Due to its geographical position and geological history, Costa Rica is a country with a high species density and moderate diversity of ecosystems. Despite of this treasure, the country had one of the highest deforestation rates during the second half of the last century. However, its conservation efforts have became a model and today the country is a lab where conservation ideas take a place in the ground. Students will learn about biodiversity of Costa Rica, its species and ecosystems, and explore three of the principal forest ecosystems in the country: the tropical dry forest, the tropical rain forest, and the tropical cloud forest. In these forest ecosystems, students will study their natural history, historical and contemporary human impacts, their animal and plant diversity and species adaptations, as well as the threats and conservation efforts. Invited speakers will complement information in assigned readings about particular topics.
Learning outcomes:
At the end of this course, students will be able to
Explain some of the factors that have promoted the occurrence of high biodiversity in Costa Rica.
Properly analyze the importance of biodiversity for human beings.
Examine and relate the main threats to Costa Rican biodiversity and the country’s efforts for conservation.
Characterize the weather and biology of dry, rain and cloud forests in Costa Rica.
Analyze the impact of human activities in the three forests studied.
Explain some of the actions and projects promoted and implemented in Costa Rica for the sustainable management of biodiversity.
Method of presentation:
Readings, lectures, PowerPoint presentations, videos, group works, and field trips to wildlife protected areas and rural communities in Costa Rica.
Readings will be subjects for analysis and discussions in class.
Lectures by specialized professionals will cover ecology, conservation, and sustainable management of biodiversity. Lectures are 3 hours every morning, Monday-Friday.
PowerPoint presentations will provide information and promote discussions of the subjects.
Videos will be used to illustrate some of the elements developed in class.
Group works will create a space for discussion, brainstorming, and analysis of case studies.
Field trips will be planned in order to promote vivid learning experiences where students will get to know initiatives and projects that exemplify the concepts discussed in class. There are three overnight field trips during the 4-week module.
Field study:
There is one field study a week for this program. INBio is in Heredia, but the other three are overnight field trips.
INBio
INBio is a well recognized nongovernmental organization devoted to promote a greater awareness of the value of biodiversity as a means to ensure its conservation and improve the quality of life of human beings. During the course, students will have the opportunity to visit the collections of insects, plants and fungi of Costa Rica holds in INBio, and the bioprospecting labs as well, as a way to learn about the different activities and research projects of INBio that help every day to know, safe and use Costa Rica’s biodiversity. The INBio Park will introduce students to the wildlife protected areas and main ecosystem found in Costa Rica. For more information, please visit http://www.inbio.ac.cr/en/
Palo Verde National Park
Located in Guanacaste Province, in northwestern Costa Rica, the Palo Verde National Park of Costa Rica protects dry forests as well as an extensive marshland between the Tempisque and Bebedero rivers. Palo Verde National Park is a diverse patchwork of habitats located near the mouth of the Rio Tempisque River. The area is comprised of both deciduous and evergreen tropical dry forest, brackish and fresh water wetlands, mangrove swamps, and the tidal estuarine ecosystem of the lower Tempisque River. This area provides an important wintering ground to migrant North American waterfowl. For more information, please visit http://www.ots.ac.cr/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=238&Itemid=415
La Selva Biological Station
Located within the tropical and premontane wet forest, the Station has about 73% of its area under primary tropical rain forest. At the confluence of two major rivers in the Caribbean lowlands of northern Costa Rica, La Selva comprises 1,600 hectares (3,900 acres) of tropical wet forests and disturbed lands. It averages 4 m (over 13 feet!) of rainfall that is spread rather evenly throughout the year. La Selva has become one of the most important sites in the world for research on tropical rain forest. Over 240 scientific papers are published yearly from research conducted at the site. For more information, please visit http://www.ots.ac.cr/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=162&Itemid=348
Nectandra Institute
It is a watershed protection organization that works side-by-side with rural communities to promote the conservation and restoration of the montane cloud forest ecosystems of Costa Rica through public education, scientific research, and watershed stewardship. Nectandra is located in the highlands north to San Ramón of Alajuela where there is the Nectandra Cloud Forest Garden. The garden occupies 130 hectares of premontane primary and secondary cloud forest, only a small portion of which is opened to the public by reservation. For more information, please visit http://www.nectandra.org/
Required work and form of assessment:
Class attendance and participation (30 %), field trips reports (20 %), research report (20 %) and short exams (30 %).
Absences: Each student will be allowed one unexcused absence during the term. Any further absence will require proper documentation in order to justify absences.
content:
Week One: Overview of Biodiversity
Monday: Biodiversity concept. Costa Rica and its biodiversity (species and ecosystem diversity and its origins).
Readings:
E.O. Wilson. The Unexplored Biosphere.
S.D. Webb. The Great American Faunal Interchange.
Tuesday: The value of Biodiversity. Ecosystem Services.
Readings:
Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity. Biodiversity, Development and Poverty Alleviation: Recognizing the Role of Biodiversity for Human Well-being.
F. Bernard, R.S. de Groot and J.J. Campos. Valuation of tropical forest services and mechanisms to finance their conservation and sustainable use: A case study of Tapantí National Park, Costa Rica.
Wednesday: Threats to biodiversity.
Readings:
Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity. Global Biodiversity Outlook 3.
M.J. Miller. Persistent illegal logging in Costa Rica: The role of corruption among forestry regulators.
Thursday: Biodiversity conservations efforts in Costa Rica. Sustainable development. Ecotourism.
Readings:
S. Evans. The Green Republic: A conservation history of Costa Rica.
C.J. Stem et al. Community Participation in Ecotourism Benefits: The Link to Conservation Practices and Perspectives.
J. Langholz y J. Lassoie. Combining conservation and development on private lands: Lessons from Costa Rica.
Friday: Reading’s discussion.
Short exam.
Week Two: Exploring the Tropical Dry Forest
Monday: Overview of the Tropical Dry Forest (Definition, biogeography, location, climate, flora and fauna, and adaptations).
Readings:
A. Mata. and J. Echeverría. Introduction.
G.W. Frankie, W.A. Haber, S. Bradleigh Vinson, K.S. Bawa, P.S. Ronchi and N. Zamora. 2004. Flowering phenology and pollination systems diversity in the seasonal dry forest.
K.E Stoner and R. M. Timm. Tropical dry-forest mammals of Palo Verde: Ecology and conservation in a changing landscape.
Tuesday: Field trip to Palo Verde National Park: History of the human presence and economic uses. Natural history of a tropical dry forest. Conservation efforts.
Wednesday: Field trip to Palo Verde National Park: History of the human presence and economic uses. Natural history of a tropical dry forest. Conservation efforts.
Thursday: Data analysis. Presentation of field research.
Readings:
M. Quesada and K.E. Stoner. Threats to the conservation of tropical dry forest in Costa Rica.
D.H. Janzen. Tropical Dry Forests: The most endangered major tropical ecosystem.
D.H. Janzen. Guanacaste National Park: Tropical ecological and cultural restoration.
Friday: Reading’s discussion.
Short exam.
Week Three: Exploring the Tropical Rain Forest
Monday: Overview of the Tropical Rain Forest (Definition, biogeography, location, climate, flora and fauna, and adaptations).
Readings:
A. Weissenhofer and W. Huber. Basic geographical and climatic features of the Golfo Dulce region.
A. Weissenhofer and N. Zamora. Utilization and conservation of the Golfo Dulce rain forest.
R.L. Sandford et al. Climate, geomorphology and aquatic systems.
K.S. Waba y L.A. McDade. The plant community: composition, dynamics and life-history processes.
H.A. Hespenheide. An overview of faunal studies.
Tuesday: Field trip to La Selva Biological Station: History of the human presence and economic uses. Natural history of a tropical rain forest. Conservation efforts.
Wednesday: Field trip to La Selva Biological Station: History of the human presence and economic uses. Natural history of a tropical rain forest. Conservation efforts.
Thursday: Data analysis. Presentation of field research.
Readings:
R.P. Butterfield. The regional context: Land colonization and conservation in Sarapiquí.
F. Montagnini. Agriculture systems in the La Selva region.
R.P. Butterfield. Forestry in Costa Rica: Status, research priorities and the role of La Selva biological station.
Friday: Reading’s discussion.
Short exam.
Week Four: Exploring the Tropical Cloud Forest
Monday: Overview of the Tropical Cloud Forest (Definition, biogeography, location, climate, flora and fauna, and adaptations).
Readings:
W.A. Haber, W. Zuchowski and E. Bello. An Introduction to cloud forest trees, Monteverde, Costa Rica. Part I: The Monteverde Forests.
K.L. Clark, R.O. Lawton and P.R. Butler. The physical environment.
W.A. Haber. Plants and vegetation.
K.G. Murray, S. Kinsman and J.L. Bronstein. Plant-animal interactions.
Tuesday: Field trip to Nectandra Institute: History of the human presence and economic uses. Natural history of a tropical cloud forest. Conservation efforts.
Wednesday: Field trip to Nectandra Institute: History of the human presence and economic uses. Natural history of a tropical cloud forest. Conservation efforts.
Thursday: Data analysis. Presentation of field research.
Readings:
L.J. Burlingame. Conservation in the Monteverde Zone: Contributions of Conservation Organizations.
K. Griffith, D. Peck and J. Stuckey. Agriculture in Monteverde: Moving toward sustainability.
N.T. Wheelwright. Conservation Biology.
Friday: Reading’s discussion.
Short exam.
Required readings:
Bawa, K.S. and L.A. McDade. 1994. The plant community: Composition, dynamics and life-history processes. In L.A. McDade, K.S. Bawa, H.A. Hespenheide and G.S. Hartshorn (eds.) La Selva: Ecology and Natural History of a neotropical rain forest. The University of Chicago Press.
Bernard, F., R.S. de Groot and J.J. Campos. 2009. Valuation of tropical forest services and mechanisms to finance their conservation and sustainable use: A case study of Tapantí National Park, Costa Rica. Policy and Economics 11: 174–183.
Burlingame, L.J. 2000. Conservation in the Monteverde Zone: Contributions of Conservation Organizations. In: Monteverde: Ecology and conservation of a tropical cloud forest. N.M. Nadkarni and N.T. Wheelwright (ed.). Oxford University Press.
Butterfield, R.P. 1994. The regional context: Land colonization and conservation in Sarapiquí. In L.A. McDade, K.S. Bawa, H.A. Hespenheide and G.S. Hartshorn (eds.) La Selva: Ecology and Natural History of a neotropical rain forest. The University of Chicago Press.
Butterfield, R.P. 1994. Forestry in Costa Rica: Status, research priorities and the role of La Selva biological station. In L.A. McDade, K.S. Bawa, H.A. Hespenheide and G.S. Hartshorn (eds.) La Selva: Ecology and Natural History of a neotropical rain forest. The University of Chicago Press.
Clark, K.L., R.O. Lawton and P.R. Butler. 2000. The physical environment. In: Monteverde: Ecology and conservation of a tropical cloud forest. N.M. Nadkarni and N.T. Wheelwright (ed.). Oxford University Press.
Evans, S. 1999. The Green Republic: A conservation history of Costa Rica (introduction, chapters 2 and 4). University of Texas Press, Austin.
Frankie, G.W., W.A. Haber, S. Bradleigh Vinson, K.S. Bawa, P.S. Ronchi and N. Zamora. 2004. Flowering phenology and pollination systems diversity in the seasonal dry forest. In G.W. Frankie, A. Mata and S. Bradleigh Vinson (eds.) Biodiversity Conservation in Costa Rica: Learning the lessons in a seasonal dry forest. University of California Press, USA.
Griffith, K. , D. Peck and J. Stuckey. 2000. Agriculture in Monteverde: Moving toward sustainability. In: Monteverde: Ecology and conservation of a tropical cloud forest. N.M. Nadkarni and N.T. Wheelwright (ed.). Oxford University Press.
Haber, W.A. 2000. Plants and vegetation. In: Monteverde: Ecology and conservation of a tropical cloud forest. N.M. Nadkarni and N.T. Wheelwright (ed.). Oxford University Press.
Haber, W.A., W. Zuchowski and E. Bello. 2000. An Introduction to cloud forest trees, Monteverde, Costa Rica. Part I: The Monteverde Forests. Mountain Gem Publications.
Hespenheide, H.A. 1994. An overview of faunal studies. In L.A. McDade, K.S. Bawa, H.A. Hespenheide and G.S. Hartshorn (eds.) La Selva: Ecology and Natural History of a neotropical rain forest. The University of Chicago Press.
Janzen, D.H. 1986. Guanacaste National Park: Tropical ecological and cultural restoration. Editorial EUNED.
Janzen, D.H. 1988. Tropical Dry Forests: The most endangered major tropical ecosystem. In E.O. Wilson (ed.) Biodiversity. National Academy Press. Washington D.C., USA.
Langholz, J. y J. Lassoie. 2001. Combining conservation and development on private lands: Lessons from Costa Rica. Environment, Development and Sustainability 3: 309–322.
Mata, A. and J. Echeverría. 2004. Introduction. In G.W. Frankie, A. Mata and S. Bradleigh Vinson (eds.) Biodiversity Conservation in Costa Rica: Learning the lessons in a seasonal dry forest. University of California Press, USA.
Miller, M.J. 2011. Persistent illegal logging in Costa Rica: The role of corruption among forestry regulators. Journal of Environment and development 20 (1): 50-68.
Montagnini, F. 1994. Agriculture systems in the La Selva region. In L.A. McDade, K.S. Bawa, H.A. Hespenheide and G.S. Hartshorn (eds.) La Selva: Ecology and Natural History of a neotropical rain forest. The University of Chicago Press.
Murray, K.G., S. Kinsman and J.L. Bronstein. 2000. Plant-animal interactions. In: Monteverde: Ecology and conservation of a tropical cloud forest. N.M. Nadkarni and N.T. Wheelwright (ed.). Oxford University Press.
Quesada, M. and K.E. Stoner. 2004. Threats to the conservation of tropical dry forest in Costa Rica. In G.W. Frankie, A. Mata and S. Bradleigh Vinson (eds.) Biodiversity Conservation in Costa Rica: Learning the lessons in a seasonal dry forest. University of California Press, USA.
Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity. 2009. Biodiversity, Development and Poverty Alleviation: Recognizing the Role of Biodiversity for Human Well-being. Montreal, 52 pages.
Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity. 2010. Global Biodiversity Outlook 3: Executive summary and Biodiversity in 2010). Montreal, 94 pages.
Sanford, R.L., P. Paaby, J.C. Luvall y E. Phillips. 1994. Climate, geomorphology and aquatic systems. In L.A. McDade, K.S. Bawa, H.A. Hespenheide and G.S. Hartshorn (eds.) La Selva: Ecology and Natural History of a neotropical rain forest. The University of Chicago Press.
Stem, C.J. et al. 2003. Community Participation in Ecotourism Benefits: The Link to Conservation Practices and Perspectives. Society and Natural Resources 16: 387–413.
Stoner, K.E. and R.M. Timm. 2004. Tropical dry-forest mammals of Palo Verde: Ecology and conservation in a changing landscape. In G.W. Frankie, A. Mata and S. Bradleigh Vinson (eds.) Biodiversity Conservation in Costa Rica: Learning the lessons in a seasonal dry forest. University of California Press, USA.
Webb, S.D. 1998. The Great American Faunal Interchange. In A.G. Coates (ed.) Central America: A natural and cultural history. Yale University Press.
Wheelwright, N.T. 2000. Conservation Biology. In: Monteverde: Ecology and conservation of a tropical cloud forest. N.M. Nadkarni and N.T. Wheelwright (ed.). Oxford University Press.
Weissenhofer A. and W. Huber. 2001. Basic geographical and climatic features of the Golfo Dulce region. In H. Weber, A. Weissenhofer, N. Zamora and G. Simmermann (eds.). An introductory field guide to the flowering plants of the Golfo Dulce rain forests Costa Rica. Biologiezentrum des OO Landesmuseums.
Weissenhofer A. and N. Zamora. 2001. Utilization and conservation of the Golfo Dulce rain forest. In H. Weber, A. Weissenhofer, N. Zamora and G. Simmermann (eds.). An introductory field guide to the flowering plants of the Golfo Dulce rain forests Costa Rica. Biologiezentrum des OO Landesmuseums.
Wilson, E.O. 1992. The Unexplored Biosphere. In E.O. Wilson (ed.) The Diversity of Life. W.W. Norton and Company Inc. New York-London.
Brief Biography of Instructor:
INSTRUCTOR BIO:
Alvaro Herrera M.Sc..
Mr. Herrera works in INBio since 1999. He holds a Master's Degree in Biology and a Bachelor Degree in Science Teaching. He has coordinated and taught some classes and courses on the biodiversity and conservation of Costa Rica. He also conducts rapid assessments of vertebrate in Costa Rica. He is the author and coauthor of several field guide of La Amistad International Park (PILA) and the coauthor of the book: Knowledge and conservation of biodiversity in Central America.
BIOS OF INVITED SPEAKERS:
Rodrigo Gámez Lobo Ph.D. is the President of INBio, position that has occupied from its foundation in 1989. His work has oriented the development of INBio as a research and information management center of Costa Rican biodiversity, which aims to increase the knowledge of biological diversity of the country and to promote its sustainable use. During his scientific career, he has made more than one hundred fifty scientific publications in magazines and books on diverse subjects.
Carlos Valerio Ph.D. is a Costa Rican biologist from the University of Costa Rica (UCR), he also obtained a Ph.D. in Ecology from the University of Florida. He was faculty member and permanent professor at UCR´s School of Biology, as well as Dean of the Faculty of Sciences at the same university. His areas of research include the ecology and taxonomy of arachnids and the reproductive biology of plants. His work has been published in various scientific journals and he is also the author of four books including “Costa Rica’s Biodiversity” and “Costa Rica: environment and biodiversity”.
Alvaro Ugalde M.Sc. is an environmental leader who helped establish the Costa Rican national park system. Although the pristine nature of the parks continues to be maintained, the surrounding lands and water systems are deteriorating because of deforestation and exploitive farming, aggressive developers, and changing government policies. Mr. Ugalde and the Nectandra Institute are helping adjacent communities in the La Balsa Watershed, to understand the importance of a clean and healthy watershed and to recognize the scarcity of water and the forests that surround rivers, as a challenge of their own.
Contact Hours:
72 classroom hours plus 4 field studies (1 day trip, 3 overnight)
Biodiversity and Conservation in Costa Rica
Due to its geographical position and geological history, Costa Rica is a country with a high species density and moderate diversity of ecosystems. Despite of this treasure, the country had one of the highest deforestation rates during the second half of the last century. However, its conservation efforts have became a model and today the country is a lab where conservation ideas take a place in the ground. Students will learn about biodiversity of Costa Rica, its species and ecosystems, and explore three of the principal forest ecosystems in the country: the tropical dry forest, the tropical rain forest, and the tropical cloud forest. In these forest ecosystems, students will study their natural history, historical and contemporary human impacts, their animal and plant diversity and species adaptations, as well as the threats and conservation efforts. Invited speakers will complement information in assigned readings about particular topics.
At the end of this course, students will be able to
Readings, lectures, PowerPoint presentations, videos, group works, and field trips to wildlife protected areas and rural communities in Costa Rica.
There is one field study a week for this program. INBio is in Heredia, but the other three are overnight field trips.
INBio is a well recognized nongovernmental organization devoted to promote a greater awareness of the value of biodiversity as a means to ensure its conservation and improve the quality of life of human beings. During the course, students will have the opportunity to visit the collections of insects, plants and fungi of Costa Rica holds in INBio, and the bioprospecting labs as well, as a way to learn about the different activities and research projects of INBio that help every day to know, safe and use Costa Rica’s biodiversity. The INBio Park will introduce students to the wildlife protected areas and main ecosystem found in Costa Rica. For more information, please visit http://www.inbio.ac.cr/en/
Located in Guanacaste Province, in northwestern Costa Rica, the Palo Verde National Park of Costa Rica protects dry forests as well as an extensive marshland between the Tempisque and Bebedero rivers. Palo Verde National Park is a diverse patchwork of habitats located near the mouth of the Rio Tempisque River. The area is comprised of both deciduous and evergreen tropical dry forest, brackish and fresh water wetlands, mangrove swamps, and the tidal estuarine ecosystem of the lower Tempisque River. This area provides an important wintering ground to migrant North American waterfowl. For more information, please visit http://www.ots.ac.cr/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=238&Itemid=415
Located within the tropical and premontane wet forest, the Station has about 73% of its area under primary tropical rain forest. At the confluence of two major rivers in the Caribbean lowlands of northern Costa Rica, La Selva comprises 1,600 hectares (3,900 acres) of tropical wet forests and disturbed lands. It averages 4 m (over 13 feet!) of rainfall that is spread rather evenly throughout the year. La Selva has become one of the most important sites in the world for research on tropical rain forest. Over 240 scientific papers are published yearly from research conducted at the site. For more information, please visit http://www.ots.ac.cr/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=162&Itemid=348
It is a watershed protection organization that works side-by-side with rural communities to promote the conservation and restoration of the montane cloud forest ecosystems of Costa Rica through public education, scientific research, and watershed stewardship. Nectandra is located in the highlands north to San Ramón of Alajuela where there is the Nectandra Cloud Forest Garden. The garden occupies 130 hectares of premontane primary and secondary cloud forest, only a small portion of which is opened to the public by reservation. For more information, please visit http://www.nectandra.org/
Class attendance and participation (30 %), field trips reports (20 %), research report (20 %) and short exams (30 %).
Absences: Each student will be allowed one unexcused absence during the term. Any further absence will require proper documentation in order to justify absences.
Week One: Overview of Biodiversity
Monday: Biodiversity concept. Costa Rica and its biodiversity (species and ecosystem diversity and its origins).
Readings:
E.O. Wilson. The Unexplored Biosphere.
S.D. Webb. The Great American Faunal Interchange.
Tuesday: The value of Biodiversity. Ecosystem Services.
Readings:
Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity. Biodiversity, Development and Poverty Alleviation: Recognizing the Role of Biodiversity for Human Well-being.
F. Bernard, R.S. de Groot and J.J. Campos. Valuation of tropical forest services and mechanisms to finance their conservation and sustainable use: A case study of Tapantí National Park, Costa Rica.
Wednesday: Threats to biodiversity.
Readings:
Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity. Global Biodiversity Outlook 3.
M.J. Miller. Persistent illegal logging in Costa Rica: The role of corruption among forestry regulators.
Thursday: Biodiversity conservations efforts in Costa Rica. Sustainable development. Ecotourism.
Readings:
S. Evans. The Green Republic: A conservation history of Costa Rica.
C.J. Stem et al. Community Participation in Ecotourism Benefits: The Link to Conservation Practices and Perspectives.
J. Langholz y J. Lassoie. Combining conservation and development on private lands: Lessons from Costa Rica.
Friday: Reading’s discussion.
Short exam.
Week Two: Exploring the Tropical Dry Forest
Monday: Overview of the Tropical Dry Forest (Definition, biogeography, location, climate, flora and fauna, and adaptations).
Readings:
A. Mata. and J. Echeverría. Introduction.
G.W. Frankie, W.A. Haber, S. Bradleigh Vinson, K.S. Bawa, P.S. Ronchi and N. Zamora. 2004. Flowering phenology and pollination systems diversity in the seasonal dry forest.
K.E Stoner and R. M. Timm. Tropical dry-forest mammals of Palo Verde: Ecology and conservation in a changing landscape.
Tuesday: Field trip to Palo Verde National Park: History of the human presence and economic uses. Natural history of a tropical dry forest. Conservation efforts.
Wednesday: Field trip to Palo Verde National Park: History of the human presence and economic uses. Natural history of a tropical dry forest. Conservation efforts.
Thursday: Data analysis. Presentation of field research.
Readings:
M. Quesada and K.E. Stoner. Threats to the conservation of tropical dry forest in Costa Rica.
D.H. Janzen. Tropical Dry Forests: The most endangered major tropical ecosystem.
D.H. Janzen. Guanacaste National Park: Tropical ecological and cultural restoration.
Friday: Reading’s discussion.
Short exam.
Week Three: Exploring the Tropical Rain Forest
Monday: Overview of the Tropical Rain Forest (Definition, biogeography, location, climate, flora and fauna, and adaptations).
Readings:
A. Weissenhofer and W. Huber. Basic geographical and climatic features of the Golfo Dulce region.
A. Weissenhofer and N. Zamora. Utilization and conservation of the Golfo Dulce rain forest.
R.L. Sandford et al. Climate, geomorphology and aquatic systems.
K.S. Waba y L.A. McDade. The plant community: composition, dynamics and life-history processes.
H.A. Hespenheide. An overview of faunal studies.
Tuesday: Field trip to La Selva Biological Station: History of the human presence and economic uses. Natural history of a tropical rain forest. Conservation efforts.
Wednesday: Field trip to La Selva Biological Station: History of the human presence and economic uses. Natural history of a tropical rain forest. Conservation efforts.
Thursday: Data analysis. Presentation of field research.
Readings:
R.P. Butterfield. The regional context: Land colonization and conservation in Sarapiquí.
F. Montagnini. Agriculture systems in the La Selva region.
R.P. Butterfield. Forestry in Costa Rica: Status, research priorities and the role of La Selva biological station.
Friday: Reading’s discussion.
Short exam.
Week Four: Exploring the Tropical Cloud Forest
Monday: Overview of the Tropical Cloud Forest (Definition, biogeography, location, climate, flora and fauna, and adaptations).
Readings:
W.A. Haber, W. Zuchowski and E. Bello. An Introduction to cloud forest trees, Monteverde, Costa Rica. Part I: The Monteverde Forests.
K.L. Clark, R.O. Lawton and P.R. Butler. The physical environment.
W.A. Haber. Plants and vegetation.
K.G. Murray, S. Kinsman and J.L. Bronstein. Plant-animal interactions.
Tuesday: Field trip to Nectandra Institute: History of the human presence and economic uses. Natural history of a tropical cloud forest. Conservation efforts.
Wednesday: Field trip to Nectandra Institute: History of the human presence and economic uses. Natural history of a tropical cloud forest. Conservation efforts.
Thursday: Data analysis. Presentation of field research.
Readings:
L.J. Burlingame. Conservation in the Monteverde Zone: Contributions of Conservation Organizations.
K. Griffith, D. Peck and J. Stuckey. Agriculture in Monteverde: Moving toward sustainability.
N.T. Wheelwright. Conservation Biology.
Friday: Reading’s discussion.
Short exam.
Bawa, K.S. and L.A. McDade. 1994. The plant community: Composition, dynamics and life-history processes. In L.A. McDade, K.S. Bawa, H.A. Hespenheide and G.S. Hartshorn (eds.) La Selva: Ecology and Natural History of a neotropical rain forest. The University of Chicago Press.
Bernard, F., R.S. de Groot and J.J. Campos. 2009. Valuation of tropical forest services and mechanisms to finance their conservation and sustainable use: A case study of Tapantí National Park, Costa Rica. Policy and Economics 11: 174–183.
Burlingame, L.J. 2000. Conservation in the Monteverde Zone: Contributions of Conservation Organizations. In: Monteverde: Ecology and conservation of a tropical cloud forest. N.M. Nadkarni and N.T. Wheelwright (ed.). Oxford University Press.
Butterfield, R.P. 1994. The regional context: Land colonization and conservation in Sarapiquí. In L.A. McDade, K.S. Bawa, H.A. Hespenheide and G.S. Hartshorn (eds.) La Selva: Ecology and Natural History of a neotropical rain forest. The University of Chicago Press.
Butterfield, R.P. 1994. Forestry in Costa Rica: Status, research priorities and the role of La Selva biological station. In L.A. McDade, K.S. Bawa, H.A. Hespenheide and G.S. Hartshorn (eds.) La Selva: Ecology and Natural History of a neotropical rain forest. The University of Chicago Press.
Clark, K.L., R.O. Lawton and P.R. Butler. 2000. The physical environment. In: Monteverde: Ecology and conservation of a tropical cloud forest. N.M. Nadkarni and N.T. Wheelwright (ed.). Oxford University Press.
Evans, S. 1999. The Green Republic: A conservation history of Costa Rica (introduction, chapters 2 and 4). University of Texas Press, Austin.
Frankie, G.W., W.A. Haber, S. Bradleigh Vinson, K.S. Bawa, P.S. Ronchi and N. Zamora. 2004. Flowering phenology and pollination systems diversity in the seasonal dry forest. In G.W. Frankie, A. Mata and S. Bradleigh Vinson (eds.) Biodiversity Conservation in Costa Rica: Learning the lessons in a seasonal dry forest. University of California Press, USA.
Griffith, K. , D. Peck and J. Stuckey. 2000. Agriculture in Monteverde: Moving toward sustainability. In: Monteverde: Ecology and conservation of a tropical cloud forest. N.M. Nadkarni and N.T. Wheelwright (ed.). Oxford University Press.
Haber, W.A. 2000. Plants and vegetation. In: Monteverde: Ecology and conservation of a tropical cloud forest. N.M. Nadkarni and N.T. Wheelwright (ed.). Oxford University Press.
Haber, W.A., W. Zuchowski and E. Bello. 2000. An Introduction to cloud forest trees, Monteverde, Costa Rica. Part I: The Monteverde Forests. Mountain Gem Publications.
Hespenheide, H.A. 1994. An overview of faunal studies. In L.A. McDade, K.S. Bawa, H.A. Hespenheide and G.S. Hartshorn (eds.) La Selva: Ecology and Natural History of a neotropical rain forest. The University of Chicago Press.
Janzen, D.H. 1986. Guanacaste National Park: Tropical ecological and cultural restoration. Editorial EUNED.
Janzen, D.H. 1988. Tropical Dry Forests: The most endangered major tropical ecosystem. In E.O. Wilson (ed.) Biodiversity. National Academy Press. Washington D.C., USA.
Langholz, J. y J. Lassoie. 2001. Combining conservation and development on private lands: Lessons from Costa Rica. Environment, Development and Sustainability 3: 309–322.
Mata, A. and J. Echeverría. 2004. Introduction. In G.W. Frankie, A. Mata and S. Bradleigh Vinson (eds.) Biodiversity Conservation in Costa Rica: Learning the lessons in a seasonal dry forest. University of California Press, USA.
Miller, M.J. 2011. Persistent illegal logging in Costa Rica: The role of corruption among forestry regulators. Journal of Environment and development 20 (1): 50-68.
Montagnini, F. 1994. Agriculture systems in the La Selva region. In L.A. McDade, K.S. Bawa, H.A. Hespenheide and G.S. Hartshorn (eds.) La Selva: Ecology and Natural History of a neotropical rain forest. The University of Chicago Press.
Murray, K.G., S. Kinsman and J.L. Bronstein. 2000. Plant-animal interactions. In: Monteverde: Ecology and conservation of a tropical cloud forest. N.M. Nadkarni and N.T. Wheelwright (ed.). Oxford University Press.
Quesada, M. and K.E. Stoner. 2004. Threats to the conservation of tropical dry forest in Costa Rica. In G.W. Frankie, A. Mata and S. Bradleigh Vinson (eds.) Biodiversity Conservation in Costa Rica: Learning the lessons in a seasonal dry forest. University of California Press, USA.
Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity. 2009. Biodiversity, Development and Poverty Alleviation: Recognizing the Role of Biodiversity for Human Well-being. Montreal, 52 pages.
Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity. 2010. Global Biodiversity Outlook 3: Executive summary and Biodiversity in 2010). Montreal, 94 pages.
Sanford, R.L., P. Paaby, J.C. Luvall y E. Phillips. 1994. Climate, geomorphology and aquatic systems. In L.A. McDade, K.S. Bawa, H.A. Hespenheide and G.S. Hartshorn (eds.) La Selva: Ecology and Natural History of a neotropical rain forest. The University of Chicago Press.
Stem, C.J. et al. 2003. Community Participation in Ecotourism Benefits: The Link to Conservation Practices and Perspectives. Society and Natural Resources 16: 387–413.
Stoner, K.E. and R.M. Timm. 2004. Tropical dry-forest mammals of Palo Verde: Ecology and conservation in a changing landscape. In G.W. Frankie, A. Mata and S. Bradleigh Vinson (eds.) Biodiversity Conservation in Costa Rica: Learning the lessons in a seasonal dry forest. University of California Press, USA.
Webb, S.D. 1998. The Great American Faunal Interchange. In A.G. Coates (ed.) Central America: A natural and cultural history. Yale University Press.
Wheelwright, N.T. 2000. Conservation Biology. In: Monteverde: Ecology and conservation of a tropical cloud forest. N.M. Nadkarni and N.T. Wheelwright (ed.). Oxford University Press.
Weissenhofer A. and W. Huber. 2001. Basic geographical and climatic features of the Golfo Dulce region. In H. Weber, A. Weissenhofer, N. Zamora and G. Simmermann (eds.). An introductory field guide to the flowering plants of the Golfo Dulce rain forests Costa Rica. Biologiezentrum des OO Landesmuseums.
Weissenhofer A. and N. Zamora. 2001. Utilization and conservation of the Golfo Dulce rain forest. In H. Weber, A. Weissenhofer, N. Zamora and G. Simmermann (eds.). An introductory field guide to the flowering plants of the Golfo Dulce rain forests Costa Rica. Biologiezentrum des OO Landesmuseums.
Wilson, E.O. 1992. The Unexplored Biosphere. In E.O. Wilson (ed.) The Diversity of Life. W.W. Norton and Company Inc. New York-London.
INSTRUCTOR BIO:
Alvaro Herrera M.Sc..
Mr. Herrera works in INBio since 1999. He holds a Master's Degree in Biology and a Bachelor Degree in Science Teaching. He has coordinated and taught some classes and courses on the biodiversity and conservation of Costa Rica. He also conducts rapid assessments of vertebrate in Costa Rica. He is the author and coauthor of several field guide of La Amistad International Park (PILA) and the coauthor of the book: Knowledge and conservation of biodiversity in Central America.
BIOS OF INVITED SPEAKERS:
Rodrigo Gámez Lobo Ph.D. is the President of INBio, position that has occupied from its foundation in 1989. His work has oriented the development of INBio as a research and information management center of Costa Rican biodiversity, which aims to increase the knowledge of biological diversity of the country and to promote its sustainable use. During his scientific career, he has made more than one hundred fifty scientific publications in magazines and books on diverse subjects.
Carlos Valerio Ph.D. is a Costa Rican biologist from the University of Costa Rica (UCR), he also obtained a Ph.D. in Ecology from the University of Florida. He was faculty member and permanent professor at UCR´s School of Biology, as well as Dean of the Faculty of Sciences at the same university. His areas of research include the ecology and taxonomy of arachnids and the reproductive biology of plants. His work has been published in various scientific journals and he is also the author of four books including “Costa Rica’s Biodiversity” and “Costa Rica: environment and biodiversity”.
Alvaro Ugalde M.Sc. is an environmental leader who helped establish the Costa Rican national park system. Although the pristine nature of the parks continues to be maintained, the surrounding lands and water systems are deteriorating because of deforestation and exploitive farming, aggressive developers, and changing government policies. Mr. Ugalde and the Nectandra Institute are helping adjacent communities in the La Balsa Watershed, to understand the importance of a clean and healthy watershed and to recognize the scarcity of water and the forests that surround rivers, as a challenge of their own.