Tag Archive for: course-ESRM_499

This past week was primarily focused on producing maps in ESRI’s ArcGIS for my final report. The map below shows the locations of my six study sites in the Former Red Gum eucalyptus grove. It should be noted that this is the first draft of this map. Other than preparing maps, the past couple weeks have been pretty quiet. My last update was focused on the seeding that had taken place. I was fortunate to have two storms come through the area after the seed was broadcast! I will be making a trip out to the study sites in the next week to check on any germination progress. Rain is also forecasted for the end of the week, so fingers are crossed that the forecast holds up!

This week I submitted my methods draft for my research project. This was the first draft of my methods section and it was reviewed by three of my peers in an in class review session. I took some of the critics and comments and integrated them into the revision of my methods section. While I am still waiting for my professors thoughts and opinions of the draft this preliminary peer critic has helped improve my methods section and given me ideas on how to improve the work.

This week the students had a guest speaker from LiMPETS to talk to them about long-term monitoring and why they do it for the sandy beach and rocky intertidal.  Students then played a game of jenga that is representing an ecosystem. Students were to pick up a card and read it out loud to their groups and the either had a direct or an indirect or a positive impact on the ecosystem.  The direct and indirect impacts are the orange and red blocks and the green are positive impacts. The more orange and red blocks that were taken out the weaker the tower so the green blocks were there to support the tower if they were played.

Jenga game 

We also got into the rocky intertidal monitoring protocol and students were given some species they might find on the field we have next week. Students then went outside to try to identify some of the algae, and other species.

Overall I think the students enjoyed their activities for the week. I saw excitement in their faces when they were doing the activities.

I found out some good news today from professor Patsch. I will have access to ENVI from a school computer in about a week or less, which will allow me to do the Dark Object Subtraction from all map years. Atmospheric Correction

This week was all about my methods section, I have some revision to do but for the most part my peers enjoyed the section of the paper and stated that i gave enough information to repeat the process for future projects on island oak trees. I am still polygoning my groves in ArcMap, it has been slow and painful but the map is coming out fantastic. I am still having issues with the 1989 map but this can be solved next week when I meet with Ryan Summer.