Fairchild’s conservation scientists are constantly doing things out of the ordinary in their quest to preserve the plants and habitats of South Florida and beyond. Follow the adventures of scientists Dr. Joyce Maschinski, Sam Wright, Jennifer Possley, Devon Powell and Lisa Krueger as they blog about the latest trends and techniques in the world of science and conservation.
Dear Hillary
Fri, Jun 04, 2010 at 08:04:15 AM
By Jennifer Possley
We are one woman short for a few days, as Hillary takes it easy, recovering from a bout of stomach problems. This blog is for you, Hillary, to show you what you missed today!
This morning, I went with Dr. Hong Liu to Huangjing Cave, to collect demographic data on orchids in more of Hong's study plots. We were accompanied by a Yachang Orchid Preserve ranger named Mr. Li, and an Institute of Botany student named Wuying Lin. This was my favorite study site, I think. They're all beautiful, but Huangjing seems especially diverse, and the vista is incredible. We finished the field work early, and we were able to squeeze in a little sightseeting at the end, when we visited Chuan Dong geologic site, a network of large caves connected by trails. Here are a few pictures, below.
Hillary, continue to get plenty of rest and drink plenty of fluids, so we can resume our China botanizing!
Last week, I posted a photo of this passionvine at Huangjing Cave. Today, it's flowering!
These common-yet-inconsipcuous aroids are scattered throughout the Huangjing Cave site. It seems they have suddenly sent up infloresences. They're so cute, and remind me of the Chihuly "seal pups" that Fairchild used to have in our Rainforest.
On the way to Chuan Dong, Hong took this photo.
At Chuan Dong, the mineral deposts on the cave walls were really pretty!
One of the most interesting (and bizarre) plant displays I've seen: Inside the largest cave, glass jars full of preserved plant specimens collected on site are displayed on lighted glass shelves.
What a beautiful butterfly Hong photographed (after patiently waiting for it to hold still).
As we were leaving, I used a magic amulet to thwart cave monsters that were pursuing us. Well, not really. Hong took a picture of me taking a picture of the cave.
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Now for something corny
Tue, Jun 01, 2010 at 09:05:53 AM
By Jennifer Possley
Today I am blogging about corn. Corn is a big industry around Yachang Orchid Preserve. In our hikes to and from field sites, we spend at least half the time walking through corn fields. Corn is a cash crop in Leye County, thus it is the main source of income for many families. The interface between farmland and orchid preserve is not always clear; corn fields have a tendency to creep inwards from the preserve edge. Identifying those responsible for deforestation can be challenging, so preserve rangers concentrate their efforts on maintaining amicable relations with corn farmers and discouraging deforestation through education.
Biologists contemplate a recently girdled tree adjacent to a corn field.
Bottles of the herbicide Atrazine are scattered through many corn fields. Atrazine is banned in some countries because it causes mortality in many different types of animals, especially amphibians.
A farmer applies herbicide or insecticide to corn. Yes, that really is corn, growing on the side of a mountain!
Worn out biologists head home through fields of corn.
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Children's Day in Huaping
Tue, Jun 01, 2010 at 04:13:23 AM
By Hillary Burgess, Fairchild Living Collection Manager
It has been raining since the middle of last night (monsoon might be the right word) and our sampling sites are too slick to access, so today is a day for data entry. It also happens to be Children's Day in Huaping. Schoolchildren get the day off and there are activities and programs for them. We were startled by an elaborate mid-day display of fireworks next to the Forestry Department headquarters where we are working. This slower day is giving me some time to reflect on the trip so far. I’m curious to learn more about the geologic history of this region. There are similarities to South Florida; it is also limestone karst, defined by dissolution of bedrock. But this landscape is much older and instead of flat land with dramatic relief being measured in inches, there are large and varied mountains, sinkholes and caves. Some mountains, or hills, rise as solitary peaks, seemingly out of nowhere (such as the one above). How did this come to be?
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| Orchids love the geology as much as I do. These Paphiopedilum hirsutissimums thrive in abundance on limestone cliff faces. |
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Cliffhanging Orchids and People
Mon, May 31, 2010 at 09:33:00 AM
By Hong Liu PhD.
We shifted our gear to do a population census of selected orchids in Yachang yesterday. We recorded survival status and sizes of plants that I tagged two years ago. To find the randomly established census plots are trekking up and down some steep slopes and cliffs with the target orchid species. These data will allow me to assess the initial impacts of the once-in-one-hundred-year drought the region suffered earlier this year. Jennifer and Hillary have been a great help in this effort. Even though rock-climbing is not the cup of the tea for some of us, I found it thrilling to be able to work on cliff faces that are full of beautiful blooming orchids.
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| Jennifer Possley takes measurements of a slipper orchid. |
| Orchids like this Kingidium braceanum are tagged and monitored biannually. |
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It's Getting Hot in Here
Sat, May 29, 2010 at 07:17:17 AM
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| This species of Eulophia is a saprophitic orchid--a plant that does not perform photosynthesis. Instead it relies completely on associated fungi for food. |
By Hillary Burgess and Jennifer Possley
Today was our first day of field work. We worked with Dr. Hong Liu and two graduate students from Beijing Forestry University to set up a pilot climate chamber in Yachang Preserve. The day began with a trip to Leye to find PVC pipe. We wondered if it would be available in such a small and remote city, but were happy to discover an abundance of PVC retailers. We waited in the car while our driver negotiated a “local” price. We assembled a miniature greenhouse in an area of high orchid diversity known as the orchid garden. We are testing the greenhouse to see if we can replicate climate change conditions. Even a temperature increase of <1.0 degrees can have a great impact on plant reproduction, fungal symbionts, soil moisture, and countless other factors. When we finished constructing the chamber, we installed one temperature logging unit inside and one outside. Tomorrow and for the next several days we will download the data to examine the difference. If we are successful, Hong will use this method to study orchid response to climate change.
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| Several research teams stop at the at a ranger station for lunch. There are groups from several institutions studying in Yachang right now. |
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The team poses while assembling the climate chamber. |
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Miami plants in Yachang
Fri, May 28, 2010 at 10:14:27 PM
By Jennifer Possley
Over the past few days, Hillary and I have been enjoying our hikes through Yachang Orchid Preserve. Ecologically, the preserve has much in common with Miami's natural areas. Both are at similar latitudes, and both are considered to be subtropical. In addition, both have a karst limestone substrate-- though the substrate in Yachang is definitely more dramatic! But because of these similarities, Miami and Yachang share many of the same plant genera and species. Scroll down to see some of them for yourself!
This passionvine looks very similar to Miami's own endangered Passiflora sexflora.
Hillary took this gorgeous shot of a shrub in the Melastomataceae family. In Miami, we have a single native species in the Melastomataceae: Tetrazygia bicolor (West Indian lilac).
The grass in the foreground here is Imperata cylindrica or "cogon grass," one of the world's worst weeds. Cogon grass is actually native to China. Here it is blooming-- something it rarely does in Florida.
Miami has three common species of Smilax vine (S. auriculata, S. bona-nox, and S. havanensis). This Chinese member of the genus has much larger leaves than any of the Miami species.
This beetle is sitting atop a non-native shrub that is actually one of Miami's native pine rockland plants: Chromolaena odorata. In Miami pine rocklands it can proliferate in disturbed areas. Here in the Guangxi province, it is a ubiquitous roadside weed.
Here is another one of Florida's weeds: Lygodium sp. I'm not sure what species of climbing fern is in this photo, but Lygodium microphyllum and L. japonicum are both major problems in Florida's natural areas.
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First Days in Yachang
Wed, May 26, 2010 at 02:44:07 AM
By Hillary Burgess, Fairchild Living Collection Manager
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| Karst hills surround Leye. |
After a couple of days in transit we've arrived in Leye, just outside of Yachang Orchid Preserve. We are staying here for a few days as we accompany Richard Stone of Science Magazine on a tour through the preserve. He is interested in writing an article about Yachang and is spending a few days exploring and learning about the orchids here, as well as the people and projects in place to protect them. As tag alongs, Jen and I are getting a fantastic orientation to our research location and the issues at hand. Dr. Liu's long range goals include gathering information that will be of value to preserve managers who grapple with threats such as encroachment from farmers, poaching, and climate change. Hong and other scientists are working with managers to strategize approaches that will meet the needs of the local community while providing for long term conservation of orchid species. I'm excited to contribute to these efforts in the coming days.
This past winter and spring Guangxi province experienced what could be the worst drought in a century. It may have had significant impacts on orchids and surrounding vegetation. To prevent damage, preserve managers installed irrigation in remote areas to provide supplemental water to orchid habitat. Unfortunately if this drought is a sign of new climate trends, then watering could be detrimental to conservation objectives. Long-term survival of species requires that they are able to adapt to changes in their environment.
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Corn is a valuable crop for local farmers. Even on preserve land, they continue to clear trees and expand their plantings farther and farther into orchid habitat. |
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| Yachang is the first preserve of its kind in China, dedicated to conserving orchid biodiversity. It is a spectacular place, not only for the species it protects, but also for its majestic landscape. The large sinkhole above is characteristic of the region's limestone karst topography. |
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| The Luisia teres above is one of about a dozen orchid species that we've seen in bloom. There are at least 134 species of orchids in the preserve. |
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| Cascades of blooming slipper orchids, Paphiopedilum hirsutissimum, were the reward for an arduous trek up a limstone cliff face. |
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Richard Stone, a journalist from Science Magazine, shares pastries with local schoolchildren. |
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Behind the Scenes at Beijing Botanical Garden
Sat, May 22, 2010 at 10:18:39 PM
By Jennifer Possley, Field Biologist
Today was our whirlwind tour of botanic gardens in Beijing. Dr. Yi-Bo Luo of the Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences kindly dedicated his entire Saturday to showing Hong, Hillary and myself around the 400-hectare Beijing Botanical Garden. To begin our tour, we met Dr. Luo at his office at the Chinese Academy of Science. He was our free pass for the day; when we walked across the street to the botanical garden, his presence enabled us to sail past the long lines like VIP guests. We first met with Dr. Shiwei Zhao, the Garden’s Vice Director. Hong presented him with 
materials about the Fairchild Challenge, and invited Dr. Zhao and the Beijing Botanical Garden to become one of our growing number of partner institutions. He expressed interest in learning more about the annual training program that Fairchild runs for its international partners. After this meeting, we spent several more hours in the garden. We toured the elaborate indoor rainforest exhibit, and we visited the Buddhist “Wofosi” or the Sleeping Buddha temple that resides on the garden property and houses a large reclining Buddha statue. My favorite part of our tour was the behind-the-scenes look inside the orchid nurseries. We saw row after row of perfect and beautiful orchids of all sizes, colors and scents, including the rare species from Yachang Orchid Preserve, Paphilopedilum hirsutissimum (upper left photo) and Dendrobium officinale (lower right photo). Dendrobium officinale has been poached, nearly to extinction, because it is prized as a treatment for diabetes.
By the way. . . Hillary and I were surprised to see an old friend at the Beijing Botanical Garden: Bigfoot is alive and well in the rainforest exhibit!
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Arrival in Beijing
Fri, May 21, 2010 at 08:46:22 PM
By Hillary Burgess, Fairchild Living Collection Manager
Dr. Hong Liu, her son Eugene, Jennifer Possley, and I arrived in Beijing yesterday evening. We are staying for a couple of days near Beijing University to facilitate meeting some of Hong’s research collaborators prior to our departure to Guangxi and the Yachang Orchid Preserve. Today we ate lunch with Dr. Chen Zhang-Liang, the Vice Governor of Guangxi, Richard Stone, Asia – Pacific editor for Science Magazine, Senior Vice Dean of the College of Life Science at the Peking University Dr. Hong-Ya Gu, and the leading orchid Biologist Yi-Bo Luo of Beijing University.
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| Baijia Dayuan restaurant. This royal garden has a history of at least 300 years. |
We were hosted at a restaurant on the site of a royal garden from the Qing Dynasty. Jen and I had a chance to learn more about the research that is being done on orchids within Yachang by professors Liu, Gu and Luo and their students. There are several exciting ongoing investigations on orchid population dynamics, pollination, mycorrhizal fungi associations, and the effects of climate change. Many rare orchids are highly specialized, making them especially vulnerable to changes in their environment; understanding each of these factors is critical for conservation efforts. Climate sensitivity is of particular interest for this trip, as Jenn and I will be helping Hong establish a pilot study within Yachang to investigate the potential impacts of climate change on rare orchid populations.
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| Tentative I.D. on this cold-hardy palm growing outside our hotel: Cocos plasticfera. |
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Eagle Scout project removes unwanted invasive plants
Wed, May 05, 2010 at 02:42:26 PM
By Evan Hacker (Boy Scout Troop #457)
On Saturday, April 17th, 2010 my Eagle Scout project took place at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden and the University of Miami’s Smathers Four Fillies Farm Preserve from 9 a.m. until about 2 p.m. Over 70 volunteers contributed 295 hours of their time to help remove non-native invasive species such as Oyster plant (Tradescantia spathacea) and Jacquinia (Bonellia macrocarpa). At one of the removal sites, “the island”, we used handsaws and shovels to remove the unwanted plants. At the other 3 sites, volunteers hand pulled the invasive species. We planted approximately sixty-four native plants and chose one plant to commemorate Troop 457’s hard work with an identification plaque.
Everyone had an enjoyable afternoon, especially because there was a huge feast for lunch. Some scouts even said “it was the best lunch at any Eagle Scout project ever”. We were able to use the picnic table constructed at the site before it was moved to its permanent location at Four Fillies. Fairchild was very happy with the outcome of our environmental work during the week of Earth Day. The day was an absolute success!
I would particularly like to thank Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden and the University of Miami for allowing me to have the opportunity to complete my Eagle Scout project on their properties. Sam Wright, Hillary Burgess, Eric Fleites and Bob Brennan all contributed their time, energy and expertise to help set up my project and carry it out smoothly.
Thank you, Pirates Patrol, for coming and supporting me the day of my project. Both Scouts and parents acted as team leaders and assistants; they all provided needed extra hands to carry out the project. Thank you, also, Mr. Burg, Eagle Scout Project king of setting-up! Also, a big thank you to the Ziskas who were a huge influence in guiding me from the very beginning of my service project idea to the take down of the site on the afternoon of the activity.
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