ICBR Capacity: Biological Collections: Updates to the Operation of the Algal Resources Collection

University Of North Carolina At Wilmington, Wilmington NC

Investigators

Abstract

Toxic microalgae have serious adverse effects varying from fish kills to human illnesses caused by the consumption of shellfish contaminated with algal toxins. The economic impact from blooms of these algae can be devastating to fishing and shellfish industries and tourism. Over the years, much effort has been dedicated to researching new methods for the detection, prevention, and management of toxic algal blooms to mitigate their ecological and economic consequences. The Algal Resources Collection (ARC) is the only public culture collection in the U.S. focused on the growth and maintenance of toxic or otherwise harmful microalgal species covering a broad taxonomic and geographic range. Many of the species hosted at the ARC are challenging to find in other public collections and include strains used in the description of several new species that can be found nowhere else. The ARC cultures have been extensively used by the national and international research community in studies encompassing diverse subject areas, including ecology, taxonomy, phylogeny, and toxicology. Additionally, ARC researchers and staff are involved in outreach activities that involve various educational levels, including K-12 teachers and students, undergraduate, graduate and PhD students. This project supports updates to the operation of the ARC through the implementation of automated imaging flow cytometry and cryopreservation capability to increase the efficiency in the day-to-day activities and better serve the research community. The imagery flow cytometry will allow for more efficient quality control of the cultures and provide additional information on microalgal strains (i.e., morphometric data, cell biovolume, maximal cell abundance, image libraries) that will be made freely available on the ARC website. Cryopreservation storage capability will allow the ARC staff to continue incorporating strains into the collection and bring many advantages, such as protecting the cultures against genetic changes and avoiding loss of strains due to errors during transferences. The project also extends the scope of the ARC outreach and educational activities by increasing toxic microalgal awareness among K-12 students through the development of an educational e-game to teach kids about the importance of reducing the nutrient load to water bodies to decrease the frequency and magnitude of toxic blooms. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.