Internship Highlight: When Research Takes an Unexpected Turn

This summer, Prince William Sound College interns Brittany Pack and Carter Logan are investigating what happened at the PWSC Research and Experimental Mariculture site after oysters had to be removed because of severe biofouling, entanglement, and sea star predation.

 

Rather than ending the project, the unexpected changes created a new opportunity to better understand the ecosystem that developed within the oyster lantern nets.

Working together, Brittany and Carter are tackling different parts of the research.

 

Brittany's original project focused on studying the gut contents of oysters from the farm. After the oysters were removed, her project shifted. She is now preparing to examine the gut contents of mussels associated with the site to identify what they are eating and compare that with what oysters would have consumed. Because similar data have not been collected from this area of Prince William Sound, her research will help fill an important gap in understanding the local food web.

 

Carter is documenting the organisms found in the lantern nets with the empty oyster shells, with a particular focus on sea stars. He is comparing sea star abundance with oyster size, weight, and location within the nets to look for patterns that may have contributed to oyster losses and could help improve future oyster farm management.

 

Together, Brittany and Carter are adapting their research to answer new questions that emerged after the farm changed unexpectedly. Their work is helping researchers better understand the biological community associated with the oyster farm and may provide valuable information for future shellfish farming in Prince William Sound.

 

Research doesn't always go as planned, but adapting to changing conditions is part of science. Through their internship, Brittany and Carter are gaining hands-on research experience while contributing to Alaska's growing mariculture industry.