Research at Latin America Regional Climate Centre

Research at Latin America Regional Climate Centre

Site description
The Latin American RCC (LARCC) is located in one of the last remaining fragments of Atlantic Forest, within Rio Cachoeira Natural Reserve in Paraná State, Brazil (fig 1). The Atlantic Forests, of which over 90% have been destroyed, have been designated a “biodiversity hotspot”, and support 20,000 plant species, 8,000 of which are endemic. Rio Cachoeira Natural Reserve harbours 810 identified species of plants, 407 species of birds, 61 species of fish and several species of mammals, some threatened by extinction such as otter (Lutra longicaudis), ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) and jaguar (Panthera onca). Endangered plant species include the palm Euterpe edulis, a keystone forest species whose populations are decreasing due to over-harvesting. Around 30 employees, all local residents, are responsible for collecting seeds, maintaining a native plants nursery (with the capacity of producing 100 thousand seedlings annually) and maintaining approximately 144 km of trails that criss-cross the Reserve. Projects in the Reserve are aimed at environmental education involving visitors and local residents, research on carbon cycle and developing models for sustainable income.

Rio Cachoeira reserve

Research partner institution and Principal Investigator
Earthwatch’s project here is in partnership with the Brazilian charity SPVS (Sociedade de Pesquisa em Vida Selvagem e Educação Ambiental - Society for Wildlife Research and Environmental Education). SPVS was established in 1984, and currently runs more than 100 environmental protection projects in several parts of Brazil.

Volunteers from HSBC, termed 'Climate Champions', assist with data collection in the field and data entry, overseen by scientists from SPVS.

The principal investigator is Dr Ricardo Miranda Britez, from SPVS. For 25 years his research has focused on nature conservation, management and restoration. He currently coordinates three projects that combine two fundamental goals - the conservation of one of Brazil’s most important remnants of the Atlantic Forest (Northern Coast of Paraná State) and the implementation of projects for carbon sequestration.

Sampling design
Data collection methods are as described in the Research Introduction. Work started here in July 2008 and will continue to December 2011. There are 12 permanent sample plots of one hectare (100m x 100m) each, in varying stages of recovery from human disturbance (Table 1). As in the other RCCs, initial work has been to tag all individual trees in each of the 12 plots.

Table 1 Plot types used in Brazil

Dendrometer bands are fitted to 100 trees in each plot, with 10 trees each of 10 species. There are 25 litterfall traps in each plot. Dendrometer bands and litterfall traps are measured or collected, respectively, on a monthly basis, there being no seasonal patterns in this tropical environment that might require change in frequency of data collection. To gain an idea of links between climate and timing of events such as flower or fruit formation (phenology), all trees with dendrometers are observed monthly and notes taken on flowering / fruiting.

Two species of stingless native bees, important components of the forest ecosystem as pollinators, are being studied to understand how they are affected by the disturbance gradients of the plots. Five hives each of Jataí (Tetragonisca angustula) and Tubuna (Scaptotrigona bipunctata) bees are placed in each plot and their behavior monitored and hive weight assessed regularly.