TABLE OF CONTENT 5.0. DESCRIPTION OF THE BIOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT........................................... 5­1 5.1 Introduction ................................................................................................. 5­1 5.1.1 Scope and Objectives............................................................................ 5­1 5.1.2 Methodologies and Information Resources ........................................... 5­2 5.2 Characterization of the Flora and Vegetation Cover ......................................... 5­2 5.2.1 Outline of the Flora in the Panama Canal Watershed ............................ 5­3 5.2.2 Classification of the Vegetation of the General Study Area (GSA), Specific Study Area (SSA), and Direct Impact Area (DIA)................... 5­6 5.2.2.1 Forests ..................................................................................... 5­6 5.2.2.2 Shrubland................................................................................. 5­8 5.2.2.3 Grassland ................................................................................. 5­9 5.2.3 Vegetation Cover and Characterization of the Flora in the Specific Study Area (SSA) and Direct Impact Area (DIA) by Zone................... 5­9 5.2.3.1 Atlantic Coast (Zone 1)............................................................ 5­9 5.2.3.2 Gatun Locks (Zone 2) .............................................................5­11 5.2.3.3 Gatun Lake (Zone 3)...............................................................5­13 5.2.3.4 Culebra Cut (Zone 4) ............................................................5­15 5.2.3.5 Pacific Locks (Zone 5) ...........................................................5­18 5.2.3.6 Pacific Coast (Zone 6).............................................................5­20 5.2.4 Threatened, Endemic, or Endangered Species......................................5­22 5.2.4.1 Atlantic Coast (Zone 1)...........................................................5­24 5.2.4.2 Gatun Locks (Zone 2) .............................................................5­27 5.2.4.3 Gatun Lake (Zone 3)...............................................................5­30 5.2.4.4 Culebra Cut (Zone 4) ..............................................................5­32 5.2.4.5 Pacific Locks (Zone 5) ............................................................5­33 5.2.4.6 Pacific Coast (Zone 6).............................................................5­35 5.2.5 Indicator Species .................................................................................5­37 5.2.5.1 Atlantic Coast (Zone 1)...........................................................5­40 5.2.5.2 Gatun Locks (Zone 2) .............................................................5­40 Category III Environmental Impact Study URS Holdings, Inc. Panama Canal Expansion Project – i July 2007 Third Set of Locks 5.2.5.3 Gatun Lake (Zone 3)...............................................................5­40 5.2.5.4 Culebra Cut (Zone 4) ..............................................................5­41 5.2.5.5 Pacific Locks (Zone 5) ............................................................5­41 5.2.5.6 Pacific Coast (Zone 6).............................................................5­41 5.3 Forest Inventory..............................................................................................5­42 5.3.1 Forest Plantations in the Environmental Study Area (ESA)..................5­42 5.3.2 Direct Impact Area (DIA)....................................................................5­42 5.3.3 Methodology and Data Processing.......................................................5­42 5.3.4 Results ................................................................................................5­43 5.3 Inventory of Exotic, Endemic or Endangered Species.. ......................................................................................5­44 5.5 Characterization of the Fauna..........................................................................5­45 5.5.1 General Diversity of the Fauna in the Study Area ................................5­45 5.5.1.1 Species Richness ....................................................................5­45 5.5.1.2 Mammals ...............................................................................5­47 5.5.1.3 Birds .......................................................................................5­49 5.5.1.4 Reptiles ..................................................................................5­53 5.5.1.5 Amphibians.............................................................................5­54 5.5.1.6 Terrestrial Invertebrates ..........................................................5­55 5.5.1.7 Diversity of Terrestrial Vertebrates by Type of Habitat ...........5­56 5.5.2 Aquatic Fauna .....................................................................................5­57 5.5.3 Characterization of Fauna by Zone ......................................................5­60 5.5.3.1 Atlantic Coast (Zone 1)...........................................................5­60 5.5.3.2 Gatun Locks (Zone 2) .............................................................5­64 5.5.3.3 Gatun Lake (Zone 3)...............................................................5­69 5.5.3.4 Culebra Cut (Zone 4) ..............................................................5­71 5.5.3.5 Pacific Locks (Zone 5) ............................................................5­73 5.5.3.6 Pacific Coast (Zone 6).............................................................5­79 5.5.4 Indicator Species ................................................................................5­81 5.5.4.1 Definition and Characteristics of Indicator Species..................5­81 5.5.4.2 Terrestrial Fauna .....................................................................5­84 Category III Environmental Impact Study URS Holdings, Inc. Panama Canal Expansion Project – ii July 2007 Third Set of Locks 5.5.4.3 Aquatic Fauna.........................................................................5­87 5.5.5 Threatened, Vulnerable, Endemic or Endangered Species ...............................5­90 5.5.5.1 Definitions and Lists Consulted...............................................5­90 5.5.5.2 Endemic Species.....................................................................5­91 5.5.5.3 Threatened or Endangered Fauna .............................................5­92 5.6 Fragile Ecosystems and Representativity of the Ecosystems............................5­97 5.6.1 Fragile Ecosystems..............................................................................5­97 5.6.2 Representativity of the Ecosystems......................................................5­99 5.6.2.1 Atlantic Coast (Zone 1).........................................................5­100 5.6.2.2 Gatun Locks (Zone 2) ...........................................................5­101 5.6.2.3 Gatun Lake (Zone 3).............................................................5­102 5.6.2.4 Culebra Cut (Zone 4) ............................................................5­102 5.6.2.5 Pacific Locks (Zone 5) ..........................................................5­103 5.6.2.6 Pacific Coast (Zone 6)...........................................................5­104 5.7 Protected Areas and Connectivity..................................................................5­105 Category III Environmental Impact Study URS Holdings, Inc. Panama Canal Expansion Project – iii July 2007 Third Set of Locks INDEX OF TABLES Table 5­1 Acreage (ha) by Category of Vegetation Cover in the Specific Study Area (SSA) Table 5­2 Acreage (ha) by Category of Vegetation Cover in the Direct Impact Area (DIA) Table 5­3 Acreage (ha) by Category of Vegetation Cover in the Atlantic Coast (Zone 1) Table 5­4 Number of Flora Species and Families by Group within Zone 1 Table 5­5 Acreage (ha) by Category of Vegetation Cover in Gatun Locks (Zone 2) Table 5­6 Number of Flora Species and Families by Group within Zone 2 Table 5­7 Acreage (ha) by Category of Vegetation Cover in Zone 3 Table 5­8 Number of Flora Species and Families by Group within Zone 3 Table 5­9 Acreage (ha) be Category of Vegetation Cover in Culebra Cut (Zone 4) Table 5­10 Number of Flora Species and Families by Group within Zone 4 Table 5­11 Acreage (ha) by Category of Vegetation Cover in the Pacific Locks (Zona 5) Table 5­12 Number of Flora Species and Families by Group within Zone 5 Table 5­13 Acreage (ha) by Category of Vegetation Cover in Zone 6 Table 5­14 Number of Flora Species and Families by Group within Zone 6 Table 5­15 Endemic, Threatened, and Protected Species by Specific Study Area (SSA) Zone and Institution Table 5­16 Endemic, Threatened, and Protected Species in the Specific Study Area (SSA) in the Atlantic Coast (Zone 1) Table 5­17a Endemic, Threatened, and Protected Species in the Specific Study Area (SSA) in Gatun Locks (Zone 2) Table 5­17b Endemic, Threatened, and Protected Species in the Direct Impact Area (DIA) in Gatun Locks (Zone 2) Table 5­18 Endemic, Threatened, and Protected Species in the Specific Study Area (SSA) in Gatun Lake (Zone 3) Table 5­19 Endemic, Threatened, and Protected Species in the Specific Study Area (SSA) in Culebra Cut (Zone 4) Table 5­20a Endemic, Threatened, and Protected Species in the Specific Study Area (SSA) in the Pacific Locks Category III Environmental Impact Study URS Holdings, Inc. Panama Canal Expansion Project – iv July 2007 Third Set of Locks Table 5­20b Endemic, Threatened,