The Sonoran Desert covers approximately 100,000 square miles and includes most of the southern half of Arizona, southeastern California, most of Baja California peninsula, the islands of the Gulf of California, and much of the state of Sonora, Mexico. The Sonoran Desert is home to some 2,000 species of plants, but the sentinel of the desert, the long-live columnar saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) and the hero in this story, has been studied with purpose since at least 1867. Research studies have focused on issues such as population declines and disease, nurse-plant microclimates, and how hydraulic lift from ground water could be an adaptive measure of the saguaro. Travel the Sonoran Desert with Dr. Lee Ann Woolery, Research Director at Citizen Artist as she narrates this virtual field trip, stopping at central points in the Sonoran Desert, sharing stories of Carnegiea gigantea through interviews with known and unknown researchers with diverse areas of expertise on this iconic giant cactus. Although saguaros cover an expansive range of the Sonoran Desert, there are two strong holds for saguaro research, and we will visit them, the Carnegie Institution Desert Laboratory at Tumamoc and Saguaro National Park, both in Tucson, AZ. A diversity of research methodologies will be showcased including: conventional mapping and long-term inventory surveys, modern technologies such as digital aerial imagery to identify saguaro shadow signatures and algorithm programs to predict bark coverage, traditional ecological knowledge, and alternative art-based research methods. Files for on demand viewing: 0. Virtual field trip instructions (PDF) 1.a. Introduction - Lee Ann Woolery (MP4) 1.b. Introduction - Lee Ann Woolery (MP4) 2.1. Introduction - Camillus Lopez (MP4) 2.2. Saguaro T.O. Story - Camillus Lopez (MP4) 2.3. Saguaro Messaging - Camillus Lopez (MP4) 3.1. Introduction - Ben Wilder (M4V) 3.2. History of the Lab - Ben Wilder (MOV) 3.3. History of Spaulding plots - Ben Wilder (MOV) 3.4. Map As Footprint - Ben Wilder (MOV) 3.5. Long-Lived Species Saguaro Research - Ben Wilder (M4V) 3.6. Sonoran N & S Range - Ben Wilder (M4V) 3.7. Research Site 1 - Ben Wilder (M4V) 3.8. Research Site 2 - Ben Wilder (M4V) 4.1. Introduction - Charlotte Brown (MP4) 4.2. Charlotte Brown (MP4) 4.3. Charlotte Brown (MP4) 4.4. Charlotte Brown (MP4) 4.5. Closing- Charlotte Brown (MP4) 5.1. Introduction - Alberto Burquez (MP4) 5.2. Alberto Burquez (MP4) 5.3. Alberto Burquez (MP4) 5.4. Distribution - Alberto Burquez (MP4) 5.5. Building On Others Work - Alberto Burquez (MP4) 5.6. Alberto Burquez (MP4) 5.7. Saguaro Impt For Society - Alberto Burquez (MP4) 5.8. Collaboration - Alberto Burquez (MP4) 5.9. Art And Science - Alberto Burquez (MP4) 6.1. Introduction- Lee Ann Woolery (MP4) 6.2. Presentation - Lee Ann Woolery (MP4) 6.3. Closure - Lee Ann Woolery (MP4) 7.1. Introduction - Don Swann (MP4) 7.2. Don Swann (MP4) 7.3. Don Swann (MP4) 7.4. Don Swann (MP4) 7.5. Phenology - Don Swann (MP4) 7.6. In Field 1 - Don Swann (M4V) 7.7. Components of Research - Don Swann (M4V) 7.8. Citizen Science - Don Swann (MP4) 8.1. Introduction - Teresa Newberry (MP4) 8.2. Multiple Knowledge Systems - Teresa Newberry (MP4) 8.3. Saguaro Sci & Culture - Teresa Newberry (MP4) 8.4. Why Saguaro Research Is Important - Teresa Newberry (MP4) 9. Closing statement - Camillus Lopez (MP4) 10. Resources - Sonoran Desert - Carnegiea gigantea Field Trip (PDF)