Discover how to plan, conduct, and interpret field research with this essential new guidebook

Good field research is the driving force behind advancement in the agronomic, environmental, and soil sciences. Nevertheless, many undergraduate and graduate scientists have limited opportunity to develop hands-on experience before undertaking projects in the field. WithFieldwork Ready, Dr Sara Vero maps out the fundamental principles, methods, and management techniques that underpin this crucial practice, offering trainee researchers an accessible introduction to the world of on-site investigation.

This instructive text includes:

Guidance on the essential aspects of environmental monitoring and soil, water, plant, and wildlife researchInsights into the methods behind experiment planning and effective fieldworkTips for team management and safetyExplanations of how to select and correctly use soil sampling equipment

Offering new researchers a primer that is practical and easy to follow,Fieldwork Ready is the ideal starting point for all those beginning a career in the agricultural sciences.

Sara E. Vero is a lecturer in agricultural science at Waterford Institute of Technology, in Waterford, Ireland, with a background in soil physics, chemistry, water quality, and sustainability.

List of Photo Contributors xi

Preface xii

Acknowledgments xiii

1 Introduction 1

What is "Fieldwork?" 1

Who Does Fieldwork? 5

Why Am I Doing this? 8

References 18

2 Types of Fieldwork 19

Experimental Design 19

Plot Experiment 19

Survey 22

Case Study 24

Monitoring 26

Sampling Design 29

Event Sampling 32

Grab Versus Composite Sampling 33

Sampling for Laboratory Studies 35

References 35

3 Preparation 37

Site Selection 37

Where Do I Need to Look? 37

Risk Assessment 40

Emergency 45

Equipment 46

Tools 46

Consumables 49

Maps, Apps, and Fieldsheets 49

Local or Regional Maps 52

Sketch Maps 52

Plot Diagrams 53

Mobile Apps 54

Field Sheets 55

Photographs 57

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) 61

Vehicles 63

Weather 68

Target Conditions 68

Precipitation 69

Humidity and Temperature 70

Wind 73

Sunlight 73

Soil Conditions 73

River Conditions 75

Concluding

Remarks 76

References 76

4 Logistics 77

Communication 77

Your Team 79

The Local Community 81

Officials 82

The Buddy System 83

Checklists 85

The Importance of the "Trial Run" 85

In the Field 86

Things Go Wrong! 87

Delays 87

Errors 88

Standard Operating Procedures and Quality Control 89

Accidents 90

Vandalism, Theft, and Interference 93

Moving On 93

Taking Care of Yourself in the Field 94

Dressing for the Field 94

Hydration 99

Food 100

Toilet 101

Moving in the Outdoors 102

Fatigue 105

Personal Safety 106

Stress 107

Accommodation 109

Sample

Management 110

Packaging Samples 110

Labeling 113

Wildlife 114

A Note on Insects 115

Domestic Animals 116

Zoonoses and Biosecurity 117

References 121

5 Environmental Monitoring 123

Resolution, Precision, Accuracy, and Hysteresis 123

Monitoring Arrays: An Overview 126

Components 129

Logger-Box or Enclosure 129

The Data-Logger 129

Power 132

Power Calculation -- Example 136

Sensors 138

Air, Soil, and Water Temperature 138

Stage 139

Humidity 140

Wind Speed 140

Rain Gauges 140

Volumetric Soil Water Content 142

Matric Potential 144

Step-by-Step Installation 145

References 154

6 Soil Techniques 157

Soil Sampling Equipment 157

Soil Survey 157

Pore-Water Sampling 179

References 181

7 Water Techniques 182

Surface Water Sampling -- Freshwater 183

Instream Parameters 184

Stream Width and Depth 184

Physico-Chemical Parameters 186

Using a Multiparameter Probe 187

Sampling for Laboratory Analysis 190

Autosamplers 193

Sediment (Bed, Bank, and Water Column) 196

Groundwater Sampling 203

Microbial and Sterile Sampling 208

Soil and Sediments 209

Water 209

Sample Preservation 210

References 211

8 Plants 213

Finding a Slope 213

Randomizing Plots 214

Marking

Field Plots 214

Applying Treatment to Field Plots 216

Phenology 219

Wheat 220

Corn 221

Perennial Forage Grasses 222

Soybeans 223

Vegetation Sampling 224

Root Sampling 231

Plant Height 232

Yield 235

Forage Crops 235

Grain Crops 238

References 239

9 Animal Techniques 242

Live-Catch Trapping 242

Use of Trail Cameras 247

References 249