Scuba Diving – September 2019

24 / SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 SCUBADIVING.COM

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e live in a time when the word “sci-

ence” calls to mind visions of lec-

ture halls, white lab coats and sterile labs

for many, yet scientists' work couldn't be

more critical. In our political, social and

literal climate, we need to bridge the rift

between difficult-to-access journals and

an uninformed public. This is where un-

derwater photography comes into play.

After all, science and photography

are complementary parts of the same

puzzle. Why are our oceans intrinsically

worth preserving? Science tells us why,

but photography shows us. Science

quantifies the extent to which global

warming affects marine biodiversity, but

photography qualifies it.

These days, however, science seems

to stray from public interest. Much of

today’s scientific scholarship gets lost

somewhere on the path to the people

who need to hear it most. Photography

can help bridge the gap—it’s the art that

transcends all cultural and linguistic bar-

THROUGH THE LENS

OF SCIENCE

A call for scientists to reach the masses with the power of pictures

BY BING LIN

riers. In this way, a five-second flurry of

shutter clicks has the potential to dis-

seminate information, invoke emotion,

create empathy and ultimately inspire

change all at the same time.

While photography’s role as art is clear,

what’s perhaps overlooked is the crucial

role it also has in the scientific process.

Underwater photography has elimi-

nated much of the literal pressure of wa-

ter weight and diminishing air supplies,

resulting in expanded scientific data col-

lection.

Personally, I have used underwater

camera systems to: assess the size, spe-

cies and biomass of reef fish from photos

captured in Honduras; quantifiably esti-

mate coral cover in reef systems in Dom-

inica; and even approximate sea turtle

feeding rates in Bermuda. When you also

consider the use of photography in large-

scale scientific crowdsourcing projects

to track marine megafauna, in deep-sea

vessels to explore the oceans’ twilight

zones, or even in ci t izen-science pr ojec t s

to monitor coral bleaching worldwide,

you can begin to appreciate photography

as a practical tool.

Ultimately, scientists and recreation-

al divers alike are both responsible for

more unity between the arts and scienc-

es. Scientists must factor the general

public into their research design and de-

livery. Everyone else must demand that

results be made more accessible, under-

standable and relevant. I wholeheartedly

believe in the untapped potential of

cross-disciplinary efforts between sci-

ence and photography. Both are critical

players in the quest to preserve and re-

vitalize our blue planet.

A diver snaps a photo at Bonaire's Salt Pier during

Marine Life Education Week at Buddy Dive Re-

sort, a program that encourages citizen science.

TIME TO SHINE

Citizen-science projects that

need photographers like you

ID the Manta database

Individual manta rays have

a unique pattern of spots

on their ventral surface, so

photos of manta bellies al-

low organizations such as the

Manta Trust to collect critical

information about manta

migration patterns,

reproduction and more. Visit

mantatrust.org/idthemanta

to submit your photos and

contribute to the largest da-

tabase of its kind.

BleachWatch

Mote Marine Laboratory and

Aquarium based the Florida

Keys BleachWatch program

on a similar system at the

Great Barrier Reef to track

the severity and extent of

coral bleaching in the Florida

Keys National Marine Sanctu-

ary. Data from NOA A’s moni-

toring efforts in the park are

combined with surveys and

photos submitted by volun-

teer divers to help assess the

health of the reefs, which

allows for more informed

conservation and protection

efforts. Visit mote.org to

learn more and submit a

report online.

Volunteer Fish

Survey Project

Savvy divers and snorkelers

can contribute to REEF’s pub-

licly accessible database—

which is used by researchers

worldwide—by submitting

surveys online (reef.org).

Photography improves the

data even more, helping verify

the accuracy of surveys and

even working as verification

for rare-species sightings.