Congratulations to Genn! After counting 29,000 and something mites over the last two years she successfully defended her Master thesis this week. She is now the new (and possible only) Master of Mites! Well done, we are so proud of you.
Our artist in the lab
Genn is not only a great ecologist but also an amazing artist and she somehow manages to combine these talents: Check out the mighty mites!
Beautiful Soil Mites
I recently finished sorting the samples for my Masters experiment! The project is investigating how dispersal rate and synchronicity of disturbance across the landscape influence biodiversity and community resilience to disturbance. This is a photo of the experimental landscapes I established with different levels of connectivity and different disturbance regimes:
It took five months to sort the 120 samples. We counted 29,912 microarthropods (mites and springtails) in total. I will post more information on how many species we found as I analyze the data. I would like to thank Rebecca Taves and Pamela Matute for all their help sorting the samples and Youhua Chen and Jiichiro Yoshimoto for their help with the field aspects of the study.
In celebration of this accomplishment, I would like to share a video I created with my friend Gabriel Collins that showcases some of the mites and springtails I was working with. It is an abstract piece set to a soundscape we generated using objects around the house. I think it captures the beauty of these mysterious creatures and the great expansiveness of the time I spent admiring them under the microscope.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MdKZ4s6nx8&feature=youtu.be]
-Gennifer Meldrum, June 1, 2011
New Year, New Species for the library
In time for the New Year, we have completed sorting the mite samples for our collaborative experiment on regional biodiversity and resilience. This means that we can start getting some answers by data analysis! It also means I can start sorting the samples from my Masters research! This is all very exciting news. To celebrate this change of focus with the New Year, I would like to share some photos of some interesting new species that we have added to our mite library through the collaborative experiment. Please enjoy.
Tiger Symphypleonid Collembolan
Fairy-like Arthropleonid Collembolan
Fat Female Mestostigmatid Mite
Primitive Oribatid Mite
Crazy Leafy-Legged Prostigmatid
Pretty Pink Bdellid Mite
-Gennifer Meldrum, January 9, 2011
Completed Experiment!-
I completed my 6-month long experiment this week and figured this accomplishment deserves a blog entry!
The moss was collected in May and carved out into two-patch metacommunities with different levels of connectivity.
In May and August we subjected select patches to Tulgren funnel extraction (which removes a bunch of the mites and collembolans) for synchronous and asynchronous disturbance treatments.
Finally, in November we sampled all 168 patches by putting them through Tulgren funnel extraction. Now, just another 6 months sorting mites under the microscope and I will have my data for my Masters thesis!
Many thanks to all the people that have helped make this experiment possible. I was on crutches when setting up, so it literally would not have been possible to start this experiment when I did without many of the following people’s assistance:
– Olga Lansdorp – official driver and field hand extraordinaire
– Jiichiro Yoshimoto – field and lab helper, moss waterer
– Youhua Chen – field and lab helper, through set-up and all 3 extractions
– Seane Trehearne – Totem field contact
– Rebecca Taves – helper for final extraction and take-down, skilled mite sorter
– Pamela Matute – helper in final extraction and take-down, mite sorting whiz
Finally, much thanks to Diane Srivastava for guidance and for providing me with so much help!
-Gennifer Meldrum, November 13, 2010