Friday, February 18, 2011

Summer field course in tropical wetland ecology


2011 SUMMER COURSE ANNOUNCEMENT (May 15-June 9)

FIELD COURSE IN TROPICAL WETLAND ECOLOGY

COURSE LOCATION: Bocas del Toro Biological Station, Boca del Drago, Isla Colon, Republic of  Panama.  The biological station is located on a beach facing the Caribbean Sea.  Coral reef and seagrass ecosystems lie out in front of the station and lowland tropical rain forests lie directly behind.  This juxtaposition of the two most biologically diverse ecosystems provides tremendous opportunities for education and research.  See Panama: http://www.itec-edu.org/index.html for details.

INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Tiffany Troxler, Florida International University, Southeast Environmental Research Center, OE 167, 11200 SW 8th St., Miami, FL, 33199; troxlert@fiu.edu

COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course will present and synthesize ideas and concepts central to wetland ecology. It will emphasize aspects of wetland structure and function of riverine, mangrove, mixed hardwood and Raphia swamp forests and herbaceous bog wetlands of Bocas del Toro. The material covered is equivalent to a university upper level course in wetland ecology.  The course is divided into three parts.  During the first few days students will become familiar with the many ecosystems found in our area and with the trail systems during “orientation” walks.  The bulk of the first 10 days will be spent learning field techniques and carrying out various group projects or exercises (see below).  Midway through the course the entire station community takes a 3-day field trip to cloud forests of Boquete (see details below).  On returning to the field station, students work on their individual research projects and continue to receive lectures or other activities in the evening. 

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