Abstract Background The Burrowing Parrot ( Cyanoliseus patagonus ) nests in sandstone and earthen ravines and cliffs, excavating its own cavities. As in other cavity-nesting birds, reproduction is constrained by the availability of suitable nesting substrates, making the use of anthropogenic substrates particularly relevant. The expansion of urban, peri-urban, and rural landscapes, together with the species’ conservation vulnerability, underscores the need to assess the fitness of individuals breeding in human–modified habitats. Methods In this study we describe for the first time the daily survival rate of nests (DSR) and the breeding success of the species in nests constructed in anthropogenic substrates (quarries and roadsides) in northern Patagonia, Argentina. We monitored 74 nests in six colonies established in urban and rural areas during two breeding seasons, 2021–2022 and 2022–2023. We estimated clutch size, hatching success, daily survival rate of nests (DSR), brood size, productivity and breeding success, and evaluated the potential effects of the urban and rural contexts, as well as the characteristics of ravines and nests, on breeding success. Results DSR and hatching success were similar between seasons, whereas breeding success showed higher, although not statistically significant, values in 2022–2023 (88%) than in the previous season (67%). Nests built in quarries with human activity were more successful than those found on roadsides, as were nests built at higher heights and facing SE. Average clutch size, mean number of chicks per nest and mean number of fledged juveniles per breeding pair were similar to those previously reported for colonies in natural nesting sites. Conclusion Breeding success of the burrowing parrot nesting in anthropogenic substrates provides evidence of the potential of these environments for the conservation of a species, increasingly common in the cities along its distribution area. These environments appear to play a key role in the number of breeding individuals of the species at a local level, and, eventually, in its global population trend.
Abstract Seaweed production is a globally expanding activity that supports coastal livelihoods, phycocolloid industries, food systems, and emerging blue bioeconomy opportunities. However, its social-ecological implications differ strongly among production models. Chile represents a distinctive case because, unlike aquaculture-dominated systems in Asia, most national production depends on the extraction of wild seaweed populations by artisanal fishers. This narrative review examines Chilean seaweed production along the southeast Pacific coast through the Social-Ecological Systems Framework, integrating peer-reviewed literature, official statistics, technical reports, and institutional information published between 1980 and 2026. We synthesize evidence across four main SES components: Resource System, Resource Units, Governance System, and Actors, and analyze how their interactions shape resilience, vulnerability, and sustainability outcomes. Chile is the main seaweed producer in the Americas and one of the world’s leading producers of wild-harvested seaweeds. In 2025, national production reached 426,543 metric tons, with approximately 85% derived from wild populations. Brown seaweeds, particularly species of the Lessonia nigrescens complex and L. trabeculata , dominate production in northern Chile, whereas red seaweeds, including Gracilaria chilensis , Sarcothalia crispata , Sarcopeltis skottsbergii , and Chondracanthus chamissoi , are more relevant in central-southern and southern regions. These spatial patterns reflect biogeographic gradients, environmental heterogeneity, harvesting histories, market demand, and governance arrangements. Chile’s governance system combines Territorial Use Rights for Fisheries, Open Access Areas, bans, quotas, management plans, and participatory seaweed roundtables. These instruments can promote stewardship and ecological recovery, but their effectiveness is mediated by enforcement capacity, labour dynamics, market fluctuations, and asymmetries within value chains. Our synthesis shows that Chilean seaweed production is shaped by feedbacks among climate variability, wild population dynamics, international demand, governance responses, and local livelihoods. Dependence on global commodity markets, particularly demand from China, can intensify extraction pressure while concentrating economic benefits among intermediaries, processors, and exporters. At the same time, artisanal fishers and women seaweed workers often bear disproportionate ecological and economic risks. Future sustainability will require strengthening adaptive governance, improving equity across value chains, diversifying production through native species aquaculture and value-added products, and developing integrated long-term monitoring that links ecological indicators, market dynamics, governance performance, and community wellbeing under climate change and uncertainty.
Abstract Background In tropical South America, Ceiba pentandra (Malvaceae) is a native chiropterophilous tree frequently found in cities that stands out as a potential substantial floral resource for synanthropic bats, which exhibit unusual swarming behaviour when interacting with this species. We documented this phenomenon of mass visitation by bats to C. pentandra, shedding light on the potential of this species as key resource for bats in urban ecosystems. Methods We conducted fieldwork observations observations in a green infrastructure in the city of Recife in Northeastern Brazil, during the 2021 reproductive event of Ceiba pentandra. Five flowering individuals were selected for focal observations of bat visitation. Bats and other floral visitors were monitored over ten non-consecutive nights. Diurnal visitors were also recorded. Results We found that C. pentandra was massively visited by Glossophaga soricina and Phyllostomus discolor, with groups larger than 25 bats of each species constantly visiting the plants throughout the night. In addition to bats, we also observed Sphingidae moths at night, as well as birds and bees at day. Conclusions Contrary to visitation behaviour with a lower number of visits per night observed for most chiropterophilous plants in natural environments, the continuous and high number of visits to C. pentandra of two species at the same time is a poorly described phenomenon for nectarivorous bats. Our results highlight that, although this mass visitation behaviour within the groups still needs to be explored in depth.
Bioacoustics is an effective tool for identifying insectivorous bat species, particularly those that forage in the upper forest strata and show low capture probabilities using traditional methods. However, for many rare or range-restricted species, available acoustic information remains limited. In this study, we present the first acoustic description of Saccopteryx antioquensis, an endemic and threatened species restricted to karst ecosystems in southeastern Antioquia, Colombia. We describe echolocation pulses based on reference recordings obtained from an individual captured in 2020 and on free-flying recordings collected in 2022. Echolocation pulses of S. antioquensis were characterized by the alternation of low-frequency (LF) and high-frequency (HF) pulses, inverted U-shaped spectrograms, and a multi-harmonic structure, with most energy concentrated in the second harmonic. Spectral and temporal parameters exhibited distinctive frequency ranges compared to other species within the genus. Multivariate analyses revealed significant acoustic differentiation between S. antioquensis and other Saccopteryx species for both LF and HF pulses, supporting its acoustic identity and interspecific separation. This information provides a solid baseline for acoustic identification and passive monitoring of the species and represents a key tool to support conservation strategies in a context of high anthropogenic pressure on karst ecosystems. Overall, this study contributes to the knowledge of Neotropical bat bioacoustics and highlights the value of acoustic monitoring for the conservation of endemic and threatened species.
Abstract Background Micromammals play an important role in mediterranean ecosystems. The “megadrought” in the sclerophyll forest has caused a “browning” that implies, among other things, the reduction of canopy cover. The effects of forest browning on the taxonomic and functional diversity of micromammals were evaluated. Methods Forests with high and low disturbance degree were characterized based on the level of browning and canopy cover. To study the community of micromammals in these forests, the Capture-Mark-Recapture method was used with Sherman traps. Community indices such as Shannon–Wiener and Pielou were calculated. The Coefficient of Variation was used to study functional diversity for each trait separately. Multivariate measures FRic, FEve and FDiv were used to determine multidimensional diversity. Results We observed differences in species composition and in richness, diversity, and cover variables between forest types. However, micromammal communities were similar in taxonomic and functional diversity in highly and slightly disturbed forests. Discussion The micromammal community appears to show some resistance to forest changes due to disturbance, which could be related to their generalist diet and high dispersal capacity. The presence of the genus Rattus could entail a decrease in native rodent diversity and could have a greater effect than the disturbance of the forest due to drought. These results are an invitation to conduct long-term studies to better understand the potential vulnerability of the different micromammal species to disturbed sclerophyll forests affected by drought.
