{"id":34257,"date":"2013-03-12T11:00:25","date_gmt":"2013-03-12T15:00:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nybg.org\/plant-talk\/?p=34257"},"modified":"2013-03-13T12:12:27","modified_gmt":"2013-03-13T16:12:27","slug":"bill-buck-2013-day-16","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nybg.org\/blogs\/plant-talk\/2013\/03\/science\/bill-buck-2013-day-16\/","title":{"rendered":"From the Field: Bill Buck in Cape Horn 2013, Day 16"},"content":{"rendered":"

January 25, 2013, Prov. Ant\u00e1rtica Chilena<\/a>, Comuna Cabo de Hornos<\/a>, Isla Navarino<\/a>, Seno Grandi, 55\u00b014\u2019S, 67\u00b046\u2019W<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"DSCN0612<\/a>The ship begins moving in the early morning hours and the potentially rough seas never really materialize. I think for most of us it is instead like being rocked in a cradle. When we stop we are halfway up the north side of Seno Grandi. Our collecting site is along a large river that empties into a lake. About half of us go up the east side of the river, and the rest to the west. Although not cold or raining, a steady strong wind makes the Zodiac trip ashore wet and rough. As we approach the shore we can see quite clearly that the landscape is heavily disturbed. There are remnants of abandoned dwellings and piles of crab traps. It appears that beaver<\/a> have caused significant damage to the landscape as well, and that the large peatland to the west of the river is courtesy of an ancient beaver dam.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"DSCN0611<\/a>Of course the bryophytes don’t know the origin of their habitat though, and grow with abandon on these diverse surfaces. The forest byroflora proves pretty depaupreate<\/a>, but where a beaver has felled a large southern beech I find a very nice moss–Ulota<\/em><\/a>–in the canopy<\/a> as well as two different lichens that were using the moss as a substrate<\/a>. The peatland, with all three of our local Sphagnum<\/i><\/a> species, is very reminiscent of our boreal peatlands, but with a considerably smaller number of species of Sphagnum<\/i>. Apparently some of the hepatics are the same as those found in northern peatlands.<\/p>\n

\"DSCN0603<\/a>Because we want to hit a second site in the afternoon we only stay out until noon. As we eat lunch, the captain moves the ship to its current position at the eastern end of the sound. Here the landscape is more windswept and–with the exception of sheltered habitats in the distance–the only woody plant is the local barberry, Berberis ilicifolia,<\/i><\/a> and its existence is only as a smattering of scattered shrubs. Nevertheless, the barberry twigs host a few epiphytic mosses which prove obtainable only by payment of multiple puncture wounds from the spiny leaves and nasty thorns on the shrubby plants. Otherwise the only bryophytes we find are those eking out a bleak existence in small patches at the bases of the vascular plants.<\/p>\n

The drama of the afternoon involves a mink. Laura is the first to spot the juvenile mink running along the shore. Shortly after, Ernesto, in the Zodiac, spots it and comes ashore, and then chases it with the shovel he uses to take soil samples. The mink dives back into the sea, the Zodiac hot on its tail. The mink decides to return to shore where it is stoned to death by Juan. I am well aware that the mink here–all of which are based on populations escaped from fur farms–are an invasive species and are doing tremendous damage to the local fauna. Just a few days ago researchers with the\u00a0Omora group<\/a> were telling us about how many of the Magellanic woodpeckers<\/a> they have banded end up in mink burrows. However, it is hard for me to imagine how one less mink will make much of a difference. I cannot watch the act and deep down feel it is cowardly.<\/p>\n

\"DSCN0629<\/a>The captain has decided the wind will make the seas on the south coast of Navarino too rough for us to cross to Isla Lennox,<\/a> and so we will take the longer, northerly route. This means an early departure and that we must be back on the ship by 5 p.m. He has advised us to take to our bunks between 6 and 8 p.m., during which time we will be in the Antarctic wind-roughened waters. Dinner will be served after as we travel all night to reach the islands east of Navarino. I hope the seas won\u2019t be quite as bad as predicted, but regardless I am happy that we are taking the longer, but calmer route. The captain says that if we were to do the shorter, southern route that the seas are likely to be so rough that we would be thrown out of our bunks!<\/p>\n

Ed. note: <\/em>NYBG scientist and Mary Flagler Cary Curator of Botany, Bill Buck<\/a><\/em> has just returned from his annual expedition to the islands off Cape Horn, the southernmost point in South America, to study mosses and lichens. For the past two years he was able to file stories from the field, but this year\u2019s locations proved so remote he was forced to wait until his return. We will be publishing them over the course of several days.<\/em> Follow his journeys on Plant Talk<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Bill Buck\u2019s Previous Reports From the Field:<\/strong><\/p>\n

2013
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

January 24, 2013, Prov. Ant\u00e1rtica Chilena, Comuna Cabo de Hornos, Isla Hoste, Canal Canacus, 55\u00b013\u2019S, 68\u00b021\u2019W<\/a><\/p>\n

January 23, 2013, Prov. Ant\u00e1rtica Chilena, Comuna Cabo de Hornos, Isla Navarino, Puerto In\u00fatil, 54\u00b059\u2019S, 68\u00b012\u2019W<\/a><\/p>\n

January 22, 2013, Prov. Ant\u00e1rtica Chilena, Comuna Cabo de Hornos, Isla Navarino, Puerto Williams, 54\u00b056\u2019S, 67\u00b037\u2019W<\/a><\/p>\n

January 21, 2013, Prov. Ant\u00e1rtica Chilena, Comuna Cabo de Hornos, Isla Navarino, Puerto Williams, 54\u00b056\u2019S, 67\u00b037\u2019W<\/a><\/p>\n

January 20, 2013, Prov. Ant\u00e1rtica Chilena, Comuna Cabo de Hornos, Isla Navarino, Puerto Williams, 54\u00b056\u2019S, 67\u00b037\u2019W<\/a><\/p>\n

January 19, 2013, Prov. Ant\u00e1rtica Chilena, Comuna Cabo de Hornos, Isla Hoste, Bah\u00eda Navidad, 55\u00b024\u2019S, 68\u00b012\u2019W<\/a><\/p>\n

January 18, 2013, Prov. Ant\u00e1rtica Chilena, Comuna Cabo de Hornos, Isla Hoste, Bah\u00eda Tekenika, 55\u00b018\u2019S, 68\u00b039\u2019W<\/a><\/p>\n

January 17, 2013, Prov. Ant\u00e1rtica Chilena, Comuna Cabo de Hornos, Parque Nacional Alberto de Agostini, Seno Ponsonby, Isla Hoste at Isla Grande, 55\u00b011\u2019S, 68\u00b045\u2019W<\/a><\/p>\n

January 16, 2013 Prov. Ant\u00e1rtica Chilena, Comuna Cabo de Hornos, Parque Nacional Alberto de Agostini, Isla Hoste, Bah\u00eda Helada, 55\u00b005\u2019S, 69\u00b004\u2019W<\/a><\/p>\n

January 15, 2013, Prov. Ant\u00e1rtica Chilena, Comuna Cabo de Hornos, Isla Hoste, Seno Ib\u00e1\u00f1ez, Caleta Yekadahby, 55\u00b004\u2019S, 68\u00b025\u2019W<\/a><\/p>\n

January 14, 2013, Prov. Ant\u00e1rtica Chilena, Comuna Cabo de Hornos, Isla Grande de la Tierra del Fuego, Bah\u00eda Yendegaia, 54\u00b050\u2019S, 68\u00b048\u2019W<\/a><\/p>\n

January 13, 2013, Prov. Ant\u00e1rtica Chilena, Comuna Cabo de Hornos, Isla Grande de la Tierra del Fuego, Bah\u00eda Yendegaia, 54\u00b050\u2019S, 68\u00b048\u2019W<\/a><\/p>\n

January 12, 2013, Prov. Ant\u00e1rtica Chilena, Comuna Cabo de Hornos, Parque Nacional Alberto de Agostini, Isla Gordon, Bah\u00eda Tres Brazos, 54\u00b059\u2019S, 69\u00b045\u2019W<\/a><\/p>\n

January 11, 2013, Prov. Ant\u00e1rtica Chilena, Comuna Cabo de Hornos, Parque Nacional Alberto de Agostini, Isla Grande de la Tierra del Fuego, NE-most arm of Seno Courtenay, 54\u00b034\u201934\u201dS, 71\u00b010\u201941\u201dW<\/a><\/p>\n

January 10, 2013, Punta Arenas, Chile<\/a><\/p>\n

2012<\/strong><\/p>\n

February 5, 2012; Isla Londonderry, Puerto Fortuna, approximately 54\u00ba54’S, 70\u00ba26’W<\/a><\/p>\n

February 4, 2012; Isla O\u2019Brien, Caleta Americana, approximately 54\u00ba53’S, 70\u00ba23’W <\/a><\/p>\n

February 3, 2012; Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego, Fiordo Garibaldi, approximately 54\u00ba58’S, 69\u00ba49’W<\/a><\/p>\n

February 2, 2012; Isla Gordon, middle arm of Bah\u00eda Tres Brazos, approximately 54\u00ba58’S, 69\u00ba41’W<\/a><\/p>\n

January 31, 2012; Isla Gordon, Bah\u00eda Romanche, 54\u00ba57’S, 69\u00ba30’W<\/a><\/p>\n

January 30, 2012; Isla Gordon, Bah\u00eda Romanche, 54\u00ba57’S, 69\u00ba30’W<\/a><\/p>\n

January 29, 2012; Canal O\u2019Brien, on the way to the Brazo Noroeste of the Beagle Channel, approximately 54\u00ba55’S, 70\u00ba35’W<\/a><\/p>\n

January 25, 2012; Isla Darwin, Caleta Virginia, approximately 54\u00ba57’S, 70\u00ba10’W<\/a><\/p>\n

January 24, 2012; Unnamed sound off Isla Whittlebury, in Bahia San Jorge, west of Isla Hoste, approximately 55\u00ba16?S, 70\u00ba00?W<\/a><\/p>\n

January 23, 2012; Arm of Estero Webb, SW coast of Isla Hoste, approximately 55\u00ba14’S, 69\u00ba41’W<\/a><\/p>\n

January 22, 2012.; Unnamed sound on Isla Gordon behind Cabo El Gorro, approximately 55\u00ba02’S, 69\u00ba48’W<\/a><\/p>\n

January 21, 2012; Isla Hoste, Estero Fouque, 55\u00ba1’S, 69\u00ba35’W<\/a><\/p>\n

January 20, 2012; Isla Hoste, Estero Fouque, approximately 55\u00ba11’S, 69\u00ba35’W<\/a><\/p>\n

January 19, 2012; Chile, unnamed sound on north-central coast of Isla Hoste, approximately 55\u00ba00’S, 69\u00ba12’W<\/a><\/p>\n

January 18, 2012; Canal O\u2019Brien, just south of Isla O\u2019Brien, 54\u00ba55’S, 70\u00ba35’W<\/a><\/p>\n

January 17, 2012; Punta Arenas, Chile<\/a><\/p>\n

2011<\/strong><\/p>\n

July 15, 2011; Hobart, Tasmania, Australia<\/a><\/p>\n

July 14, 2011; Pyengana, Tasmania, Australia<\/a><\/p>\n

July 13, 2011; Weldborough, Tasmania, Australia<\/a><\/p>\n

July 12, 2011; Hobart, Tasmania, Australia<\/a><\/p>\n

July 11, 2011; Hobart, Tasmania, Australia<\/a><\/p>\n

February 8, 2011; Punta Arenas, Chile<\/a><\/p>\n

February 5, 2011, unnamed sound northwest of Isla Georgiana<\/a><\/p>\n

February 4, 2011, unnamed sound directly east of Seno Mama, Chile<\/a><\/p>\n

February 2, 2011, Seno Courtenay, northern arm, Chile<\/a><\/p>\n

February 1, 2011, Seno Courtenay, Chile<\/a><\/p>\n

January 31, 2011, Canal between Isla Georgiana and Isla Clementina,, Chile<\/a><\/p>\n

January 30, 2011, Unnamed sound on south side of Brecknock Peninsula, NW of Isla Georgiana, Chile<\/a><\/p>\n

January 29, 2011, Isla Aguirre, Seno Quo Vadis, Chile<\/a><\/p>\n

January 26, 2011, Punta Arenas, Chile<\/a><\/p>\n

January 24, 2011, Seno Chasco, just north of isthmus to Brecknock Peninsula, Chile<\/a><\/p>\n

January 23, 2011, Isla Grande de la Tierra del Fuego, Puerto Consuelo, Seno Chasco, Chile<\/a><\/p>\n

January 22, 2011, Isla Grande de la Tierra del Fuego, Seno Brujo, Chile<\/a><\/p>\n

January 21, 2011, Isla Grande de la Tierra del Fuego, Seno Brujo, Chile<\/a><\/p>\n

January 20, 2011, Isla Grande de la Tierra del Fuego, Seno Bluff, Chile<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

January 25, 2013, Prov. Ant\u00e1rtica Chilena, Comuna Cabo de Hornos, Isla Navarino, Seno Grandi, 55\u00b014\u2019S, 67\u00b046\u2019W The ship begins moving in the early morning hours and the potentially rough seas never really materialize. I think for most of us it is instead like being rocked in a cradle. When we stop we are halfway up… <\/p>\n

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