Humid Tropical Forests Research Articles

Hermetic hydrovoltaic cell sustained by internal water circulation.

Numerous efforts have been devoted to harvesting sustainable energy from environment. Among the promising renewable resources, ambient heat exhibits attractive prospects due to its ubiquity and inexhaustibility, and has been converted into electricity through water evaporation-induced hydrovoltaic approaches. However, current hydrovoltaic approaches function only in low-humidity environments and continuously consume water. Herein, we fabricate a hermetic hydrovoltaic cell (HHC) to harvest ambient heat, and have fully addressed the limitations posed by environmental conditions. Meanwhile, for the first time we develop an internal circulation hydrovoltaic mechanism. Taking advantage of the heterogeneous wicking bilayer structure, we verify that inside the hermetic cell, the ambient temperature fluctuation-induced evaporation and further the water circulation can persist, which sustains the hydrovoltaic effect to convert ambient heat into electricity. More importantly, the hermetic design enables the cell to work continuously and reliably for 160 h with negligible water consumption, unaffected by external influences such as wind and light, making it an excellent candidate for extreme situations such as water-scarce deserts, highly humid tropical rain forests, rainy days, and dark underground engineering. These findings provide an easily accessible and widely applicable route for stably harnessing renewable energy, and more notably, offer a novel paradigm toward leveraging low-grade ambient heat energy via circulation design.

Individual tree mortality: Risks of climate change in the eastern Brazilian Amazon region

The mortality of trees in humid tropical forests plays a fundamental role in understanding forest development, particularly after disturbances such as those caused by logging and extreme weather events. The aim of this study was to evaluate estimates of individual tree mortality following Reduced Impact Logging (RIL) in the Eastern Brazilian Amazon at biennial intervals from 2005 to 2012. RIL is based on operations planning, personnel training, and investments in forest management, and harvesting through RIL must: (a) minimize environmental damage, (b) diminish operation cost by increasing work efficiency, and (c) reduce operational waste. A mortality model was constructed based on the estimation of three distance-independent competition-indices (DII) and five models for predicting the probability of individual tree mortality. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov statistical test was used to determine the most representative model, from which a Neural Network Autoregressive (NNAR) model was constructed to forecast mortality after RIL. Mortality data was correlated with the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and climate (Rainfall, Maximum, Minimum, and Average air temperature). The tested models showed similar and accurate estimates with R2 exceeding 0.90, although underestimation and overestimation trends were observed. The NNAR satisfactorily represented species mortality over the simulated years. The period from 2012 to 2014 was characterized by a Neutral and Weak El Niño event, and exhibited the highest mortality value for a 25 cm DBH (diameter at breast height), the smallest DBH class measured in this study. In the correlation matrix analysis, maximum air temperature showed the highest positive correlation with trees mortality. Despite the challenges in estimating individual tree mortality in tropical forests after selective logging, accurate estimates were achieved using traditional regression techniques and NNAR. These results can support technical and silvicultural decisions regarding forest management in the Eastern Amazon region of Brazil.

Mapping the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index for the Contiguous U.S. Since 1850 Using 391 Tree-Ring Plots

The forests and grasslands in the U.S. are vulnerable to global warming and extreme weather events. Current satellites do not provide historical vegetation density images over the long term (more than 50 years), which has restricted the documentation of key ecological processes and their resultant responses over decades due to the absence of large-scale and long-term monitoring studies. We performed point-by-point regression and collected data from 391 tree-ring plots to reconstruct the annual normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) time-series maps for the contiguous U.S. from 1850 to 2010. Among three machine learning approaches for regressions—Support Vector Machine (SVM), General Regression Neural Network (GRNN), and Random Forest (RF)—we chose GRNN regression to simulate the annual NDVI with lowest Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) and highest adjusted R2. From the Little Ice Age to the present, the NDVI increased by 6.73% across the contiguous U.S., except during some extreme events such as the Dust Bowl drought, during which the averaged NDVI decreased, particularly in New Mexico. The NDVI trend was positive in the Northern Forest, Tropical Humid Forest, Northern West Forest Mountains, Marin West Coast Forests, and Mediterranean California, while other ecoregions showed a negative trend. At the state level, Washington and Louisiana had significantly positive correlations with temperature (p < 0.05). Washington had a significantly negative correlation with precipitation (p < 0.05), whereas Oklahoma had a significantly positive correlation (p < 0.05) with precipitation. This study provides insights into the spatial distribution of paleo-vegetation and its climate drivers. This study is the first to attempt a national-scale reconstruction of the NDVI over such a long period (151 years) using tree rings and machine learning.

Earliest evidence of granivory from China (Shanxi Formation) points to seeds as a food source and nursing habitat for insects in the earliest Permian humid tropical forests of Cathaysia.

Three types of plant-insect interactions are identified on seeds from the lower Permian (Asselian) Shanxi and lower Shihhotse formations of the Taiyuan district, North China. This enhances the relatively meagre fossil record of seed predation in global late Paleozoic floras, adding the earliest record of granivory from Cathaysia. The dispersed seeds cannot be attributed with confidence to any particular plant group, but associated fossil leaves belong to a broad spectrum of plants, including Medullosales, Cycadales, Noeggerathiales, Gigantopteridales, Cordaitales, and Voltziales. Among 85 analysed seeds, six showed evidence of predation, referable to three damage types: DT074 and two new damage types that will be added to the forthcoming version of the fossil damage guide (DT274, DT430). These damage features indicate novel strategies of seed exploitation in the earliest Permian of China. The causal agents of the seed herbivory are difficult to resolve with certainty, but possible culprits include representatives of Palaeodictyopteroidea, although we cannot exclude other groups, such as Dictyoptera, Odonatoptera, Archaeorthoptera, Hemipteroidea or early holometabolan insects. The presence of damage features, together with a range of probable defensive structures (hairs, spines, apical horns, and thick integuments), suggests that an active arms race involving insects and plant reproductive structures was already well established by the early Permian.

Modeling the Effects of Increased Hurricane Frequency on the Tropical Forest Carbon Cycle

AbstractModels project that climate change is increasing the frequency of severe storm events such as hurricanes. Hurricanes are an important driver of ecosystem structure and function in tropical coastal and island regions and thus impact tropical forest carbon (C) cycling. We used the DayCent model to explore the effects of increased hurricane frequency on humid tropical forest C stocks and fluxes at decadal and centennial timescales. The model was parameterized with empirical data from the Luquillo Experimental Forest (LEF), Puerto Rico. The DayCent model replicated the well-documented cyclical pattern of forest biomass fluctuations in hurricane-impacted forests such as the LEF. At the historical hurricane frequency (60 years), the dynamic steady state mean forest biomass was 80.9 ± 0.8 Mg C/ha during the 500-year study period. Increasing hurricane frequency to 30 and 10 years did not significantly affect net primary productivity but resulted in a significant decrease in mean forest biomass to 61.1 ± 0.6 and 33.2 ± 0.2 Mg C/ha, respectively (p < 0.001). Hurricane events at all intervals had a positive effect on soil C stocks, although the magnitude and rate of change of soil C varied with hurricane frequency. However, the gain in soil C stocks was insufficient to offset the larger losses from aboveground biomass C over the time period. Heterotrophic respiration increased with hurricane frequency by 1.6 to 4.8%. Overall, we found that an increasing frequency of tropical hurricanes led to a decrease in net ecosystem production by − 0.2 ± 0.08 Mg C/ha/y to − 0.4 ± 0.04 Mg C/ha/y for 30–10-year hurricane intervals, respectively, significantly increasing the C source strength of this forest. These results demonstrate how changes in hurricane frequency can have major implications for the tropical forest C cycle and limit the potential for this ecosystem to serve as a net C sink.

Shedding light on the diversity of epiphytic mosses in some Mexican forests

Background: Epiphytic mosses are one of the most common groups in forest environments but among the most neglected by researchers in Mexico. Questions: What is the epiphytic mosses diversity, measured in richness, turnover, and community composition in Mexican forests? Species of study: Epiphytic mosses. Study site and years: Humid mountain forest, pine-oak and tropical evergreen forests. Study period: 2015 to 2021. Methods: Through a literature review and field work we compiled data on epiphytic mosses in three forest types in Mexico. We assessed the data using alpha and beta diversity analysis, indicator species, and community composition. Additionally, we explored the influence of elevation and forest type on the observed diversity patterns. Results: We report a richness of 147 species of epiphytic mosses across three types of Mexican forests. The humid mountain forest was the best sampled forest with the highest moss species richness. Although species richness is different for the forests studied, species turnover is similar among them. We demonstrated that elevation and forest type are highly correlated with species richness of epiphytic mosses. Conclusions: The epiphytic mosses studied here collectively represent over 15 % of the moss richness of Mexico. Forest type and elevation seem to be the drivers of this widely distributed richness. Finally, we call for more in-depth studies of the forests presented here, as well as those in other latitudes including variables such as humidity and host traits, to provide a more complete picture of an overlooked Mexican flora.

Niche-dependent forest and savanna fragmentation in Tropical South America during the Last Glacial Maximum

The refugia hypothesis, often used to explain Amazonia’s high biodiversity, initially received ample support but has garnered increasing criticism over time. Palynological, phylogenetic, and vegetation model reconstruction studies have been invoked to support the opposing arguments of extensive fragmentation versus a stable Amazonian Forest during Pleistocene glacial maxima. Here, we test the past existence of forest fragments and savanna connectivity by bias-correcting vegetation distributions from a Dynamic Vegetation Model (DVM) driven by paleoclimate simulations for South America during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). We find evidence for fragmented forests akin to refugia with extensive tropical humid forests to the west and forest islands in central/southern Amazonia. Drier ecosystems of Northern Llanos, Caatinga and Cerrado may have merged into continuous savanna/grasslands that dominated the continent. However, our reconstructions suggest taller, dense woodland/tropical savanna vegetation and areas of similar bioclimate connected disparate forest fragments across Amazonia. This ecotonal biome may have acted as a corridor for generalist forest and savanna species, creating connectivity that allows for range expansion during glacial periods. Simultaneously, it could have served as a barrier for specialists, inducing diversification through the formation of ‘semi-refugia’.

Soil wetting triggered by selective logging in Bornean lowland tropical rainforests

Aboveground biomass removal and canopy opening by selective logging modifies soil moisture in the main root zone, impacting soil aeration and various biogeochemical processes in tropical production forests. This study investigated the relationship between canopy damage and topsoil (10 cm) moisture in two logged forests in Malaysian Borneo, while simultaneously controlling for logging intensity, time elapsed since historical logging, and spatial autocorrelation. Volumetric soil water content (VSWC), canopy height model (CHM), leaf area index (LAI), and historical logging data were collected from 84 transects placed subjectively in 15 sites exhibiting varying canopies. We generated an index (PC1) quantifying the magnitude of canopy structural degradation from canopy structure metrics (CSM) combining CHM and LAI data within a 20-meter buffer for each transect. PC1 was analyzed for its impact on VSWC across logging periods, and contrasted with topography. Spatial autocorrelation of VSWC was examined regarding to canopy conditions. VSWC was significantly higher in all logged forests (over 0.4 m3 m−3) comparing to non-disturbed forests (0.27 m3 m−3). The immediate wetting could be a result of extracting mature individuals of late-successional species holding large biomass, while the persistent wet condition may be due to retarded canopy and biomass recovery. In the study area, canopy structure was a stronger predictor of soil moisture than topography. The high soil moisture underneath the most degraded canopies presented the largest spatial extent of autocorrelation. This study revealed soil wetting after selective logging in humid tropical forests, driven by reduced transpiration from biomass loss rather than increased evaporative demand resulting from canopy opening. The elevation in soil moisture could have disrupted biogeochemical processes in the below-ground system, which in turn impede forest succession and put stress on the overall vulnerability of disturbed tropical rainforests.

Seasonal plasticity in sympatric Bicyclus butterflies in a tropical forest where temperature does not predict rainfall

AbstractWhile variation in temperature appears to be the main environmental cue for plasticity in adult traits in many species of Mycalesina, relying on temperature would result in a mismatch between adult phenotype and environment in some regions. We measured phenotypes of six species of Bicyclus butterflies (Nymphalidae: Satyrinae: Mycalesina) in a humid tropical forest with two rainy seasons per year and modest unimodal seasonal temperature variation, such that temperature does not predict rainfall and butterflies can reproduce year‐round. The butterflies showed subtle temporal variation in body size and relative eyespot size, while relative androconia length was robust to temporal environmental variation. After higher temperatures, body size tended be smaller, and relative eyespot size was larger for some species‐eyespot combinations. This indicates that these butterflies follow the “hotter is smaller” rule, and show developmental plasticity in eyespot size that is typical in this clade. Eyespot sizes tended to be correlated with each other, except Cu1 in B. auricruda and some eyespots that always remained very small. Androconia length was not related to eyespot size. This pattern of correlations suggests conserved cue‐use and shared mechanisms for eyespot size using both temperature and rainfall‐related cues, with some exceptions.

Seed germination, morphology and fruit phenology insight of Cylicomorpha solmsii (Urb.) Urb: a step towards sustainable restoration planning

Cylicomorpha solmsii (Urb.) Urb (Caricaceae) is a wild relative of domesticated Carica papaya native to the humid tropical forest of Cameroon. C. solmsii is becoming extinct due to rapid urbanization of its habitat. There is currently no restoration planning, no available data on seed germination, details on morphological description and fruit phenology. We investigated the effects of light and soil on seed germination, updated its morphological description and provided cues of its fruit phenology. In two series of experiments, a germination test was first conducted under light and dark conditions with three seed pre-treatments (scarification, drying and cold). Secondly, pre-treated seeds were sown in native soils of C. solmsii habitat collected at Eloumden I and II, two ex-situ and mixtures soil with sand. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected on different part of the plant and analyzed using R package version 4.3.2. Our findings showed that C. solmsii seeds can germinate only under light. The seeds manifested a physiological embryonic dormancy. The native soils showed the highest germination percentage and seedling establishment. The dioicy of C. solmsii was clearly described with incomplete staminate and pistillate unisexual flower whorls. C. solmsii was observed to produce fruits throughout the year at varying intensity. This information is a vital cue to species restoration and policy makers towards C. solmsii conservation.

Do voluntary sustainability standards reduce primary forest loss? A global analysis for food commodities

Agricultural expansion is the main driver of forest and biodiversity loss. As a countermeasure, Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) try to enhance sustainability in agricultural production but evidence if VSS reduce deforestation at country level is lacking. We used annual certification data of seven VSS (Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance, UTZ, 4C, Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), GlobalGAP, Organic) certifying five food commodities (cocoa, coffee, tea, palm oil, banana) and data on tree cover loss in humid tropical primary forest to study the impact of VSS on primary forest loss in 67 tropical countries. Using two generalised additive models (GAMs), one with VSS separately and one with VSS coverage aggregated, we found only Fairtrade to coincide with lower tree cover loss in primary forests at country level while we observed higher tree cover loss with higher certification for UTZ, RSPO and Organic. Using spatially explicit certification data in Google Earth Engine, we did not observe an effect of VSS on tree cover loss, thereby raising doubts on the potential of VSS to govern deforestation free supply chains. Reasons for this might be, among others, certification displacing unsustainable agriculture to other regions (leakage), weak or insufficiently enforced VSS criteria, and outcomes being context specific depending on, for example, institutional factors.

Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) breeding effort and productivity in seasonal tropical forests of the central Mexican Pacific

Camera trap studies on ocelots in Mexico have focused on abundance, habitat use, and activity patterns, mainly within Protected Areas of tropical humid forests in southern regions. However, their ecology, including breeding effort and productivity in seasonal dry Pacific forests and areas outside Protected Areas, has received less attention. The species’ low reproductive rates make their populations vulnerable to decline. In evaluating the reproduction, the species’ breeding activity was examined for two survey periods performed during 2010–2016. We estimated the percentage of females raising young in the surveys and their associated fecundity–”productivity”. The overall results revealed a population of 26 males and 46 females that included 10 females (21%) rearing 12 young, defined as kittens, cubs, or juveniles, for an effective sample area (ESA) of 200 km2. Overall, the productivity averaged 2.05/100 km2 per season. All parameters varied between the two areas, and productivity was not constant in time in either area or site. Information on species breeding activity in combination with density estimations may facilitate determining the minimum area required for a viable ocelot population in the region. Protected Areas are required in the studied region for the ocelot in order to maintain a viable local population. This is due to the increasing fragmentation caused by agriculture, cattle ranching, and forest fires, and it is hypothesized that ocelots do not tolerate disturbance or severe fragmentation.

Climate warming accelerates carbon release from foliar litter-A global synthesis.

With over one-third of terrestrial net primary productivity transferring to the litter layer annually, the carbon release from litter serves as a crucial valve in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations. However, few quantitative global projections of litter carbon release rate in response to climate change exist. Here, we combined a global foliar litter carbon release dataset (8973 samples) to generate spatially explicitly estimates of the response of their residence time (τ) to climate change. Results show a global mean litter carbon release rate ( ) of 0.69 year-1 (ranging from 0.09-5.6 year-1). Under future climate scenarios, global mean τ is projected to decrease by a mean of 2.7% (SSP 1-2.6) and 5.9% (SSP 5-8.5) during 2071-2100 period. Locally, the alleviation of temperature and moisture restrictions corresponded to obvious decreases in τ in cold and arid regions, respectively. In contract, τ in tropical humid broadleaf forests increased by 4.6% under SSP 5-8.5. Our findings highlight the vegetation type as a powerful proxy for explaining global patterns in foliar litter carbon release rates and the role of climate conditions in predicting responses of carbon release to climate change. Our observation-based estimates could refine carbon cycle parameterization, improving projections of carbon cycle-climate feedbacks.

Distribution Dynamics of Diplopanax stachyanthus Hand.-Mazz. (Mastixiaceae) and Its Implications in Relict Mastixioid Flora Conservation

Climate is a key driver shaping the distribution pattern of organisms. Cenozoic climate change has led to extensive biota turnover. Untangling the distribution dynamics of a representative lineage of flora can provide deep insights into biodiversity conservation. Diplopanax is a notable relict lineage of the Tertiary mastixioid flora with abundant fossils in the Northern Hemisphere. Diplopanax stachyanthus Hand.-Mazz. is a representative relic lineage of the mastixioid flora, which was once widespread in the Northern Hemisphere of the early Tertiary period, but with only endemic distribution in the (sub)tropical humid forests of East Asia. It offers a unique chance to understand how climatic drivers shape the Boreotropical flora. In this research, we investigated the distribution dynamics of D. stachyanthus at the last glacial maximum (LGM), mid-Holocene (MH), current, and three periods of the future (2041–2060, 2061–2080, and 2081–2100) at four shared socio-economic emissions scenarios pathways. Our results indicated that the Precipitation of the Wettest Quarter (32.6%), the Precipitation of the Driest Quarter (21.2%), and the Precipitation of the Coldest Quarter (17.3%) are the key factors affecting its distribution. The current high suitable distribution areas are primarily in southern China and northern Indo-China. The enforced winter monsoon seasons in East Asia since the late Pliocene period are the key climatic drivers reducing its once widespread distribution in the Northern Hemisphere. Under future scenarios, centroid transfer analysis suggests that its distribution center will shift southwestward, but the potentially suitable habitats in the coastal regions of southern China and northern Indo-China will be lost. These coastal populations should be prioritized for ex situ conservation. Expanding the nature reserve within its long-term stable distribution range in southwest China is an effective strategy for the in situ conservation of the ancient mastixioid flora.

Indicators sandflies and environment associated to spatial landscaping change in Chocó Biosphere Reserve UNESCO.

Sandflies are vector insects associated with terrestrial forest ecosystems; in the Ecuadorian Andes, they participate in the transmission of human cutaneous leishmaniasis. This geographical area represents an opportunity to evaluate the role of sandflies as bioindicators of the degree of intervention of tropical humid forest ecosystems (THF) associated with changes in the ecology of the local landscape. CDC-light traps were used for collecting adult sandflies in February 2020 in a humid tropical forest within the Chocó Biosphere Reserve. All species were identified using morphological keys. Analysis data about abundance, richness, species accumulation, diversity index, species composition communities, species sex proportion, spatial sandflies environmental, Renyi's Diversity Profile were performed to compare six spatial habitats in Mashpi locality, Ecuador. Sandflies were collected (n-1435); the main species are represented by Trichophoromyia reburra, Nyssomyia trapidoi, Psathyromyia aclydifera, Psychodopygus panamensis and Lutzomyia hartmanni. Only Th. reburra is associated with not intervened forest, while the other three species are associated with intervened forest within Mashpi in the Choco Biosphere Reserve. The secondary forest has major sandflies' richness, while the primary forest exhibits major abundance. Th. reburra is a sandfly restricted to the Andean Forest and is a bioindicator of the high environmental health quality of the forest, while Ny. trapidoi and Pa. aclydifera are bioindicators of environmental disturbances in the forest. Additionally, Ps. panamensis, Lu. hartmanni and Ny. trapidoi are bioindicators of human impact and the risk of leishmaniasis.

The effect of repeated hurricanes on the age of organic carbon in humid tropical forest soil.

Increasing hurricane frequency and intensity with climate change is likely to affect soil organic carbon (C) stocks in tropical forests. We examined the cycling of C between soil pools and with depth at the Luquillo Experimental Forest in Puerto Rico in soils over a 30-year period that spanned repeated hurricanes. We used a nonlinear matrix model of soil C pools and fluxes ("soilR") and constrained the parameters with soil and litter survey data. Soil chemistry and stable and radiocarbon isotopes were measured from three soil depths across a topographic gradient in 1988 and 2018. Our results suggest that pulses and subsequent reduction of inputs caused by severe hurricanes in 1989, 1998, and two in 2017 led to faster mean transit times of soil C in 0-10 cm and 35-60 cm depths relative to a modeled control soil with constant inputs over the 30-year period. Between 1988 and 2018, the occluded C stock increased and δ13C in all pools decreased, while changes in particulate and mineral-associated C were undetectable. The differences between 1988 and 2018 suggest that hurricane disturbance results in a dilution of the occluded light C pool with an influx of young, debris-deposited C, and possible microbial scavenging of old and young C in the particulate and mineral-associated pools. These effects led to a younger total soil C pool with faster mean transit times. Our results suggest that the increasing frequency of intense hurricanes will speed up rates of C cycling in tropical forests, making soil C more sensitive to future tropical forest stressors.

ЭКОЛОГИЯЛЫҚ БІЛІМ БЕРУДІ ДАМЫТУДЫҢ АЛҒЫ ШАРТТАРЫ

An important feature of our time is acute global regional and local environmentalcrisis . The destruction of the ozone layer in the Earth’s atmosphere, the Earth’s planetary climate change, progressive erosion and soil desertification, the decline of humid tropical forests, widespread pollution of the World Ocean and surface waters, the continuous increase in the population in the universe, the constant growth of poverty and hunger, many other global environmental manifestations are a reflection of the crisis of our time. And this is a clear proof that today’s people are in poor contact with nature. In order to avoid this environmental crisis, the prerequisites for the development of environmental education have been developed.

Biodiversity and Carbon Sequestration in Chakra-Type Agroforestry Systems and Humid Tropical Forests of the Ecuadorian Amazon

Currently, there are several studies related to climate change, carbon sequestration, and floristic composition in different scenarios and land uses. In this context, the objective of this research is: (a) to characterize biodiversity based on ecological indicators and diversity indices and (b) to evaluate carbon sequestration in different components of chakra-type agroforestry systems and secondary tropical humid forests of the Ecuadorian Amazon. For this, temporary sampling plots of 1600 m2 are established on the properties to be investigated. The study found that the structural characteristics and floristic composition vary according to the forest arrangement and the management system. Secondary forests are the most diverse, according to the Shannon (3.49), Simpson (0.96), and Margaleft (9.34) diversity indices, in addition to having the largest carbon stores with 233 (Mg C ha−1), followed by agroforestry systems in association with timber trees (TAFS) and fruit trees (FAFS) with 97.8 and 95.1 (Mg C ha−1) respectively, and cocoa monoculture (CMC) with 90.4 (Mg C ha−1). These results demonstrate the importance of conserving the remnants of tropical forests that still remain, due to the diversity of species, ecosystem services, and the total carbon they contain, as well as the agroforestry systems (AFS), systems analogous to forests, which are gradually becoming important management systems, especially if they are associated with potential species to sequester carbon, such as those documented in this and several other studies that seek solutions to global climate change.

Valoración de los servicios ecosistémicos del bosque primario de la comunidad Waorani Nampaweno, Orellana, Ecuador.

The Yasuní National Park is the largest protected area in Ecuador; it houses excellent biodiversity of the Amazonian tropical humid forest; it is the home of the Waoranis, an indigenous people in voluntary isolation PIAV, who depend on the resources that the forest has, in this context, this article deals with the assessment of the ecosystem services provided by the tropical humid forest of the Ecuadorian Amazon, the main objective being to determine which of these services is the most important, in addition to showing the ancestral cultural manifestations of this ethnic group; therefore The ecosystem services of the Waorani Nampaweno community, located in the Dayuma parish, Orellana province, were analyzed. In the methodology used, interviews were carried out with the two elders of the community and the inventory sheets of the National Institute of Cultural Heritage INPC, later when applying the Likert scale, the results showed that the cultural ecosystem services obtained 34 points, the highest score, Cronbach's alpha of 0.87 validates the reliability of the research, with the food supply service being the one that allows survival, however, cultural services make visible the vast knowledge and ancestral wisdom that they have treasured. It is transmitted orally by the "pikenanis" (elders) throughout the generations. The highlights of the cards were preparation for the hunt, respect for animals such as eagle and tiger, and the use of annatto as facial ink. Hunting and abundant food are celebrated through dances. The crafts and clothing are made from fibers and seeds from the forest; however, threats such as the invasion of their territory due to colonization and oil exploitation are acculturating young people, ending their way of life, identity and loss. of its ancestral cultural wealth. The Waoranis are the forest's protectors, and their right to their way of life linked to the Amazon rainforest must be strengthened. Keywords: Ecosystemic Services, waorani culture, Amazonian tropical forest, plants from Yasuní Park.

Valoración de los servicios ecosistémicos del bosque primario de la comunidad Waorani Nampaweno, Orellana, Ecuador.

The Yasuní National Park is the largest protected area in Ecuador; it houses excellent biodiversity of the Amazonian tropical humid forest; it is the home of the Waoranis, an indigenous people in voluntary isolation PIAV, who depend on the resources that the forest has, in this context, this article deals with the assessment of the ecosystem services provided by the tropical humid forest of the Ecuadorian Amazon, the main objective being to determine which of these services is the most important, in addition to showing the ancestral cultural manifestations of this ethnic group; therefore The ecosystem services of the Waorani Nampaweno community, located in the Dayuma parish, Orellana province, were analyzed. In the methodology used, interviews were carried out with the two elders of the community and the inventory sheets of the National Institute of Cultural Heritage INPC, later when applying the Likert scale, the results showed that the cultural ecosystem services obtained 34 points, the highest score, Cronbach's alpha of 0.87 validates the reliability of the research, with the food supply service being the one that allows survival, however, cultural services make visible the vast knowledge and ancestral wisdom that they have treasured. It is transmitted orally by the "pikenanis" (elders) throughout the generations. The highlights of the cards were preparation for the hunt, respect for animals such as eagle and tiger, and the use of annatto as facial ink. Hunting and abundant food are celebrated through dances. The crafts and clothing are made from fibers and seeds from the forest; however, threats such as the invasion of their territory due to colonization and oil exploitation are acculturating young people, ending their way of life, identity and loss. of its ancestral cultural wealth. The Waoranis are the forest's protectors, and their right to their way of life linked to the Amazon rainforest must be strengthened. Keywords: Ecosystemic Services, waorani culture, Amazonian tropical forest, plants from Yasuní Park.