NES-LTER Summer 2018 Transect is underway!

Our NES-LTER Summer 2018 Transect is underway on R/V Endeavor (Cruise EN617). We have our first update from Ashley Burnett, high school science teacher at Global Learning Charter Public School in New Bedford, MA. Ashley is the first teacher to participate on an NES-LTER cruise, and she discovered: “Life at sea is very different from working in a lab, because the equipment is confined to a small space and everything is tied down to the ship. The movement of the ship also contributes to difficulties with taking samples and greatens the risk of losing samples or data.” She reported on some of the first day’s sampling with a Van Veen grab: “Today, we had calm seas, some unexpected findings, and interesting organisms. At the first station, we were disappointed because the sediment was not suitable for sand lance [fish]. The grain size was too fine.” She provided a photo from the Van Veen grab showing worms and amphipods.