currenttidings2023-2
Current Tidings
Shannon Point Marine Center
Volume 2023, Issue 2
This summer has seen SPMC branch out in new directions. For example, we hosted the first ever WWU Geology Lab Camp and thoroughly enjoyed having Geology students and their faculty instructors with us for six weeks. Their activities overlapped with our NSF summer REU students, with both groups living in SPMC housing at the same time, resulting in some good interactions. The eight visiting REU students and their faculty advisors completed research ranging from paleoclimatology as recorded in bivalve shells to heat tolerance of surf smelt embryos and shared their work at a final symposium that, thanks to Zoom technology, included family, friends, and scientists from other institutions. Two of the REU students participated in our first REU scientific dive training program as part of their summer experience. Together with their larger dive team, they completed over 250 scuba dives surveying Salish Sea habitats for continuing evidence of sea star wasting disease. Their results suggest that “recovery” is still a long ways off for some species.
After a brief lull, we now head into fall with two significant facility improvement projects on the horizon. The first is the long-awaited renovation of the Academic Programs Building lower floor to serve as a central SPMC stockroom. The second, funded by the Washington State Legislature, is a complete renovation of the SPMC classroom, which has been unchanged since construction of the Sundquist Laboratory building in 1974. These projects will greatly improve and modernize our teaching space while allowing us to simultaneously centralize our equipment and other materials to better support research, teaching, and outreach. Both of these projects are scheduled to start in early September.
An experiment in Geoscience education hit the ground (and sea!) this summer at Shannon Point. Ten Geology majors joined 3 teaching assistants and 3 faculty instructors for Geology Lab Camp, a 6-week residential program designed to immerse students in hands-on geology while maximizing access. Geology Lab Camp is the flagship element of a multi-faceted
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion effort funded by the National Science Foundation* and led by Principal Investigator Dr. Robyn Dahl. Field sciences such as Geology attract many students because of their explicit ‘get out into the environment’ ethos. Yet barriers to getting out can be daunting: physical challenges, financial limitations, family obligations, discomfort with the cultural context, and more. Lab Camp provides an alternative to the traditional Geology Field Camp, a 6-week, camping-based expedition through the American West that has been a required capstone course leading to a Geology B.S. degree at Western.
We caught up with two of the three lab camp instructors, Drs. Allison Pfieffer and Camilo Ponton, to find out more about the experience. (A third 2-week module was led by Dr. Sean Mulcahy.) A clear take-home was how well Shannon Point worked for this experience. Instructors pointed to the reasonable costs, interactions with the REU students, and abundant lab facilities as plusses. Staff made the students and instructors feel welcome, from Lupe and Scott on the ‘home front’ to Melanie’s friendly and flawless logistical support to Nate and Derek providing boat trips for 12 (!) and creatively suggesting ideas for sampling locations and activities. For some students, this was their first time on a boat - a trip to gorgeous (and geologically fascinating) Sucia Island was a highlight.
Geology students explore Sucia Island (left) and Lab Campers and Dr. Camilo Ponton prepare prepare to head out on R/V Zoea (right)
A central goal of the instruction was connecting the geologic history to the present-day environment along a ‘source to sink’ trajectory. Students examined tectonic processes in the Cascade Mountains (source), geomorphic processes in the Skagit River valley (transport), and sedimentary deposition in Skagit Bay (sink). They took bottom grabs and attempted coring from the deck of Shannon Point vessels. Trips to outcrops along the Skagit River showed historic lahar events originating from Glacier Peak: 10-15 m thick deposits of mud and debris from eruptions 5500 and 1800 years ago. In addition to day trips, students did extensive work with mapping software such as ARC GIS to fill gaps in USGS maps of the region, and scanning electron microscopy to characterize sedimentary particles.
Geology Lab Camp has been under development for quite a while but had to be postponed by the pandemic and other challenges. As Camilo states, “it is delightful to have it going!” The supporting grant ends soon, so continuation of the program will depend on funding, curriculum modifications, and instructor availability. We are thrilled that Shannon Point provided such a congenial home for this experiment in accessible field science!
*Project Title: GP-EXTRA: Lab Camp: An inclusive, accessible alternative to field-based geoscience capstone courses.
Holden Maxfield
Coming to Shannon Point from landlocked Colorado College, Holden jumped into a challenging project with REU advisor Jay Dimond.
Holden and Jay sampled from kayaks and Shannon Point vessels to look for environmental DNA (eDNA) associated with a transmissible cancer affecting molluscs. These eDNA sequences, floating free in seawater, would indicate that the virus causing bivalve transmissible neoplasia is ‘in the neighborhood’. Unfortunately, problems with molecular sequencing prevented Holden from quantifying the virus, bearing out the oft-learned lesson that methods development can constitute most of scientific progress! Holden really enjoyed GIS mapping and field sampling, including beach surveys of cockle and clam populations done in conjunction with the Metzger lab at Pacific Northwest Research Institute. He also pointed to the R workshops and statistics training provided by Dr. Bingham as a highlight of the summer offerings. Holden is an avid birder and was excited to add our area seabirds and Skagit Valley species to his life list.
Sam Surks
Coming from Middlebury College in faraway Vermont, Sam’s first ever research experience looked at the potential transmission of seagrass wasting disease to macroalgae.
With advisors Morgan Eisenlord and Kathy Van Alstyne as well as fellow REU student Cortez Catalano, Sam investigated whether the pathogen Labyrinthula zosterae could infect ‘sea lettuce’ (Ulva and Ulvaria). This ambitious project had the students designing and conducting experiments, using qPCR and scanning electron microscopy to check for infection, and learning to love ImageJ as they measured yards of seagrass and sea lettuce. Sam reports that science is “a lot of work” (!) but it’s exciting when the data come in and the pieces come together. One of the highlights of the program for her was exposure to different STEM career paths. After hearing from Shannon Point folks about their various careers, she’s thinking broadly about her future, including non-academic options with a conservation focus. Sam is heading off to Australia this fall for a semester with the School for Field Studies. We are excited for her! And envious!
Jamie Berg
Working with advisor Nina Whitney, Jamie jumped into a multi-faceted project to understand ocean climate history on Georges Bank in the NW Atlantic.
Jamie’s summer experiences encompassed drilling clam shells to extract oxygen isotope signals, and working with an ocean circulation model to hindcast ocean temperatures from the late 1950s through recent times. Remarkably, the Georges Bank clam Arctica islandica can live for up to 500 years, making its shell chemistry a valuable time recorder of ocean bottom temperatures (as reflected in oxygen isotope ratios). Both models and clams are showing warming of the NE Atlantic over the past 6 decades, likely related to increased Gulf Stream intrusions and decreased flow from the north. As a New Yorker attending Northwestern University in Chicago, Jamie appreciated Shannon Point’s gorgeous forest environment and ‘right out the back door’ shoreline. He found the summer research mind-expanding, offering exposure to multiple disciplines and stoking his curiosity and creativity. Back at school, Jamie keeps his schedule full by wrestling competitively. He’s interested in pursuing Climate Science research, with graduate school as a likely next step; as he says, “the stakes feel high” as our Earth moves ever further into the Anthropocene.
Jaime Blais: Following Her Intuition
Jaime joined the Shannon Point community in Fall 2022, migrating west from her New Hampshire home base. She got her first real taste of oceanography during the summer 2022 Northern Gulf of Alaska (NGA) LTER cruise, learning many of the basics with thesis advisor Suzanne Strom and able technician Kelley Bright. Jaime’s no stranger to salt water, though. Before coming to WWU she spent the better part of a year as a NOAA fisheries observer, mainly working on scallop boats out of New Bedford, MA. She also spent time in the Pacific Northwest, getting a taste of island life as an intern at San Juan’s Wolf Hollow wildlife rehabilitation center. Jaime is working toward a M.S. degree in Biology; she describes her first months at WWU as ‘an adjustment’, trying to juggle a demanding teaching assignment while navigating course work and research planning.
Jaime has chosen to investigate NGA Rhizaria for her Master's thesis. The Rhizaria form a little-known group that includes forams, radiolarians, acantharians, and other large amoeboid protists. They can harbor photosynthetic symbionts, and their mineral shells contribute to ocean C and Si cycling. Jaime spent many hours in the ‘environmental van’ on an upper deck of R.V. Kilo Moana this summer. She reverse-concentrated hundreds of liters of seawater from dozens of stations (all hauled up steep stairs in 5-gallon buckets) and hopes to link community composition and biomass to the oceanographic conditions across the region. You can find Jaime at Shannon Point most days this summer, where she’s becoming an expert in inverted microscopy and plankton identification. Jaime reports that the ‘cool factor’ of these beautiful species drew her to the project, as did the element of mystery: planktonic Rhizaria are little studied anywhere in the world’s oceans, and much of their basic biology and ecology remains unknown.
Gorgeous Rhizaria from the NGA, including a symbiont-bearing foram (small panels at right, shown in transmitted and epifluorescence illumination)
When asked how she likes going to sea, Jaime quickly replied, “I love it!” She’s obviously comfortable in a cool, salty environment, but she highlights the community of fellow mariners. Making friends with students from the University of Alaska and elsewhere, inspiring each other, and collaborating to tell a larger story, are aspects she enjoys.
Jaime patiently reverse-concentrating one of many 12-liter water samples on the summer 2023 LTER cruise (right). Party in the cold van! Jaime shares space with Shannon Point REU Asher Marvy and advisor Suzanne Strom, while (in the background) University of Alaska scientist Gwenn Hennon sets up experiments with NGA REU Eris Trout (left).
When Jaime’s not busy with graduate student responsibilities, she likes to explore Washington’s beautiful trails and cook delicious vegetarian food. She can definitely crank out an appetizing loaf of sourdough! She’s not sure about next steps - and the very next one is likely to involve earning money - but she’s fallen in love with oceanographic research. Continuing in graduate school, working in ocean conservation - the intuition that led her to marine science and Shannon Point will surely guide her to a rewarding next life stage!
Education and Outreach
Lab Manager Derek Smith and MACS students in Red Square.
Shannon Point folks have been busy at area events this summer, sharing the beauty and excitement of marine science with over 500 members of the public!
- Back2Bham (5/20/23) - Derek, 3 MACS students, and Melanie brought the mobile aquarium trailer to WWU’s Red Square for alumni and families.
Bainbridge Island beach walk (7/6/23) – SPMC REU students and our diving intern led interpretive beach walks along Miller Bay. This provided an opportunity to teach about the invertebrates and algae there while discussing conservation of marine environments. - Kids R Best Fest (7/8/23) – SPMC REU students brought live marine invertebrates to meet children and families at Storvik Park in Anacortes.
- NMEA Student Conference (7/25/23) – Shannon Point REU students led two activities for middle and high school students at the National Marine Educators Association student conference in Bellingham. The sea star wasting disease dive team led students in an exploration of scientific dive gear and led a sea star transect activity, and other students introduced students to local marine invertebrates.
- SPMC fans can catch the invertebrate trailer at Fidalgo Bay Day at Fidalgo Bay Resort on Saturday, August 26.
Dive Program
Photo credit: Sean Patrick
Access to diving at Shannon Point has received another boost, through a $7,500 grant from HF Sinclair (yes, this is in addition to the HF Sinclair funding received earlier this year!). The new award, “Support for scientific diving at the Shannon Point Marine Center with a focus on equitable access,” has already allowed for purchase of six SCUBA regulators and buoyancy compensator sets, with several more sets to come.
According to Diving Safety Officer Nate Schwarck, “Having gear to loan will open new educational opportunities and enhance the career preparation for students pursuing a scientific diving credential that is valid at institutions around the country.” The goal is to open up diving and related research activities to students who might otherwise lack the resources to obtain safe, serviceable gear, an important step forward in equitable access.
Speaking of access, 6 students, mainly undergraduates, received a full menu of dive training and certifications this summer, including Advanced and Rescue diver training, and American Academy of Underwater Sciences (AAUS) certifications in Scientific and Nitrox Diving. Three of the participants were WWU students, including one from Western’s College of the Peninsula. Two others (Olivia Faris of Wake Forest University, Mary Schneider of University of Florida) were part of Shannon Point’s REU program, while a third (Jessica Pantoja) was an intern supported by the Our World - Underwater Scholarship Society. You can read Jessica’s blog posts about her Salish Sea experience here.
Revamped Microscopy Spaces
Students, faculty and staff using one of Shannon Point’s many high-quality microscopes will have a more organized and efficient environment for that work by the start of fall quarter. Shannon Point’s long-time radioisotope laboratory has been decommissioned: radioactive materials and scintillation counter transferred to main campus, and the space thoroughly cleaned and checked. The old ‘rad lab’ will become a dedicated space for working with fixatives. Microscopes (6 in all!) will move up in the world to Rooms 216-218 (including the original Shannon Point administrative offices, for those who remember back that far). This will enable sharing of dark conditions, computing resources, and sample prep facilities. Watch this space for Fall updates on major Shannon Point renovations!
Successful Summer Cruise
Suzanne Strom’s group recently returned from a 17-day summer research cruise as part of the LTER program in the northern Gulf of Alaska. With cool, cloudy weather, a ship new to the program, and lots of brand-new crew members and science participants, there were plenty of challenges (including no heat on board for the first week or so). However, in the end the University of Hawaii’s R.V. Kilo Moana proved up to the task and nearly all of the cruise goals were met. A highlight was a “last cruise” celebration for Suzanne (after 40 years, it’s time….). The fertile minds behind these festivities crafted a ciliate piñata (Mesodinium rubrum, in case you’re wondering), gave some sweet gifts, and shared funny/touching poems and songs.
Top: Appropriate party decorations and Suzanne with ciliate piñata and ciliate (?) safety helmet. Bottom: Shannon Point cruise participants Asher Marvy, Katey Williams, Suzanne Strom, Jaime Blais in Icy Bay (not shown: former WWU grad student Hana Busse)
Funding Awards
Suzanne Strom and numerous collaborators have been funded for Phase 2 of the Northern Gulf of Alaska Long-Term Ecological Research program. With a start date of October 1, 2023, the award to University of Alaska Fairbanks (with WWU as a subaward) is entitled “LTER: NGA Phase-II: Resilience and Connectivity Across Transitions in the Northern Gulf of Alaska Ecosystem.” More information can be found here.
Two Shannon Point-associated students have recently obtained grants to support their research - congratulations!
Dexter Davis (WWU Environmental Sciences undergraduate and, most recently, research technologist in the Arellano lab) received an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship to support his Master’s degree at Oregon State University.
Katey Williams (graduate student in Environmental Sciences, advised by Suzanne Strom) has been awarded a graduate fellowship from the North Pacific Research Board to support her M.S. research with the northern Gulf of Alaska LTER program. Her project is entitled “Comparing primary production and vertical export of the picophytoplankton Synechococcus in the Northern Gulf of Alaska.”
New Publications
Van Alstyne KL, Butler JM (former MIMSUP student), Smith N (former REU student) (2023) Airborne dimethyl sulfide (DMS) cues dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) increases in the intertidal green alga Ulva fenestrata. Scientific Reports, 13, 4298, doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-30881-9.
Graduate Degrees Awarded
Sophia Boyd: Trophic transfer of metals from seaweed to shellfish in an aquaculture system. Summer 2023, advisors: Ruth Sofield and Kathy Van Alstyne
Mitchell Hebner: Can larvae of a deep-sea gastropod, Thalassonerita naticoidea, swim to the surface to find food in the Gulf of Mexico? Summer 2023, advisor Shawn Arellano
Jeremy Johnson: Polyunsaturated aldehyde production in the Salish Sea: A survey of benthic diatom producers and the influence of coastal upwelling. Spring 2023, advisor Brady Olson
Rachel Raymer: The effects of diatom-specific polyunsaturated aldehydes on larval zebrafish (Danio rerio). Spring 2023, advisor Brady Olson
Jaclyn Stapleton: Impact of fluctuating temperature and elevated CO2 on the growth, survival, and metabolic rate of the endangered pinto abalone (Haliotis kamtschatkana) in the Salish Sea. Spring 2023, advisor Deborah Donovan
Newsletter content prepared by Suzanne L. Strom (stroms@wwu.edu) unless otherwise specified.