By Katharine Sucher, Science Writing Intern
Joshua Stone has accepted a two-year graduate research fellowship with Virginia Sea Grant. During his fellowship Joshua will investigate the dynamics of comb jellies and sea nettles—two types of gelatinous zooplankton—in the Chesapeake Bay.
Spring and summer blooms of gelatinous zooplankton are among the most dramatic of all seasonal changes in the Chesapeake Bay. Joshua will analyze historical data to identify any long-term trends in comb jelly and sea nettle abundance over the last 20 years. He will also conduct experiments to determine if controlling numbers of gelatinous zooplankton affects nutrient levels at the bottom of a body of water.
Joshua also plans to develop a free smart-phone app that records sea nettle and other jellyfish sightings. The app, based on a successful program used on the Mediterranean coast, would serve both recreational and scientific interests.
“[The app] will allow users to upload sightings of jellyfish in VA waters to a central server and then access sightings uploaded by other users and make informed decisions about recreational use,” Joshua said. “Sighting information will also be added to the open-access Jellyfish Database Initiative for scientific use.”
Joshua graduated from Messiah College in 2010 with degrees in biology and Spanish. He is currently pursuing a PhD at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS). In 2011 Joshua was awarded the William J. Hargis Jr. Fellowship Award, an annual award given to an outstanding first-year graduate student at VIMS. Joshua has served as a teaching assistant for graduate courses and has led a recitation section for undergraduates. One day he hopes to combine his love of research and education by becoming a university professor.
