We’re nearly finished with our transects here. Over the past month we’ve installed fifty 50 meter x 2 meter transects, tagging all plants with a diameter greater than 1 centimeter. Today we finished the last one – 5,419 stems in all. Nearly all of these are small – seedlings, or small vines. Large plants require…

Some animals challenge the human tendency to assume our superior nature. Leafcutter ants (Atta sp.) are one of these species. These ants explore the forest, choosing only the trees with the tastiest leaves. They then send thousands of workers to systematically cut small sections from each leaf. The harvested material is carried back to their…

A fundamental property of an organism is its size. Ecologists like to measure trees’ diameters because they are good predictors of a tree’s biomass and thus its role in the ecosystem. Measuring tapes work well, but can become unwieldy on large trees. The hug then becomes the unit of choice. Here is a large Jacaranda…

Only a small part of Barro Colorado Island has been cleared for laboratory and dormitory facilities. Here’s a short tour of the places we stay in – a small foothold against the living forest. First, the island’s docks, where ferries and supplies come and go. The forest guards (guardabosques) who protect against poaching and other…