Humboldt Neotropical Field Seminars

Botany Along the Lower Caura River in Venezuela

This expedition-style seminar involves an extended expedition by dugout canoe up the Rio Caura from Jabillal to the Para Waterfalls (Salto Para) in the Rio Caura National Forest Reserve. It offers an opportunity to explore the flora of the different plant communities along the Lower Caura River, especially riparian forest habitats. It will also give participants a chance to study savanna, aquatic and floodplain vegetation; primary evergreen tierra firme forest; vegetation of granitic islands and outcrops; shifting cultivation fields, and successional vegetation. After a day and a half of introduction to tropical flora in the Jardin Botanico del Orinoco, participants will travel in dugout canoes a stretch of 150 km on the Rio Caura (Las Trincheras to the Para Waterfalls). There will be inland excursions on foot at various locations along the river. The seminar will focus on the diversity of plants and vegetation types of the region, as well as the affects of seasonal flooding on riparian forests. This seminar is based out of established camps, the Ye'kwana indigenous village of Boca de Nichare, and their permanent camp at the base of the Para Waterfalls. This seminar will provide an excellent introduction to the flora of this region and could lead to opportunities for individuals who might like to pursue future independent studies in collaboration with scientists of the Jardin Botanico del Orinoco. With this in mind, there will be a brief introduction to the study resources of the Jardin's Herbarium.

Co-Sponsors - This seminar is co-sponsored by the Jardin Botanico del Orinoco, the Universidad Nacional Experimental de Guyana (UNEG), and the Ye'kwana indigenous organization KUYUJANI.

Tentative Itinerary

Day 1 ... Arrival in Caracas, flight to Ciudad Bolivar; overnight in hotel in Ciudad Bolivar.

Day 2 ... Introduction to the tropical vegetation in the Jardin Botanico del Orinoco (field trip) and the Herbarium (lab presentation); introduction to the Caura River and its vegetation, as well as to field trip sites (classroom presentation); overnight in Ciudad Bolivar.

Day 3 ... Travel by car from Ciudad Bolivar to Jabillal; en route field trip to a "morichal" (gallery forest of Mauritia flexuosa "thatch" palms) and the shrub savanna typical of northern part of Caura watershed; travel from Jabillal by dugout to Yokore Island on Caura River; overnight at the camp on Yokore Island; overnight from this night through day 9 in hammocks.

Day 4 ... Field trips on Yokore Island and neighboring granitic islands in area of "La Mura Rapids"; overnight at camp on Yokore Island.

Day 5 ... Travel by dugout to intersection of Rio Caura and Rio Nichare; en route trip up "Cerro Congrejo," a hill on shore of Caura with distinct vegetation and overlooks to east and west over the Lower Caura valley; overnight in Ye'kwana village of Boca de Nichare.

Day 6 ... Field trips into primary upland and flooded forests surrounding Boca de Nichare; visits of shifting cultivation fields and discussion of secondary vegetation; overnight in Boca de Nichare.

Day 7 ... Travel by dugout to the camp of El Playon and its sand beach below the Para Waterfalls; en route field trip to flooded forests; field trips in immediate surroundings of El Playon; overnight in El Playon.

Day 8 ... Field trip from El Playon to cataracts and waterfalls of the Para Waterfalls and back over granitic outcrops with very distinct flora and panoramic overlooks; overnight in El Playon.

Day 9 ... Field trips in surroundings of El Playon; overnight in El Playon.

Day 10 ... Travel all day by dugout from El Playon to Jabillal and overland to Ciudad Bolivar; overnight in hotel in Ciudad Bolivar.

Day 11 ... Flight from Ciudad Bolivar to Caracas; departure from Caracas.