Techniques and Goals Achived in the Research

Techniques learned since I started the research are: how to use different types of microscopes, mounting slides and how a specimen is prepared before mounting. I have also learned how to use dichotomous keys, which we have available to identify the genres of mites found and finally the collection of specimens.
Using the scale of achievement I give it a 4, since we find specimens in a buzzer where there were many mites with different morphology, which indicates that new genres have to identify and be reported. So far we have been two already identified, but one that is giving us problems. As we are working with feather mites, which are very diverse and interesting, it is also “interesting” to classify them, as they are the most difficult to identify. We are already preparing for the presentation of research that was one of my goals and it’s why I give it a 4.
One of the difficulties we have had is that we don’t have the necessary facilities in our laboratory and we find it a little difficult, but always look for ways to resolve it and meet in the available time.

On this semester January-May 2010 working on: Feather Mites and Other Associates in Birds of Puerto Rico

For this semester we have many goals, but three of these are work hard on research with five genera of mites, so we need to collect dead animals to obtain the specimens. We focus so far to collect, identify and report them. Another major objective is to prepare myself for a presentation of the research, on March 13 at UPR of Mayaguez. I will do the poster that I will be presenting and learn how to do it because I never have done one. A final important objective is to learn more about literature and genres that have already been reported, which will help us identify new host, not only in these five with which we are currently working.
We already have a proper place to do research and I think this semester will be working harder to obtain great results at the end of the road. The main objectives that I mentioned before give continuity to the project because our goal is to report new specimens of mites and report them in science literature so people know we were doing. Mites have not been sufficiently studied and these are very important to the understanding of the flora, fauna, clinical aspects etc..The skills I would like to acquire for this semester is how to prepare a good poster, and make a good presentation because it will be my first time that I will present an investigation in front of many people. I want to learn more English (the language of Science) and concerning the research I want to work hard to try to recover the time lost during the last semester and take advantage of all the knowledge I have acquired.

Research Experience of this First Semester

During this first six months of research I have learned many practical techniques and some other important things in a research working. Among the things I have learned are how to manage my time properly, how to work in a research lab, team work, and reading scientific literature and how to interpret and apply knowledge acquired in the research. Also I learned much about acarology and the diversity that is found in some genre, all related to the identification of this, etc. At the beginning of this research project I felt a little lost and did not know virtually anything about it, but as time passed, now I can understand that is a learning process because as compared to I knew before about acarology know I can talk more comfortably about it and I can explain many phenomenon about this wonderful world of mites. This for me was not a barrier as such but if it was a process by which I had passes when I start working in the project and now I’m very proud of what I’m doing and especially what I learned. Barriers as such in the draft were days that the university stop because we can’t work in the research, but anyway when the academic recess ends we continue working and replacing the spare time. The goals of the project for next semester would be continuing working on the collection and identification of the mites. We hope to collect and identify genera that have not yet been recorded in Puerto Rico which is the objective of this research and place the slides in the Acarology Collection at UPRH. I hope that next semester is as productive as this or more.

My blog visits

Comments about my experience of visiting the three bio-blog and the scientific aspects presented in each of the blogs.

First Blog: Lourdes D. Alicea Rodríguez

She is a junior student from the department of Industrial Biotechnology in the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez. Her research is about the antimicrobial activity in actinomycete found in hyper saline soils of Puerto Rico. The mentor of this research is Dr. Carlos Ríos Velázquez. She likes to work with the microorganism resistance to different antibiotics and actually she is working on the optimization of the DNA extraction methods of actinomycete. I like this research because I love everything related to microorganisms and another thing is that I can identify myself with Lourdes because like me she is in her third year of university. Been in touch with microorganism is very exciting that’s why I am doing my bachelor’s degree in microbiology, although I cannot deny that the behavior and neuroscience excites me and one of my dreams is obtain a PHD in “Behavior and Neuroscience.

Second Blog: Melvin J. Avilés Miranda

Is in the University of Puerto Rico at Cayey in the Chemistry major. He is working with Dr. Elba Reyes in the organic field investigating the active compound in the Puerto Rico Mormodica Charantia L. plant used commonly to reduce the hyperglycemic blood level in person that have diabetes II. Actually he is investigating the potentially bioactive compound of Momordica charantia “Cundeamor” infusion extract. This plant presented antidiabetic, antioxidant, antitumor, anticancer, antiflamatory effects. Melvin is using a solvent and soxhlet extraction technique to recover organic compounds from the leave of this plant. It was very interesting knowing all the effects of the plant Mormodes Charantia L. and it would be extraordinary being working with this plant and everything related with it.

Third Blog: Carlos Pasiche

Is investigating about which pH the media should to obtain bryophyte development with Dr. Inés Sastre. They are using bryophyte sporophyte’s from plants of Toro Negro. Their goal is the bryophyte conservation and they have used  Neckeropsis disticha as a model species for protocol enhancement. They want to reintroduced bryophyte to degraded ecosystems, to restore them and promote micro-ecosystem that supports bacteria, invertebrates, and protists. The role of Carlos Pasiche is the development of techniques that permit the multiplication of bryophyte with the maintenance of cultures, surface sterilizatiom and the preparation of nutrient media. He has an interest in paleobotany and in Evo Devo. I really like this blog and it was very interesting to read this type of research. I like the environmental style and the scientific integration, as the two go together. I think that more research should be done this way in the matter of trying to solve environmental problems.

Scientific Literature and Experiences

Currently there is a lot of information available about the mite’s classification, gender, distinctive characteristics, morphological differences between genders and even differences between mites from the same lineage, like the astigmatism mites. Much is known about a wide variety of genres of mites in other countries and continents, but in Puerto Rico this issue has not been well researched and thats why there is not much available information. The only available web information that I found,  is a paper publicated by Preston E. Hunteer and Sidney L. Poe that talks about the first record of an Ereynetes coenobitus n. sp. that is associated with hermit crab, Coenobita clypeatus, from the area of Puerto Rico. Ereynetes mites are generally free living or associated with insects.   We are using basically information from acarology books, but we haven’t used too much internet information. The books we are using are “A Manual of Acarology”, Third Edition by Gerald W. Krantz and to study mite’s morphology, behavior (habits, associations with hosts, environments, dispersal, evolution of parasitism), life cycle (egg, prelarva, larva, protonymph, deutonymph, tritonymph, adult), etc. The information found in this book and others are basic information to study or comprehends the existing genres in Puerto Rico, because it helps us understand the diversity, where they even mostly can be found and others important things.

During this month we have experienced a lot of challenging things, basically we were collecting mites of hermit crabs, the hardest part of this task is to classify them. Classification is a little hard because mites are a very diverse group and another thing is that before classification we need to recollect them, start the process preparation of permanent slides, and it takes a long time. Finally begin with our goal, the classification. Classifying a mite can take up days and we need to have patience and perseverance, some of the characteristics that a person needs when they are working in a research. Team working is much more interesting because we share, help and we learn from each other. The characteristics that are important for me in a collaboration research team are: patience and perseverance like I has mentioned before, because in a research things are not always as you want them to be; be communicative, because this is the best way to gain confidence and this can lead a more effective teamwork; try to have a good interpersonal relationship with your fellow researchers, so you will enjoy and feel comfortable;  helping each other, is very important in a research because a team is composed of people who are seeking  the same goal;  knowing that we are human beings, we also need to know everyone else’s talents and intelligence within the team. Respecting everyone’s opinions and thoughts and never trying to intimidate anyone from the team because their educational background and the latest one is to be responsible and tidy.

About Me & About Research

About Me & My Bio-Dreams

My name is Tatiana Rodriguez Ruiz, student of the University of Puerto Rico at Humacao. I am currently attending my Bachelors Degree in the area of the Biological Sciences with concentration in Microbiology. I am in my third year of university and I love the environment and the study of Genetics, Evolution and Developmental Biology, so when I complete my bachelor’s degree I will continue my further studies in these areas. I’m learning and I wish to learn more from the experiences that I will get along the way, so with what I learned I will be able to contribute with the technology, medical and environmental advances that we need in our lives and I know that in the future I could be one of those people who could save the life of someone with a discovery made of knowledge gained, or perhaps discover something beneficial. For this reason I wish to continue my doctoral studies in the area of Developmental Biology. Biology is my passion overall.

About the Research for this Semester August-December 2009:

COLLECTION AND IDENTIFICATION OF UNREPORTED MITE GENERA IN PUERTO RICO

Our selection on this project is the collection and identification of mite genera in Puerto Rico that have not yet been identified.  Mites (Arachnida: Acari) are among the most abundant and diverse of terrestrial arthropods.  Approximately 350 species of mites have been reported for Puerto Rico.  Preliminary work (A. Díaz, unpublished data) indicates that many more species remain to be collected and described.  Most notable among these are bird associates, reptile associates, insect parasites and commensals, and soil mites. I’m currently working with the Dr. Ariel Díaz and this area interest me because mites are so small and have a very important interest in our daily life. Mites are very different in their morphological way so they are different in shapes according to each genre. So the world of mites is wonderful and interesting, is one of the areas that needs to be investigated, so therefore is my motivation to be part of my mentor researching. In the summer we were working on the preparation of samples with specimens of the following genera Ewingia, Askinasia, Ovanoetus (Family Acaridae) and Ereynetes (Family Ereynetidae), all collected from hermit crabs (Coenobita clypeatus) and now we were basically continue working on the preparation of samples with specimens of different genres that also had not yet been identified. I specifically develop the skills on specimen collection and preparation, preparation of mite permanent slides, and use of phase contrast microscopy and microphotography.  In addition, a new mounting media for permanent mounts is tested. So I am very enthusiastic with the research and I already learn a lot in the technical and theoretical way with the revision of some mites literature like the book “A Manual of Acarology”, Third Edition by Gerald W. Krantz. Our goals along the way are the preparing of labeled slides to place in the Acarology Collection at UPRH. Already voucher specimens will be deposited at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez Insect Collection.

For more information about mites visit: http://www.tolweb.org/Acari