Microplastics and plastisphere at surface waters in the Southwestern Caribbean sea.

Pollution generated by plastic waste has brought an environmental problem characterized by the omnipresence of smaller pieces of this material known as microplastics (MP). This issue was addresses by collecting samples with 250 µm pore size nets in two marine-coastal sectors of Southwestern Caribbean Sea during two contrasting seasons. Higher concentrations were found in rainy season than in dry season, reaching respectively 1.72 MP/m3 and 0.22 MP/m3. Within each sector, there were differences caused firstly by localities of higher concentrations of semi-closed water bodies localities during rainy season (Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta and La Caimanera marsh), and secondly by lower concentrations of localities with less influenced of flow rates during dry season (Salamanca and Isla Fuerte). Moreover, the lowest concentration in dry season corresponding to La Caimanera marsh reflects how the community environmental management might decrease MP pollution. In both sectors and seasons, the particles of 0.3 mm (0.3-1.4 mm) size class dominated over those of 1.4 mm (1.4-5.0 mm) (reaching each respectively 1.33 MP/m3 and 0.39 MP/m3), with a dominance of fibers, except in the rainy season in Magdalena, where they were films. Using the FTIR technique, polypropylene was identified as the most abundant polymer in both sectors. The composition of the assemblage of microorganisms attached to microplastics presented higher richness and differed from that of free-living planktonic microbes. The most abundant members of the plastisphere were proteobacteria whose major representation was the pathogenic genus Vibrio, while the cyanobacteria dominated in seawater samples.

Growth type and relative condition factor as a function of the body shape of deep-water crustaceans in the Colombian Caribbean Sea.

Length-weight relationships (LWR) and relative condition factor were described for species of deep-water crustaceans caught with bottom trawls in a depth range between 150 and 535 m during August and December of 2009, and March and May of 2010 in the Colombian Caribbean Sea. A linear regression was performed using the logarithmically transformed data to calculate the a and b coefficients of the LWR for 22 crustacean species corresponding to 13 families and 19 genera and three types of crustaceans (shrimp, crab, lobster). Six crustacean species showed a maximum total length greater than that reported in SeaLifeBase: Garymunida longipes (77.00 mm), Eunephrops bairdii (220.00 mm), Metanephrops binghami (197.46 mm), Penaeopsis serrata (149.00 mm), Polycheles typhlops (196.27 mm) and Pleoticus robustus (240.00 mm). A total of 11 species (50.0%) exhibited isometric growth, five species (22.7%) negative allometric and six species (27.3%) positive allometric. This study shows the first estimates of LWR for 12 species of deep-water crustaceans in the Colombian Caribbean Sea. We demonstrate for the first time that the growth parameters (intercept and slope) of the LWR varying significantly as a function of the body shape of crabs, lobsters and shrimps in deep-water crustaceans.

Riqueza y diversidad de hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) según uso de suelo en dos paisajes agroforestales de Colombia / Richness and diversity of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) according to land use in two agroforestry landscapes of Colombia

Introducción: Las hormigas cumplen funciones ecológicas importantes en muchos ecosistemas, y son altamente sensibles a los cambios en el uso del suelo. Sin embargo, la respuesta ante estos cambios está poco documentada, a grandes escalas espaciales y en distintos usos de suelo, en ecosistemas poco estudiados como la Serranía del Perijá. Objetivo: Analizar la riqueza, diversidad y composición de las comunidades de hormigas en cuatro usos de suelo de dos paisajes agroforestales de la Serranía del Perijá, Cesar, Colombia. Métodos: En dos paisajes agroforestales (compensación y no compensación) se delimitaron dos ventanas de muestreo de 4 × 4 km. Dentro de cada ventana y paisaje se escogieron cuatro usos de suelo: bosques, sistemas agroforestales de café, regeneración natural y pastizales, en los cuales se aplicaron dos métodos de captura: trampas Pitfall y sacos Winkler. Se midieron seis variables ambientales: cobertura de dosel, altura de la hojarasca, densidad aparente, temperatura, humedad y dureza del suelo. El esfuerzo de muestreo fueron 384 trampas Pitfall y 192 m2 de extracción de hojarasca. El trabajo de campo se realizó entre febrero y marzo de 2021. Resultados: Las hormigas mostraron alta sensibilidad a los cambios en el uso del suelo. La diversidad y riqueza de especies disminuyó en los usos de suelo con menor cobertura vegetal natural, como los pastizales; mientras que los bosques, en ambos paisajes, conservaron la mayor riqueza de especies. La cobertura de dosel y la disponibilidad de hojarasca fueron los parámetros ambientales que favorecieron la diversidad y riqueza de las comunidades de hormigas en todos los usos de suelo. No se encontraron diferencias entre la composición de hormigas de los dos paisajes estudiados. Conclusiones: Las hormigas responden a los cambios de uso de suelo y en particular a la cobertura vegetal. Se confirmó nuestra hipótesis puesto que los usos de suelo con alta cobertura vegetal fueron los hábitats con mayor riqueza y diversidad de hormigas. La heterogeneidad ambiental, producto de la dinámica de transformación de los paisajes es un elemento que debe considerarse en futuras investigaciones.

Introduction: Ants fulfill important ecological functions in many ecosystems and are highly sensitive to changes in land use. However, the response to these changes is poorly documented, at large spatial scales and in different land uses, in poorly studied ecosystems such as the Serranía del Perijá. Objective: To analyze the richness, diversity, and composition of ant communities in four land uses of two agroforestry landscapes of the Serranía del Perijá, Cesar, Colombia. Methods: Two sampling windows of 4 × 4 km were delimited in two agroforestry landscapes (compensation and non-compensation). In each window and landscape four land uses were chosen: forests, coffee agroforestry systems, natural regeneration and pastures, in which two trapping methods were applied: Pitfall traps and Winkler bags. Six environmental variables were measured: canopy cover, leaf litter height, bulk density, temperature, humidity and soil hardness. The sampling effort was 384 Pitfall traps and 192 m2 of leaf litter extraction. The fieldwork was conducted between February and March 2021. Results: Ants showed high sensitivity to changes in land use. Species diversity and richness decreased in land uses with less natural vegetation cover, such as pastures; while forests, in both landscapes, retained the highest species richness. Canopy cover and leaf litter availability were the environmental parameters that favored the diversity and richness of ant communities in all land uses. No differences were found between the ant composition of the two landscapes studied. Conclusions: Ants respond to changes in land use, particularly to vegetation cover. Our hypothesis was confirmed since land uses with high vegetation cover were the habitats with the greatest richness and diversity of ants. Environmental heterogeneity, a product of the dynamics of landscape transformation, is an element that should be considered in future research.

Multiple origins define the genetic structure of tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon in the colombian Caribbean Sea.

The tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon is a native species of the Indo-Pacific Ocean that was introduced to promote its cultivation in several American countries, including Colombia. As a result of inappropriate aquaculture practices, it has established itself in the wild in almost all the Colombian Caribbean Sea. To evaluate the genetic diversity, population structure, and origin of the founder populations, samples from three sites in the Colombian Caribbean were analyzed from 10 microsatellite loci and the mitochondrial DNA Control Region. Genetic diversity similar to native populations was found to be present in three relatively discrete populations and their origin is related to natural populations from Thailand, the Philippines, Taiwan and China. We discuss how oceanographic conditions and culture systems of tiger shrimp facilitated the success of biological invasion processes in marine ecosystems of the Colombian Caribbean.

Molecular diagnosis of trypanosomatids in Didelphis marsupialis from Los Montes de María: a first report of Trypanosoma rangeli from Colombian Caribbean region.

Didelphis marsupialis is a primary reservoir of Trypanosoma cruzi, etiologic agent of American Trypanosomiasis-AT or Chagas Disease-CD, in America. Some findings of Trypanosoma rangeli have been recorded in this mammal, in sympatry with T. cruzi. In Los Montes de María, Bolívar, Colombian Caribbean, triatomine insects and potential parasite host has been registered, but little is known about the relationship between these parasites and D. marsupialis. We investigated the natural trypanosomatids infection rate in D. marsupialis, applying a parasitological and molecular diagnosis. Twenty D. marsupialis was investigated between 2018 and 2019 using 21 Tomahawk® traps placed on the sylvatic/domestic corridors. Blood was drawn by cardiopuncture after sedation. An aliquot of blood samples was cultured in Novy, Nicolle, McNeal/Roswell Park Memorial Institute medium at 24 °C/60 days for the detection of motile trypomastigotes. Parasite DNA was obtained by salting out methods from positive blood cultures. Trypanosomatids diagnosis was done by Polymerase Chain Reaction-sequencing of V7V8 region of 18S ribosomal RNA (18S-rRNA) gene. Amplicons were sequenced, and consensus sequences were aligned with reference sequences from GenBank. Four isolates corresponded to T. rangeli (20%) and one to T. cruzi (5%). The natural infection of D. marsupialis by T. rangeli and T. cruzi constitutes the first record of these parasites in didelphids in Los Montes de María and the first record of T. rangeli in this marsupial, in the Colombian Caribbean.

Conocimientos y percepciones sobre el cambio climático en estudiantes universitarios / Knowledge and Perceptions of Climate Change Among University Students

Resumen Atendiendo a la relevancia de adaptarse y mitigar el cambio climático, las universidades son un escenario clave para el desarrollo de acciones que impacten a nivel social, económico, político y cultural sobre esta problemática. Como un aporte a este propósito, se realizó una investigación para describir los conocimientos y las percepciones sobre cambio climático en estudiantes universitarios de la Región Caribe colombiana. La muestra incluyó 1 275 estudiantes de siete universidades públicas. Los principales hallazgos muestran una marcada tendencia al reconocimiento de causas y efectos del cambio climático, así como de estrategias para su mitigación. Sin embargo, no suele asociarse a efectos relacionados con su cotidianidad y contextos inmediatos. Los resultados evidencian la necesidad de articular explícitamente los procesos de formación profesional al reconocimiento de acciones relacionadas con el cambio climático. Asimismo, esta información permite fortalecer lineamientos contextualizados sobre el abordaje de este fenómeno en la educación superior.

Abstract Adaptation and mitigation of climate change are relevant in current societies. In this way, universities are an important scenario for the development of strategies that contribute to social, economic, political, and cultural factors associated with this topic. As a contribution to this purpose, research was carried out to describe the knowledge and perceptions of climate change among university students in the Colombian Caribbean region. The sample included 1275 students from seven public universities. The main findings show a trend to recognize causes and effects of climate change, as well as mitigation strategies. However, climate change is not usually associated with effects related to their daily lives and immediate contexts. Results indicate that more articulation between professional training processes to the recognition of actions related to climate change is necessary. Likewise, conclusions allow us to strengthen contextualized guidelines on the approach to this phenomenon in higher education.

Microplastic pollution in water, sediments and commercial fish species from Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta lagoon complex, Colombian Caribbean.

Microplastics are emerging pollutants that have been found in different environmental matrices of marine and coastal ecosystems, where they can generate harmful ecological impacts. Little is known about the current state of microplastic pollution in fragile tropical lagoon ecosystems, such as Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta (CGSM) in the Caribbean coast of Colombia. This study assesses microplastic pollution in surface waters and sediments, and the occurrence of microplastic ingestion in commercially important fish species from CGSM. In waters, microplastic abundances ranged from 0.0 to 0.3 items L-1 while in sediments they varied from 0.0 to 3.1 items kg-1. The most abundant types of microplastics are fibers and fragments, with polypropylene, polyethylene and high-density polyethylene as the most abundant polymers. Also, 100 (i.e. 21.1%) out of 474 individuals from nine fish species had microplastics in their digestive tracts. Microplastics present in water and sediments and in the digestive tract of the analyzed fish species have similar characteristics, also showing a moderate and statistically significant association. Microplastic abundances are higher near river mouths and in urban areas with a high density of fishing activities and aquaculture infrastructures, which are important sources of contaminants. Microplastic pollution in CGSM represents a threat to the lagoon ecosystem and to local people depending on artisanal fishing. Consequently, effective actions to reduce pollution and its socio-environmental impacts are urgently required.

Diversity of cultivable bacteria from deep-sea sediments of the Colombian Caribbean and their potential in bioremediation.

The diversity of deep-sea cultivable bacteria was studied in seven sediment samples of the Colombian Caribbean. Three hundred and fifty two marine bacteria were isolated according to its distinct morphological character on the solid media, then DNA sequences of the 16S rRNA were amplified to identify the isolated strains. The identified bacterial were arranged in three phylogenetic groups, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria, with 34 different OTUs defined at ≥ 97% of similarity and 70 OTUs at ≥ 98.65%, being the 51% Firmicutes, 34% Proteobacteria and 15% Actinobacteria. Bacillus and Fictibacillus were the dominant genera in Firmicutes, Halomonas and Pseudomonas in Proteobacteria and Streptomyces and Micromonospora in Actinobacteria. In addition, the strains were tested for biosurfactants and lipolytic enzymes production, with 120 biosurfactant producing strains (mainly Firmicutes) and, 56 lipolytic enzymes producing strains (Proteobacteria). This report contributes to the understanding of the diversity of the marine deep-sea cultivable bacteria from the Colombian Caribbean, and their potential application as bioremediation agents.

Climatic factors and the incidence of dengue in Cartagena, Colombian Caribbean Region

ABSTRACT Background: The influence of climate on the epidemiology of dengue has scarcely been studied in Cartagena. Methods: The relationship between dengue cases and climatic and macroclimatic factors was explored using an ecological design and bivariate and time-series analyses during lag and non-lag months. Data from 2008-2017 was obtained from the national surveillance system and meteorological stations. Results: Cases correlated only with climatic variables during lag and non-lag months. Decreases in precipitation and humidity and increases in temperature were correlated with an increase in cases. Conclusions: Our findings provide useful information for establishing and strengthening dengue prevention and control strategies.

Evaluación de fuentes de variación en pruebas multi-ambientes para rendimiento y sus componentes en algodón / Evaluation of sources of variation in multi-environment tests for yield and its components in cotton

RESUMEN La valoración de las fuentes de variación de los análisis de varianza combinado en las pruebas de evaluación multi-ambientes es de gran importancia en la selección de genotipos para recomendar nuevos cultivares, por su adaptabilidad y estabilidad. El objetivo de esta investigación fue evaluar la significancia estadística y contribución de las fuentes de variación: ambientes, genotipos e interacción genotipo x ambiente para rendimiento de algodón-semilla, porcentaje de fibra y rendimiento de fibra, en las zonas del Caribe seco y húmedo colombiano. Se utilizaron los datos de dos pruebas multi-ambientes por zona, donde se evaluaron 10 genotipos de fibra media diferentes, bajo el diseño de bloques completos al azar, con cuatro repeticiones. Cada prueba estuvo conformada por cuatro ensayos realizados durante las cosechas 2003/2004, 2007/2008 y 2009/2010. Los resultados señalan que, en promedio, el ambiente fue la fuente de variación más importante en significancia (p <0,05 y p <0,01) y variación (>64 %), de los análisis de varianza combinado para rendimiento de algodón-semilla y fibra, con tendencia similar en su comportamiento entre ellas y en las dos zonas del Caribe colombiano. Para el porcentaje de fibra en el Caribe seco, la fuente de variación más importante fue genotipos (74,4 %) y en el Caribe húmedo fue el ambiente (57,2 %). Se sugiere subdividir las dos zonas del Caribe en subzonas más homogéneas ambientalmente o aumentar en más de cuatro el número de ensayos por prueba, para minimizar el efecto del ambiente y la interacción genotipo x ambiente.

ABSTRACT The assessment of the sources of variation of the combined analysis of variance in the multi-environment evaluation tests is of great importance in the selection of genotypes to recommend new cultivars for their adaptability and stability. The objective of this research was to evaluate the statistical significance and contribution of the sources of variation: environments, genotypes and genotype x environment interaction for cotton-seed yield, fiber percentage and fiber yield, in the dry and humid Colombian Caribbean zones. Data from two multi-environment tests per zone were used, where 10 different medium fiber genotypes were evaluated, under a randomized complete block design with four replications. Each test consisted of four experimentos carried out during the 2003/2004, 2007/2008 and 2009/2010 harvests. The results indicate that on average the environment was the most important source of variation in significance (p <0.05 and p <0.01) and variation (>64 %) of the combined analysis of variance for cotton-seed yield and fiber, with a similar trend in their behavior between them and in the two zones of the Colombian Caribbean. For the percentage of fiber in the dry Caribbean, the most important source of variation was genotypes (74.4 %) and in the humid Caribbean it was the environment (57.2 %). It is suggested to subdivide the two zones of the Caribbean into more environmentally homogeneous subzones and / or to increase the number of trials per test, to minimize the effect of the environment and the genotype x environment interaction.

Isotopic enrichment in Rhizoprionodon porosus (Poey, 1861) and Carcharhinus porosus (Ranzani, 1840) embryos.

Isotopic values of two Caribbean sharpnose shark Rhizoprionodon porosus litters (Poey, 1861) with two and three embryos and one litter of 11 smalltail shark Carcharhinus porosus embryos showed enriched 15 N and 13 C compared to their mothers. In R. porosus, embryonic isotope values were 3.06 ± 0.07‰ and 0.69 ± 0.15‰ greater than their mothers' for δ15 N and δ13 C, respectively, whereas in C. porosus, δ15 N and δ13 C were 1.79 ± 0.09‰ and 1.31 ± 0.17‰ greater in embryos than their mothers.

First assessment about the phlebotomine fauna (Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) of Atlántico department from Colombia / Primera aproximación a la fauna flebotomínea (psychodidae: phlebotominae) del departamento de atlántico

RESUMEN Dentro del género Lutzomyia algunas especies son vectores de la enfermedad llamada leishmaniasis, la cual tiene implicaciones en la salud pública, desarrollando diferentes manifestaciones clínicas como leishmaniasis cutánea, visceral y mucocutánea que afectan altamente al ser humano. El objetivo de este estudio fue realizar un inventario de las especies del género Lutzomyia presentes en seis zonas del departamento del Atlántico. Se implementaron tres técnicas de capturas tradicionales: trampas CDC entre 18:00-06:00, trampa Shannon entre 19:00-22:00 y búsqueda activa de flebotomíneos con aspiradores bucales en troncos, bases de árboles y otros sitios entre 09:00-11:00 y 16:00-17:30, en seis municipios del departamento del Atlántico, Colombia. Se capturaron diez especies flebotomíneas y se reporta por vez primera para el departamento del Atlántico el hallazgo de Lutzomyia longipalpis y Lutzomyia atroclavata. De las diez especies capturadas, Lutzomyia longipalpis tiene antecedentes como vector de Leishmania infantum en Colombia y en otras regiones de Latinoamérica, además es considerada el principal vector de leishmaniasis visceral en las Américas. La especie más abundante y con mayor distribución espacial fue Lu. evansi, principal vector de leishmaniasis visceral en la región Caribe. En conclusión, la riqueza de la fauna flebotomínea del departamento de Atlántico se actualiza a doce especies, con el primer registro de Lu. longipalpis y Lu. atroclavata. También se reporta la fauna flebotomínea por primera vez en localidades del departamento de Atlántico como Campeche, Puerto Colombia, Luruaco, Ponedera y Campo de la Cruz.

ABSTRACT The genus Lutzomyia has a variety of species, where some are vectors of the disease called leishmaniasis which has implications for public health developing different clinical manifestations that highly affect humans such as cutaneous, visceral and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis. The aim of the study was to update the registry of the Lutzomyia species that are present in six areas of the Atlántico department. Three traditional capture techniques were implemented, with CDC traps implemented from 18:00 to 6:00 o'clock, Shannon traps from 19:00 to 10:00 and active search with mouth aspirators on trunks, tree bases and other rest sites from 09:00 to 11:00 and 16:00 to 17:30, in six municipalities of the Atlántico department, Colombia. Ten phlebotomine species were captured during the present work, from which the finding of Lutzomyia longipalpis and Lutzomyia atroclavata are reported for the first time at the Atlántico department. From the ten species captured, Lutzomyia longipalpis has antecedents as a vector of Leishmania infantum in Colombia and other regions of Latin America. The most abundant species with the greatest spatial distribution was Lu. evansi, which is the main vector of visceral leishmaniasis in the Caribbean region. In conclusion, the richness of phlebotomineal fauna of the department of Atlántico is updated to twelve species, with the first record of Lu. longipalpis and Lu. atroclavata. Phlebotomy fauna is also reported for the first time in localities of the department of Atlántico such as Campeche, Puerto Colombia, Luruaco, Ponedera and Campo de la Cruz.

Cambios históricos en el esfuerzo pesquero de la flota parguera de Taganga, Caribe Colombiano / Historical changes in the fishing effort of the parguera fleet of Taganga, Colombian Caribbean

RESUMEN La pesquería artesanal avanzada de lanchas "pargueras" que opera en el área norte del mar Caribe de Colombia ha experimentado grandes dificultades relacionadas con el volumen de los desembarcos, que han llevado al colapso económico de la flota. La disminución de la abundancia de los recursos ícticos ha ocasionado la expansión del área de pesca, el aumento en la duración del viaje de pesca, la disminución de los ingresos y el incremento de los gastos de operación. Existen vacíos en el conocimiento de la distribución espacial actual e histórica del esfuerzo pesquero de la flota, que no permiten asociarlos a los cambios en las abundancias, la composición de las capturas y la disminución de tamaños de las especies capturadas. Mediante entrevistas a pescadores y con la ayuda del conocimiento ecológico tradicional, el conocimiento local y el uso de sistemas de información geográfica, se mapeó la distribución espacial del esfuerzo pesquero y su comportamiento desde los años 70 hasta la actualidad. Como principal resultado, se evidenció un aumento promedio de 134,5km en la distancia del viaje de pesca en casi 50 años y cambios en el área y profundidades de pesca, que variaron desde los 27,8 a 1117,8km2 y de los 93,8 a 41,1m, respectivamente. Los resultados obtenidos constituyen insumos valiosos para la implementación de estrategias de manejo, orientadas a asegurar la sostenibilidad ecológica y la viabilidad económica de esta importante pesquería.

ABSTRACT The advanced artisanal fishery of fishing boats called "pargueras" that operates in the northern area of the Colombian Caribbean has experienced great difficulties related to the volume of landings that have led to the economic collapse of the fleet. The decrease in the abundance of fish resources has caused an expansion of the fishing area, increased duration of the fishing trip, decreased incomes and the increase in operating expenses. Existing knowledge gaps with respect to current and historical spatial distribution of the fleet's fishing effort prevent an association to changes in resource abundances, composition of catches and decreased species catch sizes. Through interviews with fishermen and based in traditional ecological knowledge, local knowledge and the use of geographic information systems, we mapped the spatial distribution of fishing effort and its inter-decadal behavior, from the 70s to present. The main result was a 134.5km increase in the distance of an average fishing trip in almost 50 years and changes in the surface area and fishing depths which varied from 27.8 to 1117.8km2 and 93.8 to 41.1m, respectively. The results obtained constitute valuable inputs for the implementation of management strategies aimed at ensuring the ecological sustainability and economic viability of this important fishery.

Imposex Incidence in Gastropod Species from Santa Marta Coastal Zone, Colombian Caribbean Sea.

Imposex is a phenomenon widely associated with environmental exposure to organotin compounds which were quite common components of antifouling paints applied on boats and ship hulls. Here we study the incidence of imposex in neogastropods and its relation with water quality and maritime traffic in the coastal strip of Santa Marta, Colombia. Imposex was determined via specialized indexes and related to the organisms' size, somatic conditions, variables of water quality and maritime traffic, in a space-time assessment. There was evidence of imposex in five species Plicopurpura patula, Vasula deltoidea, Stramonita haemastoma, S. floridana, and Gemophos auritulus. Purpura patula and Vasula deltoidea species were found in all sampling sites. The results have proved that imposex is highly influenced by the maritime traffic variable, with greater prevalence during the dry season, and with P. patula being more sensitive than V. deltoidea.

Reconstructed data of landings for the artisanal beach seine fishery in the marine-coastal area of Taganga, Colombian Caribbean Sea.

This paper presents a dataset on the abiotic (oceanographic, atmospheric and global climatic indices) and fishery variables of the marine-coastal area of the Magdalena Province in the area between Taganga and Bahía Concha, located north of Santa Marta in the Colombian Caribbean. The abiotic variables were downloaded from the satellites of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the meteorological stations of the Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies (IDEAM). The fishery variables were obtained through field trips in the study area. A dynamic artificial neural network was implemented to reconstruct the missing data in the fishery variables from the known abiotic variables (Precipitation, North Atlantic Oscillation and Multivariate ENSO Indices). In this way, a dataset was obtained that is important to determine the historical changes of fishery resources for the study area and to make catch forecasts incorporating the variability of the environmental conditions (atmospheric and oceanographic).

Structural variation of potentially toxic epiphytic dinoflagellates on Thalassia testudinum from two coastal systems of Colombian Caribbean.

Some benthic dinoflagellates produce toxins that can affect other organisms including humans, and their proliferation seems to be related to the environmental variability. For this reason, the present study aims to compare the structural variation of potentially toxic dinoflagellates associated with the seagrass Thalassia testudinum from two nearby systems, with different environmental characteristics in Colombian Caribbean, corresponding to a brackish water coastal lagoon and an adjacent bay. Between January 2014 and December 2015, leaves of T. testudinum were collected monthly to obtain the dinoflagellates. Salinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, nutrients and total suspended solids (TSS) were measured, and precipitation data and the Oceanic Niño Index (ONI) were obtained. Dinoflagellates were detached from the leaves, morphologically identified by analyzing their thecal plates arrangements, and quantified using a Sedgewick-Rafter chamber. The information was analyzed using standard statistics and regression models. Fourteen species of potentially toxic epiphytic dinoflagellate belonging to four genera were recorded, being Prorocentrum the most representative in number of species. The maximum density, dominated by P. lima, were found in Bahía Chengue during the rainy season of 2014 (18452 and 20109 cells g-1 w.w.), with salinity of 35.50, high temperatures (>29.60 °C), dissolved oxygen >6 mg L-1, pH close to 8 and TSS >85 mg L-1. Densities at the Lagoon were lower than 80 cells g-1 w.w. with the highest values of Prorocentrum sp.1 under different environmental conditions. With the statistical relationships between the most abundant species and the main environmental variables, fundamental niche models were proposed in which cells could proliferate. The degree of risk to human health due to the presence of these potentially toxic epiphytic dinoflagellates will not be resolved until their toxicity discarded.

Metabolic Profiling of the Soft Coral Erythropodium caribaeorum (Alcyonacea: Anthothelidae) from the Colombian Caribbean Reveals Different Chemotypes.

The Caribbean soft coral Erythropodium caribaeorum is a rich source of erythrolides-chlorinated briarane diterpenoids. These compounds have an ecological role as feeding deterrents, with a wide variation in their composition depending on the location where the sample is collected. In Colombia, this soft coral can be found at different locations in the Caribbean Sea including Santa Marta, Islas del Rosario, and Providencia-three environmentally different coral reef areas in the south and southwest Caribbean Sea. In order to evaluate differences in erythrolide composition, the metabolic profiles of samples from each of these locations were analyzed by HPLC-MS. Principal component analysis showed changes in the diterpene composition according to the sample origin. Diterpenes from samples collected at each location were isolated to describe the three chemotypes. The chemotype from Santa Marta was highly diverse, with the new erythrolides W and X together with eight known erythrolides. The sample from Islas del Rosario showed a low diversity chemotype constituted by high amounts of erythrolide A and B. The chemotype from Providencia showed low chemical diversity with only two main compounds-erythrolide V and R. Evaluation of cytotoxic activity against the human cancer cell lines PC-3, MCF7, and A549 showed erythrolides A and B as the more active compounds with IC50 values in the range from 2.45 to 30 µM.

On the Prediction of Upwelling Events at the Colombian Caribbean Coasts from Modis-SST Imagery.

The upwelling cores on the Caribbean Colombian coasts are mainly located at the Peninsula de la Guajira and Cabo de la Aguja. We used monthly averaged Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sea surface temperature as the only information to build up a prediction model for the upwelling events. This comprised two steps: (i) the reduction of the complexity by means of the Karhunen-Loève transform and (ii) a prediction model of time series. Two prediction models were considered: (a) a parametric autoregressive-moving average (ARMA) time series from the Box-Jenkins methodology and (b) a harmonic synthesis model. The harmonic synthesis also comprised of two steps: the maximum entropy spectral analysis and a least-squares harmonic analysis on the set of frequencies. The parametric ARMA time series model failed at the time of prediction with a very narrow range, and it was quite difficult to apply. The harmonic synthesis allowed prediction with a horizon of six months with a correlation of about 0.80. The results can be summarized using the time series of the weights of the different oscillation modes, their spatial structures with the nodal lines, and a high confidence model with a horizon of prediction of about four months.

Baja variabilidad y diferenciación genética poblacional en la "lisa", Mugil incilis (Teleostei: Mugilidae) del Caribe colombiano

La "Lisa" Mugil incilis, es uno de los recursos ícticos más importante de la industria pesquera artesanal del Caribe de Colombia. Sin embargo, sus poblaciones llevan siendo sobreexplotadas por décadas, que en conjunto con el deterioro de su hábitat podrían estar causando un efecto negativo en la variabilidad genética de las mismas. Con el objetivo de generar información científica que permita apoyar decisiones y políticas más adecuadas de manejo pesquero y conservación se evaluó la variabilidad y la estructura genética de M. incilis a lo largo de la costa del Caribe de Colombia. Se seleccionaron seis sistemas costeros, entre ellos tres lagunas costeras de acceso abierto a la pesca (Ciénaga La Virgen, Ciénaga La Caimanera y Bahía de Cispatá) y tres santuarios de fauna y flora de la red de Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia (los santuarios de fauna y flora Los Flamencos, Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta y El Corchal). Se utilizaron siete loci microsatélites, los cuales revelaron 94 alelos con un promedio de 11.6 alelos por locus. Los valores de variabilidad genética en todos los sitios de muestreo fueron bajos (Ho = 0.108-0.402), aunque demostraron tener un alto potencial genético (He = 0.772-0.868). Se encontró que todos los loci presentaron desequilibrio de Hardy-Weinberg debido a una deficiencia de heterocigotos. Esto fue concordante con los eventos de cuellos de botellas recientes que se determinaron en todas las lagunas y las causas pueden ser la sobrepesca y la presencia de alelos nulos. Los resultados del análisis de estructuración genética demostraron la existencia de tres poblaciones, una conformada por las localidades ubicadas desde el sector de La Guajira hasta Sucre y una segunda en Bahía de Cispatá y la tercera en la Ciénaga La Caimanera. Este estudio sugiere que los procesos involucrados en el nivel de aprovechamiento pesquero, en el ciclo reproductivo y en las condiciones oceanográficas de la región del Caribe Sur determinan la variabilidad y estructura genética de M. incilis. Se proponen recomendaciones para el manejo y conservación de M. incilis.

The "Mullet" Mugil incilis is one of the most important fish resources of the artisanal fishing industry of the Colombian Caribbean. However, their populations are being overexploited for decades, which together with the deterioration of their habitat could be causing a negative effect on the genetic variability of their populations. In order to generate scientific information to support decisions and more appropriate fisheries management and conservation policies, the variability and genetic structure of M. incilis along the Caribbean coast of Colombia was evaluated. Six coastal systems were selected, including three coastal lagoon systems with open access to fishing (Ciénaga La Virgen, Ciénaga La Caimanera and Bahía de Cispatá) and three coastal lagoons belonging to fauna and flora sanctuaries of the network of National Natural Parks of Colombia (Los Flamencos, Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta and El Corchal). Seven microsatellite loci were used, which revealed 94 alleles with an average of 11.6 alleles per locus. The values of genetic variability in all sampling sites were low (Ho = 0.108-0.402), although they showed a high genetic potential (He = 0.772-0.868). All the loci presented departures from the Hardy-Weinberg expectations due to a deficiency of heterozygotes. This was in agreement with the events of recent bottlenecks that were determined in all the lagoons and the causes could be overfishing and the presence of null alleles. The analysis of genetic structuring revealed the existence of two populations, one formed by the localities located from La Guajira to Sucre; a second in Bahía de Cispatá and the third one in Ciénaga La Caimanera. This study suggests that the processes involved in the level of fishing exploitation, in the reproductive cycle and in the oceanographic conditions of the South Caribbean region determine the genetic variability and structure of M. incilis. Recommendations for the management and conservation of M. incilis are proposed.

Prevalence of pulmonary arterial hypertension in the Colombian Caribbean.

In Latin America, there are no specific data on the prevalence of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). For this reason, the Registro Latinoamericano de Hipertensión Pulmonar (RELAHP) is under development. The aim of this study is to estimate the prevalence of PAH in the Colombian Caribbean in 2015 based on data from a private health insurance company (PHIC) with coverage in that region. All the Individual Service Delivery Registries (RIPS) of all ambulatory care centers that serve the population of the Colombian Caribbean region affiliated with a PHIC selected for this research were reviewed. All patients who had a diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension (PH) were included (International Classification Diseases 10-Revision [ICD-10 I270, I272, I278, and I279]). Subsequently, the information on electronic medical records was reviewed. To estimate the prevalence of PAH, the total population of the PHIC and population projections of Colombian Caribbean by Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadisticas (DANE) was used. We identified 27 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of PH and 18 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of PAH. Taking into account the total population affiliated to the Caribbean Regional of the PHIC selected for the study in September 2015, a PAH prevalence of approximately 28 cases per million inhabitants is estimated. The mean of age was 22 ± 21.4 years (14.8% children) and 17 (62.9%) were girls/women. The majority of patients presented with PAH (Group 1) (66.6%). The estimated number of cases of PH in Colombian Caribbean in 2015 is approximately 292 cases or 1 in 35,760. Epidemiological estimates of PAH in the Colombian Caribbean are compatible with the definition of orphan or rare diseases. The majority of patients are female.