June 2023 Seawords

SEAW ORDS TheMarineOption Program Newsletter

June2023

Volume XXXV I I I , Number 6 Aloha and Welcome to the June issue of Seawords!

I n this summer issue, we're bringing you the latest in ocean science, from the implications of an impending El Niño (page 4) to the fish who set a new deep sea record (page 22)! We also explore how oyster reefs can help bettle coastal erosion (page 8) as well as some new DNA sampling techniques (page 14). L et your imagination run wild and read about an undertwater laboratory in the making on page 10.

Finally, allow us to introduce June's Creature of the Month: the Hawaiian monk seal! And don't forget to check out our fun new crossword puzzle at the back of this issue! Happy summer reading MOPers!

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 & Sofía Flores Pina, Associate Editor

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Contents 2: L etter From the Editor 4: El Niño 8: Oyster Reefs 10: PROT EUS: T he Underwater Space Station 14: New Sampling Techniques For Species Cataloging Utilizing eDNA 18:Creature of the Month: Hawaiian Monk Seal 22: Deep Sea Fish Sets a New Record 26: Seawords Crossword Puzzle

Photo Credits Fr ont Page: Monk seal swimming over a coral reef. Photo by: NOAA; Wikimedia Commons.

Table of Contents: Anemone shrimp. Photo by: V lad Tchompalov; Unsplash.

Back Cover : Midway Atoll albatross. Photo by: Kristy L apenta/ UFSW S; Flickr.

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El Ni ñ o B y : Sar ah M cGh ee, U H M M O P St u d en t

Turks and Caicos Horizon.

Photo by: Romello Williams; Unsplash.

4 | Seawords

El N i ñ o an d L a N i ñ a ar e cy cl es of cool i n g an d w ar m i n g i n ocean s acr oss th e gl obe, h ow ever l i ttl e i s k n ow n abou t th e ef f ects th ey h ave on t h e ocean an d i ts i n h abi t an t s. W e k n ow an El N i ñ o af f ects ocean t em p er at u r es, cu r r en ts, an d even w eat h er on th e sh or es acr oss t h e w or l d . T h e cy cl es an d ?r ou t i n es? of th e w ar m i n g an d cool i n g p er i od s ar e h ar d t o tr ack an d even h ar d er t o p r ed i ct. H ow ever , w i t h sci en ti sts p r ed i cti n g an El N i ñ o w i th i n th e n ex t y ear , ocean l i f e, su ch as cor al r eef s, m ay be f aci n g a n ew t h r eat .

T h e El N i ñ o p h en om en on i s p ar t of a m u ch l ar ger even t k n ow n as t h e El N i ñ o- Sou th er n O sci l l at i on (EN SO ).

Ex acer bat ed by cl i m ate ch an ge, t h e El N i ñ o i s th e w ar m i n g p er i od i n th i s cy cl e.

Coast al u p w el l i n g i s th e p r ocess i n w h i ch w ar m er w at er s ar e p u sh ed al on g t h e Paci f i c by tr ad e w i n d s. W h en t h e t r ad e w i n d s w eaken , t h e

w ar m er w ater m oves l ess, l ead i n g to th e w ar m i n g p er i od . I n a L a N i ñ a th e op p osi te occu r s, m or e t r ad e w i n d s bl ow, an d a ?cool i n g? p er i od occu r s. Pr ed i cti n g th ese cy cl es i s n ot an easy task an d l i ttl e i s k n ow n abou t w h at m ay tr i gger d i f f er en t p er i od s. Cl i m atol ogi sts w or k i n g i n th e ear ly 190 0 ?s l ear n ed th at th e El N i ñ o occu r r ed at th e sam e ti m e as th e Sou th er n O sci l l ati on , m ean i n g as th e ocean w at er tem p er atu r e i n cr eased , t h e atm osp h er i c p r essu r e above th e ocean d ecr eased . I t w as bel i eved th at an El N i ñ o or L a N i ñ a even t occu r r ed ever y tw o to seven y ear s. H ow ever , as cl i m ate ch an ge becom es m or e d r asti c an d th e ocean w ar m s, th e even ts m ay becom e m or e f r equ en t or m or e ex tr em e.

Bu t w h at d oes th e w ar m i n g an d ch an gi n g of cy cl es m ean f or th e an i m al s th at cal l th e ocean h om e?

Sp eci f i cal ly l ook i n g at cor al r eef s, w h i ch ar e gr eatly af f ected by w ar m i n g June - Iune 2023

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t em p er atu r es, even a sl i gh t i n cr ease i n ocean t em p er atu r es cau ses an even t k n ow n as cor al bl each i n g. W h en w ater t em p er atu r es get too w ar m , cor al s ex p el th ei r zoox an t h el l ae, th e al gae th at p r od u ces th e cor al 's n u t r i en t s an d col or , r esu l t i n g i n bl each i n g. I f th e t em p er atu r es d o n ot r etu r n t o a com f or tabl e l evel , th e cor al w i l l l i kely n ot r ecover an d d i e. Cor al r eef s p r ov i d e sh el t er f or a n u m ber or sp eci es acr oss th e Paci f i c. A s a r esu l t , m ass cor al bl each i n g even ts ar e al so d et r i m en tal to f i sh p op u l at i on s. W i th th e p r ed i ct i on of an El N i ñ o l at er t h i s y ear , sci en ti sts ar e al r ead y con cer n ed f or th e f at e of som e r eef s.

T h e m ost ex tr em e El N i ñ o of th e 20 th cen tu r y occu r r ed i n 1982- 1983, w h er e i n som e p ar ts of th e East er n T r op i cal Paci f i c, su r f ace t em p er atu r es i n cr eased 9- 18 d egr ees F above n or m al . T h e El N i ñ o 6 | Seawords

even t i n 20 15- 20 16 tr i gger ed th e w or st gl obal bl each i n g even t an d m ass m or tal i ty of cor al to d at e.

W h i l e sci en ti sts as N O A A ar e n ot p r ed i cti n g an even t as d etr i m en tal as th i s, t h e ef f ects can n ot be i gn or ed .

T h ei r p r ed i cti on s esti m at e an 80 % ch an ce of a m od er ate El N i ñ o, w i th su r f ace tem p er atu r es i n cr easi n g by 1.8 d egr ees F f r om n or m al . Even sm al l ch an ges can i n f l u en ce cor al r eef s, w h o r ely on con st an t tem p er atu r es to su r v i ve.

W h i l e w e as p eop l e can n ot con tr ol th e EN SO cy cl es, w e can h el p to m i ti gate th e ef f ect cl i m at e ch an ge h as on th e cy cl e an d th e l i f e i t af f ects. M i l l i on s of p eop l e r ely on th e f i sh i n g an d tou r i sm i n d u str y i n al l p ar ts of th e w or l d , w h er e cor al r eef s ar e th e back bon e of th ei r l i vel i h ood .

U n d er stan d i n g th e r ol e w e al l p l ay i n ocean h eal th i s th e f i r st step tow ar d en su r i n g th e l on gev i ty of ou r r eef s.

Black Coral Reef. Photo by: Benjamin L. Jones; Unsplash.

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Oyster Reef Habitat. Photo by: Joe Whalen/ The Tampa Bay Estuary Program; Unsplash.

Oy st er Reef s By: Sol eil Von H au sch , UH M M OP Stu den t

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If you w ere to travel to New York tw o centuries ago, you w ould observe plentiful oysters lining the coast.

These m ollusks boosted the New York econom y by giving people an accessible and inexpensive snack, but m ore im portantly, oysters protected New York's shoreline. Like coral reefs, oyster reefs absorb incom ing w ave energy, w hich prevents coastal erosion. Additionally, oysters support a w ide range of species, boosting biodiversity. How ever, now adays oysters have been over-fished relentlessly, leaving Am erican coastlines undefended against storm surges. Thankfully, m any environm entalists and scientists are com ing up w ith artificial solutions to com bat shore erosion.

Many coastal cities opt for traditional seaw alls to replace the natural oyster reefs. How ever, these seaw alls don?t absorb energy the w ay reefs do, and instead allow it to increase w ave energy in nearby environm ents, destroying natural areas for the sake of protecting cities.

Start-up com pany Reefy intends to solve this problem through its use of concrete building-blocks that look sim ilar to Legos. These blocks have holes going through them , so w ave energy decreases as it passes through,

instead of being deflected as in the case of m ost seaw alls. Furtherm ore, the blocks are covered in som ething called ?Reefy Paint,?w hich is a calcium carbonate blend that allow s organism s to attach to the substrate. Through this, the blocks can be used as a foundation for nature to build from .

Reefy?s blocks can also be custom ized for different shorelines, as the blocks can be form ed in a variety of shapes.

One thing the blocks don?t directly address how ever are oysters' natural filtration abilities. Oysters are able to filter w ater pollution, w hich naturally helps the environm ent. With no set plan on placing oysters on the blocks, Reefy can?t guarantee the blocks w ill have the sam e ecological benefit as natural oyster reefs.

Thankfully, m any non-profits such as the Billion Oyster project in New York have been established to ensure the restoration of oyster reefs. These reefs are m ade artificially by adding a m ixture of old oyster shells and other hard substrates to areas on the ocean floor that already have existing oyster larvae. Through this, the oyster population has a stable foundation from w hich to re-establish. No m atter w hat the solution, it?s im portant to find environm entally friendly w ays to prevent coastal erosion.

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PROTEUS:

TheUnderwater SpaceStation By: LucianAnderson, UHMMOPAlumnus

NEEMO 11 Crewmember works near NOAA's undersea laboratory, "Aquarius," for NASA's Extreme Environment Missions Operations (NEEMO) project in 2006.

Photo by: Johnson/ NASA; Flickr.

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?Instead, I chose something

ocean fascinated me but it is a

different, I chose the impossible, I

fantastical concept. Or is it?

chose Rapture?

NOAA (National Ocean and

-Andrew Ryan, Bioshock 200

Atmospheric Administration) of

This line is in reference to

the United States government

the introduction to Bioshock, a

and Proteus Ocean Group

survival horror game released in

partnered up to create a facility

2007. The setting is a city built at

to study the ocean environment.

the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean

The facility would host scientists,

where Andrew Ryan sought to

private citizens, innovators, and

create a utopia of innovation with

public customers from all over the

no bounds. The game has a lot of

world working to better

philosophical themes such as

understand the marine

ethics and science advancements

environment. The facility will be

in addition to free will. At the

built in the Caribbean off the

beginning, the game places the

coast of Curacao. Proteus Ocean

player in a lighthouse where they

Group describes this project as

enter a submersible bathysphere.

?International Space Station of

The bathysphere transports the

the Sea.?

player to a city reminiscent of

The director of NOAA Ocean

New York or Chicago built

Exploration, Jeremy Weirich said

underwater. Whales and sea

in regards to the facility, ?this

turtles swim past the colossal

partnership has the potential to

buildings. The ?streets?are

greatly expand our capabilities in

populated by schools of fish and

studying the ocean.?Spending this

neon lights. In 2007, the concept

amount of time in the ocean will

of a city at the bottom of the

allow us to have more accurate June - Iune 2023

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NEEMO crewmembers participate in a session of extravehicular activity (EVA) .

Photo by: Johnson/ NASA; Flickr.

data on specific ocean events and

lot of data to make better

functions. However, the data

decisions regarding ocean policy

collected at this facility will be

and scientific breakthroughs that

specific to the Caribbean and

can be cross referenced with data

possibly only the Curacao area.

in other countries or possibly

How the oceanic environment

other underwater facilities.

interacts with the coastline,

Facilities like this can

seafloor, or islands can vary

provide 24/7 surveillance of the

depending on many factors such

ocean. People will be able to stay

as currents, storms, and even

in these facilities long term like

plate tectonics. This isn't to say a

the International Space Station or

facility is useless, but it will give a

an Antarctic base. This will allow

12 | Seawords

Digital rendering of the Proteus Underwater Laboratory. Photo Source: Fabien Cousteau; Proteus Ocean Group.

continuous observation below

with the world.?

the surface possible. Founder of

While the idea of a city

Proteus Ocean Group, Fabien

underwater is likely not going to

Cousteau stated, ?with NOAA?s

happen, this facility built 60 ft

collaboration, the discoveries we

underwater off the coast of

can make ? in relation to climate

Curacao will provide humans with

refugia, super corals, life-saving

a rare and humbling experience: a

drugs, micro environmental data

chance to witness life below the

tied to climate events and many

waves for longer than oxygen

others ? will be truly

tanks will allow. A new frontier

groundbreaking. We look

has been opened that was once

forward to sharing those stories

thought to be impossible.

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NewSampling Techniquesfor Species CatalogingUtilizing eDNA ByAlexandriaRobinson,UHMMOPStudent

Chemistry Lab. Photo by: Girl with the Red Hat; Unsplash.

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The range of fields of study in

application to deep-sea

the biological sciences spans from

environments. Now, environmental

the tallest mountain to the deepest

DNA, also called eDNA, is taken

part of the sea and is ever-evolving.

from anywhere including air, soil,

New technologies are constantly

and even water to sample for

making collecting information

possible identification from the

about our natural world more

residual shedding of DNA that

accessible and quantifiable.

organisms naturally do. In the case

Currently one of the biggest issues

of the US Marine Biodiversity

facing modern biological scientists

Observation Network (MBON),

is the ability to quantify the number

eDNA is being used in the oceans

of species in large ocean areas.

to catalog species at a lower cost

Many topics including biodiversity

and much more efficiently than

indexing, species migration, and

having large research crews try to

species invasion have been

sail between locations hoping to

incredibly intensive in terms of the

catch proof of a species living

labor, time, and funding they

there.

require. As a result, these

US MBON has set up

challenges have limited the scope

monitoring stations within the

of potential discoveries in the field

national marine sanctuaries for fish

of biology.

monitoring that could better inform

However, as technology

scientists about abundance,

evolves, so too do the sampling

breeding habits, location, and

techniques. Some of the best

efficacy of these marine

large-scale sampling tools

sanctuaries to better inform

previously utilized were expensive

fisheries practices. These samples

satellites. Satellites do not always

can include secretions such as

offer great resolution and accuracy,

mucus, waste, reproductive

and face limitations in their wider

gametes, and dead tissue. All June - Iune 2023

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samples can have a range of

temperatures are much better for

viability with the genetic

preserving the integrity of the

information preserved with the

eDNA, which is why many samples

tests, either being performed on

are placed on ice in the lab while

12S rDNA for vertebrates, 16S

processing. This could mean that

rDNA for microscopic organisms,

lower oceanic temperatures,

18S rDNA for planktonic species, or

especially in coastal upwelling

COI for invertebrate species.

marine sanctuaries keeps the

Samples are often collected using remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), filtered, and brought to a

eDNA from being completely unusable as soon as it is shed.

One research team was able

wet lab to conduct PCR

to match 42 different species of

amplification of the DNA that is

fish to their eDNA that was shed,

later sequenced to be uploaded to

with 80% of those identified being

a shared database. There are some

common local species. This is

?dark taxa?that have yet to be

promising for indexing species as a

described so they cannot be

whole instead of individually.

matched in these databases but

Currently, the most important

are still important for future

aspect of refining the use of eDNA

research. Traditional mass

as a viable sampling technique is

sequencing is also more cost

unifying the methodology of

effective than smaller scale PCR

sampling. Continued use of eDNA

amplification of DNA.

to lower the number of ?dark taxa?

Water does tend to degrade

along with this conformity of

eDNA segments as well as high

sampling methods will continue to

wave action in oceanic mixing from

build repeatable and useful long

air movement and tidal shifts, but

term mass monitoring in our

not all hope is lost for this eDNA.

marine sanctuaries while being

Research has shown lower

more labor and cost effective.

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Molecular Testing. Photo by: the Center for Disease Control (CDC); Unsplash.

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Cr eat ur e of t he Mont h:

Hawaiian Monk S By: Jesslyn Mir t o

Hawaiian monk seal. Photo by: Klaus Stiefel; Flickr.

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Seal

Hawaiian monk seals (Neomonachus schauinslandi) are also known by their Hawaiian name ?ilio holo i ka uaua, which means ?dog that runs in rough water,? and are known to be the second rarest seal species in the world.

Hawaiian monk seals undergo various changes as they mature.

Newborn monk seal pups are born black while older seals display darker gray/ brown coloration on their backs and lighter gray/ brown fur on their bellies. To survive as effective predators, the seals have flippers and a streamlined body shape that allow them to glide through water swiftly, thick blubber that keeps them warm and buoyant, and sensitive ears that allow them to hear underwater when diving at darker depths.

Out of the main Hawaiian I slands, Kaua?i has the most prevalent monk seal population.

Occasionally however, a monk seal can be seen on land to give birth and nurse its pups. Earlier this year in April, a monk seal pup was born at Kamaina Beach on O?ahu and was June - Iune 2023

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protected by police, NOAA, the Hawaiian Marine Animal Response (HMAR), and volunteers for several weeks to ensure that no one bothered it or its mother. A month later in May, another monk seal was born on Moloka?i at Kalaupapa National Historic Park.

caused by humans like entanglement and habitat loss.

Most significantly, however, the main cause of seal death on the main islands is toxoplasmosis, an illness caused by a parasite that spreads into the environment via cat feces.

Hawaiian monk seals are considered ?generalist feeders,? meaning that their diet depends on what?s present in their environment. T hey eat a diverse range of organisms, including common fishes, cephalopods, crustaceans, and even eels. T hough monk seals can dive over 1,800 feet and hold their breath for up to 20 minutes, they usually dive for around 6 minutes at depths below 200 feet to find prey that hides in the sand and underneath rocks.

Monk seals are not solely an adorable creature to marvel at; they contribute to the biodiversity of Hawai?i while limiting the populations of their food sources.

Currently, the Hawaiian monk seal is protected under the Endangered Species Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and State of Hawai?i laws. I n the event that you encounter a monk seal, it is important to admire the animals only from a distance of about 50 feet, or about 15 meters, while keeping pets away from them. To protect this species, it is important that policy makers, scientists, and individuals alike continue to protect, study, and respect the Hawaiian monk seal in the present to ensure that this species can thrive for generations to come.

T hough measures have been put in place to protect Hawai?i?s monk seals from extinction, they are still considered critically endangered. Currently, the population is only a third of the historical population levels. Besides food limitations, seal populations are also threatened by issues 20 | Seawords

Hawaiian monk seal. Photo by: Ed Lyman; Wikimedia Commons.

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Deep Sea Fish Sets a New Record By: Haley Chasin, UHM MOP Alumna

Snailfish and Cusk Eels.

Photo by: OldMateWA; Wikimedia Commons.

22 | Seawords

The deepest part of the ocean is called the Hadal zone named after the Greek god of the underworld, Hades. The Hadal zone spans depths from 6-11 km (20,000-36,000 ft) in pitch black darkness, with pressures reaching 1,086 bars (equal to the weight of 100 elephants) and near-freezing temperatures. How do species survive these extremes?

Deep sea organisms have adapted at a cellular level. Some have high concentrations of an organic molecule called piezolyte (Greek word ?piezin? meaning pressure) allowing them to stop cellular membranes and proteins from being crushed under extreme pressures. These proteins counteract the weight of the water by increasing the space that proteins take up in the organism's cells. TMAO forms strong hydrogen bonds with water molecules allowing them to resist high pressures. Tim Shanks at the Woods Hole Oceanographic

Institution, Massachusetts describes, ?it?s like putting the stakes up in a tent.? The amount of piezolyte trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) increases with the depth of the habitat.

Fish closer to the surface have gas-filled organs like that of a scuba buoyancy control device (BCD) allowing them to stay float or sink whereas deep-sea fishes lack swim-bladders. Also, they must adapt to low levels of oxygen.

Similar to the Mexican cavefish, deep sea fishes have larger red blood cells that produce higher concentrations of hemoglobin, the protein that carries oxygen.

Due to these harsh conditions, the deep sea was once thought to be lifeless. Today we know better. Recently, marine scientists on the journey to the Galápagos Rift in the Pacific Ocean took Alvin, an ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle), to the deep sea.

At 8,000 ft (2,440 m) they discovered a deep sea miracle.

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Sulfur spewing chimneys acted as the primary source of energy production through chemosynthesis. Geysers on the rift base almost resembled hot springs at the Yellowstone National Park and were brimming with life.

Since then, scientists have found up to 600 never-before-seen species including the scaly-foot gastropod (Chrysomallon squamiferum), a type of snail with iron armor, and a new crab ?The Hoff ?(Kiwa tyleri) after actor David Hasselhoff due to its hairy chest.

In August 2022, a team from Minderoo-UWA Deep Sea Research Centre and Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology boarded the research ship DSSV Pressure Drop for a two-month long expedition to explore three deep trenches in the Northern Pacific Ocean: 23,950 ft off of Ryukyu, the 26,246 ft deep Japan trench, and the 30,511 ft deep Izu-Ogasawara trench as part of a 10 year study of the deep-sea dwelling fish populations. On this mission the deepest fish ever recorded was 24 | Seawords

discovered. This juvenile fish of unknown species in the genus Psuedoliparis, was found at a depth of 8,336 m (27,349 ft) in the Izu-Ogasawara Trench, South-East of Japan. The team from Japan and Australia discovered it using bait and a deep-sea submersible support vessel. The team also collected two snailfish from the same trench at 8,022 m and the only fish caught deeper than 8 kilometers. The previous Guinness World Record for the deepest fish ever recorded was the Mariana snailfish (Psuedoliparis swirei) found at 8,178 m (26,831 ft) between Japan and Papua New Guinea in the Mariana Trench near Guam.

Though these discoveries are new and exciting, still lots is to be discovered. Scientists say that they know more about outer space than they do the deep sea and why deep sea exploration is so important, from discovering new species to inventing new innovative technologies to discover these new creatures.

Hadal Snailfish. Photo by: Alan Jamieson/ Newcastle University; Journal of Integrative Oganismal Biology.

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Turtle and reef. Photo By: Francesco Ungaro; Unsplash.

26 | Seawords

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Vol u m e XXXVIII, Nu m ber 6 Editor : Abbie Jer em iah Associate Editor : Sofía Fl or es Pin a 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 : Lu cian An der son , Al exan dr ya Robin son , H al ey Ch asin , Abbie Jer em iah , Sofía Fl or es Pin a, Sar a M cGh ee, Dor a Figu er oa, Sol eil Van H au sch , Jessl yn M ir to 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.