I can clearly see the consequences of the fact that forest fragments have a greater proportion of “edge” to undisturbed center (again, think of some geometrical activities to bring math into the life science of the rainforest), and increased light, decreased humidity, and higher temperatures affect everything, plants, insects and all living creatures.

We slog through some fragments: I’m a question machine, taping everything, intrigued, sopping up information, as sweat pours out. Perhaps perspiration and information are changing places? But then we get back in the 4-wheel drive jeep and bump over another half hour of track to “Camp 41”. Even hauling sleeping gear and food the last 500 meters by foot, it all feels so very different. This forest is relatively cooler: it’s still incredibly hot and humid, but it’s almost a relief to be here. It even smells different: fresher, light flower scent on the barely moving air. I’d expected the differences between fragments and undisturbed to be apparent in statistics, in data about what species thrived or left—but I’d not expected to be able to detect the differences through the sensors of my city-bred brain and body.