I recently attended a session put on by the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute. This organization's objective is to inventory all the various living organisms in the province. They have set up 1529 posts throughout the province where they identify all living organisms on the site. So areas such as grain fields, grasslands , forests, wetlands and mountains are studied. They first choose three by seven mile sites and then choose something in that area which is narrowed down to a few acres.
So a small site of few acres is studied very carefully to identify all organisms. The purpose of the whole operation is to set up a level which can be used when deciding on land uses.
They've made some interesting discoveries. They've found several new species of soil mites. They've also found species that were not known to exist in Alberta. They also plan to go back to each site every five years and survey again.
Now a lot of this work is just hard observation. Sit and observe. Take photos. Dig a bit here. Take samples.
There are a few gadgets that can be used. The familiar one is the trail webcam. Some of you have trail cams and if you are patient in monitoring you will see some interesting critters travelling through your yard.
The gadget I found most interesting was a sound recorder. The device is placed on the site and left for a year. For ten minutes of each hour the device turns on and listens. Each year the device is read for the sounds recorded. They can identify an amazing number of sounds. Bird and animal calls are a no brainer. They can also identify creatures that are moving in the area. So it will hear mice rustling through the grass, a bear ambling through the site, a deer munching on some browse, a coyote scratching his ear or a bird flying by. This device is extremely sensitive. I thought this was pretty neat.
This organization has many tools in its toolkit but the one using sound for a whole year was most fascinating.
Once this study is complete it will have a most detailed and complete inventory of the things around us.
wow. the sound identifier is flat-out amazing (and almost scary!) :)
ReplyDeletePeople still have to identify the sounds.
DeleteThere are undoubtedly many creatures living in our midst that we're unaware of.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right.
DeleteHow cool, a sound machine! I love my trail cam. So interesting what you see when your not around.
ReplyDeleteCheri
The sounds on this device have to be identified by people. It's just the machine can sit out there for a year and pick up lots of data.
DeleteThat would be interesting to listen to all the sounds:)
ReplyDeleteI would hope that they can condense all the sound and you don't have to listen to all the quiet stuff.
DeleteI know one of the bloggers I follow has a trail cam set on her acreage, and has regularly caught deer passing by.
ReplyDeleteUsing a trail cam takes lots of patience.
DeleteThis sounds like a great study. While it will be slow going, the finding will be very interesting.
ReplyDeleteYou're right. they've already found some surprising things. I just hope good use is made of the data.
DeleteInteresting they found new species. The sounds may even pick up Big Foot maybe, jist sayin. ;-)
ReplyDeleteSpeculation could go a long way with this one.
DeleteInteresting study, that takes a long time to find out all the different sounds.
ReplyDeleteThis whole project is going to be a lot of work.
DeleteHopefully they will not see huge demise over the years!
ReplyDeleteI hope you're right. I would not want to see some invasive species either.
DeleteI can remember as a child, laying on the grass and watching little creatures walk through the grass, up one blade and down the other side. Yes, we have many to look at.......when we look and listen. Very Nice, interesting post.
ReplyDeleteYou too eh? I spent hours at that activity or on my back looking into the sky or watching clouds.
DeleteWhat fun study to be part of.I like to do this kind of stuff myself. I thought of the first GPS that we used and they were huge, compared to the tiny ones we use now.
ReplyDeleteRemember the first cell phones and how large they were.
DeleteSounds very fascinating! Modern gadgets are quite handy.
ReplyDeleteThey allow us to go much further and faster
DeleteThat must be a very sensitive sound machine, to get all that. And you're right: it will contain a detailed inventory of all life in that area. Very cool. :-)
ReplyDeleteJust remember that we don't hear well at our age and devices can hear much better than humans.
DeleteHi Red, This is a neat thing that the Monitoring Institute is doing. Two comments: 1. This is the kind of work I like ... "Sit and observe. Take photos. Dig a bit here. Take samples." :-) and 2. Have you ever heard that old question about the tree falling in the forest when no one is there to hear it ... Does it make a sound or not? Well, I think that sound recorder might have the answer! :-) John
ReplyDeleteJohn, you think of everything! Or if a woman isn't there is a man still stupid?
DeleteHa ha ha!!!!! : - ) You are awesome, Red!
DeleteHow interesting. I love my Trailcam, problem is, all I have been getting is Buster, hubby, me, Daisy!
ReplyDeleteThat's why I've been saying that you have to be patient with trail cams. You've got to look at a lot of nothing
DeleteWow - seems like they're inventing something new every single day :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm amazed at the people who discover and identify soil mites!! So many wonderful things on this planet.
ReplyDelete