HabitatNet: A Global Biodiversity
Monitoring Project.
Field Project: El Edén
Ecological Reserve, Quintana Roo, Mexico
Souhegan High School
Science Coordinator
PO Box 1152
Amherst NH 03031 USA
tel: (603) 673-9940
fax: (603) 673-0318
email:habitatn@shs.mv.com
Beginning in October,
1995, two student research teams were organized and lead by the HabitatNet
Project Director in an educational field research opportunity to the
El Edén Ecological Reserve located 38 kilometers
west of Cancun in Quintana Roo, Mexico.
 The first team was composed
of high school students (known as the Souhegan High School BioSwat Team)
who arrived a few days after Hurricane Roxanne crossed the Yucatan in
October, 1995. The El Edén
Ecological Reserve was inundated with consequent
hurricane rains that resulted in 0.2 - 1.2 meters of standing water
flooding the forest.
The BioSwat Team's initial work was to assess the habitat
types found at the reserve, begin taxonomic identification of species
found in those habitats, and identify migratory birds
using the reserve habitat in October. The later study was under the
auspices and direction of Dr. Tom Will, an ornithologist at CIES in
Chiapas, Mexico.
 
 The second team was composed
of professional educators interested in learning field methodology while
conducting biodiversity field research. Their work included establishing
two permanent biodiversity monitoring plots (using HabitatNet's protocol)
in two of the three habitat types found in the reserve as well as developing
independent research projects investigating interspecies interactions
within the permanent plots.
Additionally, Dr. Tom Will joined the group once again for some follow-up work establishing baseline
data on resident bird
species. This work was conducted during July, 1996. HabitatNet's ongoing
goal is to continue to develop permanent biological diversity monitoring
quadrant's using both high school students and teachers as field researchers.
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