Mar 31, 2017
Coral Reef Restoration Using Isogenic Fusion
Rachael Burthwick '17
Increasing atmospheric temperatures due to high CO2 levels has caused an increase in ocean acidification and bleaching of coral reefs. The survival of this ecosystem, which supports biodiversity, depends upon a combined effort of policy changes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions which would slow the process of environmental damage, and simultaneous restoration efforts to repair already damaged reefs. Corals ability to attach to a substrate is important for their survival and overall health of the colony. In Growing Coral Larger and Faster: Micro-Colony-Fusion as a Strategy for Accelerating Coral Cover, by Forsman et al., two separate coral species, Orbicella faveolata and Pseudodiploria clivosa, rates of growth through isogenic fusion were compared. A third coral species, Porites lobata, was tested to determine if rates of fusion differ under different abiotic/biotic conditions. The research found that the rate of growth for all coral species was >100%, with O. faveolata outcompeting P. clivosa, and the biotic conditioned corals outcompeting the abiotic conditioned corals. This research indicates that coral fragmentation and isogenic fusion can cover a variety of substrates quickly. These results could be used to restore coral species to habitats where they had previously been decimated due to climate change, as well as provide a basis for further research on coral cultivation and transplantation.
Ideal Rain Garden Size Efficiency
Sam Gatton '17
Pollutants entering water bodies via watersheds causes eutrophication and potential harm to people and animals through degraded water quality. This is especially a problem in urban environments where much of the grounds surface area is impermeable to precipitation and drainage relies heavily on untreated stormwater systems draining to water bodies. Bioretention facilities have been used in urban areas for the past few decades in order to combat this problem, however, few studies have been done to determine an optimal size for a bioretention system of a specific area. This study's purpose is to determine an optimal size for a filtration/partial recharge bioretention facility in a business district of Minneapolis. Carefully selecting native Minnesota plants and soil types, 24 bioretention facilities of 4 different sizes will be created in areas selected using a GIS (geographic information system.) Rainwater samples will be collected before entering the bioretention system and will be compared to samples taken at the under drain. The samples will look at total nitrogen and phosphorous levels. ANOVA tests will be conducted to compare the different sizes of bioretention systems to each other. It is expected that the largest sized bioretention system will not reduce nutrient load more than the size below it to a significant degree and an optimal size will be found.
