"SARC Village": Hands-on learning and research at Georgia Southern University's Sustainable Aquaponics Research Center

Abstract

Abstract: SARC is located on Georgia Southern University's Armstrong Campus, and has supported student and faculty research since 2016. The facility contains four replicate, independent RAS systems within ã 4,100 square foot greenhouse. Each system consists of an 800-gallon modified AST FIT™ 800 (Filter-In-Tank) with a Pentair UV Sterilizer, 120-gallon settlement tank, and 224 square foot hydroponics grow bed (shown below). The facility also has two~400 gallon RAS systems for smaller projects, and operates at a pilot scale. Each system is currently stocked with Nile and blue tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus and O. aureus) and various vegetables (e.g., lettuce, swiss chard, kale, basil, peppers, tomatoes, and chives) that are consumed by faculty, staff, and students at Eagle Dining facilities on campus.

Full text

What Do SARC Students Research?
“SARC Village”: Hands-on learning and research at Georgia Southern University’s
Sustainable Aquaponics Research Center
Brigette A. Brinton* β, Brent D. Feskeα!, Heather M. Joesting β, Anthony J. Siccardi β
College of Science & Mathematics α, Department of Biologyβ, Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry!
Georgia Southern University –Armstrong Campus
Smell it, plant it, clean it! Our student assistants get dirty learning about aquaponics.Hands-on experience in real systems is a
tried-and-true method of engaging new learners with information.Dozens of curious students (K-12,undergraduate, and
graduate) and community members learn about aquaponics at the Sustainable Aquaponics Research Center on the Armstrong
Campus of Georgia Southern University every year.Even students who never set foot in the greenhouse connect with their
environment more strongly when they find out “SARC Salad” is on the menu at our campus Eagle Dining facilities.
Interdisciplinary collaborations and creative undergraduate research projects are becoming the status-quo at our new facility,
initially funded by the FORAM Foundation in 2016.Biology, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Environmental Science, Engineering,
Computer Science, Information Techn olog y, Business, Marketing –each of these disciplines can be connected to aquaponics.
Our research students, interns, and employees learn adiverse skillset that they take back into the classroom and out into the
world when they graduate.
Research topics for 2019-2020 include:nutrient flow, bioremediation, optimizing basil biomass production, antioxidant
production in basil, aeration of hydroponic beds, heat tolerance, fungal diseases, black soldier fly larvae, multitrophic systems,
incorporation of algal turf scrubbers, local ecotypes of Spartina alterniflora, marsh restoration, and soil amendments.
We find ways for our students to get into research up to their elbows (sometimes literally), and they love it.
Abstract
SARC is located on Georgia Southern University’s Armstrong Campus,
and has supported student and faculty research since 2016.
The facility contains four replicate, independent RAS systems within a
~4,100 square foot greenhouse.Each system consists of an 800-gallon
modified AST FIT™ 800 (Filter-In-Tank) with aPentair UV Sterilizer,
120-gallon settlement tank, and 224 square foot hydroponics grow
bed (shown below). The facility also has two ~400 gallon RAS systems
for smaller projects, and operates at a pilot scale.
Each system is currently stocked with Nile and blue tilapia (Oreochromis
niloticus and O. aureus)and various vegetables (e.g., lettuce, swiss
chard, kale, basil, peppers, tomatoes, and chives) that are consumed
by faculty, staff, and students at Eagle Dining facilities on campus.
The SARC Deep-water Raft Recirculating
Aquaponics Systems (RAS)
Thanks to the entire “SARC Village” of students at GSU! Special thanks to the COSM Dean’s office,
FORAM Foundation, 9-Line Foundation, Savannah Sauce Company, Billy’s Botanicals, and
Savannah Hydroponics & Organics for their support over the years.
Llewellyn, D. 2011. Differentiated Science Inquiry. Thousand Oaks, Calif. Corwin Press. 146 p.
US Dept. of Energy, 2017. Energy Literacy: Essential principles and fundamental concepts for energy education. Washington, DC.
Accessed 2/5/2020 <http://energy.gov/eere/energyliteracy>
Van Noorden, Richard. 2015. Interdisciplinary research by the numbers. Nature. 525: 306-307.
Warner, K. D. 2008. Agroecology as Participatory Science: Emerging Alternatives to Technology Transfer Extension Practice. Science,
Technology, & Human Values. 33 (6): 754-777.
Acknowledgments & Literature Cited
Diverse Experiential Learning
Disciplines as different as biochemistry and political science are
readily connected to aquaponics, and our students learn this
through first-hand experiences.
Biology is also one of the most interdisciplinary scientific fields
(Van Noorden,2015), and sustainability is even more strongly
so.SARC students see the diverse stakeholders invested in
aquaponics, working with and teaching them at community
and university events.
Furthermore, each student is invested in sustainable practices,
and they are actively working with the Department of Energy’s
core principles of energy (2017)and environmental literacy.
Showcasing local, sustainable produce on our campus
increases students’ awareness that there are better options.
Our researchers, interns, and employees learn adiverse skillset
that they take back into the classroom and out into the world
when they graduate.Each one is invested in the success of
SARC, as they see the impacts and consequences of their work
every day.
What Do SARC Students Learn?
•optimizing basil biomass production
•antioxidant production in basil
•aeration of hydroponic beds
•system designs for improved flow
•nutrient distribution and increased flow
•heat tolerance in lettuce
•susceptibility of basil to disease
•management of basil downy mildew in
aquaponics systems
•black soldier fly (BSF) larvae
•incorporation of algal turf scrubbers
(ATS) in aquaponics
•use of ATS waste products for BSF diets
•bioremediation via an uncoupled marsh
•local ecotypes of Spartina alterniflora
for marsh restoration
•aquaponics waste as asoil amendment
•multitrophic systems
Introduction
“It takes avillage” to fulfill SARC’s mission of conducting cutting-edge
research and develop best practices to improve the sustainability and
profitability of aquaponics.Everyone benefits from this partnership
between students, faculty, and the Georgia Southern community, with
students becoming citizens who are better stewards of their natural
resources, with valuable scientific and agricultural skills.
SARC offers students the opportunity to explore their own interests and
create research projects towards broader goals at the facility by
offering science & marketing internships, research credits, and
volunteer opportunities in the lab and greenhouse.Open-ended
scientific inquiry grants students agency over their own learning, and
this intrinsic motivation improves their ability to set goals, manage
time, and self-evaluate their progress (Llewellyn, 2011).
Participatory science is particularly valuable in both agriculture and
higher education, as older instructional models of transferred
technology/information often cause more problems once the learners
move beyond the guidance of the instructors (Warner, 2008)
Skill General Hydroponics Aquaculture
Novice
Charmander:
•
follow posted rules and guidelines
•
prevent cross-contamination of systems
•
record actions in appropriate logs
•
report problems to SARC staff
•
maintain clean and safe facility
•
understand appropriate water flow
through systems
Bulbasaur:
•
follow posted rules and guidelines
•
plant pruning and support
•
cleaning rafts, net pots, etc.
•
appropriate disposal of pruned vegetation
•
planting and transferring seedlings from
laboratory to greenhouse
•
recognize unhealthy plants
Squirtle:
•
follow posted rules and guidelines
•
feeding fish
•
cleaning and replacing filters
•
cleaning tanks via siphoning
•
maintain water levels in system
•
appropriate disposal of dead organisms
•
recognize unhealthy fish
Apprentice
Charmeleon
:
•
alkalinity management
•
maintain compost bins for soldier-flies
•
sanitize and replace rafts
•
troubleshoot water flow
•
siphon non-aquaculture systems
•
monitor facility functions (curtains,
blowers, waste bins, etc.)
Ivysaur
:
•
pollinate fruit-bearing plants
•
propagate plants via cuttings
•
recognize common pests and nutrient
deficiencies
•
routine nutrient supplementation
•
apply pest and pathogen treatments
•
suggest season-appropriate plants
Wartortle
:
•
collect fry from filter or tank
•recognize common signs of stress and disease
•
transfer fish safely
•
monitor feeding rates for adjustment
•
identify possible brooding females
Adept
Charizard:
•
water quality sampling and analysis
•
collect greenhouse data from monitoring
systems
•
assist with constructing or designing new
systems
•
troubleshoot facility functions
Venusaur
:
•
identify mature plants and harvest with
appropriate techniques
•
manage biomass distribution
•
troubleshoot plant production issues
•
use companion planting strategies
•
use integrated pest management strategies
Blastoise
:
•
acclimate fish for transfer
•assist with disease and biomass management
•
collect fry or eggs from female
•
monitor biological parameters
(mass, length, etc.)
•
manage hatchery organisms
Aquaponics@GeorgiaSouthern.edu
Who Are SARC Students?
Students come to SARC for many reasons!
Biology, chemistry, sustainability, engineering,
nutrition, marketing, agriculture, economics,
relaxation, technology, outreach…
Research is interdisciplinary, student-driven, and directly affects SARC productivity
Key agricultural skills include:
•planting and propagation techniques (A)
•integrated pest management (B)
•pollination for fruit production (C)
•troubleshooting plant productivity (D)
Aquaculture skills include:
•Fish handling and measurement (E)
•System design and construction (F)
•Water quality (G) and pathogen monitoring (H)
E
DC
F
G
BA
“Aquaponics is such a great
learning opportunity for
observing the tiny ecosystem
that is created when you
combine aquaculture with
hydroponics.”
- Rebecca, 1st yr intern
"I love being able to provide
our campus community with
sustainable produce, and I
have always wanted to work
with aquatic life."
- Alex, employee
“I was really happy to take on
the black soldier flies and
composting, as the creative-
engineering side in biology is
what interests me.”
- Luca, 1st yr intern
“I enjoy being in the greenhouse,
caring for the plants. It is very
relaxing! I grew so much and
became more active and
comfortable with learning to listen
to and respect people’s
differences.”
-Nhien, 2nd yr intern
“One thing I learned is that
you should never assume
something will work. Run
water through the system to
check for leaks before adding
plants and fish…”
- Cameron, summer intern
H