Mining is one of the oldest economic activities of mankind. Within this activity, artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is one of the most studied sectors due to its high level of environmental contamination and the social problems it causes. In recent years, ASGM in the northern Amazon of Ecuador has increased significantly, and studies that describe its current situation and impact are scarce. In this sense, the present study aimed to analyze the current status and socioenvironmental impacts caused by ASGM gold mining activities in the Cascales canton in the province of Sucumbíos in northeastern Ecuador. The methodological tools used in the present study were a literature review of scientific and gray literature, field visits to assess perceived impacts and an expert judgment to discuss the results and establish challenges. The main results indicate that illegal and informal activities continue to be carried out in the upper zone of the Cascales and Duvino rivers; 90% of local miners still use mercury in this activity, although it is legally prohibited. Among the main impacts evidenced are the contamination of water bodies, soil and atmosphere due to the use of mercury and disturbance to flora and fauna due to the use of machinery in the exploration process. Finally, the government should focus efforts on strengthening public policies to socialize the importance of good environmental practices in ASGM and the effects of the impacts on human health and environmental issues, all this with the support of social actors, such as ministries, universities, NGOs, ASGM associations and private enterprise.

Conflicts and ecological impacts in natural protected areas can arise for various reasons. The behavior of social stakeholders in the face of conflict is the object of study. Their reactions can be varied according to the personal interests of the parties. Conflicts can cause changes in the communities, incomprehensibly affecting the environment and ultimately transforming their lives. Although the environmental impacts have generally been well studied in protected areas, after reviewing the literature, it was observed that very few studies exist on the local economic conflicts that frequently arise. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the socio-ecological conflicts and impacts generated by the filming of the American reality series Naked and Afraid, produced by the Discovery Channel in the Ecuadorian Amazon-a special case in the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve. The data was gathered from numerous primary sources, including field interviews with the regional stakeholders involved and a video analysis of the Discovery Channels' Naked and Afraid. The results of our study conclude several interesting insights into various social and ecological conflicts and their resulting impacts on the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve. The first of these concerns the high impacts mainly associated with biotic components in the Reserve. The second set of interesting findings are social conflicts that were caused by the discontent of the Indigenous communities in relation to royalties and compensations left by the filming.

Ecuador belongs to the group of 17 megadiverse countries on the planet, and the Ecuadorian national system of protected areas covers around 20% of the country’s territory. Despite some initiatives for protected areas management effectiveness evaluation, the information on this matter is scarce and a general overview is missing. In this context, this study aims at investigating problems faced by National Parks in Ecuador and developing a base level management effectiveness evaluation for possible comparative assessments in the future. Focusing on all 12 legally established National Parks, this study used the Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT), an internationally consecrated methodology based on a scorecard questionnaire that includes six elements of management cycle: context, planning, inputs, processes, outputs and outcomes. The questionnaire was applied to Ecuadorian National Parks management teams through face-to-face interviews. The resulted overall management effectiveness indices are between 40.6% and 99.0%. The general condition of biodiversity value was considered as good in line with the legal status and National Parks design but topics related to budget allocation, tourism arrangements, communities and indigenous people received lower scores. The low enforcement emphasis is not necessarily the best way to improve management effectiveness; the identified issues should be addressed by including communities and indigenous people in the decision making and benefits sharing as well as strategic allocation of budgetary resources, with proper adaptation to Natural Parks’ specific conditions.

At present, climate change is a direct threat to biodiversity and its effects are evidenced by an increasingly accelerated loss of biodiversity. This study identified the main threats presently facing the Tapirus pinchaque species in Ecuador, generated predictive models regarding its distribution, and analyzed the protected areas as a conservation tool. The methodology was based on a literature review and the application of binary predictive models to achieve these objectives. The main results indicate that the T. pinchaque is seriously threatened, mainly by changes in land use. In addition, three models were selected that show current and future suitable areas for the conservation of the species. Its current distribution amounts to 67,805 km2, 33% (22,872 km2) of which is located in 31 of the 61 protected areas. Finally, it is important to take timely actions focused on biodiversity conservation, considering the importance of balance in ecosystems to the humans dependent thereof, and the results regarding the changes in the current and future distribution areas of the mountain tapir are a great contribution to be used as a management tool for its conservation.

La gestión ambiental es la aplicación de políticas dentro de las organizaciones para prevenir, mitigar y resolver problemas de carácter ambiental. El objetivo de este trabajo fue analizar la gestión ambiental en el Ecuador con un enfoque en la biorremediación, se evaluaron tres criterios: legislación ambiental, actividades productivas y biorremediación. La metodología usada fue una revisión bibliográfica, basada en tesis, libros, artículos científicos y normativa ambiental nacional. Se realizó un diagnostico a las organizaciones ecuatorianas enfocadas a procesos de biorremediación, por medio del análisis de teorías, modelos, metodologías y bibliografía de las empresas gestoras. La principal fuente de contaminación identificada en Ecuador son los hidrocarburos o TPH que afectan principalmente a los suelos o aguas y siendo la Amazonía Ecuatoriana, una de las zonas más afectadas. En cuanto a los métodos de biorremediación más utilizados en el Ecuador se identificaron dos principales: Biopilas y Landfarming.

El cambio climático en la actualidad es uno de los problemas más grandes que enfrenta la humanidad, debido a las emisiones descontroladas de Gases de Efecto Invernadero (GEI). El objetivo de esta investigación fue analizar el cambio y mercados de carbono en el Ecuador, a través de un balance y perspectivas actuales y de esta manera, generar estrategias y futuros posibles compromisos entre los principales emisores de carbono. El análisis se llevó a cabo a través de una revisión bibliográfica en diferentes documentos especializados, la misma que permitió comparar, examinar e identificar la información recolectada. Se estableció que los mercados de carbono son uno de los mecanismos planteados por el Protocolo de Kyoto (PK) para combatir y frenar las consecuencias del cambio climático. A nivel del Ecuador se logró conocer el balance y perspectivas frente a este mercado por medio del Portafolio Indicativo el cual contiene 31 proyectos financiados de Mecanismo de Desarrollo Limpio (MDL) que se han generado en el país diferenciando cuatro áreas distintas. Se plantearon estrategias encaminadas a fomentar el desarrollo sostenible y lograr una mayor participación del Ecuador en este mercado a nivel internacional. De la misma manera, se trazaron compromisos que son posibles entre el Ecuador y los principales países emisores de carbono como Estados Unidos y Canadá. Se concluye que el mercado de carbono es una alternativa viable para mitigar el cambio climático, ya que establece compromisos entre los países desarrollados en cuanto a reducción de emisiones y que los países en desarrollo pueden contribuir con proyectos de desarrollo sostenible. Se recomienda que se creen espacios regionales de información transparente sobre los mercados de carbono, sus mecanismos de implementación, los retos que conlleva y las potencialidades para los países que participen.

A diagnosis was applied on agricultural crops in the Shuar Yandia Yacu and San José de Armenia communities, in Orellana (Ecuador). Fourteen farms were chosen, seven in San José de Armenia and seven in Yandia Yacu. For sampling, they were divided into plots of 1x1 m for herbaceous and minor cultivable species, 5x5 m for shrubs and arable species of medium size, and 10x10 m for bigger cultivable and usable tree species. Data about composition and plant abundance were taken, by direct counting and participatory techniques, such as surveys and interviews. It was identified and classified by crop group, annual, perennial, use and utilitarian value. Indices of richness, diversity, similarity and cumulative frequency of the crops were calculated. As a result were found 97 agricultural species, the most representative families were Arecaceae, Solanaceae and Fabaceae, mostly fruit trees. The diversity and specific richness was registered low, representing approximately 5% of the registered agricultural species in the country. The annual food species with the highest accumulated frequency was corn (Zea maize L.), the perennial species of mayor importance was coffee (Coffea arabica L.), and the most important annual ancestral species was yucca (Manihotesculenta Crantz.). In conclusion there is a significant increase of monocultures, therefore it is necessary to recover and strengthen the production of ancestral crops to conserve the diversity of agricultural species in the Amazon region.

Las especies de abejas meliponas son importantes para la polinización de las plantas y el mantenimiento de los ecosistemas. El objetivo de esta investigación fue analizar las prácticas de manejo y las principales amenazas a las que están expuestas, así como también el planteamiento de estrategias que permitan su conservación. La metodología que se empleó se basó en información recolectada de fuentes bibliográficas como también entrevistas a los productores de la zona. Parte de los resultados obtenidos permitieron conocer las técnicas de conservación como el manejo del nido, el diseño de una caja estandarizada, el uso adecuado de los productos que elaboran las abejas. Del mismo modo, se evidenciaron las colmenas artificiales que poseen los productores, la estructura desarrollada y el conocimiento que poseen en cuanto a los peligros que se pueden presentar como también la venta de miel y los métodos usados para su extracción. Además, se trazaron compromisos que pueden llevarse a cabo para aumentar la meliponicultura como alternativa para la conservación y aprovechamiento de las abejas. Se concluye que, existe cierto grado de conocimiento por parte de los productores acerca de los beneficios, pero, por otra parte, también es evidente la amenaza constante que las actividades antropogénicas representas para ellas, por lo es necesario llevar a cabo charlas de sensibilización que logren frenar esta situación.