1. 4TH ANNUAL ECKERD COLLEGE STUDENT RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM
MARCH 23, 2011 – SHEEN SCIENCE COMPLEX
SESSION A: 1:30 – 3:20 P. M., Oral Presentations, Sheen Science Auditorium
SESSION B: 1:40 – 2:40 P. M., Poster Presentations (B1-13), Sheen Science Auditorium Lobby
SESSION C: 2:50 – 3:50 P. M., Poster Presentations (C1-14), Sheen Science Auditorium Lobby
Session A:
1:30 P.M. Opening Remarks, Laura Wetzel, Associate Professor of Marine Science & Chair, Natural Sciences
Collegium
1:40 P.M. HOME RANGE MODELING OF RESIDENT BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS (TURSIOPS
TRUNCATUS) IN BOCA CIEGA AND TAMPA BAY, FLORIDA
McCallister, K. A., S. Gowans, E. Forys, R. S. Wells
1:55 P.M. PHOTOGRAPHIC IDENTIFICATION OF WEST FLORIDA SHELF BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS
TURSIOPS TRUNCATUS
Olson, G., P. Simard, S. Gowans, D. Mann
2:10 P.M. SCREENING THE CELLULAR IMPACT OF NATURAL PRODUCT POLYPHENOLS ON
REACTIVE OXYGEN INDUCED STRESS IN CAENORHABDITIS ELEGANS
Kyle, S., D. Flaherty
2:25 P.M. THE MANIPULATION OF CONSCIOUSNESS THROUGH RHYTHM IN T. S. ELIOT’S DRAMAS
Ormiston, L.
2:50 P.M. PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSIS OF PERINEREIS USING MOLECULAR MARKERS
Matt, G., Y. Sun
3:05 P.M. THE DEVELOPMENT OF HETEROGENEOUS CATALYSTS ON MESOPOROUS SUPPORT
SYSTEMS FOR BIOFUEL SYNTHESIS
McKenney, M., Y. Hangun-Balkir
Session B:
B1: DETECTING STORM EVENTS IN THE SEDIMENTARY RECORD: CHARLOTTE HARBOR, FL
Colombo, L., G. Brooks
B2: REVERSE ENGINEERING AND MODIFICATION OF A GAMMA SCAN SYSTEM: A UNIQUE HIGH
PRECISION, NON-DESTRUCTIVE TECHNIQUE FOR RADIOMETRIC SEDIMENT AGE DATING
Browning, T. N., G. R. Brooks
B3: THE DISAPPEARING ACT: USING NICKEL AND VANADIUM TO TRACE CRUDE OIL FROM
DEEPWATER HORIZON SPILL
Roeder, T., D. Hastings, K. Quinn, G. Brooks, R. Larson
B4: DETERMINATION OF TEMPERATURE CALIBRATION FOR BENTHIC FORAMINIFERA:
METHODS
Loomis, S., D. Hastings
B5: GEOGRAPHIC VARIATION IN INTER-SPECIFIC HYBRIDIZATION BETWEEN TWO SPECIES OF
PACIFIC CORALS
Tan, M. H. Y., C. Prada, M. E. Hellberg
B6: MTORC1 & 2 SIGNALING IN MERLIN POSITIVE MENINGIOMA CELLS
O’Donoghue, Z., M. F. James, E. Stivison, V. Ramesh

2. B7: CHARACTERIZATION OF TWO MUTATIONS IN THE MCOLN1 GENE FOUND IN
MUCOLIPIDOSIS TYPE 4 PATIENTS WITH PRESERVED NEUROLOGIC FUNCTIONS
Van Woudenberg, L., Y. Grischuk, C. Curcio-Morelli, S. A. Slaugenhaupt
B8: ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF FRACTIONS OF PINECONE EXTRACT
Steffen, J., G. Bradley, P. Maciejczyk
B9: BIOCHEMICAL EVIDENCE OF ENDOCANNABINOID SIGNALING IN THE CEPHALOCHORDATE
LANCELET, BRANCHIOSTOMA FLORIDAE.
Newman, K., C. Riggs, G. Gerdeman
B10: CREATING A BRAIN CDNA LIBRARY FROM DASYATIS SABINA: A STEP TOWARD
CHARACTERIZING AN ENDOCANNABINOID RECEPTOR IN AN ELASMOBRANCH FISH
Riggs, C., K. Newman, G. Gerdeman
B11: GENETIC STRUCTURE OF ATLANTIC AND GULF POPULATIONS OF DUSKY PIPEFISH
SYNGNATHUS FLORIDAE IN FLORIDA
Tan, M. H. Y., C. E. Michael, H. S. Shapiro, R. E. Little, II, K. J. Mack, L. B. Van Woudenberg, S. Denison,
W. A. Szelistowski
B12: SALT MARSH RESTORATION: USING LARVAL PARASITES AS BIO INDICATORS OF ECOSYSTEM
HEALTH
Schlosser, A., B. Belgrad, B. Bizub, S. Kelly, C. Ohlsen, N. Smith
B13: GENETIC SIMILARITIES OF FLORIDA AND GEORGIA POPULATIONS OF GULF PIPEFISH,
SYNGNATHUS SCOVELLI
Mack, K., Z. Means, J. Bennett, K. Roth, Z. O’Donoghue, W. Szelistowski
Session C:
C1: THE DISTRIBUTION CHARACTERISTICS OF PYRITE IN SOUTH CHINA SEA SEDIMENTS AND
ITS RELATION TO METHANE GAS HYDRATES
McGee, M.
C2: THE DISTRIBUTION CONCENTRATION OF ORGANOCHLORINE POLLUTANTS IN THE GULF
OF TONKIN, CHINA
Gianotti, A. J., D. S. Duncan
C3: INVESTIGATION OF THE OSMOSENSING MECHANISMS IN THE GILL EPITHELIA OF
ANGUILLA JAPONICA
Burkhardt, S., C. Wong
C4: OBSERVATION OF SPAWNING BEHAVIORS AND ANALYSIS OF SEX PHEROMONES IN CHINESE
BLACK SLEEPER
Winston, B., W. Hong
C5: BENTHIC SPACE UTILIZATION AND STRUCTURE OF A HIGH LATITUDE CORAL COMMUNITY
Sternberg, S. A., J. Qiu, D. Duncan
C6: ASSESSMENT OF THE LIMITATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH RADIOMETRIC AGE DATING
Valente, A.
C7: DEVELOPMENTAL AND NEUROLOGICAL EFFECTS OF EMBRYONIC EXPOSURE TO COMMON
PESTICIDES AND PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS IN ZEBRAFISH (DANIO RERIO)
Battey, T., S. San Francisco, S. Nichols, D. B. Flaherty
C8: THE EFFECT BOAT PRESENCE HAS ON DOLPHIN ACOUSTIC BEHAVIOR
Capra, B., A, Sosnowski, P. Simard, S. Gowans, D, Mann
C9: DIET OF ROOFTOP NESTING LEAST TERNS

3. Krajcik, K., A. Poppema-Bannon, W. A. Szelistowski, E. Forys
C10: ECKERD COLLEGE’S 2010 GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS INVENTORY
Bollier, E., A. Ormsby
C11: EMOTIONAL, COGNITIVE, AND BEHAVIORAL RESPONSES TO INFIDELITY
Lutfi-Proctor, D., M. Sanfilippo
C12: ANTE MORTEM DENTAL CHIPPING IN THE PREHISTORIC INHABITANTS OF CARRIACOU
(WEST INDIES)
Heller, A., S. Burnett
C13: CHEMICALLY-MEDIATED RHEOTAXIS IN THE MARINE HERMIT CRAB PAGURUS
MACLAUGHLINAE
Tate, B., J. Cohen
C14: AFFECTS OF COMMONLY USED PESTICIDES AND ANTI-BACTERIAL AGENTS ON THE
NEUROLOGICAL FUNCTION OF C. ELEGANS
Dwyer, C. J., D. B. Flaherty, A. S. Zeifman, L. Maryoung, A. C. Kaudy, M. R. Swope
Session A
1:30 – 3:20 P.M., Oral Presentations, Sheen Science Auditorium
1:40 P.M. HOME RANGE MODELING OF RESIDENT BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS (TURSIOPS
TRUNCATUS) IN BOCA CIEGA AND TAMPA BAY, FLORIDA
Kimberly A. McCallister, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
Shannon Gowans, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
Elizabeth Forys, Eckerd College, Biology Discipline
Randall S. Wells, Chicago Zoological Society c/o Mote Marine Laboratory
Home ranges of three resident bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) were studied in Boca Ciega and Tampa Bays,
southwest Florida. Boat-photo identification surveys were conducted with the Eckerd College Dolphin Project from
June 1993 to July 2010 in approximately 408 km2 of inshore and coastal waters. From a total of 722 catalogued
individuals, three females were selected for home range analysis. Only individuals with 100+ sightings were selected for
home range analysis, as earlier studies on bottlenose dolphins indicated that using fewer sightings tended to
underestimate home range size. Each of these females had more than 100 sightings over the 18 year study; no males met
these requirements. The three females were CUPD (106 sightings between 1997 and 2010), DMBK (105 sightings over
between 1988 and 2010), and HAMR (134 sightings between 1993 and 2010). Additional sighting data for these
individuals prior to 1993 was obtained from the Sarasota Dolphin Research Project catalogue. Sightings were plotted and
analyzed in a Geographic Information Systems (ArcGIS) using the ‘Home Range Tools’ extension to perform minimum
convex polygon (MCP) and fixed kernel density (FKD) estimations of home range area. Total home range size for each
female will be compared to their total home range during years with a documented young of year (YOY) to determine
potential nursery habitat extents and their population implications.
1:55 P.M. PHOTOGRAPHIC IDENTIFICATION OF WEST FLORIDA SHELF BOTTLENOSE
DOLPHINS TURSIOPS TRUNCATUS
Grace Olson, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
Peter Simard, University of South Florida, College of Marine Science
Shannon Gowans, Eckerd College, Marine Science and Biology Discipline
David Mann, University of South Florida, College of Marine Science
The method of photographic identification for marine mammals has been an effective way to identify individuals and
monitor movement and distribution. Little information is known about bottlenose dolphins that are found in the
offshore “Gulf” region of the West Florida Shelf. From 2008 through 2010 the Dolphin Ecology Vocalization and
Oceanography Project at the University of Southern Florida conducted 23 days of field research over the West Florida
Shelf in the Gulf of Mexico. Photographic identification data was collected of bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus,
resulting in 6920 photographs. For each field day, the photographs were graded for photograph quality (5=excellent

4. quality, 1=not identifiable) and dorsal fin distinctiveness (1=very distinct markings, 3=subtle marks). The photographs
of sufficient quality (>4) and distinctive features (1 or 2) were examined by eye to identify individuals, which were
assigned a temporary identification. A total of 123 individual were observed and identified. Of these 123 dolphins, 96
were found to be easily identifiable and were imported into the software program DARWIN (Digital Analysis and
Recognition of Whale Images on a Network) to create a new offshore bottlenose dolphin catalog. This program was
designed at Eckerd College to assist in the analysis and matching of dolphin dorsal fins. Each identified photo was added
individually to the program and compared to the existing dolphins in the catalog to verify any re-sights of individuals.
One dolphin re-sight was recorded, where an individual was sighted on July 21, 2008 and on July 23, 2008. Future work
will compare the catalog of the dolphins identified in this study that were found in “Gulf” region of the West Florida
Shelf to pre-existing catalogs such as the Eckerd College Dolphin Project (ECDP) catalog and the Sarasota Dolphin
Research Project catalog.
2:10 P.M. SCREENING THE CELLULAR IMPACT OF NATURAL PRODUCT
POLYPHENOLS ON REACTIVE OXYGEN INDUCED STRESS IN CAENORHABDITIS
ELEGANS
Stephanie Kyle, Eckerd College, Biology Discipline
Denise Flaherty, Eckerd College, Biology Discipline
The ‘free radical theory of ageing’ speculates that reactive oxygen radicals accumulate in cells and can result in a pattern
of cumulative cell damage. These reactive oxygen species can be generated exogenously or produced intracellularly
during cellular respiration and metabolism, and especially during electron transport. Increased levels of oxidant-damaged
nuclear and mitochondrial DNA causes an accumulation of mutations and therefore, oxidative damage is considered an
essential factor in tumorigenesis, inflammation, and age-related and neurological diseases. As early as 2,500 years ago,
Hippocrates professed “our food should be our medicine; our medicine should be our food.” Polyphenolic compounds
derived from natural food and beverage sources such as berries and tea leaves have long been thought (and some
proven) to have anti-oxidant capabilities that provide benefits to human health. With the plethora of natural sources, and
the abundance of polyphenolic compounds that can be extracted from each source, scientists yearn for simple screening
models to determine the efficacy and toxicity of these compounds in vivo. We have proved, through this in vivo study
that polyphenols possess antioxidant properties that protect against reactive oxygen induced stress by quantifying the
activation of a heat shock protein, hsp-16.2, which drives transcription of a transgenic green fluorescent protein (GFP).
2:25 P.M. THE MANIPULATION OF CONSCIOUSNESS THROUGH RHYTHM IN T. S. ELIOT’S
DRAMAS
Laurel Ormiston, Eckerd College, Literature Discipline
T. S. Eliot completed a doctoral dissertation on the idealism of F. H. Bradley in 1916. Bradley’s epistemology involved
dividing consciousness (awareness) into three stages, a topic which Jewel Spears Brooker discusses in Mastery and Escape:
T. S. Eliot and the Dialectic of Modernism. Dr. Brooker relates this epistemology to Eliot’s poems, such as “Gerontion.” My
paper examines the ways in which Eliot’s absorption of Bradley’s thought is reflected in his plays, both in the
dramaturgy and the content.
In analyzing the musical structure of Eliot’s lines in the fragmentary Sweeney Agonistes and in his complete drama
The Cocktail Party, I discovered “beats” which evoke responses in the audience to particular aspects of time: the present,
near and ancient past. I am convinced that Eliot was aware of these levels of consciousness and orchestrated them
through “beats,” thus shaping audience awareness through rhythm. Beats include sound patterns, metatheatre, and
temporal references in the dialogue. My working thesis is that Eliot allows the audience to experience multiple tiers of
consciousness through including aural and imagistic patterns that allude to the present moment, near past, and the
ancient world in his poetic dramas. In addition to Dr. Brooker’s work, I draw from the work of other Eliot scholars
including Randy Malamud, David Chinitz, and David Banks. Other assessed sources include Eliot’s own prose writings
such as “Poetry and Drama,” along with Director E. Martin Browne’s memories of producing Eliot’s dramas, The
Making of T. S. Eliot’s Plays.
2:50 P.M. PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSIS OF PERINEREIS USING MOLECULAR MARKERS
Gretchen Matt, Eckerd College, Biology Discipline
Yanan Sun, Hong Kong Baptist University, Biology Discipline
Nereididae, commonly known as rag worms, are a broadly distributed marine benthic Polychaete family. The genus Perinereis
is an economically important source for fishing bait, culturing, and edible purposes (Rouse and Pleijel, 2001). Perinereis
can be morphologically distinguished through variations in the denticles, known as paragnaths, in the oral and maxillary
rings of the pharynx. A phylogeny of four species of Perinereis was determined based on molecular data. Two subspecies
of P. cultrifera and an unknown potential subspecies were also analyzed. Mitochondrial DNA, mtDNA, was used to

5. determine evolutionary phylogenetic relationships. The mitochondrial protein coding cytochrome c oxidase subunit I
(cox1) and cob genes were compared between the individuals.
3:05 P.M. THE DEVELOPMENT OF HETEROGENEOUS CATALYSTS ON MESOPOROUS SUPPORT
SYSTEMS FOR BIOFUEL SYNTHESIS
Megan McKenney, Eckerd College. Chemistry Discipline
Yelda Hangun-Balkir, Eckerd College, Chemistry Discipline
The predicted shortage of fossil fuels and related environmental concerns has attracted significant attention to the issues
concerning the conversion of biomass into fuels. First generation biodiesel, produced by the transesterfication of
vegetable oils, can still use improvement and further development. Considering our current agricultural and industrial
production capacities, we are best represented by sustainable vegetable oil/animal fat based biodiesel. The best approach
to improve the production of biodiesel is to develop an environmentally benign catalyst system that will selectively
increase the biofuel yield. In this study, several metals were employed as heterogeneous catalysts on solid mesoporous
zeolite nanomaterials in order to reduce the amount of waste produced in the biodiesel reaction. The catalysts were
utilized in the synthesis of biodiesel by both traditional method and microwave reactions. The next step will be
synthesizing the bio aviation fuel, JP-8, a kerosene based product.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Session B
1:40 – 2:40 P.M., Poster Presentations (B1 – 13), Sheen Science Auditorium Lobby
B1: DETECTING STORM EVENTS IN THE SEDIMENTARY RECORD: CHARLOTTE HARBOR, FL
Leah Colombo, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
Gregg Brooks, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
Throughout the past decade, it has become popular to place responsibility of short-term increases in storm frequency
and intensity on human induced climate change, even though the natural variability of the system during pre-human
times has been largely ignored. The purpose of this project is to determine if texture and composition can be used as a
sedimentologic “signature” of storm events. If so, this sedimentological signature can be used to determine the natural
variability of storm frequency and intensity during pre-human times. Sediment texture and composition, along with high
resolution (annual scale) dating, was determined on cm-scale core samples from Charlotte Harbor, FL. to correlate
events in the sedimentary record with recorded historical rain/storm events. Charlotte Harbor, located along the
southwest gulf coast of Florida has two main sources of water and sediment: the Peace River and the Gulf of Mexico.
Therefore, it should be possible to differentiate sediments input from intense rainfall events (Peace River) and from
marine over wash events (Gulf of Mexico) that would likely occur with the close passage of a tropical cyclone. Results
showed the Peace River being the main source for sediment input into Charlotte Harbor. Marine sediments (carbonates)
did not reflect historical storm events, while historic Peace River flow rates strongly corresponded with land-derived
sediments (mud and organic content). This project is still a work in progress and further research will help determine if
sediment texture and composition can serve as reliable indicators of storm events.
B2: REVERSE ENGINEERING AND MODIFICATION OF A GAMMA SCAN
SYSTEM: A UNIQUE HIGH PRECISION, NON-DESTRUCTIVE TECHNIQUE FOR
RADIOMETRIC SEDIMENT AGE DATING
Trevor N. Browning, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
Gregg R. Brooks, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
Initially developed by the NOAA Great Lakes Laboratory in 1988, the “Gamma Scan System” was a collection of
instruments that could scan samples for radioactivity. From 1988 until 1995, the instrument was perfected and given full
automatic locomotion so that it could non-destructively scan samples and operate completely on its own. The
instrument has been gifted to Eckerd College: however, it has not been in working condition since 1995. This past
summer the device was “reverse engineered” due to the lack of any written instructions. It consists of a platform, or
carriage, that moves vertically as well as horizontally. When fully operational there will be either a sodium iodide detector
or a germanium detector scanning for gamma emissions. The detector portion is run through a series of amplifiers and
pulsers, before reaching a computer, which generates a spectrum of activities for a variety of radioisotopes. The beauty
of this instrument is that it can scan multiple samples with excellent precision without any human interaction. Originally
designed by a physicist and only the second of its kind in the world, it was originally used for bioturbation studies on
worms. We intend to modify the instrument for use as a non-destructive technique for sub millimeter-scale sampling of

6. sediment cores. Presently the device has full locomotion capabilities, but it is still a work in progress to get the
radioactive scanning online.
B3: THE DISAPPEARING ACT: USING NICKEL AND VANADIUM TO TRACE CRUDE OIL FROM
DEEPWATER HORIZON SPILL
Tara Roeder, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
David Hastings, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
Kelly Quinn, University of South Florida, College of Marine Science
Gregg Brooks, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
Rebekka Larson, University of South Florida, College of Marine Science
Crude oil is known to have significant enrichments of trace metals including nickel and vanadium. When the oil
degrades, trace metals are not affected and either remain in the water column or enrich bottom sediments. Sediments
contaminated with oil will, therefore, show a positive trace metal enrichment. In this way, elements such as nickel and
vanadium can be used as tracers for oil contamination even after the oil has degraded.
Oil from the Macondo well was digested in a microwave with concentrated nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide.
The resulting solution was analyzed via inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Our results showed the crude oil
is enriched in nickel, vanadium, and cobalt, with concentrations of 0.86 ppm, 2.76 ppm, and 0.084 ppm, respectively.
Using this data, marine sediments can be analyzed to trace the presence of crude oil, even after degradation.
Sediments collected from the Gulf of Mexico in November 2010 were freeze-dried and digested in a
microwave with concentrated nitric acid. Samples were analyzed by ICP-MS to determine the enrichment of Ni, V, and
Co.
B4: DETERMINATION OF TEMPERATURE CALIBRATION FOR BENTHIC FORAMINIFERA:
METHODS
Samantha Loomis, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
David Hastings, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
Foraminifera are commonly used as a paleoceanographic proxy for the temperature and salinity of the water in which
they have lived. The Mg/Ca ratio of their calcium carbonate shell is known to indicate the water temperature when the
organism was living. Records of Mg/Ca for the species Ammonia beccarii in several cores exist; however, there is not yet a
calibration for this species, commonly found in estuarine sediments. The objective of theses methods is to determine the
effects of temperature on the Mg/Ca ratio of Ammonia beccarii. Culturing these organisms in the laboratory at different
temperatures would allow us to determine this relationship. A culture experiment was set up, however, has not yet been
carried out due to difficulties in obtaining sufficient live samples. A new calibration could be applied to Ammonia beccarii
fossilized in sediment cores to constrain past seawater temperatures and identify past climate changes in Central Florida.
B5: GEOGRAPHIC VARIATION IN INTER-SPECIFIC HYBRIDIZATION BETWEEN TWO SPECIES
OF PACIFIC CORALS
Maxine Hui Yan Tan, Eckerd College Marine Science Discipline
Carlos Prada, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, Biological Sciences Discipline
Michael E. Hellberg, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, Biological Sciences Discipline
Corals form the framework of modern reefs, which have been declining in population and diversity worldwide.
Interspecific hybridization may lead to an increased rate of coral evolution and genetic diversity of populations and coral
populations at the edge of species distributions have appeared particularly susceptible to hybridization. Two species of
massive corals, Porites lobata and P. evermanni, distributed throughout the Pacific were examined through processing
genetic multi-locus chromosomal data from populations in Hawaii and the eastern Pacific to assess the amount of intra-
and interspecific gene flow. Using the Isolation with Migration model, it was determined that genetic exchange between
P. lobata and P. evermanni at the edge of their distributions in the eastern Pacific exceeds that among populations closer to
the center of the species’ distributions in Hawaii. This introgressive hybridization increases both genetic diversity and
effective population sizes in both species in the eastern Pacific. Hence, coral conservation efforts should protect these
peripheral populations, as rather than being dead ends of a species, they provide the means to enlarge the genetic
diversity of the species and thus increase its ability to adapt to environmental change.
B6: MTORC1 & 2 SIGNALING IN MERLIN POSITIVE MENINGIOMA CELLS
Zoe O’Donoghue, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
Marianne F. James, Massachusetts General Hospital, Center for Human Genetic Research
Elizabeth Stivison, Massachusetts General Hospital, Center for Human Genetic Research
Vijaya Ramesh, Massachusetts General Hospital, Center for Human Genetic Research

7. Meningiomas are tumor cells that form from the arachnoid cell layer of the human brain. About half of these are the
result of a biallelic deletion on the Neurofibromatosis 2 (NF2) gene on chromosome 22. The NF2 gene codes for a
tumor suppressor protein called merlin. Merlin is a novel negative regulator to the mTORC1 & 2 cell signaling pathways,
thereby acting to control meningioma cell growth. There are some meningioma cells that do express merlin, and an
alternative missing growth regulation mechanism has yet to be determined for these cells. Tissue culture of seven
meningioma and two arachnoid cell lines was carried out to produce cellular lysates. The proteins from these lysates
were resolved via western blot gel electrophoresis and detected with modified antibodies. Preliminary protein analysis
results indicate that, similarly to merlin deficient meningiomas, merlin expressing meningiomas have active mTORC1 &
2 pathways. Further testing is needed to replicate these results though this may indicate that another suppressor(s) is
failing to act in this pathway.
B7: CHARACTERIZATION OF TWO MUTATIONS IN THE MCOLN1 GENE FOUND IN
MUCOLIPIDOSIS TYPE 4 PATIENTS WITH PRESERVED NEUROLOGIC FUNCTIONS
Lauren Van Woudenberg, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
Yulia Grischuk, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Center for Human Genetic Research
Cyntia Curcio-Morelli, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Center for Human Genetic
Research
Susan A. Slaugenhaupt, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Center for Human Genetic
Research
Mucolipidosis Type IV is a neurodegenerative, lysosomal disease clinically characterized by psychomotor retardation,
visual impairment, and achlorhydria. At the cellular level, it is characterized by accumulation of lysosomal storage
materials due to impaired lysosomal function, which results in toxicity and cell death. In this study, we begin to
characterize two mutations that preserve neuronal function in the MCOLN1 gene, a.408 F, and c.1615 G. Both
mutations were detected in patients that do not have the typical neurological symptoms of MLIV, but present gastric
and ophthalmological abnormalities. Mutations a.408 F and c.1615 G were introduced in the MCOLN1 cDNA fused
to GFP using site-directed mutagenesis and subcloned into the lentiviral vectors. To study functional consequences of
mutant MCOLN1 variants in neuronal cells, we used a genetically precise neuronal cell model of MLIV derived from
cerebellar granule neurons of Mcoln1 knock-out mice pups. Efficient over expression of wild type and mutant
MCOLN1 variants was achieved in cerebellar Mcoln1-/- cells using lentiviral transduction. Intracellular localization of
the overexpressed proteins was assessed by laser scanning confocal microscopy. Lamp-1 staining showed that the two
different mutations result in different localization within the cell. Mutation a.408 F mimics the expression of normal,
functional Mcoln1 by co-localizing with a lysosomal marker Lamp1 (indicating proper targeting to lysosomal
compartments), whereas mutation c.1615 G resulted in altered intracellular distribution of MCOLN1. Further
experiments will aim to reveal the functional effects of a.408 F and c.1615 G mutant variants on the survival and
lysosomal storage in Mcoln1-/- neuronal cells.
B8: ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF FRACTIONS OF PINECONE EXTRACT
Jacqueline Steffen, Eckerd College, Biochemistry Discipline
Guy Bradley, Tampa Bay Research Institute
Polina Maciejczyk, Eckerd College, Chemistry Discipline
Pinecone Polyphenol Concentrate (PPC) is a polyphenol extracted from pinecones, which was traditionally used in Japan
for medical treatment. Recent in vivo results showed PPC has anti-tumor activity via promoting the formation of mature
dendritic immune cells and enhancing the production of memory T cells. Our research focused on determining the
structure of PPC and the pathway through which it acted. Literature suggests many polyphenols have antioxidant
activity, which can be measured through NFkB and CD40 expressions. Using 264.7 RAW and DC 2.4 cells, markers
NFkB and CD40 were measured in PPC fragments as well as other antioxidants. Also, the stability of the antioxidant
activity in the PPC fractions was compared to other antioxidants in vitro and vivo. Our results showed no direct
correlation between the number of polyphenols and antioxidant activity. In addition, results showed the method in
which PPC is extracted also affected the antioxidant activity. These results suggest PPC is a more stable and has more
anti-tumor activity than other antioxidants.
B9: BIOCHEMICAL EVIDENCE OF ENDOCANNABINOID SIGNALING IN THE
CEPHALOCHORDATE LANCELET, BRANCHIOSTOMA FLORIDAE.
Kyle Newman, Eckerd College, Chemistry Discipline
Caitlin Riggs, Eckerd College, Biology Discipline
Gregory Gerdeman, Eckerd College, Biology Discipline

8. The past twenty years have born witness to an explosion of research and discovery in the field of cannabinoid
physiology. On a systems level, cannabinoids (phyto-, endo- or synthetic) are known to modulate a diversity of processes
both in the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral tissues, via actions on membrane bound cannabinoid (CB)
receptors expressed by target cells. Although several endogenous lipids are believed to bind and activate CB receptors,
the principal known endocannabinoid ligands are the arachidonic acid derivatives anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonyl
glycerol (2-AG). These signaling molecules, important for various homeostatic physiological processes, can be detected
and quantified in tissues using chromatography methods coupled to mass spectrometry (MS). Indeed, the presence of
AEA and 2-AG in tissues is indicative of an active endocannabinoid signaling system. In order to better understand the
evolutionary origins of endocannabinoid physiology, we are investigating AEA and 2-AG levels in the lancelet B. floridae,
also known as amphioxus, a model protochordate that occupies a key, basal position in the phylogeny of all vertebrates.
We have developed a quantitative assay using GC-MS instrumentation to measure endocannabinoids present in the lipid
profile of B. floridae. Preliminary results represent the first demonstration of AEA in a cephalochordate species. This
assay will also be of future use in analyzing endocannabinoid content in other model organisms.
B10: CREATING A BRAIN CDNA LIBRARY FROM DASYATIS SABINA: A STEP TOWARD
CHARACTERIZING AN ENDOCANNABINOID RECEPTOR IN AN ELASMOBRANCH FISH
Caitlin Riggs, Eckerd College, Biology Discipline
Kyle Newman, Eckerd College, Chemistry Discipline
Gregory Gerdeman, Eckerd College, Biology Discipline
The endocannabinoid system consists of a family of lipid signaling molecules and their associated receptors located in
the brain, adipose tissue, and other organ systems of the body. It is involved in a variety of physiological processes
playing an important role in regulating appetite, mood, pain sensation, learning, memory, motor activity, and endocrine
regulation. Since this system is implicated in such a diverse array of homeostatic functions, it is important to study from
an evolutionary and comparative perspective to better understand its origins and relations between different taxa. In
humans and other mammals, the cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) appears to be the most abundant G protein-coupled
receptor expressed in the brain, while the CB2 receptor is primarily localized to the immune system. Genes homologous
to the CB receptors in mammals have been identified in the sequenced genomes of bony fish and invertebrate
protochordates (sea squirt and amphioxus), but not in echinoderms (purple sea urchin) or protostomes, leading to the
idea that the CB receptors may have evolved particularly as a chordate innovation. Testing this hypothesis requires
investigating the presence and function of CB receptors in early vertebrates, yet the endocannabinoid system has yet to
be identified in cartilaginous fish. The current project focuses on characterizing novel CB1-like endocannabinoid
receptors in the Atlantic stingray (Dasyatis sabina), a euryhaline elasmobranch species native to coastal waters near Eckerd
College. Toward this end, a complementary DNA (cDNA) library was created from D. sabina brain tissue. The cDNA
library was constructed using isolated mRNA strands and reverse transcribing them back to DNA. These fragments
were then inserted into a bacterial host, which can later be probed for gene sequences indicative of a cannabinoid
receptor. Qualification of the 2 libraries created by means of restriction enzyme digestion revealed an average insert size
of 2.03 and 1.88 kilobases and 83.3 % and 92.1% recombination rate into the target plasmid. These results indicate that
the transformation was successful, and the cDNA library can be used to study the existence of CB1-like receptors and
other genes of interest.
B11: GENETIC STRUCTURE OF ATLANTIC AND GULF POPULATIONS OF DUSKY PIPEFISH
SYNGNATHUS FLORIDAE IN FLORIDA
Maxine Hui Yan Tan, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
Christine E. Michael, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
Hannah S. Shapiro, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
Robert E. Little, II, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
Kevin J. Mack, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
Lauren B. Van Woudenberg, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
Steve Denison, Eckerd College, Biology Discipline
William A. Szelistowski, Eckerd College, Biology & Marine Science Disciplines
Syngnathus floridae, dusky pipefish, lives in submerged aquatic vegetation along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts of North
America. Previous work using mitochondrial and microsatellite DNA suggests that Gulf (Texas, Florida) and mid-
Atlantic (North Carolina, Virginia) S. floridae populations exhibit regional variation in population structure. However, it is
unknown if these differences are due to separate Gulf vs. Atlantic populations, as has been found for many other species
including the sympatric Gulf pipefish S. scovelli, or if they simply reflect the disjunct nature of the distribution of S.
floridae, which is absent between mid-Florida and southern South Carolina. By examining mitochondrial control region
haplotypes of S. floridae collected from three sites along the western (Tampa Bay), southern (Florida Keys) and eastern

9. (Fort Pierce) coasts of Florida, we are analyzing differences in population structure to determine if this species has
separate Gulf and Atlantic stocks. Our initial findings will be presented. Results have implications for the population
genetics of organisms with life history traits favoring limited dispersal such as small, sedentary adults and a lack of
planktonic egg and larval stages.
B12: SALT MARSH RESTORATION: USING LARVAL PARASITES AS BIO INDICATORS OF
ECOSYSTEM HEALTH
Alec Schlosser, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
Benjamin Belgrad, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
Brian Bizub, Eckerd College, Biology Discipline
Seth Kelly, Eckerd College, Biology Discipline
Conner Ohlsen, Eckerd College, Biology Discipline
Nancy Smith, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
We conducted a field study using larval trematodes infecting the marine snail, Cerithidea scalariformis, to evaluate the health
of restored salt marshes in Tampa Bay, FL. Since trematodes require multiple hosts to complete their life cycle and are
transmitted trophically, these parasites may serve as useful bioindicators for assessing ecosystem health. As parasites are
important drivers of biodiversity, can affect host population dynamics and interspecific interactions, and influence
energy flow, we consider a healthy ecosystem to be one that is high in prevalence and rich in parasite diversity. We
compared trematode prevalence and diversity in populations of C. scalariformis in natural and restored salt marshes in
Tampa Bay from 2008 to 2010 to estimate the health of the restored marshes. Our results show that natural marshes
have a significantly higher prevalence (19.5%) and diversity (5.7 species) of larval trematodes than restored sites (7.2%
prevalence and 2.2 species). For marshes that were restored over 13 years ago, the prevalence and diversity of larval
trematodes is significantly higher than marshes restored more recently (< 5 years ago), suggesting that time since
restoration is important. Long-term data is needed to show if parasitism continues to increase in the restored sites to the
parasitism levels observed in natural marshes.
B13: GENETIC SIMILARITIES OF FLORIDA AND GEORGIA POPULATIONS OF GULF PIPEFISH,
SYNGNATHUS SCOVELLI
Kevin Mack, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
Zach Means, Eckerd College, Biology Discipline
Josh Bennett, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
Kim Roth, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
Zoe O’Donoghue, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
William Szelistowski, Eckerd College, Marine Science & Biology
Syngnathus scovelli, Gulf Pipefish, inhabit shallow seagrass beds from Brazil to the Atlantic coast of Florida. In addition, an
isolated population occurs in salt marsh habitats in northern Georgia’s Ogeechee River Estuary, the northernmost limit
of the species’ range. Populations in Florida are highly structured, with mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region
haplotype frequencies differing among locations in the Gulf, and strong genetic differences between Gulf and Atlantic.
fish from Georgia have been reported to differ from Florida fish in some meristic characters: however, it is unknown
whether this simply reflects temperature differences, or if the Georgia population is genetically distinct. We are using
mtDNA control region sequences to assess how S. scovelli from the Ogeechee River compare to those from Florida.
Results to date show that fish in Georgia share a haplotype with fish on Florida’s Atlantic coast. This suggests a lack of a
strong dispersal barrier between Florida and Georgia populations.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Session C
2:50 – 3:50 P.M., Poster Presentations (C1 – 14), Sheen Science Auditorium Lobby
C1: THE DISTRIBUTION CHARACTERISTICS OF PYRITE IN SOUTH CHINA SEA SEDIMENTS
AND ITS RELATION TO METHANE GAS HYDRATES
Michael McGee, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
The mineral pyrite (FeS2) is commonly found in offshore marine sediments. The genesis of pyrite occurs in the pore
waters of anoxic sediments as a byproduct of two main processes. The first of which is via sulfate reducing bacteria with
the reaction between sulfate and sedimentary organic matter. The second process is performed by methane oxidizing
archaea in the reaction of sulfate with methane. These processes occur during the anaerobic metabolism of organic
matter, with sulfate reduction taking place as the final step of organic matter oxidation before methane formation takes

10. place. In areas that experience methanogenesis, methane hydrates may form. These hydrates are created when methane
gas is trapped in ice crystals in low temperature, high-pressure environments, and are typically found along continental
margins. Between the pyrite that is formed via sulfate reduction, and later by methane oxidation, the abundance of this
mineral can be an effective indicator of the location in the sediment column where methane genesis is transpiring, and in
turn, where gas hydrates may occur. This study focused on three sediment cores taken from the South China Sea. For
each core, pyrite abundance was determined using a scanning electron microscope, and the percentages of total organic
carbon (TOC%) and dissolved sulfate (S%) in the sediment column were examined. It was determined that at the
interface between sulfate reduction and methane genesis, the highest level of TOC% and S% was observed, which
corresponded with the highest abundance of pyrite. This proved that pyrite distribution is a fast and effective tool in
methane prospecting, and is an efficient alternative to the methods that are more commonly used today.
C2: THE DISTRIBUTION CONCENTRATION OF ORGANOCHLORINE POLLUTANTS IN THE
GULF OF TONKIN, CHINA
Anthony James Gianotti, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
David S. Duncan, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
Cai Minggang, Xiamen University, Marine Science Discipline
Organochlorine pollutants (OCP’s) are a subset of persistent organic pollutants (POP’s) with characteristic structural
components including chlorinated aromatic ring structures. OCP’s are readily contributed to the aquatic environment
from anthropogenic sources via runoff. Concentrations of OCP’s in the hexachlorocyclohexane and
dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (HCH and DDT) classes were measured in 8 sediment samples collected in the Gulf of
Tonkin, China in August 2008. OCP’s were isolated via Soxhlet solid phase extraction and products analyzed using a gas
chromatograph with attached flame ionization detector. All forms of the target compounds -HCH, -HCH, -HCH,
-HCH, p-p’-DDT, p-p’-DDE, p-p’-DDD were analyzed in order to assess the level and decay stage of each
contaminant in the Gulf of Tonkin. HCH concentrations in sediments were 2.62-335.84 ng/g for -HCH, 0.2-230.2786
ng/g for -HCH, 1.4110-144.0020 ng/g for -HCH, 1.1038-232.6327 ng/g for -HCH. DDT concentrations in
sediments were 0.5913-19.4704 ng/g for p-p’-DDT, 1.1853-10.0558 ng/g for p-p’-DDE, and 0.2730-827.7846 ng/g for
p-p’-DDD. These data provide preliminary evidence for contamination of OCP’s in the Gulf of Tonkin and warrant
further, more comprehensive investigation.
C3: INVESTIGATION OF THE OSMOSENSING MECHANISMS IN THE GILL EPITHELIA OF
ANGUILLA JAPONICA
Stephanie Burkhardt, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
Chris Wong, Hong Kong Baptist University
Cell volume regulation is a fundamental cellular process that is found in all organisms. This cellular process is not only
important for intracellular osmolarity and cell shape but it is also crucial for guiding many cellular functions. When the
cell experiences a change in condition, such as a change in salinity, it responds by modifying its volume with the use of
organic or inorganic osmolytes, transporters, and channels. Although the effectors responsible for regulatory volume
increase and regulatory volume decrease in organisms’ cells are generally well known, there are still major gaps in our
understanding of how organisms detect volume perturbations. This study is focused on determining how organisms
detect volume perturbations, or the osmosensing mechanisms of the cell. In particular this study examines the relative
expression levels of specific transporters between the treatment conditions (extreme salinities) and the environment
(control salinity) of acclimated Japanese eels (Anguilla japonica) by means of RNA extraction and real-time PCR. Although
this study is still in progress, initial results show higher expression levels of the following transporters: Na+/H+ hydrogen
exchanger 1, Na+/H+ hydrogen exchanger 3, and Na+-Cl –betaine transporter. These data will be used to help determine
how the osmotic signal is translated to the cell function.
C4: OBSERVATION OF SPAWNING BEHAVIORS AND ANALYSIS OF SEX PHEROMONES IN
CHINESE BLACK SLEEPER
Bryan Winston, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
Wanshu Hong, Xiamen University,Department of Oceanography
The Chinese black sleeper (Bostrichthys sinensis) is a commercially important fish in China and is often aqua cultured due to
overfishing, yet information about spawning habits of the Chinese black sleeper in captivity is somewhat limited. We
observed the spawning behaviors of B. sinensis in captivity using video recorders and analyzed sex pheromones from the
holding water and ovaries of mature female Chinese black sleepers using high performance liquid chromatography in
order to better understand captive spawning. In our spawning trials, we observed individuals entering and rubbing on
artificial nests as well as males nudging their heads on the genital papilla of females; however, spawning did not occur
during our study period. In the pheromonal analysis portion of our study, we separated sex pheromones from holding

11. water extracts but were unable to extract the substance. We were unable to fully separate extracts from ovaries. In order
to maximize spawning in fish farms, a full understanding of the behavior and internal physiology of spawning in the
Chinese black sleeper is critical. More studies are necessary to fully understand the mechanisms of spawning in this
important fish.
C5: BENTHIC SPACE UTILIZATION AND STRUCTURE OF A HIGH LATITUDE CORAL
COMMUNITY
Sara A. Sternberg, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
Jianwen Qiu, Hong Kong Baptist University
David Duncan, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
The development of coral communities is determined by environmental factors at the global (i.e. latitude), regional (i.e.
proximity to estuary, presence of upwelling) and local (i.e. exposure, substrate) scales. Previous studies on high-latitude
(22º N) coral communities in Hong Kong have focused on the regional patterns of distribution and diversity. The
present study was conducted to examine how wave exposure, a local-scale factor, affects the diversity and distribution of
a fringing coral community around Sharp Island, one of the local sites that has the highest coral coverage. Higher
degrees of wave exposure were found to be correlated with higher species richness, as well as percent cover of coral
compared to other substrates. Information on local environmental controls from studies such as this can be used to help
identify and protect fragile and ecologically important coral communities.
C6: ASSESSMENT OF THE LIMITATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH RADIOMETRIC AGE DATING
Alexandra Valente, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
Age dating of sediment cores is critical for determining sediment accumulation rates and precise timing of events that
have occurred in the geologic past. Radiometric analysis of the short-lived radioisotope 210Pb is used for dating
geologically recent (<120 years) sediments, however this method is subject to limitations, one of which is grain size. It is
speculated that 210Pb is associated with fine-grained sediments (i.e. clay and/or mud) instead of coarser-grained
sediments (e.g., sand). If this is the case, down core variations in sediment grain size would likely yield inaccurate dates.
Consequently, some laboratories have begun to normalize their data to % clay or % mud as a way to correct for grain
size differences.
This project was designed to determine if normalizing 210Pb activity to fine-grained sediment content yields
more accurate results. A set of sediment samples (from Charlotte Harbor, FL) were analyzed for 210Pb activities by
gamma ray spectroscopy. Each sample was then analyzed for percent mud and clay by standard sedimentological
methods. Activities were then normalized to % mud and % clay. The process of normalization assumed a linear
relationship between activity and grain size. Non-normalized, mud-normalized, and clay-normalized activities were then
compared for statistical difference by one-way ANOVA. The resulting sample ages calculated by the CRS model, which
determines sample age down core, were also compared.
The percent error, which incorporates the instrument error as well as sample error, needed to be defined and
calculated as well. The first was calculated by relative standard error, while the second part uses the peak analysis error
calculated by the gamma ray detector program. Results showed that the process of normalizing over exaggerates peaks in
coarse-grained (i.e., sand-rich) sediments because some of the activity is associated with sand-sized sediments.
Consequently, the assumption that all activity is associated with fine-gained sediments is invalid, and normalizing to fine-
grained sediment content yields inaccurate results.
C7: DEVELOPMENTAL AND NEUROLOGICAL EFFECTS OF EMBRYONIC EXPOSURE TO
COMMON PESTICIDES AND PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS IN ZEBRAFISH (DANIO
RERIO)
Thomas Battey, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
Samantha San Francisco, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
Samantha Nichols, Eckerd College, Biology Discipline
Denise B. Flaherty, Eckerd College, Biology Discipline
Triclosan is a pervasive anti-microbial agent in modern personal care and cleaning products. The Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) describes the environmental fate of triclosan as “uncertain”, estimating that approximately
90% of all surfaces have come into contact with triclosan. Triclosan has been shown to affect embryonic viability,
pigmentation, and otolith development as well as survivability in zebrafish. Chlorpyrifos, prevalent in agriculture, has
been shown to inhibit acetylcholinesterase and affect the development of swimming behavior in zebrafish. As ubiquitous
as triclosan, the EPA estimates that chlorpyrifos is “one of the most widely used organophosphate insecticides,” and
enters natural waterways via runoff. Thus, it is important to understand the impact of compounds like triclosan and
chlorpyrifos on the aquatic environment. Here, we assess the developmental effects of triclosan and chlorpyrifos alone

12. and in binary mixture using the zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model organism. Developmental effects were quantified using
a deformity score from zero to five for overall development, and zero to three for otolith malformations. Triclosan
exposure results in delayed overall development, spine malformations, otolith deformities, and complete mortality after
36 hours in concentrations as low as 0.5 ppt. Chlorpyrifos has more of a behavioral effect, but substantially slows
development similar to triclosan. The final stage of experiments for this study will investigate whether these effects are
amplified in animals exposed to a mixture of these two compounds. This study will provide insight into the role that
these persistent anthropogenic chemicals play in the aquatic environment.
C8: THE EFFECT BOAT PRESENCE HAS ON DOLPHIN ACOUSTIC BEHAVIOR
Brittany Capra, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
Amanda Sosnowski, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
Peter Simard, University of South Florida, Biological Oceanography Discipline
Shannon Gowans, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
David Mann, University of South Florida, Biological Oceanography Discipline
It is known that dolphins can produce several sounds that are used in socialization, foraging, and navigation. Boat-based
recordings have been the main method for research regarding the way free-ranging dolphins use sounds. As a result,
complexities arise in whether boats’ presence influences dolphin acoustic behavior. The bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops
truncatus) is used in this study to determine the effect boat presence has on dolphin sound signals. A digital recorder and
a submerged hydrophone (~ 0.5 m deep) off Eckerd College’s Galbraith Marine Science Laboratory shoreline is used to
record Tursiops truncatus’ sounds. Currently, two dolphin groups have been recorded in 25 hours of field research. Once
additional data is collected, the results will be analyzed to investigate the relationship between Tursiops truncatus’ acoustic
behavior and the presence or absence of boats. This study can potentially yield data that will help better understand
Tursiops truncatus conservation, behavioral ecology, and passive acoustic censuses.
C9: DIET OF ROOFTOP NESTING LEAST TERNS
Kristina Krajcik, Eckerd College, Environmental Studies Discipline
Arya Poppema-Bannon, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
William A. Szelistowski, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
Elizabeth Forys, Eckerd College, Environmental Studies & Biology Disciplines
Least terns are small, migratory shorebirds listed as threatened by the state of Florida. Because of disturbances on the
beaches where they normally nest, some least terns now nest on flat tar and gravel rooftops. We used the fish drop
technique to collect samples of fish that the birds had dropped around their rooftop colony, in order to assess use of
fresh and saltwater fish species as prey. We collected 31 individual fish from 11 species. The most common fish (n = 11)
was threadfin shad (Dorosoma petenense), a species primarily found in brackish/marine waters, but that is often stocked
in freshwater ponds as baitfish. Fourteen of the remaining 20 fish, including 6 out of 10 species, were marine/brackish
species, while the other 6 fish were freshwater species. It appears rooftop nesting least terns did forage in the man-made
freshwater ponds that were near the rooftop, but they also traveled at least 6 km to forage in brackish and marine waters.
This could be because many small marine fish tend to swim close to the water surface, whereas local freshwater fish
swim deeper and are therefore more difficult to catch. It appears that rooftop nesting least terns may expend more
energy to feed their young than those nesting on beaches. This might have long-term consequences for their
conservation.
C10: ECKERD COLLEGE’S 2010 GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS INVENTORY
Evan Bollier, Eckerd College, Environmental Studies
Alison Ormsby, Eckerd College, Environmental Studies
Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida has measured campus wide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions since 2002.
Using the Clean-Air Cool-Planet Campus Carbon Calculator, we have analyzed annual changes in emissions. In 2007
when Eckerd’s president signed the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), the
institution pledged to go “carbon neutral.” When the college committed to this, a multitude of projects were planned out
as short, medium, and long-term goals in the official Action Plan. Since the Action Plan implementation started one year
ago, Eckerd has been able to complete several of the projected goals. Some of the major projects have been attributed to
our three percent reduction in electrical consumption between the 2007-08 and 2008-09 fiscal years. A summary of the
college’s energy use data is presented along with progress in achieving campus energy conservation and sustainability
initiatives.
C11: EMOTIONAL, COGNITIVE, AND BEHAVIORAL RESPONSES TO INFIDELITY
Danielle Lutfi-Proctor, Eckerd College, Psychology Discipline

13. Marjorie Sanfilippo, Eckerd College, Psychology Discipline
There has been much debate among researchers over whether or not there are differences in the way men and women
respond to infidelity, and if the type infidelity (emotional versus sexual) committed has any affect on this. The
predominant theory in the area is the theory of evolved sex differences. This theory states that men have evolved to be
more jealous over sexual infidelity, while women have evolved to be more upset over emotional infidelity.
The present study examined the emotional, cognitive, and behavioral responses to actual infidelity from the
perspective of the cheater and the victim. Two hundred adults (mean age = 43.14 years) recruited through the Eckerd
College Program for Experience Learners (PEL) and snowball sampling completed an online survey. The data was
analyzed using various statistical analyses in Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS).
Most of the participants (78%) who took part in the study had had some experience with infidelity. However,
while some participants reported the infidelity as being more sexual or more emotional in nature, the vast majority of
participants reported that the infidelity they had experienced contained an equal combination of emotional and sexual
aspects. Moreover, many other aspects appeared to have a significant influence on how participants had responded to
the infidelity. Although the incidence of infidelity was high, the finding of so few significant sex differences in response
to infidelity suggests that the data used to support the theory of evolved sex differences may be the result of an artifact
of measure.
C12: ANTE MORTEM DENTAL CHIPPING IN THE PREHISTORIC INHABITANTS OF CARRIACOU
(WEST INDIES)
Abigail Heller, Eckerd College, Anthropology Discipline
Scott Burnett, Eckerd College, Anthropology Discipline
Teeth can provide valuable insights into past human life ways. For example, patterns in ante mortem dental chipping
may reflect diet composition, presence of grit stone in foodstuffs, or the use of teeth for non-masticatory purposes.
Unfortunately, ante mortem dental chipping is infrequently studied and few inter-site comparisons exist from the same
region. In this study, we examined presence of dental chipping in prehistoric remains from Carriacou, an island in the
Lesser Antilles of the southern Caribbean, for comparison with published sources. Ante mortem dental chipping was
examined in 266 teeth from a sample of 17 individuals with the aid of a 10X hand lens. Chip severity was recorded using
a three-grade scale that considers both size and depth of the chip.
Forty percent of 266 teeth exhibited ante mortem dental chipping. Further analysis of a subset of eleven
individuals (245 teeth) where at least eight teeth were present revealed no appreciable differences between maxillary and
mandibular dental arcades (40-42%) or anterior (39.4%) vs. posterior teeth (42.9%). In the ten individuals (228 teeth)
where sex could be determined (M= 4, F= 6), males exhibited a slightly higher frequency of chipped teeth (41.1%)
relative to females (37.0%), a smaller difference than previously reported in other Caribbean samples. The discrepancy is
attributable to a higher frequency of dental chipping in the anterior dentition of males relative to females. This finding,
coupled with more severe chipping in the anterior teeth of males, may suggest a sex-based differential use of the anterior
dentition for non-masticatory behavior.
C13: CHEMICALLY-MEDIATED RHEOTAXIS IN THE MARINE HERMIT CRAB PAGURUS
MACLAUGHLINAE
Bryan Tate, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
Jonathan Cohen, Eckerd College, Marine Science Discipline
Crustacean ecological interactions often rely on both chemical and hydro mechanical cues, which are used synergistically
in chemically-mediated rheotaxis, whereby individuals detect odor molecules in their fluid environment and move
upstream or downstream in response. Orientation of shelled and shell-less macrobenthic hermit crabs (Pagurus
maclaughlinae) were tested in apparent darkness using a unidirectional flow tube under a series of water flow rates to
explore their reactions to chemical cues: odor-free control, a subtidal predator (Callinectes sapidus) and seagrass refuge
(Syringodium filiforme). Shelled hermit crabs in C. sapidus odor showed the greatest proportion of movement at higher flow
rates while shell-less crabs responded at control levels. Shelled and shell-less crab responses did not differ across flow
rates in S. filiforme odor. The data suggest shelled P. maclaughlinae employ chemically-mediated rheotaxis to avoid
predators, while shell-less crabs minimize movement.
C14: AFFECTS OF COMMONLY USED PESTICIDES AND ANTI-BACTERIAL AGENTS ON THE
NEUROLOGICAL FUNCTION OF C. ELEGANS
Connor J. Dwyer, Eckerd College, Biology Discipline
Denise B. Flaherty, Eckerd College Biology Discipline
Amy S. Zeifman, Eckerd College Biology Discipline
Lindley Maryoung, Eckerd College, Marine Science & Environmental Studies Disciplines

14. Alexandra C. Kaudy, Eckerd College, Biology Discipline
Marissa R. Swope, Eckerd College, Biology Discipline
In the process of food consumption, Americans are exposed to residues of pesticides and personal care products. The
experiments in this project seek to examine the cell physiological and developmental impact of pesticides and triclosan
exposure on the model genetic organism Caenorhabditis elegans. By examining the animals' motility and fecundity, the
effect of pesticides on the cholinergic pathways and endocrine function for reproduction was assessed. Our preliminary
data suggest that the organophosphate pesticide, chlorpyrifos, and the oxadiazine pesticide, indoxacarb, have a dose-
dependent negative impact on motility; whereas the organochlorine pesticide, aldrin, and the carbamate pesticide,
carbaryl, induce developmental delays in new progeny production. In these experiments, a stress-sensitive transgenic
strain (hsp-16.2::GFP) was also used that displayed pesticide-induced HSP-16.2-GFP expression in pharyngeal tissues.
When examining survival and toxicity, concentrations lower than 0.125% of the common antibacterial
compound triclosan were found to be lethal. Concentrations at residual levels were further tested to examine their
impact on cell stress as indicated by HSP-16.2::GFP expression. These experiments show that C. elegans provides a
sensitive, robust bioassay system to test the physiological impact of residual concentrations of pesticides and personal
care products that often come into contact with food production and consumption. The data suggest that even at low
levels these anthropogenic compounds can have adverse effects on cell stress, motility, and reproductive function.