Well, we are in the field again in Hawaii!  Our tasks are quite different this trip, and our team has expanded thanks to the National Science Foundation (NSF).

 
This trip, we are looking at two of the smaller islands, including Moloka’i and Lana’i.  Lana’i supported pineapple plantations for a long time, and it is purported to lack any permanent flowing water.  Moloka’i is much richer in terms of habitat types, and including flowing rivers, bogs, and other interesting habitats.
 
Part of our team this trip are undergraduates Alex Valigosky, a junior at John Carroll University and Laura Miscoe at the University of Colorado, Boulder.  These students have been funded by the Research Experiences for Undergraduates at NSF.  They are joining us in the field, and they’ll share their thoughts on this blog along the way.
 
We will also be heading to Maui and the Big Island of Hawaii, too.  So, Aloha, we are glad to be back and to be hunting the elusive freshwater algae in the beautiful state of Hawaii.