Lowry Participates in National Science Foundation Research Experience

2015 Sep 1

Jessie Lowry, a senior at Coker College, was one of 10 students selected to participate in the National Science Foundation (NSF)'s Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) through a partnership with the College of Charleston.

Lowry researched spatial and environmental influences on microalgal community structure in order to identify potential biological indicators of environmental health. She studied benthic microalgal communities under the mentorship of Craig Plante, professor of biology, and Kristina Hill-Spanik, lab manager of molecular core facility, at the College of Charleston's Grice Marine Laboratory.

In order to maintain healthy marine ecosystems and environments, organisms can be used as tools to reflect changes and provide information about the overall health of the environment. Lowry's research focused on microscopic photosynthetic organisms, or microalgae, in sediments, which may provide efficient and representative bioindicators for monitoring the status of marine ecosystems and benthic habitats.

Lowry's research sought to identify factors influencing microalgal communities at four South Carolina beaches at Kiawah Island, Folly Beach, Isle of Palms, and Pawley's Island. Molecular techniques were used to identify species present in these communities. To identify influences on community structure, community similarity was compared to geographic distance as well as environmental factors comprising pH, temperature, nutrients, salinity, grain size. Analyzing these relationships may help to understand what environmental or spatial variables shape microalgal communities.

"In theory," Plante explains, "microbes are so abundant that they should not be subject to dispersal limitation, but rather their distributions should be determined by the environmental conditions we hope to monitor." If these communities are shaped by environmental factors, this may be utilized to study how an ecosystem is responding to anthropogenic changes in the environment.

Lowry's research furthers knowledge about the factors that influence microalgal communities in sediment, which will also provide a clearer understanding of how these communities could be used as bioindicators.

To learn more about Lowry's research and the CofC REU program visit the blog: http://www.blogreu.wordpress.com/ and CofC Web site: http://reu.cofc.edu/.

Release written by Jessie Lowry.