Download 2017 Seminar Abstracts Book

Saturday April 29, 2017
Location: MLML Seminar Room
Time
Seminar
10:30-11:00a
Jimmy Williamson
Fisheries and Conservation Biology Lab
RUV Crowdsourcing: Analyzing the Impacts of Marine Protected Areas on
California Rockfish Populations
Marine protected areas (MPAs) are an important tool for the conservation of
marine life and the habitats they depend on. Monitoring these areas is critical to
understanding the health of fish stocks, but surveying fish can be extremely
difficult. Traditionally, surveys are performed by highly trained SCUBA divers.
However, the emergence of small, high resolution cameras has led to the
development of new survey techniques, particularly a device known as a "video
lander". The Fisheries and Conservation Biology Lab here at Moss Landing has
been working closely with students at Cabrillo College to analyze video data from
MPAs around California and are excited to share their experiences with this new
technology at MLML's annual Open House.
11:30-12:00p
Colleen Durkin
Research Faculty
What is sinking in the ocean? How to capture sinking organisms, particles,
and poop
In the dark, deep ocean there is a constant "rain" of sinking particles, many
containing organisms that used to live at surface. These particles feed animals that
live in deep ocean and also sequester carbon away from the atmosphere. What are
these particles, and how many are sinking? During this talk I will take you out on a
research expedition to show you the excitement (and sometimes drama) of going
to sea and the innovative ways we capture and investigate this "marine snow". We
will discover what is sinking in the ocean, including beautiful organisms, poop, and
plastic.
12:00-12:30p
Mason Cole
Vertebrate Ecology Lab
Using high-tech tags to discover the underwater lives of California sea lions
What do marine mammals do underwater? It’s surprisingly tricky to get an
answer! We can’t just watch what they are doing from afar: they are hard to find in
a big ocean, and typically dive deeper and swim faster than us. So to learn about
their underwater behavior, scientists use “tags”: devices attached directly to the
animal that record information for us. Decades ago, we started to learn how deep
underwater marine mammals could dive; but nowadays, tags record anything from
sounds to video to acceleration to oceanographic data. Combining all this
information, we’re starting to piece together what marine mammals actually do
underwater! Briefly walking through some of the awesome things previous marine
mammal tagging studies have revealed, I’ll then explain how my thesis research is
helping us learn about California sea lions’ underwater behavior: how hunting
strategy relates to the energy they expend, and even a way to figure out when they
catch prey using acceleration data.
Saturday April 29, 2017
Location: MLML Seminar Room
Time
Seminar
12:30-1:00p
Natalie Yingling
Biological Oceanography Lab
Mo’ Commerical Shipping Mo’ Problems
There are more than 50,000 merchant ships trading each year with 11 billion tons
of products being shipping internationally. Howeve
r, this essential part of our global economy has been linked to the spread of aquatic
invasive species. These non-native species have had serious environmental and
economical impacts. Every vessel must uptake and discharge water in ballast tanks
to help stabilize and balance the ship during each voyage. With over 3-5 billion
tonnes of ballast water being shipping internationally, implementations of policies
and regulations have been set by regulators like the International Maritime
Organization and the U.S. Coast Guard. This has given rise to a booming industry in
ballast water management systems and testing facilities, like the testing that is
done here at MLML's Biological Oceanography lab.
1:00-1:30p
Steven Cunningham
Phycology Lab
Studying simple questions in complex ecosystems
Have you ever wondered how marine biologists and oceanographers study the
oceans? Take a journey into how one student’s research questions are addressed
in an ever-changing and dynamic environment (kelp forests). Marine science
consists of a lot of reading, a lot of thinking, and a bunch of fun.
2:00-2:30p
Brijonnay Madrigal
Vertebrate Ecology Lab
Listen up! Let’s talk about the sounds of the sea
Marine mammals have the ability to produce a rich diversity of vocalizations. Blue
whales can produce very low frequency calls that can be heard for miles.
Humpback whales sing beautiful songs on mating grounds. Bottlenose dolphins
produce high pitched whistles to communicate with one another. Although there
are many biological sources of sound in the ocean, there are also anthropogenic
sounds growing more frequent underwater like sonar and boat noise. Come
explore the sounds of the ocean and listen to some amazing sounds produced by
some of the ocean’s giants!
Saturday April 29, 2017
Location: MLML Seminar Room
Time
Seminar
2:30-3:00p
Amanda Heidt
Invertebrate Lab
The Path to Becoming a Marine Scientist
What image comes to mind when you think of the phrase "Marine Scientist?" With
this talk, we'd like to pull back the curtain on the realities of what it really means
to conduct research in the world's oceans, and how you might go about pursuing it
as a potential career goal. (Hint: it's a lot of writing.) Lastly, we'll present some
research being conducted right now in MLML's Invertebrate Zoology laboratory so
you can see how students here at Moss are enhancing scientific progress. See the
process from start to finish! It's not all about training dolphins (although
sometimes it is)!
3:30-4:00p
Mike Prince
Facilities and Program Development
A New Generation of Oceanographic Research Vessels
The U.S. Academic Research Fleet consists of almost 18 research vessels ranging in
size from smaller Coastal vessels just under 100 feet in length to larger Global
Class vessels approaching 300 feet in length. These vessels are owned by the
National Science Foundation (NSF), the Office of Naval Research (ONR) and in
some cases by the academic institutions. The use of these vessels and planning for
their future is coordinated by an organization of over 60 universities and
oceanographic institutions, including Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, called
the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS). In recent
years, NSF and ONR with planning help from UNOLS has embarked on major
efforts to modernize the U.S. Academic Research Fleet. This talk with briefly
review the recent construction and delivery to two new Ocean Class Research
Vessels, the plans for new Regional Class Vessels and the possibility for a new
California Coastal Research Vessel.
4:00-4:30p
Amber Reichert
Pacific Shark Research Lab
Looking for Lost Sharks: Tales from the Deep-Sea
Let’s talk sharks…but not about the ones you may be thinking. We often hear about
great whites, hammerheads, and species of the like..I mean, they have their own
week on Discovery Channel, right? But have you ever heard of a “Lost Shark?” With
over 1,200 species of sharks, skates, and rays, very few get the attention, research,
and conservation that most species need. Come along as we explore the deep sea,
take a look at some of these "Lost Sharks”, and discuss the exciting, yet challenging
aspects of studying species in deep sea environments.
4:30-5:00p
Sharon Hsu
Vertebrate Ecology Lab
Partially-reformed beach bum: How turtles and travel prepared me for grad
school
Grad school is hard. Starting grad school in your 30s is hard, too. Starting grad
school after being out of the country for almost ten years is even harder. This is
mostly about what traveling and working in turtle conservation taught me and
how these lessons might help me deal with grad school a decade late in the game.
Sunday April 30, 2017
Location: MLML Seminar Room
Time
Seminar
10:30-11:00a
Jimmy Williamson
Fisheries and Conservation Biology Lab
RUV Crowdsourcing: Analyzing the Impacts of Marine Protected Areas on
California Rockfish Populations
Marine protected areas (MPAs) are an important tool for the conservation of marine
life and the habitats they depend on. Monitoring these areas is critical to
understanding the health of fish stocks, but surveying fish can be extremely difficult.
Traditionally, surveys are performed by highly trained SCUBA divers. However, the
emergence of small, high resolution cameras has led to the development of new
survey techniques, particularly a device known as a "video lander". The Fisheries and
Conservation Biology Lab here at Moss Landing has been working closely with
students at Cabrillo College to analyze video data from MPAs around California and
are excited to share their experiences with this new technology at MLML's annual
Open House.
11:30-12:00p
Martin Guo
Invertebrate Lab
Bacterial Research on Red Abalone
Red abalone (Haliotis rufescens) is a valuable seafood option along the west coast of
North and South America, but gut microbes that assist the animal's digestion have
not been thoroughly studied. My working thesis is to genetically investigate the
bacterial communities at three different regions (mouth, stomach, and intestine) of
red abalone's digestive system. My talk will primarily focus on feeding experiment
and some initial steps of the genetic approach that I am currently working on.
12:00-12:30p
Greg Bongey
Geological Oceanography Lab
Obscure Wonders
Sharks, dolphins, sea otters, octopus... these are some of the best-known and most
popular marine animals. And for good reason: they are charismatic and easy to
recognize. But there are many other creatures in the ocean that are just as fascinating
and distinctive, but are forgotten because they are small or hard to find. In this talk,
we will rediscover these obscure wonders. Have you ever heard of a boxer crab?
What about a paper nautilus, a by-the-wind sailor, or a sea butterfly? Come learn
about these animals and more!
12:30-1:00p
Kate High
Vertebrate Ecology Lab
Cetacean research challenges while working with Azorean regulations
The deep waters surrounding the Azores, a set of islands located 900 miles west of Portugal,
attracts a variety of marine mammals. One can expect to see up to 20 different cetacean
species that are residents or migrating from May through September. The fact that one can
readily see marine mammals has led to a thriving whale watching industry and tourism
surrounding this industry is a major economic driver. This has set the stage for a situation
vastly different from that which exists in the U.S. Although there are regulations designed to
protect marine mammals, they are not often followed because of the lack of enforcement. Due
to the amount of income this industry brings in, they are given priority over scientific research
permits by the Azorean government. You have to make positive relationships with vigias and
whale watching companies so they will allow you to remain in the area to do research.
Activities such as swimming with dolphins regularly occur, even in situations where males
may be dueling. This type of activity is frowned upon in most areas of the U.S. and there is
some suggestion that this type of activity is actually prohibited under the MMPA. Join me as I
talk about my experiences dealing with the Azorean regulations throughout the research,
while I show photos and videos of cetaceans encountered during my internship.
Sunday April 30, 2017
Location: MLML Seminar Room
Time
Seminar
1:00-1:30p
Diana Steller
Research Faculty
MLML Research Diving across the globe - underwater data collection from the
corners of the earth
MLML Research Divers conduct studies in locations from the globe. This talk will
introduce research conducted from the cold Antarctic and Arctic, to temperate South
Africa and South America, to the tropical Caribbean, Central America, Indo-Pacific
and South Pacific and last but not least our temperate coastal California. See
highlights of these projects and the researchers involved.
2:00-2:30p
June Shrestha
Ichthyology Lab
Fishing for Science! Ten years of collaborative research in California's Marine
Protected Areas
The California Collaborative Fisheries Research Program (CCFRP) collects scientific
data for fisheries management and evaluations of Marine Protected Area (MPA)
performance. With the help of over 800 volunteer anglers fishing 9,000+ hours in the
last 10 years, CCFRP has caught over 64,000 fishes across 50 species - Wow! Join us
to discover what we've learned about local fishes, MPA efficacy, and the power of
collaborative research.
2:30-3:00p
Drew Burrier
Physical Oceanography Lab
A brief introduction to Physical Oceanography and Internal Waves
Drew Burrier is a graduate student in the Physical Oceanography lab and his thesis
work focuses on Internal Waves and how they interact with submarine canyons. If
you have never heard of anything in that last sentence (including Drew Burrier)
come by the lecture hall to hear a little about what Physical Oceanography is. The
odds are you will learn something new, and maybe even develop a greater
appreciation for our ocean planet. There is something interesting for everyone to be
found in this fascinating branch of Ocean Science.
3:30-4:00p
Jim Harvey
MLML Director
Harbor seals: the cats of the sea
Harbor seals are one of the most ubiquitous marine mammals in the world, but they
also seem secretive. Jim will talk about some of the interesting things we at MLML
have discovered about these animals in the 30 years we have been researching these
“cats” of the sea.
Sunday April 30, 2017
Location: MLML Seminar Room
Time
Seminar
4:00-4:30p
Melinda Wheelock
Invertebrate Lab
Rafting across the Pacific: invertebrates transported on Japanese tsunami
debris
In March 2011, the Tohoku Earthquake (magnitude 9.1) and tsunami generated tons
of marine debris - including docks, vessels, buoys, and a motorcycle - which were
moved offshore of Japan and slowly transported across the Pacific Ocean. Landfalls
have been reported all over the Pacific coast of North America, and much of this
debris is covered in a community of organisms that either originated in Japan or
were picked up along the way as the debris traveled to its ultimate destination. We
have worked with collaborators to investigate which species have hitched a ride, and
which represent possible introductions of non-native invertebrate species to our
coast.
4:30-5:00p
Holly Chiswell
Chemical Oceanography Lab
A Time Series Analysis of Mercury Species in the Nearshore Environment of
Monterey Bay, CA
Over 130 water samples were collected at the head of the Monterey Bay submarine
canyon to understand the processes controlling the variability in dimethylmercury
(DMHg), monomethylmercury (MMHg), and total mercury (THg) concentrations over
time.