Grantee Research Project Results
2021 Progress Report: Exploring the links between harmful algal blooms and human well-being: how and why communities take action
EPA Grant Number: R836939Title: Exploring the links between harmful algal blooms and human well-being: how and why communities take action
Investigators: Gould, Rachelle , Stockwell, Jason
Current Investigators: Gould, Rachelle , Stockwell, Jason , Stommel, Elijah , Fisher, Brendan , Kraft, Jana , Miller, Todd
Institution: University of Vermont
EPA Project Officer: Hahn, Intaek
Project Period: August 1, 2017 through July 31, 2019 (Extended to July 31, 2022)
Project Period Covered by this Report: August 1, 2020 through July 31,2021
Project Amount: $598,321
RFA: Integrating Human Health and Well-Being with Ecosystem Services (2016) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Human Health
Objective:
Harmful algal blooms (HABs) impede ecosystem services and enhance ecosystem dis-services. Our study elucidates the links between HABs and human well-being, and investigates how and why a community takes action based on data about those links.
We have six objectives: (1) determine relationships between HABs and nutritional value of fish species; (2) understand the impact of aerosolized neurotoxins from HABs on human health; (3) explore impacts of nonmaterial connections between HABs and human well-being, specifically by exploring whether the blooms cause stress as measured by salivary cortisol; (4) determine factors that have impeded water quality improvement in St. Albans Bay; (5) evaluate the effectiveness of informational framings to motivate action to reduce HABs; and (6) develop nuanced understanding of how communities accept, process, and understand scientific information related to HABs, and how they feel empowered or disempowered to affect change. These objectives have not changed from the original application.
Progress Summary:
The fourth year of this grant was rather slow, largely due to complications with work and hiring that resulted from COVID-19. We fully anticipate being able to catch up in our final grant year, however, and to be able to complete the projected outcomes – and more – by the grant’s closing.
In Year 4, we collected our final data and continued to make progress on data analysis. We now have many manuscripts that are very nearly ready for submission, and except active work on disseminating our results in the coming year. We continued to work closely with partners and nurture solid relationships with them. We moved forward with plans that were modified by COVID-19 (e.g., converting plans for in-person events to an online format). We are monitoring expenses, and with the no-cost extension under which we are currently operating, we will be able to complete the work by Summer 2022. We attend to our quality assurance statement in all aspects of the project, indicated by the specific details below.
Outputs of Year 2
Below, we list specific outputs from various components of the study.
Fish nutrition and Aerosol studies (Objectives 1 and 2):
• Completed almost all laboratory analysis (including dealing with a substantial equipment malfunction that took a long time to prepare due to COVID-19-related delays in the supply chain and shipping).
• Completed drafts of results sections for two peer-reviewed publications.
Salivary cortisol study (Objective 3):
• Designed and implemented data collection for this study. This included designing a sophisticated “workbook” with 12 images that are identical except for photoshopped differences in the presence or absence of harmful algal blooms.
• Collected roughly 300 saliva samples (before and after exposure to the workbooks full of images).
• Partnered with faculty in the University of Vermont College of Medicine to organize storage and analysis of saliva samples.
Integrated community-based social science studies (Objectives 4, 5, and 6):
- Nearly completed analysis of mental models interviews
- Completed coding, both initial and subsequent
- Conducted analysis of themes and patterns in codes.
- Analyzed results and prepared manuscript from the survey (framing study)
- Determined that there is not a dramatic effect of our experimental treatments
- Used multiple statistical models to understand relationships between variables (e.g., how shoreline property owners respond differently, regardless of treatment)
- Manuscript is close to ready for submission
- Prepared manuscript for media analysis
- Completed analysis
- Prepared multiple diagrams and infographics
- Wrote up results
- Community discussion sessions
- Decided to use a published method of implementation of science-fiction scenarios to encourage creativity in reception of data from the project.
- Hired a staff member to help support community discussion sessions
This project has many components that involve service to and education with the community (see above). In addition to work with our project partners, we engaged in the activities listed below.
Outcomes of Year 4 Because we are still recovering from the substantial delays due to COVID-19, we have no outcomes to report for Year 4 of the grant.
Future Activities:
• For biophysical studies, complete all analyses and draft and submit papers. In the coming months, we will:
o Conduct statistical analyses
o Prepare manuscripts for publication
• For our social science studies, we have finalized most details and are in the final stages of analysis and/or data collection for most components of the project. In the coming months, we will:
o Complete analysis of mental models interviews and submit paper for publication
(Objective 6).
o Analyze saliva samples and complete analysis and writing for the cortisol study
(Objective 3).
o Submit near-ready manuscript describing analysis of past media coverage of cyanobacteria in St. Albans Bay (Objective 4).
o Submit near-ready manuscript with results from our survey (“framing study”, Objective 5).
o Share our results with community members in the final few months of the grant. We are actively working to prepare these events, which will occur in early 2022.
Journal Articles:
No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 7 publications for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
ow-income, toxins, ALS, mental models, cortisolRelevant Websites:
St. Albans Area Watershed Association Exit , Franklin/Grand Isle Community Action Exit
Progress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.