Research with a Purpose: The Apalachicola Oyster Fishery

Hello! This month I continued to work with my mentor to develop and implement a method for acidifying sediment samples. This process will allow me to remove inorganic carbon, specifically carbonates, and keep the organic carbon compounds for isotopic analysis. These isotopic ratios that I discussed in my last blog post will allow us to determine whether different regions of the bay are influenced by terrestrial or marine processes. Multiple theories about the oyster fishery collapse are focused on the role of changes in the output of the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin. Understanding which regions are least affected by terrestrial processes may help us to identify areas that will be less affected by future changes in freshwater input.

The process of developing this method has been simultaneously stressful and rewarding. I have had the opportunity to write new procedures for methods I was learning, but this is the first time I am developing both the procedure and the method itself. Although documenting someone else’s thought process can be a great way to gain a new perspective, working on a method independently has allowed me to focus on better understanding my own. For example, my style is relatively slow and meticulous, but this allows me to feel confident in my results. Being fully in charge of the first run and walking my mentor through the steps I had devised reminded me of how much I enjoy the work I am doing this summer.

In addition to this new process, I have also continued to work on sealing non-acidified samples in tin capsules to prepare for analyzing nitrogen isotopic ratios. Both the carbon and nitrogen ratios are needed to interpret the results, so both the acidified and non-acidified samples need to be sealed in these capsules. The capsules themselves can be frustrating to work with, as they are only 13mm long (about ½ inch), can only be handled with tools, and burst open easily. Combine this with over 200 samples to seal, and the process can easily become exhausting, especially if you have frequently to restart while learning. This repetition has helped me to improve rapidly though, and I can thankfully seal each sample within one or two attempts now. Although it was initially frustrating, working with these tin capsules has become an almost meditative experience. Having the chance to sit down for a few hours and focus on one task I feel confident in has created an unexpected chance to recharge during a hectic week.