The carbet Trésor is completed...
On December 22 last year the new entrance building (carbet) of the Trésor Reserve was completed!
The first stone for this new building was laid on October, 21 2008. It is in all respects a worthy replacement of the old carbet that burnt down on December 13, 2005 through unknown causes.
This new facility has immediately been put into use, although the official opening will not take place until the beginning of next March, during Vijko Lukkien's and Pipasi Jeurissen's working visit.
Everyone is working hard on the first exhibition but even more important is the fact that schoolclasses can be welcomed again.
A new discovery on every slope
André van Proosdij
As already mentioned in TN 26 the Trésor reserve is extended with two zones, one in the north and the other east of the original reserve (see map). Together well over 14 km². In order to manage these areas in a responsible way, it is of course important to know what the situation is and what plants and animals can be found. An initial exploratory inventory was drawn up for this purpose last December.
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Inventory of the flora in the extended area
A team of four Dutch botanists led by Renske Ek, drew up an inventory in the extended areas of the reserve from December 7 to 19. Marion Jansen-Jacobs (University of Utrecht), Juul van Dam (Blijdorp Zoo Rotterdam) and undersigned (Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam) did this research together with Renske Ek. Because of years of research Renske is very familiar with the reserve's flora and vegetation. That is why she was asked to see what types of vegetation are found in the extended areas. During the investigation into the kinds of plants that grow there, material of plants was collected for the herbarium in Cayenne. A field trip of barely two weeks is of course not long enough to perform a complete inventory of the botanical wealth of the new areas. Nevertheless, it was long enough for an estimation and it is indeed an enormous wealth!
Wonderful forest vegetation undisturbed by human interference.
At the location the two foresters, Kevin Pineau and Charlotte Briand, accompanied us and took care of a perfect organisation. For a while we were anxious whether the trip could go through and if we would be able to buy fuel on time because of road blocks in French Guiana followed by strikes at the petrol stations. But things went well, so plant press, botany box and photo equipment were packed and we were on our way. We explored the new areas on foot and Kevin's new GPS proved to be worth its weight in gold. Not only were the routes precisely recorded but the GPS also guided us back to the car in a downpour. We went down many steep hills and up again and found beautiful forest vegetation undisturbed by human interference.
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| Smilax poeppigii |
Gongora pleiochroma with pollinating fly |
Disciphania lobata |
| photos André van Proosdij |
The vegetations is partly comparable to the vegetation in the reserve, especially in the north, this is a welcome extension. However, we also found some diverging biotopes. Higher parts with more laterite have been added in the east. Some slopes in the higher parts are too steep to descend on foot and there are rocks sticking out. These steep precipices are a special biotope where plants and animals live that are hardly or not all found in the reserve. Descending through the creek in the extended area north of the reserve, was quite an adventure. It was difficult to keep paying attention to where we put down our feet, because there were so many beautiful things to be seen: splendid ferns, arums and other plants that grow in the wet creek valleys. Numerous frogs, lizards and also fish drew our attention. Those were the moments when I realised how, through the initiative of a few and the support of many, the foundation of the Trésor Reserve could be established in such a short time. Very special indeed!
At least 27 new species
As there were four of us, we worked in two teams for several days. Renske walked to specific spots in the forest accompanied by Kevin our one of us, while the other team worked in a smaller area, determining all the plants found and their flowers and / or seeds. We collected plant material when we suspected that the species was not yet known in the area. It was the first time that collecting was performed in this time of the year, at the beginning of the rainy season we hoped for many blooming trees but unfortunately, it was too dry at the beginning and not many plants were blooming. Fortunately, many of those plants that were blooming were not on the checklist yet. When studying the plants in the herbarium in Cayenne, we appeared to have collected at least 27 species that had not yet been found in the area. This number can become even higher when the rest of the material has been identified in the Netherlands and we have received a response from some specialists to whom we sent plant material for determination. Take for example a Dioscorea that was growing along the road, bearing fruit abundantly, but had not yet been collected. And even a quick walk along the botanical trail yielded a few new findings. This made it clear to us that the botanical work in Trésor is far from finished and that follow-up research will definitely yield many more plant species.
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| André van Proosdij and Renske Ek hunting for pictures |
New plants are found along the roadside. |
Preserving plants in the field.
From left to right: Juul van Dam,
Marion Jansen-Jacobs, Charlotte Briand |
| photo Kévin Pineau |
photo Juul van Dam |
photo Renske Ek |
I intensely enjoyed the magnificent rainforest, the many plants, insects, frogs and birds. By walking along the botanical trail, participants of donor journeys, but also individual travellers can become acquainted with this beautiful forest in an exciting and safe way. I am glad that our work has contributed a bit to the biodiversity of Trésor.
André van Proosdij (1974) studied biology in Wageningen. After his study he worked on a new edition of the Flora of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao at the herbarium of the University of Utrecht. For the Flora of the Guyanas he dealt with two families, namely the Hernandiaceae and the Sarraceniaceae. He has been the scientific keeper of the collection of the Hortus Botanicus in Amsterdam since 2001.
Bats
World-wide there are some 1,000 species of bats. They are the only mammals which can actually fly. Their hands with enormously long fingers with thin skin spread in between serve as wings, hence their scientific name: Chiroptera=Handwinged.
They come in many different sizes: the largest ones live in South-East Asia, weigh about 1,5 kg and have a wingspan of 2 metres. The smallest occurs in Thailand, weighs less than 2 grams and has a wingspan of 12-13 centimetres.
Each species of bat has adapted to its food and way of life. Some eat insects, to others fruit, pollen, nectar, small mammals (including other bats), birds, frogs, fish or blood are the staple food of their specific species.
In South-America many species of bat occur.
Pieter Blondé, provincial coödinator Oost-Vlaanderen of the Flemisch Bat workgroup "Natuurpunt", did some research in Trésor during the summer of 2008.
Pieterblonde@hotmail.com |
Trésor, a real treasury
Pieter Blondé
A look on a gigantic diversity of bats
To judge the value of Trésor better there are currently several projects of making inventories. This article briefly shows the methods used and the results of the inventory of bats I made during the summer of 2008.
Pieter Blondé with one of the larger bats of
French-Guyana: Chrotopterus
auritus | | photo Vanessa Siaudeau |
The reserve is situated on one of the 'wettest' hills of South-America. The yearly rainfall exceeds 4,000 mm. In combination with the air humidity of between 80 and 98% and an almost constant temperature of 26ºC this is not just the ideal climate for fungi, but also for bats.
In preparation for this research the extensive collection of South-American bats in Naturalis has been studied. Locally we mainly followed Simmons et al. 1998, Charles-Dominique 2001 and Burton 2001 for identification. Some animals which did not match the literature were sent to several specialists. A minority of identified bat species were captured in their sleeping-places, of six species these are tree hollows and of one species leaves. The large majority of the species, 51, 434 animals, was captured with mist nets which were moved daily. The total number of animals captured amounted to 52 species with 444 animals.
Choeroniscus godmani
sucks nectar from flowers |
Ectophylla macconnelli,
a fruit eating bat species |
Saccopterix bilineata,
an insect eater which
seeks shelter in tree
hollows during the day |
Vampyrodes caraccioli.
Resting bats hang by their hind legs |
| photo Pieter Blondé |
photo Pieter Blondé |
photo Pieter Blondé |
photo Kévin Pineau |
The species accumulation curve per type of biotope shows that not all species of bats of each biotope have been captured. From the already accumulated data it seems possible to deduce that the largest diversity occurs at the transition from the road/a narrow band of wood to primary forest on the hill. In decreasing order followed by the steep primary forest, the sloping primary forest and the primary swamp forest. The diversity in the plateau forest appears to be the lowest, but this is probably caused by the mist nets never having been moved (=STOC-count*). The data of the captures of this place were not included in further analysis.
Vampyrodes caraccioli
mainly eats figs |
Uroderma bilobatum
mainly eats fruit |
Chrotopterus auritus,
a meat eating bat captured
near the botanical trail |
Desmodus rotundus,
a blood drinking bat |
| photo Kévin Pineau |
photo Kévin Pineau |
photo Pieter Blondé |
photo Kévin Pineau |
Although in 30 nights already 444 animals were captured this is still too few to be able to compare the diversity of Trésor properly to other areas. It is, however, already clear that within the tropics Trésor has a great diversity of bats and that this is an enormously greater diversity than at 'bat hotspot' in the Netherlands and Flanders: the Limburg marlpits (during the flight research in 2008 1434 animals were captured of 13 species).
| % captured animals | % captured species |
| Insect eaters | 33 | 47,8 |
| Fruit eaters | 48 | 37 |
| Nectar eaters | 16 | 9 |
| Meat eaters | 3 | 4 |
| Blood drinkers | 1 | 2 |
Almost half of the number of species were insect eaters. Considering the enormous quantities of mosquitoes and other insects this is no surprise. A third of the species was fruit eating. Because they discharge their droppings in flight they are more efficiënt at spreading seed in the tropics than fruit eating birds, which usually drop their excrements while sitting in a tree (Charles-Dominique 2001). Of the remaining species of bats there are nectar and flower eating ones (with adapted narrow, oblong teeth), meat eating (including a frog specialist Trachops cirrhosus, a bat eating bat: spectral bat Vampyrum spectrum) and blood drinking ones: e.g. vampire bat Desmodus rotundus. .
Next to bats there were some amusing additional catches from large moths to humming birds, from frogs and snakes to a sloth.
Summarizing it has been a truly broadening experience to come into contact with the South-American bat species and diversity. Hopefully this inventory provides nature reserve Trésor with an additional reason to save more rain forest from the 'golden destruction'.
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* STOC = Suivi Temporel des Oiseaux Communs (see TN 22 et 24)
BARATAUD et al. 2006. Etude acoustique des chiroptères de Guyane; mission Lucifer.
BURTON K. LIM_ and MARK D. ENGSTROM, 2001. Species diversity of bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) in Iwokrama Forest, Guyana, and the Guianan subregion: implications for conservation. Biodiversity and Conservation 10: 613-657
CHARLES-DOMINIQUE P., BROSSET A., JOUARD S., 2001. Atlas des chauves-souris de Guyane. Patrimoines Naturels, 49 : 172p.
LEBLANC F., 2005. First elements to recognize Bats of French Guiana by their calls in the field. Le Rhinolophe 17 : 63-77.
SIMMONS N.B., VOSS R.S., 1998. The mammals of Paracou, French Guiana: a Neotropical lowland rainforest fauna. Part 1. Bats. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., 237: 1-219.
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Patrick Ingremeau is a nature photographer in French-Guyana. Many of his beautiful photos can be found on the internet. A couple of times in the past year he accompanied the bird research in Trésor for one day (STOC, Suivi Temporel des Oiseaux Commun, see TN 22 and TN 24). Here you can read impressions of the eighth ringsession. |
Monitor research of common birds
in Trésor
Patrick Ingremeau
On saturday 30 August I have spent a day in the Trésor reserve, between Roura and Kaw, for the eighth monitor round of common birds. It concerns a scientific research which will be executed in the voluntary Trésor reserve with the aim to study the biology of the forest birds of French Guyana. The research is organized by bird ringers who work together with the CRBPO* of the Musée d’Histoire Naturelle** Paris and is supported by the GEPOG*** (an organisation to whom I am connected). Every two months a team of volunteers assembles at the research area. Spread over three years, eighteen rounds are anticipated to guarantee a monitoring of the bird population of the research area over a long period of time. The aim is to gather more knowledge on the biology of forest birds, particularly the population density, the reproduction cycle, the moulting season, the territorium loyalty, etc. A whole series of data which for many species unfortunately enough are lacking. The more one knows about the birds, the better one can protect them and this research on the Mt. Kaw, which was recently threatened by mining projects, is of the utmost importance!
The aim is to catch the birds in nets, to ring them if this hasn't been done yet, to check whether they are already have a ring and to do a number of measurings before they are released again.
Because I am not a ringer (you don't just become a ringer, in fact you must follow a long education that which will be round off with an examination), I have only followed my colleagues ornithologists and I took photos of their work throughout the day.
For convenience a monitor round extends to two days, but in theory will not take more than 24 hours, from saturday 12 o'clock untill sunday 12 o'clock.
The team arrives on the scene saturday morning and first of all the material is taken to the ring place. After this the base camp is erected, the canvas cloths are hanged for when it might rain, the tables are placed and further necessities are being unpacked.
It is time to place the nets. No less than 40 nets are spread around over the research area, every time on the same spot. A list has been made of this and they are numbered. Two teams are being formed. Together with my camera I follow the team of Kévin, Vincent and Leticia.
The nets are attached to two posts and then stretched between the nearest trees with the help of ropes. Some posts are more than one year old and appeared not to be resistant to the humidity. New ones must be made. I put my camera aside, take the chopping knife and go to work, this way I don't feel that useless.
Every net has its own number. With each net a bag of tokens is placed with the number of the net. The numbers will be placed inside the bags with the birds, so that the right place of the catch can be determined.br>
All nets are now at their place but are still folded up. We must wait till zero hour before the start of the research, when a ringer comes to unfold them.
In the mean time we rest
and strength is gathered for the work that needs to be done in the afternoon.
It is time! The nets are spread out and will be regularly checked from now on to prevent birds from being stuck in a net for too long.
I follow Thomas, student-ringer in training, on his tour past the nets.
The first bird that is caught is a young male of the White-throated Manakin.
Thomas tries his utmost to release him as soon as possible but at the same time he works cautiously and carefully to not stress the bird.
Further on a White-plumed Antbird is caught in the net. He is rather entangled in it... but the skilful fingers of the ringers have released him very soon.
Back to the table of the ringers in the base camp.
The birds are put away in cotton bags in which it is dark, because else they might panic. As soon as everyone has returned from the nets, the bags are hanged up high clearly visible so that they will not be forgotten or stepped on by accident. In every bag with a bird goes a token with the number of the net he is caught in.
The birds are taken out of the bags one by one and are carefully taken up. The best way to hold a bird isn't that easy. The bird must be held firmly or elso it can escape before the measurings are ready and at the same time it must be done gently to not hurt it, choke it or stress it too much.
Next the birds undergo a whole series of actions.
At the first place, the identification for which field guides must be consulted if necessary to determine the species or like here the sex.
Across the ringer is the “secretary” who for every caught of checked bird fills out a chart. Every species has a code, composed from the first three letters of its scientific name: for example, PYTALB for Pythis albifrons (White-plumed Antbird)
Here it is Vincent, certified ringer, who holds the pencil and carefully writes down the measurements which Thomas tells him. In front of him, the coloured tubes with the aluminium rings in various measures which are attached to the birds's legs.
If the bird is caught for the first time, it will be ringed, that means, they attach an aluminium ring to its leg of the Musée d’Histoire Naturelle** with an unique number by which it can be identified at a next catch or when it will be found dead.
Because this is already the eighth round of the monitoring program, it often occurs that the bird already has been ringed at an earlier round. Then we speak of a control. The bird isn't immediately released and undergoes the same actions as the birds which have been ringed for the first time. It is the comparison of the various measurings which, put together, enable us to find out more on the biology of these birds since they can be followed over a relatively longer period in their developement. The ringers dispose of the data of the preceding rounds and immediately know the previous history of the checked bird, the precise data and places of the catch, the measurings executed...
Without making a full list, the several measurings include:
The measuring of the beak.
Here the bird is blown on its feathers to spot possible breeding spots which indicate signs of reproduction and show the sex of the species in which no sexual dimorphism occurs. Sensitive souls can be at ease, the bird is not plucked and the ringer has less than a second to determine whether there are spots or not.
Special attention goes to the wings. They are measured and carefully looked at, in particular the flight feathers which may give an indication of age and sex.
All actions take place under the watchful eye of Sylvain, certified ringer of the CRPBO* (and now and then chairman of GEPOG***) who checks the results of the executed measurings by the student-ringers. Here with Kévin, ringer in training and forester of the Trésor reserve.
White-flanked Antwren |
Chestnut-rumped Woodcreeper |
Rufous-throated Antbird |
Golden-headed Manakin |
Finally, finally, when all measurings have been executed, the bird is released again, sometimes after a short photo session with the photographer who is requested to hurry. This is my moment!
And all naturally in a great mutual atmosphere and a good humour!
Many thanks to Leticia, Kévin, Vincent, Sylvain, Alexandre, Thomas and all other participants to this day.
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* Centre de Recherches par le Baguage des Populations d’Oiseaux – Research centre through ringing of bird populations.
** Natural History Museum
*** Groupe d’Etudes et de Protection des Oiseaux de Guyane – Study and Protection group Birds of French-Guyana
Photos: Patrick Ingremeau
Message from the rainforest
Charlotte Briand
Educational activities for schoolchildren in French Guiana
Classes in Cayenne
Within the framework of the 'Contrat Educatif Local' of the city of Cayenne Charlotte Briand, educational employee of Trésor, set up an educational programme about the discovery of the rainforest. These classes, requested by the city council, take place every three weeks on Wednesday morning from 08.30 - 12.00h. They are organised at two schools in Cayenne: Zéphir and Agrande. The theme 'environment' is also dealt with by the Association 'Ne plus Jeter' and by an artist. Judging from the present situation they will publish a comic story about the discovery tour of the children at the end of the school year. A trip with the children to Trésor is planned somewhere in the month of May.
Visit from Cacao
Cacao is a village in the forest at a distance of 15 km from Trésor as the crow flies, but the journey over the road is at least 80 km. In the 1970s Hmong fugitives from Laos and Vietnam settled in Cacao, among other places.
Friday, November 7 schoolchildren from Cacao came to discover Trésor's rainforest. In small groups the 34 children walked down the botanical trail, accompanied by the educational employees Kévin, Charlotte and Alain (from the Nature reserve of the Grand Connétable).
The discovery tour took place in connection with the theme 'Water and forest'. At the end of their visit the children were able to depict the seeds and flowers they had seen in the rainforest with the help of the Workbook Trésor.
They left delighted about their visit and at school they will continue their discovery tour via their workbook.
Photos: Charlotte Briand
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