Thanks for your support!
Special thanks goes to Mark Hughes for his contribution to
The Society. Mr. Hughes generously donated a laptop to our organization.
Special thanks goes to Roger Mellick
for making a gift donation on behalf of our new member Cynthia.
Many thanks to all of you who submitted anonymous donations received in
2009. We couldn't fulfill our mission without your support.
|
If you would like to support our program
initiatives, please make a $5 donation by clicking the donation button
below.
Want to donate a different amount? Please visit our website.
Thank you for your support!
|
________________
Join SOS!
________________
|
In The News
___________________
New law requires
recreational saltwater anglers and spearfishers to register to fish...
Ocean acidification rates pose
disaster for marine life, major study shows...
read more
___________________
Twenty-five years of restoration has left the
Chesapeake Bay largely unchanged
read more
___________________
Coral reefs are threatened with
extinction unless atmospheric carbon dioxide is limited to less than
350 ppm
read more
___________________
Deep sea volcano discovered and filmed by
scientists
read more
___________________
|
Help us Build Our Network
Please forward this email to friends and family
who would want to be a part of The Society.
________________
|
|
Cownose
Ray Research Begins in 2010
We are very excited to announce
that research on the cownose ray will begin this summer in the
Chesaepake Bay. The principle investigators of this research will be
Drew Ferrier, Claire Hudson and John Morrissey (Sweet Briar
College). Dorreen McVeigh, a graduate student at Hood College, will be
carrying out a portion of our research as part of
her thesis.
A number of species of
skates and rays inhabit the Chesapeake Bay during the summer
months. They are thought to come into the Bay to give birth to
their young and feed on bottom-dwelling organisms before returning to
more southerly waters for the winter. When found in high numbers,
feeding rays appear to negatively impact shellfish beds and sea
grasses. Skates and rays have also become a prominent portion of
the by-catch for local fisherman that employ "pound nets" to catch
their commercial prey.
While some studies have investigated the ecology of these animals in
the Virginia portion of the Bay, little is known about their biology
and natural history in less saline Maryland waters. The Society
for Ocean Sciences, in collaboration with Hood College and Sweet Briar
College, hopes to involve students, teachers and the public in the
study of these unique creatures.
"Currently, we plan to conduct our fieldwork near the mouth of the
Potomac River by basing our operations at the Chesapeake Field Lab on
St. Georges Island, MD", explained Claire Hudson, SOS Executive
Director. Led by Dr. John Morrissey, an Associate Professor and
shark biologist from Sweet Briar College, the research project will
seek to understand the migratory patterns, feeding, and local habitat
use of skates and rays in the mid-salinity portion of the Bay.
As stocks of shellfish and finfish continue to decline in the Bay, the
seafood industry has recently begun to consider cownose rays a possible
commercial species. Dr. Ferrier explained, "It's critical
that we learn as much as possible about these amazing
animals before there is a rush to initiate a commercial
harvest for them in Maryland. Otherwise, fisheries
biologists will be trying to manage a harvest with little
information regarding its possible impacts on the species."
Initial funding for this research is made
possbile by Hood College. For future funding, we are currently
seeking contributions from SOS members to continue this
important research. If you would like to support this research
please contact Claire Hudson at hudson@societoceansciences.org or visit
our website.
|
Society Research Publication
Claire Hudson and Drew Ferrier presented their research on the sea  anemone Aiptasia pallida, at the
International Coral Reef Symposium (ICRS). Their research, entitled
"Assessing Ultraviolet Radiation-Induced DNA Damage and Repair in
Field-Collected Aiptasia pallida
Using the Comet Assay" was recently published in the ICRS proceedings.
The article decribes the damage done to tropical sea anemones each
day from harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun. Anemones
have evolved the ability to repair this damage over the course
of each night. "This work provides a baseline for how
anemones cope with natural UV stresses. A next step will be to
determine whether these natural coping mechanisms are affected by human
activities such as global climate change, ocean acidification, or local
pollution sources." explained Ms. Hudson.
To view the article, you can download the PDF from our website.
_____________________________________________________________
|
|
Captivating Conference!
The International Beachcombing
Conference
November 7 - 8, 2009
SOS hosted the first-ever
International Beachcombing Conference which was held at the Chesapeake
Bay Foundation's Phillip Merrill Center in Annapolis, MD during the
weekend of November 7 - 8, 2009. The Society partnered with
the Consummate Beachcomber, LLC to provide beach enthusiasts of all
types with a forum to gather and learn more about the beachcombing
experience.
The conference brought together a wide variety of
stakeholders who shared one commonality - a love of spending time
strolling our coastlines while pursuing their individual
interests. All types of interests were represented: sea
glass enthusiasts, beach photographers, shell collectors, sea beaners,
shore birders, and fossil hunters. Speakers of many different
backgrounds from photography to geology participated and made the event
something to remember.
The two-day conference was jam-packed with lectures,
discussions, workshops and field trips. Participants received the rare
opportunity to interact one-on-one with well known photographers and
environmental authors, such as Dave Harp and Tom Horton.
On Saturday evening, participants enjoyed
a casual cocktail party where they mingled with the speakers and
panelist, making this event uniquely personal.
Sunday fieldtrips allowed conference
attendees to explore the beaches of the Chesapeake Bay in search
of sea glass, histrical artifacts, or, most popularly,
miocene fossils.ossils
|
|
SOS Expedition to the Bahamas
This summer, Poolesville High School will embark on an
exciting  expedition to San Salvador,
Bahamas. The Society has custom designed a field expedition for the
global ecology students of Poolesville High School. Participants will
explore tropical marine ecosystems of the Caribbean, investigate coral
reefs, turtle grass beds and mangrove swamps and discover the
inhabitants of rocky and sandy beaches, as well as tidal caves. The
students will learn about the ecology of this region, its importance to
man and how they can help conserve these vital habitats.
Global Ecology Director, Joyce Bailey, asked SOS to design a field
expedition which combines adventure with a rich scientific experience.
This custom-designed, 8-day trip will introduce students to marine
biology, natural history and eco-tourism. To read more about this
expedition please visit our website
If you would like us to design a similar expedition for your
group, please contact Claire Hudson at hudson@societyoceansciences.org.
_____________________________________________________________
|
|
|
