Blogs

 Every day this week I recorded RFU values to measure phytoplankton growth, and continued to update the growth charts for them. We went data collecting at five sites, and processed all the samples from them. I also measured RFU’s from chlorophylls and helped with filtering for DNA extraction. I learned how to acid wash, which isn’t that much fun. I extracted chlorophylls from sample collecting and also measured them the next day. I ran a PCR on two different DNA samples.

     My first week as a CMOP intern has been mostly about assimilation to the entire process, CMOP, and my specific project as a whole; I've definitely had to hit the ground running. That being said, I'm excited and looking forward to becoming more involved in the particulars of my project, which consists of using models to evaluate the changes in habitat opportunity for salmon and lamprey amidst variations in hydropower operation and climate change.

Photo: Dave Olsen, AP

"We're not going to get salmon recovery unless we get lamprey recovery." - David Clugston, Fish Biologist, USACE

Somebody who has never done research before may envision a lab to be a bustling place, with machines whirring, chemicals bubbling, and people doing science. In reality, as I learned this week, research can involve a lot of waiting. My project is investigating the biodegradation of crude oil by microorganisms, and relies on some water samples from the San Francisco bay area.

This week I have been working with MATLAB implementing principal component analysis (PCA).  I have created a PCA function able to take in data and output figures, which display the relationship between specified components. I have also been given a larger range of data -- and more of it -- so as to better compare my results across the different samples.  With this increase in the amount of data, I hope a more obvious way to compare across samples presents itself.

The story of lamprey in the Columbia River system is both fascinating and compelling.

This first week has been exciting. I have learned so much in so little time. The project I have been placed on will consist of the analysis of change in habitat opportunity for salmon and lamprey, salmon being the focus of my part. This project will apply filtered criteria to the suggestions of the renegotiation, or termination of most of the provisions, of the Columbia River Treaty.