Day 21 - Pablo's palmito

While we were pulling our hair out figuring out geologic sequences, our TA Jen revealed that her work actively revolves around just that—pulling out hair.  We were hooked, just like she hooks peccaries. A deep plunge into ecology, the day started and ended on a beach, but we passed through so many different ecosystems along the way, including a sandy rain forest, a lowland rain forest, and a mangrove, and, more interestingly, the different ways the flora survive in them.

Invoking our geologic training, we deduced that the sandy rain forest was nutrient poor because the predominately sandy soil was mostly made of quartz, which leads to soils without much nutrition. Many of the plants had to turn carnivorous: if they couldn’t find nutrients in the soil, they would make the nutrients come to them in other ways. And the trees were awfully protective: their leaves were very waxy because they did not want to lose their valuable investments.

We walked along, noting the changing makeup of species as the ecosystems changed. In the lowland rain forest, the species diversity greatly increased and we were introduced to deductive ecology training: whose seed is it? If it was the seed that was the same color as its leaves, it was probably made for the bats – they are not good at seeing colors. If it was the hard, colorful, and lipid-rich, it was probably made for the birds (these seeds are probably poisonous). If it was the sweet fruit whose seeds were exposed by the fruit being broken open, it was probably made for us or, rather, mammals.

By the pond where presumably the last tapir of the island drew its last breath, we carried out diversity plots and tree diameter measurements. The diversity plots and tree diameter measurements, when analyzed in context of our other two ecosystems: PETAR and the Parque Nacional da Serra Geral, provided insight to the nature of not just this segment of the Atlantic rainforests, but of ecosystems in general. One group found human feces in their tree diameter measurements, which did not provide much, if any, insight at all. While there were less palmito trees in this rain forest, did we even want more? On one hand, palmito trees are a valuable resource in a rain forest for the flora and fauna. On the other hand, the less room they took up, the more space opened up for other trees. Similar debates were held about the value in having rain forests in different stages for the different flora and fauna that exist within them. While the default answer was always aiming for the most mature forest, we explored the value in intermediate forests; one notable one being the perhaps greater abundance of medicinal herbs.

Taking in the Gucci sunset and magical clouds and dolphin dips, we had a Gucci ride back on the boat. To everyone’s disappointment, Pablo, our beloved companion and Gucci behavior enforcer, will be leaving us tomorrow. At the same time, we lit up Cananeia with the celebration of the birthday of Sam G, who is a firm believer in the art of Aluba.

By Scotty & Xis Jota.