My first time stepping onto the soil of sagebrush-dominated steppe was a breathtaking experience for me, someone who grew up among the limitless forests of northern Ukraine. The contrast between this arid, open, mountainous landscape and the dense woods commonly observed during my entire lifetime still leaves me with admiration. Seeing the Wind River Range still covered in ice in the middle of summer deepens my sense of wonder and fuels my excitement about leading a field investigation in southwestern Wyoming.
Myroslav among sagebrush shrubs on the Jonah Field, a major site for hydraulic fracking in Wyoming. Photo Credit: Myroslav Bur
This summer, I’m researching changes in soil organic matter in Wyoming’s sagebrush ecosystem following disturbance, specifically following fracking at the well pads of Jonah Field. The aim is to explain the variability in secondary succession progress within the ecosystem and compare soil organic matter estimates between disturbed and undisturbed sites. I am also sampling soil across well pads that differ in their time since disturbance in order to perform the Loss on Ignition protocol later in the lab, which is a common method to determine soil organic matter content by burning the samples in the oven at usually around 360oC (H. Zhang and J.J. Wang).
Each day, we leave early in the morning to avoid working under the harsh sun of the mountainous Upper Green River Basin. Once in the field, I collect soil samples from well pads and undisturbed areas of the ecosystem. Also, I help my research colleagues with plant identification, seed collection, and sagebrush biomass sampling.
Sagebrush biomass collection is required in order to complete lab protocols later. Photo Credit: Myroslav Bur
This fieldwork connects me deeply to the knowledge I’ve gained in courses at Yale College, as every ecological concept suddenly comes to life at my feet. For example, while identifying plants at the site, Alyssum desertorum, an invasive forb, is abundant on the well pads but nearly absent in the undisturbed areas. Another clear pattern is that well pads are mostly dominated by grasses and forbs, whereas the undisturbed steppe is dominated by sagebrush, which tends to outcompete herbaceous plants.
I have also enjoyed discovering local nature around Pinedale, WY. Recently, my research colleagues and I visited Yellowstone National Park—an unforgettable experience unlike anything I’d seen before. Because Yellowstone is such a globally known place, I had heard of it long before I could even speak English. So, seeing the vibrant colors of the Great Prismatic Spring and the peculiar formations of Mammoth Hot Springs created memories I’ll recall a thousand times over.
Trip to Yellowstone park with the research team. Photo Credit: Myroslav Bur
Myroslav Bur – Western Resource Fellow | Myroslav Bur is a Yale College undergraduate studying Chemistry, with a focus on soil chemistry and sustainable agriculture. He is particularly interested in agricultural systems that emulate natural ecosystems, and how soil dynamics shape plant communities in arid landscapes. Through studying the sagebrush ecosystem of the American West, he hopes to better understand plant-soil interactions in dry environments and apply this knowledge to both conservation and agricultural resilience. In his free time, Myroslav enjoys reading scientific literature while drinking home-brewed full-leaf tea. See what Myroslav has been up to.
