Research fellow: Christopher Anderson
Hometown: Johnston, RI
School: Community College of Rhode Island
Major: Biotechnology
Mentors: Marta Gomez-Chiarri (URI), Lindsay Green (URI), David Rowley (URI)
Project: Allelopathic effects of macroalgae on shellfish larvae in RI under current and projected sea surface temperatures

This summer, Rhode Island NSF EPSCoR awarded 36 Summer Undergraduate Research Fellows (SURFs) an intensive, 10-week opportunity to conduct hands-on research, learn and refine lab and fieldwork techniques, and develop professional skills.

For Chris Anderson, the experience has been as elemental as learning how to correctly use a microscope and as exciting as carrying out hands-on research for the first time.

“We’re seeing how the chemicals from Ulva rigida and Ulva compressa affect oyster larvae, which one might have a harmful impact,” explains Anderson. “We’re also actually seeing how the water affects the behavior of the oyster larvae, how fast they swim and how they interact.”

The project outcome could hold far-reaching implications for Rhode Island’s shellfish industry as macroalgal blooms increase worldwide, with projections of heightened frequency and severity due to climate change.

In the water with U. rigida, Anderson says, the oyster larvae behave calmly and relaxed, staying at the bottom, whereas the larvae in water with U. compressa swim around and move more: “We’re trying to figure out if there is a chemical component to that difference.”

The project outcome could hold far-reaching implications for Rhode Island’s shellfish industry as macroalgal blooms increase worldwide, with projections of heightened frequency and severity due to climate change. The project also looks at the effect of warming sea surface temperature on the susceptibility of shellfish larvae to the chemicals given off by the Ulva.

Beyond the science, the project provides critical opportunities for professional development. The undergraduate researchers have to work independently with good organizational skills and embrace the unpredictable scheduling posed by lab and fieldwork. Anderson says he learned how to take care of the algae and maintain the shellfish larvae along with collecting seaweed and conducting field tests.

The newfound skills and experience will be helpful for Anderson as he pursues his interest in the pharmaceutical field, with a focus on animals. He says, “I like to see how things affect animals, how with this project the different types of algae affects the oyster larvae.”

Story and photo by Amy Dunkle