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Course Wrap Up: an “Un-Belize-able” experience

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This class was nothing short of amazing. While it was taxing (so far from home, so much energy every day,) it was still an incredible experience. In my initial blog, I mentioned that I expected to be wowed- and that I most certainly was. One thing that wowed me: how cool ants and wrasses are! My research was cool, but seeing them and their behaviors first hand was truly something else. I loved seeing my taxa out in the wild! Another thing, my physical capability to live there. Las Cuevas and Glover’s are two fairly simple places to live – minimal internet connectivity, no AC, Clivus (mentioned in my glover’s day one blog,) just to name a few. Not only did I survive, I thrived.

On the topic of thriving, I’ll mention my favorite and least favorite parts. To get it out of the way, clivus was my least favorite part. He was character building, but I could have used a real flushing toilet. My favorite part, however, is hard to put into one single favorite part. So I’ll do two: one personal growth, and one TFB-related. Personal growth wise, this was the first time I have done something totally new and away from family in a while. I was sad and stressed those first couple of days. Once I realized what was happening, I was ecstatic. (Important context here: I am asleep away camp counselor) I realized that I was experiencing what my campers were. They feel this way at camp for the first time, and because my first time was so long ago, I couldn’t know how they feel. Huge personal and camp-professional growth totally unrelated to TFB. On the topic of TFB, my favorite part of the course must have been either excavating the Leafcutter nest or dissecting the lionfish. In these two cases, I got to see my taxa up close and see my research in action_ I researched fungal gardens of Leafcutters and lionfish invasive predation on wrasses, and seeing it IRL after all of that research was like nothing ever before.  The personal growth, leafcutter excavation, and dissecting a lionfish are three things I will certainly never forget. I will also never forget our visit to the ATM cave and all of the rich Maya history in the region- I would have loved to go back in time to see the cave being used IRL, but the remnants they left (except the human remains) were still so awesome and fun to see!

Another great part of the course was the ability to compare and contrast the two different ecosystems we visited- the reef and the rainforest. Right off the bat, you can guess they are fairly dissimilar- one is in the air, the other in the ocean, so how similar can they be? Well, the answer might surprise you. Because of the nature of the tropics (more sun in the days and more direct sun) You can find both the reef and the rainforest using it in cool ways. Rainforests have much richer canopies than floors or soils, and reefs are somewhat similar, they are also considered to be “nutrient poor” despite their rich biodiversity. Another favorite comparison of mine to make was connecting my taxa to the opposite ecosystem. I attempted to find the ants of the sea, which could be corals, glass shrimp, or even wrasses, while we determined birds were the wrasses of the sky (not the other way around, according to Dr. Evans.)

Overall, this course was so fantastic, and I highly recommend it for anyone in the future considering applying, you won’t regret it!

Images:

Boat Ride Away from Glover’s 🙁
Conch Shell on the Beach
Me + Other TFB’s enjoying a N&Y (nap and yap) session on the dock
Sunrise on the Bird Tower
Me, Dylan, and Lily on the bus to IAH from Rice on 5/16!

 

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Day 14: Last Full Day at Glovers!

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May 29, 2025

GRRS Day 5

Our last full day at GRRS and in Belize did not disappoint! You may remember that I remarked that parts of Middle Caye, the island Glover’s Reef Research Station sits on, is covered in trash. Our morning began with a proposal from Drs. Evans and Solomon: find a research project that can include picking up trash! We decided to see how currents on each side of the island affect trash deposition and percent coverage. The island, because it sits on the edge of an atoll, is exposed to both the protected waters of the atoll, the open ocean, and the barrier between the two. We decided to use quadrats to measure how much trash was on a protected area (the mangroves,) an exposed area (the coral graveyard,) and an area right in between (the beach outside the dorms.) Our results were inconclusive due to our small sample size limited by time, but we may have been on to something! As always, the research poster is pasted below. 

In the afternoon, we had another super fun activity: dissecting a Lionfish. There were 5 available, so Claire and I got out own small one. However, regarding consumption, looks can be deceiving. As the wrasse man, I surely must bring wrasses into my blog. I wasn’t the one to bring the wrasses here though, the lionfish did. The invasive species not only wreaked havoc on the coral reef ecosystem, they (the sex of our lionfish was unknown) wreaked havoc  on the juvenile yellowhead wrasse population as well. I found not one, but TWO juvenile yellowhead wrasses in our lionfish. And a couple unidentifiable fish that could have been wrasses as well. Our lionfish wasn’t the only one though, as Adam and Sadhana’s ALSO had a juvenile yellowhead head wrasse in its belly. Deplorable. Thankfully, these invasive aliens are no longer wreaking havoc on the coral reef ecosystem of Glover’s Atoll. While I was sad to see the contents of their stomach, seeing these lionfish up close was such a treat and a great way to end our time at GRRS and in Belize! 

Images:

“Getting Waste(d)” Trash Project
Wrasses in my Lionfish’s Stomach
“I Can See You (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)”
Our Lionfish <3
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Belize Reflection: Tropical Field Biologist Training Complete

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Since returning to Houston, I’ve become a surprisingly effective multitasker. Now I can reflect on our incredible Tropical Field Biology trip (and even write a blog!) while itching my sand fly bites. Every minute in Belize was packed with learning, from niche ecological interactions like epiphytes strangling host trees, to foundational ecological concepts, such as the crucial role of nitrogen in ecosystems and how it’s more abundant in the leaf litter of forest floors.

But what made this learning unforgettable was how we experienced it – though fun and freakish ways like working with our own pee. Experiencing ecological concepts through hands-on experimentation made them so much more vivid, real, and memorable than any diagram or paragraph ever could. Learning by doing, we all became jungle explorers and reef divers, adventuring to the fullest soaking up knowledge everywhere we went. 

As a part of this class, I became the taxon expert on two interesting and seemingly unrelated groups: epiphytes (non-parasitic plants that grow on other object for support) in the rainforest and sponges (not the synthetic kind) on the sea floor. I choose them because they seemed super cool and were unfamiliar to me, but I didn’t take notice of the extreme similarities between them. After all, they lived in nearly opposite ecosystems and were from two entirely different taxonomic kingdoms (plants and animals). What traits could they possibly share?

As it turns out, far more than I expected. Both rely on external surfaces to latch on to, without typically harming their hosts. Certain species of epiphytes and sponges can reproduce asexually by growing genetically identical organisms from a piece of the original. They are also highly resourceful, pulling in nutrients from their surroundings, with epiphytes capturing from the air and debris and sponges from filtered water. And some epiphytes and sponges even excrete chemical defenses (phytochemicals for epiphytes) to ward off predators and compete for space. Despite living in drastically different environments, both fill their own unique, specialized niches and employ similar living strategies, proving that successful survival and living adaptations rise above ecosystem classifications.

As we transitioned from the rainforest to the jungle, we were trying to identify the “ants of the reef.” While no reef organism seemed to match the ants’ sophisticated behaviors of fungal garden cultivation and eusocialty, some shared a few similar traits and adaptations. For example, both ants and hermit/land crabs burrow into the ground and create networks of tunnels for living and refugee from predators above the surface. These are examples of convergent evolution, which are similar adaptations or behaviors evolving in entirely different environments.

Beyond specific adaptations, elements of the rainforest and reef often resemble each other in their physical nature. Leaves in the canopy swayed in the breeze like sea fans in the current. But my response to the sun in both ecosystems was loading up on electrolytes and shading myself with long sleeves and broad rimmed hats. Both ecosystems baked under the same tropical sun, with rainforest epiphytes reaching higher ground to chase light, and island reptiles seeking shader to escape it. Though my response to the sun in both locations was loading up on electrolytes and relying on my broad-brimmed hat. We ventured through two ecosystems that seemed infinitely different at first glance but upon further examination, hosted organisms with remarkably similar survival strategies in the face of competition for space and resources and abiotic constraints of sunlight, precipitation, and water storage. 

DSCF1655 (1) (Waving Sea Fans – 05/25/25)

I think that this course exceeded every expectation and scenario I crafted in my head. I imagined we’d be perusing around the rainforest and snorkeling while stopping to discuss species ID and conduct experiments. Nothing could’ve prepared me for how intriguing, weird, and unique the experience would actually be. I wouldn’t have dreamed about seeing textbook examples like ant fungal gardens or Cecropia tree ant apartment complexes, which seemed too exotic, rare, and far off from our realities. 

DSCF1315 (1) (Cecropia Apartment Complex – 05/19/25)

I have to say that some of my favorite moments were trudging through the crunchy, leafy trails, getting to know classmates while laughing so genuinely at the crazy, absurd parts of our trip and the nerdy eco-jokes we created – running away from bright green light-in-the-dark beetles; the distinct and recognizable feline smell (cat pee) in different places and our hopes for spotting a jaguar or puma; and the yummy snacking termites. 

Now back in Houston, I’ve already found myself sharing Belize stories over lunch. Today, I explained leaf-cutter ant fungal garden cultivation to my friend Joseph while showing him a picture of the fungal garden we dug up – the perfect, most appetizing lunch conversation. Yesterday, the TFBs still in Houston went out for ramen and reminisced about inside jokes and crazy animals and species interactions we learned about. We passed by a plant shop on our walk to the restaurant, saw epiphytes lining the windows and walls, and couldn’t help but pose for a selfie, knowing that it would end up in my reflection blog. The ecological facts and experiences are fresh in my mind and ready to be shared in my everyday conversations. 

(Houston Plant Shop with Epiphytes! – 06/01/25)

I see the concepts we learned about everywhere, especially with epiphytes. It’s exciting to recognize them in Houston, though the diversity here is much lower. This is probably because these is less diversity in Houston vegetation in general, as most of the green was probably plants intentionally after the natural coastal prairie ecosystems were moved down and replaced by cement. Because the trees are less diverse, it would make sense that the specialized epihpytes that live on them are also far less diverse, with the two most common types I’ve seen being Spanish moss and the Resurrection Plant. Both live on the live oaks around campus, so it’s a daily treat to see them on my walks. 

(Resurrection Plant on Rice Outer Loop – 05/31/25)

I’ve picked up some valuable life lessons too. I now keep electrolyte packets on hand whenever I work at the garden under Houston’s blazing sun, which is still much less intense than the Central American sun. I also am super thankful for the luxuries of cold, refrigerated water, clean (nonsandy) sheets, and clean underwear. 

(Electrolyte Packet Order – 06/01/25)

But most of all, I’ve learned to treasure the beauty of green spaces, the peace of waking up to birdcalls, and having much to learn from the infinite wisdom shared by local experts and natural guides. Whether spotting the national flower of Belize (the Black Orchid) growing on a tree trunk or tasting jungle snacks and remedies like sour leaves for liver health or vine water on a hot day, the experiences of Belize were such a gift. 

Peace out,

Lily H. 🙂 2025

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Final Blog

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The tropical rainforest in the Chiquibul Forest Reserve and the coral reef at Glover’s Reef Research Station are two of the most biologically diverse ecosystems on Earth, and they share several important similarities that help explain this richness. Both ecosystems are incredibly complex, offering a variety of niches that support countless species. Their structures—multi-layered canopies in rainforests and three-dimensional coral formations in reefs—create numerous habitats. They also rely heavily on mutualistic relationships, like trees with ants and flowers with pollinators in the rainforest or corals with symbiotic algae in the reef, which enhance survival and productivity in nutrient-poor conditions. These tightly woven interactions create resilient systems where biodiversity thrives despite environmental limitations.

Being immersed in both environments revealed great contrasts aswell. The rainforest felt closed-in and shaded, dominated by towering trees, buzzing insects, and constant humidity. In contrast, the reef was breezy, bright, open, and full of visible aquatic life, from beautiful parrotfish to nurse sharks. The main difference I felt that we experienced was our interactions with the wildlife of these areas. In the forest we had to set out camera traps and go on night walks in hopes of seeing animals. On the reef we were able to swim along side all the sea life, and often didn’t spook them until we were within inches. It made the reef an unforgettable opportunity because we got amazing first hand interactions. The course far exceeded my expectations by not only teaching core ecological concepts but also by providing immersive, field-based learning and exposure to real-world conservation issues, which added cultural and environmental depth to the scientific study.

My favorite moments were definitely when I caught Angie the squid, and watching as we dug up the ant hive and seeing just how excited everyone was to see the queen and her fungal garden. The best part of the whole trip was watching how into it everyone was. I absolutely loved watching each person totally nerd out about their taxon groups and get everyone else more excited in the process. A few minor hiccups occurred when I got an infected bug bite, and sunburnt my face, but all and all no issues.

5 years from now I assure you I will remember everything possible to know about stingless bees and their mandibles for biting. I also will never forget how freaking cool seahorses are for making males carry the babies and give birth to them (especially since they often mate for life). Finally I will never be able to burn the image of a cecropia tree out of my brain, and I will remember all about their relationship with Azteca ants.

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reflections on our adventure

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The past two weeks have felt like some of the longest days of my life, but I can not believe that BIOS 319 is over already. It was truly amazing to experience nature in these tropical environments in full force. I had never been so south before, so it was interesting to witness the latitudinal diversity gradient up close. The biodiversity that we observed in the field was unrivaled by anything I had seen before. The combination of intense, somewhat regular tropical sunlight and abundant rainfall has cultivated impressive biodiversity in both the reef and forest ecosystems. Further, the similarities in both ecosystems also stem from their biogeohistory. The bedrock of the forest is mostly limestone, making the soil pretty nutrient-poor, and leading to a variety of ecosystem adaptations to account for this. We saw the soil horizon on our drive to the forest, and there wasn’t much topsoil. We saw the buttress roots of trees that couldn’t go any deeper because of the bedrock, and we learned about different methods of quick nutrient cycling in the forest, like through nitrogen-fixing epiphytes. This is connected to the reef. With my taxon being hard corals, it was really interesting to learn about the calcium carbonate skeletons that hard corals create, and then to see them as calcified fossils in the coral graveyard. It’s amazing to think how these calcified fossils are what led to the limestone bedrock over millions of years. We also saw methods of quick nutrient cycling in the reef, like the constant feeding and pooping of the parrotfish. In contrast, we also learned and saw a lot of differences between the two ecosystems. For one, the weather it was so windy on the atoll, but in the forest, there was just heat without a breeze. Because of this, I think the days in the forest seemed much longer than the ones on the atoll. While I would’ve expected to experience more bugs in the forest, they actually weren’t as much of a problem compared to the atoll. In the forest, my biggest issues with bugs were huge insects like cockroaches and katydids wanting to spontaneously fly at my face or join me in the shower, but I never got bitten. On the other hand, in the atoll, our insect problem was sandflies. They are so tiny that you can hardly see them, but boy, do they bite. Just a few minutes in the sand around sunset, and I would have dozens of bites.

I honestly thought that living “off the grid” would be more challenging for me, but it wasn’t too bad. The limited access to technology didn’t bother me as much as I had anticipated, and I actually enjoyed the break from screens. I knew that I would be dirty, but oh my gosh, I couldn’t have anticipated how filthy I would be every day. I never felt truly clean while on the trip, so the first shower when I got home really hit.

Overall, my favorite thing about the trip was the ATM cave. I love seeing how biology, geology, and history interact with each other in these caves. I definitely think I could have spent hours exploring the cave, and it was so interesting to hear from our tour guide, who specializes in studying Belize caves. Especially because my family is descended from the Maya, it was really interesting to hear about their culture and relationship with the environment. I think it is so cool how they thought caves were doors to the underworld and worshipped and made sacrifices to the rain and corn gods there.

My least favorite thing was definitely when we had to go off the trail to place our camera traps. The first few times were fun, but after a while, the heat started to get to be and I felt drenched in sweat and I was nervous the whole time that a snake would pop out, out of nowhere.

I definitely learned a lot on this trip, but the three most important things were:

  1. How coral polyps function as a colony and almost like one giant organism.
  2. How plant and insect species coevolve together over millions of years to become extremely specialized and depend on one another.
  3. Even a small pilot study with a limited sample size can help guide further studies in the right direction and offer some insight into general trends.
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Travel Day/Reflection

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Well, we left Glover’s reef this morning and now I’m back in Houston.

As I look back on my time in Belize, I can’t help but marvel at how the tropical rainforest and coral reef each tell their own story, yet share so many similarities. Both are vibrant ecosystems teeming with life, where every inch seems to host something new and surprising. Whether it was towering trees covered in epiphytes or coral heads bursting with schools of fish, these places had layers upon layers of life that created an overwhelming sense of wonder.

One thing that really struck me is how both the rainforest and reef are built in three dimensions. In the rainforest, I saw how even a single tree could be home to ants, epiphytes, and hidden birds’ nests, all stacked together in this complex network. The reef felt the same way, with fish weaving between corals and sea fans swaying with the current. All of this structure gives room for so many different species to coexist, which I think is a big reason why they’re both so incredibly diverse.

Of course, there were some big differences too. The rainforest felt dark and mysterious, with all sorts of insects crawling around on the forest floor. The reef was much brighter and more colorful, with fish flashing by and rays of sunlight piercing the water. The rainforest almost felt ancient and hushed, like a hidden cathedral, while the reef seemed alive with constant motion and sound.

When I first signed up for this course, I knew I’d be learning a lot about these ecosystems, but I didn’t realize how much of it would come from actually being out in the field. I loved being able to see everything up close and hear about the unique ways plants and animals interact. My absolute favorite moment was the day we explored the ATM caves. The crystal-clear water, the towering ceilings, and the human history woven into that space made it feel completely surreal. It was something I’ll never forget. On the other hand, I could have done without the cockroach invasion that first night at Las Cuevas! Finding them in my pillow was definitely a low point, but it gave me a whole new appreciation for how adaptable those little creatures are.

Three things really stand out that I know I’ll remember for years. First, I was amazed to learn that even though the rainforest is so green and lush, the soil itself isn’t rich in nutrients. The nutrients are mostly in the plants and animals themselves, and as things break down, they’re recycled really quickly back into the ecosystem. Second, seeing how mutualistic relationships work in both the rainforest and the reef was eye-opening. Whether it was ants defending cecropia trees or coral polyps sheltering algae, it was so cool to see how cooperation really drives these ecosystems forward. Lastly, hearing Rafael Manzanero from FCD talk about conservation challenges made me realize how complicated it all is. It’s not just about protecting animals or trees, but about balancing people’s livelihoods and the forest itself. It got me thinking about environmental law and how real conservation work has to include everyone.

This trip taught me to embrace both the awesome and the uncomfortable moments. I’ll never forget seeing a puma in our camera trap photos, swimming alongside parrotfish on the reef, or watching the sun go down from the bird tower in the rainforest. Five years from now, I’m sure I’ll still be thinking about the night we caught a squid off the dock and the quiet moment in the rainforest when it hit me just how alive everything really is. I’m so grateful for every day of this experience, even the ones with cockroaches in my bed.

(Photos taken by Scott Solomon)

-Emily

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Day 14: The last swim

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Last day on the island :(. This morning, we took on a new project: trash collection! We were given 6 large trash bags and an assignment to make something out of it. So, we decided to look at trash distribution around the island, trying to understand how trash density would vary based on currents and the structure of the atoll. We chose 3 locations to collect from: the beach by our dorms, the coral graveyard, and the mangrove trail.

It was so saddening how quickly our trash bags went and how little they did. Especially at the coral graveyard, they barely made any sort of dent.

Afterwards, we did a Lionfish dissection, and then proceeded to eat the Lionfish. Even though my Lionfish was pretty large, there was nothing in its stomach, we could not locate the gonads, and there were no otoliths to be found. It was super yummy, though!

We spent the afternoon packing, but mostly swimming and hanging out on the dock. After only swimming in the ocean in full gear, it was really fun to just jump in without flippers in a regular swimsuit! The water was perfect and the setting sun was absolutely gorgeous. I had so much fun swimming with the fish near the dock and looking through my goggles at the sandy floor. Thankfully, I did not step on anything sharp or pointy!

Digital Camera

Our last presentations highlighted eels, seahorses & trumpetfish, and L

ionfish & other invasive species. I did not see any eels, seahorses, or trumpetfish on this trip, but I’m sure they were all there, just a bit trickier to spot than the vibrant, flamboyant reef fish.

Although I am sad the trip has finally come to a close, I am just so happy I got to be here and experience all of these awesome things in Belize.

-Emily

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Day 13: Reef Mysteries

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This morning, we set off to study the differences between Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and non-MPAs. We wanted to survey the different areas and observe differences in algal growth, coral structures, fish biodiversity, bleaching, and general species presence. To do this, we decided to utilize quadrant sampling. We hypothesized that the MPAs will have higher biodiversity and greater reef health as compared to non-MPAs.

Out on the reef, I saw so many yellow jacks! I actually saw some preying on what appeared to be some clown wrasses near the edge/by a reef drop-off. They were very quick and would swim off as soon as they had caught the wrasse in their mouth. We also saw a dolphin swimming by the boat on our way back to the island!

After returning from our morning adventure out on the reef, we compiled all of the data each pair had collected and observed the results. In general, our findings were a bit inconclusive and there was quite a bit of margin for error.

Our presentations today were on cryptobenthic fish, groupers, and a deeper dive on wrasses. The cryptobenthic fish presentation was interesting and a bit eye opening, as the quantity of these small fish is actually so great and their entire survival strategy is dependent on constantly reproducing in vast numbers.

-Emily

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Day 12: Catch of the day

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Today we got together in the wet lab and went through all of our findings from the parrotfish study yesterday. On the striped parrotfish, we found that they usually swim in large, informal groups that re-convene at the edge of the coral or in the sea grass. We mostly observed juveniles, although there was at least one male spotted in both of our groups. On average, it was around 5-6 fish that we would see swimming together. Usually the fish were eating algae off of grass, but sometimes they would also eat off of coral.

When all of the parrotfish groups got together, we found that all of the species had been eating algae, and only a few of them would appear to actually be eating pebbles or the seagrass itself. Also, all of the species primarily lived near reef edges.

Later on, we went out into the shallow waters to try and collect any creatures we could catch and birng them back to the wet lab to analyze. I was really impressed with how some TFBs could just snatch them right out of the water. I successfully caught a fish too! I’m not even sure how I did it, it practically just swam right into my tray. The creepiest catch was definitely the box jellyfish Elise caught near the mangroves. Apparently it was just hanging out near her leg! I don’t think the box jellies here are nearly as dangerous as the Australian ones, but it was still horrifying to hear that we were just standing that close to them the whole time.

In the water I also saw a lot more needlefish! They were super fast and too smart to get caught in our meagre trays and buckets, but I observed them swimming near the surface in groups of 3-4 and darting around, presumably catching smaller fish just like us.

For our poster on the parrotfish today, I took the job of illustrating our observations-the fish! It was really cool to put them on the paper and try to match each of their unique colors to the reference pictures we had.

This afternoon, we went on a walk around the island and spent a good amount of time in the coral graveyard. It was fascinating to observe the gradient of color, starting with the living coral in the sea, and finally progressing to the grey, dead coral that had been fossilized and is now fully exposed on the shore. We also picked up many little creatures that lived in the shallow waters along the coast.

I gave my presentation on piscivorous fish tonight, and we learned about sharks and rays in addition to angelfish. Angelfish also practice protogynous hermaphroditism, which I really did not know about before this trip, but seems to be quite common among the reef fish.

Tonight, instead of going for a night snorkel due to precarious wind conditions, we fished off of the dock! The highlight BY FAR was Claire D catching a squid! It was absolutely unbelievable-she somehow captured the (not so) little guy on the first try in a tiny net and successfully transferred it to one of the buckets we had set up. Once in the bucket, the squid inked! In addition to the squid, we also collected fish, shrimp, and a glass eel! It was one of, if not the most, memorable nights of the trip thus far.

Screenshot

-Emily

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Day 11: Parrotfish

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Today we set off to observe some parrotfish in the reef! We decided to highlight 4 species: striped, red tail, stoplight, and red band. Our research methods involve recording and following the fish around for 5 minutes and noting their behavioral patterns in the reef. We split into pairs and designated different portions of the reef to each group as to minimize the potential overlap there may be. Generally, we are asking what the parrotfish eat and which species are eating what. Tomorrow morning we are going to come back and analyze all of these findings.

(Striped parrotfish would occasionally venture in smaller numbers into the reef, but would spend most of their time in larger groups near the edge, constantly eating algae)

While we were out on the reef, I also saw a few piscivorous fish. On the surface of the water, I saw a few needlefish darting by. Near the reef edges, I observed a few groups of Spanish mackerel swimming together. I also saw several yellow jacks while observing the parrotfish. So far, I have not seen any of my piscivorous fish preying or attacking other fish, but I’m sure if I watch them for any extended period of time that’s bound to happen.

(donkey dung sea cucumber found)

I sat out of the afternoon snorkel for some personal reasons, which was definitely the right call for me, and I got to rest up a bit, which felt really good.

This afternoon, we heard some presentations from the people who work here at Glover’s Reef. It was cool to hear about the goals and mission of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), which is the parent organization that runs this station and several others. They aim to conserve and protect both the lands and waters of Belize, connecting the two. Also, they are making a special effort to manage the natural resources in a sustainable way.

The marine biologist here told us a bit about the fishing practices allowed that prevent damage to the marine ecosystems. There is a strict limit on the amount of fishing that cane be done, and there are guidlines in place for the popular conch and lobster seasons. There are also coast guards stationed here on the island who carry weapons and scare off any illegal activities.

The taxon presentations highlighted surgeonfish and wrasses, which actually both participate in some unique practices on the reef in which they clean other fish that would often be their natural predators.

-Emily

Rice University