Written by Kamila Koralasbayev, Dean of Research undergraduate intern hosted by Dr. Robert Lamb, faculty at UF/IFAS Nature Coast Biological Station
Our Research Question
This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to go to the Galapagos Islands with Dr. Robert Lamb as an IFAS/NCBS intern. The main goal of our trip was to explore the effects of warming ocean temperatures on the populations and food webs of several marine species, including fish, barnacles, urchins, and coral. Due to the climate pattern known as El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), we were able to take advantage of a natural temperature gradient mimicking climate change in order to understand how local species respond to ocean warming. Some research questions that we are exploring include potential disease outbreaks, parasite susceptibility, population fluctuations, and food web changes. The Galapagos Islands are known for their amazing biodiversity both on land and underwater, with staggering water temperature differences just a boat ride away from each other. This unique oceanography allows us to study a vast array of species and ecosystem types.
Day in the Life
My typical day would either be on the water or in the lab. My team and I went on several dive trips over the 3-week stay on the islands. During a dive, I would measure pencil urchin test diameters and spine lengths. Later in the lab we will investigate potential correlations between these biological characteristics and the dimensions of the shelters that urchins choose during the day (they are nocturnal). This was done to study how pencil urchins in the Galapagos choose shelters and if their choice is affected by predation pressure. Other members of the dive team would collect fish, urchins, barnacles, and coral to be processed later in the lab. We would also do CTD scans to test the conductivity and temperature in terms of depth, creating thermoclines and haloclines.
Our team worked in the Charles Darwin Research Station alongside scientists from across the world. I met researchers from Chile, Israel, and Germany, as well as Penn State, Brown, and UC Santa Cruz, all working on distinctive projects. During our time at the station, we dissected over 350 fish, collecting liver and muscle tissue for stable isotope samples that will be used for tracking the level of dependence on different trophic pathways. We also collected gills to monitor parasitism in relation to temperature. For example, in the image on the right, we discovered several isopod parasites in the King angelfish (Holocanthus passer) gills and mouth. Next, we collected gut contents for metabarcoding research, using genetic IDs to detect what species each fish is eating. Finally, we collected inner ear bones (otoliths) to monitor growth rate in response to temperature. Special thanks to Dr. Roy Yanong of UF’s Tropical Aquaculture Laboratory, Dr. Felipe Pierezan of UF College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Don Behringer of UF/SFFGS, Dr. Jon Witman of Brown University, Dr. Michele Gaither of UCF’s Department of Biology, Dr. Alejandro Perez Matus of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (PUCE), and PhD students Maya Zeff of UC Santa Cruz and Vladimir Garmendia of PUCE, for all the support they provided me throughout the trip.
When we weren’t in the lab or on the boat, we stayed on the island of Santa Cruz, which had several beautiful sites to visit such as lava tunnels, tortoise farms, and the popular surf spot, Tortuga Beach.
Conclusion
This experience has been a fundamental part of my time at UF. In just 3 weeks, I’ve learned and retained many useful skills that I wouldn’t have been able to learn in a conventional 3-month class. The memories that I’ve made in my time there will be ones that I take with me for the rest of my life. I’d like to thank Dr. Robbie Lamb and the whole team for welcoming me into the community and teaching me about the research process and the marine ecology of the Galapagos Islands. And a special thank you to the NCBS Internship program for making this experience possible!
| Follow the link to learn more about the UF/IFAS NCBS Undergraduate Summer Internship program. Read more intern blogs here. |
Featured image credit: UF/IFAS Photo by Tyler Jones
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