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Marcos Vaira

Universidad Nacional de Jujuy - CONICET, INECOA - Instituto de Ecorregiones Andinas, Researcher

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Graduated from the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba as Biologist and Universidad Nacional de Tucumán (Doctor in Biology).The research projects are focused on the study of diversity and life histories of the anurans of the Subtropical Mountain Forest of NW Argentina (Yungas Andinas). Our work tries to increase the current knowledge about the biodiversity of this ecoregion considered in danger and of great importance at a regional scale. Particularly, we work on basic ecological data (reproductive parameters, abundance, displacements, habitat use and preferences)
Address: San Salvador de Jujuy, Jujuy, Argentina

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Trinity College Dublin

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Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS)

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Ohio State University

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Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Duke University

Kansas State University

University of East London

Armando Marques-Guedes

UNL - New University of Lisbon

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Papers by Marcos Vaira

Hongos de Argentina evaluados por la UICN (Unión Internacional para la Conservación de las Especies) y status de Rickiella edulis basada en un nuevo registro en Jujuy, Argentina

Lilloa, Dec 11, 2023

Sixty-two species of fungi from Argentina have been listed in different categories of the Interna... more Sixty-two species of fungi from Argentina have been listed in different categories of the International Union for Conservation of Species (IUCN). Rickiella edulis (Speg.) Pfister is known as an ascoma-forming species of considerable size, easy to identify and recognize in the field. The number of records of this species in Argentina is still scarce. The two natural ecosystems in which it has been recorded are in alarming decline due to their conversion to agricultural and livestock activities and urban growth. Those factors led the IUCN to categorize R. edulis as an Endangered species in 2020. Additionally, other sixty-two species of fungi from Argentina are currently included in different IUCN categories. This paper provides the first review of the Argentine species included in the IUCN Red List of Species reviewed in the unit "The Global Fungal Red List Initiative", with emphasis on relevant species. This work also provides new information on the geographic distribution of R. edulis in Argentina, which has had no new contributions since 2016, incorporating the first record for the Yungas Biosphere Reserve in the province of Jujuy, NW Argentina.

Diurnal butterfly diversity in a human-modified landscape of the subtropical montane forest of NW Argentina

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), May 15, 2024

The change and intensification in land-use is currently among the main causes of species declines... more The change and intensification in land-use is currently among the main causes of species declines and local extinctions around the world, therefore, forecasting changes in 2 species diversity concerning habitat conditions may be crucial for conservation strategies. We 2 explored the diurnal lepidopteran diversity in a modified landscape of subtropical montane 3 forests of Jujuy, NW Argentina. We considered that degradation of the natural forest habitat 3 would likely impact on resources crucial for butterflies, consequently altering both species 3 richness and composition within these forests. We assessed and compared alpha diversity 3 through Hill diversity profiles and beta diversity through the beta-diversity partitioning 3 method. Additionally, we employed a multivariate permutational analysis of variance, and 3 rank-abundance curves of butterfly species at different habitat types. Our results suggest that 3 land-use changes diminish the number of forest-dependent species and increase species more 3 tolerant to modified habitats and open areas. While alpha diversity did not decrease as land 3 use changed, beta diversity showed significant changes in the butterfly species composition 3 with a worrying reduction of forest-related species in altered habitats. Species composition 4 became increasingly dominated by open area butterfly species resulting in biota 4 homogenization, with possible consequences for ecosystem functioning and services of these 4 forests. Further research on the mechanisms underlying the effects of human-induced habitat 4 changes on forest butterfly diversity could help clarify which mitigation efforts are most 4 likely to be successful for the conservation of butterflies of the subtropical montane forests.

Urban and suburban's airborne magnetic particles accumulated on Tillandsia capillaris

Science of The Total Environment

Cuadernos de Herpetología | Volumen 32 | Número 3 | Suplemento 1

Cuadernos de Herpetología, Aug 1, 2018

A partir del aporte de una red local de especialistas en diversas temáticas se propuso generar un... more A partir del aporte de una red local de especialistas en diversas temáticas se propuso generar un documento base que sirva como guía para el desarrollo de iniciativas de conservación de los anfibios de Argentina, recomendando las acciones prioritarias que deberían ser abordadas desde diversos ámbitos y que pudieran servir como lineamientos para el diseño de una estrategia nacional para la conservación de los anfibios de nuestro país. El proceso incluía la creación de un marco de referencia para ordenar las actividades a desarrollar, la implementación de un mecanismo uniforme de trabajo y la conformación de los grupos de especialistas por temáticas. Esta iniciativa se gestó en septiembre de 2015 durante la realización del XVI Congreso Argentino de Herpetología realizado en la ciudad de San Miguel de Tucumán. Allí, se esbozaron los objetivos generales de la estrategia y un esquema de trabajo tentativo convocando a los especialistas locales que quisieran sumarse a esta propuesta.Asociación Herpetológica Argentin

El estado de conservación de los anfibios en el mundo

Cuadernos de Herpetología, Aug 1, 2018

Patterns of acoustic phenology in an anuran assemblage of the Yungas Andean forests of Argentina

Acta Herpetologica, Jul 1, 2023

Breeding seasons in anurans are usually noticed by their advertisement calls, which stand as the ... more Breeding seasons in anurans are usually noticed by their advertisement calls, which stand as the main signal emitted by males during their adult life. These calls are species-specific signals with multiple information and can be used to monitor anuran populations over extended time periods. Applying a Passive Acoustic Monitoring method (PAM), we described the acoustic breeding phenology of an anuran assemblage along an altitudinal elevation range in the Yungas Andean forests of Argentina. In addition, we propose a new classification scheme for their acoustic phenological strategies, based on the male's calling records throughout an entire year. Also, we assessed the temporal and spectral niche overlap by the anuran species recorded. The assemblage was active throughout the entire year, with a higher concentration of calls recorded during the spring-summer season. We describe five distinct Acoustic Breeding Strategies based on the calling patterns of the recorded species. Temporal niche overlap was higher in the springsummer season and in the lowest study site. The use of a PAM as a tool to monitor the advertisement calls in anurans communities could be a reliable technique to obtain different information about the species' acoustic phenology and the temporal use of the acoustic communication channel.

Soundscapes of the Yungas Andean forest: Identifying the acoustic footprint of an anuran assemblage

Remote Sensing Applications: Society and Environment, 2023

Componente 3. Amenazas

Cuadernos de Herpetología, Aug 1, 2018

Tolerant and avoiders in an urban landscape: anuran species richness and functional groups responses in the Yungas’ forest of NW Argentina

Urban Ecosystems, 2020

Urbanization is one of the most important causes of ecological changes and biodiversity loss worl... more Urbanization is one of the most important causes of ecological changes and biodiversity loss worldwide, and forests in Latin America provide valuable scenarios to understand the ecological effects of this human-driven phenomenon due to its high urbanization rate. Our aim was to investigate how urbanization shapes species richness (SR) and composition of anuran communities in NW Argentina, and to determine which suite of life history traits are related to anuran tolerance to urban development. We classified anuran species in Functional Groups (FG) based on a series of ecological traits and recognized them as urbantolerant or urban-avoiders. We constructed an urbanization composite index (UI) through an exploratory factor analysis based on measures of artificial light intensity, noise pollution, land use types, and mean values of LTS, NDMI, and NDVI. We tested the response of SR, FG and species occurrence to UI with Generalized Linear Models and a variation partitioning analysis. Our results showed the negative influence of urbanization on anuran diversity and suggested that the loss of anuran species is not random, pointing to the presence of environmental filters. Only terrestrial frogs that build aquatic foam nests were not affected by an increase in urbanization, so they may be considered as urban-tolerant. Further, our results highlighted the important role of dispersal capacity in structuring the urban anuran assemblages. As ecologists working in urban habitats, we emphasize the need of a more comprehensive and generalized understanding of ecological and life history traits associated with urban tolerant anurans.

Evaluating the efficacy of visual encounter and automated acoustic survey methods in anuran assemblages of the Yungas Andean forests of Argentina

Ecological Indicators, 2021

Identifying adequate methods and tools for biodiversity monitoring is fundamental in ecology and ... more Identifying adequate methods and tools for biodiversity monitoring is fundamental in ecology and conservation biology. Most of the standardised monitoring techniques involve the presence of the researchers at the survey sites meanwhile, passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) of the diversity of anuran species could be a valid alternative. In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of the use of PAM as a method for anuran species survey and the use of acoustic indices as proxies for the species diversity and species' calling activity level in three species assemblages along the altitudinal gradient of the Yungas forests in NW Argentina. We collected bioacoustic data at three sites along an altitudinal gradient in the Parque Nacional Calilegua. Complementarily, monthly anuran surveys were carried out with the standard method of Visual Encounter Survey (VES). Our results showed that acoustic surveys using PAM could be a reliable tool to assess the anuran diversity in the complex environments of Andean forests. Also, available acoustic indices such as ACI, ADI, AEI, Bio, H and M, could be reliable tools to reflect the diversity of calling species in forest habitats with different levels of biophony in subtropical regions. Nevertheless, long-term monitoring programs must be coupled with VES to accurately reveal anuran diversity along the altitudinal gradient.

Diversidad De Murciélagos en Ambientes Ribereños De La Selva Pedemontana De Las Yungas De Jujuy, Argentina

by José Urquizo and Marcos Vaira

Mastozoología Neotropical, 2018

Los monos araña (género Ateles) son unos de los mamíferos neotropicales con mayor vulnerabilidad ... more Los monos araña (género Ateles) son unos de los mamíferos neotropicales con mayor vulnerabilidad a la degradación y fragmentación de su hábitat, así como a la cacería (Michalski & Peres 2005). De acuerdo a lo anterior, todas las especies de este género han sido categorizadas en estado de peligro (EN) o peligro crítico (CR) y se encuentran entre las principales prioridades de conservación (Stevenson et al. 2010). Las poblaciones de A. fusciceps en el noroccidente de Sur América están amenazadas por extinción a corto o mediano plazo debido a la reducción sistemática de sus poblaciones como producto de la cacería indiscriminada y la alarmante tasa

Elachistocleis haroi Pereyra, Akmentins, Laufer & Vaira, 2013, sp. nov

<i>Elachistocleis haroi</i> sp. nov. <b>Holotype.</b> FML 24900 adult mal... more <i>Elachistocleis haroi</i> sp. nov. <b>Holotype.</b> FML 24900 adult male collected at El Algarrobal, Jujuy province, Argentina (24 ° 11 ' 27.30 " S, 65 ° 13 ' 54.41 "W datum WGS 84; 1211 m.a.s.l.), on February 25, 2010, by LCP and MSA. <b>Paratypes.</b> FML 24894 to 24899, FML 24901 to 24906 and MCN-UNSa 1572 from the type locality; MCN- UNSa 1571 (2 specimens) from Rosario de la Frontera, Salta province, Argentina. <b>Diagnosis.</b> Last three vertebrae longer than wide in adults was proposed as putative synapomorphy for genus <i>Elachistocleis</i> (de Sá <i>et al.</i> 2012). Presence of this morphological character support the placement of the new species described herein as member of the genus (see osteology description below). <i>Elachistocleis haroi</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> is a small sized species (SVL 25-29.6 mm in males; 26.7-27.7 mm in females), characterized by head length slightly smaller than head width, HL about 84.4 % of HW. Dorsum coloration is grayish brown mottled with a paravertebral symmetric pattern constituted by dark spots resembling a pine tree. A mid-dorsal longitudinal bright yellow stripe from the interorbital region, surpassing the post-cephalic transverse skin fold, to vent, and in most cases the line fades to snout. A thin regular yellow line is noticeable on the posterior surface of the thighs and tibiae. <b>Description of the holotype.</b> Adult male (Fig. 1). Morphometric data is presented in Table 2. The body is ovoid in dorsal view. The head is proportionally small and triangular in dorsal view, slightly broader than long. The head length is about 83.6 % of the head width, and about 20.3 % of the SVL. It has no cranial crests. The canthus rostralis is rounded; loreal region flat. Snout is "sub-elliptical" in dorsal view and "protruding" in profile. Nostrils small, not protuberant, directed anterolaterally, closer to tip of snout than to eye; internarial distance narrow, smaller than the eye to nostril and interorbital distances. Post-commisural gland poorly developed. Eyes are small [...]

Componente 3. Amenazas. En: Plan de Acción para la Conservación de los Anfibios de la República Argentina

Fil: Peltzer, Paola. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Bioquimica y Ciencias Biologic... more

Diversidad De Murciélagos en Ambientes Ribereños De La Selva Pedemontana De Las Yungas De Jujuy, Argentina

Mastozoología Neotropical, 2018

Los monos araña (género Ateles) son unos de los mamíferos neotropicales con mayor vulnerabilidad ... more Los monos araña (género Ateles) son unos de los mamíferos neotropicales con mayor vulnerabilidad a la degradación y fragmentación de su hábitat, así como a la cacería (Michalski & Peres 2005). De acuerdo a lo anterior, todas las especies de este género han sido categorizadas en estado de peligro (EN) o peligro crítico (CR) y se encuentran entre las principales prioridades de conservación (Stevenson et al. 2010). Las poblaciones de A. fusciceps en el noroccidente de Sur América están amenazadas por extinción a corto o mediano plazo debido a la reducción sistemática de sus poblaciones como producto de la cacería indiscriminada y la alarmante tasa

Disentangling the multiple components of anuran diversity associated to different land-uses in Yungas forests, Argentina

Animal Conservation, 2018

Natural habitats have drastically regressed due to rapid changes in land-use during recent decade... more Natural habitats have drastically regressed due to rapid changes in land-use during recent decades, generating a decrease in species diversity. In light of natural habitat destruction worldwide, there is a need to adopt an integrative approach to the study of biodiversity in order to better assess the magnitude of diversity loss in landscapes affected by human intervention. The aim of this study was to assess and compare anuran assemblages under different land-uses in a subtropical forest of NW Argentina using an integrative view of diversity through different measures. We assessed alpha and beta diversity components for three complementary diversity measures: species richness, functional diversity and phylogenetic diversity in three land-uses: forest, tobacco and suburban. We carried out generalized linear mixed models with an autocorrelation structure to compare the three diversity measures across the different land-uses. We also used a beta diversity partitioning method to determine nestedness and turnover processes in taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic dissimilarity. Our results suggest a filtering effect of the land-uses on the diversity of anuran assemblages in the surveyed area, with an increased loss of anuran diversity in areas with intensified land-use, such as tobacco monoculture. This study contributes to understand amphibian communities associated to modified habitats in the Southern Andean Yungas forests from Argentina. Our findings highlight the importance of disentangling each diversity component separately to detect more accurately the diversity patterns associated to land-use change.

Current threats faced by amphibian populations in the southern cone of South America

Journal for Nature Conservation

Componente 2. Investigación en conservación y monitoreo

Cuadernos de Herpetología, Aug 1, 2018

La declinación es un concepto comparativo que requiere conocer el estado de la especie en el pasa... more La declinación es un concepto comparativo que requiere conocer el estado de la especie en el pasado para compararlo con el presente y puede presentarse como una reducción en la abundancia de individuos o una reducción de las áreas que ocupa la especie. Esto último es lo único que podríamos determinar actualmente con la mayor parte de los datos que tenemos para muchos anfibios de Argentina. Si bien Argentina cuenta con un sistema de información que incluye todos los hallazgos pasados y actuales de especies de anfibios en los Parques Nacionales (Sistema de Información de Biodiversidad, SIB: https://sib.gob.ar/), no existen muchos otros ejemplos de bases de datos o sistemas actualizables a largo plazo que permitan determinar el estado de las diferentes poblaciones para la mayoría de las especies de anfibios y/o regiones de Argentina. Esta manera de documentar declinaciones volviendo a relevar los sitios conocidos históricamente conlleva serias dificultades. Para muchos casos donde los registros históricos de distribución han sido reconfirmados, los reportes no suelen indicar datos de densidad o abundancia de las poblaciones relevadas por lo que no podemos saber cuán indicativos son esos datos. Esto dificulta establecer la posible existencia de un proceso de declinación que puede concluir en la retracción de las poblaciones y consecuentemente en una desaparición del sitio histórico donde todavía hoy se registra la especie.Asociación Herpetológica Argentin

Diversidad De Murciélagos en Ambientes Ribereños De La Selva Pedemontana De Las Yungas De Jujuy, Argentina

by Josè Urquizo, Cesar Bracamonte, and Marcos Vaira

Mastozoología Neotropical, 2018

Bat diversity in riparian environments of Selva Pedemontana in the Yungas of Jujuy province, Arge... more Bat diversity in riparian environments of Selva Pedemontana in the Yungas of Jujuy province, Argentina. Riparian environments are important to conserve the fauna that lives in these environments or uses them as corridors between fragmented areas. Bats exploit landscape elements differentially, and among them riparian environments are useful to meet various ecological requirements. We evaluated the diversity of insectivorous and frugivorous bats in riparian environments of the Selva Pedemontana in the Jujuy Province, Argentina, adjacent tonative forest (ARB) or crops (ARC), and compared to the availability of food resources in each type of environment. Between October 2014 and January 2015, 10 mist nets were used to capture bats, 40 sticky traps were used to estimate the richness and abundance of flying insects, and eight transects were carried out to account for chiropterophilic fruits. Ninety-four bats of eight species were captured. Completeness was greater than 90% in both enviro...

El estado de conservación de los anfibios en la República Argentina

Cuadernos de Herpetología, Aug 1, 2018

Lack of response to pond desiccation by eggs and tadpoles of the Yungas Red-belly Toad (Melanophryniscus rubriventris) in an unpredictable environment

Canadian Journal of Zoology, 2022

Anuran amphibians that breed in ephemeral ponds of unpredictable environments have mechanisms to ... more Anuran amphibians that breed in ephemeral ponds of unpredictable environments have mechanisms to tolerate or to avoid associated risks of egg and tadpole mortality, such as selection of oviposition sites, plasticity in larval development, and resistance of eggs to desiccation. The Yungas Red-belly Toad (Melanophryniscus rubriventris (Vellard, 1947)) breeds in temporary ponds in the Andean Yungas under unpredictable events of flooding and droughts of reproductive sites. To determine whether this species possesses any developmental mechanisms to deal with the environmental conditions, we experimentally evaluated the resistance of eggs subjected to different times of exposure to air and the tadpoles to different levels of pond desiccation. The species has not developed mechanisms of resistance of its eggs or phenotypic plasticity to the recurrent risks of pond desiccation, and mass mortality is a common event. In such a context, explosive breeding highly synchronized with rainfall, tog...

Hongos de Argentina evaluados por la UICN (Unión Internacional para la Conservación de las Especies) y status de Rickiella edulis basada en un nuevo registro en Jujuy, Argentina

Lilloa, Dec 11, 2023

Sixty-two species of fungi from Argentina have been listed in different categories of the Interna... more Sixty-two species of fungi from Argentina have been listed in different categories of the International Union for Conservation of Species (IUCN). Rickiella edulis (Speg.) Pfister is known as an ascoma-forming species of considerable size, easy to identify and recognize in the field. The number of records of this species in Argentina is still scarce. The two natural ecosystems in which it has been recorded are in alarming decline due to their conversion to agricultural and livestock activities and urban growth. Those factors led the IUCN to categorize R. edulis as an Endangered species in 2020. Additionally, other sixty-two species of fungi from Argentina are currently included in different IUCN categories. This paper provides the first review of the Argentine species included in the IUCN Red List of Species reviewed in the unit "The Global Fungal Red List Initiative", with emphasis on relevant species. This work also provides new information on the geographic distribution of R. edulis in Argentina, which has had no new contributions since 2016, incorporating the first record for the Yungas Biosphere Reserve in the province of Jujuy, NW Argentina.

Diurnal butterfly diversity in a human-modified landscape of the subtropical montane forest of NW Argentina

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), May 15, 2024

The change and intensification in land-use is currently among the main causes of species declines... more The change and intensification in land-use is currently among the main causes of species declines and local extinctions around the world, therefore, forecasting changes in 2 species diversity concerning habitat conditions may be crucial for conservation strategies. We 2 explored the diurnal lepidopteran diversity in a modified landscape of subtropical montane 3 forests of Jujuy, NW Argentina. We considered that degradation of the natural forest habitat 3 would likely impact on resources crucial for butterflies, consequently altering both species 3 richness and composition within these forests. We assessed and compared alpha diversity 3 through Hill diversity profiles and beta diversity through the beta-diversity partitioning 3 method. Additionally, we employed a multivariate permutational analysis of variance, and 3 rank-abundance curves of butterfly species at different habitat types. Our results suggest that 3 land-use changes diminish the number of forest-dependent species and increase species more 3 tolerant to modified habitats and open areas. While alpha diversity did not decrease as land 3 use changed, beta diversity showed significant changes in the butterfly species composition 3 with a worrying reduction of forest-related species in altered habitats. Species composition 4 became increasingly dominated by open area butterfly species resulting in biota 4 homogenization, with possible consequences for ecosystem functioning and services of these 4 forests. Further research on the mechanisms underlying the effects of human-induced habitat 4 changes on forest butterfly diversity could help clarify which mitigation efforts are most 4 likely to be successful for the conservation of butterflies of the subtropical montane forests.

Urban and suburban's airborne magnetic particles accumulated on Tillandsia capillaris

Science of The Total Environment

Cuadernos de Herpetología | Volumen 32 | Número 3 | Suplemento 1

Cuadernos de Herpetología, Aug 1, 2018

A partir del aporte de una red local de especialistas en diversas temáticas se propuso generar un... more A partir del aporte de una red local de especialistas en diversas temáticas se propuso generar un documento base que sirva como guía para el desarrollo de iniciativas de conservación de los anfibios de Argentina, recomendando las acciones prioritarias que deberían ser abordadas desde diversos ámbitos y que pudieran servir como lineamientos para el diseño de una estrategia nacional para la conservación de los anfibios de nuestro país. El proceso incluía la creación de un marco de referencia para ordenar las actividades a desarrollar, la implementación de un mecanismo uniforme de trabajo y la conformación de los grupos de especialistas por temáticas. Esta iniciativa se gestó en septiembre de 2015 durante la realización del XVI Congreso Argentino de Herpetología realizado en la ciudad de San Miguel de Tucumán. Allí, se esbozaron los objetivos generales de la estrategia y un esquema de trabajo tentativo convocando a los especialistas locales que quisieran sumarse a esta propuesta.Asociación Herpetológica Argentin

El estado de conservación de los anfibios en el mundo

Cuadernos de Herpetología, Aug 1, 2018

Patterns of acoustic phenology in an anuran assemblage of the Yungas Andean forests of Argentina

Acta Herpetologica, Jul 1, 2023

Breeding seasons in anurans are usually noticed by their advertisement calls, which stand as the ... more Breeding seasons in anurans are usually noticed by their advertisement calls, which stand as the main signal emitted by males during their adult life. These calls are species-specific signals with multiple information and can be used to monitor anuran populations over extended time periods. Applying a Passive Acoustic Monitoring method (PAM), we described the acoustic breeding phenology of an anuran assemblage along an altitudinal elevation range in the Yungas Andean forests of Argentina. In addition, we propose a new classification scheme for their acoustic phenological strategies, based on the male's calling records throughout an entire year. Also, we assessed the temporal and spectral niche overlap by the anuran species recorded. The assemblage was active throughout the entire year, with a higher concentration of calls recorded during the spring-summer season. We describe five distinct Acoustic Breeding Strategies based on the calling patterns of the recorded species. Temporal niche overlap was higher in the springsummer season and in the lowest study site. The use of a PAM as a tool to monitor the advertisement calls in anurans communities could be a reliable technique to obtain different information about the species' acoustic phenology and the temporal use of the acoustic communication channel.

Soundscapes of the Yungas Andean forest: Identifying the acoustic footprint of an anuran assemblage

Remote Sensing Applications: Society and Environment, 2023

Componente 3. Amenazas

Cuadernos de Herpetología, Aug 1, 2018

Tolerant and avoiders in an urban landscape: anuran species richness and functional groups responses in the Yungas’ forest of NW Argentina

Urban Ecosystems, 2020

Urbanization is one of the most important causes of ecological changes and biodiversity loss worl... more Urbanization is one of the most important causes of ecological changes and biodiversity loss worldwide, and forests in Latin America provide valuable scenarios to understand the ecological effects of this human-driven phenomenon due to its high urbanization rate. Our aim was to investigate how urbanization shapes species richness (SR) and composition of anuran communities in NW Argentina, and to determine which suite of life history traits are related to anuran tolerance to urban development. We classified anuran species in Functional Groups (FG) based on a series of ecological traits and recognized them as urbantolerant or urban-avoiders. We constructed an urbanization composite index (UI) through an exploratory factor analysis based on measures of artificial light intensity, noise pollution, land use types, and mean values of LTS, NDMI, and NDVI. We tested the response of SR, FG and species occurrence to UI with Generalized Linear Models and a variation partitioning analysis. Our results showed the negative influence of urbanization on anuran diversity and suggested that the loss of anuran species is not random, pointing to the presence of environmental filters. Only terrestrial frogs that build aquatic foam nests were not affected by an increase in urbanization, so they may be considered as urban-tolerant. Further, our results highlighted the important role of dispersal capacity in structuring the urban anuran assemblages. As ecologists working in urban habitats, we emphasize the need of a more comprehensive and generalized understanding of ecological and life history traits associated with urban tolerant anurans.

Evaluating the efficacy of visual encounter and automated acoustic survey methods in anuran assemblages of the Yungas Andean forests of Argentina

Ecological Indicators, 2021

Identifying adequate methods and tools for biodiversity monitoring is fundamental in ecology and ... more Identifying adequate methods and tools for biodiversity monitoring is fundamental in ecology and conservation biology. Most of the standardised monitoring techniques involve the presence of the researchers at the survey sites meanwhile, passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) of the diversity of anuran species could be a valid alternative. In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of the use of PAM as a method for anuran species survey and the use of acoustic indices as proxies for the species diversity and species' calling activity level in three species assemblages along the altitudinal gradient of the Yungas forests in NW Argentina. We collected bioacoustic data at three sites along an altitudinal gradient in the Parque Nacional Calilegua. Complementarily, monthly anuran surveys were carried out with the standard method of Visual Encounter Survey (VES). Our results showed that acoustic surveys using PAM could be a reliable tool to assess the anuran diversity in the complex environments of Andean forests. Also, available acoustic indices such as ACI, ADI, AEI, Bio, H and M, could be reliable tools to reflect the diversity of calling species in forest habitats with different levels of biophony in subtropical regions. Nevertheless, long-term monitoring programs must be coupled with VES to accurately reveal anuran diversity along the altitudinal gradient.

Diversidad De Murciélagos en Ambientes Ribereños De La Selva Pedemontana De Las Yungas De Jujuy, Argentina

by José Urquizo and Marcos Vaira

Mastozoología Neotropical, 2018

Los monos araña (género Ateles) son unos de los mamíferos neotropicales con mayor vulnerabilidad ... more Los monos araña (género Ateles) son unos de los mamíferos neotropicales con mayor vulnerabilidad a la degradación y fragmentación de su hábitat, así como a la cacería (Michalski & Peres 2005). De acuerdo a lo anterior, todas las especies de este género han sido categorizadas en estado de peligro (EN) o peligro crítico (CR) y se encuentran entre las principales prioridades de conservación (Stevenson et al. 2010). Las poblaciones de A. fusciceps en el noroccidente de Sur América están amenazadas por extinción a corto o mediano plazo debido a la reducción sistemática de sus poblaciones como producto de la cacería indiscriminada y la alarmante tasa

Elachistocleis haroi Pereyra, Akmentins, Laufer & Vaira, 2013, sp. nov

<i>Elachistocleis haroi</i> sp. nov. <b>Holotype.</b> FML 24900 adult mal... more <i>Elachistocleis haroi</i> sp. nov. <b>Holotype.</b> FML 24900 adult male collected at El Algarrobal, Jujuy province, Argentina (24 ° 11 ' 27.30 " S, 65 ° 13 ' 54.41 "W datum WGS 84; 1211 m.a.s.l.), on February 25, 2010, by LCP and MSA. <b>Paratypes.</b> FML 24894 to 24899, FML 24901 to 24906 and MCN-UNSa 1572 from the type locality; MCN- UNSa 1571 (2 specimens) from Rosario de la Frontera, Salta province, Argentina. <b>Diagnosis.</b> Last three vertebrae longer than wide in adults was proposed as putative synapomorphy for genus <i>Elachistocleis</i> (de Sá <i>et al.</i> 2012). Presence of this morphological character support the placement of the new species described herein as member of the genus (see osteology description below). <i>Elachistocleis haroi</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> is a small sized species (SVL 25-29.6 mm in males; 26.7-27.7 mm in females), characterized by head length slightly smaller than head width, HL about 84.4 % of HW. Dorsum coloration is grayish brown mottled with a paravertebral symmetric pattern constituted by dark spots resembling a pine tree. A mid-dorsal longitudinal bright yellow stripe from the interorbital region, surpassing the post-cephalic transverse skin fold, to vent, and in most cases the line fades to snout. A thin regular yellow line is noticeable on the posterior surface of the thighs and tibiae. <b>Description of the holotype.</b> Adult male (Fig. 1). Morphometric data is presented in Table 2. The body is ovoid in dorsal view. The head is proportionally small and triangular in dorsal view, slightly broader than long. The head length is about 83.6 % of the head width, and about 20.3 % of the SVL. It has no cranial crests. The canthus rostralis is rounded; loreal region flat. Snout is "sub-elliptical" in dorsal view and "protruding" in profile. Nostrils small, not protuberant, directed anterolaterally, closer to tip of snout than to eye; internarial distance narrow, smaller than the eye to nostril and interorbital distances. Post-commisural gland poorly developed. Eyes are small [...]

Componente 3. Amenazas. En: Plan de Acción para la Conservación de los Anfibios de la República Argentina

Fil: Peltzer, Paola. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Bioquimica y Ciencias Biologic... more

Diversidad De Murciélagos en Ambientes Ribereños De La Selva Pedemontana De Las Yungas De Jujuy, Argentina

Mastozoología Neotropical, 2018

Los monos araña (género Ateles) son unos de los mamíferos neotropicales con mayor vulnerabilidad ... more Los monos araña (género Ateles) son unos de los mamíferos neotropicales con mayor vulnerabilidad a la degradación y fragmentación de su hábitat, así como a la cacería (Michalski & Peres 2005). De acuerdo a lo anterior, todas las especies de este género han sido categorizadas en estado de peligro (EN) o peligro crítico (CR) y se encuentran entre las principales prioridades de conservación (Stevenson et al. 2010). Las poblaciones de A. fusciceps en el noroccidente de Sur América están amenazadas por extinción a corto o mediano plazo debido a la reducción sistemática de sus poblaciones como producto de la cacería indiscriminada y la alarmante tasa

Disentangling the multiple components of anuran diversity associated to different land-uses in Yungas forests, Argentina

Animal Conservation, 2018

Natural habitats have drastically regressed due to rapid changes in land-use during recent decade... more Natural habitats have drastically regressed due to rapid changes in land-use during recent decades, generating a decrease in species diversity. In light of natural habitat destruction worldwide, there is a need to adopt an integrative approach to the study of biodiversity in order to better assess the magnitude of diversity loss in landscapes affected by human intervention. The aim of this study was to assess and compare anuran assemblages under different land-uses in a subtropical forest of NW Argentina using an integrative view of diversity through different measures. We assessed alpha and beta diversity components for three complementary diversity measures: species richness, functional diversity and phylogenetic diversity in three land-uses: forest, tobacco and suburban. We carried out generalized linear mixed models with an autocorrelation structure to compare the three diversity measures across the different land-uses. We also used a beta diversity partitioning method to determine nestedness and turnover processes in taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic dissimilarity. Our results suggest a filtering effect of the land-uses on the diversity of anuran assemblages in the surveyed area, with an increased loss of anuran diversity in areas with intensified land-use, such as tobacco monoculture. This study contributes to understand amphibian communities associated to modified habitats in the Southern Andean Yungas forests from Argentina. Our findings highlight the importance of disentangling each diversity component separately to detect more accurately the diversity patterns associated to land-use change.

Current threats faced by amphibian populations in the southern cone of South America

Journal for Nature Conservation

Componente 2. Investigación en conservación y monitoreo

Cuadernos de Herpetología, Aug 1, 2018

La declinación es un concepto comparativo que requiere conocer el estado de la especie en el pasa... more La declinación es un concepto comparativo que requiere conocer el estado de la especie en el pasado para compararlo con el presente y puede presentarse como una reducción en la abundancia de individuos o una reducción de las áreas que ocupa la especie. Esto último es lo único que podríamos determinar actualmente con la mayor parte de los datos que tenemos para muchos anfibios de Argentina. Si bien Argentina cuenta con un sistema de información que incluye todos los hallazgos pasados y actuales de especies de anfibios en los Parques Nacionales (Sistema de Información de Biodiversidad, SIB: https://sib.gob.ar/), no existen muchos otros ejemplos de bases de datos o sistemas actualizables a largo plazo que permitan determinar el estado de las diferentes poblaciones para la mayoría de las especies de anfibios y/o regiones de Argentina. Esta manera de documentar declinaciones volviendo a relevar los sitios conocidos históricamente conlleva serias dificultades. Para muchos casos donde los registros históricos de distribución han sido reconfirmados, los reportes no suelen indicar datos de densidad o abundancia de las poblaciones relevadas por lo que no podemos saber cuán indicativos son esos datos. Esto dificulta establecer la posible existencia de un proceso de declinación que puede concluir en la retracción de las poblaciones y consecuentemente en una desaparición del sitio histórico donde todavía hoy se registra la especie.Asociación Herpetológica Argentin

Diversidad De Murciélagos en Ambientes Ribereños De La Selva Pedemontana De Las Yungas De Jujuy, Argentina

by Josè Urquizo, Cesar Bracamonte, and Marcos Vaira

Mastozoología Neotropical, 2018

Bat diversity in riparian environments of Selva Pedemontana in the Yungas of Jujuy province, Arge... more Bat diversity in riparian environments of Selva Pedemontana in the Yungas of Jujuy province, Argentina. Riparian environments are important to conserve the fauna that lives in these environments or uses them as corridors between fragmented areas. Bats exploit landscape elements differentially, and among them riparian environments are useful to meet various ecological requirements. We evaluated the diversity of insectivorous and frugivorous bats in riparian environments of the Selva Pedemontana in the Jujuy Province, Argentina, adjacent tonative forest (ARB) or crops (ARC), and compared to the availability of food resources in each type of environment. Between October 2014 and January 2015, 10 mist nets were used to capture bats, 40 sticky traps were used to estimate the richness and abundance of flying insects, and eight transects were carried out to account for chiropterophilic fruits. Ninety-four bats of eight species were captured. Completeness was greater than 90% in both enviro...

El estado de conservación de los anfibios en la República Argentina

Cuadernos de Herpetología, Aug 1, 2018

Lack of response to pond desiccation by eggs and tadpoles of the Yungas Red-belly Toad (Melanophryniscus rubriventris) in an unpredictable environment

Canadian Journal of Zoology, 2022

Anuran amphibians that breed in ephemeral ponds of unpredictable environments have mechanisms to ... more Anuran amphibians that breed in ephemeral ponds of unpredictable environments have mechanisms to tolerate or to avoid associated risks of egg and tadpole mortality, such as selection of oviposition sites, plasticity in larval development, and resistance of eggs to desiccation. The Yungas Red-belly Toad (Melanophryniscus rubriventris (Vellard, 1947)) breeds in temporary ponds in the Andean Yungas under unpredictable events of flooding and droughts of reproductive sites. To determine whether this species possesses any developmental mechanisms to deal with the environmental conditions, we experimentally evaluated the resistance of eggs subjected to different times of exposure to air and the tadpoles to different levels of pond desiccation. The species has not developed mechanisms of resistance of its eggs or phenotypic plasticity to the recurrent risks of pond desiccation, and mass mortality is a common event. In such a context, explosive breeding highly synchronized with rainfall, tog...

Anfibios de la Selva Pedemontana de Argentina y Bolivia. Patrones de diversidad, distribución y estado de conservación

SELVA PEDEMONTANA DE LAS YUNGAS. Historia natural, ecología y manejo de un ecosistema en peligro, Jan 1, 2009