New map reveals the most biodiverse place on Earth

[edfrank]

New map reveals the most biodiverse place on Earth
Jeremy Hance
mongabay.com
September 22, 2011



http://news.mongabay.com/2011/0922-hance_yasuni_map.html

A new map highlights the importance of conserving Yasuni National Park as the most biodiverse ecosystem in the Western Hemisphere, and maybe even on Earth. Scientists released the map to coincide with the United National General Assembly in support of a first-of-its-kind initiative to save the park from oil exploration through international donations to offset revenue loss. Known as the Yasuni-ITT Initiative, the plan, if successful, would protect a 200,000 hectare bloc in Yasuni National Park from oil drilling in return for a trust fund of over $3 billion.

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[pauljost]

Ed,

Well, I guess that my brother, Lou, picked the right place to live.  He lives at the west edge of the green region on the map just west of the center of the red region.  He has entered the Yasuni region alone a few times.  He found it to be a dangerous place and was captured by Shuar headhunters.  Near that time, I believe that some geologists from Shell Oil were killed here after having destroyed some other pristine forests in the area.  Anyway, the Shuars took by brother through the jungle to their village. He had to plead for his life with their chief.  They thought that he was another oil explorer, but eventually convinced them of the truth that he was a biologist looking for orchids, since he knew great details about the local plant and animal life.  He was granted permission to explore and a native guide to prevent him from crossing certain ridges that marked territorial boundaries with even more hostile neighboring tribes.  To report his findings to the tribe, he was given an email address of a son of the chief who had apparently left the wilderness to get an education and act as an ambassador between the tribe and the government and civilization.  It was just another remarkable adventure that may end up in his autobiography some day.

Regards,

Paul

[jamesrobertsmith]

I'm surprised that the most biodiverse spots are in the Americas. I would have thought somewhere in southeast Asia.

Paul: Yeah, yer brother needs to write a book. I recall seeing a film of Marlon Brando and some companions sitting in a conference with some tribal group in South America. The film was with subtitles. One of the tribe members was arguing that they should kill all of the white men present and be done with it. Fortunately for Marlon Brando, the guy was overruled by most of the others.

[edfrank]

If there are other areas that are close in diversity, you could likely generate other maximums by adjusting the method used to calculate diversity.