Liquid Jungle Lab
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The Liquid Jungle Lab (LJL) is a tropical marine research station on the island of Canales de Tierra on the western coast of Pacific Panama along a primary marine biological corridor. The LJL research campus was completed in 2004 and is part of a private 3,500 hectare reserve composed of primary forest, mangroves, tide pools, and a rocky inter-tidal zone that transitions into fringing coral reefs.
The island laboratory is adjacent to two large coastal bays, Bahia Honda, Veraguas Province and Pixvae Bay, which are important mangrove, estuarine and riparian (stream) habitats. The island and laboratory serve as a strategic base for ecologic research of the Coiba National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site[https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1138 Coiba National Park UNESCO World Heritage Site] and Panama's largest marine protected area. The tremendous biodiversity of the marine and terrestrial environments surrounding Isla Canales de Tierra allows visiting scientists to conduct multidisciplinary ecologic research in a pristine area and has even inspired a designer perfume fragrance, Fleur de Liane.[http://www.artisanparfumeur.com/ Fleur de Liane] Artisan Parfumeur The LJL was founded by Jean Pigozzi, a Swiss venture capitalist, photographer and art collector.[http://www.caacart.com Contemporary African Art Collection]
Research
File:LJL fish school.jpg aggregation near Isla Pacora, Liquid Jungle Lab]]
A multi-disciplinary approach to research in Terrestrial and Marine Tropical Ecology are conducted between a consortium of scientists and researchers from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution,[http://www.whoi.edu/page.do?pid=11521 Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution] the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute,[http://www.stri.org/english/research/facilities/affiliated_stations/bahia_honda/index.php Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080815221707/http://www.stri.org/english/research/facilities/affiliated_stations/bahia_honda/index.php |date=2008-08-15}} and Real Jardin Botanico de Madrid.[http://www.rjb.csic.es/infov_eng.php Real Jardin Botanico de Madrid] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081220192503/http://www.rjb.csic.es/infov_eng.php |date=2008-12-20 }} These organizations and visiting scientists and students use the marine lab facilities and experimental farm to conduct primary and applied research in the fields of tropical island ecology, marine biology, physical oceanography, marine biogeochemistry, aquaculture, genetics, molecular biology, herpetology, botany, ornithology, entomology, ecosystem conservation, island biogeography, geology, fisheries management, tropical forest ecology, agro-forestry, veterinary science, and organic agriculture.
Current areas of marine research at the Liquid Jungle include plankton community dynamicsGallager, Scott M., A.D. York, C. Mingione and S. Lerner. Plankton community structure in the Gulf of Chiriqui, Pacific-Panama, as modulated by upwelling and large internal waves. (in prep) and marine larval ecology and transport,Starczak, Victoria, P. Perez-Brunius, J. Pineda, J. Gyory, and H. Levine. The role of season, salinity and flushing in determine barnacle distributions in tow adjacent mangrove coastal lagoons. (in prep) modeling internal waves and benthic structure, coral community architectureCamilli, Luis, O. Pizarro, and R. Camilli (2008) Advancing spatial-temporal continuity in coral reef ecosystem pattern detection: The morphology, distribution and chemical environments of coral habitats encompassing Coiba National Park, Panama. Proceedings of the 11th International Coral Reef Symposium, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, 7–11 July 2008, Session number 16 and diversity, synoptic chemical mapping,Camilli R, Oscar Pizarro, Luis Camilli (2007) Rapid swath mapping of reef ecology and associated water column chemistry in the Gulf of Chiriquí, Panama. On the Edge of Tomorrow: MTS/IEEE-OES Oceans Conference. 1-8. invasive sessile invertebrate species,Carman, Mary, S. Bullard, S. Molyneaux, R. Ji, A. Goodwin, E. Baker, and S. Sievert. Ascidian faunas of the island chain Isla Canales de Tierra to Coiba, southern Gulf of Chiriqui and south entrance to the Panama Canal, Pacific coast of Panama. (in prep) mangrove and estuarine watersheds,Bowen, J.L. and Ivan Valiela (2008) Using δ15N to Assess Coupling between Watersheds and Estuaries in Temperate and Tropical Regions. Journal of Coastal Research Vol 24:3; pp. 804–813. and the effects of natural and anthropogenic nutrient input on primary production and fisheries along Pacific coastal zones.
References
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External links
- {{official|http://www.liquidjunglelab.com/}}
- [http://4dgeo.whoi.edu/panama/ PLUTO website] (The Panama Liquid Jungle Laboratory Underwater Tropical Observatory)