Fieldwork (IMAGE)
Caption
In order to observe gene expression in the developing bullfinch embryos, Mallarino and a team of Harvard undergraduate field assistants had to collect eggs from wild nests in the Dominican Republic, Barbados, and Puerto Rico. In accordance with strict fieldwork regulations, Mallarino's team collected only every third egg laid, which required them to return to the nests daily, climbing dozens of trees and cacti to carefully label every new egg. Laden with radios, notebooks, markers, heavy ladders, and a special foam crate for the delicate eggs, the team ventured into remote field sites at the crack of dawn and returned to camp before noon to incubate those they collected.
Credit
Courtesy of Ricardo Mallarino
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