Collective science

Community and Forum → Insects biology and faunistics → Collective science

RippeR, 08.10.2007 0:08

Background: The solution came after reading 2 topics: 1) REO congress 2) Amazing fly. It's mainly about the way you communicate and solve problems.

I like entomology not only as a hobby-collecting, but also as a science. The passion to explore has always drawn. But where the problem is - what to investigate, how to do it, how to make decisions, and much more - is not clear to me, I don't know, or I don't have any experience for this. I think there are a lot of people like me here. But that's not even the point.
We have a lot of potential gathered at the forum - a lot of people, a lot of experience, a lot of points of view, a lot of regions and much more. It is stupid not to use this potential (for example, to create a database of images of insects, which is not enough on the Internet and literature.. fortunately, the images are slowly filling up. But don't stop there.).
So I came up with this idea: Together we take the research topic. We decide what to investigate, how to investigate, what observations to make, what experiments, etc. Then, each person, to the best of their abilities and capabilities, examines the selected object, leads their observations. We all discuss the topic together, state our assumptions (as in the topic with the fly - we have reached very interesting points of view about the color of the wings of flies, which would be difficult, if not impossible, for one person to make. Maybe that's why some, even many papers and reports turn out to be poor, incomplete, constantly require additions, updates, etc.?). Thus, a good collective research work is obtained.
Personally, this idea inspires me, as it gives me the opportunity to do what I want, but I can't do it myself in ordinary life.
So: we lay out the considerations that are interesting for research topics and so on. You can even start with a fly - move part of the topic, set a specific goal, collect all available photos of similar midges and make the world a better place !
Intence!

Comments

Pages: 1 2

Likes: 2

08.10.2007 22:28, Aleksey Adamov

Why "express ideas on the forum in open form"?
You can simply plan your work, think through goals, tasks, and methods... And the rest in person by email.

Unfortunately, I didn't find an article on Broscus cephalotes (Coleoptera, Carabidae) today. Where there are two authors from different geos. We conducted parallel observations in similar biotopes (in both cases, one site each) on this species. As a result, we obtained material for only one species (from one biotope) - this is not difficult. Both sets of materials were processed according to max (in terms of population structure, species biology) and received interesting conclusions, and precisely due to the fact that this, in general, not difficult work, was performed simultaneously at two different points, using the same methods.

So, I think we can try to cooperate in the research plan.

Likes: 3

21.10.2007 19:14, Aleksey Adamov

On Tsurikov's website, there is a description of the method of collecting invertebrates under the snow:

Method of trapping active invertebrates under snow
Key words: trap, herpetobionts, Coleoptera, Coleoptera, insects, Insecta, invertebrates, Invertebrata.
It is suggested to submerge the jar in the soil to the level of the upper edge, after which the jar is covered with a lid, the dimensions of which significantly exceed the diameter of the jar. There should be a gap between the jar and the lid to allow animals to get into the trap without hindrance. To do this, put stones or other objects at the edges of the jar, on which the lid should rest. To the center of the lid, you must attach a rod, the purpose of which is to detect a trap covered with snow and open the lid. This trap showed that invertebrates are active under the snow during the entire cold season.
Source: Plavilshchikov N. N. Opredelitel ' izeksekovykh [Determinant of insects]. Moscow: Uchpedgiz Publ., 1950, 544 p.
the image is no longer on the site:_______. JPG

the image is no longer on the site:_______. JPG

I suggest going further, or rather "deeper". Collect material from the soil thickness in winter and not only. Here is a drawing of such a trap pit:

the image is no longer on the site: _________________________.jpg

This work can also be done collectively (remotely), so you can quickly get the most general idea of the method and not only that.

The drawing shows a pit with a trap and a lid (yellow). I've already installed one of them :).
I dug the pit with a regular bayonet shovel, one bayonet (about 25 cm) wide/long, and about 35 cm deep. Then I set a 0.5 l glass jar on the bottom and sprinkled soil along the edges. Then I stamped this soil with my foot to the level of the upper edges. The trap was set so that the wall of the pit remained above it with a height of 20-25 cm. The largest number of insects overwinter in this layer. I made the lid out of wood, placed it firmly against the hole, and covered it with soil and leaves. I plan to put such pieces on three different sites: floodplain, steppe area, grove (3-5 pieces for each). At least I won't miss the beetles in winter

.
RippeR is also going to conduct such an experiment. So, if you have a desire, join us!

This post was edited by Adamov - 21.10.2007 19: 16

Pictures:
_______. JPG — (6.94 k) 21.10.2007-04.11.2007
_________________________.jpg — (10.14 k) 21.10.2007-04.11.2007

Likes: 2

22.10.2007 13:09, Aleksey Adamov

I suggest leaving a small gap between the ground and the lid..
In general, since many insects like to hide under leaves, sticks, logs for the winter, you can first lay it on top with brushwood and sticks, so that there is a gap and insects can crawl through, and throw leaves on top

I think that under the cover, the beetles will still climb as a shelter. But you can set two types of traps to "separate" the two sources (litter and soil layer).
I didn't pour anything into the trap. When I have installed a sufficient number of these traps, I will try (on several) different retainers and attractants.
To detect activity in the litter, you can also use the previously known option (described on the Tsurikov website).

24.10.2007 21:41, RippeR

It is better to put it not near the house, but somewhere where there are few people, and there may be more insects.. After all, there is hardly anything serious running around near the house...

Dinusik:
Well, it depends on how much the ground freezes.. After all, the trap is aimed not only at snowdrops, but also underground, so the design is such.. It is probably necessary to take into account the depth of the trap in accordance with the depth of freezing of the ground. And in the case of the first design, when the pit is covered with a lid on top, sprinkled with earth, and even if you throw more branches and leaves, a certain warmer atmosphere is most likely formed inside the free space..

Hmm.. and if you occasionally bring and put a bottle of hot water inside the space, what will give at least some heat inside the space, which can either warm up and attract some very close insects..??

25.10.2007 8:59, Bad Den

Well, it depends on how much the ground freezes.. After all, the trap is aimed not only at snowdrops, but also underground, so the design is such.. It is probably necessary to take into account the depth of the trap in accordance with the depth of freezing of the ground. And in the case of the first design, when the pit is covered with a lid on top, sprinkled with earth, and even if you throw more branches and leaves, a certain warmer atmosphere is most likely formed inside the free space..

Hmm.. and if you occasionally bring and put a bottle of hot water inside the space, what will give at least some heat inside the space, which can either warm up and attract some very close insects..??

The ground freezes for example a meter deep easily

And for warmth, fresh manure is best suited.

Likes: 1

30.11.2007 12:02, Трофим

Here are a couple more photos from the fishing report. As for the signatures, without jokes, I understand myself that they are not scientific. In general, I signed the photo for myself, if you suddenly need to quickly process the material later, so that you don't even pick at the mattress. And so at least by detachments, by families, to see where, what runs when. And then in the photo sometimes you will not understand what this black dot is. And another question who knows sites with weather reports for Moldova? But it is desirable that the reports are not based on the forecast for the coming days, but whether there are already some kind of reporting records on weather observation over the past period of time. Because it will be much more objective and accurate. And then on TV I watch the weather for 3 days ahead, and as a rule, these figures are different every day, as they approach. So that's the question???? whether there are records in the Internet-weather reports. I will be grateful for the links.

Pictures:
the image is no longer on the site: ________19.11.07.JPG