Learning how to adapt your research experiment when met with unpredictable obstacles
Geology student Claira Johnson discusses her experience with researching in the rainforest of Ecuador with the Honors College
I am Claira Johnson, and I am excited to share my experience with conducting research in the Amazon Rainforest with the Honors College over the summer!
Ever since I was little, I have been fascinated with the Amazon Rainforests and all of the unique species that live there. When I applied for the Young Explorers Program of ÇéÉ«ÎåÔÂÌì: Ecuador, I honestly did not think I was going to be picked. This research trip was geared toward biological science and not so much toward geology. However, I developed valuable research skills that would be helpful for a career in geology.
Before we left for this trip, I got to design my own research proposal. The most difficult part of designing this project was deciding what I wanted to study and how I could realistically conduct the experiment. I used my experience working in the ÇéÉ«ÎåÔÂÌì, Reno Museum of Natural History to come up with an idea.
In the museum, I create data labels and digitize the Lepidopteran (moth and butterfly) specimens that have been collected from Costa Rica and Ecuador. I also occasionally pin the specimens and spread out their wings so that they can be added to the collection. I decided to use this experience in museum curation and my familiarity with tropical Lepidoptera to design my project.
The plan for my project was to use a light trap to collect tropical moths in Ecuador. I planned to set out the trap every couple of days and sort the moths that I collected. Once I returned home, I would curate the moth specimens to be donated to the Natural History Museum. I would use the data collected combined with the current data in the museum to analyze population trends of these moths. It seemed like a straightforward project, but once I arrived in Ecuador, I realized how unpredictable research can be.
The first time I set out my light trap at the research station, we collected too many moths and other insects. As a result, almost all of the moths collected were damaged because they would flap their wings and destroy the other moths. Another night, I collected a bunch of huge beetles that ate all of the moths. Some nights, there were only a couple of moths collected. However, every time there was a setback with my collection methods, my cohort and I would adapt the method and try again. Despite this challenge, I was still able to collect a decent number of specimens.
Besides my own project, I got to help with a couple of other ongoing research projects that were being conducted at the same time. For one, we collected Eois caterpillars from Piper Kelleyi plants. We also collected Piper Kelleyi branches to plant a common garden. This project had its own obstacles. On some plants, we would only find five caterpillars on plants that we had expected to find one hundred. The only thing we could do was to keep looking for caterpillars. Although this was frustrating, over time we learned what signs to look for to find the caterpillars.
Other than research, there we were able to experience so many new and exciting things. For example, we tried chonta which is a palm fruit that tastes kind of like carrots and tree tomatoes. We also got to enjoy fresh fruits like passionfruit, pineapple, plantains, coconuts, strawberries, watermelon and papaya every day. On the way to the research station, we took an eight-hour canoe ride down the river. Later in the week, we also swam in the river.
While we were in the rainforest, we got to see so many new animals. There were many types of hummingbirds, kingfishers, parrots, macaws, hoatzins, vultures, and condors. We also saw all types of caterpillars, giant atlas moths, and blue morpho butterflies. Every once in a while we would find centipedes, tarantulas, fireflies, bullet ants, and leaf cutter ants. There were so many colorful insects everywhere. One of the most surprising things we found were squirrel monkeys. We had to chase them through the rainforest just to catch a glimpse of them. We also saw agoutis, which are small rodents that kind of look like squirrels. My favorite creatures we found were cordyceps-infected insects.
The rainforest itself was also fantastic to explore. I never realized how many houseplants can be found in the rainforest, like bromeliads. It was also quite fun to use a machete to slice through these thick plants so we could keep walking through. We would constantly get stuck in the mud or slip down steep slopes. Every day, we would get such a good workout just trying to get through the mud. Some days, it was so foggy that we couldn’t even see the mountains around us. However, on clear days the views were fantastic.
Through this trip, I learned so much about the research process and how to adapt when plans don’t work out. Experiencing another culture and environment opened my eyes to how beautiful the world can be. In the future, I hope to continue to research and explore beautiful ecosystems like the Amazon Rainforest.
