While this experience has definitely revealed a lot about our great group of students on this trip, one thing in particular has stuck out to me. It is incredible how quickly I saw our entire class so quickly adapt to an environment that could not be anymore foreign to any of us. Surrounded by strangers in a forest filled with the unknown, it is remarkable how quickly I became very comfortable with embarking, discovering, and throwing myself into unknown situations. Specifically, I am now eager to learn all there is to know about the hundreds of unknown creatures and species, not just in the tropical rainforest here in La Selva, but all of the natural world that I have yet to see and that always surrounds us. This week, I was super excited to continue hiking and exploring every trail and path possible through the forest after realizing how so much in the forest can see me, but I can’t see or notice them. In particular, I was excited to begin searching for the smallest of creatures and those that are not necessarily the first to come to mind when you think of rainforest animals. Before arriving, I was excited to see the typical rainforest species, like snakes, jaguars, and monkeys. After spending a week here in La Selva, now I am excited to see spiders, insects, and the tiniest worms. This trip so far has helped me understand that there is so much out there that we simply cannot see unless we are looking for it. I’ve definitely learned to be observant and not only comfortable, but excited to reveal what the unknown environment contains. This realization definitely sparked during our night hike where we saw small insect eyes shining back at us as we tracked through the rainforest. Had we decided to not embark on a night hike, I wouldn’t have seen all of these new creatures that I had no idea existed. This past week has helped me understand that even if we can’t see it, there’s so much unknown that surrounds us. A lot of those unknown species are truly magnificent creatures and extremely interesting and unique to their environment. A lot of these creatures that I am now excited to see in the rainforest are probably considered scary, gross, or even repulsive to some people. After this week I am fascinated by most of them and always wanting to discover more.
Seeing all of these creatures that I had no idea existed nor surrounded me this past couple of weeks, has made me gain such appreciation for every little microorganism all the way to the largest monkeys in the rainforest. I have a new appreciation and sense of curiosity with a functioning ecosystem and how every part of a community involves so many different members. This can be applied to our typical human life as well. However, now that I have learned to scope out the tiniest and unrecognizable organisms, I’ve learned that so many creatures that usually go unseen are vital to not only the ecosystem of the tropical rainforest, but the entire planet. I can’t think of a better example for such a keystone species that is so small, yet so mighty and so vital to the ecosystem that surrounds us here in La Selva, the leafcutter ant. As I continue my research into the functionality and biological processes of leafcutter ants, it’s understood that I have gained a new sense of appreciation for these tiny creatures that cover the rainforest floor. After researching and learning more about the species, I learned that the rainforest would look so different without the millions of ants that treck miles and miles throughout the heavy, rich forest. Although extremely small, they are one of the most vital species in the ecosystem; their removal would be catastrophic to the world that surrounds us here in Costa Rica. Their existence is responsible for so much of the life and biodiversity that we get to appreciate and live alongside while in Costa Rica. Their roles are seemingly endless, yet we only observed them carrying tiny pieces of leaf in their mandibles. Now that I’ve learned that they are responsible for the aeration of the soil, dispersing plant remnants, and function as a vital prey, to name a few important functions, it made me realize that what we see may not always be true. Perhaps, what we see and are certain must be true, may be far from it. I had this realization because I thought that the ants were clearly collecting leaves to eat and survive off of; I couldn’t have been more wrong. Instead of eating the leaves, they are used to produce a fungus that is eventually consumed by the ants. The existence of the ants are relying on their abilities to capture leaves and bring it back to their nest in order to eventually turn into fungus. On our first day, I simply assumed that those leaves are going to be eaten, then the ants simply try to survive, but I couldn’t have been more wrong or nieve. This realization made me realize that the same type of assumptions can be made in our every day life and we should try to avoid it. When meeting new people for the first time, traveling to a new place, or moving to a new town, we make assumptions that are often times are not true. These assumptions lead us to unrealistic results and sometimes harmful situations. Something so small, like a leafcutter ant, makes such a difference for all. However, I was certain that these ants were of no importance and simply crawling around in order to survive off a few leaf patches, when in reality, this process is crucial to helping reduce atmospheric carbon and filtrating the air that we breath in Bloomington, Indiana. The tiny, seemingly unimportant ant is vital to the planet’s survival. Learning that the smallest and often times most unnoticeable things can have the biggest impact is a great lesson that I can take back home after this great experience. I would not have imagined that I could learn so much about my daily life back at Indiana University, while in the middle of the rainforest in Costa Rica.
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