University Of Arkansas Joins International Organization Of Tropical Studies

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - The University of Arkansas has joined about 50 universities and research institutions as a member of the Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS), a group that will help the institution carry on cutting edge research and recruit and train graduate students for research in tropical ecology.

The program, founded by Duke University about 40 years ago, has centers based in Costa Rica for the study of seven different ecosystems - from mangroves to high elevation forests. Each summer, a select group of graduate students participates in field research under the direction of faculty who lead the 7-8 week courses. The students also work with some of the top tropical field ecologists in the world, who visit the sites for 1-2 week intervals.

"It makes sense for the University of Arkansas to be involved in such a great international program," said Cindy Sagers, associate professor of biological sciences, who has attended OTS field schools and will return to Costa Rica this summer as an instructor. Graduate students who attend the two-month program get an intensive crash course in field research that fires their enthusiasm for their work.

Many researchers on campus have research programs based in the tropics, said Kimberly Smith, professor of biological sciences. In addition to the six biologists who have research programs in the tropics, professors in plant pathology, horticulture, entomology, anthropology and rural sociology also conduct research in tropical settings.

Research interests on the U of A campus range from the study of birds to the ecology of slime molds.

Sagers and Smith will be the delegates to the organization. Sagers studies the evolution of plant animal interactions to evaluate the influence of herbivores and predators on plant population dynamics. In the tropics, Smith focuses on tropical ecology and bird conservation.

Each year, OTS faculty and students produce large, heavy tomes full of comprehensive research findings, data, site sketches and observations. These books extend back 40 years, offering a comprehensive look at the changes taking place in Costa Rican ecosystems, Sagers said.

The graduate students make valuable contacts that can help them in their research careers, Sagers said. They also bring their experiences back to the classroom, where they interact with undergraduate students.

"It becomes a teaching experience as well as a research experience," Smith said.

This year, two University of Arkansas graduate students, Victor Carmona and Steve Trimble, will travel to Costa Rica for a course on tropical plant systematics. Both students work in Sagers’ laboratory.

"The correlation between OTS graduate alumni and their professional success is exceptional," said Collis Geren, dean of the graduate school and vice chancellor for research. "Few organizations have developed and maintained this exceptionally high level of excellence in scientific productivity."

The OTS is developing field courses in Peru and Brazil, and has courses in the works for Uganda and Australia. In addition to its summer graduate courses, the organization offers 12 courses throughout the year.

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