Clemson students field-test KML Living Laboratory Project

Clemson University and the KML Living Laboratory.

The Clemson University Conservation of Marine Resources creative inquiry team participated in the first biodiversity census of the KML Living Laboratory.

Learning the Biodiversity of the Keys.

The CMR team, under the direction of Dr. Michael Childress, helped set-up and census four biodiversity plots including one in the hardbottom habitat adjacent to the Keys Marine Laboratory.

Learning to Measure Biodiversity.

Graduate student teaching assistant TJ Jordan leads the students through a dry-run of the data collection methods that use line, belt and whole plot census methods to enumerate the density of benthic invertebrates and fishes.

Laying Out a Census Plot

Dr. Michael Childress directed CMR students in the all-important placement of grid lines prior to data collection. He then snorkeled amongst them to answer questions and assist in correctly identifying organisms.

Taking Data While on Snorkel

The CMR students collected data on the type of benthic substrate and the density of sponges, corals, octocorals, anemones, echinoderms, mollusks, crustacaeans, and benthic fishes.

Assessing the Impact of Mass Sponge Mortality

In the fall of 2007, a mass sponge mortality occurred on Florida Bay side of Long Key killing a majority of large sponges such as this ancient loggerhead sponge. The KML Living laboratory project will monitor and document the changes in biodiversity on both impacted and non-impacted sites to assess the impact of this most recent disturbance.

KML Living Laboratory Seeks Volunteers

Classes visiting KML are invited to participate in the KML Living Laboratory project. For more information regarding how to get involved please contact KML staff biologist Cindy Lewis

Do rays modulate their feeding behavior with different prey types?

Samantha Mulvany

University of South Florida
Department of Biology
Tampa, FL

Samantha Mulvany, graduate student under Dr. Philip Motta at USF, spent several days at KML while capturing yellow stingrays (Urolophus jamaicensis) for her research project. Sam is studying the feeding kinematics in a variety of batoid species and is hoping to relate any kinematic findings to their morphology. Some derived batoids have cephalic lobes (lobes on the head) which aid in feeding. It will be interesting to see if having these cephalic lobes increases their ability to modulate feeding behavior or capture more elusive prey. Sam will be running phylogenetic comparisons to explore differences among species and determine any evolutionary correlations.

Bay side of Long Key: seawall overlooking a prime seagrass and hardbottom habitats where rays are typically spotted

A visit from curious local law enforcement while collecting rays

Captured rays were transported back to USF for further behavioral studies.

New dock lights and fresh pearock

Installation of 23 new dock bollards has recently been completed along KML's brand new concrete seawall. Each bollard has a low-voltage top light controlled by a photo-cell, providing ample lighting along the docks throughout the night. Spaced conveniently along the seawall, several of the bollards also have running fresh water for rinsing boats and power outlets (20 amp and 30 amp).View of bollards along the dock in the marina

View from the boat ramp along the north wall of the marina

Dock bollards looking north along the lagoon seawall

New dock bollards along the Lagoon seawall

Another important project at the Lab this Fall was finally grading off and spreading truckloads of fill and gravel to dress up the areas along the seawall and around the wet lab and Shallows. With the area freshly graded and new pea rock spread around the new Lagoon Gear Wash-down gazebo, looking towards the Wet Lab Pavilion

Freshly spread pearock along The Shallows