The glue that holds the coral reef together threatened by global change
Rapid increases in ocean acidity puts crustose coralline algae in a growth predicament, research by a Smithsonian marine scientist shows.
Modern marine oxygen-deficiency research inspires search for fossil record
Smithsonian scientists who documented massive mortality of corals and reef organisms meticulously studied one of the apparent causes: oxygen deficiency. A Smithsonian paleobiologist asks if the recent fossil record shows signs of similar hypoxia events.
Big fish produce disproportionately bigger eggs and more of them
A new paper in Science shows that big female fish are disproportionately important to maintaining populations. The research suggests that protection of large, reproductive females is essential to sustaining viable fish stocks.
Marine expedition launched from new Coibita station
To mark the beginning of an era in marine research in the Eastern Tropical Pacific, Smithsonian scientists launched numerous long-term marine ecosystem studies in Panama’s Coiba National Park.
Whale Shark Logs Longest-Recorded Migration
A whale shark named Anne swam all the way across the Pacific from Coiba National Park in Panama to the Marianas Trench.
Ira Rubinoff, Emeritus Director, retires from STRI
After more than 50 years at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, director emeritus Ira Rubinoff has announced his retirement. He will travel to Vienna with his wife, Anabella, who was recently designated Panama’s ambassador to Austria.
“Tropical forests are the result of an accident of history.” - Carlos Jaramillo.
About 66 million years ago, a radical change on the Earth filled tropical forests with flowers. A new catalog of fossil pollen grains may hold an explanation.
Free Online Tree-Planting Guides
Now that the rainy season has started, it is the perfect time to plant trees in Panama. We offer smart, science-based advice for choosing the perfect trees for your site and helping them to grow.
New book offers deep-time tour of Colombia
STRI’s Carlos Jaramillo and a team of 25 co-authors explore themes from fossil formation to the bridging of the Americas to the role of humans in modern ecosystems.
Tracking Aedes Mosquito Invasions in Panama
Mosquitoes in the genus Aedes, which can carry dangerous viruses causing yellow fever, chikungunya and Zika, invaded the crossroads of the Americas multiple times, by land and by sea.
