Orchid Bee Survey Continues in the Amazon
[ARIE 2024] Orchid bee research at the Amazon Conservatory for Tropical Studies explored the diversity and habitat preferences of these vibrant insects. Our findings indicate that this important group is more abundant on the forest floor than in the canopy. This study provides insight that can help improve our understanding of orchid bee natural history and improve strategies for protecting biodiversity in the Amazon.
Tiger Beetles on the Move: Teachers Develop New Monitoring Protocol
[ARIE 2024] Our teacher research team conducted the first study of tiger beetles in the Napo-Sucusari Biological Reserve in northeastern Peru. They used mark-recapture methods to estimate their population size, applying a technique called the Lincoln-Petersen Index. They also tagged beetles to track their movements using GPS and looked for mites that attach to them. These mites could help us learn more about how the beetles age and when different sexes and species emerge.
Life After the Fall: Teachers Explore Tropical Forest Canopy Gaps
[ARIE 2023] In this long-term study, teacher researchers are tracking how a forest changes over time after a tree falls and creates an opening in the canopy. We’re looking at how the types and numbers of plants and animals in the area shift as the forest naturally grows and develops. The study is designed to help us better understand how communities of plants and animals change over time and how life cycles are affected.
Lizards on the Edge: Teachers Investigate Predation Risk
[ARIE 2023] Tropical forests are like three-dimensional environments, with each layer offering different conditions and opportunities for the animals living there. For smaller animals, like lizards, moving from the forest floor to the canopy is a big shift, with changes in things like light, temperature, shelter, food, and even interactions with other species. In this study, teachers looked at how lizards behave as they move through different parts of the forest. They focused on whether their risk of being preyed upon changes from the forest floor to the canopy, and how they might adapt to the different levels of danger they face in each area.
Teachers as Researchers: Heliconia Survey
[ARIE 2023] Heliconia plants are not well documented in this part of Peru, and there is still a lot to learn about their flowering patterns, leaf growth, and the insects that feed on them. The aim of this project was to start a detailed study of Heliconia in this region, locate and map Heliconia colonies near the ACTS field station, track when they flower and produce new leaves, and document the types of beetles living in the curled leaves and flower clusters.
Teachers Survey Orchid Bees in the Amazon
[ARIE 2023] The Amazon has an incredible variety of life, and many species are still unknown or haven’t been studied over time. In this project, teachers tracked the diversity and number of orchid bees in the Napo-Sucusari Biological Reserve, specifically comparing the forest floor and the canopy. By studying them over a long period, we can spot any changes in the environment and learn more about these bees and their role in the ecosystem.
The Rainforest is My Teacher
So, what did I learn, and continue to learn from the Rainforest? So much more than the trees, birds, monkeys, dolphins, fish, or the things…
Weaving a Future in the Amazon
Supporting Indigenous Craftsmanship by Dr. Nancy Trautmann Imagine lying in a hammock in an open-air shelter in the Amazon rainforest. Hearing torrential rainfall and watching…
So, what’s your transformation story?
by Dr. Kelly Keena, Board President. I was sitting in the dark movie theatre watching Frozen 2 with my almost-adult daughter. The end scene is…
Why Morpho?
by Dr. Kelly Keena, Board President We sat in the green and white wooden Explorama boat nosed into the bank of a small tributary stream.…
The Power of Partnerships in the Amazon
by Dr. Nancy Trautmann, founding board member of the Morpho Institute As an environmental scientist and educator, my career has centered on helping educators reach…