Conservation & Culture

Yasuní Biosphere Reserve & the Road to Oil

Known for its breathtaking biodiversity, Ecuador's rainforest particularly the Yasuní Biosphere Reserve sits atop billions of dollars in oil assets.

Tiputini River, Yasuní, Ecuador

Six years ago Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa proposed the Yasuní ITT Initiative, a $3.6 billion international trust fund dedicated to protecting 4,000 square miles of Amazonia from oil drilling. The plan was widely supported by environmentalists and heralded for its unique approach to protect the country's biodiversity. A recent National Geographic article even named Yasuní the most biodiverse place on earth.

Osteocephalus yasuni

In mid-August of 2013, President Correa lifted this ban citing unsatisfactory international financial support of the initiative. You can read more about the situation here. As an economically, socially, and industrially developing nation, Ecuador could and most likely will benefit greatly (in the short term at least) from oil extraction. However, the way that Ecuador decides to go about this extraction will make all of the difference in terms of the ecosystem's health and our planet's biodiversity. 

While the direct impacts of extractive industries have been laboriously studied, the indirect effects of human influences have largely been ignored. The first step in extracting oil from the dense terra firme rainforest is building a road for transport of drilling materials and, later, for the shipment of oil. In a study published in 2013 by Suarez et al., the effects of two oil-road management strategies implemented in the lowland neotropical rainforest of Ecuador were assessed.

Glasswing Butterfly

By evaluating two management strategies the authors assessed the feasibility of mitigating the effect of drilling activity on local biomass. Initially roads remove a percentage of forest cover, induce mortality in wildlife, and reduce the mobility of certain fauna. The authors emphasize that the influence of the oil roads doesn't stop there. "Roads provide access to previously remote regions" (Suarez et. al 2013) which may seem obvious enough though the implications are not so obvious. By expediting colonization, enhancing connections to vibrant economies and encouraging deforestation, agriculture, and the capitalization of bushmeat the effects of oil roads extend deeply into the culture of Yasuní's native Waorani people.

Typically the Waorani, and other semi-nomadic cultures like them, harvest only what they need for the day and have a minimal impact on the local fauna which includes two species of peccary and several species of primate. However, when oil companies move in and offer subsidies, road access, and more efficient hunting methods these subsistence cultures are attracted by the promise and accessibility of the market and begin to capitalize on their resources. This quickly depletes wildlife populations.

Rainbow Anole

Within the Yasuní Biosphere Reserve Suarez et al. identified three areas differentially impacted by the oil industry. An oil road with no holds on development or associated deforestation was compared to a road with limited access and also to an undisturbed swath of forest. Bi-monthly transects were taken accounting for all visible large birds and medium or large mammals. Though the sample size was small, the relative abundance of fauna under each condition was variable. As expected, the undisturbed transect had the most abundant and diverse fauna followed by the limited access road and then the free access road. 

Lophostoma silviculum

Suarez et al. found that, relatively speaking, the limited access road prevented a lot of deforestation and fragmentation but did very little to preserve the abundance and diversity of wildlife. Much of the decrease in biomass was accounted for in peccary and primate populations that are typically hunted by the Waorani. This finding suggests that although colonization along the road has been limited Waorani people are still seeking to profit from the roads' presence.

Howler Monkey

Moving forward, Ecuador cannot deny the Waorani people access to their own country's economy. Even with limited-access roads across Yasuní, the native people will seek involvement in trade and this will deplete populations of some keystone predators that may have deleterious effects on the entire ecosystem. No matter which tactic is applied if and when Ecuador decides to pursue oil drilling in Yasuní there will be significant cultural and environmental repercussions.

Sources:
Suarez, E., G. Zapata-Rios, V. Utreras, S. Strindberg, and J. Vargas. "Controlling Access to Oil Roads Protects Forest Cover, but Not Wildlife Communities: a Case Study from the Rainforest of Yasuni Biosphere Reserve (Ecuador)." Animal Conservation 16 (2013): 265-74. WoS. Web. 15 September 2013.

All photos: Devon McGhee

Amazonia- Part 3

Amazonia was incredibly frustrating in terms of photography. None of the animals were just sitting around waiting to strike a pose. I wasn't able to get many good pictures of the things I saw but here I'm going to share a few that I think are worthy of being shared (even though they don't represent the most beautiful, spectacular or breathtaking things you can find in the Amazon).

The flowering structures in Amazonia tend to be red or orange and are an amazing color contrast with the contiguous green from floor to canopy, making it easier for pollinators and seed dispersers to find them!

The insects were by far the easiest things to get pictures of. I found it remarkable that every single one I found was different from the last. These are a few of my favorites :)

A smiling wood-eating beetle. Ironically, I found this little guy in a pile of construction materials.

One of the many glass-wing butterflies.

 A sap-sucking katydid hanging upside down from a branch.

During my time at Tiputini I spent a ton of time above the forest floor. During the first few days at camp my reasoning for this was undoubtedly to escape the oppressive heat. But, as time went on, I realized that from the canopy you could see Amazonia's diversity in a whole different context. The birds, monkeys, amphibians and insects that reveal themselves 50 meters above the floor are entirely different than those one would encounter while walking the trails. Plus the views were incredible!

Looking down from the "eagle's perch" on the canopy bridges. 

Dangling over the continuous canopy. 

The reptiles and amphibians I stumbled upon were few and far between but every single one was fantastic.

An adorable tree frog.

Rainbow anole- very much out of place in the lower canopy.

Another rainbow anole. Incredible coloring.

Throughout the semester myself and several other students decided to help one of our professors, Jaime Guerra, in his work recording Ecuadorian bat species diversity and population sizes. In the beginning of the semester we learned how to set and check nets and watched while Jaime processed the bats to include the data in his research. By the time we got to Tiputini we were pros at processing the bats ourselves. Getting the opportunity to handle bats, not to mention some of the world's most rare species, was undoubtedly a highlight of this trip. I had no previous experience with these incredible flying mammals and I probably won't have an opportunity like this ever again but I am leaving Ecuador with a new found appreciation for murciélagos.

Lophostoma silviculum

Sturnira Magna, a pregnant female.

Myotis nigricans, a tiny individual weighing only 8 grams!

Artibeus lituratus

Our time at Tiputini flew by and even now it's hard to believe I spent an entire month in such an unbelievable place. And right now I'm finding it hard to conclude this series of blogs about my adventures in the Amazonian Rainforest. While I'm upset that my time there is over, I've seen and done some things that many scientists only dream of.

Amazonia- Part 2

Twice while we were at Tiputini we had the opportunity to float down the Tiputini River toward Brazil.With the canoe trailing us at a distance, all we could hear was the wildlife all around us. The water was the perfect temperature, the sun was shining and the 360 degree view was out of this world. Floating down the river, carried by the current, I realized how immense Amazonia is. I didn't get to see more than a small fraction of what this amazing place has to offer but the view from the river really made me realize how irreplaceable this place, and its biodiversity, is.

A tree straight out of Dr. Seuss along the river.

Looking downriver towards Brazil.

Though the river float was easily my favorite part of our month in the rainforest I saw quite a few other things worth mentioning. The first of which was this guy, a Tamandua. He (or she) is a tree-climbing anteater relative that eats more termites than ants. While walking on the Parahuaco trail with the exceptional guide Don Meyer, we scared it higher up into the trees. In an attempt to lose our attention this adorable creature stayed perfectly still in a tree about 6 feet above our heads. I'm sure the animal was pretty terrified being surrounded by 6 humans with flashing cameras but it was incredible to be so close to something that wasn't trying to run away.

That's the thing about (most) of the mammals we saw. If we saw them at all, it was only their hind ends as they ran deeper into the forest to hide. The tamandua and the monkeys were surely the most remarkable exceptions.

Howler Monkey

Ten species of monkeys live at the Tiputini Biodiversity Station. One of these, the Golden-mantled Tamarin is endemic, meaning that it is unique to this small area of Amazonia. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get any good pictures of these guys. They were tiny, weighed at most 2 pounds and did a great job hiding in the foliage. On an almost daily basis we saw the tamarin, squirrel, howler, spider, capuchin, pygmy marmoset, dusky titi and wooly monkeys. The squirrels were usually lower in the canopy and travel in larger groups so they were much easier to observe for long periods of time. Though small, it is plain to see that we're very closely related to these animals and their relatives. The howler and spider monkeys had especially expressive faces and human-like actions. Watching any of these monkeys for even a small portion of time was a precious opportunity.

Another highlight of the trip for me were the night hikes. Unlike most visitors to the research station, our prolonged stay granted us the ability to travel at any time of day (or night) without a guide making night hikes available and hard to resist. Our first night hike was terrifying. We didn't know the trails well at that point, got incredibly lost, stumbled upon a flooded zone, and almost lost one of our fellow adventurers. Over the course of the next few weeks however, the trails became more familiar and night hikes became a relaxed, and much cooler, way to see the rainforest's diversity. I found it amazing how many different spiders, insects and small critters came out when the sun went down.

It's incredible how many creatures live in the rainforest and never show themselves. Though we were at Tiputini for an entire month I know I only saw a tiny fraction of all of its wildlife. Check out my next post for more about the fauna of Amazonia!

Another tree along the Tiputini River.

Amazonia- Part 1- Processing...

Before leaving for Tiputini, our professor the great King Cecil Kelly Swing, gave us absolutely no information about how hot, sticky, itchy and uncomfortable we were going to be for the next month of our lives. He chose instead to tell us about the latin root of the word Amazonia: meaning without (A) breast (maz) after the indigenous women who would have one breast removed in order to better use their bow and arrow. Even though we knew nothing of the logistics of the trip or of our impending discomfort this lingual tidbit gave me the courage I needed to charge the rainforest head first. I mean if native women have been slicing off their breasts, pretty bad ass if I do say so myself, for long enough to have a huge swath of South America named after them I could certainly handle the rainforest for a meager month. Right?

The view from the canopy tower, 150 feet above the forest floor.

Well, for the first few days I was completely convinced that I would drown in my own sweat before making it out of the Amazon alive. I was overwhelmed. Everything was green. The wildlife was so well hidden I was convinced it didn't exist and that only with the magical powers (or maybe even remote controlled animatronics) of our amazing elderly guide, Meyer, did any creature show itself. After the ease of capturing stunning photographs and coming face to face with some of the rarest animals in the world in Galapagos I was discouraged. Maybe the article I read in National Geographic was a hoax too (http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2013/01/125-yasuni-national-park/wallace-text).

But, as time sped on, I learned that to see anything in the rainforest all you needed to invest was time. Realizing that the one thing I needed was the one thing I had spent far too much of already, I started spending every hour possible roaming the trails of the Tiputini Biodiversity Station.

Tiputini is located within the Orellana province of Ecuador 280 km ESE of Quito within the Yasuni Biosphere Reserve. Yasuni was recently named the most biodiverse place on the planet.

Within minutes of adopting this new mindset and taking my time to process small fragments of the craziness that is the Amazon, I was rewarded with the sightings of LOTS of beautiful metallic beetles. Since over 80% of the fauna in Yasuni doesn't have a scientific name as of yet, maybe I even saw a species new to science!

Yeah, so what? I saw a bunch of beetles. But they were pretty shiny and just a small hint at the wonders of the rainforest soon to come my way.

Adventures Aboard the Aida Maria

Being a biology student, I've sat through more lectures on Darwin and his Galapagos finches than I can count. I've heard countless stories about the blue-footed boobies, sea lions and giant tortoises. But even after all of the required readings and power-points over the years, I was utterly dumbfounded by the pure abundance of Galapagos fauna- like this adorable sea lion pup (approx. 3 months old!) :)

We travelled from island to island aboard the Aida Maria, a yacht with the world's most spectacular view of the night's sky. In addition to the 10 BU students on our boat there was a family from Canada and a couple from Germany. After eight days travelling together we all got to know one another fairly well and even exchanged gifts and emails at the end of the trip. Travelling with people with such different sight-seeing goals and life experiences really enriched my Galapagos experience.

Each day we had the opportunity to snorkel with sea turtles, playful sea lions, hundreds of tropical fish and even Galapagos penguins. Interacting with the sea lions and watching them explore their environment and pester each other was an eye-opening experience. Their similarity to 4 year old humans was remarkable, reminding me just how closely related all of us mammals are. 

In our 8 days travelling throughout the Galapagos Islands we saw an astounding number of species.

Just one of the tens of thousands of  Galapagos Iguanas.

And, of course, the infamous blue-footed boobies!

Penguin! In the tropics- mind-boggling to say the least. Thank you Humboldt current! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humboldt_Current

An adorable family of swallowtail gulls.

These animals weren't just visible though, they were within reach. On many of the islands you needed to constantly be looking at your feet to avoid stepping on one of the thousands of well-camouflaged iguanas. Occasionally, a curious adolescent sea lion would come right up to you and sniff at your shoes or even try to rub noses. Flycatchers tried to land on our hats and sea turtles swam obliviously one foot beneath us in the open ocean. One night, while we were cruising from one island to another, a pair of juvenile sea lions hopped on the back deck of our boat and explored. They made so much noise I was startled awake and found them out on the bow of the boat sticking their heads into seat cushions and playing a game of tag.

To say the very least the views were breathtaking.

A view of Darwin's Lake on Isabella Island.

Looking out over the sesuvium and cacti of South Plazas Island.

A beach on Santa Fe Island- all those grey blobs are members of the sea lion colony that inhabits the area!

Overlooking Las Grietas- a reserve of brackish water in a volcanic fault structure.
The water was incredibly clear, refreshingly cool and brilliant blue.

Our group at the top of the Sierra Negra Volcano, overlooking Volcan Chico, victorious after a long, hot hike.

As you can probably imagine leaving the Galapagos was a painful experience but I will never forget the pristine beauty and diversity of its islands or the fantastic people that we travelled with and the experiences we shared. I can only hope that someday I'll be lucky enough to go back. :)

Los Piqueros Patas Azules (The Blue Footed Boobies)

This is the view from the hostel, Los Piqueros Patas Azules, our home for 10 blissful, sunny days. Each sunset was better than the last and every day brought new experiences and discoveries. We spent a lot of time reading, lounging in hammocks and working on our tans but we also had the opportunity to see more than a few incredible things at the coast.

About ten minutes north of the hostel is Puerto Lopez, home of an artesanal fish market. Though it was gruesome, it was incredible to see how a good proportion of Ecuador's population makes their living. At the fish market women were surprisingly well represented. As the men brought fish, sharks, and crustaceans ashore the women helped by scaling and gutting anything that was small enough to put on the table top. 

   



An action shot of a fisherman beheading a tiger shark.
:(

Twice during our stay at Los Piqueros we were lucky enough to see green sea turtles nesting. So as not to disturb the moms-to-be I didn’t take any pictures but the experience was breathtaking. 

With Jaime, the resident mammalogist, we were able to go batting three of the nine nights we were at the coast. We even caught two pregnant bats and could feel their young kicking inside of them - incredible! Most of the bats that we caught were nectarivorous and had adorable long tongues that eagerly lapped up sugar water from our medicine dropper.

We also had the opportunity to travel to Montanita, a self-proclaimed surfer town. The vibe was certainly relaxed and the views were breathtaking. If I knew how to surf, I would definitely find myself in Montanita again.

Isla de la Plata (Island of Silver) off the coast as seen from Machallila State Park.

One morning, at breakfast, our Ecuadorian pops Jaime asked if anyone wanted to accompany him on an adventure. Since our plans for the day only included enjoying the beach Brandon, Eliz, and I happily agreed. Jaime didn't tell us much about where we were going or how we would get there just that the final destination was called La Playa Dorado - the golden beach ... intriguing, right? So we started off down the beach across the (by then well known) rocky outcrop where we had done the majority of our projects that week. 

Me enjoying the view from the rocky outcrop :)

Just past the familiar outcrop was a cave that was only passable at low tide. Jaime's timing being perfect as it is we passed through safely and emerged on the other side expecting the golden beach. Three sheer cliffs like the ones shown below (along with my gracious models Brandon and Eliz) and we finally made it to the golden beach. The sand was perfect and the waves were frighteningly strong. All of the rock climbing was absolutely worth it. Although, with the tide quickly rising, the trip back was errrm invigorating (?) to say the least.

All in all I had a fantastic time at the coast! The Pacific is wonderful and warm but the Atlantic will always hold a special place in my heart and I am sincerely looking forward to enjoying the beach with friends and family at home this summer :)