Tag Archives: Sponges

Is it really already over?

So…this is my course summary and wrap-up blog. I’m writing it from the comfort of my own bed after a hot shower, and yet, somehow I’d rather still be sticky, stinky, and sandy in Belize. I’m still processing everything that happened on the trip– every day was jam packed with lectures, discussions, projects, travel, fun, and new places and faces.

 

The transition between the ‘surf’ week and the ‘turf’ week was difficult for several reasons, but the reef and rainforest are as similar as they are different. For one thing, the soil of the rainforest is derived from limestone, which was made from the shells of ancient reef creatures. Additionally, both rainforest soils and reef waters are relatively nutrient poor, yet they support unmatched levels of biodiversity. This is possible because of the highly three-dimensional spatial heterogeneity of reefs and rainforests. Creatures adapt to specialize in a certain space and they compete for access to nutrients. This space partitioning and competition are strong drivers of diversity!

 

I think my favorite- most unforgettable- part of BIOS 319 was the opportunity to coexist with rare and endangered species. I’m thinking specifically of the moment when a Morelet’s Tree Frog jumped onto my hand, but I also cherish our brief sightings of Scarlet Macaws, Acropora corals, and the sounds of Howler monkeys. Recalling my pre-departure mantra of ‘enjoying every moment’, I tried very hard to not have a ‘least favorite’ part of the course. But, if I had to pick something to dislike, I would say the bugbites (although I found them quite manageable with topical benadryl and calamine lotion!)

 

In all honesty, I learned a lot more than I initially thought I would, and a lot of that learning came through first-hand experience! I thought my taxa (sponges and ants) were a little boring at first, but there is complexity, wonder, and value to be found in everything. I was amazed to learn that leafcutter ants account for up to 25% of devegetation in tropical rainforests and that a mature leafcutter colony has the same appetite as a cow. And I didn’t just learn about my taxa: I have never been good at birding, but now I don’t think I can ever forget the cacophonous squawks of a scarlet macaw or the iconic teardrop shape of an Oropendola nest. But I think more than any factoids about the reef or rainforest, the longest-lasting lesson I’ll be taking from BIOS 319 is confidence in myself and my abilities. I had many doubts throughout the course, but I consistently surprised myself. I doubted that I could be comfortable snorkeling and diving down in the open ocean. I doubted my ability to hold an audience’s attention and communicate effectively. I doubted my ability to hike rainforest trails or even be outside for extended periods of time… but it all came so naturally to me. Despite (or perhaps, in part, because of) my quirks and idiosyncrasies, I am incredibly adaptable and resilient in new environments and capable of facing the unknown.

 

Thank you to everyone (in-field and behind-the-scenes) who played a part in making this experience possible. I’m so grateful.

 

De-debris-ing Glover’s Reef

First thing this morning, we went out on the boat to snorkel the fore-reef (the part of the reef that faces the open ocean)! I was nervous about snorkeling in waters so deep and so rough, but I actually had a super good time, and I got to see some things for the first time: I spotted a sea turtle way down on the ocean floor, we saw some Walnut Comb Jellies floating just beneath us, and I saw loggerhead sponges (Speciospongia vesparium)! I wish I was better at diving down beneath the water, so I could have gotten a closer look…

After lunch (alfredo pasta, salad and bread), we were tasked with designing an experiment centered around cleaning up marine debris (trash) from Middle Caye in Glover’s Reef. Being an island relatively far from the mainland, marine debris is a significant problem because the Gulf of Honduras Gyre (a water current) funnels all kinds of trash from the mainland directly onto the shores of Middle Caye.

In total, we collected 64.5 kilograms of trash from three different sites across the island, including 7.4 kilograms of glass and metal, which will have to be taken back to the mainland on a boat. Part of the problem for Middle Caye is that it simply isn’t economically feasible to charter boats specifically for transporting trash, so a lot of trash (including plastic and Styrofoam) is burned right here on the island.

Day 5: Fabulous Data Collection!

The first thing we did after breakfast today was get our snorkel gear, quadrats, and transect tapes and pile into the boat again. We went to two more patch reefs, both of which were located in the Marine Protected Area (MPA). The data collection today went MUCH BETTER (some combination of better weather, deeper water, and more practice).

We got back just in time for lunch, which was barbecue chicken and macaroni and cheese (a little taste of home!) After lunch, we learned about green algae, crustaceans, and the effects of climate change on the reefs. After dinner, we had guest lectures from the Belize Fisheries Department and the Belize National Coast Guard (they do important work to ensure that Glover’s Reef Atoll stays beautiful and sustainable).

Between lunch and dinner, we had some free time where we could work on our field notebooks, take a nap, or go on an optional snorkeling excursion. Because I regretted my choice yesterday to abstain from snorkeling the second patch reef, I made sure I wouldn’t miss out on another opportunity to snorkel! We snorkeled just on the inside of the reef crest, and we saw tons of anemones and fishes, but unfortunately no sponges 🙂

Sponges seen in the MPA Today:

  • Brown Variable Sponge
  • Orange Icing Sponge
  • Red Boring Sponge
  • Scattered Pore Rope Sponge
  • Erect Rope Sponge
  • Branching Vase Sponge

Day four: Dreaded Data Collection

Today we went out on a boat to visit a patch reef to try to determine what percentage of coral was alive and what percentage was dead. It was not fun. At least, the data collection was not fun. The water was very shallow and the winds and waves were very strong. Our transect line kept getting dragged away and tangled up, and I was thrown backwards onto sharp and hard corals several times. It will be a miracle if we can somehow salvage usable data from today.

After data collection, we decided to take the boat to another patch reef (where we could snorkel purely for fun). I felt freezing cold and was shivering after the previous snorkeling ordeal, so I decided to stay in the boat instead of doing a recreational snorkel.

In retrospect, I regret that decision and I should have gone snorkeling again. I ended up getting wet and freezing cold on the boat ride back anyway, and from what I heard, the group saw some pretty unique organisms (including an invasive lionfish, which they promptly speared and captured)!

Even though we focused on data collection today, I still was able to see (and be thrown into) some pretty cool sponges.

Sponges seen today:

Scattered pore rope sponge (Aplysina fulva)

Erect rope sponge (Amphimedon compressa)

Fire sponge (Tedania ignis)

Brown variable sponge (Cliona varians)

 

P.S. The power has been going out (the island is having some generator issues), so I will have to post this blog a day late

Day 3: Itching and Experimenting

This morning I woke up at 6 AM and immediately felt itchy. A closer inspection revealed dozens of bug bites all over my arms, legs, and back. (Now I’m starting to regret trekking through the Mosquito Mangroves yesterday!)

Today we started familiarizing ourselves with the process of drafting, designing, and conducting experiments and data collection while snorkeling. We decided to determine how the density of green algae changes as we move away from the shoreline. We found the most green algae about 80 feet away from the dock.

By far the highlight of today was visiting the ‘coral graveyard’ on the other side of the island. While it sounds macabre at first, it’s actually amazing and super helpful as a crash course in identifying corals! (It helps to have a couple of coral experts and guide books with you, of course!)

I didn’t see any sponges today, but I definitely soaked up a ton of useful information about identifying common coral species for the next time we snorkel a reef.

I’ve got brain coral (Pseudodiploria strigosa) on my brain!

Day 2: Growing Confidence

Today we did our first two snorkeling expeditions. Before lunch, we snorkeled a patch of reef near the dock for about an hour, and after lunch we snorkeled a patch of reef on another side of the island. To get to the second location, we had to run through a mangrove forest infested with mosquitoes (not my favorite part of today!)

The first snorkel session was pretty uncomfortable for me. I have never been snorkeling before today, and the water was surprisingly cold! I struggled to catch my breath after the initial shock, and I found myself shivering by the end of the hour. Shivering! In the tropics! Who would have thought?

The second snorkel session was actually better for me, despite the mosquito-laden start. I felt a lot more in control of my breath, and I actually felt confident enough to dive down beneath the surface to get a closer look at the beautiful corals, sponges, and sea fans.

Sponge Species sighted today:

  • Yellow Tube Sponge (Aplysina fistularis)
  • Orange Icing Sponge (Mycale laevis)
  • Branching Vase Sponge (Callyspongia vaginalis)
  • Fire Sponge (Tedania ignis)

Day One: Adventure’s Just Begun!

Today was about as good of a first day as I could have hoped! Of course it wasn’t perfect- we had a few hiccups checking into the airport and an exceptionally long, but eventually we all made it to our first study site, Glover’s Reef Research Station.

After a full day of travelling (2 hours), a bus (half an hour), a plane (2.5 hours), a van (about an hour), and a boat (4 hours!), finally arriving at our home for the next week was a relief, to say the least! We gathered our luggage and settled into our rooms for a bit before being treated to a delicious dinner of chicken, salad, and rice. It’s taking all of my remaining willpower to type this blog post before I pass out from exhaustion.

At first impression, Glover’s is truly tropical paradise. Lapping waves, lush greenery, colorful bungalows, and scuttling crabs greet you as you walk from the docks. But the smiling faces and friendly attitudes of the resident researchers and crew is was really makes this oasis feel like a home-away-from-home.

My favorite part of today was during the boat ride, seeing colors that I never thought could come from water. The deepest, most intense blues of open ocean and the green and turquoise of seafood breaking on shallow offshore reefs; it was like something out of a dream. The murky browns of Galveston Bay will officially never satisfy me again!

12 Hours and 1000 Miles Away

Hi everyone, I’m Michael, and this blog will serve as a record of my experiences over the next two weeks in Belize!

I’m going to do my best to put into words how I’m feeling:

In a word? Paradoxical. Simultaneously excited and nervous, fully-packed and somehow unprepared, ready to start, but unsure of what’s to come. Tomorrow my day starts at 3:30 AM. I need to drive to campus, meet the group at 6:00, bus to the airport, and catch a flight by 10:00.

I think I’m most excited about being able to apply, reinforce, and expand my knowledge about tropical ecology with actual experience. I’ve had countless lectures about the vast importance of rainforests and coral reefs. They’ve been the flagship ecosystems for conservation efforts for decades (anecdotally evidenced by this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4bNrIIe0bk ‘Rainforest Rap’ that I remember from elementary school). I’ve dedicated my academic career to studying and protecting the environment— and yet, this will be my first time actually coming face-to-face with these dazzling bastions of biodiversity.

To prepare, I’ve gone over the packing list and syllabus (several times), read books, scientific articles, watched TedTalks and documentaries, and pored over notes from previous classes. Practically, I’m still a little intimidated about identifying my taxa (Sponges and Ants), but theoretically, I’m ready to share and apply what I know.

I have some limited experience being in the tropics and doing field work (separately). I’ve spent six weeks in Hong Kong during the wet season, so I know what sticky heat and torrential downpours feel like. I have field experience in Brazos Bend, Laguna Atascosa, and West Virginia, so I won’t be completely unprepared for physical exertion and scientific rigor. Hopefully these separate experiences have prepared me for their intersection in ‘Tropical Field Biology’

I asked a friend who took this course for any sage advice… she said to “enjoy every moment.” That will be my mantra for the next two weeks.

Whatever happens, I know this will be unforgettable.

Tropical Field Biology Presents… Brendan’s Final Blog Post

spoiler alert: I have decided to become a sea turtle

I remember sitting in the first interest meeting and hearing past participants talk about this trip. At that time, I was definitely hesitant how a trip can be so influential and eye-opening. Few months later, we had our first group meeting as the 2019 cohort. I wondered what the workload would be, how the group would interact with each other, and what we will be seeing in Belize. 

When I chose ants and sponges as my taxonomic groups, I merely picked them because of familiarity. However, as I started to look into these groups more, I realized they shared many similarities. Ants and sponges are both often overlooked because they can easily blend in the background, but they are actually crucial in maintaining the health of the rainforest or reef. They both serve an important role of recycling nutrients in their respective ecosystems. Not to mention, to identity them to the species level is pretty difficult because they can appear so differently amongst each other. 

More broadly speaking, the rainforest and reef also share many similarities with each other. These ecosystems are able to host such diverse life. Both of these ecosystems have organisms that continuously cycle nutrients back to its environment, allowing other organisms to develop. These ecosystems have food webs and food chains in place to ensure there is a balance between predator-prey relationship. In many cases, removing top-predators, like big cats and big fishes, can disrupt the ecosystem greatly. 

One thing I also realized is to just avoid anything that begins with “fire.” In the rainforest, we avoided fire ants. In the reef, we avoided fire corals, fire sponges, and fire worms. I wrote in my first blog that I expect to be challenged when it comes to naming specific organisms. Of course, I ended up being challenged in all different ways. For instance, one challenge I did not expect was waking up at 5 or 6am every morning and struggling to stay awake past 9:30pm. 

A difference that I noticed between the ecosystems is actually the way in which research is conducted. In hindsight, being able to stand on the ground definitely is a lot easier than needing to stay afloat. Perhaps we were just out of our element, but I noticed that so many variables, such as wind condition and wave action, that dictate when we can go out and do research.

My favorite part of the trip was being able to capture photos of everyone. Watching everyone’s facial expression and their sheer amazement has been such a fun part of the trip. I, too, was amazed by all the things we saw, but I found shifting perspectives and observing people in the context of nature can be equally rewarding. 

 

Everyone taking photos of the “sticky butt cockroach”

My least favorite part of the trip was definitely the bug bites. By now, you have probably heard of everyone complaining, but those bugs are evil! In my packing list, I remembered to pack bug sprays to prevent getting bitten, but I totally forgot to pack medicine for AFTER getting bitten. I had to continually restrain myself from scratching the insect bites. 

Here are my three key takeaways from this course: 

  1. Importance of contextualizing our trip. While learning about Belize’s natural beauty, we were also able to understand Belize’s ties to Mayan culture. Thanks to Herbert, we also understood the overarching history and future of Belize. Though we came to Belize to learn about the environment, I think we also have to acknowledge the environmental impact of traveling to Belize and all the places as well. My hope is that we can translate this experience and inspire more sustainable practices. 
  2. Don’t forget the small things! I used to have this mentality of eliminating all ants in sight. After this trip, I realized just how amazingly complex ants can be. Seeing ant colonies and leafcutter ants traveling down the highway carrying freshly cut leaves have opened my eyes to these organisms. 
  3. The bug bite trade-off. As I am writing this final blog post, I am also trying not to scratch my bug bites. In the future, I will still not use insect repellent with 99% DEET, but I will remember to bring some anti-itch medicine for these nasty bug bites. The good thing is bug bites will go, but these memories will last forever. 

TAXON 

ants department: 

common name: 

fire ants

genus: 

Pseudomyrmex sp.

Azteca sp.

Dolichoderus sp. 

species: 

Atta cephalotes

Strumigenys ludia

16 morphospecies:

ant morphospecies from Project P

 

sponges department: 

some type of rope sponge

Ailochroria crassa

Aplysina fistularis (Yellow Tube Sponge)

Callyspongia vaginalis (Branching vase sponge)

Callyspongia plicifera ( Azure vase sponge)

Chondrilla nucula (Chicken liver sponge)

Cliona delitrix (Red Boring sponge)

Xestospongia muta ( Giant Barrel sponge) 

Day 15: Yes Bueno!

Today’s general agenda: Glover’s Reef Research Station —> Belize Airport —> Houston, TX —> Los Angeles, CA

TFB is Yes Bueno! Bye Glover’s!

And just like that, we’re back on the boat, but this time we’re headed to the airport. It’s hard to imagine that in two short weeks, I was able to have an experience I will cherish for a lifetime. It feels like yesterday we were trying sour sop juice for the first time at Cheers. There are so many inside jokes and cool findings that I could not include in these blog posts. If you want to hear more of this amazing adventure and see more pictures, I will gladly respond through my email bw19@rice.edu. 

Now back to traveling shenanigans! As always, my airport journey would not be so smooth-sailing. My duffle bag actually ripped apart and some of my clothes came out. I also forgot to put my hot sauce souvenir back into my check-in luggage and almost had to throw them away when I went through security again. On the plane, however, this cute baby sat next to me, which made everything well worth it. 

Lastly, I wanted to take the opportunity to thank my family for giving me this opportunity to take the course. I am incredibly fortunate to experience Belize and work with such great professors and classmates. This trip helped me better understand not just tropical field biology but also who I am as a person. turns out..I am talkative? “not necessarily in a bad connotation way”

to TFB: yes bueno! yes bueno! yes bueno! 

 

spotted a rainbow on our way to the airport

Brendan Wong

Glover’s Reef Marine Reserve, Belize

5/28/2019