Ants of the leaf litter of two plateaus in Eastern Suriname

Jeffrey  Sosa-Calvo

This is a story of a small unknown river tribe in Suriname and the second largest Gold Company in the World. It is also a story of the role of the State and Economy in Suriname. And of an academic who worked in 2016 for the Pamaka tribe.

No início do ano de 2001, fui chamado por uma empresa canadense de exploração mineral que foi subcontratada pela companhia estatal de Petróleo do Suriname para trabalhar como administrador e gerente de logística, de materiais e recursos humanos. Trabalhava, na maioria com surinameses e canadenses, os primeiros operários e ajudantes e os outros mecânicos, soldadores e técnicos de perfuração de poços. Nosso local de trabalho era nos pântanos do litoral do país, em uma área delimitada num campo, não muito longe da capital. Nossa missão era realizar os furos no solo pantanoso e testar os poços para o potencial da existência de petróleo e gás. Assim, durante quase todo o ano de 2001, como brasileiro, trabalhei e morei no país vizinho do Suriname, antiga Guiana Holandesa. (English version enclosed)

Abstract: This article examines one crucial period of contestation in colonial Suriname, the years 1941 and 1942, when sustained labour unrest in the bauxite town of Moengo led to the establishment of the first mining unions. It argues that these strikes laid the groundwork for future relations between labour, the company and the state and explores the kinds of socio-political alliances that were forged between labour and nationalist politicians on the one hand, and government and the transnational company on the other, thereby situating this particular contestation in a larger struggle over a colonial system that aligned itself with metropolitan economic interests.

Rapid Assessment Program RAP Bulletin A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) Biological Assessment of 43 Leeanne E. Alonso and Jan H. Mol (Editors) Center for Applied Biodiversity Science (CABS) Conservation International Suriname Stichting Natuurbehoud Suriname (Stinasu) Anton de Kom University of Suriname/ CELOS BHP Billiton Maatschappij Suriname Suriname Aluminum Company LLC (Suralco) Cover photos Top: he Lely Mountains. Trond Larsen Center: Hyla crepitans, a forest stream frog species found at Nassau. James I. Watling Botton: Daceton armigerum, documented on the Lely Plateau. Jefrey Sosa-Calvo Rapid Assessment Program RAP A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) Bulletin Biological Assessment of 43 Leeanne E. Alonso and Jan H. Mol (Editors) Center for Applied Biodiversity Science (CABS) Conservation International Suriname Stichting Natuurbehoud Suriname (Stinasu) Anton de Kom University of Suriname/CELOS BHP Billiton Maatschappij Suriname Suriname Aluminum Company LLC (Suralco) he RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment is published by: Conservation International Center for Applied Biodiversity Science 2011 Crystal Drive, Suite 500 Arlington, VA USA 22202 Tel : 703-341-2400 www.conservation.org www.biodiversityscience.org Editors: Leeanne E. Alonso and Jan H. Mol Design: Glenda Fabregas Map: Mark Denil Translations: Haydi J. Berrenstein ISBN # 1-881173-98-4 © 2007 Conservation International 10.1896/ci.cabs.2007.rap43 All rights reserved. Library of Congress Card Catalog Number 2007923853 Conservation International is a private, non-proit organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501c(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. he designations of geographical entities in this publication, and the presentation of the material, do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of Conservation International or its supporting organizations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Any opinions expressed in the RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment series are those of the writers and do not necessarily relect those of Conservation International or its co-publishers. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment was formerly RAP Working Papers. Numbers 1-13 of this series were published under the previous series title. Suggested citation: Alonso, L.E. and J.H. Mol (eds.). 2007. A rapid biological assessment of the Lely and Nassau plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau). RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 43. Conservation International, Arlington, VA, USA. Table of Contents Participants and Authors .................................................5 Organizational Profiles .....................................................8 Acknowledgements ........................................................11 Report at a Glance ...........................................................13 Executive Summary.........................................................17 Chapter 6. Dung beetles of the Lely and Nassau plateaus, Eastern Suriname .......................................................................99 Trond Larsen Chapter 7. A rapid assessment of the birds of the Lely and Nassau plateaus, Suriname. ...........................................102 Iwan Derveld and Greg Love Chapter 8. Birds of Lely Gebergte, Suriname .....................104 Brian J. O’Shea Rapportage in Vogelvlucht ............................................33 Sjatu Skrifi ........................................................................37 Uitgebreide Samenvatting .............................................41 Map ....................................................................................59 Images of the RAP Survey ..............................................60 Chapter 9. Fishes of Lely and Nassau Mountains, Suriname ....................................................................................107 Jan Mol, Kenneth Wan Tong You, Ingrid Vrede, Adrian Flynn, Paul Ouboter and Frank van der Lugt Chapter 10. A preliminary survey of amphibians and reptiles on the Nassau and Lely plateaus, Eastern Suriname ....................................................................................119 James I. Watling and Lucille F. Ngadino Chapters Chapter 1. The conservation context of the Lely, Nassau and Brownsberg plateaus within Suriname. ........................63 Greg Love, Eddy Niesten, and Karl Morrison Chapter 2. Socio-Economic Assessment of Brownsberg, Lely and Nassau plateaus, and the Biodiversity Action Plan Workshop Summary. .........................................................68 Greg Love, Eduard Niesten, Karl Morrison, Marielle Canter, and Maureen Silos Chapter 3. Plant diversity of the bauxite plateaus of North East Suriname .............................................................................76 Hans ter Steege, Olaf Bánki and Paddy Haripersaud Chapter 4. Orchids and orchid bees of the Brownsberg, Nassau and Lely ranges ............................................................86 Iwan Molgo and Bart P.E. de Dijn Chapter 5. Ants of the leaf litter of two plateaus in Eastern Suriname. .....................................................................................92 Jeffrey Sosa-Calvo Chapter 11. Additional records of amphibians and reptiles from Nassau Mountain, Suriname .........................126 Paul E. Ouboter, Rawien Jairam and Kenneth Wan Tong You Chapter 12. A rapid assessment of mammals of the Nassau and Lely plateaus, Eastern Suriname ....................130 Sergio Solari and Miguel Pinto Chapter 13. Biodiversity of the Brownsberg ......................135 Bart P.E. De Dijn, Iwan E. Molgo, Marilyn A. Norconk, L. Tremaine Gregory, Brian O’Shea, Christian Marty, Martina Luger, Max Ringler, Samuel Crothers IV, Brice Noonan, Kelly Fitzgerald, Sutrisno Mitro, Arioene Vreedzaam, and Dharma Satyawan Appendices Appendix 1 Plant collection data used in the current study..................156 Hans ter Steege, Olaf Bánki and Paddy Haripersaud A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 3 Appendix 2 List of tree species and number of individuals/species recorded in 23 plots in the Nassau, Brownsberg, and Lely Mountains. .................................................................................158 Hans ter Steege, Olaf Bánki and Paddy Haripersaud Appendix 3 Plant species collected on the three bauxite plateaus, Brownsberg, Nassau and Lely. ..............................................173 Hans ter Steege, Olaf Bánki and Paddy Haripersaud Appendix 4 Preliminary checklist of the orchids (Orchidaceae) of the Brownsberg, Nassau, and Lely ranges in Suriname. ........219 Iwan E. Molgo and Bart P.E. De Dijn Appendix 14 Habitat structure of a high-altitude reach of Paramaka Creek (IJskreek, 460 m.amsl; site N1), Nassau Mountains, where Harttiella crassicauda was collected. ....................248 Jan H. Mol, Kenneth Wan Tong You, and Ingrid Vrede Appendix 15 Observations on the behavior of Harttiella crassicauda and Guyanancistrus n.sp. (‘big mouth’) of Nassau Mountains in the aquarium. ...................................................249 Kenneth Wan Tong You Appendix 5 Preliminary checklist of the orchid bees (Euglossinae) of the Brownsberg, Lely and Nassau ranges in Suriname ....................................................................................225 Iwan E. Molgo and Bart P.E. De Dijn Appendix 16 List of Reptiles and Amphibians recorded on the Nassau and Lely plateaus......................................................................250 James I. Watling and Lucille F. Ngadino Appendix 6 List of ant species and number of individuals collected on three transects during the RAP survey ...........................227 Jeffrey Sosa-Calvo Appendix 17 Mammal species recorded on the Nassau and Lely plateaus during the RAP survey ............................................253 Sergio Solari and Miguel Pinto Appendix 7 Species list and abundance of dung beetles from the Nassau and Lely plateaus. ......................................................232 Trond Larsen Appendix 18 Mammals recorded from Brownsberg. ................................255 Iwan E. Molgo, Kelly Fitzgerald, Sutrisno Mitro, Marilyn A. Norconk, L. Tremaine Gregory, Arioene Vreedzaam, and Dharma Satyawan Appendix 8 Bird species recorded on the Lely and Nassau plateaus during the RAP survey .............................................................234 Iwan Derveld and Greg Love Appendix 9 List of bird species observed on Lely Mountain, 1-15 June 2003 ...........................................................................238 Brian O’Shea Appendix 10 Fishes collected in the Nassau Mountains in 1949 by D.C. Geijskens and P.H. Creutzberg (Boeseman 1953) ...............242 Jan H. Mol, Kenneth Wan Tong You, Ingrid Vrede, Adrian Flynn, Paul Ouboter and Frank van der Lugt Appendix 11 Fishes collected during the November 2005 RAP expedition to the Lely and Nassau plateaus, Suriname. ......................244 Jan H. Mol, Kenneth Wan Tong You, and Ingrid Vrede Appendix 12 Phytoplankton and periphyton of Paramaka Creek headwaters (IJskreek; altitude 300-530 m.amsl) ................246 Jan H. Mol and Asha Haripersad-Makhanlal 4 Appendix 13 Fishes collected in high-altitude (plateau) streams of the Nassau Mountains from March 29 – April 4, 2006. .............247 Jan Mol, Kenneth Wan Tong You, and Ingrid Vrede Rapid Assessment Program Appendix 19 Birds recorded from Brownsberg..........................................259 Brian O’Shea (based on Brownsberg bird list at webserv. nhl/~ribot) Appendix 20 Reptiles and Amphibians recorded from Brownsberg. .....270 Bart P.E. De Dijn, Iwan E. Molgo, Christian Marty, Martina Luger, Max Ringler, Samuel Crothers IV, Brice Noonan, Kelly Fitzgerald Participants and Authors RAP Survey Participants Ryan Badal (ants) Instituut voor de Opleiding van Leraren (J. O. L) Paramaribo, Suriname Iwan Derveld (birds) Conservation International-TEAM Kromme Elleboogstraat 20 Paramaribo, Suriname iwan_derveld@yahoo.com Trond Larsen (dung beetles) Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA tlarsen@princeton.edu Jan H. Mol (ishes) Anton de Kom University of Suriname / CELOS University campus, Leysweg Paramaribo, Suriname isheco@celos.sr.org Lucille F. Ngadino (reptiles and amphibians) Anton de Kom University of Suriname Paramaribo, Suriname Miguel Pinto (mammals) Department of Biological Sciences Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX 79409-3131, USA miguel.pinto@ttu.edu Sergio Solari (mammals) Department of Biological Sciences Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX 79409-3131, USA sergio.solari@ttu.edu Jefrey Sosa- Calvo (ants) Department of Entomology 4112 Plant Sciences Building University of Maryland College Park, MD 20742 USA Sossa.Jefrey@nmnh.si.edu Ingrid Vrede (ishes) Anton de Kom University of Suriname / CELOS University campus, Leysweg Paramaribo, Suriname Kenneth Wan Tong You (ishes) Molenpad 58a, Paramaribo, Suriname James I. Watling (reptiles and amphibians) Florida International University Department of Biological Sciences OE 167, University Park Miami, FL 33199, USA james.watling@iu.edu RAP Survey Logistical Support Anand Rajaran (mammals) Anton de Kom University of Suriname Paramaribo, Suriname Serano Ramcharan (mammals) Anton de Kom University of Suriname Paramaribo, Suriname Haydi J. Berrenstein Conservation International-Suriname Kromme Elleboogstraat 20 Paramaribo, Suriname h.berrenstein@conservation.org Greg Love* Consultant Washington, DC USA grenandjeg@verizon.net A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 5 Paticipants and Authors Kenneth Tjon Senior Forester Center for Agricultural Research in Suriname (CELOS) Paramaribo, Suriname kenneth_tjon@yahoo.com Adrian Flynn (ishes) Hydrobiology Pty Ltd, 47 Park Rd, Milton, QLD 4064, Australia Adrian.lynn@hydrobiology.biz Jan Wirjosentono* Chief Field Operations Center for Agricultural Research in Suriname (CELOS) Paramaribo, Suriname L. Tremaine Gregory (Brownsberg) Department of Anthropology University of California, Davis, CA 95616 USA ltgregor@kent.edu Rosita Moeljosoewito Team Cook Paramaribo, Suriname Kemisem Martowitono Team Cook Paramaribo, Suriname *Contributed to the bird team’s survey and identiication eforts Additional Authors and Editors Leeanne E. Alonso (editor) Rapid Assessment Program Conservation International 2011 Crystal Drive, Suite 500 Arlington, VA 22201 USA l.alonso@conservation.org Olaf Bánki (plants) Faculty of Sciences, Department of Biology Section Ecology and Biodiversity National Herbarium of the Netherlands Utrecht University O.S.Banki@Bio.uu.nl Samuel Crothers IV (Brownsberg) 1121 W. Turner St. Allentown, PA 18102 USA SSamfrog@aol.com Bart P.E. De Dijn (orchids and bees, Brownsberg) Bart De Dyn environmental consultancy Koielaan 30 Paramaribo, Suriname dedijn@sr.net and dedijn@yahoo.com Kelly Fitzgerald (Brownsberg) Research Department STINASU Cornelis Jongbawstr. 14 Paramaribo, Suriname present address: US Fish and Wildlife Service, Sacramento, CA USA keba5@hotmail.com and Kelly_Fitzgerald@fws.gov 6 Rapid Assessment Program Paddy Haripersaud (plants) Institute of Environmental Biology Section Plant Ecology and Biodiversity and the National Herbarium of the Netherlands NHN Utrecht University branch Sorbonnelaan 14–16, 3584 CA Utrecht, he Netherlands Rawien Jairam (reptiles and amphibians) National Zoological Collection Suriname (NZCS) Anton de Kom University of Suriname University campus, Leysweg, Paramaribo, Suriname nzcs@uvs.edu Martina Luger (Brownsberg) Department of Evolutionary Biology University of Vienna Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria martinamaweg@gmx.at Christian Marty (Brownsberg) Impasse Jean Galot 97354 Montjoly French Guiana victoirechristian.marty@wanadoo.fr Sutrisno Mitro (Brownsberg) Research Department STINASU Cornelis Jongbawstr. 14 Paramaribo, Suriname Iwan E. Molgo (orchids and orchid bees, Brownsberg) Nationaal Herbarium Suriname (BBS) University Complex, Leysweg Paramaribo, Suriname bbs@uvs.edu Brice Noonan (Brownsberg) Duke University Box 90338 Durham, NC 27708, USA brice.noonan@duke.edu Paticipants and Authors Marilyn A. Norconk (Brownsberg) Department of Anthropology and School of Biomedical Sciences Kent State University Kent, OH 44242-0001 USA mnorconk@kent.edu Brian O’Shea (birds, Brownsberg) Dept. Biological Sciences and Museum of Natural Sciences 119 Foster Hall, Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, LA 70803 USA boshea2@lsu.edu Paul Ouboter (ishes, reptiles/amphibians) National Zoological Collection Suriname (NZCS) Anton de Kom University of Suriname, University campus, Leysweg, Paramaribo, Suriname nzcs@uvs.edu Max Ringler (Brownsberg) Department of Evolutionary Biology University of Vienna Althanstrasse 14 1090 Vienna, Austria m@xolotl.info Dharma Satyawan (Brownsberg) Research Department STINASU Cornelis Jongbawstr. 14 Paramaribo, Suriname dhar24wan2003@yahoo.co.hk Hans ter Steege (plants) Plant Ecology and Biodiversity and Nationaal Herbarium Nederland – Utrecht Branch Wentgebouw, Room Z437 Sorbonnelaan 14-16, 3584 CA Utrecht, Netherlands h.tersteege@bio.uu.nl and h.tersteege@hccnet.nl Frank van der Lugt (ishes) Department of Environmental Sciences Anton de Kom University of Suriname University campus, Leysweg Paramaribo, Suriname framau2001@yahoo.com Arioene Vreedzaam (Brownsberg) Research Department STINASU Cornelis Jongbawstr. 14 Paramaribo, Suriname auvreedzaam@yahoo.com A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 7 Organizational Profiles CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL SURINAME Conservation International Suriname (CI-Suriname) is a non-Proit, non-Governmental Organization established in 1992 in Suriname. Our goal is to promote biodiversity conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity through education, awareness and capacity building science projects, and by stimulating eco-tourism in tribal communities. Our mission is to conserve Suriname’s biodiversity, while demonstrating that humans can live harmoniously with nature. Conservation International Suriname Kromme Elleboogstraat no. 20 Paramaribo Suriname Tel: 597-421305 Fax: 597-421172 Email: wudenhout@conservation.org Web: www.cisuriname.org CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL Conservation International (CI) is an international, nonproit organization based in Washington, DC. CI believes that the Earth’s natural heritage must be maintained if future generations are to thrive spiritually, culturally and economically. Our mission is to conserve the Earth’s living heritage, our global biodiversity, and to demonstrate that human societies are able to live harmoniously with nature. Conservation International 1919 M Street NW, Suite 600 Washington, DC 20036 USA Tel: 800-406-2306 Fax: 202-912-0772 Web: www.conservation.org STICHTING NATUURBEHOUD SURINAME (STINASU), FOUNDATION FOR NATURE CONSERVATION IN SURINAME Founded on June 17th 1969, Stinasu is the leading and authoritative nature protection organization in Suriname, contribution signiicantly to the protection of Suriname’s existing nature (monuments) by supporting local and international partnerships in the ields of scientiic research, nature education and nature tourism. Stinasu was founded by Dr. 8 Organizational Profiles Johan Schulz, the former Head Forester of the Forestry Department, as an efective way to conduct research and provide nature education without strict inancial support from the government. Since it is a semi-governmental organization, funding is drawn from its nature tourism activities in the nature reserves and nature park in Suriname. Stichting Natuurbehoud Suriname (Stinasu) Cornelis Jongbaw straat no. 14 Paramaribo Suriname Tel: 597- 427102; 597-427103; 597- 421850; 597-421683 Fax: 597- 421850 Email: stinasu@sr.net Web: http://www.stinasu.sr National Zoological Collection of Suriname (NZCS) Universiteitscomplex/ Leysweg 9 Building # 17 P.O. Box 9212 Suriname Tel: 597 - 494756 Fax: 597 – 494756 Email: nzcs@uvs.edu National Herbarium of Suriname (BBS) Universiteitscomplex / Leysweg Suriname Tel: 597 - 465558 / 597 - 464151 Fax: 597 – 464151 Email: bbs@uvs.edu ANTON DE KOM UNIVERSITY OF SURINAME BHP BILLITON MAATSCHAPPIJ SURINAME Anton de Kom University of Suriname was founded on 1 November 1968 and ofers studies in the ield of social, technological and medical sciences. here are ive research centers conducting research and rendering services to the community. he Center for Agricultural Research (CELOS)is promoting agricultural scientiic education at the faculty of Technological Sciences. Institute for Applied Technology (INTEC), Biomedical Research Institute, Institute for Development Planning and Management (IDPM), Institute for Research in Social Sciences (IMWO), he Library of ADEK, University Computer Center (UCC), National Zoological Collection (NZCS) and National Herbarium of Suriname (BBS). he primary goal of the NZCS and BBS are to develop an overview of respectively the fauna and lora of Suriname and build a reference collection for scientiic and educational purposes. he NZCS also conducts research on the biology, ecology and/or distribution of certain animal species or on the composition and status of certain ecosystems. BHP Billiton is the world’s sixth largest producer of primary aluminium, with a total operating capacity in excess of one million tonnes of aluminium, approximately 14 million tonnes of bauxite and four million tonnes of alumina per annum. BHP Billiton is one of the world’s largest nonintegrated producer of primary aluminium. BHP Billiton is a shareholder in the Paranam alumina reinery and the Lelydorp III and Coermotibo bauxite mines in Suriname. BHP Billiton is committed to sustainable development and approaches this in the context of society as a whole. For example, while a particular mine site will not be sustainable because the ore-body will be depleted over time, the mine can still make a valuable contribution to a society’s overall pursuit of sustainable development. he mine creates employment, provides the opportunity for training and skills enhancement, pays taxes and royalties that can be contributed to government services such as education and health care and provides the opportunity for support and spin-of industries. Mining also contributes products that are essential to all modern societies and economies. Addresses of Anton de Kom University of Suriname NZCS and BBS: Anton de Kom University of Suriname Universiteitscomplex/ Leysweg 86 Building # IV P.O. Box 9212 Suriname Phone: 597 – 465558 ext. 241 or 597- 465497 Fax: 597- 462291 e-mail: adek.bestuur@sr.net or board@uvs.edu Administration: Tel: (597) 465558 # 228 Email: adek.buro@sr.net NV BHP Billiton Maatschappij Suriname Meursweg Onverdacht/ Dirstrikt Para Suriname P.O. Box 10063 Fax: 597-352001 Phone: 597-352044 / 352049 E-mail: billiton@sr.net of nvbms@bhpbilliton.com Web: http://www.bhpbilliton.com/bb/ sustainableDevelopment/home.jsp A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 9 Organizational Profiles SURALCO (SURINAME ALUMINUM COMPANY LLC) Suralco is a subsidiary of Alcoa World Alumina and Chemicals. With its 2.2 million metric-tons-per-year (mtpy) alumina reinery and 100 megawatt hydroelectric facility, Suriname Aluminum Company (Suralco) is the largest private employer and taxpayer in Suriname and a key supplier of alumina to Alcoa facilities and markets throughout the United States and Europe. Alcoa’s presence in Suriname extends back to 1916 with the formation of Surinaamsche Bauxite Maatschappij N.V. his early company (later to be renamed Suralco) was solely engaged in the development, mining, and export of the country’s bauxite resources until the late 1950s. hen, in 1958, the Brokopondo Agreement created a joint venture with the Suriname government to develop hydroelectric power on the Suriname River and a fully integrated aluminum industry in the country. Today, Alcoa holds a 60% share of Suralco and manages the Afobaka hydroelectric facility and the Paranam reinery operations in Suriname. he reinery completed a 250,000 mtpy expansion in early 2005. At Alcoa, sustainability is deined as using our values to build inancial success, environmental excellence, and social responsibility through partnerships in order to deliver net long-term beneits to its shareowners, employees, customers, suppliers, and the communities in which we operate. Consistent with Alcoa’s environmental policy and the company’s published position on sustainable development, Suralco actively endorses the concept of conservation of biodiversity by operating in a manner that minimizes impacts on natural habitats and biological resources. Suralco’s operations can play a positive role in conserving biodiversity by adopting appropriate land management practices and rehabilitating land disturbed by the operations in an appropriate manner. Suralco Paranam P.O. Box: 1810 Phone: 597-0323281 Fax: 597-0323314 Email: Suralco.llc@alcoa.com Web: http://www.alcoa.com/suriname/en/alcoa_suriname/ sustainability_report_2003/sustainability_report_2003.asp 10 Rapid Assessment Program Acknowledgments Conservation International-Suriname (CI-Suriname) and the members of the 2005 RAP survey of the Nassau and Lely plateaus in Eastern Suriname express their sincere gratitude to BHP-Billiton Maatschappij Suriname (BMS) and the Suriname Aluminium Company LLC (Suralco). Without their funding and logistical support, this survey and report would not have been possible. Special thanks go to Andy Witcomb of BMS and Warren Pedersen of Suralco for their support for the survey and report. CI-Suriname and the RAP program also express their thanks to the scientists, students and logistical staf who participated in the RAP survey and produced this report. Special thanks goes to Kenneth Tjon, Jan Wirjosentono and Greg Love for their dedicated support for all logistical aspects of the survey and to Rosita Moeljosoewito and Kemisem Martowitono for keeping all the RAP participants well fed throughout the survey under less than ideal conditions. Likewise, sincere thanks go to the airstrip maintenance crew at Lely and BMS base camp personnel at Nassau for providing local logistical support and valuable insights into local habitats appropriate to survey. CI-Suriname and the RAP program would also like to thank the experts who did not participate in the survey but did contribute additional chapters and/or advice to the inal report. his group includes Olaf Bánki, Samuel Crothers IV, Bart P.E. De Dijn, Kelly Fitzgerald, Adrian Flynn, L. Tremaine Gregory, Paddy Haripersaud, Rawien Jairam, Martina Luger, Christian Marty, Sutrisno Mitro, Iwan E. Molgo, Brice Noonan, Marilyn A. Norconk, Brian O’Shea, Paul E. Ouboter, Max Ringler, Dharma Satyawan, Hans ter Steege, Frank van der Lugt, and Arioene Vreedzaam. hanks also goes out to Eduard Niesten and Karl Morrison for their help on the background assessment that took place prior to the survey. he RAP survey team, CI-Suriname and RAP would like to thank the Foundation for Nature Conservation in Suriname (STINASU) for its assistance in securing permits and background data needed for the expedition, with special thanks to Yvette Merton for her help. Likewise, CI-Suriname thanks all the participants of the two-day threats and opportunities workshop that took place in Paramaribo on November 8-9, 2005. Special thanks are extended to Maureen Silos and her team for facilitation of the event and to Dr. Assheton Carter, Marielle Canter and Mahlette Betre of CI’s Center for Environmental Leadership in Business (CELB) for their participation and support. he entire CI-Suriname staf did their part in ensuring this survey was a success, but special thanks are extended to Haydi Berrenstein and Krisna Gajapersad for their invaluable assistance in preparing and carrying out the RAP and related activities. Special gratitude is also extended to Lisa Famolare, Regina de Souza and Areliz Carlos for their help in Washington, DC. Jefrey Sossa (ants) would like to thank Ryan Badal (IOL) for his help during the ieldwork, Eugenia Okonski for her help sorting, mounting, and databasing the specimens and John LaPolla (NMNH) for his help with statistics and discussions about ant diversity in the Guiana Shield. Ted Schultz (NMNH) made comments and suggestions on early versions of the ant report. he RAP mammal team thanks Kenneth Tjon and Greg Love for logistic and ield coordination, and also Serano Ramcharan and Anand Rajaran (Paramaribo University, Suriname) for assistance with ield work and specimen collection. Heath Garner and Robert Baker (Natural Science Research Lab, Museum of Texas Tech University) provided equipment for trapping and preserving specimens, and allowed for use of collections to identify the collected material. Bart De Dijn and authors of the Brownsberg chapter thank the following for unpublished data and/ or comments: Cor Becker (Meteorological Service in Paramaribo), Hajo Gernaat, Meindert Hielkema, Paul Ouboter (National Zoological Collection in Suriname), Pierre-Michel Forget (MNHN in Brunoy), A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 11 Burton Lim (ROM in Toronto), Pieter Teunissen, and Otte Ottema (STINASU), as well as Maryem Djosetro, Reggie Slijngard and Yvette Merton (all at STINASU) and Gerold Zondervan (WWF Guianas). For their tireless eforts in helping to develop and run the BNP Monitoring Program, they would like to thank Sarah Leupen, Darryl Joder, R. “Chequita” Bhikhi and all the other volunteers and students who participated in the program in the course of 2002-5. Very special thanks are also extended to Harrold Sijlbing (former director of STINASU), and Gerold Zondervan and Michelet Fontaine (resp. senior oicer and former director at WWF Guianas). Iwan Molgo and Bart De Dijn would like to acknowledge Jan den Held, Marga Werkhoven and Pieter Teunissen, as well as staf of the Utrecht Herbarium for unpublished data and/or comments in relation to orchids. hey also extend special thanks to David Roubik of STRI for all his support that was instrumental for capturing a larger segment of the orchid bee fauna and for helping Bart with identiication of the bees. Finally, CI-Suriname and the RAP participants would like to thank Dr. Leeanne Alonso and her RAP team in Washington, DC for all their support and enthusiasm throughout the entire process needed to make the RAP survey and inal report possible. In the project of the plant diversity of the three bauxite plateaus in North East Suriname many people were involved during the various stages. We want to thank everyone for their pleasant and fruitful cooperation. he ieldwork was made possible by the inancial and logistical support of the Suriname Aluminum Company LLC (Suralco/Alcoa) (especially Jan Vandenbergh, Moedio Tirtotaroeno, and Erwin John) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Guianas Oice (especially Michelet Fontaine and Gerold Zondervan). We also thank the Alberta Mennega Stichting, het van Eeden Fonds, and the Netherlands Foundation for the Advancement of Tropical Research (WOTRO grants W84580, W84581) for their inancial support. 12 Rapid Assessment Program We would like to show our appreciation to the National Herbarium of Suriname (BBS) – Anton de kom University of Suriname (especially Usha Raghoenandan, Gisla Ramharakh and Joelaika Behari-Ramdass), the Centre for Agricultural Research in Suriname (CELOS) (especially Kenneth Tjon, Johannes Wirjosentono, Aniel Sookhlall, Hubert Jubithana, and Rinaldo Sabajo), the Foundation for Nature Conservation in Suriname (Stinasu) (especially Bart de Dijn, Arioene Vreedzaam, Satyawan Dharma), and the National Herbarium of the Netherlands – Utrecht University (NHNU) (especially Marion Jansen-Jacobs, Tinde van Andel, Paul Maas, Fenneke van der Vegte and Danaë Rozendaal). We are greatly indebted to Mr. Frits van Troon, who is an excellent treespotter and unique in his kind. Without the knowledge of Frits we could not have done as many plots in this short amount of time. Pieter Teunissen was involved from the irst stages of the project, gave valuable advice, and directed us to the Nassau Mts. We also thank SBB and LBB/NB for kindly providing the necessary research and collecting permits. Report at a Glance A RAPID BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE LELY AND NASSAU PLATEAUS, SURINAME Dates of RAP Survey October 25 – November 6, 2005 Description of RAP Survey Sites he Lely and Nassau Plateaus are two plateaus in eastern Suriname characterized by a solid and thick crust in the upper soil composed mainly of consolidated ferrite (Fe) and bauxite (Al). Lely contains a series of plateaus with maximum altitude of approximately 700 meters and Nassau is comprised of four plateaus ranging from 500 - 570 meters. he RAP survey focused on habitats above 500 m, including at Lely: mountain savannah forest, high dryland rainforest, palm swamp and secondary growth, and at Nassau: high dryland rainforest, some mountain savannah forest, limited patches of palm swamp, secondary forest and vegetation in areas cleared for infrastructure such as roads and an overgrown airstrip. hese plateaus provide many watershed services for local and coastal communities, as well as important sources of employment (principally small-scale gold mining), food, medicine and building materials for local communities. Reasons for the RAP Survey he RAP biodiversity surveys of Lely and Nassau Plateaus were conducted in order to ill in gaps in biodiversity data for eastern Suriname. he 2002 Guayana Shield Priority-Setting Workshop determined that we lack essential biodiversity data for these plateaus needed for conservation planning. he RAP data collected for birds, mammals, ishes, amphibians and reptiles, ants, and dung beetles will contribute to a greater understanding of the fauna and lora of these two plateaus and enable comparisons of biodiversity value with the Brownsberg Plateau (see Executive Summary for comparisons) and other areas of the Guayana Shield. In addition, the data will be used by BHP-Billiton Maatschappij Suriname and the Suriname Aluminium Company LLC (Suralco) as part of their Mining Joint Venture (MJV) to incorporate biodiversity considerations in the earliest stages of decision-making for any mining operations that they may undertake in these areas. It is our aim to provide information so that any mining companies that work in this area can incorporate biodiversity conservation into their project planning. MAJOR RESULTS Lely and Nassau Plateaus • High faunal diversity (see table below), • At least 27 species endemic to the Guayana Shield region, • At least 24 species new to science, illustrating how little we know of these areas and the Guayana Shield region overall, • Many species and individuals of large mammals and large birds (e.g. parrots, guans), indicating that these areas may serve as refuges for larger species, A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 13 Report at a Glance • While still in good condition, both sites are heavily threatened by human activities, particularly unregulated hunting which is having a direct impact on large mammals and birds, and illegal gold mining in the foothills. Lely Plateau • Higher species richness of plants, orchids, mammals, ants, birds, and dung beetles than Nassau, likely due to a combination of factors, including the fact that the Lely Plateau is larger and reaches a higher elevation so that the extent of each forest type is greater. Higher diversity of mammals and dung beetles may also be inluenced by the more pristine condition of its habitats in comparison to Nassau, • he Lely Mountains ofer excellent conservation opportunities because of relatively low human impact, low human population densities, and relative lack of access. Nassau Plateau • Higher species richness and endemism of ishes in high altitude streams, • Harttiella crassicauda, a rare catish endemic to the Nassau Plateau, was documented for the irst time since 1949, • he Nassau Mountains have been more heavily impacted by human activities, particularly with regards to hunting and habitat fragmentation resulting from access routes created to facilitate small-scale mining activities and exploration activities for large-scale mining. SPECIES NEW TO SCIENCE Amphibians Eleutherodactylus (4 species) Adenomera (1 species) Atelopus (1 species) Fishes Guyanancistrus (1 species) Harttiella (1 (sub) species) Lithoxus (3 species) Trichomycterus af. conradi (1 species) Ants Pyramica (1 species) Dung Beetles Anomiopus (~ 2 species) Ateuchus (~ 2 species) Canthidium (~ 3 species) Eurysternus (~ 3 species) Sylvicanthon sp. nov. Uroxys (~ 2 species) NEW RECORDS FOR SURINAME Ants: Genera Acanthognathus: A. lentus and A. cf. ocellatus Cryptomyrmex cf. longinodus Ants: Species Pyramica auctidens Pyramica cincinnata Pyramica crassicornis Pyramica halosis Strumigenys cosmostela Strumigenys trinidadensis THREATENED SPECIES (IUCN 2006 CATEGORY) NUMBER OF SPECIES RECORDED Both RAP Sites Lely Nassau Ants 169 136 79 Dung Beetles 42 37 27 Fishes 41 8 35 Amphibians 27 20 16 (31)** Reptiles 22 16 13 (26)** Birds (RAP) 121 67 79 Birds (2003) * (152) Bats 24 14 19 Small Mammals 4 3 1 Large mammals (including primates) 17 13 8 Total 467 314 277 Bats Carriker’s Round-eared Bat, Lophostoma carrikeri (Vulnerable) Dark Fruit-eating bat, Artibeus obscurus (Lower Risk/Near hreatened) Brown Fruit-eating bat, Koopmania concolor (Lower Risk/ Near hreatened) Primates Guyanan Red Howler, Alouatta macconnelli (Vulnerable) Red-backed bearded Saki, Chiropotes chiropotes (Data Deicient) Large Mammals Brazilian Tapir, Tapirus terrestris (Vulnerable) Jaguar, Panthera onca (Lower Risk/Near hreatened) Cougar, Puma concolor (Lower Risk/Near hreatened) Brocket Deer, Mazama sp. (Data Deicient) Giant Anteater, Myrmecophaga tridactyla (Vulnerable) Dubost’s Neacomys, Neocomys dubosti (Data Deicient) *O’Shea, Chapter 8 **( ) Total number after surveys in 2006 by Ouboter et al. (Chapter 11) 14 Rapid Assessment Program A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) Report at a Glance SPECIES ENDEMIC TO THE GUAYANA SHIELD Mammals: Guyanan Red Howler, Alouatta macconnelli Red-backed bearded Saki, Chiropotes chiropotes Linnaeus’s Mouse opossum, Marmosa murina Red-handed tamarin, Saguinus midas Red-faced Spider monkey, Ateles paniscus Dubost’s Neacomys, Neacomys dubosti Guiana Neacomys, Neacomys guianae Guyenne Spiny Rat, Proechimys guyannensis Birds Black Curassow, Crax alector Marail Guan, Penelope marail Caica Parrot, Gypopsitta caica Black Nunbird, Monasa atra Guianan Toucanet, Selenidera piperivora Green Aracari, Pteroglossus viridis Chestnut-rumped Woodcreeper, Xiphorhynchus pardalotus Guianan Streaked-Antwren, Myrmotherula surinamensis Brown-bellied Antwren, Myrmotherula gutturalis Todd’s Antwren, Herpsilochmus stictocephalus Black-headed Antbird, Percnostola ruifrons Rufous-throated Antbird, Gymnopithys ruigula White-throated Pewee, Contopus albogularis Guianan Cock-of-the-Rock, Rupicola rupicola Capuchinbird, Perissocephalus tricolor White-throated Manakin, Corapipo gutturalis White-fronted Manakin, Lepidothrix serena Finsch’s Euphonia, Euphonia inschi Golden-sided Euphonia, Euphonia cayennensis includes typical lowland forest habitats as well as more unique habitats at higher elevations (> 400 m) that are not widely found in the region. Global amphibian declines have resulted in the loss of many higher elevation amphibian faunas, so the presence of abundant, diverse, streamassociated amphibian assemblages at Nassau and Lely is of signiicant conservation value. hese sites provide refuge for many threatened species and species endemic to the Guayana Shield. Both the Lely and Nassau plateaus warrant conservation action: Lely • • • Nassau • • Amphibians Colostethus beebei Colostethus degranvillei Eleutherodactylus chiastonotus Eleutherodactylu zeuctotylus Chiasmocleis shudikarensis • • Reptiles Gonatodes annularis Neusticurus rudis • Fishes Harttiella crassicauda (endemic to Nassau Plateau) Guyanancistrus ‘big mouth’ CONSERVATION CONCLUSIONS FROM THE RAP SURVEY (see Executive Summary for more details) 1. We recommend that the Lely and Nassau plateaus (and also Brownsberg- see Executive Summary) receive increased levels of biodiversity protection. All three areas contain a high proportion of Suriname’s biodiversity and contain great habitat diversity that Lely has high habitat and species diversity for all taxa as well as pristine forest conditions. Lely has slightly higher richness for most taxa compared to Nassau, and slightly higher plant diversity (per plot) than Brownsberg. here are still high numbers of large mammals and large birds, indicating that Lely may provide a refuge for these hunted animals, Lely is fairly inaccessible with little human impacts, thus presenting an excellent opportunity to protect a large area of high biodiversity, pristine rainforest, and exceptional mountain savannah (moss) forest. Nassau has been more heavily impacted, but also still contains high biodiversity and good populations of large mammals and larger birds. Nassau contains many endemic species (that are found nowhere else), particularly of ishes. Protection of the Paramacca Creek (with tributary IJskreek) catchment is critical to the survival of several rare ish species. Only 31% of the documented amphibian species were found at both sites, indicating that both Lely and Nassau are important for amphibian diversity, including many species new to science. he greater impacts and threats at Nassau call for immediate action. 2. he mechanism for conservation of these sites should be developed through a collaborative approach between public and private institutions, including local communities, to address and halt the threats currently and potentially facing these sites. Some possible mechanisms include: • Empower and fund the Nature Conservation Division of the Suriname government to increase monitoring in all three areas, especially for hunting and illegal mining. A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 15 Report at a Glance • • • • Create a Nature Park on the Nassau Plateau to protect the unique Paramacca Creek watershed. Urgent action is needed at Nassau due to the higher level of human pressures there. Engage the local people including the traditional communities in the area, particularly the Paramaka Maroons (Nassau and Lely), Aukaner/Okanisi or Djuka Maroons (Lely), Saramaka Maroons (Brownsberg) and also the non-traditional communities such as the small-scale gold miners. Integrate the protection of key areas into any development plans for the plateaus (e.g. mining planning). Key areas include the Paramacca watershed at Nassau, the pristine higher elevation forests of Lely, and the vegetation along creeks at Brownsberg. he Lely and Nassau Plateaus are concessions of Suralco (Alcoa). Suralco is also involved in large-scale gold exploration by Newmont in the foothills of the Nassau and Brownsberg Mountains. Explore potential tourism opportunities in the two areas as an alternative income for local communities to reduce their dependence on the bushmeat trade, logging, and gold mining. SPECIFIC CONSERVATION RECOMMENDATIONS • • • • • 16 Integrate the Lely, Nassau and Brownsberg plateaus into a regional conservation strategy and follow up on the IBAP recommendations in Chapter 2. Control hunting, which poses a signiicant threat to the large mammals, larger birds and dung beetles of both sites. Maintain the integrity of forest streams. Minimize fragmentation of the natural habitat, control access routes and limit logging, which accelerates habitat fragmentation and degradation and has already begun to impact several groups, especially dung beetles, ants, and mammals. Enhance protection of Brownsberg Nature Park and other parts of the plateau. • Monitor to detect the presence of the chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in adult frogs along forest streams. • Additional Research Priorities • Biodiversity surveys during the rainy season, • Surveys of lowland streams in the foot hills (especially Paramacca Creek) and high-altitude streams on the Nassau and Lely plateaus, • Research on the biodiversity of the Paramacca Creek watershed, including the rare catish Harttiella crassicauda, Rapid Assessment Program • • • Research on the population sizes and viability of key species, Further plant inventories of Nassau and Lely, Further research on the potentially new species for science. Executive Summary INTRODUCTION he Lely and Nassau Plateaus are located in north-eastern Suriname and range in elevation from 500-700 m. hey are covered mostly by high dryland rainforest on the plateaus and slopes and mountain savannah forest on the plateau. he Brownsberg Plateau is a third major plateau in this area, part of which is protected by the Brownsberg Nature Park (11,800 ha). he 2002 Guayana Shield Priority-Setting Workshop determined that these three plateaus are all important for biodiversity but that we lack essential biodiversity data, particularly for Lely and Nassau (Huber and Foster 2003). he plateaus provide many watershed services for local and coastal communities, as well as important sources of employment (principally small-scale gold mining), food, medicine and building materials for local communities. Lely and Nassau are still relatively intact owing to low human population density, which presents many unique opportunities for conservation over a relatively large landscape area. However, they all face a number of current and potential threats, including logging, hunting/poaching and small-scale (gold) and large-scale (bauxite and gold) mining. Conservation International’s Rapid Assessment Program (RAP) RAP is an innovative biological inventory program designed to use scientiic information to catalyze conservation action. RAP methods are designed to rapidly assess the biodiversity of highly diverse areas and to train local scientists in biodiversity survey techniques. Since 1990, RAP’s teams of expert and host-country scientists have conducted 56 terrestrial, freshwater aquatic (AquaRAP), and marine biodiversity surveys and have contributed to building local scientiic capacity for scientists in 26 countries. Biological information from previous RAP surveys has resulted in the protection of millions of hectares of tropical forest, including the declaration of protected areas in Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, and Brazil and the identiication of biodiversity priorities in numerous countries. Project Initiation Alcoa, through its successful partnership with Conservation International (CI) conducting a RAP survey in Guinea, suggested to the Suralco/BHPB Joint Venture that a similar exercise would be worthwhile in Suriname. hus in June 2005, BHP-Billiton Maatschappij Suriname (BMS) invited CI to present recommendations on how its Rapid Assessment Program (RAP) could contribute to a greater understanding of the fauna and lora of the Lely, Nassau and Brownsberg plateaus. Suriname Aluminium Company LLC (Suralco) holds mining concessions on these three plateaus and has formed a Mining Joint Venture with BMS. he joint venture divides the mining process between the two companies: BMS to irst carry out exploration on the plateaus and then if suicient bauxite is found, BMS is to do the mining and then Suralco will reine the bauxite. CI proposed that a strategic partnership be formed with the Mining Joint Venture of BMS and Suralco. A central component of this partnership involves utilizing CI’s Initial Biodiversity Assessment Planning (IBAP) methodology to both increase understanding of A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 17 Executive Summary these areas’ ecosystems and socio-economic dynamics and provides recommendations for incorporating biodiversity considerations in the earliest stages of decision-making for Suriname’s next generation of mines (see Chapter 2). RAP Survey of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus As part of the IBAP process, CI’s RAP program organized a RAP team of 18 scientists, students and logistical support to undertake rapid biodiversity surveys of the Lely and Nassau Mountains. Prior to this RAP survey, very little biodiversity data had been collected for the Lely and Nassau plateaus. Many studies have been conducted in the Brownsberg Nature Park on the Brownsberg plateau so the RAP team did not include this plateau in their survey. However, the biodiversity of Brownsberg is summarized in this report (see Chapter 13) and comparisons between the three plateaus are made below. he few studies that had been done on the Lely and Nassau plateaus are also included in this report (see Chapters 3, 4, and 8). he RAP team surveyed the Nassau and Lely plateaus from October 25 – November 6, 2005, focusing on the same areas studied during previous plant surveys (Bánki et al. 2003, ter Steege et al. 2004, 2005). he RAP team, composed of specialists in ants, birds, dung beetles, ishes, mammals, and reptiles and amphibians, collected data on these taxonomic groups, generated a set of overall conclusions of the regions’ biodiversity, and made recommendations on how their ecosystems can be conserved. Criteria generally considered during RAP surveys in order to identify priority areas for conservation across taxonomic groups include: species richness, species endemism, rare and/or threatened species, and habitat condition. Measurements of species richness can be used to compare the number of species between areas within a given region. Measurements of species endemism indicate the number of species endemic to some deined area and give an indication of both the uniqueness of the area and the species that will be threatened by alteration of that area’s habitat (or conversely, the species that may be conserved through protected areas). Assessment of rare and/or threatened species (IUCN 2006) that are known or suspected to occur within a given area provides an indicator of the importance of the area for the conservation of global biodiversity. he conirmed presence or absence of such species also aids assessment of their conservation status. Many of the species on IUCN’s Red List of hreatened Species carry increased legal protection thus giving greater importance and weight to conservation decisions. Describing the number of speciic habitat types or subhabitats within an area identiies sparse or poorly known habitats within a region that contribute to habitat variety and therefore to species diversity. 18 Rapid Assessment Program RAP SURVEY AREAS he Lely and Nassau Mountains are two isolated plateau areas in eastern Suriname along the border with French Guiana and east of the Brokopondo Reservoir (see Map). he deining feature of these plateaus is the presence of a solid and thick crust in the upper soil that is composed mainly of consolidated ferrite (Fe) and bauxite (Al). Although the RAP survey of both areas was conducted during the dry season, both areas received rainfall during the survey, with Lely receiving more rainfall (at times heavy) than Nassau. Rainfall generally occurred in the late afternoon or at night. Lely Mountains he Lely Plateau is located within the Marowijne River Basin and contains a series of plateaus with maximum altitude of approximately 700 meters. In the Lely Mountains, six main vegetation types occur namely: high dryland rainforest on laterite plateaus, high marsh forest on laterite plateaus, mountain savanna forest, mountain savanna moss forest, vegetation on and near rocky creek beds, and high dryland rainforest on slopes. In places were human disturbance has occurred, (low) secondary forest and open vegetation is found (e.g. near the airstrip). he RAP base camp was established at N 4°16’13”, W 54°44’18” (UTM N 04.27043, W 054.73815), at an altitude of 640 meters. Vegetation types surveyed by the RAP team included savannah forest with smaller areas of high forest, palm swamp and secondary growth from clearing areas for infrastructure. he Lely Mountains is still an intact area since access to the plateau is diicult and mostly restricted to small airplanes. he infrastructure found on the Lely plateau is considerably less developed than that of Nassau, with no known roads connecting it to other areas of the country. At present the only human activities in Lely Mountains are related to three to ive personnel of the Aviation Service (Sur. Luchtvaartdienst) at the airstrip on the plateau and several camps of small-scale gold miners in the western foot hills. he airstrip staf are stationed in a few huts near the airstrip and have cleared vegetation around two radio towers located adjacent to the airstrip. A number of footpaths are found in the survey area. Nassau Mountains he Nassau Plateau is comprised of four plateaus ranging from 500 - 570 meters. In the Nassau Mountains, six main vegetation types occur namely: high dryland rainforest on laterite plateaus, high marsh forest on laterite plateaus, mountain savanna forest, mountain savanna moss forest, vegetation on and near rocky creek beds, and high dryland rainforest on slopes. he mountain savanna (moss) forest is less extensive than on the Lely Plateau and has a higher stature. Open vegetation and secondary forest occur near the old airstrip and on places where bauxite exploration has taken place in the past. Executive Summary he RAP base camp was established at N 4°49’13”, W 54°35’20” (UTM N 04.82047, W 054.60572), at an altitude of 514 meters. Vegetation types surveyed in Nassau included primary and secondary high forest, mountain savanna forest, limited patches of palm swamp and some areas cleared for infrastructure such as roads and an overgrown airstrip. Of the two plateaus surveyed, Nassau had the most widespread human impacts, with a number of unpaved roads, footpaths and a base camp to facilitate mining exploration by BHP-Billiton (BMS) personnel (it also housed the RAP survey teams). A relatively well-maintained unpaved road (connected to the paved road running along the coast) has a number of smaller, more poorly maintained roads and footpaths feeding of it. An airstrip was located near the mining base camp but has not been maintained and was currently unusable at the time of the RAP survey. At higher areas (> 400 m), the forest and streams of the Nassau Mountains are less impacted but many human activities are encroaching fast from the foothills, including shifting cultivation plots, logging, small-scale gold mining, and exploration for construction of a large goldmine (Newmont). DATES OF THE RAP SURVEYS he RAP team was divided into two smaller teams to facilitate transportation to these relatively inaccessible areas. Team 1 (consisting of specialists studying birds, ishes, ants and dung beetles) surveyed Lely from October 25 - 31, 2005 while Team 2 (consisting of specialists studying reptiles/amphibians and small mammals/bats/large mammals) surveyed Nassau. From November 2 - 6, 2005, Team 1 surveyed Nassau and Team 2 surveyed Lely. OVERALL RAP RESULTS he RAP survey of Lely and Nassau revealed a high diversity of species, at least 27 of which are endemic to the Guayana Shield region. Both sites contain many large mammals and large birds (e.g. parrots, guans), indicating that they still hold signiicant populations and may serve as a refuge for these larger species. For most taxa-plants (including orchids), mammals, ants, birds, and dung beetles-Lely appears to be more diverse than Nassau. his is likely due to a combination of factors, including the fact that the Lely Plateau is larger and reaches a higher elevation so that the extent of each forest type is greater. Lely also has a seasonal humidity created by rain clouds that touch the forest cover, which provides the appropriate conditions for Guayanan Highland elements to occur. he higher diversity of mammals and dung beetles at Lely may also be inluenced by the more pristine condition of its habitats in comparison to Nassau, which has had more human disturbance and higher hunting pressure. he pattern of higher diversity at Lely does not hold for the ishes of the high altitude streams, for which eight ish species were documented at Lely versus 11 species at Nassau. Nassau also seems to have higher endemism in ishes, the only taxa for which endemism can currently be established with some conidence. Harttiella crassicauda, a rare catish endemic to the Nassau Plateau, was recorded for the irst time since 1949, and a new species of Guyanancistrus (‘big mouth’) is also likely endemic. At least 24 species new to science were recorded from both sites, indicating how little we know of these areas and the Guayana Shield region overall. Many of the new species are amphibians and ishes, which require clean, quality freshwater for their survival. While still in fairly good condition, both sites are heavily threatened by human activities. Both sites currently show evidence of unregulated hunting activity, which is having a direct impact on larger species (particularly larger mammals and birds) as well as an indirect impact on the larger trophic chain (e.g. dung beetles). he Lely Mountains ofer excellent conservation opportunities because of the relatively low human impact, low human population densities and relative lack of access. he Nassau Mountains have been more impacted by human activities, particularly with regards to hunting and habitat fragmentation resulting from access routes created to facilitate small-scale mining activities and exploration activities for large-scale mining. Better resource management, particularly with increased regulation of hunting and improved access control, could help improve ecosystem health. RAP RESULTS BY TAXONOMIC GROUP Ants hirty-six ant genera and 169 species were collected from 600 m2 of leaf-litter samples. A total of 136 species (80.5%) were recorded at Lely and 97 species were recorded at Nassau (ca 58% of the total). he diference could be due to the fact that twice as many samples were taken at Lely, but the degree of disturbance seemed to be greater in Nassau than at Lely so that could also be afecting the ant fauna. he ant community of Lely difered somewhat from Nassau in ant species composition. he number of ant species on these plateaus is likely much higher; more sampling is needed. he subfamily Myrmicinae was represented by 81 species followed by the Ponerinae with 25 species. he most speciose genus was Pheidole with 39 species followed by the genera Hypoponera (11 species), Solenopsis (10 species), Pyramica (9 species), and Gnamptogenys (8 species), the four genera accounting altogether for 21.9% of the total. With respect to the number of individuals collected, Solenopsis ranked irst followed by the genera Pheidole, Hypoponera, and Pyramica. Up to half of the ant species recorded constitute new records for Suriname; further species identiications are needed to conirm this. Members of the Dacetini tribe are good tools for biodiversity planning since they are relatively well known and are typical of closed forest understory. Four A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 19 Executive Summary Dacetine genera are now known from Suriname since the genus Acanthognathus was recorded for the irst time in Suriname during this study. A possible new species of the genus Pyramica was also collected. he range of the recently described genus Cryptomyrmex Fernandez (Myrmicinae: Adelomyrmicini) known previously from only two species from Brazil and Paraguay, was extended to Suriname by this survey. Dung Beetles A total of 42 dung beetle species was recorded from both sites; 37 species at Lely and 27 species at Nassau. Comparing only standardized dung pitfall transects from primary forest between the two sites, Lely had 33 species and 21.2 individuals/trap, while Nassau had much lower richness and abundance with 24 species and 4.3 individuals/trap. Even though Lely contained more dung beetle species, the dung beetle species composition of primary forest at the two sites was fairly similar. he sites shared 18 species and showed a high Morisita-Horn similarity index of 0.93. Both sites appeared to have hunting pressures that are likely to have negatively impacted dung beetle species richness and abundance, but Nassau appeared to have the strongest hunting pressure and the lowest beetle species richness and abundance. Dung beetle abundance at Nassau may also have been negatively afected by a large open cesspool near the basecamp. Both sites were characterized by hard, dry and rocky soils that may make it diicult for many dung beetle species to dig burrows for food and nesting, and may also increase larval mortality. his may be one reason why overall dung beetle abundance was much lower at both sites than for almost all other tropical forests previously sampled. About 20-30% of the species collected may be undescribed. he genera Anomiopus, Ateuchus, Canthidium and Uroxys are likely to contain the most undescribed species. A few species appear to have wide geographical ranges and are also found in the southern Amazon, although most species probably have relatively restricted ranges. Much more information on dung beetle diversity is needed from these and nearby sites in order to make an evaluation of range sizes. Birds At Lely, 67 species of birds were positively identiied by the RAP team. he team also located the remains of either a Harpy Eagle or Crested Eagle killed by local hunters. At Nassau, 79 bird species were positively identiied. hirtyfour (34) species occurred at both sites. Hunting seemed to be having some impact on certain species, particularly on guans, curassows, parrots and raptors, the remains of which, along with discharged shotgun shells, were found in both sites. he species richness and diversity are believed to be typical for these habitats. During a 14-day survey of Lely in 2003, Brian O’Shea recorded 152 bird species in a limited area around the airstrip. Because Lely is situated in a large region of unbroken forest, the mountain’s avifauna is estimated to comprise at least 300 species. he avifauna of Lely appears to be repre- 20 Rapid Assessment Program sentative of the lowland forest that covers the surrounding region, with the addition of several species that are primarily conined to plateaus in the country’s interior. Cracids (guans and currassows) and parrots, two groups that are good indicators of human impact in tropical forest, are well represented at Lely. Scarlet Macaw, a CITES I species, was fairly common during the 2003 survey. Curassows were seen regularly as well, suggesting that hunting activity was not especially high at that time of the survey. Contopus albogularis (White-throated Pewee) was observed at Lely by O’Shea. his species has one of the most restricted geographic ranges of any bird species in the Guayana Shield. Phaethornis malaris (Great-billed Hermit) also has a restricted range in the Guianas. Neither of these species has been recorded from adjacent Guyana. Sixteen species of Guayana Shield endemics, or approximately 40% of those occurring in Suriname, were seen during the 2003 study period. Fishes A total of 41 ish species were identiied from the Lely and Nassau Mountains (4 and 11 sites, respectively). Of these, 26 were collected in a lowland stream in the foothills of the Nassau Mountains (altitude 106 m). he ish fauna of four high-altitude (plateau) streams in the Lely Mountains had 8 species. In four high-altitude streams in the Nassau Mountains we collected 11 ish species, including the endemic catish Harttiella crassicauda known only from the headwaters of the Paramacca Creek in the Nassau Mountains. he small ish fauna of the Nassau Plateau included 6 species that are potentially new to science. he low number of ish species in the high-altitude streams of the Lely and Nassau Mountains was expected, but the high number of potentially new and possibly endemic species in the Nassau Mountains is exceptional. A striking aspect of the ish communities of the high-altitude streams at these sites is the large number of small-sized species, many of which can be considered dwarf species, such as Lithoxus spp., Harttiella crassicauda, and Guyanancistrus ‘big mouth’. he steep slopes bordering the Nassau Plateau apparently act as biogeographic barriers that prevent the dispersal of ishes from one high-altitude stream to the other streams on the plateau. For example, Harttiella crassicauda from the central branch of Paramacca Creek (‘IJskreek’) difered morphologically from H. crassicauda collected in the northern branch of Paramacca Creek. A new loricariid species (nicknamed ‘big mouth’) from the northern branch of Paramacca Creek was not collected in the central branch, notwithstanding extensive collection eforts at the latter site. Reptiles and Amphibians We observed a total of 49 species in 12 days of sampling but comparison of our data with other sites in the Guayana Shield indicate that our survey probably only sampled onequarter to one-third of the total herpetofauna of the two mountains. During the RAP survery we recorded 36 species (19 amphibians, 16 reptiles) at Lely and 29 species (16 Executive Summary amphibians, 15 reptiles) at Nassau. Density of individuals was also higher at Lely. Species composition difered between the two sites, with only 15/49 (31%) of all species occurring on both mountains. Forty-eight percent of the species at Nassau were unique to Nassau, whereas the percentage was 57% at Lely. Additional surveys by Ouboter et al. (Chapter 11) at Nassau in 2006 revealed 15 additional amphibian species, bringing the total known to 31 species. hey also recorded 11 additional reptile species indicating that there are likely many more species to be found at both sites. he species at the two sites represented a mix of widespread species that occur throughout lowland portions of much of the Amazon Basin, in addition to species known from lowland forest of the Guayana Shield. Five amphibian records are particularly noteworthy since they may represent species new to science (four species of Eleutherodactylus and one species of Adenomera). Previous to the RAP survey, ive species of Eleutherodactylus were known from Suriname; our work on the two mountains has almost doubled the representation of the genus in the country. Forest streams are important habitat for many species encountered during our surveys: about 50% of the species occurring at each site made use of forest streams, and 25% of the species encountered at Lely and about 30% of the species encountered at Nassau were only found in or along forest streams. Because stream-associated amphibians have experienced precipitous population declines in much of the Neotropics, the presence of an apparently intact, stream-associated amphibian fauna on the two mountains is of signiicant conservation value. Mammals Overall, 45 species of mammals from nine orders were recorded from the two study sites in Eastern Suriname: six orders and 28 species at Nassau; and eight orders and 30 species at Lely. Among the small mammals were one species of marsupial, three species of rodents, and 24 species of bats (mostly fruit-eating bats). Seventeen species of medium and large mammals were recorded at the two sites, with more species (13) at Lely than in Nassau (8). he most diverse groups were the primates and the carnivores, each with four species; including large (Alouatta macconnelli, Ateles paniscus, Chiropotes chiropotes) and small (Saguinus midas) monkeys, as well as two large (Panthera onca, Puma concolor) and one small (Leopardus pardalis) cat, plus one coati (Nasua nasua). Our results indicate that the Lely Plateau may have higher taxonomic and ecological diversity and suggest that the forest at Nassau is less suitable for small non-volant mammal species, probably because of the alteration of primary forest. For instance, frugivorous bat were predominant at Nassau, as we would expect in secondary growth forest or forest borders. At Lely, we recorded a better representation of Phyllostominae bat species (which are omnivorous or insectivorous), indicating a more complex forest structure than at Nassau. Two bat species, Lophostoma carrikeri and Artibeus obscurus are listed as threatened (IUCN 2006). Most of the primates and carnivores are also listed as threatened at the global level and several are restricted to the Guiana region, so their global conservation depends largely on the status of these populations. he Brazilian tapir (Tapirus terrestris) is listed as Vulnerable because it is afected by hunting everywhere, and we found evidence that the same occurs in this region. he diversity and concentration of medium and large mammals suggest suitable habitats for these species, which usually require large extensions of less disturbed forest. he presence of ungulates may be the reason behind the presence of cougar and jaguar in the area. RESULTS FROM OTHER BIODIVERSITY SURVEYS OF THE LELY, NASSAU AND BROWNSBERG PLATEAUS Plants Six main vegetation types occur on the Lely, Nassau and Brownsberg plateaus: high dryland rainforest on laterite plateaus, high marsh forest on laterite plateaus, mountain savanna forest, mountain savanna moss forest, vegetation on and near rocky creek beds, and high dryland rainforest on slopes. While on the Brownsberg plateau the forest height and vegetation type changes at very short distances forming a ‘mosaic’ forest, the vegetation types are more pronounced on the Lely Plateau, where large tracts of uniform vegetation types can be found. Open vegetation or open rock such as found on granite outcrops does not seem to occur on these plateaus. he plot inventories of the bauxite plateaus show a highly diverse forest and form a distinct group within all inventoried plots of the Guianas. he plots found on Lely are currently among those with the highest average diversity for Suriname, which its well with the general increase in tree alpha-diversity from western Guyana towards French Guiana. Although this diference is small and not signiicant, the bauxite plateaus and their surrounding forest have very high tree alpha-diversity compared to the other Surinamese forest areas for which data are available. he composition of the Eastern Suriname plots is best comparable with that of French Guiana on similar ferralitic soils. Plots close together are ‘more similar’ than plots at larger distance and share more species among them (compared to the lowlands) than can be attributed by chance. he plant collection record for these bauxite plateaus and for Suriname and the Guianas in general is still very small and much more study is needed. In comparison to the Guayana Highlands with their very high endemicity, the vegetation of the lateritic and bauxitic plateaus on basic volcanic rocks is rather uniform and has low endemicity. We did not ind proof in the current dataset for endemics speciic to the Brownsberg, Lely, and Nassau plateaus. Orchids A separate survey of orchids was carried out on the three plateaus. A total of 190 species of orchids have been recorded from the Brownsberg, Nassau and Lely plateaus: A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 21 Executive Summary 141 from Brownsberg, 70 from Nassau, and 96 from Lely; 16 % are known from all three ranges, and 31 % only from Brownsberg. he lower orchid richness igures for Lely and Nassau can be regarded as artifacts due to low collecting effort. Compared to other sites in the Guayana Shield region, Brownsberg has the second-highest recorded orchid species richness. he available information suggests that a number of orchid species that are very rare in the region occur in these three ranges, e.g. Beloglottis costaricensis (Brownsberg), Cranichis diphylla (Lely) and Quekettia papillosa (Nassau). here were signiicant diferences in the proportion of species assigned to diferent substrate classes. Lely, with 16% of its orchids growing on the ground or rocks, diverges from the other two plateaus, which each have 4-5% of their orchids on these substrates. A high proportion of highland orchid species (about 30-40 %) may be the characteristic that distinguishes these ranges with elevated plateaus from areas that are true lowlands, and may explain the high species richness. here may be a trend that highland orchids become more important as the height of the range’s main plateau increases. hus, Lely may be the most divergent, unique and species rich of the three ranges for orchids. Orchid Bees A total of 34 species of orchid bees was collected at the three plateaus: 13 at Brownsberg, 22 near Lely and 23 at Nassau. he frequency of bees with orchid pollinaria (pollen sacs) difered signiicantly between Nassau and a lowland location near Lely; at the irst location, none of the bees carried pollinaria, at the second 13 %. More sampling needs to be done before a detailed comparison of the bee faunas of the three ranges can be made. he high frequency of orchid bees with pollinaria at Nassau is unusual and may be linked to the habitat in which most sampling took place, the low elevation cloud forest of the submontane plateau. COMPARISONS BETWEEN THE LELY, NASSAU, AND BROWNSBERG PLATEAUS Habitat Type and Current Status Table 1 presents the current status of the three plateaus. All three plateaus contain six major vegetation types (see Chapter 3 and plant summary above). On the Brownsberg plateau, the forest height and vegetation type changes at very short distances forming a ‘mosaic’ forest, while the vegetation types are more pronounced on the Lely Plateau, where large tracts of uniform vegetation types can be found. Lely difers from Nassau and Brownsberg in the large extent of the mountain savanna forest. he increase in altitude (670 m asl compared to 550 m asl for the other plateaus) appears suicient for the occurrence of several Guayana Highland elements, such as the Ericaceaous Cavendishia. In addition, the very low open forest on the highest slopes has an abundant moss lora (moss forest) with many Orchidaceae. he natural habitats of the Brownsberg plateau are similar to those described from the interior of French Guiana 22 Rapid Assessment Program by De Granville (1994) and also to those of the Nassau and Lely plateaus (De Dijn pers. comm., Chapter 3). he more unique habitats are those associated with the top of the plateaus, such as mountain savanna moss forest and habitats on heavily encrusted soil. hese habitats are divergent in terms of soil and climatological conditions and also vegetation composition. All three areas’ ecosystems are relatively intact owing to low human population density, which presents many unique opportunities for conservation over a relatively large landscape area. However, each of these plateaus has had some impact from humans. Lely is in the most pristine shape, owing mainly to its remoteness and inaccessibility. here is some infrastructure at the Lely airstrip and the air strip work crew engages in hunting, with birds being of particular interest, to supplement their diet. Nassau has a relatively extensive road network that is already fragmenting habitats and facilitating easy access to forest areas, particularly for small-scale gold miners, with subsequent impacts such as hunting. Infrastructure for mining operations at Nassau include a large open cesspool at Nassau and a small camp. Over 11,600 ha of the Brownsberg plateau has been protected within the Brownsberg Nature Park (BNP) since 1970. However, a substantial part of the BNP has been disturbed by humans and is secondary forest, mainly along the main road across the range and at lower elevations, especially along creeks where miners are active. he lowest level of disturbance generally is found above 250 m, in the northwest corner of the range, and at some locations near Lake Brokopondo. Although it is a protected area, the BNP has also been impacted by tourism and faces challenges from unresolved conlicts over land rights and poverty, particularly with regards to Maroon communities. All three plateaus face a number of current and potential threats, the greatest of which are hunting/poaching, logging, habitat fragmentation, and small-scale (gold) and large-scale (bauxite and gold) mining. Encroachment by illegal gold miners is the most imminent threat to all three areas. Considerable efects of human activities (e.g. siltation of streams and deforestation) can already be observed in the foothills of the Nassau and Brownsberg plateaus. Species Richness It is diicult to directly compare the three plateaus since there is much more information and greater research efort for Brownsberg compared to Lely and Nassau. However, we attempt here to make some general comparisons. Table 2 presents the species richness recorded at the three sites. Surveys of plant diversity of the three plateau areas and surrounding areas indicate that all three areas have high diversity compared to most lowland forests plots sampled in western Suriname. he forest stature on the slopes of the plateaus is among the highest forest found in the Northern part of Suriname. While surveys showed Lely to have the highest plant diversity per plot of the three and Nassau the lowest, the diferences are not great enough to distinguish any real Table 1. Current status of the Brownsberg, Lely and Nassau Plateaus. Site Lely Nassau (11,800 ha park) 1 27,500 total1 Elevation, Habitat type Degree of habitat degradation ca. 500 m Six main vegetation types. A mosaic forest of high dryland rainforest, mountain savanna (moss) forest. and liana forest. 5% of park destroyed by illegal gold miners, much secondary forest 32,000 ha2 640-700 m Six main vegetation types. Mostly high dryland rainforest and extensive mountain savanna (moss) forest with Guayana Highland elements. 20,000 ha2,3 500-550 m Six main vegetation types. Mostly high dryland rainforest and high marsh forest. Less extensive mountain savanna (moss) forest. low to moderate moderate Evidence of Logging moderate but high in northern parts low moderate Evidence of Hunting Evidence of Mining Taxonomic groups indicating good conditions or richness Taxonomic groups indicating poor conditions or richness Yes, legal and illegal gold mining Monkeys, Trumpeters and Curassows, Large rodents, Tapir, Frogs, Tortoises, Rare orchids and other rare plant species (esp. species associated with submontane areas and encrusted soil) Fruit bats, plant species that colonize large clearings (incl. invasive & pantropical weeds), human avoidance behavior with primates, low predation and dispersal of large seeds moderate Illegal gold mining nearby and at the base Large mammals, Larger birds, Amphibians Phyllostomine bats, Dung Beetles Ants: Wasmannia scrobifera, haumatomyrmex ferox Ant: Wasmannia auropunctata high Yes Illegal gold mining, Legal bauxite exploration Fishes (6 species new to science, endemic catish), Large mammals, Larger birds Stenodermatine (fruit eating) bats, Dung beetles, Ant: Wasmannia auropunctata moderate but high outside of the park De Dijn et al. , Chapter 13 Olaf Bánki and Hans ter Steege, pers. comm. 3 he three major plateaus of Nassau have a total area of about 5000 ha if only the top of the plateaus and not the slopes are considered (Olaf Bánki and Hans ter Steege, pers. comm.). 1 2 Executive Summary A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) Brownsberg Total Size 23 Executive Summary diferences in plant diversity between the three areas. Lely does difer from Nassau and Brownsberg in that it has a large extent of mountain savanna forest. Lely’s plateau is at suficiently higher elevation than the others such that several Guayana Highland elements are found there (see Chapter 3). he lower orchid richness igures for Lely and Nassau compared to Brownsberg are due to lower collecting effort. Compared to other sites in the Guayana Shield region, Brownsberg has the second-highest recorded orchid species richness. here is no appreciable diference in the avifaunas of the Brownsberg, Lely, and Nassau plateaus. Diferences in the quality and quantity of sampling among the three areas are responsible for diferences in species lists. here isn’t much of a “montane” avifauna in Suriname (Tafelberg being the exception); in fact structurally simpliied habitats over ironstone/bauxite caps generally have relatively few bird species, none of which are restricted to those habitats, and slopes also seem to be depauperate. Tall forest on plateau tops, on the other hand, tends to be quite species-rich, but no more so than similar forest at lower elevations. he most important feature of Lely and Nassau from the bird perspective is the presence of good numbers of large birds such as parrots and guans. hese birds are heavily hunted and captured for the pet trade, so their large numbers at these two sites is signiicant. Brownsberg also houses good populations of these birds, and functions as a wildlife refuge for game birds that tend to be much rarer in the surrounding lowlands. Ribot (2006) conirms that some larger birds (trumpeters, curassows and guans) have returned to Brownsberg after a period of heavy hunting during the internal wars. Only one of the mammal species recorded at Lely and Nassau has not been recorded from Brownsberg (a spiny mouse, Neacomys guianae). he mammal fauna of all three areas is typical of Guayana Shield lowland rainforest and is fairly widely distributed across all three areas, which are very similar in origin but now have diferent degrees of habitat disturbance. Given that Brownsberg is not only a protected area, but also has a longer history of biological studies, it is likely that most of the mammal fauna has a wide distribution, which can help to keep their populations stable. However, Nassau is a more highly impacted area where local reductions or extinctions of some species populations are possible. Any inference about the status of the mammal fauna at both sites is still incomplete and far from accurate; a more extensive survey is required to determine real patterns of the mammalian assemblage. As noted for birds, the most important feature of these three sites may be the presence of good numbers of larger mammals, many of which are globally threatened and under heavy hunting pressure in other areas. Besides butterlies, insects have not been systematically studied at Brownsberg, thus comparisons between the three areas cannot be made for ants or dung beetles. he species richness of these groups is high at Lely and Nassau and would be expected to also be high at Brownsberg. A number 24 Rapid Assessment Program of rare butterlies have been documented at Brownsberg even though much more data are needed. Table 2. Number of species documented on the Lely, Nassau, and Brownsberg plateaus. Plants (including Orchids from botanical collections at Utrecht) All RAP sites in this survey Lely Nassau Brownsberg -- 4871 6941 10601 962 702 1412 Orchids Ants 169 136 79 Dung Beetles 42 37 27 123 Orchid Bees -- 224 325 136 Butterlies -- -- -- 1377 41 (17) 8 88 Amphibians 27 20 16 (31)9 6410 Reptiles 22 16 13 (26)9 8010 Birds (RAP) 121 67 79 - Fishes Birds 35 (11) 8 152 (3) 8 38711 Bats 24 14 19 5412 Small Mammals 4 3 1 2112 Medium and large mammals (including primates) 17 13 8 4112 data from ter Steege et. al (Chapter 3 this volume). Lely based on 1097 specimens, Nassau on 1691 specimens, and Brownsberg on 2572 specimens). 2 listing by Molgo, 11 Oct 2006, based on herbarium material and other reliable sources. 3 listing by Hielkema, 2006, based on some material in his collection. 4 no samples available from Lely sensu strictu; based on sample taken near Diitabiki. 5 based on a modest sample obtained recently at Nassau plateau. 6 based on museum specimens from Brownsberg present at NZCS in Suriname. 7 based on listing by Hajo Gernaat, 2005; most unidentiied species not included in count. 8 number of species of high-altitude streams in parentheses (i.e. excluding 26 species from lowland stream in foot hills of Nassau Mountains); Brownsberg data from Jan Mol, unpublished data. 9 ( ) with additional data from 2006 surveys by Ouboter et. al. (Chapter 11). 10 based on various sources, 26 doubtful species not included in count. 11 various sources, compiled by J.H. Ribot (http://www1.nhl.nl/~ribot/english/); some species removed from Ribot’s list by O’Shea. 12 based on Lim et al. 2005, but excluding 10 species not actually observed at Brownsberg. 1 Executive Summary Endemic Species Species Endemic to the Lely, Nassau or Brownsberg Plateau Given the limited biodiversity survey efort for Suriname and throughout the Guayana Shield, it is diicult to say if any of the species documented on the Lely, Nassau and Brownsberg plateaus are endemic to any of the plateaus proper. No species recorded at Brownsberg are known to be endemic to that area. More information is needed on all of the taxa both within and outside of this area to determine if any species are endemic to the plateaus. he only local endemism possibly documented so far is for a few ish species at Nassau. he streams of the Nassau Plateau revealed six ish species that are new to science and are thus potentially endemic to the Nassau Plateau. No ish species appear to be endemic to the Lely Plateau so far. he reasons for this large diference in endemism are not clear and should be investigated in the future. Some species (e.g. Harttiella crassicauda and Guyanancistrus ‘big mouth’) from high-altitude streams of Nassau Mountains are apparently restricted to this small 20x20 km2 area; but endemism of the other species remains to be established with future collection eforts. he distribution of some ish species could be restricted to a single stream (H. crassicauda in Paramacca Creek) or even a tributary of a stream (e.g. Guyanancistrus‘big mouth’ and the slender form of H. crassicauda). he steep slopes of the Nassau Mountains plateau probably are a biogeographic barrier preventing the dispersal of ishes throughout the mountains/plateau. In the current plant data set there is no proof for endemics speciic for the Brownsberg, Lely, or Nassau plateaus. However, some groups of plants, such as bryophytes, ferns and orchids are thought to show diferences in species composition between lowland and mountainous areas. In Table 3. Animal species recorded at Lely, Nassau and Brownsberg known to be endemic to the Guayana Shield. Group Mammals Species Guyanan Red Howler, Alouatta macconnelli Red-backed bearded Saki, Chiropotes chiropotes Lely Linnaeus’s Mouse opossum, Marmosa murina Nassau Red-handed tamarin, Saguinus midas Red-faced Black Spider monkey, Ateles paniscus Birds Site Lely, Nassau Lely, Nassau Lely, Brownsberg Dubost’s Neacomys, Neacomys dubosti Lely Guiana Neacomys, Neacomys guianae Lely Guyenne Spiny Rat, Proechimys guyannensis Lely White-faced saki, Pithecia pithecia Brownsberg Black-tailed hairy dwarf porcupine, Coendou melanurus Brownsberg Spiny mouse, Neacomys paracou Brownsberg Auyantepui aboreal rice rat, Oecomys auyantepui Brownsberg Red-legged short tailed opossum, Monodelphis brevicaudata Brownsberg Warty Round-eared bat, Lophostoma schulzi Brownsberg Black Curassow, Crax alector Lely, Nassau Marail Guan, Penelope marail Lely, Nassau Caica Parrot, Gypopsitta caica Lely Black Nunbird, Monasa atra Lely Guianan Toucanet, Selenidera piperivora Lely Green Aracari, Pteroglossus viridis Lely Chestnut-rumped Woodcreeper, Xiphorhynchus pardalotus Lely, Nassau Guianan Streaked-Antwren, Myrmotherula surinamensis Lely Brown-bellied Antwren, Myrmotherula gutturalis Lely Todd’s Antwren, Herpsilochmus stictocephalus Lely Black-headed Antbird, Percnostola ruifrons Lely, Nassau Rufous-throated Antbird, Gymnopithys ruigula Lely, Nassau White-throated Pewee, Contopus albogularis Lely, Nassau A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 25 Executive Summary Group Species Guianan Cock-of-the-Rock, Rupicola rupicola Capuchinbird, Perissocephalus tricolor Amphibians Lely, Nassau Lely White-fronted Manakin, Lepidothrix serena Lely Finsch’s Euphonia, Euphonia inschi Lely Golden-sided Euphonia, Euphonia cayennensis Lely Blue-cheeked Parrot, Amazona dufresniana Brownsberg Guianan Pufbird, Notharchus macrorhynchos Brownsberg Golden-collared Woodpecker, Veniliornis cassini Brownsberg McConnell’s Spinetail, Synallaxis macconnelli Brownsberg Black-throated Antshrike, Frederickena viridis Brownsberg Band-tailed Antshrike, Sakesphorus melanothorax Brownsberg Rufous-bellied Antwren, Myrmotherula guttata Brownsberg Spot-tailed Antwren, Herpsilochmus sticturus Brownsberg Dusky Purpletuft, Iodopleura fusca Brownsberg Tiny Tyrant-Manakin, Tyranneutes virescens Brownsberg Blue-backed Tanager, Cyanicterus cyanicterus Brownsberg Red-and-black Grosbeak, Periporphyrus erythromelas Brownsberg Colostethus beebei (toad) Eleutherodactylus chiastonotus (frog) 26 Lely White-throated Manakin, Corapipo gutturalis Colostethus degranvillei (toad) Reptiles Site Lely Lely, Nassau Nassau Eleutherodactylu zeuctotylu (frog) Lely Chiasmocleis shudikarensis (frog) Lely, Nassau Atelopus hoogmoedi (= A. spumarius hoogmoedi; toad) Brownsberg Cochranella oyampiensis (frog) Brownsberg Colostethus granti (frog) Brownsberg Osteocephalus cabrerai (frog) Brownsberg Scinax proboscideus (frog) Brownsberg Eleutherodactylus inguinalis (frog) Brownsberg Leptodactylus longirostris (frog) Brownsberg Leptodactylus meyersi (frog) Brownsberg Pipa aspera (frog) Brownsberg Rhinatrema bivittatum (worm salamander) Brownsberg Microcaecilia unicolor (worm salamander) Brownsberg Gonatodes annularis (gecko) Lely Neusticurus rudis (lizard) Lely, Nassau Atractus zidoki (snake) Brownsberg Micrurus collaris (snake) Brownsberg Leptotyphlops collaris (snake) Brownsberg Rapid Assessment Program Executive Summary the mountain savanna forest many yet unidentiied Myrtaceae species occur, making it diicult to determine the conservation value of the forest type at this moment. Species Endemic to Suriname hree tree species, Copaifera epunctata (Fabaceae), Phoradendron pulleanum (Santalaceae), and Sloanea gracilis (Elaeocarpaceae) that are thought to be endemic to Suriname were collected at Brownsberg and Lely. However, these possible endemics for Suriname could also be the result of low collection eforts in the Guianas and the surrounding countries. Species Endemic to the Guayana Shield Eight mammal species recorded in Lely and Nassau are endemic to the Guayana Shield (Table 3). One of these species, Ateles paniscus (Red-faced black spider monkey) also occurs at Brownsberg. Brownsberg has an additional six species endemic to the Guayana Shield (Table 3). However, as noted above, further surveys are needed at Lely and Nassau to assess the presence and status of the mammal fauna. Nineteen species of Guayana Shield bird endemics, or approximately 50% of those occurring in Suriname, were recorded at Lely and Nassau (Table 3). Contopus albogularis has one of the most restricted geographic ranges of any bird species in the Guayana Shield and Phaethornis malaris (Great-billed Hermit) also has a restricted range in the Guianas. Neither of these species has been recorded from adjacent Guyana. In addition to most of the aforementioned species, twelve additional Guayana Shield bird endemics have been recorded at Brownsberg (Table 3). Overall, the Lely-Nassau-Brownsberg region contains at least 75% of the Guayana Shield endemics that are known to occur in Suriname. Of the known herpetofauna, six species of amphibians and two species of reptiles documented at Lely and Nassau are endemic to the Guayana Shield. An additional 15 species at Brownsberg are also known to be endemic to this region (Table 3). In the current plant data set from the three bauxite plateaus, several species such as Dicranopygium pygmaeum (Cyclanthaceae), Elaphoglossum latifolium (Lomariopsidaceae), Lonchitis hisuta (Dennstaedtiaceae), helypteris holodictya (helypteridaceae), and hrichomanes membranaceum (Hymwnophyllaceae) are found that are thought to be strictly endemic, at least in the Guianas, to the mountain savanna forest (moss forest) and rocky creek beds. At Lely some plant Table 4. Threatened mammal species recorded at Lely, Nassau and Brownsberg. Group Bats Species Carriker’s Round-eared Bat, Lophostoma carrikeri (VU) Larger Mammals Brownsberg Dark Fruit-eating bat, Artibeus obscurus (LR/nt) Lely, Nassau Nassau Glyphonycteris daviesi (LR/nt) Brownsberg Glyphonycteris sylvestris (LR/nt) Brownsberg Phyllostomus latifolius (LR/nt) Brownsberg Vampyressa brocki (LR/nt) Brownsberg Red-backed bearded Saki, Chiropotes chiropotes (DD) Lely Guyanan Red Howler, Alouatta macconnelli (VU) Nassau, Lely Brazilian Tapir, Tapirus terrestris (VU) Nassau, Lely Jaguar, Panthera onca (LR/nt) Cougar, Puma concolor (LR/nt) Brocket Deer, Mazama sp. (DD) Giant Anteater, Myrmecophaga tridactyla (VU) Small and Medium Size Mammals Lely Lophostoma schulzi (VU) Brown Fruit-eating bat, Koopmania concolor (LR/nt) Primates Site Lely Nassau Nassau, Lely, Brownsberg Lely Bush dog, Speothos venaticus (VU) Brownsberg Oncilla, Leopardus tigrinus (LR/nt) Brownsberg Giant armadillo, Priodontes maximus (EN) Brownsberg Dubost’s Neacomys, Neocomys dubosti (DD) Lely Woolly opossum, Caluromys philander (LR/nt) Brownsberg Delicate slender mouse opossum, Marmosops parvidens (LR/nt) Brownsberg White-faced tree rat, Echimys chrysurus (VU) Brownsberg A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 27 Executive Summary 28 species, e.g. Cavendishia callista (Ericaceae) that belong to the Guayanan Highlands were also found in the mountain savanna forest. ian and reptile species documented at Lely and Nassau have been evaluated by the IUCN Red List but none are categorized higher than Least Concern (LR/lc). Threatened Species Species New to Science and Range Extensions he IUCN Red List categorizes species based on the degree to which they are threatened (IUCN 2006). Categories, from less threatened to most threatened, include: Data Deicient (DD, not enough is known to make an assessment), Lower Risk (LR) which includes Conservation Dependent (cd), Near hreatened (nt), and Least Concern (lc, listed but not threatened), Vulnerable (VU), Endangered (EN), and Critically Endangered (CR) (IUCN 2006). Ten tree species recorded on the three plateaus are listed by IUCN as threatened; the abundance of each species difers between the three plateaus. hese species are: Vouacapoua americana (CR), Apeiba intermedia (DD), Virola surinamensi (EN), Minquartia guianensis (LR/nt), Pouteria rodriguesiana (LR/nt), Copaifera epunctata (VU), Macrolobium amplexans (VU), Couratari guianensis (VU), Corythophora labriculata (VU), and Bertholletia excelsa (VU). Five tree species recorded are protected under Surinamese law: Bertholletia excelsa, Manilkara bidentata, and species of Dipteryx and Copaifera. All the mammal species recorded at Lely and Nassau are on the IUCN Red List of hreatened Species, but most are classiied as Lower Risk -Least Concern (LR/lc). Eleven species are considered of signiicant conservation concern. An additional 13 mammal species recorded at Brownsberg are also threatened. Table 4 lists the threatened mammal species recorded at the three areas that are categorized above LR/lc. More information is needed on the mammals at Lely and Nassau to be able to say whether the species known from Brownsberg are also present at these two sites. A diet based on algae, a low fecundity, sedentary habits and restricted distribution all make the rare catish, Harttiella crassicauda, very vulnerable to increasing human activities on the Nassau Plateau. his species can be considered an endangered species and it should be included in the IUCN red list of endangered species. Eforts are underway to get this species on the IUCN red list. Four of the bird species recorded at Brownsberg are of conservation concern: Harpy Eagle, Harpia harpyua; Olivesided Flycatcher, Contopus borealis; Blue-cheeked Parrot, Amazona dufresniana and Scarlet Macaw, Ara macao. Amazona dufresniana is listed as LR/nt and is of conservation concern in the Guianas due to its value in the wildlife trade. No threatened bird species were recorded at Lely or Nassau, although a talon from a large raptor seen at Lely may be from a Harpy Eagle or Crested Eagle, both of which are threatened (LR/nt). Additional bird surveys of these two plateaus are needed to determine if any of these or other threatened bird species are present. One frog species (Atelopus hoogmoedi) and the Yellow-footed tortoise (Geochelone denticulata) known from Brownsberg are listed as VU by IUCN. All of the amphib- A high number (24) of species that are likely new to science was documented at Lely and Nassau during the RAP survey. hese included ive amphibian species, four ish species (and one new sub-species), 13 dung beetle species and at least one ant species (more new species are likely as species are analyzed). A new species of Atelopus was also found at Nassau in 2006 (see Chapter 11 and photo pages). New species of insects are common, but so many new species of amphibians and ishes indicates that this area has a very high overall diversity and likely harbors many more species yet to discover. No species new to science have been recorded at Brownsberg in recent years, but few studies have been conducted for these taxonomic groups. hus new species and range extensions in these groups are also likely to be found at Brownsberg. On the Nassau Plateau a recently new described plant species from French Guiana of hymelaeaceae (Daphnopsis granvillei) was found abundantly at times in the undergrowth. In the Lely Mountains and surrounding area some plants have been found with a known or possible Amazonian distribution. At the base of Lely Poulsenia armata (Moraceae) was found in the inventory plots. his species had not been previously collected in Suriname, and has a more Amazonian distribution. Based on collections from the Lely Mountains and from the southern lowlands of Suriname and Northern Brazil, a new Annonaceae, Guatteria anthracina was described by Scharf et al. (2006). Plant collections from the Brownsberg Plateau might indicate a new species of Danaea (Marattiaceae; Christenhusz pers. comm.) and a new species of Trigynaea (Annonaceae; Maas pers. comm.), but further research is needed. Many species of ants recorded at Lely and Nassau are new records for Suriname. Nine species are deinite new records while up to 85 species (half of the 169 species documented) may also be new records for Suriname (pending further study). Two genera were recorded for the irst time in Suriname and are represented by three species: Acanthognathus lentus, Acanthognathus cf. ocellatus, and Cryptomyrmex cf. longinodus. Rapid Assessment Program CONSERVATION CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS (see also each chapter for detailed recommendations for each taxonomic group) I. ALL THREE PLATEAuS, LELY, NASSAu AND BROWNSBERG, SHOuLD RECEIVE INCREASED PROTECTION OF THEIR BIODIVERSITY. Each of these areas contains a high proportion of Suriname’s biodiversity including both lowland and higher elevation species, many threatened species, and high numbers of spe- Executive Summary cies endemic to the Guayana Shield. Worldwide amphibian declines have resulted in the loss of many higher elevation amphibian faunas, so the presence of abundant and diverse amphibian assemblages at Nassau and Lely is of signiicant global conservation value. he presence of many large mammals and larger birds at all three sites indicates their importance as a refuge for these species, which are heavily hunted in other areas. All three plateaus contain great habitat diversity that includes typical lowland forest habitats as well as more unique habitats at higher elevations (> 400 m) that are not widely found in the region. 1) Each of the three plateaus warrants protection for its own unique features: a) Lely has high habitat and species richness for all taxonomic groups surveyed, as well as good forest conditions. Lely is relatively inaccessible and has not had many human impacts. It thus presents an excellent opportunity to protect a large area of high biodiversity, pristine dryland rainforest, and exceptional mountain savanna forest. b) Nassau has been more heavily impacted, but still contains high biodiversity and good populations of large mammals and birds. Nassau also contains a rare and unique ish fauna. his area is particularly vulnerable to encroachment by illegal gold miners who are already active there. Action, especially to control access roads, must be taken immediately to protect Nassau from this threat. c) Brownsberg contains a Nature Park that already provides some protection to the plateau, but threats still encroach upon the rest of the range and must be addressed. he biodiversity of Brownsberg has been fairly well studied, thus providing excellent opportunities for monitoring and assessment of protection eforts. 2) he mechanism for conservation of these sites should be developed through a collaborative approach between public and private institutions, including local communities, to address and halt the threats currently and potentially facing these sites. Some possible mechanisms include: a) Empower and fund the Nature Conservation Division of the Suriname government to increase monitoring in all three areas, especially for hunting and illegal mining. b) Create a Nature Park on the Nassau Plateau to protect the unique Paramacca Creek watershed. Urgent action is needed at Nassau due to the higher level of human pressures there. c) Engage the local people including the traditional communities in the area, particularly the Paramaka Maroons (Nassau and Lely), Aukaner/Okanisi or Djuka Maroons (Lely), Saramaka Maroons (Brownsberg) and also the non-traditional communities such as the small-scale gold miners. d) Integrate the protection of key areas into any development plans for the plateaus (e.g. mining planning). Key areas include the Paramacca watershed at Nassau, the pristine higher elevation forests of Lely, and the vegetation along creeks at Brownsberg. he Lely and Nassau Plateaus are concessions of the joint venture Suralco (Alcoa) and BHP-Billiton bauxite mining companies. Suralco is also involved in large-scale gold exploration by Newmont in the foothills of the Nassau and Brownsberg Mountains. e) Explore potential tourism opportunities in the two areas as an alternative income for local communities to reduce their dependence on the bushmeat trade, logging, and gold mining. II. INTEGRATE THE LELY, NASSAu AND BROWNSBERG PLATEAuS INTO A REGIONAL CONSERVATION STRATEGY. All three plateaus are key components of a broad international biodiversity protection plan for the Guayana Shield (Huber and Foster 2003). 1) Conduct a study of the biological and socio-economic values of the Lely, Nassau and Brownsberg plateaus. Based on that information, regional land use plans should be developed to guide decision-making on what activities can, or cannot, take place in certain areas. Without this type of planning, the areas will continue to be subject to haphazard and uncoordinated activities, leading to overall poor resource management and degradation of biological resources. 2) Follow up on the IBAP Recommendations (Chapter 2) by an inclusive group of stakeholders that includes government, universities, conservation groups, mining companies, and local communities. III. HuNTING POSES A SIGNIFICANT THREAT TO THE LARGE MAMMALS, LARGER BIRDS AND DuNG BEETLES OF BOTH SITES AND MuST BE CONTROLLED. Hunting pressure is especially strong at Nassau but is also occurring in the Lely area. Healthy mammal and dung beetle communities are especially important for maintaining primary and secondary seed dispersal that may be essential for plant regeneration and forest dynamics. Many large birds (currassows and guans) were seen regularly at Lely in 2003 but the 2005 RAP team found much evidence of hunted birds and shotgun shells. 1) Prevent access to hunters along roads. Hunting pressure is particularly high at Nassau where a network of roads has facilitated entry by local hunters. hese roads need to be minimized and controlled. A number of footpaths at Lely also apparently facilitate movement of hunters and small-scale gold miners as evinced by the large number of discharged shotgun shells and abandoned camps. A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 29 Executive Summary 2) Educate and supplement food for local workers. Workers at the Lely airstrip engage in hunting to supplement their diet, with birds and primates being of particular interest, and there was evidence of hunting (discharged shotgun shells) around the Nassau exploration base camp, athough it could not be determined who was engaging in the activity. Provision of regular protein sources for the work crews, along with improved education and regulation of their hunting, should be promoted to lessen hunting pressure from local work crews in both sites. Incentives should be given to the workers to minimize hunting, especially of species that they are not killing for food. 3) Make an alliance against hunting with all who have access to Lely and Nassau, including airline companies, trucking companies, the Surinamese Airline Authorities, the Nature Conservation Division, and the mining companies (BHP-Billiton, Suralco, Newmont). his would help to control the distribution and sale of bushmeat from Lely and Nassau. he Nature Division of the Surinamese Forestry Service could also control the internal transport of bushmeat from the interior at Zorg en Hoop. 4) Conduct research to determine which larger mammal and bird species are targeted and most heavily impacted. he population sizes of key species that are most heavily hunted and most highly threatened in this area can then be determined and used to inform more speciic recommendations on conserving key species threatened by hunting. 5) Enforce hunting regulations, especially at Nassau. Dung beetle communities at both sites are likely suffering from hunting since their food source, mammal dung, is decreased. he strongest hunting pressures seemed to be at Nassau, where unusually low dung beetle abundance was the observed. Stricter regulations and enforcement of hunting practices could make a big diference to dung beetles as well as mammals. Preventing what appears to be widespread hunting at Nassau should be a top priority. IV. MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY OF FOREST STREAMS. Streams in the Lely and Nassau Mountains typically have a sandy, gravel or rocky bottom and oxygenrich, very clear water. he ishes are adapted to these environmental conditions. he amphibians and ishes found at Lely and Nassau, including the possible new species, depend on clean, quality water for their survival. Plants occurring down stream and their associated ish and invertebrate species are vulnerable to sedimentation. Suspended and deposited sediments can negatively afect ish reproduction and algae-based ish food. Our ish survey shows that the watersheds on the plateau are currently largely intact on both the 30 Rapid Assessment Program Lely and Nassau plateaus. hree of the potentially new frog species are known only from forest streams, and two more potentially new species also utilized steam habitat, indicating that forested streams are key reservoirs of biodiversity on both mountains. 1) Prevent sedimentation and runof from mining, roads, and clearings, which all have negative impacts on the water quality in the streams. On both the Lely and Nassau plateaus, human activities, including gold mining, logging, agriculture, hunting, and base camp construction currently threaten the integrity of the aquatic ecosystems. hese impacts are particularly high in the foothills. Since we have identiied streams as keystone habitat whose importance is disproportionate to their area, we recommend a forest bufer of at least 50 m on both sides of all creeks at the two sites. 2) Protect upper catchment of Paramacca Creek at Nassau. Based on our current knowledge, protection of the rare catish Harttiella crassicauda from extinction is only possible by protecting its habitat in this creek. Control and restrict access to the Paramacca Creek catchment, especially with regard to small-scale gold miners, loggers and local people (shifting cultivation plots). Any development at Nassau should restrict water extraction from Paramacca Creek by utilizing rainwater collection facilities. Minimize pollution of Paramacca Creek by creating waste collection/treatment facilities and prohibiting bathing, washing and spilling of chemicals/materials in Paramacca Creek. Water quality, hydrology and catchment integrity should be monitored by government agencies. We recommend that an analysis be done of future impacts of the current Nassau mining base camp on the watershed, especially due to sedimentation from runof and pollution from human habitation of the camp, to determine if there will be any long term impacts of the camp and whether the base camp should be moved further from the river. 3) Initiate a water-quality monitoring program of the status of several key aquatic taxa (including ishes, amphibians, plants, and selected invertebrate groups) as well as water quality and sedimentation to create a baseline and identify negative impacts to aquatic resources before they become irreversible. he creek at the Nassau basecamp is a ‘keystone habitat’, one that is essential to a wide variety of organisms, especially amphibians. Monitoring speciic responses to certain indicators is essential. We recommend following standard aquatic monitoring protocols at regular intervals (at least twice a year, see Chapter 10 for more details). V. MINIMIzE FRAGMENTATION OF THE NATuRAL HABITAT AND CONTROL ACCESS ROuTES. his is particularly crucial at Nassau, where a relatively Executive Summary extensive road network is already fragmenting habitats and facilitating easy access to forest areas. Many small organisms, including dung beetles and ants, are known to be especially sensitive to fragmentation. Even slight perturbations of the forest, such as the loss of plant diversity and changes in soil microclimate, are known to strongly afect these groups. Roads and other access routes provide access not only to humans but also to invasive species. 1) Minimize the number of access routes. he road network at Nassau should be blocked, reforested and monitored for illegal access. Footpaths and other access routes in all three areas should be minimized and regulated. Any future development in the three plateau areas must take great care to create a minimal access network, especially roads. 2) Maintain large areas of forest. Although deforestation is still not widespread at either site, it is important to keep large areas of primary forest to maintain intact communities of all taxa, especially mammals and dung beetles. Reptiles and amphibians need at least 1500 ha as the ‘minimum critical area’ necessary to protect a reasonably intact sample of the local fauna. We suggest that forest blocks of at least this size be preserved at Lely and Nassau. 3) Monitor several key species or groups that depend on intact forest to ensure healthy populations and to detect changes as early as possible to prevent serious declines. Target groups should include large and small mammals, amphibians, and several insect groups. Since small mammals are highly dependent on forest structure for their survival and constitute a key component of the diet of large animals, monitoring small mammal diversity and abundance is a good way to track the integrity of the forest ecosystem. 4) Control logging, which accelerates habitat fragmentation and degradation and has already begun to impact several groups, especially dung beetles, ants, and mammals. VI. ENHANCE PROTECTION OF BROWNSBERG NATuRE PARK AND OTHER PARTS OF THE PLATEAu. 1) Protect the Brownsberg range through i) efective law enforcement in and around the Park, ii) formal establishment and southward extension of the bufer zone, iii) a management plan for the larger area that includes the Park and the extended bufer zone, and iv) attempts to restore areas damaged by gold mining. 2) Expand tourism activities to i) the central and southern part of the Brownsberg range, ii) the Brokopondo lakeside area, and iii) the village of Brownsweg. 3) Continue monitoring human activities, biodiversity and the environment, including i) analyzing the data generated by STINASU in the course of the BNP Monitoring Program from 2002 to 2005, and ii) implementing a modiied monitoring program (BMP) based on the results and recommendations of the data analysis. 4) Make full use of the results of research and monitoring data, meaning that i) the planning and management of the Park is guided by the results, and ii) the results are used as inputs for a variety of information products, as well as for public awareness and education activities in the Park and in the capital Paramaribo. 5) Create a super-structure for the Brownsberg-Brownsweg area, possibly linked to a MUMA (Multiple-Use Management Area), that would at least allow for i) conlict resolution between STINASU, the village of Brownsweg, and local miners and other operators, ii) a dialogue on land use with the stakeholders, and iii) conservation and development projects that beneit the local community. VII. MONITOR TO DETECT THE PRESENCE OF THE CHYTRID FuNGuS, BATRACHOCHYTRIUM DENDROBATIDIS IN ADuLT FROGS ALONG FOREST STREAMS. his fungus has been linked to amphibian declines in many parts of the Neotropics. Global amphibian declines have resulted in the loss of many moderate- to high-elevation anurofaunas, so the presence of abundant, diverse, stream-associated amphibian assemblages at Nassau and Lely is of signiicant conservation value. he densities we observed at Nassau and Lely are comparable to pre-decline data from forest streams and adjacent forest in Panama, suggesting that the stream-associated fauna of Nassau and Lely have not experienced the dramatic declines that have occurred in other parts of the Neotropics. Although we are not aware of reports of amphibian declines from the Guianas, conditions favorable for the occurrence of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis are predicted to occur in the vicinity of Nassau and Lely Mountains. 1) Initiate an ongoing detection and monitoring project. he presence of B. dendrobatidis can be detected via analysis of dermal swabs from live animals. We recommend collecting 300 swabs/visit (i.e., one swab per individual from the irst 300 individuals encountered). To detect the presence of B. dendobatidis, analysis may be conducted on pooled samples of 10 swabs. 2) Alert amphibian conservation biologists if the fungus is detected. Individual analysis of all swabs will be necessary to identify infected species. Should B. dendrobatidis be detected, the Declining Amphibian Population Task Force (http://www.open.ac.uk/daptf/index.htm) should be contacted for recommended action. A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 31 Executive Summary ADDITIONAL RESEARCH PRIORITIES I. Biodiversity surveys during the rainy season for all taxa are needed to compile a more complete inventory of species. As the RAP surveys were conducted at the height of the dry season, similar surveys in these areas during the rainy season are needed, particularly for groups that may be more active in the wet season, such as amphibians, and for groups that may lower (plants) or breed in the rainy season (birds). II. Surveys of both lowland streams in the foot hills (especially Paramacca Creek) and high-altitude streams on the plateau of Nassau (and Lely) plateaus are needed to better understand (1) the ecology and evolution of the unique ish communities of the plateau and (2) diversity and endemism of Guayana Shield ish faunas in general. III. Research on the biodiversity of the Paramacca Creek watershed, including conducting similar surveys during the rainy season. IV. Research on the rare catish Harttiella crassicauda should be initiated and stimulated by BHP Billiton and Suralco, conservation organizations, and the Surinamese government. Speciic actions include: a. More information about the occurrence of H. crassicauda in Paramacca Creek (and its tributary streams) at lower elevations and in two other streams draining Nassau Mountains (Anjumarakreek and an unnamed stream); b. More information about the (reproductive/feeding) biology of H. crassicauda to better understand its ecology. c. More information about the relationship of H. crassicauda with other catishes of the subfamily Loricariinae (DNA analysis). When properly protected the unique ish H. crassicauda could become a symbol for good environmental management practices. d. Immediate actions should be taken to initiate the process leading to inclusion of H. crassicauda on the IUCN/ CITES red list of endangered species. V. Research on the population sizes and viability of key species. Both Lely and Nassau are important for biodiversity conservation since they contain a high diversity of large mammals, as well as several new species of amphibians and dung beetles. Determining the IUCN red list status of the species new to science will depend on estimating the geographic range of these species, so special efort should be made to determine their area of occurrence. We recommended expanded surveys of streams on the two mountains and in adjacent lowlands in order to more accurately quantify abundance and extent of occurrence of stream-associated frogs, particularly new species whose distributions are unknown. 32 Rapid Assessment Program VI. Further plant inventories of Nassau and Lely, in which herbarium specimens are collected as well as live specimens, especially for plants that are associated with rocky creek beds and mountain savanna forest. hese should include surveys to assess the presence of rare plant species and the habitats in which they occur, including orchids and plants associated with habitats with encrusted soil. VII. Further research on the potentially new species for science observed on all three plateaus, especially for frogs and ishes. Conduct additional inventories for taxonomic groups for which we have very little information such as dung beetles, bees and ants, especially at Brownsberg. More orchid bee samples need to be obtained form all three ranges, and the relationship between orchids and orchid bees at these ranges should be investigated. REFERENCES Bánki, O.S., H. ter Steege, M. Jansen-Jacobs and U.P.D. Raghoenandan. 2003. Plant diversity of the Nassau Mountains, Suriname. Report of the 2003 Expedition. NHN-Utrecht Branch, Utrecht University. Utrecht, Netherlands. Huber, O. and M.N. Foster. 2003. Conservation Priorities for the Guayana Shield: 2002 Consensus. Conservation International. Washington, D.C. IUCN (he World Conservation Union). 2006. IUCN Red List of hreatened Species. Web site: http://www. iucnredlist.org. Ribot, J.H. 2006. Birds in Suriname, South America. Web site: http://www1.nhl.nl/~ribot/english/ Scharf, U, P.J.M. Maas & W. Morawetz. 2006. Five new species of Guatteria (Annonaceae) from French Guiana, Guyana and Suriname. Blumea 51. ter Steege, H., O.S. Bánki, M. Jansen-Jacobs, G. Ramharakh and K. Tjon. 2005. Plant diversity of the Lely Mountains, Suriname. Draft Report of the Nov-Dec 2004 Expedition. NHN-Utrecht Branch, Utrecht University. Utrecht, Netherlands. ter Steege, H., O.S. Bánki, T.R. van Andel, J. BehariRamdas and G. Ramharakh. 2004. Plant diversity of the Brownsberg Nature Park, Suriname. Report of the Nov-Dec 2003 Expedition. NHN-Utrecht Branch, Utrecht University. Utrecht, Netherlands. Rapportage in Vogelvlucht EEN SNELLE BIOLOGISCHE TAXATIE VAN DE PLATEAUS VAN LELY EN NASSAU, SURINAME ONDERZOEKSPERIODE 25 oktober – 6 november, 2005 BESCHRIJVING VAN DE ONDERZOEKSGEBIEDEN Lely Gebergte en Nassau Gebergte zijn twee plateaus in Oost-Suriname die gekarakteriseerd worden door een stevige dikke korst in de bovenste bodemlaag, voornamelijk gevormd door geconsolideerd ferriet (Fe) en bauxiet (Al). Lely Gebergte heeft een serie plateaus met een maximum hoogte van ongeveer 700 meters en Nassau Gebergte bestaat uit vier plateaus, die varieren van 500 – 570 meters. Het RAP onderzoek was gericht op habitats boven 500 m, bij Lely: bergsavannebos, hoogdrooglandbos, palmzwampen, en secundaire groei, en te Nassau: hoogdrooglandbos, wat bergsavannabos, beperkte stukken palmzwampen, secundairbos en vegetatie in gebieden die ontbost waren ten behoeve van de infrastructuur zoals wegen en een begroeide landingsbaan. Deze plateaus bieden vele stroomgebieddiensten voor lokale - en kustgemeenschappen, alsook werkgelegenheid (hoofdzakelijk kleinschalige goudwinning), voedsel, medicijnen en bouwmaterialen voor lokale gemeenschappen. REDENEN VOOR HET BIODIVERSITEIT SCHATTINGSONDERZOEK Het Biodiversiteit Schattingsonderzoek van de plateaus van Lely en Nassau is uitgevoerd om de biodiversiteitgegevens voor Oost-Suriname aan te vullen. Uit de “Priority Setting Workshop” van 2002 is naar voren gekomen dat we bepaalde biodiversiteitsgegevens missen die belangrijk zijn voor de planning van natuurbehoud voor deze plateaus in het Guiana Schild. De gegevens die verzameld zijn voor vogels, zoogdieren, vissen, amibieën, reptielen, mieren, en mestkevers zullen bijdragen tot beter begrip van de fauna en lora van deze twee plateaus. Ook maken deze gegevens een vergelijkingen mogelijk van de biodiversiteit van Nassau en Lely met het plateau van Brownsberg (zie Uitgebreide samenvatting voor vergelijkingen) en met andere gebieden van het Guiana Schild. Ten slotte zullen de gegevens gebruikt worden door BHP-Billiton Maatschappij Suriname en Suralco als deel van hun Mijnbouw Overeenkomst om biodiversiteitsoverwegingen te incorporeren in de vroege stadia van besluitvorming voor elke mijnoperatie die zij in deze gebieden zullen ondernemen. Het is ons streven om informatie te verschafen zodat mijnbouwondernemingen die in deze gebieden werken het behoud van biodiversiteit in hun projectplanning opnemen. BELANGRIJKSTE RESULTATEN Lely en Nassau Plateaus • Hoge fauna diversiteit (zie tabel hieronder), • Ten minste 27 soorten endemisch voor het Guiana Schild, • Ten minste 24 soorten nieuw voor de wetenschap, wat illustreert hoe weinig wij weten van deze gebieden en het geheel Guiana Schild, A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 33 • • Veel soorten en grote aantallen individuen van grote zoogdieren en grote vogels (e.g. papegaaien, powisi’s, marais), wat aantoont dat deze gebieden mogelijk als ‘veilige haven’ dienen voor grotere soorten, Hoewel nog steeds in goede staat, worden beide gebieden zwaar bedreigd door menselijke activiteiten, vooral ongereguleerde jacht wat direct gevolg heeft voor grote zoogdieren en vogels, en ook illegale goudmijnbouwactiviteiten aan de voet van de heuvels hebben gevolgen voor grote zoogdieren en vogels. Lely Plateau • Hogere soortenrijkdom van planten, orchideeën, zoogdieren, amibieën, mieren, vogels, en mestkevers dan Nassau, waarschijnlijk vanwege een combinatie van factoren, inclusief het feit dat het Lely Gebergte groter en hoger is, zodat de uitgestrektheid van elk bostype groter is. Hogere diversiteit van zoogdieren en mestkevers kan ook beinvloed zijn geweest door de meer ongerepte conditie van de habitats in vergelijking met Nassau, • Het Lely Gebergte biedt uitstekende mogelijkheden voor conservering vanwege relatief weinig menselijke invloeden, kleine bevolkingsdichtheid en haast onmogelijke toegang. Nassau Plateau • Hoge soortenrijkdom en endemisme van vissen in hooggelegen beekjes, • Hartiella crassicauda, een zeldzame meerval die endemisch is voor het plateau van Nassau, werd voor het eerst weer gedocumenteerd sinds 1949, • Het Nassau Gebergte is sterker beinvloed door menselijke activiteiten, vooral met betrekking tot jacht en habitatfragmentatie, als gevolg van toegangswegen die zijn aangelegd om kleinschalige mijnbouwactiviteiten en exploratieactiviteiten voor kleinschalige mijnbouw mogelijk te maken AANTALLEN GEREGISTREERDE SOORTEN Beide Schattings gebieden 169 42 41 27 22 121 Lely Nassau Mieren 136 79 Mestkevers 37 27 Vissen 8 35 Amibieën 20 16 (31)** Reptielen 16 13 (26)** Vogels (RAP) 67 79 Vogels (2003) * (152) Vleermuizen 24 14 19 Kleine Zoogdieren 4 3 1 Grote Zoogdieren 17 13 8 (inclusief apen) Totaal 467 314 277 *O’Shea, Hoofdstuk 8 ** ( ) – additionele gegevans van Ouboter et al. (Hoofdstuk 11) 34 Rapid Assessment Program NIEUWE SOORTEN VOOR DE WETENSCHAP Amibieën Eelutherodactylus (4 soorten) Adenomera (1 soorten) Atelopus (1 (onder) soort) Vissen Guyanancistrus (1 soort) Harttiella (1 (onder) soort) Lithoxus (3 soorten) Trichomycterus af. conradi (1 soort) Mieren Pyramica (1 soort) Mestkevers Anomiopus (~ 2 soorten) Ateuchus (~ 2 soorten) Canthidium (~ 3 soorten) Eurysternus (~ 3 soorten) Sylvicanthon sp. nov. Uroxys (~ 2 soorten) SOORTEN DIE NIEUW ZIJN VOOR DE FAUNA VAN SURINAME Mieren: Genera Acanthognathus: A. lentus en A. cf. ocellatus Cryptomyrmex cf. longinodus Mieren: Soorten Pyramica auctidens Pyramica cincinnata Pyramica crassicornis Pyramica halosis Strumigenys cosmostela Strumigenys trinidadensis BEDREIGDE SOORTEN (IUCN 2006 CATEGORIE) Vleermuizen Lophostoma carrikeri (Kwetsbaar) Donkere fruitetende vleermuis, Artibeus obscurus (Lager Risico/Bijna Bedreigd Bruine fruitetende vleermuis, Koopmania concolor (Lager Risico/ Bijna Bedreigd) Apen Rode Brulaap, Alouatta macconnelli (Kwetsbaar) Roodruggige baardsaki, Chiropotes chiropotes (Gegevens afwezig) Grote zoogdieren Braziliaaanse Tapir, Tapirus terrestris (Kwetsbaar) Jaguar, Panthera onca (Lager Risico/Bijna Bedreigd) Poema, Puma concolor (Lager Risico/Bijna Bedreigd) Hert, Mazama sp. (Gegevens afwezig)) Reuzenmiereneter, Myrmecophaga tridactyla (Kwetsbaar) Dubost’s stekelmuis, Neocomys dubosti (Gegevens afwezig) ENDEMISCHE SOORTEN VAN HET GUIANA SCHILD zoogdieren: Guiana Rode Brulaap, Alouatta macconnelli Roodruggige baardsaki, Chiropotes chiropotes Buidelrat, Marmosa murina Roodhand tamarin/ Saguwenke, Saguinus midas Kwata/ Zwarte Spinaap, Ateles paniscus Dubost’s stekelmuis, Neacomys dubosti Stekelmuis, Neacomys guianae Guyanese stekelrat/ Maka alata, Proechimys guyannensis Vogels Powisi, Crax alector Marai, Penelope marail Gypopsitta caica Roodsnavel/ Redimofo, Monasa atra Stonkuyake, Selenidera piperivora Stonkuyake, Pteroglossus viridis Xiphorhynchus pardalotus Mirafowru, Myrmotherula surinamensis Mirafowru, Myrmotherula gutturalis Mirafowru, Herpsilochmus stictocephalus Mirafowru, Percnostola ruifrons Mirafowru, Gymnopithys ruigula Tyarman/ Tityari, Contopus albogularis Rotshaan, Rupicola rupicola Busikaw, Perissocephalus tricolor Manakin, Corapipo gutturalis Manakin, Lepidothrix serena Blauwdas/ Kanarie, Euphonia inschi Grangrandir/ Kanarie, Euphonia cayennensis Amibieën Colostethus beebei Colostethus degranvillei Eleutherodactylus chiastonotus Eleutherodactylu zeuctotylus Chiasmocleis shudikarensis Reptielen Gonatodes annularis Neusticurus rudis Vissen Harttiella crassicauda (endemisch voor Nassau Plateau) Guyanancistrus ‘grote mond’ NATUURBEHOUD CONSLUSIES VAN HET BIODIVERSITEIT SCHATTINGSONDERZOEK (zie Uitgebreide Samenvatting voor meer details) 1. Wij bevelen aan dat de plateaus Lely en Nassau (en ook Brownsberg – zie Uitgebreide Samenvatting) verhoogde niveaus van bescherming van de biodiversiteit krijgen. Alle drie gebieden hebben een groot deel van Surinames biodiversiteit en bevatten grote habitatdiversiteit met typische laagland boshabitats, alsook meer unieke habitats op grotere hoogten (>400 m) die niet overal in het Guiana Schild gebied gevonden worden. Wereldwijde afname van amibieën heeft geresulteerd in verlies van vele amibieën op grotere hoogten, dus de aanwezigheid van gezonde, met bergbeken geassocieerde amibieënpopulaties op Nassau en Lely heeft grotere conserveringswaarde. Deze gebieden bieden bescherming aan vele bedreigde soorten en soorten die endemisch zijn voor het Guiana Schild. Zowel de plateaus van Lely als Nassau maken conserveringsactiviteiten noodzakelijk om enigszins verschillende redenen: Lely • • • Lely heeft hoge habitat en soortendiversiteit voor alle taxa, alsook ongerepte bossen. Lely heeft iets meer rijkdom binnen de meeste taxa vergeleken met Nassau, en iets meer plantendiversiteit (per plot) dan Brownsberg. Er zijn nog steeds grote aantallen grote zoogdieren en grote vogels, wat een indicatie is dat Lely mogelijk een ‘veilige haven’ is voor deze dieren waarop veel gejaagd wordt., Lely is tamelijk ontoegankelijk met weinig menselijke invloeden, wat dus een uitstekende gelegenheid biedt om een groot gebied van hoge biodiversiteit, ongerept regenbos, en uitzonderlijk bergsavanna(mossen)bos te beschermen. Nassau • Nassau is sterker beinvloed door mensen, maar heeft nog steeds een hoge biodiversiteit en goede populaties van grote zoogdieren en grote vogels. • Nassau heeft vele endemische soorten (die nergens anders gevonden worden), vooral vissen. • Beschermen van het stroomgebied van de Paramaka kreek (met zijtak IJskreek) is cruciaal voor de overleving van verscheidene zeldzame vissoorten. • Slechts 31 % van de gedocumenteerde amibieënsoorten zijn op beide plaatsen gevonden, wat een indicatie is dat zowel Lely als Nassau belangrijk zijn voor de diversiteit van amibieën, inclusief vele soorten die nieuw zijn voor de wetenschap. • De grotere menselijke invloeden en bedreigingen te Nassau vragen om onmiddellijke actie. 2. Het mechanisme voor conservering van deze gebieden moet ontwikkeld worden middels samenwerking tussen publieke en private instituten, inclusief lokale gemeenschappen, om een halt toe te roepen aan daadwerkelijke en potentiële bedreigingen in deze gebieden. A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 35 Mogelijke mechanismen zijn onder andere: • • • • • Versterken en inancieren van de afdeling Natuur Beheer van de Surinaamse overheid, ter verbetering van monitoring in alle drie gebieden, voornamelijk ten aanzien van jacht en illegale mijnbouw. Creëren van een Natuur Park op het plateau van Nassau om het unieke stroomgebied van de Paramaka kreek te beschermen. Urgente actie is nodig te Nassau, vanwege de hoge niveaus van menselijke druk daar. De lokale gemeenschappen, inclusief de traditionele, betrekken, in het bijzonder de Paramakaners (Nassau en Lely), Aukaners/ Okanisi of n’ Djuka (Lely), Saramakaners (Brownsberg) en ook de niet-traditionele gemeenschappen, zoals de kleinschalige mijnbouwers. Bescherming van sleutelgebieden integreren in elk ontwikkelingsplan voor de plateaus (e.g. mijnbouwplanning). Sleutelgebieden zijn het Paramaka stroomgebied te Nassau, het maagdelijk, hoger gelegen bos van Lely en de vegetatie langs de kreken van Brownsberg. De plateaus van Lely en Nassau zijn concessies van Suralco (Alcoa). Suralco is ook betrokken bij grootschalige mijnbouw exploratie door Newmont aan de voet van de heuvels van de Nassau en Brownsberg. Exploreren van potentiele mogelijkheden voor toerisme in de twee gebieden als alternatieve bron van inkomsten voor lokale gemeenschappen om hun afhankelijkheid van de handel van wildvlees, houtkap, en goudmijnbouw te reduceren. SPECIFIEKE AANBEVELINGEN VOOR CONSERVERING • • • • • • 36 Breng de plateaus van Lely, Nassau en Brownsberg samen in een regionale conserveringsstrategie en onderneem actie op basis van IBAP aanbevelingen in hoofdstuk 2, Controleer jacht, die een grote bedreiging vormt voor grote zoogdieren, grote vogels en mestkevers van beide gebieden, Behoud de integriteit van boskreken Minimaliseer fragmentatie van de natuurlijke habitat; controleer toegangswegen en beperk houtkap, die habitatfragmentatie en degradatie versnelt en die al invloed heeft op verscheidene groepen zoals de mestkevers, mieren en zoogdieren. Verhoog de bescherming van het Brownsberg Natuur Park en andere delen van de plateaus. Monitoor om de aanwezigheid van de chytride schimmel, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in volwassen padden langs bosbeken te kunnen ontdekken. Rapid Assessment Program • Additionele Onderzoeksprioriteiten • Biodiversiteitsonderzoek gedurende het regenseizoen, • Onderzoek van laagland beken van Nassau en Lely, • Onderzoek van de biodiversiteit van het stroomgebied van de Paramaka kreek, inclusief de zeldzame vis Harttiella crassicauda, • Onderzoek van de populatiegrootte en levensvatbaarheid van sleutelsoorten, • Verdere planteninventarissen van Nassau en Lely, • Verder onderzoek naar potentieel nieuwe soorten voor de wetenschap. Sjatu Skrifi WAN ONDROSUKU NA LELY NANGA NASSAU BERGI, SRANAN Ondrosuku dei 25 oktober – 6 november, 2005 Fa den ondrosuku presi tan Lely nanga Nassau bergi na tu bergi na ini a sei foe Sranan pe son e opo. A doti habi boksit nanga isri di moksi kon tron tranga doti. Lely habi wan tu bergi di hei 700 m. Nassau habi fo bergi di hei 500 -700 m. A ondrosuku feni presi tapu den bergi di hei moro 500 m, so leki Lely: bergisabanabusi, hei dreigron busi, swampu nanga den difrenti sortoe palmbon nanga jongu busi, tapu Nassau hei dreigron busi, pikinso bergi sabana busi, pikinso palmbon swampu, jongu busi en wiwiri ini presi pe den koti a busi foe meki pasi nanga presi pe opolangi e saka. Den bergi disi habi furu presi pe watra e lon san sma di e tan drape kan dringi, so srei wrokopresi leki wroko gowtu, njan-njan, dresi nanga udu fu bow oso, den sma kan feni. Fu san ede wi ondrosoku a presi A ondrosuku dis na Nassau nanga Lely bergi ben du fu feni sabi di ben mankeri fu a sei dati fu Sranan pe son e opo. A wrokomakandra di wi ben habi na ini a jari 2002, fu poti na tapu papira, den fosi sani di musu psa, a ben kon na krin taki wi ben mankeri prinspari sabi fu den bon, wiwiri, meti, nanga watra fu den bergi disi, di de fanodu fu kibri den. A sabi di kon na krin fu fowru, meti, isi, todo, sneki, mira nanga tor, o meki sma sabi den bon nanga meti moro bun, nanga fu kan poti den nanga di fu Brownsbergi, sei – nanga - sei nanga di fu tra kontren na ondrosei fu Sranan, nanga wan tu tra kondre di de krosibei fu Sranan, fu luku a warti san den habi so srei tu BHP Billiton nanga Suralco di e wroko makandra fu kenki prakseri fruku-fruku abra den bon, wiwiri, nanga meti (= ala sani boiti bon nanga wiwiri), ini den kontren pe den e diki. Wi feni taki wi musu prati a njunsu, meki ala wroko- pè di e go diki a doti suku sani , musu poti den prakseri disi na ini den wroko. PRINSPARI FENI Lely nanga Nassau • • • • • Difrenti meti 27 sorti de na ondrosei fu Sranan nanga wan tu tra kondre moro di de na sei sei fu Sranan 24 njun sortu, san e sori dati wi no sabi den kontren disi so bun ete Furu sortu bigi meti nanga bigi fowru (so leki popokai, powisi), e sori taki den presi disi na kibri presi fu den Den presi e luku bun, ma libisma e sutu meti nanga fuwru dape. So srei gowtu man di no habi papira fu wroko gowtu, de na futusei fu a bergi e diki gowtu. A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 37 Lely Bergi • Habi moro sorti bon, orchidee-bromtji, meti, todo, mira, fowru nanga tor leki Nassau. Disi kan kon bikasi Lely bigi moro Nassau. Lely hei tu moro Nassau meki a busi fu en moro bigi moro di fu Nassau. Fu di tungi furu libisma no go dape meki a habi moro meti nanga tor leki Nassau. • Lely habi moro okasi fu kibri den meti, fu di tungsi furu sma no de dape. Strati no de so meni tu. Nassau Bergi • Moro isi sortu nanga sortu di de dape wawan ini den kriki di de hei, • Hartiella crassicauda, wan kat-isi di de dape wawan, ben poti na buku ini a jari 1949 • Moro libisma e go tapu Nassau fu e sutu meti, nanga fu meki pasi fu suku gowtu nanga wroko gowtu. DEN SORTU DI FENI Mira Tor Fisi Todo Sneki Fowru (RAP) Ala tu RAP presi 169 42 41 27 22 121 Fowru (2003) * Fremusu Pikin Meti Bigi Meti ( Sosrei JapJapi) Ala nanga ala Lely 136 37 8 20 16 67 (152) 24 4 14 3 19 1 17 13 8 467 314 277 *O’Shea, Ede pisi 8 na ini a buku ** ( ) Ede pisi 11 na ini a buku NJUN SORTU 38 Todo Eelutherodactylus (4 sortu) Adenomera (1 sortu) Atelopus (1 sortu) Fisi Guyanancistrus (1 sortu) Harttiella (1 (ondro) sortu) Lithoxus (3 sortu) Trichomycterus af. conradi (1 sortu) Mira Pyramica (1 sortu) Tor Anomiopus (~ 2 sortu) Ateuchus (~ 2 sortu) Canthidium (~ 3 sortu) Eurysternus (~ 3 sortu) Sylvicanthon sp. nov. Rapid Assessment Program Nassau 79 27 35 16 (31)** 13 (26)** 79 Uroxys (~ 2 sortu) NJUN SANI SSAN DEN FENI Mira: Genera Acanthognathus: A. lentus and A. cf. ocellatus Cryptomyrmex cf. longinodus Mira: Sortu Pyramica auctidens Pyramica cincinnata Pyramica crassicornis Pyramica halosis Strumigenys cosmostela Strumigenys trinidadensis SORTU DI HABI PROBLEMA (IUCN 2006 GRUPU) Fremusu Lontu jesi fremusu, Lophostoma carrikeri (Swaki) Blaka fremusu, Artibeus obscurus (Lagi Risico/Problema de fu kon) No tungsiblaka fremusu, Koopmania concolor (Lagi Risico/ Problema de fu kon) Jap-Japi Babun jap - japi, Alouatta macconnelli (habi rpoblema) Redi-baka barba Saki, Chiropotes chiropotes (Skrii no de) Bigi Meti Bofru, Tapirus terrestris ( habi problema) Tigri, Panthera onca (Lower Risk/problema de fu kon) Puma, Puma concolor (lagi risico/problema de fu kon) Dia, Mazama sp. (Skrii no de) Mirafroiti, Myrmecophaga tridactyla (habi problema) Djindjamaka, Neocomys dubosti (Skrii no de) SORTU DI DE SOSO NA ONDROSEI FU SRANAN NANGA ETE WAN TU KONDRE NA SEI SEI FU SRANAN, SAN WI SABI LEKI GUIANA SCHILD. Meti: Babun, Alouatta macconnelli Redi-baka barba Saki, Chiropotes chiropotes Awari, Marmosa murina Saguwenke tamarin, Saguinus midas Kwata, Ateles paniscus Dubost’s Neacomys, Neacomys dubosti Guiana Neacomys, Neacomys guianae Guyenne Spiny Rat, Proechimys guyannensis Fowru Powisi, Crax alector Marai, Penelope marail Prakiki, Gypopsitta caica Redi mofo, Monasa atra Stonkuyake, Selenidera piperivora Stonkuyake, Pteroglossus viridis Xiphorhynchus pardalotus Mirafowru, Myrmotherula surinamensis Mirafowru, Myrmotherula gutturalis Mirafowru, Herpsilochmus stictocephalus Mirafowru, Percnostola ruifrons Mirafowru, Gymnopithys ruigula Tyarman, Tityari, Contopus albogularis Bergi kakafowru, Rupicola rupicola Busikaw, Perissocephalus tricolor Manakin, Corapipo gutturalis Manakin, Lepidothrix serena Blaauwdas/ Kanarie, Euphonia inschi Grangrandir/ Kanarie, Euphonia cayennensis Todo Colostethus beebei Colostethus degranvillei Eleutherodactylus chiastonotus Eleutherodactylu zeuctotylus Chiasmocleis shudikarensis Sneki Gonatodes annularis Neusticurus rudis Fisi Harttiella crassicauda (Soso Nassau habi en) Guyanancistrus ‘bigi mofo’ SAN KON NA KRIN FU A ONDRUSUKU (luku a langa pisi skrii di habi moro sabi) 1. Wi feni taki den difrenti meti, bon nanga so moro fu Lely nanga Nassau bergi (so srei Brownsbergi tu – luku a langa pisi skrii), Lanti musu luku wan fasi fu kibri den moro betre. Ala den dri presi habi furu meti, bon, nanga so moro fu Sranan, sosrei den habi difrenti kontren leki busi di e gro na tapu lagi gron nanga busi di e gro tapu hei gron (> 400 m). Den sortu busi disi no de fu feni alasei ini a birti. Na ini gron tapu, nownow de todo e dede na ini kriki tapu hei gron leki bergi, dati meki a de wan prinspari sani fu kibri den todo di wi feni na Nassau nanga Lely bergi. Den presi disi na kibri presi gi furu furu sortu di libi de na dege- dege, nanga gi sortu di de soso na a ondrosei pisi fu Sranan nanga den kondre na un sei. meki a okasi de fu kibri wan bigi pisi nanga busi, meti nanga bergi- sabana- busi. Nassau • Nassau habi moro problema, ma a habi furu bigi meti, bigi fowru nanga tra sani ete. • Nassau habi sortu leki isi di no de na tra presi. • Lanti musu kibri Pramacca kriki (nanga Ijskriki) bikasi den na a libi nanga njang presi fu den isi disi. • 31 % fu den todo di de na tapu papira de na ala tu presi, san e sori taki Lely nanga Nassau na prinspari presi gi todo, sosrei furu sortu di njun gi grontapu • Fu di furu sani e psa na Nassau, a de fanowdu fu du wan sani wanwanten. 2. A wroko fasi fu kibri den presi disi musu de wan, pe difrenti sma nanga Lanti e wroko makandra, sosrei tu den sma di e tan drape, fu tapu den takru du di e psa drape. Wan tu wroko fasi na: • Gi Natuur Beheer fu Lanti fu Sranan moni fu den kan luku den presi disi, spesrutu a sutu gon nanga wroko gowtu sondro papira • Meki wan Natuur Park tapu Nassau bergi fu kibri Pramacca kriki. A de fanowdu fu du den sani disi hesihesi na Nassau, fu di sma de drape e broko a presi. • Wroko makandra nanga den sma di de drape leki den Pramacca Marron (Nassau nanga Lely), Okanisi noso n’Dyuka Marron (Lely), Saamakka Marron (Brownsbergi) nanga den gowtuman. • Fu ala sani di Lanti sa du drape a musu skrii a kibri fu den presi disi ini den papira (so leki diki a doti). Prinspari presi na a Pramacca kriki na Nassau, a hei gron busi fu Lely, nanga den wiwiri na sei kriki na Brownsbergi. Lely nanga Nassau bergi na consessie fu Suralco (Alcoa). Suralco e suku gowtu tu nanga Newmont na a futu fu Nassau nanga Brownsbergi. • Luku fu tja toerisme ini den two presi fu opo wroko gi den sma drape, san kan meki den tapu fu sutu meti fu seri, noso koti bon, nanga diki gowtu. SAN MUSU DU Difrenti rede de fu san ede wi musu kibri Lely nanga Nassau: • Lely • • • • Na Lely difrenti sortu presi, meti, bon sortu de. Sosrei busi drape di luku leki no wan sma no fasi en. Lely habi pikinso moro bon sortu te ju poti en sei nanga sei nanga Brownsbergi. Bigi Fowru nanga bigi meti de ete, meki wi prakseri taki Lely na kibri presi gi den bikasi sma e sutu na den tapu nanga gon. Lely no habi furu pasi, furu sma no go drape ete • • Poti Lely, Nassau nanga Brownsbergi ini a wroko fasi, fu kibri den presi fu difrenti kontren. Du den sani fu IBAP san knapu ini a hede pisi skrii 2. Luku a sutu gon, di de wan takrusani gi bigi meti, bigi fowru nanga tor na ala tu presi Kibri den kriki No meki pisi -pisi busi, luku suma nanga san e kon ini a presi nanga skrii na papira omeni bon sma mag koti, bikansi dati e meki pisi- pisi busi, san e meki son grupu de na dege dege so leki tor, mira nanga meti di e gi bobi. A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 39 • • • 40 Poti busiskowtu fu luku Brownsbergi nanga moro sei fu a bergi moro bun. Ondrosuku a presi fu luku efu a sani di e tja siki nanga dede, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, gi bigi todo, de drape ini den kriki nanga sei sei fu den kriki. Moro Prispari Ondrosuku di musu du • Ondrosuku ini alen ten, • Ondrosuku den kriki di de na a futu fu den bergi (spesrutu Pramacca kriki) sosrei kriki di de na tapu den bergi fu Nassau nanga Lely • Ondrosuku san de na ini Pramacca kriki, sosrei ondrosuku a katisi Hartiella crassicauda, • Ondosuku o bigi den grupu fu den prinspari sortu de, • Ondosuku den bon fu Nassau nanga Lely moro fara, • Ondrosuku den njun sortu Rapid Assessment Program Uitgebreide Samenvatting INTRODUCTIE De Lely en Nassau plateaus zijn gelegen in noordoostelijk Suriname en varieren in hoogten van 500 – 700 m. Ze zijn vooral bedekt met hoogdrooglandbos op de plateaus en hellingen en bergsavannabos op het plateau. Het Brownsberg plateau is een derde belangrijk plateau in dit gebied, het is deels beschermd door het Brownsberg Natuur Park (11.800 ha). De “Guayana Shield Priority Setting Workshop” van 2002, heeft vastgelegd dat deze drie plateaus belangrijk zijn voor de biodiversiteit, maar dat we belangrijke biodiversiteit gegevens missen, vooral voor Lely en Nassau (Huber en Foster, 2003). De plateaus bieden vele stroomgebieddiensten voor lokale en kustgemeenschappen, alsook belangrijke bronnen van werkgelegenheid (voornamelijk kleinschalige goudmijnbouw), voedsel, medicijnen en bouwmateriaal voor lokale gemeenschappen. Lely en Nassau zijn nog steeds relatief in tact vanwege de lage mensenpopulatiedichtheid, wat unieke mogelijkheden biedt voor conservering over een relatief groot landschap. Alle drie plateaus staan echter bloot aan een aantal reële en potentiele bedreigingen, waaronder houtkap, jacht/stroperij, kleinschalige (goud) en grootschalige (bauxiet en goud) mijnbouw. Conservation International’s “Rapid Assessment Program” (RAP) RAP is een innovatief biologische inventariseringsprogramma, dat ontworpen is om wetenschappelijke informatie te gebruiken om conserveringsactiviteiten te kataliseren. RAP methoden zijn ontworpen om snel de biodiversiteit van gebieden met hoge diversiteit in kaart te brengen en om lokale wetenschappers te trainen in biodiversiteitsonderzoektechnieken. Vanaf 1990 hebben het deskundig team van RAP en wetenschappers van de gastlanden, 56 terrestrische, zoetwater (AquaRAP), en mariene biodiversiteitsonderzoeken verricht en hebben bijgedragen aan capaciteitsopbouw van wetenschappers in zesentwintig landen. Biologische informatie van vorige RAP onderzoeken heeft geresulteerd in de bescherming van miljoenen hectaren tropisch bos, inclusief het instellen van beschermde gebieden in Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador en Brazilie, en het vaststellen van biodiversiteitsprioriteiten in talrijke landen. Project Initiatie De mijnmaatschappij Alcoa heeft door haar succesvol partnerschap met CI bij de uitvoering van een RAP onderzoek in Ghana, voorgesteld aan de Suralco/BHPBilliton Joint Venture, dat een soortgelijke aanpak de moeite waard zou zijn in Suriname. In juni 2005 heeft BHP Billiton Maatschappij Suriname (BMS) Conservation International (CI) geconsulteerd om aanbevelingen te presenteren over de manier waarop CI’s “Rapid Assessment Programme” (RAP) zou kunnen bijdragen tot beter begrip van de fauna en lora van de Lely, Nassau en Brownsberg plateaus. Suriname Aluminium Company LLC (Suralco) heeft mijnconcessies op deze drie plateaus en heeft een samenwerkingsovereenkomst (Mining Joint Venture) met de BMS. De samenwerking verdeelt het mijnproces tussen de twee bedrijven. BMS verricht eerst de exploratie op de plateaus en als er voldoende bauxiet is gevonden, mijnt BMS. Suralco verwerkt het bauxiet. A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 41 Uitgebreide Samenvatting CI heeft voorgesteld dat een strategisch partnerschap wordt gevormd met de Mining Joint Venture van BMS en Suralco. Een centraal component van dit partnerschap houdt in het benutten van CI’s “Initial Biodiversity Assessment Planning” (IBAP) methodologie, om zowel de kennis van de werking van ecosystemen als de socioeconomische dynamiek van deze gebieden te vergroten, als ook aanbevelingen aan te dragen voor het incorporeren van biodiversiteitsoverwegingen in de vroegste stadia van besluitvorming voor Suriname’s volgende generatie van mijnen (zie Hoofdstuk 2). RAP onderzoek van Lely en Nassau Plateaus Als onderdeel van het IBAP proces, heeft CI’s RAP programma een groep van 18 wetenschappers, studenten en logistieke ondersteuning bijeengebracht om snelle biodiversiteit inventarisaties te doen van het Lely Gebergte en Nassau Gebergte. Vóór dit RAP onderzoek, was er weinig biologische data verzameld van de Lely en Nassau plateaus. Vele studies zijn uitgevoerd in het Brownsberg Natuurpark op het Brownsberg plateau waardoor het RAP team de Brownsberg niet heeft opgenomen in hun onderzoek. Echter is de biodiversiteit van Brownsberg samengevat in dit rapport (zie Hoofdstuk 12) en zijn vergelijkingen gemaakt tussen de drie plateaus. De weinige studies die gedaan zijn op de Lely en Nassau plateaus zijn ook opgenomen in dit rapport (zie Hoofdstukken 3, 4, en 8). Het RAP team heeft onderzoek gedaan op de Nassau en Lely plateaus van 25 oktober – 6 november, 2005, waarbij de nadruk gelegd is op dezelfde studiegebieden van voorgaande vegetatieonderzoeken (Bánki et al.2003, ter Steege et al. 2004, 2005). Het RAP team, dat bestond uit specialisten in zoogdieren, vogels, reptielen en amibieën, vissen, mieren en mestkevers, verzamelde gegevens van deze taxonomische groepen, ontwikkelde algemene conclusies van de biodiversiteit van de gebieden, en deed aanbevelingen over hoe hun ecosystemen bewaard kunnen blijven. Algemeen beschouwde criteria om gedurende RAP onderzoeken prioriteitsgebieden te identiiceren voor conservering van taxonomische groepen bevatten: soortenrijkdom, soortenendemisme, zeldzame en/of bedreigde soorten, en habitat conditie. Metingen van soortenrijkdom kunnen gebruikt worden om het aantal soorten van gebieden binnen een gegeven regio te vergelijken. Metingen van soortenendemisme geven het aantal endemische soorten aan in een bepaald gebied en geven een indicatie van zowel de uniciteit van het gebied als de soorten die bedreigd zullen worden door verandering van het habitat van dat gebied (of omgekeerd, de soorten die beschermd zouden kunnen worden middels beschermde gebieden). Schatting van zeldzame en/of bedreigde soorten (IUCN 2006) die bekend zijn of te verwachten zijn binnen een gegeven gebied, zijn een indicator voor de belangrijkheid voor behoud van de mondiale biodiversiteit. De bevestigde aan- of afwezigheid van deze soorten, vergemakkelijkt ook de bepaling van de conserveringsstatus. Veel soorten die geplaatst zijn op de Rode Lijst van bedreigde soorten van 42 Rapid Assessment Program IUCN vallen onder verhoogde wettelijke bescherming, waardoor beslissingen met betrekking tot conservering groter gewicht en betekenis krijgen. Door speciieke habitats of subhabitattypes binnen een gebied te beschrijven, worden weinig of slecht bekende habitats geidentiiceerd die bijdragen aan habitat varieteit en daardoor aan soortendiversiteit binnen een regio. RAP ONDERZOEKSGEBIEDEN Het Lely Gebergte en Nassau Gebergte zijn twee geïsoleerde plateau gebieden in oostelijk Suriname langs de grens met Frans-Guyana en ten oosten van het Brokopondo stuwmeer (zie Kaart). Het bepalend kenmerk van deze plateaus is de aanwezigheid van een dikke, harde korst in de bovenste bodemlaag, die bestaat uit voornamelijk geconsolideerde ferriet (Fe) en bauxiet (Al). Alhoewel het RAP onderzoek van beide gebieden uitgevoerd werd in de droge periode, heeft het tijdens het onderzoek op beide plaatsen geregend, op Lely veel meer (soms zwaar) dan op Nassau. Het regende meestal in de late middag of ’s avonds. Lely Gebergte Het Lely Plateau is gelegen in het stroomgebied van de Marowijnerivier en bevat een serie plateaus met een maximum hoogte van ongeveer 700 meters. Op het Lely Gebergte komen zes belangrijke vegetatietypen voor, namelijk: hoogdrooglandbos op lateriet plateaus, hoogdrasbos op lateriet plateaus, bergsavannabos, bergsavannamossenbos, vegetatie op en dichtbij rotsachtige kreekbedden, en hoogdrooglandbos op hellingen. Op plaatsen waar mensen actief zijn geweest, komen (laag) secundair bos en open vegetatie voor (bijvoorbeeld dichtbij de landingsbaan). Het RAP basiskamp was gevestigd op N 4º 16’ 13’’, W 54 º 44’ 18’’ (UTM N 04.27043, W 054.73815), op een hoogte van 640 meter.Vegetatie typen die door het RAP team onderzocht zijn, zijn savannabos met kleine gebieden die hoog bos bevatten, palmzwampen en secundaire groei van gebieden die ontbost zijn voor de infrastructuur. Het Lely Gebergte is nog steeds intact, aangezien toegang tot het plateau moeilijk is en in hoofdzaak beperkt is tot kleine vliegtuigen. De infrastructuur die gevonden is op het Lely plateau is aanzienlijk minder ontwikkeld dan die van Nassau, zonder bekende wegen die het gebergte verbinden met andere gebieden van het land. Tegenwoordig zijn de enige menselijke activiteiten op het Lely Gebergte gerelateerd aan drie tot vijf personeelsleden van de Surinaamse Luchtvaart Dienst op de landingsbaan van het plateau en verscheidene kampen van kleinschalige goudmijnbouwers in de westelijke heuvels aan de voet van het Lely Gebergte. De medewerkers van de Luchtvaart Dienst zijn gestationeerd in enkele hutten dicht bij de landingsbaan en hebben de vegetatie rondom de twee radiotorens, die naast de landingsbaan staan, verwijderd. Een aantal voetpaden komt voor in het onderzoeksgebied. Uitgebreide Samenvatting ALGEMENE RAP RESULTATEN Nassau Gebergte Het Nassau Gebergte bestaat uit vier plateaus die varieren van 500 – 570 meter. In het Nassau Gebergte komen zes belangrijke vegetatietypen voor namelijk: hoogdrooglandregenbos op lateriet vlakten, hoogdrasbos op lateriet vlakten, bergsavannabos, bergsavannamossenbos, vegetatie op en dichtbij rotsige kreekbedden, en hoogdrooglandregenbos op hellingen. Het bergsavanna (mossen)bos is minder uitgebreid dan op het Lely Plateau en heeft een grotere hoogte. Open vegetatie en secundair bos komen voor in de omgeving van de oude landingsbaan en op plaatsen waar in het verleden bauxiet exploratie heeft plaatsgevonden. Het RAP - basiskamp was op N 4º 49’13’’,W 54º35’20’’ (UTM N 04.82047,W 054.60572), gevestigd op een hoogte van 514 meter. Vegetatietypen die onderzocht zijn te Nassau waren primair en secundair hoog bos, bergsavannabos, beperkte stukken palmzwampen en enkele gebieden die ontbost zijn voor de infrastructuur, zoals wegen, en een begroeide landingsbaan. Het Nassau Plateau is iets minder hoog (564 m boven zee niveau) dan Lely. Van de twee onderzochte plateaus had Nassau de meest wijdverspreide menselijke beinvloeding, met een aantal onverharde wegen, voetpaden en een basiskamp voor bauxietexploratie door BHP-Billiton personeel (BMS) (dit kamp heeft ook de RAP onderzoekteams gehuisvest). Een relatief goed onderhouden niet-geasfalteerde weg (die met de geasfalteerde Oost-West verbindingswegweg in verbinding staat) heeft aansluiting met een aantal kleinere, slecht onderhouden wegen en voetpaden. Een landingsbaan werd gelokaliseerd naast het basiskamp, maar deze was niet onderhouden en op het moment van het RAP onderzoek onbruikbaar. Op hogere gebieden (> 400 m), zijn het bos en de beekjes van het Nassau Gebergte minder beinvloed, maar er zijn toenemende menselijke activiteiten aan de voet van de berg, waaronder “shifting cultivation” gronden, houtkap, kleinschalige goudmijnbouw, en exploratie voor constructie van een grote goudmijn (Newmont). DATUMS VAN HET RAP ONDERZOEK Het RAP team was verdeeld in twee kleinere groepen om transport naar deze relatief ontoegankelijke gebieden te vergemakkelijken. Groep 1 (bestaande uit specialisten die vogels, vissen, mieren en mestkevers bestuderen) onderzocht Lely van 25 – 31october 2005 terwijl Groep 2 (bestaande uit specialisten die reptielen/amibieën kleine zoogdieren/vleermuizen/grote zoogdieren bestuderen) Nassau onderzocht. Van 2 – 6 november, 2005, heeft Groep 1 Nassau onderzocht en Groep 2 Lely. Het RAP onderzoek van Lely en Nassau bracht een hoge soortendiversiteit aan het licht, waaronder tenminste 27 soorten die endemisch zijn voor het Guiana Schild. Beide gebieden hebben veel grote zoogdieren en grote vogels (b.v. papegaaien, boskalkoenen, powisi’s), wat een indicatie is dat zij nog steeds aanzienlijke populaties hebben en dienen als ‘veilige haven’ voor deze grote soorten. Voor de meeste taxa, planten (inclusief orchideeën), zoogdieren, amibieën, mieren, vogels, en mestkevers, schijnt Lely diverser te zijn dan Nassau. Dit komt waarschijnlijk door een combinatie van factoren, inclusief het feit dat het Lely plateau groter is en hoger reikt, zodat de uitgestrektheid van elk bostype groter is. Lely heeft ook een seizoenmatige humiditeit die gecreëerd wordt door regenwolken die het kronendak van het bos raken, hetgeen zorgt voor geschikte condities voor het ontstaan van Guiana Hooglandelementen. De grote diversiteit van zoogdieren en mestkevers te Lely kan ook te maken hebben met de meer ongerepte condities van habitats in vergelijking met Nassau, waar meer menselijke verstoring en hogere jachtdruk heeft plaats gevonden. Het patroon van grotere diversiteit te Lely geldt niet voor de vissen van de hooggelegen bergbeekjes, waarvoor acht vissoorten gedocumenteerd zijn te Lely versus 11 soorten te Nassau. Nassau schijnt ook een grotere mate van visendemisme te hebben, het enig taxon waarvoor op dit moment endemisme met zekerheid kan worden vastgesteld. Hartiella crassicauda, een zeldzame meerval die endemisch is voor het Nassau plateau, werd tijdens de RAP survey voor het eerst gedocumenteerd sinds 1949, en een nieuwe soort Guyanancistrus (‘grote mond”) is waarschijnlijk ook endemisch. Tenminste 24 soorten die nieuw zijn voor de wetenschap zijn geregistreerd voor beide gebieden, wat aangeeft hoe weinig wij weten van deze gebieden en het Guiana Schild. Vele van de nieuwe soorten zijn amibieën en vissen, die kwalitatief schoon zoetwater vereisen voor hun overleving. Hoewel nog steeds in redelijk goede conditie, worden beide gebieden ernstig bedreigd door menselijke activiteiten. Beide gebieden tonen momenteel bewijs van ongereguleerde jachtactiviteiten, die een directe invloed hebben op grote soorten (vooral grote zoogdieren en vogels), alsook een indirecte invloed op de terrestrische voedsel keten (b.v. mestkevers). Het Lely Gebergte biedt uitstekende conserveringsmogelijkheden, vanwege de relatief geringe menselijke invloeden, kleine bevolkingsdichtheid en beperkte toegang. Het Nassau Gebergte is meer beinvloed door menselijke activiteiten, vooral door jacht en habitatfragmentatie, die het resultaat zijn van toegangswegen die gecreëerd zijn om kleinschalige mijnbouw activiteiten en exploratieactiviteiten voor grootschalige mijnbouw te faciliteren. Beter beheer van de hulpbronnen, vooral regulering van jacht en controle op de toegang, kunnen helpen om de staat van het ecosysteem te verbeteren. A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 43 Uitgebreide Samenvatting RAP RESULTATEN NAAR TAXONOMISCHE GROEPEN Mieren Zes-en-dertig mier-geslachten en 169 soorten zijn verzameld in 600 m2 bladstrooisel monsters. 136 soorten (80.5%) zijn geregistreerd te Lely en 97 soorten te Nassau (ca 58 % van het totaal). Het verschil is mogelijk ontstaan door het feit dat twee keer zoveel monsters te Lely werden genomen, maar ook de grotere mate van verstoring te Nassau kan van invloed kan zijn op mieren. De mierengemeenschap van Lely verschilde enigszins van Nassau in soortensamenstelling. Het aantal mierensoorten op deze plateaus is waarschijnlijk groter; er is meer bemonstering nodig. De subfamilie Myrmicinae was vertegenwoordigd door 81 soorten, gevolgd door de Ponerinae met 25 soorten. Het geslacht met de meeste soorten was Pheidole met 39 soorten gevolgd door de geslachten Hypoponera (11 soorten), Solenopsis (10 soorten), Pyramica (9 soorten), en Gnamptogenys (8 soorten), de vier geslachten samen vormen 21,9% van het totaal. Ten aanzien van het aantal verzamelde individuen, is Solenopsis op de eerste plaats gevolgd door de geslachten Pheidole, Hypoponera, en Pyramica. De helft van de geregistreerde mierensoorten zijn tijdens de RAP expeditie voor het eerst in Suriname verzameld; verdere soortenidentiicatie is nodig om dit te bevesitigen. Dacetini soorten zijn goede indicator soorten voor biodiversiteitsplanning, aangezien zij relatief goed bekend zijn en typisch zijn voor gesloten bosondergroei. Vier Dacetini geslachten zijn nu bekend van Suriname sinds het geslacht Acanthognathus voor het eerst in Suriname werd gevonden. Er werd ook een mogelijk nieuwe soort van het geslacht Pyramica verzameld. Het verspreidingsgebied van het recentelijk beschreven geslacht Cryptomyrmex Fernandez (Myrmicinae: Adelomyrmicini), eerder bekend van slechts twee soorten uit Brazilie en Paraguay, is uitgebreid tot Suriname. Mestkevers Een totaal van 42 mestkeversoorten is gedocumenteerd voor beide gebieden; 37 soorten te Lely en 27 soorten te Nassau. Bij vergelijking van gestandardiseerde potvaltransecten in primair bos tussen de twee gebieden, had Lely 33 soorten en 21.2 individuen/val, terwijl Nassau minder rijkdom was met 24 soorten en 4.3 individuen/ val. Ondanks dat Lely meer mestkeversoorten had, was de mestkeversoortensamenstelling van primair bos op beide lokaties vrijwel gelijk. De twee gebieden hadden 18 soorten gemeen en toonden een hoge Morisita – Horn gelijkheidsindex van 0.93. Beide gebieden schenen onder jachtdruk te lijden, wat waarschijnlijk een negatieve invloed heeft gehad op de soortenrijkdom en populatiedichtheid van mestkevers, maar Nassau scheen onder de grootste jachtdruk te staan en had de laagste soortenrijkdom en aantallen mestkevers. In het Nassau Gebergte zijn de mestkevers mogelijk ook negatief beinvloed door een grote open beerput naast het basiskamp. Beide lokaties worden gekenmerkt door harde, droge en 44 Rapid Assessment Program rotsachtige bodems, die het voor veel mestkeversoorten moeilijk maken om gangen te graven om voedsel te zoeken en om nesten te maken, en kunnen de larvale mortaliteit verhogen. Dit kan een reden zijn waarom op beide locaties de aantallen van mestkevers over het algemeen lager zijn dan in bijna alle tropische bossen die eerder bemonsterd zijn. Mogelijk zijn 20-30% van de verzamelde soorten niet beschreven. De geslachten Anomiopus, Ateuchus, Canthidium en Uroxys hebben mogelijk de meeste niet beschreven soorten. Ofschoon vele soorten mogelijk een relatief afgebakende verspreidingdingsgebied hebben, lijken enkele soorten een grote geograische spreiding te hebben en worden ook gevonden in zuidelijk Amazone. Meer informatie is nodig over de diversiteit van mestkevers van Lely, Nassau en daaraan grenzende gebieden om een evaluatie van de grootte der verspreidingsgebieden te maken. Vogels Te Lely zijn 67 vogelsoorten positief geidentiiceerd door het RAP team. Het team heeft ook de resten gevonden van een Harpij Arend of een Pakani-aka, die was gedood door lokale jagers. Vierendertig (34) soorten komen voor op beide locaties. Jagen scheen invloed te hebben op bepaalde soorten, vooral op marais/boskalkoenen, powisi’s, papegaaien en roofvogels, waarvan de overblijfselen, samen met de lege hulsen van geweerpatronen op beide lokaties zijn aangetrofen. De soortenrijkdom en diversiteit zijn vermoedelijk typisch voor deze habitats. Gedurende een 14-daags onderzoek van Lely in 2003, heeft Brian O’Shea 152 vogelsoorten geregistreerd in een klein gebied rondom de landingsbaan. Omdat Lely in een groter gebied ligt van ononderbroken bos, wordt het bestand van vogels geschat op tenminste 300 soorten. De vogelfauna van Lely schijnt representatief te zijn voor laaglandbos, dat het omliggend gebied bedekt, met de toevoeging van verscheidene soorten die in hoofdzaak alleen op plateaus voorkomen. Craciden (Marais en Powisi’s) en papegaaien, twee groepen die goede indicatoren zijn van menselijke beinvloeding in het tropisch regenwoud, zijn goed vertegenwoordigd te Lely. De roodgele raaf of Bokraaf, een CITES I soort, kwam vrij veel voor gedurende het onderzoek van 2003. Powisi’s werden ook regelmatig gezien, wat deed vermoeden dat er niet veel jachtactiviteit was op het tijdstip van het onderzoek. Contopus albogularis (Tyarman of Tityari) is in het Lely Gebergte gezien door O’Shea. Deze soort heeft een van de meest beperkte geograische verspreidingsgebieden van alle vogelsoorten in het Guiana Schild. Phaethornis malaris (Kolibrie / Kownubri of Korke) heeft ook een beperkt verspreidingsgebied in de Guianas. Geen van deze soorten is geregistreerd in het buurland Guyana. Zestien endemen van het Guiana Schild, of ongeveer 40 % van de endemen die in Suriname voorkomen, zijn te Lely gezien in 2003. Uitgebreide Samenvatting Vissen Een totaal van 41 visssoorten is geidentiiceerd van het Lely en Nassau Gebergte (4 en 11 lokaliteiten, respectievelijk). Hiervan, zijn 26 verzameld in een laagland kreek aan de voet van het Nassau gebergte (hoogte 106 m). De visfauna van vier hooggelegen (plateau) beekjes in het Lely Gebergte had 8 soorten. In vier hooggelegen beekjes in het Nassau Gebergte werden 11 soorten verzameld, inclusief de endemische meerval Hartiella crassicauda, die alleen bekend is van de bronwateren van de Paramaka Kreek. In de bergbeken van het Nassau Plateau zijn 6 vissoorten aangetrofen die misschien nieuw zijn voor de wetenschap. Het kleine aantal vissoorten in de hooggelegen bergbeekjes van het Lely Gebergte en het Nassau Gebergte was verwachtbaar, maar het grote aantal potentieel nieuwe en mogelijk endemische soorten van het Nassau Gebergte is uitzonderlijk. Een belangrijk aspect van de visgemeenschappen van de hooggelegen beekjes te Lely en Nassau is het grote aantal kleine soorten, waarvan vele tot dwergvissen gerekend kunnen worden, zoals Lithoxus spp., Hartiella crassicauda en Guyanancistrus (‘grote mond’). De steile hellingen die grenzen aan het Nassau Plateau fungeren duidelijk als biogeograische barrières, die de verspreiding van vissen van de ene hooggelegen beek naar de andere beek op het plateau voorkomen. Bijvoorbeeld, Hartiella crassicauda van de centrale tak van de Paramaka Kreek (‘IJskreek’) verschilt morfologisch van H. crassicauda in een noordelijke tak van Paramaka Kreek. Een nieuwe Guyanancistrus soort (bijnaam ‘grote mond’) van de noordelijke tak van de Paramaka Kreek is niet verzameld in de centrale tak, ondanks veel inspanningen in de IJskreek tak. Reptielen en Amfibieën In 12 dagen van bemonstering hebben we totaal 49 soorten gedocumenteerd, maar vergelijking van onze gegevens met andere locaties in het Guiana Schild laten zien dat ons onderzoek waarschijnlijk slechts een kwart tot een derde van de totale herpetofauna van de twee bergen heeft bemonsterd. Onze resultaten doen vermoeden dat Lely de rijkste is van de twee gebergten met 36 soorten (19 amibieën, 16 reptielen) vergeleken met 29 soorten (16 amibieën, 15 reptielen) te Nassau. De dichtheid van individuen was ook hoger te Lely. De soortensamenstelling tussen de twee gebieden verschilde met slechts 15 / 49 (31%) van alle soorten die voorkomen op beide bergen. Vierentachtig procent van de soorten te Nassau waren uniek voor Nassau, terwijl dat percentage 57 % was te Lely. De soorten op de twee locaties representeerden een menging van wijdverspreide soorten die voorkomen in laagland delen van een groot deel van het Amazone Bekken, naast soorten die bekend zijn van laaglandbos van het Guiana Schild. Vijf amibie vondsten zijn vooral het vermelden waard, aangezien zij waarschijnlijk soorten representeren die nieuw zijn voor de wetenschap (vier soorten van het geslacht Eleutherodactylus en een Adenomera soort). Tijdens additioneel onderzoek dat in 2006 door Ouboter et al. (Hoofdstuk 11) gedaan is te Nassau, zijn nog 15 amibiesoorten gevonden, waardoor het bekende aantal op 31 soorten is gebracht. Ze hebben ook 11 additionele reptielsoorten vastgelegd, wat aangeeft dat er mogelijk veel meer soorten zijn op beide plaatsen. Vóór het RAP onderzoek, waren vijf Eleutherodactylus soorten bekend van Suriname; ons werk op de twee gebergten heeft de aanwezigheid van het geslacht in Suriname bijna verdubbeld. Bosbeken zijn belangrijke habitats voor vele soorten die wij zijn tegengekomen gedurende ons onderzoek: ongeveer 50 % van de op beide plaatsen voorkomende soorten, maken gebruik van bosbeekjes, 25% van de soorten die gevonden zijn te Lely en ongeveer 30% van de soorten die te Nassau gevonden zijn, zijn alle in of langs bosbeken gevonden. Aangezien met beken geassocieerde amibieën populatieafname kennen in het grootste deel van de Neotropen, is de aanwezigheid van een duidelijk intacte, met beken geassocieerde amibieën fauna in de twee gebergten van bijzondere conserveringswaarde. Zoogdieren Voor beide onderzoekgebieden in oostelijk Suriname zijn 45 zoogdiersoorten in negen orden geregistreerd; zes orden met 28 soorten te Nassau; en acht orden met 30 soorten te Lely. Onder de kleine zoogdieren was een buideldiersoort, drie knaagdiersoorten, en 24 vleermuissoorten (meestal vruchtenetende vleermuizen). Zeventien soorten van middelgrote en grote zoogdieren zijn geregistreerd op de twee plaatsen, met meer soorten (13) te Lely dan te Nassau (8). De meest diverse groepen waren de primaten en de carnivoren, elk met vier soorten; inclusief grote (Alouatta macconnelli, Ateles paniscus, Chiropotes chiroptes) en kleine (Saguinus midas) apen, alsook twee grote (Panthera onca, Puma concolor) en een kleine (Leopardus pardalis) katachtigen, plus een kwasikwasi/neusbeer (Nasua nasua). Onze resultaten geven aan dat het Lely plateau een hogere taxonomische en ecologische diversiteit heeft en doet vermoeden dat het bos te Nassau minder geschikt is voor kleine niet-vliegende zoogdiersoorten, waarschijnlijk door achteruitgang van het primair bos. Bijvoorbeeld, fruit-etende vleermuizen waren dominant te Nassau, zoals verwachtbaar is voor secundair bos en bosranden. Te Lely hebben we meer Phyllostominae vleermuissoorten geregistreerd (die omnivoren of insekteneters zijn), wat duidt op een meer complexe bosstructuur dan te Nassau. Twee vleermuissoorten, Lophostoma carrikeri en Artibeus obscurus zijn op de lijst van bedreigde soorten geplaatst (IUCN 2006). De meeste primaten en carnivoren zijn ook op mondiaal niveau op de lijst van bedreigde soorten geplaatst en verscheidene zijn endemisch voor het Guiana Schild, dus hun wereldwijde conservering hangt grotendeels af van de status van deze populaties. De Braziliaanse tapir (Tapirus terrestris) is op de lijst geplaatst als Kwetsbaar, omdat de tapir overal door jacht wordt bedreigd en we hebben bewijs gevonden dat hetzelfde gebeurt in Lely en Nassau. De A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 45 Uitgebreide Samenvatting diversiteit en aantallen van middelgrote en grote zoogdieren wijst op geschikte habitats voor deze soorten, die normaliter uitgebreide, minder verstoorde bossen nodig hebben. De aanwezigheid van hoefdieren kan de aanwezigheid van de poema en de jaguar in het gebied verklaren. RESULTATEN VAN ANDER BIODIVERISTEITSONDERZOEK VAN DE PLATEAUS VAN LELY, NASSAU EN BROWNSBERG Planten Zes belangrijke vegetatietypen komen voor op de plateaus van Lely, Nassau en Brownsberg: hoogdrooglandregenbos op lateriet plateaus, hoogdrasbos op lateriet plateaus, bergsavannabos, bergsavannamossenbos, vegetatie op en dicht bij rotsige kreekbedden, en hoogdrooglandregenbos op hellingen. Terwijl op het Brownsbergplateau de hoogte van het bos en de vegetatietypen op zeer korte afstanden veranderen in een ‘mozaiek’bos, zijn de vegetatietypen duidelijker op het Lely plateau, waar grote gebieden met uniforme vegetatietypen gevonden kunnen worden. Open vegetatie of onbedekte rotsen, zoals die gevonden worden op granietbergen, schijnen niet voor te komen op deze plateaus. Inventaris van de onderzoekplots van de bauxietplateaus wijst op een divers bos wat duidelijk een aparte groep vormt binnen alle geinventariseerde plots van de Guianas. De plots die op Lely gevonden zijn, hebben momenteel de hoogste gemiddelde diversiteit voor Suriname, hetgeen goed past in de algemene toename in alpha-diversiteit bij bomen, van westelijk Guyana naar Frans-Guyana. Alhoewel het verschil klein en niet signiicant is, hebben de bauxietplateaus en hun omringend bos een hogere alpha-diversiteit voor bomen, vergeleken met andere Surinaamse bosgebieden waarover gegevens beschikbaar zijn. De samenstelling van de plots in oost Surinaamse is beter vergelijkbaar met die van FransGuyana op vergelijkbare ijzerhoudende bodems. Plots die geograisch dicht bij elkaar liggen ‘komen meer overeen’ dan plots die op grotere afstanden liggen, en ze hebben meer soorten met elkaar gemeen (vergeleken met de laaglanden) die door toeval kunnen worden toegevoegd. De plantenverzamelingen voor de bauxietplateaus en voor Suriname en de Guianas in het algemeen zijn nog steeds erg klein en veel meer onderzoek is nodig. In vergelijking met de Hooglanden van de Guianas met hun hoge endemiciteit, is de vegetatie van de lateriet- en bauxiet plateaus op vulkanische rotsen uniformer en heeft lage endemiciteit. We hebben geen bewijs gevonden voor speciieke endemen voor de plateaus van Brownsberg, Lely, en Nassau. Orchideeën Een apart onderzoek van orchideeën werd uitgevoerd op de drie plateaus. Een totaal van 190 soorten orchideeën is geregistreerd voor de plateaus van Brownsberg, Nassau en Lely: 141 van de Brownsberg, 70 van Nassau, en 96 van Lely; 16 % zijn bekend van alle drie verspreidingsgebieden, en 31% alleen van de Brownsberg. De lage orchideeënrijkdom voor Lely en Nassau, kan 46 Rapid Assessment Program beschouwd worden als artefact gerelateerd aan een lage verzamelinspanning. Vergeleken met andere gebieden in het Guiana Schild, heeft Brownsberg de tweede hoogste orchideeën soortenrijkdom. De beschikbare informatie doet vermoeden dat een aantal orchideesoorten die erg zeldzaam zijn in het Guiana Schild gebied, voorkomen in deze drie verspreidingsgebieden, bijvoorbeeld Beloglottis costaricensis (Brownsberg), Cranichis diphylla (Lely) en Quekettia papillosa (Nassau). Er waren signiicante verschillen in de percentages van de soorten verdeeld over verschillende substraatklassen. Lely, met 16% van zijn orchideeën die groeien op de grond of op rotsen, verschilt van de andere twee plateaus met 4-5% van de orchideeënsoorten op deze substraten. Een groot percentage hoogland orchideeënsoorten (ongeveer 30 - 40%) kan het kenmerk zijn dat de gebieden met hoge plateaus onderscheidt van laagland gebieden, en kan de hoge soortenrijkdom van de plateaus verklaren. Er kan een trend zijn dat hoogland orchideeën belangrijker worden, als de hoogte van de belangrijkste plateaus van het verspreidingsgebied toeneemt. Dus Lely is misschien van de drie verspreidingsgebieden voor orchideeën, het meest afwijkend, uniek en soortenrijk. Orchidee-bijen Een totaal van 34 soorten orchidee-bijen is verzameld op de drie plateaus: 13 te Brownsberg, 22 dichtbij Lely en 23 te Nassau. De frequentie van bijen met orchideestuifmeelzakken (pollenzakken) verschilde duidelijk tussen een laagland locatie dicht bij Lely en Nassau; op de eerste locatie droegen geen van de bijen stuifmeelzakken, op de tweede 13 %. Er moet meer bemonsterd worden voordat een gedetailleerde vergelijking van de bijenfauna van de drie verspreidingsgebieden gemaakt kan worden. De hoge frequentie van orchidee-bijen met stuifmeelzakken te Nassau is ongewoon en kan in verband worden gebracht met de habitat waar de meeste monsters zijn verzameld, het wolkenbos op lage hoogte en het submontane plateau. VERGELIJKINGEN VAN DE PLATEAUS VAN LELY, NASSAU, EN BROWNSBERG Habitat Type en Huidige Status Tabel 1 toont de huidige status van de drie plateaus op dit moment. Alle drie plateaus hebben zes belangrijke vegetatietypen (zie Hoofdstuk 3 en samenvatting van de planten hier boven). Op het Brownsberg plateau veranderen boshoogte en vegetatietype op zeer korte afstanden, wat een ‘mozaiek’ bos vormt, terwijl de vegetatietypen duidelijker zijn op het Lely plateau, waar grote gebieden met uniforme vegetatietypen gevonden kunnen worden. Lely verschilt van Nassau en Brownsberg in de uitgestrektheid van het bergsavannabos. De toename in hoogte (670 m boven zeeniveau, vergeleken met 550 m boven zeeniveau voor de andere plateaus) schijnt voldoende te zijn voor het voorkomen van verscheidene Guiana Hoogland elementen, Tabel 1. Huidige status van de plateaus van Brownsberg, Lely en Nassau. Lokatie Lely Nassau (11.800 ha park) 1 27.500 totaal1 Hoogte, Habitat type ca. 500 m Zes belangrijke vegetatietypen. Mozaiekbos van hoogdroogland regenbos, bergsavanna(mossen)bos en lianenbos. 32.000 ha2 640-700 m Zes belangrijke vegetatietypen. Voornamelijk hoogdrooglandregenbos en uitgestrekte bergsavanna(mossen)bos met Guiana Hoogland elementen. 20.000 ha , 500-550 m Zes belangrijke vegetatietypen. Voornamelijk hoogdrooglandregenbos en hoogzwampbos. Minder uitgestrekte bergsavanna (mossen)bos. 2 3 Graad van habitat degradatie 5% van het park vernietigd door illegale goudmijnbouwers, veel secundair-bos Laag tot matig matig Bewijs van Houtkap Matig maar hoog in noordelijke delen laag matig Bewijs van Mijnbouw Taxonomische groepen die goede conditie of rijkdom aangeven Taxonomische groepen die slechte conditie of rijkdom aangeven Ja, legale en illegale goudmijnbouw Apen, Kami Kami’s en Powisis, Grote knaagdieren, Bufel, Kikkers en Padden, Landschildpadden, Zeldzame orchideeën en andere zeldzame plantensoorten (vooral soorten die voorkomen in sub-bergachtige gebieden en korstige bodem Fruitetende vleermuizen, plantensoorten die op grote openplekken voorkomen (waaronder vreemde soorten & pantropisch gras), afstandelijk gedrag van apen ten op zichte van mensen, lage predatie en verspreiding van grote zaden matig Illegale goudmijnbouw dichtbij en aan de voet Grote zoogdieren, Grote vogels, Amibieën Phyllostomine vleermuizen, Mestkevers Mieren: Wasmannia scrobifera, haumatomyrmex ferox Mier: Wasmannia auropunctata hoog Ja, illegale goudmijnbouw, Legale bauxiet exploratie Vissen (6 soorten nieuw voor de wetenschap, endemische meervallen), Grote zoogdieren, Grote vogels Stenodermatine (fruit etende) vleermuizen, Mestkevers,Mier: Wasmannia auropunctata Bewijs van Jacht Matig maar hoog buiten het park De Dijn et al. (Hoofdstuk 13) Olaf Bánki en Hans ter Steege, persoonlijke communicatie 3 De drie grootste plateaus van Nassau hebben een totale oppervlakte van ongeveer 5000 ha als slechts de toppen worden meegerekend zonder de hellingen (Olaf Bánki en Hans ter Steege, persoonlijke communicatie) 1 2 Uitgebreide Samenvatting A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) Brownsberg Totale grootte 47 Uitgebreide Samenvatting zoals de Ericacea-achtige Cavendishia. Daarnaast, heeft het laag, open bos op de hoogste hellingen een overvloedige mossenlora (mossenbos) met veel Orchidaceae. De natuurlijke habitats van het Brownsberg plateau zijn gelijk aan die beschreven voor het binnenland van FransGuyana door De Granville (1994) en ook voor de Nassau en Lely plateaus (De Dijn persoonlijke communicatie, hoofdstuk 3). De meer unieke habitats zijn geassocieerd met de top van de plateaus, zoals bergsavannamossenbos en habitats op sterk korstige bodems. Deze habitats zijn verschillend in termen van de bodem, klimatologische condities en vegetatiesamenstelling. Ecosystemen van alle drie gebieden zijn relatief intact vanwege lage mensenpopulatiedichtheden, hetgeen een unieke gelegenheid voor conservering biedt in een relatief groot landschapsgebied. Echter, elk van deze plateaus is enigszins door mensen beinvloed. Lely is in de meest ongerepte staat, wat te danken is aan het verafgelegen zijn en de ontoegangkelijkheid. Er is wat infrastructuur op de Lely landingsbaan en de leden van het werkpersoneel jagen op vogels die voor hun vooral interessant zijn als aanvulling op hun dieet. Nassau heeft een relatief uitgebreid wegennetwerk dat nu al habitats fragmenteert en gemakkelijk toegang verschaft tot bosgebieden, vooral voor kleinschalige mijnbouwers, met gevolgen zoals jacht. Infrastructuur voor mijnexploratie te Nassau omhelst een grote open beerput en een klein kamp. Sinds 1970 is meer dan 11.600 ha van het Brownsberg plateau beschermd binnen het Brownsberg Natuur Park (BNP). Echter, een substantieel deel van het BNP is vernietigd door mensen en is secundair bos, voornamelijk langs de belangrijkste weg in het gebied en op lagere hoogten langs kreken waar mijnwerkers actief zijn. De laagste graad van verstoring wordt over het algemeen gevonden boven 250 m, in de noord-westelijke hoek van het natuurpark en op sommige lokaties dicht bij het Brokopondo Stuwmeer. Hoewel het een beschermd gebied is, is BNP ook beinvloed door toerisme en er zijn problemen van onopgeloste conlicten over landenrechten en armoede, vooral met betrekking tot Marron gemeenschappen. Alle drie plateaus hebben te maken met een aantal werkelijke en potentiele bedreigingen, waarvan de grootste zijn jacht/stroperij, houtkap, habitatfragmentatie, kleinschalige (goud) mijnbouw en grootschalige (bauxiet en goud) mijnbouw. Illegale goudmijnbouwers vormen de grootste bedreiging voor alle drie gebieden. Veel efecten van menselijke activiteiten (b.v. verhoogde sediment aanvoer in kreken en ontbossing) kunnen nu al gezien worden aan de voet van de heuvels van de plateaus van Nassau en Brownsberg. Soortenrijkdom Het is moeilijk om de drie plateaus direct te vergelijken aangezien er veel meer informatie is en meer onderzoek gedaan is te Brownsberg in vergelijking met Lely en Nassau. We hebben echter getracht om hier een paar algemene vergelijkingen te maken. Tabel 2 toont de geregistreerde soortenrijkdom op de drie plaatsen. 48 Rapid Assessment Program Onderzoek van plantendiversiteit op de drie plateaus en de omringende gebieden geeft een indicatie dat alle drie gebieden een hoge diversiteit hebben, vergeleken met de meeste laaglandbossen in West- Suriname. Het bos op de hellingen van de plateaus is het hoogste dat is gevonden in het noordelijk deel van Suriname. Hoewel deze onderzoeken aangeven dat Lely, van de drie plateaus, de hoogste plantendiversiteit heeft per plot en Nassau de laagste, zijn de verschillen niet groot genoeg om een echt verschil in de plantendiversiteit tussen de drie gebieden te onderscheiden. Lely verschilt van Nassau en Brownsberg vanwege de grote uitgestrektheid van bergsavannabos. Het plateau van Lely heeft een voldoende grotere hoogte vergeleken met Nassau en Brownsberg dat verschillende Guiana Hoogland elementen hier worden gevonden (zie Hoofdstuk 3). De lage orchideeënrijkdom voor Lely en Nassau, vergeleken met Brownsberg, kan verklaard worden door een lagere verzamelinspanning. Vergeleken met andere plaatsen in het Guiana Schild, heeft Brownsberg de tweede grootste vastgestelde orchideeënrijkdom. Er is geen aantoonbaar verschil in de avifauna van de Brownsberg, Lely en Nassau plateaus. Verschillen in de kwaliteit en kwantiteit van de bemonstering tussen de drie gebieden is de oorzaak van verschillen in soortenlijsten. Er is niet veel “berg” avifauna in Suriname (Tafelberg is een uitzondering); in feite hebben structureel vereenvoudigde habitats over ijzersteen/bauxiet kappen, over het algemeen relatief weinig vogelsoorten, en geen daarvan is beperkt tot deze habitats; en hellingen schijnen ook arm te zijn. Aan de andere kant schijnen hoge bomen boven op de top van de plateaus, redelijk soortenrijk te zijn, maar niet meer dan vergelijkbaar bos op lagere hoogten. De belangrijkste eigenschap van Lely en Nassau, vanuit het oogpunt van de vogels bekeken, is de aanwezigheid van grote aantallen grote vogels zoals papegaaien, powisi’s en marais. Op deze vogels wordt veel gejaagd en ze worden gevangen voor de dierenhandel, dus de grote aantallen in deze twee gebieden zijn wel signiicant. Brownsberg heeft ook goede populaties van deze vogels en fungeert als een ‘veilige haven’ voor jaagbare vogels die zeldzamer schijnen te zijn in de omliggende laaglanden. Ribot (2006) bevestigt dat enkele grote vogels (Kamikami’s, Powisi’s en Marai’s) naar Brownsberg teruggekeerd zijn na een periode van intensieve jacht gedurende de binnenlandse oorlog. Slechts één van de zoogdiersoorten die geregistreerd zijn te Lely en Nassau, is niet te Brownsberg gevonden (een stekelmuis, Neacomys guianae). De zoogdierfauna van alle drie gebieden is typisch voor het laaglandregenbos van het Guiana Schild, en is tamelijk wijdverspreid over al de drie gebieden, die zeer sterk op elkaar lijken qua origine, maar die nu verschillende gradaties van habitatverstoring kennen. Gegeven dat Brownsberg niet slechts een beschermd gebied is, maar ook een langere geschiedenis heeft van biologische studies, is het mogelijk dat de meeste zoogdieren een wijd verspreidingsgebied hebben, wat kan helpen om hun populaties stabiel te houden. Nassau is echter een zwaarder beinvloede lokatie, waar lokale achteruitgang Uitgebreide Samenvatting of uitsterving van bepaalde populaties mogelijk is. Elke gevolgtrekking van de status van de zoogdierpopulatie is nog steeds onvolledig en niet accuraat; en uitgebreid onderzoek is nodig om werkelijke patronen te bepalen van de zoogdiersamenstelling. Zoals genoteerd voor de vogels, is de belangrijkste eigenschap van deze drie gebieden misschien, de aanwezigheid van veel grote zoogdieren, vele die mondiaal bedreigd worden en onder zware jachtdruk staan in andere gebieden. Naast vlinders, zijn insecten niet systematisch bestudeerd op de Brownsberg, dus vergelijkingen tussen de drie gebieden kan niet gemaakt worden voor mieren en mestkevers. De soortenrijkdom van deze groepen is hoog te Lely en Nassau en men zou verwachten dat die ook hoog is op de Brownsberg. Een aantal zeldzame vlinders is gedocumenteerd voor Brownsberg hoewel er veel meer data nodig zijn. Endemische Soorten Soorten die endemisch zijn voor de plateaus van Lely, Nassau of Brownsberg Gegeven de beperkte verzamelinspanning voor Suriname en voor het Guiana Schild, is het moeilijk te zeggen of soorten die bekend zijn van de plateaus van Lely, Nassau en Brownsberg endemisch zijn voor die plateaus. Geen enkele soort die op het Brownsberg plateau gevonden is, is endemisch voor dat gebied. Meer informatie is nodig van alle taxa zowel binnen als buiten dit gebied, om te bepalen of er soorten zijn die endemisch zijn voor de plateaus. Endemisme is alleen aangetoond voor enkele vissoorten te Nassau. De hooggelegen bergbeken van het Nassau plateau onthulden zes vissoorten die nieuw zijn voor de wetenschap en die potentieel endemisch zijn voor het Nassau plateau. Tot nog toe is geen vissoort endemisch gebleken Tabel 2. Het aantal soorten dat is gedocumenteerd op de plateaus van Lely, Nassau, en Brownsberg. Planten (inclusief orchideeën van botanische collecties te Utrecht) Alle RAP gebieden van dit onderzoek Lely Nassau Brownsberg -- 4871 6941 10601 962 702 1412 Orchideeën Mieren 169 136 79 Mestkevers 42 37 27 123 Orchidee- Bijen -- 224 325 136 Vlinders -- -- -- 1377 41 (17) 8 88 35 (11) 8 (3) 8 Amibieën 27 20 16 (31)9 6410 Reptielen 22 16 13 (26)9 8010 Vogels (RAP) 121 67 79 - Vissen Vogels 152 Vleermuizen 24 14 19 5412 Kleine Zoogdieren 4 3 1 2112 Medium and grote zoogdieren (inclusief primaten) 17 13 8 4112 Data van ter Steege et al. (Hoofdstuk 3; deze editie). Lely gebaseerd op 1097specimens, Nassau op 1691 specimens, en Brownsberg op 2572 specimens). 2 Genoteerd door Molgo, 11 oct 2006, gebaseerd op herbarium materiaal en andere betrouwbare bronnen. 3 Genoteerd door Hielkema, 2006, gebaseerd op enig materiaal in zijn collectie. 4 geen monster beschikbaar van Lely sensu stricto; gebaseerd op monsters verzameld dichtbij Diitabiki. 5 gebaseerd op een bescheiden monster dat recentelijk genomen is op het plateau van Nassau. 6 gebaseerd op museum specimens van Brownsberg aanwezig in NZCS in Suriname. 1 38711 gebaseerd op lijst nota door Hajo Gernaat, 2005; de meeste niet geidentiiceerde soorten niet meegeteld 8 aantal soorten van hooggelegen beken tussen haakjes (d.w.z. met uitzondering van 26 species van laaglandbeken aan de voet van de heuvels van het Nassau Gebergte); Brownsberg data van Jan Mol, niet gepubliceerde data 9 ( ) additionele gegenvens van Ouboter et al. (Hoofdstuck 11). 10 gebaseerd op verscheidene bronnen, 26 twijfelgevallen niet opgenomen bij de telling 11 verscheidene bronnen, gecompileerd door J.H. Ribot (http://www1.nhl. nl/~ribot/english/); enkele species verwijderd van Ribots lijst door O’Shea 12 gebaseerd op Lim et al. 2005, maar met uitzondering van 10 species die niet echt zijn gezien op de Brownsberg 7 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 49 Uitgebreide Samenvatting voor het Lely plateau. De reden voor dit groot verschil in endemisme is niet duidelijk en moet bestudeerd worden in de toekomst. Enkele soorten (v.b. Hartiella crassicauda en Guyanancistrus ‘grote mond’) van hooggelegen beken in het Nassau gebergte, zijn duidelijk beperkt tot dit klein gebied van 20 x 20 km2; maar endemisme van de andere soorten moet vastgesteld worden bij toekomstig onderzoek. De spreiding van bepaalde vissoorten kan beperkt zijn tot een enkele stroom (H. crassicauda in Paramaka Kreek) of zelfs tot een zijtak van Paramaka Kreek (v.b. Guyanancistrus‘grote mond’ en de slanke vorm van H. crassicauda). De steile hellingen van het plateau van het Nassau gebergte, zijn mogelijk een biogeograische barriere, die verspreiding van de vissen over de berg en het plateau verhinderen. In het huidige plantcollecties is er geen bewijs voor endemisme voor de plateaus van de Brownsberg, Lely of Nassau. Enkele plantengroepen, zoals Bryophyta, varens en orchideeën vertonen echter verschillen, vermoedelijk in soortensamenstelling tussen laagland en bergsavanne gebieden. In het bergsavannebos zijn er veel nog nietgeïdentiiceerde Myrtaceae soorten, waardoor het moeilijk wordt de conserveringswaarde van het bostype te bepalen op dit moment. Endemische soorten voor Suriname Drie boomsoorten, Copaifera epunctata (Fabaceae), Phoradendron pulleanum (Santalaceae), en Sloanea gracilis (Elaeocarpaceae), waarvan men dacht dat die endemisch waren, zijn verzameld te Brownsberg en Lely. Echter kunnen deze mogelijke endemen voor Suriname ook het resultaat zijn van lage verzamelinspanning in de Guianas en de omringende landen. Endemische soorten voor het Guiana Schild Acht zoogdiersoorten die geregistreerd zijn voor Lely en Nassau zijn endemisch voor het Guiana Schild (Tabel 3). Een van deze soorten, Ateles paniscus (Kwata aap) komt ook op de Brownsberg voor. Brownsberg heeft additioneel nog zes soorten die endemisch zijn voor het Guiana Schild (Tabel 3). Echter, zoals hier boven is aangegeven, is verder onderzoek nodig te Lely en Nassau om de aanwezigheid en status te bepalen van de zoogdierenfauna. Negentien soorten van de endemische vogels van het Guiana Schild, of ongeveer 50% van de endemen die in Suriname voorkomen, zijn geregistreerd voor Lely en Nassau (Tabel 3). Contopus albogularis heeft een van de meest beperkte geograische verspreidingsgebieden van welke vogelsoort dan ook in het Guiana Schild en Phaethornis malaris (Kolibrie, Kownubri of Korke) heeft ook een beperkt verspreidingsgebied in de Guianas. Geen van deze soorten is geregistreerd voor ons buurland Guyana. Naast de eerder genoemde soorten, zijn twaalf endemische vogelsoorten van het Guiana Schild geregistreerd te Brownsberg (Tabel 3). Over het algemeen bevatten de gebieden Lely-NassauBrownsberg ten minste 75% van de endemen van het Guiana Schild, waarvan men weet dat die in Suriname voorkomen. 50 Rapid Assessment Program Van de bekende herpetofauna, zijn zes amibiesoorten en twee reptielsoorten van Brownsberg en Nassau, endemisch voor het Guiana Schild. Nogeens 15 soorten van Brownsberg zijn ook endemisch voor dit gebied (Tabel 3). In het huidige plantenbestand voor de drie bauxietplateaus, zijn verscheidene soorten zoals Dycranopygium pygmaeum (Cyclanthaceae), Elaphoglossum latifolium (Lomariopsidaceae), Longchitis hisuta (Dennstaedtiaceae), helypteris holodictya (helypteridaceae), hrichomanes membranaceum (Hymwnophyllaceae) gevonden, die strict endemisch geacht worden te zijn, ten minste voor de Guianas, in het bergsavannabos (mossenbos) en rotsachtige kreekbedden. Te Lely zijn bepaalde plantensoorten, v.b. Cavendishia callista (Ericaceae), die behoort tot de Hooglanden van de Guianas, ook gevonden in het bergsavannebos. Bedreigde soorten De rode lijst van IUCN categoriseert soorten die gebaseerd zijn op de mate waarin die bedreigd zijn (IUCN 2006). Categorieën van minder bedreigd tot meest bedreigd, houdt in: Data Onvolledig (DD, er is niet voldoende bekend om een schatting te maken), Laag Risico (LR) wat inhoudt Afhankelijke van conservering (cd), Bijna Bedreigd (nt), en Minder Aandacht (lc, op de lijst geplaatst, maar niet bedreigd), Kwetsbaar (VU), Bedreigd (EN), en Ernstig Bedreigd (CR) (IUCN 2006). Tien boomsoorten die geregistreerd zijn op de drie plateaus zijn op de IUCN lijst geplaatst als bedreigd: de aantallen van elke soort verschillen tussen de drie plateaus. Deze soorten zijn: Vouacapoua americana (CR), Apeiba intermedia (DD), Virola surinamensi (EN), Minquartia guianensis (LR/nt), Pouteria rodriguesiana (LR/nt), Copaifera epunctata (VU), Macrolobium amplexans (VU), Couratari guianensis (VU), Corythophora labriculata (VU), en Bertholletia excelsa (VU). Vijf boomsoorten die geregistreerd zijn, zijn beschermd onder de Surinaamse wet: Bertholletia excelsa, Manilkara bidentata, en species van Dipteryx en Copaifera. Al de geregistreerde zoogdiersoorten te Lely en Nassau zijn op de Rode Lijst van bedreigde soorten van IUCN, maar de meeste zijn geclassiiceerd als Lager Risico –Minder Bedreigd (LR/lc). Elf soorten worden als bijzonder belangrijk voor conservering beschouwd. Nogeens 13 zoogdiersoorten die geregistreerd zijn te Brownsberg zijn ook bedreigd. Tabel 4. toont de bedreigde zoogdiersoorten van de drie gebieden, die gecategoriseerd zijn als boven LR/ lc. Meer informatie is nodig van de zoogdieren te Lely en Nassau, om te kunnen zeggen of de bekende soorten van de Brownsberg ook aanwezig zijn op deze twee plaatsen. Een dieet dat is gebaseerd op algen, een lage vruchtbaarheid, grote mate van plaatsgebondenheid en beperkt verspreidingsgebied, maken de zeldzame meerval Hartiella crassicauda erg kwetsbaar voor menselijke activiteiten op het plateau van Nasau. Deze soort kan beschouwd worden als een bedreigde soort en moet geplaatst worden op de Rode Lijst van IUCN. Uitgebreide Samenvatting Tabel 3. Diersoorten die geregistreerd zijn te Lely, Nassau en Brownsberg en die bekend zijn als endemen voor het Guiana Schild. Groep zoogdieren Species Guiana Rode Brulaap, Alouatta macconnelli Rood ruggige baard saki, Chiropotes chiropotes Buidelrat, Marmosa murina Roodhand tamarin/Saguwenke, Saguinus midas Vogels Locatie Lely, Nassau Lely Nassau Lely, Nassau Kwata/ Zwarte Spinaap, Ateles paniscus Lely, Brownsberg Dubost’s stekel muis, Neacomys dubosti Lely Stekel muis, Neacomys guianae Lely Guyanese stekelrat/ Maka alata, Proechimys guyannensis Lely Witkop saki, Pithecia pithecia Brownsberg Gindya maka, Agidya Coendou melanurus Brownsberg Stekel muis, Neacomys paracou Brownsberg Oecomys auyantepui Brownsberg Monodelphis brevicaudata Brownsberg Lophostoma schulzi Brownsberg Powisi, Crax alector Lely, Nassau Marai, Penelope marail Lely, Nassau Gypopsitta caica Lely Roodsnavel/Redimofo, Monasa atra Lely Stonkuyake, Selenidera piperivora Lely Stonkuyake, Pteroglossus viridis Lely Xiphorhynchus pardalotus Lely, Nassau Mirafowru, Myrmotherula surinamensis Lely Mirafowru, Myrmotherula gutturalis Lely Mirafowru, Herpsilochmus stictocephalus Lely Mirafowru, Percnostola ruifrons Lely, Nassau Mirafowru, Gymnopithys ruigula Lely, Nassau Tyarman/Tityari, Contopus albogularis Lely, Nassau Rotshaan, Rupicola rupicola Busikaw, Perissocephalus tricolor Lely Lely, Nassau Manakin, Corapipo gutturalis Lely Manakin, Lepidothrix serena Lely Blaauwdas/kanarie, Euphonia inschi Lely Grangrandir/kanarie, Euphonia cayennensis Lely Mason, Amazona dufresniana Brownsberg Notharchus macrorhynchos Brownsberg Timmerman/Timreman, Veniliornis cassini Brownsberg Fityo, Synallaxis macconnelli Brownsberg Mirafowru, Frederickena viridis Brownsberg A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 51 Uitgebreide Samenvatting Groep Amibieën Species Locatie Mirafowru, Sakesphorus melanothorax Brownsberg Mirafowru, Myrmotherula guttata Brownsberg Mirafowru, Herpsilochmus sticturus Brownsberg Iodopleura fusca Brownsberg Manakin, Tyranneutes virescens Brownsberg Cyanicterus cyanicterus Brownsberg Periporphyrus erythromelas Brownsberg Colostethus beebei (kikker) Lely Colostethus degranvillei (kikker) Lely, Nassau Eleutherodactylus chiastonotus (pad) Reptielen Eleutherodactylu zeuctotylu (pad) Lely Chiasmocleis shudikarensis (pad) Lely, Nassau Atelopus hoogmoedi (= A. spumarius hoogmoedi;kikker) Brownsberg Cochranella oyampiensis (pad) Brownsberg Colostethus granti (pad) Brownsberg Osteocephalus cabrerai (pad) Brownsberg Scinax proboscideus (pad) Brownsberg Eleutherodactylus inguinalis (pad) Brownsberg Leptodactylus longirostris (pad) Brownsberg Leptodactylus meyersi (pad) Brownsberg Pipa aspera (pad) Brownsberg Rhinatrema bivittatum (worm salamander) Brownsberg Microcaecilia unicolor (worm salamander) Brownsberg Gonatodes annularis (gekko) Lely Neusticurus rudis (hagedis) Lely, Nassau Atractus zidoki (slang) Brownsberg Micrurus collaris (slang) Brownsberg Leptotyphlops collaris (slang) Brownsberg Vier vogelsoorten die geregistreerd zijn voor de Brownsberg hebben conserveringswaarde: Harpij Arend, Harpia harpya; Tyarman of Tityari, Contopus borealis; Mason, Amazona dufresniana en de Roodgele raaf, Ara macao. Amazona dufresniana is op de lijst geplaatst als LR/nt en heeft conserveringswaarde in de Guianas vanwege zijn waarde in de handel van in het wild levende dieren. Er zijn geen bedreigde vogelsoorten geregistreerd voor Lely of Nassau, ofschoon een klauw van een grote roofvogel, die gezien is te Lely, van een Harpij Arend of Pakani-aka kan zijn, beide bedreigd (LR/nt). Additionele vogelstudies van deze twee plateaus zijn nodig om te bepalen of enige van deze of andere bedreigde vogelsoorten aanwezig zijn. Een pad soort (Atelopus hoogmoedi) en de geelpoot landschildpad, (Geochelone denticulata) bekend van de Brownsberg, zijn op de lijst als VU door IUCN geplaatst. 52 Rapid Assessment Program Nassau Alle amibie- en reptielsoorten, die gedocumenteerd zijn voor Lely en Nassau, zijn geëvalueerd door “IUCN Rode lijst”, maar geen daarvan is hoger gecategoriseerd dan Minder Bedreigd (LR/lc). Soorten die Nieuw zijn voor de Wetenschap en Reikwijdte van Verspreidingsgebied Een groot aantal (24) soorten, die waarschijnlijk nieuw zijn voor de wetenschap, is gedocumenteerd voor Lely en Nassau, gedurende het RAP onderzoek. Hiertoe behoren vijf amibiesoorten, vier vissoorten (en een nieuwe ondersoort), 13 mestkeversoorten en ten minste een miersoort (er zullen waarschijnlijk meer nieuwe soorten worden gevonden, naarmate de verzamelde soorten worden gedetermineerd). Een nieuwe soort Atelopus pad was ook te Nassau gevonden in 2006 ( zie Ouboter et al. Hoofdstuk 11 en fotopagina’s). Uitgebreide Samenvatting Tabel 4. Bedreigde zoogdiersoorten vastgelegd voor Lely, Nassau en Brownsberg Groep Vleermuizen Species Locatie Lophostoma carrikeri (VU) Lely Lophostoma schulzi (VU) Brownsberg Donkere fruitetende vleermuis, Artibeus obscurus (LR/nt) Lely, Nassau Bruine fruit-etende vleermuis, Koopmania concolor (LR/nt) Primaten Grote zoogdieren Glyphonycteris daviesi (LR/nt) Brownsberg Glyphonycteris sylvestris (LR/nt) Brownsberg Phyllostomus latifolius (LR/nt) Brownsberg Vampyressa brocki (LR/nt) Brownsberg Roodruggige baard Saki, Chiropotes chiropotes (DD) Lely Guyanese rode brulaap, Alouatta macconnelli (VU) Nassau, Lely Braziliaanse Tapir, Tapirus terrestris (VU) Nassau, Lely Jaguar, Panthera onca (LR/nt) Lely Poema, Puma concolor (LR/nt) Nassau Mazama sp. (DD) Nassau, Lely, Brownsberg Reuzenmiereneter, Myrmecophaga tridactyla (VU) boshond, Speothos venaticus (VU) Kleine en middelgrote zoogdieren Nassau Lely Brownsberg Tijger, Leopardus tigrinus (LR/nt) Brownsberg Reuzen kapasi, Priodontes maximus (EN) Brownsberg Neocomys dubosti (DD) Lely Woolly opossum, Caluromys philander (LR/nt) Brownsberg Marmosops parvidens (LR/nt) Brownsberg Wit Gezicht boom rat, Echimys chrysurus (VU) Brownsberg Nieuwe insectensoorten zijn algemeen, maar zoveel nieuwe soorten amibieën en vissen, doet vermoeden dat dit gebied een zeer hoge diversiteit heeft en waarschijnlijk veel meer soorten huisvest, die nog ontdekt moeten worden. Er zijn recentelijk geen nieuwe soorten voor de wetenschap vastgelegd voor de Brownsberg, maar er zijn weinig studies uitgevoerd van deze taxonomische groepen. Dus nieuwe soorten en uitbreiding van het verspreidingsgebied voor deze groepen kan mogelijkerwijs ook gevonden worden te Brownsberg. Op het Nassau plateau is een recentelijk beschreven plantensoort voor Frans-Guyana van de familie hymelaeaceae (Daphnopsis granvillei) veelvuldig gevonden, soms in de ondergroei. In het Lely Gebergte en omliggende gebieden zijn enkele planten gevonden met een mogelijk Amazonische verspreiding. Aan de voet van de Lely is Poulsenia armata (Moraceae) gevonden; deze soort werd niet eerder in Suriname verzameld en heeft een meer Amazonische verspreiding. Op basis van verzamelingen van het Lely Gebergte en van de zuidelijke laaglanden van Suriname en Noord-Brazilie, is een nieuwe Annonaceae, Guatteria anthracina beschreven door Scharf et al. (2006). Plantencollecties van Brownsberg zouden een nieuwe soort van Danaea (Marattiaceae; Christenhusz persoonlijke communicatie) en een nieuwe soort van Trigynaea (Annonaceae; Maas persoonlijke communicatie) kunnen bevatten, maar verder onderzoek is nodig. Vele mierensoorten die geregistreerd zijn voor Lely en Nassau zijn nieuwe vondsten voor Suriname. Negen soorten zijn zeker nieuwe soorten, terwijl 85 soorten (de helft van de 169 gedocumenteerde soorten) nieuw voor Suriname kunnen zijn (in afwachting van verder onderzoek). Twee geslachten zijn voor het eerst in Suriname geregistreerd en worden vertegenwoordigd door drie soorten: Acanthognathus lentus, Acanthognathuhs cf.ocellatus, en Cryptomyrmex cf.longinodus. A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 53 Uitgebreide Samenvatting CONCLUSIES EN AANBEVELINGEN VOOR CONSERVERING (zie ook elk Hoofdstuk voor gedetailleerde aanbevelingen voor iedere taxonomische groep) I. ALLE DRIE PLATEAuS, LELY, NASSAu EN BROWNSBERG, zOuDEN VERHOOGDE BESCHERMING VAN HuN BIODIVERISTEIT MOETEN KRIJGEN. Elk van deze gebieden heeft een deel van Surinames biodiversiteit, inhoudende zowel laagland als hoger gelegen soorten, vele bedreigde soorten, en grote aantallen van soorten die endemisch zijn voor het Guiana Schild. Wereldwijde afname van amibieën heeft geresulteerd in verlies van vele amibie populaties van hoog gelegen gebieden, dus de aanwezigheid van gezonde amibie populaties in Nassau en Lely heeft grote conserveringswaarde voor de wereld. De aanwezigheid van vele grote zoogdieren en grote vogels in alle drie gebieden geeft de belangrijkheid aan als een ‘veilige haven’ voor deze soorten, waar veel op gejaagd wordt in andere gebieden. Alle drie plateaus hebben enorme habitatdiversiteit die naast typisch laaglandbos ook meer unieke habitats op grotere hoogten (> 400 m) omvat die niet in de wijde omgeving gevonden worden. 1) Elk van de drie plateaus verdient bescherming van zijn eigen unieke eigenschappen: a) Lely heeft een hoge habitat en soortenrijkdom voor alle onderzochte taxonomische groepen, alsook goede boscondities. Lely is relatief ontoegankelijk en heeft niet veel invloeden van menselijke aard. Het biedt dus een uitstekende gelegenheid om een groot gebied met hoge biodiversiteit, ongerept drooglandregenbos, en uitzonderlijk bergsavannebos te beschermen. b) Nassau is zwaarder beinvloed, maar heeft nog steeds veel biodiversiteit en goede populaties van grote zoogdieren en vogels. Nassau heeft ook een zeldzame en unieke visfauna. Dit gebied is vooral kwetsbaar voor indringende illegale goudmijnbouwers die daar al actief zijn. Actie, vooral om toegangswegen te controleren, moeten direct ondernomen worden om Nassau te beschermen tegen deze bedreiging. c) Brownsberg bevat een Natuur Park dat al bescherming biedt aan de plateaus, maar bedreigingen zijn er nog steeds voor de rest van de keten en moeten aandacht krijgen. De biodiversiteit van de Brownsberg, is tamelijk goed bestudeerd en biedt dus uitstekende mogelijkheden voor monitoring en het bepalen van de bescheming 2) Het mechanisme voor conservering van deze gebieden moet ontwikkeld worden via gezamenlijke aanpak tussen publieke en private instituten, inclusief lokale gemeenschappen, om aandacht te vragen en een halt toe roepen aan de huidige bedreigingen van deze gebieden. 54 Rapid Assessment Program Enkele mogelijke mechanismen zijn, onder andere: a) Versterken en inancieren van de afdeling Natuur Beheer van de Surinaamse Overheid, ter verhoging van monitoring in alle drie gebieden, vooral voor jacht en illegale mijnbouw. b) Creëren van een Natuur Park op het plateau van Nassau om het unieke stroomgebied van de Paramacca Kreek te beschermen. Urgente actie is nodig te Nassau,vanwege de hoge menselijke druk. c) De lokale gemeenschappen, inclusief de traditionele, betrekken, in het bijzonder de Paramacaners (Nassau en Lely), Aucaners/ Okanisi of n’ Djuka Marrons (Lely), Saramacaners (Brownsberg) en ook de niet-traditionele gemeenschappen, zoals de kleinschalige mijnbouwers. d) Bescherming van sleutelgebieden integreren in elk ontwikkelingsplan voor de plateaus (b.v.. mijnbouwplanning). Sleutelgebieden zijn het Paramacca stroomgebied te Nassau, het ongerept, hoger gelegen bos van Lely en de vegetatie langs de kreken van de Brownsberg. De plateaus van Lely en Nassau zijn concessies van de “Joint Venture” tussen Suralco (Alcoa) en BHP-Billiton. Suralco is ook betrokken bij grootschalige mijnbouw exploratie door Newmont, aan de voet van Nassau en Brownsberg. e) Onderzoek naar mogelijkheden voor toerisme in de twee gebieden als alternatieve inkomsten voor lokale gemeenschappen, om hun afhankelijkheid in de handel van wildvlees te reduceren, alsook houtkap, en goudmijnbouw. II. INTEGREER PLANTEN VAN DE PLATEAuS VAN LELY, NASSAu EN BROWNSBERG IN EEN REGIONALE CONSERVERINGSSTRATEGIE. Alle drie plateaus zijn sleutelcomponenten van een breed internationaal biodiversiteitbeschermings plan voor het Guiana Schild (Huber en Foster 2003). 1) Doe een studie van de biologische en socioeconomische waarden van de plateaus van Lely, Nassau en Brownsberg. Op basis van die informatie moeten regionale plannen en plannen voor landgebruik ontwikkeld worden om beleidsmakers te begeleiden met betrekking tot welke activiteiten wel, of niet, kunnen plaatsvinden in bepaalde gebieden. Zonder deze planning zullen de gebieden continu onderworpen zijn aan toevallige en ongecoordineerde activiteiten, die zullen leiden tot, over het algemeen, slecht beheer van de natuurlijke hulpbronnen en degradatie van biologische bronnen. 2) Onderneem acties op basis van de IBAP aanbevelingen (Hoofdstuk 2) door een selecte groep belanghebbenden, waaronder de Overheid, universiteiten, organisaties voor natuurbehoud, mijnbedrijven, en lokale gemeenschappen Uitgebreide Samenvatting III. JACHT VORMT EEN SIGNIFICANTE BEDREIGING VOOR GROTE zOOGDIEREN, GROTE VOGELS EN MESTKEVERS VAN BEIDE LOKATIES EN MOET GECONTROLEERD WORDEN. De Jachtdruk is vooral sterk te Nassau maar komt ook voor in het Lely gebied. Gezonde zoogdier- en mestkevergemeenschappen zijn vooral van belang voor het onderhouden van primaire en secundaire zaadverspreiding, die essentieel kan zijn voor plantenregeneratie en bosdynamiek. Vele grote vogels (powisies en boskalkoenen, Marais) zijn regelmatig gezien te Lely in 2003 maar het RAP team van 2005 vond veel bewijs van vogels waarop men jaagt en lege geweerhulsen. 1) Voorkom toegang voor jagers langs de wegen. De jachtdruk is vooral hoog te Nassau, waar een netwerk van wegen de toegang voor lokale jagers vergemakkelijkt. Deze wegen moeten geminimaliseerd en gecontroleerd worden. Een aantal voetpaden te Lely vergemakkelijken duidelijk ook de activiteiten van jagers en kleinschalige goudmijnbouwers, zoals aangetoond door het groot aantal afgeworpen geweerhulsen en verlaten kampen. 2) Geef voorlichting en draag bij aan de voeding van lokale werkers. Werkers op de landingsbaan van Lely jagen om hun dieet aan te vullen met vogels en primaten die vooral voor hun van belang zijn, en er was bewijs van jacht (afgeworpen geweerhulsen) rondom het exploratiebasiskamp te Nassau, hoewel niet kan worden vastgesteld wie dit gedaan heeft. De werkers regelmatig voorzien van eiwitbronnen, samen met betere voorlichting, educatie en regulering van hun jacht activiteiten moet aangemoedigd worden om de jachtdruk van lokale werkgroepen op beide lokaties te verminderen. Incentieven moeten aan de werkers gegeven worden om jacht te minimaliseren, vooral van soorten die niet als voedsel dienen. 3) Maak bondgenoten tegen de jacht van allen die toegang hebben tot Lely en Nassau, inclusief luchtvaartbedrijven, vrachtbedrijven, de Surinaamse Luchtvaart Authoriteiten, Natuur Beheer, en de mijnbedrijven (BHP-Billiton, Suralco, Newmont). Dit zou kunnen helpen om de verspreiding en verkoop van wildvlees van Lely en Nassau te controleren. De afdeling Natuur Beheer van ’s Lands Bosbeheer zou ook transport van wildvlees vanuit het binnenland te Zorg en Hoop kunnen controleren. 4) Doe onderzoek om te bepalen welke grote zoogdieren en vogelsoorten het mikpunt zijn en zwaar onder druk staan. De populatiegrootte van sleutelsoorten waar het meest op gejaagd wordt en die het meest bedreigd worden in dit gebied kan dan bepaald en gebruikt worden, om meer speciieke aanbevelingen te ontwik- kelen voor het conserveren van sleutelsoorten die door jacht bedreigd worden. 5) Handhaaf de jachtwet, vooral te Nassau. Mestkever gemeenschappen op beide lokaties hebben waarschijnlijk te lijden van jacht aangezien hun voedselbron, zoogdierfecaliën, is afgenomen. De sterkste jachtdruk schijnt te zijn op Nassau, waar ongewoon lage mestkeverdichtheden zijn waargenomen. Strictere regelgeving en toepassen van jachtpraktijken zouden van grote betekenis kunnen zijn voor mestkevers en zoogdieren. Voorkomen wat wijdverspreide jacht blijkt te zijn te Nassau, moet een top prioriteit zijn. IV. BEHOuDT DE INTEGRITEIT VAN BOSKREKEN. Kreken in het Lely en Nassau gebergte hebben typisch een zanderige, kiezel of rotsachtige bodem en zuurstofrijk, schoon water. De vissen zijn aangepast aan deze milieuomstandigheden. De amibieën en vissen die gevonden worden te Lely en Nassau, inclusief de mogelijk nieuwe soorten, zijn afhankelijk van schoon, kwalitatief goed water voor hun overleving. Planten en hun bijbehorende vissen- en invertebratensoorten, die benedenstrooms voorkomen, zijn kwetsbaar voor sedimentatie. Fijne sediment deeltjes, in suspensie en afgezet op bodem en substraat, kunnen de voortplanting van vissen en de als voedsel voor de vissen dienende algen negatief beinvloeden. Onze visstudie laat zien dat de stroomgebieden op de plateaus momenteel grotendeels intact zijn op zowel te Lely als van Nassau. Drie van de potentieel nieuwe kikkersoorten zijn alleen van boskreken bekend en nog twee meer potentieel nieuwe soorten gebruiken ook kreekhabitats wat aantoont dat beboste kreken sleutelreservoirs zijn voor biodiversiteit op beide gebergten. 1) Voorkom dat ijne sediment deeltjes, afkomstig erosie als gevolg van mijnen, wegen en ontbossingen, in de kreken terecht komen, vanwege de negatieve gevolgen op de waterkwaliteit en habitatstructuur van de kreken. Op de plateaus van zowel Lely als Nassau, wordt de integriteit van het aquatisch ecosysteem momenteel bedreigd door menselijke activiteiten, waaronder goudmijnbouw, houtkap, landbouw, jacht, en het opzetten van basiskampen. Deze activiteiten zijn vooral waargenomen aan de voet van de bergen. Aangezien we kreken hebben geindentiiceerd als sleutelhabitats, waarvan het belang onevenredig groot is voor biodiversiteit in het stroomgebied, bevelen wij een bosbuferzone aan, van tenmminste 50 m aan beide zijden van alle kreken. 2) Bescherm de bovenstroom van de Paramaka Kreek te Nassau. Op basis van onze huidige kennis, is bescherming tegen uitsterven van de zeldzame vis Harttiella crassicauda, alleen mogelijk door zijn habitat in de Paramaka Kreek te beschermen. Controle en beperkte toegang tot het stroomgebied van de Paramaka Kreek, vooral met betrekking tot kleinschalige goudmijnbouw- A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 55 Uitgebreide Samenvatting ers, houtkappers en lokale mensen (“shifting cultivation” landbouwgronden). Elke ontwikkeling te Nassau moet restricties leggen op water extractie van de Paramaka Kreek, bijvoorbeeld door gebruik te maken van verzamelfaciliteiten voor regenwater. Minimaliseren van vervuiling van de Paramaka Kreek door het creeren van afvalverzameling/behandeling faciliteiten en het baden, wassen en gooien van chemicalien/materialen in de Paramaka Kreek verbieden. Waterkwaliteit, hydrologie en integriteit van het stroomgebied, moeten gecontroleerd worden door overheidinstanties. Wij bevelen aan dat een analyse wordt gemaakt van toekomstige gevolgen van het Nasau mijnexploratie basiskamp in het Paramaka stroomgebied, vooral vanwege sedimentatie die afkomstig is van wegstromend water en vervuiling vanwege de menselijke bezetting van het kamp, om te bepalen of er enige lange termijn gevolgen van het kamp zullen ontstaan en of het basiskamp verder van de rivier af moet worden verhuisd. 3) Stel een waterkwaliteitsmonitoring programma in van de status van verscheidene aquatische sleuteltaxa (waaronder vissen, amibieën, planten, en geselecteerde invertebrate groepen) alsook waterkwaliteit en sedimentatie om een basislijn te creëren en het identiiceren van negatieve gevolgen voor de aquatische bronnen voordat ze onherstelbaar worden. De kreek aan de voet van het Nassau basiskamp is een “sleutelhabitat”, een die essentieel is voor een varieteit aan organismen, voornamelijk amibieën. Het monitoren van speciieke acties op bepaalde indicatoren is essentieel. Wij bevelen de volgende gestandardiseerde aquatische monitoringprotocols aan, op regelmatige basis (ten minste twee keer per jaar, zie Hoofdstuk 10 voor meer details). V. MINIMALISEER FRAGMENTATIE VAN DE NATuuRLIJKE HABITAT EN CONTROLEER TOEGANGSWEGEN. Dit is vooral cruciaal te Nassau, waar een relatief uitgebreid wegennetwerk de habitats reeds aan het fragmenteren is, en de toegang tot bosgebieden vergemakkelijkt. Vele kleine organismen, waaronder mestkevers en mieren, staan erom bekend dat zij vooral gevoelig zijn voor fragmentatie.Het is bekend dat zelfs kleine verstoringen van het bos, zoals verlies van plantendiversiteit en veranderingen in bodemmicroklimaat zeer grote invloeden hebben op deze groepen. Wegen en andere toegangspaden verschafen niet alleen toegang aan mensen maar ook aan vreemde soorten. 1) Beperk het aantal toegangswegen. Het wegennetwerk te Nassau moet geblokkeerd worden, herbebost en gecontrolleerd op illegale toegang. Voetpaden en andere toegangswegen in alle drie gebieden moeten beperkt en gereguleerd worden. Bij elke verdere ontwikkeling op de drie plateaus moet ervoor gezorgd worden dat een minimaal toegangsnetwerk, vooral wegen, wordt aangelegd. 56 Rapid Assessment Program 2) Onderhoudt grote bosgebieden. Hoewel ontbossing nog niet uitgebreid is op beide gebieden, is het belangrijk om grote gebieden primairbos te behouden, om intacte gemeenschappen van alle taxa te onderhouden, vooral zoogdieren en mestkevers. Reptielen en amibieën hebben tenminste 1500 ha nodig als het ‘minimum kritiek gebied’ om een redelijk intacte groep van de lokale fauna te beschermen. We bevelen aan dat stukken bos van tenminste deze grootte beshermd worden te Lely en Nassau. 3) Monitoor verscheidene sleutelsoorten en groepen die afhankelijk zijn van intact bos om gezonde populaties te behouden en om veranderingen zo vroeg als mogelijk op te kunnen sporen, om ernstige afname te voorkomen. Onder de doelgroepen moeten kleine zoogdieren, amibieën, en verscheidene insectengroepen zijn. Aangezien kleine zoogdieren voor hun overleving zeer sterk afhankelijk zijn van structuur van het bos en een sleutelcomponent vormen van het dieet van grote zoogdieren, is monitoren van zoogdierdiversiteit en abundantie een goede manier om de integriteit van het bosecosysteem te volgen. 4) Controleer houtkap, die habitatfragmentatie en degradatie versnelt en nu al gevolgen heeft voor verscheidene groepen, vooral mestkevers, mieren en zoogdieren. VI. VERHOOG DE BESCHERMING VAN HET BROWNSBERG NATuuR PARK EN ANDERE DELEN VAN HET PLATEAu. 1) Bescherm de Brownsbergketen door i) efectieve wetshandhaving in en om het Park, ii) formele installering en zuidwaartse uitbreiding van de buferzone, iii) een beheerplan voor de grotere gebieden met inbegrip van het Park en de uitgebreide buferzone, en iv) inzet om gebieden te herstellen die door goudmijnbouw vernietigd zijn. 2) Breid toerisme activiteiten uit naar i) het centraal en zuidelijk deel van de Brownsbergketen, ii) het Brokopondo stuwmeer gebied, en iii) het dorp aan de Brownsweg. 3) Monitoor continue menselijke activiteiten, biodiversiteit en het milieu, wat inhoudt het analiseren van gegevens die door STINASU verzameld zijn in de loop van het BNP Monitoring Programma 2002 tot 2005, en ii) het implementeren van een gemodiiceerd monitoring programma (BMP) dat gebaseerd is op resultaten en aanbevelingen van de data analysen. 4) Maak goed gebruik van de onderzoeksresultaten en monitoringsgegevens, wat betekent dat i) de planning en het beheer van het Park worden geleid door de resultaten, en ii) de resultaten worden gebruikt als inputs voor een verscheidenheid aan informatie outputs, alsook Uitgebreide Samenvatting voor publieke bewustwording en educatieactiviteiten in het Park en in de hoofdstad Paramaribo. 5) Creeer een superstructuur voor het BrownsbergBrownsweggebied, mogelijk gelieerd aan een MUMA (Multiple Use Management Area), dat tenminste toegang zal geven tot i) conlictresolutie tussen STINASU, de dorpelingen van Brownsweg, en lokale mijnbouwers en anderen die er actief zijn, ii) een dialoog over landgebruik met de stakeholders, en iii) conservering en ontwikkelingsprojecten die de lokale gemeenschappen ten goede komen. VII. MONITOOR OM DE AANWEzIGHEID VAN DE CHYTRIDE FuNGuS, BATRACHOCHYTRIUM DENDROBATIDIS TE ONTDEKKEN, IN VOLWASSEN KIKKERS LANGS DE BOSKREKEN. Deze schimmel wordt in verband gebracht met de afname van amibieën in vele delen van de Neotropen. Wereldwijde amibie afname heeft geresulteerd in verlies van vele matige- tot hooggelegen anurofaunas, dus de aanwezigheid van voldoende, diverse, met kreken geassocieerde amibiegemeenschappen te Nassau en Lely, is van signiicante conserveringswaarde. De dichtheden die wij geobserveerd hebben te Nassau en Lely zijn vergelijkbaar met pre-afname data van bosbeken en aangrenzend bos in Panama, wat aantoont dat de met kreekjes-geassocieerde fauna van Nassua en Lely geen dramatische afname hebben ervaren, wat zich wel heeft voorgedaan in andere plaatsen van de Neotropen. Hoewel we geen kennis dragen van rapporten van amibie afname in de Guianas, kan worden voorspeld dat de condities die gunstig zijn voor het voorkomen van Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis aanwezig zijn in de omgeveing van het Nassau en Lely gebergte. 1) Initieer een doorlopende detectie en monitoringproject. De aanwezigheid van B. dendrobatidis kan gedetecteerd worden via analyse van dermale uitstrijkjes van levende dieren. Wij bevelen aan om 300 uitstrijkjes/ bezoek te verzamelen (d.w.z.. een uitstrijkje per individu van de eerste 30 individuen die ontdekt worden). Om de aanwezigheid van B. dendrobatidis te onderzoeken, kunnen analyses worden gemaakt van samengevoegde monsters van 10 uitstrijkjes. 2) Alarmeer amibieconserveringsbiologen als de schimmel is gevonden. Individuele analyse van alle uitstrijkjes zal nodig zijn om geinfecteerde species te identiiceren. Als B.dendrobatidis is gevonden, moet contact gemaakt worden met de “Declining Amphibian Task Force” (http://www.open.ac.uk/daptf/index.htm) voor aanbevelingen. ADDITIONELE ONDERZOEKSPRIORITEITEN I. Biodiversiteitsonderzoek gedurende het regenseizoen is nodig voor alle taxa om een completere inventaris van alle soorten te compileren. Aangezien het RAP onderzoek gedaan werd gedurende de piekperiode van de droge tijd, is soortgelijk onderzoek gedurende het regenseizoen nodig, vooral voor groepen die actiever zijn in het regenseizoen, zoals amibieën, en voor groepen die bloeien (planten) of zich vermenigvuldigen in het regenseizoen (vogels). II. Onderzoek van zowel laagland kreken aan de voet van de heuvels (vooral Paramacca Kreek) en hooggelegen kreken op het plateau van Nassau (en Lely) is nodig voor een beter begrip van (1) de ecologie en evolutie van de unieke visgemeenschappen van het plateau en (2) de diversiteit en het endemisme van de visfaunas in het algemeen van het Guiana Schild. III. Onderzoek van de biodiversiteit van het stroomgebied van de Paramacca Kreek, inclusief het doen van hetzelfde onderzoek in het regenseizoen. IV. Onderzoek van de zeldzame meerval Hartiella crassicauda moet geinitieerd en gestimuleerd worden door BHP, natuurbehoudorganisaties, en de Surinaamse Overheid. Speciieke acties houden in: a. Meer informatie over het voorkomen van H. crassicauda op lage hoogten in de Paramacca Kreek (en zijn zijkreken) en in twee andere kreken die uit het Nassau gebergte stromen (Anjumarakreek en een niet-benoemde kreek); b. Meer informatie over de (reproductie/voeding) biologie van H. crassicauda voor meer kennis over ecologie. c. Meer informatie over de relatie van H. crassicauda met andere meervallen van de subfamilie Loricariinae (DNA analyse). Als het op de juiste manier beschermd wordt, kan de unieke vis H. crassicauda een symbool worden voor goede milieubeheerpraktijken d. Onmiddellijke acties moeten ondernomen worden om het proces, dat leidt naar het opnemen van H.crassicauda op de lijst van IUCN/CITES van bedreigde soorten, te initieren. V. ONDERzOEK NAAR DE POPuLATIEGROOTTE EN LEVENSVATBAARHEID VAN SOORTEN. Zowel Lely als Nassau zijn belangrijk voor biodiversiteitbehoud, aangezien zij een hoge diversiteit van grote zoogdieren hebben, alsook verscheidene nieuwe amibiesoorten en mestkevers. Vaststellen van de status van de rode lijst van IUCN, met betrekking tot soorten die nieuw zijn voor de wetenschap, zal afhankelijk zijn van schatting van het geograisch verspreidingsgebied van deze soorten, dus A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 57 Uitgebreide Samenvatting moet al het mogelijke worden gedaan om hun gebied van voorkomen te bepalen. Wij hebben uitgebreid onderzoek aanbevolen van de kreken en de twee bergen en in aangrenzende laaglanden, om abundantie en voorkomen van kreek-geassocieerde kikkers adequaat te kunnen kwantiiceren, vooral nieuwe soorten met een onbekend verspreidingsgebied. VI. Verdere planteninventaris van Nassau en Lely, waarbij herbarium specimens, alsook levende specimens, worden verzameld, vooral van planten die geassocieerd zijn met rotsachtige kreekbedden en bergsavannabos. Dit moet een overzicht geven van de aanwezigheid van zeldzame plantensoorten en de habitat waarin zij voorkomen, inclusief orchideeën en planten die geassocieerd zijn met habitats met korstige bodems. VII. Verder onderzoek van de soorten die op alle drie plateaus zijn waargenomen, naar het voorkomen van soorten die voor de wetenschap nieuw zijn, vooral kikkers en vissen. Opmaken van additionele inventarissen van taxonomische groepen, waarover we erg weinig informatie hebben, zoals mestkevers, bijen en mieren, vooral op de Brownsberg. Er moeten meer bijenmonsters van ochideeën gehaald worden van alle drie bergketens, en de relatie tussen orchideeën en orchidee-bijen op deze ketens moet onderzocht worden. REFERENTIE Bánki, O.S., H. ter Steege, M. Jansen-Jacobs and U.P.D. Raghoenandan. 2003. Plant diversity of the Nassau Mountains, Suriname. Report of the 2003 Expedition. NHN-Utrecht Branch, Utrecht University. Utrecht, Netherlands. Huber, O. and M.N. Foster. 2003. Conservation Priorities for the Guayana Shield: 2002 Consensus. Conservation International. Washington, D.C. IUCN (he World Conservation Union). 2006. IUCN Red List of hreatened Species. Web site: http://www. iucnredlist.org. Ribot, J.H. 2006. Birds in Suriname, South America. Web site: http://www1.nhl.nl/~ribot/english/ Scharf, U, P.J.M. Maas and W. Morawetz. 2006. Five new species of Guatteria (Annonaceae) from French Guiana, Guyana and Suriname. Blumea 51. ter Steege, H., O.S. Bánki, M. Jansen-Jacobs, G. Ramharakh and K. Tjon. 2005. Plant diversity of the Lely Mountains, Suriname. Draft Report of the Nov-Dec 2004 Expedition. NHN-Utrecht Branch, Utrecht University. Utrecht, Netherlands. 58 Rapid Assessment Program ter Steege, H., O.S. Bánki, T.R. van Andel, J. BehariRamdas and G. Ramharakh. 2004. Plant diversity of the Brownsberg Nature Park, Suriname. Report of the Nov-Dec 2003 Expedition. NHN-Utrecht Branch, Utrecht University. Utrecht, Netherlands. A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 59 Jan Wirjo Trond Larsen Headwaters of Paramaka Creek (tributary IJskreek, N1; 460 m.amsl) in the Nassau Mountains, habitat of Harttiella crassicauda. Palm swamp on the Lely Plateau. Trond Larsen Adult Dipsas indica on the Lely Plateau. Greg Love James I. Watling Harttiella crassicauda (Boeseman 1953) in its natural environment, headwaters of Paramaka Creek (IJskreek tributary, N1) in the Nassau Mountains at 500 m.amsl altitude. Canthon triangularis, one of 42 dung beetle species documented during the RAP survey. 60 Rapid Assessment Program James I. Watling Paul Ouboter A male Epipedobates trivittatus transports tadpoles on his back on the Nassau Plateau. RAP Team 1 studied birds, fishes, ants and dung beetles. Jan Wirjosentono Eleutherodactylus chiastonotus is endemic to the Guayana Shield. Jan Wirjosentono One of the new species of Eleutherodactylus being described from the RAP survey in eastern Suriname. James I. Watling James I. Watling A possible new species of Atelopus documented during the March 2006 follow-up visit to the Nassau Mountains. View from top of Lely Plateau. A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 61 Jeffrey Sosa-Calvo Jeffrey Sosa-Calvo Odontomachus sp. collected on the Lely Plateau (hand collection). Jeffrey Sosa-Calvo Jeffrey Sosa-Calvo Set of mini-Winkler extractors, Nassau. Frontal view of the dacetine ant Pyramica denticulata (Automontage®). Jeffrey Sosa-Calvo Jeffrey Sosa-Calvo Frontal view of worker of Carebara sp. 001 (Automontage®). Frontal view of worker of Cryptomyrmex longinodus known previously only from Brazil (Automontage®). Frontal view of worker of Anochetus horridus (Automontage®). 62 Rapid Assessment Program Chapter 1 The conservation context of the Lely, Nassau and Brownsberg Plateaus within Suriname Greg Love, Eduard Niesten, and Karl Morrison SUMMARY he Lely, Nassau and Brownsberg plateaus are located in eastern Suriname in the Guayana Shield, a region noted for its high biodiversity and extensive tracts of intact Neotropical forest. he 2003 Guayana Shield Priority-Setting Workshop determined that, despite many gaps in information, the three plateaus fall into an area designated as one of the highest priority areas for conservation in the entire Guayana Shield. Speciic biodiversity data are lacking for Lely and Nassau, but ecological research and monitoring eforts for the 11,600 ha Brownsberg Nature Park (BNP), which encompasses most of the Brownsberg plateaus, have led to relatively better understanding of certain taxonomic groups, notably plants, mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians, but little on others such as insects and ishes. Results of surveys of plant diversity in 2003-2005 (see Chapter 3) on the three plateaus showed that all three areas have high plant diversity compared to most lowland forest plots in western Suriname and suggest that they may constitute a unique ecosystem in Suriname (Bánki et al. 2003; ter Steege et al. 2004, 2005). In addition to high biodiversity, the three plateaus provide many watershed services for local and coastal communities, as well as important sources of food, medicine and building materials for Maroon communities. he BNP is also a very popular tourist destination, particularly for residents of Paramaribo and other population centers on the coast. All three plateaus ecosystems are relatively intact owing to low population density, which presents many unique opportunities for conservation over a relatively large landscape area. However, they face a number of current and potential threats, which include logging, hunting/poaching and small-scale (gold) and large-scale (bauxite and gold) mining. hough a protected area, the BNP has also been impacted by tourism as well. Unresolved conlicts over land rights and poverty, particularly with regards to Maroon communities, complicate the issues of resource use and efective long-term conservation eforts. THE GUAYANA SHIELD Suriname is located in the Guayana Shield of northeastern South America, an area of roughly 2.5 million km² (see Map). he Guayana Shield, a 2 billion year old Precambrian geological formation - possibly the oldest on the planet - underlies Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana as well as parts of northern Brazil, Venezuela, and Colombia. he Guayana Shield is a granitic formation overlaid by the largest expanse of undisturbed tropical rain forest in the world. he region contains high rates of endemism and biological richness, unique tepui formations, and the headwaters of impressive waterfalls. he population density of the Guayana Shield is the lowest of any tropical rainforest ecosystem (0.6–0.8 people/km) which, coupled with the relative lack of access routes into the interior, contributes to its exceptional degree of intactness, with more than 80% of its ecosystems in pristine or near pristine condition. In addition to its biological richness, the region contains abundant cultural diversity and natural resources. At least 100 Indigenous groups inhabit the A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 63 Chapter 1 region, as well as groups of Maroons and descendants of African, East Indian, Javanese, Chinese, Portuguese, and other European immigrants. With regards to natural resources, the region has considerable timber, mineral and freshwater resources. All three of these resource sectors, particularly mining and associated small and large-scale extraction, historically have played an important role in the region’s economies, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. However, national governments in the Guayana Shield lack the institutional capacity to monitor the performance and environmental impacts of these industries, and the lack of environmental monitoring and enforcement facilitates pressure on biological diversity and natural systems. Logging contributes to habitat loss while both large- and small-scale mining threaten water quality within the region’s extensive system of rivers, streams, and reservoirs. which numbers about 20,000 people living primarily along Tapanahony and Marowijne Rivers, and the Paramaka, numbering about 4,000 living along the Marowijne River. Moreover, one might reasonably expect that the population may be disproportionately concentrated in and around the eastern plateaus, given relative proximity to transportation arteries, such as rivers and roads, and the high level of smallscale mining activity. Regarding trends over time, pressure on natural resources due to population growth may be of relatively little concern due to combined elements of ruralurban migration and emigration; however, the results of a study by Heemskerk (2001b) indicate that in the Sella Creek area south of Lely, the miner population actually increased from 1990 – 1998. he presence of certain natural resources, such as mineral deposits, may therefore result in population increases. Economy SURINAME Biodiversity Suriname is situated entirely within the Guayana Shield and supports a rich diversity of lora and fauna (UNDP 1999). Suriname is rich in vertebrate wildlife, including at least 668 species of birds, 185 species of mammals, 152 species of reptiles, 95 species of amphibians, and 790 species of ish. Of the 1,890 known species of vertebrates, at least 65, or 3%, are endemic to Suriname. Over 5,800 species of mosses, ferns and seed plants are found in Suriname, of which an estimated 50% are endemic to the Guayana Shield region. Suriname is also home to such globally threatened and charismatic species as the jaguar, the Harpy Eagle, the blue poison dart frog and the giant river otter, which exist in relatively high numbers in comparison to other similar ecosystems in the Neotropics. Population Because of Suriname’s low population density, much of the forest within its borders is intact and considered by many to be the most pristine moist tropical forest on Earth. Results from a national population census conducted in 2004 suggest a total population of around 492,000 people, of which approximately 75% lives in urban areas, mostly (70%) in Paramaribo and surrounding areas (GBS 2005). he national average population growth rate is about 1.3% (IADB 2005). he forested interior is the home of Amerindian and Maroon (forest peoples of African descent) peoples, who live in small villages along the major rivers and depend primarily on the forest for their livelihoods. Suriname’s population is distributed among 10 administrative districts, with Brownsberg located in the Brokopondo district, and Lely and Nassau in the far eastern part of the vast Sipaliwini district (GBS 2005). While population density throughout Suriname is very low, the available data ofer little insight into actual population pressures in speciic areas. he Maroon population of eastern Suriname is comprised mainly of the Ndjuka group, 64 Rapid Assessment Program Suriname has struggled to develop its economy since the cessation of civil war in 1992. In 2001, 64% of the urban population lived under the poverty line. In rural areas and the interior, this percentage is even higher. he government is by far the largest source of employment (more than 60%). In the non-public formal sector, the services industry dominates (a substantial portion of which relates to the mining sector). Logging and related activities account for an estimated 5% of employment. Agriculture accounts for 13% of GDP and is primarily practiced in the coastal plains area and river valleys. Formal sector mining directly accounts for 3.5-4% of employment, but indirectly supports possibly as much as 20% of employment or more (IADB 2005). Mining Mining is the predominant economic activity in Suriname. Bauxite alone contributes more than 15% of GDP and 70% of export earnings. However, the informal mining sector is estimated to account for more than 20% of real GDP, and a large portion of this is accounted for by the unregulated small-scale mining industry. While to date, bauxite has been the mainstay of Suriname’s mining sector, large-scale gold mining is of increasing importance to Suriname’s formal sector economic activity, with the potential to make an enormous economic impact in the short term. he IMF estimates that the Rosebel operation, which commenced in February 2004, contributed 10% of GDP and 12% of total exports that year while employing around 1,100 workers (Fritz-Krockow et al. 2005). Eastern Suriname bears the brunt of small-scale gold mining in the country. Small-scale or artisanal (and largely illegal) mining grew from relatively little activity in the early 1980s to a 10-15 ton per year industry today, employing 1020 thousand workers, mostly Maroons and anywhere from 7,500 to 15,000 Brazilian migrant miners. Following the end of the civil war in 1992, the sector boomed to become the second largest employer after the public sector, and now contributes as much as 15% of GDP. As Maroon communities increase their consumption of goods from the coast, in- The conservation context of the Lely, Nassau and Brownsberg Plateaus within Suriname cluding canned ish, sugar, salt, and other processed foods, as well as shotguns, plastic ware, and other manufactures, the need for cash increases as well. his results in spurring the small-scale mining sector (usually the only local economic activity that generates appreciable cash revenues), and is also generating a waste-disposal problem. he literature survey and site visits have conirmed the presence of small-scale mining activity around the Lely, Nassau, and Brownsberg plateaus, athough the precise extent of such activity has not been well documented. One notable exception is the study by Heemskerk (2001b) of smallscale mining activity in the Sella Creek mining area of the Tapanahony region south of the Lely plateau. In the study, Heemskerk noted that until the early 1980s, the number of miners in this area luctuated, but then began to increase rapidly. he number stagnated from 1986 to 1990, owing probably to the early years of the civil war and subsequent closing of of access routes to the interior. Poor economic performance and options since 1990 led to continous increases in the number of miners in this region until 1998, the last year for which Heemskerk had data on miner population. Logging Approximately 2.2 million ha, or 40% of the Suriname’s surface area, are under logging concessions. Available maps suggest that the Lely, Nassau and Brownsberg plateaus do not overlap with existing timber concessions. However, due to the paucity of government monitoring and enforcement, illegal logging remains a threat, particularly given the proximity to timber concessions further east and the potential development of infrastructure, such as roads, to facilitate mineral development. Agriculture Communities in the interior of Suriname derive the bulk of their food requirements from shifting agriculture. Cassava and rice are the staple foods, complemented by gardenproduced maize, sweet potatoes, yams, squashes, taro, arrowroot, peppers, beans, peanuts, bananas, plantains and sugar cane. Under shifting agriculture, cultivated plots typically produce viable yields for one to two years, after which they are left fallow and cultivation moves to a new plot. As human population densities rise, suitable agricultural land becomes scarcer, and people need to travel further to establish plots and fallow periods tend to shorten. he increased pressure on soils undermines both agricultural productivity as well as the ecosystem’s ability to support biodiversity. his phenomenon is readily observed near the larger settlements in the interior; additional information needs to be gathered to determine how far the process has progressed in the plateau areas of eastern Suriname. Hunting and Fishing madillos, anteaters, rodents and agoutis. Despite low human populations in the interior, hunting is exerting a noticeable impact on game species. Amerindian and Maroon hunters reportedly have to travel further and longer to ind bushmeat and the average sizes of the animals they catch are decreasing. In addition to hunting for subsistence and commercial bushmeat sale, national and international markets for exotic pets also are driving increased wildlife exploitation. Ouboter (2000) cited ishing and the pet trade as two of the major threats to freshwater species (the others being habitat alteration/destruction, pollution and introduction of exotic species). He notes that ishing in freshwater systems in Suriname tends to focus on two species (armored catish and giant trahiri), both of which appear to be over-ished. Regional Conservation Priority Areas: The Guayana Shield he Guayana Shield Conservation Priority Setting Workshop held in 2002 in Paramaribo, Suriname ofers the most comprehensive analysis to date of conservation priorities for the region (Huber and Foster 2003). he priorities represent the results of a year-long process which culminated in a ive-day workshop with over 100 experts on the biology and socio-economics of the Guayana Shield. Participants overlaid information regarding biological thematic groups including: loristics, plant ecology, invertebrates, ishes and freshwater ecology, reptiles and amphibians, birds, mammals, and physical geography. his information was overlaid with socio-economic information on non-timber forest products (NTFPs), mining, protected areas and indigenous lands, forestry and infrastructure. he socio-economic and biological information were combined and resulted in the identiication of 41 areas totaling approximately 1.2 million km² that fall into current or proposed conservation units. More than half of the priority areas belong either to the highest category of biological importance or the highest category of pressure, with the entire Guayana Shield being cited as both a global priority for tropical biological and cultural diversity. With regards to the area containing Brownsberg, Nassau and Lely plateaus (designated as “Maroni” in the inal report), workshop experts determined the region to be one of the highest conservation priority areas within the entire Guayana Shield, citing extensive ecological diversity and endemism in all taxonomic groups (Huber and Foster 2003). National Conservation Priorities: Suriname A search of the literature revealed no detailed analysis of conservation priorities within Suriname in general, or specifically for the Brownsberg, Nassau and Lely plateaus. Speciic analyses such as BirdLife’s Important Bird Area analysis and Conservation International’s Key Biodiversity Area (KBA) analysis have yet to be undertaken within Suriname. Despite this, there are several other sources that provide insight into conservation priorities in Suriname, including the following: Hunting has been identiied as one of the major threats to biodiversity in eastern Suriname. Hunted game species include various birds, monkeys, deer, tapir, sloth, peccaries, ar- A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 65 Chapter 1 Conservation International’s High-Biodiversity Wilderness Areas: All three plateaus are located in the Amazonia Wilderness Area designated by Conservation International (CI). High-Biodiversity Wilderness Areas are deined by CI as areas that have “more than 70 percent of original vegetation, have low human population densities and are among the last places where indigenous peoples can maintain traditional lifestyles” (Conservation Internatinal 2005). his area encompasses nine countries (Suriname, Guyana, French Guiana, Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia) and is the largest tropical forest on Earth, housing over 40,000 plant species alone, along with possibly 30,000 endemics throughout the Wilderness Area. World Wildlife Fund’s Global 200 Ecoregions: World Wildlife Fund (WWF) includes all of Suriname within the Guianan moist forest “ecoregion.” With regards to lora, WWF lists 4,500 plant species, including 300 varieties of orchids, 300 types of ferns and 800 tree species that have been inventoried in Suriname. Five hundred of these species are considered rare and 200 endemic to the Ecoregion. WWF also reports for Suriname: 185 mammal species, 668 bird species, 152 species of reptiles, 95 species of amphibians, 338 freshwater ish species, 452 marine ish species and 1,752 invertebrate species to date (Lethier 2002). IuCN—he World Conservation union (Red List— Critically Endangered, Endangered, and Vulnerable species): he IUCN has identiied a total of 62 Vulnerable, Endangered and Critically Endangered species in Suriname. Forty of these species are terrestrial or freshwater; 22 are marine species (IUCN 2006). Notable species include the following: 66 • Due to overexploitation, the plant species Youacapoua americana is the only terrestrial species listed as Critically Endangered. he baboonwood (Virola surinamensis), found in swamp and inundated forest types, is listed as Endangered and twenty four other plant species are listed as Vulnerable. • he Cara Cara (Aniba rosaeodora), giant armadillo (Pridontes maximus) and giant Brazilian otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) are listed as Endangered and are found in Suriname, along with eight other mammals listed as Vulnerable. • Atelopus spumarius (toad) is listed as Vulnerable because of a projected population decline, estimated to be more than 20% over the next ten years, inferred from declines in other high altitude Atelopus species in the same region, probably due to chytridiomycosis. • he blue poison dart frog (Dendrobates azureus) is the only other amphibian listed as Vulnerable as it is known from the vicinity of only one locality and it occurs only in forest fragments that are threatened by Rapid Assessment Program forest ires. here is also some illegal collection of the species for the pet trade. • he yellow spotted river turtle (Podocnemis uniilis), the Brazilian giant tortoise (Geochelone denticulata) and the American manatee (Trichechus manatus) represent the freshwater species listed as Vulnerable by the 2004 Red List. Protected Areas: Suriname has 15 existing and ive proposed protected areas, varying in degree of protection. hese areas cover approximately 2.3 million ha, almost 13% of Suriname’s total area (WRI 2003). he Central Suriname Nature Reserve is the most extensive of the protected areas within Suriname, totaling approximately 1.6 million ha and granted World Heritage Site status in 1998 (UNEP-WCMC 2005). While no protected areas are located in or around the Lely and Nassau plateaus, the Brownsberg plateau is contains the 11,600 ha BNP. A review of the literature did not reveal any systematic gap analysis to date of the protected area system within Suriname making priority regions for new protected areas impossible to determine at the present time. National-level Conservation Policies: A reasonably comprehensive national-level guiding framework for environmental policy in Suriname was commissioned by the Inter American Development Bank (IADB 2005). his document lists the following as principal drivers of biodiversity loss in the country: deforestation, mining-related pollution, mercury pollution, sanitation and disposal of solid and liquid wastes, water pollution, excessive use of agricultural chemicals, over-ishing, and coastal-zone degradation. However, the overarching challenge facing biodiversity and the environment in general in Suriname is the lack of legislative, regulatory and institutional provisions and mechanisms for environmental management. Suriname has yet to adopt a National Biodiversity Action Plan. he principal guiding framework available for environmental policy in the country is the National Environmental Action Plan (NEAP), drafted in 1996, although this framework has not been formally adopted by the Government of Suriname. In 2001 an environmental law was drafted, but this law has yet to be approved by the Minister. Although Suriname has signed several international environmental conventions and treaties, and ratiied some of them, these have yet to be integrated into national laws, management structures, and policy-making bodies. To the extent that environmental laws and regulations do exist, adequate monitoring and enforcement is rare due to limited human and material capacity, and low prioritization of environmental considerations by the relevant Ministries (IADB 2005). The conservation context of the Lely, Nassau and Brownsberg Plateaus within Suriname REFERENCES Bánki, O.S., H. ter Steege, M. Jansen-Jacobs and U.P.D. Raghoenandan. 2003. Plant diversity of the Nassau Mountains, Suriname. Report of the 2003 Expedition. NHN-Utrecht Branch, Utrecht University. Utrecht, Netherlands. Conservation International. 2005. High Biodiversity Wilderness Areas.Web site: http://conservation.org/xp/ CIWEB/regions/priorityareas/wilderness/. Fritz-Krockow, B., G. El-Masry, M.Nozaki, M.Torres and T.Roy. 2005. Suriname: Selected Issues. International Monetary Fund, Western Hemisphere Department. Washington, D.C. GBS (Census Oice of the General Bureau of Statistics). 2005. Landelijke Resultaten, Volume I – Demograische en Sociale karakteristieken. Series 213–2005/02. Heemskerk, M. 2001a. Do international commodity prices drive natural resource booms? An empirical analysis of small-scale gold mining in Suriname. Department of Rural Sociology. Madison, Wisconsin: University of Wisconsin, Madison. Heemskerk, M. 2001b. Maroon gold miners and mining risks in the Suriname Amazon. Cultural Survival Quarterly: Issue 25.1. Huber, O. and M.N. Foster. 2003. Conservation priorities for the Guayana Shield: 2002 Consensus. Conservation International. Washington, D.C. IADB (Inter American Development Bank). 2005. Country Environment Assessment –Suriname – Draft Report. Buursink International Consultants for Environmental Management. Washington, D.C. IUCN (he World Conservation Union). 2006. IUCN Red List of hreatened Species. Web site: http://www. redlist.org/. Lethier, H., C. Healy, D. Masterson, and M. Fontaine. 2002. Guianas sustainable forest resources management project. Project Document. WWF Guianas Program. Paramaribo, Suriname. http://www.wwfguianas.org/ pdf/forest_project_doc.pdf Ouboter, P.E. 2000. Wildlife management in Suriname. Bioconsult. Paramaribo, Suriname. ter Steege, H., O.S. Bánki, M. Jansen-Jacobs, G. Ramharakh and K. Tjon. 2005. Plant diversity of the Lely Mountains, Suriname. DRAFT Report of the NovDec 2004 Expedition. NHN-Utrecht Branch, Utrecht University. Utrecht, Netherlands. ter Steege, H., O.S. Bánki, T.R. van Andel, J. BehariRamdas and G. Ramharakh. 2004. Plant diversity of the Brownsberg Nature Park, Suriname. Report of the Nov-Dec 2003 Expedition. NHN-Utrecht Branch, Utrecht University. Utrecht, Netherlands. UNDP (United Nations Development Program). 1999. Conservation of globally signiicant forest ecosystems in Suriname’s Guayana Shield. Identiier SUR/99/ G31/A/1G/31. UNEP-WCMC (United National Environmental ProgramWorld Conservation Monitoring Center). 2005. World Heritage Sites. Web site: http://www.unep-wcmc. org/protected_areas/data/wh/suriname.html. WRI (World Resources Institute). 2003. EarthTrends Country Proile Suriname. Biodiversity and protected areas.Web site: http://earthtrends.wri.org/pdf_library/ country_proiles/Bio_cou_740.pdf A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 67 Chapter 2 A Socio-Economic Assessment of Brownsberg, Lely and Nassau plateaus, and the Biodiversity Action Plan Workshop Summary Greg Love, Eduard Niesten, Karl Morrison, Marielle Canter, and Maureen Silos INTRODUCTION In the fall of 2005, Conservation International (CI) joined with the Mining Joint Venture (MJV) of BHP-Billiton Maatschappij Suriname and Suriname Aluminium Company LLC to conduct an Initial Biodiversity Assessment Planning (IBAP) project for the Brownsberg, Lely and Nassau plateaus of eastern Suriname. he IBAP is a science-based approach, which draws on CI’s core competencies and expertise in biodiversity science and conservation planning. he methodology assesses an area’s biodiversity within the socio-economic context of a region and identiies opportunities on how to conserve the region’s ecosystems. he purpose of the IBAP methodology is to assist companies in incorporating biodiversity into their risk analysis and decision-making and planning processes from the earliest stages of project development. he following chapter summarizes two outputs of the IBAP process, the socio-economic desktop assessment and biodiversity action plan workshop conducted in conjunction with the Rapid Assessment Program (RAP) biodiversity survey. Socio-Economic Assessment Chapter 1 of this volume (Love et al. 2007) provides an overview of the human population and economy of Suriname. Here we will focus on those socio-economic aspects that directly afect the Brownsberg, Lely and Nassau plateaus. he Brownsberg, Nassau and Lely areas have a number of socio-economic variables that pose challenges to efective long-term conservation of biodiversity. All three areas have already been impacted by small-scale mining and associated activities (such as hunting). he Brownsberg National Park (BNP), which encompasses most of the Brownsberg plateau, is a very popular tourist destination, particularly for residents of Paramaribo and other population centers on the coast. Despite its protected status, it has apparently not been spared it from activities that negatively impact biodiversity in other parts of the country, as local residents regularly hunt and log near and occasionally in the BNP, and small-scale gold miners have been mining around and within its boundaries. Tourism is becoming an increasingly valuable source of income for the surrounding communities of the BNP, but even that seemingly benign activity may be negatively impacting the Park, though the precise extent of the damage remains unclear (Fitzgerald et al. 2002). Small-scale (gold) mining he literature review suggests that at the present time, small-scale gold mining and associated activities (principally uncontrolled hunting and ishing) are having the most negative impact on the three plateaus’ ecosystems, athough more data are needed to assess to what degree. Most small-scale miners exploit alluvial gold deposits using high-pressure hoses to extract soil and then processing soil in sluice boxes and gold pans using mercury. Measurements in many of the rivers that are impacted by gold mining indicate that most are polluted by mercury and have increased turbidity (Ouboter 2000). he sensitivity of freshwater species to these factors indicate that artisanal and large-scale mining could have severe impacts of freshwater species 68 Rapid Assessment Program Socio-Economic Assessment of Brownsberg, Lely and Nassau plateaus, and Biodiversity Action Plan Workshop Summary (including amphibians), ecosystems services and the quality of water available to local populations. Water pollution resulting from disposal of tailings into waterways is consistently identiied by communities in the interior as the principal negative impact from small-scale mining (IADB 2005). Impacts on water lows from silting up of streams and alteration of stream beds contribute to the spread of water-related diseases (especially malaria), and inhabitants have to travel increasing distances to ind potable water. he impacts of soil erosion and siltation on ish breeding grounds and habitats reduce species diversity and biomass of food ishes in streams afected by small-scale gold mining. Temporary mining camps also exert impacts on biodiversity through shifting localized intensiication of hunting pressure and forest clearing. hus, eforts to promote ‘environmentally friendly’ artisanal mining that avoids mercury will not necessarily reduce signiicant threats to habitat, biodiversity, water-quality and protein sources for people. A range of negative social impacts also accompanies small-scale mining. he illicit nature of the sector makes it a ready conduit for violent crime, prostitution, the spread of sexually transmitted disease and intra-community conlicts over distribution of minig areas and earnings. Nevertheless, despite various negative environmental and social consequences of small-scale mining, the sector remains one of the few income-generating opportunities available to communities in the interior (Heemskerk 2001a). Although a response to the threats posed by small-scale mining may be among the most urgent conservation priorities in eastern Suriname, such a response will have to address a broad array of socio-economic issues in order to be successful. Large-scale mining With regards to large-scale mining, all three plateaus are currently under consideration for bauxite mining, and a large-scale gold mining concession is currently being explored in Nassau. he potential threats posed to biodiversity by the appearance of a large-scale mining in these areas, if not responsibly managed, include: 1. Direct threat from large-scale mining activity on the landscape through extraction and creation of access routes, afecting watersheds, forest cover and habitats; 2. he “magnet efect” – increasing population density as mining activities attract in-migration and increase attendant related pressures (cultivation, hunting, etc.); 3. Displacement of small-scale gold miners, forcing relocation to and impacts on other areas; 4. In the case of large-scale gold mining, a ‘gold rush’ of small-scale gold miners after mine closure, seeking to ind leftover ore in a proven area; 5. “Boom-bust” economic development where after a mine closes, few if any economic opportunities remain for local residents. Local Communities Suriname has approximately 200 Maroon villages of 25 to 100 households, and at least 200 additional settlements called camps, or kampus. he majority of villages and settlements are found along waterways in the Sipaliwani and Brokopondo districts, including the Suriname, Tapanahoni and Marowijne Rivers and the Brokopondo Reservoir (IADB 2005). hese bodies of water are all in close proximity to the three plateaus. he Ndjuka Maroon group comprises a substantial portion of the population of eastern Suriname. Maroon communities depend on forest and natural resources for their subsistence, through shifting agriculture, ishing, hunting and gathering of forest products. Forests also provide medicine, construction materials, tools, etc. Typically, Maroon settlements lack adequate public services such as electricity, running water, schools, health clinics, waste processing, and the like, intensifying dependence and impacts on forest resources. Site-speciic anthropogenic threats to biodiversity depend on localized population density, intensity of natural resource use, and technologies employed in resource utilization. However, more speciic data on the size and scope of human activities and their impacts on the ecosystems of the plateaus in question and adjacent areas are lacking. Ongoing conlicts surrounding land rights with Maroon as well as some Amerindian communities in Suriname undermines prospects for sustainable resource management and complicates the scope for conservation action. In short, Maroon communities maintain that the national Government of Suriname has limited jurisdiction over Maroon territories. In particular, the Maroon position is that they own the rights to sub-surface resources below their traditional territories, implying that the Government has no authority over small-scale mining and that largescale mining concessions require local Maroon community consent and compensation. he Government takes the position that all sub-surface resources in Suriname are the property of the state, to be disposed of in the public interest as the Government sees it. Although Government policy statements indicate an interest in working toward recognition and protection of traditional land rights, the issue of rights to sub-surface resources remains highly contentious. Concessionaires in both the mining and logging sectors ind themselves squarely in the middle of this controversy, as existing logging concessions impact approximately 60% of Amerindian and Maroon communities, and mining concessions afect nearly 40% of these communities (IADB 2005). Examples of local community protests relating to land and resource rights abound. In 1990, employees operating in a concession near Klaaskreek in the Brokopondo district were taken hostage by local villagers. Workers in a gold mining concession in the Aluku area in eastern Suriname were withdrawn following threats from local communities around the same time. With respect to eastern Suriname, A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 69 Chapter 2 forced removal of small-scale gold miners from the Nassau area in 2003 illustrates the potential for friction between the formal and informal mining sectors. he land and resource rights controversies have several implications of relevance for conservation actions. Insecure land rights fuel unsustainable behavior, since the absence of guaranteed tenure obviates any incentives to conserve or invest in long-term sustainability. Moreover, the controversy over land rights complicates conservation eforts, since such eforts necessarily require working with a broad array of stakeholders including government as well as local communities; conservationists must be careful with respect to strategies that imply – actually or seemingly – partiality to one position or the other on land-rights questions. Seeking a particular land use in areas claimed as traditional lands, whether it is a protected area or a resource concession, risks fueling social conlicts at several levels, with negative consequences for local people, the private sector and biodiversity. Finally, a large inlux of investment into the area carries with it a danger of undermining an important part of Suriname’s cultural landscape. Gaps in Information It is clear from the literature and resource search that while all three plateaus are generally considered by a number of diferent categorizations to be important areas for biodiversity, there are signiicant information gaps for both biodiversity and socio-economic issues. his is particularly true for many speciic taxonomic groups, ecosystem functions and services, impacts of human activities and the biodiversity value of these areas relative to other areas of Suriname. For Lely and Nassau, it appears that the only substantive understanding is of plant diversity, while little is known about the diversity of other taxonomic groups such as mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and insects. In contrast, there has been relatively extensive work done in the BNP for plants, mammals, reptiles and birds (including a monitoring plan), but even in these areas researchers have recommended further studies to better understand the biodiversity in the area. he issue of small-scale gold mining and its impacts on freshwater ecosystems have also been addressed in a number of studies, such as Mol and Ouboter’s study (2004) on the negative impacts to ish diversity and community structure from small-scale mining activities in the Mindrineti River near the BNP. Despite these and similar studies, the cumulative impacts of this and other extractive activities such as large-scale mining, logging and hunting on Suriname’s ecosystems are still not well understood. In terms of how the ecosystems of these areas function, the services they provide (such as watershed protection) and their importance relative to other areas of Suriname, too little data exist to make concrete conclusions. Further study on various taxonomic groups, ecosystem functions and services and comparison to other areas of Suriname (and possibly in the larger Guayana Shield) could help ill many of these gaps. 70 Rapid Assessment Program BIODIVERSITY ACTION PLAN WORKSHOP SUMMARY As part of the IBAP methodology, a workshop was held in Paramaribo on November 8-9, 2005 with the goal of arriving at a realistic assessment of the impacts of human activities on biodiversity and socio-economic conditions in the Nassau, Lely and Brownsberg regions and generating ideas on how to mitigate those impacts and contribute to the region’s long-term conservation. Speciic workshop objectives were as follows: 1. Improved understanding of the overall socioeconomic conditions and biodiversity of the Nassau, Lely and Brownsberg regions; 2. Identiication and conirmation of principal stakeholders in the region; 3. Identiication, description, and prioritization of threats to biodiversity conservation; 4. Presentation of opportunities for biodiversity conservation; and 5. Completion of a draft Biodiversity Action Plan to support stakeholders in the Lely, Nassau and Brownsberg regions in achieving biodiversity conservation. RECOMMENDED BIODIVERSITY ACTIONS Workshop participants initially identiied a number of threats in the Lely, Nassau and Brownsberg plateaus, including hunting, trapping, illegal logging, smallscale mining and large-scale mining, lack of regulatory enforcement, waste and trash disposal, and tourism activities. Key actions that could take place to address the threats identiied are presented below as a preliminary action plan, with an indication of the time line for each of the identiied actions and the suggested stakeholders to be involved in each action. Brownsberg Six issues were identiied as priorities for biodiversity conservation action in the Brownsberg region: lack of regulatory enforcement, small-scale mining, illegal logging, hunting, waste and trash management, and tourism activities (Tables 2.1-2.5). Nassau Six issues were identiied as priorities for biodiversity conservation action in the Nassau region: hunting, trapping, illegal logging, waste and trash management, small-scale mining and large-scale mining (Tables 2.6-2.11). Lely hree issues were identiied as priorities for biodiversity conservation action in the Lely region: hunting, small-scale mining and large-scale mining (Tables 2.12-2.14). In addition to the aforementioned mentioned issues, the Lely working group came up with additional, general Socio-Economic Assessment of Brownsberg, Lely and Nassau plateaus, and Biodiversity Action Plan Workshop Summary recommendations for conservation of that area: 1. Use lessons learned from Brownsberg to inform issues in Lely in the short term. 2. Compared to the Brownsberg region, Lely is relatively intact which allows for proactive thinking on how to avoid certain mistakes made in Brownsberg. 3. Get stakeholders to commit to gather more information to decide how resources could be used. REFERENCES Fitzgerald, K.A., B.P.E. De Dijn, and S. Mitro. 2002. Brownsberg Nature Park ecological research and monitoring program 2001-2006. STINASU, Paramaribo. GBS (Census Oice of the General Bureau of Statistics). 2005. Landelijke Resultaten, Volume I – Demograische en Sociale karakteristieken. Series 213 – 2005/02. Heemskerk, M. 2001a. Do international commodity prices drive natural resource booms? An empirical analysis of small-scale gold mining in Suriname. Department of Rural Sociology. University of Wisconsin, Madison. Heemskerk, M. 2001b. Maroon gold miners and mining risks in the Suriname Amazon. Cultural Survival Quarterly: Issue 25. 1. IADB (Inter American Development Bank). 2005. Country Environment Assessment – Suriname – Draft Report. Buursink International Consultants for Environmental Management. Washington, D.C. Love, G., E. Niesten, and K. Morrison. 2007. he conservation context of Lely, Nassau and Brownsberg Plateaus within Suriname. In: Alonso, L.E. and J.H. Mol (eds.). A rapid biodiversity assessment of the Lely and Nassau plateaus, Suriname (with additional informationon the Brownsberg Plateau). RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 43. Conservation International, Arlington, VA, USA. Mol, J.H. and P.E. Ouboter. 2004. Downstream efects of erosion from small-scale gold mining on the instream habitat and ish Community of a small Neotropical rainforest stream. Conservation Biology. Volume 18. Number 1: 201-214(14). Ouboter, P.E. 2000. Wildlife management in Suriname. Bioconsult. Paramaribo, Suriname. A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 71 Chapter 2 BROWNSBERG Table 2.1. Lack of regulatory enforcement at Brownsberg. Proposed opportunities/actions • Time frame (years) Institutional strengthening of government agencies for efective law enforcement in the following areas: • staf development • equipment • ield stations for rangers • increase of salaries • capacity to draft environmental laws 0-3 • Amendment of existing laws to relect the new challenges to biodiversity conservation 0-3 • Establishment of a legal authority for monitoring and enforcing environmental laws 0-3 Stakeholders • • Ministry of Natural Resources (NH) Ministry of Labor, Technological Development and Environment (ATM) Ministry of Justice and Police (J&P) Department of Geology and Mining (GMD) National Institute for Environment and Development (NIMOS) Suriname Forestry Authority (SBB) Nature Conservancy Division (NB) Donor agencies (i.e. WWF) • • • • • • Table 2.2. Small-scale mining at Brownsberg. Proposed actions Time frame (years) Stakeholders • • • • • • • • Formation of miners associations Awareness raising and education Law enforcement Introduction of improved mining techniques Formulate adequate policy on Small-scale mining • All: 0-3 • • • • • • Small scale miners Ministry of Natural Resources (NH) National Institute for Environment and Development (NIMOS) Ministry of Labor, Technological Development and Environment (ATM) Ministry of Justice and Police (J&P) Foundation for Nature Conservation Suriname (STINASU) Ministry of Finance District Commissioner of Brokopondo Resort Council Brownsweg COGASUR (Association of Brazilian small scale miners) Table 2.3. Illegal logging at Brownsberg. Proposed actions Time frame (years) Stakeholders • • • • • 72 Adequate law enforcement Institutional strengthening of government agencies Rapid Assessment Program All: 0-3 • • • • • • Ministry of Natural Resources (NH) National Institute for Environment and Development (NIMOS) Ministry of Spatial Planning and Land Policy (ROGB) Ministry of Justice and Police (J&P) District Commissioner of Brokopondo Resort Council Brownsweg Suriname Forestry Authority (SBB) Local communities Illegal loggers Socio-Economic Assessment of Brownsberg, Lely and Nassau plateaus, and Biodiversity Action Plan Workshop Summary Table 2.4. Hunting at Brownsberg. Proposed actions Time frame (years) • Education and awareness raising 0-3 • Adequate enforcement of hunting laws for nature park 3-5 • Institutional strengthening of government agencies 3-5 Stakeholders • • • • • • • Nature Conservancy Division (NB) Ministry of Natural Resources (NH) Foundation for Nature Conservation Suriname (STINASU) Local communities Loggers Miners Wildlife rangers Table 2.5. Waste and trash at Brownsberg. Proposed actions Time frame (years) • Education and awareness raising 0-3 • Provide waste disposal facilities 0-3 • Adequate law enforcement 3-5 Stakeholders • • • • • • • Visitors Ministry of Regional Development Nature Conservancy Division (NB) Ministry of Justice and Police (J&P) Foundation for Nature Conservation Suriname (STINASU) Local communities Miners NASSAU Table 2.6. Hunting at Nassau. Proposed actions • • • • • Minimize access Regulate hunting practices Adequate law enforcement Strengthening capacity government agencies Provide alternative food supply (?) Time frame (years) All: 0-3 Stakeholders • • • Timber companies Suriname Forestry Authority (SBB) Ministry of Justice and Police (J&P) Table 2.7. Commercial trapping at Nassau. Proposed actions • • Implement education and awareness program Research Time frame (years) All: 0-3 Stakeholders • • • • WWF Forestry Service (LBB) Conservation International University of Suriname A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 73 Chapter 2 Table 2.8. Illegal logging at Nassau. Proposed actions • Time frame (years) Enforcement of legal logging 0-3 Stakeholders • Forest Service (LBB) Table 2.9. Waste/trash at Nassau. Proposed actions • • • Time frame (years) Education and awareness programs Waste minimizing plans Rainwater collection by companies All: 0-3 Stakeholders • • NGOs Companies Table 2.10. Small-scale mining at Nassau. Proposed actions • • Minimize impact through implementing best practices Limit expansion of SSM through regulation (encouraging legal vs. illegal) Time frame (years) Stakeholders 3-5 • • • • Government NGOs Business External funders 3-5 • • Government NGOs • • Technology transfer Training on mercury 0-3 • • NGOs Companies • Clean up of old mines (case by case basis) 3-5 • Companies Table 2.11. Large-scale mining at Nassau. Proposed actions 74 Time frame (years) • Evaluate impact studies through EIA and other studies 0-3 • Applying best practice environmental management (land opening, minimizing area where roads are placed) 0-3 • Closure and reclamation plan (government and companies 3-5 • Facilitating exchange and communication between government, NGOs, and companies regarding road closures 0-5 • Encourage government to maintain high standards of good practice 0-3 • Review mining legislation (currently being redrafted) • Study dangers SPP to minimize impact Rapid Assessment Program 0-3 0-3 Stakeholders • Companies • • • • • Companies NGOs Companies NGOs University Socio-Economic Assessment of Brownsberg, Lely and Nassau plateaus, and Biodiversity Action Plan Workshop Summary LELY Table 2.12. Hunting at Lely. Proposed actions • • • • Provide education, food and entertainment for airstrip employees Wildlife management Law enforcement Data collection Time frame (years) All: 0-3 Stakeholders • • • Garimpeiros Airstrip employees Large scale miners Table 2.13. Small-scale mining at Lely. Proposed actions Time frame (years) • Training in new technologies 0-3 • Mercury traps 0-3 • Law enforcement • Economic opportunities • Public information 0-100 Stakeholders • • • • • Brazilian miners Large scale companies Maroons Geology and Mining Department (GMD) Law enforcement authorities 0-3 Table 2.14. Large-scale mining at Lely. Proposed actions Time frame (years) • Baseline study 0-3 • Proactive regional land use planning 0-3 • Resource management plan 3-5 • NGO ongoing campaign and lobby for better regulation and legislation 0-5 Stakeholders • • • • • • • • BHP Billiton Suralco Grassalco National Institute for Environment and Development (NIMOS) Small scale miners NGOs CANARC Government A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 75 Chapter 3 Plant diversity of the bauxite plateaus of North East Suriname Hans ter Steege, Olaf Bánki and Paddy Haripersaud he laterite-bauxite plateaus in North East Suriname form a large geological formation, locally called the Brokolonko formation, and include, among others, the Nassau, Brownsberg, Winti Wai, Hok-a-Hin, Stonbroekoe, Majordam, and Lely Mountains. hese plateaus together cover less than 0.5% of Suriname’s land surface (Figure 3.1) and may constitute a rare and endangered landscape type. Figure 3.1. Bauxite caps (Brokolonko landscape) of Northeast Suriname as indicated by the 1977 soil map (CBL 1977). Because most of these formations are laterite-bauxite plateaus (including Nassau, Lely and Brownsberg), they are attractive sites for open pit bauxite mining. Each has been explored for aluminium ore, and several have mining concessions located within their boundaries. Recently mineral exploration has been carried out in the Brownsberg Nature Park (BNP), afecting its status as an undisturbed and protected natural area. In January and February 2003 the National Herbarium of the Netherlands – Utrecht Branch (NHN-U) and the National Herbarium of Suriname (BBS), with logistical support from SURALCO, carried out a botanical expedition to the Nassau Mountains (Bánki et al. 2003). During this expedition numerical data on tree diversity were obtained by establishing ive and a half 1-ha plots, while general plant collecting surveys were conducted to obtain an insight into the lora of the Nassau Mountains. 76 Rapid Assessment Program Plant diversity of the Bauxite plateaus of North East Suriname Subsequent discussions with WWF-Suriname, SURALCO and the Foundation for Nature Conservation in Suriname (STINASU) led to a joint research project to compare three localities of bauxite plateaus (Nassau Mountains, BNP and Lely Mountains). From a botanical perspective, the bauxite plateaus are relatively unknown and a synthesis of their plant diversity had not been previously carried out. Some of the main botanical expeditions that had surveyed the plateaus in the past include for the Nassau Mountains: Lanjouw and Lindeman 1949, Lindeman and Cowan 1954/55, Maguire 1955 and Jansen Jacobs et al., 2003. For the Lely Mountains, past surveys include: Lindeman et al. 1975 and Jansen-Jacobs et al. 2004. Past surveys of the BNP include: Tjon-Lim-Sang and van de Wiel 1975-77, Mori and Bolten 1976 (including Lely), and van Andel et al. 2003 (see Appendix 1 for collector data used in this study). At Brownsberg several arboreta have been established in the past. Around 1914-15 Justus Gonggrijp, the head of “Boschwezen” (Forest Department), established an arboretum on top of Brownsberg. Between 1915 and 1931 various collectors have made collections of trees in this arboretum (e.g. Gerling, Gonggrijp, Nijverman, Stahel, van Emden, Zaandam). In 1970 Dr. Joop Schulz, Head of the Nature Conservation Division of the State Forest Service (LBB/NB) and founder and irst director of STINASU established an arboretum at the BNP. Trees were identiied by John Tawjoeran and Frits van Troon, and collected by, among others, tree climber Leo Roberts (see Teunissen 2005 for details on tree species). ter Steege and Bánki et al. (2003) established ive 1-ha plots with labeled trees on the plateau and slopes of the BNP. METHODS he main ield work took place in three expeditions: Nassau Mountains, January –February 2003; BNP, November – December 2003; and Lely Mountains, November – December 2004. In June and November 2005 two extra ieldtrips were made to Brownsberg for extra plant collecting and the establishment of a 1-ha plot in mountain savanna forest (Bánki et al. unpublished). Each expedition was carried out by two teams: one team focused on general plant collecting (NHNU, BBS) and the other team focussed on the establishment and inventory of 1-ha tree plots (NHN-U, and CELOS on Lely). Each expedition was comprised of diferent team members, though H. ter Steege, O. S. Bánki, G. Ramharakh and F. van Troon were present at all three expeditions. Detailed information on the expeditions can be found in Bánki et al. (2003), ter Steege et al. (2004) and ter Steege et al. (2005). Botanical collections In preparation for the three expeditions, all known and available plant collections and forest inventories of Nassau Mountains, BNP, and Lely Mountains were gathered and entered into a database in Utrecht. his provided the expedition teams with checklists of known plants for the survey areas. he collection teams tried to cover all representative vegetation types of the plateaus, or at least those that could be reached by road or trail. Standard botanical collection methods were used. Vouchers from lowering or fruiting Table 3.1. Plot meta data. Coordinates in UTM (zone 21), Altitude in m ASL, Dimensions in m x m. Name BB1 BB2 BB3 BB4 BB5 BB6 BB8 BB9 L1 L2 L3 L4 L5 L6 L7 L8 N1 N2 N3 N4 N5 N6 Easting 545061 545455 547039 549831 551464 546585 545469 546456 472256 471236 472697 469914 470396 472343 471978 469914 529275 532708 532755 545419 545915 534038 Northing 697876 700277 700849 702197 700083 702175 705755 700480 750297 751090 751155 751482 751497 746542 749208 751482 764217 764867 765819 774643 775512 764840 Altitude c. 500 c. 500 c. 500 c. 350 c. 100 c. 350 c. 100 c. 500 670 c. 600 670 430 500 135 135 420 c. 500 c. 500 c. 500 c. 50 c. 50 c. 500 Dimensions 100 x 100 100 x 100 100 x 100 100 x 100 100 x 100 100 x 100 500 x 20 100 x 100 100 x 100 100 x 100 100 x 100 100 x 100 250 x 40 250 x 40 250 x 40 250 x 40 500 x 20 250 x 20 100 x 100 500 x 20 500 x 20 100 x 100 Forest Plateau forest, few palms Mixed, high plateau forest High forest on plateau High open forest on slope, multiple treefall gaps Disturbed forest in lowland. Signs of previous logging. High mixed forest; on slope Mixed high forest, very open understorey in lowland Plateau, mountain savanna forest Plateau, high forest, close to edge. Plateau, high forest Plateau, high forest, slightly disturbed Slope, high forest Plateau, mountain savanna forest Lowland, high forest Lowland, high forest Slope, high forest Plateau, high forest Plateau, high forest Plateau, high forest Lowland, high forest Lowland, high forest Plateau, high forest A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 77 Chapter 3 trees were obtained by using an eight meter long clipper pole and on the Lely Mountains a shotgun was used as well. For safety reasons, no tree climbing took place. When possible, four duplicates were made of each collection: one for the BBS, one for the NHN-U, and two for specialists of that particular family that were not part of the expeditions. Plot establishment and inventory In total 21 plots in high forest and two in mountain savanna forest (MSF) were established. Initially on the Nassau Mountains plots were laid out on the plateaus (c. 500 m altitude) and in the surrounding lowlands. On the following two expeditions plots on the slopes were also included. To ensure wide sampling areas, the locations of the plots were relatively well spread out over each plateau, though the selected locations were essentially random with regard to tree composition within the plateau, slope or lowland habitat. Two factors that did inluence plot location included: 1) a plot area had to be undisturbed by humans, so plots with old tracks as well as with manmade clearings were avoided; 2) the forest had to have a height of 30-50 meters (not including the plot locations in the mountain savanna forest). Natural gaps were included in the plot inventories. he plots were generally rectangular in shape and measured 100 x 100 m. For either logistical or time constraints, a number of plots were elongated 250 x 40 m or 500 x 20 m (Table 3.1). At each plot, GPS coordinates were taken, and a line was cut around the plot location, except in the elongated plots, where a center line was cut. Every ten meters, lagging tape was attached to the vegetation or a stick. In this way, subplots of 10 by 10 meter were made (20 x 20 for the elongated plots). All trees with a DBH (Diameter at Breast Height = 130 cm) ≥ 10 cm were pre-identiied by Frits van Troon and listed by 10 x 10 m sub-plot. If a tree had buttresses or irregularities at 130 cm, a DBH was measured 10 cm above these and noted in the ield notes. Strongly luted trees were noted and measured at 130 cm. In principal, reference collections were made of each newly encountered species, when trees could not be identiied on the spot with certainty or when trees belonged to notoriously diicult plant groups (such as the Myrtaceae, Sapotaceae, etc.) were encountered. his was mostly carried out with a tree-pruner mounted on ibreglass poles (8 m in height). In cases where the pole length was insuicient, lower trees belonging to the same species were sought. At the Lely Mountains twigs with leaves that could not be reached by the pole were shot down with a 12-gauge shotgun. If a tree still could not be sampled, an individual was cut down (excluding Brownsberg). During the expeditions, the identity of many species of the reference collection could be linked to fertile collections of the collection teams. Regular checks were made among the plot teams and botanical teams to exchange potential names and fertile collections. Many of these plants have been identiied by Dr. Tinde van Andel and Ms. Marion Jansen-Jacobs. To link the common names used by Frits van Troon to scientiic names, information on ‘van Troon names’ was 78 Rapid Assessment Program gathered before the ieldwork. his information contained data from diferent documents, including: a list made by Pieter Teunissen, Marga Werkhoven and Frits van Troon present at the BBS; collection data by Lindeman et al. (1980, 1981) from the Kabalebo-area; information from the thesis of van Roosmalen (1985); and information from the expedition to the Nassau Mountains in early 2003 (Bánki et al. 2003), to the BNP at the end of 2003 (ter Steege et al. 2004), and to the Lely Mountains at the end of 2004 (ter Steege et al. 2005). In the ield some extra information was added with the help of the Virtual Tree Guide of the Guianas (Haripersaud and ter Steege 2004). Other documents used included: the ‘Bomenboek van Suriname’ (Lindeman and Mennega 1963); Fruits of the Guianan Flora (van Roosmalen 1985); a list of vernacular names of LBB (Werkhoven 1975); lists from compiled reports by van Troon (19841987); the ‘tree guide of West Suriname’ (Jiménez-Saa 1973); and the index of vernacular plant names of Suriname (van ‘t Klooster et al. 2003). Identiication of the collected plants will further aid in linking the ‘van Troon names’ to scientiic names. he scientiic names were updated by using the checklist of the Guianas (Boggan et al. 1997, Hollowell et al. 2001) and classiied to families according to APG II (Angiosperm Phylogeny Group II, Stevens 2001 and onwards). he mostly sterile reference collections were sent to the Utrecht herbarium for identiication purposes. Only for the reference collection of the Lely Mountains was a duplicate stored in the National Herbarium of Suriname as a reference to link the van Troon common names to scientiic plant names. For administrative reasons the reference collections were given a number in the series of O. S. Bánki (OSB) at a later stage. he identiication of the reference collection is still in process and is mostly carried out by O. S. Bánki with the aid of experts at (e.g. Prof. Dr. P. J. M. Maas) or visiting the NHN-U. In the comparison of tree composition between the three plateaus morpho-species were used for the plants that could not be identiied to species level. he morpho-species name is constructed by a combination of the family or genus, plot and tree number (e.g. Inga sp. L2_192) or reference collection (e.g. Inga spOSB_400). Data analysis Plot data were analysed with Non-linear Multidimensional Scaling (NMS, PC-ORD; MjM Software USA, McCune and Meford 1999, McCune et al. 2002). Special emphasis was taken to discover altitudinal gradients from the lowland towards the bauxite plateaus and diferences between the three plateaus (23 plots). To test for diferences in composition between the lowlands and plateaus and among the plateaus we made use of the Multi-Response Permutation Procedure of PC-ORD (see above). MRRP is a non-parametric procedure that can be used for testing the hypothesis that no diference exists in composition between two or more groups of plots. For distance in composition between the plots we used Relative Sørensen, as it takes both composition (presence-absence of Plant diversity of the Bauxite plateaus of North East Suriname species) and abundance into account. For weighting option CI = nI / ∑nI was used, which is the most widely used and recommended measure. We used 9999 permutations in the test. Two tests were carried out based on two a-priori selections: 1) plots at the base (including the slope) vs. plots on the plateaus vs. mountain savanna forest plots and 2) plots on and in the surrounding of the three mountains as treatment blocks (Lely vs. Nassau vs. BNP). To test for diferences in composition as a function of distance, we carried out a Mantel test (PC-ORD, see above) using two matrices, one with the plot data and one with the plot locations (in UTM). For similarity the Relative Sørensen index was used (see above), while for the distance matrix for plot location, the Euclidean distance was used, calculated from the UTM coordinates (in metres). As test of signiicance, randomization of the data was used (9999 runs). RESULTS Vegetation types he following main vegetation types were found on the three mountains (based on Bánki et al. 2003, de Granville 1991, Lindeman and Moolenaar 1959, ter Steege et al. 2004, ter Steege et al. 2005, Teunissen 2005): High dryland forest on laterite plateaus he forest has a high stature with trees of 30-40 m and emergent trees to 50 m in height. he soil is covered with a relatively thin layer of organic material, and occasionally the laterite/bauxite cap is deep-seated, preventing the soil from drying out quickly during dry seasons. Trees belonging to the plant families of Vochysiaceae (e.g. Qualea), Lecythidaceae (e.g. Couratari, Eschweilera and Lecythis), and Fabaceae (e.g. Eperua falcata, and Parkia spp.) can be abundant. Palm trees hardly occur in this type of forest. Typical plant families of the understorey trees include Annonaceae, Violaceae, and Salicaceae (see indicator genera in the plot inventories below). On Lely notable species included Lacistema spp. and a caulilorous 2 m high treelet of Connarus fasciculatus. Notable shrubs include species from the Melastomataceae, Brunfelsia guianensis, and occasionally Rhabdodendron amazonicum (Lely). he herb layer is poor, with the most encountered species including Olyra latifolia, Mapanea sylvestris, a few Piper species and some ferns. On Nassau a recent newly described species from French Guiana (hymelaeaceae - Daphnopsis granvillei) was found abundantly at times in the undergrowth. High marsh forest on laterite plateaus At places where the laterite cap shows depressions, ponds can be formed during the rainy season and persist throughout the dry season. On Nassau this is characterized by dominance of Symphonia globulifera and Pterocarpus oicinalis in some parts. Usually, the high dryland forest is intermingled with elements from the high marsh forest such as Euterpe oleracea and Marantaceae species (see also vegetation on and near rocky creek beds). Mountain savanna forest he mountain savanna forest is a xerophytic forest and is found where the laterite cap is near the surface (rocky soils) and where there is only a thin layer of topsoil dominated by blackish gravel (iron-stones). At such places, there is a rapid run-of of rainwater and the soil dries out quickly, especially during the dry season. here are several types of mountain savanna forest difering in forest height and species composition. A type mostly seen on the Brownsberg and Nassau Mountains has a stature of 15 to 20 m in height with an open canopy, and is dominated by Hevea guianensis, Micrandra brownsbergensis and species of Myrtaceae, Nyctaginaceae, Rubiaceae, and Celastraceae (e.g. plot BBS9). A lower type of mountain savanna forest is found especially on the Lely Mountains, and is characterized by a high stem density and very low species diversity, a forest stature of 5 to 10 m in height (e. g. plot LeS5) and very open canopy conditions. For Lely this forest type consists of the following main species: Croton argyrophylloides (found on Nassau as well), Micrandra brownsbergensis, Elvasia elvasioides and a high abundance of Myrtaceae spp (see indicator genera in the plot inventories below). At Brownsberg the low mountain savanna forest type can be found at some places along the trail to the Weti creek. his low type was not observed on the Nassau Mountains, but could be expected there as well. Overall, the undergrowth of the mountain savanna forest is very poor in species, with Vriesea splendens and some mosses dominating, and few epiphytes occurring in trees. Mountain savanna moss forest he humid types of mountain savanna forest are worthwhile to mention separately as mountain savanna moss forests, because of their typical high coverage of vegetation and soil by mosses and high occurrence of orchids and other epiphytes such as ferns and bromeliads. he mountain savanna moss forest occurs especially on the edge of the plateaus and on the slopes where rain clouds are often coming in contact with the mountains. However, on the Lely Mountains, the mountain savanna moss forest can also be found on top of the plateau itself. On the Lely plateau we found a very low (ca. 4 m in height) forest consisting of e.g. Myrtaceae, Croton argyrophylloides, Micrandra brownsbergensis, and Clusia species completely covered in dark brown mosses. Typical for the Lely Mountains is also the occurrence of Vriesea pleiosticha, and some Guyanan Highland elements such as Ericaceae species (e.g. Cavendishia callista). Vegetation on and near rocky creek beds he vegetation on and near rocky creek beds was examined by Tjon Lim Sang and Van de Wiel (1980) at Brownsberg (see also Teunissen 2005 for a more detailed description). Close to the waterfalls and in the mist zone of the water many liverworts, mosses, ferns, and herbs (e.g. Dicranopygium pygmaeum) occur. On wet rocks Hymenophyllaceae and Sellaginella species can be found as well. On the dryer parts species of Acanthaceae, Araceae, Campanulaceae, Cyclantahcaeae, Gesneriaceae and Piperaceae occur. hurnia A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 79 Chapter 3 sphaerocephala and Saxofridericia aculeata were found in and along creeks of gullies at the Nassau Mountains. Close to the creeks tree ferns, e.g. Cyathea spp., can be found. High dryland forest on slopes Soils on the slopes are deeper than on the plateau, allowing a forest with a very high stature at times reaching a height of 60 m to be found. According to Schulz (in Teunissen 2005) these forests are the best developed high forests in Northern Suriname. On the ridges the soil can be shallower and this is also relected in the species composition. he composition can be a mix of species occurring more at the plateau and more in the lowlands. Typical tree genera include: Eschweilera, Couratari, Lecythis, Pouteria, Sloanea, Hymenaea, Virola and Qualea. In some parts, where the soil is well-developed, this forest type has an understorey dominated by several palm species, e.g. Oenocarpus bacaba, Astrocaryum sciophilum, and Astrocaryum paramaca. Annonaceae are also very common in the understorey. Several Melastomataceae are also found in the understorey, such as Henriettea species. Disturbed or secondary forests On each of the mountains man-made disturbances have taken place due to bauxite exploration and other activities, such as clearing areas for airstrips and radio towers. Where bulldozers have opened the forest in the past, secondary forest species can occur including Cecropia, Croton, Inga, Pourouma, Vismia species and several Melastomataceae and Rubiaceae. In the understorey Heliconia species can be abundant. Along the airstrips of Lely and Nassau the only types of really open vegetation occur, allowing for rural plants to lourish (e.g. Asteraceae, Cyperaceae, Poaceae). Along the edges trees of Clusia spp., Byrsonima spp., Miconia spp., Eugenia spp., Isertia coccinea, Maprounea guianensis, Melastomataceae and Solanaceae occur. In the shrub and low tree layer many lianas such as Dioclea, Moutabea, Pinzona, Doliocarpus, Sabicea, Mikania and Rourea can be found. On Brownsberg, mountain liana forest can be found. he mountain liana forest is the result of large storms (“sibibusi”) such as one storm that occurred in 1984 and documented by Van Troon (1984). It is unclear whether the very low mountain savanna forest on the plateaus of the Lely Mountains is also the result of such natural disturbances. Plot inventories Most plots had a tree density between 450 and 600 trees (≥ 10 cm DBH). he mountain savanna forest of Lely had a very high density (of small stems) of nearly 1000 stems per ha (Table 3.2). he 23 plots contained a total of 13,241 individuals, of which at present 599 (morpho-) species have been identiied. Of these, 292 have actually been identiied at the species level. he remaining 307 species have been assigned to morpho-species (173 at the genus level, 121 at the family level and 13 unidentiied). A full list of species and numbers of individuals is given in Appendix 2. he ten most common species on the plots are (in order of abundance): Lecythis corrugata, Eperua falcata, Micrandra brownsbergensis, Eschweilera sp. OSB167_263, Elvasia elva80 Rapid Assessment Program sioides, Croton argyrophylloides, Qualea rosea, Astrocaryum sciophilum, Quararibea duckei, and Bocoa prouacensis. hese species account for 23% of all individuals. he number of species that was found with only one individual was 135, with 54 species having two individuals found. Table 3.2. Primary diversity plot data. N = number of individuals, S = number of species. Name N S Fisher’s alpha BB1 (Plateau) 639 165 72. 1 BB2 (Plateau) 571 138 57. 8 BB3 (Plateau) 635 136 53. 1 BB4 (Slope) 466 121 53. 1 BB5 (Lowland) 540 126 51. 7 BB6 (Slope) 548 136 57. 9 BB7 (Lowland) 526 124 51. 2 BB8 (Lowland) 562 115 43. 8 BB9 (Plateau; MSF) 623 119 43. 7 L1 (Plateau) 638 150 61. 8 L2 (Plateau) 494 137 62. 8 L3 (Plateau) 602 170 78. 9 L4 (Slope) 524 146 67. 1 L5 (Plateau; MSF) 981 31 6. 1 L6 (Lowland) 477 115 48. 1 L7 (Lowland) 476 107 42. 9 L8 (Slope) 490 112 45. 4 N1 (Plateau) 477 112 46. 1 N2 (Plateau) 257 92 51. 3 N3 (Plateau) 500 132 58. 5 N4 (Lowland) 775 145 52. 6 N5 (Lowland) 832 141 48. 7 N6 (Plateau) 608 137 55. 1 Tree α-diversity he average Fisher’s α (a diversity measure corrected for sample size and widely used to compare plots) over the high forest plots is 55.2. here is a small diference in the diversity of the plots of the plateau (with the exclusion of the mountain savanna plots), slope or lowland (ANOVA, F[2,18] = 3.98, p = 0.037), with the lowlands having a slightly lower diversity (Fisher’s α = 48.4) than the slopes (55.9) and plateau plots (59.7). Table 3.2 shows the number of individuals, the number of species, and the Fisher’s α of the 23 plots. he highest Fisher’s α is found in plot Lely 3 (78.9), which at present is the plot with the highest tree α-diversity in Suriname. he plot with the lowest diversity for Suriname, however, is located just a kilometre away in the mountain savanna forest (Plot L5). he high forest of the plateaus Plant diversity of the Bauxite plateaus of North East Suriname N5L N4L Habitat2 0 1 2 N1P N2P Axis 2 N3P BB5L BB8LBB4M BB7L N6P L2P L5S BB3P BB2P BB1P BB6M L8M L4M BB9S L3P L1P L6L L7L Axis 1 Figure 3.2. Bi-plot of the NMDS Analysis of BNP (BB), Nassau Mts. (N) and Lely Mts. (L) plots. Last letter indicates relative location: L, M (triangle upward) in lowland and (mid-) slope (c. 50-350 m) with deep soils, P (open diamonds) plots on plateau (> 500 m) with relatively shallow soils, and S mountain savanna forest on the plateaus (S, triangle downwards) with very shallow rocky soils. All species included. The data show a clear gradient from lowland to plateau and finally the mountain savanna forest. 0.8 0.7 y = -0.039Ln(x) + 0.3981 2 R = 0.335 Similarity (1-Bray-Curtis) 0.6 0.5 y = -0.0445Ln(x) + 0.4792 2 R = 0.663 0.4 0.3 0.2 y = -0.0534Ln(x) + 0.4726 2 R = 0.4874 0.1 0 0 20 40 60 80 100 Distance (Km) Figure 3.3. Distance has a significant effect on differences in composition of forest plots. Plots very close by typically have an average similarity of 40%. This decreases over distance to 25%. Plots of similar habitat have slightly higher floristic similarity (10% higher). Black diamonds comparison plateau with plateau plots; Black circles lowland with lowland plots; Open diamonds: plateau with lowland plots and their surroundings have high diversity (Fisher’s α, 55.9) compared to most lowland forests plots in western Suriname (c. 30), Mapane (c. 40) and Guyana (c. 20), but lower than the average for French Guiana (c. 90). A comparison (Figure 3.2) in composition (of all species) between the plots of the three plateaus shows one major gradient dominated by habitat location. Lowland and slope plots are found on the left of this gradient, plateau plots in the middle part and mountain savanna forest plots on the right. he data in Figure 3.2 show a clear gradient from lowland to plateau and inally to the mountain savanna forest. Geographic location is distributed along the second axis. Plots of Nassau are found in the lower part, while those of Lely are located on the higher part with some overlap with the BNP plots located in the center. With MRPP the above results can be tested more formally. Diferences between habitats (ecological location) (Lowland + Midslope, Plateau, MSF), while signiicant, are small (MRPP: A = 0.082; P < 0.001). he few species signiicantly (PC-ORD, Indicator Species Analysis, P <0.05) more abundant or present on the plateaus were Neea loribunda, Pouteria guianensis, Nyctaginaceae sp. OSB427, Sterculia sp. OSB276_554, Jacaranda copaia, Henriettea sp. OSB324, Pouteria sp. OSB376, Protium sp. OSB337, Ocotea sp. OSB268, Qualea rosea, Cupania scrobiculata, Siparuna decipiens, Inga sp. OSB130, Simarouba amara, Abarema jupunba, and Pouteria sp. OSB318_342. Indicator species for the MSF of the plateaus were Ecclinusa guianensis, Clusia sp. OSB472, Inga heterophylla, Micrandra brownsbergensis, Myrtaceae sp. OSB297, and Vitex trilora. Finally, indicator A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 81 Chapter 3 species for the lowland forest (in this dataset) were Gustavia hexapetala, Tetragastris panamensis, Licania majuscula, Maquira guianensis, Unonopsis glaucopetala, Couratari stellata, Chrysobalanaceae sp. OSB421_432, Lecythidaceae sp. OSB428_456, Sloanea sp. OSB208_449, Dicorynia guianensis, and Chaetocarpus schomburgkianus. he diferences in composition between the three geographic localities are also highly signiicant in statistical sense (MRPP: A = 0.094; P << 0.001). However, as with the differences between habitats, the absolute diferences are relatively small. With Mantel tests the efect of distance was tested more explicitly at the species level. For all trees (omitting the MSF plots BB9S and L5S) distance had a signiicant efect on the similarity between plots (Standardized Mantel statistic r = 0.46; P < 0.001) (Figure 3.3). Comparison of similarities calculated between plots of similar habitat (plateau vs. plateau and lowland vs. lowland) and between contrasting habitat (plateau vs. lowland) shows that for any distance plateau plots resemble each other much more than lowland plots (ANOVA on residuals from main relation: F[2,207] = 42.56 P << 0.001). he similarity in habitat adds roughly 10% in similarity in composition (Figure 3.3). A comparison (Figure 3.4) in composition (of all genera) between the plots of the three plateaus shows essentially the same major gradient dominated by habitat location. Lowland and slope plots are found on the left of this gradient, plateau plots in the middle part and mountain savanna forest plots on the right. Indicator genera for Lowland are: Gustavia, Tetragastris, Licania, Lecythidaceae indet., Maquirarea, Couratari, Unonopsis, Sapindaceae indet., Chrysobalanaceae indet., Chaetocarpus, and Oenocarpus; for Plateau High Forest: Neea, Ocotea, Pouteria, Qualea, Licaria, Henriettea, Inga, Sapotaceae indet., Cupania, Siparuna, and Jacaranda; and Mountain Savanna Forest: Ecclinusa, Clusia, Micrandra, Myrtaceae indet. , Terminalia, Ouratea, and Vitex. Based on a preliminary analysis of common trees of the 114 one-ha plots situated in the N-Guyana Shield area (ter Steege et al. unpublished data), the plots of eastern Suriname form a relative well separated entity in terms of composition. here is some overlap in composition with lateritic areas in French Guiana (Sabatier et al. unpublished data). In terms of tree alpha diversity the plots on and around the bauxite plateaus are also well positioned in a west to east trend of increasing tree diversity. Botanical collections In total 5730 botanical collections were retrieved from our database for the area of the three bauxite plateaus. hese collections amounted to 1668 identiied species (4873 collections) and a sizable number of (as yet) unknowns (857 collections, 222 taxa). All species encountered can be found in Appendix 3. Based on our database, the three plateaus have not been collected equally. he BNP has the highest number of collections (2572 collections, 1060 species), most likely due to its better accessibility, followed by the Nassau Mountains (1691 collections, 694 species), and the Lely Mountains (1097 collections, 487 species). A few collections were speciically collected in the lowland areas surrounding the plateaus: Moengo (2), Brownsweg (192), and Marowijne (176). he diferences in collecting intensity are the main identiiable cause for the diferences in current known species richness recorded among the plateaus (Figure 3.5A). As the Lely Mountains is the largest of the plateaus, it is reasonable to assume that it will have the highest number of species. When comparing the species collected on the plateaus with the full (but preliminary) collection database of the Guianas (c. 200,000 specimens), there are several problems that cannot be solved easily. Nomenclatural problems are apparent and cannot be sorted at this point in time. We tested whether species found on the plateaus were collected signiicantly more often on the plateaus than in the rest of the Guia- N5L Habitat2 0 1 2 N4L L5S BB5L N1P Axis 2 BB8L BB4M L2P BB7L N3P BB9S BB3P BB1P BB2P N6P BB6M L8M L4M L3P L1P N2P L6L L7L Axis 1 Figure 3.4. Bi-plot of the NMDS Analysis of genera of BNP (BB), Nassau Mts. (N) and Lely Mts. (L) plots. Last letter indicates relative location: L, M (triangle upward) in lowland and (mid-) slope (c. 50-350 m) with deep soils, P (open diamonds) plots on plateau (> 500 m) with relatively shallow soils, and S mountain savanna forest on the plateaus (S, triangle downwards) with very shallow rocky soils. All genera included. The data show a clear gradient from lowland to plateau and finally the mountain savanna forest. 82 Rapid Assessment Program Plant diversity of the Bauxite plateaus of North East Suriname 1200 A 1000 1000 800 800 # species # species 1200 600 B 600 400 400 200 200 BNP Lely Nassau 0 0 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 # actual collections 3000 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 # collections Figure 3.5 A. the number of collections made on the plateaus (and surrounding areas) determines the perceived species richness. B. Species accumulation curves for the three plateaus, based on 500 randomisations. There is no difference in the speed at which species richness (# species) increases with increasing (randomised) collecting effort (# collections). nas (based on the total number of collections on the plateaus and the rest of the Guianas; Chi square test, P < 0.05) and found 294 species tested positively. However, as the number of species tested was c. 9000, roughly 450 are expected to show a signiicant relationship by chance. his is in fact more than the number we found. Hence, we are in no position to make any irm statements on the basis of these data yet. DISCUSSION Each of the six main vegetation types occurs on the three mountains. However, while on the plateau of Brownsberg the forest changed at very short distances in height and vegetation type forming a ‘mosaic’ forest, the vegetation types are more pronounced on the Lely Mountains, where large tracts of uniform vegetation types can be found. Typical for the mountains is that truly open vegetation or open rock such as found on granite outcrops does not seem to occur. he plot inventories of the bauxite plateaus show a highly diverse forest. he plots found on Lely Mountains are currently among those with the highest average diversity for Suriname (Table 3.2). his high diversity its well with the general increase in tree alpha-diversity from Western Guyana towards French Guiana. As there were no plot data available from central and southern Suriname, we have no way of comparing the data with the southern part of the country. Data from other sources (ter Steege 2000, ter Steege et al. 2003) may suggest that similar, or even higher, tree diversity may be expected in that area. he plot with the highest tree alpha-diversity for Suriname is now located on the Lely Mountains, and the Lely Mountains support the highest average tree alpha diversity of the three plateaus visited (Nassau Mountains, BNP, and Lely Mountains). However, this diference is small and not signiicant. It is safe to state, however, that the bauxite plateaus and their surrounding forest have very high tree alpha-diversity compared to the other Surinamese forest areas of which data are available. In terms of tree composition, the plots of the bauxite plateaus and their surroundings form a distinct group within all inventoried plots of the Guianas. he composition of the Eastern Suriname plots is best comparable with that of French Guiana on similar ferralitic soils. he forests of Western Suriname and Mapane (coastal zone) are more similar to those of Guyana on similar soils of the same Zanderij (Berbice) Formation. Diferences in composition are scale dependent. Whereas within the Guianas the plots in Eastern Suriname are very similar, there are signiicant changes among them that are also distance dependent. Plots close together are ‘more similar’ than plots at larger distance. his suggests that the high forest plots on the bauxite plateaus draw most of their species ‘relatively randomly’ from their surroundings. Still, plateau plots of the three areas investigated share more species among them (compared to the lowlands) than can be attributed by chance. Whereas a distance of c. 90 km results in a change in composition of approximate 20%, the similarity among the plateau plots consistently adds another 10% at any distance. Lely difers from Nassau and BNP in the large extent of the mountain savanna forest. hese forests are dominated by a few species. On Lely notably Elvasia elvasioides, Croton argyrophilloides and Micrandra brownsbergensis have high stem density, coupled with low tree alpha-diversity. Many of the Myrtaceae found in this forest are still unidentiied, so apart from their typical physiognomical appearance, it is as yet diicult to indicate their conservation value. Lely is also the highest of the three plateaus inventoried. he increase in altitude (670 m asl compared to 550 m asl for the other plateaus) appears suicient for the occurrence of several Guayana Highland elements, such as the Ericaceaous Cavendishia. In addition, the very low open forest on the highest slopes has an abundant moss lora (moss forest) with many Orchidaceae (Werkhoven and Teunissen unpublished data), which due to the prolonged drought prior to and during our expedition showed very few lowering individuals. he collection record for the bauxite plateaus, Suriname and the Guianas is still very small. he fact that a species is only once collected on one of the bauxite caps does not truly mean it only occurs there. It could simply not have A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 83 Chapter 3 been collected elsewhere due to rarity or low collecting effort. Until further collections are carried out, it is possible to use the existing collections to get a second estimate of the diversity of the bauxite plateaus (i.e. the species richness) by using the species – collection curves of the three areas. hese curves describe how the number of species increases with randomised collecting efort (for an example in the Guianas see: ter Steege et al. 2000a). he curves for the three bauxite plateaus are very similar at low collecting intensity (Figure 3.5B). his conclusion needs to be conirmed when all Guianan data has been analysed and more robust tests have been developed. In comparison to the Guyana Highlands with their very high endemicity, the vegetation of the lateritic and bauxitic plateaus on basic volcanic rocks is rather uniform and has a low endemicity (see de Granville 1991). However, some groups of plants are thought to show diferences in species composition and between lowland and mountainous areas, such as Bryophytes (J. Florschützde Waard personal communication), Orchids (Werkhoven 1986) and most likely ferns. According to de Granville (1991) there is a set of species that is strictly endemic, at least in the Guianas, for the submontane cloud forests. In our data we found the following species, which are also mentioned in the list of de Granville: Dicranopygium pygmaeum (Cyclanthaceae), Elaphoglossum latifolium (Lomariopsidaceae), Lonchitis hirsute (Dennstaedtiaceae), helypteris holodictya (helypteridaceae), and Trichomanes membranaceum (Hymenophyllaceae). Several of these species occur on and near rocky creek beds (Tjon Lim Sang and van de Wiel 1980). Despite the diference in species between the lowland and mountainous areas, we can not ind proof in the current dataset for endemics speciic for Brownsberg, Lely Mountains and Nassau Mountains Our data suggest that the following species might be endemic for Suriname: Copaifera epunctata (Fabaceae, ive collections for Brownsberg), Phoradendron pulleanum (Santalaceae, one collection of Brownsberg and one of Lely), and Sloanea gracilis (Elaeocarpaceae, one collection of Brownsberg). However, we feel that these possible endemics for Suriname could also be the result of low collection eforts in the Guianas and surrounding countries. here are ten tree species with a listing on the IUCN red list. Almost all of these species occur to a certain extent on Brownsberg, Lely and Nassau, although the tree species can difer in abundance on the mountains (e.g. the population of Corytophora labriculata for Brownsberg; see Teunissen 2005). Approximately ive tree species in our dataset are protected under Surinamese law, including: Bertholletia excelsa, Manilkara bidentata, and species of Dipteryx and Copaifera (see Appendix 3). All plateaus are surrounded by gold mining activities. In Nassau this appears to have resulted in very low animal populations, probably due to over-hunting. he relatively undisturbed and protected nature of BNP makes it a safe haven for many rarer mammal species. Lely too, perhaps due to its remote location, still has much wildlife. Among others, evidence of tapir and jaguar was found while, Harpy 84 Rapid Assessment Program eagle, macaws, coati mundi and four primate species were observed. However, gold mining and hunting are very close to the plateau. A new gold mining camp was being set up during our ieldwork very close to plot 7 at the base of the mountain and hunting of spider monkeys (and other species) was observed on the plateau and slopes itself. REFERENCES Bánki, O.S., H. ter Steege, M.J. Jansen-Jacobs, and U.P.D. Raghoenandan. 2003. Plant diversity of the Nassau Mountains Report of the 2003 expedition. Internal report. NHN-Utrecht, BBS-Paramaribo. Utrecht, Netherlands. Paramaribo, Suriname. Boggan, J., V. Funk, C. Kellof, M. Hof, G. Cremers, and C. Feuillet. 1997. Checklist of the plants of the Guyanas (Guyana, Surinam, French Guiana). 2nd edition. Centre for the Study of Biological Diversity. University of Guyana. Georgetown, Guyana. CBL. 1977. Reconnaissance soil map of northern Suriname. Centraal Bureau van de Luchtkartering, Paramaribo, Suriname. de Granville, J.J. 1991. Remarks on the montane lora and vegetation types of the Guianas. Studies on the Flora of the Guianas. 58. Willdenowia 21: 201-213. Haripersaud, P. and H. ter Steege. 2004. Virtual Tree Guide of the Guianas. NHN-Utrecht. Utrecht, Netherlands. Holowell, T., P. Berry, V. Funk, and C. Kellof. 2001. Preliminary checklist of the plants of the Guiana Shield. Volume 1: Acanthaceae – Lythraceae. Biological Diversity of the Guianas Program. National Museum of Natural History. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Jiménez-Saa, J.H. 1973. Forestry Development in Suriname – Forest Botany. Project Working Document No. 4. Food and Agricultural Organization. Paramaribo, Suriname. Lindeman, J.C. and A.M.W. Mennega. 1963. Bomenboek voor Suriname; herkenning van Surinaamse houtsoorten aan hout en vegetatieve kenmerken. Dienst ‘s Lands Bosbeheer Suriname. Universiteit Utrecht. Paramaribo, Suriname. Lindeman, J.C. and S.P. Moolenaar. 1959. Preliminary survey of the vegetation types of northern Suriname. In: De Hulster, I. A. and Lanjouw, J. he vegetation of Suriname. Vol. I. Part 2. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Van Eedenfonds. McCune, B. and M.J. Meford. 1999. Multivariate Analysis of Ecological Data Version 4.25. MjM Software, Gleneden Beach, Oregon, U. S. McCune, B., J.B. Grace, and D.L. Urban. 2002. Analysis of ecological communities. MjM Software, Gleneden Beach, Oregon, U. S. Stevens, P.F. 2001 onwards. Angiosperm Phylogeny Web site. Web site: http://www. mobot. org/MOBOT/ research/APweb/ Plant diversity of the Bauxite plateaus of North East Suriname ter Steege, H. (ed.). 2000. Plant diversity in Guyana. With recommendations for a National Protected Area Strategy. Tropenbos Series 18. he Tropenbos Foundation. Wageningen, Netherlands. ter Steege, H., O.S. Bánki, T.R. van Andel, J. BehariRamdas and G. Ramharakh. 2004. Plant diversity of the Brownsberg Nature Park, Suriname. Report of the Nov-Dec 2003 Expedition. NHN-Utrecht Branch, Utrecht University. Utrecht, Netherlands. ter Steege, H., O.S Bánki, M.J. Jansen-Jacobs, S. Ramharakh, and K. Tjon. 2005. Plant diversity of the Lely Mts, Report of the 2004 expedition. Internal report. NHN-Utrecht, BBS-Paramaribo, CELOS-Paramaribo. Utrecht, Netherlands. Paramaribo, Suriname. ter Steege, H., M. Jansen-Jacobs, and V. Datadin. 2000a. Can botanical collections assist in a National Protected Area Strategy in Guyana? Biodiversity and Conservation. 9: 215-240. ter Steege, H., N.C.A. Pitman, S. Sabatier, H. Castellanos, P. van der Hout, D.C. Daly, M. Silveira, O. Phillips, R. Vasquez, T. van Andel, J. Duivenvoorden, A.A. de Oliveira, R.C. Ek, R. Lilwah, R.A. homas, J. van Essen, C. Baider, J.M.P. Maas, S.A. Mori, J. Terborgh, P. Nuñez-Vargas, H. Mogollón, and W. Morawetz. 2003. A spatial model of tree α-diversity and -density for the Amazon Region. Biodiversity and Conservation. 12: 2255-2276. Teunissen, P.A. 2005. Management plan Brownsberg Nature Park 2005-2010. Ministry of Natural Resources (NH). Foundation for Nature Conservation in Suriname (STINASU). Internal report Stinasu-Paramaribo. Paramaribo, Suriname. Tjon Lim Sang, R. and I. van de Wiel. 1980. De vegetatie langs watervallen en kreken in het Natuurpark De Brownsberg in Suriname. Doctoraal verslag. Instituut voor Systematische Plantkunde van de Rijksuniversiteit Utrecht. 46 pp. van Roosmalen, M.G.M. 1985. Habitat preferences, diet, feeding strategy and social organization of the black spider monkey (Ateles paniscus paniscus Linnaeus 1758) in Suriname. Acta Amazonica. 15(3/4). van Roosmalen, M.G.M. 1985. Fruits of the Guianan Flora. Institute of Systematic Botany Utrecht University and Silvicultural Departement of Wageningen Agricultural University. Drukkerij Veenman B. V. Wageningen, Netherlands. van ‘t Klooster, C.I.E.A., J.C. Lindeman, and M.J. JansenJacobs. 2003. Index of vernacular plant names of Suriname. BLUMEA. Journal of Plant Taxonomy and Plant Geography. Supplement 15. van Troon, F. 1984 – 1987. Verzamelde veldwerkrapporten van de hand van Frits van Troon, bewerkt door M. C. M. Werkhoven. Aan het hoofd van de Afdeling Natuurbeheer van de Dienst ‘s Landsbosbeheer. Periode 9 juni 1984 – 7 mei 1987. Werkhoven, M.C.M. 1975. Lijst inlandse namen van LBB. Unpublished report. LBB/BBS, Paramaribo. Paramaribo, Suriname. Werkhoven, M.C.M. 1986. Orchideeën van Suriname. VACO N.V. Uitgeversmaatschappij. Paramaribo, Suriname. A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 85 Chapter 4 Orchids and Orchid Bees of the Brownsberg, Nassau and Lely ranges Iwan E. Molgo and Bart P.E. De Dijn SUMMARY A total of 190 species of orchids have been recorded from the Brownsberg, Nassau and Lely ranges: 141 from Brownsberg, 70 from Nassau, and 96 from Lely; 16% are known from all three ranges, and 31% only from Brownsberg. he lower orchid richness igures for Lely and Nassau can be regarded as artifacts due to low collecting efort. Compared to other sites in the Guayana Shield region, Brownsberg has the second-highest recorded orchid species richness. he available information suggests that a number of orchid species that are very rare in the region occur at these three ranges, e.g. Beloglottis costaricensis (Brownsberg), Cranichis diphylla (Lely) and Quekettia papillosa (Nassau). here was no signiicant diference between the three ranges (at p < 0.05; based on test of independence) in the proportion of species assigned to diferent elevation classes, but there were signiicant diferences in the proportion of species assigned to diferent substrate classes. Lely with 16% ground and epilithic orchids diverges from the other two ranges, which each have 4-5% of such orchids. A high proportion of highland orchid species – ca. 30-40% – may be the characteristic that distinguishes these ranges with elevated plateaus from areas that are true lowlands, and may explain the high species richness. here may be a trend that highland orchids become more important as the height of the range’s main plateau increases. his and the greater importance of ground and epilithic orchids at Lely suggests that Lely may be the most divergent, unique and species rich of the three ranges. A total of 34 species of orchid bees was collected at the three ranges: 13 at Brownsberg, 22 near Lely and 23 at Nassau. he frequency of bees with orchid pollinaria difered signiicantly between Nassau and a lowland location near Lely. At the irst location, none of the bees carried pollinaria, while at the second, the igure was 13% More sampling needs to be done before a detailed comparison of the bee faunas of the three ranges can be made. he high frequency of orchid bees with pollinaria at Nassau is unusual, and may be linked to the habitat in which most sampling took place: the low elevation cloud forest of the submontane plateau. It is recommended that rapid orchid inventories of Nassau and Lely are undertaken, in which herbarium specimens are collected as well as live specimens. Data resulting from these inventories should be processed together with existing data in relation to the Brownsberg. More orchid bee samples must be obtained form all three ranges, and the relationship between orchids and orchid bees at these ranges should be investigated. Special protection should be given to the submontane habitats (400 m and higher) at all three ranges, most urgently so at Lely; representative parts of the Nassau and Lely ranges require a degree of protection. he Brownsberg submontane zone where a mining concession is located also requires adequate protection. INTRODUCTION he Orchidaceae – the orchid family – is the largest family of lowering plants in the world, with at least 20,000 species worldwide and 7,000 in the Neotropics (see Roubik and Hanson 86 Rapid Assessment Program Orchids and Orchid Bees of the Brownsberg, Nassau and Lely ranges 2004), which amounts to about ten percent of all lowering plant species. For the Guianas (Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana), a total number of 328 orchid species has been recorded, which makes the orchid family the second most species rich vascular plant family of the region (Clarke et al. 2001). More than 300 species of orchids have been recorded for Suriname (Werkhoven 1986). his global, regional and national importance of the orchid family justiies its inclusion in a rapid biological and conservation assessment (RAP) of the Brownsberg, Nassau and Lely ranges in Suriname. Another reason to include the orchids in surveys is because of their public appeal and economic importance, as obvious from the countless popular publications on orchids, a worldwide network of orchid breeders and enthusiasts, and the global trade in ornamental orchids. In Suriname too, orchids are popular and valuable: there is an orchid association, orchids are traded each week-end in the capital Paramaribo, and orchids feature in the popular lower arrangements and bouquets that are for sale in downtown Paramaribo. he name orchid bee has its origins in the fact that male Euglossinae are specialized pollinators of a number of orchid species, especially those belonging to the Stanhopeinae and Catasetinae (van der Pijl and Dodson 1966). hese orchids provide neither nectar nor pollen to their visitors, but concentrated fragrant chemicals which only male orchid bees seem to be interested in. hese male bees may also be the exclusive visitors of the lowers of other orchids, such as Vanilla, Cyrtopodium, and Lycaste. Euglossinae (male and female) in addition visit the lowers of e.g. Sobralia and Maxillaria (see van der Pijl and Dodson 1966 and Roubik and Hanson 2004). Based on the above and the orchid species listings by Werkhoven (1986) and Chiron and Bellone (2005), at least 20% of the regional orchid species may be pollinated by Euglossinae, while 10% may strictly depend on pollination by male Euglossinae. he males of virtually all of the Euglossinae in turn depend on the lowers of orchids and a few unrelated plant taxa as a source of fragrant chemicals that they appear to need to establish territoria and/or mate (Roubik and Hanson 2004). he exceptionally strong interdependency between these bees and many of the orchids justiies a joint assessment. Euglossine bees and orchids may be regarded as indicators of rainforest bee and plant diversity in the Neoptropics because they are archetypical, diverse and abundant Neotropical forest bees that visit, pollinate, and depend on a great variety of plant species (see Roubik and Hanson 2004, who e.g. list 68 plant families visited). hey are an ideal group to be used for rapid assessments, since simple techniques exist to quickly get substantial samples of orchid bees: the males can be lured to chemical baits, at which they are easily trapped or captured with nets (Ackerman 1989, Roubik and Hanson 2004). he Brownsberg, Nassau and Lely ranges are part of a system of ranges with ferro-bauxite encrusted plateaus. Such ranges may cover less than 0.5% of Suriname’s land surface and may constitute a rare and endangered landscape type (ter Steege et al. 2005; see also chapter on the Biodiversity of the Brownsberg). he Brownsberg is the only of these ranges that enjoys any kind of protection, but it is being damaged by illegal gold mining, and its main submontane plateau remains a mining exploration concession. Other ranges, like Nassau and Lely, also feature mining exploration concessions and illegal gold mining, currently without the beneit of any protection at all. During the RAP ield work at Lely and Nassau, no sampling of orchids or orchid bees was undertaken. Nevertheless, it will be attempted here to assess the orchid and orchid bee diversity of the Brownsberg, Nassau and Lely ranges, based on the currently available information. A quick scan of the information at hand indicated that it was quite incomplete and unbalanced, so the focus here will necessarily be on a very general characterization of the Orchidaceae and Euglossinae assemblages of these ranges. Obvious diferences between the three ranges will be highlighted, and recommendations as to research and conservation will be made. METHODS Records of the occurrence of orchid species were obtained from: • dried herbarium specimens in the National Herbarium of Suriname (BBS); • the review of Suriname orchids by Werkhoven (1986); • botanical inventories by Banki et al. (2003), and ter Steege et al. (2004, 2005); • a Brownsberg orchid inventory by Jan den Held (pers. comm.); • unpublished observations at Browsberg by the junior author (Molgo); • live specimens collected at Nassau in 2006, in the care of the junior author. Live orchids were identiied using the reference specimens and the taxonomic literature available to the junior author. All orchid species names were checked and updated using Werkhoven (1986), Boggan et al. (1997), Chiron and Bellone (2005) and the Electronic Plant Information Centre of the Kew Royal Botanical Gardens (see www.kew.org/epic/ accessed July 2006.) Records of the occurrence of orchid bee species were obtained by processing samples and (re)identifying specimens in the National Zoological Collection of Suriname (NZCS): • samples / specimens from Brownsberg collected prior to 2006 • samples obtained at the main plateau of Nassau in 2006 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 87 Chapter 4 • samples obtained along the Tapanahony River near Lely in 2006 (samples were obtained near Diitabiki (Drietabbetje), across the Tapanhony River near Lely, but strictly speaking not at Lely itself; however, the Tapanahony is not assumed to be a barrier for orchid bee dispersal). At all three ranges, bees were collected with bottle traps placed upright on the forest soil. Bottle traps are white plastic bottles of ca. 1 l with one or several openings cut in the side; the traps are made operational by pouring ca. 5-25 CC of lure chemical in the bottle, as well as at least 100 CC killing / conservation luid (either a ca. 2% formaldehyde solution in water or pure “coolant” – an ethylene glycol solution). he Brownsberg samples were collected using bottle traps with vanillin and cineole (eucalyptol) as lure chemicals; the Nassau and Tapanahony samples were obtained using vanillin, cineole, eugenol and methyl salicylate. At Tapanahony and Nassau, additional bee specimens were collected at baiting stations by means of an insect net. At each station lure chemicals were poured on toilet paper that was suspended in the vegetation (the four chemicals mentioned above were used, and in addition skatole and p-dimethoxy benzene). Orchid bees were identiied using the taxonomic literature available to the senior author (De Dijn), the images of orchid bees of French Guiana on the Discover Nature (2006) website, reference specimens received from Roubik and Oliveira, and digital images of type material provided by Roubik. Notes were made of bee specimens carrying orchid pollinaria (i.e. typical orchid pollen “containers” which get attached to the body or appendages of orchid lowers visitor pollinators; see Roubik and Hanson 2004). To characterize the orchid assemblages of Brownsberg, Nassau and Lely, the orchids were classiied in function of the elevation range at which they are known to occur elsewhere, and the natural substrate on which they occur. he orchid species recorded were assigned to one of three elevation classes, based on the information contained in Steyermark et al. (1995a, b; info based on observations in the Guayana Shield territories of Venezuela): i) Low – only known from locations below 400 m, ii) High – only known from elevations of at least 400 m, and iii) Low-High – known from locations below 400 m as well as 400 m or more. he species were also assigned to classes in function of substrate (based on Werkhoven (1986), Chiron and Bellone (2005) and Molgo pers. obs.): i) epiphytic orchids – growing mostly on the stems, branches or other above-ground parts of woody plants, and ii) ground and epilithic orchids – growing mostly in soil or on rocky substrates at ground level. Orchid species for which information on elevation or substrate was lacking were not used in statistical analyses. To investigate eventual diferences between the ranges in terms of the proportions of species known from diferent elevation ranges and diferent types of substrates, test of independence were performed, based on two-way (R x C) tables and calculation of the G-statistic, as in Sokal and Rohlf (1995: Box 17.8). 88 Rapid Assessment Program RESULTS A total of 190 species of orchids have been recorded from the three ranges, with 141 species recorded from Brownsberg, 70 from Nassau, and 96 from Lely. A list of all the species and their recorded occurrence can be found in Appendix 4. he most species rich genera are Pleurothallis (20 species), Maxillaria (20), and Epidendrum (15); together they represent 39% of the recorded species. Figure 4.1 illustrates the overlap in recorded orchid species between the Brownsberg, Nassau and Lely ranges; 16% of the species are known to occur at all three ranges; 31% of the species are only known for the Brownsberg. Table 4.1 shows the number of recorded species that could be assigned to diferent elevation classes. Based on this table, a (3 x 3) test of independence was performed, which yielded G = 4.01 (below critical value χ2 .05[4] = 9.48773), meaning that there was no signiicant diference between the three ranges (at p < 0.05) in the proportion of species assigned to diferent elevation classes. However, there may be a trend in the data, with the proportion of species assigned to the High elevation class increasing from Brownsberg (29%), over Nassau (33%) to Lely (42%). Figure 4.2 shows the number of recorded species that could be assigned to diferent substrate classes. Based on these numbers, a (2 x 3) test of independence was performed, which yielded G = 9.57 (above critical value χ2 .05[2] = 5.99), meaning that there were signiicant diferences between the three ranges (at p < 0.05) in the proportion of species assigned to diferent substrate classes. Further tests of independence between all possible pairs of ranges (2 x 2 tests; test results not presented here) indicate that the diference in the above proportion is signiicant only between Lely and Brownsberg and Lely and Nassau, which means that Figure 4.1. Overlap in orchid species composition between three ranges in Suriname. Orchids and Orchid Bees of the Brownsberg, Nassau and Lely ranges Lely with 16% ground and epilithic orchids diverges from the other two, which each have 4-5% of such orchids. Based on the list of recorded orchid species (Appendix 4), and the general information on orchid genera visited by orchid bees (see introduction), it can be concluded that: i) 10 of the orchid species (5%) at Brownsberg, Nassau and Lely are dependent on male orchid bees for pollination, and an additional 25 (13%) are probably pollinated by male and female orchid bees. A total of 34 species of orchid bees was collected at the three ranges: 13 at Brownsberg, 22 near Lely and 23 at Nassau. he dominant genus was Euglossa (mostly small green or blue bees) with 27 species (Appendix 5). he frequency of bees with orchid pollinaria was calculated on the basis of the bees collected at baiting stations with a net: near Lely 0 of 96 bees had pollinaria, at Nassau 9 of 69 bees. It is obvious that these frequencies are signiicantly diferent between the two sites. he bees with pollinaria were: Euglossa analis (2), E. townsendi (3), and E. gaianii (4); these three species represent 9% of the recorded bee species. Two morphologically very diferent kinds of pollinaria (belonging to diferent orchid species; see examples in Roubik and Hanson 2004) were observed on these bees. A num- Figure 4.2. Number of orchid species recorded from three ranges in Suriname as a function of the substrate on which they usually grow in nature. ber of the bee individuals examined were carrying multiple pollinaria (as could also be observed in light when the bees were attracted to the chemical baiting stations at Nassau; De Dijn pers. obs.). DISCUSSION he high number of 141 species of orchids recorded at Brownsberg (almost half of the number of species known from Suriname) is no surprise, as this is the most accessible and by far the best investigated of the three ranges (see chapter on the Biodiversity of the Brownsberg). he lower orchid richness igures for Lely and Nassau can be regarded as artifacts of a lower collecting efort (Molgo and De Dijn pers. obs.). he limited overlap in species composition between the three ranges is surprising, given the great similarities in landscape and habitats; it may mean that many species are rare or hard to detect and collect, and that many more species remain to be recorded (at Nassau and Lely for sure, but possibly also at Brownsberg. Indeed, the unpublished Brownsberg orchid survey of den Held is relevant in this respect; when the survey data is transformed into a <randomized> species-efort curve, no obvious asymptote can be detected, suggesting that many more orchid species await discovery even at Brownsberg). When more collecting has been done at Nassau and Lely, the overlap in orchid species composition between the ranges can be investigated in earnest. he currently available information suggests that a number of orchid species that are very rare occur at these ranges, as for example the following species, each of which is only known from one location and from nowhere else in the Guianas: Beloglottis costaricensis (Brownsberg), Cranichis diphylla (Lely) and Quekettia papillosa (Nassau). Using the Brownsberg orchid species richness result (141 species) as a yardstick, the comparison can be made with other well investigated sites in the region (based on listings in Bongers et al. 2001 and Clarke et al. 2001), such as: Saül (150 species) and Nouragues (68) in French Guyana, Kaieteur Falls (105) and Mabura Hill (109) in Guyana, and Reserva Ducke (79) in the Brazilian state of Amazonas. he Brownsberg is virtually on a par with Saül, these two sites having by far the highest recorded orchid species richness in the region. he low numbers for Reserva Ducke and Nouragues may be due to the fact that these are essentially Table 4.1. Number orchid species recorded from three ranges in Suriname as a function of the elevation at which they are known to occur elsewhere. Elevation class Site (range) Brownsberg Nassau Lely Low below 400 m Low-High below 400 m as well as 400 m or higher High 400 m or higher Total no. of species 14 9 7 57 23 28 29 16 26 100 48 61 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 89 Chapter 4 lowland locations which lack extensive submontane habitats that seem to be particularly favorable for epiphytes, such as orchids (see also chapter on the Biodiversity of the Brownsberg). It should perhaps not be surprising that Saül and Brownsberg are so comparable in terms of orchid species richness: both areas are well sampled and contain an extensive submontane plateau with ferro-bauxite encrusted soil. In the chapter on the Biodiversity of the Brownsberg (chapter 13), it is argued that 400 m is a useful cut-of point in the region under consideration, to distinguish between lowland and submontane habitats (in agreement with Steyermark et al. 1995a). Approximately 30-40% of the orchid species at the three ranges may be considered “highland” species, i.e. species that have been recorded in the Venezuelan Guayanas (where much research has been done) at 400 m of higher. Such a high proportion of highland species may be the characteristic that distinguishes these ranges with elevated plateaus from areas that are true lowlands, and may explain the high species richness: lowland and highland (submontane and montane) species coming together at these favorable locations. his would certainly merit further investigation, if alone to explain why the ranges in question may be orchid hot spots. In the Guianas, highland orchid species necessarily have a restricted, fragmented distribution, and may be rare; the submontane plateaus of Brownsberg, Nassau and Lely may be critical for the conservation of these species in the region. he results on the proportions of ground and epilithic orchids, and of orchid species that are restricted to high elevations, suggest a trend and a quantum leap: i) a trend that the highland orchids become more important with the increase in height of the main plateau of the range, and ii) a much greater importance of ground and epilithic orchids at Lely, compared to the other two ranges. hese matters would also merit further investigation, as they suggest that Lely may be the most divergent, unique and species rich of the three ranges. he special status of Lely is recognized by ter Steege and collaborators (2005), who mention the great extent of “moss forest” (low-elevation cloud forest with a high epiphyte load) with many orchids. Nassau should however not be underestimated as an orchid hot spot: in a single survey of less than three days (in 2006 by Molgo and De Dijn; unpublished), 32 species were recorded that were previously not known to occur at Nassau (including three species that were previously unknown from any of the three ranges). he total number of orchid bees recorded from Brownsberg, Lely and Nassau is comparable to the total of 29 species collected at Bakhuis by means of bottle traps and four chemical lures (De Dijn in prep.). However, the number of species recorded at the diferent ranges is substantially lower (despite the use of six chemical lures at Nassau and near Lely), and suggests that at each range more sampling needs to be done; very little sampling has taken place at Brownsberg anyway. A detailed comparison of the bee faunas of the three ranges and other areas would not seem possible at this stage. It goes almost without mention that a reliable com- 90 Rapid Assessment Program parison will require that bee samples be taken at Lely proper, instead of nearby along the Tapanahony River. he low frequency of orchid bees with pollinaria near Lely is unsurprising, but the high frequency (13 %) at Nassau is unusual, at least given igures of 1% and 5% quoted by Roubik and Hanson (2004). he high numbers of bees with orchid pollinaria at the main plateau of Nassau may be linked to the habitat and the timing of sampling: most of the sampling took place in low elevation cloud forest which is rich in orchids, and the timing of the sampling (April 2006) seemed to coincided with the lowering of a substantial number of orchids (Molgo and De Dijn pers. obs.). he extent to which orchids and orchid bees actually interdepend at the community level remains a matter of discussion (see Roubik and Hanson 2004), and the data presented here suggests that: i) some 18% of the orchid species of Brownsberg, Nassau and Lely may be pollinated by orchid bees (some 5% exclusively so), and ii) that at least 9% of the orchid bee species may actually pollinate some of these orchids. While the former is in line with expectations (see introduction), the latter is less so (see Roubik and Hanson 2004, who conclude that about half of the species in an Euglossine assemblage carry pollinaria and pollinate orchids), and would seem to be an artifact of much too limited sampling and a total lack of observations of bees visiting orchid lowers at the three ranges under consideration. RECOMMENDATIONS It is recommended that rapid orchid inventories of Nassau and Lely are undertaken, in which herbarium specimens are collected as well as live specimens. he latter can be maintained alive in Paramaribo, at least until they produce lowering parts, which are essential to identify the species. Special attention should be given to the investigation of the habitats of highland species and ground and epilithic orchids. he data resulting from these inventories should be processed together with data of den Held in relation to the Brownsberg; collaboration with den Held should be sought to complete analyses. Based on the results, a more detailed comparison between the ranges would be possible, as well as a comparison with other ranges and lowland locations in the region. Based on the additional inventory data and lora comparisons, the status of regionally and nationally rare orchid species must be investigated, especially of those species that are at present only known from the three ranges. Habitats where rare orchids occur should be identiied, and measures should be taken to protect them in their native habitats. he relationship between orchids and orchid bees at these ranges requires further investigation, especially in relation to those orchid and bee species that can be assumed (based on the literature and the data presented above) to be interdependent. More orchid bee samples need to obtained during rapid assessments, at all three ranges (especially at Brownsberg and Lely), and notes should be made on the orchid pollinaria these bees are carrying. he unusually high Orchids and Orchid Bees of the Brownsberg, Nassau and Lely ranges frequency of orchid bees with pollinaria recorded at Nassau requires further investigation; there may be an especially signiicant interaction between orchid bees and orchids at these ranges, at least in special habitats such as low elevation cloud forest. his interaction may only be apparent when sampling or observations are done at speciic times of the year, and if so, would require monitoring. Targeted studies of the pollination and seed set with rare orchids at these ranges may be required, e.g. to assess their level of dependency on speciic pollinators and their vulnerability to local extinction. Ahead of the results of proposed further assessment and monitoring studies, special protection should already be given at this stage to the submontane habitats (400 m and higher) at all of these ranges, most urgently so at Lely. Protection is required because: i) the very high orchid species richness of the ranges is no doubt due largely to the presence of highland orchid species in the submontane forest habitats these would seem to require, and ii) each of the ranges appears to be unique in terms of orchid species composition, e.g. at each range occurs at least one orchid species that is known from nowhere else in the Guianas. Lely would merit urgent conservation action because: i) it proves to have high numbers of highland orchid species and ground and epilithic orchids that may be associated with vulnerable submontane habitats, and ii) its submontane habitats are presumably pristine – due to poor accessibility – and characterized by a high degree of functional integrity that may however be negatively afected as soon as the area becomes more accessible, e.g. as a result of renewed mining exploration. Habitats other than submontane ones may also be important for orchids and orchid bees, and it would thus be sensible to work towards the protection of representative parts of the Nassau and Lely ranges, ensuring the protection of a substantial portion of all habitats. At Brownsberg some degree of protection is already in place, but the matter of the SURALCO mining concession that covers most of the submontane zone should be addressed soon, as this zone requires more adequate protection. REFERENCES Ackerman, J.D. 1989. Geographic and Seasonal Variation in Fragrance Choices and Preferences of Male Euglossine Bees. Biotropica. 21(4): 340-347. Banki, O.S., H. Ter Steege, M.J. Jansen- Jacobs, and U.P.D. Raghoenandan. 2003. Plant diversity of the Nassau mountains, Suriname. Report of the 2003 Expedition. Report of the Utrecht Herbarium for WWF-Guianas and SURALCO. Utrecht, Netherlands. Boggan, J., V. Funk, C. Kellof, M. Hof, G. Cremers, and C. Feuillet. 1997. Checklist of the plants of the Guianas (Guyana, Surinam, French Guiana), 2nd edition. Centre for the Study of Biological Diversity, University of Guyana. Georgetown, Guyana. Bongers, F., P.C. Dominique, P.-M. Forget, and M. hery (eds.). 2001. Nouragues: Dynamics and Plant –Animal Interactions in a Neotropical Rainforest. Kluwer Academic Publishers. Dordrecht, Netherlands. Chiron, G. and R. Bellone. 2005. Les orchidées de Guyane française. Tropicalia and AFCEV. Voreppe and Villersles-Nancy. Clarke, H.D., V.A. Funk, and T. Hollowell. 2001. Plant Diversity of the Iwokrama Forest, Guyana. SIDA, Botanical Miscellany no.21. Botanical Research Institute of Texas. Fort Worth, TX. De Dijn, B.P.E. 2005. Flower-visiting Insects in Guianan Forests: Pollinators, hieves, Lovers and their Foes. In: Hammond, D.S. (ed.). Tropical Forests of the Guiana Shield. Wallingford, Oxfordshire: CABI Publishing. Pp. 321-342. Discover Nature. 2006. Website: http://pick4.pick.uga.edu/ mp/20q?guide=Orchid_Bees_FrenchGuiana, accessed August 2006. Electronic Plant Information Centre of the Kew Royal Botanical Gardens. 2006. Website: www.kew.org/ epic/, accessed July 2006. Roubik, D.W. and P.E. Hanson. 2004. Orchid bees of tropical America. INBIO. Heredia. Costa Rica. Sokal, R.R., and F.J. Rohlf. 1995. Biometry, third edition. Freeman and Co. New York, NY. Steyermark, J.A., P.E. Berry, K. Yatskievych, and B.K. Holst (eds.). 1995a. Flora of the Venezuelan Guayana. Vol 1: Introduction. Missouri Botanical Garden Press. St Louis, MO. Steyermark, J.A., P.E. Berry, K. Yatskievych, and B.K. Holst (eds.). 1995b. Flora of the Venezuelan Guayana. Vol 7: Myrtaceae – Plumbaginaceae. Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St Louis. MO. ter Steege, H., O.S. Banki, M. Jansen- Jacobs, G. Ramharakh, and K. Tjon. 2005. Plant diversity of the Lely Mountains, Suriname. Report of the Nov- Dec 2004 Expedition. Report of the Utrecht Herbarium for WWF-Guianas and SURALCO. Utrecht, Netherlands. ter Steege, H., O.S. Banki, T.R. Van Andel, J. BehariRamdas, and G. Ramharakh. 2004. Plant diversity of the Brownsberg Nature Park, Suriname. Report of the Nov- Dec 2003 Expedition. Report of the Utrecht Herbarium for WWF-Guianas and SURALCO. Utrecht, Netherlands. van der Pijl, L., and C.R. Dodson. 1966. Orchid Flowers. University of Miami Press. Miami, FL. Werkhoven, M.C.M. 1986. Orchideeën van Suriname (Orchids of Suriname). Vaco N.V. Paramaribo, Suriname. A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 91 Chapter 5 Ants of the leaf litter of two plateaus in Eastern Suriname Jeffrey Sosa-Calvo INTRODUCTION Due to rapidly declining diversity and disappearing habitats worldwide, systematists and ecologists have created a series of protocols to rapidly explore, understand, and catalogue our planet’s extensive living resources. Invertebrates are an important component of the trophic structure of every ecosystem. Among all the invertebrates that live in the forest, ants possess numerous qualities that make them a cornerstone element for conservation planning. Ants are: 1) dominant constituents of most terrestrial environments, 2) easily sampled in suiciently statistical numbers in short periods of time (Agosti et al 2000), 3) sensitive to environmental change (Kaspari and Majer 2000), and 4) indicators of ecosystem health and of the presence of other organisms, due to their obligate symbioses with plants and animals (Alonso 2000). For these reasons ant taxonomists, ecologists, and behaviorists created the Ants of the Leaf Litter protocol (A.L.L) (Agosti and Alonso 2000). A.L.L is a standardized methodology that can be easily repeated in diferent habitats at diferent times of the year (Agosti et al. 2000). Under this protocol diferent datasets can be combined and analyzed at a larger scale. he ant fauna of Suriname remains unknown. Borgmeier (1934) reported 36 ant species from a study of the ants in cofee plantations in Paramaribo; Kempf (1961) studied the ant fauna of the soil from collections made by der Drift from April to October of 1959. In his study Kempf found 171 ant species belonging to 59 genera. In that survey, der Drift used pitfall traps, leaf-litter samples using Berlese funnels, and soil samples from primary forest, agricultural ields, and pastures. Previous censuses of the Neotropical ant fauna by Kempf (1972), Brandao (1991), and Fernandez and Sendoya (2004) recognize 290 species for Suriname. he new world tropics is known to contain one of the richest ant faunas in the world, with more than 3000 described species (Fernandez and Sendoya 2004), As sampling becomes more exhaustive, this number continues to increase. he La Selva Biological Station provides an instructive example. As a result of more than ten years of continuous sampling, La Selva accounts for almost 450 species (Longino et al. 2002). Suriname’s position within the Guiana Shield, considered the largest undisturbed region of tropical forest in the world, makes it one of the most important places for tropical forest conservation and sustainable development. he most important and urgent threats faced by Suriname are: 1) large-scale (bauxite and gold) mining, 2) small-scale gold mining, 3) large-scale logging, and 4) hunting. As pointed out by Haden (1999) the principal cause of deforestation and pollution is mining at both large and small scales. he extraction of gold is associated with water poisoning due to the large quantities of mercury or cyanide used. Common techniques to extract gold (i.e., suction-dredge placer and hydraulic) are responsible for erosion, siltation, and water turbidity (Haden 1999). his increasing pressure from mining and other resourceextraction industries threatens the pristine nature not only of Suriname but of the entire Guiana Shield. I present the results of a rapid assessment program survey of the ant fauna that inhabit the leaf litter, hoping that the information presented here will inform critical conservation decisions by mining companies, governments, and individuals. 92 Rapid Assessment Program Ants of the leaf litter of two plateaus in Eastern Suriname MATERIALS AND METHODS Study sites he Lely and Nassau plateaus are located in eastern Suriname on the Guiana Shield near the border with French Guiana and east of the man-made Lake Brokopondo, created in 1864 and swamping about 580 square miles of virgin rainforest. he Lely Mountains comprise a series of plateaus with a maximum altitude of 700 m. A preliminary plant survey of the Lely Mountains (ter Steege et al. 2004) showed two types of forest. he irst is a high mesophytic rain forest characterized by relatively well-drained soil and high (25 – 50 m) closed canopy. his type of forest is dominated by tree-species within the genera Eschweilera, Couratari, Lecythis, Sloanea, Hymenaea, Virola, and Qualea. he second type of forest, a mountain savannah forest, is characterized by very low tree diversity. he mountain savannah forest was divided into three subcategories by ter Steege et al. (2004): 1) a dry forest dominated by Croton sp., Micrandra brownsbergensis, Vriesea splendes, and large numbers of species within the family Myrtaceae; 2) a humid type dominated by Vriesea spp., mosses, and epiphytes; and 3) a low moss forest with all tree trunks covered by dark brown mosses. he Nassau Mountains comprise four plateaus ranging from 500 to 570 m. Nassau plateaus include primary and secondary rain forest, ‘berg savannah’ dominated by Hevea guianensis, Micrandra sp., and several Myrtaceae species (Banki et al. 2003), and limited patches of Euterpe oleracea, a palm found on the plateau in swamp-like areas. Nassau is also characterized by rocky soils and some cleared areas (roads and an overgrown airstrip). incidence data to quantify rarity (i.e., the number of uniques and duplicates). To compare the taxonomic composition of both sites, two similarity indexes were used. he irst was the Sorensen index of similarity: S = 2c/(a+b) where, a= number of species in site A, b= number of species in site B, and c= number of shared species in sites A and B. his index is considered as one of the most efective presence/absence similarity measures (Magurran 2003). he second index employed was the Jaccard classic index: Sj= c/a+b-c where, a= total number of species in sample A, b= total number of species in sample B, c= number of common species to sample A and B (Wilson and Shmida 1982). Data collecting he sampling method carried out is a modiied version of the A.L.L. protocol as described in Agosti et al. (2000). Two hundred-meter linear transects were delimited at each locality (Lely= 2 transects, Nassau= 1 transect). A 1 x 1-m quadrat was set up every 10 m. he leaf-litter, rotten twigs, and irst layer of soil present in the quadrat were shaken for about a minute using a wire sieve of 1-cm2 mesh size. he sifted leaf litter was then placed in a mini-Winkler sack and allowed to run for 48 hours. (For further information and discussion of this technique, see Agosti et al. 2000: p. 133.) he alcoholpreserved samples were sorted to morphospecies in the laboratory using a Leica MZ16 stereomicroscope. Specimens of each morphospecies were mounted and identiied to named species whenever allowed by current ant taxonomy. Data analysis he computer program EstimateS (version 7.5 for Mac) (Colwell 2005) was used to calculate species accumulation curves. Curve-smoothing was accomplished by randomizing sample order 100 times (Toti et al. 2000; Colwell & Coddington 1994). EstimateS was also used to compute the mean of the non-parametric species richness estimator, ICE (incidence-based coverage estimator), which relies on Figures 5.1 – 5.3. Taxonomic composition of the survey: 1) Total number of ant species in the different subfamilies collected at both sites. 2) The eleven most speciose ant genera collected at both sites. 3) The fifteen most individual rich genera collected at both sites. A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 93 Chapter 5 RESULTS A total of 9838 individual ants was collected. Of those 9838 individuals, 9651 worker specimens, representing 36 genera and 169 species, were collected from 600 m2 of leaf-litter samples (Appendix 6). Of those 169 species, the combined transects at Lely accounted for 136 species while Nassau accounted for 97 species. he subfamily Myrmicinae (Figure 5.1) was represented by the largest number of species with 81 species, followed by the Ponerinae with 25 species (48% and 15% of the total species, respectively). he most speciose genus (Figure 5.2) was Pheidole with 39 species (23% of the total) followed by the genera Hypoponera (11 species), Solenopsis (10 species), Pyramica (9 species), and Gnamptogenys (8 species), the four genera together accounting for 21.9% of the total. he ranking of the genera changes with respect to the number of individuals collected (Figure 5.3) with Solenopsis ranking irst (2316 individuals, 24% of total), followed by the genera Pheidole, Hypoponera, and Pyramica (1904 [19.7%], 1201 [12.4%], and 862 [8.9%] individuals, respectively). Among species, Solenopsis sp. 001 accounted for the largest number of individuals with 797 specimens collected, followed by Pyramica denticulata (667 individuals), and Pheidole sp. 006 (463 individuals). See photo pages for images of several of the ant species. Species richness estimates Figures 5.4 – 5.7. Assessment of the leaf litter ant inventory for each site. 4) Lely transect 1; 5) Lely transect 2; 6) Nassau; 7) Combined Lely transects. The species accumulation curve plots the number of species (Y-axis) and the number of samples (X-axis). Abbreviations: Uni= uniques, Dup= duplicates, SOB= species observed, ICE= incidence-based coverage estimator. 94 Rapid Assessment Program For none of the three transects (Lely = 2 and Nassau = 1) individually, nor for the combined Lely transects, does the mean, randomized, or observed species accumulation curve reach an asymptote (Figures 5.4 – 5.7). he number of uniques (species detected in only one quadrat) and duplicates (species detected in only two quadrats) for Lely tend to reach a plateau or to slightly decrease. In Nassau, however, the number of uniques has stabilized, while the number of duplicates is increasing. When both Lely transects are combined, the number of uniques and duplicates reaches a plateau. he species estimator, ICE, for the combined Lely transects presents a slightly tendency to decrease and to approach the observed species accumulation curve. However, for each of the individual transects the species estimator continues increasing, suggesting that more sampling is needed. Lely, with 136 species, possessed the richest ant fauna of the survey. In only one transect, 102 species were collected. For Nassau 97 species were recorded from a single transect. Although, this could be an artifact of collection intensity (two entire 200 m transects of leaf litter samples were collected at Lely while a unique entire 200 m transect was carried out at Nassau), previous studies of the diversity of the lora for both sites shown have shown that Lely present a higher diversity while Nassau presented the lowest (including Brownsberg National Park). Richness estimates and other summary values for each Ants of the leaf litter of two plateaus in Eastern Suriname transect, including the combined Lely leaf-litter sample, are given in Table 5.1. Each richness estimate is represented by the mean of 100 randomized iterations of sample order. Community structure Values of the Sorensen similarity index and the Jaccard classic index (Table 5.2) show that the two communities (Lely vs. Nassau) difer slightly in ant species composition. Both transects at Lely share 64 species, while comparisons between transects 1 and 2 with Nassau showed a lower number of species shared (54 each). When both Lely transects are combined and compared with Nassau, the number of shared species shared between Lely and Nassau increases to 66. However, the similarity value of each index shows slightly low complementarity between both sites. Based on the values of the indices none of them approach to 1, with exception of Lely 1 to Lely 2 (Sorensen=0.637; Jaccard= 0.467). DISCUSSION According to the censuses of Neotropical ants by Kempf (1972) and Fernandez and Sendoya (2004), Suriname possesses about 290 species. here have been few attempts to study the ant fauna of Suriname. Borgmeier (1934) reported 36 ant species in cofee plantations in Paramaribo, while Kempf (1961) reported the presence of 171 species (54 genera) from primary forest, plantations, and pastures. Most of the ant collections in the interior in Suriname occurred sporadically from 1938 – 1958, mainly by G. Geyskes in Paramaribo and Brownsberg Nature Park. his survey conducted in the eastern part of Suriname recorded 169 ant spe- cies and morphospecies from three 200-m leaf litter samples. Species richness estimators (Figures 5.4 – 5.7) suggest a much higher ant diversity for Suriname than suggested by any of the aforementioned studies. More leaf litter samples from diferent localities within the country are needed to properly estimate Suriname ant diversity and address future conservation strategies. Suriname’s central position within the Guyana Shield, an ancient rock massif dating back to the Pre-Cambrian (~ 2.5 billion years ago) (Gibbs and Barron 1993), recommends it for biological resource conservation and sustainable development. his dataset contains a high number of unnamed morphospecies, making it diicult to quantify the number of species that were not recorded by Kempf (1972) or Fernandez and Sendoya (2004), but perhaps half of the species in this study constitute new records for Suriname. Of all ecological communities, tropical rain forests are thought to have the greatest species diversity. In Costa Rica, for example, Longino et al. (2002) reported about 450 ant species in an area no greater than 1500 ha (La Selva Biological Station). LaPolla et al. (in press) recorded 230 species in eight localities in Guyana and estimated a much higher ant diversity than the 330 species previously known for that country. Other surveys conducted in Borneo (Brühl et al. 1998) and Madagascar (Fisher 1999, 2005), with extensive ield sampling over several years, have shown that the number of ant species is usually undersampled. Based on these studies, extensive ieldwork will undoubtedly increase the number of ant species in Suriname. he absence of some ants that are known to be typical leaf-litter inhabitants, but that were uncommon in this data- Table 5.1. Richness estimates and other summary values for each locality. Lely Lely 2 Nassau Lely (combined) Observed richness 102 98 97 136 Number of samples 20 20 20 40 2384 2392 4425 5226 Number of uniques 41 46 39 48 Number of duplicates 15 12 20 20 ICE 149.82 163.14 147.96 185.42 Chao 1 153.25 177.62 132.29 189.71 Chao 2 150.69 173.63 130.52 188.37 Jacknife 140.95 141.7 134.05 182.8 Bootstrap Mean 119.14 116.45 113.93 156.74 MM Mean 130.77 127.16 126.51 159.36 Number of adult workers Table 5.2. Number of shared species and values of similarity indices for the two sites (three transects) in Suriname. See text for definition of indices. Number of shared species Sorensen’s similarity index Jaccard’s similarity index Lely to Lely 2 64 0.637 0.467 Lely to Nassau 54 0.545 0.375 Lely 2 to Nassau 54 0.554 0.383 Lely total to Nassau 66 0.564 0.392 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 95 Chapter 5 set, may be due to an artifact of the sampling method used. For example, at Lely, the genera Pheidole and Camponotus were found everywhere in high numbers by hand collecting. However, the genus Camponotus was not collected in any of the 60 quadrats sampled, perhaps due to their rapid escape response and to the fact that they nest in trees and in rotten logs rather than in the soil or litter. he species Daceton armigerum and Gigantiops destructor were hand collected in Lely and Nassau, respectively. Again, neither of these was present in the Winkler samples. Daceton armigerum is known to be arboreal, so its capture in leaf litter sampling is unlikely. Gigantiops destructor, on the other hand, is a typical inhabitant of the leaf litter. heir big eyes give them a highly visual ability, which combined with their quick speed and jumping ability, make their capture in leaf litter quadrats unlikely. he species Wasmannia auropunctata can be abundant in either primary forest or young second growth, although it is perhaps most abundant in disturbed habitats. his species is known to be an important agricultural pest in several regions of the tropics because of its strong sting. he species Wasmannia scrobifera while infrequently collected, is known to be more typical of mature lowland rainforest. he genus Pheidole is the most speciose genus at both sites. Pheidole represents 23% of total ant species collected in this survey (with 39 species), while the genera Hypoponera, Solenopsis, Pyramica, and Gnamptogenys together counted for almost 22% of total species collected (with 11, 10, 9, and 8 species, respectively) (Figure 5.2). he taxonomic dominance of Pheidole in most tropical forests is well known (Ward 2000, Wilson 2003). Nonetheless, in terms of the number of individuals collected per genera, Pheidole drops to second place with 1904 individuals. he genus Solenopsis ranked irst with 2316 individuals collected. he genus includes the famous invasive species S. geminata and S. invicta (ire ants), of great economic importance in the United States. In spite of its widespread distribution, the genus has not been taxonomically revised and the biology of many of its species remain unknown. Another ecologically dominant genus in Neotropical rain forests is Hypoponera, a prime candidate for conservation planning and long-term monitoring. However, the number of species recorded here is perhaps underestimated due to the lack of a synoptic revision. he tribe Dacetini, which was recently revised by Bolton (2000), is represented in Suriname by four genera, Acanthognathus, Daceton, Pyramica, and Strumigenys. According to Kempf (1972), Bolton (2000), and Fernadez and Sendoya (2004) this represents the irst record of the genus Acanthognathus for Suriname. Within the genus Pyramica, there are ive species that are recorded for the irst time for Suriname: P. auctidens (known previously from French Guiana), P. beebei (known from Colombia and Brazil), P. cincinnata (known from Brazil), P. crassicornis (known from Trinidad and Tobago to Paraguay), and P. halosis (known previously from Venezuela). Within the genus Strumigenys, two species were recorded for the irst time: S. cosmostela 96 Rapid Assessment Program (known from Mexico to Peru, including Brazil) and S. trinidadensis (known previously from Costa Rica to Brazil). A possible new species within the genus Pyramica was also collected. Members of the Dacetini tribe are good tools for biodiversity planning. heir biology is relatively well- known, their taxonomy has been recently revised, and their diet is restricted to arthropods that inhabit the soil. he recently described genus Cryptomyrmex Fernandez (Myrmicinae: Adelomyrmicini), known from only two species from Brazil and Paraguay, was collected in Nassau. he species, Cryptomyrmex longinodus, was originally described from Brazil from soil samples (see photo pages). Here, the distribution of the species and genus is extended. he biology of this intriguing ant remains unknown. he genus can easily be confused with Adelomyrmex, but close examination of the specimen reveals diferences in the petiole and eyes, visible under light stereomicroscope, but not visible under Scanning Electron Micrography (SEM) (Fernando Fernandez, personal communication). Lely contained the most ant species in this survey. he combined transects produced a total of 136 species, while in Nassau 97 species were recorded. his diference could be due to the number of transects and samples collected (2 transects, 40 samples for Lely vs. 1 transect, 20 samples for Nassau). However, the level of disturbance seems to be lower in Lely than Nassau, where open roads, camps, mining, and hunting activities have resulted in a low animal population (ter Steege et al. 2005). he results of this survey with those of ter Steege et al (2004, 2005) and Bánki et al. (2003), which compared the plant diversity of three areas, including Brownsberg Nature Park (BNP), Lely, and Nassau. hose studies concluded that Nassau has the lowest plant diversity of the three, while Lely is the most diverse. Similarity indices (Jaccard and Sorensen), although low, showed that the two samples within Lely are more similar than either one is to Nassau (Table 5.2). When the combined Lely samples are compared to Nassau, the number of shared species between the two increases to 66, but the indices still suggest a low similarity. CONSERVATION RECOMMENDATIONS With most of its landscape still intact, the time for Suriname to take action is now, before deforestation and mining become more widespread. Although the extraction of some natural resources is certain to happen, the rich fauna and lora of Suriname can be preserved with planning and with the creation of protected areas, such as the Central Suriname Nature Reserve. As demonstrated by Agosti et al. (2000), ants of the leaf litter are important tools for conservation planning. he impact of logging, mining, and hunting on the physical environment and on the ant community is severe. Ants are known to respond negatively to the loss of plant diversity and to changes in soil microclimate resulting from deforestation (Underwood and Fisher 2006). Although deforestation is not yet widespread at Lely or Nassau, I recommend the maintenance of large areas of intact primary Ants of the leaf litter of two plateaus in Eastern Suriname Chapter 5 forest to serve as reservoirs of keystone species. As pointed out by ter Steege (2005), the constant pressure from mining activities in the surrounding areas of Nassau has resulted in a very low animal population. Hunting accompanies small-scale mining. As seen in Lely, the pressure of such activity on mammals and birds is shocking. It is imperative that local people be educated to properly use their natural resources. he impact that only a few people can have on the environment was evidenced in Lely, where small mammals, birds, and monkeys, among others, where found dead near the trails used by the local airstrip work crew. he conservation of these still healthy forests should be a principal goal for the government, the mining companies, and the Surinamese people. One of the largest and richest remnants of pristine forest in the world is still intact within Suriname’s borders, but it is largely threatened by uncontrolled logging, hunting, and mining. hus, the application of high environmental standards to resource extraction companies and strong sanctions on illegal resource exploitation are needed in order to help to preserve the great diversity of the Guiana Shield in Suriname. REFERENCES CITED Agosti, D. and Alonso, L. E. 2000. he ALL protocol: a standard protocol for the collection of ground-dwelling ants. In: D. Agosti, J. Majer, L. E. Alonso and T. R. Schultz (eds.). Ants, Standard Methods for Measuring and Monitoring Biodiversity. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. Pp. 204-206. Agosti, D., J. D. Majer, L.E. Alonso, and T. R. Schultz (eds.). 2000. Ants: Standard Methods for Measuring and Monitoring Biodiversity. Smithsonian Institution Press. Washington, D.C. Alonso, L.E. 2000. Ants as indicators of diversity. In: D. Agosti, J. Majer, L. E. Alonso and T. R. Schultz (eds.). Ants: Standard Methods for Measuring and Monitoring Biodiversity. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. Pp. 80-88. Bánki, O. S., ter Steege, H., Jansen-Jacobs, M. J., and Raghoenandan, U.P.D. 2003. Plant diversity of the Nassau Mountains Report of the 2003 expedition. Internal report. NHN-Utrecht, BBS-Paramaribo. Utrecht, Netherlands. Paramaribo, Suriname. Bolton, B. 2000. he ant tribe Dacetini, with a revision of the Strumigenys species of the Malagasy Region by Brian L. Fisher, and a revision of the Austral epopostrumiform genera by Steven O. Shattuck. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute. 65: 1 – 1028. Borgmeier, T. 1934. Contribuição para o conhecimento da fauna mirmecólogica dos cafezais de Paramaribo, Guiana Holandesa (Hym. Formicidae). Arquivos do Instituto de Biología Vegetal. 1: 93 – 113. Brandão, C.R.F. 1991. Adendos ao catálogo abreviado das formigas da região Neotropical (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Revista Brasileira de Entomologia. 35: 319-412. Brühl, C.A., M. Mohamed, and K.E. Linsenmair. 1998. Altitudinal distribution of leaf litter ants along a transect in primary forests on Mount Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. Journal of Tropical Ecology. 15: 265 – 177. Colwell, R.K., J.A. Coddington. 1994. Estimating terrestrial biodiversity through extrapolation. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society (Series B). 345: 101-118. Colwell, R. K. 2005. EstimateS: Statistical estimation of species richness and shared species from samples. Version 7.5. User’s Guide and application published at: http:// purl.oclc.org/estimates. Fernandez, F. and S. Sendoya. 2004. List of Neotropical ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Biota Colombiana. 5: 3 – 93. Fisher, B.L. 1999. Improving inventory eiciency: A case study of leaf litter ant diversity in Madagascar. Ecological Applications. 9: 714 – 731. Fisher, B.L. 2005. A model for a global inventory of Ants: A case study in Madagascar. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences. 56: 86 – 97. Gibbs, A.K. and C.N. Barron. 1993. he Geology of the Guyana Shield. Oxford University Press. Oxford, UK. Haden, P. 1999. Forestry issues in the Guyana Shield region: A perspective on Guyana and Suriname. European Union Tropical Forestry. Overseas Development Institute. London, UK. Kaspari, M. and J.D. Majer. 2000. Using ants to monitor environmental change. In: D. Agosti, J. Majer, L. E. Alonso and T. R. Schultz (eds.). Ants: Standard Methods for Measuring and Monitoring Biodiversity. Smithsonian Institution Press. Washington, D.C. Kempf, W.W. 1961. A Survey of the ants of the soil fauna in Surinam (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Studia Entomologica. 4: 481 – 524. Kempf, W.W. 1972. Catalogo abreviado das formigas da região Neotropical (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Studia Entomologica. 15: 3 – 344. LaPolla, J.S., T. Suman, J. Sosa-Calvo, and T.R. Schultz. In press. Leaf litter ant diversity in Guyana. Biodiversity and Conservation. Longino, J.T., J. Coddington, and R.K. Colwell. 2002. he ant fauna of a tropical rain forest: Estimating species richness three diferent ways. Ecology 83: 689 – 702. Magurran, A.E. 2004. Measuring biological diversity. Blackwell, Publishing. Oxford, UK. ter Steege, H., O.S. Bánki, T.R. van Andel, J. BehariRamdas and G. Ramharakh. 2004. Plant diversity of the Brownsberg Nature Park, Suriname. Report of the Nov-Dec 2003 Expedition. NHN-Utrecht Branch, Utrecht University. Utrecht, Netherlands. ter Steege, H., O.S Bánki, M.J. Jansen-Jacobs, S. Ramharakh, and K. Tjon. 2005. Plant diversity of the Lely Mts, Report of the 2004 expedition. Internal report. A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 97 Chapter 5 NHN-Utrecht, BBS-Paramaribo, CELOS-Paramaribo. Utrecht, Netherlands. Paramaribo, Suriname. Toti, D.S., F.A. Coyle, and J. A. Miller. 2000. A structured inventory of Appalachian grass bald and heath bald spider assemblages and a test of species richness estimator performance. he Journal of Arachnology. 28: 329 – 345. Underwood, E.C. and B. Fisher. 2006. he role of ants in conservation monitoring: If, when, and how. Biological Conservation. 132: 166 – 182. Ward, P.S. 2000. Broad-scale patterns of diversity in leaf litter ant communities. In: D. Agosti, J. Majer, L.E. Alonso and T.R. Schultz (eds.). Ants: Standard Methods for Measuring and Monitoring Biodiversity. Smithsonian Institution Press. Washington, D.C. Pp. 99-121. Wilson, M.V. and A. Shmida. 1984. Measuring beta diversity with presence- absent data. Journal of Ecology. 72: 1055 – 1064. Wilson, E.O. 2003. Pheidole in the New World. Harvard University Press. Cambridge, MA. 98 Rapid Assessment Program Chapter 6 Dung Beetles of Lely and Nassau plateaus, Eastern Suriname Trond Larsen INTRODUCTION Dung beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) are frequently used as a focal taxon in biodiversity studies for several reasons (Larsen and Forsyth 2005). Dung beetles are a diverse and abundant group of insects, especially in tropical forests, and their diversity patterns often mirror those of overall biodiversity. Most dung beetle species have small distributional ranges and high Beta-diversity, with relatively few species shared between habitat types (Spector 2002). Dung beetles are very sensitive to many kinds of disturbance. Since they depend primarily on mammal dung for food and reproduction, dung beetles may be a good indicator of mammal biomass and hunting intensity. By burying vertebrate dung, beetles perform several important ecosystem functions, including recycling nutrients for plants, dispersing seeds, and reducing infestation of mammals by parasites (Mittal 1993, Andresen 2002). Finally, dung beetles are a tractable group to study because they can be rapidly and cheaply sampled in a standardized and non-biased way using transects of baited pitfall traps (Larsen and Forsyth 2005). Within just a few days, this trapping method usually captures the majority of Alpha-diversity and also yields good abundance data. METHODS I sampled dung beetles at Lely and Nassau plateaus in eastern Suriname using pitfall trap transects. Ten traps baited with human dung were placed approximately 150 m apart at each site and collected every 24 hours for four days (see Larsen and Forsyth 2005 for methodology details). Each trap consisted of 16 oz plastic cups buried in the ground and illed with water and liquid detergent. Bait was suspended above the cups wrapped in nylon tulle and covered with large leaves. Human dung baits were replaced every two days. Since some dung beetle species feed on other resources, additional traps were baited with rotting fungus, rotting fruit, and dead insects. At Nassau, I placed two light intercept traps consisting of mosquito netting with soapy water beneath. hese types of traps often passively catch dung beetle species not attracted to baits. At Lely, 11 traps were placed from October 27-31, 2005 in primary forest that varied in canopy height and in plant species composition depending on the soil, with small, short trees dominating in more rocky areas. In addition, three traps were placed from October 27-29; one trap was placed in the grassy airstrip, one in secondary forest at the edge of the airstrip, and one in a weed-illed clear-cut area surrounding a radio tower. One trap baited with dead insects and one trap baited with rotting fungus were also placed in primary forest. At Nassau, 10 traps were placed from November 2-6, 2005 in the same general forest type as at Lely, although in many places the forest was taller and showed a wetter forest loor with greater leaf litter decomposition. Two light intercept traps, one trap baited with dead insects and one trap baited with rotting fruit were also placed in primary forest. Beetles were sorted and identiied as they were collected, and vouchers were placed in alcohol for further identiication and museum collections. A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 99 Chapter 6 To determine the completeness of faunal sampling at each site, I compared the observed number of species to the expected number of species based on randomized species accumulation curves computed using EstimateS (Colwell 2003). I used the abundance-based coverage estimator (ACE) because it accounts for species abundance as well as incidence. Similarity indices were calculated using the same software. RESULTS I found a total of 42 species from both sites, represented by 1,110 individuals (Appendix 7). Lely had 37 species and 906 individuals, while at Nassau, I captured only 27 species and 204 individuals. Comparing only standardized dung pitfall transects from primary forest between the two sites, Lely had 33 species and 21.2 individuals/trap, while Nassau had 24 species and 4.3 individuals/trap. Species richness estimators (ACE) based on species accumulation curves from dung transects in primary forest predict true species richness of 39 species for Lely and 29 species for Nassau (sampling was about 85% complete for both sites). Both sites appeared to have hunting pressures that are likely to have negatively impacted dung beetle species richness and abundance, but Nassau appeared to have the strongest hunting pressure and the lowest beetle species richness and abundance. Dung beetle abundance at Nassau may also have been negatively afected by a large open cesspool near the basecamp. Even though Lely contained more dung beetle species, the dung beetle species composition of primary forest at the two sites was fairly similar. he sites shared 18 species and showed a high Morisita-Horn similarity index of 0.93. At Lely, only three individuals of one species, a grassland specialist, occurred on the airstrip. I only found four individuals of one species on the secondary forest edge, and no dung beetles at all in the weedy clearing. Dead insects attracted two species, while no species were attracted to fungus. One species (Anomiopus spp.) was only hand-collected on a leaf. A second species of Anomiopus was collected in a light intercept trap at Nassau, as well as six other species. At Nassau, dead insects attracted seven species and fruit attracted none. One species was only hand-collected at felid scat. Both sites were characterized by hard, dry and rocky soils which may make it diicult for many dung beetle species to dig burrows for food and nesting, and may also increase larval mortality (Sowig 1995). his may be one reason why overall dung beetle abundance was much lower at both sites than for almost all other tropical forests where I have sampled dung beetles. Interesting Species While identiication to the genus level is relatively simple, the taxonomic status and lack of identiication keys for Neotropical dung beetles makes it diicult to place many spe- 100 Rapid Assessment Program cies names, especially without comparing specimens against multiple museum collections. Nonetheless, I estimate that about 20-30% of the species collected are undescribed. he genera Anomiopus, Ateuchus, Canthidium and Uroxys are likely to contain the most undescribed species. A few species appear to have wide geographical ranges and are also found in the southern Amazon, although most species probably have relatively restricted ranges. A paucity of existing dung beetle data from nearby sites makes evaluation of range size diicult. At Lely, dead insects attracted one individual of Coprophanaeus lancifer, the largest species of neotropical dung beetle. his metallic blue species is highly valued for its impressive size and beauty, and the long horns possessed by both sexes. Both species of Anomiopus are likely to be undescribed. Species in this genus have never been attracted to baited traps, and their natural history is completely unknown, although their compact morphology suggests an association with ant nests observed for other genera. In most sites I have sampled in the neotropics, I have observed species of Canthidium which appear to be Batesian mimics of species in the ball-rolling tribe Canthonini, although to my knowledge nothing has been published about this. Almost all canthonines secrete a foul smelling chemical when handled, while Canthidium species, which are tunnellers rather than ball-rollers, do not. At Lely, Canthidium sp. 1 possesses the identical yellow and brown coloration pattern, including an unusual pronotal stripe, shown by Scybalocanthon cyanocephalus. THREATS AND RECOMMENDATIONS he greatest threats to dung beetle communities are logging and hunting, and dung beetles are known to be especially sensitive to fragmentation. Even slight perturbations of the forest are known to strongly afect dung beetles (Davis et al. 2001). At Lely, clear-cut areas and early secondary vegetation contained only two dung beetle species at extremely low abundance. Dung beetle communities at both sites are probably sufering from hunting, although the strongest hunting pressures are likely occurring from gold-miners at Nassau where dung beetle abundance was the lowest I have ever observed. A large open cesspool at Nassau may also be killing many thousands of dung beetles that are continuously attracted and drowned. An underground sewage system would not only spare many dung beetles, but would also make the area more pleasant for people. Although deforestation is still not widespread at either site, it is important to maintain large areas of intact primary forest in the future in order to maintain intact communities of mammals and dung beetles. I have found that some dung beetle species require more than 85 ha of continuous forest, and that many species will not cross even short distances of clear-cut forest such as to cross roads. I observed indications already at Nassau of a recently created dense network of roads that are fragmenting the forest so severely that the vegetation is being altered, and the dung beetles will also be strongly afected. I also observed no mammals in these strongly fragmented areas. Hunting is currently the greatest threat to dung beetles at both sites, but especially at Nassau. Stricter regulations and enforcement of hunting practices could make a big diference to dung beetles as well as mammals. Preventing what appears to be widespread hunting within the BHP concession at Nassau should be a irst priority. Although fewer people live in the Lely area, hunting pressures are still strong, and incentives should be made for the workers to minimize hunting, especially of species which they are not killing for food. Maintaining healthy mammal and dung beetle communities will be especially important for maintaining primary and secondary seed dispersal which is essential for plant regeneration and forest dynamics (Larsen et al. 2005). REFERENCES Andresen, E. 2002. Dung beetles in a Central Amazonian rainforest and their ecological role as secondary seed dispersers. Ecological Entomology 27:257-270. Colwell, R. K. 2003. . EstimateS 7 version 7.5.1. Statistical estimation of species richness and shared species from samples. Web site: viceroy.eeb.uconn.edu/estimates. Davis, A. J., Holloway, J. D., Huijbregts, H., Krikken, J., Kirk-Spriggs, A. H. and Sutton, S. L. 2001. Dung beetles as indicators of change in the forests of northern Borneo. Journal of Applied Ecology 38:593-616. Larsen, T. H. and Forsyth, A. 2005. Trap Spacing and Transect Design for Dung Beetle Biodiversity Studies. Biotropica 37:322-325. Larsen, T. H., Williams, N. M. and Kremen, C. 2005. Extinction order and altered community structure rapidly disrupt ecosystem functioning. Ecology Letters 8:538-547. Mittal, I. C. 1993. Natural Manuring and Soil Conditioning by Dung Beetles. Tropical Ecology 34:150-159. Sowig, P. 1995. Habitat selection and ofspring survival rate in three paracoprid dung beetles: he inluence of soil type and soil moisture. Ecography 18:147-154. Spector, S. 2002. Biogeographic crossroads as priority areas for biodiversity conservation. Conservation Biology 16:1480-1487. A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 101 Chapter 7 A rapid assessment of the birds of the Lely and Nassau plateaus, Suriname Iwan Derveld and Greg Love INTRODUCTION Suriname has over 700 recorded species of birds, making them a rich and diverse taxonomic group for the country. Many of the species found in Suriname, such as the harpy eagle and blue-cheeked parrot, are included in the IUCN Red List as near threatened species. Given the many roles that birds play in tropical ecosystems, serving for example as predators, prey and seed dispersers, it is important to promote their conservation. In addition to their conservation value, a rich and diverse bird population can also provide economic value through the promotion of bird watching tourism. To date, few bird species list exist for the Lely and Nassau Mountains, so CI felt that a rapid assessment of the bird populations would add to a greater understanding of the overall species richness and diversity of the two study areas and facilitate the creation of concrete conservation recommendations. METHODS AND DESCRIPTION OF STUDY SITES For both sites, the bird team, which consisted of 2-3 people, spent 7-9 hours a day spotting birds through both visual identiication and by birds’ songs and calls. he team leader was Iwan Derveld, a Surinamese national with over 30 years experience in bird identiication. All team members used binoculars for visual identiication. he ield guides “Birds of Suriname” (Haverschmidt et al. 1994) and “he Birds of Venezuela” (Hilty 2003) were used to conirm the identiication of many of the species not immediately recognized by the team. In Lely, the team primarily concentrated on two transects which ran parallel to one another from October 25-31, 2005. On the plateau are two radio towers approximately 500 meters apart. he majority (>90%) of all birds were spotted in Lely were in the cleared areas around the radio towers, as well as in the high forest between the towers and the cleared airstrip parallel to the towers. he bird team also spent half a day accompanying the ish team to spot birds along a watershed area (N04º15’08.9”,W054º43’54.8”) that included high and savanna forests. Another half day was used to spot birds along a 4 km path in the vicinity of the dung beetle survey area, dominated by high forest. In Nassau, from November 2-6, 2005 the bird team concentrated eforts along concession roads on either side of BHP-Billiton’s exploration base camp and the adjacent overgrown airstrip. Daily surveys along 4-5 km of these roads and along the nearby overgrown airstrip produced the majority of bird identiications (>90%). he team also accompanied the ish team for half a day along a westerly 4 km strip of stream bed adjacent to the exploration base camp. he presence of a fairly extensive network of roads in Nassau allowed the team a greater degree of access and visibility over a larger area than in Lely. Lely did have an airstrip and radio towers, which greatly facilitated bird spotting, but these sites are very localized. All footpaths in the Lely area were relatively small and surrounded by various types of canopy, making bird spotting more diicult than the wider, longer roads in Nassau. his diference in 102 Rapid Assessment Program access may have accounted for the greater number of species identiied in Nassau than Lely (see below) but further studies are needed to determine if speciic species richness and diversity for both sites. GENERAL IMPRESSIONS/RESULTS FOR EACH SITE AND OVERALL For both sites, the bird team positively identiied 108 species, 8 identiied with some degree of uncertainty and ive species spotted but not identiied, including four species of hummingbird (Appendix 8). In Lely the team found the following: 63 species positively identiied, three possibly identiied, and three species of hummingbird not positively identiied. In Nassau the team found: 79 species positively identiied; ive possibly identiied; and two species spotted, but not identiied, included one species of hummingbird and a species similar in size and appearance to an oriole, but white instead of yellow and with a black head and stripe across its chest. Twentynine (29) species where positively identiied in both sites. Hunting seemed to be having some impact on certain species, particularly on guans, curassows, parrots and raptors, the remains of which, along with discharged shotgun shells, were found in both sites. However, the overall habitats of both sites seem to be largely intact, with some fragmentation from roads (particularly in Nassau) and other infrastructure such as the airstrip and radio towers in Lely. he species richness and diversity are believed to be typical for these habitats (though it was noted that there seemed to be few raptors), but additional consultation with other Suriname bird experts is warranted. Whether the relative lack of raptors was due to the time of year, available prey or hunting pressures (or a combination of these) was not able to be determined. All of the species positively identiied on both plateaus are fairly common for this part of Suriname. None of the species spotted in Lely and Nassau are currently listed as threatened by the IUCN Red List (Appendix 8). In Lely, the local airstrip work crew has to engage in hunting, with birds being a particular interest, to supplement their diet. Provision of regular protein sources for the work crew, with improved education and regulation of their hunting, should be promoted to lessen hunting pressure in the Lely area. In both Lely and Nassau, small-scale gold miners are engaging in hunting of bird and other species as well. Nassau’s relatively extensive road networks are facilitating easy access to forest areas and the ability to hunt for local small-scale gold miners. Improved control over road access in Nassau and better regulation and monitoring of key species (both bird and mammal) in both areas should be employed to ensure hunting is maintained at sustainable levels and prevented for IUCN Red List or CITES species. REFERENCES Haverschmidt, F. and G.F. Mees. 1994. Birds of Suriname. VACO Press. Paramaribo, Suriname. Hilty, S.L. 2003. Birds of Venezuela, second edition. Princeton University Press. Princeton, NJ. CONSERVATION RECOMMENDATIONS Both sites surveyed showed evidence of hunting, particularly of larger bird species, with no apparent regulation of the number or types of species killed. It is important to note that the actual extent and impact of hunting on bird species was beyond the scope of this survey. Additional studies on key game bird species are needed to determine the actual impact of hunting on species abundance and diversity in both areas. Banning hunting outright is neither feasible nor probably wise, given reliance of some people on bushmeat as an important dietary source of protein. However, baseline studies and improved regulation can ensure that key game species populations can be maintained at sustainable levels. A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 103 Chapter 8 Birds of Lely Gebergte, Suriname Brian J. O’Shea INTRODUCTION Birds are one of the best-known groups of organisms in tropical forest. Because the majority of species are diurnal, and because birds in general are quite conspicuous and easy to identify, they make ideal subjects for rapid biodiversity assessments. Birds are excellent indicators of environmental health in the tropics. Many species are persecuted directly for food or trade, and many more are sensitive to habitat alteration associated with anthropogenic activities. hrough their roles as seed dispersers and predators, birds inluence the distribution of food resources used by a tremendous variety of animals, and thus play an important role in maintaining ecosystem functions. he Guayana Shield harbors just over 1000 species of birds (Hollowell and Reynolds 2005), most of which occur in the region’s largely intact forests. Although a comprehensive checklist of the birds of Suriname does not exist at this time, approximately 650 species are known from the country (Haverschmidt and Mees 1994; O. Ottema pers. comm.). Roughly 500 species inhabit the forests of Suriname’s interior. Because Suriname is quite small and its forest cover is mostly intact, the majority of these species are widespread within the country. he interior of Suriname is sparsely populated. Most human settlements are situated along rivers; there are few roads, and access to large areas of the interior is limited. he country supports signiicant populations of bird species that are sensitive to human exploitation and anthropogenic habitat fragmentation. Parrots, guans and curassows, trumpeters, and large raptors are common in Suriname. he country represents a stronghold for these species, many of which have been displaced by large-scale human activities and direct persecution elsewhere. Suriname contains few true highland areas, with only two mountains exceeding 1000 meters in elevation. he avifauna of plateaus in Suriname typically consists of widespread lowland species, with the addition of a small suite of species that are largely conined to inselbergs and plateaus in the country’s interior. Because plateaus are well drained, bird species typical of seasonally inundated forests tend to be absent. Some elements of the Pantepui avifauna reach their eastern limit on the Tafelberg in central Suriname, but are not known to occur below 1000 meters. he Lely Gebergte is an isolated plateau in east-central Suriname. here is a large airstrip at the summit of the plateau (elev. approx. 670 meters), and a clearing roughly 100 meters in diameter has been made to accommodate a radio tower near the airstrip, but the plateau is otherwise forested. here is no road access to Lely and no human settlements in the immediate vicinity, though local people access the mountain by way of the Tapanahony River. METHODS Mist nets were used to sample the avifauna of Lely Gebergte between 2 and 14 June 2003. Six 12-meter nets were opened at irst light and closed in the late afternoon every day. Nets were placed in three habitats near the airstrip: 1) mossy “dwarf forest” with many bromeliads and 104 Rapid Assessment Program a canopy height of approximately 6 meters; 2) tall forest on lat to gently sloping terrain; and 3) scrub along the edge of the airstrip. Birds captured in the nets were collected or released. Specimens were preserved as study skins or skeletons. Tissue samples were obtained from all birds collected. Specimens are housed at the Nationale Collectie Zoolischë Suriname (NCZS) and the Louisiana State University Museum of Natural Science (LSUMZ); all tissues are housed in the Section of Genetic Resources at the LSUMZ. Incidental observations of the avifauna were made in the course of checking mist nets and preparing specimens. he approximate number of individuals of each species heard or seen each day was recorded. RESULTS Appendix 9 lists all species observed at Lely and their relative abundances. 152 species were observed during the study period. 104 specimens representing 52 species were collected during approximately 700 net-hours of sampling; however, the overall capture rate was far higher because many birds were released from the nets. Capture rates were unusually high, due in part to the placement of nets in an area of fruiting melastomes (Melastomataceae) that attracted large numbers of birds. here were also many juvenile birds in the area – particularly manakins (Pipridae) and Turdus albicollis (White-necked Robin) – that contributed greatly to the total number of birds captured. he avifauna of Lely seemed typical of well-drained forests elsewhere in Suriname. Interesting records include the irst interior breeding record of Tachybaptus dominicus (Least Grebe) for the country and the irst documented specimen for Suriname of Geotrygon violacea (Violaceous Quail-Dove; see O’Shea 2005). Contopus albogularis (White-throated Pewee) was observed regularly around the Lely airstrip. his species is patchily distributed from the Bakhuis Gebergte in western Suriname into French Guiana, and thus has one of the most restricted geographic ranges of any bird species in the Guiana Shield. Phaethornis malaris (Great-billed Hermit) was observed and collected at Lely. he range of this species in the Guianas is also quite restricted and seems to coincide closely with that of C. albogularis. Neither of these Table 8.1. Guayana Shield endemics observed on Lely Gebergte. Scientific name Pionopsitta caica Selenidera culik Pteroglossus viridis Myrmotherula gutturalis Herpsilochmus stictocephalus Contopus albogularis Corapipo gutturalis Lepidothrix serena Euphonia inschi English name Caica Parrot Guianan Toucanet Green Aracari Brown-bellied Antwren Todd’s Antwren White-throated Pewee White-throated Manakin White-fronted Manakin Finsch’s Euphonia species has been recorded from adjacent Guyana. Nine species of Guiana Shield endemics, or approximately one-third of those occurring in Suriname, were seen during the study period (Table 8.1). he parrot fauna of Lely was diverse. At least nine species were observed on a daily basis, and two species of large macaws (Ara spp.) were common during the study period. he total lack of Amazona parrots, however, was perplexing. Parrots are known to make seasonal movements in response to changes in food availability, and it is possible that Amazona parrots were temporarily absent from the area. Surveying the area at a diferent time of the year would help to clarify whether the absence of these parrots was a temporary phenomenon, or the result of trapping or hunting pressure. Trumpeters (Psophiidae) and curassows (Cracidae) are prized for food and are thus good indicators of hunting pressure in tropical forest. Crax alector (Black Curassow) and Psophia crepitans (Gray-winged Trumpeter) were seen regularly at Lely. Neither species was particularly shy, suggesting that hunting at Lely is limited. Overall, the avifauna of Lely seemed to be minimally disturbed by human presence in the area, and contained many expected species of well-drained lowland forest in Suriname. Several species typical of higher elevations in Suriname were found at Lely as well. Due to the limited number of observers (one) and the small area covered, the number of species occurring on Lely is undoubtedly higher than this survey indicates. DISCUSSION he 14-day survey of Lely Gebergte found 152 species in a limited area around the airstrip. 54 species, or 36% of the total, were captured in approximately 700 net-hours of sampling efort using ground-level mist nets in three distinct habitats within the area. Of these species, only nine were recorded solely as mist-net captures. his emphasizes the importance of supplementing passive census techniques with active observation and tape documentation of a tropical forest avifauna. Because Lely is situated in a large region of unbroken forest, the mountain’s avifauna certainly comprises at least 300 species. he avifauna of Lely appears to be representative of the lowland forest that covers the surrounding region, with the addition of several species that are primarily conined to plateaus in the country’s interior. hese species include Phaethornis malaris (Great-billed Hermit), Trogon collaris (Collared Trogon), Piculus rubiginosus (Golden-olive Woodpecker), Contopus albogularis (White-throated Pewee), and Lepidothrix serena (White-fronted Manakin). Within Suriname, these species are also known to occur on the Brownsberg and at higher elevations in the Bakhuis Gebergte (BJO pers. obs.). he global range of Contopus albogularis is very small – the species is endemic to portions of Suriname and French Guiana. he other species are more widespread. A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 105 Cracids and parrots, two groups that are good indicators of human impact in tropical forest, are well represented at Lely. Curassows were seen regularly during the survey, suggesting that hunting activity is not especially high in the Lely area. With the mysterious exception of the genus Amazona, parrots were common in the vicinity of the Lely airstrip. Suriname supports a thriving trade in parrots, and substantial numbers are harvested annually from the country’s interior. he proximity of human settlements and access corridors greatly inluences trapping pressure on parrots in the Guianas (Hanks 2005). Lely is still quite remote and does not appear to be an important trapping area at this time, but a more focused assessment of the intensity of trapping pressure on parrots around Lely should be undertaken. From a global perspective, Lely is an important stronghold for parrots, curassows, and other species that are sensitive to human disturbance or that require large areas of intact forest for survival. While it does not represent an especially unique area in the Guianas from an ornithological standpoint, the remoteness and pristine condition of Lely relative to Brownsberg and Nassau argue for the expedient implementation of conservation measures. Foremost among these would be a restriction on the building of roads into the area. Road construction would precipitate an inlux of hunters and trappers, as has already happened at the nearby Nassau Gebergte. Although the area is used by local people and some hunting undoubtedly occurs, the current level of hunting pressure at Lely seems light, especially in comparison to Nassau and the area surrounding the Brownsberg Nature Park. he creation of permanent human settlements in the vicinity of Lely should also be discouraged. Settlements would increase hunting and trapping pressure on game birds, parrots, and other wildlife in the area, with deleterious secondary efects on the reproductive ecology of many plant species. Overall, bird diversity at Lely seems high, and the plateau is a good candidate for protected status, particularly in light of current human pressures on Brownsberg and Nassau. Human activity does not seem to have substantially afected the avifauna of Lely up to the present time, and local people should be granted continued access to the area via the Tapanahony River. However, road construction and large-scale extractive activities should be avoided. 106 Rapid Assessment Program REFERENCES Hanks, C.K. 2005. Spatial patterns of Guyana’s wildlife trade. M.S. hesis, University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA. Haverschmidt, F., and G.F. Mees. 1994. Birds of Suriname. VACO. Paramaribo. Hollowell, T., and R.P. Reynolds, eds. 2005. Checklist of the terrestrial vertebrates of the Guiana Shield. Bulletin of the Biological Society of Washington 13. O’Shea, B.J. 2005. Notes on birds of the Sipaliwini savanna and other localities in southern Suriname, with six new species for the country. Ornitologia Neotropical 16: 361370. Chapter 9 Fishes of Lely and Nassau Mountains, Suriname Jan Mol, Kenneth Wan Tong You, Ingrid Vrede, Adrian Flynn, Paul Ouboter and Frank van der Lugt ABSTRACT he ish fauna of Lely Mountains and Nassau Mountains was sampled at 4 and 3 sites, respectively, during a Rapid Assessment Program expedition in November 2005. A total of 36 species were identiied. Of these, 26 were collected in a lowland stream in the foot hills of Nassau Mountains (altitude 106 m above mean sea level). he ish fauna of 4 high-altitude (plateau) streams in Lely Mountains had 8 species. In high-altitude reaches of one stream in Nassau Mountains (Paramaka Creek) we collected 6 ish species, including the endemic catish Harttiella crassicauda. A second survey of plateau streams in Nassau Mountains in March/ April 2006 increased the number of species to 41; 11 species, including 6 species that are potentially new species to science, were collected from high-altitude streams. he low number of ish species in the high-altitude streams of Lely and Nassau Mountains was expected, but the high number of potentially new (and endemic?) species in Nassau Mountains was exceptional. A diet consisting of ilamentous (red) algae, diatoms and ine detritus, low fecundity (3-7 large, mature eggs per female), and sedentary habits make Harttiella crassicauda of Nassau Mountains highly vulnerable to human impact on its habitat (e.g. mining-related siltation and sedimentation, and habitat loss). he steep slopes bordering the Nassau Plateau apparently act as biogeographic barriers that prevent the dispersal of ishes from one high-altitude stream to the other streams on the plateau. For example, Harttiella crassicauda from the central branch of Paramaka Creek (IJskreek) difered morphologically from H. crassicauda collected in a northern branch of Paramaka Creek (the two tributaries joining each other in the foot hills of Nassau Mountains). A new loricariid species (nicknamed ‘big mouth’) from the northern branch of Paramaka Creek was not collected in the central branch (IJskreek), notwithstanding extensive collection eforts at the latter site. Paramaka Creek with its large catchment on the plateau had most of the unique ish species of Nassau Mountains and should be carefully protected. However, other high-altitude streams of Nassau Mountains were sampled only once (or not at all) and they should be inventoried more thoroughly in the future. he genus Lithoxus of high-altitude streams of Nassau Mountains should be studied in detail including analysis of its DNA. Both Nassau and Lely Mountains are concessions of bauxite mining companies. In the foot hills, small- and large-scale gold mining, forestry and shifting cultivation threaten the pristine wilderness character of the forest and streams. Because of its geographical location close to the densely populated coastal plain and its accessibility by road, these threats have a more immediate character in Nassau Mountains as compared to Lely Mountains. he Surinamese government should collaborate with local and international organizations and the concession holder in a comprehensive efort to protect Nassau Mountains and preserve its unique lora and fauna for future generations. INTRODUCTION he Neotropics has more species of freshwater ishes than any place else in the world. Most Neotropical freshwater ish species live in lowland streams, and efort to collect ishes of high- A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 107 Chapter 9 altitude mountain streams has been relatively small compared to collection efort in lowland streams. he Guayana Shield in northern South America has many isolated sandstone table mountains (tepuis) and other mountains with low level of ichthyological understanding. During the 2002 Guayana Shield Priority-Setting workshop, the ish-specialist group identiied the Nassau-Lely Mountains as a priority area with high need for biological surveys (Lasso et al. in Huber and Foster 2003), an assessment based mainly on the occurrence of the endemic catish Harttiella crassicauda (Boeseman 1953) in Nassau Mountains and ecological/evolutionary phenomena related to the occurrence of this unique species in Nassau Mountains. Nassau (~20x20 km2), Lely (~30x30 km2), and Brownsberg Mountains are lat-topped, bauxite- or laterite-capped mountains (so-called denudation surfaces; King et al. 1964) in eastern Suriname which escaped erosion during the Tertiary Period because of their protective duricrust (Noordam 1993). In the 2002 Guayana Shield Priority-Setting workshop these mountains were grouped in the Maroni Area (20,600 km2), an area of the highest biological importance and with great scenic beauty and potential for ecotourism (Huber and Foster 2003). Preliminary results of surveys of plant diversity of the three mountains indicated high diversity of mountain forests compared to lowland forests and suggest that the three mountains may constitute a unique ecosystem in Suriname (Bánki et al. 2003, ter Steege et al. 2004, 2005). Although the foot hills of the mountains and the lowlands separating the mountains are heavily impacted by small (gold) and large (gold, bauxite) mining operations, logging, hunting, ishing and damming (Brokopondo Reservoir), the forests on the mountain plateaus are still largely untouched. Here we present the results of an inventory of the ish fauna of Lely and Nassau Mountains in the period 25 October – 7 November (i.e. dry season; Amatali 1993). Because access to high-altitude streams of Nassau Mountains Plateau was rather limited during the RAP survey, we include results of a second survey of Nassau streams (29 March – 4 April 2006; short rainy season) in the present report. We close with some remarks on potential environmental impacts on the ishes of these mountain streams. Biogeography Suriname, up to 1975 known as Dutch Guiana, is a small country (163,820 km2; population 480,000) in northwestern South America between 2-6ºN and 54-56ºW. To the east is French Guiana, to the west is Guyana, to the south is Brazil, and to the north is the Atlantic Ocean. Suriname covers about 10% of the 2.5 million km2 Precambrian Guayana Shield, a thinly inhabited area (0.6-0.8 humans/ km2) in northern South America covered with pristine rain forests, savannas and palm marshes. A characteristic feature of the Guayana Shield are the tepuis or sandstone table-mountains (e.g., Tafelberg Mountain in the upper Coppename basin). hree major geographical zones can be distinguished in Suriname: the Coastal Plain, the Savanna Belt, and the Interior. Bordering the Atlantic Ocean is the Coastal Plain with 108 Rapid Assessment Program Andean/Amazon-derived clays deposited in the Quaternary Period by the Guiana Current (Noordam 1993). Habitats in the Coastal Plain zone include mangrove forests, brackishwater lagoons and river estuaries, fresh- and brackish-water swamps, agriculture lands (rice ields), and marsh forests. his zone is the most accessible, densely populated and disturbed area of Suriname. he ish fauna of the Coastal Plain has many brackish-water species and juveniles of marine species and a small number of freshwater-swamp ishes. To the south of the Coastal Plain is the Savannah Belt with Pliocene sandy sediments deposited along the northern edge of the Guayana Shield by braided rivers from the Interior. It is characterized by savannas and savanna forests drained by black-water streams (e.g., Cola Creek, BlakaWatra Creek). he black-water streams have many small ish species that are common aquarium species (e.g., pencil ishes and tetras). he great majority of Surinamese freshwater ishes live in seven river systems draining the terra irme rainforest of the Interior, from west to east: Corantijn River (with tributaries Nanni, Kaboeri, Kabalebo, Lucie, Zuid, Coeroeni, Sipaliwini, and Oronoque), Nickerie River (with tributary Maratakka), Coppename River (with tributaries Coesewijne, Tibiti, Wayombo, Adampada, Rechter Coppename, Midden Coppename, and Linker Coppename), Saramacca River (with tributaries Mindrineti, and Kleine Saramacca), Suriname River (with tributaries Para, Sara, Gran Rio and Pikien Rio, and the hydroelectric reservoir Lake Brokopondo (Lake Van Blommestein; dam completed in 1964)), Commewijne River (with tributaries Cottica, and Mapane), and Marowijne River (with tributaries Lawa, Tapanahoni, Paloemeu, Gonini, Oelemari, and Litani). he border rivers, Corantijn in the west and Marowijne in the east, together drain nearly half of the Surinamese land surface (Amatali 1993). he Interior is hilly with Precambrian Shield rocks (80% of Suriname’s land surface), but predominantly low-lying with only few mountains rising above the 250 meter contour. he water of streams in the Interior that drain the old, weathered Precambrian Guayana Shield is mostly clear (Secchi transparency up to 3 m) and poor in sediment (0.001-0.1 g/l) and nutrients. Streams in Nassau (564 m above mean sea level) and Lely (694 m.amsl) Mountains drain to Marowijne River. History of fish collecting in Nassau and Lely Mountains A history of freshwater ish collectors in Suriname is given in Mol et al. (2006). Fishes of Nassau Mountains were collected in 1949 by D.C. Geijskens and P.H. Creutzberg (Boeseman 1953; Appendix 10). To our best knowledge, ishes have not been collected in Lely Mountains prior to the present RAP survey of November 2005. Geijskens and Creutzberg collected 19 ish species in the Nassau mountains (Appendix 10), including 15 specimens of Harttiella crassicauda. Boeseman (1953) does not provide altitude of the collection localities of Geijskens and Creutzberg, but from collection dates and known habitat preference of ish species like Serrasalmus rhombeus, Pimelo- Fishes of Lely and Nassau Mountains, Suriname dus ornatus, Platydoras costatus, Megalechis thoracata, Helogenes marmoratus, Rhamdia quelen, and Astyanax bimaculatus (all lowland species) we can infer that all but two species (Harttiella crassicauda and 6 specimens of Trichomycterus guianensis) were collected in lowland streams in the foot hills of Nassau Mountains. hree new ish species (H. crassicauda, Heptapterus bleekeri and Hemibrycon surinamensis) have been described from the 176 specimens collected in Nassau Mountains by Geijskens and Creutzberg and the small collection also yielded one new record for Suriname (Chasmocranus brevior). However, the collection of Geijskens and Creutzberg was not representative for the ish fauna of high-altitude streams of the Nassau Plateau. METHODS At seven collection sites in mountain streams in Lely (L1-L4; 25-31 October, 2005) and Nassau (N1-N3; 1-7 November, 2005) Mountains (Figure 9.1, Table 9.1), we measured pH with pH-paper, conductivity and temperature with an YSI-30 meter and transparency with a Secchi disc. Water samples with 2% vol. vol. H2SO4 added were analyzed for N, P and C nutrients in FIU-Southeast Environmental Research Center Water Quality laboratory (http://serc.iu. edu/sercindex/index.htm) following standard Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) methods and American Standard Methods (ASTM). In IJskreek (Nassau Mountains, N1) we also sampled tufts of ilamentous algae from boulders and, during a second survey (29 March – 4 April 2006; see Discussion), phytoplankton in 1-liter bottles (5 ml of 4% formalin added); periphyton and phytoplankton samples were analyzed by A. Haripersad-Makhanlal of Hydraulic Research Division (Waterloopkundige Afdeling WLA), Ministry of Public Works, Paramaribo. During the March/April 2006 survey of Nassau Mountains we measured instream ish habitat of Harttiella crassicauda in the headwaters of Paramaka Creek (IJskreek tributary; N1) on the basis of depth, current velocity and substrate type following Gorman and Karr (1978). Point samples of depth, substrate, and current velocity were taken along transects perpendicular to the stream, beginning 10-20 cm from the left bank and then at 1-m intervals across the stream. Repeated sets of measurements were taken across the stream at 5-m intervals moving upstream. At each measurement point, depth was measured with a meter stick, current velocity was measured by recording the time required for a loating object to travel 1 m downstream. Substrate type was classiied into one of ten categories (Appendix 14). Depth and current measurements were divided into four and six categories, respectively (Appendix 14), to facilitate computation of a habitat diversity index. Categories were chosen as representative of the habitats in the small mountain streams (e.g., shallow edges, 0-10 cm; riles11-20 cm; pools, 20-30 cm and deep pools >30 cm). Frequencies of occurrence (pi) of each habitat category or combination of depth, current, and substrate were used to calculate a Shannon-Wiener index of habitat diversity, H = -Σ (pi)*(ln pi) (Krebs 1989). We used 3-m seine (speciications, length = 3 m, height = 2 m, mesh size = 0.5 cm), a 30-m gill net (mesh-size 3 cm), and rotenone to investigate ish communities. During the March/April survey at Nassau Mountains we also used a Smith-Root Model 12B electroisher (DC output up to 1,100 V) in combination with a seine net set in the current. In shallow mountain streams with weak or moderate Figure 9.1. Map of Nassau with sampling locations. A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 109 Chapter 9 current the seine was pulled; in riles with strong current the seine was set and held in place and upstream rocks were kicked out or ishes were chased from their hiding places with the electroisher. he gill net was used on one occasion in a medium-sized stream in the foot hills of Nassau (N3). Rotenone was used in four streams with weak current (L2, L3, N1 and N3) to check the completeness of seine samples. When a particular area was chosen we sampled all available habitat types observed, e.g. pools, riles, root masses, leaf litter, and woody debris. We sampled in daylight only, although on one occasion we collected the nocturnally-active ishes swamp eel Synbranchus marmoratus and armored catish Callichthys callichthys at night. One collection took one to four hours. In total we made 7 collections, 4 in Lely Mountains and 3 in Nassau Mountains. During the March/April 2006 survey of high-altitude streams in Nassau Mountains we made 7 collections in four diferent streams. Fishes were preserved in 4% formalin and later transferred to 70% ethanol for long term storage at National Zoological Collection of Suriname Table 9.1. GPS-coordinates of collection sites and water quality of streams in Lely (L1-L4) and Nassau (N1-N3) Mountains, Suriname, 25 October – 7 November 2005. Collection site N2 is a shallow depression (swamp) with standing water. Nutrient concentrations are based on the atomic weight of primary nutrient species (ppm-N, ppm-P, ppm-C), not the molecular weight. Lely Mountains GPS-coordinates (Deg/Min/Sec) L2 L3 L4 N1 N2 N3 N04/16/13.5, W54/44/17.2 N04/15/8.9, W54/43/54.8 N04/15/52.7, W54/43/47.2 N04/15/24.1, W54/44/40.9 N04/49/13.7, W54/36/20.6 N04/52/55.8, W54/35/33.5 N04/55/12.5, W54/33/20.6 Altitude (m.amsl) 650 400 ?500 550 467 514 106 Date 26 Oct 2005 27 Oct 2005 28 Oct 2005 29 Oct 2005 2 Nov 2005 3 Nov 2005 4 Nov 2005 Time 08.30 AM 10.00 AM 09.00 AM 09.00 AM 07.50 AM 09.45 AM 09.30 AM Stream width (m) 1 3 2 2 1.5-3 - 4 Water depth (cm) 40 150 50 50 40 20 190 Conductivity (μS/cm) 25.2 23.5 22.6 26.3 27.9 43.6 22.8 Water temperature (ºC) 22.2 23.3 22.6 22.5 22.6 23.4 24.8 pH 6.5 7.5 7 7 7 7 7 Secchi transparency (cm) >40 >150 >50 >50 >40 >20 >100 transparent transparent transparent transparent Transparent light brown transparent NO3–N (ppm) 0.030 0.087 0.060 0.074 0.023-0.099 0.017 0.105 NO2–N (ppm) 0.002 0.002 0.002 0.002 0.002-0.002 0.003 0.002 NH4-N(ppm) 0.030 0.017 0.029 0.044 0.018-0.042 1.447 0.071 Total inorganic N (ppm) 0.062 0.106 0.091 0.120 0.067-0.120 1.466 0.178 Total organic N (ppm) 0.627 0.479 0.405 0.337 0.307-0.592 0.812 0.993 Total-N (ppm) 0.689 0.585 0.496 0.457 0.393-0.708 2.279 1.170 Dissolved-P (ppm) 0.004 0.002 0.002 0.004 0.001-0.006 0.053 0.002 Total-P (ppm) 0.008 0.170 0.005 0.003 0.002-0.010 ? 0.006 Total organic C (ppm) 5.691 4.475 5.386 4.488 2.916-4.972 35.740 4.472 weak current moderate to strong current weak current weak current Harttiella crassicauda present Swamp with standing water disturbed by gold miners Color Remarks 110 Nassau Mountains L1 Rapid Assessment Program Fishes of Lely and Nassau Mountains, Suriname (NZCS) in Anton de Kom University of Suriname, Paramaribo, Suriname, Field Museum (FMNH), Chicago, and Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C. Identiications were made to the lowest taxonomic level possible. Usually this meant to species, but one juvenile specimen could only be identiied to genus. Publications used to identify the ishes included regional contributions like ‘he Freshwater Fishes of British Guiana’ (Eigenmann 1912) and ‘Atlas des Poissons d’Eau Douce de Guyane’ (Planquette et al. 1996, Keith et al. 2000, Le Bail et al. 2000), general taxonomic treatises like ‘Characoids of the World’ (Géry 1977), and taxonomic surveys speciic to Suriname like ‘he Cichlids of Surinam’ (Kullander and Nijssen 1989), ‘he ‘comb-toothed’ Loricariinae of Surinam’ (Boeseman 1971), and many others. Identiication of H. crassicauda was conirmed by Raphael Covain, Museum d’Histoire Naturelle, Geneva, Switzerland, specialist in the subfamily Loricariinae (e.g. Covain et al. 2006). Approximately 50 specimens of Harttiella crassicauda were collected in IJskreek (site N1) during the RAP survey in November 2005; 25 specimens were preserved in 4% formalin (and later transferred to 70% ethanol for long-term storage in museums in Suriname, Switzerland and USA), 10 specimens were preserved in 95% ethanol and send to Raphael Covain for analysis of mtDNA, 5 specimens were used for analysis of stomach (intestines) contents, and 10 specimens were kept alive for observation of their behavior in aquarium. We obtained the irst photographs of live H. crassicauda in its natural habitat (see photo pages). During the second survey in Nassau Mountains (March/April 2006) we collected 40 specimens of H. crassicauda and an additional 40 specimens of a second Harttiella population in a northern tributary of Paramaka Creek; these specimens were send to the museum of the Universidade de Sao Paulo (MZUSP) and Geneva Museum, or used in (1) stomach (intestines) contents, (2) fecundity analysis, (3) tissue analysis for metals and stable carbon isotopes, and (4) DNA analysis. RESULTS We collected 787 specimens in 36 species in 6 streams and 1 palm swamp in Lely and Nassau Mountains (Appendix 11). hese 36 species can be divided into 6 orders and 15 families. he largest order is Characiformes (14 species, 39% of the total), followed by Siluriformes (11 species, 31%), Perciformes (5 species, (14%), Gymnotiformes (4 species, 11%), Cyprinodontiformes (2 species, 6%), and inally Synbranchiformes (1 species, 3%). he largest families are Characidae and Loricariidae (each 6 species, 17%), followed by Cichlidae (4 species, 11%), and Erythrinidae, Lebiasinidae (each 3 species, 8%) with other species comprising 39%. Of the 36 species, two (6%) are new to science: Lithoxus sp.1 and Trichomycterus af conradi. he endemic catish Harttiella crassicauda (Boeseman, 1953) was collected for the irst time since its original discovery by Geijskens and Creutzberg in 1949. During the second survey of high-altitude streams in Nassau mountains we collected an additional four species that may prove new to science. In Lely Mountains we collected 260 specimens in 8 species from 4 high-elevation streams (Table 9.2). In Nassau Mountains we collected 338 specimens in 6 species in one high-elevation stream (N1, IJskreek) and one swampy depression (N2, one species only: Rivulus cf. igneus), and 189 specimens in 26 species from a lowland stream in the foot hills at altitude 106 m.amsl (N3). he lowland stream had higher species richness than the mountain streams in Lely and Nassau Mountains, but loricariid and trichomycterid catishes (eight species in total) were collected only in highaltitude streams on the plateau. In Nassau Mountains, only two species (swamp eel Synbranchus marmoratus and Rivulus cf. igneus) were collected in both high-altitude stream and lowland stream in the foot hills. Shallow headwater streams in Lely (L1, L3 and L4) and Nassau (N1, upstream of temporary BHP-Billiton exploration camp) Mountains had only two or three ish species, i.e. Rivulus cf. igneus, R. cf. lungi, swamp eel S. marmoratus and armored catish C. callichthys. All these species are capable of moving some distance over land (Ouboter and Mol 1993) and they are also able to use oxygen from the air for breathing (Graham 1997). In addition, Rivulus is able to climb vertical rocks in water falls (Eigenmann 1912). hese species are thus able to re-colonize ephemeral headwater streams from downstream pools once the headwater streams receive water in the rainy season. More downstream (but still on the plateau), streams of Lely and Nassau Mountains had about 6-8 ish species (L2, N1 downstream of BHP-camp), including the endemic species from Nassau Mountains (see below). he large stream in the foot hills of Nassau Mountains (N3) had most species (26). Abundances of individuals of most species were high. he only species that was collected in low numbers was the predatory swamp eel S. marmoratus Table 9.2. Fishes collected in high-altitude (plateau) streams and one lowland stream (foot hills) of Lely and Nassau Mountains (in number species and number of specimens), 25 October – 7 November 2005. Plateau Foot hills Total N 8 8 Number of species Lely Nassau % N 100 6 26 100 32 Lely % 19 81 100 N 260 260 Number of specimens Nassau % n 100 338 189 100 527 % 64 36 100 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 111 Chapter 9 (although this species was present at most collection sites; Appendix 11). Lely Mountains Lely Mountains (altitude up to 694 m.amsl) is a very pristine area in the Marowijne River Basin. Access to the plateau is diicult and mostly restricted to small airplanes. At present the only human activities in Lely Mountains are related to three personnel of the Aviation Service (Sur. Luchtvaartdienst) at the airstrip on the plateau and one camp of smallscale gold miners in the western foot hills. We surveyed four high-altitude (i.e. >400 m.amsl) streams that were undisturbed other than by natural processes. he streams had clear water (Secchi transparency >150 cm at L2), with low conductivity (22.6-26.3 μS/cm), relatively low water temperature (22.2- 23.3 °C), pH 6.5-7.5, low inorganic N nutrients (0.062-0.120 ppm), 0.337-0.627 ppm organic N, 0.002-0.004 ppm dissolved P (0.003-0.170 ppm total P), and 4.475-5.691 ppm organic C (Table 9.1). We made four collections in Lely Mountains: three collections in shallow, low-gradient streams at high altitude (>500 m. amsl) and one collection in a slightly larger stream with higher gradient at altitude 400 m.amsl (L2). In the three high-altitude streams we collected/observed only three ish species: swamp eel Synbranchus marmoratus and two Rivulus species (killiishes), Rivulus cf. igneus and R. cf. lungi (Appendix 11). Rivulus were abundant and in good condition, e.g. bright colors, no ish parasites, many large-sized specimens. In the stream at 400 m altitude we collected six ish species: two Rivulus species (R. cf. igneus and R. cf. lungi) and three loricariid catishes (Ancistrus temminckii, Guyanancistrus brevispinnis, and Lithoxus surinamensis) and the trichomycterid catish Ituglanis cf amazonicus (Appendix 11). Nassau Mountains Nassau Mountains has a slightly lower altitude (564 m.amsl) than Lely Mountains. At the high-altitude plateau (> 400 m.amsl), the forest and streams of the Nassau Mountains were mainly intact (e.g. we observed large-sized trees and clear water in IJskreek at 460-535 m.amsl). However, we observed many human activities in the foot hills of Nassau Mountains, e.g. shifting cultivation plots, logging, small-scale gold mining, and exploration for construction of a large goldmine (Newmont). We collected ishes in one high-altitude stream (N1, IJskreek, 460-535 m.amsl; Figure 9.1) and a palm swamp (N2, 560 m.amsl; Figure 9.1) on top of the plateau, and in one low-altitude stream (N3, 106 m.amsl) in the foot hills of the northwestern slope. Harttiella crassicauda was collected only in Paramaka Creek (IJskreek tributary, N1). he headwaters of IJskreek had clear water (Secchi transparency> 50 cm) with low conductivity (25.931.8 μS/cm), pH 7, low water temperature 22.6 °C, low inorganic N (0.067-0.120 ppm), 0.307-0.592 ppm organic N, 0.03-0.010 ppm total P, and 2.916-4.972 ppm organic C (Table 9.1). At sites where gaps in the closed canopy allowed 112 Rapid Assessment Program sunlight to reach the water surface we observed tufts of ilamentous red (Batrachospermum spp dominant) and green (Spirogyra sp) algae attached to boulders; these ilamentous algae had large populations of epiphytic diatoms (Eunotia spp) attached to their branches (Appendix 12). We observed only one aquatic macrophyte (hurnia sphaerocephala) in a 100-m reach of IJskreek downstream N1 (about 200 m upstream of site Na8; Figure 9.1). Phytoplankton concentrations of IJskreek were low during the March/April 2006 survey (0-5 individuals per liter; Appendix 12). he palm swamp had higher conductivity 43.6 μS/cm, pH of 7, clearbrownish water with temperature of 23.4 °C, high inorganic N nutrients (1.466 ppm, including 1.447 ppm NH4), 0.053 ppm dissolved P, and high organic C (35.740 ppm) (Table 9.1). Anjumarakreek at 106 m.amsl had conductivity of 22.8 μS/cm, pH 7, high Secchi transparency >100 cm, water temperature of 24.8 °C, 0.178 ppm inorganic N, 0.993 ppm organic N, 0.006 total P, and 4.472 ppm total organic C (Table 9.1). On the plateau IJskreek (460-535 m.amsl) showed characteristics of a stepped system rather than a continuous gradient. During the November survey (dry season) the headwaters of the stream, a 200-m long, low-gradient reach on top of the plateau (altitude 528-535 m.amsl; N7 in Figure 9.1), were completely dry. At the BHP Billiton exploration camp (528 m.amsl; Figure 9.1), the stream consisted of a 300-m reach of unconnected, shallow pools with standing water, also with low gradient. During the March/April 2006 survey, IJskreek had running water all the way up to its sources 200 m upstream of BHP-Billiton exploration camp (the same March/April situation with lowing water was also observed on 22 July (long rainy season)). Finally, we surveyed a 2500-m-long reach with running water to the edge of the plateau (2.7 km downstream of BHP camp); this reach (N1-Na8 in Figure 9.1) showed alternating highgradient small falls and low-gradient reaches with riles-andpools habitat. In the pools with standing water near BHP camp we collected three ish species: armored catish C. callichthys (Sur. platkop kwikwi), swamp eel S. marmoratus and Rivulus cf. igneus. About 400 m downstream of BHP exploration camp, in running water, we caught the endemic loricariid catish Harttiella crassicauda (see below), together Table 9.3. Lists of species of high-altitude streams of Nassau Mountains Plateau that are potentially new species to science. Potentially New Species from Nassau Mountains Guyanancistrus sp. ‘big mouth’ Harttiella cf. crassicauda (slender Harttiella from northern tributary of IJskreek) Lithoxus sp. 1 Lithoxus sp. 2 (forked caudal in) Lithoxus sp. 3 (with yellow spots on its head) Trichomycterus af conradi Fishes of Lely and Nassau Mountains, Suriname with swamp eel S. marmoratus, R. cf. igneus, and the catishes C. callichthys, Lithoxus sp.1 and Trichomycterus af conradi. During the March/April survey and on 22 July 2006 we collected only C. callichthys and Rivulus cf. igneus in IJskreek upstream of BHP camp (i.e. in the 200-m reach N7 that was completely dry in November 2005). In the high-altitude palm swamp we caught only one ish species (Rivulus cf. igneus; Appendix 11). In the lowland stream in the foot hills of Nassau Mountains we collected 26 ish species (Appendix 11), but Harttiella crassicauda was conspicuously missing in the catch from this lowland site. During the RAP expedition in November 2005 we had access to only one high-altitude stream on Nassau Plateau (IJskreek, N1). Although we collected only 6 ish species in IJskreek, we were not able to identify two of these species (Lithoxus sp. 1 and Trichomycterus af conradi; both species are probably new to science), while a third species (Harttiella crassicauda) is known to be endemic for Nassau Mountains (e.g. Le Bail et al. 2000). During a second survey of streams draining Nassau Plateau (29 March – 4 April 2006) we had the opportunity to collect ishes in three additional highaltitude streams in Nassau Mountains and two additional tributaries of Paramaka Creek (a northern and a southern tributary) (Figure 9.1; Appendix 13). In a northern tributary of Paramaka Creek we collected a new Guyanancistrus-like dwarf catish (nicknamed ‘big mouth’) and a slender Harttiella (sub)species. We also collected two additional Lithoxus species (one species with a forked caudal in and one species with small, yellow spots on its head) that may prove new to science. Taking into account the results of the second Nassau survey, we have collected 11 ish species from high-altitude (plateau) streams in Nassau Mountains: 3 ubiquitous species with adaptations to colonize high-altitude streams (S. marmoratus, C. callichthys and Rivulus cf. igneus), 1 Ancistrus species, the endemic catish (Harttiella crassicauda), and 6 (54%) species that are potentially new species to science (Table 9.3). Interesting species: Harttiella crassicauda (Boeseman, 1953) he loricariid (suckermouth) catish Harttiella crassicauda was collected only once (1949) prior to the present RAP expedition of November 2005. In 1949, D.C. Geijskes collected 15 specimens of H. crassicauda in a ‘creek in Nassau Mountains’ (Boeseman 1953); these 15 specimens were deposited in Naturalis Museum (formerly Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Historie - RMNH), Leiden, the Netherlands. In 1953, the new species from Nassau Mountains was described by M. Boeseman as Harttia crassicauda. In 1971, Boeseman created a new genus Harttiella to accommodate this unique species. At present, H. crassicauda is still the only species in the genus Harttiella (Ferraris 2003). We took the irst photograph of a live specimen of Harttiella crassicauda in its natural habitat, IJskreek, Nassau Mountains (see photo pages). Harttiella crassicauda is the smallest species (maximum length 5 cm SL) of the large subfamily Loricariinae (31 genera, 209 species; Ferraris 2003). he tribe Harttiini (Isbrücker and Nijssen 1978) or ‘comb-toothed’ Loricariinae, in- cluding H. crassicauda, is diagnosed as having the dorsal in approximately opposite the ventral ins, the caudal in with 12 branched rays, numerous bilobed teeth that form a comb, and usually a strongly depressed body. Harttiella crassicauda looks like a dwarf Harttia species, but with a body that is only moderately depressed (especially its caudal peduncle), a broad, rounded snout, rounded and indistinct carinae, and a naked belly. In systematic studies, the Harttiini are usually positioned at the base of the Loricariinae tree (e.g. MontoyaBurgos et al. 2003). Isaäc Isbrücker (1980) hypothesized that H. crassicauda is ancestral to all species of the subfamily Loricariinae, making it a key species/genus to understanding of the systematics of the family Loricariidae. Preliminary results of analysis of mtDNA of H. crassicauda and other Loricariinae (Covain and Mol, unpublished results) conirm the ancestral position of Harttiini at the base of the Loricariinae tree, but show H. crassicauda derived from a Harttia species (either H. guianensis or H. surinamensis). Harttiella crassicauda is probably restricted in its geographical distribution to the Nassau Mountains, where it was collected in a 2500-m reach (IJskreek, altitude 370-530 m; N1-Na8, Figure 9.1, see also photo pages) of a single stream (Paramaka Creek) on the plateau (a second Harttiella population with a more slender body was discovered during a survey in March/April 2006 in a northern tributary of Paramaka Creek; Appendix 13). In these high-altitude reaches of Paramaka Creek, H. crassicauda was apparently not rare: on four occasions 10-12 specimens were collected in a single seine haul. hey were collected both in ‘deep’ (up to 50 cm) pools on bedrock and boulders and in shallow riles among gravel substrate (Appendix 14). However, H. crassicauda was not collected in Lely Mountains to the south of Nassau Mountains (Appendix 11), in Brownsberg Mountains (J.H. Mol & P.E. Ouboter, pers. observations) and Bakhuis Mountains (Hydrobiology 2006) to the west of Nassau, in lowland streams of the Suriname River Basin (Mol et al. in prep), and in three other high-altitude streams of the Nassau Plateau (Appendix 13). Harttiella crassicauda was also not collected to the east of Nassau in French Guiana (Le Bail et al. 2000) and it seems unlikely that it occurs in lowland streams to the north of Nassau (e.g. it was not collected in Anjumarakreek in the northwestern foot hills of Nassau Mountains, at altitude 106 m.amsl; site N3). hus, to our best knowledge, the geographical distribution of H. crassicauda is restricted to one stream in Nassau Mountains (an area of about 20x20 km2), a distribution unlike that of any other ish species in Suriname (or French Guiana; Planquette et al. 1996, Keith et al. 2000, Le Bail et al. 2000). Because nothing is known about the biology and ecology of H. crassicauda and survival of this species in the near future is threatened by human activities in Nassau Mountains, it seems appropriate to present here some preliminary observations on behavior (aquarium), diet and fecundity of H. crassicauda that may help protecting this unique species. Harttiella crassicauda is a benthocryptic (see photo pages), dwarf suckermouth catish that is mainly active at night A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 113 Chapter 9 (aquarium observations; Appendix 15), although some diurnal activity was also observed both in the aquarium and in its natural habitat (i.e. it was observed grazing on rocks in a deep pool at Na8). In April and July 2006, we did not collect H. crassicauda from the headwaters of IJskreek upstream of BHP-Billiton exploration camp (these headwaters were completely dry in November 2005) although the species was collected 400 m downstream of BHP camp both in November 2005 and March/April 2006; these observations indicate that H. crassicauda is rather sedentary and does not migrate even short distances in IJskreek. We examined 74 adult specimens and 27 juveniles from high-altitude reaches of Paramaka Creek; the largest specimen measured 49.3 mm TL (41.3 mm SL) and weighed 0.986 g. H. crassicauda has the long (4.3-4.6 times SL), coiled intestines and suction-cuplike ventral mouth with comblike rows of teeth of an aufwuchs (periphyton) feeder. Analysis of intestines contents (N=25; 5 adult specimens from November 2005, 20 adult specimens from March/April 2006) showed that in its natural habitat H. crassicauda fed mainly on ine detritus, ilamentous red algae (Batrachospermum spp, Ballia prieurii, Goniotrichum sp) and epiphytic diatoms (mainly Eunotia spp). In the aquarium, H. crassicauda did not accept artiicial feeds, but only fed on periphyton algae. Among the 5 specimens from November 2005 (dry season), one female (42.4 mm TL, 34.3 mm SL, 0.5800 g) had ripe ovaries, i.e. one ripe ovary with 19 eggs, 7 large, yolky eggs (0.8-2.0 mm diameter) and 12 small-sized developing eggs. In March/April 2006, Harttiella were reproducing in Paramaka Creek and we collected 27 juveniles (15.2-26.2 mm TL, 11.9-21.5 mm SL, 0.0187-0.1135 g wet mass) and 17 females with ripe ovaries (in all specimens we found only one ripe ovary per female). Female Harttiella had only 3-7 large, yellow, yolkloaden (1.0-2.5 mm diameter) eggs. Most Loricariidae have spawns consisting of relatively few, large eggs and practice some type of brood care such as cleaning and defense of the spawn (and in virtually all species known to care, it is the male who does so), but the low number of 3-7 mature eggs per female in H. crassicauda is extreme even in the family Loricariidae. A diet based on algae, a low fecundity, sedentary habits and restricted distribution all make H. crassicauda very vulnerable to increasing human activities in Nassau Mountains (mining, logging, shifting cultivation). H. crassicauda has to be considered an endangered species and it should be included in the IUCN red list of endangered species. Although most catishes of the subfamily Loricariinae are of little economic interest (e.g. as food ishes) some species are popular with aquarium hobbyists (Evers and Seidel 2005). Harttiella is a sensitive species that is easily stressed (and easily dies) both during transportation and in the aquarium when disturbed by tank mates or deprived of shelter (Appendix 15); clearly Harttiella can not be recommended for beginner aquarium hobbyists, but even in the case of specialist breeders (e.g. Evers and Seidel, 2005) it is probably wise to restrict collecting this species at Nassau to clearly speciied research objectives and under strict conditions (catch quota). 114 Rapid Assessment Program DISCUSSION We can compare the results of our inventory of the ish fauna of Lely and Nassau Mountains with ish faunas of other mountains in Suriname and Guyana. Data are available for Tafelberg Mountain (Ouboter 2003, P.E. Ouboter pers. communication), Brownsberg Mountain (Mol, personal observations), Bakhuis Mountains (Mol, unpublished results) and, in Guyana, the highlands of the plateau above Kaieteur Falls (Eigenmann 1912). he low number of ish species in the high-altitude streams of Lely and Nassau Mountains relects the high altitude of the streams. High-altitude streams in Tafelberg (1026 m.amsl) and Brownsberg (514 m.amsl) Mountains also had few ish species, i.e. two species at Tafelberg (Rivulus amphoreus and Erythrinus erythrinus); and three species at Brownsberg above Koemboe Falls (Lithoxus surinamensis, a trichomycterid catish and an unidentiied loricariid catish; J. Mol and P.E. Ouboter, unpublished results). Small streams in Bakhuis Mountains had more species (about 10-20), but the altitude of the collection sites in Bakhuis Mountains was much lower (<250 m.amsl) than in Lely and Nassau Mountains. In the large Potaro River, Guyana, Eigenmann (1912) recorded 140 ish species below Kaieteur Falls (or 76 species when excluding species of the Essequibo River) and only 23 species on the plateau above the falls (including C. callichthys, Trichomycterus guianensis, and Rivulus holmiae). Eigenmann (1912) collected 5 (22%) new, endemic ish species above Kaieteur Falls, including Lithogenes villosus, a peculiar loricariid catish with its armor reduced to a few ossicles. As expected, the lowland stream in the foot hills of Nassau Mountains had a much larger number of ish species. It is diicult to estimate how many species occur in the high-altitude streams of Nassau Mountains. Species collected in Nassau Mountains by Geijskens and Creutzberg in 1949 (Appendix 10) and not collected by us during the present RAP expedition are all lowland species (i.e. they were collected at low altitude in the foot hills of Nassau Mountains, not on the plateau). However, our second survey in 2006 added 5 species to the 6 species collected in the high-altitude IJskreek tributary of Paramaka Creek during the RAP survey of November 2005. We think that continued sampling in additional streams and at sites located more downstream from present collection sites would add species to the total. We estimate that at least 15 species occur in the high-altitude streams of Nassau Plateau. High-altitude streams in both Lely and Nassau Mountains had few species, but the streams of Nassau Plateau had 6 species that are potentially new to science and that potentially have their distribution restricted to the Nassau Plateau (e.g. H. crassicauda, Guyanancistrus ‘big mouth’, Trichomycterus af conradi and three Lithoxus species) while Lely Mountains had none. he reasons for this large diference in endemism are not clear and should be investigated in the future. Some species (e.g. H. crassicauda and Guyanancistrus ‘big mouth’) from high-altitude streams of Nassau Mountains are apparently restricted to this small 20x20 Fishes of Lely and Nassau Mountains, Suriname km2 area; with other species endemism has to be established with future collection eforts (Lithoxus spp, Trichomycterus af conradi). he distribution of some ish species was apparently restricted to high-altitude reaches of a single stream (H. crassicauda in Paramaka Creek) or even a tributary of a stream (Guyanancistrus-‘big mouth’ and the slender form of H. crassicauda in the northern tributary of Paramaka Creek). he steep slopes of the Nassau Mountains plateau probably are a biogeographic barrier preventing the dispersal of ishes throughout the mountains/plateau. A striking aspect of the ish communities of the highaltitude streams of Nassau and Lely Mountains is the large number of small-sized species. Although not miniature species according to the criteria of Weitzman and Vari (1988; i.e. species not exceeding 2.6 cm SL), many species of Lely and Nassau Mountains can be considered dwarf species, e.g. Lithoxus spp, H. crassicauda, Guyanancistrus ‘big mouth’. Whereas Harttiella crassicauda (with 5 cm TL the smallest Loricariinae species) can be considered a derived, dwarfform of Harttia, ‘big mouth’ can be seen as a dwarf-form of Guyanancistrus (the hypothesized relationship of ‘big mouth’ with Guyanancistrus still has to be conirmed by DNA analysis in progress). Both Harttia (H. surinamensis and H. guianensis) and Guyanancistrus (brevispinnis) are known to occur in the Marowijne and Suriname rivers (Le Bail et al. 2000; Mol et al. in prep). Lithoxus are small-sized loricariid catishes with a restricted geographical distribution endemic to the Guayana Shield (Boeseman 1982, Nijssen and Isbrücker 1990). he occurrence of dwarf species in high-altitude streams may be explained by poor food supply (as indicated by low nutrient concentrations; Table 9.1) or the small size of habitats in these shallow, high-altitude streams. Weitzman and Vari (1988) noted that, with the exception of one pimelodid and some trichomycterid catish, all 85 miniatures they studied occurred in lentic or slow-lowing, shallow waters, a feature they attributed to the diiculties small ishes have in maintaining position in strong currents. he present collection of several dwarf catishes from high-altitude streams with strong currents (up to 70 cm/s; Appendix 14) in Nassau Mountains shows that benthocryptic dwarf species actually do occur in fast lowing waters. Although most velocity measurements in IJskreek revealed strong currents, we also detected many spots with counter-currents or still water (e.g. behind boulders) where ishes could ‘rest’ out of the main current (Appendix 14). Streams in Lely and Nassau Mountains typically have a sandy, gravel or rocky bottom and oxygen-rich, very clear water (Secchi transparency > 1.5 m; Table 9.1) and the ishes are adapted to these environmental conditions. Mining, which physically disturbs soils and potentially exposes soil to rainfall and thus erosion, has the potential to release ine sediments into streams, increasing the turbidity (suspended sediment concentrations) and depositing a layer of ine sediments (sedimentation) on the streambed and associated structures (rock, woody debris, leaf litter), thus altering the instream habitat of the ishes. Suspended sediment can reduce penetration of sunlight and thus photosynthesis and phytoplankton (algal) growth, while deposited sediment can smother ilamentous algae (both diatoms and ilamentous algae are major food items in the diet of H. crassicauda). Podostemaceae beds in rapids and their associated ish species (and aquatic invertebrates) were also vulnerable to sedimentation (Odinetz Collart et al. 1996). Suspended and deposited sediments can also negatively afect ish reproduction, e.g. by damaging or smothering ish eggs/embryos (Alabaster and Lloyd 1980). Mol and Ouboter (2004) showed that a Surinamese lowland rainforest stream afected by mining-related erosion had low ish species diversity, low proportion of young ishes, high proportion of midchannel surface-feeding ishes (e.g., hatchet ish Gasteropelecus) and ishes adapted to low light (e.g., gymnotoids and some catishes), low proportion of visually-oriented ishes (e.g., cichlids) and ishes that hide in leaf litter and woody debris, and low biomass of food ishes. Many of the ish species of Lely and Nassau Mountains are probably feeding on aufwuchs algae (H. crassicauda, Lithoxus spp, G. brevispinnis, and ‘big mouth’) and are commonly found over rocks and clean sandy bottoms in clear water. hese species would be particularly sensitive to the negative impacts of increased sediment loads. here is no ishing in the high-altitude streams of Lely and Nassau Mountains; these streams mainly have smallsized species and only ‘platkop kwikwi’ (C. callichthys) of IJskreek can be considered a food ish. Streams in the foot hills of the mountains (e.g. Anjumara Creek, N3) have largesized ishes (e.g. Anjumara Hoplias aimara) and are ished occasionally by Maroons living in the villages of Langatabbetje, Nason and Stoelmanseiland along Marowijne River and small-scale gold miners working in the area. Subsistence and artisanal ishery in lowland tributaries of Marowijne River by Maroons is not a special profession, but rather a part-time activity of vital interest. he Maroons use both traditional methods like hook-and-line, bow-and-arrow, ish traps (Surinamese baskita or maswa), and ish poisons (Surinamese neku, toxic substance is rotenone from the liana Lonchocarpus spp.), and modern gill nets. Target food ishes are anjumara (Hoplias aimara), patakka (Hoplias malabaricus), tukunari (Cichla ocellaris), kubi (Plagioscion spp.), piren (Serrasalmus rhombeus and S. eigenmanni), paku/pakusi (Myleus rubripinnis and M. ternetzi), kumaru (Myleus rhomboidalis), moroko (Brycon falcatus), sardine (Triportheus brachipomus), kwimata (Prochilodus rubrotaeniatus), waraku (Leporinus spp.), prake or stroomisi (Electrophorus electricus), spikrikati (Pseudoplatystoma spp.), plarplari (Ageneiosus spp.), kwikwi (Megalechis thoracata and Callichthys callichthys), krobia (Cichlidae spp.), and other species. he majority of the catch is consumed fresh, but considerable quantities are also salted, dried, and smoked for preservation. Some are transported to Paramaribo. he lowland streams in the foot hills of Lely and Nassau Mountains have many species that are well-known to ornamental ish hobbyists: pencil ish Nannostomus bifasciatus, splashing tetras Copella carsevennensis and Pyrrhulina A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 115 Chapter 9 ilamentosa, dwarf-cichlid Nannacara anomala, leaf ish Polycentrus schomburgkii, and Moenkhausia hemigrammoides, Steindachnerina varii, Helogenes marmoratus, (Appendix 11) and Leporinus spp, Hemigrammus unilineatus, Hemibrycon surinamensis (Appendix 10). he high-altitude streams of Lely and Nassau Mountains also have several small-sized ish species of potential interest to ornamental ish hobbyists. hese potential ‘aquarium species’ include two Rivulus species, Ancistrus temminckii, Guyanancistrus brevispinnis, Lithoxus spp, Harttiella crassicauda, and ‘big mouth’. However, because some species of Nassau Mountains have a very restricted distribution (i.e. H. crassicauda and ‘big mouth’ apparently restricted to Nassau Plateau) and the distribution of other species is not well understood (Lithoxus spp), collection and export of ishes from high-altitude streams in Nassau Mountains for use as ornamental (aquarium) ishes should be prohibited. ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES AND CONSERVATION RECOMMENDATIONS Lely and Nassau Mountains are concessions of the joint venture Suralco(Alcoa)/BHP-Billiton bauxite mining companies. Suralco is also involved in large-scale gold exploration by Newmont in the foot hills of Nassau Mountains. Both Nassau and Lely Mountains are key components of a larger, international protection plan for the Guayana Shield (Huber and Foster 2003). Our ish survey shows that the watersheds on the plateau are largely intact in both Lely and Nassau Mountains. However, in both Lely and Nassau Mountains, human activities (gold mining, logging, agriculture, hunting) threaten the integrity of the aquatic ecosystems in the foot hills. Considerable efects of human activities (e.g. sedimentation in streams, deforestation) were observed in the northern foot hills of Nassau Mountains. We encountered no exotic or invasive ish species in the streams of Nassau and Lely Mountains. he current abundance of ishes and excellent condition of the ish fauna in the high-altitude streams in Nassau and Lely Mountains is dependent upon the preservation of the healthy and pristine condition of the watersheds, especially the upper catchment of the head waters on the plateau. Mining of the plateau would potentially expose these head water streams with clear water to sediments re-worked by mining and change the structure of the ish communities (e.g. Mol and Ouboter 2004). For example, the endemic catish Harttiella crassicauda would be afected by (1) food supply (turbidity and sedimentation negatively afect stream algae) and (2) reproduction (smothering and/or abrasion of eggs and larvae). High-altitude streams in Lely Mountains ofer excellent opportunities for conservation because human population densities in the area are low and, consequently, human impact on the aquatic ecosystems is also low. However, ish species diversity and endemism is low. he remoteness of Lely Mountains adds to its importance as a conservation area. 116 Rapid Assessment Program Fish diversity of high-altitude streams in Nassau Mountains is also low, but conservation of these streams is extremely important due to the occurrence of unique species like Harttiella crassicauda and Guyanancistrus ‘big mouth’. he endemic catish H. crassicauda has an extremely restricted geographic distribution: it probably occurs in only one high-altitude stream in the 20x20 km2 area of Nassau Mountains. At present its occurrence has been proved only for two tributaries of Paramaka Creek at 370-535 m.amsl altitude, notwithstanding considerable collection efort in both Suriname (Ouboter and Mol 1993) and French Guiana (Le Bail et al. 2000). Because most ish species of high-altitude streams of Nassau Mountains are probably not widely distributed and some species may be endemic to Nassau Mountains (e.g. Harttiella crassicauda, Guyanancistrus ‘big mouth’) we agree with Sheldon (1988) that conservation efforts should focus on the largest natural drainages as possible (i.e. the entire watershed of the streams draining Nassau Mountains). In other words, ecosystem management as opposed to species management. Activities that cause erosion, turbidity, sedimentation, changes to the natural hydrological cycle of the streams (e.g. deforestation), and/or pollution, have the capacity to diminish forever (1) the pristine character and biological value of streams in Nassau Mountains and (2) opportunities for studies into ecological and evolutionary processes that shaped the unique ish fauna of the mountains. Such activities that lead to degradation of the pristine environmental conditions must be prevented. Although opportunities for conservation of Nassau Mountains are good, the potential threat of human impact is growing. hreats include not only bauxite and gold mining, but also forestry, tourism, and unregulated hunting. Most of the unique ish species of the plateau of Nassau Mountains were collected in Paramaka Creek and the upper catchment of this stream should be protected carefully (e.g. entrance to the concession should be strictly controlled by the mining companies Suralco/BHP-Billiton or Surinamese Government). Additional surveys of both lowland streams in the foot hills (especially Paramaka Creek) and high-altitude streams on the plateau of Nassau (and Lely) Mountains are needed to better understand (1) the ecology and evolution of the unique ish communities of the plateau and (2) diversity and endemism of Guayana Shield ish faunas in general. Continuing work is also required to conirm the taxonomy of a further six species collected in Nassau Mountains. Actions should be taken to submit Harttiella crassicauda for inclusion in IUCN red list of endangered species. A great responsibility is in the hands of the Surinamese government, concession holder Suralco/BHP Billiton and NGOs like Conservation International and WWF. he lora and fauna of Nassau Mountains is very fragile; we recommend that Nassau Mountains is declared a protected area (nature reserve). In a corridor outside the reserve, forestry and mining should be prohibited and hunting (and ishing) regulated and monitored carefully, involving local people in setting regulations or limits. Hunting and ishing Fishes of Lely and Nassau Mountains, Suriname (including the collection of aquarium ishes) should be prohibited in the reserve. Ecotourism is excellent for developing public awareness and appreciation of Nassau Mountains, but it can also easily have a negative impact because of the fragility of the ecosystems of Nassau Mountains. A tourist camp should be constructed outside the Paramaka Creek watershed and camping should be restricted to this site. A small exhibition building with posters and aquariums should be set up at the tourist camp to inform visitors of the species and ecosystems of Nassau Mountains. Trails should be plotted in the mountains (comparable to Brownsberg Mountains). Bathing in Paramaka Creek should be prohibited. All tourism should be regulated and monitored. In conclusion, the pristine character of the Nassau and Lely Mountains should be carefully protected, since the unique ish faunas of the mountains evoke questions related to ecological/evolutionary processes that may explain the origin of ish diversity in the Guayana Shield region. LITERATURE CITED Alabaster, J.S. and R. Lloyd. 1980. Water quality criteria for freshwater ish. London, Butterworths. Amatali, M.A. 1993. Climate and surface water hydrology. In: Ouboter, P.E. (ed.) he freshwater ecosystems of Suriname. Dordrecht: Kluwer. 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Le Bail. 1991. Faune characoide (poissons ostariophysaires) de l’Oyapock, l’Aprouague et la riviere de Kaw (Guyane Francaise). Cybium 15: 1-69. Gorman, O.T. and J.R. Karr. 1978. Habitat structure and stream ish communities. Ecology 59: 507-515. Graham, J.B. 1997. Air-breathing ishes: evolution, diversity, and adaptation. San Diego: Academic Press. Huber, O. and M.N. Foster. 2003. Conservation priorities for the Guayana Shield: 2002 consensus. Washington D.C., Conservation International. Isbrücker, I.J.H. 1980. Classiication and catalogue of the mailed Loricariidae (Pisces, Siluriformes). Versl. Tech. Gegevens (Universiteit van Amsterdam) 22: 1-181. Isbrücker, I.J.H. and H. Nijssen. 1978. Two new species and a new genus of neotropical mailed catishes of the subfamily Loricariinae Swainson, 1838 (Pisces, Siluriformes, Loricariidae). Beaufortia 27: 177-206. Keith, P., P.-Y. Le Bail and P. Planquette. 2000. Atlas des poissons d’eau douce de Guyane. Tome 2 – fascicule I. 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Conservation Biology 18: 201-214. Mol, J.H., P.W. Willink, B. Chernof and M. Cooperman. 2006. Fishes of the Coppename River, Central Suri- A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 117 Chapter 9 name Nature Reserve, Suriname. In: Alonso, L.E. and H.J. Berrenstein (eds.) A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Aquatic Ecosystems of the Coppename River Basin, Suriname. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 39. Washington D.C.: Conservation International. Pp. ??-?? Mol, J.H., B. De Mérona, P.E. Ouboter and S. Sahdew. In prep. he ish fauna of Brokopondo Reservoir, Suriname, during 40 years of impoundment. Submitted to Neotropical Ichthyology. Montoya-Burgos, J.I., S. Muller, C. Weber and J. Pawlowski. 2003. Phylogenetic relationships of the Loricariidae (Siluriformes) based on mitochondrial rRNA gene sequences. In: Malabarba, L.R., R.E. Reis, R.P. Vari, Z.M.S. Lucena and C.A.S. Lucena (eds.) Phylogeny and Classiication of Neotropical Fishes. Porto Alegre: EDIPUCRS. Pp. 363-374. Nijssen, H. and I.J.H. Isbrücker. 1968. Gymnotus carapo and G. anguillaris (syn.: G. coropinae), two often confused species of gymnotoid ishes (Pisces, Cypriniformes). Beaufortia 15: 161-168. Nijssen, H. and I.J.H. Isbrucker. 1972. On Hypopygus lepturus, a little known dwarf gymnotid ish from South America (Pisces, Cypriniformes, Gymnotoidei). Zoologische Mededelingen (Leiden) 47: 160-179. Nijssen, H. and I.J.H. Isbrucker. 1990. Lithoxus stocki, a new species to science of ancistrin loricariid catish from the Maroni river drainage, with a comparison of the primary type specimens of the six species of Lithoxus (syn.: Paralithoxus) (Pisces, Siluriformes, Loricariidae). Bijdragen tot de Dierkunde 60: 327-333. Noordam, D. 2003. he geographical outline. In: Ouboter, P.E. (ed.) he freshwater ecosystems of Suriname. Dordrecht: Kluwer. Pp. 13-28. Odinetz Collart, O., M. Jégu, V. hatcher and A.S. Tavares. 1996. Les praires aquatiques de l’Amazonie bresilienne. ORSTOM Actualités 49: 8-14. Ouboter, P.E. and J.H. Mol. 1993. he ish fauna of Suriname. In: Ouboter, P.E. (ed.) he freshwater ecosystems of Suriname. Dordrecht: Kluwer. Pp. 133-154. Ouboter, P.E. (ed.). 2003. Flora and fauna assessment at the Tafelberg. Nationale Zoölogische Collectie Suriname & Nationaal Herbarium Suriname, Anton de Kom Universiteit van Suriname. Paramaribo, Suriname. 25 pp. Planquette, P., P. Keith and P.-Y. Le Bail. 1996. Atlas des poissons d’eau douce de Guyane. Tome 1. Paris: Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle. Ploeg, A. 1987. Review of the cichlid genus Crenicichla Heckel, 1840 from Surinam, with descriptions of three new species (Pisces, Perciformes, Cichlidae). Beaufortia 37: 73-98. Reis, R.E., P.Y. Le Bail and J.H. Mol. 2005. New arrangement in the synonymy in Megalechis Reis, 1997 (Siluriformes: Callichthyidae). Copeia 2005: 678-682. Sheldon, A.L. 1988. Conservation of stream ishes: patterns of diversity, rarity, and risk. Conservation Biology 2: 149-156. 118 Rapid Assessment Program ter Steege, H., O.S. Bánki, T.R. van Andel, J. BehariRamdas and G. Ramharakh. 2004. Plant diversity of the Brownsberg Nature Park, Suriname. Report of the Nov-Dec 2003 Expedition. NHN-Utrecht Branch, Utrecht University. Utrecht, Netherlands. ter Steege, H., O.S. Bánki, M. Jansen-Jacobs, G. Ramharakh and K. Tjon. 2005. Plant diversity of the Lely Mountains, Suriname. DRAFT Report of the Nov-Dec 2004 Expedition. NHN-Utrecht Branch, Utrecht University. Utrecht, Netherlands. Weitzmann, S.H. and R.P. Vari. 1988. Miniaturization in South American freshwater ishes: an overview and discussion. Proceedings Biological society Washington 101: 444-465. Chapter 10 A preliminary survey of amphibians and reptiles on the Nassau and Lely plateaus Eastern Suriname James I. Watling and Lucille F. Ngadino INTRODUCTION Amphibians and reptiles are a species-rich and often conspicuous component of many neotropical forests. hree aspects of amphibians and reptile biology make them a valuable focal group for biological surveys: (1) the small body size of many species often results in high population densities, making it possible to collect a large amount of data in a relatively short period of time; (2) they perceive their environment on relatively small scales and many species show strict habitat requirements, making it possible to compare diversity patterns across inely-deined habitats; (3) their intermediate role in food webs ties them to both primary and secondary consumers. Amphibians are of particular interest because their moist, permeable skin makes them more sensitive to changes in their environment (e.g., contamination, climate change) than other vertebrate groups, and the biphasic lifestyle of many species exposes them to changes in both aquatic and terrestrial environments. Widespread reports of enigmatic amphibian declines in seemingly pristine locations are of urgent conservation concern (Lips 1998), and it appears that amphibians as a group are more threatened than other terrestrial vertebrates (Stuart et al. 2004, Beebee and Griiths 2005). As part of the CI RAP survey in eastern Suriname, we surveyed the herpetofauna of Nassau and Lely mountains for six days each. Here we compare three response metrics (species richness, species composition, and an estimate of density) between the two mountains, and place these preliminary observations in a regional context by making comparisons with other sites in the Guayana Shield and the Amazon Basin. We also describe the distribution of species at a regional scale and among macrohabitats at the two sites, and discuss the conservation implications of our observations. METHODS We surveyed amphibians and reptiles for six days each at the Nassau mountain (25 – 30 October 2005) and Lely mountain (1 – 6 November 2005) using a combination of opportunistic surveys and time-constrained Visual Encounter Surveys (VES). Opportunistic surveys require actively searching for animals over large areas (i.e., up to several square kilometers) in order to increase the probability of encountering as many diferent species as possible. his method is efective for sampling species richness (Donnelly et al. 2004), but because not all individuals encountered are recorded, and cryptic or inactive individuals may be easily overlooked, the method is inappropriate for comparing density. In contrast, VES involve intensive sampling over small areas (i.e., a few hundred square meters) and all individuals encountered are recorded, making it possible to calculate an index of density by comparing the number of individuals encountered per unit time (Crump and Scott 1994). We conducted opportunistic surveys throughout the range of habitats available at each site, walking trails, forest creeks, and searching in natural and anthropogenic clearings both day and night throughout our stay. We conducted ten VES (eight nocturnal and 2 diurnal) at each site, concentrating efort in forest and forest stream habitats (Table 10.1). A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 119 Chapter 10 Species richness Because observed species richness is almost always an underestimate of true species richness (Colwell and Coddington 1994, Hellmann and Fowler 1999), we used program EstimateS (Colwell 1997) to calculate extrapolated estimates of amphibian and reptile richness of each site. here is considerable debate as to which of the many species richness estimators provides the most robust results (Hellman and Fowler 1999, Herzog et al. 2002), so we included four of the most commonly used estimators (ACE, ICE, Chao1 and MMMean). We included observations from both VES and opportunistic encounters in our analysis because few reptiles were encountered during VES surveys at Lely, making it impractical to estimate species richness from only that data set. Although not all individuals of all species were recorded during opportunistic surveys, the combined data set accurately relects observed species abundances (i.e., rare species only occur once or twice in the entire data set, whereas the most commonly encountered species appear frequently), so we assume that the combined data set provides a reasonable basis for comparing species richness between sites. Species composition In addition to comparing species richness on the two mountains, we also wanted to describe overlap in species identity. We began simply by comparing the number of species occurring at only one of the sites with the number occurring at both sites. We conducted a formal test of the compositional diference between the two mountains using analysis of similarity (ANOSIM) based on the Bray-Curtis dissimilarity index (Clarke and Warwick 2001), and present these results in a non-metric multidimensional scaling nMDS) graph. Species composition is known to vary with geographic distance (Steinitz et al. 2005), so in addition to establishing that a compositional diference between the two sites exists, we also wanted to determine whether the diference in species composition between Nassau and Lely was more or less than would be expected given the distance between the two mountains. We compiled data on amphibian and reptile surveys from ive sites in the Guayana Shield: Nouragues and Arataye, French Guiana (Born and Gaucher 2001); Petit Saut, French Guiana (Duellman 1997), Piste Ste. Elie, French Guiana (Born and Gaucher 2001); and Iwokrama, Guyana (Donnelly et al. 2005). Distance between these sites ranged from 64 – 713 kilometers. Herpetofaunal survey data are available for eight sites separated by a maximum distance of 263 kilometers in the Madre de Dios region of southeastern Peru (Duellman and homas 1996, Morales and McDiarmid 1996, Doan and Arriaga 2002), and because distances among sites in Madre de Dios are more similar to those of interest here (straight-line distance between Nassau and Lely is approximately 63 kilometers), we include a comparison with those sites as well. Although some species certainly remain undetected at sites in the Guayana Shield and Peru, those sites are relatively well-sampled compared with Nassau and Lely. For all pairs of sites, we calculated straight-line distance based on coordinates included in the primary literature cited above. We compiled a species by site presence/absence matrix for all sites and calculated dissimilarity among all pairs of sites using the Bray-Curtis dissimilarity index in Program Primer (Clarke and Warwick 2001). Density In order to have maximal lexibility and not be constrained to surveying ixed transects that may have resulted in the observation of few individuals, we opted to constrain our VES by time rather than area. At each site we conducted ten VES, eight nocturnal and two diurnal. As an index of density, we calculated the number of individuals encountered per survey minute (# individuals/# minutes surveyed), Table 10.1. Schedule of herpetofaunal sampling at Nassau and Lely, October-November, 2005. Nassau 25-Oct 26 27 28 29 30 120 AM PM AM PM AM PM AM PM AM PM AM PM Arrive VES: Forest Trap Preparation VES: Stream & Forest Opportunistic survey: Forest & Plateau A Opportunistic survey: Stream VES: Stream & Forest Prepare specimens VES: Stream Opportunistic survey: Forest VES: MSF VES: Swamp Forest VES: Forest VES: Forest VES: MSF VES: Forest Rapid Assessment Program Lely 1-Nov 2 3 AM PM AM PM AM PM 4 AM PM 5 AM PM 6 AM PM Arrive Opportunistic survey: Forest & Clearing VES: Forest Opportunistic survey: Forest & Stream VES: Stream Prepare specimens Opportunistic survey: Forest VES: Forest VES: Forest VES: Stream VES: Forest Prepare specimens Opportunistic survey: Forest VES: MSF VES: Forest VES: Forest VES: Forest A preliminary survey of amphibians and reptiles on the Nassau and Lely plateaus, eastern Suriname averaged this value across all ten surveys, and multiplied this average by 60 to provide an average number of individuals encountered per hour of survey at each site. exists) we used our knowledge of probable distributions and potential threats to assign a threat status based on IUCN criteria. We did not include threat status for unidentiied species thought to represent new species for science, because determination of threat status will require more survey work to establish the geographic range of those species. Species-specific data When individuals of new species were encountered during opportunistic surveys, we noted the habitat in which the observation occurred. Similarly, we noted the habitat where VES occurred. hus, we are able to assign species occurrences to one or more habitat categories: forest, forest stream, clearing, berg forest (Nassau only), swamp forest (Nassau only), savannah forest (Lely only), or forest clearing (Lely only). Because of the complex interdigitation of savannah forest and high forest around the camp at Lely, we refer to both as ‘forest’. We did survey a discreet patch of berg forest east of the main camp at Nassau, and a patch of savannah forest with many bromeliads near the northeastern corner of the airstrip at Lely. We assigned each species to one of two regional distribution patterns: Guayana Shield for those species endemic (or nearly so) to the Guayana Shield, and Widespread for species that also occur beyond the boundaries of the Guayana Shield. Distributional data were taken from Ceñaris and MacCulloch (2005) for amphibians and Ávila Pires (2005) for reptiles. hreat status for each species was established based on IUCN Red List guidelines (www.iucnredlist.org). Data for amphibians were taken from the Global Amphibian Assessment online database (www.globalamphibians.org). Data on the crocodilian were extracted from the IUCN website. For the lizards and snakes (for which no IUCN specialist group currently RESULTS We observed a total of 49 species in 12 days of sampling at the two sites (Table 10.2). he data presented herein include only species observed by the two authors; species observed by other members of the RAP team and on a herpetological expedition to Lely in 1979 are included in Appendix 16. Comparison with other well-studied sites in the Guayana Shield indicate that many species remain undetected on the two mountains, and that reptiles were undersampled on the RAP relative to amphibians (because they represent a smaller percentage of the total herpetofauna at RAP sites than at more well-sampled sites, Table 10.2). Despite the fact that many species remain to be detected on both mountains, preliminary observations indicate that Lely appears to be the richer of the two mountains; we observed 36 species there and 29 at Nassau (Figure 10.1). Extrapolated species richness estimates were largely consistent with the notion of higher richness at Lely than Nassau (Table 10.3). However see Chapter 11 for additional data from Nassau. A simple review of the species list for the two sites indicates that species composition difers between Nassau and Lely, with only 15/49 = 31% of all species occurring on both mountains. Forty-eight percent of the species at Nassau were unique to Nassau, whereas the percentage was 57% at Lely. As expected, the species occurring at the two sites represented a mix of widespread species that occur throughout lowland portions of much of the Amazon Basin, in addition to species known from lowland forest of the Guayana Shield (Appendix 16). Five records are particularly noteworthy because they represent taxa that could not be assigned to any known species. Four of these records were species of the genus Eleutherodactylus; one species was encountered at both Lely and Nassau, whereas the other three new species of Eleutherodactylus were found at Lely. We also collected what appears to be an undescribed species of Adenomera at Lely. Bray-Curtis dissimilarity between Nassau and Lely is 51.7% for reptiles and 44.4% for amphibians, and the two mountains are compositionally distinct (Global R = 0.669, P = 0.002; Figure 10.2). Comparison of the regression Table 10.2. Herpetofaunal richness at nine sites in the Guayana Shield, including Nassau and Lely mountains. In each column, data are presented as raw species number/percentage of total herpetofauna. Site Iwokrama Nourague Arataya Piste Ste. Elie Trois Saut Petit Saut Brownsberg Nassau Lely Amphibians 37/0.34 51/0.47 62/0.49 33/0.38 56 37/0.28 Reptiles 71/0.66 58/0.53 65/0.51 53/0.62 Total 108 109 127 86 94/0.72 mean = 46 species mean = 68 species 64/0.44 16/0.55 20/0.55 80/0.56 13/0.45 16/0.45 131 mean = 112 species 144 29 36 Table 10.3. Observed and estimated species richness for amphibians and reptiles at Nassau and Lely. Group Lely frogs Lely reptiles Nassau frogs Nassau reptiles No. individuals 91 32 88 32 Species (observed) 19 16 16 15 ACE 21.91 35.62 18.26 23.96 ICE 22.91 52 18.68 25.99 Chao 1 20.2 29.75 22 29 MMMeans 27.65 43.04 21.37 25.47 Mean (estimates) 23.1675 40.1025 20.0775 26.105 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 121 Chapter 10 lines describing the relationship between compositional dissimilarity and geographic distance among sites in the Guayana Shield and Tambopata, Peru reveal that observed dissimilarity between Nassau and Lely is greater than would be expected based on observations from the reference sites (Figure 10.3). Like richness, herpetofaunal density was higher at Lely (mean = 7.4 individuals/hour) than at Nassau (4.5 individuals/hour). At Nassau, the highest density of individuals occurred in transects running through the IJskreek and forest adjacent to the stream, and lowest in savannah forest. At Lely, density was greatest in forest streams, slightly lower in forest, and lowest in savannah forest. Habitat use, distribution, and threat status for each species are presented in Appendix 16. We draw particular attention to the observation that forest streams are important habitat for many species encountered during our surveys. Just under half of the species occurring at each site made use of forest streams, and one quarter of the species encountered at Lely and one third of the species encountered at Nassau were only found in or along forest streams. In addition, two of the ive new species encountered during our surveys were associated with forest streams. At Lely, density was higher in forest streams than in any other habitat, whereas at Nassau, density was broadly similar between forest and streams, but higher there than in other habitats. Overall, we suggest that forest streams be considered keystone habitat structures (Tews et al. 2004) of paramount biological and conservation value at the two sites because (1) they cover a small proportion of the total habitat at each site, (2) house a substantial fraction of overall herpetofaunal richness at the two sites, (3) are an important habitat for undescribed and probably narrowly endemic taxa recorded during our surveys, and (4) at Lely, have a greater herpetofaunal density than any habitat surveyed. DISCUSSION In our short surveys we sampled only a fraction of what is likely a rich herpetofauna on both mountains. Estimated species richness estimates for amphibians and reptiles were not much greater than observed richness (Table 10.3). Our impression is that low estimated richness is a function of seasonal luctuations in activity (for amphibians) and small sample sizes (for both amphibians and reptiles), rather than being indicative of a depauperate herpetofauna on the two mountains. he rapid accumulation of species during a dry period during which many amphibians and reptiles were likely inactive is suggestive of potentially high richness, as is the geographic proximity to sites in western French Guiana with the highest known richness of amphibians and reptiles in the Guayana Shield (Petit Saut and the Nouragues reserve; Table 10.2). Comparison of our species accumulation curves with those from other sites indicate that species accumulated faster at Lely and Nassau than at individual camps in the Iwokrama reserve in Guyana (Donnelly et al. 122 Rapid Assessment Program 2004), and were more similar to species-rich sites in the western Amazon (Duellman and Mendelson 1995, Cadle et al. 2002, Moravec and Aparicio 2005). Although sampling on the two mountains is far from complete, available evidence suggests that Lely is likely to be the richer of the two sites. Our observation that compositional dissimilarity between the two mountains is greater than expected given their geographic distance suggests that conservation of both areas is not redundant, but necessary in order to conserve a representative regional fauna. Beyond acting as reservoirs of a rich herpetofauna, the two mountains are home to a suite of endemic taxa that is of great regional importance. Particularly striking was the four Eleutherodactylus species encountered during our surveys. Previous to our surveys, ive species of Eleutherodactylus were known from Suriname; our work on the two mountains has almost doubled the representation of the genus in the country. Two of the new species encountered during our surveys (Adenomera sp. and Eleutherodactylus sp. 1) utilized both forest and forest stream habitats and were abundant where they occurred. he three other new species (Eleutherodactylus sp. 2, Eleutherodactylus sp. 3, and Eleutherodactylus sp. 4) were found in the forest at Lely and were represented by only one or two individuals each. Although the forest-inhabiting Eleutherodactylus appeared to be rare, they likely occur throughout the forest and because they do not require standing water for breeding, their persistence is not as dependent on particular habitat requirements as the other frogs. herefore, we consider the species associated with forest streams to be the most in need of conservation attention. Amphibians tend to have limited dispersal abilities, often moving less than 500 m (Smith and Green 2005). Because body size of the remaining four new species is small (< 40 mm, implying relatively limited dispersal abilities; Etienne and Olf 2004) and they appear to be reliant on a habitat type that is relatively scarce in the landscape, it may be unlikely that individuals can move to more suitable habitat (i.e., another stream) if they are disturbed. Amphibians tend to be dietary generalists, feeding on a variety of arthropods (Duellman 1978, Parmelee 1999), so it is unlikely that distributions of any of these species are limited by the availability of food resources. Protection of streams where they are known to occur should be considered the best conservation action for these new species, as well as the other species that utilize forest stream habitat on the two mountains. Streams are a keystone habitat feature of critical importance for amphibians at Nassau and Lely. Almost half of the species encountered during our surveys made at least some use of streamside habitat. Stream-associated amphibians are of paramount conservation signiicance because many species in this guild have experienced precipitous population declines (Lips et al. 2003). Like virtually all other taxonomic groups, amphibians have been afected by habitat loss and fragmentation, overharvest, and other anthropogenic disturbances. More alarming are population declines, many A preliminary survey of amphibians and reptiles on the Nassau and Lely plateaus, eastern Suriname to the point of extinction, of amphibians in protected areas where the agent of decline is not so obvious. hese enigmatic declines have resulted in the loss of many moderate- to highelevation anurofaunas (Young et al. 2001), so the presence of abundant, diverse, stream-associated amphibian assemblages at Nassau and Lely is of signiicant conservation value. he densities we observed at Nassau and Lely are comparable to pre-decline data from forest streams and adjacent forest in Panama (Lips 1999), suggesting that the stream-associated fauna of Nassau and Lely have not experienced the dramatic declines that have occurred in other parts of the Neotropics (Young et al. 2001). his provides an excellent opportunity to protect an intact, upland stream-associated herpetofaunal assemblage. CONSERVATION RECOMMENDATIONS Our irst and foremost conservation recommendation is to maintain the integrity of forest streams at both Lely and Nassau. Anthropogenic activity at Lely is minimal, so there are no current threats, but every attempt should be made to ensure that future activity at Lely be kept away from stream habitats. he stream at Nassau probably has been impacted and will continue to be impacted by the higher level of human activity. Of most concern is the presence of the camp clearing and a dirt path used by motorized vehicles that crosses the Ijskreek through the clearing. Because of the possibility that human activity may negatively impact stream quality at Nassau, we make the following recommendations: (1) Because sedimentation and runof from the clearing and the road have the potential to impact water quality in the stream, we recommend that no further expansion of the existing camp take place, and that vehicular traic across the stream be reduced to an absolute minimum. (2) he immediate initiation of a water-quality monitoring project in conjunction with herpetofaunal surveys. We suggest twice yearly surveys of the stream-associated herpetofauna at Nassau using ixed monitoring points established throughout the watershed. Species may be located visually and/or acoustically, but we recommend the utilization of a visual method (i.e., VES) in order to estimate population density as accurately as possible. Because interspeciic variation in detection probabilities may compromise results (Mackenzie and Royle 2005), it will be necessary to incorporate methods that will allow for robust density estimation (discussed in Schmidt 2004). Concomittant with the faunal surveys, we recommend the collection of basic water quality data (dissolved oxygen, conductance, temperature, pH, and turbidity) at the beginning of each transect or monitoring point. (3) An ongoing monitoring project to detect the presence of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in adult frogs along forest streams. Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis is a chy- trid fungus that has been linked to amphibian declines in many parts of the Neotropics (Lips et al. 2005), and although we are not aware of reports of amphibian declines from the Guianas, conditions favorable for the occurrence of B. dendrobatidis are predicted to occur in the vicinity of Nassau and Lely mountains (Ron 2005). he presence of B. dendrobatidis can be detected via analysis of dermal swabs from live animals. We recommend collecting 300 swabs/visit (i.e., one swab per individual from the irst 300 individuals encountered). To detect the presence of B. dendobatidis, analysis may be conducted on pooled samples of 10 swabs. If the fungus is detected, individual analysis of all swabs will be necessary to identify infected species. Should B. dendrobatidis be detected, the Declining Amphibian Population Task Force (http://www.open.ac.uk/daptf/index.htm) may be contacted for recommended action. (4) We recommended expanded surveys of streams on the two mountains and in adjacent lowlands in order to more accurately quantify abundance and extent of occurrence of stream-associated frogs, particularly new species whose distributions are unknown. Determining the IUCN red list status of these ive species will hinge on estimating the geographic range of these species, so a special efort should be made to determine their extent of occurrence. (5) It is diicult to provide meaningful guidelines for the area required to efectively protect amphibian populations because the availability of breeding habitat is probably more important than area per se (Zimmerman and Bierregaard 1986). Reptiles, on the other hand, probably beneit more from larger areas, though relative to endothermic vertebrates their energetic needs (and therefore area required to sustain populations; Pough 1980) are low. It has been suggested that the 1500 ha of the La Selva reserve in Costa Rica is suicient to protect the herpetofauna at that site (Guyer 1994), although population declines of both amphibians and reptiles have occurred there (S. Whitield pers. com.). We therefore regard 1500 ha as the ‘minimum critical area’ necessary to protect a reasonably intact sample of the local herpetofauna, and suggest that at least this amount be preserved within the concessions at Lely and Nassau. Additionally, because we have identiied streams as keystone habitat whose importance is disproportionate to their area, we recommend a forest bufer of at least 50 m (Lee et al. 2004) on both sides of all creeks running through the concessions. Authors’ note: As this chapter was going to press, we became aware of a record of the toad Atelopus cf. spumarius from the forest near the basecamp at Nassau. Atelopus spumarius is a polymorphic taxon, and it is possible that more than one species is included under the name (some authors recognize the Guayana Shield taxon to be a distinct A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 123 Chapter 10 species, A. hoogmoedi). Although A. spumarius (as either A. spumarius sensu stricto or A. hoogmoedi) has a larger geographic range than many species of Atelopus, these toads have experienced precipitous population declines in much of Latin America, most likely due to infection by B. dendrobatidis, and A. spumarius senso lato is classiied as vulnerable by the IUCN. A population of Atelopus at Nassau would therefore be of signiicant conservation concern. We recommend that eforts to establish the extent of occurrence of the new taxa encountered during our surveys include A. cf. spumarius. REFERENCES Ávila Pires, T. C. S. 2005. Reptiles. In: Hollowell, T. and R. P. Reynolds (eds.). Checklist of the terrestrial vertebrates of the Guiana Shield. Bulletin of the Biological Society of Washington. USA. Number 13. Pp. 25-40 Beebee, T. J. C. and R. A. Griiths. 2005. he amphibian decline crisis: a watershed for conservation biology? Biological Conservation. 125:271-285. Born, M. and P. Gaucher. 2001. Amphibian and reptile species at the Nouragues Nature Reserve. In: Bongers, F., P. Charles-Dominique, P-M. Forget, and M. héry (eds.). Nouragues. Dynamics and plant-animal interactions in a neotropical rainforest. Kluwer Academic Publishers. Pp. 371-381 Cadle, J., J. Icochea, J. P. Zúniga, A. Portilla, and C. Rivera. 2002. La herpetofauna encontrada en el Refugio Juliaca y en el Puesto de vigilancia Enahuipa del Santuario Nacional Pampas del Heath. In: J. R. Montambault (ed.). Informes de las evaluaciones biológicas Pampas del Heath, Perú Alto Madidi, Bolivia y Pando, Bolivia. RAP Working Papers Number 24. Washington, D.C.: Conservation International. Pp. 52 – 57 Ceñaris, J. C. and R. MacCulloch. 2005. Amphibians. In: Hollowell, T. and R. P. Reynolds (eds.). Checklist of the terrestrial vertebrates of the Guiana Shield. Bulletin of the Biological Society of Washington, USA. Number 13. Pp. 9-23 Clarke, K. R. and Warwick, R. M. 2001. Change in marine communities: an approach to statistical analysis and interpretation. Second edition. PRIMER-E. Plymouth, U.K. Colwell, R. K. 1999. EstimateS version 5.0.1. Statistical Estimation of species richness and shared species from samples. Web site: viceroy.eeb.uconn.edu/estimates. Colwell, R. K. and J. A. Coddington. 1994. Estimating terrestrial biodiversity through extrapolation. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London B. 345:101-118. Crump. M. L. and N. J. Scott, Jr. 1994. Visual Encounter Surveys. In: Heyer, W.R., M. A. Donnelly, R. W. McDiarmid, L. C. Hayek, and M. S. Foster (eds.). Measuring and Monitoring Biological Diversity 124 Rapid Assessment Program Standard Methods for Amphibians. Washington D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. Pp. 84-91 Doan, T. M. and W. A. Arriaga. 2002. Microgeographic variation in species composition of the herpetofaunal communities of Tambopata region, Peru. Biotropica. 34:101-117. Donnelly, M. A., M. H. Chen, and G. G.Watkins. 2004. Sampling amphibians and reptiles in the Iwokrama Forest ecosystem. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. 154:55-69. Donnelly, M. A., M. H. Chen, and G. G. Watkins. 2005. he Iwokrama herpetofauna: an exploration of diversity in a Guayanan rainforest. In: Donnelly, M. A., B. I. Crother, C. Guyer, M. H. Wake, and M. E. White (eds.). Ecology and Evolution in the Tropics. Chicago, Illinois: he University of Chicago Press. Pp. 428-460 Duellman, W. E. 1978. he biology of an equatorial herpetofauna in Amazonian Ecuador. University of Kansas Museum of Natural History Miscellaneous Publication. 65:1-352. Duellman, W. E. 1997. Amphibians of La Escalera region, southeastern Venezuela: taxonomy, ecology, and biogeography. Scientiic Papers. Natural History Museum. he University of Kansas. 2:1-52. Duellman, W. E. and J. R. Mendelson III. 1995. Amphibians and reptiles from northern Departamento Loreto, Peru: taxonomy and biogeography. he University of Kansas Science Bulletin. 55:329-376. Duellman, W. E. and R. homas. 1996. Anuran amphibians from a seasonally dry forest in southeastern Peru and comparisons of the anurans among sites in the upper Amazon basin. Occasional Papers of the Natural History Museum. he University of Kansas. 180:1-34. Etienne, R. S. and H. Olf. 2004. How dispersal limitation shapes species-body size distributions in local communities. he American Naturalist. 163:69-83. Funk, W. C., A. E. Greene, P. S. Corn, and F. W. Allendorf. 2005. High dispersal rates in a frog species suggests that it is vulnerable to habitat fragmentation. Biology Letters. 1:13-16. Guyer, C. 1994. he reptile fauna: diversity and ecology. In: McDade, L. A., K. S. Bawa, H. A. Hespenheide, and G. S. Hartshorn (eds.). La Selva. Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press. Pp. 210-216 Hellmann, J. J. and G. W. Fowler. 1999. Bias, precision, and accuracy of four measures of species richness. Ecological Applications. 9:824-834. Herzog, S. K., M. Kessler, and T. M. Cahill. 2002. Estimating species richness of tropical bird communities from rapid assessment data. he Auk. 119:749-769. Lee, P., C. Smyth, and S. Boutin. 2004. Quantitative review of riparian bufer width guidelines from Canada and the United States. Journal of Environmental Management. 70:165-180. Lips, K. R. 1998. Decline of a tropical montane amphibian fauna. Conservation Biology. 12:106-117. A preliminary survey of amphibians and reptiles on the Nassau and Lely plateaus, eastern Suriname Lips, K. R. 1999. Mass mortality and population declines of anurans at an upland site in western Panama. Conservation Biology. 13:117-125. Lips, K. R., J. D. Reeve, and L. R. Witters. 2003. Ecological traits predicting amphibian population declines in Central America. Conservation Biology. 17:1078-1088. Lips, K. R., P. A. Burrowes, J. R. Mendelson III, and G. Parra-Olea. 2005. Amphibian population declines in Latin America: a synthesis. Biotropica. 37:222-226. Mackenzie, D. I. and J. A. Royle. 2005. Designing occupancy studies: general advice and allocating survey efort. Journal of Applied Ecology. 42:1105-1114. Morales, V. R. and R. W. McDiarmid. 1996. Annotated checklist of the amphibians and reptiles of Pakitza, Manu national park Reserve Zone, with comments on the herpetofauna of Madre de Dios, Perú. In: Wilson, D. E. and A. Sandoval (eds.). Manu. Washington, D. C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. Pp. 503-522 Moravec, J. and J. Aparicio. 2005. Notes on the herpetofauna of Bioceanica and Bolpebra (Provincia Nicolas Suaréz, Departamento Pando, Bolivia). Journal by the National Museum. Natural History Series. 174:95-113. Parmelee, J. R. 1999. Trophic ecology of a tropical anuran assemblage. Scientiic Papers. Natural History Museum. he University of Kansas. 11:1-59. Pough, F. H. 1980. he advantage of ectothermy for tetrapods. American Naturalist. 115: 92-112. Ron, S. R. 2005. Predicting the distribution of the amphibian pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in the New World. Biotropica. 37:209-221. Schmidt, B. R. 2004. Declining amphibian populations: the pitfalls of count data in the study of diversity, distributions, dynamics, and demography. Herpetological Journal. 14:167-174. Smith, M. A. and D. M. Green. 2005. Dispersal and the metapopulation paradigm in amphibian ecology and conservation: are all amphibian populations metapopulations? Ecography. 28:110-128. Steinitz, O., J. Heller, A. Tsoar, D. Rotem, and R. Kadmon. 2005. Predicting regional patterns of similarity in species composition for conservation planning. Conservation Biology. 19:1978-1988. Stuart, S. N., J. S. Chanson, N. A. Cox, B. E. Young, A. S. L. Rodrigues, D. L. Fischman, and R. W. Waller. 2004. Status and trends of amphibian declines and extinctions worldwide. Science. 306:1783-1786. Tews, J., U. Brose, V. Grimm, K. Tielbörger, M. C. Wichmann, M. Schwager, and F. Jeltsch. 2004. Amphibian species diversity driven by habitat heterogeneity/diversity: the importance of keystone structures. Journal of Biogeography. 31:79-92. Young, B. E. et al. 2001. Population declines and priorities for amphibian conservation in Latin America. Conservation Biology. 15:1213-1223. Zimmerman, B. L. and Bierregaard, R. O. 1986. Relevance of the equilibrium theory of island biogeography and A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 125 Chapter 11 Additional records of amphibians and reptiles from Nassau Mountain, Suriname Paul E. Ouboter, Rawien Jairam and Kenneth Wan Tong You INTRODUCTION Following the CI RAP survey of October-November 2005, Nassau Mountain was visited again for a ish survey from March 29 - April 4, 2006 (short dry season). During this survey observations of amphibians and reptiles were noted as well. hereafter a 10-day survey for amphibians and reptiles was carried out from July 15-24, 2005 (long rainy season). hese surveys provided so much addition information that it is worthwhile to include these data in the RAP report. METHODS During the March-April 2006 ish survey, amphibians and reptiles were only recorded when a species was accidentally encountered. his survey covered part of the plateau and upper slopes of Nassau Mountain, above an altitude of 250 m. During the July survey, line transects were walked during the morning, afternoon and night and every specimen was identiied and recorded. If specimens could not be identiied on sight, they were collected for later identiication. In addition, frog calls were recorded for later identiication by comparison with known frog calls. his survey covered only a small part of the plateau of Nassau Mountain, approximately 6 km in diameter around the base camp at the upper IJskreek. hese methods provided information on species richness, composition and abundance. Specimens collected are preserved in the National Zoological Collection of Suriname (NZCS). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION During the March/April and July 2006 surveys a total of 26 species of amphibians and 19 species of reptiles were recorded (Table 11.1). he amphibians were all frogs, the reptiles included one turtle, one crocodilian, 14 lizards and three snakes. Of the species recorded, 11 species of amphibians were also reported during the RAP survey (Watling and Ngadino 2007, this volume), 15 species were not. he total number of amphibians now known for the Nassau Mountain (plateau and upper slopes) is 31 species. Of the reptiles, 8 species were also recorded by the RAP team, 11 species were not. his brings the total number of reptiles known from Nassau Mountain to 26 species. Several species of special interest were collected. he Atelopus sp. found was very similar to A. spumarius hoogmoedi in shape and pattern, but instead of having yellow rings on a black dorsal and lateral color, it has pink rings (see photo pages). Only one specimen was found in March. Extensive searching for it in July did not produce another specimen, so it seems to be very rare. he Epipedobates trivittatus specimens in this area have orange dorsolateral stripes, instead of green or green-yellow ones, as in specimens from other areas in Suriname. It should therefore be treated as a subspecies of E. trivittatus, awaiting formal description. A report by Hoog- 126 Rapid Assessment Program Additional records of amphibians and reptiles from Nassau Mountain, Suriname Table 11.1. Amphibians and reptiles recorded during the March/April and July surveys in 2006. Species recorded during the October/November 2005 RAP survey are also included for comparison. Numbers indicate number of specimens collected. Taxon ANuRA Bufonidae Atelopus sp. Bufo guttatus Bufo margaritifer complex Bufo marinus Centrolenidae Cochranella sp. Dendrobatidae Colostethus beebei Colostethus beobatrachus Colostethus degranvillei Allobates femoralis Epipedobates trivittatus subsp. Hylidae Phyllomedusa bicolor Phyllomedusa hypochondrialis Phyllomedusa tomopterna Hyla boans Hyla crepitans Hyla geographica Hyla leucophyllata Hyla marmorata Hyla minuta Hyla sp. 1 Osteocephalus taurinus Leptodactylidae Adenomera cf. andreae Adenomera sp. Eleutherodactylus chiastonotus Eleutherodactylus sp. 1 Leptodactylus bolivianus Leptodactylus knudseni Leptodactylus mystaceus Leptodactylus pentadactylus Microhylidae Chiasmocleis shudikarensis Pipidae Pipa aspera TOTAL NuMBER OF AMPHIBIANS COMBINED TOTAL CHELONIA Chelidae Platemys platycephala Emydidae Rhinoclemmys punctularia SQuAMATA - SAuRIA Gekkonidae Coleodactylus amazonicus Gonatodes annularis Gonatodes humeralis March/April survey 2006 July survey 2006 Species recorded during RAP survey 2 6 7 X X X 1 5 1 6 26 2 11 12 2 18 X? X X 15 2 3 5 21 2 8 6 1 X X X 18 6 1 X X 1 X X 1 1 7 25 X X X 1 26 16 31 2 X 2 1 2 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 127 Chapter 11 Taxon Polychrotidae Anolis fuscoauratus Anolis nitens chrysolepis Anolis ortonii Tropiduridae Plica plica Plica umbra Uranoscodon superciliosus Gymnophthalmidae Arthrosaura kockii Cercosaura ocellata Iphisa elegans Leposoma guianense Neusticurus rudis Teidae Ameiva ameiva Kentropyx calcaratus Scincidae Mabuya nigropunctata SQuAMATA - SERPENTES Colubridae Atractus zidoki Chironius sp. Dipsas catsebyi Dipsas pavonina Liophis sp. Viperidae Bothrops atrox CROCODILIA Alligatoridae Paleosuchus trigonatus TOTAL NuMBER OF REPTILES COMBINED TOTAL March/April survey 2006 July survey 2006 Species recorded during RAP survey 4 X X 1 3 1 1 1 6 1 X X X 3 X 6 14 3 4 X X 1 X 1 X X 1 X 4 2 X 2 X? 15 19 26 Figure 11.1. Species accumulation curve for amphibians in the Nassau Mountains. 128 Rapid Assessment Program Additional records of amphibians and reptiles from Nassau Mountain, Suriname Figure 11.2. Species accumulation curve for reptiles in the Nassau Mountains. moed (1975) mentions orange-striped E. trivittatus from both Lely and Nassau Mountains. he Adenomera sp. found at Nassau, on the basis of photographs seems very similar to the Adenomera sp. recorded by the RAP team at Lely Mountain. hese specimens could represent a new species to science as was already suggested by Watling and Ngadino (2007, this volume) for the Lely specimen, and should be investigated in more detail. he Eleutherodactylus sp. found by us at Nassau, seems to be the Eleutherodactylus sp. 1 listed by Watling and Ngadino as a new species. Cooperation in describing this new species has already been established. Our results show that it is very diicult to draw conclusions regarding total number of species on the basis of a single survey. he accumulation curve presented for amphibians by Watling and Ngadino seems almost to latten, indicating that a high percentage of the species present is detected. However, new surveys almost doubled the number of amphibians for the mountain, and including the new data, the accumulation curve continues to increase (Figure 11.1). his shows that accumulation curves are only valid for the community of species active during the period of the survey and therefore only for the season in which the survey is carried out. Also estimates of species richness are decreased by species not active during survey periods. he RAP team’s mean estimate for the number of frogs at Nassau, approximately 20, is far exceeded. he mean estimate of species richness for reptiles is approximately 26, which is the present igure of species known for the area. However, on the basis of zoogeography and the species composition of comparable mountain ranges like Brownsberg and Bakhuis, it can be predicted that many reptile species are still to be found on Nassau Mountain. he accumulation curve for reptiles (Figure 11.2) shows a distinct slope, indicating that the inventory of reptiles is far from complete. We anticipate that the number of amphibians might also increase drastically with new surveys, especially when the lower slopes of Nassau Mountain are included. For the Bakhuis Mountains, three surveys with a combined duration of 66 days produced 58 species of amphibians and 47 species of reptiles (Ouboter, pers. obs.). At present only a part of the herpetofauna of Nassau and Lely Mountains is known: the more common species and a random number of rarer species. An obvious conclusion is that, as long as additional data do not become available for the Nassau and Lely mountains, comparisons between the two mountains and with other areas could easily result in wrong conclusions. REFERENCES Hoogmoed, M.S., 1975. Eindverslag betrefende het veldwerk in verband met een onderzoek naar de in Suriname voorkomende kickers, gedurende 26 Nov. 1974 – 27 Nov. 1975. Internal report RMNH. Watling, J.I. and L.F. Ngadino. 2007. A preliminary survey of amphibians and reptiles on Nassau and Lely mountains, eastern Suriname. In: Alonso, L.E. and J.H. Mol (eds.). A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau). RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 43. Conservation International, Arlington, VA. A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 129 Chapter 12 A rapid assessment of mammals of the Nassau and Lely plateaus, Eastern Suriname Sergio Solari and Miguel Pinto INTRODUCTION Mammals, along with birds, constitute the most important groups of vertebrates in terms of economic importance for people. hey are found everywhere in the World, and recent estimates suggest more than 5400 species (Wilson and Reeder 2005). In the Neotropical region, they are very diverse and some groups are exclusive to this geographic area. Small mammals, such as opossums, bats, and rodents, are particularly diverse and constitute a primary component of the Neotropical rainforests (Eisenberg 1989, Emmons and Feer 1997, Voss and Emmons 1996). hrough seed dispersal, pollination, mycorhizal dispersal and control of insect populations and as part of the food chain for carnivorous animals, the small mammals help in the natural functions of ecosystems. A role as indicators of environmental change has also been shown for these groups (Ascorra et al. 1996, Solari et al. 2002), with larger herbivores and carnivores acting as “umbrella species” (Primack 2002) rather than indicator themselves. he forest of northern South America, and the Guianas speciically, support a number of small mammals in various habitats (Eisenberg 1989, Engstrom and Lim 2002, Husson 1978, Lim and Engstrom 2002; Lim et al. 2005, Simmons and Voss 1998, Tate 1939, Voss and Emmons 1996, Voss et al. 2001); in the Guayana Shield, almost 10% of the 282 mammal species known to occur may be endemic (Huber and Foster 2003). At the Nassau and Lely Mountains (Eastern Suriname), our main goal was to obtain baseline information through an inventory of mammals in most of the several habitats there presents, with emphasis on the factors afecting the sampled communities. he area has great importance because of its biodiversity (see Lim et al. 2005), its geographic location nearby areas well studied in recent times (Lim et al. in press), and also by the chance to study potential efects of mining exploitation on its mammal communities. he Initial Biodiversity Assessment and Planning (IBAP) program of Conservation International (CI) was carried out in conjunction with BHP-Billiton Maatschappij Suriname (BMS) and the Suriname Aluminum Company LLC (SURALCO) to survey the biological diversity of the Lely and Nassau Mountains of eastern Suriname. Given that these mountains fall into an area with high priority for conservation in the Guayana Shield (Huber and Foster 2003), our aim was to provide a rapid survey of the mammals in the area to increase our understanding of the whole ecosystems and help in future decisions about mining exploitation. With these data, we compare the diversity found in the sampled areas, between them and also between eastern Suriname and others in the Guayana Shield. MATERIALS AND METHODS Study Area We conducted our study from October 25 through November 06, 2005, at the beginning of the dry season. We worked for one week at each sampling site; the irst locality was the Nassau Mountains (25-31 October), at 04°49.23’ N, 54°36.34’ W, 514 masl, and the second locality was Lely Mountains (1-6 November), at 04°16.23 N, 54°44.29’’ W, 640 masl. Both sites are 130 Rapid Assessment Program A rapid assessment of mammals of the Nassau and Lely plateaus, Eastern Suriname located in the District of Sipalawini, being part of a large system of bauxite plateaus in northeastern Suriname that may represent a rare and endangered landscape type, with several potential endemic elements. Both sites included lowland well drained (terra irme) tropical forest, with a relatively closed canopy of 20-25 m, along with disturbed primary forest and secondary forest, with lower and open canopy. At Nassau, there was much secondary-growth, which is a consequence of previous mining (bauxite) exploration. here was a road connecting several small camps, and forest clearing was pretty common in the area. A small stream was located near the main camp, as well as a large clearing. At Lely, we sampled around the air strip, which is surrounded by bushes and small trees. We also trapped in the savannah forest located close to the radio antenna, which was characterized by the presence of bromeliads and sparse and small-size trees. Some sampling was done along a stream with irregular topography and dense vegetation. Camera traps were located within two-hour walking distance in a well preserved forest near abundant water bodies. Collecting methods We used a combination of several methods to detect and collect mammals (see Wilson et al. 1996a). For non-lying small mammals, rats and opossums, we used a transect design consisting of two trap lines, one with 80 stations and the other with 40 stations. Stations were set 8-10 meters apart of each other, each including a combination of snap (Victor, mouse size) and live (Sherman) traps, or two snap traps. his method allows for sampling several habitats within a given portion of the locality. Traps were set on the ground, near burrows or along potential runways near large trees or in other suitable spots. A variable proportion of traps, between 20-30% of the total, were set on branches or at some height over the ground, intending to capture more arboreal species. Traps were baited with a mix of peanut butter, rolled oats, and vanilla, or sardines in oil, and checked twice a day (morning and evening). Total trapping efort was calculated as the total number of traps set each night. Mist nets were used to capture bats; we set nets along probable light ways, like creeks, streams, forest edges, or within forest with both dense and scarce understorey. Our decision to place nets was based on potential abundance of bats in the surrounding habitat either because of presence of food resources or roost sites. Most of the nets, 6-8 each night, 12 m long, were set 2 m above the ground, with a few ones going almost 5 m above the ground. Nets were open from dusk to midnight or so, in just a few nights the nets were open until dawn. Netting efort was calculated as the total number of nets set each night. We tried to keep a standard trapping/netting efort for both localities to make direct comparisons. For large mammals, we searched for tracks of medium and large species along the roads and trails; for each record we took data on time and relative position in regard to the main camp. Field guides (Emmons and Feer 1997) were used to identify these tracks. In a few cases, we were able to see or hear the animals during our daily excursions from and to camp, and make an identiication at that time. We also used 4-6 camera traps operating continuously and located nearby an odor bait (feline urine), or sites that showed some mammal activity. In a few instances, members of other ield crews provide information about other records that were identiied using ield guides. Finally, we interviewed local residents about the species they know for sure were present at the area. Because it was a rapid inventory, we only compared results between sites, based on our standard trapping/netting. We did not calculate expected species richness based on our data, but compared our list to existing ones for the region (i.e., Brownsberg mammals; Lim et al. in press). Voucher specimens were prepared as whole animals ixed in 10% formalin with inal storage in 70% ethanol; individuals were examined for ectoparasites and “wrapped” in cheesecloth for future examination. To verify ield identiication, skulls were removed from selected specimens. Tissue samples (liver and muscle) were saved in lysis bufer (Longmire et al. 1997). he specimens will be deposited in the Mammal Collection of the Museum of Texas Tech University, USA. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Species Diversity Overall, 45 species of mammals from nine orders were recorded from the two study sites in Eastern Suriname, as expected the orders Chiroptera (bats) and Rodentia (rodents) were the most diverse (Appendix 17). All small mammal species were represented by specimens. We recorded one species of marsupial, two species of rodents, and 24 species of bats (most of the captured bats were released in the ield after positive identiication). One pigmy squirrel, Sciurillus pusillus, was seen and positively identiied in the Lely Mountains camp. An unusual record of medium-size and big mammals was recorded at both places, but it was more evident at Lely Mountains camp. From the irst site, Nassau Mountains, we recorded six orders and 28 species; at Lely Mountains, we recorded eight orders and 30 species (Appendix 17). After ten trapping days, ive nights at each locality, our total efort included 900 Victor mouse trap nights and 540 Sherman trap nights. We caught one opossum and ive rodents in total, which give us an overall success rate of 0.4%. Abundance data were extremely scarce for non-volant small mammals, but we had a chance to analyze our collecting data on bats for some discussion. he most abundant species was the fruit-eating bat Artibeus planirostris, which accounted for almost 40% of total captures at both sites; the second most common species was Carollia perspicillata, with almost 20% of captures. In general, fruit-eating bats of the subfamilies Stenodermatinae and Carollinae (Phyllostomidae) dominated the bat faunas at both localities. Only one (Pteronotus parnelli) out of 23 species of bats represented a diferent family, Mormoopidae. Although fruit-eating spe- A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 131 Chapter 12 cies were the most diverse, with 16 species, the second most diverse trophic guild includes the gleaning insectivores of the subfamily Phyllostominae, with 4 species. he remainder species included one nectar-feeding (Lionycteris spurrelli), one insectivore-carnivore (Trachops cirrhosus), and one omnivorous (Phyllostomus discolor) bat. Absence of small rodents at Nassau might be explained by either deicient trapping efort, or real lacking of habitats for these species; we cannot draw any deinitive conclusions given the short sampling period, but also the small sample size (4 animals) at Lely. We recorded two sympatric species of Neacomys at Lely; although based on preliminary identiications needing further comparison and perhaps veriication through genetic data, we believe that this remarks how little we know about the geographic limits of these species, which usually are a main component of the local diversity (Lim et al. 2005). As an example, our records of N. dubosti and N. guianae seem to be the irst for northeastern Suriname, based on the data from Lim et al. (in press) and Voss et al. (2001). We recorded visually, by sound, or by tracks 17 species of medium and large mammals in both localities. here was a large diference in species composition between the two sites, with more species (13) at Lely than in Nassau (8). he most diverse groups were the Primates and the Carnivora, each with four species; the irst includes large (Alouatta macconnelli, Ateles paniscus, Chiropotes chiropotes) and small (Saguinus midas) monkeys, while the second includes two large (Panthera onca, Puma concolor) and one small (Leopardus pardalis) cat, plus one coati (Nasua nasua). Most of these records occurred not too far from the main camp, and in some cases (S. midas) included more than one individual. We observed den sites for Brazilian tapir in many places around the camp in Nassau, but not so commonly in Lely. At both study sites, we found tracks of brocket deer (Mazama), but without a visual record it was impossible to identify to species (americana or gouazoubira), as both are known in the area. here were no pictures of animals on the seven rolls of picture used in the camera traps; four were set of by the sunlight and the camera went through the whole roll. he other three consisted of only a few pictures each that were of either initial set up or of a RAP participant walking through. We believe that our camera trapping design was severely afected by our inexperience and logistic diiculties at the study sites, but the method remains a valid one for record of animals that otherwise went undetected in similar studies (Sanderson and Trolle 2003, Lim et al. 2005). SPECIES AND GROUPS OF IMPORTANCE Considering the numbers of species as well as their ecological roles, preliminary results indicate that Lely has higher taxonomic and ecologic diversity. hese results suggest that the forest at Nassau is less suitable for small non-volant mammal species, probably because of the alteration of pri- 132 Rapid Assessment Program mary forests. For instance, frugivorous bat were predominant at Nassau, as we would expect in secondary growth forests, forest borders, or dynamic habitats (Wilson et al. 1996b), such as those sampled in this site. At Lely, we recorded a better representation of Phyllostominae bat species (which are omnivorous or insectivorous), indicating a more complex forest structure (Wilson et al. 1996b) than in Nassau. Most of the species of bats we recorded at both sites has a wide geographic distribution in the Neotropics (Simmons 2005); the exception was Ametrida centurio, which is a small fruit-eating bat restricted to the Guayana Shield and northern Brazil, although usually common through. However, some animals could represent nominated subspecies with a narrower distribution, like A. planirostris trinitatis or P. parnelli rubiginosus, and their populations deserve further study. It is remarkable that only three bat species are listed as threatened, Lophostoma carrikeri (Vulnerable), Koopmania concolor (Lower Risk - Near hreatened), and Artibeus obscurus (Lower Risk - Near hreatened); we believe that the irst two are locally rare species, but their wide geographic range does not suggest any real threat to its survival. However, the case of A. obscurus is due to the taxonomic confusion in regard to the large Artibeus, which has caused very few conirmed records of this species, which is usually common in well studied areas (Ascorra et al. 1996, Lim and Engstrom 2002) Among the 17 species of medium and large mammals we recorded, a few deserve some concern because of their conservation status. Most of the Primates and Carnivores are listed by IUCN as endangered at the global level; among the monkeys, A. macconnelli is listed as Vulnerable and Ch. chiropotes (for distinction of this species, see Groves 2005) as Data Deicient, although as part of Ch. satanas it was listed as Endangered, mostly because they are directly afected by local hunting. At the same time, both are restricted to the Guiana region, so their global conservation depends on the status of these populations. Other species, like S. midas and A. paniscus, both also endemic to the Guiana region, have more stable populations and are therefore listed as Lower Risk - least concern. Among the Carnivores, the larger cats are listed as Lower Risk - near threatened, meaning that their populations are close to become Vulnerable if they are locally afected. Observations in areas within the Guiana region suggest that their populations remain low, although apparently stable (Lim et al. in press, Voss et al. 2001). he smaller ocelot (L. pardalis) has equally a larger distribution, but is regarded as Lower Risk - least concern because its more stable populations. It is interesting that many of these records occurred within our range of daily activity, not far from the main camp. Among the ungulates, the Brazilian tapir (T. terrestris) is listed as Vulnerable, because this is heavily afected by hunting everywhere, and we found evidence that the same occurs in this region; however, the collared peccary (P. tajacu) with less hunting pressure and larger populations is listed as Lower Rosk - least concern. Another species isted as Vulnerable is the giant anteater (M. tridactyla), which seems to be locally uncommon (Voss et al. 2001). A rapid assessment of mammals of the Nassau and Lely plateaus, Eastern Suriname At both places, diversity and concentration of medium and large mammals (e.g. almost every day we found feces of Tapir in both places) suggest suitable habitats for these species, which usually require large extensions of not too disturbed forest. he presence of ungulates may be the reason behind the presence of large cats (cougar and jaguar) in the area. Many of the Primate species we identiied in the area were based on remains collected near the sampling site at Lely, but groups of Saguinus midas and Alouatta macconnelli were evident at both places and they seem to have healthy populations, as noted by Voss et al. (2001) for Paracou, French Guiana, suggesting a wider, regional pattern. However, we consider that imminent pressures as habitat loss and hunting could may be threatening large mammals, and their predators, at both places. We caution that any inference about the status of the mammal fauna in both sites is still incomplete and far from accurate, the short sampling period does not allow for further analyses or comparisons with other better sampled areas in the region. A more extensive survey is required to determine real patterns of the mammalian assemblage. CONSERVATION RECOMMENDATIONS We suggest a more rigid control of hunting in both surveyed places and, if possible, allow mining only if high environmental controls are designed. Small mammals are more dependent of forest structure for their survival, reducing clearings to a minimum would preserve this structure and the fauna living there (Granjon et al. 1996). Deforestation in some places has been severe, as evidenced by the high diversity of fruit-eating bats, which favor this kind of dynamic ecosystem (Wilson et al. 1996b). By regulating the traic through the road communicating the camps, it could be possible to know the impact of people and/or hunters that access these forests. It was evident from our observations that rural populations around main settlements access the forests with no limits at all, for hunting, ishing, and harvesting non-timber products. Only a strong control could conserve these places that harbor and important and still completely unknown mammal diversity, some elements of which could be endemic to this region (Lim et al. 2005). Because of surrounding gold-mining activities at both places, populations of large animals (e.g., ungulates, monkeys) are usually low because of over-hunting. his is more evident at Nassau, due to more local settlements nearby but also by the more remote location of Lely. Although some degree of protection has been set for this particular ecosystem, through Brownsberg Nature Reserve (Lim et al. in press), we believe that further studies should be completed before to allow exploitation of the surrounding areas. We lack signiicant data on the variation of reproductive patterns, microhabitat preferences, morphology and ecology that may be associated with geographic distribution over the mosaic of habitats included in this region. his must go along with an improvement of our sampling techniques. Although time may not be enough to compile such a large dataset, we might focus on the most signiicant species, from a conservation (e.g., primates), ecological (e.g., bats), or taxonomic (e.g., muroid rodents) point of view to improve the current assessment. REFERENCES Ascorra, C. F., S. Solari, and D.E. Wilson. 1996. Diversidad y ecología de los quirópteros en Pakitza. In: Wilson, D. E., and A. Sandoval (eds.). Manu, the Biodiversity of Southeastern Peru. Lima, Peru: Editorial Horizonte. Pp. 585-604. Eisenberg, J.F. 1989. Mammals of the Neotropics, Vol. 1. he Northern Neotropics: Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana. University of Chicago Press. Chicago, IL. Emmons, L.H., and F. Feer. 1997. Neotropical rainforest mammals: a ield guide. Second Edition. University of Chicago Press. Chicago, IL. Engstrom, M.D., and B.K. Lim. 2002. Mamíferos de Guyana. In: Ceballos, G., and J. A. Simonetti (eds.). Diversidad y Conservación de los Mamíferos Neotropicales. Mexico, D.F.: CONABIO and UNAM. Pp. 329-375. Granjon, L., J.F. Cosson, J. Judas, and S. Ringuet. 1996. Inluence of tropical rainforest fragmentation on mammal communities in French Guiana: Short-term efects. Acta Oecologica. 17: 673-684. Groves, C.P. 2005. Order Primates. In: Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (eds.). Mammal species of the World: a taxonomic and geographic reference. hird Edition. Baltimore, Maryland: John Hopkins University Press. Pp. 111-184. Huber, O. and M.N. Foster. 2003. Conservation Priorities for the Guayana Shield: 2002 Consensus. Conservation International. Washington, D.C. Husson, A.M. 1978. he mammals of Suriname. Zoological Monographs. Rijksmuseum Natural History. 2: 1-569. Lim, B.K., and M.D. Engstrom. 2001. Species diversity of bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) in Iwokrama Forest, Guyana, and the Guianan subregion: implications for conservation. Biodiversity and Conservation. 10: 613657. Lim, B.K., M.D. Engstrom, H.H. Genoways, F.M. Catzelis, K.A. Fitzgerald, S.L. Peters, M. Djosetro, S. Brandon, and S. Mitro. In press. Results of the Alcoa Foundation – Suriname Expeditions. XIV. Mammals of Brownsberg Nature Park, Suriname. Annals of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Lim, B.K., M.D. Engstrom, and J.G.. Ochoa. 2005. Mammals. In: Checklist of the terrestrial vertebrates of the Guiana Shield. Bulletin of the Biological Society of Washington. 13: 77-92. Longmire, J.L., M. Maltbie, and R J. Baker. 1997. Use of “lysis bufer” in DNA isolation and its implications for A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 133 Chapter 12 museum collections. Occasional Papers. Museum of Texas Tech University. 163: 1-3. Primack, R.B. 2002. Essentials of Conservation Biology. hird Edition. Sinauer Associates. Sunderland, MA. Sanderson, J.G., and M. Trolle. 2003. Monitoring elusive mammals. American Scientist. 93: 148-155. Simmons, N.B. 2005. Order Chiroptera. In: Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (eds.). Mammal species of the World: a taxonomic and geographic reference. hird Edition. Baltimore, Maryland: John Hopkins University Press. Pp. 312-529. Simmons, N.B., and R.S. Voss. 1998. he Mammals of Paracou, French Guiana: A Neotropical lowland rainforest fauna. Part 1: Bats. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 237: 1-219 Solari, S., J.J. Rodríguez, E. Vivar, and P.M. Velazco. 2002. Assessment and Monitoring for adaptive management in a lowland tropical forest. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment. 76: 89-104. Tate, G.H.H. 1939. he mammals of the Guianan region. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 76: 151-229. Voss, R.S., and L.H. Emmons. 1996. Mammalian diversity in Neotropical lowland rainforests: a preliminary assessment. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 230: 1-115. Voss, R.S., D.P. Lunde, and N.B. Simmons. 2001. he Mammals of Paracou, French Guiana: A Neotropical lowland rainforest fauna. Part 2: Non-volant species. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 263: 1-236 Wilson, D.E., R.F. Cole, J.D. Nichols, R. Rudran, and M.S. Foster (Eds.) 1996a. Measuring and Monitoring Biological Diversity: Standard Methods for Mammals. Smithsonian Institution Press. Washington, D.C. Wilson, D.E., C.F. Ascorra, and S. Solari. 1996b. Bats as indicators of habitat disturbance. In: Wilson, D. E., and A. Sandoval (eds.). Manu, the Biodiversity of Southeastern Peru. Lima, Peru: Editorial Horizonte. Pp. 605-618. Wilson, D.E., and D.M. Reeder (eds.). 2005. Mammal species of the World: a taxonomic and geographic reference. hird Edition. John Hopkins University Press. Baltimore, MD. 134 Rapid Assessment Program Chapter 13 The Biodiversity of the Brownsberg Bart P.E. De Dijn, Iwan E. Molgo, Marilyn A. Norconk, L. Tremaine Gregory, Brian O’Shea, Christian Marty, Martina Luger, Max Ringler, Samuel Crothers IV, Brice Noonan, Kelly Fitzgerald, Sutrisno Mitro, Arioene Vreedzaam, and Dharma Satyawan SUMMARY he Brownsberg is an elevated forested landscape unit that is both ancient and isolated in the sense of being disconnected from similar units. It is representative of a landscape and habitats that are poorly protected at the national and the Guayana Shield level. At its core is an unbroken ~1,400 ha main plateau at ~500 m elevation; this plateau owes its existence to the protection it has enjoyed against erosion by a ferro-bauxite crust in the soil that goes back to Oligocene. he Brownsberg is roughly 13.5 km wide at its widest point and is about 34 km long; it is estimated to cover approximately 27,500 ha. It lies about 100 km inland from the coast and Suriname’s capital, on the water divide between the Suriname and Saramacca Rivers. he main plateau has a milder, cooler climate than the surrounding lowlands, and is characterized as Af – always wet – but with four distinct seasons. here is signiicant short-term inter-annual luctuation in annual rainfall and seasonal pattern. he top of the Brownsberg is often shrouded in clouds and fog, which results in high humidity and a high epiphyte load, hence the qualiication of parts of the Brownsberg as “low elevation cloud forest”. he Brownsberg lies at the core of a unique cultural-historical landscape. he area is rich in artifacts of the Brownsberg Culture, a Pre-Columbian society. From the late 19th century onwards, it was a focal area for gold mining and balata extraction. he Brownsberg is characterised by great habitat diversity: i) at least three undisturbed stream habitats types (upper, middle and lower courses of creeks), ii) aquatic habitats of creeks disturbed by mining, iii) undisturbed and old anthropogenic terrestrial habitats that difer in function of elevation and vegetation type, iv) habitats of recently disturbed forest, and v) an old cave made by gold miners. Some of these habitats are scenic, while others may be unique in terms of vegetation composition. Species diversity is high, and a substantial number of rare species have been recorded; several species endemic to the Guayana Shield are known from the Brownsberg: 7 mammals (incl. 2 monkeys), 30 birds, 5 reptiles, and 13 amphibians. A substantial number of species of considerable conservation concern are also known to occur there: 12 mammals (incl. 5 big cats), 4 birds, 1 tortoise, and 1 toad. he steep slopes and upper plateau of the Brownsberg appear to function as a wildlife refuge, as virtually no hunting and other disturbances occur there. he interactions between plants and animals are an aspect of biodiversity that is linked to seasonal phenomena. At Brownsberg the “logic” of this seasonality seems to be: i) lowering peak during the long dry season, when weather conditions prevail that favor pollinator activity and reduce pollen loss, but low fruiting and low frugivore activity in this period of water stress, ii) fruit development peak during the subsequent short rainy and dry seasons, when there typically is much less water stress, and iii) peak activity of frugivores that coincides with the peak of ripening and falling of fruits during the short dry season, into the long rainy season, a period when the microclimate favors seedling establishment. Observed levels of seed predation and seed dispersal at Brownsberg are often very high, at least at undisturbed locations for a number of tree species that produce fruits and seeds that are a source of food for large mammals. Long term research has been initiated on the responses of frugivores on seasonal stress and reduction in food supply. A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 135 Chapter 13 he most serious threat to the Brownsberg is mining, both legal and illegal. Approximately 5% of the Brownsberg Park has recently been devastated by illegal gold miners; the downstream sections of virtually all major creeks in the northern half of the range have been stripped of their natural vegetation. Other threats are forest conversion for agricultural purposes, logging and hunting. A distinct but less serious threat is tourism, or rather the negative impact of recreational activities. he Brownsberg is isolated from the surrounding forest by the Brokopondo Lake, the village of Brownsweg, and a main dirt road. At the present time, Brownsberg overlaps a bauxite exploration concession, as well as a protected area – the Brownsberg Nature Park, established in 1970. With more than 10,000 annual Park visitors since 2000, the Brownsberg may be the number one nature destination in Suriname. It is an area with a long history of biological research and may be the most thoroughly studied protected area in Suriname. he Brownsberg is readily accessible and ofers infrastructure for tourists, researchers and schools. Its fauna and lora can easily be observed, and it is a great location for nature education and conservation awareness building. he main challenge for the conservation of the Brownsberg range is to protect the area from further encroachment by illegal miners; to stop their encroachment, the Park should become more relevant to and more proitable for the local community. It is recommended that: 136 • he protection of the Brownsberg range be enhanced by i) efective law enforcement in and around the Park, ii) formal establishment and southward extension of the bufer zone, iii) a management plan for the larger area that includes the Park and the extended bufer zone, and iv) attempts to restore areas damaged by gold mining; • Tourism activities be expanded to i) the central and southern part of the Brownsberg range, ii) the Brokopondo lakeside area, and iii) the village of Brownsweg; • Monitoring of human activities, biodiversity and the environment be continued, including i) analyzing the data generated by STINASU in the course of the BNP Monitoring Program from 2002 to 2005, and ii) implementing a modiied monitoring program (BMP) based on the results and recommendations of the data analysis; • Full use be made of the results of research and monitoring, meaning that i) the planning and management of the Park is guided by the results, and ii) the results are used as inputs for a variety of information products, as well as for public awareness and education activities in the Park and in the capital Paramaribo; • A super-structure be created for the Brownsberg-Brownsweg area, possibly linked to a MUMA (Multiple-Use Rapid Assessment Program Management Area), that would at least allow for i) conlict resolution between STINASU, the village of Brownsweg, and local miners and other operators, ii) a dialogue on land use with the stakeholders, and iii) conservation and development projects that beneit the local community. INTRODUCTION Relevance he Brownsberg is an elevated forested landscape unit that is both ancient and isolated in the sense of being disconnected from similar units (see also Geography section below). At its core is an unbroken ~1,400 ha main plateau at ~500 m elevation; around this core are plateau fragments, ridges and steep slopes. he main plateau owes its existence to the protection it has enjoyed against erosion by a ferro-bauxite crust in the soil that goes back to Oligocene (26-38 My ago; GMD 1977). Most of the lands bordering the Brownsberg must have had a less erosion-resistant soil, and hence are now lowlands of less than 150 m elevation. he Brownsberg has a great diversity of natural habitats and native species, including rare and submontane habitats that are not known from the nearby lowlands (see Habitats and Species sections below). here is evidence of idiosyncrasy in the vegetation composition (see ter Steege et al. 2005), similar to those observed by De Granville (1994) in French Guiana. Landscape units similar to the Brownsberg are rare in the Guianas (De Granville 1991); in Suriname they may cover less than 0.5% of the land surface (ter Steege et al. 2005). he Brownsberg also lies at the core of a unique cultural-historical landscape (see History and Status section below). he area is rich in artefacts of the Brownsberg Culture, a Pre-Columbian society that manufactured stone implements (Versteeg 2003). Anthropogenic vegetation patches, e.g. bamboo thickets (see Habitats section below), may be vestiges of intensive use of the Brownsberg forest by Amerindians in prehistoric times. From the late 19th century onwards, the Brownsberg has been a focal area for gold mining and balata extraction (Reichart 1997). he name of the area dates from that period, and refers to mine concession owner John Brown. At the edge of the main Brownsberg plateau, old digging, blasting and landscaping eforts are still evident, and at least one unique habitat, a small cave, has been the miner’s contribution to habitat diversity. Cutmarks in the bark of old balata trees (Manilkara bidentata) remain visible, but balata extraction has ceased. Moreover, the Brownsberg (and a strip of land to the west and south) is an increasingly isolated but protected forested area. By the mid-1970s the Brownsberg got caught between the shores of the then newly created Brokopondo Lake, a major transmigration village and a main dirt road (see Geography and History and Status sections below). Modern Brownsberg features a bauxite exploration concession, as well as a protected area – the Brownsberg Nature Park (Reichart 1997, Fitzgerald et al. 2002, Fitzgerald 2003), The Biodiversity of the Brownsberg used for recreation, research and education. he former encompasses the main Brownsberg plateau, and will be referred to in this chapter as “the Concession”. he latter will be referred to as “the Park”, and encompasses mostly slopes, lower plateaus and foothills bordering the Concession. he Concession is entirely surrounded by the Park, and would have been its core if no mining right had been granted there. Finally, with more than 10,000 Park visitors annually since 2000 (estimate based on STINASU unpublished data), the Brownsberg may not only be the number one nature destination in Suriname, but also the protected area that is most afected by visitors. It is an area with a long history of biological research (see Reichart 1997), and may be the most thoroughly studied protected area in Suriname, as should be obvious from this review. Geography Location, size and geomorphological context he Brownsberg is a unit that has already been deined in geomorphological terms above, the essence being that it is an isolated range of ~500 m elevation with an encrusted ferrobauxite cap and associated ridges and steep slopes. It is part of an area referred to as the Guiana or Guayana Shield (for dif- ferent interpretations of this area, see Hammond 2005a; for the purposes of this review, the Guayana Shield concept will be used, in line with Huber and Foster <2003> and Hammond <2005a>. “he Guianas” will refer to the area comprising Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana). he bedrock that underlies the Brownsberg was formed about two billion years ago (Reichart 1997; see also Noordam 2003 and Hammond 2005b); it is metamorphic and often referred to as greenschist or greenstone (rich in quartz with a greenish hue). he greenstone contains high amounts of gold, which explains why the general area is targeted by gold miners. he Brownsberg can be geographically described as follows (see Figure 13.1): • located between 04° 45’ 46” and 05° 59’ 44” N, and 055° 07’ 58” and 055° 15' 23” W (deg.° min.’ sec.”; Zanderij datum); • land above 100 m elevation and neighboring creek valleys slightly below that level; • west of the Brokopondo Lake, east of the main course of the upper Mindrineti Creek, and south of the Verjari Creek (a Mindrineti tributary). Figure 13.1. Location of the Brownsberg range based on RADAR image, with indication of important villages (uniformly shaded ovals shapes), roads (lines), ranges and water bodies (gradual shading); the gradual shading indicates relief (lighter = higher); thick line = road to Paramaribo; thinner lines = other roads; Brownsberg station = location of STINASU buildings. A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 137 Chapter 13 he Brownsberg is roughly 13.5 km wide at its widest point and is about 34 km long; it is estimated to cover approximately 27,500 ha. It lies about 100 km inland from the coast and Suriname’s capital, on the water divide between the Suriname and Saramacca Rivers. Several landscape units that are geomorphologically similar to the Brownsberg occur in Suriname and the Guayana Shield region (based on GMD 1977, De Granville 1991, and De Dijn pers. obs.). he Stonbruku range virtually borders the Brownsberg in the west, separated from it by the valley of the Mindrineti Creek. Brownsberg and Stonbruku are at the heart of a belt of approximately ten modestsized hills with encrusted soil that stretches from the banks of the Saramacca River to the banks of the Suriname River. Towards the east, on the banks of the Marowijne / Maroni River, there are more isolated hills: Nassau and Lely on the Suriname side of the border, and the Francaises and Kotika on the French Guiana side. Other isolated hills and hill complexes also lie scattered throughout much of the northern part of the Guayana Shield from the Venezuela-Guyana border region to Kaw in northeastern French Guiana (these formations are not to be confused with inselbergs, which are isolated outcroppings of granitic basement rock, usually much smaller than the ferro-bauxite encrusted ranges, with diferent vegetation types associated with them, such as socalled rock savanna, or exposed granite with xeromorphic herb and shrub patches). In the highland zone of Venezuelan Guayana, submontane ferro-bauxite-capped plateaus appear to be located around larger ranges that reach greater heights and are referred to as Tepuis or Mesas (see De Granville 1991). Climate and weather he biodiversity of the Brownsberg is diicult to understand without some background knowledge on the local weather and climate. Based on an elevation of approximately 500 m, the temperatures at the Brownsberg main plateau are several degrees lower than those in the surrounding lowlands. Precise historical temperature data are lacking, but Brownsberg weather data were recently captured by means of an automated weather station located at the northeastern margin of the plateau, at the Brownsberg station (Djosetro et al. 2005; see Figure 13.2 for location). Over the course of a 14month-period (May 2004 – April 2005), a maximum temperature of 30° C and a minimum of 19° C were recorded. his can be compared with data from the Mapane area (approximately 70 km NNE of Brownsberg, located < 100 m elevation) where Schultz (1960) did detailed meteorological observations and recorded a maximum temperature of 36° C and a minimum of 17° C. his leads to the conclusion that, compared to a nearby lowland setting, the Brownsberg main plateau is a thermally less variable environment, with considerably lower maximum temperatures. Assuming that this result can be generalized, this would mean that the Brownsberg main plateau has a milder and cooler climate than the surrounding lowlands, which is also how many human visitors experience it. 138 Rapid Assessment Program As obvious from the luxuriant forest vegetation, the Brownsberg beneits from high levels of precipitation, not unlike most of the interior regions of Suriname (Reichart 1997). Like elsewhere in the region (Hammond 2005b), the climate at Brownsberg is distinctly seasonal, and variably so (see below). Brownsberg lies in a tropical wet climate zone with an annual precipitation of ~2,000 mm, and is classiied as Af – Koeppen’s “always wet climate”, which means that, based on average monthly igures, no month has less than 60 mm rainfall (Scherpenzeel 1977 in Reichart 1997; see also Hammond 2005b). Historical rainfall data for the Brownsberg (taken at the Brownsberg station; Reichart 1997 and Suriname Meteorological Service unpublished data) recorded an average annual rainfall of 1,985 mm, between 1972-85, with a minimum of 1,555 mm in 1983 and a maximum of 2,581 in 1972. hese data suggest that the conventional distinction of four seasons in Suriname also applies to the Brownsberg: • Long rainy season: from late April – May until about mid-August (very reliable); • Long dry season: from mid-August until November – December (very reliable); • Short rainy season: December - January (unreliable, occasionally failing); • Short dry season: February - April (transitional, and often not very distinct). he Af climate characterization and the conventional subdivision of the year in four seasons are, however, misleading (Schultz 1960). A recent analysis of Suriname weather data (Mol et al. 2000) and a review of regional climate studies (see Hammond 2005b) highlight the often poorly appreciated fact that there is signiicant short-term inter-annual luctuation in rainfall, not only in annual rainfall but also in seasonal pattern. he seasonal timing and amount of the rainfall depends very much on the movement and “intensity” of the Inter-Tropical Convergence Belt or Zone (ITCB or ITCZ), which is subject to considerable luctuation often referred as ENSO (see Hammond 2005b). Recent Brownsberg meteorological data (Djosetro et al. 2005) illustrate this point: a monthly rainfall minimum of 25 mm was recorded in 2004, when rainfall remained below 60 mm / month for three consecutive months (Oct. – Dec.). Such conditions agree with Am – Koeppen’s strongly seasonal “monsoon climate”. Historical weather records for the Brownsberg (1981-84; Reichart 1997) also illustrate variable seasonality: a prolonged dry period in 1982 and 1983 (3 months below 60 mm / month), but no such period in 1984 (no month below 60 mm). herefore, at least at the Brownsberg plateau, the climate is relatively non-seasonal in some years, but very distinctly seasonal in others, with a prolonged dry period that may be quite stressful for the lora and fauna. The Biodiversity of the Brownsberg Longer term climate luctuations and change (see also Hammond 2005b) cannot be discussed in detail here, but are relevant with respect to the Brownsberg: • he illing of the Brokopondo Lake in 1964 likely changed the local climate (pers. comm. Becker), as obvious from divergent cloud patterns over the lake area during the long dry season (De Dijn, pers. obs.); • A gradual increase in temperature over the last ~100 years has been observed in Suriname, which may be accompanied by other climatic changes, e.g. in precipitation (Nurmohamed 2002); • An analysis (De Dijn unpublished) of weather data from three nearby meteo stations (Lelydorp, Zanderij and Brownsweg) suggests that there may be dry and wet phases, with a 30 to 40 years periodicity and 500 mm amplitude. Above, we are, in fact, drawing conclusions based on rainfall measurements. However, precipitation also occurs in the form of mist or fog at the Brownsberg. Because of the elevation gradient, the proximity of the coast, and the eastern trade winds (often supplying wet, oceanic air), a distinct “Massenerhebung” efect occurs. his means that cloud formation is promoted at the upper slopes and main plateau of the Brownsberg, and that the top of the range is often shrouded in clouds and fog (De Dijn, pers. obs.). Very often, the morning sky has been clear at the foot of the Brownsberg for hours (e.g. near the village of Brownsweg), while rain or fog still prevails at the main plateau. his phenomenon explains the very wet aspect of much of the Brownsberg, and the great abundance of epiphytes (see below), especially along the eastern margin of the main plateau (areas with so-called “moss forest”, see Habitats section below). In fact, because of these peculiar meteorological conditions and the resulting high epiphyte load, the Brownsberg main plateau Figure 13.2. RADAR (left) and Landsat composite (right) images of the Brownsberg range, with indication of the borders of the STINASU-managed Park (polygon with white outline) and the SURALCO Concession (polygon with black outline), as well as all-weather dirt roads (full lines; access road up and over the range grey), bulldozer trails used by miners (dotted lines); the gradual shading on the RADAR image indicates relief (lighter = higher); on the Landsat image, the shades of grey reflects living plant biomass (lighter = lower biomass), from closed, high rainforest (dark grey), over sparsely vegetated savanna, agricultural plots or old, abandoned mining areas (medium grey), to exposed soil of roads, active mining areas as well as village and camp sites (light grey); exposed water surfaces are black on the Landsat image, i.e. the Brokopondo lake as well as small water-filled basins created by miners (apparent as black dots in light gray areas). A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 139 Chapter 13 and upper slopes may very well qualify as “low elevation cloud forest”. he moss forest aspect distinguishes submontane habitats of the Brownsberg main plateau and upper slopes from supericially similar habitats at the base of the Brownsberg. he humidity is persistently high at the Brownsberg main plateau (based on weather data recently recorded by STINASU: Djosetro et al. 2005 and unpublished). When the STINASU weather data for Brownsberg are compared with that recorded by Schultz (1960) from January to June of 1956 in the nearby Mapane area, it is obvious that minimum relative humidity (r.h.) at the Brownsberg main plateau is considerably higher (88% r.h.) than the Mapane minimum (75% r.h.). hus, the environment of the Brownsberg main plateau may be considerably less stressful than the surrounding lowland environment, at least for organisms that lose water easily via the body surface, such as epiphytic mosses and terrestrial Amphibia. Landscape, soil and hydrology As mentioned above, the Brownsberg’s deining feature is the encrusted main plateau at about 500 m elevation, located in the northern part of the Brownsberg range, and encompassing no more than one-twentieth of the Brownsberg’s surface. he following description is largely based on a survey done by De Dijn and Satyawan for STINASU (unpublished); Figure 13.2 shows some of the features described. Parts of the main plateau form slight depressions that may hold water for a few days to weeks after heavy rainstorms, e.g. in the rainy season. One extensive shallow depression occurs near the Telesur station; smaller ones occur more towards the Brownsberg station. In the southern part of the Brownsberg there are a few smaller submontane plateau fragments, connected with each other and the northern main plateau by a north-south ridge. On this ridge and smaller ridges that fan out from the main plateau, the soil is heavy loam-clay on top of bedrock, with bedrock or ferro-bauxite stones exposed or incorporated. he slopes descending from the submontane plateaus and ridges are mostly steep (an estimated 30-60 degrees) and have a deep clayey soil. Locally, big ferro-bauxite boulders occur on the slopes that have broken of from the crust of the elevated plateau. Immediately below the encrusted margin of the plateau, ferro-bauxite boulders tend to be numerous, and the margin itself is often obvious as a ferrobauxite escarpment with a vertical drop of a few meters. he steep slopes descend to less than 100 m elevation, except where they encounter one of the eroded foothills (at ca. 100150 m) or another erosion-resistant plateau. Although there seem to be several smaller encrusted plateaus associated with the Brownsberg at lower elevations, only one seems to be extensive. he latter is known as the Bongrowiri plateau (see Reichart 1997); it occurs at approximately 120 m elevation and appears to be discontinuous. One large Brongrowiri section occurs in the north, where the access road crosses the Park border; the western margin of this section forms a considerable escarpment with a dropdown of up to 10 m. 140 Rapid Assessment Program On the slopes and ridges, the loamy upper soil is well drained, often deep, and, because of the relief, the water lows quickly to the creeks. Water on the main plateau, on the other hand, often stagnates and seems to penetrate the crust very slowly to charge the plateau aquifer. Perennial creeks originate on the main plateau or up to 50 m below it, where depressions or gullies cut into it. hese creek origins may look like veritable sources – a small, compact stream of water exiting from below solid crust – or manifest themselves as waterlogged mini-valleys. he perennial creeks follow a pattern that is quite typical of creeks that are associated with submontane encrusted plateaus in the region (see Habitats section below). Seasonal creeks, meaning those that only have noticeable low after heavy rainstorms or in the (peak) rainy season, are largely limited to the upper parts of slopes; their beds are formed by steep, stony gullies. At the Brownsberg, the upland sections of all creeks are narrow: the creek beds are seldom more than 5 m wide, and only ill up with water in the peak rainy season. he lowland sections of the creeks tend to be much larger; the Witi-Moeder Creek, which drains the much of the eastern portion of the Brownsberg, has a creek bed of up to about 10 m wide (for location, see Figure 13.2). Because of concern about pollution caused by tourism and gold mining, the Browns-Verjari and Witi-Moeder Creeks were recently investigated in terms of water quality (Ouboter 2005; samples taken at 6 locations in May, Aug. and Oct. 2003 and Jan., Mar. and Jun. 2004). Creek sections upstream from known sources of pollution and disturbance (Browns Creek at ca. 300 – 400 m elevation and Witi Creek at ca. 100 - 150 m elevation) can be characterized as follows: • Water temperature between 22 and 26° C; • Clear water (turbidity below 10 NTU - Nephelometric Turbity Unit); • pH between 6 and 7, but between 7 and 8 for Witi Creek; • High dissolved oxygen content (6.5 to 9.5 mg/l); • Low nutrient levels (nitrate < 0.05 mg/l; ortho-phosphate < 0.50 mg/l); • Low conductivity (< 50 μS), except at Witi kreek (100170 μS); • Low hardness (CaCO3 < 10 mg/l), except at Witi kreek (up to 75 mg/l); • Low alkalinity (Ca/MgOHx < 100 mg/l), except at Witi Creek (up to 720 mg/l); • Low level of (dissolved) aluminum (< 0.5 mg/l) and iron (< 1.0 mg/l); • Often high levels of (dissolved) mercury (< 0.10 μg/l) • Modest COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand < 20 mg/l) The Biodiversity of the Brownsberg • Low Coliform bacteria content (< 1,500 per l) but on one occasion (at Browns Creek in Aug.) ca. 5,000 per l he above can be regarded as the natural baseline for the Brownsberg Creek systems investigated. he data (see above) suggest that the Witi-Moeder Creek system is somewhat diferent in terms of water quality from the Browns-Verjari Creek system, and from the norm for creeks in the interior of Suriname (Ouboter 2005 and Ouboter pers. comm.). Creek sections at or just downstream of areas recently disturbed by gold miners have very diferent characteristics (Ouboter 2005; detailed data not presented here): they are very turbid, have periodically high nutrient and COD levels, have high dissolved aluminum and iron levels, and may have very high dissolved mercury levels. History and status Pre-Columbian times (10,000 BP – AD 1700) Archeological inds indicate that the mid-Suriname River/ Brownsberg area was inhabited by Amerindians (Versteeg 2003). Artifacts have been dated to ca. 1000 - 1500 AD, and include pottery (including special pottery products for polishing purposes), roughly prepared raw stones, and inished, polished stones (especially axes), as well as stone fragments for slashing and cutting purposes. here are ive known archeological sites at Brownsberg: four sites are settlements associated with the Brownsberg culture, located along the access road, and one site of unknown association is located at Witi Creek. he life style of the Brownsberg Amerindians may have been similar to the well known traditional life style of the Tareno (Trio) and Wajana (Oayana): engaging in slash-andburn agriculture, hunting a variety of wildlife species and collecting non-timber forest products, such as nuts, fruits, and medicinal plants (Versteeg 2003). A unique characteristic of the Brownsberg culture people appears to be their stone quarrying activities and associated fashioning of axes. here is evidence that these people exchanged goods with people from other cultures who used to live in the coastal plain; stones were transported to the coast (where they do not occur naturally) to be used there as tools and to be processed further to make ornaments. No Amerdians currently live near the Brownsberg. he Amerindian population may have crashed as a consequence of the arrival of European colonizers in the 17th Century (see Colonial period: 17001975 section below). Colonial period (1700 – 1975) During the early Colonial period, i.e. the early to mid-17th Century, several Western settlements consisting of a few villages and many plantations, were established along the lower Suriname River (see Dragtenstein 2002 and references therein). By the turn of the 17 - 18th Century, there were some isolated plantations near the middle Suriname River - the most upstream one was no more than 10 km north of the Brownsberg. Around that time, a small military post was also established at Berg-en-Dal (i.e. at the Blauwe Berg, a small riverside hill near the current intersection between the Afobaka road and the road to Brownsweg and Pokigron; see Figure 13.1 for location). Labor at the plantations was provided by African slaves, and many of these Africans ran away from the plantations and initially established themselves in the nearby forests. he African runaways and their descendants are currently referred to as Maroons. Maroon villages have existed in the mid-Suriname River area ever since the late 17th Century, as obvious from reports of colonial expeditions up the Suriname River to eradicate them (Dragtenstein 2002). By the mid-18th Century, the Maroons had formed several tribes, and those of the Saramaka tribe moved from the Saramacca River to the upper and middle Suriname River. hey were well established along the upper Suriname River by 1762, when a deinitive peace treaty was signed between them and the Colonial government at Sara Creek (a tributary of the Suriname River). he lifestyle of the Maroons was and, in many places, is still similar to the traditional lifestyle of the Indigenous (Amerindian) people, meaning that it is based on slash-and-burn agriculture, and hunting and collecting in the forest. he eastern Brownsberg foothills was likely the outer limits of areas used for slash-and-burn agriculture (as obvious from an old campsite at Witi-Moeder kreek; De Dijn, pers. obs.), while the Brownsberg range itself was a tribal hunting ground (Teunissen in prep.). he Saramaka people still live along the middle and upstream sections of the Suriname River (along with some Aukaner Maroons at Sara kreek). By the late 19th Century, new developments had their impact on the area: gold mining and the harvest of balata (exudate from the bark of Manilkara bidentata). A veritable gold rush had developed by the turn of the 19-20th Century attracting European and North American adventurers to the Interior of Suriname, as well as laborers from Paramaribo and the Caribbean islands (van Traa 1946). his irst gold rush brought miner John Brown to Berg-and-Dal, where he made a cart road to the west, to a nearby range where he owned a gold concession (Bubberman and Jansen 1970). he cart road is now the road to Brownsweg, and the range is now called the Brownsberg. A railroad was built from Paramaribo to the gold ields along the Saramacca and Suriname Rivers, and this reached the Brownsberg area between 1906 and 1908 (based on Van Traa 1946); a station called Brownsweg was established, which is the location of the current Maroon village of Brownsweg. John Brown and succeeding miners (through the late 1920s) used heavy equipment and probably also explosives to mine at the Brownsberg, as obvious from historical accounts (see Bubberman 1977) and remains of machines and considerable earthworks (Molgo pers. comm. and De Dijn pers. obs.). Some of the current attractions of the Brownsberg, such as the Leo and Irene waterfalls, are, at least in part, man-made artifacts resulting from mining activities from a century ago. Old soil pits and water diversion channels in the Witi-Moeder Creek area (De Dijn pers. obs.) indicate that this area too is a historical mining area, and suggest that the habitats A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 141 Chapter 13 there are not pristine. While this gold rush was continuing, the extraction of balata started to develop in Suriname and peaked in the 1910s (based on igures in van Traa 1946). he “bleeding” of trees was accomplished by making cuts in the bark of balata trees in a ishbone pattern; these cut-marks can still be seen in old trees at Brownsberg. From the 1930s onward, gold mining and balata extractions declined (van Traa 1946). When the Brownsberg Nature Park was established in 1970, these activities had all but ceased (Reichart 1997). he most dramatic event that changed the geography of the area and catapulted it into the 20th Century was the creation of the Brokopondo Lake, a hydropower reservoir. A dam was created on the Suriname River at Afobaka, and by September 1964 approximately 156,000 ha of forest land were transformed into a shallow lake (Leentvaar 2003). he eastern Brownsberg foothills became a lakeshore, and an estimated 5,000 Saramaka people were displaced (see Hoop 1991), part of whom (approximately 1,000) moved to a “transmigration village” set up at Brownsweg. he hydropower lake and facilities were established with funds from the USA-based ALCOA company, which had established SURALCO as its subsidiary in Suriname. ALCOA was in need of cheap energy to power the alumina factory and aluminum smelter it intended to build in Suriname; when the Brokopondo Lake was inished, it provided power to SURALCO as well as to much of the coastal area. he Brownsberg was one of the target areas for bauxite mining which SURALCO obtained as a mineral concession (see Concession limits in Figure 13.2), and the main plateau area was explored intensively during the late 1960s by SURALCO (Teunissen in prep.). During the exploration, the access road to and across the plateau was created and the irst buildings of the Brownsberg station were set up as part of the exploration camp infrastructure. No actual bauxite mining took place though at the Brownsberg, as the deposits were considered of poor quality and not economical to exploit. he current road to Brownsweg was created at the time of the transmigration (i.e. ca. 1964) and the Atjonipasi (a.k.a. Tjongalangapasi), the road between Brownsweg and Pokigron, was created in the mid-1970s (Molgo pers. comm.). Inhabitants from Brownsweg have made “campu” – temporary camps associated with slash-and-burn ields – along the Atjonipasi; many of these campu are currently small permanent settlements. Horticultural ields are currently found within a few km of the road (as seen in Landsat image in Figure 13.2). In 1970, an area of approximately 7,000 ha that completely surrounds the SURALCO Concession was given in long-term lease to STINASU, a government-linked nature conservation organization established in 1969. his area was named the Brownsberg Nature Park, and represents approximately 60% of the current Park. STINASU was given permission to make use of the Concession and the buildings set up by SURALCO (Reichart 1997). 142 Rapid Assessment Program Post-independence period and current status (1975 – present) By the late 1970s and early 1980s, STINASU had established a thriving nature tourism resort at the Brownsberg, welcoming thousands of visitors each year (Teunissen in prep.). Dramatic political events, the so-called “Interior” or Civil War, afected the Brownsberg area from the mid1980s through the early 1990s. here was serious ighting at Brownsweg during the mid-1980s, and STINASU ceased its operations in 1986. Operations were resumed in 1991 after STINASU had rehabilitated some of the Brownsberg station buildings. By the late 1990s, nature tourism activities again achieved their former level and were increasing. In 2002, STINASU obtained much of the southern part of the Brownsberg in concession. hus, an area of approximately 4,800 ha was added to the Park (the boundaries of the Park indicated in Figure 13.2 relect the current extent of the Park managed by STINASU, i.e. 7,000 + 4,800 = 11,800 ha). From 1999 onward, artisanal gold mining made a dramatic resurgence in the Browsberg area, including the Park. Small-scale, artisanal gold mining had never totally ceased since the irst gold rush, but it had been reduced to manual digging and panning by the 1980s (Reichart 1997). From the early 1990s onward, a second gold rush developed throughout the Guianas (Hammond 2002b), propelled by an inlux of Brazilian miners and mining technology (Healy and Heemskerk 2005). he continuing rise of the international gold price has translated into the use of heavier equipment and larger mining teams. For the Brownsberg area, this has meant that several teams with bulldozers and excavators began to mine their way up the major creeks, such as Browns, Verjari, Kumbu and Witi-Moeder Creeks (De Dijn pers. obs.; see also Figure 13.2). he ongoing artisanal mining is strip, surface mining; it transforms the forested creek valleys into a wasteland with excavator trails, deep basins, unstable sediment, and polluted water. he mining areas currently extend well into the Park, and an old exploration road from Brownsweg to Witi-Moeder Creek was re-opened by miners in 2004. here have been several attempts by STINASU to remove the miners; expelling the Brazilian miners from the Park seems to have worked, but ejecting the local miners (people from Brownsweg) has essentially failed. About 5% of the Park area has been afected by artisanal gold mining during the last decade, and has essentially been devastated (Teunissen in prep.). STINASU has actually proposed to excise approximately 1,000 ha of northwestern corner of the Park and allow miners to work there; this particular area is part of the Browns-Verjari Creeks system and has been heavily mined, historically as well as recently. he area between the Park’s western border and the course of the Minidrineti Creek has been provisionally designated by the Foundation for Forest Management and Control (SBB) as a “bufer zone” that could, in principle, become an extension of the Park. Essentially all other lands surrounding the Park, including the provisional bufer zone, are designated for logging; some areas are timber concessions granted to companies and others are so-called wood-cutting The Biodiversity of the Brownsberg licenses (“HKV”) granted to village chiefs (intended to be used for the beneit of the local communities). Commercial logging operators currently work in most of the areas in the west and north, alongside artisanal gold miners. Biodiversity Habitats Stream habitats have already been characterized in terms of water quality (see above). Many of the creeks of the Brownsberg range dry out during the long dry season, particularly small creeks at higher elevations. Small creeks in Suriname’s interior, like the ones at Brownsberg, tend to be heavily shaded, which translates in a low aquatic plant biomass. As a consequence, the aquatic food chain strongly depends on the inlux of food from the surrounding forest (see Harripersad-Makhanlal and Ouboter 1993). he creeks associated with submontane plateaus with a ferro-bauxite crust, like the Brownsberg, are diferent from those associated with other, more common landscapes in the Guianas (generalization based on concise characterization by De Granville 1994 and De Dijn pers. obs.): • Creek low starts slowly in near-horizontal gullies on the plateau; parts of these gullies hold alluvial material and may form perennially looded streambeds; • Once these creeks pass the margin of the elevated plateau, they become fast-lowing and strongly erosive, descending in steep, cascading beds, and exposing the parent rock; locally, these cascades are considerable and give rise to small waterfalls or strings of rapids, with substantial exposure of bedrock; At or below 100 m elevation, these permanent creeks transform abruptly: they become slower-lowing again, but are now much wider and located in yet wider alluvial plains. hese creeks can, thus, be viewed as a linear succession of habitats, following the dramatic elevation and climatic gradient. Unique plant associations and species such as Dicranopygium pygmaeum (Cyclanthaceae) and certain fern species (e.g. Cyathea – arborescent ferns – and Diplazium spp. and other non-woody terrestrial ferns) characterize the creek and creek side habitats at Brownsberg (De Dijn pers. obs.), in full agreement with the general description of streamside habitats that are associated with elevated, ferro-bauxite encrusted plateaus by De Granville (1994). Creeks afected by on-site gold mining are dramatically diferent from undisturbed ones (see above) and represent diferent habitats: the forest cover is largely absent and the creeks are exposed to direct sunlight, as are the basins with standing water that are left behind by the miners. It is obvious (De Dijn pers. obs.) that, at least in the basins, these changes in water quality and exposure to sunlight lead to strong algal blooms that color the water green, which can only mean that the aquatic food chain here is very diferent, based on a substantial primary production by algae. he terrestrial habitats of the Brownsberg can best be generally subdivided and described on the basis of the terrestrial vegetation and soil characteristics, in combination with elevation and landscape characteristics. De Granville (1994) and others (e.g. Teunissen in Suriname Planatlas 1988) distinguish between lowland and submontane vegetation types, i.e. those below and above 500 m elevation. his should be interpreted as a distinction between habitat types rather than vegetation types. he 500 m dividing line is somewhat arbitrary and for the Brownsberg it may be more appropriate to set it at 400-450 m, which is the approximate altitude of the lower parts of the main elevated plateau, and is also the altitude above which climatological conditions tend towards those of cloud forest (see above). he basis for the terrestrial vegetation description that follows is the work of De Granville (1994); below, the French terminology is translated and adapted, e.g. to it the situation as encountered at Brownsberg. he lora and vegetation of the Brownsberg have recently been assessed by ter Steege and collaborators (2005) and De Dijn and Satyawan (for STINASU; unpublished), and the results of these rapid assessments have been incorporated in the following discussion. he terrestrial habitats at Brownsberg can be classiied according to vegetation or forest type (as proposed below) and elevation zone (lowland versus submontane): • “Standard” mesophytic rainforest: his is a multistory forest, located mostly on well drained, usually deep soil. Typically, the forest is high to very high, and virtually all plants in the understory are thin-leaved (often big with long drip-tips). At the Brownsberg, this vegetation type is essentially restricted to the lowlands, i.e. the foothills, slopes and ridges, although it may occasionally reach altitudes of approximately 500 m. It may cover 70-80% of the Brownsberg. he speciic composition of the vegetation is highly variable, but usually leguminous trees (Mimosoideae, Papilionaceae and Caesalipiniaceae) are dominant, alongside Sapotaceae and other highly diverse tree families (see De Granville 1994). Tree species (with a stem larger than 10 cm diameter), such as Carapa procera, Gustavia hexapetala and Oenocarpus baccaba, are abundant on the slopes and at the foot of the Brownsberg, and Tetragastris panamensis, Corypthophora labriculata, and Astrocarium sciophylum are particularly abundant at the foot (generalization based on data in ter Steege et al. 2005). he understory is frequently dominated by Astrocarium palms (e.g. the common A. paramaca), and is typically open, except near larger streams and where the forest has been disturbed (in natural or man-made clearing). his forest type is usually referred to as “high dryland forest” (but the same term is also used to designate the next type); • Meso-xerophytic forest on partially ferro-bauxite encrusted soil: his is also a multi-story vegetation type, but it is restricted to encrusted plateaus and caps, and occurs in submontane and lowland settings at Browns- • A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 143 Chapter 13 berg; typically, many of the plant leaves in the understory are xeromorphic (thick, often small and without distinct drip-tips). his vegetation type has a variable composition, often similar to that of “standard” rainforest, but with higher proportions of e.g. Myrtaceae, Lauraceae, Annonaceae and Burseraceae (see De Granville 1994). Tree species (with a stem larger than 10 cm diameter), such as Qualea rosea and Vouacapoua americana, are abundant in the high forest of the encrusted plateaus at Brownsberg (regardless of elevation), while Micrandra brownsbergensis, Coussarea paniculata, Neea ovalifolia and an unidentiied Myrtaceae are particularly abundant on the submontane plateau only (generalization based on data in ter Steege et al. 2004). his forest type covers most of the submontane and lower plateaus of the Brownsberg, and is often shorter than “standard” rainforest on nearby slopes with deep soil, and has a denser understory. In Suriname, this forest type is sometimes referred to as “(high) (mountain) savanna forest” (but the term is more often used to designate the next forest type). At high elevations where cloud forest conditions prevail – at Brownsberg along much of the eastern margin of the main plateau – the forest is rich in epiphytes, e.g. mosses, and referred to as “moss forest”; 144 • Predominantly xerophytic low forest on heavily ferro-bauxite encrusted soil: his is essentially a low, one-story vegetation type that is restricted to areas with an exposed, solid ferro-bauxite crust and little topsoil. It occurs in submontane and lowland settings at Brownsberg. his forest type is dominated by thin-stemmed, xeromorphic trees, many of which are multi-stemmed and gnarled (see De Granville 1994); Myrtaceae are well represented and are striking elements of the vegetation (De Dijn pers. obs.), and epiphytic and epilithic nonwoody plants may be very abundant, such as orchids, bromeliads and mosses. At Brownsberg, this vegetation type covers small sections of the submontane plateau, as well as at least two larger slope sections with a heavily encrusted lateritic soil. While parts of the main plateau where this vegetation type occurs are seasonally looded (for periods of up to a week), looding has never been observed in lowland areas with a similar vegetation. he vegetation composition in the lowlands (at Brownsberg: on the Bongrowiri plateau) may difer from that in the highland areas (see De Granville 1994), e.g. because of the diferences in terms of precipitation and drainage. In Suriname, this forest type is often referred to as “(low) mountain savanna forest”; • Bamboo / liana forest: his may not be forest sensu strictu, as it is often a low thicket, dominated by lianas and bamboo (Guadua spp.), with only scattered emergent trees (see De Granville 1994). At the Brownsberg, this vegetation type is restricted to lowland settings; it is regarded as anthropogenic and indicative of locations that have been disturbed for prolonged periods of time (e.g. inhabited by successive generations of people in Rapid Assessment Program pre-Columbian times; Versteeg pers. comm.; see also Bubberman 1988). his vegetation type typically occupies relatively small surfaces; • Marshy streamside forest: with seasonal looding tolerant trees (De Granville 1994). his forest type occurs in larger wet depressions, gullies and creek valleys in submontane and lowland settings at Brownsberg. It resembles “standard” rainforest in terms of height and leaf characteristics, but is seasonally looded or at least waterlogged, and difers in tree composition. Typical tree species associated with this vegetation type are Eperua spp. (which can be quite dominant) and the stilt-rooted palm Socratea exorhizza (at low densities; De Dijn pers. obs.); • Swamp-marsh forest: dominated by the pina palm, Euterpe oleracea. At Brownsberg, this forest type is located along creeks in the lowlands, and in submontane and lowland settings in “backswamp” situations (slight depressions that are poorly drained, are permanently looded or waterlogged, and feed creeks during most of the year; De Dijn pers. obs.). he natural habitats of the Brownsberg range agree very well with the habitats described as vegetation types of the Interior of French Guiana by De Granville (1994); the correspondence with habitat types found at the Nassau and Lely ranges is striking (De Dijn pers. obs.). he more unique habitats are those associated with the plateaus, e.g. cloud forest habitats and habitats with a heavily encrusted soil. hese habitats are divergent in terms of soil and climatological conditions and also vegetation composition (see above). he Brownsberg range, like the other discrete ranges in French Guiana (De Granville 1994) and eastern Suriname (ter Steege et al. 2005), would appear to have idiosyncrasies in terms of tree composition, and possibly also in terms of other plant growth forms and taxa. A case in point is the abundance of Micrandra brownsbergensis, which is not endemic to the Brownsberg but is exceptionally abundant there on the main plateau. his can be interpreted as the result of the relatively isolated development of the vegetation of the diferent ranges. he Brownsberg is, however, part of a wider chain of plateaus (see above) in Suriname, and the nearby Stonbruku range (which has not yet been investigated) may be similar. he descriptions of terrestrial vegetation (above) apply mainly to “climax” vegetation types, either of pristine or old anthropogenic nature. A substantial part of the Brownsberg is not pristine, but has been recently disturbed by humans. Parts of the Brownsberg forest is in various stages of succession, and may best be referred to as secondary forest. Early secondary forest is typically lower and dominated by fast-growing native tree species (such as Cecropia but also Vismia and other softwood species). While trees characteristic of secondary forest occur throughout the Brownsberg in natural gaps formed by recent treefalls, these natural gaps tend to be small and isolated. Human disturbance often The Biodiversity of the Brownsberg leads to the formation of more important gaps that are colonized by secondary forest species. he forest that develops in these man-made gaps will thus typically cover larger areas (more than approximately 0.25 ha), and may represent a distinct habitat type. At Brownsberg, secondary forest occurs along the main road across the Brownsberg range, but also in other disturbed zones. he lowest level of disturbance at the Brownsberg occurs generally above 200-250 m elevation and throughout the southern part of the range. he highest level of disturbance occurs in and near creek valleys below 200 m where miners are active (see Figure 13.2). he level of disturbance is exceptionally high in the northwest (Browns, Verjari, and Kumbu Creek valleys; towards Stonbruku) and at some locations near the Brokopondo Lake (Makambi and Witi-Moeder Creek valleys). A special habitat at the Brownsberg that is also clearly anthropogenic is a small cave at Leo Falls (on Browns Creek), which reportedly dates from the turn of the 19-20th Century (note: it represents a special habitat for bats). Table 13.1. Mammals collected or observed in the Brownsberg range. No. of species Larger group Small lying mammals (bats) Small nonlying mammals Large mammals (incl. primates) all No. of spp. 54 21 41 116 Family No. of spp. Emballonuridae 2 Molossidae 2 Mormoopidae 2 Phyllostomidae 43 hyropteridae 1 Vespertillionidae 4 Didelphidae 8 Echimyidae 4 Muridae 7 Sciuridae 2 Cervidae 3 Tayassuidae 2 Endemic to the Guayana Shield Listed on CITES Appendix I Listed by IUCN as CR, EN, VU or NT 1 8 1 2 1 2 Canidae 2 1 1 Felidae 6 5 2 Mustelidae 2 Procyonidae 2 Dasypodidae 4 1 1 Tapiridae 1 Bradypodidae 1 Cyclopeidae 1 Megalonychidae 1 Myrmecophagidae 2 Callitrichidae 1 Cebidae 7 Cuniculidae 1 Dasyproctidae 2 Erethizontidae 2 Hydrochaeridae 1 1 1 2 1 7 7 17 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 145 Chapter 13 Species Plants Plants will not be discussed here much beyond what has already been presented in relation to habitat and vegetation in the above section. A separate chapter in this volume deals with botanical diversity in general, and another one speciically with orchid diversity. It is important to note, though, that a substantial number of rare plants have been recorded at the Brownsberg (see list of “endemic” and “rare” plant species in Mittermeier et al. 1990; see also chapter on orchids and orchid bees). It is worth noting that probably none of the Brownsberg endemics listed in Mittermeier et al. (1990) actually are unique to the area, as they have proven to be more widespread but rare Guayana Shield endemics that at the time were only known from the Brownsberg (De Dijn pers. obs.) Mammals A listing of the mammals of the Brownsberg (Appendix 18) has been based on a recent review by Lim et al. (2005); the discussion here is based on this review (including the taxonomy and nomenclature). A summary of the listing features is presented in Table 13.1; nine species mentioned by Lim et al. (2005) have been excluded, as they have not been collected or observed at the Brownsberg range itself (based on our deinition of the range). he 116 mammal species recorded at the Brownsberg range represents almost two-thirds of the total number of mammal species known from Suriname (based on discussion in Lim et al. 2005). With 41 species recorded, the list of large mammals should be complete or nearly so, thanks to the wildlife monitoring eforts of STINASU and numerous volunteers and guest researchers such as Norconk and collaborators (see Plant-Animal Interactions section below). he only large mammal species know from Suriname, but not listed for the Brownsberg, are those occurring in habitats that are not known from the Brownsberg range; many small mammal species have not yet been recorded at Brownsberg, but most probably do occur there and have simply escaped detection (see Lim et al. 2005 for a list). he mammal fauna of the Brownsberg can be characterized as a typical Guayana Shield lowland rainforest fauna (see Lim et al. 2005), and includes eight species of monkeys (see Norconck et al. 2003 for details), two of which, Ateles paniscus (black spider monkey) and Pithecia pithecia (whitefaced saki), are Guayana Shield endemics. Other Guayana Shield endemics recorded are (based on www.natureserve. org/infonatura accessed July 2006): Coendou melanurus (black-tailed hairy dwarf porcupine), Neacomys paracou (a spiny mouse), Oecomys auyantepui (a rice rat), Monodelphis brevicaudata (an opossum) and Lophostoma schulzi (a bat). Table 13.2. Birds recorded from Brownsberg. No. of species Order Endemic to the Guayana Shield Apodiformes 30 Caprimulgiformes 6 Charadriiformes 4 Ciconiiformes 5 Columbiformes 9 Coraciiformes 5 Cuculiformes 4 Falconiformes 31 Galbuliformes 11 2 Galliformes 5 2 Gruiformes 3 Listed by IUCN as CR, EN, VU or NT 1 1 1 1 221 Pelicaniformes 1 Piciformes 18 3 Psittaciformes 18 2 2 1 Strigiformes 6 Tinamiformes 5 Trogoniformes 5 30 4 3 Rapid Assessment Program 387 21 Listed on CITES Appendix I Passeriformes Total 146 No. of spp. The Biodiversity of the Brownsberg Twenty of the mammal species recorded at Brownsberg are of considerable conservation concern, obvious from their listing on the CITES Appendix I or their listing by IUCN as endangered, vulnerable or near-threatened (based on www. natureserve.org/infonatura accessed July 2006; Appendix 18): Speothos venaticus (bush dog), Herpailurus yagouaroundi (jaguarundi), Leopardus pardalis (ocelot), L. tigrinus (oncilla) and L. wiedii (margay), Panthera onca (jaguar), Priodontes maximus (giant armadillo), Caluromys philander (woolly opossum), Marmosops parvidens (delicate slender mouse opossum), Tapirus terrestris (Brazilian tapir), Myrmecophaga tridactyla (giant anteater), Echimys chrysurus (white-faced tree rat), and eight bat species: Artibeus concolor and A. obscurus, Table 13.3. Bird species endemic to the Guayana Shield recorded from Brownsberg. Scientific name English name Penelope marail Marail Guan Crax alector Black Curassow Pionopsitta caica Caica Parrot Amazona dufresniana Blue-cheeked Parrot Notharchus macrorhynchos Guianan Pufbird Monasa atra Black Nunbird Pteroglossus viridis Green Aracari Selenidera culik Guianan Toucanet Veniliornis cassini Golden-collared Woodpecker Synallaxis macconnelli McConnell’s Spinetail Xiphorhynchus pardalotus Chestnut-rumped Woodcreeper Frederickena viridis Black-throated Antshrike Sakesphorus melanothorax Band-tailed Antshrike Myrmotherula surinamensis Guianan Streaked-Antwren Myrmotherula guttata Rufous-bellied Antwren Myrmotherula gutturalis Brown-bellied Antwren Herpsilochmus sticturus Spot-tailed Antwren Herpsilochmus stictocephalus Todd’s Antwren Percnostola ruifrons Black-headed Antbird Gymnopithys ruigula Rufous-throated Antbird Contopus albogularis White-throated Pewee Perissocephalus tricolor Capuchinbird Corapipo gutturalis White-throated Manakin Lepidothrix serena White-fronted Manakin Tyranneutes virescens Tiny Tyrant-Manakin Iodopleura fusca Dusky Purpletuft Cyanicterus cyanicterus Blue-backed Tanager Periporphyrus erythromelas Red-and-black Grosbeak Euphonia inschi Finsch’s Euphonia Euphonia cayennensis Golden-sided Euphonia Glyphonycteris daviesi and G. sylvestris, Lophostoma carrikeri and L. schulzi, Phyllostomus latifolius, Vampyressa brocki. Birds A listing of the birds of the Brownsberg area is regularly updated on the website of Jan-Hein Ribot (http://www1. nhl.nl/~ribot/english/). hese updates are based on inputs from STINASU and various ornithologists that have visited the Brownsberg Nature Park. he summary in 13.2 is based on a Ribot listing (accessed July 2005) that has been modiied slightly by one of the specialists co-authoring this review (O’Shea, who removed four species from the list and added one; an additional species was removed based on Ottema pers. comm.). he 387 bird species recorded at Brownsberg (Appendix 19) represent some 55% of the total number of bird species known from Suriname (Haverschmidt and Mees 1994 and http://www1.nhl.nl/~ribot/english). Knowledge of the Brownsberg avifauna is excellent as a result of a series of monthly inventories done recently by STINASU during one full year (Ottema unpub. data) and because the Brownsberg Park has been visited by numerous experienced ornithologists. he composition of the avifauna of the Brownsberg is typical of Amazonian lowland rainforest, although almost 8% of the species recorded from Brownsberg are Guayana Shield endemics (Table 13.2, Hilty 2003, Milensky et al. 2005). he majority of the 30 species of endemics found at Brownsberg (Table 13.3) are regional representatives of more widespread species complexes. Nevertheless, they represent distinct taxonomic entities whose global ranges are quite small. Bird diversity at Brownsberg is high, due primarily to the fact that the Park is contiguous with large expanses of undisturbed forest in the region; habitat diversity also accounts for the large number of species recorded from the Park. he tall forest on top of the Brownsberg plateau is the most species-rich habitat. Four of the bird species recorded at Brownsberg are of considerable conservation concern: Harpia harpyja (Harpy Eagle; CITES Appendix I and IUCN Near hreatened), Ara macao (Scarlet Macaw; CITES Appendix I), Amazona dufresniana (Blue-cheeked Parrot; IUCN Near hreatened and Guayana Shield endemic), and Contopus cooperi (Olivesided Flycatcher; IUCN Near hreatened). Populations of game birds, especially Cracidae (Guans and Curassows) and Psophiidae (Trumpeters), are very healthy. he density of trumpeters, in particular, is higher here than at any other site this author has surveyed in South America. he abundance of game birds supports the impression that the area of Brownsberg remains little afected by human activity and is thus an excellent representation of an undisturbed Guianan lowland forest bird community. Reptiles and amphibians To compile a listing of the herpetofauna of the Brownsberg, data from various sources were scrutinized and combined, including: i) data compiled earlier by Reichart (1997), ii) data collected by STINASU staf and volunteers in the A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 147 Chapter 13 course of the BNP monitoring program (see above), and iii) data from observations of specialists co-authoring this review (Marty, Luger, Ringler, Crothers, and Noonan). Doubtful records and records that may be based on misidentiications were not retained; it was attempted to avoid inlating the species numbers by only counting unidentiied species when overlap with identiied species was very unlikely. A summary of the listing is presented in Table 13.4 and the list is presented in Appendix 20. he 80 species of reptiles and 64 species of amphibians (Appendix 20) represent a very rich sample of the Guayana Shield lowland rainforest fauna. he amphibian fauna is quite diverse and includes some rare elements such as Allophrynidae and Centrolenidae and two species of worm salamander (Gymnophiona). he high amphibian species diversity is undoubtedly due to the dramatic relief and the associated high habitat diversity at the Brownsberg. Some Amphibia species appear to be restricted to the foggy and Table 13.4. Amphibians and reptiles collected or observed at Brownsberg. No. of species Larger group Amphibia Anura (frogs & toads) 62 Amphibia Gymnophiona 2 Reptilia Crocodylia 1 Reptilia Squamata “lizards” Reptilia Squamata “snakes” Reptilia Testudines 148 No. of spp. 28 44 7 Family No. of spp. Endemic to the Guayana Shield Allophrynidae 1 Bufonidae 7 1 Centrolenidae 2 1 Dendrobatidae 6 1 Hylidae 23 2 Leptodactylidae 21 5 Microhylidae 1 Pipidae 1 1 Caeciliidae 1 1 Rhinatrematidae 1 1 Alligatoridae 1 Amphisbaenidae 2 Gekkonidae 5 Gymnophthalmidae 7 Iguanidae 1 Polychrotidae 4 Scincidae 1 Teiidae 6 Tropiduridae 2 Aniliidae 1 Boidae 4 Colubridae 28 1 Elapidae 5 1 Leptotyphlopidae 2 1 Viperidae 4 Chelidae 3 Emydidae 1 Kinosternidae 1 Testudinidae 2 Listed on CITES Appendix I Listed by IUCN as CR, EN, VU or NT 1 2 1 all Amphibia 64 13 0 1 all Reptilia 80 5 0 1 Rapid Assessment Program The Biodiversity of the Brownsberg cool submontane parts of the Brownsberg, and may not occur in the surrounding lowlands. A number of the amphibian species remains unidentiied or in doubt, and requires further study as to their deinitive status. A substantial number of additional frog species may occur at the Brownsberg, especially tree frogs, many of which easily escape detection. he fauna includes a number of species that are likely to be endemic to the Guayana Shield (based on Avila-Pires 1995, Starace 1998, Lescure and Marty 2000 and www.globalamphibians.org accessed Oct. 2004): Atelopus hoogmoedi (= A. spumarius hoogmoedi; a terrestrial toad), Cochranella oyampiensis, Colostethus granti, Osteocephalus cabrerai, Scinax proboscoideus, Eleutherodactylus chiastonotus, E. inguinalis and E. zeuctotylus, Leptodactylus longirostris and L. meyersi, Pipa aspera (all frogs), Microcaecilia unicolor, Rhinatrema bivittatum (both worm salamanders), Leposoma guianense, Neusticurus rudis (both lizards), and three snakes: Atractus zidoki, Micrurus collaris, and Leptotyphlops collaris. Species of signiicant conservation concern that occur at Brownsberg are Atelopus hoogmoedi and Geochelone denticulata (yellow-footed tortoise), which are listed as vulnerable by IUCN. Other animals As far as other animals are concerned, a listing was obtained of the Brownsberg butterlies (day-active Lepidoptera) from Hajo Gernaat (pers. comm.), and of Scarabeioidea beetles from Meindert Hielkema (pers. comm.); data on these taxa are summarized in Table 13.5. hese listings appear to be quite incomplete, as is obvious from the low numbers of species recorded for the very diverse butterly families Lycaenidae and Riodinidae, and low overall number of species for Scarabeioidea (at least 40-50 species would be expected). Data on orchid bees are presented and discussed elsewhere in this volume. According to Gernaat (pers. comm.), the Brownsberg has a number of rare butterly species, most notably Heraclides garleppi leceri (Papilionidae), Marpesia crethon, Nessaea batesi magniplaga, Siproeta epaphus gadoui, and Telenassa rima (all Nymphalidae). cal phenomena typically follow a seasonal (intra-annual) cycle, which may be subject to inter-annual variability. It is generally assumed that the “motor” behind the intra- and inter-annual variability of these ecological phenomena is the climate. As noted above, the Brownsberg climate is seasonal and variable. he BNP Monitoring Program implemented by STINASU and collaborating volunteers and scientists has been instrumental to assess whether there is a natural seasonal cycle at Brownsberg that also governs the lora and fauna (see Fitzgerald et al. 2002 and Djosetro et al. 2005). Animal activity, mainly of mammals and some birds and herps, has been monitored intensively at Brownsberg by STINASU from November 2000 until March 2005. Most of the monitoring was done by observing animals when walking transects, and the results primarily relect the activity of the animals at the time and place of observation. During the irst years, monitoring took place in the northern part of the Brownsberg range only (see Fitzgerald 2003); the frequency and quality of monitoring gradually improved, to become fully standardized as of June 2003 when approximately 26 km of trails were walked for monitoring purposes at least twice a month. From July 2004 until March 2005, monitoring was expanded towards the south; during this period approximately 16 km of trails in the northern part of the Brownsberg range and approximately 16 km of trails in the central, less accessible part were walked each month (see Djosetro et al. 2005). he STINASU data remain to be processed further, but some trends can be glanced from the summary graphs presented by Djosetro and collaborators (2005), such as in relation to the annual cycle of monkey activity (monkeys were the most frequently observed animals): • Low levels of monkey activity from the end of the long wet season until the period when the long dry seasons typically ends (July through Oct.-Nov.); • Variable monkey activity during the period when there is typically a short wet season (from Oct.-Nov. until about Feb.); • High levels of monkey activity from the period when there typically is a short dry season through the beginning of the long rainy season (Feb.-Mar. until about May). Plant-Animal interactions he interactions between plants and animals represent an aspect of biodiversity that has been receiving special attention at Brownsberg. Its study leads to an understanding of how biodiversity components relate to one another, or, in other words, how the ecosystem functions. Studies on plantanimal interactions have been done at the Brownsberg in undisturbed areas (see below), but also in disturbed ones, to examine how the ecosystem functions, at least in terms of plant-animal interactions, under pressure from human-related activities, e.g. mining, hunting and tourism (see hreats and Conservation section below). Plant-animal interactions are not static, as is obvious from the monitoring of associated ecological phenomena that are easily observable, such as ecosystem-wide lowering and fruiting, and overall frugivore activity. hese ecologi- Forest phenology was monitored by STINASU in collaboration with Pierre-Michel Forget, by drying and weighing the seeds and lowers that fell to the forest loor (these were intercepted by means of 100 standardized litter traps that were emptied every two weeks; see Bhikhi 2004 and Djosetro et al. 2005). Based on the Jan. 2003 – Feb. 2004 data (STINASU unpublished), the annual cycle was as follows: • High levels of fruit fall from the short dry season through about the early - middle long rainy season (late Apr. – mid-July), and generally low levels at other times of the year; A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 149 Chapter 13 • High levels of lower fall from the middle of the long dry season through the onset of the short rainy season (Oct. – Dec.), and generally lower, variable levels at other times of the year. A similar pattern emerged based on Jan. 2003 – Mar. 2005 opportunistic observations by STINASU of the fruits and lowers that were developing on approximately 200-400 individual trees at Brownsberg that belonged to 100-200 species (the number of trees observed varied; see Bhikhi 2004, Djosetro et al. 2005, and STINASU unpublished). hese included: • A high proportion of trees with (developing) fruits from the short wet season through the short dry season, into the early long rainy season (Dec. – Jan. until Apr. – May), and generally lower proportions at other times of the year; • A high proportion of trees with lowers from the middle of the long dry season through the onset of the short rainy season (Sep. – Dec.), and generally lower proportions at other times of the year. Inter-annual variability was also observed: generally poor lowering in 2004 compared to 2005, and generally poor fruiting in 2004-5 compared to 2003-4 (cf. Djosetro et al. 2005). Based on the above and the Brownsberg climate characteristics (see above), one can infer a logical link between the seasonality of the climate and the annual cycle of fruiting, lowering and frugivore activity: • Flowering peak during the long dry season, when dry and sunny conditions prevail that ought to favor pollinator activity and reduce pollen losses due to rain, but low fruiting and low frugivore activity in this period of water stress; Table13.5. Butterflies and Scarabeioidea beetles recorded from Brownsberg. Larger group Butterlies Scarabeioidea beetles 150 No. of species 137 18 Rapid Assessment Program Family or subfamily No. of species Papilionidae 10 Pieridae 11 Lycaenidae 2 Nymphalidae 67 Riodinidae 2 Hesperiidae 45 Scarabeidae, Coprinae 5 Scarabeidae, Scarabeinae 7 Rutelidae 2 Dynastidae 3 • Fruit development peak during the subsequent short rainy and dry seasons, when there typically is much less water stress than during the preceding long dry season; • peak activity of frugivores that coincides with the peak of ripening and falling of fruits during the short dry season, into the long rainy season, i.e. just ahead of and into a period when the soil-level microclimate ought to be best for seedling establishment. Forget and collaborators (Forget and Jansen, in press; Cuijpers and Forget, in prep.) have focused on seed dispersal (and associated seed predation) by rodents at Brownsberg and in French Guiana. Forget and Jansen (in press) have observed, at the level of individual Carapa procera trees (Meliaceae), variable levels of seed dispersal by rodents; overall 83% of the seeds dropped by the trees (seed crop) were dispersed. At some undisturbed locations, the proportion of seeds dispersed increased with the size of seed crop. Cuijpers and Forget (in prep.) investigated rates of secondary dispersal of seeds of Virola kwatae trees (Myristicaceae) at Brownsberg: overall, approximately 15% of seeds experimentally placed were dispersed by rodents within 14 days. hese data suggest that seed dispersal by rodents at Brownsberg is less important for V. kwatae than for C. procera (the latter is known to be quite dependent on dispersal by rodents; see e.g. Forget 1996 and Jansen et al. 2004). Pellegrom (2004) studied the predation and removal of Pouteria guianensis (Sapotaceae) seeds at Brownsberg. He calculated weekly averages for seed predation by bearded sakis, Chiropotes satanas (based on number of fruits dropped, and typical damage to fruits by sakis). He also assessed seed predation and removal by red-rumped agoutis, Dasyprocta leporina (based on typical agouti damage to previously intact fruits placed on the ground, as well as on the removal of fruits). At an undisturbed location, average seed predation by sakis was 55 to 88%, and average seed predation and removal by agoutis was 29%. he results from these studies indicate that levels of seed predation and seed dispersal at Brownsberg are often very high, at least at undisturbed locations, for a number of tree species that produce fruits and seeds that are a source of food for large mammals. Norconk and collaborators (2003 and unpublished) have been focusing on the primate community at Brownsberg, and the plants the primates use as a source of food. heir initial focus has been on the sakis, Pithecia pithecia and Chiropotes satanas, which at Brownsberg are sympatric (occur in the same general area). hese species have very diferent group sizes (respectively groups of 4-5 and more than 15) and are also distinct in terms of social behavior, locomotion and use of the forest strata, as well as in their food choice (Gregory and Norconk unpublished). Norconk and collaborators (unpublished) have initiated long-term research at Brownsberg on the responses of frugivores (monkeys, other mammals and birds) to seasonal stress and reduction in food supply. hey intend to identify plant species that play a disproportionate role in sustaining the local frugivore assemblage. The Biodiversity of the Brownsberg THREATS AND CONSERVATION Threats Although much of the Brownsberg range is protected, it is also threatened. he most serious current threat is mining, both legal and illegal. Other threats are forest conversion for agricultural purposes, logging and hunting; the latter is associated with all of the previously mentioned other threats. A very distinct but less serious threat is tourism, or rather the negative impact of recreational activities at Brownsberg. he SURALCO mining concession at the heart of the Brownsberg range (see above and Figure 13.2) has been a cause of concern for decades (see Reichart 1997). Surface mining in the concession area would not just physically damage the Brownsberg range and its biodiversity (especially the habitats and species associated with the encrusted plateau), but it would also efectively destroy the image of Brownsberg Nature Park as a protected area. It is, however, becoming increasingly improbable that SURALCO or any other multinational mining company would efectively mine at the heart of the Brownsberg, if alone because of the controversy that would ensue and its potential damage to the company image. he ongoing gold mining activities in and around the Brownsberg range and Park are another matter altogether. As previously stated above, approximately 5% of the Brownsberg Park has recently been devastated by illegal gold miners. he downstream sections of virtually all major creeks in the northern half of the range have been stripped of their natural vegetation and transformed into a series of basins illed with water or loose sediment, separated by improvised dikes, and connected by a system of dirt roads. At the Brownsberg, undisturbed streamside forest habitats are in danger of disappearing altogether from the lowlands. Also, as mentioned above, dramatic changes in water quality result from the gold mining; one of the changes is the increase in dissolved mercury and other heavy metals in the water. he latter can be expected to lead to increased heavy metal accumulation throughout the aquatic food chain, and beyond, e.g. in raptors and humans that consume substantial amounts of ish. With continued gold mining and mercury use in the area, there is real risk of mercury poisoning and mercury-induced reproductive failure in top predators. Pellegrom (2004) concludes that the disturbance of the forest by mining at WitiMoeder Creek has led to a reduced predation and dispersal of seeds of Pouteria guianensis by bearded sakis and agoutis. Forest conversion for slash-and-burn (swidden) agriculture is a cause of concern, especially along the northern and western margin of the Brownsberg range, near the Mindrineti Creek and the Atjonipasi road (see above and Figure 13.2). Miners have also created small yards and ields in the mining areas, e.g. at Witi-Moeder Creek. he lowland forest areas near major creeks and access roads of the Brownsberg range are the most impacted (but not the slopes or plateaus). Although logging has been a problem at Brownsberg, at least occasionally (see Teunissen in prep.), it has been selec- tive logging, and has not resulted in the kind of widespread habitat destruction that is caused by strip mining. he recently established new forest management institute SBB seems to have suicient grip on the formal logging sector that is active in concessions near the Brownsberg. A worrying development at Brownsberg, however, is opportunistic logging and sawmilling by some of the miners and by local sawmill operators who use the dirt roads created by the miners (Molgo and De Dijn pers. obs.). he small-scale sawmill operators often do not transport wood to the capital and, thus, easily escape detection. Hunting is a matter of considerable concern relative to the larger fauna. he Brownsberg area is a traditional hunting ground of the Saramaka Maroons; inhabitants of the nearby village of Brownsweg continue to hunt in the lowland areas and foothills of the northern part of the Brownsberg (De Dijn pers. obs.). In and near the areas where gold mining is taking place, the resident miners also hunt. Over the course of the implementation of the Brownsberg monitoring program, STINASU staf and volunteers (unpublished) regularly recorded gunshots that were heard or shotgun shells that were found, mostly in lowlands of the northwest of the Brownsberg or near Witi-Moeder Creek, which are both heavily used mining areas. Forget and Jansen (in press) conclude that hunting negatively afects seed dispersal of Carapa procera, as evident in areas where hunting pressure was high from large numbers (“piles”) of undispersed seeds remaining under trees that had produced a large seed crop. Tourism may also negatively afect biodiversity, but there is little evidence that this is the case at Brownsberg. he creation of new lodges and panoramic views on the northwestern rim of the Browsberg main plateau has resulted in some unnecessary clearcutting of moss forest habitat, but the damage is very localized and, for instance, not evident on Landsat images (contrary to the mining damage; see Figure 13.2). he issue of the impact of tourism on the water quality at Brownsberg has been addressed by Ouboter (2005), and his conclusion is that there is only a slight impact at some of the most heavily visited areas. he Brownsberg monitoring program implemented by STINASU has not yielded evidence that tourism has a negative impact on the wildlife: based on Djosetro et al. (2005), all of the forty wildlife species that have been observed near the trails that are never used by tourists (including the central part of the Brownsberg range) have also been observed on trails used by tourists (including the most heavily used trails), with the exception of the two-toed sloth, Choloepus didactylus. A threat that is speciic to Amphibia is fungal infection leading to chitridomycosis, a lethal disease (Daszak et al. 1999). his disease has led to species extinctions in much of South America. Specimens of the toad Atelopus hoogmoedi from Brownsberg have tested negative on infection by the lethal fungus Batrachochytridium dendrobatidis (Luger unpublished). he fungus seems to preferentially attack species in cooler highland areas, and the Brownsberg would thus potentially be at risk. A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 151 Chapter 13 Conservation Brownsberg Nature Park came into existence almost accidentally as a by-product of the bauxite exploration of the area by SURALCO. he company engineers were undoubtedly impressed by the scenery, wildlife, mild climate and tranquility of the Brownsberg range. Others were surely intrigued by the pre-Columbian artifacts, as well as earthworks and machines from Suriname’s irst gold rush. he establishment of the Park in 1970s marks the beginning of heritage conservation in the Brownsberg area, and coincided with the development of commercial nature tourism activities by STINASU. When the Park was established, the Brokopondo Lake and the village of Brownsweg had already separated the Brownsberg range from the forests to the north and east. By the mid-1970s, the Brownberg range and a narrow strip of forest land west and south of it were separated from the surrounding forests by the Atjonipasi road. hus, an isolated strip of forest land of approximately 60,000 ha came into existence between Brownsweg and Pokigron, including the approximately 27,500 ha of the Brownsberg range and the 11,800 ha of the current Park. he data presented above do not suggest that this isolation has dramatically afected the biodiversity of the Brownsberg range: the area still has a very rich, typical lowland Guayana Shield rainforest fauna. Steep slopes and the upper plateau of the Brownsberg appear to function as a wildlife refuge, as virtually no hunting or other disturbances occur in these areas. Recent gold mining activities are, however, reducing the natural and cultural value of the Brownsberg range. he modern gold miners have already destroyed a substantial part of the creek habitats and historical sites associated with the irst gold rush. hey increasingly open up the area with excavators and other heavy machinery and allow others, e.g. logging crews and hunters, to enter and cause additional damage. he illegal mining continues to encroach upon the Park and has proven to be a veritable Pandora’s Box, not just leading to collateral and cumulative damage, but also leading to accusations of corruption and damage to the image of STINASU (De Dijn pers. obs.). he importance of the Brownsberg range for conservation can be summarized as follows: • It is representative of landscape and habitat types that are poorly protected at the national and the Guayana Shield level (see above; encrusted plateaus rich in bauxite or gold tend to be mining concessions or candidates to become such, not protected areas); • It is of great archaeological and historical importance (see above); • It has a great diversity of habitats, some of which are scenic and may be unique in terms of vegetation composition (see above); • 152 It has substantial numbers of rare plant and animal species (see above); Rapid Assessment Program • It functions as a wildlife refuge with a rich Guayana Shield lowland rainforest fauna (see above); many of the animal species are Guayana Shield endemics or species of considerable conservation concern (see above: species listed on CITES Appendix I or listed by IUCN as Endangered, Vulnerable, hreatened or Near-hreatened); • It is easily accessible for visitors, and there is on-site infrastructure, such as buildings and trails, for tourists and researchers as well as schools; • Its fauna and lora can easily be observed and are well documented; • It is arguably the most popular nature tourism destination in Surinamers and is, thus, a great location for purposes of nature education and conservation awareness building (STINASU refers to the Park as a “Rainforest School”). he main challenge for the conservation of the Brownsberg range appears to be to protect the area from further encroachment by illegal miners. his will not be easy since the illegal gold mining activities are driven by international gold prices, which continue to rise (Hammond 2005c and De Dijn, pers. obs.). he Government of Suriname (GoS) should actually be removing illegal miners from the Park, ensuring that they do not return, but this is simply not happening. So part of the challenge will be to motivate the GoS to act and restore law and order in the larger Brownsberg-Brownsweg area. he multinational mining companies seem to pose less of a threat, but it will require considerable skill to arrive at a “non-mining agreement” in relation to the Brownsberg, e.g. with SURALCO (see also Teunissen in prep.). Another strategy to stop the encroachment by miners is to make the Park more relevant and more proitable for the local community, i.e. the community of Brownsweg. his may, in fact, represent the most relevant challenge: to link conservation and nature tourism with the development of the community. In the Brownsberg-Brownsweg area, this challenge may be more formidable than elsewhere in Suriname: not only is the local community large (several thousand persons), but it is also in a diicult transition (having been dislodged and forced into modernity), and, for a large part, engaged in gold mining, which in the short-term would seem more proitable and less demanding (in terms of education and dedication) than jobs in, for instance, the ecotourism sector. RECOMMENDATIONS Based on this review it is recommended that the protection of the Brownsberg range be enhanced by: i) efective law enforcement in and around the Park, ii) formal establishment and extension of the bufer zone towards the south, The Biodiversity of the Brownsberg so that it includes the entire approximately 60,000 ha area between the Brokopondo Lake and the Atjonipasi road, iii) the development of a management plan for the larger area that includes the Park and the extended bufer zone, and iv) the restoration of areas damaged by gold mining. To enable law enforcement, the borders of the Park should be unambiguous, meaning that they must be well demarcated in the ield; currently, only the northern Park border has been demarcated. It should be noted that subsistence and economic activities in the bufer zone need not be excluded, but must be regulated and monitored to avoid excessive damage (e.g. to habitats and fauna) and prevent their expansion into the Park. his recommendation is in line with that of Teunissen (in prep.), but difers in the sense that a much larger bufer zone is proposed that may serve more varied purposes. As far as tourism operations are concerned, these could be expanded to: i) the central and southern part of the Brownsberg range (outside the SURALCO concession), ii) the Brokopondo lakeside area, and iii) the village of Brownsweg. he aim would be to spread the visitors over a larger area, to make the Brownsberg a more attractive location to visit and to increase community involvement (see also below). A move into to central and southern parts of Park and the lakeside area is important for STINASU to ensure that buildings are established on terrain that is within its legal lease or concession, e.g. to make use of this property as collateral (which is currently not possible due to the location of the existing buildings). he tourism operations are of critical important to ensure that income is generated for the daily management of the Park; the use of buildings as collateral is crucial to obtain private, unrestricted development capital. When tourism activities are expanded, it would be wise to make as much use as possible of already disturbed areas for infrastructure development, and combine this type of development with landscape restoration. Care must, of course, be taken to avoid damage to pristine habitats and to wildlife. Based on the results of ecological monitoring at Brownsberg by STINASU (see section above), an expansion of tourism activities should not be assumed to have a negative efect on wildlife. To assess the impact of the measures proposed above, it is important to monitor human activities, biodiversity and the environment at Brownsberg, in line with the research and monitoring program developed by Fitzgerald and collaborators (2002) and the modiications thereof, as well as the additions to the program (see STINASU unpublished project proposal and quarterly reports to WWF Guianas; see also results in Djosetro et al. 2005, Vreedzaam et. al. 2005 and Ouboter 2005). In agreement with Teunissen (in prep.), it is recommend that the data generated by STINASU during the course of the BNP Monitoring Program from 2002 to 2005 be processed further, and that the results thereof be reviewed and published. Based on these results, a modiied Brownberg Monitoring Program (BMP) should be initiated that covers the Park as well as the bufer zone. Staf and volunteers involved in the BMP and guest researchers should be housed in a new station that may be set up at the center of the Brownsberg range (on the main plateau). Serious consideration should be given to setting up an additional research station at the Brokopondo lakeside (to be used to investigate the Brownsberg lowlands, as well as the aquatic and island habitats of the Brokopondo Lake). Vigilance and some preventive measures may need to be associated with continued research and monitoring to prevent chitridiomycosis with Amphibia at Brownsberg. To prevent transmission of the disease, it is recommended that researchers (especially visiting herpetologists) disinfect their equipment, maybe even their clothing (see La Marca et al. 2005). It is also recommended, in line with Fitzgerald et al. 2002 and Fitzgerald 2003, that full and proper use be made of the results of the past and future research and monitoring at Brownsberg. his means that the strategic planning and the daily management of at least the Park should be guided by the results of research and monitoring. It also means that these same results should be used as inputs for a variety of information products on the Brownsberg (for tourist, volunteers and guest researchers), as well as for public awareness and education activities in the Park and in the capital Paramaribo. To achieve this, changes will have to be made in the institutional and human resource domain, not just at the level of the unit responsible for research and monitoring at Brownsberg, but also in terms of the interface between this unit and other units that are responsible for education and public relations, as well as in terms of the entire approach to the management of the Park. It is further recommend that a super-structure be created for the Brownsberg-Brownsweg area that would at least allow for: i) conlict resolution between STINASU, the village of Brownsweg, and local miners and other operators, ii) a dialogue on land-use with the stakeholders that will lead to land-use planning for the area, and iii) the development and initiation of conservation and development projects that beneit the local community. his structure should also facilitate the dialogue between the strictly local stakeholders and the multinational mining companies that are active in the region, as well as the most important actor, the Government of Suriname. Given ongoing developments and the complex tenure situation in the area, a Multiple-Use Management Area (MUMA) may be an appropriate basis for such a structure. he stakes are high and there is a need for efective action. A Consultation Commission for the Park (and bufer zone; a proposal of Reichart 1997, reiterated by Teunissen in prep.) may not be suicient to efectively address the issues and solve conlicts. A MUMA could include the Park, the bufer zone, lands traditionally used by the Brownsweg village, including HKVs (see above) and small mining concessions owned or used by members of the Brownsberg community. A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 153 Chapter 13 REFERENCES Avila-Pires, T.C.S. 1995. Lizards of Brazilian Amazonia (Reptilia: Squamata). Zoologische Verhandelingen Leiden. 299: 1-706. Bhikhi, S. 2004. Tree Phenology at Brownsberg Nature Park. Unpublished BSc. thesis. Paramaribo, Suriname: Anton de Kom University of Suriname. Bubberman, F. 1977. Goud in Suriname / Gold in Suriname. SURALCO Magazine. 9(3). Bubberman, F.C. 1988. Het bos en de geschiedenis van Suriname. OSO 7(2): 161-168. Bubberman, F., and J. Janssen. 1970. Brownsberg Natuurpark. Mededeling no. 1, Stichting Natuurbehoud Suriname (STINASU). SURALCO Magazine. 2. Cuijpers, L., and P.-M. Forget. (in prep.) Efect of Habitat and Forest Disturbance on Post-Dispersal Seed Fate in a Frugivores-Dispersed Species in Suriname. De Granville, J.-J. 1991. Remarks on the montane lora and vegetation types of the Guianas. Wildenowia. 21: 201-213. De Granville, J.-J. 1994. Les formations vegetales primaires de la zone interieure de Guyane. In: SEPANGUY. Foret Guyanaise. Cayenne, Guyane. Societe pour l’Etude, la Protection et l’Amenagement de la Nature en Guyane. Daszak, P., L. Berger, A.A. Cunningham, A.D. Hyatt, D.E. Green, and R. Speare. 1999. Emerging Infectious Diseases and Amphibian Population Declines. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 5: 735-748. Djosetro, M., A. Vreedzaam, D. Satyawan, and I. Molgo. 2005. Management of Brownsberg Nature Park based on Sound Updated Information. Unpublished report by STINASU for WWF Guianas Forests and Environmental Conservation Program. Paramaribo. Dragtenstein, F. 2002. De ondraaglijke stoutheid der wegloopers. Bronnen voor de Studie van Suriname, no. 22. Culturele Antropologie, Universiteit Utrecht. Utrecht. Fitzgerald, K.A. 2003. Utilizing ecological indicators to assist in the management of Brownsberg Nature Park, Suriname, South America. Unpublished M.Sc. thesis. Washington State University. Pullman, Washington. Fitzgerald, K.A., B.P.E. De Dijn, and S. Mitro. 2002. Brownsberg Nature Park Ecological Research and Monitoring Program 2001-2006. STINASU, Paramaribo. Forget, P.-M. 1996. Removal of seeds of Carapa procera (Meliaceae) by rodents and their fate in the rainforest in French Guiana. Journal of Ecology. 12: 751-761. Forget, P.-M., and P.A. Jansen. (in press) Hunting and dispersal limitation in Carapa procera, a nontimber forest product tree species. Conservation Biology. GMD. 1977. Geological Map of Suriname. 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Ramlal, and C.R. Becker. 2000. Efects of El Nino-related drought on freshwater and brackish-water ishes in Suriname, South America. Environmental Biology of Fishes. 59: 429-440. Noordam, D. 1993. he geographical outline. In: Ouboter, P.E. (ed.) he Freshwater Ecosystems of Suriname. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers. Pp. 13-28 Norconck, M.A., M.A. Raghanti, S.K. Martin, B.W. Grafton, L.T. Gregory, and B.P.E. De Dijn. 2003. Primates of Brownsberg Natuurpark, Suriname, with Particular Attention to the Pitheciins. Neotropical Primates. 11(2): 94-100. Nurmohamed, R. 2002. he impact of Climate change on the rainfall distribution in Suriname. In: 5th International Inter-Guianas conference on “Building Capacity to meet the emerging challenges in the Guianas”. October 23-25, Georgetown, Guyana. Ouboter, P.E. 2005. Baseline study water quality monitoring Brownsberg 2003-4. Unpublished report by STINASU for WWF Guianas Forests and Environmental Conservation Program. Paramaribo, Suriname. Pellegrom, M. 2004. A Gold Mining Impact Assessment, A case study on Brownsberg Nature Park in Surinam. Unpublished B.Sc. thesis. Larenstein, Netherlands: University of Professional Education. Reichart, H.A. 1997. Brownsberg Nature Park management plan 1991-1995, second printing. STINASU. Paramaribo, Suriname. Ridgely, R. S., T. F. Allnutt, T. Brooks, D. K. McNicol, D. W. Mehlman, B. E. Young, and J. R. Zook. 2003. Digital Distribution Maps of the Birds of the Western Hemisphere, version 1.0. NatureServe. Arlington, Virginia. Schultz, J.P. 1960. Ecological studies on rain forest in Northern Suriname. he Vegetation of Suriname, Vol. II. van Eedenfonds. Amsterdam, Netherlands. Starace, F. 1998. Guide des Serpents et Amphisbènes de Guyane. Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle. Paris, France. Suriname Planatlas. 1988. Organization of American States. Washington, D.C. ter Steege, H., O.S. Banki, M. Jansen-Jacobs, G. Ramharakh, and K. Tjon. 2005. Plant Diversity of the Lely Mountains, Suriname. Report of the Nov.-Dec. 2004 Expedition. Unpublished report. Utrecht Herbarium. Utrecht, Netherlands. Teunissen, P. in prep.. Management Plan 2005-2010 Brownsberg Nature Park. STINASU. Paramaribo. van Traa, A. 1946. Suriname 1900 – 1940. Van Hoeve. Deventer. Versteeg, A.H. 2003. Suriname before Columbus. Stichting Surinaams Museum. Paramaribo, Suriname. Vreedzaam, A., D. Satyawan, and I. Molgo. 2005. Training guide for the Ecological and Research Program. Unpublished report by STINASU for WWF Guianas Forests and Environmental Conservation Program. Paramaribo. A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 155 Appendix 1 Plant collection data used in the current study. Hans ter Steege, Olaf Bánki and Paddy Haripersaud Data include the collectors included in the study, amount of collections per location (BB = Brownsberg; BW = Brownsweg; Le = Lely; Ma = Marowijne; Mo = Moengo; Na = Nassau), and indication of the year of collection. 156 Collector(s) BB Andel, T.R. van et al. Budelman, A. Christenhusz, M.J.M. & Bollendorf, S.M. Cowan, R.S. & Lindeman, J.C. Cremers, G. & Crozier, F. Determann, R.O. Donselaar, J. van & Helstone, E.M.C. Emden, W.C. van Evans, R.J. & McDonnell, K. Gerling, A.H. Gonggrijp, J.W. Gonggrijp, L. Görts-van Rijn, A.R.A. Heyde, N.M. Hofman, B. & Troon, F. van Jansen-Jacobs, M.J. et al. Jenman, G.S. Kanhai, E.D. Kastelein, W.J. Kock, C. Koster Kramer, K.U. & Hekking, W.H.A. Lanjouw, J. Lanjouw, J. & Lindeman, J.C. Lindeman, J.C. Lindeman, J.C. & Cowan, R.S. Lindeman, J.C. & Mennega, E.A. Lindeman, J.C. & Roon, A.C. de Lindeman, J.C. & Stofers, A.L. et al. Maas, P.J.M. et al. Maguire, B. & Maguire, C.K. Mori, S.A. & Bolten, A. Narain, T.R. 445 Rapid Assessment Program BW Le Ma Mo Na 1 4 198 1 44 3 13 1 13 9 7 3 7 2 56 1 441 408 2 97 22 2 17 18 2 69 41 18 176 801 146 40 8 532 52 2 42 1 124 138 Grand Total Year of collection 445 1 4 198 1 44 59 13 1 13 10 7 3 7 2 849 2 97 22 2 17 41 36 979 69 146 40 8 532 52 140 166 1 2003 1974 2003 1954-55 1997 1978-79 1965-66 1931 1999 1917-1922 1910, 1915, 1917, 1924 1924 1999 1976-77 1998 2003-4 1918, 1924 1971 1977 1972 1971-73 1961 1933 1949 e.g. 1967 1954-55 1977 1981 1975 1974 1955 1976 1975 Plant collection data used in the current study Grand Total Year of collection 28 1 1 17 1 14 9 3 38 65 29 49 3 1910, 1916-17 1920 1970 e.g. 1974-78 1975 1977 2001 1973 e.g. 1915-16, 1924 e.g. 1915, 1923-25 e.g. 1915, 1923-25 1969, 1970, 1972 1970, 1972, 1973, 1975 6 6 1970, 1973, 1975 Tjon-Lim-Sang, R.J.M. & Wiel, I.H.M. van de 194 194 1975-77, 1981 Troon, F. van Troon, F. van & Roberts, L. Various Collectors Vreden, C.C.J. Vreden, C.C.J. & Werkhoven, M.C.M. Webster, G.L. Webster, G.L. & Armbruster, W.S. Werkhoven, M.C.M. Werkhoven, M.C.M. & Vreden C.C.J. Wessels Boer, J.G. Zaandam, C.J. Grand Total 2 2 848 32 34 26 2 4 35 2 205 2572 2 2 859 32 34 26 2 4 35 63 206 5730 1975, 1977, 1980 1977 Collector(s) BB Nijverman, J. Picorni, J.L. Reeder, D. Roberts, L. Roberts, L. & Schulz, J.P. Roberts, L. & Troon, F. van Scharf, U. Schulz, J.P. Stahel, G. Stahel, G. & Gonggrijp, J.W. Stahel, G. & Gonggrijp, L. Tawjoeran, J.A. Teunissen, P.A. 28 1 1 17 1 14 8 2 38 65 29 49 3 Teunissen, P.A. & Werkhoven, M.C.M. BW Le Ma Mo Na 1 1 11 61 1 192 1097 176 2 1691 1973-74 1973-74 1979 1979 1972-73 1972-73 1963 1921-26 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 157 Appendix 2 List of tree species and number of individuals/species recorded in 23 plots in the Nassau, Brownsberg, and Lely Mountains. Hans ter Steege, Olaf Bánki and Paddy Haripersaud Genus 158 Species total % trees Abarema jupunba 29 0.22 Abarema sp.BB4_48 1 0.01 Abarema sp.Na6_442 1 0.01 Agonandra silvatica 13 0.1 Alchorneopsis loribunda 10 0.08 Allophylus punctatus 1 0.01 Amaioua corymbosa 42 0.32 Amaioua guianensis 21 0.16 Ambelania acida 8 0.06 Ampelocera edentula 15 0.11 Anacardium sp.1_BBLe 6 0.05 Anacardium sp.OSB450 3 0.02 Anaxagorea dolichocarpa 3 0.02 Andira surinamensis 16 0.12 Aniba panurensis 18 0.14 Annona foetida 2 0.02 Annona sericea 2 0.02 Antonia ovata 6 0.05 Aparisthmium cordatum 9 0.07 Apeiba albilora 3 0.02 Apeiba glabra 26 0.2 Apeiba petoumo 22 0.17 Apocynaceae sp.OSB169 33 0.25 Apocynaceae sp.OSB374 2 0.02 Apocynaceae sp.OSB548 3 0.02 Aspidosperma cruentum 29 0.22 Aspidosperma marcgravianum 52 0.39 Aspidosperma sandwithianum 3 0.02 Aspidosperma sp.BBNa 7 0.05 Aspidosperma vargassii 16 0.12 Astrocaryum paramaca 1 0.01 Rapid Assessment Program List of tree species and number of individuals/species recorded in 23 plots in the Nassau, Brownsberg, and Lely Mountains Genus Species total % trees Astrocaryum sciophilum 194 1.47 Attalea maripa 12 0.09 Bagassa guianensis 3 0.02 Balizia pedicellaris 13 0.1 Bauhinia eilertsii 17 0.13 Bellucia grossularioides 6 0.05 Bocoa prouacensis 170 1.28 Bocoa viridilora 32 0.24 Bombacopsis nervosa 16 0.12 Brosimum acutifolium 7 0.05 Brosimum guianense 7 0.05 Brosimum parinarioides 4 0.03 Brosimum rubescens 20 0.15 Byrsonima crassifolia 5 0.04 Byrsonima sp.L1_376 1 0.01 Byrsonima sp.Na4_353 1 0.01 Byrsonima sp.OSB290 1 0.01 Byrsonima sp.OSB388 6 0.05 Byrsonima sp.TvA4673 2 0.02 Byrsonima stipulacea 2 0.02 Calophyllum brasiliense 1 0.01 Calyptranthes speciosa 1 0.01 Campomanesia aromatica 7 0.05 Capirona decorticans 2 0.02 Capparis sp.OSB158_445 44 0.33 Capparis sp.OSB504 9 0.07 Caraipa sp.OSB209 9 0.07 Carapa guianensis 5 0.04 Carapa procera 46 0.35 Caryocar glabrum 5 0.04 Casearia arborescens 24 0.18 Casearia javitensis 15 0.11 Cassipourea guianensis 34 0.26 Catostemma fragrans 52 0.39 Cecropia obtusa 18 0.14 Cecropia sciadophylla 8 0.06 Cecropia sp.L1_263 1 0.01 Cedrela odorata 5 0.04 Cedrelinga cateniformis 3 0.02 Ceiba pentandra 1 0.01 Chaetocarpus schomburgkianus 47 0.35 Chaunochiton kappleri 1 0.01 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 159 Appendix 2 Genus 160 Species total % trees 13 0.1 Cheiloclinium cognatum Chimarrhis microcarpa 3 0.02 Chimarrhis turbinata 45 0.34 Chrysobalanaceae sp.1Na 19 0.14 Chrysobalanaceae sp.2Na 5 0.04 Chrysobalanaceae sp.Na3_294 1 0.01 Chrysobalanaceae sp.OSB398 19 0.14 Chrysobalanaceae sp.OSB421_432 49 0.37 Chrysobalanaceae sp.OSB436 2 0.02 Chrysobalanaceae sp.OSB494_510 3 0.02 Chrysophyllum argenteum 14 0.11 Chrysophyllum cuneifolium 2 0.02 Clathrotropis brachypetala 4 0.03 Clusia sp.OSB472 5 0.04 Coccoloba sp.NaBB 6 0.05 Conceveiba guianensis 22 0.17 Copaifera epunctata 6 0.05 Copaifera guyanensis 4 0.03 Cordia alliodora 1 0.01 Cordia laevifrons 72 0.54 Cordia nodosa 1 0.01 Cordia sp.BB6_491 1 0.01 Cordia sp.L7_20 1 0.01 Cordia sp.MJ6758 5 0.04 Cordia sp.OSB442 2 0.02 Corythophora labriculata 82 0.62 Couepia sp.OSB406 2 0.02 Couepia sp.OSB446_553 27 0.2 Couma guianensis 13 0.1 Couratari fagifolia 2 0.02 Couratari gloriosa 3 0.02 Couratari stellata 137 1.03 Couratari surinamensis 4 0.03 Croton argyrophylloides 219 1.65 Croton hostmannii 1 0.01 Croton matourensis 3 0.02 Croton sp.OSB341 7 0.05 Crudia aromatica 89 0.67 Crudia glaberrima 56 0.42 Cupania hirsuta 1 0.01 Cupania scrobiculata 27 0.2 Dendrobangia boliviana 26 0.2 Rapid Assessment Program List of tree species and number of individuals/species recorded in 23 plots in the Nassau, Brownsberg, and Lely Mountains Genus Species total % trees Dichapetalaceae sp.OSB453 4 0.03 Dicorynia guianensis 84 0.63 Diospyros guianensis 17 0.13 Diospyros sp.OSB306_558 14 0.11 Diospyros sp.OSB320 1 0.01 Diospyros tetandra 37 0.28 Diplotropis purpurea 15 0.11 Dipteryx odorata 11 0.08 Discophora guianensis 3 0.02 Drypetes variabilis 61 0.46 Duguetia calycina 4 0.03 Duguetia sp.OSB295_390 41 0.31 Duroia aquatica 13 0.1 Duroia eriopila 1 0.01 Ecclinusa guianensis 66 0.5 Elizabetha princeps 135 1.02 Elvasia elvasioides 232 1.75 Enterolobium schomburgkii 13 0.1 Eperua falcata 482 3.64 Eriotheca globosa 41 0.31 Erisma uncinatum 3 0.02 Erythroxylum sp.OSB157 1 0.01 Erythroxylum sp.OSB358 1 0.01 Erythroxylum sp.OSB989 1 0.01 Eschweilera coriacea 144 1.09 Eschweilera pedicellata 120 0.91 Eschweilera sp.OSB167_263 262 1.98 Eschweilera sp.OSB375 2 0.02 Eschweilera sp.OSB443 2 0.02 Eugenia patrisii 61 0.46 Euterpe oleracea 23 0.17 Fabaceae sp.L6_270 1 0.01 Fabaceae sp.OSB503 11 0.08 Fabaceae sp.OSB979_988 10 0.08 Ferdinandusa rudgeoides 14 0.11 Ficus sp.BB2_540 1 0.01 Ficus sp.L6 1 0.01 Ficus sp.L6_7 2 0.02 Ficus sp.OSB492 1 0.01 Fusaea longifolia 31 0.23 Geissospermum sericeum 7 0.05 Genipa americana 2 0.02 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 161 Appendix 2 Genus 162 Species total % trees Goupia glabra 11 0.08 Guarea grandifolia 17 0.13 Guarea guidonia 1 0.01 Guarea pubescens 16 0.12 Guarea sp.BB1_474 1 0.01 Guarea sp.OSB501 41 0.31 Guatteria schomburgkiana 11 0.08 Guatteria sp.OSB531 1 0.01 Guettarda acreana 138 1.04 Gustavia augusta 10 0.08 Gustavia hexapetala 116 0.88 Hebepetalum humiriifolium 4 0.03 Heisteria caulilora 18 0.14 Heisteria ovata 7 0.05 Henriettea sp.OSB324 25 0.19 Hevea guianensis 7 0.05 Hieronyma alchorneoides 1 0.01 Himatanthus articulatus 15 0.11 Hydrochorea corymbosa 5 0.04 Hymenaea courbaril 9 0.07 Hymenolobium lavum 3 0.02 Ilex martiniana 1 0.01 Ilex sp.OSB344 1 0.01 Ilex sp.OSB356 1 0.01 Inga alba 69 0.52 Inga capitata 22 0.17 Inga edulis 3 0.02 Inga heterophylla 9 0.07 Inga leiocalycina 8 0.06 Inga rubiginosa 58 0.44 Inga sp.L2_192 1 0.01 Inga sp.L3_323 1 0.01 Inga sp.L3_411 1 0.01 Inga sp.L4_77 1 0.01 Inga sp.L6_281 1 0.01 Inga sp.L6_446 1 0.01 Inga sp.L8_439 2 0.02 Inga sp.OSB_400 1 0.01 Inga sp.OSB130 68 0.51 Inga sp.OSB143_410 3 0.02 Inga sp.OSB186_372 67 0.51 Inga sp.OSB315 3 0.02 Rapid Assessment Program List of tree species and number of individuals/species recorded in 23 plots in the Nassau, Brownsberg, and Lely Mountains Genus Species total % trees Inga sp.OSB317_357_382 7 0.05 Inga sp.OSB330 2 0.02 Inga sp.OSB338_340_347 4 0.03 Inga sp.OSB360 1 0.01 Inga sp.OSB399_560_539 11 0.08 Inga sp.OSB419 1 0.01 Inga sp.OSB424 1 0.01 Inga sp.OSB434 1 0.01 Inga sp.OSB497_515_519 14 0.11 Inga sp.OSB512 1 0.01 Inga sp.OSB527 1 0.01 Inga sp.OSB542 2 0.02 Inga sp.OSB997 2 0.02 Inga stipularis 5 0.04 Inga thibaudiana 34 0.26 Iryanthera sagotiana 52 0.39 Iryanthera sp.OSB280 1 0.01 Isertia coccinea 7 0.05 Jacaranda copaia 82 0.62 Jacaranda obtusifolia 3 0.02 Jessenia bataua 14 0.11 Lacistema sp.OSB294 10 0.08 Lacmellea aculeata 14 0.11 Lacunaria crenata 11 0.08 Laetia procera 12 0.09 Lauraceae sp.BB 2 0.02 Lauraceae sp.BB1_14 1 0.01 Lauraceae sp.BB6_131 1 0.01 Lauraceae sp.BBLeNa 54 0.41 Lauraceae sp.Na6_166 1 0.01 Lauraceae sp.OSB150 1 0.01 Lauraceae sp.OSB270 18 0.14 Lauraceae sp.OSB282 118 0.89 Lecythidaceae sp.BB2_268 1 0.01 Lecythidaceae sp.L6 4 0.03 Lecythidaceae sp.OSB346_435 26 0.2 Lecythidaceae sp.OSB428_456 35 0.26 Lecythidaceae sp.OSB506 2 0.02 Lecythidaceae sp.TvA4605 15 0.11 Lecythis chartacea 11 0.08 Lecythis corrugata 617 4.66 Lecythis zabucajo 21 0.16 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 163 Appendix 2 Genus 164 Species total % trees Licania divaricata 18 0.14 Licania heteromorpha 13 0.1 Licania incana 4 0.03 Licania macrophylla 12 0.09 Licania majuscula 38 0.29 Licania ovalifolia 3 0.02 Licania robusta 3 0.02 Licania sp.2Na 8 0.06 Licania sp.BB3_372 1 0.01 Licania sp.BB4_358 1 0.01 Licania sp.BBNa 8 0.06 Licania sp.L4_186 1 0.01 Licania sp.Na 9 0.07 Licania sp.OSB394 23 0.17 Licania sp.OSB402_405 2 0.02 Licania sp.OSB407 3 0.02 Licania sp.OSB423 1 0.01 Licania sp.OSB529 60 0.45 Licania sp.OSB565_552 18 0.14 Licaria cannella 19 0.14 Licaria sp.OSB283 5 0.04 Licaria sp.OSB441 76 0.57 Lonchocarpus heptaphyllus 5 0.04 Lonchocarpus sp.BB 6 0.05 Loxopterygium sagotii 8 0.06 Lueheopsis rosea 11 0.08 Mabea piriri 157 1.19 Macoubea guianensis 1 0.01 Malvaceae sp.L4_297 1 0.01 Malvaceae sp.L7_1 2 0.02 Malvaceae sp.Le 2 0.02 Manilkara bidentata 36 0.27 Manilkara huberi 3 0.02 Maprounea guianensis 1 0.01 Maquira guianensis 91 0.69 Martiodendron parvilorum 16 0.12 Maytenus sp.L5_108 1 0.01 Maytenus sp.L6_7 3 0.02 Maytenus sp.MJ6410 34 0.26 Maytenus sp.OSB339 4 0.03 Maytenus sp.OSB385 5 0.04 Maytenus sp.OSB391 3 0.02 Rapid Assessment Program List of tree species and number of individuals/species recorded in 23 plots in the Nassau, Brownsberg, and Lely Mountains Genus Species total % trees Maytenus sp.OSB505 8 0.06 Maytenus sp.OSB986_1008 7 0.05 Melastomataceae sp.1_Na 3 0.02 Melastomataceae sp.BB3_78 1 0.01 Melastomataceae sp.BB3_79 1 0.01 Melastomataceae sp.BB6_28 1 0.01 Melastomataceae sp.Le 16 0.12 Melastomataceae sp.Na6-184 1 0.01 Melastomataceae sp.OSB204_987 5 0.04 Melastomataceae sp.OSB205 2 0.02 Melastomataceae sp.OSB408 13 0.1 Melastomataceae sp.OSB991 2 0.02 Miconia sp.OSB359_992 7 0.05 Micrandra brownsbergensis 453 3.42 Micropholis guyanensis 19 0.14 Minquartia guianensis 46 0.35 Moracea sp._BBLe 10 0.08 Moracea sp.BB1_179 4 0.03 Moracea sp.OSB526 1 0.01 Mouriri crassifolia 30 0.23 Mouriri grandilora 1 0.01 Mouriri sp.2_Na 5 0.04 Mouriri sp.OSB417 2 0.02 Mouriri sp.OSB438_463 4 0.03 Myrtaceae sp.2_BB 7 0.05 Myrtaceae sp.468 1 0.01 Myrtaceae sp.5_BB 6 0.05 Myrtaceae sp.5_Na 58 0.44 Myrtaceae sp.6_Na 3 0.02 Myrtaceae sp.8_BB 1 0.01 Myrtaceae sp.BB1_51 1 0.01 Myrtaceae sp.BB3_451 2 0.02 Myrtaceae sp.BBLe 4 0.03 Myrtaceae sp.L1_201 1 0.01 Myrtaceae sp.L2_22 1 0.01 Myrtaceae sp.L6_337 1 0.01 Myrtaceae sp.L7_25 1 0.01 Myrtaceae sp.Na3_200 2 0.02 Myrtaceae sp.OSB1001 10 0.08 Myrtaceae sp.OSB1004 1 0.01 Myrtaceae sp.OSB131 10 0.08 Myrtaceae sp.OSB137 1 0.01 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 165 Appendix 2 Genus 166 Species total % trees Myrtaceae sp.OSB175 1 0.01 Myrtaceae sp.OSB192 35 0.26 Myrtaceae sp.OSB197 9 0.07 Myrtaceae sp.OSB200 1 0.01 Myrtaceae sp.OSB271 21 0.16 Myrtaceae sp.OSB273 79 0.6 Myrtaceae sp.OSB297 71 0.54 Myrtaceae sp.OSB314 27 0.2 Myrtaceae sp.OSB322 53 0.4 Myrtaceae sp.OSB332 5 0.04 Myrtaceae sp.OSB409 1 0.01 Myrtaceae sp.OSB411 1 0.01 Myrtaceae sp.OSB465 134 1.01 Myrtaceae sp.OSB479 2 0.02 Myrtaceae sp.OSB481 5 0.04 Myrtaceae sp.OSB486 4 0.03 Myrtaceae sp.OSB543 2 0.02 Myrtaceae sp.OSB971 14 0.11 Myrtaceae sp.OSB974 13 0.1 Myrtaceae sp.OSB977 3 0.02 Neea loribunda 93 0.7 Nyctaginaceae sp.Na 5 0.04 Nyctaginaceae sp.OSB170_325_326 2 0.02 Nyctaginaceae sp.OSB173_269 3 0.02 Nyctaginaceae sp.OSB267 18 0.14 Nyctaginaceae sp.OSB427 111 0.84 Nyctaginaceae sp.OSB478 17 0.13 Nyctaginaceae sp.OSB973 20 0.15 Ocotea guianensis 1 0.01 Ocotea puberula 30 0.23 Ocotea schomburgkiana 4 0.03 Ocotea sp.BBLe 2 0.02 Ocotea sp.OSB268 43 0.32 Ocotea sp.OSB336 18 0.14 Oenocarpus bacaba 79 0.6 Ormosia coccinea 5 0.04 Ormosia costulata 17 0.13 Ormosia coutinhoi 2 0.02 Ouratea sp.BB5_323 1 0.01 Ouratea sp.BB6_337 1 0.01 Ouratea sp.OSB188 3 0.02 Ouratea sp.OSB482 1 0.01 Rapid Assessment Program List of tree species and number of individuals/species recorded in 23 plots in the Nassau, Brownsberg, and Lely Mountains Genus Species total % trees Oxandra asbeckii 141 1.06 Pachira aquatica 6 0.05 Pachira lavilora 1 0.01 Pachira insignis 4 0.03 Palicourea guianensis 16 0.12 Panopsis sessilifolia 5 0.04 Parahancornia fasciculata 16 0.12 Parinari campestris 9 0.07 Parkia nitida 14 0.11 Parkia pendula 10 0.08 Parkia ulei 7 0.05 Pausandra martinii 6 0.05 Paypayrola guianensis 38 0.29 Paypayrola longifolia 1 0.01 Peltogyne paniculata 13 0.1 Peltogyne venosa 4 0.03 Pera bicolor 4 0.03 Pithecellobium sp.OSB513 2 0.02 Platymiscium ulei 7 0.05 Pogonophora schomburgkiana 25 0.19 Poulsenia armata 16 0.12 Pourouma guianensis 29 0.22 Pourouma minor 9 0.07 Pourouma mollis 1 0.01 Pourouma sp.1_Na 10 0.08 Pourouma sp.BB6_438 1 0.01 Pourouma sp.BB7_209 1 0.01 Pourouma sp.BB7_445 1 0.01 Pourouma sp.BBLe 3 0.02 Pourouma sp.L3_312 1 0.01 Pourouma sp.OSB313 1 0.01 Pourouma tomentosa 11 0.08 Pouteria cladantha 5 0.04 Pouteria guianensis 75 0.57 Pouteria melanpoda 77 0.58 Pouteria sagotiana 2 0.02 Pouteria sp.BB 7 0.05 Pouteria sp.BB3_210 1 0.01 Pouteria sp.Na1_197 2 0.02 Pouteria sp.Na5_749 1 0.01 Pouteria sp.OSB266_328 44 0.33 Pouteria sp.OSB284 9 0.07 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 167 Appendix 2 Genus 168 Species total % trees Pouteria sp.OSB312 44 0.33 Pouteria sp.OSB318_342 107 0.81 Pouteria sp.OSB376 72 0.54 Pouteria sp.OSB397_420 8 0.06 Pouteria sp.OSB536 19 0.14 Pouteria sp.OSB541 18 0.14 Pouteria speciosa 18 0.14 Pradosia ptychandra 62 0.47 Pradosia sp.1_Na 3 0.02 Protium heptaphyllum 5 0.04 Protium polybotrium 89 0.67 Protium sp.BB5_238 1 0.01 Protium sp.BBLe 59 0.45 Protium sp.BBLeNa 10 0.08 Protium sp.BBNa 7 0.05 Protium sp.L1_52_62 2 0.02 Protium sp.Na4_55 1 0.01 Protium sp.OSB281_308 19 0.14 Protium sp.OSB337 51 0.39 Protium sp.OSB439 2 0.02 Protium sp.OSB525 22 0.17 Prunus myrtifolia 5 0.04 Pseudolmedia laevis 18 0.14 Pseudopiptadenia suaveolens 23 0.17 Pterocarpus oicinalis 8 0.06 Pterocarpus rohrii 10 0.08 Qualea coerulea 19 0.14 Qualea dinizii 1 0.01 Qualea rosea 198 1.5 Quararibea duckei 192 1.45 Quiinaceae sp.BBLeNa 9 0.07 Quiinaceae sp.BBNa 3 0.02 Quiinaceae sp.OSB201 8 0.06 Quiinaceae sp.OSB532 2 0.02 Quiinaceae sp.OSB970 1 0.01 Rhabdodendron amazonicum 7 0.05 Rheedia benthamiana 31 0.23 Rhodostemonodaphne praeclara 28 0.21 Rinorea sp._Na 9 0.07 Rollinia elliptica 15 0.11 Roupala montana 7 0.05 Rubiaceae sp.1_BB 24 0.18 Rapid Assessment Program List of tree species and number of individuals/species recorded in 23 plots in the Nassau, Brownsberg, and Lely Mountains Genus Species total % trees Rubiaceae sp.1_Na 3 0.02 Rubiaceae sp.Na6_449 1 0.01 Rubiaceae sp.OSB165 101 0.76 Rubiaceae sp.OSB214 6 0.05 Rubiaceae sp.OSB474 3 0.02 Ruizterania albilora 50 0.38 Ryania sp.1_Na 2 0.02 Sacoglottis cydonioides 16 0.12 Sacoglottis guianensis 8 0.06 Sagotia racemosa 5 0.04 Salicaceae sp.3_Na 4 0.03 Salicaceae sp.BB2_161 1 0.01 Salicaceae sp.L2_406 1 0.01 Salicaceae sp.Na1_204 1 0.01 Salicaceae sp.Na6_262 1 0.01 Salicaceae sp.Na6_471 1 0.01 Salicaceae sp.OSB202 6 0.05 Salicaceae sp.OSB370 1 0.01 Salicaceae sp.OSB414 2 0.02 Salicaceae sp.OSB546 7 0.05 Salicaceae sp.TvA4708 10 0.08 Sapindaceae sp._BBLeNa 22 0.17 Sapindaceae sp.OSB274 10 0.08 Sapindaceae sp.OSB304 118 0.89 Sapindaceae sp.OSB334 38 0.29 Sapindaceae sp.OSB452 1 0.01 Sapium ciliatum 2 0.02 Sapium glandulosum 19 0.14 Sapotaceae sp.BBLeNa 34 0.26 Sapotaceae sp.BBNa 8 0.06 Sapotaceae sp.OSB213 1 0.01 Sapotaceae sp.OSB262 42 0.32 Sarcaulus brasiliensis 24 0.18 Schelera decaphylla 2 0.02 Schelera morototoni 2 0.02 Sclerolobium guianense 30 0.23 Sclerolobium melinonii 80 0.6 Sextonia rubra 3 0.02 Simaba cedron 3 0.02 Simarouba amara 20 0.15 Siparuna cuspidata 6 0.05 Siparuna decipiens 40 0.3 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 169 Appendix 2 Genus 170 Species total % trees Sloanea grandifolia 1 0.01 Sloanea sp.BB6 2 0.02 Sloanea sp.L4_340 2 0.02 Sloanea sp.Na5_634 1 0.01 Sloanea sp.OSB151 19 0.14 Sloanea sp.OSB152_166 5 0.04 Sloanea sp.OSB161 5 0.04 Sloanea sp.OSB162_354 11 0.08 Sloanea sp.OSB208_449 37 0.28 Sloanea sp.OSB310 5 0.04 Sloanea sp.OSB350_444 10 0.08 Sloanea sp.OSB447 2 0.02 Sloanea sp.OSB455 19 0.14 Sloanea sp.OSB544 2 0.02 Sloanea sp.OSB561 1 0.01 Socratea exorrhiza 8 0.06 Sterculia pruriens 41 0.31 Sterculia sp.OSB276_554 55 0.42 Swartzia arborescens 12 0.09 Swartzia benthamiana 37 0.28 Swartzia benthamiana 5 0.04 Swartzia panacoco 9 0.07 Swartzia remiger 50 0.38 Swartzia schomburgkii 11 0.08 Swartzia sp.1_BBLeNa 60 0.45 Swartzia sp.1_BBNa 16 0.12 Swartzia sp.1_LeNa 3 0.02 Symphonia globulifera 18 0.14 Tabebuia capitata 20 0.15 Tabebuia inisgnis 2 0.02 Tabebuia serratifolia 25 0.19 Tabernaemontana sp.OSB430 2 0.02 Tachigali albilora 2 0.02 Tachigali paniculata 7 0.05 Tachigali sp.OSB275 9 0.07 Talisia megaphylla 5 0.04 Talisia sp.BB1_27 1 0.01 Talissia sp.OSB351 1 0.01 Tapirira guianense 42 0.32 Tapura amazonica 85 0.64 Tapura guianensis 21 0.16 Terminalia guyanensis 59 0.45 Rapid Assessment Program List of tree species and number of individuals/species recorded in 23 plots in the Nassau, Brownsberg, and Lely Mountains Genus Species total % trees Terminalia sp.L5 52 0.39 Terminalia sp.OSB404_996 17 0.13 Tetragastris altissima 142 1.07 Tetragastris panamensis 50 0.38 hyrsodium guianense 14 0.11 hyrsodium puberulum 3 0.02 Toulicia pulvinata 77 0.58 Touroulia guianensis 3 0.02 Tovomita choisyana 16 0.12 Tovomita sp.1_Na 3 0.02 Tovomita sp.OSB155 36 0.27 Tovomita sp.OSB345 6 0.05 Trattinnickia burserifolia 24 0.18 Trichilia sp.OSB211_300 33 0.25 Trichilia sp.OSB302 1 0.01 Trichilia sp.OSB335 15 0.11 Trichilia sp.OSB364 22 0.17 Trichilia sp.OSB511_528 2 0.02 Trigynaea sp. 32 0.24 Trymatococcus oligandrus 29 0.22 Unidentiied sp.6_Na 1 0.01 Unidentiied sp.BB9_74 1 0.01 Unidentiied sp.L6_302 1 0.01 Unidentiied sp.L8_473 1 0.01 Unidentiied sp.Na3_456 1 0.01 Unidentiied sp.Na3_82 1 0.01 Unidentiied sp.OSB168 1 0.01 Unidentiied sp.OSB207 1 0.01 Unidentiied sp.OSB348 1 0.01 Unidentiied sp.OSB377 1 0.01 Unidentiied sp.OSB392 1 0.01 Unidentiied sp.OSB550 1 0.01 Unidentiied sp.OSB557 1 0.01 Unonopsis glaucopetala 109 0.82 Vatairea guianensis 13 0.1 Vataireopsis speciosa 6 0.05 Vataireopsis surinamensis 1 0.01 Violaceae sp.MJ6444 1 0.01 Violaceae sp.OSB171 13 0.1 Violaceae sp.OSB193 66 0.5 Violaceae sp.OSB499 50 0.38 Virola calophylla 5 0.04 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 171 Appendix 2 Genus 172 Species total % trees Virola kwatae 20 0.15 Virola michelii 71 0.54 Virola sebifera 9 0.07 Virola surinamensis 35 0.26 Vismia cayennensis 1 0.01 Vismia guianensis 8 0.06 Vismia japurensis 21 0.16 Vismia macrophylla 1 0.01 Vismia sessilifolia 2 0.02 Vitex trilora 8 0.06 Vochysia densilora 1 0.01 Vochysia guianensis 9 0.07 Vochysia tetraphylla 3 0.02 Vochysia tomentosa 35 0.26 Vouacapoua americana 67 0.51 Ximenia americana 1 0.01 Xylopia nitida 30 0.23 Xylopia sp.BB 8 0.06 Xylosma benthamii 1 0.01 Zanthoxylum rhoifolium 1 0.01 Zygia racemosa 47 0.35 Zygia tetragona 6 0.05 Rapid Assessment Program Appendix 3 Plant species collected on the three bauxite plateaus, Brownsberg, Nassau and Lely. Hans ter Steege, Olaf Bánki and Paddy Haripersaud Sum number of collections per species; IUCN: status according to IUCN red list; Prot: protected according to Surinamese law (source Pieter Teunissen); End: endemic status (E = possibly endemic for Suriname); BB: Brownsberg; BW: Brownsweg; Le: Lely Mts.; Ma: Marowijne (base of Nassau); Mo: Moengo; Na: Nassau Mts. Family Species Sum IUCN Prot End BB BW Le Ma Mo Na Acanthaceae Anisacanthus secundus 5 4 Acanthaceae Aphelandra scabra 1 1 Acanthaceae Blechum pyramidatum 1 1 Acanthaceae Justicia calycina 7 5 Acanthaceae Justicia cayennensis 4 4 Acanthaceae Lepidagathis alopecuroidea 2 2 Acanthaceae Mendoncia aspera 2 Acanthaceae Mendoncia hofmannseggiana 6 Acanthaceae Pulchranthus surinamensis 4 Acanthaceae Pulchranthus variegatus 1 1 Acanthaceae Ruellia longifolia 3 1 Acanthaceae Ruellia rubra 4 2 Achariaceae Carpotroche surinamensis 10 7 Achariaceae Lindackeria sp. 1 1 Adiantaceae Adiantopsis radiata 2 Adiantaceae Adiantum cajennense 3 Adiantaceae Adiantum decoratum 1 Adiantaceae Adiantum fuliginosum 1 1 Adiantaceae Adiantum glaucescens 4 1 Adiantaceae Adiantum latifolium 3 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 4 2 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 Adiantaceae Adiantum leprieurii 2 1 Adiantaceae Adiantum macrophyllum 1 1 Adiantaceae Adiantum obliquum 2 1 Adiantaceae Adiantum paraense 1 Adiantaceae Adiantum phyllitidis 1 1 Adiantaceae Adiantum pulverulentum 2 2 Adiantaceae Adiantum terminatum 5 1 Adiantaceae Adiantum tetraphyllum 1 Adiantaceae Pityrogramma calomelanos 2 2 Algae Indet. 3 1 Amaranthaceae Cyathula prostrata 1 1 1 1 3 1 2 1 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 173 Appendix 3 174 Family Species Sum IUCN Prot End BB Amaranthaceae Pfaia glomerata 2 Anacardiaceae Anacardium spruceanum 1 Anacardiaceae Loxopterygium sagotii 6 5 Anacardiaceae Tapirira guianensis 15 12 Anacardiaceae hyrsodium guianense 3 1 Anacardiaceae hyrsodium sp. 1 Anacardiaceae hyrsodium spruceanum 1 Annonaceae Anaxagorea acuminata 4 Annonaceae Anaxagorea dolichocarpa 13 Annonaceae Anaxagorea prinoides 2 Annonaceae Annona densicoma 1 BW Le Ma Mo Na 2 1 1 3 2 1 1 4 4 6 3 2 1 Annonaceae Annona sp. 1 1 Annonaceae Cardiopetalum surinamense 5 2 Annonaceae Cymbopetalum brasiliense 10 8 Annonaceae Cymbopetalum sp. 1 1 Annonaceae Duguetia calycina 8 5 Annonaceae Duguetia eximia 7 Annonaceae Duguetia inconspicua 7 1 Annonaceae Duguetia pycnastera 17 Annonaceae Duguetia sp. 1 Annonaceae Duguetia surinamensis Annonaceae 1 2 1 2 1 1 7 1 3 8 6 3 10 7 1 2 Fusaea longifolia 13 8 Annonaceae Guatteria anthracina 2 Annonaceae Guatteria intermedia 1 1 Annonaceae Guatteria pteropus 1 1 Annonaceae Guatteria punctata 12 6 Annonaceae Guatteria scandens 1 1 Annonaceae Guatteria schomburgkiana 5 5 Annonaceae Oxandra asbecki 4 1 Annonaceae Rollinia elliptica 1 1 Annonaceae Rollinia exsucca 3 Annonaceae Trigynaea duckei 1 1 Annonaceae Trigynaea sp. nov? 1 1 Annonaceae Unonopsis rufescens 14 11 Annonaceae Unonopsis stipitata 4 1 Annonaceae Xylopia aromatica 2 Annonaceae Xylopia cayennensis 1 Annonaceae Xylopia frutescens 3 2 Annonaceae Xylopia sericea 1 1 Apocynaceae Allamanda cathartica 2 1 Apocynaceae Ambelania acida 8 6 Apocynaceae Aspidosperma album 1 1 Rapid Assessment Program 2 1 1 4 1 2 1 2 2 6 2 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 2 Plant species collected on the three bauxite plateaus, Brownsberg, Nassau and Lely Family Species Sum IUCN Prot End BB BW Le Ma Mo Na Apocynaceae Aspidosperma cruentum 8 3 5 Apocynaceae Aspidosperma marcgravianum 2 1 1 Apocynaceae Aspidosperma oblongum 4 2 2 Apocynaceae Aspidosperma spruceanum 1 Apocynaceae Aspidosperma vargasii 2 2 Apocynaceae Blepharodon nitidus 6 3 Apocynaceae Blepharodon sp. 1 1 Apocynaceae Forsteronia acouci 4 2 2 Apocynaceae Forsteronia gracilis 2 1 1 Apocynaceae Forsteronia guyanensis 3 3 Apocynaceae Geissospermum argenteum 1 1 Apocynaceae Geissospermum laeve 3 3 Apocynaceae Geissospermum sericeum 1 1 Apocynaceae Gonolobus sp. 2 Apocynaceae Himatanthus articulatus 2 2 Apocynaceae Himatanthus bracteatus 2 2 1 2 1 2 Apocynaceae Indet. 3 Apocynaceae Lacmellea aculeata 5 2 3 Apocynaceae Macoubea guianensis 5 5 Apocynaceae Mandevilla hirsuta 2 Apocynaceae Mandevilla rugellosa 3 Apocynaceae Mandevilla scabra 1 Apocynaceae Mandevilla sp. 1 Apocynaceae Matelea denticulata 1 Apocynaceae Matelea sp. 1 Apocynaceae Mesechites triida 1 Apocynaceae Odontadenia geminata 1 Apocynaceae Odontadenia macrantha 1 Apocynaceae Odontadenia nitida 2 2 Apocynaceae Odontadenia perrottetii 3 2 Apocynaceae Odontadenia puncticulosa 1 Apocynaceae Parahancornia fasciculata 4 4 Apocynaceae Rauvolia ligustrina 2 2 Apocynaceae Rauvolia paraensis 2 1 Apocynaceae Tabernaemontana albilora 1 1 Apocynaceae Tabernaemontana disticha 10 Apocynaceae Tabernaemontana heterophylla 4 Apocynaceae Tabernaemontana undulata 20 Apocynaceae Tassadia guianensis 1 Apocynaceae Tassadia propinqua 1 Apocynaceae Tassadia sp. 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 4 2 1 1 12 4 4 1 1 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 1 175 Appendix 3 176 Family Species Sum IUCN Prot End BB Aquifoliaceae Ilex jenmanii 1 1 Araceae Anthurium bonplandii 1 1 Araceae Anthurium digitatum 1 1 Araceae Anthurium eminens 1 1 Araceae Anthurium gracile 9 Araceae Anthurium jenmanii 1 Araceae Anthurium pentaphyllum 3 2 1 Araceae Anthurium rubrinervium 9 7 2 Araceae Anthurium sinuatum 2 2 Araceae Anthurium sp. 2 2 Araceae Anthurium trinerve 5 1 Araceae Caladium bicolor 1 1 Araceae Diefenbachia seguine 2 2 Araceae Diefenbachia sp. 1 Araceae Dracontium asperum 1 1 Araceae Dracontium polyphyllum 1 1 Araceae Heteropsis lexuosa 4 2 Araceae Heteropsis jenmanii 1 1 Araceae Heteropsis spruceana 1 1 Araceae Heteropsis tenuispadix 1 Araceae Indet. 6 4 Araceae Monstera adansonii 4 4 Araceae Monstera obliqua 5 5 Araceae Monstera spruceana 2 2 Araceae Philodendron delexum 1 1 Araceae Philodendron duckei 2 1 Araceae Philodendron fragrantissimum 3 Araceae Philodendron guianense 1 1 Araceae Philodendron guttiferum 9 9 Araceae Philodendron insigne 2 1 Araceae Philodendron linnaei 4 2 Araceae Philodendron pedatum 6 3 Araceae Philodendron rudgeanum 1 1 Araceae Philodendron scandens 5 Araceae Philodendron sp. Araceae 3 BW 1 Le 2 Ma Mo Na 3 1 2 2 1 2 1 2 1 1 2 2 1 2 2 1 6 1 4 1 Philodendron splitgerberi 1 1 Araceae Philodendron squamiferum 1 1 Araceae Philodendron surinamense 5 4 Araceae Rhodospatha obliqua 2 2 Araceae Syngonium podophyllum 3 2 Araceae Syngonium sp. 1 1 Araceae Xanthosoma sagittifolium 1 Rapid Assessment Program 1 2 1 1 1 Plant species collected on the three bauxite plateaus, Brownsberg, Nassau and Lely Family Species Sum IUCN Prot End BB BW Le Ma Mo Na Araceae Xanthosoma undipes 1 Arecaceae Bactris acanthocarpoides 1 Arecaceae Bactris campestris 1 1 Arecaceae Bactris gastoniana 4 4 Arecaceae Bactris maraja 2 Arecaceae Bactris simplicifrons 9 Arecaceae Desmoncus polyacanthos 2 Arecaceae Geonoma baculifera 1 Arecaceae Geonoma macrostachys 1 Arecaceae Geonoma maxima 3 Arecaceae Geonoma sp. 2 Arecaceae Geonoma stricta 7 Arecaceae Indet. 4 Arecaceae Mauritia lexuosa 6 Arecaceae Oenocarpus bacaba 1 1 Arecaceae Socratea exorrhiza 2 2 Aristolochiaceae Aristolochia guianensis 2 1 Aristolochiaceae Aristolochia sp. 1 Aristolochiaceae Aristolochia stahelii 3 Aristolochiaceae Indet. 1 Aspleniaceae Asplenium abscissum 1 Aspleniaceae Asplenium angustum 1 Aspleniaceae Asplenium auritum 1 Aspleniaceae Asplenium juglandifolium 3 3 Aspleniaceae Asplenium laetum 1 1 Aspleniaceae Asplenium pedicularifolium 1 1 Aspleniaceae Asplenium rutaceum 1 1 Aspleniaceae Asplenium salicifolium 2 1 1 Aspleniaceae Asplenium serratum 2 1 1 Asteraceae Bidens cynapiifolia 1 1 Asteraceae Chromolaena odorata 3 1 Asteraceae Conyza bonariensis 1 Asteraceae Cyanthillium cinereum 1 1 Asteraceae Emilia sonchifolia 2 1 Asteraceae Erechtites hieracifolia 2 1 Asteraceae Hebeclinium macrophyllum 1 1 Asteraceae Indet. 3 Asteraceae Mikania 2 Asteraceae Mikania banisteriae 1 Asteraceae Mikania congesta 1 Asteraceae Mikania gleasonii 4 1 Asteraceae Mikania guaco 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 3 4 2 1 1 1 2 2 4 3 2 2 6 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 1 1 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 3 177 Appendix 3 178 Family Species Asteraceae Mikania lindleyana 1 Asteraceae Mikania micrantha 3 Asteraceae Mikania parvilora 2 Asteraceae Mikania psilostachya 1 1 Asteraceae Mikania vitifolia 1 1 Asteraceae Neurolaena lobata 3 2 Asteraceae Piptocarpha trilora 4 Asteraceae Rolandra fruticosa 2 Asteraceae Wedelia sp. 1 Asteraceae Wulia baccata 2 Balanophoraceae Helosis cayennensis 6 Begoniaceae Begonia glabra 3 Begoniaceae Begonia humilis 1 Bignoniaceae Anemopaegma brevipes 1 Bignoniaceae Arrabidaea fanshawei 1 1 Bignoniaceae Arrabidaea lorida 3 3 Bignoniaceae Arrabidaea inaequalis 1 1 Bignoniaceae Arrabidaea mollis 1 1 Bignoniaceae Callichlamys latifolia 1 1 Bignoniaceae Cydista aequinoctialis 1 1 Bignoniaceae Distictella elongata 1 1 Bignoniaceae Distictella magnoliifolia 2 1 1 Bignoniaceae Distictis granulosa 4 Bignoniaceae Jacaranda copaia 8 7 1 Bignoniaceae Jacaranda obtusifolia 6 5 1 Bignoniaceae Lundia erionema 3 1 Bignoniaceae Macfadyena unguis-cati 1 1 Bignoniaceae Mansoa kerere 1 Bignoniaceae Martinella obovata 3 Bignoniaceae Memora lavida 1 Bignoniaceae Memora lavilora 1 Bignoniaceae Memora moringifolia 1 1 Bignoniaceae Memora racemosa 2 2 Bignoniaceae Memora schomburgkii 1 Bignoniaceae Pithecoctenium crucigerum 1 1 Bignoniaceae Schlegelia violacea 3 1 Bignoniaceae Stizophyllum inaequilaterum 2 2 Bignoniaceae Stizophyllum riparium 1 1 Bignoniaceae Tabebuia capitata 2 Bignoniaceae Tabebuia impetiginosa 1 1 Bignoniaceae Tabebuia serratifolia 5 5 Bignoniaceae Tabebuia sp. 1 1 Rapid Assessment Program Sum IUCN Prot End BB BW Le Ma Mo Na 1 1 2 2 1 1 3 2 1 1 1 1 2 5 1 1 1 4 2 1 2 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 Plant species collected on the three bauxite plateaus, Brownsberg, Nassau and Lely Family Species Sum Boraginaceae Cordia alliodora 1 Boraginaceae Cordia bicolor 1 1 Boraginaceae Cordia laevifrons 3 2 Boraginaceae Cordia lomatoloba 2 2 Boraginaceae Cordia nodosa 15 11 2 2 Boraginaceae Cordia panicularis 4 1 1 2 Boraginaceae Cordia sagotii 2 2 Boraginaceae Cordia schomburgkii 5 3 Boraginaceae Cordia tetrandra 1 1 Boraginaceae Heliotropium indicum 1 1 Boraginaceae Hydrolea spinosa 1 Boraginaceae Tournefortia bicolor 6 6 Boraginaceae Tournefortia cuspidata 2 2 Boraginaceae Tournefortia maculata 1 1 Boraginaceae Tournefortia ulei 6 3 1 Bromeliaceae Aechmea bromeliifolia 2 1 1 Bromeliaceae Aechmea melinonii 2 Bromeliaceae Aechmea mertensii 3 1 Bromeliaceae Araeococcus micranthus 4 2 Bromeliaceae Araeococcus sp. 1 Bromeliaceae Billbergia violacea 4 2 Bromeliaceae Catopsis berteroniana 1 1 Bromeliaceae Catopsis sp. 1 Bromeliaceae Guzmania lingulata 2 Bromeliaceae Indet. 5 Bromeliaceae Tillandsia anceps 2 Bromeliaceae Tillandsia monadelpha 4 2 Bromeliaceae Tillandsia sp. 2 2 Bromeliaceae Tillandsia spiculosa 2 Bromeliaceae Vriesea heliconioides 1 Bromeliaceae Vriesea pleiosticha 1 1 Bromeliaceae Vriesea splendens 6 1 Bryophyte Indet. 129 7 Burmanniaceae Burmannia bicolor 1 Burmanniaceae Dictyostega orobanchoides 1 Burmanniaceae Dictyostega sp. 1 Burmanniaceae Gymnosiphon cymosus 1 Burmanniaceae Gymnosiphon divaricatus 1 Burmanniaceae Indet. 1 Burseraceae Indet. 2 Burseraceae Protium altsonii 2 Burseraceae Protium apiculatum 1 IUCN Prot End BB BW Le Ma Mo Na 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 5 1 1 1 2 1 1 5 9 113 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 179 Appendix 3 180 Family Species Burseraceae Protium aracouchini 1 Burseraceae Protium giganteum 1 Burseraceae Protium guianense 1 1 Burseraceae Protium plagiocarpium 1 1 Burseraceae Protium polybotryum 2 2 Burseraceae Protium tenuifolium 2 1 Burseraceae Tetragastris altissima 1 Burseraceae Tetragastris panamensis 10 8 Burseraceae Trattinnickia burserifolia 1 1 Burseraceae Trattinnickia demerarae 1 Burseraceae Trattinnickia lawrancei 1 1 Burseraceae Trattinnickia rhoifolia 5 5 Cactaceae Epiphyllum phyllanthus 1 1 Campanulaceae Centropogon cornutus 7 2 Cannabaceae Celtis iguanaea 1 Cannabaceae Trema micrantha 1 1 Capparaceae Capparis lexuosa 2 1 Capparaceae Capparis maroniensis 6 5 1 Cardiopteridaceae Dendrobangia boliviana 2 1 1 Caricaceae Jacaratia spinosa 2 2 Caryocaraceae Caryocar glabrum 2 Caryophyllaceae Drymaria cordata 1 1 Cecropiaceae Cecropia obtusa 4 1 3 Cecropiaceae Cecropia sciadophylla 3 1 1 Cecropiaceae Coussapoa angustifolia 2 2 Cecropiaceae Coussapoa asperifolia 1 Cecropiaceae Coussapoa latifolia 7 3 Cecropiaceae Pourouma bicolor 1 1 Cecropiaceae Pourouma guianensis 3 1 Cecropiaceae Pourouma minor 1 Cecropiaceae Pourouma mollis 3 Cecropiaceae Pourouma tomentosa 1 Cecropiaceae Pourouma villosa 9 6 Celastraceae Cheiloclinium cognatum 11 5 Celastraceae Cheiloclinium hippocrateoides 1 1 Celastraceae Hippocratea volubilis 1 Celastraceae Maytenus iciformis 1 1 Celastraceae Maytenus guyanensis 1 1 Celastraceae Maytenus kanukuensis 1 1 Celastraceae Maytenus myrsinoides 4 Celastraceae Maytenus oblongata 1 1 Celastraceae Maytenus pruinosa 5 4 Rapid Assessment Program Sum IUCN Prot End BB BW Le Ma Mo Na 1 1 1 1 2 1 5 1 1 2 1 1 4 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 2 4 1 4 1 Plant species collected on the three bauxite plateaus, Brownsberg, Nassau and Lely Family Species Sum IUCN Prot End BB BW Le Ma Mo Na Celastraceae Peritassa laevigata 4 Celastraceae Peritassa pruinosa 1 Celastraceae Prionostemma aspera 1 1 Celastraceae Pristimera nervosa 1 1 Celastraceae Salacia cordata 1 1 Celastraceae Salacia duckei 1 Celastraceae Salacia multilora 2 1 Celastraceae Tontelea coriacea 1 1 Chrysobalanaceae Couepia guianensis 7 5 2 Chrysobalanaceae Couepia parillo 4 1 3 Chrysobalanaceae Exellodendron barbatum 1 1 Chrysobalanaceae Hirtella hispidula 4 Chrysobalanaceae Hirtella margae 1 Chrysobalanaceae Hirtella mucronata 2 Chrysobalanaceae Hirtella paniculata 4 4 Chrysobalanaceae Hirtella racemosa 5 3 Chrysobalanaceae Hirtella silicea 3 Chrysobalanaceae Hirtella triandra 2 2 Chrysobalanaceae Licania apetala 1 1 Chrysobalanaceae Licania canescens 2 Chrysobalanaceae Licania glabrilora 2 1 Chrysobalanaceae Licania heteromorpha 3 2 Chrysobalanaceae Licania hypoleuca 7 5 Chrysobalanaceae Licania incana 2 Chrysobalanaceae Licania laxilora 3 Chrysobalanaceae Licania licaniilora 6 3 Chrysobalanaceae Licania majuscula 11 10 Chrysobalanaceae Licania ovalifolia 2 2 Chrysobalanaceae Licania robusta 1 1 Chrysobalanaceae Licania sp. 3 1 Chrysobalanaceae Parinari campestris 4 4 Chrysobalanaceae Parinari excelsa 3 3 Clusiaceae Calophyllum brasiliense 1 1 Clusiaceae Caraipa punctulata 17 15 Clusiaceae Clusia fockeana 1 1 Clusiaceae Clusia grandilora 10 1 Clusiaceae Clusia nemorosa 8 3 Clusiaceae Clusia palmicida 1 Clusiaceae Clusia panapanari 12 4 Clusiaceae Clusia platystigma 2 1 1 Clusiaceae Clusia scrobiculata 3 1 2 Clusiaceae Platonia insignis 2 2 4 1 1 1 3 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 2 1 1 3 3 1 2 2 4 1 5 4 1 4 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 4 181 Appendix 3 182 Family Species Clusiaceae Rheedia acuminata 1 1 Clusiaceae Rheedia benthamiana 6 2 Clusiaceae Rheedia macrophylla 1 1 Clusiaceae Rheedia madruno 4 4 Clusiaceae Symphonia globulifera 8 7 1 Clusiaceae Tovomita brevistaminea 3 2 1 Clusiaceae Tovomita calodictyos 2 Clusiaceae Tovomita carinata 1 1 Clusiaceae Tovomita choisyana 11 6 Clusiaceae Tovomita schomburgkii 3 3 Clusiaceae Tovomita secunda 4 2 Clusiaceae Tovomita sp. 1 Clusiaceae Tovomita umbellata 3 Collemataceae Leptogium sp. 1 Combretaceae Buchenavia parvifolia 1 1 Combretaceae Combretum laxum 2 1 Combretaceae Combretum pyramidatum 1 1 Combretaceae Combretum rotundifolium 1 1 Combretaceae Terminalia amazonia 3 Combretaceae Terminalia guyanensis 2 Combretaceae Terminalia sp. 2 Commelinaceae Commelina ruipes 1 Connaraceae Cnestidium guianense 2 Connaraceae Connarus coriaceus 1 1 Connaraceae Connarus fasciculatus 6 2 Connaraceae Connarus perrottetii 3 Connaraceae Rourea pubescens 1 1 Connaraceae Rourea surinamensis 3 2 Convolvulaceae Bonamia maripoides 1 1 Convolvulaceae Dicranostyles guianensis 2 2 Convolvulaceae Dicranostyles sp. 1 Convolvulaceae Dicranostyles villosus 1 Convolvulaceae Ipomoea batatoides 2 Convolvulaceae Ipomoea imperati 1 Convolvulaceae Ipomoea phillomega 2 1 Convolvulaceae Ipomoea tiliacea 1 1 Convolvulaceae Lysiostyles scandens 1 Convolvulaceae Maripa glabra 4 1 Convolvulaceae Maripa scandens 5 3 Convolvulaceae Maripa sp. 1 1 Convolvulaceae Maripa violacea 7 7 Convolvulaceae Merremia macrocalyx 1 1 Rapid Assessment Program Sum IUCN Prot End BB BW Le Ma 2 Mo Na 2 1 1 1 4 1 1 1 3 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 4 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 Plant species collected on the three bauxite plateaus, Brownsberg, Nassau and Lely Family Species Sum IUCN Prot End BB BW Le Costaceae Costus arabicus 1 Costaceae Costus claviger 8 4 Costaceae Costus congestilorus 2 1 Costaceae Costus scaber 3 1 Cucurbitaceae Anguria sp. 1 1 Cucurbitaceae Gurania bignoniacea 2 Cucurbitaceae Gurania lobata 4 1 Cucurbitaceae Gurania robusta 1 1 Cucurbitaceae Gurania spinulosa 1 1 Cucurbitaceae Gurania subumbellata 3 1 Cucurbitaceae Helmontia leptantha 5 1 Cucurbitaceae Melothria pendula 1 1 Cucurbitaceae Psiguria triphylla 3 2 1 Cucurbitaceae Selysia prunifera 11 2 9 Cyatheaceae Cnemidaria cruciata 1 Cyatheaceae Cnemidaria spectabilis 1 1 Cyatheaceae Cyathea andina 1 1 Cyatheaceae Cyathea cyatheoides 1 1 Cyatheaceae Cyathea pungens 2 1 Cyatheaceae Cyathea sp. 1 1 Cyatheaceae Cyathea surinamensis 3 1 Cyatheaceae Indet. 2 Cyclanthaceae Asplundia brachyphylla 1 Cyclanthaceae Asplundia fanshawei 1 Cyclanthaceae Asplundia glandulosa 1 Cyclanthaceae Asplundia heteranthera 9 Cyclanthaceae Asplundia maguirei 4 Cyclanthaceae Cyclanthus bipartitus 1 Cyclanthaceae Dicranopygium pygmaeum 9 Cyclanthaceae Evodianthus funifer 4 Cyclanthaceae Ludovia lancifolia 1 1 Cyclanthaceae Stelestylis surinamensis 1 1 Cyclanthaceae horacocarpus bissectus 2 2 Cyperaceae Becquerelia cymosa 4 3 Cyperaceae Bisboeckelera longifolia 4 2 Cyperaceae Bulbostylis lanata 2 1 Cyperaceae Calyptrocarya glomerulata 9 4 Cyperaceae Calyptrocarya sp. 1 Cyperaceae Cyperus laxus 1 Cyperaceae Cyperus ligularis 1 Cyperaceae Cyperus luzulae 2 Cyperaceae Cyperus simplex 2 Ma Mo Na 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 7 4 1 5 1 3 1 3 1 2 1 1 4 1 1 1 1 1 2 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 183 Appendix 3 184 Family Species Cyperaceae Cyperus sp. 1 1 Cyperaceae Diplacrum guianense 1 1 Cyperaceae Diplasia karatifolia 10 Cyperaceae Diplasia sp. 1 Cyperaceae Eleocharis iliculmis 1 1 Cyperaceae Fimbristylis annua 1 1 Cyperaceae Fuirena umbellata 1 1 Cyperaceae Hypolytrum jenmanii 6 Cyperaceae Hypolytrum longifolium 1 Cyperaceae Hypolytrum pulchrum 2 1 Cyperaceae Indet. 6 1 Cyperaceae Lagenocarpus rigidus 1 1 Cyperaceae Mapania sp. 1 Cyperaceae Mapania sylvatica 8 2 Cyperaceae Rhynchospora barbata 4 1 Cyperaceae Rhynchospora cephalotes 6 1 Cyperaceae Rhynchospora curvula 1 1 Cyperaceae Rhynchospora iliformis 1 Cyperaceae Rhynchospora globosa 3 1 2 Cyperaceae Rhynchospora holoschoenoides 6 3 1 Cyperaceae Rhynchospora marisculus 1 Cyperaceae Rhynchospora montana 1 Cyperaceae Rhynchospora pubera 2 Cyperaceae Rhynchospora rugosa 2 1 Cyperaceae Scleria cyperina 1 1 Cyperaceae Scleria hirtella 1 Cyperaceae Scleria latifolia 2 Cyperaceae Scleria melaleuca 2 Cyperaceae Scleria secans 1 1 Cyperaceae Scleria sp. 1 1 Cyperaceae Scleria stipularis 2 1 1 Dennstaedtiaceae Lindsaea dubia 2 1 1 Dennstaedtiaceae Lindsaea lancea 3 1 Dennstaedtiaceae Lindsaea pallida 1 1 Dennstaedtiaceae Lindsaea portoricensis 2 1 Dennstaedtiaceae Lindsaea quadrangularis 1 1 Dennstaedtiaceae Lindsaea reniformis 1 1 Dennstaedtiaceae Lindsaea sagittata 1 1 Dennstaedtiaceae Lindsaea surinamensis 1 1 Dennstaedtiaceae Lonchitis hirsuta 1 1 Dennstaedtiaceae Saccoloma inaequale 1 Dichapetalaceae Dichapetalum pedunculatum 3 Rapid Assessment Program Sum IUCN Prot End BB 5 BW 1 Le 1 Ma Mo Na 3 1 2 4 1 1 5 1 3 3 2 3 1 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 Plant species collected on the three bauxite plateaus, Brownsberg, Nassau and Lely Family Species Sum IUCN Prot End BB BW Le Ma Mo Na Dichapetalaceae Dichapetalum rugosum 2 Dichapetalaceae Tapura amazonica 2 Dichapetalaceae Tapura capitulifera 11 11 Dichapetalaceae Tapura guianensis 22 12 Dilleniaceae Davilla kunthii 3 1 Dilleniaceae Davilla rugosa 1 Dilleniaceae Doliocarpus brevipedicellatus 3 Dilleniaceae Doliocarpus dentatus 2 Dilleniaceae Doliocarpus guianensis 1 1 Dilleniaceae Doliocarpus macrocarpus 2 2 Dilleniaceae Doliocarpus major 2 Dilleniaceae Doliocarpus paraensis 2 2 Dilleniaceae Doliocarpus sp. 1 1 Dilleniaceae Doliocarpus spraguei 1 1 Dilleniaceae Pinzona coriacea 1 Dioscoreaceae Dioscorea megacarpa 1 Dioscoreaceae Dioscorea pilosiuscula 1 Dioscoreaceae Dioscorea sp. 4 Droseraceae Drosera cayennensis 1 Dryopteridaceae Cyclodium guianense 1 1 Dryopteridaceae Cyclodium inerme 9 1 Dryopteridaceae Cyclodium meniscioides 3 Dryopteridaceae Didymochlaena truncatula 1 1 Dryopteridaceae Dryopteris sp. 2 2 Dryopteridaceae Olfersia cervina 2 1 Dryopteridaceae Polybotrya fractiserialis 1 1 Dryopteridaceae Stigmatopteris rotundata 1 1 Dryopteridaceae Stigmatopteris sp. 1 1 Ebenaceae Diospyros martinii 1 1 Ebenaceae Diospyros ropourea 1 Ebenaceae Diospyros sp. 4 Ebenaceae Diospyros tetrandra 1 Ebenaceae Indet. 1 Elaeocarpaceae Sloanea eichleri 1 1 Elaeocarpaceae Sloanea loribunda 1 1 Elaeocarpaceae Sloanea garckeana 4 Elaeocarpaceae Sloanea gracilis 1 Elaeocarpaceae Sloanea grandilora 8 5 3 Elaeocarpaceae Sloanea guianensis 5 4 1 Elaeocarpaceae Sloanea laxilora 8 6 Elaeocarpaceae Sloanea pubescens 1 1 Elaeocarpaceae Sloanea robusta 3 1 2 1 2 1 1 7 2 1 1 2 2 2 1 1 1 2 1 1 3 5 1 2 1 1 1 4 1 1 2 E 2 1 2 1 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 1 185 Appendix 3 186 Family Species Elaeocarpaceae Sloanea rufa 1 1 Elaeocarpaceae Sloanea sp. 3 2 Elaeocarpaceae Sloanea synandra 1 1 Ericaceae Cavendishia callista 3 3 Ericaceae Sphyrospermum 1 1 Ericaceae Sphyrospermum cordifolium 1 Eriocaulaceae Tonina luviatilis 2 1 Erythroxylaceae Erythroxylum amazonicum 3 1 Erythroxylaceae Erythroxylum citrifolium 3 Erythroxylaceae Erythroxylum kapplerianum 10 Erythroxylaceae Erythroxylum macrophyllum 5 Erythroxylaceae Erythroxylum mucronatum 2 Erythroxylaceae Erythroxylum sp. 4 Erythroxylaceae Erythroxylum squamatum 3 Euphorbiaceae Acalypha diversifolia 6 Euphorbiaceae Acalypha sp. 2 2 Euphorbiaceae Alchornea triplinervia 1 1 Euphorbiaceae Alchorneopsis loribunda 1 1 Euphorbiaceae Aparisthmium sp. 1 1 Euphorbiaceae Chaetocarpus schomburgkianus 3 2 Euphorbiaceae Chamaesyce hyssopifolia 1 1 Euphorbiaceae Conceveiba guianensis 4 2 Euphorbiaceae Croton draconoides 1 1 Euphorbiaceae Croton guianensis 1 1 Euphorbiaceae Croton longiradiatus 1 1 Euphorbiaceae Croton matourensis 7 4 Euphorbiaceae Croton schiedeanus 2 2 Euphorbiaceae Croton sp. 5 Euphorbiaceae Croton trinitatis 2 Euphorbiaceae Dalechampia attenuistylus 1 Euphorbiaceae Dalechampia brownsbergensis 1 1 Euphorbiaceae Dalechampia cissifolia 1 1 Euphorbiaceae Dalechampia fragrans 1 1 Euphorbiaceae Dalechampia heterobractea 1 1 Euphorbiaceae Dalechampia triphylla 2 1 Euphorbiaceae Hevea guianensis 1 Euphorbiaceae Hyeronima alchorneoides 1 1 Euphorbiaceae Hyeronima oblonga 1 1 Euphorbiaceae Indet. 6 Euphorbiaceae Mabea piriri 7 Euphorbiaceae Mabea sp. 1 Rapid Assessment Program Sum IUCN Prot End BB BW Le Ma Mo Na 1 1 1 2 1 1 2 4 6 1 3 2 4 3 6 1 1 1 3 5 2 1 1 1 4 5 1 1 2 1 Plant species collected on the three bauxite plateaus, Brownsberg, Nassau and Lely Family Species Sum IUCN Prot End BB BW 14 12 1 3 2 Le Ma Mo Na Euphorbiaceae Mabea speciosa Euphorbiaceae Maprounea guianensis Euphorbiaceae Maprounea sp. 1 Euphorbiaceae Margaritaria nobilis 1 Euphorbiaceae Micrandra brownsbergensis 25 Euphorbiaceae Micrandra sp. 1 Euphorbiaceae Pausandra martinii 18 10 Euphorbiaceae Pera bicolor 1 1 Euphorbiaceae Pera sp. 1 1 Euphorbiaceae Pogonophora schomburgkiana 2 1 Euphorbiaceae Sagotia racemosa 3 Euphorbiaceae Sapium paucinervium 3 1 Euphorbiaceae Tragia lessertiana 3 2 Fabaceae Abarema jupunba 9 7 Fabaceae Abarema mataybifolia 1 1 Fabaceae Abarema sp. 1 Fabaceae Acacia articulata 1 1 Fabaceae Acacia tenuifolia 3 2 1 Fabaceae Alexa wachenheimii 3 2 1 Fabaceae Andira coriacea 1 1 Fabaceae Andira surinamensis 1 1 Fabaceae Balizia pedicellaris 8 8 Fabaceae Bauhinia eilertsii 5 5 Fabaceae Bauhinia guianensis 9 2 Fabaceae Bauhinia siqueiraei 2 2 Fabaceae Bauhinia smilacina 1 Fabaceae Bauhinia sp. 1 Fabaceae Bauhinia surinamensis 3 3 Fabaceae Bocoa prouacensis 4 2 Fabaceae Bocoa viridilora 1 Fabaceae Calliandra coriacea 1 Fabaceae Calliandra hymenaeodes 1 Fabaceae Calopogonium mucunoides 1 1 1 1 1 14 7 4 1 1 7 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Fabaceae Cassia sp. 1 Fabaceae Cedrelinga catenaeformis 1 1 Fabaceae Chamaecrista apoucouita 1 Fabaceae Clathrotropis brachypetala 7 7 Fabaceae Clitoria javitensis 1 1 Fabaceae Clitoria pendens 1 1 Fabaceae Clitoria sagotii 1 1 Fabaceae Copaifera epunctata 5 Fabaceae Copaifera guyanensis 3 1 1 VU E PR 5 2 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 1 187 Appendix 3 188 Family Species Sum IUCN Prot End BB Fabaceae Copaifera reticulata 1 1 Fabaceae Crudia aromatica 10 10 Fabaceae Dalbergia foliosa 1 Fabaceae Dalbergia monetaria 1 1 Fabaceae Desmodium adscendens 2 1 Fabaceae Desmodium axillare 3 2 Fabaceae Desmodium barbatum 1 Fabaceae Desmodium wydlerianum 2 2 Fabaceae Dialium guianense 3 3 Fabaceae Dicorynia guianensis 2 1 Fabaceae Dioclea macrocarpa 4 3 Fabaceae Dioclea sp. 1 Fabaceae Diplotropis purpurea 5 Fabaceae Dipteryx odorata 2 PR 2 Fabaceae Dipteryx punctata 1 PR 1 Fabaceae Dipteryx sp. 1 PR 1 Fabaceae Elizabetha princeps 6 Fabaceae Enterolobium schomburgkii 4 4 Fabaceae Eperua falcata 14 11 Fabaceae Eperua sp. 1 1 Fabaceae Hymenaea courbaril 1 Fabaceae Hymenolobium sp. 2 BW Le Ma Mo Na 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 5 1 5 3 1 2 Fabaceae Indet. 8 Fabaceae Inga acrocephala 1 1 Fabaceae Inga alba 5 3 Fabaceae Inga bourgoni 1 1 Fabaceae Inga capitata 2 1 Fabaceae Inga disticha 1 Fabaceae Inga huberi 2 1 Fabaceae Inga laterilora 1 1 Fabaceae Inga marginata 3 1 Fabaceae Inga nobilis 1 Fabaceae Inga paraensis 1 Fabaceae Inga pezizifera 6 4 1 1 Fabaceae Inga pilosula 4 1 2 1 Fabaceae Inga rhynchocalyx 3 Fabaceae Inga rubiginosa 8 Fabaceae Inga sertulifera 1 Fabaceae Inga sp. 9 6 3 Fabaceae Inga stipularis 5 3 1 Fabaceae Inga thibaudiana 9 6 2 Fabaceae Inga virgultosa 2 1 Rapid Assessment Program 3 2 1 3 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 3 6 2 1 1 1 1 Plant species collected on the three bauxite plateaus, Brownsberg, Nassau and Lely Family Species Sum IUCN Prot End BB BW Le Ma Mo Na Fabaceae Lonchocarpus negrensis 1 1 Fabaceae Machaerium altiscandens 1 1 Fabaceae Machaerium ferox 1 Fabaceae Machaerium loribundum 2 Fabaceae Machaerium kegelii 1 Fabaceae Machaerium macrophyllum 2 Fabaceae Machaerium madeirense 1 Fabaceae Machaerium quinatum 1 Fabaceae Macrolobium acaciifolium 1 Fabaceae Macrolobium amplexans 2 Fabaceae Macroptilium lathyroides 1 Fabaceae Macroptilium longepedunculatum 1 Fabaceae Martiodendron parvilorum 3 Fabaceae Mimosa sp. 1 Fabaceae Ormosia cinerea 1 Fabaceae Ormosia coccinea 1 1 Fabaceae Ormosia lava 1 1 Fabaceae Ormosia paraensis 2 1 Fabaceae Parkia nitida 4 3 Fabaceae Parkia pendula 3 2 Fabaceae Parkia sp. 2 Fabaceae Parkia ulei 3 3 Fabaceae Peltogyne paniculata 2 2 Fabaceae Peltogyne sp. 1 1 Fabaceae Peltogyne venosa 1 Fabaceae Piptadenia loribunda 2 Fabaceae Pithecellobium sp. 1 Fabaceae Platymiscium pinnatum 1 1 Fabaceae Poecilanthe efusa 1 1 Fabaceae Poecilanthe hostmannii 1 Fabaceae Pseudopiptadenia psilostachya 2 1 1 Fabaceae Pseudopiptadenia suaveolens 2 1 1 Fabaceae Pterocarpus oicinalis 1 1 Fabaceae Pterocarpus rohrii 1 1 Fabaceae Sclerolobium guianense 2 Fabaceae Sclerolobium melinonii 6 4 Fabaceae Sclerolobium micropetalum 2 2 Fabaceae Sclerolobium sp. 1 1 Fabaceae Senna latifolia 4 Fabaceae Senna multijuga 4 1 3 Fabaceae Senna quinquangulata 6 2 4 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 VU 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 1 1 189 Appendix 3 190 Family Species Fabaceae Stryphnodendron polystachyum 3 Fabaceae Stylosanthes angustifolia 1 Fabaceae Swartzia amshoiana 11 Fabaceae Swartzia arborescens 2 1 Fabaceae Swartzia benthamiana 15 15 Fabaceae Swartzia grandifolia 1 Fabaceae Swartzia guianensis 1 1 Fabaceae Swartzia latifolia 2 2 Fabaceae Swartzia longicarpa 4 4 Fabaceae Swartzia panacoco 5 3 Fabaceae Swartzia polyphylla 1 Fabaceae Swartzia remiger 5 3 Fabaceae Swartzia sp. 3 2 Fabaceae Tachigali albilora 5 3 Fabaceae Tachigali paniculata 1 1 Fabaceae Vatairea paraensis 1 1 Fabaceae Vataireopsis speciosa 1 1 Fabaceae Vataireopsis surinamensis 2 2 Fabaceae Vouacapoua americana 6 Fabaceae Zollernia paraënsis 1 1 Fabaceae Zollernia surinamensis 1 1 Fabaceae Zornia latifolia 1 Fabaceae Zygia cataractae 2 Fabaceae Zygia racemosa 3 Fabaceae Zygia tetragona 1 1 Fungus Indet. 1 1 Gentianaceae Chelonanthus alatus 1 1 Gentianaceae Chelonanthus purpurascens 4 2 Gentianaceae Coutoubea ramosa 1 1 Gentianaceae Coutoubea spicata 1 1 Gentianaceae Indet. 3 Gentianaceae Voyria aphylla 4 Gentianaceae Voyria aurantiaca 1 1 Gentianaceae Voyria caerulea 5 3 Gentianaceae Voyria clavata 1 1 Gentianaceae Voyria corymbosa 4 4 Gentianaceae Voyria rosea 3 Gentianaceae Voyria sp. 5 Gentianaceae Voyria tenella 4 4 Gentianaceae Voyria tenuilora 5 5 Gentianaceae Voyriella parvilora 1 1 Rapid Assessment Program Sum IUCN Prot End BB BW Le Ma 2 Mo Na 1 1 7 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 CR 2 1 2 4 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 2 3 2 1 3 1 1 2 1 Plant species collected on the three bauxite plateaus, Brownsberg, Nassau and Lely Family Species Sum IUCN Prot End BB Gesneriaceae Besleria lavovirens 1 Gesneriaceae Besleria laxilora 6 6 Gesneriaceae Besleria patrisii 1 1 Gesneriaceae Codonanthe calcarata 5 3 Gesneriaceae Codonanthe crassifolia 1 1 BW Le Ma Mo Na 1 1 1 Gesneriaceae Codonanthe sp. 1 Gesneriaceae Columnea calotricha 8 6 1 Gesneriaceae Drymonia coccinea 9 6 Gesneriaceae Drymonia serrulata 1 1 Gesneriaceae Drymonia sp. 2 1 Gesneriaceae Indet. 9 Gesneriaceae Lembocarpus amoenus 5 5 Gesneriaceae Napeanthus macrostoma 1 1 Gesneriaceae Nautilocalyx pictus 5 5 Gesneriaceae Paradrymonia campostyla 2 2 Gleicheniaceae Sticherus remota 1 1 Gloeophyllaceae Gloeophyllum striatum 2 Gnetaceae Gnetum urens 1 1 Goupiaceae Goupia glabra 4 2 Grammitidaceae Cochlidium furcatum 1 Grammitidaceae Cochlidium linearifolium 3 Grammitidaceae Cochlidium serrulatum 4 Grammitidaceae Grammitis blanchetii 2 2 Grammitidaceae Grammitis mollissima 1 1 Grammitidaceae Grammitis suspensa 2 2 Grammitidaceae Grammitis taxifolia 1 1 Grammitidaceae Lellingeria suspensa 1 Gyalectaceae Coenogonium sp. 1 Haemodoraceae Xiphidium caeruleum 5 Heliconiaceae Heliconia acuminata 7 5 2 Heliconiaceae Heliconia bihai 2 1 1 Heliconiaceae Heliconia hirsuta 2 2 Heliconiaceae Heliconia psittacorum 4 Heliconiaceae Heliconia richardiana 1 Heliconiaceae Heliconia sp. 2 Heliconiaceae Heliconia spathocircinata 1 Helotiaceae Ascotremella sp. 1 Hepaticeae Indet. 28 Hernandiaceae Sparattanthelium uncigerum 1 1 Hernandiaceae Sparattanthelium wonotoboense 1 1 Hookeriaceae Lepidopilum scabrisetum 1 2 1 3 2 2 1 2 2 2 2 1 1 2 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 1 2 1 1 5 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 23 1 191 Appendix 3 Family Species Humiriaceae Humiria balsamifera 3 3 Humiriaceae Sacoglottis cydonioides 3 2 Humiriaceae Sacoglottis guianensis 3 1 Hymenochaetaceae Hymenochaete damicornis 1 Hymenophyllaceae Hymenophyllum decurrens 1 1 Hymenophyllaceae Hymenophyllum hirsutum 4 1 Hymenophyllaceae Hymenophyllum polyanthos 5 5 Hymenophyllaceae Indet. 3 3 Hymenophyllaceae Trichomanes botryoides 1 Hymenophyllaceae Trichomanes crispum 1 1 Hymenophyllaceae Trichomanes cristatum 2 2 Hymenophyllaceae Trichomanes diversifrons 3 Hymenophyllaceae Trichomanes elegans 1 1 Hymenophyllaceae Trichomanes kapplerianum 3 3 Hymenophyllaceae Trichomanes martiusii 1 1 Hymenophyllaceae Trichomanes membranaceum 2 2 Hymenophyllaceae Trichomanes pedicellatum 5 Hymenophyllaceae Trichomanes pinnatinervium 1 Hymenophyllaceae Trichomanes pinnatum 4 Hymenophyllaceae Trichomanes punctatum 1 Hymenophyllaceae Trichomanes radicans 1 Hymenophyllaceae Trichomanes rigidum 2 Hymenophyllaceae Trichomanes sp. 1 Hymenophyllaceae Trichomanes trollii 2 1 Hypericaceae Vismia cayennensis 5 1 2 2 Hypericaceae Vismia guianensis 7 5 1 1 Hypericaceae Vismia guianensis 1 Hypericaceae Vismia latifolia 9 6 Hypericaceae Vismia ramulilora 6 6 Hypericaceae Vismia sessilifolia 1 1 Hypericaceae Vismia sp. 1 Icacinaceae Leretia cordata 2 Icacinaceae Poraqueiba guianensis 1 Indet. 192 Sum IUCN Prot End BB BW Le Mo Na 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 2 1 4 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Indet. Indet. 1 Indet. Indet. 100 Lacistemataceae Lacistema aggregatum 6 2 2 1 Lacistemataceae Lacistema grandifolium 15 8 2 3 Lacistemataceae Lacistema polystachyum 2 1 Lacistemataceae Lacistema sp. 5 Lamiaceae Hyptis atrorubens 1 Lamiaceae Hyptis brevipes 1 Rapid Assessment Program Ma 1 2 1 5 1 1 98 1 2 Plant species collected on the three bauxite plateaus, Brownsberg, Nassau and Lely Family Species Sum IUCN Prot End BB Lamiaceae Hyptis lanceolata 2 Lamiaceae Hyptis lantanifolia 3 Lauraceae Aniba citrifolia 3 Lauraceae Aniba hostmanniana 1 Lauraceae Aniba jenmanii 4 3 Lauraceae Aniba kappleri 3 3 Lauraceae Aniba panurensis 5 4 Lauraceae Aniba riparia 1 1 Lauraceae Endlicheria canescens 5 5 Lauraceae Endlicheria multilora 5 Lauraceae Endlicheria pyriformis 6 1 Lauraceae Endlicheria sp. 1 1 Lauraceae Indet. 10 3 Lauraceae Licaria aurea 1 Lauraceae Licaria cannella 1 1 Lauraceae Licaria debilis 4 3 Lauraceae Licaria martiniana 6 6 Lauraceae Licaria subbullata 2 Lauraceae Licaria vernicosa 1 Lauraceae Nectandra cissilora 2 1 Lauraceae Nectandra cuspidata 1 1 Lauraceae Nectandra globosa 5 5 Lauraceae Nectandra reticulata 3 3 Lauraceae Ocotea aciphylla 1 Lauraceae Ocotea canaliculata 7 5 Lauraceae Ocotea caudata 1 1 Lauraceae Ocotea cernua 1 Lauraceae Ocotea cujumary 1 1 Lauraceae Ocotea endlicheriopsis 1 1 Lauraceae Ocotea loribunda 2 1 Lauraceae Ocotea guianensis 1 1 Lauraceae Ocotea indirectinervia 1 1 Lauraceae Ocotea percurrens 6 4 Lauraceae Ocotea petalanthera 1 1 Lauraceae Ocotea schomburgkiana 1 1 Lauraceae Ocotea sp. 1 1 Lauraceae Ocotea splendens 6 4 Lauraceae Rhodostemonodaphne praeclara 3 3 Lauraceae Rhodostemonodaphne rufovirgata 1 Lauraceae Sextonia rubra 2 Lecythidaceae Bertholletia excelsa 1 BW Le 1 Ma Mo Na 1 1 2 1 2 1 1 1 5 5 5 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 VU PR A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 1 193 Appendix 3 194 Family Species Sum IUCN Lecythidaceae Corythophora labriculata 8 VU Lecythidaceae Couratari gloriosa 1 Lecythidaceae Couratari guianensis 6 Lecythidaceae Couratari multilora 2 1 Lecythidaceae Couratari stellata 8 5 1 2 Lecythidaceae Eschweilera collina 7 5 1 1 Lecythidaceae Eschweilera congestilora 4 3 Lecythidaceae Eschweilera coriacea 16 11 Lecythidaceae Eschweilera decolorans 2 Lecythidaceae Eschweilera micrantha 3 3 Lecythidaceae Eschweilera pedicellata 13 7 Lecythidaceae Eschweilera simiorum 3 2 Lecythidaceae Eschweilera sp. 2 2 Lecythidaceae Eschweilera subglandulosa 1 1 Lecythidaceae Eschweilera wachenheimii 2 Lecythidaceae Gustavia augusta 5 4 1 Lecythidaceae Gustavia hexapetala 9 8 1 Lecythidaceae Lecythis chartacea 3 3 Lecythidaceae Lecythis confertilora 3 Lecythidaceae Lecythis holcogyne 1 1 Lecythidaceae Lecythis idatimon 17 16 Lecythidaceae Lecythis poiteaui 1 Lecythidaceae Lecythis zabucajo 10 5 Lentibulariaceae Utricularia adpressa 1 1 Lentibulariaceae Utricularia hispida 3 1 Lentibulariaceae Utricularia hydrocarpa 1 Lentibulariaceae Utricularia juncea 2 2 Lentibulariaceae Utricularia subulata 1 1 Leucobryaceae Leucobryum crispum 1 Lichen Indet. 3 Liliaceae Curculigo scorzonerifolia 1 Linaceae Indet. 1 Lobariaceae Sticta sp. 1 Loganiaceae Antonia ovata 3 Loganiaceae Spigelia anthelmia 1 Loganiaceae Spigelia hamelioides 9 3 Loganiaceae Spigelia sp. 1 1 Loganiaceae Strychnos cogens 2 2 Loganiaceae Strychnos erichsonii 2 Loganiaceae Strychnos medeola 2 Loganiaceae Strychnos melinoniana 6 Loganiaceae Strychnos peckii 1 Rapid Assessment Program Prot End BB BW 7 Le Ma Mo Na 1 1 VU 3 3 1 1 4 1 1 1 5 1 1 2 3 1 1 4 1 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 6 1 2 2 1 3 1 Plant species collected on the three bauxite plateaus, Brownsberg, Nassau and Lely Family Species Sum IUCN Prot End BB BW Loganiaceae Strychnos sp. 2 Loganiaceae Strychnos toxifera 1 Lomariopsidaceae Bolbitis semipinnatiida 4 Lomariopsidaceae Elaphoglossum glabellum 1 1 Lomariopsidaceae Elaphoglossum herminieri 1 1 Lomariopsidaceae Elaphoglossum latifolium 1 1 Lomariopsidaceae Elaphoglossum luridum 2 1 Lomariopsidaceae Elaphoglossum macrophyllum 2 Lomariopsidaceae Elaphoglossum strictum 1 Lomariopsidaceae Lomariopsis japurensis 1 Loranthaceae Indet. 5 5 Loranthaceae Oryctanthus alveolatus 1 1 Loranthaceae Oryctanthus lorulentus 2 2 Loranthaceae Phthirusa pyrifolia 1 1 Loranthaceae Phthirusa rufa 2 1 Loranthaceae Phthirusa stelis 3 2 Loranthaceae Struthanthus syringifolius 1 1 Lycopodiaceae Huperzia dichotoma 1 1 Lycopodiaceae Huperzia taxifolia 2 2 Lycopodiaceae Indet. 1 Malpighiaceae Banisteriopsis lucida 1 1 Malpighiaceae Byrsonima aerugo 11 9 Malpighiaceae Byrsonima crassifolia 1 1 Malpighiaceae Byrsonima densa 8 5 Malpighiaceae Byrsonima laevigata 2 1 Malpighiaceae Byrsonima sp. 6 Malpighiaceae Byrsonima spicata 4 1 Malpighiaceae Byrsonima stipulacea 2 1 Malpighiaceae Byrsonima surinamensis 9 5 Malpighiaceae Excentradenia propinqua 1 1 Malpighiaceae Heteropterys macradena 1 Malpighiaceae Heteropterys nervosa 1 Malpighiaceae Heteropterys sp. 1 Malpighiaceae Hiraea faginea 1 Malpighiaceae Hiraea gaudichaudiana 1 1 Malpighiaceae Indet. 3 1 1 Malpighiaceae Jubelina rosea 4 3 1 Malpighiaceae Lophopterys sp. 1 1 Malpighiaceae Mascagnia guianensis 2 2 Malpighiaceae Mascagnia sepium 1 1 Malpighiaceae Mascagnia surinamensis 2 2 Malpighiaceae Spachea sp. 3 1 Le Ma Mo Na 1 1 1 3 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 2 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 3 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 195 Appendix 3 196 Family Species Sum IUCN Prot End BB Malpighiaceae Stigmaphyllon convolvulifolium 1 Malpighiaceae Stigmaphyllon sinuatum 6 Malpighiaceae Stigmaphyllon sp. 1 Malpighiaceae Tetrapterys crispa 2 2 Malpighiaceae Tetrapterys discolor 1 1 Malpighiaceae Tetrapterys imbripetala 1 1 Malpighiaceae Tetrapterys mucronata 2 1 Malpighiaceae Tetrapterys styloptera 2 1 Malvaceae Apeiba glabra 2 1 Malvaceae Apeiba intermedia 4 Malvaceae Apeiba petoumo 13 12 Malvaceae Apeiba sp. 1 1 Malvaceae Bombacopsis nervosa 2 Malvaceae Ceiba pentandra 1 1 Malvaceae Eriotheca crassa 2 2 Malvaceae Eriotheca globosa 1 1 Malvaceae Eriotheca surinamensis 2 2 Malvaceae Guazuma ulmifolia 1 1 Malvaceae Herrania kanukuensis 1 BW Le Ma Mo Na 1 4 2 1 DD 1 1 1 4 1 2 1 Malvaceae Indet. 1 1 Malvaceae Lueheopsis rosea 5 4 Malvaceae Melochia spicata 1 Malvaceae Pachira insignis 1 Malvaceae Pavonia fruticosa 1 1 Malvaceae Pavonia schiedeana 2 2 Malvaceae Quararibea duckei 2 2 Malvaceae Quararibea guianensis 2 1 Malvaceae Quararibea sp. 1 Malvaceae Sida glomerata 3 Malvaceae Sida setosa 2 Malvaceae Sterculia excelsa 1 1 Malvaceae Sterculia pruriens 11 7 Malvaceae Sterculia sp. 1 Malvaceae Sterculia villifera 1 1 Malvaceae Wissadula patens 1 1 Marantaceae Calathea cyclophora 1 Marantaceae Calathea elliptica 3 Marantaceae Calathea maasiorum 7 1 Marantaceae Calathea propinqua 1 1 Marantaceae Calathea sp. 3 3 Marantaceae Hylaeanthe hexantha 1 1 Rapid Assessment Program 1 1 1 1 1 3 2 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 6 Plant species collected on the three bauxite plateaus, Brownsberg, Nassau and Lely Family Species Sum IUCN Prot End BB BW Le 1 1 1 Marantaceae Indet. 1 Marantaceae Ischnosiphon arouma 4 Marantaceae Ischnosiphon gracilis 1 Marantaceae Ischnosiphon obliquus 3 2 Marantaceae Ischnosiphon petiolatus 1 1 Marantaceae Ischnosiphon puberulus 3 2 Marantaceae Ischnosiphon sp. 2 Marantaceae Maranta humilis 1 1 Marantaceae Maranta rupicola 1 1 Marantaceae Maranta sp. 2 Marantaceae Monotagma plurispicatum 3 Marantaceae Monotagma spicatum 5 Marantaceae Stromanthe tonckat 3 Marattiaceae Danaea elliptica 1 1 Marattiaceae Danaea leprieurii 2 1 Marattiaceae Danaea nodosa 1 1 Marattiaceae Danaea sp. nov. 1 1 Marattiaceae Danaea trifoliata 1 1 Marcgraviaceae Indet. 1 Marcgraviaceae Marcgravia coriacea 1 1 Marcgraviaceae Marcgravia pedunculosa 6 1 Marcgraviaceae Marcgravia sp. 6 2 Marcgraviaceae Marcgraviastrum sp. 1 Marcgraviaceae Norantea guianensis 4 1 Marcgraviaceae Souroubea guianensis 7 4 Ma Mo Na 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 2 1 2 2 1 1 1 5 3 1 1 1 2 2 Marcgraviaceae Souroubea sp. 1 Mayacaceae Mayaca luviatilis 1 Mayacaceae Mayaca longipes 2 Melastomataceae Aciotis ornata 2 1 1 Melastomataceae Aciotis purpurascens 15 7 1 Melastomataceae Aciotis sp. 1 Melastomataceae Adelobotrys adscendens 3 2 Melastomataceae Adelobotrys ciliata 4 4 Melastomataceae Adelobotrys sp. 1 Melastomataceae Adelobotrys spruceana 1 1 Melastomataceae Bellucia grossularioides 5 1 Melastomataceae Clidemia conglomerata 11 3 Melastomataceae Clidemia hirta 5 3 Melastomataceae Clidemia laevifolia 1 Melastomataceae Clidemia minutilora 2 Melastomataceae Clidemia sp. 1 Melastomataceae Clidemia venosa 5 1 1 1 1 1 3 4 1 1 1 2 2 2 1 5 2 1 2 1 1 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 4 197 Appendix 3 198 Family Species Sum IUCN Prot End BB BW Le Ma Mo Na Melastomataceae Comolia villosa 1 1 Melastomataceae Henriettea succosa 2 1 Melastomataceae Henriettella caudata 7 Melastomataceae Henriettella lavescens 5 1 4 Melastomataceae Henriettella sp. 4 3 1 1 1 6 1 Melastomataceae Indet. 3 2 Melastomataceae Leandra divaricata 2 2 Melastomataceae Leandra micropetala 3 2 1 Melastomataceae Leandra rufescens 3 2 1 Melastomataceae Leandra sp. 1 1 Melastomataceae Loreya mespiloides 3 2 Melastomataceae Macrocentrum cristatum 2 Melastomataceae Macrocentrum fasciculatum 8 2 Melastomataceae Macrocentrum sp. 2 2 Melastomataceae Maieta guianensis 3 1 2 Melastomataceae Miconia acinodendron 2 1 1 Melastomataceae Miconia acuminata 4 2 Melastomataceae Miconia ainis 4 4 Melastomataceae Miconia alata 1 1 Melastomataceae Miconia albicans 1 Melastomataceae Miconia argyrophylla 2 Melastomataceae Miconia bracteata 5 Melastomataceae Miconia bubalina 1 Melastomataceae Miconia cacatin 2 1 1 Melastomataceae Miconia ceramicarpa 15 4 2 9 Melastomataceae Miconia chrysophylla 6 2 1 3 Melastomataceae Miconia ciliata 3 1 Melastomataceae Miconia fallax 1 1 Melastomataceae Miconia gratissima 1 1 Melastomataceae Miconia holosericea 3 2 Melastomataceae Miconia hypoleuca 1 1 Melastomataceae Miconia kappleri 2 2 Melastomataceae Miconia laterilora 2 2 Melastomataceae Miconia lepidota 1 Melastomataceae Miconia minutilora 3 1 Melastomataceae Miconia mirabilis 26 17 Melastomataceae Miconia nervosa 2 2 Melastomataceae Miconia phaeophylla 1 1 Melastomataceae Miconia plukenetii 2 Melastomataceae Miconia poeppigii 1 1 Melastomataceae Miconia prasina 15 9 Melastomataceae Miconia pyrifolia 1 Rapid Assessment Program 1 2 6 2 1 1 1 5 1 2 1 1 2 1 3 5 2 1 5 1 Plant species collected on the three bauxite plateaus, Brownsberg, Nassau and Lely Family Species Sum IUCN Prot End BB BW Le Ma Mo Na Melastomataceae Miconia racemosa 1 1 Melastomataceae Miconia ruicalyx 1 1 Melastomataceae Miconia serrulata 1 Melastomataceae Miconia sp. 9 Melastomataceae Miconia splendens 1 Melastomataceae Miconia tomentosa 1 Melastomataceae Miconia tschudyoides 9 Melastomataceae Myriaspora egensis 1 Melastomataceae Nepsera aquatica 2 1 1 Melastomataceae Pterolepis glomerata 4 2 1 Melastomataceae Rhynchanthera grandilora 1 Melastomataceae Sarmentaria decora 1 Melastomataceae Tibouchina aspera 2 Melastomataceae Topobea parasitica 2 2 Meliaceae Carapa procera 3 3 Meliaceae Guarea costata 6 1 Meliaceae Guarea glabra 3 3 Meliaceae Guarea grandifolia 4 3 Meliaceae Guarea guidonia 1 Meliaceae Guarea kunthiana 1 1 Meliaceae Guarea macrophylla 1 1 Meliaceae Guarea pubescens 3 1 9 1 1 9 1 1 1 1 2 3 2 1 1 3 Meliaceae Indet. 8 Meliaceae Trichilia lecointei 1 2 6 Meliaceae Trichilia micrantha 8 6 Meliaceae Trichilia pallida 1 1 Meliaceae Trichilia quadrijuga 1 1 Meliaceae Trichilia schomburgkii 4 2 2 Meliaceae Trichilia septentrionalis 6 5 1 Meliaceae Trichilia sp. 2 Meliaceae Trichilia surinamensis 2 Memecylaceae Mouriri acutilora 1 1 Memecylaceae Mouriri collocarpa 7 6 Memecylaceae Mouriri duckeana 1 Memecylaceae Mouriri grandilora 1 Memecylaceae Mouriri nigra 1 1 Memecylaceae Mouriri sagotiana 1 1 Memecylaceae Mouriri sideroxylon 1 1 Memecylaceae Mouriri vernicosa 1 1 Menispermaceae Abuta barbata 1 1 Menispermaceae Abuta candollei 1 1 Menispermaceae Abuta grandifolia 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 199 Appendix 3 200 Family Species Menispermaceae Abuta imene 1 Menispermaceae Abuta rufescens 1 1 Menispermaceae Cissampelos andromorpha 3 2 Menispermaceae Cissampelos fasciculata 1 Menispermaceae Cissampelos pareira 2 2 Menispermaceae Cissampelos sp. 1 1 Menispermaceae Curarea candicans 2 Menispermaceae Disciphania sp. 1 Menispermaceae Indet. 1 Menispermaceae Orthomene schomburgkii 3 Menispermaceae Sciadotenia cayennensis 2 Metaxyaceae Metaxya rostrata 7 2 Monimiaceae Mollinedia grazielae 6 4 Moraceae Artocarpus altilis 1 Moraceae Bagassa guianensis 2 Moraceae Brosimum acutifolium 2 1 Moraceae Brosimum guianense 5 3 1 1 Moraceae Brosimum parinarioides 5 3 1 1 Moraceae Brosimum rubescens 3 1 Moraceae Clarisia ilicifolia 2 1 Moraceae Ficus albert-smithii 2 1 1 Moraceae Ficus broadwayi 2 1 1 Moraceae Ficus donnell-smithii 1 1 Moraceae Ficus gomelleira 2 2 Moraceae Ficus guianensis 1 1 Moraceae Ficus insipida 3 Moraceae Ficus nymphaeifolia 2 Moraceae Ficus pakkensis 1 Moraceae Ficus sp. 1 1 Moraceae Ficus trigona 1 1 Moraceae Helicostylis pedunculata 3 3 Moraceae Helicostylis tomentosa 4 4 Moraceae Indet. 1 Moraceae Maquira guianensis 8 Moraceae Naucleopsis guianensis 4 3 Moraceae Perebea rubra 3 3 Moraceae Trymatococcus amazonicus 2 1 Moraceae Trymatococcus oligandrus 5 2 Myristicaceae Compsoneura ulei 1 Myristicaceae Iryanthera sagotiana 11 9 1 1 Myristicaceae Virola michelii 8 6 1 1 Myristicaceae Virola sebifera 1 1 Rapid Assessment Program Sum IUCN Prot End BB BW Le Ma Mo Na 1 1 1 2 1 1 2 1 2 1 4 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 2 1 1 3 1 4 1 1 2 1 1 Plant species collected on the three bauxite plateaus, Brownsberg, Nassau and Lely Family Species Sum IUCN Myristicaceae Prot End BB BW Le Virola surinamensis 1 EN Myrsinaceae Cybianthus fulvopulverulentus 2 Myrsinaceae Cybianthus guyanensis 4 Myrsinaceae Cybianthus leprieurii 1 1 Myrsinaceae Cybianthus microbotrys 12 4 2 Myrsinaceae Cybianthus prieurii 2 1 1 Myrsinaceae Cybianthus sp. 4 Myrsinaceae Cybianthus surinamensis 6 Myrsinaceae Indet. 1 Myrsinaceae Myrsine guianensis 2 1 Myrsinaceae Stylogyne sp. 1 1 Myrtaceae Calycolpus revolutus 1 1 Myrtaceae Calycorectes 2 Myrtaceae Calycorectes bergii 13 11 Myrtaceae Calycorectes grandifolius 3 1 Myrtaceae Calyptranthes amshofae 11 Myrtaceae Calyptranthes sp. 4 1 Myrtaceae Calyptranthes speciosa 5 4 Myrtaceae Campomanesia aromatica 4 2 Myrtaceae Eucalyptus torreliana 1 1 Myrtaceae Eugenia albicans 8 4 Myrtaceae Eugenia anastomosans 4 Myrtaceae Eugenia brownsbergii 4 Myrtaceae Eugenia chrysophyllum 1 Myrtaceae Eugenia cofeifolia 14 10 Myrtaceae Eugenia cowanii 10 5 Myrtaceae Eugenia cucullata 1 Myrtaceae Eugenia cupulata 6 5 Myrtaceae Eugenia egensis 3 3 Myrtaceae Eugenia exaltata 1 Myrtaceae Eugenia excelsa 2 Myrtaceae Eugenia feijoi 2 Myrtaceae Eugenia lorida 2 1 Myrtaceae Eugenia ligustrina 3 3 Myrtaceae Eugenia macrocalyx 7 2 Myrtaceae Eugenia omissa 3 Myrtaceae Eugenia patrisii 5 Myrtaceae Eugenia pseudopsidium 2 Myrtaceae Eugenia ramilora 2 1 Myrtaceae Eugenia sp. 9 4 Myrtaceae Eugenia tafelbergica 5 Myrtaceae Eugenia tapacumensis 1 Ma Mo Na 1 1 1 4 6 1 3 2 4 1 1 2 2 1 1 11 1 2 1 1 1 4 2 2 4 1 1 3 3 2 1 1 1 2 2 1 2 1 3 1 1 5 1 1 1 3 2 5 1 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 201 Appendix 3 202 Family Species Myrtaceae Eugenia tetramera 2 Myrtaceae Indet. 19 Myrtaceae Marlierea ferruginea 3 Myrtaceae Marlierea montana 1 Myrtaceae Myrcia albidotomentosa 2 Myrtaceae Myrcia amazonica 11 Myrtaceae Myrcia bracteata 2 1 1 Myrtaceae Myrcia coumeta 3 2 1 Myrtaceae Myrcia decorticans 5 Myrtaceae Myrcia delexa 1 Myrtaceae Myrcia fallax 3 2 Myrtaceae Myrcia guianensis 2 1 Myrtaceae Myrcia magnoliifolia 5 4 Myrtaceae Myrcia paivae 1 Myrtaceae Myrcia platyclada 5 Myrtaceae Myrcia pyrifolia 4 Myrtaceae Myrcia sp. 1 Myrtaceae Myrcia sylvatica 2 Myrtaceae Myrcia tomentosa 1 Myrtaceae Myrcianthes prodigiosa 1 Myrtaceae Myrciaria loribunda 2 Myrtaceae Plinia costata 1 Myrtaceae Psidium guineense 2 1 Nyctaginaceae Guapira eggersiana 6 3 Nyctaginaceae Guapira salicifolia 1 1 Nyctaginaceae Guapira sp. 1 1 Nyctaginaceae Indet. 1 1 Nyctaginaceae Neea constricta 2 1 1 Nyctaginaceae Neea loribunda 6 4 2 Nyctaginaceae Neea ovalifolia 4 1 Nyctaginaceae Neea spruceana 3 Ochnaceae Elvasia elvasioides 2 Ochnaceae Indet. 1 Ochnaceae Ouratea gigantophylla 1 1 Ochnaceae Ouratea guianensis 3 3 Ochnaceae Ouratea leblondii 1 1 Ochnaceae Ouratea pendula 3 3 Ochnaceae Ouratea sp. 6 Ochnaceae Sauvagesia erecta 2 Olacaceae Chaunochiton kappleri 2 1 Olacaceae Heisteria caulilora 21 10 Olacaceae Heisteria densifrons 3 2 Rapid Assessment Program Sum IUCN Prot End BB BW Le Ma Mo Na 2 2 13 4 3 1 2 11 2 3 R 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 4 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 1 2 1 1 1 6 1 1 2 7 1 1 1 1 Plant species collected on the three bauxite plateaus, Brownsberg, Nassau and Lely Family Species Sum IUCN Prot End BB BW Olacaceae Heisteria ovata 3 Olacaceae Heisteria scandens 1 Olacaceae Heisteria sp. 2 1 Olacaceae Indet. 1 1 Olacaceae Minquartia guianensis 2 Olacaceae Ptychopetalum olacoides 1 Olacaceae Ximenia americana 1 Oleandraceae Nephrolepis biserrata 1 Oleandraceae Nephrolepis exaltata 1 Oleandraceae Nephrolepis rivularis 1 Oleandraceae Oleandra articulata 1 Onagraceae Ludwigia erecta 1 Onagraceae Ludwigia hyssopifolia 2 Onagraceae Ludwigia octovalvis 1 2 Le Ma Mo Na 1 1 LR 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 Opegraphaceae Chiodecton sp. 1 1 Opiliaceae Agonandra silvatica 1 1 Orchidaceae Aganisia pulchella 2 1 Orchidaceae Aspidogyne foliosa 1 1 Orchidaceae Batemannia colleyi 1 1 Orchidaceae Beloglottis costaricensis 1 1 Orchidaceae Bollea violacea 1 Orchidaceae Caluera surinamensis 1 Orchidaceae Campylocentrum fasciola 1 Orchidaceae Campylocentrum micranthum 1 1 Orchidaceae Catasetum deltoideum 1 1 Orchidaceae Catasetum discolor 1 Orchidaceae Chaubardiella tigrina 1 1 Orchidaceae Cheiradenia cuspidata 7 1 Orchidaceae Cheiradenia sp. 5 Orchidaceae Cryptarrhena kegelii 1 1 Orchidaceae Cyclopogon elatus 1 1 Orchidaceae Dichaea hookeri 1 Orchidaceae Dichaea muricata 1 Orchidaceae Dichaea sp. 2 Orchidaceae Elleanthus caravata 3 1 Orchidaceae Elleanthus cephalotus 1 1 Orchidaceae Elleanthus graminifolius 3 1 Orchidaceae Elleanthus linifolius 2 1 Orchidaceae Elleanthus sp. 4 2 Orchidaceae Encyclia calamara 1 1 Orchidaceae Encyclia diurna 1 1 Orchidaceae Encyclia granitica 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 5 1 1 2 2 2 1 2 1 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 203 Appendix 3 204 Family Species Sum IUCN Prot End BB Orchidaceae Epidendrum anceps 1 Orchidaceae Epidendrum densilorum 1 Orchidaceae Epidendrum diforme 2 Orchidaceae Epidendrum nocturnum 4 Orchidaceae Epidendrum purpurascens 3 1 Orchidaceae Epidendrum ramosum 1 1 Orchidaceae Epidendrum secundum 2 2 Orchidaceae Epidendrum sp. 2 Orchidaceae Epidendrum unguiculatum 1 1 Orchidaceae Erycina pusilla 2 2 Orchidaceae Erycina sp. 2 Orchidaceae Erythrodes sp. 5 3 Orchidaceae Gongora histrionica 1 1 Orchidaceae Gongora sp. 1 Orchidaceae Indet. 10 Orchidaceae Jacquiniella globosa 1 Orchidaceae Kefersteinia lafontainei 1 1 Orchidaceae Kegeliella houtteana 1 1 Orchidaceae Koellensteinia hyacinthoides 1 1 Orchidaceae Koellensteinia sp. 6 6 Orchidaceae Lepanthes helicocephala 2 2 Orchidaceae Lepanthes ruscifolia 1 1 Le Ma Mo Na 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 8 1 Orchidaceae Lepanthes sp. 2 Orchidaceae Liparis nervosa 1 Orchidaceae Lockhartia imbricata 2 1 Orchidaceae Lyroglossa grisebachii 1 1 Orchidaceae Macradenia lutescens 1 1 Orchidaceae Masdevallia cuprea 1 1 Orchidaceae Masdevallia infracta 1 Orchidaceae Masdevallia norae 1 Orchidaceae Masdevallia sp. 1 Orchidaceae Maxillaria alba 1 Orchidaceae Maxillaria camaridii 3 1 Orchidaceae Maxillaria desvauxiana 1 1 Orchidaceae Maxillaria discolor 2 1 Orchidaceae Maxillaria jenischiana 1 1 Orchidaceae Maxillaria porrecta 1 1 Orchidaceae Maxillaria reichenheimiana 1 1 Orchidaceae Maxillaria rufescens 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Orchidaceae Maxillaria sp. 9 Orchidaceae Maxillaria splendens 1 1 Orchidaceae Maxillaria stenophylla 1 1 Rapid Assessment Program BW 1 1 1 2 7 Plant species collected on the three bauxite plateaus, Brownsberg, Nassau and Lely Family Species Sum IUCN Prot End BB Orchidaceae Maxillaria superlua 2 Orchidaceae Maxillaria uncata 1 1 Orchidaceae Notylia sagittifera 1 1 Orchidaceae Notylia sp. 1 1 Orchidaceae Octomeria brevifolia 1 1 Orchidaceae Octomeria grandilora 1 1 Orchidaceae Octomeria scirpoidea 1 Orchidaceae Octomeria sp. 3 Orchidaceae Oncidium baueri 1 Orchidaceae Ornithocephalus 1 Orchidaceae Ornithocephalus gladiatus 1 1 Orchidaceae Paphinia cristata 1 1 Orchidaceae Pelexia callifera 2 1 Orchidaceae Peristeria pendula 1 Orchidaceae Platystele ovalifolia 2 Orchidaceae Platystele stenostachya 1 Orchidaceae Pleurothallis aristata 2 1 Orchidaceae Pleurothallis barbulata 1 1 Orchidaceae Pleurothallis ciliolata 1 1 Orchidaceae Pleurothallis consimilis 1 1 Orchidaceae Pleurothallis discoidea 3 1 Orchidaceae Pleurothallis grobyi 2 Orchidaceae Pleurothallis polygonoides 1 1 Orchidaceae Pleurothallis pruinosa 1 1 Orchidaceae Pleurothallis ruscifolia 3 1 Orchidaceae Pleurothallis semperlorens 2 Orchidaceae Pleurothallis seriata 1 1 Orchidaceae Pleurothallis sp. 14 2 Orchidaceae Pleurothallis spiculifera 1 Orchidaceae Pleurothallis suspensa 1 1 Orchidaceae Pleurothallis unilora 1 1 Orchidaceae Pleurothallis yauaperyensis 1 1 Orchidaceae Polystachya sp. 1 Orchidaceae Prosthechea aemula 1 Orchidaceae Prosthechea aemula 1 Orchidaceae Prosthechea pygmaea 1 Orchidaceae Quekettia papillosa 1 Orchidaceae Quekettia sp. 2 2 Orchidaceae Quekettia vermeuleniana 1 1 Orchidaceae Reichenbachanthus relexus 1 Orchidaceae Rodriguezia lavida 1 Orchidaceae Rodriguezia lanceolata 1 BW Le Ma Mo Na 2 1 3 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 5 7 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 205 Appendix 3 206 Family Species Orchidaceae Scaphyglottis dunstervillei 1 1 Orchidaceae Scaphyglottis lindeniana 1 1 Orchidaceae Scaphyglottis modesta 1 1 Orchidaceae Scaphyglottis prolifera 1 1 Orchidaceae Scaphyglottis sp. 1 Orchidaceae Scaphyglottis violacea 1 Orchidaceae Sobralia crocea 1 Orchidaceae Sobralia macrophylla 1 1 Orchidaceae Sobralia suaveolens 1 1 Orchidaceae Stelis aprica 1 1 Orchidaceae Stelis argentata 1 Orchidaceae Stelis sp. 3 Orchidaceae Trichocentrum fuscum 1 Orchidaceae Trichosalpinx dura 2 2 Orchidaceae Trichosalpinx foliata 1 1 Orchidaceae Trichosalpinx memor 2 1 1 Orchidaceae Trichosalpinx orbicularis 2 1 1 Orchidaceae Trigonidium acuminatum 2 2 Orchidaceae Trisetella triglochin 1 1 Orchidaceae Vanilla sp. 2 Orchidaceae Xylobium foveatum 1 Oxalidaceae Ruptiliocarpon caracolita 2 2 Parmeliaceae Parmotrema latissima 1 1 Passiloraceae Passilora cirrhilora 2 2 Passiloraceae Passilora coccinea 7 Passiloraceae Passilora fuchsiilora 2 Passiloraceae Passilora garckei 4 1 3 Passiloraceae Passilora glandulosa 8 3 3 Passiloraceae Passilora laurifolia 3 1 Passiloraceae Passilora sp. 8 2 1 Passiloraceae Passilora vespertilio 5 3 1 Phyllanthaceae Phyllanthus hyssopifolioides 1 1 Phyllanthaceae Phyllanthus sp. 1 Phyllanthaceae Phyllanthus stipulatus 1 Phyllanthaceae Phyllanthus urinaria 1 1 Phytolaccaceae Phytolacca rivinoides 4 1 Picramniaceae Picramnia guianensis 5 3 Picramniaceae Picramnia latifolia 2 2 Picramniaceae Picramnia sp. 2 Piperaceae Peperomia alata 8 Piperaceae Peperomia glabella 3 Piperaceae Peperomia haematolepis 1 Rapid Assessment Program Sum IUCN Prot End BB BW Le Ma Mo Na 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 4 1 2 2 2 5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 5 2 1 2 1 1 Plant species collected on the three bauxite plateaus, Brownsberg, Nassau and Lely Family Species Sum IUCN Prot End BB BW Le Ma Mo Na Piperaceae Peperomia macrostachya 4 1 3 Piperaceae Peperomia maguirei 12 3 8 1 Piperaceae Peperomia obtusifolia 1 1 Piperaceae Peperomia ouabianae 3 1 1 1 Piperaceae Peperomia pellucida 1 Piperaceae Peperomia rotundifolia 5 1 4 Piperaceae Peperomia serpens 4 3 1 Piperaceae Peperomia sp. 15 1 Piperaceae Peperomia tenella 1 Piperaceae Piper adenandrum 2 Piperaceae Piper aequale 8 6 2 Piperaceae Piper anonifolium 3 1 2 Piperaceae Piper arboreum 13 11 Piperaceae Piper avellanum 2 1 Piperaceae Piper bartlingianum 5 3 Piperaceae Piper brownsbergense 5 2 1 2 Piperaceae Piper consanguineum 4 2 1 1 Piperaceae Piper cyrtopodon 1 Piperaceae Piper demeraranum 1 1 Piperaceae Piper dilatatum 1 1 Piperaceae Piper divaricatum 1 1 Piperaceae Piper foveolatum 1 1 Piperaceae Piper fuligineum 1 1 Piperaceae Piper hispidum 9 9 Piperaceae Piper hostmannianum 4 1 Piperaceae Piper humistratum 1 1 Piperaceae Piper nematanthera 3 2 Piperaceae Piper obliquum 1 1 Piperaceae Piper paramaribense 1 1 Piperaceae Piper reticulatum 1 1 Piperaceae Piper sp. 12 Piperaceae Piper trichoneuron 2 Piperaceae Piper wachenheimii 1 1 Plantaginaceae Achetaria ocimoides 3 2 Plantaginaceae Lindernia crustacea 3 Poaceae Andropogon leucostachyus 1 1 Poaceae Aristida torta 1 1 Poaceae Dichanthelium pycnoclados 1 Poaceae Echinolaena inlexa 2 Poaceae Eleusine indica 1 Poaceae Homolepis aturensis 1 Poaceae Ichnanthus leiocarpus 1 1 14 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 3 1 12 2 1 3 1 2 1 1 1 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 207 Appendix 3 208 Family Species Poaceae Ichnanthus nemoralis 8 2 5 Poaceae Ichnanthus pallens 14 5 4 1 Poaceae Ichnanthus panicoides 5 3 1 1 Poaceae Ichnanthus tenuis 1 1 Poaceae Indet. 7 Poaceae Lasiacis ligulata 3 Poaceae Lasiacis sorghoidea 2 Poaceae Olyra ecaudata 1 Poaceae Olyra latifolia 3 3 Poaceae Olyra obliquifolia 14 5 Poaceae Olyra sp. 2 Poaceae Oplismenus hirtellus 1 1 Poaceae Orthoclada laxa 3 2 Poaceae Panicum micranthum 1 1 Poaceae Panicum nervosum 2 2 Poaceae Panicum pilosum 5 Poaceae Panicum sp. 1 Poaceae Panicum stoloniferum 4 Poaceae Pariana campestris 2 Poaceae Parodiolyra micrantha 11 Poaceae Paspalum conjugatum 2 Poaceae Paspalum decumbens 1 1 Poaceae Paspalum multicaule 1 1 Poaceae Pharus lappulaceus 1 1 Poaceae Pharus latifolius 1 1 Poaceae Pharus parvifolius 2 2 Poaceae Piresia goeldii 2 Poaceae Streptogyna americana 1 Podostemaceae Apinagia lexuosa 1 1 Podostemaceae Apinagia longifolia 1 1 Polygalaceae Barnhartia loribunda 2 2 Polygalaceae Moutabea guianensis 2 1 Polygalaceae Moutabea sp. 3 Polygalaceae Polygala adenophora 1 Polygalaceae Polygala echinosperma 4 Polygalaceae Polygala galioides 1 1 Polygalaceae Polygala longicaulis 3 3 Polygalaceae Polygala membranacea 4 Polygalaceae Polygala sp. 1 Polygalaceae Polygala trichosperma 2 Polygalaceae Polygala variabilis 1 Polygalaceae Polygala violacea 1 Rapid Assessment Program Sum IUCN Prot End BB BW Le Ma Mo Na 1 4 7 2 1 2 1 2 7 2 1 1 2 2 1 1 3 2 9 2 2 2 1 1 3 1 1 3 1 3 1 2 1 1 Plant species collected on the three bauxite plateaus, Brownsberg, Nassau and Lely Family Species Sum IUCN Prot End BB BW Le Ma Mo Na Polygalaceae Securidaca diversifolia 1 1 Polygalaceae Securidaca pubescens 2 2 Polygalaceae Securidaca unilora 1 1 Polygonaceae Coccoloba ascendens 8 7 Polygonaceae Coccoloba conduplicata 1 Polygonaceae Coccoloba excelsa 2 1 Polygonaceae Coccoloba gymnorrhachis 4 3 Polygonaceae Coccoloba lucidula 1 Polygonaceae Coccoloba marginata 3 2 Polygonaceae Coccoloba parimensis 1 1 Polygonaceae Coccoloba sp. 2 Polygonaceae Ruprechtia brachysepala 3 Polypodiaceae Campyloneurum phyllitidis 4 Polypodiaceae Dicranoglossum desvauxii 5 Polypodiaceae Microgramma fuscopunctata 3 1 Polypodiaceae Microgramma lycopodioides 5 1 Polypodiaceae Microgramma reptans 1 Polypodiaceae Microgramma tecta 1 Polypodiaceae Pecluma pectinata 1 1 Polypodiaceae Pleopeltis percussa 1 1 Polypodiaceae Polypodium dissimile 1 1 Polypodiaceae Polypodium dulce 1 1 Polypodiaceae Polypodium polypodioides 2 1 Polypodiaceae Polypodium triseriale 1 1 Polyporaceae Earliella scabrosa 1 1 Polyporaceae Microporellus obovatus 1 1 Proteaceae Euplassa pinnata 2 2 Proteaceae Panopsis rubescens 2 Proteaceae Roupala montana 3 1 Pteridaceae Indet. 3 3 Pteridaceae Pteris biaurita 1 1 Putranjivaceae Drypetes variabilis 3 2 Quiinaceae Lacunaria crenata 11 6 Quiinaceae Lacunaria jenmanii 2 2 Quiinaceae Quiina cruegeriana 1 Quiinaceae Quiina integrifolia 2 Quiinaceae Quiina obovata 1 Quiinaceae Quiina parvifolia 1 Quiinaceae Quiina wurdackii 1 Quiinaceae Touroulia guianensis 1 Rapateaceae Saxofridericia aculeata 4 4 Rapateaceae Spathanthus unilateralis 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 3 1 2 1 1 1 3 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 4 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 209 Appendix 3 210 Family Species Sum IUCN Prot End BB BW Le Rhabdodendraceae Rhabdodendron amazonicum 4 4 Rhamnaceae Ampelozizyphus amazonicus 1 1 Rhamnaceae Gouania blanchetiana 7 4 Rhizophoraceae Cassipourea guianensis 7 1 1 Rosaceae Prunus myrtifolia 4 3 1 Rubiaceae Amaioua corymbosa 1 Rubiaceae Amaioua guianensis 13 9 1 Rubiaceae Bertiera guianensis 2 Rubiaceae Borreria assurgens 1 1 Rubiaceae Borreria capitata 3 2 Rubiaceae Borreria latifolia 4 2 Rubiaceae Borreria prostrata 2 Rubiaceae Capirona decorticans 4 4 Rubiaceae Chimarrhis turbinata 2 1 Rubiaceae Cordiera myrciifolia 4 2 Rubiaceae Cosmibuena grandilora 2 Rubiaceae Coussarea micrococca 4 4 Rubiaceae Coussarea paniculata 5 5 Rubiaceae Coussarea racemosa 17 15 Rubiaceae Coussarea sp. 3 3 Rubiaceae Coussarea surinamensis 1 1 Rubiaceae Diodia ocymifolia 1 Rubiaceae Diodia ocymifolia 1 Rubiaceae Diodia sp. 2 Rubiaceae Diodia spicata 1 Rubiaceae Duroia aquatica 6 Rubiaceae Duroia eriopila 1 1 Rubiaceae Duroia longilora 1 1 Rubiaceae Duroia longilora 2 2 Rubiaceae Duroia micrantha 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 2 1 6 1 1 1 Rubiaceae Faramea guianensis 7 4 Rubiaceae Faramea irwinii 2 2 Rubiaceae Faramea multilora 6 5 Rubiaceae Faramea paniculata 1 Rubiaceae Faramea quadricostata 5 3 Rubiaceae Faramea sessililora 2 2 Rubiaceae Faramea sessilifolia 1 4 Rubiaceae Ferdinandusa paraensis 12 Rapid Assessment Program 3 1 1 1 5 1 Duroia sp. Faramea sp. 1 1 Emmeorhiza umbellata Ferdinandusa goudotiana Na 2 Rubiaceae Rubiaceae Mo 1 Rubiaceae Rubiaceae Ma 3 1 1 2 1 2 2 1 9 1 2 Plant species collected on the three bauxite plateaus, Brownsberg, Nassau and Lely Family Species Sum IUCN Prot End BB BW Le Ma Mo Rubiaceae Ferdinandusa rudgeoides 1 1 Rubiaceae Geophila cordifolia 6 1 Rubiaceae Geophila tenuis 1 Rubiaceae Gonzalagunia dicocca 9 9 Rubiaceae Guettarda argentea 1 1 Rubiaceae Hillia illustris 1 1 Rubiaceae Ibetralia surinamensis 5 Rubiaceae Indet. 15 14 Rubiaceae Isertia coccinea 6 1 Rubiaceae Isertia parvilora 1 1 Rubiaceae Isertia spiciformis 1 1 Rubiaceae Ixora aluminicola 8 Rubiaceae Ixora gracililora 8 Rubiaceae Ixora piresii 3 Rubiaceae Malanea macrophylla 2 Rubiaceae Manettia alba 1 Rubiaceae Morinda surinamensis 1 Rubiaceae Notopleura uliginosa 1 1 Rubiaceae Pagamea guianensis 6 3 Rubiaceae Palicourea calophylla 1 Rubiaceae Palicourea crocea 4 3 Rubiaceae Palicourea guianensis 17 11 Rubiaceae Palicourea longilora 10 Rubiaceae Palicourea riparia 1 Rubiaceae Palicourea sp. 7 1 Rubiaceae Perama hirsuta 2 1 Rubiaceae Posoqueria latifolia 8 4 Rubiaceae Posoqueria sp. 1 Rubiaceae Psychotria acuminata 1 Rubiaceae Psychotria anceps 1 Rubiaceae Psychotria apoda 3 Rubiaceae Psychotria bahiensis 1 Rubiaceae Psychotria barbilora 1 1 Rubiaceae Psychotria callithrix 3 1 Rubiaceae Psychotria capitata 2 1 Rubiaceae Psychotria cardiomorpha 1 Rubiaceae Psychotria carthagenensis 1 1 Rubiaceae Psychotria colorata 2 1 1 Rubiaceae Psychotria ctenophora 1 Rubiaceae Psychotria cupularis 9 1 8 Rubiaceae Psychotria delexa 3 2 Rubiaceae Psychotria erecta 3 1 4 Na 1 1 5 1 1 4 8 6 2 3 2 1 1 3 1 1 1 2 1 3 3 1 5 1 5 1 1 4 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 2 211 Appendix 3 212 Family Species Rubiaceae Psychotria gracilenta 1 Rubiaceae Psychotria hofmannseggiana 3 Rubiaceae Psychotria humboldtiana 1 Rubiaceae Psychotria iodotricha 6 3 Rubiaceae Psychotria kapplerii 1 1 Rubiaceae Psychotria ligularis 1 Rubiaceae Psychotria mapourioides 9 3 Rubiaceae Psychotria moroidea 9 3 Rubiaceae Psychotria muscosa 5 5 Rubiaceae Psychotria oicinalis 3 Rubiaceae Psychotria paniculata 1 Rubiaceae Psychotria poeppigiana 2 1 Rubiaceae Psychotria racemosa 2 2 Rubiaceae Psychotria sp. 22 Rubiaceae Psychotria subundulata 1 Rubiaceae Psychotria trichophoroides 2 Rubiaceae Psychotria uliginosa 1 Rubiaceae Psychotria ulviformis 2 Rubiaceae Psychotria variegata 2 Rubiaceae Randia armata 5 1 Rubiaceae Randia sp. 1 1 Rubiaceae Retiniphyllum schomburgkii 2 1 1 Rubiaceae Ronabea latifolia 11 10 1 Rubiaceae Rudgea klugii 4 Rubiaceae Rudgea sp. 2 Rubiaceae Sabicea aspera 6 Rubiaceae Sabicea sp. 1 Rubiaceae Sabicea velutina 1 Rubiaceae Sipanea bilora 1 1 Rubiaceae Sipanea pratensis 4 2 Rubiaceae Sipanea stahelii 1 1 Rubiaceae Spermacoce ocymifolia 1 Rutaceae Conchocarpus longifolius 4 Rutaceae Esenbeckia grandilora 2 Rutaceae Esenbeckia pilocarpoides 3 3 Rutaceae Monnieria trifolia 1 1 Rutaceae Pilocarpus microphyllus 1 Rutaceae Ticorea foetida 9 8 Rutaceae Zanthoxylum acuminatum 2 2 Rutaceae Zanthoxylum ekmanii 3 3 Rutaceae Zanthoxylum pentandrum 1 1 Rutaceae Zanthoxylum sp. 1 Rapid Assessment Program Sum IUCN Prot End BB BW Le Ma Mo Na 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 6 3 1 3 2 1 1 14 1 7 1 2 1 1 1 2 2 2 4 2 1 1 4 1 1 2 1 4 1 1 1 1 1 Plant species collected on the three bauxite plateaus, Brownsberg, Nassau and Lely Family Species Sum IUCN Prot End BB BW Le Salicaceae Banara guianensis 4 Salicaceae Casearia acuminata 4 Salicaceae Casearia arborea 4 2 2 Salicaceae Casearia combaymensis 4 1 1 2 Salicaceae Casearia commersoniana 7 4 3 Salicaceae Casearia grandilora 2 1 Salicaceae Casearia guianensis 1 1 Salicaceae Casearia javitensis 7 7 Salicaceae Casearia negrensis 7 2 2 Salicaceae Casearia pitumba 9 2 1 Salicaceae Casearia rusbyana 1 Salicaceae Casearia singularis 3 Salicaceae Casearia sp. 2 Salicaceae Casearia sylvestris 5 1 Salicaceae Casearia ulmifolia 1 1 Salicaceae Casearia zizyphoides 1 Salicaceae Homalium guianense 1 1 Salicaceae Homalium racemosum 2 2 Salicaceae Laetia procera 1 Salicaceae Neoptychocarpus apodanthus 2 2 Salicaceae Ryania speciosa 3 3 Santalaceae Phoradendron crassifolium 3 2 Santalaceae Phoradendron perrottetii 1 1 Santalaceae Phoradendron piperoides 4 2 Santalaceae Phoradendron pulleanum 2 1 Ma Mo 1 Na 2 4 1 3 1 5 1 1 2 2 1 3 1 1 E 1 2 1 1 Santalaceae Phoradendron sp. 1 Santalaceae Phoradendron undulatum 1 1 1 Sapindaceae Allophylus punctatus 3 3 Sapindaceae Allophylus sp. 1 1 Sapindaceae Cupania americana 2 Sapindaceae Cupania diphylla 1 Sapindaceae Cupania hirsuta 2 1 1 Sapindaceae Cupania scrobiculata 5 4 1 Sapindaceae Indet. 8 1 3 Sapindaceae Matayba arborescens 6 2 2 Sapindaceae Melicoccus pedicellaris 3 2 Sapindaceae Melicoccus sp. 2 Sapindaceae Paullinia latifolia 2 2 Sapindaceae Paullinia rufescens 1 1 Sapindaceae Paullinia sp. 3 3 Sapindaceae Paullinia venosa 1 Sapindaceae Serjania oblongifolia 1 1 1 1 4 1 1 1 2 1 1 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 213 Appendix 3 214 Family Species Sapindaceae Serjania paucidentata 6 5 1 Sapindaceae Serjania sp. 3 1 2 Sapindaceae Talisia eximia 2 2 Sapindaceae Talisia furfuracea 1 1 Sapindaceae Talisia guianensis 1 Sapindaceae Talisia hemidasya 4 4 Sapindaceae Talisia longifolia 1 1 Sapindaceae Talisia microphylla 2 2 Sapindaceae Talisia praealta 6 2 4 Sapindaceae Talisia sp. 5 4 1 Sapindaceae Talisia sylvatica 2 Sapindaceae Toulicia pulvinata 1 Sapindaceae Toulicia sp. 1 Sapindaceae Urvillea ulmacea 2 1 Sapindaceae Vouarana guianensis 5 4 Sapotaceae Chrysophyllum argenteum 4 1 Sapotaceae Chrysophyllum cuneifolium 4 4 Sapotaceae Chrysophyllum pomiferum 5 Sapotaceae Chrysophyllum sp. 1 1 Sapotaceae Diploön cuspidatum 1 1 Sapotaceae Ecclinusa guianensis 6 Sapotaceae Ecclinusa lanceolata 1 Sapotaceae Ecclinusa psilophylla 1 Sapotaceae Ecclinusa ramilora 1 Sapotaceae Indet. 5 Sapotaceae Manilkara bidentata 3 Sapotaceae Micropholis egensis 3 1 2 Sapotaceae Micropholis guyanensis 5 4 1 Sapotaceae Micropholis longipedicellata 3 Sapotaceae Micropholis mensalis 5 1 Sapotaceae Micropholis venulosa 9 4 Sapotaceae Pouteria bangii 15 9 Sapotaceae Pouteria cladantha 2 Sapotaceae Pouteria coriacea 3 Sapotaceae Pouteria cuspidata 4 4 Sapotaceae Pouteria egregia 4 3 Sapotaceae Pouteria engleri 1 Sapotaceae Pouteria ilipes 3 Sapotaceae Pouteria gonggrijpii 4 Sapotaceae Pouteria grandis 1 1 Sapotaceae Pouteria guianensis 3 2 Sapotaceae Pouteria jariensis 1 1 Rapid Assessment Program Sum IUCN Prot End BB BW Le Ma Mo Na 1 2 1 1 1 1 3 1 4 4 1 1 1 1 1 2 PR 1 2 3 3 1 3 1 2 4 4 2 3 1 1 3 1 3 1 Plant species collected on the three bauxite plateaus, Brownsberg, Nassau and Lely Family Species Sum IUCN Prot End BB Sapotaceae Pouteria melanopoda 3 1 Sapotaceae Pouteria reticulata 2 1 Sapotaceae Pouteria retinervis 1 1 Sapotaceae Pouteria rodriguesiana 1 Sapotaceae Pouteria sagotiana 4 LR BW Le Ma Mo Na 2 1 1 1 2 1 3 Sapotaceae Pouteria sp. 8 Sapotaceae Pouteria speciosa 1 5 Sapotaceae Pouteria trigonosperma 2 Sapotaceae Pouteria venosa 2 Sapotaceae Pradosia ptychandra 2 2 Sapotaceae Pradosia surinamensis 2 2 Sapotaceae Sarcaulus brasiliensis 1 1 Schizaeaceae Lygodium volubile 1 Selaginellaceae Selaginella conduplicata 1 1 Selaginellaceae Selaginella dendricola 1 1 Selaginellaceae Selaginella lagellata 2 2 Selaginellaceae Selaginella parkeri 3 3 Selaginellaceae Selaginella producta 2 2 Selaginellaceae Selaginella radiata 1 Sematophyllaceae Acroporium pungens 1 1 Sematophyllaceae Indet. 1 1 Sematophyllaceae Taxithelium concavum 1 1 Sematophyllaceae Trichosteleum papillosum 1 Simaroubaceae Quassia amara 1 1 Simaroubaceae Simaba guianensis 9 4 Simaroubaceae Simaba multilora 2 Simaroubaceae Simarouba amara 5 4 Siparunaceae Siparuna cuspidata 1 1 Siparunaceae Siparuna decipiens 17 15 Siparunaceae Siparuna guianensis 12 8 Siparunaceae Siparuna poeppigii 1 Siparunaceae Siparuna sp. 2 Smilacaceae Smilax megalophylla 2 1 Smilacaceae Smilax schomburgkiana 3 3 Smilacaceae Smilax sp. 1 Smilacaceae Smilax syphilitica 7 5 2 Solanaceae Brunfelsia guianensis 16 7 3 Solanaceae Cyphomandra hartwegii 2 2 Solanaceae Cyphomandra oblongifolia 1 Solanaceae Cyphomandra tegore 3 Solanaceae Lycianthes paucilora 10 6 1 3 Solanaceae Markea coccinea 4 1 2 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 3 2 1 2 1 3 1 2 1 1 1 5 1 3 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 215 Appendix 3 216 Family Species Solanaceae Markea longilora 3 Solanaceae Markea sessililora 1 Solanaceae Markea sp. 1 Solanaceae Physalis angulata 1 1 Solanaceae Schwenckia grandilora 1 1 Solanaceae Solanum anceps 6 Solanaceae Solanum asperum 2 Solanaceae Solanum coriaceum 4 Solanaceae Solanum costatum 3 Solanaceae Solanum crinitum 2 Solanaceae Solanum lanceifolium 1 Solanaceae Solanum leucocarpon 10 Solanaceae Solanum morii 1 Solanaceae Solanum paludosum 2 Solanaceae Solanum pensile 2 1 Solanaceae Solanum rubiginosum 2 2 Solanaceae Solanum rugosum 3 1 Solanaceae Solanum schlechtendalianum 7 2 4 1 Solanaceae Solanum sp. 6 1 4 1 Solanaceae Solanum stramoniifolium 2 Solanaceae Solanum subinerme 4 3 Solanaceae Solanum velutinum 2 1 Stemonuraceae Discophora guianensis 1 1 Stereophyllaceae Pilosium chlorophyllum 1 1 Styracaceae Styrax fanshawei 1 Symplocaceae Symplocos guianensis 1 Tectariaceae Tectaria incisa 1 1 Tectariaceae Tectaria plantaginea 3 2 Tectariaceae Tectaria trifoliata 2 2 Tectariaceae Triplophyllum dicksonioides 1 1 Tectariaceae Triplophyllum funestum 5 1 heaceae Gordonia fruticosa 1 1 helypteridaceae helypteris abrupta 1 1 helypteridaceae helypteris glandulosa 2 1 1 helypteridaceae helypteris hispidula 2 1 1 helypteridaceae helypteris holodictya 2 1 1 helypteridaceae helypteris leprieurii 1 1 helypteridaceae helypteris pennata 1 1 helypteridaceae helypteris sp. 1 1 heophrastaceae Clavija lancifolia 4 4 hurniaceae hurnia sphaerocephala 3 3 hymelaeaceae Daphnopsis granvillei 2 2 Rapid Assessment Program Sum IUCN Prot End BB BW Le Ma Mo Na 3 1 1 6 2 2 2 3 2 1 6 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 Plant species collected on the three bauxite plateaus, Brownsberg, Nassau and Lely Family Species Sum IUCN Prot End BB BW Trigoniaceae Trigonia laevis 7 Trigoniaceae Trigonia villosa 1 Triuridaceae Sciaphila albescens 11 6 5 Triuridaceae Sciaphila sp. 3 1 2 Triuridaceae Soridium spruceanum 5 1 Turneraceae Turnera glaziovii 3 Turneraceae Turnera rupestris 2 2 Urticaceae Laportea aestuans 1 1 Urticaceae Pilea imparifolia 2 2 Urticaceae Pilea pubescens 1 1 Urticaceae Urera caracasana 1 1 Verbenaceae Aegiphila membranacea 3 Verbenaceae Aegiphila racemosa 1 Verbenaceae Amasonia campestris 2 Verbenaceae Citharexylum macrophyllum 1 Verbenaceae Citharexylum sp. 1 Verbenaceae Lantana camara 1 1 Verbenaceae Petrea bracteata 4 2 Verbenaceae Petrea volubilis 1 1 Verbenaceae Stachytarpheta cayennensis 1 1 Verbenaceae Vitex compressa 3 2 Verbenaceae Vitex stahelii 3 3 Verbenaceae Vitex trilora 5 1 Violaceae Amphirrhox longifolia 8 8 Violaceae Amphirrhox surinamensis 2 2 Violaceae Corynostylis arborea 2 1 Violaceae Indet. 1 1 Violaceae Noisettia orchidilora 2 Violaceae Paypayrola guianensis 3 Violaceae Paypayrola hulkiana 1 Violaceae Paypayrola longifolia 1 Violaceae Rinorea amapensis 1 Violaceae Rinorea brevipes 1 Violaceae Rinorea falcata 1 Violaceae Rinorea lavescens 1 Violaceae Rinorea pubilora 3 2 1 Violaceae Rinorea riana 27 8 10 Violaceae Rinorea sp. 1 Vitaceae Cissus sp. 2 2 Vitaceae Cissus verticillata 2 1 Vittariaceae Antrophyum guayanense 1 1 Vittariaceae Hecistopteris pumila 3 1 5 Le Ma Mo 1 Na 1 1 1 3 1 2 2 1 1 2 1 1 2 1 4 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 9 1 1 2 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 217 Appendix 3 Family Species Vittariaceae Vittaria lineata 1 Vochysiaceae Erisma uncinatum 1 1 Vochysiaceae Qualea coerulea 4 4 Vochysiaceae Qualea dinizii 3 1 Vochysiaceae Qualea rosea 10 7 3 Vochysiaceae Ruizterania albilora 3 1 2 Vochysiaceae Vochysia costata 4 4 Vochysiaceae Vochysia densilora 1 Vochysiaceae Vochysia guianensis 1 Vochysiaceae Vochysia surinamensis 6 5 Woodsiaceae Diplazium cristatum 1 1 Woodsiaceae Hemidictyum marginatum 1 1 Xylariaceae Kretzschmaria deusta 1 1 Xyridaceae Xyris jupicai 1 1 Zingiberaceae Renealmia loribunda 1 Zingiberaceae Renealmia guianensis 5 Zingiberaceae Renealmia monosperma 1 1 Zingiberaceae Renealmia orinocensis 2 2 Grand Total 218 Rapid Assessment Program Sum 5730 IUCN Prot End BB BW Le Ma Mo Na 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 2572 2 192 1097 2 176 2 1691 Appendix 4 Preliminary checklist of the orchids (Orchidaceae) of the Brownsberg, Nassau, and Lely ranges in Suriname. Iwan E. Molgo and Bart P.E. De Dijn he recorded occurrence of species at each range is indicated by highlighting in black in the Range column below the corresponding range identiier (B = Brownsberg, N = Nassau, and L = Lely). Ground & epilithic orchids are marked “G” and highlighted in black in the Substrate column; all others (not highlighted in this column) are epiphytic orchids (marked “E”). Orchids recorded below 400 m elevation in Venezuelan Guayana (see Steyermark et al. 1995b) are highlighted in black and marked “L” (for Lowland) in the Elevation column; those recorded at 400 m or higher are also highlighted but marked “H” (for Highland); if no species-speciic data from Venezuelan Guayana was available, the Elevation column is not highlighted, and the elevation at which the species may occur is indicated between brackets (based on data of congeners in Steyermark et al. 1995b and / or notes on the occurrence of the species in French Guiana (Chiron and Bellone 2005) or Suriname (Werkhoven 1986)). Orchid genera that are considered to produce fragrant chemicals only (no nectar) as a reward for pollinating male orchid bees (Euglossinae) are highlighted dark grey and underlined in the Genus column; orchid genera considered to produce nectar and visited by potentially pollinating male as well as female orchid bees are highlighted light grey. Genus Species Range B N Substrate Elevation L Acianthera fockei E Aganisia pulchella E Aspidogyne foliosa G (L) Batemania colleyi E L Beloglottis costaricensis G Bollea violacea E (L) (H) Brassia caudate E L H Brassia sp. E (L) (H) Bulbophyllum bracteolatum E (L) Caluera surinamensis E (L) Campylocentrum micranthum E L H Catasetum cristatum E L H Catasetum deltoideum E (L) (H) Chaubardiella tigrina E Cheiradenia cuspidata E Cochleanthes guianensis E H Cranichis diphylla G H L H (H) (H) H L H A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 219 Appendix 4 Genus Species Range B 220 N Substrate Elevation L Cryptarrhena guatemalensis E Cryptarrhena kegelii E H Cyclopogon elatus G H Dichaea histrio E (H) Dichaea hookeri E Dichaea muricata E Dichaea picta E L H Dichaea pumila E (L) (H) Dichaea rendlei E (L) (H) Dichaea trulla E L H Dimerandra elegans E L Dipteranthus sp. E Elleanthus capitatus E (L) (H) Elleanthus caravata E L H Elleanthus graminifolius E Encyclia ceratistes E (L) Encyclia diurna E L Encyclia granitica E L Encyclia guianensis E L H Epidendrum anceps E L H Epidendrum desilorum E Epidendrum diforme E (L) Epidendrum microphyllum E (L) Epidendrum nocturnum E L H Epidendrum paniculatum E (L) (H) Epidendrum purpurascens E (L) (H) Epidendrum ramosum E Epidendrum rigidum E L Epidendrum secundum E L Epidendrum sp. 1 E (L) (H) Epidendrum sp. 2 E (L) (H) Epidendrum strobiliferum E L H Epidendrum strobiloides E L H Epidendrum unguiculatum E L H Eriopsis biloba E L H Erycina pusilla E L H Erythrodes sp. G Gongora histrionica E (L) Gongora pleiochroma E L Rapid Assessment Program (L) L (H) H H (H) H H H H (H) (H) Preliminary checklist of the orchids (Orchidaceae) of the Brownsberg, Nassau, and Lely ranges in Suriname Genus Species Range B N Substrate Elevation L Habenaria alterosula G (H) (H) Ionopsis satyrioides E L H Ionopsis utricularioides E L H Isochilus linearis E H Jacquiniella globosa E H Jacquiniella teretifolia E H Kefersteinia lafontainei E (L) (H) Kegeliella houtteana E (L) (H) Koellensteinia carraoensis G Koellensteinia hyacinthoides E Koellensteinia kellneriana E Lepanthes helicocephala E Lepanthes ruscifolia E (H) Lepanthes wageneri E (H) Ligeophila stigmatoptera G H Ligeophila cf. umbraticola G (H) Liparis nervosa G L Lockhartia imbricata E L Lophiaris lanceana E (L) Lycaste macrophylla E Lyroglossa grisebachii G (L) (H) Macradenia lutescens E L H Macroclinium wullschlaegelianum E L H Malaxis excavata G Masdevallia cuprea E (L) (H) Masdevallia infracta E (L) (H) Masdevallia minuta E (L) Masdevallia norae E L Maxillaria alba E H Maxillaria cf. auyantepuiensis E H Maxillaria brunnea E H Maxillaria caespitiica E (L) Maxillaria camaridii E L Maxillaria christobalensis E Maxillaria crassifolia E (L) Maxillaria desvauxiana E L H Maxillaria discolor E L H Maxillaria jenischiana E (H) Maxillaria ochroleuca E H H L (H) L H H H H (H) (H) A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 221 Appendix 4 Genus Species Range B 222 N Substrate Elevation L Maxillaria parkeri E L H Maxillaria ponerantha E (L) (H) Maxillaria reichenheimiana E Maxillaria rufescens E Maxillaria splendens E H Maxillaria stenophylla E H Maxillaria superlua E L Maxillaria uncata E L H Maxillaria violaceopunctata E L H Mesadenella cuspidata G Neolehmannia sp. E (L) (H) Notylia cf. incurva E (L) (H) Notylia sagittifera E Notylia sp 1 E (L) (H) Notylia sp. 2 E (L) (H) Octomeria brevifolia E (L) (H) Octomeria deltoglossa E (L) Octomeria minor E L H Octomeria sp E (L) (H) Octomeria surinamenis E L H Oncidium baueri E L Ornithidium parvilorum E L Ornithocephalus cf. bicornis E L Ornithocephalus gladiatus E L Paphinia cristata E L H Pelexia callifera G L H Peristeria guttata E Peristeria pendula E Physurus sp. G Platystele ovalifolia E L H Platystele stenostachya E (L) (H) Platythelys maculata G Plectrophora iridifolia E Pleurothallis archidiaconi E Pleurothallis aristata E L H Pleurothallis barbulata E L H Pleurothallis ciliolate E L H Pleurothallis determannii E (L) (H) Pleurothallis discoidea E Rapid Assessment Program H L H (H) (H) H H L H (H) (H) L H H (H) Preliminary checklist of the orchids (Orchidaceae) of the Brownsberg, Nassau, and Lely ranges in Suriname Genus Species Range B N Substrate Elevation L Pleurothallis glandulosa E L Pleurothallis grobyi E L Pleurothallis lanceana E L Pleurothallis monocardia E Pleurothallis picta E L Pleurothallis polygonoides E (L) Pleurothallis pruinosa E L Pleurothallis pubescens E (H) Pleurothallis ruscifolia E H Pleurothallis semperlorens E Pleurothallis seriata E Pleurothallis spiculifera E Pleurothallis suspensa E Pleurothallis yauaperyensis E L H Polystachya concreta E L H Polystachya sp. E (L) (H) Prescottia stachyodes G Prosthechea aemula E Prosthechea calamaria E H Prosthechea pygmaea E H Prosthechea vespa E L H Quekettia papillosa E (L) (H) Quekettia vermeuleniana E (L) (H) Reichenbachanthus relexus E Rodriguezia lavida E (L) Rodriguezia lanceolata E L H Sarcoglottis acaulis G L H Sarcoglottis amazonica G (L) Scaphyglottis dunstervillei E Scaphyglottis fusiformis E L H Scaphyglottis graminifolia E L H Scaphyglottis lindeniana E (H) Scaphyglottis modesta E H Scaphyglottis prolifera E H Scuticaria steelii E L Sigmatostalix amazonica E L Sobralia crocea E (L) Sobralia imbriata E H (H) H H (L) H L H H H L H H H (H) H A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 223 Appendix 4 Genus Species Range B 224 N Substrate Elevation L Sobralia fragrans E L H Sobralia macrophylla E L H Sobralia suaveolens E L H Stanhopea grandilora E L H Stelis aprica E L H Stelis argentata E (L) (H) Trichocentrum fuscum E L H Trichosalpinx foliata E (H) Trichosalpinx memor E H Trichosalpinx orbicularis E L H Trigonidium acuminatum E L H Trisetella triglochin E L H Vanilla cf. odorata E L H Vanilla sp. E (L) (H) Wullschlaegelia sp. E (L) (H) Xylobium foveatum E (L) (H) Xylobium pallidilorum E H Xylobium variegatum E (H) Rapid Assessment Program Appendix 5 Preliminary checklist of the orchid bees (Euglossinae) of the Brownsberg, Lely and Nassau ranges in Suriname. Iwan E. Molgo and Bart P.E. De Dijn Genus Species Brownsberg near Lely1 Nassau X Eufriesea pulchra Eufriesea sp. 1 Euglossa amazonica X X Euglossa analis X X Euglossa augaspis X X Euglossa chalybeata X X Euglossa chlorina Euglossa cognata Euglossa cordata Euglossa crassipunctata Euglossa cf. deceptrix Euglossa cf. despecta Euglossa gaianii X X Euglossa ignita X X Euglossa imperialis Euglossa intersecta Euglossa ioprosopa Euglossa iopyrrha Euglossa magnipes Euglossa modestior Euglossa mourei Euglossa orellana Euglossa piliventris Euglossa cf. prasina Euglossa retroviridis Euglossa sp. 1 X Euglossa stilbonota X Euglossa townsendi X Euglossa tridentata X Eulaema meriana X Eulaema mocsaryi X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 225 Appendix 5 Genus Species Eulaema pseudocingulata Exaerete frontalis Exaerete smaragdina Total Number of species Brownsberg near Lely1 Nassau X X X X X 13 22 23 Samples were obtained near Diitabiki (Drietabbetje), across the Tapanhony river near Lely, but strictly speaking not at Lely itself; however, the Tapanahony is not assumed to be a barrier for orchid bee dispersal. 1 226 Rapid Assessment Program Appendix 6 List of ant species and number of individuals collected on three transects during the RAP survey. Jeffrey Sosa-Calvo Species Lely transect 1 Acanthognathus lentus 2 Acanthognathus ocellatus 4 Acromyrmex sp. 001 1 Acromyrmex sp. 002 8 Lely transect 2 1 14 Acropyga guianensis Anochetus horridus 4 1 Anochetus inermis 20 33 Anochetus mayri 2 Anochetus targionii 11 Apterostigma pilosum sp. 001 Apterostigma pilosum sp. 002 7 4 1 24 1 Apterostigma pilosum sp. 005 Brachymyrmex sp. 001 7 1 Apterostigma pilosum sp. 003 Apterostigma pilosum sp. 004 Nassau 3 7 Brachymyrmex sp. 002 5 24 1 Brachymyrmex sp. 003 2 Carebara sp. 001 1 Carebara sp. 002 3 5 Carebara reticulata 20 2 Carebara urichi 6 18 Crematogaster sp. 001 52 207 1 Crematogaster sp. 002 28 Crematogaster sp. 003 99 4 Crematogaster limata 18 5 Crematogaster sotobosque 54 83 3 Crematogaster tenuicula 4 Cryptomyrmex longinodus Cyphomyrmex cf. peltatus 61 25 21 66 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 227 Appendix 6 Lely transect 1 Lely transect 2 Nassau Cyphomyrmex rimosus 48 124 49 Discothyrea denticulata 5 Species 3 1 Discothyrea sexarticulata Discothyrea sp. 001 Dolichoderus imitator 3 3 Dolichoderus sp. 001 51 Ectatomma lugens 1 Ectatomma tuberculatum 1 Gnamptogenys horni 13 6 Gnamptogenys interrupta 1 4 Gnamptogenys moelleri 1 5 9 Gnamptogenys pleurodon 59 1 17 45 Gnamptogenys relicta Gnamptogenys sulcata 15 Gnamptogenys tortulosa 1 Gnamptogenys sp. 001 1 Hylomyrma sp. 001 1 13 Hylomyrma sp. 002 20 Hylomyrma sp. 003 19 Hypoponera nitidula 92 Hypoponera sp. 001 121 Hypoponera sp. 002 25 23 Hypoponera sp. 003 3 2 Hypoponera sp. 004 44 64 3 Hypoponera sp. 005 29 4 1 Hypoponera sp. 006 37 28 143 Hypoponera sp. 007 33 Hypoponera sp. 008 21 4 52 Hypoponera sp. 009 97 108 174 Hypoponera sp. 010 1 Leptogenys sp. 001 1 Megalomyrmex sp. 001 3 58 1 33 5 Megalomyrmex sp. 002 1 Myrmelachista cf. mexicana 1 Ochetomyrmex sp. 001 93 39 52 Octostruma balzani 35 61 72 Octostruma iheringi 6 8 1 Octostruma sp. 001 Octostruma sp. 002 1 7 Odontomachus brunneus 2 3 Odontomachus hastatus 228 13 Rapid Assessment Program 17 1 List of ant species and number of individuals collected on three transects during the RAP survey Species Lely transect 1 Lely transect 2 Nassau Odontomachus laticeps 1 Odontomachus scalptus 1 Odontomachus sp. 001 3 1 Pachycondyla constricta 1 1 Pachycondyla harpax 6 9 Pachycondyla pergandei 4 6 1 Pachycondyla stigma Pachycondyla unidentata 9 Paratrechina sp. 001 10 Paratrechina sp. 002 70 Paratrechina sp. 003 27 Paratrechina sp. 004 7 Paratrechina sp. 005 20 98 137 76 Paratrechina sp. 006 4 Paratrechina sp. 007 1 1 Pheidole sp. 001 11 8 Pheidole sp. 002 5 Pheidole sp. 003 1 Pheidole sp. 004 2 19 Pheidole sp. 005 133 81 178 Pheidole sp. 006 29 173 261 Pheidole sp. 007 5 Pheidole sp. 008 4 Pheidole sp. 009 2 Pheidole sp. 010 2 Pheidole sp. 011 3 Pheidole sp. 012 12 Pheidole sp. 013 16 Pheidole sp. 014 16 5 Pheidole sp. 015 3 10 Pheidole sp. 016 8 2 9 Pheidole sp. 017 74 19 Pheidole sp. 018 2 12 Pheidole sp. 019 1 26 5 Pheidole sp. 020 27 6 2 Pheidole sp. 021 97 136 215 Pheidole sp. 022 Pheidole sp. 023 24 22 Pheidole sp. 024 Pheidole sp. 025 Pheidole sp. 026 6 94 18 11 3 5 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 229 Appendix 6 Lely transect 1 Lely transect 2 Pheidole sp. 027 1 1 Pheidole sp. 028 1 Pheidole sp. 029 16 Species Pheidole sp. 030 Pheidole sp. 031 1 Pheidole sp. 032 Pheidole sp. 033 5 Pheidole sp. 034 1 2 1 14 1 5 2 15 11 21 Pheidole sp. 035 1 Pheidole sp. 036 1 Pheidole sp. 037 Pheidole sp. 038 1 1 Pheidole sp. 039 Prionopelta amabilis 1 81 1 Pseudomyrmex sp. 001 2 Pseudomyrmex sp. 003 1 Pseudomyrmex sp. 004 1 1 18 Pyramica beebei 10 Pyramica cincinnata 11 Pyramica crassicornis 1 Pyramica denticulata 189 98 3 Pyramica halosis 1 Pyramica sp. 002 480 5 6 1 Rogeria blanda 2 Rogeria curvipubens 11 Rogeria innotabilis 1 1 Rogeria micromma Sericomyrmex beniensis 4 Sericomyrmex harekulli arawakensis 3 1 7 10 Sericomyrmex impexus Sericomyrmex myersi 7 1 Sericomyrmex zacapanus 1 52 Sericomyrmex sp. 001 230 16 22 Pyramica subedentata Pyramica sp. 001 103 3 Pseudomyrmex sp. 002 Pyramica auctidens Nassau 1 7 1 Solenopsis sp. 001 229 198 370 Solenopsis sp. 002 49 171 3 Solenopsis sp. 003 14 60 388 Solenopsis sp. 004 172 27 98 Rapid Assessment Program List of ant species and number of individuals collected on three transects during the RAP survey Species Solenopsis sp. 005 Lely transect 1 Lely transect 2 Nassau 17 88 244 47 23 15 Solenopsis sp. 006 Solenopsis sp. 007 17 24 Solenopsis sp. 008 31 27 Solenopsis sp. 009 3 Solenopsis sp. 010 1 Strumigenys cosmostela 4 Strumigenys elongata 18 17 18 Strumigenys perparva 114 61 49 Strumigenys trinidadensis 1 1 2 haumatomyrmex ferox 4 Trachymyrmex cf. bugnioni Trachymyrmex sp. 001 17 3 1 Tranopelta gilva Wasmannia auropunctata 189 59 3 Wasmannia rochai Wasmannia scrobifera Total Number of Species 83 1 11 103 98 97 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 231 Appendix 7 Species list and abundance of dung beetles from the Nassau and Lely plateaus. Trond Larsen Abundance at each site 232 Nassau Lely Anisocanthon cf. sericinus Harold 9 19 Anomiopus sp. 1 0 1 Anomiopus sp. 2 1 0 Ateuchus sp. 1 1 1 Ateuchus sp. 2 1 13 Canthidium cf. bicolor Boucomont 0 1 Canthidium sp. 1 0 6 Canthidium sp. 2 0 4 Canthidium sp. 3 0 3 Canthidium sp. 4 2 20 Canthon bicolor Laporte 2 46 Canthon mutabilis Lucas 0 3 Canthon quadriguttatus Olivier 1 7 Canthon triangularis Drury 13 14 Coprophanaeus cf. dardanus MacLeay 0 3 Coprophanaeus cf. parvulus Olsouief 0 1 Coprophanaeus lancifer Linne 0 1 Deltochilum carinatum Westwood 2 2 Deltochilum icarus Olivier 1 3 Deltochilum sp. 1 8 0 Deltochilum sp. 2 4 0 Deltochilum sp. 3 3 1 Dichotomius mamillatus Felsche 0 1 Dichotomius sp. 1 1 0 Dichotomius sp. af. podalirius Felsche 4 7 Eurysternus caribaeus Herbst 5 16 Eurysternus cf. hirtellus Dalman 0 1 Eurysternus sp. 1 0 3 Eurysternus sp. 2 1 0 Rapid Assessment Program Species list and abundance of dung beetles from the Nassau and Lely plateaus Eurysternus sp. af. caribaeus Herbst 4 17 Eurysternus velutinus Bates 1 1 Hansreia ainis Fabricius 88 569 Onthophagus cf. haematopus Harold 1 11 Onthophagus sp. 1 34 52 Oxysternon aeneum Olsouief 0 2 Oxysternon cf. durantoni Arnaud 0 24 Phanaeus chalcomelas Perty 2 7 Scybalocanthon cyanocephalus Harold 1 10 Sylvicanthon sp. nov. 0 4 Uroxys sp. 1 4 2 Uroxys sp. 2 4 1 Uroxys sp. 3 6 29 Total abundance 204 906 Number of species 27 37 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 233 Appendix 8 Bird species recorded on the Lely and Nassau plateaus during the RAP survey. Iwan Derveld and Greg Love Scientific Name 234 Common Name (English) IUCN Red List Status Lely (Date seen) Nassau (Date seen) Amazona amazonica ORANGE-WINGED PARROT LC 11/2/05 Amazona ochrocephala YELLOW-CROWNED PARROT LC 11/3/05 Anthracothorax nigricollis BLACK-THROATED MANGO LC 11/3/05 Ara chloropterus RED-AND-GREEN MACAW LC Ara macao SCARLET MACAW LC 11/5/05 (?) Ara manilata RED-BELLIED MACAW LC 11/5/05 (?) Brotogeris chrysopterus GOLDEN-WINGED PARAKEET LC 10/25/05 Campephilus rubricollis RED-NECKED WOODPECKER LC 10/30/05 11/5/05 (?) Capito niger BLACK-SPOTTED BARBET LC 10/26/05 11/2/05 Caprimulgus nigrescens BLACKISH NIGHTJAR LC 10/26/05 11/2/05 Cathartes melambrotus GREATER YELLOW-HEADED VULTURE LC 10/29/05 11/3/05 Celeus elegans CHESTNUT WOODPECKER LC 11/2/05 Celeus undatus WAVED WOODPECKER LC 11/4/05 Chaetura chapmani (C. spinicaudus?) CHAPMAN’S SWIFT LC Chaetura spinicaudus BAND-RUMPED SWIFT LC Chlorophanes spiza GREEN HONEYCREEPER LC Chlorostilbon mellisugus BLUE-TAILED EMERALD LC 11/2/05 Coereba laveola BANANAQUIT LC 11/5/05 Colonia colonus LONG-TAILED TYRANT LC 11/2/05 Columba subvinacea RUDDY PIGEON LC 10/26/05 Conopias parva YELLOW-THROATED FLYCATCHER LC 10/29/05 Contopus albogularis WHITE-THROATED PEWEE LC 11/3/05 Coragyps atratus BLACK VULTURE LC 11/2/05 Corapipo gutturalis WHITE-THROATED MANAKIN LC 10/26/05 Crax alector BLACK CURASSOW LC 10/26/05 (feathers) Crypturellus soui LITTLE TINAMOU LC Cyanerpes caeruleus PURPLE HONEYCREEPER LC 10/28/05 11/2/05 Cyanerpes cyaneus RED-LEGGED HONEYCREEPER LC 10/28/05 11/2/05 Cyanocompsa cyanoides BLUE-BLACK GROSBEAK LC 10/26/05 Rapid Assessment Program 10/26/05 10/26/05 11/4/05 10/30/05 11/2/05 11/2/05 11/4/05 11/4/05 Bird species recorded on the Lely and Nassau plateaus during the RAP survey Scientific Name Common Name (English) IUCN Red List Status Lely (Date seen) Nassau (Date seen) Cymbilaimus lineatus FASCIATED ANTSHRIKE LC 10/31/05 11/4/05 Dacnis cayana BLUE DACNIS LC 10/30/05 11/2/05 Elanoides foricatus SWALLOW-TAILED KITE LC 10/26/05 11/2/05 Euphonia cayennensis GOLDEN-SIDED EUPHONIA LC 10/28/05 Euphonia minuta WHITE-VENTED EUPHONIA LC Euphonia musica ANTILLEAN EUPHONIA LC Falco peregrinus PEREGRINE FALCON LC 11/5/05 Formicarius analis BLACK-FACED ANTTHRUSH LC 11/6/05 Galbula dea PARADISE JACAMAR LC 10/30/05 Glyphorynchus spirurus WEDGE-BILLED WOODCREEPER LC 10/27/05 Gymnopithys ruigula RUFOUS-THROATED ANTBIRD LC Haematoderus militaris CRIMSON FRUITCROW LC Harpagus bidentatus DOUBLE-TOOTHED KITE LC 11/6/05 Heliothryx aurita BLACK-EARED FAIRY LC 11/4/05 Hylocharis sapphirina RUFOUS-THROATED SAPPHIRE LC Hypocnemoides melanopogon BLACK-CHINNED ANTBIRD LC Ibycter americanus RED-THROATED CARACARA LC Jacamerops aureus GREAT JACAMAR LC 11/4/05 Lanio fulvus FULVOUS SHRIKE-TANAGER LC 11/4/05 Legatus leucophaius PIRATIC FLYCATCHER LC Lepidothrix serena WHITE-FRONTED MANAKIN LC Leptotila verreauxi WHITE-TIPPED DOVE LC 10/26/05 11/3/05 Lipaugus vociferans SCREAMING PIHA LC 10/26/05 11/2/05 Lophornis ornatus TUFTED COQUETTE LC 10/29/05 (?) Manacus manacus WHITE-BEARDED MANAKIN LC 10/26/05 Micrastur mirandollei SLATY-BACKED FOREST-FALCON LC 10/30/05 (?) Microcerculus bambla WING-BANDED WREN LC 10/30/05 Mionectes oleagineus OCHRE-BELLIED FLYCATCHER LC 11/4/05 Myiodynastes maculatus STREAKED FLYCATCHER LC 11/4/05 Myiophobus fasciatus BRAN-COLOURED FLYCATCHER LC Myiozetetes cayanensis RUSTY-MARGINED FLYCATCHER LC Myrmeciza ferruginea FERRUGINOUS-BACKED ANTBIRD LC 11/4/05 Myrmotherula brachyura PYGMY ANTWREN LC 11/2/05 Myrmotherula surinamensis STREAKED ANTWREN LC 10/26/05 Nemosia pilceata HOODED TANAGER LC 10/29/05 Nyctidromus albicollis COMMON PAURAQUE LC 11/5/05 Odontophorus gujanensis MARBLED WOOD-QUAIL LC 11/2/05 Ortalis motmot LITTLE CHACHALACA LC 10/28/05 11/2/05 Penelope marail MARAIL GUAN LC 10/26/05 11/3/05 Percnostola leucostigma SPOT-WINGED ANTBIRD LC 10/26/05 11/3/05 10/29/05 11/2/05 11/6/05 10/27/05 10/28/05 (?) 11/3/05 10/26/05 11/2/05 10/26/05 11/4/05 11/2/05 11/6/05 10/26/05 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 235 Appendix 8 Scientific Name 236 Common Name (English) IUCN Red List Status Lely (Date seen) Percnostola ruifrons BLACK-HEADED ANTBIRD Perissocephalus tricolor CAPUCHINBIRD LC Phaeothlypis rivularis NEOTROPICAL RIVER WARBLER LC 11/5/05 Phaethornis bourcieri STRAIGHT-BILLED HERMIT LC 11/3/05 Phaethornis superciliosus LONG-TAILED HERMIT LC 11/2/05 Philydor ruicaudatus RUFOUS-TAILED FOLIAGEGLEANER LC 11/3/05 Piculus chrysochloros GOLDEN-GREEN WOODPECKER LC 11/3/05 Piculus lavigula YELLOW-THROATED WOODPECKER LC 11/3/05 (?) Piculus rubiginosus GOLDEN-OLIVE WOODPECKER LC Pionopsitta caica CAICA PARROT LC Pionus fuscus DUSKY PARROT LC 10/26/05 11/3/05 Pionus menstruus BLUE-HEADED PARROT LC 10/28/05 11/2/05 Pipra erythrocephala GOLDEN-HEADED MANAKIN LC 10/27/05 11/2/05 Polioptila plumbea TROPICAL GNATCATCHER LC 11/3/05 Procnias alba WHITE BELLBIRD LC 11/2/05 Progne tapera BROWN-CHESTED MARTIN LC Psarocolius viridis GREEN OROPENDOLA LC Psophia crepitans GREY-WINGED TRUMPETER LC 10/25/05 11/5/05 Pyrrhura picta PAINTED PARAKEET LC 10/30/05 11/6/05 Querula purpurata PURPLE-THROATED FRUITCROW LC 10/28/05 Ramphastos tucanus RED-BILLED TOUCAN LC Ramphastos vitellinus CHANNEL-BILLED TOUCAN LC Ramphocelus carbo SILVER-BEAKED TANAGER LC Rhytipterna simplex GREYISH MOURNER LC 10/26/05 Sarcoramphus papa KING VULTURE LC 10/31/05 11/2/05 Selenidera culik GUIANAN TOUCANET LC 10/26/05 11/4/05 Tachybaptus dominicus LEAST GREBE LC 8/31/05 (Pre-RAP trip) Tachyphonus cristatus FLAME-CRESTED TANAGER LC Tachyphonus luctuosus WHITE-SHOULDERED TANAGER LC 10/29/05 Tachyphonus surinamus FULVOUS-CRESTED TANAGER LC 10/30/05 11/2/05 Tangara chilensis PARADISE TANAGER LC 10/26/05 11/4/05 Tangara gyrola BAY-HEADED TANAGER LC 10/26/05 Tangara punctata SPOTTED TANAGER LC 10/26/05 Tangara velia OPAL-RUMPED TANAGER LC 10/29/05 halurania furcata FORK-TAILED WOODNYMPH LC hamnophilus murinus MOUSE-COLOURED ANTSHRIKE LC hryothorus coraya CORAYA WREN LC Tityra cayana BLACK-TAILED TITYRA LC Trogon collaris COLLARED TROGON LC Rapid Assessment Program LC Nassau (Date seen) 11/6/05 10/26/05 11/3/05 10/28/05 11/5/05 10/26/05 11/2/05 11/3/05 10/26/05 11/3/05 11/6/05 11/3/05 (?) 11/5/05 10/26/05 11/2/05 11/5/05 10/29/05 11/2/05 Bird species recorded on the Lely and Nassau plateaus during the RAP survey Scientific Name Common Name (English) IUCN Red List Status Lely (Date seen) Trogon rufus BLACK-THROATED TROGON LC Trogon violaceus VIOLACEOUS TROGON LC 10/29/05 Turdus albicollis WHITE-NECKED THRUSH LC 10/29/05 Tyrannus melancholicus TROPICAL KINGBIRD LC 10/26/05 Vireolanius leucotis SLATY-CAPPED SHRIKE-VIREO LC 10/26/05 Xipholena punicea POMPADOUR COTINGA LC 10/26/05 Xiphorhynchus pardalotus CHESTNUT-RUMPED WOODCREEPER LC Xiphorhynchus guttatus BUFF-THROATED WOODCREEPER LC Total Number of Species Nassau (Date seen) 11/3/05 11/2/05 11/5/05 11/3/05 10/27/05 11/3/05 67 86 ? – Species not deinitively identiied by ield team A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 237 Appendix 9 List of bird species observed on Lely Mountain, 1-15 June 2003. Brian O’Shea Key to abundance codes: A: abundant; more than 20 individuals/groups observed daily C: common; 5-20 daily F: fairly common; 1-4 daily U: uncommon; average fewer than 1 per day, or same individuals seen repeatedly Scientific name 238 English name Abundance Specimen collected ORTALIS MOTMOT Variable Chachalaca F Crax alector Black Curassow F Tachybaptus dominicus Least Grebe U Cathartes melambrotus Greater Yellow-headed Vulture F Coragyps atratus Black Vulture U Sarcoramphus papa King Vulture U Elanoides foricatus Swallow-tailed Kite F Ictinia plumbea Plumbeous Kite F Leucopternis melanops Black-faced Hawk U Buteogallus urubitinga Great Black-Hawk U Spizastur melanoleucos Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle U Daptrius ater Black Caracara U Ibycter americanus Red-throated Caracara F Psophia crepitans Gray-winged Trumpeter F Aramides cajanea Gray-necked Wood-Rail U Patagioenas plumbea Plumbeous Pigeon C Leptotila rufaxilla Gray-fronted Dove C X Geotrygon violacea Violaceous Quail-Dove U X Geotrygon montana Ruddy Quail-Dove C X Ara macao Scarlet Macaw C Ara chloropterus Red-and-green Macaw C Aratinga leucophthalma White-eyed Parakeet F Pyrrhura picta Painted Parakeet C Brotogeris chrysoptera Golden-winged Parakeet C Touit batavica Lilac-tailed Parrotlet F Pionites melanocephalus Black-headed Parrot F Pionopsitta caica Caica Parrot U Pionus menstruus Blue-headed Parrot C Rapid Assessment Program X List of bird species observed on Lely Mountain, 1-15 June 2003 Scientific name English name Abundance Specimen collected Pionus fuscus Dusky Parrot F Piaya melanogaster Black-bellied Cuckoo F Pulsatrix perspicillata Spectacled Owl U Glaucidium hardyi Amazonian Pygmy-Owl U Caprimulgus nigrescens Blackish Nightjar C Chaetura spinicaudus Band-rumped Swift C Chaetura chapmani Chapman’s Swift F Phaethornis ruber Reddish Hermit F Phaethornis bourcieri Straight-billed Hermit F Phaethornis superciliosus Eastern Long-tailed Hermit C X Phaethornis malaris Great-billed Hermit C X Campylopterus largipennis Gray-breasted Sabrewing F X halurania furcata Fork-tailed Woodnymph F X Heliothryx auritus Black-eared Fairy U Trogon viridis White-tailed Trogon C Trogon collaris Collared Trogon F Trogon melanurus Black-tailed Trogon F Chloroceryle inda Green-and-rufous Kingisher U Galbula dea Paradise Jacamar F Malacoptila fusca White-chested Pufbird U Monasa atra Black Nunbird C Capito niger Black-spotted Barbet C Ramphastos tucanus Red-billed Toucan F Ramphastos vitellinus Channel-billed Toucan F Selenidera culik Guianan Toucanet F Pteroglossus viridis Green Aracari F X Piculus rubiginosus Golden-olive Woodpecker C X Celeus undatus Waved Woodpecker F Celeus elegans Chestnut Woodpecker U Campephilus rubricollis Red-necked Woodpecker F Dendrocincla fuliginosa Plain-brown Woodcreeper F X Glyphorhynchus spirurus Wedge-billed Woodcreeper C X Xiphorhynchus pardalotus Chestnut-rumped Woodcreeper F Lepidocolaptes albolineatus Lineated Woodcreeper U Synallaxis rutilans Ruddy Spinetail U Philydor erythrocercum Rufous-rumped Foliage-gleaner F Sclerurus ruigularis Short-billed Leaftosser U X Xenops minutus Plain Xenops F X Cymbilaimus lineatus Fasciated Antshrike U hamnophilus murinus Mouse-colored Antshrike F hamnophilus punctatus Northern Slaty-Antshrike C hamnomanes ardesiacus Dusky-throated Antshrike F X X X X X X A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 239 Appendix 9 Scientific name 240 English name Abundance Specimen collected X hamnomanes caesius Cinereous Antshrike F Myrmotherula gutturalis Brown-bellied Antwren F Myrmotherula axillaris White-lanked Antwren C X Myrmotherula longipennis Long-winged Antwren F X Myrmotherula menetriesii Gray Antwren F X Herpsilochmus stictocephalus Todd’s Antwren F Terenura spodioptila Ash-winged Antwren U Cercomacra cinerascens Gray Antbird F Myrmoborus leucophrys White-browed Antbird F X Hypocnemis cantator Warbling Antbird C X Percnostola ruifrons Black-headed Antbird C X Myrmeciza ferruginea Ferruginous-backed Antbird U Myrmeciza atrothorax Black-throated Antbird U Hylophylax naevius Spot-backed Antbird U Hylophylax poecilinotus Scale-backed Antbird F Myrmornis torquata Wing-banded Antbird U Grallaria varia Variegated Antpitta U Myrmothera campanisona hrush-like Antpitta F Tyrannulus elatus Yellow-crowned Tyrannulet C X Myiopagis gaimardii Forest Elaenia F X Ornithion inerme White-lored Tyrannulet F Zimmerius gracilipes Slender-footed Tyrannulet C X Corythopis torquatus Ringed Antpipit F X Mionectes macconnelli McConnell’s Flycatcher F X Leptopogon amaurocephalus Sepia-capped Flycatcher U Lophotriccus galeatus Helmeted Pygmy-Tyrant C Tolmomyias assimilis Yellow-margined Flycatcher U Tolmomyias poliocephalus Gray-crowned Flycatcher U Platyrinchus saturatus Cinnamon-crested Spadebill U X Terenotriccus erythrurus Ruddy-tailed Flycatcher F X Contopus albogularis White-throated Pewee F Legatus leucophaius Piratic Flycatcher F Myiozetetes cayanensis Rusty-margined Flycatcher C Conopias albovittatus White-ringed Flycatcher F Myiodynastes maculatus Streaked Flycatcher F Megarynchus pitangua Boat-billed Flycatcher F Empidonomus varius Variegated Flycatcher F Tyrannus melancholicus Tropical Kingbird C Attila spadiceus Bright-rumped Attila F X Schifornis turdina hrush-like Schifornis F X Pachyramphus marginatus Black-capped Becard U Rapid Assessment Program X X X List of bird species observed on Lely Mountain, 1-15 June 2003 Scientific name English name Abundance Specimen collected Pachyramphus minor Pink-throated Becard U Oxyruncus cristatus Sharpbill U Rupicola rupicola Guianan Cock-of-the-rock U Cotinga cayana Spangled Cotinga F Lipaugus vociferans Screaming Piha C Xipholena punicea Pompadour Cotinga C Perissocephalus tricolor Capuchinbird U Corapipo gutturalis White-throated Manakin C X Lepidothrix serena White-fronted Manakin A X Manacus manacus White-bearded Manakin C X Pipra pipra White-crowned Manakin C X Pipra erythrocephala Golden-headed Manakin A X Vireo olivaceus Red-eyed Vireo F Hylophilus muscicapinus Buf-cheeked Greenlet U Hylophilus ochraceiceps Tawny-crowned Greenlet U Progne chalybea Gray-breasted Martin A Cyphorhinus arada Musician Wren U Ramphocaenus melanurus Long-billed Gnatwren U Turdus albicollis White-throated Robin A Coereba laveola Bananaquit F Lamprospiza melanoleuca Red-billed Pied Tanager C Tachyphonus cristatus Flame-crested Tanager F Tachyphonus surinamus Fulvous-crested Tanager C X Tachyphonus phoeniceus Red-shouldered Tanager F X Tangara chilensis Paradise Tanager C Tangara punctata Spotted Tanager C X Tangara gyrola Bay-headed Tanager C X Tangara velia Opal-rumped Tanager F Dacnis lineata Black-faced Dacnis F Dacnis cayana Blue Dacnis C Cyanerpes caeruleus Purple Honeycreeper C Cyanerpes cyaneus Red-legged Honeycreeper F Chlorophanes spiza Green Honeycreeper C Sporophila lineola Lined Seedeater F Arremon taciturnus Pectoral Sparrow U Saltator maximus Buf-throated Saltator C X Cyanocompsa cyanoides Blue-black Grosbeak U X Psarocolius viridis Green Oropendola U Euphonia inschi Finsch’s Euphonia U Euphonia cyanocephala Golden-rumped Euphonia U Euphonia cayennensis Golden-sided Euphonia F X X A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 241 Appendix 10 Fishes collected in Nassau Mountains in 1949 by D.C. Geijskens and P.H. Creutzberg (Boeseman 1953). Jan H. Mol, Kenneth Wan Tong You, Ingrid Vrede, Adrian Flynn, Paul Ouboter and Frank van der Lugt Taxa Number of specimens Remarks Characiformes Anostomidae Leporinus granti Eigenmann 1912 6 lowland streams Leporinus fasciatus (Bloch 1795) 1 lowland streams & rivers Astyanax bimaculatus (L. 1758) 4 lowland streams Hemibrycon surinamensis Gery 1962 8 mountain streams? (Géry 1962) Hemigrammus unilineatus Gill 1858 4 lowland streams Jupiaba abramoides (Eigenmann 1909) 4 lowland streams 4 lowland streams 60 lowland streams 1 lowland rivers 3 lowland streams & rivers 11 lowland streams 7 lowland streams 2 lowland streams & rivers Chasmocranus brevior Eigenmann 1912 3 known only from Nassau & Potaro River, Guyana (Mees 1974) Heptapterus bleekeri Boeseman 1953 9 known also from Suriname River & Amapa, Brazil (Mees 1974) Rhamdia quelen (Quoy & Gaimard 1824) 7 lowland streams Characidae Erythrinidae Erythrinus erythrinus (Bloch & Schneider 1801) Lebiasinidae Pyrrhulina ilamentosa Val. 1846 Prochilodontidae Prochilodus rubrotaeniatus Jardine & Schomburgk 1841 Serrasalmidae Serrasalmus rhombeus L. 1766 Siluriformes Callichthyidae Megalechis thoracata (Val. 1840) Cetopsidae Helogenes marmoratus Günther 1863 Doradidae Platydoras costatus (L. 1758) Heptapteridae 242 Rapid Assessment Program Fishes collected in Nassau Mountains in 1949 by D.C. Geijskens and P.H. Creutzberg (Boeseman 1953) Number of specimens Taxa Remarks Loricariidae Harttiella crassicauda (Boeseman 1953) 15 endemic to Nassau Mountains 1 lowland streams & rivers Trichomycterus guianensis (Eigenmann 1909) 26 identiication correct? Total = 19 species 176 Pimelodidae Pimelodus ornatus Kner 1858 Trichomycteridae A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 243 Appendix 11 Fishes collected during the November 2005 RAP expedition to the Lely and Nassau plateaus, Suriname. Jan H. Mol, Kenneth Wan Tong You, and Ingrid Vrede Collections were made in four mountain streams in the Lely Mountains (L1-L4) and one mountain stream (N1), one lowland stream (N3) and one high-altitude-depression palm swamp (N2) in the Nassau Mountains. Lely Mountains Taxa L1 L2 L3 Nassau Mountains L4 N1 N2 N3 Number of Specimens ● 1 CHARACIFORMES Characidae Acestrorhynchus sp. (juvenile) Bryconops ainis ● 1 Hemigrammus cf rodwayi ● 10 Jupiaba abramoides ● 1 Moenkhausia chrysargyrea ● 25 Moenkhausia hemigrammoides ● 7 ● 2 ● 2 Erythrinus erythrinus ● 2 Hoplias aimara ● 3 Hoplias malabaricus ● 5 Copella carsevennensis ● 2 Nannostomus bifasciatus ● 17 Pyrrhulina ilamentosa ● 11 Crenuchidae Microcharacidium eleotrioides Curimatidae Steindachnerina varii Erythrinidae Lebiasinidae SILuRIFORMES Callichthyidae Callichthys callichthys ● 10 1 ● 1 Helogenes marmoratus ● 5 Megalechis thoracata Cetopsidae 244 Rapid Assessment Program Fishes collected during the November 2005 RAP expedition to the Lely and Nassau plateaus, Suriname Taxa Lely Mountains L1 L2 L3 Nassau Mountains L4 N1 N2 N3 Number of Specimens Loricariidae Ancistrus temminckii ● 2 Ancistrus cf temminckii ● 28 Guyanancistrus brevispinnis ● 13 Harttiella crassicauda ● 50 Lithoxus sp.1 ● 7 Lithoxus surinamensis ● 14 ● 39 Trichomycteridae Ituglanis cf amazonicus ● Trichomycterus af conradi 45 GYMNOTIFORMES Gymnotidae Gymnotus carapo ● 1 Gymnotus coropinae ● 24 ● 5 ● 286 Hypopomidae Hypopygus lepturus CYPRINODONTIFORMES Rivulidae Rivulus cf. igneus ● ● Rivulus cf. lungi ● ● ● ● ● ● 98 SYNBRANCHIFORMES Synbranchidae ● 10 Crenicichla saxatilis ● 1 Guianacara owroewei ● 4 Krobia guianensis ● 21 Nannacara anomala ● 7 ● 27 26 787 Synbranchus marmoratus ● ● ● PERCIFORMES Cichlidae Nandidae Polycentrus schomburgkii Total = 36 species 1 3 7 2 1 6 1 see Reis et al. 2005 A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 245 Appendix 12 Phytoplankton and periphyton of Paramaka Creek headwaters (IJskreek; altitude 300-530 m.amsl). Jan H. Mol and Asha Haripersad-Makhanlal Periphyton (5 samples of tufts of ilamentous algae attached to boulders) were collected on November 5, 2005. Phytoplankton (5 samples of 1 L) were collected from March 30 – April 3, 2006; three out of 5 samples had no algae. Analyses were done by Asha Haripersad-Makhanlal, Hydraulic Research Division (WLA), Ministry of Public Works, Paramaribo. Taxa Periphyton Abundance Phytoplankton Abundance (individuals/L) Filamentous Rhodophyta (red algae) Batrachospermum cf. cayenense Dominant Batrachospermum sp. Abundant ?Hildenbrandia sp. Rare Rhodophyta sp. Rare Filamentous Chlorophyta (green algae) Chaetophora cf attennuata Spirogyra sp. Rare Locally abundant 0-5 Eunotia spp. Abundant (on branches of Batrachospermum) 0-5 Navicula sp. 5 specimens 0-5 Diatomae Desmidiaceae Cosmarium sp. 1 specimen Closterium sp. 0-5 Miscellaneous Bacteria Rhizopoda Rotifera (Lecane sp.) 246 Rapid Assessment Program In one sample Rare 1 specimen Paramaka Creek was sampled in the central branch (IJskreek) up- and downstream (N1) of the BHP camp, and in a northern and southern tributary (tributaries joined the central branch in the foot hills). Paramaka Creek Taxa Other streams on the plateau Number of central tributary central tributary northern southern unnamedsouthern unnamedsouthern unnamednorthern specimens upstream BHP downstream BHP tributary Na3 tributary Na5 stream Na6 stream Na4 stream Na2 camp camp SILuRIFORMES Callichthyidae Callichthys callichthys ● 3 ● Ancistrus sp. ● Guyanancistrus sp. ‘big mouth’ 15 ● Harttiella crassicauda 40 ● Harttiella cf. crassicauda Lithoxus sp.2 (forked caudal) ● ● ● 7 1+ ● Lithoxus sp.3 (light spots) 1+ Trichomycteridae Trichomycterus af conradi ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 20 CYPRINODONTIFORMES Rivulidae Rivulus cf. igneus ● ● 47 SYNBRANCHIFORMES Synbranchidae ● Synbranchus marmoratus Total = 11 species 2 5 3 ● 3 2 3 ● 3 4 178 Appendix 13 ● 40 Fishes collected in high-altitude (plateau) streams of the Nassau Mountains from March 29 – April 4, 2006. Lithoxus sp.1 1 Jan Mol, Kenneth Wan Tong You, and Ingrid Vrede A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) Loricariidae 247 Appendix 14 Habitat structure of a high-altitude reach of Paramaka Creek (IJskreek, 460 m.amsl; site N1), Nassau Mountains, where Harttiella crassicauda was collected. Jan H. Mol, Kenneth Wan Tong You, and Ingrid Vrede N = 40 point samples. Date of measurements was March 31, 2006. Habitat diversity (Gorman and Karr 1978) was calculated for each dimension alone and then for the combination of depth, current, and substrate type with the Shannon-Wiener index (H). H = - Σ (pi * ln (pi)), where pi is the proportion of point samples in the ith category. Variable/category Proportion (pi) 1.275 Water depth (cm) 0-10 0.150 11-20 0.450 21-30 0.250 >30 0.150 1.767 Current (cm/second) 0-10 0.175 11-20 0.125 21-30 0.200 31-40 0.150 41-50 0.225 51-70 0.125 1.527 Substrate type Silt (diameter <0.05 mm) 0 Sand (0.05-2 mm) 0 Gravel (2-10 mm) 0.375 Pebbles (10-30 mm) 0.125 Boulder (>30 mm) 0.200 Bedrock 0.235 Leaf litter 0.025 Woody debris Tree roots Aquatic macrophytes Water depth x current x substrate 248 Rapid Assessment Program Diversity (H) 0 0.050 0 3.295 Appendix 15 Observations on the behavior of Harttiella crassicauda and Guyanancistrus n.sp. (‘big mouth’) of Nassau Mountains in the aquarium. Kenneth Wan Tong You Transportation of Harttiella crassicauda from Nassau Mountains to Paramaribo proved diicult: in November 2005 only two out of ten specimens survived the 7-hour drive over roads that were in bad condition and partially unpaved. With special precautions (battery-powered air pumps, low density of ishes, transport containers with thermal isolation against over heating) survival during transportation was much better after the survey of March/April 2006 (estimated survival 80%). he two Harttiella specimens (including a 5.5-cm Total Length male with enlarged pectoral spines) from the November-survey were transferred to a large (90x40x40 (height) cm) aquarium with gravelly substrate, dense vegetation of submersed aquatic macrophytes (Vallisneria, Cryptocoryne, Echinodorus, Cabomba) and woody debris from IJskreek for shelter. Other ishes in the tank included Apistogramma steindachneri, Lithoxus cf bovalli, Chasmocranus longior, Parotocinclus britskii, and some small-sized poeciliids. Tank water was iltered by two 3-5 W air pumps. Light was provided by a 20 W neon lamp. he two Harttiella specimens were only active during the night, possibly related to activity of other ishes in the aquarium (see below). Harttiella was not very active in the aquarium, staying at one spot for long times. he male was territorial, defending its shelter against intruders (e.g. Lithoxus). Otherwise, Harttiella is a peaceful ish not bothering other ishes (conspeciics or other species). At night they spend most time grazing periphyton algae on the aquarium panes, macrophytes leaves and woody debris. In the period November 2005 – March 2006, the male increased about 0.5 cm in length. In April, I obtained four additional Harttiella specimens from Nassau Mountains (second population from the northern tributary of Paramaka Creek) together with four specimens of a new loricariid catish Guyanancistrus ‘big mouth’. hese eight ishes were transferred to a small aquarium (37x23x22 (height) cm) with a battery-powered air pump, ine sandy substrate, no aquatic macrophytes, some rock (shelter) and no other ishes in the tank. he aquarium received indirect sun light to stimulate algal growth. At one occasion I observed that Harttiella specimens buried themselves in the sand (note that the northern tributary of Paramaka Creek had sand substrate at some sites, contrary to the central branch of Paramaka Creek (IJskreek) with substrate that consisted of gravel, pebbles and boulders). I also observed that Harttiella were active during the day in this tank. At times they moved to the water surface near the outlet of the air pump (in the water current) where they lifted their head partially out of the water to graze on algae. In conclusion, I ind Harttiella a sensitive species that does not accept artiicial aquarium feeds (e.g. lakes and tablet feeds), but feeds exclusively on algae. herefore it is important to stimulate growth of algae in the aquarium. hey are easily disturbed by other tank mates with the result that they retreat in shelter during the day. hey are also easily stressed when deprived of shelter. Harttiella seems to prefer fresh, clear water with neutral pH and high dissolved oxygen concentration, and possibly a low water temperature (2024 ºC) like observed in its natural habitat, the high-altitude IJskreek (500 m.amsl). Guyanancistrus ‘big mouth’ of the northern branch of Paramaka Creek was active both during the day and at night. his species did not retreat in shelter (including one specimen that was transferred to the large aquarium with numerous other ishes). ‘Big mouth’ was not territorial, tolerating the presence of conspeciics and other species. ‘Big mouth’ preferred to stay in the water low near the outlet of the air pump where they were observed feeding on algae and lakes with their head partially lifted out of the water. hey did not spend much time on the bottom, but were mainly observed grazing algae on the aquarium panes, macrophytes, woody debris and rock. After a short acclimation time ‘Big mouth’ accepted vegetarian lakes. A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 249 Appendix 16 List of Reptiles and Amphibians recorded on the Nassau and Lely plateaus. James I. Watling and Lucille F. Ngadino Data include habitat use, Distribution (W=Widespread Amazonian, GS=Guayana Shield), and IUCN hreat Status (LC = least concern, NE = not evaluated). ‘X’ indicates presence of species not observed by the authors. Site Taxon Nassau Distribution IUCN Threat Status W LC Lely ANuRA Bufonidae Bufo guttatus Clearing Forest Stream, Forest Forest, Forest Stream W LC Forest, Clearing Clearing, Savannah Forest W LC Forest, Forest Stream GS LC Forest Stream, Forest GS LC W LC X W LC X W LC W LC W LC Forest W LC Forest W LC Phyllomedusa hypochondrialis** X W LC Scinax proboscideus ** X GS LC GS LC X GS LC Forest Stream GS LC B. margaritifer B. marinus Dendrobatidae Colostethus beebei C. degranvillei Forest Stream, Forest, Swamp Colostethus cf. brunneus Forest Stream, Swamp Allobates femoralis** Epipedobates trivittatus Forest, Savannah Forest HYLIDAE Hypsiboas boans Hypsiboas crepitans Dendropsophus marmorata Forest Stream, Forest Forest Stream Clearing Dendropsophus minuta Osteocephalus taurinus Forest LEPTODACTYLIDAE Adenomera cf. andreae Forest Stream, Forest Adenomera sp. Eleutherodactylus chiastonotus Eleutherodactylus cf inguinalis Eleutherodactylus marmoratus** Eleutherodactylus zeuctotylus 250 Rapid Assessment Program Forest Forest Clearing, Forest, Forest Stream Forest Stream, Forest Forest Stream List of Reptiles and Amphibians recorded on the Nassau and Lely plateaus Site Taxon Eleutherodactylus sp. 1 Nassau Lely Forest Stream Forest, Forest Stream Distribution IUCN Threat Status Eleutherodactylus sp. 2 Forest Eleutherodactylus sp. 3 Forest Eleutherodactylus sp. 4 Forest Leptodactylus knudseni Clearing W LC Forest Stream, Forest Clearing W LC Clearing W LC Forest Forest, Forest Clearing W LC Swamp Forest, Forest Stream, Clearing Forest Stream, Forest W LC X W LC Forest GS LC Gonatodes annularis Forest GS LC Gonatodes humeralis Clearing W LC Forest, Forest Stream W LC Forest, Savannah Forest W LC Forest Stream, Forest GS LC Forest Stream GS LC W LC Leptodactylus leptodactyloides Leptodactylus longirostris Leptodactylus mystaceus Leptodactylus pentadactylus Leptodactylus stenodema** MICROHYLIDAE Chiasmocleis shudikarensis Forest SQuAMATA—SAuRIA Gekkonidae GYMNOPHTHALMIDAE Arthrosaura kockii Iphisa elegans Lepsoma guianense Neusticurus rudis Forest Stream, Swamp Forest Cecrosaura cf. ocellata Forest Stream POLYCHROTIDAE Noprops chrysolepis Noprops fuscoauratus Forest Forest, Forest Stream Clearing LC W LC Scincidae Forest Clearing W LC Ameiva ameiva Clearing Clearing W LC Kentropyx calcarata Clearing Clearing, Forest Stream, Forest W LC Clearing W LC Forest, Forest Stream W LC Forest W LC Forest Stream W LC Mabuya nigropunctata TEIIDAE Tupinambis teguixin TROPIDuRIDAE Tropidurus plica Squamata--Sepentes COLuBRIDAE Chironius sp. Forest Dipsas catsebyi Forest Dipsas indica Imantodes sp. * X A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) 251 Appendix 16 Distribution IUCN Threat Status Forest W LC Forest W LC Forest W LC Forest Stream W LC W NE W NE Site Taxon Nassau Liophis sp. Forest Oxyrhopus formosus Lely VIPERIDAE Bothrops atrox Forest Bothriopsis bilineatus CROCODYLIA Alligatoridae Paleosuchus cf. trigonatus ? CHELONIA Bataguridae Rhinoclemys punctularia* X CHELIDAE X Platemys platycephalus* Total # species 32 45 Total recorded by RAP herpetology team 29 37 16/13 21/16 # amphibians/reptiles recorded by RAP herpetology team * species recorded by other members of RAP team ** species recorded from Lely by C. Myers, August 1975 252 Rapid Assessment Program IuCN Red List Categories of threatened species (IUCN 2006): Data Deicient (DD, not enough is known to make an assessment), Near hreatened (NT), Least Concern (LC, listed but not threatened), and Vulnerable (VU). CITES Appendices I, II and III list species aforded diferent levels or types of protection from over-exploitation (see http://www.cites.org/eng/app/index.shtml). Species English common name Chiroptera Mormoopidae Pteronotus parnelli Chiroptera Phyllostomidae Lophostoma carrikeri Chiroptera Phyllostomidae Lophostoma silvicolum Chiroptera Chiroptera Phyllostomidae Phyllostomidae Micronycteris Phyllostomus minuta discolor Chiroptera Phyllostomidae Tonatia saurophila Chiroptera Phyllostomidae Trachops cirrhosus Chiroptera Phyllostomidae Lionycteris spurrelli Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Phyllostomidae Phyllostomidae Phyllostomidae Carollia Carollia Rhinophylla brevicauda perspicillata pumilio Chiroptera Phyllostomidae Ametrida centurio Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Phyllostomidae Phyllostomidae Phyllostomidae Phyllostomidae Phyllostomidae Phyllostomidae Phyllostomidae Phyllostomidae Artibeus Artibeus Artibeus Chiroderma Chiroderma Dermanura Koopmania Platyrrhinus lituratus obscurus planirostris trinitatum villosum gnoma concolor helleri Chiroptera Phyllostomidae Sturnira lilium Chiroptera Phyllostomidae Sturnira tildae Chiroptera Phyllostomidae Uroderma bilobatum Chiroptera Phyllostomidae Vampyrodes caraccioli Common Mustached bat Carriker’s Round-eared Bat White-throated Roundeared bat Tiny Big-eared bat Pale Spear-nosed bat Stripe-headed Roundeared bat Fringe-lipped bat Chestnut long-tongued bat Silky Short-tailed bat Seba’s Short-tailed bat Dwarf Little Fruit bat Little White-shouldered bat Great Fruit-eating bat Dark Fruit-eating bat Flat-faced Fruit-eating bat Little Big-eyed bat Hairy Big-eyed bat Dwarf Fruit-eating bat Brown Fruit-eating bat Heller’s Broad-nosed bat Little Yellow-shouldered bat Tilda’s Yellow-shouldered bat Common Tent-making bat Great Stripe-faced bat IUCN Red List Category LC CITES Appendix Endemism Nassau Lely x VU x LC x LC LC x x LC x x LC x x LC x LC LC LC x x x LC x LC NT LC LC LC LC NT LC x x x x x LC x LC x LC x LC x x x x x x x x x x x Appendix 17 Genus Mammal species recorded on the Nassau and Lely plateaus during the RAP survey. Family Sergio Solari and Miguel Pinto A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) Order 253 254 CITES Appendix Family Genus Species English common name Didelphimorphia Didelphidae Marmosa murina Linnaeus’s Mouse opossum LC Primates Cebidae Saguinus midas Red-Handed tamarin LC II Primates Atelidae Alouatta macconnelli Guyanan Red Howler VU II Primates Atelidae Ateles paniscus Red-faced Spider monkey LC II Primates Pitheciidae Chiropotes chiropotes Red-backed Bearded Saki DD II Carnivora Carnivora Carnivora Carnivora Perissodactyla Artiodactyla Artiodactyla Cingulata Pilosa Rodentia Felidae Procyonidae Felidae Felidae Tapiridaee Cervidae Tayassuidae Dasypodidae Myrmecophagidae Dasyproctidae Pantera Nasua Leopardus Puma Tapirus Mazama Pecari Dasypus Myrmecophaga Dasyprocta onca nasua pardalis concolor terrestris sp. tajacu novemcinctus tridactyla leporina NT LC LC NT VU DD LC LC VU LC I Rodentia Sciuridae Sciurillus pusillus Jaguar South American coati Ocelot Cougar South American tapir Brocket deer Collared peccary Nine-banded armadillo Giant anteater Red-rumped Agouti Neotropical Pygmy squirrel Rodentia Cricetidae Neacomys dubosti Dubost’s Neacomys DD Rodentia Cricetidae Neacomys guianae Guiana Neacomys LC Rodentia Rodentia Erethizonidae Dasyproctidae Coendou Myoprocta prehensilis acouchy Brazilian Porcupine Red acouchi LC LC Rodentia Echimyidae Proechimys guyannensis Guyenne Spiny Rat LC Total number of species 45 Endemism Guiana region Guiana region Guiana region Guiana region Guiana region Nassau Lely x x x x x x x x x I II II x x x x x II x x x x II x LC x Guiana region Guiana region x x x x Guiana region x 28 30 Appendix 17 Rapid Assessment Program IUCN Red List Category Order IuCN Red List Categories of threatened species (IUCN 2006): Data Deicient (DD, not enough is known to make an assessment), Near hreatened (NT), Least Concern (LC, listed but not threatened), and Vulnerable (VU). CITES Appendices I, II and III list species aforded diferent levels or types of protection from over-exploitation (see http://www.cites.org/eng/app/index.shtml). Class Order Family Genus Species Taxonomic Reference Mazama Mazama Odocoileus Tayassu Tayassu Cerdocyon Speothos Herpailurus Leopardus Leopardus Leopardus Panthera Puma Eira Galictis americana gouazoubira virginianus pecari tajacu thous venaticus yagouaroundi pardalis tigrinus wiedii onca concolor barbara vittata #1 #1 #2 #1 #1 #2 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 Mammalia Carnivora Procyonidae Nasua nasua #1 Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Carnivora Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Procyonidae Emballonuridae Emballonuridae Molossidae Molossidae Mormoopidae Mormoopidae Phyllostomidae Phyllostomidae Phyllostomidae Phyllostomidae Phyllostomidae Phyllostomidae Phyllostomidae Potos Saccopteryx Saccopteryx Molossus Molossus Pteronotus Pteronotus Ametrida Anoura Anoura Artibeus Artibeus Artibeus Artibeus lavus bilineata leptura molossus rufus gymnonotus parnellii centurio caudifer geofroyi bogotensis concolor gnomus lituratus #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 Red Brocket, Redi dia Brown Brocket, Kuriaku White-tailed deer White-lipped peccary, Pingo Collared peccary, Pakira Crab-eating fox Bush dog, Busi dagu Eyra cat, Blaka Tigri-kati Ocelot Oncilla Margay Jaguar Puma Tayra, Aira Greater grison South American coati, Kwasikwasi Kinkajou, Neti keskesi Black 2-lined Sac-winged bat Brown 2-lined Sac-winged bat Common Free-tailed bat Black Mastif bat Naked-back Leaf-chinned bat Common Leaf-chinned bat Little White-shouldered bat Tailless Long-nosed bat Geofroy’s Tailless bat DD DD Brown Fruit-eating bat Dwarf Fruit-eating bat Greater Fruit-eating bat NT VU LC NT LC NT II II II I I I I I I II III III III LC Endemism Appendix 18 Cervidae Cervidae Cervidae Tayassuidae Tayassuidae Canidae Canidae Felidae Felidae Felidae Felidae Felidae Felidae Mustelidae Mustelidae CITES Mammals recorded from Brownsberg. Artiodactyla Artiodactyla Artiodactyla Artiodactyla Artiodactyla Carnivora Carnivora Carnivora Carnivora Carnivora Carnivora Carnivora Carnivora Carnivora Carnivora IUCN Iwan E. Molgo, Kelly Fitzgerald, Sutrisno Mitro, Marilyn A. Norconk, L. Tremaine Gregory, Arioene Vreedzaam, and Dharma Satyawan A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Common Name(s) 255 256 Order Family Genus Species Rapid Assessment Program Taxonomic Reference Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Phyllostomidae Phyllostomidae Phyllostomidae Phyllostomidae Phyllostomidae Phyllostomidae Artibeus Artibeus Carollia Carollia Chiroderma Chiroderma obscurus planirostris brevicauda perspicillata trinitatum villosum #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 Mammalia Chiroptera Phyllostomidae Choeroniscus minor #1 Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Phyllostomidae Phyllostomidae Phyllostomidae Phyllostomidae Phyllostomidae Phyllostomidae Phyllostomidae Chrotopterus Glossophaga Glyphonycteris Glyphonycteris Lionycteris Lonchophylla Lophostoma auritus soricina daviesi sylvestris spurrelli thomasi brasiliense #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 Mammalia Chiroptera Phyllostomidae Lophostoma carrikeri #1 Mammalia Chiroptera Phyllostomidae Lophostoma schulzi #1 Mammalia Chiroptera Phyllostomidae Lophostoma silvicolum #1 Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Phyllostomidae Phyllostomidae Phyllostomidae Phyllostomidae Phyllostomidae Phyllostomidae Phyllostomidae Phyllostomidae Phyllostomidae Micronycteris Micronycteris Micronycteris Mimon Phylloderma Phyllostomus Phyllostomus Phyllostomus Phyllostomus hirsuta megalotis minuta crenulatum stenops discolor elongatus hastatus latifolius #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 Mammalia Chiroptera Phyllostomidae Platyrrhinus helleri #1 Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Phyllostomidae Phyllostomidae Phyllostomidae Phyllostomidae Phyllostomidae Phyllostomidae Rhinophylla Sturnira Sturnira Tonatia Trachops Trinycteris pumilio lilium tildae saurophila cirrhosus nicefori #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 Common Name(s) IUCN Sooty Fruit-eating bat Larger fruit-eating bat Silky Short-tailed fruit bat Seba’s Short-tailed fruit bat Small Big-eyed bat Greater Big-eyed bat Long-nosed Nectar-feeding bat Wooly False vampire bat Common Nectar-feeding bat Davies’ Big-eared bat Tri-colored Big-eared bat Spurrell’s Nectar-feeding bat homas’ Nectar-feeding bat Pygmy Round-eared bat White-bellied Round-eared bat NT Warty Round-eared bat VU White-throated Round-eared bat Hairy Big-eared bat Little Big-eared bat White-bellied Big-eared bat Hairy-nosed bat Pale-faced bat Flower-eating bat Brown spear-nosed bat Greater-spear-nosed bat Red Spear-nosed bat Heller’s Broad-nosed OR White-lined bat Little Fruit bat Small Yellow-shouldered bat Greater Yellow-shouldered bat Striped Round-eared bat Frog-eating bat Nicefori’s Big-eared bat CITES Endemism NT NT VU NT Guayana Shield Appendix 18 Class Class Order Family Genus Species Taxonomic Reference Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Chiroptera Phyllostomidae Phyllostomidae Phyllostomidae hyropteridae Vespertilionidae Vespertilionidae Vespertilionidae Vespertilionidae Uroderma Vampyressa Vampyressa hyroptera Eptesicus Eptesicus Eptesicus Myotis bilobatum brocki caraccioli tricolor brasiliensis chiriquinus furinalis riparius #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 Mammalia Cingulata Dasypodidae Cabassous unicinctus #1 Mammalia Cingulata Dasypodidae Dasypus kappleri #1 Mammalia Cingulata Dasypodidae Dasypus novemcinctus #1 Mammalia Cingulata Dasypodidae Priodontes maximus #1 Mammalia Didelphimorphia Didelphidae Caluromys philander #1 Mammalia Didelphimorphia Didelphidae Didelphis marsupialis #1 Mammalia Didelphimorphia Didelphidae Marmosa murina #1 Mammalia Didelphimorphia Didelphidae Marmosops parvidens #1 Mammalia Didelphimorphia Didelphidae Marmosops pinheiroi #1 Mammalia Didelphimorphia Didelphidae Metachirus nudicaudatus #1 Mammalia Didelphimorphia Didelphidae Monodelphis brevicaudata #1 Mammalia Didelphimorphia Didelphidae Philander opossum #1 Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Perissodactyla Pilosa Pilosa Tapiridae Bradypodidae Cyclopeidae Tapirus Bradypus Cyclopes terrestris tridactylus didactylus #1 #1 #1 Mammalia Pilosa Megalonychidae Choloepus didactylus #1 Mammalia Mammalia Pilosa Pilosa Myrmecophagidae Myrmecophagidae Myrmecophaga Tamandua tridactyla tetradactyla #1 #1 Common Tent-making bat Brock’s Yellow-eared bat Greater White-lined bat Disc-winged bat Brazilian Brown bat Big Black bat Big Brown bat Red myotis Southern Naked-tailed armadillo Greater Long-nosed armadillo, Maka kapasi Common Long-nosed armadillo, Dikidiki Giant armadillo, Granman kapasi Woolly opossum Common opossum, Dagu awari Murine mouse opossum, Busmoismoisi Delicate slender mouse opossum Slender mouse opossum Brown Four-eyed opossum, Froktu awari Red-legged Short-tailed opossum Gray Four-eyed opossum, Fo ai awari Tapir Pale-throated sloth, Sonlori Pygmy anteater, Likanu Linné’s Two-toed sloth, Skapulori Giant Anteater Collared anteater, Mira froiti IUCN CITES Endemism NT LC VU I NT NT Guayana Shield NT II DD VU II III Mammals recorded from Brownsberg A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Common Name(s) 257 258 Order Family Genus Species Taxonomic Reference Rapid Assessment Program Mammalia Primates Callitrichidae Saguinus midas #1 Mammalia Primates Cebidae Alouatta macconnelli #1 Common Name(s) IUCN Golden-handed tamarin, Saguwenke Guyanan Red Howler, Babun CITES Endemism II II Mammalia Primates Cebidae Ateles paniscus #1 Black Spider monkey, Kwata II Mammalia Primates Cebidae Cebus apella #1 II Mammalia Primates Cebidae Cebus olivaceus #1 Mammalia Primates Cebidae Chiropotes satanas #1 Brown capuchin, Keskesi Wedge-capped capuchin, Bergi Keskesi Bearded saki, Baard saki Mammalia Primates Cebidae Pithecia pithecia #1 Golden-faced saki, Wanaku II Mammalia Primates Cebidae Saimiri sciureus #1 Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Rodentia Rodentia Rodentia Rodentia Rodentia Rodentia Rodentia Cuniculidae Dasyproctidae Dasyproctidae Echimyidae Echimyidae Echimyidae Echimyidae Cuniculus Dasyprocta Myoprocta Echimys Mesomys Proechimys Proechimys paca leporina acouchy chrysurus hispidus cuvieri guyannensis #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 Mammalia Rodentia Erethizontidae Coendou melanurus #1 Mammalia Rodentia Erethizontidae Coendou prehensilis #1 Mammalia Rodentia Hydrochaeridae Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris #1 Common Squirrel monkey, Monki monki Paca, Hei Brazilian agouti, Konkoni Green acouchi, Mambula White-faced Tree Rat Spiny Tree rat Cuvier’s Spiny rat Guiana Spiny rat, Maka alata Black-tailed Hairy Dwarf porcupine Brazilian porcupine, Gindyamaka Cabybara, Kapuwa Mammalia Rodentia Muridae Neacomys paracou #1 Spiny mouse Mammalia Rodentia Muridae Oecomys auyantepui #1 Auyantepui aboreal rice rat Mammalia Rodentia Muridae Oecomys bicolor #1 Mammalia Rodentia Muridae Oryzomys macconnelli #1 Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Mammalia Rodentia Rodentia Rodentia Rodentia Rodentia Muridae Muridae Muridae Sciuridae Sciuridae Oryzomys Oryzomys Rhipidomys Sciurillus Sciurus megacephalus yunganus nitella pusillus aestunas #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 Bicolored arboreal rice rat Macconnelli’s terrestrial rice rat Common rice rat Yungas rice rat Climbing rat Neotropical pygmy squirrel Guianan squirrel, Bonboni E. Lowlands of Guayana Shield II II Guayana Shield II III VU Guayana Shield Guayana Shield Guayana Shield Taxonomic Reference(1) Lim B.K. et al. 2005. Results of the Alcoa Foundation-Suriname Expeditions. XIV. Mammals of Brownsberg Nature Park, Suriname. Annals of Carnegie Museum, 74: 225-274. Taxonomic Reference(2) InfoNatura: Birds, mammals, and amphibians of Latin America [web application]. 2004. Version 4.1. Arlington, Virginia (USA): NatureServe. Available: http://www.natureserve.org/infonatura. (Accessed: July 1, 2006 ). Appendix 18 Class IuCN Red List Categories of threatened species (IUCN 2006): Data Deicient (DD, not enough is known to make an assessment), Near hreatened (NT), Least Concern (LC, listed but not threatened), and Vulnerable (VU). CITES Appendices I, II and III list species aforded diferent levels or types of protection from over-exploitation (see http://www.cites.org/eng/app/index.shtml). Class Chaetura Chaetura Chaetura Panyptila Tachornis Amazilia Amazilia Anthracothorax Anthracothorax Calliphlox Campylopterus Chlorestes Chrysolampis Colibri Discosura Florisuga Glaucis Heliothryx Hylocharis Hylocharis Lophornis Phaethornis Phaethornis Phaethornis Phaethornis Phaethornis Polytmus halurania hrenetes Topaza Caprimulgus Chordeiles Species brachyura chapmani spinicauda cayennensis squamata imbriata leucogaster nigricollis viridigula amethystina largipennis notatus mosquitus delphinae longicauda mellivora hirsuta aurita cyanus sapphirina ornata bourcieri longuemareus malaris ruber superciliosus theresiae furcata niger pella nigrescens acutipennis Taxonomic Reference Common Name(s) IUCN #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #4 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #4 #1 #1 #1 Short-tailed Swift Chapman’s Swift Band-rumped Swift Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift Fork-tailed Palm-Swift Glittering-throated Emerald Plain-bellied Hummingbird Black-throated Mango Green-throated Mango Amethyst Woodstar Grey-breasted Sabrewing Blue-chinned Sapphire Ruby-topaz Hummingbird Brown Violetear Racket-tailed Coquette White-necked Jacobin Rufous-breasted Hermit Black-eared Fairy White-chinned Sapphire Rufous-throated Sapphire Tufted Coquette Straight-billed Hermit Little Hermit Great-billed Hermit Reddish Hermit Long-tailed Hermit Green-tailed Goldenthroat Fork-tailed Woodnymph Pale-breasted Barbthroat Crimson Topaz Blackish Nightjar Lesser Nighthawk LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC CITES II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II II Endemism Appendix 19 Apodidae Apodidae Apodidae Apodidae Apodidae Trochilidae Trochilidae Trochilidae Trochilidae Trochilidae Trochilidae Trochilidae Trochilidae Trochilidae Trochilidae Trochilidae Trochilidae Trochilidae Trochilidae Trochilidae Trochilidae Trochilidae Trochilidae Trochilidae Trochilidae Trochilidae Trochilidae Trochilidae Trochilidae Trochilidae Caprimulgidae Caprimulgidae Genus Birds recorded from Brownsberg. Apodiformes Apodiformes Apodiformes Apodiformes Apodiformes Apodiformes Apodiformes Apodiformes Apodiformes Apodiformes Apodiformes Apodiformes Apodiformes Apodiformes Apodiformes Apodiformes Apodiformes Apodiformes Apodiformes Apodiformes Apodiformes Apodiformes Apodiformes Apodiformes Apodiformes Apodiformes Apodiformes Apodiformes Apodiformes Apodiformes Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes Family Brian O’Shea (based on Brownsberg bird list at webserv.nhl/~ribot) A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Order 259 260 Rapid Assessment Program Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Order Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes Charadriiformes Charadriiformes Charadriiformes Charadriiformes Ciconiiformes Ciconiiformes Ciconiiformes Ciconiiformes Ciconiiformes Columbiformes Columbiformes Columbiformes Columbiformes Columbiformes Columbiformes Columbiformes Columbiformes Columbiformes Coraciiformes Coraciiformes Coraciiformes Coraciiformes Coraciiformes Cuculiformes Cuculiformes Cuculiformes Cuculiformes Falconiformes Falconiformes Falconiformes Falconiformes Falconiformes Falconiformes Falconiformes Family Caprimulgidae Caprimulgidae Nyctibiidae Nyctibiidae Charadriidae Jacanidae Scolopacidae Scolopacidae Ardeidae Ardeidae Ardeidae Ardeidae Ciconiidae Columbidae Columbidae Columbidae Columbidae Columbidae Columbidae Columbidae Columbidae Columbidae Alcedinidae Alcedinidae Alcedinidae Alcedinidae Momotidae Cuculidae Cuculidae Cuculidae Cuculidae Accipitridae Accipitridae Accipitridae Accipitridae Accipitridae Accipitridae Accipitridae Genus Lurocalis Nyctidromus Nyctibius Nyctibius Charadrius Jacana Actitis Tringa Ardea Ardea Butorides Tigrisoma Mycteria Columbina Geotrygon Geotrygon Leptotila Leptotila Patagioenas Patagioenas Patagioenas Patagioenas Ceryle Chloroceryle Chloroceryle Chloroceryle Momotus Crotophaga Piaya Piaya Piaya Accipiter Accipiter Asturina Buteo Buteo Buteo Buteo Species semitorquatus albicollis aethereus griseus collaris jacana macularia solitaria alba cocoi striatus lineatum americana passerina montana violacea rufaxilla verreauxi cayennensis plumbea speciosa subvinacea torquata aenea amazona americana momota ani cayana melanogaster minuta bicolor poliogaster nitida albicaudatus brachyurus magnirostris platypterus Taxonomic Reference #1 #1 #4 #1 #1 #1 # 1, 4 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #3 #3 #3 #3 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #4 Common Name(s) Semicollared Nightjar Pauraque Long-tailed Potoo Common Potoo Collared Plover Wattled Jacana Spotted Sandpiper Solitary Sandpiper Great Egret Cocoi Heron Striated Heron Rufescent tiger-Heron Wood Stork Common ground-Dove Ruddy Quail-Dove Violaceous Quail-Dove Grey-fronted Dove White-tipped Dove Pale-vented Pigeon Plumbeous Pigeon Scaled Pigeon Ruddy Pigeon Ringed Kingisher Pygmy Kingisher Amazon Kingisher Green Kingisher Blue-crowned Motmot Smooth-billed Ani Squirrel Cuckoo Black-bellied Cuckoo Little Cuckoo Bicoloured Hawk Grey-bellied Hawk Grey Hawk White-tailed Hawk Short-tailed Hawk Roadside Hawk Broad-winged Hawk IUCN CITES LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC II II II II II II II Endemism Appendix 19 Class Class Order Family Genus Species Taxonomic Reference Common Name(s) Falconiformes Falconiformes Falconiformes Falconiformes Falconiformes Falconiformes Falconiformes Falconiformes Falconiformes Falconiformes Falconiformes Accipitridae Accipitridae Accipitridae Accipitridae Accipitridae Accipitridae Accipitridae Accipitridae Accipitridae Accipitridae Accipitridae Buteogallus Elanoides Harpagus Harpia Ictinia Leptodon Leucopternis Leucopternis Pandion Spizaetus Spizaetus urubitinga foricatus bidentatus harpyja plumbea cayanensis albicollis melanops haliaetus ornatus tyrannus #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 Aves Falconiformes Accipitridae Spizastur melanoleucus #1 Aves Falconiformes Cathartidae Cathartes aura #1 Aves Falconiformes Cathartidae Cathartes melambrotus #1 Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Falconiformes Falconiformes Falconiformes Falconiformes Falconiformes Falconiformes Falconiformes Falconiformes Falconiformes Falconiformes Galbuliformes Galbuliformes Galbuliformes Galbuliformes Cathartidae Falconidae Falconidae Falconidae Falconidae Falconidae Falconidae Falconidae Falconidae Falconidae Bucconidae Bucconidae Bucconidae Bucconidae Sarcoramphus Daptrius Daptrius Falco Herpetotheres Micrastur Micrastur Micrastur Micrastur Milvago Bucco Bucco Chelidoptera Malacoptila papa americanus ater ruigularis cachinnans gilvicollis mirandollei ruicollis semitorquatus chimachima capensis tamatia tenebrosa fusca #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 Great black Hawk Swallow-tailed Kite Double-toothed Kite Harpy Eagle Plumbeous Kite Grey-headed Kite White Hawk Black-faced Hawk Osprey Ornate Hawk-Eagle Black Hawk-Eagle Black-and-white HawkEagle Turkey Vulture Greater yellow-headed Vulture King Vulture Red-throated Caracara Black Caracara Bat Falcon Laughing Falcon Lined forest-Falcon Slaty-backed forest-Falcon Barred forest-Falcon Collared forest-Falcon Yellow-headed Caracara Collared Pufbird Spotted Pufbird Swallow-Wing White-chested Pufbird Aves Galbuliformes Bucconidae Monasa atra #1 Black Nunbird Aves Galbuliformes Bucconidae Notharchus macrorhynchos #1 Guianan Pufbird Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Galbuliformes Galbuliformes Galbuliformes Galbuliformes Galbuliformes Bucconidae Galbulidae Galbulidae Galbulidae Galbulidae Notharchus Galbula Galbula Galbula Jacamerops tectus albirostris dea leucogastra aurea #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 Pied Pufbird Yellow-billed Jacamar Paradise Jacamar Bronzy Jacamar Great Jacamar CITES LC LC LC NT LC LC LC LC LC LC LC II II II I II II II II II II II LC II LC Endemism LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC III II II II II II II II II II Guayana Shield Guayana Shield Birds recorded from Brownsberg A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves IUCN 261 262 Order Family Genus Species Rapid Assessment Program Taxonomic Reference Common Name(s) IUCN Aves Galliformes Cracidae Crax alector #1 Black Curassow LC Aves Aves Galliformes Galliformes Cracidae Cracidae Ortalis Penelope motmot jacquacu #1 #1 Little Chachalaca Spix’s Guan LC Aves Galliformes Cracidae Penelope marail #1 Marail Guan LC Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Galliformes Gruiformes Gruiformes Gruiformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Odontophoridae Psophiidae Rallidae Rallidae Cardinalidae Cardinalidae Cardinalidae Odontophorus Psophia Anurolimnas Aramides Caryothraustes Cyanocompsa Paroaria gujanensis crepitans viridis cajanea canadensis cyanoides gularis #1 #1 #2 #1 #2 #2 #1 Marbled Woodquail Grey-winged Trumpeter Russet-crowned Crake Grey-necked Woodrail Yellow-green Grosbeak Blue-black Grosbeak Red-capped C ardinal LC LC LC LC LC LC Aves Passeriformes Cardinalidae Periporphyrus erythromelas #2 Red-and-black Grosbeak LC Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Cardinalidae Cardinalidae Conopophagidae Corvidae Cotingidae Cotingidae Cotingidae Cotingidae Cotingidae Cotingidae Cotingidae Cotingidae Saltator Saltator Conopophaga Cyanocorax Cotinga Cotinga Haematoderus Iodopleura Lipaugus Pachyramphus Pachyramphus Pachyramphus grossus maximus aurita cayanus cayana cotinga militaris fusca vociferans marginatus minor surinamus #3 #2 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 Slate-colored Grosbeak Buf-throated Saltator Chestnut-belted Gnateater Cayenne Jay Spangled Cotinga Purple-breasted Cotinga Crimson Fruitcrow Dusky Purpletuft Screaming Piha Black-capped Becard Pink-throated Becard Glossy-backed Becard LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC Aves Passeriformes Cotingidae Perissocephalus tricolor #1 Capuchinbird LC Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Cotingidae Cotingidae Cotingidae Cotingidae Cotingidae Dendrocolaptidae Dendrocolaptidae Phoenicircus Procnias Querula Tityra Xipholena Campylorhamphus Deconychura carnifex alba purpurata cayana punicea procurvoides longicauda #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 LC LC LC LC LC LC LC Aves Passeriformes Dendrocolaptidae Dendrexetastes ruigula #1 Aves Aves Passeriformes Passeriformes Dendrocolaptidae Dendrocolaptidae Dendrocincla Dendrocolaptes fuliginosa certhia #1 #1 Guianan Red-Cotinga White Bellbird Purple-throated Fruitcrow Black-tailed Tityra Pompadour Cotinga Curve-billed Scythebill Long-tailed Woodcreeper Cinnamon-throated Woodcreeper Plain-brown Woodcreeper Barred Woodcreeper LC LC LC CITES Endemism Guayana Shield Guayana Shield Guayana Shield Guayana Shield Appendix 19 Class Class Order Family Genus Species Taxonomic Reference Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Dendrocolaptidae Dendrocolaptidae Dendrocolaptidae Dendrocolaptidae Dendrocolaptidae Dendrocolaptes Glyphorynchus Hylexetastes Lepidocolaptes Xiphorhynchus picumnus spirurus perrotii albolineatus guttatus #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 Aves Passeriformes Dendrocolaptidae Xiphorhynchus pardalotus #1 Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Emberizidae Emberizidae Emberizidae Emberizidae Emberizidae Formicariidae Formicariidae Formicariidae Formicariidae Formicariidae Arremon Sporophila Sporophila Sporophila Sporophila Formicarius Formicarius Grallaria Hylopezus Myrmothera taciturnus americana castaneiventris lineola schistacea analis colma varia macularius campanisona Aves Passeriformes Fringillidae Euphonia Aves Aves Aves Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Fringillidae Fringillidae Fringillidae Aves Passeriformes Aves Aves IUCN 263 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 Black-banded Woodcreeper Wedge-billed Woodcreeper Red-billed Woodcreeper Lineated Woodcreeper Buf-throated Woodcreeper Chestnut-rumped Woodcreeper Pectoral sparrow Variable Seedeater Chestnut-bellied Seedeater Lined Seedeater Slate-colored Seedeater Black-faced Antthrush Rufous-capped Antthrush Variegated Antpitta Spotted Antpitta hrush-like Antpitta LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC cayennensis #1 Golden-sided Euphonia LC Euphonia Euphonia Euphonia chlorotica chrysopasta cyanocephala #1 #1 #4 Purple-throated Euphonia Golden-bellied Euphonia Golden-rumped Euphonia LC LC LC Fringillidae Euphonia inschi #1 Finsch’s Euphonia LC Passeriformes Passeriformes Fringillidae Fringillidae Euphonia Euphonia minuta violacea #1 #1 LC LC Aves Passeriformes Furnariidae Automolus infuscatus #1 Aves Passeriformes Furnariidae Automolus ochrolaemus #1 Aves Passeriformes Furnariidae Automolus rubiginosus #1 Aves Passeriformes Furnariidae Automolus ruipileatus #1 Aves Passeriformes Furnariidae Philydor erythrocercus #1 Aves Passeriformes Furnariidae Philydor pyrrhodes #1 White-vented Euphonia Violaceous Euphonia Olive-backed FoliageGleaner Buf-throated FoliageGleaner Ruddy Foliage-Gleaner Chestnut-crowned FoliageGleaner Rufous-rumped Foliagegleaner Cinnamon-rumped FoliageGleaner Rufous-tailed FoliageGleaner Black-tailed Leafstosser Short-billed Leaftosser Tawny-throated Leaftosser Pale-breasted Spinetail Aves Passeriformes Furnariidae Philydor ruicaudatus #1 Aves Aves Aves Aves Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Furnariidae Furnariidae Furnariidae Furnariidae Sclerurus Sclerurus Sclerurus Synallaxis caudacutus ruigularis mexicanus albescens #1 #3 #1 #1 CITES Endemism LC LC LC LC LC LC Guayana Shield Guayana Shield Guayana Shield LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC Birds recorded from Brownsberg A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Common Name(s) 264 Order Family Genus Species Rapid Assessment Program Taxonomic Reference Aves Passeriformes Furnariidae Synallaxis macconnelli #1 Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Furnariidae Furnariidae Furnariidae Furnariidae Hirundinidae Hirundinidae Hirundinidae Hirundinidae Icteridae Icteridae Icteridae Icteridae Icteridae Mimidae Mimidae Oxyruncidae Parulidae Parulidae Parulidae Parulidae Parulidae Synallaxis Xenops Xenops Xenops Hirundo Progne Progne Tachycineta Cacicus Cacicus Psarocolius Psarocolius Scaphidura Donacobius Mimus Oxyruncus Basileuterus Conirostrum Granatellus Parula Setophaga rutilans milleri minutus tenuirostris rustica chalybea tapera albiventer cela haemorrhous decumanus viridis oryzovora atricapillus gilvus cristatus rivularis speciosum pelzelni pitiayumi ruticilla Aves Passeriformes Pipridae Corapipo Aves Passeriformes Pipridae Aves Passeriformes Aves Common Name(s) IUCN McConnell’s Spinetail LC #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 # 1, 3 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 Ruddy Spinetail Rufous-tailed Xenops Plain Xenops Slender-billed Xenops Barn Swallow Grey-breasted Martin Brown-chested Martin White-winged Swallow Yellow-rumped Cacique Red-rumped Cacique Crested Oropendola Green Oropendola Giant Cowbird Black-capped Donacobius Tropical Mockingbird Sharpbill River Warbler Chestnut-vented Conebill Rose-breasted chat Tropical Parula American Redstart LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC gutturalis #1 White-throated Manakin LC Lepidothrix serena #1 White-fronted Manakin LC Pipridae Manacus manacus #1 LC Passeriformes Pipridae Neopelma chrysocephalum #1 Aves Aves Aves Aves Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Pipridae Pipridae Pipridae Pipridae Pipra Pipra Piprites Schifornis erythrocephala pipra chloris turdinus #1 #1 #1 #1 White-bearded Manakin Safron-crested TyrantManakin Golden-headed Manakin White-crowned Manakin Wing-barred Manakin hrush-like Manakin LC LC LC LC Aves Passeriformes Pipridae Tyranneutes virescens #1 Tiny Tyrant-Manakin LC Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Pipridae Polioptilidae Polioptilidae Polioptilidae hamnophilidae Xenopipo Microbates Polioptila Ramphocaenus Cercomacra atronitens collaris plumbea melanurus cinerascens #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 Black Manakin Collared Gnatwren Tropical Gnatcatcher Long-billed Gnatwren Grey Antbird LC CITES Endemism Guayana Shield LC LC LC LC LC Guayana Shield Guayana Shield LC LC Guayana Shield Appendix 19 Class Class Order Family Genus Species Taxonomic Reference Common Name(s) IUCN 265 Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes hamnophilidae hamnophilidae hamnophilidae Cercomacra Cercomacra Cymbilaimus nigrescens tyrannina lineatus #1 #1 #1 Blackish Antbird Dusky Antbird Fasciated Antshrike LC LC LC Aves Passeriformes hamnophilidae Frederickena viridis #1 Black-throated Antshrike LC Aves Passeriformes hamnophilidae Gymnopithys ruigula #1 Rufous-throated Antbird LC Aves Passeriformes hamnophilidae Herpsilochmus stictocephalus #1 Todd’s Antwren LC Aves Passeriformes hamnophilidae Herpsilochmus sticturus #1 Spot-tailed Antwren LC Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes hamnophilidae hamnophilidae hamnophilidae hamnophilidae hamnophilidae Hylophylax Hylophylax Hypocnemis Hypocnemoides Myrmeciza naevia poecilonota cantator melanopogon atrothorax #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 LC LC LC LC LC Aves Passeriformes hamnophilidae Myrmeciza ferruginea #1 Aves Aves Aves Aves Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes hamnophilidae hamnophilidae hamnophilidae hamnophilidae Myrmoborus Myrmornis Myrmotherula Myrmotherula leucophrys torquata axillaris brachyura #1 #1 #1 #1 Spot-backed Antbird Scale-backed Antbird Warbling Antbird Black-chinned Antbird Black-throated Antbird Ferrugineous-backed Antbird White-browed Antbird Wing-banded Antpitta White-lanked Antwren Pygmy Antwren LC LC LC LC Aves Passeriformes hamnophilidae Myrmotherula guttata #1 Rufous-bellied Antwren LC Aves Passeriformes hamnophilidae Myrmotherula gutturalis #1 Brown-bellied Antwren LC Aves Aves Passeriformes Passeriformes hamnophilidae hamnophilidae Myrmotherula Myrmotherula longipennis menetriesii #1 #1 Long-winged Antwren Grey Antwren LC LC Aves Passeriformes hamnophilidae Myrmotherula surinamensis #1 Guianan Streaked-Antwren Aves Passeriformes hamnophilidae Percnostola leucostigma #1 Spot-winged Antbird LC Aves Passeriformes hamnophilidae Percnostola ruifrons #1 Black-headed Antbird LC Aves Aves Aves Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes hamnophilidae hamnophilidae hamnophilidae Pithys Pygiptila Sakesphorus albifrons stellaris canadensis #1 #1 #1 White-plumed Antbird Spot-winged Antshrike Black-crested Antshrike LC LC Aves Passeriformes hamnophilidae Sakesphorus melanothorax #1 Band-tailed Antshrike LC Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes hamnophilidae hamnophilidae hamnophilidae hamnophilidae hamnophilidae Taraba Terenura hamnomanes hamnomanes hamnophilus major spodioptila ardesiacus caesius amazonicus #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 Great Antshrike Ash-winged Antwren Dusky-throated Antshrike Cinereous Antshrike Amazonian Antshrike LC Endemism Guayana Shield Guayana Shield Guayana Shield Guayana Shield LC Guayana Shield Guayana Shield Guayana Shield LC LC LC Guayana Shield Guayana Shield Birds recorded from Brownsberg A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) Aves Aves Aves CITES 266 Order Family Genus Species Rapid Assessment Program Taxonomic Reference Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes hamnophilidae hamnophilidae hraupidae hraupidae hraupidae hraupidae hraupidae hamnophilus hamnophilus Chlorophanes Coereba Cyanerpes Cyanerpes Cyanerpes murinus punctatus spiza laveola caeruleus cyaneus nitidus #1 #1 #1 # 2, 3 #1 #1 #4 Aves Passeriformes hraupidae Cyanicterus cyanicterus #1 Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes hraupidae hraupidae hraupidae hraupidae hraupidae hraupidae hraupidae hraupidae hraupidae hraupidae hraupidae hraupidae hraupidae hraupidae hraupidae hraupidae hraupidae hraupidae hraupidae Troglodytidae Troglodytidae Troglodytidae Troglodytidae Troglodytidae Troglodytidae Turdidae Turdidae Turdidae Turdidae Turdidae Dacnis Dacnis Hemithraupis Lamprospiza Lanio Piranga Ramphocelus Tachyphonus Tachyphonus Tachyphonus Tangara Tangara Tangara Tangara Tangara Tangara Tersina hraupis hraupis Cyphorhinus Henicorhina Microcerculus hryothorus hryothorus Troglodytes Catharus Turdus Turdus Turdus Turdus cayana lineata lavicollis melanoleuca fulvus lutea carbo cristatus luctuosus surinamus chilensis gyrola mexicana punctata varia velia viridis episcopus palmarum arada leucosticta bambla coraya leucotis aedon minimus albicollis fumigatus leucomelas nudigenis #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 # 1, 4 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #4 #1 #1 #1 #1 Common Name(s) IUCN Mouse-colored Antshrike Slaty Antshrike Green Honeycreeper Bananaquit Purple Honeycreeper Red-legged Honeycreeper Short-billed Honeycreeper LC LC Blue-backed Tanager LC Blue Dacnis Black-faced Dacnis Yellow-backed tanager Red-billed Pied Tanager Fulvous shrike-Tanager Highland Hepatic-Tanager Silver-beaked Tanager Flame-crested tanager White-shouldered Tanager Fulvous-crested Tanager Paradise Tanager Bay-headed Tanager Turquoise Tanager Spotted Tanager Dotted Tanager Opal-rumped Tanager Swallow-Tanager Blue-grey Tanager Palm Tanager Musician Wren White-breasted Woodwren Wing-banded Wren Coraya Wren Buf-breasted Wren House Wren Grey-cheeked hrush White-necked Robin Cocoa hrush Pale-breasted hrush Bare-eyed Robin LC LC LC LC LC CITES Endemism LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC Guayana Shield Appendix 19 Class Class Order Family Genus Species Taxonomic Reference 267 Passeriformes Tyrannidae Attila spadiceus #1 Aves Passeriformes Tyrannidae Camptostoma obsoletum #1 Aves Aves Passeriformes Passeriformes Tyrannidae Tyrannidae Colonia Conopias colonus parva Aves Passeriformes Tyrannidae Contopus Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Tyrannidae Tyrannidae Tyrannidae Tyrannidae Tyrannidae Tyrannidae Tyrannidae Tyrannidae Tyrannidae Tyrannidae Tyrannidae Aves Passeriformes Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes IUCN #1 #1 Bright-rumped Attila Southern beardless Tyrannulet Long-tailed Tyrant White-ringed Flycatcher LC LC albogularis #1 White-throated Pewee LC Contopus Corythopis Elaenia Elaenia Empidonomus Hemitriccus Laniocera Lathrotriccus Legatus Leptopogon Lophotriccus cooperi torquatus lavogaster parvirostris varius zosterops hypopyrrha euleri leucophaius amaurocephalus galeatus #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #3 #1 #1 #1 NT LC LC LC LC LC Tyrannidae Lophotriccus vitiosus #1 Tyrannidae Tyrannidae Tyrannidae Tyrannidae Tyrannidae Tyrannidae Tyrannidae Tyrannidae Tyrannidae Tyrannidae Tyrannidae Tyrannidae Tyrannidae Tyrannidae Tyrannidae Tyrannidae Tyrannidae Tyrannidae Tyrannidae Tyrannidae Megarynchus Mionectes Mionectes Myiarchus Myiarchus Myiobius Myiopagis Myiopagis Myiornis Myiozetetes Myiozetetes Onychorhynchus Ornithion Phaeomyias Phyllomyias Pitangus Pitangus Platyrinchus Platyrinchus Platyrinchus pitangua macconnelli oleagineus ferox tuberculifer barbatus lavivertex gaimardii ecaudatus cayanensis luteiventris coronatus inerme murina griseiceps lictor sulphuratus coronatus platyrhynchos saturatus #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #4 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 Olive-sided Flycatcher Ringed Antpipit Yellow-bellied Elaenia Small-billed Elaenia Variegated Flycatcher White-eyed Tody-tyrant Cinereous Mourner Euler’s Flycatcher Piratic Flycatcher Sepia-capped Flycatcher Helmeted Pygmy-Tyrant Double-banded PygmyTyrant Boat-billed Flycatcher McConnell’s Flycatcher Ochre-bellied Flycatcher Short-crested Flycatcher Dusky-capped Flycatcher Sulphur-rumped Flycatcher Yellow-crowned Elaenia Forest Elaenia Short-tailed Pygmy-Tyrant Rusty-margined Flycatcher Dusky-chested Flycatcher Royal Flycatcher White-lored Tyrannulet Mouse-coloured Tyrannulet Sooty-headed Tyrannulet Lesser Kiskadee Great Kiskadee Golden-crowned Spadebill White-crested Spadebill Cinnamon-crested Spadebill CITES Endemism LC LC Guayana Shield LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC Birds recorded from Brownsberg A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) Aves Common Name(s) 268 Order Family Genus Species Rapid Assessment Program Taxonomic Reference Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Passeriformes Pelecaniformes Piciformes Tyrannidae Tyrannidae Tyrannidae Tyrannidae Tyrannidae Tyrannidae Tyrannidae Tyrannidae Tyrannidae Tyrannidae Vireonidae Vireonidae Vireonidae Vireonidae Vireonidae Vireonidae Anhingidae Capitonidae Rhynchocyclus Rhytipterna Sirystes Terenotriccus Todirostrum Tolmomyias Tolmomyias Tyrannulus Tyrannus Zimmerius Cyclarhis Hylophilus Hylophilus Hylophilus Vireo Vireolanius Anhinga Capito olivaceus simplex sibilator erythrurus cinereum assimilis poliocephalus elatus melancholicus gracilipes gujanensis muscicapinus ochraceiceps thoracicus olivaceus leucotis anhinga niger #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #4 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 Aves Piciformes Picidae Campephilus melanoleucos #1 Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Piciformes Piciformes Piciformes Piciformes Piciformes Piciformes Piciformes Picidae Picidae Picidae Picidae Picidae Picidae Picidae Campephilus Celeus Celeus Celeus Dryocopus Melanerpes Piculus rubricollis elegans torquatus undatus lineatus cruentatus chrysochloros #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 Common Name(s) IUCN CITES LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC II Aves Piciformes Picidae Piculus lavigula #1 Aves Aves Piciformes Piciformes Picidae Picidae Piculus Picumnus rubiginosus exilis #1 #1 Aves Piciformes Picidae Veniliornis cassini #1 Aves Piciformes Ramphastidae Pteroglossus aracari #1 Olivaceous Flatbill Greyish Mourner Sirystes Ruddy-tailed Flycatcher Common Tody-lycatcher Zimmer’s Flatbill Grey-crowned Flycatcher Yellow-crowned Tyrannulet Tropical Kingbird Slender-footed Tyrannulet Rufous-browed Peppershrike Buf-cheeked Greenlet Tawny-crowned Greenlet Lemon-chested Greenlet Red-eyed Vireo Slaty-capped Shrike-Vireo Anhinga Black-spotted Barbet Crimson-crested Woodpecker Red-necked Woodpecker Chestnut Woodpecker Ringed Woodpecker Waved Woodpecker Lineated Woodpecker Yellow-tufted Woodpecker Golden-green Woodpecker Yellow-throated Woodpecker Golden-olive Woodpecker Golden-spangled Piculet Golden-collared Woodpecker Black-necked Aracari Aves Piciformes Ramphastidae Pteroglossus viridis #1 Green Aracari LC II Aves Aves Piciformes Piciformes Ramphastidae Ramphastidae Ramphastos Ramphastos tucanus vitellinus #1 #1 White-throated Toucan Channel-billed Toucan LC LC II II Aves Piciformes Ramphastidae Selenidera culik #1 Guianan Toucanet LC Aves Psittaciformes Psittacidae Amazona amazonica #1 Orange-winged Parrot LC Endemism LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC Guayana Shield LC Guayana Shield Guayana Shield II Appendix 19 Class Class Order Family Genus Species Taxonomic Reference Common Name(s) IUCN CITES Endemism Guayana Shield Psittaciformes Psittacidae Amazona dufresniana #1 Blue-cheeked Parrot NT II Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Psittaciformes Psittaciformes Psittaciformes Psittaciformes Psittaciformes Psittaciformes Psittaciformes Psittaciformes Psittaciformes Psittaciformes Psittacidae Psittacidae Psittacidae Psittacidae Psittacidae Psittacidae Psittacidae Psittacidae Psittacidae Psittacidae Amazona Amazona Ara Ara Ara Orthopsittaca Aratinga Brotogeris Deroptyus Pionites farinosa ochrocephala ararauna chloroptera macao manilata leucophtalmus chrysopterus accipitrinus melanocephala #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 Mealy Amazon Yellow-crowned Parrot Blue-and-yellow Macaw Red-and-green Macaw Scarlet Macaw Red-bellied Macaw White-eyed Parakeet Golden-winged Parakeet Red fan Parrot Black-headed Parrot LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC II II II II I II II II II II Aves Psittaciformes Psittacidae Pionopsitta caica #1 Caica Parrot LC II Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Aves Psittaciformes Psittaciformes Psittaciformes Psittaciformes Psittaciformes Strigiformes Strigiformes Strigiformes Strigiformes Strigiformes Strigiformes Tinamiformes Tinamiformes Tinamiformes Tinamiformes Tinamiformes Trogoniformes Trogoniformes Trogoniformes Trogoniformes Trogoniformes Psittacidae Psittacidae Psittacidae Psittacidae Psittacidae Strigidae Strigidae Strigidae Strigidae Strigidae Strigidae Tinamidae Tinamidae Tinamidae Tinamidae Tinamidae Trogonidae Trogonidae Trogonidae Trogonidae Trogonidae Pionus Pionus Pyrrhura Touit Touit Ciccaba Ciccaba Lophostrix Megascops Megascops Pulsatrix Crypturellus Crypturellus Crypturellus Crypturellus Tinamus Trogon Trogon Trogon Trogon Trogon fuscus menstruus picta batavicus purpurata huhula virgata cristata choliba watsonii perspicillata cinereus erythropus soui variegatus major collaris melanurus rufus violaceus viridis #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #3 #3 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 #1 Dusky Parrot Blue-headed Parrot Painted Parakeet Lilac-tailed Parrotlet Sapphire-rumped Parrotlet Black-banded Owl Mottled Owl Crested Owl Tropical screech-Owl Tawny-bellied screech-Owl Spectacled Owl Cinereous Tinamou Red-legged Tinamou Little Tinamou Variegated Tinamou Great Tinamou Collared Trogon Black-tailed Trogon Black-throated Trogon Violaceous Trogon White-tailed Trogon LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC II II II II II II II II II II II Guayana Shield 269 Taxonomic Reference (1) Haverschmidt, F and Mees, G.F. 1994. Birds of Suriname. Vaco Press, Paramaribo. Taxonomic Reference (2) InfoNatura: Birds, mammals, and amphibians of Latin America [web application]. 2004. Version 4.1. Arlington, Virginia (USA): NatureServe. Available: http:// www.natureserve.org/infonatura. (Accessed: July 1, 2006 ) Taxonomic Reference (3) http://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.html Taxonomic Reference (4) Hilty, S.L. 2003. Birds of Venezuela, second edition. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ. Birds recorded from Brownsberg A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) Aves 270 Family Genus Species Taxonomic Reference Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Anura Anura Anura Anura Anura Allophrynidae Bufonidae Bufonidae Bufonidae Bufonidae Allophryne Atelopus Bufo Bufo Bufo ruthveni hoogmoedi granulosus guttatus margaritifer Amphibia Anura Bufonidae Bufo marinus Amphibia Anura Bufonidae Bufo Amphibia Anura Bufonidae Dendrophryniscus sp. typhonius group minutus Amphibia Anura Centrolenidae Cochranella oyampiensis Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Anura Anura Anura Anura Anura Anura Anura Anura Anura Anura Anura Anura Anura Anura Anura Anura Anura Anura Centrolenidae Centrolenidae Dendrobatidae Dendrobatidae Dendrobatidae Dendrobatidae Dendrobatidae Dendrobatidae Hylidae Hylidae Hylidae Hylidae Hylidae Hylidae Hylidae Hylidae Hylidae Hylidae Cochranella Hyalinobatrachium Allobates Colostethus Colostethus Colostethus Colostethus Epipedobates Hyla Hyla Hyla Hyla Hyla Hyla Hyla Hyla Hyla Hyla sp. sp. femoralis cf. baeobatrachus degranvillei granti sp. trivittatus boans brevifrons crepitans geographica leucophyllata marmorata minuscula minuta punctata sp. Amphibia Anura Hylidae Hyla sp. 1 #1 Amphibia Anura Hylidae Osteocephalus buckleyi #2 Common Name(s) #2 # 1, 2 #2 #2 #2 #2 IUCN LC VU LC LC LC Giant toad, Papi Todo LC #2 LC #2 LC #2 #2 #2 #2 LC DD LC LC Okopipi Endemism Guayana Shield LC #1 #2 #2 #2 #2 #2 #2 #2 #2 #2 #2 CITES LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC East and Central Guayana Shield Guayana Shield II East Guayana Shield? LC Appendix 20 Order Reptiles and Amphibians recorded from Brownsberg. Class Bart P.E. De Dijn, Iwan E. Molgo, Christian Marty, Martina Luger, Max Ringler, Samuel Crothers IV, Brice Noonan, Kelly Fitzgerald Rapid Assessment Program IuCN Red List Categories of threatened species (IUCN 2006): Data Deicient (DD, not enough is known to make an assessment), Near hreatened (NT), Least Concern (LC, listed but not threatened), and Vulnerable (VU). CITES Appendices I, II and III list species aforded diferent levels or types of protection from over-exploitation (see http://www.cites.org/eng/app/index.shtml). Class Anura Anura Anura Anura Anura Anura Anura Anura Anura Anura Anura Anura Anura Anura Anura Anura Anura Family Hylidae Hylidae Hylidae Hylidae Hylidae Hylidae Hylidae Hylidae Hylidae Hylidae Hylidae Hylidae Leptodactylidae Leptodactylidae Leptodactylidae Leptodactylidae Leptodactylidae Genus Osteocephalus Osteocephalus Osteocephalus Phrynohyas Phrynohyas Phyllomedusa Phyllomedusa Phyllomedusa Phyllomedusa Scinax Scinax Scinax Adenomera Adenomera Adenomera Adenomera Adenomera Species cabrerai oophagus taurinus coriacea hadroceps bicolor hypochondrialis tomopterna vaillantii boesemani proboscideus ruber andreae cf. hylaedactyla hylaedactyla sp. heyeri Taxonomic Reference Common Name(s) #2 #1 IUCN #2 #2 #2 #2 #2 #2 #2 #2 #2 LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC #2 LC CITES Endemism Guayana Shield LC Amazonian Horned Frog Amphibia Anura Leptodactylidae Ceratophrys cornuta #2 LC Amphibia Anura Leptodactylidae Eleutherodactylus chiastonotus #2 LC Amphibia Anura Leptodactylidae Eleutherodactylus gutturalis #2 LC Amphibia Anura Leptodactylidae Eleutherodactylus inguinalis #2 LC East Guayana Shield Amphibia Anura Leptodactylidae Eleutherodactylus sp. Amphibia Anura Leptodactylidae Eleutherodactylus zeuctotylus #2 LC North Guayana Shield Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Anura Anura Anura Anura Anura Anura Anura Anura Anura Anura Anura Leptodactylidae Leptodactylidae Leptodactylidae Leptodactylidae Leptodactylidae Leptodactylidae Leptodactylidae Leptodactylidae Leptodactylidae Leptodactylidae Leptodactylidae Leptodactylus Leptodactylus Leptodactylus Leptodactylus Leptodactylus Leptodactylus Leptodactylus Leptodactylus Leptodactylus Leptodactylus Physalaemus bolivianus knudseni leptodactyloides longirostris myersi mystaceus pentadactylus petersii rhodomystax stenodema ephippifer #2 #2 #2 #2 #2 #2 #2 #2 #2 #2 #2 LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC East Guayana Shield Guayana Shield Guayana Shield Reptiles and Amphibians recorded from Brownsberg A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Order 271 272 Rapid Assessment Program Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Amphibia Order Anura Anura Anura Anura Anura Family Leptodactylidae Leptodactylidae Microhylidae Microhylidae Pipidae Genus Species Physalaemus Physalaemus Chiasmocleis Chiasmocleis Pipa petersi sp. shudikarensis sp. aspera Taxonomic Reference Common Name(s) IUCN #2 LC #2 LC #2 Amphibia Gymnophiona Caeciliidae Microcaecilia unicolor #2 Amphibia Gymnophiona Rhinatrematidae Rhinatrema bivittatum #2 Reptilia Crocodylia Alligatoridae Paleosuchus trigonatus #3 Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Amphisbaenidae Amphisbaenidae Aniliidae Boïdae Amphisbaena Amphisbaena Anilius Boa alba fuliginosa scytale constrictor #3 #3 #3 #3 Reptilia Squamata Boïdae Corallus caninus #3 Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Boïdae Boïdae Colubridae Colubridae Colubridae Colubridae Colubridae Colubridae Colubridae Colubridae Colubridae Colubridae Colubridae Colubridae Colubridae Colubridae Colubridae Epicrates Eunectes Atractus Atractus Chironius Chironius Chironius Chironius Chironius Dipsas Dipsas Erythrolampus Helicops Imantodes Leptophis Liophis Liophis cenchria murinus badius zidoki carinatus fuscus multiventris scurrulus sp. catesbyi indica aesculapii angulatus cenchoa ahaetulla reginae typhlus #3 #3 #3 #3 #3 #3 #3 #3 #3 #3 #3 #3 #3 #3 #3 #3 #3 Reptilia Squamata Colubridae Mastigodryas boddaerti #3 Reptilia Squamata Colubridae Oxybelis aeneus #3 Reptilia Squamata Colubridae Oxybelis argenteus #3 LC Worm salamander Worm salamander Smooth-fronted cayman, Wigkopkaaiman Toe ede sneki Toe ede sneki Krarasneki Dagoewe sneki Bigi Popokay sneki Egron Aboma Aboma Faja sneki LC LC CITES Endemism Guayana Shield North French Guiana North Guayana Shield Guayana Shield Reditere Ingibangi Krara sneki Watra sneki Popkai sneki Popkai sneki Alata sneki, Alataman Busi swipi, Tite sneki Busi swipi, Tite sneki Appendix 20 Class Family Genus Species Taxonomic Reference Order Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Colubridae Colubridae Colubridae Colubridae Oxybelis Oxyrhopus Oxyrhopus Philodryas fulgidus af. melanogenys formosus olfersii #3 #3 #3 #3 Reptilia Squamata Colubridae Pseustes poecilonotus #3 Reptilia Squamata Colubridae Pseustes sulphureus #3 Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Colubridae Colubridae Colubridae Colubridae Elapidae Elapidae Elapidae Elapidae Siphlophis Tantilla Xenodon Xenopholis Micrurus Micrurus Micrurus Micrurus cervinus melanocephala rhabdocephalus scalaris collaris hemprichii diutus lemniscatus #3 #3 #3 #3 #3 #3 #3 #3 Reptilia Squamata Elapidae Micrurus psyches #3 Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Gekkonidae Gekkonidae Gekkonidae Gekkonidae Gekkonidae Gymnophthalmidae Gymnophthalmidae Gymnophthalmidae Gymnophthalmidae Gymnophthalmidae Gymnophthalmidae Gymnophthalmidae Gymnophthalmidae Iguanidae Leptotyphlopidae Leptotyphlopidae Polychrotidae Polychrotidae Polychrotidae Coleodactylus Gonatodes Gonatodes Hemidactylus hecadactylus Alopoglossus Arthrosaura Iphisa Leposoma Leposoma Neusticurus Neusticurus Tretioscincus Iguana Leptotyphlops Leptotyphlops Anolis Anolis Anolis amazonicus annularis humeralis mabouia rapicauda angulatus kockii elegans guianense sp. bicarinatus rudis agilis iguana tenella collaris fuscoauratus nitens chrysolepis punctatus #4 #4 #4 #4 #4 #4 #4 #4 #4 #4 #4 #4 #4 #3 #3 #4 #4 Common Name(s) IUCN CITES Endemism Brokobaka, Trangabaka Brokobaka, Trangabaka Todo sneki Krara sneki Krara sneki Krara sneki Krara sneki Coral snake; Blaka Krara sneki Guayana Shield Guayana Shield Guayana Shield Iguana Guayana Shield Reptiles and Amphibians recorded from Brownsberg A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) Class 273 274 Rapid Assessment Program Order Family Species Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Reptilia Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Squamata Polychrotidae Scincidae Teiidae Teiidae Teiidae Teiidae Teiidae Teiidae Tropiduridae Tropiduridae Tropiduridae Typhlypidae Polychrus Mabuya Ameiva Cercosaura Cnemidophorus Gymnophthalmus Kentropyx Tupinambis Plica Plica Uracentron Typhlops marmoratus nigropunctatus ameiva ocellata lemniscatus underwoodi calcarata teguixin plica umbra azureum reticulates #4 #4 #4 #5 #4 #5 #4 #4 #4 #4 #4 #3 Reptilia Squamata Viperidae Bothrops atrox #3 Reptilia Reptilia Squamata Squamata Viperidae Viperidae Bothrops Bothrops bilineatus brazili #3 #3 Reptilia Squamata Viperidae Lachesis muta #3 Reptilia Testudines Chelidae Phrynops nasutus #6 Reptilia Testudines Chelidae Phrynops gibbus #6 Reptilia Testudines Chelidae Platemys platycephala #6 Reptilia Testudines Emydidae Rhinoclemmys punctularia #6 Reptilia Testudines Kinosternidae Kinosternon scorpioides #6 Reptilia Testudines Testudinidae Geochelone carbonaria #6 Reptilia Testudines Testudinidae Geochelone denticulata #6 Common Name(s) IUCN CITES Endemism Sapakara Labaria, Owrukuku Popkai sneki Busi Owrukuku Maka sneki, Bushmaster Common Toadheaded turtle South American Keel-backed Side-necked turtle Flat-headed Flat-shelled turtle Guiana Wood turtle, Arakaka Scorpion mud turtle Sabana sekrepatu Busi sekrepatu II VU II Taxonomic Reference (1) Lescure J., Marty C. 2000. Atlas Des Amphibiens de Guyane. MNHN, Paris. Taxonomic Reference (2) IUCN, Conservation International, and NatureServe. 2004. Global Amphibian Assessment. <www.globalamphibians.org>. Downloaded on 15 October 2004. Taxonomic Reference (3) Starace, F. 1998. Guide des Serpents et Amphisbènes de Guyane. MNHN, Paris. Taxonomic Reference (4) Avila-Pires, T.C.S. 1995. Lizards of Brazilian Amazonia (Reptilia:Squamata). Zoologische Verhandelingen. Leiden. 299: 1-706. Taxonomic Reference (5) Hoogmoed, M.S. 1973. Notes on the Herpetofauna of Suriname IV. Zoologische Verhandelingen. Taxonomic Reference (6) Mittermeier, R.A., F. Medem, and A.G. Rhodin. 1980. Vernacular names of South American Turtles. Society for the study of Amphibians and Reptiles. USA. Appendix 20 Genus Taxonomic Reference Class Additional Published Reports of the Rapid Assessment Program All reports are available in pdf format at www.biodiversity.science.org South America * Bolivia: Alto Madidi Region. Parker, T.A. III and B. Bailey (eds.). 1991. A Biological Assessment of the Alto Madidi Region and Adjacent Areas of Northwest Bolivia May 18 - June 15, 1990. RAP Working Papers 1. Conservation International, Washington, DC. * Bolivia: Lowland Dry Forests of Santa Cruz. Parker, T.A. III, R.B. Foster, L.H. Emmons and B. Bailey (eds.). 1993. he Lowland Dry Forests of Santa Cruz, Bolivia: A Global Conservation Priority. RAP Working Papers 4. Conservation International, Washington, DC. † Bolivia/Perú: Pando, Alto Madidi/Pampas del Heath. Montambault, J.R. (ed.). 2002. Informes de las evaluaciones biológicas de Pampas del Heath, Perú, Alto Madidi, Bolivia, y Pando, Bolivia. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 24. Conservation International, Washington, DC. * Bolivia: South Central Chuquisaca Schulenberg, T.S. and K. Awbrey (eds.). 1997. A Rapid Assessment of the Humid Forests of South Central Chuquisaca, Bolivia. RAP Working Papers 8. Conservation International, Washington, DC. * Bolivia: Noel Kempf Mercado National Park. Killeen, T.J. and T.S. Schulenberg (eds.). 1998. A biological assessment of Parque Nacional Noel Kempf Mercado, Bolivia. RAP Working Papers 10. Conservation International, Washington, DC. * Bolivia: Río Orthon Basin, Pando. Chernof, B. and P.W. Willink (eds.). 1999. A Biological Assessment of Aquatic Ecosystems of the Upper Río Orthon Basin, Pando, Bolivia. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 15. Conservation International, Washington, DC. § Brazil: Rio Negro and Headwaters. Willink, P.W., B. Chernof, L.E. Alonso, J.R. Montambault and R. Lourival (eds.). 2000. A Biological Assessment of the Aquatic Ecosystems of the Pantanal, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 18. Conservation International, Washington, DC. § Ecuador: Cordillera de la Costa. Parker, T.A. III and J.L. Carr (eds.). 1992. Status of Forest Remnants in the Cordillera de la Costa and Adjacent Areas of Southwestern Ecuador. RAP Working Papers 2. Conservation International, Washington, DC. * Guyana: Eastern Kanuku Mountains. Montambault, J.R. and O. Missa (eds.). 2002. A Biodiversity Assessment of the Eastern Kanuku Mountains, Lower Kwitaro River, Guyana. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 26. Conservation International, Washington, DC. * Paraguay: Río Paraguay Basin. Chernof, B., P.W. Willink and J. R. Montambault (eds.). 2001. A biological assessment of the Río Paraguay Basin, Alto Paraguay, Paraguay. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 19. Conservation International, Washington, DC. * Perú: Tambopata-Candamo Reserved Zone. Foster, R.B., J.L. Carr and A.B. Forsyth (eds.). 1994. he Tambopata-Candamo Reserved Zone of southeastern Perú: A Biological Assessment. RAP Working Papers 6. Conservation International, Washington, DC. * Perú: Cordillera de Vilcabamba. Alonso, L.E., A. Alonso, T. S. Schulenberg and F. Dallmeier (eds.). 2001. Biological and Social Assessments of the Cordillera de Vilcabamba, Peru. RAP Working Papers 12 and SI/MAB Series 6. Conservation International, Washington, DC. * Suriname: Coppename River Basin. Alonso, L.E. and H.J. Berrenstein (eds.). 2006. A rapid biological assessment of the aquatic ecosystems of the Coppename River Basin, Suriname. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 39. Conservation International, Washington, DC. * Venezuela: Caura River Basin. Chernof, B., A. Machado-Allison, K. Riseng and J.R. Montambault (eds.). 2003. A Biological Assessment of the Aquatic Ecosystems of the Caura River Basin, Bolívar State, Venezuela. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 28. Conservation International, Washington, DC. * Venezuela: Orinoco Delta and Gulf of Paria. Lasso, C.A., L.E. Alonso, A.L. Flores and G. Love (eds.). 2004. Rapid assessment of the biodiversity and social aspects of the aquatic ecosystems of the Orinoco Delta and the Gulf of Paria, Venezuela. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 37. Conservation International, Washington, DC. * Venezuela: Ventuari and Orinoco Rivers. C. Lasso, J.C. Señarìs, L.E. Alonso, and A.L. Flores (eds.). 2006. Evaluación Rápida de la Biodiversidad de los Ecosistemas Acuáticos en la Conluencia de los ríos Orinoco y Ventuari, Estado Amazonas (Venezuela). Boletín RAP de Evaluación Biológica 40. Conservation International. Washington DC, USA. Central America * Ecuador/Perú: Cordillera del Condor. Schulenberg, T.S. and K. Awbrey (eds.). 1997. he Cordillera del Condor of Ecuador and Peru: A Biological Assessment. RAP Working Papers 7. Conservation International, Washington, DC. § Belize: Columbia River Forest Reserve. Parker, T.A. III. (ed.). 1993. A Biological Assessment of the Columbia River Forest Reserve, Toledo District, Belize. RAP Working Papers 3. Conservation International, Washington, DC. * Ecuador/Perú: Pastaza River Basin. Willink, P.W., B. Chernof and J. McCullough (eds.). 2005. A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Aquatic Ecosystems of the Pastaza River Basin, Ecuador and Perú. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 33. Conservation International, Washington, DC. * Guatemala: Laguna del Tigre National Park. Bestelmeyer, B. and L.E. Alonso (eds.). 2000. A Biological Assessment of Laguna del Tigre National Park, Petén, Guatemala. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 16. Conservation International, Washington, DC. § Guyana: Kanuku Mountain Region. Parker, T.A. III and A.B. Forsyth (eds.). 1993. A Biological Assessment of the Kanuku Mountain Region of Southwestern Guyana. RAP Working Papers 5. Conservation International, Washington, DC. Asia-Pacific * Indonesia: Wapoga River Area. Mack, A.L. and L.E. Alonso (eds.). 2000. A Biological Assessment of the Wapoga River Area of Northwestern Irian Jaya, Indonesia. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 14. Conservation International, Washington, DC. 275 * Indonesia: Togean and Banggai Islands. Allen, G.R., and S.A. McKenna (eds.). 2001. A Marine Rapid Assessment of the Togean and Banggai Islands, Sulawesi, Indonesia. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 20. Conservation International, Washington, DC. * Guinea: Southeastern. Wright, H.E., J. McCullough, L.E. Alonso and M.S. Diallo (eds.). 2006. Rapid biological assessment of three classiied forests in Southeastern Guinea. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 40. Conservation International, Washington, DC. * Indonesia: Raja Ampat Islands. McKenna, S.A., G.R. Allen and S. Suryadi (eds.). 2002. A Marine Rapid Assessment of the Raja Ampat Islands, Papua Province, Indonesia. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 22. Conservation International, Washington, DC. * Guinea: Northwestern. Wright, H.E., J. McCullough and M.S. Diallo. (eds). 2006. A rapid biological assessment of the Boké Préfecture, Northwestern Guinea. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 41. Conservation International, Washington, DC. * Indonesia: Yongsu - Cyclops Mountains and the Southern Mamberamo Basin. Richards, S.J. and S. Suryadi (eds.). 2002. A Biodiversity Assessment of Yongsu - Cyclops Mountains and the Southern Mamberamo Basin, Papua, Indonesia. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 25. Conservation International, Washington, DC. * Madagascar: Ankarafantsika. Alonso, L.E., T.S. Schulenberg, S. Radilofe and O. Missa (eds). 2002. A Biological Assessment of the Réserve Naturelle Intégrale d’Ankarafantsika, Madagascar. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 23. Conservation International, Washington, DC. * Papua New Guinea: Lakekamu Basin. Mack, A.L. (ed.). 1998. A Biological Assessment of the Lakekamu Basin, Papua New Guinea. RAP Working Papers 9. Conservation International, Washington, DC. * Madagascar: Mantadia-Zahamena. Schmid, J. and L.E. Alonso (eds). 2005. Une evaluation biologique rapide du corridor Mantadia-Zahamena, Madagascar. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 32. Conservation International, Washington, DC. † Papua New Guinea: Milne Bay Province. Werner, T.B. and G. Allen (eds.). 1998. A Rapid Biodiversity Assessment of the Coral Reefs of Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea. RAP Working Papers 11. Conservation International, Washington, DC. Madagascar: Northwest Madagascar. McKenna, S.A. and G.R. Allen (eds). 2003. A Rapid Marine Biodiversity Assessment of the Coral Reefs of Northwest Madagascar. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 31. Conservation International, Washington, DC. * Papua New Guinea: Southern New Ireland. Beehler, B.M. and L.E. Alonso (eds.). 2001. Southern New Ireland, Papua New Guinea: A Biodiversity Assessment. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 21. Conservation International, Washington, DC. * Papua New Guinea: Milne Bay Province. Allen, G.R., J.P. Kinch, S.A. McKenna and P. Seeto (eds.). 2003. A Rapid Marine Biodiversity Assessment of Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea - Survey II (2000). RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 29. Conservation International, Washington, DC. † Philippines: Palawan Province. Werner, T.B. and G. Allen (eds.). 2000. A Rapid Marine Biodiversity Assessment of the Calaminanes Islands, Palawan Province, Philippines. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 17. Conservation International, Washington, DC. Africa & Madagascar * Botswana: Okavango Delta. Alonso, L.E. and L. Nordin (eds.). 2003. A Rapid Biological Assessment of the aquatic ecosystems of the Okavango Delta, Botswana: High Water Survey. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 27. Conservation International, Washington, DC. † Côte d’Ivoire: Marahoué National Park. Schulenberg, T.S., C.A. Short and P.J. Stephenson (eds.). 1999. A Biological Assessment of Parc National de la Marouhe, Côte d’Ivoire. RAP Working Papers 13. Conservation International, Washington, DC. * Côte d’Ivoire: Haute Dodo and Cavally Classiied Forests. Alonso, L.E., F. Lauginie, and G. Rondeau (eds.).2005. A Rapid Biological Assessment of Two Classiied Forests in South-western Côte d’Ivoire. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 34. Conservation International, Washington, DC. * Ghana: Southwestern forest reserves. McCullough, J., J. Decher, and D.G. Kpelle. (eds.). 2005. A biological assessment of the terrestrial ecosystems of the Draw River, Boi-Tano, Tano Nimiri and Krokosua Hills forest reserves, southwestern Ghana. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 36. Conservation International, Washington, DC. * Guinea: Pic de Fon. McCullough, J. (ed.). 2004. A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Foret Classée du Pic de Fon, Simandou Range, Southeastern Republic of Guinea. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 35. Conservation International, Washington, DC. 276 Rapid Assessment Program * Available through the university of Chicago Press. To order call 1-800-621-2736; www.press.uchicago.edu † Available only through Conservation International. To order call 703-341-2400. § Out of Print A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Lely and Nassau Plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau) Participants and Authors.......... .................................................... 5 Organizational Profiles.......... ....................................................... 8 Acknowledgments.......... ............................................................. 11 Report at a Glance.......... ............................................................. 13 Executive Summary.......... ........................................................... 59 Conservation International 2011 Crystal Drive Suite 500 Arlington, VA 22202 TELEPHONE: 703-341-2400 FAX: 703-979-0953 Maps and Photos.......................................................................... 13 Chapters.......... ............................................................................... 63 Appendices.......... ....................................................................... 156 WEB: www.conservation.org www.biodiversityscience.org Conservation International Suriname Kromme Elleboogstraat no. 20 Paramaribo Suriname Tel: 597-421305 Fax: 597-421172 WEB: www.cisuriname.org

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