Expedition Log: Palau – Day 20 While doing coral reef surveys in Palau we select sites to get a variety of different habitats while trying to cover as many reef systems as possible. Many of the dives we do are
Expedition Log: Palau – Day 19 Algae, often referred to as “seaweed,” are underwater “plants” that, unlike land plants, lack a vascular system. Algae live underwater and obtain water, nutrients, and sunlight directly from the environment. Because algae don’t need
Expedition Log: Palau – Day 18 When I was writing the blog for the Blue Coral (Heliopora coerulea) I found and learned about earlier in this mission, I came across a reference for Organ Pipe Coral (Tubipora musica). While Blue
Expedition Log: Palau – Day 17 On a recent dive while swimming along between coral photo transects on a patch reef in the lagoon near the tip of the Aiyasu Reef system, I spotted a Long Tentacle Mushroom Coral (Heliofungia
Expedition Log: Palau – Day 16 For the past few weeks I have descended into Palau’s waters each day with my two vital pieces of equipment: a tape measure reel and writing slate. My job on this mission is to
Expedition Log: Palau – Day 15 Corals reefs capture our imagination with their extreme beauty and diversity, and so when we think about a reef, it usually brings to mind colorful imagery of teeming fish, strange forms of corals, and
Expedition Log: Palau – Day 14 The Indo-Pacific is home to a high diversity of small, elongate bottom dwellers— blennies and gobies. From low visibility sandy bottoms to high-energy outer reefs, blennies and gobies have made a prominent appearance in
Expedition Log: Palau – Day 13 On a previous mission someone had taken a photo of a coral with a strange patchy brownish “discoloration.” When I was asked if I had any idea what was being shown in the picture
Expedition Log: Palau – Day 10 While I perform my task of taking coral photo transects during our survey dives, I get a close look at the reef (one square meter at a time). One side effect of focusing my
Expedition Log: Palau – Day 6 When our benthic team is conducting surveys, we are usually looking down at the benthos, concentrating and writing furiously on our dive slates. We often come back to the boat and hear excited questions
