“LONG-TERM COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION PROGRAM ON BIODIVERSITY

CONSERVATION IN THE ECUADORIAN ANDES”FIRST WORKSHOP

(DRAFT DOCUMENT FOR REVIEW)

PARTICIPANTS:

UNIVERSIDAD TÉCNICA PARTICULAR DE LOJA - ECUADORUNIVERSITY OF IDAHO – USA

UNIVERSIDAD REY JUAN CARLOS - ESPAÑA

LOJA, ECUADOR - JANUARY 7TH TO 12TH

2010

Summary

In the framework of the improvement of the biological and ecological research and conservation of biodiversity process that different groups, both local and external Universities have been developing in Ecuador and specially in the south of the country, a pioneer group from UTPLπ, URJCΩ and UI∑ have taken the initiative to organize the 1st workshop entitled “long-term collaborative research and education program on biodiversity conservation in the Ecuadorian Andes” to develop a integrated long – term proposal which involve all the research groups and goals in terms of the improvement of the local capacities for research, scientific and useful information for decision makers, productive development and local governments and also the increasing of the opportunities for collaboration among progressive and enthusiastic scientists and students from all the participating countries.

During this first workshop have been identified and structured five focus groups in the fields of: Global Change, Landscape Ecology and Conservation, Botany, Molecular Methods and Conservation Policies. Additionally was fixed a plan of work for writing projects and proposals and developing the first Master Program on Tropical Ecology.

The three participant Universities are optimistic about the future involvement of others universities and institutions to grow-up together the current initiative.

π Universidad Técnica Particular de LojaΩ Universidad Rey Juan Carlos ∑ University of Idaho

Program Narrative

The world faces a catastrophic biodiversity crisis, with 50% of recognized species predicted to disappear in the next human generation (Cadotte et al, 2008). This crisis, uniquely anthropogenic in its inception, is particularly acute in many equatorial nations, countries with high levels of species endemism and emergent economies (Bradshow et al, 2008). Ecuador is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world and ranks first in number of species per unit area (Myers et al. 2000). In Ecuador, forty Protected Areas (PA’s) have been established covering ~ 18% of the country (MAE 2005). In the majority of these areas, there is limited information about the status of most species and many are listed as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN 2008). Research and enforcement of PA policies are carried out by local residents with low levels of education and limited funding (MAE 2005).

Protected areas in the Andes Mountain region are threatened due to land transformation into agriculture, cities, roads and pine plantations; also large mammals are in the most threatened taxa in this region (Tirira 2001).

Although there have being some attempts to integrate social sciences in conservation practices (De Urioste-Stone, McLaughlin & Sanyal, 2006; Jakobsen, Hels & McLaughling, 2004; Lachapelle & McCool, 2005), most conservation efforts are still led by researchers with a strong biological background, lacking scientific understanding of the political, social and psychological factors influencing human behavior in conservation processes (Fox et al. 2006).

In this context, we propose to initiate a long-term interdisciplinary research and education program on biodiversity and sustainable community development focused in the southern Ecuadorian Andes and its people.

This program will provide research and collaboration opportunities to students and faculty from University of Idaho (UI), Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (URJC) and others universities while also contributing to local capacity building and sustainable community development in Ecuador. This process will be facilitated by a partnership with faculty at the Universidad de Técnica Particular de Loja (UTPL).

Goals of the Program

1. Advance of science in Ecuador: generation of knowledge and technologies with a strong local impact, as well as national and International.

2. Master and Doctoral training for Ecuadorians: long-term educational program for preparing scientists in Ecuador at Master and PhD level.

3. Develop research and educational collaboration among scientists and students from all the participating countries.

Objectives of the Workshop

1. To get first approach amount researchers from the Participating Universities and discuss about the context and common topics for future collaboration.

2. Develop the first plan of work

SCHEDULE OF THE WORKSHOP

Wed Jan 6th – All should arrive in Loja during the day.

Thurs Jan 7th08H30 UTPL tour. (Omar Malagón, Carlos Espinosa, Rodrigo Cisneros)12H00 Lunch at the Casa Lojana hotel (Juan Pablo Suárez, Omar Malagón, Carlos Espinosa, Rodrigo Cisneros)14H00. Overview presentation from each University and a short (15 minutes) presentations of each workshop participant: background/expertise/research interests:

UTPL official movie (5 minut.)14H10 Andrea Jara (Climatic change)14H25 María Fernanda Tapia (Landscape Fragmentation)14H40 Omar Cabrera (Ethnobotanic and plant biodiversity)14H55 Fausto Lopez (Environmental Management)15H10 Augusta Cueva (Somatic embriogenesis and seed conservation)15H25 Rodrigo Cisneros (Conservation genetics)15H40 Paulina Viteri(Genetics of wild plants and crops)15H55 Victor Sanmartín (Biomining and bioremediation)16H10Stephen Mulkey16H25Lisette Waits16H40 David Roon16H55 Cort Anderson17H10 David Tank17H25 Sandra Pinel17H40 José María Iriondo17H55 Juan Pablo Suárez

18H10 Greeting visitors at the Superior Council Room

20H00 Dinner at the Casa Lojana Hotel

Friday 8th: A field visit to different places around the Podocarpus National Park and buffer zone to show to the group the challenges of the conservation and science in the local context of human development in a emergent and megadiverse country as Ecuador, and the opportunities that this scenario offer to both Universities (UI/UTPL). For this trip is necessary a Waterproof or rainwear and hiking shoes or robbers bouts. Also you could need a gap, sunglasses and UV protection for sensible skin.

08H00 Departure from the Hotel09H00 Visit to the Paramo area (El Tiro)10H00 Visit to the San Francisco Research Station managed by the DFG German program.12H30 Visit to the Bombuscaro River – Province of Zamora Chinchipe (Podocarpus National park – Rain Forest)15H00 Lunch at the El Arenal Restaurant.16H30 Return to Loja

Saturday 9th: Work in small focus groups of UTPL and UI faculty to define collaborative research, possible funding sources and proposed schedule for collaborative grant writing.

09H00 Organization of groups and rooms to work13H00 Lunch at the UTPL cafeteria14H00 Continue with the work in groups17H00 coffee at the UTPL cafeteria17H15 City tour

Sunday 10th: Continuing discussion from Saturday, next steps for collaborative effort.10H00: Continue with the work in group – UI Professors and oneperson for group from UTPL (Fausto López, Augusta Cueva,

María Fernanda Tapia, Andrea Jara, Rodrigo Cisneros, Paulina Viteri, Carlos Espinosa and Paulina Aguirre)

11H30: Master Program work (UI, URJC, UTPL)13h00: Trip to Hostería La Vieja Molienda (UTPL School of Hostelry) –Malacatos- West slope of the Podocarpus National Park (Dryforest)13H30: Lunch at the Hostería La Vieja Molienda15H30: Tour to Vilcabamba – the Longevity valley18H30: Return to Loja

Monday 11th, UI group return to QuitoTues 12th – Return to Idaho

FOCUS GROUP

Global Change groupStephen Mulkey: smulkey@uidaho.eduJosé María Iriondo: jose.iriondo@urjc.esCarlos Espinosa: ciespinosa@utpl.edu.ecAndrea Jara: akjara@utpl.edu.ecEli Guzmán: ecgusman@utpl.edu.ecDiego Marín: dmarin@utpl.edu.ecNixon Cumbicus: nlcumbicus@utpl.edu.ecPablo Ramón: paramon@utpl.edu.ecIndira Black: ifblack@utpl.edu.ec

Conservation Policies GroupSandra Lee Pinel: spinel@uidaho.eduDavid Roon: droon@uidaho.eduDiana Maldonado: dsmaldonadox@utpl.edu.ecFausto López: fvlopezx@utpl.edu.ecRamiro Morocho: jrmorocho@utpl.edu.ecKarla Tapia: ketapia2@utpl.edu.ec

Molecular Methods Working Group Cort Anderson: cla@uidaho.eduLeonardo Yaguana. mlyaguana@gmail.comVíctor Sanmartín: vasanmartin@utpl.edu.ecPaulina Aguirre: piaguirre@utpl.edu.ecAgusta Cueva: acueva@utpl.edu.ec

Landscape Ecology and Conservation GroupLisette Waits: lwaits@uidaho.eduDiego Velez: dpvelez@utpl.edu.ecMaría Fernanda Tapia: mftapia@utpl.edu.ecCarlos Iñiguez: cainiguez@utpl.edu.ecCarlos Naranjo: cjnaranjo@utpl.edu.ecRodrigo Cisneros: rcisneros@utpl.edu.ecPaulina Viteri: mpviteri@uidaho.edu

Botany GroupDavid Tank: dtank@uidaho.eduFanny Tinitana: ftinitana@utpl.edu.ecOmar Cabrera. hocabrera@utpl.edu.ecEsteban Torrachi: jstorracchi@utpl.edu.ecLorena Riofrío: mlriofrio@utpl.edu.ecRosa Armijos: rearmijos@utpl.edu.ecJosé Miguel Romero: jmromero@utpl.edu.ecMáximo Moreira: momoreira@utpl.edu.ec

ORIENTATIONS FOR THE WORK IN FOCUS GROUP

1. A better explanation of each current research program.

2. A review about the research questions that we have at the moment, talk about how to improve the research questions and some complementary questions.

3. Thinking in how the University of Idaho/Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (Professors graduate and undergraduate students) could be involved in this research programs.

4. Defining the concrete actions to follow (Activities and schedule to work this year, people involved, proposals to write...)

FOCUS GROUP RESULTS

Global Change Extreme Environments Group

The Ecology Program at UTPL includes several faculty who are currently enrolled as graduate students at universities in Spain and Germany. Dissertations of these faculty and possible future research at the MS and undergraduate level are focused on spatial and temporal aspects of the structure and function of tropical dry forests and madrone ecosystems in southern Ecuador. It is clear that these ecosystems are in several aspects very different from similar ecosystems described for other sites throughout the neotropics. Specific spatial studies that concern ecosystem structure could include descriptions of floristic composition, the distribution and abundance of specific insect groups, patch dynamics, and seed bank species composition. Studies addressing ecosystem function could include the effects of keystone species and biotic and abiotic interactions. Possible studies of biotic-abiotic interactions include factors of facilitation and competition across stress/resource gradients, altitudinal gradients, plant-soil interactions, insect-plant interactions, and modeling specific species interactions. Current and possible projects related to the temporal dynamics of the ecosystems include structural changes in the floristic composition and seed dispersal as a function of global change. Temporal aspects of functional change include studies of forest population dynamics and nutrient cycling, including litter decomposition and phenology.

This research agenda is quite ambitious and will result in descriptive studies that are not developed specifically within a framework of overarching hypotheses of ecosystem or community dynamics. Given the lack of basic information about these remarkable and unique ecosystems, it is appropriate and necessary that baseline descriptive data be assembled as soon as possible before aspects of global climate change and local economic factors unfold. For example, the absence of lianas is a striking aspect of the dry forest of southern Ecuador. In addition to the need for fundamental information, it is also important that these studies be place in the theoretical context provided by the scholarly literature in ecosystem and community ecology.

UTPL is strategically located in southern Ecuador near several ecologically important areas, and the University has several advantages for the development of ecological research programs. Important among these is access to the outstanding faculty at universities in

Spain and Germany. A consortium of German universities maintains a well-equipped field station near the Podocarpus National Park. A developing relationship with the University of Idaho will provide additional strength. Basic laboratory equipment for ecological genetics seems adequate for students to develop research related to the distribution and abundance of genotypes and species. There is adequate instrumentation for analysis of plant secondary chemistry and natural products. Missing are instrumentation related to micro-meteorology and photosynthetic gas exchange. Partnerships with European and US universities may provide access to resources for the development of additional research infrastructure.

In discussions with UTPL students and faculty, the team from UI agreed to take the lead in establishing contact with UI faculty and graduate students to determine areas of overlapping interest and research collaboration. We agreed that an annual or biannual meeting should be held such that faculty and students from all participating programs could exchange scholarship and research. A list of possible funding sources was begun. One important funding source in the US that is relevant to all of the research groups at UTPL is the NSF program Partnerships for International Education and Research (PIRE). A pre-proposal for PIRE should be prepared by August 2010. The Environmental Science program at UI will provide 1 fellowship for graduate student support for a student from UTPL who matriculates to the UI program and conducts research based at UTPL. The MOU regarding a joint graduate program at UTPL and UI will be expanded to include Environmental Science in addition to the College of Natural Resources. The details of a graduate student exchange program among all participating universitiesw will be developed and delivered by late March 2010.

Conservation Management Working Group

(Notes taken by Sandra Pinel and David Roon)

Participants

Karla Tapia- UTLP Environmental Engineering She is interested in Environmental Impact assessment in changing decision- making. She is a PhD student with the U in Madrid.

Diana Mandonado- Environmental EngineeringShe has studied traffic in endangered wood products and plants and is interested in private area conservation, incentives for conservation, participation in programs, and legal measures. Cedrela Odorata is used for furniture. She is very interested in private conservation strategies. She is in the MS in Spain (CITES convention?), but not yet in a PhD.

Fausto Lopez (head of)Mr. Lopez investigates protected area management systems and community participation. Right now, he is developing a proposed Ramsar (UN designation) wetland with communities that include the Saraguro and areas to the south toward Zamora. This is connected to the larger Biosphere reserve that includes Podacarpus

and the new park to its SE. Its emphasis is ‘Humidales’ management across multiple jurisdictions. Fausto Lopez has NGO experience and is interested in alliances, institutions, protected areas, land use, local governments and actors. He is looking to begin an MS and PhD. What we want to do now. He is interested in the regional system of protected areas and how to improve management over the long-term.

Ramiro Morocho (program?). Is specifically interested in watershed protection as a motivator for conservation and is looking for a PhD program.

Dr. David Roon (UI Ecology and Conservation Biology)He is interested in…

Dr. Sandra Pinel (UI Conservation Social Sciences and Bioregional Planning)She is interested in how to manage landscapes across multiple cultural forms of knowledge and jurisdictions, including regional planning and collaborative and co-management between local governments, indigenous groups, provinces, NGOs and national/international agencies.

Brainstorm of UTLP Initiatives on Which Research Could be built

Conservation of the Zamora watershed strategies Pilot study (Zamora- hope to continue on to other regions) Strategies Monitoring of water quality Sustainable production with no impact on water Creation/control of a buffer zone Environmental education $35,000 per year funding Mining is one of the largest contamination issues New water law. Good points and bad points Restrictions on new projects Increased local jurisdiction Local practices are typically not sustainable- lead Responsibility without money and without authority ‘Canton’ as the management unit Biosphere reserve Three core areas within Biosphere Interested in improving landscape-scale management of this integrated region Program: ‘Socio-Bosque’ Money for preserving the Paramo Money for preserving forested areas $30 per hectare (?)

Collaborative Research Planning Discussion

Goal 1: Analysis and establishment of strategies for the efficient management of the Regional System of Protected Areas

Objectives

1. Analyze management effectiveness2. Design effective conservation strategies and initiatives

3. Wetland protected area design (Nabon, Ona, Saraguro and Yacuambi)4. Podocarpus-El Condor biosphere reserve management (land use planning

training program for municipalities). Courses coordinated with Nature and Environment and Ministry of Environment

5. Watershed conservation in Zamora (TNC, USAID, CI)

We discussed the challenges of management in Ecuador and the actors. For example, the levels of governance in descending order are: Country; Province; Canton; Paroquia. A municipio is the government of a Canton. There are often problems when different Cantones have different environmental perspectives, such as Loja versus Zamora Chinchipe.

Provincial governments have the primary responsibility for deciding upon major projects such as roads, but cantons/muncipios decide about services to people. Provinces are more responsive to the national government, they are not local governments. There are 16 cantones in Loja Province. Titles are recorded by catones and cantons can get “tax?” money.

We also discussed titles. The Agrarian Reform program gave some titles through a squatter law. So many of the houses along the highway to Zamora resulted from people settling for the water and then getting title if they used the land for more than two years. Ag Reform and Environmental Protection may be inconsistent policies. We also discussed the incentives that are available for private conservation, such as Socio-Bosque and the decrease in voluntary participation.

Possible Research Questions

1) How can we best manage within protected areas and across the Podacaups El Condor biosphere reserve (need to include a map)?

a. Analyze the effectiveness of Management of connectivity between Yaqumbi and Podocarpus (and other protected areas)

i. Local government assessmentii. Evaluation of incentive program –specifically program ‘Socio-bosque’

(directly administered by the Ministry of the Environment through its field staff and not by local governments)

1. Who are the participants; to what degree do they participate?2. What might be effective programs (types of incentives) for

eliciting participation by different stakeholders?3. How effective are the programs that are currently in place?4. Where might be priority areas (Geographic) for focusing efforts?5. Why is the level of participation decreasing in the Socio- Bosque

and related programs?6. What might be methods for better disseminating information

about these programs?7. How would the current incentive system be best augmented or

changed to be more effective?2) How to involve stakeholders in watershed protection and Management3) What are possible alternative watershed uses? Example- switching to micro-scale

cattle ranching?a. Evaluating the effectivenessb. Are other alternatives better?c. Why would people switch to other alternatives?

d. There is a 20-person small-scale milk operation. UTLP is interested in expanding this and evaluating the effectiveness as a conservation approach.

Sandra

1. Why and how people officials, participate y adopt practices to conserve (and converse)?

2. How can actions of local governments, indigenous groups, and communities, NGOs and national agencies best be connected in order to implement protected area plans or to adopt land use plans (outside protected areas).

David:1. What are the biological consequences of the changing management practices, and

how do the participants react to/perceive these changes?2. Are there biological consequences of better management that can be used to

promote increased participation (both private and governmental?)?

More applied research topics:

Understanding and overcoming barriers to conservation across cultural, political and tenure boundaries – social learning versus and co-management and/or changes in government rules, indigenous rights, and regional planning (Podacarpus with implications for Paramo project and international practice)

Queremos medir efectividad (David, should I translate this as a discussion of institutional and biological inter-relationships for effective conservation strategies and governance at the user, local, central government scales?)

1) Institutionala. Gobierno centralb. Gobierno localc. Comunidad/usarios

2) Biologico

Units of Analysis and Case Studies Discussion

Four areas of focus

1) PN Podocarpus- Estatol2) Reserva Yawambi- municipal3) Bosque protector Shuar- Indigena4) Reserva Tapichalaca- Privada5)

Criteria for selecting sites for studies:

1-Institutional presence of UTPL 2-Categoria de manejo and representation of both biological and institutional

diversity that we want to study 3-Significancia/Importancia ecologia: agua, biodiversidad 4-Grado/tipo de los intervencios humano 5-Grado y tipo de amenazas (threats) 6- Nivel y tipo de financiamento 7- Interes de instituciones locales e internacionales para financiameinto

Scale (Choose the 2 sites, extrapolate up – make sure to include all scales of actors. Learn from nature lover/nature destroyer interactions. The goal is to propose strategies that address their problems that also have international relevance.

Represent four types of management

One national protected area - Estadal Reserve municipal - local Privada y indigena Bosque protector Schuar - indigena Reserva Tapichalaca - privada

For example, they would concentrate on Zamora Chinchipe province for the next two or three years, and three projects which are part of that province connected to Podacarpus, Yaquiri, and El Condor Reserve. Fausto wants to use the proposed Ramsar site as a demonstration research site for participation, regional planning, and protected area management with the involvement of local governments, indigenous peoples, meztizos, Shuar, and Saraguro.

January 10 Action Plan for Next Steps ( spinel@uidaho.edu and fvlopezx@utlp.edu.ed)

1) Define important contextual information (UTLP will collect info and Sandra will send Bioregional Atlas model)

a. Cultural and social systems and changes in same, including local leadership and power relations

b. Lawsc. Politics and legal and political anthropology sourcesd. Ownership and land usee. Migration, census and economic information from agencies, trendsf. Important threatsg. Registries of land titles

2) Indicators from the literature (Sandra and David)3) Choose several key indicators that justify the cases4) Link to the landscape working group so that we have mutually reinforcing research

approaches group and methods for monitoring the environmental impact long-term of management changes.

5) Other actions – UTLP with UI support, publish an article on current initiatives6) Identify other supporting UI faculty (Eva Strand, Lee Vierling, Tammi Laninga,

Geography faculty working on climate change, range or agriculture faculty and anthropologists)

7) Identify Latin American conservation programs and funds that might help fund applied research and serve as the basis for NSF funds and expansion (Sandra, Fausto, the entire team). A few ideas follow:

a. AVINA Foundation USA (office in Ecuador)b. USAID (regarding regional governance Sandra)c. KFW (German Bank, protected area program due to south and Loja and

corridor)d. Norway? Sweden?e. Canada? Interested in IPs (Australia?)

f. Conservation International funds. This money could be used for this work with the biosphere reserve.

Check in before August meeting by establishing electronic communications with other groups

(Some translations) Como hacer conectividad entre areas y gobierno locales and sector privado para la reserva biosfere?

1. Analizar la efectividad en el manejo de la reserva biosfera.a. Quenes son las personas que participan y porque?b. Tipos efectivos incentivos?c. Efectividad del programas actuales de incentivos?d. Porque el nivel de participation esta disminugendo? – Propuestas para aumentar

incentivose. Donde estan los regiones mas importantes para empezar este programa?

2. Promover la conservacion privada y traves de incentivos. a. (one project in one Cuenca, 20 families, want to know ow effective it is

implementation – it finishes this month). Very interesting if it functions so we know if we should spread it around.

3. Proponer alternatives de manejo para la reserva de biosfera4. Como las participation de las comunidades asequra el manejo de recursos en cuencas

hidrograficas y areas y areas protegidas? (start within protected area, water coming down from them)

5. Como medir efectividad Institucional – gobierno central/local/comunidad/usarios (administrative

mechanisms) Biologico Efectivos de las strategias desde 1982 hasta ahora y puede mejorar. Porque estrategias de conservar.

Additional discussions and thoughts from our meetings

We asked how are land use choices are made between food and profit. We discussed how Shuar, Saraguro settler priorities, rights; social sources of power may affect conservation decisions? Why do they protect Podacarpus or not and how do they evaluate the uplands’ importance as a source of water). We also discussed how existing or evolving common property and conflict management institutions might be build into a system of land use management and how local governments and indigenous organizations might use regional planning laws (pending) in conservation strategies. Three provinces have developed a joint conservation plan that Fausto shared with Sandra. We also discussed how tax policy might affect local government conservation decisions or individual use of incentives such as Socio-Bosque and the importance of understanding complex property management institutions through a pilot project.

Another research topic is how alternative livelihood projects and UTLP engagement changed (or not) perceived environmental choices – evaluating the strategies that they are involved with:

a. Monitor water quantity and qualityb. Strategies for sustainable production and economics that don’t affect water,

cattle, agriculture – water used in city polluted

c. Control and preserve the buffer zone to the park, first in Zamora and then in other microclimates

d. Environmental Education e. Migrant land tenure and water usef. Analyze the effects and design strategies. New ways to be effective. Want to

analyze the effect of each player. g. Why are people participating or not in the Socio-Bosque and Socio-Paramo

projects administered by the Ministry of Environment? h. Training courses are underway for municipalities – land use planning, policies

and regulations watershed management (for cantons) - City of Zamora with TNC, USAID, CU support. We need to demonstrate the importance of the water source. Nature and Cultural International and the Ministry of Environment are coordinating courses.

i. Develop the Ramsar site.

Provincial governments are consulted by national agencies. Provinces seem to have some control over national decisions. Municipal can say yes or no to road, but they are responding to the people.

The biggest problem in Zamora is cattle and mining, deforestation and mudslides too. The three largest threats to wetlands and Paramo are roads, dams, and mining. There is decentralization of some responsibilities for water but little financial or management capacity in local governments to manage water supplies or prevent contamination from cattle, mining, agriculture. There are also fires and traffic in plants, as well as water contamination issues. Decentralization pushes the problems to the local level without the funds to respond. The entire governance system needs to be examined.

Molecular Methods Working Group

General areas of collaboration and improvement

1. Foster exchange of students and faculty, and develop funding sources to finance exchange. Initial focus should be on arranging short visits (up to several months) for UTPL students to visit laboratories in Idaho and elsewhere to receive training and carry out specific small projects.

2. Areas of common interest include: molecular systematics, especially as applied to microbial systematics, bioremediation involving microorganisms, and industrial processes employing bacterial and fungal systems, plant development, and gene expression.

3. Foster projects and develop infrastructure in order to elevate the standard of science undertaken at UTPL, with consequent increased visibility, and publications in journals with high impact.

Specific Projects

1. Plant development, gene expression and protein characterization LEA and SERK gene families/pathways.

2. Develop and investigate multiple cell lines for use in examining process of somatic embryogenesis. 1st step is to develop molecular markers that allow identification of distinct cell lineages.

3. Bioremediation of contaminated mine tailings, targeting Pseudomonas spp. and sulfate-reducing bacteria, species native to the region, using molecular methods to

identify and characterize candidate bacterial species, and find those which have enhance performance.

4. Bioleaching, or using microbial systems to improve recovery of precious metals. Typically these bacteria are acidophilic, making culture of these strains problematic—cloning and transfer of components of the leaching process, or discovery of lineages/spp that maintain ability to precipitate target metals, but will be easier to culture. Use of molecular methods to identify candidate microbial spp.

Action Plan of the group

Loja-UTPL

1. University administrators should negotiate with appropriate ministry to facilitate acquisition of reagents and supplies—current research activities are seriously hindered by transport delays, and costs are unnecessarily increased by taxes imposed on imported reagents. University should seek to streamline purchasing, and negotiate reduced import taxes or exemption.

University of Idaho

1. Students are hindered by lack of availability to scientific literature—they are not always current, and the variety of scientific journals available is limited. Investigate possibilities for allowing limited access of students in UTPL to electronic journals at UI, and organizing internet access.

2. Students are hindered by lack of availability of analysis software and computer power. Investigate possibility for limited and project specific access for students to various UI information technology resources.

3. Send senior graduates students with desirable expertise to conduct workshops, short courses in Loja (IGERT?)

4. Identify laboratories and expertise as needed, both in US and in UTPL, and assist in organizing visits for exchange of information and training.

5. 1)Protein expression patterns and evaluation of the effects of specific protein families

6. 2) Bioremediation. Using bacteria to break down cyanide, Pseudomonas and sulfate reducing bacteria, natural source for production of gas, to provide reagents

7. Organization of travel grants for students to do specific projects. To work in general area of plant development and gene expression and to identify functions of proteins in somatic embryogenesis, specifically Lea (7 sets of genes) and Serk, with 5 loci involved.

8. Bioremediation of mine tailings, using native species, acidophilic, improve efficiency of the process and develop a natural sorce for gas production.

9. Bioleaching, improve capacity of naturally occurring bacteria to improve efficiency of the bacteria in liberating gold from hard rock mining.

10. Identify genetic markers in different plants to help monitor process of cell culture development..

11.Senior graduate students in diverse disciplines who have time and opportunity to travel to loja and provide.

12.Scientifically sophisticated projects with recognition, and which incorporate native species.

13.Access to equipment, improved infrastructure, access to scientific literature, improved access to reagents.Access to information and analytical software?

Landscape Ecology and Conservation Group(focused on region 7 spatial area)

Questions

How much forest loss and fragmentation has occurred?Maria – part of PhD thesis research (will evaluate across time)Lee Vierling (UI) – remote sensing, landscape modeling

What bioindicators can be used to evaluate the effects of fragmentation on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem health and function?

Carlos I. – amphibian/bullfrog, watersheds and water qualityAngel Benitez – lichenCarlos Naranjo – OrchidsAlex Fremier (UI) – watershed scale analysesRodrigo – bear, fox

How has this loss/fragmentation affected the ecological processes?Carlos Naranjo – Orchids, bryophytes, treesAngel Benitez – Lichens, bryophytesRodrigo – ecological integrity analysis, diet analysisEsteban – multiple scale analysis/patches of different size Diego – pollination processes for the papaya

How do landscape/environmental variables influence the distribution of biodiversity in the region?

Maria – native and endemic plants, also will identify priority areasRodrigo – bear and fox

What landscape variables influence the connectivity of populations in the region?Paulina - bearsRodrigo – bears, fox

How has this loss/fragmentation affected population connectivity among focal species?

Rodrigo – bears, foxPaulina – bears (Larger spatial scale – Ecuador, peru, boliva, Columbia)Diego – Papaya species

What is the relationship between agricultural production (livestock grazing and crops) and loss and fragmentation of forest?

Maria – will produce maps that can address these questionsDFG – productivity research in forest and grassland

How has this loss/fragmentation affected production of important crops?

Can local agricultural practices help provide corridors?

Need to link our efforts with the Environmental Management Group, for example:

How do international, national and regional policies influence the protection of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and biodiversity? And how can we use the information gained from our research to inform and change policies?

Paulina – evaluate for bear

How can communities be integrated in monitoring, research, decision making and conservation?

How can we increase participation and increase capacity of local people?

Evaluating what we have/what we need?:

Possible grants

MIPRO Ministry of Industry and ProductivitySENACYT National Secretary of Science and TechnologyCONDESAN Paramo GroupConservation International? Moved to AfricaCheck with CATIE faculty for international opportunitiesWWF student funding – USAID – global change programs, tropical focusAECI Spain Agency of International CooperationCYTED Iberoamerican program to Science and Technology DevelopmentNSF – Partnerships in International Research and Education (PIRE) (2011) International Workshop funding – NSF, $60,000Japanese international fundingECOBONA (andes region – Peru, Ecuador and Boliva)DAAD Exchange Academic Agency (german)GTZ Society for technical cooperationGerman collaboration and fundingFuture research needs of each partner

Botany Group

Broader Scientific Interest –

Summary of Interests UTPL Botany Group.

UTPL students and faculty are primarily interested in the collection, conservation, and molecular characterization of useful plants.

Ethnobotanty - Medicinal ,edible, and other uses etc.

o Why? Increase scientific basis for medicinal uses (biochemistry,

pharmaceutical etc.). Transfer knowledge base of indigenous peoples. Conservation and discovery of useful plants

Orchidso Why?

Large diversity of orchids in Ecuador High number of conservation status Likely unknown diversity

Trees of mid elevation forests (Parque National Podocarpus)o Why?

Increase knowledge of Regeneration/recruitment Impacts of sustainable/traditional harvesting techniques

Infrastructure at UTPL

Herbarium – currently 7500 accessions in last 6 years. Focused primarily on vascular plants and bryophytes either for ethnobotanical uses and/or conservation, and ecological modeling. LOJA (herbarium at Universidad National de Loja is comprehensive collection and complements UTPL).

o Archive of plant species through space and time in face of human induced habitat change

o Reference collection for species IDo Prediction of species distributions/presence

Orchidarium – large collection of orchids (400 spp.) of Loja – living and tissue collection.

Molecular and Cellular Biology Lab

Potential Projects

Molecular Characterization and Identification of 1) Forest tree species, 2) Orchids, and 3) Medicinal/Edible plant species that occur in southern Ecuador.

In each of these groups there is considerable difficulty in species identification – often from only vegetative and/or immature individuals. An efficient and accurate method to indentify species using molecular tools is desirable. Recent advances in DNA barcoding/molecular ID in plants makes this a potential tool to accomplish this goal – especially at the regional scale proposed here.

Method

1. Creation of a reference collection to complement existing data available in public repositories (e.g., genbank)

a. collection and identification (by traditional means) of as many species as possible in particular group of interest (i.e., orchids, forest plots, or plants with ethnobotanical uses.

i. Benefits to UTPL include increasing herbarium collections, which is useful to other groups (i.e., habitat fragmentation/modeling, biochemical applications groups)

ii. Benefits to scientific community include increased knowledge base of the plants of southern Ecuador for taxonomy, ethnobotany etc.

b. Preservation of genetic material and germplasm for molecular application and conservation – silica gel dried leaf material for DNA and seeds for species of interest for seedbank, DNA-bank for molecular work

2. DNA sequencing of plant barcoding loci (5 genes recommended by international plant barcoding group) and possibly others for groups of particular interest (e.g., ITS, trnL etc.)

a. Identification of unknowns that are difficult to identify (e.g., Lauraceae) and/or incomplete material is available

i. Benefits to existing projects include ID of seedlings in forest plots, orchids and orchid varieties, medicinal plants used in mixtures with other plants, and edible plants with numerous regional varieties.

ii. Increase in representation of the plants of southern Ecuador in genbank for a common set of genes

iii. Potential discovery of new species, understanding of origin of cultivated varieties, genetic variability in endangered plants and endemics.

For UTPL interests we will focus on three main projects including extension of the orchid conservation work, forest species identification for sustainable forestry practices/understanding of regeneration and recruitment, and medicinal plants in collaboration with other groups at UTPL.

3. Analysis Pipelinea. DNA extraction PCR and sequencing of selected loci BLAST

searches of genbank and local reference database Alignment construction of phylogenetic trees to place unknowns/identify, assess variation, identify groups for further investigation, etc.

Benefits to Broader Scientific Community

1. Placing plants of southern Ecuador in a global contexta. Taxonomy – many groups with poor taxaonomic understanding (e.g.,

Meliaceae and the timber genus Cedrela)b. Potential discovery of new speciesc. Biogeogrphy – origin of paramo flora in relation to North America, Pan-

tropics, etc.d. Phylogentic patterns of dversificatoin, speciation etc.e. Consevationf. Origin of cultivated species and local varieties of important crops (e.g.,

bananas, potatoes, papayas, squash, passion fruits, beans etc.)

Questions:

Details of involving graduate students and undergrads from UI and UTPL? Funding? Timeline? – proposals, collaborations etc.

WORKSHOP SUMMARY AND PLAN

Activity Responsible DateDevelop a draft document

Landscape: María Fernanda Tapia/Lisette, Global change: Andrea Jara/Stephen,Conservation management: Fausto Lopez /SandraMolecular Methods: Paulina Aguirre /CortBotany: Fanny/David T.

Feb. 1st, 2010

A establishment of wiki space (Template mid January)

David Roon and David Tank

Feb. 1st, 2010

Production a single page about the program in both languages

Carlos Ivan/Cort Anderson

Mid February 2010

Preliminary Meeting in Idaho, Germany?

David Roon, Juan Pablo, José María, DFG representant

3rd week of August 2010

Planning for an Annual Meeting

Lisette, Maria Fernanda, Rodrigo

January 2011

Searching for funds for Annual meeting (List of potential organizations and deadlines) (NSF, SENACYT, others)

Lisette, David Tank, Stephen, José Ma, Paulina,

NSF deadline- May 2010 others

Searching for funds for program development (List of potential organizations and deadlines) (NSF, SENACYT, others)

Lisette, David Tank, Stephen, José Ma, Paulina, Cort, Carlos Ivan

SENACYT-March 2010NSF-February 2011

Identify alliances on existing projects in Ecuador & Andes Region

Fausto, Sandra, Paulina, Mid April 2010

Initiate exchange program between universities

Stephan, Dave Roon, Rodrigo

Late March 2010

Recruit more collaborators from each university

Jose Ma., Lisette, Rodrigo,

End of February 2010

Update the Memorandum of understanding between UTPL-UI, include Environmental Science

Lisette, Stephen, Juan Pablo

End of March 2010

Program and othersEstablish a Memorandum of Understanding between UTPL-URJC

Carlos Ivan, Jose Ma. End of February 2010

Make a list of participants, share document

Rodrigo Mid January 2010

Each Group will set a work agenda for a period of 6 months

Each group coordinator End of January 2010

CITATIONS

Cadotte MC, BJ Cardinale & TH Oakley (2008). Evolutionary history predicts the ecological impacts of species extintion. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science 105. P17012-17017.

IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. www.iucnredlist.org. Downloaded on December 2008.

Jakobsen, Hels & McLaughling (2004). Analysis of the barriers to integration in landscape research projects. Land Use Policy 24 (2007) 374–385.

Lachapelle, P.R. and S.F. McCool. 2005. Exploring the concept of "ownership" in natural resource planning. Society and Natural Resources. 18(3):279-285

Ministry of Environment of Ecuador (2005). Analyses of financing needs for the National Protected Area System (SNAP) of Ecuador. MAE, Quito (In Spanish).

Myers N, RA Mittermeier, CG Mittermeier, GAB Da Fonseca & J Kent (2000). Biodiversity Hotspots for Conservation Priorities. Nature 40, p853-858. S. De Urioste-Stone, W.J. McLaughlin and N. Sanyal (2006). Using the Delphi Technique to Identify Topics for a Protected Area Co-Management Capacity Building Programme . International Journal of Rural Management 2006; 2; 191.

Tirira D (ed.) (2001). Libro rojo de los mamíferos del Ecuador. SIMBIO/EcoCiencia/ Ministerio del Ambiente/UICN. (Red List Series) Serie Libros rojos del Ecuador, Tomo 1, Quito (In Spanish).