Category Archives: Scientific Communications (RSM 545)

Field Trips Are Not Just For Kids: RSMAS Students Participate in NMFS Mark-Recapture Study

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Think back about what it felt like being a kid in elementary school and going on field trips. I remember how exciting it was getting ready for school that morning knowing that my whole day would be spent outside of the classroom, on an adventure. It didn’t really matter to me whether it was a trip to the science museum or to the theater, what mattered was getting the chance to experience the world first-hand. As we get older, field trips become few and far between. But this is not the case at RSMAS where students are offered many opportunities to apply their classroom knowledge in real-world settings.

I had the opportunity to work with the National Marine Fisheries Service on a mark-recapture study of bottlenose dolphins in Biscayne Bay. Although the name “mark-recapture” may suggest otherwise, this study did not actually involve the capture of any dolphins. Rather, it is a survey of dolphin populations using photos to identify and track specific individuals. All dolphins have a dorsal fin on their back, which can actually be used as a ‘fingerprint.’ Throughout its lifetime, a dolphin’s dorsal fin can receive many nicks and cuts resulting in a permanent and unique pattern that can be used in photo-identification studies to identify and catalogue individual dolphins. These catalogues are important in assessing the status and health of individual dolphins, as well as the population in general. And since dolphins are a sentinel species for the environment, their health is representative of the health of our ocean.

The Fisheries Service currently has a catalogue of the Biscayne Bay bottlenose dolphin population, complete with pictures of each dolphin’s dorsal fin. In an effort to update and maintain this catalogue, I was able to partake in one of their surveys to locate and photograph the dolphins. Photographing wild dolphins may seem pretty simple, but I actually found it to be quite challenging. Imagine standing on a boat, trying to maintain balance amidst the waves, while also trying to maintain the bulky camera straight and focused, and then timing the photo just right to capture a clear and centered photo of the dolphin’s dorsal fin. It was challenging but exciting at the same time, being out in the field, and collecting real data. In the end, it was a great experience in which I not only gained more knowledge about photo-identification studies but also a new respect for the skill. I look forward to the many more field trips that lie ahead.

This blog post is part of a series of stories written by RSMAS graduate students enrolled in the Spring 2012 Scientific Communications (RSM 545) course.

Melissa Lopes
MBF – MPS – Marine Mammal Science
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Making Marine Conservation Cool: Young Shark Entrepreneur Raises Money for the RJDunlap Program

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“I want to be sure I’m making a difference. Shark conservation is the way I think I can make an impact,” Derrick Whitcomb told me in an interview for Project Blue Hope.

As a RSMAS graduate student and founder of the marine conservation media site, ProjectBlueHope.com, I’m passionate about discussing with the younger generation their connection with the marine environment.

I’ve often wondered, “Are there a few key ingredients necessary for presenting marine conservation as cool in the eyes of the younger generation? And how could we make a conservation-mindset the next big trend?”

Through Project Blue Hope, my friend and fellow RSMAS graduate student, Jennah Caster and I created a short film aimed at understanding why and when kids care about the ocean and what they are doing to protect it.

One of our interviewees for the film was 13-year old Derrick Whitcomb. Derrick is passionate about the ocean and following in the Jewish tradition, will be having a Bar Mitzvah.

An important part of the tradition is doing mitzvoth, or good deeds, and taking part in Tikkun Olam, or repairing the world. Derrick’s mitzvah service project is to raise awareness for shark conservation by selling “RESPECT” wristbands for the UM – R.J. Dunlap Adopt-a-Shark Marine Conservation Program.

Derrick, an enterprising young entrepreneur, carries around shark conservation business cards and created a website, DerrickWhitcomb.com. So far, Derrick has raised over $1,300 for shark conservation and Project Blue Hope is working hard to help him get to his goal of $2,000 for a shark satellite tag. He is also organizing a local Ocean Conservancy coastal clean up.

Derrick was elated when approached about being in Project Blue Hope’s film. As the founder of this small marine conservation site, it was both fascinating and inspiring for me to experience the influence our small recognition of Derrick’s good deeds had on him.

Derrick is only 13, but he’s an inspiring example of what young adults can achieve when they feel recognized and supported.

This blog post is part of a series of stories written by RSMAS graduate students enrolled in the Spring 2012 Scientific Communications (RSM 545) course.

Christine Beggs
MPS Student – Marine Conservation
Founder, Project Blue Hope
www.ProjectBlueHope.com

Bahamian Reef Sharks, Johnny Depp, and Lots of Conch Fritters!

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School can be tedious at times, but this is not often the case at RSMAS. Just this March I traveled to the family island of Little Farmer’s Cay in the Exumas, Bahamas, for a nine-day course called Fieldwork in Coastal Culture. Our professor, Sarah Meltzoff, and Bahamian Young Marine Explorers Founder, Nikita Shiel-Rolle, led nine of us RSMAS students through a remarkable hands-on anthropology adventure.

We stayed in the homes of Bahamian families, which occupy close to half of all the homes on this small island with a population of around 60. Most every local, young and old, had a big and distinct personality, eager to meet and greet us. Fortunately, we had the opportunity to break into groups each day and interview the majority of Farmer’s Cay islanders, to discover their life histories and unique cultural.

Photo of RSMAS graduate students Stephanie Crawford, Grace Seo, and Brittany Bartlett sitting on Little Farmer’s Cay Government Dock. (Photo credit: Jennah B. Caster)

My course group explored all aspects of local food and its impact on daily life and culture of the islanders. It was eye opening to experience the dichotomy between the modest local life of these Bahamians, compared with my past experiences of sailing between islands, spending time in Nassau, and vacationing at the mega-resort Atlantis. Surrounded by miles of ocean, most goods and food products, besides fresh seafood and very limited fruits, veggies and herbs, have to be imported to the island. All of the Farmer’s Cay islanders are dependant on a weekly mail boat to deliver pre-paid items; most stocks are in short supply. Nevertheless, this does not hinder the locals’ ability to cook incredible food! Among many other traditional dishes, we enjoyed the freshest cracked conch, conch fritters, conch ceviche, minced crawfish (lobster), and fried red snapper. Although I am not used to eating lots of fried foods, a week of delicious home cooked meals was definitely a plus for grad students.

In addition to conducting field interviews, we had the opportunity to explore other areas of the Exumas. One day we ventured through the 176-square miles of islands, cays, and spectacular marine life of the Exuma Land and Sea Park. In the park we cruised by islands owned by Johnny Depp, Tyler Perry and Prince Karim, Aga Khan IV, before our first stop at Danger Reef. We hopped into 45 feet of water and were quickly joined by almost a dozen Bahamian Reef Sharks! They were very friendly and swam around with us for a while. Next we headed off to have lunch by the blowholes near the Park’s headquarters. These natural features sent exhilarating howls and gusts of air up through the ground. Wasting no time, we set off to other unique sites where we snorkeled and explored secret streams of mangrove nursery areas, which are naturally protected areas where juvenile marine creatures can grow and thrive in their early life. Finally, our adventure ended at Thunder Island, where we swam in and around the cave where James Bond’s “Thunderball” was filmed. By the end of the day we were ready to return home to our Bahamian families to unwind and share more stories.

Overall, the experience was one of a kind. On and off the island the scenery was spectacular. I have never seen more shades of blue ocean in one visual landscape; likewise, I have never seen more vivid stars in a clear night’s sky. The people we met and island we stayed on were beautiful inside and out, and just a little rough around the edges.

This blog post is part of a series of stories written by RSMAS graduate students enrolled in the Spring 2012 Scientific Communications (RSM 545) course.

Jennah B. Caster
RSMAS Marine Affairs and Policy, Marine Conservation
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Salsa and Scientists – An Unlikely, But Welcomed Combo at RSMAS

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“Una Bulla!”
“Hey!”
“Hombres!”
“Hey!”
“Mujeres!”
“Hey!” …

Every Tuesday and Thursday after work, a dozen RSMAS scientists gather in the Commons, chanting, laughing and dancing. It sounds unlikely that salsa could find its place in a building of science. For me, salsa has been a quite affordable luxury I reward myself after a day of lab work.

I started dancing salsa about a month after joining RSMAS as a graduate student. Although I always enjoyed watching dance performances, I had never thought of being part of this graceful and exciting art. Worried about being too clumsy, I asked Brent, the salsa instructor, “I have never danced before. How should I get prepared for the class?”

“You need to have shoes and legs and you will be fine!” He answered cheerfully, “First you are a mover, then a shaker; then you blossom into a dancer!”

Now, after dancing with my fellow scientists for almost two years, I have been promoted to Brent’s teaching assistant. Although I don’t have to worry about being clumsy any more, my excitement and curiosity about dancing salsa have never faded. Things I learn from the salsa class are far beyond memorizing complicated move combinations. People join the dance with different styles and personalities. Some are flashy and confident; others are gentle and moderate. The essential part of salsa dance is not about showing off one’s own strength and skills, but about understanding one’s partner and building the connection. Good dancers can make themselves look good; great dancers can make their partners look good.

It is probably this unique aspect of salsa that makes the class a group of good friends. Everyone is willing to share thoughts and help others improve. As a result, the class is progressing very fast. At the beginning of the second semester, March 2nd, we had a group performance at the Magic City Casino.

“We are probably the most intelligent dancers,” I once joked with my classmates. After all, nobody is too smart to dance.

This blog post is part of a series of stories written by RSMAS graduate students enrolled in the Spring 2012 Scientific Communications (RSM 545) course.

Jie He
PhD student – Meteorology & Physical Oceanography
Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science
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Beautiful Fish are Causing Problems in Bocas del Toro, Panama

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Zach Lipshultz and Katy Shaw removing the lionfish spines and examining the stomach contents. Photo Credit: Dr Daniel Suman

We spot one resting on a large coral head. It’s a fish with beautiful feathery fins, maroon and white bands and painfully venomous spines. It is a lionfish, an invasive species that is spreading south from Florida.

I traveled to Bocas del Toro, Panama with my Fieldwork in Coastal Management class to study the impacts of invasive lionfish. Bocas is a small little town on the Caribbean coast of Panama, with a wonderful mix of rainforests and coral reefs. Along with my colleague Zach Lipshultz, I surveyed the reefs for lionfish, assessed the biodiversity of the reef in areas with and without lionfish, and studied the stomach contents to determine their diet.

Lionfish are not naturally found in these waters and are becoming a major problem because they do not have any predators. They reproduce and spread rapidly, prey on native fishes and are competing with them for food. I am studying lionfish in Panama to determine if they will decrease the diversity of other fish on the coral reefs.

Zach and I spotted a total of 34 lionfish during our scuba surveys. Our study reveals that the lionfish in Bocas del Toro are reaching greater sizes than has been recorded in the area previously. The largest one caught in a November 2010 derby in was 29.5 cm, and our largest was 31 cm.

But to know what the lionfish are eating, we had to get down and dirty and open up each of the their stomachs. Zach, wearing protective gloves, carefully cut the venomous spines from the fish. I then held it and cut its belly open, being careful not to pierce any of the internal organs. Next, I located its stomach and cut the tip of the stomach off, squeezing the contents out like a tube of toothpaste. They swallow their prey whole, which allowed me to more easily identify what is inside. I found shrimp, small fish, and even a baby lionfish in the stomachs.

While our study shows that the invasive fish are increasing in size, a more extensive study is needed to determine the effects of lionfish on the coral reefs of Bocas del Toro. We hope students in next years Fieldwork in Coastal Management class will continue our study to track the effects lionfish are having on the beautiful coral reefs of Bocas del Toro.

What can we do to stop increasing Lionfish populations? Comment below.

This blog post is part of a series of stories written by RSMAS graduate students enrolled in the Spring 2012 Scientific Communications (RSM 545) course.

Katherine Shaw
MS-Marine Affairs and Policy
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