Sunday, July 1, 2018

Day 3-Part 2: Barro Colorado Hike


Vincente and Luiza, research assistants for the Smithsonian, guided us on a 2-hour hike on the trails used by the Smithsonian scientists for their research projects. We learned about the different projects being conducted in the rainforest and saw several sites set up with monitoring devices and collection screens. We even saw a scientist up in the trees! The hike was very steep in some spots, but well-worth the effort. Besides the amazing diversity of plant life and fungi, we spotted howler monkeys, an agouti, poison dart frogs, and several birds, including a trogan. We heard the call of a toucan, but it flew away before we could spot it. We marveled at the enormity of the trees, especially the ones with large buttress roots. We also saw walking palms and a variety of vines. It was a first-hand experience for us to see how everything is interconnected in ecosystems.



Vincent explains the importance of this seed pod


Lots of termite nests up in the trees

Collection screens set up in a research site


Vincente explaining about the walking palm


An agouti foraging in the forest


Spotting a trogan



Huge trees with buttress roots


Many varieties of vines with interesting adaptations. This one's leaves grow flattened on the tree.


So many things to observe and learn about


Spotted a poison dart frog on some rotting vegetation- no bigger than a nickel, these frogs are very tiny.


A howl monkey announces our arrival with his low throated howl.
Quotes from Our Group:

I was amazed to learn that ants poop 10 tons/day on Barro Colorado Island! Kathy G.

I was impressed that the ant poop had 4x the nitrogen content, 6x potassium, and 16x phosphorus. I think there is tremendous potential to use this as fertilizer for plants. Luiza H.

I was fascinated by the termite nests high up in the trees with tunnels running up the trunks of the trees. Page K.

Lovisa’s research on fig trees and fig wasps touches all the other living species - plants and animals in the forest. It’s interconnected to everything else. Carol C.

Kudos to the unsung hero that anchored all the cinder blocks on the trail, making the climb merely difficult rather than impossible! Frank G.

Pay attention to your sixth sense when you are hiking through the rainforest. If you feel you’re being watched, you probably are. John B.

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