Biodiversity encompasses all living organisms within a territory’s ecosystems, holding intrinsic value beyond human needs. It sustains most human activities and provides essential environmental goods and services that enhance societal well-being. Biodiversity also serves as a critical natural defense against climate change, with terrestrial and oceanic ecosystems acting as “carbon sinks,” absorbing over half of global carbon emissions.
Biodiversity encompasses all living organisms within a territory’s ecosystems, holding intrinsic value beyond human needs. It sustains most human activities and provides essential environmental goods and services that enhance societal well-being. Biodiversity also serves as a critical natural defense against climate change, with terrestrial and oceanic ecosystems acting as “carbon sinks,” absorbing over half of global carbon emissions.
Conservation and protection of biodiversity are vital to maintaining the biome’s functionality, which includes humanity. Biodiversity conservation refers to human efforts to safeguard representative portions of nature—genes, species, ecosystems, landscapes—from degradation while promoting sustainable use (Gómez-Pompa, 1998). To achieve this goal, over 190 countries adopted the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), endorsing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework in 2022. This historic UN-led agreement, ratified by 196 nations, guides global nature conservation efforts until 2030.
Peru’s extraordinary biological and cultural diversity presents significant challenges for conservation, restoration, and sustainable use. Species composition data for flora and fauna are fundamental to this work. Accordingly, Peruvian Forest E.I.R.L and the German organization Planetlungs ORG formally requested ACRENAP (a UNFCCC Observer member under RINGO and ENGO divisions) to conduct large-scale scientific studies on wild flora and fauna species within their ecotourism and conservation concession in the buffer zone of Pacaya Samiria National Park (Requena, Loreto, Peru).
Fig. 1. Location of Peruvian Forest E.I.R.L’s ecotourism concession (Requena, Loreto, Peru).
(*) President of ACRENAP, Lead Scientific Researcher at IICPT, Scientific Advisor to Peruvian Forest, and ACRENAP National Coordinator for UNFCCC (RINGO & ENGO).
(**) Executive Director of ACRENAP, General Manager of Peruvian Forest and IICPT, Official Representative of ACRENAP in UNFCCC’s RINGO & ENGO Groups.
Timeline and Methodological Notes
Under ACRENAP’s Research Program (PAE 2030) and ongoing efforts by Peruvian Forest E.I.R.L, four studies have been conducted in the concession:
- January 9–16, 2019: Preliminary environmental assessments by Peruvian Forest and partners (Forestry Engineer Efraín Bonzano Sosa, SERFOR Wildlife Regent Wilfredo Sosa Valenzuela, and field technician Geder Quispe Rivera) identified ecosystem types and baseline conditions.
- April 4–21, 2022: Taxonomic studies of vertebrate/invertebrate fauna and botanical collections by Peruvian Forest and ACRENAP specialists (including Dr. Volodymyr Izerskyy, Dr. Andrey Gorokhov, Dr. Igor Chupin, and biologist Yessenia Gallardo). CO₂ emissions in the concession were also analyzed.
- August 12 – September 8, 2023: Continuation of 2022 studies by Peruvian Forest and ACRENAP teams.
- March 14–21, 2024: Further research extensions by the same team.
Methods:
- Mammals: Recorded via foot transects and camera traps (HC-802A, 16 MP, 120° FOV, 80m range).
- Linear Transect Method (Bobby C, 2000): 5 km/day walks along cochas (oxbow lakes), totaling 30 km (10 km/day) over 3 days. Observations occurred from 5:30 AM–9:00 AM in clear weather.
- Birds: Identified using binoculars (10x), field guides (Schulenberg et al., 2007), and ultra-fine ornithological nets (10x4m). A 32 km boat survey along Puinahua Canal (Ucayali River) recorded 213 bird encounters (14 species).
- Insects: Collected via Malaise traps (day) and UV light traps (250W, night).
- Threat Status: Verified per IUCN Red List 4-2024; bird common names follow Plenge M., 2015.
Fig. 2. Research camp in the study area (2022). Photo: E. Bonzano
Taxonomic Research Results: Flora and Fauna in the Peruvian Forest E.I.R.L Concession
The 7,938-hectare concession comprises:
- 53.32% non-floodable tropical lowland hill forest (B-cb: 4,233.15 Ha),
- 43.21% floodable alluvial forest (B-ai: 3,430.58 Ha),
- 3.47% water bodies (lagoons/channels: 275.18 Ha).
Fig. 3. Wild lagoons (cochas) in the concession. 2019. Photo: I. Chupin.
Findings have been published in peer-reviewed journals (*I. Chupin & V. Izersky, 2020; Gorokhov A.V., 2021/2023; Izerskyy V.V. & Bonzano Sosa E.E., 2023*).
By: Uwe Lehnfeld Volodymyr Izerskyy – Efraín Bonzano Sosa-Uwe Lehnfeld
