Instructors: Laura Bolt, Ph.D. and Amy Schreier, Ph.D

This intensive field course provides experience in studying wild monkeys in a tropical rainforest environment and is excellent preparation for graduate studies in primatology, animal behaviour, and ecology. The course includes training in field methods and culminates with an independent research project. After attending daily lectures, students individually design and complete research projects on some aspect of primate behavioral ecology with the guidance of the course professor. Undergraduate and graduate students at all levels of training are encouraged to apply.

The Advanced Primate Behavior & Ecology course is for graduates of the MRC Primate Behavior & Ecology course and/or graduate students interested in completing master’s project fieldwork or doctoral pilot study at the La Suerte site with additional on-the-ground support and supervision. The course involves completion of a larger-scale independent research project focused on some aspect of primate behavioral ecology. Projects will be individually designed and completed by students with the support of the professor.

This course is designed to provide a detailed knowledge of Neotropical entomology within an ecological framework. Extensive capturing of insects using various entomological collecting methods with daily field excursions will supplement lecture material; provide opportunity for gaining extensive experience in insect collecting techniques and identification of insects.

Insects are unique and diverse group of animals that lend themselves to a variety of lecture topics in ecology. The new world tropics, including Costa Rica are home to an incredible diversity of Insects. Neotropical Entomology will explore the insect diversity and ecology at La Suerte, Biological Field Station. This field station is located three hours from San Jose in Northeastern Costa Rica. Situated in the lowlands of the Caribbean, the field station is situated in one of the most biologically diverse regions in the world. With 1000 acres of primary and secondary rain forests, the property lies along Río La Suerte, a river that empties into the Caribbean at Tortuguero National Park. Topics in this course include: Insect family and species diversity, interactions with other organisms, conservation, and specimen collection and preservation techniques in the neotropics. The class will stress insect collecting techniques and field time allowing students to gain extensive collecting experience. Daily lectures will provide a knowledge base and ecological framework for students. An Introductory Biology course is a prerequisite. The lecture topics are:

1. The importance, diversity and conservation of insects
2. Insect collecting and preservation techniques
3. Insect ecology in tropical rainforest
4. Insect reproduction and development
5. Tropical ants and stingless bees
6. Tropical aquatic insects
7. Insect societies
8. Insect and plants
9. Insect defense and escape
10. Tropical insects and disease
11. Student Presentations.

The course is a hands-on field experience to familiarize students with the diversity of life in the rainforest while developing a deeper understanding of tropical forest ecology and conservation. With a combination of lectures and fieldwork, time is spent on studying the diverse fauna in a tropical forest through various ecological sampling methods. Through on-site research projects students will build a foundation of skills and knowledge that are applicable to more specialized coursework or field research in primates, botany, herpetology, entomology, etc. We will focus on ecological research, behavior, and quantitative natural history of the more commonly encountered organisms.

This two-week field course focuses on skeletal anatomy and function of human and non-human
skeletons. A significant portion of the course is hands-on and experiential, and involves laboratory investigations of bones and observations of animals in the rainforest to understand the relationship between the skeletal structure, behavior, and the environment. Comparative skeletal anatomy has numerous applications in veterinary sciences, bioarchaeology, paleoanthropology, primatology, and functional anatomy.

Instructor: LaRoy Brant, Ph.D. This course is intended for the beginner to intermediate photographer with an emphasis on nature photography. With the wide variety of habitats and animals available, students will have an opportunity to produce pictures that many people dream of taking. With sloths, monkeys, parrots, insects, you name it, the sky is the limit. The course will focus on utilizing the many function of common DSLR cameras to the typical pocket digital camera. You must provide your own cameras, but the type of camera is up to you. Consecutive classes discounts available.