We thank the MUNI Guate for being inviting FLAAR ......Guatemala invite the team of FLAAR Mesoamerica to assist them in recording the biodiverse ecosystems of their part of Guatemala.
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WethanktheMUNIGuateforbeinginvitingFLAARMesoamericatotheirMay2020lectureseries,especiallytheconferencecoordinator:
AlejandraMoralesCoordinadora
CentrodeEducaciónAmbientalDireccióndeMedioAmbiente
MuniGuate(MunicipiodeGuatemala)
Toourphotographyteamanddesigners,speciallyAlejandraGutiérrezandDavidArrivillaga,weappreciateyourfindingallthephotographsandputtingthembytopic.
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Iwishtothanktheorganizersofthisconferenceseries.IlookforwardtohearingtheotherpresentationsonTuesday(Lic.GabrielValle),Wednesday(Ing.OscarNúñez),Thursday(Lic.JoseLuisHecheverríaandFriday(Licda.AndreaDíaz).HopefullytheywillalsobeavailableasaPowerPointorvideo.IthankVictorMendozaandVivianDiazofFLAARMesoamericafornetworkingwithlotsofcapableNGO’sandhospitableGuatemalangovernmentorganizationssoaneventsuchasthistodayispossible.
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BIODIVERSITYHOSTEDINWETLANDSANDLANDECOSYSTEMSINTHEMUNICIPALITYOF
LIVINGSTON,IZABAL
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LivingstonMunicipiohasgreatpotentialtophotograph,documentandreportbiodiversity.ObviouslywithAmatiqueBay,theRioDulcecanyon,ElGolfeteandtheeastsideofLakeIzabal,the"bestecosystems",themajorityareontheshoreoftheseareas.TheFLAARMesoamericateamismainlyfocusedonfinding:
"Fields"coveredwithlargewaterlilypadsandwhiteflowers(Nymphaeaampla)
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Wide“fields”ofpureNymphoidesindicawaterlilies.
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Wide“fields”ofthesetwowaterliliesgrowingtogether
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Manyareaofgrasses(reeds)alongtheshoreneedtobestudied,eachspeciesidentified,andphotographedinhighresolution.
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ThisisaviewfromGoogleMaps,satelliteview,showinganislandatthewestendofElGolfete.TherearesomanyMILLIONSofwaterlilypadsthatthefieldsformedbythesemassesofwaterliliesarevisiblealongthe
northedgeandsouthedgeofthisisland.
Soifyouareabotanistorecologist,wehopethishelpsyoufindwaterlilieshere.AndifyouplantovisitGuatemalaincomingmonths,nowyouknowwheretoheadtoseethesamewaterlilyflowersandpadsthat
arepicturedinClassicMayaartofPalenque,Copan,andelsewhere.
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GoogleMaps,satelliteviewofthemassofwaterliliesonthesouthsideofElGolfete,
neartheeasternendofElGolfete
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Wearealsopreparingphoto-bannersofeachareaoftheMunicipiodeLivingstonwhichshowsthemanyspecieswefoundoneachfieldtrip.WedonatethesebannerstotheMunicipio.Thesecanbeusedonwebsites,bylocalhotelsandrestaurants,toattractvisitors.Andthesephotobannerscanbeputontheclassroomwallsoflocalschoolstohelpthelocalchildrenlearn
aboutthefloraandfaunaoftheirhomeland.
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CHOCONMACHACAS
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MushroomsofeverysizeandshapecanbefoundintheMunicipiodeLivingston,especiallyintheareaofChoconMachacas(northsideofElGolfete).
Heliconiaaurantiaca
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WehavebeenstudyingHeliconiainotherpartsofIzabalinpastyears,andalsoAltaVerapaz,Peten,andinwetlandsalongRiodelosEsclavos.IntheMunicipiodeLivingstonwewillmakesurewefindallspeciesthatarenativehere.Tostartwithwehavefoundthreespecies.Theirleavescanreplaceplastictowrapfoods(somorethanjustwrappingtamales).AndinAltaVerapazthreeyearsagowefoundseveralQ'eqchi'MayancommunitiesdeepinthemountainsthatuseHeliconialeavesinsteadofpalmorgrassfortheirroofthatch.
HeliconiachampneianaHeliconialatispatha
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Thepresentationtodayshowsprimarilywetlands;butinfuturefieldtripswewillexplorehillsidesandhilltops.Hillsarehometodifferentspeciesoftreesfromthoseofthewetlandsaroundrivers,lagoons,streams,swamps,etc.
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Wearealsokeentoexplorethebiodiversityofhillareas.Onhillsidesandhilltopsyoufoundtreesthatdonotexistonwetlandsorflatareas.CerroSanGilisanotherareaofhillecosystemsthatdefinitelymeritsbeingvisited,studied,photographed,andwrittenabout.
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Amajorgoalistomakealistofalledibleflowers,alledibleroots,allediblefruitsandnuts,alledibleseedpodpulp,alledibleleavesandshootsofnativeplantsofLivingston.Wewanttoprovidehealthierfoodforlocalpeople(andfoodthatisalreadyveryhappygrowinginLivingstonareas).Sohereisanexampleofthiswork-inprogress:
HealthyedibleflowersandinflorescencesthatarenativetoLivingston,Izabal,Guatemala
VivianHurtado
NicholasHellmuth
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CamoteisanexampleofanativeGuatemalanfoodthatispopulararoundtheworld.Butwewanttofindalltheotherunderutilizedroots,tubers,andrhizomesthatareedible(andthatarenativeandgrowingin
theforestsorotherecosystemsoftheMunicipiodeLivingston).
NicholasHellmuthFLAARMesoamerica
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PARQUENACIONALYAXHA-NAKUM-NARANJO
PNYNN
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InadditiontodoingfieldresearchintheMunicipiodeLivingston,wearealsointerestedincooperatingwiththeparkadministratorsofParqueNacionalYaxhaNakumNaranjo(PNYNN).WehavelearnedalotaboutbiodiversityofecosystemsofthisareaofcentralPetenduring2018-2019.Wewouldliketoshowsomeexamples,sinceeverypartofGuatemalaisunique.
Acknowledgements:Forcooperation,hospitality,andassistanceatParqueNacionalYaxha,wethankLic.JorgeMarioVazquez(CONAP,SantaElena,Peten)Arq.JoseLeonelZiesse(IDAEH,SantaElena,Peten)Biolg.LorenaLobos(CONAP)FortheNaranjosectorofPNYNN,wethankArqueologaVilmaFialkoArquitectoRaulNoriegaNaranjoprojectpersonwhoknowslocalplants,HoracioPalaciosandallthehelpfulandknowledgeableguidesofIDAEHCONAPwhoaccompanieduseachday.ItisessentialtohaveeitheranIDAEHand/orCONAPguardabosqueorcomparablewhendoingfloraandfaunaresearch.Weappreciatetheover16yearsofknowledgeofbirdsandplantsof“Teco”(MoisesDanielPérezDíaz).WealsoappreciatetheassistanceofparkrangerRicardoHerreraandalltheotherparkrangerswhoaccompaniedusonindividualhikes.ItisessentialtohaveeitheranIDAEHand/orCONAPguardabosqueorcomparablewhendoingfloraandfaunaresearchinaParqueNacional.
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Wehavefoundwetlandecosystemsnotnecessarilyonthebanksofwater
bodies.Itwouldnotsurpriseusifwefindthistypeofecosystem,orsimilar,inIzabal.IntheYaxhaNakumNaranjoNationalPark,inapreviousproject,using
aerialphotosfromtheIGN(InstitutoGeográficoNacional)weidentifiedseveral“wetland”ecosystemswithinthemainland,
withintheprotectedarea.
(WehadthehelpofLeonelZiesse,parkadministrator,MarioVásquez,andbiologistLorenaLobos.AlsosectorNaranjoteam).
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ThisSavannaEastofNakumisoneofthelargestvirginun-farmednaturalsavannasyetdocumentedforCentralPeten.2019wasaveryverydryyearbutinanormalyearthereisstandingwaterseveralcentimetersdeepovertheentireareainthewetseason.
SavannaEastofNakum
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AguadaMaya,PozaMaya,hasbeenknowntoGuatemalanarchaeologistsandecologistsformanyyears.Thisareaishumidallyearround(asyoucanseefromthebrightgreenvegetation).ThisecosystemispartiallyMaya-made(severalthousandyearsago).
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AguadaMaya,PozaMaya:Ifyouhavealicensedlocalguideheorshecanguideyouhereandyoucanstandontheedgeofthisremarkablewetlandsarea.ToseetheentireareabesttolookatitfromGooglemaps,satelliteview.Itistotherightside(eastside)ofthedirtroadfromYaxhatoNakumsectorsofParqueNacionalYaxhaNakumNaranjo.Thetapirlovethewetmuddyareas(andIbetpeccarydoalso).TheteamofFLAARMesoamericahastheoptionofiPhoneXsinpanomodeorGooglePixel3XLinpanomode,plusNikonwithpanoramatripodheadsystem.
AguadaMaya,PozaMaya
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WehopetoassistPNYNNandothernationalparkareasinGuatemalaoncetheCoronaviruspandemichastoneddown.Theoperatingbudgetofeachparkdependsonentrancefeesfromvisitors.IthelpstohaveawesomephotographstoshowtouristsfromaroundtheworldwhatawaitsthemhereinPeten.SavannaWestofNaranjo,foundinaerialmapsandalreadyknownbytheNaranjosectorteam(sincetheircampislessthan1kmaway).Thereisabajo(tintal)tothesouth;andacibalandthenajimbaltothenorth.SoalltogetherthisNaranjosectorofPNYNNisaremarkablelocationtodoecologicalstudiesbecauseevery100meterstheecosystemchangesandtransitionsintoanotherkindofvegetation.WethanktheteamofNaranjoforguidingustothiswonderfulareatostudy.Thisphotographisnotanaerialview:weareaccomplishingthephotographyfromthetopofapyramidattheNaranjoMayaruins.
Savanna,Naranjo2019.FoundinaerialmapsandalreadyknownbytheNaranjosectorteam(sincetheircampislessthan1kmaway).Thereisabajo(tintal)tothesouth;andacibalandthenajimbaltothenorth.SoalltogetherthisNaranjosectorofPNYNNisaremarkablelocationtodoecologicalstudiesbecauseevery100meterstheecosystemchangesandtransitionsintoanotherkindofvegetation.WethanktheteamofNaranjoforguidingustothiswonderfulareatostudy.
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Savanna,Naranjo2019
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Itisessentialtohavepanoramacapabilitywithyourrecordingcrew.ThisisonereasondifferententitiesinGuatemalainvitetheteamofFLAARMesoamericatoassisttheminrecordingthebiodiverseecosystemsoftheirpartofGuatemala.Soin2018-2019weworkedone-week-per-monthfor12monthsinParqueNacionalYaxhaNakumNaranjo(PNYNN);startingin2020webegandoingfieldworkinLivingstonareaofIzabal.OncethepandemicwanesdownweofcoursewillcontinueinRioDulce,ElGolfete,LagoIzabal,TapinCreek,LagunitaCreek,CerroSanGil,butwealsolookforwardtocooperatingwithotherentitieselsewhereinPetenandnorthernAltaVerapaz.
Savannaofthreefernspecies,westofwestendofLagoYaxha,abouta30minutehikeuphillfromLagunaLankajaandisafewdozenmeterssouthofLagunaPerdida.IdiscoveredthisfromtheaerialphotographsofIGN.ThisareaofPNYNNisoneofthemostremarkableecosystemsIhaveseenorheardofintheMayaLowlands:every20or40metersthereisanewhabitatwithcompletelydifferentplants.Sinceittakesabout5hourstogethereandbackfromthemaincamp,itwillhelptohavefuturefieldtripstorecordalltheplantspeciesthatweexperiencedhere.
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WiththeassistanceoftheboatofthePNYNNandwhenoccasionallyitwasinuse,withtheassistanceoftheboatfromEcolodgeElSombrero,wefound
over20locationsaroundLagoYaxhawithanaquaticorchid:Bletiapurpurea.
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Bletiapurpurea
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75%ofthemapsoftheMunicipiodeLivingstonontheInternet,showthatthesouthborderisCanyonRioDulceandElGolfete.ThattheentireareaonthesouthernshoresofCanyonRioDulceandElGolfeteispartofMunicipiodePuertoBarrios.So,VeryfewmapsshowthatthemainsectionofCerroSanGilisinMuniLivingston.
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Andthisbizarremapshowsa“Municipio?”ofSanLuisbetweenLivingstonandPuertoBarrios.So,tohelpresearchteamsandtouristswhowanttovisitMunicipiodeLivingston,wouldbehelpfulif“www.mapsOfworld.comhadcorrectbordersforLivingston.
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Thisisoneoftheveryfewmapsthatshowsthe
MunicipiodeLivingstononthesouthsideoftheCanyon.
Thisislessdistorted.Butthisisnotthemapthattouristsfind;theyfindtheonesthatshowMuniLivingstononlyonthenorthside.
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Haematoxylumcampechianum,palodetinto,palodeCampeche,iscommonatTikal,PNYNN,whenyouhikebyfoottoElMiradorinnorthernPeten,along
RioSanPedrotributaries,etc.
WewouldliketofindHaematoxylumcampechianum,palodetinto,palodeCampechealongthecreeksandriversofIzabal.Sofaryoufindmainly
mangrovetreesandothertreesthathaveadaptedtosurviveabitofseawaterfromtheCaribbeanSea.
SoitwillhelptoasklocalpeoplewholiveinIzabaliftheyknowofHaematoxylumcampechianum,palodetinto,palodeCampeche
intheirareas.
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Haematoxylumcampechianum
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FlowersofHaematoxylumcampechianum
AllthesephotographsofpalodetintoarefromPeten.Wehavenotyetnoticedthistreeintheeastern(brackishwater)areaoftheRioDulceorElGolfete.
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CourtesyofparkrangerTeco.ThesephotosbyTecoarebetterthananyphotoIhavetakenoftheflowersofthistreeinPeten
inthelast15years.
FlowersofHaematoxylumcampechianum
InthemythofthePopolVuh,themotheroftheHeroTwinsmadeaheartoutofthelatexofa“bloodsaptree.”
TherearemanytreesnativetoGuatemalawhosesapisred-as-blood.Buttheonethat
coagulatesthebestistheredsapofthePterocarpusofficinalis.
PterocarpusrohriiisalsofoundinIzabal(synonymisPterocarpushayesii;that’sthenameinmostbotanicalreportsofpastyears).
WiththehelpoftheauthorofmanybooksontreesofGuatemala,ReginadeRiojas,wefound
severalPterocarpustreesonherpropertyneartheedgeofRioDulce.
TherearemanymorePterocarpustreesawayfromtheshoreinRioDulce;oftentheyarealmosttheirownislandsoutinthewater.
NowthatweareworkingtogetherwiththeMunicipiodeLivingston,Ilookforwardtofindingthetreeswhentheyareflowering.Thenwewouldliketofindaheartsurgeonwhocancomewithus
andmakeanactualhumanheartoutofthesap(justlikewasdonebytheowlswhoweresupposedtosacrificethemotheroftheHeroTwins,HunahpuandXbalanque.
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Pterocarpusofficinalis
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Pterocarpusofficinalis
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ThatisShaila,daughterofGaby.GabyisoneofthehelpfulQ'eqchi'Mayanassistantsonourfieldtrips.Weallowmembersofourteamtobringtheirchildrenonthefieldtrip(sothekidscanlearnnewthings,andbecauseitisnicewhenmotherscanbewiththeirchildreninsteadofthekidsbeingwithababysitterfaraway).WeappreciatetheassistanceoftreeresearchspecialistReginadeRiojasforaccesstothispalodesangrededragoonherproperty,inlandfromRioDulce.
IamalsointerestedinfindingandphotographingtheSnakeHawk(theLaughingFalcon,thebirddescribedinthesagaofthePopolVuh).
Andwouldliketofindasmanyofthetrees,mammals,fish,andreptilesmentionedinthePopol
VuhthatoccurinIzabal.AlthoughtheonlysurvivingcopyofthePopolVuhisintheK’iche’Mayanlanguage,2000yearsagoeveryvillage,everycity,everyareaofboththeHighlandsandtheLowlandshadtheirownversion.Youknowthisbecause90%oftheplantsandanimalsassociatedwiththeHeroTwinsandtheirmotherandgrandmotherareallfromLowlandecosystems:notfromthecoldHighlands.TheHighlandchaptersofthePopolVuharethe
historicalaspectsoftheactualhighlands.ButtheHeroTwinspart,thatoriginatedintheLowlandecosystems.
Wouldbegreatiftheshuttleboattourguidescouldaddallthistotheirinformationtheyprovidetothetouristsintheirboat:everytreealongtheshorethatisnotjustmentioned,butliterally
featuredinthePopolVuh.
Forexample,theheadofHunahpuwasaseedpodonthegourdtree(alsocalledCalabashTree).ThisisoneofthetwospeciesofCrescentiathatarefoundinsavannas.
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CastillaelasticaistherubbertreenativetotheMayanareasandtheOlmecareasofMesoamerica.AllthepeoplesofMesoamericamadetheirrubbergameballsfromthelatexofCastillaelastica.ThistreeisnativetoGuatemala:commonintheCostaSur,andalsocanbefoundinPeten.TherearemanyCastillaelasticatreesnearTucuru,AltaVerapaz.WouldbegreattofindnativewildCastillaelasticatreesintheforestsoftheMunicipiodeLivingston.
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Frutosdelárboldehule
Latexbyitselfwillnotbounce.ThomasGoodyearhadtoaddsulfurchemicalstovolcanizethelatex;buthewasusingtheBrazilianrubbertree.TheOlmecsandMayahadthelocalrubbertree;
theycoagulatedthelatexwithsapsqueezedfromvines.Sofar,withthehelpofLacandonethnobotanistSuzanneCook,wehavelearnedthattwodifferentMerremiavinescanhelp
coagulatelatex.IpomoeaalbahasbeenstudiedbyMITchemicalexpertMichaelL.Tarkanian,workingtogetherwithcolleaguesMITprofessorDorothyHosler.
TheteamofFLAARMesoamerica,oncewerealizedthattwospeciesofMerremiacouldalso
coagulatelatex,SenaidaBafoundMerremiatuberosainseverallocationsenroutetoherhomeinAltaVerapaz.WeshowedtheparkrangersofPNYNNthephotosofthetwospecies,andbetweenTeco,Senaida,andDrNicholaswefoundactuallyallthreespecies:Ipomoeaalba,
MerremiatuberosaandMerremiaumbellatainsidePNYNN.
NowwearecurioustofindthesespeciesinMunicipiodeLivingston.
PlusthereareothernativeplantsofGuatemalathatcanproducerubber,andthereareothernativeplantsofGuatemalathatcancoagulateit.Soalotoffuturefieldworktofindthese
remarkableplants,heritageoftheMayanpeople.
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Ipomoeaalba
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Ipomoeaalba62
Merremiatuberosa
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Merremiatuberosa
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Wildpapaya,CaricapapayaisfoundthroughoutGuatemala.WehavefounditatParqueNacionalYaxhaNakumNaranjo,andinMarch,alongtheroadfromLivingstontoPlanGrandeTatin(enroutetoCuevadelTigre).Sothis“wild”nativerelativeiswellknownandeasytospot.
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Caricapapaya
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Butwhatwereallywanttofind,inPeten,AltaVerapaz,andIzabal,arethewildrelativesof“millionsofyearsago.”Relativessooldthattheirfruitsdonotlooklikemodernpapayas.Horovitziacnidoscoloides(Lorence&R.Torres)V.M.BadilloJarillacaudata(Brandegee)Standl.JarillachocolaStandl.Jarillaheterophylla(Cerv.exLaLlave)Rusby
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ArethereanysavannasintheMunicipiodeLivingston?
AretheregrasslandareaswithCrescentiacujete(jicaro),nancefruittrees,andAcoelorrhaphewrightiipalms(tasisteinPeten;pimintillainIzabal)?Thesethreeplantsareindicatorsof
seasonallyinundatedsavannas.
Nothingwillsurpriseus,sincepinesavannasareallovercentralPeten(especiallyaroundPoptunandLaLibertad).PluslotsofBelizeispine-oaksavanna.And3kmoutsidethenortheastcornerof
parqueNacionalTikalthereisapinesavanna.
ButthereisnotonesinglesolitarypinetreeyetfoundinParqueNacionalYaxha,Nakum,Naranjo.WewouldnotbesurprisedtofindCuratellaamericana(anothersavannaindicatorof
Belize)butsofarhavenotnoticeditinPNYNN).
IdoubttherearepineforestsinLivingston,inasavanna.Maybehighinhills,butnotinanylowlandsavanna.
Soourprimaryfocuswillbetolearnwhetherthereareanykindofnaturalsavannaanywherein
theareaoftheMunicipiodeLivingston.
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Tasistal,Acoelorraphewrightii,NearArroyoPetexbatúnPetén
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Crescentiacujete,Nakumsavanna
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Nanceflowers,arepresentativetreespeciesthatisanindicatorofaseasonallyinundatedsavanna.
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DuringtherecenttwodecadesIhavedonefieldtripsalloverGuatemalatofindandphotographthevarioustreesthatprovidedflavoringforcacao(cocoa,chocolate)drinksfortheMaya,Aztecs,Mixtecs,Zapotecsandtheirneighbors.Mucwasoneoftheliterally#1flavoringsathousandyearsago.WouldbegreattofindthistreeinIzabal,thoughnormallythistreeprefersmuchhigheraltitudes.
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NutmeghasbeenplantedinGuatemalasincethe1880's.Sonon-nativenutmegcanbefoundinIzabal.ButVirolaguatemalensisandVirolakoschnyiarenativeandhaveverysimilarpotentialasflavorings.ThisseedhasthemostphotogenicarialofanyplantthatIknowof.AtleastoneofthetwospeciesofthisVirolatreeshouldbefindableintheMunicipiodeLivingston.Let'sworktogethertofindallthetreesthatcanprovideusefulproductswithouthavingtochopdowntheentiretree.
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VirolaguatemalensisCymbopetalumpenduliflorum
Guazumaulmifolia
Vainillasilvestre
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ClerodendrumligustrinumisabushorvinethatgrowsalongtheedgesofArroyoPetexbatunandRioSanPedro(bothinPeten).Thisplantprovidedaflavoringforcacao2000yearsago.WouldbenicetofinditalongthecreeksandriversofMunicipiodeLivingston.WeofFLAARMesoamericawouldliketoworktogetherwithcacaogrowerstocreatenewrecipessocacaogrowerscanmarket“MayanCacao”toclientsaroundtheworld:withauthenticancientingrediants.
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ClerodendrumligustrinumItzimte
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Quararibeafunerbris
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GuatemalanbotanistsMarioVelizhasfoundasecondspeciesofQuararibeainthreeplacesinMuniLivingston.TherecouldpotentiallybetwospeciesofQuararibeaintheseareas.TheflowersofthesetwoQuararibeatreeswereoneofthetop10flavoringsforcacao2000yearsago(andisthe#1flavoringforcacaodrinksinOaxacastilltoday).Solet’sfindbothspeciesofQuararibeaandlettheguidesandboatcapitansknowwheretheyarelocatedandinwhatmonthstheyflower.OurphotosareofQuararibeafunebristhatwefoundatTikalandneartheNaranjosectorofPNYNN.ThankstobotanistMarioVelizweknowthatthesetreesareinLivingston;thechallengeistofindthemtodayandworktopreservethemfrombeingchoppeddown.
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Xylopiafrutesens
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WearealsokeentofindadditionalflavoringswhichwerenotincludedinMichaelCoeandSophieCoe’sthreeeditionsofChocolateoftheAztecandMayaofMesoamerica.IhadbeenaPostGraduateResearchFellowatYaleUniversitysincethelate1960’s(actuallyoveradecadewithseveraldifferentresearchfellowshipsatYale).SoIcooperatedwithProfessorCoeonseveraltopics.ButIfoundoutaboutthepotentialofXylopiafrutescensonlyrecentlysonowwearedoingresearchonthepotentialofthistreeofMunicipiodeLivingstonasanunprecidentedunderutilizedflavoringforfoods(weneedtocheckallthechemicalsfirst).Xylopiafrutescens,malagueta,malaqueta,isasmalltreethatIfirstlearnedaboutbysomeonethatSenaidaBaknows.ThenPedro,oneofourseveralhelpfulknowledgeableplantscouts,foundXylopiafrutescenswithseedsintheremotemountainsofAltaVerapaz.
WehavefoundXylopiafrutescensintheMunicipiodeLivingstonalready.Thissmalltreehashugepotentialtohavetheflowersorotherpartsharvestedtoselltotourists.Plus,tohavethetouristspaylocalguidesandlocalboatcapitanstotakethemtotheareasthatwehavefoundXylopiafrutescensgrowinginIzabal.Thereareanestimated150to200speciesoftreesinanareathesizeoftheMunicipiodeLivingston.TherearealotofspeciesthatweknowfromotherpartsofGuatemalathatwewillbelookingfor:• Crotondraco,sangrededragón
• Enterolobiumcyclocarpum• Sterculiaapetala• Vochysiaguatemalensis
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Alltourists,fromeverycountryintheworld,lovetoseepalms.SoweatFLAARMesoamericawouldliketofindeverysinglepalminthisareaandeventually,withthehelpofadonationofafundacionorcompanyorindividual,todoabookonPalmasdeMunicipiodeLivingston,Izabal,Guatemala.
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Therearetwopalmsthatgrowprimarilyadjacenttosaltwater(somoresea-likethanbrackishwaterofRioDulce):• Schippiaconcolor• ThrinaxradiataButsofarthesepalmshavebeenfoundonlyfacingtheCaribbean,outsideofGuatemala.IwouldliketofindthesepalmsinGuatemala,inMunicipiodeLivingston,iftheydogrowhere.Chanceis50:50,sincenootherbotanisthasyetfoundthemalongRíoDulce.ButweneedtovisittheherbariaofGuatemalanuniversitiestoknowwhetheranyofthese"saltwaterpalms"hasbeenfoundinIzabal,andifso,where.
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EspeciesdepalmerasdeLivingston
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¿Pendantnestsoforiolesandoropendolas?Sofarwehavenotseenpendantnestsoforiolesororopendolas.ButinpastyearswefoundoriolependantnestsandbothofthetwospeciesoforopendolapendantnestsnearMachoCreek,Izabal.SothesebirdsshouldalsobenearElGolfete,andintheecosystems.
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FLAAR(USA)andFLAARMesoamerica(Guatemala)havespecializeddigitalcamerasandprimetelephotolensestocapturebirds(andflowersandfruits)highintrees.Thisequipment,andthein-housephotographersonourteam,enableustocapturecrispdigitalimagesoffloraandfaunahighinatree.Welookforwardtodoingadditionalphotographyprojectstoassistparks,naturereservesandMunicipiodeLivingston.
Treesimportantforbirdsandmammals:Oneofourlong-rangegoalsforMunicipiodeLivingstonistomakealistofallthetreesthatbirds,monkeys,andotherarborealcreaturesdependon.Guarumo,Cecropiaobtusifolia,isusuallyconsideredaweed,butinfactitproducesediblepartsthathelpDOZENSofbirdspeciesplusseveralmammals.
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Ochromapyramidaleand/orseedpodswithfluff
Ochromapyramidaleflowersprovidetastynectarfororopendolabirdsandformicoleonmammals.Ochromapyramidaleisalsoahelpfultreetoentertaintourists,especiallywhenitisfloweringoritsfluffyCeiba-likekapokisfloatingtheseedsaway.
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OchromaPyramidale
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Inadditiontofinding,photographing,documenting,andpublishingfloraandfauna,wearealsodedicatedtohelpingschoolsinruralandremoteareasofGuatemala.HereistheteamofFLAARMesoamericadonatingeducationalmaterialtotheschoolofPlanGrandeTatin.OureducationalmaterialisalreadyavailableinSpanish,Q’eqchi’Mayan,andEnglish.WewouldliketoaddGarifunaaswell.
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WeclosethispresentationwithsomephotosoftheawesomeecosystemsoftheMunicipiodeLivingston.HereisLagunitaCreek,nearRioSarstun.
RiverattheentranceofTaponCreek
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CañóndelaVaca,RíoDulce
TaponCreek
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ElGolfete,RíoDulce
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TherearetwoplacesintheworldwhereIamtotallyemotional.OneiswhenIamdeepintherainforestsofGuatemala.Orinasavanna,orinaswamp.Thisphotoshowsmeabout10yearsago,somewhereinPetenorIzabal.IamstudyingaPalodeSangretree.Thereare12differentspeciesoftreesinGuatemalewiththename"sangre"inthelocalcommonname(andwehopetofindmanyofthesetreesintheMuniLivingston).
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ThesecondplaceintheworldwhereIfeeltotallyhappyisintheschoolsinruralareas,makingadonationofeducationalmaterial.Ifeeltotallyemotionalbecauseboththestudentsandtheteachersexpresstheirappreciationforuscomingtotheirschool.Myobjectiveistocontinuetodoresearchandfieldworkonfloraandfaunaandputthisinformationintoscientificreportsforbotanists,zoologists,andecologists,butalsotoadaptthisknowledgeoflocalplantsandanimalstocreateeducationalinfographicposters,bannersfortheclassroomwalls,andbooksfortheQ'eqchi'andGarifunastudentsofIzabal.TheschoolhereisinPlanGrandeTatin,MunicipiodeLivingston,13March2020.
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Assistanceforlocalaccess,MunicipiodeLivingstonDanielEsaúPintoPeña,AlcaldeofLivingston(Izabal,Guatemala).EdwinMármolQuiñonez,CoordinacióndeCooperacióndeLivingston(Izabal,Guatemala).JuanaLourdesWallaceRamírez,AsistenteAdministrativo,CoordinacióndeCooperacióndeLivingston.
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Livingston:theCaribbeanbiodiversitywonderlandofGuatemalaIzabal,oneoftheregionaldepartmentsofGuatemalathatoffersavarietyofrecreationalactivities,ishometonumerousnatureparksanddiversenaturallandscapes.Therearewhitesandybeachesashortboattripaway,withtalljungle-coveredmountainsinthebackground,andtheMesoamericanReefSystemintheCaribbeanSeaonthehorizoninfrontofyou.Mangroveswamps,seagrass,islands,cenotes,caves,karstgeologycanyonsandstreamsofcrystalclearwateraboundalongtheRioDulceandLakeIzabalcoastorinland.AllthistogethermakesLivingstononeofthedestinationsfortouristswantingtodobird-watching,explorecaves,gethealthyexercisehikingthroughtrailsintherainforest.Inadditiontotheincrediblefloraandfaunathatthemunicipalityoffers,threedifferentculturescoexistintheecosystem(MayanQ’eqchi’,GarifunaandLadinos).Inordertoconservethebiodiversityfoundinthemunicipalityandthatcontinuestobeofbenefittotheecosystem,itisnecessarytohaveanupdatedrecordofthespeciesthatinhabithereandthusbeabletodetectchangesinthespeciespopulation.ThankstotheeffortsofdifferentinstitutionsfocusedonenvironmentalimprovementprojectsatvarioussitesinLivingston(FUNDAECO(RíoSarstun),CONAP(RíoDulce),CECON-USAC(Chocón-Machacas),ARNPG(morethantenprivatereserves),amongmanyothers)therearerecordsofspeciesofflora,faunaandecosystemsofthismunicipalityofIzabal.
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EgrettaThulaParqueNacionalYaxhaNakumNaranjo
NycticoraxnicticoraxLivingston,Izabal
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Usingthisinformationinthemostefficientwayandusingthepotentialofdigitaltechnology,thedatabaseforthemunicipalitycanbesupplementedwithphotographicrecordsofflora,fauna,andecosystems.TheFLAARMesoamericateam,incooperationwiththemunicipalauthorities,havebeguntoproducethiseducationalmaterialusingthephotographicrecordsgeneratedduringthecooperationprojecttoaccountfortheflora,faunaandecosystemsthatcanbeseeninLivingston.Thiswillbeaccomplishedinordertoprovideinformationtotheschools,familiesandinstitutionsalreadyworkingtoprotecttheenvironment.Wehopetoattracttheattentionofprofessors,botanicalgardenclubs,orchidandbromeliadsocieties,students,tourists,experts,explorers,photographersandnatureloverswhowanttogetcloser,tomarvelatthespeciesoffloweringplants,mushroomsandlichenthatFLAARMesoamericafindsduringeachfieldtripeachmonth.
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Thankyouall
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