WHALES & GLACIERS SCIENCE ADVENTURE *UPDATES*
Gastineau Guiding Company created this first of its kind tour program to look for ways to foster connections between citizens and science. With the help of two local non-profits, the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program and the Marine Conservation Alliance Foundation a tour with purpose was born. Through collaborative efforts with our research partners, our objectives now include sampling phytoplankton to identify possible "red tide" outbreaks, contributing photographs to aid in the identification of area whales and mammals, providing baseline data for several researchers throughout the state of Alaska, and contributing to online citizen science databases utilized by researchers around the country. During each summer season cruise line travelers' direct participation and observation can give a little something back, deepening our understanding of local wilderness and wildlife.
Below is a short bio on the scientific and environmental organizations that the Whales & Glaciers Science Adventure supports, along with a summary of the outcomes produced from gathering this citizen driven research.
NOTES: See our 2010 Alaska Marine Science Symposium poster here: PDF
ALASKA SEA GRANT MARINE ADVISORY PROGRAM
http://seagrant.uaf.edu/map/about.html
The Marine Advisory Program (MAP) is a university
based, statewide, outreach and technical assistance
program designed to help Alaskans wisely develop,
use, conserve, and enjoy Alaska’s marine and
coastal resources. MAP faculty members and staff
provide informal marine education, offer technical
assistance to coastal communities related to
economic development, conduct applied research,
and serve as a link between the University of Alaska
and Alaska Sea Grant, and marine and freshwater
resource users. The Whales & Glaciers Science Adventure tour data was collected, transposed, and then faxed to researchers at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and NOAA. By sampling and observing, citizens have achieved the following:
- Phytoplankton samples were gathered, with particular attention to identifying harmful algae blooms
- Phytoplankton sample data was entered into the NOAA Phytoplankton Monitoring Network. See link here: www.ncddc.noaa.gov/interactivemaps/southeast-phytoplankton-monitoring-network
- Humpback whales were identified with ID photos submitted to the NOAA Juneau Humpback Whale Catalog. Got a good tail shot, see you can find your whale here: www.afsc.noaa.gov/ABL/Humpback/default.htm
- Observed marine mammal behavior, including location and population data, were provided to the University of Alaska Fairbanks scientists
- Baseline data was also provided to the UAF that will help measure future changes in the behavior and population of humpback whales
CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS
Participation in the Whales & Glaciers Science Adventure qualifies K-12 educators for Continuing Education Course Credits. Accredited through the University of Alaska and NCATE (www.ncate.org/), participants can receive 1 credit for taking the tour and completing an online cirriculum.
This program is sponsored by Juneau's Discovery Southeast (www.discoverysoutheast.org/), a local non-Profit that recognizes the interdependence of environment, community, and economy and aims to connect people to nature. Check back, as cirriculum details will be posted shortly...
PROJECT BUDBURST
http://budburst.ucar.edu/index.php
Project Budburst is a nationwide data resource that also raises awareness about how climate can affect the development and phases of plants. We've taken a keen interest here as our local Mendenhall Glacier is in recession due to the impacts of climate change - you can really see it on an annual basis. But often we can overlook the more subtle impacts of climate on plant species. On this tour, Whales & Glaciers Science Adventure you will observe and record the appropriate phenophase for the following plants: Black Cottonwood, Barclay's Willow, Nootka Lupine, Sitka Spruce. This data is particularly helpful for phenologists who study the timing of particular biological events.
Your collection efforts will provide useful baseline data that will further our understanding of the impact of changing climate on a variety of plant species. This information is being used by scientists in this field. See the historical Project Budburst Summary Reports here:
http://budburst.ucar.edu/results_data.php
MARINE CONSERVATION ALLIANCE FOUNDATION
www.mcafoundation.org/marine.html
The Marine Conservation Alliance Foundation
(MCA Foundation) promotes the conservation and
sustainable use of fishery resources of the North
Pacific through the support of research and public
education. In addition to its cooperative research
program, the MCA Foundation oversees one of
the largest marine debris cleanup programs in the
nation. Marine debris, including derelict fishing
gear and other plastic trash, is recognized as one
of the most pernicious problems facing the world’s
oceans and shoreline. The list below entails the accomplishments of a select group of volluntour participants:
- Over the course of a summer, tour participants volunteered and gathered over 300 lbs of marine debris
- Much of the collected debris was fishing gear and household plastics
- All debris collected was cataloged by type, weight and collection site
- Any recyclable items were brought to the Juneau recycling center, all other items were disposed of at the Juneau landfill
- Several sites with oversized or heavy debris, were photographed and logged for future collection and disposal
- Baseline data was gathered that will help gauge the rate of marine debris build-up on targeted beaches
To see the breakdown of debris collected at each remote landing site, check out the google map on the MCAF site:
