Luquillo LTER

Visit our FAQ. Visit us with our Virtual Site Visit or see our brochure for a quick look at who we are and what we do (en Español).

We are excited to announce that we now have a direct method for sending donations to support El Verde Field Station! See here!

For important safety information see our Field Safety Guide / Guía de Seguridad (en Español)

Check Out our Tropical Phenology Explorer App!

We have new visitor maps to help navigate El Verde / mapa en Español; El Verde tree species guide

See posts from the LTER Community Instagram Feed

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DRUM ROLL PLEASE! Competition was stiff in this

DRUM ROLL PLEASE!

Competition was stiff in this year's LTER Photo Contest, but the people have spoken, and we have winners!

In the Landscape category, the Minneapolis St. Paul LTER's stunning urban landscape—complete with wildflowers, water features, and city skylines—came out on top. Congratulations to photographer Christof Zweifel!

In the Research in Action category, the shimmering underwater light of the Moorea Coral Reef LTER took the cake. Congratulations to photographer Daniel Cryan!

In the Small Details category, a wonderful display of parenthood at the Palmer Antarctic LTER stood above the rest. Congratulations to photographer Michael Cappola for the victory!

A big thank you to all our photographers, and to all of YOU for voting!

See you next year for another competition—may your site come out on top!

Check the link in our bio to see all the submissions to the contest!

Final Round of Voting! Research in Action Categor

Final Round of Voting!

Research in Action Category!

Two have risen to the surface in the Research in Action category of the LTER Photo Contest!

It's all underwater folks—from the shallows of the Florida Coastal Everglades LTER @fce_studentgroup mangroves to the stunningly clear reefs of the Moorea Coral Reef LTER @mcr_lter.

Where would you rather be submerged? Pick a winner in the poll in the comments!
Voting closes next Sunday!

FCE: Thomas Shannon
@wow_small_world

Final Round of Voting! Small Details Category! A

Final Round of Voting!

Small Details Category!

All those LTER sites and we've ended up on the same continent—Antarctica—for our final in the Small Details category!

First we've got a penguin family at the Palmer Antarctic LTER showing a little parent-child support. It's tough out there—a good family helps! That fam goes up against the depths of an icy hole at the @mcm_lter McMurdo Dry Valleys LTER—how deep does that go, anyways?

Pick your antarctic winner in the poll in the comments!
Voting closes next Sunday!

PAL: Michael Cappola
@michaelecappola

MCM: Emily Reynebeau
@mcm_lter

Final Round of Voting! Landscape Category! One a

Final Round of Voting!

Landscape Category!

One above, one below—but water is still the draw in the Landscape category final of our LTER Photo Contest.

Both of these look so peaceful—sampling from a canoe at the Minneapolis St. Paul LTER site, and diving deep beneath the kelp on a clear day at the Santa Barbara Coastal LTER @sbc_lter.

Are you a saltwater or freshwater fan? Pick a winner in the poll in the comments!
Voting closes next Sunday!

MSP: Christof Zweifel
@christofzweifel

SBC: Sophia Cabral
@sophiar.photos

Vote for a winner in the semi final round of our S

Vote for a winner in the semi final round of our Small Details category!

Survival is a tricky thing—some species hide out, others support each other. Which type are you? Pick a winner for this round of the LTER Photo Contest, where the Moorea Coral Reef LTER @mcr_lter faces off against the Palmer Antarctic LTER!

Be sure to check out our page and vote on the other head to head battles in our 2024 LTER Photo Contest!

And check back next week for the final round of voting!

Moorea Coral Reef: Daniel Cryan
@danmcryan

Palmer Antarctic LTER: Michael Cappola
@michaelecappola

Vote for a winner in the semi final round of our S

Vote for a winner in the semi final round of our Small Details category!

Do you prefer dry and cold, or wet and humid? Depends on which LTER you work at, I bet! The critters of the tropical forests of the Luquillo LTER @luquillo.lter take on the cold, dry, nearly creature-less expanse of the McMurdo Dry Valleys @mcm_lter in this round of our Photo Contest! Just don't tell the nematodes that the dry valleys are uninhabited—they're thriving!

Be sure to check out our page and vote on the other head to head battles in our 2024 LTER Photo Contest!

And check back next week for the final round of voting!

Luquillo: Clayton Ziemke
@legendofziemke

McMurdo Dry Valleys: Emily Reynebeau
@em_reynebear

Vote for a winner in the semi final round of our R

Vote for a winner in the semi final round of our Research in Action category!

What do these sites have in common? A ton! They're both underwater. They're both based out of UCSB. And, they've got stunning Research in Action photos! The Santa Barbara Coastal LTER @sbc_lter takes on the Moorea Coral Reef LTER @mcr_lter for marine dominance in this round of our Photo Contest!

Be sure to check out our page and vote on the other head to head battles in our 2024 LTER Photo Contest!

And check back next week for the final round of voting!

Santa Barbara Coastal: Sophia Cabral
@sophiar.photos

Moorea Coral Reef: Daniel Cryan
@danmcryan

Vote for a winner in the semi final round of our R

Vote for a winner in the semi final round of our Research in Action category!

We're deep in the swamps (or marshes?) for this Research in Action round of the LTER Photo Contest! The mangroves of the Florida Coastal Everglades LTER @fcelter take on the switchgrass of the Georgia Coastal Ecosystems LTER!

Be sure to check out our page and vote on the other head to head battles in our 2024 LTER Photo Contest!

And check back next week for the final round of voting!

Florida Coastal Everglades: Thomas Shannon
@wow_small_world

Georgia Coastal Ecosystems: Steven Pennings

Vote for a winner in the semi final round of our L

Vote for a winner in the semi final round of our Landscape category!

They both start with M, but these sites couldn't be farther apart! The icy, desolate expanse of the McMurdo Dry Valleys LTER site @mcm_lter takes on the urban ecosystem of the Minneapolis-St. Paul LTER in this round of voting!

Be sure to check out our page and vote on the other head to head battles in our 2024 LTER Photo Contest!

And check back next week for the final round of voting!

McMurdo Dry Valleys: Bradley Kryzsiak
@bmkrazy

Minneapolis-St. Paul LTER: Christof Zweifel
@christofzweifel

Vote for a winner in the semi final round of our L

Vote for a winner in the semi final round of our Landscape category!

They say water always wins, and this round of our photo contest will definitely confirm that saying. It's the halcyon days of summer from the Hubbard Brook LTER @hubbardbrook.research versus a stunningly blue kelp forest and Garibaldi at the Santa Barbara Coastal LTER @sbc_lter in this round of our Photo Contest's Landscape Category!

Be sure to check out our page and vote on the other head to head battles in our 2024 LTER Photo Contest!

And check back next week for the final round of voting!

Hubbard Brook LTER: Anthea Lavallee

Santa Barbara Coastal LTER: Sophia Cabral
@sophiar.photos

🚨We previously put the wrong photo under NES-so

🚨We previously put the wrong photo under NES-so be sure to vote again!🚨

Vote for your favorite photo below!

Do you like being in the ocean, or the anticipation of a good dunking? The underwater diver of the @sbc_lter Santa Barbara Coastal LTER faces off against a ready-to-dunk plankton net at the Northeast US Shelf LTER @whoi.ocean

Be sure to check out our page and vote on the other head to head battles in our 2024 LTER Photo Contest!

Santa Barbara Coastal: Sophia Cabral @sophiar.photos
Northeast U.S. Shelf: Alexandra Cabanelas

Vote for your favorite photo below! The hidden cr

Vote for your favorite photo below!

The hidden creatures are out! Well, sorta—we can see you, frog! That little amphibian at the Florida Coastal Everglades LTER @fce_studentgroup faces off agains the...uh...what is that thing? of the @luquillo.lter Luquillo LTER in this round of our photo contest!

Be sure to check out our page and vote on the other head to head battles in our 2024 LTER Photo Contest!

Voting closes Friday for this round. Check back next week for round 4 (of 5!)

Florida Coastal Everglades: Thomas Shannon
@wow_small_world

Luquillo: Clayton Ziemke
@legendofziemke

Vote for your favorite photo below! This parent i

Vote for your favorite photo below!

This parent is catching a break—the Palmer LTER gets a bye in this round of the small details category of our LTER Photo Contest. Why a bye? It's the only way to make a bracket of 27 sites work out!

Be sure to check out our page and vote on the other head to head battles in our 2024 LTER Photo Contest!

Voting closes Friday for this round. Check back next week for round 4 (of 5!)

Palmer LTER: Michael Cappola

Vote for your favorite photo below! Can you say s

Vote for your favorite photo below!

Can you say small? We sure can! That tiny crab from the @mcr_lter Moorea Coral Reefs LTER has stiff competition with that mushroom from the @hubbardbrook.research Hubbard Brook LTER in this round of our photo contest!

Be sure to check out our page and vote on the other head to head battles in our 2024 LTER Photo Contest!

Voting closes Friday for this round. Check back next week for round 4 (of 5!)

Moorea Coral Reef: Daniel Cryan
@danmcryan

Hubbard Brook: Raisa Kochmaruk
@raisa_kochmaruk

Vote for your favorite photo below! Would you rat

Vote for your favorite photo below!

Would you rather hit those spines or sink in that icy water? Me neither! The @cap_lter Central Arizona Phoenix LTER goes up against the @mcm_lter McMurdo Dry Valleys in this small details round of the LTER Photo Contest!

Be sure to check out our page and vote on the other head to head battles in our 2024 LTER Photo Contest!

Voting closes Friday!

Central Arizona-Phoenix: Jeffrey Haight
@jdhaight93

McMurdo Dry Valleys: Emily Reynebeau
@em_reynebear

Vote for your favorite photo below! It's again lu

Vote for your favorite photo below!

It's again lucky to be underwater—the Moorea Coral Reef LTER @mcr_lter gets a bye in the landscape category this round! Why a bye? It's the only way to make our bracket of 27 sites work out!

Be sure to check out our page and vote on the other head to head battles in our 2024 LTER Photo Contest!

Moorea Coral Reef: Daniel Cryan @danmcryan

Vote for your favorite photo below! Two east coas

Vote for your favorite photo below!

Two east coast sites with very different landscapes—the salt marshes of the Georgia Coastal Ecosystems LTER versus the deciduous forests of the @harvard.forest Harvard Forest LTER! They face off in the Research in Action category of the LTER Photo Contest!

Be sure to check out our page and vote on the other head to head battles in our 2024 LTER Photo Contest!

Georgia Coastal Ecosystems: Steven Pennings

Harvard Forest LTER: Benjamin GouletScott
@bengoulet11

Vote for your favorite photo below! Check out tha

Vote for your favorite photo below!

Check out that little jelly—can it stand up to a very observant researcher? It's up to you! Florida Coastal Everglades @fcestudentgroup faces off agains the @andrewsforest Andrews Forest LTER for this round of the Research in Action category of our LTER Photo Contest!

Be sure to check out our page and vote on the other head to head battles in our 2024 LTER Photo Contest!

Florida Coastal Everglades: Thomas Shannon
@wow_small_world

Andrews Forest: Benjamin Nash @sarcastic_nash

Vote for your favorite photo below! It's lucky to

Vote for your favorite photo below!

It's lucky to be underwater—the Santa Barbara Coastal LTER @sbc_lter gets a bye in the landscape category this round! Why a bye? It's the only way to make our bracket of 27 sites work out!

Be sure to check out our page and vote on the other head to head battles in our 2024 LTER Photo Contest!

Santa Barbara Coastal: Sophia Cabral

Vote for your favorite photo below! Its the high

Vote for your favorite photo below!

Its the high mountains of @nwtlter Colorado versus the peaceful Northeast forest of @hubbardbrook.research in this round of voting for the LTER Photo Contest!

Be sure to check out our page and vote on the other head to head battles in our 2024 LTER Photo Contest!

Niwot Ridge: Rachel Billings
Hubbard Brook: Anthea Lavallee

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See posts from the Luquillo LTER Instagram Feed

luquillo.lter

Internship opportunity at El Verde Field Station!

Internship opportunity at El Verde Field Station!

Tropical forest research experience - Coqui and Lizard Census Intern

Who? Recent graduates with a biology, ecology, or environmental science background, particularly those with fieldwork experience and knowledge in lizard and coqui identification.

Applications are being reviewed on a rolling basis.

Contact for Further Questions:

Jesa Santiago: jesajane63@gmail.com
Monique Picon: mopicon@gmail.com

If you would like more information, you can visit the Luquillo LTER website: https://luquillo.lter.network/

¡Oportunidad de internado en la Estación de El Verde!

Experiencia de investigación en bosques tropicales - Pasantía de censo de coquíes y lagartijos

¿Quién? Recién graduados en biología, ecología o ciencias ambientales, especialmente aquellos con experiencia en trabajo de campo y conocimientos en identificación de lagartijos y coquíes.

Las solicitudes se revisan continuamente.

Contacto para más preguntas:

Jesa Santiago: jesajane63@gmail.com Monique Picon: mopicon@gmail.com

Si desea más información, puede visitar el sitio web de Luquillo LTER: https://luquillo.lter.network/

Internship opportunity for undergraduate students

Internship opportunity for undergraduate students in Puerto Rico!

🧭 Application deadline September 15.

The application form is available at https://forms.gle/GR42Y3PgKQHFPwu88

Compartimos oportunidad de internado en datos geoespaciales para estudiantes subgraduados en Puerto Rico.

🧭 Fecha límite para solicitar este próximo domingo 15 de septiembre.

Por favor solicitar en este enlace: https://forms.gle/GR42Y3PgKQHFPwu88"

We are excited to announce that we now have a dire

We are excited to announce that we now have a direct method for sending donations to support El Verde Field Station! Donated funds go directly to the station account without any deductions by the university. You may also direct the system to make regular monthly donations. You can make your donation on the UPRRP website: https://buff.ly/3Za1T2h For more specific instructions, on navigating the donation website, see here: https://buff.ly/4e4atns. As you know, the station plays a crucial role in tropical research, education, and environmental conservation in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean, and your generous contribution will directly help us improve the station facilities. We will provide a detailed report each semester outlining how the donations were used and the progress made on our projects.

Dra. Angélica Varela Llavona visits El Verde Fiel

Dra. Angélica Varela Llavona visits El Verde Field Station.

Shared from upr.rp Instagram:

"🌳🔬Hoy la rectora de nuestro recinto, Dra. Angélica Varela Llavona, visitó la estación experimental El Verde, que ubica en terrenos del Bosque Nacional El Yunque desde la cual se realizan importantes estudios sobre los ecosistemas tropicales que son financiadas a través de varias subvenciones federales y estatales. Este centro de investigación está adscrito al Departamento de Ciencias Ambientales de la Facultad de Ciencias Naturales.

🧪🧫 Además de llevarse acabo investigaciones de calibre internacional, a través de los proyectos de la estación se provee la capacitación y la educación en diversos temas relacionados a las ciencias ambientales a estudiantes, investigadores y público general.

Varela Llavona hizo un recorrido junto al decano de la Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Dr. Carlos Corrada Bravo, los investigadores Dr. Omar Pérez y Dr. Christopher Nytch, para conocer de cerca las necesidades del espacio, y sobre los proyectos investigativos que se llevan a cabo en el lugar."

🔊 Job Position! 🚨 Attention senior undergr

🔊 Job Position!

🚨 Attention senior undergraduate or recent graduate students in biology, ecology, or environmental science. Up to 6 full-time interns will be hired to assist with the 2024 seedling census.

⏳ The deadline for application submissions is February 2, 2024.

📝 Applications and inquiries should be sent to nelson.bonilla@upr.edu.

See the images for more details.

🔊 ¡Puesto de trabajo!

🚨 Atención a estudiantes de último año o recién graduados en biología, ecología o ciencias ambientales. Se llenarán hasta 6 posiciones de pasantía a tiempo completo para asistir en el censo de plántulas de 2024.

⏳ La fecha límite para enviar solicitudes es el 2 de febrero de 2024.

📝 Envíen sus solicitudes y consultas a nelson.bonilla@upr.edu.

Vean las imágenes para más detalles.

#lter #luqlter #studentsofluquillo

GCSR: Follow the work of the 2023 REU students. T

GCSR: Follow the work of the 2023 REU students.

Today we highlight University of Puerto Rico - Río Piedras student Pablo Andres Arce Benitez.

“Sediments are small particles that settle at the bottom of streams and are essential for many ecosystem processes. These materials carry nutrients and contaminants, are formed by organic and inorganic particles, and are introduced into the streams by water runoff during a rain episode, organic matter inputs, and human activities.
(photo 1)

🦐Atya lanipes is one of nine species of freshwater shrimp found in high-elevation streams in Puerto Rico. They reach high densities when fish are not present. A. lanipes plays an important role in resuspending deposited sediments, essentially cleaning the streams. A. lanipes is so effective at resuspending fine sediments that after a rain episode, they can completely remove the sediments in 24 hours. The reason they are so good is because they are constantly foraging for food on the surface of the benthos.
(photo 2)

🌡As temperatures are expected to rise in streams in the future, this summer we are studying the effect of temperature on A. lanipes ability to remove sediments. To achieve this we collected benthic deposited sediment and dried it out (photo 3 y 4) and then we made a close irrigation system with 20 containers to house 10 shrimps at a time (photo 5). After preparing the close irrigation system we went fishing for shrimp using traps and dog food as bait, once captured the shrimp were measured to determine if they were the correct size for the experiment (photo6). For the experiment, each container will be filled with water with the desired temperature, a sand substrate base, recollected benthic sediment, and housing for the shrimps and the shrimps. The water in the container will be recirculated constantly to eliminate the sediments resuspended by the shrimp. Then after 24 hours of activity, the sediment left in the container will be used to determine the amount of resuspended sediment”.

#lter #luquillolter #studentsofluquillo #fieldwork

Follow the @aramirezlab

GCSR: Follow the work of the 2023 REU students. T

GCSR: Follow the work of the 2023 REU students.

Today we highlight Wesleyan University student Matthew J. Gilbert.

"What comes to mind when you think of animals living in streams? Fish? Shrimp? What about aquatic insects? While they might be tiny, hard to see, and a little scary-looking, aquatic insects are a very important part of stream ecosystems.

My research this summer is focused on a particular aquatic insect called a mayfly (order Ephemeroptera). As of right now, it is unclear how their in-stream resource use differs between the different genera of mayflies found in Puerto Rico, so to address this gap in knowledge, I'm working with three different genera of mayfly larvae.

There are two habitats I’m observing: leaf litter and rocks. To answer the question of which of these resources is preferred by each mayfly genus, I divided my project into two sections, survey sampling and experimental sampling. For survey sampling, I am going to Quebrada Sonadora, a stream in the Luquillo Experimental Forest, and using a specialized net (called a Surber net) I collect mayflies within 15x15cm plots across a range of all rock to all leaf habitats. For experimental sampling, I find plots without rocks and introduce them, and plots without leaves and introduce them to see if there is a change in the proportion of mayfly genera. I also sample plots before introducing the new resource and once a week for 3 more weeks to allow for mayflies to start inhabiting the leaves and rocks.

Disturbances, like hurricanes, alter the resource availability in streams. Climate change predictions show an increase in hurricane frequency and severity in the coming years, making this work particularly important for understanding modern stream ecology.

Picture 1: Sampling a riffle with a Surber net

Picture 2: Transferring mayflies from trays to vials

Picture 3: Neohagenulus sp. under a microscope

Picture 4: Washing out leaf bags to remove mayflies holding on"

#lter #luquillolter #studentsofluquillo #fieldwork

Follow the @aramirezlab

GCSR: Follow the work of the 2023 REU students. T

GCSR: Follow the work of the 2023 REU students.

Today we highlight Joaquin Hemstreet of California State University, Northridge.

"Wendilgarda clara is a web-building spider commonly found along the edges of streams in Puerto Rico.

This ray spider is a generalist predator that primarily captures aquatic insects using a longline fishing web, similar to those on ships. However, it shares its habitat with three species
of Anolis lizards. Anolis are generalist predators that eat a wide variety of small prey, including spiders. Studies have shown that both Anolis and spiders are fairly reliant on aquatic insects as a food resource.

As climate change progresses, drought frequency in the tropics is expected to
increase, which will lead to an increased lack of connectivity and shrinking of aquatic habitat, which will likely change food web assembly.

My mentor is Dr. Jesús E. Gómez, and he has assisted me on my project to determine how these two groups of predators will interact with each other under drought conditions.

I am working at a stream called Quebrada Prieta in the Luquillo Mountains, which is divided into two tributaries: Prieta A and Prieta B. The first of these two tributaries is unmodified, and the second
subject to a baseline flow manipulation in which part of the water is diverted to simulate stream conditions during a drought year.

We expect to see stronger pressure of Anolis on stream arthropods in the stream under flow manipulation" (1/2)

GCSR: Follow the work of the 2023 REU students. T

GCSR: Follow the work of the 2023 REU students.

Today we highlight University of South Florida student Gabriel Rodriguez-Vazquez.

"Niche overlap among native and non-native freshwater fish in Puerto Rico.

The effects of non-native species can be seen everywhere in Puerto Rico. From trees, to flowers, non-natives are everywhere on the island. Of these, there are dozens of non-native freshwater fish species in Puerto Rico. Many of which were introduced through the pet trade as aquarium pets. Understanding how they affect the native fish species can help us identify which species are becoming invasive and causing damage.

This summer, I am working with Dr. Josue Santiago-Vera, to determine the degree of niche overlap or competition for food between native and non-native freshwater fish. Using nets, we cornered and caught fish at a stream known as El Señorial. The majority of fish present at this location were the bright orange non-native Red Devil (Amphilophus labiatus). Other species we were able to catch were non-native Convict cichlids (Amatitlania nigrofasciata) and native big mouth sleepers (Gobiomorus dormitor). Once caught, we flush their stomach contents out and examine them under a microscope. From there we quantify the species’ presence and abundance in their diets and compare them. Lab space and gear were provided by the University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras Fish and Shrimp Laboratory, managed by Dr. Omar Perez.

So far, we have found many exciting things inside the fish. Chironomidae larvae are quite prevalent in most fish. Red Devils in particular are quite vigorous omnivores. Everything from larvae, to germinated seeds, to algae, to a whole micro wasp have been found! We hope to identify any severe competition between fish species during the final weeks of the summer."

#lter #luquillolter #studentsofluquillo #fieldwork

Follow the @aramirezlab

GCSR: Follow the work of the 2023 REU students. T

GCSR: Follow the work of the 2023 REU students.

Today we highlight Portland State University student Cecilia Sahnow

"🌱I am working with a small but mighty group of plants called bryophytes! The most commonly known bryophytes are mosses, however, there are two other groups within bryophytes: hornworts and liverworts. These tiny plants are generally dispersed by spores and do not produce flowers or seeds. Although small in size, these organisms are vast! We’ve collected over 180 samples, and identified 57 different species of bryophytes! Some bryophytes have leaves, and others have a thalloid flat body. These plants have amazing microscopic structures, which makes them awesome study organisms. They grow as colonies and are able to act as a sponge, absorbing the water and nutrients that surround them. This allows for other organisms to soak up their benefits- overall providing great contributions to the ecosystem.
🪨These little friends are found in most ecosystems. They grow on a variety of substrates including soil, rocks, branches, or even on top of other bryophytes! In our sampling we found that they most commonly grow on rocks. My mentor, Dr. Amelia Merced, and I are working in Quebrada Prieta, a small stream in El Yunque National Forest. We are identifying and collecting bryophytes from different areas along the stream to understand what bryophytes are present and what substrates they grow on.
🔬After the samples are collected in the field, we identify the species in the herbarium at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras. The areas around streams are important to study because they provide protection from extreme elements such as strong winds and droughts. If bryophytes in these environments can act as a buffer against weather events, their small but mighty nutrient and energy-producing prowess may aid their surrounding neighbors. In this project, I'm interested in investigating how stream structure influences bryophyte communities to gain a deeper understanding of the role of stream bryophytes in this tropical ecosystem".

#lter #luquillolter #studentsofluquillo #fieldwork

Follow the @aramirezlab.

We invite you to join the 11th BIOGEOMON conferenc

We invite you to join the 11th BIOGEOMON conference, the first to be held in a tropical setting.

When: Sunday (evening), 7 January through Thursday, 11 January, 2024

Where: University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico

Sponsors: Luquillo Long-Term Ecological Research (LUQ-LTER) and the International Institute for Tropical Forestry and the University of New Hampshire.

For more see the BIOGEOMON website https://biogeomon2024.lter.network/

GCSR: Follow the work of the 2023 REU students To

GCSR: Follow the work of the 2023 REU students

Today we highlight UF student Alyssa Cabrera

“Goals:
* Create maps depicting where Ravenala currently is and predict where it may spread based on different climatic variables
* Determine possible dispersers of Ravenala

Why:
Traveler's Palm is a palm-like native herb of Madagascar. As an adult, it forms a large fan of interlocking leaves held up by a palm-like trunk. In this stage, it may or may not produce inflorescences. When pollinated, these flowers produce fruits that dry and pop open, revealing seeds covered in bright blue hairs. In Madagascar, it is pollinated by lemurs, birds, and bats. However, it has quickly spread outside of this area, due to the horticulture trade. It has become a problematic species in multiple countries. In Mauritius, it is classified as an invasive species that outcompetes and displaces many natives. After Hurricane Maria in 2017, Dr. Ackerman noticed it rapidly spread throughout his neighborhood in the Luquillo Mountains. Currently, there are no published studies of the plant in Puerto Rico and very few from its native range. Our research focuses on predicting where it may spread on the island, the relationship between plant size and reproductive effort, and identifying possible dispersers on the island. Future studies are needed on the invasion impacts(whether positive or negative) that Ravenala may have on ecosystem function and the native flora and fauna of Puerto Rico.

How:
After finding locations of current Ravenala populations, Dr. Ackerman and I drove around the island to collect vegetative and reproductive data. This includes the height of the plants, number of inflorescences, life stage the plant is currently in, and more. Afterwards, we will be running the data through R to determine the significance of any relationships and visualize future distribution. We are also drying inflorescences in large herbarium dryers to stimulate the popping open of fruits. They are then set up in the field with GoPro cameras scheduled to take timelapse photos with the goal of capturing potential seed dispersers”.

#lter #luquillolter #studentsofluquillo #fieldwork

Follow the @aramirezlab.

On behalf of the GSRC: Follow the work of the 2023

On behalf of the GSRC: Follow the work of the 2023 Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) students. They worked on a broad range of topics within the LEF and the metropolitan area of P.R.

Today we highlight UPRM student Alis N. Ramírez Soto.

"🌿 Organisms, from microorganisms to insects, use leaves as an important source of energy and depend on them for growth, development, and protection. Therefore, leaves have important functions in the ecosystem. Microorganisms are first to arrive when leaves fall into the rivers and this is how the process of organic matter decomposition begins. Once this starts, other organisms can start taking advantage of these leaves.

🍂 Understanding how leaves decompose is an important step to understanding how stream ecosystems work. However, using leaves to study this process is complicated because of the differences that exist between leaves’ types. That's why me and my mentor, Vamery González Hernández, decided to use an alternative way of studying this process. We substituted the leaves with pieces of cotton fabric. This allows decomposition mainly by microorganisms, while reducing the differences that would exist if we used leaves.

🏞️ This summer we are placing these cotton strips (first photo) in two sites at Quebrada Prieta, a small stream in El Yunque National Forest, known as Prieta A and Prieta B. Prieta B is currently under a stream flow reduction experiment, which means part of its water is redirected to reduce the flow through it. For this reason, I am able to study the flow reduction effects in the decomposition rate of the cotton strips. I will remove cotton strips on 3 different dates and from each cotton strip, I will measure respiration data which will give me an idea of how many microorganisms are present (fourth photo). Finally, we will measure how much the cotton strips decomposed over time.

🌎 Organic matter decomposition is a key ecosystem process and a great indicator of stream health. With droughts becoming more and more frequent, it’s crucial we understand all of its consequences, including stream flow reduction."

#lter #luquillolter #studentsofluquillo #fieldwork

Follow the @aramirezlab.

Starting this Fall, join the Luquillo Forest Dynam

Starting this Fall, join the Luquillo Forest Dynamics Plot (LFDP) team as a lead technician for the tree census at El Verde Field Station, UPR-RP.

Star date: October 2023 - May 2024, exact dates TBD.

For further questions, please email lfdp@ites.upr.edu

#luquillolter

Starting this Fall, join the Luquillo Forest Dynam

Starting this Fall, join the Luquillo Forest Dynamics Plot (LFDP) team as a tree census intern at El Verde Field Station, UPR-RP.

Star date: Early October 2023 - December 22nd 2023, exact dates TBD.

For further questions, please email lfdp@ites.upr.edu

#luquillolter

Starting this Fall, join the Luquillo Forest Dynam

Starting this Fall, join the Luquillo Forest Dynamics Plot (LFDP) team in a Project Management position at El Verde Field Station, UPR-RP.

Star date: November 2023, exact dates TBD.

For further questions, please email monique.picon@upr.edu or mopicon@gmail.com.

#luquillolter

On behalf of the GSRC: Follow the exciting work of

On behalf of the GSRC: Follow the exciting work of our summer 2023 Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) students. They worked on a broad range of topics within the LEF and the metropolitan area of P.R.

Starting with NCSU student Alexandra Casiano-Rivera.

"Effects of Flow Reduction On Native Leaf Litter Breakdown in El Yunque National Forest, Puerto Rico

Leaves that fall into streams and rivers provide an important source of energy and nutrients that cycle throughout the ecosystem. To provide their energy source, leaves need to decompose or break down. Fungi, bacteria, aquatic insects, and other organisms interact with the leaves to help them break down. When leaves fall into a stream, the flow of the stream can also affect how quickly the leaves break down.

This summer, I am studying leaf litter decomposition in rivers. We will be working in Quebrada Prieta to compare how stream flow affects leaf decomposition using a low-flow stream and a normal stream. In each stream, four pools, the part of the stream where there is very little flow, will have six mesh bags of leaves and six bunches of leaves connected by paper clips. Each week, I will collect a random bag and a single bunch of leaves, clean the leaves with water, and add them into paper bags to dry inside an oven for twenty-four hours. The oven-dried leaves will have their weight taken to measure the rate of decomposition. Along with working on the leaves, I will also collect aquatic insects found with them to identify them up to their family name. They also affect how quickly leaves break down. Finally, we will run statistical tests to compare the rate of decomposition from each study stream.

In Puerto Rico, droughts are predicted to occur more frequently and become more intense. Weather events such as droughts and low-flow conditions can affect how quickly leaves cycle their nutrients into the ecosystem. We hope that our research can help others understand the effects of low-flow conditions in streams and how they could affect ecosystems like El Yunque National Forest".

#lter #luquillolter #studentsofluquillo #research #fieldwork

Follow the @aramirezlab.

On behalf of the GSRC: Lovely to see this update f

On behalf of the GSRC: Lovely to see this update from 2022 Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) student Viktoria Stallings and her continued interest in freshwater research. REU program at the LEF has been paramount for introducing many students to field research in tropical ecology and evolution.

"Mi nombre es Vikky y soy estudiante de último año en la Universidad de Northeastern State (NSU) en Oklahoma, donde estoy realizando una carrera en ecosistemas de agua dulce y en psicología. Tengo una certificación en manejo de ríos de la River Management Society (RMS). El año pasado, tuve la oportunidad de estudiar la aptitud biológica de la especie Chironomus "florida" de hábitats urbanos (San Juan) y hábitats boscosos (El Yunque). Para lograr este objetivo, investigamos las características de oviposición de la especie, contando la cantidad de masas de huevos cada día. Recaudamos masas de huevos y anotamos la cantidad de huevos en cada masa, la eficiencia de salida de las larvas y las dimensiones de los huevos (altura y anchura). Nuestros resultados apuntaron a que la aptitud biológica fue mayor para las larvas del hábitat boscoso en comparación con las del hábitat urbano. Diferencias en la disponibilidad de recursos entre hábitats podrían estar guiando estas diferencias entre hábitats.

Me encanta mi trabajo porque disfruto del agua y puedo concientizar al público sobre la belleza del agua y sobre por qué necesitamos protegerla. Me encanta que siempre hay algo nuevo por aprender en mi carrera"

#lter #luquillolter #studentsofluquillo #research #fieldwork

On behalf of the GSRC: Learn about the valuable wo

On behalf of the GSRC: Learn about the valuable work of master's student
Francesc Borràs Sayas

"Hola everyone, my name is Cesc, and I am working on my master's thesis in environmental DNA.

I am originally from Barcelona but moved to Sweden two years ago to start a MSc degree in Evolutionary Biology at Uppsala University.

During my studies I have developed a keen interest in tropical plants and ecosystems, despite Sweden not being famous for their palm diversity.

Unlike Scandinavian countries, plants in the forest of PR burgeon from every possible corner. Most of those species are well documented, but little is known about how techniques such as metabarcoding can help us to quickly assess the richness in a given area in the tropics.

This gap in knowledge prompted an opportunity for me to join LUQ-LTER.

Under the supervision of Bob Muscarella from Uppsala University and Glenn Dunshea from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology I flew to PR last January to census several forests across the island and work on my thesis at the same time.

More specifically, I collected leaves from all arborescent species from the Luquillo Forest Dynamics Plot. You would think leaf sampling to be an easy task, after most trees are sessile organisms, right? Well, some were very elusive and often had me walking in circles for more time I would like to admit. What is more, certain species were too tall for me to simply grab a couple of nice leaves. Luckily, to reach those trees I used probably the second largest slingshot I have ever seen in my life.

On a later trip to the island, I also collected soil samples from the same area. This second part of the field work was a bit less glamorous than the first one. I took soil cores from different parts of plot and avoided interacting with the mongoose as much as possible (1/2)".

#lter #luquillolter #studentsofluquillo #research #fieldwork

Can you identify any of the rainforest sounds?

Can you identify any of the rainforest sounds?

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