Dave, UR - 21st Century Collaboration

So, I just wrapped a six hour video conference with Matt, the Project Engineer for Phase One. Project Engineer? Phase One? What is this guy talking about?

Whiteboard madness: Hashing out basic design ideas with Matt

Last week, I spoke about the research challenges facing those of us in the scientific community that are trying to communicate with dolphins.

In order to collect more specific visual and auditory data on marine organisms, without disturbing their social interaction, we need to develop new equipment.  Some would call this a setback, but this team is excited.  The three of us are all young, professional researchers, and the opportunity to do a project that is entirely unique research is just...downright exciting.

So let's talk theory. As of right now, there are hydrophone arrays with 3 fixed hydrophones. They have large dish collectors behind the array to help gather sound. There are separate underwater video cameras with up to two hydrophones integrated. These tools, while great compared to what was available ten to twenty years ago, are not good enough to make significant progress in this research. What we are proposing as an end state, and subsequently developing in multiple phases, is a tri-hydrophone array with integrated video, and software-driven controls -- a device that will allow researchers to collect real-time video and audio on wild specimens at distance -- right down to the individual organism. With this, we will be able to capture the individual actions and noises of a specific dolphin, without collecting the the surrounding dolphins. This data, biased against general collection footage, will give researchers the ability to construct "conversations" that will give us more insight to the context of their interactions. That's the theory.

In order to make this happen while still accomplishing all our assigned schoolwork, we have broken development into multiple phases. This spring, our task is to research our optimal array design.  Instead of using one large collector dish behind the array as we have seen done with other arrays, Matt will be 3-D printing individual collector dishes for each hydrophone.  We opted for this change, so that we can use the variance in input strength between each hydrophone to triangulate a dolphin's position in the water. In the end product, this will allow the computer to "soft-lock" on every organism at a given distance, and then the researcher will use an external D-Pad on the outside of the device to select the organism they want to focus on. The hydrophones will then make slight angle adjustments via servo to stay zeroed on the organism. This is easier said than done, so this semester we are working on the array by itself.

The array radius for the first test collection will start at 18", with points of adjustment along the length of each strut, so that we can shorten or lengthen the struts to change the overall array diameter. We will be using 4 different collector cone dimensions for the first data collection: 0-degree as the control, 15-degree, 25-degree, and then a 90-degree cylinder as an experimental unidirectional concept. Across the pool, will be a "target board" with an underwater speaker, emitting a novel tone. There will 5 speaker positions on the board so that we can move the speaker from zero (center), through four quadrants, so that we can measure variance between hydrophones. Once we have the first collection as baseline data, we will do a second collection with interference noise. We are going to place a second underwater speaker at a 90-degree offset to the target line, and play assorted disturbance noise (boat motors, etc.) so that we can evaluate the collector dishes for their ability to cancel out irrelevant sound.  With the potential for massive equipment failures aside, we should be able to finish the semester with a firm array design, so that we can move into Phase II in the fall semester.

Matt and Dave at Matt's F.I.T. Commencement, Spring 2015

The team is meeting this weekend to hammer out exact equipment and material requirements, so that we can submit our purchase proposal this week. Additionally, we are going to sort out fine dimensions and then CAD the components, so that Matt can start 3-D printing the parts.  We will also discuss putting together a YouTube video, so that we can explain the project in more depth.  Fortunately, we have a full-sized whiteboard at our disposal. Next week, we will be sharing design specifics and CAD drawings, and failures aside, we should be in the water in a few weeks. Stick around, true believers!

PS: This team still needs a cool name, and we are open to crowd suggestions!

Samantha, CUR- Measuring Water Quality Parameters

The Indian River Lagoon (IRL) is a diverse, shallow-water estuary stretching across 40% of Florida's East Coast. The total estimated annual economic value of the lagoon is 3.7 billion, supporting 15,000 full and part time jobs and providing recreational opportunities for 11 million people per year. Throughout recorded history, there have been fish kills, algal blooms and changes in water quality.  The lagoon has had a natural ability to absorb a certain amount of pollutants. However, when overloaded, the lagoon suffers.  My independent research project focuses on a specific storm drain canal, (Canal Street Canal) which discharges into the IRL.   In a recent post, Garbage of Canal Street I discuss the significance of monitoring the water quality at this specific canal.

Outline of Canal street Canal Watershed (170.6 acres) discharging at the East
end into the IRL

My Scientific Question is, In the Canal Street Canal, are there any specific water quality parameters that exceed Florida Department of Environmental Regulations (FDEP)?   When talking about water quality parameters I am focusing on nutrients specifically, such as; Nitrogen (TIN) and Phosphate (TP), which although occur naturally, anthropogenic forms create an overabundance in nutrients, leading to a decline in the water quality.  Parameters such as Chlorophyll and Oxygen are imperative when measuring water quality parameters.

Oxygen fell below FDEP hypoxic criterion
on 9/16/15 (1.23 mg/L)

Chlorophyll is a color pigment found in plants, algae and phytoplankton. FDEP sets regulations regarding the amount of chlorophyll acceptable within the water column.  The graph on the right shows that chlorophyll did in fact exceed the regulation on 9/4/2015(4.4μg/L) as well as on 12/11/2016 (6.7μg/L). A high concentration of chlorophyll  could lead to a hypothesis that there may be an immense amount of phytoplankton biovolume.  The reason for this amount of phytoplankton could have to do with an overabundance in nutrients. Due to limited space phytoplankton (algae specifically) will begin to die and therefore decompose.  This decomposition leads to hypoxia, or very low oxygen in the water. No oxygen, no life.  The two most important nutrients for phytoplankton growth are the elements, Nitrogen and Phosphorus, which are also two commonly combined elements in your every day fertilizer, a common anthropogenic source leading to an overabundance of nutrients within the water column due to river runoff.  There seems to be a relationship between high amounts of nutrients measured on 9/16/2015 and hypoxia.  Copper was also measured within the water quality parameters although information of this requires some further research and therefore, will be discussed further in posts to come.

Total Phosphate (TP) exceeded FDEP regulations (0.3, 0.4, 0.49).
Total Inorganic Nitrogen exceeded FDEP regulations (0.51) on 9/16/2015.

Citations:

(1) (K Fegley, City Engineer of New Smyrna Beach, September 2015)

(2) Garland, Ed.2015. The Indian River Lagoon: An Estuary of natural significance. Retrieved from http://floridaswater.com/indianriverlagoon/

Deanna, UR- Questioning the Law

Since my ultimate goal is to be a game warden with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, for my Independent Research Project I want to try to bring the law side of things together with the science of this class. In order to do this I am wanting to see basically is there a reason for people to be poaching (which is illegally hunting or catching game or fish in an unfair way) in Flagler County (since that is where I live). I am going to focus on Sciaenops ocellatus, which is commonly known as Red Drum. This species is a very popular sport fish statewide and has been known to be pretty good to eat; I personally am not a big fish eater so I can't say whether I agree or not.


Sciaenops ocellatus - Red Drum

According to the Florida Museum of Natural History (FLMNH), these fish can tolerate a wide range of temperature and salinity. And "Young red drums inhabit mainly estuaries, river mouths and shallow coastal waters until age three to four. At this age, they tend to leave the protection of estuaries, moving into open coastal waters" (FLMNH). Also this species can produce one-half to two million eggs per breeding season.



Red Drum Management Zones- each zone has slightly
different regulations.

Currently the rules and regulations by FWC for Red Drum are that they have to be between 18 and 27 inches in total length and a person can catch 2 per person per day in the Northern part (blue and green sections on this map) of the state- or 1 per person per day from about Volusia county south (orange section of this map)- or an 8 per vessel limit. However, I have unfortunately heard stories of people not following these laws. Plus these rules and regulations became effective in February of 2012. Which makes me wonder, how reasonable are these laws for the Flagler County area?

The FWC does do stock assessments for each year, however even their 2015 stock assessment doesn't have information from the actual year of 2015. The 2015 stock assessment does state, "Lengths of most Red Drum landed by recreational fishers during 2010-2014 were between 44cm (17.3 inches) and 72cm (28inches) total length". Which is fairly accurate for the current laws but since these numbers are not from 2016, or even 2015, I wanted to use this IRP to see if there is much of a change in these numbers, specifically for Flagler County.

Chris Browne, UR - Human Bacterium

(False-color scan electron micrograph courtesy of R. Friedlander & M. Bucaro.)

     E. coli, (Escherichia coli), sounds nasty, dangerous and something to be feared, right? Well, there’s plenty of it inside you right now. It’s a beneficial bacteria, and in my paper I will address all assumptions and angles for this little hitchhiker. Attending certain research criteria are met my IRP will dive into E. coli habitats, where it can be found, its biologic life cycle (Trafton, 2013) how and why it can be harmful to us and more typically third world countries (CDC, 2015). Local research will include Canal Street, New Smyrna. I’ll include different variables, when, what, why and how towards these bacterium.

     The assumptions that I have need a base or they need proper research to be refined. The way it looks so far is that this stuff is everywhere (Perry, 2013), especially in side us. My scientific question would be somewhere in the vicinity of: Where and why is E.coli showing up in canal street, and can certain measures be taken that would conclusively address the problem? It needs some refining, but there would be a lot of research to do, including what other communities around the world have done about similar if not identical problems.

E. coli ~ Image courtesy of Wikipedia Commons

    (Friedlander, 2013), and my only problem would be combing through such a vast subject. After I address local issues and possibilities, I may address the potential positive roles that microbiology (McAlpine, 2015), including E.coli research, have for us as a species. Sometimes it’s the smallest organisms that can make the biggest difference.

The internet and peer reviewed journals are full of research on this topic

~CMB

CDC. (2015). General Information. Retrieved from CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/general/index.html

Friedlander, R. (2013). Bacterial flagella explore microscale hummocks and hollows to increase adhesion. Retrieved from PNAS: http://www.pnas.org/content/110/14/5624.full

McAlpine, K. (2015). How new biosensors turn E. coli into something valuable. Retrieved from Harvard Gazette: http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2015/08/how-new-biosensors-turn-e-coli-into-something-valuable/

Perry, C. (2013). Clinging to crevices, E. coli thrive. Retrieved from Harvard SEAS: https://www.seas.harvard.edu/news/2013/04/clinging-crevices-e-coli-thrive

Trafton, A. (2013). How quickly can a bacterium grow? Retrieved from MIT News: http://news.mit.edu/2013/how-quickly-can-a-bacterium-grow-0827

Victoria UR- "We're going to need a bigger boat"

For my Independent Research Project, I will be tagging sharks. The goal is to find which shark species call the local waters home and use them for nurseries. 

Shark Tagging Kit

Tagging Information: The process of tagging a shark is simple in theory and in overall directions, but the actual physical process is somewhat difficult. Depending on the size of the shark being tagged determines the size of the tag used. When tagging juveniles, it is a small tag, that gets inserted with a needle looking tool that just pushes the barbed end of the tag into the soft tissue of the sharks upper lateral body, where there are almost no nerves to worry about hurting them. For adults the task is more difficult. The tools can range from another needle like tool to using a drill. The black tip that I posted in last weeks blog got a full tag that required a drill to clamp a GPS tag onto the dorsal fin, that will eventually rust and fall off, leaving the tag with all the tracking information. The dorsal fin has no nerves in it just like the upper lateral section of the body, so there is no pain to the shark that is being tagged.

NOAA shark tagging instructions


There are many animals of all different species that call the Indian River Lagoon home. There are the common species of fish that we see all the time when fishing or at local restaurants that have fisheries. Every now and again though, we hear stories of sharks in our waters. After all, New Smyrna Beach is the recorded shark bite capital of the world. Because of this, we know that there are many different species of sharks that call the Indian River Lagoon home, and use it as a breeding ground to nurse the pups to become mature enough to survive on their own. One of the most terrifying species, the Bull shark, calls our waterways home and are very important to our ecosystem.
IRL Bull Sharks

This is a photo from my Shark Ecology class. This is a sand bar being tagged, which required punching a hole in the dorsal fin, like using a hole punch for school papers. The tag was then inserted, and the data was recorded with the tag number.

Shark Tracker  This is the webpage that the OCEARCH team has been working on. One of the scientists who worked on this project was the Professor who taught the Shark Ecology class and is the one in the above picture tagging the shark.

One of many different kinds of tags that can be used on a shark. This one is used to track the migrations patterns and living habits of the shark, and will fall off at a particular point in time.

Renee; UR : FEED ME SEYMOUR!!

As I've made fairly apparent since my first blog the subject of my IRP is Sarracenia minor better known as the hooded pitcher plant. Specifically I will be studying the soil in which the hooded pitcher plant grows at Longleaf Pine Preserve in what Google calls Deland and I just call the pine swamp down the road from the Cabbage Patch so normal people know what I'm talking about.

Google takes you to the location indicated above....
(3736 E New York Ave, DeLand, FL 32724)
However my site is actually located to the east and a bit north of the rectangular county road 4118 label.
(That is the road which leads to the Cabbage Patch)

My official scientific question is still in development but I will be discussing a few ideas with Dr. Emmett tomorrow. My favorite so far is this one: "How does soil nutrient content vary from soils in close proximity to established specimens of Sarracenia minor to soil of similar types found at distances greater than three feet from Sarracenia minor specimens?"

In particular I want to define proximity more specifically so I know how far away I should be taking the "no pitcher plant samples" and how close would be best to take the "pitcher plants present samples". I have not found any specific comments or studies concerning the root habits of these plants but Dr.Emmett had mentioned in our last meeting that their preferred habitat being wet would predispose them to compact root systems since they do not have to travel far in search of water and being carnivorous they would be supplementing the nutrient poor soil with their bug of choice rather than producing large root systems for finding nutrients.

Sarracenia minor is classified by both the Institute for Systematic Botany at the University of South Florida and the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) Plant Database as a threatened plant species in Florida. S. minor (Sarracenia minor) is a flowering plant which produces fruits when these flowers are pollinated. The USDA also classifies these guys as an obligate wetland species meaning if they are found in an area then that area must be a wetland. Funny thing though: none of these profiles mention that the pitcher plant is carnivorous. Thus I giggled for several moments and wandered over to the Institute's virtual herbarium and all I could think about while browsing the S. minor specimens was the giant plant from the play Little Shop of Horrors saying "Feed me Seymour, FEED ME!" Then my awful brain conjured up images of giant bugs... 

These are country singers...
NOT pitcher plants...
I promise Y'all. ;)

Speaking of bugs I was very excited to find an article comparing the 'feeding habits' of S. minor in general with a particular subspecies called S. m. var. okefenokeensis (Sarracenia minor variety: okefenokeensis) found in the Okefenokee Swamp which straddles the Florida/Georgia line. (Show of hands how many of you paused and went: "Hold on, she isn't talking about the country singers, right? No? Ok then moving on...") These guys, the plants not the country singers, are generally taller and it turns out that they attract a wider variety of insects than most S. minor. Their prey also varied with the seasons and specific specimen location.(2) Sadly I had trouble finding pictures that I could verify weren't just stock photos of S. minor labeled as okefenokeensis.

The S. minor I will be studying are of the simple variety that most often lures in ants but I have put okefenokeensis on my "Must Visit List".

The other published research I found consisted mostly of studying critters, particularly microbes, moths and fire ants, that live inside and around the pitcher plants. 

A master's thesis from the University of North Florida I found did look at how the flowering rate of the hooded pitcher plant was effected when introducing nitrogen to the soil but the student's sources of error set off some red flags that I may not want to use his information but to focus on not repeating his mistakes. These errors included a burn(I'm assuming a controlled burn meant to help promote the health of the wetland he was studying) prior to his study which would have put a lot of stress on the plants and the fact that S. minor does not use nitrogen immediately but instead stores it for new growth in the next growing season.(1)

Anyway I'm more curious about the conditions S. minor is already living in so that we can preserve what pitcher plant friendly wetlands we already have. Preservation is a whole lot easier than restoration. Luckily the state of Florida provides me a few tools to help me plan out my study without leaving my living room and jam-jams.

Remember when I mentioned I originally planned to be a graphic
designer? This is a time when those skills come in handy.

Awesome Tool #1: FLUX

Here in the sunshine state we have a state wide policy for classifying different kinds of land called the *Florida Land Use, Cover and Forms Classification System more easily recognized as FLUX. To the right I have cut out a portion of an online map featuring the locations of the pitcher plants found on the site I will be studying along with the 2004-2013 FLUX designations for that area represented by the colors tinting the aerial background. Sadly I could find nothing newer than 2013 from a reputable source. This one was created by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

Awesome Tool #2: Maps 
(Particularly soils)
The Florida Geographic Data Library has the FLUX  overlays (in mapping overlays use color patches to tell the viewer something about a number of areas. Like the three FLUX areas in the map above these patches are often translucent and a key is used to determine what is represented by each color) which is great but they also have soil types that can be used similarly to see specifically what kind of soil can be found where. Knowing the soil types tells us what kind of nutrients and moisture conditions to expect.
The FLUX is better for a general idea of the area but for my purposes the soils map is very exciting. Now I just have to find the best one to use and get it put on the map...

Citations
(1) Lemons, J, "Nutrient Availability Affects Flower Rate but has Limited Influence on Morphology     and the Hooded Pitcher Plant, Sarracenia minor." (2013). UNF Theses and Dissertations. Paper 475.
http://digitalcommons.unf.edu/etd/475
(2)Stephens, J., Godwin, R., Folkerts, D. (2015, June) Distinction in Pitcher Morphology and Prey Capture of the Okefenokee Variety within Carnivorous Plant Species Sarracenia minor. Southeastern Naturalist, 14(2), 254-266. doi: 10.1656/058.014.0208
<<<Help!!! I can't get the citations to format correctly on the blog!!! :(((((

Q&A

Q:Deb n' Paul (Dr. Woodall)
Renee (with double Es)--your blog posts are wonderful. I'm also very excited to find out what you and Dr. Emmett discover. I"m sure your findings will be beneficial to others--please be prepared to create a poster and present at a professional conference--this IRP is obviously headed that way!

A: I am so glad you are enjoying my blogs!! I endeavor to be entertaining as well as informative. I will keep a future poster in the back of my noggin and I already made a priority 1 sticky note about it! I really hope that my findings will be helpful to conservation efforts for this plant. Particularly in helping to better understand why these pitcher plants often grow at fairly long distances from each other even though the general soil type is more or less the same. 


PS. Someone remind me not to post anything after 9:30PM.... After rereading this following some sleep I apparently turn into a goober after 9:30PM. An informative goober but a goober nonetheless.

Dave, UR - Airborne, All The Way.

Paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Div. Assoc. after a toy collection

 Last post, I said I would finish my story to now, so as loathsome as it is to write about myself, I still keep the promises I make.

Among the Paratrooper Community, there is a popular phrase that gets learned in the first week of Airborne School, and makes sense after the first dynamic aircraft exit: All The Way. It describes a personality type that is unique to Paratroopers, and remains an ethos for the Airborne throughout their entire lives.  If something is worth doing, it is worth doing 110% of it.  It is this heightened state of motivation that drives Paratroopers towards their defined goals, and pushes them to complete their objectives, regardless of setbacks or obstacles.

Once I had determined that I would be going to college, I decided it would be prudent to set a direction, and make it the career that I spend the rest of my life fulfilling. I've already been many things, some of them much more intense than others, but college presented the opportunity to reach towards careers that I had only previously considered as dreams.  Now, it's an understatement to say "Not everyone gets to be an astronaut," so I'm keeping that on the back burner. NASA, you have my number, when you're ready.

Ocracoke Island, NC. Home, and an example of coastal symbiosis.

I instead chose Marine Biology, and more specifically a Ph.D. in Marine Mammology. "All The Way," right?  For me, the choice was simple. I grew up on Ocracoke Island, NC, home to a permanent population of roughly 750 people. It's got a quiet village that only occupies the southwest corner around the natural harbor. The rest of the island is unscathed ecosystem, making it a popular site for marine researchers. I'm certain the great local food, and laid-back lifestyle never hurts their feelings either.  This means however, that I grew up exploring the wetlands, and diving from boats, while other kids were playing SEGA. I grew up with heroes like Dr. Sylvia Earle and Dr. Robert Ballard, who were setting the standards in oceanic exploration.  I even wrote to Dr. Ballard when I was 10, and he replied with a personal letter on Wood's Hole letterhead, and an autographed photo.  Now he's a Professor in the Department of Ocean Engineering at the University of Rhode Island, and helps run the Inner Space Center.  I intend to write him again in the next year or two, to let him know what happens when you take the time to inspire a 10-year-old kid.

That brings us to now.  Last semester, I joined the STEM Community Scholars Program at Daytona State, and had Dr. Woodall assigned as my STEM Mentor. I was looking for a direction in which to start research, and I had already shared my nutty ideas for a Ph.D. thesis, so she asked me, "Why not get started now?"

I WANT TO TALK TO DOLPHINS.

Not just communicate, but actually have a meaningful conversation.  Below is my presentation poster from last semester, where I covered what is actually known on the topic.  Fortunately, Dr. Denise Herzing, of the Department of Biological Sciences at Florda Atlantic University, had the same idea about 30 years ago, and has laid a great foundation of research, with a ton of footage collected from a wild population in the Bahamas.  Through her research, I recognized a technologically-induced capability ceiling that is preventing her from making any major breakthroughs in her analysis.  She currently employs an underwater video camera with two hydrophones as her primary collection device.  She has countless hours of dolphin interaction, and through partnership with Georgia Tech, has been organizing all of that footage via super-computing. The problem is, she is still having trouble isolating what sounds are coming from specific dolphins, so it is difficult to discern the subtleties of a conversation.  It is for this reason, that I will not be showing you any nifty pictures of dolphins this semester. I am instead enlisting the help of Brent Meister (CUR, IMES at Daytona State College), and my dear friend Matthew Rhoney (B.S. Aerospace Engineering, Florida Institute of Technology Graduate Student) to help me develop a new style of array-driven collection equipment, that will allow researchers to monitor specific marine organisms, without invading their social environment.

If I tell you more, I will have nothing to write about next time. I talk too much as it is.
~Dave

Research Presentation from the STEM Community Scholars Program Undergraduate Symposium, Fall, 2015.

Mike UR: Why Environmental Science technology?

I chose Environmental Science hoping it might help me find what I want to do with my life. I’m also taking classes to get my real estate license, and if that works out that will probably be what I end up doing. I’ve always loved being out in the woods in Maine, they always seemed endless, like you could walk for days and never see another person, just eagles, otters and moose. This country needs more expanses of forest, devoid of roads, trails and park benches.

Me and Jack Hanna at Sea World


 

My IRP is going to be a study of catfish in Crescent Lake, a sixteen thousand acre lake on the western edge of Flagler County. The lake averages about 10 feet deep, with some sustained areas of 12-16 feet along the lower west shoreline, and a deep 20 to 30 foot channel between Crescent and Dead Lake. Catfish are mostly left alone, as people prefer to fish for crappie. My focus will be on white catfish and whether they prefer the daytime or nighttime, their preference of bait, and weather conditions. White catfish are now seeing a slight increase in popularity as an alternative to the more popular and larger Blue catfish and are now being introduced beyond their natural range of the east coast.



Me in Maine

Samantha, CUR- What I stand for is what I stand on.

Collecting water quality data at Canal Street Canal 

         We are tied to the ocean and when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch we are going back from where we came.  As a child I was brought up to base my beliefs according to my parents which has been the same for generations.  I could not submit however, I believed in so much more.  My fondness for the ocean started with my yearly trips to SeaWorld.  I was drawn by the animals I was seeing right before my eyes.  It wasn't close enough for me though, I wanted to be right next to them, touching, playing, talking. This was the beginning of my determination to become a Marine Biologist in which I could train dolphins ! It sounded great when I was 5, I even got a chance to swim with them.  This was my dream for the next 12 years and then this dream came to a halt.  With age comes knowledge and I began to research any information I could about marine life specifically dolphins when I came across a book, A dolphins Smile, by a former Marine Biologist and present activist, Rick O'Barry . "A dolphins smile is the greatest deception." These words hit me like a knife.  After more research I did not care so much for interacting with the animals, I cared more about their protection.  This is when I knew I wanted to save the world.

Taking water quality samples at
Spruce Creek Canal 

 Well, I'm being facetious but I did want to do something.  I began to volunteer in my area focusing on educating others on the importance of the marine environment and ways to conserve and protect it.  This idea is my dream exactly, to protect and conserve marine life along with the environment, but how?  Associated with my volunteer work I was able to participate in Sea Grass surveys, which led me to my answer my question, I wanted to study the water.  I find it captivating how one drop of water can reveal secrets of the ocean. My infatuation of study is anthropogenic pollution.  My Independent Research Project (IRP) is being continued and consists of monitoring water quality at discharge point in a man made canal associated with a storm drain system. This Site location is an imperative area for many reasons and the water quality accompanying must be monitored which I will discuss in posts to come!

Freddie;UR-The Ripple Effect

Hey everybody I’m back I’m pretty sure you’re wondering what has brought me to this point in the pursuit of my desired career. I didn’t choose to be anything I was chosen to be an adventurer seeking for new answers and new ways to solve problems, what kind of career would give me that fulfilling excitement I’m looking for ? which was marine biology.

people can be destructive lets be productive.

 

the truest quote ever wrote.

 

me at animal kingdom getting my zen on.

 

we where born to stand out not fit in.

I want to actually voyage places of the ocean that is unexplored find new discoveries myself. The thing that motivates me towards becoming a marine biologist is seeing that it is an open field for independent researchers who want to stand out. What inspires me the most is when people take the initiative to take on the responsibility of caring for the world’s vast oceans and its inhabitants. I care about the wellbeing and balance of all living organisms and the habitat they thrive in and believe that the ocean plays a huge role in our everyday lives on a very large scale. I think my IRP might be about how the oceans are connected to all aspects of life. This earth is a beautiful planet and I believe that with the right knowledge one person can make a change. The ripple effect

Deanna, UR- Why Environmental Science?

Growing up loving the outdoors and wildlife, making the decision to want to be a game warden with Florida Wildlife Commission was simple for me. It all started when I was really young and my step dad had brought home a baby alligator, it was maybe about foot and a half long (maybe not even) and he had almost an entire roll of duct tape wrapped around it's mouth and legs so it couldn't run away or bite. He found it in the yard and was going to relocate it. Until a game warden who was a family friend showed up and took the alligator away. At the time I had no idea that what he did was illegal but I was amazed. And as time passed, my fascination with wildlife continued to grow. The older I got the more time I spent learning whatever I could about different wildlife species and the laws put in place by FWC to protect them. The wildlife, that we have all come to know and love, simply can not always protect itself. The environment doesn't have a voice, and it needs people to be their advocate and help. And in my mind, the best way for me to do my part is by becoming a game warden.

 

Me, my step dad and the baby gator covered in duct tape

When it comes to my IRP, I want to combine the Environmental Science aspects with the FWC laws. In order to do this I want to do a study on a popular species of fish. By popular I mean one that a lot of people fish for. My IRP would basically be to see how many fish, in an area, of are legal size to take from the waters.

Rachel UR - To Infinity and Below!

The Leviathan chasing escape pods in
the Disney movie Atlantis: The Lost Empire

Have you ever wondered what could be lurking below the waves? How about what could be on the ocean floor? For me, these questions have lead me to where I am today. It all started back when I was around 4 or 5 years old. My mother brought home a couple of VHS's (pretty old tech right?) from the local wall mart and among those was a Disney movie called Atlantis: The Lost Empire. At first I had no clue what the movie was going to be about. As soon as the movie started up I was transported into a mystical world of underwater civilization and fantastic creature. My mind began to wonder if all of this could really be out there. Was it all true? Could it be possible for it to remain undiscovered?

Greenland shark smiles for the camera!

     After watching this movie for hours on end I became fascinated with the idea of being the explorer to find this lost city, if it did exist. In the movie they state that the shepherds journal, the book containing the map to Atlantis, was found off the coast of Iceland so naturally that was the first place that I started looking for evidence. In my research I came across an animal that grabbed my attention, the Greenland Shark. At first I couldn't understand how such a slow moving creature was able to be a predator. The more I researched the more I learned and eventually I found out that Greenland Sharks are bottom feeders.

     Unfortunately, it's extremely hard to study Greenland Sharks down here in Florida so I have to go for the next best thing, rays. Rays are very similar to sharks in that they are both cartilaginous fish. They both also have ampullae of lorenzini which are small receptors located around the shark's head that can detect minute electrical signals generated by the contracting of muscles. My plan for my IRP is to test to see if the ampullae of lorenzini react the same way to magnets as it does in sharks. With this information I can find a safe alternative to keep rays and sharks out of swinzones without using a net. The nets cause a problem because the sharks, rays, and other marine life can get tangled in them a die. I would like to provide an alternative to nets that keeps both humans and marine life safe.

Shark stuck in fisherman's net

Chris Browne, UR - A Time of Science

The Ocean Imprinted

     The field that I've chosen and the path that I take in life has been long and winding road. I suppose I could start with a scientific father who sailed for leisure, career, and sport. Or possibly my mother who inspired drive, art, and a teaching path. I hope to ad-hear to the best qualities in both of my parents, as well as fantastic teachers that I can learn from. I worked in group homes for a while and was close to teaching ESE, yet the drive for science lead me on this path, so I continue to keep a scientific open mind, be open to learn, and pass along this ever changing field of understanding.
     I am inspired by discovery, technology, and the future of life on this third rock from the sun. The current and future state of space travel depends upon education, innovation, and people working together for positive goals. I see people of all types, ages, and academic abilities contributing to the scientific field. Motivation can come from many angles, but i must say that the potential in space exploration, and the continuing understanding of nature and how we as a species can improve our conscious contact with it motivates me.

Scientific Art, Artistic Science

     I care about health. From the health of the individual, to the family, community, planet and so forth. I care to see art and science used together when possible to entice the senses of wonder. I am concerned about many areas of improvement that we as individuals, and as a society can make, therefor what better place for innovation and wonder then the science classroom. I care about our impact and footprint on this earth, and the influence that we have in this interdependent web of all existence (UU).
     I am amazed at the macro as I am about the micro, and so in discussion, my IRP was and in discussion will be towards the world beneath and in side of us. From the bacteria that keeps us alive to the bacteria that can kill us, I will be researching E coli, and its impact on the environment, and more specifically our close local environment.

~CMB

E. coli

Lilli UR -- Why This?

Good evening fellow bloggers and classmates, its time for another installment in what I affectionately refer to as "what the heck am I doing?" While I am not an EST major, I have been fascinated by the ocean and its many lifeforms for a big part of my life. Though most of the fascination for me surrounds the hydro-thermal vents, specifically the astounding array of life that has adapted to thrive under such extreme conditions, I identify heavily with these beings as my life has been full of adversity and obstacles that I have sometimes had to revert to out right cunning to overcome. I have never the less overcome every thing life has thrown at me and here I am, adapted and thriving!

My niece and mini-me, Madilynn Nichole

 I am currently an Earth/Space Science Ed major and as such I found myself questioning not only the reason that career chose me, but my sanity as well. I actually sort of backed into teaching, I was originally a nursing major who wanted to be an anesthesiology nurse but I found how much I enjoyed teaching when I was tutoring some fellow students in a Chemistry class and after a few exploratory education classes I found out something new about myself; I can spend everyday for the rest of my life in a classroom and go home happy every evening. That is a big plus for me since I have been at my current job (dispatching for a taxi company) about 8  years now and I often come home in a terrible mood hating my job, the people I work with and myself for not escaping sooner. But teaching, for me is  more than just an "escape" it has become something I am terribly passionate about. To see that "aha" moment in someones eyes when they finally connect an idea or thought to something they already are familiar with has become a source of happiness and great pride for me. To see my students eyes light up when I mention an experiment or homework assignment that I have carefully researched and planned specifically to make them think but be happy about is quite rewarding. But the most rewarding thing of all about teaching (at least for me) is to have a student say to me because you believed in me I didn't give up, I believed in myself.  I am of the mind that everyone is capable of learning if a teacher can connect the student to the correct method, but not everyone is capable of teaching. I have heard before "Those who can do, those who can't teach" and that thoroughly infuriates me, Teachers can and most DO! We have just come to the conclusion along the path of our lives that someone else might benefit from what we have to say or give. I mean after all......if it weren't for teachers there would be no other professions just a bunch of people "winging it" as my husband says.

Not only have I often thought of why I chose my career field, but more recently I have been losing sleep over what my IRP might be, but Dr. Woodall to the rescue. She knew my desire of being able to easily translate my IRP into my classroom and make it personal for my students and boy did she deliver! She suggested to me that I may be interested in micro-plastics in the ocean as a possible IRP and the idea resonated with me as that is something every person should care about, they end up in our food and water supply and, as I have begun to wonder since doing a little research about the topic, could they possibly be the source of elevated levels of sicknesses such as cancers and aggressive auto immune disorders? Hmmm. One has to wonder as they are nasty little beasts and I am learning just how much of our everyday products contain these unnatural buggers like toothpaste (which Dr. Woodall informed of...thanks Dr. Woodall :)) as well as personal care items like facial washes and shampoos and even some of our clothing items contain these micro-plastics. The more I look into this topic the more disturbing it becomes.

My greatest source of happiness, my puppy love Codi in his pool last summer.

Emily UR - I pledge allegiance to the Earth....

...And all the life which it supports. One planet, in our care. Irreplaceable. With sustenance and respect for all.

Pale Blue Dot

From as far back as I can remember, I've had a spiritual connection with the Earth and had always deemed myself responsible for protecting it. It's becoming quite common to hear myself be called a "flower child" or "hippy" from people who are getting to know me. I would say my love for the environment originated from my lifelong love for stargazing. When I was younger, after my parents went to sleep, my brother would help me with a ladder to climb upon our roof where I would stare at the night sky for hours. The more I learned about the stars, the more insignificant all of my problems seemed to be. Then I learned of neighboring planets in our solar system and was completely taken back by the new found knowledge of mine that we are the only planet (known so far) to harbor life in this solar system. Carl Sagan became my idol because of the way he spoke about our home in his book, Pale Blue Dot (the title of which refers to a picture of the Earth taken by Voyager One from a distance of 3.7 million miles, shown above) when he says "it is our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we've ever known."

I didn't smile a lot in pictures when I was younger (16) but
I was so stoked to be on top of the Alps in Switzerland!

 I chose my field in Environmental Science Technology because this program allows me to do the work necessary to preserve the health of the planet for future generations to enjoy as I have. Not to mention, the Earth is pretty damn beautiful place and there's so much of it I still haven't seen yet and with a degree in Environmental Science, I'm not restricted to a certain part of the world because the environment is everywhere! And I love to travel. There's no part of the environment that I care about more than another, I love the whole thing. The ocean has recently taken my primary interest after living in Florida where I've developed an entirely new bond with the ocean and the creatures who call it home.

Chomper!

My IRP is going to be about the chemistry of retention ponds in a very developed area compared to the chemistry of retention ponds in more natural setting. The developed area is going to be the Halifax Plantation golf community where I live. There are constantly new homes and golf courses popping up in this community and I plan to examine the water before and after a rain event to see what kind of runoff is collected in the retention ponds here. The natural setting will be the retention ponds at Tuscawilla Park where I work. After a serious rain event these retention ponds get flooded so I'm curious to see what kind of runoff is collected here by comparison. I must say, the small alligator that lives in the lakes in my community was the inspiration behind my research.

I was ridiculously excited to experience my first cloud forest in Costa Rica,
my boyfriend wasn't really impressed.

Pedro UR ; Why EST?

     Hey Everyone, I chose environmental science for a few reasons but, to be honest the most influential reason I signed up to the EST program was my previous career choice. I had been a framer and worked outdoors 90% of the time for almost nine years. I enjoyed working outdoors very much. I also have always been drawn to nature so, I found a way to combine them both. the environment is inspiring to me for the fact that it is so versatile and unpredictable. I remember working a job surrounded by 60 ft pines for as far as you can see. When it was so hot outside that breathing was hard I would get excited; as I watched the treetops flow in a domino effect I knew a cool breeze was coming. I used the term unpredictable because on another job that same domino effect brought agony because a near by brush fire provided billowing clouds of smoke you can taste for days.

Hot Sun and treetops I photographed for cloud ID's in meteorology

What I care about in the environment isn't any one specific issue or infatuation. The fact that our environment effects us all and will carry on the effect of peoples neglect to its preservation to our children. It may sound cliche but, in my lifetime I already don't get to see the springs at their clearest or the Halifax River at it's bluest. Imagine what the simple things would look like 50 years from now if more people like us decide not to get involved.
       Oh and I'm finding it difficult to find an IRP that isn't too broad or original. I was wondering if anyone has an idea of how I can study a fish population within a certain area of the river or perhaps even in a small lake system like the ones in my neighborhood?

Victoria UR: Take a Bite out of This!

My dog Scamp sleeping on my legs. LOL!

Ever since I was a child, I loved animals with a passion. My parents took me to multiple zoos, aquariums, the like. I was always excited to watch anything that had to do with animals, I had fish, cats, and hamsters growing up. I always wanted more!! I've had many dogs, and many more cats since then. As of right now, I have a cat named S'mores, a sugar glider named Gizmo, two leopard geckos named Tangerine and Hypnotic, and my parents have my dog Scamp. After having all of these animals, I still want many more, so I've continued in school by choosing this as a study path.
   

Last day of Shark Ecology out in the Ocean using
drum lines, this 6ft. male black tip was caught,
tagged, and released. He was so heavy, he was
 pulling the boat sideways.

   





 My freshman year of college I was attending University
of North Florida in Jacksonville, I was told by my advisor
 that a professor was starting up a Shark Ecology class, and
 that I was allowed to take it since my career choice followed the Degree Program. In this class, I was able to tag and release sharks, while recording where they were caught, collecting a tissue sample to later compare how many of
 them were related, and measuring length and weight. It was definitely a path I could choose for my future! I had so much fun!







Because of how much I love animals and enjoyed tagging the sharks, I will be working alongside a professor to tag local sharks to find out how many sharks may call out intercoastal waters home, and to find out just how important this ecosystem is for all of the environment and people, even those who are afraid of sharks. Just because the movie "Jaws" was scary, and we don't know that much about our jagged toothed fishy friends doesn't mean we need to be pertified of them and kill them needlessly. Just remember, "Fish are friends, not food"

Renee; UR: "Environmental Science: The best kind of plot twist"

Fun fact: I started out my college career back in 2008 intending to be a graphic designer.

Obviously that wasn't the direction my life story went. I am happy to say that thanks to a lot of little "cosmic nudges" I find myself eight years down the road and more excited than ever to get out and involved in my field. In environmental science I found the excitement that I would have been lacking as a graphic designer as I will be helping learn new things about our world and building a better, healthier future. Environmental science also helps me express beliefs and values that are important to me the most obvious being that we should take care of the planet that sustains our species and the other amazing life forms we share this world with. I even get ample use out of my creative side particularly as I have fun finding eye opening ways to display environmental data and explain why, how, and what is so important in this huge, complex field of science and GIS can help make that a lot easier while giving me my tech fix.

Best of all I get to help people even if they don't realize it and that is a huge reward for me mentally and spiritually!

Sarracenia minor specimen PP1-1 at Longleaf Pine Preserve.

Now that all of those feelings are out of the way...:p For my IRP I will be studying the soil conditions of our native hooded pitcher plant Sarracenia minor. I intend to develop a better understanding if what the soil content is where these plants are growing and how the compare with near by soils that do not currently support signs of pitcher plant growth.
These native plants are visually distinct from my plant babies as seen in my last blog and below.

Poppit a Nepenthes of uncertain exact species

• How Many differences can you spot between the native pitcher plant above and my exotic pitcher plant?

Poppit's largest and smallest "baby" pitchers!
(her last set of full grown pitchers were
about 2in. long on average)

****And yes that little green and red squiggle above my nail is a brand new pitcher just starting out while the one under my nail is a few weeks old. > > > > > > > > >>>

Q&A

Q: Deb 'n Paul(Dr. Woodall)

Ok so--I think I've decided to contact Dr. Emmett to expose him to our Blog and, more importantly, encourage him to make comments/suggestions to your posts. He would be a great source of information and maybe help you to develop your ideas/project. Excellent first post, Rene! And kudos to your science-loving daughter!!

A: I would love to have Dr. Emmett looking over my blogs! I have spoken to him and he seemed very excited for the project and has agreed to help guide me. Right now the hard part is getting our schedules to cooperate. :) Also Skye was very excited to be part of my blog and wanted me to assure you she was feeding the blog fish. lol