Jamie Rotenberg, UNC Wilmington assistant professor of environmental studies is studying what is thought to be the first active Harpy Eagle nest ever recorded in Belize, where the predatory birds were previously thought to be extinct.

Administered by National Geographic Mission Programs, the NGS/Waitt Grants Program makes grants between $5,000 and $15,000 for exploratory research - below is a list of the most recent awards granted. To date, the program has funded over 150 field projects. For more information on the program, please visit the NGS/Waitt Grants section of our website.

ARCHAEOLOGY

Grantee: Francisco Estrada-Belli / Boston University
Region: Central America
Project: Early human-environment interactions and the beginnings of Lowland Maya Civilization: archaeo­logical and paleoecological explorations at Dos Aguadas, Peten.
Abstract: This study will establish a fine-grained chronology of environmental change and human settlement in a portion of the southern Maya lowlands that was occupied during the Preclassic and Classic Maya periods. The use of multiple lines of evidence with firm chronological control will clarify the timing of major cultural events and further our understanding of prehistoric human/environment interac­tions in a fragile tropical environment. A similar approach has proven successful for the Mirador Basin in northern Peten and in the Holmul region in showing ecological responses to both demographic and climatic. The data from the proposed study site will test previously observed patterns in a distinct environmental zone. The intellectual merit of this study lies in its ability to 1) document environmental change and evaluate any correla­tion with regional settlement growth and decline in the Preclassic and Classic periods and 2) fill an important gap in our knowledge of landscape evolution and climate variability in the Maya lowlands; 3) provide the basis for further investigation of human-environment interactions in the early periods of Maya civilization from the perspective of resource management to complement previously proposed models of adaptation and exploitation; 4) provide baseline archaeological data on Preclassic and Classic settlement filling an important gap in the Maya Lowlands between the Tikal/Yaxha and Holmul regions.

Grantee: Sarah Barber / University of Central Florida
Region: Central America
Project: Oaxaca’s Forgotten Coast: Settlement, Trade, and Conquest in the Manialtepec Basin of Pacific Mexico.
Abstract: The Manialtepec Basin Project is a six-week inter­disciplinary research project designed to examine precolum­bian economic and political interaction between the Pacific coast of Oaxaca, Mexico, and inland and other coastal areas. Although the coast of Oaxaca was conquered four times after A.D. 1100, little is known about conquest of the region in prior centuries. Because control of access to coastal resources was a significant political asset for Meso­america’s inland elites, rulers at early cities like Monte Albán may have sought to manage or directly control trade routes to the coast. The 55 km2 Manialtepec basin was one of the closest coastal regions to Monte Albán and has evidence for interaction with the city in the Terminal Formative period (100 B.C. - A.D. 250). The proposed research will test three hypotheses: 1) the Manialtepec basin was the coastal end of a trade route with the Valley of Oaxaca; 2) the Manialtepec basin was involved in trans-coastal canoe trade; and 3) the Manialtepec basin was tributary to Monte Albán in the Late or Terminal Formative period. Data acquisition will entail full-coverage archaeological survey, reconnaissance, map­ping, excavation, and ethnographic and archival research. The project’s results have the potential to transform current understanding of the political and economic organization of the Monte Albán state, as well as provide an important foundation for understanding how Pacific coastal resources were acquired and transported in the precolumbian era. Conducted in collaboration with the local Universidad del Mar, the Manialtepec Basin Project also will develop local scientific resources.

Grantee: Brigitte Kovacevich / Southern Methodist University
Region: Central America
Project: Revealing the Maya Preclassic through Exploratory Plaza Excavations at Holtun, Guatemala.
Abstract: The proposed research will help elucidate orga­nization of political authority during a little known epoch in Maya prehistory, the Middle Preclassic period (600-300 BC). This is a time of great social change in the Maya lowlands that included the rise of social and political complexity, the first monumental architecture, and possibly the first kings. Many questions remain about this time period, why did the Maya begin to live in nucleated settlements and cities? Why and how did political power develop? And, how were these changes related to community ritual? In order to address some of these issues we are proposing an unorthodox and potentially high-risk methodology — not excavating into monumental structures themselves or immediately focus­ing on the largest temples at the site, but penetrating floors and plaza surfaces surrounding these edifices. The test of this methodology will take place at the archaeological site of Holtun, located in the central lakes region of the department of the Peten, Guatemala. The site is situated approximately 35 km southwest of Tikal, 12 km to the south of Yaxha. The epicenter consists of 14 groups and nearly 100 structures and has an established Middle Preclassic through Late Clas­sic period occupation. Excavations in 2011 will target eight plazas in a combined effort to reveal evidence of kingship in the Middle Preclassic period in the form of burials, caches, and early structures.

Grantee: Daniel Torres / National Center for Conservation, Havaha, Cuba
Region: Carib­bean
Project: Prospection, location and investigation of ancient ship remains at Mégano-Santa Maria beach, East­ern Habana, Havana City.
Abstract: As a result of engineering work held in shores from the East of Havana, Cuba in the 1950`s, the remains on an antique ship beneath the sand dune were found. Young researchers took part in one excavation and took samples of some wood and other materials. Ever since, the place was never visited again. By the beginning of 2002 one of those wood samples was found and sent to Norway to be analyzed in a C14 lab. The test result was astonishing, the wood was dated to be from the year 980-1035 DC; it was practiced a second test which stated that the wood dated from 790-890 DC; besides, it was also determined that one of the Wood fragments contained one iron nail.The antique age stated by the dating along with the iron –a material not known in America by that time, was the starting point of a project that has not ended, mainly due to lack of the equipment required to locate under a considerable area of sand the remains of the ship. This project consists in locating the remains; carry out new dating and the preparation of a research of major scope that includes excavation and preservation of the findings. The extraordinary importance of finding such an antique ship lays in the fact that it may affect drastically the history of the discovery of America by European or African peoples because the dating sets the ship 5 centuries before Columbus.

BIOLOGY

Grantee: Bonnie B. Blaimer / University of California Davis
Region: Africa
Project: Exploring arboreal ant diversity in Mada­gascar: initiating canopy arthropod research in an outstand­ing biodiversity hotspot.
Abstract: African forest canopies are one of the least ex­plored terrestrial habitats in the world. In Madagascar,canopy-dwelling arthropods, such as insects or spiders, are in pressing need for investigation to comprehensively estimate biodiversity and to identify priorities for conserva­tion. Ants present an ideal model group for systematic canopy arthropod studies in Madagascar because of their prominent role in previous ground-based inventories. Here we propose (1) to assess and compare the diversity of arboreal (tree-nesting) ant communities between a dry forest and a humid forest in Madagascar, and (2) to quantify the distinctness between arboreal and ground-dwelling ant communities. We further plan (3) to develop and evalu­ate a sampling protocol for arboreal ants and other arthropods in Madagascar, and (4) to promote the education of Malagasy researchers in canopy research techniques. Our proposed research will rely on canopy ac­cess through climbing with the single-rope technique (SRT). We will use baiting and pitfall traps in the canopy to statistically evaluate ant diversity, and hand collecting of ants to collect life history data, such as nesting habits. This will be the first study investigating the differences between canopy and leaf litter ant communities in Madagas­car and it will be equally novel in comparing dry forest and rainforest canopy faunas. We will use this baseline biodiversity information to design a long-term canopy arthropod research program in Madagascar. Malagasy stu­dents will be trained to participate in our canopy study, and we will further establish the first “Canopy Resource Sta­tion” for local scientists in Madagascar.

Grantee: Martin Dallimer / Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, UK
Region: Africa
Project: Unravelling the ecology of the best docu­mented case of sympatric speciation in birds: the critically endangered São Tomé grosbeak Neospiza concolor.
Abstract: Believed restricted to undisturbed forests, the São Tomé grosbeak Neospiza concolor is one of the rarest birds in the world. Almost nothing is known about its ecology, distribution or population size. Intriguingly, despite this rarity, the grosbeak may also offer a unique case study into evolu­tionary processes as it represents the best documented case of sympatric speciation — the emergence of two new species without geographic separation — in birds. The opportunity to understand this process may fast be running out however, as the grosbeak is critically endangered and thought to be suffering further population declines. By carrying out systematic field surveys of the known and likely range of the São Tomé grosbeak, together with members of the local conservation group, we will (1) begin to unravel the ecological processes underpinning this sympatric speciation event by determining the habitat prefer­ences and ecology of the São Tomé grosbeak and its closest relative, the Príncipe seedeater Serinus rufobrun­neus; (2) assess the distribution, population size and conservation status of the São Tomé grosbeak in order to formulate conservation recommendations relevant to the local NGO charged with protecting this species.

Grantee: Michael Domeier / Pfleger Institute of Environmental Research
Region: Oceania
Project: Fakarava Expedition: Assessment of Marine Protected Area Potential.
Abstract: Fakarava is the second largest atoll in French Polynesia, and recent information suggests it is the site of a massive, unfished spawning aggregation of camouflage groupers. A multi-national team of experts has planned an expedition to Fakarava to document this spawning aggrega­tion and map the site. Once validated, the team hopes to develop a much larger program that would document the biodiversity of this site and initiate the planning process with the French government to create a marine protected area around the site. Fakarava is already designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but there is no management plan currently in place. Also participating: Dr. Yvonne Sadovy, Director of the Society for the Conservation of Reef Fish Aggregations; Dr. Eric Clua, researcher with Secretariat of the Pacific Community; and Dr. Serge Planes, Director of Le Centre de Recherches Insulaires et Observatoire de l’Environnement de Polynésie Française.

Grantee: Elysia Jennett / University of Arizona
Region: North America
Project: Genetic Characterization of the Invasive Quagga Mussel (Dreissena bugensis) in Southwestern US Lakes.
Abstract: Invasive species are crippling native ecosystems around the world. One such species is the quagga mussel. Much research has been done on its relative, the zebra mussel, and on the quagga mussel in its native range of Eastern Europe as well as in the Great Lakes. There is no published research on the quagga mussel in the Colorado River system. I hope to use new genetic techniques discovered by quagga researchers in the Great Lakes to determine how diverse the population of quagga mussel in the West is. Any information about genetic diversity and population structure could help determine how many intro­ductions there were of this invasive species, its source population and most importantly the pathway of its spread through the Colorado River system and other Western waterways. This information will be valuable to resource managers as they try to prevent further spread of the aquatic nuisance. It is my hope as well that someday infor­mation about genetic diversity in this species may inform attempts at its eradication.

Grantee: James Rotenberg / University of North Carolina at Wilmington
Region: Central America
Project: Monitoring Harpy Eagle behaviors at a newly discovered nest in Belize using photographic arrays.
Abstract: We propose to deploy four digital camera traps, capturing both still and video images in a redundant system photo array to record behaviors of a satellite tagged fledgling Harpy Eagle and its parents at their nest during the rainy season commencing this June-October 2011. The nest is located in the Bladen Nature Reserve, Belize. The array will allow us to monitor food provisioning by the parents for the fledgling as well as parent-offspring behaviors at the nest, while at the same time tracking the movement patterns of the fledgling using satellite technology. Collection of these data will allow for novel information about Harpy Eagle diet at the northern extent of the species’ range where food resources differ significantly compared with southern populations. We will also create a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) map to model Harpy Eagle feed­ing habits, habitat use, and home range for the Bladen Nature Reserve, aiding in conservation management. With the pending fledging of the young Harpy Eagle from the nest over the next 4-8 weeks, and the onset of the rainy season in May, we believe that there is some urgency to act now in order to undertake a more extensive study of this unique scientific opportunity.

Grantee: John Terborgh / Duke University
Region: Africa
Project: Africa’s Hidden Tree Diversity.
Abstract: It is well established that the tree alpha-diversity of African evergreen forests is exceptionally low, a fact that has been the subject of much speculation but little serious inves­tigation. Most authors attribute the low tree diversity to the climatic history of the African continent, in particular, the relatively small area of evergreen tropical forest and a Pleistocene/post-Pleistocene history of drought, fire and for­est contraction. However, between 1,500 and 2,000 tree species occur in Gabon, a fact that is inconsistent with the observed low alpha diversity, hence, “hidden” diversity. I wish to investigate a hypothesis, which has not been proposed heretofore. It is that tree alpha-diversity in Africa may be suppressed by the action of megafauna. In its natural state, the African forest sustains high densities of elephants and other large herbivores that are too large to be regulated by leopards, the top predator in the ecosystem. Food-limited herbivores tend to impose strong top-down pressure on vegetation with major consequences for plant diversity. We see this in exploded deer populations that are devastating forest plant communities throughout the eastern United States. Is it possible that the “hidden” tree flora of Gabon is confined to slopes too steep for elephants to navigate? This is the hypothesis I wish to test. The hypothesis will be sup­ported if I find that the tree communities of slopes are more sharply differentiated from those on nearby level ground than has been found in Neotropical forests, where compositional differences related to topography are minimal.

GEOLOGY

Grantee: Gail M. Ashley / Rutgers University
Region: Africa
Project: Springs as a water source for hunter-gatherers: ancient and modern sites in East African Rift Valley.
Abstract: Fresh water is a daily requirement for humans today and in the past. People living in arid regions are often stressed during seasonal and long-term droughts. Recent excava­tions in 1.8 Ma old deposits in Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania have revealed springs, wetlands and associated groundwa­ter-fed woodlands near dense contemporaneous accumulations of fossils and stone tools. Geographic and temporal proximity indicates that the springs and archaeology (i.e. hominins) were linked. This field project proposes a modern study of springs and groundwater-fed habitats in nearby rift basins (Lakes Eyasie and Manyara) in order to better understand the geological contexts and sustainability of modern springs for people today and as an analog of freshwater paleoenvironments of early hominins. The study will characterize the quality of the spring water including those water sources used by the Hadza, an ethnic group, who live as full-time hunter gather­ers in Lake Eyasie basin. We will visit sites with colleague Henry Bunn who has studied the Hadza for >20 years. The environs of the groundwater discharge sites will be sampled to provide: (1) an inventory of modern plants associated with groundwater discharge, (2) wetlands cores to date and study the sediment record, and (3) wood­land soils that record of plant phytoliths and carbon isotopes. This is the first modern analogue study of spring/wetland/woodland environment in a rift basin context (similar to the Olduvai hominin sites) to be proposed. The Hadzas interaction with available groundwater sources will provide an analogue for how early humans coped in water-stressed environments.

Total Awards (2008 - Present):

Total Awards by Discipline:

Archaeology - 36
Biology - 61
Geography - 9
Geology - 10
Nautical Archaeology, Underwater - 17
Oceanography, Biological - 20
Oceanography, Physical - 6
Paleontology - 16

Total Awards by Region:

Africa / Madagascar - 32
Asia - 29
Atlantic Ocean - 1
Central America / Caribbean - 32
Europe - 7
North America - 40
Oceania - 10
South America - 24

PET/GUE Diver Franco Attolini places a scale and directional marker near an ancient human skull as part of the team's recent exploration efforts in the Yucatan Peninsula underwater caves. Photo: Daniel Riordan-Araujo

By Samantha Afetian
San Diego State University
June 29, 2011

In an underwater cave along the coast of Mexico lay the remains of a mastodon and a human skull that could exceed 13,000 years in age — possibly the oldest human remains ever discovered in the New World.

A team of archaeologists co-led by Dominique Rissolo, SDSU adjunct archaeology professor and executive director of Waitt Institute, has recently been awarded a grant from the Archaeological Institute of America to protect the cave and prepare it for further archaeological research.

“It is a very rare site,” Rissolo said of the cave, which is located near Tulum, along the Caribbean coast of Mexico. “It is not every day that an archeologist gets to work with such important remains, so they need to be treated with great care.”

Protecting the cave

Rissolo’s project, in conjunction with Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History and Global Underwater Explorers, has created a system of platforms for archaeologists to gain easier access to the site, as well as facilitating and controlling access to the entrance of the cave.

“It is not every day that an archaeologist gets to work with such important remains…”

A large concern for Rissolo’s team is securing the site from curious cave divers. While Rissolo appreciates the divers’ interest, he needs to control the amount of human presence in the cave.

“This is an exceptional case, and it’s incredibly fragile,” Rissolo said of the cave. “If someone were to move one of those bones, a tremendous amount of information will be lost.”

Perfect preservation

Researchers have to dive about 4,000 feet horizontally in order to reach the pit of the cave, where the archeological deposits were found about 140 feet under water at the bottom of the pit.

The low oxygen levels at that depth and the relatively static environment of the underwater cave preserved the remains for over thousands of years.

“This area is revealing a disproportionate amount of these kinds of sites,” Rissolo said. “The caves are more discoverable and better prepared because they’re flooded, which helps preserve the site.”

Next steps

Rissolo hopes to finish his project of securing and prepping the cave by July. Researchers will then begin planning for comprehensive imaging of remains.

They will work with National Geographic to use high-resolution digital photo technology to map the bottom of the cave and the distribution of remains.

Once the cave is mapped, archaeologists will run carbon-dating tests on the remains to find out if the bones are truly the earliest set of human remains in the Americas.

Linking Ecosystem-Based Management to Conservation: Understand and Mitigating Bycatch of Irrawaddy Dolphins in Southeast Asia

Administered by National Geographic Mission Programs, the NGS/Waitt Grants Program makes grants between $5,000 and $15,000 for exploratory research - below is a list of the most recent awards granted. To date, the program has funded over 150 field projects. For more information on the program, please visit the NGS/Waitt Grants section of our website.

ARCHAEOLOGY

Grantee: Erich Fisher

Region: Africa

Project: Reconnaissance for Coastal Stone Age Archaeological Sites within Pondoland, Eastern Cape, South Africa

Abstract: The Pondoland Paleoclimate, Paleoenvironment, Paleoecology, and Paleoanthropology project (P5) will survey for Pleistocene Stone Age archaeological sites (300 — 30 ka) along a remote and poorly studied 100 km area within Pondoland along South Africa’s East Coast. The re­search area is a biodiversity hot-spot, and it is known also to contain numerous caves and rock shelters in river gorge and coastal cliff faces, which often protect fragile archaeologi­cal deposits like shell middens and bones. Pondoland lays adjacent to a very narrow continental shelf that minimized coastline flux during the Pleistocene when up to 80,000 km2 of new land was exposed along the west and south coasts. The stable shoreline and the warm waters of the Agulhas current created the ideal context to maintain a predictable reserve of terrestrial and marine plant and animal foods during the Pleistocene, including protein-rich shellfish, which may have promoted the sustained occupation of the region by hunter-gatherers. We predict that the caves and rock shelters in Pondoland will contain unprecedented and con­tinuous archaeological records documenting human adapta­tion to coastal resources and the origins of modern humans during the Pleistocene. Fieldwork (6 to 8 weeks) will be undertaken by a survey team of 4-6 experienced research­ers working with local guides. The coastal cliffs and caves provide picturesque backdrop to the research, being ideally suited for National Geographic media, and the research topic of modern human origins is one of continued interest to the educated public.

Grantee: Frederick Hanselmann

Region: North America

Project: Spring LakeUnderwater Geoarchaeology Survey

Abstract: The San Marcos Springs in central Texas have been a source of fresh water supporting human activity for thousands of years. Previous excavations carried out in Spring Lake during the late 1970s led to exciting archaeo­logical discoveries extending back to Clovistimes. The Spring Lake Geoarchaeology Survey seeks to gather initial data concerning the paleoenvironment of Spring Lake, an area that sustained what may be one of the longest uninter­rupted occupation sequences in North America. Objec­tives of the survey are twofold. First, a geophysical survey utilizing an echo sounder and a sub-bottom profiler will be carried out in order to study the topography of the lakebed, which is cloaked in heavy vegetation. This effort will focus on examining the ancient riverbed of the San Marcos River as related to the springs, and identifying possible sub­merged landforms and alluvial deposits potentially contain­ing archaeological remains. Second, an extensive coring regime will be conducted. Following the collection of the core samples, analysis and interpretation of the stratigraphic sequences, coupled with the dating of organic materials found within the samples, will provide much greater insight and understanding of the environment in which ancient inhabitants of the Central Texas region lived. Data acquired will contribute significantly to the development of the overall long-term research design for future investigations at Spring Lake.

Grantee: Stacie King

Region: Mexico

Project: Zapotec Sacred Worlds in the Aftermath of Conquest: Exploring the Hidden Caves of Cerro del Convento

Abstract: Between A.D. 1400 and 1600, people in Nejapa, Oaxacawitnessed the onslaught of three different conquest empires, the Zapotec, Aztec, and Spanish, as they made their way from the Mexican highlands to the rich Pacific coast. Cerro del Convento played a particularly important role in these conquest events. During the fifteenth century, it was the location of a Zapotec fortress, from which Zapotec soldiers monitored and intercepted enemy Aztecs. Also, a famous Zapotec warrior is believed to be buried there. A century later, Cerro del Convento’s caves and tomb re­mained prominent in local residents’ political and sacred worlds and they continued to leave offerings at the site. Responding to reports of idolatrous religious ceremonies, the Dominican friar Juan Ruiz destroyed the cave and tomb contents in front of native converts in the late 1500s. With NGS Waitt funding, I would like to explore the hidden caves of Cerro del Convento to see what, if anything, Spanish friars left behind. In May 2011, a team of archaeologists and climbing specialists will document all artifacts, paintings, and features inside the caves.

BIOLOGY

Grantee: Leontine Becking

Region: Asia

Project: Hidden Islands within Islands: The Discov­ery of Unexplored Marine Lakes in Raja Ampat, Indonesia

Abstract: Marine lakes are fascinating yet underexplored ecosystems. These land-locked water bodies constitute natural laboratories of evolution with high levels of ende­mism, and are strongly reminiscent of terrestrial islands from both ecological and evolutionary perspectives. Unfortu­nately, in line with their terrestrial counterparts, they are also extremely vulnerable and increasingly subjected to anthro­pogenic threats. There is thus a strong necessity to discover and study these lakes in order to better protect them. The region of Raja Ampat (West Papua, Indonesia) is situated in the Coral Triangle, the centre of maximum marine species richness, and is considered the most diverse with regard to species and marine habitats. It contains a high abundance of marine lakes, mostly unknown to science. With increasing development in the region it is vitally important to identify endemic, rare, threatened and highly unique elements of the region’s marine biodiversity, so that appropriate and timely conservation measures can be initiated. Our objective is to conduct the first comprehensive study of Raja Ampat’s marine lakes.

Grantee: Adrian Gleiss

Region: Oceania

Project: Does Locomotor Performance Compro­mise Freshwater Residence of Sharks?

Abstract: Elasmobranchs (Sharks, rays and skates) occur in all of the world’s oceans. In marine waters, they are rela­tively abundant and diverse yet only 5% of all species are encountered in freshwater, compared to 40% of all species of teleost (bony fish). Whereas most species of teleost have a swim-bladder that can provide buoyancy via gas secretion, elasmobranchs are only equipped with a liver constituting of low-density lipid. Otherwise, position in the water column is maintained by swimming. The lower density of freshwater doubles the negative buoyancy of a marine shark, which cannot be compensated by simply increasing liver size, which would, otherwise, have to increase in volume 10-fold. We therefore expect the activity costs of sharks to increase in freshwater, as counteracting buoyancy is energetically costly. This project aims to investigate the consequences of water density on the morphology and energetics of two elasmobranch species occurring at varying salinity regimes, the bull shark and the freshwater sawfish. We will determine the salinity regime individual animals have been exposed to and measure behavioural morphological compensation by various techniques. This project suggests a new hypothesis which explains the low abundance and diversity of elasmo­branchs in freshwater by invoking buoyancy control prob­lems.

Grantee: Scott LaPoint

Region: North America

Project: Animal-defined Corridors: Using Animal Movement and Behavior to Determine Corridors

Abstract: Protecting wildlife corridors is now status quo in our efforts to increase landscape connectivity across fragmented ecosystems. Unfortunately, current methods for identifying corridors are largely based on a priori as­sumptions and expert opinion (i.e., expert-defined), and are rarely validated with independent data. Here we propose a new method for identifying and validating corridors using new data on where animals actually go. We will deploy new prototype tracking collars on fisher (Martes pennanti) along a gradient of urban-to-wild landscapes in eastern New York. These tracking collars contain both a GPS and an acceler­ometer (ACC), which measure fine-scale body motion. We use the ACC data as a measure of overall animal activity and also translate it into specific behaviors. A key innova­tion of these new collars is a connection between the ACC sensor and the GPS unit to dynamically set the fix schedule depending on the animal’s behavior. This provides much more detailed location data when the animal is traveling, and fewer wasted fix attempts when the animal is sleeping. We will use the movement data to identify potential corridors (i.e., animal-defined corridors) and then use the ACC behav­ior data to validate these.

Grantee: Robert Tropek

Region: Africa

Project: History and future of mysterious afromon­tane butterflies

Abstract: The Gulf of Guinea Highlands, a centre of ende­mism and high conservation importance on a global scale, represent the only large mountain system in West and Cen­tral Africa. Proposed study constitutes the complex research on multi-species comparative phylogeography and popula­tion genetics in the Central African mountains, a research necessary for setting the most urgent conservation targets and for revealing ecological and evolutionary patterns characteristic for the Afromontane ecosystems. As a model taxon, we have chosen butterflies, comprising well-surveyed indicator taxon with well-developed field and laboratory methods. Furthermore, they offer a remarkable number of mountain specialists restricted to the area. We aim to pursue a detailed study of endemics and Afromontane specialists. Phylogeographic data combined with population genetics will allow us to assess the patterns of dispersion and evolu­tion of the area and its fauna, the vulnerability of its com­munities and, finally, to characterise the areas important for conservation efforts.

Grantee: Tara Whitty

Region: Asia

Project: Linking Ecosystem-Based Management to Conservation: Understanding and Mitigating Bycatch of Irrawaddy Dolphins in Southeast Asia

Abstract: Irrawaddy dolphins (Orcaella brevirostris) occur in small, fragmented populations throughout Southeast Asia. The bycatch (accidental capture) of Irrawaddydolphins in artisanal (small-scale) fisheries poses a major threat to their continued existence. Because these fisheries are a vital livelihood for coastal communities, it is neither sufficient nor ethical to focus only on “saving the dolphins”. Irrawaddydol­phin conservation must address the needs of local human populations in the context of ecosystem-based management (EBM), an emerging paradigm in marine conservation that stresses holistic, interdisciplinary understanding of ecosys­tems, including human socioeconomic and cultural systems.

GEOGRAPHY

Grantee: Michael Routhier

Region: North America

Project: Impact Assessment of Tidal Forcing and Sea Level Rise on Salt Water Intrusion for Coastal Cultural Heritage Sites

Abstract: Due to climate change, increased frequency of severe storm surges, changing salinization levels, and increased flooding are just a few issues historical preser­vationists will have to consider in the future. These issues will have a far greater impact on Low Elevation Coastal Zones (LECZ). Historically, LECZs have had high population density due to the concentration of marine fisheries based resources, ease of transportation along coastal water ways, and their association with fertile river deltas. The density of human populations around these regions has resulted in the concentrated stratification of rich cultural heritage deposits. We propose to investigate the effects that climate change and sea level rise will have on the intrusion of the salt water into LECZ aquifer to interpolating their effects on coastal cultural heritage sites. By using high resolution aerial Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data, existing GIS data sets, National Register of Historic Places building submissions, Geographic Positioning System (GPS) data, water-level data logger data, and water quality testing we will create a detailed susceptibility map of Low Elevation Coastal Zones (LECZ) in and around Strawbery Banke and the surround­ing Historic District of Portsmouth, N.H.. It is our intent to develop a set of methods that will allow for the creation of vulnerability assessments and adaption strategies for coastal cultural heritage sites around the globe.

PALEONTOLOGY

Grantee: Jonah Choiniere

Region: Mongolia

Project: Hunting for Jurassic Dinosaurs in Western Mongolia

Abstract: The Jurassic Period was an important time in dino­saurian evolution. During this time, dinosaurs attained enor­mous sizes and birds evolved. Unfortunately, our knowledge of Jurassic dinosaurs is derived from just a handful of fossil sites worldwide. Dinosaur fossils from Mongolia have been among the most significant paleontological finds of the last century, but these fossils are from the Cretaceous Period, at least 75 million years after the Jurassic Period. There are only two Jurassic sites in Mongolia that have yielded dino­saur fossils, named Shar Teg and Dariv. Because of their remote location on the flanks of the Altai Mountains in the western province of Gobi-Altai, these sites have been only infrequently visited by paleontologists. With the American Museum of Natural History research group, I briefly visited Shar Teg in 2010. Although we could only prospect for fos­sils for two days, we found the remains of large sauropod dinosaurs, and recovered skulls of primitive crocodilians and mammals. I seek National Geographic funding to search for Jurassic dinosaur fossils in the Shar Teg and Dariv beds and to more thoroughly explore these little-known loca­tions. Excavations in Jurassic fossil beds in the neighboring Chinese province of Xinjiang, partially funded by the Na­tional Geographic Society, have produced important fossils that clarify the early evolution of dinsoaur groups, such as tyrannosaurs. This project has the same potential to produce significant research findings.

Total Awards (2008 - Present): 164

Total Awards by Discipline:

Archaeology - 33
Biology - 56
Geography - 9
Geology - 9
Nautical Archaeology, Underwater - 16
Oceanography, Biological - 19
Oceanography, Physical - 6
Paleontology - 16

Total Awards by Region:

Africa / Madagascar - 28
Asia - 29
Atlantic Ocean - 1
Central America / Caribbean - 27
Europe - 7
North America - 39
Oceania - 9
South America - 24

The Mary Celestia, an American Civil War blockade runner, struck a reef and sank on September 6, 1864.

June 23, 2011 - The storm-tossed remains of an American Civil War blockade runner have yielded long-buried secrets to an international team of archaeologists working with Bermuda’s Department of Conservation Services.

A secret stash of wine, lodged inside the bow of the wreck of the Mary Celestia, which lies immediately offshore from the Fairmont Southampton Princess, has emerged from the sand and silt which had shrouded it since the ship struck the reef and sank on September 6, 1864. Five bottles of wine, still packed inside a wooden crate, remained corked with their liquid contents intact after 147 years underwater.

Excavation slowly reveals sealed wine bottles inside an intact wooden crate buried inside the bow of the Mary Celestia.

The top of the crate emerged from the sand inside the bow after a series of winter storms swept over the site in January 2011.

Dr. Philippe Rouja, Bermuda’s Custodian of Historic Wrecks, secured the bow of the wreck after recovering a loose bottle of wine, also still corked, and immediately reached out to colleagues at NOAA and the Waitt Foundation in order to create an expert team with experience in marine heritage management and the excavation of shipwrecks of this period to explore and potentially rescue this unique find.

The Bermuda Government has been working with these eminent institutions since 2009 in the formation of the Sargasso Sea Alliance – an Alliance dedicated to enhancing protection of the Sargasso Sea in which the islands of Bermuda lie.

The Waitt Foundation has underwritten the displacement costs of the initiative for all foreign partners as well as sending Dr. Dominique Rissolo, an archaeologist and executive director of the Waitt Institute, along with Joe Lepore, the Waitt Institute’s chief diver and head of ship operations, to aid in the exploration and recovery of the contents of Mary Celestia’s bow.

Archaeologist James Delgado takes notes inside the bow of the Mary Celestia while excavating a sunken cargo of wine lost when the ship sank after hitting the reef.

Archaeologist Dr. James Delgado, the director of the Maritime Heritage Program in the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries of the U.S. National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, joined by two NOAA team members, Tane Casserley and Wayne Lusardi, joined the rest of the team this past week to co-direct the project with Drs. Rouja and Rissolo.

Carefully removing all of the sand and silt from inside the broken but still intact bow of the wrecked blockade runner, the team exposed the wooden crate, intact wooden paneling and shelves, and a corroded metal wash basin rusted fast to the inside of the hull. As Dr. Delgado gently removed the silt from the crate with Dr. Rouja, the tops of the bottles inside slowly emerged with their corks still in place.

“The promise of the one bottle found this past January was realized in that moment,” said Dr. Rouja. “To reveal even more of this lost cargo standing lined up in their wooden crate as if they were waiting for their owner to return is a great reminder of how archaeology adds excitement and value to our shared historical narratives.

Mary Celestia is a wreck with historical significance to the United Kingdom, where she was built, Bermuda, where she operated out of and where she wrecked, and the United States, where she ran to as a blockade runner during the U.S. Civil War.

For the NOAA team, Mary Celestia had special importance. The joint heritage represented by this wreck is a direct link to NOAA’s Monitor National Marine Sanctuary in North Carolina and NOAA’s work to document and better understand and share the stories of the shipwrecks near the wreck of Monitor that speak to the Civil War, World War II, and the shipping that for centuries has been linked to this section of coast, an area known as the “Graveyard of the Atlantic.”

Archaeologist James Delgado at the bow of the blockade runner 1864 Mary Celestia.

“The ocean is a vast repository of human history, some of it encompassed in marine protected areas and sanctuaries. Our team was pleased to join this project to help protect and interpret our joint heritage that links this protected shipwreck sites in Bermuda to Wilmington, North Carolina and our nearby sanctuary.” said Dr. Delgado.

“After undergoing laboratory analysis and preservation treatment, the wine and our other finds will tell their story to Bermudians and the rest of the world thanks to modern science.”

The excavation also yielded the remains of leather shoes, rope, a hairbrush and the wooden form for a shoe. After clearing the bow and documenting the fragile wooden structure inside this area of the ship, the team replaced the sand to preserve the wood inside the now empty compartment.

The artifacts are in the conservation laboratory at the National Museum of Bermuda where the effort will shift to further study and preservation treatment.

The archaeological team works around the bow of the Mary Celestia as the interior is excavated.

Derrick Burgess, Minister of Public Works said: “This project is very exciting from so many perspectives – from an archeological point of view, for our local marine heritage and for the compelling story of days long past that will no doubt be of interest to our residents and visitors alike. And for this project to take place during the anniversary of the American Civil War is gives the discovery all the more resonance.”

This discovery in the bow of the Mary Celestia has yielded a long-lost secret in a box of wine stashed away from the ship’s cargo– a cargo at the time said to be nothing more than tinned meats. It compels researchers and scientists to take another look at the historical narrative surrounding one of Bermuda’s most iconic dive sites.

Mary Celestia is a compelling reminder of how the shattered iron bones of a wreck ravaged by time and elements can still connect us to the people of events of long ago.

Dr Philippe Rouja and James Delgado excavate inside the bow of the Mary Celestia.

“I wonder who left that crate in the bow,” commented Dr. Rissolo, “and why. “ That question may forever remain unanswered. But what is clear is that while Mary Celestia may have yielded one of her secrets, she retains others in the form of questions about what type of wine is inside the bottles and where it came from. Scientists will now seek to answer those questions.

This project is being filmed by LookBermuda/LookFilms as part of their upcoming film about the Mary-Celestia and Blockade Running. As well as being broadcast in Bermuda and the US the film will be made available to the island schools via the LookBermuda Educational Media Foundation.

Jean-Pierre Rouja from LookBermuda says: “This is by far our largest project to date for which we assembled a team from Bermuda, the US and the UK and captured incredible underwater footage which will really showcase this wreck and diving in Bermuda.”

www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxrHxGpj3w8

Photos courtesy of Tane Casserley/NOAA, and LookBermuda/Chris Burville

In honor of World Oceans Day, June 8th, the people of Fiji's Totoya Island declare a portion of their vibrant coral reefs sacred. The measure will help ensure the continued health of the island's coastal resources, its ecosystem, and its residents' livelihoods and culture.

In honor of World Oceans Day, June 8^th, the people of Fiji’s Totoya Island have declared part of their coral reefs sacred.

Wildlife Conservation Society-Fiji Director Dr. Stacy Jupiter, together with partners from the Pacific Blue Foundation, Wetlands International, and the Waitt Institute, has spent the past week exploring Totoya Island. Accompanied by the island’s high chief, Roko Sau, Jupiter and the research team discovered not only a healthy coral reef teeming with fish—including many species not found in other nearby areas—but a rich culture, tradition, and livelihoods generated from these important resources. Dr. Jupiter has been chronicling her expedition in a National Geographic blog.

Traditionally, when Fijian people noticed declines in their marine resources, chiefs would impose a ban, or “tabu,” on fishing. But Totoya’s previous high chief lifted the ban because of increased commercial value of fish stocks. Because Totoya islanders live along the coast, fishing is a major source of income and food for local people. By declaring their reefs sacred today, the people of Totoya will ensure future generations have access to their ocean’s bounty.

While Totoya’s waters have enough fish to sustain its people and their ecosystem, Dr. Jupiter warns that opening up the reefs would allow foreign trade that could in time deplete its resources. 

“The communities should take precaution to avoid the temptation to trade away their resources to outsiders,” she said.

Caleb McClennen, director of WCS’s Marine Program, added that conservation in Fiji helps preserve both its marine resources and the local livelihoods and culture of its people. “WCS supports the preservation of this reef and marine ecosystems around the world on World Oceans Day, and every day,” he said.

World Oceans Day, officially recognized by the United Nations since 2008, is a celebration of ocean conservation. It is an opportunity every year to honor the world’s oceans, celebrate the products it provides and a time to appreciate the ocean’s own intrinsic value.

Fiji Blog #6, June 8, 2011: Stacy Jupiter on Totoya Reef (c) Keith Ellenbogen

Fiji Blog #5, June 6, 2011: Totoya glowing reefscape (c) Tali Treibitz

Fiji Blog #4, June 4, 2011: An endemic blenny sleeping in a clam. Its night coloration is duller then day color. (c) Keith Ellenbogen

Fiji Blog #3, June 3, 2011: Totoya's Sacred Reef (c) Keith Ellenbogen

Fiji Blog #2, June 1, 2011: Residents of Tovu village, Totoya, use this palm tree to gauge wind speed and direction.

Fiji Blog #1, May 31, 2011: Subsistence fishing - A local Fijian spearfisherman catches a Whitespotted Grouper.

Explorers sit atop the ancient Maya pyramid at Vista Alegre. The pyramid stands 35-feet tall and may have been used by Maya lookouts to monitor approaching and departing canoes. Image courtesy of Proyecto Costa Escondida Maritime Maya 2011 Expedition, NOAA-OER

May 18, 2011:  NOAA-sponsored explorers are searching a wild, largely unexplored and forgotten coastline for evidence and artifacts of one of the greatest seafaring traditions of the ancient New World, where Maya traders once paddled massive dugout canoes filled with trade goods from across Mexico and Central America. One exploration goal is to discover the remains of a Maya trading canoe, described in A.D. 1502 by Christopher Columbus’ son Ferdinand, as holding 25 paddlers plus cargo and passengers.

In May, the team explored the remote jungle, mangrove forests and lagoons at the ancient port site of Vista Alegre (“happy view” in Spanish) where the Caribbean meets the Gulf of Mexico at the northeastern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula. Scientists believe the port was part of an important trading network and was used at various times between about 800 B.C. and A.D. 1521, the date scholars use to designate the start of Spanish rule.

“The maritime Maya have been described much like ancient seagoing Phoenicians. They traded extensively in a wide variety of goods, such as bulk cotton and salt, and likely incense from tree sap called copal, jade, obsidian, cacao, Quetzal and other tropical bird feathers, and even slaves,” said Dominique Rissolo, Ph.D., expedition co-chief scientist and director of the Waitt Institute in La Jolla, Calif. “Maya trade was far-ranging between the Veracruz coast of modern Mexico and the Gulf of Honduras, with each port a link in a chain connecting people and ideas. Yet there is still much to learn about the extensive history and importance of the maritime Maya and how they adapted to life by the sea.”

Dominique Rissolo walking the andador (walkway) between Vista Alegre and Templo Perdido. The andador runs from the southern part of Vista Alegre across tidal flats for over a kilometer until it terminates at Templo Perdido (Lost Temple), a small collapsed temple built atop a natural rise. Image courtesy of Proyecto Costa Escondida Maritime Maya 2011 Expedition, NOAA-OER

““Maritime economies were strengthened and far-ranging trade routes were established between A.D. 850 and 1100,” said Jeffrey Glover, Ph.D., expedition co-chief scientist with Georgia State University’s Department of Anthropology in Atlanta. “It was during this time when the Maya at Chichen Itza relied increasingly on maritime commerce to maintain and extend control over much of the Yucatan peninsula. The period most associated with Maya seafaring followed, between A.D. 1100 and 1521.”

Recent archaeological work at Vista Alegre included completion of an architectural map of the site, test excavations to obtain cultural materials, and a 13-mile reconnaissance of coastal environments that revealed a number of small ancient and historical sites and cultural features.

During expeditions at the port site in 2005 and 2008, explorers mapped 29 structures including platforms, mounds, raised causeways, and a concrete-filled 35-foot tall, steep-sided pyramid that dominates the central plaza and appears to have been heavily damaged by hurricanes. Explorers believe the summit of the pyramid was also used by lookouts to monitor approaching and departing canoes. In addition to the features on the island, a narrow walkway connects the port to a collapsed and looted temple 0.8 miles away on the mainland.

The expedition team also includes co-chief scientists Patricia Beddows, Ph.D., of Northwestern University’s Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences in Evanston, Illinois; Beverly Goodman, Ph.D., of the Leon Charnet School of Marines Sciences at the University of Haifa, Israel; and Derek Smith, of the University of Washington Department of Biology. Emily McDonald of NOAA’s Office of Ocean Exploration and Research is on the team to coordinate Web coverage.

Two scientists from Mexico and a small number of U.S. students will join parts of the expedition, which will also provide post-expedition technical reports to the Mexican National Institute of Anthropology and History. A goal of the exploration is to enable Mexico to better protect and preserve its coastal and submerged cultural resources.

The carved serpent head found at the base of Vista Alegre’s temple structure. The carved serpent head most likely was one of a pair that would have been placed at the base of the balustrades flanking the main set of stairs leading to the top of the main temple structure. Team members found the serpent head in 2002 during the first visit to the site.

The explorers are contending with many of the same challenges that faced ancient Maya seafarers, including shelter — as some team members will be in tents and slung hammocks — the remoteness of the area that is accessible only by boat, the scarcity of fresh water, the possibility of tropical storms, and the danger and nuisance of a variety of local inhabitants, including mosquitoes, snakes, spiders and crocodiles.

“The Maya largely had to live off the land in this remote area where they found and used resources to survive. Like them, we have to search for scarce fresh water, but our challenges are more about making the research work in less than optimal conditions. It will involve some good MacGyvering,” said Glover, referring to the television actor who used ingenuity and materials at hand to invent his way out of a fix.

The expedition is part of Proyecto Costa Escondida (Hidden Coast Project), a long-term interdisciplinary research effort co-directed by Glover and Rissolo and focused on the dynamic relationship between the Maya and their coastal landscape.

Commemorating 10 years of ocean exploration, NOAA’s Office of Ocean Exploration and Research uses state-of-the-art technologies to explore the Earth’s largely unknown ocean in all its dimensions for the purpose of discovery and the advancement of knowledge.

NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth’s environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources.

As a freelance undersea specialist, Michael’s work spans both academic and private sectors including numerous university marine programs, private engineering firms, and supporting various Department of Defense contracts. A significant amount of his current diving activities are as an inshore commercial diver for Coastal Diving Services LLC, based in Rhode Island.

Michael is the former Diving Safety Officer for NOAA’s Caribbean Marine Research Center, where he played an instrumental role in the early adoption of mixed-gas and rebreather diving for science. Michael currently holds a contract position as Dive Safety Officer for the American Museum of Natural History in NYC where he is developing their scientific diving program. He is a lifetime member of the American Academy of Underwater Sciences (AAUS) and served as an elected Board Member (2007-2010) to the Society for Human Performance in Extreme Environments (HPEE). Michael has stood out as a leader in the community since 1997 as a Hugh O’Brien Youth Leadership (HOBY) award recipient, and more recently with being recognized as one of Rhode Island’s ‘40 Under 40′ (2007) by the Providence Business News. In late 2007, he earned membership in the prestigious Explorers Club.

His program development efforts in deep scientific exploration resulted in funding through the National Geographic Society’s Waitt Grants Program for a marquee 2010 expedition taking science to more than 400fsw/130msw off of Andros, Bahamas. Evolutions of this work will remain a priority in the coming years.

In 2011, Michael was appointed as ‘Explorer-in-Residence’ for the Oceans Aquarium Research & Science Center, a propose mega-aquarium in development in his home, the Ocean State.

Presently with a consistent and award winning (2nd Place Science/Environment RI Press Association 2008) publication record, including a syndicated Blog, ‘a New Life in the Sea‘, work featured on local and national media outlets, a keen sense for adopting modern approaches in business and creative development, and routinely operating in the harshest extremes on this planet, Michael is making huge strides in encouraging a greater public understanding and appreciation of the next cultural, social, and evolutionary steps for our species. - and he is on a mission to take exploration and its influences on science, technology, and society where it has not yet ventured…to oceana incognita, embracing our global community along the way.

Michael remains a confident, yet struggling artist, environmentalist, entrepreneur, and explorer in more ways than one, making his home in Rhode Island (the Ocean State).

Jeff Godfrey observes the highly diverse benthic communities associated with the undercut ledge at 185 feet (56 meters). Photo by Michael Lombardi.

NGS/Waitt Grant Recipient: Michael Lombardi

Michael Lombardi (of Ocean Opportunity) is no stranger to the deep. Michael has had a long trajectory of underwater exploration supporting science projects. He recalls a life changing moment in 2002 when supporting a NOAA sponsored science project to a 300 foot [91 meters] benchmark,

“In just 8 minutes on a single dive at 300 feet [91 meters], nearly a dozen new, never before described sponge species were collected, several of which were found to produce chemicals of interest in fighting cancer and other human diseases. Since that single moment, I’ve said that my quest has been to achieve the 9th minute” recalls Michael with great excitement.

Michael’s pursuit is located in a 6561 foot [2000 meter] deepwater vertical trench formed principally by tectonic movements known as the Tongue of the Ocean in the Bahamas. According to Michael, this deep wall environment provides the ideal laboratory for the benthic ecologist. “Being a vertical wall, the full spectrum of depths is immediately accessible, meaning that even relatively short times on the bottom can be complemented by slow, productive ascents” Michael said. In essence, the quick bottom time, slow ascents and the long decompression is ideal for vertical exploration at various depths of these magnificent and poorly studied regions.

November 2010 Accomplishments

Funded by a grant from the National Geographic Society / Waitt Grants Program, Michael and colleague Jeff Godfrey (University of Connecticut) conducted a series of dives into the great abyss in November 2010. Their mission was to explore and document the deep walls off the East coast of Andros. Michael and Jeff were able to do a series of deep dives and spend more bottom time. Beyond shooting hundreds of images during the expedition, Michael achieved his goal, he reached that 9th minute, and much more. During this incredible feat, Michael and Jeff documented unusual and perhaps unknown biological and geological formations. In total, Michael and Jeff conducted six dives sub-300 feet [91 meters], two of which were deeper than 400 feet [121 meters].

FE: What’s it like being at 400 feet [121 meters] below?

ML: Spooky”, is the conclusive and quite fitting term used by David Campbell in the final chapter of his 1978 book, ‘The Ephemeral Islands’, the most comprehensive text about Bahamian natural history, to describe the deep vertical walls that plummet from the shallow fore-reef to the abyss. That single word is accurate in describing the environment.

Jeff Godfrey observes the wall face at a depth of more than 300 feet (91 meters). Photo by Michael Lombardi.

Freefalling into Darkness for 7 minutes

Michael remembers that very day: “Passing 350 feet [106 meters], passing 370 feet [112 meters]. I communicate with Jeff, all still ok. Check all systems. All systems ok. Slam on brakes by inflating buoyancy compensator. I then pick out a small outcropping on the wall for stopping. Settle in at 410 feet [125 meters]. 11 minutes in to the dive”.

FE: Reminds me of the famous Abyss scene when Bud, the character played by Ed Harris, is freefalling into the Abyss…

ML: “Both Jeff and I exchange ‘OKs’, and despite the tremendous excitement of being in this alien world for the first time, we stay on task with great composure and start working. I quickly realized that one of my depth gauges stopped working at 328 feet [100 meters]. Seemingly simple improvements in current equipment will make for enhanced scientific data gathering in the future. We begin an ascent at a rate of 10 feet [3 meters] per minute for the work phase of the dive – about 10 minutes. We then increase ascent to 30 feet [9 meters] per minute. We reach our first decompression stop at 240 feet [73 meters]. Rest. Relax. Breathe.

Michael’s own words attest to the unique, beautiful yet unforgiving environment found in his descent into the Abyss. It is clear that we have just started taking our first steps into a brand new world, a world so familiar to all humans and yet so unknown. It is this pioneering research that will make this new world accessible for study, research and perhaps even human habitation. Only the future will tell.

Overshooting the target working depths would prove incredibly hazardous due to oxygen toxicity. With no physical bottom for at least another 2,000 feet, precision buoyancy control and dive management is critical. Here, Jeff Godfrey puts on the brakes and explores a depth of 330 feet (100 meters). Photo by Michael Lombardi.

Spring 2011

November’s expedition, made possible by a grant from the National Geographic Society / Waitt Grants Program has proven catalytic in attracting a multidisciplinary team of collaborators including biologists, geologists, and technologists interested in accessing the unexplored Mesophotic zone to gather data from this deep environment. Future collaborators include experts from the American Museum of Natural History, the City University of New York, the University of Connecticut, and the University of Kentucky.

David Gruber [CUNY], a grantee of the National Geographic Society / Waitt Grants Program, will be joining Michael in April. David’s role will focus on the discovery of fluorescent proteins in both fishes and invertebrates, many of which are likely to be new species, never before described for science. These proteins have proven applications in medicine and biotechnology. Other team members will benefit from data gathered during this expedition including research also gather on deep reef fish population dynamics [Auster/UConn], and imagery to help understand the geological history of these deep flanking margins [Doolittle/UKansas], and an unveiling of deep fish diversity [Sparks/AMNH].

Michael explains, “Diving to 300 feet is no record. However, diving to 300, 400, or even 500 feet [91, 121, 152 meters], coupled with conducting scientific tasks raises a unique set of challenges – operationally, logistically, and from a safety perspective. This is true exploration, where we are venturing to Oceana incognita“.

Branching corals and finger-like sponges make up a significant portion of the vertical reef’s ecosystem at intermediate depths from 140 feet (42 meters). Photo by Michael Lombardi.

Capturing Imagery of Deep Coral Reef in Tongue of the Ocean (TOTO)

NGS/Waitt grantee Michael Lombardi and his team conducted a successful 2010 expedition to capture high-resolution still imagery of the deep fore reef in Tongue of the Ocean (TOTO), Bahamas, from 50 to +/- 120 meters, noting anomalous/dramatic geological formations associated with historic sea-level changes, as well as unique biological/ecological diversity of the deep reef ecosystem. The team successfully worked to more than 425 feet (130meters), and captured more than 500 images for scientific analysis. This is expedition was the first in a series that will continue through 2011.

The west margin of TOTO (east coast of Andros) is the third largest barrier reef system in the world, and still remains largely unexplored due to logistical constraints in the region. However, it has been noted that these deep reefs are incredibly rich in biological/ecological and geological diversity—and may even be sources for new medicines. Resulting imagery will be used in the ongoing development of a natural history portfolio of the Bahamas’ deep reefs. These results will be used to inspire and catalyze future scientific work on deep reefs in the region. This work is also being organized for public display and exhibition, with the intent of bringing this novel environment to the public.

Scientific diver Jeff Godfrey observes the highly diverse benthic communities associated with the undercut ledge at 185 fsw (feet sea water). Photograph by M. Lombardi

Learn more about Michael Lombardi’s expedition:

Ocean Opportunity, a Rhode Island based not for profit organization, is pleased to announce a forthcoming expedition to explore and document the natural history of the mesophotic, or ‘middle light’, zone from 200 to 500 feet [60 to 152 meters] in the Exumas, Bahamas from April 28 through May 8th to be hosted at the John H. Perry Jr. Caribbean Research Center – a facility synonymous with a long lineage of advancements in marine technology and innovations in ocean exploration. This expedition is an extension of a successful November project to Andros, Bahamas in which the team worked to 430 feet – more than 3 times the depth of conventional scuba diving.

Resources:

Ocean Opportunity

http://ocean.nationalgeographic.com/ocean/explore/deep-fore-reef-in-toto/

www.mesophotic.org

Project Support:  Sustainable Ocean Solutions

The Sustainable Ocean Solutions project combines three important tools for ocean sustainability - rights based management reform, marine protected areas, and certification incentives - into novel solutions for the world’s fisheries challenges. When employed individually, these three conservation instruments can only successfully tackle a small percentage of ailing fisheries worldwide. A central challenge is to engineer fisheries management systems to facilitate synergies among these approaches, thus capitalizing on their complementary strengths while overcoming their individual weaknesses. Although the necessary elements may differ across fisheries and ecosystems, the basic insight is that by combining changes that affect the supply of fish (such as catch shares), with conservation measures (such as MPAs), and tools that change consumer demand (such as fisheries certification), fisheries, communities, and ecosystems can simultaneously prosper.

About the Project

This project uses a two-pronged approach, focusing on (1) research and development, determining how and in what contexts to combine the sustainability tools of marine protected areas, property-rights based management, and fisheries certification, and (2) demonstration projects, strategically selected as proofs of concept, that, if successful, will be scalable across the globe. The team will use cutting-edge bioeconomic models and new assessment techniques to transform how fisheries are evaluated for sustainability certification, developing new quantitative approaches to give appropriate sustainability credit for proven management measures like MPAs and catch shares. Conversely, they will demonstrate how rights-based fisheries management and demand-side incentives can promote the implementation and expansion of MPA networks. The group will also explore how different types of rights-based management can be matched to the ecological and institutional characteristics of different fisheries. The demonstration projects will then link the research and development expertise with innovative partners who have demonstrated skills at implementing reform in national and international settings.

This project will result in more resilient fishing communities, more sustainable fisheries, better functioning ecosystems, increased quantities and qualities of local fresh seafood, and a better alignment of demand for sustainable seafood and supply of a sustainable product. These benefits will be achieved by correctly aligning the interests of fisheries and conservation. By leveraging growing consumer demand for sustainable seafood, and linking this demand to proven supply-side changes, this will catalyze much more rapid reform of the world’s fisheries. The goal is not incremental progress. Rather, the project seeks a transformative solution for ocean sustainability that can help reverse the global tide of decline.

About the Sustainable Fisheries Group

The Sustainable Fisheries Group (SFG), founded in 2006, is a collaboration between the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management and the Marine Science Institute at the University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB). The mission of the SFG is to provide leadership to develop new science and transform it into solutions for sustainable oceans. Their work seeks to utilize market approaches to increase the ecological and economic performance of fisheries and the sustainability of coastal communities. SFG brings diverse scientific expertise and intellectual capital to key partnerships with leading conservation organizations, local NGOs, and diverse stakeholder groups to find and implement solutions to critical ocean problems. A core goal of the SFG is to make measurable progress towards reforming individual fisheries using catch share management systems, conservation measures, and demand-side incentives. SFG has been involved in, or is currently working on, a variety of on-the-ground projects around the world.

About the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management

Established in 1991, the Bren School is an interdisciplinary graduate program at the University of California, Santa Barbara focused on environmental problem solving through the integration of science, management, law, economics, and policy. The mission of the Bren School is to play a leading role in researching environmental issues, training scientists and environmental management professionals, and identifying and solving environmental problems around the world. Unique in the UC system and the only program of its kind in the western United States, the Bren School is considered one of a few top graduate programs of environmental science and management in the nation. The Bren School is housed in Bren Hall, a state-of-the-art building that is the first US Green Building Council’s double-Platinum LEED™ building anywhere.

Resources/Media

Bren School Website
Sustainable Fisheries Group Website
University of California Santa Barbara Website
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High Detail Granule Cell Morphology (situated in context)

Project Support: The Whole Brain Project

The Waitt Foundation is the major contributor to the UCSD Center for Research in Biological Systems (CRBS) to develop the Whole Brain Catalog as part of the Whole Brain Project^TM.

The Whole Brain Catalog is an open source, downloadable, multi-scale virtual catalog of the mouse brain and its cellular components. Developed by Dr. Mark Ellisman and UCSD neuroscientists, this next generation tool helps members of the worldwide neuroscience community facilitate solutions for today’s intractable challenges in brain research.

Simulations & Animations

Using the Whole Brain Catalog’s ground-breaking, open-source, 3-D virtual environment, scientists can connect and crowd source brain research solutions while they zoom in and out and around structures deep in a multi-scale spatial framework to generate high-resolution simulations and animations. They can also perform searches for specific content and share their own findings and views.

Data types supported by the Whole Brain Catalog

The Whole Brain Catalog™ draws from resources such as the Cell Centered Database (CCDB) and the Neuroscience Information Framework (NIF), as well as many other important efforts in neuroscience, computational neuroscience, and open source development.

About UCSD Center for Research in Biological Systems

The UCSD Center for Research in Biological Systems (CRBS) provides human resources, high technology equipment and administrative services to scientists engaged in fundamental research on cell structure and function relationships, particularly those involved in central nervous system processes, cardiovascular networking and muscular contraction. CRBS facilitates an interdisciplinary infrastructure in which people from biology, medicine, chemistry, and physics can work with those from computer science and information technologies in collaborative research.

Resources/Media

Whole Brain Catalog Web site
Whole Brain Project Web site
UCSD CRBS Web site
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