tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80482674087063072192024-03-18T18:03:45.249-03:00Polar Soils BlogTrack the adventures in research of soil ecology in Antarctica.Dr. Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01391779948019143052noreply@blogger.comBlogger297125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048267408706307219.post-37863113321822597732024-03-18T17:55:00.012-03:002024-03-18T18:02:30.289-03:00Revisiting Nelson<p>Today we went back to Nelson Island, which is "next door" to the island we're currently on.</p><p>Base Escudero is on King George Island off of the coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. It is a large island in a chain referred to as the South Shetland Islands. Nelson Island is the smaller one to the south of us. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr4SRvThS65UWy3hoOe5J97GI3GVN005K2ED9Gskkr3_f7HrZCQyCiBcbaNwQDC6Lf1gmJ3If2BNkkEKquyio_oToieXFgMzPr59RCakQH7cCO7hu3B9TDxpHX39iGn3ugg4p-RSBpX70P9gsAaOKWRau64iBBRSHGuuOyy-3NF8qkRG0AG0jEFv9y0HaF/s992/KGI%20map%20for%20blog.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="605" data-original-width="992" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr4SRvThS65UWy3hoOe5J97GI3GVN005K2ED9Gskkr3_f7HrZCQyCiBcbaNwQDC6Lf1gmJ3If2BNkkEKquyio_oToieXFgMzPr59RCakQH7cCO7hu3B9TDxpHX39iGn3ugg4p-RSBpX70P9gsAaOKWRau64iBBRSHGuuOyy-3NF8qkRG0AG0jEFv9y0HaF/s320/KGI%20map%20for%20blog.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>You can see in the map of King George Island that it is mostly covered by a large glacier. We are down in the red box. This part of King George Island is called Fildes Peninsula. You can see that there are many research stations on Fildes Peninsula, including Escudero where we are based. (You can also see the peninsula to the east marked for Jubany Station. That is the old name of Base Carlini, where we were doing our transect in my previous post.) Just across the water at the bottom left corner of the map is Nelson Island, where we were today. It also has a glacier coving much of the island.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXrie6NbDxrX9xV5f_QxPT3zEV3JszjkK8G9NHWih-pECYKbs32EtXIAGsbKbiTyn5cgkECzRSQ2TYWkRM_D2f8VNhKztl6iebzW4BNplUliacnT79Jb_tvAR9R3HXzJSuUQQJ9KhCrtvx-CTnjki6FVuftAr6ZI2U25yh9c3QselyhNJABR0KRFWI11o_/s4032/IMG_4556.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXrie6NbDxrX9xV5f_QxPT3zEV3JszjkK8G9NHWih-pECYKbs32EtXIAGsbKbiTyn5cgkECzRSQ2TYWkRM_D2f8VNhKztl6iebzW4BNplUliacnT79Jb_tvAR9R3HXzJSuUQQJ9KhCrtvx-CTnjki6FVuftAr6ZI2U25yh9c3QselyhNJABR0KRFWI11o_/s320/IMG_4556.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p>Last year, we sampled a successional transect from near the edge of Nelson's glacier towards the northern tip of the peninsula where the ecosystem is more developed. This year, we returned to collect some extra moss samples that will allow us to collect extra data about moss physiology. That way, we can understand how the moss functions as it develops from its young pioneer stages in early succession sites versus when it is more mature and developed during late succession. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDOkeG95cFtUJ-ZUA_8i2vlFUH00e0Qzxx5dHi3LF6v9YT6j35bZhMSW-BUFSRVvD8xyYUGJ8FEt7SSj7u0TK8eNuo5Sc9W-SZfV8JQdl9OsUR3dj8Y-Ks6Sj2Ob_uyNOUCT8O-hnuphaH69rNjJOkjOHTZCEF5GKxk2whsKXFwLcyPx5GswqanlScbORZ/s4032/IMG_4555.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDOkeG95cFtUJ-ZUA_8i2vlFUH00e0Qzxx5dHi3LF6v9YT6j35bZhMSW-BUFSRVvD8xyYUGJ8FEt7SSj7u0TK8eNuo5Sc9W-SZfV8JQdl9OsUR3dj8Y-Ks6Sj2Ob_uyNOUCT8O-hnuphaH69rNjJOkjOHTZCEF5GKxk2whsKXFwLcyPx5GswqanlScbORZ/s320/IMG_4555.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>But why do we care so much about moss, specifically? Moss is the most abundant vegetation on the continent of Antarctica. There is a lot of it in the northern part of the Antarctic Peninsula, which has the slightly more hospitable climate and water is more available. In the desert regions of Antarctica, moss is only sparsely growing in some locations. But here in the South Shetland Islands and other nearby areas, we see quite a lot of it! This is the equivalent of our "tree canopy" like you'd see in a forest in the United States or Europe. <div><br /></div><div>Antarctica doesn't have woody plants. In fact, the only vascular plants are one species of grass and one species of pearlwort. Other than that... it's moss, algae, and lichens! So the reason we are so interested in moss is because of its major role as the main vegetation in Antarctica. The photosynthesis, and therefore CO<span style="font-size: xx-small;">2</span> uptake into the ecosystem is largely done by moss. The moss then becomes a food source at the bottom of the food web, and its decomposition recycles the carbon and nutrients that the moss takes up. The moss can help insulate the ground, retain water, and reflect light to protect the organisms that use it as a habitat. It can survive desiccation and wake up as soon as water is available again! It is an amazing plant! We will measure how the various species of moss differ in these physiological properties, how they help develop the soil during succession, and how that influences the organisms that live there. </div>Dr. Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01391779948019143052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048267408706307219.post-57473834913377161402024-03-17T21:21:00.000-03:002024-03-17T21:21:07.346-03:00Succession gradients<p> We've spent the past couple of days working on samples from a new field site. One of our main goals for this project is to measure plant and soil properties along a gradient of ecological succession from a receding glacier. Over the past two years of this project, we have measured transects from two different locations. Yesterday, we collected samples from a third transect.</p><p>To get to this new field site, which is a ways across the bay on another peninsula, we ride in boats. The presence of the glacier makes it impossible to walk across land to get to the peninsula, so we have to go by water! It is of course deadly if we fall out of the boat into the freezing Antarctic water, so to be extra safe, we have to wear big puffy suits and a lot of safety gear whenever we ride in boats. These big puffy full-body immersion suits provide both flotation and the ability to keep us alive in 5<span style="background-color: white; color: #5f6368; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;">°</span>C water for 1 hr. With the addition of big boots and water proof gloves, we are ready to go!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEievUq77Fb0ZMo5_RktGNvsCpg15UkEgPDziWy82MTmai_MAQ9BrPPev7waOugMhKXb8VxLfejjjdGBAXTOXLLA789TB_Dak8d7JYTtjZR_jF71dPmmh8t4Q6c09XjZ58Z6KxfYz09x6dfiLsVAUa1a_9a4_bqYNAie70Xx3bOllI5Qf306R72IJzxReQsY/s2000/JQXN8303.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEievUq77Fb0ZMo5_RktGNvsCpg15UkEgPDziWy82MTmai_MAQ9BrPPev7waOugMhKXb8VxLfejjjdGBAXTOXLLA789TB_Dak8d7JYTtjZR_jF71dPmmh8t4Q6c09XjZ58Z6KxfYz09x6dfiLsVAUa1a_9a4_bqYNAie70Xx3bOllI5Qf306R72IJzxReQsY/s320/JQXN8303.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p>We traveled across Fildes Bay to another peninsula where one of the Argentinian bases is located, called Base Carlini. After some warm hospitality from the residents of the station, we hiked up into the moraines to find an early-succession site with only early pioneers of moss coverage. As you can see, it's not highly vegetated. There is moss and lichen on the ground, but it's fairly sparse... and partially covered by snow!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwk-PkHEm1BW_Cw8_i8l13yYbu-lRJBpJIFnINlnW9IPu3FbKfpsoAflvE6VgsikR_nv_MWOIu42qdR7srYrRnG0SYmzaJBh-zk5bqlsKbUDmOi8vdwTpD3Id4mIt5rBDtrHTSWy2MQicJcyMfr_aQ-jCeGl04CMV717pkd1wbU8VpDwzrTn3Tp0d3vIYr/s4032/IMG_4545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwk-PkHEm1BW_Cw8_i8l13yYbu-lRJBpJIFnINlnW9IPu3FbKfpsoAflvE6VgsikR_nv_MWOIu42qdR7srYrRnG0SYmzaJBh-zk5bqlsKbUDmOi8vdwTpD3Id4mIt5rBDtrHTSWy2MQicJcyMfr_aQ-jCeGl04CMV717pkd1wbU8VpDwzrTn3Tp0d3vIYr/s320/IMG_4545.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dr. Angelica and Hannah measuring plant cover with cold hands!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Angelica and Hannah measured the resident plant community coverage while I sampled the moss and soil underneath it to bring back to the lab. It was a very cold day, and much of the moss was actually frozen! </p><p>After spending an hour in our early-succession site, we started walking away from the glacier into a mid-succession site. We make the same measurements there to understand how the plants and soil change as they develop over the years of succession. This is called a "chronosequence": when we use space to represent different amounts of time. In other words, the trajectory of walking from close to the glacier away from it towards the coast is like walking through time from recently-exposed soil into older ecosystems that have been exposed for longer periods of time. Those areas that have been exposed longer have had more time to develop a more complex ecosystem. The moss and plant coverage there is much greater, and you can get large "carpets" of moss that look so lush and inviting!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpGEiXXHfPoyGFDRUMsrmxJ8QujfXmx6Vv63RR8my463LFH21uZPAzp6IR-8B4oaIadLoO2oUmHJQquX4BAJEyVLbAqTnrVFlRNNTp6v5DJWccVA5K7P6xOr1id8S9fLQMyiehSdsMSjPtH6Qi7DWBwOTSdZvAiSftqwBTo36TVi0_yomRMfLa6Ev693OH/s1600/VTLG4375.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpGEiXXHfPoyGFDRUMsrmxJ8QujfXmx6Vv63RR8my463LFH21uZPAzp6IR-8B4oaIadLoO2oUmHJQquX4BAJEyVLbAqTnrVFlRNNTp6v5DJWccVA5K7P6xOr1id8S9fLQMyiehSdsMSjPtH6Qi7DWBwOTSdZvAiSftqwBTo36TVi0_yomRMfLa6Ev693OH/s320/VTLG4375.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A springtail's-eye view of a moss carpet.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>We were about halfway done with the mid-succession sampling when we were told that the weather was getting worse, so we had to go home before it became unsafe to use the boat. We came back to Base Escudero where we have been processing the samples in the lab. We will hopefully be able to return later this week to finish sampling the mid- and late-succession sites! </p>Dr. Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01391779948019143052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048267408706307219.post-33824377768393509472024-03-15T12:48:00.003-03:002024-03-15T12:48:50.805-03:00Lab time<p>We have continued to work diligently on our sampling. On Tuesday we collected samples from our transplant plots, and we have spent a lot of time in the lab processing them. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCYy1P0ZZJN95lCsriNjJBlVKBAI2tjGqwE_jVcgG9HuAQJzntuajV9JstKtB937VFrJzZhZ0q7lzue7QpcTaUoSWe0Q4AVe3ASFS1ShV0A9VMjs5Rq-VpPFueSdWffHcneneTr5WWIRPnHZJL_TY3jbpzuD0Nd7V1dO3PwRRmn1vo1Ck6uil7AXOzWbZN/s4032/IMG_4534.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCYy1P0ZZJN95lCsriNjJBlVKBAI2tjGqwE_jVcgG9HuAQJzntuajV9JstKtB937VFrJzZhZ0q7lzue7QpcTaUoSWe0Q4AVe3ASFS1ShV0A9VMjs5Rq-VpPFueSdWffHcneneTr5WWIRPnHZJL_TY3jbpzuD0Nd7V1dO3PwRRmn1vo1Ck6uil7AXOzWbZN/s320/IMG_4534.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p>First, we extract the invertebrates living in the soil. We do that in two ways. On the top shelf of the table in the photo, we have set up what are called Baermann funnels. A small amount of plant or soil gets wrapped in a tissue, then placed inside a funnel that gets filled with water. The small invertebrates that live in the water that is adhered to the soil or plant material then swim free in the water, but gravity pulls them down into the stem of the funnel. That is how we collect the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nematode" target="_blank">nematodes</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tardigrade" target="_blank">tardigrades </a>that live in the plants and soil. Other larger invertebrates, like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Springtail" target="_blank">springtails</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mite" target="_blank">mites</a>, don't live in water. We extract those using heat in Tullgren funnels. We wrap up some soil or plant material in gauze, and then place it inside of shiny funnels. To be space-efficient, we make those shiny funnels out of aluminum beverage cans. We place an incandescent lightbulb on top, which creates heat to dry out the soil and moss. By gradually turning up the heat, we make the soil more and more inhospitable to the invertebrates. Their natural behavior is to try to move deeper in the soil where it is still moist. But, instead of finding more soil... they find our funnel and drop into a sample container underneath.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG4EFqmm2z4Qgk-Povxd9JdhtMZOvFQroyl6_VlqoHaYvgNMg6SX3o4n57PukHircDB-IzbjzSI7Iq-iRepEXB-pPD1G3b0gxtD1wV2AxiFUtGFQuxI0hp_bgoQ2QPvHFZTtBJYU8BYfx6WxB9msFXX2maVAdj54h1ZVHDbPTtAnXxOGWQ2VEHD1b6Vkey/s4032/IMG_4514.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG4EFqmm2z4Qgk-Povxd9JdhtMZOvFQroyl6_VlqoHaYvgNMg6SX3o4n57PukHircDB-IzbjzSI7Iq-iRepEXB-pPD1G3b0gxtD1wV2AxiFUtGFQuxI0hp_bgoQ2QPvHFZTtBJYU8BYfx6WxB9msFXX2maVAdj54h1ZVHDbPTtAnXxOGWQ2VEHD1b6Vkey/s320/IMG_4514.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p>We run those extractions for several days, so our transplant soils are still sitting on those funnels. While the extractions are taking place, we also preserve soils to measure the bacteria and fungi living in them. Those measurements will take place back at ASU, but first we have to properly preserve the microbes so that they do not degrade... or keep eating each other!</p><p>Using these data about the invertebrates and microbes, we can better understand how these plants help provide a habitat for the community of organisms as they are colonizing newly-exposed soil. The different growth forms of plants might provide better habitat than others, and some organisms might have preferences for particular plants.</p><p>It's lucky that we made it out on Tuesday to collect all of our samples, because the weather has been windy and snowy since then! We haven't been able to go too far from the station for any new field work. We quickly went out this morning to a nearby area to place some temperature sensors at one of our other field sites. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik0UVESskeNS7ecmPTensidssFc8e9lbH5yhWdQxXQ0M0Zw6FJIdyR2cxXAxzE1fwpVJiIRv0guK44MMU-amfTuSG_XPS1AOE3Y_HWoR-r65aXZ6QfzkGw7aK8zFnvDu2C1eouQ1d1phx1L1AEhYeuaojsx6l8WTuXZwssuULdxea6v-B1fY8_q1-0G07-/s4032/IMG_4529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik0UVESskeNS7ecmPTensidssFc8e9lbH5yhWdQxXQ0M0Zw6FJIdyR2cxXAxzE1fwpVJiIRv0guK44MMU-amfTuSG_XPS1AOE3Y_HWoR-r65aXZ6QfzkGw7aK8zFnvDu2C1eouQ1d1phx1L1AEhYeuaojsx6l8WTuXZwssuULdxea6v-B1fY8_q1-0G07-/s320/IMG_4529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>It is beautiful in the snow, but cold! We cannot stay out for very long. That means we are spending a lot of time inside. I like to make sure my team stays fit during this time of inactivity by demanding they do pushups.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOxoeWWoNRqso173scnAxK77F8rOZ8iEsJ10LBNcn2L5-d0pVODfSgkia3Q6pczFTTumAyxOE4GbQ-BGdicNXmT_nhYkFyv0fgW2x4tcMIiQqSTzmYBJFsjnsqknJ5Jh5QsL1DJo7YwJd4fHO5i1p3WlTTGI1S-i59g6QSZOUYNSWRsh-lx_3nf7LIJVCG/s4032/IMG_4510.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOxoeWWoNRqso173scnAxK77F8rOZ8iEsJ10LBNcn2L5-d0pVODfSgkia3Q6pczFTTumAyxOE4GbQ-BGdicNXmT_nhYkFyv0fgW2x4tcMIiQqSTzmYBJFsjnsqknJ5Jh5QsL1DJo7YwJd4fHO5i1p3WlTTGI1S-i59g6QSZOUYNSWRsh-lx_3nf7LIJVCG/s320/IMG_4510.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><p> (Just kidding! They were doing this by choice.)</p><p>We are hoping that tomorrow we can get out to our next major field site to collect more samples. If we cannot keep collecting samples, we will not have enough time to process them all before it's time to leave Escudero!</p>Dr. Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01391779948019143052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048267408706307219.post-81513528031285412682024-03-13T18:31:00.003-03:002024-03-18T18:03:14.673-03:00Straight on to field work!<p> We finally made it to Base Escudero, our home in Antarctica for the next couple of weeks!</p><p>I haven't posted until now because we have been very busy! Because we were delayed by 3 days, we had to make up for lost time. The same day we landed on King George Island in Antarctica, we unpacked the lab and got organized to start our work. We did that until we couldn't stay awake any longer, and then went straight to bed! The next morning, we headed right out to check on our experimental plots!</p><p>We left the research station in the morning and walked to our main field site. We spent the day collecting the plant and soil samples. We only stopped briefly to eat a quick lunch... though it was a very cold lunch!</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8f-YAxC_Zpm8m_YE9PBfrUKs_6OAqy7v3jeqid72Q37UnbQTnfcIxNpbyxgmxJmhGLhmqI4seNOkpr4TpFAggWxEg84wgia5dl4UatrdkZUOARlV3HAiUGqEvKzbYbwXDJS-UMW1dL90sllB0leOqnlg5w9IzrmniJDFE-Y6B_brB8PnWoMofyyO7HN9T/s3088/IMG_4493.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2320" data-original-width="3088" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8f-YAxC_Zpm8m_YE9PBfrUKs_6OAqy7v3jeqid72Q37UnbQTnfcIxNpbyxgmxJmhGLhmqI4seNOkpr4TpFAggWxEg84wgia5dl4UatrdkZUOARlV3HAiUGqEvKzbYbwXDJS-UMW1dL90sllB0leOqnlg5w9IzrmniJDFE-Y6B_brB8PnWoMofyyO7HN9T/s320/IMG_4493.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dr. Becky, Hannah, and Dr. Angelica eating lunch with the Collins Glacier in the background.</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>We collected samples from our transplant experiment. In this project, we have planted some of the 'pioneer' species that first colonize the soil after a glacier recedes. We want to understand how the arrival of these plants alters the soil. The best way to do that is to add them to the soil and see what happens! </p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG4RSSqINRXaYN_iMQA5Hk6X5NpZuEVOFeMcyWAvDK6ljeAgoQ0Q5w91q2HYsFnTgAjDQF-Q7ppSYkdz3yjepznChLwtvdrytNK4vW_y60O5546KVobGATE4GIgVVeRLzM5J2IZfqz2VcgULnznn09He2leiU341bvBlbYAwXBN3_FdGv0ebncUwntS9Bv/s4032/IMG_4497.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG4RSSqINRXaYN_iMQA5Hk6X5NpZuEVOFeMcyWAvDK6ljeAgoQ0Q5w91q2HYsFnTgAjDQF-Q7ppSYkdz3yjepznChLwtvdrytNK4vW_y60O5546KVobGATE4GIgVVeRLzM5J2IZfqz2VcgULnznn09He2leiU341bvBlbYAwXBN3_FdGv0ebncUwntS9Bv/s320/IMG_4497.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>Our hypothesis is that the presence of the plants will change the soil habitat that paves the way for organisms to move in. These organisms can then change the soil to make it possible for more plants to grow. So, we added the plants two years ago, and now we are measuring the changes in the organisms and soil habitat! We collected some of the plants and the soil underneath them to measure the bacteria, fungi, and invertebrates that now live there. We will also measure soil chemistry to see how the plants changed the habitat experienced by those organisms. We needed to collect the samples immediately and get them on the extractors in the lab, or else we wouldn't have time to get everything done in our remaining time here! </p><p>Today, we have been busy in the lab processing these samples. We have to extract and preserve the organisms, and preserve the soil for the chemical analyses that we'll do back at Arizona State. It has been a busy couple of days! I will post more details when we have some down time. In the meantime, we will keep working to catch up!</p>Dr. Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01391779948019143052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048267408706307219.post-77365652834435838132024-03-11T13:48:00.001-03:002024-03-11T13:48:04.458-03:00Off we go!<p> We have boarded a plane to leave Punta Arenas! They wouldn’t get us this far if they didn’t think we had a good chance of landing. So, fingers crossed that my next post is from Antarctica!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW2huYFLeesxOCx3VbYmb-IjS0T5eWKZkMFdKZv4V8Jb3xYZ9F8fuBBdPkyktOQjwCxanVL1uq-y5XJ0p6vTWm_ms9m4GeFdaGYIgLkfbXLB3s9c7ob_TqXWm10IOKnLI1jEeTmGmGOuSa5lJkhydCVjIZ5FrhWkJL1o-aMmMmXzjtcFA0qrSX33_AkSeA/s1600/648f16fd-902c-4c7d-a025-14506e0d9093.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW2huYFLeesxOCx3VbYmb-IjS0T5eWKZkMFdKZv4V8Jb3xYZ9F8fuBBdPkyktOQjwCxanVL1uq-y5XJ0p6vTWm_ms9m4GeFdaGYIgLkfbXLB3s9c7ob_TqXWm10IOKnLI1jEeTmGmGOuSa5lJkhydCVjIZ5FrhWkJL1o-aMmMmXzjtcFA0qrSX33_AkSeA/s320/648f16fd-902c-4c7d-a025-14506e0d9093.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Dr. Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01391779948019143052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048267408706307219.post-25965104840789863682024-03-10T21:34:00.002-03:002024-03-10T21:34:30.131-03:00And we wait…<p>We have spent the past two days in Punta Arenas on weather delay. It can be very boring, because we’re not allowed to go far from our hotels in case we get short notice that we can fly. We spend our time working on our computers, reading, and sipping coffee to stay awake. But, after 5 days here in Punta Arenas, we are so DONE with waiting!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9rUqu9bit-m4XoxqkmSrwh7EDmkFW29-aAWQ_7OLEB79rGHzu8eQ61JGo2oVccILIZizkGaX_uyjRpyQ8iOFlfsPeYbuTUfQbxW8PsXRIjjINdEot2uVjzU3ORY8oa1lA177ieC_fm2Y2_Gvapi7Iu1jEFDs1MSlRHITnPsHwys8MR03ueYbiTGpw046r/s3088/IMG_4482.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2320" data-original-width="3088" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9rUqu9bit-m4XoxqkmSrwh7EDmkFW29-aAWQ_7OLEB79rGHzu8eQ61JGo2oVccILIZizkGaX_uyjRpyQ8iOFlfsPeYbuTUfQbxW8PsXRIjjINdEot2uVjzU3ORY8oa1lA177ieC_fm2Y2_Gvapi7Iu1jEFDs1MSlRHITnPsHwys8MR03ueYbiTGpw046r/s320/IMG_4482.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dr. Becky, Dr. Angélica, and Hannah are bored of waiting!</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>To get some exercise and fresh air today, I walked to one of the historic cemeteries in Punta Arenas. A lot of historical figures important in the region’s history are buried there. I visited the monument of Captain Adolfo Andresen, who was the first person to plant the Chilean flag in Antarctica! He was a Norwegian that immigrated into Chile in the 1890s, where he became a whaler. He set up a whaling station on Deception Island in Antarctica, in the name of the Chilean government. (Whaling and sealing is the reason for much of the early exploration of Antarctica by a lot of countries.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIZeGvYtcJfu-vzMUXX7B-5KOxpCjgo-3OZChd4DtTpsOSnqWLB_GATdIzu8PGuCaqDAJNu-Wn4fPbjNl44ZxvxbLOCIzcGbSBx9rxotNyq8Jkz9xhJ0iZbRLRoalanWGUdeqTfhsrmXDY1wGEWwCK-87UosoWcBdFRf8Mt1bH2SWcO_joV0LFXC7boF-r/s3461/IMG_4478.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3461" data-original-width="3023" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIZeGvYtcJfu-vzMUXX7B-5KOxpCjgo-3OZChd4DtTpsOSnqWLB_GATdIzu8PGuCaqDAJNu-Wn4fPbjNl44ZxvxbLOCIzcGbSBx9rxotNyq8Jkz9xhJ0iZbRLRoalanWGUdeqTfhsrmXDY1wGEWwCK-87UosoWcBdFRf8Mt1bH2SWcO_joV0LFXC7boF-r/s320/IMG_4478.jpeg" width="280" /></a></div><br /><div>Visiting the cemetery was a peaceful way to spend some time outside, and get a small break from my computer. Then, it was back to work!</div><div><br /></div>Right now, the weather reports are good for tomorrow. We are tentatively scheduled to fly to Antarctica tomorrow afternoon. Fingers crossed that nothing changes!<br /><p><br /></p>Dr. Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01391779948019143052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048267408706307219.post-70295584160496745482024-03-08T23:13:00.001-03:002024-03-08T23:14:21.901-03:00Weather delay<p>As we suspected, we did not fly to Antarctica today. We are on a weather delay, meaning we can’t take off until the weather improves. Weather delays are common when traveling to and from Antarctica.</p><p>The plane can’t land in Antarctica if the visibility isn’t good. The conditions need to be just right for the pilots to land on the short, dirt runway. But, here’s what it looks like at the research station where we are headed:</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3oDkgv5nUtAkJZxQyuKP0ARFpuV7iO-BJzeoa6DMYdHxwMM-doStOK7kP0ookKwjP2YcFMgwK2zysAlVouiKjOZVG0BGgwrrfhMrAcLs1rY8iVvqTwfRJ-krsnMiu7xHRDZF898p4Ymr7m_PWbL5FSywuM50IQRCadHrjU4efPh6BkHdk0mK7Wpq6YVq-/s750/IMG_4469.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="382" data-original-width="750" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3oDkgv5nUtAkJZxQyuKP0ARFpuV7iO-BJzeoa6DMYdHxwMM-doStOK7kP0ookKwjP2YcFMgwK2zysAlVouiKjOZVG0BGgwrrfhMrAcLs1rY8iVvqTwfRJ-krsnMiu7xHRDZF898p4Ymr7m_PWbL5FSywuM50IQRCadHrjU4efPh6BkHdk0mK7Wpq6YVq-/s320/IMG_4469.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the webcam near Base Escudero on King George Island. </td></tr></tbody></table> <div>You can’t see much! The low clouds and fog make the visibility very poor. </div><div><br /></div><div>We will get an update tomorrow around lunch time to see if we can fly tomorrow. Or maybe it will be the next day… who knows! In the meantime, we will stay in Punta Arenas and wait. <br /><p><br /></p></div>Dr. Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01391779948019143052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048267408706307219.post-4846216581812502652024-03-07T20:13:00.001-03:002024-03-07T20:13:15.200-03:00Welcome to INACHThe research project we are working on is a collaboration between the U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP) and the Chilean Antarctic Institute (or Instituto Antártico Chileno, <a href="https://www.inach.cl/" target="_blank">INACH</a>). There are both American and Chilean scientists working together on our research. This season, Hannah and I get to work with our Chilean collaborator, Angelica, seen here being a penguin in the INACH headquarters:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQlg00dBevbMd9Fk6ESbM3t3_0f-UQtol5LmkxwEZoWW2OsrAerTZe7-XxLNyoN3bKjVj1xR0xnsCd1Obx9lkT1eqIz-vDsClUe3w7ZQBA4j6XC9XgYuXnw31i20XhU4gRFIMG8B6GBpHwJgiTF24JUtGhWXQ_9tr_4gH5WTE1p3PVIThopPl_mRE9U7Zr/s2676/IMG_E4461.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2238" data-original-width="2676" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQlg00dBevbMd9Fk6ESbM3t3_0f-UQtol5LmkxwEZoWW2OsrAerTZe7-XxLNyoN3bKjVj1xR0xnsCd1Obx9lkT1eqIz-vDsClUe3w7ZQBA4j6XC9XgYuXnw31i20XhU4gRFIMG8B6GBpHwJgiTF24JUtGhWXQ_9tr_4gH5WTE1p3PVIThopPl_mRE9U7Zr/s320/IMG_E4461.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We will be living and working at a Chilean research station in Antarctica. Today, we worked with INACH to gather the rest of our gear and cargo. We like to blend in with our Chilean friends, so we happily wear both American and Chilean clothes! Here, Hannah models the INACH fashion we will use in Antarctica:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-kqaJzd4vAb242cA-ydhlOzvAfr2obXu8dZTRkE2fs2Rbt1g5_Fl8DoEgrVnryegH7FiO0d0q5pT8Nwf2RTty7MaEcPSxdgrvhH-iP1ePJzJV2w-6fTy8HiCyS2xArI3NzsbcdPi3pf4mmu1uQDpx2lnWYfsikoVtzUb8K1V7ovZaL2S4kKbbpxNPT4Eq/s4032/IMG_4456.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-kqaJzd4vAb242cA-ydhlOzvAfr2obXu8dZTRkE2fs2Rbt1g5_Fl8DoEgrVnryegH7FiO0d0q5pT8Nwf2RTty7MaEcPSxdgrvhH-iP1ePJzJV2w-6fTy8HiCyS2xArI3NzsbcdPi3pf4mmu1uQDpx2lnWYfsikoVtzUb8K1V7ovZaL2S4kKbbpxNPT4Eq/s320/IMG_4456.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We also attended the required trainings to prepare for living and working in Antarctica. We cover safety while living at the research station and environmental protection of the Antarctic ecosystem. There are many rules we have to follow while we live and work in Antarctica!</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbyG0N-ibsTNFlxslt1WBSUi2ReVkhGodMppwv3v2fDjI8VlxlTuDZf__q1fqK_PAyL2Yt9rh9CU9Ya8JIUmxZAKcCe85d3UZAAHwlL4e-B86UkFBoHtkWBA_LIRmmxWau7Np3_EWnCZm-HYDc4tMQLKMj9GHy9AH3mlWnfUVCOZd_JgCZ3WntwT0YYpXu/s4032/IMG_4458.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbyG0N-ibsTNFlxslt1WBSUi2ReVkhGodMppwv3v2fDjI8VlxlTuDZf__q1fqK_PAyL2Yt9rh9CU9Ya8JIUmxZAKcCe85d3UZAAHwlL4e-B86UkFBoHtkWBA_LIRmmxWau7Np3_EWnCZm-HYDc4tMQLKMj9GHy9AH3mlWnfUVCOZd_JgCZ3WntwT0YYpXu/s320/IMG_4458.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The meeting room at INACH headquarters. On the left, you see 3 flags: the INACH flag for Antarctica, the Chilean flag, and the flag for the Magallanes Region of Chile. How good is your Spanish to read the PowerPoint slides?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We are supposed to fly to Antarctica tomorrow morning. However, the weather is not looking very good... The plane will only fly if the weather is good, not only here in Punta Arenas to take off, but also all the way across the Drake Passage and in Antarctica where we will be landing. They do not take off if they don't think we can fly and land safely! So frequently the weather doesn't cooperate, and we get delayed. If we do not get to fly tomorrow as planned, then we get an extra day in Punta Arenas and will try again on Saturday!</div><br /><div><br /></div>Dr. Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01391779948019143052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048267408706307219.post-2327379172786602282024-03-07T00:23:00.005-03:002024-03-07T08:48:07.345-03:00Gearing up <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="text-align: left;">Today we spent some time in the warehouse collecting our gear to stay warm and dry while in Antarctica. The U.S. Antarctic Program stocked us up on what we call “extreme cold weather” gear, or ECW. This includes everything from warm hats and waterproof gloves to the full-body “immersion suits” hanging on the back wall, which can keep you afloat and stave off hypothermia if you fall in the water.</span></div><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNniYsgSZqxKMe1siwHQeNRJLY8hwk8b6lD2rhnmf3uUg06G3Vc8AR7ZRNZggF4jZ4z03wu-XIsQMRItNQBwee1wr6IiFM6Y6QBIvjCAQgHlgX7zy5pLSMlARphDPDo6Q5fHIGUF06lydfP-CPqyQ0tanrSKM6c9HhpgAwZlSGmQoXhAghJ2TEzrV0dP9w/s4032/IMG_4449.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNniYsgSZqxKMe1siwHQeNRJLY8hwk8b6lD2rhnmf3uUg06G3Vc8AR7ZRNZggF4jZ4z03wu-XIsQMRItNQBwee1wr6IiFM6Y6QBIvjCAQgHlgX7zy5pLSMlARphDPDo6Q5fHIGUF06lydfP-CPqyQ0tanrSKM6c9HhpgAwZlSGmQoXhAghJ2TEzrV0dP9w/s320/IMG_4449.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hannah contemplates her ECW fashion choices. Does she want her snow pants in black, or black? Is orange the “in color” this season?</td></tr></tbody></table><p>After we packed our ECW, we had some time to enjoy Punta Arenas. One of the items on the dinner menu was guanaco. <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guanaco" target="_blank">Guanacos</a> (pronounced hwa-NA-kos) are large herbivores related to llamas and alpacas. However, guanacos are wild animals, whereas llamas and alpacas only exist in domestication. (In fact, guanacos are possibly the wild ancestor of the domesticated llama.) Guanacos are native to South America and are common down here in Patagonia. </p><p><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a3/Lama_Guanicoe.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="686" data-original-width="800" height="274" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a3/Lama_Guanicoe.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p>There are traditional dishes that use guanaco meat, and it can be found on menus at some restaurants. When you are visiting a new country, it is fun to try those unique dishes… like guanaco stew! (Don’t worry, guanacos are not endangered, so there are not concerns about over-hunting them for food.) The verdict after trying it: it tastes like tender stewed red meat.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7tkF5jzVwudJbkDDghBWuorYGhvgOxd7POpvQjT_x8TydyALbf-5e6iVarvtbM57MNQYLB8YJzceJCQ4p7z2mmVUL77dTFA3uYxz5f818kJLIfvTgbchM1NqAsIck4dba0-BG3DdhZy0qjlaNqSBk9xgm6qLjm9s2AOIKwDT_ve_t5U7qVlmO9ultuhFb/s4032/IMG_4453.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7tkF5jzVwudJbkDDghBWuorYGhvgOxd7POpvQjT_x8TydyALbf-5e6iVarvtbM57MNQYLB8YJzceJCQ4p7z2mmVUL77dTFA3uYxz5f818kJLIfvTgbchM1NqAsIck4dba0-BG3DdhZy0qjlaNqSBk9xgm6qLjm9s2AOIKwDT_ve_t5U7qVlmO9ultuhFb/s320/IMG_4453.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Dr. Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01391779948019143052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048267408706307219.post-24769877689553257662024-03-05T20:52:00.002-03:002024-03-05T20:52:23.441-03:00Punta Arenas, Chile<p>After a long set of flights, we arrived this afternoon in Punta Arenas, Chile!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJFOQzJmFAUArmKp1aEMmaLVs8hSUy4iMAuVkoF2jk0KW-WUDs5iPlSuvUoDG82rkEUeM_vUa3oi_rQERs42Adg5lMYmpiA2nzU9YeLxq43gBIToR-O9MuYkM03O3shIo8wKNsDH8k4hsJDOQEJHUQdSzBQ1eFtyD-LYDyGPMP87GT88CLAHdG2oSU7MK5/s3088/IMG_4441.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2320" data-original-width="3088" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJFOQzJmFAUArmKp1aEMmaLVs8hSUy4iMAuVkoF2jk0KW-WUDs5iPlSuvUoDG82rkEUeM_vUa3oi_rQERs42Adg5lMYmpiA2nzU9YeLxq43gBIToR-O9MuYkM03O3shIo8wKNsDH8k4hsJDOQEJHUQdSzBQ1eFtyD-LYDyGPMP87GT88CLAHdG2oSU7MK5/s320/IMG_4441.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Punta Arenas is in the southern end of Chile, on the Strait of Magellan. The Strait of Magellan is a natural channel between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It runs in between mainland South America (where Punta Arenas is located) and Tierra del Fuego to the south. It has a very important role in global shipping and trade for hundreds of years! If ships had to go all the way around Tierra del Fuego to get from the Atlantic to the Pacific, they have to navigate the much more dangerous rough seas of the Drake Passage. The Straits of Magellan are calmer, making it safer for ships (and all of the trade goods they carry) to get from one side of the planet to the other. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMiq-aPsmwpCyBujdZdqTpmyWZPEKVV45mhma8S8YLp3NRAxpUCuTklJ8z_X5HH7yOo6PM8mgJDwgalOuyr55Fa9MeLnZ8VtEtmjD2qJ1IY8-cWl13iIUbcmCmorplod0Eb12QlyR-0bBmGG2zlYM9q79YEa5i9zEt0TT6lVfABqeMqzwjyyBw26PqsQTE/s818/map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="818" data-original-width="785" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMiq-aPsmwpCyBujdZdqTpmyWZPEKVV45mhma8S8YLp3NRAxpUCuTklJ8z_X5HH7yOo6PM8mgJDwgalOuyr55Fa9MeLnZ8VtEtmjD2qJ1IY8-cWl13iIUbcmCmorplod0Eb12QlyR-0bBmGG2zlYM9q79YEa5i9zEt0TT6lVfABqeMqzwjyyBw26PqsQTE/s320/map.jpg" width="307" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see South America at the top of the map, showing Punta Arenas on mainland Chile, with the Strait of Magellan separating Tierra del Fuego to the south. Below Tierra del Fuego is the Drake Passage, the tumultuous waters in between South America and the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula at the bottom of the map.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The Straits of Magellan are named for the explorer Ferdinand Magellan who led the first European expedition that mapped the area. (Of course, native South Americans were well aware that it existed long before Europeans showed up!) Ferdinand Magellan is celebrated in Punta Arenas. In fact, Punta Arenas is in the Chilean province called Magallanes, and there are statues, museums, and streets named after him and other naval explorers who visited the region. There is a statue of Magellan atop this monument in one of the parks. Below Magellan on the monument are native Patagonians. It is considered good luck to rub the foot of the Patagonian before crossing the Drake Passage to Antarctica. (Well, technically it's good luck to <b>kiss </b>the foot, but Hannah decided to be more sanitary and rub it.)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii2LHUmz8Pa9DiiUX86O8CT8LV9t9gs8vRl24MyfKpQnC4gkhufxQu-3DIP8sySy_ZoHFzpn4AlsOsHUIFXrUCtkibpyB-Fvf2VmaBU8pzIaqmgVdCbr8mrbqWXlJICf2aNqNh7cZ-YC59IZPaEOKWqqcUs3TdinVBqCT3f9PuONzh6z4V_hRSZt7Ca2zL/s3728/IMG_4439.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3728" data-original-width="2329" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii2LHUmz8Pa9DiiUX86O8CT8LV9t9gs8vRl24MyfKpQnC4gkhufxQu-3DIP8sySy_ZoHFzpn4AlsOsHUIFXrUCtkibpyB-Fvf2VmaBU8pzIaqmgVdCbr8mrbqWXlJICf2aNqNh7cZ-YC59IZPaEOKWqqcUs3TdinVBqCT3f9PuONzh6z4V_hRSZt7Ca2zL/s320/IMG_4439.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div><p>Tonight, we ate an early dinner and are heading to bed. We have a lot of sleep to catch up on! Tomorrow, we begin sorting gear and getting ready for our journey down to Antarctica.</p>Dr. Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01391779948019143052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048267408706307219.post-29906749144055939422024-03-04T18:54:00.001-03:002024-03-04T18:54:24.688-03:00 And we're off!<p>Today, we begin our trip down to Antarctica for our next field season! We will continue our work on glacial succession sites, to better understand <a href="https://polarsoils.blogspot.com/2022/01/a-new-year-new-project.html">what happens after glaciers recede in Antarctica</a>.</p><p>This year, we will be a team of three. I'm traveling down with Hannah, who is also from Arizona State University. In Chile, we will meet up with Angelica, who will complete the team.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiciad8NCQcUUQF3xWGyAjEXLmeHs52MjZ1succQakoQvNrgGDICrf2Bb94aoJZcppXOB36zEwNs3PWbM8aBCwyGlSaYJRViZjODfGYDAjY72eT-FhgV0VvEMHOtO8D_RnVj9sk3z5Kn0hBjZhKRy3L8zIGWABcqKSAD2kPzjeOi9uY3PXNXlfBvYAPFsBU/s3088/IMG_4436.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2320" data-original-width="3088" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiciad8NCQcUUQF3xWGyAjEXLmeHs52MjZ1succQakoQvNrgGDICrf2Bb94aoJZcppXOB36zEwNs3PWbM8aBCwyGlSaYJRViZjODfGYDAjY72eT-FhgV0VvEMHOtO8D_RnVj9sk3z5Kn0hBjZhKRy3L8zIGWABcqKSAD2kPzjeOi9uY3PXNXlfBvYAPFsBU/s320/IMG_4436.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><p>We are in the airport heading down to Punta Arenas, Chile. It is a long journey! We will arrive there tomorrow morning. We will meet up with Angelica, our favorite Chilean Antarctic researcher! We will be in Punta Arenas for a few days to gather gear, receive our safety trainings, and get organized for our field work. Then, later in the week, we will take off for Antarctica!</p>Dr. Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01391779948019143052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048267408706307219.post-71622344749192925952023-02-13T20:56:00.002-03:002023-02-13T20:56:42.766-03:00Home Sweet Home<p>After a very long journey, we are finally back home in the U.S. </p><p>I spent about 25 hours in airports and airplanes to get home. I left Punta Arenas around lunch time on February 9. From there, I flew to Santiago, then on to the U.S. I landed in Texas in the early morning of Feb 10. Then, I just had one short flight left to get from Texas to my home in Arizona! I got home just in time for lunch on the 10th.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF9eutY4nrLyRY_58y2Kq_DVRTqugVPTZTYryyBDMwM3gFv_mBq2zSBmVHDEg5FUurv-f0Qh1CXDam7Vppatz9-8WomNCxcBLeCTrJ7uZBMmHinBS4-ieHrJypKiY0x-AeSiC3TtPyzTrLjLwgHC4w7ZcowiUKkKbe8tyKqJKKcEBpAqLfGGWDP1gRfQ/s811/flight%20map.tif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="811" data-original-width="806" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF9eutY4nrLyRY_58y2Kq_DVRTqugVPTZTYryyBDMwM3gFv_mBq2zSBmVHDEg5FUurv-f0Qh1CXDam7Vppatz9-8WomNCxcBLeCTrJ7uZBMmHinBS4-ieHrJypKiY0x-AeSiC3TtPyzTrLjLwgHC4w7ZcowiUKkKbe8tyKqJKKcEBpAqLfGGWDP1gRfQ/s320/flight%20map.tif" width="318" /></a></div><br /><p>I slept a lot for the first couple of days after getting home. After 6 weeks of working with no days off, and then 25 hours without sleep to travel home, I was very tired! Now that we've settled back in at home, it's time to get back to work! Our samples will be shipped to us, but they won't arrive for a couple more months. In the meantime, we still have last year's samples to continue working on!</p>Dr. Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01391779948019143052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048267408706307219.post-41740078051290389302023-02-09T08:17:00.005-03:002023-02-09T08:17:56.516-03:00Cargo and samples<p>We have spent the past two days in Punta Arenas organizing our cargo and samples for shipment back to the U.S.</p><p>When we landed in the Herc, all of our boxes were sent to the INACH warehouse by the docks. (INACH is the acronym for Instituto Antartico Chileno, or the Chilean Antarctic Institute).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigDksQIg30xwp7YKkgMH1oUdUPW_SYJ0kDIR_6e0GWtmZlIjckCF9C-7CsZbvkld2EE02JtfEPAOPPVYvuE20vPP9gxmmlSQQtgp3juBtAaqt08jIfMZRAhywUP6v5xZbggz_hST0waUZ_YrI_fqvMgqDePyiLCRVwN5AKEm2-5L_4c_MnC1FxdkOzGQ/s4032/8BDB9129-EC18-463D-950A-29734426E508.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigDksQIg30xwp7YKkgMH1oUdUPW_SYJ0kDIR_6e0GWtmZlIjckCF9C-7CsZbvkld2EE02JtfEPAOPPVYvuE20vPP9gxmmlSQQtgp3juBtAaqt08jIfMZRAhywUP6v5xZbggz_hST0waUZ_YrI_fqvMgqDePyiLCRVwN5AKEm2-5L_4c_MnC1FxdkOzGQ/s320/8BDB9129-EC18-463D-950A-29734426E508.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p>The next morning, we went to the warehouse to pick up our boxes and move them to the U.S. Antarctic Program’s warehouse, which luckily is only a few doors down from INACH’s. </p><p>There, we packaged our samples to keep them frozen at the correct temperature until they get to my lab in Arizona. They will travel on a ship, which means I won’t see them again for a few months! We have to complete a LOT of paperwork to get them safely to the U.S. and make sure they have all of the appropriate labels and permits. We were very busy, so I didn’t take any pictures of us doing that.</p><p>We also had to return our cold-weather outdoor gear to the appropriate warehouses and hand-deliver some samples to labs here in Punta Arenas. We couldn’t carry it all at once, so we were coming back-and-forth to the hotel all day. I think we walked the entire city three times!</p><p>We finished all of that work in good time, and we had a bit of spare time for a hike in the national reserve above Punta Arenas!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfYqtb724xYSN8EleepE1pFpc385X5erwYGYNxnIsy-6BPeHLW8fjEkBvea2vTs8IR0EneRAkhZjAMlDTahvXAzFYE7Ky2f4rF0sfFTKigIj52Iz4Ug8YLohbMbu_BfLBKs8uQ0KFvjaT5LHUzQhZ-glwt_NjNPc_F9tBH3jYY6837w0iXMQiZcljEow/s3088/55EDCAB2-250E-4C06-83A5-E536BAC224B6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2320" data-original-width="3088" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfYqtb724xYSN8EleepE1pFpc385X5erwYGYNxnIsy-6BPeHLW8fjEkBvea2vTs8IR0EneRAkhZjAMlDTahvXAzFYE7Ky2f4rF0sfFTKigIj52Iz4Ug8YLohbMbu_BfLBKs8uQ0KFvjaT5LHUzQhZ-glwt_NjNPc_F9tBH3jYY6837w0iXMQiZcljEow/s320/55EDCAB2-250E-4C06-83A5-E536BAC224B6.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p>It was nice to walk through a forest, and to stretch our legs before a very long flight back home to the U.S. later today!</p><p><br /></p>Dr. Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01391779948019143052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048267408706307219.post-54815880154362802412023-02-06T23:35:00.001-03:002023-02-06T23:35:49.341-03:00A surprise exit<p>It’s a good thing we packed all of our gear yesterday!</p><p>We were scheduled to return to Chile on Tuesday on an Air Force plane. However, Chile’s Air Force is busy fighting a very large, dangerous fire in Chile right now. We weren’t sure they’d be able to stop to come get us from Antarctica. </p><p>Today, a plane from the Peruvian Air Force landed, and they agreed to take us back to Chile… right now! We had 45 minutes warning to finish packing our suitcases, move our cargo to the hangar, and clean up. It was frantic, but we did it!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBi_Ah0nYnZwPz4oCYxudWxnrDvKs43QB0v134OT-tu0NduqfWlTlnBphHPzCxwwBb7KzP5Lz1s_1zFwCJ7dpwq_DzQWnmCCmQ0LfUznJCOKr1Id5m5K5Srv4ObEK-mRZvSZ7_dbuCM0PeoPa57y7K8oTXhmA6iKeMRGa4lTRjLJld0N17DNJy-upEJA/s3934/383561A9-64A7-487D-A317-5BF3E61D160C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1768" data-original-width="3934" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBi_Ah0nYnZwPz4oCYxudWxnrDvKs43QB0v134OT-tu0NduqfWlTlnBphHPzCxwwBb7KzP5Lz1s_1zFwCJ7dpwq_DzQWnmCCmQ0LfUznJCOKr1Id5m5K5Srv4ObEK-mRZvSZ7_dbuCM0PeoPa57y7K8oTXhmA6iKeMRGa4lTRjLJld0N17DNJy-upEJA/s320/383561A9-64A7-487D-A317-5BF3E61D160C.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">So instead of eating lunch, we flew as cargo in a Hercules LC-130 with Peru’s Air Force back to Chile.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp4lvvdsxsGGcHnkfmeXVEjqxu0WBE5_SZNaTlpyzrOVkJHnTGU1D3DkOMEO4SHSx3fW6hST-8eVLv_McKYz77rf_pp1Wpyh5yp8QHyuqUgOJD6WEAXG2lTy0degabUBsZJ0PkGh4XA56ZzBPra_NWCBhxGzHd6xKLnJRsrUDl5uYf1Qx3Rfrf2FcSxA/s3088/439C5FE6-8A72-4F01-9EB1-15BDCE1BA02F.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2320" data-original-width="3088" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp4lvvdsxsGGcHnkfmeXVEjqxu0WBE5_SZNaTlpyzrOVkJHnTGU1D3DkOMEO4SHSx3fW6hST-8eVLv_McKYz77rf_pp1Wpyh5yp8QHyuqUgOJD6WEAXG2lTy0degabUBsZJ0PkGh4XA56ZzBPra_NWCBhxGzHd6xKLnJRsrUDl5uYf1Qx3Rfrf2FcSxA/s320/439C5FE6-8A72-4F01-9EB1-15BDCE1BA02F.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Now we are in Punta Arenas. We have enjoyed a refreshing shower and have clean clothes on. And we were all very hungry by 8 pm when we could finally eat dinner!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIo8OweaeHpW4j0IDBF9XEopsEZk_yTHRPaRr3-wSwu21UZtmi61XI1o24GWSqmV2MtJFZqlvm2iLGfP7RwmBhh12uM9cisEdVxbD0UZOAGZra73WqlYrFzjZdO56NzDXQ6Vysn2_nD6oboS0ePiWDNSaovuJWqkfF5lCqbccjfHptFzgHNzoQ0tylKA/s1024/56219A73-7E01-4C6B-8144-D4C653EB87FE.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIo8OweaeHpW4j0IDBF9XEopsEZk_yTHRPaRr3-wSwu21UZtmi61XI1o24GWSqmV2MtJFZqlvm2iLGfP7RwmBhh12uM9cisEdVxbD0UZOAGZra73WqlYrFzjZdO56NzDXQ6Vysn2_nD6oboS0ePiWDNSaovuJWqkfF5lCqbccjfHptFzgHNzoQ0tylKA/s320/56219A73-7E01-4C6B-8144-D4C653EB87FE.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Tomorrow we will have a busy day tracking down our cargo and preparing it for shipping back to the US. But first, a good night’s sleep is in order!</p>Dr. Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01391779948019143052noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048267408706307219.post-70547375398743105332023-02-05T17:20:00.003-03:002023-02-05T17:21:29.521-03:00Packing up<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Our work is coming to a close! We have completed our field work, and collected all of our samples. We have been working hard in the lab for the past few days to finish our invertebrate extractions. </span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ1rI_xWjfzQQxQpM2q8YnjlXV1AQYemKXavGcVupQ1WAyM6QNcpwuFjpTpc1xJMPLFG83q5RncSEeiJdr5c8rfNtGddH7-NC6qtZSFWu1dJu2zayZXDIR586bTxv4psclgVz5nNHUyD5Xg9Qjm4l8Z7ftHOdDSxbiofhYevIB_xc3aYJUwUbCW8jDZw/s3150/D47F9910-E6CF-4068-8E05-8A9E4E5A6DA2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="3150" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ1rI_xWjfzQQxQpM2q8YnjlXV1AQYemKXavGcVupQ1WAyM6QNcpwuFjpTpc1xJMPLFG83q5RncSEeiJdr5c8rfNtGddH7-NC6qtZSFWu1dJu2zayZXDIR586bTxv4psclgVz5nNHUyD5Xg9Qjm4l8Z7ftHOdDSxbiofhYevIB_xc3aYJUwUbCW8jDZw/s320/D47F9910-E6CF-4068-8E05-8A9E4E5A6DA2.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p>The lights under the table are for our Tullgren funnels that we use to extract the arthropods from the plant and soil samples. Zoie is working on drying her plant cores for more analyses back at home.</p><p>Now that our lab work is also done, we have packed our cargo. We are scheduled to fly back to Punta Arenas, Chile on Tuesday. That’s just a couple days away! So, all of our gear is in boxes, and our samples are safely packed up. We are officially done working, because everything is in boxes!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV_YnySHAM41cxWfvivRS34CG2_sPx60mNCvgV1cZQ0g7bfrsTYO5nKg4Hx9G0JCF1l1IJGnR7HaQm58CelvnyQKWMtF7TdSiV6O92rspl9Wx5DbvJBM28IAI_wT6bBBJOnt0R8k2_KkOS-J0CKsl0lqUrrqoV8i8LwzUVKHYx26amdP5pgyvx4RV_lA/s4032/E903EAF2-7B66-41F5-BE62-CA6C54A44C1C.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV_YnySHAM41cxWfvivRS34CG2_sPx60mNCvgV1cZQ0g7bfrsTYO5nKg4Hx9G0JCF1l1IJGnR7HaQm58CelvnyQKWMtF7TdSiV6O92rspl9Wx5DbvJBM28IAI_wT6bBBJOnt0R8k2_KkOS-J0CKsl0lqUrrqoV8i8LwzUVKHYx26amdP5pgyvx4RV_lA/s320/E903EAF2-7B66-41F5-BE62-CA6C54A44C1C.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>Most of the scientists who are working at Escudero are scheduled to leave in the next couple of days. So, most of us are busily finishing up our work and packing. We did take time, though, for a group photo in front of the station!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8UVG6JPPd_V45xd6EPXPUy2AD71nzlx9b2bypV-YDQVbxX87ftR4XZvCERhEpqzfoCypZ2nB6FxFMdOfm_H5brU5OkM_IJug8hnxiNghBbrhxt_Q9mDxZe8JwWaq6YvnBHhqT43rQQGYAedn3jrMFjxmAcORU_rD-z1B2OsWTaPVz5kO7ixvCkP3gSg/s1024/C78646F8-6BD5-4F9D-8ECA-BD9C79568EBB.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8UVG6JPPd_V45xd6EPXPUy2AD71nzlx9b2bypV-YDQVbxX87ftR4XZvCERhEpqzfoCypZ2nB6FxFMdOfm_H5brU5OkM_IJug8hnxiNghBbrhxt_Q9mDxZe8JwWaq6YvnBHhqT43rQQGYAedn3jrMFjxmAcORU_rD-z1B2OsWTaPVz5kO7ixvCkP3gSg/s320/C78646F8-6BD5-4F9D-8ECA-BD9C79568EBB.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Now that our work is done, we are just waiting for our flight back to Chile when the next leg of our work begins: shipping cargo! I will keep you posted. </p>Dr. Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01391779948019143052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048267408706307219.post-3874305333975353802023-02-02T13:08:00.001-03:002023-02-02T15:24:20.244-03:00Soil organisms are cuter than penguins!Today we spent some time inspecting moss species at one of our main research sites. This is a great way to see some of the soil organisms that we study!<div><br /></div><div>For our experiments, we extract the organisms from the soil and plants in the lab, and look at them through a microscope. But to do this, they are preserved in ethanol or formaldehyde. They aren’t alive when we work with them in the lab. </div><div><br /></div><div>To see them alive in their natural habitat, you have to look closely! It may look like nothing is living in the moss or soil… but if you move a rock, you can see all sorts of organisms living there! (You might have to make the video full-screen in order to see the small critters!)</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwt_fgDUrnbjirTcDUh1_huMS5bxDJG9eAsHHUo6hKFRgqEioIktcZ5JNQDUPiwbQ6nyr3Kw7K3hO6XwVEwZQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>The first things you see in the video are some white Collembola, which are commonly called springtails. These springtails spend their life below the surface, which is why they are white. Why bother making pigment if nobody can see you through the soil anyway? </div><div><br /></div><div>Then, you will see some mites. These move on the surface and below, so they are brown to blend in with the soil. There are two kinds of mites in the video. One is moving around a lot on top of the soil and moss. The other one is burrowed down a bit and you have to look closely to see it move. </div><div><br /></div><div>Here is another video featuring a mite on top of the moss, and a LOT of springtails crawling around among the moss. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwPoVR-hSJkUJMtKv4x6jUQtxWlDoaKnHokrktVo6YFbvMAVTwI5JN52vwkLCHlb37rt4K_6tN5POSttWnW6A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>So, as you can see, these organisms are very adorable. They use the moss as their habitat to live and graze for food. They are small, but if you know where to look, you can find a lot of them!</div>Dr. Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01391779948019143052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048267408706307219.post-10743170993343296432023-02-01T08:30:00.000-03:002023-02-01T08:30:04.623-03:00Move like a penguin<p>When most people think of Antarctica, they think of penguins. They are certainly the most popular Antarctic animal. So, of course I have to write a post about penguins!</p><p>Penguins are very good swimmers. Their bodies are built to allow them to be very agile underwater. They have a streamlined shape that reduces drag, and their oily feathers make the water flow smoothly around them. Their wings aren't good for flying, but they make very good flippers to propel themselves forward in the water. Their feet tuck in by their tail to steer like a rudder. That's how they can escape their predators! This is a very short video, but see that white spot zooming around underwater? That's a penguin swimming just beneath the surface of the water!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxyRY1HHb0nIPUyWxlqUlZgR4q_vFNDyFEnKMQDULNONf9TJYPkm3Vsz4tLbjtJIfrpeTDWLy7hI4x--STpHQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><p>Penguins breathe air, though, so they can't keep swimming to hunt for their food if they can't come up for air. But if a penguin has to come to a stop in order to breathe, they might be found by a predator! They need to breathe while they're swimming. So, penguins will also do what's called "porpoising". Penguins will swim quickly underwater, and then jump out of the water and dive back down. They look like porpoises when they do that. And, like porpoises, they do this to breathe air without having to stop or lose their speed.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwnxsavXXYRDwC_N7kAaPJ6AYBdswWV4sVRsRhKwR6roUwTIzd3ABsBVUXTRTT04UpPKDJmKW6mhVHz3cNHQQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><p>You can find some very good facts about how penguins swim from <a href="https://seaworld.org/animals/all-about/penguins/adaptations/" target="_blank">this website</a>. But I am a soil ecologist, so I don't see them underwater. I see them on land!</p><p>Penguins come on land to nest. While their body shape makes them good swimmers, they are much less graceful on land! To stay balanced on their two feet, they have to hold their wings out and back. In this video, the chinstrap penguin in the lower front shows you how they waddle over flat ground, and then hop with two feet to jump onto rocks. Their body shape is streamlined for swimming, but on land it makes them look a bit fat and unbalanced. They do tend to trip and fall down a lot, especially if they're trying to move too fast!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzp3H7Zs01jDqkxpZAUlYtf9Se2VoDtYQ8rSB3hfORUVNzuX2CQhVHTxSF2fTSxSrEr2UZ572CzdX2YYzu6BA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><p>However, moving on land is much easier for a penguin when there is snow on the ground! Penguins will slide across snow and ice on their bellies. They use their feet and wings to push themselves along like paddles. It's like swimming on land! You can see the tracks through snow where other penguins have crossed the snow, so it's a popular mode of travel. (And if your sound is on, you can hear the musical stylings of a penguin colony.)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzdZE6z3-ZB6_TdndSIu5TMXuj5qFQ0Dy-hspO-tKGAgLEJvCN5ycYcqb1_vsN8lRk4mzkCtnrpWEK3p3xdSQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><p>I see a lot of penguins while I'm doing my field work in Antarctica. This is how I see them: waddling and hopping around on rocks, sliding on snow and ice, and (if I'm near a beach) porpoising above the water. They are very cute, but I still think <a href="https://polarsoils.blogspot.com/2022_01_26_archive.html">soil organisms</a> are much cuter!</p>Dr. Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01391779948019143052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048267408706307219.post-51804659961092164102023-01-29T11:25:00.003-03:002023-01-29T11:28:30.063-03:00Charismatic organisms of Antarctica<p>Everybody of course loves penguins and seals, who are the most famous Antarctic animals. But there are a lot of other animals that don't get as much attention. They are often small or live deep underwater, so they don't get nearly as much attention as the big, cute animals like penguins. But I think these small and unknown organisms are the most interesting to learn about!</p><p>This year we are working at Escudero with a lot of different scientists who study these small organisms. When we have time, we show each other our super cool animals under the microscope so that we all get to enjoy learning about them! I've met some cool critters in the lab.</p><p>I have been able to meet some fish larvae. This icefish larvae is my favorite, because of its large fins. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channichthyidae" target="_blank">Icefish </a>only live in the Southern Ocean around Antarctica. They are a unique species because they do not have hemoglobin in their blood, so their blood is colorless! They don't need the hemoglobin to help carry oxygen in their blood because the cold waters around Antarctica tend to have a lot of dissolved oxygen. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUO2WpGtckPx5EQxgV0CCz7OEqHRdUyO_233wtDwKRlkk_tTjSoHH2OI6S-KqYIxkCXvphr0JhJgu5e23E1BONaWsCaDSuabZzqqeyWG83q4t9J9hoaWUkUz93Upw-NJ4ftSprKVTjngtJeeEXv_0mK7AsX6jqQbfC_xfefJfYbuzxYDg7dZ0rNGLl3A/s1600/KTAJ4752.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUO2WpGtckPx5EQxgV0CCz7OEqHRdUyO_233wtDwKRlkk_tTjSoHH2OI6S-KqYIxkCXvphr0JhJgu5e23E1BONaWsCaDSuabZzqqeyWG83q4t9J9hoaWUkUz93Upw-NJ4ftSprKVTjngtJeeEXv_0mK7AsX6jqQbfC_xfefJfYbuzxYDg7dZ0rNGLl3A/s320/KTAJ4752.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p>Another cool organism I learned about is called a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiton" target="_blank">chiton</a>. (Pronounced in English like kye-ton.) These are mollusks that live on rocks in the intertidal areas of oceans. They are covered in plates that protect them like armor. The plates are partially overlapped so that they can bend and flex as they move over uneven rocks. Chitons look like underwater roly-polies! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTmbbZ8Vm2oDa80o04YuvB0YTTHe4q5GTHCTZ4dsLGnL2wQ3hxalr_J3nNY5k09hDjeMeXKMA0jAm9fq7-O2Xe-xY1XW9fC0SVPXh1qll3JhGPhvvQUwhAt7F_NmJ4lJY7ckErTtZb8Ac3rr3rCEOg-TpYlWBZ1zEP_S0Tkupdc82ZbhisZFmigeVLNg/s4032/IMG_1987.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTmbbZ8Vm2oDa80o04YuvB0YTTHe4q5GTHCTZ4dsLGnL2wQ3hxalr_J3nNY5k09hDjeMeXKMA0jAm9fq7-O2Xe-xY1XW9fC0SVPXh1qll3JhGPhvvQUwhAt7F_NmJ4lJY7ckErTtZb8Ac3rr3rCEOg-TpYlWBZ1zEP_S0Tkupdc82ZbhisZFmigeVLNg/s320/IMG_1987.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p>The cool thing I learned about chitons is that their shells have a bunch of sensory organs under their shells to sense light and dark. Some of them have ocelli which act like eyes. So, chiton shells are covered with thousands of eyes! Like other mollusks, they have a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radula" target="_blank">radula</a>, which is a tongue-like structure in their mouth covered with teeth to scrape algae off of rocks. Chitons' teeth on their radula are coated in magnetite, which means their teeth are made of magnetic iron! </p><p>Chitons range in size, but the ones being collected here at Escudero are very small. Here are Cecelia's hands as she was putting the chiton in place on the microscope. The chiton is in between her fingers on her left hand.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ3SAz-K8WpCY1FIvo8WuIZQg2U9tWGWxVZeZ4vJJokHwg0UDzuI9A_PxcMIWMxD3auZLMfegqGY_eSQBpyshCOHlL-J0J1sHmo2INEB5CmsmbPAH3OxTcDuwCcrzf7M4PKVcGg13Hhy9Qb_jQOzTxjPbWDklsjIjg_-LomJNec5vnric1hsTwR2NvPg/s4032/IMG_1984.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ3SAz-K8WpCY1FIvo8WuIZQg2U9tWGWxVZeZ4vJJokHwg0UDzuI9A_PxcMIWMxD3auZLMfegqGY_eSQBpyshCOHlL-J0J1sHmo2INEB5CmsmbPAH3OxTcDuwCcrzf7M4PKVcGg13Hhy9Qb_jQOzTxjPbWDklsjIjg_-LomJNec5vnric1hsTwR2NvPg/s320/IMG_1984.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p>We also shared some of our soil organisms with everyone. Everyone was excited to be able to see one of the most adorable soil organisms: a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tardigrade" target="_blank">tardigrade</a>! Here is the tardigrade that we found living in the soils of our transplant experiment:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKHOpCkK2m4oBWH_pnWSUCUcZWpKwnDOzbPHRj8eMma9U37lmO7X0qBkXzYSV8q147y-MsBpqm1XEQ1vitiSa3wytJY551WIMw0UnKFdTbSTUMRKtC43AM5gm9Abyz3uK81oBFrUsbSDJOocFaqR8FlvmA34rYx2iHBUinJhap36FP-Zk9JBFd7e-E7A/s2219/IMG_2107.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2219" data-original-width="1911" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKHOpCkK2m4oBWH_pnWSUCUcZWpKwnDOzbPHRj8eMma9U37lmO7X0qBkXzYSV8q147y-MsBpqm1XEQ1vitiSa3wytJY551WIMw0UnKFdTbSTUMRKtC43AM5gm9Abyz3uK81oBFrUsbSDJOocFaqR8FlvmA34rYx2iHBUinJhap36FP-Zk9JBFd7e-E7A/s320/IMG_2107.JPG" width="276" /></a></div><p>Tardigrades live everywhere around the world. In soils, they live in the water that surrounds the grains of soil. They also live in moss and other plants. They are INCREDIBLY resilient. They can survive not only the extreme cold here in Antarctica, but also extreme heat, pressure, radiation, dehydration... even the vacuum of space! Many of the other scientists here had never seen a Tardigrade in person before, so they were excited to be able to see one in person.</p>Dr. Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01391779948019143052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048267408706307219.post-10917654414160169792023-01-24T20:17:00.003-03:002023-01-24T20:17:47.208-03:00Soil respiration<p>Yesterday we had some very nice weather! It was foggy and misty, but there was no rain and very little wind. Antarctica is a very windy continent, and that's especially true here on King George Island in January! Most days when we've been out working, we have worked through 20-40 mph gusts. Yesterday was much calmer, and we took advantage of the nice day to measure some CO<sub>2</sub> flux.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBjSSL1Zf9h1q8GfxB9sWFfGu83zYfT9OySuai2gGkF1KUAVj_dmC7vHHiaoACS30qBMxY5bU5ukamxWJgnrV1nmnkDVxG-ilcqfPAdT2mdm-e62He8sXM_7PCS2kCfPAB0jUkiupYGE9gKZUU3nML5OJHSD_QSZWO4aFQWbQk3T4Gq6LHZNHwvzUYyQ/s3860/IMG_2083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2780" data-original-width="3860" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBjSSL1Zf9h1q8GfxB9sWFfGu83zYfT9OySuai2gGkF1KUAVj_dmC7vHHiaoACS30qBMxY5bU5ukamxWJgnrV1nmnkDVxG-ilcqfPAdT2mdm-e62He8sXM_7PCS2kCfPAB0jUkiupYGE9gKZUU3nML5OJHSD_QSZWO4aFQWbQk3T4Gq6LHZNHwvzUYyQ/s320/IMG_2083.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p>For our research, we are interested in measuring how plants influence the soil biological community. We look at the biological community in different ways. One way is by measuring how active they are. All of the organisms in the soil, from the tiny bacteria to the larger Collembola, all have to respire in order to live. This is how they break down their food to release energy that they need to function. Most organisms in the soil use oxygen and respire carbon dioxide, just like humans! We also breathe in oxygen and respire carbon dioxide. And, when we are more active, we breathe more. You breathe more heavily when you are getting exercise than you do when you are sitting still watching TV. So, the amount of carbon dioxide that you are producing corresponds to how active you are.</p><p>We use the same principle to measure the soil community. We measure how much CO<sub>2</sub> is being produced from the soil. If more CO<sub>2</sub> is coming from the soil, it tells us that there is a more active soil community. They are probably more abundant, and eating and metabolizing more!</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqGZy0ycUz_gvhsst_Ij8QCIMVqKtJBivNoEC16AnpEtj0wV-3gNCtpJjuOTp_AAMZBJ2BDfJfnyeqyuDZHnSllSoiJODWqY9jRZfySswxIuuwmBs92I4bAP3cS77FPwbPLedyAXPbZirq44T8RyYe7xP9bX3iFI3_wqfdZsZkBDplNMQWxwebfxyemA/s9862/IMG_2080.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3744" data-original-width="9862" height="121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqGZy0ycUz_gvhsst_Ij8QCIMVqKtJBivNoEC16AnpEtj0wV-3gNCtpJjuOTp_AAMZBJ2BDfJfnyeqyuDZHnSllSoiJODWqY9jRZfySswxIuuwmBs92I4bAP3cS77FPwbPLedyAXPbZirq44T8RyYe7xP9bX3iFI3_wqfdZsZkBDplNMQWxwebfxyemA/s320/IMG_2080.JPG" width="320" /></a></p>We measure the amount of CO<sub>2</sub> being produced by the soil using an infrared gas analyzer, which is on the ground in front of Dr. Hannah. The gray chamber in Dr. Hannah's hand gets placed on top of a PVC ring, which directs the CO<sub>2</sub> coming from the soil up into the chamber. The gas is then pumped through the black hoses from the chamber into the blue-and-gray machine. The machine contains the gas analyzer that measures the rate of CO<sub>2</sub> being produced. <div><br /></div><div>While Dr. Hannah and I used the gas analyzer, Zoie ran around placing the PVC rings for the next samples. (That's why she's off in the distance to the right.) So Zoie kept us moving forward to the next sample until we were done!<br /><p>We measured how much respiration was being produced by the soils at each of our successional zones. We'll be able to compare whether soils beneath certain plants are more active in early, mid, or late succession stages. But, analyzing all of that data takes a LONG TIME, so I'll have to tell you the answer later!</p></div>Dr. Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01391779948019143052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048267408706307219.post-30076809356713390512023-01-22T21:09:00.003-03:002023-01-22T21:09:34.270-03:00Samples galore!<p>We have had a productive day of sampling! We visited a new site on Nelson Island, which is nearby to the peninsula where the research station is located.</p><p>At Nelson Island, we started sampling one of our "transects" through the successional zones stretching away from the glacier. We sample three areas: one near the glacier (where soil is newly exposed, which we call "early succession"), one area where ecological succession has reached its fully developed <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climax_community" target="_blank">climax community</a> in "late succession", and one site in between. We call this one "mid succession". We are using the different distances from the glacier to represent how much time has passed for ecological succession. The more developed site with a lot of vegetation has been exposed longer, which allows succession to reach its fully developed ecosystem. (You can read more about our transects with <a href="http://polarsoils.blogspot.com/2022/02/field-day.html">this post </a>from last year about the one we did here on King George Island.)</p><p>We started with the late succession site that has a highly developed plant community. We had to work fast because we only had six hours to get our work done! One of the main things we do at each site is to describe the plant community. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJK8SlfBbQVFZ3m3X7yztsSa3be58JA6O5gfF97z3w_yULJYRNJ2cyKzU6sm4GTnWM1Ji53AhhU9dqPXunVCsp-XhFRhe3sVdIww4M0GOS5d4Q6MaWXzic0elUTYnb7iCvQmH6wCfPzKUdRFVF94c2JhOWPJjvbVei4ljDG5tDUUWizUAIbwVpr9zHCA/s4032/IMG_2008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJK8SlfBbQVFZ3m3X7yztsSa3be58JA6O5gfF97z3w_yULJYRNJ2cyKzU6sm4GTnWM1Ji53AhhU9dqPXunVCsp-XhFRhe3sVdIww4M0GOS5d4Q6MaWXzic0elUTYnb7iCvQmH6wCfPzKUdRFVF94c2JhOWPJjvbVei4ljDG5tDUUWizUAIbwVpr9zHCA/s320/IMG_2008.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p>Zoie and Hannah worked on this by laying down a 10-meter line and measuring the community at every meter. We put a square on the ground and count everything inside the square. We end up counting the community in 50 squares (five different 10-meter transects), and we use this to calculate which plants are the most dominant.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjUbiwk-rJNnsJgIQPnJAzENUR_c3SdqBrT2422E0kwpBwalnQD6YTTpE7xNf1rfsmA_hcuzZQF5IHfWjK1yLqovbG-NKIwIcwgOTRVB-PGnNGnScO-4SqtGXT2uihHGKpowANui7NCMZ5ZocOewQBvZ3mIgaurpVSNc5khPzFt99kSCYXIZFmXZUZKg/s4032/Nelson_L3c_Deschampsia.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjUbiwk-rJNnsJgIQPnJAzENUR_c3SdqBrT2422E0kwpBwalnQD6YTTpE7xNf1rfsmA_hcuzZQF5IHfWjK1yLqovbG-NKIwIcwgOTRVB-PGnNGnScO-4SqtGXT2uihHGKpowANui7NCMZ5ZocOewQBvZ3mIgaurpVSNc5khPzFt99kSCYXIZFmXZUZKg/s320/Nelson_L3c_Deschampsia.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><p>Then we get to the important part! We take samples from each of the dominant plant species. We collect some of the plant and the soil beneath it. Here I am taking one of the samples at our late succession site:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgewlP2qIGYyQ1RNR5ySNtz5DbRJO19X50yVf3OP9OP7A9SS8rZ-kDcYsmMSSRFOt0nMcQzYsbblI73DrY-nX-dJa9-Yy6tmu_n6V36_Z8QYcRQVH_RDUBR4OmOS2KAj082ACyL68YpCNcmuwtgB9ZdjjpOp_G-ae18i_wLco7dIvSS1LPrYA38gQ-Vxg/s4032/IMG_0694.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgewlP2qIGYyQ1RNR5ySNtz5DbRJO19X50yVf3OP9OP7A9SS8rZ-kDcYsmMSSRFOt0nMcQzYsbblI73DrY-nX-dJa9-Yy6tmu_n6V36_Z8QYcRQVH_RDUBR4OmOS2KAj082ACyL68YpCNcmuwtgB9ZdjjpOp_G-ae18i_wLco7dIvSS1LPrYA38gQ-Vxg/s320/IMG_0694.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p>We take samples from the four most dominant plants, and also bare soil with no plants growing on it. That lets us see how plants change the soil by comparing it to soil with no plants growing on it. And, we do that at our late succession, mid succession, and early succession sites. We end up carrying a lot of soil in our backpacks!</p><p>You can see the difference between our late-succession site (above) and our mid-succession site (below) with less vegetation. This site has been exposed for a while, and there are several different plant species living there, but there's not as much vegetation as in late succession.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrbY_KzLnTaUnhxImLGFnz4zEJm14E3qv1RqBLEmQ4JR0TzoLd3Gyb8D9rb212AGk_xnhLCC4b72IukoTgH2UoSGdRroRob_3C6w_gnlKuq8dEO0JCYyAdOtLSDyhy3FGXe3jO2SJpp_7IsUWK9WAudfcWGmLVaeAFdPAZabSFVqkSVrikRV_uHNG-A/s4032/IMG_0702.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrbY_KzLnTaUnhxImLGFnz4zEJm14E3qv1RqBLEmQ4JR0TzoLd3Gyb8D9rb212AGk_xnhLCC4b72IukoTgH2UoSGdRroRob_3C6w_gnlKuq8dEO0JCYyAdOtLSDyhy3FGXe3jO2SJpp_7IsUWK9WAudfcWGmLVaeAFdPAZabSFVqkSVrikRV_uHNG-A/s320/IMG_0702.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p>We ran out of time before we could get to our early succession site. We have to spend a LOT of time hiking through the <a href="https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/moraine" target="_blank">moraines </a>to find the best sites to work at. We had six hours but only finished the mid and late succession sites! We will hopefully go back soon to finish with the early succession site.</p>Dr. Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01391779948019143052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048267408706307219.post-1868029362899010392023-01-20T16:28:00.003-03:002023-01-20T16:28:43.046-03:00Nobody works alone<p>The weather here at Escudero hasn't been very good, so we've had to mostly stay indoors for the past couple of days. We've had a lot of wind (up to 40 mph) and some rain. That means no field work! It's important that nobody works outside when it's unsafe. Even when the weather is good, we are not allowed to go out to do field work alone. We have to always work with at least one other person. Nobody works alone!</p><p>The same is true of the animals that live in Antarctica. Animals can't exist without interacting with other animals. While some animals are solitary, they still have to interact with other species to eat and reproduce. Some of them are particularly dependent on other species. They also never work alone! </p><p>Everybody knows about penguins living in Antarctica. But penguins are actually marine birds and only live part of their life on land. The snowy sheathbill is the only true land bird on the Antarctic continent. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEickP8mziPE82T6nOvq3zJBmJCBg0tWMBt9TSfGZfOsJlZKqj91jwwLiK_qvRHbSPhbKLgA2N0DZIJgF3N5OG8J3O5kl1o04q7qBOxfFZoGk9IWQjehjK7r0w5aJINW4heG5zX46KEz5KDLQXvxwGMo30at-UWexdC-YTgGe5CQykPldDbzEa2VOf4rMQ/s4032/IMG_1673.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEickP8mziPE82T6nOvq3zJBmJCBg0tWMBt9TSfGZfOsJlZKqj91jwwLiK_qvRHbSPhbKLgA2N0DZIJgF3N5OG8J3O5kl1o04q7qBOxfFZoGk9IWQjehjK7r0w5aJINW4heG5zX46KEz5KDLQXvxwGMo30at-UWexdC-YTgGe5CQykPldDbzEa2VOf4rMQ/s320/IMG_1673.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>Sheathbills are scavengers who will eat just about anything. They are often found around penguins because they steal a lot of their food from penguins. They will steal the food that penguin parents regurgitate to give to their chicks, eat the remains of dead penguins, even penguin guano! Without penguins, the sheathbill in this photo would not be able to survive.</p><p>Wilson's storm petrels often eat invertebrates in the water, but sometimes they take advantage of the work of other animals. In this video, a leopard seal is eating a penguin. The storm petrels are hovering around, diving in to steal little bits of leftovers that fall off when the leopard seal is tossing the penguin around. The storm petrels rely on bigger predators to catch the food that they can't hunt themselves!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz_Q7ci9l_ZXaBL255eYn-ZZQckp1cojP30TQLd4o64SMLkKDS0mPxn7btMRADRFpuBjbe-Js7Njq6BHl3h3Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div><p>Not all interactions between species are friendly, though. Skuas are another type of bird common in Antarctica. They are predators who will eat eggs and chicks of other birds. Therefore, other species of birds don't usually like it when a skua shows up! Antarctic terns are a smaller species of bird who will work hard to defend their nests from predators. They "dive bomb" any potential threat to try to scare it away. When this skua showed up at one of our field sites, the terns were very unhappy!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw4Xrc32Sg2WsQhW6Oq7DU_SjNIryHUVXulhrxu2bjTBf0v57CqBNuDKAlhe86nbXP-XZPZKduy6BEd1cGkSA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">These are just a few examples of species that interact with each other in Antarctica. The same is true for humans: we rely on other species to survive!</div>Dr. Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01391779948019143052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048267408706307219.post-15081611185745660922023-01-19T12:18:00.007-03:002023-01-19T12:22:07.719-03:00Successful gardening!<p>The main research goal for our project is to understand how plants and soil interact with each other during ecological succession. After a glacier melts, the new soil gets colonized by new plants. Those plants can change the soil and the invertebrates who live there. Those changes to the soil pave the way for even more plants to move in, which can also change the soil. This goes back-and-forth until you reach a mature Antarctic plant and soil community, like this one:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYpBI6FD2YKMgjd4J2xlfItBUtUXopF0mhfwda9z0u0uURWLfht4mDMXQ11RWZXBPlYmzRESDjbzkSGCkgiEloDh7eBOVo2k5A29kGsRnDPtN1QL5Hi5KBS1Dc_xE3HiJ4jbFklmar7u9eov0ry3x6-FpnLUbp1Og9b5qOYhlhfsY7aVijeYpYl8HM2A/s8080/IMG_5424.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3662" data-original-width="8080" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYpBI6FD2YKMgjd4J2xlfItBUtUXopF0mhfwda9z0u0uURWLfht4mDMXQ11RWZXBPlYmzRESDjbzkSGCkgiEloDh7eBOVo2k5A29kGsRnDPtN1QL5Hi5KBS1Dc_xE3HiJ4jbFklmar7u9eov0ry3x6-FpnLUbp1Og9b5qOYhlhfsY7aVijeYpYl8HM2A/s320/IMG_5424.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p>We want to understand more about how this process happens. How do plants change the soil at each of these stages of succession?</p><p>Last year, Dr. Hannah and I set up a "transplant experiment". (You can read the post from last year <a href="http://polarsoils.blogspot.com/2022/02/antarctic-gardening.html">here</a>.) This is a great way to understand how plants change soil. We started with bare soil that had not yet been colonized by plants... and then moved the plants in to make that colonization happen! Last year, we created our little "gardens" of Antarctic plants. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNvocQyy78MFfGB6YtvgP6G_KWjkX16Ei8jYEStaqOUkSh6NxMapVWgjblRRaliGx6D1XqZAJPJigCYVvw2n8g7BmXLXpSO7iwVjAbCuuyzBGSg9A8aXfWaOkqINhnrf30QapzT2T2RU6r0jUcaGquW1oRU1QmfxaTxVQZ7xa6C1b4JWmz1-yw2klWbg/s4032/IMG_5694.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNvocQyy78MFfGB6YtvgP6G_KWjkX16Ei8jYEStaqOUkSh6NxMapVWgjblRRaliGx6D1XqZAJPJigCYVvw2n8g7BmXLXpSO7iwVjAbCuuyzBGSg9A8aXfWaOkqINhnrf30QapzT2T2RU6r0jUcaGquW1oRU1QmfxaTxVQZ7xa6C1b4JWmz1-yw2klWbg/s320/IMG_5694.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dr. Hannah "planting" some algae in one our transplant plots last year.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>We planted two species of moss, grass, and an algae so that we can measure the impact of these different kinds of plants on the soil. We didn't know whether they would survive through the year. Winter can be very hard for new plants to survive, and the meltwater that comes with summer can wash a lot of plants away!</p><p>Now that we are back at Escudero, the first thing we did was go check our transplant plots. And... THEY SURVIVED! We were very happy to see that they are still in tact.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA5AglcAkR8hLh6onCBa6BbLE8wZdLI8s7OnSqeTiIXduqvAA4RnkwQ0kyo-LpIjtX41L_kfid3pjCrQYWJk1px3MP7JoEGKOlwYJulEiRVa03P0wZq7CaxtDc95-IAYZmM4HeWHPzhMgg-uhq9DxBpMG59PROsGF9FFo8SAmuOurUaUgDkRucVo328w/s4032/Transplant_Plot2_2023.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA5AglcAkR8hLh6onCBa6BbLE8wZdLI8s7OnSqeTiIXduqvAA4RnkwQ0kyo-LpIjtX41L_kfid3pjCrQYWJk1px3MP7JoEGKOlwYJulEiRVa03P0wZq7CaxtDc95-IAYZmM4HeWHPzhMgg-uhq9DxBpMG59PROsGF9FFo8SAmuOurUaUgDkRucVo328w/s320/Transplant_Plot2_2023.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p>The ecosystem is still "waking up" for the summer, and some areas have been drier than normal. So the plants aren't very green, but they are alive and will be able to continue growing over the coming years.</p><p>We collected samples from each of the transplant "gardens". We collected one piece of each plant species, and the soil underneath of it. We collected these from each of our six replicate plots. This way, we can see how the plants have changed the soil after one year of colonization. I don't have any pictures of us sampling, though... it was VERY windy and cold! We worked as fast as we could, and we didn't take the time to snap photos in the heavy wind.</p><p>Now that we have the samples in the lab, we are analyzing the invertebrate and microbial community living in each one. We are also making measurements of the plant health and growth over the past year. When we are back in the U.S., we will measure the chemistry of the soil, how many nutrients have been added, and the physiology of the plants that were growing on them.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ-Q9vC4hVKaP8ofpFWTGE4zZCzM_CXUlQ2_CI9EQYmq8lkGU_rR893tAORQnnM05izP7Uy9ydND4R-gdbcY8pmik292YUMGbt0TNUxIbcf360K3BlsVILyfMFRiSVcT4paM-QQRUPHJHJ8DOxFN6D9nIlhFEj_8ST0zhRVeShvpGtQ0Aqc_JMj55xBg/s3489/IMG_1972.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2678" data-original-width="3489" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ-Q9vC4hVKaP8ofpFWTGE4zZCzM_CXUlQ2_CI9EQYmq8lkGU_rR893tAORQnnM05izP7Uy9ydND4R-gdbcY8pmik292YUMGbt0TNUxIbcf360K3BlsVILyfMFRiSVcT4paM-QQRUPHJHJ8DOxFN6D9nIlhFEj_8ST0zhRVeShvpGtQ0Aqc_JMj55xBg/s320/IMG_1972.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dr. Hannah and Zoie working with one of the moss samples.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>We feel good that one of our main tasks for this field season is complete. We are now busy in the lab for the next few days processing all of these samples!<br /><p><br /></p></div>Dr. Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01391779948019143052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048267408706307219.post-4550961901311376372023-01-17T10:11:00.002-03:002023-01-17T10:11:12.284-03:00Back at Escudero<p>Well, so much has happened since my last post! Dr. Hannah and I were on the RV Betanzos for two weeks sampling around the top and east side of the Antarctic Peninsula. We didn't have any cell phone or internet connection until we returned to Escudero Base a couple days ago.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbToetkpeUG6c5Vcb3wlMDqz-tcDd07eayFNZbcEq3qb2SUx2zi0Q0o3ISwmW-rmTMAl5xKe44Ss5lrQen0_6zxp5hDe0uIQ-QU6T3kfPkKhcVAgfZg4aJV1kpAyq8khTtMVXosFluntcPyHnWZpvcOapcyHl3OaC9kCV4rA_vj_BxTMPeYHfD9lyAMg/s3892/IMG_1761.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2830" data-original-width="3892" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbToetkpeUG6c5Vcb3wlMDqz-tcDd07eayFNZbcEq3qb2SUx2zi0Q0o3ISwmW-rmTMAl5xKe44Ss5lrQen0_6zxp5hDe0uIQ-QU6T3kfPkKhcVAgfZg4aJV1kpAyq8khTtMVXosFluntcPyHnWZpvcOapcyHl3OaC9kCV4rA_vj_BxTMPeYHfD9lyAMg/s320/IMG_1761.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Betanzos, our home for a couple of weeks!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Here is a map of the sites we visited during our time on the ship. All of the red dots and yellow pins are sites where we sampled soil and plants for our research. (Now, we are back at Escudero on King George Island, which is marked with the blue bubble at the top.)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIzOI_xOu3ZJgYfUUAqqF89KYncRzYbQ5-1uhUJoPn3MRIum0_vq8SL_aBjw7mtGLfaYuwsYufXxDk0xRvUQsHWtomOSXLzC4_2mpGwgHME6JSjTiB9xKSvDyFAQRsFWHeIeyprpNzAcxEbQIKVoARiwhDHvGEXRpymfVuZxXjMiolSn9iqv-atyOXFg/s1113/map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="832" data-original-width="1113" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIzOI_xOu3ZJgYfUUAqqF89KYncRzYbQ5-1uhUJoPn3MRIum0_vq8SL_aBjw7mtGLfaYuwsYufXxDk0xRvUQsHWtomOSXLzC4_2mpGwgHME6JSjTiB9xKSvDyFAQRsFWHeIeyprpNzAcxEbQIKVoARiwhDHvGEXRpymfVuZxXjMiolSn9iqv-atyOXFg/s320/map.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>The sites we visited on the Betanzos were very exciting for me, because it was my first time going to the east side of the Antarctic Peninsula! It was challenging, though, because the sites were selected for the penguinologists on the ship. We saw a LOT of penguins.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCY6xz3dgf7pQ7YT8yZdh6akHuzZEC-7UEThqwpUBnr5wYzK-jPrGSk_9F4D1a6F_ROhJrIdhC8G4H0afuafYGHTHlh1q-9i6Zg5jnF5hj07lYty2qjntTDkD62Nfgj-mRV9Nmyr_lpheyoCS2CeP0_V6aCm5C5XZeE_oRNXdCxZbgPlbTf7SNF_tZOw/s4032/IMG_1897.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCY6xz3dgf7pQ7YT8yZdh6akHuzZEC-7UEThqwpUBnr5wYzK-jPrGSk_9F4D1a6F_ROhJrIdhC8G4H0afuafYGHTHlh1q-9i6Zg5jnF5hj07lYty2qjntTDkD62Nfgj-mRV9Nmyr_lpheyoCS2CeP0_V6aCm5C5XZeE_oRNXdCxZbgPlbTf7SNF_tZOw/s320/IMG_1897.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adélie penguins marching on the beach, in front of the Betanzos.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><div><br /></div><div>We usually try to avoid areas with heavy penguin activity, because they have such a big impact on the soil. Soils and plants at penguin colonies are VERY different from the rest of the surrounding land. Penguins poop a LOT of nutrients and create a lot of compaction, and that's not the type of soil we want to investigate. Since our sampling sites were selected for the penguin research, we always had to walk as far as we could to get away from the rookeries. But, we didn't have a lot of time at each stop... usually only a few hours. So we had to walk as fast and far as we could to get our samples!</div><div><br /></div><div>It was tough! But we found plants at all of the islands we visited. We collected plant (mostly moss) and soil samples from across all of those locations. We are extracting the invertebrates that live in those plants and soil, so that we can measure how plants influence the soil biological community. We have already been doing this at King George Island, but we don't know whether the relationships we measure are only true here (in the unique climate at this site) or if it's true across all of Antarctica. By looking at the plant and soil communities across all of these sites, we can make broader conclusions about how plants influence soil biology <i>in general</i>, not just at one place. More spatial replication creates stronger conclusions!<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiepipiUQbrWZ_INxU6elbwHBc5HuntB1OHZxfs-slaLykLOixsd6F-waK24L8RudmQZM5wLs_zCpCS-ZnqrT3Bg_mP0ogWPv_zQDVawOw8OsvZhUpSyoZLwAz8jWXuwo-o3modzh1d-aFVXeKXO7YgyQj3kyGHhYpTUWugUxOGX1defMlIouQXGVrFbg/s4032/IMG_0352.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiepipiUQbrWZ_INxU6elbwHBc5HuntB1OHZxfs-slaLykLOixsd6F-waK24L8RudmQZM5wLs_zCpCS-ZnqrT3Bg_mP0ogWPv_zQDVawOw8OsvZhUpSyoZLwAz8jWXuwo-o3modzh1d-aFVXeKXO7YgyQj3kyGHhYpTUWugUxOGX1defMlIouQXGVrFbg/s320/IMG_0352.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We found a wonderful oasis of moss on James Ross Island on the east side of the Antarctic Peninsula.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Now that we are back at Escudero, we will be working with the samples we collected on the Betanzos. We were able to do some of our invertebrate extractions on the ship, but it is hard when the boat moves so much! We got creative and modified our extractors to be more stable, and it worked well.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlppo8QLAkN0utUk4jYC7iQdjKLcCZwl0g31Ilm9wuLQAEo9dgVfl7S38jXk6UbJDw4p5Q1K2aVnEh4dGDoXrx0EyBj6lOStsUPkuTkZqy3wxD4mEubQoq38fopNyKHNHF3dbEdMiP87zkMeNzYBdIQYNf4Uu3D3dE30QmzaeXmC3QRkK1Yy-0OKNYyg/s4032/IMG_1685.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlppo8QLAkN0utUk4jYC7iQdjKLcCZwl0g31Ilm9wuLQAEo9dgVfl7S38jXk6UbJDw4p5Q1K2aVnEh4dGDoXrx0EyBj6lOStsUPkuTkZqy3wxD4mEubQoq38fopNyKHNHF3dbEdMiP87zkMeNzYBdIQYNf4Uu3D3dE30QmzaeXmC3QRkK1Yy-0OKNYyg/s320/IMG_1685.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our ship-stable version of the Tullgren funnels to extract arthropods. The cans are secured into a hard case that is taped to a table so that it wouldn't slide around!</td></tr></tbody></table><br />We could still do the invertebrate extractions on the ship, but other things had to wait until we were in an actual lab. We will continue to process those samples here at Escudero, along with a lot of other field work at our sites from last year! We are at Escudero for three more weeks, and I will keep you posted about our progress.<br /><div><br /><p><br /></p></div></div></div>Dr. Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01391779948019143052noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048267408706307219.post-35132417681788673072023-01-06T14:04:00.007-03:002023-01-06T17:50:21.614-03:00A quick update from the Betanzos<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;">We successfully made it to Antarctica! Our flight left Punta Arenas, and we landed on King George Island the night of January 2.</span></div><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">We briefly visited Base Escudero, where we stayed last year. From there, we took small boats out to our research vessel: the Betanzos. It was very late at night (about 1 am on Jan 3), so it was almost like dusk. The lights on the horizon at the upper left are from the Betanzos. Our home away from home!</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzcHYM40QCEGgt17wPIEp25GB4gJ9X_-7_wrhObmEeylOmBTp4mHVGBn8bSSKTte98bFMlcz69pFKbIoSpG6Q_eV7aXPwE78fmzx7Bi8niLpZivyLFVTjQy6ztfavLsq_BwmD7w9J-hQT2hUyzWONb_2kH-5T0jEJ-4yT9nXFEvELl_qcCbgNRlQiRAw/s3117/50444B41-6458-4D57-A1F9-6AC2922848AB.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2825" data-original-width="3117" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzcHYM40QCEGgt17wPIEp25GB4gJ9X_-7_wrhObmEeylOmBTp4mHVGBn8bSSKTte98bFMlcz69pFKbIoSpG6Q_eV7aXPwE78fmzx7Bi8niLpZivyLFVTjQy6ztfavLsq_BwmD7w9J-hQT2hUyzWONb_2kH-5T0jEJ-4yT9nXFEvELl_qcCbgNRlQiRAw/s320/50444B41-6458-4D57-A1F9-6AC2922848AB.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">After dropping some scientists off at Base O’Higgins, we have been moving along the northwest side of the Antarctic Peninsula. We stop at a new site each day, and the ship sails to the next at night. So far, we have collected samples at Isla Duroch where there are a lot of chinstrap penguins. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCoxQ7vSd3YNkWpibzH7iHJlTI5i65n9ZW7ynLarUC15IvK9tnCnjBMR3e2VqZbvQsq-Be7WyjCiKgxSJUjB2wdvDJIoW37PCgabdu8c3g1UtwXP9xp9GqHb-qoJjS6rm3ahrn5_Y_HfWsSnaxmRNBNi8HKMo18A45TRASbAkD7-Un8ANL0RFkoTruSw/s4032/79DFFCB9-4554-4B50-A777-EC2CDA3BC70A.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCoxQ7vSd3YNkWpibzH7iHJlTI5i65n9ZW7ynLarUC15IvK9tnCnjBMR3e2VqZbvQsq-Be7WyjCiKgxSJUjB2wdvDJIoW37PCgabdu8c3g1UtwXP9xp9GqHb-qoJjS6rm3ahrn5_Y_HfWsSnaxmRNBNi8HKMo18A45TRASbAkD7-Un8ANL0RFkoTruSw/s320/79DFFCB9-4554-4B50-A777-EC2CDA3BC70A.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Now we have moved on to Baya Esperanza (Hope Bay) on the tip of the Peninsula. There is an Argentinian base with a cell phone tower. That is why I have a little bit of internet… for right now! Tonight we will move on to the next site, away from cell reception. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><span style="font-size: 17px;">At each site on our “cruise”, we are looking for the succession gradients from a receding glacier where plants are beginning to grow. We are hopeful that Baya Esperanza will have the sites we need! However, we have been on a weather delay all day. It is not safe whether to take the Zodiacs (the small boats) from the Betanzos to the shore. </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAyMLzsBR_UIj3ASd5lP4TI7HC2tRQ8QGyzOQd0lEXjmT_JFu9sz8i3QfAB6MJMPJMxNLxdKHGBXV_XjwvULp3B-Gvucu-A4z8X6JRgkWFBbnxcBogh3rUq4CQyvwRJkT8yRRNFX2ANoI8ONZ_8eqQ3Nmc10yYfBigYhzrYG4jKGMzEn-bu65Q06afSQ/s4032/580CF995-08C4-4CA0-A796-211C07A9B980.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAyMLzsBR_UIj3ASd5lP4TI7HC2tRQ8QGyzOQd0lEXjmT_JFu9sz8i3QfAB6MJMPJMxNLxdKHGBXV_XjwvULp3B-Gvucu-A4z8X6JRgkWFBbnxcBogh3rUq4CQyvwRJkT8yRRNFX2ANoI8ONZ_8eqQ3Nmc10yYfBigYhzrYG4jKGMzEn-bu65Q06afSQ/s320/580CF995-08C4-4CA0-A796-211C07A9B980.jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></div></div><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><span style="font-size: 17px;">So we are just waiting for conditions to improve… hopefully tonight!</span></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><span style="font-size: 17px;"><br /></span></span></p>Dr. Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01391779948019143052noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048267408706307219.post-39468298253026786932023-01-02T20:04:00.007-03:002023-01-02T20:43:22.788-03:00A brief stop in Punta Arenas<p>We safely arrived in Punta Arenas, Chile. Normally we stay here for a couple of days to pack gear and get ready. But, bad weather is moving into the area where we will land in Antarctica, so we can’t wait for tomorrow. We have to leave tonight! That means we had two hours to do all of the things we would normally do over a couple of days!</p><p>We quickly went to our hotel… not to stay overnight but to get a fast shower and brush our teeth. (We have been in airports and airplanes for a day and a half. Yuck!) We received our cold-weather clothing from the Chilean Antarctic Institute, and repacked our luggage to be ready for use in Antarctica. We also got the safety gear we use from the U.S. Antarctic Program. It has been a busy couple of hours! We ate a quick dinner at the hotel, too, because it’s the last food we will see until tomorrow morning!</p><p>Now we are back at the airport waiting for our flight to Antarctica. There is our fight at the top of the Departures board!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoA3vBWm8DqqGkHHcc6xxXF87OpbuQjcYfsl0wiphTP2Sbh2Nf_LHs7EtvxXz8UT2M5N5RetecS4Sk0C2nCjxj4lrbXCnMfwDUPBdsMXQ3kVeWi0Y7qiL1hQ-5h9qK8zA62svRj18Wy8yh_ke-Flppjerd-Ol0ov9uFgPMQiRvhftbCWixUp1gvJqvVQ/s2498/44E3F90F-53E6-483F-80A5-2B701E324926.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2019" data-original-width="2498" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoA3vBWm8DqqGkHHcc6xxXF87OpbuQjcYfsl0wiphTP2Sbh2Nf_LHs7EtvxXz8UT2M5N5RetecS4Sk0C2nCjxj4lrbXCnMfwDUPBdsMXQ3kVeWi0Y7qiL1hQ-5h9qK8zA62svRj18Wy8yh_ke-Flppjerd-Ol0ov9uFgPMQiRvhftbCWixUp1gvJqvVQ/s320/44E3F90F-53E6-483F-80A5-2B701E324926.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>We will fly for about two hours to King George Island (which in Spanish is Isla Rey Jorge). This is where the Chilean Base, Escudero, is. However we are not staying at Escudero. We will board a ship to visit the sites in the map I showed you a couple days ago. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjULnJLfzjSkmt_I4JVhfzheb90XhAtFiCGhDNZEjjVyrMBv15tv_ssKAnSI187CmZwPDC83zKXvIoB5-DxDPwjQSVifyBfh-DgCrKKGnmHMeBeBGgWr1XU2zRBbvfWRWZG6qOhpwvz58mnAD-ZGawL1tzmBxYBNR7ZEDnASlf_rWbL0gdKC0G5KWtmww/s3088/51A26829-6017-479B-AF8D-AF15B486721D.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2320" data-original-width="3088" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjULnJLfzjSkmt_I4JVhfzheb90XhAtFiCGhDNZEjjVyrMBv15tv_ssKAnSI187CmZwPDC83zKXvIoB5-DxDPwjQSVifyBfh-DgCrKKGnmHMeBeBGgWr1XU2zRBbvfWRWZG6qOhpwvz58mnAD-ZGawL1tzmBxYBNR7ZEDnASlf_rWbL0gdKC0G5KWtmww/s320/51A26829-6017-479B-AF8D-AF15B486721D.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hannah and Becky about to board the plane to Antarctica</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>We will have no internet on the ship, so there won’t be any more blog posts until mid-January when we’re back at Escudero. I will tell you all about our adventures when we are back in contact!</p>Dr. Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01391779948019143052noreply@blogger.com0