I recently had the opportunity to take a Macroalgae seminar this summer in Stueben, Maine at Eagle Hill Institute. Eagle Hill is best known for its summer science seminars and fall workshops. This specific seminar focused on Marine Macroalgae: Ecology, Identification, Distribution, and Importance.
Upon arrival I was able to meet with Joerg, the Director at Eagle Hill Institute, who showed me where my cabin and classroom were. During the week, we went on field trips to four different rocky intertidal shorelines to explore and collect algae. Once we got back to the lab, we were able to take a closer look at the species we collected and talk about where in the intertidal zone we found them.
Our instructor, Amanda Savoie, taught us about the differences between green, red, and brown algae (more formally, Chlorophyta, Rhodophyta and Phaeophyta) and their identifying factors. During this seminar I learned a lot about marine algae collection, algae reproduction, and identification techniques. Marine algae are important to our ecosystem because they are primary producers, meaning they support higher trophic levels, even humans! As different species of algae grow together, they create a 3D structure on the ocean floor, providing both food and habitats to small marine organisms.
At Normandeau we take samples of these ecosystems and study the biodiversity present within them. As an algae taxonomist, my task is to separate and identify all the algae we collect. In this way, we can monitor our seashore and be aware of any changes. The algae we collect is from the Atlantic seacoast and is studied for species, mass, and variety. We keep track of the species that we encounter on a regular basis so that we can quickly identify any new or invasive species.
At the conclusion of the seminar after I successfully identified my collections, I was able to press my algae and take it home for reference. I was also shown ways to use algae as art and was able to participate in creating cyanotypes of my favorite dried species. Attending this seminar was helpful for me to see firsthand how marine algae is collected for study. I was also able to learn more about identification using a specimens’ reproductive and cell structures.
