June 29, 2008

An Evening on a Tropical Beach: Tektite Man-in-the-Sea Project

Ed Clifton is a Geologist Emeritus, U.S. Geological Survey, and fellow board member for the Point Lobos Association. He's got lots of crazy research diving stories from back when the Navy dive tables were still being tested, and he agreed to share this one. I'm hoping he'll share more soon-Dida

-by Ed Clifton

The night of February 14, 1969, I sat alone on the south shore of St. John, listening to the waves lapping against a beach of coral rubble. The sky was brilliantly lit with stars, and a light, warm breeze touched my face. Introspection claimed me, for I was on the brink of trading my familiar sun and starlit world for an alien undersea environment. The following afternoon, 3 marine biologists and I would splash down to a seafloor habitat where we would spend the next 60 days as aquanauts in the Tektite Man-in-the-Sea project.

I was not, I must admit, a seasoned diver. I had become certified with SCUBA two years earlier, and had since made a few tentative dives in the southern Oregon surf zone, where we had hoped to employ underwater observation in our research of nearshore sedimentology. I suppose I had, all told, a total of 25 dives under my belt. My primary qualifications for being a Tektite diver was probably my willingness to commit 60 days of my life to being the first geologist-aquanaut. So much for "The Right Stuff"!

As I sat in the darkness, I could hear a steel band and shouts of revelry in the distance. The Navy Seabees, who had carved a base camp out of the jungle and were providing logistical support for the project, were justifiably celebrating Spashdown Eve. I wondered what part of my subaerial existence I would miss most over the next 2 months. Would it be the stars? The feeling of a breeze on my face? The underwater world seemed dark and forbidding. What did it hold? How was all this going to work?

As I mused, listening to the lap of the waves and the sound of distant partying, I became aware that there were other sounds in the night: splashes and the distinctive popping sound of feeding fish. The sea was alive! Suddenly my introspection dissolved into eagerness to explore this world in a way privileged to very few others. I sat there for awhile longer listening to the sound of life in the sea, then returned to the party.

The Tektite project proved to be a wonderful, rewarding experience. I returned to the Oregon coast the following summer and we put scuba to full use in the first comprehensive study of a high-energy surf zone. I was also an eager participant a year later in the Tektite 2 experiment which gained me an additional 20 days of undersea habitation.

And what was it that I most missed while living underwater (other than wife and family, of course!)? It was something I had always taken for granted – the healing warmth of the sun.

Posted by Dida at 8:36 AM

March 15, 2008

Calling AAUS Divers – DFG Needs YOU! (and so does Reef Check California): Results of 2007 DFG Abalone and Urchin Surveys

Ed. note: Greg Holzer's 2006 report on the Fort Ross, CA, abalone and sea urchin survey he participated in can be viewed here. He's back with a 2007 report that includes a detailed cruise report --Dida

by Greg Holzer
Each fall for the past several years, the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG), has conducted red abalone and red sea urchin density surveys at designated sites in northern California. Survey sites range along the Sonoma and Mendocino County coastlines. The 2007 surveys were lead by Dr. Laura Rogers-Bennett and were conducted at Ocean Cove in Sonoma County, as well as Van Damme State Park, Point Arena, and Stornetta Ranch in Mendocino County. The Cruise Report for Arena Point/Stornetta Ranch can be found (here) and makes for compelling reading, but I’d like to stress another aspect here--that of actually getting divers in the water for these surveys and cruises.

The DFG survey teams typically include divers from the Department, Bodega Marine Laboratory (BML), Humboldt State, and other related organizations, as well as volunteer AAUS-certified scientific divers. And as the boat leaves the dock, it’s usually clear that more divers would be a good thing.

For most everyone concerned about the progress of marine life conservation, repopulation efforts, and developments surrounding Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), the effort that goes into the work is recognized, as well as the dedicated people involved. There are a lot of deserving projects though, and so DFG is developing a process in collaboration with Reef Check to recruit qualified divers who are interested in this research. AAUS-certification as a scientific diver is necessary to work from DFG’s boats and facilities, and that carries with it the associated training. However, speaking as one of the volunteer AAUS divers on the cruises the last few years, the rewards and benefits are definitely worth the effort to get and maintain the certification, if you’re interested in the work. Among the benefits:

• Use of research vessels and equipment not available to recreational divers;
• Working with biologists and researchers closely involved with the science needed to better manage our marine fisheries (not to mention being able to pick their brains on a wide array of topics of interest to divers).
• Opportunities to obtain related training and instruction, like small boat operation.
• Access to areas not normally dived.
• The confidence and camaraderie of diving with experienced people, all who share your skills and interests;
• …did I mention all the air you can breathe, even underwater?
• Great food prepared by none other than the DFG Captain and crew…and these guys can cook up some fish! (Or burgers for that matter.)

If all this sounds appealing, and you’re AAUS-certified, DFG would sure like to hear from you, and Dr. Laura Rogers-Bennett would appreciate an email from you about possibly helping with the 2008 abalone and urchin surveys.

So, you’re not yet AAUS certified? Not to worry! There is a great alternative for those who want to begin the training and get involved in scientifically-valuable research that even now is shaping the MLPAs along the California coast. This alternative is Reef Check California (RCCA). If you are an experienced diver you can get involved directly with helping to conserve California’s rocky reefs by becoming a trained and certified Reef Check diver. AAUS certification is not required and RCCA trainings are held in the spring and summer throughout California. As an RCCA diver myself, I can say it’s a very rewarding way to spend some bottom time. In addition, as we did on this trip during the cruise at Stornetta Ranch, Reef Check CA sometimes teams up with DFG to expand the scope of the data gathering. Presently RCCA is working with DFG and others to be able to facilitate AAUS Scientific Diver Certification. Look for updates on the RCCA website. In the meantime, check out the RCCA training page or go to this link to hear from other divers about what it is like to be a RCCA certified diver.

The DFG and Reef Check survey protocols are directly comparable to commonly used sampling methods (see Memorandum of Understanding) and were developed in collaboration with DFG, PISCO and others subtidal research programs to ensure the data collected can be used to improve marine management (see article by C. Dawson published on this site here). Divers lay 30-meter transect tapes, each on a specific heading, then conduct surveys along the transect while completing a datasheet tabulating measurements and quantities of selected species that occur within one meter on each side of the tape. The starting point of each transect is identified with GPS coordinates in the case of DFG abalone transects, and haphazardly placed in the case of RCCA surveys.

DFG survey species include emergent (i.e., large enough to be seen easily with the naked eye) red, flat, and pinto abalone as well as red and purple sea urchins. In addition, selected algal species and certain associated species (e.g., bat stars), as well as notes on seafloor composition are recorded. These species are also surveyed in RCCA surveys. Typically, it takes between 30 and 60 minutes to complete a DFG abalone transect depending on a variety of factors like the number of animals, amount of rugosity, and general sea conditions, which can be challenging in some of the shallower spots with kelp and heavy surge.

The main objective of the surveys at Point Arena Cove and Stornetta Ranch was to assess the density and size frequency distribution of red abalone (Haliotis rufescens) and red sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus franciscanus) populations. However, the task list for research cruises evolves continuously, based on opportunity and other needed research, and every effort is made to maximize the value of the cruise. Additions during this cruise included:
• Taking a small sample of epipodium from 50 red abalone, for genetic research (yes, they were returned “home” with strange tales to tell their friends).
• Collection and examination of 70 small boulders to assess recruitment levels of red abalone.
• Conducting plankton tows to assess levels of larval abalone.
• Conducting fish and related survey transects, in support of ongoing monitoring by RCCA in collaboration with DFG. As mentioned above, some divers aboard were trained in Reef Check protocols and were able to conduct surveys for a wider range of selected invertebrate, algal, and fish species as well as quantifying the type of substrate at this site. The RCCA transects were completed to provide a more comprehensive ecosystem site assessment at this site. Such collaboration is valuable in leveraging the skill sets of the participating groups, make it possible to field more divers, and maximize the value of each cruise. With the compatibility of DFG and RCCA data-gathering procedures and protocols, used together they provide a more complete picture of the overall underwater habitat and communities. These results, in turn, provide a more complete body of scientific evidence needed for creation and management of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and assist managers in making sustainable management decisions. (Click here for more information on Reef Check)

During the four days of the cruise we sampled a total of 36 transects at Point Arena Cove, and 33 at Stornetta Ranch, for a total of 69, exceeding considerably our goal of 56 total for the two sites. All the details are available in the Cruise Report (click here).

One particularly interesting aspect of this cruise was surveying abalone at Stornetta Ranch. This site was closed to public access until 2004 when the land was transferred to the state from a private owner. Prior to the public opening an extensive intertidal as well as subtidal survey was conducted to document abalone and urchin densities. The survey completed this year was the first survey of the subtidal area since the public access opening in 2004, and yielded a striking display of the effects of public access on abalone populations (see Cruise Report).

A few other cruise details:
• Again this year, the divers had as their base of operations the DFG’s enforcement vessel P/B Marlin, a 54-foot aluminum catamaran, skippered by Captain Keith Long, with Warden Steve Johnson and Engineer Jeff Rose as crew. The Marlin is equipped with a 17-foot Rigid Hull Inflatable and electric/hydraulic hoist for launching. In addition, BML supplied a 14-ft. Zodiac with a 25-horse motor. The Marlin is a capable and comfortable diving platform, and with this combination of personnel and equipment, we were able to field as many as five dive teams each day to lay and survey sixty-nine, 30-meter transects during four days of diving operations. The Department also provided a portable compressor so that empty tanks could be filled during diving operations, minimizing the number of tanks that had to be handled, and preventing the need to load and unload tanks during the cruise. Incidentally, support for the dive teams comes from the department’s Wildlife protection patrol boats, captains, and mates. Funding for many of the surveys is made possible by the recreational abalone fishing stamp funds.
• As is common, we had some mechanical problems to overcome, and some divers were limited by illness, so the schedule necessarily varied each day with status of the divers, equipment, and the research efforts.
• Water temperatures for this cruise were in the low to mid 50 Fº range, and visibility varied from less than five feet in shallow, turbulent areas, to near 40 feet on some deeper transects. Overall sea conditions were essentially flat for the entire week, making for some very enjoyable diving.

All in all, as one of the volunteer AAUS scientific divers, it was a very rewarding trip, and I encourage anyone who shares these interests to touch base with Dr. Rogers-Bennett (email). If this year is similar to the last few, trips will be scheduled periodically from mid-August through late October 2008. I hope to see some new faces this year!

Posted by Dida at 1:10 PM

March 12, 2008

US Geological Survey Researchers Collaborate with National Park Service Scientists to Understand the Impact of Watershed Erosion on Coral Reefs in War-in-the-Pacific National Historical Park, Guam

by Curt Storlazzi

Josh Logan (USGS) deploying a wave/tide gauge and temperature/salinity sensor. Because of the complex bathymetry and delicate nature of coral-
reef environments, the scientists must deploy instruments using scuba
gear and lift bags (yellow) to avoid damaging the corals or the instruments. Water depth is approximately 10 m (33 ft). Photograph by Curt Storlazzi (USGS).

Guam, the largest of the Mariana Islands and an American territory since the end of the Spanish-American War in 1898, had quickly and easily fallen into Japanese hands in the early morning of December 10, 1941, putting approximately 20,000 Chamorros (natives of Guam) and U.S. citizens under the flag of the Rising Sun. Two and a half years later, on the morning of July 21, 1944, first elements of the U.S. 3rd Marine Division landed at Asan, Guam, and lead assault troops of the U.S. 1st Provisional Marine Brigade at Agat, about 10 km to the south, on the other side of Apra Harbor. These 30,000 Marines faced 18,500 Japanese defenders entrenched in caves, pillboxes, and bunkers on the island. The battle for Guam lasted a month and cost more than 12,000 American and Japanese lives. In commemoration of the United States and Guam's involvement in World War II, the National Park Service (NPS) established War-in-the-Pacific National Historical Park in 1978. The park, which honors the bravery and sacrifice of those participating in the campaigns of the Pacific Theater of World War II, seeks to conserve and interpret outstanding natural, scenic, and historic values and objects on the Island of Guam (see website). The two beaches where the U.S. Marines landed at Asan and Agat were incorporated as the two largest (of six total) units in the park; the other four units are old Japanese defensive positions in the hills overlooking west-central Guam.

One of two dozen U.S. Marine Amtracs
(assault amphibious tractor) that sank off
Agat beach during the invasion on July 21,
1944. Most of these landing craft were
destroyed by a Japanese gun emplaced
in a hardened concrete bunker that still
stands at Ga'an Point in War-in-the-Pacific
National Historical Park's Agat Unit. Water
depth is approximately 13 m (42 ft).
Photograph by Curt Storlazzi (USGS).

War-in-the-Pacific National Historical Park comprises 926 acres of land and 1,002 acres of marine waters. The marine waters are home to more than 3,500 marine species and 200 species of coral, giving the park one of the highest levels of species diversification within the National Park system. Corals generally need clear, oligotrophic waters (low in nutrients and suspended sediment). Human activity has significantly increased the rate of sedimentation along many areas of Guam's coastline, including within the park. These human activities are related primarily to land-management practices, including urban development, unregulated use of off-road vehicles, and illegal wildfires. The wildfires, which are intentionally set by hunters to clear lines-of-sight and draw in new game, remove the grasses and small trees that stabilize the soil. Typhoons strike Guam frequently, commonly dropping more than 30 cm of rain in 24 hours and flushing the unstabilized soil down to the coast and into the park's waters. Studies by the Park's Natural Resource Division staff have shown that:
1) soil loss from burned areas is nearly sixfold higher than from vegetated areas,
2) sediment-collection rates in tube traps on the park's fringing reef are very high,
3) the trapped material is composed dominantly of fine terrestrial sediment, and
4) trap-collection rates vary widely.

Their work further shows that the input of terrestrial sediment to the park's nearshore waters is greater during the wet season (July-December), which coincides with peak coral spawning and larval settlement.

In 2006, War-in-the-Pacific National Historical Park asked the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to develop studies that would provide quantitative information about the deposition, residence time, and movement of fine terrestrial sediment through the park's fringing coral-reef system, so that the NPS can better manage the park's marine resources. The USGS Coral Reef Project established a plan with NPS, and in July 2007, Curt Storlazzi, Josh Logan, and Kathy Presto (USGS, Santa Cruz, California; see website) along with Greg Piniak (NOAA), traveled to Guam to conduct a cooperative study with NPS for increasing our understanding of geologic and oceanographic processes on Guam's coral reefs. Storlazzi, Logan, Presto, and Piniak worked with the park's Natural Resource Division scientists Allison Palmer and Holley Voegtle to scout out sites for USGS and NPS oceanographic and terrestrial instrument packages. Over the next 2 weeks, the USGS team installed seven benthic instrument packages, three moorings, a terrestrial digital-camera system, a weather station, and a stream gauge in the park. These instruments will provide quantitative time-series measurements (measurements collected at regular time intervals) of oceanographic processes (currents, surface waves, internal waves), meteorologic forcing (winds, rainfall, barometric pressure), and water-column properties (temperature, salinity, turbidity, photosynthetically available radiation). This study will last 7 months, and the results will be used to identify flow and transport patterns under various forcing conditions.

Two World War II artillery shells, outlined in
red, in a previously unmapped field of
unexploded ordnance near one of the USGS
instrument sites in War-in-the-Pacific National
Historical Park. Water depth is approximately
20 m (66 ft). Photograph by Curt Storlazzi
(USGS).

USGS staff returned to Guam in late October 2007 to recover the instruments, download data, and refurbish and redeploy the instruments until the end of the typhoon season in January. This work will be another chapter in ongoing USGS research to investigate the impact of land-based pollution on coral reefs in the United States and U.S. Trust Territories (see website), and will build on continuing USGS-NPS multidisciplinary cooperative coral-reef research efforts (see NPS web page on coral). This experiment will also provide NPS with quantitative baseline data to compare with possible future measurements during the planned large-scale expansion of U.S. military installations at Apra Harbor, less than 2 km from the park. Furthermore, this work will address shared objectives with the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF)'s Guam Local Action Strategy (LAS; scroll down to fact sheet link here), which designated the Asan watershed as one of its five priority watersheds for study. USGS researchers, along with the NPS staff, hope to continue this cooperative-science program on behalf of the coral reefs and reef ecosystems in one of our Nation's historic battlegrounds.

Posted by Dida at 4:27 PM