Grupo 5/Group 5. Anna, Claire, Naida, Jade

Chamela is H-O-T-T-O-G-O Buenas noches from Anna, Naida, Claire and Jade!

Many of us are struggling to acclimate to the heat here at Chamela (and is the ‘cool season, only attaining daytime temperatures of low 30s), but our projects are underway!

The main task today has been collecting pilot data for our research projects so we can refine our hypotheses and design feasible studies. Groups ventured out into the brush to get some preliminary data. After spending the morning collecting pilot data, we took some time mid-day before lunch to research with the Spanish books, reports and articles available in the air-conditioned library. Some of us also had a little siesta since we were feeling a bit fatigued after having spent a few hours in the hot sun. After a morning of fieldwork, we had lunch which consisted of chicken and rice with hibiscus juice! After lunch, we made our way to the classroom to present our hypotheses and receive (and provide) constructive feedback to each group as a class. Groups then headed in separate directions to incorporate feedback, develop their methods, and collect more data. Different groups spent their day looking for lizards, playing bird calls and gaging response, evaluating herbivory and spine abundance in cacti, and assessing tree width and leaf morphology. Group 4 was lucky enough to spot some wild pigs while trekking through the field.

For dinner, we had tasty tacos and of course more hibiscus juice. Then, we did three species presentations in the courtyard—we learned about the Black Vulture, the White-Nosed Coati, and the Mexican Red Legged Tarantula—all of which we’ve seen here this week.

That’s all for today! Hasta luego