Montane savanna and gallery forests (Machariapo, 2015)

The first study site of the Identidad Madidi scientific expedition took place between June 3rd and 21st, 2015, in the montane savannas and gallery forests of Apolo, between 1,633 and 2,000 m a.s.l. The camp was established on the banks of the Machariapo river at 1,763 m a.s.l., between the communities of San José and Sarayoj.

The dominant vegetation in the montane savannas is composed of herbaceous species, mainly grasses (Poaceae, Cyperaceae, Xyridaceae), although these are also interspersed with shrubs and small trees. The gallery forests are distributed in strips that intersect the mountain savanna, and are sheltered in the valleys

In total, 296 species of plants, 85 species and subspecies of diurnal butterflies and 210 species of vertebrates were recorded, of which 102 are new species for Madidi, 10 for Bolivia and one for science.