By Anders, Colette, and Julia

Where do you come from? 

For most of us, this question probably isn’t all that hard to answer. You might respond, “I’m from Seattle” or maybe “I have some Scandinavian heritage”.

However, when asked to think back even further, things start to get a little complicated. 

When posed with this idea, our minds began to race. Did we come from outer space? How closely related am I to a nudibranch? Where do I even start?

It’s easy to get overwhelmed when tracing back to our prehistoric ancestors. Fortunately for us, we had some help to get us through this subject; none other than Dr. Billie Swalla, an expert in marine genomics. 

Dr. Swalla taught us about her lifelong career studying ascidian embryos. Besides their beautiful features as adults, ascidians stand out due to their interesting larval characteristics. At the time of Dr. Swalla’s first introduction to the species, it seemed as though this creature could hold the key to discovering the common ancestor between vertebrates and invertebrates.

Below is an ascidian. And below that is also an ascidian (otherwise known as a Sea Squirt).

Dr. Swalla taught us about her lifelong career studying ascidian embryos. Besides their beautiful features as adults, ascidians stand out due to their interesting larval characteristics. At the time of Dr. Swalla’s first introduction to the species, it seemed as though this creature could hold the key to discovering the common ancestor between vertebrates and invertebrates.

Each organism begins its life as a larva, with its larval appearance bearing almost no resemblance to its adult form. As a larva, the ascidian spends no more than 12 hours in the water column, all the while searching for a place on the seafloor to metamorphosize. 

Dr. Swalla has spent years behind microscopes, constantly working to unearth new knowledge about these animals. Through her experience, she’s explored the body plan of ascidians, using her studies to build a better understanding of how complex body structures (like those of vertebrates) have evolved.

We are so fortunate to have spoken with Dr. Swalla today! From her words, we learned not only about our closest invertebrate relatives (ascidians) but also of the great importance of following one’s passion. Always remember, if you come across an ascidian in the ocean, just know they’re practically family! 

Transect Time!

Excited to keep active in the afternoon, we all trekked to local parks and green spaces to collect some environmental data. While we’re sure we’d prefer to be at Friday Harbor Labs working by the Salish Sea, it’s still great practice to test our transect skills around our own homes. Each one of us ventured into the great outdoors and rolled out 30 meters of measuring tape; using our quadrats to record the substrate every 5 meters. There is no doubt in our minds that passerbys thought we were crazy. We recorded everything from concrete to animal waste. 

While at times it’s a bummer to be so far apart, our geographical distance certainly comes with its benefits. Each location produced distinct data sets: while some of us dealt with tarantulas and snakes, others enjoyed relaxing parks and the comfort of sidewalks. It made for a very interesting afternoon. No matter where you are, there is always something new to discover. There are so many ways to connect with your surroundings and appreciate the natural world around you.

Get out and explore!