Posts Tagged ‘amazon rainforest’
PD Webinar: The Maijuna Conservation Story & Your Classroom
Hear from Morpho Institute and OnePlanet on the current state of Maijuna conservation — what’s working, what’s new, and why the threat from road development hasn’t disappeared. Learn how you…
Read MoreEnrollment Opens for 2027 PD Courses
Don’t miss the boat! Enrollment opens for our 2027 PD Courses on September 15th at 12PM Eastern. Space is limited and spots fill quickly! Mark your Calendars! Learn more: Educator…
Read MoreUnderstory 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 MoreFollowing the Beetles: Discovering Connections Between Plants and Insects in the Amazon
[ARIE 2025] Heliconia species are iconic in the Neotropics, but many remain surprisingly understudied in the Amazon rainforest. One of those is Heliconia juruana. Our research team studied populations in the Napo-Sucusari Biological Reserve near the ACTS Field Station, focusing on how leaf beetles from the Chrysomelidae family interact with these plants.
Read MoreLearning by Doing: Educators Build a Long-Term Orchid Bee Inventory
[ARIE 2025] This summer, teachers became researchers at the ACTS Field Station, continuing a long-term inventory of orchid bee diversity. By documenting species richness and distribution from the forest floor to the canopy, they gathered data that will support future monitoring of environmental change.
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 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 MoreTeachers 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.
Read MoreThe 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 that glow in the dark.…
Read MoreWeaving 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 sheets of water cascading off…
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