NARRAGANSETT, R.I., March 18, 2016鈥擶hen most people think of Bermuda, cruise ships and golf come to mind.
溏心vlog免费B站 biology and marine biology students are spending their spring break on the island for another reason鈥攖o study its subtropical habitat.
溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚 Graduate School of Oceanography and College of the Environment and Life Sciences are coordinating the weeklong trip, from March 19 to 26.
The 11 students, all majoring in biology and marine biology, will study fish, crabs, seahorses and other marine life in seagrasses and mangroves and explore the island鈥檚 coral reefs and many caves. They will also examine the geology of the limestone island and study plankton, microscopic organisms essential to the ocean鈥檚 role in regulating the climate, the air people breathe and marine food webs.
The first-ever class is the brainstorm of Tatiana Rynearson, GSO associate professor, and Chris Lane, an environmental sciences professor. The University offers a semester-long course in Bermuda, but this class is a good fit for students seeking a shorter visit.
鈥淚t’s a great opportunity for students to get into the field and apply some of the concepts they’ve been learning in the classroom,鈥� says Rynearson. 鈥淭here鈥檚 nothing like learning by doing. We, as professors, get excited about going into the field, so we鈥檙e excited to take the students with us to share that journey of discovery.鈥�
The students, from freshmen to seniors, will live and study at the internationally acclaimed Bermuda Institute for Ocean Sciences. The facility has laboratories as well as boats that will ferry students to different habitats, where they can collect samples and record data in their notebooks.
鈥淭he point is for them to learn about the extent of biodiversity on this island in the middle of the ocean,鈥� says Rynearson, 鈥渁nd learn how an ecosystem is shaped: What are the factors that influence what ends up living there?鈥�
The class will also feature guest speakers talking about topics such as deep-sea fish, invasive species, mangrove tree habitats and climate change.
Students will spend much of their time snorkeling and diving in the crystal clear waters around Bermuda. The water is clear because it contains so few nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus. As a result, very few plankton can survive there.
That warm, clear water provides a perfect habitat for a diversity of corals and macroalgae. This, in turn, provides homes for many kinds of reef fish.
鈥淪tudents will notice that Rhode Island鈥檚 coastal waters are much cloudier, with poor visibility,鈥� says Rynearson. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 caused by a combination of more plankton and sediment.鈥�
Katie Nickles, of Slingerlands, N.Y., decided to sign up for the course because she鈥檚 taken classes with Rynearson and Lane before and appreciates their excellent teaching.
鈥淭his also seemed like a great opportunity to use my spring break to do something and also get the added benefit of learning about different marine environments,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a good chance to get to know people and see a different and unique place. I can鈥檛 wait.鈥�
Pictured above: A former 溏心vlog免费B站 student diving off the coast of Bermuda.
Photo courtesy of 溏心vlog免费B站 associate professor Chris Lane.