allysenvironmentalblog-blog

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Last days at WYSE The last two days at WYSE were by far the most emotional, knowing that it all was about to come to an end. Over the course of the five days I spent there, I became very close with the people surrounding me. From my roommates to my color group and my awesome faculty advisors, I will never forget these amazing people. On Thursday, everyone went to a congressional meeting. I met with a lovely lady by the name of Sarah Pearce. Ms.Pearce represents Ohio’s senator Rob Portman and she spoke of him very fondly. After chatting with her and asking her a multitude of questions- which she answered in the most informative and kind manner- we were given an hour or two to roam some museums in the area. A couple of my friends and I visited the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, as well as the Air and Space Museum- where I purchased an amazing Star Trek shirt- and then we headed back to George Mason to get ready for the semi-formal. At the semi-formal we had a fantastic dinner, after that we got crazy on the dance floor. The chandelier was literally bouncing. The bathroom door was cracking open and closed by itself! It was an amazing time and I’m so glad I got to be a part of it. This morning was our last morning at WYSE and it was so bittersweet. I was glad to get to go home and actually get some sleep! But I was also sad to be saying goodbye to all the wonderful friends I had made. Many phone numbers were exchanged, along with a multitude of hugs, and then it was time to go. After stopping by the book store for a George Mason T-shirt, I was headed home. The week I spent at WYSE will always be such a fond memory and I’m so glad I got to experience it.  

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Shipwreck Microbial Ecology

Dr. Leila Hamdam is a molecular microbial ecologist and her studies focus on geomicrobiology and the impact of changing environmental conditions on the structure and function of marine and estuarine communities. Her current studies center on microbial biogeography on continental margins and the impact of hydrocarbons and chemical dispersants on communities found on artificial reefs (shipwrecks) in the deep biosphere of the Gulf of Mexico. When any solid substrate enters the ocean, tons of microorganisms cover the surface area of that substrate. As the substrate sinks, more microorganisms will proceed to attach to its surface. These microorganisms leave “cues” that attract fish and other life forms to that substrate. Soon enough, there is a whole new community living on this substrate (shipwreck, in this case). Dr. Hamdan studies the effects that oil spills and dispersants have on these communities. Since microorganisms are the first organisms to respond to contamination, they are the perfect specimen to study. Dr. Hamdan is currently studying the effects of the Macondo Well Blowout, in which 5 million barrels’ worth of oil was spilled into the Gulf of Mexico. On top of that, 2 million pounds of chemical dispersants were dumped into the water to try to break up the oil. Dr. Hamdan says that the decision to burn the oil released volatile chemicals and created a negatively buoyant material that is essentially a hard lump of tar. This “tar” binds with contact cells and proceeds to sink to the ocean floor. So where is the 30% of oil from the Macondo Well Blowout that still remains unaccounted for? Well at the bottom of the sea, of course. Dr. Hamdan is studying a group of six shipwrecks close to the spill to see what effects this spill had on the communities living there. Her control group was not touched by the oil spill, her A group was almost right under it, and her B group was effected but lays a moderate distance from the spill. After examining the microorganisms living in these communities, Dr. Hamdan found that the population of naphthalene genes had significantly elevated at all sites. Naphthalene is a volatile, white crystalline compound produced by the distillation of cool tar, used in mothballs and as a raw material for chemical manufacture. Even the wrecks that didn’t seem to be touched by the spill was still suffering some side effects.   It is so important to preserve the shipwrecks, not just because they serve as artificial reefs that house many life forms, but also because we are still learning more about the amazing creatures that live in the deepest parts of the sea. New discoveries are made each month with the help of these communities. Dr. Hamdan uses a R.O.V. the size of a mini cooper, to explore ocean depths that no human will ever be able to. There are over 2,000 historic shipwrecks and there are many more that are yet to be discovered. By preserving and analyzing the data collected at these wreck sites, we can continue to expand our knowledge and understanding of life forms on the sea floor.

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The beautiful Rappahannock River

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FISHING IN THE ROSS SEA Have you ever heard of the Ross Sea? I hadn’t until today. The Ross Sea is south of New Zealand, a horse-shoe shaped embankment that clings to the Antarctica coast. It covers 3.6 million square kilometers (1.9 million square miles) and supports species that have thrived essentially as they have for a millennium. In 2011, a study published in the journal Biological Conservation called the Ross Sea “the least altered marine ecosystem on Earth.” As the last pristine ocean on the planet, the Ross Sea has finally attracted some unwanted attention. After the discovery of a fish called the Toothfish, these waters have been a magnet to large commercial fishing vessels. The toothfish is endemic to Antarctic shores because the water temperature and depth is the only habitat they can thrive in. Until recently, the Ross Sea and its inhabitants were not disturbed by humans. That changed when New Zealand sent a fishing vessel to scout out fishing locations in the area. When the toothfish was discovered, vessels arrived in droves. In the few years since we began fishing for toothfish, we have eliminated over 50% of their population. This dramatic decrease has been detrimental to the ecosystem. Predators of the toothfish, such as seals and whales no longer have an abundant supply of this food, and the Icefish population has significantly increased because there are less toothfish to eat them. If you take a major predator out of an ecosystem like this one, the whole thing can fall apart. Not much is known about the toothfish. Scientists don’t know their life span, their mating habits, or where the juvenile fish are found. Therefore, they cannot predict the rate at which toothfish reproduce, so they cannot determine if we are catching them faster than they can produce offspring. If too many toothfish are killed before this information is discovered, the answers to these questions may never be known. Conducting more research on these fish and its habitats is one of many reasons scientists are working so hard to get these waters protected. The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) is an international commission with 25 members, established in 1982, with the sole objective of conserving Antarctic marine life. The extreme decrease in the toothfish populations have been brought to CCAMLR’s attention. The commission is considering two proposals on what to do about the fishing frenzy and the detriment it is causing to this ecosystem. The first proposal is that the whole Ross Sea be made into a Marine Protected Area (MPA) and no commercial fishing be allowed at all.  The second proposal, A Proposal for the Establishment of the Ross Sea Region Marine Protected Area (MPA) in which the Ross Sea is divided into three sections. The North Fish Zone would allow restricted fishing guidelines on the toothfish. The Western Zone would allow moderated Krill fishing, and the Southern Zone would only permit research fishing and such fishing must be approved, in advance, by the commission on a case-by-case basis. I, for one, hope that the CCAMLR passes the Proposal for the Establishment of the Ross Sea Region Marine Protected Area so that the Ross Sea can remain the last wild ocean in the world.

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Today was my second day at WYSE. After breakfast, we drove to the Smithsonian National Zoo, where we had a few hours to explore and then we separated into separate, predetermined groups to speak with some Zookeepers and Zoo Scientists about certain topics of interest. My topic was Whooping Crane Conservation, led by Megan Brown of the University of Maryland and Smithsonian’s National Zoo. We met at the outdoor crane yards at the Zoo’s bird house. There we explored some reasons for the crane’s endangerment and discussed the efforts the zoo is taking to combat those forces. One major reason the Whooping Crane’s population is so low is because the Crane is endemic to North America, meaning it isn’t found anywhere else in the world. In 1941, the wild population of these majestic birds consisted of 21 birds. Conservations efforts, like those being conducted at the Smithsonian National Zoo, have helped the Whooping Crane make a comeback. As of 2007, there were about 340 Whooping Cranes living in the wild and another 145 living in captivity. Although their numbers have made a major increase, they are still one of the rarest birds in North America. A major reason the Whooping Crane is endangered is loss of habitat. Whooping Cranes nest in marshy areas that-after drained- makes ideal land for farming. Another major contributor is the slow reproduction rate of these animals. Whooping Cranes mate for life and they have to be imprinted on their mate before they can reproduce. For a fertile batch of eggs to be laid, the two cranes usually have to live together for close to two years. After that, it takes 21 days to incubate the eggs and even if both of them hatch, the crane pair will only raise one, leaving the other to die. After hatching, it takes another 90 days before the chosen newborn will leave its mother and the cycle will start all over again. It is very difficult to reintroduce reared Whooping Cranes back into the wild because they are often aggressive toward other cranes and even if they do reproduce, it has been found that hand-reared Cranes don’t have the motherly instinct to protect her eggs. There have been many circumstances where predators have waltzed right into the nest and stolen the eggs without the mother doing a thing to protect them. Megan Brown believes that this due to people that reared the cranes not knowing they had to teach them to be afraid of predators. A step the Smithsonian is taking to try and prevent this lack of basic instinct is a recent suggestion in which the eggs are hand reared long enough to hatch and then given to a crane pair that is not laying fertile eggs. The pair will adopt the chick as one of their own and raise it until its fully grown. Brown hopes that this will not only solve the motherly instinct issue but also be a major step toward replenishing the population of these animals. During my time at the bird house, I got to meet the Smithsonian’s two Whooping Cranes, Rocky and Eha. Rocky was a little shy at first but after Eha came up to us, he decided we didn’t look too bad, and joined the party as well. After meeting with the keepers, we had another hour or so to walk around and then we had a panel, in which we could ask a group of three panel experts questions about their profession and the animals in which they work to protect. Lauren Augustine, a herpetology keeper at the Smithsonian National Zoo in the Reptile Discovery Center and a Masters student at George Mason University, had many interesting comments on the slithery creatures she loves. My favorite thing she said was, “Snakes aren’t nearly as aggressive as people like to believe. They don’t really want to bite you, they bluff all the time. Take a rattlesnake for example, if it really wanted to bite you, it wouldn’t rattle its tale first. It does that to warn you to get away so that it doesn’t have to bite you.” As an Ophidiophobiac, this tidbit of information was comforting. Dr. Meredith Bastian is the Curator of Primates at the National Zoo, where she supervises the Primate Unit. Dr. Bastian graduated with a B.A. in Biological Anthropology and Anatomy from Duke University. As an Anthropology nut myself, I was very excited to talk to Dr. Bastian about her work with the primates and the things that she did to get herself where she is today. During the panel Dr. Bastian spoke a lot about how Orangutans interact and how many of their interactions are very similar to those of humans. My favorite part of listening to Dr. Bastian speak about her work is when she described some sticky situations that she had gotten herself into out in the field. She spoke of one time when a gorilla got so upset it literally uprooted a decaying tree and flung it toward their camp. The third panel expert was Craig Saffoe, the curator of big cats and Andean bears. He answered all questions with a certain dash of wit that seemed to make him the focus of many questions. He gave a lot of very educational information, as well as a few funny stories. My favorite was a story about how he accidently threw a cheetah onto one of his coworkers. How does that even happen?!?!? Apparently, a couple years ago, Mr. Saffoe was transporting a cheetah to and from an operation. After the procedure was finished and they were trying to unload the cheetah back into its enclosure, the cheetah woke up, and let’s just say he was not as disoriented as they though he was going to be. As Mr. Saffoe opened the truck to assist the cheetah out, the cheetah lunged! Mr. Saffoe grabbed the cheetahs leg and flung him to the side, unintentionally pinning his friend underneath!! Fortunately, no cheetahs or humans were harmed in the events that lead to this very entertaining story. After our time at the Zoo, we did a little sightseeing. The Lincoln Memorial and The Washington Monument were among some of the sights we stopped to see.

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FIRST DAY AT WYSE!!

My first day at WYSE was very interesting. I was lucky enough to get three geeky but very cool roommates. Addie is a dancer from Virginia who suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder and thinks that my tendency to leave used towels on the floor is truly terrifying. Allison is a Star Wars fanatic from Florida that thinks electronic toothbrushes are the best inventions ever. Morgan from Missouri (not pictured) is a soft-spoken vegan that seems way too mature to be only fifteen.

After check-in and a lovely dinner, our first guest speaker arrived. Forrest Pritchard is a writer and farmer at Smith Meadows Farm and he had some very interesting information about organic farming. After introducing himself with a sad, yet funny, story about his very first attempt to make a profit from farming, he got into the details and spoke a little about the contents of his best-selling books Gaining Ground and Growing Tomorrow. I found the topics he touched down on to be very educational and he delivered the information with humor and wit that managed to keep the attention of many teenagers- that is impressive in itself.

I look forward to what the rest of this week will bring and excited to learn new things about many different topics.  

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Book Review: Silent Spring

By: Rachel Carson   

    In Silent Spring, a masterpiece that took four years to complete, Carson exposed the hazards of the pesticide DDT, inquired at humanity's reliance on technological progress and set in motion the environmental movement. Released in 1962, Silent Spring made people question everything they thought they knew about the consequences of using DDT on crops.

    In Silent Spring, Carson vividly describes how DDT enters the food chain and accumulates in the fatty tissues of animals, including human beings, and can cause cancer and genetic damage. To quote Carson, "A single application of DDT on a crop killed insects for weeks and months, and not only the targeted insects but had other consequences as well and remained toxic in the environment even after it was diluted by rainwater."

    To conclude, Carson said that DDT and other pesticides had irrevocably harmed birds and animals and had contaminated the entire world food supply. The chapter "A Fable for Tomorrow" is known as one of the most famous and haunting chapters. It describes a nameless American town where all life- from birds to apple blossoms to fish to human children- had been "silenced"  by the effects of DDT.

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Book Review: 'Demon Fish:Travels Through the Hidden World of Sharks'

For most people, the word shark probably invokes the thought of gruesome shark attacks and hit movies such as Jaws or Soul Surfer. They might conjure up an image in their head of ghastly creatures prowling the ocean's shores just looking for a tasty human to snack on. More than likely, they don't know that ancient civilizations used to worship sharks or that sharks are quickly becoming an endangered species.

In Demon Fish: Travels Through the Hidden World of Sharks, Juliet Eilperin explores how sharks have been viewed throughout history, the tradition of shark calling in New Guinea, the complex world of shark fin trading, and how humans are bringing about a major decline in shark populations worldwide.

The world of sharks definitely brings about some diverse characters. From fishermen like Mark the Shark, to some equally quirky conservationists, the author explores many views in the shark world. Eilperin includes DNA forensics, population biologists and shark sleuths, even touching base on a Bay Area shark-poaching ring. Throughout her travels Eilperin encounters and investigates threats to many different shark populations.

While Eilperin does discuss shark attacks- she points out that I am more likely to die from rabies by a dog bite than I am by a shark attack- the book is mostly about how humans are attacking sharks. Eilperin takes a look inside one of the greatest threats to sharks: the shark fin trade. In shark finning, sharks are killed solely for their fins. The market for shark fins is for the lucrative luxury, shark fin soup. The fact that sharks are becoming harder to catch and their fins are becoming smaller and smaller doesn't seem to worry many people in the shark fin business. To quote a major trader of fins in Hong Kong, "If you've got less, it's more expensive. People will still buy it."

Eilperin gives a fair balance to those who exploit sharks and those who work to protect them. Sadly, it is the former, not the latter, who are winning the battle.  Some fishermen hunt sharks for sport, like the competitors in the "Are you man enough? Shark Challenge" in which teams of fishermen compete to see who can catch the biggest shark. Others hunt sharks for their occupation, Mark Quartiano- a.k.a Mark the Shark- is a commercial fisherman who earns a living by taking groups of wealthy thrill-seekers out shark hunting. By his own estimate, he has killed at least 100,000 sharks over the course of his career. To a certain level, Quartiano acknowledges that he might contribute to the shark's dwindling numbers, but he isn't worried enough to quit his practice. In the words of Mark the Shark himself, "Sharks are fascinating, but we're trophy hunters. I get paid to kill fish. Some people don't like it, but too bad."

After reading this very informative and entertaining tale of Eilperin's journeys through the fascinating world of sharks, I have a new perspective on these creatures and find myself concerned for the future of these ancient predators. If you decide to read this book, you may just find yourself looking at sharks a little differently.