Here in the Becker Lab we are wrapping up another busy summer of field work. When I began planning for this field season I knew I couldn’t do it without our wonderful collaborators on this Washington Sea Grant funded research
Hunting Bivalve Larvae: A Field Report
It’s a quiet morning and the light rocking of the floating dock, small lapping of tiny waves against the shore, and clunking of boots on weathered planks can be heard. The field team arranges gear on a small skiff that
The Lab Side: Developing qPCR Assays
Michelle and I have spent most of April and June in the Becker lab preparing polymerase chain reactions for each of the three species we are sampling this summer (Pacific geoduck clam, Pacific oyster, Manila clam). This is an extensive,
The Perfect Field Day at Mud Bay!
What makes for a good day of field work? Finding plenty of good data? Having nice weather? Having unexpectedly gracious hosts? Being able to sleep in? Having our day filmed by a professional photographer? Our field day at Mud Bay
Fun Field Day at Fidalgo Bay
Our first field day was on May 7, the day that everyone was waiting for during the past six weeks. Our research group has been working hard, planning and preparing field gear for this day. Everyone was so excited. Finally,
Our Second Manchester Visit
The time has been flying by so fast, as our Research Experience class is now already in our fourth week of the quarter! Last week (April 16), we had our second lab day at Manchester Environmental Services National Lab. There,
Puget Sound Restoration Fund hatchery in Manchester
Our current research class project is to look at the restoration of Olympia oysters in Washington. On April 9, 2015, we went to the Puget Sound Restoration Fund hatchery site in Manchester where they are trying to restore the populations
Doping oysters and stealing their embryos
One of the things I love about being a marine biologist is sometimes I will pause and consider the absurdity of what I am doing at that moment. This week’s example was our trip to the Puget Sound Restoration Fund‘s