Appendix E: Field Scientist Report 



Appendix E 

 Report of Field Scientist: field sampling program 



General 



This Appendix provides a detailed description of the field sampling and logistics in Central 

 and South America, including Mexico and the Caribbean area, for the Initial Implementation Phase 

 of the International Mussel Watch Program. 



Sampling activities for this phase of International Mussel Watch were based primarily at the 

 University of Costa Rica in San Jose. The sampling missions were planned and carried out in 

 close collaboration with the Executive Officer in Woods Hole and local scientists in Host 

 Countries. A total of seven sampling missions covered 76 locations in 18 countries. Six of these 

 mission were operated out of Costa Rica. The seventh sampling mission was operated out of 

 College Station, Texas. 



The International Mussel Watch manual (TMW, 1992) and the recently published NOAA 

 methods manual (NOAA, 1993) contain detailed guidelines for field sampling and should be used 

 by anyone who is planning to initiate a field sampling program. 



Geographical Distribution of Bivalves 



Distribution patterns of bivalve assemblage are dependent on water depth, substrate type, 

 turbidity, salinity, wave energy and latitude. Because of the large area of this study, latitude 

 played a very important role in the species of bivalves found at the different sampling locations. 

 As a result, a variety of different bivalves were collected (Table El). 



Field Logistics 



Collection of bivalves was conducted by the Field Scientific Officer with the assistance of 

 Host Country scientists (Appendix F). Previous contacts between the Executive Officer, at Woods 

 Hole, and/or the Field Scientific Officer, in Costa Rica, with scientists in host countries helped to 

 identify the possible sampling sites within each country. 



Local laboratories served as the base for the sampling operations in the different countries 

 and the field collection were operated out of these laboratories. Access to the sampling locations 

 was, in general, by car. In instances where a boat was required to access to the sampling sites, the 

 boat was either provided by the local institution or it was rented from local fishermen. Bivalve 

 samples were collected by hand or by divers and processed within 24 hours on-site at the local 

 laboratories. Samples were kept frozen in pre-cleaned screw-cap jars and transported in coolers by 

 the Field Scientific Officer from laboratory to laboratory, from country to country or to the final 



