#ILovePrairieBecause

  #ILOVEPRAIRIEBECAUSE

The prairie stole my heart some 6 years ago, but the process was not sudden, or at least I did not realize how much the prairie meant to me until few month passed. See, I got introduced to the prairie by my passion for wetlands. As people might now, you cannot work with wetlands in Illinois and ignore the prairie. The health of one depends on another, as there are no clear boundaries and just a slow gradient of moisture and soil conditions that determines (and feeds back) into the difference between prairie and wetland. But I digress…

A while ago TNC Illinois asked on twitter why do you (meaning we, you and I) love the prairie and it got me thinking…. And then there was the hashtag created #ILovePrairieBecause and I just had to put my thoughts on paper because there are so many reasons. Almost every day I can think of something else, here are some reasons why I do, indeed, enjoy the prairie so much

-          #ILovePrairieBacause it calms me. I cannot explain it - there is just something in the prairie, the green, the blue and vastness (in places where it is vast) that appeals to my prehistoric sense of beauty. If you think about this – as our species evolved and migrated through Africa we went through a lot of plains, grasslands, etc.  I actually shared this thought with one awesome volunteer once and she texted me afterwards saying there is research supporting that thought (so I probably just heard it on the radio and did not think of it myself). Supposedly children up to a certain age prefer the grassland and/or savanna  landscape and then it shifts when we are older and had time for more cultural “imprints”

-          #ILovePrairieBacause  it is a constant challenge! Can you say so many species so little time?! And I am not only talking about the plants, but birds, insects, fungi you name it! There is always one more plant to learn, one more scientific name to remember (I am SO hopeless at these), one more variation to identify. It challenges my sense of beauty, paying attention to the detail, vocabulary (yes – try to identify a sedge and find yourself using a botanical dictionary), stamina… you name it

-          #ILovePrairieBacause  of the sky (probably connected to the first point). I have seen lightning strike the prairie! It is the mightiest thing ever. More impressive and grand than the same look in the mountains. When I saw lightning hit the Rocky Mountains it was powerful, loud, grand. But somehow, deep inside I felt like the mountains are tough and “can take it”, almost like daring the lightning to strike it. But the prairie has none of that arrogance. It just exists, just takes it while the atmospheric discharge pounds on it. It is not “moved” by it. Quite opposite the prairie says ”bring it on, water my plants, bring a fire and good disturbance to me, let me use you to shape myself.”  But it is not just the might of the thunder and lightning, it is the clouds that are high, or hang low on other days. It is the numerous shades of blue, gray and purple, it is how the sky meets the prairie. There is just something unexplainable about it

-          #ILovePrairieBacause it is resilient. It uses the disturbance to open up possibilities for new plants to come in (yes, those adopted to disturbance). Like a phoenix it grows from the ashes and gets stronger. It can deal with one of the biggest mammals gnawing on it and actually “turn” this situation to its advantage. It has withstand the biggest destruction caused to it by people. It is adopting to climate change as we speak (but is it fast enough?)

-          #ILovePrairieBacause it is unexpected… in so many different ways. We often refer to it as the upside down rainforest, as most of its biomass is underground. It is unexpected in other ways, the diversity in a meter square quadrant, for example… I think the most I ever encountered were just over 40 species but there are accounts of more… As the moisture gradient changes so does its plant community, as the weeks progress so does its color. The prairie is hardly ever the same any one week. And the more we learn about it the more we find out… carbon storage? Sure more efficient than some forests! Denitirification of excess nutrients? Just let those wetlands do their part. Water storage after a big storm? Saving taxpayers millions of dollars every year. The list goes on

-          #ILovePrairieBacause it rejoices and reenergizes my soul and mind. Makes me believe in something bigger. Gives me strength and purpose and makes me believe that indeed, I can leave this world just a little bt better than I found it.

MarshMaiden reserves the right to add more examples to this list but it is getting late and she is also tired (and apparently refers to herself in 3^rd person) 

Dressing the part - the everyday struggle of a female ecologist...

You know how you are always told to dress the part? Or to dress for the job you’d like to have? Or that it is always better to overdress than underdress? I guess exceptions make the rule and the field of ecology is that exception. I feel like the ladies here have a special conundrum. Please do indulge me and hear me out!

Our dress is our external business card, and we get judged on it (oh boy, are we REALLY judged based on what and how we wear it) I don’t even mean if we are tidy and clean (that is mostly a given). The way a particular person dresses says (or may say) a lot about their manner, music or lifestyle preference, and then there are the stereotypes.

* Oh you are wearing make-up in the field? You just don’t know any better! Whom are you trying to impress? You must be one of those airheads!

Oh you are not wearing any make-up? What? Are you trying to be a man? You should embrace your gender! (because wearing make-up is clearly the only way I can unify with other ladies)

This shirt is too tight, why is it pink? These pants are too loose! You look too official, I bet you know nothing about field work! Why would you wear a necklace?

You look dirty and sweaty – translation : you probably are not too bright and definitively don’t know how to run a project or analyze any data bc if you did you would not be doing this dirty work *

I sometimes feel like I have heard most of it, with certain things said straight out, others implied. And I have to admit, it is hard to dress to be a professional (female) in the field. You want to be comfortable but exude confidence and knowledge, you should be a bit formal, but not too much as it might undermine the exact confidence and knowledge you want to portray. I will not even mention the real struggle of knowing how to dress for an interview (pant suits are not really endorsed in our society but skirts might suggest you don’t like being outdoors much) Is anyone out there also struggling with this?

I don’t often rip on the men in the field (ok, I sometimes do) but they have it easy! Khakis and a polo – an answer to any and all in field and office wardrobe needs. It says “look I am sporty and casual in the field, while oddly formal for an office meeting as I DO HAVE A COLLAR!” For ladies, though, it is way different.

First of all most of our shirts are fitted, we might have problems of having an unusual waist to bust ratio leading to the shirts being too tight in one spot or too loose in another (or both).  Tucking the shirt in makes many of us feel subconscious about our figures, leaving them out often looks sloppy. Many of the women’s button up shirts are 50% more expensive than men’s .Pants are hard to get too, especially if you are tall and/or have an affinity for packets and enjoy cargo pants that happen to not be too tight, or super low rise.

And there is the question of jewelry. Do you wear rings? Do you wear your engagement ring? Earrings? Necklace? How about any make-up other than chapstick? Is being girly even allowed when you have a field position? Or when you deal with a bunch of contractors your father’s age who refer to you as “honey” (I once mustered enough courage to call someone Billy Bob, after they called me sweetness and honey a couple of times – of course I was considered to be rude all they did was express affection).

So ladies, I don’t think there is a right or wrong although I understand I probably felt some prejudice towards other women based on their clothing choices and I was judged on mine as well.  Some things to consider

- wear pants that are not too low

- or if you are tall and your shirt will ride up wear long tank tops

- try some man's clothing a size smaller, you just might like it 

- if you feel you cannot afford nice field clothing (let's face it as ecologist we mostly don't make enough to dress at AnnTaylor everyday) try thrift stores, seriously. Try going to the ones in more affluent neighborhoods. Or try consignment sales. If you pay $7 for a nice-er button up shirt you wont feel as bad wearing it into the field.

- never forget about being comfortable - especially when you are outdoors for the whole day

- speaking of that - a good hat. Not all of us can rock baseball hats or bucket hats. I  wear something that resemble a safari hat with a cloth expending over my neck. Definitively NOT stylish, but also gives me a good cover and protects my neck.

- if you want to rock it - get a nicer pair of sun glasses (and then one of those glasses strings so you don't loose them - you just lost any fashion edge)

- if you like make up do it! as you sweat it might run, but will also protect your skin from UV rays. I personally don't do it but I do like flavored chapstick that occasionally has some colorant (and I've been called out)

- bring a change of clothing if you have a meeting, maybe?

 I admire those of you who can look feminine while talking in your muddy boots and sporting make up or really well done hair. Those of us who are on the lower end of the maintenance spectrum - that is ok, but also remember that when you want to clean up and rock that pair of 4 inch heels that does not take away from your ability to be a kick ass scientist. I know I am mostly preaching to myself now but my painted fingernails do not take points away from my IQ or any field cred that I deserve. The fact is that the more I feel comfortable and start being myself in the field the bigger “butterfly effect” I will have and some other women might feel it is ok to do that too. But the struggle is real (also a first world problem).

P.S. Please don't mention to my family that I had a sad attempt at fashion- they would burst out laughing 

P.P.S Would love to hear about your solutions

Sisyrinchium or the blue eyed grasses

S. campestre as seen in my native plant garden

Blue eyed grass – Sisyrinchium spp. – are some of my favorite flowers. It is probably really unfair to make that statement because I like a lot of native flowers, and “my favorites” change as the year progresses…

Anyways, I know two species (the common –or white – blue eyed grass, and the prairie blue eyed grass), and I was vaguely aware of the third – the mountain blue eyed grass. I thought I would check the Bible (in this context a reference to the Plant Bible and more specifically Swink and Wilhelms Plants of the Chicagoland Region) to see how to differentiate among them when not in flower and I was quickly taken down a botany rabbit hole. I will indulge you momentarily, but now back to the 3 species.

The blue eyed grasses are beautiful. Short (1 foot or less) and with slender leaves and a delicate flower that grows on top of the stem - they just really stand out. They also form clumps, which gives them an attractive “tufty” look. In addition, right before they bloom the flowers are protected by a lobster claw like bract. According to Doug Ladd’s Tallgrass Prairie Wildflowers, the 6 petals are actually 3 petals and 3 sepals that look alike (identical if you ask me).

Sisyrinchium albidum at Brookfield Prairie

The difference between white or common blue eyed grass and the remaining two blue blue eyed grasses (S. campestre and S. montanuum) is that the first one had 3-4 bracts (or 2-3 as described by Swink and Wilhelm), while the pair has those two bracts that cover the flower and remind me of lobster claws. The difference between the bluer of two species –  prairie blue eyed grass (S. campastre) and the mountain blue eyed grass (S. montanuum)  is that mountain blue eyed grass has larger capsules (>4.5 mm long) and the outermost bract is united for 2 mm or more. In the case of the prairie blue eyed grass the capsules are less than 4 mm.

Some easier distinctions: the prairie species is found in dry prairies (yes I know, genius) while the mountain one in prairies AND dune flats in calcareous soils, so in fact it is very rare. I almost want to say that if you are looking for S. montanum you probably know the difference between these two better that I can explain. Prairie blue eyed grass also blooms beginning of May while the mountain blue eyed grass end of May. The white blue eyed grass can bloom from May through June and is more commonly found. Also the more alkaline the soil, the whiter that species will get, which is an interesting fact.

So now that I went through this exhausting explanation I should mention that there actually are 5 Sisyrinchium species  in the region, two I was completely unaware of. And this is how I entered the rabbit hole, or more precisely fell into it…

When you open the key to the genus you are met in the options “Plants appearing to have cauline leaves “ or “plants appearing scapose” . It’s been a while since I looked up a plant so it began, but more about that later… in another post at another time.. stay tuned