Rainforest Ecology and GIS mapping, Ometepe (Nicaragua) and La Suerte (Costa Rica):
The Tropics are known for their high biodiversity and complex ecology. However, the actual biodiversity has not received a fully inventory, is widely not mapped and the ecology is not well understood. Surveying and mapping the abundance of tropical wildlife and plant species accurately for distribution and population questions can be very demanding. This course will be centered around selected wildlife and plant species as examples how components of tropical biodiversity and ecology could be described, surveyed, mapped and analyzed efficiently. The course content is driven by the participants and mostly dealing with mammals, birds, insects, reptiles and plants. This course tries to map relevant infrastructure and uses GPS (Global Position Systems, e.g. Garmin) and GIS (Geographic Information Systems) software (ArcGIS 9.3, and can be linked with Google Earth and open source mapping software). Tropical ecology subjects will be presented and investigated addressing also habitat aspects and ecological niche questions. This course is designed for undergraduate and graduate students as an introduction into detailed wildlife distribution and habitat studies in a tropical setting. A background in basic biogeography, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Remote Sensing, databases and software is of advantage but not required. The course will allow for a first overview about wildlife ecology, animal and plant distribution, existing survey, spatial statistics and monitoring methods and wildlife-habitat links. Hands-on fieldwork, surveys, mapping and selected identification applications are a crucial core component of this field course.
Course Materials:
(required reading and to be completed ahead of the class)
Kricher, J. (& M. Plotkin). 1999. A Neotropical Companion: An Introduction to the Animals, Plants, and Ecosystems of the New World Tropics. Second Edition. Princeton University Press. ISBN 0-691-009740
Other references of interest:
Brown, J. and A. Gibson 1983. Biogeography. CV Mosby USA. 643 pp. ISBN 0878930736
Feinsinger, P. 2001. Designing Field Studies for Biodiversity Conservation. Island Press, New York. 212 pp.
Giles, E. and C. Ziegler. 2002. A Magic Web: the Tropical Forest of Barro Colorado Island. OUP, New York. 304 pp.
Howell, S. and S. Webb. 1995. A Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Northern Central America. Oxford University Press. New York, NY 851. pp.
Krebs, C. 1998. Ecological Methodology. Addison Wesley Longman. Second Edition. 620 pp.
Manly, B., L. McDonald, D. L. Thomas, T. L. McDonald, and W. P. Erickson. 2002. Resource Selection by Animals. Kluwer Academic Publishers.
McDade, L.A., K.S. Bawa, H.A. Hespenheide and G.S. Harthorn. 1993. La Selva: Ecology and Natural History of a Neotropical Rain Forest. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 0-226-03950-1.
Quinn, G.P. and M. J. Keough. 2002. Experimental Design and Data Analysis for Biologists. Cambridge University Press. 537 pp. ISBN 0-521-00976-6
Ridgely, R. and J. Gwynne. 1989. A Guide to the Birds of Panama with Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Honduras. Princeton University Press. Princeton, NJ. 534 pp. ISBN 0-691-02512-6.
Reid, F.A. 1998. A Field Guide to the Mammals of Central America & Southeast Mexico. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-195-06401-1.
Ross, D. L. and B. M. Whitney. 1995. Voices of Costa Rican birds: Caribbean Slope. Cornell Lab LNS. 2 cassettes or CDs.
Soto, V.E. 2003. Guia de Campo Ilustrada de las Aves de Costa Rica (An Illustrated Field Guide to the Birds of Costa Rica) Incafo, Costa Rica S.A. ISBN 84-89127-39-5.
Stiles, G., A. Skutch and D. Gardner. 1989. A Guide to the Birds of Costa Rica. Cornell University Press. Ithaca, NY. 509 pp. ISBN 0-8014-2287-6.
Objectives:
Investigating the spatial aspects of tropical ecology of the Ometepe and La Suerte Rainforests by assessing biodiversity components and analysing them in the context of the surrounding habitat and biological features.
Field Survey Methods:
A general overview and specific research methods are presented to survey wildlife distributions and populations efficiently and to present such data with a thorough research analysis, e.g. in terms of ‘presence only’ data and the ecological niche. This work involves the use of GPS (Global Position Systems).
Characterization of Habitat:
We will describe and inventorize habitat, as it relates to tropical wildlife components chosen by the students. An emphasis is given on quantitative and mapping approaches taking habitat preferences into account. This work involves the use of ArcGIS for transferring and presenting field data in the context of the study area.
Wildlife Habitat Studies for Management and Conservation:
We will show methods to investigate wildlife distribution, and present how they can be implemented in the context of management and conservation.
Lecture Topics:
-Introduction to Tropical Forest Ecology
-Selected Biogeography Topics
-Survey Methods and Mapping of Wildlife Distributions
-Global Positioning Systems (GPS)
-Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Databases
-Quantifying Wildlife Distributions, Habitats and Landscapes
-Selected statistical issues for Wildlife Surveys and Distribution
-Introduction into spatial statistics (presence only data, autocorrelation, proximity analysis)
-General Wildlife Habitat links
-Specific Wildlife issues for the Tropics
-Case Study: Neotropical Migrants (Birds)
-Being a Graduate Student in an Ecology Research Project abroad
-Tropical Ecology Research Experience elsewhere (Papua New Guinea, Africa)
Independent Projects:
The focus of this course component is to design and to carry out an innovative and original research project in tropical ecology. It is recommended students decide and define a project scheme ahead of the class, and in agreement with the instructor. A project proposal will be discussed during the first week. The project outline and final results will be presented to the class; a final report, e.g. as a Powerpoint ppt or Word document will be created as well (Details depend on student credit requirements). The project presents a major component of the class.
Potential project topics could be, but are not limited to:
-Local and general Wildlife Distribution Assessment
-Mapping plants and wildlife, e.g. birds, monkeys, treefrogs and blue morpho butterflies
-Habitat Use and Selection
-Abundance and Population Estimations
-Sampling Design, Effort, and Sensitivity
-Distribution of Ecological Niches
-Invasive and Endemic Species
-Scale Effects on any of the above
-Community Analysis
-'Soundscape' Distributions
Exam:
Based on the lecture topics, an exam will be carried out that consists of 20 multiple choice and 5 written questions. The focus of this exam is less on memorizing facts but more on testing for the overall ecological understanding the students were able to achieve during the course and fieldwork. This exam will be held at the last quarter of the course.
Things to bring:
The fieldschool maintains a list of items to bring, e.g. at their website. If you have a laptop, please bring one (PC IBM preferred, Microsoft/OpenOffice Office software and R would be ideal). For details, contact fieldschool or instructor.
General Daily Schedule:
Sunrise - 11:00 Field work (breakfast 6:30)
11:00 - 13:00 lunch and free time
13:00 - 13:30 Short lecture (or data work-up)
14:00 - 17:30 Field work, or lab (GPS, GIS, data transfer)
18:00 Dinner
19:00 - 20:30 Lecture and group discussion
20:30 – 22:00 Field book updates, and free time
There will also be the option to participate in night excursions to investigate nocturnal birds and amphibians, and map their distributions. This has been a very exciting feature in previous classes.
Note: This schedule can be affected by weather and others factors, and could change.
Course Schedule:
Dec 27th, Day 1: Arrival and Orientation
Dec 28th, Day 2: Introduction to Field School and Study Site Ometepe, Nicaraga
Dec 29th, Day 3: ‘Wildlife Walk’ and Project Planning, Design Fieldsheets
Dec 30th, Day 4: Project Design and Project Research (Pilot)
Dec 31st, Day 5: Project Research
Jan 1st, Day 6: Project Research
Jan 2nd, Day 7: Off (work on journals, research proposal, presentations etc.)
Jan 3rd, Day 8: Bird Identification Day + lab
Jan 4th, Day 9: Research Project
Jan 5th, Day 10: Transfer to other field site
Jan 6th, Day 11: Introduction to Field School and Study Site La Suerte, Costa Rica
Jan 7th, Day 12: Research Project
Jan 8th, Day 13: Excursion (optional)
Jan 9th, Day 14: Research Project
Jan 10th, Day 15: Photo Day + camera lab
Jan 11th, Day 16: Research Project, submit draft of research report
Jan 12th, Day 17: Insect Identification Day + lab
Jan 13th, Day 18: Research Project
Jan 14th, Day 19: Research Project
Jan 15th, Day 20: Research Project
Jan 16th, Day 21:Final Project Presentations
Jan 17th, Day 22: Submit PPT/Written Research Paper and data; End-of-Course Party
Jan 18th Day 23: Departure
Note: This schedule can be affected by weather and others factors, and could change.
Grades:
25% Attendance, attention, attitude, enthusiasm and cooperation 1.)
10% Lecture exam 2.)
25% Journal 3.)
25% Research Project (Final presentation and report) 4.)
5% Presentation contrasting two research articles 5.)
10% labs 6.)
1.) For successful expeditions and field work such traits are crucial.
2.) One lecture exam will cover the formal lecture material.
3.) A journal and fieldnotes (e.g. digital raw data and metadata) are very important features to document findings and research results. It consists of a narrative, as well as specific research results and descriptions and drawings of the environment. Ideas and questions can also be noted. Daily records should consist of date, time, weather and research activities and data. Identified and counted wildlife and animal species should be listed as well, including all other noteworthy findings. This information can form the basis for digital project databases, e.g. in Excel and with FGDC NBII Metadata.
4.) This course will allow to implement an original research project of own design. A research proposal (required but not marked) will be discussed, which will be critiqued by the instructor and course members on the subjects of research design, analysis and feasibility. Based on a final project presentation to the class, a final presentation will be handed in.
5.) Every student is asked to compare and contrast two selected research articles on his/her own choice. A research library dealing with subjects of the course is available, too.
6.) During the course, some small field labs will be carried out.
Course Goals:
After the completion of the course, participants should be able to design their own GIS-based quantitative wildlife survey and research study, be able to operate advanced GPS techniques in the field, and describe the general ecology, distributions, habitat, wildlife-habitat links and overall populations in qualitative, spatial and quantitative terms. Further, they should be able to identify common wildlife and plant species features of the tropical rainforest in Central America.
Optional Field Trip:
Participants will have the opportunity to participate in a field excursion to see other forests and nesting turtles; details depend on weather and locations. The excursion is optional and will cost an extra fee.
Conduct:
It is expected that participants follow the Policies and Procedures outlined by the Ometepe and La Suerte Field Stations. Details are outlined in the registration package and online.
Research Data:
Publishing field research data has been to the great advantage of students. It is expected that all collected field data are worked up and analyzed, and according to best professional research standards such as the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the U.S. federal government. As outlined there, this includes digital data sharing online and with metadata. Examples of such projects and data can be found at the station’s website, with the National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII website), with GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Infrastructure) and with the instructor.
Credits:
Students can receive and transfer various types of credits for this class. Details depend on the college and university involved. Please contact the field school and instructor for details and arrangements.
Other opportunities:
The course will provide a great opportunity for dynamic and hard working but fun people, who are interested in modern tropical research and conservation with a focus on transparent and quantitative, spatial and GIS methods in the field. Emphasize is placed on field data collection in the tropical forest. Some of the earlier projects resulted already into scientific publications, co-authored conference presentations, and online research and biodiversity data publications. Other projects can easily continue this body of knowledge, or start new ideas and research. Please inquire with the instructor for specific details.