RAPID: A Survey of Tabanid and Ceratopogonid Populations along Coastal Louisiana to Establish Baseline Data for Measuring the Impact of the BP Oil Spill on Tidal Marsh Communities

本项目将调查蝗科昆虫(马蝇等)。以及利用路易斯安那州潮汐沼泽的金龟科(咬人的蚊科)。这两种苍蝇的幼虫在潮汐沼泽捕食无脊椎动物，成虫的繁殖依赖于栖息在幼虫栖息地上方的脊椎动物宿主。因此，这些苍蝇将成为湿地健康的良好生物指示器。将通过对在受污染的潮汐沼泽区和未受污染的地点收集的苍蝇的种群数量、物种多样性和遗传多样性的数据进行比较分析，来评估与石油污染有关的影响和恢复。这些研究将显示哪些地区受到了漏油的影响，并确定需要缓解和修复的地区。漏油可能会影响墨西哥湾甚至大西洋沿岸的社区。因此，对这些昆虫的监测可能是未来快速评估工作中使用的一个重要因素。将与其他沿海国家的科学家建立合作，以促进未来评估工作的发展。研究生和本科生都将参与这些研究并从中受益，这将为昆虫学在沿海研究中提供一个新的角色。

This project will survey the insects that belong to the families Tabanidae (horse flies, etc.) and Ceratopogonidae (biting midges) that use Louisiana tidal marshes. The larvae of both families of flies prey upon invertebrates in tidal marshes, and adult reproduction is dependent upon the vertebrate hosts that reside above the larval habitats. Therefore, these flies will serve as excellent bioindicators for wetland health. The impact and recovery related to oil contamination will be evaluated via comparative analyses of data on population size, species diversity, and genetic diversity of flies collected in tidal marsh areas that are contaminated as well as sites that are not contaminated. The studies will show which areas have been affected by the spill, and identify areas needing mitigation and rehabilitation.The oil spill is likely to impact communities that border the Gulf and potentially even the Atlantic Ocean. Therefore, surveillance of these insects could be an important element used in future rapid assessment efforts. Collaboration with scientists from other coastal states will be established to foster development of future assessment efforts. Both graduate and undergraduate students would be involved and benefit from participation in these studies, which should provide a new role for entomology in coastal studies.