Imagery

[Lab news] Jake participates in the fall 2016 Massachusetts Bottom Trawl Survey

Posted on September 27, 2016September 27, 2016 by Hannes Baumann

Early mornings, long days, lots of sorting and measuring, short breaks for food, and almost no time to sit for much of the day. That’s science, and that’s exactly what it was like aboard the R/V Gloria Michelle during my four-day stint. Our original hope was to sample Cape Cod Bay and the backside of the Cape, but due to weather concerns we ended up in Cape Cod bay for two days, and then the third was in Buzzards Bay and the Fourth in Outer Vineyard Sound. Why was I aboard this research vessel? Twice each year the State of Massachusetts sends out surveyors and volunteers to sample the benthic fish and invertebrate population. They sample multiple depth strata, and the entirety of Massachusetts coastal waters (by way of a sampling grid). Our lab was particularly hopeful of getting Sandlance (Ammodytes dubius), which I would have sampled for GSI and histology. Sadly, since we didn’t make it out to the backside of the Cape we saw no Sandlance, but we did see plenty of cool fish! Some highlights? A spiny dogfish (my first on this coast), a 4.5’ smooth dogfish, a 48cm Striped Sea Robin (the largest I’ve ever seen!), a few Red Cornetfish, a handful of Atlantic Moonfish, and a few dwarf goat fish. I got a crash course in otolith removal from Haddock, Winter Flounder, Fluke, and Kingfish, as well as learned how to ID many fish I’ve never seen before. It was a wonderful trip, and something I highly recommend every Biological Oceanographer (or fish biologist) volunteer for!

On 16 September 2016, Jake measures skates on board the R/V Gloria Michelle
The R/V Gloria Michelle before leaving port on 14 September for the 2nd leg of the fall 2016 Massachusetts Bottom Trawl survey
On 15 September 2016, the bottom trawl net is emptied onto the R/V Gloria Michelle for the crew to sort, weigh and measure the catch

[Collaboration] Nina and Aryn visit from Cornell University

Posted on July 29, 2016March 15, 2026 by Hannes Baumann

On 19-20 July, our lab temporarily transformed into a genetics laboratory, as Nina Therkildsen and her post-doc Aryn Pierce Wilder visited us from Cornell University (Therkildsen Lab). Their lab also shares the fascination for the Atlantic silverside as a model organism and has set out to eventually assemble the fully annotated genome of this species.

During their visit, they could accompany us for our bi-weekly beach seining in Mumford Cove, where we collected juveniles born this year as well as the last few spawning ripe adults at the end of the season. It was a great summer morning and fun for everyone.

In the lab, Nina and Aryn went on dissecting different types of tissue (muscle, liver, spleen, gills, fins) from a few specimens destined for genetic analyses. In the Rankin lab, we tried a novel procedure on this species, i.e., making haploid embryos by fertilizing strip-spawned eggs with sperm that was UV-radiated before.

Thank you for visiting, Nina and Aryn, and we will see you back in fall, when Nina will give a Friday seminar on 11 November 2016. We’re looking forward to what she will have to report!

On 20 July 2016, Aryn prepares samples of silverside tissues for genetic analyses
On 19 July 2016, our lab took Nina and Aryn beach seining (left to right: Chris, Aryn, Wes, Hannes)
A careful squeeze of a silversides belly reveals whether a male or female is in spawning condition
Juvenile and adult silverside captured by beach seine in Mumford Cove on 19 July 2016
On 19 July 2016, Chris and Aryn pull the beach seine ashore, while Wes and Hannes prepare for retrieving the bag
Atlantic silversides from Mumford Cover swimming in a bucket
On 19 July 2016, Nina and Hannes pull the first of two seines in Mumford Cove
Some eggs could be fertilized with sperm that was UV-radiated before in order to make haploid embryos
On 19 July 2016, Nina dissects different tissues from adult silvesides for genetic analyses
Chris and Aryn prepare to take the beach seine to the water
Hannes placing a bucket with water to collect silversides live
Aryn has clearly fun beach seining

[Lab News] The new silverside generation is here!

Posted on July 11, 2016July 7, 2017 by Hannes Baumann

On a balmy July 1st the lab returned to Mumford Cove excited at the prospect of seining without dawning waders for the first time this year! Chris and Rafeed conducted the first seine while Jake remained on the beach and photographed the experience. On the second seine, Hannes accompanied Rafeed while Chris weighed the first sample. As expected the species richness and diversity of the seines were less than that of previous excursions. The abundance of silversides was down, while their sex ratio was skewed towards females. Despite a decline in mature silversides, several juveniles were caught, indicating a budding cohort. Perhaps more young silversides will find their way into the lab’s net in the future. Only time will tell!

New-silverside — The first of 2016. On July 1st, the beach seine is catching a few 35 mm silversides – the new generation.

Chris-HB-Mumford-Cove — On 1st July 2016, Chris and Hannes look carefully through the bag of the beach seine to find the first juveniles of this year

[Field work] Extended monitoring in Mumford Cove!

Posted on June 14, 2016June 14, 2016 by Hannes Baumann

On 6 June 2016, Charlie, Jake and Hannes set course again to the nearby Mumford Cove to retrieve our pH/oxygen/temperature probe (Eureka Manta Sub2) after over six weeks of deployment. Thanks to a newly purchased larger battery-pack that extend the probe-life to more than twice its previous time, the probe continuously recorded conditions every 30 minutes, thereby extending our time series to now over 14 months.

Plus, it was a great, balmy day on the water, and working in the field beats the desk hands down 😉

Check out a selection of the great pics Jake took during the trip below:

Hannes preparing a small bongo net to sample copepods and fish larvae on 6 June 2016 in Mumford Cove, CT
A panorama of Mumford Cove from the South on 6 June 2016. To left, the cove is part of the Bluff Point State Park.
The new probe with a copper gauze protector against biofouling is getting deployed
The new battery pack allows the probe to continuously record data every 30 minutes for over six weeks
Charlie Woods helps Hannes retrieving the pH/DO/temp probe beneath the subsurface float after being deployed for six weeks

[Student video] Climate Change: A Future for Fish in a Changing Ocean

Posted on April 26, 2016July 7, 2017 by Hannes Baumann

A big shout-out to Megan, Rainer, and Liz who apart from their intrepid work as volunteers in our lab also excelled here in their video project for MARN3000. They interviewed Profs. Kelly Lombardo, Michael Finiguerra, and Hannes Baumann about aspects of Marine Climate Change and then cut their answers with researched video material from the web. Note the sartorial touch throughout the clip (6 min)!
Well done, all!