Seawords November 2016

Seaw rds The Marine Option Program Newsletter

November 2016

stoked is a giddy, non-stop smil5 “Being ing experience from a good ride, beautiful day, or an all-around great time.”

THE LAST KNEEBOARDER CORAL: CORAL REEF AIRBORNE LABORATORY DIVE SAFETY: HOW TO EXTEND THE LIFE OF YOUR GEAR

November 2016 Volume XXX, Number 9

Articles Page 3: Letter from the Editor Page 4: The Last of the Kneeboarder Page 6: CORAL Page 8: Extending the Life of Your SCUBA Gear Page 10: Marine Mammal of the Month Page 12: Ocean Art Page 14: Ocean Updates Page 19: Critter of the Month Page 20: Generation Blue Page 22: Hanauma Bay: Calender of Events Page 23: Flashback Page 24: MOP calendar of events

About the Photography -Cover: MOP STOCK -Table of Contents: Koa Matsuoka, UHM MOP Alumnus and Photography Contestant -November calendar of events: Alison Watts, UHM MOP Student and Photography Contestant -Back cover : MOP STOCK -All uncredited photos by: MOP -Disclaimer: any photo taken from flickr.com is used under the Creative Commons License and is credited appropriately with links to the user’s flickr account.

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Letter from the Editor

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loha!

As we enjoy our left over candy, we step into the holiday season with November!

Have you ever heard of kneeboarding? I would be a little surprised if you had, but the MOP community has one of the last known kneeboarders in Hawai‘i. Check out Ryan Tabata’s, UHM MOP Student, article on Keoki Stender’s skill and stoke. Maybe you could even pick up a new hobby.

Sarah Franklin, UHM MOP Student, wrote about the technology advances that are allowing us to study coral in a more efficient way with NASA’s Coral Reef Airborne Laboratory (CORAL). Let’s also not forget that although diving is fun, there’s necessary work your equipment needs in order for you to continue diving! Get the most out of your gear by following UHH MOP Student, Tyler Phelp’s tips.

Enjoy this issues articles! Be sure to add yourself to our new mailing list for updates: http://eepurl.com/ckUUNT Thanks for reading,

Camra Hopper, Seawords Editor Seawords Volume XXX, Number 9, November 2016 Editor: Camra Hopper Associate Editor: Jessica Lotts Dr. Cynthia Hunter (éminence grise) Jeffrey Kuwabara (éminence grise) Seawords- Marine Option Program University of Hawai‘i, College of Natural Sciences 2450 Campus Road, Dean Hall 105A Honolulu, HI 96822-2219 Telephone: (808) 956-8433 Email: <seawords@hawaii.edu> Website: <http://www.hawaii.edu/mop>

Seawords is the monthly newsletter of the Marine Option Program at the University of Hawai‘i. Opinions expressed herein are not necessariliy those of the Marine Option Program or of the University of Hawai‘i.

Suggestions and submissions are welcome. Submissions may include articles, photography, art work, or anything that may be of interest to the marine community in Hawai‘i and around the world.

All photos are taken by MOP unless otherwise credited.

NOVEMBER 2016 |3

student perspectives

the last of the

kneeboarders

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Written and photographed by: Ryan Tabata, UHM MOP Student

Keoki Stender

is one of the last handful of surfers known as kneeboarders and is also part of the small community of backyard board builders in Hawai‘i. He first started riding waves at Sherwoods, Waimanalo, on a bodyboard when he was a kid. Seeing the speed of kneeboarders out at Ala Moana one day, he realized the extra speed of a kneeboard could work well in the fast waves of Sherwoods. He decided to create his very own kneeboard from a broken board he saw in his friend’s backyard. Since then, he has continued to make and ride kneeboards.

“I found a broken surfboard at a friend’s place and asked my dad to help glass the reshaped foam into my first board, a 5’1” x 18” triple wing stinger single fin. It was really heavy but went a lot faster than a bodyboard and turned on a dime,” Keoki said. “It broke in half during a storm swell at Pokai Bay shorebreak. I’m riding my 89th board now.”

While surfboards typically have between one and four fins, Keoki’s self-shaped kneeboards have evolved to have between four and seven precisely shaped and positioned fins that compliment his board’s perfect blend of curves. Surfboards have been called functional art and kneeboards are no exception. As a surfer gains more experience, they will continue to search for the “magic board” which resonates with the rider’s style and experience. Keoki has gotten close to finding his magic board, but is still working to find the one.

Most kneeboarders in Hawai‘i started before 1980 and are nearly extinct, while stand up styles of surfing, like longboarding and shortboarding, are increasing in popularity. Keoki thinks kneeboarding isn’t as popular now because it takes longer to learn than surfing, it is difficult to ride bumpy waves, and the boards are sensitive to design changes. He relates kneeboarding to riding a

skateboard on your knees because it is easier to balance and maneuver but requires you to move your weight without moving on your board.

“I prefer leaning hard into a wave to use its power instead of doing tiny adjustments to keep an unstable board under control. Neither is better, just different,” Keoki said.

The basics of great surfing are speed, power, flow and style. Speed gives you the chance to show your power.

Experience and local knowledge influence flow, or the seamless transition between maneuvers. Style is unique to each surfer and could be described as effortless, dynamic, fluid and controlled. As difficult as kneeboards are to ride, Keoki has turned the heads of even the most critical surfers. Older guys will paddle up to him and reflect back on the days when the kneeboards were common and the waves were better.

When asked if he would ever pick up surfing again Keoki said, “Nope, why be a kook again?”

Even with his experience and the “magic” board, Keoki still needs waves to ride. The perfect wave balances the energy of powerful distant storms with light offshore winds and turns it into an exciting and predictable breaking wave. Surfers will obsess over forecasts to find the perfect wave. While the epic days are far and few between, perfect waves with a few good friends make the search worth it.

Surfers occasionally talk about stoke – an addictive state of mind combining passion, bliss, and a need for more.

Being stoked is a giddy, non-stop smiling experience from a good ride, beautiful day, or an all-around great time. Early mornings, long drives, increasingly crowded lineups and the hurdles of kneeboarding don’t matter when you can find as much stoke as Keoki. n

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CORAL: COral Reef Airborne Laboratory By: Sarah Franklin, UHM MOP Student NASA flying 225 nautical miles above the Hawaiian Ridge in the North Pacific Ocean. Photo by: NASA.

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n June 7th, 2016, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab launched their newest mission, Coral Reef Airborne Laboratory (CORAL). The project has two objectives: first, to measure the condition of coral reefs across the globe. The status of the reefs will be determined by the primary productivity, calcification and benthic cover (ratio of coral, algae and sand). The second objective will focus on ten biogeophysical parameters chosen to have been observed having an influence on coral reef ’s health. Empirical models will be created to relate reef condition to these forcing parameters. The selected parameters are coral species richness, sea surface temperature, photosyn-

thetically available radiation, aragonite saturation state, significant wave height, coastal development threat level, marine pollution threat level, overfishing threat level, watershed pollution threat level and integrated local threat level. The data collected from these two objectives will be used in addressing one overall question: What is the relationship between coral reef condition and biogeophysical forcing parameters?

The reefs that are a part of the study are portions of the Great Barrier Reef, the Mariana Islands, Palau, and the Main Hawaiian Islands. These reefs were chosen for having different qualities and properties from reef type, to physical forces and human threat levels.

To carry out this project a G-IV aircraft will be flown over the selected areas with a PRISM (Portable Remote Imaging Spectrometer) instrument mounted to the belly of the craft. PRISM was developed by the Jet Propulsion Lab and has an optical range between 350 nm and 1050 nm, and when flown below cloud flight altitudes, offers high resolution, visualizing spatial features as small as 30 cm. PRISM will record the spectra of light reflected from the ocean and will use the data to determine the composition of the reef below (coral, algae, and sand).

Michelle Gierach is the CORAL project scientist and works with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. She said, “PRISM is the heart and soul of the CORAL mission.

It came into being to address the challenge of coastal observations.” The PRISM instrument will be able to survey an entire reef very efficiently and uniformly in the same amount of time that it would take a team of scuba divers and boat-based researchers to survey a few square meters.

Eric Hochberg, a scientist from the Bermuda Institute of

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A school of convict tang, Acanthurus triostegus, swimming in Hanauma Bay. Photo by Cory Mutnik, UHM MOP Student Ocean Sciences, is CORAL’s principal investigator. He said, “The coral reef data we have were mostly gathered by scuba divers with measuring tapes, so they’re local, inconsistent and patchy. CORAL will give us the first large, uniform dataset on the condition of coral reefs across key regions of the Pacific. We have good reason to be concerned about the future of reefs, but there are a lot of fundamental things we just don’t understand about them. With the CORAL dataset, we can begin to better understand how reefs interact with their environments.” The International Society for Reef Studies published a Consensus Statement in 2015 saying that 50 percent of coral reefs have been “largely or completely degraded by a combination of local facts and global climate change” over the past few decades. “Just realizing that though you may not see a coral, that you may not have your backyard be within this beautiful environment that we’re in right now, coral are impacting you, they are globally important,” Gierach said, “We have to understand how they’re changing so we can make some managed decisions about their future.”

ence does not have broad datasets like this project plans to provide, and the data collected from CORAL will be made public. “As scientific divers, we’re limited by the depth we can work at and the amount of bottom time that we have while we’re diving, so much of underwater marine science, especially on coral reefs, is a painstakingly slow process”, says Baum.

The project broke ground in our backyard out in Kāne‘ohe Bay at the Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB). There CORAL scientists tested the optical instrument’s performance out on the bay. After all the equipment checks out, the aircraft with the PRISM will be flown over the bay, taking multiple measurements and working out any technical difficulties in the instrumentation. Flight paths have already been made for all over the Hawaiian Islands. There are 50 flight lines planned, ranging between 1 to 87 km in distance.

The CORAL mission will be a 3-year project, but by the end the data should provide a complete illustration of the world’s coral reefs, and the parameter having the largest effect on them, and where the most significant Julia Baum, assistant professor of biology at the Unidegradation is occurring. These data will aid many coral versity of Victoria in British Columbia, has spent much reefs researchers with their projects, and with a better of her time studying and conducting research on coral understanding of how these ecosystems thrive we will reefs, and said that the data gathered by the CORAL be able to make better decisions for our future. n mission will be very valuable for international reef scientists and conservation communities. Coral reef sciNOVEMBER 2016 |7

DIVE SAFETY

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fter a long dive, cleaning your gear may be the last thing you want to do. However, proper gear maintenance is important to your safety and will extend the life of your equipment. If you do not yet own your kit, challenge yourself to maintain good habits when caring for rental gear. This will carry over into better practices when you acquire your own.

First, let’s review some general guidelines about gear maintenance. While it’s mundane, you should always consult the owner’s manual for that piece of equipment from the manufacturer. When diving in a pool, it is still important to properly rinse and care for your gear. Although it’s in freshwater, chlorine can deteriorate and damage your equipment. SCUBA gear should be dried out of direct sunlight and not stored until completely dry. Remember this is your life support equipment – taking proper care of it protects your investment, and yourself.

Extending the Life o Easy Tips for P filled with freshwater when you go diving. Often it will be sitting in a car or in the back of the truck warming up while you are in the water. When you are done diving drop your regulator, dive computer, lights, camera, and clips into the bucket. Let them soak and when you get home it’s one less thing to take care of!

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egulators

Similar to cameras, soak your regulator in warm freshwater after diving for about one hour. Turn your second stages with the mouthpiece pointed up to ensure that there are no bubbles preventing water from cleaning the inside balance chamber. When done, shake all the water out and disinfect your second stages. Commercial food grade disinfectant such as Steramine is cheap and highly effective. You also can spray As a certified service technician, I’ve had to fix count- with mouthwash and lightly less pieces of equipment from negligent divers. Here are rinse afterwards. some suggestions and tips that I’ve developed from my Store your regulator out of years of experience. By following these and getting your direct sunlight. To prevent gear serviced routinely you will extend the life of your mold and algae from growSCUBA gear. ing in your regulator, point ive Computers, Cameras, and the mouthpieces down when Lights drying. Do not store your regulator until it is thoroughly dry.

After diving, soak your dive computer, camera, and dive light in a bucket of fresh warm water for about one Tech Tip: Rubber hose protectors hour. General chemistry teaches us that water is a more and instrument boots can trap saltwaeffective solvent at warmer temperatures. But if you are ter. This makes them difficult to clean and still finding corrosion, add white vinegar to a maximum can cause corrosion faster. To remove your hose pro50/50 concentration. When they are done soaking, they tectors, carefully cut away with scissors or take it to a should be stored in a dry place. technician. If you have a boot around your submersible pressure gauge (SPG), take it to a technician to remove Ideally, you should not open your camera’s housing unit and reduce corrosion. til it is dry. But if you have to, use a towel to dry the perimeter of the seal. When your housing is completely uoyancy Compensator Device dry, leave it open to prevent further fatigue on the o(BCD) rings.

After diving with your BCD, soak in warm freshwater.

O-rings in cameras should be maintained and replaced Pay extra attention to the inflator assembly on the hose. routinely. Lubricate o-rings appropriately in consider- If the inflator becomes corroded it can potentially beation of your manufacturer’s instructions. come stuck open which could be very dangerous during a dive! Prevent corrosion by soaking it and routinely Tech Tip: Invest in a five gallon bucket and bring it treating with a 50/50 water and vinegar solution.

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B

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of your SCUBA Gear Proper Cleaning

Article and Photo by: Tyler Phelps, UHH MOP Student

When using your deflator on the BCD during a dive, salt water can enter inside the bladder. If not treated, the salt can crystallize and potentially puncture a hole in your BCD! To rinse, hold down the deflator button as you pour in water from a hose. Shake the water around and drain it by gently pulling on one of the dump valves.

Remember the dump valve has to be the lowest point on the BCD for all the water to come out.

After you have soaked your BCD and rinsed the inside, orally inflate until full. Shake it around, if you hear water then drain the rest out. Leave the BCD fully inflated so it can dry faster.

Tech Tip: As you are draining the rinsed water out of your BCD, let some of the water fall onto the back of your hand. Taste the water using the tip of your tongue. If you still taste salt then the inside of your BCD has not been rinsed fully. Repeat the process of adding fresh water through the deflator, shaking, and draining until you can’t taste salt anymore.

dehydrated which puts you at greater risk for decompression sickness. Be conscious of how much water you’re drinking and have more in the future.

If general all-purpose cleaners do not “sink the stink,” it may be time for drastic measures. Add a small amount of bleach to your warm water when soaking your wetsuit.

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ylinders and Valves

Unfortunately cylinders and valves are the most neglected pieces of equipment in the dive industry. If treated with proper care, a standard aluminum cylinder can last over 30 years! If not treated correctly, valves can become corroded which can cause sticking and leaking.

If not rinsed, residual salt can cause pitting which could result in the cylinder becoming condemned or lead to a catastrophic accident when filling. Long story short, take proper care of your cylinders and end the negligent homicide!

Cylinder maintenance is easy. After diving spray the entire cylinder down with a freshwater hose, removing any salt or chlorine. Use your hand to cup water around the valve and burst disc. If possible, invert the cylinder in the freshwater allowing the valve to get soaked.

Do not leave cylinders standing freely. Ideally, cylinders etsuit, Booties, should be stored and secured vertically. If water enters a cylinder that is being stored horizontally, there is larger and Gloves surface area for corrosion to occur than if it were beThese should be rinsed last to prevent ing stored vertically. To prevent this from happening, dirtying your rinse water for your other, keep positive pressure in the cylinder. Don’t allow it be more expensive, gear! You guessed it: soak drained completely. them in warm freshwater after diving. As the saying goes, “there are 2 types of divers: those that pee in their Tech Tip: If cylinders will not be used for an extended wetsuit and those and those who lie about it.” Regard- period of time, they should be stored at either a very less of what type of diver you are, if you notice an un- low pressure (100-300psi) or at full service pressure pleasant odor, treat with a cleaning solution to prevent (e.g. 3000psi), but not in the middle. If a fire were to occur, the heat will cause the pressure inside to increase. skin and nasal irritations.

All valves are equipped with a burst disc that are deCommercial wetsuit cleaners are available but can be signed to prevent the cylinder from becoming a pipe costly. Consider using a cheap all-purpose cleaner such bomb. The high pressure allows the burst pressure to as Pine Sol or Fabuloso. Add a few capfuls of this to be reached and thus all the gas will be released. If the your water and soak your wetsuit. cylinder pressure is very low and the bust disc does not Tech Tip: If your wetsuit really smells after diving, activate, the impacts of a cylinder rupture will be less it’s due to a high concentration of ammonia from not than if it were at an intermediate pressure.n drinking enough water. This means you were probably

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NOVEMBER 2016 |9

By Jeremy Gasta, American Cetacean Society Student

Mocha Dick Marine Mammal of the Month: Mocha Dick

Species: Sperm Whale Scientific Name: Physeter macrocephalus Range: Chilean Coast Diet: Mostly squid, but also octopus, fish, shrimp, crab and even small bottom-living sharks Size: 70 feet

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n May of 1839, a man by the name of Herman Melville was reading an American publication known as The Knickerbocker when he came across an article detailing a whale that was causing quite a stir for sailors and whalers off of the coast of Chile, written by the American naturalist and adventurer Jeremiah N. Reynolds. Apparently, a large bull sperm whale (Phyes-

Our Moby Dick Painting By David Forbis, photographed by Rory Cubel for Fine Art America.

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ter macrocephalus) dubbed “Mocha Dick” had proven himself to be a relentless force, haven taken down multiple whaling vessels and eluded dozens of attempts on his life. Inspired by this story, as well as the unsettling account of another large sperm whale in the southern Pacific that obliterated a whaling vessel known as the Essex, Melville penned the famous whaling tale Moby Dick.

the ability to dive several thousand feet). Unlike other great whales, which eat miniscule krill or plankton, sperm whales target megafauna as prey, including giant and colossal squid. In the heyday of commercial whaling, sperm whales were often targeted for their useful resources such as spermaceti and ambergris, and were often recognized as extremely dangerous targets. While gentle and docile if unprovoked, sperm whales were known to retaliate with aggressiveness and ferocity – Based on the aggressiveness and ferocity of Melville’s an understandable reaction to being speared, but one fictional Moby, it can come as a surprise to know that that worked to remind whalers that it is unwise to mess Ahab’s favorite quarry was based on a real individual. with these animals. Sperm whales caused the sinking of Mocha Dick was a massive bull sperm whale that lived many a whaling ship – though none quite as much as in the late 1700s and early 1800s, in the Pacific Ocean Mocha Dick. off the coast of central Chile. His reported length was 70 feet-long, which, if accurate, means that he is among While it is unknown when Mocha Dick had his first the largest sperm whales ever recorded (the average run-in with a whaling vessel, it was likely in the early length for the species usually lies between 40-50 feet, 1800s, before 1810. It is said that he retaliated with a though some males have been known to grow as large surprising fury, even for a sperm whale, and sunk the as 67 feet). Reynolds, the explorer first ship that attacked him. As many other whalers who is known for the best description attempted and failed to cull him, Mocha became well of the whale and saw the leviathan known among sea-goers in the area due to his many esfirsthand, described Mocha as hav- capes and distinct coloration. ing a barnacle-covered head that gave Across the next 30 or so years, many ships attempted to the creature a very unique and rugtarget him due to his “celebrity” status, and he became ged look. The Mocha in the whale’s infamous for his apparent high intelligence and level of name comes from Chile’s Mocha Iscunning and strategy he used to outwit, fight back, and land, which he was often spotted by, evade whaling ships. He survived skirmishes with over while the Dick came from the sailors’ one hundred ships, and managed to sink an astonishing common practice of giving mundane, 22 of them. He grew to be feared by many whalers becommon names to whales (one could cause of his fierce retaliation, and yet allegedly he would guess that Mocha Steve just didn’t never attack unless he was attacked first or coming to have the same ring). Along with his the defense of another whale. On the contrary, despite size, ferocity and rugged look, Mocha his ferocious reputation, Mocha Dick was often reportDick had another unique characterised to have a docile personality, and would even surface tic, one which Herman Melville hapnear boats without any signs of aggression. pily borrowed: he was an albino, a After a three decade run, Mocha Dick was finally killed pure white whale. upon coming to the aid of a mother whale and her calf Being sperm whales, Mocha and his who were being besieged by whalers. There were over kind are the largest alpha predators 19 harpoons lodged into his body from encounters over on the planet. Not only are they the the years. It was a tragic end for the mighty giant who largest toothed whales, and the larggave much of his life to fight whaling, but a poignant est whales that can use sonar to navireminder to all of us of the intelligence, empathy, and gate, but sperm whales are also the will to live that these astounding creatures have, and an deepest diving vertebrate alive (with inspiration to continue the fight ourselves. n NOVEMBER 2016 |11

ocean art

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Drifter Artist: Sarah Franklin, UHM MOP Student Jellyfish are my favorite sea creature. I love the way they propel themselves through the water, and I tried to capture that in this piece.

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cean updates

By Keelee Martin, UHH MOP Student

“IF WE KEEP PRODUCING (AND FAILING TO PROPERLY DISPOSE OF) PLASTICS AT PREDICTED RATES, PLASTICS IN THE OCEAN WILL OUTWEIGH FISH POUND FOR POUND IN 2050,” WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM. Photo by: Corey Mutnik, UHM MOP Alumnus

Microplastics Ingested at the Seafloor

snow, a compilation of organic detritus from the euphotic zone (Taylor et al. 2016). It’s a long way to fall before IIt is known that human use of plastics is reaching the the organic material left over at the surface reaches the ocean and damaging coastal and pelagic ecosystems. In bottom. The material that avoids being consumed along a new study conducted by researchers from the Univerthe way is just a fraction of what began at the surface. sities of Bristol and Oxford, in England, devastating evidence revealed that microplastics are not only reaching Because the microplastics were ingested by some of the the seafloor, but are being ingested by its inhabitants. bottom feeders, we know that they are in the same size Microplastics are classified by sizes smaller than 5 mil- class as marine snow. Of the species affected, it was the limeters (Taylor et al. 2016). Two types of microplastics deposit feeding scavengers ingesting microfilaments include microbeads, which are often used in cosmetics and the filter feeders that had the microfilaments on and cleaning products, and microfilaments that are in top of them. Though this study has a small amount of synthetic fabrics and fishing nets. In December 2015, data to draw from, the general observation is that dePresident Obama signed a ban that would phase out posit feeders, like crabs and lobsters, are at higher risks microbead usage by mid-2017 in personal care and hygiene products; until then they are still in use today.

While plastic microbeads are being banned, microfibers are still widely in use and in this study the plastics found were all in microfiber form. The two sampling sites found microplastics in the equatorial mid-Atlantic between 334-1,783 meters (1,010-5,850 feet) and in the southwest Indian Ocean between 954-1,062 meters (3,130-3,484 feet). A total of nine organisms were studied, six of which had microfibers either on or inside them. Affected species were from the Cnidaria, Echinodermata, and Arthropoda phyla. Affected body parts included oral areas, feeding apparatuses, symbiotic zoanthid tentacles, gills and stomach areas.

Deep sea organisms’ primary food source is marine 14| Seawords

Microplastic filament on a sea pen polyp.

Photo by: Michelle Taylor.

than filter feeders, like anemones. With microplastics entering their food source in the same size class, it is unknown how these plastics will affect the ecosystem. In other environments we’ve seen the damage associated with microplastics in their absorbance of PCBs (toxic polychlorinated biphenyl molecules) and heavy metals.

So little is understood about the ocean’s depths, and already it is being subjected to toxic materials as more are generated terrestrially every day. Despite the challenges of deep exploration, there is a need for more knowledge before all we discover is what we’ve already destroyed.

Fish Personality Types

sistently you do this that determines the success and cohesiveness of the group.” Group cohesion is then built when fish with consistent behavior stays in the same social group.

While the group decisions made in fish shoals are described through their movements, what remains unknown are how personality types vary at the individual level and how those slight movements can be received into the entire group awareness. The mechanism of what leads consistent behavior to follow or lead is not understood, nor are the tolls or advantages of consistent behavior. Dr. Ioannou and co-writer Sasha Dall discuss that consistent boldness could be advantageous for foraging against shyer fish, but a detriment if the repeated bold actions come into contact with a higher predator, making them more susceptible as prey and less adapted to interpreting the group’s following cohesion to safety.

Ioannou describes this boldness as an intuitive quality, which begs for more research to understand what is intuitive and what can be dictated by environmental changes or individual variances in personality type.

England’s University of Bristol has discovered consistent personality types in fish, which leads to the question, “What does this accomplish?” Nature has been observed enough to see the truth to the adage there’s safety in numbers, but who instigates group movement and what keeps the group cohesive? The latest development alludes to the consistent or erratic behavior of personality types within fish shoals (social groups that swim together) and what the behavioral consistency does to the group as a whole. Dr. Christos Ioannou, an expert in collective animal behavior at the University of Bristol, used three-spined stickleback fish, Gasterosteus acu- Reaching Further Depths in Rorqual Feeding leatus, to conduct these laboratory observations using Strategies groups of two-four individuals.

Understanding individual behavior in group interactions is important for the evolution, maintenance and behavior in animal groups (Ioannou and Dall 2016). One trait discussed is leadership, which is described as a higher likelihood of bold movements like initiating leaving the group to explore another area of the tank consistently, with other fish following consistently. Dr. Ioannou said, “It’s not just how you act, but how con-

Researchers on the Pacific Storm, a research vessel operated by Oregon State University, tagged blue whales near the Channel Islands of California in 2006. Photo by Oregon State University, Flickr.

NOVEMBER 2016 |15

Rorquals are a family of baleen whales that include blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus), and humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). Baleen whales exert a vast amount of energy to feed themselves, and after diving to depths up to 300 meters (984 feet), holding their breath for 12 minutes and propelling their massive bodies 4 meters/second (13 feet/sec) towards their prey, “they had better be sure it’s worth the cost,” says David Cade, biology PhD student of Stanford University and this study’s lead author.

Humpback whales were taken off the endangered species list on October 11, 2016, but three of the eight other rorquals are still endangered. Understanding their behavior and environmental, physical, and energetic needs is crucial for maintaining and increasing their populations. To take the sensor technology further, these feeding observations could also provide insight into what relationship exists between whales’ prey and human fisheries.

Amphipod Species Thrives in Elevated CO2 Con-

Researchers know that rorquals lunge towards their ditions prey to feed, but are still unaware of the mechanics of when the whales open their mouths to intake their mas- Very few projection studies of climate change’s efsive quantity of inch sized prey. In waters off the coast of fects on the environment with rising CO2 levels have positive results. For South Africa, and both this lucky herbivorous east and west coasts of amphipod, Cymadusa the US, new sensor techpemptos, their futures nology was attached to look a little brighter, dethe backs of whales right spite changes in ocean before a dive to further chemistry, according observe the mechanto a study done by the ics of how these whales University of Adelaide feed. Sensors have been in southern Australia. attached to whales to Stressful environmenunderstand their behavtal conditions can alter ior for the last 15 years, normal population and but this technology comreproduction dynamics bined with existing tech(Reed et al. 2013 as cited niques are being used in Heldt et al. 2016), but to get a fuller picture. in advantageous condiThese suction cup sensor tions, the opposite can tags use video recording Male C. pemptos. Photo by: Katherine Heldt be true. Warming and and movement trackers acidic waters are considered to be stressful conditions, like accelerometers, magnetometers and pressure and sound recorders which essentially give a view of what but this study shows how these may actually create a it’d be like riding on the whale’s back to nearly 1,000 feet surge in population growth and reproduction. Advantageous conditions could mean a rise in resources, and below the surface. relief from competition and predation.

These sensors show that lunge feeding whales open their massive jaws at peak speed and close it upon de- In this study, researchers used predicted values for fuceleration to normal speeds. In humpbacks, this strate- ture climate conditions from the 2007 Intergovernmengy varied as they fed on fish that had higher capabilities tal Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report to evaluate to swim away from their predators compared to krill. the responses of C. pemptos in warmer water temperaTheir lunging patterns were not as energetically sound, tures and higher CO2 concentrations. The team did sev(opening their mouths before impact can have a para- eral experimental future predictions, elevating to prochute effect on speed) but they compensate themselves jected values up to 100 years from now. The goal was by feeding on a more energetically substantial food to understand what kind of population trends occur under these conditions and what causes those results. source.

In controlled mesocosms (an experimental system done 16| Seawords

in natural conditions that are controlled for study manipulations) C. pemptos populations increased 2500% under future climate conditions relative to the current climate in just three months. These results gave insight that future climate conditions may ease environmental limitations of female fecundity. Intergenerational findings showed male sizes growing, including their claws, which are used to attract females. Female sizes did not change, but the amount of pregnant females doubled.

Researchers speculate that this surge in population will not only affect individual survival, but that these traits will be passed down in generations continuing the population explosion due to the fewer restraints on reproduction mechanisms as a result of climate change.

one story, and more knowledge is needed to understand how population dynamics of one species will affect the others around it.

Sea Otters on the Rise

From the mid 1700’s to early 1900’s the sea otter fur trade boomed and devastated the species until supposed extinction. In the 1930’s a small population of 50 individuals were found in Bixby Creek, north of Big Sur, California. Sea otters (Enhydra lutris) are important keystone species, (a species that is synonymous with that ecosystem’s health) because of the role they play in consuming sea urchins in kelp habitats. Without the sea otters, booming urchin populations could wreak havoc on kelp beds leaving what was once a functional food This study is a big move to see how reproductive and web in disarray. population processes alter in future conditions, but is only a first step in understanding how this population Sea otters are still classified as endangered on the IUCN increase will affect other species in the same conditions. Red List, but the southern sea otter, Enhydra lutris neAmphipods contribute largely to food webs as sources reis, has reached 3,272 individuals. This number is sigof energy for higher trophic levels, so this increase could nificant because it is the first time this population has have a positive cascading effect on subsequent popula- gone above the 3,090 population index number defined tions that also survive future conditions. Still, as envi- by the Southern Sea Otter Recovery Plan by the U.S. ronmental conditions continue to change, this is only Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). For the sea otters’

Southern California sea otters. Photo by: Randy Wilder/Monterey Bay Aquarium, Flickr.

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removal from the Endangered Species Act to be considered they must rise above the 3,090 individuals for three consecutive years. However, under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the California population would have to reach 8,400 individuals to be classified at the optimal sustainable population level. This number is calculated by assessing the maximum productivity of the population within its carrying capacity and ecosystem health.

The southern sea otter has a long way to go.

In the last five years the population has made 3% increases every year. This upward trend is attributed to a spike in numbers in a specific geographic range between the Monterey and Cambria, California, coasts marking the center of the population’s numbers. Dr. Tim Tinker, the research ecologist leading the USGS sea otter research program, said, “The boom in sea urchin abundance throughout northern and central California has provided a prey bonanza for sea otters, [which] means more pups and juveniles are surviving to adulthood.”

The sea urchin boom has been a result of less competition from predatory sea stars that have been wiped out by wasting syndrome on the US West coasts over the last three years.

Beyond this central location of population increase, sea otters on the northern and southern extremities of this range are still in decline by 0.6% annually, a 2.5% population decrease overall in the next five years. These otters are typically found stranded and injured with lethal shark bites. Dr. Tinker summarized that because of these deaths the population has not spread to new colonization of habitats which usually leads to population increases. Lilian Carswell, the Southern Sea Otter Recovery Coordinator for the USFWS elaborated that the population growth is, “encouraging but sustained population growth will require range expansion, which means that sea otters will somehow have to get past the shark gauntlets near the ends of the current range” and that the long term goal is to see the, “restoration of ecological relationships in the ecosystems where sea otters and other nearshore species coevolved.” Though this increase in population is small, after over 150 years of species exploitation in history, seeing progress towards recovery is at least a start. n Sea urchin in a kelp forest off the coast of Catalina Island, California. Photo by: divindk, Flickr.

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“The boom in sea urchin abundance throughout northern and central California has provided a prey bonanza for sea otters...”

critter of the month The Psychedelic Wrasse Size: Females are 7 to 10cm in length. Males can grow up to 17cm long.

Coloration: Females are dark brown with white spots and a red tail. Males are a lighter brown color and have a bright orange head covered in blue spots with a dark brown tail.

Range: Found only in the Hawaiian Islands.

Habitat: The species is found mostly around seaward coral reefs at depths up to 136 m.

Diet: Feeds primarily on benthic macro invertebrates such as small crustaceans and mollusks.

IUCN Conservation Status: Least concern

By Mason Mellot, UHM MOP Student

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he psychedelic wrasse (Anampses chrysocephalus), which is also commonly called the red tailed tamarin, and psychhead wrasse, is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. The psychedelic wrasse is not considered threatened or endangered. These fish search for food by day, using their characteristic protruding teeth to scrape prey items off rocks. At dusk, psychedelic wrasses bury themselves in sand for protection. The psychedelic wrasse will also sometimes bury itself in sand during the day if alarmed.

The psychedelic wrasse is a protogynous hermaphrodite, meaning that all males develop from females. The most dominant “initial phase” female Photo by: USFWS, Flickr in a group will undergo physical and biological changes to become a “terminal phase” male. Often a single male will keep a harem of females, as only the most dominant of the formerly entirely female group changes gender. The difference in appearance between males and females is quite drastic, which has led to a wide variety of names used to refer to Anampses chrysocephalus life stages Although they rarely survive for very long in captivity, the psychedelic wrasse is a common fish for use in tropical saltwater aquariums. The popularity of this species is likely due to their beautiful coloration in both the female and male phases. Their coloration also makes these fish easy to spot while scuba diving or snorkeling, so next time you’re out in the ocean make sure to keep one eye out for the psychedelic wrasse! n

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BLUE

Actions for the Ocean

GENERATION

By: Jessica Lotts, Associate Editor

THE OCEAN SPANS OVER 70 PERCENT OF OUR WORLD. It is responsible for regulating temperature, food production, sustaining numerous species, and is a source for inspiration for many people.The ocean gives us so much and it is time for us to return the favor and take actions to make the ocean ecosystem healthy again.

Almost every action that we take affects the ocean in some way. Our everyday choices can be tailored to support a healthy ocean. Here are some examples of green acts that will keep the ocean blue.

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he ocean is our source of life. The vast expanses of the sea provide us with the air we breathe, the food we eat, and activities globally enjoyed. The ocean also brings us closer to all the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cultures and provides us with knowledge and understanding, bridging the traditions of our past to the present. The ocean provides the world with so much, therefore it is necessary that we take the time to understand and educate ourselves about it. Education can be costly and hard to come by; below are just a few easy ways you can educate yourself and others about our precious seas.

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Attend a Hanauma Bay Education Program presentation. Happening every Sunday, the Hanauma Bay Education Program aims to provide knowledge to the public on Hawai‘i’s marine environment in order to enhance the appreciation and understanding of the Bay. These programs are free to the public and range in topics from reef etiquette, human impacts, and scientific talks. For an updated list of events, see the Hanauma Bay Education Program Website at: http://hbep.seagrant.soest.hawaii.edu

Go to a scientific lecture. The University of Hawai‘i Center for Marine Education provides free supplemental lectures for anyone interested in gaining knowledge on the sea. This gives scientists and researchers a chance to present their findings to an audience ready to listen and learn. The link below provides lecture schedules along with downloadable presentations: http://mse.seagrant.soest.hawaii.edu/supplemental-lectures

Visit the aquarium. The Waikīkī Aquarium’s mission is to inspire and promote understanding of Pacific marine life while boosting conservation efforts. It is a fun and easy way to learn about the different species of fish, invertebrates, marine mammals and more that inhabit our ocean. The aquarium is open daily from 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. and costs $12 for general admission, $8 for Kama‘aina with a valid ID. More information can be found at: http://www.waikikiaquarium.org

Background photo by: Ryan Mullins

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November 2016

Hawai‘i Sea Grant Graduate Trainees

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Different island, different bacteria?

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Predicting Hawai‘i water demand under climate change

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Rapid response: using genetics to improve water quality in Hawai‘i

Are seawalls ‘Beggar-Thy-Neighbor’? Evidence from property values in Hawai‘i • •

Promoting undergraduate research and citizen science with Our Project in Hawai‘i’s Intertidal (OPIHI) • •

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The influence of surface and groundwater inputs on water quality in Kāneʻohe Bay

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Stuck in the middle with you: what the future holds for coral and their symbiotic algae • •

Not so fresh: examining contaminated freshwater discharges into Kāne‘ohe Bay, O‘ahu • •

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Film Showing • •

FLASHBACK: 1992

1992 “World of Audubon” meets Hanauma Bay

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his flashback goes back to November 1992, when the World of Audubon filmed a TV special at Hanauma Bay. The American documentary TV show visited Hawai‘i to examine how humanity has altered the character of the islands through development and introduction of non-native plants and animals.

The film producer, Sharon Austin, came to Honolulu to research the show’s television special The Other Hawaii when she discovered the problems with Hanauma Bay. The problems had to do with the local people overfishing and the tourists disrespecting the reef when they came to snorkel and swim in the water.

Austin teamed up with Hanauma Bay Education Program (HBEP) which educated her on the problems and proposed solutions for fixing the health at the bay. The HBEP staff explained that the problems were arising from overuse of the bay. Coral reef destruction, water pollution, and inappropriate fish feeding by visitors all contributed to the damages that were occurring on the reef.

Austin learned that permanent educators worked at the park to teach and inform visitors the proper way to behave with the reef and the wildlife that surrounds the reef. By exchanging white bread for fish pellets and enforcing the rule of “No Standing on the Reef ”, these educators slowly started to see progress in life coming

By: Emily Menzies, UHM MOP Student

back to the reef.

By allowing the film company to film at Hanauma Bay, the HBEP was able to receive national attention of the problems going on in the bay. These problems, when addressed nationally, allowed for more people to become concerned and involved in protecting the reef.

This documentary was released in May of 1993.

Since then, Hanauma Bay banned fish feeding and became one of the first beaches in the world to prohibit smoking. Today, it is known as of the most popular snorkel attraction for its widespread biodiversity. n

About 400 species of fish are known to inhabit the Bay. Including an abundance of green sea turtles, Chelonia mydas, known as Honu.

Photo by: Corey Mutnik, UHM MOP.

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November Photo credit: Alison Watts, UHM MOP Student and Photography Contestant

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Sunday’s at the Bay: Hanauma Bay 3 - 4 pm Hawai‘i Sea Grant Graduate Trainees

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Sunday’s at the Bay: Hanauma Bay 3 - 4 pm Hawai‘i Sea Grant Graduate Trainees

Makapu’u 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

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MOP & Community Events

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Aquaculture Tour of Oceanic Institute Oceanic Institute 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Veterans Day, No School

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World Toilet Day Water Sanitation Issues

Thanksgiving Break!!

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University of Hawai`i at MÄ noa Seawords, Marine Option Program College of Natural Sciences 2450 Campus Road, Dean Hall 105A Honolulu, HI 96822-2219 Address Service Requested

Thank you for reading!