Tag Archives: Emily S

Travel Day/Reflection

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Photos taken by Scott Solomon)

-Emily

Day 14: The last swim

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

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

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

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

Digital Camera

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

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

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

-Emily

Day 13: Reef Mysteries

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

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

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

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

-Emily

Day 12: Catch of the day

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Screenshot

-Emily

Day 11: Parrotfish

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

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

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

(donkey dung sea cucumber found)

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

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

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

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

-Emily

Day 10: First dips

This morning we went out for our first snorkel! It was hardly a real snorkel, we really just dipped our flippers in the water and tested our new gear out. But still, it was a great time and I was reminded of how sensitive my eyes are to salt water!

(some pretty shells by the room)

In the afternoon, we set off for a deeper look into our taxa in the reef, and I got to see a lot of my piscivorous fish out in the wild! I saw several yellow jack swimming among sea roads, some black groupers near the floor by some dead corals, and also a Nassau grouper hanging out in a little creviceby the bottom of the reef. It was really exciting to see the fish after researching them before this trip.

Later on, some of us got dressed up to take pictures on the dock!

KODAK Digital Still Camera

This evening, we heard taxon presentations on angelfish, damselfish, and I did my topic lecture on the evolution and ecology of damselfish. I think the trickiest part of this week will be limiting my sun exposure, as I really do not want to get cooked on the trip.

-Emily

Day 9: Reef Arrival!

Today we set off for the reef! The boat ride from mainland Belize to Glover’s was so breathtaking and only a bit choppy in the middle. As soon as we got off the boat it felt like we were transported to a magical, new place. We got to just hang out a bit in the evening before dinner and presentations, which highlighted parrotfish, soft corals, and then a lecture on the ecology and evolution of parrotfish.

It was cool to learn about the hormonal mechanisms in parrotfish that cause them to transition from females into males if needed. Apparently, they also sleep for nearly 10 hours every day in a mucus bubble that protects them from potential predators.

The soft corals presentation really highlighted all of the soft corals we will be seeing in the upcoming days, which is getting me hyped for all of the snorkeling to come!

I have not seen any cockroaches on the island so far, and since we have not snorkeled yet I cannot report anything on my reef taxon. I have seen some insane crabs, though! The land crabs are so terrifying, I had no idea there would be so many of them or that they would be this large. I wish that they didn’t always hang out by the showers at night but it seems they are relatively harmless, just a bit terrifying.

-Emily

Day 7: Jungle Highlights-Mammals, Parasites, and the Puma!

This morning, we went out to collect our camera traps in the rainforest. We also learned about ant lion caterpillars and saw their homes underneath the lodging of the research station.

This afternoon, we went through double the usual amount of presentations, since tomorrow will  be our travel day. Overall, we learned about Fungi & Lichen, rainforest mammals, diseases and parasites, hard corals, sponges, and coral reef frameworks. I will include a little about what I learned from each of them.

For fungi and lichen, I learned about some cool different species. Turkey tail fungi are concave, fan-like, brown-grey in color, and grow in shelf-like clusters. The common tree oyster is concave, fan-like, solid, white-grey/brown, and also grows in shelf-like clusters. Common puffballs are convex, pear-like, solid white, have internal reproductive structures, grow individually, and are attached to decaying wood. The common green-shield lichen are foliose, have round lobes, grow loose to bark, and are light-green to yellow in their coloration. The common southern soldiers lichen have red reproductive structures, are generalists, and are usually green to grey in color. The asterisk lichen are small, tight and crowded in their growth patterns, and are often star-shaped. I also learned that lichen can grow on nearly anything, even a glass bottle!

On rainforest mammals, I learned that they all have lightweight bones and flexible joints. Some of the most interesting species discussed included the jaguar, margay, procionidae, and coatimundi. The jaguar is South America’s largest cat and is the apex predator of the jungle. It is very muscular, has a distinctive pattern on its fur, and apparently there are around 400 that live in the Chiquibul rainforest. The margay are small, noctournal cats with a distinctly rounded head, large eyes, and a very long tail that climb head-first down trees. The procionidae family includes racoons and they are distinctive for their elongated bodies and shortened legs. The coatimundi is diurnal, have long, pointed snouts, and tails that are nearly half of their body length. Mammals are essential for seed dispersal and pollination in the rainforest. Also, bats are the only winged mammals in the rainforest. It was really cool to learn about all of these mammals, so far the only ones I have seen are goutti in the garden and bats in the rafters.

The diseases and parasites lecture was really fascinating and it made me very glad that I had my Malaria meds with me. Apparently malaria has been in decline and dengue fever has been on the rise based on recent studies. Yet, we also learned that malaria cases are widely under-reported, and many more people get the disease than most numbers suggest. There were several other diseases highlighted in the lecture, but the main takeaway for me was to wear bugspray consistently and light layers whenever I’m in the rainforest.

The hard corals presentation was a fun change of pace since it was the first reef lecture we’ve had to far! Corals are the backbone of the reef ecosystem and are comprised of groups of polyps. They have tentacles and are often engaged in symbiotic relationships with algae species. Also, they are all capable of stinging!! I already knew that some coral were venomous, but I had no idea that they were all dangerous, which is important to know before getting there.

Sponges are quite simple organisms but it was cool to learn a bit more about them. As an organism, sponges’ living strategy is working as a conglomerate of cells together, each cell processing oxygen and CO2 and discharging waste into the sea. They can reproduce sexually or asexually, with there being some tradeoffs for each method. For sexual reproduction, sponges will bud, which results in no genetic diversity, and they cannot get very far, but it is safer and more reliable than sexual reproduction. Sponges may participate in sexual reproduction if their own environment is in danger and they need their offspring to go further.

The final presentation on coral reef frameworks taught me a lot about the overall diversity of the coral reef. There are a lot of destructive forces that can harm reefs, and they are an extremely delicate ecosystem.

Looking through our camera trap photos this evening did not disappoint at all! My camera honestly captured

one of the best photos with a puma strolling down the path!

Tonight, we had a little campfire in the rainforest and had a great time reflecting on our highs and lows of the trip so far. I said that catching the puma on my camera was definitely a high, and that findings all of those cockroaches in my bed on night 3 was a low. It was lovely to just stop for a moment and reflect with everyone on how special this trip has been.

KODAK Digital Still Camera

Tomorrow we will depart and make our way to the ATM caves! So I’m (hopefully) off for an early bedtime.

-Emily

Day 6: Sunset Spires and Pitfall Surprises

Morning cave expedition!! This morning, I got the chance to finally do a bit of laundry while the first round of TFBs went into the Las Cuevas cave system. Afterwards, we quickly set off to collect our pitfall traps, wanting to waste no time. Around 11:30am we returned with the traps and began the presentations for the day.

The first presentation focused on bees, and I learned a few things that made me less afraid! So many of the bees here are actually stingless, or not aggressive. There are a few species that have been Africanized and are actually quite aggressive with stingers, but for the most part it sounds like they are not out to get me.

We also learned about arachnids, one fun fact was that the red rump tarantula can be crushed and combined with alcohol and herbs to treat muscular dystrophy!

(Lizard caught by the cave)

So, going over the results from our pitfall trap experiment was honestly quite gross. It smelled awful by the sink and I felt so bad for Sam, who had to go through all of the samples and identify the (pee-covered) ants, which was unsurprisingly the most common taxon caught in the traps. I made the drawing for our poster methods which was quite fun!

This evening, we hiked to the bird tower for sunset! It was absolutely unreal seeing the rainforest from that vantage point. I just couldnt believe how lucky I was to be up there taking it all in with th other TFBs.

Once the sun had gone down on our hike back, I think I saw a few cockroaches come out! I definitely saw a few of the brown-banded cockroach, or supella longipalpa, hiding around some bark and leaves on the way back to Las Cuevas, and I think I may have also spotted a peppered roach, too!

-Emily

Day 5: Defenders of the forest

This morning we analyzed results from our cecropia tree experiment, studying how the defense mechanisms in colonized vs un-colonized cecropia trees differ, if they do differ at all. Right after, we jumped into a fascinating presentation done by the head of Friends for Conservation Development (FCD), Rafael Manzanero. It was fascinating to hear about the history of the organization: starting with humble roots as a group of friends who would hike for days in the Chiquibul forest, documenting their findings, to a significant NGO with millions of dollars in funding.

As I am interested in attending law school after graduating, I was particularly interested in learning about the ethical and legal dilemas that FCD has faced over time. He explained how poor people are often the ones involved in illegal rainforest activities such as smuggling, cattle ranching, and drug cultivation, and that sometimes FCD is forced with tough decisions surrounding law enforcement. Their primary mission is always to protect the rainforest, but it can get tricky when someone is caught with only a couple dollars worth of illegal contraband on them and no other methods of securing income. Although this can be difficult, he noted a positive: this dilema has generated greater concern among the international community surrounding rainforest conservation. Yet, due to the lack of a clear border between Guatemala and Belize, it is tricky and complicated to enforce any guidelines. Territorial disputes are currently before the Belizean appellate court, but it is hard to make definite laws when persons are found operating illegally on the Beilze-Guatemala adjacency zone.

One specific issue that is currently facing the Belizean government has to do with cattle ranchers raising cattle within the Chiquibul forest. Rafael posed the question to us: without using lethal force, how can the cattle ranchers be moved? He noted that there are potential connections between the cattle ranchers and drug cultivators, so it is challenging to incentivize the ranchers to re-locate. These complex issues made me interested in researching more in the field of environmental law, as I had previously only heard from the perspective of big oil and gas lawyers.

As a fun little break from our presentations, we hung out with a stick bug outside the classroom! He loved climbing up our arms and on our heads!

 

The morning taxon presentations featured formidicae and epiphytes in Belize. Honestly, ants have been my absolute favorite taxon to learn about on this trip so far. I was fascinated by the zombie fungus that can sometimes infect ants. Apparently, the fugus can infect ants and demand them to climb to a specific height on trees, sprout a mushroom out of the ants, and then spread to other ants through air-borne spores. Further, when ants figure out that one of their kind is infected with a fungus, they will quarantine the ant in a chamber of the colony on its own. Also, there are certain species of cockroaches that will sometimes copy the scent of certain ants and live in the colony their entire lives. Epiphytes are a bit less naturally intriguing to me, but I still enjoyed learning about the plant mutualisms. Today’s lecture highlighted plant-animal interactions, and it was interesting to learn a bit more about some of the interactions we have been observing in the field such as acacia trees and pseudomyrmex ants, leaf cutter ant mutualism with fungi, and Belizean orchid bees with orchids.

This afternoon, we did a deep dive into leaf cutter ants and disrupted two colonies: one young and one old. I learned so much about them and specifically their queens! Apparently, leaf cutter ants partake in a unique (never been seen before) mating ritual only once in their lifetimes where the queen will fly up into the air, mate, and then return to the ground to start their colony. With the first colony we disrupted, the younger one, there was an ant with her fungi, which allegedly goes for around $1,000 in insect trade. The next colony we disrupted, the older one, was much much larger and the ants fought back when we uncovered them. On top of all this, we even spotted one of the cockroaches, which appeared to be a giant cockroach, that hang out with leaf cutter ants! I could hardly believe my eyes when he came crawling out of the ant hill. It was excreting a sticky substance off of its back to defend itself.

Tonight we went for a night hike and saw a lot of crazy bugs! We found a cockroach in some leaves that appeared to be either a brown-banded cockroach or oriental cockroach, though I am still a bit unsure. I also saw a smokybrown cockroach on a branch.

Overall, it was a super fascinating day and I loved learning more about this awesome species.

-Emily