Ericaceae: Flora of Ecuador

安第斯云雾林是厄瓜多尔境内遭受破坏和威胁最严重的地区。因此，必须在云雾林植物的遗传多样性因生境转换而丧失灭绝之前对其进行研究。Ericaceae家族（蓝莓，蔓越莓，杜鹃花和杜鹃花）是厄瓜多尔热带云雾森林的一个突出特征，通常占主要植被类型的主导地位。生长在厄瓜多尔云雾林中的Ericaceae（92种）的50%可能被认为濒临灭绝。Ericaceae在厄瓜多尔的食品、园艺和花卉栽培方面也具有巨大的经济潜力，尚未得到开发。该项目的最终成果是为国际项目“厄瓜多尔植物区系”对Ericaceae进行分类处理，这将加强厄瓜多尔各机构进行有关生物多样性和经济潜力的研究的能力。它将提供关于物种丰富度（即生物多样性）的基本信息；它将提供植物分布的图片，从而确定多样性中心（用于当地保护）；它将为比较各地区提供参考，并帮助厄瓜多尔人确定和设计新的保护区，并为这些地区编制总体规划；最后，它将为当地科学家和学生提供调查和收集技术、植物标本馆管理和植物出版物方面的培训。

Andean cloud forest is the most devastated and threatened area within Ecuador. Consequently, studies of cloud forest plants must be undertaken before their genetic diversity is lost to extinction through habitat conversion. The Ericaceae family (blueberries, cranberries, rhododendrons, and azaleas) is a prominent feature of tropical cloud forest in Ecuador and often dominates a major vegetation type. Fifty percent of the Ericaceae (92 species) growing in cloud forest in Ecuador maybe be considered endangered. Ericaceae also has great economic potential in Ecuador for food, horticulture, and floriculture which have not yet been exploited. This project, culminating in a taxonomic treatment of the family Ericaceae for the international project Flora of Ecuador, will enhance the capabilities of institutions in Ecuador to conduct research related to biological diversity and economic potential. It will provide basic information on species richness (i.e. biodiversity); it will provide a picture of the distribution of plants thus pinpointing centers of diversity (for local conservation); it will provide a reference for purposes of comparing areas and help Ecuadoreans in locating and designing new areas for protection and in preparing master plans for these areas; and finally it will provide training for local scientists and students in survey and collecting techniques, herbarium management, and botanical publication.