Science! (Underwater...)

As we wrap up out time here in Panama, I wanted to post some photos from one of our labs in our Coral Reef Ecology class. The lab was one that I think we all had fun with, and we have some totally awesome pictures to demonstrate exactly why.

Our Professor for this section of the class, Joshua Idjadi, allowed us to design our own experiment as a class to look at herbivory on coral reefs. We decided to set up scenarios to see if fish are more likely to feed on algae that is among structure/habitat or on algae that is out in the open.

We split up into groups to accomplish all we needed to do to set up our experiment. One group weighed and separated the algae (and, at this point in the year, this is something we have all gotten very good at):



Meanwhile, the rest of us were trying to build artificial structure for the algae to go in, and cages for our control algae:




The mesh material we were using for the structures, of course, had to be tested for strength:



and flexibility:



Once we had everything constructed, we were able to go out into the field (a beautiful reef nearby that our trusty TA, Chris, has dubbed Rhino Reef thanks to a large piece of coral on it that bears a striking resemblance to a rhinoceros).

This part of the process took some serious logistical prowess, but we accomplished what we needed to, and I think everyone had fun being a part of the slight chaos under water.








While we didn't have terribly conclusive evidence from this experiment, we all had a blast in the process and learned a ton!

(Photos courtesy of Ryan)

Volcan Barú: a journey to the top of Panama

For our Tropical Terrestrial Ecology course, we were given a week to dry off and explore on land. On our trip to the Pacific side of Panama (Coiba National Park) we stopped off in the town of Boquete to climb Volcan Barú. One of the most intense and rewarding hikes I have ever done was to the top of this volcano, which is the highest peak in Panama and allows one to view both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. While the entire trip was about 18 miles long and lasted for 15 hours, each way felt like a separate journey and so Jackie and I have decided to split the post.

The afternoon before we began, those of us crazy enough to try the hike stocked up on snacks and water in town, made enough peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to last a week, and tried to sneak in a quick nap. Just after 11pm, the bus shipped out, and we were at the base of the volcano just before midnight. Our plan was to begin the hike in the middle of the night and watch the sunrise from the top of the volcano.

After an invigorating pep talk from our leader, Sal, we set off en masse up the trail. The large group quickly separated into smaller sections based on walking speed, and everyone had a buddy for the hike (just like when we dive!) so we could keep track of each other.

The earlier parts of the hike were beautiful and very rewarding. We frequently passed into clearings that allowed us to see countless stars and the Milky Way above us, and the lights of Boquete below, which were getting farther and farther away with each turn of the path. We kept careful track of our pace and distance traveled, so that we didn’t strain ourselves too much but still reached the summit in time for sunrise.

The path up Volcan Barú is actually a fire road. That being said, I would not want to drive a car up (or down) this “road” as it is steep, covered in rocks, and quite unpredictable. Part of what made the walk so difficult was navigating the terrain and working through the variable gradient in the road. The hike up the mountain took the better part of six and a half hours and was one of the most physically challenging activities any of us had ever undertaken (which is saying something considering the amount of diving we do and that members of our group have run marathons and rowed in the World Championships, among other things). The buddy system turned out to be extremely helpful for moral support as well, and we’ve all said since the hike that we would not have gotten through it without each other’s encouragement.



Just when it seemed like we couldn’t walk any more, the sky began to lighten, and we had the summit in sight. Those of us that were further behind could also see the lights from our friends who had already made it to the top. After a final push – 10 minutes that felt like hours – we reached the summit.

The sunrise was beautiful, and we gratefully huddled together to keep warm, taking a minute or two to enjoy the scenery before thinking about heading back down. After a necessary 2 hour nap at the summit, we refueled on PB and fluff sandwiches, cookies, crackers and other assorted snacks.





Sal ambitiously estimated our arrival down the mountain for 12:30pm (4 hours) but our sore legs and feet disagreed. A party of 11 began the descent after breaking down our “hobo camp” but we slowly broke off into smaller groups. The morning sun revealed everything we missed the night before and slowly warmed our freezing selves.



Our descent began above the clouds and the hike down was beautiful but steep. We were amazed and thankful for the darkness that hid just how sharp of an incline we were climbing up just hours before.



We took several breaks on the way down, to rest, re-hydrate and, of course, take pictures. We eventually reunited back at Casa Pedro (our favorite home away from home away from home) and proceed to sleep for about 12 hours.

Everyone who went on the hike made it to the summit and back down safely. Like many of our experiences in Three Seas, Volcan Barú was an intense adventure that none of us will forget any time soon.

~Jackie and Sarah
Photos courtesy of Ryan, Paul, Nathaniel, and Trevor

Hawk Rescue

Although the primary focus of the Three Seas Program is to study marine biology we are also given opportunities to explore the terrestrial world. Our last class, Tropical Terrestrial Ecology, included many opportunities to explore rainforests, collect tree measurements, and trips to many great birding locations.

In addition to the planned terrestrial experiences we have also had several unexpected encounters. A few days ago an injured hawk was brought in to STRI. We identified the bird as a common black hawk. The hawk was unable to fly and had large amounts of dried blood on its right wing.

Very carefully and cautiously, the bird's wing was cleaned by a few members of our group. The hawk was then placed in a cage to allow it to rest and recover. Later on that day, once the hawk was becoming more active we decided to release the bird and opened the cage. The hawk was initially hesitant and watched us intently. Eventually the bird took off and with a slightly labored effort flew away (after a close call with a caiman!)

Our time in Panama has contained many unexpected adventures and, as we wrap up our last two weeks, I hope there are still a few more!

What A Difference A Day Makes...

While marine biology is still hypothetically biology based, it acts more like the wild crazy ADHD sibling of traditional biology. When the ocean is your lab, nothing is ever predictable or boring. We tend to be slaves to Murphy's law. Equipment is dropped off boats, plots are ripped up, and as always, conditions for diving can be incredibly tricky. It makes sitting at a lab bench look like child's play. This week in Ocean and Coastal Processes, we're studying how currents move, what conditions cause what wave patterns, and so on. To measure water velocity, we set up a meter long pipe and squirted harmless pink dye at one end, and timed how long it took to reach the other end of the pipe. It goes to show how different conditions can give beautiful results one day and "special" results the next. Check it out in the video below :)

Corals Feeding

Our first class in Bocas del Toro was the Biology of Corals. We spent our mornings diving in the Caribbean, learning to identify corals and certain diseases and our afternoons in a thankfully air conditioned classroom for lecture and lab.

The corals we are studying contain symbiotic algae and can therefore feed by two different processes. Autotrophy occurs during the day, when zooxanthellae convert sunlight into sugars. Glycerol, glucose and other simple sugars are transferred from these dinoflagellates to the coral host. This “junk food” does not supply all the necessary nutrients required by the corals for survival, so at night the corals switch to heterotrophy. They actively feed in order to obtain essential nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus.

In order to observe corals feeding, we went out on a night dive. Our main lesson was that few things can rival a dive in tropical waters on the night of a full moon. While my group intended to shoot some video of the polyps in action, there wasn’t much feeding occurring. We were able to get some pictures of other animals, however, and have posted them below for you to enjoy.









~Sarah
Photos by Ryan

Boquete and Volcan Barú

For the non-salty, Tropical Terrestrial Ecology portion of the program, the Three Seas students spent some time exploring Boquete and Parque Nacional Volcan Baru.

Where they are now

As March roars in like a lion here in New England, the Three Seas Program students are diving with sharks in Coiba National Park, a marine reserve consisting of 35 islands in the Gulf of Chiriqui. Isla Coiba was once a penal colony, with very restricted access. This former de-facto reserve is now protected under the authority of the National Authority for the Environment (Autoridad Nacional del Ambiente, ANAM).