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STRI newsTupper 4pm seminarTue, Feb 19, 4pm seminarspeaker will be Steve O'Brien,National Cancer InstituteFelidae genomics forconservation, speciesrecognition, and the rest—one amazing journey
Bambi seminarThu, Feb 21, Bambi seminarspeaker will be Steven Orzack,Fresh Pond Research InstituteEight cells and beyond: thedemographic trajectory ofthe human sex ratio
ArrivalsNi Feng, Chinese Academy ofSciences, to study hormonaland neural control of asexually dimorphic behavior,in Gamboa.
Maria Vittoria Modica,Università di Roma LaSapienza, to study intoxicatingconnections: Bridging the gapbetween the lab bench andinformal science educationusing venomous molluscs, atNaos and the R/VUrraca.
Charlotte Jander, Cornell, tostudy plant sanctions andwasp pollination behavior inthe fig tree-fig waspmutualism, on BCI.
Kathrin Barboza Marquez,BIOTA-PCMB, to study theuse of bat habitats on islandborders and continuousforests, on BCI.
Tracy Stetzinger, US, to joinCorinne Richards in the studyof selection and the rapidevolution of morphologicalvariation among Strawberrypoison-dart frogs of the Bocasdel Toro archipelago.
David King, CTFS fellowfrom the University ofVirginia, to infer heightgrowth histories from leafscars in palms, on BCI
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panamá www.stri.org February 15, 2008
Not only size: Location also matters
“Numerical superiority confersa competitive advantage duringcontests among animal groups,shaping patterns of resourceaccess, and, by extension,fitness. However, relative groupsize does not always determinethe winner of intergroupcontests. Smaller, presumablyweaker social groups oftendefeat their larger neighbors,but how and when they are ableto do so remains poorlyunderstood.”
Margaret C. Crofoot and Ian C.Gilby from Harvard, Martin C.Wikelski, from Princeton, andRoland W. Kays, New YorkState Museum, published“Interaction location outweighs
the competitive advantage ofnumerical superiority in Cebuscapucinus intergroup contests” inthe January 15 issue ofProceedings of the National Academyof Sciences (PNAS), product of astudy of six groups ofwhite-faced capuchin monkeysbetween June 2004 andSeptember 2005 on BCI.
In their article, the authors“demonstrate that contestoutcome depends on aninteraction between group sizeand location, such that smallgroups can defeat much largergroups near the center of theirhome range. The tendency ofresident groups to win contestsmay help explain how small
groups persist in areas withintense intergroupcompetition.”
PNAS provides a supportingmovie in their web site at:http://www.pnas.org/with animation of data from theAutomated Radio TelemetrySystem (ARTS) that was used inthis study. The video shows themovements of 12 capuchinmonkeys in six social groupsover the course of one day andincludes an intergroupinteraction.
The article can be obtainedfrom [email protected]
More arrivalsAntje Kretzschmar,Humboldt-University, Berlin,to join Dina Dechman in herstudies of the role of odors formate choice and socialstructure in Noctilio albiventris,the lesser Bulldog-bat, inGamboa.
New publicationsAngehr, George R., andKushlan, James A. 2007."Seabird and colonial wadingbird nesting in the Gulf ofPanama." Waterbirds 30(3):335-357.
Anker, Arthur. 2007. "Alpheuszimmermani sp nov., a newcolourful snapping shrimp(Crustacea: Decapoda) fromthe Caribbean Sea." Cahiers deBiologie Marine 48(3): 241-247.
Anker, Arthur. 2007. "Newspecies and records of Alpheidshrimps, genera Salmoneusholthuis and Parabetaeus coutiere,from the Tropical WesternAtlantic (Decapoda, Caridea)."Zootaxa 1653: 21-39.
Anker, Arthur, andDworschak, Peter C. 2007."Description of a new speciesof Richalpheus Anker and Jeng,2006 (Crustacea : Decapoda :Alpheidae) from the Red Sea."Journal of Natural History41(37-40): 2331-2340.
Baeza, J. Antonio. 2007. "Noeffect of group size on sexallocation in a protandric-simultaneous hermaphroditicshrimp." Journal of the MarineBiological Association 87(5):1169-1174.
Baeza, J. Antonio, and Anker,Arthur. 2008. "Lysmata hochi n.sp., a new hermaphroditicshrimp from the SouthwesternCaribbean Sea (Caridea:Hippolytidae)." Journal ofCrustacean Biology 28(1):148-155.
CTFS Neotropical coordinatorAlberto “Beto” Vicentini, wasselected for the position ofNeotropical coordinator ofSTRI’s Center for TropicalForest Science, effectiveFebruary. He is posted inPanama. Vicentini obtained aPh.D. in Ecology, Evolutionand Systematics at theUniversity of Missouri SaintLouis, with the thesis “PagameaAubl. (Rubiaceae), from speciesto processes, building thebridge” in 2007. He also holds aBS in Forestry from theUniversidade Federal doParaná, Curitiba, Brazil.Vicentini brings experience inteaching, field work and projectcoordination, speaks fivelanguages and has been arecipient of important researchgrants. He will be stationed inPanama. Welcome to the hall!
Alberto “Beto” Vicentini, fueseleccionado para la posición decoordinador para el Neotrópicodel Centro de CienciasForestales del Trópico de STRI,a partir de febrero, con oficinasen el Centro Tupper enPanamá. Vicentini obtuvo sudoctorado en Ecología,Evolución y Sistemática en laUniversidad de Missouri enSaint Louis, con la tesis"Pagamea Aubl. (Rubiaceae),from species to processes,building the bridge" [PagameaAubl. (Rubiaceae) de lasespecies a los procesos,construyendo el puente].Tambien tiene una licenciaturaen Forestería de la Universidadde Paraná, Curitiba, Brasil.Vicentini tiene experiencia enenseñanza, trabajo de campo ycoordinación de proyectos,
Photo: courtesy of Stuart Davies
habla cinco idiomas y ha sidoganador de importantes becaspara sus investigaciones. Susoficinas están en Panamá.¡Bienvenido a bordo!
Ilana Schoenfeld joins STRIas CTFS program managerRecently, Ilana Schoenfeldjoined STRI’s Center forTropical Forest Science asProgram Manager. She has abackground in science contentdevelopment, projectmanagement and evaluation,and fundraising. Her experienceranges from the developmentof science-based educationalmedia, to the development andevaluation of programs relatedto science education and urbancommunity development. Shehas worked at a variety oforganizations including BrownPublishing Network, TheJASON Foundation forEducation, Mystic Aquarium'sImmersion Institute, theCoalition for EnvironmentallyResponsible Economies, andthe Ecological Society ofAmerica. Schoenfeld has servedas project manager, seniorscience editor, museum exhibitdeveloper, evaluator, and grantwriter. She holds a Bachelor ofArts in History from BrandeisUniversity and a Master's in
Environmental Science/SocialEcology from Yale University.At STRI, she will be in chargeof CTFS’ diverse array ofprojects. Welcome!
Recientemente, IlanaSchoenfeld se unió al Centro deCiencias Forestales del Trópicode STRI, como administradorade programas. Ha trabajado endesarrollo de contenidocientífico, administración yevaluación de proyectos yrecaudación de fondos. Suexperiencia se extiende desde eldesarrollo de medios educativoscon base en ciencia, hasta eldesarrollo y evaluación deprogramas relacionados a laeducación científica y desarrollode comunidades urbanas. Hatrabajado en una variedad deorganizaciones como BrownPublishing Network, FundaciónJasón para la Educación, MysticAquarium's Immersion Institute,Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies, y EcologicalSociety of America. Schoenfeld ha
Photo courtesy of Ilana Schoenfeld
fungido como administradorade proyectos, editora científica“senior”, encargada deldesarrollo de exhibiciones enmuseos, evaluaciones ydesarrollo de propuestas paraproyectos educativos y deinvestigación. Tiene unalicenciatura en Arte e Historiade la Universidad de Brandais yuna maestría en CienciasAmbientales y Ecología Socialde Yale. En STRI, Schoenfeldestará encargada de una ampliavariedad de proyectos delCTFS. ¡Bienvenida!
CTFS-AA Field Biology Course: The Biodiversity ofBorneo 2008
New publicationsBasset, Yves. 2008. "Ecologiaglobale: interazioniinsetto/pianta nelle forestepluviali tropicali [Globalecology: insect-plantinteractions in tropicalrainforests]." In Curletti, G.,and Giacobino, E. (Eds.)Insecta, scienza e arte tra forme ecolori. Cataloghi del MuseoRegionale di Scienze Naturali diTorino: 42-46. Torino: Eventi& Progetti.
Guimaraes, Jr., Paulo R.,Rico-Gray, Victor, Oliveira,Paulo S., Izzo, Thiago J., dosReis, Sergio F., andThompson, John N. 2007."Interaction intimacy affectsstructure and coevolutionarydynamics in mutualisticnetworks." Conservation Biology17: 1-7.
Hurlbert, Allen H., Ballantyne,Ford, and Powell, Scott. 2008."Shaking a leg and hot to trot:the effects of body size andtemperature on running speedin ants." Ecological Entomology33(1): 144–154.
Laurance, William F. 2007."Road to ruin." HimalayanJournal of Science 4(6): 9.
Metz, Margaret R., Comita,Liza S., Chen, Yu-Yun, andNordena, Natalia. 2008."Temporal and spatialvariability in seedlingdynamics: a cross-sitecomparison in four lowlandtropical forests." Journal ofTropical Ecology 24(1): 9-18.
Meyer, Christoph F.J., Frund,Jochen, Lizano, Willy Pineda,and Kalko, Elisabeth K.V.2008. "Ecological correlates ofvulnerability to fragmentationin Neotropical bats." Journal ofApplied Ecology 45(1): 381-391.
Photo: Courtesy: Stuart Davies
More publicationsRemigio, E.A., and Duda, Jr.,Thomas F. 2008. "Evolution ofecological specialization andvenom of a predatory marinegastropod." Molecular Ecology17(4): 1156-1162.
Meyer, Christoph F.J., andKalko, Elisabeth K. V. 2008."Bat assemblages onNeotropical land-bridgeislands: nested subsets and nullmodel analyses of speciesco-occurrence patterns."Diversity and DistributionsOnline.
Remigio, E.A., and Duda, Jr.,Thomas F. 2008. "Evolution ofecological specialization andvenom of a predatory marinegastropod." Molecular Ecology17(4): 1156-1162.
Yavitt, Joseph B., and Wright,S. Joseph. 2008. "Seedlinggrowth responses to water andnutrient augmentation in theunderstorey of a lowland moistforest, Panama." Journal ofTropical Ecology 24(1): 19-26.
Zotz, Gerhard, and Schultz,Steffen. 2008. "The vascularepiphytes of a lowland forest inPanama—species compositionand spatial structure." PlantEcology 195(1): 131-141.
STRI in the news“Parasitized ants get berrysick” by Cynthia Graber. 2008.Scientific American: February 5.www.sciam.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=E6CF0FA2-051B-D169-C8898C7A371DCB6B “Ants do it. So do bees. Whyshouldn’t we?, by NormKamikow. 2008. Chief LearningOfficer, February.http://www.clomedia.com/columnists/2008/February/2069/index.php
In association with the HarvardUniversity Summer School,STRI's Center for TropicalForest Science and the ArnoldArboretum (CTFS-AA) willoffer a field biology course tobe held in Sarawak and Sabah(East Malaysia) from July 1 tost
August 5, 2008. Ten Southeastand South Asian participantswill join ten Harvard studentsto study terrestrial and marinebiodiversity, ecology andconservation, with instructorsfrom Harvard University andother institutions.
A key feature will be thedevelopment of skills inresearch project design,execution and analysis, basedaround the statistical platform'R' The students will complete two independent projects,from conception topresentation, and participate ina group project on the coralreef. They will gain databaseand web publishing skills bydeveloping a community digitalrecord of the trip.
Photo> courtesy of Stuart Davies
The course is aimed atadvanced undergraduates,recent graduates currentlyactive in biological research,and postgraduate entry-levelstudents. Travel, food,accommodation and coursefees will be funded forTropical Asian nationals(ASIAN, PNG, India, SriLanka, Bangladesh, China) by the CTFS-AAprogram. Students will beresponsible for other costsand some students may berequested to pay theirinternational travel. Placesmay be available fornon-Harvard, non-Asian,paying students. Students willbe selected to provide broadinternational representation.
For more information see:http://phylodiversity.net/borneo-courseSend application materials to:Cam Webb, c/o [email protected]
Deadline: March 15, 2008
Story: M Alvarado
& ML Calderon
Photo: Courtesy of
Stuart Davies
Brunei Darussalam,
officially the State of
Brunei, the remnant of
a very powerful
sultanate, is located on
the island of Borneo, in
Southeast Asia. It
regained its
independence from the
UK in 1984. Apart from
its coastline with the
South China Sea it is
completely surrounded
by the state of
Sarawak, Malaysia. Has
a total surface of 5,765
km² dissected by many
rivers and streams,
and has a population
under 400,000.
STRI’s Center for
Tropical Forest
Science (CTFS) the
largest tropical forest
research network in
the world, is rapidly
coordinating the SI
Global Earth
Observatory system
(SIGEO) across the
globe, to study the
effects of the global
warming. The studies
are possible thanks to
funds from the
Hongkong and
Shanghai Banking
Corporation (HSBC). In
2007 they launched a
Climate Partnership to
fight the effects of
global warming. Their
most important asset
—315,000 employees—
are committed in a
volunteer effort, the
Climate Champions *
program.
The new Brunei 25ha
site, home to the
Kuala Belalong Field
Studies Center set up
in 1991, is the latest of
SIGEO's associations.
The center is located
deep in the country's
unspoiled jungle as
an international
focus for research
into the threatened
rainforests of
Borneo. It is a place
for researchers with
approved short or
long term projects,
students who follow
one of the
educational
programs run by the
Center, or
government officers
working on
approved
environmental
programs.
El estado de Borneo,
remanente de un muy
poderoso sultanato,
está localizado en la Isla
de Borneo, al sureste de
Asia. Recuperó su
independencia del
Reino Unido en 1984.
Aparte de una línea
costera con el Mar del
Sur de China, está
completamente rodeado
por el Estado de
Sarawak, Malasia.
Tiene una superficie
total de 5,765 km²
interrumpida por
muchos ríos y fuentes
de agua, y tiene una
población menor a
400,000 habitantes.
El Centro de Ciencias
Forestales del Trópico de
STRI (CTFS) la red de
parcelas de bosques más
extensa del mundo, está
coordinando rápida-
mente el sistema de
Observatorios Globales
de la Tierra del
Smithsonian (SIGEO)
alrededor del globo, para
estudiar los efectos del
cambio climático. Los
estudios se llevan a cabo
gracias a fondos del
Hongkong and Shanghai
Banking Corporation
(HSBC) quienes iniciaron
el Climate Partnership en
2007. El mayor de sus
activos —315,000
empleados— están
comprometidos en un
esfuerzo voluntario, el
programa Climate
Champions *
La nueva parcela de
25ha de Borneo, hogar
del Centro de Estudios
de Campo de Kuala
Belalong establecido en
1991, es la asociación
más reciente de SIGEO.
El centro está localizado
en bosques intactos en
las entrañas del país,
como punto
internacional para
investigaciones sobre
los bosques tropicales
que se encuentran en
peligro en Borneo. Es
un lugar para
investigadores con
proyectos cortos o a
largo plazo aprobados,
estudiantes que siguen
alguno de los
programas de educación
manejados por el Centro
y funcionarios
gubernamentales que
trabajan en programas
ambientales aprobados
Science, money and people —together to fight the heat
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute February 15, 2008
* www.hsbccommittochange
* www.hsbccommittochange
Are you fluent in English?
Have you had any experience as a nature guide and enjoy
working with groups of visitors? Are you enthusiastic
and would like to share your knowledge with
BCI’s “one day” visitors?
If you are interested in working as a BCI nature guide,
please send your CV before February 22, 2008 to
Tamara Castillo at: [email protected]
A background in biology, ecology, zoology or related fields
is desirable. We will contact you for an interview.