Article
16 February 2026
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Research Article2 December 2025Climate Change Influence on the Distribution of Four Plant Medicinal Species from the Sierra Norte of Oaxaca, Mexico
The Sierra Norte of Oaxaca, México, because of its high biodiversity, is a good candidate for studying the possible effects of climate change on its flora distribution. Currently, several modelling tools have been developed to facilitate the prediction of present and future species distribution. The objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of climate change on the distribution of four locally important medicinal plant species from the Asteraceae family (Heterotheca inuloides, Laennecia filaginoides, Pinaropappus roseus, and Tagetes lucida). The analysis was done using the maximum entropy algorithm under three different time periods: the present, 2050, and 2070, projected to the Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5) future climate scenarios. Using a principal component analysis, we selected the variables that best explained each of the models. The modelling results showed that it is difficult to identify a consistent pattern of species distribution under the different scenarios and time periods since the species responses differed among time periods and scenarios. Laennecia filaginoides is the only species whose distribution increases by 2050 and 2070 under both scenarios analyzed. Our results may support future conservation strategies in the communities where species are distributed and utilized due to their demonstrated capacity to alleviate different illnesses.
Current Articles
Most Popular Articles
- Article1 January 2019
Structure and regional representativeness of the herpetofauna from Parque Estadual da Serra de Caldas Novas, Cerrado, Central Brazil
Amphibians and reptiles are diversified in the Cerrado biome but have been threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation, as well as lack of understanding of their distribution. Therefore, collection and organization of information about species in natural environments are essential for conservation, especially in Protected areas (PAs) and their adjacent zones. We present information about the composition and structure of the herpetofauna from Parque Estadual da Serra de Caldas Novas (PESCAN) and its representativeness in comparison to other PAs in the Cerrado. Fieldwork was conducted in 12 sampling sites from February 2009 to February 2010, using active search and pitfall traps. We recorded 41 species of amphibians, with greatest richness in sites with open vegetation and water bodies. Reptiles were represented by 32 species, with the greatest species richness in cerrado open environments. Both amphibian and reptile communities were more similar to those from geographically closer PAs and located in the central region of the Cerrado (State of Goiás and Distrito Federal). The PESCAN holds 24.85% and 17.98% of amphibians and reptiles species occurring in Cerrado PAs, respectivelly. This large representativeness and the high number of endemisms (18 amphibians and 7 reptiles) emphasize the importance of the PESCAN, together with other PAs, for the maintenance of regional biodiversity. In addition, we also encourage researches evaluating amphibian and reptile communities outside PAs, such as legal reserves, and we suggest new approaches to study the biodiversity of protected areas. - Research Article1 January 2021
Herpetofauna of the Reserva de la Biósfera Estación Biológica del Beni and the Chimane Reserve Indigenous Territory, Bolivia
Identifying patterns of herpetofaunal diversity is imperative to the conservation of these species and the ecosystems on which they rely. In this study, we determined species occurrence and composition of the herpetofauna at the Reserva de Biósfera Estación Biológica del Beni and the Chimane Reserve Indigenous Territory. Combined data resulted in documentation of 97 species belonging to 22 families and 50 genera. Reptiles were represented by 14 families and 47 species, while amphibians were represented by eight families and 50 species. This study provides a robust inventory and report of the herpetofauna at this site and delivers data that can be used in future studies. Our results indicate that this site harbors many species, which likely contributes to the collective maintenance of biodiversity in the Bolivian lowlands. Conservation initiatives should consider the collective uniqueness of vertebrate communities maintained by habitat mosaics in this area and strive to implement strategies that preserve and manage landscape-level biodiversity. - Article24 December 2015
Phytoseiid mites (Acari: Phytoseiidae) in the northern coastal region of the Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil
This work aims to evaluate the phytoseiid fauna in natural environments of the coastal plain of the northern coast of the Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. The plants were sampled from locations within the counties of Tramandaí and Osório during the last month of each season. Three locations were chosen in the Tramandaí area: (A1) – sand dunes; (A2) – mangrove and (A3) – forest plantation; and one in Osório: (A4) – hill with dense rainforest. A total of 561 specimens belonging to 29 species were collected. The preserved areas presented higher richness, given that the A4 area stood out as the richest, with 18 species, and A1 presented the lowest richness, with four species. The most abundant genus was Amblyseius, with five species, followed by Neoseiulus and Iphiseiodes, with three species. A redescription of Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) ornatus and a key for the species in this paper are provided. - Article30 November 2018
Diversity of the dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) in an altitudinal gradient in the east slope of los Andes, Napo province, Ecuador
We present a preliminary analysis of the diversity of dung beetles in an altitudinal gradient on the East slope of Los Andes, Napo province, Ecuador. We sampled 12 localities within a 2200-m altitudinal gradient (400–2600 m a.s.l.) using pitfall traps with 2 different baits. We registered 2215 individuals distributed within 14 genera and 54 species. Ontherus pubens was the most abundant species, with registers in 10 locations that cover an altitudinal gradient of 2021 m. We also found species associated to low, medium, and high elevation levels, as well as species located on either extreme of the altitudinal gradient. The most abundant genus was Onthophagus, and the most speciose Uroxys. This survey provides 14 new registers for the Napo province and 5 novel registers for Ecuador. We present a detailed list of the species present in the Napo province with their distribution ranges, relocation guilds, and food resource preferences. - Article24 December 2015
Molecular phylogeny of stream treefrogs (Hylidae: Hyloscirtus bogotensis Group), with a new species from the Andes of Ecuador
We present a new molecular phylogeny of the stream treefrog genus Hyloscirtus, with an improved taxon sampling in the Hyloscirtus bogotensis group. The tree supports the existence of three clades within the genus (Hyloscirtus armatus group, H. bogotensis group and Hyloscirtus larinopygion group) in congruence with previous studies, and suggests the presence of at least three new species in the H. bogotensis group. Herein, we describe one of these species, Hyloscirtus mashpi n. sp. from the Pacific slope of the Ecuadorian Andes. The validity of the latter is supported by molecular, morphological and acoustic data. We also tested individuals of the new species for the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, finding a prevalence of 17.6% (6 positives and 28 negatives). However, at sampled streams, frog densities were high, suggesting that H. mashpi n. sp. may be tolerant to the infection. - Research Article1 January 2020
An island invaded by exotics: a review of freshwater fish in Puerto Rico
The introduction of exotic fishes in streams and water reservoirs has modified autochthonous freshwater fish communities in Puerto Rico. There are approximately 46 fish species in inland waters, and most of them were introduced during the last century. We here summarize relevant information on 46 freshwater fish species reported for the island. Approximately 80% of the species are non-native. An evaluation of the local trade revealed another 128 freshwater fish species are sold locally as pets. This raises serious concerns, as we detected a potential pool of non-native species that are either considered invasive elsewhere, or that, based on their ecology, could become invasive on the island in the near future. We also found that cichlids as a group pose the highest risk to freshwater ecosystems, with 13 species established in the wild, and another 38 potential invaders in the local pet trade. This study may be used as a baseline for the conservation and management purposes of both native and non-native fish species, including the development of strategies for preventing the release of live fish pets into the wild. More specific management for non-native fish, especially those identified here that pose significant threats to Puerto Rico’s native fish and their ecosystems, are warranted.