Wakasa Bay Naturalist Club presentation - Kelp Forests and the Urchin Barren dilemma.

 

PC: Yamaguchi-san

PC: Chika

PC: Chika

PC: Chika

Last week I gave a talk to a local naturalist group about the Kelp Forest. The Wakasa Bay Naturalist Club, invited myself as well as Chika and Reiji to give an educational talk about marine ecosystems. Since I had a lot of experience (as well as 100s of photos) with the kelp forest, they asked me to speak to its ecology and the growing Urchin Barren problem. This talk was live translated by my labmate Shoju. 

It was truly an honor to speak. I particularly enjoyed putting the presentation together and answering some poignant questions. It felt good to engage the local community. It felt reminiscent of the science pubs I went to in Santa Barbara. Of course there was a much more focused crowd that all had a keen interest in the subject. I really felt like I was sharing a unique, new experience with this community. This is probably one of my favorite aspects of my fledgling career.

I use to dread the presentation aspect, but I have since learned it was due to piss poor preparation. Obviously I was nervous when I wasn't prepared and wasn't confident in my delivery. Now its about having the discipline to practice and to remain calm while presenting on such topics. The lab itself has helped me with this, as they have us do various presentations throughout the semester. A life skill I am thankful to have, but yet to full master. 

Bring it on.

Golden Fireworm (Chloeia flava) consumes Injured Anchovy (Engraulis japonicus)

 

You never know what to expect underwater.

 I caught this interaction while on a routine dive survey off the lab in Maizuru. These worms are pretty ubiquitous and I normally see them roaming around the bottom. Today we had a shoal of anchovies come through and I noticed a few while on the dive. This one was probably injured from an encounter with another large animal and was stuck in the algae dying. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice a fireworm quickly coming its direction so I started to record.

Heres an exert from what is known about the species and its feeding behavior.

"Glasby & Bailey-Brock (2001) caught reef amphinomids by hook and line on carrion. Pardo & Amaral (2006) observed rapid chemotaxis of Eurythoe complanata to pieces of fish offered in aquaria. Detection of prey solutes elicited raising of the anterior 1/3 of the body, opening of the mouth and pharyngeal eversion. In the field, this posture would allow longer-range detection and easier determination of current direction in a bottom boundary layer. When worms reached the fish, the lower lip was sealed around it, and the muscular pharynx was used as a pump to draw the whole fish fragment in. Glasby & Bailey-Brock (2001) compiled evidence of carrion feeding in the form of capture on fishhooks and hand feeding in aquaria for Chloeia flava, Eurythoe complanata, Hermodice carunculata and Pherecardia striata." 

Jumars, P.A., Dorgan, K.M. and Lindsay, S.M., 2015. Diet of worms emended: an update of polychaete feeding guilds. Annual review of marine science, 7(1), pp.497-520. 

 

Song: Dromeda by Philanthrope