research
Understory Surprises: Insect Richness in a Rainforest Vertical Study
What happens when you look for biodiversity on both the forest floor and in the rainforest canopy? During the Amazon Research Initiative for Educators (ARIE), educators and researchers used simple fruit-baited traps at the Amazon Conservatory of Tropical Studies (ACTS) in Peru to explore …
Read MoreWhen Was the Last Time Professional Development Changed Your Life?
When Was the Last Time Professional Development Changed Your Life? A new Morpho impact survey has the answers! Summary: Professional development is often measured in hours—but what if it could…
Read MoreWhat if We Start with AWE? Designing Classrooms for Transformation.
By Rosanna Ruiz, EdD, Morpho Institute, Board President Unlearning to Learn: How Awe Clears the Way for Deeper Learning What if one of the most powerful tools in education isn’t…
Read MoreA Tree Falls in the Amazon: What happens next?
[ARIE 2024] Sunlight is critical to plant survival, accounting for the aggressive growth after a tree fall, fighting for the light available through the canopy gap. Seeds lie dormant underground, ready for rapid growth to take over the opening. Since rainforests store about half of the world’s carbon, understanding the new growth in a tree plot extends our knowledge of rain forest dynamics and carbon absorption that help us address climate changes in other ecosystems. Measuring changes in plant life, organisms and light density over time provides insight into how tropical rainforests evolve as carbon sinks for the world.
Read MoreOrchid 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.
Read MoreTiger 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.
Read MoreLife 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.
Read MoreLizards 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.
Read MoreTeachers 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.
Read MoreWhat a difference a month can make
One month ago. We were finalizing the roster for our 2020 Educator Academy in the Amazon. We were celebrating a fruitful collaboration with our conservation partners.We were hatching plans for…
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