Module 2
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| Course Title : | Costa Rica: Rainforest and Reef |
| Instructor(s) : | |
| Date(s) : | April 26 – May 08, 2010 (13 days) |
| Location : | Costa Rica |
| Cost : | Estimated $3500 from Toronto (includes airfares, accommodation, surface transport, meals). Registration deposit of $250 required at home university before January 31, 2010. Balance required before March 12; cheque for $3250 payable to University of Waterloo sent to Sue Whyte, Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1 |
| Prerequisites : | Completion of second year biology program and a credit in an introductory course in ecology. Students must be prepared for moderate physical activities such as snorkelling on coral reefs and hiking (2 – 4 h) in rainforest and on lava flows. |
| Description : | An introduction to neotropical ecology. The main purpose of the course is to expose students to major tropical terrestrial and marine ecosystems in Costa Rica, and to evaluate conservation efforts to preserve habitats and biodiversity. The first few days of the course will be spent on the Caribbean coast at the Cahuita Marine Reserve snorkelling on the coral reef and exploring the lowland coastal rainforest. Nesting behaviour in leatherback sea turtles will be observed at the WIDECAST research station at Playa Gandoca near the Panama border. Driving into the interior highlands to the Arenal volcanic region we will visit a hot spring then examine a pristine rainforest and primary succession on recent lava flows. After visiting La Fortuna waterfall we will return to San José then take an internal flight (cost included) to Puerto Jimenez on the Pacific to spend 2 full days in Corcovado National Park; the last significant virgin rainforest in Central America and one of the most biodiverse regions on earth. Travel will be by minibus and accommodation mostly in hotels. An experienced bilingual naturalist / guide will accompany us throughout the trip. Time will be provided at the Cahuita reef site for students to conduct mini-research projects on coral reef ecology. (Note: Itinerary will change if Arenal volcano is dangerously active.) |
| Enrollment : | 16 STUDENTS (3 spots reserved for Waterloo) |
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