NOAA Teacher at Sea Deborah Campbell Onboard NOAA Ship Nancy Foster May 14 – May 24, 2012
Mission: Fish Tagging, Acoustic Receiver maintenance/ deployment Geographical Area: Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary Date: Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Weather Data from the Bridge: Sunny and warm, waves 3 to 4 feet, currently 74 degrees
Science and Technology Log
On Tuesday, May 22, science operations on board Nancy Foster resumed. A boat from Gray’s Reef brought more divers. Shannon McAteer is from “Team Ocean”, a volunteer S.C.U.B.A. organization. Michelle Johnston is a research ecologist at Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary in Galveston, Texas. Kelly Gleason is a maritime archeologist in Hawaii. Randy Rudd, named “Volunteer of the Year” for the entire National Marine Sanctuary Program, has been on board from the beginning is also a “Team Ocean” diver. Diver Greg McFall the Research Coordinator/Deputy Superintendent of Gray’s Reef will perform surgery to implant transmitters in the fish. Greg has been doing the underwater filming throughout the trip. Also, assisting in the dives are Nancy FosterNOAA Corps Officers LT Josh Slater and ENS Jamie Park. Chief Scientist, Sarah Fangman is coordinating all the dive projects. Debbie Meeks is the Financial and Informational Technology Coordinator and webmaster for Gray’s Reef. She has been continually working on the mission website throughout the cruise.
Debbie Meeks and Deborah Campbell in dry lab (photo courtesy of Kacey Johnson)LT Josh Slater and ENS Jamie Park preparing to dive
Rockfish (also known as striped bass)Batfish (photo by ENS Jamie Park)Divers (from left) Kelly Gleason, Sarah Fangman, Michelle Johnston, and Randy Rudd
The plan of the day is to work on implanting transmitters in fish. The divers have put large cages on the bottom with food to lure the fish inside. The divers will reach inside the cage to grab the fish with a net. One diver will hold the fish “belly up”, while another diver performs surgery. The surgery involves a small cut, insertion of the transmitter, and then a couple of stitches. The fish is then released. Doing the surgery underwater greatly increases the survival chances of the fish. Divers have spotted several tagged fish swimming happily about Gray’s Reef.
Personal Log
Yesterday, while I was on “steel beach”, there was an “abandon ship” drill. The signal for this drill is six short blasts followed by one long blast. I had to hurry to my room to get my life-preserver and Immersion Suit (Gumby Suit). I had to report to Muster Station Three. The person in charge of my group was ENS Jamie Park. If we had to abandon ship, we would have to deploy a life raft which is in a large cylinder. The cylinder would be thrown overboard. We would have to get in our Gumby Suits quickly, throw the cylinder overboard, let the cylinder open into a life raft and jump overboard to get in life raft. It was only a drill… However, drills are important to help people get prepared in an emergency situation.
The crew has to watch videos to prepare them for emergencies. I watched an excellent video in the mess hall with the crew. The video showed how to prepare for an emergency at sea in event that you would have to abandon the ship.
Deborah Campbell participating in an “abandon ship” drill aboard NOAA Ship Nancy Foster
Meanwhile, I will be spending my last day on board. Today is hamburger Wednesday. There will be burgers for lunch. On Thursday, we will dock in downtown Savannah, Georgia. On Friday, I will be assisting the scientists and crew with an “Open House”. People will be able to tour the Foster. On Saturday I will depart Georgia and head to Chicago. I look forward to sharing my adventures with my family, friends, students, and colleagues. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be a “NOAA Teacher At Sea”. I will never forget my time with the wonderful crew of the Foster and scientists which I have shared my experiences.
NOAA Teacher at Sea
Elaine Bechler
Aboard R/V Fulmar
July 21- 26, 2011
Mission: Survey of Cordell Bank and Gulf of the Farallones NMS Geographical Area of Cruise: Pacific Ocean, Off the California Coast Date: July 21, 2011
This map shows transect lines in the areas we are studying in the sanctuaries.
were drawn on a map. The science team onboard the R/V Fulmar planned to survey as many of the lines as was possible. While following the transect lines, all animal sightings were recorded. Once the data is collected, the scientists can compare the 2011 survey results to other years of data. What questions do you think a marine biologist might have while surveying the organisms in the marine sanctuary? What might motivate an organization to send scientist on a survey such as this?
R/V Fulmar
The vessel we boarded was the R/V Fulmar . If you check the website you will see it is a survey machine! For this cruise there were seven of us on the science team and two crew – the captain and the mate. What features make this vessel a good one for ocean surveys?
Prior to disembarking, the crew and scientists frequently checked the conditions of the ocean in order to determine if the survey could be safely conducted. They used a computer on board to check the conditions from NOAA websites. Another website was real time buoy data . The computer indicated that the ocean was going to be very active on our first two days with 10-foot swells. It felt like we were in a washing machine. Needless to say a few of us were feeling sea sick! It was quite a humbling experience yet it bonded us too. What remedies are there for sea sickness? What would you do to prepare yourself for a trip on the R/V Fulmar?
abiotic: nonliving
The science team was divided into two groups: those working on the flying bridge at the bow or front of the vessel and those working on the back deck with nets. On the flying bridge there were three observers, two on either
Observers on the flying bridge
end, the port (left) and the starboard (right), who would spot all marine mammals (Carol Keiper and Jan Roletto). An ornithologist on board would identify birds (Sophie Webb). The other member (Jaime Jahncke) recorded what the animal was, where it was, how many there were and what the organisms were doing. Sometimes there was a lot going on at one time and they would use a second recorder (Kaitlin Graiff) temporarily to document all the animals. The data is always gathered in this way. Those who were not observers were allowed to watch but not to assist the observers. Can you think of a reason why?
Having many different species living in an area is called biological diversity. Diversity is a measure of health in an ecosystem, the more different species that are supported, the better the ecosystem can deal with environmental change. What would be some possible environmental changes that the organisms in this ecosystem might be experiencing?
Many of these animals are pelagic, which means they live their entire life without visiting a mainland. Many of them are predatory on the fish and zooplankton living in the ocean. Where does the energy to support such large numbers of predatory animals come from? What organisms are at the bottom of the food chains that support these animals?
Check out the other posts from this cruise to learn more!
NOAA Teacher at Sea Log:Deborah Moraga NOAA Ship: Fulmar Cruise Dates: July 20‐28, 2010
Mission: ACCESS (Applied California Current Ecosystem Studies) Geographical area of cruise: Cordell Bank, Gulf of the Farallones and Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuaries Date: June 21, 2010
The R/V Fulmar
Overview
The R/V Fulmar sets out from the dock early each morning. This ACCESS cruise has 5 members of the scientific team and myself (the NOAA Teacher at Sea.) There are two crew members for a total 8 people onboard.
The three central California National Marine Sanctuaries and the ports where the R/V Fulmar docksApplied California Current Ecosystem StudiesNational Marine Sanctuaries
ACCESS is an acronym for Applied California Current Ecosystem Studies. This is a partnership between PRBO Conservation Science, Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary and the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. These groups of conservation scientists are working together to better understand the impacts that different organisms have on the marine ecosystem off the coast of central California.
Immersion suit for safety
They do this so that policy makers (government groups) have the most accurate data to help them make informed decisions on how the productive waters off the coast can be a resource for us and still protect the wildlife. You can read a more in depth explanation at http://www.accessoceans.org
Flying Bridge
The R/V Fulmar is a 67 foot Marine Grade Aluminum catamaran (a multi hulled vessel.) This vessel can travel 400 miles before refueling and can reach 27 knots (30 miles per hour) with a cruising speed of 22 knots (25.3 miles per hour.) Although that may sound slow compared to the cars we drive… you have to take into account that there can be 10 foot waves to go over out on the ocean.
The Fulmar’s homeport (where the boat ties up to dock most of the time) is in Monterey Bay, CA. For this cruise we will come into port (dock) in Bodega Bay, Sausalito, and Half Moon Bay. Each morning the crew wakes up an hour before the time we start out for the day. They check the oil and look over the engines, start the engines, disconnect the shore power and get the boat ready to sail out for a ten hour day.
Today (July 23, 2010) we left at 0700 (7:00 a.m.) out of Bodega Bay. Bodega Bay is on the coast of Sonoma county, California. It is from Bodega Bay that we will travel offshore to the “lines” that we will be surveying. Today we will survey lines one and two.
Then after the day’s work is done, we will sail into port, tie up to the dock and have dinner. The scientists and crew members sleep on the boat in the berths (bunks) that are located in the hulls of the boat.
Surveys
“Okay, take a survey of the types of pets your classmates have at home. Then create a graph.” How many times have math teachers assigned that assignment and expected that students knew how to survey? Today I received firsthand knowledge of how a survey takes place.
Marine scientist scanning for wildlife
Up on the flying bridge (about 5.5 meters from the surface of the ocean) scientists are surveying birds and marine mammals. There is a protocol that each follows. Here, the protocol is basically a list of agreed upon rules on how to count the marine life seen on the ocean. One researcher inputs the data into a waterproof laptop…imagine chilling at the pool and being able to surf the web! There are other researchers sitting alongside and calling out the types of birds and marine mammals they see. The researchers surveying the birds and mammals use not only their eyes but also binoculars.
Krill collected by the Trucker Trawl
After the researcher spots and identifies the birds or mammals, they call out their findings to the recording scientist in a code like fashion, doing this allows for the data to be inputted faster. The team can travel miles without Krill collected by the Trucker Trawl Researcher recording observations on the flying bridge Pacific White Sided dolphins bow riding seeing any organisms or there may be so many that the scientist at the laptop has a tough time keeping up. In this case the surveying scientist may have to write down their findings and report them when there is a break in the action.
Imagine that you are driving down the highway with your family. You have been asked to count the number humans, cows, horses, goats, dogs, cats, cars or trash on your trip. How would you make sure that your family members didn’t double count and still record all that you see? This is where protocols (instruction/rules) come in. So, let us say that you are behind the driver, and your brother or sister is in the backseat next to the window. There is also a family member in the passenger seat up front (yeah they called ‘shot gun’ before you did.) This is much like the seating arrangement on the flying bridge of the R/V Fulmar.
Researcher recording observations on the flying bridge
So how could you split up the road and area around the road so that you do not count something twice? You could split the area that you see into two parts. Take your left arm and stick it straight out the window. Have your sister/brother stick their right arm out their side window. If we drew an arc from your arm to your sibling’s arm it would be 180 degrees. Of the 180 degree arc, you are responsible for counting everything from your arm to the middle of the windshield. So, you are responsible for 90 degrees and your sibling has the other 90 degrees from the middle of the windshield to their arm.
Pacific White Sided dolphins bow riding
Once you start counting you need to record the data you are collecting. Can you write and count at the same time? Not very well, so we need someone to record the data. There are actually a lot of points of data that you need to enter.
You need to tell the recorder…
• Cue: How did you see the item you are counting?
• Method: Were you searching by eye or using a pair of binoculars?
• Bearing: The angle that the item is from the car as related to the front of the car.
• Reticle: How far the item was from your car when you first observed it (you would use your binoculars for this measurement).
• Which side of the car are you on and who is dong the observing?
• Behavior: What was the organism doing when you spotted it? Was it traveling, feeding or milling (just hanging out)?
Deploying the CTD
You also have to determine the age and sex of the organism. You need to record the species of the organism and how many you observed.
Now that is all for the species above the ground… what would you do for the animals below the road surface? On the R/V Fulmar they collect species from below the surface of the ocean and data about the water. They do this several different ways…
Bringing in the Hoop Net
1. CTD: Conductivity, Temperature, and Depth. This is a tool that records the physical properties of the ocean. It records…
a. Salinity (amount of salt in the water)
b. Temperature (how hot or cold the water is)
c. Depth (how far the instrument travels below the surface)
d. How much chlorophyll is in the water
e. Turbidity (how murky or clear the water is)
f. How much oxygen is in the water
Deploying the Tucker Trawl
2. Hoop Net: Looks like a very heavy hula hoop. Except this hoop has a cone shaped cylinder made of fine mesh attached to it. At the apex of the cone, a small PVC container, called a cod end, is attached. Zooplankton (tiny swimming animals) and some phytoplankton (tiny marine plants) are funneled into the cod end of the net as it is towed behind the boat. When the net comes back to the boat, the researchers take off the cod end and use this sample of organisms.
Collecting data from the CTD
3. Tucker Trawl: Is like three hoop nets attached together. The cool thing about this big net is that the scientists can close each net at different depths. As Map of the transect lines Retrieving the Hoop Net Phytoplankton Net the net is towed behind the boat they “close” each net to capture zooplankton at different depths. The tucker trawl is used primarily to collect krill
Map of the transect lines
Transects
Have you ever lost something in your room? Perhaps it was your homework? The bus is coming and you have to find your binder. So you start tearing your room apart. By the time the bus is five minutes away… you room looks like a disaster and you can’t remember where exactly you have looked and yet, still no binder.
Imagine a group of scientists 30 miles offshore, doing that same type of “looking” for organisms, with the captain piloting (driving) the boat any which way. Just like your binder that was missed when you were looking for it, number and location of organisms in parts of the ocean would be missing from the data set.
Retrieving the Hoop Net
So if you wanted a systematic way to look for your homework that is lost in your room, you would imagine a grid. You would have lines running from one wall to another. These lines would be parallel to each other. You would walk along the line looking for you binder. When you came to the end of the line (at your wall) you would then start on another line. By walking back and forth in your room in this systematic way, you will not miss any part of your room.
Phytoplankton Net
You have just traveled along a transect line. A transect is a path you travel and as you do you are counting and recording data. On the R/V Fulmar, scientists are counting birds, marine mammals, and collecting krill. By counting how many and what kinds of organisms are along the transect line, scientists will be able to calculate the density of organisms in a given area. There are several different types on lines that we survey. There are the near shore transects…which extend 12 kilometers from the shore (that is as long as running back a forth a football field 131 times). Offshore lines are 50 to 60 kilometers from the coast. Imagine how many football fields that would be!
Bow of R/V Fulmar
Density… Take your right hand and put it in your right front pocket of your pants and pull out all the coins you have in your pocket. Looking down at your hand you count 10 dimes. Now do the same for your left hand. You found you have two dimes. The “area” those coins were located is equal… meaning your pockets are the same size. The density of coins in your pockets is greater in your right pocket because there are more coins per square inch than in your left pocket.
Humpback Whale
The researchers on the ACCESS cruise use the data they have collected out in the field (in this case the field is the three central California National Marine Sanctuaries) to calculate the density of the organisms they are researching. They are counting and recording the number of organisms and their location so they can create graphs and maps that show the distribution of those organisms in the waters off the coast.
Taking a surface water sample
Why do they need this information? The data starts to paint a picture of the health of the ecosystem in this part of the world. With that information, they can make suggestions as to how resources are used and how to protect the waters off the California coast. By using data that has been collected over many years, suggestions can be made on how the ocean can still be utilized (used) today while insuring that future generations of humans, marine mammals, birds and krill have the same opportunities.
NOAA Teacher at Sea
Clare Wagstaff
Onboard NOAA Ship Nancy Foster
September 11 – 18, 2009
Mission: Florida Keys coral reef disease and condition survey Geographical Area: Florida Keys – Key West Date: Saturday, September 18, 2009
Contact Information
Clare Wagstaff Sixth and Eighth Grade Science Teacher Elmwood Franklin School 104 New Amsterdam Ave Buffalo, NY 14216
cwagstaff@elmwoodfranklin.org
Weather Data from the Bridge (information taken at 12 noon)
Weather: Sunny Visibility (nautical miles): 10
Wind Speed (knots): 0 (in port)
Wave Height (feet): <1
Sea Water Temp (0C): 30.4
Air Temp (0C): 32
Science and Technology Log
Black-band Disease on Montastraea annularis. Photo courtesy of Mike Henley
With the last dive of the cruise over, the group has completed 175 dives, which equates to 7.5 days underwater! Most of the planned coral reef sites have been surveyed even with our lack of a third small boat. The weather has stayed relatively calm and has been surprisingly supportive of our cruise. The mad rush is now to input all the remaining data before we disembark the ship later today.
An area that I have only briefly referred to in previous logs, are the types of coral diseases present and being studied. Chief Scientist, Scott Donahue, commented to me that there has been a trend over the last decade of decreasing coral coverage. This is believed to be related to anthropogenic stresses such as water quality and climate change. By comparing spatial and temporal patterns against trends in coral reef disease, over different geographic regions and reef types, it is hoped that a greater understanding of how these patterns are related to different environmental conditions. The team was specifically looking at ten disease conditions affecting 16 species of Scleractinian corals and Gorgonian sea fans. Although I tried to identify some of the diseases, it was actually quite difficult to distinguish between individual diseases and also other causes of coral mortality.
White-band Disease on Acropora cervicornis. Photo courtesy of Mike Henley
Black-band Disease is a crescent shaped or circular band of blackish material that separates living material from white exposed skeleton. It is caused by a cyanobacteria in combination with a sulfide oxidizing bacteria and a sulfur reducing bacteria. White-band Disease displays a margin of white tissue decay. It can start at the base of a colony or in the middle. It affects branching corals and its cause is currently unknown. Corals have a pretty tough time living out in the ocean and have many problems to overcome. If its not a boat’s anchor crushing it could be any number of the following; a parrot fish (predator) eating it; deterioration of the water quality; a hurricane; an increase in major competitors like algae or tunicates, and to nicely top it all, it can always get a disease too!
Most of the scientists on the Nancy Foster are volunteers, giving up their own free time to be part of the trip. Kathy Morrow is a Ph.D. student who has extensively studied the ecology of cnidarians for the past 9 years. She is currently researching her dissertation on the community structure and stability of coral-algal-microbial associations based on studies conducted off the coast of Summerland Key, Florida and St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. On one of the last dives of the trip Kathy takes time to collect mucus samples (she refers to this fondly as coral “snot”), from a site she has previously visited numerous times over the last few years. The objective is to collect mucus samples so that they can be studied later for their bacteria composition.
Morrow collecting coral mucus. Photo courtesy of Mike Henley.
Once Kathy has collected these samples she must process them so that they can be stored until she has the opportunity back in the lab, to analyze them. Although I was not present when Kathy was collecting the samples, I did help her in the wet lab with the final stages of storing her collection of samples. Having collected multiple mucus samples from each of the preselected coral species in syringes, the samples were then placed into a centrifuge to extract the bacteria present. This material is denser, so sinks to the bottom ad forms a darker colored pellet. My job is then to remove the excess liquid, but preserve the bacteria pellet so that it can be frozen and stored for later analysis. Back in the lab at Auburn University, Kathy will chemically breakdown the bacteria to release their DNA. This DNA is then replicated and amplified allowing for Kathy to perform analysis on the bacteria to identify the types present in the corals. Kathy will spend the next year studying these bacteria samples and many more she has collected.
Personal Log
Here I am helping Kathy Morrow preserving coral mucus specimens. Photo courtesy of Cory Walter
So here we are back in port after an amazing time on the Nancy Foster. I was initially concerned about being out at sea with people I did not know, studying an area of science I really knew very little about, in an environment I knew would probably make me sick, but didn’t thank goodness! But everything turned out to be a thousand times better than I could have imagined. I have had seen so much and learnt an amazing amount that my head is spinning with all the ideas I have to use with my classes back at school. Yet, there are things that I just rang out of time to look more closely at and part of me wishes we had been out at sea longer. My second time as a Teacher At Sea, has left me with some wonderful memories of the most professional and dedicated scientists and crew you could wish for, but also of how amazing corals are and how much we still have to learn. Thank you everyone who was involved in making this a truly remarkable and memorable experience.
The 2009 coral research team and Teacher At Sea, Clare Wagstaff on board the Nancy Foster
NOAA Teacher at Sea
Clare Wagstaff
Onboard NOAA Ship Nancy Foster
September 11 – 18, 2009
Mission: Florida Keys coral reef disease and condition survey Geographical Area: Florida Keys – Dry Tortugas National Park Date: Saturday, September 16, 2009
Contact Information
Clare Wagstaff Sixth and Eighth Grade Science Teacher Elmwood Franklin School 104 New Amsterdam Ave Buffalo, NY 14216
cwagstaff@elmwoodfranklin.org
Weather Data from the Bridge (information taken at 12 noon)
Weather: Sunny with scattered showers with thunder storms
Visibility (nautical miles): 10
Wind Speed (knots): 4
Wave Height (feet): 1
Sea Water Temp (0C): 30.6
Air Temp (0C): 30
Science and Technology Log
Elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) and numerous Sergeant Majors (Abudefduf saxatilis)
Today I am with a new survey group. As the days go by and each of the scientists gets more dives under their belts, there is some fatigue starting to set in. So on a rotation basis, the divers are taking rest days to catch-up on sleep, emails and data entry. This morning I am with Lauri, Lonny and Sarah. The first dive site is about 33 feet deep and although I can see the bottom from our small boat, the water is extremely green and doesn’t allow me to see anything in real detail when I snorkeled. A little disappointed at the clarity of the water, I am definitely perked up by the next site, CR03. At just 8 feet deep, I can see much more and the water appears less green.
A lobster hiding in the coral
This site was something special! Even from above the water, we could observe large and impressive Acropora palmata. It looked like a large underwater forest. There was a massive diversity of fish specie present that appeared to be supported by the micro-ecosystem that the Acropora palmata created by its large lobes that fan out across the ocean floor. They provide plenty of nooks for green moray eels and multiple lobsters I saw to hide in. This coral grows approximately 10cm a year, but as with all coral species, this growth can be affected by various factors including the most recent hurricanes.
We were surveying in an area known as a Sanctuary Preservation Area or commonly a “No Take Zone”, yet a small boat located within the marking buoys appeared to be spear fishing. The Coxswain on our boat noted that the group brought numerous fish up into their boat while we were underwater. Within a short distance we also observed two other lobster pot buoys located within this zone. Lauri, called this into the Nancy Foster and asked that the Chief Scientist report this to the Marine Law Enforcement office, so that they could send a patrol boat out to investigate. This activity is not permitted in this zoned area.
Coral identification
Diploria strigosa
Today, I tried to indentify all the different varieties of coral I had photographed. Dr. Joshua Voss, the ship’s expert of coral identification looked over my attempt at scientifically naming 30 different photos. Much to my delight, I got 28 correct! Now I just need to remember them when I am underwater! My greatest difficulty seems to be differentiating between Montastraea spp. – annularis, faveolata and franksi, as they have quite similar morphotypes. I just have to keep practicing and asking for help when I’m not sure. What makes me feel a little better is sometimes even the pro’s have trouble distinguishing between certain corals, particularly if they are trying to identify a hybrid which is a mixture of two different species.
Personal Log
Diploria clivosa
I am always amazed at how resourceful divers can be. Somehow duct tape comes in useful wherever you are. Today was no exception! Geoff, who forgot his dive booties (a type of neoprene sock that you wear inside you fins) has made himself a pair out of another team member’s white socks and a few lengths of duct tape. He does look very entertaining, but they do seem to be working!
Acropora palmata
I am feeling very privileged to be surrounded by so many intelligent, passionate and brilliant people. Not only are most of people on the survey teams volunteers and so not getting paid, they are also embracing each part of the cruise with a great sense of humor and consistent high spirits. Even though they are all tired (to date they have accumulated 133 dives between them this cruise), they still banter back and forth with one another in a lighthearted way. All but myself and Mike Henley are returning for their third, fourth, even 13th time, to help collect this vital data. Even though diving has many hazards and is dangerous work, these folks are real experts and I truly feel lucky to be around such inspiring people. I have been diving for five years, but I don’t think I will ever look at a reef in the same way again. They have opened my eyes, and now my job is to go back to chilly Buffalo and develop a way to get this across to my 6th and 8th grade science classes. If I can inspire even just one child, like Joshua’s science teacher did for him as a teenager, then perhaps they too will go on to become a marine biologist, who study some of the smallest, yet most important creatures on our planet.
Montastraea annularis
As 7pm draws close, the science group gather on the front deck to watch the sunset. It is a beautiful sky, but just to make the evening more special, along come three dolphins riding the wake of the bow of the Nancy Foster. I leap up like a child and run to the edge of the ship to get a closer look, having never seen dolphins in the wild before! They are so graceful and as we all lean over and cheer as the breach the water and splash their fins, you start to wonder, if they are actually watching us as much as we are watching them. Such grace and natural beauty brings another day aboard the Nancy Foster to an end. I’m just not sure how each day keeps topping itself, and with two left to come, who knows what adventures may become this team!
“Animals Seen Today”
Three bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncates) riding the wake of the Nancy Foster
