Panama Precip Grad Soil

The effect of precipitation in structuring soil microbial communities has not been extensively explored in lowland tropical rain forests. Across the Isthmus of Panama, there is a precipitation gradient ranging from 1600 mm MAP to less than 3000 mm MAP with several other biotic and abiotic factors found to co-vary with MAP. The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute has established more than 40 plots (1 ha each) in which all trees 10cm dbh have been identified to species and mapped.