Rainforests of Ecuador

The rainforests of Ecuador are mostly mountainous; it is this geographic feature which creates the great diversity of organisms in Ecuador. Since the environments are extremely different, in regards to climate, soil, and elevation. Hundreds of different microclimates exist, each with different organisms, contributing to the great biodiversity of Ecuador.

Unfortunately this biodiversity is being threatened by current agricultural practices in the mountains of Ecuador. Areas which were once lush mountain rainforest are being converted into pasture and cropland at an alarming rate. A contributing factor to the rapid conversion of forested lands into croplands is the fact that the soil of the forest is very low in nutrients and the production of cash crops has increased dramatically, in Ecuador. These cash crops offer higher returns to the farmer but also pose a greater risk since the market prices frequently change, so farmers are left to cutting timber from the forests to make enough money to survive. These farming practices threaten to completely destroy Ecuador's native species and decrease the overall biodiversity of the country.

In light of these threats research and preservation efforts are ongoing in the hope that, by obtaining a better understanding of the species and the microhabitats in which they live, we will be able to preserve and save one of the richest most diverse regions on Earth the Ecuadorian Rainforests.