The following are reflections about the trip written by each student. Thanks for following our exploration!
Jody Saylor, Ryan Sensenig, and Luke Geiser (TA)
The idea that struck to me the most during my experience was the importance of seagreass beds to the coral reef and the production of fish. Also, how the coral reefs affect sea levels and how sea levels threaten human live. Upon getting here, we went to the Bight where we saw an abundance of seagrass. By looking down at the water you would not think there were so many organisms. This is because of our bias to see sea turtles, shark, bigger mammals. It is incredible how much you can find when you see the ocean with a different perspective. The seagrasss beds are critical nurseries for smaller organisms and for the primary producers, which help humans by giving us oxygen and a source of food. Do not underestimate the little creatures, because they play a bigger role then we think. We need to learn to educate other around us about ecosystems that we are not surrounded by day by day because they all work together. The earth is one whole system. – Andrea Cruz Evangelista
The past two and a half weeks at the J.N. Roth Marine Biology station have opened my eyes to an ecosystem with which I had no previous experience or knowledge. My greatest memory was probably seeing a whole lot of Halimeda opuntia, Ircinnia campana, and Spheciospongia vesparium at Triton Flats and then (from the encouragement of Ryan) swimming a bit farther to a sand bad to observe some amazing schools of fish. The environment was so radically different between these to locations very close in proximity. The biological idea that I got out of this was marine systems being so highly variable yet integrated at the same time. I’m sure that those two areas have some ecological relationship that I just could not see at the time. – Thomas Schlabach
One key biological idea that struck me was how difficult restoration of marine systems can be and how there are many different strategies to try and restore degraded systems. One strategy that we learned about from the Coral Reef Foundation was about mass producing corals to try and just restore the structural integrity of the reef as well as restoring species of coral that once dominated the area. This involves using mostly branching corals like staghorn and elkhorn corals. Another strategy is to breed new genotypes and ensure a large diversity of species and of genotypes within a species are included in the restoration project which we learned about at MOTE. This ensures that branching corals as well as encrusting corals are restored. There are disadvantages and advantages to both strategies. These two different ideas surrounding the restoration of corals has really emphasized the importance of collaboration between different groups like CRF and MOTE. This idea is applied not just in coral restoration but in all kinds of ecological restoration. – Ariana Perez-Diener
A biological idea that has struck me the most doing this course is how there are many different levels of trophic cascades and how what we do (trashing, boat scars, etc) can impact the marine life and creates a cycle of negative impacts between terrestrial ecosystems and marine ecosystems. We also create problems for marine ecosystems in the way we study them. I learned this when reading the different articles and seeing patterns on how biased we can be on what data we use and having the mindset of terrestrial. For example, for our research project the first thing that came to our head was we wanted to study Thalassia testudinum Because it is similar to what we find on land with prairies. This is a mistake because although they are considered prairie like our mindset wasn’t in the marine perspective but instead terrestrial. Which is something that a lot of researchers fail to realize that there is more in the ocean systems and there different ways the ecosystems interact with each other that differ from terrestrial land. – Lesly Rios-Mendoza
I have thoroughly enjoyed taking this marine biology class. It was a wonderful opportunity for me to branch out of my usual nursing classes and focus on an environment that I have limited experience with. Something that will stick with me in the future is how many connections there are within the marine environment but also between the marine and the terrestrial environments. We talked about so many webs showing the connectedness between species and ideas within the ocean and the specific sites we studied. A highlight was also learning about the effects that climate change will have on the planet, not only within this marine ecosystem but also in the town of Layton, the city of Miami, and everywhere around the globe. As a nursing major, I am starting to realize more of the impact that these changes will have on people everywhere and what a threat to public health these changes will have. As I continue my education and enter the workforce, this experience is something that will impact my perspective greatly and will hopefully keep me involved in interdisciplinary efforts to create sustainable changes. – Annelise Wiebe
I was struck by how diverse and interconnected so many species and processes are in the open system of the ocean. There is such a high biodiversity that creates so many different interactions and cascading affects. Species in the ocean don’t just live in one area of the ocean, they travel all over and are a part of several different habitats in their lifetime. Spatial dynamics influence life cycles and food webs and so much more. This environment almost seems too complex to comprehend at times and there is so much we are still learning! – Makena Zimmerman
A biological idea that stuck in my head the most is the idea of open ocean and management of systems. We tend to think of our action that we do in Indiana only affect Indiana, but we would be wrong. Those plastics that we throw on the ground will eventually make it to the ocean causing bio-accumulation (of toxins) in the top predator and in most systems that would be humans. The problem could start by the absorption of toxin by the primary producers or by a bird or large fish eating plastic found at sea. A thought that been turning in my head is the amount of toxins that we get from food would negatively affect our children, our children’s children to the point were disease is more common and life spans are shortened. The idea of it is scary, but it’s not a completely gone approach we can still lessen the impact by the decreasing our need for plastics and finding more renewable and biological friendly approaches to the problem. – Frank Gonzalez
Something that really struck me during this trip was how connected the ocean makes us all. We joked about the tourists from “Ohio” who come down and don’t appreciate T. testudinum (seagrasses!) like we all do now, but those tourists have just as much impact back in Ohio if not more than the local community here in Layton. Every decision we make and every action has a consequence or a benefit not only for ourselves but those who we many not even know who live hundreds or thousands of miles away, like the fisherman in Indonesia, or the boat captain in the Bahamas. The vastness and openness of the marine system will always be something that blows my mind. How plastic from Japan can end up in California or how the spiny lobster can start its life in Cuba but end up on reefs in the Keys will always be something that I am now more aware of and will try to implement strageties in my own life that reflect the new learning and understanding of the marine system that I gained while here in the Florida Keys.- Hannah Myers
One of the themes of the course that has been on my mind throughout our time here is that of climate change. Before this trip, I knew that we were affecting the oceans, but being able to see the coral skeletons in person and realizing that in 30 years this station may no longer be functioning as it will be underwater gave me a new and renewed urgency about the importance of this issue. I’ve also gained a new concept of and appreciation for the fragility and the resilience of the oceans, and while it has been discouraging at times to see so many effects of climate change, I’m also leaving feeling empowered about this opportunity to pull together as a world community and do something about this problem. – Jenae Stutzman
The idea of the ocean being open and species evolution and adapting has caught my eye this trip. My group did research on Sargassum mats, which probably originated from the Sargasso Sea, off the east coast of the US. These mats somehow floated into the Keys where we were sampling. That is pretty cool to me and it is interesting to imagine how far these mats have traveled. Also, when looking through these Sargassum mats for organisms, so many of them have brown-yellow-white coloring that makes it hard to spot them in the Sargassum. They have evolved to look like Sargassum since it is their primary habitat. In total, we have found about 7 different species that call Sargassum mats their home. It is intriguing to think how they all exist on mats together or separately depending on how dense their populations are and how big the mat is. It is like a tiny microcosm! I would have never guessed that there would be so much abundance in this floating brown seaweed that tends to stink up coastal beaches. – Brandon Nguyen ’21 Molecular Biology & Biochemistry
One of the ideas that stuck with me is how open the ocean is. I always thought that there were different ecosystems that kind of stayed their own ecosystems, like they do on land, and the reason that they are failing is due to human interactions with them. This is partially true, human interactions with different parts of the ocean have effects on those locations, but due to the openness of the ocean what we do in one spot has a significant impact on species and ecosystems at great distances from that location. This is a problem because when one part of this system gets altered or changed it affects the rest of it, causing a catastrophic problem of different systems changing and altering themselves. This has happened over the course of many years, and its so hard to study the affects it’s having on the different systems because the ocean is so big in sense of surface area and depth compared to the systems we are dealing with in regards to terrestrial systems. This then affects the large diversity of species, even though there is so much more diversity in general in the ocean. The basis of primary productivity is not as diverse, which means that preserving and restoring those species will be the biggest part of the whole we need to fix. But with that being said there are many people across the world that are now realizing what affects humans have had on marine systems and that we need to change our ways in order to not keep going down this path of negative interactions between terrestrial and marine systems. Instead we need to look to change our ways to hopefully positively affect these keystone and foundational species that are providing great habitats for many species on Earth. If not for ourselves, but for our kids and their kids. – Aidan Friesen ’19 Environmental & Marine Science
The idea that struck me the most during my experience here is the fact that marine and terrestrial systems impact each other in ways I would never expect, and there is a great influence that each has on the other. We as humans have a key role in the maintenance and conditions of both terrestrial and marine systems, which we need to step up, and take control of. It’s one thing to learn about what is happening in the marine system, but it’s another to see it. I feel that now that I have seen the impact that terrestrial systems have on the marine system I am more driven to take action than before. While a lot of the impact in the past has been negative, there are so many ways that we can make positive impacts now. But I am hopeful. With the guest lectures and visits we have taken I see the changes people are making to their lives and the efforts they are putting into trying to understand, preserve and restore the marine system and I feel compelled to share what I am learning, make others aware and take action, even in the smallest of ways. It’s been interesting to see that there are such varying scales of the marine system and even changing the smallest of food webs/habitats has a great impact on the marine ecosystem as a whole. This shows that we can have a great impact on the quality of life both terrestrially and in the marine world even if we make the smallest of changes. – Alyssa Arella ’19 Biology & Psychology
One thing that struck me was the coral loss and attempt at restoration, which can involve an interdisciplinary approach. The coral reef ecosystem is very complex and very important in filtering water and being a habitat for other organisms. Although there is pain and devastation in the coral loss, I found that the hope for coral is contagious. Each speaker who came in and talked with us from the Keys Marine Lab, Coral Restoration Foundation, and MOTE were hopeful for the coral and are finding ways to work together, each using a different approach, to face the problem and restore coral. Not only are scientists needed to work at restoring coral, but sociologists and politicians are needed to weigh the costs for society and socioeconomic impacts and to also make change in the laws. I find it fascinating to see people from all walks of life coming together to work on the scale and management of coral in order to combat climate change and restore the coral reefs. – Abby Hochstetler ’21 Molecular Biology & Biochemistry
One of the things that stuck out to me the most from this experience would be the role of the small organisms in Ocean Systems. I came into this trip excited to see manatess, and sea turtles, and sharks and while all of those creatures are amazing and make their own contributions to the marine system, I was surprised by how much time we spent looking at the little things. Things like Phtyoplankton, Sargassum, Crustaceans, and Echinoderms make up so much of the marine system and don’t get nearly as much attention as they should for all that they do. Coming to the Florida Keys and getting to do hands on work and research in marine systems has been such an eye opening experience. Living in Wisconsin or Indiana can make it hard to personalize the devastating effects of climate change and environmental degradation on the open ocean. I realize now that even though terrestrial and marine systems are isolated in some ways, ultimately they interconnected. The things that someone in the Midwest chooses to do on a daily basis do have an effect on our coral reefs, on echinoderm populations, and on water quality. When we make the decision to wear sunscreen into the water, we’re choosing whether or not to be mindful of the chemicals in it and what they can do to corals and sponges. When we make the decision to drive instead of carpooling, biking, or using public transit, we’re choosing whether or not to be mindful of CO2 emissions devastating ocean (and terrestrial) wildlife. Not everybody gets to go to Florida, we’re not even sure that our children or great grandchildren will be able to go snorkeling on the reefs, so we need to make studying marine systems a priority and do what we can to help repair them. – Lexus Garces ’20 Biology
The biggest biological idea that stuck with me during my experience in marine biology was the theme of the ocean being an open system and how everything is connected. This wasn’t nessecarily a new idea to me, but experiencing it by being immersed in different habits for three week really puts things into perspective. It’s so much different being able to be here and see the impacts people living in Goshen can have on a system they almost never interact with. It was also great to learn the different life cycles of many organisms and how they use different habitats at different life stages. It really helped in illustrating how everything is connected and how everything matters even if you can’t see it. – Irving Suarez ’21 Biology & Psychology
The idea of unrivaled marine biodiversity struck me the most during my experience in marine biology. Each day that we would travel out in the boats and work on research I would always see a species or multiple species that I had not seen the day before. This exposure to the diversity in the ocean as well as our exposure to the ecological systems at play helped me put in perspective how much I personally do not know about the ocean and how much we as humanity have yet to learn. – Paul Drescher ’21 Interdisciplinary Studies
One biological theme that stood out to me was the importance of positive interactions in the marine system, and how these relate to the threat of climate change. We learned a lot about coral reefs, which are habitats that contain countless examples of species interactions. Given that coral is a foundational species, the fact that humans activities are directly causing their demise, should be a source of major concern. As we work to combat climate change, it is very important that humans all over the U.S. understand the complications of this damage and that the function of the coral is beneficial to our world beyond its aesthetic value. Abby Graber ’19 Psychology & Environmental Studies minor
