Neufeld citizen science
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This document proposes a citizen science project called Aquarium Microbial Ecology to study ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and bacteria (AOB) in home aquariums. AOA outnumber AOB in many natural environments like soil, freshwater, and marine systems. The project would collect samples from aquariums in the Kitchener-Waterloo area, extract DNA, and use PCR to analyze AOA and AOB communities. This could help answer unresolved questions about what factors shape aquarium microbial communities and how they develop over time. Studying aquariums for citizen science has advantages as aquarists are already organized, sampling is easy, and individual results are meaningful to hobbyists.
Neufeld citizen science
- 1. Aquarium microbial ecology: a living room approach to citizen science Josh D. Neufeld University of Waterloo @joshdneufeld
- 3. AOA in Natural Environments AOA outnumber AOB AOA are ubiquitous soil freshwater marine estuary
- 4. Ammonia oxidation in built aquatic environments? Access to filters… scistarter
- 8. Sample from a variety of aquaria: freshwater, marine, fish, plants Collect from KWAS members, extract DNA, quantitative real-time PCR for ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and ammonia- oxidizing bacteria (AOB). Fingerprinting and sequencing for diversity.
- 14. UNANSWERED QUESTIONS What aspects of water chemistry shape aquarium AOA (and AOB) communities? Do AOA/AOB communities correlate? Does AOB/AOA biofilm succession occur when aquariums are first established? From where do filter AOA seed populations originate? Do they seed homes (“x”)? Do AOA buffer aquaria from ammonia toxicity during antibiotic treatment?
- 15. ADVANTAGES OF AQUARIUMS FOR CITIZEN SCIENCE Aquarium hobbyists are organized by societies, pet stores – already networked Young people are involved and invested (children, schools, undergrads) Individual results matter to aquarists Aquaria are aquatic microcosms, “experiments” – already citizen science! Standalone or accessory to existing “Domestic Biome” initiatives High biomass, easy sampling
- 17. University of Waterloo *Laura Sauder(MSc)* Jennifer Stearns (PDF) Katja Engel (RA) Andre Masella (RA) Richard Pawliszyn (BSc) Puntipar Sonthiphand (PhD) NIOZ Roy. Netherlands Institute for Sea Research Francien Peterse Stefan Schouten Others Kitchener Waterloo Aquarium Society KW Aquarium stores Guelph Wastewater Treatment Plant Region of Waterloo