Arthropods of La Selva (ALAS) Database

The Arthropods of La Selva Database (ALAS) contains approximately
127,000 Specimen records for approximately 8000 species of arthropods,
illustrated by more than 1300 images.

The collection data for ALAS expeditions is listed at
&http://academic.evergreen.edu/projects/ants/alascollns/collndata.html&.

Collection Data for ALAS Quantitative Samples from La Selva, 1992-2000
included the following: Berlese, Malaise, Canopy Fogging Samples,
Blacklight Samples, Salticidae Project.

Project ALAS has undertaken a series of quantitative sampling
programs, involving a variety of sampling methods. Material from
these samples is being widely distributed, and taxonomists frequently
have questions about the meanings of the collection codes. Also, some
taxonomists are beginning to use the quantitative results of ALAS in
publications. Information at
&http://viceroy.eeb.uconn.edu/ALAS/ALAS.html& provides a chronology of
sampling programs, descriptions of the sampling methods, and the
detailed collection data for each collection code.

The collection code is an important identifier for ALAS material. It
is the same as the entomologist's traditional lot number, and serves
to unite a set of specimens that all have the same ecological data.

La Selva Biological Station is located in Costa Rica, Heredia
Province, 10 degrees 26 minutes North, 84 degrees 01 minutes West,
50-150m elevation.

Localities within La Selva Biological Station: La Selva is a
rainforest reserve of approximately 1500ha (McDade et al. 1993). There
is a well-developed system of trails. Each trail has a name and
standard abbreviation, and distances along trails in meters are marked
on signposts along the trails. Localities at La Selva may be indicated
by a trail name followed by the number of meters along the trail. For
example, CES300 refers to 300m along the Camino Experimental Sur.

La Selva has a GIS system, marked in the field with a grid of poles
delimiting 50x100m grid cells (Wentz & Bishop 1995). All quantitative
samples from Project ALAS are referenced to this GIS system. GIS
coordinates associated with collection codes are in meters. The x axis
(first number in a coordinate pair) is the &long& axis of La Selva,
going from the lab clearing side of the property upslope toward Volcan
Barba (32 degrees from North). The zero point is well to the north, so
that all values are positive. The y axis (second number) has negative
values to the west (right side facing south, upslope) and positive
values to the east.

Information was obtained from
&http://viceroy.eeb.uconn.edu/ALAS/ALAS.html&.