Friday, August 27, 2010

A Bivalve Challenge



Some words about my work this time. As said, I am working with marine bivalves. The first and foremost challenge in the PhD student life, compared to my former jobs, is the freedom. Ok, I have supervisors, who are trying to keep me on the right path, but still there are so many ways to go. Asking me "what are you exactly working with?" is a bad idea. I hardly know it myself. Projects are numerous. Maybe some of them gives results in the end.
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Right now I am trying to find out the most effective ways to take samples. Since I need quantitative (=sampled area of seafloor is known) samples for bivalve population study, I have been experimenting with an under-water suction pump. Playing with the pump is turning out to a success and I even got my first useful sample. With the sample became another challenge: which species are these guys? Unlike with crustaceans, there is no really descriptive literature on mollusc shells. One just have to ask around and look for photos on the internet and in old books.


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In addition I am writing a funding application to study growth band formation in bivalve shells. These growth bands can be used as archives to study past climate and the variability of conditions between sites. First we have to find out in what kind of conditions various elements and isotopes are deposited into the shells...
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Thursday, August 26, 2010

A fishless fishing trip to Senja

Sunset somewhere at the "yttersida" of Senja.
Should not write only about Svalbard all the time. So here comes something quick about my free time activities. Senja is the next island south from Kvaløya. It offers almost everything for outdoor activities all the way from climbing to hunting, fishing or diving. Last weekend we went for a fishing trip to some lakes in the mountains on the island. The trip did not offer that much fish, but great time in the nature anyhow. On the way back we stopped for a dive. Visibility was not that great, but the site is amongst the best I have been diving around here.

Mytilus (blue mussels) collected under the wharf were not poisonous after all, although you shouldn't eat those from the inner coast at this time of the year. These bivalves are filter-feeders and may accumulate algae toxins, which can contain some fairly serious stuff. The bivalves were collected close to the open ocean and the risk to get sick is fairly low. It's called exiting eating, like fugu, either you brag that you survived or then you'll die.

Mefjordbotn, one of the most spectacular nature diving sites in the area

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Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Photo of the Day - The Isle of Hope

Hopen (eng. The Isle of Hope) is one of those miserable islands surrounded by a cold ocean. During summer sunny hours on the island can be counted with fingers of one hand and the record of continuous fog is about three months. Considering these facts, we were quite lucky to see the island at all, although we spent a week anchored next to it.

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Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Photo of the Day - Great Skua


The great skua is "the predator" of Svalbard bird life. In addition to bird chicks and eggs their diet consists of adult birds, such as kittiwakes, eiders and little auks. The eagle like look is not a coincidence... 

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Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Photo of the Day - "Who's your Daddy?"

Feet of new-born bird chicks are those that grow first. This grey phalarope chick was catching small insects with its father, while the mother was keeping some distance.

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Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Photo of the Day - A Finwhale Nose

Fin whales are the second largest animals on the Earth. This individual was almost the length of our sailing boat (49 ft). It is an exiting sight when this huge animal dives under your boat. You never know where it comes up...

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Monday, August 16, 2010

Photo of the Day - Descended from Reptiles

Have you ever wondered why they say that birds are evolved from reptiles? Well, this Arctic skua has some dinosaur-look, doesn't it?

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Saturday, August 14, 2010

Photo of the Day - Almost Brave

Walruses are curious animals. If you are sitting still in a boat, they may come pretty close, but get also scared very easily. Here a group of young males (as long as I can say) is getting scared - once again - while trying to check us out.

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Friday, August 13, 2010

Photo of the Day - Black Guillemots in Mist

Black guillemots are difficult to photograph, because of their almost pure black and white plumage. Sometimes in right conditions it is possible to get the feathers visible. This one was taken in mist, while sun was shining partly through the clouds. 

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Thursday, August 12, 2010

Photo of the Day - And So It Dives...Again

Here is an other piece of evidence: polar bears are - indeed - marine mammals. There were six polar bears diving for rotten blubber. Most of the whale (probably a fin whale) was already eaten, although some blubber was left at the deepest (about 3-4 meters) parts of the whale. This dive was a success. The polar bear came up with a junk of rotten whale blubber.  

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Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Photo of the Day - Nordaustlandet

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Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Photo of the Day - Bear Posing

Getting good photos of polar bears may be tricky sometimes, since it is not actively allowed to search for them. Very often they get scared of people and following them is about the worst thing one can do. On Storøya, east of Nordaustlandet, things were different. While counting birds we counted 13 polar bears on the island. Most of the encounters were like this one. Due to our silent 4-stroke engine, the polar bears did not hear us coming while taking it easy somewhere between rocks. We on our behalf spotted them while trying to go on land to count birds. A few times we had to return back to our boat or turn back just when trying to go on land, because of curious individuals...then we were just staring and examining each other. It is difficult to tell which one, us or the bear, was more facinated about the behaviour of the other. 

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Monday, August 9, 2010

Faceshow!

 
Comment something poor in your status, add me as a friend, join into my stupid group and I'll jump out from a window, try posting most embracing photos of your friends - especially if they are in a state that they cannot remember next morning or just play a Jesus and join a cause to save the world.
 
In the modern world possibilities to lose your face on the internet are almost endless - partly thanks to Facebook.
 
Therefore this Walrus Faceshow (TM) is dedicated to the slaves of the Devils invention. You hate it, but yet you are a slave of it - you never know, if someone actually had something important to tell...this haven't happened yet, but maybe tomorrow?

 
 Try to give this your friends name. He won't like it, but can' really remove it either, because this would show bad sense of humour. Very funny trick, isn't it? 

The Drowsyhead and The Madeye - eyes red as in a bad hangover. Gaze as hateful as if he would like to eat you. Still a relaxed and funny fellow. Often looks are difficult to interpret.
 
  Surprised how personal walrus faces can look? Me too. Here I photographed six different animals. Guess who is photographed more than once...
 
Wildlife photography is a great hobby. This photography session was something I will remember for a long time. All you needed to do was to stand on the shore and whistle - they came to you. Walruses are very curious animals.
 

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Photo of the Day - Walrus Sunrise

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Sunday, August 8, 2010

Photo of the Day - Still a Long Way Somewhere?

Polar bears may be bears, but they are also counted as marine mammals. This polar bear family was waiting on land until waves calmed down during the night. They took off from Storøya towards Nordaustlandet swimming past our boat on the dead calm sea. Closest land from Storøya is at least 40 km away. Pretty impressive swimming effort from a small polar bear cub. 

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Saturday, August 7, 2010

Photo of the Day - Splash It Up...

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Friday, August 6, 2010

Photo of the Day - Dance, Skua, Dance!

Arctic skuas are protecting their nest from large predators, such as people, by acting wounded. Sometimes this acting looks like a dance...


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Thursday, August 5, 2010

Photo of the Day - The King of Sea Ice

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Back Home

I have returned from Svalbard and Arctica sailing trip. After five summers on Svalbard in a row +18 degrees, occassional sun and the summer of Tromsø feels incredibly warm and exotic. Pity that it ends within a few weeks...Maybe a summer in Tromsø next year?

However, I wrote a story during our month length sailing / bird counting trip around the whole archipelago of Svalbard. Due to the Government's and Norwegian Polar Institutes publishing policy, I have to get it approved first in the Communication Department. This probably takes some time. While waiting for green light, I'll post some wild-life photos I took during the Arctica trip.

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Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Photo of the Day - A Long Way to Hospital


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