Secret Lives and Surprising Science!!
One major goal of the striped bass initiative is to provide a forum for students to ask questions, to develop hypotheses, and to devise ways to test the hypotheses. More information about research projects conducted at the MBL can be found at stripedbassmagic.org, “Surprising Science.”
The Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) in Woods Hole, MA has developed an ecosystem-based website, stripedbassmagic.org, as part of its outreach activities. Geared for middle and high school students, the site explores the interrelatedness of organisms by focusing on the ecosystem, migration, and life cycles of the striped bass and their predators and prey.
Since 2015, more than 250 individuals have been introduced to the science behind striped bass with a progressive increase in the number of students conducting research projects. Many of these projects have resulted in the development of lesson plans.
Students follow the bass as they migrate more than 1,000 miles round-trip and learn how the animals interact with other organisms in their ecosystem, the technology used to research marine life, and how human activity affects the striped bass and their food web.v
Classroom material developed by students and teachers as well as lesson plan links are available in the “Curriculum” section of the site.
A number of examples of student and teacher involvement in the striped bass initiative are listed below. More information can be found at stripedbassmagic.org. Join us in the striped bass adventure! If interested please contact Scott Bennett ([email protected]). Please consider donating to this outreach initiative so that it can continue and grow.
Scott Bennett, Manager, Marine Research Services & Secondary Education at the MBL, has joined the stripedbassmagic team this year. Scott brings research and education experience to our group and provides expertise on local organisms including the striped bass.
Scott Bennett, a new member of the striped bass team.
- School Visits
School visits did not occur on the MBL campus again this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Student Participation in Research During the Summer
Student volunteers had limited access to the MBL campus during the summer of 2021 because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Two students were able to spend limited time on the MBL docks conducting research. Two other students worked with Steve Zottoli remotely by Zoom.
Teddy Koide, Rising Junior, Bates College
Teddy is a biochemistry major at Bates. He opted to study water quality in Eel Pond. He measured oxygen content, salinity, temperature and water depth at two sites where striped bass congregate. Since one of the sites is in shallow water, he wondered whether that site might have a higher temperature and lower oxygen content on average in comparison to a deeper water site. Although there was a trend towards higher temperature and lower oxygen content at the shallow site, no significant differences were found. Teddy writes, “This summer, I had the pleasure of working with Dr. Steven Zottoli and conducting research on the striped bass population in Eel Pond, Woods Hole, MA. It was a great experience, and feel that I gained lots of knowledge on how to conduct proper scientific research. I considered the two known striped bass populations in Eel Pond, by the MRC ledge and the GEMMA, and how their environments compared to each other, and did so by looking at their water quality indicators. The study was important, as the results set a baseline for further studies, where it was shown that the environments have little difference between each other. The question can now be asked why the populations are “split” into two locations, and if there is an existing social dynamic that causes this. I was able to learn different techniques in measuring water quality and how to work with instruments I had not used before. Overall, I had a fantastic experience working with Dr. Zottoli and the MBL and look forward to doing more research in the near future!”
Teddy Koide at the MBL
Lily Hall, Rising Senior, University of Minnesota, Duluth
Lily Hall was a REU student working with Al Mensinger. Former students had shown that the striped bass that congregate near the MBL during the day leave in the evening. Lily was interested in determining when striped bass return in the morning. She showed that the fish return between 5 and 6:00 am. This finding is interesting since this is well before the fish might find food at that location. Lily intends to apply for graduate studies.
Lily Hall at the MBL
Laurel Barnett, first year student at Harvard University
Laurel worked remotely and organized data sent to us from other scientists along the Atlantic Coast who have detected our 15 striped bass tagged with acoustic transmitters. These “off-site” fish locations are important to determine the migration patterns of striped bass. Lily writes, “Thank you for sharing your work with me this summer; it was great to get to discuss research, careers, and life.”
- Development of Lesson Plans
Elizabeth Chin, rising Junior at Buckingham Browne & Nichols, Cambridge, MA
Elizabeth worked remotely and developed a Lesson Plan on “How Do Animals that Move Continuously Sleep? She visited the MBL in July to conduct a dissection on a black sea bass to more accurately build a lego model of a striped bass and its internal organs. Elizabeth writes, “I have had a great deal of fun learning about striped bass, fish in general, and other animals through our summer project. Dissecting a black sea bass and getting to meet you in person were definitely highlights for me! I appreciate the time you have taken to guide me along the way, and I am just so excited that I have new information and facts under my belt.”
Elizabeth Chin dissecting a black sea bass
- Continued research: Acoustic Tagging Initiative
One fish of five tagged in 2018 and two of ten fish tagged in 2019 returned to Eel Pond in 2021. We tagged 20 additional striped bass in September, 2021. External loop tags were placed between the dorsal and the caudal fin and acoustic tags were implanted in the abdominal cavity. We look forward to their return so that we can study their daily movements.
Acknowledgments
Funding for this project is provided by the Edwin Barbey Charitable Trust.