Cal Poly Scientific Diving

1. Cal Poly Scientific Diving www.marine.calpoly.edu/marineops Program History At Cal Poly the phrase “learn by doing” is a core concept, so it is only natural that Cal Poly offers its community a scientific diving program, giving students, faculty and staff the means to interact directly with the marine environment. In 2001 Cal Poly acquired a 3000 foot, steel and concrete pier in Avila Beach, CA from Unocal Corp. Previously used as a petroleum distribution facility, the Cal Poly Pier now serves as the only marine research facility between Monterey Bay and Santa Barbara. With this structure, Cal Poly’s marine science and education programs have expanded over the years, and faculty recognized the need for a scientific diving program. Cal Poly’s scientific diving program was officially inaugurated in 2009. Faculty, staff, and members of the local diving community came together to form a diving control board and adopt a set of standards based on those provided by the American Academy of Underwater Sciences (AAUS). The AAUS granted Organizational Membership to Cal Poly in 2011. Project Map California Diving Control Board College of Science and Math Center for Coastal Marine Sciences Research Projects Eelgrass Productivity In order to assess productivity of eelgrass (Zostera marina) under varying conditions, SCUBA was used to collect ramets for lab respirometry and to generate photosynthesis-irradiance (P-I) curves. Respirometry was also performed by SCUBA divers in situ to validate the accuracy of the lab-generated curves. Marine Fouling Divers use experimental treatments to study how community interactions between native species effect fouling by invasive species. Researchers tested the hypothesis that native keystone predators, sea stars (Pisaster spp.) and the Southern Sea Otter (Enhydralutrisnereis), increase the abundance of the non-native bryozoan, Watersiporasubtorquata, by preying on mussels and releasing W. subtorquata from competition for primary substrate. Assessing Ocean Conditions using Remote Monitoring We apply novel, remote sampling instrumentation, such as ROVs, AUVs and subsurface instrumentation both localy (Central California) and abroad (Palau, Norway) to address various topics such as climate change, currents, and bioluminescence. SCUBA is used to support these operations in terms of instrument deployment, recovery and maintenance. Diving Control Board: Program Statistics The diving statistics for the OM. Significant Publications Ewers, C.J., M. A. Moline and D. E. Wendt. 2012(in progress). Developing light-response curves to assess eelgrass, Zostera marina, productivity in a changing climate. Needles, L. A., S. Gosnell, G. T. Waltz, D. E. Wendt, and S. D. Gaines. (in progress). Effects of Native Keystone Predators on Invasion in a Marine Fouling Community. Moline, M. and G. Pawlak. 2012 (in submittal). Hydrodynamic Controls On Acoustical And Optical Water Properties In Tropical Reefs. # of Divers = 9