Friends in the forest: Jun
By Brinna Barlow
A large part of novel scientific research is the collection of samples, which will eventually be converted into numbers for quantitative, data-driven analysis. Most of my career as an ecologist has focussed on sample-collection or “fieldwork”, whether that be for my own research, as a research assistant collecting samples for another researcher or working for a Non-Government Organisation. Often this work takes place in remote locations: secluded savannahs, remote rainforest, and other far-flung fields. Despite the isolation of locations, this is not isolating work. It’s important to have at least one teammate for safety, efficiency and (hopefully) for fun.
In this series of blogs entitled “friends in the field” I would like to introduce some of the people who have made my research possible and to share their experience of what it means to do fieldwork in Hong Kong.
In this fourth instalment I would like to introduce Jun, he is a third-year undergraduate studying at the University of Hong Kong, currently undertaking an internship in the Biodiversity and Ecological Change lab and graduating this summer.
I am here with Jun who is working on an internship in our lab. Jun, please tell us what that entails.
This internship is for my capstone course that I have to fulfil for my graduation. For this internship I am helping you to study insect food webs and collecting the samples like some leaves, some mosquito larvae etc. to learn more about the interactions.
And do you think you’ve learnt anything so far?
Hmm, yes. I think I have learned some techniques to use for lab work.
So, have you got any previous experience doing fieldwork?
I have taken some courses in the past which involved a field trip or fieldwork.
What sort of work was that?
We identified and we measured the trees in a quadrat.
Oh that’s a classic, that’s where we all start. Anything else?
Also, I have gone down to the mangrove sites and identified the trees and learned about the structure and the survival tactics of the mangroves.
Ok, so you have some experience. What are your expectations for the fieldwork that we will do today?
We are going to hike a little bit and go to different sites to collect the leaf samples and then just hike back. I don’t know.
Yeah, that’s pretty much it for sure. Ok, any other expectations?
Hmmm, I think it will be a fun one.
Ok, well I hope so. That’s all the questions for now and I will ask you the other ones when we have finished.
So, this is Jun at the end of the day. So, earlier you said you had some expectations about doing the work and I want to know: were your expectations met?
Mmm, I think it’s a bit more challenging than I anticipated.
Oh yeah? Ok.
Yeah, it’s kind of interesting though.
Ok, good. I am glad. What was something that surprised you about today?
Mmm, I was not expecting it to be so sunny… and there are quite a few quite spikey trees.
Oh yeah.
Yeah, I got poked a bit and some other trees hit me in the face.
Yeah, that happens. Ok, to summarise and wrap it up: how was the overall experience?
I think it’s great.
Wow, that’s good, that’s good stuff. Thank you very much.
Friends in the forest: Victoria
By Brinna Barlow
A large part of novel scientific research is the collection of samples, which will eventually be converted into numbers for quantitative, data-driven analysis. Most of my career as an ecologist has focussed on sample-collection or “fieldwork”, whether that be for my own research, as a research assistant collecting samples for another researcher or working for a Non-Government Organisation. Often this work takes place in remote locations: secluded savannahs, remote rainforest, and other far-flung fields. Despite the isolation of locations, this is not isolating work. It’s important to have at least one teammate for safety, efficiency and (hopefully) for fun.
In this series of blogs entitled “friends in the field” I would like to introduce some of the people who have made my research possible and to share their experience of what it means to do fieldwork in Hong Kong.
In this third instalment I would like to introduce Victoria, Portuguese-Russian-German and all American. She is a first-generation college student and has recently moved to Hong Kong to read a PhD in urban ecology at the University of Hong Kong.
What are your expectations for today?
I think it will be difficult, having heard other people’s stories. I know that we’ll be a bit off-piste so maybe I’ll get to see something new in Hong Kong.
So, were your expectations met?
They were met, but in a good way they were met.
Oh, in a good way they were met?
Yes, it was actually I wouldn’t call it hard fieldwork with what we did today, but it was fun.
Ok
It was a lot of swinging around trees and falling down. I like that stuff though. I think it’s enjoyable and I did feel the burn going up that last hill, so I feel like I got a bit of a work-out in.
So, expectations met in a good way, good. My next question is: what was something that surprised you about today? What was something that you didn’t expect?
What did I not expect? I didn’t expect it to be so hard to find the caterpillars.
Oh ok.
I was shocked at how bad I was [at finding them]. Some of them I was looking around like “where the heck is the flagging tape” and it was right in front of my eyes.
Yeah, you have to get your eye in.
You have to get used to looking.
Yep.
Get your search image in your brain. But I think I did ok.
Yeah, you did we got all of them pretty much. No caterpillar left behind.
Another thing, genuinely what surprised me was that the slopes were really slippery and that I did slip and fall. I thought that everyone was blowing it out of proportion that it was really steep and really slippery fieldwork, but they were right. I can see why people have been falling over. It’s pretty tough.
It’s true, it is pretty tough. So how was your overall experience of today?
Um, it was a 9.5 out of 10. It was very enjoyable: perfect weather, nice and cool out, good breeze, clean air, pretty drive. Also, I saw monkeys, and I hadn’t seen those before. Actually, those surprised me. I was surprised at how large they are and how beefy their muscles look.
Yeah, they’re quite buff.
I don’t think I would win in a fight.
You don’t think you would?
I think you would, but I don’t think I would.
Haha, well hopefully neither of us will ever have to find out.
Yeah.
Fingers crossed.
Friends in the forest: Coşkun
By Brinna Barlow
A large part of novel scientific research is the collection of samples, which will eventually be converted into numbers for quantitative, data-driven analysis. Most of my career as an ecologist has focussed on sample-collection or “fieldwork”, whether that be for my own research, as a research assistant collecting samples for another researcher or working for a Non-Government Organisation. Often this work takes place in remote locations: secluded savannahs, remote rainforest, and other far-flung fields. Despite the isolation of locations, this is not isolating work. It’s important to have at least one teammate for safety, efficiency and (hopefully) for fun.
In this series of blogs entitled “friends in the field” I would like to introduce some of the people who have made my research possible and to share their experience of what it means to do fieldwork in Hong Kong.
In this second instalment I would like to introduce Coşkun, he is Anglo-Turkish having been raised in both these countries. He is a first generation graduate student currently reading a PhD in the Biodiversity and Ecological Change lab at the University of Hong Kong.
My first question is: have you had previous ecological fieldwork experience?
Yes
What is that experience?
So, I’ve worked in freshwater field surveying in East England, in Norfolk. We were surveying crayfish in rivers, catching them, I had to put on waders and spend hours standing in rivers. I also spent time surveying ponds for invertebrates, catching fish and surveying herbaceous plants species along the coast and in salt marshes. So quite a lot. Also in Wales, I did quite a bit there, but that was looking at succession of grazing from sheep. So, there’s all that and I also did some air pollution monitoring around London.
Wow, that’s a lot. So, that’s interesting: you’ve mentioned that you have done aquatic invertebrate surveys and also succession which are the two things that we are looking into with the current research. Did you have a good grasp of the research that we were doing before you came on field work?
No, I didn’t, I didn’t, I joined as a loose cannon and then slowly but surely found out through talking to you.
Ok. Now you’ll have to think back because of course we have already done fieldwork [together]. But what were your expectations for the fieldwork before you came out?
I expected to get very hot and covered in bugs and very muddy and very dirty and that was it. That was the limit of my expectations.
Ok great, and were those expectations met?
No, I actually got cold, there were barely any bugs on me.
Well, it’s winter!
There was one day that we went out where I got totally covered in mud do you remember?
Yup, yes I remember. Good day.
Apart from that it’s been pretty chill to be honest.
Ok well come out in summer and we can meet some more of those expectations.
Some more mud?
Definitely. Tell me, what was something that surprised you about coming out for fieldwork?
Um, how cold it gets in Hong Kong.
Yeah? Have you not had a winter here before?
I did but I never actually felt cold until in rained and was cold at the same time. At that time I felt cold and started to appreciate that this environment has a lot of variation.
It does, it really does, it has about a 30°C swing, crazy.
That is mad.
Yes. So, the only surprise was to do with the weather, not with the work?
Um, the works was kind of just as you would expect, I guess.
Ok well I am glad that I set you up in good stead not to be surprised by the work. So how in general was the overall experience?
Positive, you feel like you go out into the field with Brinna, you’re in safe hands. You [Brinna] know what you’re doing.
Aw, that’s so sweet, I thought you were about to make me look bad.
Haha, please, please put the gun down.
Haha, ok are those the end of your comments?
Yes.
Great.
[Disclaimer: there was no gun I promise]
Friends in the forest: Lincoln
By Brinna Barlow
A large part of novel scientific research is the collection of samples, which will eventually be converted into numbers for quantitative, data-driven analysis. Most of my career as an ecologist has focussed on sample-collection or “fieldwork”, whether that be for my own research, as a research assistant collecting samples for another researcher or working for a Non-Government Organisation. Often this work takes place in remote locations: secluded savannahs, remote rainforest, and other far-flung fields. Despite the isolation of locations, this is not isolating work. It’s important to have at least one teammate for safety, efficiency and (hopefully) for fun.
In this series of blogs entitled “friends in the field” I would like to introduce some of the people who have made my research possible and to share their experience of what it means to do fieldwork in Hong Kong.
In this first instalment I would like to introduce Lincoln, he was born and raised in Hong Kong and enjoys recreational hiking but doesn’t stray from the path. This was his first experience of fieldwork.
So, was this your first day of ever doing ecological fieldwork?
Yes
And how was the experience?
Interesting, because I discovered something unusual, something not man made and saw some ancient man-made things as well.
What was the most interesting thing about today?
Discovering more of the forest, the places that I wouldn’t normally see.
What were your expectations for today when I told you that we were going on fieldwork?
I expected to see a different side of Hong Kong, maybe a hidden gem not yet discovered by most people and to gain knowledge about the life cycle and the ecosystem of the forest.
Were your expectations met?
I did learn something about the life cycle of the forest, and we saw a waterfall I had never seen before so perhaps that is my hidden gem of the day.
I am glad that you learned something and enjoyed the waterfall. The walk to that particular field-plot is my favourite of all of the plots so I am happy I could share that with you.
Was there anything that stood out as something you did not expect? Perhaps something with the work or the forest or perhaps something that you surprised yourself with today?
I already knew that I would enter areas off the main trail, but I was surprised by the terraced area off the trail used for growing the tea [200 years ago] and the [abandoned] tombs there, it is interesting to see what Hong Kong had in the past. The history of Hong Kong forest is quite interesting.
Also, I didn’t expect that I would be on such a slippery slope. That’s something I wouldn’t do by myself. One more thing; I am actually quite afraid of insects. I think that if I was not wearing long sleeves or long trousers I wouldn’t enter [the forest]. I was quite afraid of touching the insects or spiders.
I was interested in the tea terraces as well. The first time I went [to that plot] I took a much more convoluted route as I hadn’t found the path yet and I was interested to find the terraces. I didn’t know what they were, and I looked up why there were there; that’s how I learnt about the history of the tea terraces and the graves that are there. I am glad you enjoyed that nugget of history. I am sorry that the steep slopes came as a surprise. Perhaps I should have better warned you. When I say “steep” I think maybe it doesn’t quite get the severity across. I should be clearer, that’s noted with thanks. Well done for being brave with the insects. Being covered up in the wild makes me feel more confident as well but I feel it’s the same on a normal hike; insects are inevitable.
The final question I have for today is this: how was the overall experience for you? What is your summary of today?
I basically ignored most of the insects today. In general, I would not touch so much the green stuff, but I did not care much today. I found the fieldwork exciting, challenging, and surprising. I didn’t expect it would be that steep, but it was a good challenge. I don’t mind the sliding; it was something new to me, a new experience. I think for most of the kids in Hong Kong, their parents wouldn’t encourage them to do something like this because it could be quite dangerous, but they could learn a lot [from doing it]. Sometimes, I think that if you get closer to the forest you can feel the power of nature. You could be part of nature; your smell, your senses could be enhanced. To get closer to nature you can smell and listen more. I feel like living in the urban area so long somehow, I feel like I lose some sense of smell, hearing, and taste. Today was also good training, to enhance my stamina.
Thank you for that round-up. I think that’s a good place to leave it today. I think you’re right to say that being in nature can enhance your senses. Personally, I think being in nature connects with my sense of wellbeing. Also, you will never have more acute hearing that if you’re alone in a forest. Hopefully, more young people will be encouraged to get outdoors and learn about nature because that’s the way we’re going to learn to appreciate it. You can’t really value something if you don’t know anything about it. Thank you for coming along today I look forward to our next fieldwork session!