Proposal Forms The Deep

Guide to Students and Supervisors for Research Projects Research Co-ordination Science Officer – Graham Hill graham.hill@thedeep.co.uk Tel. 01482 381028 Fax. 01482 381036 The Deep carries out numerous research projects both internally and externally. Subjects include aspects of husbandry, coral propagation, breeding, behavioural, data acquisition and treatments. A list of some of the outputs is provided at the end of this sheet.

The Aquarist Department can assist university students with BSc Honours and MSc. projects only. The following procedure has been devised to ensure that The Deep is able to provide the necessary resources to accept a proposed project and that all involved are aware of exactly how the project is to be carried out.

We produce a list of possible projects that our relevant to our research goals however, if a student has a particular interest or project in mind then these will also be considered. We do reserve the right to restrict the choice to specific projects when research of particular importance to The Deep arises.

We have facility to take between 2 and 4 students per year depending on the type and level of project Procedure: • Initial contact made by supervisor or student with the Science Officer via contact information or the website www.thedeep.co.uk to arrange a meeting.

• Meeting to discuss project list and/or own research and to walk round to familiarise both student and supervisor with the facilities. In our experience, having the supervisor at this meeting allows us to gauge the level and feasibility of a project and any help the academic institution could provide.

• The student is required to prepare a proposal detailing the project with literature review on the subject, references, aims and objectives and possible methods/equipment required and return it to the Science Officer • A student CV with academic grades and any relevant experience should also be submitted.

• Depending on the numbers of students at the time and project feasibility it may not be possible to accommodate particular projects. In this case, projects will be chosen on academic merit, applicability of the project to The Deep and the ability of The Deep to provide the resources.

• If accepted, prior to the commencement of any work on a project, a meeting must be arranged with the supervisor and student and The Deep’s Science Officer to discuss actualities of the agreed project.

• Once project work has begun, regular updates on the progress from the student will be required and copied in on emails relating to the project • At the start of the project, each student will be required to give an informal presentation to the Aquarist Department about the study at one of their regular morning meetings. This introduces the student and the Aquarist team to each other and allows the aquarists to find out what assistance may be required.

Agreed Projects: Conditions of Study: • On the first project visit, the student must meet with the Science Officer and be taken through a building induction.

• The student will be issued with a badge with a “Valid Until” date, for access to The Deep. On expiry the student must contact the Science Officer if an extension is required.

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On arrival the student must go to reception and sign in on the student log sheet. This is for Health and Safety purposes in case of fire or other emergency.

Upon leaving the building, on each occasion the student must also sign out on the log sheet.

Students are required to read and comply with the Health and Safety regulations and policies of The Deep (see Appendix A) and complete the Visiting Researcher Information Sheet (see Appendix B).

The Science Officer and/or designated person in the Aquarist Department will act as facilitators providing basic information on the animals, feeding etc and help with the practicalities of the study.

The Science Officer will provide general academic assistance such as advice on study design, methods and background knowledge but will not provide (but will assist where possible) detailed tuition on data collection, data entry and statistics.

It is the students’ responsibility to provide a schedule of when they will be attending The Deep in advance so as arrangements in staffing etc. can be addressed. This can take the form of a timetable or an email detailing attendance for the coming week Whilst every effort to accommodate your project, there may be times when experiments need to be suspended, delayed or otherwise. Our priority is to animal welfare.

Once times of attendance have been made, students must attend or give notice that they are unable to attend when scheduled.

Students are welcome to use the department’s books and any other reference material but will not be allowed to take these items off-site.

On completion of the research project, students are required to provide the Science Officer with a full copy of the final report (electronic (preferable) or hard copy)), an electronic copy of the raw data in clearly understandable format and an electronic copy of an abstract/poster The Science Officer’s consultation must be sought on any papers or presentations of the research and the member of The Deep staff directly involved must be named as a co-author.

The Deep reserves the right to publish/present data from any study. The researcher’s permission will be sought and they will be named as a co-author.

The project title, name of the institution and (with the student’s permission), the students name will then be published on The Deep’s website www.thedeep.co.uk .

Social media is commonly used to inform visitors of student projects taking place. If you are amenable to having your photo in a project context taken there is a section on the form to tick. This is not compulsory but helps with visitor understanding.

Appendix A: Health and Safety Guidelines Personal: 1. You are an ambassador for our and your own institution. Your conduct must reflect this during your stay with us.

2. The Deep has a strict no smoking policy including ‘e-cigarettes’ for the whole building.

3. Always wear your ID badge whilst at The Deep.

4. You should regard touching any of the animals, (with the exception of animals where the public have access under strictly supervised conditions) as OFF LIMITS. 5. Always wash your hands prior to eating if you have been preparing food or working with animals.

6. Do not enter behind the scenes areas unless required for your study or unless you have permission from a member of the Aquarist Department.

7. You must get permission from the Science Officer for access to the building after normal working hours. Further instruction regarding times and reporting to night security will be provided if necessary.

8. If you require any equipment or tools you must make sure you have permission and training to use them.

9. Make sure you know the Fire Alarms and any evacuation procedures. These will have been explained in your building induction a. Human safety is paramount.

10. If you have an accident, inform a member of The Deep staff immediately. Many Guides and all the Aquarist Department staff are First Aid trained. It is also your obligation to complete an accident report form which can be found in the first aid room on the ground floor of The Deep.

11. If you are working regularly in the quarantine area you must have safety non-slip boots (not provided) and be aware that this is a working area, there is frequently water on the floor and potential trip hazards.

12. Always wear any Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when instructed to by your supervisor or a member of The Deep staff.

13. Make sure you report to reception and sign in and out of the building on each visit to The Deep. The reception staff will be able to contact the Aquarist Department if you need to contact the Science Officer or designated Aquarist.

14. You must inform the Science Officer of any medical condition that may affect you studying at The Deep. This will of course remain confidential with only required personnel being advised.

15. In addition to the above, any University guidelines must also be followed and the Science Officer notified.

16. If you are unable to attend when scheduled to be in, you must inform us, in advance if possible.

Animal: 17. Always prepare animals’ food in accordance to instructions given to you by Aquarist Department staff members.

18. Do not feed any animal or place anything (such as enrichment items) in a display or quarantine tank without the express permission of the Science Officer or staff member responsible for that display/animal.

19. When in the quarantine area, do not walk above the main tank unless given permission to do so.

20. All animals are sensitive to vibrations etc. It is STRICTLY FORBIDDEN to take any flash photography in the building and you must not tap on the windows of any tank/display.

21. Animals in quarantine are there for a variety of reasons. You must abide by any signs on the tank, instructions given and must not lift tank covers etc.

Public Visibility and Visitor Safety: 1. You may be asked questions by visitors. Please be polite and answer the question if you can.

PLEASE DO NOT GUESS. If you are unable to answer the question, say so, and direct the visitor to one of the many Guides around the attraction. This includes discussing any aquarium business with public outside of the aquarium.

2. A visitor may need help even if they have not asked. If you can, offer assistance. This may be as simple as directing them to a member of The Deep staff.

3. If there is no member of staff immediately available, and you see anyone attempting to place their hands in the tank, banging on the windows etc. politely ask them to stop. If they become confrontational do not argue with them. Offer to get a member of The Deep staff or report the incident as soon as possible.

4. Although the Guides will take control during any emergency, be familiar with the evacuation protocol ensuring nearby visitors know where to go.

5. IMPORTANT: You must not talk to any media reporters or similar about any aspect of aquarium matters unless requested to do so by The Deep Marketing Department.

Appendix B: Visiting Student Information Sheet Name Current Home Address

Start Date Expected Duration:

Phone Number Permanent Contact Address (eg Parents)

Email

Phone Number Contact Details whilst in Hull

Email

(if different)

The students name and contact details will remain confidential

Contact Details of next of kin (in case of emergency) Name: Address:

Research Project Title + Proposed study overview

Academic Institution Course/Level Supervisors Name and Email Address

Declaration: I have read and agree to comply with the Conditions of Study, the Health and Safety Guidelines and agree to wear any PPE provided.

I will provide a final report (electronic preferable) and raw data on completion as per the Conditions of Study.

I give permission for The Deep to publish/present this research (I will be named as a co-author) as appropriate. If I publish/present this research I will ask The Deep’s permission and The Deep staff member will be named as a co-author I am happy for my photograph to be taken in a project context for social media Signed:

tick

Date:

Before Leaving: I have returned all equipment, books, keys or any other item of The Deep’s property I give permission for The Deep to keep and share basic details of my research for appropriate scientific reasons

tick tick

Current and Past Collaborative Research BSc and MSc Student Projects: ( in chronological order) 2011 •

Aggression, territoriality and social hierarchies in Periophthalmus barbarous, the West African Mudskipper.

Continuing from a previous study, this study asked specific questions with regard to food resource and its influence on determining territory size and distribution. Individual animals , (including their sex) were identified. Using CCTV cameras during feed and non-feeding times, interactions between individuals could be mapped and subsequently a social hierarchy determined.

BSc. Honours, Hull University, Matthew Styles

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Hierarchical interactions in a captive population of Blue-spotted Ribbontail stingray, Taeniura lymma.

As one of the only marine studbook species, and one of only 2 aquariums that have been successful in breeding this species in the past 4 years. This study continues to focus on this species.

Observations during feeding have shown differences in feeding behaviour between individuals and also between pregnant females. Social structure of this population was investigated. The coincidental removal of 2 females (1 pregnant) to quarantine and their subsequent return to the group was observed.

BSc. Honours, Hull University, Ashley Lyons

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Quantitative observation of Montipora coral polyp response to batch and continuous feeding regimes using videographic techniques and imaging software.

Building on a previous study, the 2 main techniques of coral feeding were examined using this ‘very low impact’ method of observation.

BSc. Honours, Hull University, Fernley Brimacomb-Wright

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Assessment of the environmental microbial composition of a system containing the Pink Sea Fan Eunicella verrucosa, the response of this coldwater coral to immunostimulation following propagation.

The microbial composition of closed life support system aquaria are different to those in the wild. The comparison of microbial communities between these 2 environments has not been investigated.

Assessing the microbial challenge to propagules may have both implications for coral husbandry during propagation and possible wider environmental implications for coral reefs.

MSc. Hull University, Ashleigh Barnett

2012 •

Investigation into internal tank changes on feeding behaviour and hierarchy in Atlantic Mudskippers Building on the previous years’ study, a scheduled internal theming change and removal of animals provided an opportunity to look at how this may change the population structure. Individuals identified from previous study means specific interactions using videography between known animals can be conducted.

BSc. Honours, Hull University, Max Scales 40 point project

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Effect of water flow on polyp expansion and feeding success of Stylophora pistillata With advances in underwater technology, using HD video and image analysis, the expansion and contraction of individual coral polyps with respect to feeding efficiency can be visualised directly and correlated with water movement and various feed sizes.

BSc. Honours, Hull University, Sam North 40 point project

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What effect do trail obstacles have on foraging efficiency and foraging rate of the Leaf Cutter Ant, Atta cephalotes?

Using the established Leaf Cutter Ant colony at The Deep, investigation the collective decisions and choices made by foraging ants in response to obstacles and the time it takes to react to environmental changes. This will be compared to experiments made in the field with wild ant colonies.

BSc. Honours, Hull University, Alice Markstein 40 point project

2013 •

The use of novel objects to investigate personality and particularly problem solving in a group of Bluespotted Ribbontail Stingray (Taeniura lymma) and evolutionary implications for subordinate member of the group.

Personality theory is fast becoming a popular study area with very little carried out on elasmobranchs.

The hypothesis put forward is less dominant animals have evolved adaptive techniques to increase survival and are therefore more adept and willing to interact with novel objects and problem solving than dominant animals BSc Honours, Hull University, Sarah Smee 40 point project

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Quantitative study of polyp expansion of Stylophora pistillata using videographic techniques.

Previous projects developed the visual techniques for assessing polyp expansion under various feeding conditions. This study will use the established protocols to look at flow and polyp expansion.

BSc Honours, Hull University, Hannah Kay 40 point project

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Focussed study of individual mudskippers’ activity during feeding events using timelapse and slow motion videography

Studies of Mudskipper populations in captivity are rare. Several studies have been conducted on general hierarchy. The project will look at specific behaviour of individual during feeding.

BSc Honours, Hull University, Jack Blincowe 40 point project •

Nutritional value and choice making decisions in Leaf Cutter Ants (Atta cephalotes) given variable nutritional value foods and size of obstacle Building upon the excellent project from 2012, the project will further investigate the response of foraging ants to increasing obstacle size and foodstuffs of varying nutritional value. Included will be observing the effects of a dramatic colony reduction due to essential display refurbishment and its recovery.

BSc Honours, Hull University, Oliver Oxbury 40 point project

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Are the effects of Copper Anemones on the pest anemone Aiptasia physical or chemical?

Qualitative observations have seen dramatic reductions in the pest Glass Anemone (Aiptasia sp.) around translocated Copper Anemones (Entacmaea quadricolor) without the subsequent population explosions commonly seen in this species with attempts to eradicate it through various chemical and physical methods. Distance and chemical exposure experiments will be combined with histology of nematocyst anatomy to determine cause.

BSc. Honours, Hull University, Lydia Sharp 40 point project

2014 •

Behavioural Observations of Gentoo Penguins (Pygocelis papua) at The Deep, Including the Behavioural Effects of Quarantine Behavioural analysis and enclosure use of Gentoo penguins introduced in 2014.

BSc. Honours, Hull University, Megan Coull 40 point project

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Activity profiles and habitat utilisation of Bluespotted Ribbontail rays (Taeniura lymma) and Bluespotted stingrays (Neotrygon kuhlii) in captivity To ascertain whether activity levels in the population of rays is similar to the crepuscular nature of wild rays.

BSc. Honours, Hull University, Sophie Asplin 40 point project

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The influences of different food types on the quantity of brooded planulae produced by the scleractinian coral Pocillopora damicornis (L.) Does the nutritional profiles of various coral feeds effect the volume of planula larvae. Several standard coral feeds including Artemia nauplii, trehalose sugars, and oyster microdiet were assessed.

Recent data suggests a larger component of heterotropghic feeding in corals is involved in increasing gamete productivity.

BSc. Honours, Hull University, Jodie Warren 40 point project

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Comparison of diurnal swimming patterns of the Grey Reef shark in captivity and in the wild.

There is some information on the diurnal patterns of wild Grey Reef sharks and a vertical movement throughout a 24hr period. However, there has (as far as can be ascertained) no studies of swimming patterns in an aquarium environment. This study determined whether swimming patterns were similar to that of the wild context.

BSc. Honours, Askham Bryan College, Zoe Collishaw

Collaborative Work: 2012 •

Queens University Belfast Moon jellyfish provided for stable isotope work and study of trophic level energy transfer

2013 •

Horniman Museum and University of Newcastle - Chytrid sampling in Amphibians project Carried out sampling on amphibians within the collection to contribute to a genetic study of Chytrid fungus in captivity

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Cornell University - Hilary Braverman Ocular Eye Disease – We provided treatment data for her study

2014 •

Bangor University – Centre for Applied Marine Sciences, Pelagic Larval Fry Rearing This project funded by the Welsh Government is a continuation of the Rising Tide Conservation Initiative in the USA. As concerns raise over the sustainability of the Aquarium trade, public aquariums are uniquely placed to assist with the collection of eggs and fry from exhibits with known stock and easily observable animals. Eggs collected at The Deep have been transported back to Bangor as first stage trials for the ongoing development and rearing of aquarium species.

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Sustainable Venom extraction project Development of sustainable, ethical and humane methods to collect venom from Cnidarian animals for addition to Venom Discovery Arrays used to find new cures for human and animal diseases. This is a joint project with Venomtech a company specializing in venom extraction from invertebrates and preparing the venoms for use in medical research.

David Bond – Yadong Grey Reef shark teeth were provided for isotopic analysis to develop standards for trophic feeding studies

2015 •

Queen Mary University London Provided support and diving for the proofing of algorithms for the correction of images using a Hyperspectral camera. Dataset collection

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Hull University – Department of Biological Science

Advice on design, fabrication and installation of a Lobster holding life system and experimental setup for the development of artificial baits and olfactory assessment

In-House Research In-House Projects: Typically our in-house projects focus on diet optimisation, nutrition, ground breaking veterinary care, environmental enhancement and captive reproduction of threatened or endangered species. The nature of these projects is continual proactive development in all aspects of animal husbandry from animal health, breeding work, display development and life support systems.

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Continuous monitoring of behaviours observed in exhibits.- Computer records have been expanded to allow for day-to-day recording of observations eg. Breeding events and health monitoring. This allows information to be easily searchable and referred back to.

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Monitoring of the health and growth of juvenile Bluespotted Ribbontail Stingray (Taeniura lymma) – Successful births, feeding data and growth rates are collected on young born at The Deep. As a European Stud Book (ESB) focus species, data on feeding and growth at this time are vital for future work within the ESB programme.

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Tropical Sea Grass (Halophila ovalis) – has been successfully cultivated at The Deep and has produced reproductive flowers. This is thought to be a first in the UK. Both male and female flowers have been seen.

Flowers only last for around 2-3 days.

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Sulphur-based Denitrification – A system has been installed for the removal of Nitrate within the Endless Oceans Display. This has now been running since January 2015 and a report of its progress can be found separately.