Walks around Oulanka

Although I didn’t walk as far as the GEO-CAICS team, I have walked quite far each day at Oulanka as it’s been much more difficult to find my study species here.  It wasn’t until the second afternoon that I found the first population about an hour’s walk from the station and (affects Victorian explorer’s accent) ‘whilst refreshing myself from a clear spring imagine my delight when I chanced upon the objects of my desire, those glistening carnivores’.

Thanks to Riku (station director) and Tiina from Metsähallitus, who provided me with some useful maps, I have since found four other small populations with about five km between the furthest apart.  The last one occupying a spectacular (=precarious) position by the Kiutaköngäs rapids.

Interestingly, the plants here seem to have caught far fewer insects on their leaves and I’ve caught less insects on my traps (but hopefully enough for analysis).  The more fertile soil compared to Kevo and the more shady conditions probably contribute to this as there’s less benefit to the plant of being carnivorous under these conditions.  Hopefully, the nitrogen isotope results will tally with my observations…

Tomorrow I will collect in all the insect traps first thing and then make my way homewards.