Day Four

This morning we enjoyed a familiar pancake breakfast with a twist. Locally grown cacao nibs incorporated Costa Rican flavors into the traditional American dish. The recipe is definitely a keeper!


After breakfast, researchers split into two groups to conduct various experiments on bacterial and fungal growth. While one group tested the effects of different strains of the antibiotic producing bacteria Streptomycetes on various strains of native bacterial cultures, the other group was in the lab conducting experiments to test the concentration of the pathogenic fungus Escovopsis in different parts of leafcutter ant colonies collected during yesterday’s trek through the rainforest.


Hungry from a morning spent prodding petri dishes, we all dug into a tasty hamburger lunch cooked by the ladies of Finca La Anita.


After we finished lunch, we met again as groups to begin brainstorming ideas for projects. We were tasked with formulating our own question, hypothesis, predictions, and experimental design process. Working as a group to design all these elements of our experiments on our own was exciting, and our instructors provided us valuable feedback.


We then stopped for a midafternoon coffee break, and worked to design a slideshow showcasing our recent experimental design decisions to the larger group.


After dinner, we presented our designs to the entire group as well as Dr. Pinto, who helped provide valuable feedback for everyone’s designs (photo of one group missing, sorry)









Written by Teddy & Kelleah 

 

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