Since returning to Panama, I’ve been busy helping out with Princeton University’s Panama Field Study Semester – a 4-month long intensive field program that provides 3rd and 4th year undergraduate biology students with an introduction to tropical ecology. Along with Prof. Yves Basset (STRI/University of Panama) and co-TA Ioana Chiver, I’ve been accompanying the students on field trips across central Panama. On one our first days, we visited Parque Nacional Altos de Campana – 4,925 ha national park located about 1 hour West of Panama City. Created in 1966, this is Panama’s oldest national park, and contains a beautiful cloud forest, as well as spectacular views of the Pacific coastline. Our students (12 Americans, 2 El Salvadorians and 1 Panamanian) have been developing independent research projects on a variety of topics in the 3 forests that we are working in: Parque Nacional Sobernia (a lowland wet evergreen forest near the Panama canal), Parque Metropolitano (a lowland semi-deciduous forest near Panama City), and San Lorenzo (a lowland wet evergreen forest near the Carribbean coast). One of the highlights of our field days so far has been the opportunity to use STRI’s research crane located in Parque Metropolitano. This modified construction crane allows researchers to access the upper canopy of tropical rainforests (40 – 50m above the forest floor) and study the organisms that live in this fascinating, but hard-to-reach habitat. A short video showing the change in light conditions and vegetation as we descend from the upper canopy (45m) to the forest floor in the canopy crane at Parque Metropolitano. Credit: D. Sharpe.
1 Comment
Marli Martin
5/5/2019 04:50:31 pm
Hi Dr Diana Sharpe, my name is Marli Martin, I attend Sul Ross State University and am currently majoring in biology.I have thankfully got your name from Dr. Crystal Kelehear, she recommended your name to me because I have to give an interview to a woman who works in a science department. It's a few questions about your current job, educational background, and snuggles you may have endured during the process of getting to where you are now. I would greatly appreciate if you gave me the opportunity/time to ask these questions. If you agree, you can reach me at this email or my number is 4322544534. Thank you!
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