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OTS Grant Competition - February 1 Deadline
 February 1, 2013 is the deadline for proposals to participate in the OTS program on "Emerging Frontiers in Tropical Science." This OTS Board-initiated program has been designed to identify emerging issues in tropical science and draw together scientists across a range of disciplines, institutions, and geographies to holistically address these issues. Through this program, OTS aims to advance multi-disciplinary, multi-scale efforts working on cutting-edge issues that have the ability to transform tropical science and education. The OTS Emerging Frontiers in Tropical Science program will fund working groups that emphasize the collaborative development and testing of important ideas and theories, cutting-edge analysis of recent or existing data and information, and the use of sound science policy and management decisions that pertain to tropical science. Potential topics include, but are not limited to, global climate change impacts on tropical ecosystems, water sustainability and governance, restoration and adaptation, and biosafety related to invasive species and emerging diseases. As part of the program, 8-10 scientists or educators will be supported to work collaboratively on their proposed challenging issues for 3-5 days at an OTS research station in Costa Rica. OTS will sponsor all travel, lodging, and meals, and, in addition, conference rooms and internet access are provided. Groups are expected to hold their workshops between July 1, 2013 and April 15, 2014. Researchers of all nationality working on tropical issues may apply for an Emerging Frontiers grant. Post-docs are encouraged to submit as co-PIs. It is highly preferable for the lead investigator to be affiliated with an OTS member institution. For further information, please go to the following link.  
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ATBC-OTS Meeting June 23-27, 2013
Abstracts Due February 15
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Employment Opportunities
 The Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS) is seeking applicants for several positions. Qualifications vary by position and application instructions can be found on our website. 
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Tropical Biology 2013-3
June 07- July 29, 2013
Arrive June 6 depart July 30, 2013
 Tropical Biology: An Ecological Approach (also known as the Fundamental's Course) is an intensive, eight-week, field-immersive experience for graduate students. Tropical Biology was the first course offered by OTS and has continued to evolve over the past 50 years while training a legion of biologists. During the course, students visit diverse field sites throughout Costa Rica and gain invaluable experience learning tropical flora and fauna, designing field problems, collecting and analyzing data, and presenting results in both oral presentations and written reports.
We have been told that students in this course frequently form lifelong contacts and friendships in the field of tropical ecology. This course will enhance a graduate student's career, by introducing him or her to potential dissertation topics, providing him or her with the tools needed to undertake such a research project.
 Additionally, all students attending the Tropical Biology 2013-3 course will receive full fellowships to attend the ATBC-OTS meeting in San José as part of the celebration commemorating the 50th anniversary of OTS and the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation (ATBC). This will be an especially exciting conference with many opportunities to interact with top tropical biologists from around the world.
Application Form
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Ecology and Conservation of Neotropical Rivers
May 5 - 19, 2013
 | | Photo: M. Springer |
The course will cover scientific concepts in tropical river ecology. Through a series of lectures, field visits, and workshops, participants will review challenges to conservation of tropical rivers and discuss ways to translate scientific research into guidelines for river conservation and management. Students will carry out research projects to acquire hands-on experience with field techniques, monitoring and management tools
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May 20- 31, 2013
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Photo: M. Springer
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Students will gain experience in light trapping and use of various aquatic nets and other collection techniques. This fieldwork, lab identification, and hands-on research experience will be complemented by a lecture series that will cover systematics of all major groups of aquatic insects in Central America. 
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Amphibian Decline and Global Changes in the Neotropics
May 28 - June 11, 2013
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Through fieldwork and laboratory analyses, this course will help students gain basic knowledge and hands-on experience in the following diverse fields: amphibian ecology, vertebrate survey techniques, disease ecology, parasitology, ecotoxicology, microbiology, and bioinformatics.
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Biodiversity Conservation through the Lens of
Indigenous Peoples
August 5-18, 2013
 This course focuses on the issues faced by conservation leaders developing projects within indigenous lands. The course will have two sections: - Immersion within a local/regional conservation project developed within an indigenous territory.
- Sojourn to an indigenous territory involved in the conservation project under study.
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La Selva Classroom Damaged by Falling Tree
 On December 30, a tree fell onto the roof of the La Selva Academic Center, damaging one of the classrooms. The tree damaged parts of the exterior roof, interior ceiling and internal beams. Initial reports have not detected leaks or seepage into the classroom, but the damage was significant. No one was inside when the tree fell and there were no injuries.
The La Selva team went to work immediately by removing the branches and trunk off of the building structure and then took on the task of cutting the trunk into smaller pieces as to remove them from the site.
The team is now making an assessment of the needed repairs before students arrive this Spring.
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Keep Connected with La Selva on Facebook
The La Selva Facebook group has been created to promote the greater community of researchers, students and lovers of natural history who visit the station and support its activities. There is no better way to stay connected to the station, outside of being there in person.
Join today!
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OTS Alumnus Publishes The Kingdom of Rarities
 In The Kingdom of Rarities, scientist Eric Dinerstein poses an intriguing question: What if the way we categorized the living world was reshuffled for a moment, from a system designed to inform us about evolutionary relationships among species to one with two camps based on abundance: the Kingdom of Common species and the Kingdom of Rarities? What new observations and connections would emerge?
The Kingdom of Rarities explores that idea, building a narrative around the concept of rarity and its implications both for our understanding of how the natural world works, and for what it can teach us about protecting biodiversity during a time of large-scale environmental change.
About the Author  OTS Alumnus Eric Dinerstein is Lead Scientist and Vice President for Conservation Science at the World Wildlife Fund. His areas of specialty include tropical mammals, large mammal biology, biogeography, bats, rhinos, seed dispersal, and community ecology.
With the World Wildlife Fund, he has led many of the organization's most important scientific projects, including the Global 200 Ecoregions, examples of which form the basis of Tigerland and Other Unintended Destinations. Dinerstein is also the author of Last of the Unicorns: The Natural History of Conservation of the Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros, among other articles and publications.
He attended Northwestern University and Western Washington University, and did his post-graduate studies at the University of Washington (Organization of Tropical Studies) and the National Zoological Park's Conservation and Research Center.
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