After a couple of days of practicing and rotating around different jobs, we finally have a stable method!
Once the core has been taken out of the ground we start a rota in which we all sort out the different components of the core. The different jobs include sorting moss in species, sorting plants in species, leaf area of the plants (only with fresh leave), weighing the inorganic layer and dead leaf litter.
Finally we finish with root sorting in which 4 of us pick out roots from four 7g sub samples, for 15 minutes each and then rotate until we have all picked out roots from each sub sample.
This way it means there is no bias towards the speed and amount if roots picked out by a single person!
Overall all is going well and we have been getting through 2-3 cores a day!
Friday 23 July 2010
Thursday 22 July 2010
Much more lovely soil!
Finally with a total of 78 or so hours work; the first trial core is finished. Phew! This means that we have now been able to get started with the smaller cores, which will be used for the actual soil harvest project on the UV treated and control plots. The aim of this is to see if the UV treatment has any affect on the community composition and if so how it is affected.
The first of these cores was processed within 3 hours so this method is proving to be much more efficient already. We are still working out a system of separating the various components out so that everyone is involved and capable of carrying out any tasks assigned to them (such as sorting moss into species, plant species, etc).
In addition, BES funding stipulates that as a part of the grant we must each be trained in a specialist topic too. So once all of the 36 soil cores have been taken for the harvest we will be movig on to our individual specialist training. With any luck we'll be finding out what these subjects will be very soon.
And good news: forecast for the weekend is sun!
The first of these cores was processed within 3 hours so this method is proving to be much more efficient already. We are still working out a system of separating the various components out so that everyone is involved and capable of carrying out any tasks assigned to them (such as sorting moss into species, plant species, etc).
In addition, BES funding stipulates that as a part of the grant we must each be trained in a specialist topic too. So once all of the 36 soil cores have been taken for the harvest we will be movig on to our individual specialist training. With any luck we'll be finding out what these subjects will be very soon.
And good news: forecast for the weekend is sun!
Wednesday 21 July 2010
Measurements finnished!
Managed to complete all of the plant measurements today in the plots and move on to the trial run of the soil harvest. Unfortunately, the estimated soil core size was a bit too large and its already taken 50 hours to sort through the soil separating plant and moss species. So back to the drawing board with a smaller, differently designed corer (and fingers crossed).
Looks as though it may rain tomorrow, which might be a bit of an issue with the IRGA machine and the soil respiration measurements for Dave and point cover with Dylan, but we can still continue with the root and soil harvest stuff. Here's hoping for sun!
Looks as though it may rain tomorrow, which might be a bit of an issue with the IRGA machine and the soil respiration measurements for Dave and point cover with Dylan, but we can still continue with the root and soil harvest stuff. Here's hoping for sun!
Tuesday 20 July 2010
Rough legged buzzards!
A bit of a late post, but I couldn't miss it out!
On Saturday (17/07/10) we went for a walk to Abisko Canyon.
We had only been walking up the river for 10 minutes when we saw some buzzards flying above us. To our amazement as we looked down onto the rocks, there were some chicks!!
It was brilliant to see them and all looking so healthy too. Mom and dad are definitely doing well at parenting! I hope to back back at some point this week and see how they are doing.
(This photo was actually taken from the other side of the river as it was a better view of the nest.)
Monday 19 July 2010
Soil harvesting trial and BES
Morning meeting today as Dylan has arrived, hooray! Good news as we can get started on the UV-B plots. Jade and I have been measuring the Vaccinium vitis-idaea (whilst balancing not-so-gracefully on apparatus fondly referred to as "Doughnuts" - hilarious images to come...). Amy and Lyanne have been carrying out similar measurements with Empectrum hermaphroditum. The weather has been fair despite a few spats of rain and the mosquitoes have held off a bit. Our work has been quite efficient and speedy today so there is hope we could be finished with the measurements side of things by the end of the week.
As for Matt and Sarah they have begun the not-quite-so-exciting-yet-integral part of the research (in my opinion, that is) of data imputing. They have also been helping to execute a trial run of a soil harvesting experiment due to take place next year; provided the trial goes well.
Other good news is that our financial supporter the BES (the British Ecological Society) and Aberystwyth University are writing press releases on our activities. BES is a society that aims to advance ecology and support many ecological schemes, scientific publications as well as education and policy work. Anyone with an interest in ecology can apply for BES membership; there are already 4,000 members worldwide. Hopefully the article will be liked here for anyone with an interest in the subject to access (provided that they don't mind me waffling on or think it’s a bit pants!) Anyway I will be adding a link here as soon as it’s published!
A very happy Monday to all!
As for Matt and Sarah they have begun the not-quite-so-exciting-yet-integral part of the research (in my opinion, that is) of data imputing. They have also been helping to execute a trial run of a soil harvesting experiment due to take place next year; provided the trial goes well.
Other good news is that our financial supporter the BES (the British Ecological Society) and Aberystwyth University are writing press releases on our activities. BES is a society that aims to advance ecology and support many ecological schemes, scientific publications as well as education and policy work. Anyone with an interest in ecology can apply for BES membership; there are already 4,000 members worldwide. Hopefully the article will be liked here for anyone with an interest in the subject to access (provided that they don't mind me waffling on or think it’s a bit pants!) Anyway I will be adding a link here as soon as it’s published!
A very happy Monday to all!
Sunday 18 July 2010
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