Little School of Marine Biology was a three-day educational program designed to educate students about marine fauna. The project took place at the MareMundi Institute in Punat, on the island of Krk. Led by Maximilian Wagner, PhD, the program was attended by eight students, including the organizers of the project.
The main goal of the project was to educate students through lectures, species identification workshops and fieldwork. The project aimed to encourage participants and the public to research and protect the sea. Given that sessile and other marine organisms are significantly threatened by global warming, ocean pollution, overfishing and nautical tourism, it is crucial to learn how to protect and/or save them.
The first day was spent walking along the coastline under the guidance of our lecturer Wagner, where we learned about different types of beaches and sand, as well as the impact of construction on coastal ecosystems. We then visited the MareMundi Institute, where we spent most of our time over the next few days. There, we were introduced to the Institute’s work and attended lectures on the basics of oceanography and snorkeling!
The next day, the project received media coverage through Croatian Radio and Television (HRT) and the Novi List newspaper. We started the day with snorkeling and sampling organisms. Friday was dedicated to invertebrates. After diving, lecturer Wagner gave a lecture, followed by a species identification workshop for everything we had collected. Later that day, an Austrian student named Fudi gave a lecture about his habitat of interest – mesopsammon, which refers to the space between sand grains. After Fudi’s lecture, the students examined samples in order to compare organisms that, although belonging to the same phylum, have different adaptations depending on the habitat they live in. In one of the sand samples we examined, we discovered a lancelet – Branchiostoma lanceolatum, which is now in the permanent collection of the Association.
On Saturday, we focused on vertebrates, and the lancelet from the previous day provided a natural transition into learning for the young biologists. Lecturer Wagner specializes in fish, so the lectures were particularly detailed. He introduced us to the species that we most often see while snorkeling in the Adriatic and taught us how to distinguish them. After the lecture, we went snorkeling to collect more samples and later atrended another species identification workshop.
The project aimed to bring students closer to marine life, spark their interest in marine ecosystem and encourage them to explore the beautiful underwater world. In addition to its educational value for students, the project also aims to reach younger generations and organize visits to elementary and high schools. By educating the younger generation, we hope to inspire and shape more sustainable and better future for our oceans!
Project organisers:
- Daria Trinajstić
- Klara Vladimir
