The Diversity of Southern Ecuador

The tropical Andes run through the countries of Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile, and they are known for their incredible biodiversity. While making up just 2.3% of the land area of the planet, the Andes contain 75% of the threatened birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. Recent studies estimate that 50% of vascular plants and 42% of land vertebrates exist exclusively in these critical areas (Hotspots Andes Tropicales, CI).

Ecuador, with an area of just 276,280 square kilometers (106,672 square miles), contains 1,600 species of birds, representing 17% of total bird species world wide. In addition, 400 species of amphibians and 3,000 species of orchids exist within its borders, and more than 10% of the total species of plants in the world. The diversity of the climate has given rise to more than 25 thousand species of trees, in an area representing only 2% of the total land area of Earth.

The Southern region of Ecuador has an especially large amount of biodiversity and genetic variability, which is owed primarily to the geographic characteristics of the region such as those found in the Andes mountains (Mittermeier, 1999). The climate, which is defined by the cold currents of the Humbolt and the quality of El Niño, also played a role in developing the current biodiversity. The diversity of the countryside and its ecosystems, and the endemic flora and fauna, make the Southern region of Ecuador one of the most important regions for conservation in the country.

The primary threats to this region are road construction and mining, but others exist as well such as forest fires, extending agricultural frontiers, and uncontrolled hunting and fishing. All of these problems contribute to the fragmentation of natural habitats in the region.

Institutional Strategies for Intervention

Arcoiris, witht the goal of aiding conservation in the region, has set up four programs located from the Southern coast of Ecuador to the Amazon. They are:

The Southern Amazon Program

The Southern Andes Program

The Eastern Forests Program

The Coastal Forests Program