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Final Reflection: An un-Belize-able experience

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I’ve learned a lot in the past two weeks, and now that I’ve had a couple days to digest the trip and reflect, I feel like I’m ready to share my main takeaways from the trip. We spent a lot of time observing both the rainforest and the reef ecosystem, and I feel like one of my first key takeaways was that there are a number of similarities which might contribute to them both being such vibrant, biodiverse ecosystems.

The first of these key similarities is the number of mutualisms and beneficial species interactions going on in each ecosystem. In the rainforest, we learned about and observed the relationship between cecropia trees and Azteca ants, but that is far from the only mutualism present or the only mutualism we observed. It isn’t even the only mutualism we observed involving ants: the leafcutter ants are also engaged in a mutualism with the fungus they cultivate. Similarly, the basis of the reef ecosystem is the coral, but that coral gets its nutrients through a mutualism with zooxanthellae algae. Although many ecosystems see different species interacting, I think the density of mutualistic relationships in rainforest and reef ecosystems is unique.

Another similarity which surprised me was the nutrient limitation in both ecosystems. This surprised me to learn about both times. These ecosystems, which seem so rich, are both operating on extremely nutrient-poor substrates. The trick, in both, is that the biomass is holding nutrients and that nutrients are being cycled incredibly quickly. This was hard to observe, but we saw the byproducts: lush vegetation, towering trees, complex corals. We also were exposed to some of the factors which lead to the high rate of cycling, like the heat and humidity. It was interesting that both ecosystems are limited in this way, and yet both have such high levels of biodiversity.

A final link I wanted to touch on was the vulnerability of both ecosystems. The rainforest and the reef are both under threat due to a number of anthropomorphic challenges. We learned about how climate change impacts them both and how illegal poaching and the pet trade harm biodiversity. We also heard about (and saw, firsthand, in our trash pickup and elsewhere) how pollution can impact both ecosystems. All in all, the loss of these crucial habitats due to human activities was something that came up time and time again and is something that’s a huge issue. High levels of biological diversity mean that these ecosystems are particularly vulnerable because many of the species present are specialized and vulnerable to changes.

I will say, although there were many similarities between the rainforest and the reef, it did feel like the wildlife was much more accessible in the reef ecosystem. Maybe they’re less hidden, or maybe they’re less scared of people, but it felt like we were much more lucky in seeing interesting fish and other creatures on the reef than in seeing creatures in the rainforest.

I was so fortunate to be able to go to Belize and make these observations for myself. This course exceeded my expectations and was able to surprise me at every turn. One thing I was pleasantly surprised by was the way we carried out scientific experiments and explorations from beginning to end, starting with the design process and going all the way to drawing conclusions and presenting them. I had the impression that, given time constraints, we would be given set procedures and carry them out, maybe not even analyzing our results. I was amazed by the end of the trip when we would be given a general topic and design a whole experiment around it, carrying it out and making a poster by the end of the day. It really was a great crash course in the process of science. I also was surprised at how manageable the physical elements of the trip were. It’s either a testament to how the course was structured—in that we built up to the harder parts—or I was just more in shape than I thought. My initial fears were unfounded in that regard. I also want to shout out the food—I hadn’t expected it to be such a great part of the trip. Even the lodging was exceeded my expectations—I think being told to bring a sleeping bag made me think we would be in much more rugged conditions, but they were actually great!

There were some things about the trip which were more difficult for me, or which I didn’t like as much. Although the snorkeling was super beautiful and it was interesting to learn about the reef, I think overall it might not be for me. It was stressful for me to be out in open water, even close to a boat, and I think that I might not be built for hours of snorkeling. Given the opportunity, I definitely would go out again for short stints as a tourist, but I wouldn’t make a career out of it, if that makes sense.

It’s difficult to narrow my takeaways from this experience down to just three key lessons. If I had to, I think the first thing I’ll remember from this trip is the nutrient limitation of both rainforests and reefs. That surprised me so much that I don’t think I’ll ever forget it. Such vibrant ecosystems, and the soil and seabed are so limited. I don’t think that ever occurred to me as a possibility. Another key takeaway is the fact that these ecosystems are under threat. It’s so tragic that such incredible ecosystems are so vulnerable, but it only reinforces the fact that we need to do something now to protect them. Finally, I think the last key thing I’ll remember from this trip is that science is a collaborative exercise and can be incredibly fun and rewarding if carried out together. There were so many things I would never have realized if someone hadn’t been there to connect a key link or point out something I had missed. I think I knew, on an academic level, that we were meant to do research collaboratively, but this trip cemented it for me. The ease with which our group settled into a rhythm and a good working groove just showed how essential cooperation and collaboration is.

I’m so glad I had this experience, and I’m glad you’ve been along for the ride. I’ll sign off with some of my favorite photos from the experience:

Trash pickup day
Glover’s Reef
Caught on the camera traps
Sunset by the bird tower
Sunset by the bird tower
Pitfall traps!
Caracol
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Belize Day 12: Life in the Shallow End

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We hopped straight into the seagrass, and with fuzzy moss tickling our shins, we began to dance the stingray shuffle, dragging our feet from side to side (just like the Dune worm dance) to warn the stingrays we were coming. This morning, we searched the seabed for critters to observe and analyze in the wet lab. Recruiting all catch-worthy objects, we went in equipped with little fish nets, metal tongs, paper trays, and paint buckets. This was a team effort; half of the class stood in a circle to enclose a fish as one of us tried to scoop it up with a paper tray. 

Some of us went off to cover more ground. I shuffled further out in the grasses, and my water shoe bumped into a rock-shaped mass in the sand. I reached my arm in and pulled out a conch shell with a fish inside, but I accidentally poured out the fish while examining my catch. The feel-around and reach-in technique became my strategy, and my next finds included a bright orange sea snail, decaying logs, and a pipe used by the island. Our class also gathered a box jellyfish (it looked just like a wubble bubble), chilling in the shallow water near the mangroves; a decorator crab; a cute little shrimp; and several anchovy-looking fish that sadly died on us immediately due to a lack of oxygen. Adam, our cryptobenthic fish expert, explained to us that these tiny, floor-dwelling fish are so fragile because of their living strategy – reproduce more and live less. 

We spent the next half of our day exploring the coral cemetery – a stretch of shoreline filled with mounds of fossilized coral. Just like the limestone caves and soils of the rainforest, both the island and the surrounding coral reefs were built from the foundational element calcium. Though the fossilized coral had lost their vibrant colors, we identified 7 species from their distinct shapes, including elkhorn, brain, lettuce, finger, montastraea, and fan coral. 

(Coral Cemetery – 05/29/25)

As we made our way down the piles of calcium and closer to the shore, we saw the succession of life. Living species were growing in the low tide zone, fresh coral remains lay midway up the slope, and fossils sat at the top. I also saw a few washed-up chunks of sponge, which had the harsh, bristly texture and pale pink color and texture of an azure vase sponge. Lifting rocks sitting in the shallow water, we uncovered a spiny black sea star along with sea urchins scattered across the ground—like the little black fuzzballs from My Neighbor Totoro. 

(Sea Urchin Spotting – 05/27/25)

Our next stop along the trail around the island was a sand bank right outside the island, otherwise known as a mound of parrotfish poop. We looked into the peaceful horizon, listening to the crash of the waves, and stared out into the horizon. I saw a leaf-shaped object drifting nearby and scooped it up to discover that it was a tiny, lifeless baby pufferfish. The view out was gorgeous, but turning back towards our island, microplastics lined the shore left and right. We’re planning a trash pickup soon to do our part and protect this beautiful place. 

(Gorgeous Waters – 05/27/25)

(Microplastics – 05/27/25)

Peace,

Lily H. 🙂 2025

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Day 15: Saying goodbye

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This was the last day, and it was entirely a travel day. We got up at 5:30 AM, ate a quick breakfast, and loaded up our gear onto the boat. After saying our goodbyes to the island, and doing a quick double check to make sure we had everything, we set out for Belize City.  The ride on the way back from Glover’s felt smoother to me than the one going out, but maybe I was just more used to it. It took around two and a half hours and then we were back at the Princess Marina, ready to load up the bus to the airport.

Things went smoothly at the airport. customs and security went quickly and we had a bunch of time to kill so we got an early lunch. They had two different flights to Houston boarding right next to each other at around the same time, which was a little confusing, but everyone got on the plane safely. We landed back in Houston around 6:00 PM. Passport control went smoothly and we gathered at the other side to pick up all the bags. I had to hand in my gear in the airport, because I was hopping on another flight which was supposed to take off two hours later. I said my goodbyes and set out to recheck my bags.

I thought that my travel day would be uneventful from there, but boy was I wrong. I was headed back to DC, and bad weather in the region meant that my flight was delayed by an hour and a half. That wasn’t so bad, it just meant that I would be getting back even later. When we landed in DC, though, there was some issue and they had us sitting on the runway for nearly an hour because there was some issue at the gate we were meant to be deplaning at. It was awful. By the time I finally got home, it was past 3 AM. What a day. I took a shower (my first with hot water in a while) and collapsed into bed.

This Belize trip was an amazing experience. I have a lot to reflect on in the coming days. This is the last daily blog, but I’ll have one reflection blog to wrap up my overall thoughts on the trip. The dust hasn’t really settled yet, but it definitely taught me a lot both about the specifics of rainforest and reef ecosystems and also more broadly about how science is carried out in the field. It exceeded my expectations in some ways, surprised me in others, and overall was an incredible journey.

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Day 14: Island Cleanup

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Today was our last day at the Glover’s Reef research station. I can hardly believe it! Today, we combined doing a little bit of cleanup on the island with our final experiment of the trip. we looked at the density of trash in several places on the island, hypothesizing that the regions facing into the atoll would have less trash on the beach than the areas facing outwards, towards open ocean. We went to three sites and took pictures and then cleaned them up a bit. We filled six large trash bags in total, but if we had had more we probably could have kept working for days. Lots of plastic had accumulated. When we got back, we analyzed our photographs and made our final poster. Looking at our pictures, we didn’t see a distinction between the different beaches on average. We estimated percent coverage of trash using evenly sized squares and still couldn’t see a difference, but it’s possible that our methods were imprecise or biased.

Working on our final poster

After lunch, we dissected lion fish. Lionfish are invasive to the Atlantic and can pose a huge threat to reef ecosystems, so removing them is actually doing a service—it’s another type of cleanup, in a way. It was cool to look at all the different internal structures of the lionfish. My group had a medium sized lionfish so we were able to make out all the organ. We even looked at what was inside our lionfish’s stomachs, and my group’s fish had four smaller fish partially digested. It was hard to make out what they were, as some were in a pretty broken down state, but there were a lot of them. One of them might have been a wrasse based on coloration. It was very cool to see. We removed the head and got a lesson on how lionfish suction feeding works as well. After, we turned them over to the professors, who made them into a delicious ceviche.

Our lionfish, de-spined and ready for dissection
Trying lionfish ceviche

After that, all that was left to was pack. It’s incredible that the trip is drawing to a close—it feels like it’s gone by so fast, but it’s also been jam-packed with tons of cool and interesting activities. I got to refine my scientific skills in a beautiful location. There were some uncomfortable parts, sure, but overall it was an incredible experience. Tomorrow we’re leaving at 6:00 AM. I’ll have more to say in my final blog, but my impressions now are definitely that this experience was something I am lucky to have and something that will be tough to top.

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Day 13: MPAs and coral health

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Today, we ran another experiment. We wanted to identify and analyze the impacts of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) on coral health. In MPAs, human activity is limited. This should theoretically lead to healthier and more stable coral populations. Glover’s Reef is one of seven MPAs in Belize, and we wanted to see whether that intention was actually working. In order to do this, we went to four locations—two in the MPA and two in unprotected areas—and looked at the coral there, analyzing the biodiversity and algae coverage. Each snorkel team looked at three sites per location. We took pictures of the coral with square quadrats to have evenly sized regions with which we could do our calculations. In total, each group would analyze 12 photos, and then we would come together and draw broader conclusions.

We set out later in morning. The snorkeling was fun and it didn’t take that long to lay down the quadrats—we were only at each location for maybe 20 minutes. I’m getting very used to the reefs—I feel like I know exactly what I’ll find beneath the surface. One exciting surprise was that we saw a dolphin near one of our locations in the MPA. It was tough to make out because it was far off, but what a cool experience. We got back around lunch and took a break to change and eat.

After lunch, we analyzed our data. Although we had limited sites, there seemed to be higher biodiversity on average in the MPA. Algae coverage is another metric of reef health, as fish populations will keep algae from smothering the reef. We were not in full agreement about whether there was more in the non-MPA sites, so we decided that aspect was inconclusive. Still, it did look like the MPA corals were healthier overall. We presented the poster—which is our fourth!—and then had some free time.

After dinner, we closed out the day with taxon & topic presentations. I had my last one today, on cryptobenthic fish. I think it went well! I’m glad that I’ve gotten to see some, and I feel like my classmates were interested in it as well.

Working on the poster
Snorkeling outside the MPA
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Day 12: Gotta catch ‘em all

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Today, in the morning, we got together as a group and analyzed our data from the fish follow surveys we did yesterday. One thing that was a little surprising to me was that the parrotfish were not regularly eating coral, but instead seemed to be scraping or pulling algae off the coral. I had thought that their diets would be primarily coral, but we learned that most parrotfish don’t actually eat living corals. We made a poster with some illustrations and tables showing what we had found and presented it out on the dock. At this point, by our third poster, we know the procedure by heart.

Working on the poster!

Later in the morning, we waded out into the shallow sea grass beds to collect critters for observation. We had to learn the stingray shuffle for safety—instead of taking big steps, take little shuffling steps, so that you don’t accidentally step on a stingray. That kicked up a ton of sand, so it was hard to see the bottom of the sea grass beds, but it still was possible to collect little sea creatures. We didn’t have to go far to find interesting things, and very quickly we were picking up small fish, crabs, and little arthropods. I was particularly won over by a larger snail we collected, which would intermittently shoot water at us out of the bucket. On our way back in, Elise caught a box jellyfish by accident, thinking it was something else. We quarantined it in its own tray for safety. We all came away unscathed, if a little sunburned.

Back in the lab, we broke out the microscopes to look at them closer. The seaweed samples we collected were teeming with life in the form of tiny epiphytes, and the creatures looked so interesting under the microscopes. We separated the crabs into an observation bucket as well—we couldn’t put them under the microscopes, of course, but we had little hand lenses we could use to look at them closer. We observed them until lunch and then, after lunch, released them off the dock.

My snail friend

In the afternoon, we hiked the interpretive trail around the island. It took us to the coral graveyard, a beach absolutely covered in fossilized coral. There were so many different types, although the branching corals did not survive as well as the mounding corals—because of their more fragile structure they tended to be more broken up. There were also fossil shells, including conch shells. Because they became more brittle when they fossilized, they were often broken and you could see the internal structure, which was super cool. I also found one which still had some of the original shell poking through the fossilized portions, which was neat. Unfortunately, the beach was also covered in trash, possibly from large storms. That was true for a bunch of the trail, which was a bummer because it was otherwise quite beautiful.

Half-fossilized conch in the coral graveyard

In the evening, we had planned to do a night snorkel but it was too windy and conditions were not safe. Instead, we dropped flashlights off the dock to attract fish and other interesting sea creatures. We caught some of them and put them in a bucket temporarily for closer observation. These included glass eels, the larval stage of the bone fish we had been seeing. Eventually we started to attract predators, including a small squid. We were all impressed, and started joking thst we should try and catch it. It was swimming close to the dock, but I assumed we wouldn’t be able to do it. Claire D gave it a shot and pulled it out of the water first try! It was super impressive. We observed it in the bucket for a little while watching it swim around, change colors, and even ink. Eventually, we decided it was time to release it and call it a night. What an experience! It’ll be hard to top.

Squid!!
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Day 11: Parrotfish Diet Exploration

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Today we did our first experiment out on the reef. After breakfast, we got together and designed the experiment. First, we formulated our question by brainstorming the things we had been curious about from our previous day out on the reef. We settled on parrotfish partially because we had been seeing a lot of them and partially because they seem particularly interesting. We decided to do fish follow surveys in which we pick an individual and observe them for a period of time, recording what they do in that interval. We were looking at their eating habits in particular, which are a bit hard to pin down. We ended up deciding to watch the fish for a total of 45 minutes, following individuals for five minutes at a time. Our first location in the morning was the patch reef and sea grass beds just off the docks, and in the afternoon we looked at patch reefs further out.

With our experimental designed, we had to pick our subjects to narrow down our focus. We opted to look at four species in particular and divided them up among the different groups. My group was looking at their redtail parrotfish, which we understood predominantly ate sea grass. We set out, staked out the sea grass beds by the dock, and started our time. We had trouble finding parrotfish close to the dock, so we kept swimming further out. As we got further from the dock (and closer to the reef), we started seeing more parrotfish, but not the ones we were looking for. We primarily saw striped parrotfish

In order to have replicates, in the afternoon, we went on the boat to a new patch reef. As an aside, we learned today that Glover’s has over 900 patch reefs, so I ill be saying ‘we visited a new patch reef’ quite a lot. We visited two patch reefs and they both seemed even more vibrant than the reef by the dock at Glover’s. We saw plenty more striped parrotfish in decently sized schools and were also able to see some of the redtail parrotfish as well. They seemed more concentrated on the margin of the reef, but they definitely were eating the sea grass. We also saw a fair number predatory fish, including a handful of barracudas. I think we started to see more species once we figured out not to swim so aggressively and instead to sort fo drift. We weren’t seeing the redtail parrotfish before because they were so skittish, but once we started drifting we saw all kinds of fish. I was also fairly impressed by the massive conchs.

In the evening, we were treated to presentations by representatives from the Wildlife Conservation Society, the Belizean fisheries service, and the coast guard, all of which operate out of this island. We learned about what each group does on the island and how the protected area is maintained. It was a nice compliment to the similar presentation we had at Las Cuevas. That might be one of the most valuable aspects of this trip, to me—learning all about how research stations operate and what researchers do there.

Overall, a hugely successful day! We’ll start tomorrow with data analysis and poster making from our fish follow surveys, and then move on to more activities. Apparently we’re not doing as much snorkeling tomorrow, but I’m excited to see what activities are in store on land.

Parrotfish swimming along coral and sea grass
Initial-stage parrotfish! Can you spot them?
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Day 10: Getting comfortable in the water

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Today was our first day of real snorkeling out on the reef. In the morning, we snorkeled right off the dock to make sure we could all comfortably swim and make sure we were comfortable with our gear. After about 15 minutes of practice, we swam out to a patch reef nearby and looked around for a bit. In total, in the morning, we were in the water for around an hour. I was surprised by how exhausting that hour was and how sore I was after. Being in the water for that long took a lot out of me. We also came out salty from the seawater and had to rinse all our gear to ensure that it wouldn’t corrode. It didn’t occur to me that that might happen but I suppose it makes sense. After rinsing our gear and doing a quick debrief, we were released for the morning.

I’m the afternoon, we took a boat maybe 10 minutes away from where we were staying and snorkeled there. It was super shallow and we had to be careful where we were swimming to avoid bumping the reef. The reef itself was super beautiful. We stopped at two locations, and they both were a host to an incredible array of fish and corals. We even saw a nurse shark and some rays! The coral itself was amazing to look at as well—after hearing all about it, I was super glad to be able to recognize some of the hard and soft corals.

The corals of Glover’s Reef atoll

I was looking for cryptobenthic fish. Because it was so shallow, I didn’t have to dive far to see them because the reef was so shallow, but I had a really hard time photographing them. Our phones were in these dry bags which protected them from the water, but underwater the touchscreen wouldn’t respond. After talking to some classmates, I eventually learned that you can open the camera app before and then just use the volume button to take pictures. I still had a bit of trouble—at one point, I accidentally took a time lapse, and then I accidentally took a slow-motion video (which caught some fish, but still). I also just had a hard time holding the camera steady and taking clear photos, and even in the clear ones it’s hard to make out the fish. Part of the problem is that they’re so small, well-camouflaged, and near the bottom.

Corals and sponges underwater.
I thought I had a cryptobenthic fish in frame when I took this picture, but I’ve lost it! Can you find it?

Technical difficulties aside, I did see some of my taxon. The most common cryptobenthic fish I could see are gobies and blennies. They’re both elongate, but gobies tend to be more streamlined while blennies are a little more round and often have . Insterestingly, I was only seeing gobies, and really only one particular genus—Elacatinus. I wonder if that’s because of the habitats or if it has to do with what I was primed or able to see. I’ll find out soon. I’m excited to see what types of experiments and tests we’ll do out here on the reef.

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Day 9: Hello, Glover’s!

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Today involved a lot of long rides. We left the Tropical Education Center around 9 or 9:30 and headed for the Princess Marina. The ride back to Belize City wasn’t as long as I was expecting, I think because we covered most of the distance yesterday. The restaurant this class normally eats at, right at the marina, was apparently damaged in a hurricane, so we improvised and went for lunch around 11:30 in a touristy little visitor center called Old Belize. Then we headed back to the marina and got on board. By 1:15, the boat was packed and we were off.

The boat ride was beautiful if a little bumpy. Once we got past the reef crest it was even getting a little air. The view off the boat was beautiful and we passed tons of little islands. There was even a point where we weren’t able to see land at all, in any direction. The breeze made it feel cool on the boat, also, which was nice. After two and a half hours, though, I was glad to be back on dry land. I was a bit sore from sitting and starting to feel a little queasy so I was grateful to see Glover’s and step onto the dock.

Belize city seen from the back of the boat.
Bye, Belize City!
Glover’s Reef Research Station, viewed from the boat.
Hello, Glover’s!

The island was really beautiful. Almost immediately, we saw tons of new amazing birds and fish. I was most impressed by the frigate birds, which sort of drift lazily instead of flapping their wings most of the time. I also saw a pelican fishing which was neat—it would repeatedly fly up a ways and then swoop down to snatch fish from the water. There were tons of fish as well—bonefish were very common and we even saw a nurse shark. On the island, there were also tons of coconut palms to see, along with mangroves in certain places. We also got to see a ton of little hermit crabs and some larger land crabs, which were a treat and very cute. I haven’t ID’d any cryptobenthic fish yet—those are the little ones that live around reefs—but I think we’re going out to the reef tomorrow, so I’ll probably have more to share then.

Bonefish!
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Day 1: First impressions of Belize

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This was the first day in Belize! We landed around 11:30 and, after about an hour going through customs and getting our bags, were on our way.  Even after our flight, most of our day today was travel, but that didn’t stop us from seeing some of Belize’s awesome biodiversity. It was especially good for me because my rainforest taxon was trees, which were plentiful and immediately visible outside the car window once we landed. It was immediately so green, even right outside of the airport. After we stopped for lunch, I was able to get my taxon ID sheet and better identify the species I was seeing outside the window of the van. We ended our day at the Crystal Paradise Ecolodge, where I was able to spend some time attempting to identify the species we saw.

A river with lush forests lining both banks.
The view from the van, lush and full of trees

Two particular families of trees stood out to me and were extremely common. One of them was palm trees—there were many more than I was expecting to see. I talked with Dr. Solomon about why that might be, and he noted that it might be due to the fact that palms are able to colonize disturbed areas, so they might live in regions closer to towns and cities. When I was doing my research, I focused more on the types of families you would expect to see in the rainforest, so  while we’re near towns it makes sense that we would see different types of trees. Unfortunately, they were not highlighted in my taxon briefing presentation. There will be opportunities to see the species I highlighted in the coming days, though.

Α palm tree stands among several other trees.
A palm tree at the Crystal Paradise Ecolodge

Some final interesting things I noted on our ride were several different types of tree management regimes. These included measures to protect trees from pests, like painting the bases white, as well as some tree farms or commercial tree-growing operations. Overall, I was able to make some solid initial observations of trees. I expect these will be slightly different from the trees I’ll see outside Las Cuevas Research Station in the coming week, and I’m excited to see what’s in store!