One of the weird things about being in this field is how exciting previously gross stuff becomes. Every time I collect fecal samples I think about how most people would be running away from falling fecal matter... instead primatologists run towards it. The advances in non-invasive methods are truly remarkable. A single fecal sample opens up data on relatedness, reproductive state, stress levels, parasite infections, gut microbes, etc... We just had an excellent guest talk at Stony Brook by Dr. Rebecca Stumpf, half of which focused on gut microbes, and which included some amazing data from Dr. Katherine Amato on gut microbes and habitat quality in black howlers (Alouatta pigra)! I had the pleasure of being in the field with Katie while she was collecting that data (I was a field assistant on another project with the howlers). Biological Anthropology is a small world! It's always exciting to see the end result of someone's project.
I will be in Ecuador in less than a week. The entire goal of this month long trip is to collect enough fecal samples to validate testosterone for woolly monkeys. If everything goes according to plan I should have around a hundred fecal samples collected and processes in the field. It's exciting/nerve-racking to finally be working on a part of my dissertation data collection. Meanwhile I'm trying to stay calm and organize the ever-expanding pile of field supplies.
I will be in Ecuador in less than a week. The entire goal of this month long trip is to collect enough fecal samples to validate testosterone for woolly monkeys. If everything goes according to plan I should have around a hundred fecal samples collected and processes in the field. It's exciting/nerve-racking to finally be working on a part of my dissertation data collection. Meanwhile I'm trying to stay calm and organize the ever-expanding pile of field supplies.