Electronics and field research are more intertwined than ever. With the advent of inexpensive multifunction dataloggers, more and more research projects are deploying sensor systems with the intent of obtaining multiple years of data. Long term observation sites have been
Semi-arid woodlands are home to generally older vegetation than montane forests and other places that see frequent natural or human disturbances. In fact, the western United States is chock-full of long-lived trees and shrubs. Most of these “fly under the
Unless you do your field science right outside your office door, chances are that you use some sort of mechanical conveyance to get to your research sites. Most interesting places for research aren’t exactly next to a paved road –
Nothing can replace real observations in the field. For a couple of decades now, electronic monitoring of environmental processes has been mainstream in science circles. These days, almost every hydrology or ecology researcher has some campaign in progress where electronic
When studying mountain systems, limiting your focus to a single elevation can also limit the story you can elicit from your observations. Intuitively it may seem that a bristlecone pine stand, a pika community, or a montane snowpack is disconnected
What good would a field scientist’s blog be without a series on field tools? Today’s post is about getting more out of your Smartphone than just mobile Sudoku. Regardless of the mission, every field person worth their salt needs to
What does climate look like? How do people envision climate as a process? How can we better “visualize” real mechanisms that make up climate? As we think about these questions, we must first touch on what we mean when we
Exploring the natural world. There is plenty yet to do, even in the good ol’ U.S. of A. Compared with the naturalists of yesteryear, today’s explorers have access to amazing technology, mobile air conditioning, and pretty awesome footwear. It is easier