Natasja van Gestel
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Antarctica

A major challenge to fieldwork

1/28/2023

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Soooo....... who is responsible for grabbing the little "nutrient" sticks out of the moss (see the first image)? We had the tops camouflaged so well (using bits of a camo shirt). Apparently, not camouflaged enough!

You may have guessed the culprit: it's a bird. Not a penguin though, but a skua. Skuas are very smart. I actually think they are fantastic! They are very curious. But they keep pulling out a few select nutrient sticks that we have normally in the ground to determine soil fertility.

We usually encounter a skua when we arrive at our site or one arrives soon after we do. The skua then observes us while we take our moss measurements. Then, of course, as soon as we leave, they likely go right to the nutrient sticks that we so diligently put back.

Oh Skuas. Please behave this time.
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    About me

    Growing up watching nature documentaries, I find myself now immersed in nature's splendor. As an ecologist I study how ecosystems function. Here I share with you my love of doing research in Antarctica - a place of sheer beauty

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    Not all of #Antarctica is covered in snow and ice. The western Antarctic Peninsula has seen nearly 90% of its glaciers retreat as a result of rapid warming. This retreat has exposed soils that are now subject to plant colonization.

    ?: Natasja van Gestel pic.twitter.com/kEe65usYSU

    — National Science Foundation (@NSF) January 4, 2023
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    Funded by the NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
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    Research support managed by the US ANTARCTIC PROGRAM
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