University of Alaska's REU Program
Research Project Descriptions
Below are descriptions of projects conducted by mentors from our NSF, Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program.
2008 Reproductive biology and parasite/host relationships of commercially important Alaskan crabs
Eastern Bering Sea snow and Tanner crab were historically two of the most important crab fisheries in the United States in both catch and value but are currently at low levels of abundance. It has been suggested that viable egg production for these species may be significantly reduced due to egg predation by parasitic nemertean and turbellarian worms living in the egg clutches of female crab. The occurrence and/or rate of egg predation may be mediated by the number, size, and species of worms present, temperature, or egg-related covariates. These relationships have not been previously characterized for Alaskan crabs, and controlled experiments could provide valuable insight into the dynamics of this parasite/host relationship and potential effects on female egg production. The student involved in this project will also have the opportunity to participate in diverse aspects of a larger project characterizing the reproductive success of snow, Tanner, and red king crab potentially including participation in stock assessment surveys of crab in southeast Alaska
2008 Larval recruitment and settlement process of Red King crab
Red king crab (Paralithodes camtschaticus) was historically the most economically important crustacean fishery in Alaska until its collapse in the early 1980’s. Overharvest and unfavorable environmental conditions contributed to low fishery recruitment, and no stocks have recovered to pre-collapse levels. Successful recruitment for many economically important crustaceans with complex life histories often hinges on post-settlement processes that are a product of habitat choice. The goal of this project is to establish the early life history habitat preference of red king crab in Alaskan nearshore waters. The approach combines observational studies with manipulative in situexperiments to systematically determine where early benthic juveniles are found in the nearshore marine environment, including preferred habitats. The study has the following components: 1) collect larvae from the field; 2) identify red king crab settlement habitats; 3) identify post-settlement rearing habitats of established early benthic phase juveniles (0.5-2 years); 4) test the habitat preference of early benthic phase crabs from a variety of substrates, including physical substrates, structural invertebrates, macroalgae, and artificial structures, and assess their behavior in those habitats. This research will directly clarify essential fish habitat for red king crab and provide new insight on the early life history ecology of this species.
2008 Sensor web applications in ecological monitoring of Southeast Alaska
The NASA Advanced Information Systems Technology Program of the Earth-Sun System Technology Office is sponsoring the University of Alaska Southeast SEAMONSTER project. SEAMONSTER (SouthEast Alaska MOnitoring Network for Science, Telecommunication, and Research) is a semi-autonomous, smart sensor web project designed to support collaborative environmental science and biology with near-real-time recovery of large volumes of field data. Instrumentation began deployment in April 2007 focusing around the Lemon Creek watershed in the Juneau, Alaska area. This partially glaciated watershed is subject to glacial outburst flooding and is the location of spawning salmon. The potential student could be interested in sensor web implementation or its applications for environmental and biological research and monitoring. The applicant will preferably have an interest in instrumentation, field work, or sensor networks. Duties will include sensor installation (requiring hiking and some glacier travel), state of health monitoring, data management, and data analysis. More information regarding the SEAMONSTER project can be found at http://uas.alaska.edu/envs/seamonster/. Interested applicants may contact Matt Heavner (matt.heavner@uas.alaska.edu)
2008 Levels of Organic and Heavy Metal Pollutants in Southeast Alaska Sediments and Biota.
Study of the natural environment from a chemical viewpoint offers fascinating research topics ranging from basic research on poorly understood natural processes to applied research investigating the effects of human activities on various ecosystems and remediation efforts. The pristine system of forests and waterways proximate to the University of Alaska Southeast are ideal natural laboratories for these types of studies.
My research centers on the transport, deposition and attenuation of heavy metal and organic pollutants in high latitude environments. Heavy metal studies in my lab include characterization of the lead and copper species associated with high organic carbon soils under anaerobic conditions. Lead and copper are both common features of the Southeast Alaska topography and identifying the specific form of these metals under various redox environments provides valuable insight into their transport properties. Organic pollutants, on the other hand, are typically associated with industrialized areas and as such have limited local sources at higher latitudes. Atmospheric transport and to some extent urbanization however, have provided for detectable levels of numerous synthetic organic chemicals in the arctic hydrosphere, lithosphere and biosphere. Studies aimed at quantifying levels of synthetic flame retardants (PBDEs) and their attenuation products in the Southeast Alaska environment are pursued in my laboratory. Recent results have shown both local and removed sources contribute to a significant load of the persistent organic pollutants. Further efforts will focus on relationships between the sources identified thus far and determining the ultimate threat posed to fisheries stocks. Both heavy metal and organic pollutant studies involve the use of state of the art analytical instrumentation including atomic absorption spectrometry and mass spectrometry.
In addition to contaminant studies, I conduct ongoing research into the habitat remediation and restoration potential of created wetlands. Collaborative efforts with the National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife have led to the development and continued study of two created wetlands in the Mendenhall valley. Results from this project have shown these landscape features serve as moderators of groundwater intrusion and stormwater runoff and significantly improve affected habitat.
2008 Evolutionary consequences of colonization following deglaciation in a freshwater fish
Biologists are unsure how animals and plants will respond to landscape alterations caused by global climate change, including whether species ranges will expand or contract, how species will be able to exploit and adapt to new habitats, and what will happen as species interact with each other in novel situations. To investigate the evolutionary consequences of climate related range changes, we are studying the colonization of recently deglaciated river systems by freshwater sculpins (Cottus spp.) in Southeast Alaska. Freshwater sculpins rapidly colonize new rivers systems created by retreating glaciers and we are investigating aspects of adaptive coloration by individuals in these newly colonized populations. This project will involve testing the adaptive value of background matching coloration by performing a mark-recapture experiment in a stream near the University of Alaska Southeas campus. Project tasks will include: field collection of freshwater sculpins, fish tagging with small transponders, color analysis, and performing statistical analysis of mark recapture data. Students will also have the opportunity to work on other aspects of the sculpin project, including analysis of molecular genetic markers, collection of eggs from the wild for controlled breeding experiments, and analysis of genes related to color change.
2008 Habitat re-colonization by an intertidal snail
Human impacts on biodiversity are increasing in extent and severity. How species respond to these impacts determines whether they persist or go extinct. As humans alter habitats on a local and global scale, an important component of species persistence is the successful colonization of new habitat or re-colonization of former habitat following local extinction. We are studying the re-colonization of intertidal rocky habitat by a snail, Nucella lima, that has been extirpated from parts of Auke Bay by compounds found in anti-fouling paints used on boats. REU projects will involve the marking and tracking of individual N. lima to obtain estimates of movement rates of these animals into previously contaminated areas, the development of demographic models to predict future changes in population size and distribution, and/or investigations of biotic and abiotic factors influencing demographic processes. Periodic, intense field sessions will require strong organizational skills and independent thinking.
2008 Physiological ecology of the Red King Crab
My general research is concerned with the hormonal regulation of growth and reproduction in commercially important crab species. I use biochemical assays (ELISA) to measure circulating molting hormones in the hemolymph of crabs to assess molting or reproductive physiology. I am interested on the regulation of growth by environmental factors and how external factors can disrupt normal physiology. This particular project relates to the effect of tagging on the growth of red king crab (RKC), Paralithodes camtchaticus. Specifically we will study early benthic stages of RKC and determine the feasibility of tagging small crabs using a visible injectable elastomer tag. We will monitor tag retention and survival over the course of a molt cycle. We will also take regular hemolymph samples to measure circulating molting hormones in tagged and non-tagged crabs. Crabs will need be collected from the intertidal and subtidal regions of southeast Alaska. SCUBA diving is a desirable skill but not required for the successful applicant.
2008: Physical and biological habitat preferences of Black Oystercatcher breeding territories in Alaska
The Black Oystercatcher (Haematopus bachmani)is listed as a species of concern in the national (U.S. and Canadian) and state/provincial (Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and California) shorebird plans, a species of high concern in the Alaska Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy, a Fish & Wildlife Service focal species, a Forest Service Management Indicator Species, a National Park Service vital sign, and an Audubon Watchlist species. These large shorebirds forage exclusively on intertidal organisms. We are studying which components of the intertidal assemblage and which intertidal and nearshore physical features are factors influencing breeding territory choice. These data will then be used to model Black Oystercatcher habitat in Alaska. You will have the opportunity to collect and analyze data. Field work can be arduous and require the ability to be both organized and congenial during difficult weather.
2008: Colony size and resource partioning of Aleutian Terns in Alaska
The Aleutian Tern (Onychoprion aleuticus)has experienced dramatic population declines across the State of Alaska. Although it seems a basic feature in biology, we do not have an accurate way to count these colonial birds. At the world's largest colony, we will assess multiple methodologies (transects and quadrats from ground and air) to count this colonial seabird. We will also quantify nest site selection, terrestrial habitat composition, evaluate food resources and preferences, quantify the types and amounts of ambient disturbance - including behavioral responses, and assess resource partitioning between Arctic and Aleutian terns. You will have the opportunity to collect and analyze data. Field work can be arduous and require the ability to be both organized and congenial during difficult weather.
