My name is Claire Johnson, and I am excited to share with you my experiences doing research in the Amazon Rainforest this summer with the Honors College.
Ever since I was a young child, I have been fascinated by the Amazon rainforest and the unique creatures that inhabit it. When I applied to the Ecuador, Nevada Young Explorers Program, I honestly didn't think I would be selected. The expedition was focused on biological sciences and not so much on geology. However, I gained valuable research skills that will serve me well in a career in geology.
Before I set off on this journey, I had to design my research proposal. The most difficult part of designing this project was deciding what I wanted to study and how to realistically carry out the experiment. I used my experience working at the Natural History Museum at the University of Nevada, Reno to develop my idea.
The museum creates data labels, Lepidoptera The exhibit features moth and butterfly specimens from Costa Rica and Ecuador. Sometimes, the specimens are pinned up and spread out, and added to the collection. With his experience in museum curation and knowledge of the tropics, Lepidoptera To design the project.
The plan for my project was to collect tropical moths in Ecuador using light traps. I intended to set traps every few days and categorize the moths I collected. When I returned home, I would organize moth specimens to donate to a natural history museum. I would combine the data I collected with the museum's current data to analyze population trends of these moths. It seemed like a simple project, but once I arrived in Ecuador, I realized how unpredictable research can be.
When I first set up the light traps at the research station, there were too many moths and other insects. As a result, most of the moths I collected were injured because they flapped their wings and killed the others. Another night I collected many huge beetles, which ate all the moths. Some nights I only collected a few moths. But every time my collecting method failed, my companions and I changed the method and tried again. Despite these difficulties, I was able to collect a significant number of specimens.
Besides my own project, I was able to help with several research projects that were going on at the same time. One of them was Eois From caterpillars Piper Kelly I also collected plants. Piper Kelly The project involved planting branches to plant in a common garden. This project had its own obstacles. On some plants, we expected to find 100 caterpillars, but we only found 5. All we could do was keep looking for them. This was a frustrating task, but over time, we learned what signs to look for in order to find the caterpillars.
Besides research, we experienced many new and fun things there. For example, we tried the chonta palm, which tastes similar to carrots and tomatoes. We also enjoyed fresh fruits every day, such as passion fruit, pineapple, plantain, coconut, strawberries, watermelon, and papaya. On the way to the research station, we went on an 8-hour river boat trip. Later that week, we even went swimming in the river.
While in the rainforest, we got to see a lot of new animals. There were many kinds of hummingbirds, kingfishers, parrots, macaws, clawed tigers, vultures, condors, and many more. We also saw all kinds of caterpillars, giant atlas moths, and blue morpho butterflies. We also found centipedes, tarantulas, fireflies, leaf-cutter ants, and leaf-cutter ants from time to time. There were lots of colorful insects everywhere. One of the most surprising things we found was the squirrel monkey. We had to chase it through the rainforest to get a glimpse of it. We also saw the agouti, a small rodent similar to a squirrel. My favorite creature we found was the cordyceps-infected insect.
The rainforest itself was great to explore. I had no idea there were so many ornamental plants, like bromeliads, in the rainforest. It was also great fun using machetes to cut through the dense vegetation and keep going. We kept getting stuck in the mud and sliding down steep slopes. Just wading through the mud every day was a great workout. Some days the fog was so thick we couldn't see the surrounding mountains, but on clear days the views were amazing.
Through this trip, I learned a lot about the research process and how to adapt when things don't go according to plan. Experiencing different cultures and environments has opened my eyes to how beautiful the world is. I look forward to continuing to study and explore beautiful ecosystems like the Amazon rainforest.