SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
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Session C, 2015 First Place: Polyphemus pediculus Survivorship in Insect Repellent Treated Water
Get PDFAt Cranberry Lake, one of the most commonly used topical products is insect repellant. Insect repellents are manufactured with varying percentages of DEET, or no DEET at all. DEET is a synthetic chemical consisting of organic compounds originally intended for jungle warfare. Trace amounts of DEET are found in local waterways throughout the summer, when swimming is a popular activity. This study focuses on Polyphemus pediculus, a zooplankton at the bottom of the aquatic food chain. Polyphemus pediculus is abundant in Cranberry Lake and is an indicator for health and functionality of the lake ecosystem. Three insect repellents containing varying percentages of DEET and two DEET-free repellents were tested on Polyphemus pediculus at high (6µL), medium (4µL), and low (2µL) amounts. The survivorship of zooplankton was observed over 30 minutes. It was found that insect repellants containing higher percentages of DEET killed Polyphemus faster than those containing lower percentages of DEET. It was also found that one DEET-free insect repellant killed the zooplankton at an equal rate, while the other killed them at a slower rate. Larger amounts of insect repellent in the water also killed Polyphemus faster. All insect repellents used in the experiment had adverse effects on survivorship on zooplankton, which should be taken into consideration before entering waterways. It can be concluded that insect repellant, even in trace amounts, can be detrimental to aquatic systems
Student Spotlight on Research and Outreach Proceedings
Get PDFESF\u27s annual Spotlight Symposium is a dynamic forum where graduate and undergraduate students share the results of their research and community service projects. The Spotlight is a student poster session highlighting scholarly efforts
Session A, 2015 First Place: Whatever the Case May Be: Investigating Trichoptera Diversity in Three Adirondack Streams
Get PDFCaddisfly larvae are used as an indicator species for stream health. Anthropogenic development and pollution threaten the quality of streams and the diversity of macroinvertebrates such as caddisflies. The larvae develop in the stream in cases built from sand and organic matter and adults remain near the stream. We hypothesize that the diversity of larvae will be the same as the diversity of adults in three streams at Cranberry Lake Biological Station. Larvae were collected at ten sites in three streams near the campus using d-nets and forceps. Adults were caught at one site at each stream at night using a UV light trap. The ANOVA/Tukey’s Test, Shannon-Weiner Index, paired t-test, and Sorenson’s Coefficient were all performed to determine the difference in diversity between all three streams and between larvae and adults at each stream. The results of the ANOVA/Tukey’s Test showed no significant difference in diversity between all three sites. We reject our null hypothesis, as the paired t-test done for each stream site between aquatic and terrestrial samples showed no significant difference. We therefore conclude that terrestrial caddisfly diversity can be indicative of stream health
Geochemical Profiles: 2012-2013
No full textData collected during 2012 and 2013 and reported in 2015 (see citation)
Temporal Changes in Oneida Lake Yellow Perch (Perea flavescens) Lipid and PCB Content During the Summer Growing Season
Get PDFI am foremost indebted to Dr. Gord Paterson, my thesis mentor and teacher, who tirelessly provided guidance, assistance, and resources in the completion of this project. I learned a lot about environmental toxicology and lab methodology, but more importantly, I learned what it means to be truly invested in the pursuit of scientific knowledge. Frozen fish did not make good conversation. I may have gone mad if not for the company of my dearest friend, Erin Reidy. Our collaboration and teamwork were essential to the timely completion of this thesis. The many late nights and long days spent together will not be forgotten. At least we got to shout at people from the windows. Special thanks to Jordan Pitt for all of her assistance. We still might be in the lab if she weren\u27t there to help us along. Thanks also to Jordan Makoto C\u27Dealva-Lenik and Michael Persson for preparing the laboratory and the reference standard. Thanks to Drs Randy Jackson and Lars Rudstam and also Tony Van de Valk, Tom Brooking, Colin Farrell and summer student interns at the Cornell Biological Field Station on Oneida lake for providing all of the fish used in this project. Thank you to Dr. Christopher Whipps, Dr. Gregory McGee and all of the other faculty who have aided me in my career here at ESF. Thanks to Papa Johns who sustained us throughout our extractions. I\u27d also like to thank my parents, Jill and Wayne Culver, and my brothers, Robert, Matthew and Jeffrey Culver, as well as my many friends both at ESF and at home, for their continued support of my education and goals. i
An Online Inventory and Analysis of Woody Plants on SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry Campus
Get PDFThe main objective of this study was to catalogue the woody plants on SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry\u27s (SUNY-ESF) main campus and to create public access to this knowledge using the iNaturalist website. To do so, I conducted several surveys of trees and shrubs in the fall of 2014. I transferred information about the woody plants to iNaturalist, an interactive web-based platform open to public data entry and used to display species observations on an online map, while providing taxonomic information about each species. l also recorded the native, introduced, or invasive status of each plant as well as the human use of a plant when applicable on the site. After the completion of the iNaturalist site, I analyzed how the campus could be improved with regard to the native or invasive status of many of the species and how to encourage more biodiversity on campus. My target audience is all members of the SUNY-ESF community as well as the public. The iNaturalist project will be embedded on a SUNY-ESF webpage where anyone can access it on a laptop or mobile device and will be able to use this site as a way to educate others and interact with our landscape. I hope this project will encourage thought about our campus, what grows on it and how it could be better utilized
Gender, concern and activism: an examination of the role of gender in the movement against hydraulic fracturing in Upstate New York
No full textThis study tests theoretical arguments regarding the gender gap in environmental concern and participation using survey data (n=93) and observations from an activist population against hydraulic fracturing in Upstate New York. Prior research suggests that women are more concerned about environmental issues than men but less likely to participate in campaigns. This research utilizes a convenience sample of 93 participants, with the majority of them above 55 years of age. The survey data suggested that that female activists were moderately more concerned about aspects of hydraulic fracturing than men, but that men and women participated equally in the movement. Observations indicated that women as a group were very active. Findings also indicated that age was a significant factor of participation in the campaign against hydraulic fracturing. Results are further discussed and recommendations given for future research
The Effect of Bleach, Hydrogen Peroxide, and Iodine on Mycobacterium Species
Get PDFThe laboratory zebrafish, Danio rerio, is a model organism used in numerous area of biological research, and is also subject to its own diseases. A common disease in zebrafish is mycobacteriosis, caused by Mycobacterium species. Elimination of Mycobacterium spp. is crucial in both preserving research studies as well as preventing the spread of the zoonotic pathogens to humans. Because of the common practice of exchanging fish between facilities, as well as a lack of a standard protocol for disinfection, these infections have become commonplace. In order to investigate the efficacy of disinfectants, this study tested the germicidal effect of sodium hypochlorite, hydrogen peroxide, and iodine on Mycobacterium chelonae and Mycobacterium abscessus. Concentrations of 100 ppm and 150 ppm sodium hypochlorite (from bleach),1.5% and 3% hydrogen peroxide, and 100 ppm iodine were tested. Statistically significant decreases in growth were observed in the treatments of M. abscessus with hydrogen peroxide, sodium hypochlorite, and iodine and M. chelonae with hydrogen peroxide and iodine. When treated with 1.5% hydrogen peroxide, M. abscessus showed a 14-‐fold germicidal effect and M. chelonae showed a 6–fold germicidal effect when treated with 3% hydrogen peroxide. When treated with 150 ppm sodium hypochlorite, M. abscessus showed an 11–fold germicidal effect. When treated with 100 ppm iodine, both M. chelonae and M. abscessus were completely eliminated. Therefore, the current protocol for the application of bleach to zebrafish eggs cannot be relied upon for complete disinfection of mycobacteria, but the use of iodine shows promise as the basis for a new method
Effects of Nitrogen Deposition on Nitrogen Acquisition by Sarracenia purpurea in the Adirondack Mountains, New York, USA
Get PDFElevated human generated emissions to the atmosphere have historically increased inorganic nitrogen (N) deposition throughout the Adirondack Mountains of New York. Nitrogen is generally a limiting nutrient for the purple pitcher plant (Sarracenia purpurea). Our objective was to determine the dependence of S. purpurea on atmospherically-deposited and insect-derived N sources across an increasing nitrogen deposition gradient. Sampling was conducted at 10 sites, with 104 pitcher plants sampled. The impact of variations in nitrogen deposition on morphological characteristics and organic N content of S. purpurea and a non-carnivorous reference plant, Chamaedaphne calyculata (Leatherleaf), were examined. Pitcher plant flower and leatherleaf tissues were analyzed for stable nitrogen isotope (δ15N), and foliar N content. Increased nitrogen deposition up to 4.1 kgN*ha-1*yr-1 was correlated with increased plant size and δ15N values of S. purpurea; however, deposition exceeding these levels decreased overall plant size and δ15N values. Nitrogen derived from assimilation of insects ranged from 55% to 90% of foliar N at higher N deposition levels. Plants that acquired the greatest amount of N from insect consumption were also the largest plants. These results reflect the importance of monitoring ecologically sensitive species, like the purple pitcher plant, in light of anthropogenic sources of pollution