One week as a TRACE intern

Originally published March 20, 2017. Written by Talia Anderson.

One week as a TRACE intern

Originally published March 20, 2017. Written by Talia Anderson.

If you asked us to tell you what we do as interns for the TRACE project on an average day, we would tell you that each day is very different. Keep reading to get an idea of some of the adventures we have throughout a week.

Monday: We always make time to do the weekly inspection. We check to make sure that the experiment is functioning properly, clean off the heaters, and take pictures to track the changing plots. 

Tuesday: Roots, roots, and more roots! After collecting soil cores, we spend time in the lab separating roots, which will be later analyzed for nutrients.

Wednesday: After a quick run to the hardware store to get all of the necessary supplies, we construct sturdy leaf litter baskets to place in the study area.

Thursday: More root measurements! After collecting fresh soil, we separate roots to measure specific respiration rates. We do this at three different temperatures to see how the rates change.

Friday: Time for a plant photo shoot! We take pictures of the seedling’s leaves in the plots in order to track herbivory.