Tupper 4pm seminar
Tuesday, February 20 is
Carnival Day, and a holiday
for STRI. No 4pm seminar is
scheduled for this week.
 
Bambi seminar
Please consult your
GroupWise for information
on the next Bambi.
Arriving next week
Inga Geipel and Kristin
Ubernickel, University of
Ulm, to study echolocation
and foraging behavior of
neotropical bats with
Elisabeth Kalko, on BCI.
Christoph Meyer, University
of Florida, to continue
comparative community
studies of bats with Elisabeth
Kalko, on BCI.
James Wheeler, Harvard
University and Steven
Voelker, Oregon State
University, to study
comparative hydraulic
architecture; an analysis of
transport efficiency and
mechanical constraints, on
BCI.
Robert Prezant and Harry
Lagerman, Montclair State
University, to join Jackie Willis
in The Rainforest Connection
project, on BCI.
Alexander Eaton-Mordas,
University of Arizona, to
study odor recognition, badge
awareness, and male display
behavior in orchid bees:
Untangling the information
content in a complex signal, in
Gamboa.
Tobias Pieper, University of
Oldenburg, Germany, to join
"Proyecto Gavilán" (Inventory
of flora and fauna of areas
affected by hydroelectric
projects), at Tupper.
 STRI news
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panamá        www.stri.org         February 16, 2007
HSBC grants
STRI's CTFS 
$8 million for 
research on 
climate change 
STRI received an $8 million
grant from HSBC to fund the
world's largest field experiment
on the long-term effects of
global change on forest
dynamics. A new Global Earth
Observatory system will
compare climate change and
forest carbon data from 17
countries around the world. 
The HSBC grant will enable
STRI to expand dramatically
the research capability of its
Center for Tropical Forest
Science—the largest and
longest-running tropical forest
research network in the world. 
"With this generous grant from
HSBC, Smithsonian scientists
will put key scientific data in the
hands of decision makers
responsible for global carbon
policy and the water
management of the Panama
Canal," said Ira Rubinoff,
director of STRI (left, in the
photo above). 
HSBC Group chairman,
Stephen Green (at right in the
photo), announced the
grant—the largest ever
corporate donation to
STRI—during his first visit to
  Photo: Christian Ziegler
Panama. "We know the success
of our business in the long term
depends on a stable environ-
ment. We believe that by
supporting this research we will
more fully understand the risks
and business opportunities
presented by climate change,
and the Smithsonian Institution
is the best-equipped and
experienced organization of this
kind to help us understand how
our global environment is
changing." 
"This project with the Center
for Tropical Forest Science is
critical to Panama," said Joseph
Salterio, chief executive officer
of HSBC Bank (Panama). "The
Canal is the lifeblood of the
country and we know this
economic engine could be
threatened by changing rainfall
patterns. The Canal supports a
large amount of international
trade and therefore is vital to
international commerce."
STRI recibió $8 millones del
HSBC para financiar el
experimento de campo más
grande del mundo sobre los
efectos a largo plazo del cambio
global sobre dinámica de
bosques. Un nuevo sistema de
Observatorios Globales de la
Tierra comparará el cambio
climático y datos sobre carbono
en bosques en 17 países
alrededor del mundo.
El fondo del HSBC permitirá a
STRI expandir dramáticamente
la capacidad de investigación de
su Centro de Ciencias
Forestales del Trópico —la red
de investigaciones de bosques
tropicales más extenso y de
mayor duración del mundo.
“Con esta generosa donación
del HSBC, los científicos del
Smithsonian pondrán
información científica clave en
manos de los tomadores de
decisiones responsables por las
Departures
Stuart Davies to London,
Cameroon Congo, to meet
with HSBC officials and CTFS
personnel.
Eldredge Bermingham to
Washington DC, on official
business at SI.
New publications
Avalos, Gerardo, Mulkey,
Stephen S., Kitajima, Kaoru,
and Wright, S. Joseph. 2007.
"Colonization strategies of two
liana species in a tropical dry
forest canopy." Biotropica
Online.
Bernal, Ximena E., Page,
Rachel A., Rand, A. Stanley,
and Ryan, Michael J. 2007.
"Cues for eavesdroppers: Do
frog calls indicate prey density
and quality?" American
Naturalist 169(3): 409-415.
Bush, Mark B., and Weng,
Chengyu. 2007. "Introducing a
new (freeware) tool for
palynology." Journal of
Biogeography 34(3): 377-380.
Eberhard, William G. 2007.
"Stabilimenta of Philoponella
vicina (Araneae: Uloboridae)
and Gasteracantha cancriformis
(Araneae: Araneidae):
Evidence against a prey
attractant function."
Biotropica 39(2): 216-220.
Griscom, Heather P., Kalko,
Elisabeth K.V., and Ashton,
Mark S. 2007. "Frugivory by
small vertebrates within a
deforested, dry tropical region
of Central America." Biotropica
39(2): 278-282.
Lapolla, John S., Sulman, Ted
Sosa-Calvo, Jeffrey and
Schultz, Ted R. 2007. “Leaf
litter ant diversity in Guyana.”
Biodiversity and Conservation
16(2): 491–510.
políticas de carbono global y el
manejo de agua del Canal de
Panamá” dijo Ira Rubinoff,
director de STRI (izquierda en
la foto de la primera página).
Stephen Green (derecha),
director del Grupo HSBC,
anunció la donación—la mayor
donación corporativa que ha
recibido STRI— durante su
primera visita a Panamá.
“Sabemos que el éxito de
nuestro negocio a largo plazo
depende de un ambiente
estable. Creemos que al apoyar
esta investigación comprende-
remos mejor los riesgos y las
oportunidades de negocios que
presentan el cambio climático, y
el Smithsonian es la
organización mejor equipada y
experimentada para ayudarnos a
comprender cómo nuestro
ambiente global está cambian-
do.” “Este proyecto con el
Centro de Ciencias Forestales
del Trópico  es crítico para
Panamá” comentó Joseph
Salterio, director ejecutivo del
Banco HSBC de Panamá. “El
Canal es la vida de este país y
sabemos que esta maquinaria
económica puede ser
amenazada por los cambios en
los patrones de lluvia. El Canal
apoya una gran cantidad de
carga internacional, por lo que
es vital para el comercio
internacional.”
Chili peppers:
cultivated and
traded 6000
years ago
When Europeans arrived in the
Americas, chili peppers were
among the most widespread of
the plants domesticated in the
New World. However, the
chronology and precise
geography of their origins and
early dispersals had been very
poorly understood. Tropical
environments, where many chili
varieties were first domesticated
and then incorporated into
prehistoric farming systems,
degrade most organic
archaeological remains, washing
away and decomposing all but
the most durable evidence of
ancient human activities.
A group of Smithsonian
researchers led by Linda Perry
from the National Museum of
Natural History and colleagues
that includes STRI's Irene
Holst, Dolores Piperno and
Richard Cooke (see the
complete citation in page 2
under “More publications”)
report that across the Americas,
chili peppers (Capsicum species)
were cultivated and traded as
early as 6000 years
ago—predating the invention
of pottery in some areas of the
Americas. The researchers
analyzed starch grains to trace
the history of chili peppers in
the Americas. Their findings
contribute significantly to the
  Photo: Linda Perry
current understanding of
ancient agricultural practices in
the Americas. 
The report is published in
today's issue of the journal
Science 315: 986-988. The article
was distributed by Neal Smith.
It can also be obtained from:
calderom@si.edu
Cuando los europeos llegaron a
las Américas, los ajíes se
encontraban entre las plantas
domésticas más distribuidas del
Nuevo Mundo. Sin embargo, la
cronología y geografía precisa
de sus orígenes y primera
dispersión no se conocían bien. 
Los ambientes tropicales,
donde las variaciones de ajíes se
domesticaron primero y luego
se incorporaron a sistemas
prehistóricos de agricultura,
degradan la mayoría de los
residuos arqueológicos, lavando
y descomponiendo casi todas
las evidencias de las primeras
actividades humanas, con
excepción de la más duradera.
Un grupo de investigadores del
Smithsonian liderados por
Linda Perry del Museo
Nacional de Historia Natural y
colegas que incluyen a Irene
Holst, Dolores Piperno y
Richard Cooke, de STRI,
informan que los ajíes 
(especies de Capsicum) se
cultivaron e intercambiaron a
través de las Américas desde
hace cerca de 6000 años
atrás—antes de que se inventara
la cerámica en ciertas áreas del
continente. Sus
descubrimientos contribuyen de
manera significativa al
conocimiento actual de las
prácticas de agricultura antigua
en las Américas.
El informe ha sido publicado en
la copia de hoy de la revista
Science (315: 986-988). El
artículo fue distribuido por
Neal Smith. Puede pedirlo a:
calderom@si.edu
Butterfly research intern position
The Heliconius research project
seeks intern to work as
assistant for one year effective
immediately. $800 per month.
More about the project at:
www.heliconius.org.
Responsibilities: maintain host
plants and butterfly stocks,
dissect tissue for genetic
studies, collect local butterflies
and assist visiting researchers.
Intern should be interested in
butterfly biology. Experience
rearing butterflies would be an
advantage. This position may
be suitable for a Masters
student whose research project
could be carried out parallel
with main responsibilities.
Interested please contact Chris
Jiggins (cj107@cam.ac.uk) or
Owen McMillan (womcmill@
ncsu.edu). Applications in
English or Spanish.
More publications 
Perry, L, Dickau, R., Zarrillo,
S., Holst, I., Pearsall, D.M.,
Piperno, D.R., Berman, M.J.,
Cooke, R.G., Rademaker, K.
Ranere, A.J., Raymond, J.S.,
Sandweiss, D.H., Scaramelli,
F., Tarble, K., and Zeidler,
J.A. 2007. "Starch fossils and
the domestication and
dispersal of chili peppers
(Capsicum spp. L.) in the
Americas." Science 315(5814):
986-988.
Tepe, Eric J., Vincent, Michael
a., and Watson, Linda E. 2007.
"The importance of petiole
structure on inhabitability by
ants in Piper sect. Macrostachys
(Piperaceae)." Botanical Journal
of the Linnean Society 153(2):
181-191.
STRI in the news
“Amor por la ciencia” by
Aleida Samaneigo C. 2007.
Panamá América Jan 29: A12.
“Charla sobre crecimiento
poblacional.” La Prensa Feb 9:
9B.
“La mosca gigantesca de la
madera” by Tamara Del
Moral. 2007. La Prensa Feb 10:
11A.
“HSBC dona 8 millones al
Smithsonian” by Víctor D.
Torres. La Prensa Feb 13: 29A.
“'La meca'de la biología” by
Rolando de la Guardia. 2007.
La Prensa Feb 13: 2A.
“Smithsonian grant to expand
climate change research.”
2007. Associated Press: Feb 12.
“HSBC gives Smithsonian $8
million to study global
warming impact on forests”
by Rhett A. Butler. 2007.
Mongabay.com: February 12.
“Taking stock of trees, by
Elizabeth Pennisi. 2007.
ScienceNOW Daily News: Feb
12.
Ehrlich gives seminar at STRI
Paul R. Ehrlich, Bing Professor
of Population Studies in the
Department of Biological Sci-
ences at Stanford University
and co-founder of the field of
coevolution, offered the semi-
nar “One with Nineveh: The
Human Prospect in 2007” on
Tuesday, February 13, at the
Tupper Center Auditorium.
Paul and Anne Ehrlich author-
ed One with Nineveh: Politics,
consumption, and the human future
(2004). His best known book
so far is The Population Bomb,
published in 1968.
Ehrlich is a renowned entomol-
ogist specializing in Lepidop-
tera (butterflies). He has also
been a pioneer in alerting the
public to the problems of over-
population, and in raising issues
of population, resources, and
the environment as matters of
public policy. He is a fellow of
the AAAS, the American Acad-
emy of Arts and Sciences, and
the American Philosophical
Society, and a member of the
National Academy of Sciences.
Ehrlich has several honorary 
degrees and many international
prizes including the Crafoord
Prize of the Royal Swedish
Academy of Sciences (given in
lieu of a Nobel Prize in areas
where the Nobel is not given).
Ehrlich summarized the causes
of the environmental disasters
we are facing these days and
promoted the creation of an
international panel to assess
human behavior.
Questioned  on effective ways
to convey scientific 
information to the public,
Ehrlich commented that in the
past, scientists were not
considered successful before
they  published their findings.
Today, he added, “scientists can
be considered a success once
they publish their findings and
translate them to the general
public.”
The seminar was attended by a
packed audience from the STRI
community, members of the
media, and the general public.
Paul R. Ehrlich, profesor Bing
en Estudios de Poblaciones del
Departamento de Ciencias
Biológicas en la Universidad de
Stanford y co-fundador del
campo de la coevolución,
ofreció el seminario “One with
Nineveh: The Human Prospect
in 2007" el martes, 13 de
febrero, en el Centro Tupper.
Ehrlich y su esposa Anne son
los autores de  One with Nineveh:
Politics, consumption, and the human
future (2004). Su libro más
conocido hasta el momento es
The Population Bomb, publicado
en 1968.
Ehrlich es un reconocido
entomólogo especializado en
Lepidoptera (mariposas). Ha
sido pionero al alertar al público
sobre los problemas de la
sobre-población, y en
argumentar asuntos de
población, recursos y el
ambiente referentes a políticas
públicas. Es “fellow” de la
AAAS, la Academia de los EU
de Artes y Ciencias, la Sociedad
Filosófica de los EU, y
miembro de la Academia de
Ciencias de los EU. Ehrlich
tiene varios doctorados
honorarios y muchos premios
internacionales incluyendo el
Premio Crafoord de la
Academia Real Sueca para las
Ciencias (que se otorga en vez
del Premio Nobel en
especialidades para las cuales no
se otorga el Nobel).
Ehrlich resumió las causas de
los desastres ambientales que
enfrentamos hoy día y
promovió la creación de un
panel internacional para evaluar
el comportamiento humano.
Cuestionado sobre cómo
transmitir efectivamente
información científica al
público, Ehrlich comentó que
en el pasado, los científicos no
eran considerados exitosos
antes de que publicaran sus
descubrimientos. Hoy día,
agregó “los científicos se
consideran exitosos una vez
publiquen sus resultados y los
hagan llegar al público.
Al seminario asistieron
miembros de la comunidad de
STRI, los medios y público en
general. 
Story:
Maria Pia Miglietta
Edited by: M Alvarado
& ML Calderon
Photo: MA Guerra
Like corals and sea
anemones, medusae
(jellyfish) belong to
the phylum Cnidaria.
Their diversity of
forms and sizes is
amazing and the
delicacy of their
appearance contrasts
with the potential
danger some of them
represent.
Not all medusae sting.
Some of them, like
Aurelia in the photo,
can be touched
without problem. On
the other hand,
box-jellies can
seriously harm those
who enter in contact
with their tentacles.
Maria Pia Miglietta,
Marine Science
Network postdoctoral
fellow at Naos—
studies Hydrozoa (a
class of the phylum
Cnidaria), small,
inconspicuous
medusae, but very
abundant. They are
seasonally released
by polyp colonies.
With the aid of
extensive fieldwork,
molecular tools and
laboratory rearing,
Miglietta investigates
different aspects of
tropical hydrozoan
biology, ranging from
the environmental
cues that trigger
medusae production
to how their life cycle
changes under
different ocean
productivity regimes
across the Isthmus of
Panama.
The amazing variety 
of their life cycles
represents an infinite
source of questions
and can help
understand
underlying themes
and shed some light
on trends in
invertebrate evolution.
Al igual que corales y
anémonas, las
medusas (aguamalas)
pertenecen al fílum
Cnidaria.
Su diversidad de
formas y tamaños es
sorprendente y la
delicadeza de su
apariencia contrasta
con el peligro que
algunas de ellas
representan.
No todas las medusas
queman. Algunas,
como Aurelia en la
foto, se pueden tocar
sin problemas. Por
otro lado, las
aguamalas bolsa
causan daños severos
a quienes  entran en
contacto con sus
tentáculos.
Maria Pia Miglietta,
becaria postdoctoral
de la Red de Ciencias
Marinas en Naos—
estudia las hidrozoas,
(una clase de Cnidaria)
medusas pequeñas,
poco conspicuas pero
muy abundates. Estas
son liberadas
estacionalmente por
colonias de pólipos.
Con la ayuda de
extenso trabajo de
campo, herramientas
moleculares y crianza
en el laboratorio,
Miglietta investiga
diferentes aspectos de
la biología tropical de
hidrozoas, desde las
razones que disparan
su producción hasta
cómo su ciclo de vida
cambia bajo regíme-
nes de productividad
oceánica diferente, a
través del Istmo de
Panamá.
La sorprendente
variedad de sus ciclos
de vida es una fuente
infinita de preguntas y
pueden ayudar a
entender asuntos
básicos  y arrojar luz
sobre tendencias en
evolución de
invertebrados. 
Eternal, ethereal  jellyfish: Some
may be more theatrical than
threatening
S M I T H S O N I A N    T R O P I C A L    R E S E A R C H    I N S T I T U TE          F E B R U A R Y   1 6,  2 0 0 7