La Selva Science Day

Karleigh, Rob Cuba, Lena, JJ 

Word of the day - prehensile tail: An appendage that is used by monkeys to grasp objects such as branches, tree trunks, and fruit. This appendage is also used a balancing aid while jumping from limb to limb.

Spider Monkey using prehensile tail while checking us out

Science of the day:

Three-toed Sloth and baby in rainstorm on site

Today as we were returning from our sampling collection we were fortunate enough to witness a mother three-toed sloth carrying her baby down a tree. Sloths are very interesting creatures. They sleep the majority of the day, and wake up mainly to eat and defecate. There are two species of sloths, the three-toed and the two-toed. Both species tend to be nocturnal. Another interesting theory about sloths is that they will only use the restroom at the bottom of their “home” tree. Rainforest soils are very poor of nutrients and feces is a prized commodity. The sloth is essentially nourishing its home tree!

Example of plant biodiversity in the rainforest

                Multiple teams in our group are working on projects that include identifying plant species. This can be a very difficult task, because the most minute details separate one species from another. Many researchers looking to identify a species of plant in the field look for eight main characteristics: 

1.       Is the plant an herb, shrub, fern or other?

2.       Is the plant hairy or hairless?

3.       Are leaves alternate or opposite?

a.       Opposite leaves occur in pairs on the stem

b.      Alternate leaves occur on alternate sides of the stem

4.       Are the flowers symmetrical or asymmetrical?

5.       What are the types of seeds or fruit? Dry, fleshy, wind driven?

a.       Dry fruits/nuts are nuts

b.      Fleshy fruits are the ones we eat, like peaches and apples

c.       Wind driven seeds are like dandelions, very light and easily moved.

6.       What is the color range of the plant?

7.       When does the plant flower?

8.       What kind of environment is it in? Wet or dry?

Question of the day:

          In the rainforest, do you think that the roots of large trees extend deep into the soil? Why or why not?