PURSUING THE EVOLUTION OF ENDOSYMBIOSIS

Dr. Sarah Hamsher was recently awarded a grant through the National Science Foundation to explore the evolution of the Rhopalodiales, a group of diatoms. This is a collaboration between Sarah and researchers at the University of Colorado, Boulder, University of Montana, and 7 universities in China, India, Indonesia, and Argentina.

Diatoms are a diverse group of microscopic algae with glass cell walls that live in both freshwater and marine environments. The Rhopalodiales are the only lineage of diatoms that possess cyanobacterial symbionts called spheroid bodies (SBs) inside their cells. These SBs can no longer photosynthesize, and instead fix atmospheric nitrogen for their diatom hosts. The evolution of this symbiosis between the diatom hosts and their SBs is intriguing. With glass cell walls, how did the cyanobacteria enter the diatom cells? Did this occur only one time or more than one time? What are the core genes in the SBs? With the advantage of having the SBs, why are the Rhopalodiales not a more diverse lineage?

The goals of our research are to: (1) assess the evolutionary origins and diversification of the Rhopalodiales, including their acquisition of the symbiont, (2) explore the coevolution of the host and endosymbiont, and (3) carry out a taxonomic revision of the Rhopalodiales for the over 700 named taxa. This work will use data from the diatom cell wall morphology, chloroplast and mitochondrial genomes of the diatoms, some diatom nuclear genes, and whole genomes of the SBs inside the diatoms. We will integrate information from herbaria specimens in the USA, Europe, and South America for current and fossil taxa with new collections. Ultimately, we will produce a time-calibrated phylogeny that will be used to inform a revised classification system for the Rhopalodiales.

In addition to this research, another goal of the project is to expand the number of students exposed to algal taxonomy and systematics. Towards these ends, we are teaching a new training course at field stations in Colorado and Michigan. We expect over 30 students to benefit from this program.

 

 

FACULTY, STAFF, AND STUDENT ACTIVITIES

Christina Catanese attended the Great Lakes Association of Science Ships (GLASS) annual meeting on January 12^th.

Sarah Hamsher is working with Davis Fray and Dr. Bopi Biddanda (and his laboratory), to produce annual reports on their progress on the Sinkhole Project for the National Science Foundation and The Nature Conservancy.

Sarah Hamsher, a member of the Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences committee, volunteered at an FAS open house on the Allendale campus on December 12^th.

Sarah Hamsher is on a postdoctoral search committee and will be interviewing postdoctoral candidates in January and February, as part of the NSF Rhopalodiales project. One of these candidates will likely be hired by her colleagues at University of Colorado, Boulder.

Sarah Hamsher is reviewing articles for the Luigi Provasoli Award as part of her service to the Phycological Society of America’s Editorial Board. The Luigi Provasoli Award is presented annually to the author(s) of the three, or fewer, outstanding papers published in the Journal of Phycology
during the previous calendar year.

Sarah Hamsher is teaching BIO 413/513, Freshwater Algae lecture and laboratory winter 2023 semester.

Sarah Hamsher will be teaching an algae field course in Colorado from July 9^th – 23^rd, 2023 as part of an NSF sponsored project.

Mark Luttenton and other members of the Anglers of the Au Sable Board met with Brigadier General Teff, commander of the Michigan Air National Guard and his staff regarding the proposed modification/expansion of the military operations area over the eastern half of Michigan.

Mark Luttenton is teaching WAT 565, Water Policy and Science winter 2023 semester.

Jim McNair is teaching BIO 480/580, Advanced Population Ecology as a Special Topics course winter 2023 semester.

Charlyn Partridge and other collaborators are putting together a proposal for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Invasive Species Program. This specific call is through the US Forestry Service. The proposal is a collaboration between AWRI-GVSU, University of Massachusetts- Amherst,
Department of Nature Resources (MI), and Department of Conservation and Recreation (MA). It will be comparing the success of different trap types for eDNA detection of invasive pests and forest pathogens. The traps will be set up in three different states (MI, MA, and NH). It is a 5-year grant. Grant due February 3^rd.

Charlyn Partridge had multiple Zoom meetings the week of January 23^rd to discuss current and future HWA work. These included separate meetings with her collaborators on the BIL grant, the Canadian Forestry Service, and Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore.

Charlyn Partridge met with Alex Wieten from the Gun Lake Tribe to discuss their continued work on wild rice populations over the next three years.

Charlyn Partridge continues to attend weekly Zoom meetings to discuss the COVID wastewater project and the summer beach sampling project. Charlyn is working to begin incorporating sequencing approaches for variant testing in our wastewater samples.

Charlyn Partridge is the chair of the AWRI-Chemistry position for the CLAS Cluster Hire.

Charlyn Partridge attended a Michigan Lakes and Streams Board of Directors Meeting on December 14^th. During the meeting she was elected to a new 3-year term.

Charlyn Partridge is teaching BIO 485/585, Molecular Ecology lecture and laboratory winter 2023 semester.

Rick Rediske’s Analytical lab resumed their monitoring of wastewater for the Sars-CoV-2 Virus on January 4^th and will continue testing through the end of July. Charlyn Partridge is working on a sequencing method that can be used in lieu of the test kits for COVID variants

Rick Rediske attended PFAS related meetings for the Wolverine Community Advisory Group on January 19^th.

Rick Rediske attended a Muskegon Lake Watershed Partnership meeting on January 25^th.

Rick Rediske will be presenting a webinar on Public Health Concerns for PFAS Impacted Communities for the American Public Health Association on February 3^rd.

Carl Ruetz is teaching NRM452/552, Fisheries Management lecture and laboratory winter 2023 semester.

Al Steinman will be facilitating an evening event sponsored by the Muskegon Lake Watershed Partnership on Harmful Algal Blooms at the Frauenthal Theatre on February 23^rd at 6 pm. There will be a showing of David Ruck’s new film on HABs in Lake Erie and panelists discussing various
aspects of HABs. It is free to the public.

Al Steinman’s abstract to the Greater Everglades Ecosystem Restoration (GEER) conference in April has been accepted. The title is “Storm treatment area water quality and comprehensive everglades restoration plan progress”. Co-authors include Ramesh Reddy, Charley Driscoll, and Bill Boggess.

Al Steinman met with representatives from True Elements, an artificial intelligence company specializing in water-related databases and forecasting about a possible collaboration.

Al Steinman met with Kate Meyers from The Nature Conservancy (MI chapter) about possible collaborations.

Sean Woznicki is teaching GPY100, Physical and Environmental Geography winter 2023 semester.

Presentations and Publications

AWRI staff are bolded, undergraduate students are denoted with a single asterisk*, graduate students are denoted with two asterisks**, and post-doc researchers are donated with three asterisks ***.

Publications:

Bopi and his graduate student Nate Dugener were co-authors of a book review published in The InterChange Newsletter.
Dugener, N** and B. Biddanda. 2022. Longtermism: the promise of thinking long-term about future generations. A book review of “What we owe the future” by William MacAskill, 2022. The InterChange Newsletter, December 2022/January 2023. https://www.gvsu.edu/rmsc/interchange/2022-december-stem-for-the-classroom-1711.htm

Al Steinman is a co-author of an article accepted to Aquatic Toxicology:
Cheng, C., A.D. Steinman, Q. Xue, Q. and L. Xie. In Press. The disruption of calcium and hydrogen homeostasis of Vallisneria natans (Lour.) Hara caused by microcystin-LR. Aquatic Toxicology.

 

Presentations:

Mark Luttenton gave a short presentation on aquatic invasive species, particularly regarding Didymosphenia geminate, at the January meeting of the Natural Resources Commission. Acting DNR Director, Shannon Lott was in attendance.

Rick Rediske was interviewed and included on a WOOD-TV 8 and MLive article about PFAS pollution at the Rockford Tannery.
https://www.mlive.com/public-interest/2023/01/wolverine-worldwide-tannery-cleanup-launch-pushed-back-to-2024.html
https://www.woodtv.com/news/kent-county/wolverine-worldwide-proposes-new-pfas-plan-for-old-tannery-site/

Carl Ruetz was invited by the Department of Biological Sciences at Western Michigan University to give an academic seminar on January 20^th. The title of the presentation was “Connectivity and movements of fishes inhabiting coastal areas of eastern Lake Michigan”.

Al Steinman presented to the Bear Lake – lake board on January 12^th.

Al Steinman participated in several briefings the week of December 19^th on the Everglades Restoration Progress report to federal agency representatives, the US Senate Committee on Natural Resources, and the US House subcommittee on Infrastructure and Transportation.

 

 

Grants, Contracts, Awards, and Recognition

GRANTS & CONTRACTS

AWRI has been awarded a grant/contract from EGLE to offer statewide educator workshops on Michigan Environmental Education Curriculum Support (MEECS) Water Quality and Ecosystems/Biodiversity units, which were recently updated. Along with other partners on the project, Christina Catanese and Amanda Syers will attend a train-the-trainer workshop at Central Michigan University in early March. AWRI will offer 4 workshops: 2 in Muskegon at AWRI and 2 in Grand Rapids at the GVSU DeVos campus. One MEECS Water Quality and one MEECS Ecosystems workshop will be offered at each location. The workshops will be offered between August and December 2023, to be scheduled.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Jacob Yingling, undergraduate student working with Carl Ruetz, was awarded the P. Douglas Kindschi Undergraduate Research Fellowship in the Sciences for the Winter 2023 semester to work with Carl on a project titled “Effects of preservation on the body shape of Yellow Perch: Implications for morphological analyses”. AWRI graduate student Tyler Hoyt will be a collaborator on the project.

AWRI News and Events

AWRI IN THE NEWS

“Exploring Lake Huron sinkholes may help find life on other planets”
Spartan Newsroom, Capital News Services, December 2, 2022
Bopi’s work with Lake Huron sinkholes was featured.
Exploring Lake Huron sinkholes may help find life on other planets - Spartan Newsroom (msu.edu)

“Wolverine Worldwide proposes new PFAS plan for old tannery site.”
WOOD TV 8, January 10, 2023
Rick Rediske is quoted regarding PFAS in the Rogue River and groundwater in the Rockford area.
Wolverine Worldwide proposes new PFAS plan for old tannery site | WOODTV.com

“Wolverine Worldwide tannery cleanup launch pushed back to 2024”
MLive, January 12, 2023
Rick Rediske is quoted regarding PFAS and proposed test sites and clean up.
Wolverine Worldwide tannery cleanup launch pushed back to 2024 - mlive.com

LMC EVENTS

January 9 – GVSU Cluster Hire Meeting (8:30 -9:30 am)

January 10 – Muskegon County Read (9 – 10 am)

January 10 – Muskegon County Recycling Feasibility Study Planning Meeting (10:30 – 11:30 am)

January 10 – Muskegon Lake Watershed Partnership (12 – 1 pm)

January 12 – Citizen Social Science Training (5:30 – 7:30 pm)

January 13 – AWRI Seminar Series – Amanda Buday – GVSU (2-3 pm)

January 19 – Citizen Social Science Training (5:30 – 7:30 pm)

January 23 – GVSU Horizons Interview (10:00 am – 1:00 pm)