Jared and Amy at Witherington Spring
Amy and Jared prepare the hydrolab for use
Jared reads the hydrolab at Rock Spring
There’s a fungus among us..several, actually!
Wekiva GeoPark prescribed burn
Preparing the hydrolab for next week!
We were very grateful to have Jared Sholk of Selznick Middle School in Maitland, Florida, join us in the field today! Jared won a ‘day out in the field’ by being voted most valuable teammember in a recent Cambrian Foundation Ocean Legacy Program held at Hontoon Island.
As usual, we began the day by calibrating the hydrolab. Jared performed a calibration for dissolved oxygen, specific conductance, and a two-point calibration for pH (7 & 10).
Jared collected three replicate readings at each sampling location. Collecting data in triplicate helps to ensure proper equipment function and reduces the chance of operator error.
Along the trail on the way to Witherington Spring, we encountered a black bear track, some fungus (which Jared is studying in school now), plenty of mud, and a nearly complete deer skeleton…oh, and many, many spiders!
We also stopped off to walk through the woods where a controlled burn had just occurred. The debris was still smoldering, and we discussed the significance of fire which promotes nutrient cycling within a forested ecosystem.
We had a wonderful day in the field and were very happy to have an extra pair of hands! Congrats, Jared!