{"id":165839,"date":"2022-09-25T08:00:17","date_gmt":"2022-09-25T18:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=165839"},"modified":"2022-10-07T14:23:31","modified_gmt":"2022-10-08T00:23:31","slug":"early-algae-species-detection-system","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2022\/09\/25\/early-algae-species-detection-system\/","title":{"rendered":"Early detection system for nuisance alga infesting Papah\u0101naumoku\u0101kea reefs"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 4<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
\"diver
The new species of algae at Manawai. (Photo courtesy: NOAA<\/abbr>\/National Marine Sanctuaries)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A new species of nuisance algae, which was formally described in 2020 by University of Hawaiʻi<\/span> at M\u0101noa experts, continues to smother more reefs and coral at Papah\u0101naumoku\u0101kea Marine National Monument. However, an early detection technique developed by 糖心Vlog官方<\/abbr> M\u0101noa researchers can identify small particles of the alga in the water, giving experts much more time to act before it blankets the reef. Scientists are also currently testing lethal methods to kill the alga.<\/p>\n

Related 糖心Vlog官方<\/abbr> News<\/em> story: Algae species discovered infesting NW<\/abbr> waters has been identified, July 7, 2020<\/a><\/span>\t<\/p>\n

Chondria tumulosa<\/em> was first detected in 2016, and has since been observed smothering entire reefs and the corals, native algae and other organisms that live there. It has a “tumbleweed-like” growth with no known origin, and appears to easily detach and spread. 糖心Vlog官方<\/abbr> M\u0101noa College of Natural Sciences<\/a> Interim Associate Dean and Professor Alison Sherwood<\/strong> and her team formally named the alga in 2020.<\/p>\n

Recent expeditions from 2019–21 to Manawai (Pearl and Hermes Atoll) have revealed thick mats smothering the reefs, and the alga has also been detected at Kuaihelani (Midway Atoll) in 2021 and 2022.<\/p>\n

\"person
School of Life Sciences PhD<\/abbr> candidate Patrick Nichols developed a test to detect the presence of Chondria tumulosa<\/em> DNA<\/abbr> in the water.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A team of 糖心Vlog官方<\/abbr> M\u0101noa School of Life Sciences<\/a> researchers, led by PhD<\/abbr> candidate Patrick Nichols<\/strong>, used water samples collected at Manawai and Kuaihelani to develop a test to detect the presence of Chondria tumulosa<\/em> DNA<\/abbr> in the water before the problem gets out of hand. This valuable early detection method will allow resource managers to more efficiently and effectively monitor for new populations of the alga, inspect gear and equipment, and to rapidly deploy their containment techniques to prevent future spread.<\/p>\n

“It\u2019s pretty exciting to be part of this project because I know that it is useful and can be implemented pretty much immediately. It will have widespread impact,” Nichols said.<\/p>\n

Nichols said the current bottleneck in the process is that he needs to wait for samples to be returned to Oʻahu<\/span> from each expedition to test them. Access to Papah\u0101naumoku\u0101kea has been limited for a variety of reasons, including the COVID-19 pandemic, high costs and limits on the infrastructure at Manawai and Kuaihelani. Nichols and School of Life Sciences Professor Peter Marko<\/strong> are developing a portable assay (investigative procedure) so research teams can test the water for the presence of the alga on location. They are working with and funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS<\/abbr>) to develop the technique and test it on research expeditions.<\/p>\n

“An assay like this can be tested and validated in the lab, but we can’t assess its accuracy without samples from the real reefs,” Marko said. “We need more opportunities to get more samples from throughout the monument, especially from places where the alga hasn’t yet spread.”<\/p>\n

How to kill the alga<\/h2>\n
\"five
Researchers return from the August 2022 expedition to Kuaihelani, including Mario Kaluhiokalani (second from right). (Photo credit: Jon Plissner, USFWS<\/abbr>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

糖心Vlog官方<\/abbr> M\u0101noa School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology<\/a> graduate student Mario Kaluhiokalani<\/strong>, working with Professor Brian Popp<\/strong> in the Department of Oceanography<\/a>, was one of five researchers who embarked on a 17-day mission to Kuaihelani in August 2022 to further investigate Chondria tumulosa<\/em> and determine the conditions that might be fueling its growth. The alga was observed at 30% of the 150 sites inspected, but only in high abundance at eight sites. Researchers said the patterns of distribution at Kuaihelani are similar to those found at Manawai in 2021, but with less mass formation.<\/p>\n

Specimens were collected to investigate its population structure, reproductive state, composition and associated invertebrate communities. Water samples were sent to Nichols at 糖心Vlog官方<\/abbr> M\u0101noa to test for the alga. Oceanographic data on temperature, nutrient levels and other parameters were also collected, and coral samples will be used to study “before” and “after” biogeochemical states of the coral reef food web in response to the infestation. The oceanographic work is being led by Andrea Kealoha<\/strong>, director of 糖心Vlog官方<\/abbr> Maui College\u2019s Water Quality Lab<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Scientists are conducting experiments to determine the lethal parameters required to kill the alga. Samples were subjected to a variety of chemical treatments, sun and shade exposures, and freezing treatments. The results will help with developing best management practices to prevent its spread.<\/p>\n

\"closeup
Close-up of Chondria Tumulosa<\/em> fragment used for testing. (Photo credit: Taylor Williams, College of Charleston)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This research was made possible by a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to Sherwood, Marko, Kealoha, Popp and 糖心Vlog官方<\/abbr> M\u0101noa, and funding from Hawaiʻi<\/span> Sea Grant<\/a>. Along with Kaluhiokalani, this latest expedition featured scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, College of Charleston, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at Papah\u0101naumoku\u0101kea, Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge and Battle of Midway National Memorial.<\/p>\n

“Detecting Chondria tumulosa<\/em> at Papah\u0101naumoku\u0101kea sites outside of Manawai is a huge concern,” Sherwood said. “At the same time, it\u2019s been really inspiring to see such a tremendous collaboration of 糖心Vlog官方<\/abbr> researchers from multiple colleges and campuses, and resource managers from several different agencies coming together to tackle this problem head on.”<\/p>\n

Partnering with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service<\/h2>\n

Since the discovery of the alga, USFWS<\/abbr> has been working with 糖心Vlog官方<\/abbr> researchers to develop tools to aid in its monitoring and detection in the waters of Papah\u0101naumoku\u0101kea, the largest protected conservation area in the U.S. Kaʻuaʻoa<\/span> Fraiola<\/strong> is a biologist with the USFWS<\/abbr> Pacific Island Refuges and Monuments Office, and a 糖心Vlog官方<\/abbr> alumnus in biology. He served as a member of the inter-agency working group that identified the need to develop an eDNA<\/abbr> assay to detect the alga, sought involvement of 糖心Vlog官方<\/abbr> researchers, and helped craft the cooperative agreement between 糖心Vlog官方<\/abbr> and the USFWS<\/abbr> that supports the eDNA<\/abbr> assay development project.<\/p>\n

“Due to Papah\u0101naumoku\u0101kea’s extreme size and remoteness, traditional diver-based approaches to survey for Chondria tumulosa<\/em> are not enough, especially in areas where it is newly established and difficult to see,” Fraiola said. “The incorporation of the latest ecological methods, such as eDNA<\/abbr>, into our management tool belt makes it possible for us to survey and monitor large areas of reef for Chondria tumulosa<\/em> quickly and simply. This partnership is critical.”<\/p>\n

—By Marc Arakaki<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This valuable early detection method will allow resource managers to more efficiently and effectively monitor for new populations of the alga.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[308,1085,1467,1363,107,1473,92,71,9,60,438],"class_list":["post-165839","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-research","tag-college-of-natural-sciences","tag-life-science","tag-manoa-excellence-in-research","tag-manoa-research","tag-oceanography","tag-school-of-life-sciences","tag-school-of-ocean-and-earth-science-and-technology","tag-uh-community-colleges","tag-uh-manoa","tag-maui-college","tag-uh-sea-grant","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/165839","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=165839"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/165839\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":165865,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/165839\/revisions\/165865"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=165839"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=165839"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=165839"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}