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Clamsplaining

I'm Dan Killam. I'm an environmental scientist studying clams, climate, pollution, and conservation.

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Recent Posts: Clamsplaining

A coral, a worm and some clams walk into a bar…

New job! Where I’m going and how I got here

Research Explainer: How I learned to stop worrying and trust the clams

Gollum clams

Recent Science Communication!

He loves his new Turbo sarmaticus shell. He changes pants every couple days because why not? #crabfashion 🦀 🐚 👖 I have been informed it's Ginger Cat Appreciation Day. I told Arthur, who pointed out that's every day. A month's effort for my Nepenthes alata pitcher plant. I have it in a humid terrarium with grow lights, which was the only way I was able to get conditions right for it to grow more traps! It will probably take another few weeks before this little trap is large enough to actually digest anything. I've always admired manzanitas! Pallid manzanita is a native species found only east of San Francisco Bay, in a few small hilly areas with silica rich, nutrient poor soil. I was impressed with the grove of them at this regional park, full of mature, enormous specimens covered in lichen. Their deep red bark contrasted with the deep green foliage and pale green lichen. This species is threatened by habitat destruction, climate change and policies of unnatural wildfire suppression, but there are efforts to replant them throughout their range. Moss is boss My sensitive plant folds up to tuck itself in at sunset, which I find endearing. This sleeplike phenomenon observed in some plants is called nyctinastic movement. It's common for flower petals in many plant families, and also in the leaves of many legumes, of which the sensitive plant is one. The sensitive plant (Mimosa pudica) is of course also famous for its rapid leaf movement. In response to touch (such as from an insect or careless human) it can reduce the fluid pressure in a special joint at the base of its leaves, causing them to fold up and collapse at the hinge. A nice misty mountain hop with my favorite Deep in thought Orange bush monkeyflower (Diplacus auriantiacus) is a tough, resilient native plant that puts on a great show. A smorgasbord for the hummingbirds!
Tweets by DantheClamMan

RSS Inaturalist Observations

  • Cutworms and Dart Moths
  • Sturgeons
  • Barnacles
  • Black Mussels
    dead mussels, killed by the ongoing Heterosigma akashiwo bloom and scavenged by birds, left on the dock. these were not there when we left on the USGS cruise that morning
  • Black-crowned Night-Heron
  • pellitory-of-the-wall
  • honeysuckles
  • French broom
  • Ocean spray
  • coyote brush

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