- Stacie Flood- An Ecotoxicological Assessment of Atrazine- Effects on Select Estuarine Phytoplankton. Stacie is conducting experiments to quantify the effects of an ubiquitous herbicide, atrazine, on three ecologically important species of phytoplankton: Dunaliella tertiolecta, Prymnesium parvum and Chattonella subsalsa. Dunaliella tertiolecta will be used as a nontoxic model species to assess atrazine/ nitrogen/ phosphorus interactions, since pesticides and nutrients frequently co-occur in agricultural run-off. Stacie will compare the observed response of Dunaliella with the response of two harmful algal species Prymnesium parvum and Chattonella subsalsa, and she will also be examining these species for their potential toxic activity in response to chronic, sub-lethal exposure to atrazine.
- Kimberly Null- Inorganic
Nitrogen Flux in Groundwater and Across the Sediment-Water Interface
in the Neuse River Estuary. Kimberly plans to examine sediment
regeneration and groundwater flow contributions to the overall nitrogen
budget in the mesohaline portion of the Neuse River estuary (NRE).
Her investigations will include quantifying groundwater input into
the shores of the NRE and comparing denitrification rates and ammonium
flux from organic-rich mid-channel and sandy nearshore sediments.
- Susan Pate- Impacts
of Alexandrium monilatum on three shellfish species. Susan
is examining whether A. monilatum can potentially affect recruitment
and survival of three commercially important bivalve species (bay
scallop, Argopecten irradians Lamarck; eastern oyster, Crassostrea
virginica Gmelin; and northern quahog, Mercenaria mercenaria
Linnaeus). She is also determining survival of A. monilatum
after ingestion by adult and juvenile shellfish to gain insights as
to whether these shellfish could potentially act as vectors of toxic
A.monilatum strains if transported to new areas.
- Meghan Rothenberger- Decadal Analysis of Land Use Changes In the Neuse Watershed. Her research involves using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to evaluate land use changes in the Neuse watershed over the past decade beyond previous analyses. Using water quality data provided by the CAAE, she is statistically evaluating correlations between land use changes and nutrient fluctuations at specified sampling sites along the Neuse River Estuary. She is also examining preserved phytoplankton samples from the Neuse to assess the extent to which changes in dominant phytoplankton taxa are linked to changes in land use and nutrient loading.
- Hayley Skelton- Effects of inorganic and organic phosphorus on Pfiesteria shumwayae: Behavior, phosphorus uptake, and enzymatic activity. Her research focuses on the effects of inorganic and organic phosphorus on Pfiesteria spp. and includes measuring phosphorus uptake and enzymatic activity. HPLC is used for the speciation of phosphorus compounds, followed by quantification using ICP-MS. Expression of enzymatic activity, particularly alkaline phosphatase, is measured using the ELF-97 alkaline phosphatase substrate (Molecular Probes) and quantified using flow cytometric techniques.
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