Titration and Sampling.                    


Last Tuesday we worked with Sherril on determining the amount of dissolved oxygen from different areas of the pond that also contained large portions of Gorilla ogo. We collected water samples from inside the canopy of the Gorilla ogo, and outside of the canopy as well. Once all the samples were collected, we used titration to determine the amount of dissolved oxygen from the samples.
                                                       

Koa mixing in the titrant.

Anu scraping pieces of ogo.

Above are some of the samples we took that have been prepared to go through the titration process.



On Saturday Megsie started off with a whiteboard lecture, giving us a basic understanding of a food chain and how detritus organisms play a major role in food webs as well as the brown and green worlds. Megsie also went on to explain stable isotopes and the role they play in food webs.

We then went out to collect samples of Gorilla ogo from specific areas in the pond. After collecting samples, pieces of Gorilla ogo(10cm long) were taken from each site and cleaned off by scraping the top layer of the Gorilla ogo. This was to help Megsie determine what type of organisms are living of the Gorilla ogo.

Niki and Koa siving.

Once a piece of Gorilla ogo was taken from a sample, the sample then went over to the siving station. The samples were shaken fo approximately three minutes then poured into 500mm and then into 250mm to unsaturated soil out of the water.



A sting ray Cami, Lelia, and I found inside the pond by the break in the wall.

I Ka Papa Hana No'eau (he hana like)

Aloha bloggers! It's great to be back at the Fishpond and working with the LAIP crew (: I have returned!

This past Tuesday was a construction day for MegaMegs! Instead of the Megs Pex Cages that we built in the earlier LAIP sessions, we now present to you Megsie's new core thingamabobbers!

Here we have Anu & Megan and Cami & Nikki cutting the cores to the right precision!

We've been using plastic cores but decided to try a metal flashing core so that we could blaze through the Gorilla ogo.

Now to put these bad boys to the test! Koa and Wendall with the assist!

It's sieve-ing time!!! Patience is a virtue! Looks like these new cores work like a charm (:

Tune in next time here at the fishpond!

Gone Fishin'!

Last Tuesday, we were treated to a fishing lesson with Paepae o He'eia executive director Hi'ilei Kawelo.  This was the first of several sessions that Hi'ilei will lead to introduce local fishing practices and methods to the interns.  Her family has been fishing in Kaneohe Bay for over eight generations.  Today's lesson was pole fishing, or ka makoi.  We learned how to make the bamboo pole, tie the line and the hook, and catch the bait (shrimp, or opae).  And all of the interns proved themselves to be old salts - everyone caught a fish!  Wendell caught enough for the whole group! 

Hi'ilei demonstrates how to select a good pole.

Nikki's got herself a winner. 

           

Learning to tie a good knot.

Tying a good knot takes concentration.

Catching opae

 

Invasive crab, ala'eke (Thalameta crenulata).  We used this one for bait.

Hi'ilei shows the technique (it all in the waiting)

Waiting... 

More waiting...