Created in 1990, the Reserva Biológica Uatumã protects almost 10 thousand square kilometers of Amazonian rain forest and comprises a fascinating diversity of favorable habitats for the likable ferns and lycophytes. This richly illustrated book treats the ecology and identification of 120 species of ferns and lycophytes and provides to the reader a pleasant introduction to the fantastic world of these groups of plants.
Zuquim, G., Costa, F. R. C., Prado, J. & Tuomisto, H. Guide to the Ferns and Lycophytes of REBIO Uatumã - Central Amazonia. Manaus: Áttema Design Editorial, 2008. 321 p.
Preface
Biodiversity on planet Earth is under imminent threat as a result of human activities, and this diversity is rapidly decreasing as a consequence. This is true in most, if not all, countries of the world, but especially in tropical areas, like the Amazon lowlands, which harbor a disproportionate and biologically interesting share of the biota of the planet. For many areas, we still have no manual with which to identify plants or animals, yet alone a simple inventory, so we may never know what has been lost.
This guidebook on the ferns of Rebio Uatumã, about 140 kilometers north of Manaus, in the state of Amazonas, Brazil, is a well-executed attempt to remedy our lack of knowledge of one small segment of the biota of the region. Florulas – guides to the plants of a relatively small geographic region – are the first step in documenting what grows in a larger area, in this case the Amazon basin.
At Rebio Uatumã, 123 species of ferns and lycophytes are known, and most of them are treated in this book. The beauty of this work is in the presentation – clear, simplified descriptions, field identification tips, and comments on the ecology and distribution, as well as an opposing page of helpful color photographs (habit and details), selected to illustrate the most important parts of a species for easiest identification.
The authors of the book also address the importance of conservation of such relatively pristine areas. A first step in conservation is an inventory of the biota of a region. Simultaneously, it is important to provide protection for these biotic “hotspots”. To aid in the protection of biologically diverse areas, the general public must appreciate, even treasure, life’s intricate web, and it is with this focus and goal that the authors present their work.
Even if you know nothing about ferns, this guide is a wonderfully usable, taxonomically up-to-date introduction to the ferns of Rebio Uatumã. More broadly, it is a helpful guide to identification of some of the commonest ferns of the entire lowland Amazon basin, for novices and professionals alike.
Dr. Alan R. Smith
Research Botanist and Fern Specialist. University of California, Berkeley, U.S.A.
Book available for free download in PDF format on the website of the Research Program on Biodiversity (PPBio): Download here
The printed version can be purchased on site Publisher INPA
