The Creek-watcher’s Conundrum (Ecologist at Large #25-23)

Solving a scientific problem often requires multiple steps including “How do I ask the question in a way that is answerable”. But if we don’t have the right tools to answer the question, we may have to get creative and build our own tool to do the job. Such was the case when I became a Creekwatcher and had to collect samples from a pond covered with scummy green algae. Obtaining clean samples required a solution that met multiple criteria and cost me virtually nothing.