Our second year on Nantucket
It the second year that we have been working in Nantucket with Shearwater Excursions, University of Massachusetts Field Station, and Nantucket Marine Mammal Conservation Program (NMMCP) in a collaboration to document how whales use the waters around the island. In May, I had the opportunity to attend a few days of Nantucket’s Biodiversity Week with a few of our spring interns. It was also during the height of the horseshoe census which meant we had the opportunity that night to lay down a giant grid and count the horseshoes in each grid. However, but because of tides we would be doing our count at 1:00 in the morning, so after a long day of biodiversity we all wimped out. So it’s nice to know that one of our summer interns, Emily Moss, is picking up the slack with her time at the Field Station. And I too think Scott is the best guide one could have on Nantucket. Here’s Emily’s blog:
What I didn’t know about Nantucket before arriving is that there is a vibrant and well-supported natural environment. I have been lucky enough to have one of the best tour guides on island, Scott Lenard
Coming here as part of a conservation organization and working with the UMASS Field Station on the Island, focused on the study and protection of the environment of Nantucket, is a great experience. The UMASS field station is involved in numerous projects around the island in addition to providing a beautiful 110-acre natural area for visitors to explore.
As visiting interns one of the projects we are involved in is water sampling. This involves testing the temperature, salinity, conductivity, dissolved oxygen and nitrogen and phosphate levels of ground water as well as water in the harbor. These tests allow us to see how well the septic systems are working on the island and other human impacts such as the use of lawn fertilizers and increased development. We also participate in other projects such as beach profiling, helping with school groups that come to visit and learn on the island and participating in horshoe census counts.
Horshoe crabs (Limulus polyphemus) are really interesting creatures: they are estimated to be 300 million years old and continue to occupy a critical niche in the ecology of East Coast tidal waters. Each spring as crabs comes ashore to spawn, their eggs provide food for hundreds of thousands of shorebirds flying north from South America to breeding grounds in the Arctic.
The major threat to this species is degradation of coastal habitat that is so critical in their mating and spawning. Census counts now take place in the spring throughout New England at low tides around the full and new moon. Volunteers (like me!) wade out into the water and walk along transects counting how many crabs are present and making note of whether they are mating.The data from these annual crab counts provide a valuable management tool for long-term monitoring horseshoe crab populations.
Experiences like this help to foster a better understanding of the complex challenges that conservation biologists face on a regular basis as well as an appreciation for the creativity, dedication and knowledge that is necessary to be effective. And next time you are on Nantucket – take the path less traveled and check out the island’s wild side.