The spatial distribution of illegal logging in the Anavilhanas archipelago (Central Amazonia) and logging impacts on species

Abstract

SUMMARYAmazonia is one of the world's leading suppliers of timber and the Amazonian timber industry is an important source of regional income, however the economic benefits of this market are associated with environmental damage, mainly when the wood is removed illegally. The Anavilhanas National Park, located in the Brazilian state of Amazonas, has been subjected to illegal logging and elaboration of control programmes requires knowledge of the distribution of timber species and the intensity of logging. This study examines the density and growth rate of the five most harvested tree species in the Park, the spatial distribution of illegal logging operations and their effects on population structure. In total, 2332 trees with diameter at breast height greater than 10 cm, as well as stumps of cut trees, were sampled, and dendrochronology was used to estimate growth rates. Some size classes of Virola surinamensis trees and species within the family Lauraceae decreased in abundance as harvesting intensity increased. Growth rates of the most abundant species of Lauraceae, Ocotea cymbarum, were high, indicating stands may recover quickly when harvesting stops. The population structure of Calophyllum brasiliense showed no negative effects due to logging, but its low growth rate and stand distribution suggest that continued exploitation may endanger these populations. Logging had no detectable negative effects on the size structure of populations of Macrolobium acaciifolium or Hevea spp., and their high growth rates suggest that they will not be threatened by current logging rates. Overall growth rates in the Anavilhanas archipelago are higher than those recorded in other black-water floodplain forest (igapó). Logging of most species (except Lauraceae spp., which have the highest market value) is concentrated in the southern region of the Park, which has more human settlements close by. There was no general relationship between harvesting intensity and geographic distance to human settlements, but there was a tendency for harvesting to be higher in sites with concentrations of trees of high market value. Potential strategies to control illegal logging activities in the Anavilhanas archipelago include encouragement of sustainable logging in Park buffer zones and stimulation of ecotourism initiatives in the southern region of the Park. Ecotourism development can provide an economic alternative to illegal logging for local communities and inhibit logging by increasing vigilance.

Growth rates of black caiman (Melanosuchus niger) and spectacled caiman (Caiman crocodilus) from two different Amazonian flooded habitats

“…The first area was a wide fluvial archipelago (350,000 ha) located in the Anavilhanas National Park (ANP) in the lower Rio Negro, the world's largest black water river system, whose aquatic ecosystems are characterized by low levels of primary productivity (Goulding, Carvalho and Ferreira, 1988). However, the Anavilhanas Archipelago receives some sediment-laden water from the Branco River, and growth rates of trees in the archipelago are intermediate between those of most black-water rivers and whitewater rivers, such as the Amazon (Scabin, Costa and Schöngart, 2011). Capture effort in the ANP was concentrated in a region between the downstream extremity of the archipelago to 130 km upstream from the city of Manaus.…”

Unsustainable Management of Arumã (Ischnosiphon polyphyllus [Poepp. & Endl.] Körn.) by the Novo Airão Artisans Association, Rio Negro, Amazon, Brazil1

“…Paradoxically, while the actions of the rural cooperative were legally restricted, clandestine illegal logging in the Anavilhanas National Park was not contained by the environmental institute (Scabin et al 2012).…”

“…Arumã of the quality used for mats occurs only in flooded areas, and harvesting originally occurred on the islands of the Anavilhanas Archipelago, which have relatively fertile soils derived from the sediment-rich waters of the Rio Branco (Scabin et al 2012) and frequent disturbance due to bank erosion and flooding. However, under the new system, harvesting was transferred to locations outside the boundaries of Anavilhanas National Park.…”

The Spill Over of Crime from Urban Centers: An Account of the Changing Spatial Distribution of Violent Crime in Guyana

“…Scholars, including Appiahene-Gyamfi [15][16][17], Araujo [18], Cummings et al [19], Pujol-Luz et al [20], Reuter and O'Regan [21], Scabin et al [22], Souza et al [23], Spiegel et al [24], de Melo et al [25], and Valente [26], have examined various aspects of crime in the developing world. In Amazonia, in particular, the struggle over access to natural resources and the resulting tensions that develop from logging, gold mining, cattle farming, and similar activities tend to dominate the discussion around crime [22]. Beyond simply mapping the cases of deforestation and degradation due to illegal activities, however, there is a growing body of literature aimed at managing crime, albeit those that are environment-related, in various Amazonian settings.…”

“…Beyond simply mapping the cases of deforestation and degradation due to illegal activities, however, there is a growing body of literature aimed at managing crime, albeit those that are environment-related, in various Amazonian settings. A few cases illustrate this point.First, in addressing the problem of illegal logging in the Anavilhanas National Park, located in the Brazilian state of Amazonas, Scabin et al [22] noted that there was a connection between the higher intensity of illegal timber harvesting and human settlements. Secondly, Nepstad et al [27] pointed out that the presence of indigenous lands in the Brazilian Amazon served as a barrier to illegal logging.…”