Cami Wilson’s Internship at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories

Today we embarked on our first freshwater field sampling at Pinto Lake! We pulled up to the empty parking lot that overlooked the quiet and serene lake. The chilly fog was gently sitting above the still lake and the only sign of life was from the 3 dozen Canadian geese sitting on the shore.  My lab back in Florida focuses on fecal contamination and all I could think about was how this would be the perfect spot if one was looking for GFD (avian specific fecal gene sequence) markers. We took some samples using a syringe and pushed water through a 0.2-micron pore filter. If you are looking for a new workout routine, I highly recommend trying to push at least 50 mLs of freshwater through a filter with such a minuscule pore size. We filtered in order to try and detect any microcystis, which is a freshwater cyanobacterium that can produce a toxin that affects the liver very rapidly and can sicken or kill humans and wildlife. There have been cases where dogs have drunk from lakes or ponds that have the microcystin toxin and have died within 24 hours (Backer). There have also been famous cases in areas around Lake Erie where the local citizens were advised the water supply contained unsafe levels of microcystin.

 

Backer, Lorraine C et al. “Canine cyanotoxin poisonings in the United States (1920s-2012): a review of suspected and confirmed cases from three data sources.” Toxins vol. 5,9 1597-628. 24 Sep. 2013, DOI:10.3390/toxins5091597

 

-Cami Wilson

 

This Thursday, we headed out to our first field sampling/processing event with the new handheld qPCR. Our lucky contestant was none other than the breathtaking Monterey Bay Aquarium! Not only did we have stunning views out to the Pacific Ocean, but it was a good stepping stone since they provided electricity. Normally out in the field, there would not be any electrical outlets so this provided us with a perfect opportunity to see how electricity could affect our qPCR product. We are still in the midst of trying to find a new solution for a bead shaker vortex, used to lyse the phytoplankton and extract DNA since it is not battery powered and needs an electrical outlet. Some ideas are using a car battery for its power source out in the field…feel free to let us know your ideas!

 

-Cami Wilson

It was 8:30 AM, I step out of the car to see this white rustic building matching the cold foggy weather. You could hear sea lions barking in the background from the marina behind me. {This is going to be my home for the next 10 weeks.}
Walking down the cold dark quiet hallway, I wondered to myself if this was the right place. Sure enough, Dr. Holly Bowers pokes her head out of this rather large but cozy office. I prop my stuff on an open spot on the desk and my tour of the laboratory and island begins!
Holly took me right down the street to visit the marine aquaculture laboratory. Shown below is one of the tanks that starfish and sea urchins thriving in!

Here is a video of the marine aquaculture to get a broader insight into what it looks like!

Today was very eye-opening to see a prolific amount of various species thriving in such an environment so close to me. I was born and raised in the hot and humid Florida, a complete 180 from Monterey California’s environment. In Florida, I only occasionally see a Great Blue Heron or Muscovy ducks in the wild. In just my first day in Monterey, I saw sea lions, otters, an array of bird species, gophers, ground squirrels, and an abundant number of baby bunnies roaming in the wild!

-Cami Wilson