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Tropical Field Courses
Photos, Images and Movies Copyright R. Hays Cummins. Authorization Required. For permission, contact haysc@muohio.edu
Use "Pop-Ups" below to select Costa Rica Slideshows and Videos!
Here, you will find a vast array of tropical ecosystem images, photos, and movies taken while teaching my Tropical Ecosystems of Costa Rica course. You find many images and movies of volcanoes, cloud and lowland forests,
mangroves, bats, birds, snakes, insects, primates, and indigenous peoples, to name a few. It's all here!
Tropical Ecosystems of Costa Rica serves as an intensive introduction to Neotropical ecosystems--how they were
formed, how they are changing. The goal of this course is to introduce students
to the structure and function of Neotropical ecosystems, as well as to geological,
biological, cultural, and economic forces affecting the biodiversity of Costa
Rica. An intensive lecture schedule is combined with firsthand field experiences,
individual and group investigations, emphasizing research methods in tropical
systems. Topics to be covered in depth include the geology of Costa Rica,
tropical ecology, Pre-Columbian to modern patterns of land use in lowland,
premontane, montane, and mangrove ecosystems, experimental design, and the
statistical analysis of data. The course is interdisciplinary. Dr. Cummins
is a paleobiologist and oceanographer; Dr. McCollum is a stream ecologist. Both conduct field research in the tropics. Prerequisites: Two
courses in natural sciences and permission of instructor. Limited scholarships
available. Maximum enrollment: 18. First come, first served.
These tropical ecosystem images, pictures and movies were taken primarily by Hays Cummins! Many photos
are very large and are best viewed using an External Viewer such as Graphic Converter. Configure your browser to have your external viewer open the
images. Then you're all set!
Special: The Darien
Gap is a unique oasis of biological diversity in Panama. This ecosystem
is being threatened by road construction of the Pan American Highway. The
only missing link is a 54-mile stretch through two national parks -- one
in Panama, the other in Colombia -- that contain the Darien Gap's more than
3 million acres of unspoiled wilderness. (Quicktime movie from CNN)
Geology
Rincon de la Vieja, Irazu, and Poas Volcanoes
The entire landscape of Costa Rica has been shaped by plate tectonics and much
of the overall ecologic diversity of the country is due to highly variable geography.
For instance, this coastal rock along the SW Pacific coast, once part of the
sea floor, has been uplifted, Folded and Twisted
(TREC 99) by movements of the earth's crust (another
fantastic perspective in Corcovado).And, Faults
are common (TREC 00). Costa Rica has over 600
extinct and active volcanoes. Volcano
World compiles the latest information on volcanic eruptions in Costa Rica
and also specific volcanoes such as Rincon
de la Vieja.
Rincon Steaming Sulphur in Caldera
(The caldera lake has a pH of <1.0! The picture was taken while lying
on my stomach and stretching over the rim of the caldera.)
Boiling Muds and vents are common along the flanks of the volcano. Here,
the 1992 class gets "all
muddied up" in the boiling muds.
Rincon Caldera Edge Eric, an Institute of Environmental Science Student, having a
blast on the caldera edge!
Volcan Irazu or the "Powder Keg of Nature" is over 3400 meters
tall! The last significant eruptions were between 1962-1965. One
of the Four Craters is shown here.
A close-up of Poas Sulfur Smokers on the left and the acidic caldera lake on the right.
The Great Earthquake of 1991
In April, 1991, a major earthquake, magnitude 7.4, struck Costa Rica. The epicenter
was near Limon on the Caribbean coast. Damage was extensive to buildings, streets
and bridges. Later, after heavy rains, tree falls from the quake were washed
into rivers and eventually created dams which soon broke and caused further
destruction of bridges. Today, geologic evidence of the quake consists of a
general 1.5 meter uplift of the land along the CR southeast coast. Fringing
reef is now emergent even at high tide. In the pictures below, note the bio-erosive
notch now over a meter above sea level. The upper notch was once the former
sea level location before the quake.
Uplifted "Notch"on the right. Note a new notch at today's sea level has formed
in the six years since the quake. An uplifted coral platform is
on the left. ('97)
Many if the beaches south of Limon are dominated by very fine
grained Black Sands. ('97) (Another Black Sand Perspective) What is the origin of these sands? Mineral composition?
Yes, we did go past the "Dead
Sign." Kind of makes you go Hmmm......Boulders were rolling down
the slopes like huge Bowling Balls. Absolutely Amazing! (We were out of
harm's way!) (TREC 00)
More "out-of-control"
boulders along the active western flank. The dark flank is literally
"peppered" with falling boulders as indicated by the "exploding
white puffs." Can you figure out how fast these boulders are
moving? Amazing!!(TREC 99)
A tour of the active areas of the western flank. There
is a whole bunch of activity going on here. I always had the
feeling that the volcano could explode at any time! This volcano
is unbelievable. (TREC 99)
Huge Boulders continually run down the flanks of Arenal
forming a "Boulder Chute." The boulders roll down
the mountain as a result of frequent earthquakes and gravity. (TREC 00)
A Quicktime Video of Corcovado National Park at Sirena. Double Click on the image above to view quicktime.
Includes squirrel monkeys, tapirs, etc.
Reptiles
Snakes
These two snake species were a first for me! Both were found about 1.5 meters above the ground attached to epiphytic vegetation at night at Almonds and Corals
along the SE Caribbean Costa Rica coast. The first is a rear-fanged (venomous) juvenile frog eating snake Leptodeira septentrionalis Slide A- head-on shot,
Slide B-Head Shot with White Nuchal Hood, and Slide C--Body with
Hood. Snake #2 is the specialized snail- and slug-eating Snake Sibon nebulata, a nocturnal and arboreal snake. Slide A--a side view
and Slide B--another side shot. Wow! (TREC 03)
At Corcovado National Park on the Osa Peninsula at the Sirena Field Station, my team teacher, Donna McCollum, spotted a huge Terciopelo (Bothrops asper) next to the Buttress of a huge tree right next to the trail. Wow! (Summer 2007)
Terciopelos (Bothrops asper)are one of the most deadly pit vipers in Central America. Adults
can reach 2.5 meters in length. This Juvenile was spotted after
15 people walked over him on a trail in Corcovado National Park.
('97)
Sometimes juveniles are called "Yellow Tails." Supposedly, juveniles use the tail to attract lizards.
After teaching in Costa Rica for ten years, we finally came across two Terciopelos in one year! (TREC 01)
A student narrowly missed stepping on the first Terciopelo at Drake Bay Wilderness Resort. It then crawled into a bush where I proceeded to take photos of it.
This snake was about 50 cm long. What an absolutely beautiful
specimen! I included a closer fantastic "blow-up" of
its head region. Note the tongue and characteristic "pits." And, no, it didn't strike at me. Wow!!
After teaching in Costa Rica for 12 wonderful years, we finally came
across a "golden morph"
Eyelash Viper (Bothriechis schlegelii) at La Selva. Wow! This beautiful specimen was about 1 meter long! Did you know that
their "pits" can "see down" below their head level? (TREC 03)
Press Browser RELOAD after each eyelash viper Bothriechis schlegelii image request! (TREC 03)
Quicktime Movie! Prior to arriving in Costa Rica, I spent time in southern Louisiana
at Jean Lafitte National Park. Here are two movies of a blue runner,
Coluber constrictor, (1)first stalking and (2)then capturing an anolis lizard. (TREC 99)
Quicktime Movie!!
Iguanas (Iguana iguana) are raised by the Bri Bri for food and conservation
purposes. Young lizards are initially caged and protected from predators.
Most iguanas are released to the wild but some are eaten for their meat. A
young Bri Bri swings on a hammock. (TREC 99)
An American Crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) slowly slides
down the bank of the Tempisque River in Palo Verde National Park.
It is low tide. The croc has
a food item in its mouth!(TREC 00)
Rodeo Spider with a "Rope" awaits in ambush. (It is
most likely an orgre-faced spider, dinopidea. They hang upside down and cast an expandable web over
their prey: Monteverde Preserve.
I know, it's out of place BUT....We saw the most AMAZING Manta Rays (probably
devil rays (Mobula sp.)) jumping out of the water along the Pacific
coast. Here is a group frozen in time
while this one is all by himself.INCREDIBLE!
(TREC 99)
Predatory Cricket Eating a Moth(Monteverde: I never knew some crickets are very cagey predators!
The moth has its wings pinned down on the leaf. You can see the
prey's eyes.)
Mysterious slimy, silky threads
hanging underneath a log. Our guide said that they were made from the larva
of an insect that catches its prey in the webs!
Millipedes are quite common in the
lowland rainforests of CR. This guy was about 10 cm long! If you hassle them,
they emit cyanide gas which has a distinct almond smell.
We found a mating pair of scorpions on our night hike along the SE Caribbean coast at Almonds and Corals. Slides are: A gentle "Handshake,"
SLide B-the "handshake" close-up and
Slide C-a head-shot. (TREC 03)
Caterpillar (Guanacaste dry forest,
NW Costa Rica)
Cecropia trees are a common site in disturbed areas such as along trails, bordering
roadways and agricultural fields, and in recent "light gaps" created
by tree falls in the rainforest. Sometimes, if you're real lucky,
you can spot Sloths near the crown of Cecropia trees! Here is another Distant Sloth at Almonds & Corals, SE Costa Rica.
And Another One!
Check out this spectacular Sloth Taking Shelter under a roof!
This summer, we spotted another Banded Anteater Tamandua mexicana foraging on the ground and in the trees at La Sirena in Corcovado National Park. What an impressive animal! (Summer 2007)
A fantastic quicktime movie series of a two-toed sloth (Choloepus
hoffmanni)caught on his way down the trunk of a roadside Cecropia.Note
the green algal tint to its fur. Near Arenal Volcano (TREC 99)
The sloth seems to be
coming to a decision as it moves too and fro. Note that
a two-toed sloth has two "toes" on its front limbs
and three "toes" on its hind limbs. (TREC 99)
Taking photos of primates near the tops of the canopy requires luck and persistence. This year, we saw all four Costa Rican
Primate species--Howler, Spider, Squirrel,
and White-face Capuchins. Photos from Corcovado National Park and Manzanillo Refuge in SE Costa Rica. Sometimes you get lucky!
I've seen Botflies on several people over the years.
This year, I spotted a troop of
Howler Monkeys (Alouatta palliata) at
Gandoca along the SE Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. (TREC 05)
For the first time in my life, we encountered squirrel monkeys (Saimiri oerstedii) in a wild setting--Sirena River, Corcovado National Park. The experience wa
nothing short of amazing! The amount of activity (movement, noise, excitement) was incredible.
And, where would we be without some White-faced capuchins(Cebus capucinus)? A group moved into a fruit tree and went to town
at San Pedrillo. (TREC 01)
This year, we visited the Sirena Field Station in Corcovado. What a wild and beautiful place!
Spider monkeys were abundant!
Many had youngsters with them. (30mb) They were mesmerizing!(TREC 01)
Tropical rainforests are famous for the many fascinating symbiotic relationships
that have evolved over millions of years. Acacia sp. trees have developed
an intimate relationship with a a small 6 mm long ant (Pseudomyrmex ferruginea).The
trees provide the ants with a place to live and eat while the ants enthusiastically
protect the trees from herbivores and vines.
Tropical Marine Ecology of the Bahamas Imagery
