Kayla Clauson interned as an educator and research assistant with Narragansett Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (NBNERR) through the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management on Prudence Island. Prudence Island is a remote island in the geographical center of Narragansett Bay that has a wide range of habitats which she explored and taught about. Kayla focused on science communication and translation; making science meaningful for a variety of audiences including homeschool groups, family programs, and virtual programming. As part of her individual research project she was the first person to monitor spawning American horseshoe crabs (Limulus polyphemus) on Prudence Island. The population was monitored across a latitudinal gradient during spring high tides occurring in June and July. Additionally, Kayla quantified the associated parasitic interactions between horseshoe crabs and their obligate triclad parasite, Bdelloura candida. Parasitic interactions are often overlooked in ecological monitoring, and Kayla used this opportunity to increase the scientific knowledge of interactions between the horseshoe crab, a target conservation species, and the parasite Bdelloura candida.
Kayla Clauson (MA, 2020)
