Article
Geography, Physical
J. Maksic, I. M. Venancio, M. H. Shimizu, C. M. Chiessi, P. Piacsek, G. Sampaio, Francisco W. Cruz, F. F. Alexandre
Summary: The Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) was characterized by atmospheric cooling, showing contrasts to the current warming climate. Research indicates that in the Western and Central Amazon forest regions, the biomes remained largely unchanged during the LGM due to negative temperature anomalies, while in the Eastern portion, a shift from tropical evergreen forest to tropical seasonal forest was observed. Future warming scenarios suggest a potential expansion of Savanna/Cerrado and a reduction of tropical seasonal forest and Caatinga in Brazil, impacting biodiversity and regional climate.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Shumei Xiao, Shufeng Li, Xiaojun Wang, Linlin Chen, Tao Su
Summary: This study uses simulation to examine the historical and potential future distribution of Cedrus Trew. It finds that winter precipitation and temperature are the key factors determining the distribution of Cedrus, with summer precipitation playing a more important role in the Mediterranean region. The study also suggests that climate change will have a significant impact on the distribution of Cedrus, highlighting the need for conservation and management efforts.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Talita O. Assis, Ana Paula D. Aguiar, Celso von Randow, Carlos A. Nobre
Summary: In recent years, forest degradation has been a bigger issue than deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon. This degradation has negative impacts on biodiversity and carbon stocks, affecting CO2 balance and future climate changes. This paper explores the factors that contribute to forest degradation, predicts future scenarios, and evaluates the impact on regional carbon balance.
Review
Forestry
Noor Muhammad, Maria Angeles Castillejo, Maria-Dolores Rey, Jesus V. Jorrin-Novo
Summary: This article introduces the formation of broad-leaved evergreen forests by Quercus spp. in the Hindu Kush and Himalayan regions of Pakistan. Seven species of Quercus genus have been identified, but they have received little attention in terms of their economic value and bioactivity evaluation. Quercus spp. show promise for commercial applications, but are currently threatened by human activities and climate change. This review highlights the importance of these forgotten species and discusses various aspects of their distribution, morphology, traditional uses, phytochemical constituents, and threats. The lack of molecular studies on populations of these species in Pakistan is a critical gap that needs to be addressed for conservation and management strategies. Future research directions in molecular approaches for Quercus are also discussed.
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Adi Zweifler (Zvifler), Michael O'Leary, Kyle Morgan, Nicola K. Browne
Summary: This review highlights the importance of turbid reefs in coral reef conservation efforts, discussing their resilience to climate change impacts and the need for improved understanding of their responses to environmental change. Turbid reefs are classified based on turbidity regime and sources of sediment input, with natural and anthropogenic turbid reefs identified as distinct types with different conservation status. As the geographic range of turbid reefs is expected to expand, efforts to enhance our knowledge of their composition, function, and resilience will be crucial for global coral reef conservation.
Article
Ecology
Montserrat Salva-Catarineu, Angel Romo, Malgorzata Mazur, Monika Zielinska, Pietro Minissale, Ali A. Donmez, Krystyna Boratynska, Adam Boratynski
Summary: This study aimed to model the distribution of Juniperus species in the Mediterranean and Macaronesian regions using a maximum entropy model. The results showed that climate warming could potentially reduce the species' habitats, highlighting the importance of protecting juniper forests against anthropic pressure and climate changes.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Alice C. Hughes, Eben Kirksey, Blake Palmer, Areeya Tivasauradej, Anne Atchara Changwong, Ada Chornelia
Summary: Despite the prioritization of ecosystem restoration and recovery, understanding the baseline biodiversity and drivers of changes in wildlife populations prior to disturbance remains unknown in many systems. Inaccessible ecosystems, such as subterranean ecosystems, present significant challenges to understanding how biodiversity patterns may have changed. Caves, with their unique conditions and bat populations, can provide insights into past populations and facilitate their conservation. This article discusses various types of data that can be used to reconstruct the history of cave sites and their varying uses over time, offering guidance for cave management.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Studies
Rafael Coll Delgado, Romario Oliveira de Santana, Yuri Andrei Gelsleichter, Marcos Gervasio Pereira
Summary: South America, home to the world's greatest biodiversity, is facing the threat of climate change which can have severe economic, social and cultural impacts. This study examines the vegetation dynamics of various biomes and predicts a decrease in vegetation, particularly in tropical regions, due to increased evaporation and the risk of mega-fires. It warns of the loss of biodiversity in South America and emphasizes the need for immediate public policy actions to prevent irreversible damage to vegetation and human lives.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT REVIEW
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Daniela Krampe, Anselm Arndt, Christoph Schneider
Summary: This study uses a distributed coupled snowpack and ice surface energy and mass balance model to simulate the past and future climate change of the Italian glacier Furkeleferner. The results show that during the last Little Ice Age, the glacier's area was 2.8 times larger than today, indicating a 2.5K colder climate. Furthermore, a future temperature increase of +2K would result in the complete loss of the glacier.
FRONTIERS IN EARTH SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Juan P. Sierra, Paola A. Arias, Ana M. Duran-Quesada, Karina A. Tapias, Sara C. Vieira, J. Alejandro Martinez
Summary: The Choco low-level jet plays a crucial role in regional moisture transport and rainfall patterns in northwestern South America. Variations in the jet intensity and location are influenced by sea level pressure differences between the eastern Pacific and northwestern South America. While simulations suggest a stronger and northward jet during past climate changes like the little ice age, there is less agreement among models for future scenarios under the RCP8.5, indicating different mechanisms at play in natural vs. anthropogenic climate changes.
Article
Agronomy
Hyunkyeong Min, Hyeon-Seok Lee, Chun-Kuen Lee, Woo-Jung Choi, Bo-Keun Ha, Hyeongju Lee, Seo-Ho Shin, Kyu-Nam An, Dong-Kwan Kim, Oh-Do Kwon, Jonghan Ko, Jaeil Cho, Han-Yong Kim
Summary: Based on past and current experiments on rice cultivation, it has been found that increasing CO2 concentration and temperature can promote rice growth but may also have adverse effects on yield. While yield remained unchanged, the harvest index decreased significantly. Rice crops show realistic responses to elevated CO2 concentration and moderate warming in the absence of adaptation measures.
Book Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Gaia Vince
Summary: Renowned writer Kolbert raises the question in her latest work whether some environmental fixes could actually worsen existing problems.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Alan M. Seltzer, Pierre-Henri Blard, Steven C. Sherwood, Masa Kageyama
Summary: Terrestrial amplification of land warming relative to oceans is important for predicting future warming and water availability. However, the theoretical basis for this has never been tested outside the short instrumental period, and the spatial pattern and amplitude of terrestrial amplification remain uncertain. This study investigates terrestrial amplification during the Last Glacial Maximum and provides crucial new support for its existence.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ke Li, Craig M. Crews
Summary: PROTACs are a type of molecules with novel event-driven mechanism, offering multiple advantages over traditional inhibitors, such as catalytic nature and targeted protein degradation, which may lead to improved therapeutic outcomes with reduced toxicity. However, further research and development efforts are needed to fully explore their potential.
CHEMICAL SOCIETY REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Catarina Jakovac, Katarzyna A. Korys, Aline F. Rodrigues, Amanda Ronix, Fernanda Tubenchlak, Lara M. Monteiro, Luisa Lemgruber, Herlle Souza Santos, Maiara Mendes, Andre B. Junqueira, Renato Crouzeilles, Veronica Maioli, Agnieszka E. Latawiec
Summary: Ecosystem restoration strategies vary in techniques and ecological contexts. Success in restoring plants, animals, and soils varies, as well as across ecological indicators. Assisted natural regeneration has higher success compared to other strategies, but restoring converted and degraded areas poses challenges.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Review
Zoology
Luara Tourinho, Mariana M. Vale
Summary: Researchers compared different models for estimating species' niche and distribution, finding that mechanistic and correlative models have different strengths and limitations. Hybrid models combining both approaches were considered promising. However, the best approach depends on the specific context and research objectives.
INTEGRATIVE ZOOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alfredo O. Barrera-Guzman, Alexandre Aleixo, Maya Faccio, Sidnei de Melo Dantas, Jason T. Weir
Summary: This study uses genome-wide data and detailed phylogeographical sampling to uncover the unique lineages and levels of reproductive isolation of three parapatric manakin species. The results show that gene flow and genomic homogenization decrease with increasing evolutionary age, with the oldest lineages exhibiting narrow hybrid zones. The study suggests that Pipra manakins took one million years or more to become reproductively isolated and proposes reclassifying the six lineages as two or three reproductively isolated species.
Article
Ecology
Tulio Dornas, Sidnei Melo Dantas, Lucas Eduardo Araujo-Silva, Fernando Morais, Alexandre Aleixo
Summary: This study evaluates the phylogeographic relationships of 14 avian lineages in the Tocantins-Araguaia Interfluve (TAI) and neighboring Amazonian Areas of Endemism. Three distinct phylogeographic patterns are identified, indicating a heterogeneous response to the barrier effects of rivers. The findings highlight the importance of historical geomorphological and hydromorphological factors in shaping species' responses and define the TAI as a previously unknown biogeographic suture zone.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Leilton Willians Luna, Luciano Nicolas Naka, Gregory Thom, Laura Lacey Knowles, Andre Oliveira Sawakuchi, Alexandre Aleixo, Camila Cherem Ribas
Summary: This study examines the genetic divergence of three bird species specialized in seasonally flooded habitats in the Amazon basin and Rio Branco, and finds that genetic divergence is influenced by habitat specialization and river color. The complete disruption of gene flow between populations occurred during the Late Pleistocene transition, about 250,000 years ago, leading to the current genetic differentiation.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Eliezer de Oliviera da Conceicao, Tatiane Mantovano, Ramiro de Campos, Edivando Vitor do Couto, Jose Hilario Delconte Ferreira, Thiago Fernando Rangel, Koen Martens, Dayani Bailly, Janet Higuti
Summary: This study used ostracods to assess the effects of climate change on aquatic invertebrates in the Southern Cone of South America. The results show an increase in species richness in some areas while others will experience loss. The study suggests that global change will impact ostracod communities by 2050.
Article
Ornithology
Dnilson Oliveira Ferraz, Larissa Sampaio, Keila de Araujo Lima, Juliana Araripe, Fernando Sequeira, Alexandre Aleixo, Pablo Vieira Cerqueira, Lincoln S. Carneiro, Pericles Sena do Rego
Summary: This study used a multilocus molecular approach to investigate the taxonomy and biogeographic configuration of Band-tailed Manakin. Three monophyletic lineages were identified, partially overlapping with the current subspecific classification. The diversification of this species was influenced by hydrographic dynamics and climatic shifts in the Amazon basin.
JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Quezia Ramalho, Mariana M. Vale, Stella Manes, Paula Diniz, Artur Malecha, Jayme A. Prevedello
Summary: A well-known response of biodiversity to ongoing climate change is range shifts towards cooler temperature areas. Still, a major gap remains in the understanding of the latitudinal component and the differences between ectotherms and endotherms in these responses. Our study evaluated latitude and species’ thermoregulation as explanatory variables in climate-induced range shifts using an extensive literature review and statistical models. The findings show that many species are already shifting their ranges towards higher latitudes or altitudes, with ectotherms exhibiting stronger responses to climate change than endotherms. As global warming intensifies, species might face adaptation limits, especially for ectotherms and high-latitude species.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Elisa Barreto, Philip B. Holden, Neil R. Edwards, Thiago F. Rangel
Summary: Climate change is crucial for biodiversity by driving processes like diversification and range shifts. However, our understanding of the spatial and temporal variation in climate over millennia is limited due to the lack of accessible spatio-temporal paleoclimate data. This study presents the PALEO-PGEM-Series, a global dataset of the last 5 million years with 1000-year resolution, which can help advance our understanding of the relationship between biodiversity and climate.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Oscar Johnson, Camila C. C. Ribas, Alexandre Aleixo, Luciano N. N. Naka, Michael G. G. Harvey, Robb T. T. Brumfield
Summary: Understanding the factors that influence genetic structure across species is essential for studying speciation and population genetics. This study examined population genetic data from bird species specialized in different Amazonian habitat types. The results showed that habitat type significantly affects population genetic structure, with species in more dynamic habitats having higher levels of gene flow. These differences in genetic variation across taxa specialized in distinct habitats could lead to divergent responses to environmental change and habitat-specific diversification dynamics over time.
Article
Oceanography
Stella Manes, Danielle Gama-Maia, Stephanie Vaz, Aliny P. F. Pires, Rodrigo H. Tardin, Guilherme Maricato, Denilson da S. Bezerra, Mariana M. Vale
Summary: The risks from climate change, especially in vulnerable regions like coastlines, are increasing. The rise in sea level and more frequent and intense coastal hazards are threatening coastal populations. Nature-based solutions have the potential to counteract coastal hazards, but there is a knowledge gap on their effectiveness, particularly in Central and South America. This study assesses the risks of coastal erosion and flooding in Brazil and finds that nature-based shoreline protection can reduce these risks significantly.
OCEAN & COASTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Kelly Silva Souza, Danilo Siqueira Fortunato, Lucas Jardim, Levi Carina Terribile, Matheus Souza Lima-Ribeiro, Camilla Avila Mariano, Jesus Nazareno Pinto-Ledezma, Rafael Loyola, Ricardo Dobrovolski, Thiago Fernando Rangel, Ibere Farina Machado, Taina Rocha, Mariana Gomes Batista, Maria Lucia Lorini, Mariana Moncassim Vale, Carlos Arturo Navas, Natan Medeiros Maciel, Fabricio Villalobos, Miguel Angelo Olalla-Tarraga, Joao Fabricio Mota Rodrigues, Sidney Feitosa Gouveia, Jose Alexandre Felizola Diniz-Filho
Summary: Using a macroecological approach, we assessed the probability of evolutionary rescue and dispersal of amphibian populations under climate change. Our study found that without evolutionary adaptation and dispersal, almost 50% of amphibian species could go extinct by 2100. However, adding these processes could slightly decrease the extinction rate to 36.5%.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Pedro Paulo, Fernando Henrique Teofilo, Carolina Bertuol, Erico Polo, Andre E. E. Moncrieff, Lucas N. N. Bandeira, Claudia Nunez-Penichet, Igor Yuri Fernandes, Mariane Bosholn, Arielli F. F. Machado, Leilton Willians Luna, Willian Thomaz Pecanha, Aline Pessutti Rampini, Shizuka Hashimoto, Cleyssian Dias, Juliana Araripe, Alexandre Aleixo, Pericles Sena do Rego, Tomas Hrbek, Izeni P. P. Farias, A. Townsend Peterson, Igor L. L. Kaefer, Marina Anciaes
Summary: Investigating the parallel roles of geography and environmental heterogeneity in diversification provides insights into the driving forces behind the evolution of biological systems. In this study on Blue-crowned Manakins, it was found that both genetic and color diversity were influenced by geographic and climatic distances, with color variation being marginally associated with latitude and genetic distances being explained by linear and least-cost geographic distances.
EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Marco Tulio P. Coelho, Elisa Barreto, Thiago F. Rangel, Jose Alexandre F. Diniz-Filho, Rafael O. Wuest, Wilhelmine Bach, Alexander Skeels, Ian R. McFadden, David W. Roberts, Loic Pellissier, Niklaus E. Zimmermann, Catherine H. Graham
Summary: This study reveals that the size and fragmentation of climate conditions play a crucial role in biodiversity and species turnover among terrestrial tetrapods. By considering both climate characteristics and its geographic attributes, we can explain almost 90% of global species richness variation, with half of the explanatory power attributed to climate or the geography of climate.
Review
Ornithology
Alexandre Aleixo
Summary: In a recent commentary, Lima claims that the Brazilian Ornithological Records Committee (CBRO) is misinterpreting the general lineage species concept (GLSC) in making species ranking decisions, leading to misinformation within the Brazilian ornithological community and misleading users of the CBRO checklist. However, the arguments presented by Lima are unfounded and result from an inaccurate interpretation of the GLSC and a lack of understanding of the practical implementation of species concepts by taxonomists and taxonomy committees. Evidence from recent taxonomic treatments implemented by the CBRO confirms the use of the GLSC in guiding species ranking decisions. Unsubstantiated commentaries like Lima's may unintentionally amplify representation bias against Latin American ornithologists in global initiatives such as the publication of a single worldwide avian checklist.
ORNITHOLOGY RESEARCH
(2023)
