Tupper 4pm seminarDuring the upcoming weekthere will be Carnivals inPanama. Tuesday is a holidayfor STRI.

ArrivalsLouis Santiago, University ofCalifornia, Riverside, to studynutrient limitation ofphysiological processes inlowland tropical forest trees,on BCI.

Saskia Rehse, University ofUlm, Germany, to study theecholocation and foragingbehavior of Neotropical bats,on BCI.

Joachim Beyschlag, Carl vonOssietzky UniversitätOldenburg, to study theecology of tropical epiphytes,on BCI.

Eben Kirksey, University ofPittsburgh, to study thetropical forest as a boundaryobject, in Gamboa.

Inga Geipel, University ofUlm, to study the echolocationand foraging behavior of theNeotropical bats Micronycterismicrotis and Macrophyllummacrophyllum and itssignificance for biomimeticapplications, on BCI.

Katia Silvera, University ofNevada, to study crassulaceanacid metabolism in tropicalplants.

Kevin Tidgewell, University ofCalifornia, San Diego, to workwith the ICBG, in training,conservation and drugdiscovery using Panamanianmicroorganisms, in Bocas delToro.

Safety number:212-8211

STRI newsSmithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panamá www.stri.org February 12, 2010

Subduction Zones and Bent Orogenic Belts of the Caribbean

During the past year, a wealthof new geological data wascollected in Panama, includingnew radiometric ages,paleomagnetic investigations,geochemical analyses and fieldmapping. The workshop“Subduction Zones and BentOrogenic Belts of theCaribbean” held at STRI fromFebruary 8-11 and field trips toEast Panama and the Canalbasin, placed this informationin a regional context. Theworkshop received supportfrom SENACYT.

The meeting provided anopportunity to discuss the

evolution of the Isthmus and itsplace in the subduction zones ofthe Caribbean and thedevelopment of oroclinal belts.It was convened by STRI’sCamilo Montes and AgustínCardona from the Center forTropical Paleoecology andArchaeology, AntonioGarcía-Casco from theUniversity of Granada andStephen T. Johnston, Universityof Victoria, Canada.

Thirty-four specialists from theUS, France, Switzerland,Australia, UK, Panama,Portugal, Spain, Colombia,

Costa Rica and Canada attendedthe event.

The official group photo wastaken at the Gatún Formation,9-10 million years old, on theCaribbean side of the Isthmus.

Durante el año pasado, una grancantidad de datos nuevos secolectaron en Panamá,incluyendo nuevas edades radio-métricas, investigaciones paleo-magnéticas, análisis geoquímicosy mapeo de campo. El taller“Subduction Zones and BentOrogenic Belts of theCaribbean” que se llevó a cabo

More arrivalsMarcy Balunas, University ofCalifornia, San Diego, to studytropical disease drug discoveryfrom marine and plant sourcesin Panama (as part of theexisiting ICBG project).

Riccardo Papa, University ofPuerto Rico-Rio Piedras, tostudy the evolution of mimicryin Heliconius, in Gamboa.

Sergio Cordoba and Maria A.Echeverry-Galvis to participateas professors in the 2010Princeton Field Course.

Eric Lewallen, to participate asa professor in the 2010University of Toronto atScarborough Field Course onMarine Ecology andEvolution, in Bocas del Toro.

Adam Summers, University ofWashington, to participate as aprofessor in the 2010University of Toronto atScarborough Field Course onMarine Ecology andEvolution, in Bocas del Toro.

Kristen Brochu, University ofToronto, to participate in the2010 University of Toronto atScarborough Field Course onMarine Ecology andEvolution, in Bocas del Toro.

DeparturesDavid Roubik, to Nairobi, toparticipate in the proposalwriting meeting that will beheld at the ICIPE - AfricanInsect Science for Forest &Health.

STRI in the news“Wild sloth killed by smallspectacled owl in Panama” byJody Bourton. 2010. BBCEarth News: February 4, athttp://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8486000/8486128.stm

en STRI del 8 al 11 de febreroy los viajes al este de Panamá ya la Cuenca del Canal dePanamá, pusieron estainformación en un contextoregional. El taller recibió apoyode SENACYT.

El congreso ofreció laoportunidad de discutir laevolución del Istmo y su lugaren las zonas de subducción del

Caribe y el desarrollo de loscordones oriclinales. La reuniónfue una iniciativa de CamiloMontes y Agustín Cardona delCentro de Paleoecología yArqueología de STRI, AntonioGarcía-Casco de la Universidadde Granada y Stephen T.Johnston, de la Universidad deVictoria, en Canadá.

Treinta y cuatro especialistas de

EU, el Reino Unido, Francia,Suiza, Australia, Panamá,Portugal, España, Costa Rica,Colombia y Canadá asistieron ala reunión.

La foto oficial del grupo setomó en la Formación Gatún,que tiene entre 9 y 10 millonesde años, en la costa caribe delIstmo de Panamá.

SNI names Ibáñez as distinguishedresearcherPanama´s Sistema Nacional deInvestigación, SNI, [NationalResearch System] has namedRoberto Ibañez, STRI’sresearch associate and directorof the Amphibian Rescue andConservation Project (ARC), asa member of SNI in thecategory of distinguishedresearcher.

The note sent to Ibáñez fromRuben Berrocal, SNI actingtechnical secretary and nationalsecretary of Science,Technology and Innovation(SENACYT), congratulates andhighlights the contributionsmade by Ibáñez during his

career to increasing scientificknowledge on the Isthmus ofPanama.

El Sistema Nacional deInvestigación de Panamá (SNI)seleccionó a Roberto Ibáñez,investigador asociado de STRI ydirector del Proyecto deConservación y Rescate deAnfibios (ARC), como miembrodel SNI en calidad deInvestigador Distinguido.

En la nota enviada a Ibáñez porRubén Berrocal, secretariotécnico encargado de SNI ydirigente de la Secretaría Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología

e Innovación (SENACYT), felicita a Ibáñez y destaca suscontribuciones científicasdurante su carrera para elenriquecimiento de las cienciasen el Istmo de Panamá.

Centennial Committee seeks documentation

Mrs. Adela Gómez

The STRI CentennialResources Group is looking forphotographs, slides and videosthat document STRI’s past. Ifyou would like to donatesomething, please bring it tothe Office of Bioinformatics,fifth floor at the TupperLaboratories, where it will bedigitized and then returned toyou. Please provide as much

information about each item (date, location,occasion and/or names ofpeople) as you can. For moreinformation, please contactSteven Paton, Lina Gonzalez orGloria Jované.

El Grupo de STRI de Recursospara el Centenario de STRIbusca fotografías, diapositivas y videos que documenten el pasado de STRI.Si usted quiere contribuircon alguno de estos recursos,favor de llevarlo Jacana a la Oficina de

BioInformática, 5to piso de losLaboratorios del Tupper paradigitalizarlos y devolverlos. Seagradecerá la mayor cantidad deinformación sobre cada recurso(fecha, localización, ocasión y/opersonas). Para mayorinformación favor ponerse encontacto con Steve Paton, LinaGonzález o Gloria Jované.

New publicationsBalunas, Marcy, Linington,Roger G., Tidgewell, Kevin,Fenner, Amanda M., Urena,Luis-David, Togna, Gina Della,Kyle, Dennis E., and Gerwick,William H. 2010."Dragonamide E, a modifiedlinear lipopeptide from Lyngbyamajuscula with antileishmanialactivity." Journal of NaturalProducts 73(1): 60-66.

Baugh, Alexander T. and Ryan,Michael J. 2010. "Mate choicein response to dynamicpresentation of maleadvertisement signals intungara frogs." Animal Behaviour79(1): 145-152.

Boyle, Sarah Ann and Smith,Andrew T. 2010. "Behavioralmodifications in northernbearded saki monkeys(Chiropotes satanas chiropotes) inforest fragments of centralAmazonia." Primates 51(1):43-51.

Caldwell, Michael S., McDaniel,J. Gregory, and Warkentin,Karen Michelle. 2010. "Is itsafe? Red-eyed treefrogembryos assessing predationrisk use two features of rainvibrations to avoid falsealarms." Animal Behaviour 79(2):255-260.

Cardona, Agustin, Chew, DavidM., Valencia, V.A., Bayona,German, Miskovic, Aleksandar,and Ibañez-Mejía, M. 2010."Grenvillian remnants in theNorthern Andes: Rodinian andPhanerozoic paleogeographicperspectives." Journal of SouthAmerican Earth Sciences 29(1):92-104.

Dechmann, Dina K.N.,Kranstauber, Bart, Gibbs,David, and Wikelski, Martin C.2010. "Group hunting—Areason for sociality in molossidbats?" PLoS ONE 5(2): e9012.

More publicationsFonseca, Ana C., Guzman,Hector M., Cortes, Jorge, andSoto, Carlomagno. 2010."Marine habitats map of “Isladel Caño”, Costa Rica,comparing Quickbird andHymap images classificationresults." Revista de BiologiaTropical 53(1): 373-338.

Guerrieri, Emilio, Huigens,Martinus E., Estrada, Catalina,Woelke, Jozef B., de Rijk,Marjolein, Fatouros, Nina E.,Aiello, Annette, and Noyes,John S. 2010. "Ooencyrtusmarcelloi sp. nov.(Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), anegg parasitoid of Heliconiini(Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae:Heliconiinae) on passion vines(Malpighiales: Passifloraceae)in Central America." Journal ofNatural History 44(1/2): 81-87.

Laurance, Susan G.W.,Laurance, William F., Andrade,Ana C.S., Fearnside, Phillip M.,Harms, Kyle Edward,Vicentini, Alberto, and Luizao,Regina C.C. 2010. "Influenceof soils and topography onAmazonian tree diversity: alandscape-scale study." Journalof Vegetation Science 21(1):96-106.

Oelmann, Yvonne, Potvin,Catherine, Mark, Timo,Werther, Lisa, Tapernon,Simone, and Wilcke,Wolfgang. 2010. "Tree mixtureeffects on abovegroundnutrient pools of trees in anexperimental plantation inPanama." Plant and Soil326(1-2): 199-212.

Sumner, Seirian, Kelstrup,Hans, and Fanelli, Daniele.2010. "Reproductiveconstraints, direct fitness andindirect fitness benefits explainhelping behaviour in theprimitively eusocial wasp,Polistes canadensis." Proceedingsof the Royal Society B: BiologicalSciences Online:

Women’s Committee visits STRIMembers of the SmithsonianInstitution Women’sCommittee traveled to Panamato visit STRI facilities, getacquainted with new and on-going projects, especially thosesupported by their Committee.

Touching pool, Culebra´´

Estanque de tocables , Culebra

The staff of Punta CulebraNature Center and theDirector’s Office presented thegroup with a commemorativeplaque inscribed with thewords: “To the SmithsonianWomen’s Committee inappreciation for their invaluablesupport to Punta CulebraNature Center and to thethousands of students who haveparticipated in our educationalprogram.”

In the photo, Joseph Salterio,president of Fundación

Salterio

Visit to the dry collection with

Annette Aiello

Visita a la colección seca con Annette Aiello

Smithsonian de Panamá, STRIdirector Eldredge Berminghamand Lidia de Valencia, presentthe plaque to the group.

Miembros del Comité deMujeres del Smithsonianviajaron a Panamá para visitarlas instalaciones de STRI,familiarizarse con proyectos,nuevos y en curso, yespecialmente aquellos a losque ofrecen apoyo financiero.

El personal del Centro NaturalPunta Culebra y la Oficina delDirector hizo entrega de unaplaca al grupo con el mensaje:

“Para el Comité de Mujeres delSmithsonian, como aprecio porsu invaluable apoyo al CentroNatural Punta Culebra y a losmiles de estudiantes que hanparticipado en nuestroprograma educativo.”

En la foto, Joseph Salterio,presidente de la FundaciónSmithsonian, el director deSTRI Eldredge Bermingham yLidia de Valencia, hacenentrega de la placa al grupo.

Valencia Bermingham

Story:

Stanley Heckadon-Moreno

Edited by M Alvarado

& ML Calderon

Photo: MA Guerra

On Tuesday February 9, a

group of Princeton

students led Yves Bassett

visited Galeta Point Marine

Laboratory, becoming

acquainted with the

ongoing research on

coastal and marine

habitats— coral reefs,

seagrass beds and

mangroves— as well as

with the dynamic

environmental education

and public outreach

programs at the Station.

Galeta nature guide

Marianne Akkars (to the

left, with hat), led the

students into the mangrove

forests to teach them tips

on how to identify the four

local species of

mangroves, that inhabit

this section of the

Caribbean.

After visiting the

destruction of mangroves

by development projects,

students held a workshop

on the future of the

mangroves in and around

the city of Colón.

El martes 9 de febrero, un

grupo de estudiantes de

Princeton liderados por

Yves Bassett, visitó el

Laboratorio Marino de

Punta Galeta, para

familiarizarse con los

proyectos que se llevan a

cabo en sus hábitats

marinos y costeros

—arrecifes coralinos,

lechos de paja marina y

manglares— así como la

dinámica de los programas

de extensión y de

educación ambiental que

se llevan a cabo en la

Estación.

Marianne Akkars, guía

naturalista en Galeta (a la

izquierda con sombrero)

acompañó a los

estudiantes a los bosques

de manglares para

enseñarles las claves para

identificar las cuatro

especies de manglar local,

que habitan esta sección

del Caribe.

Luego de visitar la

destrucción de los

manglares por los

proyectos de desarrollo,

los estudiantes llevaron a

cabo un taller sobre el

futuro de los manglares en

y alrededor de la ciudad de

Colón.

Key to the mangroves in GaletaSmithsonian Tropical Research Institute, February 12, 2010