The Coastal Barrier Island Network (CBIN): Future management strategies for barrier islands

Barrier islands are ecosystems that border coastal shorelines and form a protective barrier between continental shorelines and the wave action originating offshore. In addition to forming and maintaining an array of coastal and estuarine habitats of ecological and economic importance, barrier island coastlines also include some of the greatest concentrations of human populations and accompanying anthropogenic development in the world. These islands have an extremely dynamic nature whereby major changes in geomorphology and hydrology can occur over short time periods (i.e. days, hours) in response to extreme episodic storm events such as hurricanes and northeasters. The native vegetation and geological stability of these ecosystems are tightly coupled with one another and are vulnerable to storm-related erosion events, particularly when also disturbed by anthropogenic development. (PDF contains 4 pages

Transcriptome Analysis of Epithelial and Stromal Contributions to Mammogenesis in Three Week Prepartum Cows

Transcriptome analysis of bovine mammary development has provided insight into regulation of mammogenesis. However, previous studies primarily examined expression of epithelial and stromal tissues combined, and consequently did not account for tissue specific contribution to mammary development. Our objective was to identify differences in gene expression in epithelial and intralobular stromal compartments. Tissue was biopsied from non-lactating dairy cows 3 weeks prepartum, cut into explants and incubated for 2 hr with insulin and hydrocortisone. Epithelial and intralobular stromal tissues were isolated with laser capture microdissection. Global gene expression was measured with Bovine Affymetrix GeneChips, and data were preprocessed using RMA method. Moderated t-tests from gene-specific linear model analysis with cell type as a fixed effect showed more than 3,000 genes were differentially expressed between tissues (P<0.05; FDR<0.17). Analysis of epithelial and stromal transcriptomes using Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) and Ingenuity Pathways Analysis (IPA) showed that epithelial and stromal cells contributed distinct molecular signatures. Epithelial signatures were enriched with gene sets for protein synthesis, metabolism and secretion. Stromal signatures were enriched with genes that encoded molecules important to signaling, extracellular matrix composition and remodeling. Transcriptome differences also showed evidence for paracrine interactions between tissues in stimulation of IGF1 signaling pathway, stromal reaction, angiogenesis, neurogenesis, and immune response. Molecular signatures point to the dynamic role the stroma plays in prepartum mammogenesis and highlight the importance of examining the roles of cell types within the mammary gland when targeting therapies and studying mechanisms that affect milk production

Sustainability: On the Coast and Beyond

Invited presentation given at Department of Biology Seminar, Georgia Southern University Main Campu

Aquaponics: The Future of Farming

Invited presentation given at Science on Tap, Savannah Coffee Roaster

Sustainability: On the Coast and Beyond

Invited presentation given at Department of Biology Seminar, Georgia Southern University Armstrong Campu

Aquaponics

Guest lecture given at Science Week, Charles Ellis Montessori Academ

Sustainable Aquaponics Research Center: Striving to Improve Aquaponic\u27s Sustainability

Aquaponics is the combination of fish production (aquaculture) and vegetable production through hydroponics (soilless farming with plant roots directly in water). This form of food production alleviates environmental risks associated with traditional aquaculture and agriculture. While aquaponics has the potiental to sustainably feed a growing global population, there remain economical challenges, particularly related to operational coast, that impede creation of sustainable aquaponics industry. This talk discusses how aquaponics systems work, the benefits and challenges of aquaponics, and the exciting research currently being conducted at the FORAM Sustainable Aquaponics Reseach Center on the Armstrong Campus of Georgia Southern University

Sustainability: On the Coast and Beyond

Invited presentation given at Department of Biology Seminar, Georgia Southern University Armstrong Campu

WTOC Good News: Armstrong State University studies sustainability through aquaponics

Article about the aquaponic research facility at Georgia Southern University Armstrong Campus. Senior Scientist for SARC, Prof. Heather Joesting and Director of the FORAM Sustainable Aquaponics Research Center, gave a quote for the article.https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/biology-facmedia/1008/thumbnail.jp

Armstrong State University’s Aquaponics Research Center Grows Fish and Plants Sustainably

Prof. Heather Joesting was interviewed about Georgia Southern University Armstrong Campus\u27s research into aquaponics.https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/biology-facmedia/1006/thumbnail.jp