Options include:

• 2022 dates available (1 week terrestrial, 1 week marine):
  2 weeks – 27 June – 9 July 2022
  2 weeks – 11 July – 23 July 2022
  2 weeks – 18 July – 30 July 2022
• 2023 dates available (1 week terrestrial, 1 week marine):
  2 weeks – 5 June – 17 June 2023
  2 weeks – 12 June – 24 June 2023
  2 weeks – 19 June – 1 July 2023
  2 weeks – 26 June – 8 July 2023
  2 weeks – 3 July – 15 July 2023
  2 weeks – 10 July – 22 July 2023
  2 weeks – 17 July – 29 July 2023
  2 weeks – 24 July – 5 August 2023

Overview
This is an opportunity to join a team of international researchers studying how the biodiversity of the Caribbean’s “nature island”, is recovering after the 2017 hurricane. The first week will be based in a forest camp and you will rotate between a range of projects. These include joining specialist experts in different invertebrate taxa and using survey techniques such as sweep nets, pit fall traps, light traps, and flight intercept traps. Other teams measuring forest structure and assessing the rate of recovery post hurricane and the carbon stocks. Another team is working on the spread of an invasive anole species and its’ impact on the native anole species. Other projects include completing standardised point counts of bird communities across the island to quantify changes in the bird communities and mist netting to gather data on the morphometrics, moult pattern and movement and longevity pattern for the bird species encountered. In addition, nocturnal surveys include mist net and soundscape studies of the bat communities. There is also the opportunity to assist in the marine surveys at Champagne reef. Champagne reef is a unique location, which naturally mimics ocean acidification, with volcanic bubbles coming out of the ground containing carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide dissolves into the water, thus lowering the pH in that area. Predictions are that in 100 years’ time our oceans could have a pH as low as 7.7, against the current pH of the ocean at 8.1. The Champagne reefs are therefore modelling the changes that are predicted will be happening to reefs across the world in the future. In between working on the various science projects there are regular lectures based on the last 10 years of published papers on Caribbean Island Biodiversity and Conservation.  There is also the option of completing a half day canyoning course where you will learn how to rappel/abseil down into some of the steep river gorges.

The second part of the expedition is based in the Cabrits National Park where you will be learning to dive or about Caribbean coral reef ecology. Your journey to the marine research centre begins by travelling to Roseau, the capital of Dominica, where you will join a sea mammal search on a small catamaran. Here you will learn about some of the sea mammal research taking place around Dominica, and hopefully locate a sperm whale pod using hydrophones. As well as the training elements of your marine week, there will be reef surveys taking place using novel technologies including stereo-video for estimating fish biomass and 3D modelling to measure reef complexity.