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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.

At the Smithsonian’s Bocas del Toro Research Station, in Panama, marine biologist Rachel Collin runs an educational program that recruits international experts to teach and create videos about how to collect, preserve and observe marine invertebrates, passing down their very specific knowledge to aspiring taxonomists.

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?

Most coral species fared better in the shaded environment offered by the mangrove canopy