Field exam 2016

On Monday 9 May, 26 Marine Science students travelled to Race Rocks on Hyaku or the Discovery Shuttle (chartered from Ocean River Sports since ‘Second Nature’ is still in the shop) to write their first year field exam.

Do they look like they are off to write an exam?

Discovery shuttle to Race Rocks

Aurora and Adi on Hyaku

Upon arriving at Race Rocks, students received their exam papers and instructions to travel to six stations around the island of Great Race Rock.

Second group of students arrives

Laura gives instructions for station 3

Getting to work at station 3

Ploypailin

Maya

Somchit

Navoneel

Johnny

Ochuko

Mara

Andras

Camila

Zoli

Jill

Kate

Only two significant challenges on this morning:

1. The flies
   

   Ilana and flies

2. Being charged by an elephant seal while collecting data
   

   Ploypailin, Lauren, Xue Meng and Jill were all frightened from collecting data on the jetty by an elephant seal making its way to the water

All in all though a very successful morning. Thanks to Johannah, Malou and Steph for photos and invigilation! – see this link for more wonderful photos.  Thanks to Chris, Reuben (from Ocean River Sports) and Guy for transport to and from Race Rocks. And thanks to Riley and the elephant seals for their hospitality – see this link for Riley’s post on the Race Rocks log about the Marine Science field exam.

Biodiversity in Pedder Bay

The challenge presented to first years for their last class of the year was to compare the biodiversity of two different habitats. Some students, like Kate and Jill above and Jacqueline and Aurora below, chose to snorkel to do the sampling.

Jacqueline in a ‘whole new world’!

Aurora with her sampling gear

Others sampled in the intertidal zone – see Ilana and Sho below.

Intertidal Ilana and snorkeling Jill

Sho recording diversity data

Ochuko and Axel compared the diversity of the two seawater tables that we have – one inside the floating lab and the other on the dock. (That’s Ochuko in the paw print onesie in the photo below.)

Lauren chose to investigate the substrates hanging off the dock.

Above is a photo of the same substrate when Syver suspended it off the dock in September 2012, when the biodiversity was zero!

I’m not sure what kind of biodiversity Sho found under the ramp!? And that is Kate in the water in the photo above.

For more photos see Flickr album Biodiversity 2016.