Leaf Litter Arthropods of MesoAmerica (LLAMA)

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The Mesoamerican corridor has a series of mountain ranges that have rarely been explored by biologists. Mountain ecosystems are threatened by global warming, which can elevate climate zones and cause extinction by literally driving species off the top of the mountain. The lack of exploration of Mesoamerican mountains has left a glaring hole in our understanding of the planet's biodiversity and what we might lose in response to global warming. Insects make up the bulk of biodiversity and form the fine-scale fabric of ecosystems, yet among the larger forms of life they are the least known. This project will sample insect diversity on mountains from Nicaragua to southern Mexico. Collaborative teams of students from U.S. and host country institutions will carry out a sampling program in the field, followed by laboratory work to describe the new species and analyze the quantitative data on species richness and distribution.The results will (1) add to our store of species knowledge, which directly benefits humans through agricultural and natural products applications, (2) reveal species that might be in danger of loss through climate change, (3) provide quantitative base-line data on diversity, allowing future assessment of response to climate change, and (4) allow evaluation of fundamental ecological theories of species abundance and distribution. The reliance on multinational teams of undergraduate and graduate students will stimulate training in the sciences and foster greater scientific exchange among U.S. and Latin American scientific communities.