USFSP: a week of adaptations

Slippery Dick from previous cruise on the
R/V Weatherbird II

This week might have deviated from schedule but provide a host of new knowledge from experts in the fields.The highlight of this week was intended to be a cruise on the research vessel the Weatherbird II. Due to mechanical problems the boat could not be used.We did get a chance to tour the vessel and talk to the crew who were able to their stories with us. We adapted and continued to do the same activities that we would have done, but with samples from pass cruises. The identification skills we have learned over the past weeks came in handy while narrowing down the species such as the Slippery dick in the picture on the right. We learned about the adaptation that the organisms we were id'ing  have to live on the bottom and the open ocean. We received a guest lecture on plankton that reminded us while they may be quickly dismissed when you think of typical ocean life, but they are important as part of the food web for the species that normally cross our mind. Thursday was a release from the classroom and an adventure in the mangrove tunnels at Weedon island. We got to run water quality test out of the kayaks, which was a first. I saw my first night heron in the wild, which I was able to identify from the ethograms that we did during our time at the Florida aquarium. The aquarium provide an opportunity to see much of what we have learned about in one place along with some species to look out for on our next adventure.

took a little shortcut, only got stuck for a second