Mrs. Renz's 4th Grade Class JASON XV Expedition Panama Field Notes

Mrs. Renz's Field Journal

Today was my last day on BCI so my goal was to memorize every aspect of this beautiful rainforest I could. I worked during broadcast #2 with Stephanie Bohlman and Compton Tucker, both from NASA, on a show about the green food web. After that, 11 Student Argos and all four Teacher Argos walked with Beth King and several other people up (and down!) the Donato Trail in search of the "Big Tree." People who have seen it know why it is given that name. It was a beautiful hike and I tried to get photos of the different kinds of leaf herbivory along the way. On my last boat ride down the Panama Canal I couldn't help but think of how lucky I was to be able to have this opportunity to travel to Panama and be able to share it with my students back home in Oregon.

Later that evening everyone associated with the JASON Project (media, publicity people) ate dinner and had a party around the Gamboa Rainforest Resort's beautiful pool. We all got our pictures taken with Dr. Bob Ballard, the founder of this great program for school children. He was a really nice man, who was full of smiles and kind words to say to everyone about their work on the expedition. The party was over before we knew it, and at 10:00 p.m., all of the week one Argos loaded on a bus and waved goodbye to to the week two Argos. Our bus drove us into Panama City where we would spend our last night in Panama, closer to the airport and our early morning flights home.

Mrs. Renz's Photos from Panama
This is a hole left after the roots of a tree rotted away. Beth King from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) told us that to notice that the root ball hole is all that is left and there is absolutely no evidence of the tree, which completely disappeared in the rainforest within two years. Amazing!	This is an example of a plant's mechanical defense (the spikes) to keep from being eaten
A leaf eaten by insect showing an example of "skeletonizing"	Notice how this reddish looking tree is using the host tree as a support so it can reach up to the sunlight in the canopy.
A cane toad on the production set at BCI. He would puff up his body as a defense mechanism.
This is an example of leaf damage by insects (herbivory). The spots show an example of chewers and miners.
Another example of "chewers."
This is an example of insect herbivory called "skeletonizers."
An example of a leaf "tyer" showing insect damage
More leaf damage. The spots are called "galls" and are caused by insects.
A typical trail on BCI. Note the cinder block steps.	Another view of the trails on BCI.
Photo showing the dense undergrowth of the rainforest on BCI
A vine wraps itself around this tree and uses the tree as a support in order to reach sunlight high up in the canopy.
Banana spider
Teacher Argo Kathy on the trail to the Big Tree
Week One Student Argonauts at the "Big" Tree. The Student Argos are sitting on the buttress of the tree. There was no way to get a photo of this tree because the forest was too dense and you could not get far enough away to see the whole tree. Believe me...it was BIG!
The "BIG Tree"
Looking up at the "BIG Tree"
Week One Teacher Argonauts at the "Big Tree" and it was BIG! Left to right: Janet Pollack (sitting), Heather Renz, Melissa Kapekas and Kathy Lowell (sitting)
All of the Teacher Argonauts and Jude on our last night in Panama

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Feb. 1

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