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Costa Rica: Field Research in the Environment, Social Sciences, & Humanities

San José & field sites, Costa Rica

Bernal Rodríguez Herrera

Area of expertise

Mammal ecology

Degrees

  • B.S. in Biological Sciences, Universidad de Costa Rica
  • Ph.D. at the Institute of Ecology, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

Potential student research areas

  • Bat ecology
  • Mating system of mammals
  • Seed dispersal by bats
  • Ecological observations of the diet of the shrew (Crypototis)
  • Distribution and abundance of the wáter-opossum (Chironectes minimus) in the Tirimbina Biological Reserve
  • Carrying capacity of the weight of tent building bat refuges on modified leaves
  • Socio-economic impact of the Tirimbina Biological Reserve on neighboring communities
  • Diagnostic of the conflict between the pocket gopher and man - How many should be killed and if we do, what do we lose?

Biography

Bernal was born in Costa Rica. He worked for several years in the mammal collection of The National Museum of Costa Rica. He has worked with bats in Brazil, México and other countries in Central America. He is co-author of the books “Bats of Costa Rica” and “Neotropical tent-roosting Bats” and many scientific papers. At the present he is professor and researcher at the University of Costa Rica (UCR) and Academic Director of the Tirimbina Biological Reserve, as well as part of the board of “The Austral and Neotropical American (ANA) Section” of the Society for Conservation Biology and North American Society for Bat Research.

Costa Rica: Field Research in the Environment, Social Sciences, & Humanities

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Mark Myers, Associate Professor and head of Ecosytem Studies Program at Northern Iowa University I considered a number of study abroad programs before choosing ACM, and what appealed to me about the Costa Rica Field Research program was that it allowed me to pursue independent research at a single site over several months, rather than "touring" many sites for just a few days at a time with larger groups of students, as was typical of many other programs. The educational "pay-off" of this approach, both in terms of insights gained from the many hours spent in the field and in terms of the language skills and cultural experiences gained from living in a small, rural community, was huge. My experience in Costa Rica was a strong influence in my decision to pursue a graduate degree in Conservation Biology, and many of the experiences and contacts I made laid the groundwork for future projects in Costa Rica.

—Mark Myers, Associate Professor and head of Ecosytem Studies Program at Northern Iowa University, Costa Rica, Spring 1995

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