Dr. Owen O’Shea, Associate Researcher with the Shark Research and Conservation Program at The Cape Eleuthera Institute, recently visited the Haynes Library in Governor’s Harbour to deliver a talk on sharks and rays to around 40 young people and members of the Bahamas Reef Environment Education Foundation (BREEF). In his 90-minute presentation, Dr. O’Shea covered important aspects of shark ecology and biology in The Bahamas and held an open discussion on why sharks and rays are so important for ecosystem function.
Dr. Owen O’Shea speaks about the importance of sharks and rays.
The children that took part in this sea camp were aged between 8-14 and were all captivated by the images, videos and stories that Owen shared with them. “They were all so knowledgeable about the sharks in these waters,” said Owen afterwards, “it was remarkable that a group of young people were aware of the global pressures facing this group of species and wonderful to hear that many intended on applying for CEI Shark Program internships in the future.”
“Delivering outreach is an essential tool for scientists’ working at CEI and this was no exception,” added Owen. “I certainly think there were many future marine scientists sat in the audience.”
Shark Research and Conservation Associate Researcher Dr. Owen O’Shea recently attended the 30th annual meeting of the American Elasmobranch Society in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Dr. O’Shea presented his paper ‘novel observations on an opportunistic predation event by four marine apex predators’ co-authored by John Mandelman of the New England Aquarium, Brendan Talwar of Florida State University and Edward Brooks, program manager at The Cape Eleuthera Institute.
Dr. Owen O’Shea in Tennessee at this year’s annual meeting of the American Elasmobranch Society
Earlier this month was the return of Camden Hills Regional High School for their sixth visit to CEI, and Oceanside High School’s second trip alongside Camden. It was another stellar year of exploration, science, research and reflection.
Students focused on research during their time at CEI. They were not only getting out there and assisting our resident scientists with their data collection, but also coming back to the lab, sifting through video footage, % cover of seagrass and trying to work out where all the conch have gone. For these students science came alive. They were able to see what goes into real research, where time, weather, tide, and sharing resources play factors into every minute of every day.
Two students IDing some seagrass out in the field
The students final presentations were outstanding. With only three – four field days and approximately 10 hours of data analysis and thought time, they provided the community with well-rounded projects. Not only did they analyze data, they were able to offer thoughtful insights into why their research matters. Continue reading →
The Island school summer term went out with the deep-water research group, led by Mackellar Violich to pull up traps from 1200 meters deep. The baited traps are set off the wall, and traps are pulled in the following day. Researchers then identify, measure, and record all of the organisms from the traps.
IS students out with deepwater research team,
This research project is focusing on finding the biodiversity and abundance of benthic scavenging species that live between 500-1400 meters deep in the Northeast Exuma sound.
The team recently pulled up Bathynomus giganteus, a large isopod and some Simenchelys parasitica, or pugnose eels.
Students working up organisms collected in deep water traps.
Students on the lionfish team discuss their project with Dr. Stephanie Green.
Congratulations to all of the Spring 2014 Island School students who gave oral and poster presentations at the Research Symposium. This event is a culmination a semester-long research class, where students become involved in all aspects of research. It is a chance for them to showcase the data that they collected, along with real world implications of the work.
We had many special guests in attendance this semester:
David Knowles, Director of Parks, Dr. Ethan Freid, Chief Botanist, and Camilla Adair Deputy Preserve Manager at Leony Levy Preserve, the Bahamas National Trust
Dr. Andy Danylchuk, past Director of the Cape Eleuthera Institute and currently Assistant Professor of Fish Conservation at UMass Amherst, collaborator with Flats Ecology program at CEI
Dr. John Mandelman, Director of Research and Senior Scientist at the New England Aquarium, collaborator with Shark Research program at CEI
Dr. Brian Silliman, Associate Professor of Marine Conservation Biology at Duke Marine Lab
Last week, the Island School campus was inundated with the parents of the Spring 2014 students. Aside from campus tours and a breathtaking art gallery, parents also got to witness the students give scientific research presentations pertaining to the research projects they have been involved with all semester.
The Deep Water research group giving their presentation.
Each presentation was ten minutes long, and followed the format of a professional scientific presentation, explaining background on the topics, the current problem, the methods used to collect data, data analysis, and interpretation of results, ending with why the project matters and what can be done in the future. Parents were thrilled to see the young scientists give their first real talk in front of a large audience. Each student group also fielded questions from the parents.
The importance of scientific outreach is empirical to the goals and objectives of the Cape Eleuthera Foundation, aiming to educate and inspire the next generation of young scientists.
Friday 14th February saw the arrival of the Deep Creek Middle School’s seventh grade to the Cape Eleuthera Institute, as part of their current ‘Schools Without Walls Program’. The program allows students to experience education outside the 4 walls of an ordinary classroom, and throws them head first into aiding and studying current scientific research practices. The goal of the project is to offer an alternate learning experience in which students have the opportunity to ‘learn-by-doing’.
Fridays class lead by shark team’s Mackellar Violich and Oliver Shipley
Friday’s class was led by the Shark Research and Conservation Program’s Mackellar Violich and Oliver Shipley who tackled the topic of deep ocean exploration using the MEDUSA BRUV (Baited Remote Underwater Video) Unit. The MEDUSA Unit was kindly donated by CEI collaborator and senior board member Dr Edith Widder, from the Ocean Research and Conservation Association (ORCA – www.teamorca.org) in fall 2013 for her second spell here at CEI. This specific study aims to assess the abundance and diversity of organisms occupying the great depths of the north-east Exuma Sound ocean trench, using a relatively non-invasive video technique.
Retrieving the MEDUSA alongside the Cobia.
The session exposed students to the different oceanic depths zones, and their associated biological characteristics, as well as an informative breakdown of MEDUSA’s components and mechanical operation. Students then travelled out on the Cobia to aid and witness the first Medusa deployment and recovery since October 2013, as well as having the opportunity to snorkel the deep-blue of the Exuma Sound.
The Shark Team plan to continue their seasonal deep-water surveys in the coming weeks, allowing for a comparative analysis with the 9 successful deployments last semester.
Handling a yellow stingray prior to blood sampling.
Thursday, February 13th, researchers from the Shark Research and Conservation Program completed the second round of sampling for the program’s stingray physiology project. The project aims to understand how the immune response of yellow stingrays (Urobatis jamaicensis) changes as a result of long-term exposure to a chronic stressor. After Thursday’s sampling, stingrays will be exposed to increased levels of dissolved carbon dioxide for two weeks at levels forecasted from climate change models. This project has implications for better understanding the long-term responses of sharks to a chronic stressor since stingrays are closely related to sharks, and it is more practical to keep stingrays in a lab for long durations.
Drawing blood from the caudal vein using 27 gauge needles
A typical sampling event involves drawing blood from all 20 stingrays. Blood is drawn from the caudal vein running along the bottom of the tail. The vein is encased in a cartilage sheath and is so small that needles used are 0.016 inches, or 0.4 millimeters, wide. Blood is prepared in a neutral buffered formalin solution and smeared on slides in preparation for tests to determine the total white blood cell count and proportions in which different white blood cells occur together. Sampling will occur three more times until the end of the month, at which point all current animals will be released, and 20 more will be caught for a second replicate.
Preparing blood smears on slides for differential white blood cell counts
The research team is particularly excited because this is only the third study to observe changes in immune function in sharks and rays, and this is the first study to observe changes in the immune response over a long duration. This project is a collaborative effort between researchers at the New England Aquarium, Carleton University, the Baltimore Aquarium, and the University of Illinois.
Visiting CEI for the first time, 26 students and 4 professors from the University of Exeter, UK, completed a 12 day program during 6th- 17th January. As part of a field trip module, where students can choose to explore South Africa, Borneo, the Canary Island or The Bahamas, these final-year college students started off the New Year with an immersion into tropical marine ecosystems and conservation. Over the course of 12 days, students got hands-on lessons about the major ecosystems and habitats right on their doorstep here at Cape Eleuthera. What better way to learn about mangrove flats than snorkeling through the creek channels and peaking into the roots of red mangroves and seeing all sorts of juvenile fish species that would normally live in this type of habitat? The team also had a class on bonefishing in the Bahamas, reef fish identification and patch reef surveys.
Edd securing the head of a bluntnose sixgill Hexanchus griseus caught in 700 meters of water
The students spent time with the shark research team at CEI. Highlights included catching a smoothskin dogfish and a rare sighting of a recaptured bluntnose sixgill shark with the deepwater shark team; they also tagged several sea turtles! The group also visited Jacks Bay to survey seagrass and encountered numerous turtles and spotted eagle stingrays there.
Measuring the sixgill
The group also had the opportunity to explore Eleuthera and went down island to check out the most narrow place on the island, Glass Window Bridge. They also swam like royalty in the Queens Bath and paid a visit to the Rock Sound Ocean Hole. Over a BBQ on their last night, students and professors reflected on how anxious they were a year ago while planning for this trip and how fast it went by now it is over. Some students commenting that this trip had exceeded their expectations. Everyone in this group experienced something that they had never seen or done before, whether it be snorkeling, touching a shark or holding a turtle.
A Cuban dogfish Squalus cubensis immediately prior to release
The University of Exeter left CEI and The Island School satisfied.Their first field course to the Bahamas was a fun-filled, educational, and life-changing one. The professors of this group are now planning for another visit next year and more years to come, with more students! Thank you everyone that took part in working with this group. Your hard work is really appreciated!
Shark research associate, Owen O’shea, with juvenile tiger shark caught on longline.
The Maine School of Science & Mathematics blessed us with their presence for the 4th year in a row here at the Cape Eleuthera Institute! Dr. Debbie Eustis-Grandy and Dr. Gregory Hamlin, both teachers from MSSM in Limestone, Maine, lead five brilliant boarding students through a two week research program with Cape Eleuthera Institute’s shark researchers- Edd Brooks, Owen O’shea, Ian Bouyoucos, Ollie Shipley, and Mackey Violich.
Students learning about the anatomy of the invasive lionfish with Alicia Hendrix, CEI’s research technician for the sustainable fisheries program.
Students were specifically looking at the effects of longline capture stress on the blood chemistry of Caribbean reef sharks & nurse sharks, focusing on glucose and lactate levels within the first 30 minutes of capture. Students worked alongside the shark crew in the field longlining for shark. Their first day in the field they caught a juvenile tiger shark with a total length of just 134 cms! This data will contribute to CEI’s shark longlining database and be used to research the potential effects commercial longline on shark species. Students analyzed blood chemistry data on Caribbean reef sharks and nurse sharks provided by the CEI’s long term database. This data was used to draw conclusions on the different stress response of species with various life history characteristics. Continue reading →
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