We thank the MUNI Guate for being inviting FLAAR...

WethanktheMUNIGuateforbeinginvitingFLAARMesoamericatotheirMay2020lectureseries,especiallytheconferencecoordinator:

AlejandraMoralesCoordinadora

CentrodeEducaciónAmbientalDireccióndeMedioAmbiente

MuniGuate(MunicipiodeGuatemala)

Toourphotographyteamanddesigners,speciallyAlejandraGutiérrezandDavidArrivillaga,weappreciateyourfindingallthephotographsandputtingthembytopic.

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Iwishtothanktheorganizersofthisconferenceseries.IlookforwardtohearingtheotherpresentationsonTuesday(Lic.GabrielValle),Wednesday(Ing.OscarNúñez),Thursday(Lic.JoseLuisHecheverríaandFriday(Licda.AndreaDíaz).HopefullytheywillalsobeavailableasaPowerPointorvideo.IthankVictorMendozaandVivianDiazofFLAARMesoamericafornetworkingwithlotsofcapableNGO’sandhospitableGuatemalangovernmentorganizationssoaneventsuchasthistodayispossible.

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BIODIVERSITYHOSTEDINWETLANDSANDLANDECOSYSTEMSINTHEMUNICIPALITYOF

LIVINGSTON,IZABAL

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LivingstonMunicipiohasgreatpotentialtophotograph,documentandreportbiodiversity.ObviouslywithAmatiqueBay,theRioDulcecanyon,ElGolfeteandtheeastsideofLakeIzabal,the"bestecosystems",themajorityareontheshoreoftheseareas.TheFLAARMesoamericateamismainlyfocusedonfinding:

"Fields"coveredwithlargewaterlilypadsandwhiteflowers(Nymphaeaampla)

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Wide“fields”ofpureNymphoidesindicawaterlilies.

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Wide“fields”ofthesetwowaterliliesgrowingtogether

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Manyareaofgrasses(reeds)alongtheshoreneedtobestudied,eachspeciesidentified,andphotographedinhighresolution.

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ThisisaviewfromGoogleMaps,satelliteview,showinganislandatthewestendofElGolfete.TherearesomanyMILLIONSofwaterlilypadsthatthefieldsformedbythesemassesofwaterliliesarevisiblealongthe

northedgeandsouthedgeofthisisland.

Soifyouareabotanistorecologist,wehopethishelpsyoufindwaterlilieshere.AndifyouplantovisitGuatemalaincomingmonths,nowyouknowwheretoheadtoseethesamewaterlilyflowersandpadsthat

arepicturedinClassicMayaartofPalenque,Copan,andelsewhere.

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GoogleMaps,satelliteviewofthemassofwaterliliesonthesouthsideofElGolfete,

neartheeasternendofElGolfete

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Wearealsopreparingphoto-bannersofeachareaoftheMunicipiodeLivingstonwhichshowsthemanyspecieswefoundoneachfieldtrip.WedonatethesebannerstotheMunicipio.Thesecanbeusedonwebsites,bylocalhotelsandrestaurants,toattractvisitors.Andthesephotobannerscanbeputontheclassroomwallsoflocalschoolstohelpthelocalchildrenlearn

aboutthefloraandfaunaoftheirhomeland.

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CHOCONMACHACAS

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MushroomsofeverysizeandshapecanbefoundintheMunicipiodeLivingston,especiallyintheareaofChoconMachacas(northsideofElGolfete).

Heliconiaaurantiaca

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WehavebeenstudyingHeliconiainotherpartsofIzabalinpastyears,andalsoAltaVerapaz,Peten,andinwetlandsalongRiodelosEsclavos.IntheMunicipiodeLivingstonwewillmakesurewefindallspeciesthatarenativehere.Tostartwithwehavefoundthreespecies.Theirleavescanreplaceplastictowrapfoods(somorethanjustwrappingtamales).AndinAltaVerapazthreeyearsagowefoundseveralQ'eqchi'MayancommunitiesdeepinthemountainsthatuseHeliconialeavesinsteadofpalmorgrassfortheirroofthatch.

HeliconiachampneianaHeliconialatispatha

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Thepresentationtodayshowsprimarilywetlands;butinfuturefieldtripswewillexplorehillsidesandhilltops.Hillsarehometodifferentspeciesoftreesfromthoseofthewetlandsaroundrivers,lagoons,streams,swamps,etc.

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Wearealsokeentoexplorethebiodiversityofhillareas.Onhillsidesandhilltopsyoufoundtreesthatdonotexistonwetlandsorflatareas.CerroSanGilisanotherareaofhillecosystemsthatdefinitelymeritsbeingvisited,studied,photographed,andwrittenabout.

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Amajorgoalistomakealistofalledibleflowers,alledibleroots,allediblefruitsandnuts,alledibleseedpodpulp,alledibleleavesandshootsofnativeplantsofLivingston.Wewanttoprovidehealthierfoodforlocalpeople(andfoodthatisalreadyveryhappygrowinginLivingstonareas).Sohereisanexampleofthiswork-inprogress:

HealthyedibleflowersandinflorescencesthatarenativetoLivingston,Izabal,Guatemala

VivianHurtado

NicholasHellmuth

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CamoteisanexampleofanativeGuatemalanfoodthatispopulararoundtheworld.Butwewanttofindalltheotherunderutilizedroots,tubers,andrhizomesthatareedible(andthatarenativeandgrowingin

theforestsorotherecosystemsoftheMunicipiodeLivingston).

NicholasHellmuthFLAARMesoamerica

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PARQUENACIONALYAXHA-NAKUM-NARANJO

PNYNN

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InadditiontodoingfieldresearchintheMunicipiodeLivingston,wearealsointerestedincooperatingwiththeparkadministratorsofParqueNacionalYaxhaNakumNaranjo(PNYNN).WehavelearnedalotaboutbiodiversityofecosystemsofthisareaofcentralPetenduring2018-2019.Wewouldliketoshowsomeexamples,sinceeverypartofGuatemalaisunique.

Acknowledgements:Forcooperation,hospitality,andassistanceatParqueNacionalYaxha,wethankLic.JorgeMarioVazquez(CONAP,SantaElena,Peten)Arq.JoseLeonelZiesse(IDAEH,SantaElena,Peten)Biolg.LorenaLobos(CONAP)FortheNaranjosectorofPNYNN,wethankArqueologaVilmaFialkoArquitectoRaulNoriegaNaranjoprojectpersonwhoknowslocalplants,HoracioPalaciosandallthehelpfulandknowledgeableguidesofIDAEHCONAPwhoaccompanieduseachday.ItisessentialtohaveeitheranIDAEHand/orCONAPguardabosqueorcomparablewhendoingfloraandfaunaresearch.Weappreciatetheover16yearsofknowledgeofbirdsandplantsof“Teco”(MoisesDanielPérezDíaz).WealsoappreciatetheassistanceofparkrangerRicardoHerreraandalltheotherparkrangerswhoaccompaniedusonindividualhikes.ItisessentialtohaveeitheranIDAEHand/orCONAPguardabosqueorcomparablewhendoingfloraandfaunaresearchinaParqueNacional.

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Wehavefoundwetlandecosystemsnotnecessarilyonthebanksofwater

bodies.Itwouldnotsurpriseusifwefindthistypeofecosystem,orsimilar,inIzabal.IntheYaxhaNakumNaranjoNationalPark,inapreviousproject,using

aerialphotosfromtheIGN(InstitutoGeográficoNacional)weidentifiedseveral“wetland”ecosystemswithinthemainland,

withintheprotectedarea.

(WehadthehelpofLeonelZiesse,parkadministrator,MarioVásquez,andbiologistLorenaLobos.AlsosectorNaranjoteam).

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ThisSavannaEastofNakumisoneofthelargestvirginun-farmednaturalsavannasyetdocumentedforCentralPeten.2019wasaveryverydryyearbutinanormalyearthereisstandingwaterseveralcentimetersdeepovertheentireareainthewetseason.

SavannaEastofNakum

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AguadaMaya,PozaMaya,hasbeenknowntoGuatemalanarchaeologistsandecologistsformanyyears.Thisareaishumidallyearround(asyoucanseefromthebrightgreenvegetation).ThisecosystemispartiallyMaya-made(severalthousandyearsago).

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AguadaMaya,PozaMaya:Ifyouhavealicensedlocalguideheorshecanguideyouhereandyoucanstandontheedgeofthisremarkablewetlandsarea.ToseetheentireareabesttolookatitfromGooglemaps,satelliteview.Itistotherightside(eastside)ofthedirtroadfromYaxhatoNakumsectorsofParqueNacionalYaxhaNakumNaranjo.Thetapirlovethewetmuddyareas(andIbetpeccarydoalso).TheteamofFLAARMesoamericahastheoptionofiPhoneXsinpanomodeorGooglePixel3XLinpanomode,plusNikonwithpanoramatripodheadsystem.

AguadaMaya,PozaMaya

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WehopetoassistPNYNNandothernationalparkareasinGuatemalaoncetheCoronaviruspandemichastoneddown.Theoperatingbudgetofeachparkdependsonentrancefeesfromvisitors.IthelpstohaveawesomephotographstoshowtouristsfromaroundtheworldwhatawaitsthemhereinPeten.SavannaWestofNaranjo,foundinaerialmapsandalreadyknownbytheNaranjosectorteam(sincetheircampislessthan1kmaway).Thereisabajo(tintal)tothesouth;andacibalandthenajimbaltothenorth.SoalltogetherthisNaranjosectorofPNYNNisaremarkablelocationtodoecologicalstudiesbecauseevery100meterstheecosystemchangesandtransitionsintoanotherkindofvegetation.WethanktheteamofNaranjoforguidingustothiswonderfulareatostudy.Thisphotographisnotanaerialview:weareaccomplishingthephotographyfromthetopofapyramidattheNaranjoMayaruins.

Savanna,Naranjo2019.FoundinaerialmapsandalreadyknownbytheNaranjosectorteam(sincetheircampislessthan1kmaway).Thereisabajo(tintal)tothesouth;andacibalandthenajimbaltothenorth.SoalltogetherthisNaranjosectorofPNYNNisaremarkablelocationtodoecologicalstudiesbecauseevery100meterstheecosystemchangesandtransitionsintoanotherkindofvegetation.WethanktheteamofNaranjoforguidingustothiswonderfulareatostudy.

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Savanna,Naranjo2019

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Itisessentialtohavepanoramacapabilitywithyourrecordingcrew.ThisisonereasondifferententitiesinGuatemalainvitetheteamofFLAARMesoamericatoassisttheminrecordingthebiodiverseecosystemsoftheirpartofGuatemala.Soin2018-2019weworkedone-week-per-monthfor12monthsinParqueNacionalYaxhaNakumNaranjo(PNYNN);startingin2020webegandoingfieldworkinLivingstonareaofIzabal.OncethepandemicwanesdownweofcoursewillcontinueinRioDulce,ElGolfete,LagoIzabal,TapinCreek,LagunitaCreek,CerroSanGil,butwealsolookforwardtocooperatingwithotherentitieselsewhereinPetenandnorthernAltaVerapaz.

Savannaofthreefernspecies,westofwestendofLagoYaxha,abouta30minutehikeuphillfromLagunaLankajaandisafewdozenmeterssouthofLagunaPerdida.IdiscoveredthisfromtheaerialphotographsofIGN.ThisareaofPNYNNisoneofthemostremarkableecosystemsIhaveseenorheardofintheMayaLowlands:every20or40metersthereisanewhabitatwithcompletelydifferentplants.Sinceittakesabout5hourstogethereandbackfromthemaincamp,itwillhelptohavefuturefieldtripstorecordalltheplantspeciesthatweexperiencedhere.

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WiththeassistanceoftheboatofthePNYNNandwhenoccasionallyitwasinuse,withtheassistanceoftheboatfromEcolodgeElSombrero,wefound

over20locationsaroundLagoYaxhawithanaquaticorchid:Bletiapurpurea.

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Bletiapurpurea

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75%ofthemapsoftheMunicipiodeLivingstonontheInternet,showthatthesouthborderisCanyonRioDulceandElGolfete.ThattheentireareaonthesouthernshoresofCanyonRioDulceandElGolfeteispartofMunicipiodePuertoBarrios.So,VeryfewmapsshowthatthemainsectionofCerroSanGilisinMuniLivingston.

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Andthisbizarremapshowsa“Municipio?”ofSanLuisbetweenLivingstonandPuertoBarrios.So,tohelpresearchteamsandtouristswhowanttovisitMunicipiodeLivingston,wouldbehelpfulif“www.mapsOfworld.comhadcorrectbordersforLivingston.

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Thisisoneoftheveryfewmapsthatshowsthe

MunicipiodeLivingstononthesouthsideoftheCanyon.

Thisislessdistorted.Butthisisnotthemapthattouristsfind;theyfindtheonesthatshowMuniLivingstononlyonthenorthside.

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Haematoxylumcampechianum,palodetinto,palodeCampeche,iscommonatTikal,PNYNN,whenyouhikebyfoottoElMiradorinnorthernPeten,along

RioSanPedrotributaries,etc.

WewouldliketofindHaematoxylumcampechianum,palodetinto,palodeCampechealongthecreeksandriversofIzabal.Sofaryoufindmainly

mangrovetreesandothertreesthathaveadaptedtosurviveabitofseawaterfromtheCaribbeanSea.

SoitwillhelptoasklocalpeoplewholiveinIzabaliftheyknowofHaematoxylumcampechianum,palodetinto,palodeCampeche

intheirareas.

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Haematoxylumcampechianum

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FlowersofHaematoxylumcampechianum

AllthesephotographsofpalodetintoarefromPeten.Wehavenotyetnoticedthistreeintheeastern(brackishwater)areaoftheRioDulceorElGolfete.

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CourtesyofparkrangerTeco.ThesephotosbyTecoarebetterthananyphotoIhavetakenoftheflowersofthistreeinPeten

inthelast15years.

FlowersofHaematoxylumcampechianum

InthemythofthePopolVuh,themotheroftheHeroTwinsmadeaheartoutofthelatexofa“bloodsaptree.”

TherearemanytreesnativetoGuatemalawhosesapisred-as-blood.Buttheonethat

coagulatesthebestistheredsapofthePterocarpusofficinalis.

PterocarpusrohriiisalsofoundinIzabal(synonymisPterocarpushayesii;that’sthenameinmostbotanicalreportsofpastyears).

WiththehelpoftheauthorofmanybooksontreesofGuatemala,ReginadeRiojas,wefound

severalPterocarpustreesonherpropertyneartheedgeofRioDulce.

TherearemanymorePterocarpustreesawayfromtheshoreinRioDulce;oftentheyarealmosttheirownislandsoutinthewater.

NowthatweareworkingtogetherwiththeMunicipiodeLivingston,Ilookforwardtofindingthetreeswhentheyareflowering.Thenwewouldliketofindaheartsurgeonwhocancomewithus

andmakeanactualhumanheartoutofthesap(justlikewasdonebytheowlswhoweresupposedtosacrificethemotheroftheHeroTwins,HunahpuandXbalanque.

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Pterocarpusofficinalis

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Pterocarpusofficinalis

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ThatisShaila,daughterofGaby.GabyisoneofthehelpfulQ'eqchi'Mayanassistantsonourfieldtrips.Weallowmembersofourteamtobringtheirchildrenonthefieldtrip(sothekidscanlearnnewthings,andbecauseitisnicewhenmotherscanbewiththeirchildreninsteadofthekidsbeingwithababysitterfaraway).WeappreciatetheassistanceoftreeresearchspecialistReginadeRiojasforaccesstothispalodesangrededragoonherproperty,inlandfromRioDulce.

IamalsointerestedinfindingandphotographingtheSnakeHawk(theLaughingFalcon,thebirddescribedinthesagaofthePopolVuh).

Andwouldliketofindasmanyofthetrees,mammals,fish,andreptilesmentionedinthePopol

VuhthatoccurinIzabal.AlthoughtheonlysurvivingcopyofthePopolVuhisintheK’iche’Mayanlanguage,2000yearsagoeveryvillage,everycity,everyareaofboththeHighlandsandtheLowlandshadtheirownversion.Youknowthisbecause90%oftheplantsandanimalsassociatedwiththeHeroTwinsandtheirmotherandgrandmotherareallfromLowlandecosystems:notfromthecoldHighlands.TheHighlandchaptersofthePopolVuharethe

historicalaspectsoftheactualhighlands.ButtheHeroTwinspart,thatoriginatedintheLowlandecosystems.

Wouldbegreatiftheshuttleboattourguidescouldaddallthistotheirinformationtheyprovidetothetouristsintheirboat:everytreealongtheshorethatisnotjustmentioned,butliterally

featuredinthePopolVuh.

Forexample,theheadofHunahpuwasaseedpodonthegourdtree(alsocalledCalabashTree).ThisisoneofthetwospeciesofCrescentiathatarefoundinsavannas.

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CastillaelasticaistherubbertreenativetotheMayanareasandtheOlmecareasofMesoamerica.AllthepeoplesofMesoamericamadetheirrubbergameballsfromthelatexofCastillaelastica.ThistreeisnativetoGuatemala:commonintheCostaSur,andalsocanbefoundinPeten.TherearemanyCastillaelasticatreesnearTucuru,AltaVerapaz.WouldbegreattofindnativewildCastillaelasticatreesintheforestsoftheMunicipiodeLivingston.

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Frutosdelárboldehule

Latexbyitselfwillnotbounce.ThomasGoodyearhadtoaddsulfurchemicalstovolcanizethelatex;buthewasusingtheBrazilianrubbertree.TheOlmecsandMayahadthelocalrubbertree;

theycoagulatedthelatexwithsapsqueezedfromvines.Sofar,withthehelpofLacandonethnobotanistSuzanneCook,wehavelearnedthattwodifferentMerremiavinescanhelp

coagulatelatex.IpomoeaalbahasbeenstudiedbyMITchemicalexpertMichaelL.Tarkanian,workingtogetherwithcolleaguesMITprofessorDorothyHosler.

TheteamofFLAARMesoamerica,oncewerealizedthattwospeciesofMerremiacouldalso

coagulatelatex,SenaidaBafoundMerremiatuberosainseverallocationsenroutetoherhomeinAltaVerapaz.WeshowedtheparkrangersofPNYNNthephotosofthetwospecies,andbetweenTeco,Senaida,andDrNicholaswefoundactuallyallthreespecies:Ipomoeaalba,

MerremiatuberosaandMerremiaumbellatainsidePNYNN.

NowwearecurioustofindthesespeciesinMunicipiodeLivingston.

PlusthereareothernativeplantsofGuatemalathatcanproducerubber,andthereareothernativeplantsofGuatemalathatcancoagulateit.Soalotoffuturefieldworktofindthese

remarkableplants,heritageoftheMayanpeople.

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Ipomoeaalba

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Ipomoeaalba62

Merremiatuberosa

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Merremiatuberosa

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Wildpapaya,CaricapapayaisfoundthroughoutGuatemala.WehavefounditatParqueNacionalYaxhaNakumNaranjo,andinMarch,alongtheroadfromLivingstontoPlanGrandeTatin(enroutetoCuevadelTigre).Sothis“wild”nativerelativeiswellknownandeasytospot.

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Caricapapaya

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Butwhatwereallywanttofind,inPeten,AltaVerapaz,andIzabal,arethewildrelativesof“millionsofyearsago.”Relativessooldthattheirfruitsdonotlooklikemodernpapayas.Horovitziacnidoscoloides(Lorence&R.Torres)V.M.BadilloJarillacaudata(Brandegee)Standl.JarillachocolaStandl.Jarillaheterophylla(Cerv.exLaLlave)Rusby

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ArethereanysavannasintheMunicipiodeLivingston?

AretheregrasslandareaswithCrescentiacujete(jicaro),nancefruittrees,andAcoelorrhaphewrightiipalms(tasisteinPeten;pimintillainIzabal)?Thesethreeplantsareindicatorsof

seasonallyinundatedsavannas.

Nothingwillsurpriseus,sincepinesavannasareallovercentralPeten(especiallyaroundPoptunandLaLibertad).PluslotsofBelizeispine-oaksavanna.And3kmoutsidethenortheastcornerof

parqueNacionalTikalthereisapinesavanna.

ButthereisnotonesinglesolitarypinetreeyetfoundinParqueNacionalYaxha,Nakum,Naranjo.WewouldnotbesurprisedtofindCuratellaamericana(anothersavannaindicatorof

Belize)butsofarhavenotnoticeditinPNYNN).

IdoubttherearepineforestsinLivingston,inasavanna.Maybehighinhills,butnotinanylowlandsavanna.

Soourprimaryfocuswillbetolearnwhetherthereareanykindofnaturalsavannaanywherein

theareaoftheMunicipiodeLivingston.

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Tasistal,Acoelorraphewrightii,NearArroyoPetexbatúnPetén

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Crescentiacujete,Nakumsavanna

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Nanceflowers,arepresentativetreespeciesthatisanindicatorofaseasonallyinundatedsavanna.

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DuringtherecenttwodecadesIhavedonefieldtripsalloverGuatemalatofindandphotographthevarioustreesthatprovidedflavoringforcacao(cocoa,chocolate)drinksfortheMaya,Aztecs,Mixtecs,Zapotecsandtheirneighbors.Mucwasoneoftheliterally#1flavoringsathousandyearsago.WouldbegreattofindthistreeinIzabal,thoughnormallythistreeprefersmuchhigheraltitudes.

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NutmeghasbeenplantedinGuatemalasincethe1880's.Sonon-nativenutmegcanbefoundinIzabal.ButVirolaguatemalensisandVirolakoschnyiarenativeandhaveverysimilarpotentialasflavorings.ThisseedhasthemostphotogenicarialofanyplantthatIknowof.AtleastoneofthetwospeciesofthisVirolatreeshouldbefindableintheMunicipiodeLivingston.Let'sworktogethertofindallthetreesthatcanprovideusefulproductswithouthavingtochopdowntheentiretree.

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VirolaguatemalensisCymbopetalumpenduliflorum

Guazumaulmifolia

Vainillasilvestre

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ClerodendrumligustrinumisabushorvinethatgrowsalongtheedgesofArroyoPetexbatunandRioSanPedro(bothinPeten).Thisplantprovidedaflavoringforcacao2000yearsago.WouldbenicetofinditalongthecreeksandriversofMunicipiodeLivingston.WeofFLAARMesoamericawouldliketoworktogetherwithcacaogrowerstocreatenewrecipessocacaogrowerscanmarket“MayanCacao”toclientsaroundtheworld:withauthenticancientingrediants.

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ClerodendrumligustrinumItzimte

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Quararibeafunerbris

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GuatemalanbotanistsMarioVelizhasfoundasecondspeciesofQuararibeainthreeplacesinMuniLivingston.TherecouldpotentiallybetwospeciesofQuararibeaintheseareas.TheflowersofthesetwoQuararibeatreeswereoneofthetop10flavoringsforcacao2000yearsago(andisthe#1flavoringforcacaodrinksinOaxacastilltoday).Solet’sfindbothspeciesofQuararibeaandlettheguidesandboatcapitansknowwheretheyarelocatedandinwhatmonthstheyflower.OurphotosareofQuararibeafunebristhatwefoundatTikalandneartheNaranjosectorofPNYNN.ThankstobotanistMarioVelizweknowthatthesetreesareinLivingston;thechallengeistofindthemtodayandworktopreservethemfrombeingchoppeddown.

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Xylopiafrutesens

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WearealsokeentofindadditionalflavoringswhichwerenotincludedinMichaelCoeandSophieCoe’sthreeeditionsofChocolateoftheAztecandMayaofMesoamerica.IhadbeenaPostGraduateResearchFellowatYaleUniversitysincethelate1960’s(actuallyoveradecadewithseveraldifferentresearchfellowshipsatYale).SoIcooperatedwithProfessorCoeonseveraltopics.ButIfoundoutaboutthepotentialofXylopiafrutescensonlyrecentlysonowwearedoingresearchonthepotentialofthistreeofMunicipiodeLivingstonasanunprecidentedunderutilizedflavoringforfoods(weneedtocheckallthechemicalsfirst).Xylopiafrutescens,malagueta,malaqueta,isasmalltreethatIfirstlearnedaboutbysomeonethatSenaidaBaknows.ThenPedro,oneofourseveralhelpfulknowledgeableplantscouts,foundXylopiafrutescenswithseedsintheremotemountainsofAltaVerapaz.

WehavefoundXylopiafrutescensintheMunicipiodeLivingstonalready.Thissmalltreehashugepotentialtohavetheflowersorotherpartsharvestedtoselltotourists.Plus,tohavethetouristspaylocalguidesandlocalboatcapitanstotakethemtotheareasthatwehavefoundXylopiafrutescensgrowinginIzabal.Thereareanestimated150to200speciesoftreesinanareathesizeoftheMunicipiodeLivingston.TherearealotofspeciesthatweknowfromotherpartsofGuatemalathatwewillbelookingfor:•  Crotondraco,sangrededragón

•  Enterolobiumcyclocarpum•  Sterculiaapetala•  Vochysiaguatemalensis

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Alltourists,fromeverycountryintheworld,lovetoseepalms.SoweatFLAARMesoamericawouldliketofindeverysinglepalminthisareaandeventually,withthehelpofadonationofafundacionorcompanyorindividual,todoabookonPalmasdeMunicipiodeLivingston,Izabal,Guatemala.

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Therearetwopalmsthatgrowprimarilyadjacenttosaltwater(somoresea-likethanbrackishwaterofRioDulce):• Schippiaconcolor• ThrinaxradiataButsofarthesepalmshavebeenfoundonlyfacingtheCaribbean,outsideofGuatemala.IwouldliketofindthesepalmsinGuatemala,inMunicipiodeLivingston,iftheydogrowhere.Chanceis50:50,sincenootherbotanisthasyetfoundthemalongRíoDulce.ButweneedtovisittheherbariaofGuatemalanuniversitiestoknowwhetheranyofthese"saltwaterpalms"hasbeenfoundinIzabal,andifso,where.

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EspeciesdepalmerasdeLivingston

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¿Pendantnestsoforiolesandoropendolas?Sofarwehavenotseenpendantnestsoforiolesororopendolas.ButinpastyearswefoundoriolependantnestsandbothofthetwospeciesoforopendolapendantnestsnearMachoCreek,Izabal.SothesebirdsshouldalsobenearElGolfete,andintheecosystems.

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FLAAR(USA)andFLAARMesoamerica(Guatemala)havespecializeddigitalcamerasandprimetelephotolensestocapturebirds(andflowersandfruits)highintrees.Thisequipment,andthein-housephotographersonourteam,enableustocapturecrispdigitalimagesoffloraandfaunahighinatree.Welookforwardtodoingadditionalphotographyprojectstoassistparks,naturereservesandMunicipiodeLivingston.

Treesimportantforbirdsandmammals:Oneofourlong-rangegoalsforMunicipiodeLivingstonistomakealistofallthetreesthatbirds,monkeys,andotherarborealcreaturesdependon.Guarumo,Cecropiaobtusifolia,isusuallyconsideredaweed,butinfactitproducesediblepartsthathelpDOZENSofbirdspeciesplusseveralmammals.

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Ochromapyramidaleand/orseedpodswithfluff

Ochromapyramidaleflowersprovidetastynectarfororopendolabirdsandformicoleonmammals.Ochromapyramidaleisalsoahelpfultreetoentertaintourists,especiallywhenitisfloweringoritsfluffyCeiba-likekapokisfloatingtheseedsaway.

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OchromaPyramidale

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Inadditiontofinding,photographing,documenting,andpublishingfloraandfauna,wearealsodedicatedtohelpingschoolsinruralandremoteareasofGuatemala.HereistheteamofFLAARMesoamericadonatingeducationalmaterialtotheschoolofPlanGrandeTatin.OureducationalmaterialisalreadyavailableinSpanish,Q’eqchi’Mayan,andEnglish.WewouldliketoaddGarifunaaswell.

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WeclosethispresentationwithsomephotosoftheawesomeecosystemsoftheMunicipiodeLivingston.HereisLagunitaCreek,nearRioSarstun.

RiverattheentranceofTaponCreek

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CañóndelaVaca,RíoDulce

TaponCreek

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ElGolfete,RíoDulce

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TherearetwoplacesintheworldwhereIamtotallyemotional.OneiswhenIamdeepintherainforestsofGuatemala.Orinasavanna,orinaswamp.Thisphotoshowsmeabout10yearsago,somewhereinPetenorIzabal.IamstudyingaPalodeSangretree.Thereare12differentspeciesoftreesinGuatemalewiththename"sangre"inthelocalcommonname(andwehopetofindmanyofthesetreesintheMuniLivingston).

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ThesecondplaceintheworldwhereIfeeltotallyhappyisintheschoolsinruralareas,makingadonationofeducationalmaterial.Ifeeltotallyemotionalbecauseboththestudentsandtheteachersexpresstheirappreciationforuscomingtotheirschool.Myobjectiveistocontinuetodoresearchandfieldworkonfloraandfaunaandputthisinformationintoscientificreportsforbotanists,zoologists,andecologists,butalsotoadaptthisknowledgeoflocalplantsandanimalstocreateeducationalinfographicposters,bannersfortheclassroomwalls,andbooksfortheQ'eqchi'andGarifunastudentsofIzabal.TheschoolhereisinPlanGrandeTatin,MunicipiodeLivingston,13March2020.

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Assistanceforlocalaccess,MunicipiodeLivingstonDanielEsaúPintoPeña,AlcaldeofLivingston(Izabal,Guatemala).EdwinMármolQuiñonez,CoordinacióndeCooperacióndeLivingston(Izabal,Guatemala).JuanaLourdesWallaceRamírez,AsistenteAdministrativo,CoordinacióndeCooperacióndeLivingston.

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Livingston:theCaribbeanbiodiversitywonderlandofGuatemalaIzabal,oneoftheregionaldepartmentsofGuatemalathatoffersavarietyofrecreationalactivities,ishometonumerousnatureparksanddiversenaturallandscapes.Therearewhitesandybeachesashortboattripaway,withtalljungle-coveredmountainsinthebackground,andtheMesoamericanReefSystemintheCaribbeanSeaonthehorizoninfrontofyou.Mangroveswamps,seagrass,islands,cenotes,caves,karstgeologycanyonsandstreamsofcrystalclearwateraboundalongtheRioDulceandLakeIzabalcoastorinland.AllthistogethermakesLivingstononeofthedestinationsfortouristswantingtodobird-watching,explorecaves,gethealthyexercisehikingthroughtrailsintherainforest.Inadditiontotheincrediblefloraandfaunathatthemunicipalityoffers,threedifferentculturescoexistintheecosystem(MayanQ’eqchi’,GarifunaandLadinos).Inordertoconservethebiodiversityfoundinthemunicipalityandthatcontinuestobeofbenefittotheecosystem,itisnecessarytohaveanupdatedrecordofthespeciesthatinhabithereandthusbeabletodetectchangesinthespeciespopulation.ThankstotheeffortsofdifferentinstitutionsfocusedonenvironmentalimprovementprojectsatvarioussitesinLivingston(FUNDAECO(RíoSarstun),CONAP(RíoDulce),CECON-USAC(Chocón-Machacas),ARNPG(morethantenprivatereserves),amongmanyothers)therearerecordsofspeciesofflora,faunaandecosystemsofthismunicipalityofIzabal.

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EgrettaThulaParqueNacionalYaxhaNakumNaranjo

NycticoraxnicticoraxLivingston,Izabal

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Usingthisinformationinthemostefficientwayandusingthepotentialofdigitaltechnology,thedatabaseforthemunicipalitycanbesupplementedwithphotographicrecordsofflora,fauna,andecosystems.TheFLAARMesoamericateam,incooperationwiththemunicipalauthorities,havebeguntoproducethiseducationalmaterialusingthephotographicrecordsgeneratedduringthecooperationprojecttoaccountfortheflora,faunaandecosystemsthatcanbeseeninLivingston.Thiswillbeaccomplishedinordertoprovideinformationtotheschools,familiesandinstitutionsalreadyworkingtoprotecttheenvironment.Wehopetoattracttheattentionofprofessors,botanicalgardenclubs,orchidandbromeliadsocieties,students,tourists,experts,explorers,photographersandnatureloverswhowanttogetcloser,tomarvelatthespeciesoffloweringplants,mushroomsandlichenthatFLAARMesoamericafindsduringeachfieldtripeachmonth.

Thankyouall

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We thank the MUNI Guate for being inviting FLAAR...

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