Most coral reef scientists study charismatic organisms, such as corals and fish, while very few scientists focus on plankton. Since coral reefs have an abundance of beautiful and colorful creatures, small and inconspicuous plankton may be less attractive to many coral reef scientists. Of the few existing coral reef plankton studies, most of them are either bacterioplankton or phytoplankton, which are “relatively” … Read More
From the Pristine to Degraded: Reefs of the Central Pacific
Scripps led research team assesses the impacts of human disturbance on coral reefs. In one of the most comprehensive assessments of Pacific Ocean coral reef health spanning 10 years, 56 islands, and five archipelagos, Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego marine ecologist Jennifer Smith and colleagues examined how coral reef communities at 450 sites are faring with … Read More
The CAU Slaughterhouse Chronicles
By Adi Khen As a first-time volunteer at the Smith lab, I got to be involved in one of the most exciting parts of data processing: drying, weighing, acidifying and, basically, slaughtering CAUs! Let me explain… CAU stands for Calcification Accretion Unit, or in this case a set of two stacked PVC tiles that are used to measure carbonate … Read More
My first summer in the field – by Gideon Butler
My first summer in the field When I tell people that I spent six weeks on Maui this summer, nobody seems to believe that it wasn’t a vacation. I tell them that I was working from dawn to dark every day and that my body was covered in scrapes and bruises by the end, but all they hear is, … Read More
From the Field: How Long Do Corals Need to Recover?
PhD Student Jill Harris talks about her summer research experience with fellow Smith Lab PhD student Levi Lewis at the Korallion Lab in the Maldives. They were looking at the aftermath of a massive coral bleaching event in 1998 determining how the event has effected the coral reefs and marine life.
It’s Not a Sprint….
2013 has been a crazy year for PhD student Levi Lewis, and it’s not over yet! Levi gives a brief glimpse of what he’s been up to these past 9 months, and reflecting about how sweet the experience continues to be.
Smith Lab is in Full Swing for Summer
Master’s student Samantha Clements summarizes the ongoing summer activities of the Smith Lab. From research travels around the world to data processing right here at home, there’s no such thing as summer break from science… and it’s awesome!
The Grass is Always Greener…
Members of the Smith Lab get to travel the world to conduct their coral reef research, but PhD student Levi Lewis reminds us that when you live in San Diego, life is not too bad.
Na Hoku
Levi Lewis shares his luck by showing us some rare species he managed to capture on film from the reefs in Maui, Hawaii. For some of us, this may be the only glimpse we’ll ever get of these cute creatures!
[de] Construction at Ukumehame
Levi Lewis, a PhD student in the Smith Lab, does a lot of research on the beautiful island of Maui. But as the years go by he’s seen a lot of changes that have significantly affected the beautiful and thriving coral reefs.