Molecular Characterization of Bryopsis species richness in the Western North Atlantic
Education Level
Undergraduate
Faculty Advisor(s)
Professor Brian Wysor
Academic Department(s)
Biology, Marine Biology and Environmental Science
Symposium Date
2024
Abstract
Bryopsis is a species rich genus of siphonous green algae known for its feathery and sometimes iridescent appearance. There are two species of Bryopsis in Rhode Island (Bryopsis plumosa and B. hypnoides) but preliminary DNA Barcoding data suggest at least three species are present. Given their potential for causing environmental problems through biological invasion, and their pharmacological potential, being able to identify species is critically important. My project attempts to clarify Bryopsis species richness by assessing DNA sequence variation from specimens collected throughout the Western North Atlantic, which is home to 13 species of the 59 known worldwide.
Recommended Citation
St. Jean, Abigail and Wysor, Brian, "Molecular Characterization of Bryopsis species richness in the Western North Atlantic" (2024). Student Research Symposium. 23.
https://docs.rwu.edu/studentresearchsymposium/23
Comments
This research was presented at the 2024 Rhode Island Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium, held on Friday, July 26, at the University of Rhode Island and supported by RI NSF EPSCoR.