Expedición Atitlán 2012: First week is over =(!!! (By: Rana Braeuner)

We students were in a "meeting" to plan yesterdays surprise dinner just when everyone thought it was the perfect time for a group picture =)

 So the first week of this scientific expedition is over and it feels as if we arrived in Panajachel yesterday!! Time has gone by SO fast...
We've been learning A LOT from everyone that's here, the PI's, the TA's and from each other among us students. I wanted to share some pictures as a brief summary of what we've been doing so far =).

On our way to Panajachel on Monday March 30th

Arriving at the hotel

The most efficient work group ;) !! (JK)

The first activity my group and I were assigned to for Tuesday and Wednesday was to work with Emily in the Chemistry lab up in Solola, at the campus of UVG Altiplano. The group I'm in includes Gerson, Hilda, Mireli and I. We shared those two days with Emily and Melisa.

Emily enjoying the "frijolitos" =)

Testing Lake water samples for presence of ammonia in the spectrophotometer

micropipeting n_n

Emily taught us many things in those two days, from the correct way of working with chemicals to the analysis that must be done afterwards with the data obtained in the lab. I also learned what a spike is!!!!!

Annie teaching us the way to work with the invertebrates

For Thursday and Friday we got to work with Eliska, Stephanie and Dr.Komarek in the wetlands. A LOT of information for two days!!! But it was AWESOME! (We forgot to take our group picture with them!!!!!)

Taking quadrat samples of Schoenoplectus californicus (tul).

We used this "rake" to take plant samples from the bottom of the wetlands and to measure depth. 

Dr.Komarek

Cladophora sp

   HereDr.Komarek was talking to us about this algae, Cladophora, and saying how this can be an indicator since they are very sensitive to chemicals like those present in detergents; however, it is not necessarily an indicator of good water quality.

Taking Hydrilla samples

On our way with the Wetlands group

Stephanie taught us the mathematical analysis of biomass and  its importance.

 In the afternoons we've been working on our projects. My group is Luisa (Wicha), Isa and I, and Annie is our instructor =). She's really nice and funny, and definitely knows A LOT. Our project's objective is to compare the invertebrates of this 2012 expedition to those found on 2010.

Annie, me, Isa, Luisa

Working hard!

Chironomidae in the benthic samples from 300 m DEEP!!!!

I find this awesome, so simple and awesome!! I had worked with benthic invertebrates a couple of times in my  University and something like this would've been VERY helpful!

Luisa working with the invertebrates

They took our cups to submerge in the lake to 300 m deep and this is what the pressure did!! It is now about half its original size!!

 For Saturday and today our group got to work in the watershed; we went to a river that's in Sololá, near the UVG campus. We learned how to do a river profile and to open more our minds and eyes for a complete analysis of the site. We also need our group picture with Angela, Nancy, Rene and Dr.Dix!!!! =(

Taking water samples from the spring!!

Angela and I taking river measurements

I had never used a flow-meter!!!

Every two days after dinner we've been giving 5 minute presentations about what we did in the past two days, what we learned and our impressions in general.

 And last but definitely NOT least, yesterday was a special day, since today Sophie, Rene and Nancy leaved =(. We prepared a surprise dinner for the PI's and got to share some more time with them in the night. It's not even been one day and their absence is very evident =(. We miss you guys and hope to see you again!!!

I'm amazed of how much we've done and learned in this past days...I'm loving it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh and I don't have a picture of it but some of us have also learned to filter water, and I DON'T KNOW WHY but I love it, so if anyone needs some filtering, here I am ;)!! \m/