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Grand Isle and Elmer's Island
Grand Isle and Elmer's Island
barrier island and beach ecology, flora and fauna, birds,
barrier island and beach ecology, flora and fauna, birds,
and maritime forests
and maritime forests
Submit Reflection for Grand Isle by filling the Google FORM here.
Submit Reflection for Elmer's Isle by filling the Google FORM here.
Dr. Thomas has a very interesting and informative guide for your drive down the bayou to Grand Isle:
Naturalist's Drive Down Bayou Lafourche
Note: each workshop is one day. Credit will be given for two workshops if both days are attended.
· Assessment of local water salinity and current weather – each site visited
· Bird biology
o Land birds, migration discussions (Grand Isle)
o Beach and marsh birds (Elmer’s Island)
· Geomorphology of barrier islands and their beaches & lagoons
o How beaches wax and wane (ridges & runnels)
o How to be a naturalist in the dunes - respecting the habitat
· Beach plants - adaptations that allow them to live on beaches
o salt marsh
o brackish marsh
o maritime forest
o How does the presence of roads affect the distribution of plant species?
· Coastal Marine Fish – an orientation slideshow, then pulling a seine along the beach front at Elmer’s Island
· Regional habitats
o Salt marsh
o brackish marsh
o maritime forest
· Lagoons
o Faunal and floral differences/similarities
o How used by fauna
o How they function in the ecosystem
o Washovers: harm vs. healing
· Invertebrates
o Basic identification of shells on the beach
o life in the swash zone
o life on the upper beach
o beach wrack goodies - how to be a beachcomber
o how does animal life differ on the beach & in lagoons?
o Thixotropy and what critters have adapted to use it?
· Free time optional on beach after conclusion of breakout groups
o Birding, more plant exploration, more beachcombing
BEFORE THE OUTING:
Review the agenda for both days. Read Dr Roger's monograph on Elmer's Island:
Educators: Dr. Bob Rogers, CLMN; Dr. Erik Johnson, Director of Bird Conservation, Delta Audubon; Andrew Barron, CLMN; Bob Thomas, CLMN; and others.
Coordinators: Ann and Bob Rogers, both CLMN.
Here are the slides from Dr. Thomas' and Eric Johnson's lectures :
Dr Thomas: Barrier Island Formation and Degradation
Dr. Erik Johnson: Birds
Flora and Fauna Slides
of Grand Isle and Elmer's Island here
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