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Exploring the Rainforest on Bastimentos Island
Panama’s rainforests exhibit a
staggering array of plant and animals.
Numbers such as these hint at the
extent of the biodiversity:
•940 bird species,
•10,000 plant species including 1,200
species of orchids,
•1,500 species of trees, and,
•678 fern species.
Panama has set aside 25% of its land
area for conservation and created 14
National Parks. Unfortunately, pressure
on these protected ecosystems
continues to diminish the population of
some of the most spectacular species
including the Jaguar, Harpy Eagle,
American Crocodile, and Ocelots.
Our hike in the rainforest introduced us
to examples of the remarkable
biodiversity and to the tragic
consequences of human actions.
We started out on Isla
Colon and traveled on a
water taxi to Isla
Bastimentos. Our
destination was Old Town
and “Tio-Tom’s” Hostel.
Tom, a German national
with ten years
experience in Bocas del
Toro, agreed to guide us
into the island’s
rainforest. Old Town, the
largest settlement on
Bastimentos, is on the
northwest tip of the
island. From Tom’s we
boarded a dugout canoe
powered by a five
horsepower outboard
motor and set out along
the southwest coast of
the bay.
As we neared the end of the Bay, we spotted rivers flowing through
the mangroves. The exposed river bank and roots indicated that the
tide was out and our journey up-river might be shorter than expected.
This muddy river was deep enough to
allow us to travel through the mangrove
swamp. Tom pointed out the red
mangrove and later the white mangrove
trees as he piloted the canoe up the
twisting river. Each tree has unique
adaptations to allow their roots to survive
in the salt-saturated soil. The mangrove
ecosystem is rich in animal life,
particularly marine animals. Crabs, small
fish, caimans, oysters, and egrets are a
few of the species that reside in this
environment. To learn more about the
mangrove ecosystem follow the link to the
Smithsonian Institute’s virtual tour of
Mangel Cay.
One of the first animal species we spotted
was a black hawk (Buteogallus
anthracinus.) Perched above the river, our
presence caused no change in it’s behavior.
The hawk calmly watched as we passed
directly beneath its point of lookout. The
branch hung out over the water. From
there the hawk could scan the river and
banks for food. A predator of small fish,
land crabs, snakes and frogs, this bird was
ideally placed to find a meal.
Red mangrove seedlings emerge and grow along the river bank. The red mangrove is critically
important for holding the soil in place. The black soil horizon extending down to the water line
indicates the lack of oxygen. The black color is due to the accumulation of sulfur compounds in
the soil.
Panama has fourteen National Parks. Our destination was Bastimentos Island
National Marine Park (BINMP) which covers an area of nearly 30,000 acres of land
and sea. We expected to reach an area of mature tropical rainforest. The Nature
Conservancy is an active participant in the group developing the management plan
for the park.
We crossed smaller streams as we
climbed up and away from the river. The
soil was saturated with water and in
places it was like stepping into pudding.
The forest had been cleared in this area
approximately 30 years ago. The
remnants of an abandoned cacao
plantation were scattered amongst the
native vegetation.
Further into the park we reached this area of secondary forest. The larger trees are 60 to
80 years old and the buttressed roots are forming. The forest still allows light to reach the
forest floor stimulating the growth of tree seedlings. This part of the rainforest has yet to
develop a mature canopy.
A palm frond, pale in it’s newness, captures
the diffuse sunlight flowing through the
canopy.
The Strawberry Poison-dart (Dendrobates pumilio) frog was high on
the list of the species that we hoped to see on our hike. The color
patterns in the Poison-dart frogs are different on the nearby islands.
These tiny frogs have an alkaloid that is toxic to other organisms. The
toxicity of the Poison-dart frogs vary. The species shown is mildly
toxic and can be handled without adverse consequences.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature considers Dendrobates pumilio an
endangered species. Habitat loss and collection for the pet store trade are the greatest
contributors to the species’ declining populations.
We had seen sloths on several occasions previous to coming upon the one in this photo.
We found this three toed sloth relaxing in a tree about fifteen feet above the ground.
The sloth seemed curious and watched us as we viewed it from different angles below.
We looked for it on our return but, while the sloth is deliberate in its movement, it can
move up to 4 meters a minute.
While it is tempting to focus on the brightly colored, exotic plants and
animals, who can deny the attractiveness of the functional utility of the
millipede? As they crawl over the thin layers of leaf litter, these animals
participate in the rapid recycling of nutrients.
Since I mentioned exotic, what
about this “walking palm?” These
palms literally move across the
forest floor. As explained by Bodley
and Bensen1, the movement is
prompted when palm stem is bent
parallel to the ground (as would
occur when something falls on the
palm). New roots emerge from the
bent palm stem. The old roots die
and the palm moves out from under
the debris.
1. Bodley, J.H. ; Benson, F.C.
Title: Stilt-root walking by an iriarteoid palm
Socratea exorrhiza in the Peruvian Amazon.
Biotropica. Mar 1980. v. 12 (1) : p 67-71
Our guide patiently interpreted the
symphony of cries, croaks, chirps and
the endless variety of calls that we
heard during our frequent stops. He
tuned our ears to the back and forth call
of frogs searching for mates; described
the behavior of the bird “yodeling” from
tree top to tree top; and translated the
low, hollow thumping coming from a
distance. By now, we were mesmerized
in the environment. The colors,
textures, and smells conspired to
exhaust the senses and it was
wonderful.
Then, there was devastation! The
unnatural brightness lit a scene of
senseless destruction. The exuberant
order of the forest was lost to the chaos
of random cutting.
We picked our way through the debris
attempting to make sense out of the
deliberate destruction. At one point
Tom said, “We are walking through a
cemetery!” The two acre clearing was
practically impassible. Epiphytes,
ferns, and orchids were dislodged from
the trees they had grown upon. They
now laid drying in the sun. Felling
trees inside the National Park is
unlawful and uncommon according to
Tom. Who? Why?... were
unanswerable questions.
The thrill of experiencing a
rainforest ecosystem faded. It
was haunting to walk through a
recently destroyed area of tropical
rainforest. This area, small as it
was, symbolized the relentless
destruction of forests everywhere.
We all felt smaller and I guess
impotent to intervene in the
ongoing destruction of Earth’s
ecosystems.
We took pictures, speculated about the
rationale for the clearing, collected a few
plants and prepared to leave the rainforest.
Later, we filed a report with the
government environmental organization.
They seemed interested but not
particularly alarmed. It was rumored that
the clearing was done by a local person
who wanted to use the area for farming.
The loss of habitat is the number one
cause of biodiversity decline. Strawberry
poison-dart frogs survive only on the
moist, shady forest floor. To reduce the
rate of species loss, habits must be
protected from disruption by humans.
One and one-half acres of rainforest
are lost every second with tragic
consequences for both developing and
industrial countries. Visit the links to
organizations involved in rainforest
conservation and see what you can do
to slow the rate of deforestation.