Journal of Ecosystem & Ecography
Open Access

Abstract

Although Amazonian peatland swamps (known locally as aguajales) account for approximately five million hectares in the Peruvian Amazon alone, the importance of conserving these ecosystems has only become more evident due to recent advances in carbon storage measurements, characterizing them as the largest carbon sinks of the Amazon rainforest (Draper et al, 2014). Their imperative biogeochemical characteristics deem these ecosystems crucial for conservation and are in desperate need of legal protection to ensure good quality water and sediment in lowland Amazonia. As they are hydrological ecosystems, this constitutes their susceptibility to major contamination from anthropogenic activities such as gold mining, deforestation, industrial/domestic effluent and unsustainable aguaje (Mauritia flexuosa) palm fruit harvesting â�� all activities which are prevalent in the working sector of Madre de Dios. This paper will explore sustainable procedures to restore Amazonian peatland swamps back to their natural state after intense contamination has occurred from urban areas. The paper will focus on a site in Peru�´s Capital of biodiversity, Puerto Maldonado in the Madre de Dios region. Preliminary testing of peat swamp water quality and sediment analysis of heavy metals, crude oil and VOCs has been occurring since early 2015 to decipher which pollutants are present. Results have already indicated that the water contains excessive amounts of raw sewage, but once more results indicate which specific pollutants are present, an investigation into the potential benefits of phyto-extraction and mycoremediation will be tested on site and in two laboratories in the UK and Lima, Peru. Attempts to mitigate further wetland pollution in Puerto Maldonado will be reviewed as well.

Biography

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