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 On October 6th we will be conducting a Bioblitz at Duke Forest in Hillsborough, North Carolina. Bioblitzes are surveys of the life that abounds around us. In this regard, our bioblitz is like others. What is different about this bioblitz is that it is targeted at collecting scientific data about the future of life under warmer conditions. At Duke Forest, we maintain an array of climate chambers warmed to simulate simulate temperatures like those expected in 2020, 2050 and even 2100 in North Carolina. These chambers are open-topped and so can be colonized by the wild species for which such future conditions are permissive. But which wild species?
On October 6th, we will cover our climate chambers with white sheets above which will be hung black lights (which attract night-active invertebrates). One person will be stationed inside each chamber under the sheet and will collect the insects attracted to the black light. We will then have runners who take the insects from the chambers to a series of tables where we will work all night to sort, prepare and identify as many species and specimens as possible.
We have already enlisted the help of systematists working on ants, parasitoid wasps, flies, bark and ambrosia beetles and several other groups, but would love the help of anyone who is interested in doing hard but fascinating work all night, particularly those individuals with specialty in some night-active animal group. We need folks interested in moths, for example, or the katydids.
Also, any individuals interested in coming to help us document this process of piece by piece revealing the animals of the future worlds inside our chambers is especially welcome. We would love to have lots of photographers and videographers out capturing the scene.
It is our expectation that there are, in our chambers, no fewer than several thousand multicellular species, perhaps several tens of thousands. Finding these species will be an exciting night. We promise to provide the pizza, coffee and, for the weary, cots.
For more information, contact Lauren Nichols.
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An open-top climate chamber warming the air to simulate temperatures
expected to be found in North Carolina in the year 2050. |
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Termite males positioning themselves for a mating flight..
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Ants, parasitoid wasps, flies (pictured here) and beetles are just some of the
groups that will be collected on October 6th. |
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