2022 WSU Vancouver Marine Invertebrate Communities (Biol 486) blog
Beginning on 29 May 2022, a group of WSU Vancouver students will take part in a field course to observe marine invertebrates in their native habitats using a natural history and ecological approach. We will explore communities along the southern Oregon coast ranging from the rocky intertidal habitat at Cape Blanco to the sand dunes north of Coos Bay. Sandy beaches, estuaries, and mud flat communities will also be explored. Participants will reside and work at a marine lab on the southern Oregon coast.
This blog will describe the activities and habitats explored by Marine Intertidal Communities participants.
Sunday – 29 May 2022
Jaci Jones
I write to you all from the grand dormitories of University of Oregon’s Marine Biology building. Thanks to Dr. Berger’s excellent driving skills we have all arrived safe and sound. On our glorious drive we shared much wisdom; how to approach roundabouts, what nudibranchs look like, and Chris had some very interesting facts about the toxin that newts produce: tetrodotoxin. We were able to make a few pit stops, one of which being the Dean Creek Elk Viewing Area a little past Reedsport. It was there that we spotted several cows (female elk), a couple barn swallows in their nest, and a red winged black bird. We then arrived at the dorms. We got a tour of the grounds, created our homes away from home, had some dinner, and got into the nitty gritty of what was planned for the following day. We were introduced to the equipment available for our trip. One interesting tool was the monofilament quadrats, a square made with PVC piping with 64 sections inside. This tool is used for measuring diversity within the square as well as abundance of organisms. Another tool available was the refractometer which allows you to test for the concentration of a substance in liquid. In our case, we would use it to test for salinity in the sea water. We ended the night with a delightful discussion about natural history and why we thought it’s beneficial to think and learn about previous observations and what is known. Tomorrow is an early day, so for now I will retire to my bunk. Tata for now.
Dining Hall classroom lab
OIMB Dining Hall
Pycnopodia helianthoides (sunflower star) in a tank. This sea star will be used as part of breeding program to help rebuild the population.
Monday – 30 May 2022
Kaden Lana
We started today bright and early and were out the door by 5:35. After our short drive to Cape Arago we made our descent onto the beach. It was low tide when we arrived, so we made quick but safe work of setting up our base camp, after exploring the local tidepools of course and making new friends such as Pete the polychaete. We then separated into two groups and began doing tests on the biodiversity of differing locations at low tide and at medium-high tide. After our tests were written in our notebooks we packed up our things and moved to the other tide pools that were further away from the beach. These tidepools had more wave exposure and had a wide variety of organisms including a red urchin that we estimated to be around 150 years old! Continuing our journey across the tide pools we found a piece of petrified wood which is the state gem of Washington. Across a barrier of rocks we found even more tide pools that were absolutely covered in purple sea urchins that had dug themselves into the rocks. We then left the tide pools and headed back to the van to have lunch then proceed to our next adventure to the sandy shores of Lighthouse Beach. There was a slight detour and we were not about to go to the planned area at Lighthouse Beach however, but we were able to go to a nearby sandy beach to attempt to observe invertebrates in a sandy shore habitat. The only invertebrate that was found was a mole crab which is a filter feeder. After that excursion into the sand and crashing waves we came back to the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology to have a lecture about the topics of climate change and how it is affecting the marine ecosystems.
Here we all are on the other side of the tide pools after we explored and collected all of our data. Behind us were lots of holes created and being lived in by purple urchins.
The polychaete that was collected and then given the name Pete the Polychaete. This specimen was collected towards the beginning of our excursion.
Roughly estimated 150 year old red urchin that we found after packing up our base camp and moving to the other group of tide pools.
An example of how the diversity data was collected. Each of the squares counted as around 1.56% of space so we estimated what percentage of the area each animal in the square covered.
Tuesday – 31 May 2022
Chris Mead
Your favorite invertebrate marine biologists were back at it again today, facing their stinkiest mission yet… THE MUD FLATS! After trekking across the flats, the team began digging beneath the muck and mire to discover an anoxic (oxygen deprived) layer of black sand underneath…
This anoxic layer is home to many bivalves, filter-feeding, segmented tube worms (polychaetes), and some crustaceans. One species of bivalve that was regularly found throughout the morning was the bent nose clam (Macoma nasuta). This small clam, as the name implies, has a bend in the lateral portion of its shell. Several times, the team was able to uncover the large clams Tresus capax (the fat gaper clam) and Saxidomus gigantea (butter clam). T. capax is a very large clam that is distinct in that it has a large gap in a portion of the shell along the margin. This can lead to other organisms, like tiny crabs, getting inside the clam and making it their home too!
Similar to yesterday, distance from the shore was measured and height readings taken. Half-meter plots were drawn out every two meters and then excavated. The big find of the morning was a large ghost shrimp (Neotrypaea californiensis)! This large white shrimp was discovered while trying to dig up an S. gigantea. The team was shocked when, upon inspection, it was discovered that this ghost shrimp had very large clutches of eggs. These eggs are kept on the underside of the tail (the ventral side), between the legs and the shell.
In the afternoon, the team relocated to their new area of study, the docks. At the docks, any object trailing or floating in the water was fair game to be pulled up and inspected. Words can’t describe the amazing worlds that exist on the underside of a floating buoy! Opalescent nudibranchs (Hermissenda crassicornis), commonly called sea slugs, were found hiding amongst small mussel beds. Unlike terrestrial slugs, these nudibranchs are brightly colored, with orange, silver, yellow, and blue. A large piece of floating rubber attached to a dock revealed a kelp crab (Pugettia gracilis). This interesting species has a unique, somewhat trident-shaped carapace.
The bright-eyed team headed back to the lab to explore their newfound creatures and learn what they could about the day’s discoveries. When the sun was setting, the team took a quick break to head to the beach and bid the day farewell. Heading back to the dorm, each team member was looking forward to the extra hour of sleep we would be getting in the morning and could not wait to see what adventure awaits in the new day…
The mud flats and measurement setup. Smells like rotten eggs (hydrogen sulfide)!
T. capax aka the fat gaper. Note the large gap in where the shells, known as valves, meet at the top.
The ghost shrimp (N. californiensis). It looks like a small, pale lobster. When moving in water, it curls its tail rapidly to “scoot” away!
This is what is on the bottom of a buoy!
H. crassicornis, aka the opalescent nudibranch, is a sea slug with beautiful coloration. The colored filaments that look like hair are called tubercles.
Sunset from the OIMB breakwater
Wednesday – 1 June 2022
Autumn Sicard
We finally got to “sleep in” a bit today and woke up around 7 am for breakfast, lucky us! Today our plan was to traverse the ocean waves upon the OIMB vessel, sort out the grimy details of our independent research projects, and visit the Marine Life Center.
Starting off, we took the very long journey across the street to the marina where the OIMB vessel was docked. We suited up in our fancy orange life jackets before boarding and getting the safety run-down from Captain Tyler Manning. We were prepared for calm, smooth waves according to the weather but once we exited the marina, we all had to grab on and turn ourselves into gyroscopes. The waves were rougher and much taller than predicted and that took a toll on our stomachs. One of us (definitely not me) was moments away from losing their breakfast during our first trawl. Our first trawl was about one mile off shore, about 60 feet deep, and produced enough sand dollars to make a red rock crab rich! I would estimate hundreds of sand dollars were pulled up. We decided to change course due to the weather and green faces after that. We returned to the bay where we did two more trawls. Thankfully the bay was smooth sailing and we recovered from our uneasy stomachs. Each of these trawls gave us a huge pile of old shells with sea stars, red rock crabs, Dungeness crabs, sponges, and even an old beer bottle full of mud.
After lunch, we met up in the library to discuss the details of our independent research projects. We have split into two groups. One group is planning on determining the size and sexes of the two species of porcelain crab (Petrolisthes cinctipes and Petrolisthes eriomerus) at different heights in the intertidal habitat. The other group is planning on determining the density and coloration differences (symbiont differences) in sea anemones (Anthopleura xanthogrammica) at different heights in the intertidal habitat. We finalized the details of supplies needed, methods to use, and questions to ask for tomorrow.
After our brainstorming session in the library, we headed back across the street to the Marine Life Center. There we saw an amazing assortment of, you guessed it, marine life. In one section, we could look at and touch many of the marine invertebrates we have familiarized ourselves with these last few days. To list them would take up the entirety of this page, so I will spare our fellow readers from that! We also were able to view many full and partial skeletons of marine mammals as well as a large collection of shells. We spent time reading the plaques and observing the interesting specimens there for a while before heading back to campus.
To finish our day, we walked down to the small collection of stores at the end of the road to buy some snacks, smoked octopus tentacles, some fun souvenirs, and enjoy the weather. After dinner it’s straight to bed. We have to leave here at 5 am to drive to Cape Blanco where we will perform our experiments. Check in tomorrow to read all about it!
Walking down the ramp to board our trusty steed of the morning!
The massive pile of sand dollars we pulled from our first trawl!
A variety of sea stars we collected from the second trawl!
A selfie from some of the crew aboard the boat!
Thursday – 2 June 2022
Jacob Winters
It was an early start for us this morning as we had to leave OIMB at 5:00 am, but somehow we managed to gather all our equipment, research materials, lunches, and stray classmates into the van and get on our way to Cape Blanco. And almost on time, too!
Although we were all bleary-eyed and half conscious, we used the hour-long car ride to Cape Blanco to wake up and prepare ourselves for the long day ahead. Afterall, today was the main event: the research projects!
Our group split into two teams to conduct research in the intertidal zone; the first decided to study sea anemone (Anthopleura xanthogrammica) size and color distribution, while the second, infinitely cooler group (which coincidentally happened to be the group I was in), decided to research the size, sex, and distribution of two different species of Flat Porcelain Crab (Petrolisthes cinctipes and Petrolisthes eriomerus).
Despite the perils of conducting research in such a wet, slippery environment, both teams managed to collect enough data for our projects, although both teams were forced to dramatically modify their research projects to accommodate limited time, specimens, and the rising tide.
Exhausted but triumphant, we made the long, steep walk back up the cliffs to the van. On the way to find somewhere to eat lunch, we stopped at the Hughes House, a historic homestead built in 1898. Although much of the house and furniture had been renovated, some of the original wood and tile work remained to be viewed by visitors. A fascinating, and quite possibly haunted, place to visit!
Once we were finished, we piled back into the van and made the short trip to the nearby Elk River, where we stopped to have lunch on the banks of its crystal clear, turquoise waters. After we’d enjoyed our lunches, and a few members of our group made the somewhat questionable decision to take a dip in the frigid water, we loaded up into van to finally head back to OIMB.
The foggy view that greeted us in the morning.
Both teams of researchers braving the cold, slippery beaches of Cape Blanco.
Searching for Flat Porcelain Crabs hiding under rocks.
Panoramic view the rocky intertidal zone of Cape Blanco where we conducted our research.
Group photo of the entire crew after climbing the steep trail back to the van.
The beautiful turquoise waters of Elk River where we had our lunch.
Friday – 3 June 2022
Georgina Morgan-Rush
What a week it has been so far, from rocky intertidal zones, to soft sands, to trenching across the mud flats while trying our best not to lose a rubber boot to the mud. We have now arrived at our last full day here at OIMB in Charleston, Oregon.
Our bittersweet last excursion entailed a more technical side of science that allowed our team to further understand the interconnection between freshwater and salt water environments that creates causes and effects on the life that surrounds it. The place where fresh and salt water meets is known as an estuary, and they can be formed in various ways. Our fabulous team of biologists lead by the great Dr. Michael Berger explored a tectonic estuary today. These are formed by Earth’s tectonic plates sinking to fold into one another creating depressions allowing seawater to flood into the river. The goal was to analyze differences in salinity, pH, temperature and oxygen levels along three separate sites of the estuary using a refractometer, pH meter, temperature probe and oxygen meter respectively.
We set off about 8am for a quick drive down the road to the first site near the mouth of the estuary where sea water intrusion occurs. The tide was out, and blimey was it mucky. Saturated with scents of sulfur as our boots brought up anoxic layers of mud, so without saying we got straight to work. The team collected a couple cockle shells on our muddy trek back to the van and the tiredness sat in a little as we started talking to each other with the cockle shells on our way to the next site. The second site was roughly four kilometers from the mouth and required us to take a short, but beautiful hike to the slough slide pilings. The area was much less windy than the first, and because the tide was still out, three of the biologists volunteered to brave the shin-high mud to collect some of the water to bring back and test on a peaceful bench. We also snacked on pickle weed found in the area and I even garnished my breakfast sandwich with some pickle weed, which added a nice crunch and salt taste to it. Once measurements were recorded we headed on to our last site where the water way was noticeably narrower and vegetation was more abundant. Once again measurements were taken, but at this site we also measured something called the benthic boundary layer. This is the layer between a stationary object and liquid flow where velocity of the flow increases further away from the substrate. To test this, we used a very high-tech wooden stick with five holes drilled into it and placed it into the sediment in the general water flow direction. Some fluorescent dye was squirted through a pipette at the five different holes in the stick all at different height levels. The team timed how long it took for the blob of dye to flow one meter away and although we are a group of scientists we were still stunned that the results indicated that science was really real.
The rest of the day was spent doing some last minute “nerding out” of some of the species caught throughout the week under the microscopes and attending an incredible seminar about a recent deep-sea expedition to hydrothermal vents in the South Pacific. OIMB biologists Caitlin Plowman and Lauren Rice truly inspired our team and reminded all of us how magical the marine environment is and how undergrad students like ourselves have an array of opportunities at our fingertips to dive into an unknown world just as they did.
Jaci and Georgina happy to have made it to the water without sinking in the mud completely. Here they are standing on wood from an old railway to keep them from getting stuck.
This is the idea of how the benthic boundary layer test was set up in the water to time the velocity of water flow at different height levels from the stationary sediment.
Pickle weed from our expedition to the estuary garnished on a sandwich.
The peaceful rest area at site two on the estuary where water was tested after the three biologists were able to collect some of it.
Here you can see the dark anoxic mud layer being exposed as we walked through it.
Saturday- 4 June 2022
Mike Berger
The day began with another filling meal in the OIMB dining hall. Shortly after breakfast, we headed out for one last field trip to re-visit South Cove at Cape Arago State Park. This was an opportunity for course participants to put to use, their knowledge of intertidal communities and look for organisms of interest. The weather was a bit windy and drizzly, but that did not stop anyone from exploring.
After exploring the intertidal for a couple hours, we returned to OIMB and finished packing up all of our equipment and belongings. One final meal at OIMB fueled us for the dive back to WSU Vancouver.
Exploring the intertidal at Cape Arago
Waves crashing into the shoreline.
This concludes the Marine Invertebrate Communities Course Blog