SEA GRANT TIP SHEET - MAY 6, 1998
STUDY FINDS GROUP OF MARINE BACTERIA DOMINATE WATERS OFF SOUTHEASTERN U.S. COAST
Georgia Sea Grant researchers Mary Ann Moran and Jose Gonzalez have discovered that as much as 30 percent of the bacteria in the salty near-shore waters and estuaries of the Georgia coast belong to a single group named marine alpha bacteria.
"Right now, an important goal in marine microbiology is understanding the connection between the structure of bacterial communities and their ecological function," said Moran. "We are studying a group of bacteria that are closely related but which may be very diverse functionally."
The bacteria could also have future applications in industry. At least one of the newly discovered bacteria in the group (Sagittula stellata) could have potential uses in the pulp and paper industry since it can break down lignin, the polymer that acts as a natural binder and support for cellulose fibers of woody plants.
With funding from Georgia Sea Grant and the National Science Foundation, Moran and Gonzalez designed a "probe" to seek out the 16S rRNA (ribosomal RNA) gene of marine alpha bacteria in seawater. The genes coding for rRNA are an essential component of the genetic material of all bacteria, but they vary enough to give each species a unique name tag. The researchers used the key rRNA gene to quantify just how abundant the marine alpha bacteria may be.
To be sure that the probe was correctly targeting marine alpha bacteria, Moran and Gonzalez used a technique called polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to greatly amplify the genetic sequences of the 16S rRNA genes, while at the same time successfully culturing the bacteria in low-nutrient seawater agar medium. The PCR technique confirmed their preliminary results.
"In addition to providing further evidence for the abundance of marine alpha bacteria in coastal seawater of the southeastern United States, successful culturing of bacteria from this group furnishes organisms for studies of the physiology and ecology of this important cluster," said Moran.
The researchers plan to continue to study the bacteria to better understand their role in the marine ecosystem as well as their potential industrial applications.
CONTACT: Mary Ann Moran, Georgia Sea Grant Researcher, (Athens, GA), (O) 706-542-6481; E-Mail: [email protected]
TEACHERS TO GAIN HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE AT INTERACTIVE EXOTIC SPECIES DAY CAMP
Loads of teacher resources will be invading one-day workshops being sponsored by the Great Lakes Sea Grant Network this spring and summer. The Exotic Species Day Camps for Educators will give upper elementary school classroom and nonformal educators the opportunity to learn about aquatic exotic species such as zebra mussels, round gobies, and purple loosestrife.
Through hands-on experience using various Sea Grant educational resource kits, CD-Roms, Internet resources, lake monitoring kits, and training packages, educators will explore the impact of these species on the natural world and on industrial and recreational water users. The teachers will then prepare a lesson plan on exotic aquatics which will be compiled into a collection of activities to be made available to schools throughout the country.
Day Camp attendees can use the new materials and skills developed at this workshop to help students become environmental stewards while possibly fulfilling state science education requirements.
"We will be providing hands-on experiences for attendees who are then required to share these new resources with their schools and outdoor environmental education centers through presentations and in-service workshops," said Robin Goettel, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant communications coordinator and a day camp facilitator.
Goettel and other Sea Grant educators and extension specialists from the Great Lakes region will be facilitating day camps at the following locations: University of Minnesota, Duluth, Minnesota, June 15; The Belle Isle Zoo and Aquarium, Detroit, Michigan, June 24; The John G. Shedd Aquarium, Chicago, Illinois, August 16.
CONTACT: Robin G. Goettel, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Communications Coordinator, (Urbana, IL), (O) 217-333-9448; E-Mail: [email protected]
WOMEN WHO CLAIM TITLE "FISHERMAN'S WIFE" MEET STRESS OF FISHING MARRIAGES BETTER
Long absences, safety concerns, and financial uncertainty go hand-in-hand with the commercial fishing industry and can make fishing marriages a particularly challenging endeavor.
Oregon Sea Grant researchers Anisa Zvonkovic, Susan Moon and Margaret Manoogian-O'Dell conducted a series of focus groups with wives of commercial fishermen as part of Oregon Sea Grant's "Adapting to Change" program. The program combines the efforts of researchers, who study the commercial fishing industry and its people, with Sea Grant Extension agents who work with fishing communities to develop and deliver information that can help them better understand and deal with the effects of change.
Through their discussions, Zvonkovic and colleagues found that women's early notions of the "fishing life" seemed romantic, yet fraught with worries about their husbands' safety, family finances, and the uncertainties of the industry. Because of husbands' frequent absences, couples experienced unique challenges in child-rearing consistency as they made the transition into parenthood.
The researchers discovered that as marriages progressed, women who claimed the title of "Fisherman's Wife" felt more comfortable managing their households and businesses. Wives can help claim this title, the researchers say, by recognizing the need to make important family decisions in the absence of their husbands and involving themselves in aspects of the fishing industry, such as fishing family support groups or fishing safety advocacy groups. As a result, they are able to adjust to change and develop positive strategies for coping with the difficulties of their marriages.
To help couples deal with the demands of these marriages, Zvonkovic and her colleagues have written a publication containing tips for coping with the phases of marriage, from the early years to becoming parents and rearing children.
CONTACT: Anisa Zvonkovic, Oregon Sea Grant Researcher, (Corvallis, OR), (O) 541-737-1087; E-mail: [email protected]
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