Tiputini Biodiversity Field Station, eastern Ecuador/northwest Amazon

The International Symbiosis Society recently led its first excursion to this spectacular, remote tropical rainforest site in the northwest Amazon. Be sure to read about it on the main page of this web site as well as in the ISS Spring issue of Symbiosis International. A second excursion is planned for 2009. If you are interested, e-mail me, Douglas Zook, at dzook@bu.edu, and I will get back to you with travel, cost, and other details.

Background

The Tiputini Biodiversity Station (TBS) was established in 1995 by the Universidad San Francisco de Quito in collaboration with Boston University.  TBS is located in the northwest Amazon, approximately 300 km (200 mi) ESE of Quito, Ecuador, on the north bank of the Tiputini River, a tributary to the Napo River.  The goals of TBS are to promote scientific research, education and conservation in Amazonian Ecuador.
     The facilities include a laboratory building, classrooms, library, a student dormitory, small cabins, and a dining area.  They are in a central area surrounded by 650 hectares of primary rainforest. 
      TBS has over 30 km of developed, well-maintained, and mapped trails, thus providing visitors with access to undisturbed primary terra firme (upland) forest, várzea (seasonally-flooded forest), swamps, small streams, and an ox-bow lake.  Several long-term study plots, including 10 and 50 ha plots have been developed by visiting researchers, and are available for complementary studies.
      Two 35 m high canopy towers (Figure 5), with spiral staircases and elevated platforms (capacity for 8 persons each), facilitate observations and research on the fauna and flora in the forest canopy.  A 100-m long canopy walkway also provides access to the upper reaches of the forest canopy for research.  The remote location of TBS, within the traditional territory of the Waorani people, means that the area has been largely protected from the influence of outside forces.  As a consequence, this area offers a remarkably unique concentration of native wildlife.  Research at TBS indicates that several major taxonomic groups (vertebrates, invertebrates, and trees) are among the most species rich in the world.  This species richness reflects a combination of several factors, including geographic location (near the Equator, latitude 0° 38’S), an average elevation of approximately 220 m above sea level; 4,000 mm of annual rainfall; a location with strong biogeographic affinities with the Andes; the inclusion within the Napo Pleistocene refugium, and association with the 2.6 million ha Yasuni Biosphere Reserve.  Over 1,600 species of trees have been documented at TBS. The average species richness of trees per hectare approaches 300. Ten species of primates, nearly 80 species of bats, over 100 species of amphibians, and more than 530 species of birds have been documented.  Jaguars are often observed at TBS, along with tapirs, capybaras, caimans (3 spp.), otters (2 spp.), and river dolphins.  David Pearson, in The New Key to Ecuador and the Galapagos (2nd Edition) unabashedly touts TBS as “the best place in all of Ecuador to see wildlife.” TBS is unusual because few indigenous groups live or hunt in its vicinity (the closest village is located about 30 km to the south), and thus wildlife has been largely protected from exploitation.

General Philosophy

TBS provides opportunities for education and research in the Ecuadorian rainforest, with a primary objective to conserve a unique Amazonian ecosystem.  Each activity conducted at TBS is done with conservation and compatibility with nature in mind.  This philosophy governs our decisions for educational programing, research design, facilities management, construction, and use of natural resources. Each individual that visits TBS is given an orientation to its operation and conservation ethic. All scientific research must be approved by the TBS Advisory Board and by the Ecuadorian Ministry of the Environment.  Visiting scientists and graduate students are encouraged to present seminars and informal talks about their research at TBS or at other venues in Ecuador as deemed appropriate.  Visiting scientists are encouraged to include Ecuadorian students as part of their research programs.  Students in course programs are often placed in teaching roles, wherein after a period of research in the field, lab, and library, the student must present their discoveries, ideas, findings to the full group.  Thus, the facility operates with the highest standards of accountability, responsibility, and self-development in education and research.

Tiputini biodiversity site offers great potential for symbiosis research

by Douglas Zook, President of the International Symbiosis Society, Boston University, Two Sherborn Street, Boston, MA 02215 USA, dzook@bu.edu

Just on the other side of the elegant green palm leaves sweeping the glaring equatorial sky, I could see the enigmatic hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoatzin).  With its splayed crest of feathers, its bright orange-brown wings spread out anhinga-style, and its prehistoric demeanor, this large bird of South American history and lore symbolized the existence of many hidden treasures in this unique tropical forest reserve of eastern Ecuador. Moreover, this was not just any avian delight but a profoundly symbiotic one.  The hoatzin is one of the few birds documented as being a foregut fermenter, depending almost entirely on its rich microbiota to process the leaves that it feeds on in this northwest corner of the Amazon.  Besides this selection for cellulases, the bacteria reportedly also assist in detoxifying the variety of secondary compounds prevalent in these tropical trees.  These unique, dazzling foliovores are the flying, perching equivalent of our familiar ruminants.
       Situated two hundred miles east of Quito and five hours via motorized canoe  from the small town of Coca downstream on the rapidly moving nutrient-rich “white” Tiputini River, the Tiputini Biodiversity Station is operated by the University of San Francisco based at Quito, Ecuador, in collaboration with Boston University, USA.  While the site is only 650 hectares (hectare = 2.47 acres), it is surrounded by over one million hectares of virgin tropical forest land, including the vast Yasuni National Park.  The region is recognized internationally as one of the jewels of species richness and biodiversity on the earth today.  Part of my goal on this visit was to see first hand how prevalent symbiotic expression is in such a relatively “untouched” environment.

Legumes prevalent

The network of paths at the field station stretch through a characteristic collage of tropical vegetation, dominated by a bewildering variety of palms.  Integrated in all directions are legumes.  Their role in nitrifying the unending rhizopheres cannot be overstated.  The surprisingly thick leaf litter was an expression of leathery legume pods. The characteristic darkness of the rainforest understory was occasionally broken by gap areas.  Tree falls which cause such openings are common and allow for pockets of secondary succession with more light-tolerant plant diversity.  While most of the nutrients rapidly cycle back into new or adjacent plants, nevertheless the soil and even substrates of epiphytes are of course still profoundly mycorrhizal, mostly of the vesicular-arbuscular types.  I couldn’t help but wonder if many of the fungi emerging from logs, insect carcasses, and the clay soils were occasionally ectomycorrhizal expressions, albeit many unknown or unnamed.
      My symbiosis sensibilities in the thick humid air was always freshened by the very knowledgeable field station guides.  Jose Macanilla-Grefa is Kichwa and from eastern Amazonian Ecuador.  But his experience in the tropical forests handed down through generations was obvious , as he simply seemed to notice and hear the wealth of life on all sides of our quiet, perfunctory footsteps.  Even the relatively dry season of January necessitated heavy “jungle” boots what with frequent swathes of mud.  Remarkably after hours of walking, it always seemed as if I had far more mud on my boots than Jose.  And,  often these wet steps just off trail led to great symbiotic expressions such as termites with their nests several meters up above the buttressed or stilt-rooted tree trunks and leafcutter ants in their remarkably focused athletic march from the tree tops to their ground level fungal gardens.
      Featuring both upland (terra firma) and periodic flooding (varzea) forests, symbioses at Tiputini often are maniufested high above as orchid epiphytes.  Although difficult to see without accessing specific canopy regions well above ground level, I did manage to glimpse a species of Vanilla starting its vine-curl upward amongst the lianas.  Lichens were common at every turn, but vastly different from temperate forest zones.  For example, foliicolous lichens dominated.  Some leaves were completely covered with arrays of these crustose forms.  Obvious apothecia and even perithecia were difficult to find, and many of the smooth-barked trees likely had species awaiting discovery. One hectare of tropical rainforest has been documented to have over 280 lichen species, with a single palm leaf recording 80 foliiculous forms. They are recognized to be strong bioindicators, giving reliable data on precipitation changes, light intensity variation, and anthropogenic activity.  While this visit was too short to focus on lichens, I did notice what appeared to be characteristically brilliant green  Coenogonium spp. and similar species curled around narrow tree trunks.  

Remote camera project

            Under the expert guidance of on-site Station Managers Rene Torres and Diego Mosquera and Quito-based co-directors David Romo and Kelly Swing, Tiputini is emerging as a prime research site for studying biodiversity and tropical rainforest ecology generally.  Given its remote location and its stomata variety, the site could also evolve as a kind of rainforest Mauna Loa with important data collection on global warming.  I had the opportunity to speak with several colleagues there involved in significant research work.  The on-site interviews I did with each of them will eventually be part of the ISS-Boston University effort (supported by the Instructional Technology Program and Center for Teaching Excellence at Boston University) to create a digital image symbiosis and ecology library to contribute to improved instruction.
       Among the particular research projects that have far-reaching implications for research in species richness and in education is that led by John Blake of the University of Missouri, St. Louis in collaboration with the Tiputini staff.  Through a grant from the National Geographic Society, John and his students placed remote still cameras throughout the reserve.  These cameras are triggered by motion from passing animals, who are particularly active at dusk and during the night.  The sites are strategically organized where it has been observed that animals frequent, such as open clay areas where a variety of organisms lick up assorted necessary minerals, for example.  The result thus far has been a magnificent photographic record totaling thousands of images showing a wide array of animals, some seldom seen so revealingly in their natural habitats.  Rare species such as the short-eared dog  and giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) have appeared.  Most noteworthy has been the visitations of at least seven different jaguar (Panthera onca) individuals, astounding for such an elusive, threatened creature.  The images will allow specialists to study unique and specific behaviors by seldom seen organisms, which in turn will lead to both new field research and improved conservation strategies.  As John noted, “The work underscores just how remarkably biodiverse, how special this Tiputini region is…”
       Working with John on a related project supported by the National Science Foundation, is Brandt Ryder and colleagues conducting a long-term study of manikin bird species and their unique group behaviors.  Anthony diFiore of New York University, affectionately known as Tiputini’s “monkey man,” continues to observe and study the behaviors of the ten different primates that frequent the reserve almost daily.  These spider (Ateles belzebuth), wooly (Lagothrix lagotricha), and howler (Alouatta seniculus) monkeys, among others are important seed dispersers and thus can even be described as keystone species in some locales.  One of the many great experiences was how relatively easy it was for me to see various primate troops or individuals passing through.  Observations were aided greatly by a canopy level observation tower constructed adjacent to an enormous kapok tree.

Region invites discovery

Another research project recently initiated with NSF support involves examining the degree to which water conduction determines the optimal size of rainforest trees.  Focused on palm species, Nathan Phillips, Professor of Biogeography at Boston University and his doctoral student Heidi Renninger are using solar panels in the field site which feed battery units to operate the probes and collect the necessary data.
      At times, it seemed like every square meter, every turn could accommodate a new and necessary research project.  This was particularly evident when I considered symbiotic systems.  One could argue that the mycorrhizae are pervasive and critical to the success of all biomes.  But here, the magnificent varieties of ground, tall tree and epiphytic plants invites discovery and study in a profound way.  Not surprisingly, insects were particularly commonplace, with some such as roaches, termites, beetles, and ants known to house vast symbiotic communities.  Indeed, Tiputini resonated as a kind of symbiotic temple.
Through a National Science Foundation grant obtained through Boston University, a new field lab facility is being constructed.  Future plans include alternative energy installation, not a bad idea given the need for greater independency from the nearby ever-present international petroleum firm.  Future programs could include key international biodiversity field meetings, tropical forest workshops for teachers and researchers, additional student group study visits, and science society field meetings.  The latter could see the International Symbiosis Society as the organizer of a ten day or two week workshop/meeting at Tiputini, which, in turn, could lead to follow-up symbiosis research.  I will hope to hear from colleagues such as you in the coming days and weeks to see if the interest and commitment is there for such a dynamic Society field experience that can only further the cause of conservation as well as symbiosis.
      In the meanwhile, thanks to the hoatzin experience at Tiputini, I can neither see a bird in quite the same way as previous, nor a cow quite so grounded!

Photo credits: Clearwing butterfly and woolly monkey images by Elise Konscek (eliselk@gmail.com). Other images by D. Zook