Colorado to California 2016 The south west of the United States and Northern Mexico is a highly diverse environment that holds a disproportionately large number of flowering plants. Following a project working group in Fort Collins
Upstate New York 2014 Drosophila research is not often conducive to escaping into the field so I have tried to fit in some random rambling around upstate NY, however with a long history of settlement and cultivation there is little undisturbed habitat left in this part of the world. Bogs (e.g. Zurich and Bergen) and mountains (the Adirondacks) often through their unsuitability for farming, provide refuge for many species. Some plants such as pitcher plants (Sarracenia purpurea) and Lady's Slipper orchids (Cypripedium acaule, C. parviflorum) especially favor the wet marshy conditions of bogs.
Arid Zone Australia 2013 Five week 4WD trip with the combined Cook & Crisp labs through central Australia targeting arid zone species (Melaleuca, Eucalyptus and Calococcus (bush coconuts: scale insect galls on Corymbia). In these large expanses of rolling dry country small relief features (rocky outcrops, swales, canyons etc) can harbor very different communities of plants, and often rare or endemic species.
Mallee 2008 A two week expedition from Brisbane to Gluepot Conservation Reserve, South Australia for Anna's bird banding course. Gluepot protects increasingly rare Mallee habitat. Mallee communities are adapted to deep sand and limited rainfall and are characterized by short (5-8m) multi stemmed eucalypts, a sparse understory of spindly shrubs (Acacia, Eremophila, Hakea, and Melaleuca) and spiny spinifex grass (Triodia spp.) which shelters numerous small reptiles and mammals.
Top End 2007 After the 2007 Australian Systematic Botany Society conference in Darwin the Crisp and Cook labs enjoyed two weeks of field work to collect Brachychiton ("Kurrajong" or bottle trees, with broad petaled orange flowers) for work on biogeographical connections across Australasia, and Melaleuca (Broadleaved Paperbarks). The predominant habitat is expanses of open savannah woodland dissected by large rivers and sandstone escarpments.
Macquarie Island 2005 I was lucky enough to be field assistant to Dr Mark Stevens (currently Macquarie University) mapping the distribution of invasive invertebrates for the 2005 summer season on Macquarie Island. 'Macca' lies roughly half-way between New Zealand and Antarctica and provides an important breeding ground for fur seals, elephant seals, various penguins, albatrosses, petrels and other pelagic bird species. Vegetation is limited to hardy grasses and herbs, the tallest of which being Macquarie Island cabbage (Stilbocarpa polaris) at up to 1m.