Farewell Blog Post

I, like many people, never had the strongest affinity for science, but to my surprise, this class has truly changed my feelings about the discipline. I think part of my aversion to the sciences was because they are mostly done in the abstract (like chemistry - when am I ever going to have first-hand experience with atoms?), but this class was almost completely interactive and experience-oriented, which could be why I was able to really enjoy myself. It was great to spend so much time touching, smelling, seeing, and even tasting, the things we were talking about in class. Much of what we learned was practical knowledge that extends to all scientific study, like understanding what kind of sources are trusted and reliable, and also taking into account how personal values are very important in science and determining what is important to an individual.

I also really enjoyed this class because I have learned about so many different seashore creatures, and what effects they have on the environment. We saw many types of fish, periwinkles, tunicates, sea squirts, sea stars, barnacles, different kinds of seaweed, and so much more! I now feel more knowledgeable about what is in the water around me, and I was glad to learn so many interesting things. For example, before this class, I would have never thought that a small, invasive species like the common periwinkle could have such significant effects on the ecosystem. Also, before this class, I probably would not have considered swimming in the Harbor, nor could I have imagined I would be eating raw fish from it!

This class sparked my interest in the Boston Harbor and waterfront, and has helped me to get out of the “BU Bubble” and to become better acquainted with and knowledgeable about the city in which I live. 

Day 6: Aquarium

Today the plan was to go on a catamaran to go whale watching at 10:00. Unfortunately, at 9:45 we were informed the trip had been postponed and the noon trip was looking as if it would be cancelled as well. To help assuage the disappointment of not being able to see whales, Stevie, Stephen, Coulter, Karissa, Chris, Antoine, Terry and I decided we would go to the aquarium together.  Although I had been to the aquarium one time a few years ago, I felt this experience was very different because I was able to identify some species, and Karissa was like our own personal guide! I love the big tank in the middle of the aquarium; I think the design is very well done because you are able to observe so many different sea creatures from many different angles. We saw three sea turtles, some sharks, and countless fish. My favorite parts of the aquarium were the touch-tank (because I now feel fearless and will touch any creature), the penguins, and the different jellyfish. Although I was disappointed not to see any whales, I still had a great day at the aquarium. 

The group of us who went to the aquarium:

Some of the pictures from around the aquarium:

Day 5: Harbor Planning Hearing

Today in class we discussed sustainability with respect to the striped bass. We discussed how sustainability is the goal of regulations, but compromise and disagreements about the right course of action make any real change difficult to achieve. We then discussed the reading on Voodoo Science and The Tragedy of the Commons. I felt that the Voodoo Science chapter was easily understood and helped to convey the importance of peer review in scientific studies, and fraud usually is the result of skipping this important step. The reading about the Tragedy of the Commons was more difficult to understand, but after we discussed it in class I was able to understand the core concept: that people cannot figure out how to act in the interest of the common because people are more inclined to act in their own self-interest; therefore we all lose. The writer contends that the two ways to get people to act in ways that are not in their own self-interest are through education and legislation. The striped bass’ numbers got very low because it had not been regulated, but now the population is looking to be more sustainable.

After class we went to the Downtown Waterfront Municipal Harbor Planning Advisory Committee meeting. We heard presentations concerning the future of The Marriott Long Wharf, the Long Wharf (the public area), and the New England Aquarium. It was nice to see how many busy people care so much about the future of the Boston Harbor that they were able to make a meeting in the early afternoon on a Wednesday. The presentations were given and people were able to ask questions and to voice their concerns. The first presentation was from Yanni Tsipis, the Senior Vice President of Colliers International who was advocating for the Marriott Long Wharf activation Project. I personally found his presentation to be interesting because he gave a lot of historical background on the Long Wharf, beginning around the time of the Second World War. I had always thought the Marriott had an interesting design, which I attributed to an architect’s unique vision; however, the building was specifically designed in that way for security. Apparently, the Long Wharf was a “gritty” area, so the Marriott was designed to provide “interior safety from outside dangers” in the sketchy area. The presentation by Dick Mulligan seemed to be more vague than the preceding one, but he, too, spoke about trying to open up the Long Wharf area so it could be more easily accessed by the public and help tourism in the area. The last presentation on the proposed renovations for the aquarium seemed like it would also contribute to the aesthetics of the area; however, it would cost between $25 and $30 million. I feel that the open forum for the planning meetings helps to keep the public aware of what is happening in their community and also provides an easily accessible way to ask questions and voice their concerns. 

Day 4: Lovell's Island

On our fourth day of class, we went on the Boston Belle. We departed from the dock adjacent to the John Joseph Moakley Courthouse at about 8:35 am. The water clarity in the harbor appeared have improved from the day before, which had to do with the fact that the sky was clear and blue. By 9:00, we were fishing at our first fishing location, where we could see the dying diatom; we could tell the diatom was dead because it was floating on the top of the water, and looked like brown pollen. At our first fishing location, we caught several black sea bass in rapid succession. The first black sea bass I saw was about 9” long, and the next one was significantly larger, at about 15” long. Caption Charlie informed us that these two black sea bass were female because they were a brighter turquoise shade of blue, and did not have lumps on their head. I was surprised today to learn how interesting black sea bass actually are. Black sea bass are hermaphroditic fish; they are born female and later in life, as they age, became male. During their transition from female to male, their turquoise shade darkens and their color becomes closer to black. Also during their transition, they grow a lump on their heads. By looking at their color and their heads, it is pretty easy to tell if the black sea bass are male, female, or in transition. Early on at our first fishing location we caught a few bregal or coners. The first one was about 5” long and was a nice light blue, almost pearl color. The number of black sea bass was very telling of the relatively healthy conditions in Boston Harbor. According to Bruce, black sea bass were not found in any large numbers in the Harbor until about 3 years ago, which signals that things are changing, and that perhaps they are migrating here because the water is getting warmer than it used to be. At our first fishing location, the depth was about 20’ and the visibility was fairly good.

En route to our second fishing location, Bruce dissected a black sea bass. The scales of the bass were fairly small and thin. In the bass’ stomach were a few shrimp. We were also able to tell that the bass was just transitioning into male.

At our second fishing location, we were off Long Island and near Spectacle Island. The first striped bass we caught was very large compared to the black sea bass; it was 30” long. The striper was covered in sea lice, which is important because sea lice only live on fish in open water; the sea lice indicate that the fish was migrating in open water, and probably came into the harbor to feed.

After our second fishing location, we went to Lovell’s Island, which I loved. I found the tide pools incredibly interesting and had a good time examining the species present within them (while swimming!). The tide pools were fairly rich and clean, as indicated by the presence of sea life there. The tide was getting higher and higher quite rapidly during our time on Lovell’s, and it was actually shocking to see how different it was from the time we arrived to the time we left. When we left, you could not even see the tide pools any longer, because the water was so high around the rocks that they were no longer visible. We got to the first tide pool at about 11:30, and by 12:20 the water was coming in more rapidly. As the tide was rising, the water got cooler and less transparent. I was able to glean from the appearance of the green algae that the tide zone was going to be pretty high (because the green algae is present in the intertidal zone), but I was still surprised by how quickly it changed.

At the first tide pool we saw many different species. There was an abundance of the invasive Asian shore crabs, which are blue in color. We also saw periwinkle, rockweed, fledging birds, green algae, North Atlantic barnacles, and hermit crabs—all of which, other than hermit crabs, we saw yesterday at the docks,. The species looked less lively though, because they were much more spread out because they were not confined to the limited space on the side of a dock; the intertidal zone of a tide pool is much more spacious than that of a dock. At the second tidal pool we saw most of the same species as the tide was getting higher and higher; however, I noticed two tiny patches of orange sheath tunicate. On the docks we were at yesterday, orange sheath tunicate was in abundance, which was quite a contrast from what was found in the tide pools. Tunicate are a species that start off swimming and smack into rocks or other hard surfaces and attach themselves and grow, so the larger hard-surface area at the dock could be one of the reasons for this. Also, the extreme weather conditions we had in Boston in the past twelve months could also explain how few orange sheath tunicate there were.

On the way back to the Barking Crab, Captain Charlie dissected and filleted the striper. The striper was a female and contained roe (fish eggs) inside. The stomach contents were a few shrimp, but not many.

This day was very informative and I enjoyed all of the hands-on activities we participated in. I went out of my comfort zone by eating the ceviche Bruce prepared for us right on the boat, and by touching all of the fish and even the crabs!

Day three

On our third day of class, we met at the Marriott Long Wharf. Today, July 14, 2013, the low tide was at about 10:04 am, so we were able to observe how different the same area looked in low tide from when we saw it yesterday afternoon when it was about halfway up the sea wall. Today, because it was low tide, we were able to observe species in the intertidal zone such as rocks, seaweed, algae, and even a crab (which was later eaten by a seagull), with pretty good visibility.

As we continued our walk around the Long Wharf area of the Harbor, we stopped to observe a different part of the sea wall that was next to a floating dock. It was interesting to see how, depending on the location, the algae’s color varied from bright, vibrant green to a much darker shade of green. The color was the bright green in the places that were most exposed to the sun, and darker green in the places with less sun exposure and more water exposure.

We continued our walk along Boston Harbor and stopped to feed and watch striped bass on the south side of the Harbor, and then to the aquarium to observe some Atlantic harbor seals.

Then, we moved to an area where we went onto some docks where each group examined a pillar. My group observed that the water was fairly transparent, and we estimated that there was about four to six feet of visibility. We saw blue mussels (description below) that went fairly high on the pillars, above the water line. I speculated that perhaps they went so high because of the shifting tide. They also appeared to be more concentrated on the right side of the pillar, which was closer to the dock than to the open harbor.

A number of intertidal species were firmly planted to the pillar, which we determined could be blue mussels, sea lettuce, orange sheath tunicate, and numerous barnacles (descriptions to follow). The barnacles went almost entirely up the pillar.

We then moved on to the dock at the Barking Crab, which was also a floating dock. We observed a number of interesting species, many of which we had seen at the dock we had been to previously, which indicated to me that the species must be very common in intertidal zones in the area. My group was composed of Sarah Grose, Stephen Loughran, Yue Chan, Yahir Flores, and myself. We observed:

Sea Lettuce:

•  Bright green and almost translucent. It had rounded fringes, and it appeared to be very thin and flowed easily along with the current.

Purple/ reddish plant:

• This plant was one that looked like sea lettuce to us. It was very thin, and had a deep purple/ reddish color. 
• This plant had leafy parts that were larger than the ones we observed on the sea lettuce, and they appeared to be much more rounded.

Rockweed:

• We saw the rockweed floating on top of the water, it floats because the rock parts of this type of seaweed are actually what appear to be pods
• The pods are in pairs and had what felt like little rounded spikes on them
• The rockweed were dark green and had a reddish/brown tint in certain parts

Orange Sheath Tunicate:

• We saw the orange sheath tunicate many times from a distance throughout the day; however, we did not get to closely examine it until we got to the dock at the Barking Dog
• The Orange Sheath Tunicate had attached itself to one of the blue mussel shells and appeared to be a bright, vibrant orange amorphous blob
• Felt spongy, slimy, but was still had substantial strength was demonstrated by the sturdy grasp it had to the dock
• It had a lot of little creatures living on it, the creatures looked like little mites or sea lice

Golden Star Tunicate:

• On the shells of mussels

•  Crusty and kind of jelly-like texture that was flat and had very tiny pores
• Inside the pores, it looked like there were tiny, almost clear, stars in the center

Barnacles:

•  Appeared on the surface of the mussels and some of the plants and the flat surfaces (like seawalls and docks)
• Opening slit in the middle, where the creature comes out of it
• Very small, only a couple of millimeters in diameter
• Despite their small size, they are able to maintain a very strong grip
• When touched, the little creatures retract
• They appear in large clusters
• Off-white color

Crab:

• Professor Berman caught was a female, according to him
• 7 legs in total and 2 claws
• One of the legs appeared to have been missing, because the left side had four and the right side only had three
• Reddish-brown underbelly and darker brown top of the shell

Fish:

• We were able to scoop up a fish in a plastic container

• 2-3 inches long
• The top of the fish was yellow and orange colored. It was speckled to look like a stripe
• Silver/white underbelly
• Very narrow body, moved quickly, and went to hide under the sea lettuce for cover. When the sea lettuce was moved aside so the fish could be observed more clearly, it would begin moving about erratically and appeared to try to jump out of the container

Mussels:

• About two inches

• Covered with barnacles and little sea creatures and vegetation
• Attached to the walls of the dock and the pillars
• Appeared in clusters and sometimes even piled on top of one another

Day 2: Boston Harbor

Today in class we went on an excursion to the Long Wharf where we boarded a boat to familiarize ourselves with Boston Harbor. Thirty-four islands currently comprise Boston Harbor; however, some of the islands were flattened and repurposed for the expansion of Logan Airport.

Earlier in the day, we learned about the detrimental effects people had on the Harbor that resulted in extremely polluted water.  I was fascinated to learn that water, like land, can be fertilized by waste. By the 1950s, so much human waste had been deposited into the Harbor and that directly correlated to algae growth. I never realized the significant effect the growth of algae has on the environment, and it surprised me to learn that it can lead to anoxic water (a lack of oxygen in the water), thereby creating unlivable conditions causing a copious amount of fish to die and wash ashore. Today we saw the two islands that were used to treat wastewater, rather than directly disposing of it into the Harbor: Nut Island and Deer Island. 

While on the boat today, I saw Boston from a completely different perspective than I ever have before, and I now feel I have a deeper appreciation for the city and the surrounding area. I found the names of some of the islands especially entertaining, because many were named in a way that seemed so simple and rational: for example, Spectacle Island because it resembles glasses, or my personal favorite, John Quincy Adams Island, because it looks just like him (just kidding, that would be one ugly island!).

I also found the anecdote about Nixes Mate very interesting; I had not realized that pirates were ever an actual threat to Boston, nor had I realized that some people believed G-d would personally take a stake in demonstrating a man’s innocence by sinking the Island to prove a point.

I really enjoyed the afternoon on the boat, and feel that I have already learned so much. I also found it inspiring to see a real example of the remarkable things people can achieve when they join together and pursue improvement. The Boston Harbor exemplifies the best of human capabilities: the ability to take one of the most polluted and disgraceful bodies of water and convert it into a beautiful and clean one that can make the people of Boston proud. 

Day 1: Determining Draining Direction

Brief Bio:

My name is Berit, and I am a student at Boston University studying history. I am from Florida and I grew up only minutes away from the beach. I am taking this class not only because because I needed a science course and this one was recommended by a number of people, but also because the topic was one that I thought would be interesting. I've spent my entire life around beaches. I have been fortunate enough to travel to beaches as far east as the Mediterranean Sea and the Dead Sea, and as far west as the beaches of the French Polynesian Islands in the South Pacific. My experiences have strengthened my affinity for the ocean and beaches, and have also shed light on how different various beaches are from each other—or even themselves at different points in time.

Field Trip to the Bathroom:

Today in class we took a field trip to the bathroom to perform an experiment to determine which direction water drains from a sink in the Northern Hemisphere: clockwise or counterclockwise. My group consisted of five people, and we performed the experiment two times. On the first attempt, a few moments after the water drained, we reached a consensus that the water drained clockwise. On the second attempt, we reached a consensus again, that the water drained clockwise. It may have been difficult to properly discern the way the water was draining because we did not fill the sink up entirely during either of our attempts.

Research:

Upon researching the topic, it would appear that our conclusion would have been incorrect because water in the Northern Hemisphere is pulled by the air which causes it to drain in a counterclockwise direction. The Coriolis effect explains why water in the different hemispheres drain in different directions: simply, because of the direction of the earth’s rotation. However, research on the direction water drains from sinks in either hemisphere of the earth is influenced by things other than the Coriolis force; instead, for small-scale bodies of water (e.g. a sink or bathtub), the direction in which water drains is determined more directly by the shape of the sink and of the drain. From what I have gleaned from my internet research, the Coriolis effect is more applicable to large-scale air movements like the direction the air blows from hurricanes, typhoons, an cyclones.

Sources:

http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/mysteries/coriolis.html

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=can-somebody-finally-sett

http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/D3.html