Researchers develop integrative models for movement of diverse organisms, integrating when, where, how, and why they move. These models accurately predict real events, such as tree seed dispersal by wind under various conditions.
Archaeologists discovered starch grains on ancient human teeth in Peru, revealing the earliest consumption of beans and pacay. The findings suggest that New World people were committed farmers earlier than thought, dating back over 2,000 years.
The Panamanian termite has recorded the fastest mandible strike ever, with footage showing a soldier termite's jaws striking an invader at speeds of up to 70 meters per second. This rapid strike is thought to be due to the termites' need to store energy in their mandibles to generate force.
The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute has launched an online information system to identify and generate maps for 1,287 tropical eastern Pacific shore fish species. The system allows users to search by common name, location, shape, and color, and provides detailed information on each species.
Researchers discovered that frog embryos at an early developmental stage actively respond to oxygen levels in the egg. By positioning their external gills in a small high-oxygen area, they maintain high metabolic rates and rapid development. This behavior is crucial for their long-term survival.
Researchers found that trees in the Yasuni forest use distinct strategies to survive, challenging the neutral theory of biodiversity. The study supports an alternative explanation that individual species characteristics play a crucial role in maintaining biodiversity.
A study published in Science warns that climate change may exceed life's ability to respond, threatening 53% of species with extinction. The research provides critical insights into the effects of warming on tropical ecosystems, highlighting the need for conservation measures.
Experts warn of catastrophic ocean extinction unless drastic measures are taken to reverse the damage caused by human exploitation, pollution and climate change. The consequences include the collapse of edible species, toxic algal blooms and increased disease outbreaks.
Scientists predict that rare Amazon tree species could suffer up to 50% extinction rates, while common tree species may survive. The Amazon basin contains about 40% of the world's remaining rainforest, with many rare species present.
A new species of Bagworm Moth with predatory larvae has been discovered in Panama's tropical forest. The larvae construct portable structures called 'bags' to capture prey, including spiders and insects.
Researchers found that brightly colored beetles and butterfly larvae are significantly more common on plants with compounds active against certain diseases, such as breast cancer and malaria. This discovery could speed up drug discovery and provide insight into the ecological relationships between tropical-forest plants and insects.
The study revealed 57 coral species, with higher diversity in smaller patchy areas and a focus on protecting larger conservation units. The authors recommend marine reserves to protect high-biodiversity areas, such as the islands of Isla Galera, Isla San Telmo, and Isla Mogo Mogo.
Researchers successfully recorded the electrophysiology of sleep in a wild animal, three-toed sloths, and found they slept 9.63 hours per day, significantly less than captive sloths. This study provides insight into the function of sleep in mammals and challenges previous comparative studies conducted in captivity.
Researchers at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute found that bats are more effective pest control agents than birds in a lowland tropical rainforest. In the study, plants lost 13.3% of their leaf area when only bats were excluded, compared to 7.2% with only birds excluded.
Sea turtles are blocked by lost logs along Gabon's beaches, impeding nesting attempts and killing some female turtles. Logging practices pose a significant threat to critically endangered leatherback turtles.
A new study by Zah et al. reveals striking differences in the environmental costs of different biofuels, with fuels from U.S. corn, Brazilian soy, and Malaysian palm oil found to be worse than fossil fuels. The best alternatives include biofuels from residual products.
Scientists at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute have discovered an established population of invasive Harris mud crabs in the Panama Canal's Miraflores Third Lock Lake. The crustaceans, native to North America, are known to cause environmental and economic harm, fouling pipes and preying on fish in gill nets.
The Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project, a long-term research effort in the Amazon, is imperiled by SUFRAMA's colonization plan. The project, which has hosted hundreds of scientists, may lose its research sites and critical conservation areas.
A global assessment reveals that poor management in tropical parks is often driven by corruption and poverty, leading to ineffective fire prevention. The study used satellite data to measure park effectiveness across countries, finding that some parks succeeded where others failed to prevent fires.
New evidence from Mexico's Central Balsas valley links crop domestication in the New World to local environmental history. Agriculture originated during a warm, wet period following the last ice age, and its effects on the environment are still evident today.
Five new species of nudibranchs, a group of mollusks lacking outer shells, have been discovered in the Tropical Eastern Pacific. The discovery may provide cures for diseases currently untreatable due to the sophisticated chemical defense mechanisms developed by these organisms.
In a study of fiddler crabs, researchers found that females prefer males with hood-like sand castles as these signals help them avoid predators while sequentially visiting and assessing potential mates. This new understanding highlights how the ecology of choosing a mate can shape sexual communication.
Researchers found that drought tolerance predicts plant distributions at local and regional scales in tropical forests. Drought-tolerant plants are more common in dry sites than in wet sites, even in humid forests.
Scientists have found that a group of sea snails can regain the lost larval stage, breaking Dollo's Law. This discovery suggests that animals may carry the potential for evolutionary change around with them.
A Smithsonian-led research team has won a scientific prize for their study on the impacts of habitat fragmentation on the Amazon ecosystem. The team found that tree communities are rapidly changing in forest fragments due to ecological changes near the margins, posing a significant threat to Amazonian biodiversity.
A new study by Smithsonian scientists suggests that environmental changes in the Caribbean led to extinctions 2 million years after the formation of the Isthmus of Panama. The research found that most coral and snail species died off a good 2 million years after the environmental change that caused their demise.
A recent study published in Science has found that the size of Amazon forest reserves is crucial for protecting bird species. The research, led by Gonçalo Ferraz, used a 13-year data set of over 40,000 bird captures to show that larger areas are more important than isolation in maintaining biodiversity.
Researchers found that snail hosts arriving from Japan led to novel disease outbreaks in North America. Genetic analysis revealed distinct invasion pathways for two cryptic species of trematode parasites, one arriving with the snails and the other historically dispersed by migratory birds.
A novel program in Panama trains professionals to advance drug discovery, reducing costs and promoting tropical biodiversity conservation. The International Cooperative Biodiversity Groups (ICBG) program provides economic and educational benefits for local students and communities.
Research reveals that Amazonian forests are undergoing a rapid transformation as a result of fragmentation, leading to the loss of rare and slow-growing tree species. The study found that small, fast-growing trees store less carbon, contributing to global warming.
A recent study published in Science found a direct link between tropical tree species diversity and the diversity of leaf-eating insects. The research team compared insect feeding habits in temperate and tropical forests, concluding that higher tree diversity supports more insect species.
A study by Lessios and Robertson confirms close relationships between reef fish populations on both sides of the Pacific barrier, with gene flow occurring in both directions. The researchers rule out major changes in currents or geological events as barriers to population separation.
Researchers successfully created a hybrid butterfly species in the lab, with offspring exhibiting traits from both parent species. The discovery sheds light on the rare phenomenon of homoploid hybrid speciation in animals and has implications for our understanding of species formation.
The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute is coordinating the planning process for Panama's Coiba National Park/World Heritage Site, aiming to develop a realistic management plan while promoting sustainable activities. The park will benefit from expertise in diverse areas and collaboration with local authorities.
Researchers found that female túngara frogs are attracted to males producing complex 'whine chuck' calls. By surgically removing fibrous masses in the males' larynx, scientists discovered a unique connection between these structures and call complexity.
A recent study challenges metabolic ecology models, which failed to explain tropical forest structure and dynamics. Instead, researchers found that environmental conditions and species traits play a crucial role in shaping these ecosystems.
A new initiative aims to slow deforestation in tropical forests by allowing wealthy industrial nations to pay developing countries to conserve their forests. This mechanism would earn 'carbon credits' that count toward emissions targets, potentially reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
New projections suggest that deforestation rates will decrease as population growth slows, allowing a larger area of tropical forests to remain. The study's findings provide hope that many tropical forest species can survive the current wave of deforestation and human population growth.
Researchers found a positive correlation between tropical area expansion and diversity increase during global warming. Conversely, forest fragmentation during cooling periods leads to decreased diversity. The study suggests that changes in area drive speciation and extinction in the tropics.
Researchers discovered evidence of ancient Amazonian crops, including arrowroot and maize, at the Waynuna site in southern Peru. The findings push back the date of maize cultivation by ~1000 years, revealing a complex exchange network between Amazonian and Andean cultures.
In a unique discovery, researchers found that Batwa Pygmies located bee nests for honey, and Apis mellifera subspecies coexist with native-American stingless bees. The Bwindi-Impenetrable National Park's diverse ecosystem lacks ecological information on honey-making bees.
Research by Kline at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute found that high levels of sugar in seawater can kill corals by encouraging bacterial growth. This discovery underscores the need to consider the impact of carbon compounds on coral reefs when developing conservation efforts.
The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute presents a comprehensive guide to the marine invertebrates of Bocas del Toro, with over 3000 documented species. The study highlights the region's high diversity and sets the stage for future research and conservation efforts.
Researchers sequenced goby DNA to find evidence of invasion; genetic analysis suggests Atlantic gobies invaded during warm period 150,000 years ago. Warmer climate may lead to further expansion of marine species beyond cold water barriers.
Tropical forest landscapes are changing rapidly as old-growth forests become agricultural lands, degraded land is abandoned, and urbanization intensifies. Scientists are studying the dimensions and mechanisms of forest responses to rapid human-population increase and environmental changes.
The Mayan 'royal lady' bee is on the brink of extinction as its traditional propagation method is lost. The authors propose a conservation strategy involving step-by-step instructions for basic stingless beekeeping, aiming to revive this vital pollinator.
Researchers found genetically similar fish in ecologically similar habitats across vast distances, contradicting the idea that geographical barriers drive speciation. This discovery supports ecological speciation and suggests a new approach to understanding biodiversity evolution on land and sea.
Researchers have discovered that most C. atratus workers can glide back to their home tree after falling, a behavior crucial for survival in the high-risk tropical forest canopy. The ants use visual orientation and mechanisms to change direction and maintain a steady glide path through the air.
Excavations at Los Ajos, a 4,800-4,200 year old mound complex in Uruguay, revealed sophisticated levels of planning and cooperation. The site's farmers adopted early cultivars, including maize and squash, and exhibited an independent architectural tradition.
A multi-species herbivore outbreak occurred in Panama following an El Niño drought, causing moth larvae to devour 250% more leaf material than usual. The short-lived event was brought under control quickly by natural predators and diseases, but highlights the potential impact of climate change on forest ecosystems.