Tupper 4pm seminar Tuesday, August 8, 4pm seminar speaker will be David Dilcher, Florida Museum of Natural History The importance of fossil flowers in understanding the evolution of flowering plants BDG The next Behavior Discussion Group meeting will be on Tuesday, August 8, at 2pm in the Tupper Large Meeting room. Monthly talk On Wednesday, August 9, Monthly talk speaker will be Juan Maté El Plan de Manejo para Coiba Bambi seminar Thursday, Augus10, Bambi seminar speaker will be David Dilcher Title to be announced Arriving next week Jacalyn Giacalone Willis and Gregory Willis, Montclair State University, to continue Barro Colorado Island mammal census. Jeanne Robertson, Cornell University, to study the genetic and phenotypic distribution and differentiation of Agalychnis callidryas and Hyla ebraccata in Costa Rica and Panama. Jason Aramburu, Princeton University, to study the Atta-mediated nutrient cycling in the Panamanian rainforest, in Gamboa. STRI news Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panamá www.stri.org August 4, 2006 Cooke and Piperno receive "Vasco Núñez de Balboa Order” The Government of the Republic of Panama bestowed STRI archaeologists Richard G. Cooke and Dolores R. Piperno with Panama’s national award the "Orden Vasco Núñez de Balboa en el grado de Comendador" on Tuesday, August 1, at the Casa Amarilla of the Panamanian Presidency. The city of Knowledge proposed this recognition to Cooke and Piperrno, for their invaluable contributions to the understanding of the relationships between human populations and their environment through 10,500 years of the history of the Isthmus of Panama, that ended with the European Conquest in the first half of the XVI century. President Torrijos approved the distinction to Cooke and Piperno for "invaluable contributions to the country, through anthropology, archaeology and related sciences". Ricardo J. Durán, Foreign Relations vice minister presented the award on behalf of president Martín Torrijos. Piperno has dedicated a great deal of her career to study the dates and characteristics of human populations and their environment in different tropical regions, specially in Panama. She conducted pioneer studies using microfossils, including starch grains, phytoliths, and pollen, to study early agriculture in tropical forests, and environmental changes taking place 11,000 to 9,000 years ago. Cooke has focused his research on New World archaeology; the history of the American peoples in Panama and neighboring populations; archaeozoology of
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Tupper 4pm seminarTuesday, August 8, 4pmseminar speaker will be DavidDilcher, Florida Museum ofNatural History The importance of fossilflowers in understandingthe evolution of floweringplants
BDGThe next Behavior DiscussionGroup meeting will be onTuesday, August 8, at 2pm inthe Tupper Large Meetingroom.
Monthly talkOn Wednesday, August 9,Monthly talk speaker will beJuan MatéEl Plan de Manejo paraCoiba
Bambi seminarThursday, Augus10, Bambiseminar speaker will be DavidDilcherTitle to be announced
Arriving next weekJacalyn Giacalone Willis andGregory Willis, MontclairState University, to continueBarro Colorado Islandmammal census.
Jeanne Robertson, CornellUniversity, to study thegenetic and phenotypicdistribution anddifferentiation of Agalychniscallidryas and Hyla ebraccata inCosta Rica and Panama.
Jason Aramburu, PrincetonUniversity, to study theAtta-mediated nutrient cyclingin the Panamanian rainforest,in Gamboa.
STRI newsSmithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panamá www.stri.org August 4, 2006
Cooke and Piperno receive "Vasco Núñez deBalboa Order”The Government of theRepublic of Panama bestowedSTRI archaeologists Richard G.Cooke and Dolores R. Pipernowith Panama's national awardthe "Orden Vasco Núñez deBalboa en el grado deComendador" on Tuesday,August 1, at the Casa Amarillaof the Panamanian Presidency.
The city of Knowledgeproposed this recognition toCooke and Piperrno, for theirinvaluable contributions to theunderstanding of therelationships between humanpopulations and their
environment through 10,500years of the history of theIsthmus of Panama, that endedwith the European Conquest inthe first half of the XVIcentury. President Torrijosapproved the distinction toCooke and Piperno for"invaluable contributions to thecountry, through anthropology,archaeology and relatedsciences". Ricardo J. Durán,Foreign Relations vice ministerpresented the award on behalfof president Martín Torrijos.
Piperno has dedicated a greatdeal of her career to study the
dates and characteristics ofhuman populations and theirenvironment in differenttropical regions, specially inPanama. She conducted pioneerstudies using microfossils,including starch grains,phytoliths, and pollen, to studyearly agriculture in tropicalforests, and environmentalchanges taking place 11,000 to9,000 years ago.
Cooke has focused his researchon New World archaeology; thehistory of the American peoplesin Panama and neighboringpopulations; archaeozoology of
the tropical eastern Pacific andeducation of Latin America.
In Panama, he has conductedfield field research since 1969,concentrating in the culturalregion of the "Gran Coclé". Hereconstructed the socialorganization, economy andcommercial relations of nativepopulations inhabiting the Gulfof Parita between 10,000 ACand the Spanish Conquest.Research led by Cooke in CerroJuan Díaz has resulted in sevenbachelor and doctoral thesis byPanamanian and foreignstudents.
An updated summary ofpre-Columbian hunting inPanama will soon be publishedin the book Ecology andConservation in Panama, edited bySTRI researchers Egbert G.Leigh, Jeremy B.C. Jackson andGeorge Angehr.
According to STRI director IraRubinoff "this award representsa recognition to the importanceof studying the past ofAmerican human populationsand their environments, sinceunderstanding the history ofgeology, paleoecology andarchaeology and the lives of thefirst inhabitants of the Isthmusof Panama is an important partof the historical heritage of thisnation, this hemisphere and theworld....Cooke and Piperno areresearchers of great value toSTRI and a role model forfuture generations of scientistsin Panama and the world."
El Gobierno de Panamáconcedió la CondecoraciónNacional “Orden "Vasco
Núñez de Balboa en el grado de"Comendador" a losarqueólogos de STRI RichardG. Cooke y Dolores R. Piperno,el martes 1 de agosto, en la CasaAmarilla de la Presidencia.
La Fundación Ciudad del Saberpropuso este reconocimiento aen virtud del invaluable aportede Cooke y Piperno al conoci-miento de las relaciones entrepoblaciones humanas y sumedio ambiente en Panamá a lolargo de los 10,500 años dehistoria que culminaron con laconquista europea del territorio,en la primera mitad del sigloXVI. El presidente Torrijosconcedió la distinción en virtudde "incalculables aportes alpaís" de Cooke y Piperno "através de la antropología, laarqueología y ciencias afines".Los científicos recibieron lacondecoración de manos delvice ministro de RelacionesExteriores, Ricardo J. Durán.
Dolores R. Piperno ha dedicadogran parte de su carrera aestudiar la antigüedad y caracte-rísticas de las poblacioneshumanas y el ambiente endiferentes regiones del trópico,en especial Panamá. Es pioneraen la utilización de la técnica demicrofósiles, incluyendo granosde almidón, fitolitos, y polenpara investigar los orígenes ydispersiones de la agricultura delos bosques tropicales y lanaturaleza de los cambiosambientales que ocurrieronhace 11,000 a 9,000 años.
Cooke ha enfocado susinvestigaciones al estudio de laarqueología del trópico delNuevo Mundo; a la historia delos pueblos americanos en
Panamá y poblaciones vecinas;a la arqueozoología del Pacíficooriental tropical; a la arqueo-zoología y a la educación enAmérica Latina. En Panamá hallevado a cabo investigacionesde campo desde 1969,concentrándose en el áreacultural del 'Gran Coclé',reconstruyendo la organizaciónsocial, economía y relacionescomerciales de las poblacionesnativas que ocuparon el Golfode Parita entre 10,000 AC y laconquista española. La investi-gación liderada por Cooke enCerro Juan Díaz resultó en sietetesis de licenciatura y dedoctorado escritas porestudiantes panameños yextranjeros. Un resumenactualizado de la caceríaprecolombina en Panamá serápronto publicada en el libroEcología y Conservación en Panamá,editado por los científicos deSTRI Egbert Leigh, JeremyJackson y George Angehr.
De acuerdo al director de STRI,Ira Rubinoff, "este galardón queconfiere la República dePanamá a Cooke y Pipernorepresenta un reconocimiento ala importancia del estudio delpasado humano y ambiental deAmérica, ya que la comprensiónde la historia de la geología,paleoecología, arqueología y lavida de los primeros habitantesdel Istmo de Panamá, es parteimportante del patrimoniohistórico de esta Nación, delresto de este hemisferio y delmundo... Cooke y Piperno soninvestigadores de gran valor ytrayectoria profesional paraSTRI y ejemplo para futurasgeneraciones de científicos enPanamá y el mundo".
Correction • • • CorrecciónThe STRI news of July 28,2006 mistakenly published thatthe 12-day Course on SpongeTaxonomy held in Bocas delToro was led and organized bySTRI's Rachel Collin. Theinstructors of the course wereactually Dr. Cristina Díaz fromthe Smithsonian Institutionand Dr. Robert Thaker, from
the University of Alabama atBirmingham. Collincontributed with theorganization of the event.
El STRI news del 28 de juliode 2006 publicó erróneamenteque el curso de 12 días sobreTaxonomía de Esponjasllevado a cabo en Bocas del
Toro fue liderado y organizadopor Rachel Collin, de STRI.Los instructores del cursofueron en realidad la Dra.Cristina Díaz del SmithsonianInstitution y el Dr. RobertThaker, de la Universidad deAlabama en Birmingham.Collin contribuyó en laorganización del evento.
More arrivalsJill Marie Stahlman, HumboldtState University, for anexploratory visit for futureslime mold or Proechymissemispinosus research, on BCI.
Santiago Gonzalez, McGillUniversity, to study integratedwater resource management inBarbados-NEO Student.
Scott Mangan, IndianaUniversity, to carry out theproject “Do neotropicalrodents influence forestregeneration by dispersingspores of arbuscularmycorrhizal fungi?” on BCI.
Brian Johnson, NationalScience Foundation, to studyhow tradeoffs between thecosts and benefits of flexibilityand specialization shape thenature of task allocation ininsect societies, on BCI andGamboa.
Ryan Bixenmann, Universityof Utah, to study thedeterrence of fungi andherbivores in young leaveswith different developmentpatterns, on BCI.
New publicationsLovelock, Catherine E., Feller,Ilka C., Ball, Marilyn C.,Engelbrecht, Bettina M. J.,and Ewe, Mei Ling. 2006."Differences in plant functionin phosphorus- andnitrogen-limited mangroveecosystems." New PhytologistOnline. Makana, Jean-Remy, andThomas, Sean C. 2006."Impacts of selective loggingand agricultural clearing onforest structure, floristiccomposition and diversity, andtimber tree regeneration in theIturi Forest, DemocraticRepublic of Congo."Biodiversity and Conservation15(4): 1375-1397.
More arrivalsSantiago Gonzalez, McGillUniversity, to study integratedwater resource management inBarbados-NEO Student.
Scott Mangan, IndianaUniversity, to carry out theproject “Do neotropicalrodents influence forestregeneration by dispersingspores of arbuscularmycorrhizal fungi?” on BCI.
Brian Johnson, NationalScience Foundation, to studyhow tradeoffs between thecosts and benefits of flexibilityand specialization shape thenature of task allocation ininsect societies, on BCI andGamboa.
Ryan Bixenmann, Universityof Utah, to study thedeterrence of fungi andherbivores in young leaveswith different developmentpatterns, on BCI.
New publicationsLovelock, Catherine E., Feller,Ilka C., Ball, Marilyn C.,Engelbrecht, Bettina M. J.,and Ewe, Mei Ling. 2006."Differences in plant functionin phosphorus- andnitrogen-limited mangroveecosystems." New PhytologistOnline. Makana, Jean-Remy, andThomas, Sean C. 2006."Impacts of selective loggingand agricultural clearing onforest structure, floristiccomposition and diversity, andtimber tree regeneration in theIturi Forest, DemocraticRepublic of Congo."Biodiversity and Conservation15(4): 1375-1397.
Laurance presidesATBC meeting inChinaSTRI staff scientist William F.Laurance, president of theAssociation for TropicalBiology and Conservationpresided the its 2006 annualmeeting in China, from July18-21, 2006. The theme of themeeting was "Tropical Biology:meeting the needs of changingtropical ecosystems".Xishuangbanna TropicalBotanical Garden (XTBG) ofthe Chinese Academy ofSciences (CAS) hosted themeeting at the HarbourPlaza-Kunming.
The meeting was highlysuccessful and extremely wellrun, with many good scientificpapers. The participants passedan important "KunmingDeclaration" that focuses oncritical conservation issues inAsian tropical forests. Read theKunming Declaration inEnglish and Spanish issued onJuly 21, as pages five and six ofthis newsletter.
Shown in the"officers" photoabove areLaurance, JinChen (meetingorganizer anddirector of theXishuangbannaTropicalBotanical Garden), TomLovejoy (ATBCPast-president), and RobinChazdon (editor of Biotropica).More photos of the meetingcan be seen at:ftp://atbc:[email protected]
El científico de STRI, WilliamF. Laurance, presidente laAsociación de Conservación yBiología Tropical (ATBC)presidió el congreso anual deATBC 2006 en China, del 18 al21 de julio. El tema delcongreso fue “BiologíaTropical: Afrontando lasnecesidades de los cambiantesecosistemas tropicales.” El
Jardín Tropical Xishuangbanna(XTBG) del la Academia Chinade Ciencias patrocinó elcongreso en el Harbour Plaza-Kunming.
El congreso fue muy exitoso yextremadamente bienorganizado, con valiosaspresentaciones científicas. Losparticipantes emitieron unaimportante “Declaración deKunming” que se concentra enasuntos de conservacióncríticos para los bosquestropicales de Asia. Lea laDeclaración de Kunming eninglés y español emitida el 21 dejulio, como páginas cinco y seisde este boletín.
Student volunteeropportunities at SIMario Rivera, son to STRI’sOffice of InformationTechnology director FranciscoRivera was voted YouthTeacher Assistant of the weekby his peers on July 27, 2006.
The Youth Teacher AssistantProgram (YTA) is an SISummer camp opportunity forchildren 15+ from Monday toFriday, 8:30am to 5pm for oneweek minimum, six weekmaximum to serve asinstructor assistant.
Serving as YTA provides anextrordinary way for teens tobe involved with an Americanorganization. The wide rangeof program offer YTAs theopportunity to experience andlearn about new subject areasor increase and share their
understanding art, science ortheater. For further informationcontact Brandi Rose, SummerCamp Manager, at (202)786-9040, e-mail:TSACampsi.edu
Mario Rivera, hijo del director dela Oficina de Informática deSTRI, fue elegido JovenAsistente de Instructor de lasemana por sus compañeros, el27 de septiembre de 2006 enWashington DC.
El Programa de AsistentesJóvenes de Instructores (YTA) esuna oportunidad que ofrecen loscampamentos de verano de SIpara jóvenes de 15 años o más delunes a viernes, 8:30am- 5pm foruna semana mínimo y seissemanas máximo.
Trabajar como YTA ofrece unaextraordinaria forma paraadolecentes de formar parte deuna organización de EU. Laamplitud del programa ofrece laoportunidad de experimentarnuevas áreas y aumentar ycompartir conocimientos enarte, ciencia y teatro. Paramayor información sobre elprograma, comuníquese conBrandi Rose, Administradora delos Campamentos de verano al(202) 786-9040, e-mail:TSACamp.si.edu
STRI on the news“Amphibians: A fight forsurvival. Rescuers race to saveCentral American frogs” byJenni Laidman. 2006, at:Toledoblade.com.
“Amazon rain forest nothelped by "light" logging” byScott Norris. 2006. NationalGeographic News August 1 , atst
“INNOVA: ‘Croac’: unllamado de alerta” by Ivonne Rodríguez. 2006.La Prensa (August 5), at:http://ediciones.prensa.com/
“INNOVA: Si deseareforestar, hágalo con... “ LaPrensa (August 5), at:http://www.prensa.com/hoy/panorama/689064.html
“Spider cries out whilemating” by Ker Than. 2006.LiveScience (28 July) at:http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/060728_spider_sextalk.html
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science in progress:
What we do at the Naos Archaeology LabII: Fragments that tell the story
