Fieldwork Ready. Sara E. Vero

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      Fieldwork Ready

      An Introductory Guide to Field Research for Agriculture, Environment, and Soil Scientists

       Sara E. Vero

      Copyright © 2021 American Society of Agronomy, Inc., Crop Science Society of America, Inc., and Soil Science Society of America, Inc. All rights reserved.

      Copublication by © American Society of Agronomy, Inc., Crop Science Society of America, Inc., and Soil Science Society of America, Inc. and John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

      No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted by law. Advice on how to reuse material from this title is available at http://wiley.com/go/permissions.

      The right of Sara E. Vero to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with law.

      Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy of completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties or merchantability of fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The publisher is not providing legal, medical, or other professional services. Any reference herein to any specific commercial products, procedures, or services by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not constitute or imply endorsement, recommendation, or favored status by the ASA, CSSA and SSSA. The views and opinions of the author(s) expressed in this publication do not necessarily state or reflect those of ASA, CSSA and SSSA, and they shall not be used to advertise or endorse any product.

      Editorial Correspondence: American Society of Agronomy, Inc. Crop Science Society of America, Inc. Soil Science Society of America, Inc. 5585 Guilford Road, Madison, WI 53711‐58011, USA

       agronomy.org crops.org soils.org

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       Library of Congress Cataloging‐in‐Publication Data

      Name: Vero, Sara, author.

      Title: Fieldwork ready : an introductory guide to field research for agriculture, environment, and soil scientists / Sara E. Vero.

      Description: Hoboken, NJ, USA : Wiley‐ACSESS, 2021. | Includes bibliographical references and index.

      Identifiers: LCCN 2020028489 | ISBN 9780891183754 (paperback)

      Subjects: LCSH: Environmental sciences–Research–Methodology. | Agriculture–Research–Methodology. | Fieldwork (Educational method)

      Classification: LCC GE70 .V47 2020 | DDC 550.72/3–dc23

      LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020028489

      doi:10.2134/fieldwork

      Cover Design: Wiley

      Cover Image: © Jaclyn Fiola

       With gratitude to all those friends who have dug through the earth, marched across grasslands or waded upstream with me. What a wonderful adventure.

       To the reader; my grandfather Paddy Vero said that “An ounce of help is worth a ton of pity.” I have been the happy beneficiary of many kind helpers. I hope this book will give you at least that ounce of help when you need it.

       “Whatsoever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might”

       Ecclesiastes 9.10

      List of Photo Contributors

      Jaclyn Fiola

      Robert Collins

      Jesse Nippert

      Nicolette Roach

      Krista Keels

      Karen Vaughan

      Katie O’Reilly

      Julie Campbell

      Rachel Murphy

      Derek Gibson

      Brandon Forsythe

      Lauren McPhillips

      Sian Green

      Andrea Brookfield

      Sophie Sherriff

      Noemi Nazsarkowski

      David Jaramillo

      Giulia Bondi

      Teagasc (Raymond Kelly – Head of Research Support)

      Preface

      Field‐based research is a cornerstone of agronomic and environmental science, yielding information that helps us produce crops efficiently, manage resources, and steward the environment. For students and researchers, it allows insights into the real world, which cannot be achieved in the classroom or library alone. Fieldwork is, for many, an exciting and engaging part of their work and studies. However, it brings unique challenges pertaining to experimental design, planning, safety, and team management, in addition to the scientific techniques being employed. The field researcher needs to be well‐rounded and adaptable; able to deal with the unexpected and to improvise in response to challenges arising outside of the clean, controlled environment of the laboratory.

      Fieldwork Ready is intended to help you to become an effective researcher, whether you are involved in agronomy, soil science, hydrology, geography, or any other field‐based study. This book includes advice on design, planning, and logistics, which are essential for all field researchers, and then discusses basic techniques related to environmental monitoring, and soil, water, plant, and