Course Archive

BIOL 492/692, Arctic Vegetation Ecology (3 credits)

Spring 2012 - Course Information & full syllabus - Final Presentations - Course schedule - Reading assignments (PDFs) - Plant List - Plant Characteristics - Cantwell field trip

Photos!

Dave Klein's photos (.ppt file)

Andrew Balser's photos (on Facebook)

Edie Barbour's photos (on Flickr)

Heather Craig's photos (on Flickr)

Teresa Levi's photos (on Flickr)

Cantwell field trip

March 9, 10, 11

pack van/truck Thursday, March 8

meet at AHRB, March 9, 8:30 a.m.; leave by 9 a.m.

Day 1, Friday, March 9

Eat breakfast! We'll stop at Healy for lunch (or you can bring a sack lunch)

Leisurely drive to Cantwell to take advantage of conditions:

• stopping at 3-4 spots to observe snow, animals, vegetation, etc.
• stop at Jack Lake to see the dippers
• if we see caribou, moose, ptarmigan, or ?? will stop to observe
• cook dinner at the Cantwell cabin on Coleman stoves and sleep on the floor
• build a qinzhee or snow cave and sleep there?

Day 2, Saturday, March 10

• drive part way up the Denali Highway and stop at 4-5 spots:
• seeing animals in, beneath and on top of the snow (collembola, spiders, porcupines, hares). Too early for snow algae, but we could discuss some of the microbiological components found in snow.
• digging the snow pits, observing animals and taking advantage of situations as we find them. Maybe we could have two teams digging pits if we have enough sample equipment.
• main objective is to see how complex the snow is, what is involved in snow metamorphosis, and to think about the consequences to ecological systems.
• spend some time identifying the plants that are visible in the winter above and beneath the snow.

Day 3, Sunday, March 11

• Leisurely breakfast, clean up cabin, drive home, eat lunch at Healy again, return to Fbx by 5 or 6 p.m.

Equipment list

Personal items

Personal field gear

Personal gear checklist (PDF)

• day pack
• field notebook, pen, pencil
• pocket knife
• hand lens
• 2-1 liter water bottles
• small roll of toilet paper
• chapstick
• sun protection
• backcountry skis w/metal edges, boots, poles, wax, gaiters AND/OR snowshoes, poles, gaiters

General camping gear

• Large pack or duffle bag
• 0° F sleeping bag and stuff sack, sleeping pad
• 3-4 waterproof stuff sacks (to hold clothing and misc. gear in pack)
• down booties or tennis shoes or slippers to wear in the cabin
• toiletries: toothbrush/paste, towel/washcloth, soap, brush/comb, medications, aspirin, hand lotion
• spoon, fork, knife, plate, bowl, cup

Field clothing

• polypro or wool-NOT cotton:
  -long underwear
  -sweater
  -fleece jacket
  -balaclava or neck gaitor or scarf
  -ski hat
  -fleece gloves or liners
  -over gloves or mittens
  -2 pair socks
• heavy polypro or wool pants (no jeans or cotton pants)
• rain pants and jacket for digging snow cave or qinzhee
• long sleeve cotton shirt (for warm weather)
• warm parka with hood
• cap with visor
• sunglasses
• bandana
• Sorels or bunny boots or mukluks

Optional personal gear

• thermos for hot drinks
• binoculars
• camera, telephoto lens?
• GPS
• headlamp and/or flashlight
• whistle
• matches
• cell phone
• bathing suit for sauna
• inflatable pillow

Sampling gear

• Snow sampling kit (soil tins, scale)
• hand lens
• plastic bags
• Sharpies
• data sheets
• clipboards
• meter sticks (2)
• meter tape (3)
• duct tape
• carpenter's rule (meters, 3)
• black felt
• 8 mm grid
• small soil cans for snow density
• small scale
• snow probe
• thermometers for snow
• snow tube and scale
• Swiss ramsonde (measures snow hardness)
• UNESCO snow sampling manual (3)

Group items

• 2 vehicles (Deanna)
• camp stoves, stove fuel (2)
• lanterns, flashlights
• spotting scopes & tripods (2 from Biol. & Wildlife)
• Skip: broom, dustpan, cleaning supplies
• Skip: firewood, axe
• Ronnie, AGC: 3 toboggans
• duct tape
• toilet paper
• kitchen wipes
• action packers (2)
• Edie and Skip: large and medium coolers
• scoop shovels
• grain shovels
• leather gloves
• fire extinguisher
• Anja: avalanche shovel

Food

any special dietary needs? Vegetarian/vegan?

• Cooking utensils:
• Skip: 2 large pots, 2 skillets, griddle
• Edie: 1 or 2 large pots, hotpads, skillet, 5 gal H²0 jug, kitchen wipes
• Skip: big spoon, ladle, spatula, paring knife, large knife
• salt, pepper, seasonings, butter
• Skip: paper towels, dish towels, sponge, dish soap;
• bring your own: plate, bowl, cup, silverware - group purchase of some disposables
• 3-2.5 gal H²0 jugs (Fred's)
• 1-2 boxes of bottled H²0

• Breakfast:
• Day 2, Saturday: Amy, Anja, Ronnie
• granola, fruit, yogurt, coffee (cream, sugar)/tea/hot chocolate, juice, bagels, jelly, peanut butter, cheese, salami
• Day 3, Sunday: Dave, Andrew, Vijay
• pancakes, eggs, bacon, coffee/tea/hot chocolate, juice

• Lunch:
• Day 1, Friday: Eat at Healy or bring a sack lunch
• Day 2, Saturday: Sack lunch from home
• Day 3, Sunday: Eat at Healy or bring a sack lunch

• Bring your own snacks:
• chips, cookies, granola bars, fruit, or??
• Skip: burritos

• Dinner:
• Day 1, Friday: Skip, Teresa, Kelly, Jason
• Spaghetti: noodles, sauce (canned tomatoes, sausage, ground beef, mushrooms, onions, garlic, jarred sauce)
• french bread, salad (lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, feta cheese, greek olives, croutons), Skip's dressing
• Day 2, Saturday: Edie, Heather, Carson
• tuna casserole (rice, cream of mushroom soup, frozen peas, tuna, pimentos, onion, celery, cheddar cheese topping)
• french bread, salad (lettuce, spinach, carrots, tomatoes, capers), Skip's dressing

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