Our Costa Rica research sites are located in the San Luis Valley of Monteverde and near the Piro River on the Osa Peninsula. Our work in the San Luis Valley focuses on quantifying pollinator response to climate change including warming temperatures and unpredictable precipitation patterns. There is an urgent need to study the effects of climate change on pollinators and pollination services within the tropical countryside of the seasonally dry slopes of the Pacific because invertebrates in these types of landscapes are predicted to be the most at-risk.
Bees provide an invaluable service to humanity via pollination and arguably they are the most important organisms on the planet. In the Osa, our work seeks to identify effective restoration strategies for pollinator communities and pollination services in previously degraded landscapes. Currently we are quantifying the plant-pollinator network for flowering shrub species on the Osa, as shrubs are often the first stage in facilitated restoration. Identifying which shrub species can be considered hubs and connectors in the network will allow us to later test these species experimentally in restoration treatments for pollinators and pollination services.
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the rural COSTA RICAn experience
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Did you know Costa Rica’s landmass accounts for only 0.03% of the entire planet's surface? Very small, right? However, this tiny nation is home to approximately 5% of the species worldwide and, as a result, is listed among the 20 richest countries in terms of biodiversity per area. That means it is possible to find more species per square mile in Costa Rica than in larger countries such as Brazil or Colombia, where you will need to cover a much larger area to find an equal number of plant and animal species. Located between the Pacific and the Atlantic oceans, Costa Rica serves as a biological bridge connecting North and South America. Thanks to its rugged geography that includes lowlands, mountain ranges and valleys, the country experiences a wide variety of microclimates. Also, more than half of the territory is covered by lush forests and about a quarter is protected by parks and reserves. Costa Rica is a biological hotspot worth exploring!
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Read more about our work here or come join us in the field, as an Earthwatch Volunteer. Costa Rica is home to over 400 species of native wild bees and about 50 species of hummingbirds. But habitat loss, pesticide use, and climate change threaten the health and survival of pollinators around the world.
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