Category Archives: 2022

2022

Truly an Experience of a Lifetime

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Sadly, we have neither a reef nor a rainforest back home in New Mexico. Hot showers and a washing machine are nice, but I would rather be back at Glover’s and LCRS. This class was an incredible and once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore two of the most diverse regions in the world, both of which were contained in the small country of Belize. The tropics have an unmatched level of macroscopic diversity, and it was amazing to witness this firsthand. Every time I looked in a crack and crevice, high up in the trees, beneath chunks of coral rubble, under logs and leaf litter, there was always interesting life hiding in plain sight. It was truly unlike anything I have ever experienced.

Our lectures and discussions addressed a multitude of factors that ultimately drive this immense diversity of the neotropics. And although the ocean and rainforest seem to be two different extremes of dissimilar environments, surf and turf have several similarities. One similarity that is present in both environments, yet seems counterintuitive is the fact both a reef and a rainforest are essentially nutrient desserts. Both ocean water and forest soil contain low levels of biologically relevant nutrients, and as a result, organisms have developed creative and sometimes symbiotic/mutualistic strategies to thrive in these nutrient-poor environments. The cycle of nutrients is critical in both of these environments, and unfortunately, both of these regions (and in particular my two taxons: stony corals and amphibians) are particularly sensitive to anthropogenic changes. Both of these regions rely on a high level of constancy to thrive. Corals stressed from temperature increases, eutrophication, heavy metal contamination, ocean acidification, and more, are far more vulnerable to disease and degradation. And amphibian populations have seen significant decreases both because of direct absorption of harmful pollutants through their porous skin and the disruptions of the once incredibly predictable weather patterns that their breeding behavior relies on. So sadly, both these regions are particularly vulnerable to human-driven climate change. Yet, both the rainforest and reef are significant contributors/drivers of the global economy. Humans are incredibly reliant on these ecosystems for resources and protection, and our preservation and coexistence with them is critical for the prosperity of us all. Belize has an incredible amount of untouched forest, and to see the contrast between the Belizean hills covered in forest and the decimated ones across the border in Guatemala which were cleared for slash and burn agriculture was alarming.

I was able to interact with many endangered and rare species, and I would say this would be the most memorable part of the course for me. I will never forget the Morelet’s Tree Frog which jumped on my face or finding small hopeful patches of Acropora cervicornis scattered throughout some of the reefs. It’s sad to think why these regions are experiencing such a rapid decline in diversity and population, yet this hands-on experience has further strengthened my love for biology and possibly shifted my future career away from medicine and towards research.

The list of things I learned in this course could go on for pages yet three that come to mind are:

  1. Mutualism/symbiosis is everywhere in these environments and the connections and balance between organisms are unimaginably complex. This also leaves them quite vulnerable to human exploitation, climate change, and invasive species.
  2. The global economy is heavily reliant on these regions in multiple capacities, and the loss of rainforest and reef diversity is not just a loss of cool organisms, but sets in motion cascading instabilities throughout the world both ecologically and economically.
  3. And field research is a whole different animal compared to laboratory work. Things rarely go as planned and it’s critical to be adaptable and flexible. (Also plan to pack light because everything you bring back is wet and heavy haha)

I am truly thankful for this experience and I hope it is not my last time exploring the tropics. I couldn’t have asked for a better group of TFBs and I hope to see you all again soon!

~Rusty

2022

Bye Belize!

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These past two weeks were a whirlwind of learning and witnessing the beautiful biodiversity between the two most diverse ecosystems on earth— the coral reef and the tropical rainforest!

It gave me a taste of home being back in a marine ecosystem, but this environment was also very different and allowed me develop a more well-rounded view and knowledge of coral reefs across the globe. After researching coral reef framework, I learned the critical importance that reef-building corals hold in maintaining the the coral reef ecosystem as climate change, disease, and other anthropogenic factors threaten the very continued existence of the coral reefs we have loved and admired. Having seen coral bleaching events occur in my home town, I was dismayed to learn that the coral loss of diversity is even higher in the Caribbean with a 25% loss of genetic diversity which occurred in just the last 15 years. I feel a deepened sense of duty and desire to help preserve what is left of healthy coral reefs. My favorite things to see on the reef were lobsters, sea urchins, turtles, mantis shrimp, ctenophores, hydroids, annelids (mostly Christmas tree worms) and many more creatures! I liked picking up the sea urchins gently, and seeing hermit crabs shell swapping!

Similarly, the beautiful tropical rainforests at Las Cuevas left me astonished with its ancient and delicate pattern of nutrient recycling (which is also seen similarly with coral reefs and sediment). We learned that there are layers in soil which allows for the intake and recycling of nutrients which are imperative to the survival of so many species within the rainforest (similarly seen in coral reef framework). Slash burn agriculture is very harmful for the soil and disrupts this nutrient cycle so that plants can never prosper quite the same in areas that have been affected. We also learned that many creatures in the rainforest have specific niches such as epiphytes which are plants that reside in the canopy.  This nutrient process of recycling is what allows these ecosystems to be so abundant with flora and fauna!

Heart of Chiquibul Forest from the Bird Watching Tower

We learned that there are many interesting similarities and connections between the surf and turf!! For example, we learned that when nutrient pollution in the rainforest can make its way to the coral reefs through rivers which could cause a massive sargassum algal bloom which blocks sunlight from coral reefs. One thing that definitely left an impression on me was the interconnectivity of every ecosystem. For example, we learned that mangroves filter out pollution, sea grass beds help prevent erosion, and coral reefs provide biodiversity at Glover’s Reef. (SO COOL)

I couldn’t comprehend the level of diversity and closeness to wildlife that I would be exposed to! This trip exceeded my expectations in every way! I loved the opportunity to witness marine and terrestrial animals in their own ecosystems. I loved watching squid communicate with each on a patch reef. I was amazed by the complexity of leaf-cutter ant communication while digging up an ant hill. I am definitely filled with a new awe and appreciation for all ants now. The coolest experience for me was definitely the night hike and the interaction between the Morelet tree frog and Rusty’s face (haha) and the interaction between the snake and the tree frogs eggs. I truly felt like a special guest viewing the world of wildlife, and it was the most amazing and rewarding feeling seeing creatures behave normally and undisturbed in the wild. I strongly wish to preserve these creatures and ecosystems. It pains me to think that the critically endangered tree frogs might not be there if I were ever to return.

Although the bug bites and cold showers were inconvenient at times, it was nothing compared with amazing experiences this trip offered and it is just part of true field work experience that most biologists have! It helped me solidify my passion for conservation and helped me develop more as a TFB. For instance, I have started to attempt to identify each species I encounter and think critically about scientific surveys that could be conducted to help protect the area. I was also bitten by the travel and Chiquibul bugs. I feel drawn to go beyond the usual travel experience, and I want to now travel purposefully to help in what ever way I can to improve these ecosystems. 

Me wanting to go back to Belize right now 🙁

Three things I’ve taken way from this trip:

  1. The most abundant, diverse , and interconnected ecosystems on earth that rely on very specific processes to maintain life forms that reside in these ecosystems are being threatened by humans.
  2. Always expect the unexpected! There were so many moments during this trip that left me in awe such as when we discovered a Mexican burrowing toad in an ant hill! it’s important to also not expect to find results in our surveys to prevent bias and keep an open mind to possibilities that biologists may not have accounted for.
  3. Empowering people to care and take interest in nature is a big step towards preserving ecosystems and animals. After talking with experts, I also know how hard it is to preserve ecosystems with limited resources. For example, only 6 % of coral reefs are protected properly and Dr. Arevalo shared with us the hard and long the process it can be to gain government support on conservation issues.

I have loved all the riddles and TFB jokes that our group has shared together. It was such a privilege to grow closer to every member of our group and so amazing to share these experiences with passionate professors and students who are also interested in nature and biology, as well as the junior TFBs that remind me to always remain curious. 😉

TFBs <3

I have learned so much on this trip! Thank you all!

Peace and Love Nature and the TFB life <3

~ Maegan

2022

3..2..1… Beleeeese

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One of the things that ties the rainforest and coral reefs together are the physical materials they are built upon. Not only is the reef framework, the sand of the reef, and the limestone underlying the rainforest soil all based in calcium carbonate, but the calcium carbonate all originated in the same way, from calcifying marine organisms who either laid it down as reef builders or built it into their tissues before they died. This leads me to another similarity between reefs and rainforest, they are both shaped by the power of erosion. The Chiquibul rainforest is shaped by rainwater slowly chipping away at the limestone, etching out caves and a dynamic landscape. Similarly, reef eroders on the coral reef like urchins and parrotfish burrow or eat away at the the coral framework causing diverse and dynamic nooks and topographic characteristics that provide the environment for a variety of organisms and ecological niches (contributing to its incredible biodiversity). This dynamic topography created by both reef-framework building organisms like corals and reef eroding forces like waves and urchins is similar to the topographic diversity of Rainforests. Competition for sunlight, and specialization in different quantities of sunlight, leads to many layers of the rainforest, with tall canopy trees, epiphytes clinging to their sides, and shade tolerant plants competing for space below. This similarly is a causes of the great biodiversity and abundance of ecological niches of the rainforest. In both rainforest and reef, this was also something that was readily apparent for me to observe myself, and the dynamic topographies stood out very starkly compared to other ecosystems I have seen. In addition to space, there is another scarce resource in both reefs and rainforests that leads to biodiversity, competition for nutrients. Both coral reefs and rainforests are very nutrient poor, and this competition for nutrients leads to specialization in specific ecological niches contributing to diversity. In rainforests this is because the limestone underneath the soil causes nutrients to wash or leach out of the soil very quickly making plants compete to take them up and keep them. Especially when there is deforestation however, the nutrients might wash out all the way to the reefs on the ocean. This is unhealthy for the reefs which are also used to being in a very low nutrient environment. The nutrients could cause mass algae growth, and as algae competes with corals, this could lead to coral decline. 

 

Overall, the course definitely exceeded my expectations. I was pleasantly surprised by the number of amazing wild organisms we got to just run into. Whether it was, snakes, toads, or barracuda, I didn’t expect to be as mind blown as I was to see all these real life wild animals! Something else that was a pleasant surprise was that snorkeling in the ocean and trekking through the rainforest was not as hard as I thought it would be. The ocean water was much warmer and (generally) calmer than any I had experienced before, and the fins helped make me really buoyant and easy to float. As for the forest, the canopy shades the forest floor so much that its actually not that overgrown, and with the help of Dr. Solomon’s machete we found it reasonable to walk through!

One of my favorite just being out on the rainforest trails. It’s really hard to describe, buts its like going to see the Eiffel Tower for the first time or a natural wonder like the grand canyon. It’s just like “Wow, this is real… I am in it.” It was really immersive and cool. 

One of my least favorite parts of the trip was the bug bites. Need I say more? I don’t think so. If you went on the trip you know. If you didn’t go on the trip… well… enjoy looking down at your legs and not seeing polkadot scars. 

One thing I am going to remember about this trip was what I learned about marine debris, having to do a presentation on them made me learn about plastic production and pollution, micro plastic, marine life entanglement in fishing nets, and so much more. Having seen and dealt with soo much plastic at glover’s reef really solidified the lessons I had learned about the scale and impact of our ocean plastic problem.  

I am also going to remember the lessons and research regarding Scarlet Macaws that Boris Aravelo spoke to us about. Not only was it fascinating and inspirational to learn about his efforts to save the Macaws, but it was also super cool to hear about the pressures facing scientists to appease politicians, the dangers of protecting their own work over conservation, learning how to communicate with leaders and the public, etc. 

Finally, something that made a lasting impression on me was the plight of coral reefs today. What we learned about hard coral diseases, global warming, and loss of key species like Diadema urchins that stop algae overgrowth impressed on me just how gravely in danger coral reefs are, and just how much we have already lost. I am also glad that I will have a memory of their majesty and preciousness while I had the chance.

2022

The Inevitable Farewell, Goodbye Belize and TFBs

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I can’t believe that the trip is over. Each day lasted forever, but all together time flew by in the blink of an eye. There is no way to completely sum up my experiences into just a few paragraphs, especially since this trip was so full of firsts, but the least I can do is answer the questions asked of me. The rest is… kind of intangible, swirled up in my brain like the keystone memory that it is going to become, and no blog could do it justice. 

The similarities between the reef (the rainforest of the sea) and the rainforest (the reef of the land) cannot be overlooked. Both ecosystems were so chocked full of diversity, each holding the title of the world’s majority stakeholders in biodiversity for their respective realms, there is no shortage of comparisons to be made. 

First, they are not separate in the first place. The calcium carbonate from the reefs finds itself in the soils of the rainforest, and the sediments of the rainforest find themselves in the reef. Without one or the other, neither would be as we know it. The soils of the rainforest are homes to millions of creatures and critters, and provide a space for the brilliant, expansive fauna to grow. Nutrients in both of these ecosystems are hot commodities, snatched up at first notice, leaving the reefs and trees to find a way to get the nutrients they need. And so, both have figured out ways to maneuver through this system, coral using symbioses, trees laterally growing buttress roots, epiphytes finding nutrients from debris in the canopy – they continue to thrive in the low nutrient areas. This means that they both have this huge amount of biodiversity in spite of the lacking nutrients. 

There are also creatures in both ecosystems that fill very specific niches that in their own ways push the ecosystems forward. From the symbiosis of the symbiodinium and coral to the plants and mycorrhizae, they have found ways to thrive in these competitive, complex ecosystems. 

I noticed that the impacts of climate change and human influence between the two protected areas, the Marine Protected Area and the forest preserve, seemed vastly different. I feel like forests are a lot more resilient than the reefs, able to withstand more stress without dying out, and able to bounce back with less resistance. There is simply so much diversity within the rainforest that when it is standing, one thing will fall and another will take its place. But on the reef, one thing falls, and it takes 5 things with it. 

I have to say, my favorite part of the course was snorkeling (in general). I love swimming and the water was so clear and watching the schools of fish swim by was so cool, it was an amazing experience. My least favorite part of the course was the hiking of the bird tower trail – which comes as a surprise to no one. I was terrified the whole way up and down, but hey, I pushed through and made it to the top (and back to the bottom). 

One thing that I found so surprising was the state of the coral reefs, even within the marine protected area. They were mottled with disease, and often parts were just broken to rubble. I knew that reefs have been getting hit hard in the past century with a bunch of stressors, but it was crazy to see that in person, and that will definitely stick with me. 

For my second thing, I never knew about lionfish and their prevalence as an invasive species – they were never even on my radar. Seeing Scott spear those fish was awesome in and of itself, but going forward into the future, I am now so much more aware of their presence and the need to rid the seas of them.

My last important thing is less tangible, but definitely something that I will remember in 5 years, or more honestly, for the rest of my life. That being the trip as a whole. Going on a field expedition to Belize, to the reef and the rainforest, as a scientist and researcher, meeting other POC scientists and researchers, being able to be immersed in the field, is something that I honestly probably would have never experienced if it weren’t for this trip. It showed me that I was capable of something to that level, to propose questions and make observations in a foreign place, and get taken seriously even as a student. This was only my second time out of the country, both of which occurred this summer – as an FGLI student, that alone had a learning curve. I will be forever grateful for the opportunity that this class allowed me to explore the field of biology and my own capabilities as a scientist, and that is certainly something that I can never forget. 

This course exceeded my expectations, brought me to another side of the world and took me out of my comfort zone in ways that showed me what I was capable of. Even though we had to wrap up early, I wouldn’t change anything about this trip for the world (except maybe the amount of bug bites I received – I am still so itchy!!)

2022

Final blog post :,)

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After visiting the reef and rainforest, I have so many thoughts about the experience it would be impossible to sum them all up in one blog post, but here is my weak attempt to do so!

First, It was really cool being able to see how these ecosystems both resembled each other, and had aspects that were incredibly different from each other. One massive similarity is the nutrient availability. Both in the reef and the forest, nutrients needed for the main ecosystem builders (corals, trees, plants, etc.) are seemingly quite scarce. This is because the minute they become available they are taken up! This is reflected in the opportunistic nature of many of the flaura and fauna of the two ecosystems. In the rainforests, for example, epiphytes live in trees and are able to take in resources from falling leaves and debris (an uncommon thing where resources in the soil are more plentiful). Similarly, in the reef, stony corals thrive in low nutrient areas, and have adapted a host of symbiotic relationships to gain the energy and nutrients they do require. Another similarity, is the huge abundance of available niches and equal abundance of species to fill them. Both in the reefs and rainforest there are countless examples of species that have adapted to take advantage of the most specific niches. On the reefs, this could include all the small critters like sea urchins or hermit crabs that take over abandoned shells. In the rainforest this could include the Mexican Burrowing toad that uses leaf cutter ant nests to amplify its call. Also (don’t worry I’ll stop soon) both the rainforest and reef have vertical ‘zones’ where there is some crossover of species, but also many species that only occupy certain areas that are a specific distance away from the ground or sea surface.

While they have many similarities, there are also obvious differences. One that is interesting to me is the result that an increase in nutrients has on the two environments. Corals are very adapted to low nutrient environments, but in high nutrient environments they lose their competitive edge over algae and are killed out. This eventually may result in an alternative stable state for the ecosystem, where it is no longer a thriving coral reef ecosystem but rather a large patch of macro algae. However, in the rainforest, an increase of nutrients does not lead to the decline of trees or other plant species. This is also in part because nutrients enter the environment in different ways. In the rainforest, for example, an influx in nutrients wouldn’t necessarily coincide with a difficulty to photosynthesize (like it may on the reef if there is an influx in sediment that brings in the nutrients).

This course completely lived up to my expectations, as an amazing trip that has changed my outlook on biology and nature! I think the biggest change in my expectations of the course was in how it would affect my future plans/ideas about my career. Going into this course, I was unsure of if I wanted to pursue a career in bio research. After some of the experiences I had here (#1 being watching the snake/frog egg interaction) I am much more sure that this is what I want to do! I knew I was going to love the rainforest, but I didn’t realize just how many bites I would get from the Chiquibul bug (I.e. wanting to go back at least100x)!

For me, the best part of the class was being able to witness firsthand all of the cool things that I have been learning about in classes at Rice for the last 4 years. I felt like I was inside a David Attenborough documentary, which I basically was. Specifically, I really loved seeing antagonistic relationships and mutualisms in action! A sharp contrast, my least favorite part of the course was being devoured by insects almost constantly! However, as annoying as this was, it was well worth it for the wealth of amazing experiences I was able to have!

My 4 biggest takeaways/learning points:

  1. Reefs and Rainforests are able to support so much life with limited resources, as the resources are stored in the living things! Now this seems kind of obvious, but it was really cool slowly realizing that this is how such a seemingly nutrient poor landscape supports so much biodiversity.
  2. Your methods aren’t as good as you think they are! This is a bit of an overstatement, but by this I mean that there are lots of little things that you don’t think of until your methods are put to the test. My biggest takeaway from this is that it is always a good idea to do a preliminary test of your methods to work out issues and such before you start your larger project.
  3. Mutualisms are literally everywhere. Throughout the course we learned about a ton of mutualisms both on the reef and in the rainforest. Some examples; ants that live in and protect plants, stony corals and their photosynthetic symbiodiniaceae, leaf cutter ants and their fungus, the list goes on…. While there are tons of antagonistic relationships that are readily apparent, there are also an abundance of mutualism once you start looking.
  4. Termites taste like carrots… I mean c’mon who would have thought?!

Thanks to my profs and peers (and Nyala and Caio of course) for making my time in Belize so memorable!

– Ava

2022

Bye Bye Belize

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Hi everyone!

Our 2022 TFB adventure has come to an end. Yet, this adventure leaves me with so many great memories. I have got to say that coming into the course I was a little nervous about several things.

First off, going on a trip with many people, that I had either never met or did not know very well at the time, was a little nerve racking. Yet, this itself turned out to be a great opportunity to meet so many new people with awesome talents and personalities; with this trip we got to form a little TFB community of our own. I recall that the first few days we were all a little awkward with each other, yet I think facing challenges together made us all come together much faster than the usual.

Another aspect that was a little daunting to me was doing fieldwork in two completely new environments, the rainforest and the reef! Most of my lab work has been bench work. By taking this class, I knew I would be challenging myself, yet I knew it would also be perhaps my only chance to experience a completely different side of research before graduating. I am so, so glad that I took a leap of faith in myself and did not back up from the challenge, as our experiences together were beyond amazing! Even as I am typing this I can’t believe that just a few days my friends and I were out there snorkeling near coral reefs with transects and quadrats or that we were hiking in the rainforest, observing its amazing diversity.

Something else that also made me slightly nervous was the food. As someone that is vegetarian, I have found that generally trips are not the best for someone with dietary restrictions. I was (very shocked) and so happy when I realized that on this trip it would not be a problem. Every meal was absolutely delicious! I am so grateful for the accommodations that those at the research stations did, it really made me feel at home.

One aspect that I originally was not worried about, yet became increasingly worried about was blood sucking insects (flies, sand fleas, and mosquitoes.) Yet, I think in general I’m lucky, I don’t think they find my blood all that tasty, as I got very few bites!

In general, mosquitoes and all, I am so grateful for this beautiful experience! I got to meet so many amazing people and got to experience a new form of research. I also got to spend time in Belize, a place were I continuously felt cherished by the people living there!

Thank you Belize! Thank you TFBs! And thank you Dr. Correa and Dr. Solomon!

2022

Last Blog :(

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Well, readers, this is it-the final blog post for this trip! I had such an amazing experience, and I was definitely sad to leave! It was really weird getting to the airport and seeing the other people leaving, knowing that they probably had a very different experience in Belize than we did. Namely, I did not see anyone else not belonging to our group with as many bug bites! Although I’m sure that the other tourists also got to enjoy Belize’s natural habitats, I really appreciated the in-depth look we got at different organisms in both the reef and the rainforest.

One important thing I learned from the course and had the opportunity to observe myself is how similar the rainforest and the reefs are. For example, both the rainforest and the reef had a huge amount of biological diversity, which as we learned in the course, is paradoxical with the deficiency of available nutrients. What we learned is that in both ecosystems, the nutrients are held in living biomass, and this scarcity creates organisms that are evolved to live in super specific niches within the ecosystem, or they specialize such that they are completely dependent on one particular interaction. One example of this is the symbiotic relationship between the coral animal and the zooxanthellae that they host, or that between the leaf cutter ants and the fungus they cultivate. Another similarity is the competition for light. In both ecosystems, organisms must do photosynthesis to produce nutrients, leading to a competition between the different photosynthesizing organisms to access the sun’s rays. The trees in the rainforest will grow taller so that their canopies can extend above those around them, while corals in shallower areas will grow wider to maximize the limited space.

One final, and more grim similarity is the theme of climate change and human activity. In the reef, the once-healthy coral reefs had become algal gardens with sparse patches of often diseased coral. In the rainforest, we heard about changing weather patterns, deforestation, and poaching, which interfere with the natural breeding patterns and life cycles of different organisms. While the effects of human activity was more evident on the reef, it was disheartening to hear first-hand accounts from the native Belizeans about the effects climate change has already had on the wildlife.

Honestly, I was not expecting how amazing this class would be. I was of course excited and expecting that it would be fun and informative, but getting to be in the rainforest and reef ecosystems was even better than I thought. Learning about specific taxa and interactions through the presentations was especially helpful as they turned a bigger puzzle into identifiable, specific pieces, giving me a new appreciation for the complexity of each ecosystem. On the science
side, I loved learning about different data collection methods in the field, and actually creating research questions, collecting data, and analyzing it and presenting it was such a great experience. I’m not sure yet, but the experience has made me reconsider my career path. I also really enjoyed learning about the culture and history of Belize! The people were so excited to share, and being so immersed makes me want go visit again. Finally, the people on the trip were so much fun. It was great to be surrounded by like-minded people, especially those that are passionate about wildlife and science.

Some specific highlights for me were the Morelet’s tree frog and the Mexican burrowing toad, the coral graveyard, the view from the bird watch tower, Caracol, Sea Grass Euphoria, and honestly everything else-this whole trip was a highlight. I can’t say I had any least favorite parts, but some things were harder than others. For example, I struggled with the lasting feeling of being on a boat (even when on land) and the itchiness of my bug bites.

This class has changed the way that I see the world. One of the things that I think will have the most lasting impact is the importance of using non-single-use plastics. The amount of plastic bottles, shoes, and other trash that had washed up on the beach was really sad, and has helped inspire me to pursue more sustainable goods. Another important thing was in the talk from Boris Aravelo. He mentioned that science for conservation is for the good of the planet, not ourselves, and that collaboration is imperative, which was something that I hadn’t heard from other scientists before. Finally, on a much lighter note, I will never think about houseplants the same. Turn out a lot of the popular house plants are actually epiphytes, or non-parasitic plants that grow atop other plants! It was cool to see monsteras, philodendrons, orchids, and bromeliads in their natural habitats. Those plants get huge if you let them!

Anyways, that’s about it from me! Thank you, Adrienne and Scott for such a great experience! Shoutout Michael for coming up with most of the titles for our presentations, Phoenix for the illustrations, Caio and Nayala for the coconuts, and the rest of the Belize Babes for making the trip a blast! I hope to see everyone again soon!

-Elena

surprise taxa sighting at the airport!
2022

Forever and always a TFB <3

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Now that I’m back from the trip and have sort of acclimated to the A/C blasting in my house, it’s time for some wrapping up and a heartfelt reflection! (Also, happy World Rainforest Day!)

One similarity between tropical rainforests and coral reefs is that they are both nutrient poor ecosystems but are also hotspots of biodiversity, and the methods of survival in these harsh conditions fuel biological diversity. For instance, coral reefs are microbially driven ecosystems because microorganisms retain and recycle nutrients for use by the coral organism. Microbial interactions with the holobiont whole can vary widely based on the coral species, symbiont clade and composition, and abiotic factors like light and temperature. Therefore, the diversity of the nutrient-recycling microbial community as a part of the holobiont promotes coral diversity. Additionally, trees and plants in tropical rainforests have adapted to the nutrient poor soils by displaying a variety of nutrient-maximizing methods. One example is buttress roots in trees. These roots spread horizontally under the soil (as opposed to downward vertically) in order to take advantage of the newly deposited nutrients in the upper layers of soil and store them in their plant tissue. These buttress roots also stabilize the tree by having thick, outward stretches at the bottom of the tree, and this also maximizes the amount of surface area the tree has with the most nutrient-rich top soil layers. Just like microorganisms for corals, phenotypic variations like buttress roots in tropical trees promote biodiversity driven by the need to maximize nutrient capturing abilities.

Another similarity between these two ecosystems is the competition for light between organisms. In coral reefs and tropical rainforests, light is a limited and highly coveted commodity. One way that coral organisms ensure access to enough like is through phenotypic plasticity. When a coral of a certain species is present in light-limited conditions, it can be phenotypically different from a coral of the same species in conditions with ample light. The phenotypic form of corals in low light levels is plating, where the coral grows outward in flat plates to maximize the surface area exposed to light so that its dinoflagellate symbionts can photosynthesize and provide nutrients (this also ties back to the lack of nutrients!). The drive for phenotypic forms that maximize light access also fuel coral biodiversity. In tropical rainforests, the thick canopy is an example of the strong competition for light. Tree branches grow outward and create a dense mat of canopy vegetation where almost every sliver of space in the sunlight is taken up by plant life. This leads to tough competition on the forest floor, where organisms better suited to low light conditions compete for the little light transmitting to them. Epiphytes are an example of how this competition within and under the canopy for light has led to biological diversity. Epiphytes are non-parasitic plants that grow upon other plants. They are often seen growing on the trunks and branches of trees. This ability to grow vertically higher than the ground floor is an adaptation to limited light, where epiphytes can advantageously grow closer to the canopy and avoid the competition and overgrowth in the understory. For both of these ecosystems, competition for sunlight drives biodiversity.

One similarity between the two ecosystems that I have personally observed is the 3-D topography. When snorkeling on the fore reef, I got to see the massive spur and groove structure of the coral reef. When hiking the bird tower trail in particular, I experienced the large changes in elevation of the tropical rainforest. Another similarity that I observed is the ability of organisms to occupy even the smallest of spaces and niches. On the reef, I saw this in urchins hiding in crevices and rubble, zoanthids covering tube sponges in tiny polyps, and benthic sea cucumbers underneath structures. In the forest, I saw this in snakes eating frog eggs in trees, spiders with webs in the stalactites of a cave, and a Mexican burrowing toad inhabiting an abandoned leafcutter ant nest.

I have also noticed differences between the two ecosystems, and the major difference is how apparent the impact of destructive forces are. From my personal observations, I saw that destruction was more obvious in the reef than in the forest. While snorkeling, it was so clear to see the expanses of coral rubble, evidence of coral death from disease or bleaching, and impacts of overfishing (in non-MPA reefs). The degradation of the reefs was easy to spot. However, I found it less easy to spot the effects of destructive forces in the rainforest. Of course, the trails and roads and clearings are evidence of human landscape degradation, but outside of this, proof of degradation was not as obvious as it is in the coral reefs. Of course, seeing Morelet’s tree frogs that are critically endangered and scarlet macaws that are endangered in Belize brought the destruction of the tropical forest ecosystem and its organisms to the forefront of our minds, but it was not as if we were seeing dead stretches of forest while conducting our research.

This course completely exceeded my expectations. I did not expect to learn so much about Belizean culture and history, and I was definitely surprised by how much I enjoyed the fieldwork in both ecosystems. I also did not expect to make so many meaningful connections and friendships with my fellow TFBs. Going into this course, I expected to do the things listed on the schedule, but I did not expect to learn as much as I did from those things and for these experiences to have as much of an impact on my ideas for my future career as they did. I did not expect to come out of the trip as the McKenna that I am today with my new revelations and interests, but I am endlessly grateful that I did!

My favorite parts of the course were definitely those with fieldwork! Although the conditions were rough (washing machine currents, accidental fire coral collisions, and mosquitos / chiggers, extreme slopes to hike, and torrential downpours), I thoroughly enjoyed the day-in-the-life moments of being TFB, physical labor included! I also loved the food! I already miss Belizean food; I looked forward to every meal everyday and always felt replenished. My ultimate favorite part of the course was the people! The Belize Babes, Surf & Turf, the two smallest TFBs, the Glovers staff, Ruth and Claudios, the LCRS staff, I feel so lucky to have met and spent time with all of these people! I loved learning alongside the Babes and under the direction and motivating encouragement of Surf and Turf. Everyone I met in Belize was so hospitable and dedicated to ensuring that I enjoy my stay, and it was amazing to learn from these people too and their knowledge and experiences!

My least favorite part of the course was probably the bugs. However, my collection of bites are well-earned TFB battle scars! I also found it hard to get enough time day to day to fill out my field notebook, but after a few days I learned how to maximize my time so that I wouldn’t fall behind (as much as possible). Overall, I really enjoyed this course and didn’t have a big problem with anything; everything about this course qualifies as a “favorite” of mine, just some things are less favorited than others.

The biggest thing that I learned that I think will define where I take my future is my passion for (and my apparent skill for) science communication. I learned that I love talking about and communicating sciency things, and I was told that I’m easy to listen to when doing so. This has inspired me to pursue a future in communicating science! This course also opened my eyes to the complications of wildlife/ecosystem protection. Hearing from the marine safety officers and the Belize Fisheries Department taught me the difficulties of actually enforcing the regulations and restrictions of MPAs. Additionally, hearing from Rafael and Dario about the recent problem of poaching around LCRS made it clear that without the ability to fully surveil a protected area, even forest reserves can fall victim to destructive forces. It really helped me understand the intricacies that must be considered alongside an area’s label as being protected. By far, the most surprising thing that I learned during this course was what lionfish tastes like! I never in my life thought that I would have the opportunity to eat lionfish (especially in ceviche), but that experience will definitely not be forgotten.

This course/trip has been inexplicably elucidating on so many levels. I can’t thank everyone enough for this opportunity, and I already cherish these moments in memory. Belize holds a special place in my heart! Cheers to the end of an un-Belize-able experience and to the beginning of my travel fever and science communication career aspirations!

– McKenna

2022

Going to Miss This Place (Final Blog)

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Hi all, it’s Faith with some closing remarks…

Reflecting on this trip, I learned a lot about rainforests, coral reefs, and biodiversity. You may have heard the phrase that “coral reefs are the rainforests of the ocean” or the other way around, and now, I know why! I got to see first hand how both ecosystems are house so much biodiversity. Both ecosystems house a majority of the earth’s biodiversity and rely on complex interspecies relationships. They are homes to a variety of specialists, that have evolved to reduce competition with other species, and both are incredibly valuable.  I observed how tree density means nothing if the tree species present aren’t native to the environment, and how hard corals provide structures and homes for an immeasurable amount of species whereas soft corals were more “space-fillers.” From the deforestation line at the Belize-Guatemalan border to the veins of coral disease at Glover’s, I saw how  humans negatively impact our environments. I even learned that these two seemingly different environments are connected: long, long ago, the sea creatures with calcium carbonate skeletons laid the foundations for the rainforests soil. This lead to the forests having numerous soils types and massive cave systems beneath them. Furthermore, the rainforest is equally dependent on abiotic factors like nutrient availability, temperature, and  soil (or water) type as coral reefs! In my eyes, the largest difference between these two ecosystems are the dominating species, as trees are plants and most corals are cnidarians!

The most surprising fact I learned from this trip is how nutrient deficient the reefs and rainforests are. This seems contradictory because organisms need nutrients to live, and these two ecosystems house most of the words biodiversity. So, one would assume that they were plentiful in nutrients. However, these ecosystem’s nutrient scarcity allows them to be diverse. Organisms have evolved to maximize their ability to get nutrients, and this results and mega-specific symbiotic interactions like fig wasps with fig trees and corals with dinoflagellates. These specific interactions create specialized niches that reduce competition and allow many different species to coexist!

However, this system also makes the rainforests and reefs extremely fragile. On this trip, we got to listen to Dr. Alavero, and hear his research on scarlett macaws. He emphasized that the jungles are equally impacted by climate change as coral reefs. Humans tend to overlook climate change’s effects when they aren’t directly visible, but the environments current changes have made the weather unpredictable which disrupts the life cycles of land animals and marine animals. Scarlett macaws utilize different areas when mating and foraging, and they use the weather to help determine when to mate and migrate. Similarly, corals, trees, and insects (like termites), “coordinate” their reproductive cycles around the climate. The world’s changing climate, has cause reduced reproductive success in macaws and is harming other species as well. With global warming and ocean acidification, we actively see the weakening of coral skeletons and coral bleaching. The decline of these species then causes the decline of their symbionts, and because everything is interconnected, this can cause great losses of biodiversity. Just seeing the extreme differences between the health of an mpa reef and a non-mpa reef indicates how harmful we are to our planet. I will never forget the impact we have on the planet, and I now understand how difficult it is to save intricate ecosystems. Because of their complexity, There is no “one-size-fits-all” solution to restoring these ecosystems. However, we should all do our part to be eco-friendly, and reduce our impact.

When I look back, I imagine that I’ll remember how this trip “opened my eyes” per se. When you first enter the water or forest, everything looks the same. But after you look a little more closely and learn a little about taxonomic groups, you begin to realize that the biodiversity lies not in the major differences but the minor ones.  In only 2 days, I was just as excited to see a new species of grasshopper as I would have been to see a jaguar. Likewise, being able to differentiate between Diploria labyrinthiformis, Grooved brain coral, and  Diploria strigosa, Symmetrical brain coral, is extremely cool.  It’s hard to grasp the differences between similar species and their ecological niches without seeing them in person. Textbooks do a great job of summarizing these specific species’ interactions, yet being surrounded by them provides a true understanding about how dynamic our world is. And now, I feel like  I could identify these interactions in my own community.

Here are a few other facts (that are a little less sentimental) that I’ll never forget.

  • Ecosystems are entirely different at night due to temporal differentiation
  •  You have to be at least 5’2″ to enroll in the Belizean coast guard
  • The barrier reef GREATLY protects us from wave activity (you have no idea)
  • The different tree-top layers provide homes to unique animals, and some fauna will only live in specific tree species
  • If you order a fish in Belize, it will be served whole!

Overall, this course was way more fun than I expected, and now I can say that I’m proud to be an Ebio major! I really enjoyed excavating the leaf-cutter ant colony, posing with the queen, exploring the Belize Zoo, and touring Caracol. Honestly, the only activity I didn’t enjoy on this trip was having to pee in a vial and sort the arthropods that fell in, but, alas, sometimes you must pee in a cup in the name of science. I learned so much, and I definitely see both the rainforest and coral reefs in a new light. I even accomplished some of my goals and one of my life goals (seeing a wild mantis shrimp), so how could I not love this trip?!

Bye bye Chiquibil!!!
2022

Leaving Las Cuevas (Day 12)

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Hi all, it’s Faith with Day 12 updates from the 2022 Belize trip…

This morning we woke up and prepared to leave Lac Cuevas. I enjoyed my morning hot-chocolate-coffee, and then joined the group at 8 to collect our pee samples from the forest.

We didn’t see any reptiles on out hike, but we did see lots of fungi from the rains. We did this hike rather speedily, so I don’t have much to report on. Afterwards, we worked on out poster and analyzed our findings. Our data supported our hypothesis by 66%. We did find more arthropods on the forest floor, and more were attracted to the pee samples over all. However, the ratios between pee:water on the floor was actually greater than that of the canopy. Our study had many limitations such as a short data collection time, inability to identify some insects, and having flagging tape on our trees. All of these could have skewed our data.

After we analyzed the data, or group split into two teams. One team went and collected the cameras, while my team stayed and packed up camp. By 3:00, we were all packed and ready to leave Las Cuevas. My team did make a quick run to the frog pond to grab the last camera; however, we didn’t see any fauna on that trip either. I wish I could have gone on the hike to retrieve the cameras, but our teams method was much more efficient

After a 4 hour car ride, we made it to Midas Resort in San Ignacio. We plan on staying here until our flight tomorrow… I’m so sad that tomorrow will be my last Belizean breakfast; I will miss the  fryjacks, eggs, and beans.

Goodbye Belize!

QOTD: “If you really have to, you could pee in a waterbottle. We are all really good at that now.”

Luna the cat at Midas Resort
Our Pee Project Poster