Fosterella yuvinkae

Accessibility to the Valle de Tucavaca protected area has increased since the construction of the Santa Cruz- Puerto Suarez highway (J.R.I.Wood pers. comm. 2018, Redwood 2012). This has increased the tourist numbers and infrastructure with the construction of new hotels, tourist paths and roads. This has particularly been the case at Santiago de Chiquitos. The growth in visitor numbers and accessibility to these sites increases the risk of unnatural fire, litter and trampling (J.R.I.Wood pers. comm. 2018). This bromeliad is at risk of being removed in path creation and maintenance for routes cut to the viewpoints. Data from the Autoridad de Fiscalización y Control Social de Bosques y Tierra (ABT) in Bolivia shows that known occurrences of F. yuvinkae near to Santiago de Chiquitos are located in areas of permanent timber production (ABT 2003). Burning of dry forest habitat (both illegal and controlled burning) has occurred throughout this species' extent of occurrence between 2014 and 2016. Loss of the dry forest habitat would significantly impact the provenance of this species. Collection for the ornamental plant trade has been identified as a threat to wild bromeliad populations in this region (Mamani et al. 2010, Negrelle et al. 2012). However, there is no evidence at present to suggest that F. yuvinkae is a targeted species. Mining concessions throughout the species' extent of occurrence pose a threat to this species via human-induced disturbance and habitat loss (Hindery 2004). In 2010 the mining company Sidereste, supported by the Ministry of Mining obtained a licence for mineral exploration in the Valle de Tucavaca (Vera 2016). All known locations of this species are located in areas of Oil and Gas interest and future mining activities are likely to occur in the area (Hindery 2004).