Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons™
Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 1 - 9 of 9
Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics
The Importance Of Processing And Understanding Bacteriophages, Alexandra Greco, Emily Bishop, Emma Hofseth, Kelsi Phelps
The Importance Of Processing And Understanding Bacteriophages, Alexandra Greco, Emily Bishop, Emma Hofseth, Kelsi Phelps
Undergraduate Research Competition
There are many bacteria that are increasingly becoming antibiotic resistant resulting in a new prevalent medical issue. Bacteriophages are evolutionary virus weapons that infect and fight against these infectious bacteria that give rise to Bacteriophages the most abundant biological entity found in nature, outnumbering all life combined, with a total estimated population of 1031. As part of BIOL 302L - Phage Discovery, we focused on identifying phages from individually collected soil samples found regionally in South Carolina. Through a series of experiments, we were able to identify and amplify two newly discovered phages that infect Mycobacterium Smegmatis following the protocols …
Telling Their Story: Identifying Stranded Bottlenose Dolphins Using Dorsal Fin Photo-Identification To Match Known Individuals, Grace Richa
Undergraduate Research Competition
Bottlenose dolphins are protected and managed under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. When dolphins die (strand), researchers investigate the cause of death, but additional information regarding past experience and distribution can help to identify long-term exposure to pathogens and threats. The objective of this study is to use dorsal fin photo-identification to identify stranded bottlenose dolphins by matching them to known individuals from historical CCU research survey data. Photos from vessel-based surveys in Cape Romain, Murrells Inlet, Winyah Bay, and North Inlet, SC were sorted, cropped, and compared to existing fins in the CCU catalog using finFindR, a photo processing …
Identifying Overwash Layers In Marsh Sediment, Charles Mina
Identifying Overwash Layers In Marsh Sediment, Charles Mina
Undergraduate Research Competition
Hurricanes have become one of the most researched topics in recent years, due to their damage costs and their uncertain correlations with climate change. Much of the research for this topic has come from direct interaction with storms, such as damage reports and land surveys. However, there is a gap in the historical record of hurricanes, as most historical record is only written. These records can be biased and are too short of a record to identify a pattern of climate change. Grain size analysis, where sizes of sediment grains are measured, can be used to identify the storm events …
Comparative Analysis Of Implementing Solar Energy In South Carolina, Paige Huntzberry, Jo Whitney
Comparative Analysis Of Implementing Solar Energy In South Carolina, Paige Huntzberry, Jo Whitney
Undergraduate Research Competition
Solar energy is becoming an increasingly popular method of providing energy to homes and businesses all over the world. Converting to solar energy is a huge step in reducing our carbon footprint, a driving force of global climate change. While this type of energy production provides an eco-friendly approach to power, requiring minimal maintenance and virtually no additional infrastructure, many are still opposed to the implementation due to financial reservations. The aim of this project is to design a solar array for installation on a building at the Medical University of South Carolina, providing a cost effective and practical approach …
The Impact Of Prc Language Policies On Minority Languages Of China, Margaret Shoop
The Impact Of Prc Language Policies On Minority Languages Of China, Margaret Shoop
Undergraduate Research Competition
While language is often used as a tool to bring people together and celebrate differences, language can also be weaponized and used to suppress minority groups of people. There are over three hundred unique languages and dialects spoken in Mainland China, with Mandarin Chinese being the most widely spoken of the languages. Mandarin is the official state language of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), and it is also the primary language taught in schools across the country. Despite official Chinese policy of teaching Mandarin Chinese alongside local dialects, Mandarin is favored over minority languages. The unequal emphasis on Mandarin …
Seasonal Fluctuation Of Nutrients That Lead To Microcystis Bloom Development In Wall Pond, Coastal Carolina University, Alyssa Antolak
Seasonal Fluctuation Of Nutrients That Lead To Microcystis Bloom Development In Wall Pond, Coastal Carolina University, Alyssa Antolak
Undergraduate Research Competition
The harmful cyanobacteria Microcystis globally dominates eutrophic freshwater systems. Eutrophication leading to nitrogen and phosphorus loading into aquatic systems is increasing bloom propagation and shifting diatom/dinoflagellate dominated systems to cyanobacteria dominated systems. Understanding seasonal variability and environmental parameters combined with nutrient loading will allow for better understanding of what factors are influencing Microcystis blooms. Biweekly plankton samples, environmental parameters, and nutrients were collected from Wall Pond from spring 2022-spring 2023. Nitrogen and phosphate limitation was examined by performing seasonal nutrient limitation experiments. Early results show that yearly plankton samples shifted from diatom dominated in the late summer-early fall to Microcystis …
Investigating Temporal Groundwater Interactions Between A Barrier Island And High Marsh Environment, Dean Wrobel
Investigating Temporal Groundwater Interactions Between A Barrier Island And High Marsh Environment, Dean Wrobel
Undergraduate Research Competition
Saltmarsh hydrogeology can be characterized as exceptionally dynamic, with a diversity of pore water salinities, sediment porosities, and varied hydrologic inputs and outputs such as groundwater, precipitation, and tidal cycles. Of the studies done in these systems, much attention has been focused on the low marsh with regard to tidal pumping and the consequent horizontal pressure gradients which affect the subsurface hydraulic head. Perhaps, an equally dynamic boundary is expected at the groundwater interface of the barrier island and high marsh. Here, electrical resistivity tomograms were generated in a back-barrier, high-marsh site landward of Waties Island, South Carolina. Co-located transects …
Microplastic Concentration Analysis Of The Atlantic Sand Fiddler Crab (Leptuca Pugilator) In Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, Caroline Conner
Microplastic Concentration Analysis Of The Atlantic Sand Fiddler Crab (Leptuca Pugilator) In Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, Caroline Conner
Undergraduate Research Competition
Microplastics pose a great threat to the natural environment, a threat not aided by their increasing abundance in marine waters. To assess how this is affecting our local area, I examined the microplastic concentration in fiddler crabs, a keystone species in intertidal zones, from two marsh systems in Murrells Inlet. The quantity, color, and type of microplastic found were recorded from each of the 120 crabs sampled. This information is revelant not only in monitoring the health of a species that plays a major role in nutrient recycling and prevention of anoxic conditions, but also as a caution to us. …
What Lives On Offshore Artificial Reefs In South Carolina? An Analysis Of Epifaunal Reef Communities And How They Vary With Reef Age, Sydney Madden
What Lives On Offshore Artificial Reefs In South Carolina? An Analysis Of Epifaunal Reef Communities And How They Vary With Reef Age, Sydney Madden
Undergraduate Research Competition
Artificial reef structures have been deployed across the coast of South Carolina in an effort to increase fish habitat and provide other ecosystem services. There are approximately 45 artificial reef systems established by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) over several decades. The hard structure—frequently composed of concrete, old boats, or other structures—forms unique high relief hard-bottom habitat in the otherwise largely low relief coastal shelf. Currently, there is little published on the species composition of the epifaunal communities in this region, how much biomass they support, and how they develop over time. We studied two established artificial …