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A Publication by the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium LUMCONLUMCON NewsNews Winter 2005 Volume 5, Number 1 JASON Expedition Visits South Louisiana in Search of Disappearing Wetlands Program developed by Dr. Robert Ballard, discoverer of the H.M.S. Titanic, focuses its attention on educating young students about coastal landloss Ask Amy McDowell or Taylor Landry, wrapped up filming for their live broad- JASON Expeditions filmed thirty live seventh grade students from Montegut casts that brought the importance, com- interactive broadcasts January 31– Middle School, to tell you why people plexity and fragility of south Louisiana’s February 5, 2005, at LUMCON’s should learn about Louisiana’s wetlands wetlands to over 33,000 teachers and 1.7 DeFelice Marine Center in Cocodrie, and without pause they will flood you million students worldwide. Included LUMCON’s Field Laboratory in Port with answers. Fourchon, and the Jean Lafitte National Historic Park and Preserve, Barataria “They’re like disappearing,” said Preserve. Live transmissions are just McDowell. “They won’t be here for the one part of JASON’s hands-on next generation. People need to pass on standards-based science curriculum for their importance.” fourth–ninth grade teachers and stu- dents that has focused on a different “It’s a home for animals,” said Landry. scientific location each year for the past “And it’s our home too. It’s where we sixteen years. Using the latest broadcast trap, hunt and fish. In five to ten years, technology, JASON Expeditions have will the land still be here? We need a lot virtually transported students across Student Argonaut Valerie Wilson,armed with a of people to help.” sediment corer, explains to Expedition viewers the globe from the depths of the how to use the device to take a sample of the hydrothermal vents in the Guaymas Help, in the form of education, is exactly marsh soil. Host Researcher Dr. Denise Reed Basin in the Sea of Cortez (1993) to what the JASON Foundation for Edu- stands to the right. Photograph by Brenda Babin. the International Space Station orbit- cation is providing by focusing on in this viewing audience were students ing the earth at a speed of more than Louisiana’s Disappearing Wetlands for its from Montegut Middle School and 17,000 mph (2001). 2004–2005 JASON Expedition. A Houma Junior High School, who visited talented crew of local wetland scientists, LUMCON’s DeFelice Marine Center to The four research teams of the JASON Student and Teacher Argonauts, watch the broadcasts and venture behind Disappearing Wetlands Expedition were and production technicians recently the scenes to meet the production team. JASON continued on page 7 The research team led by Dr. Denise Reed films a live segment in the marsh behind LUMCON’s DeFelice Marine Center. Reed and Student Argonaut Valerie Wilson are truly submerged in their work. They have found an area in the marsh where the root system of the Spartina alterniflora marsh grass has failed to support human traffic. Photograph by Brenda Babin. Study Seeks to Identify Algae Eaters in the Barataria Basin How much stress do plants and has the highest concentrations, Lake copepod nauplii, which are known to animals experience when environ- Cataouatche has the lowest—they all feed on algae and are common in the mental conditions around them start experience periodic algal blooms. Barataria Basin. to change? A team of scientists led by Within each of these diverse lakes, Wong Dr. Eugene Turner of the Louisiana is identifying the organisms that are “Somewhat unexpectedly, we found State University (LSU) Coastal Ecology eating algae, the different species of algae that microzooplankton are not as Institute and Dr. Nancy Rabalais of they are eating, and to what extent their significant consumers of algae in these LUMCON is attempting to answer feeding is affecting algal populations. lakes as they are in open oceans and that question. LSU and LUMCON coastal areas,” said Wong. “Many of the researchers are collaborating on the Wong first focused his attention on dominant algal species were forming Effects of Multistressors within the microzooplankton to see if they were colonies that were too large for the Barataria Basin project to examine how significant consumers of algae in the microzooplankton to ingest. In lower marsh vegetation, algal populations, lakes. Microzooplankton measure only nutrient environments, such as in the food webs and fisheries respond to 20–200 micrometers in length and open ocean, these species typically changes in salinity, nutrients, turbidity include organisms such as rotifers and don’t form colonies and microzoo- and other environmental factors within plankton are major consumers.” the Basin. They are also focusing on the socio-economic effects of these Lake Wong has since switched his focus to Lac des Pontchartrain stressors in Louisiana. LUMCON Allemands Mississippi the larger mesozooplankton (200 post-doctoral associate Dr. David River micrometers–2 centimeters) and Wong is looking at just one part of Lake Rangia clams (Rangia cuneata), this complex system by examining the Lake Cataouatche organisms that can ingest larger prey role that zooplankton (drifting, often- Salvador items. Wong chose to focus on the microscopic organisms) and benthic Rangia clam after his faunal surveys (bottom-dwelling) animals play on showed that it was the dominant Barataria controlling algal populations. Bay benthic organism in his research areas. Terrebonne Wong and his collaborators are Bay Clams feed by pumping water through conducting their studies in three This map shows Lac des Allemands, Lake their gills, efficient filters that remove interconnected lakes within the Cataouatche and Lake Salvador in relation to both edible plankton and non-edible Barataria Basin—Lac des Allemands, nearby bodies of water. Landsat Thematic Map- material such as silt from the surround- per Satellite Image–2002: Louisiana Department Lake Cataouatche and Lake Salvador. of Environmental Quality, Baton Rouge; USGS Na- ing water. Indigestible material is While each lake differs in nutrient and tional Wetlands Research Center, Lafayette and trapped in mucous on the gills and algal concentrations—Lac des Allemands Baton Rouge. Multistressors continued on page 7 The Effects of Multistressors within the Barataria Basin is a five-year study that began in 2002 and is funded by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. The project involves an examination of pre-existing long-term data, laboratory and field experiments, and observations made before and after the opening of the Davis Pond Diversion in March 2002. The diversion project is designed to improve the health of the Barataria Basin by reintroducing freshwater, sediments and nutrients from the Mississippi River. The Multistressor project will help to identify the effects of these changes within the system and may provide observations for restoration scientists to use in future diversion projects. Page 2 LUMCON Offers Marine Education Classes for Summer Enrichment Don’t let those brain cells go dormant this summer! LUMCON is offering exciting classes for university students, high school students, middle school teachers and photographers of all levels. Visit the Marine Education website at www.lumcon.edu/ education for more information or contact Summer Program Coordinator Nicole Cotten ([email protected], 985-851- 2845) for information on the university courses or Marine Education Instructor Dr. Jessica Kastler ([email protected], 985- 851-2848) for information on LUMCON’s other summer offerings. Application deadline for university classes is April 1, 2005. University Classes Coastal Landscape Photography (1 credit) Invertebrates in Their Environment (3 credits) Dates: May 16–20 Dates: June 20–July 8 Prerequisites: Basic photography background; Prerequisites: Junior or senior; Introductory 35 mm camera Invertebrate Zoology, Marine Ecology Instructors: Dr. Gary LeFleur (Nicholls State or permission ofinstructor University), Mr. Dennis Sipiorski Instructors: Dr. Chris Finelli (LUMCON), (Southeastern Louisiana University) Dr. Nazan Atilla (LUMCON) Introduction to Marine Zoology (4 credits) Marine Fish Ecology (3 credits) Dates: June 6–July 1 Dates: July 11–29 Prerequisites: Sophomore; 8 hours of biology or Prerequisites: Junior or senior; 16 hours of biology or permission of instructor permission of instructor Instructor: Dr. Lewis Deaton (University of Instructors: Dr. Ed Chesney (LUMCON), Dr. Donald Louisiana at Lafayette) Baltz (Louisiana State University) Introduction to Marine Environmental Chemistry Marine Plankton Processes (3 credits) (3 credits) Dates: July 11–29 Dates: June 20–July 8 Prerequisites: Junior or senior; Introductory Oceano- Prerequisites: Junior or senior; 2 semesters of graphy or Marine Biology; Introductory chemistry Ecology or permission of instructor Instructor: Dr. Rodney Powell (LUMCON) Instructors: Dr. Michael Dagg (LUMCON), Dr. Hongbin Liu (LUMCON) K–12 and Teacher Enrichment Center for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence Teacher/ Science Institute (3 graduate credits, LSU) Dates: June 12–17 Prerequisite: Science teacher of grades 5–9 Instructor: Dr. Jessica Kastler (LUMCON) Louisiana middle school teachers and marine scientists will spend several days immersed in field-based studies and lab work at LUMCON’s DeFelice Marine Center. Six sessions of online marine science coursework are required. LUMCON Estuarine Awareness and Discovery Camp (LEAD) Dates: July 31–August 6 Prerequisite: Student