Department of Biology and Chemistry PBMS Norway 2014 Booklet 2014.pdf · Department of Biology and...

Department of Biology and Chemistry PBMS Norway 2014

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Content Page

PBMS 2014 ………………………………………………………………………………………….………………………….….. 2

Programme …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…….. 3

Project Introduction and Student Reflections

Group 1: Best type of mussel for Carcinus maenas …................................................... 4

Group 2: Investigation of toilet air quality in terms of airborne microorganisms

before and after flushing ……………………………………………………………………………. 11

Group 3: Sensitivity to different colours of light and its effect on predation by

Asterias rubens …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 19

Group 4: The acid stress response of the common shore crabs

(Carcinus maenas)……………………………………………………………………………….... 26

List of Participants ……………………………………………………………………………………..………………….……. 36


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PBMS 2014

The Project-Based Mentoring Scheme (PBMS) for Enhancement of Student Learning and

Development in Science Disciplines is to help develop students’ ability to undertake scientific

investigations in a more proactive manner through careful thinking, discussion and reflection. On

the 10-day trip during summer at the Biological Station, University of Oslo, Norway, students have

to plan and carry out their projects based on their interest and availability of the appropriate

facilities. The department staff and senior students will act as mentors to provide advice, as

necessary. Apart from working on projects of different nature, the scheme also provides

opportunities for students to discover the history, culture and people of Norway and broaden

their international outlook.

The 2014 PBMS trip marked the 11th year of success of this activity, which has become a signature

student event of the Department of Biology and Chemistry. I wish to thank Prof. István Horváth for

his continuous funding support, and Dr. H.Y. Cheung and Prof. Nora Tam who have been working

with me to ensure students are safe and yet enjoy the entire PBMS experiences. I also would like

to express our appreciation to Prof. Hans Karlsen of the University of Oslo and his family, especially

his two sons, Christian and Mathias, who have arranged the facilities and assisted students

throughout their stay at the Biology Station in Drøbak, Norway.

Thank you for all of your participation.

Paul Shin

Coordinator of PBMS 2014

Department of Biology and Chemistry


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Presentation

Date : 15 October 2014 (Wednesday)

Time : 18:00 – 19:20

Venue : CSE Conference Room

(Room B6605, Academic 1)

The Programme:

18:00 – 18:10 Welcome address by Dr Paul Shin

18:10 – 18:25 Best type of mussel for Carcinus maenas

18:25 – 18:40 Investigation of toilet air quality in terms of airborne microorganisms

before and after flushing

18:40 – 18:55 Sensitivity to different colours of light and its effect on predation by

Asterias rubens

18:55 – 19:10 The acid stress response of the common shore crabs (Carcinus maenas)

19:10 – 19:15 Questions and answers

19:15 – 19:20 Closing remarks


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Group 1

Best type of mussel for Carcinus maenas

Within the 10-day trip, we have done a research on

investigating the best type of mussels as baits for catching

the crab Carcinus maenas. The objective of our research

was to compare and contrast the attractiveness among

three baits which are fresh, frozen and decayed mussels.

We also investigated the common type of crabs in Drøbak

and their body width and gender. Our experimental

hypothesis was that the smellier the bait, the more

attractiveness of it to the crabs.

In this experiment, 3 replicates were conducted. We prepared fresh, frozen and decayed mussels

before we started to catch the crabs. For the fresh mussels, we used them after opening the

mussels immediately. For the frozen mussels, we froze them for 1 day. For the decayed mussels,

we put them under the sun so as to allow the mussels to decay for 1 day. In each replicate, we

clipped the mussel tissues onto a crab net, and then immersed the net into water near the shore.


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Then, we waited for 30 minutes until the crabs were caught.

Finally, the body length and gender of the crabs were

recorded. After we have done all the measurements of the

crabs, we released all of the crabs back to the sea.

In the results, decayed mussels attracted the highest number

of crabs. This can be explained by production of

trimethylamine and dimethylamine under the reaction of

enzymes, bacteria and trimethylamine oxide in the mussel

tissues during the exposure to air. Trimethylamine and

dimethylamine are volatile and have a stinky smell like rotten

fish. The crabs were thus attracted by these chemicals

produced in the decayed mussels, then by the fresh or frozen

mussels. The results echoed with our hypothesis. The crabs

were thus attracted through their chemoreception ability in the water column.


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CHAN Yan Tung (Yentl)

During the ten days, half of our time was spent on doing experiment and discussing the

results.

Before going to Norway, we had planned the hypothesis and experimental procedures of our

experiment. Then we had to modify the method of the experiment in Norway. We had a briefing

session every morning, which we discussed and reported our experiment to our professors and

the student assistant. They gave a lot of advices to help us to modify and improve our project and

the method of doing the experiment.

The objective of our experiment was to compare the attractiveness of different mussels to

the local crabs in Drobak. At first, we would like to compare seaweed and living mussels as the

baits to attract the crabs. However, the professors thought it is not reasonable since seaweed

must attract less number of crabs. They thought that the smell of mussel is stronger than that of

seaweed and we had to compare other type of baits. Thus, we tried to compare fresh, frozen and

decayed mussels. In the first day of our experiment, we used a crab net that we brought from

Hong Kong to catch the crabs. We put three mussels inside the net for three hours to see how

many crabs we can catch. Unfortunately, the crab net was not efficient in catching enough crabs to

provide sufficient data. After several times of trials, we found some small crab nets and could be

used to catch the crabs easily.

Apart from the limitations of our equipment, we also found some difficulties in collecting

fresh mussels. It was very important that we had to collect enough fresh mussels because we had

to prepare equal amount of fresh, frozen and decayed mussels. The frozen mussels were prepared

by putting the fresh mussels inside the freezer for one day while the decayed mussels were

prepared by putting them inside a plastic box and placed it near the window in the laboratory for

one day. To fulfill our required amount, we had to collect fresh mussels near the shore by

ourselves. Lastly, one of our groupmates was responsible to collect mussels and others gave

directions for her and held a net to transfer the mussels that she had collected to the shore. We

have realized that it is important

to be flexible and creative so as to

find an alternative way to tackle

the problems.

The most memorable

experience for me was fishing on

a boat in the middle of the sea.

The student assistant brought us

to the sea by a boat. I was staying


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in the middle of the sea and I could see different sceneries including mountains, beaches, houses

and sailing boats. This was a unique experience for me to see the breathtaking scenery and I have

never seen the same view in Hong Kong. Fishing in the middle of the sea was also interesting and

we caught many fish. Then, we boiled fish soup that night while the remaining fish were used for

barbecue. We had a great moment at the barbecue dinner. The Norwegians are very nice and we

made friends with our student assistant and his brother. They are friendly and have helped us a lot

about the project.

To conclude, this is a lifelong beneficial experience for me. I am glad that I received a precious

chance to explore the cultures in Norway and to broaden my horizon. I also immersed in a

different culture, improved my speaking English, and had some lifelong experiences.


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MAN Hoi Ning (Michelle)

Staying in Norway for ten days was not a long period but I

was bombarded with a variety of new faces and things which I

have not expected. Not getting used to those overwhelmingly

fresh things at first, everything seemed amazing to me.

In those ten days, we stayed in a town called Drobak.

Drobak is located along the Oslofjord, therefore the sea seems to

be omnipresent. Luckily, everyday was sunny and it was not

extremely hot. The sky looked blue particularly and the air was

fresh. It is a place where pollution is minimal.

The major activity during this programme was to undertake

an experiment and come out with some results in the end of this

trip. Our group considered to investigate the attractiveness of three baits to crabs. The three baits

are fresh, frozen and decayed mussels. In addition, we wanted to find out which kind of crabs

could be attracted in high abundance. We conducted the experiment in three days. We used

different baits in each day and we did three replicates for each bait.

Among all the activities that I participated, the most impressive one was fishing in the sea.

Thanks Christian for driving us out the sea on a boat. He stopped to an area where he thought we

could catch fish. Never had I lift a fishing rod, I thought it was quite light. However, it was much

heavier than I thought. Once there was a fish kept struggling powerfully under the sea and I

almost used up all my strength to pull the rod. I passed the rod to Christian and he also needed to

pull the rod vigorously. After fighting for a while, he caught the gigantic monster finally. He

estimated the monster weighted at least 2 kg. We all felt stunning and amazed. I am keen on

fishing after this memorable experience.

As the old saying goes, “the best of friend must part”. Everything must come to an end. This

programme enables me to experience life in Norway and equips me skills that are beneficial

throughout my life. Apart from learning some research techniques and marine animals, I have also

learned to treasure the nature like many Norwegians do. I enjoy this trip very much and I am

eager to explore more lands in this world.


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TAM Tsz Yan (Yan)

I am so grateful to have a really great time to have a meaningful and wonderful summer! I

never feel regretful to join this PBMS scheme. This scheme has provided me an invaluable

experience in my university life.

In this study tour, our destination is

Drøbak and Oslo in Norway. It is a wonderful

place that is full of friendliness and stunning

views. Within that 10-day trip, I have done a

research on investigating the best type of

mussel as bait for the crab for Carcinus maenas.

Although we have made some mistakes and

obstacles in the project, we have tried our best

to find other alternative way to reach the goal.

With the adjustments made and the opinions

of the professors, our experimental work became smoother and outcome-oriented.

In this bustle and hustle city, we will always work hard on our

own jobs. People are so stressful and pessimistic. However, in

Norway, I can feel their unusual attitudes to their living and which

is totally different from Hong Kong. Their pace is relatively slower

and more relaxed than in Hong Kong. I recognized that we are so

quick for our life and everyone is fighting with their time and

money. We will then miss many important things such as family

gatherings, arrangement of leisure and the surrounding

environment in our life.

For the whole trip, it has provided many interactive outdoor

activities and noteworthy research to let me acquire more

knowledge on the living experience and widen my exposure and

broaden my horizons. Through these learning activities, my insights towards the international

outlooks have been enhanced. As it is significant to have a brief understanding of different places

of people and culture, I can realize how big the world is. Many things are worth for me learning

from their life experiences and lifestyle. I am looking forward to joining this kind of schemes in the

future.


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WONG Hiu Man (Celia)

This 10-day trip during the summer was

the most unforgettable and valuable

experience ever. Drøbak is a peaceful and

beautiful small town in Norway where we

stayed for 10 days to conduct our experiment.

We did an experiment on investigating the

best type of mussels as bait for the crab

Carcinus maenas. Although we met some

difficulties in our project, professors and

other classmates gave a lot of useful

comments and advices to us. Therefore, their

comments inspired us a lot to think more carefully about some parameters that we have missed in

our experimental design.

Within these 10 days, we were not only amazed by the beautiful views in Norway, but also

the skills that we have learned behind this trip. The first thing was definitely enhanced our

scientific thinking skills. Being a science student, it was important for us to learn how to think

scientifically. For example, we have learned how to design an experiment by ourselves. During the

laboratory session in university, we only need to follow the lab manual to carry out the laboratory

work. However, we do not need to design the details or procedures of the experiment. During this

trip, this was a great opportunity for us to have tried to run our experiment which was designed

by our own.

Also, I learned the importance of

efficient group work and team spirit from

this trip. As we were not only to deal with

the project work but also the housework.

If we do not have good team spirit and

just to do the things for our own, the

performance will be definitely not

satisfactory.

Thanks for PBMS, this trip has

enhanced my international outlook and

broadened my exposure to multicultural

environment as well as improved my communication skills. I will remember this special experience

throughout my life.


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Group 2

Investigation of Toilet Air Quality in terms of Airborne Microorganisms

Before and After Flushing

Air quality can be determined by measuring the bacteria and fungi content in a confined area.

There are some underlying reasons for us to choose this topic. Because someone point out that

flushing after using toilets may foster the growth and spread of microorganisms. The growth of

microorganisms is related to public health problem. Therefore, we would like to help the public

to find out whether it is true or not. We would also like to investigate the linkage between the

number of Colony Forming Units (CFUs) before and after flushing and air quality level. We have

mainly focused on microorganisms and fungus level as they can be used as air pollution indicators.

Feces contain a lot of E.coli and other bacteria. We have made the hypothesis that the air quality

of the “after using the toilet” is worse than that of “before using the toilet”. Therefore, we have

compared the concentrations, expressed in terms of number of CFUs, of bacteria and fungi before

and after using the toilets.

For the methodology part, we closed the washroom for about 12 hours to prevent gas

exchange between washroom and outside. We collected 100 L of samples for both bacteria and

fungi using an air sampler respectively before and after using toilets with open flushing. We then

put the collected bacteria and fungi samples to the respective agar strips and incubated them

(Bacteria: 37 oC for 2 days) (Fungi: 25 oC (room temperature) for 3 days). The effect of incubation

was to provide proper conditions for growth of bacteria (37 oC for 2 days) in order to increase the

growth rate of bacteria. We finally observed and analyzed the results after incubation.


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For the part of results, we have found out that the number of CFUs after flushing was higher

than that of before flushing. Effect of open flushing on the number of airborne bacteria has

increased. We can prove that bacteria spray into the air around the toilet with open flushing. An

increasing trend of before and after open flushing has been recorded.

We recorded the results for three times (24 hrs, 36 hrs and 48 hrs). It was because we would

like to monitor the growth rate of bacteria and fungi during these 3 days and obtain more accurate

results by avoiding having lots of CFUs overlapping each other within a short period of time and

causing ambiguity in counting CFUs.

The results of CFU units between before and after using toilets with open flushing were as

follows:

Sample A B C D

Difference between

before and after flushing 23 CFUs/ml 213 CFUs/ml 98CFUs/ml 277CFUs/ml

As there were not much significant changes and growth of fungi before and after toilet with

open flushing. Therefore, we did not use these as consideration.

For the error and improvement session, human error is one of them. Subjective judgment

and counting of the CFUs units may differ between different people. So we should count with care

and use the mean value of different people’s results. The second error is temperature control of

the incubator. As fungi samples were put into a closed drawer. There may be temperature change

when there was sunlight shinning on it. Therefore, we should measure temperature in advance to

improve the accuracy. For the method error, there were problems in counting CFUs after

incubation as the numbers of CFUs were in a very large amount. We should collect only 50 L of air

samples for easier counting. As we did not bring enough agar strips to Norway, we could not do

any replications of the samples. This may affect the result to some extent. Therefore, we should

prepare spare materials in advance next time.

To sum up, the CFUs after flushing was more in number than that of before relatively.

Therefore the toilet air quality has become worse after flushing.


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NG Chin Ching (Jeffrey)

Norway, it is always the dream country that I have craved for travelling to for very long time. I

finally got this precious opportunity to visit this “Happy Country” this summer! This is really an

inspirational and memorable journey for me. I have learnt a lot, not just academic knowledge, but

also a lot about interpersonal skills and daily life wisdoms.

Although this is the first time for me to visit the northern Europe, I just felt so familiar when I

saw the blue sky, enjoyed the comfortable breeze and breathed the fresh unpolluted air when I

just arrived Oslo. This really recalled my unforgettable and happy memories in my home town, Los

Angeles in the USA! Everything here looks similar to Los Angeles. This gave me a great sense of

belongings and security during our visit here in Norway. I just felt like I was going back home!

However, there are a lot of similarities between Norway and the USA, but I needed to get back to

reality that I was actually in Norway. Yeah! I finally made my dream came true! I am here in

Norway!

The main focus of this trip was conducting our

own investigation. I have learnt a lot through the

project design and experimental process. The most

important skills I gained after the investigation is problem tackling and communication skills. As

our project title has modified quite a few times before our experiment. This was quite a tough

time for us to modify and brain-storm to achieve a better topic. However, our group can

communicate well to express our own ideas about the project. We all tried to listen to each

groupmate‘s opinions. And the most thankful thing is that our professors kindly gave us some

clues on our project. All because of these reasons,

we finally made a consensus and tried our very best

to make our investigation as perfect as we can. I was

glad that my groupmates are all very efficient and

hardworking. Thus, we could conduct our project

smoothly and effectively. I really appreciated for all of

your great efforts! I thought I have improved my

experimental skills after this trip and I am now being

more confident to try doing research by myself!


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The most important daily life wisdom is that I have learnt to prepare meals for 19 people! I

was quite puzzled before the first meal we needed to prepare. We didn’t know how many

ingredients do we need to buy and what kind of dishes do our classmates. It was frankly quite a

mess and chaos during our first cooking night. However, Professors Tam provided us a lot of

cooking tips. So that we have gained more confidence during our second cooking day and cooked

much better that our first time. The happiest thing was that some classmates admired for our

dishes cooked. My cooking interest was hence boosted! I will try to cook some dishes for my

parents to try in the future!

The thing that impressed me the most is the hospitality,

friendliness and helpfulness. The reason for me to have this feeling was

all because a night walks one night. I and six of our classmates hanged

out after dinner one night. There was a man who may have depression

and mental health problem was trying to use the knife to injure himself.

It was such an astonished situation and we all felt very afraid. However,

many of the Norwegians did not just walk past, but provided him with

helping hands. They tried to calm him down by chatting with him and

helped to call the ambulance. I admired what they have done. As I

don’t think many people in Hong Kong are willing to help those people

in need on street. This is the thing we need to learn from them. This is

such a great personality.

It is always a great time to get along with the Norwegians as smiles are always shown on their

face and they are willing to chat with you even though they don’t know you and share their daily

life with you. I really enjoy the moment chatting with them. That’s just like there was a connection

between us although we are from different countries. This was a great chance for us to have

cultural sharing with foreigners!

I really enjoy this trip and I hope I could come here again very soon!


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NG Sze Wing (Jenny)

Looking at the tranquil scenery and breathing the

gentle breeze near the sea really makes me feel relaxed,

peaceful and comfortable. Just imagine you are studying

in front of this splendid view in Drøbak, all your stress will

be gone in a minute!

In this journey, I learnt a lot through designing

experiments and developing collaborative power while working with teammates from different

disciplines. Problem-solving skills are considered to be the most remarkable item for me. Owing

to the problem of feasibility or practicality, the title

and project content of our group had to be modified

for a few times when we arrived there. At first, we

were discouraged. Yet, after receiving valuable

advice from professors, we got inspirations and new

directions to work on our project. Together with the

questions raised by them in the briefing session every

morning, we were able to think thoroughly and gain

deeper understanding about the adoptability of our

topic in Norway. Through this vivid experience,

designing a new experiment on our own without any lab manuals given is not an easy task. To

conduct the experiment smoothly, every parameter, like the amount of materials to be used,

should be considered carefully.

Apart from doing experiments, I also learnt how to

fish. Actually, that was the first time for me to go

fishing. At the beginning, I thought it was difficult as

the fishing rod is quite heavy which is hard to control.

However, after being taught by the local student helpers,

Christian and Mathias, that was not the case. Instead,

the fishing technique is simple but patience is required.

It was lucky that our group could go fishing for several times and we successfully caught a big fish

on the second last day of our journey. It was really a delightful and amazing experience for me.

Besides, it is obvious to observe that the living pace is much slower in Norway when

compared to that in Hong Kong. Norwegians treasure the time staying with their family. Most

shops are closed at weekends so they can enjoy leisure activities, family gatherings like barbeque,

sunbathing or just a swim together. Not only can these activities strengthen the mutual

understanding between family members, but it can also enhance their relationships. On the


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other hand, there are many workaholics in Hong Kong. The time they spent on work and life is

imbalanced. Sometimes, they are so busy with their work in order to meet tight deadlines

without going home, let alone having family reunion. In this aspect, it is better for Hongkongers

to learn from Norwegians so a more harmonious atmosphere can be cultivated in families.

More importantly, it is really appreciated that

various measures have been taken to boost the

environmental awareness of Norwegians. One of

them is the recycling machines in Drøbak. They are

responsible for collecting plastic bottles and will pay

you money if you feed them with empty bottles. This

measure increases citizens’ incentives to sort their

garbage into different categories so that recycling

companies can utilize the wastes efficiently. In the

short run, this motivates people to protect the environment with joint efforts. In the long run,

this can alleviate the global warming effect. As attitude decides altitude, it will be great if Hong

Kong can take this meaningful scheme as reference and implement it in the near future.

All in all, this project-based mentoring scheme offers me a valuable chance to widen my sight

and be exposed to foreign culture. Drøbak is the most magnificent place I have ever been to so

far. Although this activity only lasted for ten days, it was an unforgettable and enjoyable learning

experience in which I could communicate effectively with foreigners and work in an unfamiliar

place.


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LO Wing Yin (Hailey)

Last summer, I am thankful

that having an opportunity of

participating in the Norway

project-based mentoring scheme.

Apart from doing the experiment

at the biological station, we had

leisure time for visiting Drøbak

and Oslo in Norway in order to

learn deeply in its culture and

history.

Initially, our group designed

the experiment about investigation in indoor air quality on different floors in terms of airborne

bacterial and fungal concentration. However, after observing the sites for sampling in Norway, we

faced a challenge so the experiment should be revised due to the limitation of the number of the

agar strips for analysis. Our supervisors recommended us to make our own testers to analyze the

concentration of airborne bacteria and fungi to solve this problem in view of the inadequate

number of agar strips. I learnt from this adaption of the changing conditions when necessary.

Although I have the laboratory manual that was planned in Hong Kong, I required adjusting the

procedures or the amount of materials to solve the problem I met in the real situation. I made use

of the limited resources or alternatives and changed the place that I investigated in order to finish

my work. After this trip, I think scientific experiment is not a simple work which is just to follow

laboratory manuals. However, it needs us to adapt to the unexpected situation and make a fast

response to such a changing situation.

In Drøbak, I tried a lot of things that I will not do in Hong Kong. I caught fishes, cut and

cleaned them and cooked the fish soup that I never tried in Hong Kong by myself. At weekends in

Drøbak, there is a market in the open area. Second hand products, paintings and crafts were

found in many booths like the Stanley markets in Hong Kong. I like visiting the place and talking

with the local to discuss about their culture and their perception on Hong Kong.


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MAK Hoi Ting (Alice)

I was glad that I could join the

PBMS program and go to Norway

this beautiful country for 8 days.

We had stayed in Drøbak actually

and exposed ourselves in this

foreign town.

In this town, the lifestyle of

local people are totally different

from us. They generally close the

shop at around 5 p.m. on weekdays and even close earlier at weekends! This won’t happen in

Hong Kong. Therefore, when I first came to this town, I took few days to get used to it. I was very

impressed by the Norwegians that could get a balance between working and relaxing. I had learnt

from them that everything won’t be the only thing in your whole life so I should work hard, play

hard.

During these days, I had also

learnt some life skills which were

fishing, handling the fish and

cooking them. Drøbak is a town

near the sea, so it was a great

opportunity for us to go outside

fishing. Our group had caught the

heaviest fish called “sei” in

Norwegian. It was a deep sea fish

and it’s usually hard to catch it so

we were very lucky to get that. After gaining lots of fish, we needed to handle them and therefore

I knew how to clean and cook them. It was really a new experience for me because in Hong Kong I

only ate out.

In the trip, it was interesting to learn some new skills in other countries and talk to local

people. Sometimes, you may find out some surprises. With one step more, you will know how big

the world is!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwegians


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Group 3

Sensitivity to different colours of light and its effect on predation by

Asterias rubens

According to a study by M. Yoshida and H. Ohtsuki in 1968, it is found that starfish are

phototactic. Therefore, we think that using light may be useful to catch more starfish for different

purposes. One of the main purposes is to be used as a traditional Chinese medicine. It is believed

that starfish is helpful to relieve stomach and abdominal pain and prevent the over-secretion of

gastric juice.

Asterias rubens is a common starfish species in Norway and it can be found at different

depths, from the shallow rocky shores to 200 fathoms. It has a range of body colors such as red,

orange and purple. There is a compound eye located in the tip of each arm of Asterias rubens

which can detect light and form the vision. Also, it depends on the water vascular system for

locomotion. The underside of Asterias rubens is covered with hundreds of tube feet for walking

and attaching rocks. Last but not least, at the end part of the tube feet, the suction cups are

used for grasping and eating prey.

Our project was divided into 2 parts. In part A, we wanted to find out which colour of lights

that the starfish is the most sensitive to; in Part B, we used the resulted colour of light from Part A

to investigate the effect of light on starfish predation.

First of all, we did snorkeling and caught starfish by hand. After we caught the starfish, we left

them in the tank for a night as pre-treatment. Then, we covered 3 tanks with black plastic bags to

avoid the leak of other lights and we also draw some grids on the walls of tanks. In part A, we used

torches with different colour filters: Red, Green and Blue, to test which colour of lights that the

starfish is the most sensitive to. We put a starfish into each tank and record the track and time for

the starfish movement. Finally, we found out that starfish is the most sensitive to blue light.

For Part B, starfish and mussels were put in the three tanks. The light intensity was calibrated

to 0.06 lux by a lux meter after illuminating the tanks with blue light. The experiment was

repeated in the complete dark condition. The track and time for the starfish to reach the mussel

were recorded for both conditions. After comparing the results of Part A and Part B, blue light was

found to give the greatest positive effect on the starfish’s predation.


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LAW Yan Yi (Elaine)

Although it has been 2 months since I came back to Hong Kong from Norway, I still remember

how happy and enjoyable I was during the time there.

Drøbak is the town we stayed for 10 days in Norway. It is a small yet wonderful place. We

lived beside the fjord so we could see sea view whenever we looked out of the window. A

beautiful sea view with an azure sky--- is what Hongkongers always jealous of? And it is what I

really miss now.

Moreover, it is quite interesting to know

that Drøbak is a Santa town. Local people

believe Drøbak is the real origin of Santa Claus

and I was really so excited to meet Santa Claus

there!

As for

our project,

it was my first time to design our own experiment. It was never

an easy job yet I really learnt a lot from the project. Not just

some basic biological concepts, but also some useful skills like

time management and problem solving skills. And I have to

thank my groupmates because we supported each other and I

think we had a good division of labour when we were doing the

project.

Last but not least, we all

had a great time with our

local friends, Christian and Mathias in Norway. They shared a lot

about Norwegian life and provided assistance for our project. I

still remember that all of us didn’t want to say goodbye to them

at the BBQ night.


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LEE Chui Mei (Candy)

What a valuable and memorable learning experience it is! By participating in Project-based

Mentoring Scheme (PBMS), I was equipped with experimental design techniques and critical

thinking while enjoying the beautiful and natural scenery in Norway.

One of the main activities in this scheme was to conduct

an experiment designed by ourselves in Drøbak, a quiet and

peaceful small town we lived in. Our group aimed to

investigate starfish’s sensitivity to different colors of light and

its effect on their predation. In order to make sure our

experiment was in the right direction and process, we needed

to present what we were planning to do and what problems

we have solved as well as answered the questions from

professors and students in the briefing after the breakfast

every day. After briefing, our group realized that we ignored

too many details of the experiment, such as starfish’ sex,

health condition and body color to its sensitivity to different

colors of light. Also, the aim of experiment was too unrealistic

as we thought our experimental results could help to threaten

starfish and hence protect the coral reefs. With professors’

suggestions, we amended our experiment and obtained

satisfactory results finally. For me, this is a good self-reflection process as I have got a chance to

think about my mistakes and then corrected them. And it also enhanced my confidence and

problem solving skills as I needed to present and answer the challenging questions in every day

morning. More importantly, it helped me understand that the main factors contributing to a

successful scientific investigation were in-depth thinking and carefulness.

Apart from carrying out the scientific research, I

had an opportunity to explore the culture, lifestyle and

fantastic scenery in Drøbak. For Norwegian, the

meaning of life is to enjoy it rather than use it to enrich

self’s wealth. This belief makes them choose a relaxing

lifestyle. The shops in Drøbak normally close at 5 pm to

offer their staff enough personal time. And even the

staff provide services in a slow way, the boss will not

blame on them as they prefer their staff to enjoy the

job. Therefore, when you need to buy things or take a meal in a restaurant there, please be

patient! Since Norwegians are environmentally friendly, they do not throw rubbish or drain

sewage into the sea and thus a clean, blue sea is seen in Drøbak. And the local people’s


22

entertainments are usually related to the sea: diving and swimming in the sea, fishing and takes

sun-bathing on the beach. Moreover, the blue sky, green grassland and mountains are easy to be

seen in Norway. This reflects that Norwegians respect nature and they truly understand the only

way to maintain a good human development is to protect nature.

To sum up, this trip not only lets me visit Norway, a wonderful country, but also helps me to

understand myself more and creates a well-beginning for my further study in science. Hence, I am

glad that I can be a participant of PBMS. And I also appreciate professors put so much effort to

help and give advices to us during the trip.

Now, I am looking forward to taking part in this kind of scheme again.


23

CHOI Tsz Hei (West)

The trip to Norway is really meaningful and exciting as there are lots of things that you could

never learn it from books but could learn and try it during the ten days in Norway. The place that

we stayed in Norway is called Drøbak, it is a small town that near the sea and make you feel relax.

It’s just like a heaven compared to Hong Kong since Drøbak is out of the fast tempo and stressful

feeling. I have gained several important things during the Project based Mentoring Scheme.

First of all, we needed to design an experiment by ourselves. It was a quite challenging task to

complete as all of us were the first time to prepare the protocol on our own. We needed to

consider attentively every part in the experiment with scientific and biological reasons. It must be

a chance to enhance our knowledge in the science area.

Then, time management

was important since we only

had ten days in Norway. We

had to design and plan our

working schedule as the time

was limited for us to complete

the experiment. Also,

sight-seeing times such as

hiking, fishing, swimming were

also available in the ten days.

So we could freely plan our

working hours in order to complete the project and present it on the ninth day.

Next, as the trip only had two gentlemen including me, most the work were done by two of

us such as dissect and prepare the fresh fish for barbecue. During the ten days in Norway, I

learned how to dissect the fish and remove the guts just like the people in the wet market. I

believe it is the best skill for me to help my mum to prepare the fish for dinner.

After that, the study trip also provided me a chance to experience the local Norwegian

cultures, history and their lifestyle. I visited Oscarsborg, Drøbak and Oslo during the study trip in

Norway and I have learned Norwegian culture and history. Also the architecture of each house in

the city is stylish. The houses are really different from that in Hong Kong and make you feel relaxed

from stress as the houses are not crowded.

Finally, it was happy to meet Christian and Mathias, they were the PBMS helpers and helped

us a lot on the project. They also brought us to go fishing in the afternoon. It was my first time to

go fishing. They also served as the tour guides to lead the whole group of students to visit Oslo.


24

It is really an eye-opening experience that I have learned a great deal about different cultures.

Having a walk in the forest, an adventure in Oscarsborg and a visit in downtown, Oslo, we always

received a warm welcome from Norwegians. They love chatting and showing their lovely smiles to

us. It made our trip end in this overwhelmingly friendly environment.


25

YU Chung Yan (Joanne)

It was the first time for me to travel to a place in Europe and this experience was really

memorable. Of course, Norway is totally different from Hong Kong. For instance, houses in Norway

were not built closely to each other while houses in Hong Kong are built everywhere and that’s

why Hong Kong is known as a crowded city.

Also, it is easy for us to

go shopping in nearby

supermarket in Hong Kong.

However, it took us almost

40 minutes to walk to a big

supermarket in Norway.

In Hong Kong, it is

crowded and polluted. On

the contrary, environment in

Norway was clean and

people seemed to know how to enjoy life. Does it mean that Hong Kong is not a good place? I

don’t agree because Hong Kong have the chance to improve and become a better place. So, I

believe that we need to think about how Hong Kong can learn from the others when we are

travelling to other places.

In Norway, I found that the sea

was really blue and clean. It is

valuable to know the reason behind.

In Norway, I felt that recycling

plastic bottles and papers were

encouraged. People could get 0.5

Krone back when they recycled one

bottle and this made me felt that

messages were sent to the public

that recycling was good. In Hong

Kong, we seem to be environmentally friendly because we always mention about recycling.

However, do people actually think of recycling at the time that they are handling bottles? It is

probably not because people are not encouraged by the government. Therefore, it may be a good

start for Hong Kong government to think about the policies for encouraging recycling and solving

problems in other aspects like pollution.


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Group 4

The Acid Stress Response of the Common Shore Crabs

(Carcinus maenas)

Over the years, the common shore crabs, which like an ecosystem engineer, are a well-known

invasive species to European waters. Previous studies have already pointed out that they can

easily modify the habitat because of their strong adaptability to the new environment and to a

wide range of physiological tolerances, such as temperature and salinity. However, only a few

studies investigated that how the common shore crabs respond to the various acidity conditions.

Therefore, our group project’s objective was to find out the acid stress response of the common

shore crabs through recording their mortality rate and behavioral observations.

In the experiment, four setups were established. They were the control setup and three

experimental setups. The control setup was sea water with pH 7.93. For the experimental setups,

they were prepared by adding hydrochloric acid and buffer to the seawater until we got the

desired pH value, i.e. pH 3, pH 4 and pH 6. For each setup, three replicates were prepared, and

each replicate contained 3 crabs.

To prepare the test subjects, we used the clips and nets to catch crabs with size ranging from 4.0

to 4.9 cm. Blue mussels were used as bait.


27

After the measurements of crab size, they were placed into different beakers with different acidity.

Then we observed changes and responses of these crabs. Also, we marked down the observations

and the number of dead crabs in each beaker.

We found that crabs died rapidly after they had immersed in sea water for 45 minutes at pH 3.

Besides, a portion of crabs died after they had immersed in sea water for two days at pH 4, which

showed that the crabs had a higher tolerance than that in pH 3. Finally, at pH 6, the crabs could

survive normally similar to the controls. From our observations, there were white bubbles, brown

precipitates and their abnormal behavior when the crabs were nearly dead.

We believed that the crabs died mainly due to the acid effect on enzymes. Since hydrogen ions (H+)

can alter the charge distribution of enzymes, in which the enzymes are denatured by these

abnormal charge distributions. When the amount of enzymes become lower in crab’s body, their

metabolic rate would hence change into a lower rate. Eventually, metabolic depression was

resulted. The crabs died easily when metabolic depression occurred. Apart from this main reason,

we believed that there are other factors that weaken the crab’s physiological conditions, such as

dissolution of the exoskeleton. Strong acids react with the crabs’ exoskeleton and weaken the

protection. Also, crabs may get injured when they were fighting with other crabs in the container.

Even we had detailed considerations on our experimental design, some biological variations were

unavoidable.

In our experimental designs, there were several limitations and errors. First, the sample size of

crab used was small. The experimental result was affected due to biological variations among the

crabs. Second, crabs climbed on one another. So crabs were not fully immersed in the pH solution.

Also, there was measurement error caused by the pH meter which had the accuracy ±0.01pH.

Finally, there was fluctuation of sea water in different pH. The pH value increased 0.2 by every 15

minutes. This was caused by ammonia waste as a result of metabolism by the crabs.

To improve the above limitations and errors, we can use a large sample size of crabs up to 15-20

crabs per set in order to obtain more comparable results. Also, crab cage should be used to catch

crabs, which is more convenient and effective. Finally, pH interval should be 0.2 instead of 1 to

obtain a more specific acid stress response.

Overall, we concluded that metabolic depression was the main reason causing crabs die when

they got stress from a higher acidic condition.


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KAN Ka Man (Carmen)

Everything I saw in Norway was already the memorable moment for me. I were so happy that

I can go to Norway to conduct my first time research – based project. Over twenty years, I have

never been travel around to another side of the world – Europe, the place that people addict to. I

never imagine that my dream can come true in my university life. I still remember when I first

stepped out in Norway airport, I took a deep breath and patted my face to realize I was not

dreaming! When I laid on the Drøbak’s grassland, I was shocked by this country beautiful natural

view that it is impossible to find in Hong Kong. Sometimes, I can see the many seagulls flying in

the blue sky. Along the wonderful coastal line, I can observe fairytale detached houses lying to the

island, which are completely different to those Hong Kong crowd street view. Also, people living

here are so friendly to chat with you even they do not know you at all.

Most importantly, this is a valuable experience for me to learn how to perform my project in

this high ecological value place. I will never forget what I did here. However, there is always a

room for perfection. In our project, we encountered many difficulties beyond my expectations. At

the beginning, our target species was bivalves as we thought bivalves is more reactive than other

marine creatures like fish. What is more, we wonder how ocean acidification can change the

marine habitats. Nevertheless, things never get as smooth as you want. We tried to model a

similar acidic ocean for bivalves but it is impossible to get significant results in a short period so

the experimental design was failed. Luckily, we did make every endeavor to improve our project

and finally we finished our project!

To conduct a scientific project, I start to realize that it is not a task that you can finish without

any cooperation and detailed consideration but it is a lesson for you to grow. From the project

design, thousand times of modifications and trials to final presentation, I experienced a lot of

failures accompanied with my disheartened feeling. Sometimes I would think is it time for me to

give up? Am I wrong to do this topic? Many questions appeared in my mind. However, sincerely

thanks to my group mates and teachers. Thanks for always being here with giant support,

encouragements and guidance to me. Let me have a great determination finishing the project. It is

a priceless lesson for me to learn the knowledge of my aquatic biology project, but also my whole

personal development!


29

YIP Ka Rong (Jade)

After a long journey from Hong Kong to Norway I was exhausted. However, when I stepped

out from the airport it seemed that my tiredness was all swept away. Surrounded by fresh air, blue

sky and green plants, which you can seldom find in Hong Kong, the first sentence I said was ‘Hi

Norway! I am finally here!’

The place we lived and worked is a town called Drøbak. It is famous for its Christmas shop, a

small aquarium and the art galleries.

Every day, one of our 4 groups had to be in charge of our meals. I had never enjoyed meals

that were prepared by friends. It was quite touching and warm.

After breakfast we had a briefing session. We needed to present the progress of our projects

and what we were going to do on the same day. The briefing session was quite a hard time to us,

as we had to answer the questions from our professors and find solutions to the problems.

However, we can get lots of useful advices from our professors which can help us to improve a lot.

This trip provided me lots of valuable opportunities to have a close relationship with the

nature especially the sea. I can go fishing, catching crabs, blue mussels and starfish at any time. All

these things were new to me.


30

Apart from doing the project, we also visited a number of places in Norway, for example the

country side, Oscarborg and Oslo. I enjoyed the amazing scenery and took many beautiful pictures

in these places.

The 9-day trip was more

than a learning scheme. It

provided a chance for me and my

friends to gather. It helped me to

understand more about the

nature. I am so happy that I

participated in this scheme,

otherwise I will be extremely

jealous when I look at the photos

taken by my friends.


31

LOK Ying Yuet (Rita)

Nine days in Drøbak were an inspiring experience. It is worth going and I never regret for

what I have done.

Within those nine days, we had to modify the experiment which we designed in Hong Kong and

carried out it into practice. We often overlooked the parameters in the experiment and faced

many difficulties. However, together with the effort of the groupmates, we finally figured out the

solution. Crabs were used in our experiment. I have learnt to be flexible and cooperative during

the undertaking of the experiment. It was a great chance for me because it was my first time to do

a process-by-process experiment.

Drøbak is a place contrary to Hong Kong.

Norwegians enjoy their simple lives with slow pace.

When we are walking on the street, Norwegians

always say hello to us with smile. We always have nice

chat of where we come from and our impression on

Norway. They are friendly and talkative. It is different

from people in Hong Kong who focus on checking the

smartphones all the time.

Drøbak is a place with peaceful and relaxing

environment. We can be close to the nature easily. Going fishing and catching crabs, starfish and

mussels are incidents that we seldom do in Hong Kong. However, in Drøbak, these are the usual

things that Norwegians do. Apart from this, hiking is a method to appreciate the wonderful

scenery in Norway.


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Norwegians’ effort on protecting the environment impresses me a lot. They have a strong

sense of reducing waste, recycling and reuse. They never buy necessities more than they need.

Moreover, recycling machines are present there. Money is given when you put in empty bottles. It

is an effective way to collect those used materials. It definitively drives people to be

environmental friendly, unlike Hong Kong. They always have a high degree of environmental

awareness.


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CHOI Hang Yiu (Lexie)

It was definitely the most fruitful July ever! PBMS provided a chance for me to learn, to feel

and to spend great time with friends in Drøbak, a beautiful town where we stayed for ten days.

This trip is absolutely awesome!

To learn, I do learn a lot. Participants are

required to design a lab protocol and carry it out.

Through field works and experiments, we faced

an array of problems. In order to obtain results

for the experiment, we needed to modify the

protocol. Through this process, I learnt how to

design a lab manual and how to think out of the

boxes.

Other than experimental work, I also learnt

fishing, catching crabs using different tools,

handling fishes, opening a living mussel… which I

had never done before in Hong Kong. But most

importantly, I learnt how to make a living. Take

care of yourself, cook for meals which serve

twenty people and manage your time wisely.

Time management is very important though out

the trip, as we needed to do field work, go fishing,

do experiments, do laundry, go grocery shopping, cook for our classmates, hang out with friends,

enjoy beautiful scenery, go for a boat trip… we had to finish all these things within 10 days.

Without proper time management, I would have suffered a lot.

Other than learning, I enjoyed the time in Drøbak a lot. Drøbak is a tranquil town, with good

air quality and the summer sea breeze. It is a great place to relax. My classmate and I had been to

the pier at evening for several times. We sat down, cleared our mind and enjoyed the sun set and

the sea breeze. The feeling in Drøbak was completely different from Hong Kong. We used to be

quick and efficient, but in Drøbak, people there slow down the pace and enjoy life. It was always

awkward when we noticed that we were walking twice faster than local residents.

Overall, this was an unforgettable trip and I am looking forward to visiting this country some

years later.


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WONG Sai Fung (Kristy)

I would say PBMS trip is one of the memorable things I did in my first university life. I have

heard about how amazing Scandinavia is from the travel books I’ve read before. I always wish to

go there and this year, my dream came true. I was so glad that I was given a chance to visit

Norway to carry out a project.

We stayed in a small town called Drøbak in Norway. It was such a perfect learning and living

place. In this trip, the main purpose was to conduct a small laboratory group project. We needed

to set up our own topic and design the experiment by ourselves. I thought it was the most difficult

part of the project. We had meeting every morning with other students and professors. We tried

to think critically about the questions they raised and refine and amend the experiment. Although

at the end the results may not appear to be perfect or very useful, at least what we have learnt is

the problem solving and communication skills, which are very important in our future life.

I found that living here can bring me much closer to nature.

This environment provided us lots of treasure: the fresh and clean

water which can be drunk directly, the refreshing air we breathe

in everyday, the marine organisms we eat for meals etc.

Norwegians are good at protecting them. In addition, I tried to

catch crabs, blue mussels and fish for barbecue. These were all

my first time experiences. Although I got tanned skin after getting

involved in such a lot of outdoor activities, I enjoyed them so

much. The weather and the perfect sunshine are really perfect for

people to enjoy the beautiful nature. Just jump into the fjord to

swim, climb up the mountain or just spend a day sitting in the pier

looking at the sea and enjoying yourself, you will understand how

relaxing and amazing it can be.


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After finishing the project, I also stayed behind to travel to other European countries like

Holland and Denmark. It was such an exciting and unforgettable experience to let me explore

around more. On the last day of the trip, we were heading back to Oslo from Copenhagen by a

ferry cruise. I could still recall the moment when I saw the yellow house we used to live for the

past 9 days as the ship passed by Drøbak. The nine-day memorable scenes flashed in my mind

again and I realized that I really missed Drobok and I would never forget the people and the place.


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List of Participants

Supervisors:

Name Email

Dr. CHEUNG, Hon Yeung [email protected]

Dr. SHIN, K. S. Paul [email protected]

Prof. TAM, F. Y. Nora [email protected]

Clerical Officer:

WONG, M. M. Ella [email protected]

Mentees:

Name Programme Major Cohort E-mail

CHAN, Yan Tung Yentl BSC3 AB 2012 [email protected]

CHOI, Hang Yiu BSC4 AB 2012 [email protected]

CHOI, Tsz Hei BSC3 AB 2013 [email protected]

KAN, Ka Man BSC2 ESM 2013 [email protected]

LAW, Yan Yi BSC4 AB 2012 [email protected]

LEE, Chui Mei BSC2 AB 2013 [email protected]

LO, Wing Yin BSC3 ACHM 2013 [email protected]

LOK, Ying Yuet BSC3 ACHM 2013 [email protected]

MAK, Hoi Ting BSC3 ACHM 2013 [email protected]

MAN, Hoi Ning BSC4 AB 2012 [email protected]

NG, Jeffrey Chin Ching BSC4 ESM 2012 [email protected]

NG, Sze Wing BSC4 ACHM 2012 [email protected]

TAM, Tsz Yan BSC4 AB 2012 [email protected]

WONG, Hiu Man BSC4 AB 2012 [email protected]

WONG, Sai Fung BSC3 ESM 2013 [email protected]

YIP, Ka Rong BSC3 ESM 2013 [email protected]

YU, Chung Yan BSC3 AB 2013 [email protected]

Department of Biology and Chemistry PBMS Norway 2014 Booklet 2014.pdf · Department of Biology and...

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