SEPTEMBER 2023
Jasper's Blog
Jasper McCutcheon, undergraduate student
1 September 2023
Hi all,
I am officially back home in Washington. My return flight arrived on the 12th of August and since then I have been catching up with friends and family. I was also able to make it out to a seal observation at the Log Pond Project Site in Bellingham. It was nice to be out in the field again looking for seals, we even saw a salmon jump. Data collection is still going strong this summer thanks to all my research assistants! I am hoping I can get out into the field a few more times this summer.
Before coming back to Washington, I finished up my Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) internship at the University of Delaware. The program ended with a final presentation of what the research project I had led this summer found. While we only ended with 6 weeks’ worth of data, my project was able to conclude that the abundance of mummichogs (Fundulus heteroclitus) in my study area was not impacted by the dissolved oxygen, salinity, or temperature of the water. The observed differences we saw in the number of fish we caught between weeks and trapping sites as well as differences in the average fish length between sites must be impacted by some other untested factors. I suggest further research be done to better understand what is causing these patterns in mummichog population dynamics. The overall research experience I had this summer was amazing and I am so grateful for the opportunity.
I am very thankful that my research experience as an undergraduate does not have to come to an end with the REU program as I am able to continue my participation in the Marine Mammal Ecology Lab here at WWU. I am looking forward to learning more about how to do actual science!
Until next month,
Jasper
Victoria's Blog
Victoria Vinecke, graduate student
1 September 2023
Hi all!
Happy September! It is starting to feel like fall in Bellingham with the recent storms and rainfall! The beginning of fall means the start of my second year of graduate school is right around the corner! I am looking forward to having a structured schedule again and seeing all the MMEL undergraduate research assistance! It has been a little lonely in the lab and I am excited to have a bustling lab again!
Fall also means the return of salmon to Whatcom Creek! When salmon return for their spawning season harbor seals are close behind! I am excited to start my second field season as soon as the seals return to gather more samples! The summer has been filled with lots of productive laboratory work, but I have grown to miss the seals. I am hopeful for a productive field and lab season in the fall!
As of now, lab work still consists of tweaking various PCR’s to ensure that I have the best PCR product to send off for sequencing. I did have the opportunity to witness and even assist in a harbor seal necropsy this month at the WDFW office in Tacoma, WA. Being able to learn about harbor seal anatomy through a necropsy helps further my knowledge regarding harbor seals overall! The necropsy was easily the highlight of August! That is all I have to report this month!
Till next time,
Victoria
Alexandrea's Blog
Alexandra Otto, graduate student
1 September 2023
Hi,
Finally finished the SNP selection code! Now we’re able to order a new batch of primers to hopefully get more SNP markers for population dynamics! Now it is time to wait and I’m very excited to see if or how many SNP markers work out after the next GT-Seq optimization runs.
We also were able to get back out subsampling again after the saga of summer car problems. The Jeep is all fixed up now though and better than ever for the trips around Washington State! Myself, Victoria, and 2/3 of the MMEL undergraduate team helping me on my project (Olivia and Isabel) were kind enough to come along and help subsample in Tacoma all day long! It was a very fun and productive day as we brought back almost double than a usual subsampling trip! I’m very grateful for these folks and everyone so far that have volunteered their time to help me subsample for this project. The goal of subsampling again is to take advantage of already deceased seals and collect DNA samples spatially across Washington State to create a comprehensive, updated genetic population structure map for management purposes. Additionally, we were fortunate enough to observe a harbor seal pup stranding necropsy! The opportunity was perfect timing while we were there and very neat to see the stranding network “behind the scenes”. The stranding network is busier than ever during harbor seal pupping season which is currently happening. The inland waters of Washington State experience a later pupping season than harbor seals along Washington State’s coastline.
The plan is to continue finishing up gathering samples this summer, continue to keep up on extractions/lab work, and get a head start writing up my thesis drafts! As for the rest of summer, I’m mentally preparing for school to start again and to enter my second/last year of my masters! Once again, time flies when you’re having fun and doing research. I’m really looking forward to this next year and what’s to come from my thesis work so far!
Till next month,
Alexandrea
Subsampling tissues. Photos by A. Otto.