Description: The Upper Río Orthon Basin of Pando, Bolivia, is a transition zone between moister lowland Amazonian forests and dryer deciduous forests. This largely unexplored region potentially harbors one of the most richly biodiverse aquatic systems within Bolivia, if not within the Amazon River basin. A multinational and multidisciplinary team of scientists surveyed the area to provide a baseline assessment of its biological and conservation value as well as the current and future threats facing the region. In just over two intensive weeks, scientists surveyed water quality, zooplankton, benthic macroinvertebrates, crustaceans, fishes, and genetics.
Brief description: Phillip W. Willink is an ichthyologist at the Field Museum in Chicago.Barry Chernoff is the curator and head of the Division of Fishes in the Department of Zoology at the Field Museum and a Rapid Assessment Program team leader. Jennifer McCullough is the manager of the Rapid Assessment Program in the Center for Applied Biodiversity Science at Conservation International.