"It's definitely Science...or a pet store" - Geoff Wilson
Six weeks into the ten week program, I finally got my REU project off the ground! These nine tubs, located in the Henrietta Kendall Towers Lab next to Pleasant View, were completed Monday the 15th. Each tub is designed to reflect a small area of rocky stream bottom, and the water is kept oxygenated by aquarium bubblers. Six Two Lined salamander larvae were released into each tub. Three tubs were then left as controls, three had a larger Spring salamander larvae added, and the final three had a Spring salamander larvae added inside a small cage. Sixty total salamanders were collected from Bagley Brook inside the Hubbard Brook Forest, and will be returned after my study is over.
What each tub looks like inside, notice cover objects and Spring salamander cage made of PVC pipe
The inside of a PVC cage. The Spring salamander is in the upper left and the much smaller Two Lined salamander is in the bottom right.
What the heck am I doing with 60 captive salamanders? Besides giving myself a headache, since I had to weigh and measure each one, I'm hoping to learn something about how the predation threat of the Spring salamander affects the Two Lined salamander's behavior. Every other night until August 2nd, I will using a red light to visit the tubs from 10 pm until 2 am! Spending 5 minutes on each tub, I turn off the bubbler and write down how many salamanders I see, where they are in the tub, and if they are active or inactive. I just completed my second full night of observations, and Russell saved my life by making me some coffee partway through. Hopefully I can keep staying awake! Stay tuned 🙂
Seth