Yue Chan: 6th post

It saddens me to know the class is now over. I have not had as much fun with a class since 5th grade when I attended a weekend field trip to Tybee Island, Georgia and romped around salt marshes and horseshoe crab laden beaches. It was an incredible time learning about Boston Harbor's native and non-native species, the history of each island, how to fillet caught fish, and appreciating the beauty of this one of a kind harbor.

I originally signed up for this class expecting to familiarize myself with the geography and fauna of Boston Harbor in a stereotypical Boston University classroom with a couple short field trips, and having to sit through lectures about the basics of marine biology. It was a pleasant surprise to be taught more about Boston Harbor's history than the basics of marine biology, the field trips were more than just a couple, and learning about the fauna was taught by encouraging us to run around exploring Boston Harbor for ourselves with some guidance. I have to admit, I have great difficulty with a typical classroom setting and having to sit for too long, and so this class was really up my alley. 

Thank you Professor Berman for showing me first hand what the biodiversity of Boston Harbor is, how committees consider waterfront planning, how to identify non-native marine species, and the amazing work that you and Save the Harbor, Save the Bay have done to restore this gorgeous harbor. You have been an incredible inspiration to me, and I hope to follow in your footsteps in saving what I love and influencing others to see the value in that. Thank you so much. 

Yue Chan: 5th post

On July 26th, we attended a public hearing that discussed tentative plans about waterfront planning. It was my first public hearing and though I was not well versed or knowledgeable about the topic, I still found the discussion to be fascinating mostly because it was interesting to see the types of people who attended this meeting and the opinions that were voiced.

The most interesting highlights of the hearing for me was the Marriott Long Wharf Edge Activation Project and the plans for the New England Aquarium.



It was interesting to learn that the Mariott Long Wharf hotel was originally built to keep everything inside safe and to block everything outside. The simple solutions suggested to overcome this obstacle was genius in that they were very simple ideas, such as including glass panels for a sun room type setting around the building. They were also very interested in improving the public realm which was impressive to me. Including the public seemed like a very profitable idea for both the hotel and the public. 



During the New England Aquarium's, plans were proposed to increase public awareness of the identity of the aquarium, bringing their educational mission outside of the building, and to increase the visibility of of the aquarium. I especially loved the idea of providing free education outside of the building for public access. Spreading knowledge is invaluable and I'm so happy to hear the aquarium understands that. 


This hearing was also fascinating to me to see such a skewed and unfair representation of the public. The people who showed up and actually bothered to voice their opinions were so few. I wonder how hard it must be to appeal to the larger public's attention and encourage people to attend these hearings. Hopefully, I'll be able to attend more hearings in the future for subjects that interest me.

Yue Chan: 4th post

July 15, 2013

On this day, we embarked on an unforgettable adventure filled with fishing, swimming, and splashing around like playful dolphins. Along the way we inspected, pawed, juggled, and ate various colorful, live, and fresh sea creatures in and around the shores and ocean. We began the day at the Courthouse Docks still rubbing the sleep out of our eyes, then boarded the Belle, a fishing boat with a crew of lively fishermen, and sailed away toward Lovells Island stopping along the way to fish at a couple spots. Here are the observations I made throughout this remarkable journey:

• ~8:30AM Courthouse Docks
• clear skies
• blue, clear waters reflecting the skies
• gentle breeze tickling my shoulders
• sun rays just lighting up the city, but still considerable amount of shadow in between buildings and on docks
• receding tide
• boarded the Belle
• sailed away headed toward Lovells Island
• salty wind whipping through my hair, once we started sailing
• engulfed by the scent of the sea
• ~9:15AM somewhere in the Boston Harbor
• tide still receding
• stopped the Belle to fish
• brighter, more glaring sun than before
• put on my reflective shades
• everyone who wanted to fish was given a rod
• sea worms were used as bait
• many legs that looked like short triangles, blue stripe running down back of worm, large black pinchers that were hidden and protruded when biting
• looked frightening when one was biting Professor Berman's finger--it was scraping his skin away!
• at first I was uneasy about attaching them to the fishing hooks, since I was only familiar with using earthworms (without scary pinchers), but sea worms turned out to be quite easy to attach to a hook once I got the hang of it 
• several Black Sea Bass were caught
• dark colored, glimmering scales, slightly lighter underbelly than top
• one black sea bass had a large hole near its dorsal fin which I was told it was a scar from being speared
• I caught one! It was an exhilarating experience.
• one mackerel was caught, then hooked onto another fishing rod and thrown out to sea to be used as bait
• slim, roughly 5 inches long, 2 toned coloration: dark colored on top, nearly white on its underbelly
• Striped Bass was hooked and Professor Berman skillfully reeled it in
• ~30 inches
• female
• 2 toned fish, dark upper half, lighter lower half
• ~12:30PM arrived at Lovells Island
• strolled around Lovells Island and followed the trails to the other side of Lovells Island for its shore and tidepools
• clear waters
• low tide, receding waters when we first arrived
• lush forest inland away from shore
• sun quite hot and beating down on us
• we explored both the benthic region of the receding tide line and the tide pools left from the receding tide lines, here was what I observed:
• there were many small, ~2 inches wide, box like, blue tinged crabs scuttling about, in benthic region, under rocks in the open air, and in tide pools
• was told by Professor Berman that they were invasive Asian shore crabs (not found in field guides)
• many small snails in benthic, tidepools, and under rocks with spiraled, blunt cone shaped shells, had dark operculums, dark colored shells, dark grey colored body
• most likely common periwinkle snails due to the blunt conical shape of the shell, the small 1 inch long size, and having dark gray colored insides
• vibrant orange, asymmetrical blob-like structures attached to fouling habitats on rocks, attached to mussel shells, star shapes where forming
• most likely orange sheath tunicates
• flat jelly-like structure on fouling habitats found on rocks, sprawled on mussel shells or sea squirts, dark-green star patterns
• most likely golden star tunicate
•  brownish-reddish worm, similar to those used as fishing bait, segmented, 2 black pincers, found in mud under a rock, small 4-5 inches long, many triangular shaped feet
• most likely a pelagic clam worm because it was found under a rock on open shore in mud, near low-tide line water, and not found in a bay or estuary to to distinguish it from a clam worm
• many mussels found on rocks among other fouling species, found in clusters, in tide pools
• most likely blue mussels due to bluish-black sheen
• ~5-6 inches long sea squirts, whitish-grayish color, leathery skin, did not occur in colonies, two siphons, squirted water when squeezed, solitary, on rock
• possibly a striped tunicate because it was found solitary, and in low tide-line
• single shell, clam like shell, found on rocks, sometimes on top of each other, ~1-2 inches, whiteish colored with variations of purple stripe patterns, domed, attached tightly to hard substrates, tasted delicious live, inside of shell had a slipper-like shelving, oval shaped, pointed dully on one end
• most likely common slipper snail or "boat snail" (Crepidula fornicata) due to oval shape, with apex turned to one side, found near low-tide line
• observed green algae-like covering on rocks, seemed like carpet on rocks exposed to air
• large piece of brown kelp found on detached rock

Yue Chan: 3rd post

Explorations around Long Wharf and the docks in and around it revealed quite a number of intriguing species to play with and learn about. We stopped at multiple locations to inspect each habitat and the species that teemed in them. Here are my observations of each location:

• 9:42AM @ "Berman's Beach"
• tide low, continuing to recede (sand above tide was wet)
• light/variable wind
• sun bearing down through clear skies
• temperature was hot
• water fairly clear, could see into it for about 3-5 feet
• location: where Long Wharf and Christopher Columbus Park meets
• bit of trash scattered along the shore
• species observed with naked eye and from a distance:
• green, lettuce-like seaweed of some sort, swaying back and forth in water with tide, and on shore where water was earlier; subtidal and intertidal
• dark brown rockweeds clinging onto seawall, exposed to air; intertidal
• brown seaweed of some sort, swaying back and forth in water with tide, and on shore where water was earlier; subtidal and intertidal
• purple seaweed of some sort, swaying back and forth in water with tide, and on shore where water was earlier; subtidal and intertidal
• mossy-looking, green plant covering seawall; intetidal
• brown small crabs scuttling about in shallow water; benthic 
• white seabirds perched on seawall and floating in shallow water
• brown land bird smaller than seabird pecking at sand on beach
• black land bird with iridescent sheen on feathers perched on seawall gazing into the sea
• broken and intact clam shells visible on sand scattered about
• blue mussel shells visibly scattered on sand
• Floating Dock next to previous location
• tide low, continuing to recede (sand above tide was wet)
• light/variable wind
• sun bearing down through clear skies
• temperature was hot
• shallow water, floor seen, ~1 feet deep
• fouling species covering metal pole and floating dock where submerged
• species observed:
• green, lettuce-like seaweed attached to metal pole and all along dock; subtidal
• green moss-like plant covering rocks open to air; intertidal 
• brown seaweed anchored to metal pole and all along dock; subtidal
• reddish-brown mossy seaweed; subtidal and intertidal
• vibrant orange blobs attached to metal pole and floating dock, sharing space amongst many other fouling species; subtidal
• small 2-3 inches crabs, dark brown; benthic 
• rockweed attached to rocks, exposed to air; intertidal
• small, narrow, darting, dark brown, fish swimming around fouling species
• ~11:00AM @ south side of Long Wharf
• many boats and docks
• many people
• threw bread and seaworms into waters by docks
• species observed:
• large fish, about 2-3 feet long and a foot tall, with distinctive stripe on its scales, 2 tone (upper dark, lighter underbelly), splashing at the surface of the water
• possibly striped bass because Professor Berman seemed very excited and sure that they were striped bass
• Aquarium
• public viewing tank of sealions
• some sealions sunbathing
• some sealions swimming about, basking in the attention

outline of a sun bathing sealion

• pillar underneath a dock

  

  amateur sketch of pillar observed

• waters quite clear, could see into it to 4-6 feet
• temperatures hot
• shaded area
• could not reach and inspect species in detail, had to view from 2-4 feet away
• observed species:
• mussels curled around pillar in clusters, hanging closely to the waterline, many were encrusted with other things such as barnacles, seaweed, and vibrant orange blobs
• barnacles covered the entire upper pillar above the water
• vibrant orange, asymmetrical blobs under water swaying with current, encrusted to mussels or pillar
• white spongy, tube-like form encrusted to pillars and mussels, under water swaying with current
• green algae-looking growth at top of the pillar with brighter green growth at the very top and darker green growth toward the bottom
• ~12:00PM @ Barking Crab Docks
• inspected fouling species anchored to the floating docks
• water clarity reached about 4-6 feet
• hot temperatures
• clear, sunny sky
• few people
• few boats
• observed species and personal identification using "Atlantic Seashore: A field guide to sponges, jellyfish, sea urchins, and more":
• green, lettuce-like seaweed of some sort, anchored to dock walls, bright green, translucent, rounded fringes, relatively thin, flowed with water
• possibly sea lettuce because of its distinctive translucent bright green sheet and having lobed edges 
• purple-reddish seaweed of some sort, anchored to dock walls, large, rounded fringes, bigger leaf than green seaweed, curled slightly, almost opaque leaf
• possibly a dulse seaweed due to the distinctive nearly opaque purple-red color with broad-bladed leaves
• dark brown-red, thin, branching seaweed of some sort, very small about a couple inches long, anchored to mussels on the outer most layer of fouling habitat
• unable to tell what kind of seaweed it was
• dark brown-red, floating rockweed of some sort, had paired pneumatocysts, long and thick stipe, ~2 inches long blades, floating, anchored to docks
• unable to tell what kind of rockweed it was
• jelly-like, flat encrusting creature on mussel shells, dark-green star patterns upon closer inspection, the rest was clear taking on color of mussel underneath it, covered very small surface area
• possibly a golden-star tunicate due to its early stage of being soft, flat patches and having small colonies about 3-4 inches
• jelly-like blob, vibrant orange color, encrusted on mussel shells, asymmetrical sshape, flows with water, a lot of shrimp living on it, slimy, squishy, star patterns where jelly-like blob just forming, 2-4 inches of growth protruding from mussel shell
• possibly an orange-sheath tunicate due to bright orange color and star patterns
• white barnacles found in large clusters encrusted on mussels, dock walls, and seaweed, some had green algae-like growth on them, domed, only one slit opening
• possibly a northern rock barnacle due to distinctive rough and folded shell, white unless having algal coating, having variable shell shape, and commonly competes for space with blue mussels
• crab that Professor Berman caught was oval in shape, dark, speckled on top and red-orange underneath, it was a female with an "hourglass" triangle shape, it was ~3-4 inches wide, was missing one leg on its left, had 2 equal sized claws, was eating a sandworm, had pointed walking legs, hairless, and had no marginal teeth
• possibly a commensal Oyster Crab due to its oval shell, pointed walking legs, had no marginal teeth, and was hairless
• our team caught a fish with a plastic sandwich container, it swam in and around the seaweeds anchored to the docks, was about 2 inches long, narrow, 2 toned with dark speckled color on top and a pearlescent bottom, had 2 pectoral fins, no dorsal fins, and a tail
• cannot identify this fish
• mussels had black oval shaped outer shells, smooth shelled, pearlescent violet color inside the shell, covered with encrusting fouling organisms, clustered together
• possibly blue mussels due to distinctive smooth-shell, glossy bluish-black color, and having a violet inside
• anemone was small about less than 1 inch, purple-pink-white translucent hue, smooth, anchored to mussel shells, fronds had white tips, shrunk back when touched
• possibly A. gracillima due to distinctive small size of less than 1 in., having a white or pink, smooth column
• numerous small crustaceans, ranged in size from less than 1 mm to 5 mm, larger ones had stripes, curled when died, had small legs, some had small claws, curled, flipper-like tail used to swim or jump
• cannnot identify



notes and sketches

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Yue Chan: 2nd post

On our second day, we embarked on a grand adventure touring the Boston Harbor. We started our journey at Long Wharf and headed south east. We soon passed Spectacle Island which was delightful to see really did resemble a pair of glasses. As the boat moved on, we passed Deer Island and saw in plain sight the towering wastewater treatment facilities shaped like Easter eggs. It was comforting to know a state-of-the-art sewage treatment facility was built to help prevent the pollution of Boston Harbor. Moving along, we passed the longest island, Long Island. The long stretch of trees, plants, and green was exciting to view. Next came Nixes Mate, a boat marker I learned was once used to hang pirates for display. The birds that perched on it and the indistinguishable black smudges on its walls sent an eerie chill down my spine. Our boat then sped along through The Narrows and we shimmied our way through Lovells Island and Gallops Island. In the distance we could see the Brewster Islands and the Boston Lighthouse, which we were informed were home to birds that avoided human contact. I hope to one day observe these birds! Our boat then landed on Georges Island, and from the boat we could see the Fort Warren. The historical usage of the island as a fort for multiple wars was fascinating. Not long after, our boat headed toward Peddocks Island aiming for Hull Gut. We learned here that Quincy Bay had some of the fastest moving waters due to the wind flowing in a different direction than the waters. Our boat soon chugged through Hull Gut and we were able to view beautiful homes on the beach side along Hull's coast. We then turned into Hingham Bay and passed Nut Island before soon reaching the Quincy Fore River Shipyard. Here we gazed on the large, formidable U.S.S. Salem. Its large cannons and war decor was quite awesome and unsettling to see. We stayed by Weymouth for a bit of time before we turned around to head back into Boston. On our way we learned about Cormorants, which we learned were one of the few species of birds to get their feathers wet and therefore become cold. We also learned that their presence therefore means there is usually fish nearby, such as striped bass. For me, this was the most fascinating tidbit of information and it was beautiful to see several of these dark, wet birds sitting on a nearby buoy squawking away. The promise of fish nearby and using these birds as an indicator was incredible to me. Overall, this was an educational journey that taught me both history and physical locations of the Boston Harbor Islands. 

Yue Chan: 1st post

• Hello there, my name is Yue Chan. I'm currently entering my 4th year as an undergraduate student at Boston University. I'm majoring in biology with a concentration in ecology and conservation with a minor in marine science.  My love for cats knows no end, and that was how I found my love for biology and then my want to help curb the adverse effects of climate change. I chose a minor in marine science so that I could also satiate my love for salt marshes and hopefully one day work with preventing their rapid erosion. 
• I chose this course because, although I am familiar with Georgian coasts, I don't know very much at all about Massachusetts' coasts. I've been very busy with school the last 3 years and haven't had any time or opportunity to explore the coasts. I saw this course as the perfect chance to get to know Boston's coast. I also chose this course because I don't have any experience with field work and would like to hone those skills. I hope to some day be researching by a coast and collecting data for myself and so would like to learn how to do so.
• Today, the experiment to decide which way the water drains in the northern hemisphere was done in teams of four. In my group, we conducted the experiment twice, once with Professor Berman and the second time without the professor. During the initial experiment, Professor Berman used a folded paper towel to cover the drain hole and filled the sink up about a third full with water. Then the water was drained and we watched for the direction of flow. Three of us in our group, including myself, decided it to be a counter-clockwise movement while one in our group thought that it was a clockwise movement. During the second experiment, one in our group used her hand to block the drain hole and filled the sink up about 3/4 full of water. We then drained the water and watched for the direction of flow. At the end of the drainage, we had all decided it flowed in a counter-clockwise motion. 
• According to Ascher Shapiro, the direction of flow of draining water in sinks, tubs, and other house hold appliances varies according to many different variables however it is slightly affected by the Coriolis Effect (1962). He was able to conduct a laboratory experiment to confirm that if all other variables are negated, the Coriolis Effect does slightly cause water to flow counter-clockwise in the Northern hemisphere. Then in 1965, a team of researchers in the southern hemisphere conducted the same experiment to find that the water drained and flowed in a clockwise direction (Trefethen et al.) The Coriolis Effect plays an integral part in affecting large-scale motions and deflects currents to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere (Boston University, 2012).This all suggests that there are too many variables, in a common household sink, that influence the direction of water flow and those variables overshadow the minor influence from the Coriolis Effect.
  
  
  
  Boston University. 2012. Marine Biology. McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. United States of America.
  Shapiro, Ascher. 1962. Bath-Tub Vortex. Nature. Vol.196(4859), p.1080.
  Trefethen, L.M., Bilger, R.W., Fink, P.T., Luxton, R.E., Tanner, R.I. 1965. Nature. Vol. 207 (5001), p. 1084.