Fieldwork Ready. Sara E. Vero

4.1 Face to face meetings give team members the opportuity to discuss t...Fig. 4.2 My team investigating a soil pit! Fieldwork is a great opportunity ...Fig. 4.3 The buddy system can be used in the field for efficient data collec...Fig. 4.4 Data recording issues; (a) unrealistic values, (b) flat‐lined data ...Fig. 4.5 Your head is vulnerable to the cold and to sun. These researchers w...Fig. 4.6 Waders incorporate boots, waterproof trousers and a bib. They shoul...Fig. 4.7 Working in rivers requires specialist clothing such as waders. Chec...Fig. 4.8 Biting or stinging insects such as mosquitos can be extremely irrit...Fig. 4.9 Urine colour is an indicator of hydration status.Fig. 4.10 These researchers are dressed for a long day in the outdoors. Plan...Fig. 4.11 Not all fences will be clearly indicated like this one.Fig. 4.12 Be careful around electric fences. These can give you a nasty or e...Fig. 4.13 Fieldwork can be stressful. Don’t forget to take a moment to appre...Fig. 4.14 Liquid nitrogen is stored in double‐walled containers and maintain...Fig. 4.15 Bulk density sampling equipment including sampling rings (Ø 5 cm),...Fig. 4.16 The wildlife you may encounter on fieldwork varies depending on yo...Fig. 4.17 Domestic animals are responsible for a greater proportion of anima...Fig. 4.18 This gray rat snake is not venomous but be aware of potentially da...

      5 Chapter 5Fig. 5.1 (a) Accurate and precise; all the arrows hit the bull’s eye, (b) pr...Fig. 5.2 Soil moisture hysteresis means that at a certain matric potential (...Fig. 5.3 There are many different approaches to environmental monitoring inc...Fig. 5.4 Setting up a data logger requires programming using software such a...Fig. 5.5 Multiplexers (shown above the datalogger) are used to increase the ...Fig. 5.6 A thin layer of solder can be applied to the exposed ends of wire. ...Fig. 5.7 Powering your equipment in the field can be challenging. If you are...Fig. 5.8 Solar panels, when correctly installed, can be used to power rechar...Fig. 5.9 Monitoring arrays include sensors, a datalogger and a power source....Fig. 5.10 A battery tester or multi‐meter is a useful piece of equipment for...Fig. 5.11 Thermistor (a – European symbol, b – US symbol) and thermocouple (...Fig. 5.12 Staff gauges like this allow height of water to be recorded, which...Fig. 5.13 An anemometer is used to measure wind speed.Fig. 5.14 Tipping bucket rain gauges have a small see‐saw mechanism which ti...Fig. 5.15 Preparing a rain gauge for deployment.Fig. 5.16 Snow can interfere with rain gauges. Take note if/when this happen...Fig. 5.17 Eddy covariance measurement is used to monitor atmospheric fluxes ...Fig. 5.18 This weather station includes a rain gauge, anemometer, temperatur...Fig. 5.19 This loggerbox is securely fastened to a steel post. It also safel...Fig. 5.20 This logger box protects the data‐logger and sensor wiring from ex...Fig. 5.21 Labelling the wires connecting to the datalogger can help if adjus...Fig. 5.22 Carefully record the depth, height or position at which you instal...Fig. 5.23 Covering wires and cables with PVC pipes, as shown here, can preve...Fig. 5.24 Downloading data in the field.

      6 Chapter 6Fig. 6.1 This bulk density ring has a sharp edge that allows it to cut into ...Fig. 6.2 A colourful soil profile.Fig. 6.3 Cupcake tins are useful for separating soil samples from different ...Fig. 6.4 This soil from the A horizon shows friable structure and has been p...Fig. 6.5 Mottled colors such as those seen here indicate reduction of iron w...Fig. 6.6 Hand texturing can be used to determine soil textural class (see ...Fig. 6.7 Grey coloration indicates prolonged periods of saturation. This soi...Fig. 6.8 Form a ribbon with the damp soil using your thumb. How long can you...Fig. 6.9 Simple guide to identify soil texture by hand, adapted from Thien e...Fig. 6.10 Forming a high clay soil sample into a ball.Fig. 6.11 Take a handful of soil, moisten and knead. Record the feel: is it ...Fig. 6.12 Test for a smooth or gritty feeling.Fig. 6.13 Silty soil has a smooth, silky feel when damp.Fig. 6.14 Practice is the best way to become comfortable with hand texturing...Fig. 6.15 USDA soil textural triangle.Fig. 6.16 Examining the structure of the horizons.Fig. 6.17 Some colorful soils!Fig. 6.18 Munsell charts are used to identify the exact color of soil sample...Fig. 6.19 Augering involves twisting of driving a gouge or corkscrew sampler...Fig. 6.20 A gouge auger with a tapered cutting edge.Fig. 6.21 Mechancal corers use a motor to drive the sampler into the soil. T...Fig. 6.22 A soil core divided into sub‐sections for analysis.Fig. 6.23 Soil cores should be measured and can be subdivided into sections ...Fig. 6.24 PVC pipes can be used to store and transport soil cores for analys...Fig. 6.25 Suction is applied to soil pore water samplers using a pump or syr...Fig. 6.26 This researcher is preparing pore water samplers by applying a slu...

      7 Chapter 7Fig. 7.1 This researcher is sampling lake water via an access hole drilled i...Fig. 7.2 Sampling watercourses may require access by boat. This should be co...Fig. 7.3 Accurately recording stream width and cross sectional area is impor...Fig. 7.4 A staff gauge is a measuring rod fixed to the river bank. This can ...Fig. 7.5 Flumes like these have a fixed cross‐sectional area which allows ac...Fig. 7.6 Multiparameter probes can also be lowered down monitoring wells to ...Fig. 7.7 When grab sampling, rinse the bottle with water from the watercours...Fig. 7.8 Multi‐parameter probes can be lowered deeper within the water‐colum...Fig. 7.9 Extendable poles (‘dippers’) can be used to collect a sample from d...Fig. 7.10 Water samples should be stored in cool‐boxes or on ice. This resea...Fig. 7.11 An autosampler consists of a pump, datalogger and sampling bottles...Fig. 7.12 Autosamplers should be installed at uniform cross‐sections. Where ...Fig. 7.13 This open channel velocimeter sits on the streambed and measures f...Fig. 7.14 These researchers are using augers to sample submerged soil/sedime...Fig. 7.15 Sediment in deeper river or lake beds can be sampled using a varie...Fig. 7.16 Sediment cores can be several metres long, depending on the nature...Fig. 7.17 This sediment core has been extracted from the lake bed and is bei...Fig. 7.18 In this photo rubber bungs have been used to seal the core and pre...Fig. 7.19 Like soil cores, sediment cores should be measured and sectioned d...Fig. 7.20 This pontoon has been adapted to include solar panels for charging...Fig. 7.21 The buddy system in action ‐ researchers collecting sediment sampl...Fig. 7.22 Time‐integrated sediment sampler diagram.Fig. 7.23 This monitoring well has a steel casing above the ground to protec...Fig. 7.24 Drilling a well. Fig. 7.25 This cross‐section shows a well piezometer used to intercept the w...Fig. 7.26 Water standing in the borehole should be purged before taking a gr...Fig. 7.27 When sampling groundwater ensure a steady, non‐turbulent flow. The...

      8 Chapter 8Fig. 8.1 Randomization using Microsoft Excel. (a) List your plots/blocks in ...Fig. 8.2 Grass plots prior to harvesting.Fig. 8.3 Layout of plots using the 5‐4‐3 method.Fig. 8.4 Preparing to apply cattle slurry to grass plots using watering cans...Fig. 8.5 Applying cattle slurry to grass plots. Multiple passes are made to ...Fig. 8.6 Granular fertilizer can be applied to small plots by hand. Use smal...Fig. 8.7 Application of liquid treatment using an applicator wand. The heigh...Fig. 8.8 Growth stages of wheat.Fig. 8.9 Growth stages of corn.Fig. 10 Growth stages of perennial forage grasses.Fig. 11 Growth stages of soybeans.Fig. 8.12 Harvested samples can be assessed for species composition, mass, d...Fig. 8.13 This researcher is using a quadrat which has been subdivided into ...Fig. 8.14 Handheld canopy analysis devices can non-destructively measure pla...Fig. 8.15 These researchers are taking measurements and identifying plant co...Fig. 8.16 These grass plots have been harvested and surplus vegetation remov...Fig. 8.17 Rising plate meters can be used to provide a non‐destructive measu...Fig. 8.18 Calculating hillslope and tree height using a clinometer. Fig. 8.19 Tree diameter should be measured at 4.5 feet above ground level. K...Fig. 8.20 Herbage samples should be bagged, labeled and weighed as soon as p...Fig. 8.21 You should choose mowing or harvesting equipment based on the dime...Fig. 8.22 These researchers are collecting herbage from the harvester and su...

      9 Chapter 9Fig. 9.1 Always consider the safety and welfare of any animals which could b...Fig. 9.2 Take care when handling, measuring and releasing wildlife. You shou...Fig. 9.3 These researchers are carefully taking measurements of various spec...Fig. 9.4 These researchers are using a Fyke net to trap fish. Methodologies ...Fig. 9.5 Handheld GPS devices like these have many applications in field res...Fig. 9.6 Trail cameras like this one can be used in many different locations...Fig. 9.7 Camera trapping is used in an enormous variety of settings and with...Fig. 9.8 Trail cameras can be secured to trees, tripods or other secure loca...

      Guide

      1  Cover

      2 Table of Contents

      3  Begin Reading