Scientific Conferences

Today began the E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Symposium here on the University of Alabama's campus. Those of you that have spent any amount of time with me know the importance of spending three days alongside the great E.O. Wilson. His work, specifically his book The Future of Life, is what inspired me to go into research. So this the perfect way to spend my last week on campus!

Listening to the talks this morning by some of the world's leading experts in biodiversity got me thinking. It occurred to me that we go to these conferences and talk to each other, and it's people like E.O. Wilson and the others speaking here today that get beyond academics and share their science. So, I wanted to post a video of my talk at the Benthic Ecology meeting last month. Now you can all see what we do when we go to conferences and one of the avenues we take for sharing our results.

Happy Earth Day! Hug a microbe today!

Trials and Tribulations (a.k.a. remote field work)

Well I said I would be better, and I failed. I went through my entire field work session in Belize without blogging once! The remoteness and slowness of internet of Carrie Bow Caye, Belize was totally underestimated and frankly nothing would upload. So close your eyes and imagine we are back in time by about three weeks. And we will pretend I am back on the island.

Each year as I plan and pack for field work I somehow expect that I now have it all figured out. This year will be different. I will hit the ground running and know exactly what I am doing every second of the season. Then the work begins, I shake my head, and I laugh at my naivety. However, when I start to get frustrated at myself I remember (or my boss kindly reminds me) that if it wasn't hard and didn't go wrong, I'm not doing anything novel or worthwhile. And after a few minutes of questioning if I've made major errors in choosing my career, I shake it off and get to work. I mean I get to work places like this:

See that island that looks as if it's floating mid air? That's Carrie Bow

So this year was no different. I planned on collecting lionfish, easily scraping their mucus layer off, and I would come back to our home lab and analyze the mucus for antimicrobial compounds. Every paper I read made it sounds so easy. Every fish expert I talk with made it sound so easy, "just scrape the mucus off." Not considering for a second that I work with a fish that has 17 venomous spines! That I collect while scuba diving. That I have to spear and promptly pith (sever the spinal cord with an aluminum spike). And that the fish is bleeding everywhere. "Oh just scrape it off" they say, "it's easy" they say.

After the first day of collections, it became painfully aware that after that assault the lionfish were not going to give me their mucus readily. I wish I would have taken pictures of what happened next, because I'm sure to everyone else it would be hilarious. But to me at the time, I was not amused. At one point we had the fish strung up and dangling from PVC while trying to collect the drippings in a beaker sitting below (note: this did NOT work). Well, we finally figured it out and I was able to collect the lionfish mucus but here's the lesson I have learned from my 4 years of conducting field research. It takes about 5% intellect, 5% preparation, 15% shamelessly trolling research articles for alternative methods, 75% being too stubborn to admit defeat. So most days I feel like this guy:

With an awfully long way to climb, but it will be worth it when I get there. Right?!?

Okay so here's some sweet shots of lionfish from my trip, and I promise I will keep posting with more pictures!

- Jules

Curiosities and Exploration

Today, I have been thinking a lot about the field work I have coming up this summer. Overcast days in late April/early May make me tired and cranky, and unfortunately not all that motivated. But this week I started preparing for the upcoming work I will be conducting the Caribbean. The amount of time, effort, planning, and thinking that goes into a measly 14 days in the field is daunting. I started planning this trip a year ago, before last year's field work even started and that's just how things go for scientists. Living our lives grant to grant, there is no time for relaxation. Last June I submitted the grant to conduct this project, did not hear I had received the money until October, and then trying to get three busy scientists on the same schedule and that schedule to coincide with available space at the field station: it's enough to drive you mad.

But now is the time when the excitement and trepidation builds. I convinced someone, somewhere that I am the most qualified person to conduct this research. I beat out other highly motivated and qualified graduate students for the money. What if it doesn't work? What was I thinking telling someone I can do this? But then I take a deep breath, re-read my proposal, and remind myself that I don't have any other choice but to do it. Now I look at the list I made of the lists I need to write (yes, I make plans to make plans) and I cannot wait. The supplies have started to roll in, the chemicals are getting ordered (with permits, yuck!), and my dive gear is getting certified. In six short weeks, over a year of planning and worrying will come to a head, I will be stepping off the boat onto this island, and it will be time to sink or swim (literally and figuratively). This last chapter of my dissertation will be one step closer.

Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, for better or worse, I will be there soon!

Love to all!
- Jules

Research: Old school methods for new discoveries

Everybody has heard about bacteria in one form or another. Whether it is the results of that terrible Strep test where they shove the swab down your throat or food recalls due to E. coli contamination, my poor bacteria get a pretty terrible reputation. But just for a second look around outside, take a deep breath of fresh oxygen-filled air, or think about how right now you do not have a stomach ache, yes my friends you have bacteria to thank for all of that. You are welcome.

My favorite organisms fly deeply under the radar, working day in and day out to make this big blue marble habitable for all the plants and animals taking up the space. Our atmosphere became oxygenated because photosynthetic bacteria converted light energy to chemical energy and as a byproduct spit out oxygen. Fertile soils can grow plants because nitrogen fixing bacteria take unusable nitrogen gas in the air and convert it to usable nitrogen, the element you add to your lawn when you fertilize each spring.

All these amazing little feats made bacteria interesting enough to me to become my life's work. Typically when people ask what I do I start off telling them I am a marine biologist (just to catch their attention) and their eyes light up and usually say something like "Oh wow! I wanted to be a marine biologist when I was little" and usually ask what I study. This is my favorite part, because when I tell them I study bacteria on coral reefs, those excited faces usually drop and they something like "oh that's cool"and that's my cue to show them how cool it really can be.

Currently I am working on a project searching for antibiotic producing organisms which may contribute to disease resistance. Marine animals (sponges, corals, fish) are often chemically defended, meaning the organisms produce a compound that helps them fight off disease. And not just marine organisms, right now you are doing the same thing in your mouth, and your stomach, and on your skin. This knowledge has led to an incredible field called Natural Products Discovery, where they try to capture these compounds and recreate them in a lab for human use.

But I digress, my project is studying the potential interaction of the invasive lionfish:

and their associated bacteria:

And trying to determine if possibly (hopefully) this interaction protects these invaders from common fish diseases in the Caribbean and Western Atlantic Ocean contributing to their success. What's really cool is despite all of the advances we have made in modern science sometimes the old school methods are just the most effective. So lately I have been channeling my inner microbiologist and ignoring my recently trained molecular biologist and working with the bacteria in culture. What this means is that I can challenge the lionfish bacteria against known pathogens and actually see their ability to fight off the pathogens.

There is so much to appreciate and still discover about bacteria beyond their ability to give us a sore throat or food poisoning. Like so many things in life that get a bad reputation, sometimes you just have to use them correctly (i.e. leggings, habanero peppers, and blue eyeshadow).

Love to all!
- Jules

Drawing to a close

As you have likely gathered from my lack of posts this week, I have been a bit busy finishing everything. I leave Taiwan in 5 short days, and today is my last day at the National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium. Upon return (likely written on the flight home) I will write an undoubtedly reflective and summary post before beginning writing about my next adventures. So for now I want to share with you some of the activities I have done the last few days here in southern Taiwan.

Last Thursday Chieh-Wen and her friend Kuan-Ju took me out on a night adventure. This was in part to thank me for helping with English translations for the National Park (where Kuan-Ju works) but mostly because they are just incredibly nice people. We started the night with dinner and an attempt at star gazing through some pretty heavy cloud cover. But then they took me up into the national park "Coral Reef Mountain" (more on that one later) to see glowing mushrooms. These mushrooms are only seen in two areas in Taiwan and grow only on bamboo. Adding to their mystery, the mushrooms (like all mushrooms) only appear when the air is very moist after big rains. Thank you typhoon season! Walking the trails at night is an entirely different experience. The critters that come alive at night are alien in appearance and seem to stare at you from their perches in the rock crevices. Here are some of those we saw walking into the bamboo stand:

 (I thought these crickets were incredibly cute, like something out of a cartoon)

 (Poisonous snail) 

(Do you see it there slithering across our path? SNAKE!)

So being a terrible photographer I was not able to get a shot of the glowing mushrooms, but as I have a somewhat decent way with words I can describe it. Walking up I was expecting the "glowing" mushrooms to just give off a faint glow that you must squint and turn your head to the left to see. Boy was I wrong! Another group was already there, with a bunch of flashlights on blocking any view of these mushrooms. Luckily Kuan-Ju knew the group and asked them to turn off their lights. As my eyes adjusted I saw what looked like neon green glowsticks stuck all over the trees. There was nothing faint about the glow of these mushrooms. It reminded me of those glow-in-the-dark stars we all had on our ceiling as kids. But these stars were fresh out the package and Mom had just turned off the lights. 

After a few days of working non-stop to finish presentations, molecular work, and showing the students here how to continue my work when I leave, Chieh-wen took me hiking in the "Coral Mountain" at Kenting National Park on Sunday. Taiwan is a relatively new geologic structure and in not too distant of a past the island was submerged as a coral reef and then built up by volcanic action. So here in southern Taiwan the hills, mountains, and cliffs are actually ancient coral structures. Our hike did not last too long as it was incredibly hot, but it was very interesting while it lasted. 

 (Beginning of the hiking path)

 (Beautiful flowers along the path)

 (Palms along the path)

 (Path between the ancient reef structures) 

 (I was looking for more of the crickets!)

 (Steps up to the Skyward Pavilion)

 (You can somewhat make out Orchid Island on the horizon)

 (Me at the top)

 (The random coral structures just blew my mind)

 (More pretty flowers)

 (Cocoon) 

(More mushrooms)

After the hiking adventure we went to the southern point of Taiwan to see the Eulanbi Lighthouse up close. It definitely looks much larger from the water when it is casting its light.

 (Path to the Lighthouse)

(I love Taiwan!)

On Monday, my lab had a going away party for me at the Happy Panda, a really cool beach campground/restaurant/nightclub. Your group reserves a large picnic bench with a grill built in and they bring you the food to cook or you can bring your own as well. I will never forget how kind everyone here has been to me.

 (Taiwanese BBQ time)

(With William, my extremely kind and helpful lab mate)

 (Team SCUBA divers Chieh-Wen, Cammie, and I)

 (Everyone that has been so incredibly helpful with my project - 

Dr. Chang is in the front row on the left with his wife and daughter)

The grand finale of my time here at NMMBA came yesterday when Cammie, Chieh-Wen, and I went on a couple boats dives in South Bay, Taiwan. 

 (Do you see it? Do you see the pygmy seahorse?!?)

 (Cammie striking a pose)

 (Pterois volitans lionfish in 95 feet of water)

 (Chieh-Wen trying to escape me)

 (Cammie posing with a coral head the size of a Volkswagon)

(A ray swimming by)

It has been a fantastic trip and experience, and I cannot wait to take some time and really reflect on my time I have spent here in Taiwan at the National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium.

Love to all!

-Jules

and Orchid Island by sea

Are you ready for this? Because I am still reeling from the wonder that was diving at Orchid Island, Taiwan. The weekend of diving started out with trepidation when Chieh-wen informed me that it was island policy to hire local dive masters to guide people even on shore dives. I was confused as to why three professional divers had to have someone guide us from the shore. Honestly, all you do on shore dives is swim out, turn right or left, and when your tank hits the halfway mark turn around and come back. I was insulted. Oh well, I had come all this way for diving here and nothing would stop me, not even added expense. Okay, obviously I understand the requirement for local diver masters: they know the reefs, they need to make a living, and most importantly, the people of this island completely and utterly appreciate the beauty around them and they don't want dumb tourist divers ruining the reefs.

But we needed the dive master on a whole different level. Now, I am a fairly jaded diver when I get in the water. Call me spoiled for experiencing 80% of my dives in Roatan, Honduras with some of the easiest, most beautiful dives you can go on. It now takes a lot for me to get impressed. However, as we crossed over the rock flats and submerged into the reef, I was awe stricken. There was no way I could be responsible for navigating my own dive as I was so excited I could barely keep the regulator in my mouth. I glanced back at Cammie with my eyes as big as saucers and saw she was in the same state as I. This was incredible. Surrounding us on all sides were mountains of coral heads with nearly complete coral cover and biodiversity like a marine biologist can only dream about. Schools of reef fish darted around me, curious to see who was disturbing their haven. Nudibranchs (like coral reef slugs) of all shapes and sizes squirmed around the bottom. And a sea snake (the most venomous snake in the world) slithered by us. My childhood fascination (okay, okay my adulthood fascination too) with mermaids did not seem so silly anymore. After an hour when we were forced to emerge as our tanks neared empty, I could have cried. I wanted to stay in the water forever. While pictures could never, ever do this weekend's dives justice I still want to share.

(The moment before the wonder begins)

 (Bright purple coral)

 (As if I was in a tank at the aquarium)

 (Getting artsy with the aquatic plants)

 (Lionfish! And yes this picture is oriented in the right direction)

 (Sea Star)

 (Like a scene out of a movie)

 (Soft coral hanging from the reef wall face)

 (More corals)

 (Nudibranch)

 (Nudibranch)

(Nudibranch)

 (Nudibranch)

 (Crazy sea star)

 (Plating coral - note this is in about 60 feet of water that is that clear)

(Sea snake! Terrible picture, but don't blame me for not wanting to get too close)

 (Chieh-wen going into one of the swim-throughs)

 (Swim-through again)

(Some very happy girls)

The diving was so great, our friends rented snorkel gear and Cammie and I took them to snorkel the dive sites. I loved introducing our physicist and engineer friends to our world. They stopped teasing us about being "lowly biologists" after that. 

 (Peter snorkeling)

 (Alex free diving)

 (Sarah looking unhappy, but she was not!)

 (James free diving)

I just having to brag about this last picture a bit. It was taken while I was free diving along the reef. Yes I took lots of shots and this is the only one that turned out, but this one is pretty great! The icing on the cake: at the end of the snorkel we came across a octopus that I got to change colors for all our friends (please do not act like me and harass the wildlife). This post is written in great nostalgia for diving Orchid Island, but also with a sense of caution. Seeing the effects tourism has on the beauty and health of reefs, part of me wants to keep Orchid Island a secret. 

Love to all!

Jules