Hi, my name is Meeya O’Dell, and I am a CERENE Resilience Corps Leader (RCL). I live within O’ahu’s Neighborhood Board #1, Hawaii Kai. I am currently a Kapi’olani Community College and University of Hawai’i at Mānoa Biology student. After graduating, I plan to enter a master’s program and a profession centered on my interests in animals, their behavior, their relationship to their environments, and conservation. My experiences at KapCC are centered on these interests, including documenting the nests and behavior of the Manu-o-Kū (White Fairy Tern) residing on campus for the Manu-o-Kū Project. I also analyze and present this data at the Student Undergraduate Research Fair (SURF) each semester with other project members. Manu-o-Kū is a resilient species of seabird that is vital to the environment, as they sustain terrestrial life through their contributions to the nitrogen cycle. As a Resilience Corps Leader (RCL), I plan to research this contribution by determining how much nitrogen they take from the ocean and bring to the island. I enjoy reading and painting during my free time.
Note: Manu-o-Kū – is the White Fairy Tern (Gygis alba) possess black eyes and a long, conical beak. Their feathers are completely white and they fly on sleek, blade-like wings that can stretch 2 feet from tip to tip. The Manu-o-ku spend the day hunting at sea as far as 120 miles from their roost, before returning home in the afternoon. Ancient voyagers relied on sightings of these birds as a sign that land was close at hand. (Honolulu Zoo)
S.U.R.F.
Title: Resilience Through Ecosystem Connectivity: The Role of Manu o Ku Poop
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cFI87u-I1E