Botanical Collection Patterns and Conservation Categories of the Most Traded Timber Species from the Ecuadorian Amazon: The Role of Protected Areas

Abstract

The Ecuadorian Amazon is home to a rich biodiversity of woody plant species. Nonetheless, their conservation remains difficult, as some areas remain poorly explored and lack georeferenced records. Therefore, the current study aims predominantly to analyze the collection patterns of timber species in the Amazon lowlands of Ecuador and to evaluate the conservation coverage of these species in protected areas. Furthermore, we try to determine the conservation category of the species according to the criteria of the IUCN Red List. We identified that one third of the timber species in the study area was concentrated in three provinces due to historical botanical expeditions. However, a worrying 22.0% of the species had less than five records of presence, and 29.9% had less than ten records, indicating a possible underestimation of their presence. In addition, almost half of the species evaluated were unprotected, exposing them to deforestation risks and threats. To improve knowledge and conservation of forest biodiversity in the Ecuadorian Amazon, it is recommended to perform new botanical samplings in little-explored areas and digitize data in national herbaria. It is critical to implement automated assessments of the conservation status of species with insufficient data. In addition, it is suggested to use species distribution models to identify optimal areas for forest restoration initiatives. Effective communication of results and collaboration between scientists, governments, and local communities are key to the protection and sustainable management of forest biodiversity in the Amazon region.

Tree Diversity and Its Ecological Importance Value in Silvopastoral Systems: A Study along Elevational Gradients in the Sumaco Biosphere Reserve, Ecuadorian Amazon

“…Regarding the percentage of trees classified as LC species, this is similar to that reported by López-Tobar et al [55] who analyzed 214 of the most commercialized timber species in the Amazon and found that 67.6% (142 sp.) are currently classified as LC species.…”

“…This pattern of nonevaluated species is similar to that reported by Guevara et al [66] who in their findings highlight that 89% of the lowland tree species in the RAE have not been evaluated by the IUCN. Similarly, López-Tobar et al [55] suggest that 28% (60 sp.) of the most traded timber species in the last 10 years (2012-2021) do not have a current conservation category according to the latest IUCN red list update.…”

“…reports 16 ind/ha (Table 4). Regarding the species identified, their use in silvopastoral systems in the Ecuadorian Amazon is frequent [7] due to their high commercial value in terms of timber quality, such as Jacaranda copaia, Cordia alliodora, Cedrela odorata, Sterculia tessmannii, Cordia alliodora and Cedrela odorata [54][55][56], in addition to providing shade for livestock [57] and storing atmospheric carbon. Meanwhile, Psidium guajava and Inga ssp.…”

Evaluación de microorganismos benéficos en el compostaje de residuos sólidos domiciliarios de la parroquia La Belleza, provincia de Orellana.

“…Las precipitaciones son copiosas, variando entre 3000 mm y 6000 mm anuales. Estas condiciones climáticas particulares no solo influyen en la biodiversidad y los ecosistemas locales (López-Tobar et al, 2023), sino también en la composición y descomposición de los residuos sólidos domiciliarios, aspectos cruciales para considerar en la gestión y tratamiento de los residuos en la región (Diéguez-Santana et al, 2017;Jaramillo et al, 2023;Peñafiel-Arcos et al, 2022)…”