Fieldwork for my fellowship project

After all the preparations and concerns for state and federal permits to work with an endangered species, I finally got out into the field and collected data for my second Swiss National Science project. Everything worked out. I got a satisfyingly big sample size and I feel very relieved. I had the greatest people helping me and spent an unforgettable time in nature. Elder Creek and Fox Creek in the South Fork Eel River system, Big Creek in Big Sur and Scott Creek close to Santa Cruz. All the microbes are resting in RNA/DNA shield buffer from ZymoBiomics and I am breathing in and out on my couch.

My sister helped me at Fox Creek. It has been 25 years since I last spent time alone with her. This was a unique experience. We drove into the wild, talked, enjoyed the Angelo Coast Range Reserve, the Pacific Coast, Piaci Pizza and a lot of E-fishing.

Shortly thereafter I brought Sabina back to Berkeley to turn around myself and collect in Elder Creek. Thanks to Suzanne the impossible was rendered possible, Suzanne always finds a way. After a lot of rock hopping we could also cross Elder off of my list. Chapeau and all my respect to Suzanne’s hard working interns who helped us fish, measure and tag, and most of all, carry buckets. The Angelo is the most special place where I have experienced nature. It is remote and wild. Kristen Shekelle, an undergrad scientist in the Carlson group, underlined this by showing me a few pictures of racoons, black bears and a mountain lion! (as well as Phil Georgakakos who photobombed the motion cameras a couple of times).

Back in Berkeley we had some permit issues. My heart fell into my pants and I had to shiver for a few days before Stephanie could resolve it and I continued my sampling streak. I spent a wonderful time at the Big Creek reserve last week with Dave Rundio, Heidi Fish and Russell Neches – my devoted field workers. My SAAB was packed with field material, tent, sleeping bag and camera. My colleagues at NOAA offered to help me with my project and I got spoiled with a huge 4WD truck, chairs to sit on in the field and two personal assistants. My friend Russell (a rockstar physicist) got his feet wet and kept us entertained during the long ride from Santa Cruz to the Big Creek Reserve. Highway 1 is still closed and we had to drive through the Salinas Valley and Fort Hunter Liggett. I think I slept most of the drive. Getting my samples after weeks of preparations was a huge relief and I felt the tension to disappear. At the same time I just let myself doze off in the shaking NOAA vehicle.

The last two days I spent in the Santa Cruz area working with Katie Kobayashi and her crew. She is studying food webs and makes O. mykiss regurgitate their food; that is, gastric lavage. I tagged along and sampled symbiotic microbes. Now we have all the measurements we need, fish are photographed and tagged and I am getting ready for my last sampling sites. It finally happened.

In a week the Carlson group is taking off for Tampa, FL. I will blog next time from Florida.

 

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