This spring, ten Blackburn College Field Biology students traded textbooks for kayaks, microscopes, and muddy boots on a hands-on overnight field trip to the Ozark River Field Station in Rolla, Missouri, led by Biology and Ecology Professor Dr. Samantha Kahl. The group embarked on this field experience to reinforce the field data collection techniques they’ve worked on all semester, as well as develop some additional skills graduates might encounter in their future careers.
The weekend started by exploring the Ozark River Field Station run by Missouri College of Science and Technology, and the nearby Mill Creek, a clear, freshwater creek that runs through the Field Station property. In Blackburn biology fashion, the students were in the water immediately and searching for organisms. Several species of local flora and fauna were identified, and students encountered turtles, salamanders, snakes, fish, insects, and other arthropods, as well as several edible plant species in the wild.
The first day also featured hands-on learning, collecting leaf litter samples (with the help of friend and Professor Theo Sumnicht from Missouri S&T) and conducting frog call surveys. There was also time for a campfire and some fishing, too.
That was just Day 1.
After a campfire-cooked breakfast the next morning, students kayaked and boated on the two wetlands on the Field Station property, followed by identification of invertebrates under microscopes in the field laboratory. After packing up camp, students headed to Steelville, MO, to visit the Huzzah River and a couple of field locations where students measured stream velocity and explored the biodiversity of the area. Again, in Blackburn biology fashion, a few students took to the water for a swim!
The final stop was Reis Biological Station, a property of Saint Louis University, where Dr. Kahl conducted her MS degree field research many years ago on Northern water snakes, Nerodia sipedon. Reis is an exceptional property, with river access, and highlighted for students as another example of a biological field station. These in-field experiences show students firsthand what the data collection experience is like in the field and the places that field biologists and ecologists work. Students had the opportunity to visit with the caretaker of the property, explore the cabins, classrooms, and laboratory there, all while finding snakes and other regional species.
For Dr. Kahl, this trip was about more than teaching techniques like stream measurements or species identification. “I want my students to leave with skills they can use in their careers, but also with a deep love for the outdoors and the curiosity to keep exploring,” she said. Many of her students are on track to become field biologists or ecologists, and this trip gave them the additional skills and experiences for their next journey.
Students participating in the overnight adventure were David Kane, Thomas Lieber, Kara and Kayla Mantia, Jessie Muckensturm, Kane Pabon, Keeleigh Pilcher, Caleb Schaab, Andrea Sexton, and Julianna Tabian.
More information on Dr. Kahl’s Biology 308 class can be found in the Course Catalog. Information on Missouri S&T professor Theo Sumnicht is found here: https://sites.mst.edu/tsumnicht/ and on Reis Biological Station here: https://www.slu.edu/arts-and-sciences/biology/reis-biological-station/index.php.