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Bernard Field Station Use Spring 2002

Research Projects

Request No.: 024AC3E505
Submitted on: 3/6/02 at 3:41 PM
User: Jesse Huff Christensen, Student, Pomona
E-mail: thetwelvejewels@hotmail.com
College phone: (909) 621-4440
Instructor/Advisor: Sian Davies-Vollum, 18674, sdavies@pomona.edu

Type of use: Research
Number in group: 1
Dates: 03/02 to 03/02
Frequency: Other - 2 or 3 sessions as necessary
Time of day: Morning, Afternoon
Areas or facilities needed: oak forest, lower neck - work with most naturally formed oak grove environs
Species to be studied: coastal live oaks & associated soils
Will vertebrate animals be used? no
Will markings or flags be used? no
Will plants or animals be collected? no

Project description: Subsurface soil profile analysis of live oak-affected zones of the alluvial fan, to be used as contextual comparison with a similar study of anthropogenically formed soils of a site in the live oak "wash" on Pomona College Campus. Senior Thesis on Comparative Soil Taxonomy.

Request No.: 0247041FB6
Submitted on: 2/28/02 at 2:16 PM
User: Katherine Marlink, Student, HMC
E-mail: kmarlink@hmc.edu
College phone: 72080, Other phone: 503-490-4917
Instructor/Advisor: Nancy Hamlett, 71795, Nancy_Hamlett@HMC.edu

Type of use: Research - Senior Thesis Research
Number in group: 1
Dates: ASAP to 5/15/02
Frequency: Weekly
Time of day: Morning, Afternoon
Areas or facilities needed: pHake Lake
Species to be studied: Aquatic bacteria
Will vertebrate animals be used? no
Will markings or flags be used? no
Will plants or animals be collected? yes

Project description: In order to begin to develop an understanding of the importance of various microbiological processes in pHake Lake, I will analyze lake water samples from different depths for chemical indicators of microbial activity. On each visit, I will take temperature and dissolved O₂ measurements at 2-ft depth intervals. I will also use a a Van Dorn sampler to collect 1-L water samples at the same depths to be analyzed for chlorophyll, nitrate, sulfide, and salinity.

Request No.: 026DA4A892
Submitted on: 7/3/02 at 10:24 PM
User: Audrey E. Landale, Student, Claremont High School
E-mail: audreylandale@hotmail.com
College phone: x71795, Other phone: 909-625-2223
Instructor/Advisor: Dr. Nancy Hamlett, x73811, Nancy_Hamlett@HMC.edu

Type of use: Research
Number in group: 2
Dates: February 22, 2002 to May 15, 2002
Frequency: Other - 2 or 3 times during that period
Time of day: Afternoon
Areas or facilities needed: central CSS, eastern CSS, east field
Species to be studied: Soil bacteria and fungi
Will vertebrate animals be used? no
Will markings or flags be used? no
Will plants or animals be collected? no

Project description: To test whether lead from leaded gasoline has selected for lead resistance in soil microbes near a major highway, I will test microbial lead resistance as a function of distance from Foothill Blvd. I will take 5-cm deep core samples along north-south transects at 3 locations across the front of the BFS. At each location I will take samples at 0.5 m, 5 m, 10 m, 20 m, and 50 m from Foothill Blvd. The 20 and 50-m samples are within the BFS boundary. I will determine the proportion of lead-resistant microbes in each sample by preparing serial dilutions and plating on plain nutrient agar and nutrient agar amended with 1 mg/mL lead nitrate. I will also use atomic absorption spectroscopy to measure the lead content of the soil samples.

Request No.: 0240B3B546
Submitted on: 2/8/02 at 6:37 PM
User: Frances Hanzawa, Faculty member, Pomona
E-mail: fhanzawa@pomona.edu
College phone: 621-8601

Type of use: Research
Number in group: 1-4
Dates: Dec 2000 to ongoing
Frequency: Other - daily during winter; 1-3 times/week in spring, early summer
Time of day: Varies - varied times, daylight hours only
Areas or facilities needed: central CSS, eastern CSS, oak forest, infirmary, lower neck, central neck, upper neck
Species to be studied: Marah macrocarpus
Will vertebrate animals be used? no
Will markings or flags be used? yes - Flags mark individual plants. Two flag colors: White stake flags (2.5x3.5" flags; 15" stakes) and fluorescent pink stake flags (same type)
Will plants or animals be collected? yes

Project description: We are examining the population genetic structure and mating system of Marah macrocarpus. Leaf tissue and seeds are collected from marked plants for electrophoresis. The resulting data are used to estimate the level of inbreeding and to examine the extent of differentiation between spatially separated subpopulations. During winter 2002 and 2003, students will be examining the mating system through controlled cross- and self-pollinations.

Request No.: 023F736DC8
Submitted on: 1/19/02 at 4:37 PM
User: Molly Greer Rightmyer, Student, Other
E-mail: rightmye@ukans.edu
College phone: (785)864-7394, Other phone: (785)312-8389
Instructor/Advisor: I have been in contact with Dr. Don McFarlane, Joint Sciences, 909 607 2564, dmcfarla@jsd.claremont.edu

Type of use: Research
Number in group: 1
Dates: 17 April 2002 to 24 April 2002
Frequency: Daily
Time of day: Dawn, Morning, Afternoon
Areas or facilities needed: western CSS, central CSS, pHake Lake, vernal pools, eastern CSS, oak forest, corner, infirmary, classroom, east field, lower neck, central neck, upper neck
Species to be studied: Bees (Apoidea, Hymenoptera)
Will vertebrate animals be used? no
Will markings or flags be used? no
Will plants or animals be collected? yes

Project description: I am currently working on a phylogeny of bees in the tribe Epeolini (Nomadinae, Apidae) based on morphological characters, as part of my PhD dissertation. Several of the specimens I am using in the University of Kansas Natural History Museum were collected in Claremont by my advisor, Dr. Charles Michener, in the 1930's. Many of these species are scarce in our collection. I would like to collect more of these species, as well as any other bee species that are in flight during my visit, to deposit in the University of Kansas Natural History Museum. I will collect using a net and with colored bowls containing water and soap. I may also wish to collect a few plant voucher specimens, if I observe bees at flowers of a plant that I cannot identify. If desired, I would be willing to supply the Bernard Field Station with a checklist of the bees that I collect, and/or other information that is requested.

Request No.: 012E6932E7
Submitted on: 12/12/01 at 10:26 AM
User: Tracy Perfors, Student, HMC
E-mail: tperfors@hmc.edu
College phone: 607-6966
Instructor/Advisor: Dr. Catherine McFadden, 604-4107, Catherine_McFadden@hmc.edu

Type of use: Research
Number in group: 1
Dates: Dec 15, 2001 to May 19, 2002
Frequency: Weekly
Time of day: Morning, Afternoon
Areas or facilities needed: western CSS, central CSS, eastern CSS
Species to be studied: I will be studying all plant species in 24 2x2 meter plots I set up in the coastal sage scrub of BFS.
Will vertebrate animals be used? no
Will markings or flags be used? yes - I plan to make 24 2x2 meter plots in a block pattern in the BFS coastal sage scrub. There will be four rows, the first row north of the Foothill Blvd edge, the other rows going north, 50 m apart. There will be six columns, the first column 10 m east of the College Ave edge, the other columns going east, 50 m apart. Each plot will be marked with 1"x2"x12" wooden posts at each corner. The posts will have my name and contact information written on them. I will tie twine between the posts to mark out a square. Occasionally, I may place a flag in the plots to temporarily (1-2 weeks) mark a certain plant.
Will plants or animals be collected? no

Project description: I will investigate edge effects in the coastal sage scrub plant community of the BFS, focusing on the number of exotic invaders and the species richness (diversity) of the BFS plant community. I will record the number of exotic plant invaders and the species richness in 24 plots in a block design at different distances from the BFS edge in the southwest corner of the BFS. Analysis by ANCOVA with distance to the edges as covariates will determine if the plant composition inside BFS is affected by the city outside. [A detailed project description is available.]

Request No.: 011DAE738D
Submitted on: 10/15/01 at 3:26 PM
User: Andrea Renden, Student, Pomona
E-mail: arenden@pomona.edu
College phone: 607-6408 Instructor/Advisor: Fran Hanzawa, 18601, fmh04747@pomona.edu

Type of use: Research
Number in group: 1
Dates: October 15 to May 2002
Frequency: Several-days/week
Time of day: Morning
Areas or facilities needed: western CSS, central CSS, pHake Lake, vernal pools, eastern CSS, oak forest, corner, east field, lower neck, central neck, upper neck
Species to be studied: Sceloporus occidentalis
Will vertebrate animals be used? yes
Will markings or flags be used? yes - blue flags with my name
Will plants or animals be collected? yes

Project description: I am doing research for my senior thesis. I will be catching western fence lizards, weighing, and toe clipping them. I am interested in their habitat preference and am intending on performing manipulations of habitat (removing rocks, leaf litter, and logs)and planting these features in areas that were previously absent. Manipulations will be done after winter break.

Request No.: 011A68B32F
Submitted on: 10/6/01 at 7:53 PM
User: Margaret (Megan) Ogle, Student, Pitzer
E-mail: mogle@pitzer.edu
College phone: x76232 Instructor/Advisor: Dan Guthrie, x72836, dguthrie@jsd.claremont.edu

Type of use: Research
Number in group: 1
Dates: 9/15 to 5/10
Frequency: Other - My use of the BFS will vary depending on my progress on my thesis.
Time of day: Varies - I will be using the BFS at different times throughout the day.
Areas or facilities needed: oak forest, lower neck, central neck
Species to be studied: Coast live oak and insect and bird species in and immediately around oak.
Will vertebrate animals be used? yes
Will markings or flags be used? yes - Markings will be used for subject oak trees.
Will plants or animals be collected? yes

Project description: I will be conducting a two-semester senior thesis on island biogeography of oak patches by comparing bird and insect diversity in different patches of coast live oak on the Bernard Biological Field Station and the college campuses. My objective is to measure insect and bird diversity and compare the diversity of various "islands" of oak. I plan to follow transect lines and do surveys of insect and bird fauna.

The survey of bird fauna will consist of passive observation of birds. I will record the number of individuals in each species and the length of stay in and immediately around the oak tree of study. I will stay for a fixed time at each plot along the transect line and conduct the study only in the morning hours (7:00-9:30am).

Measuring insect diversity is a more complex process. To capture flying and crawling insects, I plan to use sticky paper that is most commonly used for trapping rodents. I will tie a strip of sticky paper at about one meter and another strip of sticky paper at about two meters on the tree. The sticky paper will remain on the tree for approximately 24 hours after which time I will retrieve the sticky paper and wrap it in Saran Wrap to facilitate insect count and identification. The second way I will measure insect diversity is by removing a square patch of outer bark 30 cm² at around 1.5 meters off the ground. I will collect all insects under the bark and place them in a Ziploc bag for identification. Finally, I will do a small transect line along the base of the oak tree rummaging through leaf litter and locating insects. These sampling techniques should give an accurate portrayal of overall insect diversity in and immediately around the oak tree.

Request No.: 0258641D90
Submitted on: 4/26/02 at 3:54 PM
User: Noah Levin, Student, HMC
E-mail: nlevin@hmc.edu
College phone: x74761
Instructor/Advisor: Dr. Steve Adolph, x71872, adolph@hmc.edu

Type of use: Research
Number in group: 1
Dates: 4-27-2002 to 4-27-2002
Frequency: Once
Time of day: Night
Areas or facilities needed: central CSS, pHake Lake, vernal pools, eastern CSS, oak forest, corner, infirmary, classroom, east field, lower neck, central neck
Species to be studied: Lutzomyia spp. (sandflies)
Will vertebrate animals be used? no
Will markings or flags be used? no
Will plants or animals be collected? yes

Project description: As part of my research on population dynamics of the lizard malarial species, Plasmodium mexicanum, I will be testing the presence of sandflies in numerous ground squirrel burrows around the station. Insect traps will be set up over ground squirrel burrows around 10 PM and removed at around 2 AM with any captured flies being released at the site.

Request No.: 01172FC34B
Submitted on: 9/28/01 at 3:07 AM
User: Noah Levin, Student, HMC
E-mail: nlevin@hmc.edu
College phone: 909-607-4761 Instructor/Advisor: Stephen Adolph, x71872, adolph@hmc.edu

Type of use: Research
Number in group: 1
Dates: Late September to Middle of December
Frequency: Several-days/week
Time of day: Morning, Afternoon
Areas or facilities needed: western CSS, central CSS, pHake Lake, vernal pools, eastern CSS, oak forest, corner, infirmary, classroom, east field, lower neck, central neck, upper neck
Species to be studied: Sceloporus occidentalis (western fence lizard) and Lutzomyia sp. (sandflies)

Will vertebrate animals be used? yes
Will markings or flags be used? yes - Flags might be used to mark lizard capture sites and ground squirrel burrows temporarily and will be removed within a day or two.

Will plants or animals be collected? yes

Project description: I will be studying a malaria-causing Plasmodium (only present in lizards) and often present in S. occidentalis, which will entail temporary capture for the purposes of marking and taking blood samples. Samples of the vector, Lutzomyia sp., might also be collected and nearly all would be re-released.