Tropical forest research experience - Coqui and Lizard Census Intern

The Department of Environmental Studies of the University of Puerto Rico - Río Piedras and the Luquillo Long-Term Ecological Research Program (LUQ-LTER) are hiring up to four (4) full time interns to assist in conducting night research on coquis and lizards in the Long-Term Elevation Plots (LTEP), located in the Luquillo Experimental Forest and part of the Luquillo Long-Term Ecological Research Program (LUQ-LTER). The LTEP are fifteen .01 hectare forest plots distributed along an elevational gradient (300m-1000m) within the Sonadora River watershed.

A variety of sampling is carried out annually to multi-annually to address ecological questions related to changes in the distribution of organisms along this gradient and links to climate and vegetation change disturbance events such as hurricanes and drought. In addition to LTEP work, interns will assist with ongoing construction of the LUQ-LTER Throughfall Exclusion Experiment (LUQTEE) simulating the effects of reduced precipitation on a tropical forest ecosystem and will assist with additional fieldwork related to this and other experiments.

The interns will be guided by the LTEP Project Manager and the LUQ-LTER Research Manager and will work as a team to conduct coqui and lizard censuses as well as enter data and maintain plot infrastructure. The field crew will work over a 3-4 month period conducting nighttime fieldwork (~6pm-2am) 3-4 nights a week with 1-2 days of data entry and prep work (8am-4pm) and weekends off. During field days/nights interns will work independently in groups of 2 or 3. The first month will be devoted to tasks related to supporting LUQTEE, preparing LTEP plots, and training and will be predominantly daytime work with a shifting schedule.

Field work will require long hours in the field, often in challenging field conditions (e.g., warm, humid climate with high rainfall; steep and muddy areas), and hiking across uneven surfaces, occasionally crossing shallow streams. Training will be provided in the census protocol, species ID by sight and sound, and data management tasks. While in El Yunque, interns will have the opportunity to learn about diverse aspects of tropical ecology and interact with scientists involved in the Luquillo Long-Term Ecological Research Program. Please see the Luquillo LTER website here for more information about the program.