Internship Report: Biological Specimens

This year, I was given an opportunity to intern with the Everglades National Park through the South Florida Collections Management Center (SFCMC). At the beginning of the internship, I was not sure what to expect as I had never worked in a museum before. I quickly learned that my main project was to catalog the biological specimens that researchers had previously collected throughout the park.

Cataloguing specimens is crucial for museums. It gives each object a number that allows curatorial staff to properly locate and preserve the objects in their collections. The value of these specimens is immeasurable. They provide a snapshot of what the ecosystem looked like at a certain point in time. For example, I cataloged a study of Apoids which is a superfamily containing bees and wasps. This study provided a snapshot of the different species located throughout the National Park and what plants they relied on. Now, researchers can gain access to these specimens and use them in their future research to study the Everglades ecosystem more accurately and thoroughly.

I had the opportunity to attend an orientation with the Florida Public Archaeology Network where they showed us LIDAR, a remote sensing method that uses light in the form of a laser to measure distances. We were able to use it on a panther statue in front of our visitor center to do a 3-D scanning of the object and learn how to use the software associated with it. They primarily use it to measure coastal erosion near important archeological sites to determine which ones are threatened by climate change, specifically sea level rise and higher storm surges. It was amazing to see the possible applications of LIDAR to protect and preserve our resources.

My favorite experience by far was having the opportunity to spend a few days working with the South Florida Natural Resources Center (SFNRC) on some of their projects. I assisted controlling invasive species in the Hole-in-the-Donut with the HID team. We traveled to one of the mounds and split into teams of two to apply herbicide to Taro and various types of grasses. We focused around the edges of the mounds so the plants would not expand into the restored areas of the Hole-in-the-Donut. More recently, I was also given the opportunity to go out with our hydrology department to a hydrology station by airboat. We had to replace a stage meter that was not transmitting stage data and gather the new stage level. Both were great opportunities to explore the park, experience the varying ranges of field work, and understand the research that is being done in the Everglades National Park.

Rachel Sampson
August 2019