Recent Submissions
Species of the genus Abuta (Anomospermeae, Menispermaceae) from Peru
(Blanca León, 2025-03-15) Rosa del C. Ortiz; Ricardo A. Zañartu Flores; Ángel M. Rodríguez del-Castillo; Carlos A. Amasifuen Guerra
The genus Abuta constitutes the second most diverse taxon within the Neotropical Menispermaceae. In this research, we document and analyze 12 species recorded within Peruvian territory, presenting comprehensive morphological characterizations of each taxon and compiling these into a dichotomous identification key. We provide photographic documentation of specimens, encompassing both in situ observations and herbarium specimens, for all species with the exception of A. aristeguietae. This study incorporates detailed analyses of geographic distributions at both national and global scales for each species. A significant methodological constraint has been encountered in the limited availability of fertile specimens, which are frequently restricted to a single sex (either staminate or pistillate specimens), thereby presenting substantial challenges for interspecific comparative analyses. While Abuta grandifolia emerges as the most widely distributed and frequently collected species, recent investigations indicate that this taxon likely represents a complex of distinct entities whose taxonomic boundaries remain to be fully elucidated.
COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated food insecurity in South American countries
(Springer, 2025-05-13) Vasconcelos‑Neto, Carlos Frederico A.; Jacob, Michelle; Tregidgo, Daniel; Valle, Denis; El Bizri, Hani R.; Gomes, Sávio Marcelino; Fa, Julia E.; Morcatty, Thais Q.; Monteiro, Frederico Ozanan Barros; Scofield, Alessandra
The COVID-19 pandemic triggered unparalleled political, economic, and social ramifications, exacerbating global food insecurity (FI). To understand the overall impact of the pandemic and how different socio-economic groups were affected, we assessed prevalence and severity of FI in a sample of 18,997 households across seven countries in South America. We employed the Food Insecurity Experience Scale developed by the FAO. Our results showed that pre-pandemic, 4.5% of the sampled population across the entire continent faced Moderate FI, while 0.6% experienced severe FI. During the pandemic, Moderate FI increased to 16.9% (+ 12.4%), and Severe FI to 2.7% (+ 2.1%). By country, pre-pandemic households in Venezuela had the highest prevalence of Moderate FI (9.7%), with Peru experiencing the highest Severe FI frequency (1.1%). Peru had the greatest rise in Moderate (+ 23.9%) and Severe FI (+ 4.6%) during the pandemic. Low-income households, defined as those earning < 2 minimum wages per month, were most susceptible to FI. Uruguayan low-income families exhibited the most significant rise (+ 40.4%) in Moderate FI, while those in Peru experienced an increase of + 9.1% in Severe FI. This study measures the profound and far-reaching impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on FI in South America. Our findings also emphasise the critical importance of implementing effective public policy interventions to improve resilience against future shocks. This would enable policymakers to develop targeted strategies that address the immediate challenges posed by pandemics as well as laying the groundwork for a more resilient and sustainable food security landscape in the region. © The Author(s) 2025.
Extension of the southern range of distribution of the Rufous-Brown Solitary Cichlopsis leucogenys (Aves, Turdidae) in Peru
(Arana Cesar, 2025-03-15) Vásquez-Arévalo, Francisco A.; Sinca, Felipe; Medina, Emerson
On September 4, 2022, we captured an individual of Cichlopsis leucogenys in locality of Megantoni (Cusco, Peru) in pre-montane forest at 1050 m above sea level. We extend the known distribution of the species in approximately 139 km south of its distribution. © 2025 Facultad de Ciencias Biologicas, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos. All rights reserved.
Use and misuse of trait imputation in ecology: the problem of using out‐of‐context imputed values
(John Wiley & Sons Ltd, 2024-12-18) Gorné, Lucas Damián; Aguirre-Gutiérrez, Jesús; Souza, Fernanda C.; Swenson, Nathan G.; Kraft, Nathan Jared Boardman; Marimon, Beatriz Schwantes; Baker, Timothy R.; Flores Llampazo, Gerardo Rafael; Malhi, Yadvinder; Marimon-Junior, Ben Hur
Despite the progress in the measurement and accessibility of plant trait information, acquiring sufficiently complete data from enough species to answer broad-scale questions in plant functional ecology and biogeography remains challenging. A common way to overcome this challenge is by imputation, or ‘gap-filling’ of trait values. This has proven appropriate when focusing on the overall patterns emerging from the database being imputed. However, some applications force the imputation procedure out of its original scope, using imputed values independently from the imputation context, and specific trait values for a given species are used as input for computing new variables. We tested the performance of three widely used imputation methods (Bayesian hierarchical probabilistic matrix factorization, multiple imputation by chained equations with predictive mean matching, and Rphylopars) on a database of tropical tree and shrub traits. By applying a leave-one-out procedure, we assessed the accuracy and precision of the imputed values and found that out-of-context use of imputed values may bias the estimation of different variables. We also found that low redundancy (i.e. low predictability of a new value on the basis of existing values) in the dataset, not uncommon for empirical datasets, is likely the main cause of low accuracy and precision in the imputed values. We therefore suggest the use of a leave-one-out procedure to test the quality of the imputed values before any out-of-context application of the imputed values, and make practical recommendations to avoid the misuse of imputation procedures. Furthermore, we recommend not publishing gap-filled datasets, publishing instead only the empirical data, together with the imputation method applied and the corresponding script to reproduce the imputation. This will help avoid the spread of imputed data, whose accuracy, precision, and source are difficult to assess and track, into the public domain.
Effects of commercial feeds and frozen trash fish on growth and hematological parameters of juvenile silver arowana (Osteoglossum bicirrhosum)
(Springer Nature Switzerland AG, 2024-09-02) Fernández-Mendez, Christian; Curto Utia, Giana; Ruiz Vasquez, Raisa; Flores Gonzales, Anai
El estudio evaluó el efecto de alimentar a juveniles de arawana plateada (Osteoglossum bicirrhosum) con peces forrajeros congelados y dietas comerciales (para tilapia, trucha y paiche) sobre su crecimiento, parámetros hematológicos y costos. Los resultados mostraron que las dietas de mayor contenido proteico (peces forrajeros y dieta comercial de paiche) promovieron mejor crecimiento y salud hematológica. El uso de peces forrajeros también redujo el costo por kilogramo de ganancia de peso. El estudio concluye que alimentar con peces forrajeros congelados es una estrategia más económica y efectiva para el cultivo de arawanas juveniles.