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Journal Entries
2005-06
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| Jump to a specific journal entry by Marianne Kaput: | ||
| August 2005 | 23 | |
| October 2005 | 31 | |
| December 2005 | 15 29 30 31 | |
| January 2006 | 1 3 4 5 7 9 10-11 12-14 15 16-17 18-19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 | |
| February 2006 | 1 2 5 6-8 10 | |
| Click here to access journal entries by Giancarlo Lopez-Martinez or Luke Sandro. | ||
January 9, 2006 - Palmer Station, Antarctica
I want to take some time to explain what kind of work my research team is doing and why they are doing it. We are here because the National Science Foundation is in the business of supporting worthwhile science projects, and they understand that the research that is being conducted is important to science. The scientists are here because they love what they do and they love where they are doing it. Our team is researching an insect that has some very interesting characteristics. Belgica antarctica is a tiny little creature smaller than a mosquito, yet is considered the largest entirely terrestrial animal in Antarctica. Belgica is capable of withstanding the extreme temperature changes of this frozen continent. We are studying how it is capable of this kind of extreme survival.
First, we had to find Belgica. Think about where you would hide to protect yourself in the habitat below:
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Where is there to hide? Under a rock! Now what would you do to protect yourself from the wind? Spread your wings? Of course not! You would be small, with legs that can get a good grip on the rocks so you don’t get blown away. That’s what these insects do also. What do you see for them to eat? Again little things...like bacteria and algae.
For the past couple of days we have geared up and taken a Zodiac out to the islands near the station:
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We hike out to a location where a HOBO was placed last year. A HOBO is a device that has recorded the temperature for the past year for that exact location. The information is downloaded to a computer.Then devices called pooters, which operate like little vacuums, are used to collect the adults. We are lucky to find so many adults because they only live for two weeks! Here’s a photo of a pooter in action:
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We have collected over 1,700 Belgica in the larval form. This is pretty detailed work because these little guys are smaller than the fingernail clipping of your little finger. We scrape them up using a spoon and a baggie. Then, back in the lab, we carefully sort through the soil and pick the Belgica out using little suction tubes called pipettes. This is the work that is not very exciting, but is interesting because you can really get a close look at the insects and really observe. After a while you notice size and color differences. You notice other kinds of insects and organisms that were included in the sample by accident. GC even found penguin backbones and feathers.
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The collecting part is tedious work, but when you collect on Torgersen Island, you are collecting in the middle of an Adélie penguin colony. They chatter and carry on as if you weren't even there. Again, you observe that the parents stay close to the chicks and the chicks stay close to their parents. At times, they sit quietly and other times they flap their wings and shout out loud.
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We also collected on Norsel Point, also known as Elephant Seal Alley. A very appropriate name because there are elephant seals all over the place. They spend most of their time sleeping on the rocks. Today I watched them for a while. If you listen closely, you hear these enormous marine animals inhale and exhale slowly, snoring loudly. I also saw one flip his (or her — I couldn't tell) tail into the air and then its head as if break dancing on the beach. Not bad working conditions, eh? Remember, we are in Antarctica — great, eh?
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Living at a remote field station like this is a unique experience in itself. There are only 45 people here for science, and the rest are here to help the scientists conduct their work and also to make the station run smoothly. This is not always an easy job. For example, last night something happened to the reverse osmosis system that produces our fresh water and we began getting salt water from the ocean in our faucets. So that meant no showers and no drinking water for a day because the system was shut down, drained, and restarted. Think of how things were affected by this. First, what about my morning coffee? Well, they made sure we had that using bottled water. What about brushing your teeth and doing laundry? People here are flexible and roll with whatever happens.
They are like a close family and go out of their way to be nice to each other. For example, today was Ryan’s birthday and some of the people decorated the dining room with balloons and a birthday sign.
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The chef, Marge, made a huge tray filled with ice cream cookies and candles. Everyone sang and had a great time.
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Right now I can hear some people in the gallery playing guitar and singing. Since there is no TV reception, there are lots of movies that are shown on a big screen TV in the lounge area. Next to that, there is a lounge with a pool table and music to listen to. People gather here in the evening to talk and just relax. There’s even a hot tub!
Well, I have to go finish my laundry that I know is waiting for me, so till tomorrow...
- Kaput-on-Ice