RTS# MI-0106
By: Sheridan K. Haack1, Lisa A. Reynolds1, Mark J. Wolcott2, and Richard L. Whitman3
The 63rd Street Beach, Chicago, has experienced exceedances of recreational water quality Escherichia coli (E. coli) standards, has a large resident seagull population, and few other potential sources of these bacteria. The purpose of this study was to use DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)-fingerprinting of E. coli bacteria to evaluate the relation between E. coli populations in seagulls and those in water and sediments at the beach. Samples of beach water, beach sediments and seagull feces were collected in May and August, 2000. A total of 160 E. coli isolates was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of repetitive sequences in the DNA (rep-PCR: Versalovic, et al. 1994; Dombeck et al. 2000). Preliminary results indicate that seagulls contribute to E. coli populations in water and sediment at the 63rd Street Beach, but that other sources of these bacteria were also likely. This study shows the value of bacterial DNA-fingerprinting, combined with other approaches, to determine effective management strategies for Great Lakes beaches. The results will be of interest to scientists, regulatory agencies, and resource managers.
Publication
Haack, Sheridan K.1, Lisa A. Reynolds, 1, Mark
J. Wolcott, 2, and Richard L. Whitman, 3, 2001. DNA fingerprinting to determine
the influence of seagulls on Escherichia coli populations at the 63rd Street
Beach, Chicago, IL., Great Lakes Beach Conference, Chicago, IL, Feb 5-8, 2001. RTS# MI-0106
1U.S. Geological Survey, Lansing, MI, 48911; 2U.S. Geological Survey, Porter, IN; 3U.S. Geological Survey, Madison, WI,
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