Service Learning Project: Lyon Arboretum micropropagation
My visits to the Lyon Arboretum throughout this semester have been educational, relaxing, pleasant, and stimulating. Educational, because I learn something new every week, whether it's about a particular plant species, a micropropagation technique, o r current events about endangered species conservation efforts. Relaxing and pleasant, due to the smiling staff and luscious plant life that surrounds me. Stimulating, because of the impact I know I am making on the environment, and also because of the manipulations that I perform on the plantlets-- procedures which I had never known were possible.
The past month provided me with more experiences to add to my collection. Just some highlights:
4/2/97: I transplanted Astelia menziesiana plantlets (about three inches tall) from overcrowded lab containers into new ones. We used standard nutritional media, and cut away excess roots and leaves.
4/16/97: I gave a tour of the lab to a friend visiting from California, teaching him about our procedures and goals.
4/23/97: Working with Vitex rotundifolia, (a.k.a. Beach Vitex, Pohinahina, or Kolokolokahakai, and indigenous to Hawaii, China, Japan, and other Pacific areas) I got to see how multiplication media can affect plantlets. These little guys reminded me of Siamese twins, or rather, Siamese quintuplets. The main plantlet grew straight out of the media, while at its base, four miniature shoots sprouted, pointing out from the main shoot at 45 degree angles. With my scalpel I rescued them from their predi cament, cutting them apart and transferring them into 5 different test tubes.
4/23/97: Groundbreaking news! Like a boy proudly displaying his new Christmas present for all to see, Greg (our lab director) showed us some Silversword seeds which had germinated. We had planted about 36 seeds into test tubes back in March; out of these three of them were successful. This was exciting for the lab-- growing Silverswords from seeds had never been attempted on Oahu before, and we had thought that none of the seeds would be successful. Normally found on the chilly slopes of Haleakala in Maui, Silverswords are very rare.
4/30/97: Some plantlets related to Taro "graduated" from our lab. We outplanted them from their lab containers into two inch wide pots. These species don't develop the tubers that common taro has, but they can be grown for decorative purposes.
5/7/97: I propagated tall plantlets (4") by snipping them into pieces and then placing each piece into new test tubes containing standard nutrient media.
5/7/97: Remember the contamination that I talked about in my first journal paper? Well, we solved the mystery. I learned that the mysterious contamination spreading throughout our growth room was due to dust mites-- microscopic buggers who managed t o climb under our parafilm, under the test tube caps, into the test tubes, and onto the phytogel to grow their fungus farms. Viewed under a dissecting microscope, they could be seen diligently tending their fungus and taking a nibble every so often.
This month, like the previous months, was filled with interesting experiences. No monotony here!
I know that the learning process at the Arboretum is continuous; I learn something new at every visit. It is amazing to me all the different ways that plantlets can be manipulated! We are all learning, from the volunteers and paid staff to the direc tor. New challenges and situations are sure to arise as the environment becomes more compromised. From a microbiological point of view, I am now familiar with practical applications of microbiology laboratory procedures. Aseptic technique is no longer just a lab exercise. Contamination now means more than a lower grade on my "Streaking for Isolation" project. The microbiology laboratory world has become real for me. And while Microbiology 130 teaches us the subject from a medical standpoint, I feel t hat it is important to understand the other aspects of microbiology as well, such as the environmental and industrial areas. Service Learning at the Lyon Arboretum definitely showed me environmental microbiology. Through it, I feel that I've rounded out my education.
As for my future plans, the end of the semester fortunately does not mean the end of volunteering. There are so many more plant species to work with, more techniques to practice or learn, more surprises in store. And how can I stay away from the lus cious grounds surrounding the laboratory? I will continue to visit the Arboretum laboratory every week, to learn, relax, and do whatever I can to aid in conservation efforts.