Costa Rica
Society and politics ... ecology and natural resources ... maps ... links

The program
Overview and timeline ... photo album ... orientation ... language study ... selecting a research topic ... conducting research ... social science topics ... natural science topics ... humanities topics

Information
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Contacts
Campus program advisors ... ACM office

ACM Tropical Field Research in Costa Rica

Research in the natural sciences

The ecosystems of the tropics are among the most diverse and complex in the world. Research topics in tropical biology and ecology range from regeneration of subalpine vegetation in mountain regions to habitats of wildlife species. Students may pursue topics in environmental chemistry, entomology, marine biology, botany, herpetology or ornithology. Geology projects may include studies of Costa Rica’s several active volcanoes.

Above: Near Arenal Volcano, a student talks with geologist and program research advisor Jorge Barquero.

Left: A student holds scarlet macaws in Carara National Park,

Below: The biological field station at Cerro de la Muerte. (Photo courtesy of Gail Lehman)

Some recent topics include:

• Sea turtle hatching success in the Ostional Wildlife Refuge
• Contamination of river water
• Hummingbirds and heliconia pollination
• The effect of reforestation on plant and bird populations in a tropical rainforest
• The relationship between ecotourism and animal behavior in Palo Verde National Park
• Scarlet macaw chick development
• Primates in the Osa Peninsula
• Reproductive behavior of damselfish
• Termite damage in lowland regions
• Field guide to volcanic vegetation
• Acidic precipitation at Poás Volcano
• Ethnobotanical study of traditional medicinal plant usage
• Relationship between jaguars and marine turtles

The photo album includes pictures of students at their research sites.

Past topics and abstracts of student field research projects

• Agricultural sciences
• Botany
• Chemistry
• Entomology
• Environmental studies
• Geology
• Marine biology
• Ornithology
• Zoology

A white-faced monkey in Manuel Antonio National Park. (Photo courtesy of Meghan McMackin)

Go to research topics in the social sciences and the humanities