, III. In press. The effect of coring and pulverizing juvenile red snapper, Lutjanus campechanus, otoliths on their chemical signatures. Environmental Biology of Fishes.

Shepard, K.E, W.F. Patterson, III, and D.A. DeVries. 2010. Trends in Atlantic contribution to mixed-stock king mackerel landings in south Florida inferred from otolith shape analysis. Marine and Coastal Fisheries: Dynamics, Management, and Ecosystem Science 2:195–204. pdf

Shepard, K.E., W.F. Patterson, III, D.A. DeVries, and M. Ortiz. 2010. Contemporary versus historical estimates of kin g mackerel (Scomberomorus cavalla) age and growth in the United States Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. Bulletin of Marine Science. pdf

Cowan, J.H., Jr., C.B. Grimes, W.F. Patterson, III, and 12 other co-authors. 2010. Red snapper management in the Gulf of Mexico: science- or faith-based? Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries. pdf

Patterson, W.F., III, Dance, M.A., and D.T. Addis. 2009. Development of a remotely operated vehicle based methodology to estimate fish community structure at artificial reef sites in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Proc. Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute 61:263-270. pdf

Wells, R.J.D., J.H. Cowan, Jr., W.F. Patterson, III, and C.J. Walters. 2008. Trawling effects and habitat selection on life history parameters of Gulf of Mexico red snapper. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 65:2399-2411. pdf

Jeffers, S.A. W.F. Patterson, III, and J.H. Cowan, Jr. 2008.  Habitat and bycatch effects on inshore lizardfish, Synodus foetens, population parameters in the north central Gulf of Mexico.  U.S. Fishery Bulletin 106:417-426. pdf

Patterson, W.F., III, J.H. Cowan, Jr., C.A. Wilson, and Z. Chen. 2008. Temporal and spatial variability in juvenile Gulf of Mexico red snapper otolith elemental signatures.  Transactions of the American Fisheries Society. 137:521-532. pdf

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Graduate Students:

Joshua Neese, University of West Florida (committee chair) 2010-date. “Regional and inter-decadenal differences in red snapper size-at-age in the northern Gulf of Mexico.”

Joseph Tarnecki, University of West Florida (committee chair) 2010-date. “Community and trophic structure of reef fishes on natural and artificial habitats in the northern Gulf of Mexico.”

Heather Moncrief, University of West Florida (committee chair), 2009-date. “Effect of life history and trophic ecology on the bioaccumulation of polychlorinated biphenyls in northern Gulf of Mexico reef fishes.”

Rachel Scharer, University of West Florida (committee chair), 2009-date. “Estimating habitat utilization by sawfishes based on elemental analysis of vertebrae and rostral teeth with laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry.”

Carrie Fioramonti, University of West Florida (committee chair), 2009-date. “Population demographics of gray triggerfish, Balistes capriscus, in the northern Gulf of Mexico.”

Cecelia Lounder, University of West Florida (committee chair), 2006-09. “Recruitment dynamics of gray snapper along the west Florida shelf”

Kate Shepard, University of West Florida (committee chair), 2006-2008. “King mackerel population dynamics and stock mixing in the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico”

Cecelia Lounder, University of West Florida (committee chair), 2006-09. “Recruitment dynamics of gray snapper along the west Florida shelf”

Dustin Addis, University of West Florida (committee chair), 2005-08. “Fishing effects on northern Gulf of Mexico artificial reef fish communities”

Beverly Barnett, University of West Florida (committee chair), 2005-08 “Estimating the source of red snapper recruits to the west Florida shelf with otolith chemistry”

Michael Dance, University of West Florida (committee chair), 2004-07. “Fish community development and structure at unreported artificial reef sites in the northern Gulf of Mexico”

Suzanne Gibson, University of West Florida (committee co-chair with Richard Snyder), 2004-08. “Distinguishing hatchery reared from wild juvenile red snapper with otolith chemistry”

Nicole Morris, University of West Florida (committee chair), 2004-2007. “The artificial reef effect of deepsea shipwrecks in the northern Gulf of Mexico”

Sarah Jeffers, University of West Florida (committee chair), 2004-2007. “Lizardfish, Synodus foetens, ecology in the north central Gulf of Mexico and the effect of shrimp trawl bycatch”

Craig Newton, University of South Alabama (committee co-chair with Robert Shipp), 2003-2007. “Habitat effects on juvenile red snapper density, growth, and diet in the north central Gulf of Mexico”

Todd Clardy, University of South Alabama, 2002-2006 (committee co-chair with Robert Shipp). “Migratory group discrimination between eastern Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic king mackerel (Scomberomorous cavalla) using otolith shape analysis”

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Courses Taught:

Marine Vertebrate Zoology: This undergraduate course is a survey of fishes and higher marine vertebrates. Evolutionary trends are stressed within vertebrate groups, along with biogeography and biodiversity hotspots. Laboratory exercises are designed to familiarize students with fish internal and external anatomy, predominant swimming modes, and life history stages, as well as the diversity of local freshwater, estuarine and marine ichthyofauna.

Marine Fisheries: This undergraduate/graduate course is an introduction to the population ecology of fishes, with an emphasis placed on exploited species. Lecture topics include the global status of fished species, fishing gears, the interaction of gears with habitat and non-exploited species or life stages, and the implications of life history strategy on vulnerability to exploitation. Laboratory exercises are designed to familiarize students with fisheries techniques, such as sample design, estimating age from hardparts, and staging histological sections of gonads. In the second half of the course, laboratory exercises introduce students to basic fisheries modeling techniques, including von Bertalanffy growth functions, catch curve analysis, catchability and selectivity, spawner-recruit functions, surplus production models, and virtual population analysis.

Field Marine Ecology: This undergraduate/graduate course is an introduction to physical and biological oceanographic sampling techniques conducted onboard a Florida Institute of Oceanography research vessel. Students are instructed in basic coastal navigation techniques, knot tying, and line, cable and winch handling, in addition to training in scientific sampling. Sampling gear includes a CTD, flourometer, plankton nets, bottle samplers, benthic grab samplers, trawls, and dredges. Students also receive training in using remotely operated vehicles to conduct scientific sampling.

Aquaculture: This undergraduate/graduate course is an introduction to the culture of marine and freshwater organisms for food production, public aquaria, and ecological research. Students are exposed to physical, chemical, and biological factors that constrain the culture of various invertebrate and vertebrate taxa. The laboratory section of the course is handled as a discussion section of topical scientific, economic, environmental, and political issues in aquaculture. In addition, several field trips are made to finfish and invertebrate culture facilities to expose students to daily, real world challenges facing aquaculturists.

Introduction to Oceanography and Marine Biology: This non-majors undergraduate course is a survey of physical, chemical, geological, and biological oceanography. The interconnectedness of biota and the physical environment is stressed throughout he course. Beyond the basics of oceanography and marine biology, topical issues such as global warming, eutrophication, and habitat loss are woven into lecture material throughout the course. Laboratory exercises focus on introducing students to the diversity of life in the sea.

Biology Seminar: This undergraduate/graduate course is designed to expose students to current research in a great diversity of biology sub-fields. Local, regional, and national experts give weekly seminars attended by students and faculty. Students critique the presentations, as well as review relevant literature.

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