Barnacles and Mangroves
In a lush stand of mangroves on the Pacific coast of Panama, a Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) biologist is looking for encrusting barnacles and oysters, common on the roots of mangroves in one stand but nearly absent in a nearby mangrove area. The scientist is investigating reasons for this difference by comparing biological, chemical, and water flow properties of the two mangrove areas. His work, supported by a grant from the WHOI Ocean Life Institute, is pioneering a new collaboration between WHOI and the Liquid Jungle Laboratory (LJL), a new privately owned field lab operated in cooperation with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. The Lab is located in a pristine and nearly uninhabited environment and has facilities for both terrestrial and marine research. The Ocean Life Institute provides liaison to the WHOI community and advice on the operation of the Liquid Jungle Lab.