Reef Study in the Red Sea, Anyone?

The picture of industry: data collection, Red Sea style. (Photo: KAUST School.)

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In 2012, the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) School in Thuwal, Saudi Arabia launched an IB Environmental Systems and Societies (ESS) program. Over the course of a few weeks, students enrolled in IB Biology and ESS conducted ecology labs and prepared for a marine ecology field trip.

The KAUST School and its teachers partnered with the Red Sea Research Center at KAUST and invited their experts on marine biology and ecology (including sponge experts, coral experts, and fish behavior researchers) into our science classes.

Researchers Maha Khalil and Emily Giles brought first-hand research skills to both our classroom and field trip, showing us how the professionals collect data in marine research. They also spoke about the limitations and difficulties of conducting fieldwork and research in a marine environment. Their willingness to share their expertise was not only helpful, but it also created an atmosphere that made students feel like they could explore and make mistakes while learning.

In-class preparation also included learning how to measure the abiotic and biotic factors of an ecosystem. We learned how to use scientific probes to measure factors such as pH, conductivity, temperature, clarity, and oxygen levels. We looked at how to measure the population of organisms using other scientific equipment, and how to conduct behavioral studies of various fish species on the reef by “stalking” to observe behavior.

On the day of our fieldwork, we set sail at 8:00 am from the KAUST marina, destined for Sand Island reef, approximately 10 kilometers off the coast of Saudi Arabia.

For two hours we snorkeled and collected data with our scientist partners, for use in the labs we had designed. Some included population surveys and behavioral studies; some focused on mangrove swamp ecology, or crab studies on Sand Island itself. The highlight of the day was definitely a special visit from a small pod of dolphins, who swam with the boat for about 30 minutes!

We look forward to getting out of the classroom, and learning more about ecology this year!

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