La biodiversidad y el turismo científico; caso de estudio: oso de anteojos en el Área de Conservación y Uso Sostenible Quinuales, cantón Píllaro

Abstract

The biodiversity richness of ecosystems is a key pillar for tourism, especially for those travelers motivated by the protection and knowledge of biodiversity. The research aims to analyze biodiversity and scientific tourism; case study: spectacled bear in the Quinuales Conservation and Sustainable Use Area, Píllaro canton. The purpose was to evaluate the potential of scientific tourism in order to contribute to the conservation of biodiversity, particularly the spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus). To do so, a mixed approach was used, a non-experimental cross-sectional design with a descriptive and phenomenological scope. Information was collected about alpha biodiversity related to the diet of the spectacled bear, through the use of a vegetation registration form, by means of the observation technique. Meanwhile, through the interview, carried out with four experts in the subject, the main characteristics of scientific tourism as a conservation factor of the study species were determined. The result shows that the ACUS Quinuales has a high alpha biodiversity, which houses 24 plant species considered in the diet of the spectacled bear, which ensures the permanence of the species in this habitat. Just as scientific tourism is a modality that emerges as a conservation strategy, as long as it is carried out in an appropriate and sustainable manner, the estimated benefits will be applied to the environmental, social and economic fields.