This course offers students the opportunity to conduct field studies in tropical rainforest and coral reef ecosystems of Costa Rica. Students will stay at La Selva Biological Station and La Tirimbina Bioreserve, both located in the central lowland province. Students will be expected to participate in all aspects of the field sampling, including sampling rainforest and human-altered streams for fish and other aquatic organisms, measuring habitat characteristics. This course will emphasize the proper care and use of field sampling gears; identification of fish and invertebrates collected and observed in rainforest stream, human-altered stream, and Caribbean coral reef habitat; and handling and reporting on data collected from field surveys. Students will work in teams and each team will be required to give a written report and oral presentation of their work.

Instructor approval is required for the course.

For more information contact:
Dr. Reuben Goforth, FNR, rgoforth@purdue.edu

Program Website: Ag Study Abroad