Bambi seminar Arrivals - Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

Tupper 4pm special Tuesday is Carnival Day and a holiday for STRI. On Wednesday, February 25, 4pm seminar speaker will be Noelle Michele Holbrook, Harvard: Why are baobab trees so fat? Water relations and biomechanics in the genus Ad an s o n ia

Bambi seminar Thursday, February 26, Bambi seminar speaker will be Noelle Michele Holbrook, Harvard University Title to be announced

Arrivals Kirstin Übernickel and Inga Geipel, University of Ulm, Germany, to study the echolocation and foraging behavior of the Neotropical bat Noctilio leporinus and Macrophyllum macrophyllum and its significance for biomimetic applications, on BCI. Billy Bau and Kipiro Damas, Papua New Guinea Forest Research Institute, to participate in the field course "CTFS -SIGEO Papua, New Guinea Training Workshop" on BCI. Sehel Mclem Kenneth, Cliffson Idigel and Sehel Mclem Kenneth, New Guinea Binatang Research Center, to participate in the field course "CTFS -SIGEO Papua, New Guinea Training Workshop" on BCI. Eleanor Reagan, Balwin Wallace College, to participate in the Barro Colorado Island mammal census, on BCI. Benjamin Birnbach, University of Constance, Germany, to participate in the Field Course Princeton 2009, at Bocas del Toro.

STRI news

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panamá

www.stri.org

February 20, 2009

Charles Alcock visits STRI Charles Alcock, SI acting undersecretary for Science and director of the HarvardSmithsonian Center for Astrophysics, wife May-Ying Chu, vice-president of Operations of PolyPlus Battery Company, and children Chloe Chu Alcock, 13 and Leo Chu Alcock, 9, visited STRI from February 13-21. The group was hosted by director Biff Bermingham and acting deputy director Bill Wcislo. Their first visit to STRI was on BCI. They enjoyed a research-led tour through the forest and a boat tour around the Island perimeter and met with researchers of the Automated Radio Telemetry System (ARTS). Later they visited Gamboa and the Agua Salud project located in the Panama Canal Watershed.

Scientists: Klaus Winter, Noris Salazar, Stanley Heckadon, Charles Alcock & Rachel Collin

Charles Alcock, subsecretario encargado para Ciencias del Smithsonian y director del Centro de Astrofísica de SI y Harvard, su esposa May-Ying Chu, vicepresidenta de Operaciones de PolyPlus Battery Company e hijos Chloe Chu Alcock, 13, y Leo Chu At the Tupper Center on Friday, Alcock, 9, visitaron STRI del 13 deputy director Bill Wcislo and al 21 de febrero. El grupo fue colleagues hosted the visitors to atendido por el director the Laboratory for Behavior & Eldredge Bermingham y el Evolutionary Neurobiology. subdirector encargado Bill Bermingham, Wcislo, the Wcislo. Su primera visita a STRI Alcock family and other fue a Barro Colorado, donde On Monday, Alcock and members of the STRI disfrutaron de un recorrido family traveled to Bocas del administration met with the rest científico a través del bosque y Toro and spent some time in of the scientists during lunch at alrededor del perímero de la isla the Station and surrounding the Tupper Conference Center, en bote, y se reunieron con areas. A visit to Parque visited Punta Culebra Nature investigadores del Sistema de Metropolitano’s canopy crane Center with its director Mark Radio Telemetría Automatizada was hosted by STRI scientist S. Torchin and Panama´s (ARTS). Luego visitaron Joseph Wright. Stanley BioMuseo, a Smithsonian Gamboa y el proyecto de Agua Heckadon- Moreno hosted a Affiliated Museum with its Salud localizado en la Cuenca visit to the Galeta Marine senior director Anthony G. Laboratory. At Galeta, Alcock Coates, senior scientist emeritus del Canal de Panamá. participated with the first live and former deputy director El lunes, Alcock y su familia broadcast beamed by Galeta viajaron a Bocas del Toro donde of STRI. via internet to hundreds of children in New Jersey. Alcock had the opportunity to talk to the children of his wife´s school town in New Jersey, showing them the wonders of the coastal tropics and Galeta´s evergreen mangroves.

More arrivals Liduine van Toor, University of Konstanz, Germany, to participate in the Field Course Princeton 2009, at Bocas del Toro. Maria Angela EcheverryGalvis and Sergio Cordoba, Princeton University, to participate as instructors, in the Field Course Princeton 2009, at Bocas del Toro. Therese Frauendorf, Southern Illinois University, to work in the Tropical Amphibian Declines in Streams (TADS) project, in Gamboa.

recorrieron la Estación y áreas aledañas. También visitaron el Sistema de Acceso al Dosel del Parque Natural Metropolitano, guiados por el científico S. Joseph Wright. Stanley Heckadon-Moreno los acompañó a visitar el Laboratorio Marino de Galeta, donde Alcock participó en la primera transmisión en vivo y en directo desde Galeta via internet a cientos de estudiantes en escuelas de

New Jersey. Alcok tuvo la oportunidad de hablar con estudiantes de la escuela de su esposa en New Jersey, y mostrarles las maravillas de los trópicos y los siempre verdes bosques de manglar. En el Centro Tupper el viernes, el subdirector Bill Wcislo y colegas guiaron a los visitantes al Laboratorio de Comportamiento y Neurobiología Evolutiva.

Bermingham, Wcislo y otros miembros de la administración de STRI se reunieron con los científicos durante un almuerzo en el Centro de Conferencias del Tupper, visitaron Punta Culebra con su director Mark Torchin así como el BioMuseo de Panamá, un museo afiliado al Smithsonian con su director senior Anthony G. Coates, científico senior emérito y antiguo subdirector de STRI.

STRI organizes teacher training workshop

New publications Alvarez-Clare, Silvia, and Kitajima, Kaoru. 2009. "Susceptibility of tree seedlings to biotic and abiotic hazards in the understory of a moist tropical forest in Panama." Biotropica 41(1): 47-56. Anderson, L.O., Malhi, Yadvinder, Ladle, R.J., Aragao, O.C., Shimabukuro, Y., Phillips, Oliver L., Baker, Timothy R., Lopez-Gonzalez, G., Monteagudo, Abel, Nunez Vargas, Percy, Peacock, J., Quesada, C.A., Almeida, Samuel, and Vasquez Martinez, Rodolfo. 2009. "Influence of landscape heterogeneity on spatial patterns of wood productivity, wood specific density and above ground biomass in Amazonia." Biogeosciences Discussions 6(1): 1-45. Muller-Landau, Helene C. 2009. "Carbon cycle: Sink in the African jungle." Nature 457(7232): 969-970.

R, R & R

In coordination with Panama´s Ministry of Education (MEDUCA) STRI´s Bocas del Toro Research Station organized the 3rd Teacher Training Workshop for local docents "Dynamic Connections between Nature, Science and Knowledge 2009", from February 16-20 on Isla Colon. During this workshop, 28 docents attended talks from STRI researchers including Antonio Baeza, who works on animal behavior using shrimps and other crustaceans, and Rosana Rocha who studies tunicate organisms and their diversity among mangrove roots. James Roper spoke on tropical bird studies, Arcadio Castillo talked about different long term projects on the station, and Plinio Gondola talked on ocean dynamics and

climate change. Also participating from MEDUCA, were Otilia Arroyo from Environmental Education and Marivel Centeno, regional coordinator.

Durante el taller, 28 docentes asistieron a charlas de investigadores de STRI que incluyeron a Antonio Baeza, que trabaja en comportamiento animal con camarones y otros crustáceos, y Rosana Rocha The aim of the workshop was quien estudia organismos to share new findings on coastal tunicados y su diversidad entre marine environments with the las raíces de manglares. teachers, teaching techniques and hands on activities to James Roper habló sobre enhance the learning teaching estudios de aves tropicales, experience in the classroom. Arcadio Castillo habló sobre los diferentes estudios a largo plazo En coordinación con el que se llevan a cabo en la Ministerio de Educación Estación y Plinio Góndola (MEDUCA), la Estación de habló sobre Educación Investigaciones de STRI en Ambiental y cambio climático. Bocas del Toro organizó el Tercer Taller de Capacitación Del Ministerio de Educación de Maestros, para docentes (MEDUCA) también locales “Conecciones participaron Otilia Arroyo, de Dinámicas entre la Naturaleza, Educación Ambiental y Marivel la Ciencia y el Conocimiento Centeno, coordinadora regional. 2009" del 16 al 20 de febrero en

Publications update ‘08

New publications Malhado, A.C.M., Whittaker, R.J., Malhi, Yadvinder, Ladle, R.J., Ter Steege, H., Aragao, O.C., Quesada, C.A., Araujo, A.M., Phillips, Oliver L., Peacock, J., Lopez-Gonzalez, G., Baker, Timothy R., Butt, N., Anderson, L.O., Arroyo, Luzmilla, Almeidas, S., Higuchi, Niro, Killeen, Timothy J., Monteagudo, Abel, Neill, D.A., Pitman, Nigel C.A., Prieto, A., Salomao, Rafael P., Silva, Natalino A., Vasquez Martinez, Rodolfo, Laurance, William F., Alexiades, M.N., and Ramirez A., H. 2009. "Spatial distribution and functional significance of leaf lamina shape in Amazonian forest trees." Biogeosciences Discussions 6: 1837-1874. Ramos, Ruth, Cipriani, Roberto, Guzman, Hector M., and Garcia, Elia M. 2009. "Chronology of mercury enrichment factors in reef corals from western Venezuela." Marine Pollution Bulletin 58: 222-229. Smith, J. Travis, and Jackson, Jeremy B.C. 2009. "Ecology of extreme faunal turnover of tropical American scallops." Paleobiology 35(1): 77-93.

Cadena, Edwin, Jaramillo, Carlos, and Paramo, Maria E. 2008. "New Material of Chelus Colombiana (Testudines; Pleurodira) from the Lower Miocene of Colombia." Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 28(4): 1206-1212.

Photo collections on-line The Office of Bioinformatics, in corporation with the STRI Library, has been scanning a large collection of mostly black and white photographs taken between the 1920’s and the 1980’s. The photos have been scanned at high resolution and are available in JPG and Tiff formats. The photos can be found at: Q:\OBio\S TRI\BW\Li brary Collection and are viewable from any computer connected to the STRI intranet. The contents of most of the photographs have not yet been identified. If you have information about a particular photograph please record the information in the supplied Excel files. Thank you.

colaboración con la Biblioteca de STRI ha escaneado una extensa colección de fotografías en blanco y negro tomadas entre 1920 y 1980. Las fotos se escanearon el alta resolución y aparecen en formatos de TIFF y JPEG. Estas fotos se pueden encontrar en el disco: Q\OBio\STRI\BW\Library Collection y se pueden ver desde cualquier computadora conectada al intranet de STRI. El contenido de la mayoría de las fotos no se han identificado. Si usted tiene información sobre una fotografía en particular, le agradecíamos que registrara la información en los documentos de Excel que hemos proporcionado.

El disco Q se obtuvo con el propósito de ser el depósito permanente de los archivos Wcislo, William T., and digitales institucionales de Tierney, Simon M. 2009. STRI. Actualnente hay 70,000 "Behavioural environments and archivos (900 GigaBytes) en niche construction: the The Q drive is intended to be línea, incluyendo fotos, evolution of dim-light foraging the permanent storage location grabaciones de audio y video, in bees." Biological Review 84(1): for STRI’s institutional digital mapas y documentos. 19-37. archives. There are currently Esperamos que esta colección over 70,000 files (900 doble su tamaño en un período GigaBytes) on-line, including de 12 meses. photos, audio and video recordings, “Hot carbon storage” by Sid maps, and Perkins. 2009. Science News: documents. We February 18. expect this collection to “Mmmm, carbon!” by Phil double in the next Berardelli. 2009. ScienceNOW 12 months. Daily News: 18 February La Oficina de Bioinformática, en

STRI in the news

Chew, David M., Magna, Tomas, Kirkland, Christopher L., Miskovic, Aleksandar, Cardona, Agustin, Spikings, Richard, and Schaltegger, Urs. 2008. "Detrital zircon fingerprint of the Proto-Andes: Evidence for a Neoproterozoic active margin?" Precambrian Research 167(1-2): 186-200. Glynn, Peter William, Enochs, Ian C., McCosker, John E., and Graefe, Abigail N. 2008. "First record of a pearlfish, Carapus mourlani, inhabiting the Aplysiid Opisthobranch mollusc Dolabella auricularia." Pacific Science 62(4): 593-601. McCoy, Krista A., Hoang, Loan K., Guillette, Jr., Louis J., and Mary, Colette M.St. 2008. "Renal pathologies in giant toads (Bufo marinus) vary with land use." Science of the Total Environment 407(1): 348-357. Oviedo, Lenin, Guzman, Hector M., Florez-Gonzalez, Lilian, Capella, Juan, and Mair, James M. 2008. "The song of the Southeast Pacific humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) off Las Perlas Archipelago, Panama: Preliminary characterization." Aquatic Mammals 34(4): 458-463.

STRI in the news "University ecologists explore 'rainforest pharmacy' for cures, investment" by Brian Maffy. 2009. The Salt Lake Tribune: February 15. "Newsmakers: award in cash" 2009. Science 323(5916): 859. February 13.

Story: Adapted from “Tracking forest creatures on the move” by Natalie Angier, New York Times: 02/02/09. Edited by M Alvarado and ML Calderon Photos: MA Guerra, 2005 Capuchin monkeys are said to be exceptionally quick-witted. “Nothing seems to slow them down,” says Margaret Crofoot, 29, recently selected to run the Automated RadioTelemetry System (ARTS) on Barro Colorado Island. She is an anthropologist graduated from Harvard, and studies the social relations of Cebus capucinus.

monkeys are wearing radio collars. Once Crofoot is able to monitor simultaneously on a representative sampling of the 15 to 20 capuchin social groups that roam the island, she can better address her abiding interest in intertribal politics.

ARTS: Watching your every move, 24-7 ARTS se basa en siete torres de radio de 40 metros de altura construidas en diferentes lugares en BCI, capaces de monitorear información de muchos individuos al mismo tiempo, en todo momento, a lo largo de todo el año. Una vez se le ha colocado el radiotransmisor al mono, las torres empiezan a recibir su firma de radio única y, por triaqulación, indican donde está en la Isla, sus movimientos y sus encuentros con cualquier otro individuo que porte un radio-transmisor.

ARTS relies on seven 40-meter-high radio towers scattered on BCI, capable to monitor data from many individuals at the same time, at all times, all year long. Once a monkey has been outfitted with a transmitting device, the towers track its unique radio signature and, by triangulation, indicate its location on the Island, its movements and encounters with any other radio-endowed individual. The constant data streams feed into computers at a central lab building on the island, allowing researchers to stay abreast of far more animal activities than they could possibly follow through direct observation. Only five of the BCI’s estimated 250 to 300 capuchin

Se dice que los monos cariblancos son excepcionalmente alertas y que responden rápidamente a cualquier estímulo. “Nada parece detenerlos” comenta Margaret Crofoot, recientemente seleccionada para liderar el proyecto de Radio-Telemetría en Barro Colorado (ARTS.) Graduada en antropología en Harvard, estudia las relaciones sociales de Cebus capucinus. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

La transmisión constante de datos que alinmentan las computadoras en el laboratorio central en la Isla, permite a los investigadores estar al tanto de muchas más actividades del animal de lo que podrían lograr observándolos directamente Sólo cinco de un estimado de 250 a 300 cariblancos de BCI portan collares de radio. Una vez Crofoot pueda monitorear simultáneamente una muestra representativa de los 15 o 20 grupos sociales de cariblancos que andan en la Isla, ella podrá satisfacer su interés en la política inter-tribal de estos primates. February 20, 2009