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Patrick Della Croce
Practical Work Experience
Exchange Program
Swiss Federal Institute of Technologies
Zurich, Switzerland
Major in Environmental Sciences
Summer 2005
Senior Thesis
"Use of tributary confluence habitat by westslope cutthroat trout in a wilderness watershed affected by wildfire"
A Practical Work Experience Report
Poster
As a student studying environmental sciences in Switzerland, my university has a practical work experience requirement. One may remain in Switzerland, or choose another location, in my case I wanted to gain research experience in an international wilderness environment which could not be found in Switzerland. I had the fortunate opportunity to meet others who had performed research at Taylor Ranch Field Station, thus introducing me to my sponsor Dr. Colden Baxter, Idaho State University.
My Research Study: During the summer I conducted research for my own project, "Use of tributary confluence habitat by westslope cutthroat trout in a wilderness watershed affected by wildfire". Dr. Baxter and I chose 6 tributaries of Big Creek comparable in size, water discharge and temperature impact on Big Creek. I conducted snorkel surveys to examine effect of temperature on fish use of stream confluences. By collecting drift samples, I noticed burned streams supplied a greater amount of invertebrate prey than "unburned" streams. I conducted 70 usable underwater surveys on these confluence habitats with very interesting results. The purpose of my study was to learn how trout use small confluences and to provide understanding of the linkage between fire effects and fish distribution.
 
Work Experiences: My primary responsibility was to assist Dr. Baxter's stream ecology graduate student, Rachel Wilkinson by collecting emerging aquatic insects from traps. I also participated in a bear project investigating a black bear's diet, a mapping survey of Big Creek by Dr. Baxter titled The Big Onion, a rattlesnake survey involving inserting radio transmitters in snakes and tracking them to their winter dens, packing with mules, and ranch repair activities including fencing, irrigation, cabin maintenance. I experienced a wildfire in the wilderness which burned near the field station, and I believe the most exciting part of the summer and fall was the observations of wild animals: wolves, bears, mule deer, rattlesnakes, elk, bighorn, birds, fish, otters and bobcat. Looking back on my experiences the most interesting aspect was the chance to practice out-of-doors activities in a wilderness almost the size of the whole country of Switzerland.
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