Can you explain some of the work that you do on the boats in the summer? What have you been working on recently?
This summer we were trying to figure out how stinging jellyfish move around in the Chesapeake Bay and why they are so abundant in small coves. We bought an inexpensive--in case it fell in the water--digital video camera and then built a frame that could hold it and that would lie across the gunnels of small john boat. We spent a lot of time staring at pipe and connectors in hardware stores, then got out the power saw, drill and glue, and built what we needed.
We videotaped jellyfish as they swam near the surface of the water at various parts of the tidal cycle for several days and made sure that a boat compass that we attached to the frame was also in view. The first day on the water was a beautiful one. It was sunny and clear and we saw great blue herons flying overhead. We had a great time until our motor died and we had to row and pull the boat back to the dock. We also got stung (the jellyfish in Chesapeake Bay are quite painful, but not dangerous unless you're allergic to them), but I'd still choose this kind of work over something that kept me indoors all the time.
When we got back to the lab we used video editing software to capture the images and image analysis software to calculate the direction the jellyfish were swimming. We had also done some diving previously to deploy a current meter that would tell us the speed and direction the water was moving. By combining the information on swimming directions and water currents, we could tell if jellyfish were swimming against the current, with the current or just swimming in random directions and getting passively transported with water masses.
How did you decide to focus on jellyfish?
Jellyfish are fascinating. The have no brain, no complex organ systems and yet they dominate the food web in many coastal areas. I'm fascinated by how such simple (but beautiful) organisms can do so much.
What has been the most exciting experience you've had as a marine biologist?
Getting to meet interesting people from all over the world and see amazing underwater sights--from California kelp beds to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia to the oyster reefs of the Chesapeake Bay. I enjoy being part of a community that is spread all over the world, but that is connected by common interests and goals. I can go to a meeting in Spain (like I did last summer), or to one that is close to home and catch up with old friends or make new ones. Everyone is smart, interesting and has exciting stories to tell about their work.
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