Name: Adriel Paderanga
Major: Biology
Career/Future Goals: To be any or all of the above (biologist, doctor, writer), fluency in three languages, live overseas
My main goal for this class is to gain a better understanding for the application of science as its applied and taught in New York City. So much of my education in science has been formal. I’ve been pretty divorced as to how science benefits my life, and I’m hoping to gain a better appreciation for New York City’s scientific culture. Additionally, I want to see how people interact with science in an informal setting, something that I haven’t personally experienced much. I’m also expecting to learn about possible jobs in New York City that are science and technology oriented.
During the BioBlitz, I had to look for and classify different kinds of plants. I had a single camera and a notebook to record what plants I found. It was important to have a picture and a tally of how many species I found. For times when there were a great many plants in a single area, I used a rough estimate. It was really fascinating to see how biologically diverse parks are. Before, I’d stroll through and just see trees, grass, and maybe the odd bush if I was really paying attention. Now, I had to see what made a tree distinct from another one. Taking leaves from two similar trees and comparing them was more interesting than I expected. The subtle differences in hues, the varying shapes – I’d never thought I’d be so entertained by a leaf.
Now, I recognize different species, and the knowledge of the park’s diversity makes the park more beautiful, and gives me a greater appreciation for it. In keeping track of and identifying these different plant species, I can help educate my community about our park and hopefully help them gain a deeper connection to it.
I really enjoyed the opportunity to explore and catalog different species of plants in a natural environment. While my allergies proved to be a bit of a hassle, it was certainly an unforgettable experience. While it was a little boring at times, I think it was important for me to realize that scientific progress isn’t always done in explosive leaps and bounds – hard work and tedium are responsible for most discoveries. The hands-on experience the Bioblitz provided was instrumental in that realization.
Plants are interesting and can be harder to identify than, lets say, fish or birds. Have you been keeping track of different trees in your community or have you noticed some of the trees you saw in Central Park in your community?