Back from the dead
Tropical tree fern repurposes its dead leaves
February 26, 2024
A species of tree fern found only in Panama uses ‘zombie leaves’ or reanimated dead leaf fronds, and turns them into root structures that feed the mother plant.
A species of tree fern found only in Panama uses ‘zombie leaves’ or reanimated dead leaf fronds, and turns them into root structures that feed the mother plant.
Plant collections are full of surprises. It may take decades to id plant samples, but it’s worth the effort, especially when some of these species are not known from anywhere else on Earth.
A fund set up by STRI staff scientist Annette Aiello intends to provide long-term funding for the preservation and management of the insect collection at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama, highlighting the importance of reference collections for the advancement of science.
Through a course in dendrology, the study of the taxonomy of woody plants in the absence of flowers or fruits, two experts in forest diversity seek to leave a legacy of knowledge for future generations.
Butterflies of Pipeline Road is a concise and colorful field guide that brings together 120 of the most commonly observed butterflies from one of the most biodiverse trails in Panama: Pipeline Road.
We are all working together to make tropical biology research safe for everyone by eliminating harassment.
In my lab we try to understand how climate change affects tropical forests by studying how environmental factors influence the physiology and ecology of tropical trees and lianas. We are interested in identifying threshold temperatures for various aspects of plant performance, including carbon...
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In the Collin Lab we work to understand how environmental conditions, their natural variation and environmental change from the climate emergency shape marine ecosystems and biodiversity. Our current work focuses on three areas (1) Documenting the biodiversity of tropical marine invertebrates, (...