Sapelo Research Application Form
Research Application ID: GCE-135-2024 (submitted: 05/03/2024, status: approved)
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Predicting Thermal Performance of Littoraria irrorata in Salt Marshes
Investigator Information
On Island Sponsor: GCE SINERR UGAMI GADNR
| Principal Investigator: | Gbenga Demehin | ||
| Home Institution: | University of Georgia | ||
| Award Information: | GCE-LTER sub-award for biomimic project and thermal responses of marsh organisms (NSF, subaward to Osenberg: $145,000) | ||
| Mailing Address: | Odum School of Ecology | Phone Number: | |
| University of Georgia | E-mail Address: | Gbenga.Demehin@uga.edu | |
| Athens, Georgia 30602 | |||
| Co-investigators: | Craig W. Osenberg (University of Georgia) | ||
Briefly describe the project goals and methodology
he overall research plan is designed to:
1) characterize thermal environments in the marsh (by using biomimics);
2) to investigate the thermal performance of L. irrorata in different microhabitats of the salt marsh; and
3) to use that information to explain among year variation in snail dynamics.
This field portion of the project focuses on measuring the survival of snails in different marsh microhabitats subject to different thermal regimes.
Field Study
Cohorts of similarly sized snails will be confined to different marsh microhabitats using cages (mesh size 0.635 cm) and mortality will be monitored daily for 21 days. Cages will also contain biomimics to record temperatures experienced by the snails
Small cages (5 cm (height) x 30 cm x 30 cm) will be centered at 3 heights in the marsh;
Level 1: At the sediment surface
Level 2: 10 cm above ground
Level 3: 20 cm above ground
A large cage (30 cm x 30 cm x 30 cm) will allow snails to move among the microhabitats, spanning from the sediments to 30 cm above the sediments.
Cages will be constructed of ¼" hardware cloth and secured in place using PVC pipes. Cages will be placed amongst Spartina in Airport Marsh (near 31 o 25.344'N 81o17.466'W). Spartina will project through the cage (to provide food and substrate for the snails).
50 snails (~20mm shell height) will be added to each cage. There will be 3 replicate cages per treatment. Snails will be checked daily over the course of the experiment, mortality and the location of living snails will be recorded. At the end of the experiment, surviving snails will be released and the study will be repeated. Cages will be removed at the conclusion of the study. At several times over the course of the experiment, snails in the large cages will be surveys at various times over the tidal cycle to note their height within the cage.
Preliminary Lab Experiments (In Sapelo)
I am also planning to carry out preliminary laboratory studies to help me plan more extensive lab studies on the Athens campus (see below). I will evaluate methods for doing laboratory studies that quantify survival as functions of constant and variable temperatures . I anticipate using up to 100 snails and determining the best methods to assess survival and time to death.
Lab experiments in Athens, GA
I also will return to UGA with ~1000 adult snails (~20mm) for a large lab experiment that I will initiate in August or September. I will expose snails to 10 temperature treatments: (25oC 30oC 35oC 40oC 45oC 50oC 55oC) and three varying temperatures (25-55o, 30-50oC, and 35-45oC) using temperature-controlled incubators. This experiment will be repeated 3 times between August and December, 2024.
Where will the project be located?
The field experiment will be located in Airport Marsh, Sapelo Island. The exact location will be determined based upon a field survey, but we anticipate it will be within 200 m of 31 o 25.344'N, 81o17.466'W and will not be placed in the footprint of any other ongoing study.
How will you provide GPS coordinates for study sites?
I will provide a spreadsheet containing GPS coordinates for my study sites
What are the expected start and end dates of the project?
Start Date: 06/02/2024 End Date: 08/31/2024
How many people will access the site and at what frequency?
1-2 people daily
Keywords that describe your project
What equipment will be deployed in the field?
Cages (metal mesh with PVC Pipes) with attached temperature sensors (biomimics and Hobos).
Will plants or animals be collected as part of this study?
Yes. 1) L. irrorata will be collected and placed in the cages; 2) L. irrorata will be collected and used for preliminary lab assessment in Sapelo; 3) L. irrorata also will be collected and returned to the Athens UGA campus for use in laboratory experiments.
What are the likely impacts of the project on the site?
L.irrorata is a very abundant invertebrate in the marsh, so we anticipate no deleterious effects by collecting several thousand snails. Cages will have a small footprint, which also should have minimal effects. The major (albeit small) effect is likely to be disturbance to the marsh surface due to walking through the marsh.
Will the project design include boardwalks? If not, explain why not.
How long will impacts persist after the research is concluded?
Cages will be removed after the experiment, footprints should disappear within weeks of the conclusion of the study.
