Barro Colorado biological station
Estación biológica de Barro Colorado
- Date
- 1923 · confidence high
- Place
- Barro Colorado Island, Gatún Lake, Colón, Panama
- Credited to
- James Zetek and Panama Canal scientists; later the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
- Field
- Life & health
What it is
When Gatún Lake flooded with the canal, a hilltop became an island and was set aside as a study station in 1923, now one of the world's most important sites for tropical ecology. Its 50-hectare forest plot started permanent tree censuses.
The reserve was created in 1923 (Canal Zone); Smithsonian administration came in 1946. The date given is the founding of the station.
What it led to
- the most studied tropical forest and base of modern tropical ecology
- forest monitoring plots (Smithsonian ForestGEO)
- the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute