ToshiAquaEcoLab

Controlling harmful cyanobacterial blooms in southwest Florida

Cyanobacteria are one of the most abundant microbes in the ecosystem as they are known to occupy different regions along the latitudes, this includes freshwater, marine, and terrestrial ecosystems.  Cyanobacteria produce a cyclic peptide toxin group known as microcystins, which may kill animals if consumed.  Anthropogenic inputs cause of massive growth of these harmful phototrophic bacteria. Some methods exist to control cyanobacterial blooms. Among them, the use of hydrogen peroxide is promising because hydrogen peroxide is degraded to water and oxygen and does not remain in the environment after use. However, little is known about the impact of hydrogen peroxide to the aquatic ecosystem. We will test a biological production and decay of hydrogen peroxide in freshwater using a novel microsensor that can detect a very low signal of hydrogen peroxide. Our research will be conducted in both laboratory and fields where cyanobacteria bloom like the Caloosahatchee River and Lake Okeechobee.

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The research is funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation.  We collaborate with Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF).

Ecophysiology and genomics of nitrifying microorganisms

We are seeking currently undiscovered microorganisms that may play an important role in various environments that include oil-contaminated marine sediments, aquarium biofilters, estuary, and wetlands.  Once cultures are established, we examine their physiological and genetic traits and determine whole-genome sequences. We will deposit cultures into international culture collections and propose new names for these microorganisms. We collaborate with many researchers from different countries in this project.

Resilience of benthic algae and prokaryotes to spilled oil in the Gulf of Mexico

This is a part of the Alabama Center for Ecological Resilience (ACER) project.  With collaboration with Drs. Mike Parsons (FGCU) and Alison Robertson (Dauphin Sea Lab, Al), we study the ecological resilience of coastal benthic microbial communities to oil spill events. My team mainly focuses on the ecology of the Archaea and sulfur cycle. We use molecular microbiology techniques and microelectrodes to study benthic microbes.  In addition, we also collaborate with Dr. Joel Kostka at the Georgia Institute of Technology to study the nitrogen cycle.

Using environmental DNA and high-throughput sequencing to study smalltooth sawfish in currently and historically occupied estuaries

This is a collaboration with Dr. Gregg Poulakis at Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission. Sawfish are characterized by a long, narrow saw-like flattened rostrum that is lined with sharp transverse teeth. However, very little is known about how sawfish strike the prey fish and what kinds of fish are important as prey. This project will determine the prey of Smalltooth Sawfish, Pristis pectinata, in southwest Florida using high-throughput DNA sequencing.

Nutrient removal using biodegradable bioplastics

A recirculating marine aquaculture system utilizing biodegradable plastics for water treatment

Aquaculture is on the rise globally with increases in a global population. Although dependence on aquaculture as a source of food production is expanding, there are some negative impacts in aquatic environments due to its waste. Thus zero-emission recirculating aquaculture systems are preferred for sustainable aquaculture production. The objective of this study is to develop a cost-effective salt water cleanup system using biodegradable plastics as a carbon source and nitrate as a nitrogen source. Utilizing biodegradable plastics may provide a step toward more efficient aquaculture systems because this in turn reduces the volume of clean water required and reduction in energy consumption.

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The design and evaluation of constructed wetlands utilizing biodegradable plastics for water treatment

Wetlands play a key role in the southwest Florida ecosystem and act to remove nutrients and purify water. In this project, we embedded biodegradable plastics into constructed wetlands to enhance the efficiency of nutrient removal. We evaluate the efficiency of nutrient removal and microbial communities that may contribute into the nutrient removal process.    

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This is a part of SAFE (Sustainable Aquaculture for Environment) project and collaborated with Dr. William Mitsch at FGCU.

Characterizing microbial communities across the Imperial River salinity gradient

The Imperial River runs through Bonita Springs, Florida and empties into Estero Bay. In this small class project (Marine Ecosystem Monitoring & Research Methods), environmental parameters such as temperature, salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll and nutrients have been measured for three years. Microbial metabolic diversity was  analyzed by EcoPlate technique. by using 2016 samples, we analyzed bacterioplankton and phytoplankton communities using high-throughput sequencing. We anticipate finding bacterioplankton and phytoplankton community shifts along with salinity gradients.

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This research is conducted at Vester Field Station, Bonita Springs FL.

Seasonal dynamics of baicterioplankton communities in Six Mile Cypress Slough Presearve

We started our Six Mile Cypress Slough wetland water sampling since 2014. Our objective is to understand seasonal and spatial population shifts of bacterioplankton communities.  We use a YSI sensor to monitor environmental parameters.  We also bring back surface water samples to the lab and analyze the nutrients and microbial communities.

Asterina Starfish: Good Luck Charm or Pest?

The magnitude of international wildlife trading is immense. As a consequence, estimates of billions of live animals are globally traded each year. It causes hazardous problems such as the introduction of invasive species and pathogens. Moreover, many aquatic organisms aren’t identified at species level, but are widely traded. Those include corals, sea slugs, and starfish. Sea stars of the genus Asterina are one example. Asterina starfish, which are less than one centimeter long, have unintentionally spread out as hitchhikers in the wildlife trade. They multiply rapidly by splitting and breaking off their arms and their behavior and nature in the aquarium are controversial. Some people identify them as useful algal eaters, while others regard them as pests that give damage to corals. The difference may come from individual behavior, or the difference of aquarium environments, or could even be due to the mixing of species as more than 30 different species may exist. There is little to no tangible scientific evidence for behavioral claims of these starfish. My project focus on how Asterina starfish populate through fragmentation, determine which species may eat corals, and find several key features to differentiate the varying starfish species.

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This is Natalie's project and she is supported by the Southwest Florida Marine Aquarium Society.