definearth

On Sunday night we arrived back at the University from our trip to Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in New Hampshire. There were around a hundred researchers who attended the annual conference there. And let me tell you, not a single one wasn’t in shape. The mountain was steep, with an occasional dirt path leading the way, but other times you had to bushwhack to get where you were going. Although I had no cell service or internet for miles around and people were scarce, the restaurants we ate at were pure heaven. In the picture above: Woodstock Station and Brewery, view from Shamrock Motel of the White Mountains, the lab, and view of the brook.  

While my coworkers and I collected samples, we stayed at Pleasant View Farmhouse. The farmhouse is three stories high and a large solar power grid sits out front powering the lights. The shower is somewhat warm, the rooms are pleasant, and the kitchen is massive. There were ten researchers there who had been there all summer, repeatedly collecting samples and sending them back to labs for testing.

A lysimeter collects rainwater that has drained through the soil. We collected lysimeter and stream samples on our last two days for a good reason. We have to keep these samples fresh and test them immediately because the dissolved inorganic and dissolved organic carbon can do just that- dissolve- in a matter of days. Storing them in a freezer slows the process. As shown above, the water is pumped out of the lysimeter into a collection bottle, and then leftover water is pumped into a flask and dumped. This ensures the collection is always representative of the most recent month.

I have a lot more to share on the presentations and intriguing scientists, rangers, and writers I became acquainted with there. Can’t wait to post again. Thanks for reading!