The Amateur Biologist

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2011-08-23T22:55:00.001-07:00

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Originally uploaded by lexmiller_44

It's 10 o'clock...do you know where your DEDICATION is?

Arcata Community Forest and Smith River 7-29-11 thru 8-1-11

2011-08-03T14:43:00.000-07:00

What a trip. First leg of the great adventure went through the Arcata Community Forest on 7-29. My team of junior explorers and I hiked the trail near the Campbell Creek. We found three Batrachoseps attenuatus in various spots along the trail. All specimen were weighed and measured and ranged from 0.5 grams to 1 gram and anywhere from 7 to 9 centimeters long. We only found one Ensatina e. scholtzii, and it weighed 1.7 grams and was 10.5 centimeters long.

The second leg of the trip I found myself snorkling in the Smith river. Over two days I found four very large larval Dicamptodon tenebrosus. No measurements were recorded, but they were fascinating as I have never found such large specimens. I think they were in access of 15 centimeters or more. I was surprised at how "at home" I was in the river. I stayed in the water for hours looking under rocks and observing wild life. I also saw a Northern Red-legged frog or two, and what I can only assume to be hundreds of Northern Red-legged tadpoles. The tadpoles were great to see. A greater concentration of tadpoles usually led to a discovery of one of the four D. tenebrosus I found. They seemed to follow the food sources. And let me note here that these creatures were all found in a swimming hole that was very crowded by people and dogs.

The third leg of the trip brought our group back to the Arcata Community Forest. Again we found several B. attentuatus, and one D. tenebrosus larva that was very young. The interesting thing about the D. tenebrosus was that it was found in drainage water from the nearby neighborhood, and not in the cold and clean stream that I usually find them in.

Once I find my camera(somewhere in my luggage) I will post pictures.

Nevada City/Grass Valley Area

2011-07-11T17:32:00.000-07:00

I went to a football camp at Nevada Union High School and decided to take a little walk one night after camp was finished. Nice pictures, saw a family of ducks, but no herps to be found. I did see a species of fence lizard at the stadium sunning itself on the bleachers.

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2011-07-10T20:05:00.001-07:00

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Originally uploaded by lexmiller_44

The Truckee Marsh

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2011-07-10T20:04:00.001-07:00

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Originally uploaded by lexmiller_44

Posing at the Marsh

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2011-07-10T20:03:00.001-07:00

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Originally uploaded by lexmiller_44

Entrance to the Truckee Marsh

Truckee Marsh Expedition 07/04/11

2011-07-10T19:41:00.000-07:00

Truckee Marsh: Located in between the Tahoe Keys and Al Tahoe developements in South Lake Tahoe, Ca.

I took the majority of my junior research team: My newphew Christian (10), my daughter Victoria (9), my son Luke (6), my niece Corinne (5), and my son Jackson (5).

We had packs filled with the finest field research equipment we own: portable mini-microscopes, fish nets, cups for collecting specimen, magnifying glasses, binoculars, etc...

Summary:

We basically got skunked as far as seeing an herps. Surprisingly not a lot of life out during this time of day in what seemed to be a good habitat for amphibians. I expected to find a frog or a toad at the least. We saw plenty of minnows which was exciting to my junior explorers, but nothing that made the hiking remarkable.

The scenery was fantastic despite the lack animals. The marsh is a great strip of land that the government has set aside for reclamation. I am really glad this area was preserved for us to enjoy naturally, and not stuffed with a hotel or a shopping center like most of the water front of Lake Tahoe.

We stayed clear of the biking trails that the city set aside for people to enjoy and went on the various trails for hiking. I thought that heading towards the watery edges of the marsh and not the crowded bike trails would give us a better chance of finding creatures.

I recommend the Truckee Marsh for hikers and bikers alike. Given better conditions or timing I am sure that the marsh is alive with activity of herps.

50% is not bad...not good either...

2011-07-07T14:31:00.000-07:00

So my recent trip to the South Lake Tahoe area resulted in only one of the two hikes being explored. I was able to visit the Truckee Marsh, but ran out of time to hike to Fallen Leaf Lake. The marsh was nice, but not a lot of life forms to observe. Pictures and field report to come.

Guess who's back...

2011-06-30T17:44:00.001-07:00

...back again...Am. Bio's back...tell a friend!

Well, it's been a long semester of FDT Diversity, FHT Human Development, andChemistry for Science Teachers from Western Governor's University, but I passed them all! And now...Life Sciences!

So I have planned a few field trips.

One to the South Lake Tahoe Area to observe and record from the Truckee Marsh. I'm taking my little crew of junior explorers (my niece, 2 newphews, and my own 5 children) on yet another adventure. My family has a reunion each year in South Lake Tahoe, and I decided to get something other that R&R out of this year's trip. We may also hike up near Mt. Tallac around Fallen Leaf Lake on another day while in the area. We will also be sampling and observing geological aspects of the area...I am a bit of a rock hound lately.

The second is a little mini-research project I am incorporating into a family camping trip. We are heading to the Panther Flats Campground outside of Crescent City, Ca. I plan on taking my 5 junior explorers out to find amphibians, and then record their intramural movement over a 4 day period to distinguish their territories and how they manage/defend/socialize in them.

My kids are very excited about both trips. I leave in a few days for Tahoe, but our packs have been put together for a week now because my kids were too excited to wait!

Check back here for reports from the field as I try the new Blogger app for my Droid!

Yucatan's Cenotes

2011-02-21T23:23:00.001-08:00

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Originally uploaded by lexmiller_44

Cenotes(SEE-NOTE-TEHS) are sink holes that have limestone filtered crystal clear water. I enjoyed a dip in one of these at the Ruins in Dzitchiblan(?) on the Yucatan Pennisula. The water was fantastic and the small fish cleaned my feet and legs as I waded trouh the water. What an experience....

Excuse my absence

2011-02-20T11:06:00.000-08:00

I'm back. I know you missed me.

Anyways, I had a great anniversary cruise with my wife. I took some pictures that I will post soon that may interest geology/science minded peeps. I am preparing to take chemistry and have a box full of lab experiments to perform. My life is hectic and exciting and nerve-racking. It's going to be a bumpy ride, but I'll try to keep posts updated.

Inside Nature's Giants on Nat Geo Wild

2010-12-21T18:25:00.000-08:00

Let me start by saying that this channel is the real deal for biology and natural science enthusiasts.

Right now I am watching Inside Nature's Giants, and they are completely dissecting a crocodile. The scientists on this show go find a huge anumal that has died(the earlier show was about a dead beached fin whale) and they dissect EVERYTHING. I just watched them examine the jaw muscles of the croc, and next they are examining the legs and their kinetic functioning. This show is great. Just had to write about it!

"Einstein" on History International

2010-12-20T20:16:00.000-08:00

Einstein

This was a very cool program that chronicled Albert Einstein's life as he was formulating his theories on relativity. It was interesting to see what was going on in Einstein's life at the time of his discoveries. The show also focused on the methods of thinking Einstein employed to come up with his theories. They call it day dreaming in the show, but Einstein was the master of "thought experiment" and would play violin or stare out his windows to produce some of his best work. That's pretty awesome since most of us do the same thing from time to time.

The show focused on Einstein's love life and the problems the war brought to the science community. During Einstein's time the proof of his theories was always withn reach, but WWI absolutely shattered his pursuit of the truth.

My "Lab"

2010-12-10T18:50:00.000-08:00

I say "lab" in quotes because it is not a traditional lab that we all imagine scientist working in: white lab coats, white sterile counters, gadgets and instruments beeping ans flashing, and a lot of computer screens showing vast amounts of data. Not mine. My DIY lab is in my work shop behind my garage. My 4' by 13' box is where I am begining to set up my place of discovery. I have a microscope, some tools, and some containers for samples so far. By far my greatest aquisition to date is the microscope. Simplicity...

Since I have recently started a love affair with Geology (don't worry Biology is actually very open to the relationship) I already have a few rock samples in some containers that were inherited from someone.

It will be nice to have somewhere to go once I begin my Chemistry course in which I will be sent labs to perform. I hope to eventually add more equipment as time goes on.

Oh Geology - I am a Rock Hound at Heart!

2010-12-07T13:37:00.000-08:00

I can remember as a kid that I used to walk around with rocks in my pockets. I actually had a rather impressive rock collection sporting some very nice quartz crystals, obsidieon chunks, and calcite crystals. Until I was again force to revisit geology by my Intergrated Science course at WGU I had forgotten how much I like rocks! SO along with field herping trips you can expect to see some rock hounding adventures posted here in the future. I just need to get my equipment together...

Integrated Natural Science Applications Course = DONE!

2010-12-06T08:28:00.000-08:00

Passed the test yesterday after a long and stress filled week of studying. Intergrated ANYTHING covers way to much vagueness in its name to pin down a specific thing to focus on. So I was really excited that I remembered enough stuff from all fields of science to pass the test. I think this is a litmus test for your courses at Western Governor's University...if you pass this big one then you should be able to handle anything the school can throw at you.

Right now I am finishing up the tasks for my Schools and Society class...so my semester is almost finished.

Next semester is Chemistry...(enter the voice of Peter Griffen's neighbor Joe here)BRING IT ON!

Book Review: NEXT by Michael Crichton

2010-11-20T16:40:00.000-08:00

NEXT

I really enjoyed this book. Critics say that there are to many characters introduced to the reader in this book, but anyone with a little science background will be able to understand more of the genetics issues and have more free mind space to keep the characters straight. Plus, with usual Crichton style, the characters all get wrapped up in a neat little package of "small world" webs of associations. All the characters play a part, and in the end we understand why the security guard for the genetics company was introduced to the reader in the first place.

The science in this book is fantastic. A must read for biologists, natural scientists, chemists, just about any domain of science will enjoy this book. Crichton has yet again opened my eyes to another realm of science, as I am astonished that people were thinking about the advancements in genetics laid out in this book over 5 years ago. Most of the ideas sound futuristic, but the technology is there for the taking, and the scenarios in NEXT are VERY REAL!

The end of the book may be its only fault. I wanted more to happen. I wanted the end to be definate and not so vague. I feel as though Crichton may have felt conflicted about the social issues in the book that dealt with genetics so he just let the characters "be", for the most part...

Good book. If you are into science you should read this one.

Missed the METEORS!

2010-11-18T15:12:00.000-08:00

Last night at work I had the opportunity to go outside many times. Each time I looked to the sky to observe the Leonids, and I was shut out each time. Skunked by the ensuing cloud cover that gradually took over the night sky. My first venture outside was around 11pm. Not one Leonid performed for me in the night sky. The second time I went outside at about 12:30am. Again the Leonids left me hanging. At this point clouds were begining to obstruct the view of the stars. At 3 a.m. I went out again and saw nothing but charcoal grayness. The clouds had robbed me of my Leonids.

However...

Last week I did observe a random Leonid wihtout even realizing they were still active. So it was not a total loss during this meteor session.

One good thing about working a graveyard shift is the chance to observe an unobstructed night time sky. I often get the chance to observe the constellations with clear and untainted views. The lights are few in the section of the town I work in, so there is not really very much relfective light from the ground. I only get a few minutes to look at the sky on my outings, but it's worth going through the eight doors I must pass through to reach the open air.

Update on Project for Integrated Natural Sciences course...

2010-11-17T14:29:00.001-08:00

I forgot to give an update of my experiment "The Effect of Exercise on the Five Aspects of Health" that I submitted for my final task in my Integrated Natural Sciences course at Western Governor's University.

I was shocked! The graders returned my project stating that it was very well done. They told me to edit my tools section by listing the brands of tools used, they told me to edit my variables since one's perception can not be measured(I had subjects grade their perception of their own wellness)...oh...and one more thing...they told me to redo the entire project because VERTEBRATES were not allowed to be tested for WGU experiments since August. I WAS DEVASTATED!!!

After some talking with my mentor I submitted an appeal to the Evaluations Supervisor. In the appeal I stated first that I had started my project in July, and secondly that only one insignificant supplemental page had said anything about not using verebrates. The page was a list of project ideas, and I already knew what I was going to do for the experiment so I had no reason to check that webpage. They told me to fix the two criteria that I had not satisfactorily finished. The supervisor graded my project herself and...

I recieved as high of a score as possible! I passed with flying colors. The project was deemed valid for the facts that it was started prior to the restrictions on using vertebrates and that the subjects were not harmed during the experiment. I actually improved my subjects' lives so they should give me something extra right?

The next step for me is to continue studying for my test on December 5th. It's an online proctored test, so I hope the webcam they sent me is fully functional and compatible with my computer. Wish me luck!

Science Based Kid's Show Review: Dino Dan

2010-11-12T07:41:00.000-08:00

Dino Dan

Dino Dan is a show about a boy named Dan and his love for Dinosaurs. Not only does Dan know a LOT about dinosaurs, but Dan actually encounters dinsosaurs everyday in his neighborhood, in his backyard, and even at his school.

Each dinosaur that appears in Dan's world is observed closely by Dino Dan. Dan has a ton of facts about each dinosaur he encounters. And if Dan is not sure about a certain dinosaur's behavior then Dan will perform an experiment. It's all trial and error for Dan, since he frequently will have a hypothesis about a dinosaur that is falsified by his experiment, and so Dan comes up with a new hypothesis and a new experiment. Dan does not stop until he gets all the answers! Dan very often encounters the neighborhood Tyranosaurus Rex, and Dan learns how the herbivores protect themselves against this big "bully".

This is a really great show for kids who love dinosaurs. My boys absolutely love Dino Dan. The dinosaurs are very colorful and entertaining for everyone to watch and Dan gives us very cool facts about each dinosaur featured on the show. This is a relatively new show for Nickelodeon's Nick Jr. channel. Dino Dan comes on in the afternoon on the west coast.

Science Based Kid's Show Review: GO DIEGO, GO!

2010-11-09T10:12:00.000-08:00

Go Diego, Go!

This is a great show about many different animals from many different habitats. Rainforest, the Ocean, the artic, the mountains...you name it and Diego has rescued an animal from that place. This show is educational and has neat facts about the animals it features. A prime example: My daughter and I were at the Bass Pro Shop in Las Vegas, Nevada which features benches in the store that are shaped like animals. My 3 year old daughter immediately pointed to a bench on the second floor and shouted, "Look Daddy it's a three banded armidillo!" I was so proud. Thanks Diego.

For today's episode that I am watching with my kids, Diego and a bottlenosed dolphin are going around doing good deeds for other ocean animals. Along the way we learned facts about the bottlenosed dolphin such as what they eat, how they move, etc... Also Diego and the bottlenosed dolphin with the help of a friendly humpback whale save baby seals from an OIL SPILL by splashing their tails to keep the oil away until Diego's sister Alicia can zoom in and suck up the spill. Very cool and educational.

Diego is on Nickelodeon's Nick Jr. channels. It normally is only on in the morning hours. Diego is part of the Dora the Explorer franchise geared more towards boys, but my daughters love it too.

Old "Mutual of Omaha Wild Kingdom"

2010-11-07T14:09:00.000-08:00

I was watching some of the original Wild Kingdom episodes last night and I am convinced that Marlin Perkins was a genius ahead of his time and a madman!

I love this show. I love the experiments he and Jim Fowler would do. Today you wouldn't find a show where they put a box turtle and a baby lion on the same table, or a baby lion and a nine banded armadillo in a cage together to find out "what happens"? And Jim Fowler must have been a pro wrestler before joining Perkins. I watched him wrestle a giant ant eater for about 15 minutes. In today's media you couldn't show people muscling up on wild animals like this show was able to do.

The episodes I viewed last night were from a DVD set. The episodes were "Defense and Survival"(I think), "The Animals that Time Forgot", and "Animal Myths and Behaviors"(again I think that's what it was).

They were entertaining shows and I think I got to view some animals that are extinct now so that was a bonus.

Arcata Community Forest 10-31-10

2010-11-04T07:37:00.000-07:00

Woke up on the day of our excursion with a fever. I still toughed it out for the kids but our hike only lasted about an hour before I almost passed out after flipping a rather smallish log in the creek.

We did find some salamanders though...

We found several juvenile Slender Salamanders(Batrachoseps attenuatus) and Ensatina. We found one aquatic Dicamptodon tenebrosus. That was the finsh to our trip. I am a little disappointed that I was ill(and still a little bit under the weather as I write this), but the kids still felt like we had a good time.

An unfortunate side note: My NEW camera was acting up and we not able to take any pictures.

Decimation of a species

2010-10-15T13:35:00.000-07:00

The giant salamanders(Cryptobranchidae) from China that were featured on National Geographic and other major nature type networks are ALL DEAD!!!

Apparently 15 of these big boys were on display in Shanghai for an expo and they died while being transported back to their owners. The expo that the giant salamanders were being displayed at were obviously not prepared to house such fickle creatures. I believe the giants could not handle the stress of poor water quality, drastic changes in water temperature, and the stress of being moved. Ignorance killed these creatures.

Now it seems to me that if a fairly large population of a threatened species dies someone should be held responsible, but from the article it seems like they are just saying, "Oh well. You win some you lose some."

The Cryptobranchidae are listed by IUCN site as near threatened and CITES lists them as Appendix 1(threatened by extinction or trade).

Completion!

2010-10-13T12:21:00.000-07:00

I finally completed my last task for my Intergrated Natural Sciences course through Western Governor's University. I feel a huge weight being lifted....

...but I still have to take a final test. I am pretty sure I will do well, but I always worry a little.

The task I just submitted was an experiment assignment. We chose a topic and did an experiment. Simple yet nerve racking!

My experiment was "The Effects of Exercise on Five Aspects of Health". I will post more about it once I recieve my assessment of it from the assessment mentors.

The Top 5 Books a Biology Teacher Would Own...

2010-10-08T07:24:00.000-07:00

5. The Hot Zone - Richard Preston
A freakin' scary and very real situation. I listened to this on tape in Freshman Biology class in high school. Great science!

4. The Lost World - Michael Crichton
Very good. I love these books and was happy that they weren't very similar to the movies. I love the science and technology the Crichton is able to envision.

3. State of Terror - Michael Crichton
Another Crichton gem. This one is a great ecological thriller. Crichton put some facts in there that really opened my eyes to ecology, environment, and science. This is a relatively unknown page turner that you should definately check out.

2. Jurassic Park - Michael Crichton
I didn't pair this one up with The Lost World because I feel it needs its own recognition. This book is biology, genetics, and fun filled terror(oxymoron much?) all rolled into one. I love it.

And finally......da dada da...

1. Peterson's Field Guide to Western Reptiles and Amphibians - Robert Stebbins
HAHAHA! Not really recreational reading...but I open this baby about once a week. Since I live in the West this is a must have for my field excursions.

First Personal Miscroscope

2010-10-07T12:17:00.000-07:00

I just purchased my first Microscope online through eBay. I have my fingers crossed that I am getting a decent product. I am sure that a microscope will come in handy for some of my "mail-in" chemistry and biology labs. I just wanted a microscope to be honest with everyone. I guess I am kind of a nerd for that, but now I am a nerd with a microscope.

We will see what comes out of the box in 14 business days. It's a mono-optical with a wide field. It comes in a kit with slides, cover slips, and other pieces. It magnifies 300x, 600x, and 1200x(supposedly). I'm not sure, but for $31 and no shipping it was worth a try. Wish me luck.

Looks decent...

Cellcraft the Game

2010-10-06T00:36:00.000-07:00

Cellcraft...you gotta click HERE

This game IS AWESOME! Mega addictive and SUPER EDUCATIONAL. Not to give too much away but basically it walks you through EVERY part of a cell and what it does and you control the cell to perform tasks. Very cool...and soon to have lab packs for schools with worksheets and everything.

Fossil News: Giant Peguin

2010-10-05T13:02:00.000-07:00

National Geographic had this video on YouTube about the discovery of a new peguin fossil that actually had scales, feathers, and information within the fossil about the actual color of the peguin's feathers. Not to mention this thing was HUGE! Its amazing what science can tell about things that have been dead for thousands and thousands of years.

Field Herping August 9 and 10 of 2010

2010-10-05T10:18:00.000-07:00

DAY ONE:

Redwood Park: The "research team" at the entrance of the Arcata Community Forest Our first find is a hybrid Ensatina e. oregonesis x platenus.

In Campbell Creek we find two larval Rhyacotriton variegatus.

*correction made - this is Dicamptodon tenebrosus as well!*

The habitat for D. tenebrosus.

Interesting fungi growing on these redwoods.

The research team at the end of day one: not bad for just two hours of jumping in creeks and looking under logs!

DAY TWO:

Our favorite slug Ariliomax californicus.

Originally I thought this was E. e. picta.....

...but the squared toes proved this to be Aneides vagrans. Credit for identification goes to the members of caudata.org

Another hybridized E. e. oregonesis x platenus.

These A. californicus were EVERYWHERE!

Our first ever find of Dicamptodon tenebrosus!
Always an abundance of Ensatina.
The ultimate goal of my trips is teaching my "team" about the ecosystem and its inhabitants.
One final posedown in a background of biotic and abiotic features!

Another great field herping trip to my most favorite habitat. My kids had another great time finding salamanders with Daddy, and my niece and nephews got their first experience with the world of amphibians(not too many of them in Las Vegas). I was proud of my little troopers...not one of them shyed away from going into the creeks or getting in touch with nature. Looking forward to going again at the end of October.

Nat Geo Wild

2010-10-03T16:26:00.001-07:00

I love that National Geographic has come out with the Nat Geo Wild channel. I like to be able to turn on the television any time of day and find an educational show featuring field researchers in the field showing the world the animals they have devoted their lives to studying.

I must admit that my kids find some of the snake shows scary. Most often than not my kids find the wolves, bears, and the snake shows fascinating and often come to me and tell me things like, "Daddy did you know that bears in zoos don't hibernate?" That's what makes me proud to be on the path to being a biology teacher.

The Return of the Amateur Biologist

2010-09-30T07:35:00.000-07:00

Back by popular demand....not really...but now that I have returned to school I will have more to blog about I guess.

I am going to school for a Secondary Education Biology degree and license.

Should be fun.