Research
Research at Bodega Marine Laboratory
Publication available at the Bodega Marine Laboratory, Cadet Library.
Dellinger, R. 2019. Patterns and Consequences of Microplastic Ingestion by Larval Stages of The White Urchin (Lytechinus pictus.)
As an undergraduate student at UC Davis’ Bodega Marine Laboratory (BML), I independently researched microplastic consumption in marine larvae under the supervision of Dr. Gary Cherr. This study explored feeding behavior in relation to the inability to discriminate polystyrene microplastic particles and the consequences of microplastic ingestion elucidated by hydrophobic compounds as vectors for disease and pathogens. By spending hundreds of hours hovered over a confocal microscope, my results outlined specific mechanisms by which microplastics threaten larvae. My results also suggested that larvae, a benthic engineer, may function as a novel species for monitoring microplastic pollution. Afterward, I presented at the BML symposium to a panel of UC Davis faculty and graduate students on how microplastics pose a threat to coastal communities and lower-income communities. As a BML Ambassador, I continuously and actively engage with current students seeking research and represent the laboratory.
During my time at BML, I was also hosted as an undergraduate researcher in the Gold Lab. Here I learned computational techniques to compare DNA sequence information, such as identifying homologous genes using BLAST and building phylogenies using multiple sequence alignment tools. I also worked with a graduate student to understand the evolutionary history of aging and the genetic underpinnings of various tissue regeneration strategies within the phylum Cnidaria. Our study assessed how environmental stressors influence the moon jellyfish (Aurelia aurita), an organism known for its ability to survive hypoxic and anoxic ocean conditions and its ability to survive future oceanic climatic changes. Using specialized tanks from the BML Climate Change Facility, we conducted a six-week study to understand the variation of asexual reproduction and regenerative rates of A. aurita polyps under hypoxia stress. We discovered that lower metabolic rates due to low oxygen concentration decreased both the frequency and rate of regeneration. These results have informed us about diverse biological and genetic strategies enabling the moon jellyfish to outcompete other organisms, illustrating that jellyfish could be biological “winners” as they successfully colonize and regenerate in anoxic conditions.