Article
Plant Sciences
Julia G. Harencar, Eleinis Avila-Lovera, Gregory R. Goldsmith, Grace F. Chen, Kathleen M. Kay
Summary: This study reveals a previously undocumented drought adaptation strategy in tropical herbs. This divergent drought adaptation is a recent evolution and is an important component of reproductive isolation between C. villosissimus and C. allenii. It suggests that adaptive shifts to survive seasonal drought may be an underappreciated factor in neotropical understory plant diversification.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Aziz Subach, Arik Dorfman, Bar Avidov, Adi Domer, Yehonatan Samocha, Inon Scharf
Summary: This study investigated the behavior and ecology of the desert horned viper in the northwestern Negev desert, Israel. The vipers were found to move slower in vegetation-dense microhabitats compared to open dune areas. Their movement in open areas was likely influenced by the availability of prey. The vipers were more active early in the season, with peak activity right after sunset and a smaller peak at sunrise, possibly indicating a search for burrows to spend the day. Inter-sexual and between-year differences were also observed, such as variations in size and population size. The information provided in this study can contribute to the conservation of this viper species, as sand dunes are threatened habitats in Israel.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Gabriela Agostini, Camila Deutsch, David N. Bilenca
Summary: The study revealed different responses of anuran assemblages among ecological units to breeding habitat and surrounding landscape features. Vegetation cover of ponds and land use were found to be significant factors influencing anuran richness and abundance. A positive correlation was observed between anuran diversity and land-use heterogeneity, as well as pond density, highlighting the importance of conservation efforts in altered agricultural landscapes.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Maria Gomez-Tolosa, Gustavo Rivera-Velazquez, Tamara M. Rioja-Paradela, Luis F. Mendoza-Cuenca, Cesar Tejeda-Cruz, Sergio Lopez
Summary: This review analyzed the importance of Odonata for environmental assessments in the Neotropical region, finding that ecosystem health assessments were the most common type. However, due to the great diversity of habitats in the region, there is a need to establish a standardized monitoring protocol for assessing ecosystem health quality.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Arik Dorfman, Aziz Subach, Inon Scharf
Summary: The movement behavior of the Saharan horned viper in its natural habitat is influenced by microhabitat type and slope. The vipers tend to move towards the top of sand dunes and concentrate their foraging behavior in semi-stable areas. Desert rodents, their main prey, show the highest activity in shifting sands.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
V. De Luca, A. Riotto
Summary: This article discusses the formation of PBHs through the collapse of large fluctuations in the early universe and points out that the use of curvature perturbation does not provide the correct PBH formation probability. Through a path-integral approach, it is concluded that the exact calculation of PBH abundance requires the knowledge of multivariate joint probabilities of the curvature perturbation.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yanbing Zhu, Baofu Li, Lishu Lian, Tianxiao Wu, Junshan Wang, Fangshu Dong, Yunqian Wang
Summary: This study quantifies drought changes in the Yihe River Basin in eastern China from 1980 to 2019 and assesses the impacts of climate factors, land-use/cover changes, and other human activities using the SWAT model and PDSI index. The results show that climate fluctuation is the main driver of drought change, with temperature becoming the most important climate factor affecting drought.
Article
Forestry
Georgina Gonzalez-Rebeles, Rodrigo Mendez-Alonzo, Horacio Paz, Teresa Terrazas, Clara Tinoco-Ojanguren
Summary: This study compares the plant responses to drought between deciduous and evergreen species and finds significant differences in their gas exchange traits under high water availability. Deciduous species exhibit tighter stomatal control and faster carbon fixation, tending toward isohydry and faster growth rates, while evergreen species show slower resource use and anisohydric behavior.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Fabricio de A. Frehse, Olaf L. F. Weyl, Jean R. S. Vitule
Summary: The study found that pipes and rocks artificial habitats in Neotropical reservoirs are beneficial for increasing fish abundance and diversity. Cichlidae species dominate in pipes, rocks, and control habitats. It is crucial to consider the relationship between different fish species and artificial habitats to prevent invasive species from benefiting from the deployment of artificial structures.
Article
Geography, Physical
Pierre Pitte, Mariano Masiokas, Hernan Gargantini, Lucas Ruiz, Etienne Berthier, Lidia Ferri Hidalgo, Laura Zalazar, Ines Dussaillant, Maximiliano Viale, Valentina Zorzut, Ernesto Corvalan, Juan Pablo Scarpa, Gustavo Costa, Ricardo Villalba
Summary: The Desert Andes have a large number of ice masses, but only a few are currently monitored. This study focuses on the small mountain glacier Agua Negra and other glaciers in the Jachal river basin. Remote-sensing data shows that Agua Negra glacier lost 23% of its area from 1959 to 2019. Glaciological measurements indicate an average annual mass balance of -0.52 m w.e. a(-1) for Agua Negra glacier, with winter and summer balances of 0.80 and -1.33 m w.e. a(-1) respectively. The study also shows a doubling of the loss rate for Agua Negra glacier from 2000-2013 to 2013-2019. The ice losses for the entire Jachal river basin appear less negative compared to Agua Negra glacier. The observed glacier mass balance changes are likely driven by regional warming trend and reduced snow accumulation.
JOURNAL OF GLACIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Aliasghar Montazar, Daniel Putnam
Summary: This study conducted field-scale analysis and data collection in commercial alfalfa fields in the low deserts of California. The findings suggest that moderate summer deficit irrigation strategies can improve water use efficiency and reduce water consumption while maintaining profitability and sustainability in alfalfa production.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Olinda Maira Alves Nogueira, Ana Filipa Palmeirim, Carlos A. Peres, Manoel Dos Santos-Filho
Summary: The study revealed that bird species diversity and abundance decreased with increasing disturbance, and the core fragments of native habitats are crucial for maintaining avian diversity. Retaining some trees in pastures or mature trees in plantations can increase bird diversity.
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Kamyab Naderi, Hassan Etesami, Hossein Ali Alikhani, Asghar Mosleh Arani
Summary: By studying the effects of bacteria associated with desert plants on drought, it was found that certain superior strains could alleviate the negative impact of water deficit stress on non-desert plants. This has significant implications for promoting plant growth in arid regions.
Article
Ecology
Juan I. Zanon I. Martinez, Esperanza C. Iranzo, Alejandro Travaini, David C. McNitt, Ana P. Mansilla, Romina Llanos, Marcella J. Kelly
Summary: Human-carnivore conflict can result in the decline or extinction of top predators, especially when there are inadequate or absent management policies. A study in central Argentina found that puma densities were lower in cattle ranches and game reserves compared to a protected area. Vegetation cover and cattle encounter rates influenced puma habitat use and activity patterns varied across land-use types. The results highlight the importance of protected areas for preserving puma populations in central Argentina.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Xianliang Zhang, Pei Yu, Dongzhi Wang, Zhongqi Xu
Summary: This study evaluated the relationship between drought, intrinsic water use efficiency (iWUE), and tree growth in temperate plantations using tree-ring growth and delta 13C data. The results showed that low-density old-age stands were more sensitive to drought stress, while high-density young-age stands were less affected. High-density trees had a more balanced carbon uptake per water loss, indicating the importance of competition for fast growth. Droughts had a weaker effect on iWUE and tree growth in high-density stands, but reinforced stomatal closure in low-density stands. High-density trees had higher resistance to drought but lower recovery than low-density trees. Maintaining high-density forests could reduce drought-induced growth loss, but proper thinning frequency and rotation period should be implemented for enhanced adaptation to droughts.
AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST METEOROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ornithology
Sergio R. Camin, Valeria Martin-Albarracin, Milagros Jefferies, Luis Marone
JOURNAL OF AVIAN BIOLOGY
(2016)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Alex E. Jahn, Vanesa Bejarano, Victor R. Cueto, Adrian S. Di Giacomo, Carla S. Fontana
PERSPECTIVES IN ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2017)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Susana Patricia Bravo, Victor Rodolfo Cueto, Cristian Andres Gorosito
Article
Zoology
A. Zarco, V. R. Cueto, M. C. Sagario, L. Marone
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
M. Cecilia Sagario, Victor R. Cueto, Agustin Zarco, Rodrigo Pol, Luis Marone
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2020)
Article
Plant Sciences
Luis Marone, Rodrigo G. Pol
Summary: Long-term field studies in Argentina's Monte desert revealed that grazing and heavy rainfall are significant factors affecting the composition and size of grass soil seed bank (SSB). Grazing disrupts SSB composition and size, while heavy rainfall acts as a positive force in restoring grazed areas. The study found that cattle-free grasslands showed continuous positive response to rainfall in SSB size, while grazed habitats showed a threshold response, with scarce seeds of palatable grasses.
Article
Ornithology
Luis Marone, Victor R. Cueto, Javier Lopez de Casenave, Agustin Zarco, Sergio R. Camin
Summary: The study evaluated the relationships between seed mass, handling time, handling efficiency, and profitability with bird preferences in controlled experiments and field diet composition. The findings suggest that bird preferences and diet composition are influenced by seed mass, profitability, and availability of seeds. Additionally, the study indicates that most birds can maximize their energy intake by preferring larger seeds while also showing some flexibility in their feeding behavior.
JOURNAL OF AVIAN BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Rodrigo G. Pol, Florencia Miretti, Luis Marone
Summary: Feeding flexibility reduces vulnerability in ants, but poor nutrition leads to decreased colony size and body condition of reproductive females, impacting their survival and reproductive success.
JOURNAL OF INSECT CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Ornithology
Luis Marone, Sergio R. Camin
Summary: The Yellow Cardinal is a globally endangered species, and its feeding ecology is not well-known. Experimental assessments on seed preferences revealed that the birds prefer medium-sized and large native grass seeds and have difficulty handling heavier seeds.
EMU-AUSTRAL ORNITHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Federico Morelli, Lucas M. Leveau, Peter Mikula, Ian MacGregor-Fors, M. Lucia Bocelli, Sergio Gabriel Quesada-Acuna, Cesar Gonzalez-Lagos, Pablo Gutierrez-Tapia, Gabriela Franzoi Dri, Carlos A. Delgado-V., Alvaro Garitano Zavala, Jackeline Campos, Ruben Ortega-Alvarez, A. Isain Contreras-Rodriguez, Daniela Souza Lopez, Maria Cecilia B. Toledo, Andres Sarquis, Alejandro Giraudo, Ada Lilian Echevarria, Maria Elisa Fanjul, Maria Valeria Martinez, Josefina Haedo, Luis Gonzalo Cano Sanz, Yuri Adais Pena Dominguez, Viviana Fernandez, Veronica Marinero, Vinicius Abilhoa, Rafael Amorin, Carla Suertegaray Fontana, Thaiane Weinert da Silva, Sarah Sandri Zalewski Vargas, Juan F. Escobar Ibanez, Maria Dolores Juri, Sergio R. Camin, Luis Marone, Augusto Joao Piratelli, Alexandre Gabriel Franchin, Larissa Crispim, Julieta Benitez, Yanina Benedetti
Summary: The escape behavior, measured as flight initiation distance (FID), is widely used to study fearfulness and risk-taking in animals. This study found that birds in Latin American cemeteries escape earlier than birds in urban parks, in contrast to previous findings in Europe. These differences may be associated with the evolutionary history and urbanization process of bird species in different regions.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lucas M. Leveau, Mariana Lucia Bocelli, Sergio Gabriel Quesada-Acuna, Cesar Gonzalez-Lagos, Pablo Gutierrez Tapia, Gabriela Franzoi Dri, Carlos A. Delgado-V, Alvaro Garitano-Zavala, Jackeline Campos, Yanina Benedetti, Ruben Ortega-Alvarez, Antonio Isain Contreras Rodriguez, Daniela Souza Lopez, Carla Suertegaray Fontana, Thaiane Weinert da Silva, Sarah Sandri Zalewski Vargas, Maria Cecilia Barbosa Toledo, Juan Andres Sarquis, Alejandro Giraudo, Ada Lilian Echevarria, Maria Elisa Fanjul, Maria Valeria Martinez, Josefina Haedo, Luis Gonzalo Cano Sanz, Yuri Pena, Viviana Fernandez, Veronica Marinero, Vinicius Abilhoa, Rafael Amorin, Juan Fernando Escobar Ibanez, Maria Dolores Juri, Sergio Camin, Luis Marone, Augusto Joao Piratelli, Alexandre Gabriel Franchin, Larissa Crispim, Federico Morelli
Summary: This study conducted surveys in urban parks and cemeteries in the Neotropical region and found that they play similar roles in conserving bird diversity. However, the species diversity-environment relationships vary between seasons, emphasizing the importance of conducting annual studies.
Article
Ornithology
Luis Marone, Matias Olmedo, Daniela Y. Valdes, Agustin Zarco, Javier Lopez de Casenave, Rodrigo G. Pol
Article
Ornithology
Agustin Zarco, Victor R. Cueto
Article
Ornithology
Alex E. Jahn, Vanesa Bejarano, Marcela Benavides Guzman, Leone M. Brown, Ivan C. Carvalho Provinciato, Joaquin Cereghetti, Victor R. Cueto, Jose I. Giraldo, Valentina Gomez-Bahamon, Michael S. Husak, Heather K. LePage, Maggie MacPherson, Miguel Angelo Marini, Marco Aurelio Pizo, Aaron Quickle, Diane V. Roeder, Jose Hernan Sarasola, Diego T. Tuero
JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY
(2017)
Article
Entomology
Rodrigo G. Pol, Gabriela A. Vargas, Luis Marone
ECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2017)