Browsing by Autor "Alfredo F. Fuentes"

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A new species of Chalybea (Melastomataceae: Pyxidantheae) for Bolivia and comments on the ocurrence of Meriania franciscana (Melastomataceae: Merianieae)
(Springer Science+Business Media, 2025) Fabián A. Michelangeli; Darin S. Penneys; Alfredo F. Fuentes
A new species of Ponthieva (Cranichidinae, Orchidaceae) from Bolivia
(Q15088586, 2019) Marta Kolanowska; Przemysław Baranow; Alfredo F. Fuentes
A new species of Ponthieva, P. boliviensis, is described and illustrated based on Bolivian material. The novelty resembles P. pilosissima and P. hermiliae characterized by pilose leaves and free lateral sepals. From P. pilosissima the new species differs in the shallowly concave lip, ovate-triangular basal lip auricles which are more or less parallel to the claw and ovate lip disc. Unlike in P. boliviensis, the lip of P. hermiliae is yellowish-green to greenish-white, lanceolate-triangular, lacking basal lobes, concave on the proximal half, with a 6-toothed callus placed horizontally in front of the basal cavity.
Advances in the Knowledge and Study of Invasive Alien Species in Bolivia
(2021) Wendy L. Tejeda; Adriana Rico‐Cernohorska; Stephan Beck; Alfredo F. Fuentes; Robert B. Wallace; Guido Miranda; Luís F. Aguirre; María del Pilar Fernández Murillo
The value of knowledge about the negative effects of invasive alien species (IAS) on biodiversity, ecosystems, national economies, human health, and climate change mitigation is increasingly important. Bolivia considered the problem of IAS in the Biological Invasions, Invasive Information Network I3N–IABIN workshop, which generated an IAS database for different countries detailing the location of species, their economic and ecological impacts, as well as entry routes, and propagation, although for the most part, only lists of plant and animal IAS can be derived from national scientific collections. Here, we feature several plant and animal species with more detailed information. Finally, due to the consequences of IAS on the country's native biodiversity, human health, and economic activities these systematization initiatives informed national policy. In Bolivia, there are at least 150 species considered as introduced or exotic, including crop species, information that needs to be refined and updated.
Elevational Range Sizes of Woody plants Increase with Climate Variability in the Tropical Andes
(2023) Flavia Montaño‐Centellas; Alfredo F. Fuentes; Leslie Cayola; Manuel J. Macía; Gabriel Arellano; M. Isabel Loza; Beatriz Nieto‐Ariza; J. Sebastián Tello
Abstract Aim The climate variability hypothesis proposes that species subjected to wide variation in climatic conditions will evolve wider niches, resulting in larger distributions. We test this hypothesis in tropical plants across a broad elevational gradient; specifically, we use a species-level approach to evaluate whether elevational range sizes are explained by the levels of thermal variability experienced by species. Location Central Andes Time period Present day Major taxa studied Woody plants Methods Combining data from 479 forest plots, we determined the elevational distributions of nearly 2300 species along an elevational gradient (∼209 – 3800 m). For each species, we calculated the maximum annual variation in temperature experienced across its elevational distribution. We used phylogenetic generalized least square models to evaluate the effect of thermal variability on range size. Our models included additional covariates that might affect range size: body size, local abundance, mean temperature and total precipitation. We also considered interactions between thermal variability and mean temperature or precipitation. To account for geometric constraints, we repeated our analyses with a standardized measure of range size, calculated by comparing observed range sizes with values obtained from a null model. Results Our results supported the main prediction of the climate variability hypothesis. Thermal variability had a strong positive effect on the range size, with species exposed to higher thermal variability having broader elevational distributions. Body size and local abundance also had positive, yet weak effects, on elevational range size. Furthermore, there was a strong positive interaction between thermal variability and mean annual temperature. Main conclusions Thermal variability had an overriding importance in driving elevational range sizes of woody plants in the Central Andes. Moreover, the relationship between thermal variability and range size might be even stronger in warmer regions, underlining the potential vulnerability of tropical montane floras to the effects of global warming.
Functional traits mediate the effect of environmental conditions on tree growth of common Andean trees
(Elsevier BV, 2025) Eduardo Aguirre-Mazzi; Carla Maldonado; Leslie Cayola; Alfredo F. Fuentes; M. Isabel Loza; Christine E. Edwards; J. Sebastián Tello
Understanding how plant functional strategies interact with environmental variation is essential to predict the impacts of global change on forest communities. Here we investigated how resource-acquisition strategies, captured by branch and leaf traits, interact with environmental gradients, including climate, soil fertility, and solar radiation exposure, to influence relative growth rates (RGR) in 224 tree species from tropical montane forests in the Madidi region of the Bolivian Andes. Using data from 33 permanent forest plots and Bayesian hierarchical models, we found that the effects of environmental conditions on tree growth were modulated by species’ resource-acquisition strategies. Our findings reveal that acquisitive species, with higher specific leaf area (SLA), larger leaf size, and lower tissue density, performed better in cooler, drier, thermally variable, nutrient-rich sites with low solar radiation. In contrast, conservative species, characterized by stress-tolerant traits (higher tissue density and smaller leaves), grew better in nutrient-poor, high-radiation environments and tended to be less responsive to climatic gradients. Our analysis relied on two major PCA axes of functional trait covariation that captured distinct mechanistic pathways but aligned with survival-growth trade-off. Our results suggest that whole-plant allocation strategies, reflected by a leaf-area vs wood density trade-off may be more important than leaf-level traits (e.g., SLA) under closed canopies, highlighting the multidimensionality of trait-growth relationships. Our results underscore the role of trait–environment matching in shaping species performance and community assembly, and highlight the importance of trait-based approaches for forecasting forest responses to climate and land-use change. • Plant traits and environmental gradients interact to drive tree growth in the Andes. • Acquisitive species are more sensitive to climatic gradients than conservative ones. • Soil fertility favors acquisitive species whereas conservatives tolerate poor soils. • High solar exposure favors conservative species growth, limits acquisitive species. • Leaf area and wood density better predict growth compared to SLA in adult trees.
Influence of Bracken Fronds and Leaf Litter Management on Soil Seed Bank Characteristics in a Fire‐Disturbed Tropical Montane Forest
(Wiley, 2025) Emili Antonia Jiménez; Cecilia L. López; Alfredo F. Fuentes; Isabell Hensen; Silvia C. Gallegos
ABSTRACT The bracken fern Pteridium spp. dominates postfire vegetation in tropical montane forests, where fronds, litter, allelopathy, and dispersal limitation hinder forest regeneration. However, this species' effect on soil seed bank remains poorly understood. We investigated the effects of bracken fronds and litter on the abundance, richness, and species diversity of the soil seed bank in a tropical montane fire‐deforested area in Bolivia. At eight study sites (1800–2350 a.s.l), soil samples were collected under five treatments: (a) fronds and litter intact (F + L+), (b) fronds intact and litter removed (F + L−), (c) fronds removed and litter intact (F−L+), (d) fronds and litter removed (F−L−), and (e) forest. Using the seedling emergence method, samples were assessed every 20 days over 8 months (September 2021–May 2022). Compared to intact bracken, forest areas showed 2.6, 1.7, and 1.5‐fold greater abundance, species richness, and diversity of zoochorous species, respectively. Among bracken treatments, abundance, richness, and diversity of zoochorous species decreased by 2.7, 2.6, and 2 times, respectively, when fronds and litter were removed, compared to the intact bracken treatment, but were not significantly different when only litter was removed. Our findings indicate that in bracken‐dominated environments, fronds and litter improve microclimatic conditions, maintaining the viability of zoochorous species in the soil seed bank. The removal of litter without cutting fronds reduces light interception and seed trapping while maintaining zoochorous seed germination capacity in the soil, and might be a better management strategy than removing fronds and litter to promote seedling recruitment from the soil seed bank.
Insights on biodiversity drivers to predict species richness in tropical forests at the local scale
(Elsevier BV, 2022) Rubén G. Mateo; Gabriel Arellano; Virgilio Gómez‐Rubio; J. Sebastián Tello; Alfredo F. Fuentes; Leslie Cayola; M. Isabel Loza; Victoria Cala Rivero; Manuel J. Macía
Disentangling the relative importance of different biodiversity drivers (i.e., climate, edaphic, historical factors, or human impact) to predict plant species richness at the local scale is one of the most important challenges in ecology. Biodiversity modelling is a key tool for the integration of these drivers and the predictions generated are essential, for example, for climate change forecast and conservation planning. However, the reliability of biodiversity models at the local scale remains poorly understood, especially in tropical species-rich areas, where they are required. We inventoried all woody plants with stems ≥ 2.5 cm in 397 plots across the Andes-Amazon gradient. We generated and mapped 19 uncorrelated biodiversity drivers at 90 m resolution, grouped into four categories: microclimatic, microtopographic, anthropic, and edaphic. In order to evaluate the importance of the different categories, we grouped biodiversity drivers into four different clusters by categories. For each of the four clusters of biodiversity drivers, we modelled the observed species richness using two statistical techniques (random forest and Bayesian inference) and two modelling procedures (including or excluding a spatial component). All the biodiversity models produced were evaluated by cross-validation. Species richness was accurately predicted by random forest (Spearman correlation up to 0.85 and explained variance up to 67%). The results suggest that precipitation and temperature are important driving forces of species richness in the region. Nonetheless, a spatial component should be considered to properly predict biodiversity. This could reflect macroevolutionary underlying forces not considered here, such as colonization time, dispersal capacities, or speciation rates. However, the proposed biodiversity modelling approach can predict accurately species richness at the local scale and detailed resolution (90 m) in tropical areas, something that previous works had found extremely challenging. The innovative methodology presented here could be employed in other areas with conservation needs.
La importancia de las plantas medicinales, su taxonomía y la búsqueda de la cura a la enfermedad que causa el coronavirus (COVID-19)
(2020) Carla Maldonado; Narel Y. Paniagua-Zambrana; Rainer W. Bussmann; Freddy S. Zenteno-Ruíz; Alfredo F. Fuentes
Madidi Project Full Dataset
(European Organization for Nuclear Research, 2020) J. Sebastián Tello; Manuel J. Macía; Gabriel Arellano; Leslie Cayola; Alfredo F. Fuentes
This item contains version 3.0 of the Madidi Project's full dataset. The zip file contains (1) raw data, which was downloaded from Tropicos (www.tropicos.org) on February 3, 2020; (2) R scripts used to modify, correct, and clean the raw data; (3) clean data that are the output of the R scripts, and which are the point of departure for most uses of the Madidi Dataset; (4) additional post-cleaning scripts that obtain some additional but non-essential information from the clean data; and (5) a miscellaneous collection of additional non-essential information and figures. This item also includes the Data Use Policy for this dataset. The core dataset of the Madidi Project consists of a network of ~500 forest plots distributed in and around the Madidi National Park in Bolivia. This network contains 50 permanently marked large plots (1-ha), as well as ~450 temporary small plots (0.1-ha). Within the large plots, all woody individuals with a dbh ≥10 cm have been mapped, tagged, measured, and identified. Some of these plots have also been re-visited and information on mortality, recruitment, and growth exists. Within the small plots, all woody individuals with a dbh ≥2.5 cm have been measured and identified. Each plot has some edaphic and topographic information, and some large plots have information on various plant functional traits. The Madidi Project is a collaborative research effort to document and study plant biodiversity in the Amazonia and Tropical Andes of northwestern Bolivia. The project is currently lead by the Missouri Botanical Garden (MBG), in collaboration with the Herbario Nacional de Bolivia. The management of the project is at MBG, where J. Sebastian Tello (sebastian.tello@mobot.org) is the scientific director and Olga Martha Montiel (olgamartha.montiel@mobot.org) is the administrative director. The directors oversee the activities of a research team based in Bolivia. MBG works in collaboration with other data contributors (currently: Manuel J. Macía [manuel.macia@uam.es], and Gabriel Arellano [gabriel.arellano.torres@gmail.com]), with a representative from the Herbario Nacional de Bolivia (LPB; Carla Maldonado [carla.maldonado1@gmail.com]), as well as with other close associated researchers from various institutions. For more information regarding the organization and objectives of the Madidi Project, you can visit the project’s website (www.madidiproject.weebly.com).
Madidi Project Full Dataset
(European Organization for Nuclear Research, 2018) J. Sebastián Tello; Manuel J. Macía; Gabriel Arellano; Leslie Cayola; Alfredo F. Fuentes
This item contains version 2.1 of the Madidi Project's full dataset. The zip file contains (1) raw data, which was downloaded from Tropicos (www.tropicos.org) on December 6, 2018; (2) R scripts used to modify, correct, and clean the raw data; (3) clean data that are the output of the R scripts, and which are the point of departure for most uses of the Madidi Dataset; (4) additional post-cleaning scripts that obtain some additional but non-essential information from the clean data. This item also includes the Data Use Policy for this dataset. The core dataset of the Madidi Project consists of a network of ~500 forest plots distributed in and around the Madidi National Park in Bolivia. This network contains 50 permanently marked large plots (1-ha), as well as ~450 temporary small plots (0.1-ha). Within the large plots, all woody individuals with a dbh ≥10 cm have been mapped, tagged, measured, and identified. Some of these plots have also been re-visited and information on mortality, recruitment, and growth exists. Within the small plots, all woody individuals with a dbh ≥2.5 cm have been measured and identified. Each plot has some edaphic and topographic information, and some large plots have information on various plant functional traits. The Madidi Project is a collaborative research effort to document and study plant biodiversity in the Amazonia and Tropical Andes of northwestern Bolivia. The project is currently lead by the Missouri Botanical Garden (MBG), in collaboration with the Herbario Nacional de Bolivia. The management of the project is at MBG, where J. Sebastian Tello (sebastian.tello@mobot.org) is the scientific director and Olga Martha Montiel (olgamartha.montiel@mobot.org) is the administrative director. The directors oversee the activities of a research team based in Bolivia. MBG works in collaboration with other data contributors (currently: Manuel J. Macía [manuel.macia@uam.es], and Gabriel Arellano [gabriel.arellano.torres@gmail.com]), with a representative from the Herbario Nacional de Bolivia (LPB; Carla Maldonado [carla.maldonado1@gmail.com]), as well as with other close associated researchers from various institutions. For more information regarding the organization and objectives of the Madidi Project, you can visit the project’s website (www.madidiproject.weebly.com).
Madidi Project Full Dataset
(European Organization for Nuclear Research, 2020) J. Sebastián Tello; Manuel J. Macía; Gabriel Arellano; Beatriz Nieto‐Ariza; Leslie Cayola; Alfredo F. Fuentes
This item contains version 4.0 of the Madidi Project's full dataset. The zip file contains (1) raw data, which was downloaded from Tropicos (www.tropicos.org) on August 18, 2020; (2) R scripts used to modify, correct, and clean the raw data; (3) clean data that are the output of the R scripts, and which are the point of departure for most uses of the Madidi Dataset; (4) additional post-cleaning scripts that obtain some additional but non-essential information from the clean data (e.g. by extracting environmental data from rasters); and (5) a miscellaneous collection of additional non-essential information and figures. This item also includes the Data Use Policy for this dataset. The core dataset of the Madidi Project consists of a network of ~500 forest plots distributed in and around the Madidi National Park in Bolivia. This network contains 50 permanently marked large plots (1-ha), as well as >450 temporary small plots (0.1-ha). Within the large plots, all woody individuals with a dbh ≥10 cm have been mapped, tagged, measured, and identified. Some of these plots have also been re-visited and information on mortality, recruitment, and growth exists. Within the small plots, all woody individuals with a dbh ≥2.5 cm have been measured and identified. Each plot has some edaphic and topographic information, and some large plots have information on various plant functional traits. The Madidi Project is a collaborative research effort to document and study plant biodiversity in the Amazonia and Tropical Andes of northwestern Bolivia. The project is currently lead by the Missouri Botanical Garden (MBG), in collaboration with the Herbario Nacional de Bolivia. The management of the project is at MBG, where J. Sebastian Tello (sebastian.tello@mobot.org) is the scientific director and Olga Martha Montiel (olgamartha.montiel@mobot.org) is the administrative director. The directors oversee the activities of a research team based in Bolivia. MBG works in collaboration with other data contributors (currently: Manuel J. Macía [manuel.macia@uam.es], Gabriel Arellano [gabriel.arellano.torres@gmail.com] and Beatriz Nieto [sonneratia@gmail.com]), with a representative from the Herbario Nacional de Bolivia (LPB; Carla Maldonado [carla.maldonado1@gmail.com]), as well as with other close associated researchers from various institutions. For more information regarding the organization and objectives of the Madidi Project, you can visit the project’s website (www.madidiproject.weebly.com).
Madidi Project Full Dataset
(European Organization for Nuclear Research, 2019) J. Sebastián Tello; Manuel J. Macía; Gabriel Arellano; Leslie Cayola; Alfredo F. Fuentes
This item contains version 2.2 of the Madidi Project's full dataset. The zip file contains (1) raw data, which was downloaded from Tropicos (www.tropicos.org) on October 19, 2019; (2) R scripts used to modify, correct, and clean the raw data; (3) clean data that are the output of the R scripts, and which are the point of departure for most uses of the Madidi Dataset; (4) additional post-cleaning scripts that obtain some additional but non-essential information from the clean data; and (5) a miscellaneous collection of additional non-essential information and figures. This item also includes the Data Use Policy for this dataset. The core dataset of the Madidi Project consists of a network of ~500 forest plots distributed in and around the Madidi National Park in Bolivia. This network contains 50 permanently marked large plots (1-ha), as well as ~450 temporary small plots (0.1-ha). Within the large plots, all woody individuals with a dbh ≥10 cm have been mapped, tagged, measured, and identified. Some of these plots have also been re-visited and information on mortality, recruitment, and growth exists. Within the small plots, all woody individuals with a dbh ≥2.5 cm have been measured and identified. Each plot has some edaphic and topographic information, and some large plots have information on various plant functional traits. The Madidi Project is a collaborative research effort to document and study plant biodiversity in the Amazonia and Tropical Andes of northwestern Bolivia. The project is currently lead by the Missouri Botanical Garden (MBG), in collaboration with the Herbario Nacional de Bolivia. The management of the project is at MBG, where J. Sebastian Tello (sebastian.tello@mobot.org) is the scientific director and Olga Martha Montiel (olgamartha.montiel@mobot.org) is the administrative director. The directors oversee the activities of a research team based in Bolivia. MBG works in collaboration with other data contributors (currently: Manuel J. Macía [manuel.macia@uam.es], and Gabriel Arellano [gabriel.arellano.torres@gmail.com]), with a representative from the Herbario Nacional de Bolivia (LPB; Carla Maldonado [carla.maldonado1@gmail.com]), as well as with other close associated researchers from various institutions. For more information regarding the organization and objectives of the Madidi Project, you can visit the project’s website (www.madidiproject.weebly.com).
Madidi Project Full Dataset
(2020) J. Sebastián Tello; Manuel J. Macía; Gabriel Arellano; Leslie Cayola; Beatriz Nieto‐Ariza; Alfredo F. Fuentes
This item contains version 4.1 of the Madidi Project's full dataset. The zip file contains (1) raw data, which was downloaded from Tropicos (www.tropicos.org) on September 7, 2020; (2) R scripts used to modify, correct, and clean the raw data; (3) clean data that are the output of the R scripts, and which are the point of departure for most uses of the Madidi Dataset; (4) additional post-cleaning scripts that obtain some additional but non-essential information from the clean data (e.g. by extracting environmental data from rasters); and (5) a miscellaneous collection of additional non-essential information and figures. This item also includes the Data Use Policy for this dataset. The core dataset of the Madidi Project consists of a network of ~500 forest plots distributed in and around the Madidi National Park in Bolivia. This network contains 50 permanently marked large plots (1-ha), as well as >450 temporary small plots (0.1-ha). Within the large plots, all woody individuals with a dbh ≥10 cm have been mapped, tagged, measured, and identified. Some of these plots have also been re-visited and information on mortality, recruitment, and growth exists. Within the small plots, all woody individuals with a dbh ≥2.5 cm have been measured and identified. Each plot has some edaphic and topographic information, and some large plots have information on various plant functional traits. The Madidi Project is a collaborative research effort to document and study plant biodiversity in the Amazonia and Tropical Andes of northwestern Bolivia. The project is currently lead by the Missouri Botanical Garden (MBG), in collaboration with the Herbario Nacional de Bolivia. The management of the project is at MBG, where J. Sebastian Tello (sebastian.tello@mobot.org) is the scientific director and Olga Martha Montiel (olgamartha.montiel@mobot.org) is the administrative director. The directors oversee the activities of a research team based in Bolivia. MBG works in collaboration with other data contributors (currently: Manuel J. Macía [manuel.macia@uam.es], Gabriel Arellano [gabriel.arellano.torres@gmail.com] and Beatriz Nieto [sonneratia@gmail.com]), with a representative from the Herbario Nacional de Bolivia (LPB; Carla Maldonado [carla.maldonado1@gmail.com]), as well as with other close associated researchers from various institutions. For more information regarding the organization and objectives of the Madidi Project, you can visit the project’s website (www.madidiproject.weebly.com).
Madidi Project Full Dataset
(European Organization for Nuclear Research, 2018) J. Sebastián Tello; Manuel J. Macía; Gabriel Arellano; Leslie Cayola; Alfredo F. Fuentes
This item contains version 2.0 of the Madidi Project's full dataset. The zip file contains: (1) raw data, which was downloaded from Tropicos (www.tropicos.org) on June 11, 2018; (2) R scripts used to modify, correct and clean the raw data; (3) clean data that are the output of the R scripts, and which are the point of departure for most uses of the Madidi Dataset; (4) additional post-cleaning scripts that obtain some additional but non-essential information from the clean data. This item also includes the Data Use Policy for this dataset. The core dataset of the Madidi Project consists of a network of ~500 forest plots distributed in and around the Madidi National Park in Bolivia. This network contains 50 permanently marked large plots (1-ha), as well as ~450 temporary small plots (0.1-ha). Within the large plots, all woody individuals with a dbh ≥10 cm have been mapped, tagged, measured, and identified. Some of these plots have also been re-visited and information on mortality, recruitment and growth exists. Within the small plots, all woody individuals with a dbh ≥2.5 cm have been measured and identified. Each plot has some edaphic and topographic information, and some large plots have information on various plant functional traits. The Madidi Project is a collaborative research effort to document and study plant biodiversity in the Amazonia and Tropical Andes of northwestern Bolivia. The project is currently lead by the Missouri Botanical Garden (MBG), in collaboration with the Herbario Nacional de Bolivia. The management of the project is at MBG, where J. Sebastian Tello (sebastian.tello@mobot.org) is the scientific director and Olga Martha Montiel (olgamartha.montiel@mobot.org) is the administrative director. The directors oversee the activities of a research team based in Bolivia. MBG works in collaboration with other data contributors (currently: Manuel J. Macía [manuel.macia@uam.es], and Gabriel Arellano [gabriel.arellano.torres@gmail.com]), with a representative from the Herbario Nacional de Bolivia (LPB; Carla Maldonado [carla.maldonado1@gmail.com]), as well as with other close associated researchers from various institutions. For more information regarding the organization and objectives of the Madidi Project, you can visit the project’s website (www.madidiproject.weebly.com).
Madidi Project Full Dataset
(European Organization for Nuclear Research, 2021) J. Sebastián Tello; Manuel J. Macía; Gabriel Arellano; Beatriz Nieto‐Ariza; Leslie Cayola; Alfredo F. Fuentes
This item contains version 5.0 of the Madidi Project's full dataset. The zip file contains (1) raw data, which was downloaded from Tropicos (www.tropicos.org) on August 18, 2020; (2) R scripts used to modify, correct, and clean the raw data; (3) clean data that are the output of the R scripts, and which are the point of departure for most uses of the Madidi Dataset; (4) post-cleaning scripts that obtain additional but non-essential information from the clean data (e.g. by extracting environmental data from rasters); and (5) a miscellaneous collection of additional non-essential information and figures. This item also includes the Data Use Policy for this dataset. The core dataset of the Madidi Project consists of a network of ~500 forest plots distributed in and around the Madidi National Park in Bolivia. This network contains 50 permanently marked large plots (1-ha), as well as >450 temporary small plots (0.1-ha). Within the large plots, all woody individuals with a dbh ≥10 cm have been mapped, tagged, measured, and identified. Some of these plots have also been re-visited and information on mortality, recruitment, and growth exists. Within the small plots, all woody individuals with a dbh ≥2.5 cm have been measured and identified. Each plot has some edaphic and topographic information, and some large plots have information on various plant functional traits. The Madidi Project is a collaborative research effort to document and study plant biodiversity in the Amazonia and Tropical Andes of northwestern Bolivia. The project is currently lead by the Missouri Botanical Garden (MBG), in collaboration with the Herbario Nacional de Bolivia. The management of the project is at MBG, where J. Sebastian Tello (sebastian.tello@mobot.org) is the scientific director. The director oversees the activities of a research team based in Bolivia. MBG works in collaboration with other data contributors (currently: Manuel J. Macía [manuel.macia@uam.es], Gabriel Arellano [gabriel.arellano.torres@gmail.com] and Beatriz Nieto [sonneratia@gmail.com]), with a representative from the Herbario Nacional de Bolivia (LPB; Carla Maldonado [carla.maldonado1@gmail.com]), as well as with other close associated researchers from various institutions. For more information regarding the organization and objectives of the Madidi Project, you can visit the project’s website (www.madidiproject.weebly.com).
Madidi Project Full Dataset
(2021) J. Sebastián Tello; Manuel J. Macía; Gabriel Arellano; Beatriz Nieto‐Ariza; Leslie Cayola; Alfredo F. Fuentes
This item contains version 5.0 of the Madidi Project's full dataset. The zip file contains (1) raw data, which was downloaded from Tropicos (www.tropicos.org) on August 18, 2020; (2) R scripts used to modify, correct, and clean the raw data; (3) clean data that are the output of the R scripts, and which are the point of departure for most uses of the Madidi Dataset; (4) post-cleaning scripts that obtain additional but non-essential information from the clean data (e.g. by extracting environmental data from rasters); and (5) a miscellaneous collection of additional non-essential information and figures. This item also includes the Data Use Policy for this dataset. The core dataset of the Madidi Project consists of a network of ~500 forest plots distributed in and around the Madidi National Park in Bolivia. This network contains 50 permanently marked large plots (1-ha), as well as >450 temporary small plots (0.1-ha). Within the large plots, all woody individuals with a dbh ≥10 cm have been mapped, tagged, measured, and identified. Some of these plots have also been re-visited and information on mortality, recruitment, and growth exists. Within the small plots, all woody individuals with a dbh ≥2.5 cm have been measured and identified. Each plot has some edaphic and topographic information, and some large plots have information on various plant functional traits. The Madidi Project is a collaborative research effort to document and study plant biodiversity in the Amazonia and Tropical Andes of northwestern Bolivia. The project is currently lead by the Missouri Botanical Garden (MBG), in collaboration with the Herbario Nacional de Bolivia. The management of the project is at MBG, where J. Sebastian Tello (sebastian.tello@mobot.org) is the scientific director. The director oversees the activities of a research team based in Bolivia. MBG works in collaboration with other data contributors (currently: Manuel J. Macía [manuel.macia@uam.es], Gabriel Arellano [gabriel.arellano.torres@gmail.com] and Beatriz Nieto [sonneratia@gmail.com]), with a representative from the Herbario Nacional de Bolivia (LPB; Carla Maldonado [carla.maldonado1@gmail.com]), as well as with other close associated researchers from various institutions. For more information regarding the organization and objectives of the Madidi Project, you can visit the project’s website (www.madidiproject.weebly.com).
Mechanisms of community assembly explaining beta‐diversity patterns across biogeographic regions
(Wiley, 2021) Miguel Muñoz Mazón; J. Sebastián Tello; Manuel J. Macía; Jonathan A. Myers; Peter M. Jørgensen; Victoria Cala Rivero; Alfredo F. Fuentes; Vania Torrez; Gabriel Arellano
Abstract Aim We examined tree beta diversity in four biogeographical regions with contrasting environmental conditions, latitude, and diversity. We tested: (a) the influence of the species pool on beta diversity; (b) the relative contribution of niche‐based and dispersal‐based assembly to beta diversity; and (c) differences in the importance of these two assembly mechanisms in regions with differing productivity and species richness. Location Lowland and montane tropical forests in the Madidi region (Bolivia), lowland temperate forests in the Ozarks (USA), and montane temperate forests in the Cantabrian Mountains (Spain). Methods We surveyed woody plants with a diameter ≥2.5 cm following a standardized protocol in 236 0.1‐ha forest plots in four different biogeographical regions. We estimated the species pool at each region and used it to recreate null communities determined entirely by the species pool. Observed patterns of beta diversity smaller or greater than the null‐expected patterns of beta diversity implies the presence of local assembly mechanisms beyond the influence of the species pool. We used variation‐partitioning analyses to compare the contribution of niche‐based and dispersal‐based assembly to patterns of observed beta diversity and their deviations from null models among the four regions. Results (a) Differences in species pools alone did not explain observed differences in beta diversity among biogeographic regions. (b) In 3/4 regions, the environment explained more of the variation in beta diversity than spatial variables. (c) Spatial variables explained more of the beta diversity in more diverse and more productive regions with more rare species (tropical and lower‐elevation regions) compared to less diverse and less productive regions (temperate and higher‐elevation regions). (d) Greater alpha or gamma diversity did not result in higher beta diversity or stronger correlations with the environment. Conclusion Overall, the observed differences in beta diversity are better explained by differences in community assembly mechanism than by biogeographical processes that shaped the species pool.
Radiocarbon and wood anatomy as complementary tools for generating tree-ring records in Bolivia
(Frontiers Media, 2023) Arturo Pacheco-Solana; Rose Oelkers; Rosanne D’Arrigo; Guaciara M. Santos; Milagros Rodríguez‐Catón; Ernesto Tejedor; Eugenia Ferrero; Alfredo F. Fuentes; Carla Maldonado; Laia Andreu‐Hayles
The science of tropical dendrochronology is now emerging in regions where tree-ring dating had previously not been considered possible. Here, we combine wood anatomical microsectioning techniques and radiocarbon analysis to produce the first tree-ring chronology with verified annual periodicity for a new dendrochronological species, Neltuma alba (commonly known as "algarrobo blanco") in the tropical Andes of Bolivia. First, we generated a preliminary chronology composed of six trees using traditional dendrochronological methods (i.e., cross-dating). We then measured the 14C content on nine selected tree rings from two samples and compared them with the Southern Hemisphere (SH) atmospheric 14C curves, covering the period of the bomb 14C peak. We find consistent offsets of 5 and 12 years, respectively, in the calendar dates initially assigned, indicating that several tree rings were missing in the sequence. In order to identify the tree-ring boundaries of the unidentified rings we investigated further by analyzing stem wood microsections to examine anatomical characteristics. These anatomical microsections revealed the presence of very narrow terminal parenchyma defining several tree-ring boundaries within the sapwood, which was not visible in sanded samples under a stereomicroscope. Such newly identified tree rings were consistent with the offsets shown by the radiocarbon analysis and allowed us to correct the calendar dates of the initial chronology. Additional radiocarbon measurements over a new batch of rings of the corrected dated samples resulted in a perfect match between the dendrochronological calendar years and the 14C dating, which is based on good agreement between the tree-ring 14C content and the SH 14C curves. Correlations with prior season precipitation and temperature reveal a strong legacy effect of climate conditions prior to the current Neltuma alba growing season. Overall, our study highlights much potential to complement traditional dendrochronology in tree species with challenging tree-ring boundaries with wood anatomical methods and 14C analyses. Taken together, these approaches confirm that Neltuma alba can be accurately dated and thereby used in climatic and ecological studies in tropical and subtropical South America.
Relaciones fitogeográficas de las sabanas montanas de Apolo en la región Madidi, con sabanas neotropicales. La Paz, Bolivia
(2010) Tatiana Lopes de Miranda; Alfredo F. Fuentes; Peter M. Jørgensen; Beck Stephan G.
Three new species of Freziera (Pentaphylacaceae, Freziereae) from Bolivia and Peru
(Q15088586, 2018) Daniel Santamaría‐Aguilar; Alfredo F. Fuentes; Laura P. Lagomarsino
We describe and illustrate three new species of Freziera collected from the “ceja de monte yungueña” cloud forests in Bolivia and Peru. Freziera apolobambensis and F. erickitae, both endemic to Bolivia, have small leaves and pink-magenta flowers, whereas F. magnibracteolata, found in Peru and Bolivia, is characterized by its adaxially pubescent leaves with whitish beige trichomes and inflorescences with large bracts and bracteoles. An extinction risk assessment based on the IUCN Red List categories and criteria indicates that F. apolobambensis should be considered Critically Endangered (CR), whereas F. erickitae and F. magnibracteolata should be considered Endangered (EN). The distribution, phenology, and habitat of the new taxa are provided, and affinities with their presumed closest relatives are discussed.