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The Morpho Institute
November 4, 2013 8:25 AM
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RAINFOREST EXPLORER
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New and noteworthy updates from the Amazon Rainforest & the Morpho Institute
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The Morpho Institute
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"Deforestation is a key driver of climate change," said David Kaimowitz, director of Sustainable Development for the Ford Foundation. “The indigenous and traditional communities, with support from civil society, have created a groundbreaking solution to the problem of deforestation and global warming as well as a new model for sustainable development.”
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The Rainforest Trust, which from 1988 until last month was known as the World Land Trust-US, has kicked off an effort to preserve some 2.4 million hectares (5.9 million acres) of rainforest in a remote part of the Peruvian Amazon..
The Morpho Institute's insight:
This is great news for the Peruvian Amazon and rainforest awareness in general. The name change is significant - putting the spotlight back on rainforests...YAY!
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New Yorker (blog)
The Morpho Institute's insight:
GREAT QUESTION: "Do North Americans and Europeans have the right to tell Peruvians that they can’t mine there? Are some areas so crucial for our planet’s survival that we need to band together and preserve them? On a personal level, what responsibility do we have as consumers? Do we cash in our gold stocks? Buy only fairmined gold? What about laptops and cell phones?"
All excellent questions posed by the author of the article. GREAT conversation starters at your social gathering or classroom debate!
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ABOVE THE AMAZON JUNGLE, Peru — The Amazon rainforest is best known for its vibrant wildlife and endless canopy. But it also plays a key role in the world’s climate.
The Morpho Institute's insight:
Great 3 min video on how climate change is being monitored in the Amazon.
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Four years of scientific expeditions have found previously unknown animals and plants in world's largest tropical rainforest
The Morpho Institute's insight:
Also on the list of new species is an extremely rare and endangered fish (Apistogramma cinilabra) in the Peruvian Amazon. Found in a small forest lake in the wider catchment of the Rio Itaya, about 80km south of Iquitos, Loreto...not all that far from our expedition study sites!
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During his lifetime Francis Hallé has seen too many primary forests obliterated. Now he has joined director Luc Jacquet to make a film, Il Etait une Forêt, celebrating the ones that are left
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Wildlife News
The Morpho Institute's insight:
According to the article, "The model used suggest that many tree species estimated to live in the Amazon forest are so rare they could go extinct before being discovered by scientists" The researchers estimate that the Amazon contains 6,000 species that have less than 1,000 individual trees in them. That makes them sufficiently rare to gain automatic entry on to the IUCN Red List - but some may never be described by science.
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The World Bank estimates that 80 percent of Peru’s logging exports are illegally harvested, a problem compounded by bribery and obstacles to prosecution.
The Morpho Institute's insight:
This made the headlines of the NYT on Sat. Oct. 19, 2013. Sad that it seems like a flashback to 1993. Next time you are in the market for flooring or furniture, please purchase products that are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
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About 227 species, or 1.4 percent of all the types of trees in the forest make up half of the nearly 400 billion total trees estimated to live there.
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It's "chocolate week", that annual celebration of all things indulgent and sweet. But has chocolate finally overcome its darker history - from child trafficking to crop-ravaged land?
The Morpho Institute's insight:
Happy Chocolate Week! If you plan on celebrating "Sweetest Day" on Oct. 19th, make sure your Chocolate choice is a good one!
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Spending a year on the Tambopata River in Peru's deep Amazon, allowed 22-year-old Tristan Thompson, to record stunning video of the much the region's little seen, and little known, wildlife.
The Morpho Institute's insight:
Must watch: Fantastic 25 min video intro to the Peruvian Amazon
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A new species of the giant fish arapaima has been discovered from the Amazon, raising questions about what other species remain to be found and highlighting the potential for ecological problems when animals are relocated from their native habitats.
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Corruption in Peru Aids Cutting of Rain Forest New York Times PUCALLPA, Peru — Afraid the police would tip off suspects, Francisco Berrospi kept local officers in the dark when he headed into the rain forest as a prosecutor to investigate illegal...
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Giant armadillos live up to their name, growing up to five feet long and digging holes up to 16 feet deep. These burrows serve as homes for a wide variety of animals in the Amazon.
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As carbon dioxide levels rise, tropical plants will benefit. Woody vines, in particular, will get a growth boost, but it comes at the expense of the very trees they grow on.
The Morpho Institute's insight:
Climate change complexities...not just a matter of warmer temps and rising sea levels. Rainforest ecosystem dynamics will be upturned...including the Amazon
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Five Rare South American Bird Species Given US Endangered Status Center for Biological Diversity (press release) The brown-banded antpitta (Grallaria milleri), like other antpittas, is a secretive bird with a low population density and high habitat...
The Morpho Institute's insight:
Good news - finally - for a few of our feathered friends in South America...
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Sloths sleep all day; they are always slow; and they are gentle animals. These are just some of the popular misconceptions that sloth-scientist and expert tree-climber, Bryson Voirin, is overturning.
The Morpho Institute's insight:
Never can know too much about sloths! Here's a great interview of a young scientists studying them for the Smithsonian Institute.
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When it comes to climate change, we live on a tropical planet, we just don’t realize it Finally, it seems, the world’s warmer climates – so often overlooked when it comes to the impact of climate change – shared the spotlight in a high-profile...
The Morpho Institute's insight:
Most climate change news focuses on the poles...but what is happening in the Tropics is equally important
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Bats roosting in the curled up leaves of tropical plants are able to better hear their companions, a new study suggests.
The Morpho Institute's insight:
Having witnessed this behavior in the neotropics, this new news makes that amazing field encounter even more amazing!!
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From
phys
Peru has dramatically increased its sales of shark fins to Asia, triggering the slaughter of about 15,000 dolphins a year used as bait, officials said Friday.
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A bird species living in the Amazon rainforest has songs showing strong similarities to human music, with a preference for harmony, researchers said.
The Morpho Institute's insight:
Check it out and take a listen to this lovely little bird!
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From
phys
The Amazon rainforest faces an uncertain future – one that an international research network hopes to help steer towards sustainability.
The Morpho Institute's insight:
Can the world's largest tropical forest biome be transformed into a sustainable ecological system?
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The elaborate press event was an amazing logistical feat considering it took place deep in the Amazon Rainforest.
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Video of illegal gold mining operations that have turned a portion of the Amazon rainforest into a moonscape went viral on Youtube after a popular radio and TV journalist in Peru highlighted the story.
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