Biology Department News

Redemptive Research on Pest Plants

Pat Buist — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:08:40 GMT

I stopped by Professor David Dornbos’s office on a Thursday afternoon to ask about his research this summer. All I knew of the project was what I had absorbed from his research student, Jennie Heidmann, as she presented her poster a few weeks ago; namely, I knew that it involved invasive plants that had to be cut down at a certain time for some kind of harvesting. Other than that, everything was new territory. So, Professor Dornbos started explaining from ground zero…

“I’d spent five years learning how to kill off these invasive species to restore ecosystems on Calvin’s campus,” Dornbos shared about his previous research. “After realizing that it seemed to be a losing battle (the invasive species always outgrew the native plants), I began asking different questions. I mean, I’m at Calvin. So, I started wondering if maybe they [the invasive plants] could be redeemed. I wanted to know if we could use these unwanted plants that outgrew the native varieties to our advantage.” Professor Dornbos laughed as he recollected the thought process that led him to his new project. It may be all “tongue and cheek” as he says, but the question of redemption put him on the trail of an exciting new area of research that works to answer problems with unhealthy soil organic carbon levels by using pest plants and with biofuel sources.

Briefly, Professor Dornbos’ and Jennie Heidmann’s project involves using the invasive species Buckthorn and Autumn olive to replenish soil organic carbon and harvest the plants as biomass for producing cellulosic ethanol. To understand the innovation of this idea, you need to know some background.

First, why the concern about organic carbon levels in soil? Soil organic carbon, or the carbon source for plant growth and production of all its biological compounds, is used as a means to measure the overall healthy of soil. When crops like corn or wheat grow on a plot of land, they dramatically deplete the amount of the carbon in the soil when they use it to grow and produce our necessary food sources. A healthy level of carbon would be 5%, but many soils, especially old farmlands have about 1-1.5%. This means that the land is not useful for producing food crops and needs to lie fallow for years before it can reestablish healthy carbon levels.

Now here comes the interesting fact: the root systems of invasive species can help increase the rate at which soil organic carbon levels increase. So, growing these “pest plants” actually improves the soil quality mentioned above. This lowers the need for nitrogen fertilizers produced from fossil fuels that pollute water systems. It also means that these plants allow carbon sequestration by putting carbon back in the soil. As political awareness about global warming and humanity’s carbon footprint increases, demonstrated by films like “A Unavoidable Truth” and international treaties like Kyoto Protocol, interest in carbon sequestration is becoming a buzzword/phrase. Therefore, reintroducing carbon back to the ground using these plants means improvement of soil quality, reduction of fertilizers, and deduction of our carbon footprint. Excellent.

The second aspect of reforming Buckthorn and Autumn olive in useful plants is using them as a source of cellulosic ethanol. As a biofuel, ethanol makes up 10% of regular gasoline. Most of this ethanol is derived from corn grain, which threatens food security and is not an efficient use of a crop that removes so much carbon from the soil. In lieu of using corn grain or husks, which further degrades soil by using the decomposing matter that replenishes it, what about using the invasive species? Dornbos wondered how Buckthorn and Autumn olive performed as producers of cellulosic ethanol, and how they compared to the invasive species switchgrass, a warm season grass native to Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas.

To answer their questions, Jennie measured both the rate of photosynthesis (or how much biomass was produced) and ran extractions to find how much ethanol the invasive plants made. “Jennie’s a really good organic chemist, which helped her when doing the cellulose extraction procedure. After an ethanol extraction and acid hydrolysis, the remainder is made into derivatives and analyzed by gas chromatography (GC). Jennie is presently working on this final step.

Professor Dornbos and Jennie are excited about the initial findings from the project. However, their work continues as they fully analyze how well Buckthorn and Autumn olive plants increase soil organic carbon and produce biomass. We will have to wait for the answer of possible redemption for these invasive plants.

As an interdisciplinary effort with the Chemical Engineering Department, Professor Dornbos’s project is funded by a grant from HHMI through the Integrated Science Research Institute (ISRI).

by Suzanna Lynch, 2010 biochemistry major

Research on Bacteriophages

Pat Buist — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:22:16 GMT

The fall semester is well underway and students are finally getting into the rhythm of college life; the upperclassmen are getting used to their usual routine again, and the freshmen are adjusting to and figuring out the challenges of post-secondary education. One particular group of freshmen in the biology program has stepped up to an additional academic challenge; they are involved in a special introductory biology class that involves research on bacteriophages. This new and exciting addition to our biology curriculum is taught by professors Randy DeJong and John Wertz and was started because Calvin was awarded an HHMI grant. The research is funded by the Science Education Alliance (SEA) in partnership with the National Genomics Research Institute (NGRI).

So now that the students are into their research, what do they have to say about all of this? When asked about her feelings on the class as a whole, one student named Larissa Osterbaan shared that the class is a great overall experience, and the professors are very approachable. She and one of her peers, Anna Plantinga, both agreed that the class is excellent for teaching the students how to work independently and be responsible for their own research. It also teaches them important skills such as keeping a proper lab notebook. There’s a lot to be said about learning all of this right at the beginning of one’s college career!

By far the most common student response to this class, however, is excitement about the hands-on learning that takes place. The students are really into the research and they say that the interactive nature of the class makes it so much fun. It really brings out the best in introductory biology. Professors enjoy the class too, and they see it as beneficial to the students. Professor Randy DeJong expressed his excitement about how much the students have grown not only in their love of the material, but in their independence and ability to be responsible for their own experiments. Everyone involved in the class anticipates that it will continue to be a favorite class throughout the semester.

by Rachel Abma, 2011 biology major

Freshmen Doing Research

Pat Buist — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 14:54:47 GMT

Exciting News! The Biology department was recently awarded an HHMI grant to institute a new class for incoming freshmen, which incorporates research and lecture in a new way. The program, funded by the Science Education Alliance (SEA) in partnership with the National Genomics Research Institute (NGRI), will jump-start interest in undergraduate research in the students’ first year at Calvin and other selected institutions.

So, what will they be doing? Well, twenty students will meet in their own section three times a week for two hours both fall and spring semesters. In this time, they will have regular lectures, but they will also be conducting labwork different from the normal introductory biology course. The students will each go out and collect samples of dirt, water, etc. and then isolate a bacteriophag, and photograph it using a transmission electron microscope. The class will then select one bacteriophage by how rare it is and the quality and quantity of DNA available and send it to NGRI for sequencing. Not only will the students get the experience of collecting, isolating, and studying the genetic sequence of the bacteriophages, the information will also go into the national genomic catalog.

Calvin is part of the second cohort of a dozen schools chosen to test this new, more integrative and interactive biology class for at least the next three years. Our "buddy" school is Hope College, which was part of the first cohort last year. The students will be able to share comments and questions with students at other participating schools via an online wiki, and one or two lucky students will have the honor of traveling to HHMI headquarters in Maryland to present their research with their professors.

The class itself will be taught by Professors Randall DeJong and John Wertz, who are both excited by the opportunities this new program offers. "The course offers openings to try new teaching techniques and puts Calvin in to a national conversation with other schools," says Professor DeJong. "It’s a new paradigm of lecture and research," Wertz explains. "We won’t know the outcomes of the labs. We’re in the same position as the students. At the same time, it’s a chance for freshmen to do real research in their first year as an undergrad." by Susananna Lynch, 2010, biochemistry major

An Unusual Migratory Bird

Pat Buist — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 13:45:18 GMT

Last fall, Professor Grasman assigned several students of his Ecosystem Management class to observe migratory birds resting in the Calvin ponds as they migrated south. The study has been done for several years now, and the data is compiled each year in search of behavioral changes of the birds. Observations were made almost every night and morning, and sometimes in the rain. The students regularly observed mallards, a few herons, wood ducks,king fishers, and two Red-breasted Mergansers.

…Wait, what was that last one?

Red-breasted Merganser, Mergus serrator, is a unique type of duck that is rarely sited in West Michigan. Mergansers live and breed in northern Canada and Alaska, but migrate south into the United States for winter. The species is specifically a diving duck, meaning that they swim underwater in search of prey, such as fish, aquatic insects, crustaceans, and frogs. The most noticeable feature is their spiky crests, which are feathers that stick up on the top of their head; the unique feature makes the bird distinguishable from the other common waterfowl found in the area. Needless to say, the students had a blast spending their lab time outdoors, not to mention the experience of observing an unusual species. Hopefully they will make another "star appearance" next year at Calvin Nature Preserve. By Peter Dornbos, 2010, biology major

Before there were lawns, Michigan was a forest...

Pat Buist — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 16:42:26 GMT

Sustainable practice, the new catchphrase which Calvin College is constantly throwing around, urges students to live with the future in mind. Dr. David Warners, a biology professor, put the phrase into action last summer with the help of several students, Brian Schaap and Linda Van Andel, along with Peter Hiskes who graduated from Calvin in the spring of 2008. They spent the summer creating a forest outside of the new wing added to Kalsbeek Huizinga dormitory. What's the big deal? Haven't you seen the nature preserve?

The decision to create forest instead of a grassy lawn actually improves the campus in a variety of ways. Not only does the native grove look better, but is also financially beneficial. True, the plants, purchased from Ted Hurja, a small business owner who sells native plants, are more expensive upfront than simply planting grass. The typical lawn at Calvin College, however, is mowed, fertilized, landscaped and watered while the forest….well, just grows. Few, if any, natural resources will be used in order to take care of the forest. Not only will it cost less over time, but the 70 trees planted will sequester carbon, increase biodiversity on campus, and reduce energy costs by shading the dorm and breaking the wind. The project is a prime example of sustainable practice in action, and makes one wonder…who ever thought of grass lawns in the first place? By Peter Dornbos, 2010, biology major

Did you know…

Pat Buist — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:28:13 GMT

Did you know…

…That a blister beetle was found this fall in the Calvin nature preserve? These insects, of the family meloidae, are about ½-1 ½ inches long, with narrow bodies covered by relatively soft wings compared to other beetles, and are commonly found in drier regions of the US. Blister beetles get their name from the sometimes painful blistering of the skin caused by cantharidin, a toxin in their secretions. This poison is similar to cyanide and strychnine in toxicity, but is, interestingly enough, still used in the US as an active ingredient for wart removal. While certainly a notable find, this particular beetle is probably best left alone, for your sake. by Susananna Lynch, 2010, biochemistry major

Culturing Cat Cells

Pat Buist — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:26:51 GMT

Culturing Cat Cells

So, what are students up to in lab? Many of us are familiar with the standard, cookbook-like lab, but sometimes we get to investigate without all the prescribed instructions. Some students in the cell culture class were given just that opportunity this past semester when their techniques and knowledge of cells were put to the test. After learning about cell feeding, passaging, and morphology, students had to culture sex cells from the discarded sex organs from neutered and spayed cats.

After obtaining the organs from a local veterinarian, the students were directed to extract the desired cells using the primary culture methods they had learned. Then, they had to keep the cells alive and healthy using necessary medium and hormones. Students also had to figure out how to separate and select for the sex cells as opposed to other kinds of cells also in the organs. Culturing cat cells gave students firsthand experience of getting a single cell line out of the organism and keep them growing – both an informative and difficult task, made more exciting by the fact that they were in cats the day before! by Susanna Lynch, 2010, biochemistry major