CMRC2/3 CREWS Field Log

DATE: 10/11/05
TIME: 1700
STAFF: K. Buch, W. Goossens
BOAT: Lucaya (1/2 day use; 0.5 engine hrs)
NOTES: removal of SAMI pCO2 instrument. PAM-monitored Agaricia colony 90% bleached; difficult to tell amount of live tissue (will closely inspect on 10/14/05). PAM-monitored Siderastrea head showing paling over most of colony. Also noticed that PAM heads are showing some fouling-will revisit on 10/14/05 for cleaning/inspection.
Kevin

SAMI pCO2 system removed for service

The SAMI pCO2 instrument, deployed on May 21, 2005, was removed for scheduled maintenance and calibration on Oct. 11, 2200 GMT. It is anticipated that servicing and replacing the instrument at the site will take no more than 6 weeks.

Thanks to Kevin Buch and the crew at LSI for taking care of the instrument and CMRC3 throughout this deployment.

CMRC2/3 CREWS Field Log

DATE: 9/14/05
TIME: 0920
STAFF: Buch, Coutts (intern)
BOAT: Lusca (1/2 day use; 0.5 engine hrs)
NOTES: thorough cleaning, including re-positioning of PAM heads and cleaning inside of SAMI “cage”. Widespread local bleaching occurring, including Stick site and N. Norman’s Pond patch reef. PAM Agaricia head is approximately 40% bleached. PAM Siderastrea head showing mild paling at base.
Kevin

Summary of Coral Species Being Monitored

This is a short summary of the species being monitored by the pulse amplitude modulating (PAM) fluorometer at this CREWS station. The instrument itself has 4 individual heads on about 10 - 15' cables connected to a central distributing unit (AKA distributor box). The signal from these 4 heads is delivered through the distributor box to the station as a single RS232 formatted signal. The four heads are mounted into two mounts with enough freedom in motion to be oriented appropriately, including angle and distance to coral surface, to allow monitoring of up to 4 different species. We have typically aimed to monitor only 2 species each in duplicate. The PAM heads are numbered 1 through 4. A list of the species monitored and the dates they are monitored follows.

5/21/05 1800 PAM1 Agaricia sp.
PAM2 Siderastrea siderea - side of colony
PAM3 S. siderea - small secondary colony near agaricia colony
PAM3 S. siderea - top or same colony monitored with PAM2

5/23/05 0500 All heads failed - pressure case corrosion issues

6/30/05 2000 PAM Redeployed with aluminum distributor box and stainless steel monitoring heads
PAM1&2 Agaricia sp.
PAM3&4 S. Siderea

7/11/05 1400 All heads failed - continued corrosion issues
7/13/05 0000 PAM3 still off, PAM1,2&4 begin reporting again
PAM1&2 Agaricia sp.
PAM4 S. siderea

7/23/05 1600 Second PAM unit deployed - corrosion issues resolved
PAM1&2 S. siderea
PAM3&4 Agaricia sp.

Currently, all heads are reporting. Based on reduction in PAM yields, the S. siderea species is showing signs of stress.

CMRC3 Upgrades

Station upgrades: CMRC3 was outfitted with an additional in water Biospherical radiometer. Also, the above water radiometer was replaced and the second in water CTD was reinstalled. Finally, we moved the GPS antenna outside the case to improve GPS acquisition times. We think that shorter times may be necessary to prevent lost transmissions through GOES. So far, all instruments are reporting and we have no dropped transmissions.

Coral bleaching: We observed mild paling to full bleaching of select species of corals around the station and at neighboring N. Normans Reef. The Siderastrea siderea colonies had paling on sunlit surfaces and in blotched patterns. Agaricia sp. showed severe bleaching on some colonies, others - including the set that we are monitoring, looked unaffected. I saw no pattern to this.

Structural observations: The station had slightly more growth on it than we are accustomed to seeing but overall still appeared very clean. The BIC sensor head was perfectly clean. The PAM heads had slight algal growth covering them - this material was very easy to remove but did require pulling the PAM heads up into their mounts, cleaning, then repositioning. The worst growth was observed on the pCO2 instrument but did not appear to be affecting the inlet or outlets so we left it untouched.

Other observations: The usual suspects were observed near the stick: barracuda, a stingray, yellow rays.

PAM head update

Hi Jim: Went out to the CREWS stick yesterday. It's all there. I cleaned the PAM heads and took several readings on the Siderastrea and Agaricia colony at noon. I have the following results for you to compare. For Sideratrea siderea the average quantum yield was 0.333 and for Agaricia tenuifolia it was 0.466. The PAM heads for the agaricid are definitely in a more shaded part of the colony. Taking PAM measurements on the opposite, sun exposed, side showed much lower quantum yields. Let me know how this compares.

Cheers, Michael

Dr. Michael P. Lesser
Department of Zoology and Center for Marine Biology
University of New Hampshire
Durham, NH 03824
603-862-3442
603-862-3784

Station update

We did see what looked to be some bleaching in the cervicornis patch (I will send or post some photos that Catherine took), and very little bleaching elsewhere (>5 partial millepora colonies and one partial agaricia) all the big montastreas and brains looked good. Will keep an eye on things...

The CTD to BIC distance is 112cm.

Cheers,

Kevin