Week 4: From Seaweed to the Open Sea

MONDAY

Caption: Students intensely practicing and quizzing each other on the various algae
genus and species

We woke up bright and early after an intense study weekend to prepare for our algae
lab practicum and lecture final. While Miram led the hour and a half long lab review,
students quizzed each other on the genus and phylum names of the 50 algae species
we collected over the past week, which included Endocladia muricata, Acrosiphonia
coalita and Phaeostrophion irregulare. After lunch, we had our final lecture with Sarah
about algae and humans, before we were back studying for the lab practicum. The lab
practicum started at 3pm with everyone eager to begin. We finished the final around
5pm and were free to enjoy the rest of the sunny day!

Caption: Photos of students preparing for their algae treasure taxon research
presentations and for the lecture final!

TUESDAY

One algae final done, one more to go! At 9:30am, the first of the nine
student groups presented their research projects on their treasure algal taxa
from the data collected the previous Friday. Much of the research was novel
because there is little known about many of the treasure taxa species we
scoured for in the intertidal. Not only did this teach us more about the different
algae, it also served as a miniature review since many groups would include
information that was true for other members of that particular algae’s phylum or
class! After a quick lunch break (that many students spent flipping through
their notes), we met back at the classroom for a review. The review was lead
by our professor Sarah with student guided questions. Many of these
questions were aimed at understanding the diverse life history of the
chlorophyta, rhodophyta, and phaeophyta. As a class, we practiced drawing
out the different life histories and morphologies, leaving us feeling prepared
to show off all we learned about the algae on the final!

The final lasted for about two hours. As students would finish, they
trickled into the lab to help with clean up. The lab dishes were washed
and put away while the remaining algae samples we had were released
into their natural habitat. This left the lab clean and ready for fishes on
Wednesday!

WEDNESDAY

With the algae unit behind us and a much-needed late start, we were ready
to delve in into our next unit - fishes! Dr. Sue Sponaugle opened the first lecture
with an impressive introduction of her educational and research background.
We learned about the characteristics pertaining to 30 fish families before
taking a quick lunch break and basking in the spring sun.

Caption: Some students catching some sun and playing frisbee between
lectures

Back in the class, we had a quick introduction to fish anatomy before
beginning our first fish species identification lab (using a dichotomous key of
course)! Upon completion of the lab, we felt ready to identify the possible fish
species we were going to catch during our fun beach trawl.

THURSDAY

Everyone was up and ready for lecture at 9am for our first full day of fishes!
We started off learning about fish and the habitats they live in, such as estuaries
and tide pools. After a quick break we dove into a lecture about the different
types of fish reproduction. Once the lectures were complete, everyone left for
lunch and to prepare for our first field trip of the section! We walked over to
Yaquina Bay and trawled for estuarine fishes using a seine net. As the two
students brought the seine net into shore, others rushed over to help collect all
the fish.

Caption: Joe and Charlie trawling with the seine net as Su looks onward

Caption: The BI450 class poised and ready to collect data on the first trawl

Once collected, some students started counting and measuring the fish while
others did a quick sketch of what was caught. After one tow we had over 128
English sole! After a total of five tows, we had enough fish to bring back to lab
and spent the next hour identifying the ones we couldn’t figure out in the field.
Our haul consisted of many different families: Salmonidae, Cottidae, Gobiidae,
Hexagrammidae, Osmeridae, Pleuronectidae, Syngnathidae, and even a
juvenile Scorpaenidae!

Caption: With the tide rolling in, a few students celebrated the successful seine
trawls by going for a swim in Yaquina Bay’s toasty water

Caption: Chelsey smiling at her new best friend - a juvenile Copper Rockfish
(Sebastes caurinus of family Scorpaenidae)

FRIDAY
Friday felt a long way away after taking two finals earlier in the week and
starting a new unit. We began our day with a guest lecture by Dr. Bob Cowen. He
shared with us how his scientific career began as an undergrad. Then he taught
us about kelp forests which gave us a good preview for what we saw later at the
aquarium. After our morning lecture, we had a short break then met back up in
lab. In lab we discussed two scientific research papers regarding juvenile English
Sole (Parophrys vetulus) and their estuarine habitat. The class broke up into
smaller groups for think-pair-share; here we discussed the hypotheses, methods,
results, and significance of the scientific papers. Once all of the smaller groups
finished analyzing the papers, we regrouped as a class where a discussion was
facilitated by Miriam and Su. In this big classroom discussion we determined
what our hypothesis would be for our upcoming research project. We were so
invested in our discussion that we talked through our lunch break!

After a quick 40 minutes lunch break we regrouped back at lab where Su
explained what we needed to add to our field notebook for the field trip to the
aquarium: two sketches and detailed observations. Once at the aquarium we
had free range to explore all the tanks! Many of the students recognized some
of the fishes that we had just learned about, and others were also recalling the
scientific names of inverts and algae from past units! After all the fishes were
observed and our sketches complete we met back up in the lab to debrief. Our
hypothesis for our upcoming trawl were finalized and students added in a few
more sketched to their lab notebook before heading out to enjoy
the weekend.

Caption: The class eagerly heading to the Oregon Coast Aquarium!

Caption: Photos of the students in the Open Ocean tunnel, and of a Canary
Rockfish (Sebastes pinniger of the family Scorpaenidae)

Week 3: Ample Amounts of Algae!

Monday:

Monday was a fresh start after a well-rested weekend to push us into our next topic: algae! We met our professor Sarah Henkel and our teaching assistant Miram before diving straight into the realm of greens, reds, and browns, oh my!

The section started with 2 introductory lectures before going to the lab and practicing identification. We had 17 algae and classified them by phylum, thallus, branching, holdfast, and reproduction (if we could see the difference!). We took a short lunch break before returning to learn about the history and evolution of algae through primary and secondary endosymbiosis and how these led to the formation of red algae (Rhodophytes), brown algae (Ochrophytes), and green algae (Chlorophytes). Sometimes, red alga look extremely similar to green algae, but it can always be differentiated by pouring boiling water on the algae which reveals its true color. The different colors each algae produces is specific to its phyla and the different accessory pigments located within the cells of the algae.

After this lecture, the class was divided into 9 different groups and assigned different phyla with varying characteristics. With these algae in mind, we ventured to Boiler Bay for our first algae field trip! We returned many of our beloved marine invertebrates to their rocky shore home and began learning about the different types of algae and how to identify them. We frantically took notes on the different varieties of algae and collected the majority of the genera we were assigned to find before heading back to the lab to clean-up and rest for the following days activities.


Sarah and Laura showing off the cool new algae we're learning about at Boiler Bay!


Annette teaching us how to identify algae species in the field.

Tuesday:

To start off the day, we had two lectures featuring the topics of the life history and reproduction types of algae and green algae (Chlorophyta). Since we were unable to collect a large number of green algae from our field trip to Boiler Bay Monday night, we had our lab on the brown algae (Ochrophyta) and worked on determining the species in front of us. A dichotomous key, glossary, book on algae, and algae guide were given to us. In the evening, we geared up for our field trip to Seal Rock. Luckily, the path to the site was paved saving us the scrapes and bruises going down the cliff face.  Once at the site, we learned the different rock names, such as Elephant Rock, and determined which ones were the oldest vs. youngest. Half the groups went with Annette and half with Sarah to learn about the various algae species at Seal Rock. Everyone had fun climbing on the rocks surrounding the tide pools and finding our species. It was amazing to see harbor seals and sea lions swimming in the water. Also, a few sea lions slept on a rock with the water level being around 5 feet below the top. 

A sea anemone eating market squid eggs (Doryteuthis opalescens) in a patch of Neorhodomela larix at Seal Rock.

Megan's group thought they found Gloiopeltis furcata, but it turned out to be a Fucus spp. in its diplontic reproductive stage!

Annette showing us how to identify algae at Seal Rock!

Wednesday:

Today we spent several hours in the lab learning to use dichotomous keys to identify different algae species!  Even though it was difficult at times, Miram and Sarah definitely helped steer us in the right direction.  We had to use both compound and dissecting scopes, so we were also developing those skills.  We also met with Sarah to go over our group project ideas for our treasure taxon before we collect our data on Friday.  Miram also showed us how to press algae, and we had a lot of fun arranging and pressing algae for our projects as well as pressing local flowers and leaves.  With our treasure taxon study proposal due at 9 pm, many groups met up in the library to wrap up that assignment. 

Thursday:

Thursday was the first day this week that the sun was not fully obscured by the clouds and it set a great precedent for today. We finished the last two labs for the section in the morning before attending two lectures. Lunch was two hours which allowed enough time for groups to finish any of their remaining labs and enjoy the sunshine outside. Everyone met back at the lab to review their lab demos for tomorrow’s early morning fieldtrip. Because of the 5:30 a.m. start, each group put together their materials bucket and headed home by 5:00 p.m. The rest of the night was filled with studying for the upcoming finals and the early day to come.

Friday:

Today we woke up before the sun did!  We needed to get to our study sites at Seal Rock and Boiler Bay around low tide, which just so happened to be at 7 a.m.  Factoring in travel time and having enough time to gather data for our studies, we set out from the lab to our respective areas at 5:30 a.m.  We had a lot of fun, though!  Some groups measured pH, some measured the presence of certain invertebrates, and some measured the length of their treasure taxon.  After cleaning up and getting a bite to eat, we went to lecture.  We learned about the effects algae have on the environment and the other plants and critters within it.  Different algae species will be present in different areas depending on the biotic (i.e. herbivore presence) and abiotic factors (i.e. light) present.  Did you know that some sea urchins (like Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) eat algae?  After lecture, each team presented five of the species they collected for their algae type!  Some were long and slimy, some were iridescent, and some were bright, vivid colors!  Sarah and Miram also brought in some delicious snacks, so we celebrated the work of our friends and ourselves in addition to studying for our second batch of section finals.  In the upcoming days, we studied, finished up our treasure taxon projects, and slept in!

Charlie and Haley measuring the blade length of Mazzaella parksii at Seal Rock.

Eric, Emily, and Ashley measuring the invertebrates present near Callithamnion pikeanum groups at Seal Rock.

Week 2 - Nudibranchs, and Molluscs, and Crabs, Oh My!

Monday, April 8

We started this week off by going out to several spots on the mud flats around the HMSC campus and helping Dr. Sylvia Yamada collect and record captured Carcinus maenas, and five other species of crabs including Cancer magister, Cancer antennarius, Cancer productus, Hemigrapsus nudus, and Hemigrapsus oregonensis. We collected eight traps by the pump house docks that had been placed over the weekend. After taking record of the species we found there, any C. maenas were kept for Marine Science Day and all other species were released. We then headed to the exposed mudflats near the aquarium where we collected about 20 traps of three different types. A couple of the traps had fish in them, and some had as many as eight C. maenas. The exciting find was a Cancer magister that had molted in one of our traps. The size difference between the crab and its molted exoskeleton was significant. The reason for this change in size is a process known as ecdysis, during which they form a new exoskeleton beneath their old one, absorb nutrients and minerals from their old exoskeleton, then back out of their old shell and then swell with water while their bodies are soft. This leaves them vulnerable until their carapace hardens. Lucky for this little guy, we found him and meant him no harm.

Tuesday, April 9

Unfortunately, our hike to Cascade Head was cancelled after being postponed due to inclement weather. Instead of this trip, we decided to get through our last two lectures on the Phyla Echinodermata and Chordata. We were then given the rest of the day to study for the upcoming finals and work on our “favorite marine invertebrate” papers and presentations.

Wednesday, April 10

First thing in the morning we had donuts and coffee with the staff, where we were able to purchase some awesome HMSC Student Organization swag. The rest of the day was available for work on our presentations for the evening meeting and wrapping up our other assignments. The presentations went great! Everyone had a great time feasting on cheesecake, cookies, and mussels, while enjoying marine invertebrate game shows and presentations. Some crowd favorites included Geoduck Jeopardy, Gumboot Chiton Bingo, and Blue Ringed Octopus Family Feud, with the last of these pictured below.

Thursday, April 11

On Thursday, we had multiple study sessions for both the lecture final and the lab practicum. Everyone then spent the rest of the day studying as hard as they could for the next day. Some even pulled late hours at the library, trying learn as much of the material as possible. Here we found Emily, Ashley, Hannah, and Megan all working incredibly hard and filling whiteboards with knowledge.

Friday, April 12

Today was the day of the final exam and lab practicum. We had all studied hard and it was amazing to see how far we had come in the last week. We learned the natural history of the Oregon coast, discovered the defining traits and anatomy of the invertebrate phyla, and memorized the scientific names of ~55 organisms we collected throughout the previous week. The lecture final exam began at 1pm and was followed by the practicum, so we had all morning to cram those last few scientific names into our brains. The exams were over by 4pm and after we cleaned up the lab for the next session we were ready to enjoy our weekend of freedom. The sun was even shining after two straight weeks of rain!

Saturday, April 14

Saturday was Marine Science Day at Hatfield, and the campus was full of people excited to learn about the center, marine science, and the programs offered at Hatfield. All of the labs and classrooms had been transformed into demonstrations for visitors. About six of us came out to volunteer in the wetlab, and it was a fun and rewarding experience to be able to teach the public some of the things we had learned in class and in the field. We had consolidated the organisms we collected into four tanks and released organisms that we had multiples of. The visitors were very interested in what we had to show them, and there were some very curious kids who were eager to see the organisms. We were able to show visitors how to identify different crab species, particularly the invasive green crab species we learned about earlier in the week with Sylvia Yamada. Other big hits were the nudibranchs, echinoderms, and skeleton shrimp. It was a fantastic way to wrap up the invertebrate unit and demonstrate how much we had learned, by teaching it to the public.

Week 1- Hello Hatfield!

Monday

Monday was the first day of our term here at Hatfield! There are 27 of us starting our journey to becoming scientists and we are the largest class size in the history of this course being taught. It’s crazy! It was a long day, starting with an orientation to the course and a tour of the facilities. We got to see the lab that we will be calling our second home for the next ten weeks and we learned about life at Hatfield and in Newport. That included learning about Donut Wednesdays, Sailing Wednesdays, Tiki Tuesday, and all the cools spots around town. Then we had our first two lectures of the term about the history of the Oregon coast and why studying marine biology is important. Later in the night we took a “Tsunami walk” going along the tsunami evacuation route to Safe Haven Hill, where a shipping container of supplies sits ready for when “ the Big One” happens. It rained the whole walk and we were soaked when we came back… and the forecast for the rest of the week says it’s supposed to rain. Our night ended with sharing pies and getting to know our classmates who we will be spending a lot of time with and living next to for the next ten weeks. We learned where everyone’s from, their majors, and their dream jobs some of which included being the next Steve Irwin, a racecar driver, and a food critic/geneticist. All in all it was a good (though very wet) first day.

Tuesday

Our second day at Hatfield was the day of our first field trip! In the past years that this course has been taught the field trip days typically meant early mornings catching low tides, but this week our field trips meant late (not that late but still) nights as low tide was forecast for between 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm. So, lucky us because we didn’t have to be at class until 9:00 am every day this week. Our day started off with two lectures, one introducing us to marine invertebrates and the other about phylum Porifera. After lunch our first assignment was already due, and it’s only day two! We then all got dressed in our rain gear and boots not knowing what to expect from our first field trip. We got to Tokatee Klootchman and thankfully it wasn’t raining. We made our way down to the tidepools and got to work searching for any and all invertebrates we could find. We quickly spread out searching for cool inverts. We found many Nucella ostrina (stripped dogwinkle), Anthopleura elegantissima (aggregating anemone), Anthopleura xanthogrammica (giant green anemone), and Pagurus spp. (hermit crab) right off the bat. After a little while the nudies (nudibranchs) began to show up left and right; we found many Hermissenda crassicornis and Rostanga pulchra, which are both very brightly colored species, there were also some Aeolidia papillosa. Some people (Allison) waded up to their waist to get a look at some Pisaster ochraceus. We ended the trip slightly wet, with a large haul of many chitons, snails, hermit crabs, and nudies.

Wednesday

On Wednesday we started our day with a lecture about Cnidarians and Ctenophores which was very interesting. We then headed to the staff lounge at Hatfield for Donut Wednesday. We got to talk to many researchers, NOAA officers, and other professionals in the marine biology field over coffee and donuts. It was awesome! We then went to the lab to work on identifying the many animals we collected the night before at Tokatee. We spent a large portion of our day in lab IDing organisms and starting to work on our notebooks, drawing species. That afternoon we headed for Boiler Bay all geared up for what was supposed to be another rainy day. Luckily when we got there it wasn’t raining anymore. We made the steep climb down to the tide pools and were off searching again for new invertebrate species. We found the glorious Cryptochiton stelleri, which is a GIGANTIC chiton, and people took turns passing around one that was rolled into a ball. We found some new species we didn’t previously have like Tonicella lineata (lined chiton), Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis (green urchin), and a few really cool sea stars. We made our way back up the steep cliff side, at least a few of us were a little sore after the climb. Then we ended our day by bringing our finds back to the lab and putting them into a tank.

Thursday

The day started out with two lectures all about worms. We learned about the many different kinds of worms and their different morphologies and life styles. After lunch we were back in the lab IDing our species we found at Boiler Bay and working more on our notebooks which were due at the end of the week. We worked on drawing species, classifying them and writing descriptions about them. After a few hours of lab work we got geared up for a field trip to the tide flats. We had to be ready to get muddy, so those of us that weren’t wearing proper waders duct taped our rain pants to our boots to keep our boots on and the mud out. Unfortunately, our good luck with the weather came to an end, and it rained while we were out in the field. We made our way out to look for worms, clams, shrimp, and whatever else we could find living deep in the mud. It didn’t take long for people to get stuck and start getting covered in mud. We found a few burrowing shrimp, Upogebia pugettensis and Neotrypaea californiensis. Most of the Upogebia we found had a parasitic isopod under their carapace (Orthione griffensis). When we made our way back to shore some of us opted to wash off in the stream that led into the bay while the rest of us waited until we go back to clean up. When we got back Ashley and Grace's boots were stuck on their feet because there was a lot mud in them! They finally got them off with the help of Eric, Megan, and a hose. We put our specimens in the lab and quickly went home to shower, clean up and rest.

Friday

On Friday we started the day off with a lecture about the phyla Arthropoda (crustaceans and insects) and Tardigrada (tardigrades). Did you know tardigrades can survive in space and maybe even originated there?! After lecture we unfortunately had 25+ mph wind, so instead of our planned trip to Cascade Head we switched a few days around and went to Newport Docks instead. We collected a variety of jellyfish and captured a couple of ctenophores, one of which was one of my favorite invertebrates, the sea gooseberries (Pleurobrachia bachei)! After spending a very, very long time staring at our beautiful, nearly invisible finds we got to work finishing up our scientific drawings and characteristic definitions that were due at 5:00 pm.

Saturday/Sunday

Dr. Sylvia Yamada, a researcher studying the invasive European Green Crab, worked with some volunteers from our class to set up a variety of crab traps. She taught them how to set up, bait, and put out the traps. With a total of about 25, the hope is we can catch some of the invasive crabs and take some measurements. We’ll be back with some of the results next week!