Today we researched if MPAs vs non-MPAs have a higher species richness and fish abundance based off number of coral species and number of fish and other organisms. We met in the morning to discuss this research project and complete a plan. Once we had our plan down to use quadrants we set off to two non-MPA sites and two MPA sites. In one of the sites we saw jellyfish (we were later informed that these jellies don’t sting). We also saw a dolphin at the last site!
In the afternoon we discussed our results and made a poster. We concluded that MPAs or marine protected areas had a higher species richness and more fish abundance. Visually Zoe and I also noticed that the non-MPAs had way more algae coverage and the coral reefs themselves seemed to look more dead. No eel sightings today.
Today we finished our parrotfish study. We concluded that parrotfish mainly eat algae. On the reef Zoe and I saw numerous stoplight parrotfish. We met as a group for most of the morning and made our poster. In the afternoon we met to walk the trails around the island. We went to “the graveyard” which is a beach full of fossilized corals and shells. We learned that these shells and corals all eventually become the limestone that forms the caves of Belize. It was really cool to see how the dead and bleached corals looked compared to the living ones that we have been seeing on the reef. We also saw several critters such as sea urchins, sea snails, a sea star, and more.
We also waded through the sea grass to see what we could find. The highlight was a huge crab and a couple fishes!
At night it was too windy for a night swim, so we dropped a light off the dock and observed and caught several things that were attracted to the light. The plankton is attracted to the light, which attracts the fish, and the fish’s predators. We were able to see glass eels (the larvae form of fish and eels that swim in open ocean), shrimp, fish, and a squid! Claire managed to catch the squid and we got to see it ink! We searched up what the glass eel was and it was a bone fish larvae.
Hi all, it’s Faith with Day 5 updates from the 2022 Belize trip!!!
DISCLAIMER: I just wrote this whole blog, and then the draft didn’t save, so here is an abridged version of what got deleted since we wake up at 6am and its almost 11 and I’m really tired 🙂
Today we woke up and continued collecting data to answer our research question. We did two snorkels on MPA reefs ( we called them MPA reefs 1 and 2, boring I know). These reefs had more cover than the non-mpa protected areas; however, they also had a lot of algae growth. Because these reefs were deeper and the tide was calmer, it was easier to measure the % live and dead coral. We also were way more successful at catching urchins. We caught about 113 total with the majority being E. viridis. However, we also saw 3 pencil slate urchins E. tribuloides, a west indian sea egg Tripneustes ventricosus (We had a bond. He latched onto me with his tube feet and held on for dear life, so I named him Fuzzy), and a super special live Clypeaster rosaceus sea biscuit. (We usually find them dead so we got very excited). Lastly, but not least the Marine sea offcicers found some brittle stars for me since I can’t ever find them. We saw a common spiny brittle star Ophicoma echinata and a O. cinera, a banded brittle star. They were both found under rocks and coral. We only found one Diadema antillarium today and he was under some coral. We did see a nice eel on this reef (pictured below) he didn’t scare me. I decided to call him Floyd.
After the boat drove us back, we watched 3 presentations on crustaceans, green algae, and climate change’s effects on coral. Then we enjoyed some relaxation before out next dive.
Our final dive of the day was at the seagrass beds and barrier reef behind our dorms. I noticed big differences between the two areas even though they were right next to each other! The seagrass beds were extremely warmer with ample algae and a greenish water color. Meanwhile, the barrier reef was freezing cold with a pretty aqua color. It had dead coral piled up the the surface, but sea urchins and other small creatures made their homes in the rubble. I didn’t see any echinoderms in the seagrass beds, but we saw a an eel, a stingray, 3 lionfish, 3 lobster, a white anemone, spaghetti worms (which are very fun to mess with), and a pufferfish. The pufferish and eel scared the living daylight out of me because I found them by being directly above them (which made them very upset). The eel snapped at me, but the pufferfish just stayed in place. It was scary… I named the scary eel Jade, and he has no picture.
We came back to watch 2 presentations: 1 by the coast guard and 1 by the island manager. I learned lots of interesting facts about how they keep the island “human-free.” But the most interesting fact to tell all of you is that I’m too short to join the Belizean coast guard. You have to be 5’3″ to apply as a girl and 5’5″ to apply as a guy!!!
Till tomorrow!
QOTD: “It’s commiting crabicide!” … “Did you just say crab-i-cide?”
“What does TBF mean?” (TBF, aka Tropical Field Biologists, aka what we have been called since our first meeting in March)
Banded Brittle Star O. cineraLive Sea Biscuit Clypeaster rosaceusThe puffer that scared me terribly. I was chasing after a stingray, and next thing you know I’m in a pufferfish’s personal spaceFloyd, the nice eel
Unfortunately, today the weather was still too windy to go to the reef crest or to do the night snorkel. Instead, we did specimen collection on the back reef and a quick dive on the patch reef before dinner.
In the specimen collection, we picked Udotea flabellum, Halimeda tuna, Halimeda monile, Halimeda incrassate, Dictyosphaeira cavernosa, Caulerpa urvilleana, Acetabularia calcyculus, Penicillus pyriformis, Valonia utricularis, and Rhipocephalus phoenix green algae.
Some brown, red, and green algae samples we collected.
We also brought back a Sun Anemone, a Mantis Shrimp, a Queen conch, circle marked brittle sea stars, a bearded fireworm, and a baby Caribbean reef octopus.
A Queen Conch
During our dives I spent a lot of time looking for fish. I saw more Blue Tangs, a Spotted Moray eel, a French Angelfish, Four-eyed Butterfly Fish, a Cat shark (?), a Grey Angelfish, and French Grunts.
The tail of a Spotted Moray Eel.
It is hard to believe that tomorrow is our last full day on Glover’s Reef. It will be nice to be less salty than I’ve been, but I am really going to be sad leaving this amazing place, especially if we don’t get a chance to go to the reef crest before we go.
