Melinda's Summer in the Fong Lab

Hello Everyone!

I'm Melinda, a first year MARC trainee, third-year Biology major.
This summer’s research has gone by so quickly!!! I am in Dr. Peggy Fong’s lab in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department. I got the opportunity to help with several projects ranging in topics from nitrogen-fixation/denitrification, the effects of algae on food web, to upper marsh vegetation and alternative stable states. I worked primarily with Sarah Bryson, who is looking to show salt marsh vegetation and salt pannes are alternative stable states. I also helped out Lauri Green with field work in the mud flats. I have been out in the field at least once a week starting the first week of the summer program. The field site is Mugu Lagoon, located in Ventura County Naval Weapons Air Base. Both the research with the salt pannes and research in the mud flats are conducted in different areas of the lagoon. I must say, this field site is AMAZINGLY beautiful. The favorite part of my summer, and perhaps the most tiring, was collecting samples from the field.

Collecting mud cores for chlorophyll analysis.
I know it looks like we are trying to catch something in the water, but unfortunately we are approaching a dead brown smooth-hound shark.
Another undergrad and I trying to smile for the camera, but that shark was quite heavy. This is also seconds before the guts fell out onto our pants!
A slightly better view of the shark.

A far more flattering picture of me at the SPUR Poster Session.

I hope everyone enjoys the last few days of summer!!!

-Melinda Hernandez