By Lindsay Rogers Over the past nine weeks, I have had the opportunity to dive into the world of paleoceanography, specifically to learn how deep sea corals are able to provide a record of the ocean climate that they grew in. Similar to tree rings, deep sea coral skeleton grow annual rings, each of which is composed of the nutrient material it absorbed during that year of its life. In order to obtain this ocean climate information, the coral skeleton nodes are carefully peeled apart, layer by layer. The peels are then analyzed for elemental content, including radiocarbon, which is a radioactive isotope that was present in higher amounts during the 1950s and 60s, following nuclear bomb testing. Tracing radiocarbon content in a coral’s peels allow the specimen to be placed on a chronological timeline, and thus provide ocean climate information about the derived timeline that it lived. For my independent project, I am using carbon and nitrogen isotope signatures to compare deep sea coral polyp tissue, and the outermost (youngest) nodal peel with its food source, plankton, to see how these ratios are translated within a deep sea coral’s anatomy, as well as how they are affected between trophic levels. My mentor, PhD candidate Carina Fish, encouraged me to take advantage of the various learning opportunities available at the UC Davis’ Bodega Marine Lab (including attending weekly seminars from scientists all over the world and informal lunches with lecture guests) and initiated connections with researchers in other labs so that I could learn new techniques and exploreother branches of marine science. She made my experience here positively packed with learning, both intellectual and practical. Overall, I feel extremely honored to have been a part of the BML this summer, because among the wonderful and ambitious scientists, staff, and students, lives a community that feeds on curiosity, creativity, and problem-solving. Working in this collaborative environment made me certain that I want to continue pursuing research and involvement in the scientific community. Lindsay Rodgers is a 2019 Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates student in the Hill Ocean Climate Lab at UC Davis-Bodega Marine Laboratory. She is a microbiology major at Santa Rosa Junior College, and is planning to transfer next year in order to pursue environmental microbiology for broader impact applications.
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By Daniel Lopez Daniel Lopez (left) and Ben Rubinoff (right) at the Bodega Marine Laboratory. (PC: Gabriel Ng)
Daniel Lopez is a fourth year Santa Rosa Junior College student applying for
transfer this Fall. He worked with Ben Rubinoff in the Grosholz Lab. By Lena Ballard My summer project consisted of semi-independent research work observing and documenting various anti-predator responses of prey species Lottia pelta, the shield limpet, to the dominant predatory ochre sea star, Pisaster ochraceus. Changes resulting from to OA, a chemical perturbation due to increased anthropogenic CO2 in the atmosphere, have the ability to alter predator-prey dynamics, such that the checks and balances within the intertidal ecosystem disrupt the overall community. Thus, I asked how select documented anti-predator responses may fair under future ocean conditions and whether or not ocean acidification (OA) disrupts this specific predator-prey interaction, potentially increasing predation risk to a crucial intertidal grazer (limpet).. Q: What have been some of the highlights and biggest learning experiences from your summer at BML? Out of all of the priceless memories and lessons learned from my time at the lab, my favorites were with my mentor, Alisha. Yes, we always found highlights while spending peaceful mornings submerged shin-deep in tide pools observing, identifying and collecting my study species, Lottia pelta (the shield limpet). Even the common rogue wave splashing in and down our ripped boots and soaked tennis shoes didn’t dampen the excitement of exploring a new semi-submerged world. Although these “sunny” memories taught me a lot about the rocky intertidal ecosystem, the most impactful experience occurred on a much “foggier” occasion. It was the middle of the summer, about 3 weeks into my 10 week internship at the lab. Thus far, I had tried multiple pilot projects aimed at documenting the diverse anti-predator responses of L. pelta to chemical cue from Pisaster ochraceus, the ochre sea star, and found weak hints of similarities among individuals. Then one day I observed that when exposed to sea star cue in groups, individuals tend to aggregate together in colonies. It was my first true ah ha moment that I felt warranted further exploration; “I can’t wait to share my findings with Alisha”, I thought. After constructing an experiment I began running trials to test my hypothesis and was very hopeful. However, by the end of the first day of trials it was unclear whether or not the aggregation response I had once confidently observed was just a coincidence in their movement behavior. I was devastated; had I just failed? Therefore, I immediately went through my methods, observations, and literature searching for where I had gone astray. I knew there must have been somewhere I made a mistake and I just couldn’t figure out where. I felt like a failure. This low point took a turn when I expressed my disappointment to my mentor and she reassured me that I had done nothing wrong- sometimes things just don’t turn out the way we expected and it doesn’t have anything to do with us; it is just scientific process and that is why we replicate our observations--to increase confidence in whatever we observe over multiple trials. It turns out that it shouldn’t be considered failure when we observe trends that don’t support our hypothesis because the knowledge and experience gained are still valuable and worthwhile. Developing my observational abilities, being able to formulate a hypothesis, constructing an experiment, efficiently conducting literature searches- all of these skills, whether or not I was able to “fail to reject my null hypothesis”, will continue to aid in what comes next. So instead of continuing to scrutinize myself, I got back to work. I was encouraged to sit back and think about the pilot for a few days. Had the limpets done something else when touched with a sea star tube foot? How could these responses be ecologically relevant for their survival in the intertidal? It wasn’t long after I had a new pilot. Akin to exploring in the intertidal, just because an unexpected wave soaks you from head to toe doesn’t mean you’ve failed. You just have to be patient for the wave to subside, look around to find a new path, and remember what has happened to be prepared for the next one. In summary, this experience taught me something that I will hold onto for a lifetime. You aren’t defined by “failure”- what defines you is how you deal with it. With any obstacle you must embrace the lesson learned and possess unwavering tenacity. Lena Ballard was an intern in the 2019 SRJC-BML Summer Internship Program. She worked with Alisha Saley. Lena has now transferred to Dominican University of California.
By Nayeli Echeverria The purpose of Isabelle Neylan’s study was to observe behavioral and morphological changes in Nucella lamellosa snails in response to the threat of predation. We measured six shell morphology traits of each individual snail before and after the exposure and conducted behavioral assays weekly throughout the exposure period. This study helps understand how prey organisms may prioritize slower physical versus faster behavioral responses when protecting themselves against predators. Overall, I enjoyed every minute I spent at BML because everything was an adventure. I think one of the most exciting things I learned while working with Isabelle was when the data suggested that the snails exposed to no predators and no food also thicken their shells through a cheaper material. I found this to be surprising because it is amazing what animals are able to do when protecting themselves even in scarcity of food, I would have predicted otherwise. Another highlight of mine was when Isabelle went out of her way to set up a fieldwork day with two other Stachowicz lab members Katie Dubois and Collin Gross. This gave me the opportunity to see a different side of research. I was taught to use a transect, which I found out is a primary, valuable task in marine research. We went to Tomales Bay and collected samples of seagrass. Collin then allowed me to assist him in his fieldwork, where we seined and measured the sizes of the different fish as he recorded the data. It was so awesome to be in the water and get some hands-on fieldwork! First time I ever saw a sea grape! Isabelle Neylan has been an astonishing mentor to me and never failed to continue to support and excite me during my time at BML. She even assisted me in writing an abstract of my own so that I could be able to attend a STEM conference in Hawaii and present the research I assisted her with this summer. One of my biggest highlights was receiving a great mentor because who you work with matters, and I believe my mentor is one of the best! I am more than grateful to have received this opportunity. I was able to measure 428 snail shells using calipers, assist in collecting data on snail behaviors, and input data into excel. Not only that, but Isabelle explained what the data collected suggested, which helped me understand the purpose of the study and how the work we put in comes together. I was also able to work with teams, both in the lab and out in the field. I know the new skills I have obtained will make me a valuable, experienced candidate for future research opportunities, all thanks to BML and the fantastic, supportive mentors. Nayeli Echeverria is going into her third year at Santa Rosa Junior College and will be transferring to UC Davis in the near future. This summer, she worked with a mentor, Isabelle Neylan, in the Stachowicz Lab at UC Davis Bodega Marine Lab.
By Eduardo Hernandez As an undergraduate student, I came to the Bodega Marine Laboratory eager to learn and contribute to any project. When I got the notification that I would have the opportunity to be an intern for the summer at BML, I was extremely excited. As I learned about animals and marine biology in my community college, I wanted to expand my knowledge in studies involved with marine animals, conservation, and ecology. This internship program had given me the chance to put my skills to the test. I had the pleasure of being mentored by Helen Killeen and Sadie Small in the Morgan lab. The study that I conducted was on the impacts of surface wind stress on fish larvae distribution. I spent the summer looking at various samples from the night cruises that my mentors had collected over the past year. By looking through the dissecting microscope and seeing various types of invertebrates, crustaceans, and fish larvae was remarkably fascinating to me. I also learned about other different marine species, lab techniques, and data from conducting this type of study. Clockwise from top right: CCFRP photo with science crew showing a baby lingcod fish, examples of fish larvae found from samples in the study, Eduardo looking at fish samples under the microscope, and Eduardo at sea on the RV Mussel Point. Furthermore, I also had the chance to contribute to the California Collaborative Fisheries Research Program (CCFRP), which conducts a tag and release fishing with volunteer anglers to evaluate the effects of marine protected areas on populations of fish species along the entire California coast. It was a unique and unforgettable experience to be on a boat with my science crew and anglers. We caught various types of fish, identified, tagged, and released the fish to the ocean. I learned how marine biologists work on a research vessel and operate sampling and underwater equipment. Being part of a program such as this helped me to meet new people and build connections within a scientific community. For this internship opportunity, I am forever thankful and motivated to pursue my career goals. Eduardo Hernandez will be transferring to San Francisco State University for Fall 2019 to pursue a Bachelors of Science degree in Microbiology. This summer, he spent his internship working in the Morgan Lab with Helen Killeen and Sadie Small.
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April 2024
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