Sistema Regional de Información
en línea para Revistas Científicas de América Latina,
el Caribe, España y Portugal

Introduction: In mangroves, microplastics (MPs), (< 0.5 mm particles) penetrate deep into the sediments and can cause adverse effects on the species that consume them by accident, affecting their development, nutrition, and life quality in general. In Colombia, studies on plastic and microplastic pollution have been focused on the Caribbean coast and its consumption by fishes, however, the Pacific has been scarcely documented. Objective: To confirm the presence of MPs in mangrove organisms of two locations of Buenaventura Bay, Colombia, to characterize them, and to estimate their effect on trophic groups. Methods: Two species of cockles, Anadara similis and Anadara tuberculosa, and crab Goniopsis pulchra were selected. MPs were extracted, counted, and classified according to shape and color. Results: In total, 81 individuals were captured. We found MPs in 100 % of the organisms and transparent fragments were the most abundant (56.40 %). An average of 25.54 ± 23.8 particles/individual was found, and no differences were found between the cockles, but between each regarding G. pulchra. Conclusion: The different feeding behaviors could explain these differences; more generalist species would ingest a more significant amount of particles. This is the first approximation to studying MPs inside invertebrate organisms in the Colombian Pacific.

Introduction: The expansion of conventional agriculture has caused the loss of natural habitats for the fauna, but the coffee agroecosystems of Oaxaca can provide an alternative habitat for mammals, which is associated with the cultural value that human communities assign to them. Objective: To assess the diversity and cultural value of medium and large mammals associated with the coffee plantation, and what they represent for the inhabitants of San Gabriel Mixtepec, Oaxaca, Mexico. Method: A mixed method was used. For the diversity analysis, the mammal species were identified through camera traps. To determine the Cultural Importance Index (IIC), semi-structured interviews and participatory workshops were carried out with the residents, who also helped to identify the different uses of the medium and large mammals. Results: A total of 26 species grouped into seven orders, 14 families, and 23 genera were recorded. Alpha diversity was greater in the dry season than in the wet season. Some species were detected in only one of the two seasons. Six hundred and thirty-nine records of cultural uses of mammals were obtained; use as food was the most mentioned. Twelve types of uses were identified. The species with the greatest cultural importance were Odocoileus virginianus (IIC = 0.92), with 11 uses, followed by Dasypus novemcinctus (IIC = 0.61), with 10 uses, Conepatus leuconotus (IIC = 0.60), with eight uses and Didelphis virginiana (IIC = 0.52), with 11 uses. Conclusion: The results show the importance that human residents assign to mammals associated with coffee agroecosystems, both for their use for subsistence and to complement the family economy. Furthermore, the residents themselves emphasize the importance of their traditional knowledge and the need to adopt sustainable management practices for the mastofauna, because they recognize the importance it has in the community and the benefits it can have on the environment.

Introduction: In tropical forests, populations of medium and large mammals are being impacted by human activities. Understanding how species respond to land use conversion, fragmentation, and the encroachment of roads density and settlements is of conservation interest in highly biodiverse regions. Objetive: To assess the effect of human disturbance and environmental variables on trophic guilds of medium and large mammals in the tropical forests of the Sierra Negra-Mazateca in Southern Mexico. Methods: We characterized the landscape (land use and vegetation, number of fragments, and edge density) through supervised classification of Landsat 8 images. We recorded species using camera-trap stations and evaluated the relationship between the presence and relative abundance of species with human disturbance variables using zero-inflated regression models. Results: The landscape of the Sierra Negra-Mazateca is dominated by fragments of secondary forests (48.6 %) with a small proportion of primary forests (9.6 %). We found no differences in the overall relative abundance of species between primary and secondary forests, but differences were observed for omnivore and carnivore guilds. Human disturbances had a disparate effect among guilds, negatively affecting carnivores and positively herbivores. Conclusions: Secondary forests are refuges for tolerant species. Nevertheless, we emphasize the need to conserve primary forests to safeguard medium and large mammals, especially the carnivore guild. Extensive management in secondary forests is recommended to conserve remaining primary forests, alongside community awareness and empowerment for coexistence with wildlife.

Introduction: The family Profundulidae is a lineage of freshwater fish, with a limited geographical distribution extending from Southern Mexico to Central America, composed of two genera Profundulus and Tlaloc; the latter comprised only four species; however, studies based on the analysis of osteological characters are scarce for this family of fish. Objective: To describe the anatomy of the caudal bones and backbone of all species of the genera Tlaloc. Methods: A comparative analysis was performed on 44 cleared and stained specimens to identify the differences and similarities of backbone elements and the organization of the caudal skeleton among the species. Results: The comparison of the caudal skeleton in the species of the genus Tlaloc, revealed a very similar pattern in the morphology of the species; however, some characteristics were detected that may be useful for discrimination of species of the genus; the triangular shaped hipural plate is a characteristic that has only appeared in T. labialis, while in the rest of the species (T. candalarius, T. portillorum and T. hildebrandi), the hypural plate is fan-shaped. The total number of vertebrae, including the vertebral centrum, in the four species of the genus Tlaloc ranged from 33 to 38, of which 15-17 were abdominal vertebrae and 17-21 caudal vertebrae; T. portillorum had the lowest number of total vertebrae (33); while T. labialis had the highest number of total vertebrae (37-38) Conclusions: The consistent relationship to these skeletal elements suggests that the vertebrae and caudal fin ray count is a character of fundamental nature for the profundulid fishes, giving it particular taxonomic significance in that group.

Introduction: The formation of new anthromes such as reservoirs and dams to generate energy for human consumption, provides new environmental scenarios that condition the survival of the pre-existing fish species in the modified system. Objective: To estimate some of the main population attributes in relation to growth and recruitment discussed in the context of the life histories of the species analyzed for a high-Andean river system. Methods: Based on the historical sequence (2005-2017) for the seven species with the highest numerical record and frequency distributions, a typical population parameter estimation analysis was employed following the Growth Model proposed by von Bertalanffy (MCvB) and empirical equations to the respective complementary parameters. Results: A total of 28 651 frequency lengths were analyzed, finding that those species with rapid growth and lower longevity prefer artificial lacustrine environments, species with opportunistic life history strategies (Astyanax microlepis and Roeboides dayi) and with a bimodal recruitment pattern, while species with intermediate growth were seasonal (Brycon henni y Hemibrycon caucanus), registered in tributaries to the reservoir, and in equilibrium (Andinoacara latifrons, Chaetostoma thomsoni and Coptodon rendalli) mainly associated with rivers, reservoirs, and streams or transitional environments to reservoirs. Conclusion: The analysis of information on the population dynamics and live history of fish coexisting in a reservoir and its surrounding environments suggests a spatial segregation of fish species in response to a possible selection of their biological traits and other bioecological characteristics that sustain their local populations.

Introduction: Tropical peatlands are highly fragile vegetal formations, especially vulnerable to anthropogenic impacts and changes in climatic conditions. Objective: To characterize the flora of the Talamanca peatlands, as well as identify their dynamics, threats, and impacts. Methods: The flora was analyzed in five peat bogs located in the Buenavista Massif, along the Inter-American Highway, at altitudes of 2 400 - 3 100 m, through field sampling. Subsequently, a Floristic Value Index (IVF) was designed to assess the state of conservation. Results: The floristic richness was determined in the peat bogs studied. A lower biological diversity was found in the three peatlands outside the state-protected natural spaces, suggesting the influence of the edge effect and agro-productive activities or their proximity to the Highway. In contrast, the Salsipuedes and Cerro Paramillo peatlands exhibited greater diversity, highlighting genera such as Blechnum, Puya, Chusquea, Myrsine and Vaccinium, in association with the bryophyte genus Sphagnum. A different floral composition was observed along the strip near the Inter-American Highway, characterized by species with lower water demand, especially genera such as Rubus and Pteridium, among others. Conclusion: From the identified floristic composition, the importance of peatlands as part of the mesoamerican hotspot ecosystems was determined, not only as repositories of biodiversity but also as sensitive indicators of human influence and environmental threats in the region associated with anthropic impact and climate change.

Introduction: Urban ecosystems are spaces in the city that provide ecosystem services and house a wide diversity of species. One of the key components that maintain different types of processes is insects. Objective: To characterize insect communities in four parks in a district of Lima by analyzing their composition and structure in two seasons of the year. Methods: For this evaluation, two samplings (winter and summer) were carried out using four traps (pitfall, canopy malaise, ground-level malaise, and night trap). Results: The results show a) a high richness with 191 registered morphospecies, grouped into 12 orders and 8 functional groups; b) a low similarity between parks (less than 40 % for the Jaccard index), which reveals a high spatial turnover; c) differences in community composition between winter and summer (temporal turnover), with greater richness and abundance of individuals in the warm season (139 morphospecies and 1 214 individuals, versus 105 morphospecies and 731 individuals for summer and winter respectively) and d) the variation of functional groups at both times of the year. Conclusion: The results show a high diversity and invite us to continue the study of insect diversity in urban ecosystems on a broader scale. Information Decision-makers must be considered this to implement measures that allow maintaining this richness of species in a framework where citizens can value and get benefits by the important role of these organisms in the city.

Introduction: The larval phase is critical in the fish life cycle, yet knowledge of its taxonomic identification, abundance, and temporal variation remains limited in tropical coastal environments. Objective: To identify fish larvae in the Gulf of Tribugá, Northern Pacific Colombia, and assess their temporal variability considering regional oceanographic variations. Methods: We studied fish larval assemblages during the cold and warm water periods of 2022.We collected larvae through daytime and oblique tows from 20 m depth to the surface using a 70 cm mouth cylindrical-conical net with 500 µm mesh. Results: We captured a total of 602 larvae of 89 species from 29 families, with Scombridae, Engraulidae, Nomeidae, Gerreidae, Carangidae, and Engraulidae being dominant. Key species included Auxis rochei (36.32 %), Anchoa spp. (11.77 %) and Cubiceps pauciradiatus (8.10 %) during the cold period, and Eugerres lineatus (27.04 %), Eucinostomus gracilis (5.43 %), and Sphoeroides sp.1 (4.12 %) during the warm period. Differences were found in larval assemblage structure and composition between the two periods, with a species turnover rate of 66 %. Conclusions: This study reports the presence of 89 fish species’ larval stages in the Gulf of Tribugá, with each oceanographic period presenting a distinct larval assemblage.

Scattered across all departments, plantain has long been a traditional crop within the Colombian peasant economy, making it fundamental to food security. The western region of the department of Antioquia has excellent production potential, given its optimal agroecological conditions and comparative advantages for production and marketing. However, emerging organizational processes, the loss of agricultural tradition, a lack of agro-industry, and inadequate soil and water management have hindered agricultural development. Mining extraction activities and agricultural production coexist in the region, leading competition for productive resources. De facto value chains provide an analytical and operational framework for identifying stakeholders, prioritizing technological limitations, and coordinating territorial and institutional stakeholders. Therefore, this research aimed to characterize plantain socio-productive units and value chains in the municipalities of Cañasgordas, Giraldo, Buriticá, and Santa Fe de Antioquia. The study was conducted in 2022 and 2023, following a qualitative descriptive method under multivariate analysis, social network analysis, and elements of the governance analytical framework. The production method is a low-tech system with a high potential for satisfying local and regional markets. Despite projects promoting plantain plantations, fundamental technological problems persist that must be addressed by building cross-cutting and specific capacities for co-validating technologies focused on generating quality plant material and managing pests and diseases.

In the context of current research on sexual compatibility in cacao genotypes, previous studies have evaluated self-compatibility and intercompatibility in various materials, including genotypes FSV 1 and ICS 60. However, there remains a need to further characterize these reproductive interactions under specific local conditions, such as those found in the municipality of San Vicente de Chucurí (Santander, Colombia). The objective of this study was to evaluate the genetic compatibility of two cacao genotypes through assisted pollinations and to morphologically characterize the fruits resulting from directed pollinations involving the ICS 60 and FSV 1 genotypes. Field trials were conducted in San Vicente de Chucurí, Colombia, to assess variables associated with fertilization percentage, number of pollinated flowers, and number of unfertilized flowers.. The results revealed significant differences in the sexual compatibility response of the FSV 1 and ICS 60 genotypes. FSV 1 showed 60% self-compatibility and 60% intercompatibility, both as a pollen donor and receptor. In contrast, ICS 60 exhibited a low self-compatibility percentage (11%) and 60% intercompatibility when acting as a pollen donor. In conclusion, these results indicate that both genotypes can be effectively used in polyclonal systems, as they perform well as pollen receptors in intercompatible crosses. This study provides valuable insights for the planning, management, and efficient establishment of these materials in cacao production and breeding programs.