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<TITLE>Tropical Entomology Summer Field Course in Panama</TITLE>
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<FONT FACE="Times, Times New Roman"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:12.0px'>2014 Summer Course Announcement (July 15-Aug. 9, 2014)<BR>
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<B>FIELD COURSE IN TROPICAL ENTOMOLOGY </B>(TEN B-14)<BR>
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COURSE LOCATION: Bocas del Toro Biological Station, Boca del Drago, Isla Colon, Republic of Panama. The biological station is located on a beach facing the Caribbean Sea. Coral reef and sea grass ecosystems lie out in front of the station and lowland tropical rain forests lie directly behind. This juxtaposition of the two most biologically diverse ecosystems provides tremendous opportunities for education and research. See <FONT COLOR="#1A1A1A"> </FONT><FONT COLOR="#0C39C9"><U><a href="http://www.itec-edu.org/">http://www.itec-edu.org/</a></U></FONT> for details.<BR>
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INSTRUCTOR: <B>Leonor Ceballos</B>, <B>Ph.D. Cand. </B>Department of Zoology. University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia; email: lceballos@ciencias.unam.mx. <U>Research focus</U>: topical entomology, arachnology, animal behavior and evolution, socio-ecological systems and conservation.<BR>
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TEACHING ASSISTANT:<B> Mike C. Rotter.</B> Dept. of Zoology, University of Northern Michigan; email: mrotter@nmu.edu. <U>Research focus</U>: tropical entomology, invertebrates, botany, ornithology, plant-insect interactions.<BR>
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</B>COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is designed to provide the student with a sound foundation of the wide variety of functions that insects, and other terrestrial arthropods, can manifest during their life, such as feeding, communication, orientation in their natural environment, reproduction, and interactions. The course is also designed to provide students with the field techniques (as applied to entomology) to explore and conduct research in tropical entomology which includes natural history observation and experimental approaches to insect population analysis. Students will be introduced to the diversity of tropical insects through hands- on experience and activities in the field. The material covered is equivalent to an undergrad university course in theoretical and practical entomology. The course is divided into five distinct categories: formal classroom lectures, informal field lectures, readings, group projects and individual research projects. <BR>
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Also, this course will consider, in a general way, the different methodologies used in both <BR>
qualitative and quantitative entomology studies. General objectives of this course are: 1) to provide students with a general view of insects and other terrestrial arthropods, as well as approaches employed in their study. We will also examine insect’s importance and relationship to plants and other animals and their environment; 2) to enable students with basic field methodological tools required in entomological studies; and 3) to acquaint students with the terminology used in entomology through selected readings. See course syllabus at: <a href="http://itec-edu.org/tropical-entomology/.">http://itec-edu.org/tropical-entomology/.</a><BR>
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<B><U>Formal lectures</U>. </B>Formal lectures will take place in the classroom and will include the use of chalk boards, and digital projector (PowerPoint). Topics that will be covered are provided in the “Course Schedule”. Unless otherwise noted, these will begin at 8:00 am each morning. Note: in some particular days, evening lectures (beginning at 7:00 pm), will take place in order to take up daylight hours that could be better used for fieldwork. Topics include:<BR>
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</SPAN></FONT><SPAN STYLE='font-size:12.0px'><FONT FACE="Symbol">· </FONT><FONT FACE="Times, Times New Roman">Insect emergency and diversification<BR>
</FONT><FONT FACE="Symbol">· </FONT><FONT FACE="Times, Times New Roman">Insect diversity<BR>
</FONT><FONT FACE="Symbol">· </FONT><FONT FACE="Times, Times New Roman">Insect structure<BR>
</FONT><FONT FACE="Symbol">· </FONT><FONT FACE="Times, Times New Roman">Insect taxonomy and systematics<BR>
</FONT><FONT FACE="Symbol">· </FONT><FONT FACE="Times, Times New Roman">Sampling methods<BR>
</FONT><FONT FACE="Symbol">· </FONT><FONT FACE="Times, Times New Roman">Aquatic, edaphic, cave, carrion and ectoparasitic insects<BR>
</FONT><FONT FACE="Symbol">· </FONT><FONT FACE="Times, Times New Roman">Insect behavior, social, communication, feeding, territoriality, defense, etc.<BR>
</FONT><FONT FACE="Symbol">· </FONT><FONT FACE="Times, Times New Roman">Insect-plant interactions<BR>
</FONT><FONT FACE="Symbol">· </FONT><FONT FACE="Times, Times New Roman">Insects and humans: pollinators, pets, food, ethnoentomology, etc.<BR>
</FONT><FONT FACE="Symbol">· </FONT><FONT FACE="Times, Times New Roman">Medical and veterinary entomology<BR>
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<B><U>Informal Lectures</U>. </B>Informal lectures will be provided periodically during orientation walks, during group field projects or in discussion groups. These will cover a wide variety of topics and will generally be prompted by what we encounter in the field, or by the direction taken during group discussions. <BR>
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<B><U>Readings.</U> </B>Readings corresponding to lecture subjects will be assigned in the course. We will also read and critique papers brought by students and faculty and additional readings may be assigned from time to time. In addition, each student will read, critique, and provide oral reports on published papers brought to Bocas. <BR>
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<U>Recommended texts</U>: <BR>
Chapman, R. F. 1998. The insects. Structure and function. Cambridge University Press. <BR>
Gullan, P.J. and Cranston, P.S. 1994. The Insects: An outline of Entomology. Nelson Thornes Ltd. <BR>
Hoque, C. H. 1993. Latin American Insects and Entomology. University of California Press. <BR>
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<B><U>Field Book</U>. </B>A field book will be required in the course and will contain all data related to group projects and independent research project. The field book should also contain other incidental observations such as species lists, behavioral notes, etc., and contain detailed location, time, and weather information. The field book must be water-proof and either pencil or water-proof ink used to record data.<BR>
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<B><U>Group Projects</U>. </B>These are research projects designed by the faculty and worked on in groups of up to three students. The purpose of these projects is to familiarize students with an array of field sampling techniques and equipment commonly used in field studies. With help from a faculty member, students set up projects, collect data, and generally (depends on the project), analyze data, present the results to the class, and write a report. During the report writing phase, each student will be responsible for one section (introduction, methods, results, etc.). In the evening before each project, student groups will meet with their respective project leader to discuss aspects of the next days’ project. Data collection for each group project will take place the following morning directly after breakfast, lunch and/or diner. Students will be designated to accomplish different and various phases of each project and up to two students will be selected as project write-up secretary for each project. Group Projects include:<BR>
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</FONT><FONT FACE="Symbol">· </FONT><FONT FACE="Times, Times New Roman">Entomological collection techniques<BR>
</FONT><FONT FACE="Symbol">· </FONT><FONT FACE="Times, Times New Roman">Insect diversity in different forest strata<BR>
</FONT><FONT FACE="Symbol">· </FONT><FONT FACE="Times, Times New Roman">Diurnal vs nocturnal insect diversity<BR>
</FONT><FONT FACE="Symbol">· </FONT><FONT FACE="Times, Times New Roman">Activity budgets in leaf cutting ants<BR>
</FONT><FONT FACE="Symbol">· </FONT><FONT FACE="Times, Times New Roman">Plant-insect interactions<BR>
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<B><U>Individual Research Projects</U>. </B>Working closely with faculty, students will be responsible for designing and completing an original research project of their choosing. The project may deal with any topic in insect diversity, ecology, behavior, adaptation strategies, and/or economic, medical or veterinarian importance. By the middle of the second week, students will have submitted their written project proposal to the faculty for evaluation in terms of conceptual validity, analytical design and ability to complete in the time-frame allowed. During the individual research projects phase, the student will be responsible for running the field project, collect and analyze all the resulting data and information. In the final week of the course, students will write and orally present their findings to the class. A full-length draft of all reports must be completed <U>before</U> leaving Bocas. <BR>
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BOQUETE CLOUD FOREST FIELD TRIP: This field trip will allow students the opportunity to visit other areas of Panama, to experience Panamanian culture, and to visit tropical cloud and seasonal forests first hand. We travel in ITEC boats to the mainland and then by chartered bus to Boquete which lies at the base of 11,000 ft. Volcan Baru. The bus trip will take us up and over the central mountain range and through Palo Seco National Park. Several stops will be made in route.<BR>
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COURSE LENGTH: ITEC Winter field courses are about three weeks in length. The TEN C-14 will run from July 15 through August 9, 2014.<BR>
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GRADING and COURSE CREDIT: Up to 6 units of credit will be given, 3 for the lecture portion and 3 for the field portion. A letter grade will be assigned based on exams, reports, proposals, attendance at lectures, as well as by less tangibles such as personal attitude, motivation, and contribution to the course. Course credit must be arranged through the student’s institution. Contact ITEC for details. <BR>
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TUITION: $2150 USD. Tuition fee includes all lodging, meals and airport transfers in Bocas del Toro. The tuition also covers transportation and lodging during the 3-day cloud forest field trip on the mainland.<BR>
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REGISTRATION DEADLINE: June 10, 2014. The course is limited to 10 students and applications will be evaluated as they arrive. Applications can be found at: <FONT COLOR="#1A1A1A"><a href="http://itec-edu.org/education-programs/application/.">http://itec-edu.org/education-programs/application/.</a> </FONT> If you believe that your application may arrive late, notify ITEC.<BR>
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CONTACT: <B>Institute for Tropical Ecology and Conservation</B>, 2911 NW 40th PL, Gainesville, FL 32605, phone: 352-367-9128, email: itec@itec-edu.org, web: <a href="http://www.itec-edu.org.">http://www.itec-edu.org.</a> ITEC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1996.<BR>
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<B>Peter N. Lahanas, Ph.D.<BR>
Executive Director<BR>
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Institute for Tropical Ecology<BR>
and Conservation (ITEC)<BR>
2911 NW 40th Place<BR>
Gainesville, FL 32605, USA<BR>
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phn: 352-367-9128<BR>
web: <a href="http://www.itec-edu.org">http://www.itec-edu.org</a> <BR>
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In Panama: 011-507-6853-2134<BR>
lahanas@gmail.com<BR>
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Bocas del Toro Biological Station<BR>
Boca del Drago, Isla Colon, Panama<BR>
Field Station Manager, Enrique Dixon<BR>
011-507-6624-9246<BR>
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