SEAW ORDS TheMarineOption Program Newsletter
June2022
Volume XXXVII, Number 6
Al oha and W el come to the June issue of Seawords! It may be summer, but have no doubts, the Seawordsteam remains dedicated to bringing you the latest and greatest ocean happenings in our community and across the world! In this issue we introduce an exciting new series shining a spotlight on indigenous science and scientists that can be found on page 4. Stay tuned for the next installment of this series in next month's issue! Read about an exciting find in the depths of the Southern Sea on page 18. On page 12 explore a progressive solution to combat global carbon emissions! Learn about new research that shows the ocean is loosing something unexpected- its memory (page 16). Last but not least, on page 8 we present June's creature of the month: the small and mighty Hawaiian Red Shrimp, aka ??pae?ula! W hat would you like to see more of in Seawords?Send in your thoughts, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @mopseawords!
Abbie Jeremiah, SeawordsEditor
2 | Seawords
Contents 2: LETTER FROM THE EDITOR 4: INDIGENOUS SCIENCE AND SCIENTISTS: OUR FUTURE 8: CREATURE OF THE MONTH: ?? PAE ?ULA 12: CARBON DIVIDENDS: RETURNING PROSPERITY TO PEOPLE AND THE PLANET 16: OCEAN MEMORY 18: SHIP FOUND IN ANTARCTIC RESTING PLACE 22: MOP CALENDAR
Photo Credits Front Page: Halocaridina rubra. Photo by: Carnat Joel, Flickr. Table of Contents: Numerous Yellow Goatfish. Photo by: Sheraca, Flickr. Back Cover: Red-spotted Coral Crab. Photo by: Rickard Zerpe, Flickr.
JUNE 2022
| 3
Indigenous Scienceand Scient ist s: Our Fut ur e St or y and Phot os By: Chl oe Mol ou, UHHSeawor ds Liason
Kal uhea Fay Dudoit 4 | Seawords
Kaluhea and Chloe conducting image collection of ?auwai (a scluice gate).
T his article is the first of a three-part series, highlighting I ndigenous Marine Science students at the University of Hawai?i Hilo and their work. Each student profiled for this series was a part of the 2021-2022 Keaholoa ST EM Scholars cohort and completed their own independent research projects. T he Keaholoa ST EM Scholars Program is an academic program at UH Hilo, aimed at supporting and increasing the representation of Native Hawaiian and Pacific I slanders in ST EM fields. T he program provides paid independent research experiences with mentors in related fields, community outreach opportunities, academic support, and various professional development workshops. Keaholoa is part of a multi-campus, National Science Foundation (NSF) program known as the L ouis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (L SAMP) program.
Kaluehea Fay Dudoit, a UH Hilo student apart of the Kealoha STEM Scholars program .
T he first student to be featured in this series is Kaluhea Fay Dudoit, a Hawaiian Studies and Marine Science double-major entering her junior year at UH Hilo. Originally from the island of Moloka?i, Kaluhea comes from a patrilineage of well-known, skilled fishermen. She spent her childhood in and on the ocean, learning the Hawaiian practice of lawai?a (fishing). Kaluhea fondly recalls the days of swimming in a net of freshly caught kala (Naso sp., unicornfish) with her siblings, while her father and uncles held the net closed. Her love for the ocean intensified after taking a Marine JUNE 2022
| 5
Biology class during her junior year of high school that was completely taught in ?? lelo Hawai?i. ?I t wasn't until I was in this class where we spoke completely in Hawaiian, learned about our oceans in Hawaiian, learned marine vocabulary in Hawaiian, and wrote science reports in Hawaiian, that I realized I was a scientist and that all of my ancestors were scientists as well.? She decided to pursue Marine Science and Hawaiian Studies at UH Hilo to bridge the gap between science and culture, in the hopes of ?protecting and perpetuating the practices that have kept [ her] people alive for generations.?
Image of one of the umu (circular rock formations) in the final model of Kaluhea and Chloe's project
overlapping 2D images to render approximate 3D models. Models were made of three different loko i?a features: the kuap? (rockwall), the ?auwai (sluice gate), and umu (circular rock formations) for the creation of a digital database. Working alongside Hui Ho?oleimalu?, a non-profit based in Keaukaha that cares for Honokea loko i?a, and high school As a part of this year?s students from Ka ?Umeke K??eo Keaholoa cohort, Kaluhea Hawaiian I mmersion School, completed an independent Kaluhea and her partner were research project alongside her able to teach the technique to the partner Chloe Molou, creating 3D small group of students who models of the Honokea loko i?a aided in image collection. T his (Hawaiian fishpond), in project emphasized the ?great Keaukaha. T hey used a surveying importance in working together technique known as with the community and the Structure-from-Motion (SfM) people of [ these spaces] to photogrammetry, that uses understand what relationship 6 | Seawords
they share with it and how we can learn from each other.? Reflecting on the outcomes of the project, Kaluhea says this project helped to reaffirm her idea of the interconnectedness of science and culture, highlighting the importance of ?documenting, maintaining, and sharing information about our special laces, like Honokea loko i?a.? W hile there are ways in which academic institutions such as the University of Hawai?i have worked towards better supporting I ndigenous ST EM students, Kaluhea believes that a critical step is to place ?indigenous scientists in
teaching and faculty positions in the institution. W hen there is more diversity in teachers, there will be more diversity in students and better inclusivity in the sharing of knowledge and ideas.? Her final comment was a word of encouragement for indigenous youth: ?there is always a place in science for [ us] . Growing up I never saw myself in a science field or being a scientist, but today I understand that the roots and knowledge that we bring with us from our cultures as I ndigenous people is what will set us apart and bring new and ground-breaking ideas into this world.?
Image of the kuap? (rock wall) final model
JUNE 2022
| 7
Cr eat ur e of t he
?? pae
By: Alexand &
8 | Seawords
?? pae ?ula, Halocaridina rubra. Photo by: Pa'ke, Flickr.
e Mont h
e ?ula
dr ya Robinson , UHM MOP St udent Abbie Jer emiah, Seawor ds Edit or
JUNE 2022
| 9
T h i s m on th ?s f eatu r ed cr eat u r e i s H alocaridina rubra, al so k n ow n as th e H aw ai i an Red Sh r i m p or ??pae ?ula (??pae m ean i n g sh r i m p an d ?ula m ean i n g r ed ). ?? p ae ?u l a ar e en d em i c to H aw ai ?i an d l i ve on t h e i sl an d s of H aw ai ?i , K ah o?ol aw e, M au i , M ol ok a?i , an d O ?ah u . ?? p ae ?u l a h ave on ly been obser ved on t h ese i sl an d s becau se of th ei r u n i qu e h abi t at , t h e an ch i al i n e p ool . Fou n d ar ou n d th e w or l d , an ch i al i n e p on d s ar e d ef i n ed as l an d l ocked p ool s of br ack i sh or sal t w at er w i t h n o su r f ace con n ect i on t o t h e ocean . O p ti m al con d i t i on s i n th e an ch i al i n e p on d s ar e essen t i al t o ??p ae ?u l a?s su r v i val . T h e p on d s ar e th e on ly k n ow n h abi t at w h er e t h e m i n u scu l e sh r i m p ar e f ou n d an d w h er e th ey com p l et e th ei r f u l l l i f e cy cl e f r om sp aw n i n g t o ad u l t h ood . D u e t o t h e i n cr ease of l an d d evel op m en t an d h u m an p op u l at i on s i n H aw ai ?i over t h e p ast cen tu r y, an ch i al i n e p on d s h ave been an d con t i n u e t o be d est r oy ed or d i stu r bed , m ak i n g h abi tat l oss th e bi ggest r eason f or t h ei r p op u l at i on d ecl i n e. ?? p ae ?u l a l i ve n ear th e si d es of t h e coast al an ch i al i n e p ool s w h er e th ey acti vely gr aze, f i l t er f eed i n g on ly w h en t h er e i s an over abu n d an ce of p h y t op l an k t on (i .e. al gal bl oom s). T h ei r gr azi n g i s essen t i al t o m ai n t ai n th e p on d ?s cr u st , an act i vely gr ow i n g am al gam at i on of p l an t s, bact er i a, d i atom s, p r otozoan s, as w el l as oth er si l i ceou s an d car bon at e m at er i al s. ?? p ae ?u l a u ti l i ze t w o sp eci al i zed ap p en d ages k n ow n as ch el i p ed set ae, si m i l ar t o l egs an d cl aw s, t h at al l ow f or th e cl i p p i n g an d r em ov al of t h i s m at t er as w el l as cat ch i n g i t to eat. ?? p ae ?u l a ar e ch ar act er i zed by t h ei r sm al l si ze (ad u l t s ar e n o m or e th an 1.3 cm ) an d m ost ar e a br i gh t r ed col or (O ?ah u p op u l at i on s of ??p ae ?u l a ten d to be p al e p i n k an d tr an sp ar en t). D ep en d i n g on t h e abu n d an ce of f ood , t h ei r p op u l ati on s can r i se to su ch l evel s t h at t h ey gi ve t h e p on d a r ed h u e. H i stor i cal ly, ??p ae ?u l a w er e u sed as bai t f or akule, H aw ai i an m acker el , an d th e p on d s w er e car ed f or an d p r otect ed . Tod ay, th e ef f ect s of th e tou r i sm i n d u st r y an d t h e su bsequ en t d evel op m en t of coastal l an d s h ave r en d er ed m an y an ch i al i n e p on d s u n f i t to su p p or t th e su r v i v al of th e ??p ae ?u l a. Ad d i t i on al ly, t h e r el ease of aqu ar i u m f i sh su ch as gu p p i es an d oth er sp eci es of l i ve bai t sh r i m p i n t o t h e p on d s f u r th er i m p acts th e d w i n d l i n g ??p ae ?u l a p op u l at i on s becau se t h ey ar e n ot ad ap ted to d ef en d agai n st th e i n tr od u ced p r ed at or s. I n ad d i t i on t o t h ei r con t r i bu t i on s to t h e h eal th of th e an ch i al i n e p on d ecosy st em , t h er e i s st i l l m u ch t o d i scover an d r esear ch abou t th e ??p ae ?u l a an d so i t i s i m p or t an t t h at t h ey, al on g w i t h th ei r h abi t at, r em ai n i n t act f or f u tu r e gen er at i on s. 10 | Seawords
?? pae ?ula. Digital Illustration by: Abbie Jeremiah, Seawords Editor.
JUNE 2022
| 11
Chimney Down Arrow. Photo by: Tim Button, Flickr.
CarbonDividends:
Returning ProsperitytoPeopleandthePlanet By: SaraBower,UHMMOPStudent 12 | Seawords
Scientists have conclusively linked excess carbon emissions to ocean acidification. Carbon emissions continue to wreak havoc on the planet and will have harsh consequences for our oceans including acidification, thermal expansion, and the melting of the ice caps. Ocean acidification contributes to lower survival and reproduction rates in marine animals and can disrupt ocean ecosystems, ultimately leading to alterations in human food supplies. Additionally, ocean acidification degrades reefs that protect beaches and coastal infrastructure. It is clear that a solution to the carbon emission crisis is desperately needed. The excess of carbon emissions in the atmosphere
has negative effects that are not currently accounted for in their price. This concept is called negative externality and a carbon tax can help negate it. However, not all carbon taxes are equal ethically or in efficacy. W hile the tax burden can be placed on the producers of oil, coal, and natural gas, it can still have undue effects on consumers. Thus, while carbon taxes would be effective in reducing the amount of carbon emissions and making renewable energy more cost competitive, it would also hurt low-income families. This is because carbon taxes can increase energy bills, gas prices, and the cost of other everyday products. A carbon tax is an expense increase that families with higher incomes can manage, but it does not JUNE 2022
| 13
Air Pollution Chimney. Photo by: WCN 24/7, Flickr.
14 | Seawords
always make it a progressive or just system. The question then becomes: what does a progressive carbon tax system that doesn?t hurt low-income families look like?One solution includes a carbon fee and dividend, also known as Carbon Cashback! In 2019, the effectiveness of carbon dividends was agreed upon in the largest public statement of economists in history, Economists?Statement on Carbon Dividends. W ith a carbon fee and dividend, the money collected from placing a fee on carbon would be returned to people in equal shares. This means that people who have less carbon intensive lifestyles, like lower income families, spend less and earn more. It would still cause prices for carbon
intensive goods to rise, and businesses would still be incentivized to turn to renewable energy, making renewable energy more affordable. The use of a carbon fee and dividend in Hawai?i was studied by the University of Hawai?i Economics Research Organization (UHERO) and was found to benefit low-income families. In fact, it was found to be especially beneficial to Hawai?i because of the high volume of tourists who would add to the carbon fees which would ultimately be returned to Hawai?i residents. A carbon fee along with a dividend might be just what is needed to help combat ocean acidification and climate change while helping care for vulnerable communities and ocean ecosystems. JUNE 2022
| 15
Ocean M emory By: Hal ey Ch asi n, UHM M OP A l umna
Ocean. Photo by: Apasciuto, Flickr.
16 | Seawords
The consi stency and predi ctabi li ty of ocean patterns allow s for sci enti sts to study w eather patterns and changes i n w eather form ati on. How ever, i n addi ti on to the recent changes i n ocean tem peratures, there have also been shi fts i n the ocean's structure, currents and color. These changes have caused ocean envi ronm ents to becom e m ore unpredi ctable and sporadi c-- as i f the ocean w as losi ng i ts m em ory. Ocean m em ory i s m easured as the year-to-year persi stence of sea surface tem perature anom ali es. In a study led by cli m ate researcher Hui Shi from Farallon Insti tute i n Petalum a, Cali forni a, m easurem ents of sea surface tem perature (SST) w ere taken i n the top shallow layer of the ocean also k now n as the upper-ocean m i xed layers (MLD). Although the MLD doesn?t extend past 50 m eters , m ak i ng i t a relati vely shallow layer, i t experi ences therm al i nerti a com pared to the atm ospheres above. By usi ng the persi stence of SST anom ali es from one year to the next as an i ndi cator of ocean m em ory, the team found that ocean m em ory w i ll li kely decli ne further i n the com i ng years and decades. It w as predi cted that the shoali ng effect i n the MLD, occurri ng w hen surface w aves enter shallow w aters and i ncrease i n w ave hei ght, w i ll i ncrease m i xi ng i n the upper levels and thi nni ng out the top layer, causi ng unforeseen w eather patterns i ncludi ng m onsoons, heat w aves, and unexpected tem perature di fferences. The changes i n ocean m i xi ng dynam i cs contri bute to regi ons w i th exi sti ng areas of convecti on such as the Greenland-Iceland-Norw egi an Seas, or i n regi ons of strong upw elli ng (e.g., along the equator). Addi ti onally, the loss of ocean m em ory could potenti ally affect the populati ons of ani m als that are used to consi stent w eather patterns. Theoreti cally, speci es w i th K-selected li fe hi stori es (that engage i n m ore consi stent reproducti ve efforts) w ould be m ore suscepti ble to bei ng negati vely affected than speci es w i th R-selected li fe hi stori es (that exhi bi t m ore vari able reproducti ve patterns). Accurate forecasti ng i s i m portant i n determ i ni ng w eather patterns, and i f the loss of ocean m em ory conti nues, accurate w eather forecasts and predi cti ons could be at stake, potenti ally m ak i ng the ocean m ore dangerous for hum ans and ani m als ali ke.
JUNE 2022
| 17
Shi p Found i n Ant ar ct i c Rest i ng Pl ace By: Luci an Ander son, UHM MOP Al umnus
HMS Endurance trapped in Antarctic pack ice. Photographed by: Frank Hurley, February 1915. Wikimedia Commons.
18 | Seawords
Due to harsh and hazardous conditions, Antarctica has long remained a place of mystery with relatively little being known about its geography. It was first ?discovered?in the 1820s, the last major landmass for humans to encounter. It would be another 75 years until expeditions began flooding in to explore, map, and claim the new continent. This period from 1895-1920 is known as the Heroic Age of Exploration of Antarctica. It was a dangerous time to be an explorer; some expeditions made exciting discoveries and others perished in the cold. Ernest Shackleton was one of the last of these Antarctic explorers. He came from the United Kingdom and conducted three expeditions to Antarctica. He and his crew were attempting to complete the first crossing of Antarctica on land. During the expedition in January 1915 their ship, Endurance, became trapped
in the ice shelves. The crew survived aboard the ship for months before Shackleton gave the order to abandon Endurance on October 27th, 1915. The ship sank on November 21, 1915, somewhere in the Weddell Sea. For 107 years it has laid undisturbed beneath the ice. In March 2022, the Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust organized an expedition using a South African Ice Breaker, AgulhasII, equipped with submersibles. The expedition leader, John Shears, describes the search for the Enduranceas, ?the most challenging shipwreck search ever undertaken." Submarines descended to a depth of 3 kilometers (10,000 feet) to search for the ship. W ith the help of sonar, the expedition found the sunken vessel located 6.4 km south of an Endurancecrew member?s notes. The ship appeared seemingly unchanged JUNE 2022
| 19
since the early 20th century. There was damage to the hull, likely from ice and the impact of hitting the seabed. The masts were felled; however, it was not dismembered. The submarine moved around the wreck and spotted boots and plates scattered around the ship. On the stern below the hand railings of the ship, the submarines even captured images of the vessel's given name, Endurance, carved out of wood. After laying at the bottom of the ocean for 107 years the ship is still in good shape. The wood has not deteriorated nor shown signs of being eaten. Shears commented, "you can see inside the hatchways, the stairs. You can see the ropes and the rigging. It's as if it sank only yesterday.?Many sessile species have made the shipwreck their home such as sea squirts, anemones, and sponges. Sea stars and urchins have also claimed 20 | Seawords
sections of the shipwreck as their own. Those creatures are likely to be left alone as the Endurancewill spend the rest of its life 3,000 meters below the surface of the Weddell Sea where it will be considered a historic site and monument due to the Antarctic Treaty. As a result, no artifacts will be taken from the underwater monument. The expedition director, Mensun Bound, had this to say after leaving the shipwreck: "We hope our discovery will engage young people and inspire them with the pioneering spirit, courage and fortitude of those who sailed Enduranceto Antarctica.?The odds of the research team finding a lost 107 year-old shipwreck deep in the Southern Ocean were low and yet, the ship was found. Hopefully, more ships from our past can be rediscovered to answer questions about our previous maritime adventures.
Shackleton's expedition to the Antarctic; Endurance after ice pressure was released. Photographed by: Frank Hurley, November 1915. Wikimedia Commons.
JUNE 2022
| 21
22 | Seawords
JUNE 2022
| 23
Vol u m e XXXVII, Nu m ber 6 Editor : Abbie Jer em iah Dr. Cyn th ia H u n ter (em in en ce gr ise) Jeffr ey Ku wabar a (em in en ce gr ise) W r itin g Team : Br en n a Lovin g, Ch l oe M ol ou , Lu cian An der son , Al exan dr ya Robin son , H al ey Ch asin , Sar a Bower Seawor ds- M ar in e Option Pr ogr am Un iver sity of H awai ?i , Col l ege of Natu r al Scien ces 2450 Cam pu s Road, Dean H al l 105A H on ol u l u , H I 96822-2219 Tel eph on e: (808) 956-8433 Em ail : <seawor ds@ h awaii.edu > W ebsite: <h ttp:/ / www.h awaii.edu / m op> Seawor ds is th e m on th l y n ewsl etter n ewsl etter of th e M ar in e Option Pr ogr am at th e Un iver sity of H awai?i. Opin ion s expr essed h er ein ar e n ot n ecessar il y th ose of th e M ar in e Option Pr ogr am or of th e Un iver sity of H awai?i. Su ggestion s an d su bm ission s ar e wel com e. Su bm ission s m ay in cl u de ar ticl es, ph otogr aph y,ar t wor k , or an yth in g th at m ay be of in ter est to th e m ar in e com m u n ity in H awai?i. an d ar ou n d th e wor l d. All photos ar e taken by M OP unless other wise cr edited.