|
|
Ok….so…uhhhh… the title isn’t completely accurate. But everything there did occur today at some point.
We started off another beautiful day by finding and destroying all Hawkweed in Plot 1. Once all nasty yellow flowers and their basal offspring were dealt with, we all turned our attention to removing all flowering sinful plants (Bird’s Foot Trefoil) from the roadside and ditch surrounding Plot 1. This effort took most of the morning, with the remaining couple hours spent looking for toothpicks in a Brome field, with small Echinacea attached.
After returning to Hjelm House after measuring, we all had a relaxing lunch and then listened to Amy Dekstra give a talk on her research using Echinacea to look at population size and inbreeding and outbreeding depression. Super fascinating stuff!
In the afternoon we measured more Echinacea plants and found several new Echinacea plants that hadn’t been logged previously. Woot (Note the pure ecstasy on Will’s face)!
We were all treated to a personal snack-time with the goats that have returned to the farm to enjoy chomping on Buckthorn. The Andes crew headed to Alexandria to enjoy a dinner of chicken wings and good company.
Looking forward to more sunny days and blooming Echinacea!
WB
Hello Echinacea Project Fan Base!
Today the group split up as we continued getting oriented with the project. Five of us went out to examine Railroad Crossing and Loeffler’s Corner prairie remnants. We split into two groups and analyzed each remnant to determine the species makeup, disturbance history, and land history of each remnant. After taking time in each of our groups, we came together and discussed what we saw and learned. Alex was our wonderful guide and was able to give plant information. After remnant analyzing, Alex gave us a driving tour of a couple of other prairie remnants during which we stopped to examine some Echinacea angustifolia whose buds were showing. Yay flowers!
Before and after lunch, Stuart gave everyone a power point presentation on details of the project and past and current results and data. Next, we weeded Bird’s-foot Trefoil from the roadside near an experimental plot and created a path from Hjelm House to that same plot. We then went over the organization of some experimental plots and learned how to use our high-tech data collection devices (see attached image).
Hopefully more sun is ahead!
Wes
I am currently studying Biology and Japanese at St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN. I am expecting to graduate in in June of 2018.
Research Interests
I am interested in learning about prairie fragmentation and using Echinacea to find out more about different prairie plant species in the same ecosystem. I’ve done guided research and group research in a college setting and I am excited to have new research experiences outside of a laboratory setting.
Statement
I went to high school in Northfield, MN, and (after graduating) I took a gap year in which I went to high school in Japan for a year on a Rotary Youth Exchange scholarship. After my gap year, I returned to Northfield to attend school at St. Olaf College. In my spare time I like to play tuba, canoe, cross-country ski, hike, and knit.
|
|
