Global Conservation Significance of Ecuador's Yasuní National Park

Background

The threats facing Ecuador''s Yasuní National Park are emblematic of those confronting the greater western Amazon, one of the world''s last high-biodiversity wilderness areas. Notably, the country''s second largest untapped oil reserves—called “ITT”—lie beneath an intact, remote section of the park. The conservation significance of Yasuní may weigh heavily in upcoming state-level and international decisions, including whether to develop the oil or invest in alternatives.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We conducted the first comprehensive synthesis of biodiversity data for Yasuní. Mapping amphibian, bird, mammal, and plant distributions, we found eastern Ecuador and northern Peru to be the only regions in South America where species richness centers for all four taxonomic groups overlap. This quadruple richness center has only one viable strict protected area (IUCN levels I–IV): Yasuní. The park covers just 14% of the quadruple richness center''s area, whereas active or proposed oil concessions cover 79%. Using field inventory data, we compared Yasuní''s local (alpha) and landscape (gamma) diversity to other sites, in the western Amazon and globally. These analyses further suggest that Yasuní is among the most biodiverse places on Earth, with apparent world richness records for amphibians, reptiles, bats, and trees. Yasuní also protects a considerable number of threatened species and regional endemics.

Conclusions/Significance

Yasuní has outstanding global conservation significance due to its extraordinary biodiversity and potential to sustain this biodiversity in the long term because of its 1) large size and wilderness character, 2) intact large-vertebrate assemblage, 3) IUCN level-II protection status in a region lacking other strict protected areas, and 4) likelihood of maintaining wet, rainforest conditions while anticipated climate change-induced drought intensifies in the eastern Amazon. However, further oil development in Yasuní jeopardizes its conservation values. These findings form the scientific basis for policy recommendations, including stopping any new oil activities and road construction in Yasuní and creating areas off-limits to large-scale development in adjacent northern Peru.     

Screening of heavy metal-tolerant actinomycetes isolated from the Salí River

Fifty-three strains of actinomycetes resistant to heavy metals were isolated from the Salí River in northwest Argentina. Screening procedures that involve solid and liquid synthetic media containing Cd(2+), Cu(2+), or Hg(2+) allowed the selection of six strains. These strains showed a quantitative sorption of Cd(2+) and Cu(2+) by more than 98% of the initial metal concentrations (0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 mM) tested.     

Polysaccharides isolated from Açaí fruit induce innate immune responses

The Açaí (Acai) fruit is a popular nutritional supplement that purportedly enhances immune system function. These anecdotal claims are supported by limited studies describing immune responses to the Acai polyphenol fraction. Previously, we characterized γδ T cell responses to both polyphenol and polysaccharide fractions from several plant-derived nutritional supplements. Similar polyphenol and polysaccharide fractions are found in Acai fruit. Thus, we hypothesized that one or both of these fractions could activate γδ T cells. Contrary to previous reports, we did not identify agonist activity in the polyphenol fraction; however, the Acai polysaccharide fraction induced robust γδ T cell stimulatory activity in human, mouse, and bovine PBMC cultures. To characterize the immune response to Acai polysaccharides, we fractionated the crude polysaccharide preparation and tested these fractions for activity in human PBMC cultures. The largest Acai polysaccharides were the most active in vitro as indicated by activation of myeloid and γδ T cells. When delivered in vivo, Acai polysaccharide induced myeloid cell recruitment and IL-12 production. These results define innate immune responses induced by the polysaccharide component of Acai and have implications for the treatment of asthma and infectious disease.     

Hunter Self-monitoring by the Isoseño-Guaraní in the Bolivian Chaco

Declared in 1995, the 34,400 km² Kaa-Iya del Gran Chaco National Park is the first protected area in South America co-managed by an indigenous organization, the Capitanía del Alto y Bajo Isoso (CABI). In 1997, based on historical occupation by the Isoseño-Guaraní over the past 300 years, CABI formally demanded a 19,000 km² `Tierra Comunitaria de Orígen' (TCO) that adjoins, but does not overlap, the national park. The creation of TCOs and the co-administration of protected areas are elements of decentralization processes in Bolivia, whereby the management of land and natural resources is devolving to departmental and municipal levels of government. This paper examines biodiversity monitoring in the context of a community wildlife management program developed with CABI. Hunter self-monitoring (100–150 hunters per month) combined with monthly activity records for potential hunters (7637 observed hunter-months) permit estimations of total offtakes of subsistence game species for 1996–2003, as well as catch-per-unit-effort over the same time period. These data show considerable fluctuations from year to year and no declining trends that would suggest over-hunting. Monitoring populations of multiple game species can be relatively expensive, even with the voluntary support of hunters, considering data collection and analysis, as well as presentation and discussion through community meetings. At the same time, monitoring does not provide highly accurate assessments of short-term changes in wildlife resources. However, relatively simple participatory methods are important for generating information on long-term trends and for creating a context for community discussion of formal wildlife management.     

Kvantitativní odkvašení Ca-2-keto-D-glukonanu,produkovaného ve směsi Ca-D-glukonanu a Ca-L-idonanu,bakteriíPseudomonas chromospirans Färber

Резюме Пользуясь результат ами работ F?rber, Vondrová, Lukšik, Liebster (1958) и Vondrová, F?rber, Liebster (1958), мы в настоящей ра боте стандартизиров али условия, при которых происходит квантита тивное сбраживание С а-соли 2-кето-D-гдюконовой кисл оты из 10% смеси Са-солей D-глюконовой и L-идоновой кислот, полу ченной в результате редукции Са-соли 5-кето-D-глюконовой кисл оты под большим давле нием. Опыты с фазово-селекциниро ванной культурой (Вондрова, Ф ербер, Лукшик 1954) Pseudomonas chromospirans F? показали, что при рН 6,5 и температ уре 30° С на вращающейся качалке при условии поступле ния 72 mМО₂/час/л, не позже 24-го ч аса культивации наст упает полное истощение воз никающей Са-соли 2-кето-D-глюконов ой кислоты, и в качеств е единственного проду кта брожения остается Са-соль 2-кето-L-идоновой кислоты, кот орая накапливается в тече ние дальнейших 24 часов.

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Kvantitativní odkvašení Ca-2-keto-D-glukonanu, produkovaného ve směsi Ca-D-glukonanu a Ca-L-idonanu, bakteriíPseudomonas chromospirans F?rberThe quantitative fermenting-out of Ca-2-keto-D-gluconate from a mixture of Ca-D-gluconate and Ca-L-idonate by means ofPseudomonas chromospirans F?rber

Summary On the basis of the results of the work of Vondrová, F?rber, Lukšík and Liebster (1958) and of Vondrová, F?rber and Liebster (1958) we standardized the conditions under which Ca-2-keto-D-gluconate is fermented out a 10% mixture of Ca-D-gluconate and Ca-L-idonate, obtained by high pressure reduction of Ca-5-keto-D-gluconate. Experiments with a phase-selected culture (Vondrova, F?rber und Lukšík 1954) ofPsevdomonas chromospirans F? showed that at pH 6.5 and a temperature of 30° C, on a rotating shaker apparatus (72 mM O₂/hour/l.), a quantitative break-down of Ca-2-keto-D-gluconate occurs within 24 hours, and the only fermentation product is Ca-2-keto-L-idonate, which accumulates during the next 24 hours.