RAPID on Gulf Oil Spill: Phytoplankton and environmental stressors as determinants of Vibrio ecology

Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge LA

Investigators

Abstract

This NSF RAPID project will investigate the impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico on the microbial, plankton and oyster systems of the region. The scientists will focus on investigating changes to the abundance and virulence of Vibrio bacteria in response to stress associated with exposure to the oil and/or indirect effects associated with biological interactions within biological communities impacted by the oil. The research team will evaluate whether there will be an increase in the abundance of Vibrio and prevalence of Type III Secretion System 2 (TTSS2) in the location of the oil spill. TTSS2 on Vibrio is carried on a pathogenic island (PAI) that includes numerous genes. Since some of these genes are necessary for environmental adaptation, and this PAI is mobile and transferable among Vibrio, the team hypothesizes there will be an increase in the abundance of Vibrio carrying genes associated with type III secretion systems. Bulk bacterial communities and plankton composition will also be evaluated in size-fractionated water column samples across salinity and oil gradients to understand how these communities will be affected by the oil spill and how these changes will affect Vibrio abundance. The team will quantify if there is an increase in concentration of petroleum hydrocarbons in oysters and whether this increase will affect Vibrio abundance in oysters. Additionally, the team will study excretions from phytoplankton species that may be able to inhibit growth of Vibrio. Broader Impacts of this proposal include participation of one postdoctoral researcher and one PhD student. The results from this study will be useful for understanding the environmental consequences of future similar disasters.