Behavioral Ecology, Animal Behavior, Marine Biology
I am interested in the influence of sexual competition on courtship and mating behavior, particularly in the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus.  I am also interested in the potential impacts of fishing on blue crab reproduction.  Currently, I am assessing the population structure (e.g., abundance, size distribution, sex ratio) and various measures of reproductive potential (e.g., sperm stores of both sexes, brood production and fecundity of females) of adult blue crabs in Barnegat Bay.   

• Control of range expansion and habitat use of the invasive green crab, Carcinus maenas, by a native predator – a case of Biotic Resistance?  New Jersey Seagrant.  Funded June 2002
• The effect of artificial shoreline on habitat quality and mortality of blue crabs, Callinectes sapidus. Rider University, Summer Fellowship.  Funded June 2003
• The effect of commercial fishing on the population structure and reproductive potential of blue crabs, Callinectes sapidus. Rider University, Summer Fellowship.  Funded June 2004
• The effect of artificial shoreline on habitat quality and mortality of blue crabs, Callinectes sapidus. Barnegat Bay Estuary Program.  Funded 2005-2006
• The impact of artificial shorelines on species diversity, secondary production and habitat quality in Barnegat Bay. Barnegat Bay Estuary Program.  Funded 2006-2007
• Assessing population structure, reproductive potential and fishing effort for blue crabs in Barnegat Bay.  Barnegat Bay Estuary Program.  Funded 2007-2008

• Principles of Biology: Evolution, Diversity and Biology of Animals with Lab (BIO-115)
• Introduction to Marine Biology with Lab (BIO 272)
• Behavior of Marine Organisms with Lab (BIO 372)

Jivoff, P. 1997. The relative roles of predation and sperm competition on the duration of the post-copulatory association between the sexes in the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 40: 175-185. 

Jivoff, P. 1997. Large male mating advantages in the blue crab: Implications for potential fisheries effects. Advances in Ethology Supplement 32. Abstract

Jivoff, P. 1997. Sexual competition among male blue crab, Callinectes sapidus.  Biological Bulletin  193: 368-380. 

Jivoff, P. and Hines, A.H. 1998. Female behavior, sexual competition and mate guarding in the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus.  Animal Behaviour 55: 589-603.  

Jivoff, P. and Hines, A.H. 1998.  The effect of female molt stage and sex ratio on courtship behavior in the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus.  Marine Biology 131: 533-542. 

Jivoff, P. and Able, K.W.  2001. Characterization of the fish and selected decapods in Little Egg Harbor.  Journal of Coastal Research SI32: 178-196. 

Jivoff, P.  2003. A review of male mating success in the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus, in reference to the potential for fisheries-induced sperm limitation.  Bulletin of Marine Science 72:  273-286

Jivoff, P.  2003. Summary Paper: Reproduction and Embryonic Development Session, Blue Crab Symposium 2000.  Bulletin of Marine Science 72: 265-272

Hines, A.H., Jivoff, P.R., Bushmann, P.J., van Montfrans, J., Reed, S.A., Wolcott, D.L. and Wolcott, T.G.  2003. Evidence for sperm limitation in the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus.  Bulletin of Marine Science 72: 287-310

Jivoff, P. and Able, K.W. 2003. Evaluating salt marsh restoration in Delaware Bay: The response of blue crabs, Callinectes sapidus, at former salt hay farms. Estuaries 26: 709-719. 

Jivoff, P. and Able, K.W. 2003. Blue crab, Callinectes sapidus, response to the invasive common reed, Phragmites australis: Abundance, size, sex ratio, and molting frequency.  Estuaries 26: 587-595.

Lee, K.T., P. Jivoff, and R.E. Bishop.  2005.  A low cost, reliable method for quantifying coloration in Carcinus maenas.  Crustaceana 78 (5): 579-590.

C.E. DeRivera, Ruiz, G.M., Hines, A.H. and Jivoff, P.  2005.  Biotic resistance to invasion: native predator limits abundance and distribution of an introduced crab.  Ecology  86: 3364-3376.

Jivoff, P., Hines, A.H., Quackenbush, S.  2007.  Reproduction Biology and Embryonic Development.  In: The Blue Crab, Callinectes sapidus.  V.S. Kennedy and L.E. Cronin (eds).  Maryland Seagrant, College Park MD.  774 pp.

Able, K.W., Balletto, J.H., Hagan, S.H., Jivoff, P.R. and Strait, K.A.  2007.  Linkages between salt marshes and other nekton habitats in the Delaware Bay landscape.  Reviews in Fisheries Science 15: 1–61.