Guzmania lindenii

Threats to the native flora include cattle ranching and coca production, logging, large-scale agriculture, mining, wildlife trade, industrial development and construction of roads by oil companies; these all threaten the forest habitat. This taxon was first discovered in 1980, around 20 km west of Rioja. When returning, three years later, the subpopulation at this site could not be relocated. The landscape in the region of Rioja had completely changed within a few years, and the forest had been cut down and replaced by plantation of cultivated plants. Only one subpopulation could be located in the region, in a patch of remaining forest (Rauh 1984). Fragmentation of forests is a major cause of bromeliad extinction. It causes local and regional extirpation of emergent trees and vertebrate seed dispersers, a reduction in pollinator abundance and leads to habitat desiccation and invasion of ruderal plants. Fragments are therefore more prone to fire, which appears to be detrimental to many bromeliad species (Benzing 2000, Ariani et al. 2004, Filho and Leme 2007). Forest fragmentation also facilitates the extraction of ornamental species (Benzing 2000, Filho and Tabarelli 2006), including many Guzmania spp. G. bismarckii is an attractive plant, which is available for sale as an ornamental. Seeds or whole individuals may be collected, further reducing size and genetic diversity of the population (Read 1989).

This species was not collected within any conservation units. Although more conservation efforts have taken place than in the Peruvian Andes, much of the Peruvian Amazon remains unprotected. The species is grown ex situ in the Botanical Garden of Heidelberg and Lima. Samples of seed should be collected and stored as an ex situ conservation measure. Surveys and censuses should be conducted in the type locality and in potentially suitable sites to determine the current size and range of the population. The dynamics of the population and its ecology and biology should be investigated. The species has already been listed as Critically Endangered in the Bromeliaceae endémicas del Perú (Leon et al. 2006). Additional research and in situ conservation measures are recommended for this species.