Dolphin Strand Feeding - Adam Fox

I will be examining the interactions between birds and strand-feeding dolphins in Bull Creek, near Bluffton, South Carolina. This area is known for regular dolphin strand-feeding, a foraging activity where a group of dolphins rush the bank to drive a school of fish out of the water. The dolphins follow the fish onto the bank, then capture fish from the shore before returning to the water. It has been noted that various bird species are frequently present at strand-feeding events. Through regular transects, dolphin-follows, and feeding observations I intend to document the presence and activities of dolphins and birds throughout the Bull Creek area. I will investigate my hypothesis that some bird species are more commonly associated with strand-feeding dolphins than others. Through the examination of foraging efficiency and the use of established bioenergetics models, I will determine how bird foraging is improved by association with dolphins and how much of their daily energy requirements this feeding strategy satisfies. I also intend to determine whether the relationship between strand-feeding dolphins and birds is commensal, by demonstrating that dolphins suffer no negative impacts when birds forage alongside them. Additionally, I will establish a dolphin identification database for the Bull Creek area. The Bull Creek dolphins were heavily studied in a previous study was in the early 1990s, which described behavioral patterns and provided a catalog of resident dolphins. As a secondary objective, I will look for changes in strand-feeding behavior, as well as for any individual dolphins that are still in the area. This will provide some insight into the long-term behavior and residency patterns of salt marsh dolphins.

One of the biggest obstacles in introducing science to the general public is the perception that it is boring. However, some subjects are particularly able to engage people's attention and curiosity. My research focuses on two of these topics: animal behavior and charismatic megafauna. By using dolphins and interesting behavior to get a foot in the door, I hope to be able to introduce relevant scientific concepts. I think that the dolphins and predatory birds that I am studying will effectively capture interest of a 10th grader. Basic questions like “what do dolphins eat?” or “how do they get food?” can be a launching point for discussions about anatomy, ecology, behavior or social structure. Students’ questions about apex predators like dolphins and birds can lead to conversations about the food chain and trophic cascades. My research questions about bird/dolphin interactions open the door for discussions about ecological relationships like commensalism, mutualism or competition. Although dolphins themselves are not particularly well-suited for hands-on learning, dolphin identification with dorsal fin photos is the sort of exercise in which students would be able to participate. Food chains are something that students could go out and discover for themselves in their own neighborhoods. Using the framework of my research and methods, I can also incorporate some quantitative analyses into the classroom. Bioenergetics is a relatively basic data model, and would be a good way to introduce students to the concept of ecological modeling. Calculating catch per unit effort based on bird-feeder activity or fish/small invertebrates in a class experiment would be the kind of straightforward activity suitable for a 10th grade classroom. I think my research will interest students, and through it I can introduce them to many different concepts in biology and ecology.