Pacific Coast Of Central America Research Articles

Run Up Reflection And Stability Coefficients For Ordered Cube Slopes With Energy Dissipation

The results of an experimental investigation, aimed at analyzing the water flow, stability of the components, and the reflection coefficient of a slope consisting of concrete cubes arranged in an organized manner, similar to a paving stone style, alongside larger blocks to enhance overall roughness, are presented. The experiment took place in the wave flume and basin at the University of Costa Rica, testing wave ranges typical of the Pacific coasts of Central America, characterized by long swell periods.

Muybridge and the Imperial Pacific: Fashioning Histories of Empire and the Coffee State, 1867–1876

This essay discusses both the continuities and discontinuities in Eadweard Muybridge’s survey photography of the western United States and the Pacific Coast of Central America and Mexico in relation to histories of empire and capital expansion. Muybridge’s photographic career followed the frontiers of US empire and capital across the Pacific Rim, and his work tended to reflect those perspectives by naturalizing the temporalities of global capital and US empire, even as it foreclosed alternate subaltern histories. Photography’s role was not passive: it participated with steam power in the integration of these regions by reimagining the disparate spaces it depicted as interconnected by the infrastructure lain by the federal government and global markets. Yet photography’s role also varied as Muybridge moved from the settler colonial context of California to societies like Guatemala with deep colonial roots. During the Liberal reforms of Justo Rufino Barrios, Muybridge’s album refashions Guatemala as a modernizing “coffee state” on the frontier of civilization. Analyzing Muybridge’s photographs alongside state archives that managed these reforms reveals how the creation of the coffee state was both a material and contested cultural production that repressed Indigenous histories of struggle, dispossession, and forced labor by representing the land and people within global currents of commodification and the photographic exhibition of Indigenous persons.

False killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens Cetacea: Delphinidae) along the Pacific coast of Central America and Mexico: Long-term movements, association patterns and assessment of fishery interactions

Introduction: Worldwide, false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens) are infrequently encountered, yet long-term studies have shown strong site fidelity as well as long-term associations among individuals in several locations. Detailed studies of this species have primarily been conducted around tropical oceanic islands or in the subtropical southern hemisphere.
 Objectives: We assess movements and association patterns among false killer whales along the Pacific coasts of the USA, Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica including Isla del Coco, and Panama, representing one of the longest-running (albeit non-continuous) studies of this species. We also examine photos for evidence of interactions with fisheries, a known source of mortality to false killer whales.
 Methods: From Central America, we selected 212 individuals (50 encounter groups) out of 244 individuals (56 encounters) for inclusion in analyses based on photo quality and distinctiveness. Photos were collected on dedicated surveys from 1991-1994 and dedicated and opportunistic surveys from 1998-2022. Other than the effort off the oceanic Isla del Coco (1993-1994), surveys were undertaken in continental shelf waters. Additionally, we selected by photo quality and distinctiveness 124 (33 encounter groups) out of 189 individuals from southern California and Mexico for inclusion in these analyses. Association patterns were analyzed in SOCPROG and movements were analyzed in R.
 Results: Of the 328 total individuals, 158 (48.2 %) were encountered more than once, and 114 (34.8 %) were re-sighted after a year or more. The longest individual sighting history spanned 26.2 years with six re-sightings over that period between southern Costa Rica and Panama. Association and movement analyses revealed that individuals identified off southern Costa Rica and Panama linked into a single social network, with extensive movements between the two countries. Three individuals encountered off northern Costa Rica were re-sighted off northern Nicaragua, and individuals encountered off Nicaragua were encountered off Guatemala and central mainland Mexico. Nine matches were found among false killer whales between central mainland Mexico and Central America. There were no matches between the mainland coastal waters and the 33 individuals encountered around Isla del Coco. Dorsal fin disfigurements consistent with interactions with line fisheries ranged from 0 to 21 % for individuals within social clusters identified by community division.
 Conclusions: The infrequency of sightings combined with a high re-sighting rate of individuals and groups from the same area, suggests multiple small populations with large home ranges that include coastal waters. Small populations are sensitive to environmental changes, and as the human population grows, so do the demands on fisheries and ecotourism, which could directly impact the different populations. Additional effort in offshore areas is needed to determine the population status of false killer whales in pelagic waters, how often false killer whales using coastal waters move into pelagic waters, and the relationship between whales in the two habitats.

WAVE HINDCAST IN THE PACIFIC OF CENTRAL AMERICA BY USING UNSTRUCTURED MESH

Highly touristic activities, fishing and trade shipping coexist along the Pacific coast of Central America, the last one dominated by the Panama Canal. Then, an accurate spatio-temporal characterization of wave climate is of utmost importance and relevance. Notwithstanding, the existence of various wave models over the Pacific Ocean, such models offer information under spatial resolution of 0.2° at most and three hourly temporal resolution. Several WavewatchIII ® (WW3 Group, 2019) parametrizations have been adapted to the Central American Pacific coast, obtaining results which differ from each other.

Introduction of Avocado (Persia americana) Fruits in Eastern Himalaya of India: A Review

Avocado (Persia americana) or locally called Phamfal is a subtropical, dicotyledonous, evergreen tree belonging to the family Lauraceae. The avocado tree is originated from a broad geographical area stretching from the eastern and central highlands of Mexico through Guatemala to the Pacific coast of Central America. Avocado is a fruit, produced from tropical trees characterized by a pear shape and blackish green in colour with high nutritional value and creamy texture. Avocado crop can be used in several ways i.e for processed products, exportation and oil extraction, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries as a raw material thereby generating high value added products.High demand for information on avocado indicates that there is considerable interest in this crop in various parts of India as well as Eastern India. Moreover, avocado can be grown in Darjeeling hilly region and adjoining states of India as the soil and climatic condition is favourable for their growth and development. However, in this region avocado cultivation is very negligible in homestead garden, small and marginal orchard due to lack of scientific knowledge of farmers. So that in this context to identify and conservation of wild and farmers cultivated species of avocado is the major concern for all avocado growers and scientist.

Individually unique, fixed stripe configurations of Octopus chierchiae allow for photoidentification in long-term studies.

The Lesser Pacific Striped Octopus, Octopus chierchiae, is a small iteroparous octopus known to inhabit intertidal regions of the Pacific coast of Central America. Many details about its life history and ecology remain unknown. For apparently rare and delicate animals such as O. chierchiae, non-extractive sampling methods are necessary to study individuals and populations over time. After photographically documenting the physical development of 25 octopuses from hatching, we have concluded that O. chierchiae has individually unique stripe configurations that remain constant throughout their post-hatchling lifetimes. Furthermore, using photographs taken of animals in captivity on different dates over many months, we show that untrained volunteers can accurately identify whether or not a pair of images depicts the same individual octopus. These results demonstrate that laboratory-reared individuals could be identified via photographs taken at different points in their lifetimes, which suggests wild individuals can also be recognized and observed for longitudinal field studies. In addition, our results imply potential for photoidentification and community science to be used as non-extractive, non-intrusive sampling methods for future studies of wild O. chierchiae.

High prevalence of chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology among workers in the Mesoamerican Nephropathy Occupational Study

BackgroundMortality from chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) is extremely high along the Pacific coast of Central America, particularly among sugarcane workers. The Mesoamerican Nephropathy Occupational Study (MANOS) is a prospective cohort study of CKDu among agricultural and non-agricultural workers in El Salvador and Nicaragua. The objective of this manuscript is to describe the MANOS cohort recruitment, baseline data collection, and CKDu prevalence after two rounds.MethodsWorkers with no known diabetes, hypertension, or CKD were recruited from sugarcane, corn, plantain, brickmaking, and road construction industries (n = 569). Investigators administered questionnaires, collected biological samples, and observed workers for three consecutive workdays at the worksite. Serum specimens were analyzed for kidney function parameters, and used to calculate estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). At six months, serum was collected again prior to the work shift. CKD at baseline is defined as eGFR ≤ 60 ml/min/1.73m2 at both timepoints. Age-standardized prevalence was calculated by industry, country, and demographic measures. Kidney function parameters were compared by CKD status.ResultsPrevalence of CKD at baseline was 7.4% (n = 42). Age-standardized prevalence was highest in Salvadoran sugarcane (14.1%), followed by Salvadoran corn (11.6%), and Nicaraguan brickmaking (8.1%). Nicaraguan sugarcane had the lowest prevalence, likely due to kidney function screenings prior to employment.ConclusionDespite efforts to enroll participants without CKD, our identification of prevalent CKD among agricultural and non-agricultural workers in the MANOS cohort indicates notable kidney disease in the region, particularly among sugarcane workers.

Regional study of mode-2 internal solitary waves at the Pacific coast of Central America using marine seismic survey data

Abstract. In this paper, a regional study of mode-2 internal solitary waves (ISWs) at the Pacific coast of Central America is carried out using the seismic reflection method. The observed relationship between the dimensionless propagation speed and the dimensionless amplitude (DA) of the mode-2 ISW is analyzed. When DA < 1.18, the dimensionless propagation speed seems to increase with increasing DA, divided into two parts with different growth rates. When DA > 1.18, the dimensionless propagation speed increases with increasing DA at a relatively small growth rate. We suggest that the influences of seawater depth (submarine topography), pycnocline depth, and pycnocline thickness on the propagation speed of the mode-2 ISW in the study area cause the relationship between dimensionless propagation speed and DA to diversify. The observed relationship between the dimensionless wavelength and the DA of the mode-2 ISW is also analyzed. When DA < 1, the nondimensional wavelengths seem to change from 2.5 to 7 for a fixed nondimensional amplitude. When DA > 1.87, the dimensionless wavelength increases with increasing DA. Additionally, the seawater depth has a great influence on the wavelength of the mode-2 ISW in the study area. Overall, the wavelength increases with increasing seawater depth. As for the vertical structure of the amplitude of the mode-2 ISW in the study area, we find that it is affected by the nonlinearity of the ISW and the pycnocline deviation (especially the downward pycnocline deviation).

Abundance, distribution and behaviour of humpback whales (

Context Previous research has shown the presence of an endangered humpback whale population breeding off the Pacific coast of Central America. However, little is known about the density, size, social-group structure and spatial habitat use of this subpopulation. Aim The study goal was to characterise a potential breeding subpopulation of humpback whales in the waters off Nicaragua. Five objectives were used to achieve this goal: (1) estimate abundance, (2) determine encounter rates, (3) define group composition, (4) assess distribution, and (5) document habitat-use patterns. Method Boat-based surveys were conducted between November and April at two study sites along the Pacific coast of Nicaragua in the winters of 2004–2008 and 2016–2020. Key result Inter-annual mark–recapture estimates did not yield a reliable estimate of abundance. Encounter rates were lower for the northern study site than for the southern site. Group composition consisted of groups with calves, singers and competitive males. Conclusion These results confirmed that Nicaragua is a breeding area based on known breeding-ground behaviours observed in other areas, and similar environmental characteristics. Implication Distinct habitats were found at the two study sites, suggesting that Central American humpback whales might use different areas within the broader Central American breeding range according to their needs and activity.

Hatching Success Rather Than Temperature-Dependent Sex Determination as the Main Driver of Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) Nesting Activity in the Pacific Coast of Central America.

Simple SummaryIn marine turtles, sex is determined during a precise period during incubation: males are produced at lower temperatures and females at higher temperatures, a phenomenon called temperature-dependent sex determination. Most predictions about the long-term persistence of sea turtle populations in the face of climate change have focused on the effect of incubation temperature on sex ratios. In Central America, the alternations in dark sand beaches (hotter sand) and light sand beaches (cooler sand) are observed. Due to the higher production of females at high temperatures and the natal homing phenomenon in marine turtles, the largest proportion of nests on dark sand beaches was expected. However, the inverse was observed. We hypothesize that high beach temperatures, being seen in darker sand, increased female-biased primary sex ratios but reduced the output of female hatchlings due to embryo thermal lethality at high temperature. Our study reveals that when we think about sea turtle population dynamics, we should consider a variety of factors and not only sex ratio.In marine turtles, sex is determined during a precise period during incubation: males are produced at lower temperatures and females at higher temperatures, a phenomenon called temperature-dependent sex determination. Nest temperature depends on many factors, including solar radiation. Albedo is the measure of the proportion of reflected solar radiation, and in terms of sand color, black sand absorbs the most energy, while white sand reflects more solar radiation. Based on this observation, darker sand beaches with higher temperatures should produce more females. As marine turtles show a high degree of philopatry, including natal homing, dark beaches should also produce more female hatchlings that return to nest when mature. When sand color is heterogeneous in a region, we hypothesize that darker beaches would have the most nests. Nevertheless, the high incubation temperature on beaches with a low albedo may result in low hatching success. Using Google Earth images and the SWOT database of nesting olive ridleys (Lepidochelys olivacea) in the Pacific coast of Mexico and Central America, we modeled sand color and nesting activity to test the hypothesis that darker beaches host larger concentrations of females because of feminization on darker beaches and female philopatry. We found the opposite result: the lower hatching success at beaches with a lower albedo could be the main driver of nesting activity heterogeneity for olive ridleys in Central America.

The yellow-bellied sea snake, Hydrophis platurus (Squamata: Elapidae), off the Southwestern Pacific coast of Nicaragua, Central America

Introduction: The yellow-bellied sea snake (Hydrophis platurus, formerly Pelamis platurus) is known to occur along the Pacific coast of Central America. However, there are no marine records of this species off the coast of Nicaragua.
 Objective: Report the first in situ marine observations of the yellow-bellied sea snake observed on three occasions in 2020 during cetacean surveys off the southwestern Pacific coast of Nicaragua.
 Methods: During the sightings, photographs were taken which allowed the identification of the species based on morphology. Sea surface temperature, sea state, and distance to the coast are presented as descriptors of the habitat of the records.
 Results: Three field observations of yellow-bellied sea snakes were recorded on separate occasions. Sightings occurred within 30 km of each other and 3.3 km from the coast. Average sea surface temperature was 26.6 °C with low swell and sea state.
 Conclusions: The present information offers new knowledge about the presence of the yellow-bellied sea snake on the Pacific coast of Central America, contributing to the biodiversity record in Nicaragua.

Complete Genome Sequences of Francisella marina Strains E95-16 and E103-15, Isolated from Maricultured Spotted Rose Snapper (Lutjanus guttatus) on the Pacific Coast of Central America.

In 2015 and 2016, a previously unrecognized Francisella sp. was isolated from disease outbreaks in maricultured spotted rose snapper (Lutjanus guttatus) on the Pacific coast of Central America. Polyphasic analysis demonstrated these bacteria differed from any known Francisella spp. Here, the complete genomes from the recently described Francisella marina strains are released.

Presencia de la raya chupare del Pacífico Styracura pacifica en Colombia y ampliación de su distribución geográfica en el Pacífico Oriental Tropical

Se confirma la presencia de la raya chupare del Pacífico Styracura pacifica en el Pacífico colombiano. Esta especie junto con S. schmardae en el Atlántico son los únicos representantes de la familia Potamotrygonidae que habitan en aguas marinas y salobres. La distribución confirmada de la especie se limitaba a las costas del Pacífico de Centroamérica, entre el sur de México y Panamá; por tanto, el presente registro extiende su distribución en el Pacífico Oriental Tropical en unos 470 km hacia el sur.

The shoaling mode-2 internal solitary waves in the Pacific coast of Central America investigated by marine seismic survey data

In this paper, the shoaling mode-2 internal solitary waves (ISWs) in the Pacific coast of Central America are studied for the first time using seismic oceanography method. It is found that there is an asymmetry in the vertical amplitude variation of the mode-2 ISWs front and rear during the shoaling process. The amplitude may weaken the effect of the pycnocline deviation on the stability of the mode-2 ISWs. For large amplitudes, the pycnocline needs to deviate greatly, so that the mode-2 ISWs become unstable; for small amplitude, the pycnocline deviates very little, and the mode-2 ISWs become unstable. The pre-stack migration sections of the common offset gathers are used to calculate the apparent phase velocities of the mode-2 ISWs. It is found that in deep water, the seafloor depths and amplitudes simultaneously control the magnitude of the apparent phase velocities of the mode-2 ISWs; in shallow water, the amplitudes mainly control the magnitude of the apparent phase velocities of the mode-2 ISWs. For the mode-2 ISWs with small amplitudes (2a/h2≤2) in shallow water, the apparent phase velocities increase with the amplitudes, and increase rapidly; for the mode-2 ISWs with large amplitudes (2a/h2>2) in shallow water, the apparent phase velocities increase with the amplitudes, but increase slowly. By calculating the relative seismic spectrum energy, it is found that the seismic spectrum energy in the submesoscale wavenumber range corresponds well to the mode-2 ISWs waveform. The mode-2 ISWs in the shoaling process have submesoscale characteristics.

Microplastic ingestion by a herring Opisthonema sp. in the Pacific coast of Costa Rica

Current knowledge of the presence of microplastics (MP) in marine species in tropical areas is still limited. The presence of MP was examined in the gastrointestinal content of 30 filter feeders of the herring Opisthonema complex (Clupeiformes: Clupeidae) from the Central Pacific of Costa Rica. MP were detected in 100% of the individuals with an average of 36.7 pieces per fish, of which 79.5% were fibers and 20.5% particles. No direct association between biometric variables or sex and the amount of microplastic was found. Different physicochemical analyses were carried out to determine the composition and characteristics of the microplastics. Most of the fibers were classified as polypropylene. Remarkably, some plastic particles turned out to be composed exclusively of minerals. This study demonstrates the high presence of MP in planktivorous fishes of the Pacific coast of Central America. Also, we propose the Opisthonema complex as a model for biomonitoring microplastic pollution in the Tropical Eastern Pacific due to its wide distribution, biometric homogeneity of the schools, non-selective feeding type, and its crucial position in the marine food webs.

On the Muricid snail, Plicopurpura pansa, in the Pacific coast of Central America

On the Muricid snail, Plicopurpura pansa, in the Pacific coast of Central America

Thermoregulation in the dry forest anole, Norops cupreus

Norops cupreus inhabits lowland dry forests and gallery forests along the Pacific Coast of Central America. We used operative temperature models (OTM) to examine the thermoregulation of this species in Parque Nacional Palo Verde (Costa Rica) by conducting a field study in February 2003. Norops cupreus in Palo Verde appeared to thermoregulate during early morning hours, late evening, and during the afternoon to maintain their body temperature (Tb) < 33°C. Lower capture rates during the midday suggest decreased activity of N. cupreus during this period, perhaps because they actively searched for the coolest environmental temperature (Te). During the rest of the day, N. cupreus appeared to thermoconform, with mean body temperatures tracking minimum available Te. These results are similar to other observations reported for N. cupreus in Central America.

Near-real time tsunami inundation forecast for Central America : case study of the 1992 Nicaragua tsunami earthquake

ABSTRACT A near-field tsunami inundation forecast method (NearTIF) for the Pacific coast of Central America is developed and tested on the basis of the 1992 Nicaragua tsunami earthquake case. The appropriate source model of the 1992 Nicaragua earthquake, estimated using the W-phase inversion with a depth dependent rigidity curve from a previous study, is used as a reference model to test the proposed NearTIF method. The tsunami inundation along the Pacific coast of Nicaragua is computed from the reference model of the 1992 Nicaragua earthquake. The tsunami inundation obtained using the NearTIF method matches the tsunami inundations computed from the reference model. The tsunami heights and the tsunami inundation of the 1992 Nicaragua tsunami surveyed by a previous study are roughly matched by the tsunami inundations obtained using the NearTIF method in this study. Although the computational time for the tsunami inundation from the reference source model is about 95 min, the computational time plus the database search time for the NearTIF method is approximately 2–4 min. The method presented in this study can be used as a near-real time tsunami inundation forecast method for the Pacific coast of Central America.

Probabilistic Tsunami Hazard Assessment for Local and Regional Seismic Sources Along the Pacific Coast of Central America with Emphasis on the Role of Selected Uncertainties

Historical data indicate that the Middle America subduction zone represents the primary tsunamigenic source that affects the Central American coastal areas. In recent years, the tsunami potential in the region has mainly been assessed using maximum credible earthquakes or historical events showing moderate tsunami potential. However, such deterministic scenarios are not provided with their adequate probability of occurrence. In this study, earthquake rates have been combined with tsunami numerical modeling in order to assess probabilistic tsunami hazard posed by local and regional seismic sources. The common conceptual framework for the probabilistic seismic hazard assessment has been adapted to estimate the probabilities of exceeding certain tsunami amplitudes along the Central American Pacific coast. The study area encompasses seismic sources related to the Central America, Colombia and Ecuador subduction zones. In addition to the classical subduction inter-plate events, this study also incorporates sources at the outer rise, within the Caribbean crust as well as intra-slab sources. The study yields conclusive remarks showing that the highest hazard is posed to northwestern Costa Rica, El Salvador and the Nicaraguan coast, southern Colombia and northern Ecuador. In most of the region it is 50 to 80% likely that the tsunami heights will exceed 2 m for the 500 year time exposure (T). The lowest hazard appears to be in the inner part of the Fonseca Gulf, Honduras. We also show the large dependence of PTHA on model assumptions. While the approach taken in this study represents a thorough step forward in tsunami hazard assessment in the region, we also highlight that the integration of all possible uncertainties will be necessary to generate rigorous hazard models required for risk planning.

Using metapopulation theory for practical conservation of mangrove endemic birds.

As a landscape becomes increasingly fragmented through habitat loss, the individual patches become smaller and more isolated and thus less likely to sustain a local population. Metapopulation theory is appropriate for analyzing fragmented landscapes because it combines empirical landscape features with species‐specific information to produce direct information on population extinction risks. This approach contrasts with descriptions of habitat fragments, which provide only indirect information on risk. Combining a spatially explicit metapopulation model with empirical data on endemic species’ ranges and maps of habitat cover, we calculated the metapopulation capacity—a measure of a landscape's ability to sustain a metapopulation. Mangroves provide an ideal model landscape because they are of conservation concern and their patch boundaries are easily delineated. For 2000–20015, we calculated global metapopulation capacity for 99 metapopulations of 32 different bird species endemic to mangroves. Northern Australia and Southeast Asia had the highest richness of mangrove endemic birds. The Caribbean, Pacific coast of Central America, Madagascar, Borneo, and isolated patches in Southeast Asia in Myanmar and Malaysia had the highest metapopulation losses. Regions with the highest loss of habitat area were not necessarily those with the highest loss of metapopulation capacity. Often, it was not a matter of how much, but how the habitat was lost. Our method can be used by managers to evaluate and prioritize a landscape for metapopulation persistence.