Diario del proyecto Hawaiian Tropical Dry Forest Observations

Archivos de diario de octubre 2021

08 de octubre de 2021

Traps, New Microscope

Got a new scope so I can make observations of protozoans.

The first samples I took from an artificial pond beside a stadium, and it was a couple hours before I looked at it as I went out. The diatoms had mostly exploded, leaving their guts in the liquid and their empty glass shells behind. One amoeba like individual was still moving about, and one of the green-filled diatoms that glides along, as well as some oval or spherical case-creatures, but not many.

I missed this last weekend of sampling even though it's supposed to be every weekend. I am supposed to number the sample sites so I can have a rotation, as well as track the morning, noon and evening time visits, though I'd need to print off a map for that.

To get 1500 observations is a challenge; I have that many from over 5 years of iNat. To get that many species is harder, though if I mainly try to capture new ones I can get a ratio of 1 species per 2 observations; normally with intent it's more like 1 to 3 or even worse, 1 to 6. So going for doubles, I'd need 3000 observations over the year, and half of new things.

I intend to focus on the insects and the protozoa, and use the weeds to supplement, since I can't use the cultivated trees around here for this, and those are speciose groups.

I was thinking of getting some traps and doing trapping, but that would require an outlay of money, and my favourite methods are destructive (beating bush with sweep net, Tullgren funnels), and probably not therefore allowed, plus require some DIY in the case of the funnel, or expense. I considered a flight intercept / malaise trap out of tarp, but buying one is expensive; turns out a glorified tent is not cheap (neither are actual tents).

I could try pitfall traps; but I tried them in New York once and they did not work. I want to try yellow pan traps and see what the yellow is all about, but sticky traps are gross and so a no-go.

Publicado el octubre 8, 2021 12:27 MAÑANA por lsifer lsifer | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

11 de octubre de 2021

Missing Sunday

I was going to collect more water samples this Sunday, but unfortunately, I didn't get to it.

Luckily, on the other hand, I managed to get some observations on Saturday and got a 2-for-1 special on species of grass.

Publicado el octubre 11, 2021 09:05 MAÑANA por lsifer lsifer | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

14 de octubre de 2021

Identifying microorgs with keys

I have begun identifying microorganisms in a microscope project on here as practice for when I'm identifying my own, using the keys from "Ponds and Small Lakes: Mocroorganisms and Freshwater Ecology" by Brian Moss.
So far - it's hard to get them down to 'genus' and it's an art to use the key any way at all, especially on blurry photos. I'm gonna need good magnification on my own specimens if I'm going to be of any help.

F***, I'm tired, and it's just from looking at the keys twice, and using them for some freshwater organisms on identify.

Publicado el octubre 14, 2021 10:32 MAÑANA por lsifer lsifer | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

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