srabbitt's blog

Prior to constructing your multi panel figure it is a good idea to first install an image processing program. I chose to install Inkscape. Installation is pretty straight forward. You may need to go to your security settings and allow the software to be installed. Additionally, you will need to install Xquartz the operating system that runs Inkscape. 

            For my images I chose a garden nasturtium plant that I found at the northern edge of the permaculture garden on UMass campus. I took to images one showing the entire plant and one showing the leafminer activity. I used a one-dollar bill t placed directly behind the leaf for a scale reference.  After the pictures were taken, I emailed the pictures to myself so that I would be able to access them from any computer that has access to the internet.

            On the computer I created a folder to put the components of this figure into. I then retrieved the images from my email and downloaded them into my newly created folder. Next, I opened Inkscape and imported the images. Once the images were uploaded onto Inkscape I created a map of the area that I found the plant in. It is important that you use a map that you have the rights to when creating your multi panel figure. For this project I used open street map. The map that I selected was not the correct size, so it was necessary to crop it. This requires another program; for this task I used Gimp. This is another free program that allows you to edit images.

            Once all the images are on your sheet it would be a good idea to save this to your folder. Next you will need to place the images together in a logical manner. If the images are not the same size, you need to resize them. In order to not stretch or distort the image make sure that you lock the image by selecting the lock it the middle of the Inscape task bar. Next using the measuring tool fit your images together. Once you have completed this you can now add panel identifiers. First create a text box and put your first panel ID in it. I set the font to Ariel and used a 40 for size this fit well. Now once you make your first one selects it and then duplicate it two more times. Once you have finished that change them to the next sequential digits. Next on the full plant image you need to put an arrow pointing at the leaf that you selected for the close-up image. Select straight line maker on the left side task bar. Click near the location of the leaf and move the cursor away a satisfactory distance away and double click. Then open fill and stroke. Select your line and make it the width that you desire. In the same menu select the arrow head that you find to be appropriate.  The final step is to set the background to white by making everything 255. Save your file as (your name)_original.

Prior to constructing your multi panel figure it is a good idea to first install an image processing program. I chose to install Inkscape. Installation is pretty straight forward. You may need to go to your security settings and allow the software to be installed. Additionally, you will need to install Xquartz the operating system that runs Inkscape.  

            For my images I chose a garden nasturtium plant that I found at the northern edge of the permaculture garden on UMass campus. I took to images one showing the entire plant and one showing the leafminer activity. I used a one-dollar bill t placed directly behind the leaf for a scale reference.  After the pictures were taken, I emailed the pictures to myself so that I would be able to access them from any computer that has access to the internet.

            On the computer I created a folder to put the components of this figure into. I then retrieved the images from my email and downloaded them into my newly created folder. Next, I opened Inkscape and imported the images. Once the images were uploaded onto Inkscape I created a map of the area that I found the plant in. It is important that you use a map that you have the rights to when creating your multi panel figure. For this project I used open street map.

            Once all the images are on your sheet it would be a good idea to save this to your folder. Next you will need to place the images together in a logical manner. If the images are not the same size, you need to resize them. In order to not stretch or distort the image make sure that you lock the image by selecting the lock it the middle of the Inscape task bar. Next using the measuring tool fit your images together. Once you have completed this you can now add panel identifiers. First create a text box and put your first panel ID in it. I set the font to Ariel and used a 40 for size this fit well. Now once you make your first one selects it and then duplicate it two more times. Once you have finished that change them to the next sequential digits. The final step is to set the background to white by making everything 255.

Wake up.

Put on watch

Walk down stairs and make coffee

After being greeted by the dogs I bring them outside for their morning rituals

Drink coffee and watch the news paying particular attention to the weather

Take medications and eat breakfast

Begin the chore list

Complete chores

Eat lunch

Take a bike ride

Shower

Make/eat supper

Take dogs for walk

Watch more news

Read book

Watch show on tv

Go to sleep

Morning routine

Work

Caring for dogs

Eating

Personal care

TV

When I awake in the morning I put on my watch grab my phone and make my way downstairs and turn on the coffee pot. When I get downstairs my dogs great me with their wagging tails awaiting their morning scratch. After their scratching and petting I bring them outside so they can take care of their business. After this I pour myself a cup of coffee and sit down and turn on the TV to watch the morning news. The local news has generally gone through all of their stories in about a half an hour. Once I am satisfied that I know what the weather is going to be like for the day I plan for what to do next. During my planning stage I eat breakfast and take my medications. Mowing the lawn and weedwacking takes about 2 hours. In the process of mowing I generally notice things that need attention, and take care of them. In between this the dogs need to be let out a few times, plus I play with them for some time so things take much longer then they should. When this is finished I eat some lunch. Next up is my long-awaited bike ride. I collect my gear and place my bike on the carrier and head out. The bike ride lasts around 3 hours plus about 30 a minuet of travel each direction. I return home and put my bike and gear away and take a shower. I prepare food for supper and eat a decent dinner. Now it’s time for more news watching to see what happened that day. After that disappointment I take out my book and read for a few hours. Now that I have relaxed I take the dogs out for their final trip outdoors for the day and go to bed. I watch tv for about an hour then I go to sleep.

The purpose of a well-constructed methods section will allow anyone to recreate your study and find the same results by following your methods.

When constructing a multi panel figure be sure that any images that are found on the internet are properly cited and given the proper attributions. Selecting creative commons images are the safest ones to use without having to purchase a license.

Create figure, number it, title the figure, describe the figure, then cite the image (if taken from the web)

Using the attribution maker is not easy. I will need to relearn the procedure.

Figures will give a graphic description of your research. Should be clean and understandable by you target audience.

Locating specimens of plants with evidence of leafminer activity requires a fair amount of observation.

Target plant species that have a higher occurrence of tracking from leafminers.

The largest concentration of leafminer activity was in the day lily flower bed located at the southern edge of the permaculture garden.

We did not find any evidence of leafminers in any of the trees within our observation area. This may be because it is difficult to see the tracks from the underside of a leaf. I do not believe it is because there are no insects of this type living within the trees.

Generally once you have located one set of tracks, there are many more nearby on the that plant of surrounding ones of the same species.  

Figure 1. Life as a Leafminer. Trail of a leafminer during its pupa stage. "Lyonetia clerkella mine on Prunus cerasi" flickr photo by cquintin https://flickr.com/photos/34878947@N04/29976512118 shared under a Creative Commons (BY-NC) license

https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.0021-8790....

http://journals.fcla.edu/troplep/article/view/89917

This 165mm leaf was observed with a <1mm trail approximately 235mm in length. Within this trail are black specks that are deposits left behind by the leaf miner as it passed through the sub-layers of the leaf. The trail begins very narrow and ends about double in width at the point the leaf miner emerges from the leaf. The trail appears to be random at first then the line ends in an almost straight line. Its presence within the leaf does not appear to affect the structure or function of the leaf.

Leaf with trail along the right-side edge then crosses and descends along center vein. The trail appears to have removed the chlorophyll from the leaf. Inside the trail there are dark deposits/dots

Was this trail caused by something crawling along the leaf leaving a residue?

Another section of the leaf seems to have been consumed by another insect. I’m thinking that these are two different insects

The trail on the right side of the leaf appears to be deliberate, when it is at the top of the leaf it becomes more random like it is searching for something.

The leaf is 165mm long

The trail is approximately 235mm long.

The insect that caused this marking did not appear damage the leaf to the point of killing it, and it should still be capable of converting sun energy

Small black piece at the bottom of the water cup appears to be worm like in shape. Is this the creature that is responsible for this pattern within the leaf?

Plant type?

Collection

Type of plant

Location of plant

Leaf miners