Gaff, Holly

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Old Dominion University

Old Dominion UniversityODU Digital CommonsUndergraduate Research Symposium 2017 Undergraduate Research SymposiumFeb 18th, 9:00 AM - 10:00 AMOral Concurrent Session I: Biological SciencesHolly GaffOld Dominion UniversityFollow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.odu.edu/undergradsymposiumThis Event is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Works at ODU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion inUndergraduate Research Symposium by an authorized administrator of ODU Digital Commons. For more information, please contactdigitalcommons@odu.edu.Gaff, Holly, "Oral Concurrent Session I: Biological Sciences" (2017). Undergraduate Research Symposium. 5.http://digitalcommons.odu.edu/undergradsymposium/2017/schedule/512	9:00-10:00	AM	(ROOM	1310)	Biological	Sciences		Chair:	Dr.	Holly	Gaff,	Biological	Sciences	Determining	the	Existence	of	a	Short-term	Link	between	Phenology	and	Climate	Change	Blake	Steiner	(Mentor:	Dr.	Tatyana	Lobova)	The	Southeastern	Virginia	Phenology	Project	(SVPP),	located	in	Norfolk,	Virginia.		This	project	is	a	branch	of	the	National	Phenology	Network,	and	its	data	will	be	combined	with	other	projects	across	the	United	States	to	ascertain	the	connections	between	plant	phenophases	and	climate	change	through	the	power	of	citizen	science.	The	importance	of	this	data	is	related	to	many	environmental	and	ecological	issues,	such	as	the	effects	on	pollinators	and	seed	dispersers.	Furthermore,	it	is	potentially	related	to	health	and	food	concerns,	such	as	allergies.	With	this	data,	researchers	can	better	address	ecological,	environmental,	and	health	related	inquiries.			Algal	Endosymbiont	Diversity	in	the	Common	Reef-Building	Coral	Goniastrea	Ten	Years	after	Experimental	Bleaching	Caroline	Haymaker	(Mentors:	Dr.	Dan	Barshis,	Courtney	Klepac)	Symbiotic	dinoflagellates	(Symbiodinium)	have	a	mutualistic	symbiosis	with	many	coral	species	because	both	partners	receive	benefit	via	the	exchange	of	nutrients.	The	successful	interaction	of	these	partners	determines	the	success	of	coral	reefs.	Ten	colonies	of	Goniastrea	spp.	were	collected	from	inshore	and	offshore	reefs	surrounding	Ofu	Island,	American	Samoa	in	2006	(n=20	total).	The	corals	were	experimentally	bleached	and,	then	reciprocally	transplanted	to	each	environment,	to	determine	how	Symbiodinium	community	structure	and	diversity	recovers	and	changes	with	time.	In	2016,	DNA	was	extracted	and	three	diagnostic	molecular	markers	were	amplified	using	PCR	to	investigate	the	diversity	of	Symbiodinium	within	each	coral	sample.	Too	much	sun?	Growth	rates	of	the	Northern	Star	Coral,	Astrangia	poculata,	in	various	light	levels	Tyler	Harman	(Mentors:	Dr.	Dan	Barshis,	Hannah	Aichelman)	This	project	focuses	on	the	growth	rates	of	Astrangia	poculata	over	time	in	different	stressful	situations	based	on	light.	The	Astrangia	colonies	were	collected	from	the	JB	Eskridge	wreck	at	the	Chesapeake	Light	Tower	reef.	A	total	of	20	nubbins,	10	symbiotic	and	10	aposymbiotic,	will	be	separated	evenly	under	two	different	scenarios,	an	area	of	light	that	measures	400μmol/m2s	and	one	that	measures	80μmol/m2s.	The	methods	that	will	be	used	to	measure	growth	rates	are	photo	Symbiodinium	quantification	from	Winters	et	al.	2009,	as	well	as	the	buoyant	weight	technique.	Old Dominion University Undergraduate Research Symposium,  Feb. 18, 2017	 13	Use	of	Unionized	Ammonia	to	Control	Zooplankton	Grazers	in	Cultures	of	Scenedesmus	sp.	Blake	Steiner	and	BRL	Team	(Mentor:	Dr.	Sandeep	Kumar)		An	experiment	was	conducted	to	limit	Scenedesmus	sp.	grazers,	as	they	continue	to	reduce	biofuel	yields.		2.5	L	cultures	of	Scenedesmus	sp.	with	zooplankton	were	inoculated	in	photobioreactors	with	640	mg/L	urea.		500	mg/L	spike	of	NH4Cl	was	used	on	day	zero	to	test	use	of	free	ammonia	to	control	grazers.	Cell	counts	performed	with	hemocytometer	and	Gridded	Sedgewick	Rafter	1	mm2.		Ammonia	was	measured	using	ion	chromatography.	Urea	may	impact	zooplankton	by	day	8	out	of	14,	with	24-48	hour	lag	time	after	accumulating	free	ammonia.	This	was	confirmed	by	NH4Cl	spike.							 	

Oral Concurrent	Session	I: Biological	Sciences

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Oral Concurrent Session I: Biological Sciences

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