Great mail Rajesh Ji. i am a plant taxonomist and i carry a kit with me which includes most of these things but it is a bit mismanaged. getting ideas from this mail i am planning for an all new backpack with all these things for sure...i think one thing i miss the most is a long rod or something with a mounted hook or a blade to cut down or pull down a branch or anything which is worth noticing but is out of reach. i had once seen an instrument which had a gun like butt and a trigger and on its barrel were two flexible arms which can be clasped together when you press the 'trigger' the instrument was to pick up things from a distance but it was a bit soft for branches and all....we can find or improvise or design such a thing suitable for our needs. or if any such thing exists i dont have knowledge....
Alok On Nov 25, 11:47 pm, Rajesh Sachdev <[email protected]> wrote: > http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/2000-01/949009441.Bt.r.html > > <http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/2000-01/949009441.Bt.q.html> > > The tools of a field botanist can be divided into two categories: field > equipment and office/lab equipment. I've included a list of this > equipment with a short description of its use. > > Field equipment: > EYEPIECE WITH LANYARD: usually worn around neck and used to observe small > details on plant(i.e. looking for glands on the underside of a leaf). > > NOTEBOOK AND PENCIL: recording field notes. > > COMPASS: record directional information and assistance getting in and, > more importantly, out of the woods. > > PRUNER: to clip woody specimens. > > TROWEL: when collecting herbaceous plants, it is best to collect the whole > plant, roots and all. > > COLLECTING BAG: place specimens in bag (zip lock etc.) to prevent wilting > until you press plants. > > FIELD GUIDE: From Virginia northward to Maine, many use Gleason and > Cronquist's *Manual to Vascular Plants*. In Virginia, North Carolina and > South Carolina, Radford, Ahles and Bell *Manual to the Flora of the > Carolinas* is the best source but it may be too heavy for field use. For > professional and amateur botanist alike, Newcomb's *Wildflower Guide* is an > excellent book and one that I highly recommend. > > CAMERA: For taking pictures of particularly rare plants. Photos may be > used as voucher specimens if you do not wish to collect a plant. > > WATER: Especially important on long hikes or hot days. > > INSECT REPELLENT: Optional, depending on the habitat you are searching. > > FIELD PACK: To carry all the above in. > > PLANT PRESS: Some wait until they're back at the lab to press plants, > others press plants while still in the field. > > APPROPRIATE FOOTWEAR: If you hiking steep rocky areas, this is especially > important. > > GPS: With technology changing, more and more botanist are using GPS. > > BIRD BOOK/OTHER GUIDES: Optional, for those with interest beyond the plant > kingdom. > > Once you arrive back to lab/office, the following tools are most useful. > > MICROSCOPE: Used to view the fine details that often distinguish closely > related species. > > FLORISTIC KEYS: In addition to the guides I've mentioned above, one may > use keys specific to a certain group of plants (i.e. key to aquatic > species, key to goldenrods, etc.). These keys are used to determine the > exact species / taxa you are trying to identify. > > DISSECTING NEEDLES: With many species, you need to dissect the plant to > properly identify it. For example, many grass keys ask for differences in > the seed shape, but the seed is protected by other parts of the grass. > Needles are a good way to tease the tissue away and find the part you need. > > METRIC RULER: A ruler with millimeter markings is critical. Most > measurements within the keys are based on the metric system. > > REFERENCE MATERIAL: If you have access to a herbarium, this is most > helpful. Once you have tentatively keyed you plant, comparing it to a > herbarium specimen will allow you to verify or reject your ID. > > PLANT PRESS: If you're material was not pressed in the field, it should be > pressed as soon as possible after returning to the lab. Old newspaper > sheets are best to use as holders for individual specimens within the > press. The press may be placed in a plant dryer or simply in a warm, dry > room. > > LABEL PROGRAM: Once the specimens are properly identified and pressed, a > label providing directions to the collection site with a habitat > description should be created. The specimen and label will be given to a > herbarium so that they may mount the specimen on archival quality > herbarium paper and place the specimen within their collection. If > properly pressed and archived, the specimen may be used for many, many > years by other botanist and researchers. > > The above only represents the most common tools that a botanist will use. > Each botanist has personal preferences regarding what to use or not use. > Some may not use some of the items listed, while others may have > additional tools. This list is a good list describing the basic tools. > > -- > Regards > Rajesh Sachdev > Mumbai,India > +91 98902-55616 > [email protected]http://picasaweb.google.co.in/leopardguy > --- > > “The tiger cannot be preserved in isolation. It is at the apex of a large > and complex biotope. Its habitat, threatened by human intrusion, commercial > forestry and cattle grazing must first be made inviolate.” - Ms Indira > Gandhi -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "indiantreepix" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/indiantreepix?hl=en.
