In answer to the call for posts about ‘Modern Women in Science’, I decided to write about my sister: Dr Elizabeth Dobson BSc (Biology), BSc (Vet. Bio), BVMS (Hons), MSc, Diplomate ACVP.
Why my sister? Well, first because she’s an
accomplished scientist in the field of veterinary and wildlife pathology. And second,
because she’s had a unique career. It’s an example of how scientists can draw
on diverse experiences to shape their future and play an active role in carving
out a professional niche that aligns with their goals (and financial needs!).
We drive out of the compound just after dawn; a convoy of four vans full of final year science students and staff. We heard lions calling beyond the fence last night, and we haven’t gone 500 meters before we see them: two males strolling off to the left. Within hours, we will have seen herds of buffalo, jackal, giraffe, vervet monkey, baboon and, most impressively, both black and white rhino, among many other birds, reptiles and mammals. The tourist in me is delighted to see so much so quickly, but there is a good reason why the animals are so close to the tracks. This is Lake Nakuru National Park in Kenya, and Lake Nakuru is rising, forcing the animals living there into a narrowing strip between the water and the boundary of the park.
The water levels in the Eastern Rift Valley lakes have a history of fluctuating wildly. From a peak in 1961, they have fallen and risen in response to drought and heavy rainfall for the last 50 odd years. Current lake levels are the highest they have been since the 60’s, but now, something very interesting is going on. Weather conditions have not changed to the degree that would predict such an extreme rise in the lake water, and people are searching for other explanations.
Some commentators believe that the changes are driven by human impacts. They claim that activities such as tree felling, house building, cultivation and increased grazing pressure have caused more water to run off the land into the rivers which feed the lakes. Because of the very seasonal rainfall, flash floods are common and they carry large sediment loads into the lakes. This sedimentation has also been blamed for the rise of the lakes, which is a bit confusing as sedimentation was previously blamed for falling water levels. Tectonic activity has been suggested as a possible explanation: local compression of the African plate governs opening and closing of fractures through which water can seep. A change in the pattern or amount of local rock fracturing could affect water levels.
While the debate over the cause of the changes continues, there are obvious social and environmental implications. At Nakuru, the land area of the park has decreased and animals are more concentrated along the margins of the park. The problem of over grazing has intensified, animals are easier to find for tourists but also for poachers, and the potential for human-wildlife conflict has increased. The lakeshore hotel at Baringo now stands under several feet of water, no longer providing jobs or bringing valuable revenue into the area from tourists. At Lake Bogoria, the lake water has become fresher as it has risen. This has inhibited the growth of the cyanobacteria upon which the lake’s iconic lesser flamingo flocks depend so flamingo numbers have fallen. But it is an ill wind that blows no-one good – rising water levels are a boon for fishermen.
Looking back over the 20th century, fluctuating water levels appear to be the norm in the Eastern Rift Valley, but they are very difficult to foresee. Knowing how frequently, how far and how fast the lakes rise and recede would be a huge benefit to local people. It is a complex problem, and one which would require a wide range of expertise and a lot of money to solve. In the meantime, the lakes are mercurial, providing and destroying land and livelihoods.
So, it’s that time of year again; as the cold, damp, dark, weather sets in we look to warmer climes for escape and entertainment. So; Take 26 people, from all walks of life, throw them together in a tropical paradise to camp with bugs, beasts and cold-water showers for 10 days and watch the dynamics and lessons unfold….
Ok so we’re not exactly celebrities, we didn’t skydive into the savanna, or have Ant and Dec provide a narration to our every move, or eat blended kangaroo testicles (though incidentally on the same trip last year I did try ox testicles!), but we were a mixed group, many of whom were experiencing the tropics for the first time, and out of the luxury of their usual lives, forced to live together in tents for 10 days.
On our field course of Tropical Ecology in Kenya with our final year undergraduate students, I was struck once again by the sense of camaraderie and togetherness that the experience brought to us all. Nothing like scanning each other for ticks to build trust! There is no comparison to learning through experience and that is exactly what we spent the week doing; from buffalo management and human wildlife conflict, to climate change and community development projects. I think that we are lucky in the field of ecology for these sorts of opportunities to present themselves that many other fields may not have; the chance to go out and live and experience our science. I think it is really important for humanizing the science too- being able to interact and see how others problem solve under pressure or with limited resources; hard to gain in a one hour lecture twice a week or the odd practical.
We did have a few “Bushtucker” trials of our own though:
Sk-Hipp to the Loo
Dodge the giant grazing hippos in the dark to reach the bathroom without scaring them into crushing your campmate
The Hike of Hell
Walk for 3 hours in the grueling heat of the Equatorial midday sun with no shade and an Irish complexion, the trail littered with dead flamingoes.
Mystery Meat Curry
Might be goat, might be donkey; If you don’t think about it it’s fine!
Gorge-ous day for a climb
Creep along the perilous algal covered gorge slopes to reach the other side without falling to your death (or at least a lot of bruises)
What’s that bite?
It went from red bubble to blackish- green triangle: Hospital or Savlon?
Pothole Perils
Steer your overloaded minivan at high speed around the giant potholes without ending up in a ditch.
Prickly Plant Polka
Rash or puncture? Only one way to find out; walk through the forest in shorts and count the war wounds… And don’t lick the prickly pear en route
TenAnt trials
Try to pack a tent at 6am without disturbing the ants nest underneath
Pitch Perfect
The most frightening of all; stand up in front of your campmates to present an original research project idea for funding…
At least I can say that the public wasn’t voting people off the trip!
Campsite at Ol Pejeta, with Acacia xanthophloea in the background.
During the first week of November I travelled to Kenya to help out on the Tropical Field Ecology course, run by Ian Donahue in the Zoology Department. Final year students from Zoology, Environmental Sciences, and Plant Sciences attended, and I was the postgraduate representative from the Botany Department. While I should under no circumstances be considered a true Botanist-I study plant-animal interactions, and my botanical skills are mediocre at best- I did my best to learn about the amazing tropical flora of this region. I’m sure others will write about the trip in detail, but I thought I would summarize our experience using the dominant or interesting plants we saw in each place we travelled.
Day 1&2- Arrive in Nairobi: After spending the night in the United Kenya Club, we awoke to a 5 hour drive north to Laikipia County. Along the way the most striking plants were ornamental and known to a number of the students already- for example, colourful Bougainvillea was visible from quite a distance, as were the beautiful flowering Jacaranda trees- neither of course are native to the region.
Day 3-Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Laikipia County: We camped for the next two days in Ol Pejeta, and although we experienced quite a bit of rain, it was one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. The campsite was on the river and surrounded by Acacia xanthophloea, known to the locals as “Yellow fever acacia” for its medicinal properties. It has a yellow-green bark which makes it quite distinctive. On game drives we saw a lot of scrubby shrub species, none in flower. It was difficult to identify many of the species in the conservancy but we were told many of them belong to the genus Euclea. We also got our first glimpse of Solanum incanum but more on that later.
Solanum incanum at the Chimpanzee sanctuary in Ol Pejeta
Day 4- Nakuru: Compared to Ol Pejeta the flowering flora here was a breeze to identify! Although a lot of it comprised invasive species, such as Lantana and Datura species, and of course the conspicuous Solanum incanum (also known as Sodom’s Apple). S. incanum gives the management at Nakuru serious trouble, growing uncontrolled in areas that are over grazed or disturbed by humans. In addition to the invasives we saw a lot of Leonotis mollissima and identified a lovely shrub called Tarchonanthus camphorates from its camphor scented leaves.
Day 5-11-Baringo County: And finally, after quite a lot of driving (during which we saw some impressive Euphorbia candelabra specimen), we arrived in Baringo County. Our first day here we went for a hike at Lake Bogoria, and spotted two species of interest. First, the indigenous Adenium obesum, or Desert Rose. Some of the students carried out their mini-project on the nectar secretion and flower visitation of this species, and found nectar volume varies with time of day. Second, we saw Salvadora persica, known as the “toothbrush tree.” Our local guide told us people chew the twigs to promote dental hygiene. Throughout the county, two new species of Acacia were also evident- Acacia tortilis (The Umbrella Thorn, accurately named after its shape) and Acacia mellifera. Women in the area highly value A. mellifera because the honeybees they keep apparently favour it for making particularly sweet honey. And finally, one cannot forget to mention the damaging invasive Prosopis juliflora. Native to Mexico and Central America, it was introduced to try and control soil erosion and now has spread throughout the county. It is difficult to remove as it can regenerate from the roots, and is not particularly useful as fuel, food for livestock or fencing.
Adenium obesum, Desert Rose at our campsite in Baringo, Robert’s Camp
This description is simply the most obvious vegetation we saw on the field course. The diversity of flora and fauna was overwhelming and I think the students, demonstrators, and staff alike were impressed and awed by the environments we were fortunate enough to experience. Kenya is truly an amazing place!
So, it’s that time of year again; as the cold, damp, dark, weather sets in we look to warmer climes for escape and entertainment. So; Take 26 people, from all walks of life, throw them together in a tropical paradise to camp with bugs, beasts and cold-water showers for 10 days and watch the dynamics and lessons unfold….
