At Alley Pond Park, my group was in charge of collecting soil samples around the park so our leader could determine the difference in microbios in different areas. Two of the samples we took were aquatic, while one was not. After hiking for 20 minutes, we arrived at a small pond that encircled a large cage-like structure. I learned that this structure is called “the lion’s cage” and is used to catch debris during natural disasters.
My main job was to take a small about of soil into a large tube, so it could be tested later on. Getting down and dirty for the experiment was definitely a fun and new experience. The soil here was thick, dark, and compact. Our second location was not near water, but an area under a pair of hanging pants on a tree we encountered on the way to our last location. I automatically realized that the texture and visual of the sol in this area was very different. The dirt was much looser and lighter in color, making it much easier to get into the sampling tube. It would make sense that different bacteria would live in this type of soil compared to one that has been affected by water.
Our third location was our second aquatic sample. We arrived at a pond that was inhabited by fish (many dead) and birds. We climbed under the wooden bridge we were walking on to get the sample of dirt. The texture of this soil was similar to the first, but more freshly wet since the tide had just fallen. We continued to stay in that are to take in the scene, have a conversation about what we learned, and watch the tide continue to fall.
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Overall, BioBlitz a very unique experience that I would not have had otherwise. Getting out of the city atmosphere to learn about nature and ecology was truly thought-provoking and mind opening. It is crazy to think about the fact that there are million of microbios in even one gram of soil. I learned that although animals, water, and plants are important to the environment, so are the tiny bacteria we can not see.
Samples of soil taken at Alley Pond Park for future microbio testing. We had some interesting labeling.#mhcbioblitz #bcsfh20 pic.twitter.com/hu8CE6D1uL
— Ji Soo Choi (@JiSooChoiMHC) September 13, 2017
