Summer Research Students at Williams Mystic (2 internships)

Field Assistant Internship # 1

The field assistant will aid in my field research, and also conduct a small study of their own. The study will focus on the effect that Double-Crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) has on surrounding intertidal and subtidal communities. The cormorants feed over a large area and then return to emergent rocks throughout long island sound. They congregate at these rocks and deposit large amounts of guano on the rocks. This guano, a large source of nitrogen, is then washed into the water during rainstorms, potentially provide a significant source of nutrients to be used to increase benthic and planktic primary production.  The field assistant will aid in surveys of the benthic community, nutrient analysis, bird observations, video recordings, and cormorant pellet collection and examination. They will also be asked to conduct a small study related to this project, which they will present at an upcoming scientific conference. The duration of the position would ideally be 8-10 weeks. Housing will be provided.

Field Assistant Internship # 2

The field assistant will aid in my field research, and also conduct a small study of their own. This study will focus on the community of crabs in the estuaries around eastern Connecticut and Rhode Island.  As the waters in this area are warming the crab communities are potentially shifting. For example, higher abundances of blue crabs (Callinetes sapidus) are being observed in long island sound recently, potentially due to higher temperatures. Other intertidal crab species may also be affected, such as fiddler crabs species, which in the last year or so have been observed in the Mystic River for at least 20 years.  The field assistant will aid me in documenting the crab species that exist up multiple estuaries in this area. Tasks will include mark-recapture of various crab species, and describe the spatial use of marsh by fiddler crabs in particular. They will also be asked to conduct a small study related to this project, which they will present at an upcoming scientific conference.  The duration of the position would ideally be 8-10 weeks. Housing will be provided.