Pitcairnia chiquitana

Accessibility to eastern Bolivia towards Puerto Suarez 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 and roads. Habitat degradation from tourism is a threat to this species. Tourists visit Santiago de Chiquitos to see the vistas with rock towers at two specific sites: El Mirador and El Arco in the plateaus and natural pools known as Las Pozas. The growth in visitor numbers and accessibility to these sites increases the risk of unnatural fire, litter and trampling, however the habitat on the plateaus remains pristine apart from this (J.R.I. Wood pers. comm. 2018). This species has been seen at the edge of paths on top of the serrania in campo rupestre and at Las Pozas where it is at risk of being trampled or lost in path maintenance (R. Clegg pers. obs. 2019). The rock slabs are a unique feature of the area and are easier to walk on than dense grass and therefore paths and roads are often placed over them.

The increased accessibility has also led to a rise in the conversion of land for agriculture and cattle grazing. Santa Cruz has seen the fastest rate of deforestation in Bolivia with four million hectares lost in 2010, which was before the road completion in 2014 (Vera 2016, Servicio Nacional de Áreas Protegidas 2013). Introduced grasses and use of fire is common practice in this region (the Chiquitania) (Mamani et al. 2010). The introduced grasses include Hyparrhenia rufa, Brachiaria brizantha and Panicum maximum (Mamani et al. 2010, Autoridad de Fiscalización y Control Social de Bosques y Tierra 2017). Fire is used to regenerate new growth in the dry season from around July – September. These fires can spread out of control and spread into native vegetation, which has been seen in El Carmen in 2019 where fire entered the rock slab and burnt the vegetation. Introduced grasses can spread and out-compete native flora and thrive with the combination of fire and disturbed ground (S. Renvoize pers. comm. 2018). These grasses have been observed on the slopes leading up to the Serrania in multiple places and with increasing footfall, new paths and with the aid of fire it is possible that these species will enter the cerrado vegetation on the top of the serrania and dominate as they have in the lower elevations (R. Clegg pers. obs. 2019). At present the grasses are planted in the lower areas around the town, this could particularly impact the habitat quality of the population on rock slabs on the road and at Las Pozas and in El Carmen (R. Clegg pers. obs. 2019). The dry forests on the Serrania’s slopes act as a barrier to the grasses reaching the plateau. However, if these forests become degraded and the spread of these grasses are not managed, they could reach the cerrado’s above.

Bromeliads have become popular as ornamental plants due to their aesthetic appeal, low maintenance and ability to adapt to small gardens (Mamani et al. 2010, Negrelle et al. 2012). Although at this moment there is no evidence that people are targeting this species. Any loss of individuals is a significant loss of genetic variability for this species (Pozo et al. 2013), consequently plant collections could pose a risk to P. chiquitana.

The Serrania de Chiquitos has a long-term risk of mining and 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). At present there are no mining activities occurring in the protected area.