https://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/blog/smithsonian-tropical-research-institute/RSS feed for Smithsonian Tropical Research InstituteenFri, 19 Apr 2024 17:37:05 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/blogs/smithsonian-tropical-research-institute/2024/04/19/indigenous-marine-biologist-helps-decipher-the-evolution-of-feeding-strategies-of-sister-fish-species-on-both-sides-of-the-isthmus-of-panama/Through advanced isotopic analyses, Rodnyel Arosemena seeks to understand how fish in the Caribbean and the Pacific that had a common ancestor take advantage of the resources of their different environments today.Fri, 19 Apr 2024 17:37:05 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/blogs/smithsonian-tropical-research-institute/2024/04/15/harnessing-the-wisdom-of-indigenous-communities-for-marine-conservation/By engaging directly with community members and embracing indigenous knowledge in the Bocas del Toro archipelago, a NatGeo project led by a Smithsonian scientist highlights the necessity of inclusive approaches to safeguard critical marine ecosystems and culture for future generations.Mon, 15 Apr 2024 15:57:16 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/blogs/smithsonian-tropical-research-institute/2024/04/03/red-flags-im-not-the-bug-for-you/Recent research conducted in Panama has revealed that the waving behavior exhibited by matador bugs, with their attractive hind-leg flags, are neither mating displays nor distraction tactics against predators, as previously thought.Wed, 03 Apr 2024 16:16:13 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/blogs/smithsonian-tropical-research-institute/2024/04/03/following-the-swarm-making-a-documentary-short-film-in-panamas-tropical-forest/At the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, researchers track swarms of carnivorous army ants and the birds that follow them. A new documentary reveals a glimpse of life, and research, in the NeotropicsWed, 03 Apr 2024 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/blogs/smithsonian-tropical-research-institute/2024/03/09/rare-shark-spotted-for-the-first-time-in-panamas-eastern-pacific/The elusive prickly shark was observed during a submarine expedition to the depths of the Cordillera de Coiba seamounts, a biodiversity hotspot and marine protected areaSat, 09 Mar 2024 12:38:51 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/blogs/smithsonian-tropical-research-institute/2024/03/07/why-are-there-suddenly-so-many-bleached-corals-along-the-caribbean-coast-of-panama/A massive coral bleaching event in Panama’s Guna Yala islands along the eastern Caribbean coast signals a major problem with rising ocean temperatures and their long-term effectsThu, 07 Mar 2024 16:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/blogs/smithsonian-tropical-research-institute/2024/02/22/a-17-year-study-reveals-how-dead-leaves-are-a-tropical-forest-lifeline/A 17-year experiment in Panama revealed that the process of leaves falling and decomposing on the ground provides nutrients to the soil that help promote tree growth in otherwise infertile tropical forests.Thu, 22 Feb 2024 12:57:46 +0000