BioCube 10 Week Four (Final)
Our last week working with the BioCube in lab was in the ISB for analysis instead of in the field. I was impressed with how much biodiversity we were able to find in the BioCube, because we were able to find almost nothing in the field. The decomposing wood broke apart and we got to observe mold and fungus growing, as well as finding numerous insects, like millipedes. I think this final section of the BioCube lab was important for in-depth analysis of the BioCube which wasn't possible in the conifer forest.
This lab section was definitely less nature-filled than previous weeks, but it was still an informative way to end the semester. I found it much easier to take high-quality photos for iNaturalist on the lab benches than in the forest, which was helpful for exploring the biodiversity of the region. It also provided a great opportunity to see what other groups had been observing in their ecosystems, which we weren't able to do at all at Foxcroft Farms. Throughout this lab module, I had so much fun learning more about the ecosystems in Massachusetts, something that we don't get to do often in the classroom.