FIELD STUDY CAMP: EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON CONSERVATION

Any two experimental studies can be taken up each week in Field Study Camp

SUGGESTED STUDIES:

  1. Effect of bio-pesticides and bio-fertilizers on mango trees vis-à-vis chemical pesticides/fertilizers.
  2. Utilization of water when used for irrigating a paddy field / Sugarcane field.
  3. Status of wastewater and sewage released into fields from villages and farmhouses.
  4. Preparation of bio-fertilizers in a short span of time.
  5. Animal response to tourist movement
  6. Field study of animal (herbivores) movement at night.
  7. Assessment of crop damage by herbivores
  8. The pattern of movement of migratory birds over a month
  9. Effectiveness of preparation and utility of bio-fuels
  10. Traffic movement on roads and the effect of traffic on wildlife
  11. Creating and observing a micro-habitat
  12. Estimating the water level in different parts of the forest
  13. Testing soil quality at different locations and assessing the suitable crops
  14. Effect of stubble burning on the environment
  15. Effect of presence and absence of flagship species on the environment
  16. Weather station to study temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind velocity to study the microclimatic conditions near the forest and compare data with the nearby town
  17. Impact of wildlife on Agriculture in surrounding farms
  18. Insect biodiversity in the forest
  19. Exotic weeds in the forest
  20. Medicinal plants and their uses in the forest
  21. Effect of tourism on the forest
  22. Study of wetlands of the reserve for species diversity and ecological variability
  23. Status and distribution of Amphibians, Reptiles
  24. Feeding habits and food utilization by key species of wildlife, food preferences, seasonal variability etc
  25. Inventory of Plant and animal species found in the reserve
  26. Forest resources dependency of the local population

 

EXPERIMENTAL STUDY 1:

TESTING SOIL QUALITY AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AND ASSESSING SUITABLE CROPS FOR CULTIVATION

CONCEPT AND OBJECTIVES OF EXPERIMENTAL STUDY:

Dear Campers,

The Terai Arc of which Dudhwa is a part lies on the southern side of the Shivalik Ranges. The Terai soil is very fertile as it is formed by the deposits of the silt brought down by the numerous rivers. This is the reason why almost every square inch of land has been brought under the plough.

 

Soil which is weathered or disintegrated rock comprises silicate compounds. The kind of soil is a mixture of either alluvium, sandy, clayey and loamy. These different soil types occur at different depths and different sites. The humus content is the most important constituent of soil for agriculture.

 

The objective of this experimental study is to collect the soil samples from different locations and at different depths to i) study the different constituents and ii) analyze the chemical constituents, macronutrients (like N, P, K) and micronutrients (like Zinc, etc) that influence soil fertility and iii) assess what kind of soil is best suitable for agriculture.

 

METHODOLOGY:

  1. Collect 15 soil samples from following sites: i) River bed ii) River Bank iii) Inside core forest iv) Inside buffer forest v) Near a pond vi) Pond bed vii) Agricultural farms where intensive/chemical farming is done viii) Farms/kitchen gardens using organic manure ix) Grazing ground x) Towns or roadside xi) Brick kilns xii) stubble burnt agricultural fields xiii) Pre-monsoon soil xiv) post-monsoon soil xv) pre-harvest soil and xvi) post-harvest soil
  2. Collect soil samples in a long, wide-mouth test tube
  3. Observe and note color, texture, particle size and moisture content of the soil in each sample
  4. Analyze and note the pre-dominant kind of soil in each sample
  5. Analyze the chemical composition of each sample through chromatography (?)
  6. Rate the fertility of each soil based on given parameters:

Chemical composition: which composition is best and Kind of soil: loamy soil is the best

  1. Note down the assessment for each soil sample
  2. Find out which soil is suitable for which crop

 

POINTS TO PONDER:

  • Can we chemically analyze macronutrients and micronutrients present in the soil through chromatography?

EXPERIMENT 2: DATA COLLECTION OF TEMPERATURE, HUMIDITY, ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE, WIND VELOCITY AND VEGETATION IN THE FOREST AND BANKS OF SHARDA RIVER OR NEARBY TOWN  OR AGRICULTURAL FARMS TO STUDY THE MICROCLIMATIC CONDITIONS AND THEIR EFFECT ON THE  STATUS (KIND, VARIETY AND SPREAD) OF NATURALLY OCCURING FLORA.

CONCEPT AND OBJECTIVES OF EXPERIMENTAL STUDY

Dear Campers,

You would have clearly experienced for yourself the difference of temperature in residential areas vis-à-vis the neighborhood park. This is a simple empirical observation of the phenomenon of micro-climates.

Micro-climate is the climatic condition in a relatively small area, within a few meters or less below or above the surface of the earth and within canopies of vegetation.

Micro-climates conditions depend on factors such as temperature, humidity (moisture), wind, dew, frost, frost, heat balance, evaporation, kind of soil, vegetation, topography, altitude.

Complex micro-climates that lie close to each other, create a suitable environment for the existence and interaction of a diverse variety of flora and fauna.

The experimental study to be done is to collect data on the different factors that influence micro-climates in different places like the forest, riverbanks, farms and nearby towns. The objective of the study is to analyze the status of different flora in different microclimates.

 

METHODOLOGY:

  1. We shall collect data on various factors that influence the microclimates using different instruments at different sites:
    • For temperature: maximum-minimum thermometer
    • For relative humidity: dry and wet bulb thermometer
    • For atmospheric pressure: aneroid barometer
    • For wind velocity: anemometer and wind wane
    • For rainfall: rain guage
  1. Apart from the above information, we shall also document the naturally occurring floral specimens at different sites
  2. The above information will give us a clear idea about the effect of micro-climate conditions on bio-diversity.