Central American Biodiversity

Dr. Falk Huettmann is Associate Professor in the Biology and Wildlife Department, Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska-Fairbanks. His research interests are in wildlife/habitat modeling, GIS and remote sensing, and data management worldwide.

• A Short Introduction to Tropical Land and Seascapes and their Wildlife Conservation Management.- If leaders like Alexander von Humboldt, Ronald Reagan and Xi Jinping would have been environmental justice radicals using public internet and drones: A short political ecology of Central America with regards to global agenda setting in 2014.- Bird conservation status and meaningful socioeconomic correlates in Central America: Results from an open access data mining approach for parrots using machine learning indicate serious economic problems.- Reversed Kuznets Curves in the Caribbean: Linking Marine Biodiversity Endangerment with the  National GDP (Gross Domestic Product) and assessed with Human Metrics (life expectancy, infant mortality, population growth rate).- An Oceanography Conservation View of Central America: Caribbean Wealth, Pacific Wilderness, Plunder and Mis-Management meets Seafloor Mining, Deep See Drilling, Climate Change, and Human Population Explosion in the EEZs and beyond.- Coral Reefs of Central America, Dimethylsulphide (DMS) Seascapes, Open Access Data, GIS and Machine Learning Predictions: Another  application of the new Megascience for Global Sustainability.- Field Schools and Research Stations in a Global Context: La Suerte (Costa Rica) and Ometepe (Nicaragua) in a wider Perspective.- A Brief History of the Molina Family, and the Birth of Maderas Rain Forest Conservancy (MRC) at the La Suerte and Ometepe field stations: A narrative by Renee Molinia.- Teaching (Tropical) Biodiversity with International Field Schools: A Flexible Success Model in a Time of  ‘Wireless’ Globalization.- A Documented Plant and Tree Species Narrative of La Suerte (Costa Rica) and Ometepe (Nicaragua): Overcoming Ancient Taxonomy Demons for a more relevant and valid Conservation ResearchEffort in the Tropics.- The incredible world of insects in Central America: A virtual interview with Prof Dr Bugs at La Suerte (Costa Rica) and Ometepe (Nicaragua).- Amphibians and reptiles at the Ometepe and La Suerte field sites: Towards an overview of the evolution, distribution, and diversity of Central America's herpetofauna..- Exciting findings and insights from the Caiman study at La Suerte: First lessons from the scientific frontline.- Conservation of a Neotropical herpetofauna: An introduction to the crisis of amphibians and reptiles in Central America and beyond.- Mammalian biodiversity conservation at two biological stations in Nicaragua and Costa Rica.- On the relevance and moral impediment of digital data management, data sharing and public open access and code in (tropical) research: The Rio Convention revisited towards Mega Science and Best Professional Research Practices.- Conservation research in the Cloud Forest of Central America with lessons from Maderas vulcanoe, Ometepe, Nicaragua: A first-person narrative about very tough field work, unfinished data, and climate justice while running out of time.- GRID sampling for a global rapid biodiversity assessment: Methods, Applications, Results and Lessons Learned.- Birds of Ometepe (Nicaragua) and La Suerte (Costa Rica): From a narrative and species lists over species richness and bird photo documentations to a Central American conservation ornithology.- Acoustic Determinants to Group-Specific Vocalizations and Dialect: The effects of environment on infant vocalizations of Cebus capucinus. Utilizing two field sites with a shared taxon for a comparative ecological study.- Factors Involved in Variation in Tree and Species Use by Mantled Howler Monkeys:  A Case Study of Resource Use in Sector Santa Rosa, Area deConservacion, Costa Rica.- Living in islands of forests: nutritional ecology of the howler monkey (Alouatta palliata) at La Suerte Biological Field Station, North-eastern Costa Rica.- A First Rare Species Action List for La Suerte and Ometepe: Correlates with Extinction, Invasion, Declines, the Allee Effect and no Recovery in Island Habitats.- Lost species at La Suerte (Costa Rica) and Ometepe (Nicaragua): Facts from over 10 years of research, some speculations, liabilities and a very grim future outlook to resolve.- Genetics as a tool for biodiversity conservation: examples from Central America.- A Systematic Framework for Spatial Conservation Planning and Ecological Priority Design: An Example from St. Lucia, Eastern Caribbean.- Global Change in Central America, and Global Transitions toward  a Carbon-free Society achieved through International Field Schools ? Carbon Dioxide remains the most Toxic Gas for Mankind to be resolved.- Human Aspects and Population Structures in Central America and its so-called Free Trade Zones: Imperialism, Immigration, Remittance Payments, Leakage, Brain Drain, Global Citizenship and Virtually Unlimited Inequalities during War and Globalization.- A short presentation and discussion of digital research data sets in Central America, and for the field schools of La Suerte (Costa Rica) and Ometepe (Nicaragua).- Assessments of carbon stock hotspots in Nicaragua and Costa Rica.- Selected Undergraduate Student Projects at La Suerte and Ometepe Island: Try outs, Results, First Publications and more Ideas to Progress Research and Conservation.- The Good Future of La Suerte and Ometepe between Heaven and Decay: An informed Outlook for Central America leaves us with dramatic Environmental Obstacles for Conservation Management.- Appendix 1 (Digital Format and PDF Hardcopy): Best knownLa Suerte and Ometepe Taxonomic Species lists.- Appendix 2 (Digital Format and PDF Hardcopy): Online Photos for La Suerte’s and Ometepe’s Taxonomic Species lists.- Appendix 3 (Digital Format and PDF Hardcopy): GIS habitat maps for La Suerte and Ometepe study areas.- Appendix 4 (Digital Format and PDF Hardcopy): GIS species sighting maps for La Suerte and Ometepe study areas.- Appendix 5: Digital reference list of publications, thesis and projects done at La Suerte and Ometepe.- Appendix 6: Sample Curricula and a Prep List for Visiting Students