News Article

FSW Students Researching Red Tide, Present Findings at Science Conference

Apr 3, 2015

APRIL 3, 2015 – NAPLES, FLA – This semester, Florida SouthWestern State College biology students Brittany Snitzel and Kelsey Hoagland-Busch were given an opportunity most FSW students do not get. They are participating in an undergraduate research project that will help National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) scientists predict red tide blooms.

Once a week, Snitzel and Hoagland-Busch kayak through Henderson Creek in Rookery Bay and collect water samples with a plankton net. They then bring the samples back to the lab at the FSW Collier Campus where they measure the salinity and pH of the water, and view the samples under a microscope to identify any phytoplankton that might be present. They record their results as part of the Phytoplankton Monitoring Network, a citizen-science project created to provide coastal sampling data back to NOAA.

NOAA has a targeted list of species they look for, but Snitzel’s and Hoagland-Busch’s main focus is dinoflagellates – the organisms that cause red tide.

“All of the recent manatee fatalities sparked our attention,” said Snitzel. “The manatees accumulate the toxins from the red tide in their systems, but there’s no way for scientists to predict when the blooms are going to happen. The long term data we collect will help NOAA scientists see any trends that may help them make predictions in the future.”

Snitzel and Hoagland recently presented their findings at the Florida Academy of Sciences annual meeting in St. Leo, Florida. Although they are only in the early stages of their research, the annual meeting was an exciting opportunity for them to meet other students and faculty involved in research and to go through the experience of presenting a poster at a scientific conference.

“Florida’s state and community colleges often do not offer undergraduate research projects,” said Christina Ottman, FSW Biology professor. “But Brittany and Kelsey came to me with the idea for the project after learning about phytoplankton and red tides in class, and I have a hard time saying no to that much student enthusiasm. We agreed that participating in the project would be beneficial to everyone involved.”

“These types of projects are great for students who might not be sure what they want to do,” said Ottman. “It gives them a hands-on experience, and quite often peaks their interest in the sciences and other STEM areas.”

Snitzel and Hoagland-Busch’s presentation abstract has been published in the science journal Florida Scientist. They plan to continue their research through the end of the year.

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Florida SouthWestern State College is Southwest Florida’s largest and one of the most affordable institutions of higher education. Annually serving more than 22,000 students globally, FSW offers a variety of nationally-ranked, career-focused academic programs with two- and four-year degrees, and professional certifications. Students are also active in clubs and programs catered to their interests. FSW will debut its intercollegiate athletics program in the fall 2015. Visit www.FSW.edu for more information.

Last Updated: April 3, 2015