Overcoming the gender bias in ecology and evolution: is the double-anonymized peer review an effective pathway over time?

Male researchers dominate scientific production in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). However, potential mechanisms to avoid this gender imbalance remain poorly explored in STEM, including ecology and evolution areas. In the last decades, changes in the peer-review process towards double-anonymized (DA) have increased among ecology and evolution (EcoEvo) journals. Using comprehensive data on articles from 18 selected EcoEvo journals with an impact factor >1, we tested the effect of the DA peer-review process in female-leading (i.e., first and senior authors) articles. We tested whether the representation of female-leading authors differs between double and single-anonymized (SA) peer-reviewed journals. Also, we tested if the adoption of the DA by previous SA journals has increased the representativeness of female-leading authors over time. We found that publications led by female authors did not differ between DA and SA journals. Moreover, female-leading articles did not increase after changes from SA to DA peer-review. Tackling female underrepresentation in science is a complex task requiring many interventions. Still, our results highlight that adopting the DA peer-review system alone could be insufficient in fostering gender equality in EcoEvo scientific publications. Ecologists and evolutionists understand how diversity is important to ecosystems' resilience in facing environmental changes. The question remaining is: why is it so difficult to promote and keep this "diversity" in addition to equity and inclusion in the academic environment? We thus argue that all scientists, mentors, and research centers must be engaged in promoting solutions to gender bias by fostering diversity, inclusion, and affirmative measures.

We're building it up to burn it down: fire occurrence and fire-related climatic patterns in Brazilian biomes.

Background: Terrestrial biomes in South America are likely to experience a persistent increase in environmental temperature, possibly combined with moisture reduction due to climate change. In addition, natural fire ignition sources, such as lightning, can become more frequent under climate change scenarios since favourable environmental conditions are likely to occur more often. In this sense, changes in the frequency and magnitude of natural fires can impose novel stressors on different ecosystems according to their adaptation to fires. By focusing on Brazilian biomes, we use an innovative combination of techniques to quantify fire persistence and occurrence patterns over time and evaluate climate risk by considering key fire-related climatic characteristics. Then, we tested four major hypotheses considering the overall characteristics of fire-dependent, fire-independent, and fire-sensitive biomes concerning (1) fire persistence over time; (2) the relationship between climate and fire occurrence; (3) future predictions of climate change and its potential impacts on fire occurrence; and (4) climate risk faced by biomes. Methods: We performed a Detrended Fluctuation Analysis to test whether fires in Brazilian biomes are persistent over time. We considered four bioclimatic variables whose links to fire frequency and intensity are well-established to assess the relationship between climate and fire occurrence by confronting these climate predictors with a fire occurrence dataset through correlative models. To assess climate risk, we calculated the climate hazard, sensitivity, resilience, and vulnerability of Brazilian biomes, and then we multiplied the Biomes' vulnerability index by the hazards. Results: Our results indicate a persistent behaviour of fires in all Brazilian biomes at almost the same rates, which could represent human-induced patterns of fire persistence. We also corroborated our second hypothesis by showing that most fire-dependent biomes presented high thermal suitability to fire, while the fire-independent biome presented intermediate suitability and fire-sensitive biomes are the least suitable for fire occurrence. The third hypothesis was partially corroborated since fire-dependent and independent biomes are likely to increase their thermal suitability to fire, while fire-sensitive biomes are likely to present stable-to-decreasing thermal suitability in the future. Finally, our fourth hypothesis was partially corroborated since most fire-dependent biomes presented low climate risk, while the fire-independent biome presented a high risk and the fire-sensitive biomes presented opposite trends. In summary, while the patterns of fire persistence and fire occurrence over time are more likely to be related to human-induced fires, key drivers of burned areas are likely to be intensified across Brazilian biomes in the future, potentially increasing the magnitude of the fires and harming the biomes' integrity.

Mulheres das ciências médicas e da saúde e publicações brasileiras sobre Covid-19 / Women of medical and health sciences and Brazilian publications on Covid-19

RESUMO Apesar do aumento histórico da participação feminina na produção científica brasileira, reconfigurações domésticas e laborais para o controle da Covid-19 podem estar reduzindo a produtividade das mulheres cientistas. A pesquisa GenCovid-Br objetivou traçar um panorama da participação feminina nos artigos sobre Covid-19 das ciências médicas e da saúde, disponibilizados no PubMed, com ao menos um autor de filiação brasileira. Das 1.013 publicações até 14 de agosto de 2020, 6,1% foram escritas exclusivamente por mulheres; 17,2%, exclusivamente por homens; grupos mistos respondem por 31,1% com liderança feminina, e 45,6% com liderança masculina. As mulheres participam mais de artigos com primeira autoria feminina (50,1% vs 35,6% nos liderados por homens). Nos artigos de áreas da Medicina Clínica, em que as mulheres são maioria, ocorre menos participação de autoras, o que também acontece em publicações resultantes de colaborações internacionais. Os presentes resultados indicam a possibilidade de ampliação de desigualdades de gênero prévias durante a pandemia de Covid-19. Novos estudos devem aprofundar a investigação sobre a magnitude e os determinantes desse fenômeno, incluindo análises temporais. As políticas institucionais devem considerar as iniquidades de gênero nas avaliações acadêmicas, prevenindo impactos futuros nas carreiras das mulheres, em particular, das jovens pesquisadoras envolvidas na reprodução social.

ABSTRACT Despite the increasing historical participation of women in Brazilian scientific production, domestic and labor reconfiguration for the control of the Covid-19 pandemic is likely to reduce women scientists' productivity. The GenCovid-Br Research aimed to outline a panorama of female production in Covid-19 papers in medical and health sciences, available in PubMed, with at least one author with Brazilian affiliation. From the 1,013 publications by August 14, 2020, 6.1% were written exclusively by women, 17.2% exclusively by men, 31.1% were mixed with female leadership, and 45.6% were mixed with male leadership. Women participated in more papers led by women (50.1% vs. 35.6% in those led by men). Papers in Clinical Medicine, where female researchers are predominant, have fewer female authors, occurring in publications resulting from international collaborations. Our results point to the possible expansion of previous gender inequalities during the Covid-19 pandemic. New studies should deepen the investigation of the magnitude and determinants of such phenomenon, including temporal analyses. Institutional policies must consider gender inequalities in academic assessments, preventing future impacts on women's careers, particularly young researchers involved in social reproduction.

Gender and race inequalities in the COVID-19 pandemic: implications for control in Brazil / Desigualdades de gênero e raça na pandemia de COVID-19: implicações para o controle no Brasil

The present narrative review synthesized scientific evidence regarding gender and race inequality in the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on women's productive/reproductive work, gender-based violence, and the access to sexual and reproductive health services (SRHS). The results demonstrated that the effective control of the pandemic and the preservation of rights should consider social inequality. Besides the direct effects of SARS-CoV-2, the literature discusses that access barriers to SRHS can lead to an increase of unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and maternal mortality. Also, the social distancing has led several women to stay confined with their aggressors, which hinders the access to reporting services, incurring in the increase of gender-based violence and severe outcomes to health. As the main responsible for the care, women are more prone to get the virus in both professional and domestic spheres. The conciliation between work and family has become more difficult for them during the pandemic. Literature naturalizes gender, race, and social class differences, emphasizing risk factors. An intersectional research plan is needed to support the information of public policies that incorporate human rights and embrace the needs of the most vulnerable groups to the COVID-19.

Esta revisão narrativa sintetizou evidências científicas sobre desigualdades de gênero e raça na pandemia da COVID-19, enfocando o trabalho produtivo/reprodutivo das mulheres, a violência de gênero e o acesso aos serviços de saúde sexual e reprodutiva (SSR). Os resultados confirmam que as desigualdades sociais devem ser consideradas para o efetivo controle da pandemia e a preservação de direitos. Para além dos efeitos diretos do SARS-CoV-2, discute-se que barreiras de acesso a serviços de SSR podem ocasionar o aumento de gravidezes não-pretendidas, abortos inseguros e mortalidade materna. O distanciamento social tem obrigado muitas mulheres a permanecer confinadas com seus agressores e dificultado o acesso a serviços de denúncia, incorrendo no aumento da violência de gênero e em desfechos graves à saúde. Como principais responsáveis pelo cuidado, as mulheres estão mais expostas a adoecer nas esferas profissional e doméstica. A conciliação trabalho-família tornou-se mais difícil para elas durante a pandemia. A literatura naturaliza as diferenças de gênero, raça e classe, com ênfase em fatores de risco. Uma agenda de pesquisa com abordagem interseccional é necessária para embasar a formulação de políticas que incorporem os direitos humanos e atendam às necessidades dos grupos mais vulneráveis à COVID-19.

Desigualdades de gênero e raça na pandemia de Covid-19: implicações para o controle no Brasil / Gender and race inequalities in the Covid-19 pandemic: implications for control in Brazil

RESUMO Esta revisão narrativa sintetizou evidências científicas sobre desigualdades de gênero e raça na pandemia de Covid-19, enfocando o trabalho produtivo/reprodutivo das mulheres, a violência de gênero e o acesso aos Serviços de Saúde Sexual e Reprodutiva (SSR). Os resultados confirmam que as desigualdades sociais devem ser consideradas para o efetivo controle da pandemia e para a preservação de direitos. Para além dos efeitos diretos do SARS-CoV-2, discute-se que barreiras de acesso a serviços de SSR podem ocasionar o aumento de gravidezes não pretendidas, abortos inseguros e mortalidade materna. O distanciamento social tem obrigado muitas mulheres a permanecer confinadas com seus agressores e dificultado o acesso a serviços de denúncia, incorrendo no aumento da violência de gênero e em desfechos graves à saúde. Como principais responsáveis pelo cuidado, as mulheres estão mais expostas a adoecer nas esferas profissional e doméstica. A conciliação trabalho-família tornou-se mais difícil para elas durante a pandemia. A literatura naturaliza as diferenças de gênero, raça e classe, com ênfase em fatores de risco. Uma agenda de pesquisa com abordagem interseccional é necessária para embasar a formulação de políticas que incorporem os direitos humanos e atendam às necessidades dos grupos mais vulneráveis à Covid-19.

ABSTRACT This narrative review synthesized scientific evidence on gender and race inequalities in the Covid-19 pandemic, focusing on women's productive/reproductive work, gender-based violence, and the access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Services (SRHS). The results demonstrated that social inequalities must be considered for the effective control of the pandemic and for the preservation of rights. Besides the direct effects of SARS-CoV-2, the literature discusses that barriers to access SRHS can lead to an increase in unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and maternal mortality. Also, social distancing has led several women to stay confined with their aggressors, which hinders the access to reporting services, incurring in the increase of gender-based violence and severe outcomes to health. As main responsible for the care, women are more prone to getting the virus in both professional and domestic spheres. The conciliation between work and family has become more difficult for them during the pandemic. Literature naturalizes gender, race, and social class differences, emphasizing risk factors. An intersectional research plan is needed to support the making of public policies that incorporate human rights and meet the needs of the most vulnerable to Covid-19.

Climate change effects on population dynamics of three species of Amazonian lizards.

The scarcity of data on natural history and ecology of lizards still limits the understanding of population dynamics for many species. We attempt to evaluate possible effects of climate change on the population dynamics of three lizard species (Ameiva ameiva, Gonatodes humeralis and Norops fuscoauratus) in two Amazonian localities (Caxiuanã National Forest and Ducke Reserve). We calculated a tolerance index combining environmental thermal adequacy with the b-d model, which consider survival and reproductive rates to calculate population dynamics. Thus, we simulated population growth rates based on current and future environmental operative temperatures, considering an optimistic and a business-as-usual scenario of greenhouse gases emissions (GGE), and evaluate if the sensitivity of life history traits to population growth rate are likely to be trigged by climate change. Our results demonstrated that both populations of G. humeralis and the Ducke population of N. fuscoauratus may become locally extinct under both scenarios of GGE, while both populations of A. ameiva are likely to decrease, but without reaching a scenario of local extirpation. This study represents the first effort to evaluate the sensitivity of lizard populations and elasticity to climate change and demonstrate the geographic variability of these traits in three widespread and habitat-generalist species. We highlight the need of new studies focusing on species with different biological trait patterns, such as endemic distributions and habitat-specialists, to provide the theoretical and empirical basis for biologically informed conservation strategies and actions, in order to minimize the potential extinction of populations due to climate change.

Unraveling the influences of climate change in Lepidosauria (Reptilia).

In recent decades, changes in climate have caused impacts on natural and human systems on all continents and across the oceans and many species have shifted their geographic ranges, seasonal activities, migration patterns, abundances and interactions in response to these changes. Projections of future climate change are uncertain, but the Earth's warming is likely to exceed 4.8 °C by the end of 21th century. The vulnerability of a population, species, group or system due to climate change is a function of impact of the changes on the evaluated system (exposure and sensitivity) and adaptive capacity as a response to this impact, and the relationship between these elements will determine the degree of species vulnerability. Predicting the potential future risks to biodiversity caused by climate change has become an extremely active field of research, and several studies in the last two decades had focused on determining possible impacts of climate change on Lepidosaurians, at a global, regional and local level. Here we conducted a systematic review of published studies in order to seek to what extent the accumulated knowledge currently allow us to identify potential trends or patterns regarding climate change effects on lizards, snakes, amphisbaenians and tuatara. We conducted a literature search among online literature databases/catalogues and recorded 255 studies addressing the influence of climate change on a total of 1918 species among 49 Lepidosaurian's families. The first study addressing this subject is dated 1999. Most of the studies focused on species distribution, followed by thermal biology, reproductive biology, behavior and genetics. We concluded that an integrative approach including most of these characteristics and also bioclimatic and environmental variables, may lead to consistent and truly effective strategies for species conservation, aiming to buffer the climate change effects on this group of reptiles.