Research fellow: Nicholas Letarte
Hometown: Montgomery County, MD
School: University of Rhode Island
Major: Marine Biology
Mentors: Ashley Hogan, Serena Moseman-Valtierra
Project: Impacts of nitrogen and warming on shellfish pathogens and nitrogen cycling

Senior Nicholas Letarte is getting a firsthand look at what happens to oysters when they are subjected to the stressors of climate change, particularly warmer water temperatures and increased levels of nitrogen.

By filtering pollutants, including nitrogen rich nutrients flushed out by septic systems and fertilized land, oysters play an important role in keeping Rhode Island waters clean. Oyster health also carries a significant price tag as a key product in the Ocean State’s shellfish industry.

“The question is,” Letarte says, “How will they react when placed under certain stressors?”

To help find out, he is spending his RI EPSCoR Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) experience investigating the impacts of warming and nitrogen loading on the health of oysters and their role in nitrogen cycling. By exposing the shellfish to increased levels of nitrogen and warmer water, the Moseman-Valtierra lab project gauges how heightened environmental stress affects the oysters’ output of greenhouse gasses and whether it makes them more susceptible to disease.

The SURF program also provides undergraduate students with the opportunity to conduct their own research and present their findings at the annual SURF Conference, which takes place this year on Friday, July 29. For his project, Letarte set out to test the growth of oysters when exposed to heightened levels of nutrients. He placed buckets of oysters out in the field — three control and three exposed to more nutrients — and has been testing to see whether and how oyster growth is affected.

Having been involved with various research projects on campus since his sophomore year, Letarte says he sought out the SURF experience to engage with mentors and participate in the scientific rigor offered.

“SURF has given me the chance to work with a lot of intelligent people,” he says. “They have good ideas and good insight. And, they ask me what I think.”

Next up for Letarte, who will graduate Fall 2016, is applying to graduate schools and a path that leads somewhere in the medical field.

Story and photo by Amy Dunkle