Richard B. Gump South Pacific Research Station

06 Nov, 06 AM - 17 Nov, 07 PM

Our visit to the reserve is part of ongoing research into the microbiology of corals and coral reefs. We plan to collect small fragments of corals to characterize their microbial communities and describe how these communities vary with the phylogeny and biogeography of the hosts. On this portion of the trip, to Moorea, we have a target list of ~20 coral genera that we will attempt to find and sample. Each sample will consist of a mucus sample, collected underwater with a syringe by gently rubbing the surface of the coral; and a small (~2-4cm x 2cm) fragment, collected with a hammer and chisel. No more than a third of any given colony will be taken, with the exception of small solitary corals, which will be collected whole. The portion of the colonies that are left on the reef are expected to heal and recover from such sampling quickly, given otherwise healthy conditions. Thus, the population is not expected to suffer. However, this invasive sampling will be carefully coordinated so-as not to interfere with individuals or communities that are part of other sensitive research projects.

Visit #42362 @Richard B. Gump South Pacific Research Station

Approved

Under Project # 31901 | Research

The Global Coral Microbiome Project: Collections in the South Pacific

graduate_student - Oregon State University

Reservation Members(s)

David Baker Nov 6 - 17, 2015 (12 days)
Justin Smith Nov 6 - 17, 2015 (12 days)
Rebecca Vega Thurber Nov 6 - 17, 2015 (12 days)
Ryan McMinds Nov 6 - 17, 2015 (12 days)

Reserve Resources(s) | Create Invoice

Hillside bungalow C 4 Nov 5 - 18, 2015