s t u d y a b r o a d @ w i n t h r o p . e d u
S p r i n g S e m e st e r , C o st a R i c a F i e l d E x p e r i e nc e - M a r c h 1 4 - 2 1 , 2 0 1 5
BIOL 323 Tropical Watershed and Coastal Ecology
4 credits
COSTA RICA: Lagarto River
TOPICS:
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LAND USE (AGRICULTURE, URBANIZATION, FORESTRY) AND IMPACT ON SURFACE
WATER RESOURCES
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WATER CONTAMINATION SOURCES: NUTRIENTS, PESTICIDES AND SEDIMENT
GEOGRAPHY, GEOLOGY, CLIMATE, HUMAN DEMOGRAPHICS OF CENTRAL AMERICA
TOPICS RELATED TO TROPICAL ECOSYSTEMS/WATER QUALITY, INCLUDING
MANGROVES, CORAL REEFS, SEAGRASS, MONTANE CLOUD FORESTS
Catawba River Watershed - Local example for laboratory and field studies
Spring Break Field Trip - Trace Lagarto River watershed from Monteverde
tropical cloud forest to Pacific Ocean
Base Camp - Costa Rica National University Marine Laboratory &
University of Georgia Costa Rica campus
PREREQUISITES:
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Junior status
HMXP 102 or equivalent
BIOL 205 or 206, or permission of instructor
Estimated program fee: $1,550* - includes RT air (CLT-CR), all CR transportation,
lodging, food, lab/field supplies, entrance fees (*estimate - subject to revision due to airfare
changes).
Contact: Dr. Peter Phillips, 112 Dalton Hall
phillipsp@winthrop.edu