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Conflict between mining activities and biodiverse ecosystems. (A) Remnant native Andean forest in Ecuador (green; data from the Ecuadorian Ministry of Environment), showing deforestation on the western slope of the Andes (yellow), and overlap between remnant forest and current mining concessions (red; data from the Ecuadorian Agency for the Control and Regulation of Mines). (B) Inset, showing the area around Los Cedros; note the overlap between mining concessions and remnant forests. (C) The Los Cedros rainfrog (Pristimantis cedros) is one of hundreds of known endemic and endangered species documented from Los Cedros (Table S1). This frog is only known from Los Cedros and the nearby Río Manduriacu Reserve, areas concessioned to two mining companies (the Canadian Cornerstone Capital Resources, and the Anglo-Australian BHP Billiton).
Source publication
In 2008, Ecuador recognized the Constitutional Rights of Nature in a global first. This recognition implies a major shift in the human-nature relationship, from one between a subject with agency (humans) and an exploitable object (nature), to a more equilibrated relationship. However, the lack of a standard legal framework has left room for subject...
Contexts in source publication
Context 1
... S1). Several species known only from Los Cedros or its immediate surroundings face likely extinction if mining is allowed, including the Los Cedros rainfrog (Pristimantis cedros) and at least 12 orchid species [15][16][17] (Figure 2, Table S1). In addition to its incredible diversity, this protected forest supports many ecological functions and ecosystem services. ...
Context 2
... more than two million hectares of which were thought to be preserved due to having protected forest designation [16] (Figure 2). With an ongoing, regional economic crisis exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, several countries have, in practice, relaxed environmental standards in favor of extractive activities [19,20]. ...
Context 3
... S1). Several species known only from Los Cedros or its immediate surroundings face likely extinction if mining is allowed, including the Los Cedros rainfrog (Pristimantis cedros) and at least 12 orchid species [15][16][17] (Figure 2, Table S1). In addition to its incredible diversity, this protected forest supports many ecological functions and ecosystem services. ...
Context 4
... more than two million hectares of which were thought to be preserved due to having protected forest designation [16] (Figure 2). With an ongoing, regional economic crisis exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, several countries have, in practice, relaxed environmental standards in favor of extractive activities [19,20]. ...
Citations
... In terms of biodiversity, the Amazon, being the world's largest tropical forest, attracts global interest in the conservation of its existing fauna and flora, as well as for its economic potential and immense ethnodiversity (Basset et al., 2012;Ellwanger et al., 2020;Guayasamin et al., 2021;Carvalho et al., 2023). However, in recent decades, there has been a significant increase in the exploitation of natural resources and the expansion of human activities for various land uses, such as agriculture (Gardner et al., 2013), timber extraction (Asner et al., 2005) and mining (Castello & Macedo, 2015), affecting areas that potentially harbour a high richness of species (Cardoso et al., 2023). ...
One of the primary challenges in biodiversity conservation is the limited knowledge of the taxonomy and geographical distribution of species, particularly in megadiverse regions such as the Amazon
In this context, the present study aimed to mitigate the Linnean and Wallacean shortfalls within the Family Leptophlebiidae (Ephemeroptera: Insecta) in the Brazilian Amazon, identify priority areas for conducting faunal inventories and enhance taxonomic knowledge of this group.
Utilizing both primary Leptophlebiidae data collected in the state of Pará, and secondary data compiled from the literature on species occurring in the Amazon, we employed Species Distribution Modelling to identify areas with higher potential species richness and priority areas for faunal inventories in the Brazilian Amazon of the family.
For the primary data, 2,120 specimens were identified, representing 16 genera and 28 species. Among the 28 species analysed, 7 constitute new records for the state of Pará. Additionally, two new genera, five new species and six morphospecies were identified, significantly expanding the taxonomic landscape of the family in the state. Maps depicting potential species richness and priority areas for faunal inventories in the Brazilian Amazon generated from the Modelling indicated that the states of Pará and the western region of Maranhão exhibit high potential species richness, with overlapping areas identified as priorities for Leptophlebiidae faunal inventories.
In this context, this study represents a substantial advancement in the taxonomic knowledge of Leptophlebiidae in the state of Pará and the Amazon, underscoring the urgency of research and biodiversity conservation efforts for the group in the region. Furthermore, the identification of new taxa emphasizes the need for ongoing collaborative efforts to mitigate Linnean and Wallacean shortfalls.
... Further, in response to those who criticise ecological theories for their supposed outrageousness, I simply make the point that what may appear radical to Western audiences is already being implemented in regions where humanity's relationships with the natural world are grounded in different cultural traditions (Guayasamin, Vandergrift and Policha et al. 2021). The difficulty is that such understandings, and the values which they reflect, have limited space for meaningful expression in international conservation law. ...
A contemporary appraisal of the extent to which international conservation law provides for the protection of commonplace biodiversity. It is argued that in light of the current extinction crisis, biodiversity would be better served if the law focused more on protecting common species rather than just the rare and endangered. Particular attention is paid to the rationales behind conservation regulation and how different understandings of the value have influenced the law’s development. Key conservation mechanisms, namely area-based management, species-focused mechanisms and the ecosystem approach, are analysed in relation to how they protect commonplace biodiversity, before a case study on the legal protection of plants is presented. What is suggested is that international conservation law has failed to keep pace with key developments in conservation science, resulting in a regulatory system that appears structurally incapable of halting biodiversity loss. Reforming the law so that it provides greater protection to commonplace biodiversity would be an important first step in responding to this.
... This has contributed to an evolving paradigm shift in the planning, execution, and conceptualization of biodiversity research, and the roles and responsibilities of biodiversity researchers (Zedler 1997;Franco 2013;Darwall et al. 2018). In few places has this been truer than the perennially-imperiled but fiercely-defended cloud forests of Reserva Los Cedros (Torre 2012;Vandegrift et al. 2017;Roy et al. 2018;Guayasamin et al. 2021Guayasamin et al. , 2022. ...
... In 2016, mining concessions covering 68% of the land area of Los Cedros were granted to a Canadian company in a joint venture with the Ecuadorian national mining company (ENAMI). This set up a years-long legal battle between the protected forest and the mining companies seeking to exploit it, with implications not only for protected forests in Ecuador, but for the global movement towards granting rights directly to nature (Guayasamin et al. 2021). The case worked its way to Ecuador's Constitutional Court, the highest in the nation. ...
Background:
Globally, many undescribed fungal taxa reside in the hyperdiverse, yet undersampled, tropics. These species are under increasing threat from habitat destruction by expanding extractive industry, in addition to global climate change and other threats. Reserva Los Cedros is a primary cloud forest reserve of ~ 5256 ha, and is among the last unlogged watersheds on the western slope of the Ecuadorian Andes. No major fungal survey has been done there, presenting an opportunity to document fungi in primary forest in an underrepresented habitat and location. Above-ground surveys from 2008 to 2019 resulted in 1760 vouchered collections, cataloged and deposited at QCNE in Ecuador, mostly Agaricales sensu lato and Xylariales. We document diversity using a combination of ITS barcode sequencing and digital photography, and share the information via public repositories (GenBank & iNaturalist).
Results:
Preliminary identifications indicate the presence of at least 727 unique fungal species within the Reserve, representing 4 phyla, 17 classes, 40 orders, 101 families, and 229 genera. Two taxa at Los Cedros have recently been recommended to the IUCN Fungal Red List Initiative (Thamnomyces chocöensis Læssøe and "Lactocollybia" aurantiaca Singer), and we add occurrence data for two others already under consideration (Hygrocybe aphylla Læssøe & Boertm. and Lamelloporus americanus Ryvarden).
Conclusions:
Plants and animals are known to exhibit exceptionally high diversity and endemism in the Chocó bioregion, as the fungi do as well. Our collections contribute to understanding this important driver of biodiversity in the Neotropics, as well as illustrating the importance and utility of such data to conservation efforts.
Resumen:
Antecedentes: A nivel mundial muchos taxones fúngicos no descritos residen en los trópicos hiper diversos aunque continúan submuestreados. Estas especies están cada vez más amenazadas por la destrucción del hábitat debido a la expansión de la industria extractivista además del cambio climático global y otras amenazas. Los Cedros es una reserva de bosque nublado primario de ~ 5256 ha y se encuentra entre las últimas cuencas hidrográficas no explotadas en la vertiente occidental de los Andes ecuatorianos. Nunca antes se ha realizado un estudio de diversidad micológica en el sitio, lo que significa una oportunidad para documentar hongos en el bosque primario, en hábitat y ubicación subrepresentatadas. El presente estudio recopila información entre el 2008 y 2019 muestreando material sobre todos los sustratos, reportando 1760 colecciones catalogadas y depositadas en el Fungario del QCNE de Ecuador, en su mayoría Agaricales sensu lato y Xylariales; además se documenta la diversidad mediante secuenciación de códigos de barras ITS y fotografía digital, la información está disponible en repositorios públicos digitales (GenBank e iNaturalist).
Resultados:
La identificación preliminar indica la presencia de al menos 727 especies únicas de hongos dentro de la Reserva, que representan 4 filos, 17 clases, 40 órdenes, 101 familias y 229 géneros. Recientemente dos taxones en Los Cedros se recomendaron a la Iniciativa de Lista Roja de Hongos de la UICN (Thamnomyces chocöensis Læssøe y "Lactocollybia" aurantiaca Singer) y agregamos datos de presencia de otros dos que ya estaban bajo consideración (Hygrocybe aphylla Læssøe & Boertm. y Lamelloporus americanus Ryvarden).
Conclusiones:
Se sabe que plantas y animales exhiben una diversidad y endemismo excepcionalmente altos en la bioregión del Chocó y los hongos no son la excepción. Nuestras colecciones contribuyen a comprender este importante promotor de la biodiversidad en el Neotrópico además de ilustrar la importancia y utilidad de dichos datos para los esfuerzos de conservación.
... This activity does not only contaminate aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems by metal mobilization and/or release, but also causes direct environmental impacts, such as deforestation and hydromorphological alteration of rivers (Adler Miserendino et al., 2013;Crespo-Lopez et al., 2021;Dezécache et al., 2017;Sonter et al., 2017), which can cause severe social conflicts (Mancini and Sala, 2018;Mestanza-Ramón et al., 2022). Metal mining operations, including illegal mining, have increased in the last few years, expanding to protected areas and indigenous territories due to the limited governmental control and careless environmental management plans (Abessa et al., 2019;Guayasamin et al., 2021;Rorato et al., 2020;Tollefson, 2021). ...
Metal contamination associated with mining activities has been considered one of the main environmental pollution problems in the Amazon region. Understanding the levels of metal contamination from mining activities requires a good understanding of background metal concentrations, which may vary notably according to the geology/lithology characteristics of the region, soil type, and predominant biogeochemical processes. This review assessed 50 papers and reports published between 1989 and 2020 describing environmental concentrations of different metals and metalloids (As, Hg, Mn, Fe, Cd, Cu, Cr, Pb, Ni, and Zn) in water and sediments of mining and non-mining areas in five geographic regions of the Amazon basin. Metal enrichment caused by mining activities was calculated and exposure concentrations were compared with sediment and water quality standards set for the protection of aquatic life. Significant enrichments of Cd, Cu, Cr, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni and Zn were observed in mining areas in both sediment and water. Regarding background levels in the different geographic regions, the highest prevalence of metal enrichment (i.e., concentrations 10 to 100-fold higher than mean background values) in sediment samples was found for Fe (100% of samples), Ni (90%), and Mn (69%). For water, high prevalence of metal enrichment occurred for Zn, Mn, and Fe (100% of samples), and for Hg (86%). Hg, Fe, Pb, Cu, Cd, Ni and Zn exceeded water and/or sediment quality standards in a significant number of samples in the proximity of mining areas. This study indicates that mining activities significantly contribute to water and sediment contamination across the Amazon basin, posing hazards for freshwater ecosystems and potentially having human health implications.
... Ecuador está ubicado en la costa oeste sudamericana, su población alcanza los 17 888.474 2 habitantes y posee una superficie de 283 560 km , este p e q u e ñ o t e r r i t o r i o fi g u r a e n t r e l o s 1 7 p a í s e s megadiversos del mundo y su geografía está dividida en cuatro regiones naturales: Costa, Sierra (Andes), Amazonía y Galápagos (Guayasamin et al., 2021). A nivel nacional se han identificado 2.877 pasivos ambientales mineros (bocaminas, escombreras, infraestructura abandonada, terrazas aluviales y piscinas) y 2.876 pasivos ambientales de hidrocarburos (fosas, piscinas y derrames) cuya remediación se da mediante fondos estatales y privados (Benítez et al., 2018) Acorde a la información registrada en el Atlas Global de Justicia Ambiental en el cantón Bolívar el principal problema ambiental es la administración del agua (Environmental Justice Organizations, Liabilities and Trade, 2022). ...
El objetivo de esta investigación fue determinar la importancia de los pasivos ambientales existentes en la microcuenca Sarampión de la comunidad San Miguel de Sarampión del cantón Bolívar, provincia de Manabí – Ecuador. La metodología aplicada incluyó visitas de campo para identificar y georreferenciar los pasivos ambientales, los cuales fueron registrados en una ficha estandarizada; posteriormente se estableció el nivel de importancia de los pasivos ambientales sobre el cuerpo receptor (estero Sarampión). Como resultado, existen 20 pasivos ambientales, persistiendo acumulación de residuos en 12 puntos; también, se identificaron dos áreas de cultivos en la ribera del estero, dos puntos de descarga directa de agua residual, dos zonas de obstrucción del cauce del estero, una obstrucción del lecho del estero y un corral bovino cercano al cauce. En adición, se obtuvo que 12 de los pasivos ambientales identificados presentan una importancia moderada, mientras que 8 mantienen una importancia alta. En conclusión, los pasivos ambientales identificados denotan un deterioro ambiental de importancia considerable, por lo que resulta imperativo que se implementen acciones preventivas para mejorar tanto el entorno como la calidad de vida de los residentes del área estudiada.
... Recent advances in environmental ethics and international justice provide robust legal standing for natural entities such as landscape features (rivers and forests) and nonhuman species (103,104). For example, in a landmark ruling, the Constitutional Court of Ecuador applied the constitutional provision on the "Rights of Nature" to safeguard cloud forests from mining concessions (4,105). This legal precedent was grounded in decades of scholarship (106,107), and similar laws have been codified in other countries (98,108). ...
In this Review, we compare rates of anthropogenic and natural environmental changes in the Amazon and South America and in the larger Earth system. We focus on deforestation and carbon cycles because of their critical roles on the Amazon and Earth systems. We found that rates of anthropogenic processes that affect Amazonian ecosystems are up to hundreds to thousands of times faster than other natural climatic and geological phenomena. These anthropogenic changes reach the scale of millions of square kilometers within just decades to centuries, as compared with millions to tens of millions of years for evolutionary, climatic, and geological processes.
... Surprisingly, even before activities had advanced to the point of causing serious quantifiable damages, the potential of facing adversities [49,50] was recognized as a sufficient cause given the circumstances, citing "in dubio, pro natura" (Latin; roughly translated to "when in doubt, take nature's side"). As recently stated [51], this ruling is important not only for this particular case and others pending in Ecuador but also for the entire planet. ...
The rights of nature have been widely discussed at a philosophical level for a long time, but examples of its practical application are quite rare. Ecuador is the first country to incorporate this concept into its constitutional foundation and put the theory into practice. However, implementing entirely justifiable rights of nature is hindered by factors, such as economic considerations, legal interpretations, cultural norms, political will, and disproportionate perspectives of “the greater good”. After getting opportunities for more than a decade to convert theoretical concepts into tangible results for nature, many doubts remain concerning the applied practicality of this ideology.
... The Guandera Reserve, which represents the core area where T. crisariasae occurs, does not belong to the Ecuadorian System of Protected Areas (SNAP). Hence, the Ecuadorian government can grant mining concessions within this Reserve, which would negatively impact the area and all the biodiversity that it holds (Baquero et al. 2020, Guayasamin et al. 2021. At the moment, T. crisariasae is only known from a few plants without information available on populations. ...
Telipogon crisariasae, discovered in northern Ecuador, is described as a new species. Telipogon crisariasae is similar to T. octavioi but differs by its larger inflorescences and flowers, the rhomboid petals, the cordiform pink callus, and the sub-trapeziform stigmatic cavity. Illustrations and pictures of the new entity are provided. Furthermore, diagnostic characters of T. crisariasae are compared to those of other morphologically similar species. Resumen Telipogon crisariasae, descubierta en el norte de Ecuador, es descrita como una especie nueva. Telipogon crisariasae es similar a T. octavioi, de la que se diferencia por tener inflorescencias y flores más grandes, los pétalos romboideos, el callo rosado y cordado, y la cavidad estigmática sub-trapeziforme. Ilustraciones y fotografias de la nueva especie son provistas. Además, características de uso diagnostico para identificar T. crisariasae son comparadas con las características de otras especies morfologicamente similares.
... La minería en la Amazonía transporta contaminantes como el mercurio a través de las corrientes de agua, afectando el ecosistema y con este, la vida acuática que a su vez contamina el ecosistema terrestre y a los seres vivos [24]. Para evitar los conflictos es necesario comunicación por parte de ambos interesados [25]. ...
El estudio a siete poblaciones de la provincia del Azuay en Ecuador, tuvo el objetivo determinar el conocimiento de los habitantes de los derechos de naturaleza, la participación ciudadana, control social y si existe vulneración de estos, analizó jurídica y socialmente los derechos de participación y los derechos de la naturaleza, la exigibilidad y garantía, los derechos de participación como elemento necesario para el efectivo cumplimiento de los derechos de la naturaleza, mediante un análisis cualitativo y cuantitativos. La mayoría de las poblaciones consideran que conocen los derechos de la Naturaleza, cuatro de las comunidades, no conocían que estos derechos se encuentran consagrados en la Constitución, significa que; al no conocer, se genera una limitante para la defenderlos. Existe la necesidad de educar para proteger y defender los derechos de la naturaleza, conocer los Derechos, requisito de la defensa para el apropiamiento de normas y herramientas de participación ciudadana.
