Biodiversity and economically important species in the tropical Andes – A research collaboration between Bolivia, Ecuador, and Denmark

project summary

Biodiversity is important for the survival of people. In developing countries – and especially among the poor – dependence is great. Knowledge of native species is therefore essential. Without profound knowledge this resource cannot be managed sustainably. The poorest countries do not have sufficient research capacity to describe and explore those species that are of economic importance to their inhabitants. Often there is more knowledge about the countries' native species
in industrialized countries. This is the case in Ecuador and Bolivia. This project will educate young researchers to generate knowledge about their countries' biological resources and to access and use knowledge that exsists in international databanks and in industrialized countries' institutions where knowledge has accumulated over the past 2–300 years. The project activities are directed towards research relating to the many thousand economically important species that are being used by the local populations in Bolivia and Ecuador, and also to more fundamental scientific
themes such as how biodiversity is distributed relative to geographic patterns and evolutionary and ecological processes. Such basic knowledge is important to create a solid fundament for plans for the sustainable use of native species. The project will contribute to local institutions' building of reference collections that will serve ass documentation and tools for the identification of the countries' species. The applicant has experience from a similar (1. generation), project in Ecuador
and the proposed 2nd generation project will build on the previous and involve Ecuadorian researchers and students in developing the resource base in Bolivia.