Tupper 4pm seminar
Tuesday, February 28 is
Carnival Day in Panama, and a
holiday for STRI. There will
be no seminar.       
Bambi seminar
Please check GoupWise for
information on the next
Bambi seminar on BCI.
Arriving next week
Michael Scherer-Lorenzen,
ETH Zurich, Germany, to
study the functional
significance of tree diversity
for nutrient dynamics in a
tropical plantation -
Subproject of the Sardinilla
Experiment.
Patricia Ann Baird and
Timothy Burr, California State
University and Kate
Goodenough, Simon Fraser
University, to conduct a
multinational study of
Neotropical migrants: the
Western Sandpiper as a
model, in the Panama Bay.
Kirk Klasing, Mara Evans,
Michael Ballou and Laura
Flatow, University of
California at Davis, to study
the life history physiology
nexus constraints on the
evolutionary diversifications
of avian life histories, in
Gamboa.
Chelina Batista Mojica, Jacob
Pattison and Jorge Herrera,
University of Illinois
Urbana-Champaign, to
monitor the dynamics of avian
communities and population
in Central Panama, at Fortuna,
Soberan?a, Gamboa and
Pipeline Road.
 STRI news
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panam?        www.stri.org         February 24, 2006
David Kline's
results on
Panamanian
corals
reviewed by
Science
Science writer Eli Kintisch
wrote the article ?Don't
sugarcoat corals? in today?s
issue of the journal (311:
1094) with results STRI
postdoctoral fellow David
Kline presented at the annual
meetings of the AAAS (the
publisher of Science). His
findings suggest that carbon-
induced bacterial growth may
be a major problem for
Caribbean reefs, that have lost
80% of their coral cover in the
last three decades. ?As coastal
populations near reefs have sky
rocketed, scientists have
fingered phosphates, nitrates,
and ammonia as the most likely
culprits.? Results by
Kline?gathered from more
than 3000 individual month-
long experiments on coral
heads sampled at STRI's Bocas
del Toro Research Station?
show that almost 35% of corals
exposed to carbon compounds
died, vs about 7% of those
given nitrate or phosphate.
?Separate experiments showed
that sugars led to an explosive
growth of coral-associated
bacteria not caused by other
chemicals. If this holds true in
the ocean, says Kline, corals
already under stress from
warmer water temperatures and
the loss of fish and urchins that
eat algae may succumb directly
to the rapid growth of the
normally symbiotic bacteria. Or
they may be weakened enough
that the fleshy algae finally win
out. "Carbon-loading disrupts
the balance between coral and
its associated bacteria, leading
to disease," says Kline, who will
detail the work in Marine Ecology
Progress Series next month.?
Eli Kintish, escritora de la
revista Science, public?, en el
n?mero de hoy (311: 1094)
?Don't sugarcoat corals? [No
endulce los corales] con
resultados que el becario
posdoctoral de STRI David
Kline, present? en el congreso
anual de la AAAS (responsable
por la revista Science), que
sugieren que el crecimiento
inducido de bacterias puede ser
un problema importante para
los arrecifes del Caribe, los que
han perdido el 80% de su
cobertura coralina en las ?ltimas
tres d?cadas. ?Al dispararse las
poblaciones costeras, los
cient?ficos hay se?alado a los
fosfatos, nitratos y amonia
como responsables. Los
resultados de Kline?obtenidos
de m?s de 3000 experimentos
individuales de un mes en
cabezas de coral estudiadas en
la Estaci?n de Investigaciones
de STRI en Bocas del
Toro?muestran que cerca del
35% de los corales expuestos a
los compuestos de carbono
murieron, comprados a cerca
del 7% de aquellos que se les
aplic? nitrato o fosfato.
?Experimentos separados
mostraron que los az?cares
llevaron a un crecimiento
explosivo de bacterias 
More arrivals
David Zawada, US Geological
Survey, to conduct coral reef
mapping with the USGS
ATRIS camera system, on
Bocas del Toro.
Philip Thompson, US
Geological Survey, to study
biodiversity, on Bocas del
Toro.
Helene Muller-Landau,
University of Minnesota, to
study seed dispersal by wind
and plant recruitment in
tropical forests ?an
interdisciplinary investigation
across multiple scales, on BCI.
William Butcher, US
Geological Survey, to conduct
coral reef mapping with the
USGS ATRIS camera system,
on Bocas del Toro.
Sergio Estrada, Universidad de
los Andes, to study land
bridge islands in Panama as a
model for studying the effects
of habitat fragmentation on
Neotropical bat communities,
on Gatun Islands.
Barnett Schlinger, University
of California in Los Angeles,
to study hormonal and neural
control of a sexually
dimorphic behavior.
Adam Stein, Syracuse
University, to Signal evolution
and speciation in bearded
manakin (Manacus spp.), in
Gamboa.
Sharon Shattuck, University of
Georgia, to work on the 50-ha
Plot Seedling Census, on BCI.
Anja Kaczmarczyk, Institute
of Soil Science and Forest
Nutrition, University of
Goettingen, to work on the
NITROF-Impact of elevated
nitrogen input on the
biogeochemistry and
productivity of tropical forest,
in Gamboa, Fortuna and BCI.
New publications
Bohlman, Stephanie A., and
O'Brien, Sean T. 2006.
"Allometry, adult stature and
regeneration requirement of
65 tree species on Barro
Colorado Island, Panama."
Journal of Tropical Ecology 22(2):
123-136.
Eberhard, William G. 2006.
"Sexually reversed copulatory
courtship roles and possible
nuptial feeding in the soldier
beetle Ditemnus acantholabus
(Champion 1915) (Coleoptera:
Cantharidae)." Journal of the
Kansas Entomological Society
79(1): 13-22.
Ewers, Robert M., and
Didham, Raphael K. 2006.
"Confounding factors in the
detection of species responses
to habitat fragmentation."
Biological Review 81(2): 117?142
Kirby, Kathryn R., Laurance,
William F., Albernaz, Ana K.
M., Schroth, Goetz, Fearnside,
Philip M., Bergen, Scott,
Venticinque, Eduardo M., and
Da Costa, Carlos. 2006. "The
future of deforestation in the
Brazilian Amazon." Futures
38(4): 432?453.
Krause, G. Heinrich, Galle,
Alexander, Virgo, Aurelio,
Garcia, Milton, Bucic, P.,
Jahns, P. and Winter, Klaus.
2006. "High-light stress does
not impair biomass
accumulation of sun-
acclimated tropical tree
seedlings (Calophyllum longifo-
lium Willd. and Tectona grandis
L. f.)." Plant Biology 8(1): 31-41.
Lips, Karen R., Brem, Forrest,
Brenes, Roberto, Reeve, John
D., Alford, Ross A., Voyles,
Jamie, Carey, Cynthia, Livo,
Lauren, Pessier, Allan P., and
Collins, James P. 2006.
"Emerging infectious disease
and the loss of biodiversity in
a Neotropical amphibian
community." Proceedings of the
National Academy of Sciences
103(9): 3165?3170.
asociadas a los corales, que no
fueron causados por otros
qu?micos. Kline afirma que si
estos resultados se mantienen
en el oc?ano, los corales, que ya
est?n estresados por aguas m?s
calientes y la p?rdida de peces y
erizos que comen algas,
sucumbir?n directamente por el
r?pido crecimiento de bacterias
normalmente simbi?ticas. 
Otra posibilidad ser?a que se
debilitar?an al punto que el
tejido de las algas finalmente
les gane. ?Las cargas de
carbono rompen el balance
entre los corales y sus bacterias
asociadas, lev?ndolos a la
enfermedad? concluy? Kline,
quien detallar? su trabajo en el
n?mero del pr?ximo mes de
Marine Ecology Progress Series. 
SI?s Women?s Committee
visits STRI
Members of the Smithsonian
Institution?s Women?s
Committee visited STRI early
this month, to meet with STRI
scientists and officials, get
acquainted with STRI
programs on the Isthmus, and
visit our facilities.  
The Smithsonian Women's
Committee was founded in
1966, to advance the interests
of the Smithsonian Institution
through fundraising activities
and special projects. Since its
founding, the Committee has
raised over $6 million for the
benefit of the institution,
providing the necessary funds
to many projects. Many STRI
projects have been made
possible thanks to the
Women's Committee.
Miembros del Comit? de
Mujeres de la Instituci?n
Smithsonian visitaron STRI a
principios de este mes, para
reunirse con cient?ficos y
funcionarios de STRI,
familiarizarse con los
programas que lleva a cabo el
Instituto en el Istmo de
Panam?, y visitar nuestras
instalaciones.
El Comit? de Mujeres del
Smithsonian se fund? en 1966,
para adelantar los intereses de
la Instituci?n a trav?s de
actividades filantr?picas y
proyectos especiales. Desde su
fundaci?n, el Comit? de
Mujeres del Smithsonian ha
recaudado m?s de seis millones
de d?lares para beneficio de la
Instituci?n, suministrando los
fondos necesarios para muchos
proyectos. Muchos proyectos
de STRI han sido posibles
gracias al Comit? de Mujeres
del Smithsonian.
More publications
Mayo, Julia, and Cooke,
Richard G. 2005. "La industria
prehisp?nica de conchas
marinas en Gran Cocl?,
Panam?. An?lisis tecnol?gico
de los artefactos de concha del
basurero-taller del Sitio Cerro
Juan D?az, Los Santos,
Panam?." Archaeofauna 14:
285-298.
Miura, Osamu, Kuris, Armand
M., Torchin, Mark E.,
Hechinger, Ryan F., and
Chiba, Satoshi. 2006.
"Parasites alter host
phenotype and may create a
new ecological niche for snail
hosts." Proceedings of the Royal
Society (London) B Online.
Sayer, Emma J. 2006. "Using
experimental manipulation to
assess the roles of leaf litter in
the functioning of forest
ecosystems." Biological Review
80(1): 1-31.
Zotz, Gerhard, and Laube,
Stefan. 2005. "Tank function
in the epiphytic bromeliad,
catopsis sessiliflora." Ecotropica
11: 63-68.
STRI in the news
?Sugar Kills ? New Clues in
the Mystery of Coral
Diseases.? 2006. Innovations
Report, February 20.
?Don't sugarcoat corals? by
Eli Kintisch. 2006. Science
311(February 24): 1094.
?Frog killer found after 6-year
stakeout 'Noah's Ark' program
aims to save species from
extinction? by Michael
Schulder. 2006. CNN.com
February 21.
?Communicado.? 2006. La
Prensa (February 24): 24A.
From the ESP
The Environmental Science
Program announces the
publication of the 2005 Annual
Meteorological and
Hydrological Summary for
BCI. The summary can be
downloaded as either a Word
or PDF document at:
http://striweb.si.edu/esp/p
hysical_monitoring/summar
y_bci.htm
El Programa de Ciencias
ambientales anuncia la
publicaci?n del Resumen
Metereol?gico e Hidrol?gico de
BCI. El resumen puede bajarse
tanto en Word como en .pdf en
http://striweb.si.edu/esp/p
hysical_monitoring/summar
y_bci.htm
March b'days
Marlon Smith 1
Alexander o. Perez 1
Rivieth de Liones 1
Harilaos Lessios 4
Pedro Escudero 6
Benjamin Ordo?ez 6
Carla Chizmar 10
Tania Romero 10
Jetzabel Escudero 11
Diego Araujo 15
Luis Mansilla 18
Mauricio Pineda 19
Eugenio Chiru 20
Victor Castillo 23
Isis Ochoa de Perez 25
Richard Condit 29
Ginnett Vargas 31
Marcos Valdes 31
 
Miscellaneous
Cats needing good homes.
Moving to Europe and can?t
take our cats with us. Looking
for homes for three cats and
two eight-month old kittens!
All are very friendly and have
been neutered. Tel: 314-9266
Email:
dentd@si.edu 
New book 
The new book Eastern Pacific
Nudibranchs: A guide to the
Opisthobranchs from Alaska to
Central America, (2005), authored
by David W. Behrens and Alicia
Hermosillo, contains
information gathered with STRI
support and onboard the R.V.
Urrac?. 
The work is a complete revision
of Behrens' Pacific Coast
Nudibranch, expanding the
range to the southern end of
Mexico. Contains 314 species
(100 more than Pacific Coast
Nudibranch 2nd edition)- all in
color with mostly new photos.
Two-to-three photos for some
species. It sells for $35 at:
www.seachallengers.com/
Visit to Bocas
Recently, members of Panama
Verde Group, coming from a
distant indigenous community
visited STRI's Bocas del Toro
Research Station with Peace
Corps volunteers. Back home
the students held fund-raising
activities to pay their way to the
Station.
The visitors were briefed on
conservation and sustainable
development practices. The
Bocas' environmental
education program aims
to promote positive
personal qualities such as
leadership and a high regard
for nature.
Recientemente, miembros del
Grupo Panam? Verde de una
comunidad ind?gena distante,
visitaron la Estaci?n de STRI
en Bocas con voluntarios del
Cuerpo de Paz. Los integrantes
del grupo realizaron actividades
para recoger fondos y pagar el
viaje a la Estaci?n.
Los visitantes recibieron
informaci?n sobre
conservaci?n y t?cnicas de
desarrollo sostenible. El
programa ambiental de Bocas
est? dirigido a promover
cualidades personales positivas,
liderazgo y alta estima por la
naturaleza.
science in progress:
Looking at
technology
through the
lens of the
scientist
Story: Milton Garc?a
Edited by ML Calderon
Photos: MA Guerra
Many times is
impossible to find
solutions to the needs
of the research
projects tropical
scientists carry out at
STRI. Needs no other
researcher had before,
like a pomp collecting
tropical fog to study its
isotopes. Other times
is too expensive to buy
something for a single
use?a glass breaker
to enable an
ultramicroton to cut
sections of tissue.
"But it's even more
challenging when the
local distributor tells
you it can't be done"
explains ecologist
Milton Garc?a, research
assistant to Joe Wright
and Klaus Winter. 
Garc?a and Winter
used to measure
photosynthetic activity
from 6am to 6pm each
day at Gamboa. Thanks
to an adaptation of the
technology at hand and
designing a new
computer program for
the glass chambers
system, now it's
automatic, saving time
and money.
Milton also remembers
small solutions, like
using ?chaquira? bids
as color codes. With
cero budget, hundreds
of left-over gadgets and
parts waiting to render
service, and scientific
ingenuity, Garc?a has
already seen many
publications resulting
from data collected by
some of his prototypes. 
Muchas veces es
imposible encontrar
soluciones para las
necesidades de los
proyectos de investi-
gaci?n que que se
llevan a cabo en STRI.
Necesidades que
ning?n otro
investigador ha tenido
antes, como una bomba
que colecta  neblina
tropical, para 
estudiar sus is?topos.
Otras veces es
demasiado caro
comprar algo para un
s?lo uso?un cortador
de vidrio para habilitar
un ultramicrot?n que
corta secciones
m?nimas de tejido. 
"Pero el mayor reto es
cuando la distribuidora
local dice que no se
puede hacer" explica el
ec?logo Milton Garc?a,
asistente de
investigaci?n de Joe
Wrifht y Klaus Winter.
Garc?a y Winter deb?an
tomar  medidas
manuales de actividad
fotosint?tica todos los
d?as en Gamboa de
6am a 6pm. Gracias a
una adaptaci?n de la
tecnolog?a a su
disposici?n y el dise?o
de un nuevo programa
de computadora para
las c?maras de vidrio, 
ahora es autom?tico,
ahorrando tiempo y
dinero al proyecto.
Garc?a tambi?n
recuerda las peque?as 
soluciones?usar
pepitas de chaquira
como c?digo de
colores para marcar
hojas. Con un
presupuesto de cero,
cientos de partes y
aparatos dejados atr?s
que esperan su
oportunidad de servir 
y el ingenio cient?fico,
Garc?a ya ha visto
muchas publicaciones
resultado de
informaci?n lograda
con algunos de sus
prototipos.