DOI: 10.5061/dryad.zgmsbcchp
title: The presence and abundance of Escherichia coli in beach sediment following a coastal renourishment project

description: Erosion poses a major threat to oceanic beaches worldwide. To combat this
 threat, management agencies often utilize renourishment, which supplements
 eroded beaches with offsite sand. This process alters the physical
 characteristics of the beach and can subsequently influence the presence
 and abundance of microbes. In this study, we examined how a renourishment
 project impacted sand grain size and the presence and abundance
 of Escherichia coli (E. coli), a common bacteria species. Using
 an observational field approach, we compared abundances of E.
 coli and sand grain sizes between non-renourished and renourished
 sections of Folly Beach, South Carolina, USA in 2014 and 2015. We found
 that E. coli was prevalent in every zone of the beach in both years of
 sampling. Additionally, we found that in comparison to non-renourished
 areas, renourished areas had significantly higher abundances
 of E. coli and coarser sand grains in the intertidal zone.
 However, these differences were temporary and
 only present following the initial renourishment event.
 Collectively, our findings raise concerns about how physical changes in
 sand grain size, and the introduction of offsite sand to a
 beach, could alter bacterial presence and growth. However, more
 work is needed to fully understand the timescales these effects operate
 upon.
description: The raw data was collected by methods outlined in the materials
 and methods section of the manuscript. Data was recorded into an Excel
 spreadsheet, cleaned, then uploaded into JMP Pro 14 for statistical
 analysis and figure creation. 
description: # The Presence and Abundance of *Escherichia coli* in Beach Sediment
 Following a Coastal Renourishment Project-README File ## Installation
 Dillinger requires [Node.js](https://nodejs.org/) v10+ to run. Install the
 dependencies and devDependencies and start the server. This README uses
 Markdown syntax, though it is saved in .txt format. To view the file with
 its intended text formatting, save a copy as a .md file. Then you can open
 it with the browser or text viewer of your choice. For details on Markdown
 syntax, see https://www.markdownguide.org/getting-started/
 [![N|Solid](https://cldup.com/dTxpPi9lDf.thumb.png)](https://nodesource.com/products/nsolid) [![Build Status](https://travis-ci.org/joemccann/dillinger.svg?branch=master)](https://travis-ci.org/joemccann/dillinger) *** ### **Reference Information** Files Named: Lewis et al\_Sand Data 2014.csv , Lewis et al\_Sand Data 2015.csv, Lewis et al\_Ecoli 2014.csv, Lewis et al\_Ecoli 2015.csv, Lewis et al\_2014 Joint Data.csv, Lewis et al\_2015 Joint Data.csv Associated Publication(s): The Presence and Abundance of *Escherichia coli* in Beach Sediment Following a Coastal Renourishment Project DOI(s): (Manuscript In Prep) Primary Author: Jordan Lewis Other Authors: Victoria Frost, Matthew Heard Date Created: 6/30/2023 Publisher: Yale University License: Use of these data is covered by the following license: * Title: CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) * Specification: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/; the authors respectfully request to be contacted by researchers interested in the re-use of these data so that the possibility of collaboration can be discussed. *** ### **Reference History** Current Version: Number: 1.0.0 Date: June 20, 2023 Persistent identifier: 10.5061/dryad.zgmsbcchp Summary of changes: n/a ##### Embargo Provenance: n/a ##### Scope of embargo: n/a ##### Embargo period: n/a ### **Contact Information** Name: Jordan Lewis Affiliations: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University ORCID ID: 0000-0001-9684-3763 Email: jordan.lewis@yale.edu Alternate Email: jalewis769@gmail.com Alternate Contact: --- Co-authorName: Matthew Heard Affiliations: College of Science and Mathematics, Belmont University ORCID ID: 0000-0002-4706-9991 Email: matthew.heard@belmont.edu Alternate Email: N/A ### **Acknowledgments** Funding Sources: National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (2017246734) (JL). Winthrop University Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program (P217A130111) from the US Department of Education (JL). Rob Fisher Endowment of Belmont University (MH). P20GM103499 (SC INBRE) from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Institutes of Health (MH) Primary Location of Work: Folly Beach, SC and Dalton Hall, Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC *** ### **Brief Project & Methods Description** This project was conducted to investigate how beach renourishment affects the abundance and distribution of *E. coli* on marine beaches. In the summer of 2014 and 2015, an observational field study was conducted at Folly Beach outside of Charleston, SC. In this study, the beach was divided into two separate areas: those that had been renourished and those that had not been renourished. There were 20 locations in the renourished area and 10 locations in the non-renourished area. Each location was divided into 3 areas based on relationship to the tide: the subtidal (areas that are always under the surface of the water), intertidal (areas that vary depending on the tide level), and dunes (areas never under the tide in normal circumstances). At each of these zones at each location, two sediment samples were taken and then mixed with distilled water to release colonies. *E.coli* counts were enumerated and reported as colony forming units (CFU) per 100 mL. *E.coli* counts for each year were recorded in individual files [File: Lewis et al\_ Ecoli 2014.csv] and [File: Lewis et al\_ Ecoli 2015]. At each location, the zones were also analyzed for their sand quality, which included color and grain size, as well as the grain size distribution. Sand data for each year was recorded in separate CSV fives [File: Lewis et al\_ Sand 2014.csv] and [File: Lewis et al\_Sand 2015.csv]. Regressions were run on the joint data, and those combination files are listed as [File: Lewis et al 2014 joint.csv] and [File: Lewis et al. 2015 joint.csv]. A full methods summary can be found in the Materials and Methods section of the manuscript. *** ### **Data and Files Overview** * File count: 6 * Total file size: 53.94 KB * Range of individual file sizes: 2.50 KB - 14.82 KB * File formats: .csv ##### **Table of Contents** * Lewis et al\_ Sand 2014.csv * Lewis et al\_ Sand 2015.csv * Lewis et al\_ Ecoli 2014.csv * Lewis et al\_ Ecoli 2015.csv * Lewis et al\_ 2014 Joint.csv * Lewis et al\_ 2015 Joint.csv ##### **Setup** * Unpacking instructions: n/a * Relationships between files/folders: "Lewis et al\_ Sand 2014.csv" and "Lewis et al\_ Sand 2015.csv" contain data from the sand grain sizes and size distributions across the beach. "Lewis et al\_ Ecoli 2014.csv" and "Lewis et al\_ Ecoli 2015.csv" contain data on the MPN of *E. coli* per sample. Following both of these, regressions were run using joint data from both. These are included in "Lewis et al\_ 2014 Joint.csv" and "Lewis et al\_ 2015 Joint.csv". * Recommended software/tools: RStudio 2022.12.0+353; R version 4.2.2; JMP Pro 16 *** ### **Details for: Lewis et al\_ Sand 2014.csv** * Description: a comma-delimited file containing grain data for the sand samples collected in 2014. \*\* Format(s): .csv * Size(s): 10.53 KB * Dimensions: 91 rows x 13 columns * Variables: * Sample ID: Sample Identification. * Status: Whether the site was renourished or not renourished. * Beach Zone: Whether the sample came from the dunes, intertidal, or subtidal. * VC Percentage: Percentage of the sample containing Very Coarse Grains. * VC Color: Average color of the Very Coarse grains. [light, mixed, dark] * C Percentage: Percentage of the sample containing Coarse Grains. * C Color: Average color of the Coarse grains.[light, mixed, dark] * M Percentage: Percentage of the sample containing Medium Grains. * M Color: Average color of the Medium grains. [light, mixed, dark] * F Percentage: Percentage of the sample containing Fine Grains. * F Color: Average color of the fine grains. [light, mixed, dark] * VF Percentage: Percentage of the sample containing Very Fine Grains. * VF Color: Average color of the Very Fine grains. [light, mixed, dark] **Notes:** N/A *** ### **Details for: Lewis et al\_ Sand 2015.csv** * Description: a comma-delimited file containing grain data for the sand samples collected in 2015. * Format(s): .csv * Size(s): 9.38 KB * Dimensions: 91 rows x 13 columns * Variables: * Sample ID: Sample Identification. * Status: Whether the site was renourished or not renourished. * Beach Zone: Whether the sample came from the dunes, intertidal, or subtidal. * VC Percentage: Percentage of the sample containing Very Coarse Grains. * VC Color: Average color of the Very Coarse grains. [light, mixed, dark] * C Percentage: Percentage of the sample containing Coarse Grains. * C Color: Average color of the Coarse grains. [light, mixed, dark] * M Percentage: Percentage of the sample containing Medium Grains. * M Color: Average color of the Medium grains. [light, mixed, dark] * F Percentage: Percentage of the sample containing Fine Grains. * F Color: Average color of the fine grains. [light, mixed, dark] * VF Percentage: Percentage of the sample containing Very Fine Grains. * VF Color: Average color of the Very Fine grains. [light, mixed, dark] **Notes:** N/A *** ### **Details for: Lewis et al\_ Ecoli 2014.csv** * Description: a comma-delimited file containing *E.coli* data for sand and water samples collected in 2014. * Format(s): .csv * Size(s): 3.57 KB * Dimensions: 91 rows x 5 columns * Variables: * Sample ID: Sample Identification * Status: Whether the site was renourished or not renourished. * Beach Zone: Whether the sample came from the dunes, intertidal, or subtidal. * MPN E.coli: Most Probable Number of *E.coli* isolated from the sample. * MPNL: The Natural Log of the Most Probable Number of *E.coli* isolated from sample plus 1. **Notes:** N/A *** ### **Details for: Lewis et al\_ Ecoli 2015.csv** * Description: a comma-delimited file containing *E. coli* data for sand and water samples collected in 2015. * Format(s): .csv * Size(s): 2.50 KB * Dimensions: 91 rows x 5 columns * Variables: * Sample ID: Sample Identification * Status: Whether the site was renourished or not renourished. * Beach Zone: Whether the sample came from the dunes, intertidal, or subtidal. * MPN E.coli: Most Probable Number of *E.coli* isolated from the sample. * MPNL: The Natural Log of the Most Probable Number of *E.coli* isolated from sample plus 1. **Notes:** N/A *** ### \*\*Details for: Lewis et al\_ 2014 Joint.csv \*\* * Description: a comma-delimited file containing *E.coli* and sand data for samples collected in 2014. * Format(s): .csv * Size(s): 14.82 KB * Dimensions: 91 rows x 15 columns * Variables: * Sample ID: Sample Identification * Status: Whether the site was renourished or not renourished. * Beach Zone: Whether the sample came from the dunes, intertidal, or subtidal. * MPN E.coli: Most Probable Number of *E.coli* isolated from sample. * MPNL: The Natural Log of the Most Probable Number of *E.coli* isolated from sample plus 1. * VC Percentage: Percentage of the sample containing Very Coarse Grains. * VC Color: Average color of the Very Coarse grains. [light, mixed, dark] * C Percentage: Percentage of the sample containing Coarse Grains. * C Color: Average color of the Coarse grains. [light, mixed, dark] * M Percentage: Percentage of the sample containing Medium Grains. * M Color: Average color of the Medium grains. [light, mixed, dark] * F Percentage: Percentage of the sample containing Fine Grains. * F Color: Average color of the fine grains. [light, mixed, dark] * VF Percentage: Percentage of the sample containing Very Fine Grains. * VF Color: Average color of the Very Fine grains. [light, mixed, dark] **Notes:** N/A *** ### \*\*Details for: Lewis et al\_ 2015 Joint.csv \*\* * Description: a comma-delimited file containing *E.coli* and sand data for samples collected in 2015. * Format(s): .csv * Size(s): 13.14 KB * Dimensions: 91 rows x 15 columns * Variables: * Sample ID: Sample Identification * Status: Whether the site was renourished or not renourished. * Beach Zone: Whether the sample came from the dunes, intertidal, or subtidal. * MPN E.coli: Most Probable Number of *E.coli* isolated from the sample. * MPNL: The Natural Log of the Most Probable Number of *E.coli* isolated from sample plus 1. * VC Percentage: Percentage of the sample containing Very Coarse Grains. * VC Color: Average color of the Very Coarse grains. [light, mixed, dark] * C Percentage: Percentage of the sample containing Coarse Grains. * C Color: Average color of the Coarse grains. [light, mixed, dark] * M Percentage: Percentage of the sample containing Medium Grains. * M Color: Average color of the Medium grains. [light, mixed, dark] * F Percentage: Percentage of the sample containing Fine Grains. * F Color: Average color of the fine grains. [light, mixed, dark] * VF Percentage: Percentage of the sample containing Very Fine Grains. * VF Color: Average color of the Very Fine grains. [light, mixed, dark] **Notes:** N/A *** ### Statistics & Representation in Manuscript Figures We examined the abundance of *E. coli* in 2014 and 2015 using two\-way ANOVA and pairwise t\-tests \[Lewis et al\_ Ecoli 2014\.csv & Lewis et al\_ Ecoli 2015\.csv\] \[Figure 3\]\. To determine relationships between physical characteristics of the sand and the number of E\. coli in both renourished and non\-renourished sections\, we also used pairwise t\-tests and linear regression \[Lewis et al\_ 2014 Joint\.csv & Lewis et al\_ 2015 Joint\.csv\]\[Figure 4\]\. To compare differences between sand grain sizes in renourished versus non\-renourished sections of the beach\, we used an ANOVA and pairwise t\-tests \[Lewis et al\_ Sand 2014\.csv & Lewis et al\_ Sand 2015\.csv\]\. The prevelance of *E.coli* in samples across the beach is shown in Figure 2 of the paper. *** END OF README