Title of presentation: Morphometric Analysis of Microorganisms in St. Andrew's Bay
Presenter: Gabe Seaman
Advisor: Sarah Wofford-Mares, PhD
Abstract:
Saint Andrew's Bay is located in Panama City, Florida. Like many places along coasts or waters, a vast variety of different types of species can be found. In other words, biodiversity is extremely large in places such as Saint Andrew's Bay. With this being said it is important to consider if there will be morphological differences found among different microorganisms. Adding onto this point, it is additionally important to consider if there will be differences in microorganism morphology at different locations at the same bay. To do so, samples will be taken from three different hermit crabs. They will be swabbed and we will culture bacteria and look at different variations of bacteria growth from each of the different organisms. Each hermit crab will be swabbed on the top of the shell and the inside of their shell. The inside will have its own plate and the outside will have its own plate so there will be six plates total. Once the samples are taken we will analyze the different types of organisms found and analyze differences in their morphology. We expect to find biodiversity among the samples taken from each different hermit crab that relate to both bio richness and evenness. This will then be quantified by using the differences in their morphology due to the different niches that can be filled in the ranging distances. Understanding why different microorganisms have different morphologies is important because it can impact the organism itself, the ecosystem, or community around it. Determining why certain microorganisms have different morphologies can help piece together why certain traits could be advantageous in a specific area and show how niches are filled and show ecosystem dynamics altogether despite such a miniscule scale.
Title of presentation: Pollen Identification on Vehicles
Presenter: Joseph Bustamante
Advisor: Sarah Wofford-Mares, PhD
Abstract:
Pollen Morphology is the analysis of shape differences across pollen of different plant species. By applying pollen morphometrics to individuals of species found around the FSU PC campus, comparisons can be made showing any differences and identifying features can be determined. In this study, we will be studying the morphometrics of pollen found on various cars and determining if an identification can be made with the known species sampled. The unknown car samples will first be brought to the lab where they are then analyzed under a microscope and landmarks placed applying specialized software. Using geometric morphometrics to compare, differences are analyzed, and conclusions can then be drawn. Through this study, similarities can then be seen, and the unknown samples identified.
Title of presentation: Sympatric Speciation of Barnacle Species
Presenter: Leila Abdul Hadi
Advisor: Sarah Wofford-Mares, PhD
Abstract:
Differences in habitat characteristics within the same geographical location can influence biodiversity. Barnacles found on St. Andrew's Bay exist in variable habitat conditions. Barnacle species' presence will be studied in relation to different ecological states to investigate the possibility of sympatric speciation. Photos of the posterior and anterior rock samples will be taken to determine the varying morphological features of the barnacle species on the shoreline. Using bioinformatic software like TPSDig and MorphoJ, our objective is to create landmarks from these samples to analyze the different barnacle species. With this experiment, we expect to see differences in barnacle species found in distinct rock spatial locations, as well as differences in morphological features. This experiment investigates the possibility of sympatric speciation on the St. Andrew's Bay through the assessment of barnacle biodiversity using geometric morphometrics.
Title of presentation: Comparing Sea Turtle Presence and Bycatch Events Across Pre-Nesting and Nesting Seasons in Panama City, Florida
Presenter: Lexie Hickman
Advisor: Sarah Wofford-Mares, PhD
Abstract:
Emphasizing sea turtle conservation efforts is important, as nearly all species of sea turtles are listed as federally endangered, with two species in particular listed as critically endangered (Hawksbill and Kemp’s Ridley). Common threats to sea turtle population rates include bycatch, pollution, climate change, and slaughter for the turtle shell trade. In the Florida Panhandle sea turtle bycatch from local fishing piers has been an increasing issue. The purpose of this study is to examine the rates of sea turtle bycatch at a local pier and examine how those rates are affected by seasonal shifts and angler turnout. This research will take place at Russell-Fields City Pier in Panama City Beach, FL. Between March and October 2023 we will measure the presence of sea turtles near the pier and any potential bycatch events throughout the spring (pre-nesting) and summer (nesting) season. We will also measure angler metrics such as number of anglers at a given time and number of lines in the water. Environmental factors such as weather and air and water temperature will be recorded for each data collection session. At the end of the data collection period, averages will be calculated for turtle and angler presence for pre-nesting versus during nesting season, as well as for weekend versus weekday data. We hypothesize that we will see higher numbers of sea turtles around the pier during nesting season (early May to late October) and more anglers on the piers during peak tourist season (mid-March to early August). Subsequently, we expect bycatch rates to be highest between May and August, where turtles and anglers overlap. Furthermore, we anticipate that weekends and pleasant weather days will have higher bycatch rates due to angler turnout. If our hypothesis is confirmed, we would suggest that sea turtle conservation groups such as Gulf World and the Gulfarium focus on putting volunteers on the piers during peak mating season months with higher angler turnout to assist with bycatch events and angler education. This would help focus efforts at the most beneficial time rather than necessitating year-round volunteer effort
Title of presentation: Comparative Analysis of Equine Profile Structures Across Breeds
Presenter: Lexie Hickman
Advisor: Sarah Wofford-Mares, PhD
Abstract:
The purpose of this study is to examine the profile structure across equine breeds and use profile structure to determine the approximate age and body condition of equines. Being able to use geometric morphometrics to examine profile structure is important to determine breed and equine health conditions. This could lead to advancements in the equine and other large animal veterinary field. Current common issues regarding equine profiles are depressed spinal structures (sway back) and tension held across the cervical spine that leads to lameness. The hypothesis for this experiment is that we will see a variation of facial and spinal structure across four breeds of horses (Quarter, Arabian, Thoroughbred, and Draft). Our null hypothesis is that we will not see any variation across the spinal and facial structure of equine breeds. To test this hypothesis, we will take multiple photos of approximately 16 equines. Each equine subject will be placed in a stock holder to help keep the subject still, and photos will be taken from a 90-degree angle and 3 meters away. The photos will be taken from the subject's left side & with no flash to ensure consistency. Once all photos are obtained, we will convert the raw images to a tps file and import into Tpsdig to landmark the regions of interest, which include facial and spinal structure. Once we landmark we will create two wireframes and a PCA graph to compare spinal structure and facial structure across breeds. If there is any degree of variation across breeds, our hypothesis will be supported.
Title of presentation: End Stage Renal Disease Hemodialysis Patient Clinical Outcomes for MWF Treatment Schedule Compared to TTS Treatment Schedule
Presenter: Lillian Gay
Advisor: Sarah Wofford-Mares, PhD
Abstract:The purpose of this research was to further analyze the relationship between the treatment rotation schedule on which hemodialysis patients select, and the varying clinical outcomes of the patients between the two types of schedules. This study previously examined how end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients that received in-facility hemodialysis treatment differed based on whether they had selected to undergo dialysis on a Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule (MWF) or a Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday schedule (TTS). When patients are diagnosed with ESRD, or kidney failure, they are in need of a treatment known as dialysis. These patients have the choice to receive treatment at home (peritoneal dialysis) or in-facility (hemodialysis). For the purposes of this research, the patients anonymously analyzed are only those undergoing hemodialysis. These specific patients have the opportunity to choose between the MWF and TTS schedules. It was hypothesized that hemodialysis patients of the MWF schedule possessed better clinical outcomes in comparison to the TTS schedule patients, due to the patients' reluctance to attend a treatment on a Saturday, which the TTS schedule includes. Inconsistent attendance was hypothesized to cause more negative and undesired clinical outcomes. During the previous study, certain clinical outcomes were analyzed to determine if a hemodialysis treatment was considered positive or negative. These numerical values include missed treatments, hospitalization, Kt/V, Hemoglobin, and Albumin. The clinical outcome that was first observed for this second phase of the study was the number of treatments missed as well as hospitalizations on each of the respective schedules, followed by Hematocrit, Phosphorus, Calcium, and Potassium. All of these response variables were determined, with prior research, to be the best indicators of whether a treatment was considered positive or negative. At the conclusion of the observational study, two dialysis units were surveyed, with a broad, nine-month analysis of the performance of both local dialysis units, as well as an analysis of 71 patients across both facilities. For all response variables, percentage values were taken to account for the different numbers of available patients to study on the varying schedules. The hypothesis for this research was heavily supported based on the fact that the data analyzed consistently showed the MWF having above desirable, positive clinical outcomes throughout all of the response variables. The TTS schedule consistently, throughout all response variables, had lower than desirable clinical outcomes, especially within the missed treatments variable. Because the TTS schedule consistently missed more treatments for the reason of personal issue or refusal only, and therefore, resulted in more negative clinical outcomes, the hypothesis that MWF patients have better clinical outcomes because they do not include a Saturday, of which the TTS schedule includes, and patients are more reluctant to consistently attend, was supported.
Title of presentation: Crayfish: the Bold, the Shy, and the Serotonin
Presenter: Madison Lee
Advisor: Sarah Wofford-Mares, PhD
Abstract:
Crayfish are freshwater invertebrate crustaceans that belong to the clade Astacidea. They also play a huge role in sustaining aquatic biodiversity in the Southeastern U.S. Although they are simple invertebrates, crayfish can exhibit complex social behaviors. Recent studies have shown that crayfish exhibit personalities or fall along a behavioral spectrum (e.g., more bold or more shy). Throughout this experiment, trials will be run in order to analyze how individual crayfish interact with each other based on where they fall on the bold/shy spectrum and if these interactions can be altered by serotonin. In order to construct this bold/shy spectrum, three types of assays will be run in order to establish where each individual crayfish falls on the bold/shy spectrum (it is assumed that a bolder crayfish will be more aggressive than a shy crayfish). After a bold/shy rank is established, crayfish will be injected with serotonin and the three assays will be run again. Serotonin enhances the aggression in crayfish so we hypothesize the bold/shy spectrum will be altered. We hypothesize that a shy crayfish will be able to turn into a bolder crayfish on the spectrum when serotonin is added. Analyzing these hierarchies and behaviors can help one understand just how crucial their interactions are to the environment. In freshwater habitats crayfish contribute to the vast majority of species diversity and play a key role in the food chain. By learning about this, one can also learn more about invasive and endangered species in freshwater aquatic systems.
Title of presentation: Morphometric Analysis of Unidentified Crayfish Species versus Known Crayfish Species
Presenter: Shawn Gulow
Advisor: Sarah Wofford-Mares, PhD
Abstract:
Biodiversity within the world is vitally important, especially considering the increasing role of human-based factors on extinction rates. Studying biodiversity and the increased rate of extinction events due to human factors can be achieved through the studying of species-level populations, especially within high-risk extinction zones. Crayfish are useful for studying this due to their high biodiversity, high ubiquitous nature within different ecologies, and their critical role within the environment as omnivorous predators and as an important food source. Due to the decreased accessibility (e.g., time, money, etc.) of other species concepts, the Morphometric species concept, primarily through geometric morphometrics and principle component analysis, can be used to make claims about the identification of creatures. In this experiment, morphometric analysis was run on Procambarus clarkii, Faxonius virilis, Faxonius erichsonianus, and Cambarus coosae, as well as an unidentified Crayfish species to attempt to determine the genus of the unknown species utilizing geometric morphometrics alone. Morphometric data for the unknown species was compared to the known species utilizing Principle Component Analysis. The unknown species was found to not resemble any of the other species studied, suggesting that it is a separate crayfish species. The tightness of the cluster within the PCA graph and the distance of this species from the rest presents the possibility that this unknown species belongs to a different genus entirely.