Angelo Coast Range Reserve

18 Mar, 04 AM - 21 Mar, 07 AM

The proposed research project will look at the incorporation of nutrients from bat guano into the soil invertebrate food web. Location of the study is about 0.2 miles south of the confluence of Skunk Creek and the South Fork Eel River. Fourteen pitfall traps will be placed in and around each of six selected trees with basal hollow openings to collect invertebrates. Pitfalls will be opened for 48 hours each week to collect invertebrates and closed the rest of the time to prevent animals from falling into the traps when they are not being collected. Soil and litter samples will be taken from the holes made to place the pitfall cups. Experimental manipulation will consist of placing samples of bat guano inside three of the tree hollows. Bat guano to be used in the experiment has been collected from the rafters of a barn at Point Reyes. Tests will be run on the guano sample to determine if it carries the Sudden Oak Death pathogens before it is put out at the Reserve. The guano will be frozen for a month before it is placed in redwood hollows in order to kill any invertebrates not from the Reserve that may have been living in the sample. Beginning in early February, about 300 grams of guano will be placed inside each tree hollow, and supplemental addition of guano will occur as needed to maintain a consistent volume of guano inside the experimental tree hollows.

Visit #5274 @Angelo Coast Range Reserve

Approved

Under Project # 4180 | Research

The incorporation of nitrogen from bat guano into the terrestrial invertebrate food web

undergraduate_student - University of California, Berkeley

Reservation Members(s)

Gina Benigno Mar 18 - 21, 2004 (4 days)

Reserve Resources(s) | Create Invoice

Wilderness Lodge 1 Mar 18 - 21, 2004