About the Cornell Biological Field Station at Shackelton Point
Shackelton Point is a small peninsula in Madison County on the south shore of Oneida Lake. Before it became the Cornell Biological Field Station (CBFS), it served as the summer retreat for Charles S. Brown, a prominent Syracuse engineer and businessman. He used the property for his many hobbies, which included great dane breeding, card playing, and experimenting in horticulture and forestry. Upon his death in 1955, his widow donated the estate to Cornell, which soon began using the grounds to conduct ecological studies and coordinate extension projects. Today, over 30 staff, graduate students, and interns continue to make the CBFS at Shackelton Point a leader in limnology research around Oneida Lake and the Great Lakes.
Summer Planning
This week I had the chance to meet with representatives from Madison County CCE to plan out the events and projects I will work on this summer. Many county residents of all ages have close ties to Oneida Lake through business, fishing, and other recreation. I anticipate them bringing lots of great questions, so it’s time for me to study up! Madison CCE recently brought on environmental educators as part of their staff, so I will definitely be in touch with them throughout the summer.
Getting Out in the Field
I also took some time this week to participate in limnology sampling on Oneida Lake. We were able to measure water temperature, dissolved oxygen, turbidity (how clear the water is), pH, nitrate/nitrite concentration, and dissolved nitrogen at different depths using a special probe. Much like the data we collected from the rosette on Lake Erie last week, this information gives scientists a better understanding of water quality and how wildlife might be affected by it.
One of my fellow interns here at the field station is working on a project that involves raising mayflies. Mayflies are flying insects found around the lake, but they spend the first year of their lives as nymphs underwater. To collect these nymphs, we used an underwater claw called an Ekman Grab to retrieve a sample from the lake bottom. After briefly rinsing away some of the sediment, we could pick out the nymphs. It can be tricky to spot them- they like to hide within clusters of mussels. Look at how big they get! Understanding mayfly growth can impact fishery research since they are a favorite food of many fish.
It “bugs” me how fast time “flies” out here. I can’t believe I have already been at the station for two weeks! There is always something exciting happening at CBFS, so you won’t want to miss my upcoming blogs. Thanks for reading!