Krista, BSc student

Who am I and what is my fieldwork project?

Hi everyone! My name is Krista and I had the opportunity this summer to be a field assistant to [Graydon], a Msc student in the Eckert lab! We were studying metapopulations of a little dune plant (Camissoniopsis cheiranthifolia) along the Oregon and California coast. I got to spend a few days collecting data for my own project, where we were investigating a weird phenotype (no leaf hairs) that was pretty much only found on one beach along the coast. The plants with no hair also tended to have flowers that never opened, and would simply self fertilize (pretty neat if you ask me)

What was the best part of fieldwork?

I really enjoyed becoming familiar with all the dune species! I collected samples to identify for Graydon’s work and it was very cool to see the diversity among and between dune systems. I also loved the views and the opportunity to appreciate new experiences!

What was the most challenging part of fieldwork?

California banned the fuel we need for our stove, which resulted in some trying times of us experimenting with alternatives. Sometimes that led to slightly concerning flames, sometimes it meant uncooked rice and cold tofu after a long day of work (less than ideal). But the most challenging days were the days I look back on and cherish the most! Challenge means the opportunity to grow, and the opportunity to bond with your coworkers as you overcome the bumps together. I am incredibly grateful for my field work experience!