DavidRemsen - Fri Sep 24 2010 - Version 1.6
The TDWG Techno/Bioblitz will feature a series of scheduled field trips dedicated to species observations and collection. The field trips are divided into two roughly equal blocks of approximately 2-3 hours with a few specialized outliers. One block occupies most of the morning from 09:30 till lunchtime and the second occupies the afternoon from 13:30 till approximately 16:00. Each block offers field trips that provide opportunities with the following general taxonomic focal areas:
We expect to have all field trips provided with a local person with some expertise in the taxonomic area who can serve as a guide to the field trip location. We appreciate any additional TDWG meeting volunteers who may wish to add their own expertise.
Field trips include those confined to walking distance within the village as well as a few to some special external locations that require transportation. These remote field trips, with the exception of the whale watch excursion (see below), are all within a 30 min or less drive from the TDWG meeting. We will provide vans for transport to these locations. The maximum number of participants for these off-site field trips will be dictated by interest, and the number of available vehicles. These off-site trips will likely take more time given the need for transportation but have been selected for their relative species richness and specialized habitat.
Also note, that there is limited availability (15 max.) to participate in a collecting trip on the MBL fishing vessel, R.V. Gemma. Whale watch excursion – We have made arrangements with a local whale watch company for those who are willing to spend an entire day away from the meeting for the chance to see the local marine mammal and pelagic bird offerings. This excursion carries additional costs to participate and sign-up is via the TDWG registration site.
#Schedule
The following list provides information about each planned field trip. Note that there are 3 trips that fall outside the two major time blocks: one early birding walk and two evening events.
The schedule has been developed to allow TDWG participants a chance to attend both Bioblitz-related activities as well as other side events that may be scheduled on Wednesday, 29 September. Participants may choose to attend a mix of field trips, lab activities and meeting side events. We have tried to have some redundancy between morning and afternoon trips to ensure there is something for everyone. Each field trip is linked to a web-based poll where participants are encourage to express their interest in a trip. Please try to limit your signup to no more than one morning and one afternoon event. If you feel strongly about two parallel trips, put a number in braces “ex, (1) or (2)” indicating your preference. We will close the polls on Saturday, 25 September at 1700 local time. Additional signup will then take place at the main TDWG registration desk area.
|07:00 (2 hr.)|Early Morning Birding Location:Woods Hole Village (Walk) | |(Molly Cornell and Ellie Armstrong) The morning birding trip will center on the Woods Hole village area starting with the Woods Hole ballpark and adjacent marshy field. Autumn migration is in full swing and this area is a fallout spot with forage and cover. In addition to migrating songbirds, we will also expect to see various species of raptors. Binoculars recommended for this event. (12 people max.) Sign-up|| |09:30 (2 hr.)|Mid-morning Birdwatching Location:Woods Hole village (Walk) | | We will tour the meadows and woodlands in the village on the lookout for migrating songbirds and raptors. Binoculars recommended for this event. (12 people max.) Sign-up|| |09:30 (open)|Bird Banding Location:Woods Hole Village (Walk) | | We will set up several mist nets near a migratory fallout area. Molly Cornell will demonstrate capture and banding techniques. This birding event does not require binoculars. (10 people max.) Sign-up|| |09:30 (2 hr.)|Mushrooms Location:Woods Hole Village (Walk) | | Join EOL's Nathan Wilson to select woodland locations in and around the village to seek out and collect a wide range of mushrooms and other fungi. We will bring select specimens back to the lab for microscopy and imaging. (12 people max.) Sign-up|| |09:30 (2 hr.)|Spiders and non-insect arthropods Location:Woods Hole Village (Walk) | | David Shorthouse of the Encyclopedia of Life, will lead a walk to choice locations around the village to locate and identify spiders and other non-insect arthropods. (10 people max.) Sign-up|| |09:30 (2 hr.)|Ants & insects - Woods Hole village Location:Woods Hole village (Walk) | | We will explore a variety of habitats with a focus on ants and ground-dwelling insects. We will try to locate nets for aerial insects and sweeping but participants able to bring collecting equipment are encouraged to do so. (12 people max.) Sign-up|| |09:30 (2 hr.)|Marine Algae (Seaweeds) Location:Woods Hole Village (Walk) | | The Woods Hole coastal edge abounds with a wide range of green, red and brown macro-algae. Bring a pair of shorts and some sunblock for a pleasant walk to some local beaches to beachcomb with a knowledgeable guide. We will collect choice specimens for keying and photographs back in the lab. (10 people max.) Sign-up|| |09:30 (2 hr.)|Salt Marsh Invertebrates (morning) Location:Woodneck Marsh (20 min ride) (by Van) | | We will visit a small Spartina salt march on Buzzards Bay and, with luck and an accurate tide table, walk along a tidal creek with nets and buckets to sample sand and mud flats for molluscs, polychaetes, and other burrowing animals. Another group may venture over the small dunes to the beach and look under the cobble for crabs and other invertebrate species. (8 people max.) Sign-up|| |09:30 (1.5 hr.)|Benthic Invertebrates – RV/Gemma Field trip #1 Location:Vineyard Sound (Boat) | | We will support two trips on the MBL fishing vessel, the RV Gemma. Each trip will accommodate up to 15 participants on a 1.5 hour (dock to dock) trip into Vineyard Sound. Edward Enos, the manager of the MBL specimen collection facility, will lead the trips and help identify collected invertebrates and fish. Each trip will deploy a dredge for bottom sampling and a plankton net for surface organisms. (15 people max.) Sign-up|| |09:30 (1.5 hr.)|Marine Invertebrates in the MBL Marine Resource Center Location:MBL Campus (Walk) | | The Marine Resource Center houses a wide range of local species, already collected and sorted as well as many other species that have come in via the pipes and settled in the tanks, bays, and trays. We will also collect marine invertebrates on the MBL dock for transport back to the lab for further identification and photos. Our guide will also describe some of the science behind these animals to explain how they contribute to our understanding of basic biological and medical phenomena. (8 people max.) Sign-up|| |09:30 (2 hr.)|Microbiota Location:Bioblitz Lab (Walk) | | Get a chance to use some state-of-the-art Zeiss imaging equipment with equipment and expertise provided by the Karl Zeiss microscopy facility at the MBL. Chris Reiken will be on hand to help explore and identify microbes. We will gather samples prior to the event to have some material on hand that include marine and freshwater (vernal pool) habitats. We can also sample other environments during the day. (5 people max.) Sign-up|| |09:30 (2 hr.)|Protists Location:Bioblitz Lab (Walk) | | David Patterson (Paddy) will be in the lab through the day identifying freshwater and marine protists from samples provided by other trips. This event will provide opportunities to view and identify protists and access to the imaging capabilities of the Zeiss Discovery v.8 microscope. (_ people max._) Sign-up|| |09:30 (3 hr.)|Meadow and Woodland plants Location:Francis Crane Wildlife Mgtmt Area (20 min ride) (by Van) | | The 1800 acre Francis Crane Wildlife Reserve includes a large managed meadowland and mixed woodland. We will canvas the area for native and introduced plant species. (12 people max.) Sign-up|| |09:30 (3 hr.)|Salt Marsh Plants Location:Waquoit Bay (20 min ride) (by Van) | | We will participate in a transect through a New England saltmarsh to view and identify the different species of plants that occupy narrow, specialised niches based on elevation and salinity. Dress for the possibility that your feet may get wet. (12 people max.) Sign-up|| |09:30 (1-2 hr.)|Meadow and Woodland plants (village) Location:Woods Hole Village (Vehicle) | | We will explore choice habitats for interesting and local plant species within walking distance of the village of Woods Hole. Habitats may include mixed woodland, meadows, and brackish/freshwater wetlands. Confirmed with Mario (10 people max.) Sign-up|| |09:30 (2 hr.)|Coastal Pond Sandplain Ecosystem Locationrane Wildlife Refuge (20 min.) (Vehicle (Car)) | | Dr. Chris Neil will lead a tour of a coastal plain grassland. (5 people max.) Sign-up|| |09:30 (2 hr.)|Atlantic White Cedar Location:Woods Hole Village (Walk/Cars) | | (Dr. Aimlee Laderman) Cedar swamps, dominated by the beautiful and resourceful Atlantic white cedar, are found only in a 100 mile wide strip along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States. They are, therefore, very rare and globally significant. We will visit a cedar swamp located near the Woods Hole village with a local expert. (10 people max.) Sign-up||
|13:30 (2 hr.)|Afternoon Birdwatching Location:Woods Hole Village (Walk) | | We will lead an group after lunch to cover the marshy meadow near the ballfield and other areas around the village on the lookout for songbirds. If time and transport permit we may take a ride to a nearby salt pond for ducks and shorebirds. (10 people max.) Sign-up|| |13:30 (2 hr.)|Mushrooms Location:Woods Hole Village (Walk) | | We will continue the morning walks around the village after lunch with exploration of the woodlands around the MBL cottages and the Shining Sea bikeway. Specimens from the mornings outing will be available in the lab for more detailed identification using available scopes and imaging equipment. (_ people max._) Sign-up|| |13:30 (2.5 hr.)|Insects (Crane Wildlife Mgt Area) Location:Francis Crane Wildlife Mgtmt Area (20 min ride) (by Van) | | The Francis Crane Wildlife Refuge is a entomological hotspot with managed meadows in varying stages of succession, and mixed deciduous woodland peppered with smaller meadows. We will spend a few hours exploring collecting with a number of local specialists. This area is ideal for grasshoppers, butterflies, beetles, bees and wasps. (10 people max.) Sign-up|| |13:30 (2 hr.)|Spiders/Insects (village) Location:Woods Hole Village (Walk) | | We will continue our hunt for non-insect arthropods and spiders after lunch. We may continue to canvas the village or, depending on numbers, join the insect group at the Francis Crane Wildlife Reserve. See (http://www.300committee.org/cranewildlife.htm) (10 people max.) Sign-up|| |13:30 (2 hr.)|Seaweeds Location:Woods Hole Village (Walk) | | The Woods Hole coastal edge abounds with a wide range of green, red and brown macro-algae. Bring a pair of shorts and some sunblock for a pleasant walk to some local beaches to beachcomb with a knowledgeable guide. We will collect choice specimens for keying and photographs back in the lab. (6 people max.) Sign-up|| |13:30 (1.5 hr.)|Small Fishes and Invertebrates (Beach Seining) Location:Woods Hole Village (Walk) | | We will lead a trip to a tiny beach situated right in town and use a seine to sample fish and invertebrates in the eelgrass (Zostera) beds. The more adventurous may consider snorkelling. This site is less than a 5 minute walk from the Lab and we will bring buckets for taking specimens back to the lab for identification and pictures. (10 people max.) Sign-up|| |13:30 (2-3 hr.)|Sessile marine invertebrates (MBL Dock) Location:MBL MRC Dock (Walk) | | The MBL dock provides an unexpectedly rich habitat for sessile marine invertebrates and will serve as our station for this habitat. We will take samples from the dock and some of the lines other substrate that support a rich assemblage of sessile organisms and sort them in trays for observation, identification and imaging. (12 people max.) Sign-up|| |13:30 (1.5 hr.)|Benthic Invertebrates – RV/Gemma Field trip #2 Location:Vineyard Sound (Boat) | | We will support two trips on the MBL fishing vessel, the RV Gemma. Each trip will accommodate up to 15 participants on a 1.5 hour (dock to dock) trip into Vineyard Sound. Edward Enos, the manager of the MBL specimen collection facility, will lead the trips and help identify collected invertebrates and fish. Each trip will deploy a dredge for bottom sampling and a plankton net for surface organisms. (15 people max.) Sign-up|| |13:30 (3 hr.)|Salt Marsh Creek sampling Location:Waquoit Bay (20 min ride) (by Van) | | We will travel to the Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Reserve (http://www.waquoitbayreserve.org/index.aspx) to sample the Salt March nekton (swimming fish and invertebrates) that abound in the tidal creeks and grasses there. Bring shorts or be dress for the chance you may get your feet and legs wet. (10 people max.) Sign-up|| |13:30 (2 hr.)|Marine Plankton tow (WHOI Dock) Location:WHOI Dock (Village) (Walk) | | We will take a small group out to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution pier to cast a plankton net with the changing tide and collect some zooplankton samples and return back to the lab for further exploration and identification. Our guide will provide a brief history of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and a description of some of the sights on the pier. (10 people max.) Sign-up|| |13:30 (2 hr.)|Microbiota (afternoon) Location:Bioblitz Lab (Walk) | | Get a chance to use some state-of-the-art Zeiss imaging equipment with equipment and expertise provided by the Karl Zeiss microscopy facility at the MBL. Chris Reiken will be on hand to help explore and identify microbes. We will gather samples prior to the event to have some material on hand that include marine and freshwater (vernal pool) habitats. We can also sample other environments during the day. (5 people max.) Sign-up|| |13:30 (3 hr.)|Mashpee Pine Barrens / Atlantic White Cedar Swamp Location:Mashpee Pine Barrens (30 min ride) (by Van) | | The South Mashpee Pine Barrens Conservation Area feature a diverse array of New England habitats that include riparian habitat, Atlantic White Cedar swamps, cranberry bogs, groves of white pine, as well as pitch pine/scrub oak barrens. We will spend the afternoon exploring some of these areas with local experts. See (http://www.oneweb.com/mashtown/guide/pathways.html) (12 people max.) Sign-up|| |13:30 (1-2 hr.)|Meadow and Woodland plants (village) Location:Woods Hole Village (Walk) | | We will take a tour through Woods Hole village to a number of different habitats that include some of the lovely former estates now occupied by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Our guide will highlight some of the interesting habitats and plant species that cover some brackish and freshwater wetlands and mixed village woodland. (15 people max.) Sign-up||
|20:00 (2 hr.)|Evening Moth lighting/trapping Location:MBL Cottage or Village (Walk) | | This specialised event will take place after dark and will feature scented baits and light traps. Brave the coyotes and skunks and discover the secret lives of insects after dark. (8 people max.) Sign-up|| |20:00 (2 hr.)|Night-lighting Dockside Location:MBL MRC Dock (Walk) | | Many benthic and swimming marine animals are active at night and, like many nocturnal insects, are attracted to bright lights. We will set up a lighting station on the MBL dock and see what shows up. We will have nets and jars to sample and take a closer look back in the lab. (8 people max.) Sign-up||
-- Main.JoelSachs - 10 Aug 2010