Tapiche Reserve Explained

Tapiche Reserve
Coordinates:5.63416°S 73.98344°W
Location:Tapiche District, Requena Province, Peru

The Tapiche Reserve is a private conservation property located in Tapiche District, Requena Province, Loreto Region in Peru. The reserve is designated by the Peruvian government as a Private Conservation Area (PCA).

Geography

The reserve encompasses an area of approximately 1,540 hectares, in the Tapiche River basin, spanning both sides of the river east of the Ucayali River. It is located 340 km up river from Iquitos on the Tapiche River, and is accessible only by waterway. The Blanco and Umaita Rivers empty into the Tapiche River in the basin area. Other tributaries are the Contea, Capanahua, and Lamayacu Rivers.

The reserve comprises several types of lowland Amazonian forests, including igapo, varzea, and terra firme. It is one of the few areas in the Amazon basin where these forest types can be found in close proximity. The Tapiche River basin in the area of the reserve exhibits a landscape containing alluvial plains and associated floodplains. The floodplains of the alluvial landscape encompass swamps or aguajales; while the non-flooded plains appear as undulating terraces. There are hilly landscapes within the reserve which appear as gently sloping lowland terrain. Swamps have developed on flat land and in depressions formed by fibric histosol soils with pH values varying between 3.5 and 5.

Hydrography

The Tapiche River is regarded as a "black water" river because of its dark sepia waters. Possessing little material in suspension, its color comes from the decomposition of organic material forming humic and fulvic acids. These waters are acidic, with pH around 4.0 and a temperature from 24 °C (75 °F) to 32.0 °C (90 °F). The Tapiche River has a strictly sub-Andean and origin, which eliminates a direct relationship with rainfall in the mountains. Within the reserve there are small bodies of water (oxbows, channels, meanders, restingas and lakes) that communicate with each other and with the Tapiche River. Channels that connect curved river-bends create navigable shortcuts during flooded season. The largest internal body of water is called Quebrada Chambiria. Quebrada Chambiria has little flow which creates habitat for a host of species.

Climate

It has annual temperatures ranging from 25 °C (77 °F) to 33 °C (91 °F) with relative humidity of 78% to 96%. In the rainy season from October to May there is tropical rainfall. The average annual precipitation is 3 meters. During the months of June or July a particular weather phenomenon called a "cold spell" occurs in the region. The cold spell is related to penetration of air masses coming from the southern polar latitudes and entering the South American tropics shortly after reaching Southeast Brazil. This cold spell lasts about 2–4 days, where temperatures can reach 13 °C (55 °F).

Biology and ecology

Fauna

The reserve is home to endangered species such as jaguar (Panthera onca), bald uakari (Cacajao calvus), giant armadillo (Priodontes maximus), the Brazilian tapir (Tapirus terrestris), the Amazonian manatee (Trichechus inunguis), and harpy eagle (Harpia harpyja). A land survey and rapid species inventory of Tapiche Ohara's Reserve was performed in 2011. The species inventory is reproduced below in table format.

Flora

Trees such as cedar (Cedrela odorata) and mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) can be found in its forests. There four representative botanical families in its swamps, including: Moraceae, Fabaceae, Annonaceae and Arecaceae. Also found are catahua (Hura crepitans), strangler fig (Ficus sp.), machimango (Eschweilera sp.), and caupuri (Virola pavonis), aguaje (Mauritia flexuosa), shapaja (Attalea phalerata), cashapona (Socratea exorrhiza), renaco (Ficus trigona), espintana (Oxandra espintana) and huimba (Pachira aquatica).

Aquatic ecosystems

The reserve houses ecosystems formed by conditions that create microhabitats. The ecosystems present on the reserve encompass cochas and tahuampas. Primary plant species found in these aquatic ecosystems are species belonging to the family Poaceae; especially the Gramalote blanco (Paspalum fasciculatum) and others of the genera Echinochloa and Paspalum. Also present is caña brava (Gynerium sagittatum), water hyacinth (putu putu, Eichhornia crassipes), and huama (Pistia stratiotes).

Table of flora (2011)

Scientific name Family Peruvian name Use
Abuta grandifoliaMenispermaceaeAbutamedicine (roots, bark, leaves)
Alchornea castaneifoliaEuphorbiaceaeIpururo medicine (roots, bark, leaves)
Aniba williamsiiLauraceaeMoena amarillawood
Annona muricataAnnonaceaeGuanábanafood (fruit), medicine (bark, roots, leaves)
Apeiba membranaceaTiliaceaePeine de monoanimal food, fuel, seed oil
Aspidosperma rigidumApocynaceaeRemocaspi de bajialwood, tools
Astrocaryum chambiraArecaceaeChambirafood, medicine, crafts
Astrocaryum jauariArecaceaeHuiririma, Chambirillawood, food, crafts
Astrocaryum javarenseArecaceaeHuicungoanimal food, crafts
Attalea butyraceaArecaceaeShebonwood, thatching, animal food, crafts
Attalea phalerataArecaceaeShapajathatching, food, crafts
Bactris concinnaArecaceaeÑejilla, Chontillawood, food, crafts
Bactris gasipaesArecaceaeMansoawood, food, medicine (root), dyes
Bactris marajaArecaceaÑeja, Ñejilla, Chontillacrafts
Bactris simplisifronsArecaceaeÑejilla, Chontillatools
Banisteriopsis caapiMalpighiceaeAyahuascamedicine
Bixa orellanaBixaceaeAchiotemedicine, animal food, dyes
Brosimum acutifoliumMoraceaeMururémedicine (resin, bark)
Brosimum rubescensMoraceaePalisangrewood, animal food, medicine (bark), crafts
Brunfelsia grandifloraSolanaceaeChiric Sanangomedicine (root, bark), ornamentation
Calathea luteaMaranthaceaeBijaocooking
Calophyllum brasilienseClusiaceaeLagarto caspiwood, animal food, medicine (oil), dyes
Calycophyllum spruceanum RubiaceaeCapironawood, fuel, medicine
Campomanesia lineatifoliaMyrtaceaePalillofood, medicine (bark), fuel
Campsiandra angustifoliaFabaceaeHuacapuranamedicine (bark)
Caryocar glabrumCaryocaraceaeAlmendrowood, food
Cecropia membranaceaCecropiaceaeCeticoanimal food, tools
Cedrela odorataMeliaceaeCedrowood, medicine (bark), ornamentation
Cedrelinga cateniformisFabaceaeTornillowood
Ceiba pentandraMalvaceaeWhite lupunawood
Chelyocarpus uleiArecaceaeSacha aguajilloanimal food, crafts, ornamentation
Chrysophyllum argenteumSapotaceaeBalatafood, tools
Chrysophyllum bombycinumSapotaceaeBalatilloanimal food
Clusia roseaClusiaceaeRenaquilla wood, medicine (resin), medicine (bark)
Copaifera pauperaFabaceaeCopaibawood, food, medicine (oil), fuel, soaps
Couepia subcordataChrysobalanaceaeParinariwood, food, crafts, ornamentation
Couroupita guianensisLecythidaceaeAyahumamedicine
Coutarea hexandraRubiaceaeGuacamayo caspifuel, tools
Crescentia cujeteBignoniaceaeHuingomedicine, crafts
Dalechampia dioscoreifoliaEuphorbiaceaeSapo huascamedicine (resin)
Diplotropis purpureaFabaceaeChontaquirowood, tools
Dipteryx micranthaFabaceaeCharapillawood, animal food
Doliocarpus dentatusDilleniaceaePaujil chaquianimal food, medicine
Dracontium loretenseAraceaeJergón Sachamedicine
Duguetia spixianaAnnonaceaeTortuga Caspiwood, animal food
Duroia hirsutaRubiaceaeHuitilloanimal food, dyes
Eichhornia crassipesPontederiaceaePutu putuornamentation
Erythrina fuscaFabaceaeAmasisamedicine (bark), ornamentation
Eschweilera juruensisLecythidaceaeMachimangowood, animal food, crafts
Eugenia stipitataMyrtaceaeArazàfood
Euterpe precatoriaArecaceaeHuasaíwood, food, medicine (root), crafts
Ficus americanaMoraceaeRenacoanimal food
Ficus insipidaMoraceaeOjéwood, medicine (resin)
Ficus schultesiiMoraceaeOjé renacowood
Garcinia macrophyllaClusiaceaeCharichuelowood, food, ornamentation
Genipa americanaRubiaceaeHuitofood, medicine, crafts
Guatteria elataAnnonaceaeCarahuascawood, ornamentation
Guazuma crinitaSterculiaceaeBolaina blancawood
Guazuma ulmifoliaSterculiaceaeBolainawood
Gustavia longifoliaLecythidaceaeChopéfood, fuel
Gynerium sagittatumPoaceaeCaña Brava medicine, tools, crafts
Haploclathra cordataCalophyllaceaeBoa caspiwood
Heliconia strictaHeliconiaceae Heliconia, situlliornamentation
Heliconia acuminataHeliconiaceae Heliconia, situlliornamentation
Hevea brasiliensisEuphorbiaceaeShiringawood
Hura crepitansEuphorbiaceaeCatahuawood, medicine (resin), tools
Himatanthus sucuubaApocynaceaeBellaco caspiwood, medicine (resin), fuel
Hymenaea oblongifoliaFabaceaeAzúcar huayowood, animal food, medicine (bark)
Inga edulisFabaceaeGuabafood, fuel
Inga sp.FabaceaeShimbillofood
Iriartea deltoideaArecaceaHuacraponawood, food, crafts
Iryanthera sp.MyristicaceaeCumala coloradawood
Iryanthera tricornisMyristicaceaePerro caspiwood
Jacaranda copaiaBignoniaceaeHuamanzamanawood, medicine (bark)
Laportea aestuansUrticaceaeIshanga coloradamedicine
Lecythis pisonisLecythidaceaeOlla de monowood, animal food
Lonchocarpus utilisFabaceaeBarbascopoison
Maclura tinctoriaMoraceaeIncirawood, animal food, medicine (resin), dyes
Macoubea guianensisApocynaceaeCoto huayoanimal food, medicine
Macrolobium acaciifoliumFabaceaeAguano pashacowood
Mangifera indicaAnacardiaceaeMangua dulceanimal food
Manilkara bidendataSapotaceaeQuinilla coloradawood, crafts
Mansoa alliaceaBignoniaceaeAjo sacha hembramedicine (roots, leaves)
Mansoa hymenneaBignoniaceaeAjo sacha machomedicine
Maquira coriaceaMoraceaeCapinuríwood, animal food, medicine (resin), crafts
Matisia cordataMalvaceaeSapotefood
Mauritia flexuosaArecaceaeAguajewood, fruit, crafts
Mauritiella aculeataArecaceaeAguajillofood, tools, ornamentation
Maximiliana inaripaArecaceaeShapajillaanimal food
Maytenus macrocarpaCelastraceaeChuchuhuasimedicine (bark), fuel
Mezilaurus itaubaLauraceaeItaubawood
Micropholis sp.SapotaceaeQuinillawood
Minquartia guianensisOlacaceaeHuacapúwood, animal food, medicine (bark), crafts
Myrciaria dubiaMyrtaceaeCamu camufood
Ochroma pyramidaleBombacaceaeTopawood, medicine, ornamentation
Ocotea aciphyllaLauraceaeMoena canelawood, medicine (oil)
Ocotea guianensisLauraceaeMoena coloradawood
Ocotea undulateLauraceaeIsma moenawood
Oenocarpus maporaArecaceaeSinamillothatching, food, crafts
Ormosia coccineaFabaceaeHuayrurowood, medicine, crafts
Oxandra espintanaAnnonaceaeEspintanawood
Pachira aquaticaBombacaceaeHuimbawood, food, ornamentation
Pachira insignisBombacaceaeSacha pandishoornamentation
Paspalum fasciculatumPoaceaeGramalote blancoanimal food
Parkia multijugaFabaceaePashaco curtidorwood
Philodendron lechlerianumAraceaeItiningamedicine (root)
Phthirusa aduncaLoranthaceaeSuelda con sueldamedicine
Phyllanthus urinariaEuphorbiaceaeChanca piedramedicine
Physalis angulataSolanaceaeBolsa Mullacamedicine
Phytelephas macrocarpaArecaceaeYarinathatching, food, medicine (bark), crafts
Piper aduncumPiperaceaeCordoncillomedicine
Piper peltatumPíperaceaeSanta mariamedicine
Poraqueiba seríceaIcacinaceaeUmarí Witotowood, food, fuel, tools
Pourouma cecropiifoliaMoraceaeUvillawood, food, animal food, ornamentation
Pouteria caimitoSapotaceaeCaimito wood, food, medicine, tools
Pouteria macrocarpaSapotaceaeLúcumawood, food, fuel
Pouteria neglectaSapotaceaeCaimitillowood, fuel
Pouteria reticulataSapotaceaeQuinilla blancawood, animal food
Pseudolmedia laevisMoraceaeChimicuawood
Pistia stratiotesAraceaeHuamaornamentation, habitat
Salvia palaefoliaLamiaceaeOreja de perroanimal food, medicine
Smilax asperaSmilacaceaeZarzaparrilla medicine (root)
Socratea exorrhizaArecaceaeCashaponawood, medicine (bark), crafts
Solanum sessiliflorumSolanaceaeCoconafood, medicine
Spondias mombinAnacardiaceaeUbosfood, medicine (bark)
Sterculia apetalaSterculiaceaeHuarmi caspiwood, animal food, medicine (root), tools
Swartzia polyphyllaFabaceaeCumacebamedicine (bark)
Swietenia macrophyllaMeliaceaeCaoba aguanowood, medicine (bark)
Syzygium malaccenseMyrtaceaePomarosaanimal food, fuel
Tabernaemontana sananhoApocynaceaeSanangomedicine (root)
Tachigali tessmanniiFabaceaeTangaranamedicine (bark)
Terminalia oblongaCombretaceaeYacushapanawood
Theobroma bicolorSterculiaceaeMacambofood, fuel, crafts
Theobroma cacaoSterculiaceaeCacaofood
Theobroma grandifloraSterculiaceaeCopoazúfood
Theobroma subincanumSterculiaceaeCacahuillowood, animal food, fuel
Trema micranthaUlmaceaeAtadijomedicine
Tynanthus panurensisBignoniaceaeClavo huascamedicine (bark)
Uncaria tomentosaRubiaceaeUña de gatomedicine (bark)
Unonopsis floribundaAnnonaceaeIcojawood, medicine (bark)
Vanilla planifoliaOrchidaceaeVainillafood, ornamentation
Vatairea guianensisFabaceaeMarupá del bajo, Mari mariwood, fuel
Virola sebiferaMyristicaceaeCumala blancawood, animal food, candels (oil)
Wettinia augustaArecaceaeSacha pona, ponillathatching, medicine, tools

Table of Fauna (2011)

Scientific name Family Names
Accipiter poliogasterAccipitridaeGrey-bellied goshawk
Alouatta seniculusCebidaeRed howler monkey, Coto
Amazona farinosaPsittacidaeMealy parrot
Aotus nancymaeCebidaeMusmuqui
Ara araraunaPsittacidaeGuacamayo azul y amarillo, blue and yellow macaw
Ara chloropteraPsittacidaeGuacamayo rojo, red macaw
Aratinga leucophthalmaPsittacidaeWhite-eyed parakeet
Aratinga weddelliiPsittacidaeDusky-headed parakeet
Ateles belzebuthCebidaeMaquisapa ceniza, white-bellied spider monkey
Ateles paniscusCebidaeBlack spider monkey, maquisapa negro
Brotogeris sanctithomaePsittacidaeTui parakeet
Brotogeris versicolurusPsittacidaePihuicho
Cacajao calvusCallitrichidaeBald-headed uakari, huapo, red uakari
Caiman crocodilusAlligatoridaeLagarto blanco, caiman
Callicebus torquatusPitheciidaeTocon negro, collared titi
Cebus albifronsCebidaeMachin blanco, white-fronted capuchin monkey
Cebus apellaCebidaeMachin negro
Choloepus didactylusMegalonychidaePelejo de altura, two-toed sloth
Chondrohierax uncinatusAccipitridaeGavilan picudo, Hook-billed kite
Coendou prehensilisErethizontidaeBrazilian porcupine
Cuniculus pacaCuniculidaePaca
Daptrius aterFalconidaeBlack caracara
Dasyprocta fuliginosaDasyproctidaeAgouti
Dasypus kappleriDasypodidaeCarachupa, Armadillo
Eira barbaraMustelidae Tayra
Elanoides forficatusAccipitridaeGavilan tijereta, swallow-tailed kite
Harpagus bidentatusAccipitridaeDouble-toothed kite
Harpia harpyjaAccipitridaeHarpy eagle, Aguila harpia
Homo sapiensHominidaeHuman
HydrochaeridaeCapybara, ronosco
Ibycter americanusFalconidaeRed-throated caracara
Ictinia plumbeaAccipitridaePlumbeous kite
Inia geoffrensisDelphinidaeBufeo Colorado, pink dolphin, Amazon river dolphin
Lagothrix lagotrichaCebidaeYellow-tailed woolly monkey, choro
Leptodon cayanensisAccipitridaeGray-headed kite
Lutra longicaudisMustelidaeOtter
Mazama americanaCervidaeVenado Colorado, red brocket deer
Micrastur buckleyiFalconidaeBuckley forest-falcon
Micrastur gilvicollisFalconidaeLined forest-falcon
Micrastur mirandolleiFalconidaeSlaty-backed forest-falcon
Micrastur semitorquatusFalconidaeCollared forest-falcon
Milvago chimachimaFalconidaeShihuango, yellow-headed caracara
Morphnus guianensisAccipitridaeCrested eagle
Myoprocta prattiDasyproctidaePunchana
Nasua nasuaProcyonidaeAchuni
Orthopsittaca manilataPsittacidaeRed-bellied macaw
Paleosuchus trigonatusAlligatoridaeDwarf lizard
Paleosuchus trigonatusAlligatoridaeBlack lizard
Panthera oncaFelidaeOtorongo, jaguar
Phyllomedusa tomopternaHylidaeTiger-leg monkey-frog, Rana lemur naranja
Pionites leucogasterPsittacidaeWhite-bellied parrot
Pionopsitta barrabandiPsittacidaeOrange-cheeked parrot
Pionus menstruusPsittacidaeLoro cabeza azul, blue-headed parrot
Pipa pipaPipidaeCharapa sapo, rana acuatica
Pithecia monachusCebidaeHuapo negro, black uakari
Podocnemis unifilisPodocnemididaeTaricaya, yellow-spotted river turtle
Potos flavusProcyonidae Chozna, kinkajou
Priodontes maximusDasypodidaeGiant armadillo, Yangunturo, Carachupa mama
Proechimys sp.EchimyidaeSpiny rat
Rostrhamus hamatusAccipitridaeSlender-billed kite
Rostrhamus sociabilisAccipitridaeGavilan churero, snail kite
Saguinus fuscicollisCallitrichidaePichio pardo, common pichio, saddle-back tamarin
Saimiri sciureusCebidaeSquirrel monkey
Sotalia fluviatilisDelphinidaeBufeo negro, gray dolphin
Speothos venaticusCanidaeSacha dog, bush dog
Spizaetus tyrannusAccipitridaeBlack hawk-eagle
Tamandua tetradactylaMyrmecophagidaeShihui, lesser anteater
Tapirus terrestrisTapiridaeTapir, sachavaca
Tayassu pecariTayassuidaeHuangana
Tayassu tajacuTayassuidaeSajino
Trichechus inunguisTrichechidaeVaca marina, manatee

References

External links