Benthic Video

​The boat crew conducted benthic video surveys along the Bullock Reach, Edgewood, and Sabin transects on September 29, 2022. Scale lasers were used in the footage at Bullock Reach and Sabin, separated by 29 cm. Visibility through the water column was inconsistent at all transects, ranging from poor to fair; fine observations were difficult in some areas. The bottom of all sites was characterized by sands and muds. All sites hosted dense patches of shell hash and rubble, occasional boulders and cobbles were also spotted at Edgewood. Algal coverage was diverse this week. Sabin featured large mats of branching red algae (dominant), Ulva, and red sheet-like algae. Bullock Reach also exhibited some dense areas of branching red algae, in addition to smaller patches of Ulva and red sheet-like algae. Edgewood had little algae coverage. All sites hosted dense diatom felt. General biotic activity was high at all sites as noted by extensive tracks and trails. Rare benthic video sights included many small schools of juvenile black sea bass (all sites), mantis shrimp Squilla (Sabin), horseshoe crabs (Sabin and Edgewood), flat fish (Bullock Reach), and a sea robin (Sabin). Infaunal activity was moderate; many large burrows (likely from Squilla) and small burrows (all sites), as well as some small tube-building fauna (Sabin and Bullock Reach). Common observations were spider crabs (Bullock Reach), boring sponges (all sites), hermit crabs (Edgewood and Bullock Reach), slipper snail Crepidula (all sites), Nassariid mudsnails (Bullock Reach), spaghetti worms (Edgewood and Sabin), blue crabs (Edgewood and Sabin, photo below), as well as large colonies of mermaid’s glove sponges and red bearded sponges (Sabin). Amphipod tube mats were not observed.​

​The boat crew conducted benthic video surveys along the Bullock Reach, Edgewood, and Sabin transects on September 1, 2022. Scale lasers were used in the footage, separated by 29 cm. Visibility through the water column was poor this week at all transects making fine observations difficult. The bottom of all sites was characterized by sands and muds. Sabin hosted dense patches of shell hash and rubble, as well as occasional boulders and cobbles. Bullock Reach and Edgewood both had sporadic patches of shell hash and rubble (more so at Edgewood). Algal coverage was limited this week. Sabin featured large mats of branching red algae (dominant, Ulva, and red sheet-like algae. General biotic activity was high at all sites as noted by extensive tracks and trails. Rare benthic video sights included many small schools of juvenile black sea bass (all sites), mantis shrimp Squilla (Bullock Reach and Edgewood), and flat fish (Edgewood). Infaunal activity was moderate; large burrows, likely from Squilla, and many small burrows were present. Common observations were spider crabs (Bullock Reach), boring sponges (all sites), hermit crabs (Sabin), and large colonies of mermaid’s glove sponges (photo below) and red bearded sponges (Sabin). Amphipod tube mats were not observed.

Please note: this blog publication has been post-dated to retain chronological order as a backlog of video footage is reviewed.​

​The boat crew conducted a benthic video survey along Bullock Reach, Edgewood, and Sabin transects on June 14, 2022. Scale lasers were used in the footage, separated by 29 cm. Visibility through the water column varied at each site from poor to fair. The bottom of all sites was characterized by sands and muds, with a few boulders and cobbles. Dense patches of shell hash and rubble were also observed frequently at Bullock Reach and Sabin. Algal coverage was diverse this week.  Sabin experienced particularly dense coverage by Ulva, red sheet-like algae, and branching algae. Bullock Reach was dominated by sparse filamentous algae, while Edgewood was also dominated by Ulva and branching species. Infaunal activity was moderate (higher activity at Edgewood); large burrows, likely from mantis shrimp (Squilla), and some small burrows were present. Assemblages of small tube-building fauna were also common at all sites but more frequent at Edgewood. General biotic activity was moderate as noted by frequent tracks and trails (especially at Edgewood and Bullock Reach). Rare benthic video sights included horseshoe crabs spotted at Sabin and Edgewood, as well as moon snail eggs at Sabin, and a winter flounder at Bullock Reach. Common observations consisted of Nassariid mudsnails (Bullock Reach), slipper snail Crepidula (all sites), spider crabs (all sites, photo below), hermit crabs (all sites), boring sponges (all sites), channeled whelk (Bullock Reach and Sabin), soft-shell clam mya (Bullock Reach and Edgewood), blue crab (Edgewood), and egg masses produced by the lugworm Arenicola (all sites). Edgewood had what appeared to be amphipod tubes, though not at mat-like densities.

Please note: this blog publication has been post-dated to retain chronological order as a backlog of video footage is reviewed.​

​The boat crew conducted benthic video surveys along the Bullock Reach and Edgewood transects on May 26^th. Scale lasers were used in the footage, separated by 29 cm. Visibility through the water column ranged from poor to good.

Both transects were characterized by extensive mud flats, with Bullock Reach also having sparse to dense shell rubble and sporadic boulders. Algal coverage ranged from sparse to dense, Edgewood being categorized by filamentous algae, and Bullock dominated by rafting Ulva; sparse to dense areas of diatom felt were also present. Edgewood’s central observations were large assemblages of egg masses produced by the lugworm Arenicola. Bullock Reach exhibited high biodiversity, featuring rare observations of striped bass, sea robins (photo below), small fish, Arenicola egg masses, and a horseshoe crab. Both transects demonstrated high infaunal activity; large, freshly excavated burrows (most likely mantis shrimp, Squilla) as well as smaller burrows, tubes, and fecal mounds were frequent sights. Additionally, both sites housed sponges, whelks, and boring sponges. Amphipod tube mats were not observed.

Please note: this blog publication has been post-dated to retain chronological order as a backlog of video footage is reviewed.

​​The boat crew conducted a benthic video survey along the Edgewood transect on April 13^th. Scale lasers were used in the footage, separated by 29 cm. Visibility through the water column was poor. The bottom was characterized by sands and muds, with a few boulders and cobbles observed sporadically. Algal coverage ranged from sparse to dense, composed of Ulva as well as other filamentous and branching algae; sparse to dense areas of diatom felt were also present. Rare benthic video sights included a whelk trap, mantis shrimp Squilla (phot​o below), a horseshoe crab, and two moon jellies swimming among a swarm of ctenophores. Infaunal activity was high; large burrows, likely from Squilla, and many small burrows and associated fecal mounds were present. Common observations include channeled whelks, parchment tubes, Nassariid mudsnails, hermit crabs, sponges, boring sponges, small fish, and shrimp. Amphipod tube mats were not observed. 

​​P​lease note: this blog publication has been post-dated to retain chronological order as a backlog of video footage is reviewed​.