Summary of projects

1993  This was the first funded year of a group going to Honduras.  Previous trips were exploratory only.  Gilchrist conducted predation site experiments to examine hermit crab shell acquisition at the West End in an area called the sand kettle.  One of the first projects was one involving land hermit crabs done by M. Heddle.  Dr. Demski and his students worked on establishing collecting areas for a variety of reef fishes.  His interest was in exploring color patterns of the reef fishes and in understanding the brain development of the squirrelfishes.  The West End is currently not in the marine park, but it is likely that this very pristine area will be included by the next year.

1994   Dr. Demski and his student continued to experiment with coloration patterns in reef fishes, especially the squirrel fish.  He also taught students how to do underwater photography.  Students J. Marks and J. Sudberry worked with Demski to preserve fish brains and skins for study back in Sarasota.   Gilchrist continued studies on hermit crab shell use, focusing on hermit crab predators and types of shells available to hermit crabs.  Students began to examine the types of fouling organisms on shells.

1995

1996

We were joined this year by Dr. Morrill who did a preliminary study of sea urchin development.  He also conducted a survey of common plants on Bailey's Cay and Anthony's Key and the surrounding areas, gathering local identification manuals for the plants.  We were also joined this year by two Honduran students.  The first week the students learned to SCUBA (one of the students learned to swim at the same time).  Students did a variety of projects including learning underwater photography and underwater transecting techniques, underwater fishing with hook and line to collect reef fish, focal animal observation of color changes in fishes, and hermit crab shell exchanges.  There were some problems with projects, prompting guidelines on consequences of abandoning research.  X. Chen completed preliminary data collection for her thesis.

1997

Four sets of projects were conducted in 1997: squirrelfish behavior and neurobiology, sea urchin development, hermit crab-octopus interactions, and reef survey. Demski and his crew collected the long jaw squirrelfish and observed territorial behaviors in the lab. They taped activities with different amounts of available cover to determine how individuals became resident on reef features. In the laboratory, individuals were manipulated to remove portions of the brain that putatively controlled territorial behaviors. These animals were also observed in experimental settings to determine variations from "normal" social behaviors. Animals were sacrificed and brains were fixed for neural anatomical studies. Morrill and his students (M. Hagiwara and E. Matthews) observed the development of Echinometra, the rock sea urchin. They collected and spawned specimens, cultured them artificially, and noted development times. One student was particularly interested in spiculogenesis and prepared several embryos for analysis at the Florida lab using electron microscopy. Gilchrist and her student were interested in behaviors of hermit crabs on the Bailey's Cay reef relative to octopus and other predators. Several thousand shells were labeled and measured to supply crabs with a shell midden. They observed octopuses consuming hermit crabs at the middens and noted crab attendance at natural middens formed by various predators. Beulig and his group mapped transects at the northeast point of the island of Roatan from the mangroves to the reef crest.

1998

Students worked with two faculty in Roatan during July and August. Gilchrist's project focused on interaction of hermit crabs and predators with particular interest in octopods. T. Rosebrock worked on octopus den placement and use, including examination of behaviors associated with feeding. Gilchrist and Rosebrock made observations on the north side of Bailey's Cay. J. Hickmott focused her senior thesis project on shell use by shallow reef and grassbed hermit crab species on the south Bailey's Cay reef. K. Debbink did preliminary studies on lobster feeding preferences around Bailey's Cay and along northern Sandy Bay. In addition, she made suggestions on how the local environments might be used to educate middle school children about reefs and biodiversity. A. Kopf examined the distribution of hermit crabs and gastropods in marine algae in the back reef area of north Bailey's Cay, collecting data during the day and after dusk.

Demski's group focused on fishes. Main collecting sites were near Man o' War Cay, outside of the marine reserve on north Roatan. Demski performed experiments on various parts of squirrelfish brains, tracing activities with biotracers. He was assisted by P. Crowe and M. Funderburk. Crowe also collected fish skins for further analysis of pigmentation. In addition, Demski instructed students on use of underwater video equipment. Demski filmed sequences of octopus feeding, moray eel movements, barracudas, and angel fish. Two new sites were filmed: Pillar Coral and Fish Den. These sites provide interesting alternatives to Melissa's Reef and White Hole. M. Coffino made collections of larval fishes and invertebrates at Bailey's Cay using a larval trap. The first week of August seems to be an active time for larval distribution on this north Bailey's Cay reef.

1999

Students worked with Dr. Gilchrist for three weeks during July and August at RIMS.   During the first week, the focus was on photographing different organisms in various habitats for the teaching slide collection.  Students learned to use a Nikonos camera with both close-up and 35 mm lenses.  The emphasis was on invertebrates for the photography.  The effects of Hurricane Mitch on some corals as well as various types of coral diseases were documented. In addition, T. Rosebrock began work on identifying octopus dens at Bailey's Cay.  Gilchrist began studies on hermit crab shell use and distribution between the reef, backreef, seagrass, and land.  Gilchrist completed the Dolphin Specialty Course at RIMS, receiving training in the classroom as well as hands on experience with dolphins.  J. Hickmott continued a study from 1998 on shell colonization by hydroids and shell use by hermit crabs.  M. Hancock did surveys of corals around Anthony's Key.  She encountered one of the few sharks observed during the summer.  Demski and other students joined for two weeks.  Demski's group collected several species of fishes and conducted experiments on brains.  Some were preserved for later study by students.  S. Goff will bring back the brains to Sarasota and complete her senior project involving sectioning and illustration of the material.  Demski instructed students in underwater video, visiting several dive sites.  M. Coffino studied the schooling behaviors of jacks in the field and in the lab.  Observations will form the basis of his senior project upon return to Sarasota.

2000

Students working with Gilchrist conducted experiments for three weeks in July and August at RIMS.  During the first week, T. Rosebrock marked octopus den sites and mapped foraging areas.  Dr. Demski continued to work on squirrelfish behavior and neurobiology.  Lab work for the neurobiology was somewhat successful.  However, he decided that he would preserve fish brains from a variety of species for golgi studies when he returned to New College.  Students will use the brains for mapping studies.  He also taught students how to do underwater photography and videography.

2001

Dr. Demski collected squirrelfish and other reef fish for his continuing studies of the control of color patterns.  He and his student also conducted some preliminary studies on the movements of squirrelfishes among patch reefs at Man o' War Cay by tagging the fish.  Gilchrist and her students worked on predation experiments using hermit crabs.  Preliminary results from the experiments were presented at the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology meetings as two separate posters.  Dr. Demski did a land trip with the students to see the iguana farm and the boat yard at Brick Bay.  The iguana "farm" is really a farm where the owner feeds iguanas that roam in the nearby forest.

2002

The 2002 expedition was very successful.  Dr. Demski  took stills and video of a variety of reef fishes.  In addition, he fixed skins of selected fish for further study of pigment distribution and control.  He also had the opportunity to visit the fishing villages at Punta Gorda and Oak Ridge on Roatan as well as the main fishing terminal on Utila.  Gilchrist examined shell exchanges at simulated middens, noting deposits of old shells as well as predators of hermit crabs in the area on the east side of Bailey's Cay.  There was particular interest in stomatopods as predators.  A few thousand shells were measured and numbered for selection experiments. P. Summers and R. Bryan assisted in marking shells and with projects on the reef.  Two students conducted observations for their senior thesis projects. N. Stegeman was able to look at "play" behavior in dolphins and in explorations of xenobiotic objects by octopuses.  She extensively videotaped activities of both organisms.  L. Marcus did work on development of Echinometra lucunter lucunter.  She observed fertilization and development through late gastrulation, fixing specimens for examination using SEM and light microscopy.  C. Murphy did a preliminary survey of the distribution of polychaetes on various types of corals.  K. Antinarelli conducted a survey of the den sites of Octopus vulgaris to characterize how dens are constructed and how octopuses use shells and debris to defend the den.  P. Summers took the opportunity to examine two projects of interest.  She talked with several bush doctors about medicinal plants on the island and she visited a local tourist attraction called Carambola Gardens which had  a small medicinal herb garden.  In addition, she talked with people in different types of NGOs concerning the implementation of laws and success of the marine protected area of Roatan.  We were joined this year for a week by Dr. Bauer from New College psychology discipline.  He discussed future plans for dolphin research and explored possibilities for a variety of behavioral projects.

2003

The 2003 expedition included a student recently graduated from a California high school and a high school student from Booker High in Sarasota.  Dr. Demski had two students, Aaron Kandur and Geoff Smith, accompany him to participate in research and Gilchrist had three students, Amanda Sanchez, Julia Thomas, and Megan Jourdan.  Dr. Bauer also came to Roatan for a week to continue discussions about intern possibilities.  Kara Antinarelli was to meet Bauer in Honduras to discuss her research at IMS (senior thesis research on effectiveness of education about dolphins for children in the dolphin day camp), but had to leave before Dr. Bauer arrived.

Dr. Demski's group visited several dive sites including Fish Den, Bear's Den, Mandy's Eel Garden, Melissa's Reef, and West End Wall.  They used a variety of still and video cameras to photograph vertebrates and invertebrates.  Demski has continued to gather visual images for an upcoming book that he is writing.  In addition, he continued to observe the territorial behavior of squirrelfish at Anthony's Key.  He observed a fish (Bent Tail) that has a distinctive natural marker in 2002 and 2003. Julia Thomas worked mostly with Demski's group, diving and learning how to do photography.

Gilchrist worked on two primary projects: use of shell middens by octopuses and hermit crabs and shell use by land hermit crabs.  Both projects yielded significant results.  The land hermit data will be presented at the SICB meetings in New Orleans this winter.  Megan Jourdan completed coral diversity and cover studies at Bailey's Cay and Anthony's Key.  Her data will also be presented at the SICB meetings.  Amanda Sanchez and Julia Thomas helped with the projects, but did not have individual projects.

In addition, we explored possibilities for students interested in medical studies to participate in the local clinic and the free clinic on Roatan.  Both organizations would welcome participation.

2004

This year, we took three students to Roatan.  Because our group was small, we were given a small space at the Diving School for our camera equipment and we worked mostly from our cabins.  This arrangement was okay for the projects that we had but made the cabins a little cramped.

Dr. Demski worked with Bryson Voirin.  Demski was on research assignment this year, continuing to complete his book on fish behavior.  In particular, he has been observing the behaviors of individual fishes around a rock outcrop yearly and he has noted their changes in size.  Bryson assisted in the observations this year and learned to do underwater photography and videography.

Gilchrist worked with two students, Cristina Beno and Natasha Pettifor.  Cristina's project focused on an examination of water quality around corals under different conditions.  In particular, she was interested in CO₂ changes in nearshore and offshore coral areas.  Natasha was interested in examining tissue variation in corals with and without white band disease.  She collected mucus samples from several corals and fixed them for further analysis back in Sarasota.  Both students have had great success with their projects upon return.  Cristina won first place in the regional American Chemical Society meetings for her poster and plans to present material at the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology as well in January 2005.  Natasha has isolated RNA and DNA from her mucus samples and has been amplifying segments of interest for comparison.  This should make an interesting project for her senior thesis work.

Gilchrist worked on wrapping up several projects this year because of the need to move site locations.  Primarily, work on the octopus/hermit crab predation project has been completed.  The research on the land hermit crab tagging project was brought to a close.  The results this year were excellent, indicating good recruitment despite continued disturbance of the Bailey's Cay area from boats.  A new project on land hermit crabs and ants was successful as a pilot for further investigation.  The data will be presented from this project at the SICB meetings in San Diego during the January meetings.

This is our last year at RIMS. We have enjoyed our time there, but change in inevitable.  We will be relocating to Cayos Cochinos for our 2005 expedition.