BIOL 5325 - Tropical Field Biology

The tropics are the cradle of the world's biodiversity. This course focuses on tropical biodiversity from the perspective of ecological and evolutionary sciences. It is a 3-week field course in Costa Rica, emphasizing natural history and field ecology. We will visit three major field sites, including coastal habitats, cloud forest, and lowland rainforest. Students will learn about common issues and current biological research activities. Students will also learn techniques of field research by participating in quantitative field labs, both faculty and student led. In the evenings there will be a series of guest lectures by research scientists. The field trip will require rigorous hiking and backpacking in remote locations. If you are not tolerant of mud, heat, humidity, and biting insects, this is not for you.