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Marine Science and PhysiologyPost all medical questions related to decompression or diving here. Questions and discussions about the marine life we love to share the ocean with and how to protect them are also welcome.
Besides all the divers associated with REEF fish counts, the projects I've been personally involved with are:
Eel grass/algae bloom monitoring, various areas of Massachusetts, but specifically Buzzard's Bay (the "armpit" area on the south side of Cape Cod). Basically, judging the effects of nitrogen loading over the course of a summer on algae blooms and the effect that has on eel grass. Laying out grids of PVC and counting eel grass. Nothing too exciting, but you can see how too much fertilizer on people's lawns is a bad thing.
Bathymetry study, Thames River (Connecticut)/LI Sound. Done for a course project. Mostly just observational study on glacial morraines/deposits.
Skate (rays) counts. Like fish counts, but with skates.
Overall, nothing really glorious, but I like to do them, nonetheless.
I had to get certified as a science diver in addition to a c-card.
One of the neatest projects was down in Belize in the early 70's, we would trawl at sunset and sunrise for plankton that came to the surface. We had clear plastic tubes, about 18 inches in diameter and 15 foot long, suspended vertically in about 40 feet of water. We would put in a certain number of critters that we had separated out (gymnodinium brevis). We would go down at night with a light and boxes of filters. Then we would record whether they were attracted, repelled, or neutral. They were trying to determine if they could manipulate the layers of these plankton in the sea using light.
I did a lot of ground truthing of satellite data in the bahamas. We would take a picture of the bottom, dig a hole and take a picture of the layers and shove a stainless rod in the sediment to determine depth.
We did a lot of vibrocoring where we had to guide the tube underwater to get it started in the sediment.
I took part in a lobster migration study in the bahamas with the Cousteau team, a National Geographic photographer and Florida state Univ
I finally got out of the water and started using computers, electronics and instruments, the pay increased substantially
I had to get certified as a science diver in addition to a c-card.
One of the neatest projects was down in Belize in the early 70's, we would trawl at sunset and sunrise for plankton that came to the surface. We had clear plastic tubes, about 18 inches in diameter and 15 foot long, suspended vertically in about 40 feet of water. We would put in a certain number of critters that we had separated out (gymnodinium brevis). We would go down at night with a light and boxes of filters. Then we would record whether they were attracted, repelled, or neutral. They were trying to determine if they could manipulate the layers of these plankton in the sea using light.
I did a lot of ground truthing of satellite data in the bahamas. We would take a picture of the bottom, dig a hole and take a picture of the layers and shove a stainless rod in the sediment to determine depth.
We did a lot of vibrocoring where we had to guide the tube underwater to get it started in the sediment.
I took part in a lobster migration study in the bahamas with the Cousteau team, a National Geographic photographer and Florida state Univ
I finally got out of the water and started using computers, electronics and instruments, the pay increased substantially
That sounds like the coolest job. I would love to do sometime like that with my diving career.
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I see you mentioned a science diving c-card...what's that? I just got back from AKR on a coral reef ecology class where we did some research also and now I love it and definately want to persue this career path. Any advice on which/what grad schools?
In the U.S. scientific institutions are granted an exemption from the Federal OSHA regulations for commercial divers if they meet certain criteria and follow certain procedures before allowing their researchers to dive.
If the institution's Diving Safety Officer is doing his (or her) job you WILL be screened by a physician, you WILL complete a swimming test, you WILL pass written tests, and you WILL demonstrate competency before you are cleared to dive.
Once certified through your home institution other AAUS members and NOAA will likely allow you to visit and dive with their staff through reciprocity agreements.
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