A Seawater System for California Polytechnic State University's Marine Education and Research Center

California Polytechnic State University Foundation, San Luis Obispo CA

Investigators

Abstract

ABSTRACT Title: A Seawater System for California Polytechnic State University's Marine Education and Research Center (#0224860). A grant has been awarded to California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly) under the direction of Drs. M. Moline and N. Adams, to help develop a former petroleum transfer pier located 40 km from campus in San Luis Obispo Bay into the new Marine Education and Research Center (MERC). As an integral part of the conversion of this unique 1 kilometer-long steel and concrete pier, a 500-gpm capacity seawater system will provide life support for the rich fauna and flora that exist in immediate area for both undergraduate education and collaborative research efforts. The work to be performed for this project includes, fabrication of the piping system that will carry water to the main platform on the pier, fabrication of a primary and secondary pumping system, fabrication of a primary and secondary filtration system, integration/fabrication of a series of seawater tanks/aquaria, and fabrication of a discharge system. The seawater system will facilitate directed instruction and student research at the MERC. The seawater system will also provide the infrastructure required to conduct faculty/student research projects focused on the reproduction, development and physiology of marine invertebrates, fish, and algae. Some specific core areas of research include; bioluminescence, fish population genetics, eelgrass and algal physiology/ecology, satellite remote sensing as applied to phytoplankton, invertebrate larval settling/development and developmental/cell biology in purple sea urchins. The seawater system will also meet the requirements for in-line instrumentation being installed to monitor change in San Luis Bay over a range of time scales, which will provide the temporal environmental context for ongoing experimentation at the center. The system will provide the foundation for formal instruction at the undergraduate/graduate levels to approximately 250 students at Cal Poly annually within the departments of Biological Sciences, Physics, Engineering and Chemistry. It will allow the University to attract visiting scientists and students to participate in research and courses and to promote marine sciences nationwide. The location of the new facility provides the only marine laboratory facility along 320 km of coastline from Santa Barbara to Monterey. The MERC and a flowing seawater system provide a cornerstone for a new program in marine education. There is a new emphasis is on marine-related curriculum with the understanding of the importance of collaborative research in education at Cal Poly. With pressures on coastal resources, there has been increased scientific interest in studying the biological dynamics in the area. The base of the facility is a pristine rocky intertidal habitat with a kelp forest 200m offshore. The majority of the coastline to the north extending to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is relatively untouched/unstudied and is ideal for the educational/research goals of the Center. One of the primary missions of the MERC is to combine our nationally recognized and diverse student body with our "learn-by-doing" philosophy on education in marine biology and related marine fields. By exposing every student to active research programs and providing hands on experience at the MERC, we are in the unique position to fill the gap that exists in marine education targeting undergraduate learning.