Lightning is common in the tropics, but its ecological effects in tropical forests are poorly understood. Steve Yanoviak, STRI research associate and professor at the University of Louisville, will summarize the basic physics of lightning, how we study lightning in Panama and the importance of lightning as an agent of tropical tree mortality.
Scientists think that climate change may have greater impact the largest trees in tropical forests, and the death of these giants has a major impact on the forest, but because these monumental trees are few and far between, almost nothing is known about what causes them to die.
Large marine animals generally have unique functions for the ecosystem. They are also more susceptible to extinction when their habitats are altered. Around 3 million years ago, at least one third of the marine megafauna became extinct, possibly due to sea level fluctuations and the contraction of coastal habitats. This also led to a loss of some of their ecological functions. In the current era, many large marine animals are deemed at risk of extinction. What will be the consequences of this potential loss?
An entrepreneur who dreamed of becoming an oceanographer teams up with STRI researchers and young Latin American biologists to find out if some coral reefs are more resilient than others. His yacht will be the center of operations as they deploy high tech sensor arrays at sites around the tropical eastern Pacific.
The Fortuna Hydrological Reserve hosts one third of Panama’s tree species, a variety of fungi waiting to be discovered and a great potential to offset global warming
Ongoing research by thousands of scientists is continually strengthening our understanding of the impact of climate change on our planet. Steve Paton, director of STRI’s physical monitoring program, will present an overview of the latest information concerning greenhouse gas production, global warming, and the threats posed by climate change, as well as some possible solutions to these challenges.
Most coral species fared better in the shaded environment offered by the mangrove canopy
During three years, local scientist Dumas Gálvez drove along a road parallel to a rainforest looking out for dead vertebrates.
The Barro Colorado bird community has lost about a quarter of its species over time
Coral reefs in the Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) are exposed to a broad range of environmental conditions defined by the upwelling of cold, nutrient-rich water from the deep ocean. Regional variation in upwelling activity along the TEP make it an ideal natural laboratory to understand the importance of changing environmental conditions for reef health and resiliency. Watch Panamanian scientist Andrew Sellers explain the aims of the ambitious Rohr Reef Resilience (RRR) Project, and his experience in recent research expeditions to the Panamanian and Costa Rican Pacific.
