Thriving Oceans

Here are a couple of very short clips of an octopus that I encountered in Hawaii.  And I think they showcase the amazing capabilities of this incredible marine species in regards to changing color.

Ever heard of an Anchialine (‘near the sea’) Pond ? Well neither had I until I stumbled upon a series of these pools adorning the coast of the Big Island of Hawaii.  While following the convex nature of the coastline from Waiulua Bay to Anaehoomalu Bay, my eyes managed to wander from the crashing waves just in time to catch a placard telling passersby to refrain from disturbing sensitive habitat.  Of course I was curious and so I left the coral beach, stepped onto the tree-shaded dirt path and peered across lava beds that were cupping crystal clear waters.  But that is an understatement as far as  a description goes because the waters bristled with life, colorful algae coated the water covered rocks and birds waded in the waters and disappeared behind once molten rock.

I was really anxious to get a closer look and for a split second even contemplated a quick inspection, but that sign flickered in my head and I knew I had to keep a responsible distance; practice what I preach whether I liked it or not.  But it did not take long to discern a path made for human travelers had been installed and provided ample space for observation.  This was virgin territory, for me anyways, and I quickly managed to forget all the signs that indicated people had come and gone before…my expedition was underway.   I traversed the well groomed path and wondered whether they were fresh or salt or brackish water ponds.  I had hypotheses for each scenario, which was extended to include a reason for the presence of an incredible amount of small fish schooling in the variety of pools ranging from the scientific units of very small to quite large.  But I began to realize their salty nature after spotting the presence of a small surgeonfish swimming amongst the other gilled residents.  Besides fish, the ponds are home for algae, plants, shrimp, snails, insects and provide foraging sites for birds.

Alas, a sign describing yet another Hawaiian treasure identified the name of my latest discovery.  And before I provide additional verbiage and photos, I should mention that I was brought back to reality as the path ultimately ended amongst the streets of civilization. An adventure none the less.

“Anchialine ponds are one of Hawaii’s most threatened ecosystems. There are about 700 known anchialine ponds in Hawai’i. Most Hawaiian anchialine ponds are in the youngest lava areas of the Big Island of Hawai’i and Maui. They exist in inland lava depressions near the shore and contain brackish (a mixture of freshwater and saltwater) water. Freshwater is fed to the ponds from ground water that moves down slope and from rainwater. Ocean water seeps into the ponds through underground crevices in the surrounding lava rock.”  University of Hawaii at Hilo

According to the signs on site, “Tiny red shrimp, collectively called ‘Opae’ula, are one of the unique features of these anchialine pools and are found only in Hawaii.  The shrimp are omnivorous and can live for long periods of time underground in the interstitial groundwater without appearing in the pools.  The shrimp have been found in wells located a mile inland.  The smaller and more numerous shrimp (Halocaridina rubra) is preyed upon by a larger red shrimp (Matabetaeus lohena).”

Echinoderms have quite a range of body shapes that include those drawn out with arms like starfish, spherical as displayed by sea urchins, and branched/feathered such as sea lilies.  There are approximately 6000 species in the phylum Echinodermata, many of which are protected by spines.  In the crown of thorns starfish, the poisonous spines protect it from predation as it feeds on coral polyps.

“I found a cure for the plague of the 20th century, and now I’ve lost it!”  Perhaps it was the connotation of the quote itself or a combination of the fervor in Dr. Robert Campbell’s voice that made it stick in my mind after all these years, but in any case that early 90s Sean Connery flick is ever so applicable.  If you haven’t seen Medicine Man, it follows the quest of a researcher on the verge of a discovery of a cure for cancer in the Amazonian rainforest.  The scientist’s desperate attempt to replicate a serum produced from compounds he originally derived from a flower continues to result in failure.  The climax (spoiler) reveals the cure’s source was not the flower but a species of a rare indigenous ant, whose only known location is lost to the bulldozers and fires of deforestation.

Perhaps not as sexy as the fauna of the Amazon nor as adventurous as Dr. Campbell’s pursuit, scientists studying sea cucumbers in the Egyptian Red Sea are making the same leap for a need of conservation.  In an all too common scenario not limited to rainforests, the marine environment is being overharvested for direct and immediate consumptive values while potentially losing important options values that could be discovered through bioprospecting.

As a result of overfishing of sea cucumbers in the Red Sea, a ban was initiated in 2001 and 2003.  However, the ban did not lift demand and as a result illegal harvesting exploded.  With lackluster recovery of commercially prized species, researchers found a need to tie potential future drug treatments and long-term economic development to survival of the sea cucumbers. 

“Given the importance of economic development in countries such as Egypt and the perceived low conservation value of invertebrates such as sea cucumbers, the linking of these factors to conservation is vital for the maintenance and sustainable exploitation of these animals.”

Researchers collected a total of 22 species and screened 11 of various commercial and non-commercial value for bioactive substances.  Although their results showed no activity against either gram-positive or gram-negative target bacteria, all extracts were active against eukaryotic cell types, were most active against a mammalian carcinoma cell line, had a level of variation suggesting that the extracts contained more than one active compound, and that these compounds act at more than one site.

“The conservation value of a species is often defined not only by its rarity and distinctiveness, but also by its utility. This utility is reflected in its economic value, which can be further refined into its direct,  indirect, and options values. Overexploitation of marine resources for their immediate, direct benefits may be at the expense of future options value of a particular resource.”

Just as a fictionalized cure for cancer was simultaneously found and lost in the Amazonian rainforest for some immediate short-term gains, so too could we easily witness the vanishing of a species like the sea cucumber along with the next great drug discovery.  When you connect the ecological and potential options value, in terms of unique bioactive substances, of a marine species there is no doubt that it overshadows any perceived direct value we assign to them.

And this message of conservation is one that is germane to all nations.

 
LAWRENCE, A., AFIFI, R., AHMED, M., KHALIFA, S., & PAGET, T. (2009). Bioactivity as an Options Value of Sea Cucumbers in the Egyptian Red Sea Conservation Biology DOI: 10.1111/j.1523-1739.2009.01294.x
Photo credit: Daniel S.