In addition to administering the reserve, both UNAM and the Foundation carry out research and conservation projects in the area and have been doing so since before the reserve was created (Gómez-Pompa et al. 1995). In fact, UNAM's conservation and research interest in the previously unstudied region helped sparked the idea to create a reserve in the first place. This, along with the Foundation's interest, produced the synergy needed to make the idea a reality. Today, these combined forces and the 30 years of research generated by UNAM's Biological Institute and other researchers taking advantage of Chamela's Biological Station have made the Chamela-Cuixmala Reserve one of the most studied and understood tropical regions of the world, biologically speaking. Chamela-Cuixmala's long-term studies on population dynamics, tropical forest dynamics, and watershed management are also well-known (Mendoza 1997; Campo et al 2001; Campo et al 2000).
Recently, the Foundation has promoted and helped investigations that have scientific elements to develop conservation strategies. In the coastal zone, where the wetlands are located, they are monitoring species such as the American Crocodile, marine turtles and birds such as the least tern. In the hills of the lower forest, studies are being done regarding patterns of distribution and habitat use by birds such as the Lilac-crowned parakeet, and mammals like the jaguar and the coati (Nuñez et al. 2000; Renton y Salinas 1999; Renton 2001; Valenzuela 1999). The foundation also started a permanent monitoring program for the conservation of the vegetative cover, including flights over the reserve. Another permanent program executed by the Chamela Biological Station and the Foundation is environmental education with groups of students from the region and community members. They give instructional talks and lead walks on the reserve's interpretive trails.
Students from UNAM pursue long-term studies of small mammals.
Other Mexican institutions that conduct studies in the Reserve are the University of Guadalajara, the Ecological Institute of UNAM, The University of the Estado del Mexico, and the Universtiy of Michoacan. International institutions are the University of California, the University of Arizona, Oregon State University and the University of Georgia, among others. Since there is a large body of scientific research, we only mention some of the research themes here. Among them are studies of the physical environment with geological, topographical, climatic information on both local and regional scales. There are nearly complete inventories of plants, fish, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, birds, and invertebrates, in which the arthropods are the best studied group (Arizmendi et al. 1991; Ayala 1999; Yáñez y Floater, 2000; Noguera et al. 1996). The webpage for the Chamela Biological Station lists the accumulated bibliography of articles and theses.
Biological Monitoring Station Cuixmala Interpretive trail in Chamela
Many studies have been conducted covering functional aspects of the ecosystem, vegetation structure of different sites, primary production, nutrient cycling and other aspects of ecosystem function (Gosz, et al. 2000). There are five watershed experiments that have generated important knowledge about hydrological dynamics, energy, biogeochemistry and the effects of ecosystem perturbations (Campo et al. 2001; Sarukhán et al. 2000). Other studies deal with the effects of deforestation and fragmentation on the terrestrial mammal fauna (Miranda 1996).
This long-term stream research has been on going for over 15 years.
The patterns of ecosystem productivity, and general genealogical patterns in tree and arthropod communities have been well studied. There are also additional studies of plant-animal interactions, herbivory by insects, and plant-pollinator interactions (Ayala 1999), among others.
