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.

Eek, a sea mouse!

Roxi (PC 41) spotted this sea mouse / shaggy mouse nudibranch (Aeolidia papillosa) while recording data during the transect study at Weir’s Beach on 21 April 2015. One of the coolest things about this nudibranch species is that it feeds on anemones – mostly aggregating anemones (Anthopleura elegantissima) and plumose anemones (Metridium senile). In the photo above there are many aggregating anemones surrounding the sea mouse. A. papillosa is also well-known for storing undischarged stinging cells in their cerata which are likely used for defence of the slug.

Found a peanut (worm)!

Stella (PC 41) found a peanut worm (Phascolosoma agassizii) this afternoon while marking limpets in the Director’s intertidal.

Its introvert is visible here as the long structure with brown transverse streaks. Also visible are dog whelk (Nucella ostrina) egg capsules above the peanut worm and several spirorbid tube worms on the surrounding rocks.  Very cool find Stella!

Transect studies 2015

Although I have many excursions and activities to report on (I have been quite negligent at blogging in favour of going out in the field and organizing photos lately), I will begin with the transect studies done by first year Marine Science students.

On Friday 17 April, F block students travelled to Race Rocks at 7:30 AM to do their transect study.

They got their noses right into the quadrats to identify and count organisms.

Then they used water levels to move up in the intertidal zone, 50 cm at a time.

They recorded all their data and will analyze it in an upcoming class.

Weir’s Beach was the site of the other two transect studies for different reasons.  On Monday 20 April, we only had a 70 minute block for Marine Science due to the exciting announcement of the new president and head of Pearson College. It was a beautiful sunny day – perfect for a transect study!

Although filling the water tubes was a little bit challenging (see above).

Tuesday 21 April was a very windy day and we were unable to get to Race Rocks (out of Pedder Bay even!) so instead C block went to Weir’s Beach to collect their data too.

Laying out the transect lines was a significant challenge.

But the students persevered to collect data on the distribution of intertidal organisms.

See Flickr album of Transect studies 2015 for more photos of the three transect studies and a post on the Race Rocks blog for more on the F block transect study.

Eggs, eggs, eggs…

During a short excursion to the Director’s intertidal zone on Monday 23 March 2015, D block marine scientists discovered the eggs of several species. Above are the egg masses and adults (including one unusually pale example) of the barnacle-eating sea slug (Onchidoris bilamellata).

Also some very green fish eggs laid in an intertidal crevice (above).

And some dog whelk (Nucella ostrina) egg capsules.

Thanks to Alana for the photos!

Field Exam 2014 – A block

Better late than never, right?  On 16 May 2014, the other class of first year marine scientists (A block) wrote their field exam at Race Rocks.  Here are a few photos of their experience.

Chloe at the PC docks before departing for Race Rocks.

Students working hard:

Measuring the change in the height of the tide over 30 minutes…

Courtney, Ivan & Sophia watching the whale watchers.

Happy students!!

 

Buzurg & Awa measuring the dimensions of the Race Rocks jetty.

 

Elephant seals (?!) on the jetty.

 

Exam is over – time to return to the College.

 

 

Thanks to Sophia for taking photos!

Field Exam 2014 – D block

It was a stunningly beautiful Thursday morning when eight D block marine scientists travelled to Race Rocks to complete their field exam. Students measured, and measured, and wrote, and wrote, and wrote. A very successful morning for the students and for the island wildlife: A giant green anemone (Anthopleura xanthogrammica) feasting on what appeared to be a sea cucumber. There were also many, many elephant seals:   Special thanks to Anne Stewart for preparing the students so well: and to Elliot (PC 39) for the photos.

Field exam 2012

It was sunny and warm with a just gentle breeze yesterday when first year marine scientists went to Race Rocks to complete their last challenge of the year – the field exam!

Students battled the flies…

the elephant seals…

and the goslings!

They managed to collect data and answer exam questions about tide height…

…tidepool temperature and salinity…

       

and other cool stuff.

It was a very successful afternoon at Race Rocks!

Biodiversity and diverse footwear

This morning first year marine scientists ventured out to collect data that they used to compare the biodiversity of two areas that they selected.

Ela (in the yellow boots above) compared the diversity of organisms in two areas of the rocky intertidal – one that is regularly exposed to freshwater from a drain pipe and one that is not near the drain pipe outlet (in the very upper left of the photo above).

Angela and Jessica (both close to the water level in the photo above) each investigated the effect of height in the intertidal on diversity.

Angela (above) again identifying and counting organisms in the low intertidal.

Miguel (blue fins) and Mariana (yellow fins) chose to focus only on sea star diversity.  They got into their wetsuits at 7 am! and jumped into the water to compare the diversity of sea stars near the Pearson College docks and a short distance away from the docks.

Jon elected to sample plankton at the mouth of Pedder Bay and near the Pearson College docks. While there is no photographic evidence of his work he learned that there is a great deal of diversity in the plankton sampled at both locations!