Field Ecology Methods Week 1 (2012): invertebrates and limnology

We have a 200-level field methods in ecology class that is required of biology majors in our field ecology concentration.  It's meant to expose students to a variety of different field techniques, to give them a general flavor for what's out there (and...frankly...allow them the opportunity to learn if they don't like field ecology before they are a senior and can't switch their concentration!).

I helped out with our summer version of this course a few months ago (see here).

It's team-taught and each faculty member brings something different to the table, which is great.

I'm coordinating the course this semester.


We started off the course last week with some field survey techniques for insects, taught by our resident entomologist.

First, the students were given a bit of instruction on the tools they'd be trying....

Then it was off to do a bit of collecting....

Some students started by knocking insects from dead tree branches into the apparatus below.....

Others tried their hands at catching flying insects with the hand-held nets.....

After insects were captured with the methods involved, students took some time to experience grabbing them with a special tool called an "aspirator" (see below).  Basically, this device allows one to suck up an insect into a sample bottle, without fear of accidentally swallowing it.  The aspirator also allows students to catch insects without having to grab things that might sting or bite their fingers!

I joked with the students that I wanted as many pictures of them using these "aspirators" as possible, as there is no way NOT to look dopey while using them :)

But hey...they work!  And by the end of the lab, they had caught some stuff.  I missed pics of some of the cool spiders they found unfortunately.  Too caught up in the moment, I guess).

Soldier Beetles (Family Cantharidae), juvenile Boxelder Bugs (Boisea trivittata), and a Katydid (Family Tettigoniidae) below....

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Lab 2 last week was focused on a simple introduction to standard Limnological techniques.

Again...we always start off with a bit of instruction...this time from our resident Limnologist/Aquatic Toxicologist....shown here holding a plankton tow net.

Then, it's down to the dock to take the equipment for a test-spin and collected samples to be sifted through back in the lab at a later date.

This included (in addition to the zooplankton net), some hands-on time with the Secchi Disk, which is a standard tool for measuring water clarity.

Students also experienced using an electronic water quality meter refered to as a Quanta Multimeter (made by Hydrolab).  It measures dissolved oxygen, pH, water conductivity, temperature, depth and turbidity (or clarity).

Students used Kemmerer sampler (below) to sample phytoplankton which may be too small for the mesh size on the zooplankton tow net (since zooplankton are larger than phytoplankton).

...and then the rain began.....

...and then it REALLY started coming down.....

But I heard not one word of complaint.

And, as an instructor, that always pleases me when things don't go as planned...

The Anatomy of A Camera Trapping Project

This is Dave.

Dave is an undergraduate student who is particularly good at field work. 

Depending on one's point of view, this is unfortunate for him. 

Mostly because your humble Trailblazer snatched Dave up and used his own insidious powers to entice Dave into the evil world of Wildlife Ecology!  A field full of catching cool critters with traps, and spending alot of time outdoors!  It does have it's downsides, though...Lyme disease is a constant threat where we work.  The summer heat here is brutal.  Often times, the traps you set with such care and effort end up as empty as your pocketbook (should one pursue this field as a career, that is).

Obviously, it's about alot more than money.  If it weren't, I wouldn't be here.  Yet, I think the fact that you wont make six figures in this field is often somewhat of a shock to students, as well it should be.

As usual...I'm off-track. 

ANYWAYS, Dave is involved in a great camera trapping project with me and I thought I'd share some of the initial project set-up with you all.  I'm not going to list the full objectives just yet.  I figure, I'll wait until we've analyzed some data first.

In late 2010, we acquired a number of Reconyx cameras (no easy feat, considering the cost of those cameras).  These are HC600 model, "black flash" cameras, meaning that even the red LEDs which illuminate the area for an infrared photo at night emit almost no visible light.  In fact, I have to hold the camera about a foot from my face at eye level to see the red LEDs at night.  Pretty cool!

These Reconyx area also picture-taking machines.  They will snap off up to 10 pictures in rapid succession when they detect something, and immediately start the process over again if they still detect movement.  The trigger time (the time between when the camera sensing an animal and takes a picture) is less than 0.5 seconds!!  Compare this to the Bushnell's that I also use, which can only take up to three pictures, have very bright LEDs at night (enough to scare coyotes), and have a trigger time approaching 2 seconds! 

To put it bluntly, these are some bada$$ cameras!  Athough the picture clarity may not always be as good as a nice home-brew camera, they never miss a thing.  When one needs to identify every single medium to large mammal that may pass within the vacinity of a camera, the Reconyx does the job brilliantly.  I'd never buy another camera, if it weren't for the fact that the Reconyx also comes with a price tag to match.

Anyways, this not meant to be a pro-Reconyx post.  I'm just excited to have a camera that does what I want it to do after months and months of slogging along with other commercial cams that end up annoying me more times than not.

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In mid-February of 2011 we began a month-long baseline data collection period for this project (I've actually posted some pictures from this period already).  We are conducting our project with the state bear and furbearer biologist (pictured below), which is outstanding as she's a great field person and alot of fun to work with.

Above: Camera traps organized and ready for deployment at the beginning of the project!

We used Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to select specific locations for cameras to be deployed within our study site.  We then used GPS units find the pre-determined camera locations in the field.   Once we arrived at a given set of coordinates, we found a location of high wildlife activity nearest our pre-determined GPS point and mounted a camera.  We then recorded new GPS coordinates of the actual location where the camera was deployed.

Above: Recording GPS coordinates for actual camera deployment site in the field.

In total, eight cameras were placed on-site within our available study area.  The red dots in the picture blow indicate actual camera locations as of today.

Above: specific camera locations on-site

After a month of baseline data collection, we began application of the treatments we are testing (again, I'll explain more in the future).  This required us to use a GPS unit to find the cameras again (becuase the old Trailblazer's mind is frequently muddled with important information that will not allow him to remember the exact locations of cameras in the field).

Next, the cameras were serviced and we went along our merry way.  Hopeful of good things to come!

Above: Using a GPS unit to find camera deployment sites after a month

Above: servicing deployed camera prior to application of treatments we are testing.

So, aside from the fact that I used the word "deployed" alot in the above description (because I really like that word), this gives you a general idea of how we started the project.

Like I said, I will likely report results specific to this project in upcoming months, after we start analyzing the data.