Update: Plants & Insects (obviously)

Hello, no one in particular.

I haven't written in a while, but I thought I should just to keep the record straight.

Last month me and my brother took a long awaited trip the Highlands. The video says it all (2 parts due to an video error).

I'm continuing to develop a fascination for insects (I may have a dissertation idea related to entomology/decomposition), but I've also really become interested in anatomy as reflected by the many drawings I've done and a recent sculpture I just completed. On the study front, I recently finished the books Why People Need Plants & The Wisdom of Trees and have bought a little insect guide for future reference. So it's all going good there. Just waiting for year 2 of the BSc to come around. And big news, just this minute found out about a website called In Defense of Plants, a website/blog run by a PhD student in ecology. He also happens to run a 100+ episode podcast with eminent ecologists and others in related fields. And there is an episode on Middle Earth flora. I couldn't be happier. Not sure how I didn't know about this...

Cheers.

T.

Ps. Sometimes I forget I've had this blog since 2013. Shocking.

Dartmoor Trip & Other Things

Hello. Haven't posted in a while as I've been busy with the course and various hobbies.


Went to Dartmoor as part of the degree. I'll put some photos up later, but for now I'll just summarise what I saw


Wistmans Wood - Finally went to Wistman's Wood. Always wanted to go. It's my sort of place. Lots of Sessile Oaks. Very Fangorn-esque. Learnt a lot and speculated about the ecology of the forest. Took some nice photos of the epiphytic ferns and lichens.


Haytor - Did a Phase 1 Habitat Survey exercise here. Learnt about the landscape/land-use and investigated the various species, features and habitats in the area.


Torquay - Did an inform walked plant ID test & some rock pooling


Bellever Tor - Did an NVC exercise here.

Aside from that, not much else. Did an assignment based on this trip and revised some more. Three exams next week, nearly all in a row.


When I've had time I've been drawing some plants and varied plant related fantasy things (mostly ents/onodrim). Just nothing better than botany in terms of aesthetics, ecology and cultural significance. Still thinking of various botanical projects, but haven't landed on one yet.


T.

Blog Redesign

Gather roond the birkin tree...

I've had the idea of creating a new blog (probably on a more modern platform like Wordpress) for a while now, something to do with botany in particular. But I decided I couldn't leave this one behind as it's been going for quite a few years now. As you can see (my one or two readers) I've decided to spruce up the design a little. It feels a lot more... botanical. The blog has a new URL and title too: The Birkin Tree. Named after the Scots word for birch and a song from the Old Blind Dogs, a Scottish folk band.  It's not big news, but I feel like I need to nail my colours to the mast in my fascination with botany. What I mean to say is, I've slowly come to the realisation that plants are indeed my favourite thing. I mean they are aesthetically pleasing, they have endlessly fascinating evolutionary adaptations, they are culturally important and we depend on them entirely for our very survival in oxygen, food, clothing and more. I just decided to reflect that a bit more with this new design and blog title.

I'm currently writing a report on floral heterostyly in Primula vulgaris and enjoying the challenge with some of the most obscure botanical/genetic terms. I've also been thinking of doing something for this blog, something botanical. I quite like the idea of cataloging all the plants I've seen and just generally taking more photos and notes on them. We shall see.

T. 

BSc Year 1 Progress

Hello. Haven't posted  in a while.

Degree's going well, but (as expected) the workload is increasing swiftly. I've done an evolutionary essay and hedgerow survey report as my formative work, and an essay on boreal forest organisations remits, and a substantial academic portfolio so far for my summative. We've had a few proper lab sessions doing chromatography, pigment/water spectrophotometry and soil analysis. Soon I'll be on a work placement at Lindsay Carrington Ecological Services which is great since I've gotten pretty tired of making fences and doing odd jobs under a ranger. I'll be there for about 4 weeks so it's quite a big undertaking. Apparently I'll be helping with some phase 1 and bat reports. As part of the 'Academic Skills' unit, I've to work on an independent project, which I've chosen to do on wood ants and the vital habitat requirements to sustain their populations in the Caledonian Pinewood ecosystem. It's only secondary research, but I like the fact that I'm allowed to choose my own topic. I'm also becoming increasingly interested in entomology. I did a journal club presentation about late and early Quercus robur phenoforms and the use of late leaf flushing as defence against the winter month Operophtera brumata. So, yes, when I (hopefully) get to year 3, my dissertation will most likely be on  a plant-insect relationship.

Taylor.