Charming Charts

4/2/12
Today Dr. Kirchman and I spent another day working on graphs for the rail project. These were no mere data tables however, but complicated logarithm and other confusing number graphs. First, I'll show you the graphs just to give you an idea of what they look like:

Unlike the data table I made last week, these graphs add a helpful visual component to seeing trends. Before I went to NYSM, Dr. Kirchman had already arranged the data I had put in my data table last week through some complicated mathematical process that was beyond me that basically summed up all the data and measurements we had for an individual bird into one number so that the data would be in the correct form to use a program. Then, we would try and use different measurements to show a trend in the graph. For example, in PC1 vs PC2 (physical characteristic one versus physical characteristic two), Dr. Kirchman and I successfully depicted a trend in flight that is easy on the eyes. As I talked about last week, one can often conclude that a bird is flightless if it has very long leg bones and a small sternum and arm bones. Therefore, for the first graph, the x axis (PC1) deals with the length of leg bones along with other measurements and the y axis (PC2) dealt with measurements of bones dealing with flight such as the sternum, radius etc. Therefore, G. philippensis can most likely fly (which Dr. Kirchman confirmed) and G. australis is most likely flightless (which Dr. Kirchman also confirmed, therefore our graphs were accurate and good to go). The second graph PC2 vs PC3 was also focused on size and the flying capabilities of birds, but since we could not get a distinct trend (since all of the groups are so close together and overlapping) the graph is rather unclear and we decided to move on.  While the graphs may look simple, they actually took up most of my time during my internship, but I am quickly becoming an expert of graphing computer programs.

For the last couple minutes of my Monday morning at NYSM, Dr. Kirchman and I went to see how the skeletons we had placed in the diluted ammonia solution last week were coming along. Since the skeletons looked pretty clean, Dr. Kirchman began to show me how to pick the skeleton clean, removing any lingering traces of tissue or ligaments along with the talon sheaths that covered the bird's toes. Before I could have a chance to try it out, though, we ran out of time :(. Hopefully we will continue the rail project next week and I will be able to finish my skeletons.