Northern Gulf Institute
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Sharon Hodge
Gulf of Mexico Research Initiatives (GRI/BP) -- Proposal Development
Reference: June 14, 2010 Letter from Robert Dudley, BP Exploration & Production Inc.(BP Requirements &
Understandings) for the GRI request for immediate research on fate and effects of oil on ecosystems (attached)
Submit to NGI Program Office in MSWord at program.office@ngi.msstate.edu no later than July 16, 2010
Project Lead: Linda M. Hooper-Bùi, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, 404 Life Science
Building, Baton Rouge, La 70808, 225-578-7149 Lhooper@agcenter.lsu.edu
Title of Proposal: Ants as bioindicators of multi-stressors on beaches and foredunes of the
northern Gulf of Mexico
Period of Performance of Research:
Start: Nov 16, 2010
End: December 31, 2011
Funding Request Level: $___17,702_______
Themes and Goals Addressed by Proposed Research (enter “1” for primary emphasis and “2” for all
secondary emphasis areas):
NGI Themes:
1
NGI Theme #1: Ecosystem-based management;
NGI Theme #2: Geospatial data/information and visualization in environmental science;
NGI Theme #3: Climate change and climate variability effects on regional ecosystems;
2
NGI Theme #4: Coastal hazards and resiliency
NOAA Strategic Goals:
1
Strategic Goal #1: Protect, restore, and manage the use of coastal and ocean resources
through an ecosystem approach to management;
Strategic Goal #2: Understand climate variability and change to enhance society’s ability
to plan and respond;
Strategic Goal #3: Serve society’s needs for weather and water information;
Strategic Goal #4: Support the Nation’s commerce with information for safe, efficient, and
environmentally sound transportation;
Strategic Goal #5: Provide critical support for NOAA’s mission
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Sharon Hodge
Gulf of Mexico Alliance Priority Issues:
Water Quality
1
Habitat Conservation and Restoration
1
Ecosystem Integration and Assessment
Nutrients and Nutrient Impacts
2
Coastal Community Resilience
Environmental Education
Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative Themes:
1
1
Physical distribution, dispersion and dilution of contaminants under the action of ocean
currents and tropical storms;
Chemical evolution and biological degradation of the oil/dispersant systems and
subsequent interaction with the marine and coastal ecosystems;
Environmental effects of the oil/dispersant system on the sea floor, water column, coastal
waters, shallow water habitats, wetlands, and beach sediments, and the science of
ecosystem recovery
Technology developments for improved mitigation, detection, characterization and
remediation of oil spills;
Fundamental scientific research integrating results from the other four themes in the
context of public health.
Proposal Abstract: Description of research to be conducted (limit to 500 words).
On April 20, 2010 the drilling rig Deepwater Horizon exploded and sank two days later. This
opened an oil gusher in the Gulf of Mexico 41 miles southeast of the coast of Louisiana. Late in
the day on April 29, 2010, the first oil made landfall at Louisiana's "bird's foot" delta and barrier
marshes. Crude oil, dispersed oil, dispersants, and degraded oil in the form of poly aromatic
hydrocarbons have continued to wash ashore throughout the marshes and sandy beaches of
the northern Gulf of Mexico. We predict that arthropods, which are a cornerstone of the
coastal food web, will be valuable indicators of the effect of these multi-stressors on the
ecosystem health. This catastrophe is, therefore, an opportunity to test Petchey et al.’s (2004)
conclusion that “species are lost from higher trophic levels more frequently than lower trophic
levels” and also the subset model first described by Ellison et al (2002). Hooper-Bùi, in
collaboration with Gene Turner and Laurie Anderson, obtained funding for an NSF Rapid
proposal to investigate the effects of multi-stressors on marsh food webs in the northern Gulf
of Mexico. This study is a companion study where Hooper-Bùi proposes to examine ant
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diversity and abundance in response to multi-stressors on sandy beaches and foredunes in the
northern Gulf of Mexico. The twelve species of ants in this study have representatives at higher
and lower portions of the coastal food web. Ants are easily and inexpensively sampled.
We will sample ant diversity and abundance on a large transect that extends from Texas
to peninsular Florida. This transect was set up and sampled prior to oil landfall. At 13 locations
along this transect, smaller transects will be sampled on the beach, the foredune and the
hollow behind the foredune. We will determine diversity and abundance from ant collections
using quadrat sampling and hand collecting. The ants will be identified and stored in the
Louisiana State Arthropod Museum with duplicate collections in LMHB’s laboratory ant
collection. A Ph.D. student, Xuan Chen, will conduct the work with the help of undergraduate
student workers. All the students work closely under the direction of the PI. The PI also teaches
Insect Ecology in spring at LSU and will incorporate the experiences and results of this research
in her classroom teaching and field trips. Outcomes are expected to be disseminated through
the primary scientific literature and through the oil spill community of practice on
eXtension.org.
Methodology: Provide details and background of work to be conducted. (limit to 10 pages).
Background
The explosion and subsequent collapse of the drilling rig Deepwater Horizon presents an
opportunity to look at the effects of multi-stressors on ant communities along the coast of the
Northern Gulf of Mexico. While repercussions of this disaster, such as loss of vertebrate life and
impact on several states’ seafood industries, are obvious to us, there is a major dearth in
research over the smallest land-based organisms affected by this disaster. Soil-dwelling
invertebrate species are extremely important contributors to and indicators of ecosystem
health. As crude oil washes onto land, creatures such as ants are directly impacted. Because
ants are intimately associated with the soil, they can serve as indicators of the presence of
oil, dispersants, dispersed oil, and poly aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) — which are termed
stressors in this proposal — during oiling. Ants also are good representatives for measuring the
affect of the cleanup process on the ecosystem and also the extent of the cleanup. Because of
their cryptic yet immense biomass and subsequent ecological dominance, ants are one of the
most important invertebrate taxa in terrestrial ecosystems (Alonso and Agosti 2000, and
Hölldobler and Wilson 1990). Ants are ubiquitous and easy to collect and identify; ants can be
sampled rapidly. The diversity of ants in a community is a good indicator of the diversity of
other invertebrate species (Alonso 2000, Lawton et al. 1998, Majer 1983). Because of this, they
are inexpensive, ideal subjects for ecological studies.
Ants are unsung aids that feed and distribute coastal plant life. They cycle nutrients into
the soil and make them biologically available for plants (Lafleur et al. 2005). Harvester ants
process seeds and “plant” them; the activities of these ants are often vital for plant survival. In
turn, invertebrates such as ants, serve as food for vertebrates such as birds, lizards and frogs in
the coastal ecosystem. Ants, which often inhabit multiple trophic levels, reside in close
association to the soil and its contaminants. This allows their communities strength as sensitive
indicators of ecotoxicity (Faulkner and Lochmiller 2000).
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Ants are considered good indicators of biotic/habitat conditions (Andersen 1997,
Blinova 2008). Ants serve as soil tillers; they have the ability to increase nutrient and mineral
content in a variety of soils, particularly in wetlands (Doyle and Otte 1997). Their digging
aerates soil and allows for accumulation of elements such as iron and zinc (Doyle and Otte
1997).
In coastal ecosystems, ants are often intimately associated with plants. We have found
that acrobat ants (Crematogaster ashmeadi) make their nests in stems of Spartina alternaflora
in marshes. Although ants nest in the soil on beaches, ants are rarely seen on the soil but rather
on the plants presumably because of extreme insolation. In the coastal ecosystem associated
with the northern Gulf of Mexico, ants serve not only as an indicator of soil health, but also as
an indicator of plant health.
Stressors, such as those arising from hydrocarbon (HC) spills, can have dramatic, visible,
and immediate direct impacts on coastal ecosystems due to the physical and toxic effects on
organisms. Indirect effects also arise because, as HCs begin to degrade, toxic compounds enter
food webs via primary consumers and subsequently make their way into the ant fauna.
Although there have been numerous spills that affect coastal environments, no one has
examined the effects of oil, other associated pollutants, and cleanup efforts on the
invertebrates that inhabit the banks and shores associated with oil spills in North America.
Harrell (1985) examined the effect of oil contamination on macrobenthos in Texas. He
determined that oil contamination leads to water parasites and other invasive species such as
bloodworms and blind mosquitoes (Harrell 1985). Ko and Day (2004) examined the effect of
Gulf oil and gas exploration and extractions on coastal ecosystems but did not mention ants.
They documented that damage to microorganisms leads to potential rises in nitrates, which in
turn can lead to plant die-off, nutrient imbalances, and unsafe water conditions (Ko and Day
2004). Any similar events would be detected in our study of the ants.
Furthermore, research on the effects of oil contamination of soil on ground-dwelling
arthropods is sparse. Faulkner and Lochmiller (2000) surveyed abandoned oil refineries, and
they conclude that the oil significantly alters arthropod species assemblages. Manaus,
Amazonas, Brazil has a history of oil and sewage issues; Cururu and Bom Jardim streams have
suffered heavy impact (Couceiro et al 2007). Affected streams and associated land areas had
lower invertebrate abundance and fewer edaphic (soil dwelling) invertebrate communities
(Couceiro et al 2007). Ants and other arthropods that cannot escape oil pollution have strong
likelihood of asphyxiation (Ambethgar 2009). Recolonization of existing species may be delayed
(Decker and Fleeger 1984).
In the past eight months we have collected more than 12 species of ants in the coastal
areas of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida (Table 1). These species represent
different portions of the food web. Crematogaster or acrobat ants have a plant-based diet
(honeydew, nectar, plant sap) that is supplemented by meats. Dorymyrmex, or the pyramid
ants, are solely predacious, particularly on other ants. Another predacious ant is Cardiocondyla,
which will cut up larger insects before bringing them back to the nest (Wilson 1959). Both
Forelius (cheese ants) and the invasive Solenopsis invicta (fire ants) are catholic in their tastes as
they will eat just about anything and are representatives of species high in the coastal food
web. Pogonomyrmex, the harvester ants, have a diet that is dominated by the seeds of nearby
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plants; they will supplement their diet with insects. Pogonomyrmex and Crematogaster
represent species that are lower in the food web.
Table 1. Preliminary list of ant species from coastal northern Gulf of Mexico.
Ants
Louisiana
Mississippi Alabama
Crematogaster ashmeadi
X
X
X
Dorymyrmex sp 1
X
X
X
Dorymyrmex sp 2
X
Brachymyrmex patagonicus
X
X
X
Brachymymex depilis
X
Cardiocondyla nr. sp. nuda
X
X
Pogonomyrmex badius
X
Solenopsis invicta
X
X
X
Forelius sp 1
X
X
X
Forelius sp 2
X
X
Forelius sp 3
X
X
Forelius sp 4
X
X
Florida
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Both Solenopsis and Pogonomyrmex are predicted to be the most sensitive ants to
multi-stressors. Fire ants extensively excavate the soil, and they would be the ant species that
would have the most exposure to toxins in the soil. Their huge colonies would be impacted by
the reduction in available food sources. Because of their invasive, resilient habits, fire ants are
also likely to be the species most likely to re-infest the area. The harvester ants, on the other
hand, are susceptible to environmental toxins and are least likely to rebound. Markin et al.
(1974a) conducted a study of the fire ant bait (insecticide) Mirex on Cat Island south of Gulfport
and found that three years after the final application, the ant had been eradicated and no new
colonies had been discovered on the island. Interestingly, five other species of ants,
Conomyrma insana (Buckley) (which is now Dorymyrmex), Iridomyrmex pruinosus (Roger)
(which is now Forelius), Crematogaster clara (Mayr), and two species of Camponotus, appeared
not to have been affected immediately after and three years after treatment (Markin et al.
1974a). Markin et al. (1974b) also reported the total extirpations of Pogonomyrmex badius
from Washington Parish in eastern Louisiana due to Mirex applications for fire ants. Starting in
1999, LMHB searched for these ants and rediscovered the harvester ants in the area in 2008
more than 30 years after they were reported extirpated (Dash and Hooper-Bùi 2008). This leads
to our hypothesis that Dorymyrmex, Forelius, and Crematogaster are likely to be less affected
by multi-stressors than Solenopsis and Pogonomyrmex.
Hypotheses:
•Dorymyrmex, Forelius, and Crematogaster are likely to be less affected by multistressors than Solenopsis and Pogonomyrmex;
•Ants inhabiting beaches and foredunes will be a subset of the generalist ants found in
surrounding marshes and forests (Ellison et al 2002);
•Species turnover is an accurate indicator of long-term health of the plant community
that precedes obvious changes in the above- and belowground biomass. We predict
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species turnover will be greater as stressors increase;
•Stressor effect on species turnover will be strongly associated with trophic level and
specific life history traits of the ants, particularly level of soil excavation.
•Invasive species that specialize in disturbed areas will increase
Research Methods
This study will be undertaken in state parks and/or uninhabited coastal areas along the
northern Gulf of Mexico because these places suffer fewer disturbances. Last fall, we began an
intensive study of ants in coastal areas in preparations for our continued work on the effects of
hurricanes and storm surge on ant fauna. In May, we established a coastal transect from Texas
to peninsular Florida prior to oil landfall. Subsequent sampling will measure the changes in ant
diversity and abundance. At each location, we will place a 40 meter transect on the beach, one
parallel transect on the foredune, and another parallel transect the hollow behind foredune.
Ants will be collected along all transects using two methods: quadrat sampling and hand
collecting.
Quadrat sampling. Five to 10 metal quadrats (60cm x 60cm) will be located on each
transect at 10 meters intervals. Since the ants are associated with the plants on the beach, the
nearest plant to the point on the transect will serve as the center of the quadrat. The quadrat is
made of metal flashing 26cm in width formed into a square. The sides of the quadrat will be
coated with Teflon which prevents the ants from climbing out and escaping. The quadrat will be
pressed into the sand and all the ants inside are quickly collected by aspirator and then
transferred to bottles with 95% ethanol. Temperature, humidity, vegetation cover, plant height
will be measured at each quadrat. Representative plants will be collected, pressed, and
identified to determine plant species composition.
Hand collecting. Direct sampling will consist of a visual search and capture of ants
foraging on the ground or plants for about half an hour in and around each transect after
quadrat sampling. Ants will be collected by aspirator or forceps and stored in bottles with 95%
ethanol.
Identification. Ants are identified to genus using Bolton (1994). All ants in the study will
be indentified to species using the appropriate keys from the literature. LMHB and the
Louisiana State Arthropod Museum have an extensive reference ant collection to which
specimens can be compared. Specimens that are unique will be verified by taxonomy
specialists.
We expect this project to generate data that will be leveraged for additional multiyear funding. This is a long-term project.
References
Alonso, L.E. 2000. Ants as indicators of diversity. Pp. 80—88, In D. Agosti, J.D. Majer, L.E.
Alonso, and T.R. Schultz (Eds.). Ants: Standard Methods for Measuring and Monitoring
Biodiversity. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. 248 pp.
Alonso, L.E., and Agosti, D. 2000. Biodiversity studies, monitoring, and ants: an overview. Pp.
1—8, In D. Agosti, J.D. Majer, L.E. Alonso, and T.R. Schultz (Eds.). Ants: Standard
Methods for Measuring and Monitoring Biodiversity. Smithsonian Institution Press,
Washington, DC. 248 pp.
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Ambethgar, V. 2009. Potential of entomopathogenic fungi in insecticide resistance
management (IRM): a review. J. Biopest. 2(2): 177-193.
Andersen, A.N. 1997. Using ants as bioindicators: Multiscale issues in ant community ecology.
Conservation Ecology 1: 8.
Blinova, S.V. 2008. Changes in ant assemblages under conditions of a large industrial center.
Russian J. Ecology 39(2): 148-150.
Bolton, B. 1994. Identification Guide to the Ant Genera of the World. Harvard University
Press. Harvard College, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Couceiro, S.R.M., Hamada, N., Ferreira, R.L.M., Forsberg, B.R., and da Silva, J.O. 2007.
Domestic sewage and oil spills in streams: effects on edaphic invertebrates in flooded
forest, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil. Water Air Soil Pollut. 180: 249-259.
Dash, S.T and L.M. Hooper-Bùi . (2008) Species diversity of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in
Louisiana. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 101:6, 1056-1066
Decker, C.J. and Fleeger, J.W. 1984. The effect of crude oil on the colonization of meiofauna
into salt marsh sediments. Hydrobiologia 118: 49-58.
Dyle, M.O. and Otte, M.L. 1997. Organism-induced accumulation of iron, zinc, and arsenic in
wetland soils. Environ. Pollut. 96: 1-11.
Ellison, A.M., Farnsworth, E.J., & Gotelli, N.J. 2002. Ant diversity in pitcher-plant bogs of
Massachusetts. Northeast Nat. 9: 267-284.
Faulkner, B.C., and Lochmiller, R.L. 2000. Increased abundance of terrestrial isopod
populations in terrestrial ecosystems contaminated with petrochemical wastes. Arch.
Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 39: 86–90.
Harrell, R.C. 1985. Effects of a crude oil spill on water quality and macrobenthos of a southeast
Texas stream. Hydrobiologia 124: 223-228.
Holldobler, B., & Wilson, E.O. 1990. The Ants. Belknap Press, Harvard University Press.
Cambridge, Massachusetts. 738 pp.
Ko, J.Y. and Day, J.W. 2004. A review of ecological impacts of oil and gas development on
coastal ecosystems in the Mississippi Delta. Ocean Coastal Mgmt. 47: 597-623.
Lafleur, B., Hooper-Bùi, L.M., Mumma, E.P., & Geaghan, J.P. 2005. Soil fertility and plant
growth in soils from pine forests and plantations: effect of invasive red imported fire
ants Solenopsis invicta (Buren.) Pedobiologia 49: 415-423.
Lawton, J.H., Bifnell, D.E., Bolton, B., Blowmers, G.F., Eggleton,P., Hammond, P.M., Hodda, M.,
Holt, R.D., Larsen, T.B., Mawdsley, N.A., Stork, N.E., Srivastava, D.S., & Watt, A.D. 1998.
Biodiversity inventories, indicator taxa and effects of habitat modificationin tropical
forest. Nature 391:72—76.
Majer, J.D. 1983. Ants: bio-indicators of minesite rehabilitation, land-use, and land
conservation. Environmental Management 7:375—385.
Markin, G.P., Collins, H.L., & Spence, J.H. 1974a. Residues of the insecticide Mirex following
aerial treatment of Cat Island. Bull. Environ. Contam. Tox. 12(2): 233-240.
Markin, G.P., J. O'Neal, and H.L. Collins. 1974b. Effects of Mirex on the general ant fauna of a
treated area in Louisiana. Environmental Entomology. Vol 3 (6):895-898.
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Petchey, O. L., A. L. Downing, G. G. Mittelbach, L. Persson, C. F. Steiner, P. H. Warren and G.
Woodard. 2004. Species loss and the structure and functioning of multitrophic aquatic
systems. Oikos 104: 467-478.
Wilson, E.O. 1959. Communication by tandem running in the ant genus Cardiocondyla. Psyche
66(3): 29-34.
Milestones:
June 2010: Established the following locations as research sites and sampled ahead of oil
landfall using quadrant sampling and hand collection.
Florida:
Grayton Beach State Park: 30°19´30”N, 86°09´19”W
St Andrews State Park: 30°07´44”N, 85°44´25”W
St Joseph Peninsula State Park: 29°51´26”N, 85°24´52”W
Alabama:
Gulf State Park: 30°14´59”N, 87°39´54”W
Louisiana:
Grand Isle State Park: 29°16´02”N, 89°57´00”W
Rutherford’s Beach: 29°45°23”N, 93°06´35”W
Port Fourchon: 29°06´08”N, 90°11´15”N
Mea’s Beach: 29°44´58”N, 93°40´03”N
Processed samples from Grayton Beach State Park, St. Andrews State Park, St. Joseph Peninsula
State Park, Gulf State Park, Grand Isle State Park, and Rutherford’s beach.
July 2010: Established the following locations as research sites and sampled ahead of oil landfall
using quadrat sampling and hand collection.
Mississippi:
Near Graveline Bay: 30°21´28”N, 88°40´40”W
End of Lake Mars Ave: 30°21´43”N, 88°45´45”W
Processed samples from Port Fourchon, Mea’s Beach, Near Graveline Bay, and End of Lake
Mars Ave.
August 2010: Established the following locations as research sites and sampled ahead of
predicted landfall using quadrat sampling and hand collection.
Alabama:
South of Bayou La Batre: 30°22´49”N, 88°15´48”W
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Louisiana:
Beach West of Grand Isle State Park: 29°10´29”N, 90°04´34”N
Texas:
Texas Point National Wildlife Refuge: 29°40´57”N, 93°58´35”W
Process samples from South of Bayou la Batre, Beach West of Grand Isle State Park, and Texas
Point National Wildlife Refuge.
April - Sept 2011: Revisit research sites visited in 2010. Sample using quadrat sampling and
hand collection. Process samples once collection is complete.
September 2011: Process samples. Begin analyzing data and writing paper. Begin writing longterm research grant.
October 2011: Process samples and continue analyzing data and writing paper. Continue grant
writing.
November 2011: Process samples and continue analyzing data and writing paper.
December 2011: Complete paper and prepare to submit for publication. Prepare presentation
based on findings and present a talk at a national meeting.
Field Locations associated with research: As specific as possible, if applicable.
Florida:
Grayton Beach State park: 30°19´30”N, 86°09´19”W
St Andrews State Park: 30°07´44”N, 85°44´25”W
St Joseph Peninsula State Park: 29°51´26”N, 85°24´52”W
Alabama:
Gulf State Park: 30°14´59”N, 87°39´54”W
South of Bayou La Batre: 30°22´49”N, 88°15´48”W
Mississippi:
Near Graveline Bay: 30°21´28”N, 88°40´40”W
End of Lake Mars Ave: 30°21´43”N, 88°45´45”W
Louisiana:
Grand Isle State Park: 29°16´02”N, 89°57´00”W
Rutherford’s Beach: 29°45°23”N, 93°06´35”W
Port Fourchon: 29°06´08”N, 90°11´15”N
Mea’s Beach: 29°44´58”N, 93°40´03”N
Beach a little west of Grand Isle State Park: 29°10´29”N, 90°04´34”N
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Texas:
Texas Point National Wildlife Refuge: 29°40´57”N, 93°58´35”W
Deliverables: Monthly status reports will be provided by teleconference (Project Lead or designee of
record must participate). Final Project report will be due on February15, 2011. Copies of or links to
project-related publications must be included.
The PI will make herself available for monthly conferences and will respond to
appropriate FAQ from the public on the oil spill portal on eXtension.org, where she currently
serves as an expert in the fire ant community of practice. Xuan Chen is currently working on a
small publication on the ants of coastal dunes and the results from this research on the effect
of multi-stressors on ants will be published in appropriate journals. In December, Xuan Chen
will prepare presentation based on findings and present a talk at the National Entomological
Society of America meeting in San Diego, Ca. The PI will submit the final project report in
February 2012.
Education and Outreach: List students funded by the project on the budget by name, if known (or
title/education level). Describe other outreach planned.
The PI teaches classes where the results of this study will be incorporated and serve to
shape educational activities on- and off-campus. Hooper-Bùi teaches Insect Ecology to graduate
and undergraduate students from numerous departments (e.g., Entomology: Biology,
Agronomy, Plant Pathology, History, Psychology, Philosophy, Horticulture, and Renewable
Natural Resources). She will incorporate information gained from this research into her
lectures on experimental design and ecological disturbance in her Insect Ecology class, and will
develop a new lecture for Insect Ecology on multi-stressors and their effects on ants. She is
active in providing research opportunities for minorities in science; currently she is mentoring a
McNair scholar. She is involved in the public information portal eXtension
(http://about.extension.org/blog) and will likely serve as an expert on the oil spill page.
Training of graduate students is incorporated into the research whenever possible. A
Ph.D. student, Xuan Chen, and an undergraduate student assisted in all aspects of the initial
field sampling of an NSF-funded companion project in May 2010. This included sampling ants
and other insects, vegetation, mollusks, water, and sediments in the marsh. Another
undergraduate, Daniel O’Brien, gained valuable experience in sample processing, data
management and data security. The data from the initial field sampling allowed Xuan Chen to
finalize his choice of field sites associated with this proposal under the guidance of the PI. Xuan
will continue to conduct or assist in all aspects of field sampling while both Xuan and Dr.
Hooper-Bui will mentor Daniel O’Brien who will continue to process samples and help manage
the data collected. Xuan Chen identifies all ant specimens collected with occasional assistance
from a research associate or the PI. He will help to expand Daniel O’Brien’s basic
understanding of ant morphology into an understanding of ant taxonomy throughout the life of
the project. Xuan will also mentor another undergraduate student worker, Onyinye Osisioma,
who has displayed a burgeoning talent for taxonomy in previous work with the lab.
This project also has numerous opportunities for media outreach. Hooper-Bùi has been
interviewed by a reporter with the New York Times regarding the effects of the oil on
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arthropods and has been a scientific resource for Discovery Channel and Animal Planet. Animal
Planet will film her research during Summer 2010.
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Budget:
GoM Research Initiative (BP) Project Spending Plan
Project Title:
Project Lead:
Nov 16, 2010-Dec 31, 2011
I. Salaries
$2,916
1a Rachel Strecker
8%
$2,916
$35,000
1b Senior Personnel
0%
$0
$0
1c Graduate Student
0%
$0
II. Fringe Benefits
$0
2a 1a-1b Senior Personnel
@
36.00%
$1,050
2b 1c Students
@
0.00%
$0
2c Tuition, Fees, and Insurance
$0 month
$0
III. Travel
$5,500
IV. Commodities/Supplies
$2,500
publications
500
V. Equipment
VI. Contractuals
$0
VII. Subcontracts
0
$0
$12,466
Total Direct Costs
Modified Total Direct Costs
$12,466
Indirect Costs
42%
Total Costs
$5,236
$17,702
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Budget Justification:
Salaries and Wages: $2,916
We request funds in the amount of $2,916 to cover a Research Associate’s salary from
November 16, 2010 to December 31, 2011. The Research Associate will supervise a student
worker, prepare for and plan field expeditions, and conduct field work as directed by the PI.
Fringe Benefits: $1,050
We request the sum of $1,050 for fringe benefits relating to the Research Associate’s salary. This
figure represents 36% of the requested salary.
Travel: $5,500
Support for travel to field sites is requested. Because of the field sites’ distance from the Baton
Rouge ant laboratory and the fact that much collecting of data may need to be done early in the
morning and/or early evening hours when the ants are active, funding for lodging is requested
in the amount of $2,000. At least two individuals will be working on the project at a given time.
Researchers of the same gender will share accommodations when possible; however, those of
different genders will have separate hotel rooms. The southeast Gulf Coast sites will likely
require a one-night stay. Because the work requires over-night stays, per diem in the amount of
$1,000 is requested at the official state reimbursement rates for in state travel. We also request
$2,500 to cover the costs of sending two researchers to a national meeting to present their
findings.
Supplies: $2,500
We request funds for supplies to conduct the activities described in the research objective.
Specifically, gas which is predicted to be $3.00 per gallon is included. We estimate our required
minimum thirteen trips throughout the Gulf Coast with a cost of $150 per round trip in gas. For
these trips we request $1,950. Our trips are broken down on a state by state level. The sites we
will visit in each state are as follows:
Florida:
Grayton Beach State park: 30°19´30”N, 86°09´19”W
St Andrews State Park: 30°07´44”N, 85°44´25”W
St Joseph Peninsula State Park: 29°51´26”N, 85°24´52”W
Alabama:
Gulf State Park: 30°14´59”N, 87°39´54”W
South of Bayou La Batre: 30°22´49”N, 88°15´48”W
Mississippi:
Near Graveline Bay: 30°21´28”N, 88°40´40”W
End of Lake Mars Ave: 30°21´43”N, 88°45´45”W
Louisiana:
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Northern Gulf Institute
Building 1103, Room 233
Stennis Space Cent er, MS 39529
228.688.3099
Sharon Hodge
Grand Isle State Park: 29°16´02”N, 89°57´00”W
Rutherford’s Beach: 29°45°23”N, 93°06´35”W
Port Fourchon: 29°06´08”N, 90°11´15”N
Mea’s Beach: 29°44´58”N, 93°40´03”N
Beach a little west of Grand Isle State Park: 29°10´29”N, 90°04´34”N
Texas:
Texas point National Wildlife Refuge: 29°40´57”N, 93°58´35”W
We also request funds in the amount of $550 for, but not limited to: traps and food for ant bait,
water and Gatorade for individuals working in the hot sun; and specimen collection and storage
supplies such as ethanol, scintillation vials, archival pens, card stock, and vial storage.
Other: $500
We request funds in the amount of $500 to cover the costs of publishing our findings in a major
journal.
Facilities and Administrative Costs: $5,236
At the rate of 42% MTDC.
Total: $17,702
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