October PI Spotlight: Dr. Chris Lowe |
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| Professor of Marine Biology, Director of Shark Lab
California State University, Long Beach
chris.lowe@csulb.edu
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Ocean Observing Tools: Animal Tagging, Underwater Acoustic Monitors, Real-Time Observing Buoy Systems, Autonomous Underwater Vehicles, Drone Surveys
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“We’re doing research and education to help keep people and sharks safe.”
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SCCOOS Principal Investigator Dr. Chris Lowe explains that, while it is a positive sign that we are seeing more Great White sharks along the California coast, there are still concerns about how their presence affects public safety.
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Image: Sharks in the water next to paddle-boarders. Photos courtesy of CSULB Shark Lab.
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As a professor of marine biology and the director of the CSU Long Beach Shark Lab, Chris Lowe conducts research for the California Shark Beach Safety Program. A state-funded program started in 2018 where sharks are tracked using tags that broadcast acoustic signals that can be detected by a system of 96 underwater acoustic receivers and 11 buoys along Southern California. Each tagged shark that swims by a receiver is identified, leading to over 2 million shark detections per year along the California coastline. These receivers also detect other marine animals and fish fitted with transmitter devices. Through BIL and IRA funding SCCOOS will enhance the network with 9 additional real-time acoustic buoys that provide alerts and environmental data to lifeguards, researchers, and water safety personnel across California.
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Images: Shark being tagged; Acoustic receiver buoy; Diver with underwater acoustic receiver. Photos courtesy of CSULB Shark Lab.
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Chris Lowe describes that, “through acoustic and satellite tagging, drone surveys and other novel monitoring tools we have been working to quantify behavior of sharks and their risk to beachgoers.” These observation systems help us learn more about shark movement and behavior, provide alerts to coastal managers, and expand the diversity of ocean observation. Tagged animals provide a unique perspective to the scientific community because they provide information about the way animals move and behave in the wild. In addition, these buoy systems are outfitted with instruments to measure environmental conditions (e.g. seawater temperatures, oxygen concentrations, chlorophyll), which improve our understanding of the ocean ecosystem as a whole. For example, long-term data from these instruments can detect changes in the environment and in shark or fish distributions, helping us to understand the impacts of climate change on Southern California wildlife and marine resources.
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Image: Shark Lab researchers and students posing with a variety of ocean observing tools used for shark research. Photos courtesy of CSULB Shark Lab.
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In addition to helping develop important ocean observing infrastructure, Chris Lowe contributes to California’s public safety with a website and materials to train lifeguards to use the shark data. Lifeguards in Southern California have access to near real-time alerts and environmental conditions from the buoy systems to help assess public safety risks. These data, alongside education about shark behavior and human interaction risks, has enabled lifeguards to reduce the frequency of beach closures. Chris explains, “I’m excited to see that our data is really starting to change people’s minds about the risks white sharks actually pose to humans.”
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Images: Chris Lowe presenting at a Lifeguard training workshop; Shark Lab education program for Junior Lifeguards. Photos courtesy of CSU Shark Lab.
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Sean Carey, Beach Lifeguard Captain for the City of Coronado, explained to SCCOOS that these real-time buoy systems complement their drone surveys and help provide the public with a sense of security, especially when shark sighting numbers are high.
Image: Captain Sean Carey, Photo courtesy of the Coronado Times.
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Mark Rathsam, the Deputy Chief Lifeguard for the City of Del Mar pointed out that in addition to real-time tagged shark alerts, real-time environmental alerts (such as water quality and clarity) are needed to help lifeguards make important safety decisions about public and personnel health risks.
Image: Coronado shark buoy. Photo courtesy of the City of Coronado.
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Southern California lifeguards hope to continue to work with Chris Lowe and SCCOOS to increase the number of tagged sharks and expand the buoy system to better track the white sharks and understand what environmental conditions impact shark behaviors.
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To learn more about ocean observing in Southern California, see the SCCOOS News and social media (Facebook; X; LI). To learn more about shark research as well as the Shark Lab's outreach and education efforts, visit the CSU Long Beach Shark Lab website.
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Keep an eye out for next month's SCCOOS Spotlight to learn about another of our PIs and community stakeholders!
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