Timberlake Biological Field Station

Exciting times ahead for Timberlake Biological Field Station! The National Science Foundation's field station infrastructure program has awarded Timberlake funds to support a new research laboratory! More on the story here: https://www.tarleton.edu/news/grant-awarded-for-lab-construction-at-timberlake-biological-field-station/

Malvern associates recently visited campus to train Drs. Johnson, Srinivasan, and Chraibi, Ms. Prukop, and PhD student James to use the Mastersizer 3000. This equipment measures soil particle size, and marks progress in building Timberlake's analytical services for research and community support.

The annual College of Science & Mathematics - Tarleton State University Fish Fry at Timberlake Biological Field Station! Catered by Pepperbelly's in San Saba. Many new and long-time friends of Timberlake came from near and far to visit, including Tarleton President Dr. James Hurley and Provost Dr. Diane Stearns. Drs. Lamar and Marilyn Johanson were present and shared an inspirational message. Dr. Hurley shared some very kind words about the field station's bright future and offered thanks to retiring Timberlake director and Interim COSM Dean Dr. Phil Sudman. Dr. Sudman will be officially retired at the end of Summer and we will greatly miss him! Dr. Sudman introduced the new field station director Dr. Kevin Johnson and reviewed some of the year's accomplishments.

A lovely time of year for fieldwork!

Field Trip Travel is essential to the learning experience in the College of Science and Mathematics!
Click on the link below to learn more and to make a difference TODAY!

https://donate.tarleton.edu/project/41901

Love the updated West Texas Mesonet app! Timberlake Biological Field Station weather available with a quick tap on my phone. Appreciate everything staff at the National Wind Institute have done in partnering with Tarleton State University to build and maintain the weather station at Timberlake.

COSM is bringing hands-on learning to students outside the classroom!
Click below to learn more:
https://donate.tarleton.edu/project/41901

The clouds parted at Timberlake Biological Field Station for the viewing of the eclipse in full totality! As the dark settled, the birds stopped singing... and then the crickets started chirping...

Totality at Timberlake! Graph shows solar radiation - note the precipitous drop at 1330h!

Congratulations to the 2024 recipients of the Johanson Student Research Scholarship! The following students were awarded funds to support their projects to be carried out at Timberlake Biological Field Station:

Elizabeth Mary Mullins (Advisor Dr. Victoria Chraibi): Functional and compositional changes of algal communities under pulse and press disturbances.

Kelly Phillips (Advisor Dr. Victoria Chraibi): The impact of soil type and rain intensity on nutrient runoff processes at Timberlake Biological Field Station (TBFS)

Armando Najera (Advisor Dr. Kristin Herrmann): Parasite communities in Lepomis fish hosts along the Colorado and San Saba rivers

Sarah Bullard (Advisor Dr. Jesse Meik): Texas Map Turtle (Graptemys versa) morphological data and tissue collection at Timberlake Biological Field Station

Michael Fowler (Advisor Dr. Rajani Srinivasan): The presence and removal of pharmaceutical residues using polymers derived from plants

Marconi Azadah (Advisor Dr. Rajani Srinivasan): Quantification and removal of microplastics in the Texas Colorado River

Mia Schlicke (Advisor: Dr. Kevin Johnson): Learning outcome responses to enhanced sense of place in field science education

About the Johanson Student Research Scholarship:

These proposals were selected from a competitive pool of applicants and represent a spectrum of scientific expertise amongst Tarleton’s students and faculty. The Johanson Student Research Endowment was established to encourage student research at the Timberlake Biological Field Station. The awards are made annually and the next proposal cycle will take submissions in February of 2025.
Funds can be used for, but not limited to:
• Gas reimbursement for repeated travel to Timberlake Biological Field Station
• Research supplies needed for students to conduct research at the Timberlake Biological Field Station
• Travel funding for students to present research results related to Timberlake Biological Field Station at scientific meetings or conferences

Applicants should prepare a proposal with the following:
1. Name and contact information
2. Classification (undergraduate or graduate student)
3. Program
4. Advisor name and contact information
5. Project title, proposed research plan, including a detailed budget with justifications

Anticipated maximum award is $1,500. Questions can be directed to Dr. Kevin Johnson ([email protected])

Please consider donating to help the Tarleton State University College of Science and Mathematics classes get more students into the field!

Click on the link below to donate today!
https://donate.tarleton.edu/project/41901

Supporting College of Science and Mathematics Students Invest in the future and help raise money for student field experiences in the College of Science and Mathematics.

The mist-shrouded fields of Timberlake Biological Field Station are calling... (photos by Dr. Russell Pfau)

Advertising for a resident site manager at Timberlake Biological Field Station! https://tamus.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/TARLETON_External/details/Manager--Timberlake-Biological-Field-Station_R-071076

Hot February day at the field station 😥

The new site manager's house installation at Timberlake Biological Field Station! (Thank you to Lamar and Marilynn Johanson and the College of Science & Mathematics - Tarleton State University!)

The new site manager's house at Timberlake Biological Field Station has recently been completed. The structures were delivered in September. This was made possible through the generosity of Lamar and Marilynn Johanson and the College of Science & Mathematics - Tarleton State University - Thank you!

Happy Thanksgiving from Timberlake Biological Field Station!

Dr. Phil Sudman clearing the hillside adjacent to the tractor shed for the delivery of the new site manager's house!

A good regional conference with a great shirt design by a colleague's student!

The ASB 2024 T-shirt design contest winner is REBECCA LEWIS, a senior Marine Science major with a minor in Illustration from Jacksonville University, Jacksonville FL. Rebecca will receive complimentary registration and tickets to events. T-shirts featuring her design will be available for purchase during registration.

​Congratulations, Rebecca!

https://www.sebiologists.org/asb-2024.html -shirt

Dr. Darrel Murray collecting seeds from Texas persimmon (Diospyros texana) for research with graduate student Bryan Dunn, investigating propagation techniques for native shrub and tree species that are typically difficult to source seeds and germinate. This is part of a John Z Duling Grant from treefund.org to increase availability of native trees and shrubs for ornamental use and potential ecosystem restoration. (photo Dr. Murray)

Instructor David Johnston, and graduate student Bryan Dunn from the Department of Wildlife & Natural Resources at Tarleton State University travelled to TBFS as part of research on the impacts of cedar elm (Ulmus crassifolia) succession on herbaceous plant cover along riparian corridors. TBFS is one of three sites for the research. (Photo Dr. Murray)

Scorpion magic at Timberlake Biological Field Station... (from Wikipedia: "Scorpions glow a vibrant blue-green when exposed to certain wavelengths of ultraviolet light, such as that produced by a black light, due to fluorescent chemicals such as beta-carboline in the cuticle. Accordingly, a hand-held ultraviolet lamp has long been a standard tool for nocturnal field surveys of these animals. Fluorescence occurs as a result of sclerotization and increases in intensity with each successive instar. This fluorescence may have an active role in the scorpion's ability to detect light."

These scorpion pictures were taken in October 2023 at Timberlake Biological Field Station by Dr. Jeff Back and his Aquatic Ecology class from Baylor University

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scorpion

The Aquatic Ecology Class from Baylor University visited the Timberlake Biological Field Station two weeks ago. They had a successful class trip and we were glad to have Dr. Jeff Back and his crew visit TBFS!

Members of Dublin's FFA, led by teacher Sophie Hayhurst, learned how to conduct a mussel survey of the Colorado River with Biology Master's student, Adriana Perrucci. This provides the students with research experience for their FFA environmental science competition and helps Timberlake monitor our resident mussel community. Good job, team!

Great news! Texas Pioneer Foundation has granted $130,000 to Timberlake to retrofit the Mobile Discovery Lab in collaboration with The Science Mill. The STEM education trailer will add activities specially designed to showcase Timberlake’s natural ecosystems, sustainable agriculture, and cutting-edge technology. The Mobile Discovery Lab features in field trips to Timberlake and also travels to regional ISD schools and community events. The new experience will be road-ready in summer 2024!

We are grateful for Texas Pioneer Foundation's support of our education and outreach initiatives, and we are very excited to be working with the creative team at The Science Mill.

To ask about this project or visiting Timberlake, please contact Dr. Victoria Chraïbi. To request the Mobile Discovery Lab to visit your local school or event, please contact Ms. Joree Burnett.