La Guajira Research Articles

Public health measures during the COVID-19 pandemic in institutions for the protection of children and adolescents in two departments in ColombiaMedidas de saúde pública em instituições de proteção de crianças e adolescentes em dois departamentos da Colômbia durante a pandemia de COVID-19

Analyze facilitating processes, obstacles, and effects of the implementation of non-pharmacological public health measures for the prevention of COVID-19 in child and adolescent protection centers in two departments (Antioquia and La Guajira) in Colombia during the period 2020-2021. Mixed methods study with a convergent parallel design in 13 residential child/adolescent protection facilities in Colombia (11 in Antioquia and two in La Guajira). A questionnaire was given to 145 children and adolescents, and 23 interviews were held with persons responsible for the implementation of measures in the national family welfare system. The implemented non-pharmacological public health measures did not differ by department; the most complex to implement were physical distancing and restriction of family visits. In centers for the protection of children and adolescents in Antioquia and La Guajira, non-pharmacological public health measures helped mitigate the spread of the virus in environments considered at-risk.

Proposal of an instructional design on linking the use of Wayuu myths and legends supported by multimedia applications to strengthen reading and writing skills

Instructional design is an essential process that specifically defines and outlines how all the elements that make up the educational action must be and how they should relate to each other in the educational field. This article proposes a methodological proposal to develop an instructional design that links the use of Wayuu myths and legends, supported by multimedia applications, to strengthen literacy in students of Educational Institution number four in the municipality of Maicao La Guajira.

Genome Sequence Data Reveal at Least Two Distinct Incursions of the Tropical Race 4 Variant of Fusarium Wilt into South America.

The global banana industry is threatened by one of the most devastating diseases: Fusarium wilt of banana. Fusarium wilt of banana is caused by the soilborne fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc), which almost annihilated the banana production in the late 1950s. A new strain of Foc, known as tropical race 4 (TR4), attacks a wide range of banana varieties, including Cavendish clones, which are the source of 99% of banana exports. In 2019, Foc TR4 was reported in Colombia, and more recently (2021) in Peru. In this study, we sequenced three fungal isolates identified as Foc TR4 from La Guajira (Colombia) and compared them against 19 whole-genome sequences of Foc TR4 publicly available, including four genome sequences recently released from Peru. To understand the genetic relatedness of the Colombian Foc TR4 isolates and those from Peru, we conducted a phylogenetic analysis based on a genome-wide set of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Additionally, we compared the genomes of the 22 available Foc TR4 isolates, looking for the presence-absence of gene polymorphisms and genomic regions. Our results reveal that (i) the Colombian and Peruvian isolates are genetically distant, which could be better explained by independent incursions of the pathogen to the continent, and (ii) there is a high correspondence between the genetic relatedness and geographic origin of Foc TR4. The profile of present/absent genes and the distribution of missing genomic regions showed a high correspondence to the clades recovered in the phylogenetic analysis, supporting the results obtained by SNP-based phylogeny.

Spatial variation of vegetative growth of the introduced species Caulerpa scalpelliformis along the peninsula of La Guajira, Colombia

Spatial variation of vegetative growth of the introduced species Caulerpa scalpelliformis along the peninsula of La Guajira, Colombia

Rarity and conservation status of the Colombian Speckled Tree Rat, Pattonomys semivillosus (I. Geoffroy, 1838)

Abstract The Colombian Speckled Tree Rat, Pattonomys semivillosus, is a little-known rodent endemic to the Lower Magdalena River basin at the Caribbean Coast of Colombia. To date it is the only species of Pattonomys documented in the country. We provide information on the rarity, and conservation status of P. semivillosus based on the current and potential distribution, population density and size using information from the literature, new records, and museum vouchers. We confirmed 66 occurrences that belong to 25 localities in six departments (Atlántico, Bolívar, Cesar, La Guajira, Magdalena, Santander, and Sucre) in northern Colombia, including 18 new localities not previously reported in the literature, mostly in the highly threatened Tropical Dry Forest ecosystem. The population density in three sites of Department of Cesar was 5.4 ind/km2, 5.9 ind/km2, and 32.4 ind/km2. The species matches with the Category D of rarity, and we suggest an update to the threatened assessment (from Least Concern to Near Threatened). This information will contribute to update the current IUCN assessment of the species.

A Metagenomic Assessment of Soil Microbial Communities in a Coal Mine Spoil Dump Under Reclaimed Vegetation in La Guajira, Colombia

A Metagenomic Assessment of Soil Microbial Communities in a Coal Mine Spoil Dump Under Reclaimed Vegetation in La Guajira, Colombia

Microgrids through the Energy-Water-Food Security Nexus in La Guajira, Colombia: Increasing water and food security or jeopardizing groundwater levels?

This study analyses the impacts of small-scale renewable energy technologies on Colombian rural indigenous communities in La Guajira through an Energy-Water-Food Security (EWF) Nexus lens. Due to the high-water scarcity in the region, special attention lays on identifying the water-related trade-offs when increasing access to energy technologies. Recognizing the importance of the indigenous people's knowledge about their land, this research draws on semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and observatory research to underpin a comparative case study between individuals with access to wind energy, solar energy, and people lacking energy access. The renewable energy systems, especially the newer solar energy microgrids, significantly increase water and food access by powering groundwater pumping systems. However, groundwater depletion is becoming an increasingly growing issue where the systems have been using the same aquifer for several decades. Therefore, this study identifies a major trade-off when increasing access to groundwater resources in arid regions, mainly a growing risk of depleting the local aquifers. This has relevance for all development interventions aiming to increase the access to groundwater through renewable energy technologies in arid regions and allows for more holistic management and policy decisions to be taken.

Petrogenetic constraints of the La Quinta Formation igneous rocks, Serranía del Perijá, northern Colombian Andes

La Quinta Formation is a Triassic-Jurassic volcano-sedimentary unit that crops out along both flanks of the Serranía de Perijá, in Cesar and La Guajira departments of Colombia, and Zulia state in Venezuela. It is mainly composed of red clastic sedimentary rocks (siltstones, sandstones, and minor conglomerates), interbedded with volcanic rocks and cut by small stocks. The volcanic horizons are mainly formed by rhyolitic tuffs and lava flows (basalts and andesites).
 
 Andesites and basalts are constituted by plagioclase, clinopyroxene, biotite, magnetite, apatite, and zircon, whereas rhyolites and tuffs are formed by plagioclase, ß quartz, biotite, and sanidine. EMPA analyses revealed that plagioclase display varying compositions from labradorite-andesine in intermediate and basic rocks to oligoclase in rhyolites. Besides, clinopyroxene from basalts was classified as augite, and several hydrothermal mineral phases were also recognized, such as epidote, Ca-zeolites, and andradite-grossular. Using ILMAT (ilmenite-magnetite) geothermometer, temperature and oxygen fugacity conditions of 700-730°C and +1.2 ∆NNO were determined for dolerite.
 
 Whole-rock geochemistry results evidence that La Quinta Formation volcanic rocks belong to the sub-alkaline (calc-alkaline) series, displaying compositions from basaltic andesites to rhyolites. Chondrite normalized REE and incompatible elements spidergrams show typical features of subduction-related magmatism and depict three groups of rocks (basic, intermediate, and acid) with contrasting geochemical behaviors. Hence, each group could have formed during single magmatic events associated with different magmatic suites. Nevertheless, the three groups have features that suggest a genesis related to an Andean-type supra-subduction zone, which agrees with the regional tectonic assemblage during Triassic-Jurassic times.

Extractive subjectivity in a corporate coal mining site in Colombia

This article contributes to the emerging scholarship on the formation of extractive subjectivities by exploring relations between a multinational coal-mining company and indigenous, Afro-Colombian and non-indigenous communities living in the surroundings of the mine, located in La Guajira department in northern Colombia. Building on long-term engagement in this region and a review of other comparable cases of subject-making in extractive spaces, the article presents a characterization of the complex subjectivity of 21st-century industrial extractivism. The overarching subjectivity of extraction has multiple (and sometimes conflicting) internal aspects whose appearances vary over time and space, sometimes overlapping simultaneously in the same person. The four major aspects of extractive subjectivity that I identify are refusal or resistance, or what I term risky resilience; hope, which builds on both desire and waiting; ambiguity and doubt; and deep emotions of anxiety and despair. The dimensions are in constant configuration in the encounter with corporate responses to people’s diverse ways of living and reacting to extractive power.

Zamia orinoquiensis (Zamiaceae, Cycadales), a new species from the western Orinoquía region of Colombia

Zamia orinoquiensis Calonje, Betancur & A.Lindstr., a new species from the western Orinoquía region of Colombia is described and illustrated. The species is segregated from and compared to Z. muricata Willd., the latter which is morphologically recharacterized, illustrated, and recircumscribed to include populations from tropical dry forest and tropical moist forests in the Lara-Falcón Formation and the Cordillera de la Costa natural regions of Venezuela, as well as the Serranía de Macuira in La Guajira, Colombia. Zamia orinoquiensis is morphologically distinguished from Z. muricata by its leaves bearing fewer, coriaceous (vs. papyraceous) leaflets, eophylls with 2 (vs. 4) leaflets, pollen strobili that are brown to reddish brown (vs. cream to tan) with larger microsporophylls bearing more numerous microsporangia, and ovulate strobili that are dark brown to black (vs. dark olive green to olive brown) at maturity.

Avifauna associated with two fragments of tropical dry forest located near airports in La Guajira – Colombia

Introduction: In Colombian territory, some aerodromes are close to natural areas, of which there is no information on their biodiversity. This research recorded the avifauna of two Tropical Dry Forests (TDF) near airports, becoming the first work of its kind in Colombia. Objective: to establish an approximation of the avifauna and the conservation status present in TDF fragments near the airports in La Guajira - Colombia. Materials and methods: linear transects were carried out in the TDF close to the Jorge Isaacs and Almirante Padilla airports, in addition, their avifauna was compared with that reported in two TDF of La Guajira, these were: Rancherias Itaka and Alto Pine (secondary source of information). The degree of similarity between the four TDF was determined by Jaccard's coefficient. Results: In the TDF of the Jorge Isaacs airport, a total of 45 species were reported and for the Almirante Padilla airport, 34 species. Little affinity was obtained between the birds of the TDF de las Rancherias and the Almirante Padilla with the Jorge Isaacs, which could be related to the presence of human settlements near these forests, observing Hemisynanthropic birds. In the Jorge Isaacs, the environmental pressure was limited to that exerted by aeronautical activities, therefore, Anisanthropic species were recorded, which would indicate the maintenance of the vegetation cover. Conclusion: The TDF near airports in La Guajira represent important sites for bird conservation, for this reason, it is necessary to continue studying them and seek strategies that guarantee their conservation.

Techno-economic assessment of small wind turbines under la Guajira-Colombia resource conditions

Hydroelectric plants broadly sustain Colombian electricity demand. However, wind power emerges to improve the Colombian energy matrix and capacity, satisfying the energy demand. Thus, this study evaluates the technical and economic feasibility of projects based on Small Wind Turbines (SWTs), based on the Colombian wind resource availability. Furthermore, due to the Colombian diversity of energy sources, sensitivity to climate changes and a high percentage of non-interconnected territory, the SWTs excels as an off-grid energy system alternative. For this purpose, the annual energy production and the capacity factor of 24 SWT and the wind resource in Puerto Bolívar, La Guajira, are considered. A techno-economic study that includes cash flow analysis and net present value is used to determine economic viability, considering a financing percentage sensitivity analysis. From the results, it can be concluded that an SWT based project increases its profitability by increasing the IRR value and lowering the financing percentage. Further, the best SWT models can be related to a higher capacity factor value based on the economic phase.

Foliar Functional Traits of Resource Island-Forming Nurse Tree Species from a Semi-Arid Ecosystem of La Guajira, Colombia

Semi-arid environments characterized by low rainfall are subject to soil desertification processes. These environments have heterogeneous landscapes with patches of vegetation known as resource islands that are generated by nurse species that delay the desertification process because they increase the availability of water and nutrients in the soil. The study aimed to characterize some foliar physiological, biochemical, and anatomical traits of three nurse tree species that form resource islands in the semi-arid environment of La Guajira, Colombia, i.e., Haematoxylum brasiletto, Pithecellobium dulce, and Pereskia guamacho. The results showed that H. brasiletto and P. dulce have sclerophyllous strategies, are thin (0.2 and 0.23 mm, respectively), and have a high leaf dry matter content (364.8 and 437.47 mg/g). Moreover, both species have a high photochemical performance, reaching Fv/Fm values of 0.84 and 0.82 and PIABS values of 5.84 and 4.42, respectively. These results agree with the OJIP curves and JIP parameters. Both species had a compact leaf with a similar dorsiventral mesophyll. On the other hand, P. guamacho has a typical succulent, equifacial leaf with a 97.78% relative water content and 0.81 mm thickness. This species had the lowest Fv/Fm (0.73) and PIABS (1.16) values and OJIP curve but had the highest energy dissipation value (DIo/RC).

Characterization for compression tests on pet bottles of 600 millilitres, 1.5 and 2.0 liters; filled with sand and particle size of 1.19 mm

Introduction: This article is the product of a research project carried out between 2020 and 2021, with the academic support of Francisco José de Caldas District University, Bogotá Technological Headquarters - Colombia.
 Problem: Propose a construction material for the housing sector, especially aimed at the department of La Guajira, which currently faces a high housing deficit in Colombia.
 Objective: The objective of this research project is the characterization of 600 mL, 1.5 L and 2.0 L PET bottles, filled with sand whose particle size is 1.19 mm.
 Methodology: 12 test tubes were designed for each bottle size. The respective weighing process was carried out before and after filling; The tests consisted on applying compression loads, until reaching structural breakdown.
 Results: The different testing scenarios showed similar resistance parameters. The 600 mL size presented a higher breakdown load than the 1.5 and 2.0 L sizes. The breakdown loads remained within the range of 138 ≤ breaking load (KN) ≤ 240.
 Conclusion: The compressive strengths of the studied materials do not show significant differences. Resistance for bricks = 4.9 MPa and PET (600 ml) = 5.2 MPa
 Originality: The bibliographic review covers a variety of reusable products used for the manufacture of materials in housing construction. The originality lies in the behavior of PET bottles filled with sand for a particle size of 1.19mm, subjected to compression tests in the universal testing machine.
 Limitations: Only particle sizes of 1.19mm were used.

Seagrass biomass and their role as carbon reservoirs in the localities of San Andrés Island and La Guajira, Colombian Caribbean

Seagrass meadows have stood out for being very effective fixing atmospheric carbon, among others, due to their ability to produce plant biomass. Therefore, the values of shoot density (m2), biomass (cores) and carbon present in 12 locations with Thalassia testudinum at the Colombian Caribbean (La Guajira and San Andrés Island) were quantified. The biological samples were processed in laboratory until obtaining the values of aerial, underground and total dry weight, and the estimation of the carbon was stablishing from a ratio of 35 % of the dry biomass. Statistical tests were carried out to determine significant differences between the sites, highlighting the aerial biomass in La Guajira and the underground biomass in San Andrés. It was calculated that the total carbon in the seagrasses’ biomass from La Guajira were 197 484 Mg C and in San Andrés 1835.4 Mg C. The difference between locations were due to particular geomorphological and intrinsic factors. It is highlighted that, although the carbon retained in the biomass (aerial and underground) is comparatively lower than in sediments, it constitutes the pillar of conservation of both carbon sink as well as for the sustainability of the ecosystem.

Assessing elements of energy justice in Colombia: A case study on transmission infrastructure in La Guajira

The United Nations declaration of a climate urgency in 2020 has intensified the need for change in energy systems across the world. This has resulted in political attention increasingly shifting to the development of low-carbon energy infrastructure. In the case of Colombia, the energy transition has brought a focus on the La Guajira region for its potential wind energy resources and the associated need for new transmission infrastructure. La Guajira is characterised by an extractive-based economy, poor socioeconomic performance and a large indigenous population. This research uses the energy justice framework to examine the justice dynamics that affect the acceptance of a proposed transmission line project. With a special focus on procedural, distributive and recognition justice, the findings that are also based on semi-structured interviews reveal interrelated equity concerns. They further highlight that recognition justice can be an underpinning force of a just transition to a low-carbon economy. The research results follow previous research but also significantly demonstrates that the roles of community advisors and experts are influential. They can foster or block energy justice. Further, this study provides evidence that the ongoing energy transition has a major hurdle of procedural justice through social acceptance. This has occurred mainly due to the legacy effects of the operations of conventional energy sources in the region. This advances the case that to achieve a just transition to a low-carbon economy, unjust legacy policies and actions of the fossil fuel industry have to be addressed.

Automatic acoustic heterogeneity identification in transformed landscapes from Colombian tropical dry forests

Tropical ecosystems with high levels of endemism are under threat due to climate change and deforestation. The conservation actions are urgent and must rely on a clear understanding of landscape heterogeneity from transformed landscapes. Currently, passive acoustic monitoring uses the soundscape to understand the dynamics of biological communities and physical components of the sites and thus complement the information about the structures of landscape. However, the link between the analysis and quantification of ecosystem transformation based on acoustic methods and acoustic heterogeneity is just beginning to be analyzed. This document proposes a new beta Acoustic Heterogeneity Index (AHI) that quantifies the acoustic heterogeneity related to landscape transformation. AHI estimates the acoustic dissimilarity between sites modeling membership degrees of mixture models in three transformation states: high, medium, and low. We hypothesized that if acoustic recordings of different habitats are analyzed looking for particular patterns, it is possible to quantify the landscape heterogeneity between sites using sound. To calculate the AHI we propose a methodology of five steps: (1) filtering out recordings with high noise levels, (2) estimating acoustics indices, (3) including temporal patterns, (4) using GMM classification models to recognize habitat transformation levels, and (5) calculating the proposed AHI. We tested the proposal with data collected from 2015 to 2017 for 22 tropical dry forests (TDF) sites in two watersheds of Colombian Caribbean region. The sites were labeled by the level of landscape transformation using forest degradation indicators with satellite imagery. We compared these labels with the predicted transformation of our method showing an F1 score of 92% and 90% in regions of La Guajira and Bolívar respectively. To use AHI interactively, we analized the soundscapes similarities on geographic maps in the study regions. We identified that AHI allows estimating the similarity of points with similar transformations, and where the soundscape provides information about the transition states. This proposal allows complementing landscape transformation studies with information on the acoustic heterogeneity between pairs of sites.

Environmental impacts associated with hydrogen production in La Guajira, Colombia

The global push to decarbonize sectors of the economy and phase-out coal use has attracted a renewed interest in hydrogen. At the forefront of this debate, Colombia, the world’s 6th largest coal exporter, must consider strategies to support a just transition for regions that depend economically on coal exports. However, the role of hydrogen as a part of the energy transition has yet to be examined from an environmental justice lens. A full-chain life-cycle assessment of hydrogen production is yet to be considered in Colombia. Using life-cycle assessment (LCA) methodology, we examine the greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption, and trace metal emissions associated with six potential Colombian liquid hydrogen production strategies: (1) electrolysis powered by the country’s national electricity grid, (2) on-site electrolysis powered by electricity produced by a wind farm, (3) off-site electrolysis powered by electricity produced by a wind farm, (4) electrolysis powered by electricity produced from a coal-fired power plant, (5) coal gasification without carbon capture and storage (CCS), and (6) coal gasification with CCS. Upstream conversion has an outsized influence on the sustainability of a hydrogen transition in Colombia. Impact levels for wind-powered electrolysis are lower than those of the coal- and grid-powered scenarios for every impact category analyzed, apart from emissions of aluminum to air, nitrogen emissions to water, and phosphorous, nitrate, and nitrite emissions to soil. The grid-based electrolysis scenario is found to consume the largest amount of water, while coal-fueled scenarios pathways raise concerns of greater life-cycle mercury, nickel, and arsenic emissions. While coal gasification with CCS reduced gasification CO2 emissions by 35%, the CCS scenario’s VOC emissions were 37% greater than gasification without CCS, given that increased levels of coal inputs were required to account for the loss of efficiency associated with the addition of CCS technology. For Colombia to benefit most from a hydrogen-based decarbonization transition with minimal environmental impacts, community-focused planning and wind-based hydrogen systems should be prioritized.

Jumping spiders of the tribe Lapsiini Maddison (Salticidae: Spartaeinae) from Colombia: new species and records.

The spider subfamily Spartaeinae Wanless, with its only New World tribe Lapsiini (Araneae: Salticidae) is for the first time recorded from Colombia. Six new species of the genera Lapsias Simon and Thrandina Maddison are described and illustrated herein from the country. From the Andean region are described: L. iguaque sp. nov. (; Boyac department), Lapsias quimbaya sp. nov. (; Quindo, Risaralda, and Caldas departments), L. tequendama sp. nov. (; Cundinamarca department), L. walekeru sp. nov. (; La Guajira department), and Thrandina colombiaenpaz sp. nov. (; Huila department). From the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Magdalena department, Caribbean region, is described L. tayrona sp. nov. (). In addition, new records of Galianora sacha Maddison and L. lorax Maddison for the country are presented, and the female of L. lorax is described for the first time. Finally, a map with plotted distribution of the tribe Lapsiini from South America is presented.

An Angel for the Dead: Sonia Bermúdez and the Cemetery “People Like Us”

In 1997, Sonia Bermúdez created the cemetery and foundation People Like Us to fulfill what she believes is God’s command: to help others. Sonia is a professional thanatologist who lives in the Colombian Department of La Guajira, in the desertic northeast region, bordering Venezuela, on the Caribbean Coast. At her graveyard, she buries the No Name, N.N., the victims of the country’s multifaceted violence, the homeless people, and those who live in the fringes of society. Since 2016, also, due to an increase in immigration of Venezuelans into Colombia, Sonia started to entomb citizens from the neighboring country, and during 2020, she has done the same for individuals who died from Covid-19. Following her deep religious faith, Sonia’s goal is to provide a dignified burial to those who cannot afford to have one. She does not entertain thoughts about the nationality, history, or economic status of those she ensepulchers, instead Sonia believes that everybody has the right to be put to rest in a decorous way. In this article, I address the aims and nature of People Like Us to explore how this space challenges the conventional dichotomy of official or serious memories versus non-official or trivial ones in Colombia. Mainly analyzing Sonia’s religious beliefs reflected in the way in which she handles and treats the bodies buried in the cemetery, I explore the interactions between local and national memories, to shed light on the “differential local futures in a global world,” which are dynamic, non-binary, and non-linear.