Investigating the BIodiversity of Soil and Canopy Arthropods
Investigaciones sobre la Biodiversidad de los Insectos de la
Selva Centro-Americana
Inventaire de la Biodiversité des Insectes du Sol et de la Canopée
Main sponsors:
Solvin-Bretzel & Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Scientific coordination:
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) &
Canopy Raft Consortium (CRC)
First phase: 22 September to 31 October 2003
San Lorenzo Forest, Panama
DISCLAIMER
This presentation concerns the main period of field work
in Panama in 2003.
It is only indicative, aimed at participants, and cannot be
viewed as a comprehensive user manual of the different
canopy access facilities that will be in operation during the
project.
The aim is to familiarize the participants with the logistics of
the project and to pre-empty potential problems as much as
possible.
All photos in this presentation are copyrighted,
please do not distribute them further
Prepared by Y. Basset
Version: 14/09/03
Team spirit and work
The IBISCA project will be both exciting and challenging,
particularly in the field.
We all have different research interests, but team work
and spirit for this project are essential if we want to succeed.
Please keep this in mind and enjoy your canopy experience
in Panama.
Aims
The IBISCA project at glance
Study sites
Logistics
Canopy access
Sampling programs
Planning
Field work
Seasonal replication
Focal taxa and processing of the material
Barro Colorado Island
Significance of the project
Participants
Sponsors
IBISCA - Aims and Outline
We propose to study the vertical stratification and beta diversity of
arthropods in a rainforest in Panama, using the state-of-the art methods of
canopy access, namely canopy fogging, canopy cranes, and canopy raft and
peripherals. The canopy raft and fogging sites will provide spatial replication
during a field study of 5 weeks, whilst seasonal replication will be controlled
for at the crane site, during a one year period. We will study the arthropod
fauna of 9 sites within the San Lorenzo Protected Area with an international
team of 30 entomologists, seconded by many colleagues for the taxonomic
study of the material. Each participating entomologist will be responsible for
a particular sampling protocol (9 different collecting methods in total) and
will study 1-2 focal taxa (total 40 focal taxa studied).
Study sites
All sites will be located in the San Lorenzo Protected Area (near Colon,
Caribbean coast, 9º17’N, 79º58’W; alt. 130 m). This tropical wet evergreen
forest averages 3152 mm of annual rainfall and an annual air temperature of
25.8ºC. Three sub-sites will be within the perimeter of the San Lorenzo
Canopy Crane and will allow for seasonal replication. The Canopy Raft, a
400m2 platform of plastic beams and netting, will be set up with minimal
damage on the canopy at 3 sites. In addition, the Canopy Bubble will run
along a 1km transect, yielding access to 2 further sites. Last, one Ikos
(icosaedron, ‘tree house’) will represents the ninth study site. Canopy fogging
will be performed at all these sites (at 3 surrogate sites for the crane sites).
All study sites will be located within a 2-3km radius of the crane site.
SITES
R2
Total 9 sites: 3C, 3R, 2B, 1I, all within 2-3 km of the crane site
R1
3 ‘crane sites’ (400 m2), close to the
botanical plot, in which fogging and
Winkler programs will be performed
Canopy Raft (400 m2):
3 sites elsewhere
Crane botanical plot (6ha):
no destructive studies
allowed within
C1’
20m
C3’
20m
R3
Ikos (more or less 400 m2):
1 site, not suitable for all programs
20m
20m
C2’
I1
400m
Canopy Bubble: one transect of
1km, with two sites of 400 m2
20m
20m
C1
Crane perimeter (0.85ha) in which
3 sub-sites of 400 m2 each will be
delineated
C3
C2
54m
Activities within C1, C2 and C3
should be 3m away from 20
seedling stations managed by
S.J. Wright
240m
B2
20m
Buffer zone: 200m
20m
B1
Positions and distances not exact and not to scale
Logistics
Most of participants will be based on Barro Colorado Island (BCI).
Daily boat and 4WD vehicles will assure transportation from BCI to the
study sites. Other participants will be based in Panama City, working at
STRI and the University of Panama. The main laboratories and headquarters
of the project will be based at BCI. Basic accommodation for night work will
be provided at the crane site. Participants will switch activities from field
work to laboratory work (half of the time each) during a five week period.
Seven technical staff from CRC, including 3 professional tree climbers, will
Assist the project. The tree climbers will help mainly with the 9 core sampling
programs (see below).
LOGISTICS
Tocumen Airport
1: Crane sites: 5 min. walk
2: Bubble sites: 10 min. walk or 4WD
3: Raft sites: 4WD + 15 to 30 min. walk
4: Ikos: 4WD + 15 min. walk
IBISCA 4WD (1)
irregularly, daily
when crane in use
ca. 80km, 2 hours 1/2
leaves STRI (parking lot)
at 05h30
3
Gatun’s locks:
waiting time variable
3
3
2
Samatour bus
ca. 20km, $20
Samatour bus
ca 20 km, $20
45 min.
Hotel Via Espana
STRI
Labo University
Gamboa
Near Gatun’s locks
4
Dredging division
Lancha
BCI boats:
Jacana Mon-Fri 07h15
Las Cruces Sat-Sun 08h00
Water taxi Mon, Wed 13h00
(see detailed timetable)
1
Crane garita
Rest area
Equipment
Tent for night work
IBISCA 4WD (2)
daily
07h00/17h00
ca. 30 min.;
road locked by gate
IBISCA boat daily (1)
06h30/17h30
ca. 30 min.
Max 15 people and equipment
Panama City
Barro Colorado Island
Laboratories (wet and dry)
HQ
Accomodation and meals
23 people at any time
Maps
Panama Canal
Colon
Inset
4
2
3
BCI
1
Panama
City
Tocumen
airport
Roads in red; boat trips in blue
1 = Gamboa
2 = Gatuns’locks
3 = Lancha
4 = Study sites
STRI center in Panama City
Main entry
Parking lot
crane car leaves here at 05h30
Canopy Access -San Lorenzo Crane
Managers: S.J. Wright, M. Samaniego & Y. Basset
Timetable: 08h00 to 14h00; night work needs to
be scheduled through M. Samaniego or Y. Basset
Access: see guidelines next page
Restrictions: No destructive sampling allowed
(Winkler and fogging programs); lower canopy may
need to be accessed through single rope
techniques.
Steps to work with the San Lorenzo Crane
1. 08h00. Crane operator gives you a radio (channel ‘Smithsonian - Grua’) and
climbs in the cabin. He then lowers the cable and crane hook.
2. You engage the crane hook into the large gondola ring. Operator lifts off
slightly the hook so that you can insert the security cables on both small safety
rings of the gondola.
3. You climb onboard the gondola and tell the operator with the radio that you
are ready. He lifts up the gondola and you close the door.
4. You proceed, giving directions to the operator (see basic terms next page)
5. 14h00. You go down and follow the procedures in reverse order: open the
door before touching ground, help the operator to land the gondola into
the 4 ground holes, disengage security cables and unhook the gondola.
Crane - basic terms
Up = arriba
Safety
ring
Hook
Down = abajo
Right = derecha (for the operator)
Left = izquierda (for the operator)
Forwards = adelante, al frente
Backwards = atrás
Stop = alto
More = más
Ring
Less - menos
To the ground = a tierra
Thanks = gracias
Safety
cable
Gondola
Canopy Access - Canopy Raft
Manager: G. Ebersolt
Timetable: 24 hours/day (night work needs to be scheduled)
Access: with single rope techniques
Restrictions: 4 people on the raft at a
time, including a technical staff;
lower canopy may need to be
accessed through single rope
techniques (helmet required
during the climb).
Canopy Access - Canopy Bubble
Managers: D. Cleyet-Marrel & L. Pyot
Timetable: 06h00 to 10h00 (?); 16h00 to 18h00 (?) and
night; needs to be scheduled through D. Cleyet-Marrel,
L. Pyot, B. Corbara or Y. Basset
Access: through the direction of D. Cleyet-Marrel or L. Pyot
Restrictions: unsuitable when windy; two 500m linear transects;
lower canopy needs to be accessed through single rope
techniques.
Canopy Access - Ikos
Manager: G. Ebersolt
Timetable: 24 hours/day (night work needs to be
scheduled)
Access: via single rope techniques
Restrictions: a discrete sampling point not suitable
for all sampling programs; lower canopy needs to
be accessed through single rope techniques.