Papers by Carmen Figueredo
Evaluamos la relacion espacial entre dos cactaceas globulares (Mammillaria mammillaris (L) Karste... more Evaluamos la relacion espacial entre dos cactaceas globulares (Mammillaria mammillaris (L) Karsten and Melocactus schatzlii Till & Gruber) y dos arbustos mimosoideos (Acacia farnesiana (Willd.) L. and Prosopis julifora DC.) en dos habitats (“cardonal” versus “espinar”) de un enclave semiarido de Los Andes venezolanos. Nuestros resultados muestran que ambas especies de cactaceas globulares crecen espacialmente asociadas a ambas especies de arbustos mimosoideos (principalmente en al cardonal estudiado). Estos resultados sugieren que la regeneracion natural de ambas cactaceas probablemente es favorecida por la proximidad de estos arbustos (sensu sindrome “planta nodriza”). No obstante, la presencia de ambos cactus en espacios abiertos apunta a que la necesidad de una planta nodriza para su reclutamiento puede ser altamente facultativa. Este es el primer estudio que reporta asociaciones espaciales positivas entre cactaceas globulares y arbustos mimosoideos en los Andes del norte de Suda...
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Revista De Biologia Tropical, Sep 1, 2011
Interpopulation reproductive synchrony of Agave cocui (Agavaceae) in Venezuela. Agave cocui (Agav... more Interpopulation reproductive synchrony of Agave cocui (Agavaceae) in Venezuela. Agave cocui (Agavaceae) is a species with broad distribution in arid and semiarid areas of Venezuela and Colombia. Despite of its ecological importance as a source of food for wildlife, and its economic value for production of a spirit drink, studies on the reproductive ecology of the species are relatively rare. In this study, we conducted a oneyear evaluation of the flowering and fruiting phenology of A. cocui in the eight representative localities of the species' distribution in Venezuela. Within each study site, we chose an area with a minimum of 50 reproductive individuals and followed their reproductive phenophases with the help of binoculars, using six qualitative cathegories (emerging reproductive stalk, flowers, inmature fruits, mature fruits, bulbils and dry stalk) every two months. Emergence of the reproductive stalk in most of the examined populations began in September (rainy season), although this event delayed two months in a few populations. We detected significant negative correlations between precipitation and the percentage of flowering occurrence in four of the eight populations. Floral resources are available for flower visitors during approximately five months of the year (January-May). In most populations production of flowers initiated in January (dry season), and for Western Venezuela and Andean regions, the flowering main peak occurred in January. Localities from the Central and Eastern Coast exhibited the flowering peak in March, showing a delay of approximately two months with respect to other populations. Beginning of fruit set varied among localities from January to May; however, peak production of mature fruits concentrated in May, and fruit occurrence varied broadly between 5.2 and 85%. Bulbil production was detected in all populations and varied greatly among them (maximum percentage per population: 26.19-92.10%). High flowering synchronicity (Phenophase Overlapping Index: 0.756 and 0.999) was observed among all populations monitored in Western Venezuela, including the Andean localities. This condition might facilitate the existence of a nectar corridor from the Western Coast and nearby islands, to the Andean arid patches, which could be potentially used by nectar-feeding bats and birds dependent on agave flowers during part of the year.
AoB Plants, 2015
Domestication is a continuous evolutionary process guided by humans. This process leads to diverg... more Domestication is a continuous evolutionary process guided by humans. This process leads to divergence in characteristics such as behavior, morphology, or genetics, between wild and managed populations. Agaves have been important resources for Mesoamerican peoples since prehistory. Some species are domesticated and others vary in degree of domestication. Agave inaequidens is used in central Mexico to produce mescal, and a management gradient from gathered wild and silvicultural populations, as well as cultivated plantations, has been documented. Significant morphological differences were reported among wild and managed populations, and a high phenotypic variation in cultivated populations composed by plants from different populations. We evaluated levels of genetic diversity and structure associated with management, hypothesizing that high morphological variation would be accompanied by high genetic diversity in populations with high gene flow and low genetic structure among managed and unmanaged populations. Wild, silvicultural, and cultivated populations were studied, collecting tissue of 19 to 30 plants per population. Through 10 nuclear microsatellite loci we compared population genetics parameters. We analysed partition of variation associated with management categories to estimate gene flow among populations. A. inaequidens exhibits high levels of genetic diversity (He=0.707) and moderate genetic structure (FST=0.112). No differences were found in levels of genetic diversity among wild (He=0.704), silviculturally managed (He=0.733), and cultivated (He=0.698) populations. Bayesian analysis indicated that five genetic clusters best fit the data, with genetic groups corresponding to habitats where populations grow rather than to management. Migration rates ranged from zero between two populations to markedly high among others (M=0.73-35.25). Natural mechanisms of gene flow and the dynamic management of agave propagules among populations favor gene flow and the maintenance of high levels of variation within all populations. The slight differentiation associated with management indicates that domestication is in an incipient stage.
Evolutionary Ethnobiology, 2015
Mecanografiado Tesis (Lic. en Biología)-- Universidad de Los Andes, Facultad de Ciencias, Departa... more Mecanografiado Tesis (Lic. en Biología)-- Universidad de Los Andes, Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Biología, Mérida, 2007 Incluye bibliografía
![Research paper thumbnail of [Interpopulation reproductive synchrony of Agave cocui (Agavaceae) in Venezuela]](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/53149840/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Revista de biología tropical, 2011
Agave cocui (Agavaceae) is a species with broad distribution in arid and semiarid areas of Venezu... more Agave cocui (Agavaceae) is a species with broad distribution in arid and semiarid areas of Venezuela and Colombia. Despite of its ecological importance as a source of food for wildlife, and its economic value for production of a spirit drink, studies on the reproductive ecology of the species are relatively rare. In this study, we conducted a one-year evaluation of the flowering and fruiting phenology of A. cocui in the eight representative localities of the species' distribution in Venezuela. Within each study site, we chose an area with a minimum of 50 reproductive individuals and followed their reproductive phenophases with the help of binoculars, using six qualitative cathegories (emerging reproductive stalk, flowers, inmature fruits, mature fruits, bulbils and dry stalk) every two months. Emergence of the reproductive stalk in most of the examined populations began in September (rainy season), although this event delayed two months in a few populations. We detected signific...
Conservation Genetics, 2012
Vernal pool ecosystems are declining throughout California, with only 10% of historic habitat rem... more Vernal pool ecosystems are declining throughout California, with only 10% of historic habitat remaining. This has endangered many specialist endemic plant species, leaving extant populations fragmented, isolated, and threatened or endangered. Recovery plans for the increasing number of endangered vernal pool species require information on their genetic and ecological status to guide conservation and restoration efforts. Federally threatened Neostapfia colusana (Colusa grass) and federally endangered Tuctoria greenei (Greene's tuctoria) are two endemic vernal pool grasses of high conservation concern in central California. Remaining populations are highly fragmented due to range-wide habitat destruction. Using five polymorphic microsatellite markers for each species, we performed genetic surveys of 240 individuals from eight vernal pools for N. colusana, and 317 individuals from 13 vernal pools for T. greenei. We detected high within-population genetic diversity for both species, with average allelic diversities of 24 alleles/locus (mean Hobs = 0.68, mean Hexp = 0.71) for N. colusana, and 19 alleles/locus (mean Hobs = 0.77, and mean Hexp = 0.79) for T. greenei. Bayesian clustering and AMOVA indicated two genetically distinct population groups for N. colusana (Fst = 0.268, P \ 0.0001), and three for T. greenei (Fst = 0.11, P \ 0.0001). We found very slight temporal genetic structure at one N. colusana (Fst = 0.013, P \ 0.05) and two T. greenei (Fst = 0.015, Fst = 0.018, P \ 0.05) pools. These estimates of population genetic diversity and structure are critical measures for both species that will help inform recovery management actions.
Background: Agave inaequidens and A. hookeri are anciently used species for producing the ferment... more Background: Agave inaequidens and A. hookeri are anciently used species for producing the fermented beverage
‘pulque’, food and fiber in central Mexico. A. inaequidens is wild and cultivated and A. hookeri only cultivated, A.
inaequidens being its putative wild relative. We analysed purposes and mechanisms of artificial selection and
phenotypic divergences between wild and managed populations of A. inaequidens and between them and A.
hookeri, hypothesizing phenotypic divergence between wild and domesticated populations of A. inaequidens in
characters associated to domestication, and that A. hookeri would be phenotypically similar to cultivated A.
inaequidens.
Methods: We studied five wild and five cultivated populations of A. inaequidens, and three cultivated populations
of A. hookeri. We interviewed agave managers documenting mechanisms of artificial selection, and measured 25
morphological characters. Morphological similarity and differentiation among plants and populations were analysed
through multivariate methods and ANOVAs.
Results: People recognized 2–8 variants of A. inaequidens; for cultivation they select young plants collected in wild
areas recognized as producing the best quality mescal agaves. Also, they collect seeds of the largest and most
vigorous plants, sowing seeds in plant beds and then transplanting the most vigorous plantlets into plantations.
Multivariate methods classified separately the wild and cultivated populations of A. inaequidens and these from
A. hookeri, mainly because of characters related with plant and teeth size. The cultivated plants of A. inaequidens are
significantly bigger with larger teeth than wild plants. A. hookeri are also significatly bigger plants with larger leaves
but lower teeth density and size than A. inaequidens. Some cultivated plants of A. inaequidens were classified as
A. hookeri, and nearly 10% of A. hookeri as cultivated A. inaequidens. Wild and cultivated populations of A. inaequidens
differed in 13 characters, whereas A. hookeri differed in 23 characters with wild populations and only in 6 characters
with cultivated populations of A. inaequidens.
Conclusions: Divergence between wild and cultivated populations of A. inaequidens reflect artificial selection. A. hookeri
is similar to the cultivated A. inaequidens, which supports the hypothesis that A. hookeri could be the extreme of a
domestication gradient of a species complex.
Keyword: Domestication, Mescal agave, Phenotypic variation, Plant management, Pulque
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Papers by Carmen Figueredo
‘pulque’, food and fiber in central Mexico. A. inaequidens is wild and cultivated and A. hookeri only cultivated, A.
inaequidens being its putative wild relative. We analysed purposes and mechanisms of artificial selection and
phenotypic divergences between wild and managed populations of A. inaequidens and between them and A.
hookeri, hypothesizing phenotypic divergence between wild and domesticated populations of A. inaequidens in
characters associated to domestication, and that A. hookeri would be phenotypically similar to cultivated A.
inaequidens.
Methods: We studied five wild and five cultivated populations of A. inaequidens, and three cultivated populations
of A. hookeri. We interviewed agave managers documenting mechanisms of artificial selection, and measured 25
morphological characters. Morphological similarity and differentiation among plants and populations were analysed
through multivariate methods and ANOVAs.
Results: People recognized 2–8 variants of A. inaequidens; for cultivation they select young plants collected in wild
areas recognized as producing the best quality mescal agaves. Also, they collect seeds of the largest and most
vigorous plants, sowing seeds in plant beds and then transplanting the most vigorous plantlets into plantations.
Multivariate methods classified separately the wild and cultivated populations of A. inaequidens and these from
A. hookeri, mainly because of characters related with plant and teeth size. The cultivated plants of A. inaequidens are
significantly bigger with larger teeth than wild plants. A. hookeri are also significatly bigger plants with larger leaves
but lower teeth density and size than A. inaequidens. Some cultivated plants of A. inaequidens were classified as
A. hookeri, and nearly 10% of A. hookeri as cultivated A. inaequidens. Wild and cultivated populations of A. inaequidens
differed in 13 characters, whereas A. hookeri differed in 23 characters with wild populations and only in 6 characters
with cultivated populations of A. inaequidens.
Conclusions: Divergence between wild and cultivated populations of A. inaequidens reflect artificial selection. A. hookeri
is similar to the cultivated A. inaequidens, which supports the hypothesis that A. hookeri could be the extreme of a
domestication gradient of a species complex.
Keyword: Domestication, Mescal agave, Phenotypic variation, Plant management, Pulque
‘pulque’, food and fiber in central Mexico. A. inaequidens is wild and cultivated and A. hookeri only cultivated, A.
inaequidens being its putative wild relative. We analysed purposes and mechanisms of artificial selection and
phenotypic divergences between wild and managed populations of A. inaequidens and between them and A.
hookeri, hypothesizing phenotypic divergence between wild and domesticated populations of A. inaequidens in
characters associated to domestication, and that A. hookeri would be phenotypically similar to cultivated A.
inaequidens.
Methods: We studied five wild and five cultivated populations of A. inaequidens, and three cultivated populations
of A. hookeri. We interviewed agave managers documenting mechanisms of artificial selection, and measured 25
morphological characters. Morphological similarity and differentiation among plants and populations were analysed
through multivariate methods and ANOVAs.
Results: People recognized 2–8 variants of A. inaequidens; for cultivation they select young plants collected in wild
areas recognized as producing the best quality mescal agaves. Also, they collect seeds of the largest and most
vigorous plants, sowing seeds in plant beds and then transplanting the most vigorous plantlets into plantations.
Multivariate methods classified separately the wild and cultivated populations of A. inaequidens and these from
A. hookeri, mainly because of characters related with plant and teeth size. The cultivated plants of A. inaequidens are
significantly bigger with larger teeth than wild plants. A. hookeri are also significatly bigger plants with larger leaves
but lower teeth density and size than A. inaequidens. Some cultivated plants of A. inaequidens were classified as
A. hookeri, and nearly 10% of A. hookeri as cultivated A. inaequidens. Wild and cultivated populations of A. inaequidens
differed in 13 characters, whereas A. hookeri differed in 23 characters with wild populations and only in 6 characters
with cultivated populations of A. inaequidens.
Conclusions: Divergence between wild and cultivated populations of A. inaequidens reflect artificial selection. A. hookeri
is similar to the cultivated A. inaequidens, which supports the hypothesis that A. hookeri could be the extreme of a
domestication gradient of a species complex.
Keyword: Domestication, Mescal agave, Phenotypic variation, Plant management, Pulque