Summer field course in Marine Benthic Ecology, Steuben, Maine
We invite applications for our summer field course "Marine Benthic Macroinvertebrates, Communities, and Habitats" at the Eagle Hill Institute (formerly known as Humboldt Field Research Institute) in Steuben, Maine, August 24-30, 2014. Steuben sits between the Schoodic Peninsula of Acadia National Park and the Petit Manan National Wildlife Refuge. The diverse marine habitats of downeast Maine hold a rich array of boreal benthic invertebrates that contribute to the high productivity of the region.
This seminar provides an introduction to the natural history and ecology of the macroinvertebrates. Primary topics are benthic communities and habitats, taxonomy, biogeography, ecological health, and ecosystem services. Field trips by rubber boots to intertidal mudflats and by small boat to subtidal soft-bottom habitats provide samples for identification and quantification. Labs improve skills in keying out common benthic invertebrates. Computer software used with a nearshore Gulf of Maine data set introduces students to statistical techniques for analyzing benthic community data.
Instructors: Stephen Hale, Atlantic Ecology Division of USEPA, and Sheldon Pratt, Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island
Details: <http://www.eaglehill.us/programs/nhs/nhs-calendar.shtml>http://www.eaglehill.us/programs/nhs/nhs-calendar.shtml
