Mbaracayú Case Study Geographic Situation of the Reserve

Mbaracayú Case Study

Geographic Situation of the Reserve

The Mbaracayú Forest Nature Reserve (MFNR) is located in the northern region of eastern Paraguay, in the Canindeyú Department, which is bordered on the north by the Republic of Brazil (Salas, et. al., 2007). It covers a total area of 64,405.7 hectares located between 24 º 00 and 24° 15’ latitude south, and 55 ° 00 and 55° 32’ longitude west. According to the ecoregional classifications proposed by the World Bank, the MFNR is located in a transition area between the Interior and Closed (Cerrado) Atlantic Forests. The Interior Atlantic Forest is classified as a subtropical semi-deciduous forest, while the Cerrado is defined as a complex of meadows and tropical and subtropical savanna forests(Moisés Bertoni Foundation/World Bank, 2005).

Characteristics of the Region: Soils, Flora and Fauna

Soils: Between 70% and 80% of the soils are classified in the ultisol order, Arenic Rhodic Paleudult subgroup, which originated from sandstone and have a rugged surface, no rock cover and good drainage. Between 20% and 30% of soils are classified in the entisol, alfisol and oxisol orders. Entisols are found in the Mbaracayú Mountain Range. They are not very deep and have excessive drainage, have a moderate rock cover and their relief is over 15%. Alfisols can be found in the floodplains near rivers and streams, have poor drainage, no rock cover and a flat surface, while oxisols can be found at the top of the mountain range. They have a flat surface, no rock cover and good drainage.

The general lithology of the Reserve contains rocks of sedimentary origin and, in some places, igneous intrusions, such as basalts. Sandstone from the Triassic Period can be generally found, as well as Paleozoic rocks of the Permian Period. The two most important formations are Misiones (Mezosoic, Triassic) and Tacuary (Paleozoic, Permian). The rock formation in Tacuary contains a succession of siltstone, shales and fine-grained sandstone and limestone, generally oolitic. The limestone comes from calcareous remains from old lakes, swamps and large rivers.

It is generally made up of Mezosoic mountains from the Cretacean Period that are largely eroded, creating very flat and homogenous mountain tops shaped like mesas, called plateaus. Interestingly, there are a few elevations where the erosion process has not taken place in its entirety. The Mbaracayú Mountain Range is not very irregular, with its lowest elevation being 140 masl and the highest being 480 masl. It is thus an elongated, continuous and not very winding string of mountains, with pronounced hillsides from which affluent streams of the Jejuí'mi River flow. The Jejuí'mi River in turn divides the basins of the Paraguay River and the Paraná River. (Moisés Bertoni Foundation/World Bank, 2005)

Flora: The MFNR is considered globally as a Centre of Plant Diversity. The Smithsonian Institution has identified 46 such centers that have environmental importance because of the high biodiversity that can be found in them. To date, 161 species of pterydophita distributed among 22 families have been identified. From the whole of the species, two have been declared threatened to some extent, according to the Conference on Decision and Control (CDC), nine according to Bertoni, et al (1994). Only one species is in the IUCN Red List (Walter and Gillet, 1998). No species appeared in the IUCN Red List in 2000 (Hilton-Taylor, 2000). Seven species of fern have some sort of characteristic that has either current or potential economic value (Table 1).

However, 927 species of phanerogamous plants distributed among 116 families have been registered. The CDC has classified 97 of these species as threatened to some degree, while Bertoni et. al. (1994), classified sixty-eight of these species as threatened to some dregree. Twenty-five of them are in the 1997 IUCN Red List and eight in the 2000 IUCN Red List. Of the 927 aforementioned species, 215 have some characteristic that has current or potential economic value.

Some of the most recent studies on the Reserve's flora and vegetation have provided new data and listings of vascular plants, such as types of fern.

Ethnobotanical studies have also been made on the indigenous communities located in the Reserve's geographical region, mainly concerned with the use of medicinal herbs.

Fauna: The MFNR has a vast wealth of animal species, especially when it comes to its bird fauna, since the area records 50% of all the known species of Paraguay. It also has the highest number of endangered species (30 of them). In 1999, the Wildlife Conservation Society created a conservation management plan for the jaguar throughout all of Latin America and the MFNR was one of the geographical units concerned. It is a fact that there are at least 89 species of mammals in the Reserve (Cartes, et al, 2004). The Reserve's mammalian fauna include 8 species of marsupials, 2 species of anteater, 5 species of armadillo, 22 species of chiroptera, 2 species of primate, 3 canids, 2 species of procyonidae, 5 species of mustelidae, 5 species of felid, 1 species of tapir, 2 species of peccary, 3 species of deer and 27 species of rodent. The species that are a priority of conservation efforts include the yurumí or anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla), the anguja mukure pyta or southern red-sided opossum (Monodelphis sorex), the mbopi pyta or red myotis (Myotis ruber), the jagua yvyguy or bush dog (Speothos venaticus), the mborevi or tapir (Tapirus terrestris ), the akuti po’i or azara’s agouti (Dasyprocta azarae), the yaguareté or jaguar (Panthera onca), the aguara guasú or maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus ), the tañykati or white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari) (Cartes, et al, 2004)(Table 2).

There are two species with historical records under the category "Endangered"; six species are listed as "Vulnerable", as well as another species, which has high social value (used for nutritional purposes), the mborevi; other 11 species are listed under the category "Almost Endangered", with the yaguareté garnering the most attention (Moisés Bertoni Foundation/World Bank, 2005).

The MFNR's birds have been studied in greater detail than in any other site in Paraguay. The Reserve has 409 species, which is approximately 59.4% of al the registered species of Paraguay. The Reserve's habitat diversity confers it special importance in terms of bird conservation at a global, regional and national scale. In comparison to other areas of approximately the same extension in Paraguay, the MFNR is the site that has the most endangered species (30), which is approximately 50% of the total of Paraguay's species, with 9 species under the category "Vulnerable", 5 under the category "Endangered" and 16 that are "Almost Endangered". Sixty-two species endemic to the Upper Paraná Atlantic Forest (UPAF) have been registered to date, out of 79 documented in all of Paraguay. In terms of the total number of registered endemic species, the MFNR is the fourth most important site in Paraguay after San Rafael (71 species), the Estancia Itabó and the Caaguazú National Park (both with 67 registered species)(Moisés Bertoni Foundation/World Bank, 2005)(Clay, et al, 2004).

After listing nine species of bird as globally endangered, the MFNR was conferred the international classification "Important Bird Area" by Bird Life International. These species include the crowned eagle (Harpyhalieatus coronatus), the jakuapetí or black-fronted piping-guan (Pipile jacutinga), the gua'a johy or hyacinth macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus), the vinaceous amazon (Amazona vinacea), the helmeted woodpecker (Dryocopus galeatus), the São Paulo tyrannulet (Phylloscartes paulistus), the russet-winged spadebill (Platrynchus leucoryphs), the gray-and-chestnut seedeater (Sporophila hypochroma) and the marsh seedeater (Sporophila palustris)(Clay, et al, 2004).

A study of the herpetozoa in the area reveals that there are 22 species of amphibian from four different families and 21 reptiles from eight families.

The only species of reptile considered to be endangered is the broad-snouted caiman (Caiman latirostris). The species of amphibians that may be facing some conservation problem are: Bufo crucifer, Hyla faber, Leptodactylus labyrinthicus and Chiamoscleis albopunctata; and the reptiles under this category are: Boa constrictor amarali, Epicretes cenchria, Eunectes notaeus, Tupinambis merianae and Caiman yacaré (Cacciali, 2004).

Three rare species have been collected in the Reserve, two of which, because of their characteristics, coincide with species that have not yet been confirmed for Paraguay. They are: Elachistocleis ovalis, Liophis typhlus and Drymoluber spp. (cited by the reserve for the first time in Cacciali, 2004)(Moisés Bertoni Foundation/World Bank, 2005).

Preliminary studies of the fish fauna show that there are 64 species of fish. The most abundant species of fish in the Reserve belong to the characiforme (50%) and the siluriform (34.4%) orders.(Vera, 2004)

Knowledge of invertebrates in the Reserve is still very limited. Preliminary data indicate the presence of 166 species of swallowtail moths, 54 species of coleoptera and 146 species of hymenoptera(Moisés Bertoni Foundation/The Nature Conservancy, 1997).