The 17th Annual
NC State
University
Undergraduate Research Symposium
Biological
Sciences:
Ecology,
Environmental, Conservation, Botanical
Abstracts
Abstracts are listed in alphabetical order by the last name of the
corresponding author.
- Biological Sciences abstracts
Applied Sciences (Crop, Poultry, Animal, and Horticultural Sciences)
Ecology, Environmental, Conservation,
Botanical
Molecular, Biochemical, Genetics, Cell
Biology
Zoology, Physiology, Behavior,
Neurobiology
- Engineering & Technology abstracts
- Humanities, Social Sciences, Psychology abstracts
- Physical and Mathematical Sciences
abstracts
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Abbott, Jessica M. |
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Department(s): |
Zoology |
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Research |
Nick M. Haddad/Zoology |
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Title of Presentation: |
Host Plant Preference in Neonympha areolata |
The Georgia Satyr (Neonympha areolata) is a butterfly found
throughout the southeastern US that is closely related to the endangered Saint
Francis Satyr ( Neonympha mitchellii
francisci ). While there have been previous studies of adult N. areolata and N. m. francisci , the larvae of neither species has been observed
in the wild and, as a result, little is known about their larval development
and feeding behaviors. Larval host plant specificity has been well documented
in many lepidopteran species. We investigated host plant preference in N. areolata larvae by placing eggs from
N. areolata females found at Fort Bragg Military Installation, NC in pots
containing the choice of two possible host plant species. Four sedge/grass
species (C. mitchelliana, C. lurida ,
C. atlantica , and C. brevipilis ) were tested as potential
host plants. There were two replicate pots for each of the six possible
combinations of plant species. We recorded the proportion of larvae feeding on
each plant within each pot every three to four days until larvae pupated. We
used maximum likelihood to estimate the relative attractiveness of each plant
species to the larvae. We used similar methods to estimate the survivorship of
larvae on each plant species. We found that C.
mitchelliana appeared to have the highest attractiveness. Interestingly, C. micthelliana also had the lowest
estimated survivorship. Survivorship estimates were consistent with data
collected in a previous study of N.
areolata larvae survival when reared on a single host plant. Our study of N. areolata larval ecology serves as a
pilot study for similar efforts with N.
m. francisci larvae. Observing the feeding behaviors and survival of larvae
in captivity gives insight into larval habitat requirements in the wild, which
can be directly applied to conservation efforts, such as habitat restoration
and augmentation.
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Adams, Gina R. |
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Department(s): |
Garner Magnet High School |
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Research |
Ann Cutter/General Education
(Biology), Randolph Community College |
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Title of Presentation: |
Amphibian Mutations |
We researched further on amphibian
mutations, because a mutation of any sort to a human or a different organism
usually indicates something wrong in the environment. According to the journal articles
the researcher read, there are 3 possible reasons for amphibian declines: an
increase in UV- B radiation resulting from ozone layer depletion, chemical
contamination: the effects of pesticides, acid precipitation, or the effects of
fertilizers and herbicides, introduction of exotic competitors and predators.
Previous research suggests the above mentioned, so the researcher attempted to
induce mutations amongst the tadpoles by using: fertilizer, herbicides, UV- B
radiation, Bayer aspirin pills. The question posed was what environmental
factors are causing amphibian mutations. Based on the results, the researcher
had to modify the question. There was one control tank, and the rest were
experimental. A total of 10 tanks, each one with about 25 eggs, and each
labeled by letter so as to identify which tank had which variable when
recording observations. The variables added to each tank were representative of
pollutants that might flow into the normal habitat of a developing frog. The
response to all pollutants was the same: all the frogs died. The only thing
that differed was the rate at which each tadpole died due to the unstable
temperatures, too much of or lack of natural light, and the different variables
added to each tank. I had ten trials total. I've found that the experiment left
me with more questions than answers, but that these questions would be helpful
in future research.
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Alderman, Joe D. James, Jackie Gregory, Drew Watkins, Arthur Cooper, Jeremy |
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Department(s): |
College of Natural Resources |
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Research |
Chris DePerno/Forestry and
Environmental Resources, Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences Program Caitlin Burke/Forestry and
Environmental Resources, Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences Program |
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Title of Presentation: |
Carolina Heelsplitter in Peril |
In
the United States, there are ~300 species of freshwater mussels (family Unionidea), nearly 1/3 of the world’s
population. Of the 300 species, ~70% are
threatened or endangered. One of the
most imperiled species is the Carolina Heelsplitter (Lasmigona decorata), a federally endangered mussel located in North
and South Carolina. Populations of this
rare mussel have suffered extreme habitat loss from sedimentation, pollution,
and riparian buffer loss. Competition
with invasive species has also impacted the recovery of the Carolina
Heelsplitter. Currently, only six
populations of the Carolina Heelsplitter are known to exist and are limited to
the headwaters of small streams and creeks.
In North Carolina, the range of the Carolina Heelsplitter is limited to
two creeks, Waxhaw Creek and Goose Creek.
We created a public opinion poll to determine the importance of the
Heelsplitter to the general public. Surveys were conducted at convenience
stores in two North Carolina Counties: Johnston County, ~1.5 hour driving
distance from Goose Creek, and Union County, ~10 miles from Goose Creek. The results indicate a similar knowledge of
the Carolina Heelsplitter’s existence, a willingness to change practices to
help the endangered species, an understanding of the current drought
conditions, and support for public education related to endangered
species. Of the populations polled, ~10%
have heard of the mussel, a number that should be increased through public
education. Education is of utmost
importance in the conservation of the Carolina Heelsplitter. The human population in the surrounding areas
of Goose and Waxhaw creek is large enough to have a significant impact on the
watershed. Most people have a tendency
to not change household and land management practices if they don’t understand
the potential impacts those practices may have on flora and fauna. The people we polled showed willingness to
change, but not the knowledge.
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Bhandari, Rohit |
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Department(s): |
Plant Biology |
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Research |
William Hoffmann/Plant Biology Renee Marchin/Plant Biology Wade Wall/Plant Biology Matthew Hohmann/ERDC-CERL |
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Title of Presentation: |
Comparative Ecology of Rare and
Common Amorpha Species |
Understanding
the rarity of plants caused by different biological factors can help us preserve
plants that are on the verge of extinction.
We used the genus Amorpha as a
model to study the rarity of plants. We
did a comparative study with the common species A. canescens, A. fruticosa, A. herbacea, A. nana, and the rare A. georgiana var. georgiana, A. georgiana
var. confusa and A. schwerinii. We hypothesized that the rarity with the less
common species is caused by sensitivity to shade conditions. We compared the growth patterns of the seven
species in response to differences in light levels. Plants were grown under 90% shade or full sun
light. The shade treatment was used to
mimic tree encroachment which may be an important cause of rarity in fire
suppressed habitats. The plants were
watered with nutrient solution every other day and the carts were rotated every
other day. We measured dry seedling mass
and leaf area shortly after germination, as well as at 50 and 100 days after
germination. We used this data to
perform a classical growth analysis to compare the rare species to the more
common species. We calculated relative
growth rate, leaf area ratio, leaf mass ratio, specific leaf area, and net
assimilation rate. With these results we
hope to understand the effects of shading and if morphological traits influence
rarity. This study should provide
usefully information for land managers who work to protect rare Amorpha species from extinction.
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Burkey, Mary T. |
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Department(s): |
Forestry and Environmental Resources
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Research |
Terrie Litzenberger/Forestry and
Environmental Resources |
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Title of Presentation: |
Carbon Dioxide as an Indicator of
Indoor Air Quality in Wake County’s Classrooms |
Carbon
dioxide itself is not a health threat at levels normally found indoors. Being a
by-product of respiration, carbon dioxide is an indicator of low ventilation
rates and related indoor pollutants in classrooms. In this study, six classrooms in two high
schools and a middle school in Wake County were measured for indoor air quality
parameters. Carbon dioxide, temperature, and humidity were selected as
indicators of indoor air comfort and proper ventilation. Carbon monoxide was measured because it is
used as an indicator of combustion contaminants in indoor air. Teachers in each of the classrooms recorded
the number of students in the room at intervals during the day and included
comments on the indoor air comfort. The
results indicated that 83 percent of the classrooms exceeded the ASHRAE
recommended level of 1000 ppm carbon dioxide in before 2007 at least once
during the three day period. 33 percent
exceeded 1500 ppm carbon dioxide and 17 percent surpassed 2000 ppm. When the
levels of carbon dioxide were compared with the occupancy of the room over
time, there was an increasing trend between the two. The carbon dioxide levels
decreased to expected levels when the occupancy of the room was zero. The
temperatures ranged from 29.2 to 15.8 degrees Celsius. The humidity ranged from
60.1 to 13.5 %RH. The teachers recorded complaints of temperature fluctuations,
headaches, and feeling that the classroom air was either “dry” or
“stuffy.” Older, closed classrooms with
a high occupancy had increased levels of carbon dioxide, thus potentially poor
air quality and inadequate ventilation. Indoor air quality relates to student
concentration in the classroom. With the escalating population of Wake County
and the aging and physical degradation of the school buildings, the indoor air
quality of the schools have the potential fall to unhealthier levels if not
properly maintained.
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Clark, Bethany MacLennan, Donna Register, Brent Byrd, Adam Griffin, Jessie |
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Department(s): |
Forestry and Environmental
Resources, Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences Program |
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Research |
Chris DePerno/Forestry and Environmental
Resources, Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences Program Caitlin Burke/Forestry and
Environmental Resources, Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences Program |
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Title of Presentation: |
Promoting Native Plant Species for
Landscaping |
Invasion
by non-native plant species is considered the second most dangerous threat to
biodiversity. In the United States,
non-native plants invade approximately 700,000 hectares of wildlife habitat
each year by out-competing native plants (i.e., originating naturally and evolving
with wildlife) through superior reproduction, quick growth, and alleopathic
qualities. Non-native plants did not
originate in a particular area nor evolve with the wildlife. Non-native plants may be introduced
accidentally through foreign imports or intentionally for erosion control,
landscaping, or as a wildlife food source.
Additionally, some non-natives can alter ecosystems, transport diseases,
negatively impact wildlife habitats, food sources, land management, microbial
soil communities, and economies.
Unfortunately the general public is often unaware of the differences
between native and non-native plants.
Our study focused on the ecological problems associated with non-native
plants. We surveyed 150 landowners who utilize plant nurseries for landscaping. The surveys were conducted at three nurseries
known to stock native plants and three large retail stores with garden
centers. Survey results revealed 52% of
the respondents were not looking for a specific plant, 95% were willing to
consider a native plant for landscaping, and 89% were interested in learning
more about native plants. Thirty-five
percent of landowners stated their plant choice was influenced by aesthetics,
33% by conservation, and 31% stated both were equally important. The results of our survey indicate an
opportunity to educate landowners about the benefits of native plants and the
negative impacts of non-native plants.
Promoting landowner use of native plants for landscaping can help
support native wildlife diversity and healthy ecosystems.
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Frock, Catherine F. |
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Department(s): |
Zoology |
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Research |
Nick M. Haddad/Zoology Nicole Y. Thurgate/Zoology Laura S. Vogel/Zoology |
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Title of Presentation: |
How Do Wildfires Affect the
Terrestrial Movement Behavior of Amphibians? |
The
use of fire as a habitat management technique is common in many forest
ecosystems. At the Fort Bragg military installation, ephemeral ponds are
located within longleaf pine forests which are regularly burned by managers.
Eastern tiger salamanders (Ambystoma
tigrinum tigrinum), which are threatened in North Carolina, and other
amphibian species such as ornate chorus frogs (Pseuadcris ornata) use these ponds for breeding and live within the
surrounding woodlands as adults. During breeding seasons, they must travel
through woodlands to reach the ponds. Although aquatic breeding habitats are
often the focus of management efforts for amphibians, the quality of
terrestrial habitats is essential to consider in any conservation plan.
Wildfires can serve as a model for understanding how fire may change the
movement behavior of amphibians in woodlands. My research objective was to
determine how wildfires affected amphibian movement behavior by tracking
animals exiting three breeding ponds surrounded by forested habitats, one of
which was burned immediately prior to breeding migrations and two of which had
not been recently burned. To trace individuals’ movements, fluorescent dye
powder was applied to the ventral surface of animals and deposited onto
landscape features as animals moved. The resulting trails were followed using
ultraviolet flashlights and marked at regular intervals until powder was no longer
detectable. Ornate chorus frogs traveled significantly shorter distances in
non-burned habitats, meaning that either: (1) they moved differently in the
burned habitat or (2) my ability to detect trails was greater in the burned
habitat. A future study will experimentally assess the reason for this
variation and will provide important information on both the usefulness of
powder-tracking as a non-invasive way to study amphibian movement and on the
response of amphibians to landscape changes caused by fire.
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Fairey, Donta' J |
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Department(s):
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Forestry
and Environmental Resources, Environmental Technology Program |
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Research
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Stacy
A. C. Nelson/Forestry and Environmental Resources |
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Title
of Presentation: |
Urban
Land Cover Classification from High Resolution Imagery |
Accurate
interpretation of land use is a key factor in managing our natural resources.
Land cover change is inevitable and affects a number of different ecosystem
values including biodiversity, hydrology and biochemical cycles on various
scales. Urbanization is a common factor contributing to increased land use
change. Communities located within close proximity of a watershed as an
example, could have adverse affects resulting from urbanization. Urbanization
often results in land being converted from a condition that is permeable by
water to one that is impermeable, or impervious, to water. An increase in
impervious surface, in turn, adversely affects terrestrial and aquatic
environments. Scenarios include increased run off from impervious surfaces and
increased sediments in local drinking water supply. Several efforts have been
implemented to assist land use management with these issues. An effective means
of doing so has been through the use of a Geographic Information System (GIS),
and high res imagery via aerial photography or satellite. GIS is a software
based system that allows user to store, record, and analyze features and
patterns on the earth’s surface. In using this technology decision makers can
pro-actively address land use change issues in a timely manner. The objective
of this project is to explore classifications techniques using satellite
imagery to assess the impact of increased urbanization on water quality.
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Fiza, Shaharyar |
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Department(s):
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Biological
Sciences |
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Research
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Larry
F. Grand/Plant Pathology Marc
A. Cubeta/Plant Pathology |
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Title
of Presentation: |
DNA-based
Identification of Wood Decay Fungi |
Wood
decay fungi play an important ecological role as decomposers of wood. These
fungi cause deterioration of wood in both living and dead trees. They degrade
cellulose and lignin in wood and convert them into usable forms of nutrients
for their growth and development, and for use by plants and other
microorganisms. The objective of this study was to develop a DNA sequence-based
method to identify six species of wood decay fungi, Fomes fomentarius, Fomes fasciatus, Piptoporus betulinus, Schizopora
apacheriensis, Schizopora flavipora, and Schizopora paradoxa. Experiments
were conducted with pure cultures obtained from the USDA Forest Products
Laboratory culture repository in Madison, Wisconsin or by isolating the fungus
from fruiting bodies sampled from trees in North Carolina and Pennsylvania.
Genomic DNA was extracted from each sample and the internal transcribed spacer
region of nuclear-encoded ribosomal RNA gene (rDNA) was amplified with the
polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Amplified PCR products were sequenced and
compared with published DNA sequences in National Center for Biotechnology
Information (NCBI) database GenBank. Sequences from each of the six fungi were
at least 95% similar in sequence identity to representative sequences of these
fungi in GenBank. Additional experiments were conducted to develop a method to
extract, amplify and sequence DNA directly from the fruiting bodies of F. fomentarius and F. fasciatus from fresh field collected and herbarium samples.
Sequences from fresh and herbarium samples had 97% sequence identity to
cultures isolated from fruiting bodies and sequences in GenBank. The high level
of nucleotide sequence similarity of F.
fomentarius and F. fasciatus to
known sequences confirmed their identity. The method developed in this study
for field collected and herbarium samples will be helpful for identifying other
wood decay fungi to better understand their ecology.
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Godfrey, Charles R. |
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Department(s):
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Biological
Sciences |
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Research
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Thomas
Wentworth/Plant Biology Wade
A. Wall/Plant Biology Matthew
Hohmann/Ecological Processes Branch, ERDC-CERL, Champaign, Illinois |
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Title
of Presentation: |
The
Effect of Fire Regime on the Fecundity of Pyxidanthera
brevifolia |
Pyxidanthera brevifolia (Sandhills pyxie-moss) is a small
sub-shrub endemic to longleaf pine ecosystems in the southeastern United
States, found only in four counties in North Carolina and two in South
Carolina. Very little is known about its growth cycle and fecundity. The
longleaf pine ecosystem, which at one time thrived throughout the southeastern
United States, depends on the cycle of natural wildfire for its maintenance. At
the Fort Bragg military installation in the sandhills of Cumberland and Hoke Counties,
North Carolina, the Federal Government supports the maintenance of such an
ecosystem by managing a regular fire regime, burning each sector of the
ecosystem every three years. Fort Bragg is currently changing its three-year
burn cycle to a two-year cycle, and it is uncertain of the effect this could
have on P. brevifolia’s fecundity. We
measured the percentage of flowering individuals at 23 burn sites representing
the three levels within the current regime (3, 2, and 1 year(s) since last
fire). We also measured the ratio of leaf litter to surface area for each burn
site to investigate the relationship litter has to the burn cycle and
fecundity. The sites burned one year ago
had significantly lower flowering percentages than those burned two and three
years ago. This raises the concern that a two-year burn regime might
significantly reduce the fecundity of P.
brevifolia in this ecosystem. Further research should be conducted,
specifically examining the role of leaf litter and other potential effects on
flowering, in order to construct a more accurate growth model.
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Gomes, Kerrel |
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Department(s):
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Environmental |
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Research
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Chris
DePerno, Forestry and Environmental Resources, Fisheries and Wildlife Science
Program |
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Title
of Presentation: |
How
Does Dissolved Oxygen in Local Streams Affect Invertebrates and Water
Quality? |
I
studied the connections between three specific invertebrates and water quality.
I focused on the Caddis Fly, Stone fly and Mayfly and the types of streams they
live. I conducted my sampling at a
stream on the NCSU campus. I recorded
oxygen levels, conductivity and temperature of the water. This analysis was
essential to determining if a majority of macro invertebrates would find these
streams suitable for living. The invertebrates live in water with high oxygen
levels. Using a dissolved oxygen and conductivity meter we measured rocky
flowing areas and pooling areas of the stream. I conclude that oxygen levels
were best in the flowing areas of the stream.
Also, the water quality and temperature was best in this area because
cold water holds more oxygen than warm water.
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Grimes, Shavon R. |
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Department(s): |
Pulp and Paper Science |
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Research |
Lucian Lucia/Pulp and Paper Science |
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Title of Presentation: |
A Preliminary Investigation of
Pocosin-Derived Sweetbay Essential Oils against E. coli |
The purpose of my project is explore
antibacterial chemicals in plant oils. To determine whether or not the chosen
plants have antibacterial oils, we tested a composite sample of extracted oils
against E.coli. Not only did we test
the native plant oils, we also tested the constituent major pure oils of the
composite native sample. We extracted plant oils using hexane and water, then
applied them to a 1 centimeter disk of filter paper, put each disk on agar
swabbed with E.coli bacteria and
followed the behavior of the bacterial lawn. We then compared the antibacterial
activity of the native plant oils growth to the pure oils for the purposes of
ranking the activity of the main components (pure oils) to the native mixture
(various proportions of pure oils). Changes in the bacterial growth give us
insight into the antibacterial properties of the oils in both the plant and the
main (pure) oil constituents.
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Hanson, Christopher A. |
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Department(s): |
Civil Engineering Water Resources Environmental Engineering |
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Research |
Detlef R.U. Knappe/Civil
Engineering; Water Resources; Environmental Engineering Morton A. Barlaz/Water Resources;
Environmental Engineering |
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Title of Presentation: |
Anaerobic Toxicity Assay of
Malathion and Malathion Hydrolysis Products Co-disposed with
Simulated Building Debris |
The behavior of organic contaminants
in landfills is governed by several processes including biodegradation, sorption,
volatilization, leaching and abiotic hydrolysis. The overall objective of this
research program is to develop and validate a predictive model of organic
contaminant fate and transport in landfills. One aspect of this model is
measurement of biodegradation and toxicity. Model validation will be conducted
with malathion as a model compound because it undergoes both abiotic and
biological degradation processes. The specific objectives of this research were
to determine if malathion and malathion hydrolysis products will inhibit
decomposition of biopolymers present in simulated building debris (SBD) and to
identify the concentration of malathion that will be toxic to an anaerobic
microbial consortium enriched from decomposed municipal solid waste (MSW). SBD
was used to simulate a scenario in which the contents of a building are
contaminated and must be disposed in a landfill. An anaerobic toxicity assay
(ATA) was conducted in reactors that contained a defined medium, ground SBD, an
inoculum, and malathion or ethyl hydrogen fumarate (EHF)/diethyl hydrogen
fumarate (DEF) and malathion monocarboxylic acid (MCA). The ground SBD
contained ceiling tiles (14.7%), medium density fiberboard (38.4%), carboards
and folders (4.8%), and white paper (39.2%). Plastics were excluded to
eliminate sorption. The reactors were incubated at pH 7.1, 37°C for 60 days.
Gas production was measured based on the overpressure from the headspace in the
serum bottle. The average methane yield was 97.1 ± 9.6 mL/g SBD at
STP, which is 41% of the theoretical methane potential (235.8 mL at STP/g)
based on the cellulose and hemi-cellulose content of the SBD biopolymers. At
the 95% confidence level, malathion and malathion hydrolysis products (EHF,
DEF, MCA) at 1 to 20 mg/L did not affect activity of the anaerobic consortium
enriched from decomposed MSW and did not affect SBD biopolymer decomposition.
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Izzi, Vincent S. |
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Department(s): |
Environmental and Molecular
Toxicology |
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Research |
Gerald LeBlanc/Environmental and
Molecular Toxicology |
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Title of Presentation: |
Modeling Toxicodynamic Effects of
Malathion and 4-Chlorophenol |
Environmental toxicology is the study
of the fate and effects of chemicals in and on the environment. This experiment
utilized two environmental chemicals, malathion and 4-chlorophenol, and tested
how they reacted together. These two chemicals were exposed to the invertebrate
Daphnia magna in an aquatic
environment. There are two different toxic effects that the two chemicals can
elicit together: an additive effect and a multiplicative or synergistic effect.
The synergistic effect can be divided into toxicokinetic and toxicodynamic.
Additive and toxicokinetic effects have both been computer-modeled. It was the
point of this experiment to model a toxicodynamic effect. It was predicted that
malathion and 4-chlorophenol would produce a synergistic toxicodynamic effect.
The results found in the preliminary data supported the hypothesis that
malathion and 4-chlorophenol did produce a synergistic effect. The experimental
data seemed inconclusive as to whether or not a toxicodynamic effect was
occurring between the two toxicants. Either more replications need to be
produced for statistical assurance or the mechanism of toxicity needs to be
reconsidered. Because the data did not support the hypothesis of a
toxicodynamic effect between malathion and 4-chlorophenol, the
computer-modeling step was not taken.
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Lancaster, Kendall M. |
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Department(s): |
Water Quality |
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Research |
Zach Q. Chen/NC Dept. of Water
Quality Shaefny Grays/College of Natural
Resources |
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Title of Presentation: |
Quality Trends in Falls Lake,
Raleigh, North Carolina during March 2005 to September 2007 |
Analysis of nearly 7,000 physical and
chemical water quality data, which were collected by the North Carolina
Division of Water Quality from its ambient monitoring stations of NEU018E and
NEU020D during March 15, 2005 to September 19, 2007, show that the general
trend of water quality in Falls Lake, the drinking water reservoir of the City
of Raleigh, is declining during the period of time. Physical data reveal that
during the 2.5-year period of time, the trend of the *overall* water
temperature in Falls Lake rose at an alarming rate of 0.4~*0.92* degree-C per
year; the *surface* water temperature trend rose at a *much faster* rate of
approximately 1.2~1.33 degree-C per year. The trend of the dissolved oxygen
level in the lake declined at a rate of approximately 0.17~0.3 mg/L per year;
the trend of pH declined at a rate of 0.06~0.13 per year, and the trend of the
surface water conductivity declined at a rate of 7.5~12 umhos/cm per year. The
trend of water visibility remained basically the same. Biological data show
that the nutrients -- Total Phosphorus (TP) and Total Nitrogen (TN) in the lake
water -- fluctuated over time, due to seasonal and weather changes.
Nevertheless, the general trends of both TP and TN remained basically the same,
or even slightly declined. The trend of
the total solids concentration in the lake water appeared slightly declining at
a rate of approximately 2.4~3.2 mg/L per year while the water turbidity trend
at the both stations rose at a rate of 0.8~0.9 NTU per year. Chlorophyll-a
trend demonstrated a strong local variation, characterized by a 0.82 ug/L/year
rise at station NEU018E and a 2.52 ug/L/year declining at station NEU020D.
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Levine, Brian M. |
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Department(s): |
Environmental Technologies |
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Research |
Elizabeth Guthrie
Nichols/Environmental Technologies |
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Title of Presentation: |
Does Plant Organic Matter Change Equilibrium
Partitioning (Log Koc) of Select Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)
Between Water and Petroleum-contaminated Sediments? |
Plant organic matter may stimulate
soil/sediment microorganisms to degrade polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)
contamination in the environment. The goal of this project is to measure the
organic carbon normalized equilibrium partitioning coefficients (Log Koc) of
select PAHs (phenanthrene and pyrene) between sediment and water using two
compartment, aqueous batch systems. The goal of this project is determine if
Plant organic matter alters PAH binding to sediment organic matter (SOM). These
measurements will help determine if the influx of plant organic matter alters
Log Koc values for phenanthrene and pyrene. Five grams of air-dried
contaminated sediments were added to 250 mL amber jars and filled completely
with 0.01M CaCl2 solution that contained NaN3 as a biocide. Single-point
organic carbon-normalized distribution coefficients (Koc) from aqueous desorbed
PAH concentrations (phenanthrene and pyrene) (Cw) were measured after 1 month
of equilibration. The aqueous portion was decanted and allowed to sit for 24
hours. An aliquot of the decanted aqueous phase was removed by pipette and
extracted with dichloromethane (DCM). Total extracted PAH from the sediment
fraction (Cs) was determined by solvent extracting sediment fractions after
aqueous desorption. DCM extracts were dried and prepared for GC/MS analysis.
Koc values were normalized to the organic carbon content in the sediment
fraction in order to compute an organic carbon-referenced partition coefficient
Koc (L/g OC).
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Molin, Jasmine M. |
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Department(s): |
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Research |
Carly Carroll/Atmospheric Protection
Branch |
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Title of Presentation: |
Invasive Species in North Carolina |
I researched invasive species in North
Carolina. I found that invasive species affect our native species everyday. Yet
the timing we did this experiment was during the winter and we were/are in a
drought which effect the different species. For our experiment I took off a
certain space, or area, and took samples of different species. This included
taking pictures of the different species. Later I identified the species that
were found and checked if they were native or invasive. Since the timing of this was a hard time to
find invasive plants and animals, there was extra research done to find out
where most indigenous species are found in North Carolina and the effects as
well as what they are trying to do to prevent certain problems caused by these
species.
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Raybuck, Amy L. McAllister, John M. Brown, Jason S. Bustard, Greg T. Beasley, Nathan W. |
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Department(s): |
Forestry and Environmental
Resources, Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences Program |
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Research |
Chris DePerno/Forestry and
Environmetal Resources, Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences Program Caitlin Burke/Forestry and
Environmetal Resources, Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences Program |
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Title of Presentation: |
Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs and
the Hidden Cost of Mercury Contamination |
A principal threat to the environment
is mercury pollution through anthropogenic sources. When mercury is released
into the environment, it becomes available for uptake by organisms, including
humans, leading to bioaccumulation in the food web. Increased mercury levels
could lead to heavy metal poisoning or developmental problems in fetuses and
children. Coal-fired power plants are the primary source of mercury pollution
and reducing emissions would have positive implications for the environment and
human health. To reduce emissions, environmentalists are advocating for the use
of compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) which use less energy and last longer
than incandescent light bulbs. Unfortunately, mercury is one of the main
components of CFLs. When the bulbs are disposed in traditional landfills,
mercury could leach into the environment and contaminate watersheds.
Consequently, CFLs require proper disposal at hazardous collection sites. The
CFLs that consumers purchase lack warnings and disposal instructions, and as a
result, consumers are ignorant of mercury pollution and disposal procedures. To
determine the extent of people’s knowledge about CFLs and proper disposal, we
administered a survey to 121 students in the College of Natural Resources at
North Carolina State University. Our results indicate a lack of knowledge about
correct disposal of CFLs. Of respondents who used CFLs, <2% knew how to
properly dispose of the bulbs. We believe that priority should be given to
education and awareness of CFLs, with emphasis on their benefits, threats and
proper disposal. This responsibility should lie with all companies and groups
advocating for their use, especially manufacturers and distributors of
CFLs.
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Rindos, Irena |
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Department(s): |
College of Natural Resources |
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Research |
George R. Hess/Natural Resources |
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Title of Presentation: |
Changes in Raleigh's Urban Forest
Canopy Following Development |
Urban forests provide important
ecological services to cities, but development often reduces the health and
size of urban forests. The extent to which an area of urban forest declines and
recovers after development thus has important implications. I used aerial photographs of Raleigh to estimate tree
canopy and track changes in canopy cover before and after development. The date an area was annexed was used to estimate when it was developed. Areas of
Raleigh annexed between 1980 and 1989
were chosen for analysis based on the availability of aerial photographs
before and after development. I used
1200 random sampling points to estimate tree canopy for the years available.
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Shearin, Margaret E. |
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Department(s): |
Plant Biology |
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Research |
Thomas R. Wentworth/Plant Biology Kristen M. Kostelnik/Plant Biology Janet B. Gray, Dept. of the Army,
Natural Resources Division, Fort Bragg, NC |
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Title of Presentation: |
Analysis of the Spatial Distribution
Patterns of Astragalus michauxii,
andhills milkvetch |
The number of threatened and
endangered plants and animals is dramatically increasing. Conservationists often know little about these
species’ habitats and life histories, information essential to effective
protection plans. A first step to
discovering a species’ habitat and potential limiting factors is
characterization of spatial distribution.
Whether a species exhibits a clumped, uniform, or random distribution
leads to different questions in continuing studies. Clumping implies constraints by physical
environment or dispersal, uniformity implies strong competition between
individuals for a limiting resource, and randomness implies average dispersal
with weak or no limiting factors. The
sandhills milkvetch (Astragalus michauxii),
a rare perennial herbaceous plant in the family Fabaceae, occurs only in longleaf pine sandhills ecosystems. Little is known about its spatial distribution
or limiting factors within preferred habitat.
Observers first assumed A.
michauxii grew uniformly. We chose
quantitative methods to ascertain its spatial distribution in fire-maintained
longleaf pine savannas in Fort Bragg Military Reservation (North
Carolina). We determined
nearest-neighbor distances among individuals of A. michauxii in three subpopulations that were part of a more
comprehensive population-level survey.
Analysis of the nearest-neighbor data using Clark and Evans’ method
(1954) revealed a statistically significant clumped pattern among individuals
within each subpopulation. On a larger
scale, we also found a clumped pattern among the subpopulations of A. michauxii within the study area (Fort
Bragg). To determine if spatial proximity
among individuals within subpopulations might have consequences for plant size
and reproductive effort (stem and seed capsule number) or herbivore consumption
(capsule predation number and percentage, defoliation extent), we regressed
these attributes against nearest-neighbor distance, but found no statistically
significant relationships. Our
preliminary conclusion: proximity to other conspecific individuals is unrelated
to plant growth or susceptibility to herbivory.
Further investigations can now focus on why individuals and populations
are clumped, based on limiting factors and dispersal methods.
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Smith, Brandon C. |
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Department(s): |
Agricultural Life Science |
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Research |
Julia Clarke/Marine, Earth, and
Atmospheric Sciences |
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Title of Presentation: |
Reevaluating Morphological Decay
Stages of Green River Birds |
Taphonomy is the study of the
processes an organism undergoes after its death, burial, and subsequent
discovery as a fossil. This includes decay,
transport, and other chemical, biological, or physical influences that affect
the remains of an organism and remains the largest source of information prior
to that organism’s deposition into the fossil record. Understanding the impacts of taphonomy is
crucial before interpretations of the depositional environment or the
organism’s life-history may be made. An
analysis of an actualistic study examining the morphological decay of modern
birds as a correlate to fossil birds reveals several incongruities that must be
resolved. To solve these problems a new
method of scoring was constructed and tested through rigorous application. Fossil birds recovered from the Green River formation
were chosen to test this experimental method for their high degree of
preservation and relative importance in the paleontological record. In this method, over eighty fossils were
carefully examined. Bones that preserved
and the specific points of articulation between them were identified and
recorded. Other points of interest such
as fossil locality, the facies they were removed from, feather preservation,
bone breakage, presence of tracheal rings and gut contents were noted as
well. In building and testing this
framework, I have not only constructed a new method of scoring morphological
decay in fossil birds but I have also discovered several trends among those of
the Green River formation. Such trends
include the early loss of vertebral articulations, the preservational bias for
bones of the wing and pectoral girdle, and greater feather preservation in
mid-lake deposits.
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Terrell, William G. |
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Department(s): |
Environmentors |
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Research |
Sean Higgins/NC State Parks |
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Title of Presentation: |
Macroinvertebrates and Water
Quality: Urban Creek vs. Protected Park Stream |
We investigated the relationship between
water quality in Potts Branch, a stream in William B Umstead State Park, and in
Perry Creek in north Raleigh. The macroinvertebrates (invertebrates you can see
with your naked eye) living the two habitats (Potts Branch and Perry Creek)
were very important for our study because the type and number of
macroinvertebrates can be used to help determine if the stream habitat is
healthy. We also collected basic data including stream width, average depth,
water temperature and pH. The macroinvertebrates varied from riffle beetles to
freshwater worms. Our materials included a dip net, test tubes, containers,
gloves, measuring tape, a thermometer and litmus paper. We investigated if the
water quality at different stream sites was poor, fair, good or excellent based
on the macroinvertebrates we collected and identified. We found Crane fly
larvae, Stone fly nymphs, Mayfly nymphs, Caddisfly larvae, Riffle beetles,
Freshwater worms and Black fly larvae. Many of the macroinvertebrates found
were intolerant of pollution, so we determined that the stream was relatively
healthy in both locations. After analyzing the data, we concluded that the
stream sites from the protected area in William B Umstead State Park contained
more macroinvertebrates that are intolerant of pollution and more
macroinvertebrate diversity.
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Urzen, Jessica M. |
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Department(s): |
Zoology, Nutrition and Plant Biology |
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Research |
DeYu Xie/Plant Biology |
|
Title of Presentation: |
Comparison of Antioxidant Levels in
Frozen and Imported Fresh Blueberries |
In winter months when local fresh
produce is not readily available, distributors rely heavily on imported
products from other states and countries.
In the case of blueberries, consumers generally have two choices: frozen
and imported fresh blueberries. It is
the general assumption that imported fresh blueberries contain higher levels of
antioxidants when compared to its frozen alternative. Anthocynins are
water-soluble vacuolar flavonoid pigments found in blueberries that act as
powerful antioxidants. The objectives
were to determine and compare anthocynin levels in frozen and imported fresh
blueberries. Anthocynins were extracted
from eight frozen and eight imported fresh blueberry samples from four major
distributors in Raleigh; anthocynin quantity and type was measured. Frozen samples yielded slightly higher
anthocyanin levels than imported fresh samples using a UV spectrometer.
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Valdez, Siliza M. |
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Department(s): |
USGS North Carolina Water Science
Center, North Carolina State University-Asheville Water Quality Institute |
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Research |
Michelle C. Moorman/USGS North
Carolina Water Science Center, North Carolina State University-Asheville
Water Quality Institute |
|
Title of Presentation: |
Mercury Levels, Fish Consumption,
and Human Health |
Mercury contamination is increasing in
the environment due to the increased use of coal burning power plants in the
last century. This has increased the deposition of methyl-mercury in rivers and
estuaries and has become a direct concern for aquatic and human health. Methyl
mercury levels in freshwater and saltwater fish have increased, especially in
large carnivorous fish, which are then be consumed by humans. High levels of
mercury can have toxic effects on the human nervous system and other dangerous
side effects. The purpose of my project is to examine how individual fish
consumption impacts mercury levels in humans. I will accomplish this by
conducting a survey that evaluates individual fish consumption habits and then
testing the level ofmercury in the individual’s hair. This project will
contribute to our understanding of how changes in our environment can impact
human health.
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Williams, Kyanda S. |
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Department(s): |
Wood and Paper Science |
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Research |
Carrie Hanayik/Wood and Paper
Science |
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Title of Presentation: |
Green Building |
In my presentation I will be
discussing the subject of Green Building. Topics will include information on
green building, products that help, companies that support green building, etc.
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Williams, Abbey L. |
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Department(s):
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Environmentors |
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Research
|
Megan
H. Mehaffey/U.S. EPA, Division of Environmental Sciences |
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Title
of Presentation: |
Land Use near Streams Can Have an
Influence on Stream Condition |
Garner, North Carolina has undergone many
changes over the past 20 years including almost doubling its population. In
addition to increased growth, Garner more recently has been experiencing
extreme drought conditions. I believe the local streams have been affected by
the recent drought and urbanization, including the pollution it has
contributed. My mentor and I went into the field to collect macroinvertebrates
in order to check the streams around Garner. Our collection did not yield any
species of macroinvertebrates at the sites we selected. We noticed that most of
the streams were located near or downstream from populated areas and some even
had active construction. We concluded that the combination of drought and
disturbance from urban growth may be having a negative affect on the stream environment.
We will continue to research the other streams around the area to better answer
our questions.
|
Student
Author(s): |
Williams, Cassandra N. Nunez, Marilena B. Coxen, Christopher L. Owen, Matthew G. Cochran, Matthew |
|
Department(s):
|
Forestry
and Environmental Resources, Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences Program |
|
Research
|
Chris
DePerno/Forestry and Environmental Resources, Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences
Program Caitlin
Burke/Forestry and Environmental Resources |
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Title
of Presentation: |
Feral Cats: Implications, Management
Strategies, and Public Opinion |
The effect of anthropogenic carbon
emissions into the atmosphere is a growing concern among the public. To offset their carbon emissions the
voluntary offset market was developed, allowing individuals to purchase credits
that support carbon offset projects. Our
research describes the different forms of carbon offset projects, their
advantages, and common criticisms. We
analyzed company websites that sell carbon offsets, sent an email questionnaire
to companies that bought carbon offsets, and surveyed the general public. Over half (59%) of the 22 companies analyzed
do not provide an explanation of carbon offsets in their website literature,
and the comprehension level for the explanations was 4 years of higher
education. Twelve companies that bought
carbon offsets responded to our email questionnaire with a referral to their
website, but half of the websites failed to adequately answer our
questions. We determined that our sample
population had never heard of a carbon offset (48%) or heard of them but did
not know what they were (22%). However,
most stated they were more likely to buy a product advertised as
“carbon-neutral” and were willing to pay 10% to 25% more for the “green”
product. We believe the growing concern
about harmful carbon emissions and the lack of quality information provided to
the public by offset companies has left the public vulnerable to marketing
manipulation and buzz words like “green” or “carbon neutral.” Dedicated interest by an informed public,
sound science, and consolidated regulation are integral to a quality offset
market.
|
Wilson, James M. Degnan, Jesse M. Dycus, Justin C. Eamick, Bonnie E. Wagner, John David |
|
|
Department(s):
|
Forestry
and Environmental Resources, Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences Program |
|
Research
|
Chris
DePerno/Forestry and Environmental Resources, Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences
Program Caitlin
Burke/Forestry and Environmental Resources |
|
Title
of Presentation: |
Feral Cats: Implications, Management
Strategies, and Public Opinion |
Domestic cats were introduced to North
America in the 1500’s. Since then, their
numbers have grown steadily, and today, it is estimated there are between 65
and 100 million feral and free roaming cats in the United States. A feral cat is defined as any cat that is
unconfined, born wild, reverted to a wild or semi-wild state after being
domesticated, or free-roaming. Feral
cats are efficient hunters and have been known to kill large numbers of birds,
reptiles, amphibians, and small mammals.
Feral cats can transmit feline leukemia, feline immunodeficiency virus,
and rabies within their colonies and to wild species (e.g., bobcats and
mountain lions). Feral cats can be
managed by lethal or non-lethal options.
Lethal removal methods include poisoning and trap/kill, whereas
non-lethal techniques include immunocontraceptives and trap-neuter-release. To
assess public opinion regarding feral cats, we conducted a convenience survey
of North Carolinians. Our objective was to determine differences between
opinions of feral cats, their environmental impacts, and the level of approval
for each control method in suburban neighborhoods, city parks, wildlife
refuges, and national forests. Our
results indicate varying opinions on feral cat management options, ranging from
no control to lethal removal. In
management scenarios where feral cats might transmit disease or themselves have
a lower standard of health, the majority of respondents were supportive of
controlling the cats. However in
management scenarios where other wildlife species are at risk the majority of
respondents were not supportive of control methods. These results indicate the need for public
education on the impacts feral cats have on other wildlife species. We believe that educational literature
available at animal shelters, veterinary offices, and pet supply stores will
increase awareness of the negative environmental impacts of feral cats. Public venues (museums, libraries, schools)
can be used to engage non-pet owners.
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Research Symposium Main Page ]
Last modified January 2008 by Sharon E. Hunt,
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