Particulate matter (PM) accounts for millions of premature deaths in the human population every y... more Particulate matter (PM) accounts for millions of premature deaths in the human population every year. Due to social and economic inequality, growing human dissatisfaction manifests in waves of strikes and protests all over the world, causing paralysis of institutions, services and circulation of transport. In this study, we aim to investigate air quality in Ecuador during the national protest of 2019, by studying the evolution of PM2.5 (PM ≤ 2.5 µm) concentrations in Ecuador and its capital city Quito using ground based and satellite data. Apart from analyzing the PM2.5 evolution over time to trace the pollution changes, we employ machine learning techniques to estimate these changes relative to the business-as-usual pollution scenario. In addition, we present a chemical analysis of plant samples from an urban park housing the strike. Positive impact on regional air quality was detected for Ecuador, and an overall − 10.75 ± 17.74% reduction of particulate pollution in the capital du...
Studying the genetic signatures of evolutionary diversification in young lineages is among the mo... more Studying the genetic signatures of evolutionary diversification in young lineages is among the most promising approaches for unveiling the processes behind speciation. Here, we focus on Oreotrochilus chimborazo, a high Andean species of hummingbird that might have experienced rapid diversification in the recent past. To understand the evolution of this species, we generated a dataset of ten microsatellite markers and complementary data on morphometrics, plumage variation and ecological niches. We applied a series of population and coalescent-based analyses to understand the population structure and differentiation within the species, in addition to the signatures of current and historical gene flow, the location of potential contact zones and the relationships among lineages. We found that O. chimborazo comprises three genetic groups: one corresponding to subspecies O. c. chimborazo, from Chimborazo volcano and surroundings, and two corresponding to the northern and southern ranges ...
It is estimated that 50 million people in the world live with dementia, 60–70% of whom suffer fro... more It is estimated that 50 million people in the world live with dementia, 60–70% of whom suffer from Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Different factors are involved in the development of AD, including a reduction in the cholinergic neurotransmission level. The Amaryllidaceae plant family contains an exclusive, large, and still understudied alkaloid group characterized by a singular skeleton arrangement and a broad spectrum of biological activities. The chemistry and biodiversity of Ecuadorian representatives of the Phaedranassa genus (Amaryllidaceae) have not been widely studied. In this work, five Ecuadorian Phaedranassa species were examined in vitro for their activity towards the enzymes acetyl- (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE), and the alkaloid profile of bulb extracts was analyzed by GC-MS. The species Phaedranassa cuencana and Phaedranassa dubia showed the most AChE and BuChE inhibitory activity, respectively. To obtain insight into the potential role of the identified alkaloid...
INTRODUCCIÓN. El Ecuador es uno de los países más biodiversos del mundo por lo que el estudio de ... more INTRODUCCIÓN. El Ecuador es uno de los países más biodiversos del mundo por lo que el estudio de su diversidad es de prioridad mundial. El 16 de marzo de 2020 el gobierno ecuatoriano decretó el estado de excepción, restricción de movilidad, suspensión de la jornada laboral y cierre de fronteras en el territorio nacional como medidas de protección y mitigación ante la declaratoria de pandemia por la enfermedad del COVID-19. La toma de estas resoluciones tuvo un efecto directo en el desarrollo y avance de estudios de la biodiversidad en el país. OBJETIVO. Esta investigación busca evaluar los efectos de las medidas para enfrentar el COVID-19 en el desarrollo de investigaciones relacionadas a la biodiversidad del Ecuador. MÉTODO. Se empleó metodología cuantitativa. Se realizó un cuestionario de 14 preguntas a 130 investigadores dentro de este campo de estudio. El cuestionario fue anónimo y difundido por email y redes sociales. RESULTADOS. Hasta el momento de publicación, los investigad...
Species distribution models (SDMs) are popular tools for predicting the geographic ranges of spec... more Species distribution models (SDMs) are popular tools for predicting the geographic ranges of species. It is common practice to use georeferenced records obtained from online databases to generate these models. Using three species of Phaedranassa (Amaryllidaceae) from the Northern Andes, we compare the geographic ranges as predicted by SDMs based on online records (after standard data cleaning) with SDMs of these records confirmed through extensive field searches. We also review the identification of herbarium collections. The species’ ranges generated with corroborated field records did not agree with the species’ ranges based on the online data. Specifically, geographic ranges based on online data were significantly inflated and had significantly different and wider elevational extents compared to the ranges based on verified field records. Our results suggest that to generate accurate predictions of species’ ranges, occurrence records need to be carefully evaluated with (1) approp...
Ecuador es un país plurinacional, multicultural y megadiverso. Estas características destacan el ... more Ecuador es un país plurinacional, multicultural y megadiverso. Estas características destacan el potencial del país para producir productos basados en los saberes ancestrales y su biodiversidad nativa. Por ejemplo, en el Pueblo Kichwa Salasaka, el penco andino que pertenece al género Agave, es utilizado como alimento para el ganado; para tejer sacos, hamacas y shigras; también se utiliza medicinalmente para tratar gastritis y ulcera entre otras enfermedades; igualmente, también se lo utiliza como champú natural. Además, de esta planta se extrae la bebida ancestral llamada Tzawar Mishki, la cual más que un simple brebaje dulce al paladar, representa para los pueblos autóctonos y etnias de Tungurahua un símbolo de identidad y de resistencia a la colonización española. Y de aquí se deriva la idea de determinar los compuestos y propiedades de la bebida, para potencialmente comercializarlo como un endulzante para diabéticos, y como una alternativa para tratar afecciones gástricas.
3 3 RESUMEN PALABRAS CLAVE ABSTRACT KEYWORDS 1. Introducción Figura 1. Inflorescencia de P. schiz... more 3 3 RESUMEN PALABRAS CLAVE ABSTRACT KEYWORDS 1. Introducción Figura 1. Inflorescencia de P. schizantha var. schizantha. Figura 2. Inflorescencia de P. schizantha var. ignea.
Phaedranassa tunguraguae is endemic to Ecuador and only known from five populations, located in o... more Phaedranassa tunguraguae is endemic to Ecuador and only known from five populations, located in one of the most deforested regions in the country. It is catalogued under IUCN 2004 Red List of Threatened Species as "Endangered". In this study, eight microsatellite primers designed specifically for this species were screened within individuals from the five known populations of the species to estimate their genetic structure. The results showed these populations are not under Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and exhibit an excess of homozygotes. The intra-populational genetic diversity revealed high levels of inbreeding. Among populations, a gradual increase in differentiation could be discerned from the westernmost populations to the easternmost. A reduction of allele richness between populations followed the same pattern. The results suggest a series of recent founder events towards the east, which could be the result of biogeography and anthropogenic forces. The results of this...
Phaedranassa schizantha and P. tunguraguae are endemic plants restricted to the Northern Andean r... more Phaedranassa schizantha and P. tunguraguae are endemic plants restricted to the Northern Andean region in Ecuador. They are only known from five and sixteen populations, respectively, located in one of the most deforested areas in the country. They are catalogued under IUCN 2001 Red List categories as “Vulnerable” (P. schizantha) and “Endangered” (P. tunguraguae). Knowledge of the genetic structure of these populations is imperative to insure the survival of these species for conservation purposes. With this intention in mind, microsatellites loci were isolated to estimate the genetic diversity within and between populations. Microsatellites were isolated using an enrichment protocol. Five hundred seventy six colonies were produced from the P. tunguraguae library and 135 sequences contained microsatellites (23%). However, only 95 sequences were suitable for primer design and just 84 of them were unique. The resulting 40 primers were screened using fluorescent dUTPs on eight individu...
Particulate matter (PM) accounts for millions of premature deaths in the human population every y... more Particulate matter (PM) accounts for millions of premature deaths in the human population every year. Due to social and economic inequality, growing human dissatisfaction manifests in waves of strikes and protests all over the world, causing paralysis of institutions, services and circulation of transport. In this study, we aim to investigate air quality in Ecuador during the national protest of 2019, by studying the evolution of PM2.5 (PM ≤ 2.5 µm) concentrations in Ecuador and its capital city Quito using ground based and satellite data. Apart from analyzing the PM2.5 evolution over time to trace the pollution changes, we employ machine learning techniques to estimate these changes relative to the business-as-usual pollution scenario. In addition, we present a chemical analysis of plant samples from an urban park housing the strike. Positive impact on regional air quality was detected for Ecuador, and an overall − 10.75 ± 17.74% reduction of particulate pollution in the capital du...
Studying the genetic signatures of evolutionary diversification in young lineages is among the mo... more Studying the genetic signatures of evolutionary diversification in young lineages is among the most promising approaches for unveiling the processes behind speciation. Here, we focus on Oreotrochilus chimborazo, a high Andean species of hummingbird that might have experienced rapid diversification in the recent past. To understand the evolution of this species, we generated a dataset of ten microsatellite markers and complementary data on morphometrics, plumage variation and ecological niches. We applied a series of population and coalescent-based analyses to understand the population structure and differentiation within the species, in addition to the signatures of current and historical gene flow, the location of potential contact zones and the relationships among lineages. We found that O. chimborazo comprises three genetic groups: one corresponding to subspecies O. c. chimborazo, from Chimborazo volcano and surroundings, and two corresponding to the northern and southern ranges ...
It is estimated that 50 million people in the world live with dementia, 60–70% of whom suffer fro... more It is estimated that 50 million people in the world live with dementia, 60–70% of whom suffer from Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Different factors are involved in the development of AD, including a reduction in the cholinergic neurotransmission level. The Amaryllidaceae plant family contains an exclusive, large, and still understudied alkaloid group characterized by a singular skeleton arrangement and a broad spectrum of biological activities. The chemistry and biodiversity of Ecuadorian representatives of the Phaedranassa genus (Amaryllidaceae) have not been widely studied. In this work, five Ecuadorian Phaedranassa species were examined in vitro for their activity towards the enzymes acetyl- (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE), and the alkaloid profile of bulb extracts was analyzed by GC-MS. The species Phaedranassa cuencana and Phaedranassa dubia showed the most AChE and BuChE inhibitory activity, respectively. To obtain insight into the potential role of the identified alkaloid...
INTRODUCCIÓN. El Ecuador es uno de los países más biodiversos del mundo por lo que el estudio de ... more INTRODUCCIÓN. El Ecuador es uno de los países más biodiversos del mundo por lo que el estudio de su diversidad es de prioridad mundial. El 16 de marzo de 2020 el gobierno ecuatoriano decretó el estado de excepción, restricción de movilidad, suspensión de la jornada laboral y cierre de fronteras en el territorio nacional como medidas de protección y mitigación ante la declaratoria de pandemia por la enfermedad del COVID-19. La toma de estas resoluciones tuvo un efecto directo en el desarrollo y avance de estudios de la biodiversidad en el país. OBJETIVO. Esta investigación busca evaluar los efectos de las medidas para enfrentar el COVID-19 en el desarrollo de investigaciones relacionadas a la biodiversidad del Ecuador. MÉTODO. Se empleó metodología cuantitativa. Se realizó un cuestionario de 14 preguntas a 130 investigadores dentro de este campo de estudio. El cuestionario fue anónimo y difundido por email y redes sociales. RESULTADOS. Hasta el momento de publicación, los investigad...
Species distribution models (SDMs) are popular tools for predicting the geographic ranges of spec... more Species distribution models (SDMs) are popular tools for predicting the geographic ranges of species. It is common practice to use georeferenced records obtained from online databases to generate these models. Using three species of Phaedranassa (Amaryllidaceae) from the Northern Andes, we compare the geographic ranges as predicted by SDMs based on online records (after standard data cleaning) with SDMs of these records confirmed through extensive field searches. We also review the identification of herbarium collections. The species’ ranges generated with corroborated field records did not agree with the species’ ranges based on the online data. Specifically, geographic ranges based on online data were significantly inflated and had significantly different and wider elevational extents compared to the ranges based on verified field records. Our results suggest that to generate accurate predictions of species’ ranges, occurrence records need to be carefully evaluated with (1) approp...
Ecuador es un país plurinacional, multicultural y megadiverso. Estas características destacan el ... more Ecuador es un país plurinacional, multicultural y megadiverso. Estas características destacan el potencial del país para producir productos basados en los saberes ancestrales y su biodiversidad nativa. Por ejemplo, en el Pueblo Kichwa Salasaka, el penco andino que pertenece al género Agave, es utilizado como alimento para el ganado; para tejer sacos, hamacas y shigras; también se utiliza medicinalmente para tratar gastritis y ulcera entre otras enfermedades; igualmente, también se lo utiliza como champú natural. Además, de esta planta se extrae la bebida ancestral llamada Tzawar Mishki, la cual más que un simple brebaje dulce al paladar, representa para los pueblos autóctonos y etnias de Tungurahua un símbolo de identidad y de resistencia a la colonización española. Y de aquí se deriva la idea de determinar los compuestos y propiedades de la bebida, para potencialmente comercializarlo como un endulzante para diabéticos, y como una alternativa para tratar afecciones gástricas.
3 3 RESUMEN PALABRAS CLAVE ABSTRACT KEYWORDS 1. Introducción Figura 1. Inflorescencia de P. schiz... more 3 3 RESUMEN PALABRAS CLAVE ABSTRACT KEYWORDS 1. Introducción Figura 1. Inflorescencia de P. schizantha var. schizantha. Figura 2. Inflorescencia de P. schizantha var. ignea.
Phaedranassa tunguraguae is endemic to Ecuador and only known from five populations, located in o... more Phaedranassa tunguraguae is endemic to Ecuador and only known from five populations, located in one of the most deforested regions in the country. It is catalogued under IUCN 2004 Red List of Threatened Species as "Endangered". In this study, eight microsatellite primers designed specifically for this species were screened within individuals from the five known populations of the species to estimate their genetic structure. The results showed these populations are not under Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and exhibit an excess of homozygotes. The intra-populational genetic diversity revealed high levels of inbreeding. Among populations, a gradual increase in differentiation could be discerned from the westernmost populations to the easternmost. A reduction of allele richness between populations followed the same pattern. The results suggest a series of recent founder events towards the east, which could be the result of biogeography and anthropogenic forces. The results of this...
Phaedranassa schizantha and P. tunguraguae are endemic plants restricted to the Northern Andean r... more Phaedranassa schizantha and P. tunguraguae are endemic plants restricted to the Northern Andean region in Ecuador. They are only known from five and sixteen populations, respectively, located in one of the most deforested areas in the country. They are catalogued under IUCN 2001 Red List categories as “Vulnerable” (P. schizantha) and “Endangered” (P. tunguraguae). Knowledge of the genetic structure of these populations is imperative to insure the survival of these species for conservation purposes. With this intention in mind, microsatellites loci were isolated to estimate the genetic diversity within and between populations. Microsatellites were isolated using an enrichment protocol. Five hundred seventy six colonies were produced from the P. tunguraguae library and 135 sequences contained microsatellites (23%). However, only 95 sequences were suitable for primer design and just 84 of them were unique. The resulting 40 primers were screened using fluorescent dUTPs on eight individu...
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