1 Existing long-term ecological research programs and sites
in Bolivia
Bolivia itself meets a high diverse range of ecosystems at altitudinal,
climatic and topographic levels, where several vegetation types
and habitats are found. There are some centers of high biodiversity
like the Andean montane forests, subandean foothills, and Amazonian
well preserved forests and savannas. Endemisms are found also
related to a high rainfall and to Andean mountains, as well as
between interandean humid and dry valleys and xeric forests in
the Chaqueñan region. These features give sense to many
efforts for enhancing and improving the present capacity of future
ecological studies under better conditions. Even the establishment
of different kind of scientific spaces is not integrated under
a national program, here are drawn some of them as examples to
show an increasing projection for research sites in different
regions of Bolivia. All of them do not exceed to 10 years; experiences
are mostly based in certain approaches and perspectives for long-term
studies.
In total, in Bolivia are found four sites acting for medium to
long-term projections; two of them integrated to the National
System of Protected Areas (of about 40; ca. 15 real working) which
depends itself from the Bolivian Government and a couple of sites
which are being administered through a limited medium-term and
by a fixed budget.
Sites in the SNAP (National System of Protected Areas)
Parque Nacional Noel Kempff Mercado
- Eastern Bolivia; Precambrian hills with semideciduous forests and cerrado landscape
- Since 1990
- Biological research funded and administered by an NGO; Management
Plan in progress
Reserva de la Biósfera Estación Biológica
Beni
- Center Bolivia: subandean forests, swamp forests, well drained savannas
- Since 1985
- Biological research for a Management Plan since 1992
Projects (fixed budget and schedule)
Project BOLFOR (USAID-Bolivia)
- Eastern Bolivia; Chiquitos savannas and semideciduous forests; Misión de Lomerío
- Since 1993
- Ethnobiological studies related to lowland forests and ethnic
groups; non-timber products
PROMAB (University of Utrecht, Netherlands)
- NE Bolivia; Amazonia (Riberalta)
- Since 1995
- Management of tropical forests; economic species and non-timber
products
Academic entities
Instituto de Ecología (Universidad Mayor de San Andrés)
- SNAP: Cotapata, Sajama, Madidi, Pilón Lajas
- Since 1978
- Biological research and prospections in protected areas; multidisciplinary
teams for Management Plans; advise of thesis related to ecology
2 Major needs in terms of advancing long-term ecological research
in Bolivia