Biological Summer Research Camp Kolpa 2008

Spiders group will do research on spiders. The participants will get to know the selective (hand sampling with pincer and exhauster) and non selective methods (catcher, sieve, sail) of sampling spiders, the techniques for preparation and etiquetting of the collected material and getting to know the systematics. They will sample spiders from some of the more interesting localities and try to make an estimation on diversity of spiders in forests.

Botanical group will make an inventory of ferns and seed plants. The group will use the method of middle European charting of the flora (by quadrants) to study flora of the study area. The group members will get acquainted with methods of work in botany, charting of flora, species specification and critical handling of difficult taxons. They will also be introduced to some environmental measures necessary for the protection of flora.

The group for bats will study the group of mammals which can fly actively and orient themselves on basis of ultrasound which they emit. At daytime they will chart bats' dwellings in churches, castles, and other appropriate buildings and caves. At night they will capture bats with fine mist nets, recognize different species with an ultrasound detector. They will also use the detectors to locate bats' dwellings in forests. The group members will learn the determination of captured individuals and to recognize bats in flight on the basis of their calls. The results gathered will be used to plan the protection of this endangered group of animals.

Dragonfly group samples and charts dragonflies. Group members will observe and specify dragonflies and their larva and get to know the general ecology of the species. The work will focus on learning about different species and comparing the biodiversity of running to still water. The group will use water nets, butterfly nets, magnifying glasses and rubber boots.

Butterfly group charts and samples butterflies. The members will observe the butterflies and learn about general ecology of the encountered species.

Ornithological group will research birds of the ares. They will be charting the birds on basis of observation with field glasses and be listening to bird songs. They will visit different habitats and compare the inhabitants and learn about ecology and ethology of the species.

Group for amphibians will try to determine the dissemination of amphibians of the research area. The members will get to know the methodology of amphibian charting on field, monitoring and environmental biology amphibians.

The Lymnological group will focus on freshwater fish and crayfish. Members will learn different methods of field work and ecology of individual species. A few days will be spend using electo fishing, a method which uses electrical current to capture fish, specify them and return them to water. The group members will study different fish and their habitats. Fish will be sampled in Kolpa and its tributaries. On our last day we will try a more classical method of determining fish with a mask. Crayfish will be captured with inspecting larger stones in the streams, night observations and special traps. Work will mostly be done at field and most of our time will be spend in water. In the evening we will go through pictures of fish taken in special fish tanks. The group will focus on the importance of fish and crayfish for nature conservation.

Reptiles group will study reptiles. The main aim of the group will be to thoroughly chart the reptiles of the area by going through appropriate habitats for each of the species. The group members will be introduced to field biology and get practice in determining species in field. They will also learn about their systematics, biology and protection.

Group for grasshoppers will examine the variety of grasshoppers in different habitats. They will be engaged partriculary with systematics and ecology of grasshoppers, however, the group will also partly focus on ethology: they will listen to the male calls and observe the grasshopper mold...

Group for large carnivores will focus on all four species, which inhabit this area: grey wolf, golden jackal, brown bear and Eurasian lynx. Most of the work will be done in field. The presence of carnivores will be determined by footprints, scats and checking of dens. Monitoring of wolfs will be done using playback method. Group members will be introduced to classic and GPS telemetry, study of diet by scat analysis, and other methods used in research on ecology of large carnivores in forest habitats.

See also description of the research area.

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