Welcome back, everyone! I have great news to share. The flow meter came in the mail this week. The only issue is I have to wait until next week for a more favorable tidal cycle. I mentioned before that I am sampling Halimedusa and Polyorchis abundance at different depths in the water column. To remain consistent, I will be sampling during a flowing tide following a low tide, once during the day and once at night. The brunt of my data collection is over except for a few recordings of the jellyfish over extended periods. I am now focusing on data analysis and making sense of the data. Because I am a new scientist, I lack perspective and have trouble connecting bits of information, so I will need to read more literature to draw solid conclusions. The other interns and I have also begun to work on our posters. Due to covid, each of the scientific presentations I had done before was digital, so I am very excited to present something physical for my efforts. Going away bonfire for Rachel My week as a whole was honestly so wonderful. I've grown close to not just the other interns but many of the OIMB students as well. Over the weekend, we had a going-away bonfire for one of the students who finished their classes and left for a job in Alaska. My department at the University of Washington also notified me that I had received a scholarship for the school year. I have never received a scholarship before, so I am filled with joy right now. I also found a place to live for the school year, so it relieved some of my stress. Everything I mentioned was great, but the icing on the cake was my favorite band, Surfaces, came out with their new album this weekend. When I separated from the Air Force, I never expected to be in this situation. I'm grateful that my hard work is beginning to pay off and that I've met so many amazing people.
1 Comment
It's hard to believe we are already at our halfway point of the program. It feels like time has been flying by lately. I don't think I'll be ready to leave this place when the time comes, and I'll probably ugly cry when it does. So far, I've developed a solid routine here and have grown so fond of the beautiful campus. Whether it's a daily walk to OIMB beach or spotting a deer family drinking out of the creek, there are so many little things that make my day enjoyable. My research has been going smoothly as well. I have been trying to complete my photoresponse (light) experiments with Polyorchis. Afterward, I’ll be able to quantify the data I’ve obtained, so I can construct graphs and compare my Polyorchis results to Halimedusa. Since the Polyorchis are so abundant around the docks, I've had no issue finding individuals suitable for my experiments which is a relief. One of the other areas of my project that I'm beginning to explore is the abundance of the two species. To examine this, I'll be utilizing a plankton net tied off along the end of the dock during a flowing tide, following both lows. I chose this period so that there was sufficient flow through the net. With this method, I can quantify species abundance at the surface and bottom of the water column. Ideally, one sampling will be during the day while the other occurs at night to examine the distribution of Polyorchis and Halimedusa under different light conditions. To gather information on other parameters, I'll also be utilizing a CTD (conductivity, temperature, and depth) device to document environmental conditions throughout the water column at the same time. Now, I'm just awaiting the arrival of a functional flow meter so I’ll be able to quantify how much seawater passes through the net. It's hard to believe we are already at our halfway point of the program. It feels like time has been flying by lately. I don't think I'll be ready to leave this place when the time comes, and I'll probably ugly cry when it does. So far, I've developed a solid routine here and have grown so fond of the beautiful campus. Whether it's a daily walk to OIMB beach or spotting a deer family drinking out of the creek, there are so many little things that make my day enjoyable. My research has been going smoothly as well. I have been trying to complete my photoresponse (light) experiments with Polyorchis. Afterward, I’ll be able to quantify the data I’ve obtained, so I can construct graphs and compare my Polyorchis results to Halimedusa. Since the Polyorchis are so abundant around the docks, I've had no issue finding individuals suitable for my experiments which is a relief. One of the other areas of my project that I'm beginning to explore is the abundance of the two species. To examine this, I'll be utilizing a plankton net tied off along the end of the dock during a flowing tide, following both lows. I chose this period so that there was sufficient flow through the net. With this method, I can quantify species abundance at the surface and bottom of the water column. Ideally, one sampling will be during the day while the other occurs at night to examine the distribution of Polyorchis and Halimedusa under different light conditions. To gather information on other parameters, I'll also be utilizing a CTD (conductivity, temperature, and depth) device to document environmental conditions throughout the water column at the same time. Now, I'm just awaiting the arrival of a functional flow meter so I’ll be able to quantify how much seawater passes through the net. Other than research, Jacob, who works in Maslakova's lab, and I went and watched Black Widow in the movie theaters over the weekend. It was the first movie I have seen in the movie theaters in over two years! Honestly, it was also an enjoyable movie which made the experience great. Another funny thing to mention is that I've had to refrain from bringing a bucket to the docks when I collect individual jellies. I've developed a bad habit of just gathering anything and everything that looks interesting, leaving the sea table packed with so many different creatures. I did, however, find a Dendronotus iris floating along with a patch of seaweed. It's was probably the largest and one of the most fascinating nudibranchs I've ever seen. I have finally completed my videography and light exposure experiments with the H. typus. The data processing and graph making in excel took an excruciating amount of time, but results are coming together nicely. Because my project focuses on the differences in light response between P. penicillatus and H. typus, I have also begun videography on P. penicillatus to compare the two. I hope to pair the data I gather with another piece of information, so Professor Sutherland and I have probed other ideas to explore. We have considered monitoring their behavior in a larger tank over an extended period to make qualitative observations. Another idea was to examine the vertical distribution of P. penicillatus and H. typus at different times of the day. In my first attempt, I tried to rig a stereo system with multiple cameras and lights to observe the water column. The main issue is that the visibility is so poor you can hardly spot jellies that are already difficult to see. Another option is utilizing a plankton net at different depths when the tide is ebbing or flowing. This method would help me calculate species abundance by counting the number of jellyfish captured. Overall, I've had so much fun trying things through trial and error. This program has done a great job of helping me explore the methodology of research. My fellow interns and other colleagues on campus have also provided helpful advice and criticism. It's helped me realize how much of a collaborative effort science is and how it's challenging to do everything yourself. In other news, I was finally able to catch a good sunset at OIMB beach! The past few weeks have been overcast, so the sun coming out has been a pleasant surprise. Fourth of July weekend was also a nice break from research. There were plenty of fireworks and great food all weekend. Other interns and I were able to explore the local area a bit more as well. We were lucky enough to observe a fleet of pelicans diving for fish, some very gracefully while others not so much. If you happen to be a birder, this is a lovely place to be. Three weeks have passed since I arrived at OIMB. In such a short time, it feels like our group has done so much together. Although the days are long and exhausting, I find myself excited to start the day each morning. Our time is not just devoted to research; we participate in weekly lunches and seminars with other researchers and professors. I used to have my reservations and feelings of inadequacies because a career in science is something I had only envisioned for myself relatively recently. Hearing various stories from a diverse group of people about how they progressed through their own career has been encouraging. This past week, I have been mapping out my research project to examine the photoresponse of Halimedusa typus in comparison to Polyorchis penicillatus. I had initially wanted to observe their behaviors over 24 hours to see how they responded to extended periods of light and darkness. The most frustrating part was setting up infrared lighting because I could not get a good enough angle so that the camcorder could pick up the smaller jellyfish in the dark. I began to have other issues with data storage and replicating environmental conditions, so I decided to scrap this research design for the time being and move on to another idea. This hiccup was frustrating, but it would be foolish to expect my first research experience to go smoothly. On the bright side, I finally struck gold and was able to collect plenty of Halimedusa during a hide tide. I'll finish my light response experiment by the end of the weekend and visualize my data sometime next week. I am contemplating examining their prey capture location or fluid motion next. I have so many ideas and areas I want to explore, but my time at OIMB is only so long. Be sure to tune in next week for more exciting updates!😊 small Polyorchis stuck in a monster Polyorchis
|
AuthorHello everyone! My name is Dominic Eastburn. I grew up in Fortuna, California. For the past two years, I have attended Green River Community College in Auburn, Washington. This fall, I am transferring to the University of Washington to pursue a BS in Oceanography. I am excited and grateful to be participating in Professor Kelly R. Sutherland's lab that focuses on the form, function, and flow of gelatinous zooplankton. Over the next nine weeks, I hope to develop valuable skills to prepare me for university and graduate school. Archives
August 2021
Categories |
Proudly powered by Weebly