BIOLOGICAL EXTINCTION IN WESTERN ECUADOR

This paper documents the extent of deforestation in western Ecuador and what is known about its effect on biodiversity. Maps are provided comparing the extent of relatively undisturbed forested areas in aboriginal times, 1958, and 1988. Patterns of floristic diversity and endemism are discussed in light of the massive deforestation, and evidence of extinction of plant species from four florula sites is provided. The naturally fragmented nature of much of the western Ecuadorian forest is discussed, both in terms of evolutionary effects and implications for long-term conservation.