Ozarks plant ecology project seeks volunteer field assistants Project Description: I will be continuing work on a study of plant communities in glades (shallow-soil grasslands) in the Ozarks of Arkansas and Missouri in the spring and summer of 2013. This project involves documenting plant community composition across variations in climate, soil, landscape structure and fire regimes and will involve identifying hundreds of plants to species in numerous study plots across the Ozarks. This is a great opportunity to get field experience, sharpen your plant identification skills, and learn other skills from an experienced botanist / ecologist.
Duties / Logistics: I am interested in finding volunteers to help with fieldwork. Volunteers will work closely with me; primary duties will include collecting site environmental data (such as rock cover) and collecting soil samples. Volunteers with basic botany experience could help collect plant community data as well. I will be camping most of the time and traveling fairly frequently, usually staying at a campsite for about 1-5 days, depending on how many study sites are within day-trip distance. Volunteers could come for day trips when I'm in your area or travel and camp for longer stints. Training will be provided. The work may be challenging at times, but it will be a lot of fun too. Desired Skills: Ability to hike moderate distances in extreme conditions, enjoyment of the outdoors and camping, background in ecology / botany / biology, and a fanatical love for chiggers, ticks, poisonous snakes, and poison ivy. Flexibility and good attitude are essential because fieldwork often involves adapting to unexpected circumstances. Basic plant identification skills (sight identification, use of technical keys and dissecting microscopes, etc.) would be helpful. Inexperienced but enthusiastic volunteers are welcome! Benefits: This position will provide useful experience in plant identification, landscape ecology, plant biogeography, scientific study design, etc. I have years of experience working as a field botanist and teaching botany, and I will be happy to share skills and knowledge that are relevant to your specific personal interests. The Ozarks is also an incredibly beautiful region with diverse natural landscapes and a remarkably friendly populace, which makes it a great place to work. Time frame: Fieldwork will run from mid April through mid- to late July, but I am especially interested in volunteer help in May and June. I am interested in volunteers with availability during any part of this period, either long-term or short-term. Location: Study sites are widely distributed across the Ozarks in southern Missouri, with a few sites in northern Arkansas. I am interested in finding volunteers who can help in particular regions in the Ozarks, as well as people who are available to travel across a larger area. I am especially interested in working with volunteers who already live in the greater Ozarks region (the area between, and including, Kansas City, St. Louis, and Little Rock). Please contact me if you are interested in being involved with this project! Please include your resume / CV and information about your background and interests, including any ecology research experience or training. Thanks, Jesse Miller Botanist & Graduate Student Department of Zoology University of Wisconsin - Madison Madison, WI 53706 [email protected] http://jesseedmiller.wordpress.com
