The living library of the Cotapata National Park in Bolivia: An example of application of Bolivian law on the access to genetic resources

Developing countries with a rich biodiversity want to control the use of this natural patrimony, especially in the research of natural compounds of pharmaceutical interest. Here we present the organization of six permanent plots in a mountain tropical forest on the east side of the Andean Cordillera in Bolivia, and their role in the discovery of plants with antiplasmodial or antileishmanial activities. Permanent plots are widely used in ecological survey, but rarely in bioprospecting. This set-up allows Bolivian authorities to control the bioprospecting, and facilitates further chemical studies on the bioactive plants.