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The western drywood termite is native to California. So what the heck is it doing in the attic of the lab at UGAMI? According to Brian Forschler, who is a Professor of Entomology at UGA, the termites were likely living in wooden crates used to transport films to Sapelo from California back when R.J. Reynolds was on the Island. Dr. Forschler and his team have been tracking the termites since 2011 as part of a long-term study on managing this pest species. The foreign termites were originally limited to the central portion of the attic (above the auditorium where the movies were shown), but starting in 2021 they were also seen in other parts of the UGAMI attic. The termites grow very slowly and so there is no imminent danger, but this past week Dr. Forschler worked with a team from the GA Department of Agriculture Structural Pest Control (GCASPC) to treat the attic with a borate/glycol formulation to both reduce the current population and prevent future infestations. They also used it as a training opportunity, since this species is not something you see every day!

Thank you to Dr. Montgomery Wolf for bringing UGA’s Franklin Residential College to UGAMI from March 2nd-4th. The group went trawling with Captain Ike and First Mate Nick, learned about historic and current research conducted at UGAMI, explored barrier Island habitats, and discovered Sapelo Island history and culture. We hope their time at UGAMI provided opportunities for team building in a beautiful setting. 

The Georgia Coastal Ecosystems Long Term Ecological Research Program (GCE LTER) is recruiting for five paid summer internships in coastal ecology for summer 2024! Note that some opportunities are limited to current undergraduate students. All interns will be paid a stipend equivalent to $14/hr. Most internships last ~8 weeks between May and August, however, start and end dates are flexible based on the schedule of the intern and supervisor. Please read the position descriptions carefully as some positions have different requirements, dates, and/or locations. Follow the link for more information about the internships and to access the application. Applications are due March 3rd, 2024.

https://gce-lter.marsci.uga.edu/public/employment/summer_internships_2024.asp

The Georgia Coastal Ecosystems LTER program (https://gce-lter.marsci.uga.edu/) seeks a research technician to assist with studies of coastal ecology. Work will be based at UGAMI and housing is available. The position involves studies of water quality, soils, and wetland plants and animals. The selected individual will work with other technicians, faculty and students at field sites.

The minimum qualification for the position is an Associate’s degree and some relevant experience; however, candidates with 4-year degrees in an environmental field (Biology, Chemistry, Geology) and significant experience will be the most competitive. Candidates must be able to operate pickup trucks, and have basic computer skills, including experience with email, word-processing, and spreadsheet programs. Let us know if you have any of the following useful skills or training: US Coast Guard Captains license, small boat piloting experience, drone pilot license, drone piloting experience, GIS.

Apply by January 22, 2024 for full consideration: https://www.ugajobsearch.com/postings/353433

UGAMI was established in 1953, so 2023 marks our 70-year anniversary! We wanted to take a moment to look back over this past year.

Our research program is thriving. UGAMI continues to be the base of operations for the Georgia Coastal Ecosystems LTER project, as well as a host for investigators working in the Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve. Over 40 papers were published this year as a result of research conducted at UGAMI, and 7 students completed their theses.

We hosted educational groups from both near and far; completed another successful summer semester; and continued collaborating with the Cornelia Walker Bailey program on Land and Agriculture. Other visitors included teacher workshops and several interdisciplinary meetings.

On the facilities side we continue to put effort into campus improvements. We completed the work on one of the 2nd floor labs and put new roofs on the Shell Hammock houses. We’ve also begun renovating the apartment dormitory on the main quad–The outside won’t change, but we are filling in the basement to provide structural support for the building and bringing the interior up to code.

If you would like to support us the best way is to join the Friends of UGAMI. They assist us in multiple ways, from sponsoring students and interns to helping with campus improvements. Donations can be made online, or via check made out to “UGA Foundation”, with “Friends of UGAMI” in the memo line, and sent to us at “Friends of UGAMI, Marine Sciences Building, 325 Sanford Drive, Athens, GA 30602”.

Here’s to the next 70 years!

The Georgia Coastal Ecosystems LTER program (https://gce-lter.marsci.uga.edu/) has two openings, one for a Research Professional and another for a Research Technician, to assist with coastal ecology research on the Georgia coast. Both positions are part of a team that will work on Sapelo Island, GA.

Research Professional: https://www.ugajobsearch.com/postings/347623

Research Technician: https://www.ugajobsearch.com/postings/347686

For questions concerning the positions, contact Dr. Steven Pennings – spennings@uh.edu

The main quad of the UGAMI campus is a farm complex that dates all the way back to 1936. Over the past decade we have renovated much of the main lab as well as the two adjacent carriage houses. Now we’re starting to work on the South End Apartment building, which has served as a dormitory facility for students and researchers for the better part of a century. The building is critical for the function of the Marine Institute and serves as an anchor for the original campus. Time, unfortunately, has taken its inevitable toll, and a combination of age and the harsh coastal environment have made it necessary to renovate this building as well. We have just broken ground on the project, and will be working on Apartments 1&2 over the coming months. We won’t be changing the outside, but the interior will be upgraded to meet current code. The renovations are being funded through the State’s Major Renovation and Repair program, with additional contributions from multiple sources within UGA. The project is being carried out by the Parker Young Construction Co, which mobilized a crew this past week. Stay tuned for further updates!

Hurricane Idalia moved through coastal Georgia as a tropical storm this past Wednesday (8/30), and thankfully UGAMI made it through unscathed. The staff sprang into action, moving vehicles to higher ground, putting up the hurricane barriers, and generally making sure that things were picked up in advance of potential flooding and high winds. As you can see from the graphs, the wind peaked at approximately 27 m/s (~ 60 mph) and we got only a brief spike of rain. Interestingly, instead of flooding the storm actually pulled water away from the shore so water levels were lower than usual. The power was out from Wednesday until late Thursday night and we lost some shingles off the roof of the shop, but other than that we fared pretty well. Let’s hope we don’t have to do this again anytime soon. (And thanks again to the UGAMI staff!)

10 student interns were in residence at the UGA Marine Institute over the summer conducting research with GCE-LTER investigators: 3 Univ. of Houston students worked with Dr. Steve Pennings on salt marsh disturbance experiments; 3 students (Georgia Southern Univ., SUNY-esf, Univ. of Georgia) worked with the GCE field crew; 3 students (Creighton Univ. and Georgia State Univ.) worked with Dr. John Schalles on developing algorithms for remote sensing; and 1 student from Juniata College worked with Dr. Emlyn Resetarits and Dr. Shelby Zeigler on salt marsh predation experiments. We wish them all success as they continue with their studies!