Componentes socioculturales y ambientales que inciden en el ecoturismo comunitario / Socio-cultural and environmental components affecting community-based ecotourism / Componentes socioculturais e ambientais que influenciam o ecoturismo baseado na comunidade

RESUMEN El ecoturismo tiene crecimiento constante en el mundo por el favorecimiento económico, conservación y protección del ambiente. El objetivo del articulo es analizar los componentes socioculturales y ambientales que inciden en el ecoturismo comunitario. Se realizó una exploración documental a partir de artículos, libros y capítulos de libro de la base de datos de citaciones y resúmenes Scopus, mediante la búsqueda de categorias: ecoturismo, relaciones y elementos. El periodo de consulta fue entre los años 20I5 al 202I. Solo se consideraron los trabajos publicados en inglés, español y português, la muestra final fue de 98 documentos. Los resultados exponen las tendências actuales de las investigaciones en ecoturismo comunitario: sus impactos positivos y negativos, elementos socioculturales en capital cultural y condiciones y estilos de vida; ambientales como capacidad de carga y educación ambiental; las relaciones con las políticas, tendencias de los lugares de producción como China y Malasia, y la tecnologia implementada en servicios y productos. En conclusión, el ecoturismo es heterogêneo, busca equilibrio entre lo económico, ambiental y cultural. La participación comunitaria, gestión y planeación, educación ambiental, políticas de apoyo y TIC son esenciales.

ABSTRACT Ecotourism is growing steadily around the world for its economic benefits, conservation, and environmental protection. The article aims to analyze the socio-cultural and environmental components that have an impact on community-based ecotourism. A documentary exploration was carried out using articles, books, and book chapters from the Scopus database of citations and abstracts, by searching for categories: ecotourism, relationships, and elements of ecotourism. The consultation period was from 20I5 to 202I. Only papers published in English, Spanish and Portuguese were considered, the final sample was 98 papers. The results expose current trends in community-based ecotourism research: their positive and negative impacts, socio-cultural elements in cultural capital and living conditions and lifestyles; environmental elements such as carrying capacity and environmental education; relationships with policies, trends in production sites such as China and Malaysia, and technology implemented in services and products. In conclusion, ecotourism is heterogeneous, seeking a balance between economic, environmental, and cultural aspects. Community participation, management and planning, environmental education, policy support, and ICT are essential.

RESUMO O ecoturismo está a crescer constantemente em todo o mundo pelos seus benefícios económicos, conservação e protecção ambiental. O objectivo deste artigo é analisar as componentes socioculturais e ambientais que influenciam o ecoturismo baseado na comunidade. Foi realizada uma exploração documental utilizando artigos, livros e capítulos de livros da base de dados Scopus de citações e resumos, procurando categorias: ecoturismo, relações e elementos. O período de consulta foi de 20I5 a 202I. Apenas foram considerados artigos publicados em inglês, espanhol e português, a amostra final foi de 98 documentos. Os resultados expõem as actuais tendências de investigação em ecoturismo de base comunitária: os seus impactos positivos e negativos, elementos socioculturais no capital cultural e condições e estilos de vida; elementos ambientais como a capacidade de carga e educação ambiental; relações com políticas, tendências em locais de produção como a China e Malásia, e tecnologia implementada em serviços e produtos. Em conclusão, o ecoturismo é heterogéneo, procurando o equilíbrio entre económico, ambiental e cultural. A participação comunitária, gestão e planeamento, educação ambiental, apoio político e TIC são essenciais.

The butterflies of Cristalino Lodge, in the Brazilian southern Amazonia: An updated species list with a significant contribution from citizen science / As borboletas do Cristalino Lodge, no sul da Amazônia: Uma lista atualizada de espécies com contribuição significativa da ciência cidadã

Abstract The richest butterfly communities in the world are found in the Amazon rainforest. Despite of this, and the importance of species inventories for the knowledge of diversity patterns, there are few comprehensive lists of butterflies for localities in the Brazilian Amazon. Here, we present an updated list of the butterflies of Cristalino Lodge (Alta Floresta, Mato Grosso, Brazil), in southern Amazonia, based on specimens collected by researchers and photographic records taken by ecotourists, butterfly watchers, and tour guides. With 1010 species recorded, this is currently the largest list of butterflies published for a single locality in Brazil and the first to reach (and surpass) 1000 species, with more than one third of the records coming from citizen science. The region has about 29% of the butterfly species in Brazil and one of the greatest richnesses known in the country, inferior only to areas in the western Amazon. Its fauna is mainly composed of species widely distributed in lowland Amazonia, with the addition of some species typical of the Cerrado. It has a relatively low number of species of the tribe Ithomiini (Nymphalidae: Danainae), generally considered a good indicator of the total butterfly diversity in neotropical forests, which points to the need for caution when using a single taxonomic group as a surrogate of richness of entire communities. The present work highlights the importance of citizen science and ecotourism centers for inventories and data on species distribution in diverse tropical forests.

Resumo As comunidades de borboletas mais ricas do mundo são encontradas na Amazônia. Apesar disso, e da importância dos inventários de espécies para o conhecimento dos padrões de diversidade, existem poucas listas abrangentes de borboletas para localidades da Amazônia brasileira. Aqui, apresentamos uma lista atualizada das borboletas do Cristalino Lodge (Alta Floresta, Mato Grosso, Brasil), no sul da Amazônia, baseada em espécimes coletados por pesquisadores e em registros fotográficos feitos por ecoturistas, observadores de borboletas e guias turísticos. Com 1010 espécies registradas, essa é atualmente a maior lista de borboletas publicada para uma localidade no Brasil e a primeira a atingir 1000 espécies, sendo mais de um terço dos registros provenientes da ciência cidadã. A região apresenta cerca de 29% das espécies de borboletas do Brasil e uma das maiores riquezas conhecidas no país, inferior apenas a áreas no oeste da Amazônia. Sua fauna é composta principalmente por espécies amplamente distribuídas na planície amazônica, com adição de algumas típicas do Cerrado. Possui um número relativamente baixo de espécies da tribo Ithomiini (Nymphalidae: Danainae), que é geralmente considerada uma boa indicadora da riqueza total de borboletas em florestas neotropicais, o que aponta para a necessidade de cautela ao se usar um grupo taxonômico como previsor da riqueza de comunidades inteiras. O presente trabalho destaca a importância da ciência cidadã e dos centros de ecoturismo para inventários e dados sobre distribuição de espécies em florestas tropicais diversas.

Using ecosystem-services assessments to determine trade-offs in ecosystem-based management of marine mammals.

The goal of ecosystem-based management (EBM) is to support a sustainable and holistic multisectored management approach, and is recognized in a number of international policy frameworks. However, it remains unknown how these goals should be linked to assessments and management plans for marine fauna, such as mammals and fish stocks. It appears particularly challenging to carry out trade-off analyses of various ocean uses without a framework that integrates knowledge of environmental, social, and economic benefits derived from nonstationary marine fauna. We argue this gap can be filled by applying a version of the ecosystem-service approach at the population level of marine fauna. To advance this idea, we used marine mammals as a case study to demonstrate what indicators could operationalize relevant assessments and deliver an evidence base for the presence of ecosystem services and disservices derived from marine mammals. We found indicators covering common ecosystem service categories feasible to apply; examples of indicator data are already available in the literature for several populations. We encourage further exploration of this approach for application to marina fauna and biodiversity management, with the caveat that conceptual tensions related to the use of the ecosystem service concept itself needs to be addressed to ensure acceptance by relevant stakeholders.

Uso de Evaluaciones de Servicios Ambientales para Determinar las Compensaciones en el Manejo de Mamíferos Marinos Basado en Ecosistemas Resumen El objetivo del manejo basado en ecosistemas (EBM) es respaldar una estrategia de manejo multisectorial sustentable y holística, objetivo que es reconocido dentro de varias políticas de marcos de trabajo internacional. Sin embargo, todavía desconocemos cómo deben vincularse este objetivo con las evaluaciones y los planes de manejo de la fauna marina, como los mamíferos y las poblaciones ícticas. Actualmente, parece un reto realizar los análisis de las compensaciones de varios usos oceánicos sin un marco de trabajo que integre el conocimiento sobre los beneficios ambientales, sociales y económicos derivados de la fauna marina no estacionaria. Discutimos que este vacío puede completarse con la aplicación de una versión de la estrategia de servicio ambiental a nivel poblacional para la fauna marina. Para impulsar esta idea usamos mamíferos marinos como estudio de caso para demostrar cuáles indicadores podrían poner en práctica evaluaciones relevantes y entregar una base de evidencias para la presencia de servicios y perjuicios ambientales derivados de los mamíferos marinos. Descubrimos indicadores que cubren las categorías de servicios ambientales comunes cuya aplicación es factible; los ejemplos de datos indicadores ya se encuentran disponibles en la literatura para varias de las poblaciones. Alentamos una exploración más profunda de esta estrategia para su aplicación en la fauna marina y el manejo de biodiversidad, bajo advertencia de que las tensiones conceptuales relacionadas con el uso del concepto de servicio ambiental necesitan ser tratadas para asegurar la aceptación por parte de los actores relevantes.

Canine visceral leishmaniosis in an area of fishing tourism, Bonito Municipality, Mato Grosso do Sul, Central-West Brazil / Leishmaniose visceral canina em área de turismo pesqueiro, município de Bonito, Mato Grosso do Sul, Centro-Oeste do Brasil

ABSTRACT: The study aimed to investigate Leishmania infection in a population of dogs (92 animals) in a fishing area of Bonito Municipality, and evaluate comparatively the serological methods used, immunoenzymatic assay (ELISA), indirect immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT), and rapid Dual Path-Platform test (DPP®). Blood and aspirate of bone marrow samples were used and parasitological investigation was also performed, such as parasite isolation in Neal, Novy, Nicolle (NNN) medium culture, Woo technique, Giemsa stained smears and specific identification by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). IFAT revealed 56/92 seropositive, the ELISA 8/92 and the DPP®41/92. Regarding the agreement between the serological tests by the Kappa index, there was a slight agreement between ELISA/IFAT and ELISA/DPP®, and fair agreement in IFAT/DPP®. The NNN culture was positive in three out of 21 dogs, and identified by PCR as Leishmania infantum chagasi. No samples were positive by the Woo technique. Our results showed low agreements between the serological tests recommended by the Brazilian Ministry of Heath, and it is necessary to associate other diagnostic techniques, such as parasitological tests and PCR, to increase the sensitivity for canine visceral leishmaniosis diagnosis, mainly regarding asymptomatic dogs in endemic areas.

RESUMO: O estudo teve como objetivo verificar a infecção por Leishmania em uma população de cães (n=92 animais) de uma área de turismo de pesca no município de Bonito e avaliar comparativamente os métodos sorológicos utilizados, ensaio imunoenzimático (ELISA), reação de imunofluorescência indireta (RIFI) e teste rápido de plataforma dupla (DPP®). Testes parasitológicos também foram realizados, como o isolamento do parasita em meio de cultura Neal, Novy, Nicolle, técnica de Woo, esfregaços em lâminas coradas com Giemsa e identificação específica pela reação em cadeia da polimerase (PCR). A RIFI revelou sorologia positiva de 56/92, ELISA 8/92 e DPP®41/92. Quanto à concordância entre os testes sorológicos pelo índice Kappa, houve um ligeiro acordo entre ELISA/RIFI e ELISA/DPP®, e uma concordância razoável entre RIFI/DPP®. A cultura NNN foi positiva em três cães, e identificada por PCR como Leishmania infantum chagasi. Nenhuma amostra foi positiva pela técnica de Woo. Nossos resultados mostraram baixas concordâncias entre os testes sorológicos recomendados pelo Ministério da Saúde, sendo necessário associar a outras técnicas de diagnóstico, como testes parasitológicos e PCR, para aumentar a sensibilidade ao diagnóstico de leishmaniose visceral canina, principalmente, com relação aos cães assintomáticos em áreas endêmicas.

Gold is not always gold: Bahía Málaga, touristification strategies in the Colombian pacific / El oro no siempre es dorado: bahía málaga, estrategias de turistificación en el pacífico colombiano

RESUMEN Este artículo aborda la manera en que las comunidades negras en el Pacífico colombiano apropian los conceptos medio ambiente y desarrollo para implementar proyectos de ecoturismo étnico, que en ocasiones se ven bajo el lente de intereses económicos de políticos, empresarios y miembros de las mismas comunidades. La apuesta metodológica de este trabajo privilegia el lugar de la etnografía y el trabajo de campo como herramientas fundamentales para conocer desde la cotidianidad de las comunidades las realidades sociales que aquí se plantean. Estas concepciones dan cuenta de la disputa actual generada desde el Estado por conservar los recursos medioambientales o apostarle a una idea de desarrollo basada en las políticas neoliberales insertadas en la Constitución colombiana de 1991 y el nuevo orden político nacional. Sin embargo, las comunidades nos muestran que estos debates no son necesariamente excluyentes.

ABSTRACT This article discusses how black communities in the Colombian Pacific appropriated concepts about environment and development, which many a times are under the lens of the economic interests of politicians, businessmen and members of the communities themselves. The methodological approach of this study privileges ethnography and fieldwork, which are two key tools to know about the daily life of the communities' social realities presented here. These concepts serve to account the current debate on the question about conserving environmental resources or betting on an idea of development based on neoliberal policies embedded in the Colombian Constitution of 1991 and the new national political order. Nevertheless, communities show that such debates are not necessarily exclusionary.

Variación espacio-temporal de la ictiofauna del Parque marino Xel-Há, Caribe mexicano y su relación con parámetros fisicoquímicos / Spatio-temporal variation of the ichthyofauna in Xel-Ha, Mexican Caribbean Marine Park and its relationship to physico-chemical parameters

Resumen:Xel-Há es un parque ecoturístico marino donde no se permite ningún tipo de extracción de flora o fauna. Una de las principales atracciones turísticas en este parque son los peces de arrecife, no existiendo trabajos publicados sobre la comunidad íctica para este sitio. En este estudio se analizó la variación espacio-temporal de la comunidad íctica en diferentes zonas del parque marino Xel-Há. Para ello, se realizaron censos visuales durante un año en 21 transectos fijos de 100x5 m, distribuidos en cinco zonas del parque: "Bocana", "Centro", "Brazo Norte", "Cueva" y "Río", que incluyen la bocana del mar, canales de manglares y un sitio con aportes de agua dulce. Para caracterizar la comunidad de peces, se estimaron los descriptores ecológicos: riqueza de especies, diversidad, abundancia y densidad a partir del promedio de los censos y se compararon entre zonas y tres temporadas (lluvias, "nortes" y secas). El grado de similitud entre zonas y temporadas se evaluó mediante un análisis de escalamiento multidimensional no métrico. El reemplazo en la composición de especies entre temporadas fue determinado con la presencia-ausencia de peces. Además, se aplicó un análisis de componentes principales para evaluar si las variables fisicoquímicas como temperatura, salinidad y concentración de oxígeno disuelto influyen en la variación de las comunidades de peces. Se registró un total de 22 641 individuos que correspondieron a 63 especies, siendo "nortes", la temporada donde se presentó la mayor abundancia (7 991 organismos). Las especies mejor representadas basados en su abundancia total y frecuencia de aparición fueron: Haemulon sciurus, H. flavolineatum, Lutjanus griseus, Acanthurus coeruleus, Abudefduf saxatilis y Gerres cinereus. La diversidad incrementó de lluvias a secas y comparando entre zonas la riqueza de especies y diversidad fue menor en "Río". Entre temporadas, el 54 % de las especies fueron residentes durante todo el año; se observaron cuatro especies exclusivas para lluvias y tres para secas. La diversidad fue el único descriptor que permitió observar variación entre temporadas. El oxígeno disuelto fue la variable que más influyó en la variación de la comunidad de peces entre zonas. El parque Xel-Há, alberga cerca del 20 % de la biodiversidad de peces reportada para el Caribe mexicano y la predominancia de juveniles de varias especies confirma su importancia como sitio de crianza.

Abstract:Xel-Ha is a private marine park where the extraction of flora and fauna is not allowed. Here, reef fish are one of the main touristic attractions, but there are no published surveys focused on fish community in this site. In this study we analyzed the spatio-temporal variation of the fish community in different areas of the marine park Xel-Há. Abundance and richness were estimated during one-year period (2012-2013); visual censuses using fixed transects of 100x5 m each distributed in 21 transects along five sites were established in different zones: "Bocana", "Center", "North branch", "Cave" and "River", including the inlet mouth to the sea, brackish mangrove channels and a zone with freshwater influence. To characterize the fish community, we used species richness, abundance, diversity, and density compared among zones and climatic seasons (rain, "norths" and dry). The similarity among zones and seasons was estimated using a multidimensional scaling analysis. The replacement on the species composition among seasons and sites was realized based on the presence-absence of fish. The influence of physicochemical variables such as temperature, salinity and dissolve oxygen concentration in the fish community was estimated by a principal component analysis. A total of 22 641 individuals were recorded corresponding to sixty-three species over the year. Abundance was higher during the windy season (locally named "norths") with 7 991 organisms. The most representative species according with abundance and frequency of occurrence were: Haemulon sciurus, H. flavolineatum, Lutjanus griseus, Acanthurus coeruleus, Abudefduf saxatilis, and Gerres cinereus. Diversity increased from the rainy to the dry season; species richness and diversity was lower in "River" than other sites in Xel-Ha. Most species (54 %) species were residents through the year. Four non-shared species were observed during the rainy season and three in dry season. Dissolved oxygen was the most influential variable on the fish community composition among zones. Xel-Ha houses nearly 20 % of fish biodiversity reported for the mexican Caribbean, and the predominance of juveniles of several species confirms its role as a nursery area. Rev. Biol. Trop. 64 (4): 1353-1367. Epub 2016 December 01.

Evaluación de la sustentabilidad en espacios rurales relacionados con el ecoturismo. estudio de caso en la selva lacandona, chiapas,México / Assesment of thee sutainability in rural spaces related to ecotouriism. case study in lacandon jungle, chiapas, Mexico

Esta investigación realiza una evaluación ex-post de la sustentabilidad en espacios rurales relacionados con el ecoturismo, centrada en un estudio comparativo de tres empresas enclavadas en la Reserva de la Biosfera Montes Azules (REBIMA) y una empresa más ubicada fuera de ella, todas en el municipio de Ocosingo, Chiapas, México. 75% de los entrevistados son hombres con edad promedio de 36 años, siete años de escolaridad y 1,9 hectáreas. La principal fuente de ingresos es el ecoturismo, que presenta una relación beneficio-costo venida a menos de 2,7 a 1,7, entre 2007 y 2011, respectivamente. La evidencia indica un desequilibrio en el acceso a subsidios, donde la pertenencia étnica desempeña un rol trascendental.

This research performs an ex-post evaluation of the sustainability in rural spaces related to ecotourism, focused on a comparative study of three companies located in the Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve (MABR) and another company located outside, all of them in the town of Ocosingo, Chiapas, México. 75% of respondents are male with an average age of 36 years, seven years of schooling and 1,9 hectares. The main source of income is ecotourism, which presents a cost-benefit relationship that has ran down from 2,7 to 1,7 between 2007 and 2011, respectively. The evidence indicates an imbalance in the access to subsidies, where the ethnical ownership plays a transcendental role.

Ecotourism and primate habituation: Behavioral variation in two groups of white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus) from Costa Rica / Ecoturismo y habituación de primates: variación en comportamiento de dos grupos de monos carablanca (Cebus capucinus) en Costa Rica

The increase of ecotourism operations within Costa Rica during the last 20yrs has brought more and more humans into close, direct contact with several wildlife species. One of these species is the white-faced capuchin (Cebus capucinus), highly gregarious, and with exposure over time, willing to come into close vicinity of humans and their developments. Such contact has its advantages and disadvantages for the ecotourism industry. We observed white-faced monkeys in order to assess the impact of human presence and development on monkey behavior, with a focus on aggressive, affiliative, and foraging behaviors in Curú Wildlife Refuge (CWR), located in Puntarenas, Costa Rica, and to ascertain the degree of over-habituation of capuchin populations at CWR. Though there exists no discrete behavioral parameters that measure over-habituation, it can be defined as an extreme state of habituation in which non-human primates not only lose fear of humans, but also actively include humans in social interactions or treat them as a food resource. We used instantaneous focal animal and group scan sampling during 8wks in March and April 2012. Two groups (approximately 20-30 individuals each) of capuchins were observed; the first near the tourist development at the Southwestern area of CWR, representing a habituated population that regularly foraged, rested, and groomed in the presence of humans. The second, was observed in the Northeastern area of CWR, did not visit the center of human activity and exhibited fear of humans. The habituated group exhibited significantly fewer instances of threatened behavior in response to human presence (p<0.0001) than the non-habituated group, and spent significantly more time eating and foraging (p<0.0001). While the habituated monkeys at CWR may not be over-habituated, they could become that way as development, especially ecotourism, increases. Over-habituation is a problem that affects capuchins in certain ecotourism sites in Costa Rica. It is critical that the consequences of habituation be studied more carefully, primarily in areas where ecotourism operations draw visitors to wildlife habitats. Rev. Biol. Trop. 62 (3): 909-918. Epub 2014 September 01.

El aumento de actividades ecoturísticas en Costa Rica durante los últimos 20 años ha ocasionado que más y más personas entren en contacto directo y cercano con varias especies de vida silvestre. Una de estas especies es el mono carablanca (Cebus capucinus), que es muy gregario y, al pasar el tiempo, tiende a acercarse a los humanos y sus instalaciones. Tal contacto tiene ventajas y desventajas para la industria del ecoturismo. Observamos monos carablanca con el fin de evaluar el impacto de la presencia humana y la infraestructura en el comportamiento de estos animales, enfocando los comportamientos de agresión, acicalamiento y forrajeo para determinar el grado de habituación excesiva de las poblaciones de monos capuchinos en el Refugio de Vida Silvestre Curú, Puntarenas, Costa Rica. Aunque no existen parámetros específicos de comportamiento para medir la habituación excesiva, se puede definir esta condición como un estado en que los primates no humanos no solamente pierdan su temor a los humanos, sino que también incluyen a las personas activamente en sus interacciones sociales o las consideran como una fuente de alimentación. Los monos carablanca fueron observados a través del muestreo instantáneo focal y por escaneo grupal durante ocho semanas de marzo y abril de 2012. Dos grupos (aproximadamente 20-30 individuos cada uno) fueron observados; uno cerca del desarrollo turístico en la parte suroeste del refugio, que representó una población habituada que de manera regular comía, descansaba y se acicalaba en presencia de humanos; el segundo grupo, que se observó en el noreste del refugio, no visitaba el centro de actividad humana y mostraba temor hacia los humanos. El grupo habituado mostró significativamente menos ocasiones de comportamiento amenazante ante la presencia humana (p<0.0001) y empleó más tiempo comiendo y buscando alimento (p<0.0001). Aunque el grupo de habituados en Curú probablemente no tenga habituación excesiva, esta condición podría surgir más adelante, especialmente si aumenta el desarrollo, y en particular el ecoturismo. La habituación excesiva es un problema que afecta a los monos carablanca en ciertos sitios secoturísticos de Costa Rica. Es de suma importancia que las consecuencias de la habituación excesiva se estudien más a fondo, principalmente en las áreas donde las actividades ecoturísticas atraen visitantes a los hábitats de la vida silvestre.

Empirical trials of plant field guides.

We designed 3 image-based field guides to tropical forest plant species in Ghana, Grenada, and Cameroon and tested them with 1095 local residents and 20 botanists in the United Kingdom. We compared users' identification accuracy with different image formats, including drawings, specimen photos, living plant photos, and paintings. We compared users' accuracy with the guides to their accuracy with only their prior knowledge of the flora. We asked respondents to score each format for usability, beauty, and how much they would pay for it. Prior knowledge of plant names was generally low (<22%). With a few exceptions, identification accuracy did not differ significantly among image formats. In Cameroon, users identifying sterile Cola species achieved 46-56% accuracy across formats; identification was most accurate with living plant photos. Botanists in the United Kingdom accurately identified 82-93% of the same Cameroonian species; identification was most accurate with specimens. In Grenada, users accurately identified 74-82% of plants; drawings yielded significantly less accurate identifications than paintings and photos of living plants. In Ghana, users accurately identified 85% of plants. Digital color photos of living plants ranked high for beauty, usability, and what users would pay. Black and white drawings ranked low. Our results show the potential and limitations of the use of field guides and nonspecialists to identify plants, for example, in conservation applications. We recommend authors of plant field guides use the cheapest or easiest illustration format because image type had limited bearing on accuracy; match the type of illustration to the most likely use of the guide for slight improvements in accuracy; avoid black and white formats unless the audience is experienced at interpreting illustrations or keeping costs low is imperative; discourage false-positive identifications, which were common; and encourage users to ask an expert or use a herbarium for groups that are difficult to identify.

Especies promisorias para el ecoturismo en Campo Aventura Roca Madre, Toluviejo-Sucre, Colombia / Promising species for the development of ecotourism in Campo Aventura Roca Madre, Toluviejo-Sucre, Colombia

Objetivo. Determinar las especies de flora y fauna más importantes para el desarrollo del ecoturismo, en una localidad del departamento de Sucre, Colombia. Materiales y métodos. Se hizo un listado de las especies de flora y fauna observadas en el sendero ecológico de un centro de ecoturismo en Toluviejo, Sucre y se calculó su abundancia, importancia económica, estado de conservación y adaptaciones, que fueron evaluadas mediante un índice de importancia potencial para el ecoturismo, que suma los valores que se asignan a las variables consideradas de interés. Resultados. Se detectaron 18 especies promisorias de fauna, de 91 especies observadas y 16 especies vegetales de 53 observadas. Los animales de mayor potencial ecoturístico resultantes, fueron: Dendrobates truncatus y Saguinus oedipus, especies endémicas de Colombia, seguidas por Basiliscus basiliscus, Atta sp., Morpho peleides, Lycorea halia y Ara ararauna; todas estas con una alta abundancia y fácil detección. Dentro de las plantas, Anacardium excelsum obtuvo el mayor índice de importancia, como resultado de su endemismo y sus adaptaciones. Las especies Piper auritum, Matayba escrobiculata, Tabernaemontana cymosa y la comúnmente conocida como jazmín de monte, fueron fácilmente detectables y abundantes, además Brownea ariza y Tabebuia rosea resultaron las más representativas por la belleza de sus flores. Conclusiones. Se determinaron las especies que pueden ser de interés para los ecoturistas y esto hace posible mejorar el producto que se oferta a partir de profundizar en su conocimiento.

Objectives. To determine the species of flora and fauna relevant for development of ecotourism in a location of Sucre, Colombia. Materials and methods. A list of various species at the ecotourism center in the municipality of Toluviejo, Sucre, was studied which included abundance, economic and conservation relevance and adaptation data. The census was estimated and evaluated according to our index of potential importance for ecotourism, by adding the values assigned to each of the variables of interest. Results. 18 promising species of fauna and 16 promising species of plants were found. Animals with higher ecotourism potential were Dendrobates truncatus and Saguinus oedipus, endemic to Colombia, followed by Basiliscus basiliscus, Atta sp. Morpho peleides, Lycorea halia, Ara ararauna, all these of high abundance and easy detection. Regarding plants, Anacardium excelsum obtained the highest value as a result of endemism and their adaptations. Piper auritum, Matayba escrobiculata, Tabernaemontana cymosa and the specie commonly known as "jazmín de monte", were easily detectable and abundant. Brownea ariza and Tabebuia rosea were the best candidates because of the beauty of their flowers. Conclusions. The species that may be of interest to eco-tourists were determined and this makes it possible to improve the product offering from deepening their knowledge.

Malacological survey of Biomphalaria snails in municipalities along the Estrada Real in the southeast of the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil / Pesquisa malacológica de Biomphalaria em municípios da Estrada Real, situados no sudeste do Estado de Minas Gerais

INTRODUCTION: The increasing practice of ecotourism and rural tourism in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, highlights the importance of studies concerning the occurrence of potential intermediate hosts of Schistosoma mansoni. This study aimed to identify species of Biomphalaria snails in municipalities along the Estrada Real, an important Brazilian tourism project. METHODS: The specimens were collected in different water collections of 36 municipalities along the Estrada Real in the southeast of the State of Minas Gerais. Biomphalaria species were characterized using both morphological and molecular approaches. The research was conducted between August 2005 and September 2009 and all the sites visited were georeferenced using GPS. RESULTS: Six Biomphalaria species were found in 30 of the 36 municipalities studied: glabrata, tenagophila, straminea, peregrina, occidentalis and schrammi. The first three species of Biomphalaria, recognized as intermediate hosts of S. mansoni, were present in 33.3 percent, 47.2 percent and 8.3 percent of the municipalities studied, respectively. The mollusks were found in different types of water collections and no infection by S. mansoni was detected. The highest occurrence of Biomphalaria concentration was verified in the area covered by the Caminho Novo route (Diamantina/MG to Rio de Janeiro/RJ). CONCLUSIONS: Considering the occurrence of schistosomiasis in the State of Minas Gerais and the socioeconomic repercussions involved in the Estrada Real Project, this work focuses on the vulnerability of water collections due to the presence of Biomphalaria mollusks and emphasizes the need for epidemiological surveillance and sanitary and educational measures integrated with the local community and tourism sectors.

INTRODUÇÃO: O aumento das práticas de ecoturismo e turismo rural, em Minas Gerais, Brasil, evidencia a importância de se realizarem estudos sobre a ocorrência de hospedeiros intermediários do Schistosoma mansoni, no estado. O presente trabalho objetivou a busca e identificação das espécies de caramujos Biomphalaria encontrados em municípios mineiros pertencentes à Estrada Real, um importante projeto de turismo brasileiro. MÉTODOS: Os moluscos foram coletados em 36 municípios da Estrada Real, no sudeste de Minas Gerais. A pesquisa foi realizada de agosto de 2005 a setembro de 2009 e todos os locais visitados foram georreferenciados com o uso de GPS. RESULTADOS: Dos 36 municípios estudados, 30 apresentaram a ocorrência de pelo menos uma entre as seis espécies de Biomphalaria: glabrata, tenagophila, straminea, peregrina, occidentalis e schrammi. As três primeiras espécies citadas, reconhecidas como hospedeiras intermediárias do S. mansoni, estavam presentes em 33,3 por cento, 47,2 por cento e 8,3 por cento dos municípios estudados, respectivamente. Os moluscos foram encontrados em diferentes tipos de coleções hídricas e em nenhum deles foi detectada infecção pelo S. mansoni. Houve maior ocorrência de Biomphalaria na área referente ao Caminho Novo (Diamantina/MG ao Rio de Janeiro/RJ). CONCLUSÕES: Considerando-se a ocorrência da esquistossomose, no Estado de Minas Gerais, e as repercussões socioeconômicas que envolvem o projeto Estrada Real, este trabalho aponta para a vulnerabilidade das coleções hídricas devido à presença de moluscos Biomphalaria e enfatiza a necessidade de vigilância epidemiológica e medidas educativas e sanitárias integradas com a comunidade local e setores de turismo.

Evaluation of collaborative strategies for ecotourism and recreational activities in natural parks of Rio de Janeiro / Avaliação de estratégias colaborativas para atividades ecoturísticas e recreativas em parques ecológicos do Rio de Janeiro

Na cidade do Rio de Janeiro, as agências gestoras de unidades de conservação ambiental do tipo parque vêm tentando atingir cinco objetivos principais estabelecidos pelo Sistema Nacional de Unidades de Conservação Ambiental (SNUC), adotando diretrizes de gestão participativa para essas unidades. Dois desses objetivos referem-se ao desenvolvimento de atividades recreativas que envolvem o contato com a natureza e o ecoturismo. Este artigo apresenta as análises e conclusões relativas à implementação de estratégias de colaboração com empresas para atingir tais objetivos. Ele é parte de um conjunto de pesquisas mais amplo. Foram realizados estudos de caso em oito parques, por meio de dezenas de entrevistas com gestores e outros atores sociais interessados, assim como pesquisa documental e observação direta. Os resultados sugerem que o objetivo ecoturístico está longe de ser alcançado e que as estratégias colaborativas utilizadas são insuficientes para contrabalançar as limitações organizacionais, materiais e humanas que sobrecarregam essas agências. Com base na amostra, concluiu-se também que os três poderes de governo envolvidos na gestão dos parques carecem de uma visão estratégica, no sentido de considerar o ecoturismo nas unidades de conservação da cidade como um meio poderoso de incentivar o desenvolvimento local sustentável.

In the city of Rio de Janeiro, the management agencies of environmental conservation units of the park type have been attempting to meet five primary objectives set by the National System for Conservation Units (NSCU), using participatory management guidelines for these units. Two of these objectives relate to the development of recreation activities that involve contact with nature and ecological tourism. This article presents the analyses and conclusions regarding the implementation of collaborative strategies with businesses to achieve such objectives; it is part of a series of research studies having a broader scope. Case studies were conducted in eight parks by means of dozens of interviews with managers and other interested social actors, as well as by documentary research and direct observation. The results suggest that the ecotourism objective is still far from being reached, and that the collaborative strategies used are not sufficient to compensate for the organizational, material and human limitations that encumber these agencies. It was also concluded for the sample that there lacks a strategic vision on the part of the three branches of government involved in the management of these parks in the sense of viewing ecotourism in the city's conservation units as a powerful means to foster local sustainable development.