Occurrence of Bat Species at Water Sources in Two Urban Parks in Nashville, Tennessee

Animal behavioral patterns can shift due to anthropogenic factors related to pollution, human impact on flora/fauna, and changes in local water sources. While sound pollution can impact the occurrence of bats in urban areas, other factors could also influence bat behavior. This study examines bat occurrence near a water source at two urban parks in Nashville, Tennessee: one is in a highly trafficked area while the other is secluded and bordered by a suburban neighborhood. Both parks have small ponds, numerous trees, and open green spaces. Echo Meter Touch 2 devices were used to capture bat echolocation data at each park near the ponds and in open areas. Kaleidoscope was used to identify the bat species. We expect more calls near water sources and a greater diversity of bats in the secluded park. These results can provide information regarding impacts of anthropogenic factors on bat occurrence in urban areas

Geostrophic and ageostrophic circulation of a shallow anticyclonic eddy off Cape Bojador

European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2014 (EGU2014), 27 april - 2 may 2014, Vienna, Austria.-- 1 pageA shallow mesoscale anticyclonic eddy, observed south of the Canary Islands with satellite altimetry, has been intensively studied with multi-parametric sampling. Hydrographic data from a CTD installed on an undulating Nushuttle platform reveal the presence of a mesoscale anticyclonic eddy of 125 km diameter. The difference in sea level anomaly (SLA) between the interior and the edge of the eddy, as determined from altimetry, is +-15 cm, which compares well with the maximum dynamic height differences as inferred using a very shallow reference level (130 m). Further, the associated surface geostrophic velocities, of about 35 cm/s in the northeast and southwest edges of the eddy, are in good agreement with direct velocity measurements from the ship. Deep rosette-CTD casts (1500 m depth) confirm that the structure is a shallow eddy extending no deeper than 250 m before the fusion with another anticyclone. The SLA-tendency (temporal rate of change of sea surface height) indicates a clear northwestward migration during the two first weeks of November 2008. Applying an eddy SSH based tracker, the eddy¿s velocity propagation is estimated as 4 km/day. Use of the QG-Omega equation diagnoses maximum downward/upward velocities of about +- 2 m/day. The instability of the Canary coastal jet appears to be the mechanism responsible for the generation of the shallow anticyclonic eddyPeer Reviewe

#15 - Assessing the presence of Wolbachia in the mosquito populations of Northeast Georgia, USA

Wolbachia, a Gram-negative bacterium that infects mosquitoes along with other arthropods, can suppress the spread of microfilaria through reducing the populations of mosquitoes that carry the heartworms. Historically, research has been conducted to use in the prevention of infections from parasites or viruses like Zika or yellow fever. It is important to understand ways of preventing the various infections from occurring not only by host prevention but through vector prevention or suppression. In the summer of 2018, a total of thirty-five adult female mosquitoes were collected in Oakwood, Georgia at the University of North Georgia in two locations between May 29, 2018 through August 10, 2018 to evaluate for microfilaria and Wolbachia. Following evaluation for microfilaria, DNA extraction from each mosquito was completed for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing to test for Wolbachia presence and absence. Data analysis is being continued at this time. Determining the presence of Wolbachia in our adult female samples could help us better determine ways to control mosquito populations to slow or halt the spread of ultimately fatal diseases, parasites, and viruses that are transmitted through adult female mosquitoes. Research conducted through PCR could lead to larger scale research projects sampling mosquitoes for this high-impact bacterium in the future

Assessing the Impact of a Geospatial Data Collection App on Student Engagement in Environmental Education

A critical component of environmental education is to ensure student understanding and use of available technologies to better experience and analyze spatially distributed features of the environment. Combining mobile technologies with geographic information systems in field data collection may provide a unique opportunity for students to feel engaged in what they are learning and take ownership of their learning process. We customized an open access data collection application using Collector for ArcGIS and investigated its impacts on student engagement and perception of the incorporation of technology within an environmental science curriculum. Analyses of pre- and post-surveys indicate that the inclusion of geospatial technologies as a part of environmental curricula allows students to take the lead on their own research, view field data interactively as opposed to looking at a database in hindsight and analyze multiscale data as it is presented during field data collection. The findings of this study are consistent with previous studies, suggesting a strong association between the inclusion of geospatial technologies as a part of curricula and student engagement