JOAN CARTAN-HANSEN, HOST: Some scientists study trees to gauge the impact climate change has on the land.

Other scientists probe underwater to see what's happening to our oceans.

And some use their gaming skills to do it.

[MUSIC] ZACHARY RANDELL, RESEARCH SCIENTIST: Ready to go?

MEGAN WILLIAMS, RESEARCH TECHNICIAN: Yes sir.

RANDELL: Alright, onwards.

CARTAN-HANSEN: Research scientist Zachary Randell and research technician Megan Williams are off to look at kelp.

[MUSIC] WILLIAMS: All right RANDELL: Okay, we'll get all set up here.

CARTAN-HANSEN: So why kelp?

RANDELL: Kelp is very important to the broader coastal ecosystem.

It's what we consider a foundational species.

CARTAN-HANSEN: Kelp may look like a plant, but it's actually a type of large brown algae.

There are more than 30 varieties that grow to different heights, creating a kelp forest.

Kelp has leaves shaped like blades and little ball-shaped pods filled with air.

These bladders help the plant stay upright so the tops can reach sunlight.

WILLIAMS: They actually form the habitat that some of our most iconic species rely on.

So, fish such as salmon and rockfish, which are really long-lived fish that are in decline in this area, rely on kelp when they are juveniles, and it serves as an area of shelter and protection from predators.

CARTAN-HANSEN: So, why is kelp in trouble?

RANDELL: Kelp likes cold, nutrient-rich waters, and when the temperature gets a little too warm, even for brief periods of time, it can really negatively impact the health of kelp.

CARTAN-HANSEN: Scientists at the Seattle Aquarium, Randell and Williams study the kelp beds in Elliott Bay.

RANDELL: Historically, what we do to collect data in kelp forests, and what I was trained on and what I've been doing for about 10 years as a scientific scuba diver, is to go into kelp forests and manually collect data.

CARTAN-HANSEN: But underwater work like this has limits.

One diver can only cover a small area in a limited period of time.

The work is expensive and risky.

But Randell and Williams have a different approach, using new technology and a specialized underwater drone.

RANDELL: I'll grab the ROV.

CARTAN-HANSEN: ROV stands for remotely operated vehicle.

[MUSIC ] WILLIAMS: Time to connect the ROV to the computer.

RANDELL: Thank you.

CARTAN-HANSEN: With several cameras on board, it can cover larger areas, stay underwater longer than a diver, and all at a much lower cost.

RANDELL: So, this is our Pelican case, our top-side command console, which we use to pilot the R O V. WILLIAMS: We have an external monitor here, so we're able get a live feed of our GPS coordinates.

And then we have this rugged, waterproof computer, which allows us to actually communicate with the R O V via an Xbox game controller.

CARTAN-HANSEN: That's right.

An Xbox game controller.

Williams starts the computer program that tracks the R O V. And Randell deploys it.

RANDELL: And it's going down.

It's just under the surface.

And we are descending the vehicle now to the sea floor.

WILLIAMS: Ooh, seeing some kelp fronds.

Wow.

RANDELL: Oh yeah.

When we're driving the R O V, we are basically capturing anything that's down there, the invertebrate species, crabs, sea urchins, sea anemones, the kelp individuals.

There's many different kelp species, and we capture them all with the video and then fish as well.

Then lastly, we also capture the underlying substrate, so what the sea floor is.

Is it sandy?

Is it silty?

Is it hard substrate?

Is it shell debris?

Is it human debris?

All of these things may influence what's growing or living along the substrate.

So, we want to record that sea floor information as well.

CARTAN-HANSEN: The scientists use an Xbox controller to pilot the R O V because, well, it's easier.

WILLIAMS: It really just makes a lot of sense when you think of how video games work, you're able to, because the joysticks actually feather the control on say, a thruster, so it's not just zero to a hundred.

You can give like 50% of the effort on a joystick, and so you're really able to do those smaller changes to speed and altitude shifts, which is really nice when you're going through a kelp forest and have to be very meticulous with how you move around.

CARTAN-HANSEN: They will take the video back to the lab and use an artificial intelligence program to process the images.

Williams says using this new technology makes her job all the more interesting.

WILLIAMS: I would highly recommend going into marine biology if you love animals, if you love our planet.

Also, if you like discovery, considering we only know about 2% of the sea floor in our waters compared to say we know more about outer space.

So, we need more people that are actually researching our oceans for sure.

CARTAN-HANSEN: The kelp in Elliot Bay is in pretty good shape, but coastal ecosystems elsewhere face significant challenges from climate change.

RANDELL: So, if we care about a sustainable environment and having sustainable fisheries and having these kelp forests and these ecosystems present and thriving for our children and grandchildren, it's really important that we study them and understand what it is that we need to do to conserve them and restore them effectively.

CARTAN-HANSEN: If you want to learn more about oceans, check out the Science Trek website.

You'll find it at Science Trek dot org.

(MUSIC) ANNOUNCER: Presentation of Science Trek on Idaho Public Television is made possible through the generous support of the Laura Moore Cunningham Foundation, committed to fulfilling the Moore and Bettis family legacy of building the great state of Idaho.

By the Idaho National Laboratory, mentoring talent and finding solutions for energy and security challenges, by the Friends of Idaho Public Television, and by the Corportation for Public Broadcasting.