Day 6: POBR June 21, 2024

Day 6: June 21, 2024

        The class was scheduled to wake up at 6:30am. We completed our assigned chores. We all loaded up and met up with the Deschutes National Forest Botanist—Marla Fisher. Fisher’s project focuses on a rare plant survey for the plant species pumice moonwart, Botrychium pumicola (BOPU). Fisher also calls this project BOPU (pictured in figure 1) for short. We started out with introductions and then started with a meaningful question. The question was, “what does the natural world mean to you?” It was nice hearing the answers from everyone. 

        Fisher briefly explained how pumice moonwart was a native plant species within the volcanic ash/rock and how it the plant species is declining. The project site was located at two different spots at the Bend Fort Rock in the Deschutes National Forest. The location is specifically in the shrub steppe habitat. Also note, that the soil/rock type there was dominantly volcanic ash and white rocks. The rocks that were present was very light weight. We also talked about how the rocks where white and how that reflects the albedo back up. The pumice moonwart in this location is declining 20 percent of their population. The rate of this decline is indicating that something is off balance. It's important to think about the climate that pumice moonwart is living in and to consider the factors that is causing the decline in their population.  

Figure 1: Pumice moonwart, Botrychium pumicola (BOPU).

        After the brief overview, we started the survey. The protocol for this rare plant survey was to line up 10 feet apart and walk in transects of each other. While walking, we had to identify and flag any pumice moonwart we found. The first site, we hardly found anything in the location. Marla had another site in a different location that needed to be surveyed in a fenced enclosure. This fenced enclosure was built to protect the pumice moonwart from cattle grazing. To conclude the survey, as a team we found a total of 108 pumice moonwart plants. After a hot day in the field, we ventured back to town to shower and then headed back to camp. Dr. Black’s friend was very generous and kind to allow us to shower at her place. Very much appreciated! 

        Once we got back to camp around 6pm, we took a small 15-minute break then met up with Dr. Schuster to collect a water sample and water quality test at the Crane Prairie Lake/reservoir. The class took the water quality test by collecting the temperature, PH level, and conductivity. Then took a sample of the water. We ventured back to camp and got ready for dinner. 

        After dinner, we jumped right into our lab coats to start the process for bacteria culturing and starch hydrology testing for the water samples for Bird Creek, Block House Creek, and Snow Plow Creek. The process for this step was to pull the agar plates (from bacteria isolation) out of the incubator. Then we took notes down for the morphology observation from the agar plates. An example of this, would be opening the agar plate to look for any smears, spots, and/or shiny residue (pictured in figure 2). 

Figure 2: Agar plate for Bird Creek shows smears of bacteria present. 

        The next step was to start the process for the hydrolytic (digestive) enzymes--starch hydrolysis test. We basically opened our agar plates then put a drop of iodine on the visible bacteria. All results came back negative for starch. The next step was to start the process for bacteria culturing. This is where we teamed up and all took a sample each and started the process for staining the bacteria (pictured in figure 3). Virginia and I teamed up and started the process for Bird Creek. We followed this process for staining the bacteria step by step: 

1) Dr. Schuster provided us with PPE materials and supplies. 

2) Put a drop of water on the glass. 

3) Took a swab of the visible bacteria 

4) Run the glass/sample over the flame to dry

5) Drop of violet for 20 seconds

6) Rinse with water

7) Drop of iodine for 1 minute

8) Rinse with ethanol to decolorize

9) Rinse with water

10) Drop of safranin for 1 minute

11) Rinse with water

12) Blot with paper to dry

Figure 3: This photo shows the glass after bacteria culturing.

        Dr. Schuster emphasized that this process is very important. Once this process was completed, we got to look at the samples in the microscope. Dr. Schuster had us identify if this was considered a ground positive or ground negative. We also had to identify the morphology of the bacteria shape. The potential results will include spirochetes, bacillus, or coccus. To conclude this blog, the results that Virginia and I got for Bird Creek was considered ground negative and the morphology of the bacteria shape indicates bacillus. This concluded our night in the lab at 10pm. That’s all we know for now. Stay tuned for more results to come! 

Figure 4: This photo concludes the observation of the bacteria culturing from the microscope.