Context The concept of umbrella species has been proposed as a surrogate for the conservation of a wider range of species and ecosystems. This concept has, however, frequently been questioned by researchers because of the lack of empirical evidence to support it. Aims The aim of the present study was to test the role of the spectacled bear, Tremarctos ornatus (FG Cuvier, 1825), also known as Andean bear, as a putative umbrella species for the 12 Andean ecoregions it inhabits. Methods The number of threatened vertebrates, as well as the total number of vertebrate species (mammals and birds) existing in areas where the spectacled bear is present (distribution range) and absent, were compared within each ecoregion to assess the role of spectacled bear as an umbrella species, using geographical information systems. Key results In absolute terms, the spectacled bear could be considered an umbrella species, because 20.6% of the area of the 12 ecoregions was covered by the bear’s distribution range, and the total numbers of both vertebrate species richness and threatened species were higher in areas where the bears were present than in those where they were absent. However, the results showed that the differences with regard to the number of species in areas in which the bears were present and absent depended on the ecoregion and the targeted taxa. Conclusions These results suggest that the effectiveness of the spectacled bear as an umbrella species is not widespread, because conserving the areas in which bears are present may not always equate to greater conservation benefits (higher species richness) in all the ecoregions for all the taxa. Implications If spectacled bear is used as an umbrella species, it is necessary to consider both the ecoregions and the targeted taxa whose conservation would be improved as a result of the preservation of the spectacled bear’s distribution range.
Los objetivos de este estudio son caracterizar las revistas latinoamericanas indexadas en Scopus, Journal Citation Reports (JCR), y Latindex dentro del área de los recursos naturales, y explicar las diferencias observadas entre países a través de variables económicas, de inversión en investigación y medio ambientales. Como resultado se obtiene que el número de revistas latinoamericanas indexadas tanto en Scopus como en JCR se ha incrementado considerablemente durante la última década, aunque estas revistas tienen un índice de impacto bajo. El hecho de que un país tenga revistas indexadas en Scopus, y un mayor número de revistas en Latindex está relacionado con variables económicas y no con la riqueza de los recursos naturales que alberga un país.
Ecuador ha aumentado vertiginosamente su producción científica en los últimos años, actualmente es el sexto país de Latinoamérica y el Caribe con mayor número de artículos publicados en Scopus. El objetivo de este trabajo fue estudiar la evolución de la producción científica de Ecuador en Scopus durante el periodo 2007-2017, obteniendo para cada año el número de citas recibidas, el porcentaje de artículos por cuartil, el porcentaje de artículos escritos en inglés, español u otros idiomas, y el porcentaje de documentos publicados como artículos, revisiones y memorias de congresos, entre otros. Los resultados muestran un aumento en la proporción de artículos en Q4 y un descenso en Q1, un aumento en la proporción de artículos escritos en español, y un aumento del porcentaje de documentos publicados como memorias de congreso, mientras que no hubo evidencia de un aumento en el número de citas recibidas. Estos resultados sugieren que el aumento de la producción científica en Ecuador no ha dado como resultado un aumento de la calidad, medida como usabilidad (citas), visibilidad (idioma) e impacto (cuartiles), lo que podría ser resultado de la incipiente ciencia que se está generando en el país.
Illegal wildlife trafficking has negative effects on biodiversity conservation at both global and local scale. Therefore, the establishment of appropriate conservation measures requires local studies that quantify this problem. The objective of this work was to quantify and characterize the species of birds and mammals seized in the period 2016-2017, at the Valle Alto Wildlife Rescue Centre and Wildlife Refuge. The study showed that 212 specimens belonging to 41 different species were confiscated. More birds than mammals were confiscated, and a greater proportion of birds were included in a national and international threat category. A clear preference for primates, parrots and squirrels was found. Furthermore, the presence of species with a distribution range outside the study area revealed the existence of the transportation of species from other parts of the country. Although these data are only a sample of what is actually trafficked in the country, they provide an approach of the type of species that are illegally trafficked in this biodiversity hotspot.
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