Welcome to a day in the life during my Hollings internship at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center Kodiak Laboratory! This summer, I am studying the effects of ocean acidification and warming on the physiology and behavior of a sea star species, Evasterias troschelii. Specifically, we are looking at sea star growth, food consumption, foraging behavior, and respiration. Follow along as I set up for a feeding day!
Hollings scholar Christine Chan at the summit of Kashevaroff Mountain during her 2024 summer internship at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center Kodiak Laboratory. (Image credit: Chris Long)
8:00
When I arrive at the lab, I take some herring (food for the starfish) out of the freezer to defrost. I’ll also check the pH and temperature of the sea star tanks. I take these measurements three times a week to make sure they are exposed to the correct conditions for our experiment. Today, I’ll be in the lab for most of the day, but when I’m not checking on the sea stars, I have other tasks to complete:
- Data entry
- Analyzing and visualizing data
- Weekly water sampling to test pH and alkalinity
- Assisting in other projects
9:30
Time to measure the sea stars! We are interested in how pH and temperature affect food consumption, but it’s important that we factor the sea stars’ masses into our analysis. This allows us to compare food consumption of different sized sea stars. For example, a larger sea star will consume more food than a smaller sea star. I measure the arm length of the sea star, then blot the sea star dry and weigh it. Then, they get placed back into their tanks.
12:00
Lunch break with some of the critters in the lab! The Kodiak Lab has a touch tank and aquarium that’s open to the public twice a week. It’s awesome to see how many visitors we get each week! I’ve been able to learn a ton about the local coastal and marine biodiversity, from sea slugs to sculpin. Rootbeer, our resident octopus, loves being the star of the show.
13:00
Feeding time! I cut up the herring and weigh each piece before the sea stars are fed. For the foraging behavior trials, I move all the sea stars to one end of their tanks, then put the piece of fish in the other end. I record the time it takes for them to move to the food. People don’t think of sea stars as fast animals (or mobile animals at all), but the results are in: one sea star made it across the 14-inch tank to the food in one minute and seven seconds!
17:00
All of the foraging behavior trials are done, so I’m wrapping up for the day. I’ll let the sea stars eat for the next three days, then I’ll weigh the remaining fish and calculate how much food the sea stars ate.
Since it’s summertime in Alaska, I still have plenty of daylight left to enjoy in the evening! Our lab is located on Near Island, where there is a great network of trails to explore. I’ve seen some great wildlife on the South End trail, including sea otters and downy woodpeckers!
This internship has been an amazing opportunity! Beyond working on climate change research, a topic that I’m passionate about, I’ve also been able to work with and learn from so many incredible people. From learning how to set up and manage an ocean acidification experiment to hiking up a mountain with my mentor after work, I’ve gained invaluable experience through my time in Kodiak.
Christine is a class of 2023 Hollings scholar and a double major in Biology and Environmental Studies at East Carolina University.
