Specimen and Seed Collecting in Baja California
On Tuesday, June 11, 2019, our team set out to Ensenada, Baja California to see a lecture from Dr. Rodrigo Mendez Alonzo at CICESE. He talked about how plants use water, which was 94% for transpiration, 5% for growth and stagnation, and 1% photosynthesis. Afterward, we visited an animal herbarium and the garden with different plant species, which made me wonder how many different species are still yet to be discovered. Then, we visited Dr. Jose Delgadillo at UABC who gave us a presentation on Mediterranean climate and plants. Later, we go back on the road and made multiple stops to collect different specimens. We didn’t finish until 2:30 am, which was an exciting and tiring experience.
The next day, we got up early and started our long, hot and cramped drive to Sierra San Pedro Martír. Upon our arrival, we met Dr. Hugh Safford, who talked to us about the Jeffrey pine, Sugar pine, and White fir. We went on a short walk with him while he showed us the different trees and he also talked about forest fires. We really enjoyed it since we got to touch, smell, and compare the different trees around us. Then we walked back to the cabin, had dinner, wrote our daily journals, and went to sleep to prepare for the next day.
The next morning we had a quick breakfast, packed our lunch, and headed out to the Museum of Sierra San Pedro Martír where we learned about the Kiliwas and the different tools they used to hunt and collect. We also learned about the condor and got to touch a feather. Afterwards, we headed to the observatory, but sadly it was closed because of construction work being done. We took some pictures and headed back down to meet with Hugh Safford to go on a hike in the Jeffrey pine forest. We really enjoyed the hike even though it was tiring because of the high elevation, thin air, and some of the rocks were hard to walk through. We got to collect Pinus monophylla and Pinus quadrifolia, which was interesting to see in a different habitat since we also saw them at Ojos Negros on our night hike on day 1. We also collected Salvia pachyphylla subspecies meridionalis which there was a lot of in the forest. Later on, we went back to the campsite and collected Penstemon californicus, but they were not flowering, which was disappointing. Then, we cooked dinner and prepared for our long drive to Bahia de Los Angeles the next day.
The morning after, on our way down to the mountain, the team set out to find Xylococcus bicolor samples. However, we were not able to find the full 10 that we needed. We made a 2 hour stop at San Quintin for a grocery run and to eat lunch. Before we left San Quintin and lost cell phone service, we contacted our families to let them we were well and might not have service for the rest of the trip. On the road, we stopped at the Sonoran Desert and learned about the different species of cacti found there, such as the Cardon. We also compared the different vegetation we would observe along the road. In addition, there was an abundant amount of blooming Elephant trees (Pachycormus discolor). Once we got to Bahia de Los Angeles, we had trouble finding one of the houses we were going to be staying at but we were able to find it eventually. After nine uncomfortable hours on the van, we ended the day peacefully by having dinner near the ocean. The food was delicious, the shower felt nice, and laying down felt relaxing.
On Saturday, we had oatmeal and fruit for breakfast and headed out early to get on the boats to head out to the islands to collect cacti samples. Before we got on the boat, we met a few interesting professionals from the Ocean Discovery Institute and the University of San Diego. One of them being Dr. Drew Talley, who attended San Diego State University for his undergraduate, Scripps Oceanography for his Doctorate, and UC Davis for his Post-Doc. His research involves setting traps with bait on the islands to catch insects on the islands and he shared a boat with us. The boat ride was so much fun and exciting, we saw dolphins as they swam along with the boat. I wondered what I could do for these creatures since some of their species are going extinct. The experience reminded me of a simpler time when I was smaller. Once we got to the first island, I knew it was going to be a bit of a challenge to hike up the rocks. Several of us got injured, but we pulled through. On Isla Llave and La Cerraja, we collected samples and seeds of Ferocactus gatesii and Mammillaria dioica. On each island we visited, we compiled biodiversity and rare plant reports. If our target cacti weren’t present in a certain island, we discussed why our specimen doesn’t grow there. After we got back on land, some of us went snorkeling and saw many interesting sea creatures. To conclude the evening, we all had dinner together that included carne asada, beans, rice, tortillas, avocado, chips and salsa. We bonded and shared laughs while cleaning and washing up.
Sunday was an early morning for the group. We woke up bright and early in order to prepare breakfast and enjoy the sunrise. This was our last field day in Bahia de Los Angeles and we need to take advantage of every minute. After finishing breakfast, we met with Drew at the ODI station and a staff member made an interesting discovery. Next to the boats, there was a dark and small brittle star resting on top of a rock. For many of us this was the first time encountering a brittle star and it was quite fascinating. After observing the brittle star, we all got into the boat and ventured to visit five new islands. Our goal for the last field day was to visit El Jorobado, La Bota, La Ventana, La Pata, and la Flecha in the search for more Ferocactus gatesii and Mammillaria dioica. Upon our arrival to the first island, we noticed that a steep and rocky hike awaited us. One by one, the students found a path along the rocks and maintained a low and steady body position in order to withstand the harsh morning winds. When we reached the top, we knew our journey had been successful because there was an abundant population of Ferocactus gatesii and Mammillaria dioica. As the day continued it seemed as though each island got progressively steeper, but we were soon surprised by some joyful sea creatures. On our way to the third island, we spotted a group of dolphins. We were able to sit at the front of the boat and witness how the dolphins playfully jumped across the water. After a long day, we got to enjoy the beach and snorkel. Hiking the steep islands of Bahia de Los Angeles and swimming in the cool and temperate water of the Sea of Cortez was an experience we will never forget.
The following day we traveled to San Quintin where we met with the non-profit organization Terra Peninsular. We would like to thank every person we encountered during this trip for allowing us to learn more about their amazing work and sharing their knowledge about the flora of the region with us. We really appreciate their warm welcome and hospitality. We are also very thankful with the USDA - National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), HSI program for funding this summer internship program, which has allowed us to explore Baja California and increased our knowledge about native, binational plants. If you would like to know more about our adventures in San Quintin, check out the article we wrote for Terra Peninsular on their website: http://terrapeninsular.org/en/mediterranews/
