Serranía Bella Vista (23869)
Bolivia, South America
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1a, A1b, A1c, A1e, B1
Year of last assessment: 2023
National site name: Serranía Bella Vista
Central coordinates: Latitude: -15.8413, Longitude: -67.4659
System: terrestrial, freshwater
Elevation (m): 6 to 2100
Area of KBA (km2): 1312.01491
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: This KBA is located towards the northeast of the city of La Paz, around the highway to the town of Caranavi-Palos Blancos, entirely within the municipality of Caranavi in the province of the same name. It includes a variety of ecosystems mainly from the montane floor, from the biogeographic province of Yungas, which contact Amazonian ecosystems, in addition to some patches of montane rain forests. The vegetation gradient includes dry forests with Anadenanthera colubrina and the tree cactus Cereus stenogonus, to the lower parts of the valleys, where a pronounced rain shadow effect is present, while in areas with higher levels of precipitation can be found Amazonian forests with the Amazonian majo palm (Oenocarpus bataua). The altitudinal gradient continues with a climatic-biogeographic transition strip with a humid seasonal bioclimate, characterized by the Bolivian walnut (Juglans boliviana). Approximately above 1500 m elevation, in areas more exposed to the moisture-laden trade winds, the rainforests are found where the palm trees Dictyocaryum lamarckianum and Iriartea deltoidea are characteristic, an ecosystem that concentrates the endemisms. Finally, above 1800 to 2000 m you can find montane rainforests, whose diversity is the least explored and known in the area. The western half of the KBA, around the road axes from Caranavi to Mapiri, Palos Blancos and Coroico, is heavily anthropized, while the eastern half is mostly in a very good state of conservation, although recent colonization movements are accelerating the processes. of deforestation.
Esta KBA se encuentra hacia el noreste de la ciudad de la Paz, en torno a la carretera hacia Caranavi-Palos Blancos, íntegramente dentro del municipio de Caranavi en la provincia del mismo nombre. Incluye una variedad de ecosistemas principalmente del piso basimontano, de la provincia biogeográfica de Yungas, que contactan con ecosistemas Amazónicos, además de algunas manchas de bosques montanos pluviales. El gradiente de vegetación incluye desde bosques secos con Anadenanthera colubrina y la cactácea arbórea Cereus stenogonus, hacia las partes más bajas de los valles, donde se presenta un efecto pronunciado de sombra de lluvias, mientras que en áreas con mayores niveles de precipitación se pueden encontrar bosques amazónicos con la palmera amazónica de majo (Oenocarpus bataua). El gradiente altitudinal continua con una franja de transición climático-biogeográfica con bioclima estacional húmedo, caracterizada por el nogal boliviano (Juglans boliviana). Aproximadamente por encima de los 1500 m de elevación, en áreas mas expuestas a los vientos alisios cargados de humedad se presentan los bosques basimontanos pluviales donde son características las palmeras Dictyocaryum lamarckianum e Iriartea deltoidea, ecosistema que concentra los endemismos. Finalmente por encima de los 1800 a 2000 m se pueden encontrar bosques montanos pluviales, cuya diversidad es la menos explorada y conocida del área. La mitad oeste del KBA, en torno a los ejes carreteros desde Caranavi hacia Mapiri, Palos Blancos y Coroico se encuentra fuertemente antropizada , mientras que la mitad este se encuentra mayormente en muy buen estado de conservación, aunque movimientos recientes de colonización están acelerando los procesos de deforestación.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance. Trigger species: Oreobates choristolemma A1b; Atelopus tricolor A1a,A1c, A1e; Freziera angulosa A1b, B1; Manihot condensata A1b, B1.
Manageability of the site: The KBA does not have any current form of management. However, due to the interest of the Departmental Government on KBAs it is possible in the future to foster its conservation and management.
Supersedes another site: This site was expanded.
Delineation rationale: Site delineation first considered the trigger species’ occurrence records provided by experts and collaborating institutions. Experts then discussed the species occupation according to those records in the site, their altitudinal ranges and the extent of the species’ main habitats/ecosystems. Final boundaries of the site follow mainly the altitudinal range of the ecosystem and the surrounding hills emcompassin the trigger species evaluated.
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 80 | Forest – Subtropical/tropical moist montane |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 3 | Wetlands (inland) – Seasonal/intermittent/irregular rivers/streams/creeks |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 10 | Wetlands (inland) – Permanent rivers/streams/creeks (includes waterfalls) |
Additional information
Contributors: Alfredo Fuentes Claros Missouri Botanical Garden-Bolivia (MBG)
Arturo Muñoz Iniciativa Anfibios de Bolivia (BAI)
Gabriel Callapa Escalera Iniciativa Anfibios de Bolivia (BAI)
Patricia Mendoza Iniciativa Anfibios de Bolivia (BAI)
Alfredo Fuentes Claros Missouri Botanical Garden-Bolivia (MBG)
Diego Peñaranda Asociación Civil Armonía
Enrique Domic Red para la Conservación de Tortugas de Bolivia (RTB)
Oswaldo Maillard Fundación para la Conservación del Bosque Chiquitano (FCBC)