First sample collection (8/9)

I went out to my field site today as excited as a child opening a present to see what had happened as a result of my experimentation. A few days earlier I had collected various kinds of algae and wrapped them around the branch tips of several coral heads. The algae ranged from Hypnea, which is relatively benign with no known chemical defense, to a nasty red/brown, filamentous cyanobacteria to a beautiful, green, but chemically defended alga called Cholordesmis. I had tested the algae application prior to setting up the experiment and it appeared to work nicely. But, when I went to check my experiment, I was dismayed at the sight before me. Something (or someone) had caused extensive damage to the beautiful field of Acroporid corals. Many of the coral colonies were missing tips and branches. White discs of skeleton indicated the breakage like a wound cut to the bone. A few colonies were completely toppled over or were broken in half. I couldn’t figure out what happened. We haven’t had bad weather or stormy seas. The only other culprits I could think of were fish and man. The site is near Hideaway Resort and some idiot tourist could have either decided to collect of few pieces of the pretty ‘plant’ or in effect trampled the coral in an awkward, ungraceful attempt at snorkeling. (The corals thrive in an area of reef only 4 – 6 feet deep). On the other hand, the coral could have been preyed on by parrotfish. However, many of the pieces missing looked to big for grazing scars, and I could see several of the fragments, uneaten and beginning to bleach on the sandy bottom. The Hypnea may have attracted herbivorous fish, which during their feeding frenzy, banged into the coral causing breakage. I have a hard time picturing big enough fish in a large enough number to cause that to happen though. So, it’s still a mystery.

Needless to say, I was so upset I could feel tears beginning to well up in my mask. I had high hopes for this particular experiment. It was going to be elegant and simple but produce exciting, interesting results, not headaches. I surveyed the damage again and decided I would still try to salvage some of the replicates. I lost 4 whole colonies (including all of the attached algae) and all of the Hypnea replicates on the remaining colonies But, I was able to collect the Cholordesmis and cyanobacteria from 5 colonies. Walking back with my samples, I was utterly despondent. I needed a drink. Instead, I assessed percent bleaching, measured the fragments and placed them in TRIzol. When all was done, my spirit brightened. I realized that I may have enough replicates to get significant results, and the pattern of bleaching that I observed matched up with my expectations. Maybe all was not lost. I was still feeling the frustration of the day, though. So, I walked up to Hideaway for a cocktail. Rum and coke, a tonic to cure many woes. If it teaches you nothing else, fieldwork teaches you patience and resolve.
“Woe is me, have mercy on my soul. If it wern’t fer bad luck. I’d have no luck at all.”