In February of 2019, Kate Gould traveled to the Florida Keys to construct underwater tables at four different offshore locations. Through a collaboration with the Coral Restoration Foundation, she obtained 64 fragments of Orbicella annularis (boulder star coral) and transplanted them to her tables. For the past year, she has been monitoring the growth and overall health of these corals as part of her PhD research in the Bruno Lab at UNC-Chapel Hill.
Here she reflects on how the project is going, the challenges and rewards that come with underwater field work, and what she has learned so far.
So it’s been 10 months since you transplanted your corals. How are they doing?
From what we’ve seen on this most recent trip, the corals are looking a lot better than they did a few months ago. When we went down in August, the water temperature was 87 degrees, and all the tables showed signs of disease. This trip, things were looking better. The temperature is 79 degrees now, and I didn’t see any signs of disease.
From the photos I’ve taken on each trip, I have noticed a change in size — the corals were originally nickel-sized (in February) and now they are roughly the size of a half dollar.
Why are you researching coral restoration? And why did you choose this particular type of coral?
I often struggle with this question — why do coral reef restoration? On this scale, I know it’s not going to make a large-scale impact on coral population numbers, but the data I’m collecting could have a big impact on our understanding of coral survival. Several NGOs are engaged in coral restoration right now and I think many of them have the thought process let’s get some corals and plant them out on the reef. The intention is good, but we need more science to back it up.
The main objective of this project is to pinpoint the locations where corals have the greatest chance of survival. Monitoring corals in variable environmental conditions allow us to identify characteristics beneficial to health — that’s why I’m doing it across four different sites in Florida.
Orbicella annularis is a reef-building coral that hasn’t been widely used in restoration efforts — most have focused on branching corals, like elkhorn. The appeal of branching corals is their fast growth rates, however they are more susceptible to changes in environment, like sudden increases in temperature.
Orbicella is more tolerant of changes. Considered a stress-tolerant coral, they can persist through changes in their environment.
Utilizing multiple species of corals has the potential to strengthen restoration efforts. As with any ecosystem, the more species that are present, the better. There is strength in diversity!
The corals on Kate’s table at Caryfort Reef show signs of disease in early August.
You had to make a tough call on this most recent trip. Tell me about how you make decisions in the field.
When you’re dealing with dynamic and unpredictable environments, you have to go in prepared. Checklists are crucial.
My first priority is always safety, not only for myself but for my team. I start with checking the weather, then double-checking all the equipment for every. single. person. In the field, when you’re on the job, you have to adapt to unforeseen circumstances — that can mean changing the dive plan, adjusting protocol for gathering data.
On our last dive, we had a lot of factors working against us. Before we even left the dock, the weather was ominous and the water was rough. On our way out to the reef, we found out one of our tanks was busted. When we got to the site, we saw how bad the current was. I altered the dive plan before we even got in the water. Knowing that we would be down one diver, and another diver had little experience in these types of conditions, I was hesitant.
As soon as I jumped in, I realized the visibility was going to pose a major challenge to do anything. A few minutes later, I called off the dive. Out of the 20+ dives we’ve completed for this project, this was the first one I’ve had to cancel, and I think it was a good judgement call.
You’ve worked with a number of different people on this project so far. How do you put together a good team? What are the most important qualities or characteristics for people doing this work?
I am very much a people person. Bringing good people together to help me accomplish my scientific goals has been fulfilling on both the personal and professional front. If you want to be a solid team member in this type of environment, then you need to be cool and be stoked. What that means is being adaptable, being a good listener, and being able to follow instructions — even when those instructions suddenly change.
Ryan and Kate consult with a local captain to plan their route to Looe Key.
Good communication is key. With safety being the paramount concern, every team member has to have the confidence to speak up about any potential hazard. I’m not nervous that something bad is going to happen, but I need people that know what they’re doing.
On the most recent trip, I brought down one of my good friends who had never been scuba diving before. I knew Ryan would be a good contribution to the team because he works hard and he loves a good adventure. Still, learning to dive for the first time takes time and energy and practice. I knew he had the stamina. He had the perfect attitude and temperament.
Ryan and I have been good friends for four years; we have been in a band and made music together. But being underwater is just different.
It’s hard to describe. You interact with someone on a certain level every day of your life, and then, in an environment like this — all of a sudden you see your friend on a different level. The conversation changes. All of these different things appear that you’ve never seen before.
Working underwater seems pretty cool. What is your favorite thing about doing this work?
This may sound weird, but I love packing up the car. Getting all the equipment together calms me down. Being able to see that I have everything I need creates a sense of zen in the midst of chaos.
But the best part of all this is bringing people together, especially people who aren’t strictly marine biologists.
Sometimes things get rough out there. It’s physically tough. Sometimes the current is so strong I have to go back to the surface, get more weight, then come back down and secure my equipment. Even in tropical waters like the Florida Keys, people can get cold. I have to make sure my team members are still safe. It’s a lot to manage and it can be stressful at times.
But it’s always worth it.
I love being on boats too. Just going out on the ocean is so calming to me. Pulling up the anchor. Feeling the fresh air. Being in the moment. I always think this is what makes me feel alive.
From left to right, the December field trip team: Esteban Agudo, Marley Parker, Ryan Hurley, and Chief Scientist Kate Gould.
What are some of the most valuable lessons you’ve learned (so far)?
This is the first time I’ve ever done something like this. Everything from the generation of the idea for the experiment, to getting the permits, to getting funding, to getting teams together. This project is completely my baby.
Every time I go down I learn something new.
On our first trip, when we were still building tables, the boat I had reserved bailed on me. I knew I still had to get myself and my team out to the reef the following morning. I started calling dive shops — it was late in the day, but I called every dive shop that was still open. After two hours of Google searches and phone calls, I found a captain and a boat to take us out. That was the first time I realized Shit. If any of this is going to get done Kate, you have to do it.
Making last-minute changes to a meticulous plan is stressful. But when it succeeds, it makes me feel powerful and strong.
I quickly realized from that first trip — I have to be on top of this. I can’t let people down. I can’t let myself down. I have to get everything together and make it work, no matter what.
Kate preparing for a dive during her field work trip in May.
What’s the plan now? When do you head back to the Keys?
The next trip is the final one, and it’s going to involve a bit more work. The plan is to go back to each site, take one last health assessment, and then remove the tables. We’ll bring the corals back on land to do a final buoyant weight to see how much they grew. After we weigh them, we will transplant them back onto the reef.
Most research projects like this involve lethal termination of the corals in order to gather more information about their health. When collecting scientific data, the majority of that comes from sacrifice of the organism. Because corals are so threatened, I sacrifice data in order to let them continue to live. I prefer to gather as much data as possible while they are alive, and then keep that life going.
I’m happy we’re not terminating everything. It’s only 60 corals, but it still it feels good to know I put some new life out there.
Kate in good spirits despite calling off the last dive of her trip in December.
To see more images and videos from Kate’s work in the Keys, check out #StaySexyandDoGoodScience. To help support her research, contribute to her GoFundMe campaign (every bit counts!)