The Art of Asking Questions

 The Art of Asking Questions

On learning to frame ecological questions by Shruti

Our fieldwork started on the 2nd of July 2022.

ATREE’s best ecologists, each amazing in their respective fields, were there to guide and teach us on the field. What else could you ask for?

 Every next tree, every next flower was a new case study with a new perspective. The observations we made were simple, like why some flowers of Dichrostachys cinerea were white while others were pink. The answer turned out to be because of pollination. The explanation might seem simple, but must have required at least a PhD worth of learning though! 

What is the reason behind the hovering behaviour of the black-shouldered kite? 

Why do trees produce seeds at this time of year?

Why do seeds in the evergreen forests have more protein? 

How! 

What! 

Why! 

The questions were all over the place, covering so many topics that we were dazed. One or the other among us students would try to answer them, but the only reply we got was “THINK MORE!” 

As we walked, thought, and took notes, the story of Loranthus and the flowerpecker, snail (Ariophanta) behaviour, arrangement of thorns around a vegetation clump, the rocky surface of the scrub forest, the medicinal importance of Cissus quadrangularis were some snippets of the information was being poured into us. Suddenly we were stopped by Dr Soubadra Devy. She showed us a small butterfly (plain blue royal) and asked us to find the head of this butterfly. Some of us could identify it while some couldn't because the butterfly would waggle its tail like its antenna to distract predators (which we must have seemed like to it). 

The scrub forest was unique in itself. I was really curious to know how clumps of shrubs surrounding the rocky surface agglomerated. I wondered how the seeds of the plants had stabilised themselves against the harsh wind and sand. The spar patches had evidence of faunal life in the form of pellets, bones, and horns. My curiosity was mirrored by a few of my fellow classmates as they took these questions and made their projects for the course.