In the week-long workshop "Leaf cutter ants and Ecosystem Processes", six scientists will work with students from the United States and Costa Rica to explore the links between leaf cutter ant activities, microbiology, biogeochemical cycling, and ecosystem processes. The workshop will be divided into three modules: Part I will review the field of microbial ecology through the application of microbiology laboratory and field methods. Part II will focus on the technical aspects of measuring mycorrhizae and Part III will go over techniques to measure soil carbon fluxes and pools. Together, this workshop will bring together focused seminars and hands-on laboratory and field exercises to answer ecological questions, encouraging students to develop independent research questions and test them in a tropical forest ecosystem. This workshop will take place at La Selva Biological Research Station in Costa Rica July 14-20.
Faculty: Dr. Adrián Pinto Tomas, University of Costa Rica, San José. M.Sc. Catalina Murillo Cruz, University of Costa Rica, San José. Dr. Jane Zelikova, University of Wyoming, Laramie. Dr. Michael Allen, University of California, Riverside. Dr. Steven Oberbauer, Florida International University, Miami. Dr. Thomas Harmon, University of California, Merced. Application Deadline: May 31, 2015 (for priority consideration, followed by open enrollment; 5 undergraduate students). Send by email your CV, letter of interest and future plans, with a statement of reasons you would like to participate to [email protected] Cost: A limited number of full scholarships, including airfare to Costa Rica and stay at La Selva, are available for undergraduate students from US institutions. We will only accept students we can cover with a full scholarship. No academic credit will be given for this workshop
