Disturbance in the forest environment is a common event, whether caused by slash and burn agriculture, tree fall, logging, storm damage or flooding. Deforestation, often cited as an event with permanent causes, is often reversed after abandonment with the forest once again reclaiming its former space, whilst another area is cleared for exploitation. In short, the forest as an entity is adaptive, thus enabling recovery after disturbance.
Ecology of the Parrots of the Tambopata Alan Lee, March 2007.
Alan Lee Since the publication of “New World Parrots in Crisis: Solutions from Conservation Biology” (Beissinger and Snyder 1992), a recent review of parrot related literature shows that little has changed for parrots to alleviate their “crisis”. In fact, in several respects their situation only seems to have deteriorated.
Alan Lee What is it you are actually walking on when you walk through the forests of south eastern Peru, which to confuse you here I will also call the forests of western Amazonia? All those plants and trees are of course growing on soil. Where does it all come from? What’s it all about and most importantly, for me, what does it mean for the birds that are eating it?
Alan Lee A crisis is unfolding undocumented around us in the forests of southeastern Peru. Large emergent Dipteryx trees, locally known as Shihuahuaco, are disappearing from many areas of Amazonia as a result of extractive activities and agricultural expansion. The loss of Dipteryx trees, which can form a major component of the canopy at a local scale, has the potential to affect a host of faunal species.
Alan Lee Watching a pair of Harpy Eagles (Harpia harpyja) cause chaos in a troop of Brown-capuchin monkeys, coati, and Red-throated Caracara, as the soared with broad barred wings over the tree tops and then perched close by, made me realise that these eagles really are one of the kings of the jungle.
Geophagy – whats it all about? Alan Lee Geophagy is defined as the intentional consumption of soil, and has been recorded in a variety of taxa including mammals, birds, reptiles and insects.
