July 19, 2013
Research summary from the Fifth Annual VCU Rice Center Research Symposium
On May 17, 2013, the following research projects were presented to a standing-room-only crowd at the VCU Rice Center (click on each title for more details):
James River Research Overview – Dr. Paul Bukaveckas, VCU Department of Biology (VCU-BIO) and VCU Center for Environmental Studies (VCU-CES)
Bukaveckas is engaged in a highly impactful study of algal blooms and water quality in the James River. He and his team are working on a six-year project, partnering with Virginia’s Department of Environmental Quality, the city of Richmond, Old Dominion University and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. They are monitoring, collecting data on and modeling algal blooms to determine where and why they occur and their potential harmful effects on living resources and human health. Their findings have implications for setting water quality standards and nutrient allocations for the James.
Propagation of the algal toxin Mycrocystin in the tidal fresh James River Food Web – Joe Wood*, VCU Integrative Life Sciences (VCU-ILS); Dr. Paul Bukaveckas, VCU-BIO and VCU-CES; Dr. Greg Garman and Dr. Steven McIninch, VCU-CES.
Wood is a Ph.D student studying harmful algal blooms in the tidal freshwater portion of the James. Harmful algae are cyanobacteria, which produce toxins that pose a threat to living resources and human health. Through a combination of approaches that include experiments conducted at the Rice Center's new mesocosm facility as well as weekly monitoring and toxicity testing, researchers hope to determine how the toxin enters the food web and its effects on living resources.
Status and management of invasive catfishes in Chesapeake Bay waters. Dr. Greg Garman, Dr. Steve McIninch, Dave Hopler and Dr. Matthew Balazik*, VCU-CES.
As part of a growing problem of invasive species across the globe, blue catfish and flathead catfish may be causing significant ecological problems in parts of Chesapeake Bay. In addition to being novel predators on, or competitors with, native fishes such as white catfish, American shad and blueback herring, a major concern is their tendency to have high body-burdens of PCBs and other contaminants, thereby affecting avian predators such as ospreys and eagles that may feed heavily on these non-native catfishes. Introduced in the 1970s as a recreational fishing opportunity, these normally freshwater fish are able to tolerate moderate salinities; therefore, in the springtime when freshwater flows dilute the estuary, they are able to move from river to river and increase their distribution. Efforts are underway to find solutions to mitigate the potential effects of these invasive species.
Photo courtesy of Bob Greenlee
An experimental look at the agonistic behavior and sound production in blue catfish, Ictalurus furcatus – Laura Morgan* and Dr. Michael Fine (VCU-BIO)
In an effort to help mitigate the propagation of the invasive blue catfish, Morgan and Fine are studying their habits to afford clues as to how the fish might be managed in the ecosystem. Frequently tainted with tributilyn and PCBs, they are also predators of the white catfish, blue crabs and American shad, and, as a population, constitute up to 75 percent of the fish biomass in the James River.
Wetland restoration and conservation from the Chesapeake Bay to Panama Bay and Back – Dr. Edward Crawford, VCU-BIO
With the understanding that wetlands are critical to the health of our ecosystems, Crawford and his team are working to restore mangrove wetlands in both the Chesapeake and Panama Bay areas. Comprising only 1/10 of a percent of the earth’s surface, mangroves are decidedly threatened throughout the world; studies of the importance of the wetlands, and in particular their impact on the health of species such as the prothonotary warbler, help underscore the urgency of maintaining and improving protections for mangroves worldwide.
Virginia Aquatic Resources Trust Fund project snapshot: Lj-10 James River (VCU Rice Center) – Jovan Holden, The Nature Conservancy in Virginia (VA-TNC)
As part of the wetland restoration project at the Rice Center, The Nature Conservancy partnered with members of the Forestry Service in February to execute a beneficial burn of the invasive cattail, Typha latifolia. While the burn was successful, it did not completely eliminate the problematic thatch of the vegetation; this will be eliminated mechanically and, in the fall of 2013, native plants will be reintroduced in an effort to recreate the original, native habitat.
The impacts of rising salinity on methanogen community abundance and structure – Jaimie L. Gillespie*, VCU-BIO; Joseph M. Battistelli*, University of Virginia, Department of Environmental Science; Dr. Scott C. Neubauer and Dr. Rima Franklin, VCU-BIO
Gillespie, an M.S. student at VCU, and Battistelli, a recently graduated Ph.D. student from U.Va., examined the potential impacts of sea-level rise and increased salinity on soil methanogen communities (responsible for the production of the greenhouse gas, methane) in tidal wetlands. This study, conducted along naturally occurring salinity gradients on three rivers in the eastern U.S., showed methanogen community abundance and activity to decrease as salinity increased. Shifts in active methanogen community composition were also shown to correlate with changes in salinity.
Age-specific responses to spring temperature in a migratory songbird: older females attempt more broods in warmer springs – Dr. Lesley Bulluck, VCU-BIO and Life Sciences; Sarah Huber, Virginia Institute for Marine Sciences, College of William and Mary (VIMS); Catherine Viverette*, VCU Life Sciences and Charlie Blem, VCU-BIO
Working with over 18 years worth of data, Bulluck and the team have determined that older and earlier nesting prothonotary warblers are more likely to double brood, and previous experience (i.e., whether the female double brooded in the previous year) significantly increased the probability of raising two broods. When looking at annual variation in double brooding, they found that older females are more likely to double brood in years with warmer springs, but this relationship was not seen for younger females. This may be because earlier peaks in caterpillar abundance in warm years are able to be taken advantage of by older, earlier-arriving females. This is one of the few studies of migratory songbirds that spans nearly two decades, enabling us to demonstrate how populations respond to environmental cues such as changing temperature differently depending on the age structure of its members.
Feather reflectance and body condition as proxies for habitat quality of overwintering songbirds – Ryan Weaver, VCU-CES; Catherine Viverette*, VCU Life Sciences and Dr. Lesley Bulluck, VCU-BIO and Life Sciences
Weaver, a recent graduate of VCU’s Center for Environmental Studies, presented research conducted as a part of the Panama avian ecology course offered at VCU and directed by Bulluck and Viverette. The main objective in this study was to determine if mature mangrove forests provide higher quality habitat to wintering birds than younger mangroves. They compared the following in mature, intermediate and young black mangroves in Panama: 1) body condition, a dynamic short-term measure of individual performance and local resource availability and 2) feather coloration (specifically, carotenoid content), a static, long-term measure of individual health and quality.
They found that birds from the mature mangrove site were more colorful and in better body condition than younger sites. These results suggest the mature mangrove site may offer higher quality habitat for birds and that conservation of existing mangrove stands could be important to supporting healthy breeding populations of migratory birds.
Biosurveillance and forensic analysis of bacterial threat agents: distinguishing natural from man-made pathogens – Christopher J. Ehrhardt, VCU Department of Forensic Science
Ehrhardt’s laboratory is exploring how a bacteria found in the soil, such as Bacillus cereus spores, can be used to help determine the difference between natural and man-made pathogens. The Biowatch program, began in 2003, entails monitoring stations in cities that detect pathogenic organisms. The stations are so sensitive that there have been false alarms, necessitating establishing the distinction between naturally-occurring pathogens and those that are man-made.
Linking hydraulic properties, canopy structure and light use to shrub expansion – Sheri A. Shiflett*, VCU-ILS; Julie C. Zinnert and Donald R. Young (VCU-BIO)
This research investigated physiological differences in plants that may affect their ability to out-compete other species, allowing them to rapidly expand their distribution and form dense thickets. The study focused on two critical traits: the ability of plants to internally transport water and their efficiency in using light for photosynthesis. Two highly expansive shrubs — the native shrub Myrica cerifera (southern waxmyrtle) and the invasive shrub, Elaeagnus umbellata (autumn olive) — were compared to co-occurring shrubs with a low ability to rapidly expand and form thickets. It was found that both expansive species had a higher internal hydraulic efficiency and a higher electron transport rate, resulting in a higher photosynthetic efficiency than the non-expansive species, allowing them to out-compete co-occurring species.
Conservation of a living fossil in the heart of Appalachia: eastern hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis)– John (J.D.) Kleopfer, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VCGIF); Dr. William Hopkins, Virginia Tech and Dr. Kimberly Terrell, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute.
With approximately 80 percent of the Ozark population extirpated, the Ozark hellbender (C. a. bishopi) is federally listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. The eastern hellbender (C. a. alleganiensis) has also experienced severe range-wide declines and has been petitioned to be federally listed as well. Recent research has shown that variable temperatures are beneficial to the immune health of the hellbender; therefore, it is important to distinguish between climate change and natural variances in weather patterns. Further complicating matters for the reproductive success of the hellbenders, populations are experiencing genetic isolation at headwaters because of pollutants in linking lowlands.
In addition, the following posters also were presented:
Historic commercial harvest of snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) in Virginia – Benjamin C. Colteaux*, VCU-ILS; Cynthia M. Scheuermann*, VCU-BIO; J.D. Kleopfer, VDGIF and Derek M. Johnson, VCU-BIO
A collaborative national-scale analysis of land use and frog diversity – Shane Abinette*. Uswa Arain, Blair Cousins, Christopher Crockett, Max Dichek, Jennifer Fjelsted, Sara Holtschneider, Arthur Kay, Sajan Moktan, Alessandro Molina, Juliana Rostan-Zimmer, Ryan Weaver* and James Vonesh (VCU-BIO)
Developing a water distribution system to deliver potable water to a large indigenous village in Bolivia: a proof of concept design – Anathea A. Pepperl*, VCU Dept. Biomedical Engineering and Allison Yaguchi*, VCU Dept. of Chemical & Life Science Engineering
Using microbial communities and extracellular enzymes to link soil organic matter characteristics to greenhouse gas production in a tidal freshwater wetland – Ember M. Morrissey*, VCU-ILS; David J. Berrier, Scott C. Neubauer and Rima B. Franklin, VCU-BIO
Intraspecific territorial intrusion by Bald Eagles: breeding pair response and potential reproductive effects – Courtney Turrin*, Department of Biology, College of William and Mary; and Bryan D. Watts, Center for Conservation Biology, VCU and College of William and Mary
Feather reflectance indicates reproductive success and reveals no carry-over effect in female prothonotary warblers – Samantha Kay* (VCU-BIO); Sarah Huber (VIMS) and Lesley Bulluck, VCU-BIO and Life Sciences
Team Warbler – from Chesapeake Bay to Panama Bay and back – supporting sustainable communities – Michael Adjei, VCU-BIO, Holly Atwood, VCU-CES; Kensey Barker*, VCU-BIO; Wyatt Carpenter, Mariah Davis, VCU-CES; Gabrielle LaTora, VCU-BIO; Eden Lindeman, VCU-CES; Catherine Porro, Deborah Pridgen, Juliana Rostan-Zimmer, Cynthia Scheuermann*, VCU-BIO; Mari Wadsworth, Ryan Weaver, VCU-CES; T imothy Webb, VCU-BIO; Jacob York, VCU-CES; Edward Crawford, VCU-BIO, Lesley Bulluck, VCU-BIO and Life Sciences and Catherine Viverette*, VCU Life Sciences
Carotenoid-based coloration of the Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citea): feather reflectance analysis of overwintering birds in a mature mangrove forest in Panama – Deborah Pridgen, VCU-BIO; Mari Wadsworth, VCU-CES; Juliana Rostan-Zimmer, VCU-BIO and Ryan Weaver, VCU-CES
Variation in avian community structure among mangrove ecosystems in central Panama – Cynthia M. Scheuermann*, VCU-BIO; Mariah A. Davis, VCU-CES and Dan Albrecht-Mallinger, VCU-BIO
The Effects of Vegetation Characteristics on Neo-tropical Migrant Abundance in Panamanian Mangrove Forest – Catie Porrow, VCU-BIO; Wyatt Carpenter, CU-CES and Gabrielle LaTora, VCU-BIO
Combined effects of increased salinity and flooding on a freshwater marsh soil seed bank – Ashley Moulton* and Dr. Edward Crawford, VCU-BIO
A survey of dragonfly biodiversity within restored and reference wetlands located at the VCU Rice Center in Charles City County, Va.– Kari Allyson Lackey*, VCU-CES and Dr. Edward Crawford, VCU-BIO
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) consumption by bacteria in various aquatic environments at the VCU Rice Center – HaetNim Kim, Lauren Vance, Rode Tamesgen, Rachel Cooper*, VCU-BIO; Lindsey Koren*, Eric Hall*, VCU-ILS and Anne Wright, VCU-BIO and Life Sciences
The characterization and lability of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in two environmentally varied mesocosms and a vernal pool at the VCU Rice Center – Ann Benjamin, Emily Hannah, Luke Evancoe, VCU-BO; Mariah Davis, VCU-CES; Eric Hall, VCU-ILS; Rachel Cooper Faison*, VCU-BIO; Lindsey Koren*, VCU-ILS and Anne Wright, VCU-BIO and Life Sciences
*Received VCU Rice Student Research Award
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