There’s much to be said for being raised by two ecologists and attending a private school that encourages scientific exploration. In fact, with the kind of support Lauren Arrington received from her family and school, it’s no surprise that her science fair experiment was cited as a “pilot study” for groundbreaking ecological research on invasive species—all before she was old enough to drive.
As a sixth-grader at The King's Academy (FL), Lauren had a personal appreciation for the impact lionfish were having on the region’s waterways. As the Executive Director for the Loxahatchee River District (LRD), Lauren's father, Dr. Albrey Arrington, encouraged her interest in local ecology. In fact, the LRD funded preliminary lionfish studies in the estuary led by biologist Dr. Zachary Jud and adviser Dr. Craig Layman at Florida International University.
But why the interest in the exotic fish? Lionfish, originating in the South Pacific Ocean, are an invasive species along many Atlantic-state coastlines due to unauthorized release of the fish from private aquariums. With no natural enemies, an extremely high reproductive rate, and a voracious appetite, lionfish pose a serious problem for native species—especially during the juvenile/prawn stages of many native fish.
Traditionally, lionfish are found only in the ocean. However, an early study by Dr. Jud and Dr. Layman suggested that they could move inland to brackish, lower-salinity environments, which would pose a threat for the natural “nurseries” of native fish. Using their study as a springboard, Lauren wanted to find the lowest salinity the lionfish could tolerate. At sufficiently low levels, lionfish could invade further up the estuary than anyone had assumed.
Using six lionfish in separate tanks, Lauren discovered that the fish can survive with no repercussions in water with a salinity of six parts per thousand (6 ppt). To put this discovery in perspective, fresh water is typically less than 0.5 ppt; brackish—estuarial—water is between 0.5 ppt and 17 ppt. (Average ocean salinity is 35 ppt.)
In an interview with Dr. Layman, Lauren said that lionfish might survive in even lower salinities. Apparently, the lionfish “were alive and apparently very comfortable at 6 ppt—they really fed voraciously even with the salinity at 6 ppt!”
Later research by Dr. Jud and Dr. Layman confirmed Lauren’s science fair findings. Her project was even cited as a “small pilot study that showed lionfish could survive and feed at 6% [6 ppt] for short periods of time,” and she was credited with “[helping] give rise to [the] experimental design” of Dr. Jud’s January 2014 study expanding on her initial findings.
None of this would have been possible without the support Lauren received from her family and private school. By challenging Lauren and her peers to stretch to the limits of scientific imagination, The King’s Academy has facilitated new discoveries that help biologists everywhere combat invasive species in previously unexpected areas.
Is there a student who’s done something spectacular at your school? Share your student and school accomplishments in the comment section below, and you might be featured in upcoming editions of Private School News!
Additional ISM resources:
Private School News Vol. 10 No. 8 Put Your Students' Projects in Space!
Private School News Vol. 12 No. 2 3-D Printing Initiative Attracts International Attention
ISM Monthly Update for Business Managers Vol. 12 No. 9 Saving Money at the Office Printer
Additional ISM resources for Gold Consortium members:
I&P Vol. 27 No. 14 Creative Ways to Demonstrate Programmatic Success
I&P Vol. 29 No. 7 Private High School GPAs and Credits: Still a Competitive Advantage?
