Western South America: Western Ecuador

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The Guayaquil flooded grasslands represent one of the most important and complex coastal environments in Ecuador. These grasslands are located in the Guayas River Basin in Ecuador. This ecoregion is threatened by the steady increase of human population and large agricultural irrigation programs.

  • Scientific Code
    (NT0905)
  • Ecoregion Category
    Neotropical
  • Size
    1,100 square miles
  • Status
    Critical/Endangered
  • Habitats

Description


Location and General Description

Biodiversity Features

Current Status

Types and Severity of Threats

Justification of Ecoregion Delineation
These seasonally innundated grasslands occur east of the city of Guuayaquil, in western coastal Ecuador. In its southern extent, this ecoregion forms a gradual transition to mangrove as tidal influence increases near the Gulf of Guayaquil. Linework for this ecoregion follows the UNESCO (1980) classification of “tropical tall flooded grasslands” which occur in this watershed.

References
UNESCO. 1980. Vegetation map of South America. Map 1:5,000,000. Institut de la Carte Internationale de Tapis Vegetal. Toulouse, France

Prepared by: Dr. Carmen Bonifaz de Elao
Reviewed by: In process