Colombian Pacific Coast Research Articles

DIFERENCIACIÓN MORFOLÓGICA DE LAS ESPECIES DE PIANGUA ANADARA TUBERCULOSA Y ANADARA SIMILIS (ARCIDAE) EN DIFERENTES BOSQUES DE MANGLAR A LO LARGO DE LA COSTA PACÍFICA COLOMBIANA MEDIANTE MORFOMETRÍA GEOMÉTRICA

The morphological characterization of two piangua species Anadara tuberculosa (Sowerby) and Anadara similis (Adams) was performed using geometric morphometric. Shells of both species were collected in nine different areas of the Colombian Pacific coast during 2009 as part of a project on the natural populations of piangua. The left valve of the shell was used to draw seven landmarks and evaluate the geometric configuration of the shell. Pianguas were grouped based on the mangrove cover of the localities where they were collected. Intra-specific comparison showed that areas where the organisms were collected do not affect valve configuration. Contrarily, centroide size showed significant variation in organism collected in different zones. Differences due to size are not sufficient to determine the existence of different populations, mainly because these differences may happen due to differences in fishery patterns increasing the ratio of smaller sizes. Pacific Ocean current might favor the genetic flux of organisms of both species, limiting the possibility of evolution of independent populations. It is important to complement this study with other investigations in genetics and larval dispersion in order to corroborate our findings.

EQUINODERMOS DEL PARQUE NACIONAL NATURAL ENSENADA DE UTRIA (PACIFICO COLOMBIANO)

Fifteen species of echinoderms (5 asteroids, 5 echinoids and 5 ophiuroids) are reported for Natural National Park Ensenada deUtria in the Pacific coast of Chocó, Colombia. For each species, we report its size and ecological observations. Two species, Mithrodia bradleyi and Encope ecuadorensis are new records for the Colombian Pacific coast and are described shortly., Most of the echinoderms found were associated to rocky shores, coral reef and sometimes sandy shores, except Ophiothríx spicuiata and Ophiactis savignyi, which were found living in association with the gorgonia Lophogorgia alba. Hesperocidaris asteriscus and Centrostephanus coronatus live in holes in coral or rock. These are mainly intertidal or shallow subtidal species.

Rhynchophorus palmarum in Disguise: Undescribed Polymorphism in the "Black" Palm Weevil.

During studies to adapt pheromone trapping of Rhynchophorus palmarum to the special coconut growing conditions at the Colombian Pacific coast, 152 atypically-colored specimens were captured in a total collection of 53,802 of the normally completely black weevil. Five specimens had the typical coloration of Rhynchophorus ferrugineus, an invasive species recently introduced to Aruba and Curação. A regional expansion of this invasion to the South American continent was feared and all atypical specimens were submitted to taxonomic analysis. Both conventional and molecular methods were employed. Conventional taxonomics confirmed the samples as belonging to R. palmarum but registered undescribed and species-atypical morphological variability in the subgular suture (wide vs. narrow), the ratio between intraocular distance and width of antennal scrobes (>0.35 vs. < 0.29) and the indentation of the mandibles (up to three mandibular teeth vs. bilobed). Molecular analysis placed all samples inspected, black and reddish alike, firmly within the R. palmarum group and the hypothesis of having inter-specific hybrids was rejected using co-dominant single sequence repeat markers with allelic specificity for both species.

Whale-Watching Activity in Bahía Málaga, on the Pacific Coast of Colombia, and its Effect on Humpback Whale (Megaptera Novaeangliae) Behavior

During the whale-watching season of 2008, 6,663 whale watchers and 267 boat trips were recorded in Bahía Málaga, Colombia. Forty-four percent of humpback whale pods sighted in the area were approached by boats. Operators in 2008 did not comply with Colombian whale-watching guidelines during most encounters. The modal distance between whales and boats was 50 m. Ninety-four percent of boats approached too fast (&gt;3 knots), and 78.6% of them approached mother–calf pods. On average, a pod of whales was observed for 42.6 minutes (SD 33.1), and by more than one boat in 60.2% of cases. As a consequence of boats' presence, whales modified their behavior by reducing blows per minute, moved faster and more erratically, increased breaching frequency, and decreased resting behavior.

New records of decapod species from Malpelo Island, tropical eastern Pacific

Two decapod species are reported for the first time in the Colombian Pacific: Trachycaris restricta A. Milne-Edwards, 1878 and Microprosthema emmiltum Goy, 1987 (both collected at 25 m depth). A third species, Glyptoxanthus labyrinthicus Stimpson, 1860 (collected at 5 m depth), previously reported for the continental Pacific coast of Colombia, represents a new record for the oceanic Island of Malpelo. These species were collected using hard artificial substrates deployed for three months. This sampling method is novel to Malpelo, where previous samplings using scuba diving were unable to report/collect these species. These findings then, highlight the usefulness of the sampling technique that besides being non-destructive, allows the collection of small sized cryptic fauna in marine habitats. Several factors can contribute to the unsuccessful record of biodiversity. In this case, the small sizes and cryptic behavior of these species, coupled with the scarcity of investigations aiming to know the sub-tidal rocky ecosystems invertebrate biodiversity in the area, could help to explain these new records.

Diet of the Blue-Bellied Poison FrogAndinobates minutus(Anura: Dendrobatidae) in Two Populations from the Colombian Pacific

Abstract We studied the effects of sex, body size, and season on the diet of two populations of the Blue-Bellied Poison Frog Andinobates minutus (Anura: Dendrobatidae) along the Pacific coast of Colombia. Andinobates minutus had a specialist diet, with preference for Acari (mites), Formicidae (ants), Collembola (springtails), and Holometabolous larvae. No differences in diet composition were noted between populations or between seasons. However, prey volume was higher in frogs from Bahia Malaga than those from Isla La Palma, and both populations experienced a decrease in the number of prey items in November, caused possibly by the low prey availability in that month. A differential effect of body size on diet was noted between populations. The total volume of prey, the volume and number of ants, and the volume of mites increased with snout–vent length (SVL), whereas the number of springtails decreased with SVL only in the Bahia Malaga population but not in the Isla La Palma population. This differential e...

First record and impact of the crown-of-thorns starfish, &lt;i&gt;Acanthaster planci&lt;/i&gt; (Spinulosida: Acanthasteridae) on corals of Malpelo Island, Colombian Pacific

The crown-of-thorns starfish, Acanthaster planci, is a major coral predator widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific region, where population outbreaks have caused dramatic impacts on coral reefs. In the Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) A. planci occurs at low population densities; it has been significantly abundant only in Panama and Cocos Island. We have recently found two individuals of A. planci at Malpelo Island, a small oceanic island with significant coral communities located off the Colombian Pacific coast. The recent discovery of A. planci at Malpelo is significant in light of recent reports of its increased frequency of observation at Cocos Island and occurrence at the Galapagos Islands. The individuals found at Malpelo have been repeatedly sighted since 2004, actively feeding on nine species of coral. Although densities of A. planci are low at Malpelo and other oceanic islands of the TEP, these islands may act as stepping stones for the colonization of other coral reef areas in the region. However, the low densities of A. planci suggest that it currently poses no threat to coral reefs in the TEP.

Main factors determining bioerosion patterns on rocky cliffs in a drowned valley estuary in the Colombian Pacific (Eastern Tropical Pacific)

Bioerosion is an important process that destroys coastal rocks in the tropics. However, the rates at which this process occurs, the organisms involved, and the dynamics of rocky cliffs in tropical latitudes have been less studied than in temperate and subtropical latitudes. To contribute to the knowledge of the bioerosion process in rocky cliffs on the Pacific coast of Colombia (Eastern Tropical Pacific) we compared: 1) boring volume, 2) grain size distribution of the rocks, and 3) rock porosity, across three tidal zones of two cliffs with different wave exposure; these factors were related to the bioeroding community found. We observed that cliffs that were not exposed to wave action (IC, internal cliffs) exhibited high percentages of clays in their grain size composition, and a greater porosity (47.62%) and perforation (15.86%) than exposed cliffs (EC, external cliffs). However, IC also exhibited less diversity and abundance of bioeroding species (22 species and 314 individuals, respectively) compared to the values found in EC (41.11%, 14.34%, 32 and 491, respectively). The most abundant bioeroders were Petrolisthes zacae in IC and Pachygrapsus transversus in EC. Our findings show that the tidal zone is the common factor controlling bioerosion on both cliffs; in addition to the abundance of bioeroders on IC and the number of bioeroding species on EC. The integration of geology, sedimentology, and biology allows us to obtain a more comprehensive view of the patterns and trends in the process of bioerosion.

English

Sickle cell disease is a hereditary disease caused by a hemoglobin variant, known as hemoglobin S. This hemoglobin variant has a high frequency in areas where malaria is prevalent, because heterozygous genotype has a protective action against malaria infection. We evaluated evidence of over-dominance or deviation from Hardy- Weinberg equilibrium for the HbS gene in Buenaventura, an afro-descendent population with actual medium endemicity of malaria, located in the Colombian Pacific Coast. 820 healthy individuals were analyzed (from eight months to 80 years old) from Buenaventura, Colombia, and the β -globin locus was genotyped by PCR-RFLP. It was analyzed to establish deviation from Hardy – Weinberg and selection coefficient. Hemoglobin S frequency was 3.1% and the population was found in Hardy- Weinberg equilibrium. However, the selection coefficient for allele S decreased its value of 1 (under 12 years old) to 0.625 (13 to 17 years old), similar to the selection coefficient of allele A (s1=0.61). Although the total population found in H-W equilibrium, there was a decrease in the coefficient of selection on hemoglobin S in the range of 13 to 17 years old, which is within the age range of the greatest malaria infection in this population. This may be an indication of a selection to the S over-dominance hemoglobin possibly, at least in this age group of the population. Keys words: Hemoglobin S, Buenaventura, malaria resistant, over-dominance, fitness, selection coefficient.

Advancing reference emission levels in subnational and national REDD+ initiatives: a CLASlite approach.

Conservation and monitoring of tropical forests requires accurate information on their extent and change dynamics. Cloud cover, sensor errors and technical barriers associated with satellite remote sensing data continue to prevent many national and sub-national REDD+ initiatives from developing their reference deforestation and forest degradation emission levels. Here we present a framework for large-scale historical forest cover change analysis using free multispectral satellite imagery in an extremely cloudy tropical forest region. The CLASlite approach provided highly automated mapping of tropical forest cover, deforestation and degradation from Landsat satellite imagery. Critically, the fractional cover of forest photosynthetic vegetation, non-photosynthetic vegetation, and bare substrates calculated by CLASlite provided scene-invariant quantities for forest cover, allowing for systematic mosaicking of incomplete satellite data coverage. A synthesized satellite-based data set of forest cover was thereby created, reducing image incompleteness caused by clouds, shadows or sensor errors. This approach can readily be implemented by single operators with highly constrained budgets. We test this framework on tropical forests of the Colombian Pacific Coast (Chocó) – one of the cloudiest regions on Earth, with successful comparison to the Colombian government’s deforestation map and a global deforestation map.

Conservation Genetics of the Scalloped Hammerhead Shark in the Pacific Coast of Colombia.

Previous investigations of the population genetics of the scalloped hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna lewini) in the Eastern Tropical Pacific have lacked information about nursery areas. Such areas are key to promoting conservation initiatives that can protect young sharks from threats such as overfishing. Here, we investigated the genetic diversity, phylogeography, and connectivity of S. lewini found in 3 areas of Colombia's Pacific coast: around Malpelo Island and in 2 National Natural Parks on the Colombian Pacific mainland (Sanquianga and Ensenada de Utría). We analyzed mtDNA control region (CR) sequences and genotyped 15 microsatellite loci in 137 samples of adults and juveniles. The mtDNA analyses showed haplotypes shared between the Colombian Pacific individuals sampled in this investigation and other areas in the Eastern Tropical Pacific, the Indo-Pacific, and with sequences previously reported in Colombia (Buenaventura Port), as well as 4 unique haplotypes. Population assignment and paternity analyses detected 3 parent-offspring pairs between Malpelo and Sanquianga and 1 between Malpelo and Utría. These results indicate high genetic connectivity between Malpelo Island and the Colombian Pacific coast, suggesting that these 2 areas are nurseries for S. lewini. This is, to our knowledge, the first evidence of nursery areas identified for the scalloped hammerhead shark anywhere in the world. Additional conservation planning may be required to protect these nursery habitats of this endangered shark species.

Colombian Paramilitaries Since Demobilization: Between State Crackdown and Increased Violence

AbstractThis article addresses the puzzle of heterogeneous trends in paramilitary violence on the Colombian Pacific Coast since the beginning of the disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) process in 2003. The usual explanations derived from political conflict theories are improved with insights from organized crime research. The article argues that the occasional escalation of post-DDR paramilitary violence at the subregional level cannot be explained by the weakness of the state argument. Instead, the article demonstrates the counterintuitive evidence that paramilitary violence correlates positively with the incidence of state repressive intervention against paramilitary groups. More specifically, paramilitaries challenged by the state use more violence, either to replace their nonviolent resources most affected by law enforcement activities or to respond to crackdown-related intensification of predatory tendencies within their respective organizations.

Occurrence of the coral Porites panamensis (Cnidaria: Scleractinia) in an estuarine environment of the Colombian Pacific

Porites panamensisis the scleractinian coral with the widest latitudinal distribution in the eastern tropical Pacific. Here, we report the occurrence ofP. panamensisin an estuarine environment of the central Pacific coast of Colombia at the rocky reef of Los Negritos, Málaga Bay.Porites panamensisseems to withstand a wide range of environmental settings, including areas with unfavourable conditions for the survival of most other corals. Such wide tolerance may explain its broad latitudinal distribution in the eastern tropical Pacific.

Marine mollusks of Bahía Málaga, Colombia (Tropical Eastern Pacific)

A checklist of mollusks reported in Bahía Málaga (Valle del Cauca, Colombia) was developed through recent samplings in the zone (2004–2012), together with bibliographic and museums’ collections reviews. Species’ distributions in Bahía Málaga were established through 18 different sub­regions, which included the inner, middle and outer zones of the bay. A revision of the western American distribution for the species was also carried out. A total of 426 species were found, of which 44 were new reports for the Colombian Pacific coast. Results supported the high marine biodiversity that has been reported for this region.

Antropología de la gente negra, década de 1970: Nina S. de Friedemann en la Revista Colombiana de Antropología

In 1974, the anthropologist Nina S. de Friedemann&nbsp;published three landmark articles in the&nbsp;Revista Colombiana de Antropología in which&nbsp;she sought to understand the cultural dynamics&nbsp;of the black people of the Colombian Pacific&nbsp;coast. These texts represented a geographical&nbsp;shift from the previous activity of her research,&nbsp;that had been focused on the San Andrés y Providencia&nbsp;archipelago but they also involved a&nbsp;significant transformation in the questions and&nbsp;conceptual frameworks used to decipher the&nbsp;complex interweaving between the environment&nbsp;and the black culture and history of the colombian South Pacific. This paper seeks to explore&nbsp;these changes. https://doi.org/10.22380/2539472X60

Patrones de distribución y tasas de bioerosión del erizo &lt;i&gt;Centrostephanus coronatus&lt;/i&gt; (Diadematoida: Diadematidae), en el arrecife de Playa Blanca, Pacífico colombiano

Regular sea-urchins are one of the main bioeroding organisms affecting coral reefs around the world. The abundance, distribution and bioerosion rate of the sea-urchin Centrostephanus coronatus, were determined in different reef zones of Playa Blanca fringing reef (Gorgona Island, Colombian pacific coast) during 1997 and 1998. The erosion rates were determined calcinating the gut content of the sea-urchins to eliminate all organic components and preserve the inorganic portion of calcium carbonate. C. coronatus showed the highest densities towards the central zones of the reef (plain-crest and front) (12.4 ind/m2; range 0-48 ind/m2). The highest mean bioerosion rate was 0.103 kgCaCO3/m2/yr in the reef plain-crest (0-0.69 kgCaCO3/m2/yr). In the other zones, (back reef and reef front) the mean bioerosion rates were 0.071 (range 0-0.39) and 0.052 (range 0-0.31) kgCaCO3/m2/yr respectively. According to the present data, it can be seen that the destruction of coralline skeletons, produced in this reef by sea-urchins is rather low, compared with the abrasion caused by these organisms in other places of the world. However, the combined action of C. coronatus and other bioeroding organisms (borers and grazers). along with some adverse environmental factors to corals, can be causing a negative balance between normal processes of reef accretion-destruction in Gorgona Island reefs.

Integrating environmental education in marine protected areas management in Colombia

Environmental Education (EE) is a key component in any marine protected area management. However, its visibility and action plans are still poorly developed and structured as a clear element in management procedures. The objective of this study is to contribute with a methodological route that integrates EE to the existing model of management planning and strategies, taking the Colombian National Natural Parks System as a case study. The creation of the route is proposed as a participatory research with different stakeholders in order to respond to the specific conservation needs and goals for the National Parks System. The EE national diagnosis has shown that its integration within the parks management structure is a first priority need, being a converging result on the two case studies on National Parks from the Pacific Coast of Colombia. The diagnosis also demonstrates that communication, participation, training and evaluation have to be reinforced, linking the community and stakeholders involved in the park management to the whole EE process. The proposed methodology route has been agreed upon by the National Parks staff and incorporates advice and recommendations from different stakeholders, in order to better include the park users. This step will help us to advance toward sustainable management in marine and coastal protected areas elsewhere, taking into account not only the biological but also the social–cultural prism. The main challenges in the management and conservation of coastal and marine ecosystems today are discussed.

Mariposas diurnas y nocturnas (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidae, Saturniidae, Sphingidae) del Parque Nacional Natural Gorgona, Pacífico Colombiano

Butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidae, Saturniidae, Sphingidae) at the Natural National Park Gorgona, Colombian Pacific. Gorgona is a continental island at the Pacific coast of Colombia. For 26 years it was a prison but in 1986 it was declared a National Park, and the land was left aside for natural succession. This study presents a list of its Lepidoptera, compares it to a former study and discusses some eco- logical factors that could promote in situ biodiversity. Butterflies and moths were collected during three trips from October 2010 to May 2011. Butterfly observations were carried out along the main island paths. Baited traps using decomposed fruit, fish and chicken, were installed for three days at each zone (two kinds of bait per site) and sweep net catches were also made between 09:00h and 18:00h. For moths, black and white light traps were located in open areas. Town lights were also checked daily. Percent canopy cover was measured at each collection point. A total of 52 species belonging to seven families were found, of which 30 butterfly and 11 moth species are new records for the island. Cerro Trinidad and Sendero Chonta (22 and 20 species, respectively) were the richest places. Species richness did not decrease with canopy cover. Heliconious sara and Aeria eurimedia were the dominant species, but their distribution did not overlap. Three species were the most widely distributed in the island: H. sara (11 sites, 166 individuals), Calycopis cerata (10 sites, 71 individuals) and Ae. eurimedia (nine sites, 72 individuals). Catoblepia xanthicles occidentalis was found 87 years after the last report. Most spe- cies accumulation curves were not asymptotic suggesting that the diversity of the island is higher than expected. This study found twice as much the number of butterflies species reported for Gorgona and is the first record of

Tidepool fish assemblages of Gorgona Island, Colombian Pacific coast: a local and regional comparison

The ecology of tidepool fishes has been extensively investigated worldwide over the past 40 years. As in many other ecological fields, studies in temperate zones outnumber studies carried out in tropical areas. Here, we document the short-term spatio-temporal variation of a tidepool fish assemblage from the Tropical Eastern Pacific (Gorgona Island, Colombia), compare our data with previous surveys made in 1993 and provide the first latitudinal comparison of tidepool fish assemblages in the Eastern Pacific coast (43°N to 36°S). During April-July 2006, monthly samplings were carried in 18 tidepools located at three sites this Island. A relatively species-rich tidepool fish assemblage (53 species) was found at Gorgona Island. Labrisomidae, Gobiidae and Gobiesocidae were the dominant resident components of this assemblage, whereas Pomacentridae, Muraenidae and Labridae constituted the transient component. Although the same dominant species were observed in surveys from 1993 and 2006, suggesting a high persistence of this assemblage over time, clear differences in the relative abundance of some species were also detected. These differences were partly the result of using different sampling methodologies (rotenone vs clove oil). Comparisons with other studies performed in tropical and temperate areas of the Eastern Pacific coast indicate a clear latitudinal pattern in the composition of these assemblages that correspond to well-documented biogeographic subdivisions of the marine fauna in this region. Further investigation of the ecological role that tidepool fishes play in rocky intertidal and subtidal areas of Gorgona Island and the whole Tropical Eastern Pacific region will benefit our understanding of the functioning of these important coastal ecosystems. Rev. Biol. Trop. 62 (Suppl. 1): 373-390. Epub 2014 February 01.

Las abejas (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) del Parque Nacional Natural Gorgona, Pacífico colombiano

The National Natural Park Gorgona is a continental island off the Colombian Pacific coast. Bees have a specialized and crucial role in this isolated and unique ecosystem and here we assess their biodiversity. In three visits, at intervals of three months, six areas of the island with variable vegetation cover, were sampled. Sampling was done indirectly using (i) McPhail traps (baited with cineole, methyl silicate and clove oil), (ii) Van Someren Rydon traps (baited with rotting fish, chicken or fruit), (iii) Malaise traps and (iv) light traps. In addition, a direct sampling was carried out along transects of indeterminate length, for periods of one hour in each area and repeated four times. A total of 585 specimens was captured, of these 443 belong to Apidae (14 genera), 141 to Halictidae (six genera) and one Megachilidae. With this report the local inventory of bees rises to 43 species and 28 genera. Trigona fulviventris guianae Cockerell, 1910 was the most abundant species, Euglossa ignita, the most attracted to aromatic lures and Megalopta genalis Meade-Waldo, 1916 was the dominant species during evening hours. The absence of Apis mellifera was noticeable. Rev. Biol. Trop. 62 (Suppl. 1): 297-305. Epub 2014 February 01.