This post details all activities in Moorea in July and August 2022 for the Gametogenesis physiological processing projects for the study species Acropora pulchra and Pocillopora sp. conduted in Mo’orea, French Polynesia at the Richard B. Gump South Pacific Research Station.

Overview

A major Aim of the E5 project is to examine the effects of environmental stressors that shift the coral-microbe symbiosis on epigenetics, gene expression, and organismal physiology on carry over across generations, also known as trans-generational epigenetic inheritance, or parental effects.

We are conducting a field trip to Moorea in July and August 2022 with the goal to sample Acropora pulchra and Pocillopora spp. throughout gametogenesis on the northshore backreef and collect data on histology, physiology, and epigenomics. Original tagging and sampling of 40 Acropora pulchra colonies was completed by the Putnam Lab team (Hollie, Ariana, Pierrick, and Alex (CRIOBE)) in December 2021 and of Pocillopora spp. starting in January 2022. Monthly timepoint sampling will be carried out for this project until October 2022 for spawning in collaboration with CRIOBE. We will be processing physiological measurements (symbiont densities, chlorophyll content, total protein, surface area, and tissue biomass) for collected and preserved samples, measuring bleaching score on in situ colonies, decalcifying histological samples, and collecting molecular and histological samples during our two month trip.

We will be processing the samples collected from our May and June expedition for all physiological measurements. We will also be sampling for two timepoints in July and August and process all of the samples for physiological measurements. We will also be decalcifying the samples from May, June, July, and August for histology.

This trip, we also have a very exciting collaboration to work with Dr. Lenore Cowen at Tufts University and an undergraduate student, Janya Gambhir for a unique experience in Mo’orea studying coral physiology, histology, and computer science.

Tufts University offers the Global Research Assistant Program (GRAP) which provides the opportunity for Tufts faculty members to receive funding for one Tufts undergraduate student to work on international research and impact projects for a minimum of eight weeks during summer.

Janya will be assiting with all the field sampling, physiological measurements, and histology along with, taking photos for her own collaborative project with Tufts University on incorporating an imaging app that can guide citizen scientists in taking photos in the field for various projects.

Team

1. Danielle Becker-Polinski (Putnam Lab)
2. Janya Gambhir (Tufts University)

24 July 2022

We arrived early in the morning to Moorea and took the ferry to Gump. Upon arrival, we organized all our personal belongings, lab spaces, and equipment in the molecular and LTER back lab.

In the afternoon, fresh on jetlag, we filled a large cooler with ice and drove to CRIOBE to met Alexandre Fellous and pick up our frozen June 2022 (n = 60) physiological samples collected and frozen by Alex. We brought multiple samples; molecular RNA/DNA shield biopsies (n = 60; ~0.5 - 1 cm), snap frozen in LN2 biopsies (n = 60; ~0.5 - 1 cm); and frozen physiological fragments (n = 60; ~3 inches) back to Gump and stored the molecular samples in the molecular -40 C freezer and the physiological fragments in the molecular lab -40 C freezer.