Catalina Island Field Project
Introduction:
On our class trip we went to Howland’s Landing Catalina Island. The Catalina Islands are a part of the Channel Islands about 20 miles off the coast of California. The purpose of the trip was to gather information for our field project with our lab partner. On the island we did four snorkels, one introduce snorkeling and three others to observe the fish. We also kayaked during the kayaks and the snorkels we did a series of tests and procedures to gather information not only for our specific question but also for everyone.
The specific question that my partner and were trying to answer was “
How do the fish and creatures of the Cannel Islands Camouflage themselves
and how and why they do it?” To collect information on the fish
we would research we would first find fish on our snorkels or kayaks that
used camouflage. We would list the names and basic look of the Then when
we would return to Phoenix we would use the internet, books, or other
sources to gather the information we needed to find. After the trip the
most useful set of information for our needs was the roaming diver fish
count. To get this information each member in a team would get a specific
fish to count in a specific area. After the allotted time to count the
fish had passed the counter would give his or her number to the recorder
who would write down the information and mark the area of which we counted
in with the GPS unit. The information gathered from the roving diver fish
count was useful to our groups needs because it would give us a general
idea of were a specific fish could be found in relation to Catalina.
In our research we found that the different creatures have and use their
camouflage abilities for different reasons. For example some sharks use
the blue on top and white on bottom coloring to blend in from ether below
or above it to sneak up on prey and the Bat ray barriers itself in the
sand to hid itself from its bottom dwelling prey. The shovel-nosed Guitar
fish top body is colored to match the sand, when it needs to hide it simply
lays flat on its stomach and blends in. one of the best examples of adaptive
camouflage is the spotted octopus. In only seconds the spotted octopus
can change not only the color but also the texture of its skin to match
almost all of its surroundings. The Spotted Octopus uses its unique ability
to hide as well as hunt.
If I could return to Catalina and continue to work on my research I would
want to go there with a better understanding of what type of creature
I am trying to gather information on, then instead of spending time finding
out what creatures can camouflage themselves I could find out more about
how and why. Then I could get more information to go in my project.
This years El Niño might or might not have affected my project
directly but as I learned at Catalina Island everything in nature is connected.
If one the fish from my project food has died out because of the diminished
kelp forest the fish might not get enough food, or the fish we’re
studying might need the kelp forest to hide and camouflage itself. The
question is the fish or creatures in my project affected by EL Niño
this year are an easy one, yes because everything in nature is truly connected.
My project was to find how and why the creatures of the Cannel Island
s camouflage them selves. By visiting one of the islands I have succeeded
in doing so. My project is only a small piece in a puzzle to understand
one of the two final frontiers the creatures and fish of the Channel Islands
camouflage themselves many different ways and for many different purposes,
but the main reason is to survive.
