A new collaboration between STRI and the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry will make a research vessel available to researchers, educators and marine policy makers working in the Tropical Eastern Pacific.
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Projects
& Stories
Aaron O'Dea
In September 2017, divers observed a massive “dead zone” rising to envelop Caribbean coral reefs in Bocas del Toro, Panama. Smithsonian post-docs joined together to understand marine hypoxia now and in the past.
Sharks’ bodies are covered with tiny, tooth-like scales called denticles. Shed denticles settle to the ocean floor, where they remain in sediments for years and can be used to understand which sharks lived on a reef in the past.
The new graphic novel tells the story of the Isthmus’ formation and evolution through the adventures of a young Panamanian girl.
The next time you eat seafood, think about the long-term effects. Will consistently eating the biggest fish or the biggest conch, mean that only the smaller individuals will have a chance to reproduce?
Coming from a humble family, Félix Rodríguez decided from a young age that he would focus on his education in order to secure a better future for himself and his family. At different points in his life he said yes to the opportunities that were presented to him, with a curious heart. This led him to learn from world-class experts, get training abroad and become a paleontologist at the Smithsonian (STRI) working in the Panama Paleontology Project. Listen to him describe his anecdotes and experiences as a paleontologist in the tropics.
Lab Members and Collaborations
Estimating shark populations on degraded Caribbean reefs is complicated, especially when there few around. A pioneering member of the O’Dea lab has developed a technique to estimate shark populations — both past and present — using their microscopic skin scales