Fieldwork and Fun

I can't believe another week has flown by here in Madison! I started the week by having the opportunity to join the team and head up to Northeastern Wisconsin to conduct stream surveys. From Monday to Wednesday, we went to several remote and urban streams. We placed temperature loggers in the water that will measure water temperatures over the next few months and provide scientists with valuable data about stream conditions. We also spent time catching and tagging trout and checking them for the presence of gill lice. This parasite can be found in over 80% of Wisconsin streams and during our surveys it was evident how far this parasite has spread in this state. This trip was a really unique experience not only because I got to learn about what the DNR does to maintain the environment but also because I was to see the wide variety of habitat that can be home to brook trout. Although it was definitely an exhausting trip I learned so much and really enjoyed getting out into the field. I spent the rest of the week working on the lab, extracting more otoliths from brook trout as well as inspecting them for gill lice. Until next week!