scholarly journals Species richness, geographical affinities, and activity patterns of mammals in premontane Andean forests of the Magdalena river basin of Colombia

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diego A. Torres ◽  
Abel Eduardo Rojas

AbstractThe Magdalena river basin is home to more than half of Colombia’s human population, and consequently the basin also harbors their economic activities. These activities have generated high deforestation rates and negative pressures on natural resources. With such a scenario of forest loss it is imperative to assess the state of the biodiversity and its conservation. Here, during six years we assessed the mammalian species richness and abundance in premontane forests of Caldas department in the Magdalena river basin. We also presented additional information on the activity patterns and geographical affinities of this fauna. We recorded 100 species of mammals with the Chiroptera as the richest order, followed by Rodentia. Most of the species are common and are not under risk of extinction; however, it is important to highlight the presence of six endemic species, three vulnerable species and one endangered species (white-footed tamarin). The mammalian fauna of this region is similar to other lowland localities in the Neotropics, and less similar to highland localities, including the nearby ones. Specifically, this fauna is most similar to lowland Tolima, and the Caribbean region of Colombia, Venezuela and Costa Rica; however, when we accounted only for bat fauna, it was more similar to the Caribbean and Pacific regions of Colombia. To secure the long-term persistence of these species we recommend maintenance of the current corridors such as riparian forests and living fences and an increase in the forested area.

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 145-166
Author(s):  
Diego A. Torres ◽  
Abel Eduardo Rojas

More than half of the population of Colombia is settled in the Magdalena River basin, resulting in high deforestation rates due to productive activities and urbanisation. Within this scenario of forest loss and ecosystem degradation, it is imperative to record and monitor the biodiversity in order to decrease and mitigate the negative consequences of human activities on species and ecosystems. For six years, we assessed the mammal species richness, abundance and activity patterns in premontane forests of the Magdalena River basin in the Department of Caldas, Colombia. We also presented additional information on the geographical affinities of this fauna. We recorded 101 species, seven of them endemic to Colombia, with Chiroptera being the richest order, followed by Rodentia. Most of the species are common and not listed in threatened categories and only four are vulnerable and two endangered, according to the Red List of the IUCN and the Ministerio de Medio Ambiente y Desarrollo Sostenible of Colombia. The mammalian fauna of the study area is similar to that of other lowland localities in the Neotropics and different to the fauna in highland localities, including the nearby ones. Specifically, this fauna was most similar to that in lowland Tolima and the Caribbean Region of Colombia, Venezuela and Costa Rica; however, when we accounted only for bat fauna, it was more similar to the fauna in Caribbean and Pacific Regions of Colombia. To secure the long-term persistence of these species, we recommend maintenance of the current corridors, such as riparian forests and living fences and an increase in the forested area.


2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (23) ◽  
pp. 81
Author(s):  
Rafael Arevalo Ascanio ◽  
Rafael Santofimio Rivera ◽  
Jair Eduardo Rocha González ◽  
Wilson Adarme Jaimes

This article considers the problem of locating multiple installations for the intermodal transport network in Colombia, and is based on the analysis of the transport of cargo from the main generating cities to the three most important port cities in the Caribbean region of the country: Barranquilla, Cartagena and Santa Marta; integrating the modes of transport by land, road and river. According to this, land transport by road is used from the source of cargo to the possible locations of the logistic platforms, and then the Magdalena River basin is used as a unique river corridor. The model proposed consists of determining the optimal location of a series of logistic platforms that guarantee a system of integration and cooperation in transport strategies for the country, in which aggregation and disaggregation of freight operations will be possible. In this aspect, an entire mixed programming model is performed with the objective of minimizing the total costs of transport and operation of the new intermodal network, with restrictions associated with the generation and processing of cargo, obtaining results in the cost functions related to cargo transport and leaving as evidence the potential of integrating intermodal transport for the country's competitiveness. 


2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Analice Calaça ◽  
Michel Barros Faria ◽  
Diego Afonso Silva ◽  
Áquila Oliveira Fialho ◽  
Fabiano Rodrigues de Melo

Abstract: The Amazonian rainforest harbors one of the most diverse mammal faunas found anywhere in the world, although this fauna is still poorly known. Inventories are essential for the understanding of the biology and ecology of species, and provide basic data for conservation. Over 15 years of sampling in the Saracá-Taquera National Forest, we recorded 72 species of small (nonvolant), medium, and large mammals belonging to 30 families in 10 orders. These taxa included 29 species endemic to the Amazon biome, and 14 classified as threatened with extinction. Overall, the mammalian species richness recorded in the present study was equal to or greater than that recorded in other Amazonian studies, reflecting high levels of diversity on a biogeographic scale. This reinforces the importance of this national forest for the maintenance of the region's mammalian fauna. Some of the species were recorded in the region for the first time, thus extending their known geographic distribution.


Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 1527
Author(s):  
Wilmar L. Cerón ◽  
Mary T. Kayano ◽  
Camilo Ocampo-Marulanda ◽  
Teresita Canchala ◽  
Irma Ayes Rivera ◽  
...  

The Cauca River rises in the Colombian Andes and is the main tributary of the Magdalena River, which drains to the Caribbean Sea. The La Balsa station monitors the Upper Cauca basin and is located just downstream of La Salvajina hydroelectric facility. At this station, the discharge time series for November–January during 1950–2019 shows a statistically significant downward break, and change of distribution after 1986 has been documented after La Salvajina started operation. We assessed the spatio-temporal variability of hydroclimatology in the upper Cauca River basin during the pre- and post-Salvajina dam periods to better understand this break. Post-Salvajina, low (high) discharge events are linked to negative (positive) precipitation and soil moisture anomalies that are greater in magnitude and extension than those recorded in the pre-Salvajina period in response to the more intense El Niño events (more intense and frequent central La Niña events) after 1986. Therefore, it is necessary to consider possible future rainfall scenarios and non-infrastructure measures (i.e., reforestation, territorial planning, integrated watershed management, etc.) to mitigate floods and droughts impacts. The contribution of this study is to provide evidence for the need for foresight in the design of any structural or non-structural flood measures.


2019 ◽  
Vol 100 (1) ◽  
pp. 192-201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cathleen M Steinbeiser ◽  
John Kioko ◽  
Amani Maresi ◽  
Rehema Kaitilia ◽  
Christian Kiffner

Author(s):  
Lisa Williams

Scotland is gradually coming to terms with its involvement in slavery and colonialism as part of the British Empire. This article places the spotlight on the lives of African Caribbean people who were residents of Edinburgh during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. I discuss their varied experiences and contributions: from runaways and men fighting for their freedom in the Scottish courts to women working as servants in city households or marrying into Edinburgh high society. The nineteenth century saw activism among political radicals from abolitionists to anticolonialists; some of these figures studied and taught at Edinburgh University. Their stories reflect the Scottish capital’s many direct connections with the Caribbean region.


Atmosphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nazzareno Diodato ◽  
Naziano Filizola ◽  
Pasquale Borrelli ◽  
Panos Panagos ◽  
Gianni Bellocchi

The occurrence of hydrological extremes in the Amazon region and the associated sediment loss during rainfall events are key features in the global climate system. Climate extremes alter the sediment and carbon balance but the ecological consequences of such changes are poorly understood in this region. With the aim of examining the interactions between precipitation and landscape-scale controls of sediment export from the Amazon basin, we developed a parsimonious hydro-climatological model on a multi-year series (1997–2014) of sediment discharge data taken at the outlet of Óbidos (Brazil) watershed (the narrowest and swiftest part of the Amazon River). The calibrated model (correlation coefficient equal to 0.84) captured the sediment load variability of an independent dataset from a different watershed (the Magdalena River basin), and performed better than three alternative approaches. Our model captured the interdecadal variability and the long-term patterns of sediment export. In our reconstruction of yearly sediment discharge over 1859–2014, we observed that landscape erosion changes are mostly induced by single storm events, and result from coupled effects of droughts and storms over long time scales. By quantifying temporal variations in the sediment produced by weathering, this analysis enables a new understanding of the linkage between climate forcing and river response, which drives sediment dynamics in the Amazon basin.


Author(s):  
Samuel Andrés Gil Ruiz ◽  
Julio Eduardo Cañón Barriga ◽  
J. Alejandro Martínez

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