Generalities
1. Study area
The canton Yacuambi is located on southern Ecuador, province of Zamora Chinchipe and it is divided into three main parishes: Tutupali, 28 de Mayo and La Paz. See figure 1. The paramo ecosystem occur in Tutupali and 28 de Mayo, whereas the main ecosystem occurring in La Paz is the tropical forest.
Ecuador Zamora Chinchipe Yacuambi
Figure 1: Study area. On the right in the third picture you can see the political division of canton Yacuambi. In the same third picture from top to bottom: Tutupali, 28 de mayo, La Paz.
Yacuambi host a protected area called “Reserva Muncipal Yacuambi” which has an extension of 54 726 ha. (44,5% of the total canton area) The canton and the protected area do not belong to the Podocarpus National Park (PNP) nevertheless; they are connected to each other through a small forest called “Corazón de Oro” which has serious conservation issues. All of them PNP, Corazón de Oro and Yacuambi are part of the Biosphere Reserve “Podocarpus – El Cóndor”, which is the main protected area category. See figure 2.
Yacuambi
Forest “Corazón de Oro”
Podocarpus National Park (PNP)
Figure 2: Provinces of Loja and Zamora Chinchipe. The image shows from top to bottom: Canton Yacuambi (province: Zamora Chinchipe); forest “Corazón de Oro” (provinces: Loja and Zamora Chinchipe); and, PNP (provincies: Loja and Zamora Chinchipe). The circle indicates the biosphere reserve area
1.1. Clima
The canton Yacuambi has a warm-humid clima. The main rainfall season is from January to July. During August to November the wind speed is moderate whereas, freezes occur in September.
Temperature: mean 22.2 Co; minimum: 6 Co; maximum: 33 Co
Precipitation: lowest part: 2 500mm; highest part: 5 000 mm.
Altitude: 885 – 3808 m.a.s.l.
1.2. Population
In canton Yacuambi are settled down three different ethnic groups: Kichwa (Saraguro); shuar; colonos (mestizos). See figure 3
Shuar Kichwa (Saraguros)
Colonos (mestizos)
Figure 3: The three main ethnic groups occurring in the study area.
Not all the groups occur in the three parishes. The shuars are settled down only in La Paz, whereas Saraguros and Colonos occur in Tutupali and 28 de Mayo, meaning that the area is mainly occupied by Saraguros. See table 1.
Ethnic groups and their settlements
Parishes (canton Yacuambi)La Paz / Tutupali / 28 de Mayo
Ethnic groups
Saraguros / Small population / Mainly population / Half of the population
Shuar / Mainly population / x / x
Colonos / Small population / Very small population / Half of the population
Table 1: the table shows the distribution of the main ethnic groups in canton Yacuambi.
Yacuambi has 6 465 inhabitants: 3 282 male and 1 383 female forming 1 319 families. The most populate parish is 28 de Mayo (3 030 inhabitants). See table 2.
Parishes / Inhabitants / Population density (Inhabitant/Km2)28 de Mayo / 3 030 / 2,39
La Paz / 2 118 / 1,67
Tutupali / 1 317 / 1,04
Total / 6 465 / 5,10
Table 2: Population distribution in canton Yacuambi.
The main influences toward the paramo ecosystem come from 28 de Mayo and Tutupali parishes, where the main population is Saraguro ethnic. Other influences come from people from Loja (canton Saraguro) and Azuay (canton Nabón and Oña) because of the road connecting Tutupali to Urdaneta.
The entire Yacuambi populations share the single watershed “Yacuambi river watershed” and therefore they might have different views towards the basin and the surrounding paramo ecosystem.
References
· Fundación ecológica Arcoiris. 2007. Estudio de alternativas de manejo para el bosque protector Yacuambi, provincia de Zamora Chinchipe, cantón Yacuambi. Loja-Ecuador.