Colby College and the Up East Foundation have recently approved four projects for Allen Island during the summer of 2017.
Metagenomics of a bumblebee refugium
Dave Angelini, Department of Biology, Colby College
Project summary: Bumblebees are important pollinators in natural and agricultural settings, but these iconic and charismatic insects are experiencing population declines in Maine and around the world (Cameron et al. 2011; Grixti et al. 2009) due to increased use of pesticides, the spread of bee diseases and habitat destruction (Goulson et al. 2015). Surveys of bumblebee diversity in 2016, found that Allen Island appear
s to host an isolated relict population, a refugium, of the northern amber bumblebee, Bombus borealis. While it is a native of New England, B. borealis is not common on the mainland or other islands in the Gulf of Maine. I propose to monitor B. borealis and other bumblebee species on and around Allen Island using classical methods of population genetics and as well as high-throughput sequencing analysis of all microbes associated with individual bees (that is, their metagenome). This project will connect with students from Colby’s Achievement Program in the Sciences (CAPS) program and the Herring Gut Learning Center, which serve traditionally underrepresented student groups, providing a hands-on introduction to local insect biodiversity, ecology, and genomics. The project is intended to continue over multiple years, providing longitudinal monitoring of the bumblebee populations on and around Allen Island. The ecological and metagenomic results will inform efforts for pollinator conservation and help biologists better understand how island geography impacts the microbial communities associated with wild insect populations. By involving local students in all levels of this work, they will become informed stakeholders in the biodiversity and ecological health of our coastal community.
Soundscape Ecology on Allen Island
Catherine R. Bevier, Department of Biology, Colby College
Project Summary:Soundscapes include the biological, geophysical and anthropogenic sounds that emanate from a landscape. These vary spatially and temporally, reflecting important ecosystem processes and human activities (Pijanowski et al. 2011a). Integrating soundscapes with studies of landscape ecology, biogeography, and bioacoustics provides the basis for the relatively new field of soundscape ecology. Research in this field occurs at many scales, including broad surveys of biodiversity, especially in sensitive habitats, or understanding how individuals of a single species are distributed in a habitat. I propose to develop techniques to study the terrestrial and aquatic soundscapes of Allen Island. Three initial projects are described below that I hope to implement in 2017: determine the temporal variation of chorus activity in green frogs, explore the dynamics of bumblebee visits to flowers, and survey the near-shore underwater soundscape of the docks at Allen Island. Data will be acquired using weatherproof acoustic recorders and analyzed with sound analysis software. Results of these initial projects will provide information on aspects of the natural history of the island, on feasibility of more complex future projects, and how efficiently data are acquired and assessed. Ultimately these soundscapes can serve as documented and archived samples of the acoustic natural resources on Allen Island, and more sophisticated projects can be planned that are designed for longer-term or more complex data acquisition that contributes to conservation initiatives.
Monitoring Amphibian Population and Habitat Health in Wetlands on Allen Island and Central Maine
Catherine Bevier (Colby College), Matthew Chatfield (Unity College), Cheryl Frederick (Unity College)
Project Summary: Declines and extinctions of amphibian populations over the last few decades serve as alarming contributions to the current biodiversity crisis. These species, particularly anuran amphibians, can serve as indicators of environmental health. Therefore, tracking and documenting intrinsic and extrinsic features of frog populations, specifically Green Frogs (Lithobates clamitans), in different environments provides an integrated approach to better understand potential stressors that can influence frog populations. This research project is designed to improve our understanding of these stressors, such as habitat quality, which can affect amphibian health and vulnerability to emerging infectious diseases such as ranavirus and chytridiomycosis. We will build on the research completed by Chatfield and Frederick in summer 2016 to study features of Green Frog populations on offshore island in Maine and compare intrinsic and extrinsic characteristics with Green Frog populations in wetlands of central Maine. Given that two major amphibian pathogens, chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, Bd) and ranavirus, were absent in Allen Island populations but prevalent in populations around Unity, this is a valuable opportunity for a rigorous comparative study. The results of this research will contribute to the growing body of knowledge about factors that influence the health of amphibian populations, provide baseline data on species composition of targeted wetland areas, and identify the disease status of populations against which future population and disease trends may be evaluated.
Colby Advancement Program in the Science – CAPS
CAPS Students and Professors King, Bruesewitz, Angelini, Bevier, Dunn, and Sullivan – Colby College
Project Summary: CAPS is a program designed to increase recruitment, success, and retention of underrepresented minority students (URMS) in the sciences. CAPS was implemented in 2009 as a summer bridge program with the goal of addressing the two overarching challenges facing URM science students at Colby: 1) mathematics preparedness for gateway science courses, and 2) stereotype threat as a sociological barrier to student achievement and sense of belonging in the sciences. We propose to expand the campus-based CAPS program to include a four-day program on Allen Island (July 10-13, 2017). Students would spend three nights on the island with faculty rotating on and off the island as they deliver four different curricular components to the island module.
Four one-day programs: July 10-13, 2017.
- Chemical Oceanography – King and Bruesewitz. The day will begin with an introduction to the island history, systems, and policies. Students will use standard oceanographic instruments to measure salinity, temperature, and oxygen from the Allen Island docks and again from the shore on the south end of the island. Students will gain experience collecting samples, recording data, and begin a conversation on the spatial and temporal variability of temperature and salinity around the island. Oxygen measurements made with an electronic oxygen sensor will be compared to Winkler titrations of oxygen performed in the bunk house. Temperature and salinity data will be compared to our time series data collected from the dock since October 2016. Salinity at the dock on Allen Island can change by over 30% on any given day and it will be interesting to see if the salinity on the north and south ends of the island are similar or very different.
- Geologic Mapping – Sullivan and Dunn. Maps showing the distribution and ages of geologic features, or geologic maps, are a fundamental tool of geologists. They elucidate processes ranging from growth of Earth’s continents and ocean basins to sediment transport on Mars. Mapping geologic features is both a skill and an art. Geologists must balance detail with scale and observation with interpretation. They must navigate complex terrain to find limited bedrock exposures while constantly assessing their mapping strategy. Students engaged in mapping simultaneously exercise higher-order thinking skills, grow their geologic knowledge base, and intimately connect with their environment. The CAPS students will get and introduction to geologic mapping on day two of their island visit. Guided by Professors Bill Sullivan and Tasha Dunn the students will learn the basics of mapping while also exploring the islands unique shoreline and geologic features.
- Amphibian Health – Bevier. Declines and extinctions of amphibian populations over the last few decades serve as alarming contributions to the current biodiversity crisis. These species, particularly anuran amphibians, can serve as indicators of environmental health. Therefore, tracking and documenting intrinsic and extrinsic features of frog populations, specifically Green Frogs (Lithobates clamitans), in different environments provides an integrated approach to better understand potential stressors that can influence frog populations. This research project is designed to improve our understanding of these stressors, such as habitat quality, which can affect amphibian health and vulnerability to emerging infectious diseases such as ranavirus and chytridiomycosis. Students on day three of the island visit will assist with collection of Green Frog and pond water samples. More details on this project are provided in the separate proposal on amphibian health.
- Metagenomics of Bumblebees – Angelini. Bumblebees are important pollinators in natural and agricultural settings, but these iconic and charismatic insects are experiencing population declines in Maine and around the world due to increased use of pesticides, the spread of bee diseases and habitat destruction. Surveys of bumblebee diversity in 2016, found that Allen Island appears to host an isolated relict population, a refugium, of the northern amber bumblebee, Bombus borealis. While it is a native of New England, borealis is not common on the mainland or other islands in the Gulf of Maine. We propose to monitor B. borealis and other bumblebee species on and around Allen Island using classical methods of population genetics and as well as high-throughput sequencing analysis of all microbes associated with individual bees (that is, their metagenome). This project will connect with students from Colby’s Achievement Program in the Sciences (CAPS) program and the Herring Gut Learning Center, which serve traditionally underrepresented student groups, providing a hands-on introduction to local insect biodiversity, ecology, and genomics. The project is intended to continue over multiple years, providing longitudinal monitoring of the bumblebee populations on and around Allen Island. Students will be involved in tracking and collecting bees during the fourth day of their island visit. More details on this project are provided in the separate proposal on metagenomics of Bumblebees.