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| Students
working with Dr. Brad Wetherbee |
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URI
Marine Biology Students Help with Study on Site Fidelity,
Residence and Habitat Use of Sharks in Waters of St.
Thomas, US Virgin Islands |
Joel Silva
Heather Smith |
| In
May and August of 2006 and January 2007, two marine
biology majors in the Department of Biological Sciences at
the University of Rhode Island traveled to the US Virgin
Islands to assist with a research project examining the
role of top-level predators in coral reef ecosystems.
Heather Smith, who graduated in May 2006 and Joel
Silva, a senior, each spent 10 days in waters off St.
Thomas, US Virgin Islands capturing sharks, implanting
transmitters in their body cavity and maintaining an
automated monitoring system designed to track the
long-term movement patterns of sharks in the area.
Heather and Joel spent long, sometimes grueling
days on the research boat fishing for sharks with
longlines and working up the sharks either on board or
along side the boat.
Retrieving the receivers also required a large
amount of scuba diving and the students took advantage of
the opportunity to practice their photography skills both
above and below the water.
Dr. Brad Wetherbee of URI and Dr. Mahmood Shivji of
Nova Southeastern University are conducting the projec in
collaboration with Dr. Richard Nemeth of the University of
the Virgin Islands. |
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