Date: Monday, August 4, 2008, around 11:00 AM
Location: Boston, Massachusetts. Lovell Island. Boston Harbor Islands, National Recreation Area. Rocky Shore Line on the Northeast side of the island (see map)
Environment: Sunny, in the mid 80’s. Tide was rising; the water was clear could see more then a three feet below the surface. Water temperature seemed warm.
Method: From the surface, observe the animals and plants in three different areas; the littoral fringe (high water mark or spray zone), the midlittoral (area between high & low tide marks) and the sublittoral (submerged or aquatic) in a 100-foot area. Then removed and replace specimens from each area to examine more closely. Record observations.
Tool: The full capabilities of the human body, note pad, pen, small knife, tape measure, digital camera, Peterson Field Guide, for the Atlantic Seashore.
Observation:
Littoral fringe (high water mark or spray zone): Several large sized granite boulders (4 to 7 feet in width and length) a sea wall possibly erected by humans, broken mussels and clam shell, large areas of gravely sand, numerous smaller white, black and gray rocks (1 to 8 inches), countless white and gray sea shells and clumps of brown and black dried out seaweed, several flies moving around on the surface and air and small patches of green with horizontal white strips.
Midlittoral (area between high & low tide marks): Large areas of red, brown, green purple and greenish yellow seaweed. Many of the unattached seaweed leaves resembled lettuce, kelp, rockweed and a brushy branch. Large areas of gravely sand, numerous smaller white, black and gray rocks (1 to 8 inches), countless broken and whole (less than a ¾ of a inch) white, gray and black sea shells a few of the shell had crab like animals inside. At the water line attached to rocks, a few small, less than 3/4 inch in size, blackish and bluish shell some were smooth to the touch others were rough and ridged on the surface, all contained a wet smooth blackish gray moving substance. Also attached to the rocks were several whitish gray, about a ¼ of an inch is diameter volcano shaped rough to the touch organisms. The rocks were lightly and sporadically cover with a green and brown slippery matter.
Sublittoral (submerged or aquatic): Attached and flowing with the water moment were several grouping of green, brown, yellow and red blades of seaweed. The top of the green and brown blades had were covered with brail like bumps several the bumps contained pockets of water and air. The green and red seaweed blades had broad fan like tops measuring between 1” to 3 inches. Also attached to the rock were a greater amount of the small, less than ¾ of a inch in size, blackish and bluish shell some were smooth to the touch others were rough and ridged on the surface, all contained a wet smooth blackish gray moving substance. The rocks were also home to a community whitish gray, about a ¼ of an inch is diameter volcano shaped rough to the touch organisms. Several rocks in the area of investigation had dime size areas of a smooth orange substance. The bottom surface was finer sand with countless off-white, black, gray rocks in various shapes and sizes.
Findings: By using the Peterson Field Guide, Atlantic Seashore
Littoral fringe (high water mark or spray zone):
The flies may have been sand flies or salt-marsh greenhead flies
Midlittoral (area between high & low tide marks):
The animals living in the light colored shells, were from the hermit crab family
The shells with the black substance inside can be basically categories as common and smooth periwinkle snails.
The small white volcano shaped organism could possibility be ivory and northern barnacles.
Sublittoral (submerged or aquatic):
Three to four forms of seaweed Rockweed, Sea Lettuce, Brushy Red Weed and Irish Moss.
The shells with the black substance inside can be basically categories as common and smooth periwinkle snails.
The small white volcano shaped organism could possibility be ivory and northern barnacles.
The other small area covering the rock in orange is Orange Sheath Tunicat
Conclusion: More data and analyses is required need before a final conclusion can be reached on which location has more bio-diversity, an Intertidal areas (i.e. boat dock) or sea or island zones (i.e. rocky shore).
Land Snails to follow, slowly …..
Question: Try to find, as many different varieties of land snails that exist on Lovell Island. (empty shells and living)
Date: Monday, August 4, 2008, around 12:30 PM
Location: Boston, Massachusetts. Lovell Island. Boston Harbor Islands, National Recreation Area. Trees and under growth near several different paved, grass and dirt trails throughout the island.
Environment: Sunny, in the mid 80’s. Dry. Rained the day before, the overall weather pattern has been very wet over the last few weeks.
Method: From the surface, observe the animals and plants in three different areas; in groves of sumac trees, areas of leaf litter that appeared cool and damp, and the trail edge for abandon shells. Then remove specimens from each area to examine more closely. Record observations.
Tool: The full capabilities of the human body, note pad, pen, small knife, tape measure, digital camera and Chapter 22, Terrestrial Gastropoda.
Observation:
Sumac Trees: Located four to five feet above the ground, in shady location on the underside of the sumac leaves found soft yellowy green snails with brown strips and brown snails with white or yellow strips. When the snails made an appearance two antenna like antlers grayish white body around their mouths were another probe. Their underside looked translucent with a whitish yellow color. The overall size ranged from 1.5 cm to 2cm. Generally shape (bump height) remained similar.
Leaf Litter: After trying in several locations; under downed tress, damp fallen leaves and damp grassy areas. I could not locate any snails.
Trail Edge: Randomly found several vacant snails shells ranging from light yellow with tan strips to bright yellow with black strips, to tan with white strips and brown with white or yellow strips in various shapes and sizes.
Findings (AKA Picnic table analysis) & Conclusion: How many different species of snails and snail shells did the class discover? Answer, One. With a high level of probability, we colleted several different variation (coloring and size) of a grove snails. Sizing and coloring are most likely the results of the snails environment and surrounding to protect against predators.
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