Since Mike left, I have been making the best out of the BCI experience. I went on a recreational trail walk with Betsy Arnold where she pointed out some of the rainforest’s treasures. We almost stepped on a coral snake, held a frog that looks like a leaf, and gazed at the Panama Canal from a clearing at the end of the trail. Early one morning, before the sun gracefully showered through the canopy, I accompanied a spider monkey researcher on the hunt for urine. I saw tamarinds, peccaries, howlers and learned when off trail, anything looks like it could be a trail.
This weekend my lab mate Matt and I will cruising to Gigante to battle uncertain weather to pick up the last of Mike’s decomposition experiment. We will inevitably disappear from the social circles of BCI, cleaning, drying and weighing until Harry Potter’s adventures are exhausted and my entire iTunes collection has become as exciting as opening the last present on Christmas morning in 1985. However, watching the outcome of this experiment unfold is what I look forward to most. I especially enjoy observing the many types of fungi that choose to grow on the filter paper and popsicle sticks.
Soon afterward, we will be leaving the island and returning to reality. This is a place most young scientists dream about while brainstorming experiments and refer to often when hitting the books, taking exams, and driving their cars to work. But before that time can come, I must complete the experiments I have set out on the trails. A couple weeks ago I set up an experiment where I alter the litter depth to observe what elements change. The experiment came to mind while searching unsuccessfully for isopods. I noticed the areas closer to the lab had relatively shallow litter depths and isopods were rare. I thought if I raked up a pile of litter, maybe they would come to me. I was about to set out to do just that very thing when Mike stopped me from half-hazard experimentation. He worked with me to design a transect system where the control and litter pile plots are randomized and running parallel, stretching more than 40 meters. In about a week I will sift the 1/4 square meter plots and Berleze the risidual. The arthorpods collected will be sorted and counted. This will not only give me an idea of how many more isopods are located in contrast to the control plot, but it will also give me a good idea of arthropod diversity in comparison to the two types of plots.I think altering the litter depth will also have an effect on decomposition; although, that waits to be shown.
Earlier I set up a pilot experiment on Fairchild. This mini experiment showed a vast increase in the amount of isopods per a pile plot. I also saw changes in seedlings, fungi, and ant colonies chose to make their home in the leaves. I think Litter Piles 2006 will have an interesting outcome.
In addition, I have a small experiment running in the ambient soil lab. I’m feeding leaves with endophytes to isopods. Recently, I was informed of a bacteria living inside the leaves with the endophytes. It’s unclear yet if the bacteria is a parasite, symbiont, or simply mutually present. I’m curious if the bacteria will be harmful to the isopods or if they will even attempt to munch on endophytic leaves. Even more so, I am absolutely fascinated with the possibilities of the findings of this bacteria and endophyte. There are so many more questions that can arise with the results. It’s also unclear if the endophyte is a parasite; possibly the endophyte is releasing a chemical that makes leaves fall prematurely so it may take over the leaf’s resources sooner and reproduce. I hope to at some point discover my own answers to questions dealing with fungi. In fact, I have already started reading and seeking the answers. I think it’s best to behave like a Ph.D. student now and a get a head start on the game.
