Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

From the surface, the havoc caused on a coral reef by a layer of low-oxygen water was barely evident.

Watch What Happens When A Coral Reef Can't Get Enough Oxygen

In September, 2017, divers observed a massive 'dead zone' rising to envelop Caribbean coral reefs in Bocas del Toro, Panama. Smithsonian post-docs formed a team to understand why reef animals were fleeing, and the role of humans in the history of hypoxia.

Heather Stewart, former PhD fellow at STRI, is very involved in local and global initiatives related to the conservation of coastal ecosystems in the Caribbean, such as mangrove forests.

Caribbean Mangrove Forests May Serve as Coral Shelters

In the Bocas del Toro mangrove forests, in Panama’s Caribbean coast, an unexpected phenomenon may be helping stressed out corals cope with climate change. Credit: Jorge Alemán

The cloud forests in the Fortuna Hydrological Reserve are home to almost as many species as the entire United States.

Exploring the cloudiest forest in Central America

The Fortuna Hydrological Reserve hosts one third of Panama’s tree species, a variety of fungi waiting to be discovered and a great potential to offset global warming

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