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Thursday, April 3, 2014

Denied...

This week I finally heard back from the Estrella Mountain Community College Student Conference. They regret to inform me that they have not accepted my research proposal for this years conference. This does not worry me as I will find another outlet to present my data. The notification E-mail from EMCC contained a couple of abbreviated comments on my proposal that I find interesting.

1: "Seems to be two projects here..., reproduction and adaptation to washes... It is a bit muddled."

I feel that my proposal pretty clearly stated that the reproduction (cloning) IS an adaption to thriving in the washes.

2: "Not sure if his methodology will actually yield the results he is looking for."

I am recording qualitative (observable) data that shows cloning in the Palo Verde, and supporting that, I am conducting genetic analyses to prove that cloning is occurring. Just exactly what other methodology could be used to do this?

OK complain fest is over!

Matt Haberkorn and I went back to the sample plot at Squaw Peak and recorded topographical data from the terrain in a 3 coordinate system. Using this data I was able to create this site map:



This data was collected by the use of two meter sticks with levels attached. The first was held vertically (plumb) at the "0" mark of the transect line and the second was extended a full meter from the first and lowered until the far end connected with the bank. When held level, this indicated the elevation change to the far point. The vertical stick was then moved up the bank to the exact spot the horizontal stick made contact and the process repeated until we reached a point beyond the highest specimen that I collected leaf samples from. We then reset and began from the one meter mark on the transect line, and continued until the entire plot was recorded on a one meter grid.


Matt and I at work

We will be returning tomorrow to collect data and high resolution images of root systems. We decided that we have a bit better of a method to plot the actual location of the specimens.

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