Yasuní Forest Dynamics Plot, Ecuador

Yasuní National Park in eastern Ecuador appears to be one of the most biologically diverse sites in the Amazon Basin. The Pontificia Universidad Católica de Ecuador, the University of Aarhus in Denmark, and CTFS/STRI initiated a Forest Dynamics Plot along the Rio Tiputini in Yasuní, Napo Province in non-seasonal, old-growth lowland moist forest in 1996. Within one hectare at the Yasuní FDP, there are 644 species. Comparing this number with species counts in one hectare at other plots -- Panamanian plot has 168 species and plot on peninsular Malaysia has 497 species --the richness of this area becomes even more apparent. When the 50-ha plot is censused, we expect that there will be about 1,300 species in the plot. A socio-economic study on the local Waotani community was conducted near the site, and found that distance from large markets is inversely related to non-timber forest product use.