Download the 2013 programme - Operation Wallacea

free for Operation Wallacea volunteers. The course teaches identification of common
genera and species of coral and other macro-invertebrates, identification of the major reefassociated
fish families and common species and introduces a variety of methods and
practices used for scientific research in the marine environment.
HM010 Expedition medicine experiential course for pre-meds (Weeks 1 – 8)
This 4-week option in Honduras is aimed at giving Pre-Med students the opportunity
to experience how to provide medical support to teams working on expeditions in
remote areas. The first 3 weeks of the course are run in the Cusuco National Park
cloud forest with the last week at the marine research centre on Utila Island. The
Expedition Medicine experiential course provides formal teaching in the form of
interactive lectures (core knowledge) coupled with mentorship by doctors working out
in the field in various sites to gain experience in clinical diagnosis and treatment. The
mentors will provide individual assessments for each of the students at the end of the
placement. Note the course does not provide training in expedition medicine that can
then be used as a qualification to practice expedition medicine. During week 1, the
group complete the Jungle Survival and Neotropical Forest Ecology course so that they
are accustomed to the forest conditions and the type of research being conducted. In
week 2 the group will complete a training course in expedition medicine which will
cover pre-expedition planning (eg how to identify risks, developing emergency
evacuation plans), medical emergencies and trauma in the field (anaphylaxis, asthma,
diabetic emergencies, heat & dehydration, gastroenteritis and hygiene), tropical
infections (eg malaria, rabies and dengue fever) and snake bite and envenomation
procedures. In week 3, the experiential medical students will be spread amongst the
various core and buffer zone research camps in Cusuco Park in pairs to work alongside
the medic at each of the sites. Generally, from a medical viewpoint there is not too
much to do at these camps, so most of the time will be spent helping on the
biodiversity surveys including emptying dung beetle pitfall traps, helping with point
counts for birds, standard search times and spotlighting for reptiles and amphibians,
tapir transects, etc. In week 4, the group will move to Utila Island where they will be
completing a PADI Open Water dive training course or doing the Caribbean reef
ecology course if already qualified. During this week, they will have the chance to visit
a hyperbaric chamber.
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HONDURAS – RESEARCH ASSISTANT OPTIONS
HONDURAS RESEARCH OPTIONS
FOREST OPTIONS
HM101 Cloud forest ecological research assistant pool (Weeks 2 - 8; need to have
completed HM001)
This option is run from the main base camp where a number of scientists are based. There
are several projects which will be operating from base camp at different times during the
season so your assistance could be required on any of these. They include a botanical
inventory of the Park which has already discovered a new genus of tree, studies of epiphytes
in the canopy, assessing the role of altitude and rainfall on leaf formation, completing
inventories of orchid bee, dung beetle and tarantula species, examining invertebrate
communities in bromeliads, electrofishing to determine the fish communities in different
order streams and many other projects. One of the most exciting aspects of the Cusuco
Park is the presence of 6 species of amphibians unique to the Park and a further 10 species
that are found in Cusuco but which are endangered under the IUCN categories. One team
of scientists is looking at infection rates of chytrid fungus – a disease that has decimated
amphibian populations elsewhere – in these tiny mountain top amphibian communities to
determine the best strategy for their conservation. Base camp also has teams completing the
standardised surveys on dung beetles, two families of moths, amphibian and reptile
communities, birds, small mammals and bats so there are always plenty of projects needing
help. In addition this is the site where all the satellite data are anaylsed and species
distribution maps made so those interested in learning about this process will be able to
attend some tutorials. There is also the chance to complete a 2 day course on how to
incorporate genetic information into biodiversity studies. During this course, students will
be given lectures on DNA structure, DNA extraction, and the use of genetic studies in
conservation biology with specific reference to the use of Inter-Simple Sample Repeats
(ISSR) to identify genetic variation in populations. Students will then be shown how to
amplify DNA with relevant primers using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and visualised
using gel electrophoresis.