National Geographic Panama Wild Rain Forest of Life

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00:00:12 It appears out of the dawn of time...
00:00:32 ...a creation of the sun,
00:00:42 This is the tropical forest
00:00:45 nature at her most extravagant.
00:00:56 Sustained by the partnership
00:00:59 it has produced more than
00:01:03 It is a sea of green... seemingly
00:01:11 But look again.
00:01:15 Behind the green curtain are
00:01:22 Into this complex world has come
00:01:31 Scientific knowledge is the treasure
00:01:37 and to find it, they're not afraid
00:02:23 This is a place unlike any
00:02:27 Panama's Barro Colorado Island,
00:02:29 known as BCI to the scientists
00:02:41 A protected realm in the middle
00:02:44 BCI is home to the Smithsonian's
00:02:50 Scientists come to this island
00:02:53 to unravel the mysteries of life
00:02:58 It is an adventure beyond
00:02:59 the reach of one person,
00:03:05 BCI's a very special place for me
00:03:12 the more familiar I get
00:03:14 It's just home, it's comfortable,
00:03:22 I think Barro Colorado Island
00:03:26 that I would not find
00:03:28 It's a really highly diverse forest,
00:03:30 the research facilities are
00:03:32 you come there, you go out and
00:03:34 and Barro Colorado Island
00:03:35 so that your work is not
00:03:43 I discover things.
00:03:45 In the tropics you may be a person
00:03:47 who's discovered something
00:03:48 that not a single human being
00:03:51 of the world has bothered to notice.
00:04:02 Here unfolds one of nature's
00:04:08 How does the tropical forest
00:04:11 such a remarkable community of life
00:04:19 One thing is certain,
00:04:24 A single tree, as it drives
00:04:27 affects the lives of countless
00:04:33 But life is a struggle here
00:04:36 and the odds that any one seed
00:04:38 will grow into a Titan are
00:04:41 It takes luck and strategy to
00:04:50 For people, getting to the top
00:04:52 always requires some special
00:04:57 Biologist Deedra McClearn
00:05:00 the forest's answers on
00:05:05 Even if it means following her
00:05:09 ...into the crown of one
00:05:19 This is a dipteryx,
00:05:23 It rises head and shoulders above
00:05:27 more than a hundred feet tall.
00:05:32 From its majestic flowers will
00:05:34 and from the fruit,
00:05:36 that will survive to take the place
00:05:39 of its parent among
00:05:46 Climbing has taught Deedra to
00:05:51 Since I've started climbing
00:05:53 because it's a beautiful tree,
00:05:57 it comes above all the rest
00:05:59 they often have great views,
00:06:01 and the wood is really hard
00:06:04 I feel safe climbing a dipteryx,
00:06:07 chain saws won't cut down
00:06:16 I have a lot of different emotions
00:06:17 associated with actually
00:06:20 One of them is familiarity.
00:06:22 If it's a tree that
00:06:25 I feel comfortable,
00:06:26 it's a very satisfying sort of
00:06:31 If it's a tree that
00:06:32 I haven't climbed before or
00:06:35 or I'm worried about a branch,
00:06:37 then it can be very nerve-racking.
00:06:42 Deedra climbs into the canopy
00:06:45 a tropical cousin of the raccoon.
00:06:48 I know you.
00:06:50 She captures coatis just to let
00:06:55 I have caught you 15 times and
00:07:04 Just wait a second.
00:07:08 She's curious how an animal
00:07:11 who isn't a born climber manages
00:07:16 I think coatis are really
00:07:18 as climbing mammals because
00:07:23 They're kind of clumsy,
00:07:26 they can't hang by their tail,
00:07:28 they don't have exclusively
00:07:33 to grasp onto branches,
00:07:35 but they do really well.
00:07:38 One of the things that really
00:07:41 they actually will jump quite
00:07:48 It'll launch itself into a tree
00:07:51 and it doesn't really know
00:07:54 it just, I think, assumes that
00:07:56 it'll be able to find something
00:08:02 The coati has a lot of company
00:08:04 ...with good reason.
00:08:07 The canopy is the forest's
00:08:10 This is where leaves transform
00:08:11 light into the stuff of
00:08:15 The canopy creates its own world,
00:08:17 with lands and waters,
00:08:21 It overflows with flowers,
00:08:24 food for all who can live
00:08:29 Earthbound for years,
00:08:31 only guess what went on up here
00:08:35 The canopy is the last frontier
00:08:38 and it's only been the last
00:08:41 that people have really gotten
00:08:44 and started looking at the insects
00:08:48 and actually there still hasn't
00:08:49 been that much mammal work up
00:08:51 but it's a different life zone.
00:08:53 It's like going to the bottom
00:08:55 You can't tell what's up here
00:08:57 from working on the ground
00:09:02 Bold researchers like Deedra
00:09:05 the tropical forest is from our
00:09:10 For one thing,
00:09:16 Like many tropical forests,
00:09:21 Food is now becoming scarce.
00:09:24 Even coatis,
00:09:27 are hard pressed to
00:09:37 They gather under the majestic
00:09:41 Now, when they need it most,
00:09:45 For dipteryx this is the beginning
00:09:55 Howler monkeys gather in its crown.
00:09:58 Here is a banquet that will
00:10:03 The timing is crucial.
00:10:07 the dipteryx guarantees that
00:10:13 Oddly enough, the tree wants
00:10:16 even though each fruit contains
00:10:18 that could bring forth
00:10:21 But why?
00:10:26 All these capuchin monkeys know
00:10:30 And if enough of them arrive,
00:10:32 they could drive the howlers
00:10:41 What scientists have discovered
00:10:43 is the fruit is actually
00:10:46 If animals take it,
00:10:47 they may carry the seed locked
00:10:51 The further away the seed gets,
00:10:59 With ripening fruit all
00:11:01 the canopy animals can now
00:11:14 Once they've had the ripest bit,
00:11:16 they simply drop the fruit
00:11:25 But this rain of half-eaten fruit
00:11:28 is of no help to the tree in
00:11:32 Its seedlings have little luck
00:11:35 in the shadow of the parent's crown.
00:11:38 Still for the animals waiting below,
00:12:00 The coatis eat only the sweet flesh,
00:12:08 But others are waiting in the wings.
00:12:15 Once the coatis have relieved
00:12:17 agoutis gingerly join the feast.
00:12:27 Agoutis are rodents;
00:12:29 and jaws designed to gnaw right
00:12:31 through the tough shell
00:12:36 Squirrels, too,
00:12:44 Instead of creating
00:12:48 the seeds simply feed a host
00:12:52 ...even peccaries.
00:13:20 Satiated, the coatis settle
00:13:48 In evening's golden light,
00:13:50 butterflies and ants gorge upon
00:13:59 It's been a good day for
00:14:01 but bad for the lordly dipteryx.
00:14:05 Its potential offspring lie
00:14:09 nothing has carried them away.
00:14:20 Has the tree's survival
00:14:23 Is the next generation lost?
00:14:27 Is there no help under the sun
00:14:48 Perhaps the moon can shed some light
00:14:55 Tropical nights weave
00:14:58 and unveil a whole new cast
00:15:06 Everywhere, there are bats,
00:15:13 Among the branches hunts
00:15:18 Its prey is pint-size, like itself...
00:15:23 ...a katydid camouflaged
00:15:28 Even while enjoying its meal,
00:15:30 the marmosa must be wary...
00:15:34 if it doesn't want to end up
00:15:43 Dipteryx seeds make a nutritious
00:15:47 and a dangerous one as well.
00:15:54 Gnawing on the tough seed makes
00:15:57 to attract the unwelcome eye
00:16:23 The tiny forest cat enjoys its meal,
00:16:26 until disturbed by yet another
00:16:33 Only at night does Elizabeth Kalko
00:16:38 The Barro Colorado Island
00:16:39 she knows is very different
00:16:46 The night is a totally different
00:16:49 We are just exposed to a wonderful
00:16:52 of many insects and frogs,
00:16:54 then you see the stars
00:16:57 and this is just an incredible
00:17:00 And occasionally there are
00:17:02 and even touching you
00:17:08 The night holds no fear
00:17:11 She is in her element,
00:17:15 She hangs nets of fine mesh over
00:17:19 She believes bats are the unsung
00:17:23 vital to the survival of dipteryx,
00:17:25 and many other tropical giants.
00:17:29 That's a short-tailed fruit bat,
00:17:31 and although they are relatively
00:17:34 one has to be very careful
00:17:37 Bats rely on forest trees for
00:17:41 but they'll repay their hosts
00:17:48 Legs are free, whoops,
00:18:02 I don't think that bats are
00:18:05 I think that the misconception
00:18:06 that bats are ugly comes from
00:18:07 our very limited knowledge
00:18:10 Most of the bats have very,
00:18:12 and especially here we find bats
00:18:15 and colored ears,
00:18:17 and they actually have large eyes
00:18:22 But a bat is much more than
00:18:26 Sometimes when I set mesh nets
00:18:29 they bring a fruit with them
00:18:32 and so I can tell what kind of
00:18:38 I know what this bat had for dinner.
00:18:41 Let's get it out of
00:18:43 This is a fruit of the dipteryx.
00:18:47 And the bat has carried the fruit
00:18:49 in its mouth when it was hit
00:18:56 It turns out that the fate of
00:18:59 rests upon the soft wings of
00:19:11 Drawn by the scent of ripe fruit,
00:19:14 artibeus bats hover over
00:19:19 Yet death lies in wait
00:19:27 Luckily the bat's ability to
00:19:30 using sound not only pinpoints
00:19:34 it warns it of the hidden boa.
00:19:41 Another bat flies, locates fruit,
00:19:44 it tears it off the stem and
00:19:47 Still it's far too dangerous
00:19:59 Only when it arrives at
00:20:02 usually tucked under the fronds
00:20:04 does it stop to eat.
00:20:07 Unknowingly,
00:20:08 it has already performed a great
00:20:15 The bat has carried the fruit
00:20:19 beyond the reach of any diseases
00:20:21 or parasites that may plague
00:20:29 Once the bat gnaws off
00:20:31 it lets the seed drop.
00:20:37 Every night when the fruit is ripe,
00:20:39 artibeus bats make several visits
00:20:49 And each time they return to
00:20:51 of the same feeding roost
00:21:00 After each trip,
00:21:02 another dipteryx seed joins the
00:21:14 Curiously enough,
00:21:16 in this heap of discards lies the
00:21:28 Morning's light has scarcely
00:21:32 when they are discovered by
00:21:34 Have the precious seeds come
00:21:39 But the agouti can't possibly
00:21:43 And what it does next adds
00:21:47 of how dipteryx manages to survive.
00:21:55 With the dry season continuing,
00:21:57 the agouti stashes the remaining
00:22:01 Much like a squirrel buries a nut,
00:22:03 it carefully hides them,
00:22:07 Yet there will always be some
00:22:20 Unwittingly,
00:22:22 the agouti has now planted the
00:22:36 As the dry season on the island
00:22:39 many canopy trees actually
00:22:40 shed their leaves in a tropical
00:22:49 For months, streams have been
00:22:53 And torrid heat continues to rob
00:23:06 The remaining water collects
00:23:17 More and more trees drop their
00:23:20 it's a way to conserve water
00:23:22 and cut their losses as
00:23:30 As always in the forest,
00:23:31 there's an animal that's
00:23:33 to take advantage of
00:23:36 It hides among the fallen leaves
00:23:48 A caterpillar masquerading as
00:23:57 But there's no hiding from
00:24:00 Since many small creatures
00:24:03 army ants are forced to tackle
00:24:07 They overwhelm them by sheer
00:24:18 Treehoppers suck the remaining
00:24:21 But they're also under attack.
00:24:23 A mother defends her brood
00:24:26 to steal one of her larvae for food.
00:24:38 Each time the larvae wave their legs
00:24:40 calling out an alarm,
00:24:42 the mother treehopper strikes
00:24:52 By April, the dry season has
00:24:59 Famine is only just kept at bay.
00:25:05 The buds from the balsa tree are
00:25:10 The whole forest seems to
00:25:14 ...waiting for the rains.
00:26:07 Over eight feet of rain may
00:26:11 The first good drenching triggers
00:26:28 This wet new world is paradise
00:26:34 ...and waterlogged.
00:26:40 Stan Rand, renowned frog man,
00:26:45 but it does have its drawbacks.
00:26:47 When you wear glasses such as I do,
00:26:49 you don't see properly because
00:26:52 get all wet from the rain on them
00:26:55 and then they get all steamed up
00:26:59 Luckily, sight is not the primary
00:27:06 To truly enter the frog's world,
00:27:09 and find his way through
00:27:14 What you hear are the voices
00:27:19 and on a good night there can be
00:27:20 14, 15, 17, different kinds
00:27:25 all calling at the same time,
00:27:27 all audible from the same place.
00:27:32 Only the males call,
00:27:36 To be heard and recognized
00:27:38 above all this amorous bedlam
00:27:41 challenging, too,
00:28:43 This is a young male pentadactylus
00:28:48 frogs and mice and insects
00:28:51 in fact, I know they eat small birds.
00:28:54 And he's got a dorsal secretion
00:29:01 He got me. One of their defenses
00:29:05 Group walks away
00:29:06 For 30 years, Stan has lived in
00:29:11 He's become totally attuned to the
00:29:17 He even understands why frogs use
00:29:22 There's a physalaemus male.
00:29:24 You can tell he's calling by himself
00:29:26 because he's just giving
00:29:34 If another male came in and
00:29:37 he'd change his call adding
00:29:40 so he'd go, oow-chuck,
00:29:45 I can sometimes get him to answer
00:30:00 See?
00:30:01 He went from going oow to oow-chuck,
00:30:03 oow-chuck, and now that
00:30:11 he's going back to the simple
00:30:22 More frogs
00:30:23 Male frogs make the added "chuck"
00:30:26 The females can tell from the pitch
00:30:28 which male is the biggest
00:30:34 But male frogs have to think
00:30:38 Because females aren't the only ones
00:30:40 out there listening to the chucks;
00:30:42 predators are too.
00:30:45 So any male frog that wants to mate
00:31:08 And with other, bigger frogs nearby
00:31:25 But for those who survive long
00:31:28 it's a gamble well worth taking.
00:31:32 The male locks onto the female
00:31:36 As he fertilizes the eggs,
00:31:37 he whips the fluid released
00:31:39 into a meringue-like
00:31:54 These tiny frogs mate in
00:31:57 at the foot of dipteryx
00:32:00 The bubbles help keep the eggs
00:32:03 and beyond the reach of aquatic
00:32:06 Sometimes several pairs will
00:32:08 cooperate in creating
00:32:18 Red-eyed tree frogs protect
00:32:23 They live high in the canopy,
00:32:25 more at home on dipteryx's
00:32:32 They come down only when it's
00:32:35 Then they must get their young
00:32:54 The males descend to
00:32:58 where they call to
00:33:13 After mounting the female,
00:33:17 She's off on a search for just
00:33:21 a leaf overhanging
00:33:26 Location is critical
00:33:28 her brood could be washed away
00:33:37 Sometimes the eggs are laid
00:33:57 The eggs are encased
00:34:01 a gooey aquarium in which
00:34:06 Only then will they drop into
00:34:18 The young frogs rush to develop.
00:34:21 And none too soon.
00:34:26 A vine snake... three feet
00:34:35 In just four days the eggs have
00:34:39 but they're not ready to take
00:34:45 Even so, they may not have
00:34:53 At this stage,
00:34:56 But in just a few more days
00:34:59 allowing them to swim better.
00:35:05 And once they're in the pond,
00:35:09 Fish will find the premature
00:35:24 It's a deadly dilemma
00:35:28 or leap into the waiting mouths
00:36:21 As if the fish weren't enough,
00:36:23 the tadpoles must contend with
00:36:27 A dragonfly nymph,
00:36:30 is one of the fiercest creatures
00:36:45 But there will always be some
00:36:47 who sidestep instant death and
00:37:01 Despite all appearances to
00:37:03 even the dragonfly nymph will
00:37:06 and take to the tropical air.
00:37:21 Waking to a misty morning is
00:37:30 The rains have cast their spell.
00:37:33 And in the soil, the seeds of
00:37:40 But before that can happen,
00:37:59 A carpet of forest litter,
00:38:03 now moisture melts it away.
00:38:06 In just a few days,
00:38:08 the nutrients locked away
00:38:09 in the dead leaves will be
00:38:23 Fungi and molds course over
00:38:46 Fungi are the middlemen,
00:38:48 mining the bodies of the dead
00:38:50 for riches which they supply
00:38:53 Here everything is recycled,
00:38:56 as a new generation rises
00:39:24 The seedlings respond in rhythm,
00:39:27 spreading their leaves to
00:39:29 folding them at dark.
00:39:34 Young vines grope for support.
00:39:37 They've traded strength for length,
00:39:39 and need help to climb
00:39:58 But wherever they grow,
00:40:00 they can't escape the hordes of
00:40:11 To protect themselves from
00:40:13 many tropical plants lace their
00:40:17 But these new leaves haven't
00:40:18 had the time to mount their
00:40:28 Yet in the tropics,
00:40:33 There's always some insect
00:40:34 that can find an antidote to
00:40:37 And from then on,
00:40:51 Leafcutter ants have found
00:40:54 An army of workers seeks out
00:40:58 any and all they can find.
00:41:20 All herbivores are living
00:41:23 They absorb just a small fraction
00:41:27 The rest they return as manure
00:41:29 rich fertilizer that feeds
00:41:35 Unless if gets hijacked by
00:41:41 A monkey dropping is a mother
00:41:45 who fashion it into a ball,
00:41:47 a combination pantry and nursery
00:41:51 They roll their stash away,
00:41:54 looking for a place to bury it
00:42:07 A baby dipteryx enters this
00:42:13 It started life as a tiny flower
00:42:16 where it was pollinated and
00:42:19 It was carried away in the claws
00:42:21 who ate its flesh,
00:42:25 It was buried alive by an agouti,
00:42:27 and has lain in wait for
00:42:31 Now, its time has come!
00:42:43 Only one in a thousand ever
00:42:47 The huge seed stored enough energy
00:42:52 nine inch tall, with lots of green.
00:42:58 Lots of juicy green.
00:43:03 But it is not a delicacy.
00:43:11 Not even a food of first choice.
00:43:15 But when other juicy edibles
00:43:18 ...baby dipteryx does end up
00:43:29 The parent tree has spent centuries,
00:43:32 growing hundreds of feet and
00:43:35 so at least one offspring will
00:43:41 Yet all that effort can be
00:43:54 It will never survive being
00:43:57 And even those who remain intact
00:44:05 They must have light to live.
00:44:08 And light is hard to come by
00:44:13 Each and every ray must penetrate
00:44:17 layers of foliage to reach
00:44:24 Animals can search out light,
00:44:29 but the seedlings, rooted in place,
00:44:34 They make do with sun specks that
00:44:39 illuminating them for
00:44:57 Even if it gets its moment
00:44:59 ...the fall of a single leaf
00:45:11 A new day in the forest sometimes
00:45:17 If a new tree is to thrive,
00:45:46 For the plants that have struggled
00:45:48 to survive in its shadow,
00:45:51 this is a reprieve from
00:45:54 A light gap has been torn
00:45:58 It has been centuries since
00:46:02 For seedlings starved for the sun
00:46:12 A race for the life-giving light
00:46:16 There will be winners and losers
00:46:18 as each plant tries to crowd
00:46:25 Into the new light comes
00:46:28 biologist Phil Devries.
00:46:30 Phil studies the world of
00:46:32 and he's discovered some astonishing
00:46:36 Since I've been a small child
00:46:38 I noticed plants and
00:46:40 I like being in nature and
00:46:43 I can think of nothing more
00:46:47 than being surrounded completely
00:46:50 and I literally mean up, down,
00:46:53 with life and that's what being
00:46:55 in a tropical rain forest is
00:46:59 His love for this forest world
00:47:01 is neatly matched to his quick eye
00:47:06 I observe as much as I possibly can,
00:47:09 and effectively what
00:47:12 "Hello organism,
00:47:15 and who do you interact with while
00:47:19 as a butterfly or an ant or
00:47:23 I can use butterflies literally
00:47:27 and tell me what
00:47:30 Phil has uncovered a light gap plant
00:47:33 that's developed an unexpected
00:47:35 relationship with
00:47:37 an ant and a butterfly caterpillar.
00:47:41 Croton provides sugar secretions
00:47:44 which attracts ants to
00:47:47 and the ants when they're
00:47:51 ...deter herbivores,
00:47:57 The plant actually uses ants
00:48:01 bribing them with a sugary nectar.
00:48:03 The ants keep away any insect
00:48:09 However, this is really what
00:48:14 It's an herbivore as well,
00:48:16 but the ants don't bother it
00:48:18 because it produces sugar
00:48:24 The butterfly caterpillar uses
00:48:26 its sugar secretions just
00:48:29 as a tasty bribe.
00:48:33 It keeps the ants well-fed in
00:48:41 Back to ants & caterpillar
00:48:42 The funny thing about this
00:48:45 it bribes these ants with
00:48:47 and the ants act like guard dogs
00:48:50 and help protect it from
00:48:56 In addition to producing sugar
00:49:00 this caterpillar has another trick
00:49:05 Phil has made another remarkable
00:49:09 These caterpillars can actually
00:49:12 To capture this amazing talent Phil
00:49:14 has designed special audio
00:49:19 This gear I have here is
00:49:23 very sensitive microphone.
00:49:25 I use this to listen to well,
00:49:27 basically, sounds that nobody
00:49:30 and I'm listening to this
00:49:33 And how these caterpillars produce
00:49:35 their songs are pretty interesting in that on the top
00:49:38 of their head there are long bridges,
00:49:41 and right above the head
00:49:43 there's a collar where there are
00:49:47 and the two rods beat up and
00:49:49 and then the head moves in and out,
00:49:51 and these little rods have
00:49:53 and what they do is they hit
00:49:56 and then it's rasping back
00:49:57 and forth like a Latin American
00:50:00 Caterpillar on mic,
00:50:13 I think it's fair to say,
00:50:16 I have the world's largest
00:50:25 Now let's see what happens
00:50:27 when we reintroduce this
00:50:32 Upon its return,
00:50:34 the caterpillar puts its musical
00:50:39 mimicking the calls of ants.
00:50:42 The ants respond as we would,
00:50:45 They rush over immediately.
00:50:49 Danger is never far away.
00:50:57 This guard ant earns its keep.
00:50:59 An assassin bug could skewer
00:51:02 the caterpillar and suck it dry.
00:51:04 But it's no match for the ant.
00:51:11 A parasitic wasp fares no better.
00:51:21 In the tropical forest,
00:51:22 every creature lives within
00:51:25 shifting always between harmony
00:51:33 The lesson that I've learned is
00:51:34 that it's probably just scratching
00:51:39 of interactions that you have in
00:51:44 The picture that emerges from
00:51:48 when you think about
00:51:51 there are of plants in the tropics,
00:51:56 It's very humbling to realize that,
00:51:58 even though I know a little bit
00:52:01 within the context of
00:52:03 I know absolutely nothing.
00:52:09 This little dipteryx, of course,
00:52:12 also knows nothing of the complex
00:52:15 that have brought it into the light.
00:52:18 So far, it has beaten the odds.
00:52:20 And if its luck holds out,
00:52:21 it may someday become
00:52:36 Dipteryx, large and small,
00:52:38 is at the heart of
00:52:42 Unveiling this grand design
00:52:46 of Barro Colorado Island
00:52:49 a labor of love,
00:52:56 Perhaps centuries from now,
00:52:58 the forest will still be here
00:53:02 still be working in
00:53:04 when our tiny seedling finally