Coastal Ecuador Research Articles

Spatio-Temporal Pattern of Dinoflagellates Along the Tropical Eastern Pacific Coast (Ecuador)

Among marine phytoplankton, dinoflagellates are a key component in marine ecosystems as primary producers. Some species synthesize toxins, associated with human seafood poisoning, and mortality in marine organisms. Thus, there is a large necessity to understand the role of environmental variables in dinoflagellates spatial-temporal patterns in response to future climate scenarios. In that sense, a monthly four-year (2013-2017) monitoring was taken to evaluate dinoflagellates abundances and physical-chemical parameters in the water column at different depths. Sampling sites were established at 10 miles in four locations within the Ecuadorian coast. A total of 102 taxa were identified, corresponding to 8 orders, 22 families, and 31 genera. Eight potentially harmful genera were registered but no massive blooms were detected. The most frequent dinoflagellates were Gymnodinium sp. and Gyrodinium sp. Environmental variables showed different mixing layer thickness and a conspicuous and deepening thermocline/oxycline/halocline and nutricline depending on annual and seasonal oceanographic fluctuations. This study confirms that seasonal and spatial distribution of the environmental variables are linked to the main current systems on the Eastern Tropical Pacific, thus the warm Panama current lead to a less dinoflagellates abundance in the north of Ecuador (Esmeraldas), while the Equatorial Upwelling and the cold nutrient-rich Humboldt Current influence dinoflagellates abundance at the central (Manta, La Libertad) and South of Ecuador (Puerto Bolivar), respectively. Inter-annual variability of dinoflagellates abundance is associated with ENSO and upwelling conditions. Climate change scenarios predict an increase in water surface temperature and extreme events frequency in tropical areas, so it is crucial to involve policy-makers and stakeholders in the implementation of future laws involving long-term monitoring and sanitary programs, not covered at present.

The 2016 Mw 7.8 Pedernales, Ecuador, Earthquake: Rapid Response Deployment

The April 2016 Pedernales earthquake ruptured a 100 km by 40 km segment of the subduction zone along the coast of Ecuador in an Mw 7.8 megathrust event east of the intersection of the Carnegie ridge with the trench. This portion of the subduction zone has ruptured on decadal time scales in similar size and larger earthquakes, and exhibits a range of slip behaviors, variations in segmentation, and degree of plate coupling along strike. Immediately after the earthquake, an international rapid response effort coordinated by the Instituto Geofisico at the Escuela Politecnica Nacional in Quito deployed 55 seismometers and 10 ocean‐bottom seismometers above the rupture zone and adjacent areas to record aftershocks. In this article, we describe the details of the U.S. portion of the rapid response and present an earthquake catalog from May 2016 to May 2017 produced using data recorded by these stations. Aftershocks focus in distinct clusters within and around the rupture area and match spatial patterns observed in long‐term seismicity. For the first two and a half months, aftershocks exhibit a relatively sharp cutoff to the north of the mainshock rupture. In early July, an earthquake swarm occurred ∼100 km to the northeast of the mainshock in the epicentral region of an Mw 7.8 earthquake in 1958. In December, an increase in seismicity occurred ∼70 km to the northeast of the mainshock in the epicentral region of the 1906 earthquake. Data from the Pedernales earthquake and aftershock sequence recorded by permanent seismic and geodetic networks in Ecuador and the dense aftershock deployment provide an opportunity to examine the persistence of asperities for large to great earthquakes over multiple seismic cycles, the role of asperities and slow slip in subduction‐zone megathrust rupture, and the relationship between locked and creeping parts of the subduction interface.

Hydraulic Order and the Politics of the Governed: The Baba Dam in Coastal Ecuador

Mega-dams are commonly designed, constructed, and implemented under governors’ rule and technocrats’ knowledge. Such hydraulic infrastructures are characteristically presented as if based on monolithic technical consensus and unidirectional engineering. However, those who are affected by these water interventions, and eventually governed by the changes brought by them, often dispute the forms of knowledge, norms, morals, and operation and use rules embedded in mega-hydraulic engineers’ designs. Protests may also deeply influence the design and development of the technological artifacts. By using approaches related to the Social Construction of Technology and Partha Chatterjee’s politics of the governed, this article shows (i) how protests against the Baba dam in coastal Ecuador greatly influenced the dam’s designs, protecting communities’ lands from being flooded; and (ii) how, at the same time, techno-political decision-makers deployed hydraulic design as a dividing rule, turning potentially affected communities against each other. We conclude that megadam designs are shaped by the power interplay among governors and governed, with the latter being internally differentiated. By critically analyzing the role of technology development—materializing changing ‘political context and relationships’—we show how contested and adapted dam design may favor some stakeholders while simultaneously affecting others and weakening united dam-resistance movements.

Oceanography of Harmful Algal Blooms on the Ecuadorian Coast (1997–2017): Integrating Remote Sensing and Biological Data

Ocean climate drivers and phytoplankton life strategies interact in a complex dynamic to produce harmful algal blooms (HABs). This study aims to integrate historical biological data collected during “red tide” events along the Ecuadorian coast between 1997 and 2017 in relation to five ocean variables derived from satellite remote sensing data to explain the seasonal drivers of coastal processes associated with HABs dynamics. Seasonality of the occurrence of HABs was assessed in relation to oceanographic variables by applying multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) to the Ecuadorian central coast (Zone 1) and at the outer and inner Gulf of Guayaquil (Zone 2). Sixty-seven HABs events were registered between 1997 and 2017. From a total of 40 species of phytoplankton identified, 28 were identified as non-toxic and the remaining 12 are well known to produce toxins. Dinoflagellates were the taxonomic group most highly associated with potential HABs events along the entire Ecuadorian coast. HABs appear to be constrained by the Humboldt coastal upwelling, high precipitation, and associated coastal runoff, with higher biomass abundance in the Gulf of Guayaquil than in the central coast. Results from the MCA reveal that in the central Ecuadorian coast (oligotrophic system), toxic HABs occurred with low abundance of dinoflagellates, while in the Gulf of Guayaquil (eutrophic system), toxic HABs corresponded to a high abundance of dinoflagellates. In both cases, high values were found for sea surface temperature, precipitation, and irradiance—characteristic of wet seasons or El Nino years. Non-toxic HABs occurred with a high abundance of dinoflagellates, ciliates, and centric diatoms, corresponding to colder waters and low levels of precipitation and irradiance. These findings confirm that dinoflagellates display several strategies that enhance their productive capacity when ocean conditions are warmer, allowing them to produce toxins at high or at low concentrations. Considering that the Gulf of Guayaquil is essential to tourism, the shrimp industry, fisheries, and international shipping, these findings strongly suggest the need to establish an ecosystem health research program to monitor HABs and the development of a preventive policy for tourism and public health in Ecuador.

The political construction and fixing of water overabundance: rural–urban flood-risk politics in coastal Ecuador

ABSTRACTEcuador’s mega-dam project aims to control Chone city’s flooding hazards, but it submerges peasants’ territories – legitimized by ‘modern city/majority benefit’ versus ‘rural backward/sacrifice-able minority’ discourse. Presented as disordered, unruly and needing domestication, peasants must follow urban imaginaries and safeguard modern-urban progress. Policy-makers’ water overabundance discourse presents ‘flood risk’ as a natural and techno-managerial problem, hiding how unequal power balances establish ‘high-value’ (urban/elite) areas as protection zones and rural areas as sacrifice zones. Excessive water is stored in rural areas, neglecting peasants’ livelihoods and governance forms. The paper’s political ecology approach displays the ‘water overabundance’ discourse as a techno-political, naturalized construct that profoundly impacts rural–urban hydro-territoriality.

Proximate composition of several green, brown and red seaweeds from the coast of Ecuador

Abstract: Seaweeds are accessible and important marine organisms from coastal zones, which have shown their nutritive potential as food or additive. In the coastline of Ecuador these organisms are relatively abundant, but their biochemical composition has not been adequately studied. Therefore, the aim of this research was to evaluate the proximate composition of seven seaweeds (four red, two brown, and one green) collected from Salinas Bay, Ecuador, as a contribution to the knowledge of the nutritional potential of these organisms that belong to this region. Moisture, ash, fat, fiber and protein contents were determined by standard protocols, while carbohydrates were obtained by difference. Energetic content (or caloric profile) was calculated according to the contributions of macromolecules (fats, proteins and carbohydrates). The parameters in highest proportion found in all species were carbohydrates (32.2-45.5 %) and minerals (or ash, 25.8-36.7 %), which play a significant role in human nutrition and the food industry. Furthermore, protein, fiber, and fat contents were relatively low, with values around 4.7-8.0 %, 0.9-5.0 %, and 0.3-3.0 %, respectively, indicating these organisms are a good option as healthy food. According to statistical analysis (ANOVA), each nutritive parameter was significantly different among the species (p<0.05). Results indicate edible seaweeds from Ecuador have potential as nutritious food that could offer between 1500-2000 kcal kg-1, which is higher than many common vegetables.
 Key words: macroalgae; nutritional profile; seafood; Rhodophyte; Phaeophyte; Chlorophyte.

First Record of a Live-Stranded Killer Whale (Orcinus orca) in Coastal Ecuador and Insights on Killer Whale Occurrence in Ecuadorian Waters

First Record of a Live-Stranded Killer Whale (Orcinus orca) in Coastal Ecuador and Insights on Killer Whale Occurrence in Ecuadorian Waters

A story told from a small-mesh screen: the importance of songbirds and ground doves to the Guangala people at the El Azúcar archeological site in coastal Ecuador

The Guangala people of El Azucar, located 25 km from the Ecuadorean coast, specialized on the production of beads and hunting for trade between approximately 150 BC and 370 AC. In this study, I analyzed the avian component of the zooarchaeological remains to examine patterns in resource use and paleoecological conditions during site occupancy. For comparison, I also identified the bird bones from three archeological sites in the Valdivia Valley, 38 km to the north. The composition of the avifauna at the El Azucar site is highly unusual. Unlike at any other sites, including the Valdivia Village sites examined in this study, songbirds and small ground doves make up over 90% of all samples. The large number of songbirds and columbids is probably due to a combination of (1) taphonomy, (2) the use of 1/8 in. mesh for screening of sediments during excavation, and (3) local adaptations in resource use. Novel hypotheses regarding the exploitation of birds by the Guangala people of El Azucar are presented. Most importantly, I posit that most birds were probably hunted by women and children in and around agricultural plots, perhaps by using fishing nets. The avifauna at El Azucar and the Valdivia Village suggest that climate was variable, consistent with the expected impact of the El Nino Southern Oscillation on the Ecuadorian coast. These insights could not have been gained without the use of 1/8-in screens and species-level identifications of the zooarchaeological specimens.

Assessment of local adaptive capacities in the context of local politics after the 2016 Ecuadorian earthquake

Focusing on four municipalities in two provinces (Manabí and Esmeraldas), this article discusses the comparative findings resulting from the first long-term assessment of the decelerated socioeconomic recovery process on the Ecuadorian coast after the earthquake of April 2016. To do so, we draw on the framework of collective adaptive capacities developed by Ross (2014), repeated field stays between 2017 and 2018, and aerial photographic documentation. By putting emphasis on both the national context of post-neoliberal Buen Vivir disaster management as well as the subtleties and vital role of local politics in the recovery process, we find serious ecological, institutional, infrastructural and economic shortcomings at the municipal level. By typically fostering disaster capitalism and securitization in favor of cantonal seats, and to the detriment of parishes, the recovery process revealed a tendency to deepen already existing vulnerabilities and inequalities in the region instead of mitigating them.

Structural Bamboo Building Codes: Catalysts for Industry, Research, and Construction Technology

On April 16, 2016, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake destroyed over 35,000 homes along the Pacific coast of Ecuador, leaving more than 140,000 people without permanent housing. However, bamboo houses proved resilient to the seismic forces, prompting a reevaluation of the material and the creation of an Ecuadorian bamboo building code. Public, private, and academic initiatives are addressing industry challenges and developing improved bamboo construction methods that are rebranding the stigmatized material. This research documents improvements to the bamboo supply chain in Peru and Ecuador through interviews conducted with architects, engineers, and agroforestry experts across the region. The results highlight hybridized solutions that are propelling the industry toward standardizing its practices and scaling structural bamboo housing from a disaster reconstruction strategy toward mainstream use across South America.

The Jama-Coaque mold-made figurines from coastal Ecuador

The Jama-Coaque mold-made figurines from coastal Ecuador

Intercultural health in Ecuador: an asymmetrical and incomplete project

ABSTRACTIntimate connections between culture and health are complicated by various understandings of the human body, divergent beliefs about reality and place-bound theories about healing. Health care systems in various countries are modified with a goal of creating ‘hybrid’ structures that make room for traditional practices within a dominant Western model. But genuine intercultural health care is elusive. In Ecuador, a country with great cultural and geographic diversity, the culture-health spectrum is broad and bumpy. This is especially evident in health care politics, education and administration. A constitution adopted in 2008 aims for inclusivity and equality by incorporating indigenous concepts of the ‘good life’ and ideals of an intercultural society. These new values and perspectives should be reflected in economics, law, education and health care. But these concepts confront a racial, political and economic history that has delegitimized indigenous systems of knowledge and belief. This paper contrasts ‘ideal’ and ‘real’ intercultural health care using case studies of the Tsáchila, an indigenous group in coastal Ecuador. The conclusion is that ‘ideal’ intercultural health care, as reflected in medical school education and clinical practice, is a superficial attempt at dialogue and understanding between indigenous and western medicine. ‘Real’ intercultural health care involves a more profound level of mutual respect and cross-cultural understanding that aims for symmetry in patient–doctor relationships. Insights from medical anthropology guide the authors through a critical analysis that addresses interculturality as a political issue and a political struggle that the Tsáchilas – like other indigenous groups – are losing.

Understanding Land Cover Change in a Fragmented Forest Landscape in a Biodiversity Hotspot of Coastal Ecuador

Understanding forest cover changes is especially important in highly threatened and understudied tropical dry forest landscapes. This research uses Landsat images and a Random Forest classifier (RF) to map old-growth, secondary, and plantation forests and to evaluate changes in their coverage in Ecuador. We used 46 Landsat-derived predictors from the dry and wet seasons to map these forest types and to evaluate the importance of having seasonal variables in classifications. Initial RF models grouped old-growth and secondary forest as a single class because of a lack of secondary forest training data. The model accuracy was improved slightly from 92.8% for the wet season and 94.6% for the dry season to 95% overall by including variables from both seasons. Derived land cover maps indicate that the remaining forest in the landscape occurs mostly along the coastline in a matrix of pastureland, with less than 10% of the landscape covered by plantation forests. To obtain secondary forest training data and evaluate changes in forest cover, we conducted a change analysis between the 1990 and 2015 images. The results indicated that half of the forests present in 1990 were cleared during the 25-year study period and highlighted areas of forest regrowth. We used these areas to extract secondary forest training data and then re-classified the landscape with secondary forest as a class. Classification accuracies decreased with more forest classes, but having data from both seasons resulted in higher accuracy (87.9%) compared to having data from only the wet (85.8%) or dry (82.9%) seasons. The produced cover maps classified the majority of previously identified forest areas as secondary, but these areas likely correspond to forest regrowth and to degraded forests that structurally resemble secondary forests. Among the few areas classified as old-growth forests are known reserves. This research provides evidence of the importance of using bi-seasonal Landsat data to classify forest types and contributes to understanding changes in forest cover of tropical dry forests.

Spatio-Temporal Avian Diversity in the Jambelí Archipelago, Southwestern Ecuador

In the last two decades, more than 35% of coastal wetlands in the tropics and subtropics have been destroyed, mangrove forest being the most affected habitat. However, mangroves have been poorly studied around the world, particularly in the Neotropics. The spatio-temporal diversity of the mangrove bird community in the Jambeli archipelago, in southwestern Ecuador, was studied. Between 2 August 2015 and 25 July 2016, a total of 118 species (35 migratory and 83 resident species) belonging to 44 families were documented. Nine of the 83 resident species are endemic to the coasts of Ecuador and northwestern Peru; six are threatened species. The most abundant species in the archipelago were Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) and Neotropic Cormorant (Phalacrocorax brasilianus), while the best represented family was Laridae (n = 12 species). No spatial or temporal differences in bird diversity were detected (P > 0.35). The Jambeli archipelago has a high diversity of bird species, particularly as a wintering and stopover site for boreal migratory species. A long-term monitoring program for bird populations in the area has been proposed as an effective tool to assess the conservation status of this important and threatened ecosystem.

New valuation for defying degradation: Visualizing mangrove forest dynamics and local stewardship with remote sensing in coastal Ecuador

Coastal mangrove forests have been undervalued and converted to other uses throughout the developing world for almost half a century. The causes and consequences of mangrove deforestation have been well-documented; however fewer studies have examined the political factors contributing to conservation and the social dimensions of habitat restoration. We combine remote sensing analysis with ethnographic research to quantify patterns of mangrove cover change between 1985 and 2014, and to qualitatively explore local observations and testimonies of conflict over resources in the Jambelí Archipelago, Ecuador. Our results reveal that shrimp aquaculture was a pervasive force shaping spatiotemporal patterns of mangrove cover change from 1985 to 1999. Thereafter, trends of deforestation decelerated to reveal signs of recovery in some locations due to new policies, institutional transformations at multiple levels, and local commitment to community mangrove reforestation. Our research suggests that sustained local commitment to stewardship emerged from local discontent with historically ineffective policies that permitted a struggle between artisanal fishers and shrimp farmers over resources and territory. This context shaped the evolution of policy and provided a ripe environment for successful community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) in 2000 when the Ecuadorian government began granting collective stewardship rights to artisanal fishers and other “ancestral user groups” for mangrove conservation. We conclude that the state’s empowerment of artisanal fishers with resource rights served as a critical turning point toward more socially just policies with transformative impacts on previously degraded mangrove landscapes.

Statistical analysis of the largest possible earthquake magnitudes on the Ecuadorian coast for selected return periods

ABSTRACTIn this work, we have studied the largest earthquake magnitudes on the Ecuadorian coast by using the principles of Extreme Value Analysis based on its two approaches: Block Maxima and Peaks-over-Threshold. First, before modelling the recorded earthquakes, the K-means clustering technique was applied to determine a classification according to the level of magnitude of the earthquakes. Then, models based on the Extreme Value theory of earthquake magnitudes were developed for each of the four clusters that were found, and finally, the best-fitted models were those known as Fréchet and Gumbel ones. The zone with the greatest earthquake magnitudes on the Ecuadorian coast is located between the north of the province of Manabí and the south of the province of Esmeraldas, with a return period of 50 years for an earthquake with magnitude greater than 7.7 MW.

Intraspecific phylogeny of Anopheles (Kerteszia) neivai Howard, Dyar & Knab 1913, based on mitochondrial and nuclear ribosomal genes

Three mitochondrial regions and a fragment of a large nuclear ribosomal subunit was used to study the evolutionary patterns of An. neivai, a mosquito inhabiting mangroves and tropical forest in the lowland and coastal areas of the Yucatan Peninsula through the Pacific Ecuadorian coast. This species exhibits epidemiological importance regarding Malaria transmission in natural ecosystems, particularly in rural areas of the Pacific Colombian coast. The results based on phylogenetic networks and Bayesian inference showed no robust evidence supporting the existence of previously suggested cryptic species. Diversification patterns in geographically widespread species such as this one, are complex and therefore could impact malaria control strategies. Further studies focused on behavior, morphology, and phylogenomics will improve the understanding of the evolutionary patterns within An. neivai and its role as a disease vector.

Risk Perception of Coastal Communities and Authorities on Harmful Algal Blooms in Ecuador

The ocean is intrinsically linked to human health as it provides food and wellbeing, yet shifts in its dynamics can pose climate-ecological risks, such as harmful algal blooms (HABs) that can impact the health and economy of coastal communities. For decades, Ecuadorian coastal communities have witnessed seasonal algal blooms, events that are driven by factors including complex ocean-climate interactions, nutrient availability, and ecological variables. However, little is known about the risk perceived by coastal populations regarding such events. Understanding how specific groups of people in specific places perceive HABs risks is critical for communicating, promoting, and regulating public health measures. This study assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of fishermen, restaurant owners, and coastal authorities in relation to harmful algal blooms, or ‘red tide’ events, in coastal Ecuador. Methods utilized in this study include a non-probabilistic sampling approach for the two studied populations: coastal communities comprised of fishermen and restaurant owners (N1=181), and authorities comprised of coastal officials in the sectors of health, and environment and risk management (N2=20). Using contingency tables, chi-square test, Cramer’s V correlation statistic, and multiple correspondence analysis, this study compared the responses of these two groups, coastal communities, and authorities, to determine whether the principal activity or livelihood, affected risk perception in each group. This project implemented four workshops to interact with coastal stakeholders and more deeply understand risk perception within studied populations. Results demonstrated that principal activity indeed influenced risk perception of red tides and that fishermen, restaurant owners, and health authorities had limited knowledge and low-risk perception of red tide impacts on human health. Recommendations produced from this research include tailored workshops and improved communication between authorities and coastal communities to enhance algal bloom monitoring and coastal management during future red tide events.

Selección de hábitat y composición de la dieta de Microlophus occipitalis (Reptilia: Tropiduridae) en Sechura, Piura - Perú

Microlophus occipitalis es una lagartija diurna que se distribuye en las costas de Ecuador y Perú, de la cual se pretende determinar el uso y selección de los recursos de hábitat, así como los principales componentes de su dieta. Se trabajó en la laguna Ñapique (Piura, Perú), usando el Diseño Tipo I de Manly (la disponibilidad y uso se estiman para todos los individuos de la especie dentro del área de estudio), y el Coeficiente de Selección de Manly para determinar la selección de recursos. La composición de la dieta y amplitud del nicho trófico se analizó con el índice de Levins estandarizado. Un total de 1055 observaciones permitieron determinar que M. occipitalis seleccionó los recursos Tronco y Piedra. La actividad dominante fue la Alimentación, seguida del Soleamiento. Existió un alto consumo de Himenópteros, seguido de los Coleópteros. Microlophus occipitalis es una especie que usa principalmente los troncos y las piedras que se presentan en su hábitat para poder termorregular. Su principal actividad es la alimenticia. Es una especie carnívora que en la temporada de primavera-verano consume principalmente hormigas y coleópteros pero complementa su dieta con flores y hojas en baja cantidad, en un consumo aparentemente accidental.

¡Ya pué[h]! Perception of coda-/s/ weakening among L2 and heritage speakers in coastal Ecuador


 
 
 This investigation lies at the intersection of second language acquisition (SLA), sociophonetic variation, and speech perception. Specifically, it investigates the perception of coda /s/-aspiration (producing disco as [dih.ko]), a dialectal feature characteristic of Guayaquileño (coastal Ecuadorian) Spanish, among 14 young-adult English speakers who travel to Ecuador. The study investigates the participants’ ability to perceive an aspirated variant as a legitimate /s/ over time as they are further exposed to the local variety. It also explores the linguistic and extralinguistic factors that play a role in the perception of the variable such as phonological context of /s/, proficiency level, and individual differences in experience with /s/-weakening dialects. Results suggest that most learners are able to acquire new mappings within their interlanguage phonological system. However, results vary according to proficiency, phonological context of /s/, and at the individual level. The results also suggest that gains in sociolinguistic competence can be seen in terms of perception (as opposed to only in learner production), which underscores the necessity to include perceptual studies in future research in variationist SLA.