Quienes Somos
Somos los integrantes de la Amazonía de Bolivia. Apolo Madidi esta en
el norte amazónico del Norte de La Paz. Nosotros, los de Apolo-Madidi,
estamos unidos voluntariamente para alcanzar un desarrollo mas acelerado.
mas equilibrado, y mas autonomo.
El objetivo principal de nosotros (Apolo-Madidi) es estar en contacto con todos
los compatriotas del Norte Amazónico y como también estar en contacto con
todos los bolivianos en el exterior y en fin con todo el mundo en general.
A partir de hoy Apolo-Madidi abre las puertas al mundo para que conozcan la
belleza máxima de la naturaleza, su incomparable flora y fauna. Abrimos las
puertas al mundo para que nos visiten y tengan la experiencia inolvidable de
la belleza de la selva, el cantar de los Loros, Uchis, Pijways, Parabas, Buos y
garzas rosadas del Parque Nacional Madidi.
Apolo has voluntarily united to reach a better life and to develop not only
socially but also economically. Our objective is to be in contact with the whole
World.
ApoloMadidi.com opens the door to the world. while taking your trip to
Apolo-Madidi, you will have an unforgetable experience of the wilderness of
the Amazon, by walking in pristine rainforest. You will also experience up
close the cries of colorful tropical birds such us parabas, Uchis, Pijways, and
nocturnals birds such the Buos. You will also experience the lush steemy
smell of the rainforest, countless flowers such as Patuju and Taropes. You will
aslo see pristine clear water of the Tuichi River, and the jungle yellow towering
trees. The Thrilling sight of capiwaras, caimans , jochies, jochi pintao - just a
few feet away from the road. You will also Marve the incredible frogs
includingh the most poisonous yellow , and tigre toad. Furthermore, In the
Tuichi river, the iridescent butterflies of astounding colors, and the captivating
monkeys of ApoloMadidi - Parque Nacional Madidi.
Geography
The Alto Madidi region is in the sub-Andean belt, consisting of a series of
parallel ridges to 800-2000 m and valleys at 300-500 m, with a generally
north-westerly orientation (Map 71). The ridges are anticlines composed of
Ordovician, Devonian, Carboniferous and Cretaceous sandstones and
mudstones; the valleys are synclines with Tertiary sediments, conglomerates
and rocks (Oblitas and Brockmann 1978). East of the Andes lie Quaternary
sediments of the Andean piedmont (at 200-300 m) and the extensive
Beni-Chaco plain (at 130-200 m).
The most conspicuous geomorphological feature in the region is the
Madidi-Quiquebey syncline, between the Serranía del Tutumo (also known as
the Serranía del Tigre) and the serranías of Chepite and Eslabón. The
southern end of this broad valley is drained by the Tuichi River, which joins the
Beni River upstream from Rurrenabaque. The Alto Madidi River flows
north-westerly to the termination of the Serranía del Tutumo, where it makes a
broad arc to flow eastward across the alluvial plain of the Beni, eventually
uniting with the Beni River.
Soils in the region vary depending upon geomorphology. Steep-sided
mountain ridges have shallow soils with numerous sandstone outcrops; these
soils are susceptible to erosion and vary from strongly acidic to neutral. Lower
hills with Tertiary substratum have deeper soils and are only moderately acidic.
Valleys, abandoned terraces and the alluvial plains are characterized by deep
soils that vary from heavy clays to sandy loams and are strongly to slightly
acidic (R. Lara, pers. comm.).
The climate is humid to very humid with the mean precipitation estimated at
over 2000 mm per year. Prevailing winds are from the north, causing
north-eastern slopes to have the most rainfall; there is a marked rain shadow
to the south-west near Apolo. The mean annual temperature is estimated to be
26°C. There is a dry season coinciding with the austral winter, but the southerly
cold fronts characteristic of other parts of lowland Bolivia have little impact in
the Madidi-Apolo region.
Vegetation
The vegetation in the Madidi region has been described by Foster (1991); the
following account includes additional observations along the Tuichi River and
adjacent areas. The plant communities are largely correlated with altitude and
topography.
The highest western mountain ranges have extensive cloud forest on
north-eastern faces; fern brakes and meadows can be observed on some
ridgetops. The steep-sided mountains have slippery clay soils, and with the
high rainfall there are numerous landslides; their vegetation is a patchwork of
communities in different successional stages.
Montane humid forest occurs on the ridge slopes and intergrades into a
lowland forest with Amazonian affinities; similar forest types are found on
abandoned river terraces in the piedmont. The floristic diversity of this lowland
forest is considerable, with 204 species of 2.5 cm or more dbh per 0.1 ha
(Foster and Gentry 1991).
Floodplain forest and plant communities in various successional stages
occur along the rivers; presumably large areas of swamp forest associated
with river meanders exist downstream along the Madidi and Heath rivers.
The alluvial plains north-east of the Andean foothills support vegetation that is
similar in structure and physiography to the widespread and extensive
savannas of the Beni lowlands. These grasslands are a complex mosaic of
plant communities resulting from the interaction of edaphic conditions
(including duration and degree of inundation) and fire. The forests occur as
patches and along rivers, adding to the diversity of habitat types (see Data
Sheet for Llanos de Mojos, CPD Site SA24). Savanna complexes are found
near the town of Ixiamas and along the Heath River on the Peruvian border. In
addition, the region has a variety of riverine and non-riverine lakes and
permanent marshes which support aquatic vegetation.
A "dry ridgetop forest" community occurs below the cloud level; although less
diverse, there is little overlap in floristic composition between this forest type
and the more widespread premontane forest communities. Dry forest and
well-drained savanna occur on the downwind side of the south-western ridges
near the town of Apolo. This area appears similar to much of the La Paz
Yungas where cloud forest, humid forest, dry forest and montane savanna exist
within relatively short distances of one another.
Flora
Preliminary data indicate that the Apolo Madidi region is diverse and
interesting, probably with more than 5000 species of vascular plants.
Podocarpus and Prumnopitys (Podocarpaceae) have been found at elevations
of 1415 m above sea level and as low as 300 m; also common are typical
cloud-forest elements such as Cyathea (Cyatheaceae); Clusia (Guttiferae);
Schefflera, Dendropanax (Araliaceae); Hedyosmum (Chloranthaceae); and
Clethra (Clethraceae), as well as numerous species of Melastomataceae and
Rubiaceae. Epiphytic mosses, orchids and ferns are particularly abundant.
Montane forests at 300-700 m are highly diverse in species of Sapotaceae and
Lauraceae; a species of Ampelocera (Ulmaceae) is common, as are
Poulsenia, Clarisia and Pseudolmedia (Moraceae). Also well represented are
Leguminosae (particularly Inga), Meliaceae, Myrsinaceae, Rubiaceae,
Melastomataceae and Guttiferae. As at the higher elevations, epiphytes are
abundant and diverse - particularly orchids and ferns.
The premontane forest has numerous interesting plants not previously known
to occur in Bolivia (Foster, Gentry and Beck 1991). These include Wettinia and
Wendlandiella (Palmae), Anthodiscus (Caryocaraceae), Pterygota
(Sterculiaceae) and Huberodendron (Bombacaceae). The predominant family
is Moraceae; also well represented are Annonaceae, Araceae, Bignoniaceae,
Euphorbiaceae, Leguminosae, Melastomataceae, Myristicaceae, Palmae and
Rubiaceae.
On the dry ridgetops two generic novelties for Bolivia were discovered -
Lecointea (Leguminosae) and Caryodendron (Euphorbiaceae). One of the
most common species is an undescribed taxon in the Malvales; lack of good
flowering material has impeded its determination as either a Reevesia
(Sterculiaceae) or an undescribed genus in Malvaceae.
Montane forests near Apolo apparently are similar in composition to "yungas"
forests in the adjacent Province of Larecaja, where dozens of endemic species
have been described (Rusby 1893-1896, 1907). Fortunately, unlike that region,
much of the vegetation near Apolo remains relatively undisturbed. Montane
savanna near Apolo seems to have some affinity to the "cerrado" of Brazil, as
evidenced by Dilodendron bipinnatum (Sapindaceae), a species previously
thought to be restricted to the Brazilian Shield region.
Humid savannas near Ixiamas have species new for Bolivia (as yet
unidentified) in the Burmanniaceae, Eriocaulaceae and Xyridaceae, and
Schizaea incurvata - a fern known in northern South America, with a single
report from Peru. Intriguing as well is the apparent lack of floristic similarity of
the Ixiamas pampas to other nearby savannas in the Beni (S. Beck, pers.
comm.) or to the Heath pampas in Peru (A. Gentry, pers. comm.).
The fauna of Alto Madidi is comparable to the flora for diversity and
interest (cf. Pearman 1993), and is similar in composition to adjacent areas of
Peru. Bird diversity in the less than 100,000 km² of south-western Amazonia
that includes this region is thought to be one of the highest on the continent,
with c. 10% endemism (Parker 1991). Large mammals are unusually
abundant, particularly tapirs and spider monkeys (Emmons 1991). Several
endangered species are known to occur in the region, among them spectacled
bears (Tremarctos ornatus) and short-eared dogs (Atelocynus microtis).
Tourism dates from at least the early 20th century when the Mulford biological
expedition passed through Rurrenabaque and Ixiamas on its way to Manaus
(Rusby 1922). Currently there are two ecotourism companies in Rurrenabaque
that specialize in river trips up the Tuichi River. Salt licks along the Tuichi have
been identified by C. Munn (Wildlife Conservation International), and the
potential for showing macaws and other impressive animals is likely to
increase ecotourism.
Useful plants
The Amerindian residents of the region have much knowledge about the native
plants and their uses. The Alto Madidi is sparsely populated, and utilization of
plant products has been largely restricted to local needs, such as construction
timber (many tree species), palm thatch, fibres from tree bark (Annonaceae,
Lecythidaceae, Tiliaceae), and medicinal plants. Many trees with edible fruits
are used as a means to increase hunting success.
Economically, palms are very diverse, and many have oil-rich fruits or seeds
with potential as non-timber forest products (Moraes 1993). Until the 1960s the
region was a major centre of quinine-bark production (Cinchona officinalis).
Currently there is a great deal of logging activity centred on Swietenia
macrophylla (Meliaceae), with secondary interest in Cedrela odorata
(Meliaceae) and Amburana cearensis (Leguminosae). Many other valuable
timber species occur in the region but have not been exploited commercially.
Social values
The Alto Madidi is home to two groups of indigenous peoples. The Tacana
reside near Ixiamas and Tumupasa in the piedmont of the Serranía del
Tutumo. Lowland Quechua are found in several small settlements along the
Tuichi River and near Apolo. Both peoples have a long history of commerce
and interaction dating at least from Spanish settlement of Apolo in the 17th
century.
el norte amazónico del Norte de La Paz. Nosotros, los de Apolo-Madidi,
estamos unidos voluntariamente para alcanzar un desarrollo mas acelerado.
mas equilibrado, y mas autonomo.
El objetivo principal de nosotros (Apolo-Madidi) es estar en contacto con todos
los compatriotas del Norte Amazónico y como también estar en contacto con
todos los bolivianos en el exterior y en fin con todo el mundo en general.
A partir de hoy Apolo-Madidi abre las puertas al mundo para que conozcan la
belleza máxima de la naturaleza, su incomparable flora y fauna. Abrimos las
puertas al mundo para que nos visiten y tengan la experiencia inolvidable de
la belleza de la selva, el cantar de los Loros, Uchis, Pijways, Parabas, Buos y
garzas rosadas del Parque Nacional Madidi.
Apolo has voluntarily united to reach a better life and to develop not only
socially but also economically. Our objective is to be in contact with the whole
World.
ApoloMadidi.com opens the door to the world. while taking your trip to
Apolo-Madidi, you will have an unforgetable experience of the wilderness of
the Amazon, by walking in pristine rainforest. You will also experience up
close the cries of colorful tropical birds such us parabas, Uchis, Pijways, and
nocturnals birds such the Buos. You will also experience the lush steemy
smell of the rainforest, countless flowers such as Patuju and Taropes. You will
aslo see pristine clear water of the Tuichi River, and the jungle yellow towering
trees. The Thrilling sight of capiwaras, caimans , jochies, jochi pintao - just a
few feet away from the road. You will also Marve the incredible frogs
includingh the most poisonous yellow , and tigre toad. Furthermore, In the
Tuichi river, the iridescent butterflies of astounding colors, and the captivating
monkeys of ApoloMadidi - Parque Nacional Madidi.
Geography
The Alto Madidi region is in the sub-Andean belt, consisting of a series of
parallel ridges to 800-2000 m and valleys at 300-500 m, with a generally
north-westerly orientation (Map 71). The ridges are anticlines composed of
Ordovician, Devonian, Carboniferous and Cretaceous sandstones and
mudstones; the valleys are synclines with Tertiary sediments, conglomerates
and rocks (Oblitas and Brockmann 1978). East of the Andes lie Quaternary
sediments of the Andean piedmont (at 200-300 m) and the extensive
Beni-Chaco plain (at 130-200 m).
The most conspicuous geomorphological feature in the region is the
Madidi-Quiquebey syncline, between the Serranía del Tutumo (also known as
the Serranía del Tigre) and the serranías of Chepite and Eslabón. The
southern end of this broad valley is drained by the Tuichi River, which joins the
Beni River upstream from Rurrenabaque. The Alto Madidi River flows
north-westerly to the termination of the Serranía del Tutumo, where it makes a
broad arc to flow eastward across the alluvial plain of the Beni, eventually
uniting with the Beni River.
Soils in the region vary depending upon geomorphology. Steep-sided
mountain ridges have shallow soils with numerous sandstone outcrops; these
soils are susceptible to erosion and vary from strongly acidic to neutral. Lower
hills with Tertiary substratum have deeper soils and are only moderately acidic.
Valleys, abandoned terraces and the alluvial plains are characterized by deep
soils that vary from heavy clays to sandy loams and are strongly to slightly
acidic (R. Lara, pers. comm.).
The climate is humid to very humid with the mean precipitation estimated at
over 2000 mm per year. Prevailing winds are from the north, causing
north-eastern slopes to have the most rainfall; there is a marked rain shadow
to the south-west near Apolo. The mean annual temperature is estimated to be
26°C. There is a dry season coinciding with the austral winter, but the southerly
cold fronts characteristic of other parts of lowland Bolivia have little impact in
the Madidi-Apolo region.
Vegetation
The vegetation in the Madidi region has been described by Foster (1991); the
following account includes additional observations along the Tuichi River and
adjacent areas. The plant communities are largely correlated with altitude and
topography.
The highest western mountain ranges have extensive cloud forest on
north-eastern faces; fern brakes and meadows can be observed on some
ridgetops. The steep-sided mountains have slippery clay soils, and with the
high rainfall there are numerous landslides; their vegetation is a patchwork of
communities in different successional stages.
Montane humid forest occurs on the ridge slopes and intergrades into a
lowland forest with Amazonian affinities; similar forest types are found on
abandoned river terraces in the piedmont. The floristic diversity of this lowland
forest is considerable, with 204 species of 2.5 cm or more dbh per 0.1 ha
(Foster and Gentry 1991).
Floodplain forest and plant communities in various successional stages
occur along the rivers; presumably large areas of swamp forest associated
with river meanders exist downstream along the Madidi and Heath rivers.
The alluvial plains north-east of the Andean foothills support vegetation that is
similar in structure and physiography to the widespread and extensive
savannas of the Beni lowlands. These grasslands are a complex mosaic of
plant communities resulting from the interaction of edaphic conditions
(including duration and degree of inundation) and fire. The forests occur as
patches and along rivers, adding to the diversity of habitat types (see Data
Sheet for Llanos de Mojos, CPD Site SA24). Savanna complexes are found
near the town of Ixiamas and along the Heath River on the Peruvian border. In
addition, the region has a variety of riverine and non-riverine lakes and
permanent marshes which support aquatic vegetation.
A "dry ridgetop forest" community occurs below the cloud level; although less
diverse, there is little overlap in floristic composition between this forest type
and the more widespread premontane forest communities. Dry forest and
well-drained savanna occur on the downwind side of the south-western ridges
near the town of Apolo. This area appears similar to much of the La Paz
Yungas where cloud forest, humid forest, dry forest and montane savanna exist
within relatively short distances of one another.
Flora
Preliminary data indicate that the Apolo Madidi region is diverse and
interesting, probably with more than 5000 species of vascular plants.
Podocarpus and Prumnopitys (Podocarpaceae) have been found at elevations
of 1415 m above sea level and as low as 300 m; also common are typical
cloud-forest elements such as Cyathea (Cyatheaceae); Clusia (Guttiferae);
Schefflera, Dendropanax (Araliaceae); Hedyosmum (Chloranthaceae); and
Clethra (Clethraceae), as well as numerous species of Melastomataceae and
Rubiaceae. Epiphytic mosses, orchids and ferns are particularly abundant.
Montane forests at 300-700 m are highly diverse in species of Sapotaceae and
Lauraceae; a species of Ampelocera (Ulmaceae) is common, as are
Poulsenia, Clarisia and Pseudolmedia (Moraceae). Also well represented are
Leguminosae (particularly Inga), Meliaceae, Myrsinaceae, Rubiaceae,
Melastomataceae and Guttiferae. As at the higher elevations, epiphytes are
abundant and diverse - particularly orchids and ferns.
The premontane forest has numerous interesting plants not previously known
to occur in Bolivia (Foster, Gentry and Beck 1991). These include Wettinia and
Wendlandiella (Palmae), Anthodiscus (Caryocaraceae), Pterygota
(Sterculiaceae) and Huberodendron (Bombacaceae). The predominant family
is Moraceae; also well represented are Annonaceae, Araceae, Bignoniaceae,
Euphorbiaceae, Leguminosae, Melastomataceae, Myristicaceae, Palmae and
Rubiaceae.
On the dry ridgetops two generic novelties for Bolivia were discovered -
Lecointea (Leguminosae) and Caryodendron (Euphorbiaceae). One of the
most common species is an undescribed taxon in the Malvales; lack of good
flowering material has impeded its determination as either a Reevesia
(Sterculiaceae) or an undescribed genus in Malvaceae.
Montane forests near Apolo apparently are similar in composition to "yungas"
forests in the adjacent Province of Larecaja, where dozens of endemic species
have been described (Rusby 1893-1896, 1907). Fortunately, unlike that region,
much of the vegetation near Apolo remains relatively undisturbed. Montane
savanna near Apolo seems to have some affinity to the "cerrado" of Brazil, as
evidenced by Dilodendron bipinnatum (Sapindaceae), a species previously
thought to be restricted to the Brazilian Shield region.
Humid savannas near Ixiamas have species new for Bolivia (as yet
unidentified) in the Burmanniaceae, Eriocaulaceae and Xyridaceae, and
Schizaea incurvata - a fern known in northern South America, with a single
report from Peru. Intriguing as well is the apparent lack of floristic similarity of
the Ixiamas pampas to other nearby savannas in the Beni (S. Beck, pers.
comm.) or to the Heath pampas in Peru (A. Gentry, pers. comm.).
The fauna of Alto Madidi is comparable to the flora for diversity and
interest (cf. Pearman 1993), and is similar in composition to adjacent areas of
Peru. Bird diversity in the less than 100,000 km² of south-western Amazonia
that includes this region is thought to be one of the highest on the continent,
with c. 10% endemism (Parker 1991). Large mammals are unusually
abundant, particularly tapirs and spider monkeys (Emmons 1991). Several
endangered species are known to occur in the region, among them spectacled
bears (Tremarctos ornatus) and short-eared dogs (Atelocynus microtis).
Tourism dates from at least the early 20th century when the Mulford biological
expedition passed through Rurrenabaque and Ixiamas on its way to Manaus
(Rusby 1922). Currently there are two ecotourism companies in Rurrenabaque
that specialize in river trips up the Tuichi River. Salt licks along the Tuichi have
been identified by C. Munn (Wildlife Conservation International), and the
potential for showing macaws and other impressive animals is likely to
increase ecotourism.
Useful plants
The Amerindian residents of the region have much knowledge about the native
plants and their uses. The Alto Madidi is sparsely populated, and utilization of
plant products has been largely restricted to local needs, such as construction
timber (many tree species), palm thatch, fibres from tree bark (Annonaceae,
Lecythidaceae, Tiliaceae), and medicinal plants. Many trees with edible fruits
are used as a means to increase hunting success.
Economically, palms are very diverse, and many have oil-rich fruits or seeds
with potential as non-timber forest products (Moraes 1993). Until the 1960s the
region was a major centre of quinine-bark production (Cinchona officinalis).
Currently there is a great deal of logging activity centred on Swietenia
macrophylla (Meliaceae), with secondary interest in Cedrela odorata
(Meliaceae) and Amburana cearensis (Leguminosae). Many other valuable
timber species occur in the region but have not been exploited commercially.
Social values
The Alto Madidi is home to two groups of indigenous peoples. The Tacana
reside near Ixiamas and Tumupasa in the piedmont of the Serranía del
Tutumo. Lowland Quechua are found in several small settlements along the
Tuichi River and near Apolo. Both peoples have a long history of commerce
and interaction dating at least from Spanish settlement of Apolo in the 17th
century.
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