Tropical Ecology Research Articles

Tidal influences on fish distributions on tropical eastern Pacific rocky shores (Colombia)

MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections MEPS 416:241-254 (2010) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps08768 Tidal influences on fish distributions on tropical eastern Pacific rocky shores (Colombia) Gustavo Adolfo Castellanos-Galindo1,2,*, Uwe Krumme1, Trevor J. Willis3 1Leibniz Center for Tropical Marine Ecology (ZMT), Fahrenheitstr. 6, 28359 Bremen, Germany 2Grupo de Investigación en Ecología Animal, Departamento de Biología, Universidad del Valle, A.A. 25360, Cali, Colombia 3National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd, PO Box 893, Nelson 7040, New Zealand *Email: gustavoa80@yahoo.com ABSTRACT: On coasts with high tidal ranges, fishes regularly establish linkages between subtidal and intertidal habitats via tidal movements, such that the home range incorporates habitat that is only intermittently available. To examine the responses of shallow-water reef fish assemblages to tidal water level changes in a macrotidal area of the tropical eastern Pacific, daytime underwater visual fish surveys were carried out in intertidal and subtidal zones at different tidal stages in Utría National Park, Colombia. Labridae and Pomacentridae were the most abundant families, but species within these families changed between intertidal and subtidal zones. Of 106 species, >70% used the rocky intertidal zone. Benthic opportunistic reef species comprised ca. 85% of the intertidal migrant species, whereas the remaining 15% corresponded to ubiquitous reef and pelagic species. Little variation in subtidal and intertidal fish assemblages was observed between spring and neap tides, but there were large changes detected over the tidal cycle that were attributed to species-specific use of the intertidal zone at high tide. Intertidal fish assemblages comprised a defined subset of species that differed significantly from those of subtidal areas. Rocky intertidal habitats are used only haphazardly by most reef fishes, but a few common species shifted more than 90% of their population into intertidal habitats during high tide, indicating that for those taxa, intertidal habitats provide important foraging opportunities. This may introduce a significant source of local-scale bias to density estimates of subtidal reef fishes, and reef fish monitoring programmes should specifically factor tidal state as a controlling influence in macrotidal areas. KEY WORDS: Tidal migrations · Rocky intertidal · Reef fishes · Tropical eastern Pacific · Utría Full text in pdf format PreviousNextCite this article as: Castellanos-Galindo GA, Krumme U, Willis TJ (2010) Tidal influences on fish distributions on tropical eastern Pacific rocky shores (Colombia). Mar Ecol Prog Ser 416:241-254. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps08768 Export citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in MEPS Vol. 416. Online publication date: October 14, 2010 Print ISSN: 0171-8630; Online ISSN: 1616-1599 Copyright © 2010 Inter-Research.

A Recount of Tropical Tree Species

If aliens visited earth, perhaps they would wonder how many distinct life forms our planet has. With their advanced intellect and technology, they might well have the answer. It is clear from R. M. May's Perspective “Tropical arthropod species, more or less?” (2 July, p. [41][1]) that we do not. May inadvertently adds to the confusion by indicating that New Guinea is home to roughly one-third of tropical tree species. Given that about 6000 tropical tree species are from New Guinea ([ 1 ][2], [ 2 ][3]) out of 37,000 tree species in all rainforests ([ 3 ][4]), only about 16% of tropical tree species are from this region—about half the estimate provided by May. ![Figure][5] CREDIT: GERRY ELLIS/MINDEN PICTURES, GETTYIMAGES I agree with May's conclusion that taxonomy needs more recognition, but we also need more of taxonomists' rigor, lest we confound what is already a challenging task. Without this rigor, our alien visitors might consider our science to be less dismal, as May suggests, but more careless. 1. [↵][6]1. R. Hoft , Plants of New Guinea and the Solomon Islands: Dictionary of the Genera and Families of Flowering Plants and Ferns (Wau Ecology Institute, Wau, Papua New Guinea, 1992). 2. [↵][7]1. B. J. Conn, 2. K. Q. Damas , Guide to Trees of Papua New Guinea (2006); [www.pngplants.org/PNGtrees][8]. 3. [↵][9]1. J. Ghazoul, 2. D. Sheil , Tropical Rain Forest Ecology, Diversity, and Conservation (Oxford Univ. Press, Oxford, 2010). [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.1191058 [2]: #ref-1 [3]: #ref-2 [4]: #ref-3 [5]: pending:yes [6]: #xref-ref-1-1 View reference 1 in text [7]: #xref-ref-2-1 View reference 2 in text [8]: http://www.pngplants.org/PNGtrees [9]: #xref-ref-3-1 View reference 3 in text

The International Year of Biodiversity: A Celebration and Cogitation

To both celebrate and reflect upon this International Year of Biodiversity, Biotropica has invited opinion articles from a number of scientists across the globe. As lightly edited personal opinions, the commentaries reflect the diversity of passionate and often controversial views expressed across the scientific community. Thus, these commentaries should provide much food for thought, and hopefully some inspiration, on how we perceive biodiversity on our currently human-dominated planet and how we should respond to its loss. BY DECLARING 2010 AS THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF BIODIVERSITY (see http://www.cbd.int/2010/about/), the United Nations has sought to raise awareness of the importance of biodiversity and ‘to elevate biological diversity nearer to the top of the political agenda’ (Johns 2009). Perhaps it is also atonement for the conclusive failure to meet the 2010 Biodiversity Target, which sought to ‘achieve by 2010 a significant reduction of the current rate of biodiversity loss at the global, regional and national level as a contribution to poverty alleviation and to the benefit of all life on Earth’ (COP 6 Decision VI/26.11). Although this background is not promising, we should certainly promote and publicize this Year of Biodiversity to both celebrate the considerable biodiversity that remains as well as to raise awareness of how much there is to lose. Biotropica is celebrating this Year of Biodiversity by presenting this Special Section on biodiversity, representing the variously diverse opinions and thoughts of tropical scientists from across the globe. We have asked these tropical biologists to present, from their own perspective, their views about some aspect of biodiversity, biodiversity research or conservation that they feel passionate about. To preserve the personal style of each contribution, the editorial hand has been applied lightly. The resulting collection of Commentaries gives plenty of material for thought, discussion and debate, and we hope that this will, indeed, be the legacy of this Special Section. More than this, though, we also hope that this collection of papers will stimulate our readers to be challenged to think beyond the matters that most immediately concern them in their research activities. No doubt all our readers already do this to some extent, in which case these Commentaries will add further food for thought. No doubt also that some of these Commentaries might enlighten you, dear reader, while others will infuriate you, but we hope that they will, collectively, be enjoyed. The topics covered by the Commentaries are diverse, and as such may be a good sketch of the diversity we encounter among tropical ecosystems and tropical biologists. As an editorial team, we did what most ecologists do: we categorized the commentaries into groups sharing similar characteristics and sought to identify the general patterns found within each category. We largely failed, but by doing so, we effectively succeeded in our original intention of soliciting the personal and diverse views of our invited contributors. This in turn has given us pause for thought. If this collection of established ecologists and conservationists is unable to deliver an overarching coherent perspective about what really matters in biodiversity research and conservation, then what chance is there of communicating the nature of the challenge of biodiversity loss, and solutions to this challenge, to a wider public and its political leadership? Maybe the solution is beyond the reach of the tropical ecology community, and maybe it lies in other fields of science and enquiry. Maybe the solutions should be founded far more in political activism and engagement than in pure or applied science. Or perhaps this diversity of views from scientists encapsulates the multiplicity of solutions that is needed for a truly successful approach. All of these possibilities are found in the diversity of Commentaries you will find in the following pages.

Dendroecology in the tropics: a review

Over the last decade the field of tropical dendroecology has developed rapidly and major achievements have been made. We reviewed the advances in three main themes within the field. First, long chronologies for tropical tree species were constructed which allowed climate reconstructions, revealed sources of climatic variation and clarified climate–growth relations. Other studies combined tree-ring data and stable isotope (13C and 18O) measurements to evaluate the response of tropical trees to climatic variation and changes. A second set of studies assessed long-term growth patterns of individual trees throughout their life. These studies enhanced the understanding of growth trajectories to the canopy, quantified autocorrelated tree growth and yielded new estimates of tree ages. Such studies were also used to reconstruct the disturbance history of tropical forests. The last set of studies applied tree-ring data to growth models. Tree-ring data can replace diameter measurements from research plots, provide additional information to construct population models, improve timber yield models and validate model output. Based on our review, we propose two main directions for future research. (1) An evaluation of the causes and consequences of growth variation within and among trees and their relation to environmental variation. Studies evaluating this directly contribute to improved understanding of tropical tree ecology. (2) The simultaneous measurement of widths and stable isotope fractions in tree rings offers the potential to study responses of trees to climatic change. Given the major role of tropical forests in the global carbon cycle, knowing these responses is of high priority.

Tropical fire ecology across the African continent: A paleoecological perspective

Tropical fire ecology across the African continent: A paleoecological perspective

Remote Sensing as a Tool for Tropical Ecology

AbstractTropical forests provide important habitat for a tremendous diversity of plant and animal species. However, limitations in measuring and monitoring the structure and function of tropical forests has caused these systems to remain poorly understood. Remote‐sensing technology has provided a powerful tool for quantification of structural patterns and associating these with resource use. Satellite and aerial platforms can be used to collect remotely sensed images of tropical forests that can be applied to ecological research and management. The purpose of this article is to highlight the resources available for tropical forest remote sensing and to present a case‐study that demonstrates its application to a neotropical forest located in the Petén region of northern Guatemala.

Effect of rhizome storage duration on the varietal growth, yield and yellow leaf spot disease incidence of ginger (Zingiber officinale) in a humid tropical rainforest of south eastern Nigeria

A field study was conducted at the research farm of the National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike in 2006 and 2007 cropping seasons to determine the effect of rhizome storage duration on the subsequent field performance of ginger in humid tropical rainforest ecology of Nigeria. Treatments consisted of three ginger varieties {Maran (MN), Wynad local (WYL) and yellow ginger (UGI)} in factorial combinations with six rhizome storage durations {0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 months after harvest (MAH)}. The design used was randomized complete block with three replications. Results showed that the best plant establishment, vigour and fresh rhizome yield was obtained when rhizomes were stored for not more than 2MAH. Rhizome storage for more or less than2MAHreduced ginger plant vigour and yield but increased yellow leaf spot disease of ginger. Highest incidence of the disease was recorded at 6MAP and Maran was more susceptible to the disease than Wynad local and yellow ginger.Keywords: Rhizome, storage duration, leaf spot, Ginger, rain forest

Game Vertebrate Densities in Hunted and Nonhunted Forest Sites in Manu National Park, Peru

ABSTRACTManu National Park of southern Peru is one of the most renowned protected areas in the world, yet large‐bodied vertebrate surveys conducted to date have been restricted to Cocha Cashu Biological Station, a research station covering <0.06 percent of the 1.7 Mha park. Manu Park is occupied by >460 settled Matsigenka Amerindians, 300–400 isolated Matsigenka, and several, little‐known groups of isolated hunter–gatherers, yet the impact of these native Amazonians on game vertebrate populations within the park remains poorly understood. On the basis of 1495 km of standardized line‐transect censuses, we present density and biomass estimates for 23 mammal, bird, and reptile species for seven lowland and upland forest sites in Manu Park, including Cocha Cashu. We compare these estimates between hunted and nonhunted sites within Manu Park, and with other Neotropical forest sites. Manu Park safeguards some of the most species‐rich and highest biomass assemblages of arboreal and terrestrial mammals ever recorded in Neotropical forests, most likely because of its direct Andean influence and high levels of soil fertility. Relative to Barro Colorado Island, seed predators and arboreal folivores in Manu are rare, and generalist frugivores specializing on mature fruit pulp are abundant. The impact of such a qualitative shift in the vertebrate community on the dynamics of plant regeneration, and therefore, on our understanding of tropical plant ecology, must be profound. Despite a number of external threats, Manu Park continues to serve as a baseline against which other Neotropical forests can be gauged.Abstract in Spanish is available athttp://www.blackwell‐synergy.com/loi/btp.

Tropical fire ecology: climate change, land use, and ecosystem dynamics

Changing Fire Regimes in Tropical Montane Cloud Forests: A Global Synthesis Preface List of figures List of tables List of abbreviations and acronyms List of contributors Fire in the Tropics - Mark A. Cochrane Fire and Fire Ecology - Concepts and Principles - Mark A. Cochrane and Kevin C. Ryan Global Overview of Fire in the Tropics Overview: Global Fire Regime Conditions, Threats, and Opportunities for Fire Management in the Tropics -- Ayn Shlisky, Ane A.C. Alencar, Maria Manta Nolasco and Lisa M. Curran Fire in the Australian Tropics Fire Driven Land Cover Change in Australia and W.D. Jackson's Theory of the Fire Ecology of Southwest Tasmania -- David M.J.S. Bowman and Sam W. Wood Fires in Australia's Tropical Savannas: Interactions with Biodiversity, Global Warming and Exotic Biota -- A. Malcolm Gill, R.J. Williams and J.C.Z. Woinarski Aboriginal Fire Use in Australian Tropical Savannas: Ecological Effects and Management Lessons -- Tom Vigilante, Brett P. Murphy and David M.J.S. Bowman Fire in the African Tropics Fire Ecology and Fire Politics in Mali and Madagascar - Christian A. Kull and Paul Laris Climate Change and Wildland Fires in Mozambique - Anja A. Hoffmann, Jo-Ellen Parry, Carla Cuambe, Dominick Kwesha and Washington Zhakata Fire in the Asian Tropics Tropical Peatland Fires in Southeast Asia -- Susan Page, Agata Hoscilo, Andreas Langner, Kevin Tansey,Florian Siegert, Suwido Limin, and Jack Rieley Fire, ecology and management of Seasonal Evergreen Forests, Conservation and Mainland Southeast Asia -- Laura A. Johnson and Philip Dearden Fire Behavior and Fire Effects Across the Forest Landscape of Continental Southeast Asia -- Patrick J. Baker and Sarayudh Bunyavejchewin Forest Fire Regimes and their Ecological Effects in Seasonally Dry Tropical Ecosystems in the Western Ghats, India -- Narendran Kodandapani, Mark A. Cochrane and R. Sukumar Fire and Land Use Effects on Biodiversity and Livelihoods in the Southern Sumatran Wetlands -- Unna Chokkalingam, Iwan Kurniawan, Suyanto, Rizki Pandu Permana, Meilanie Buitenzorgy and Robiyanto Hendro Susanto Fire in the South American Tropics Fire, Land Use, Land Cover Dynamics and Climate Change in the Brazilian Amazon -- Mark A. Cochrane Fires in Cerrado, the Brazilian Savanna -- Heloisa Sinatora Miranda, Margarete Naomi Sato, Walter Nascimento Neto and Felipe Salvo Aires The Role of Fire in Vegetation Dynamics of Upland Savannas of the Venezuelan Guayana -- Bibiana Bilbao, Alejandra Leal, Carlos Mendez and Maria Dolores Delgado-Cartay Pattern and Process: Fire-initiated Grass Invasion at Amazon Transitional Forest Edges -- Jennifer K. Balch, Daniel C. Nepstad, and Lisa M. Curran Fire in the Central American Tropics Fire in Paramo Ecosystems of Central and South America - Sally P. Horn and Maarten Kappelle. Pan-tropical Fire The Consequences of Fire for the Fauna of Humid Tropical Forests -- Jos Barlow

The Integrated Management Of An Emerging Insect Pest Of Cashew: A Case Study Of The Cashew Root And Stem Borer, Plocaederus ferrugineus In Ibadan, Nigeria

Sudden death of mature cashew trees at the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), Ibadan, southwestern Nigeria, a tropical humid ecology, necessitated an urgent study to unravel the cause and evolve an integrated management strategy for the control of the problem. Morphometric examination of the adult insect recovered from dying cashew trees revealed that, Plocaederus ferrugineus (cashew root and stem borer) was the pest responsible for the sudden death and Spondias mombin (purple mombin) was identified as an alternative preferred host plant of this pest. Phytosanitation practices like removing infested-dead cashew trees and alternate host plant (Spondias mombin) was carried out. This phytosanitary practice was also recommended to other cashew growers in the region. Application of coal tar–kerosene mixture in ratio 1:2 to healthy trees within infested plots gave 100% prophylactic efficacy at twelve months after treatment. Chemical control using Propoxur (a carbamate) and physical control by poking of holes created by the borer using a wire and killing of the insect both gave 98% success rate each. With mode of damage to cashew and about 25% trees infestation per hectare recorded so far, the cashew root and stem borer, P. ferrugineus can now be classified as one of the most economically important insect pests of cashew in Nigeria.

Tropical forest community ecology

Tropical forest community ecology

Early post-settlement habitat and diet shifts and the nursery function of tidepools during Sillago spp. recruitment in Moreton Bay, Australia

MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections MEPS 384:207-219 (2009) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps07992 Early post-settlement habitat and diet shifts and the nursery function of tidepools during Sillago spp. recruitment in Moreton Bay, Australia Nils C. Krück1,*, Craig A. Chargulaf1, Ulrich Saint-Paul2, Ian R. Tibbetts1 1Centre for Marine Studies (CMS), University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia 2Center for Tropical Marine Ecology (ZMT), Fahrenheitstr. 6, 28359 Bremen, Germany *Email: krueck@uni-bremen.de ABSTRACT: Knowledge of settlement and recruitment processes is crucial for the conservation and sustainable management of commercial fish stocks, yet for some species such information is limited. We investigated the length-frequency distribution and feeding activity of 0-group Sillago whiting on mudflats in Moreton Bay, Australia, and evaluated whether permanent intertidal residence is (1) an integral component of recruitment and (2) related to the suitability of temporary microhabitats (tidepools) as primary nursery refuges. A total of 399 whiting, comprising the 3 commercially and/or recreationally important species S. analis, S. ciliata and S. maculata, were collected from intertidal pools and adjacent subtidal waters during low tide. Newly settled metamorphic larvae dominated whiting assemblages in tidepools (>80%) and fed almost exclusively on meiofaunal copepods and nematodes. It was only once metamorphosis was complete that new settlers joined the main juvenile population—i.e. they commenced tidal migrations, or they took up permanent residence in subtidal seagrass beds (>90% juveniles), and shifted their diet towards macrofaunal decapods and polychaetes. During the critical first weeks after settlement, occupation of intertidal pools seemed likely to increase fitness of whiting. Specifically, the pools may provide shelter from predation, temperature-induced increases in growth and temporally extended access to intertidal meiofauna. The latter, however, appeared to vary depending on whether copepods or nematodes were the preferred prey, and whether occupied pools were isolated or interconnected. Resource and conservation managers should consider largely structureless mud- and sandflats as primary nursery zones for Sillago populations throughout their range in the Indo-Pacific. KEY WORDS: Whiting · Nursery · Tidepool · Ontogenetic shift · Diet · Settlement · Metamorphosis · Fullness index Full text in pdf format PreviousNextCite this article as: Krück NC, Chargulaf CA, Saint-Paul U, Tibbetts IR (2009) Early post-settlement habitat and diet shifts and the nursery function of tidepools during Sillago spp. recruitment in Moreton Bay, Australia. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 384:207-219. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps07992 Export citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in MEPS Vol. 384. Online publication date: May 29, 2009 Print ISSN: 0171-8630; Online ISSN: 1616-1599 Copyright © 2009 Inter-Research.

Agricultura familiar na Amazônia Oriental: uma comparação dos resultados da pesquisa socioeconômica sobre fronteiras agrárias sob condições históricas e agroecológicas diversas

Na Amazônia Oriental, a agricultura familiar representa uma parte economicamente significativa do setor agrário. O enfoque dominante qualifica-a como uma agricultura nômade, ineficiente e insustentável, baseada no modelo do ciclo da fronteira (a agricultura familiar é expulsa pelas grandes fazendas de gado) e no modelo clássico de ecologia tropical da floresta amazônica. Resultados da pesquisa ecológica recente mostram que o modelo precisa ser revisado em vários aspectos relacionados diretamente com a sustentabilidade da agricultura familiar. Uma reconstrução histórica do desenvolvimento dos sistemas de produção de Igarapé-Açu e uma comparação com dados sobre outras fronteiras mais recentes no Pará mostram que, dependendo do desenvolvimento histórico específico da fronteira agrária, dos fatores condicionantes ecológicos e econômicos e das condições macroeconômicas, uma ampla diversidade de trajetórias relativamente estáveis do desenvolvimento agrário pode ser identificada.

Tropical Ecology: Riparian Corridors Connect Fragmented Forest Bird Populations

Landscape corridors connecting habitat patches may help overcome the genetic and demographic problems of small and isolated populations. An elegant field experiment shows that some Costa Rican forest birds will use 'riparian' (river margin) corridors to get back home, but they can be picky about corridor quality.

Tropical Rainforest Responses to Climatic Change ‐ Edited by Mark B. Bush and John R. Flenley and The Atlas of Climate Change: Mapping the World's Greatest Challenge ‐ Edited by Kirstin Dow and Thomas E. Dowling

[Extract] The first (edited) book, comprising 15 chapters from 26 contributing authors, brings together a collection of chapters concerned with how tropical rainforest ecology is altered by climate change, rather than simply how plan communities are altered. The strongly geographical approach emphasises interactions among humans, climate and forest ecology over time scales that recognise significant, long-term effects of human habitation of tropical forest systems.

Temporal changes in the periphytic algal communities in a drowned tropical forest reservoir in Malaysia: Lake Kenyir

AbstractPeriphytic algal assemblages, comprising bacillariophytes, cyanophytes and chlorophytes of standing dead trees in Lake Kenyir, a tropical drowned forest reservoir, were studied during 1995. A total of 317 algal taxa were identified in this study. The monthly floral mean species richness and cell count data demonstrated significant temporal differences between the months, in one‐way anova (P < 0.05). Both redundancy analysis and cluster analysis on monthly blue‐green abundance and diatom assemblages exhibited conspicuous groupings among the months, with underpinning seasonal differences. The responses were not similar, however, between the upstream and downstream ends of the lake. The grouping or clustering of months can be generalized as: (i) November, December and January as the monsoonal months; (ii) February, March, April and May as the transitional months; and (iii) June to October as the dry months. Based on stepwise multiple regression with forward selection, alkalinity and dissolved oxygen concentration were significant environmental predictors at the downstream dam sampling site, and reactive silica, electrical conductivity, Secchi depth transparency and sunshine hours were significant predicators at the upstream riverine sampling site, based on Monte Carlo tests. Being a ploymictic, mesotrophic lake, the limnology and temporal changes for Lake Kenyir appears to be complex and driven by monsoons, as evidenced from the temporal changes in its periphytic algae communities, particularly the diatom assemblages. The downstream sampling site (site 1) at the dam, in the main basin and deeper zone of the lake, the seasonal amplitude was likely complex because of thermocline formation and stratification processes. In contrast, the upstream sampling site in the Petang River (site 2) exhibited a clearer distinction between the dry and monsoon months, based on its cyanophyte and diatom floral assemblages. These study results are pertinent for lake management, especially for developing biomonitoring programmes or lake productivity studies, as well as for climate change studies, within the context of tropical lake ecology.

Tropical wetlands for climate change research, water quality management and conservation education on a university campus in Costa Rica

EARTH University is a small agronomic university with a theme of sustainability in eastern Costa Rica. Several natural and constructed wetlands on its campus are used for research, water quality improvement, and higher education. It has become an important location for research and teaching on humid tropical wetland ecology and management. A 112-ha flow-through Raphia taedigera (Arecaceae) forested wetland is being used for climate change research, focusing on carbon sequestration and methane generation. Methane emissions are measured seasonally and are comparable to rates in tropical wetlands published elsewhere. Carbon sequestration by the wetland appears to be substantially higher than similar flow-through temperate zone wetlands. Treatment wetlands are used on campus to improve water quality of effluents from an animal farm, a dairy plant, a landfill, and a banana paper plant. Water quality was substantially improved in all of these wetlands except the landfill leachate wetland. All of these campus wetlands have been integrated into the four-year education program of EARTH University and 22 undergraduate projects have been completed on wetlands over the past 14 years.

Lost worlds: adventures in the tropical rainforest

Perhaps it is not possible to experience all the mysterious sounds, the unfamiliar smells, and the spectacular sights of a tropical rainforest without ever visiting one. But this exhilarating and honest book comes wondrously close to taking the reader on such a journey. Bruce M. Beehler, a widely traveled expert on birds and tropical ecology, recounts fascinating details from twelve field trips he has taken to the tropics over the past three decades. As a researcher, he brings to life the exotic rainforests and the people who inhabit them; as a conservationist, he makes a plea for better ways of managing rainforests--a resource that the world cannot do without. Drawing on his experiences in Papua New Guinea, India, Madagascar, Indonesia, the Philippines, Panama, and the Ivory Coast, Beehler describes the surprises--both pleasant and unpleasant--of doing science and conservation in the field. He explains the role that rainforests play in the lives of indigenous peoples and the crucial importance of understanding local cultures, customs, and politics. The author concludes with simple but tough solutions for maintaining rainforest health, expressing fervent hope that his great-grandchildren and others may one day also hear the rainforest whisper its secrets.

The Geographical and Institutional Distribution of Ecological Research in the Tropics

ABSTRACTWe reviewed 1333 papers published inBiotropicaand theJournal of Tropical Ecologyfrom 1995 to 2004. Only 62 percent of tropical countries were represented in our survey, with 62 percent of the publications based on research conducted in only ten countries. Sixty‐two percent of papers had lead authors that were based at institutions outside the country where the research was conducted. Cross‐national collaboration was limited, accounting for only 28 percent of papers with multiple authors. To evaluate if our choice of focal journals could have biased our results, we also reviewed 652 papers published inEcology,Oecologia,Conservation Biology, andBiological Conservationfor five randomly selected years from the same time period. While some differences in authorship and the geographic distribution of research existed, the results from these journals generally mirrored patterns observed in the two focal ones—almost 54 percent of publications were based on research conducted in only ten countries, and most studies had lead authors from a developed country. The results of our review suggest that the geographical distribution of research in the tropics is unequal, and that some important regions remain understudied. The results also suggest a need for a greater focus on establishing collaborative relationships with scientists from tropical countries.

Agroforests as Model Systems for Tropical Ecology1

Agroforests as Model Systems for Tropical Ecology¹