There our staff biologist will demonstrate the fouling community species and intertidal zonation of barnacles and oysters. Depending on the tide and season, larval fish and comb jellyfish may be present. Students may be able to observe the barnacles feeding and grass shrimp and sea slugs foraging in the hydroids of the floating docks. The lab and dock trip takes approximately two hours. Our biologist will collect jellyfish, grass shrimp and the juvenile stages of mullet and blue crabs.
Students are welcome to participate in pulling the nets.
We discuss the vital role of marshes as nursery habitat and we look at the tidal zonation of salt water wetlands plants. The trip will take an additional hour. The group can either break for lunch before the marsh tour or have lunch after the trip at the discretion of the teachers and drivers. The response is always enthusiastic. Please plan well in advance as our tours are very popular and available dates can be limited.