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Research
and Projects
The C.R.A.R.C. is active in numerous areas of biological and conservational research. The research is being conducted to generate more in-depth information
into the biology and conservation of Costa Rica's amphibians.
We are also researching new methods and experimenting with the preservation of what is considered to be the most important habitat for amphibian diversity in Costa Rica, that of the Premontane Rain Forests of the Atlantic versant of the Talamanca Mountains.
FIELD STUDIES
Biological research includes various topics in the areas of species richness, ecology, taxonomy, and biogeography. We are currently in the process of setting up different transects on the reserve. These transects will be important in providing quantitative data in species diversity, species abundance, habitat preferences, and breeding
phenology. The transects will be monitored on a year-round basis to provide balanced data.
HABITAT RESTORATION AND CREATION
A large part of the C.R.A.R.C. research and projects involves a conservation goal: We are restoring parts of the reserve that were destroyed by previous human activities such as agriculture, logging and cattle grazing. In addition to habitat restoration, we are also creating habitats to increase vitally needed areas for reproduction and foraging. Habitat creation includes making new ponds, seepages, experimental
artificial breeding sites, or simply replanting areas with foliage more conducive to amphibian and other faunal needs.
CAPTIVE HUSBANDRY STUDIES
The C.R.A.R.C. recently completed the construction of the
Native Amphibian Species
Preservation Laboratory. The lab allows us to work with species of special concern in captive
conditions to learn more about their behavior and generate techniques for their captive husbandry. By learning the necessary techniques of captive reproduction and long-term captive husbandry we are hoping to establish a safety net for species that might otherwise go extinct. One such initiative is the
Glass Frog Research and Conservation Project.
The C.R.A.R.C is working together with the Atlanta Botanical Garden and the
Henry Vilas Zoo in an effort to establish a long-term conservation project with species of special concern.
NATIVE TREE AND PLANT NURSERY
Part of the requirements for habitat rehabilitation and preservation is maintaining a rich diversity of plants and trees. To help provide native plants species from the region of the C.R.A.R.C. we have a
small greenhouse, the Native Endangered Trees and Plants Nursery.
We have collected seeds and seedlings from the rarest and most endangered plants and timber species from the region of the C.R.A.R.C. for the purpose of reforestation and species preservation. There are numerous native tree nurseries in Costa Rica, but rarely do they stock the most endangered species due to economics and the difficulty of obtaining seeds. We are concentrating on the rarest and most valuable species native to the central Caribbean foothills of Costa Rica. These species are vital to the ecosystems there. We are trying to obtain the highest genetic diversity in the species we are working with, but this has proven to be difficult at times due to limitation of only a single adult tree in the over-all region for some species. We continue to try to obtain rare species localities via people who have a vast knowledge of the local forests to ensure the highest genetic diversity which will lead to the healthiest populations of these species.
The species we have concentrated on until now are the following: ManuNegro (Minquartia guianensis),
Corteza(Tabebuia chrysantha), Guayacán (Tabebuia guayacan), Christobal (Platymiscium pinnatum), Cedro Cobano (Rugea sp?), and Cola de Pavo
(Hymenolobium mesoamericanum). In additon to these rare species we are also working with more common forest trees that play an important ecological role such as a food source for birds and mammals, or shelter for a variety of animals and epiphytes. In addition, we are working with other plants such as heliconias (Families: Heliconiaceae, Marantacaea) Palms (Families: Arecaceae, Cyclanthaceae), Aroids (Family: Araceae), Orchids (Family: Orchidaceae), bromeliads (Family Bromeliaceae,
and an assortment of other epiphytes and herbaceous plants.
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