page_title: Cocha Cashu Biological Station
section_title: Research
hierarchical_section_title: Cocha Cashu Biological Station / Research
caption_attribution_description: English: Brunfelsia flower seen on a trail near the station.
context_page_description: Cocha Cashu Biological Station is a tropical biological research station located at 11° 54'S and 71° 22'W in Manú National Park, Peru. It was established in 1969-70, predating the founding of its containing national park. Though only 10 km² in area, the site has provided valuable research. The station is situated on the shore of an oxbow lake, from which it takes its name. "Qucha" is the Quechua word for lake. "Cashu" is derived from the English word "cashew" and refers to the shape of the lake.
context_section_description: Along with La Selva Biological Station in Costa Rica and Barro Colorado Island (BCI) managed by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) in Panama, Cocha Cashu is one of the best-studied ecological sites in the tropics.  However, unlike La Selva or BCI, Cocha Cashu is in an area minimally impacted by humans, surrounded by millions of hectares of virgin forest, and thus provides critical insights into the organisms and processes found in a healthy, natural tropical rainforest.  Over 500 articles, books, and other publications have resulted from field research conducted at Cocha Cashu.
  Studies related to those done at Cocha Cashu has been conducted at nearby Pakitza, on the same bank of Rio Manu, 21 km ESE. The two areas are very similar in makeup, reside at nearly the same elevation, and are not disconnected to impede species movement.
caption: Cocha Brunfelsia
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