Research Intern
Cedar Creek Ecosystem and Science Reserve
East Bethel, MN
May
2016- August 2016
I was located at the University of Minnesota Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve working as a research intern for the summer of 2016. I worked on the BioCON (Biodiversity, CO2, and Nitrogen) ecological experiment started in 1997. The goal of the experiment is to get a better understanding of how plant communities will respond and be effected by global climate changes that are known to be occurring. These environmental changes include increasing nitrogen deposition, increasing atmospheric CO2, decreasing biodiversity, altered precipitation patterns, and increased temperatures.
The BioCON experiment is made up of 371 2 by 2 meter plots, which are arranged into 6 circular areas called "rings". The diameter of the rings is 20 meters. Each of the rings contains between 61 and 63 experimental plots. The experiment uses 16 species of herbaceous perennial prairie species that are native or naturalized to the Cedar Creek area.
The BioCON experiment is made up of 371 2 by 2 meter plots, which are arranged into 6 circular areas called "rings". The diameter of the rings is 20 meters. Each of the rings contains between 61 and 63 experimental plots. The experiment uses 16 species of herbaceous perennial prairie species that are native or naturalized to the Cedar Creek area.
My daily and weekly tasks an a research intern included:
- maintaining biodiversity
- collecting soil moisture data using a Time-Dominant Reflectometer (TDR)
- collecting sunlight readings using a light meter
- collecting measurements of CO2 movement out of the soil to gauge soil respiration using a CO2 Flux machine
- heat lamp checks
- soil coring
- data organization and entering in Microsoft Excel
- 4x4 driving
- other duties included tasks to help other research projects being conducted at Cedar Creek
Skills in perennial prairie species were also utilized. I have identification skills to identify the following 16 species:
- Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii)
- Blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis)
- Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
- Indian Grass (Sorghastrum nutans)
- Quack Grass (Agropyron repens)
- Smooth brome (Bromus inermis)
- Junegrass (Koeleria cristata)
- Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis)
- Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
- Candle anemone (Anemone cylindrica)
- Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa)
- Rigid goldenrod (Solidago rigida)
- Lead plant (Amorpha canescens)
- Roundhead bush clover (Lespedeza capitata)
- Lupine (Lupinus perennis)
- Silky prairie clover (Petalostemum villosum)
Link to more information about the BioCON experiment: http://www.biocon.umn.edu/
Link to more information about the University of Minnesota Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve: http://www.cedarcreek.umn.edu/
Images of the experience:
Figure 1. One of the experimental rings at Cedar Creek. The ring is circled by tall white posts that either emit CO2 emit or air depending on the ring. Heating lamps are placed on specific plots in the ring to simulate increasing temperatures. Rain shelters were placed on specific rings during precipitation events to simulate altered precipitation. Loss of biodiversity was simulated by allowing specific species counts allowed in specific plots in the ring by weeding out species not belonging in certain plots. There are six of these experimental rings at Cedar Creek.
Figure 2. Samples of the experimental herbaceous perennial prairie species at Cedar Creek. Left is Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa).
Center is Lead plant (Amorpha canescens). Right is Lupine (Lupinus perennis).
Figure 3. Provided help in an experiment that looked at root length and nodules. In the picture above are samples that roots were washed and nodules removed and counted.
Figure 4. Monarch butterfly laying eggs in experimental plot. Wide array of species inhabited Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve.
Figure 5. Picture of me during my summer at the Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve.
