Colombian scientist Vanesa Rubio is studying carbon pools and fluxes in tropical forests. Photos: AFP
In a man-made lake in the Panama Canal sits an island whose compact jungle is teeming with researchers studying biodiversity and climate change – a tropical outcrop hailed as vital for understanding the world’s forests.
Barro Colorado Island is 15.6sqkm, roughly four times the size of New York’s Central Park. Located in Gatun Lake, created in the early 20th century, it is run by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and currently boasts 350 scientific projects under way, by scientists from around the world. “Barro Colorado is probably the most studied tropical forest in the world. It has given us many ideas about how forests work in other parts of the world,” said William Laurance, an associate Smithsonian researcher and Australian professor in tropical conservation.
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