Students Help Further Conservation Efforts Along the Georgia Coast
Living along the Georgia coast definitely has its perks. Aside from being able to escape to the beach, one can overlook the water pastures of marshes, or stand under live oak trees that have witnessed the history of the changing landscape for hundreds of years. However, it takes work to protect and preserve these areas, especially as more people are calling Brunswick and the Golden Isles home. That’s what students in Dr. Tate Holbrook’s Conservation Biology course learned through their service-learning projects last fall. Service-learning has become a major part of the culture at the College of Coastal Georgia. It’s a great way for students to apply classroom concepts and curriculum to real-world situations, while simultaneously making an impact in the local community. Holbrook, an associate professor of biology, divided his students into four groups, where they partnered with local organizations dedicated to conservation and preservation. Through these service-learning projects, students helped further conservation efforts while gaining hands-on experience for future careers.
Habitats and Nectar Plants Used by Migratory Butterflies
“Just living isn’t enough,” said the butterfly, “one must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower.” – Hans Christian Anderson
Butterflies don’t see how beautiful they truly are, but people do. The sweet flutter of a butterfly’s wing always elicits a smile. Like birds, butterflies migrate during different seasons. However, many migratory butterflies are being threatened worldwide by habitat loss, climate change, and other factors. The Butterflies of the Atlantic Flyaway Alliance (BAFA) is a collaboration between land management entities and citizen scientists in coastal Georgia to better understand and safeguard natural resources that are critical to sustaining healthy populations of migratory butterflies. One group of students partnered with the St. Simons Land Trust to conduct BAFA surveys at Cannon’s Point Preserve. Their survey focused on three main species: gulf fritillary (Agraulis vanillae), monarch (Danaus plexippus), and cloudless sulfur (Phoebis sennae). Once a week, in rotation with volunteers, students conducted migration surveys and nectar plot surveys. Their objective was to observe which type of butterflies fed on different nectar plants, and how those results will assist BAFA in developing habitat management plans.
Senior Ashley Haymans, who is majoring in biological sciences with a concentration in coastal ecology and a minor in marine science, said her group enjoyed being able to contribute to the data collection and observe the different species of butterflies. Her group expected to see more monarch butterflies, but mainly saw gulf fritillaries.
Stewardship Director of the St. Simons Land Trust Stephanie Knox, oversees the ongoing management of Cannon’s Point Preserve and works alongside numerous partners. Knox said it was great to have students at the Preserve doing research.
“The students were always enthusiastic and inquisitive about their research, and I thoroughly enjoy the opportunity to work with them as they gain hands-on experience,” Knox said. “I’m glad that the Preserve provides a local living laboratory that can be used during service-learning projects at the College of Coastal Georgia.”
Students’ preliminary results showed that sage (Salvia), groundsel (Baccharis), and frog fruit (Phyla) were the most frequently visited plants. Cloudless Sulphur butterflies were only found to visit sage, and gulf fritillaries were found on all species of flower plants. The migration of gulf fritillaries was the highest in the salt marsh. Students suggested that this could be because butterflies often use the most open spaces when migrating along the Atlantic Flyaway.
The data collected by students will not only help the Preserve, but also other protected areas along Georgia’s coast. For the Preserve, Knox said the data will help them adjust the frequency of mowing in areas with important nectar sources, ensuring that a food source is readily available to both resident and migratory butterflies.
“Understanding these habitats of migratory butterflies is important to being able to protect the Butterfly Flyaway, which is the ‘highway’ some butterflies use to migrate,” Haymans said. “They use the different habitats to rest on their travels. If the habitats are not there, the butterflies will not be able to pollinate different species of plants that depend on being pollinated by these butterflies.”
Haymans will be pursuing a career in the research or conservation of sharks and stingrays. Although working with sharks is a far cry from butterflies, the experience has taught her how to collect data on an existing project, and how to analyze that data to answer a question.
“It was a great experience to be able to work with community partners and my fellow classmates,” Haymans said. “I would also like to thank Dr. Holbrook for giving us the opportunity to work on that project during the class.”
Knox hopes that students were able to see the important role of conservation. Their work will be used by a number of partners and coastal managers, who can adjust their own sites to improve habitats for butterflies.
“I believe I can speak for all of us at the St. Simons Land Trust when I say how fortunate and grateful we are to have our partnership with the College and Dr. Tate Holbrook on the Cannon’s Point Preserve Education Task Force,” Knox said. “Dr. Holbrook continues to find ways to create hands-on experiences for students and utilize the Preserve as a living laboratory in as many applicable ways as possible. He is also happy to introduce other professors to the Preserve for expanded collaborations.”
Seed Viability of Georgia Native Plant Species
“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.” – Robert Louis Stevenson
The plants and animals of ecosystems are intricately connected. Native plant species provide important cover and shelter, and act as food sources for animals. To help preserve local natural communities, one group partnered with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GADNR) Wildlife Resources Division to determine the viability of seeds that may be used to restore native plant species. The GADNR is working to create a native plant garden at the Altama Plantation Wildlife Management Area in order to have a source of seeds—a seed bank—for restoration and planning projects at state-run sites. Students tested two plant species chosen for the garden that will provide food and habitat for species native to Georgia, such as gopher tortoises, quail, and native pollinators. The test helped determine which seeds could potentially germinate after being stored over time.
Students were provided with sandhill milkweed (Asclepias humistrata) and Florida paintbrush (Carphephorus corymbosus) seeds that had been collected and stored over different lengths of time. The seeds were then tested using tetrazolium chloride. Living mitochondrial cells within the seed embryo, which are involved in the plant respiration, stain red in the presence of tetrazolium, indicating viability. Seeds that were not viable were splotchy or undyed. Sandhill milkweed showed that viability was high for up to five years of storage, but declined after six or more years. Florida paintbrush showed relatively low, but consistent seed viabilities over a three-year storage period.
This was the first time that this type of service-learning project was included in the course. Junior Gabi Welch, who is majoring in biology with a concentration in coastal ecology, said her group was more than ready to do whatever the project entailed. Students participated in a volunteer work-day at Altama WMA to help plant seeds in the nursery, working with Wildlife Biologist III Eamonn Leonard. Leonard works on a range of projects from habitat mapping and restoration planning, to invasive species management and native groundcover restoration.
“I gave them a full list of species we will be working with and a sample of two species with seeds collected over several years. They clarified the protocol for testing viability using a tetrazolium test. Plus, they did a review of scientific literature,” Leonard said. “As we produce seeds, I will use the testing methods they used to further help us understand how long we can store the more than 50 different species to ensure we maintain the highest seed viability. Knowing which species of seeds have the longest and shortest viable storage time is critical information to ensure we have the greatest success in our restoration efforts.”
Welch’s group was able to see concepts they learned in class in action, such as preserving species and their genes in offsite settings, and ecological restoration using locally sourced populations. The group also enjoyed the amount of freedom they had in working on the project.
“I believe our team worked well together, and we were excited to be able to take on a project where we were trusted with the process,” Welch said. “Plants are the basis of all ecosystems, so the more we know about them, the better we understand natural communities.”
The project helped Welch learn more about what impacts plant viability and germination. She plans to have a career in research and science communication.
Leonard commended the partnership with the faculty at the College on multiple projects.
“They have always been a valuable contributor. On multiple occasions, they have been able to help us make our projects better or helped analyze the data we have collected,” he said.
Effects of Prescribed Fire on Small Mammals
“The continued existence of wildlife and wilderness is important to the quality of life of humans.” – Jim Fowler.
Maritime slash pine is an evergreen coniferous species of tree that can grow to mature heights of 100 feet. The slash pine forests on Jekyll Island are threatened by overgrowth of vegetation, and one way to manage this is by prescribed fire to thin forests. Prescribed fires, also known as controlled burns, help to promote new growth of native plant species, decrease the risk of dangerous wildfires, and improve the habitats of small mammals. This service-learning project involved students working with the Jekyll Island Authority to survey the abundance and diversity of small mammals—like rodents, squirrels, and rabbits—in a maritime slash pine forest before and after prescribed fires.
Joseph Colbert is the wildlife biologist for the Jekyll Island Authority. He has many duties, including managing any policies related to wildlife, grant preparation, permit application and habitat management. He is also the in-house environmental consultant. It was a great opportunity to be out in the fields with students, Colbert said, and show them a project he started many years ago that is still ongoing. Students conducted surveys over four days of small mammals at six random sites that had previously undergone a prescribed fire. Colbert and the students placed game cameras and PVC pipes containing peanut butter and vanilla extract at each site to attract the animals in the area, which were captured in photographs. By surveying the small mammals, it gives an indication of how long it may take for an area to recover and for animals to respond after a controlled burn.
Coastal Georgia alum Cheyenne Osborne graduated in December 2022, and earned a Bachelor of Science in coastal ecology. Osborne was very eager about this service-learning project in particular.
“This was a project that I wanted to do. We rate our top choices, and this was my top one. I really wanted to get experience working with small mammals and vegetation,” Osborne said. “I wanted to learn more about the science behind prescribed fires because I’ve been exposed to it a lot through other people.”
Fire is a natural component of the ecosystem. When lightning strikes the ground, there will be a fire, but because of the homes and businesses on Jekyll, those fires have been prevented from moving through the landscape, Colbert said. There are acres on the island that haven’t had a prescribed fire in a very long time. The overgrowth of vegetation can lead to a dangerous wildfire. Before a controlled burn can be done, Colbert wanted to collect data on how the wildlife would respond to a fire.
“We chose small mammals to focus on because small mammals have a home range that’s not very far. They would certainly be affected by a fire,” Colbert said.
Students looked at previously collected pre-burn data and post-burn data after one year. The data students collected were for post-burn year two.
“I wanted them to see how we rationalize putting the project together, how we design our methods, how to monitor an area pre- and post-fire, and what kinds of things we look at as conservationists,” he said. “It’s nice to offer an opportunity to young professionals, watch them in the field, get a basic understanding of what our projects are like, and what they might do elsewhere. That’s how I got introduced to the field, and was inspired to follow it as a career.”
Experiencing how data can be collected in the field gave Osborne and her group a new perspective. She said they were used to running data in the classroom, and with the project, they had to alter their expectations. This was a great benefit to her because she wants to do field research. Osborne is currently pursuing a career in shellfish conservation and water quality. This project gave her an understanding of the different ways to collect data.
“It was a good way for me to see that there’s different ways of research. It’s not always black and white when it comes to collecting data in the outdoors,” she said.
Preliminary results suggested that a prescribed fire may have a positive effect on small mammal communities in maritime slash pine forests. There was an increase in cotton rat and cotton mouse post-burn for years one and two. The group also concluded that future research could analyze abundance and diversity over a longer period of time to account for the seasonal habits of each mammal species. Students shared that they have a deeper understanding of forest management, a strengthened ability to work and collaborate with others, and developed skills in identifying animals and plants.
Assessing Invasive Plant Populations and Developing Outreach Resources
“Nothing in science has any value to society if it is not communicated.” – Anne Roe
Some of the prettiest plants seen on a daily basis are actually nonnative invasive plants. Invasive plants are everywhere, hiding in plain sight, like in restaurants as decoration in potted plants. This is what senior Nellie Little learned through her service-learning project with the St. Simons Land Trust. Little is majoring in both environmental science and biology. Her group worked with the Land Trust to identify and remove invasive plants across many of their conservation properties.
Invasive plants often outcompete native plant species, thereby degrading ecosystems and disrupting animal migration patterns. Monitoring and controlling invasive populations is key to maintaining healthy natural ecosystems. Invasive plant surveys for the Land Trust were started in 2021 by previous Conservation Biology students. They determined that invasive species were primarily found along frequently trafficked areas. These seeds are often distributed by pets, birds, the wind, and unknowingly, humans. Little’s group continued their work, while also developing outreach resources to assist the Land Trust in monitoring, removing, and educating the public about invasive plant populations. Her group was paired with Rebecca Cushing, an alum of the College, whose group initially started the invasive plant research.
Cushing graduated in May 2022, earning a bachelor’s in biology, with a concentration in coastal ecology and a minor in environmental science. She is now a land steward technician with the Land Trust and works closely with the stewardship team to coordinate and carry out land management and community outreach. Her role also involves monitoring trails and Land Trust properties, creating property maps, coordinating volunteers, and much more. Cushing was able to see the work she and her peers started, and continue with current students at the College.
“It’s rewarding to build on the work I participated in as an undergrad. Having the opportunity to share that work with students allows me to make the direct connection between my education and the work I do now,” Cushing said. “It is also valuable to have students contribute their time and efforts to the conservation goals of the St. Simons Land Trust.”
The students weren’t sure what to expect initially, since the project was previously established. They didn’t know if they were building onto the project or finding an alternative way to identify invasive species. No matter the task, there was one thing that was very important to the group.
“We didn’t know what we were walking into, but our group wanted to make it more geared towards doing outreach, so people can start identifying these things in their own yard and around the island,” Little said.
Plant surveys were done at the following sites: Janet’s Trail at Guale Preserve, the John Gilbert Natural Trail, Cannon’s Point Preserve, the Mildred Huie Property, and the Land Trust office. The most frequently found invasive plant across all surveyed properties were tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima), large leaf lantana (Lantana camara), and Japenese privet (Ligustrum japonicum).
“We were surprised at the plants that we didn’t know were invasive, because they are common plants, like lantana,” Little said. “Lantana is super invasive and it’s in a lot of restaurants as potted plants. It’s also really attractive to butterflies, but it can disrupt butterfly migration in the long run. You need to have the right native plants that are used to our seasons to help butterflies migrate as they should. We didn’t realize the impact that one nonnative plant can do.”
The extent of how well-integrated invasive species are among native plants surprised her group as well. She described longleaf lantana as a very stubborn plant that doesn’t die easily. Once it’s cut down, another grows right next to it. Another difficulty was how similar invasive plants look to native plants. Little said that Japanese honeysuckle looks identical to the honeysuckle native to Georgia. Tree of heaven plants are what students mainly worked to remove from the properties.
“Tree of heaven is a pretty tree and smells like peanut butter. There were big groups of it with root suckers attached,” Little said. “We learned how to feel the actual tree to the roots, and had to decipher between roots and root suckers.”
Since the Land Trust had more organized records of invasive species for the second year of this project, students were encouraged to make a greater connection to how their project can be used in community outreach, and raise awareness, Cushing said.
Little was in charge of making educational posters to inform the public about invasive species. One poster identified common invasive plants and the alternative native plants that can be placed to promote pollinators—like bees and butterflies—and native animals. For example, the poster suggested to plant southern magnolia instead of the invasive camphor tree. Posters were also created for each property based on the common invasive plants found at those sites. For the John Gilbert Nature Trail, it lists the lantana and mimosa tree as the most common invasive plants found along the trail. People are then encouraged to report their findings to the Land Trust using a QR code. Little truly enjoyed making the posters.
“This was a way for me to jump into the science communication realm,” she said. “I had taken a science communication course, but hadn’t really done an educational poster. This was a new thing for me to do.”
The students’ data will be compiled with the staff’s data, and over time, the information will help the Land Trust determine where they are being effective in managing the spread of invasive species.
“We may need to focus a larger effort on managing invasions, or we might determine that the work we’re currently doing is enough,” Cushing said. “I hope that the students developed specific skills such as identifying both native and invasive plant species, how to effectively collect and understand data, and gained a better understanding of how that data can be applied to land management practices. I also hope they developed their teamwork skills and gained a new appreciation for the role that the Land Trust plays in the community.”
The project also gave students a different approach to conservation and preservation efforts. To see a different management style discussed in class in practice was a great experience for Little.
“It was a fun project to be a part of,” she said. “I didn’t know anything about the Land Trust before then. It was really fun to see what they’re doing, and understand what programs they have.”
One of the best parts of the project was being able to work with an alum of the College. Little had classes with Cushing, and the students were able to learn from someone who has very similar experiences.
“The best advice I can give students is that they should follow the path that is right for them and that it may look different for everyone,” Cushing said. “Some students will move away, pursue graduate degrees, internships, careers, and do many other opportunities. There isn’t a single right or wrong direction to take. I am very grateful that I found an opportunity after graduation that allows me to do what I love in the community that I call home.”
Like Cushing, Little also enjoys being outside and working in the community to make an impact. She plans to have a career in water quality and outreach.
All four service-learning projects were presented at the annual Coastal Science Symposium. The symposium brought together students, faculty, community partners, and community members to explore coastal and marine science research, and its applications to society. These students, along with many others, presented their research posters and shared what they learned from their experiences. Not only was it a great opportunity for those in attendance to reflect on the importance of conservation, but it showed the many ways people can help keep the Georgia coast a beautiful place to live.
The Coastal Science Symposium 2022 Proceedings have been published in Coastal Scholar. To learn more about these service-learning projects and the other research presented at the Coastal Science Symposium, click here.
