2012 WINTER COURSE ANNOUNCEMENT (December 20th- January 9th)
FIELD COURSE IN CORAL REEF ECOLOGY (Caribbean of Panama)
http://www.itec-edu.org/coral6.html
LOCATION: The field courses will take place at
the Institute for Tropical Ecology and
Conservation (ITEC) Bocas del Toro Biological
Station, Boca del Drago, Isla Colon, Bocas del
Toro, Panama: http://www.itec-edu.org/index.html
The Bocas del Toro ("mouths of the bull")
Biological Station is located on the north end of
Isla Colón in an area known as Boca del Drago
("mouth of the dragon"). Isla Colón is the
northern-most of five large islands and hundreds
of smaller ones that form the Bocas del Toro
Archipelago. Set in Almirante Bay on the
Caribbean side of western Panama, this collection
of islands is sometimes referred to as the
"Galapagos of Central America". This is because,
after having been isolated for 10,000 years by
geologic activity, each of the islands has
evolved its own unique biota. Taking its name
from Christopher Columbus who sailed into this
region in 1502, Isla Colón is approximately 14 km
long and 7 km wide. Isla Colón is composed
primarily of limestone, and has a hilly
topography supporting primary and secondary
tropical rain forest. This island has a 5 km
beach (Bluff Beach) on its east side, mangroves
on its west side, and caves in the interior.
Marine habitats include extensive turtle grass
beds, hard and soft coral reefs, beaches, rocky
intertidals, mangrove forests and estuaries.
Isla Colón has the highest human population in
the archipelago, with most individuals living in
the town of Bocas del Toro located on the far
side of the island from our facility. Besides
being biologically diverse, the region is also
culturally diverse with a mix of Latin American,
Afro-Caribbean and indigenous Ngöbe. Spanish is
the official language but English is spoken. Many
Ngöbe speak only their native dialect. There are
only two roads on the island, both originating in
the town of Bocas. One road travels along the
eastern margin of the island to Bluff Beach and
the other cuts through the island's interior to
Boca del Drago, where our facility is located.
INSTRUCTOR: Carlos Gustavo A. Ormond, Simon
Fraser University; Conservation Science
Institute; Coalición por los Tiburones (Shark
Coalition), email: [email protected] ; Elizabeth
McGinty (TA), University of Texas at Arlington,
email: [email protected]
COURSE LENGTH AND SCHEDULE: Winter field courses
are three weeks in length (December 20th- January
9th).
TUITION: $1850 USD. Tuition fee includes all room
and board, local transportation and a three-day
field trip to the Boquete cloud forest on
Panama's mainland.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: November 20, 2012. Since
registration is limited to 10 students, we
recommend those interested to contact Carlos in
order for him to be aware of your application.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is designed to
promote the desire for not only discovery and
advanced understanding of coral reef ecosystems
from an integrated ecological perspective but
also an appreciation and understanding of the
Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) culture. In
addition to learning coral reef ecosystem
dynamics, organism identification, and
experimental design, this course will also
investigate human dimensions in coral reef
ecosystems, both past and present. To compliment
the course and for the pure enjoyment of learning
a new language, students will be taught a
"Spanish for Survival" at the beginning of the
session.
By taking an integrated multidisciplinary
approach, this course will demonstrate the
importance of melding traditional approaches to
understanding and investigating coral reef
ecosystems with the human dimension. A large
component of the course will involve field work,
complimented by lectures and discussions on daily
course readings. The course will require the
completion of group assignments, as well as an
individual research project that may be as much
sociological as it is ecological in theory.
Therefore, the course will not only be of
interest to those of you in the natural sciences
but also those of you from the social sciences.
General Topics
o Spanish Language
o Environmental History and Cultural Anthropology of Panama
o Coral Reef Formation and Oceanography
o Coral Reef Ecology
o Sampling Methods
o Research Design
o Present State of Coral Reefs
o Coral Reef Conservation issues
o Human Rights and the Environment in Latin America
o Global Environmental Governance
NOTE: Dive certification is not necessary to
enroll in this course, but what is required is an
attraction to the ocean and a comfort in being in
it. All students will require snorkel equipment
(mask and fins) and those with SCUBA
certification are expected to bring their own
BCD, regulator, and most importantly proof of
certification. There is the possibility of
renting dive equipment as well as receiving dive
certification from the local dive shops. If this
is something that interests you, please contact
Carlos for more information.
COURSE CREDIT: Up to six units of credit will be
granted for these courses. Credit must be
arranged by the student through his/her academic
advisor and university. Contact ITEC for details.
CONTACT: Institute for Tropical Ecology and
Conservation (ITEC); 1023 SW 2nd Ave.,
Gainesville, FL 32601; phn: 352-367-9128, fax:
352-367-0610, email:[email protected] ., or
Carlos Gustavo A. Ormond [email protected] . Please
visit us on the web at www.itec-edu.org . ITEC is
a Non-profit (501c3) organization.
* Aunque esta clase está presentada en inglés, si
sos hispanoparlante y estás interesado/a en tomar
esta clase sobre los arrecifes de coral por favor
comunícate conmigo, Carlos Gustavo A. Ormond
--
**********************************************************
Peter N. Lahanas, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Institute for Tropical Ecology and Conservation (ITEC)
2911 NW 40th Place, Gainesville, FL 32605, USA
phn: 352-367-9128
web: http://www.itec-edu.org
Bocas del Toro Biological Station
Boca de Drago, Isla Colon, Prov. Bocas del Toro
Republic of Panama
phn: 507-6624-9246
