January 2023 Seawords

SEAW ORDS TheMarineOption Program Newsletter

January 2023

Volume XXXV I I I , Number 1 Aloha and Welcome to the January issue of Seawords!

Hau?oli Makahiki Hou, Happy New Year! Since becoming editor at the beginning of last year, Seawords has brought me opportunities for learning and exploration, and I hope that you as the reader, have experienced the same! Here's to another great year full of ocean lovin' and learnin'!

I n this issue, follow MOP students as they tour the UH Marine Center on page 4. Read up on a new type of insurance designed to protect an important marine ecosystem on page 6.

Explore some newfound research, from species interactions in Hawaiian fishponds on page 10, to marine biofilm on page 14.

L astly, enjoy our first Creature of the Month for 2023... the L aysan Albatross, or m?l?.

W hat would you like to see more of in Seawords? Send in your thoughts, and follow us on T witter and I nstagram at @mopseawords!

Abbie Jeremiah, Seawords Editor 2 | Seawords

Contents 2: L etter From the Editor 4: MOP Marine Center Tour 6: Now is the T ime to Get Coral Reef I nsurance 10: Hawaiian Fishponds and I nvasive Species 14: Bacterial Multicellularity 18: Creature of the Month- M?l?

22: MOP Calendar

Photo Credits Front Page: L aysan Albatross; Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge.

Photo by: Jason Crotty; Flickr.

Table of Contents: Sharks. Photo by: James Watt/ USFW S; Flickr.

Back Cover: Hawaiian Monk Seal. Photo by: Ed L yman/ NOAA; Flickr.

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University of Hawai?i Marine Center Tour Story and Photos by: Alexandrya Robinson, UHM MOP Student

4 | Seawords

It was a beautiful day in

Guided by Max and Meagan Putts,

November with light rains dotting the

a jack-of-all-trades at the University of

sky, complete with the signature

Hawai?i Marine Center, the tour

rainbows Hawai?i is famous for. It

continued to the main event--the R/ V

made the perfect backdrop for another

Kilo Moana?s amazing remotely

MOP field trip. Students headed to Pier

operated vehicle (ROV) Lu?ukai. Max?s

35, where the University of Hawai?i

colleague Daniel, another trained ROV

Marine Center was waiting for them.

pilot, was there to show the students a

First, MOP students were able to look

live demonstration of the ROV Lu?ukai

out at the visiting E/ V Nautilus ship

in action. Students were shown the two

that sat docked in front of a visiting

arms, named the Orion and the Mantis,

research vessel from Alaska.

in action. The Orion is the primary arm

Students were guided inside to

that is used and manipulated by a

view the two decommissioned

simplified 3-D model of the arm on

manned submersibles, the Pisces IV

Lu?ukai. Lights, cameras, and a basket

and Pisces V. Excitingly, they were led

were all deployed in a series of

on the tour by one of the submersible

interesting demonstrations from

pilots- Maximilian ?Max? Cremer. It was

powering up to lifting a traffic cone

fascinating to hear about the research

from one spot to another.

that the two submersibles had been a

In addition to Lu?ukai, students

part of, and it set the scene for the

saw both the ROV Argus and the ROV

procession of technology that has

Hercules which were in storage from

been seen in ocean exploration. The

the E/ V Nautilus. The Spring semester

students were also able to explore the

already has a tour lined up of the E/ V

interior of the two subs, where it was

Nautilus which is exciting, especially

easy to see how three-man groups of

having just glimpsed the outside of the

operators would submerge into the

vessel. Of course, a quick stop at the

ocean?s depths piloting these

MOP boat is always necessary to end

fascinating machines.

this amazing tour.

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N ow i s t h e T i m Get C o r al Reef I n su r an ce

B y : L u ci an A n d er so n , U H M M O P A l u

6 | Seawords

m e To

Coral Reef at Palmyra Atoll National Wildlife Refuge. Photo by: Jim Maragos/ USFWS; Flickr.

um nus

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Star ti n g i n 20 19, T h e N atu r e

H aw ai ?i f r om at l east 831 m i l l i on d ol l ar s i n

Con ser v an cy (T N C) an d th e St ate of

d am ages p er y ear . Ad d i ti on al ly, cor al r eef s i n

Q u i n tan a, M ex i co cr eated th e f i r st cor al r eef

H aw ai ?i p r ov i d e 1.2 bi l l i on d ol l ar s i n t ou r i sm

i n su r an ce p ol i cy. Q u i n tan a i s f am ou s as a

an n u al ly.

r esor t d est i n ati on w i t h th e ci t y of Can cu n an d M ay an tem p l es l ocat ed n ear T u l u m . T h e st at e

T h e en actm en t of t h e i n su r an ce p ol i cy goes as f ol l ow s:

sh ar es a bor d er w i t h B el i ze to th e sou t h .

O f f sh or e r esi d es th e secon d l ar gest cor al r eef sy st em i n th e w or l d . T h e i n su r an ce p ol i cy w as

1) T N C t akes ou t an i n su r an ce p ol i cy on t h e cor al r eef s of H aw ai ?i .

cr eat ed to establ i sh f u n d s to r ep ai r d am ages t o

2) I f a stor m d am ages t h e r eef sy st em s i n t h e

t h e cor al r eef cau sed by tr op i cal stor m s an d

ar ea, T N C get s a p ay ou t w i t h i n 2 w eek s.

h u r r i can es. T h e f ol l ow i n g y ear , th ose f u n d s

3) T N C w i l l ask t h e State of H aw ai ?i f or

w er e u sed to r ep ai r th e d am ages to th e r eef

p er m i ssi on t o f i x t h e d am ages

cau sed by h u r r i can e D el ta. T h e p ol i cy i s k n ow n as th e M esoam er i can Reef Fu n d (M A R). By col l abor at i n g w i t h th e W i l l i s Tow er s an d W atson Cl i m at e an d Resi l i en ce H u b, t h e en ti r e M esoam er i can cor al r eef sy st em , w h i ch i s i n M ex i co, B el i ze, an d Gu at em al an w ater s, i s i n su r ed as of 20 22.

O n N ovem ber 21, 20 22, T N C an n ou n ced a secon d cor al r eef i n su r an ce p ol i cy i n th e U n i ted St ates i n th e state of H aw ai ?i . I n 20 21, T h e H aw ai ?i St ate Sen ate vot ed to get an eval u ati on of th e cor al r eef s f or i n su r an ce p u r p oses. T h e i n su r an ce com p an y, M u n i ch RE, w as sel ected to p r ov i d e t h e cover age. D am ages cau sed by tr op i cal st or m s w i th w i n d sp eed s at a m i n i m u m of 57 m p h w i l l be cover ed by th i s i n su r an ce p ol i cy.

Fu n d er s f or th e p ol i cy i n cl u d e th e B an k of A m er i ca Fou n d ati on an d th e H ow d en Gr ou p Fou n d ati on . T h e p ol i cy i s i n p l ace f or th e 20 23 h u r r i can e season i n H aw ai ?i .

4 ) I f ap p r oved , T N C w i l l sen d d i ver s t o f i x t h e d am ages as f ast as p ossi bl e t o p r even t cor al d eat h w h i ch can occu r 6 w eek s af t er t h e d am ages.

T w o cor al r eef sy st em s n ow p ossess i n su r an ce or a r ai n y - d ay f u n d . H op ef u l ly oth er s w i l l be i n su r ed t o r est or e t h em qu i ck ly af t er h u r r i can es an d st or m s. A n i n d ep en d en t or gan i zat i on m ay be t h e best m et h od t o en su r e t h at t h ese cor al r eef sy st em s get i n su r ed . T h at w ay t h ese sy st em s d on 't get st u ck i n p ol i t i cal bu r eau cr acy or a d i v i d ed gover n m en t. T h i s p l an cou l d p ossi bly evolve i n t o a m u l t i - cou n t r y ef f or t i n i sl an d n at i on s su ch as t h ose i n t h e Car i bbean an d Sou t h Paci f i c O cean . I t i s p ossi bl e t h at T N C cou l d eval u ate cou n t r i es' p er f or m an ces i n t h ei r ow n cor al r eef i n su r an ce p l an s. M or e cor al r eef sy st em s an d oth er coast al r esou r ces su ch as m an gr oves an d t h e Ever gl ad es w i l l l i kely n eed i n su r an ce t o r ep ai r af t er h u r r i can es. Si n ce

Cor al r eef s p r ov i d e p r ot ect i on f r om

cl i m at e ch an ge w i l l cr eat e str on ger h u r r i can es,

d am age cau sed by tr op i cal stor m s an d

i t i s a p osi ti ve si gn t h at at l east f u n d s ar e p u t

h u r r i can es to th e n ear by com m u n i t i es.

asi d e t o r ep ai r t w o m ajor cor al r eef sy st em s

Esti m ates sh ow th at cor al r eef s p r ot ect

sh ou l d an y t h i n g h ap p en t o t h em .

8 | Seawords

Bright Coral. Photo by: Christian Gloor; Flickr.

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Moloka?i Fishponds. Photo by: James Brennan; Flickr.

Hawaiian Fishp &

Invasiv E spe

By: Hal ey Chasin, UHMMOPAl umn

10 | Seawords

ponds

ecies

na

Lead author of the recently published paper titled, ?Predatory Fish Diets Shift Towards an Invasive Mullet in a Traditional Hawaiian Aquaculture System,?and UH M?noa graduate student, Anela Akiona, talks about how local predatory fishes such as jacks and barracuda may be targeting the invasive Australian mullet as food.

Hawaiian fishponds or aquaculture, loko i?a, were once all over Hawai?i, creating a secure food source for local people. Fishponds were used by the Hawaiians for food, trade, and were considered part of the land. If an ali?i or chiefs had more loko i?a,they were considered more wealthy.

Once there were 500 fishponds with aquacultured species but today there are only four. Changes in government and economics, the overthrow and annexation of the Hawaiian kingdom, and natural disasters brought fishpond production down.

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Though many people do not know,

the invasive species who compete

fishponds provide cultural and

for space and resources helping

physical sustenance, increasing

control the invasive population.

food security and the demands for

Analyses used the abundance and

locally farmed fishes.Fishponds

prey of predatory fishes in the

curated the cultivation of native

He?eia fishpond. The study used a

herbivorous fishes, like ?ama?ama

tag-recapture experiment

(striped mullet), awa (milkfish),

conducted by volunteer fishermen

and moi (sixfinger threadfin).

from the community, genetic

The Australian mullet was

barcoding, stable isotope analysis

introduced in the 1950?s and their

conducted by the volunteer

introduction altered fishpond

interns from the Laulima A ?Ike

marine food webs. Native jacks

Pono program to estimate the

and barracuda once ate native

predators?populations and

mullets and moi and were fished,

dietary preferences.

but now the jacks and barracuda

More than 80% of the food

seem to act as bioeradicators,

consumed in Hawai?i comes from

preferring to feed on the invasive

outside resources at a cost of $3

Australian mullet rather than the

billion annually. Studies on

native herbivorous fishes.

economics show that replacing

Scientists' studies on these

imported foods will increase sales,

predatory fishes?diets allowed

earnings, state tax and

them to expand their knowledge

employment for the seafood

of fishpond food web and food

sector,Improving Hawai?i?s

web interactions in these systems.

economy.There is still lots to learn

The study found that native jacks and barracuda mostly target 12 | Seawords

about the food web dynamics of fishponds.

Fishpond. Photo by: Chris Arnolds; Flickr.

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Ba c t e r ia l Mu l t ic e l l u l a r it y By: Alexandrya Robinson, UHM MOP Student

Vibrio Bacteria. Photo by: Tina Carvalho, University of Hawai?i; Flickr.

14 | Seawords

The ocean is host to many different forms of life, ranging from the massive blue whale to the unseen world of the drifting, microscopic bacteria that float in the upper column of the ocean.

Oftentimes, observing bacteria living alone is rare. Some bacteria aggregate into large groups and secrete what is known as a biofilm.

Biofilms can vary in their composition and function, but the main ?ingredients?are polysaccharides (sugars) and secreted DNA and proteins. This mixture makes a slimy layer that houses large groups of bacteria.

Bacteria that live in biofilms utilize quorum sensing. W hen bacteria secrete organic compounds, the other bacteria within the biofilm can use them to communicate with one another.

Together these bacteria can function essentially as a single unit to regulate growth, movement, and nutrient uptake. It is advantageous to host a large number of bacterial cells together because a biofilm is much stronger than the slime secretion that a single bacterium

can release, so strong in fact that biofilms can actually degrade metals and plastics over time with ease.

W ith the knowledge that multiple bacteria can be more successful than lone planktonic cells, comes recent research into the specific bacterium, Vibrio splendidus 12B0. This is a gram-negative bacterium, meaning it has an outer membrane with a layer of lipopolysaccharides (LPS), a thin peptidoglycan layer, and an innermost phospholipid bilayer.

The LPS layer is important for secreting exotoxins for protection and is very important for making biofilms.

V. splendidus is a species of rod-shaped bacteria that lives within salty marine waters, and gains energy through chemoorganotrophy. In microbiology, organisms are named this way to explain how they obtain energy, the first part is in reference to how the organism gets its energy, hydrogen, and carbon in order. In the case of V. JANUARY - IANUALI 2023

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Marine Biofilm Complexity. Photo by: Linden Gledhill; Flickr.

splendidus, this means that it obtains energy from inorganic chemical sources and organic carbon is necessary for its nutrient uptake.

Previous research has indicated that often, for biofilms to form, as seen in the case of V. splendidus,there needs to be an anchor for the bacteria to hold onto but imaging shows that there are large colonies of V. splendidus surviving easily in a planktonic, free-floating stage. Together these biofilms of V. splendidus gather nutrients from a very 16 | Seawords

specific source, alginate. This is a polysaccharide polymer formed by brown algae. Interestingly, alginate is a much larger molecule than a single V. splendidus which had researchers at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) wondering how V. splendidus was able to so successfully consume alginate.

W hile testing occurred, V. splendidus behaved differently than traditional microbes do in a nutrient broth. Usually, there

tends to be an even and linear growth before maximum growth is achieved and cells start to die off.

Instead, V. splendidus grew in irregular intervals that had clustered growths in circular formations. V. splendidus proceeded to exhibit different phases in which it staggered growth in order to avoid growth competition for available nutrients. The circular growth formations only released inner V. splendidus that had consumed the alginate to best compete for more resources. The individual V.

splendidus divided rapidly, forming its own circular colony covered in a biofilm and starting the cycle anew.

This research showed that Vibrio splendidus has both a lone life stage and a multicellular life stage, something that isn?t often pictured when discussing microbes, especially those free floating in the ocean. As research continues, more organisms that have surprisingly complex life cycles and gene regulation like Vibrio splendidus could be discovered.

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Laysan Albatross on Midway Atoll. Photo by: Forest and Kim Starr; Flickr.

Cr eat ur e of t he Mont h:

M?l?

By: Abbie Jer emiah, Seawor ds Edit or

18 | Seawords

Albatrosses are large seabirds in the family Diomedeidae. T hey can be found in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans and are known for their large size, long wingspans stretching up to 1.8 meters (6 feet), and graceful flight. T he L aysan albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis), or m?l?in Hawaiian, is one of two species of albatross found in Hawai?i. T hey can be recognized by their white bodies that contrast with their wings and tails dipped in black.

However, m?l?can be difficult to study because like other albatrosses, they are pelagic and spend 90% of their lives out on the open ocean. T hey can cover great distances, sometimes feeding up to 1,770 kilometers from their breeding and nesting

colonies. W hen they are seen, it's usually at their nesting sites located throughout the Northwestern Hawaiian I slands (NW HI ) as well as on Kaua?i, O?ahu, and L ehua I sland off Ni?ihau.

M?l?are opportunistic feeders, and will eat a variety of items, including fish, squid, and crustaceans. T hey sit on the water and seize their prey when it comes close enough to the surface. T hey are also known to scavenge for food, and will often eat things that are thrown overboard from boats, though not as frequently as the other species of albatross found in Hawai?i, the ka?upu or black-footed albatross (P. nigripes).

M?l?are known to be very social birds, and will often congregate in large groups.

T hey are monogamous, and form strong pair bonds.

Couples engage in long, noisy, ritualized JANUARY - IANUALI 2023

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courtship dances. Females will lay one egg per year, and the chicks are typically raised by both parents. For m?l?, the egg laying season lasts from November to December, with chicks taking flight in July. Once they enter the post-fledgling stage, they leave their parent?s care.

After taking flight, young m?l?won?t return to land for up to three years.

W hen they finally do return, they don?t mate right away but spend 3-5 years building nests and looking for prospective mates. T hey have a long-life span, living between 12-40 years, although the oldest known m?l?, named Wisdom, is more than 70 years old.

M?l?are interesting birds to watch, and they are a popular tourist attraction in Hawai?i. T hey are also important to the ecosystem, 20 | Seawords

as they help to control the population of fish and other sea creatures. T hey are negatively impacted by introduced predators including pigs, dogs, mongoose, and feral cats.

Additionally, their nesting habitats can be degraded by invasive plant species.

M?l?are also threatened by human disturbances, such as fishing, fisheries bycatch, plastic pollution, and aircraft collisions, so it is important to actively protect these birds. Today, m?l?are considered to be a vulnerable species, and are listed as near threatened by the I UCN. Due to many conservation efforts, m?l? populations are steadily increasing after hitting dangerous lows in the late 1990?s to early 2000?s.

With continued protection and support, m?l?will be able to thrive.

Layssan Albatross. Photo by: Chris Swenson/USFWS; Flickr.

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Vol u m e XXXVIII, Nu m ber 1 Editor : Abbie Jer em iah Dr. Cyn th ia H u n ter (em in en ce gr ise) Jeffr ey Ku wabar a (em in en ce gr ise) W r itin g Team : Ch l oe M ol ou , Lu cian An der son , Al exan dr ya Robin son , H al ey Ch asin , Abbie Jer em iah , Sofia Fl or es Pin a Seawor ds- M ar in e Option Pr ogr am Un iver sity of H awai ?i , Col l ege of Natu r al Scien ces 2450 Cam pu s Road, Dean H al l 105A H on ol u l u , H I 96822-2219 Tel eph on e: (808) 956-8433 Em ail : <seawor ds@ h awaii.edu > W ebsite: <h ttp:/ / www.h awaii.edu / m op> Seawor ds is th e m on th l y n ewsl etter n ewsl etter of th e M ar in e Option Pr ogr am at th e Un iver sity of H awai?i. Opin ion s expr essed h er ein ar e n ot n ecessar il y th ose of th e M ar in e Option Pr ogr am or of th e Un iver sity of H awai?i.

Su ggestion s an d su bm ission s ar e wel com e. Su bm ission s m ay in cl u de ar ticl es, ph otogr aph y,ar t wor k , or an yth in g th at m ay be of in ter est to th e m ar in e com m u n ity in H awai?i. an d ar ou n d th e wor l d.

All photos ar e taken by M OP unless other wise cr edited.