Our primary method is long term analysis in combination with field expeditions and horizontal field work. Too much of our knowledge about the Pantepui ecosystem comes from short duration expeditions- the kind that spend a scant few weeks in the field, collect limited data, and leave. This kind of work is very expensive, and leads to sampling biases. Biases from short term expeditionary work are temporal and spatial- not enough area was surveyed, and what was covered was done so when convenient, usually in the dry season when the weather is conducive to travel. Biokryptos uses a horizontal approach; field studies are conducted over long periods of time to analyze target species and ecosystems to close the gaps and biases produced by short term expeditions. Our horizontal studies are conducted after gap analysis and based in literature and GIS reviews. In this way, we collect broad spectrum data for future work while solving current research questions.

Camera traps are indispensable to modern wild life biology and ecosystem monitoring, and the use of camera traps is a cornerstone of our efforts. We use a technological approach which integrates indigenous knowledge with long term survey efforts. We use the assistance of indigenous guides to place a network of camera traps in unexplored and little explored areas to look for both target species and conduct biological surveys. Over time, the camera traps are capable of surveying a tremendous percentage of the biodiversity of an area, confirming or negating the presence of certain species, and giving us an understanding of sum total biodiversity. We rely on our indigenous guides to help set up the traps in ideal locations- places where they know target species to exist, in the proper season. Camera traps are a proven tool in wildlife biology, with many benefits. They are minimally invasive and they can be concealed to prevent interference with local wildlife. Although they are expensive to obtain in suitable quantities, they vastly improve the success of long term expeditionary surveys. When combined with other forms of remote sensing such as temperature and gas sensors, satellite images, and overflights, these unites can reveal ecosystem change and biological processes at both a micro and macro scale that expeditionary research alone cannot accomplish.

Camera traps alone are not sufficient to answer fundamental questions and determine biodiversity change over time. To obtain first-hand knowledge of areas we are studying, we interview the indigenous peoples to get an account of how the forests and ecosystem dynamics are changing. The indigenous people have a wealth of knowledge about the places they live- we only need to listen and ask the right questions. By making human knowledge a cornerstone of our efforts, we can narrow or expand our scope of work, and make their stories the center of conservation efforts; it’s their land after all.

When combined with interview and long term surveys, expeditions can become an amazing experience, filled with discovery and insights. Biokryptos makes target oriented searches in the form of expeditions based on the work we do with local people and collecting and refining infield data. Armed with new information and insight from camera traps and interviews, we tailor our expeditions to accomplish specific goals to increase scientific understanding of the areas we study. Our expeditions are open to interested parties who have a specific goal which is in line with ours. We invite and work with experts in a multidisciplinary setting to close research gaps, further conservation goals, and understand the changing structure of the natural world.

A crucial element in any scientific project is epistemological analysis. At Biokryptos we conduct extensive literature reviews to determine where, when, and how previous expeditionary work was conducted. We take this data to produce meta-analyses of tepui information and to geo-reference collection sites using Google Earth and other GIS software. We cross reference this information with indigenous knowledge and reports to determine epistemic gaps. Once our gap analysis is conducted, this information becomes the basis for target oriented investigations. In this way, we can focus our efforts on important research questions and avoid redundant or unnecessary exploration. We are lucky to have the assistance of many highly skilled and dedicated team members, including the pilot Vittorio Assandria. Vittorio’s assistance gives us invaluable access to high quality aerial photography of Auyan; these images are used for route planning, wildlife surveillance, vegetational analysis, and monitoring of Auyan Tepui. Using overflights, Geospatial data, meta-analysis, and gap analysis, Biokryptos is able to identify and actively chart our target areas on the tepui summit.