每年秋天越来越多, 落在寒冷中的树叶, 卡罗尔家的泉水池塘和小溪 格林野外站 are buckthorn, rather than the ash leaves of years past. The leaves disintegrate in the water 和 the decomposed bits are shredded 和 consumed by amphipods, tiny shrimp-like creatures which occupy the bottom of the food chain, 和, 因此, 直接或间接, supply a lot of the other critters in 和 out of the water. For years, 的片脚类动物s thrived on ash leaves, but their diet is rapidly changing.

We know this, because of research that has been conducted out at 格林野外站 和 Prairie Springs Environmental Education Center over the past several years by faculty 和 students. It matters because buckthorn is an invasive species. 一种欧洲灌木, buckthorn leafs out earlier than native plants in the spring 和 holds onto its leaves later in the fall, 这使得它比本地物种更有优势. Combine that with the emergence of the emerald ash borer, which has already killed or diseased four-fifths of the ash trees on the property, 和 the diet of 的片脚类动物s has undergone significant change.

这可能会杀死他们.

Dr. 苏珊•刘易斯, professor of biology 和 marine biology 和 one of the faculty who has led much of the research at the ecological field station over the years, 把它比作垃圾食品饮食, an unhealthy 和 unnatural change that could have ripple effects quite a way up the food chain.

Past research at the field station has measured the change in tree populations by way of census counts. 最近, research has begun to explore the ramifications of that changing population, 和 that leads us to the changing diet of amphipods 和 to the presence of Nicholas Gibson 和 Haley Groelle at Prairie Springs this past summer, 两人都已经毕业了.

The two had become involved in the ongoing research at Prairie Springs in the fall of 2016, 作为刘易斯生态学课的学生, BIO333. Each then signed up for an independent research class in the spring semester, so they could delve more deeply into the diet 和 health of 的片脚类动物s.

然后, after they graduated 和 tossed aside their robes 和 mortar boards, 他们回到了普雷里斯普林斯, 还有片脚类动物.

What’s remarkable about this is that neither one of them is pursuing a career in environmental science. Gibson is hoping to attend medical school, Groelle dental school. Chances are really good that the digestive health of these diminutive shrimp will never factor into their future education—or careers.

But science is research 和 research is learning, so the two grads who are still learners are back to finish—or at least advance—the work they began. “Once they started this research, they wanted to finish it well,刘易斯说。. “They didn’t get a conclusive end point during the school year. And they also have aspirations to get something published.”

Buckthorn leaves contain a chemical compound called emodin. 在鸟类, 大黄素是一种泻药, helping ensure that birds which eat buckthorn seeds pass those seeds, 帮助树木生长. Amphipods seem to prefer buckthorn leaves over the ash, but past research showed a lower survival rate for amphipods munching on buckthorn versus ones fed ash. In the labs at the Paul Fleckenstein Research Laboratory, Carroll researchers were able to determine that higher concentrations of emodin in the water negatively impacted amphipod survival rates. But just how much is too much, 和 do emodin concentrations get that high in natural settings? Without those answers, the earlier research isn’t of much practical real-world use.

今年夏天, Gibson 和 Groelle collected more amphipods from the stream at 格林野外站, 看看他们的表现如何. They also gathered water samples from various sections of the stream, to determine if different parts of the stream contain different concentrations of emodin.

According to Gibson, he is driven now by curiosity. “Research wasn’t always at the forefront of my thinking,” he said. “But after starting this research, I really enjoy it. It’s a mental challenge—trying to figure out why things are the way they are. And, you know, medical schools think highly of research experiences.”

Having research papers published or presenting work at major conferences is the norm for graduate students, but less common for undergraduates—unless you attend Carroll. It’s true that this kind of research experience at the undergraduate level is a great competitive advantage for students hoping to attend graduate school or a professional school, 据刘易斯说, but the benefits go beyond the obvious résumé builder.

“Research work of any kind demonstrates 和 builds really important 和 very transferable skills,刘易斯说。. “当他们进行研究时, 学生学会独立工作, collect precise data 和 develop problem-solving 和 critical thinking skills. 哪个学校或雇主不重视这些?”

As for what they may uncover at Prairie Springs, well, amphipods everywhere are waiting to hear.