Stroud Center Project in Madre de Dios, Peru

Water-quality and ecosystem-health measures taken at selected streams within the Madre de Dios River basin, Peru, August 14-31, 2006.

The data presented here were collected as part of an intense field and laboratory effort by Stroud Center scientists through a Moore Foundation-funded project to measure watershed health in the Andes-Amazon region. Water-quality and ecosystem function measurements included the following (links are to separate reports covering each category):

Project overview and study sites PDF (205KB)
Biogeochemistry PDF (432KB)
Molecular Tracers of Contamination PDF (563KB)
Microbial Diversity/ Ecology PDF (262KB)
Macroinvertebrate Diversity/Ecology PDF (368KB)
Nutrient Processing PDF (143KB)
Ecosystem Metabolism PDF (133KB)

We intend to periodically update the information presented here in order to allow for proper interpretation by the widest possible audience, from the lay person to the scientist.
 

A series of questions regarding conservation issues facing the Madre de Dios region and answers based on insights from the study are available: Conservation Issues and Insights.