Overview

Smithsonian Staff Scientists are excited to have RaMP-UP Fellows participants join their projects. Below are abstracts of the 2023 projects that RaMP-UP Fellows could join and the skills that the projects are looking for in applicants.

#1 Tropical Sharks

Diversity, distribution, and ecological role of sharks in the Tropical Eastern Pacific using environmental DNA

Project abstract: Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are a strategy for protecting and managing shark populations but they are often designed without sufficient information on the biology and ecology of sharks. For MPAs already in place, uncertainty remains regarding which species benefit and how. In this project, we capitalize on the genetic material that sharks release in the surrounding seawater in the form of blood, mucus, and waste (environmental DNA or eDNA) to ask questions that are critical to advance shark conservation. The RaMP-up fellow will integrate a diverse and highly dynamic research team to conduct sample collection, and molecular data analyses to advance the goals of this project

Skills needed: Basic molecular genetic laboratory skills (preferred but not required); knowledge of statistical and quantitative methods (preferred but not required); knowledge of programming language R (preferred but not required); ability to work with groups of people from diverse backgrounds; commitment to science communication and public outreach; and ability to communicate in Spanish.

#2 Coral Reef Resilience

The Rohr Reef Resilience Program

Project abstract: The coral reefs of the Eastern Tropical Pacific thrive in a region that is very marginal for the growth of reefs. Despite this, historical data suggest that these reefs have a high capacity to recover after periods of highly stressful environmental conditions, such as those that cause coral bleaching. The Rohr Reef Resilience program (RRR) aims to discover if this previously-observed resilience is a robust characteristic of shallow-water coral reefs in this region, and, if so, to reveal the mechanisms – molecular, physiological, demographic, and ecological -- that underly this resilience. We combine video and photo-mosaic technology, visual surveys, assessments of the recovery of reef communities on artificial surfaces, physiological and biochemical analysis to assess corals’ health, as well as genomic analyses of coral hosts and the microbes that live in and on them to monitor ecological change along gradients of upwelling intensity and through time. We use field experiments to quantify environmental gradients and the effects of herbivory and predation, and controlled experiments to test for and reveal what drives differences in the tolerances of different populations of corals to environmental extremes. Within this broad program, we have several exciting experiments that RaMP-UP Fellows can contribute.

Skills: Foundation in principles of biology, ecology, and marine or aquatic systems. An openness to learn, work hard and work well with a diversity of team members. Project opportunities are diverse and can accommodate a range of fellow interests and abilities.

#3 Reef Fishes

Using the Isthmus of Panama as a natural laboratory to understand plasticity and adaptation of feeding traits in reef fishes

 Project abstract: Understanding how aspects of organisms’ behavior, physiology, and morphology respond to changes in their environment is central to predicting their resilience in the face of climate change. Traits related to feeding are under strong selection because food availability affects key life history components such as growth, reproduction, and survival. In this project, we leverage a natural evolutionary experiment in the sea, the formation of the Isthmus of Panama, to explore the roles of biogeographic isolation and environmental change in the plasticity and adaptation of feeding traits in coral reef fishes. Present-day coral reef fishes with shared ancestors (i.e., sister species and sister clades) have been physically separated by the Isthmus of Panama for at least 2.8 million years. They have adapted to their respective habitat range with the distinct environmental conditions of the productive Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) and the oligotrophic Caribbean. In the TEP, fishes in the Gulf of Panama experience some of the most drastic annual fluctuations in temperature, pH, oxygen, salinity, and nutrients, due to intense seasonal upwelling. Conversely, fishes in the nearby Gulf of Chiriquí of the TEP experience weak to no upwelling due to trade winds being largely blocked by the Cordillera Central mountain range. The RaMP-up fellows will join a diverse research team to learn a range of skills that include comparative (1) analyses of diets, (2) stable isotope analyses, (3) feeding physiology, and (4) morphometric analyses of skulls, oral and pharyngeal jaws.

Skills needed: Knowledge of statistical and quantitative methods (preferred but not required); ability to work with groups of people from diverse backgrounds; commitment to science communication and public outreach; Ability to spend long hours on boats and in the water.

#4 Tropical Forests:

Ecology of Disease in Tropical Forests: From Genes to Germs to Achy Breaky Hearts

Project abstract: While disease carries negative connotations, it is ubiquitous and a natural component of all biological systems. Indeed, in species-rich forests, phytopathogens (organisms able to cause disease in plants) can promote the overall health of the forest by preventing any single tree species from monopolizing limited resources, becoming overly abundant, and displacing other tree species. While phytopathogens are receiving increasing attention for their ecological and economic importance, we know relatively little about their taxonomy, epidemiology, and ecology in tropical forests. Thus, we ask: (1) How are microorganisms distributed across space, time, and hosts? (2) What combination of biotic and abiotic factors exclude certain species from otherwise suitable habitats? (3) What is the role of multi-host pathogens in the maintenance of tropical forest diversity? and (4) What are the causes and consequences of microbe-mediated tree death? Our work is timely and impactful across disciplines and within the breadth of this project, we have several sub-projects that RaMP-UP Fellows could engage in.

Skills needed: Ability to work with groups of people from diverse backgrounds; Knowledge of experimental design and statistical methods preferred but not required; Knowledge of the R statistical language preferred but not required; Commitment to science communication and public outreach.

#5 Agua Salud

Mixed Tropical Landscapes

Project abstract: Tropical forests provide a suite of benefits to local communities, people living far removed, but connected by virtue of being within watersheds, and across the world. Agua Salud is advancing our understanding of the ecosystem services that forests provide in a seasonal, moist climate. Smart Reforestation studies develop strategies to restore the diverse set of environmental and social values lost from deforestation. The Smart Reforestation internship encompasses a variety of different reforestation and restoration projects including studies in plantations looking at the dynamics and performance of native and exotic species, studies of carbon capture by naturally regenerating secondary forests, and those where tree species with demonstrated environmental, social, and economic value are planted into areas of young secondary forest or areas where succession is stalled and the vegetation is a perpetual state of brush and scrub forest. Sites include those managed entirely by STRI for science, to those which are owned and managed by rural farmers and/or indigenous communities. RaMP-UP Fellows could engage in several of the ongoing projects to understand growth and carbon sequestration potential; testing drought and/or temperature stress; studies of soil microbiology and its importance to survivorship and growth of trees; study pollination biology; as well as understanding the social dynamics and motivations of participating communities.

Skills needed: Basic understanding of forest ecology, basic knowledge of Excel or similar software package; some knowledge of statistical and quantitative methods preferred but not required; understanding of the importance of attention to detail; willingness to work outdoors in uncomfortable conditions, including heat, sun, and/or light rain; ability to work with groups of people from diverse backgrounds; and commitment to science communication and public outreach.

#6 Tropical Forest Plants

Functional Traits of Tropical Forest Plants

Project abstract: Functional traits capture fundamental tradeoffs that determine species’ ecological roles, for example, seed size, adult stature, tissue lifetimes, photosynthetic rates, and many more. There is growing recognition that many ecological questions can be addressed effectively beginning with a thorough understanding of how and why functional traits are related, and how these traits affect ecological outcomes such as where a species grows best and where it is most competitive. Functional traits have been used recently to address a wide range of ecological questions including (1) to parameterize carbon, nutrient, and water budget models; (2) to predict impacts of environmental change including climate change; (3) to predict vegetation change along physical gradients; (4) to predict outcomes of competitive interactions between plant species; and (5) to test fundamental trade-offs in plant design and ecophysiology and to evaluate many additional hypotheses. Despite international efforts to compile existing functional trait data for both plants and animals, existing trait data is severely limited for tropical species. We will continue ongoing efforts to quantify functional traits for thousands of plant species across central Panama and evaluate relationships between functional traits and ecological outcomes. We have many projects that RaMP-UP Projects can participate in.

Skills needed: Ability to work with groups of people from diverse backgrounds; knowledge of statistical and quantitative methods preferred but not required; knowledge of the R statistical language preferred but not required, understanding of the importance of attention to detail; willingness to work outdoors in uncomfortable conditions, including heat, sun, and/or light rain; commitment to science communication and public outreach.

#7 Tropical Lizards

Integrating Responses to Environmental Change Across the Biological Hierarchy

Project abstract: Climate and environmental change are rapidly reconstructing life on earth. Within this context, it is critical to understand and predict the effects of these changes on the viability of populations and species. This need is particularly pressing in the tropics, which host the largest number of species and are under the greatest threat from climate change, environmental degradation, and habitat loss.

We are looking for highly motivated individuals to join an experimental evolution project that seeks to understand how tropical organisms may respond to climate change. Our project investigates species residence and population persistence by following the fate of anole lizards (and their descendants!) that have been transplanted from a single source population onto islands in the Panamá Canal that differ in habitat and environmental characteristics. This is a multi-year study with lots of opportunities to explore how organisms respond to environmental change from the molecular to the organismal level. RaMP-UP Fellows will join a distributed and large, diverse research team and will learn tangible skills including how to 1) measure environmental heterogeneity and assay genomic and phenotypic variation; 2) analyze complex genomic datasets to understand transcriptional plasticity, generate multigenerational pedigrees, and identify functionally important genetic variation; and 3) model population dynamics, selection, and fitness landscapes.

Skills needed: Basic molecular genetic laboratory skills and training, preferred but not required; knowledge of statistical and quantitative methods, preferred but not required; knowledge of programming languages such as R and Python, preferred but not required; ability to work with groups of people from diverse backgrounds; commitment to science communication and public outreach.

#8 Tropical Fossils

A deep time view of community and ecosystem change

Project abstract: What is the natural baseline in variation for a system? Without this benchmark, it is impossible to disentangle natural and anthropogenic drivers of ecosystem changes. This project focuses on using fossils to understand what is “pristine” and to document how environmental change is reflected in the abundance, diversity, and morphology of marine animals on both sides of the Isthmus of Panamá. We are looking for a highly motivated individual to explore ecosystem change over millennia using coral reef fossils in Tropical America. As a complement to the study of environmental change in deep time, the individual will have the opportunity to conduct a guided historical review of literature on environmental change along the Atlantic and/or Pacific coasts of Panama.

Skills needed: The patience and organization to sift through sediment and pick tiny fossils using a microscope; previous experience working with ecological or paleontological data - preferred but not required; Knowledge of statistical and quantitative methods - preferred but not required; willingness to learn programming languages such as R; ability to work independently and with a diverse, multidisciplinary team; a commitment to science communication and public outreach.

#9 Evolution of Behavior

Bees, Ants, Butterflies and other animals

Project abstract (focused on bees): Terrestrial tropical forests and allied ecosystems provide a suite of benefits to local communities largely arising from the ecology (growth) and reproduction (fruiting) of flowering plants, and these ecosystem services are vital in natural ecosystems as well.  A key feature of the health and well-being of natural and agricultural ecosystems is the diversity of natural pollinators, specifically the natural behavior of select birds, bees, bats, butterflies, and other taxa as pollinators. STRI scientists and their colleagues have been studying natural forests and their restoration for decades in Panama, providing an outstanding platform for studies of pollination ecology. Likewise, considerable information is available on the spatial cognition capabilities of BCI taxa from bats to bees and monkeys.  In some cases (like with the larger, non-flying mammals), tracking fruits is really important, while for other animal taxa, the flowers matter. 

Work on any of these projects would all be done under the larger umbrella of the STRI-Laboratory for Animal Behavior (https://striresearch.si.edu/laboratory-for-animal-behavior/), with guidance from a core group of mentors/co-advisors. 

Skills needed: Passion for science & some appreciation of forest ecology, behavior, evolution, or related fields; basic knowledge of Excel or similar software package; some knowledge of statistical and quantitative methods like R is preferred but not required; understanding the importance of attention to details of the littlest things; willingness to work outdoors in uncomfortable conditions, including heat, sun, or light rain, or in the darkness at night; ability to work with groups of people from diverse backgrounds; and commitment to science communication and public outreach.

#10 Behavior of Bats

Frog-eating bats and their prey: How do acoustic predators navigate an increasingly noisy world?

Project abstract: Anthropogenic change is dramatically altering Earth’s ecosystems. With massive increases in urbanization, habitats are rapidly being fragmented and lost. Those that remain suffer high levels of pollution, including sensory pollutants in the form of increased noise and light levels. These changes result in acoustic and visual environments very different from those in which local species evolved. In many cases, these environmental and sensory changes disrupt the delicate balance between interacting species. Will animals adapt fast enough to changes through behavioral modifications, will they move, or will they go extinct? Where is the break-point at which animals no longer are able to provide key ecosystem services such as seed dispersal and pollination? We address these questions through an intensive study of Neotropical bats, specifically bats that feed on frogs and use frog mating calls to detect, assess and locate their prey. As highly acoustic predators, these bats are vulnerable to habitat change that alters the local soundscape. Through behavioral experiments with bats in short-term captivity, we investigate the role of increased noise and light levels on the foraging success and social interactions of frog-eating bats. We also observe the natural behavior of these bats in the wild through infrared video recordings and ultrasonic microphones placed in artificial roosts in the forest. RaMP-UP fellows will join a large, diverse research team and will learn tangible skills including how to 1) capture and identify bats in the Neotropical rainforest; 2) design and conduct controlled experiments in a flight cage; 3) record and analyze video and acoustic data.

Skills: Ability to work at night (and sleep during the day!); knowledge of statistical and quantitative methods, preferred but not required; ability to work with groups of people from diverse backgrounds; commitment to science communication and public outreach; Ability to work in tropical forests in the rain and muddy conditions.

#11 Mangroves

Understanding how mangroves capture carbon

Project abstract: Mangroves are highly productive ecosystems that provide critical ecosystem services to coastal communities within the tropics and sub-tropics, including climate change adaptation and mitigation, and food security. Despite the small area they occupy along tropical coastlines, they account for 14% of carbon sequestration in the oceans, and therefore major stores of blue carbon globally. As the world moves towards commoditizing blue carbon, it becomes increasingly important to document the amount of carbon currently held in different biomes AND understand how key rates influence variation in carbon stores in different types of ecosystems and in areas with different environmental conditions. In this project, we are documenting how the current carbon stores, carbon accumulation rate, sediment accretion rates, soil carbon origin, and decomposition rates vary in contrasting mangrove forests in Panama.  Mangrove soils and peats can be very deep (>20m in some places) and can range from 1-40% carbon by weight. The origin of this carbon can be either from the mangroves themselves or can be brought into the system from the ocean or from terrestrial sources via adjacent rivers. Soil accretion in mangroves can reach 5mm/year, which buffers tropical and sub-tropical coastlines from sea-level rise. However, accretion can be much less and in some places, net erosion has been measured in mangroves.

Skills needed:· Basic laboratory skills and training (especially bio-geo-chemistry work, preferred but not required); knowledge of spatial analysis, GIS or Google Earth Engine would be a plus; ability to work with groups of people from diverse backgrounds; commitment to science communication and public outreach.

#12 Tropical Forests & CO2

An experimental approach to predicting the fate of tropical vegetation in the Anthropocene

Project abstract: Ups and downs in atmospheric [CO2] and associated changes in temperature and precipitation patterns have occurred many times throughout past geological eras, over time scales of thousands and millions of years, long enough for plants to adapt or to migrate. By contrast, today’s human-induced atmospheric and climate change occurs so rapidly that trees experience massive increases in [CO2] and temperature during their lifetimes. This is a fascinating scenario, especially for plant biologists studying species-rich, high-biomass tropical forests that are a major driver of the global carbon cycle. This planetary environmental shift raises a series of intriguing questions.

We use six naturally-lighted glass domes (each 6 m wide and 3.5 m tall) to study the growth and photosynthetic/respiratory responses of tropical plants to elevated temperatures and elevated atmospheric concentrations of CO2. Mesocosms of early and late successional tree species, lianas, herbs, and leaf- and stem-succulent plants are being investigated under current and future temperature and CO2 scenarios. Two major questions are addressed: (1) Can tropical plants acclimatize? (2) Where is the “tipping point”, i.e., what are the climate conditions beyond which irreversible damage occurs?

Skills needed: Basic understanding of plant physiology; some technical background; basic knowledge of Excel; work outdoors under conditions of high solar irradiance and high temperature.

A special thanks to our 2022 sponsors: