Post date: Aug 13, 2013 9:52:00 PM
Over the past few weeks, we have worked hard to complete our graphs and other research in order to finish our project posters. In the process, we came to some interesting conclusions. One of the most significant was the fact that in general, organisms correlated the most with CO2, a proxy for temperature. This lends support to the idea that Bergmann's rule is the dominant factor that influences body size in echinoderms. We also discovered that oxygen usually proved to be the second strongest influence on body size. Also, we found that there was great variation in the factors that affected the various classes within the phylum Echinodermata. For instance, echinoids and crinoids correlated strongly with separate factors. One of the more exciting events was when we finally got to print our posters. It was satisfying to see all our efforts finally take shape in that poster.
Aside from project work, we have also tried to finish measuring all the fossils in the remaining ostracod volumes. However, once we finished measuring our respective volumes, we had more time for entertaining activities. (Measuring ostracods was fun too). We play football and mafia more often, and the general day to day pace of the internship has become more relaxed.
Looking back, this internship has been a great way to gain more experience in the sciences. It exposed me to the wide variety of fields within environmental science, and also allowed me to perform real scientific research. It also allowed me to meet new people and have fun during the summer. Overall, this internship has made my summer a thoroughly enjoyable and I would definitely do it again. Thanks to Nole, Jenny, and everyone else who made this experience possible!