Karishma Nathaniel, Toni Cortez, Carley Pinel, Emily Arceneaux, Ramaraj Boopathy,  ,  ,  ,  , 

Antibiotic resistance is and has been a prevalent issue in public health in recent years. Besides the bacteria found in medical settings, there are genetic reservoirs, or the resistome, in the environment that hold antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) that provide ample opportunity for horizontal gene transfer in the environment. Because of these growing challenges and environmental reservoirs for these microbes, new methods for dealing with ARB and ARGs are needed. Both natural and constructed wetlands have shown potential to be effective in reducing antibiotic resistance in the environment through various mechanisms such as phytoremediation and photolytic reactions, many of which center around the plant population in these habitats. In this study, water from Bayou Folse, a heavily impaired waterway, was tested to determine the efficacy of the Nicholls State University’s newly constructed wetland in reducing nutrients and ARB. Water samples were collected once a month for a year in the inlet and outlet of the constructed wetland and analyzed for water chemistry, fecal coliform bacteria and ARB. The results showed reductions in sulfate, ammonia, total organic carbon, nitrate, and fecal coliform bacteria in the water samples of the outlet compared to the inlet. The preliminary results of this study have demonstrated the efficacy of the vegetation in the constructed assimilation wetland in remediating the water of Bayou Folse.

Mason Vasquez, Christof Stumpf, Zeleke Negatu

Photosynthetic pigment concentrations fluctuate temporally as plants acclimate to volatile light intensity and associated metabolic demands. This study investigated diurnal variation in chlorophyll a (Chl a), chlorophyll b (Chl b), and β-carotene in Prunus caroliniana leaf samples collected under natural outdoor conditions at 8:00 AM, 12:00 PM, and 4:00 PM. Pigments were extracted via acetone, separated using thin-layer chromatography to verify Rf values, and quantified by UV-vis spectrophotometry at pigment-specific absorption maxima. Chl a and β-carotene trends mirrored each other at all time intervals, consistent with enhanced light capture and photoprotection during peak irradiance, while Chl b remained comparatively low across time points suggesting a possible species-specific pigment allocation strategy and potentially revealing the reason behind P. caroliniana’s evergreen condition. Future research will extend these findings by testing whether pigment regulation is driven primarily by external light cues or endogenous circadian control through RT-qPCR analysis of pigment biosynthesis and core clock genes under light-dark (LD) and constant-light (LL) conditions. 

Noah Wurtzel

Flotant marsh is a unique wetland ecosystem that occurs as a thin vegetative mat (<30cm to 60cm) consisting of plants loosely rooted above peat that float on top of the water column. Flotant makes up a large portion of the freshwater and intermediate marsh habitat found in Terrebonne and Barataria basins. Eutrophication and natural disasters can degrade flotant. The floating capability of this mat makes repair and re-creation of flotant nearly impossible. To preserve and protect flotant, characteristics of thick healthy flotant are being compared to thin degraded flotant. We are surveying sites at Lake De Cade, Lake Boeuf, and Lac des Allemands using un-crewed aerial vehicles (UAV) carrying LiDAR and hyperspectral sensors four times per year. To protect the flotant from damage, we developed a floating launch pad that allows UAV to be deployed on the water. LiDAR sensors capture site topography, allowing us to highlight mat breakages and thickness of cover. Hyperspectral sensors allow us to resolve specific vegetation composition of various floral species. We have identified the presence of several native plants such as Sagitarria lancifolia, Sagitarria latifolia, Hibiscus moscheutos, Typha latifolia, Althaea officinalis, and invasive plants such as Pontederia crassipes, and Ipomoea lacunose. By combining results from LiDAR and hyperspectral sensors, we may be able to better describe sections of flotant that may be in danger of separation during large storm events.  

Mikalah Breakfield, Bismark Gyebi, Kondawni Phiri, Dr. Hector Douglas

We tested for differences in condition and stress of seabirds during and after a marine heat wave

(MHW) in 2024. Body condition, an index of fat-to-lean ratio, was lower in 2024 for white-tailed

tropicbirds (Phaethon lepturus) and brown noddies (Anous stolidus) compared to 2025, but not

for sooty terns (Onychoprion fuscatus). In sooty terns, an index of oxidative stress, as measured

by TBARS, was higher in 2025 than 2024, but total antioxidant capacity of plasma was lower in

2025 than 2024. Corticosterone, a glucocorticoid hormone, did not differ at the baseline

measurement in plasma for sooty terns in 2024 versus 2025. The corticosterone concentrations in

feathers, an index of the circulating hormone concentrations at the time of feather growth, may

have been higher in 2024-2025 versus 2023-2024. It is possible that the 2024 MHW had shorter

term affects on body condition in some species and longer-term effects on physiology.

Cheryl Bardales, Robert Rollins, Vincent Dicicco

Environmental DNA (eDNA) is a rapidly advancing, non-invasive tool for biodiversity monitoring, yet its application in zoo-managed habitats remains limited. Zoos are complex, multi-species environments where traditional monitoring methods can be invasive or insufficient to detect cryptic and microbial biodiversity. This pilot study evaluates the feasibility of eDNA-based monitoring in zoo habitats by conducting environmental sampling at the Alexandria Zoological Park. Water, soil, and spiderweb samples were collected from inhabited and uninhabited enclosures using sterile protocols. Samples were preserved and prepared for downstream DNA extraction, PCR amplification targeting standard barcoding regions (e.g., COI, 16S), and sequencing using high-throughput platforms. Planned bioinformatic analyses using public reference databases will characterize microbial, plant, and animal taxa within each habitat. This study aims to establish baseline biodiversity profiles and assess environmental factors influencing eDNA persistence and detectability. Preliminary observations support the feasibility of eDNA sampling in zoo settings and identify spiderwebs as passive collectors of airborne eDNA. In addition to methodological validation, this project provides a high-impact interdisciplinary research experience for undergraduate students while generating data relevant to animal health monitoring, environmental quality assessment, and conservation practices in managed ecosystems.

Robert Rostron, Precious Nwofor, Stephen Baca, Pedro Santos, Christof Stumpf

This research was conducted to obtain the mitochondrial genome of the crayfish species, Faxonella creaseri. There are many reasons to sequence the mitogenome of a species including distinguishing closely related species, identifying mutations responsible for mitochondrial disorders (e.g., neurodegenerative diseases), and creating detailed high resolution phylogenetic trees. DNA was extracted using the E.Z.N.A. Insect DNA Kit from Omega Bio-Tek. A library produced with the xGenTM DNA Lib Prep EZ 96rxn Library Prep Protocol from IDT was sequenced. Paired end reads produced by the Illumina sequencing system were used for the mitogenome assembly. The resulting mitogenome was annotated and visualized using GetOrgannelle and MITOS2 genomic analysis software. The final annotated mitochondrial genome was compared to the published Procambarus clarkii mitogenome to evaluate differences in gene order, tRNA positioning, strand orientation, and structural organization. There were differences in the mitogenome of F. creaseri and P. clarkii including gene order rearrangements, tRNA relocation and orientation, transcriptional strand block differences, and small genome size variation. Future research will concentrate on the mitogenome of other species in the genus Faxonella and their relationships to F. creaseri.

Caroline Theriot, Darcy Wayment, Himanshu Raje, Ramaraj Boopathy

The two common agricultural wastes produced in the state of Louisiana include chicken manure and sugarcane bagasse. These two wastes are produced in abundance, and they cause a safe disposal problem for farmers. The purpose of this research was to produce a value-added product in the form of methane using these wastes by the anaerobic digestion process. An optimization study was conducted with chicken manure at various solid loadings, including 3, 6, and 9% total solids, to find the optimum total solid concentration for maximum methane yield. The study was conducted in duplicates with 160 ml mini bioreactors at an ambient temperature of 22°C. The results showed that the bioreactor operated with 6% total solids produced maximum gas production with a methane concentration of 60% within 14 days. In another experiment, co-digestion was performed using 6% chicken manure along with sugarcane bagasse at various solid concentrations, namely 1, 2, and 3%. The optimum co-digestion was achieved in the bioreactor with 6% chicken manure and 2% bagasse, with 65% methane. Gas chromatography showed the presence of methane only in the bioreactor with 6% chicken manure after two months. This shift in methane production across treatments could be attributed to a change in bacterial consortium within the bioreactor over time. This study is promising, and the research should be scaled up with a larger fermenter to optimize further for a commercial digestion process.