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Articles 1 - 30 of 51
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Effects Of Habitat Disturbance On The Territorial Response Of The Gray-Breasted Wood-Wren, Henicorhina Leucophrys, December 2003, Blake Audsley
Effects Of Habitat Disturbance On The Territorial Response Of The Gray-Breasted Wood-Wren, Henicorhina Leucophrys, December 2003, Blake Audsley
Tropical Ecology and Conservation [Monteverde Institute]
Habitat fragmentation and disturbance have become integral aspects of the neotropical landscape, impacting a variety of ecological factors. Here I attempt to quantify the relationship of bird territory size and habitat disturbance by observing the effects of habitat disturbance on avian response to conspecific playback in the Gray-breasted Wood-wren, Henicorhina leucophrys. Mean distance traveled to follow playback increased along a gradient of increasing disturbance (F = 4.435, p-value = .0165, s.d. = 27.256; 47.283; 49.094). Edge habitat birds showed significantly greater response than birds in primary and secondary growth (p-values = 0.0051; 0.0479). Variation in response also differed between habitats. …
Family Composition Of Vascular Epiphytes Varies By Directional Quadrant, December 2003, David N. Bums
Family Composition Of Vascular Epiphytes Varies By Directional Quadrant, December 2003, David N. Bums
Tropical Ecology and Conservation [Monteverde Institute]
Vascular epiphytes are an extremely diverse and prevalent plant-form of neotropical cloud forests, and are strongly affected by abiotic factors including light and moisture. The goal of this study was to determine whether the family composition and diversity of vascular epiphytes living on pasture tree trunks differed by quadrant (northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwest). It was hypothesized that the northeast quadrant would exhibit the greatest diversity due to the mist-laden trade winds blowing from that direction. Twenty trees in a pasture surrounded by lower montane wet forest in Monteverde, Puntarenas, Costa Rica were divided into four quadrants and sampled for …
Distribution Patterns Of The Tree Ferns Alsophila Erinacea And A. Polystichoides (Cyatheaceae) In Cloud Forests Of Monteverde, Costa Rica, December 2003, Stephen Gottschalk
Distribution Patterns Of The Tree Ferns Alsophila Erinacea And A. Polystichoides (Cyatheaceae) In Cloud Forests Of Monteverde, Costa Rica, December 2003, Stephen Gottschalk
Tropical Ecology and Conservation [Monteverde Institute]
The effects of elevation on the tree ferns Alsophila erinacea and A. polystichoides (Cyatheaceae) distributions were examined between 1550 m and 1800 m in Monteverde, Costa Rica. Alsophila erinacea and A. polystichoides prefer similar habitat types and overlap almost completely in their elevational ranges, making them ideal species for comparison. Six transects were made in each of five-50 m elevational blocks between 1550 m and 1800 m for a total of 30 transects. Transects along a ridge trail were compared with those on a trail on the side of a slope and were found to contain considerably less Alsophila tree …
Structural Habitat Preferences In Norops Tropidolepis In The Presence And Absence Of Norops Humilis, December 2003, Greg Maximov
Structural Habitat Preferences In Norops Tropidolepis In The Presence And Absence Of Norops Humilis, December 2003, Greg Maximov
Tropical Ecology and Conservation [Monteverde Institute]
Interspecific and intraspecific competitions are effectively reduced in populations of Anoline lizards through the use of niche separation. While much research has been done on this phenomenon, not much research addresses what happens to niche structure in the absence of a species. This project studies the effects of the absence of Norops humilis on the structural habitat preferences of N. tropidolepis in an area of cloud forest in Monteverde, Costa Rica. Between the 25th of October and the 14th of November 2003, an area of cloud forest above the Estación Biológica de Monteverde was searched thoroughly for Norops (Zones 3 …
The Effects Of Morphology On Feeding Behavior In The Family Sphingidae, December 2003, Andrew S. Lima
The Effects Of Morphology On Feeding Behavior In The Family Sphingidae, December 2003, Andrew S. Lima
Tropical Ecology and Conservation [Monteverde Institute]
The purpose of this field experiment was to examine how morphological characteristics like proboscis length, weight, and wing surface area, affect diet breadth in the family Sphingidae (order Lepidoptera) intropical premontane wet forest in Monteverde, Puntarenas province, Costa Rica. I collected 60 hawkmoths from 11 species between October 18 and November 18 from the Estación Biologica de Monteverde and the Cerro Plano Jardin de Mariposas, taking morphological measurements and pollen samples from their proboscises. There was not a significant relationship between proboscis length and pollen richness (p = 0.9049), nor between species (p = 0.4358). A significant correlation was seen …
Patterns Of Seasonal And Altitudinal Change In Monteverde Bird Communities, December 2003, Eric Palm
Patterns Of Seasonal And Altitudinal Change In Monteverde Bird Communities, December 2003, Eric Palm
Tropical Ecology and Conservation [Monteverde Institute]
Previous studies in Monteverde, Costa Rica, have shown that numerous bird species are moving upslope in response to climate change. While there are an increasing number of such studies that address climate change, most fail to incorporate seasonal climatic variation. I censused the birds in three elevational zones in the Monteverde area not only to assess these distributional shifts, but also to determine the effects of season on bird communities. Compared to Michael Fogden’s data from 1979-1992, I found a number of species that have moved into higher zones where they were previously less common or absent. However, the results …
Reproduction Of Besleria Princeps In Monteverde Cloud Forests, December 2003, Michelle Murphy
Reproduction Of Besleria Princeps In Monteverde Cloud Forests, December 2003, Michelle Murphy
Tropical Ecology and Conservation [Monteverde Institute]
The purpose of this study was to show the occurrence of asexual versus sexual reproduction in lower premontane cloud forest, on the Atlantic slope and the Pacific slope of the Tilarán Mountain range near the Monteverde Biological Station. Eight hundred plants, 400 on the Atlantic slope and 400 on the Pacific side, were examined at their roots for fragmentation and seeding. The elevations of each slope and a comparison of the two slopes were examined using a chi-squared two-way contingency test. The results showed that asexual reproduction (fragments) is more common in Besleria princeps than sexual reproduction (from seeds). The …
Trail Length And Nutritional Value For Atta Cephalotes, December 2003, Erin Jacubec
Trail Length And Nutritional Value For Atta Cephalotes, December 2003, Erin Jacubec
Tropical Ecology and Conservation [Monteverde Institute]
The leaf-cutter ant Atta cephalotes has a complex society including workers who forage for leaf fragments used to grow fungus for food. The purpose of this project was to find if A. cephalotes’ head size and foraged leaf fragment size and quality changes with trail length. Twelve trail lengths were measured and fifty leaf fragments and ant head measurements were collected per trail. The leaf fragments and whole leaf samples were measured for nitrogen content and toughness. Results showed negative relationships between trail length and wet weight (simple regression, P=.0083) and trail length and dry weight (simple regression, P=.0007). Increasing …
Effects Of Tree Buttresses On Nutrient Availability And Macroinvertebrate Species Richness, December 2003, Alyson P. Mack
Effects Of Tree Buttresses On Nutrient Availability And Macroinvertebrate Species Richness, December 2003, Alyson P. Mack
Tropical Ecology and Conservation [Monteverde Institute]
This study tested the hypothesis that buttress microhabitats collect more leaf litter and have greater macroinvertebrate species richness, thereby increasing the leaf decomposition rate and providing more nutrient rich soil for the tree. Leaf litter deposition and decomposition rates, soil fertility (pH, [N], [P], |K]), and macroinvertebrate species richness (S, Smarg) were compared between microhabitats in buttressed and nonbuttressed trees and open areas in the lower montane cloud forest of Monteverde, Costa Rica. Results showed no significant difference between microhabitat types for soil pH levels (Kruskall-Wallis test, H= 3.188), soil [N] (Kruskall-Wallis test, H= 3.388), soil [P] (Kruskall-Wallis test, H= …
Contagion Of Mistletoe In A Tropical Psidium Guayaba Pasture, December 2003, Amish Patel
Contagion Of Mistletoe In A Tropical Psidium Guayaba Pasture, December 2003, Amish Patel
Tropical Ecology and Conservation [Monteverde Institute]
Mistletoe is a plant parasite that is unusual in having a specialized dispersal mutualism. The behavior of its avian dispersers assures deposition on tree branches of its preferred hosts. In returning to the same plant, however, such behavior may cause centers of ever-increasing density, akin to contagion in other host-parasite systems. The purpose of this study was to determine if mistletoe species Antidaphne viscoidea or Phoradendron undulatum demonstrate contagious dispersion of their seeds. The study was conducted in a pasture of Psidium guayaba trees on a farm near Monteverde, Costa Rica. In each of 20 trees, I counted the number …
An Introductory Lesson Plan To The Flora And Fauna Of The Monteverde Cloud Forest, December 2003, Amanda Rocklet
An Introductory Lesson Plan To The Flora And Fauna Of The Monteverde Cloud Forest, December 2003, Amanda Rocklet
Tropical Ecology and Conservation [Monteverde Institute]
The result of this project is a mini-course lesson plan which can be used at the Cloud Forest School-Centro de Educación Creativa (C.E.C,). The mini course lesson plan will be used in seventh and eighth grade classes to teach the local taxa of Monteverde. Enclosed are six Power Point presentations, six interactive activity plans, six field guides, and a list of teacher resources. I expect this mini course to reinforce the C.E.C.'s environmental education curriculum while also taking into account teacher turnover and lack of resources.
Effect Of Climate Change On Four Species Of Azteca In Monteverde, Puntarenas, Costa Rica, December 2003, Paul Mazzei
Effect Of Climate Change On Four Species Of Azteca In Monteverde, Puntarenas, Costa Rica, December 2003, Paul Mazzei
Tropical Ecology and Conservation [Monteverde Institute]
There has been extensive, research in the Monteverde area that has shown that both the abundance and range of lizards, amphibians, and birds have been affected global warming (Pounds (1999). Although there have been studies showing changes in abundance of arctic and temperate invertebrates, there have not been any studies that have shown invertebrate response to climate change in Monteverde. The four species of Azteca ants (xanthochroa, constructor, coeruleipennis, and alfari) were collected along roads in Monteverde and nearby Santa Elena and San Luis at elevations ranging from 700-1500m. The altitudinal ranges from this study were compared to ranges obtained …
Flower Color And Shape Variation On An Elevational Gradient, December 2003, Sarah Fraser
Flower Color And Shape Variation On An Elevational Gradient, December 2003, Sarah Fraser
Tropical Ecology and Conservation [Monteverde Institute]
Many flowering plant species have coevolved with pollinator species to form fairly specialized pollination systems that involve both color and shape of flowers, for example red and orange tubular-shaped flowers are attractive to hummingbirds and white, yellow, and blue disk and head shaped flowers are attractive to insects. In Monteverde, Puntarenas, Costa Rica an elevational gradient of pollinator animals has been observed such that cool temperatures in the high altitude regions limit insect activity to low elevations, thereby leaving the high elevation pollination to hummingbirds, leading to the hypothesis that flower color and shape patterns would reflect this pollinator gradient. …
Vertical Stratification Of Moss-Dwelling Arthropod Communities In The Elfin Forest Of Monteverde, Costa Rica, December 2003, Joe Northrup
Vertical Stratification Of Moss-Dwelling Arthropod Communities In The Elfin Forest Of Monteverde, Costa Rica, December 2003, Joe Northrup
Tropical Ecology and Conservation [Monteverde Institute]
The purpose of this study was to determine the community composition, S, H, E, N, and Smarg of arthropods living in epiphytic moss mats on vertical gradients, in the elfin forest of Monteverde, Costa Rica. Past studies have shown that moss mats alter biotic factors of the surrounding environment by increasing moisture and decreasing temperature variation. Moss samples were collected from 1 m, 7 m, and 15 m from nine trees between 1725 m and 1800 m and dried using Berlese funnels. Arthropods were separated by order and morphospecies. N was highest at 15 m, Smarg and S were highest …
The Role Of Metachrosis In Thermoregulation Of Sceloporus Malachiticus, December 2003, Joel Patrick Napier Stonedale
The Role Of Metachrosis In Thermoregulation Of Sceloporus Malachiticus, December 2003, Joel Patrick Napier Stonedale
Tropical Ecology and Conservation [Monteverde Institute]
Metachrosis is a change in color, common to many amphibians and reptiles. The purpose of this study was to determine if rate of metachrosis correlates with weight in Sceloporus malachiticus. Twenty-one lizards were collected and photographed every half hour, and the change in reflected light in the photographs was measured. There was a significant negative correlation between rate of metachrosis and weight (Simple Regression, P < 0.02), which is an indication that metachrosis aids in thermoregulation. Larger lizards must remain darker longer in order to absorb heat more quickly, because their lower surface area to volume ratio causes them to need more heat for their large bodies that have limited ability to absorb heat due to their proportionately lower surface area. This need for larger lizards to be darker may also explain why other reptiles such as Clelia clelia, Clelia ceytalia, Ctenosaura similis, and Iguana iguana become darker as they grow older and increase in size.
Hummingbird Size, Pollen Load And Pollination Efficiency, December 2003, Andrew Gapinski
Hummingbird Size, Pollen Load And Pollination Efficiency, December 2003, Andrew Gapinski
Tropical Ecology and Conservation [Monteverde Institute]
Pollinators are an important selective agent and play a role in the evolution of certain floral characteristics (Fenster, 1991). This is often the case with flower corollas, which have closely coevolved with the length and curvature of the bill or tongue of its pollinators (Stiles 1989) The purpose of this study was to determine the specificity of the coevolution between hummingbirds as pollinators and the species on which they forage. I also hope to examine the bill length- body size relationship, pollen loads and their placements. I hypothesize that short-billed hummingbirds will carry pollen from plant species with short corollas, …
Stomata Densities Of Pleurothallids (Orchidaceae) In Different Microhabitats Of Monteverde, December 2003, Chelsea Beebe
Stomata Densities Of Pleurothallids (Orchidaceae) In Different Microhabitats Of Monteverde, December 2003, Chelsea Beebe
Tropical Ecology and Conservation [Monteverde Institute]
The purpose of this study was to test whether there is a difference in the number of open and closed stomata on the northeast and southwest facing sides of trees among seven species of Pleurothallids and one pseudobulb species. Stomata impressions were taken from the leaves using clear finger nail polish and they were then examined under a microscope. The results showed that there was a significant difference between the number of open and closed stomata for every species, always with a higher frequency of closed stomata. Significant affects of species type and position on the tree on stomata density …
A Survey Of The Herpetofauna Of The San Luis Valley, Costa Rica, In Three Microhabitats, December 2003, John Benjamin
A Survey Of The Herpetofauna Of The San Luis Valley, Costa Rica, In Three Microhabitats, December 2003, John Benjamin
Tropical Ecology and Conservation [Monteverde Institute]
I surveyed reptile and amphibian diversity in three types of microhabitats in the San Luis valley, Puntarenas, Costa Rica, an area whose herpetofauna has not yet been thoroughly inventoried. I sampled species richness and abundance using nine line transects of 150 m in length around the Ecolodge and Biological Station San Luis, located all 1150 m in elevation. Three transects were in riparian habitat,three were in forest habitat, and three were in pasture habitat. I found 14 species within the transect areas, and a total of 23 species in San Luis including specimens that were encountered outside the transects. Some …
Tree Fern (Dicksoniaceae And Cyathaceae) Allelopathy In The Monteverde Cloud Forest, December 2003, Katie Heckendom, Melody Saeman
Tree Fern (Dicksoniaceae And Cyathaceae) Allelopathy In The Monteverde Cloud Forest, December 2003, Katie Heckendom, Melody Saeman
Tropical Ecology and Conservation [Monteverde Institute]
The purpose of this experiment was to look at the effects of Allelopathy between six species of tree ferns in the Monteverde Cloud Forest. We analyzed these effects by comparing plant abundances under the tree ferns to controls. We also compared controls to germination of seeds and spores grown with water or leachate made from the tree fern fronds. We found significantly higher plant abundances in controls than under the tree ferns. Also significantly less seed and spore germination than controls was found. There was not a significant difference between species of tree ferns in their inhibition of plants under …
Microhabitat Use And Escape Behavior Of Male, Female And Juvenile Norops Oxylophus (Polychrotidae), December 2003, Nathan Dappen
Microhabitat Use And Escape Behavior Of Male, Female And Juvenile Norops Oxylophus (Polychrotidae), December 2003, Nathan Dappen
Tropical Ecology and Conservation [Monteverde Institute]
The intraspecific distributions of microhabitats in territorial lizard species is determined largely by differing behavior among sexes and age classes. In this project I study a population of Norops oxylophus along the Río Alondra of the San Luis Valley towards the end of the rainy season. I caught individuals, recording their age, sex, size, perch substrate and location, and escape method. I found that adult males prefer to be perched on live tree branches overhanging the water; the larger the individual, the higher he is above the stream. Juveniles are found to inhabit lower areas along the stream banks. Males …
Spatial Distribution Patterns Of Mistletoe (Antidaphne Viscoidea: Eremolepidaceae, And Phoradendron Undulatum: Viscaceae) On Psidium Guajava (Mrytaceae) In Monteverde, Costa Rica, December 2003, Matthew Greenfield
Tropical Ecology and Conservation [Monteverde Institute]
Spatial distributions of mistletoe are noticeably clustered but unexamined in Monteverde, Costa Rica. To better understand their spatial structure, I examined the dispersion of two species of epiphytic mistletoe (Antidaphne viscoidea: Eremolepidaceae and Phoradendron undulatum: Viscaceae) within and between host trees. Six sites on one hill in Cañitas, Costa Rica were surveyed for data relating to dispersion structure (nearest neighbor distance and frequency within host trees). Additional study was done on the spatial dispersion on the host tree Psidium guajava, and it was found to have clustered dispersions. Indices of dispersion and tests comparing observed results to Poisson distributions showed …
Effects Of Cecropia Obtusifolia Leaf Ingestion On Lung Capacity, September 2003, Catherine Ross
Effects Of Cecropia Obtusifolia Leaf Ingestion On Lung Capacity, September 2003, Catherine Ross
Tropical Ecology and Conservation [Monteverde Institute]
People in developing countries have traditionally used forests as sources of local, cheap medicines. One plant used throughout the Neotropics is Cecropia spp., most notably for asthma. The purpose of this study was to determine if tea made from Cecropia obtusifolialeaves increases lung capacity and in what time frame this takes place. This was accomplished by treating a group of people with Cecropia tea for five days and another group with a placebo treatment and comparing the change in lung capacity of the two. The short term change in the placebo group had a statistically insignificant decrease of 2% while …
Tree Size And Habitat Effects On Stream Gall Abundance In Conostegia Oerstediana (Melastomataceae), May 2003, Priya Shashidharan
Tree Size And Habitat Effects On Stream Gall Abundance In Conostegia Oerstediana (Melastomataceae), May 2003, Priya Shashidharan
Tropical Ecology and Conservation [Monteverde Institute]
The moth Mompha sp. (Coleophoridae, Lepidoptera) is known to induce a stem gall on the tree Conostegia oerstediana (Melastomataceae). There is little known about the distribution and abundance of galls. This study tested the difference in stem gall abundance between varying tree sizes and between two different habitats- pasture and secondary forest. Trees from each habitat were sampled and measured for diameter at breast height (DBH), height, number of branches, and number of galls. A significant difference was found between pasture and forested areas (unpaired t-test, p < 0.0001), with pasture trees having more galls. No relation was found relating tree size (DBH, height, number of branches) to gall abundance. I conclude from these results that tree size is not directly related to stem gall abundance. Instead, differences in habitats, such as predator and parasite abundance and host density, may be important factors that influence gall abundance.
Distribution And Anti-Herbivoral Role Of Extra Extrafloral Nectaries And Leaflet Pair Number On Inga Sierrae (Fabaceae: Mimosaceae), May 2003, Andraya Gough
Tropical Ecology and Conservation [Monteverde Institute]
The purpose of this project is to investigate the distribution and anti-herbivore impact of extra-extrafloral nectaries (EEFNs) and leaflet pair number on Inga sierrae (Fabacaeae: Mimosaceae) in Monteverde, Costa Rica. I recorded the number of EEFNs and leaflet pairs per leaf for forty leaves collected from sixty trees from three different locations. EEFNs, though not commonly found on I. sierrae, did significantly reduce the percent herbivory on leaves (1-way ANOVA, P < 0.0001 and Exponential Regression Analysis; R2 = 0.0001). The most commonly encountered leaflet pair number was three. However, when the number of leaflet pairs decreased, percent herbivory increased (Exponential Regression Analysis, R2 = 0.9905, P < 0.0001 and 1-way ANOVA, P < 0.0001). Heavy herbivory pressure could be causing a species change toward increased production of EFNs.
Rolled-Leaf Hispine Herbivory Of Heliconia Spp. (Heliconiaceae) Over An Altitudinal Gradient, May 2003, Sarah Bachman
Rolled-Leaf Hispine Herbivory Of Heliconia Spp. (Heliconiaceae) Over An Altitudinal Gradient, May 2003, Sarah Bachman
Tropical Ecology and Conservation [Monteverde Institute]
Hispine beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae, Hispinae) are herbivores of the Order Zingiberales (Strong 1977a). In Monteverde area there are three known species of Heliconiaceae (Zingiberales): Heliconia monteverdensis, H. tortuosa, and H. vaginalis (Haber, 1990). H. monteverdensis is a high elevation species (1500 – 1800m) whose range does not overlap with H. vaginalis, a low elevation species (700-1300m). H. tortuosa occurs along the elevational gradient from San Luis (1000m) to the forest behind the Estación Biológica de Monteverde (1760m) where this study was performed, and overlaps in geographical range with the other two species. In this study I looked at patterns of …
Resource Partitioning And Niche Differentiation Of Nectarivorous Bats In A Monteverde Cloud Forest, May 2003, D. Morris Cohen
Resource Partitioning And Niche Differentiation Of Nectarivorous Bats In A Monteverde Cloud Forest, May 2003, D. Morris Cohen
Tropical Ecology and Conservation [Monteverde Institute]
Plant-pollinator interactions are an important part of tropical ecosystem function and diversity. In this paper, I present the results of a month-long study comparing the three nectarivorous Phylostomid bat species, Anoura geoffroyi, Glossophaga commissarisi, and Hylonycteris underwoodi, and the their plant resource base within the cloud forest of Monteverde, Costa Rica. Bats were mistnetted, and their pollen loads were removed and later measured for richness, abundance, and diversity. The extent of Niche overlap between the three species was also assessed. I found G. commissarisi to carry the most diverse pollen loads (H'=0.648) and to also have the most consistent floral …
Resource Partitioning Between Trigona Fulviventris And Scaptotrigona Mexicana With Overlapping Flight Ranges, May 2003, Michelle H. Averbeck
Resource Partitioning Between Trigona Fulviventris And Scaptotrigona Mexicana With Overlapping Flight Ranges, May 2003, Michelle H. Averbeck
Tropical Ecology and Conservation [Monteverde Institute]
The theory of resource partitioning predicts that congeneric species are allowed to coexist by a division of the available resources. This study looks at the possibility of resource partitioning between Trigona fulviventris and Scaptotrigona mexicana on fine temporal scales in Cloud Forest habitat, a region in which stingless bee pollen diets has not been extensively studied. Workers from one T. fulviventris and one S. mexicana nest, located 200 m apart, were studied synchronously over six days. Capture-mark and release experiments verified that the foraging areas of these two nests indeed overlap. Of the 14 morphotypes of pollen brought in by …
Distribution Of Stingless Bees (Meliponinae) At Two Elevations And Their Reaction To Deforestation On The Pacific Slope Of Costa Rica, May 2003, Christina Murphy
Distribution Of Stingless Bees (Meliponinae) At Two Elevations And Their Reaction To Deforestation On The Pacific Slope Of Costa Rica, May 2003, Christina Murphy
Tropical Ecology and Conservation [Monteverde Institute]
The distribution and abundance of Meliponinae and Apidae, as well as the effects of deforestation on Meliponinae, at two elevations on the Pacific slope of Costa Rica were studied. All apids were collected using a pan trap method at 700 m and 1700 m in forest and pasture. The low elevation had higher diversity of Apidae and Meliponinae than the high elevation. These findings are consistent with InBIO (Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad) data on overall elevational trends in Meliponinae and Apidae, yet four species of Meliponinae found in this study add new elevational ranges to InBIO’s records. This study found …
Affects Of Nest Availability On Behavior Of Crawfordapis Luctuosa, A Solitary Bee, May 2003, Erika Blackwell
Affects Of Nest Availability On Behavior Of Crawfordapis Luctuosa, A Solitary Bee, May 2003, Erika Blackwell
Tropical Ecology and Conservation [Monteverde Institute]
Intra-specific interference competition behavior arises when one organism prevents another from utilizing a resource (Begon, et al. 1990). This resource can be mating partners, a food source, or habitat, but it is often less expensive for the organism to defend the resource than to find another. In this study, 60 nest hole entrances were barred in percentages of 25%, and 50%, in order to study the interactions of Crawfordapis luctuosa (Apoidea, Colletidae, Diphaglossinae) in the presence of depleted nest hole availability. The study was conducted in Monteverde, Puntarenas Province, Costa Rica, at a large nest aggregation approximately 1740 meters in …
Liana Size Class Diversity Across Three Forest Habitats, May 2003, Janelle Burke
Liana Size Class Diversity Across Three Forest Habitats, May 2003, Janelle Burke
Tropical Ecology and Conservation [Monteverde Institute]
The purpose of this study was to see how forest edge, primary and secondary habitats affect average size and size class diversity of lianas in a cloud forest in Monteverde, Costa Rica. Three 625 m² sites were studied in primary and secondary forests, and along the edge of a forest. Exhaustive sampling of lianas was taken of four continuous plots within each habitat: all individuals were measured for PBH (perimeter at breast height). The primary forest was the most diverse according to the Shannon- Weiner index of diversity (H’ = 0.918), and the oldest judging by mean perimeter (3.87 ± …