Biodiversity

Consider the following: "In the tropics, the common is rare, and the rare is common."


The Sarapiqui River drains the watershed from the highlands to the west to the Caribbean to the east. Normally the river rushes clear with rapids perfect for adventure sports. However, abnormally heavy rains have washed thick brown sediments out of the highlands. The river is higher than normal and chocolate brown. To reach the rain forest preserve at Tirimbina biological Reserve, we cross the Sarapiqui River on a suspension bridge.

The river cuts through the Tirimbina Biological Reserve that contains both primary and secondary growth rain forest. The differences between the two types of forests is apparent. The primary forest has a well developed canopy and only a few understory of plants that are adapted to capturing light with large leaves. A walk along the trail at the edge of this jungle is a step back to the Cretaceous period, except that the cycads and ferns are small while flowering plants and trees are tall. 
The understory of the secondary forest is dense with small trees and flowering plants. The canopy is lacy and open barely filtering light down to the highly populated understory.

What type of forest is shown in the image? Explain.

To avoid predation, plants produce alkaloids, powerful often fatal chemicals when ingested. Mutualistic and parasitic relationships have evolved over time. The cecropia tree is a great example. The trunk of the tree is hollow. Ants construct a colony inside the tree. The tree provides the ants a sugary sap, while the ants attack any animal that tries to eat the tree or any plant that attempts to compete with the tree. 

Notice the small holes  that ants use to enter and exit the trunk.
Listen to the sound of the hollow trunk.

To be continued.  We are leaving this morning for a service project.

Guayabo

From San Jose, we travelled toward the Caribbean side of Costa Rica. After visiting Blue Valley School, an upscale private pre-k through high school campus, we toured Guayabo National Monument. 
The monument is an archeological site revealing a culture that inhabited the region from approximately 1000 years B.C. to 1400 years A.D.  

The people constructed conical homes on circular mounds with the size and position of the home dependent on status within the tribe. The life expectancy appears to be about 40 years. The bodies of the dead were decomposed and the cleansed skeletons were buried inside the family mound under the house.

An impressive subterranean aqueduct captured and stored water that flowed to the village through an open aqueduct system. 

A roadway constructed of boulders without the invention of the wheel cuts through the modern forest, a reminder of the labor and engineering ability of an ancient people.

The American Society of Civil Engineers recognized Guayabo as a World Heritage Site in 2009.

Map source: http://www.govisitcostarica.com/

We are currently at Earth University. It has rained since Wednesday. When it rains heavily, the Internet connection becomes intermittent. Tomorrow we depart for overnight homestays. I will be be updating the blog Tuesday, November 29.  The sun has appeared!  I need to run outside and try to dry the mud off my sneakers.  So for now, please enjoy the sounds of the rainforest from our Earth University balcony.

And now it's raining again.

More on San Jose

As we leave the central city of San Jose to visit the U.S. Embassy, the office buildings, government centers, and hotels yield to poor residential areas. Small single story homes are packed tightly together. Our guide recalls when it was normal to leave one's front door open. Today, however, windows and doors of homes are barred. Walls and fences are topped with razor wire and spikes.  As we continue to the embassy, high-rise construction projects (in Costa Rica 14 floors is a high-rise) mark a transition to a more affluent area. 

On the way back to San Jose we pass a new sports stadium donated by the People's Republic of China. The stadium is a modification of the Bird's Nest of the Beijing Olympics.

Collecting Weather Data
Today was a chance to collect weather samples. Air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and "feels like" data were collected using a handheld Kestrel weather station. An infrared thermometer was used to collect temperature data from the sidewalk and blacktop around the hotel. An RED pressure probe was used to collect air pressure data. Data was collected at the Aurola Holiday Inn in central San Jose.

The collection site is near the white column. The park is located directly across from the data collection site.

Sunrise 5:34 A.M.
Sunset 5:11 A.M. 
Data 8:30 A.M.
The sky was clear and sunny. Small cloud wisps are visible along the volcanic mountain tops.

• Air temperature 23.3 degrees C
• Relative humidity 59%
• Feels like temperature 27 degrees C
• Wind speed average 5.4 kph from the east
• Air pressure 89.68 kPa (not adjusted to sea level)
• Sidewalk temperature 38.6 degrees C
• Blacktop temperature 31.6 degrees C

Data 3:00 P.M.
The sky iss overcast and a light rain is falling. Clouds rolled over the mountains during the early afternoon swallowing the peaks.

• Air temperature 23.1 degrees C
• Relative humidity 67.5%
• Feels like temperature 23.6 degrees C
• Wind speed average 2.7 kph from the southwest
• Air pressure 89.29 kPa (not adjusted to sea level)
• Sidewalk temperature 27.8 degrees C
• Blacktop temperature 27.1 degrees C

Data as reported by San Jose (MORC) weather station.

Source: Weatherunderground

Consider the Following

• San Jose receives 12 hours of sunlight every day of the year. An afternoon rain shower is expected every day approximately 2 hours before sunset.. Why?
• The elevation of San Jose is 931 meters. What would the atmospheric pressure be if it was adjusted to sea level?
• Given the day length and cloud cover during the late afternoon would an urban heat island effect be likely in San Jose?

San Jose, Costa Rica

Our travel day begins with a 3:30 A.M. wake-up call. Our flight departs on-time at 7:15 A.M. from San Antonio to Houston where we immediately change planes for San Jose, Costa Rica. The total flying time was approximately 5 hours including the 30 minute connection at Houston. By mid-afternoon we checked into the Holiday Inn and ventured out on a guided tour of central San Jose.

Map source: http://www.govisitcostarica.com/

San Jose is the capital of the province of San Jose. It is located in Costa Rica's central valley region and is surrounded by volcanic mountains. During the day, temperatures had been in the upper 70's (degrees F). However, but 3:00 P.M. a light rain fell for a brief period as we set out to explore central San Jose. A light wind continued until sunset around 5:45 P.M. and skies remained overcast. Temperatures dropped into the upper 60's (degrees F), but the air retained a humid feel. Long-sleeved shirts or light jackets were comfortable clothing.

The "Leaf-Cutter Ant" group on a walking tour of San Jose with our local guide.

San Jose is largely a commercial area. There are no permanent residences in the city and no apartments. Homes are single family structures of one to two stories that are located in areas surrounding the city. San Jose experiences thousands of micro-quakes a day. Because of the seismic activity, all building in San Jose need to be earthquake resistant. The tallest building is in Costa Rica is in San Jose. It is 22 stories tall.

National Insurance Building

There are no buildings from the colonial period. Being a poor area, Costa Rica was the last region of Central America to be conquered and colonized by Europeans. Structures from the colonial period were constructed from adobe and disintegrated long ago. Spanish and French influence is apparent in the architecture of buildings that date from the 1800's.

The Yellow House built by Andrew Carnegie served as the home of Costa Rica's president and is now a judicial building.

These are not homes. They are business and government office buildings.

Although there are no green zones in San Jose, there are several small parks and trees line the streets.

The common name of this tree is inspired by the shape of the flower. Can you guess the name? (Hint: Think of what you would need to clean out a bottle.)

The color of the Bouganvilla flowers depends on the humidity of the soil.

Click to enlarge the picture. Can you find flower buds, flowers, and seeds all on the same plant at one time? This is the Yesterday-Today-Tomorrow plant. Why was it given that name?

Tomorrow more about San Jose. 

Where am I today?

The afternoon was cloudy, but gave way to sunshine. The air away from the river and trees is warm and humid. Small green gardens and water features create a cooling effect. Barges filled with tourists navigate the river. The river walk is alive with diners, tourists, and shoppers. The Spanish influence is apparent in architecture, language, and the faces of people who call this place home. Tonight we will be taking a barge tour.

Bike sharing, an idea gaining popularity in Japan and the Netherlands is catching on here. Bikes are rented and returned at the bicycle station. Using a bike to travel in the city reduces carbon emissions and improves air quality.

Where am I?  (Hint: Richard Stockton from New Jersey died a hero here.)

The Journey Begins

The lesson plans are written. Grades are updated. My suitcase is packed... and unpacked... and repacked in an effort to meet the weight limit for checked luggage. It's not clothing. I have that down to a science. It's the gifts from New Jersey to Costa Rica.

We'll be visiting schools and staying with a host family during our trip around Costa Rica. What did I think represented New Jersey?

• Pencils with our state symbols including the official state dinosaur - New Jersey's Hadrosaur was the first complete dinosaur skeleton discovered in North America. 
• Saltwater taffy - This candy earned its name in New Jersey.
• Cranberry and blueberry Craisins - New Jersey is major producer of cranberries and blueberries and a member of the Ocean Spray cooperative. The blueberry was first cultivated by Elizabeth White in Whitesbog, NJ.
• Posters showing songbirds in their New Jersey highlands forest nesting habitat and in their Costa Rican wintering habitat
• Paperback books titled "Nueva Jersey" - The book is small but packed with information about New Jersey in Spanish.
• Sandalwood fans - These are not made in New Jersey, but they are great for deterring mosquitos and increasing the rate of evaporation from skin in humid conditions. 
• Letters from Senora Guzman's students - This is the most important packet that has bumped 22 ounces of Saltwater taffy.

And so with hours left to go before boarding the flight form Newark to San Antonio, I continue to pack.. weigh the suitcase... unpack and repack.