When Nalini Nadkarni first set foot in the cloud forest canopy, little was known about this unique ecosystem. To explore it, she and a small group of pioneers had to develop special tree-climbing techniques.For more than 40 years, she and others have worked to unlock the mysteries of forest canopy biology. Monteverde, Costa Rica, where Nadkarni does much of his fieldwork, is home to several notable species, including the glowing quetzal. But it turns out that entire ecosystems rely on a more modest and unlikely group of organisms called epiphytes. The vegetation that inhabits these trees includes a dreamy array of wonders, from the fleeting moss that drips from its branches to the luscious ferns that nestle among the glorious varieties of orchids. These act like nutrient sponges, extracting chemicals from fog and rain and transporting them to the earth. forest floor.
Seven years ago, Nadkarni, a student at the University of Utah, fell from the canopy and broke his back in five places. Nevertheless, she returned to the tree-climbing harness after a few years. A self-described “missionary” of secular ecology, she has worked with prisoners to breed endangered plants and animals and preached in churches and synagogues. Now 68, Nadkarni admits that her days climbing trees are coming to an end. But she also knows that climate change is posing unprecedented challenges for cloud forests, and is determined to document how it is affecting cloud forest epiphytes. increase…
