Journal Entry (Week of 4/18/19)

Vernal Pool Ecosystem Week 3, Thursday Lab Section

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On the morning of April 18th, our group wasted no time as we collected our supplies and set out for the vernal pools right upon arrival. As we set down our belongings, we immediately noticed two white-tailed deer frolicking in the neighboring hayfield, followed by a rabbit bouncing along the edge of the vernal pool. These initial observations were promising and alluded to the increased biodiversity observed during this lab session, in part due to the improved, warming weather conditions. After taking note of the first two mammal species encountered in our ecosystem, we then carried on with analyzing the vernal pools. I set out to where the vernal pools meet the swamp area, noting several species of plants and insects. I quickly found myself knee-deep in vernal pool water, digging up and sifting through the mud in hopes of encountering amphibious species. I had no such luck in finding salamanders or frogs, but I did stumble upon new species of both spiders and water gliders. After sifting through the mud for nearly an hour, I began my fifteen minutes of silence, still submerged to the top of my rain boots in the vernal pool. I immediately noticed the calls of numerous red-tailed hawks; I had the privilege of observing a few gliding through the air directly above me. I also noticed the unique calls of the peepers; the “peeps” dominated the scene once I had stopped moving for a minute or so. Along with the peepers, I noticed several distinct croaks; I presumed these croaks to have originated from differing frog species, but had no luck in observing the animals. At this moment, it had started to drizzle; the sound of the raindrops hitting the vernal pool soon overcame the previously observed sounds of the ecosystem. However, I viewed this occurrence in a positive light, as the sound of rain enabled me to both relax and feel more connected to nature holistically. After this fifteen minutes of silence, I made my way back to our BioCube and was elated to see the vast amounts of biodiversity included in our selected location. Contents within the cube included different species of spiders, water gliders, worms, plants, slugs, snails, and algae. Our group was pleasantly surprised by this observation, and consequently finished recording our BioCube video through discussing both the contents of our BioCube and general observations of biodiversity relevant to our ecosystem. After we finished recording, we collected all of the contents found within the boundaries of the BioCube and packed said contents into a Tupperware container. To conclude the lab session, I ventured to the side of the vernal pool closest to the deciduous forest; there, I spend around thirty minutes sifting through the mud and watching the vernal pool, with hopes that movement could instigate life in the pool to arise. Through this process, I captured several spiders, worms, and snails; I brought these species back to the group for further observation. Once I had made my way back to where the BioCube used to be, the group and I compiled all of our belongings and made the bittersweet venture back to the chicken pen. On the walk back, the group both discussed the success of the day and expressed sadness regarding this lab being the last session spent on the farm. After elaborating upon the exciting findings of the day with the remainder of the class, we drove back to campus and placed our BioCube contents in the refrigerator to prepare for the intensive examination next week. I am so grateful for the opportunity to participate in field biology (and collect the chicken eggs of course); going to the farm was my favorite part of the semester! Thank you!

- By Sophia