INSTRUCTOR:
Dr. David Baumgardner
Department of Biology
Texas A&M University
3258 TAMU
College Station, TX 77843-3258
Office:  BSBE #325
Phone:  979-845-4191
e-mail: dbaumgardner@tamu.edu

TEACHING ASSISTANT:
Angela Witmer, PhD candidate
Department of Biology
Texas A&M University
3258 TAMU
College Station, TX 77843-3258
Phone:  979-845-3422
e-mail: awitmer@bio.tamu.edu

STUDY ABROAD ADVISOR:
Angelina Fonseca
Study Abroad Program
Bizzell Hall West
Texas A&M University
979-845-0544
afonseca@ipomail.tamu.edu

Course Description:  This is primarily a field intensive course taught in Central America, appropriate for students interested in tropical ecology or field biology.  The primary objective of the course is for students to gain an in-depth understanding of tropical ecology, to include topics such as energy flow, nutrient cycling, and interactions of plant and animal communities.  In addition, students will also develop a better understanding of the needs and problems associated with tropical environments.  Students are required to meet once a week for two hours during the Spring semester in order to prepare them for the summer portion of the course.  The field portion of the course will last two weeks during the summer session, with the remainder of the summer session devoted to finalizing written results and the oral presentation.

RECENT ANNOUNCEMENTS

03 September 2010: Student course evaluations now online.

STUDENT PROJECTS

Anderson, Nicole_Effects of Eyesports on Nymphalidae Feeding Preference.pdf
Burman, Victoria_Animal Instinct.pdf
--(POSTER)
Cade, Jared_Realistic Displays of Interspecific Mutualism Between Cercopia and Azteca.pdf
Chairez, Erika_Microhabitat use and mating behavior of the red-eyed tree frog.pdf
Cox, Megan_Analysis of cultural awareness and prevalence of Chagas disease in five provinces of Costa Rica.pdf
--(POSTER)
Green, Jennifer_Mating Calls of Dendropsophus ebraccatus.pdf
Herrera, Jonathan_Water Quality Study in Costa Rica.pdf
Hunter, Carrie Ann_Basking Habits of Kinosternon leucostomum.pdf
--(POSTER)
Iraheta, Patrice_Survey of Ticks on Snakes and Toads in Costa Rica.pdf
Snider, April_Spatial Distribution of Trees.pdf
--(POSTER)
Stiles, Kevin_Comparison of populations of Dendrobates pumilio in highlandm and lowland tropical forests of Costa Rica.pdf
Thomas, Noel_Herpetofauna Between Two EcoRegions in Costa Rica.pdf
Varisco, Tyler_Microhabitat preference of mayflies in Neotropical streams.pdf

Spring 2010 Seminar Schedule (pdf)
Summer 2, 2010, Schedule(pdf)
Complete Course Syllabus(pdf)
Course Information Flyer (pdf)
Soltis Tropical Research Center
La Selva Tropical Research Center

Suggested Readings

Ugly American
Graduate Research in Developing World
New Vistas in Neotropical Stream Ecology