Download OFFICIAL TESTER PROGRAM HERE!

st
41 Annual Albert L. Tester
Memorial Symposium
April 6 - 9, 2016
"“A cornucopia of seabirds delight”" by Lindsay Veazey
Thanks to our many volunteers!
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Special thanks to our Speaker Judges:
Dolph Schluter
Cynthia Hunter
Kevin Bennett
Poster Judges:
Raphael Ritson-Williams
Anthony Barley
Kaleonani Hurley
Jonatha Giddens
Session Chairs:
Special contributions from:
2016 Tester Organizing Committee
Tayler Massey
Jamie Caldwell
Eva Schemmel
&
Dr. Kevin Bennett
Dr. Cynthia Hunter
We also acknowledge the office staff of the
Department of Biology for logistical assistance:
Audrey Shintani
Pia Dizon
"Sea-Saw" by Lillian Tuttle
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41st Annual Albert L. Tester Memorial
Symposium Sponsors
The Department of Biology gratefully acknowledges financial support
provided by:
Department of Oceanography
Department of Botany
John A. Burns School of Medicine
College of Natural Sciences
Sea Grant College Program
Student Activity and Program Fee Board
Stern Foundation
Dr. Mark Hixon
Dr. Amy Moran
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Past Symposia Invited Speakers
1976 A. A. Myrberg, Jr., University of Miami
1977 R. Glenn Northcutt, University of Michigan
1978 Karel F. Liem, Harvard University
1979 Edmund S. Hobson, SW Fisheries Center, Tiburon Laboratory
1980 Gareth Nelson, American Museum of Natural History
1981 Stephen Jay Gould, Harvard University
1982 Howard A. Bern, University of California, Berkeley
1983 Robert T. Paine, University of Washington, Seattle
1984 Joseph Connell, University of California, Santa Barbara
1985 George W. Barlow, University of California, Berkeley
1986 Jared Diamond, University of California, Los Angeles
1987 Lynn Margulis, Boston University
1988 Eric Davidson, California Institute of Technology
1989 Jonathan Roughgarden, Stanford University
1990 Corey S. Goodman, University of California, Berkeley
1991 John Maynard Smith, Univeristy of Sussex
1992 Robert Warner, University of California, Santa Barbara
1993 Stephen Hubbell, Princeton University
1994 Nancy Knowlton, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
1995 Mimi A.R. Koehl, University of California, Berkeley
1996 George L. Gabor Miklos, The Neurosciences Institute
1997 Stephen A. Wainwright, Duke University
1998 Kenneth B. Storey, Carleton University
1999 Robert E. Ricklefs, University of Missouri-St. Louis
2000 John A. Endler, University of California, Santa Barbara
2001 Steve Jones, University College, London
2002 Marc Mangel, University of California, Santa Cruz
2003 William G. Eberhard, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
2004 Phillip J. Motta, University of South Florida
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2005 Stephen R. Palumbi, Stanford University
2006 Scott F. Gilbert, Swarthmore College
2007 Paul Dayton, University of California, San Diego
2008 Tyrone B. Hayes, University of California, Berkeley
2009 Daniel Pauly, University of British Columbia
2010 Alex Badyaev, University of Arizona
2011 Monica Turner, University of Wisconsin
2012 Terry Hughes, ARC Center of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies
2013 Fiorenza Micheli, Stanford University
2014 Sylvia Earle, National Geographic explorer-in-residence
2015 Jeremy Jackson, Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation, Scripps
Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego
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Introduction
The Albert L. Tester Memorial Symposium is held in honor of Professor
Albert Tester who, at the time of his death in 1974, was Senior
Professor of Zoology at the University of Hawai'i. The faculty and
students of the Department of Zoology proposed an annual symposium
to honor Dr. Tester's encouragement of student research in marine
biology. Today the Tester Memorial Symposium welcomes research
from any scientific field.
Papers reporting original research on any aspect of science are
solicited from students at the University and are presented at the
Symposium. Contributions to the Albert L. Tester Memorial Fund of the
University of Hawai'i Foundation are used to provide prizes for the three
best papers, judged on quality, originality, research significance, and
quality of public presentation. Judges include faculty members and the
previous year's student award winners. Further, a distinguished scholar
from another university or research institution is invited to participate in
the Symposium as a judge and to present the major Symposium
address.
“K-Bay” by Raphael Ritson-Williams
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41st Annual Albert L. Tester Memorial
Symposium
April 6-9, 2016
2016 Invited Speaker
Dr. Dolph Schluter
Wednesday, April 6th, 4:00 – 5:00 PM:
Distinguished Visitor’s Address
Campus Center Ballroom
"Genetic insights into speciation by natural
selection"
Friday, April 8th, 4:00 – 5:00 PM:
Keynote Lecture- Biomed 103B
"The origin of species and the latitudinal biodiversity
gradient”
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Dolph Schluter
Dr. Dolph Schluter is a professor
with the Biodiversity Research
Centre and Zoology Department at
the University of British Columbia in
Vancouver, Canada.
Dr. Schluter is the author of over one
hundred scientific publications and
several books. He won the DarwinWallace Medal from the Linnean
Society of London and the Rosenblatt Award from Scripps Institute of
Oceanography. He is a fellow at The Royal Society of Canada and The Royal
Society of London. In addition, Dr. Schluter has served as President and Vice
President of several scientific societies, including the American Society of
Naturalists and the Society for the Study of Evolution.
Dr. Schluter was a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California,
Davis and the University of British Columbia. He received his Ph.D. from the
University of Michigan in 1983 and a B.Sc from the University of Guelph in
1977. His earliest research was conducted on Darwin's famous finches in the
Galapagos Islands and he continued this research on other finches and small
seed-eating birds in Africa and North America. Throughout his career, Dr.
Schluter has studied recent adaptive radiation in a wide range of species and
ecosystems. He investigates the ecological forces that drive the rapid spread
and persistence of new species using experimental and observational studies.
His most famous work focuses on a mini-explosion of new species of
threespine sticklebacks in the lakes of British Columbia. However, his lab work
extends to speciation gradients in birds and mammals, range size evolution in
primates, ecological speciation in stick insects, mimicry in reef fish and
butterflies and signaling system evolution in electric fishes.
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“Kamaʻāina” by Lillian Tuttle
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Albert L. Tester
Senior Professor of Zoology
This Symposium is dedicated to Dr. Albert Lewis Tester, scholar and
teacher, who died on November 27, 1974 in Honolulu, Hawai'i. He had
an international reputation in several aspects of marine biology, and as
an outstanding teacher. Dr. Tester was a delightful friend, a meticulous
worker, and a valued colleague.
A native of Toronto, Canada, Dr. Tester received his doctorate from the
University of Toronto in 1936. In 1931 he joined the Pacific Biological
Station of the Biological Board of Canada. In 1948 Dr. Tester joined the
Department of Zoology at the University of Hawai'i where he remained
until his death. From 1955 to 1958, he was director of the Pacific
Oceanic Fisheries Investigations of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in
Honolulu. In 1957 he served as chief of the Service's Division of
Biological Research in Washington, D.C. and returned to the University
of Hawai'i as Senior Professor of Zoology in 1958.
Dr. Tester studied the life history of tuna baitfish for a program designed
to improve tuna fishing in the Pacific. Dr. Tester served on the
Governor's Task Force on Hawai'i and the Sea, the Marine Resources
Committee of the Pacific Islands Development Commission, and as
chairman of the Department of Zoology.
Dr. Tester's most valuable work was in the field of elasmobranch
biology and included studies in ecology, behavior, sensory biology of
sharks, and aspects of shark attack and control. His major research
interest in shark sensory systems resulted in significant morphological
and behavioral studies of olfaction, vision, and the chemical senses. Dr.
Tester intensively studied the acoustico-lateralis system (e.g.,
innervation and morphology of neuromasts and the cupula structure in
the lateral line), and the inner ear (e.g., carcharinid sharks).
From 1967 to 1969, Dr. Tester directed the Cooperative Shark
Research and Control Program of the State of Hawai'i and was
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appointed to the Shark Research Panel of the American Institute of
Biology Sciences in 1967.
Dr. Tester authored more than 100 publications and his excellent work
was acknowledged with the University of Hawai'i Research Medal in
1974. While his scientific contributions are highly significant, many
remember Dr. Tester best as warm and congenial, a dedicated teacher,
active and respected participant in the university community, organist,
hula dancer, and singer: the complete man.
By Arthur N. Popper, Claire Gilbert, and Perry W. Gilbert, modified from a tribute
to Dr. Tester from American Zoologist, 1977, 17:289-291. 10
Selected Bibliography
Tester, A. L. 1935. The herring fishery of British Columbia--past and present.
Bulletin of the Biological Board of Canada. 47:l-37.
Tester, A. L. and G. J. Nelson. 1967. Free neuromasts (pit organs) in sharks. In:
(P.W. Gilbert, R.F. Mathewson, and D.P. Rall, eds.), Sharks, Skates, and Rays,
p. 503-531, The Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore, Maryland.
Tester, A. L. 1968. Olfaction, gestation, and the common chemical sense in
sharks. In: (P.W. Gilbert, ed.) Sharks and Survival, p. 255-282, D.C. Heath,
Boston.
Tester, A. L. and J. I. Kendall. 1968. Cupulae in shark neuromasts: Composition,
origin, generation. Science 160:772-774.
Katsuki, Y., K. Yanagisawa, A. L. Tester and J. I. Kendall. 1969. Shark pit organs:
Response to chemicals. Science 163:405-407
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Past Symposia
Best Paper Awards
1976
Tina Weatherby
Dennis Gorlick
Paul Atkins
1986
James Howard
Charles Madenjian
Tom Hourigan
1977
Charles van Riper
Craig MacDonald
Bruce Thompson
1987
Amy Ringwood
Joyce Rundhaug
Jeff Burgett
1978
Jon Hayashi
James Wyban
1988
Teresa Telecky
Randall Kosaki
Jay Jones
1979
Gerald Heslinga
Frank Perron
1980
Stephen C. Kempf
Clyde S. Tamaru
1981
Carol N. Hopper
Michael Walker
1982
Ronaldo Ferraris
Evelyn Cox
1989
Rachel Behnke
Catherine Hurlbut
Edward Metz
1990
Carol Reeb
Bailey Kessing
Kevin Hill
1991
Vanessa Gauger
Gary Jahn
Andrew Martin
1983
Thomas L. Smalley
Sharon Hendrix
1992
Greta Aeby
Robert Feldman
J. Koji Lum
1984
Janice Bell
Joan Canfield
Cynthia Hunter
Cedar Kehoe
1993
Kazue Asoh
Deborah J. Gochfeld
Andrea Fleig
1985
Karla McDermid
Hing-Chung Lee
Timothy Tricas
1994
Kevin Beach
Susan Murphy-Walker
Richard L. Pyle
1995
Eric Vanderwerf
Christopher Lowe
Gwen Lowe
Kabi Raj Neupane
1996
Scott Larned
Patrick Hart
Patricia Lee
1997
Angel Yanagihara
Aaron Bush
Ilsa Kuffner
1998
Elizabeth Nemeth
Jessica Garb
Jamie Foster
1999
Wendy Kuntz
Lisa Privitera
James Leary
2000
Kelly Benoit-Bird
Timothy D. Male
Jennifer Smith
Jill Zamzow
2001
Buffy Cushman
Timothy Fitzgerald
Carl Meyer
2002
Matthew Parry
David Phillips
Amy Baco-Taylor
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2003
Brittany Graham
Karen Maruska
Donovan Studo
2004
Sarah McTee
Sheldon Plentovich
Heather Spalding
2005
Andreas J. Andersson
Anuschka Faucci
David Q. Matus
2006
William C. Koeppen
Alison K. Stimpert
Lindsay C. Young
2007
Todd A. Bianco
David T. Lin
Joseph M. O’Malley
2008
Christopher Bochicchio
Michael Boyle
Matthew Pitts
2009
Toby Daly-Engel
Adam Dewan
Heather Marlow
2010
Christine Ambrosino
Kira Krend
Jacqueline Padilla-Gamiño
2011
Timothy DuBuc
Cawa Tran
Tamara Wong
2012
Jennifer Bufford
Mary Donovan
Emi Yamaguchi
2013
Matthew Iacchei
Nyssa Silbiger
Jonathan Whitney
2014
John Burns
Maegen Walker
Christie Wilcox
2015
Jamie Caldwell
Tayler Massey
Eva Schemmel
Photo by Chris Wall
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Wednesday, April 6th
Campus Center Ballroom
12:30
Introduction to Symposium
12:45
Albert L. Tester Introduction – Dr. Cindy Hunter
Session I Chaired by
1:10
Global genetic Inventory of the silky shark (Carcharhinus
falciformis)
Derek Kraft
1:15
Deadly toxin from a culturally significant organism, Palythoa toxica
Ale'alani Dudoit
1:20
Comparison of normal and abnormal coral tissue using
microskeletal traits in massive Porites
Corinna Hong
1:25
A population modeling approach to evaluate potential trade-offs
between growth and quality of a culturally-significant plant in the
Pacific Northwest, U.S.A.
Georgia Hart
1:30
Resolution of the evolutionary relationships of Myoporum
stellatum and M. sandwicense in the Hawaiian Islands
April Cascasan
1:35
Gut morphology and its symbiotic microbiota evolved under foodsparse cave environment
Crystal Valdez
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Wednesday, April 6th
Campus Center Ballroom
1:40
Blind cavefish as a new multi-genic model for psychiatric disease
Alexander Settle
1:45
Transmission beam characteristics of a Risso's dolphin (Grampus
griseus)
Adam B. Smith
2:00
Odontocete occurrence in the Maui Nui region investigated using
passive acoustic monitoring and visual survey techniques
Marian Howe
2:15
Relative abundance of sound scattering organisms in the
Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) is a driver for some
odontocete foragers
Adrienne M. Copeland
2:30 BREAK
Session 2 Chaired by
2:45
Phylogenomic analysis of Pocillopora corals reveals evolution of
brooding from broadcast spawning
Erika Johnston
3:00
Family affairs of horny sponges: A phylogenetic and
morphological description of a new invasive-algae-associated
Pacific species, Igernella hawaiiensis (Porifera, Demospongiae)
with implications for the Igernella and Dendrilla genera.
Michael A. Wallstrom
3:15
Tracking thunder: the implications of Paraphyly in Lysimachia
filifolia on taxonomic resurrection and conservation management
Jesse W. Adams
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Wednesday, April 6th
Campus Center Ballroom
3:30
Phylogeny, evolution, and biogeography of the genera
Radiogrammitis Parris and Oreogrammitis Copel (Polypodiaceae)
Vithanage N.S. Sirimalwatta
3:45
Detecting bias in phylogenetic inference: an empirical assessment
of model performance
Emilie Richards
Photo by Chris Wall
4:00 – 5:00 Distinguished Visitor’s Address
Genetic insights into speciation by natural selection
Dr. Dolph Schluter
Our understanding of how new species form has undergone a major shift
in recent decades, with natural (and sexual) selection now thought to play
a predominant role. What are the genetics of this process, and how do
genes improve our understanding of underlying mechanisms? I describe
ongoing work to address these questions in a complex of young fish
species (threespine stickleback) inhabiting lakes of the Pacific Northwest.
I show with an experiment that many genes contribute to ecological and
morphological differences between the species, with their net effects on
phenotype leading to the evolution of reduced hybrid feeding
performance. Many of these genetic differences are older than the
species, and a ready supply of standing genetic variation likely facilitated
rapid speciation by natural selection in this group.
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Thursday, April 7th
Campus Center Ballroom
Session 3 Chaired by Dr.
8:55
Introduction and Announcements
9:00
Of markets and middlemen: investigating drivers of decline in
increasingly exploited small-scale coral reef fisheries
Rachel Dacks
9:15
Bridging the gap from science to education
Raphael Ritson-Williams
9:30
A new perspective: assessing spatial distribution of coral
bleaching with low-altitude remote sensing technologies
Joshua Levy
9:45
Design of an unmanned aerial treatment system for invasive
species management
Roberto Rodriguez
10:00
The effects of oxygen supply when immersed on the thermal limits
of the wave-zone echinoderm Colobocentrotus atratus
Sean Wilbur
10:05
Physiological and evolutionary responses to climate change in a
keystone coral reef herbivore
Evan W. Barba
10:10
Effect of temperature and pH on metabolic rates of the red alga
Gracilaria salicornia
Megan Onuma
10:15
Gene flow in the twilight zone: habitat specialization and
population connectivity of Hawaiian mesophotic reef fishes
Michael Hoban
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Thursday, April 7th
Campus Center Ballroom
10:20
Characterization of the amphipod visual system
Albert Chan
10:25
Shifts in opsin expression during the larval to adult transition in
Pullosquilla thomassini (Crustacea, Stomatopoda)
Sitara Palecanda
10:30 COFFEE BREAK
Session 4 Chaired by Dr.
10:45
Insight into goatfish early life history characteristics through the
study of temporal and spatial recruitment dynamics of oama
(juvenile M. flavolineatus and M. vanicolensis)
Keith Kamikawa
11:00
High throughput microsatellite genotyping contradicts that
Acropora hyacinthus was extirpated on Palau and recolonized
from Yap
Annick Cros
11:15
Mitochondrial genome evolution in sea urchins, with special focus
on the Indo-Pacific species Tripneustes gratilla
Áki Jarl Láruson
11:30
Regal phylogeography: range-wide survey of the marine angelfish
Pygoplites diacanthus reveals evolutionary partitions
Richard R. Coleman
11:45
Spatial and temporal patterns of origination in the coral genus
Pavona
Claire J. Lewis
12:00 - 1:15 LUNCH BREAK
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Thursday, April 7th
Campus Center Ballroom
Session 5 Chaired by Dr.
1:15
Environmental drivers of variation in maternal investment and
larval performance of Colobocentrotus atratus
Kanoe Morishige
1:30
Revisiting the impacts of bleaching on sexual reproduction of the
stony coral Montipora capitata
Elizabeth A. Lenz
1:45
Phototransduction characterization in the Stomatopod, Alima
pacifica
Mireille Steck
2:00
Plasticity in thermal tolerance of early life history stages of marine
invertebrate larvae
Caitlyn Genovese
2:15
Gene regulation of sex-reallocation in a hermaphroditic fish
(Lythrypnus dalli)
Jessica M. Maxfield
2:30-2:45 BREAK
Session 6 Chaired by Dr.
2:45
Ocean acidification and irradiance effects on the energy reserves
and calcification of the reef coral Pocillopora damicornis
Chris B. Wall
3:00
Symbiodinium diversity in Porites compressa following a natural
bleaching event
Martha Newell
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Thursday, April 7th
Campus Center Ballroom
3:15
Temperature, body size, and pycnogonid metabolism
Caitlin M. Shishido
3:30
Hiding in plain sight: molecular phylogenetics and morphological
analyses reveal cryptic species complexes in Glossodoris sea
slugs (Nudibranchia)
Shayle B. Matsuda
3:45
Assessment of Plakobranchus sp. (Sacoglossa, Opisthobranchia)
kleptoplast diversity across the Main Hawaiian Islands
Rachael Wade
4:00-5:30 POSTER SESSION
Long term environmental change at two contrasting wetland sites on the Island
of Hawai‘i
Olivia Marohnic
Species Specific Response to Regional Warming of the Antarctic Peninsula
Lauren Yumol
In the Wake of Fukushima: Cesium Bioaccumulation of Pacific Fish
Hannah Azouz
Asymmetrical mesopredator release: Moray eels inconspicuously predominate
heavily fished reefs
Julie Zill
Quantifying Herbivore Feeding Preferences Within and Across Reef Habitats:
Do Species Matter?
Scott Chulakote
Development of outplanting methods for native species of Sargassum in Hawaiʻi
Sarah Maile Vasconcellos
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Thursday, April 7th
Campus Center Ballroom
POSTER SESSION CONTINUED
Analyzing algal parameters as a function of nitrogen in submarine groundwater
discharge, on two shores of Oʻahu
Debbi Yoshimoto
Does groundwater influence algal communities?
Veronica Gibson
Impacts of elevated nutrients on invasive and non-invasive macroalgae found in
the diet of the green turtle (Chelonia mydas)
Migiwa Kawachi
Transcriptomic responses to symbiosis
Silvia Moriano-Gutierrez
The Expression of Non-Visual Opsins in Blind Cavefish
Fujita Suguru
Induced sensory units are not sufficient to lead the adaptive shift in the central
nervous system
Christian Macaspac
Identification of cryptic siphonous green algae through molecular analysis and
observation of developmental strategies
Nozomi Shimizu
Patterns of Oogonia and Spermatogonia Distribution in the non-partitioned
ovotestis of the Hawaiian Endemic Goby Species, Eviota epiphanes
Helena de Souza Brasil Barreto
Histological Assessment of Spermatogenesis in Mice with Limited Y
Chromosome Gene Contribution
Victor Ruthig
Calibration and Analysis of Coastal Oahu pH Data
Eric Wadnal
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Thursday, April 7th
Campus Center Ballroom
POSTER SESSION CONTINUED
Investigating latent effects of the juvenile experience in corals under ocean
acidification
Ariana Huffmyer
Harnessing Intraspecific Variation in Scleractinians to Selectively Breed Higher
Tolerance Against Climate Change Stressors
Elizabeth Lenz
Effects of the 2015-16 El Niño on Near-shore Reefs and Local Communities in
the U.S. Affiliated Island-States, Pohnpei and Chuuk
Nicole Yamase
Assessing algal (Symbiodinium) variability and variation across individual coral
colonies (Montipora capitata) in Kaneohe Bay
Shayle Matsuda
Detection of Chronic Stress in Corals Exposed to Invasive Algae Mats
Victoria Sindorf
“A sea change” by Lillian Tuttle
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Friday, April 8th
Campus Center Ballroom
Session 7 Chaired by Dr.
8:55
Introduction and Announcements
9:00
Alterations in behavior relating to Autism Spectrum Disorder
(ASD) in mice conceived by in vitro fertilization (IVF)
Chantell Balaan
9:15
Sox9 overexpression can sufficiently replace Sry in terms of
function in spermatogenesis and adult male fertility
Egle A. Ortega
9:30
Histological verification of the efficacy of mouse models for human
male infertility
Victor A. Ruthig
9:45
The DNA licensing protein ORC4 is required for polar body
extrusion
Hieu Nguyen
10:00 Long-range wireless data transmission: A novel approach to
subsea data collection
Garrett Blake Johnson
10:05 Microsatellite analysis of the Antarctic brittle star Ophioplinthus
gelida (Ophiuroidea: Ophiuridae)
Erik Brush
10:10 Carbon isotope analysis of Hawaiian land snail shells for paleoclimate reconstruction
Carl Thompson
10:15 Star Wars: the crown-of-thorns awakens
Molly Timmers
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Friday, April 8th
Campus Center Ballroom
10:20 What do we do now? Finding practical management strategies to
promote coral reef recovery following mass bleaching in the main
Hawaiian Islands
Anne Rosinski
10:25 TA teaching styles impacts student achievement in a researchbased undergraduate science course
Ariana S. Huffmyer
10:30 COFFEE BREAK
Session 8 Chaired by Dr.
10:45 I come from the land down under: ecological niche modeling of
hierarchical spatial scales to predict the range of an invasive skink
in Hawaii
Thomas A.H. Smith
11:00 How invasive Indo-Pacific red lionfish interact with native fish
parasites and cleaning mutualisms on Atlantic coral reefs
Lillian J. Tuttle
11:15 Effects of predator hunting mode and prey anti-predator
responses on prey selection by invasive Pacific red lionfish
(Pterois volitans) and native Atlantic coral-reef piscivores
Eric Dilley
11:30 10-pound crab, maximum size limit of Samoan crabs (Scylla
serrata) in Hawai'i
Nin Gan
11:45 Social and reproductive behavior of a hermaphroditic and
cryptobenthic reef fish, Eviota epiphanes, in Hawai`i
Brian Deis
12:00 LUNCH
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Friday, April 8th
Campus Center Ballroom
Session 9 Chaired by Dr.
1:15
Effects of colonization in both the developing and adult squidvibrio symbiosis
Eric J. Koch
1:30
Design of an unmanned aerial treatment system for invasive
species management
Christina Runyon
1:45
Sources of Vibrio coralliilyticus strain ocn008 in Kaneohe Bay,
Hawaii and the effect of decreased salinity on infection of the
coral, Montipora capitata
Amanda Shore-Maggio
2:00
Investigating acute Montipora white syndrome: potential causative
agents, environmental drivers, and the importance of coral health
Silvia Beurmann
2:15 BREAK
“1000 manini” by Eva Schemmel
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Friday, April 8th
Campus Center Ballroom
Session 10 Chaired by Dr.
2:30
The implementation of rare events logistic regression to predict
the distribution of mesophotic hard corals across the main
Hawaiian Islands
Lindsay Veazey
2:45
Intraspecific variability in the life history of coral reef fishes
amongst photic and mesophotic communities in the central Pacific
Morgan Winston
3:00
Feeding ecology of abyssal and hadal fishes
Mackenzie Gerringer
3:15
Does elevation affect symbiont network dynamics? A gradient
study of foliar fungal endophytes
Gerald M. Cobian
2:30-3:00 BREAK
Friday, April 8th Biomed 103B
4:00-5:00 Keynote Lecture
The origin of species and the latitudinal biodiversity gradient
Dr. Dolph Schluter
The latitudinal biodiversity gradient is the most conspicuous global pattern in
species richness. In a large majority of higher-level taxa, many more species are
found at tropical latitudes than in the temperate zone. Most evolutionary
explanations for this global pattern are based on the idea that rates of origin of
new species (speciation), and rates of new species accumulation (diversification),
are highest at low latitudes. However, a review of existing evidence suggests that
diversification rates are similar between latitudes, and that speciation rates might
be highest in the temperate zone. I attempt to reconcile these ideas and
observations with our understanding of the dynamic history of the gradient.
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41st Annual Albert L. Tester
Memorial Symposium
Banquet and Ceremony
Graciously hosted by the
Waikīkī Aquarium
SATURDAY, April 9th, 6:00 - 9:30 PM
Buy Tickets in Biology Office
(Edmonson Hall 216)
FRIDAY
8 AM - 12 PM
Drop off alcohol with name written on label in Biology
Office (Edm 216)
SATURADY
6:00 PM
6:45 PM
7:30 PM
9:30 PM
Happy hour; enjoy Waikīkī Aquarium
Awards and Presentations
Dinner (catered by Da Spot)
Clean up Kokua
BYOB (by prior arrangement)
“Testing the Waters” by Shayle Matsuda
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41st Annual Albert L. Tester Memorial Symposium
Abstracts
Contributed Talks and Posters
Jesse Adams
Botany
Tracking Thunder: The Implications of Paraphyly in Lysimachia filifolia on
Taxonomic Resurrection and Conservation Management
Authors: Jesse W. Adams, Mitsuko Yorkston, Wendy Kishida, Susan Ching
Harbin, Kaile Costa
Abstract: Members of Lysimachia subgenus Lysimachiopsis (Primulaceae)
possess a limited suite of observed physical characters. Plasticity within these
characters expressed in separate populations of the same species confounds the
taxonomy of this group. Hawaiians recognized two different taxa one of which,
Pua Hekili, translates to “Thunder Flower.” This name might be in reference to the
sound of the waterfalls present on the wet, unstable cliffs faces one of these
species inhabits. Subsequent taxonomists noted unique forms which have been
recognized or reduced to synonymy. Conservation managers and field botanists
have observed slight physical differences between Kaua‘i and O‘ahu populations
of L. filifolia, a Federally Endangered and Plant Extinction Prevention Program
(PEPP) species. In this study sequences generated from nuclear (ETS, ITS) and
chloroplast (trnH-psbA intergeneric spacer) DNA regions are employed to assess
species boundaries within and among these populations. Previously published
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sequences and data from this study were combined to visualize the relationships
between the sampled populations of L. filifolia and other Hawaiian Lysimachia.
Estimated phylogenies have indicated that the Kaua‘i and O‘ahu populations are
paraphyletic and deserve separate recognition. This provides the opportunity for
possible circumscription and resurrection of species within this complex.
Hannah Azouz
Geology & Geophysics
In the Wake of Fukushima: Cesium Bioaccumulation of Pacific Fish
Authors: Hannah R. Azouz, Dr. Henrietta Dulaiova
Abstract: To this day there are global efforts in evaluating the effects in wake of
the 2011 Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant disaster. The estimated 500 tons of
contaminated wastewater that entered the nearby marine ecosystem (Watabe
2013) was dispersed into the Pacific Ocean and due to biological uptake in
migratory fish species (Madigan 2012) and was detected as far as the West coast
of US. Although the accepted intervention limit for cesium isotope intake is 300
Bq/kg of fish, only 50 Bq/kg concentrated in the human body causes irreversible
damage to tissues of vital organs. The question we are left with is how much
cesium is in the fish we consume, a thought the community of Hawai’i should
consider since our fish products are caught in the Pacific Ocean.
Fourteen most commonly consumed, locally bought fish samples were
analyzed using gamma spectrophotometry to measure Fukushima-derived cesium
134 and cesium-137 isotopes. All fish samples had detectable cesium-137 and 5
out of the 14 samples had detectable cesium-134, an isotope indicative of
Fukushima releases. The highest cesium-137 concentration in the examined
species was the Alaskan Dover Sole carrying 3.6 Bq/kg. The highest
concentrations occurred in high trophic level species with migratory patterns from
Japan to Hawai’i or residing in the most northern Pacific Ocean. All activities are
significantly below intervention limits but are informative to the community on what
is being consumed. Results should also provide a basis for future work on cesium
bioaccumulation in fish. (1) Watabe et al. (2013); (2) Madigan et al. (2012).
Chantell Balaan
Anatomy, Biochemistry and Physiology
Alterations in behavior relating to Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in mice
conceived by in vitro fertilization (IVF)
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Authors: Chantell Balaan, Michael J. Corley, Yasuhiro Yamauchi, Tiffany Eulalio,
Caroline Blanchard, Alika Maunakea, Monika A. Ward, Kaahukane Leite-ayho,
Alina Pang
Abstract: Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) may be associated with
increased risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The most common ART is in
vitro fertilization (IVF). In IVF gametes are co-incubated in vitro to achieve
fertilization and resulting embryos are transplanted into mom's reproductive track.
We investigated whether ASD-related behavioral aberrations in social interaction
and repetitive behavioral patterns exist in progeny resulting from IVF as compared
to normal mating utilizing the 3-Chamber test, Social Proximity test, and Grooming
Assessment test. For IVF-derived and normal mating progeny, oocyte and sperm
were from C57BL/6 mice. All resulting progeny were cross-fostered to CD-1 foster
females. At post-natal day (PND) 25, pups underwent the 3-Chamber test to
determine whether mice show preference for social stimulus. At PND 30/31, pups
underwent the Grooming Assessment test to evaluate grooming behavioral
patterns and Social Proximity test to evaluate forced social interaction in a more
compact enclosure. Initial analysis revealed that behavioral aberrations were more
prominent in males, displaying a sex preferential bias similar to that shown in
human ASD diagnosis, so further analysis focused on males only. Results from
the 3-Chamber test illustrate significantly higher preference for nonsocial stimulus
when given the option in IVF-derived progeny versus normal mating. In both the
Grooming Assessment and Social Proximity tests, no significant differences were
elucidated upon analysis between the two groups. Whether or not IVF-derived
progeny display all core symptoms of ASD remain inconclusive; however, the
strong significance from 3-Chamber test suggest that further ASD-core related
behavioral screening is necessary.
Evan Barba
Marine Biology
Physiological and Evolutionary Responses to Climate Change in a Keystone
Coral Reef Herbivore
Authors: Evan W. Barba, Rob Toonen
Abstract: As we step further into the Anthropocene, ecosystems will continue to
change globally. Under climate change stressors, marine ecosystems have taken
up approximately 90% of human produced heat and over 30% of anthropogenic
greenhouse gases. These two changes in seawater chemistry, among others,
have negative impacts on calcifying species and there is much interest from the
scientific community in understanding how marine life will respond in the face of
such rapid changes. This research will focus on both population and individual
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level responses to evaluate the potential for acclimatization and local adaptation to
increased temperature and carbon dioxide levels in seawater. With a short
generation time and a distinct five-day, non-feeding larval phase, the herbivorous
collector urchin, Tripneustes gratilla, is an excellent candidate to investigate
responses to future climate change scenarios from both a physiological and
evolutionary and physiological standpoint. Using a manipulative breeding
experiment followed by genetic and physiological assessment, we aim to
determine the relative contribution of adaptive and acclimatization-based response
mechanisms. Urchins from Electric Beach (low pH and temperature variability) will
be crossed with individuals from Kāneʻohe Bay (variable pH and temperature
regime). Post-fertilization, their progeny will be reared under full factorial pH x
temperature conditions and assessed genetically, morphologically, and
physiologically to characterize their performance. Understanding how key
herbivores such as urchins will deal with predicted climate change is critical for our
understanding of what future coral reef ecosystems will look like and the
management options we have to conserve them.
Silvia Beurmann
Microbiology
Investigating acute Montipora White Syndrome: Potential Causative Agents,
Environmental Drivers, and the Importance of Coral Health
Authors: Silvia Beurmann, Ashley M. Smith, Blake Ushijima, Christina M. Runyon,
Sean M. Callahan, Greta S. Aeby
Abstract: Disease is a threat to coral reefs and exacerbates the widespread
impacts of climate change. Moreover, environmental stressors can increase
prevalence of coral diseases. Outbreaks of the tissue loss disease acute
Montipora white syndrome (aMWS) have occurred in Montipora capitata, a major
reef-building coral in Kāneʻohe Bay, Hawai‘i, which may have been triggered by
sewage runoff associated with rainfall and pre-existing stress from a chronic tissue
loss disease (cMWS). One of the potential etiological agents of aMWS is
Pseudoalteromonas sp. OCN003, a strain isolated from diseased M. capitata.
Under controlled conditions, 20% of the healthy fragments exposed to OCN003
developed acute tissue loss within 3 weeks post-inoculation. When fragments
already compromised by cMWS were exposed to OCN003, 60% of the fragments
switched to acute tissue loss within 4 days post-exposure. Thus, OCN003 is more
successful as a secondary pathogen in laboratory experiments. Infections of
cMWS are observed year-round, while aMWS outbreaks have only occurred
during the rainy winter months. Bacterial communities of samples from healthy
and diseased M. capitata during an aMWS outbreak were analyzed with highthroughput sequencing. Sequences from the family Enterobacteriaceae dominated
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all samples, which were similar to species that inhabit the human gastrointestinal
tract, suggesting sewage and/or freshwater input. This study describes the first
Pseudoalteromonas sp. pathogenic to coral and possible bacterial communities
consistent with anthropogenic stressors associated with a fatal coral disease.
Erik Brush
Zoology
Microsatellite analysis of the Antarctic brittle star Ophioplinthus gelida
(Ophiuroidea: Ophiuridae)
Authors: Erik Brush, Kenneth M. Halanych
Abstract: Antarctic benthic community structure, largely shaped by abiotic factors
such as geographic isolation, glacial cycles, and iceberg scouring, is characterized
by high diversity at lower taxonomic levels, but low diversity at higher taxonomic
levels. Periods of isolation and extinction caused by glacial cycles have caused
alpha diversity to decline while beta diversity has increased. When geographic
barriers break-down, recolonization has introduced distinct species that are often
phylogenetically and morphologically very similar. In combination with the
Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC), the potential for circumnavigation exists, but
escape from the continent is unlikely, leading to the accumulation of often
misidentified cryptic species. Ophioplinthus gelida is one such model species of
brittle star with a reported circumpolar distribution and close resemblance to
others in its species complex. To determine whether or not a single homogenous
population exists, specimens were collected during cruises in 2004 and 2006,
DNA amplified at four nuclear microsatellite locations, and sequenced for fragment
analysis. Statistical analysis was conducted in ARLEQUIN 3.5.1.3 to determine
values of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium deviation, AMOVA, FST, RST, and Nm.
Analyses showed evidence for population genetic structure of O. gelida (AMOVA,
p<<0.01) and differences occurring on the Bransfield Strait (FST, p<<0.01),
Antarctic Peninsula (FST, p<<0.01), and the sub-Antarctic islands comprised of
Bouvet and the South Sandwich Islands (FST, p<<0.01). Evidence for distinct
populations of O. gelida reported here are similar to phylogeographic distributions
reported for other Antarctic invertebrates, demonstrating a potential common trend
for the distribution and population structure of benthic species caused by
oceanographic factors.
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April Cascasan
Botany
Resolution of the evolutionary relationships of Myoporum stellatum and M.
sandwicense in the Hawaiian Islands
Authors: April Cascasan
Abstract: The aim of this study is to resolve the evolutionary relationship of two
species of endemic Hawaiian Myoporum, M. sandwicense and M. stellatum. The
Hawaiian common name is naio, and has alternatively been called the “bastard
sandalwood” due to its historical substitution for sandalwood during early trade
efforts in Hawai‘i. These species have been variously treated as a single widespread taxon (M. sandwicense) or with one morphologically distinct population
broken out as a narrow endemic (M. stellatum). Myoporum sandwicense occurs in
a diversity of habitats throughout Hawai‘i from coastal environments to midelevation wet forests and is the only species of Myoporum to occur at high
altitudes. Myoporum stellatum occurs only on O‘ahu near Ewa plains-Barber’s
Point vicinity and surrounding areas. With the validity of the species relationship
called into question, ongoing activities such as outplanting events have mixed
populations. A further threat to these populations is Klambothrips myopori that has
been devastating populations of Hawaiian naio on other islands. Resolution of this
relationship is needed in order to understand evolution within these important
endemic species and to plan management and conservation efforts effectively.
Individuals within populations of M. sandwicense and M. stellatum on O‘ahu will
be collected and examined for morphological variation and compared. Individuals
will also be examined for genetic variation using both population level markers
such as SRAP (sequence related amplified polymorphism) and sequence variation
based on gene regions found to be variable among populations and species. This
will include both nuclear and chloroplast DNA.
Albert Chan
Biology
Characterization of the Amphipod Visual System
Authors: Albert Chan, Megan Porter
Abstract: Talitrid amphipods have been found to use different wavelengths of light
for different behaviors. Previous studies observed amphipods use shortwavelength light, 420 nm, to orient themselves in their environment in addition to
resetting their circadian rhythms when exposed to long-wavelength light, 520 nm.
However, no one has characterized the underlying visual pigments responsible for
17
detecting these wavelengths. In this study, we identify the proteins expressed in a
talitrid visual system. Characterization of the visual system of the talitrid amphipod
Americorchestia megalophthalma was done using transcriptomics to identify the
molecular components of phototransduction. In particular, we were interested in
identifying the visual pigment proteins, opsin, and their relationship to the
wavelength dependent behaviors. Total RNA extractions of retinal tissues were
used for sequencing on an Ion Torrent. Trinity was used to assemble the pairedend reads data and create contigs. Phylogenetically-informed annotation modules
implemented in Galaxy were used to identify phototransduction genes. Using
these methods, we identified the expression of one medium-wavelength-sensitive
and four long-wavelength-sensitive opsin transcripts. In addition to opsin,
phototransduction genes for ion channels (TRP), g-proteins (Gqa), and arrestin
were also found. Future studies will identify where each of the opsin transcripts is
expressed in the A. megalophthalma retina.
Scott Chulakote
Marine Biology
Quantifying Herbivore Feeding Preferences Within and Across Reef
Habitats: Do Species Matter?
Authors: Scott Chulakote, Celia Smith
Abstract: Dominance by invasive algae on coral reefs has detrimentally impacted
the health of many reef communities and their abilities to support biodiversity. In
Hawai‘i, the ability of herbivorous fish to control large biomass of non-native
macroalgae has been questionable. Yet feeding experiments conducted in a
simulated reef tank suggested invasive macroalgae Acanthophora spicifera and
Gracilaria salicornia were palatable to herbivorous fishes Zebrasoma veliferum,
Acanthurus xanthopterus, and Kyphosus cinerascens. These results however,
need to be corroborated with rigorous in situ feeding preference tests. Herbivory
assays using in situ video will be conducted on south shore reefs on O‘ahu and
Moloka‘i. Grazing experiments will quantify grazing pressure and preference within
and across habitat sites on the reef flat and reef slope. Species-specific feeding
preferences of herbivorous fish are also understudied and will be investigated in
additional experiments. This study has the goal to tie herbivore identity with
species-specific spatial-grazing patterns. If feeding preferences for invasive
macroalgae can be coupled with specific herbivorous fish, then protection or stock
enhancement of these species could be used to combat invasive algae. Among
many steps leading to healthier reefs, identifying key, missing grazers for invasive
algae and linking those grazers with spatial-grazing patterns may provide
additional management strategies to control algal-dominated reefs in Hawai‘i.
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Gerald Cobian
Botany
Does elevation affect symbiont network dynamics? A gradient study of foliar
fungal endophytes
Authors: Gerald M. Cobian, Anthony S. Amend
Abstract: Foliar endophytic fungi (FEF) form ubiquitous and intimate symbiotic
relationships with every major plant lineage examined. These fungi are not
pathogenic and have been show to play important roles in plant biochemistry,
water conductance, and heat/drought tolerance. FEF community composition has
been shown to be correlated with environment and host identity, but many of the
studies showing these correlation have shallow environmental gradients and host
differences are usually at the genus level or higher. A study in 2012 on Hawai‘i
Island observed over 4200 FEF operational taxonomic units (OTUs) associated
with the foundational species Metrosideros polymorpha along a steep elevation
and precipitation gradient with very few OTUs shared among sites. To learn more
about fungal community dynamics, we aimed to determine whether dispersal or
selection assembly processes was more important in shaping FEF communities.
Additionally, we investigated how spatial effects influence FEF community
composition. We collected leaves from hosts of varying relatedness along an
elevation gradient on Hawai‘i Island and along an orthogonal transect in which
elevation was held constant. Using Illumina sequencing technology, we amplified
the fungal ITS region of the rDNA to characterized fungal communities found
within the leaves of our host plants. We expect this research will help address
questions about how fungal communities are affected by various community
assembly processes and serve as base-line data for future research on FEF
community assembly processes.
Richard Coleman
Biology
Regal phylogeography: Range-wide survey of the marine angelfish
Pygoplites diacanthus reveals evolutionary partitions
Authors: Richard R. Coleman, Jeffrey A. Eble, Joseph D. DiBattista, Luiz A.
Rocha, John E. Randall, Michael L. Berumen, Brian W. Bowen
Abstract: The Regal Angelfish (Pygoplites diacanthus; family Pomacanthidae)
occupies reefs from the Red Sea to the central Pacific, with distinct color morphs
in the Indian Ocean to Red Sea and Pacific Ocean. To assess population
differentiation and evaluate the possibility of cryptic evolutionary partitions in this
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monotypic genus, we surveyed mtDNA cytochrome oxidase b and two nuclear
introns (S7 and RAG2) in 547 individuals from 15 locations. Phylogeographic
analyses revealed four mtDNA lineages (d = 0.006 – 0.015) corresponding to the
Pacific Ocean, the Red Sea, and two admixed lineages in the Indian Ocean,
consistent with known biogeographical barriers. Both S7 and RAG2 showed
strong population-level differentiation between the Red Sea, Indian Ocean, and
Pacific Ocean (ΦST = 0.066 – 0.512). The only consistent population structure
within these three regions was at the Society Islands, where surrounding
oceanographic conditions may reinforce isolation. Coalescence analyses indicate
a Pacific expansion (1.71 Ma) that gave rise to a Red Sea lineage (1.44 Ma)
followed by a radiation of two lineages that currently occupy the Indian Ocean
(0.93 – 0.72 Ma). Persistence of a Red Sea lineage through Pleistocene glacial
cycles indicates a long-term refuge in this region. The affiliation of Pacific and Red
Sea populations, apparent in cytochrome b and S7 (but equivocal in RAG2)
invokes the possibility that the Indian Ocean was recolonized from the Red Sea,
possibly more than once. Assessing genetic architecture in this widespread
monotypic genus reveals cryptic evolutionary diversity that merits subspecific
recognition.
Adrienne Copeland
Biology
Relative abundance of sound scattering organisms in the Northwestern
Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) is a driver for some odontocete foragers
Authors: Adrienne M Copeland, Whitlow W. L. Au, Amanda Bradford, Jeffrey
Polovina
Abstract: Previous studies in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) focused
on shallower communities in and near reefs and did not investigate the organisms
living in deeper waters that some apex predators rely on for food, e.g. some
odontocetes forage at depths greater than 400 m. To examine the relationship
between deep-diving odontocete predators and prey, a Simrad EK60 echosounder
operating at 70 kHz collected acoustic abundance throughout the NWHI from May
7 to June 4, 2013. Visual and passive acoustic surveys for marine mammal
presence were conducted concurrently with the echosounder. Two broad
scattering layers were found, a deep layer from 370 to 670 m and a shallow layer
from 0 to 270 m. The highest densities of both deep and shallow scattering
organisms were associated with deep slopes of banks and atolls. Beaked and
short-finned pilot whale sightings occurred in locations of high scattering density
associated with slopes of atolls and banks. It is hypothesized that the high
scattering organisms associated with these features are similar to the
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mesopelagic boundary community found in the Main Hawaiian Islands and
support a food web representing the prey of the cetaceans.
Annick Cros
Zoology
High throughput microsatellite genotyping contradicts that Acropora
hyacinthus was extirpated on Palau and recolonized from Yap
Authors: Annick Cros, Robert Toonen, Stephen Karl
Abstract: The catastrophic loss of corals, particularly the Acropora, around the
island of Palau following the 1998 El Niño had profound ecological and social
impacts. The result of which included the formation of a network of marine
protected areas (MPAs) with the goal of ensuring reef recovery and resilience to
any such future events. MPA networks rely on population connectivity to persist,
but measuring connectivity to support the design of marine protected area
networks remains challenging because it is impossible to track pelagic larval
dispersal in the sea. A detailed oceanographic model, developed to evaluate the
current MPA network design, predicts larval dispersal between Palau and Yap and
led to the conclusion that recovery of Acropora on Palau likely resulted from a
pulse of larval recruitment from Yap. This result has been used to argue for
cooperative MPA networks spanning Palau and Yap. We used high throughput
microsatellite genotyping of the coral Acropora hyacinthus to show recovery in
Palau did not come from a pulse of recruits from Yap. Instead, we find that that
there was as much differentiation within Palau as between Palau and Yap, with
significant population genetic structure among all of the 25 sites sampled around
Palau. These results indicate that recovery most likely originated, at least in large
part, from sites within Palau, and suggest high rates of localized self-recruitment.
In light of these results there seems to be little effective dispersal among sites
around Palau, arguing for increasing the number and size of MPAs within Palau.
Rachel Dacks
Biology
Of markets and middlemen: investigating drivers of deline in increasingly
exploited small-scale coral reef fisheries
Authors: Rachel Dacks, Tamara Ticktin, Stacy Jupiter, Alan Friedlander, Cynthia
Hunter
Abstract: Many coastal communities in the Pacific are part of complex socialecological systems that have relied on coral reefs for centuries. Recent pressures
21
including changing climates and economies are threatening the resilience of these
systems. This study seeks to better understand drivers of social-ecological
resilience and how they are linked through asking: 1) What are the social drivers
of fishing effort? and 2) How do markets influence artisanal fisheries (i.e., fishing
pressure, gears, target species, distribution of catch)? Data were gathered in 20
Fijian villages using a mixed methods approach including household and fisher
interviews, catch logs, and ecological surveys. Structural equation modeling was
used to identify the significant drivers of fishing effort and examine links between
drivers. We found that social factors (e.g., livelihood diversity, traditional ecological
knowledge, resource sharing), although typically ignored in the fisheries literature,
explain substantial variation in household fishing effort. Between 50-75% of
household catches are used for subsistence, while the remainder is used for
sharing and sale. Top predators and larger fish are targeted for sale, often using
spears, while a wide range of species and sizes are used for household
consumption. The results of this study stress the need to consider the human
dimension in coral reef fisheries management and call attention to potential
consequences of limited fisheries yields on social resilience.
Helena de Souza Brasil Barreto
Zoology
Patterns of Oogonia and Spermatogonia Distribution in the non-partitioned
ovotestis of the Hawaiian Endemic Goby Species, Eviota epiphanes
Authors: Helena de Souza Brasil Barreto
Abstract: Teleost fishes exhibit a dynamic range of sex determining systems and
reproductive strategies. This diversity has been extensively explored in the
literature, however, the vast majority of studies have focused on gonochoristic
fishes (i.e. those with separate sexes). The precise mechanisms for sexual
differentiation and maintenance remains poorly understood in hermaphroditic
species. The aim of this research project is to identify the distributional pattern of
gonial cells (oogonia and spermatogonia) in the ovotestis of the Hawaiian endemic
hermaphroditic goby, Eviota epiphanes. In order to accomplish this goal, we
propose to look at the expression patterns of both vasa and dmrt1 genes by
immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis. These two genes are directly implicated in
sexual determination and differentiation in many vertebrate taxa. We will be
testing three competing hypothesis concerning the differentiation process of gonial
cell types during transition from one gamete type (ova) to the other (sperm). We
hypothesize that the number of appropriate gonadal cell increases through cell
division during transition of gamete type. Alternatively, gonial cells may redifferentiate from one type to another (i.e. oogonia become spermatogonia and
spermatogonia become oogonia) and/or PGCs are maintained in the ovotestis of
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hermaphroditic fishes and undergo differentiation during transition. The results of
this study will provide us with a clear understanding of how sexual differentiation,
specifically the generation of new and different gametes, is regulated in
hermaphroditic fishes.
Brian Deis
Biology
Social and Reproductive Behavior of a Hermaphroditic and Cryptobenthic
Reef Fish, Eviota epiphanes, in Hawai`i
Authors: Brian Deis, Kathleen S. Cole
Abstract: Cryptobenthic reef fishes that reach <5cm as adults, account for a
considerable amount of fish biodiversity on tropical reefs, but only recently have
studies begun to elucidate the importance of the trophic role they may play in reef
ecosystems. Eviota epiphanes, a small (2cm TL), cryptobenthic species of goby
(family Gobiidae) has been documented as the most abundant fish on near shore
reefs in Hawai`i. Eviota epiphanes (family: Gobiidae) is a reef fish native to the
Hawaiian Islands, and has been hypothesized to be a serial hermaphrodite (i.e.,
able to alternate between sperm and ova production) (Cole 2010). In addition,
elements of the courting behavior displayed by species in this genus are
hypothesized to be phylogenetically informative (Sunobe 1998). My Master’s
thesis involved quantitatively documenting the reproductive behavior (i.e., courting
and spawning behavior), as well as behavior associated with change in sexual
function for E. epiphanes. Individuals were collected around O‘ahu and observed
in aquaria in pairs of adults. Behavioral observations and, when appropriate, the
associated presence of eggs, were recorded daily. From these data I
characterized reproductive and other social behaviors, and tested hypotheses
proposed by Cole (2010) and Sunobe (1998). This research is the first in-depth
look into the social and reproductive behavior of E. epiphanes and, as such, will
contribute to the growing literature on the biology of cryptobenthic reef fishes.
Eric Dilley
Marine Biology
Effects of predator hunting mode and prey anti-predator responses on
prey selection by invasive Pacific red lionfish (Pterois volitans) and
native Atlantic coral-reef piscivores
Authors: Eric Dilley, Stephanie Green, Lillian Tuttle, Tye Kindinger, Cassandra
Benkwitt, Kurt Ingeman
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Abstract: The invasive Pacific red lionfish (Pterios volitans) is a voracious predator
capable of removing large proportions of native prey fish from Caribbean coral
reefs. Although lionfish are known as generalist predators, they may in some
cases selectively forage on prey with certain behavioral and habitat
characteristics. To determine whether predator hunting strategies and prey antipredator behavior affect the likelihood of prey selection, we conducted an
observational mesocosm study on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas. Three
piscivore species and three prey species were studied to reflect a range of
predator hunting strategies (roving, ambushing, stalking) as well as prey
aggregative behavior (solitary, shoaling, schooling) and water column position
(benthic, demersal, midwater). One predator and 4 individuals of each of the 3
prey species (12 prey total) comprised each trial. Trials were run for approximately
4 hours each during the morning or afternoon such that each contained a sunrise
or sunset when predatory fishes are most active. Automated video was used to
evaluate prey aggregation tightness, prey distances, and the orientation of prey
relative to the predator. Lionfish were found to forage selectively on solitary
benthic prey, whereas native grouper fed selectively on shoaling demersal prey.
Separate gut content analyses and lionfish manipulation experiments confirmed
that lionfish disproportionally consume and affect the abundance of solitary
benthic prey.
Ale'alani Dudoit
Biology
Deadly Toxin From A Culturally Significant Organism, Palythoa toxica
Authors: Ale'alani Dudoit, Robert Toonen
Abstract: Limu-make-o-Hana, (the deadly seaweed of Hana) is a Hawaiian phrase
for a toxic organism that resides in the tide pools around Hana on the island of
Maui. Hawaiian warrior’s would apply this organism to their spear’s during battle to
“bring sure death” to their enemies. Studies revealed a new species of cnidarian
zoanthid (colonial anemone), Palythoa toxica, which led to the discovery of
palytoxin (PTX), one of the deadliest marine toxins ever discovered. Since then,
PTX and various structural congeners have also been detected in other Palythoa
species. Many zoanthids are popular among marine aquarium hobbyist and have
been responsible for injuries and severe respiratory distress. Additionally, PTX
has also been found in a variety of marine organisms living in close association
with Palythoa colonies, including xanthid crabs, other crustaceans, gastropods,
cephalopods, echinoderms, and fish. Although PTX has been known for more
than 40 years, it has remained unclear as to what organism actually produces the
toxin. The purpose of this research is to study the taxonomy and distribution of this
culturally significant zoanthid and determine the source of the toxin by
24
investigating both the original population of P. toxica on Maui and other locations
around the Hawaiian Islands.
Suguru Fujita
Biology
The Expression of Non-Visual Opsins in Blind Cavefish
Authors: Suguru Fujita, Megan Porter, Masato Yoshizawa
Abstract: In addition to the ‘binocular’ visual system found in many animals, nonvisual opsins play outstanding physiological roles in response to light. The
Mexican tetra, Astyanax mexicanus, is composed of ancestral-type surface
dwelling eyed forms (surface fish) and cave dwelling blind forms (cavefish).
Although the cavefish have lost functional eyes, however, they still change their
activity based on light/dark conditions. In this study, we aim to identify what
photopigments are playing a role in these documented non-visual light-driven
behaviors. To accomplish this, we first have identified all opsin genes present in
Astyanax using available databases and genomic resources. First, we acquired
previously published cDNA sequences of 3 Astyanax opsin genes. Next we
performed blast searches in Astyanax SRA transcriptomes in Genbank using 42
known zebrafish opsin gene sequences as queries. We pooled the top hits of 19
Astyanax transcriptome sequences from various tissues, and then blasted these
sequences against the latest Astyanax genomic assemby. Since many contigs
have been annotated, we can compare the synteny between Astyanax and
zebrafish around opsin gene loci to confirm whether the Astyanax genome
contains homologs of zebrafish opsin genes. Through these analyses, we have
identified 11 Astyanax opsin homologs, thus far. With these opsin genes, we will
soon begin a survey of opsin expression in pineal, deep brain, and skin tissues to
identify potential non-visual photoreceptors in cavefish tissues. The opsin
expression information from this project will provide evolutionary insight of the light
sensing ability in cavefish.
Nin Gan
Marine Biology
10-pound Crab, Maximum Size Limit of Samoan Crabs (Scylla serrata) in
Hawai'i
Authors: Nin Gan, Dr. Julie Bailey-Brock
Abstract: In 1926, the mud crab (Scylla serrata), known locally as Samoan crab,
was deliberately introduced into Kāneʻohe Bay on the island of Oʻahu. Since then,
25
the crab has proliferated throughout all the main Hawaiian islands, but few studies
have ever been conducted on the Hawaiian population of Samoan crabs. Huge
crabs have surfaced such as a massive 7.43-pound male and a 4.54-pound
female crab that currently hold the state records, but reports of 8-10 pound crabs
have even been heard from various fishermen. To investigate these claims,
Samoan crabs have been caught from a total of 15 locations around the island of
Oʻahu. Sex, carapace width (CW), and weight was measured from every single
crab over 80-mm CW and growth curves were constructed for male and female
crabs separately. It was found that the state record crabs would have had to have
been 8.92 in (22.67 cm, male) and 8.64 in (21.95 cm, female) respectively, and
that male crabs 8-10 pounds in weight could in fact exist between CW of 9.05-9.43
in (22.98-23.94 cm). It is suggested that these crabs are approaching the
maximum size limit for Samoan crabs as a species.
Caitlyn Genovese
Biology
Plasticity in thermal tolerance of early life history stages of marine
invertebrate larvae
Authors: Caitlyn Genovese, Amy Moran
Abstract: Temperature is a key factor determining the physiology and distribution
of marine species. As the rate of global climate change increases, the influence of
temperature becomes more relevant; however, its effects can vary across different
life-history stages. Benthic marine species with planktonic larvae may experience
different thermal environments during development than as adults and, therefore
may also exhibit stage-dependent tolerance to thermal stress. Early life stages
may also differ in their acclimatory capacity. This research aims to compare
thermal tolerances of larvae of the sea urchin Tripneustes gratilla, an ecologically
important grazer present on Hawaiian coral reefs, and Hydroides elegans, a tube
forming polychaete often found in fouling communities throughout the tropics. Sea
urchin larvae from wild-caught adults were reared at 22 and 27C, and polychaetes
from adults reared at 20C were separated into rearing temperatures of 20 or 25C.
In order to more accurately predict the ecological consequences of climate
change, sublethal and lethal effects of temperature will be investigated, including
LT50 (urchins and polychaetes), oxygen consumption, and swimming/clearance
rates of larvae (urchins only). Results from LT50 measurements suggest that early
life-history stages of Tripneustes gratilla do not exhibit a difference in their
temperature dependent mortality when reared at different temperatures.
Hydroides elegans larvae also showed no difference in LT50 when reared at 20C
or 25C, suggesting either larvae lack the capacity for thermal plasticity, or that the
thermal environment of adults may limit the response of larvae to thermal stress.
26
Future studies will examine the sublethal effects of increased temperature on
larval performance and include a wider range of species (particularly corals) and
adult thermal environments. These findings will provide insight into the capacity for
acclimation and potential for adaption to future climate change scenarios.
Mackenzie Gerringer
Marine Biology
Feeding ecology of abyssal and hadal fishes
Authors: Mackenzie Gerringer, Thomas Linley, Brian Popp, Jeff Drazen
Abstract: The snailfishes, family Liparidae (Scorpaeniformes), have found notable
success in the hadal zone, comprising the dominant ichthyofauna in at least five
trenches worldwide. Little is known about the basic biology of these deepest-living
fishes, nor the reasons for their success at hadal depths. Using recent collections
from the Mariana and Kermadec Trenches and neighboring abyssal depths, this
study investigates the role that trophic ecology may play in structuring fish
communities at the abyssal-hadal boundary. Stomach contents were analyzed
from two hadal snailfish, Notoliparis kermadecensis and a newly-discovered
species from the Mariana Trench. Amphipods comprised the majority (Kermadec:
95.18%, Mariana: 97.36% index of relative importance) of stomach contents in
both species of hadal liparids. Decapod crustaceans, polychaetes (found in N.
kermadecensis only), and remains of carrion squid and fish made up the
remainder of contents. Compound specific isotope analysis of individual amino
acids was also used to determine trophic level of these species. Diet analyses of
abyssal species (families Macrouridae, Ophidiidae, and Zoarcidae) collected from
near the trenches and from the literature are compared to those of the hadal
liparids. These contained amphipods as well, however, macrourids had a higher
diversity of prey items, with larger proportions of carrion and fish remains, a
trophic plasticity that has been found in previous studies. Suction feeding fishes
like hadal liparids may find an advantage to descending into the trench – where
amphipods are abundant. More generalist feeders and scavengers relying on
carrion, such as macrourids, might not see this same nutritional advantage.
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Veronica Gibson
Botany
Does groundwater influence algal communities?
Authors: Veronica Gibson, Celia Smith
Abstract: Submarine groundwater discharge(SGD) has recently been shown to
influence nutrient and salinity levels on Hawai`i's coastlines substantially. In places
where riverine inputs are negligible, SGD may be the sole source of nutrients to
these coastal ecosystems. Persistent algal blooms on Maui have been linked to
SGD borne nutrients. An emerging realization is the gap in our knowledge
concerning the physiological response by marine plant species to daily
fluctuations naturally produced by SGD, and to long-term, anthropogenic changes
in SGD volume and chemistry. Further, how does algal physiology play into SGD's
influence on benthic community composition? Results of a pilot study indicated
that, when exposed to diurnal changes in salinity and nutrient availability, algal
species have characteristic responses in water relations, photosynthesis, and
biomass production. The physiological ability to cope with SGD conditions could
be a key trait that allows for the proliferation of harmful algal bloom species under
conditions of anthropogenic nutrient loading. In contrast, native species may be
excluded under the same conditions. If this trait proves to be characteristic to
particular alga, physiological performance may play an important role in
determining benthic community composition.
Georgia Hart
Botany
A population modeling approach to evaluate potential trade-offs between
growth and quality of a culturally-significant plant in the Pacific Northwest,
U.S.A.
Authors: Georgia Hart
Abstract: Plant populations are increasingly impacted by multiple ecosystem
disturbances, but we know little about how these disturbances, and particularly
their interactions, influence plant population dynamics. In the Pacific Northwest
U.S.A., fire suppression, climate change and timber harvest have altered forested
ecosystems, reducing the availability of some plants used for livelihoods, food,
medicine and technology. Population dynamics modeling is a powerful tool to
disentangle the factors driving population persistence and identify trade-offs
between management approaches. Rarely, however, do demographic studies
take into account the impact of management on plant qualities required by various
28
stakeholder groups. Beargrass (Xerophyllum tenax Melanthiaceae) is a fireadapted, perennial evergreen herb harvested as a multi-million dollar Non Timber
Forest Product for floral arrangements that is also essential for Native American
basketry, providing a white overlay for weavers across the Pacific where basketry
forms a cornerstone of cultural identity. Indigenous weavers and NTFP harvesters
have highly specific quality standards for harvestable leaves, but access to quality
leaves is a growing concern. Here I will present methods and preliminary results
drawing from field measurements of plant populations across burn severity
classes, including leaf qualities of importance to harvesters. These data, in
combination with a harvest experiment, will be used to build Integral Projection
Models to evaluate the influence of disturbance on plant population dynamics and
also to address potential trade-offs between abundance and quality. This work will
contribute to a wider understanding of how natural resource management can
address multiple stakeholder needs in the context of global change.
Michael Hoban
Marine Biology
Gene flow in the twilight zone: habitat specialization and population
connectivity of Hawaiian mesophotic reef fishes
Authors: Michael Hoban, Brian Bowen
Abstract: Across the Hawaiian archipelago, reef fishes exhibit different patterns of
population connectivity, from largely open with few genetic breaks to highly
structured with multiple localized subpopulations. However, as much as two thirds
of the depth distribution of coral reefs remains largely unexplored, and fishes
inhabiting mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs, ~30-150m) are potentially subject
to different factors governing their population and dispersal dynamics. In
particular, ecologically specialized species are predicted to show a greater degree
of genetic differentiation because suitable habitat is patchily distributed. I propose
to examine the effects of habitat specialization (depth range) on population
connectivity in both shallow and MCE fishes throughout the Hawaiian Islands.
Using closed-circuit technical diving, I will collect fishes from deep and shallow
reefs along the island arc. I will sample closely related deep-specialist, shallowspecialist, and depth-generalist species in three families of reef fishes with
different spawning strategies (Chaetodontidae, Pomacentridae, and Labridae) and
examine their population connectivity using next-generation sequencing
techniques (ezRAD). I predict that depth specialization will be associated with
increased population structure and I hypothesize that exclusively deep populations
will be more differentiated than either generalists or exclusively shallow
populations, independent of spawning mode. Examining population connectivity
and habitat specialization in deep reef fishes will help us determine management
29
units for MCEs as well as evaluate MCEs’ sensitivity to disturbance and their
potential to act as refugia for shallow species.
Corinna Hong
Biology
Comparison of normal and abnormal coral tissue using microskeletal traits
in massive Porites
Authors: Corinna Hong, Cynthia Hunter, Peter Marko
Abstract: Massive Porites evermanni and Porites lobata colonies in Hawai‘i have
historically been observed with demarcated and raised growth anomalies (GAs).
Following Hawai‘i’s mass coral bleaching event in September 2014, growth
anomalies on Porites evermanni and Porites lobata colonies in Lanikai became
more pronounced. Growth anomalies appear as noticeable masses of enlarged
skeleton and tissue with larger and fewer polyps compared to the adjacent normal
tissue. Some corallites in the growth anomaly region even contain additional
septa. The purpose of this study is to quantitatively determine if there is a
significant difference in corallite size between normal tissue and growth anomaly
tissue. Porites evermanni and Porites lobata skeletons collected in Lanikai were
photographed at 18x using a Nikon Coolpix 4500 attached to a stereo microscope.
Ten corallites were measured from each sample using 24 X-Y coordinates
mapped on landmark skeletal structures relating to septal length and overall
corallite size. The ten sets of 24 coordinates were then averaged to obtain the
best representation of corallite size for the sample. The morphometrics of the
normal skeletons and the GA skeletons will be compared using ANOVA to
determine if there is a significant difference in size. By mapping out points and
measuring distances, a quantitative measure of variance between the two skeletal
types can be determined. Based on collected background information, I expect a
significant corallite size difference between normal and GA tissue.
Marian Howe
Marine Biology
Odontocete occurrence in the Maui Nui region investigated using passive
acoustic monitoring and visual survey techniques
Authors: Marian Howe, Marc O. Lammers
Abstract: Few studies have examined the factors that influence the distribution of
odontocetes around the Hawaiian Islands. Of all the Islands, the Maui Nui (Maui,
Moloka’i, Lanai and Kaho’olawe) region has been studied the least. Since Maui
30
Nui is characterized by relatively shallow waters, depth may be a strong factor
influencing odontocete use of the region. To assess the occurrence of
odontocetes in and around Maui Nui, this study uses passive acoustic monitoring
(PAM) methods and opportunistic visual sightings to establish odontocete
presence at various sites. Ecological Acoustic Recorders (EARs) were deployed
for several months between January 2015 and March 2016 at sites varying in
proximity to shelf isobaths. In addition, a community sighting project was
established in the region from June through November 2015, with local vessel
operators providing information on dolphin sightings made from their vessels. EAR
data was visually processed for dolphin signals using customized Matlab software,
and species were identified using Real-Time Odontocete Call Classification
Algorithm (ROCCA). Results from the acoustic and visual data analysis revealed
that dolphin occurrence varied by species across the Maui Nui region with respect
to deep waters. Such knowledge of the factors driving odontocete distributions
ultimately helps guide conservation strategies to protect threatened and
endangered species on a more global scale.
Ariana Huffmyer
Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology
TA Teaching Styles Impacts Student Achievement in a Research-Based
Undergraduate Science Course
Authors: Huffmyer, AS, Lemus, J
Abstract: Inquiry-based instruction in undergraduate science courses connects
students to research and prepares them for careers in science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Often, graduate Teaching Assistants (TA)
with differing experience and teaching methods are responsible for leading handson laboratories. This study determined how differences in TA teaching methods
and styles impact student achievement in an ecology research course at the
University of Hawai‘i, Mānoa. In this course, TAs write their own weekly quizzes
and teach material according to their personal teaching style. We observed TA
teaching style by measuring the number of open and closed questioning, pacing,
use of digital media, question wait time, and other indicators that are shown to
affect student learning. We measured differences in student responses on concept
surveys and analyzed quizzes with Bloom’s Taxonomy. Several characteristics of
teaching style, including frequency and type of questioning, had positive
associations with student scores and survey responses. Students received the
lowest quiz scores and had no improvement in homework scores when asked to
define or recall concepts on quizzes while students received higher quiz and
homework scores when asked to analyze and synthesize concepts. These results
indicate that TA teaching methods may have a stronger impact on student
31
achievement than previously known. This research suggests universities should
provide training for TAs to develop teaching methods that promote student
achievement and encourage students to pursue careers in STEM.
Investigating Latent Effects of the Juvenile Experiment in Corals Under
Ocean Acidification
Authors: Huffmyer, AS, Gates, RD
Abstract: Ocean acidification (OA) hinders the ability of corals to construct skeletal
frameworks that shape coral reefs. Fortunately, corals show variation in responses
to OA, indicating there is a potential for coral resilience to stress in the natural
environment. This research will document the latent effects of parental
conditioning to OA conditions and will result in development of a “head start”
program to boost coral resilience in juvenile life stages. The objectives of this
research are to advance our understanding of the outcomes of manipulating the
physical, nutritional, and microbial experience of juvenile corals and contribute
knowledge that can be applied to coral reef restoration initiatives. We will collect
and precondition adult Montipora capitata and Pocillopora acuta corals from two
reef environments in Kāneʻohe Bay to high OA conditions. The highest performers
will be selectively bred using assisted evolution techniques. Larvae that are a
product of the selective breeding program will be reared in the same OA
conditions as their parents and exposed to nutritional provisioning and microbial
manipulation treatments. Over the course of juvenile coral development, we will
assess performance under OA conditions, microbial community structure, skeletal
strength, and lipid storage. Following this rearing program, we will out-plant corals
to the parental reef sites and monitor the same indicators of performance over
time. Studying the latent effects of parental conditioning to OA and manipulation of
the juvenile experience will provide important insights on the potential for coral
reefs to persist in the future.
Garrett Johnson
Marine Biology
Long-range wireless data transmission: A novel approach to subsea data
collection
Authors: Garrett Blake Johnson
Abstract: The world is quickly advancing into the 'maker movement', where
individuals can rapidly turn an idea for a useful electronic device into a finished
product via, assemble of off-the-shelf electronic hardware, CNC machines and 3D
printers. This project serves as an example of an individuals capabilities for rapid
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prototyping. From conception to final product in a mere 6 weeks, I aim to develop
a device facilitating wireless data transmission from the seafloor to an internet
server. Parameters measured include pH, temperature and light. Loggers
traditionally record measurements in a passive manner, where data is stored
locally on the device subsea for a period of 3 - 12 months until the battery is near
depletion. It is only then that the loggers data can be accessed via retrieval and
plugging the device into a computer. This project aims to allow data collection
from loggers in near real-time, allowing instant access to data by the user.
Erika Johnston
Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology
Phylogenomic analysis of Pocillopora corals reveals evolution of brooding
from broadcast spawning
Authors: Erika Johnston, Zac Forsman, Sebastian Schmidt-Roach, Rob Toonen
Abstract: Pocillopora corals are notoriously difficult to identify and classify
morphologically and recent species delimitation studies have found that high
levels of morphological plasticity often encrypt genetically defined taxonomical
units. Here, we use RAD-seq to resolve phylogenetic relationships within the
scleractinian genus, Pocillopora. We examined 15 coral holobiont libraries and
found strong concordance in both the phylogenetic analysis of the holobiont
dataset and reads that mapped to the Pocillopora damicornis transcriptome. We
assembled nearly complete mitochondrial genomes (17.4 kb), a 4.6 kb segment of
histone gene sequence, and a 7.3 kb segment of the ribosomal cassette
sequence from our ezRAD libraries, which also show general concordance with
previously published clustering of the mitochondrial clades, rather than the
currently recognized morphospecies, indicating that there is not rampant
hybridization or introgression between mitochondrial lineages. These results
provide, for the first time, a rooted phylogenomic analysis of the genus
Pocillopora, which suggests that broadcast spawning is ancestral with brooding
being derived secondarily. These results also further support the use of the
mitochondrial open reading frame marker as a species level marker for all clades
with the exception of P. meandrina and P. eydouxi, which cannot be resolved with
this marker. This analysis expands on previous genetic, morphologic, and
ecological studies and corroborates that Pocillopora have more variable and
convergent morphology than previously appreciated. Furthermore, show the
applicability of RAD-seq approaches for phylogenetic analyses of zooxanthellate
scleractinian coral, especially for taxa like Pocillopora, which are notoriously
difficult to identify taxonomically due to extreme phenotypic plasticity and highly
sympatric distributions, is robust.
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Keith Kamikawa
Marine Biology
Insight into goatfish early life history characteristics through the study of
temporal and spatial recruitment dynamics of oama (juvenile M.
flavolineatus and M. vanicolensis)
Authors: Keith Kamikawa, Alan Friedlander
Abstract: Goatfish were an important cultural and food resource for early
Hawaiians and their value is still manifest today as one of the highly sought after
reef fish in Hawai‘i’s recreational and commercial fisheries. The most common
juvenile goatfishes, (oama) M. flavolineatus and M. vanicolensis, exhibit a pulse
type recruitment to near shore areas during the summer months in Hawai‘i. This
large recruitment event provides food for pelagic and near shore fish as well as
food and sport for recreational anglers. Growth rate, habitat preference, hatch
date, CPUE, and size/age structure were used to compare recruitment
characteristics between species, locations, and years. Oama during 2015 grew
faster, were heavier on average, and hatched later than fish during the big 2014
recruitment anomaly. M. vanicolensis are bigger, spawn earlier, and prefer
different habitat types than their close relatives. Limited information exists on
these juvenile fishes even though these species have a significant role in the
coastal ecology and near shore fisheries. This project aims to shed light on the
early life history characteristics of these goatfishes through the study of their
unique recruitment patterns.
Migiwa Kawachi
Botany
Impacts of elevated nutrients on invasive and non-invasive macroalgae
found in the diet of the green turtle (Chelonia mydas)
Authors: Migiwa S. Kawachi, Kyle S. Van Houtan, Celia M. Smith
Abstract: Nutrient enrichment as well as loss of herbivores have led to a phase
shift from coral to macroalgal reefs, at many sites in coastal Maui. Blooms of fastgrowing invasive algae occur chronically in the areas near injection wells and
some agricultural fields on that island. These blooms cause a dietary shift for the
herbivorous green turtles, Chelonia mydas, that now eat more invasive algae.
Such diets are also held to be a trigger for the green turtle disease,
fibropapillomatosis, which occurs at high incidence on Maui. This study aims to
examine the responses of macroalgae to excess nutrients, simulating eutrophic
conditions found on Maui. We performed the manipulative growth experiments of
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four native, non-invasive species (Amansia glomerata, Codium edule, Laurencia
nidifica and Pterocladiella capillacea), and four invasive species (Acanthophora
spicifera, Gracilaria salicornia, Hypnea musciformis and Ulva lactuca), all of which
are commonly found in the diet of this turtle. Three of the four invasive species,
and two of the four native species, had enhanced growth rates when cultured in
water with excess nitrogen. The growth of all eight species was not limited by
phosphorus, as phosphorus enrichment did not have significant effects on their
growth rates. Stable isotope analysis of field-collected algal tissues suggests that
algae near injection wells incorporate more wastewater derived nitrogen in their
tissue than algae from the control site. Management of land-based nutrient inputs
is crucial for the health of marine herbivores and their coastal habitats.
Eric Koch
Zoology
Effects of Colonization in both the Developing and Adult Squid-Vibrio
Symbiosis
Authors: Eric J Koch, Edward G Ruby, Margaret J McFall-Ngai
Abstract: In a horizontally transmitted symbiosis, colonization has both rapid and
long-lasting effects on host development. Establishment of a husbandry system
capable of rearing the Hawaiian bobtail squid Euprymna scolopes to adulthood
has allowed for examination of the symbiosis during both the developing and
mature stages. In the initial stages, persistent, full colonization by the natural
symbiont Vibrio fischeri has been shown to induce a refractory state where the
host prevents secondary colonizations. Squid colonized by V. fischeri for as few
as five days exhibited recolonization rates of 0% following antibiotic treatment to
remove the initial symbiont. In contrast, initial colonization by a non-luminescent
mutant, a lysine auxotroph, or being maintained in a nonsymbiotic state for the
same duration resulted in colonization rates >85% after antibiotic treatment. These
results indicate a colonization window dependent on full persistence of the initial
symbiont that once closed is very effective at preventing potential secondary
symbionts.
The effects of colonization in the squid-vibrio symbiosis have also been
examined in mature hosts that have been raised either colonized with V. fischeri
or maintained aposymbiotic from hatching. Using GC-MS, a profile of the adult
squid hemolymph showed how the levels of 122 metabolites are altered by
colonization at three times of day. In parallel, RNAseq. identified what host genes
are differentially expressed in the adult light organ due to colonization. By
comparing two colonization states, we hope to identify how initial symbiotic
interactions influence development for the entire life of the host.
35
Derek Kraft
Marine Biology
Global Genetic Inventory of the Silky Shark (Carcharhinus falciformis)
Authors: Derek Kraft, Melanie Hutchinson, Brian Bowen, Steve Karl, Demian
Chapman
Abstract: The goal of this research is to initiate a global genetic inventory of silky
sharks, one of the three most important sharks in the fin trade, and the most
common elasmobranch bycatch species in tropical tuna purse-seine fisheries
around the world. This pelagic shark, formerly abundant in all tropical oceans, has
declined by an estimated 85% in the last 19 years, and is now listed as nearthreatened and declining by IUCN. A global inventory of genetic diversity will help
elucidate more appropriate management units on a global scale. Further, the
resulting DNA barcodes will allow identification of sharks in the fin trade
specifically to both species and oceanic region, providing a much-need scientific
foundation for management plans. In this effort we have already secured global
sampling coverage with >1600 tissue specimens. To quantify genetic structure, we
will use restriction site-associated DNA (ezRAD). Samples will be pooled by
regional location and libraries prepared using methods developed by Toonen et. al
2013 and sequenced at the HIMB core facility. Thus far only two regions have
been fully sequenced and analyzed. We have found significant divergence
between the Red Sea and Brazil, which was expected. When complete this study
will cover all major ocean regions around the globe. Once the genetic structure of
silky sharks is resolved, data will be used to map gene flow around the globe and
be used as a baseline to resolve the geographic origins of products in the shark fin
market.
Áki Láruson
Biology
Mitochondrial genome evolution in sea urchins, with special focus on the
Indo-Pacific species Tripneustes gratilla
Authors: Áki Jarl Láruson, Floyd A. Reed, David B. Carlon
Abstract: The echinoid Tripneustes has historically served as a model species for
theories on population divergence in the marine environment due to its impressive
pan-tropical distribution. Consumed throughout the Indo-Pacific, additional interest
has recently been sparked in the Hawaiian Collector Urchin, T. gratilla, as a
biocontrol agent of invasive algae on coral reefs. While showing very little
localized variation, analysis of microsatellite markers and mitochondrial
36
sequences suggests that greater isolation exists within the Pacific Ocean than
previously believed. A draft exome has allowed for the generation of a full
mitochondrial genome sequence from T. gratilla, and is compared to mitochondrial
genome assemblies across major echinoid orders. This increase in understanding
of the evolutionary history and population structure across the distribution of
Tripnesutes can aid in the long term employment of the sea urchin as a biocontrol
agent and population genomic model.
Elizabeth Lenz
Marine Biology
Revisiting the impacts of bleaching on sexual reproduction of the stony
coral Montipora capitata
Authors: Elizabeth A. Lenz, Jacqueline Padilla-Gamiño, Ruth D. Gates
Abstract: Coral reefs in Hawaiʻi suffered two consecutive major bleaching events
in 2014 and 2015 as a result of sea surface temperatures (SST) that, in places like
Kāneʻohe Bay, Oʻahu, exceeded 27°C for 8 weeks and 15 weeks, respectively. In
2014, up to 73% of the corals on reefs in Kāneʻohe Bay bleached or paled and all
dominant coral species displayed high levels of intraspecific variation in their
bleaching responses. This allowed neighboring bleached and non-bleached
individuals of Montipora capitata to be identified and tagged in 2014, so that in
2015 the size and number of eggs per bundle released in the field by these corals
could be assessed. All tagged corals released egg-sperm bundles during the
June, July, and August 2015 spawning season. There was no difference in the
size and number of eggs per bundle released by bleached and non-bleached
colonies; however, 40% more eggs were released in egg-sperm bundles in June
as compared to July and August, and these eggs were 14% smaller. In July and
August 2015, mean SST exceeded seasonal norms by 2°C and the 2015
bleaching event began. A comparison of the 2015 spawning data with 2005, 2007,
and 2008 reveals that 2015 eggs were significantly larger and significantly fewer
eggs were packaged in each bundle. These bleaching events provide an
unprecedented opportunity to examine the long term implications of repeated
bleaching on the reproductive success of corals, and in this long-term study,
tagged M. capitata will continue to be monitored through the 2016 reproductive
season and beyond.
Harnessing Intraspecific Variation in Scleractinians to Selectively Breed
Higher Tolerance Against Climate Change Stressors
Authors: Elizabeth A. Lenz, Ruth D. Gates
37
Abstract: Coral reefs provide invaluable ecological goods and services, yet stony
corals are rapidly declining globally in response to natural and anthropogenic
perturbations. As these disturbances persist, it is imperative for coral biologists to
develop and implement effective problem-solving techniques, such as assisted
evolution, that facilitate the success of tolerant reef-building corals. While Hawaiʻi
is considered a subtropical oasis, two consecutive major bleaching events
occurred due to temperatures reaching above 27°C for 8 to 15 weeks. In
Kāneʻohe Bay, up to 73% of corals bleached or paled. Despite the severity of the
bleaching event, we observed strong variability in bleaching responses in the two
ecologically dominant corals, Montipora capitata and Porites compressa. We
tagged bleached (B) and non-bleached (NB) colonies of both M. capitata and P.
compressa at two patch reefs in Kāneʻohe Bay where pH fluctuations naturally
differ. During the spawning season of M. capitata (Hermaphroditic: June – August)
and P. compressa (Gonochoristic: May – September), we will assess gamete
quality by measuring the number of eggs per bundle, size, lipid content,
chlorophyll a concentration, density of Symbiodinium cells, and identify
Symbiodinium spp. in the eggs and sperm motility. Then we will apply selective
breeding by crossing gametes from BxB, BxNB, and NBxNB parents and compare
reproductive physiology – fertilization success, survivorship, settlement, and
growth. This study aims to establish an understanding of how sexual reproduction
of reef-building corals in Hawai‘i are being impacted by climate change and
develop solutions to promote higher tolerance against negative facets of climate
change.
Joshua Levy
Biology
A New Perspective: Assessing Spatial Distribution of Coral Bleaching with
Low-Altitude Remote Sensing Technologies
Authors: Joshua Levy, Erik Franklin, Cynthia Hunter
Abstract: Coral bleaching is contributing to the decline of reefs globally. Efficient
reef monitoring, which provides information for effective management and
conservation strategies, is vital to better understand the extent and severity of
bleaching on coral reefs. Current in situ and remote sensing reef assessment
techniques are time, money, and personnel-intensive. Consistent surveys of large
reef areas using traditional techniques are unfeasible, unavailable, or
uninformative at the colony level. We present a new technique using unmanned
aerial vehicles (UAVs) that targets an intermediate spatial scale while providing
sufficient information at the colony level to understand how coral communities
reacted and recovered during the 2015 bleaching event on patch reefs in
Kāneʻohe Bay, O‘ahu. Overlapping images were collected at 4 reefs over 4 time
38
periods and processed using Structure-from-Motion techniques to produce
georeferenced and spatially accurate orthomosaics of reef areas. Mosaics were
analyzed using manual or heuristic neural network classification schemes to
identify benthic substrate. We found that bleached colonies had random and
clumped distributions on patch reefs in Kāneʻohe Bay. Our work demonstrates that
UAVs provide a low cost, efficient platform that can rapidly and repeatedly collect
high-resolution imagery (1 cm) and map large areas of shallow reef ecosystems (5
hectares). We envision that similar low altitude aerial surveys would be
incorporated as a standard component of shallow-water reef studies, especially on
reefs too dangerous or remote for in situ surveys.
Claire Lewis
Biology
Spatial and temporal patterns of origination in the coral genus Pavona
Authors: Claire J Lewis, Peter B Marko
Abstract: Indo-Pacific marine biodiversity increases from the periphery to the Coral
Triangle (CT), the global center of all marine biodiversity. There are three main
hypotheses for this pattern: the CT could be a center of origin, a center of
accumulation, or a center of overlap. Although indirect molecular approaches,
such phylogeography and phylogenetics, have contributed to our understanding of
the biogeography of speciation in the tropical Pacific, only the fossil record
provides direct evidence about the origin and spread of individual taxa. That said,
interpretation of the fossil record can be challenging due to variable preservation
quality and geographically unequal distribution of fossil-bearing rocks. Despite
this, our analysis of available fossil data show a clear signal of many coral species
forming in the Coral Triangle and spreading outwards into the Indian and Pacific
Oceans through time. For example, in the coral genus Pavona, 10 of 13 IndoPacific species are first recorded within the CT. However, the identities of and the
taxonomic relationships among these specimens were established before the use
of modern coral systematic tools, such molecular sequences and
micromorphological characters. We aim to test the basic patterns of CT origination
in Pavona by re-evaluating the systematics of both living and extinct species of the
genus by using a molecular phylogenetic approach to identify reliable
morphological synapomorphies. As a first step in this analysis, we will present the
preliminary phylogeny for the genus using RADseq a Next Generation sequencing
methodology.
39
Tuttle Lillian
Biology
How invasive Indo-Pacific red lionfish interact with native fish parasites and
cleaning mutualisms on Atlantic coral reefs
Authors: Lillian J. Tuttle, Mark A. Hixon
Abstract: What makes invasive species successful, and how do they alter native
populations and communities? We addressed these key questions within the
context of the invasion of Atlantic coral reefs by Indo-Pacific red lionfish (Pterois
volitans). To assess the role of parasites in this invasion, we compared infection
rates of lionfish with sympatric carnivorous fishes at multiple locations in their
invasive and native ranges. We found that invasive Atlantic lionfish had extremely
few parasites when compared both to native Pacific lionfish and to native Atlantic
fishes. Such “enemy release” may help to explain this successful invasion if
lionfish consequently allocate more energy to growth and reproduction than to
costly immune defenses. With few parasites to limit them, lionfish may consume
ecologically important species, including cleaner gobies (Elacatinus spp.):
ubiquitous, conspicuous fishes that clean parasites off other reef fishes. However,
while lionfish will eat cleaner gobies during laboratory and field experiments, they
quickly learn to avoid them, due to a previously undescribed skin toxin in these
gobies. Additional field experiments further revealed no change in the growth,
survival, and behavior of newly recruited cohorts of the cleaner goby (E. genie) in
the presence vs. absence of lionfish. Thus, cleaner gobies are among the few
inhabitants of invaded reefs that escape the jaws of lionfish. Given their broad and
voracious appetites, however, invasive lionfish will continue to affect native reef
communities via predation on other ecologically important fishes.
Christian Macaspac
Biology
Induced sensory units are not sufficient to lead the adaptive shift in the
central nervous system
Authors: Christian Macaspac, Vânia Fernandes, Masato Yoshizawa
Abstract: Animals evolve and enhance the sensory system to gather adequate
information to survive and to reproduce. The Mexican tetra, Astyanax mexicanus,
is composed of ancestral-type surface dwelling eyed form (surface fish) and cave
dwelling blind form (cavefish), which evolved multiple regressive (eye and
pigment) and constructive traits (mechanosensory system, taste buds, etc.)
through adaptation process to a completely dark and food-sparse environment.
40
Here, we describe pharmacologically enhanced mechanosensory superficial
neuromasts (SN) in surface fish. Cavefish increased the SN number at the cheek
region, which is responsible to increase cave adaptive-vibration attraction
behavior (VAB)—tendency to come to the oscillating object (prey) in water. In
zebrafish, the cranial SN number is controlled by Endothelin-signaling from nearby
dermal bone. Our pharmacological assay using the inhibiters of Endothelinsignaling achieved the significant increase of the cheek SN number in surface fish.
Our preliminary VAB assay on the SN-enhanced surface fish showed no
detectable enhancement of VAB. In addition, the SN number was not increased in
cavefish under the same pharmacological treatment. These results indicate that
adaptive behavior is not directly accompanied with enhanced sensory system, and
that the cavefish SN number may be saturated. In summary, Endothelin-signaling
is suggested to be involved in the regulation of the Astyanax SN sensory system.
This provides the basis for our future studies investigating the mutations in the
Endothelin pathway, and the neural evolution, which rewired the increased
sensory system, properly.
Olivia Marohnic
Geography
Long term environmental change at two contrasting wetland sites on the
Island of Hawai‘i
Authors: Olivia Marohnic, David Beilman
Abstract: Hawai‘i’s location makes it a vital site from which to collect records of
past climate change, yet existing records are few and often suffer from resolution
or dating issues. This research applies paleoecological tools to investigate
biogeochemical changes in organic sediment cores from two montane wetlands
on the Island of Hawai‘i: Maka‘alia in Ka‘u on the southern end of the island at
1311 m elevation and receiving ~2975 mm in mean annual rainfall (MAR), and
Kohala near the northern point of the island, at 1156 m and ~2766 mm MAR. The
Ka‘u site exhibits a transition to wetter conditions around 4000 years ago,
evidenced by low bulk density of 0.11-0.17 g/cm^3, which suggests low rates of
decomposition due to soil saturation. Onset of peat-forming conditions at the
Kohala site occurred at the same time, indicated by very low bulk density values of
0.06-0.11 g/cm^3. Their dramatically different accumulation rates show that the
sites operate under very different climate and ecosystem regimes, such that the
agreement between them on the timing of this shift suggest a larger regional
cause. A sharp increase in peat accumulation rates from 4000-2000 years ago at
a montane bog on Moloka‘i supports this hypothesis as well. Collection of stable
carbon isotope and carbon to nitrogen ratios for the two sites will provide further
insight into potential reasons for this climatic change.
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Shayle Matsuda
Marine Biology
Hiding in plain sight: molecular phylogenetics and morphological analyses
reveal cryptic species complexes in Glossodoris sea slugs (Nudibranchia)
Authors: Shayle Matsuda, Terrence Gosliner
Abstract: Advances in molecular systematics and morphological analyses have
led to a significant increase in the discovery of cryptic species - species that may
appear outwardly similar but are genetically and sometimes morphologically
distinct - within previously defined taxa across Animalia. Cryptic species
complexes are especially likely to be found in understudied marine organisms that
rely heavily on color pattern for crypsis, camouflage and mimicry. Nudibranchs in
the genus Glossodoris are brightly colored sea slugs that exhibit diverse and
complex color patterns and live in some of the most biodiverse and threatened
coral reefs on the planet. They are a model group for understanding cryptic
diversity, and despite the growing body of higher order molecular phylogenies,
there has been a lack of molecular research that includes sufficient individuals to
identify discrete relationships at the species level. In this study, 80 individuals
comprising 38 species in 12 genera were used to build the most robust
phylogenetic tree of Glossodoris and related genera using mitochondrial genes
cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and 16S, and nuclear 28S. Maximum
likelihood and Bayesian Inference statistical analyses identified four cryptic
species within Glossodoris, including three nested within Glossodoris cincta alone.
The discovery of cryptic species within Glossodoris accentuates the likelihood that
more species are hidden within previously defined taxa. Nudibranch biodiversity is
likely much greater than currently estimated, and the discovery of cryptic species
has profound implications for the evolution of color pattern and chemical defense
sequestration as well as biomedical prospecting and conservation of biodiversity.
Assessing algal (Symbiodinium) variability and variation across individual
coral colonies (Montipora capitata) in Kāneʻohe Bay
Authors: Shayle B. Matsuda, Ruth D. Gates
Abstract: Corals participate in an obligate mutualistic symbiosis with
dinoflagellates in the genus Symbiodinium, and it is the breakdown of this
relationship under stress that cause coral to pale, or bleach, which can lead to
massive die-offs. However, different types of Symbiodinium confer different
physiological responses to stress within their host, and while one dominant type is
typically found in each coral colony, some can host multiple clades (at the species
and colony level). Current research examining the responses of the holobiont to
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anthropogenic climate change stressors sample fragments from multiple colonies.
However, relatively few samples per colony have been used to identify which
Symbiodinium are present across a colony. Montipora capitata is known to harbor
both Symbiodinium clades C and D and is one of the most dominant reef-building
corals in Kāneʻohe Bay, Hawai‘i. Its dynamic and diverse structural formations
may provide specialized micro-environments better suited to particular clades, and
therefore we hypothesize that there will be algal dynamic variability and variation
between and across individual colonies. Montipora capitata colonies from two
reefs in Kāneʻohe Bay (n=6) will be 3D-imaged and sampled at approximately 100
points per colony. Individual polyps will be collected with 3cc syringes in situ, and
Symbiodinium clades identified through qPCR. Additionally, a subset will be
sequenced for ITS2 for subclade identification. 3D models and sequence data will
be analyzed and visualized using Structure-From-Motion Photogrammetry.
Assessing the variation of Symbiodinium across coral colonies will provide greater
insight into our understanding of the holobiont’s response to climate change.
Jessica Maxfield
Biology/Zoology
Gene Regulation of Sex-Reallocation in a Hermaphroditic Fish (Lythrypnus
dalli)
Authors: Jessica M. Maxfield, Kathleen S. Cole
Abstract: Functional hermaphroditism describes the ability to transition between
ova and sperm production at some point in adult life, and has evolved
independently numerous times across a broad range of teleost fish taxa. While
many aspects of hermaphroditic sexual lability have been explored, we know very
little about the genes that regulate functional shifts in gamete production. This
study aims to better understand how a fish goes from producing eggs to producing
sperm at the molecular and morphological level. This will be accomplished by
using whole transcriptome sequencing (RNAseq) on the gonads and brain of a
bidirectionally sex changing fish, Lythrypnus dalli, as it transitions from producing
eggs to producing sperm. Sequencing many individuals at different transitional
stages will create a gene expression timeline that will highlight critical sex
regulatory genes and identify when they are important during the transition
process. Gene expression data will then be correlated with morphological data
(gonad histology) to visualize how gene expression regulates changes in gonad
morphology and gamete production.
2
Silvia Moriano-Gutierrez
PBRC
Transcriptomic responses to symbiosis
Authors: Silvia Moriano-Gutierrez, Margaret McFall-Ngai
Abstract: The light-organ symbiosis between Euprymna scolopes and the marine
bioluminescent bacterium Vibrio fischeri offers an experimentally accessible model
for understanding the events and signals underlying host-microbe symbioses. This
partnership is highly specific, where only V. fischeri, against the background of
other species in the seawater, is capable of forming a stable relationship. Using
next-generation sequencing, we compared the gene expression under different
conditions of different tissues of juvenile squids at 24 h of colonization. Three
different tissues, apart from the light organ, were chosen for this study because
their high vascularization and/or its immune function: gills, eyes and head
including white body (specialized tissue were the immune cells develop). In
addition, three different conditions were tested: juveniles exposed for 24 h to 106
environmental bacteria with (symbiotic WT) or without (aposymbiotic) the addition
of wild-type V. fischeri (ES114) or non-luminous mutant strain (symbiotic Δlux).
This database, increase the number of known transcripts for the E. scolopes
reference transcriptome by ~70% over the previously constructed light organ
transcriptome database.
Kanoe Morishige
Biology
Environmental drivers of variation in maternal investment and larval
performance of Colobocentrotus atratus
Authors: Kanoe Morishige, Amy Moran
Abstract: Hawai‘i’s intertidal shorelines are extremely vulnerable to rising ocean
temperatures, human-induced habitat degradation, and harvesting pressure. Local
communities practice customary harvest of invertebrates and algae in the intertidal
zone. Contemporary pressures of overharvesting and observed climate change
impacts on coastal ecosystems motivate communities to understand early life
histories and population dynamics of resource marine species. This study
investigates environmental factors that drive spatial and temporal variation in
population dynamics, egg quality and larval fitness of Hawaiian urchins,
Colobocentrotus atratus. Urchins were collected from a total of eight populations
around O’ahu and Hawai’i Island in Spring and Fall 2015 and measured for test
diameter. Fecundity and egg volume (nl) were calculated and replicate egg
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samples were stored for future biochemical analyses. There were significant
differences in fecundity between sites; urchins from Kewalo were significantly less
fecund than those at Black Point, Honokohau, Pupukea, and Opihikao. Difference
in test diameter between sites explained ~ 33% of the variation in fecundity. Mean
egg size was significantly higher in Keaukaha and Makapu’u in the Spring
compared to Fall. Length had no significant effect on egg volume. Population
surveys, algal surveys, and environmental parameters will be recorded in the
future. This information will help to understand the environmental correlates of
adult size, fecundity, and egg quality. Local communities can account for these
factors when harvesting by area and season and can create a model of
sustainable harvest for this and other taxa.
Martha Newell
Zoology
Symbiodinium Diversity in Porites compressa Following a Natural Bleaching
Event
Authors: Martha Newell, Christopher Jury, Ingrid Knapp, Kerri Dobson, Robert
Toonen, Andrea Grottoli, Peter Marko
Abstract: Climate change has led to increases in coral bleaching worldwide. The
question of why corals expel their symbiotic zooxanthellae (Symbiodinium) has
been studied from the perspective of the coral host as well as the symbiont. While
progress has been made toward understanding the physiological and cellular
mechanisms that cause bleaching, Next-generation sequencing (NGS) permits
further investigation of genetic explanations for variations in bleaching response
across the entire genome. This work is focused on identifying genetic factors from
the coral genome that are associated with bleaching variation, as well as the
composition of Symbiodinium communities within corals during and after
bleaching. To address the question of Symbiodinium clade composition, we
compared Symbiodinium in colonies of Porites compressa that varied in their
response during the 2014 bleaching event in Hawai‘i. Although other species of
Porites have been shown to host thermally-tolerant clade D zooxanthellae,
previous studies have found that P. compressa only host a single clade (C), even
among colonies in habitats that have a history of high temperatures. For this work,
we genetically analyzed colonies of P. compressa sampled from October 2014
through November 2015 from four sites in the Main Hawaiian Islands. Our
approach is to use restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (RADseq) to
analyze genomes of the coral holobiont and identify symbiont clades, and we will
discuss progress in using NGS to characterize symbiont diversity among colonies
with different bleaching phenotypes.
4
Hieu Nguyen
Anatomy, Biochemistry, and Physiology
The DNA Licensing Protein ORC4 Is Required for Polar Body Extrusion
Authors: Hieu Nguyen, Nicholas James, Lynn Nguyen, Thien P. Nguyen, Cindy
Vuong, Michael Ortega, W. Steven Ward
Abstract: The developing oocyte extrudes half of the chromosomes two times to
reduce the DNA content to 1N. The extruded chromosomes are in polar bodies,
which have very little cytoplasm. We previously demonstrated that the DNA
replication licensing protein, ORC4, forms a cage that surrounds the set of
chromosomes that will be extruded in the polar body in both meiotic divisions of
murine oocytes, but not the set of chromosomes that remains in the oocyte. In this
work, tested whether the ORC4 cage was required for polar body extrusion (PBE).
To disrupt the ORC4 cage, we designed six peptides that represented parts of
ORC4, which are on the exterior face of the protein. We reasoned that the ORC4
cage required some form of polymerization of ORC4, either with itself or with
another protein(s), and the peptides that faced the exterior of the protein might
disrupt the ORC4 cage by competitive binding with the polymerization sites. We
microinjected all 6 of the peptides individually into MII oocytes before their
activation, and then observed the oocyte development. We found that two
peptides prevented ORC4 cage formation and also inhibited PBE. The other four
peptides had no effect on ORC4 cage formation or on PBE. These results suggest
that ORC4 cage formation is required for PBE. We hypothesize that ORC4
interacts with the actin filaments at the PBE site to complete PBE. This research
was supported by NIH HD060722 to WSW and Vietnamese Education Foundation
(VEF) for Hieu Nguyen.
Megan Onuma
Marine Biology
Effect of temperature and pH on metabolic rates of the red alga Gracilaria
salicornia
Authors: Megan Onuma, Paul Jokiel
Abstract: Gracilaria salicornia is an invasive marine alga prevalent along the
coasts of O’ahu. Many studies have established the effect of global climate
change on a variety of organisms, but few have focused on algae. The predicted
decline of corals due to increased temperature stress and ocean acidification
suggests a possible large-scale phase shift to an algal dominated ecosystem.
However, this relies on the ability of algae to withstand similar stressors. The
5
study proposed here will test the effects of elevated temperature and decreased
pH on the respiration and photosynthesis rates of G. salicornia. Rates of net
photosynthesis and dark respiration will be measured over one hour of constant
light and one hour of darkness, respectively, using oxygen evolution techniques.
The effects of two factors- temperature (normal and high) and acidity (normal and
acidic)- will be tested in a full factorial design. Metabolic rates are expected to
increase with temperature and photosynthesis rates are expected to increase with
increased acidity. ⁤
Egle Ortega
Anatomy, Biochemistry, and Physiology
Sox9 overexpression can sufficiently replace Sry in terms of function in
spermatogenesis and adult male fertility
Authors: Egle A. Ortega, Victor A. Ruthig, Monika A. Ward
Abstract: Disorders of sex determination affect one of 4500 individuals and are
characterized by sex reversal and often infertility. During embryogenesis Ychromosome encoded Sry acts as a molecular switch that initiates testicular
development. Sox9, an autosomal gene, is the main target of SRY. It is
established that mutations of Sry or Sox9 cause sex reversals in humans and
mice. The effects and of Sry-to-Sox9 replacement have mostly been investigated
during early development. My study is the first comprehensive analysis of an adult
mammalian testis from males in which sex determination is driven by autosomal
Sox9.
I examined spermatogenesis and fertility of males with a deletion removing
the endogenous Sry (YTdym1) and testis determination driven by Sox9
(XYTdym1Sox9) or Sry (XYTdym1Sry) transgenes. XYTdym1Sox9 males had ~2fold higher expression of Sox9 in 11.5 dpc genital ridges and in adult testes.
Testes from XYTdym1Sox9 males had reduced size, altered shape and
vasculature, and an increased incidence of defects in seminiferous epithelium
adjacent to coelomic vessel. Sperm analyses showed no differences between
XYTdym1Sry and XYTdym1Sox9 males. Fecundity studies revealed that all males
were fertile and yielded similar average numbers of pup/litters. When sperm
function was tested in vitro, sperm from XYTdym1Sry and XYTdym1Sox9 males
fertilized with similar efficiency. The majority of 2-cell embryos (>70%) developed
to healthy blastocysts. Our findings support that males lacking Sry can be fertile.
Transgenic Sox9 overexpression results in certain testicular abnormalities but this
do not translate into fertility impairment. (Supported with NIH HD072380 and HCF
14ADVC-64546 grants to MAW).
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Sitara Palecanda
Marine Biology
Shifts in Opsin Expression During the Larval to Adult Transition in
Pullosquilla thomassini (Crustacea, Stomatopoda)
Authors: Sitara Palecanda , Albert Chan , Megan L. Porter
Abstract: Stomatopods possess one of the most intricate visual systems in nature.
Each of their independent stalked eyes has multiple spectral and polarization
channels, with some species possessing up to 16 different photoreceptors and 33
different opsin proteins. Amazingly the complex retina responsible for these
abilities is formed in a relatively short time during the last phase of larval
development and is accompanied by a degeneration of the larval retina. For this
reason, very little is known about visual systems in larval stomatopods. Using
transcriptomic analyses, we aim to identify the opsin proteins expressed at
multiple larval and adult developmental stages and use this information to form a
better picture of how the stomatopod sensory system develops. Transcriptomes of
retinal tissue from adult Pullosquilla thomassini, a species which possesses the
most complex of stomatopod eye types, have been assembled using trinity.
Preliminary data suggests that adult P. thomassini possess 10-12 mid-wavelength
sensitive and 6 long wavelength sensitive opsins. In addition to opsin genes we
have also found evidence for the expression of other phototransduction genes
including Gqα, TRP channels, and arrestin proteins. With this information we are
able to produce a full picture of the visual signaling cascade from beginning to
end. The visual genes expressed in adult P. thomassini provide a template to
which we can compare future transcriptomes of larval opsin expression.
Continuing studies will incorporate transcriptomes from additional larval and
embryonic stages to create a clearer picture of the developmental transitions in
stomatopod vision.
Emilie Richards
Biology
Detecting Bias in Phylogenetic Inference: An Empirical Assessment of
Model Performance
Authors: Emilie Richards, Becky Chong, Anthony Barley, Jeremy Brown, Robert
Thomson
Abstract: Accurately resolving the ‘Tree of Life’ depends critically on statistical
models of sequence evolution. As is the case with all statistical inference, these
models are only approximations of the actual evolutionary processes that they are
7
meant to describe. When a model poorly describes a given dataset, the resulting
phylogeny can be inaccurate. Defensible methods for choosing models are
therefore a major priority for the field. Classic approaches for selecting models
focus on identifying one model from a set of candidates that provides the ‘best fit’
to the data. For complex data, it is possible that all candidate models fit the data
poorly, and thus the 'best fitting' model still provides biased results. Alternative
methods that directly assess goodness of fit are increasingly being recognized as
the means to address this problem, although this framework is still in its infancy
within phylogenetics. Here we provide the first large-scale, empirical examination
of this new framework for model selection in phylogenetics. We use phylogenies
inferred from several hundred mitochondrial genomes to assess the performance
of these new approaches in detecting poor absolute model fit. Our study provides
clear examples of when these new methods prove useful. We also detect some
unforeseen behaviors for larger, more complex datasets where these methods are
most critically needed. These issues point the way forward for future development
and improvement of this emerging framework for model selection in phylogenetics.
Raphael Ritson-Williams
Biology
Bridging the Gap from Science to Education
Authors: Raphael Ritson-Williams, Ruth Gates
Abstract: People have changed the world in various ways, many of which threaten
the natural functioning of ecosystems. Many habitats are threatened due to
anthropogenic land development and climate change. Modern interdisciplinary
science has huge potential to track these changes and predict the future of many
ecosystems, but these data remain obscure in the scientific literature. This
disconnect between scientists and the public is inhibiting management decisions
that could be critical for conservation. Education of the public is necessary to
mitigate environmental degradation and communicate the importance of local
habitats and biodiversity. To bridge this gap we have developed 5 lectures to
educate middle and high school students about diverse topics including; Climate
Change, Hawaiian Biodiversity, Marine Biodiversity, Medicines from the Sea, and
Coral Reefs. These lectures are rich in photographs and illustrations with
accompanying background notes for each slide, which can be tailored to create a
personalized presentation. These resources are downloadable as pdfs on the
website www.raphswall.com/outreach. Our goal is to facilitate outreach to middle
and high school classrooms to communicate environmental hot topics with an age
group sure to influence the future of our planet.
8
Roberto Rodriguez
Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering
Design of an Unmanned Aerial Treatment System for Invasive Species
Management
Authors: Roberto Rodriguez, Daniel Jenkins, James Leary
Abstract: Successful invasive plant management strategies need a rapid-response
capability to effectively eliminate newly discovered, incipient targets before they
expand into uncontrollable infestations. Transformative technology in manned
aerial herbicide treatment platforms have been developed for aerial
reconnaissance and surveillance operations with the value-added capability for
real-time target elimination. A translation of this capability to unmanned aerial
systems (UAS) will result in further economization of operational resources and
inherent operator risk reduction. We have designed a rapid deployable Herbicide
Ballistic Technology (HBT) platform from an unmanned aerial system (HBT-UAS)
to expand the capability of a precision, long range aerial plant target treatment in
ground-based weed surveillance. The HBT-UAS would allow ground teams to
efficiently engage inaccessible targets, e.g., colonizing cliff faces, using a line of
sight telemetry guidance system for calculating, in real time, the target location for
administering a precise treatment. This platform utilizes pesticide-filled projectiles
that are discharged from a ventrally mounted electro-pneumatic applicator on a
rotating gimbal. Preliminary data were generated using custom gimbal HBT
platform mounted on a stationary suspension for calculating force-balance,
optimized discharge pressures and precision of trajectory within a 10 m effective
range using standard 0.68 caliber paintballs. Coordinated in-flight target
engagement procedures will be developed, calibrated and vetted to be in
compliance with Federal Aviation Regulations regarding agricultural aircraft
operations.
Anne Rosinski
Marine Biology
What Do We Do Now? Finding Practical Management Strategies to Promote
Coral Reef Recovery Following Mass Bleaching in the Main Hawaiian Islands
Authors: Anne Rosinski, Charles Birkeland, Ivor Williams, Kelvin Goropse, Tom
Oliver, Jamison Gove, William Walsh
Abstract: Hawai‘i’s coral reefs suffered extensive coral bleaching due to
dramatically elevated ocean temperatures in 2014 and 2015. Although it is
predicted that mass bleaching will become an annual phenomenon in Hawai‘i by
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2050, with associated extensive coral mortality, consensus on current strategies to
promote coral recovery following bleaching events is decidedly limited. In 2016,
the State of Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of
Aquatic Resources launched an initiative to collect and aggregate the opinions of
a global group of 170 coral reef scientists and managers with relevant research
and experience. The survey results detail which management strategies are
believed to be the most ecologically effective in promoting coral reef recovery and
resilience following a mass bleaching event. This expert feedback is now being
further analyzed by the Division of Aquatic Resources for application to potential
administrative rulemaking. The project will continue with workshops as well as a
literature analysis compiling real-world examples of the recovery strategies
deemed effective by the expert group of scientists and managers.
Christina Runyon
Microbiology
Epizootiology of Black Band Disease on Scleractinian Corals of Kaua‘i,
Hawai‘i, USA
Authors: Christina Runyon, Silvia Beurmann, Blake Ushijima, Thierry Work, Greta
Aeby, Sean Callahan
Abstract: Since its discovery in the Florida Keys in 1973, black band disease
(BBD), a tissue loss disease that infects multiple coral genera in the Caribbean,
Red Sea, and Indo-Pacific, has emerged as a serious threat to the reefs
worldwide. BBD is a polymicrobial disease consisting of three main
microorganisms: a filamentous cyanobacterium, sulfide-oxidizing bacteria, and
sulfate-reducing bacteria. In 2011, the first potential outbreak of BBD was reported
in the Hawaiian Archipelago off the Island of Kaua‘i. Histology of coral lesion
samples from Kaua‘i revealed a mixed assemblage of cyanobacteria and
filamentous bacteria associated with cell necrosis. Laboratory infection trials
demonstrated that BBD lesion material infected 94.4% of exposed coral within 4
days of inoculation (n=18). Amplification and sequencing of 16S rRNA and dsrA
genes from bacteria cultured from disease lesions identified a cyanobacterium
similar to Pseudoscillatoria coralii, a sulfide-oxidizing Beggiatoa sp., and several
sulfate-reducing bacteria; showing that the three common BBD constituents are
present in lesion material from Kaua‘i. Surveys found BBD widespread on the
north and east facing shores of Kaua‘i with disease prevalence ranging from
0.24% to 7.9%; it was observed to infect three reef-building Montipora species. In
other regions, BBD prevalence increases with elevated water temperatures, and
this trend was observed with BBD on the reefs of Kaua‘i. This first report of BBD in
Hawai‘i which extends the geographic range of this disease.
10
Victor Ruthig
Anatomy Biochemistry and Physiology
Histological Verification of the Efficacy of Mouse Models for Human Male
Infertility
Authors: Victor A Ruthig, Monika A Ward
Abstract: The Y chromosome initiates male development and also carries genes
necessary for initiating and maintaining spermatogenesis. A common cause of
genetic male factor infertility are microdeletions in the azoospermic factor (AZF)
region of the human Y chromosome. The severity of the infertility depends on the
size and location of the microdeletion, and can be assessed histologically. In our
previous work we performed analyses of spermatogenesis in infertile mice with Y
chromosome deficiencies. We quantified the numbers of Sertoli cells and germ
cells and expressed the efficiency of spermatogenesis progression as Sertoli/germ
cell ratio (SGCR). We also investigated quantitatively and qualitatively, defects of
seminiferous epithelium. In this project our goal was to perform similar analyses
on testes from infertile men with azoospermia associated with Y chromosome
deletions, and relate to our findings in mice. We obtained stained testes sections
from infertile azoospermic men and from fertile men. Unlike mice, men have
chaotic and inefficient spermatogenesis. Furthermore, a biopsy from a human
testis often contains very limited amounts of tissue for quantitative assessment.
We therefore developed an alternative method for quantitative spermatogenesis
assessment, and counted cells per standard area. Out of 22 examined men, 11
were infertile, 2 of them had several AZF deletions and a Sertoli cell only (SCO)
phenotype, 3 had fewer AZF deletions and were hypospermatogenic; both of
which are the phenotypes we see in our mice. There were also similarities in germ
cell abnormalities present in the testes of both species. (Supported by NIHHD072380 and HCF-14ADVC-64546 to MAW).
Histological Assessment of Spermatogenesis in Mice with Limited Y
Chromosome Gene Contribution
Authors: Victor A Ruthig, Torbjoern Nielsen, Yasuhire Yamauchi, Monika A Ward
Abstract: Previously we reported that only two Y chromosome genes (Sry and
Eif2s3y) placed in a context of a single X chromosome (XO) are needed to
produce a male mouse that can sire offspring using assisted reproductive
techniques. Sry is responsible for testis development and Eif2s3y initiates germ
cell proliferation and differentiation. We subsequently demonstrated that the
functions of Sry and Eif2s3y can be substituted by transgenic overexpression of
their homologues encoded on other chromosomes, Sox9 and Eif2s3x,
11
respectively. In order to assess the effects of minimal Y chromosome contribution
on spermatogenesis, we examined stained testes sections from XOSry,Eif2s3y,
XOSry,Eif2s3x, XOSox9,Eif2s3y and XOSox9,Eif2s3x males, and XY wild type
males as controls. We quantified Sertoli cells, spermatogonia and round
spermatids and assessed the normalcy of seminiferous epithelium. In all males,
spermatogenesis was initiated and progressed through meiosis. However,
transgenic males exhibited meiotic and post-meiotic arrests and variable testicular
defects. Analysis revealed that transgenic males had significantly more
abnormalities than XY males. Specifically, although apoptosis was rampant in all
transgenics, it became significantly more common as less Y chromosome genes
were present. At the same time the general appearance of the testis worsened,
specifically in terms of the vasculature, which supports this tissue and is critical for
stem cell niche, O2 supply and thermal regulation of spermatogenesis. There was
a reverse trend with hypercondensed nuclei, which became less common as Y
gene content decreased. Current work is to validate previous quantitative findings
using immunohistochemistry. (Supported by NIH-HD072380 and HCF-14ADVC64546 to MAW).
Alexander Settle
Biology
Blind cavefish as a new multi-genic model for psychiatric disease
Authors: Alex Settle, Mina Yoshida , Masato Yoshizawa
Abstract: Multigenic psychiatric diseases such as autism and schizophrenia show
complex gene-gene and gene-environment interactions and require a good multigenic model animal, which can be tested under regulated conditions. The Mexican
tetra, Astyanax mexicanus, contains two major forms: surface-dwelling eyed fish
and cave-dwelling blind fish which have regressed eyes and pigment as well as
autism/schizophrenia-like behaviors, including sleep-loss, obsession with certain
stimulus, loss of socialness/schooling, and repetitive behavior. Here we describe
detailed behavioral analyses and pharmacological responses to psychiatric drugs
in cavefish. We first developed a multi-activity tracking system composed of dual
cameras and free tracking software. Based on this system, 24hr fish activities,
day/night rhythm, and sleep behavior were recorded. With the treatment of human
psychiatric drugs, serotonin uptake blocker Fluoxetine and serotonin receptor
blocker Clozapine, recovered sleep and reduced hyper activity in cavefish were
observed with no change in surface fish behaviors. In 5-6 µM of Fluoxetine or
Clozapine, cavefish activity slowed at night and showed sleep-like rest similar to
surface fish. This behavioral change indicates a dose-dependent response,
suggesting the existing similarity between human autism/schizophrenia and
Astyanax cavefish “symptoms.” We have not detected any behavioral change with
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the Opioid blocker, Naltrexone indicating that Opioid-signaling is not likely
involved. Together with current behavioral assessments to measure the obsession
with certain vibrating stimuli and repetitive behavior, we suggest the Mexican blind
cavefish, Astyanax mexicanus has significant potential to be a new multi-genic
model for psychiatric diseases.
Nozomi Shimizu
Marine Biology
Identification of cryptic siphonous green algae through molecular analysis
and observation of developmental strategies
Authors: Nozomi Shimizu
Abstract: Siphonous green algae –the order Bryopsidales– are a diverse and
sometimes dominant plant group in many coastal reefs and benthic communities.
These algae often serve as primary producers and several genera produce
carbonate, which supplement reef structure and sand deposition. Despite their
importance, reproductive strategies and structures as well as complete life
histories have not been fully described for about a third of the known genera. For
example, reproductive structures of the invasive leather mud-weed Avrainvillea
amadelpha remain unknown. When Rhipidosiphon javensis was put in culture,
plants attained larger sizes, formed gametangia and released gametes allowing
this development to be described for the first time. This study aims to identify
diminutive siphonous green algae that remain undescribed through a molecular
analysis and examination of developmental strategies. Small rubble pieces (n=36)
will be randomly collected along the south shore of O‘ahu over the period from
February to May, 2016. Collected substrates will be cultured in mesocosms, and
the diminutive algae will be allowed to grow in size, leading to possible
identification. The development of these newly emerged algae will be documented
by photo analysis and will be subsequently processed through molecular analyses
for ultimate identification, if sufficient tissues are available. Discovery of new taxa
and/or reproductive structures of siphonous green algae should allow us to gain a
better understanding of their life histories, the diversity in our marine flora, as well
as the evolutionary relationships within and between species.
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Caitlin Shishido
Zoology
Temperature, body size, and pycnogonid metabolism
Authors: C. M. Shishido, A. L. Moran, S. J. Lane, B. W. Tobalske, H. A. Woods
Abstract: As global temperatures continue to rise, it is increasingly important to
understand how key physiological processes such as obtaining oxygen from the
surrounding environment are affected by environmental temperature. Body size is
an important parameter because larger-bodied animals need more oxygen but
may have a more difficult time obtaining it; thus, larger organisms may be
disproportionately sensitive to warming, particularly in aquatic environments. We
are investigating the interactions between temperature, size, and oxygen
consumption in pycnogonids (sea spiders), a group that occurs in most marine
environments and that contains spectacular examples of polar gigantism. We
worked with temperate (Friday Harbor, WA) and polar (McMurdo Sound,
Antarctica) pycnogonid species in the genus Achelia. To assess whether
temperature and body size interact to influence metabolism, we measured oxygen
consumption of animals from a range of body sizes that were exposed to a range
of temperatures (12 to 28°C in Friday Harbor and -1.8 to 4°C in McMurdo Sound).
In Friday Harbor and McMurdo, oxygen consumption increased with both
temperature and body size but larger pycnogonids did not appear to be
disproportionately affected by higher temperatures. NSF PLR- 1341485.
Amanda Shore-Maggio
Microbiology
Sources of Vibrio coralliilyticus Strain OCN008 in Kāneʻohe Bay, Hawai‘i and
the Effect of Decreased Salinity on Infection of the Coral Montipora Capitata
Authors: Amanda Shore-Maggio, Greta Aeby, Sean Callahan
Abstract: Identifying sources of coral pathogens and understanding environmental
risk factors is important for predicting and mitigating coral disease outbreaks. In
Hawai‘i, Montipora White Syndrome (MWS) is a tissue loss disease with
numerous outbreaks occurring in Kāneʻohe Bay during the winter when heavy rain
events are more common. The bacterium, Vibrio coralliilyticus strain OCN008, has
been shown to cause acute tissue loss consistent with MWS. In order to identify
sources of this pathogen in Kāneʻohe Bay, seawater, terrestrial
freshwater/sediment, and marine organisms were sampled and tested for the
presence of OCN008. In addition, manipulative experiments were conducted to
determine if decreased salinity increased disease risk for corals by reducing the
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amount of bacteria needed to cause infections. OCN008 was detected in
freshwater and several marine organisms, including gobies, corallivorous
butterflyfish, coral-associated invertebrates, and the coral host (Montipora
capitata). Manipulative experiments showed that exposure to decreased salinity
did not create lesions in corals but the decreased salinity allowed OCN008
infections to occur at a lower dose (106 cell/mL vs. 108 cells/mL). OCN008 was
found in multiple biotic and abiotic sources in Kāneʻohe Bay, suggesting that
corals have many opportunities for exposure to this pathogen. We also found that
adverse environmental conditions that lower salinity (e.g. heavy rainfall) could
make M. capitata more susceptible to infection by V. coralliilyticus strain OCN008
and offer insight for predicting disease outbreaks in Kāneʻohe Bay.
Victoria Sindorf
Marine Biology
Detection of Chronic Stress in Corals Exposed to Invasive Alagae Mats
Authors: Victoria Sindorf, Robert Richmond
Abstract: Invasive algae mats like those common in Kāne‘ohe Bay, O‘ahu, are
known to negatively affect coral health and recruitment through a variety of
mechanisms including shading, abrasion, oxidative stress, and allelopathic
interactions. Algae-induced stress has thus far been documented through
changes in photosynthetic efficiency and coloration (bleaching) of the coral, and
these studies have been largely accomplished through experimental manipulation,
inflicting acute stress on coral nubbins. Few studies have investigated the stress
response of corals chronically exposed to algae-induced stress, and fewer have
used molecular methods to demonstrate and quantify this stress. This study
focuses on Porites compressa colonies in chronic contact with the invasive alga
Kappaphycus alvarezii on naturally occurring patch reefs in Kāne‘ohe Bay, O‘ahu,
Hawai‘i. Our findings demonstrate the ability of these methods to detect and
monitor coral stress before outward signs of stress such as bleaching are evident,
which will allow for more proactive management of at-risk coral reef ecosystems.
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Vithanage Nipuni Shalika Sirimalwatta
Botany
Phylogeny, Evolution, and Biogeography of the genera Radiogrammitis
Parris and Oreogrammitis Copel. (Polypodiaceae)
Authors: V.N.S. Sirimalwatta, Clifford W. Morden, Tom A. Ranker
Abstract: Grammitid ferns (Polypodiaceae) have nearly 900 species in 33 currently
recognized genera of epiphytic leptosporangiate ferns that are widely distributed
throughout the world. Among them, almost all of the Neotropical and many
Paleotropical genera have been resolved by recent molecular phylogenetic
studies based on plastid genes. But, several Paleotropical genera
(Radiogrammitis, Oreogrammitis, and Themelium) need additional study resolve
the limits and phylogenetic relationships of clades. The objective of this study is to
develop a detailed phylogeny of species treated in Radiogrammitis and
Oreogrammitis using molecular and morphological data. From this, generic
boundaries and relationships, evolution and biogeography will be examined. The
initial analysis of genomic DNA from 35 different species, in Radiogrammitis and
Oreogrammitis including Themelium and the outgroup Prosaptia, was done with
eight nuclear markers. Out of eight, three nuclear markers (IBR3, gapCp, and
pgiC) yielded DNA sequences for most of the samples tested. Maximum
Likelihood analysis was carried out for and IBR3 dataset as implemented in
RAXML in CIPRES using the HKY+G model, which was the best-fit substitution
model for the sequences determined using jMODELTEST version 2.0. The
topology of the ML tree recovered was similar to that generated from plastid data.
Species in two different genera show polyphyletic relationships and species of
Themelium also nested within the focal genera. Poor phylogenetic resolution
among the species could be due to low variation in the IBR3marker or the low
number of samples included in the analysis. Sample collections and fieldwork will
be done to increase the taxa in the study and additional nuclear primers to
generate longer reads will be designed and identified in the second phase of this
study.
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Adam Smith
Zoology
Transmission beam characteristics of a Risso's dolphin (Grampus griseus)
Authors: Adam B. Smith, Laura N. Kloepper, Brendan P. Rideout, Jocelyn E.
Lindner, Wei-Cheng Yang, I-Fan Jen, Paul E. Nachtigall
Abstract: All odontocetes studied to date have shown highly developed biosonar
systems. One species that remains little studied is the Risso's dolphin (G.
griseus), which has evolved a unique vertical crease on the anterior of its melon.
This crease is not found in any other odontocete species and its function is
unknown. The placement of the cleft on the melon may indicate its function is
related to the echolocation system of the animal. The current study measured
echolocation beam characteristics of a trained, captive Risso's dolphin to provide
a more detailed understanding of the acoustic systems of the species and
investigate the potential acoustic function of the unique melon morphology of the
species. Echolocation signals were recorded with an array of 16 hydrophones and
the two dimensional echolocation beam shape was explored using frequencydependent amplitude plots, while the animal's body position was monitored and
analyzed in video recordings. Analysis revealed the echolocation beam was
projected from the melon in a primarily single lobed and occasionally dual-lobed
orientation in a similar fashion to the bottlenose dolphin and false killer whale.
Beam directivity of Risso's dolphin was found to be greater than that of the harbor
porpoise, bottlenose dolphin, and false killer whale. Furthermore, the relationship
between frequency content, beam directivity, and head size for this animal
deviated from the trend described for other species. These are the first
measurements of the Risso's dolphin echolocation beam, and the first data
indicating a potential acoustic function of the melon cleft.
Thomas Smith
Zoology
I come from the land down under: ecological niche modeling of hierarchical
spatial scales to predict the range of an invasive skink in Hawai‘i
Authors: Thomas AH Smith
Abstract: The delicate skink, Lampropholis delicata, represents an example of a
successful invasive reptile with a single introduction, from a single source
population with limited genetic diversity. All individuals across the main Hawaiian
Islands share one haplotype with their introduction source in suburban Brisbane,
Australia. The extent of the native range of the species, however spans the entire
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eastern coast of Australia, and includes 120 haplotypes. The source of the
introduction represents a small geographic area with a narrow range of
environmental conditions relative to its introduced range in the Hawaiian Islands.
Nineteen environmental variables were obtained from BioClim and occurrence
records were collected from VertNet for both the native and introduced ranges,
and ecological niche models (ENMSs) were constructed using Maxent. Therefore,
the objectives of this study were to use population, clade, and entire native
distribution environmental data to 1) model whether conditions present at the
source population accurately predict the niche of introduced populations and 2)
use this prediction to evaluate potential range expansions. This study has
implications for the long-term invasion assessment and management strategy of
L. delicata across the Pacific Basin as well as implications for invasive systems of
similar taxa where limited native geographic ranges or single introductions
obscure the potential invasibility in a novel environment.
Mireille Steck
Marine Biology
Phototransduction characterization in the Stomatopod, Alima pacifica
Authors: Mireille Steck, Vittoria Roncalli, Matthew Cieslak, Andy Christie, Petra
Lenz, Megan Porter
Abstract: Adult stomatopods have complex eyes which include large, ocular
midbands - consisting of 6 rows of ommatidia - specialized for color and
polarization vision. Previous research of stomatopod adult eyes found more
expressed opsin transcripts than expected based on photoreceptor diversity.
During development, however, larval stomatopods transition from a retina with few
photoreceptors to an adult retina with many photoreceptors. Yet, few studies have
investigated the simple larval eyes, or the transition from simple to complex eye in
this group of crustaceans. In an attempt to understand why this developmental
shift occurs, transcriptomic analyses of three Alima pacifica larvae were done
using dissected larval and adult retinal tissue from the double retinas of last-stage
larvae. In contrast to other stomatopod species, A. pacifica have only two midband
rows; this reduced adult eye will allow us to elucidate relationships between eye
development, complexity, and related molecular components.
RNA sequencing was performed with Illumina Sequencers and resulting raw
reads were assembled in Trinity. Phototransduction genes were then identified
using Phylogenetically-Informed Annotation. These analyses found 8 opsins
expressed in larval tissue as compared to 10 identified in developing adult retinal
tissue. Multiple transcripts for other phototransduction components, such as TRP
channels, Gqα subunits and arrestins were also found. These data indicate opsin
gene duplication events have occurred recently and frequently in A. pacifica and,
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that despite having fewer midband rows than many other species, there is still a
high level of complexity in the phototransduction pathway of these animals.
Carl Thompson
Geography
Carbon Isotope Analysis of Hawaiian Land Snail Shells for Paleo-Climate
Reconstruction
Authors: Carl Thompson
Abstract: The climate is changing, but it what extinct the impact of this change will
have on human well-being and quality remains difficult to determine due to the
unknowns and uncertainties associated with climate change. Paleo-climatology is
an effective method to eliminate some of the uncertainty and provide insight into
how regions may have responded to major changes to climate changes in the
past.
Research over the last century attests to the fact that the Hawaiian Islands
have undergone episodic transformation during its geological history. However,
the terrestrial changes are not as well documented as the marine changes. Snail
shells which have been preserved in the arid micro-climates of the Hawaiian
Islands hold tremendous potential for providing information on prehistoric
environmental conditions, and even helping to predict the pace and severity of
future environmental change. There are a community of the snail’s assemblages,
which are known to exist only in upper elevations within cloud forest. From
observation, we can determine that the region has changed. By using the
proposed techniques, it will be possible to determine the rate and degree of
ecosystem transformation. Ka’ena Point shells can be used to infer ancient
climate conditions using chemical isotope ratio comparison methods. They can be
used to obtain isotopic data to inform us of paleo-climatic conditions in the
Hawaiian Islands and elucidate mechanisms driving changes.
Molly Timmers
Biology
Star Wars: the crown-of-thorns awakens
Authors: Molly Timmers
Abstract: One of the greatest threats to coral reefs is a population outbreak of the
coral-eating crown-of-thorns sea star, Acanthaster planci. Outbreaks are defined
by episodes of unsustainably high densities of sea stars, which can result in mass
moralities of corals. Although there is on-going controversy regarding the cause(s)
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of outbreaks, one of the most accepted hypotheses, the nutrient enrichment
hypothesis, proposes that outbreaks are driven from environmental and
anthropogenic impacts that enhance phytoplankton biomass, a food source of
larval sea stars. I propose to investigate drivers of near-shore nutrient
enhancement, which can include land-based sources of population and coastal
oceanography, to examine the population dynamics of this fecund broadcast
spawner in the U.S. Pacific Islands.
Crystal Valdez
Biology
Gut morphology and its symbiotic microbiota evolved under food-sparse
cave environment
Authors: Crystal Valdez, Kate Coyle, Reade Roberts, Masato Yoshizawa
Abstract: Evolutionary specialization for use of different food sources is
responsible for much of the phenotypic and species diversity. Intestinal
development and homeostasis is the key to adaptation to different diets and is
multifactorial, impacted by genetics, diet, and the microbial communities housed in
the gut. Here we describe morphological and symbiosis evolution in the gut
system of Mexican Astyanax fish. In Astyanax mexicanus, omnivorous, surfacedwelling ancestors were trapped in perpetually dark and food-sparse caves, and
adapted to this environment over millions of years. We investigated gut
morphology and gut microbiota in surface fish, cavefish and their F1 hybrid under
two different diet conditions: nutrient rich-brine shrimp and lean spirulina algae.
With the same brine shrimp diet, cavefish intestines appeared to be significantly
wider and its microvilli are also significantly longer than those of surface fish. In
addition, cavefish have fewer extra pouch-like structures called pyloric caeca,
which are located at the junction between stomach and intestine and are thought
to release digestive enzymes. These results, suggest the involvement of genetics
in gut morphological changes. The sequencing of 16S ribosomal RNA genes
revealed that the intestinal microbes are significantly different among surface fish,
cavefish and F1 hybrid even under the same feeding condition. This also suggests
the significant involvement of genetic factors rather than environmental factors. In
summary, our collaborative project provides a foundation to analyze the evolution
of the gut and its symbioses due to the shift of diet.
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Sarah Maile Vasconcellos
Botany
Development of outplanting methods for native species of Sargassum in
Hawaiʻi
Authors: Sarah Maile K. Vasconcellos
Abstract: Invasive algae are threats to Hawaiian coastal ecosystems. As numbers
of fish and urchins decline, resource managers control invasive algae by
employing tools simulating massive herbivore grazing (Supersucker) or by
releasing generalist grazers (Tripneustes gratilla). The goal of this study is to
develop a new method that could lead to the ability to outplant native reef species
in the once-dominant genus, Sargassum. In Spring 2016, a preliminary nursery
trial was run at Ānuenue Fisheries Research Center (AFRC) State of Hawai‘i.
Fertile Sargassum (limu kala) were collected and suspended in a water-filled
outdoor mesocosm to allow for external fertilization. Resulting zygotes settled on
7.5 x 2.5 cm limestone tiles tied to plastic mesh, creating a 'limu module' (LM) that
can be handled easily underwater. After four weeks, one LM was outplanted
weekly for four weeks along the harbor side of AFRC. In past trials, germlings in
mesocosms grew to 2 cm in height after three months, demonstrating the potential
for germlings to grow on tiles. Findings from current trials will test differences in
growth between germlings in the harbor nursery versus tank culture. Germlings
are expected to grow more rapidly and acclimate to natural conditions in the
nursery. Upon reaching a minimum height, 2.5-5 cm, individuals will be outplanted
along a gradient of higher water-motion sites. Replanting limu kala to reefs is
expected ultimately to enhance recruitment of native species and compete directly
with invasive algae. Developing limu outplanting methods will enhance biocontrol
methods in the effort to restore Hawaiian reefs.
Lindsay Veazey
Biology
The implementation of rare events logistic regression to predict the
distribution of mesophotic hard corals across the main Hawaiian Islands
Authors: Lindsay Veazey, Erik Franklin, Christopher Kelley, John Rooney
Abstract: Predictive habitat suitability models are powerful tools for cost-effective,
mathematically robust ecological assessment. The aim of this study was to
develop a predictive habitat suitability model for two genera (Leptoseris and
Montipora) of mesophotic scleractinian corals across the main Hawaiian Islands.
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The mesophotic zone (30 - 180 m) is challenging to reach, and therefore
historically understudied, because it falls between the maximum limit of SCUBA
divers and the minimum typical working depth of submersible vehicles. Here, we
implement a logistic regression with rare events corrections to account for the
scarcity of presence observations within the dataset. These corrections reduced
the coefficient error and improved overall prediction success (73.6% and 74.3%)
for both original regression models. Predictions were translated to spatially
independent habitat suitability maps of the main Hawaiian Islands at 25 m2
resolution. Our maps are the first of their kind to use extant presence and absence
data to examine the habitat preferences of these two dominant mesophotic coral
genera across Hawaiʻi.
Rachael Wade
Botany
Assessment of Plakobranchus sp. (Sacoglossa, Opisthobranchia)
kleptoplast diversity across the Main Hawaiian Islands
Authors: RM Wade, Kimberly Conklin, Alison Sherwood
Abstract: Plakobranchus sp. is a common algivorous sea slug found throughout
the tropical Pacific. It is known for kleptoplasty – the stealing and retention of
chloroplasts from its algal food sources. Plakobranchus exclusively sequesters
chloroplasts from the highly diverse, siphonous green algal orders Bryopsidales
and Dasycladales, and therefore can be used as an additional sampling tool to
traditional surveying techniques to assess their diversity. Studies thus far have
focused on the kleptoplasty of Plakobranchus populations in the Western Pacific,
and only one site has been assessed in its easternmost populations in the Main
Hawaiian Islands. This study aims to assess Plakobranchus’ kleptoplast diversity,
and therefore siphonous green algal diversity, across the Main Hawaiian
archipelago. Slugs were collected from 10 sites in winter and spring to capture
archipelago-wide diversity and account for seasonal variability in both the slugs
and algae. A portion of the chloroplast rbcL marker was amplified and sequenced
for each slug in a multiplexed, high thoroughput sequencing run on an Illumina
MiSeq platform. Molecular analyses of Plakobranchus’ kleptoplasts suggest that
despite being collected from highly variable ecosystems (e.g. patch reefs,
tidepools, etc.), comparable algal kleptoplast source diversity is found across
sites. These results suggest that the Main Hawaiian Islands have what could be
considered a ubiquitous community of diminutive, bryopsidalean algae. These
communities have gone unnoticed in the past due to their small size and cryptic
morphology. This study illustrates that investigation of plant-herbivore interactions
can provide a richer understanding of ecosystem composition and dynamics as a
whole.
22
Eric Wadnal
Oceanography
Calibration and Analysis of Coastal O‘ahu pH Data
Authors: Eric Wadnal
Abstract: Recently ocean acidification (OA) has received increased attention from
scientists due to its potential adverse effects on marine ecosystems, so obtaining
an accurate and precise pH measurement in the coastal ocean is critical. This
project aims to obtain the most precise pH measurements possible using a pH
spectrophotometer, and will use these measurements to correct time series data
and determine the data’s reliability. Additionally, other parameters with time series
data are used to analyze influences to coastal pH of O‘ahu. Data from three PMEL
MAPCO2 buoys around O‘ahu were used for this project; two of the buoys are
located on fringing reefs of the south shore and one on the barrier reef in
Kāneʻohe Bay. For each buoy location, bottle samples were collected in situ at
times corresponding to when the SeaFET (a pH instrument attached to the buoy)
is programmed to measure pH in order to calibrate the time series data collected
by the SeaFET. Spectrophotometrically measured pH differed from the SeaFET
measurements by a small, yet significant value. Analysis of the pH data shows
positive correlations between Dissolved Oxygen at both south shore buoys, as
well as some relationship with chlorophyll and turbidity. The pH data collected at
each of the three locations can be considered reliable based on the
spectrophotometric measurements, and each is influenced by slightly varying
factors.
Chris Wall
SOEST/CNS
Ocean acidification and irradiance effects on the energy reserves and
calcification of the reef coral Pocillopora damicornis
Authors: CB Wall, W Ellis, R Mason, Dr. R Cunning and Dr. R Gates
Abstract: Ocean acidification (OA) from increased concentrations of pCO2 in
seawater is predicted to reduce calcification rates in reef corals, and may affect
the storage and metabolism of physiologically important energy reserves (lipids,
carbohydrates, proteins). Irradiance levels affect the bioenergetics of reef corals,
and the effects of OA are modulated by coral light environment. However, the
interactive effects of OA and irradiance on coral energy reserves are not well
understood. This study used fragments of the reef coral Pocillopora damicornis
from Kāne‘ohe Bay, Hawai‘i, to test for light (400 vs. 800 umol photons m-2 s-1)
and pCO2 (439 vs. 812 ppm) effects on calcification, photopigment and symbiont
densities, and the concentration of biomass energy reserves (total biomass, lipids,
carbohydrates, protein). Fragments (N = 168) from seven adult coral colonies
were exposed to treatments in 24 flow-through aquaria (n = 6 replicate
tanks/treatment) for 23 d. Results revealed no effect of OA, irradiance, or their
interaction on area-normalized coral calcification, symbiont density, and total
biomass or biomass-normalized energy reserve concentrations. Chlorophyll a and
chlorophyll c2 cm-2 were affected by irradiance, being greater in low-irradiance
corals. These findings suggest OA does not interact with irradiance to affect the
concentrations of energy reserve biomass in this ecotype of P. damicornis.
Further, under ecologically relevant irradiances P. damicornis may be resistant to
the OA-driven reduction in calcification reported for other reef corals.
Michael Wallstrom
Biology
Family affairs of horny sponges: A phylogenetic and morphological
description of a new invasive-algae-associated Pacific species, Igernella
hawaiiensis (Porifera, Demospongiae) with implications for the Igernella and
Dendrilla genera
Authors: Michael A. Wallstrom, Áki J. Láruson, Floyd A. Reed
Abstract: A previously undescribed species of keratose sponge closely associated
with, and commonly found in, invasive algal mats on Oʻahu is identified. This new
species, Igernella hawaiiensis, constitutes a second Indo-Pacific species of
Igernella. We place this species into the larger phylogenetic context of the
Dendrilla and Igernella genera which are divided between the families of
Darwinellidae and Dictyodendrillidae respectively. The relative phylogenetic
positions of these species underscore the currently inconsistent taxonomy of this
species group. An updated key for the Igernella genus is provided and a call is
made for future work to develop a general revision of the taxonomy of the
Dendroceratida order of keratose sponges, as well as the need for follow-up work
to understand the role of I. hawaiiensis in invasive species ecology and coral reef
conservation in the Central Pacific.
Sean Wilbur
Zoology
The effects of oxygen supply when immersed on the thermal limits of the
wave-zone echinoderm Colobocentrotus atratus
Authors: Sean Wilbur, Amy Moran
2
Abstract: The thermal limits of marine ectotherms are hypothesized to be limited
by oxygen demand. This limit arises from an animal’s metabolic demand
outpacing oxygen supply and delivery with increasing temperatures. The
application of this theory to the intertidal, where animals are exposed to extreme
temperature ranges and emersion, will be important in our understanding of how
oxygen delivery capacity can limit vertical distributions. We will test the upper
thermal limit of attachment in a wave-zone obligate urchin, Colobocentrotus
atratus, under both enriched and depleted oxygen conditions, to determine if these
urchins are limited by oxygen availability in water when exposed to increased
temperatures. To test if the performance of wave-exposed urchins is oxygenlimited at higher temperatures when submerged, we will expose them to
temperatures ranging from 24 to 40⁰ C in 2⁰ C increments at normal, enriched,
and depleted oxygen levels. The upper thermal limit will be determined by the
temperature at which surface attachment fails under each of these conditions. The
resulting thermal limits will determine if the availability of oxygen influences the
ability of C. atratus to maintain attachment in water under thermal stress. If
performance can be maintained at high temperatures by increasing oxygen
supply, this will suggest that reduced performance at higher temperatures is
largely caused by an oxygen limitation. Showing a decline in performance while
thermally stressed, due to a mismatch between the oxygen supply in water and
metabolic demand, would indicate wave-zone organisms are physiologically
limited while submerged.
Morgan Winston
Marine Biology
Intraspecific variability in the life history of coral reef fishes amongst photic
and mesophotic communities in the central Pacific
Authors: Morgan Winston, Brett Taylor, Mark Hixon, Erik Franklin
Abstract: Many inhabitants of mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs), such as reef
fishes, represent a lower depth distribution of their species as they are also found
occupying shallow coral reefs in relatively close geographic proximity. Research
on fishes associated with MCEs is sparse; hence there is a critical lack of
knowledge of how reef fish found at mesophotic depths may vary from their
shallow reef complements. We investigated intraspecific variability in growth,
reproductive potential and energy partitioning of three Hawaiian endemics
collected from shallow, photic reefs and MCEs throughout the Hawaian
Archipelago and Johnston Atoll: the detritivorous goldring surgeonfish
Ctenochaetus strigosus, and the planktivorous threespot chromis Chromis verater
and Hawaiian dascyllus Dascyllus albisella. The von Bertalanffy growth function
3
was used to establish species-specific growth models using otolith-derived ages,
and energy investment towards reproduction and body condition was quantified
using the gonado-somatic index and Fulton’s condition index. Body condition was
higher for all species in shallow waters than MCEs, however reproductive
investment appeared to vary between species with depth depending on dietary
preference. Fish may also exhibit a faster growth rate in shallow waters than
MCEs, while still achieving comparable life spans. This ongoing study addresses
the life history of coral reef fish, a key component of both shallow and mesophotic
reef communities, while providing structure for the development of conservation
and fisheries management tools in understudied mesophotic environments.
Nicole Yamase
Botany
Effects of the 2015-16 El Niño on Near-shore Reefs and Local Communities
in the U.S. Affiliated Island-States, Pohnpei and Chuuk
Authors: Nicole Yamase, Carl Noblitt, Tim Davidson, Dr. Celia Smith
Abstract: Extreme ENSO events are rare—only three in the last 30 years—yet
powerful agents of ecological change. In 2015, increased sea surface
temperatures associated with the ongoing El Niño drove fine-scale coral bleaching
and large-scale loss of coral reefs throughout the central Pacific. In the cooler
western Pacific, sea levels have fallen to unprecedented low marks leading to
coral reef exposure, mortality, and possible phase shifts in dominant biota. As a
result, these environmental changes will have an impact on all islands and
peoples in the western Pacific region. Studies that document the effects of these
changes on the reefs and local communities are very limited. The objective of this
study is to gather information by speaking to local fishermen and individuals of the
local communities in two U.S. Affiliated island-states, Chuuk and Pohnpei, in the
Federated States of Micronesia. These surveys will attempt to document how
near-shore coral reefs and highly dependent fishing communities are affected by
these environmental changes. This natural phenomenon will likely result in the
loss of reef areas, which would be a widespread and devastating impact to the
ecology, economy, and health of local subsistence-fishing communities and the
nations of the Tropical Western Pacific. Understanding the effects of this extreme
El Niño will allow us to build resilience not only for the local island communities,
but the marine biota, as well.
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Debbi Yoshimoto
Marine Biology
Analyzing algal parameters as a function of nitrogen in submarine
groundwater discharge, on two shores of Oʻahu
Authors: Debbi Yoshimoto
Abstract: Land-based sources of pollution impact the health of reefs leading to
habitat changes and overall shifts in the biotic composition of coastal ecosystems.
Increasingly groundwater flows in urban regions contains elevated nutrients
released into coastal waters when submarine groundwater discharge (SGD)
occurs. An elevated level of nutrients can enhance algae growth and cause an
overabundance over weedy species in the benthic community and a loss in coral
abundance. In this study, SGD has been evaluated singly and in combination with
other factors that are known to influence the composition of a community. Benthic
surveys were taken by spanning two transect lines for 50 meters and a quadrat
photographed every five meters, near SGD sources and at control sites, along
with collection of benthic algal tissues to test for nitrogen composition. This work
was done at five study sites, two on the northeast shore: Heʻeia Kea Pier,
Kāneʻohe Beach Park and three on the south shore: Kawaiʻkui, Wailupe,
Kaʻalawai, regions known to be dominated by invasive Gracilaria salicornia and
abundant SGD. Through testing nitrogen isotopes, quantifying percent benthic
cover and evaluation of biological impacts of these already well characterized
sites impacted by SGD, we will test the influence of SGD on algal growth and
community composition. Comparisons among sites on Oʻahu will begin to provide
a more comprehensive view of these interactions and allow resource managers to
gain more understanding of the effects of SGD in coastal settings.
Lauren Yumol
Global Environmental Science
Species Specific Response to Regional Warming of the Antarctic Peninsula
Authors: Lauren Yumol, David Beilman
Abstract: Ecosystems of the western Antarctic Peninsula (wAP) are currently
experiencing one of the fastest rates of regional warming in the world. Aerobic
moss-dominated peatbanks, which have the most flourishing vegetation in this icedominated region, were examined at several locations along the wAP to determine
the effects of recent warming on plant growth conditions over space and time.
Living plants of the dominant moss bank species, Polytrichum strictum, were
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collected from 13 sites between 64⁰ 09' and 67⁰ 35'S and a core was raised from
a P. strictum moss bank at 65⁰ 14’S. Stable isotope ratios were measured in
modern and fossil plant tissue. Modern plant δ13C values varied from -31.7 to 27‰ and were more influenced by within-site microclimate and tissue type than
geographic position. Modern plant δ15N values range from -1.4 to +14.7‰ and
showed little tissue effect. Over time, stratigraphic core results revealed that δ13C
values between -30.3 to -26.1‰ over recent growing seasons are most depleted
than anytime during the last millennia, and more depleted than can be explained
by changes in atmospheric 13CO2. Enriched δ15N values of +10.0 to +12.8‰ in
plant tissue deposited since 1555 cal year BP relative to more depleted values
between +7.1 and +8.6‰ suggest a shift towards trophically-enriched animal
inputs. The overall results of the δ13C values suggests P. strictum plants have
experienced unprecedented growth conditions in recent decades and, as
evidenced by δ15N values, there is a possibility that moss bank ecosystems have
changed nutrient sources and amounts over time on the wAP.
Julie Zill
Marine Biology
Asymmetrical mesopredator release: Moray eels inconspicuously
predominate heavily fished reefs
Authors: Julie Zill, Megan Donahue
Abstract: Populations of apex predators have declined globally due to human
activities. In the absence of sufficient top-down control, mid-level predators can
increase drastically in number (termed “mesopredator release”), which may lead
to a trophic cascade that severely impacts the bottom-level prey populations in an
ecosystem. On densely populated, accessible coastlines of the Main Hawaiian
Islands, few large piscivorous fish remain. Nonetheless, these habitats are not
functionally devoid of apex predators; rather, on heavily fished reefs, fishermen
have act as a top predator in the system. However, prey selectivity of humans
differ from that of the natural predator assemblage, exerting high levels of topdown control on some targeted fishes and little pressure on non-target species,
such as moray eels. Due to their cryptic nature, moray eels are underestimated in
visual fish surveys. Consequently, almost no accurate data is available on eel
abundances over space or time. Here, we developed a novel eel surveying
technique that involves chum deployment on a defined transect to obtain a more
accurate eel density estimate. We use this method to then examine how the eel
biomass density relative to other reef fishes changes across a gradient of fishing
intensity. We hypothesize that the reduction and replacement of natural apex
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predators with human predators has led to an asymmetrical release of moray eels
from top-down control in heavily fished areas.
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