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We plan to print our own poster.

One factor that must be considered when reconstructing a prairie is how the prairie seeds being planted need to be prepared for germination. The probability of successful germination of these seeds is dependent on many factors, including exposure to cold temperatures for a prolonged period of time. To explore this idea, we collected seeds from 13 species of forbs and grasses, both native and non-native, and stored them at various temperatures for several weeks. We predicted that the germination of the seeds of native grassland species would be enhanced by cold stratification, while non-natives (especially forbs common to flower gardens) could be negatively affected by cold stratification, especially if they are native to an area with less-extreme winters. We also predicted that seeds stored at -80°C (a temperature much lower than they would experience in nature) would respond negatively to the treatment and be unable to germinate. We found that four species (Sow Thistle, Penstemon, Queen Anne’s Lace, and Yellow Foxtail) were significantly affected by the seeds being chilled or frozen, with non-native sow thistle and yellow foxtail responding negatively to being frozen and native foxglove penstemon germinating best at -80°C.

Invertebrates are integral members of the ecosystems they inhabit. However, they are often overlooked and understudied. We performed two pitfall surveys in Buena Vista County in September 2021 to study the diversity and abundance of invertebrate species in the presence and absence of two invasive species: Eastern Redcedar (Juniperus virginiana) and Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiola). We collected pitfall samples and brought them back to the lab for identification. We found no significant differences in invertebrate abundance between cedar and non-cedar samples, nor between mustard and non-mustard samples. We propose further research focusing on seasonal changes, as these invasives may have more impacts at certain times of year than others.

We plan to print our own poster., Stormbreaker8 and A3Wally are two novel bacteriophages isolated and purified on Microbacterium foliorum NRRL B-24224 by students in the Fall 2020 Discovery course. Stormbreaker8, an EA1 cluster lytic phage, was isolated from soil collected in Orange City, IA. Its circular permuted genome contains 41,751 base-pairs with 63.4% GC content. A3Wally, a GD cluster phage, was isolated from soil collected in Sioux Center, IA. Its genome is 60.1% GC, contains 194,724 base-pairs, and its ends are direct terminal repeats. Spring 2021 Genetics students annotated the genomes using bioinformatics software.

Microplastics are increasingly polluting both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Researchers have found that wastewater treatment plants are an entry point for microplastics into surface waters, and we wondered how effective our local wastewater treatment plant is in removing microplastics from wastewater, given that it was not engineered for the removal of microplastics. We sampled effluent water from the new wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Orange City, Iowa, to determine the amount of microplastics released from the plant into Orange City Slough. We found concentrations of 498 pieces of microplastic/cubic meter (0.498/L) in the effluent water, which is similar to published values for secondary wastewater treatment plants. Given that microplastics have been found in human blood and have been shown to cause various health effects in humans and other animals, we propose that WWTPs be engineered to prevent the release of microplastics into surface waters.