How do you explain the extraordinary and secret world of rain forest biodiversity to students who have never seen a rain forest? Perhaps we start here at home…
Citizen science is the process of engaging citizens to collect data and learn how science works. To learn more about biodiversity, students of Rob Dunn at NCSU are surveying the biodiversity of belly buttons… Biodiversity VERY close to home!

Rob’s students piloted their survey at the ScienceOnline conference at Sigma Xi headquarters, NC. Biodiversity …. Bacteria? Fungi? Arthropods? Stay tuned, as they share the results and discuss the challenges of surveying biodiversity. Whether it is belly buttons or tall trees, it ain’t easy!!

Dr. Lowman will be speaking at the Bethlehem United Holy Church in Durham, NC on Martin Luther King Day (1/17/2011).  Details are in the flyer below. (Click to enlarge.)

Thanks to:
David Jarzen, University of Florida
Meg Lowman, North Carolina State University
Susan Jarzen, University of Florida

Check out the video of Dr. Lowman and the other members of the jury of the Rolex Awards for the Young Laureates Programme:
http://young.rolexawards.com/about/meet_the_jury

On Tuesday, October 19th, BBC Radio 4 will include a segment about the Ethiopian Church Forests. For more information see the BBC Radio 4 website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00vcp4c

Photos from Ethiopia taken by Dr. Phil Wittman of http://canopyquest.com:

You can view more of Dr. Wittman’s collection of incredible photography from other expeditions here:
http://www.photoshelter.com/c/stock/gallery/Phillip-Wittman-Collection/G0000OKniyIvKNWw/

Neville Winchester provides us with a sample picture of one Berlese trap extraction taken from a Church Forest in Ethiopia (click for a larger image):

Ethiopia church forest Berlese trap extraction (Credit: Dr. Neville Winchester)

Photos from Ethiopia taken by Phil Harpootlian:

One of scientist Neville Winchester’s samples, illustrating the biodiversity of Ethiopian church forests (click for a larger image):

Ground Sample from Site 1 (Credit: Dr. Neville Winchester)

Along with some great moments, came some bad.

Here are some of the “worst” things about our Ethiopia expedition:

1. Car trouble
2. Hornbill-hitting-windscreen (will send from laptop)
3. Eating ONLY with the right hand (because the left is used for something else)
4. Watching where you step….. the church forest ground abounds with dung-beetle habitat
5. Eucalpyt plantings that ultimately suck down the water table, and displace native trees
6. Student housing for clergy disciples