The Bocas Research Station |
This is the final blog post for the 2015 OIMB goes to Panama adventure. We are coming to the close of two weeks spent at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institution’s Bocas Research Station (BRS). The Station is dedicated to understanding biological diversity and we have had a great opportunity to access the extraordinary diversity of marine and terrestrial biota that is characteristic of the Bocas del Toro region.
We have all spent over 25 hours in the water snorkeling on reefs, seagrass beds and along the edge of mangrove forests, and that is not counting the time the students have been in the water conducting their research projects.
Snorkeling on the reef above Acropora palmata |
We have identified many of the common animals and algae and learnt some details of their biology, but there is still a lot more to see and learn.
We have spent time in the lab identifying organisms, planning projects, analyzing data and listening to lectures.
BRS is a wonderful place for OIMB’s two week marine biology adventure
in Panama. The lab facilities, boats,
seawater system, dorms and dining hall make it easy to run a field course.
The station personnel, especially Plinio Gondola, Arcadio
Castillo,Deyvis Gonzalez, Urania Gonzalez and her assistant Tanyusha Grenald,
have been most gracious and assisted us in many helpful ways. The boat captain, Arnulfo Record, took us to
some beautiful snorkeling sites. Our
cooks have fed us three square meals a day and we have eaten foods never tried
before. We thank them all for making our stay at Bocas such a fun and productive time.
Below are some photos of the great facilities that have supported us during our stay.
2015 students in the BRS station lab |
Student Dorm and Dining Hall |
Snorkeling and diving facility |
Scarus - the boat we took to our snorkel sites. Named for a parrot fish. |
The seawater tanks at BRS where we kept our research animals |
Just a few of the wonderful animals we have seen: Southern sting ray Dasyatis americana, Batwing coral crab Carpilius corallines, Mantled Howler monkey, two-toed sloth, sea star Oreaster reticulatus |
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