The weather was overcast, humid, and warm. It probably was the warmest day we have experienced since we have arrived in Costa Rica. We started the day with a group meeting where we reviewed the norms we had created for the group back in San Jose. Members of the group were split about whether the tensions among the group members felt at La Selva had eased since we arrived at Palo Verde. As usual there were many different interpretations of the same situation but everyone who wanted to was able to speak and let the group hear their concerns.
After the group meeting, Phillipe introduced our group project. We were to determine if the process of rice production impacted the quality of the water from the time it passed into the rice field from the main canal until it was released out into the wetland. Production of rice in this area began recently so we were observing new impacts. No water quality testing equipment was available, so we had to develop our own qualitative and quantitative measurements. With all of the experience in the group, that wasn’t a difficult task.
Before going out into the field, some of us enjoyed watching a Northern Tamandua, Tamandua mexicana, explore a large tree. Some other names for the Tamandua are anteater bear, honey bear, or beehive bear. It is actually a mid-sized anteater that is placed in the same order, Xenartha, as sloths and armadillos.
The first stop we made out in the field was at the canal that brings the water into the rice fields. This water was fast flowing and appeared relatively clean. The second stop was where the water passed directly into the rice fields. At that stop we looked at the water quality and the organisms that inhabited the rice field. By the third stop, at the canal where the water is released from the rice fields, it was becoming obvious that the production of rice has great impacts on the quality of the water. The water in this canal was putrid.
Finally we went to the wetland that drained the water from the canals. In previous years this location would have been dry but since it has started to be used to drain the rice fields there have been dramatic changes. The dominant species in the plant community has shifted and there is a lot more tall vegetation. Slow moving water covers the ground. It was fascinating but also frightening to see these radical changes created by human impacts in just one year.
Jeff and Tom found a 6.5 foot Salmon Bellied Racer. A species of snake that had not been seen a Palo Verde before. Unfortunately it was dying when they found it because it had been run over.
At dinner Jim, Paul, Paul, and Jeff decided that we all needed nicknames so now we have Cards, Buttons, the Hammer, Vermonster, Mississippi, Zeke, Ameba, Two-tone, T-bone, Uncle Leo, Brother Maynard, Numbers, Johnny Bananas…..I can’t remember them all but it was a lot of fun to see people react to their nicknames.
Susan
Palo Verde large group project began –
study of water conditions and organisms found in areas “before” and
“after” the rice fields. I
collected water and sediment samples at 5 different sites and analyzed
differences, including turbidity, quantity of sediment, and chemical analysis of
sediment.
White faced capuchin monkeys observed in
mango groves along roadway through station.