WXPR Field Notes
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On the second Tuesday of every month, we hear from our contributors in the field. Susan Knight and Gretchen Gerrish both work for the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Center for Limnology at Trout Lake Station. Scott Bowe is the Director of Kemp Natural Resources Station.
Available episodes
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Oldest first
Nov 14, 2023
Welcoming Exotic Invasives
There are many exotic plants and animals that we don’t consider to be pests. Corn is native to Mexico, soybeans are native to Asia, tulips are native to Europe. Most of our domesticated animals are exotic with domestic cattle originating in Asia. Many of these plants and animals are exotic but not extremely invasive. They have become part of ecosystem around us.
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Sep 12, 2023
What do the Gulf Stream and a Northern Lake Have in Common?
Global warming may also be affecting a global water circulation system abbreviated AMOC that includes the Gulf Stream, that river of ocean water that moves warm tropical water north along the east coast of North America before veering off toward Europe.
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Aug 8, 2023
Japanese Beetles Invade the Northwoods
Gardening in the Northwoods can be challenging. Long winters, short summers, and our many whitetail deer friends all conspire against us. In recent years, we have one more pest to deal with, the Japanese beetle.
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Jun 13, 2023
Field Notes: Spiny Water Fleas
Spiny water fleas are aquatic arthropods called zooplankton. Zooplankton are small shrimp-like creatures, and most of them survive by eating phytoplankton, the microscopic photosynthetic algae at the bottom of the food chain in lakes.
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Apr 11, 2023
Field Notes: A severe winter
By the end of last month, northern Wisconsin had already reached the ‘severe or ‘very severe’ annual winter index thresholds set by the Wisconsin DNR for the first time since 2013
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Mar 14, 2023
Field Notes: Winter Leaves
Most trees are either deciduous, and drop their leaves in fall, or are evergreen, and hang onto their leaves for more than one season. The evergreen trees tend to be in more stressed environments, stressed by either cold temperatures or low water availability.
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Feb 14, 2023
Field Notes: Fishing vs. Catching
In this month's installment of Field Notes, Scott Bowe of Kemp Station discusses how water temperature and oxygen impact fish activity.
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Jan 10, 2023
Field Notes: Fieldwork in Florida
In this month's installment of Field Notes, Trout Lake Station’s Gretchen Gerrish takes us to Florida with a lesson about marine field research.
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Dec 6, 2022
Field Notes: How are Oreos derived from plants?
Whether you are a vegan, vegetarian or omnivore, plants are at the base of what you eat — even Oreos.
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Nov 8, 2022
Field Notes: Harvesting wild cranberries
In this month's installment of Field Notes, Scott Bowe of Kemp Station discusses wild cranberries in the Northwoods.
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Oct 11, 2022
Field Notes: Slimy, slippery stones
If you walk barefoot in a lake or stream, your feet might slide on slippery stones. What makes them so slippery? In this month’s installment of Field Notes, Trout Lake Station’s Gretchen Gerrish takes us underwater to learn about life on rocks.
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Sep 13, 2022
Field Notes: Why swans are becoming more common on Northwoods lakes
Swans may not be the most important factor in the decline of wild rice, but there is no doubt that the number of swans has increased on our Northwoods lakes. How did this happen?
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Aug 9, 2022
Wood and the Dog Days of Summer
In this month's installment of Field Notes, Scott Bowe of Kemp Station discusses how wood moves.
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Jun 14, 2022
Field Notes: Nettlesome Plants
As we move through the season, keep your eye out for these unloved plants. They are all native to Wisconsin and belong here just as the maples and hazelnuts and lady slippers belong in our woods.
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May 10, 2022
The importance of Miner Bees as Northwoods pollinators
In this month's installment of Field Notes, Scott Bowe of Kemp Station discusses miner bees, important pollinators.
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Apr 19, 2022
Field Notes: Fresh Eggs through the Winter
What it's like raising chickens through a Northwoods winter.
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Mar 8, 2022
Botany of beverages
In this month's Field Notes, Susan Knight discusses what some Olympic athletes have in common with beer.
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Feb 8, 2022
Sounds from nature
In this month's installment of Field Notes, Scott Bowe of Kemp Station discusses the wood we use in acoustic guitars.
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Jan 11, 2022
What it takes to eat wood
While many organisms thrive solely feeding on the leaves, roots and fruits of trees, very few are capable of efficiently incorporating wood into their diets.
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Dec 14, 2021
What do you do when an invasive species thrives in a new place while it’s near extinction in its native home?
This attractive plant is not found in Wisconsin, and until the last few decades, was not found anywhere in North America. It is native to Australia, Asia, Africa and Europe, but it is extinct in many of those original locations due to habitat destruction.
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