WEEK TWO

I've realized that the most challenging thing about my fellowship will be choosing a focus. There is so much amazing research going on and I want to be involved in ALL of it. That's not really a possibility so the best I can do at the moment is become involved in as much of as I can, get a taste for what's happening and move forward from there.

Last week, I helped sort insects from water samples. Out of the insects that I helped sort, there were mostly black fly larvae, may flies, stone flies and midges. There were some miscellaneous ones in there as well.

JAR FILLED WITH BLACK FLY LARVAE


THIS IS ASHLEY (REU TA) GETTING THE SCOPES READY

I also joined park botanist, Liz Ballenger on a day trip to Tuolumne Meadows to look at early stages of meadow vegetation. Grass is just grass on a normal day so it was such a great experience to look at the grass and see that there were so many kinds. It was actually really funny because I was so busy looking down at the vegetation that I forgot to look up and around at the gorgeous landscape. Tuolumne really is phenomenal.

I still have trouble remembering scientific names and I can't imagine really ever referring to things naturally by their scientific names.

Carex scopulorum

Carex filifolia

Note the distinctive ring this grass makes.

Carex utriculata

Danthonia intermedia

There is also a grass that looks similar to this except the older grass starts to pile up even more and create mounds that sort of resemble birds nests. This grass is called Ptilagrostis.

Mimulus

Polygonum bistordoides

This is easily identifiable because of the strong mid-vein on the back side of the leaf.

Calyptridium umbellata

This isn't really a meadow plant. It grows more along the edge of the meadow, but I like it so I took a picture of it. :)

Carex raynoldsii

THE GROUP I WENT OUT WITH

I love how we are all crouched over the grass trying to get the closest look as we possibly can.

When we went out last week, the vegetation was still in its early stages so really identifying characteristics such as the flowers were not in bloom. I am really looking foward to going out again this Saturday to see how the meadow has changed in just about a week. It should be brilliantly colored and full of flowers.

Yesterday was my first day out with the Toad Crew. It was another day trip and we went to the meadows of White Wolf to collect water samples of pools with toad tadpoles and pools without. Kaitlin and her REU student were also an this trip counting Lodgepole Pine seedlings. They are working on a project researching the effects of conifer encroachment in meadows. Very cool stuff.

GETTING GPS DEVICES READY

TADPOLES

A METAMORPH FROM LAST YEAR

They stay in this phase for 3-4 years during which they transform into male or female toads. I am hoping to see some adult toads when I join the crew on an eight day backpacking trip. The adults leave the meadows and venture into higher, more wooded areas.

WATER SAMPLE BEING TAKEN

THIS MEADOW WAS A PARTICULARLY WET MEADOW

THIS IS MORE TYPICAL


LODGEPOLE PINE SEEDLING

The seedling is that tiny green growth in the center with fork-like prongs growing out of the stem. A tree is most sensitive during the first 3 years or so of growth. Once it has survived that long, the guarantee of survival is much greater. It's pretty amazing seeing a seedling and realizing how long it takes for it to become a tree that we are accustomed to seeing. I'm in love with seedlings!

SEEDLINGS BEING COUNTED THROUGH A GRID THAT IS ONE METER SQUARE

They counted 69 in that area. It goes to show just how many of these trees don't survive the first year. Even so, the Lodgepole Pines are taking over the meadows, harming their health.

Of course, one of the best things about these trips is getting to see all sorts of other things that you aren't necessarily looking for. Not pictured below is the Mountain Gartersnake. Steve, the supervisor, got some pictures as I held it up for him. One of snakes' defense mechanisms is to poop on you and let me tell you, it really stinks. Ugh! It washes away pretty easily but man is it potent.

A TREE FROG SAC WITH AN EMBRYO INSIDE

A PATCH OF SNOW TO REITERATE JUST HOW LATE THE SNOW MELT THIS SEASON IS

Apparently, the last time the snow melted this late in the season was in 2005. Even then, it a few weeks earlier than this year. It is so weird to see snow in the middle of July on a hot summer day.

BABY BIRDS

STEVE OSTOJA DRINKING FROM HIS CAMELBACK

EVIDENCE OF BEARS TEARING UP THE GROUND LOOKING FOR FOOD

WITCHE'S BUTTER

SLIME MOLD!

A DIFFERENT KIND OF MIMULUS THAT HAS BLOOMED

As you can see, the ground is quite different once the grasses bloom. I can't wait to post the pictures up of Tuolumne Meadow in full bloom!

WANT TO SEE MY HOUSE IN YOSEMITE?

AND THIS IS MY ROOM

WEEK ONE

So far Yosemite has even more than I could have ever imagined; more life, more color, more information, and provides more inspiration than I will ever be able to absorb in one lifetime.

If you've never been to Wawona, it is near the South Gate of Yosemite National Park.

WAWONA IS THE DENSE GREEN BOX RIGHT ABOVE!

If you click on the map, you can see a blown up view of the map where to the right and up of Wawona Information Station is the Chilnualna Falls River. The Chilnualna Trail is literally my backyard trail, and so far, I've hiked this 9 mi roundtrip hike twice since I've been here. It is a relatively steep, switch back, uphill trail 4 1/2 miles up and 4 1/2 miles back down. The surroundings vary as you travel upward from forest, to river bank, back to forest and finally to rocky terrain. I felt like I was on some quest like in The Neverending Story especially when I reached the rock staircase up to the Upper Falls. I accidentally deleted the picture capturing the part of the falls that just dumps over maybe a 100 ft. drop. Just a short hike up, you'll come to this stair step waterfall.



Like all the waterfalls in Yosemite, the Chilnualna Falls pours down and over the rocks with purpose. The current is very strong right now as the snow is only just beginning to melt.




The Lower Falls are just beautiful and feeling the cool mist on your face is the perfect way to finish a hike.


So that was this past Wednesday and Thursday. On Friday, SNRI (Sierra Nevada Research Institute) held an open house to talk about what happens here in the sumemer. Eric Berlow, the director, gave a small presentation and some of the students gave short presentations. My art was displayed and it was just so awesome to meet other participants and staff. I enjoyed it so much. Thayer was there and I was so happy that he also got to see all that is going on here and meet those people who make it happen.

After that we explored the river and hiked in to the Hanging Bridge off of Forest Road near Wawona Hotel.



The next day, we hiked from Mono Meadows near the Valley up to Sentinel Dome. That hike was spectacular. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

MONO MEADOW

AS YOU HIKE IN THE MEADOW MEETS A RIVER AND SOME BROOKS

SOON YOU START TO SEE THE DOMES AND MOUNTAINS


I LOVE THE NEW GROWTH AFTER A FIRE

YOU CAN SEE HALF DOME IN THIS PIC

HALF DOME


LITTLE LIZARD

So many lizards, butterflies, birds, squirrels, chipmunks scurry around you and force you to stay alert.

THAYER AT THE TOP OF SENTINEL DOME

I love this picture. I love how it captures a feeling of comfort as you rest against a rock and marvel at where you are. I feel like we've all been there before in some way.

On the 4th of July, we went to the Mariposa Grove of Big Trees. It was so fun to walk around and identify the main trees that grow here:

The Giant Sequoia
White Fir
Incense Pine
Sugar Pine
Ponderosa Pine

Below are some pictures of me standing in between what looks like two trees but is actually just a burnt out cavity of a single tree that is in the shape of a clothespin. In fact, the park has named it the Clothespin Tree. It's crazy when you realize how small people are next to these trees that are hundreds and hundreds of years old. The oldest known sequoia is about 3,500 years old!



Today, I've started a drawing from my porch of an Incense Cedar and a Ponderosa Pine. A couple little factoids about these trees. Most #2 pencils are made from this wood because it is soft and sharpens easily without splintering. The Ponderosa Pine is also called the Bull Pine, Blackjack Pine or Western Yellow Pine.

Tomorrow I'll be joining park botanist, Liz Bellanger on a day trip to the Tuolumne Meadows to look at the vegetation. This will be my first day out in the field and I absolutely can't wait! Like I said, there is so much more than I could have ever hoped in this place. What an honor...