Join the 2018 science trip to Costa Rica About this template: Info that should be included is described in the notes. Please do not replace any of the research slides with other information. You can find different slide templates on slides 11-29. Feel free to use these for different graphics, but please keep the same content, e.g., don’t remove research site and replace it with Accommodations. Science in Action

The 2018 Earthwatch trip will be: “Monkeys, Parrots, and other wildlife of Costa rica” EARTHWATCH.ORG Aslan et al.

Why spend spring break in costa Rica with scientists? EARTHWATCH.ORG Aslan et al.

Coto Brus sits between two biodiversity hotspots BIOCORRIDOR BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOT EARTHWATCH.ORG

The region is one of the most deforested areas of costa rica… Although it is common practice for farmers to plant trees in their fields and pastures, which hugely benefits wildlife! EARTHWATCH.ORG Aslan et al.

Even as costa rica has been deforested for agriculture, these farms help wildlife move across the country! EARTHWATCH.ORG

PLANTS AND ANIMALS PLANTS AND ANIMALS EARTHWATCH.ORG

Many of the animals are “Frugivores” EARTHWATCH.ORG

Many of the animals are “Frugivores” Quetzal Iguana capuchin Ctenosaurs Coati Tayra BATS EARTHWATCH.ORG

Research Goals 1. “The ecological goal of this study is to understand whether an existing practice, the planting of fleshy-fruited trees by landowners in rural Costa Rica, could provide food and stopover points for seed dispersers and serve as seed sources for forest regeneration following deforestation. 2. The social science goal of our study is to investigate social drivers behind the current non-agricultural tree-planting practice of landowners.” What is the goal of the research? Research proposals (found in the documents of the Research Project in Athena) are helpful EARTHWATCH.ORG

Research Questions and Hypotheses The overall ecological research questions and specific hypotheses guiding this research are: What vertebrate frugivores interact with planted non-agricultural fruiting trees on focal land parcels in rural Costa Rica? Subquestion 1: What diversity of frugivorous species consume the fruits/seeds of planted tree species? Subquestion 2: What are the most important frugivores consuming the fruits/seeds of planted tree species? Subquestion 3: What functional diversity of frugivores (i.e., small birds, large birds, monkeys, bats, lizards, etc.) use the fruits of each tree species (Note: functional diversity may influence how far and in what spatial pattern seeds are likely to be dispersed)? What are the research objectives? What are the hypotheses? EARTHWATCH.ORG

Research Questions and Hypotheses Hypothesis 1a: We hypothesize that a wide diversity of potential dispersers consume the fruits of planted trees, a case of highly generalist interactions. Proposed hypothesis test: perform systematic observations of frugivory within focal plantings, identifying the numbers and richness of fruit-feeding vertebrates visiting each planting site and each planted species. Importance can then be calculated using dispersal importance indices Hypothesis 1b: We hypothesize that potential dispersers varying in body size and range sizes consume the fruits of planted trees, implying that fruits may be moved a variety of distances and that such seed dispersal may link habitat fragments separated by varying spatial extents of non-habitat. Proposed hypothesis test: identify fruit-consuming species and evaluate the average and range of body sizes they represent. What are the research objectives? What are the hypotheses? EARTHWATCH.ORG

You will help study these animals and plants EARTHWATCH.ORG Aslan et al.

And hike through these spectacular landscapes EARTHWATCH.ORG Aslan et al.

You will stay at a biological station, within a Botanical Garden EARTHWATCH.ORG

With stunning Views EARTHWATCH.ORG

You will work alongside university Scientists PI: Dr. Clare Aslan Assistant Professor, Northern Arizona University Co-PIs: Dr. Kerry Grimm (NAU) Dr. Sarah Frey (Postdoc- OSU) RESEARCH INTERESTS Dr. Aslan - Community ecology, seed dispersal, conservation biology, species interactions (and potential disruption associated with a changing climate and invasive species), solutions-oriented research Dr. Grimm - Human-environment interactions, land use and habitat fragmentation, environmental conflict, collaboration, and justice Dr. Frey - bioacoustics, avian community dynamics/habitat loss EARTHWATCH.ORG