Savannah Mapes, PhD Candidate
Virginia Institute of Marine Science
samapes@vims.edu
Ahoy! My name is Savannah Mapes and I am a (micro) phycologist by occupation, a naturalist by hobby, and maintain a lifestyle fueled by curiosity. Currently, I am a Ph.D. Candidate at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science studying the dynamics of harmful algal blooming species in the lower Chesapeake Bay under the advisory of Dr. Kim Reece.
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Academic credentials and personal interests can be found on the "About" page. (COMING SOON)
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The "Research Blog" features publications and news articles where my research is mentioned.
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On the "Content" page you will find photos and videos relevant to my scientific research. (COMING SOON)
Research Interests
As an early career researcher, I have collected a vast and diverse list of scientific curiosities. These are just a few of my *notable* academic research interests.
Dynamics of Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs)
I am interested in enhancing the monitoring of HABs species through incorporating new technologies and expanding education/outreach initiatives, and also interested in studying patterns of environmental parameters and how they relate to the presence of certain HABs species. Here I've included a short video introducing 2 dinoflagellate species that cause HABs in the lower Chesapeake Bay; Margalefidinium polykrikoides ("Marg" for short), and Alexandrium monilatum ("Alex").
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Dinoflagellate Life Cycles
The life cycle of dinoflagellates is fascinating, with separate asexual, sexual, and dormant life stages. I am currently working on filling in the knowledge gaps about the life cycle of A. monilatum. In the video here I've provided an example of 2 different dinoflagellate life stages - the dormant resting cyst (non-motile globs with yellow in the middle to the left), and a congregation of gamete cells (motile yellow cells on the right).
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Phytoplankton Physiology
The concepts I learned during my undergraduate studies, which focused on how the physiology of a diatom is affected by oil spill conditions, inspire me to consider the physiology of dinoflagellates in general, and when exposed to different conditions.
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Anthropogenic Use of HABs
Having attended a Microalgae-Industry-Centered conference in 2018 (Algae Biomass Summit) and learning of the various uses of phytoplankton, I often wonder about ways that humans can benefit from inevitable HABs (i.e. harvesting the lipid-rich microalgae from blooms to make bioplastics as seen in the company, BLOOM).