11/4/2019 AND 11/7/2019
We were fortunate to have Dr. Craig Downs visit our campus and meet with some of our students and faculty to discuss coral bleaching and the effects of various stressors (nutrients, sun screen, etc.) on coral health. He also helped two of our capstone students with their research projects.
Dr. Downs came back to HPA on the 7th to do a training class for various Big Island divers and citizen scientists. The class trained the group on how to conduct coral laceration regeneration assay as a means of measuring coral health. HPA and Kohala Center hosted the class at the HPA Dowsett Pool.
After the class, we meet up with Craig and Bill White down at Wailea Bay to take samples of sand around the outdoor shower at the county park and water samples out in the bay. The samples are to be analyzed for various sun screen chemicals and nutrient concentrations. Dr. Downs guided Jenna Perry and Kahele Walsh in how to properly take samples using sterile, appropriate forensic techniques. The girls proceeded to take two sand samples and three sets of water samples which Dr. Downs will analyze.
Below are some images of the class and the water sampling.
CORAL LACERATION REGENERATION ASSAY CLASS
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| Dr. Downs explains the technique of determining coral health using coral laceration assay technique. |
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| The tools for coral laceration assay. |
Coral laceration assay practice session in the HPA Dowsett Pool.
Water Sampling at Waialea Bay
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| The county shower area is heavily used by park guests. The guests wash off the sand, salt water and sunscreen after a day at the beach. The wash water goes down hill into the sand and, eventually the bay. |
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| Contaminated water runs down toward the Bay from the showers. |
HPA students Jenna Perry and Kahele walsh take a sand sample from the area of the shower runoff
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| Sealing the sample bag full of contaminated sand. |
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| Adding a teflon seal to the teflon sand bag. |
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| The teflon bag of sand is sealed and then resealed inside of a tamper proof plastic forensic bag. |
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| Making the final seal on the forensic evidence bag. |
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| Kahele, Jenna and Ms Jim display the samples. |
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| Dr. Downs and Bill White work with Kahele and Jenna to take a water sample. |
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| Out taking a water sample in the middle of Waialea Bay. |
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| Sampling water at the north end of Waialea Bay. |
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