27 January, 2001

There are two ways to get scientific samples collected back to the labs back in the states. One is expensive and the other is more expensive. The more expensive of the two is to have the samples flown back to the states on Comair. Comair is faster and your samples usually arrive a few weeks after you do, unless itís like my luggage. The second way is to have the samples shipped home by cargo boat. The samples shipped by boat arrive sometime in April or May. Most of our lab samples will get to the states that way. The deadline for getting all of our samples ready for the boat is January 29th. However, the boat also runs on Mcmurdo time and it isnít arriving here until February 8th.

To meet this deadline, everyone has been frantically working to complete all the lab analysis they want to get done before they head home. The data collected will be scrutinized for the next few months looking for answer to their individual questions and how all the data fits together to answer LTER project questions. At the same time, we are preparing the samples for shipping. I thought the easiest way to show you all the lab work, and also hopefully launch my next career, was to make a movie. Check out the posted video at the ali site.

Katie is preparing soil samples for KCl extractions

Once the KCl solution is added to the soil, the soils are shaken and then filtered.

The soils brought back from the field are subsampled inside of the flow hood. This prevents contamination of the field soils.

Nematode counting