We report the first records of Cuniculus paca for the Chaco or Western Region of Paraguay. The evidence consists of 18 records (63 photos and 12 videos) obtained through a camera trap located in a riparian forest of the Humid Chaco. The species showed solitary and nocturnal behavior and appeared near a stream that flows into the Paraguay River.

Dado el aumento del interés académico en el tema del pago por servicios ambientales (PSA) a nivel global y su actual estado disperso, se presenta esta revisión enfocada en Paraguay con el fin de informar sobre el estado actual de la temática a nivel nacional y desarrollar nuevas perspectivas teóricas y metodológicas. Los principales objetivos de esta revisión son recopilar antecedentes de gestión y sistematización de información técnica, académica y científica relacionada con el PSA en Paraguay y contribuir a definir métodos de valoración económica para impulsar el PSA a nivel local y regional. Esto es parte de una estrategia para diseñar modelos de gestión ambiental que garanticen la provisión de servicios ambientales a largo plazo (16 años de análisis). El diseño del estudio fue cualitativo, documental bibliográfico y descriptivo, partiendo de la elaboración y análisis de una base de datos con 41 documentos técnicos que facilitó sistematizar y mapear la información. Los resultados muestran que 46% de los documentos analizados corresponden a literatura arbitrada, con cinco períodos de gestión identificados. El aspecto más trabajado fue la valoración económica de bienes y servicios ambientales, especialmente aquellos derivados del bosque, donde se han aplicado mayormente medidas técnicas de valoración basadas en métodos de mercado. No se encontraron publicaciones ni trabajos sobre la valoración del daño ambiental en el período analizado. Los estudios de valoración económica fueron importantes para el proceso de reglamentación del PSA vigente en Paraguay. Se concluye que si bien el mecanismo de PSA en Paraguay dio pasos importantes en los últimos 16 años, tanto el mercado como la política aún no se encuentran consolidados debido a nudos críticos identificados y relacionados con la falta de reglamentación de otras modalidades de certificación que contribuyan tanto a la producción sostenible como a estrategias de conservación. * La foto corresponde a Tuyuyús cuarteleros (Jabiru mycteria) en la sabana inundable del Chaco. Foto: Karim Musalem

Periodic flooding limits livestock farming on cattle ranches in floodable areas. In order to propose recommendations for sustainable management of these ranches, we examined the relationships between surface water hydrological processes (infiltration and evaporation) and vegetation cover in the Paraguayan Humid Chaco. A total of 24 evaporation and infiltration measurements were made in a gradient of woody vegetation density between the forest and the adjacent grassland, and at different distances from reference trees (from the trunk to outside the tree crown). Soil texture and moisture were also characterized. There was a positive effect of woody vegetation density on infiltration although final infiltration rates in forests (94.5 mm h− 1) were not significantly higher than in grasslands (22.0 mm h− 1) or forest-grassland transition (11.5 mm h− 1). Evaporation was significantly lower in forests (0.0338 mm h− 1) than in grassland (0.1361 mm h− 1) or at the transition zone (0.0868 mm h− 1), reflecting the effects of tree cover on microhabitat features. Infiltration rates decreased with the distance to the tree trunk. These results support our hypothesis that subtropical forests, specifically Schinopsis balansae and Psidium sp., have a positive effect on infiltration, and these forests have a negative effect on surface water evaporation. Introduction of trees at relative low densities in deforested rangelands may help improve hydrological services (i.e., enhance soil infiltrability) and facilitate cattle raising, while promoting local biodiversity.

Land-use planning identifies the best land-use options by considering environmental, economic, and social factors. Different theoretical land-use plan models can be found in the literature; however, few studies focus on its practical application and particular challenges in different contexts, especially in the Global South. We use expert surveys to explore the feasibility and relevance of integrated land-use planning and data acquisition in developing countries using Paraguay as an example. We identify the challenges of developing land-use plans and strategies to navigate these barriers to speed up its implementation. The results show that it might be difficult to develop an integrated land-use plan in the context of developing countries, mainly due to data availability, lack of political will, lack of stakeholder engagement, and insufficient financial and human resources. We also highlight examples of creative ways in which previous land-use planning projects and studies navigated these challenges, including stakeholder consultations, use of simpler models that required less data, prioritization of data collection, and engagement of decision makers throughout the process. We provide crucial information to improve land-use planning processes in Paraguay and across the Global South in areas with similar contexts and challenges that aim to develop in a more sustainable way.

Las presiones socioeconómicas y ambientales relacionadas a la agricultura generan cuestionamientos sobre la sustentabilidad. Una alternativa para enfrentar estas presiones y diseñar estrategias sustentables es evaluar la sustentabilidad de las fincas productivas a fin de proveer información de base. Este trabajo exploratorio reporta la evaluación de sustentabilidad de una finca, realizada con la metodología RISE (Response-Inducing Sustainability Evaluation). Los objetivos fueron evaluar la sustentabilidad de una finca del Chaco Húmedo e identificar los desafíos de uso de la metodología. Esta última incluyó una caracterización de la ecorregión, entrevista a informante clave, el cálculo de resultados y retroalimentación. Los resultados muestran un nivel crítico de biodiversidad y positivo en los demás temas evaluados. RISE colecta y sistematiza datos relevantes para la evaluación de sustentabilidad, aunque, la adaptación de datos al formato RISE es un desafío. Para futuras investigaciones se recomienda aumentar la cantidad de fincas evaluadas.

This chapter provides information on islands of forests immersed in flood-prone savannah-dominated landscapes for biodiversity conservation and productive activities. Our study area in the Paraguayan Chaco is in a region dedicated to low intensity cattle rearing, with native grasslands as forage within a mosaic of natural plant formations. The region is highly diverse due to the variety of plant formations and the great amount of wild fauna. We present results of research projects conducted by the American Chaco Research Center, a Paraguayan research initiative. These results suggest that extensive or semi-extensive ecosystem-based livestock production could be an opportunity to maintain ecosystem services, including biodiversity, in the region via a production system that is highly compatible with the conservation of forest species. Adverse environmental conditions for production (such as floods from rain and periodic floods of the Paraguay River) underscore the importance of maintaining the regulating functions of natural ecosystems, which leads to an opportunity for the conservation of threatened biodiversity. The mosaic of forest islands, flood-prone palm savannas, and wetlands is fundamental for water quality and hydrological regulation as it reduces the intensity of the effects of flooding on neighboring areas, as well as for carbon sequestration. Inclusion of live fencing and the maintenance of continuous areas of intact or lightly disturbed vegetation can increase habitat connectivity, provide a barrier to manage fires, and serve as a refuge for animals when fires occur. These native ecosystems are at high risk of disappearing due to the intensification of agriculture and livestock production, as well as the expansion of urban areas, so strategies for their conservation, including tailor-made incentives are needed.

Jaguars (Panthera onca Linnaeus, 1758) have been extirpated from nearly 55 % of their original range in America and from almost 24 % in Paraguay. Here we present evidence of the presence of jaguar close to the most populated areas of Paraguay, in a human–dominated landscape in the Humid Chaco forests, highlighting how without other pressures, jaguars can inhabit densely populated areas and potentially disperse between established populations.

Azara’s Agouti (Dasyprocta azarae) was included within the mastofauna of Paraguay’s Chaco until 2016. Later literature exclude it from the region, since no published records include a concrete evidence like museum specimens, DNA sequences or photos. The objective of this note is to provide evidence of the distribution of D. azarae in the Paraguayan Chaco to help understand its distribution in Paraguay. The distributionof D. azarae was re-evaluated by a review of literature, museum specimens, and photograph analysis from the Zoological Collection of the Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences (ZCENS) to update the species’ geographic range. The photographs were captured via camera trapping methods. We provide new records of Azara’s Agouti at three locations, two of them located in the transition zone between the Dry Chaco andPantanal ecoregions, and one in the Dry Chaco ecoregion of the Paraguayan Chaco. Recent literature also confirms the presence of the species in the Humid Chaco ecoregion. Along with other recently published records, we confirm the presence of the species in three ecoregions of the Paraguayan Chaco. With these documented records, its distribution is expanded to more than 270 km west into the region.

A two-year experimental study on saline groundwater dynamics in the Paraguayan dry Chaco is reported. This study was designed to better understand dryland salinity as a natural phenomenon and a potential consequence of land use changes, in order to avoid adverse economic and environmental impacts. A total of 28 wells at two study sites located nearby Loma Plata were monitored approximately every two weeks for groundwater conductivity and water table level, following transects from sown pasture to native forest and topographic gradients from bush or pasture to a nearby temporarily flooded lagoon. Results show a relation among topography, land cover, precipitation, groundwater salinity and surface salinization. Under pasture, groundwater was less saline in the average and the water table was slightly higher than under adjacent forest. Under forest, infiltrating rainwater never reached groundwater level, whereas under pasture, rainwater diluted the groundwater at several occasions during the observation period. Along the topographic gradients, there was a fringe prone to surface salinization along the borderline of the lagoon. At higher topographic levels, the saline ground water was low enough to not reach the surface by capillary ascension. On the other hand, high water table in the center of the lagoon fed by inflowing rainwaters (which had a slightly higher altitude level than the water table under adjacent land covers), displaced the saline groundwater vertically and horizontally. These findings provide information for land use planning in the region, which is prone to dryland salinity due to a generally high saline water table.

ABSTRACT Species tend to be less abundant at the limits of their geographic distribution. Giant and lesser anteaters have their southernmost limits in Argentina and Paraguay, where scarce information exists regarding their ecology and conservation. We present a study carried out in the Paraguay River floodplain, in an area dedicated to cattle rearing using native grasses in a subtropical flooded savanna associated with naturally occurring forest islets, wetlands and palm groves. Using camera-traps within three different forest types, we estimated parameters related to habitat preference, social behavior and activity patterns of both species. Results show that capture success was greater in the Floodable sub-humid forest islets (FSF), compared to other types of forests: Riparian forests associated with wetlands (W-RF) and Mesoxerophytic semi-deciduous forests dominated by Schinopsis balansae (MXF). Most detections corresponded to solitary anteaters, although mother-young pairs were occasionally observed during summer. Both species showed a nocturnal and crepuscular activity pattern with a peak of records around midnight. Myrmecophaga tridactyla was detected between 11°C and 26°C, while Tamandua tetradactyla occurred between 15°C and 23°C. Future research that incorporates systematically taken data in other different habitats, including grasslands and shrublands, during all seasons of the year is recommended.

Species tend to be less abundant at the limits of their geographic distribution. Giant and lesser anteaters have their southernmost limits in Argentina and Paraguay, where scarce information exists regarding their ecology and conservation. We present a study carried out in the Paraguay River floodplain, in an area dedicated to cattle rearing using native grasses in a subtropical flooded savanna associated with naturally occurring forest islets, wetlands and palm groves. Using camera-traps within three different forest types, we estimated parameters related to habitat preference, social behavior and activity patterns of both species. Results show that capture success was greater in the Floodable sub-humid forest islets (FSF), compared to other types of forests: Riparian forests associated with wetlands (W-RF) and Mesoxerophytic semi-deciduous forests dominated by Schinopsis balansae (MXF). Most detections corresponded to solitary anteaters, although mother-young pairs were occasionally observed during summer. Both species showed a nocturnal and crepuscular activity pattern with a peak of records around midnight. Myrmecophaga tridactyla was detected between 11°C and 26°C, while Tamandua tetradactyla occurred between 15°C and 23°C. Future research that incorporates systematically taken data in other different habitats, including grasslands and shrublands, during all seasons of the year is recommended.

In this study we assessed the efficacy of Visible Implant Alphanumeric (VIA) for marking adults and juveniles of the Neotropical treefrog Scinax nasicus. We evaluated the success of this technique in the identification of individuals and the prevalence of tags in the field. As a control, we marked the same individuals through toe-clipping. Of 196 marked individuals, 57 were recaptured in a 7-month study period. Only one mark was unreadable because it was located too deep in the skin. We found one case of tag expulsion and two inverted tags. Almost complete regeneration of the adhesive disk was observed by the fifth month of the study in all recaptured frogs. We suggest VIA tagging method as suitable for S. nasicus over long term studies. Even though, a hybrid method for marking (VIA + toe-clipping) is recommended for species with dark and/or loose skin, or large frogs.

La palabra Grijalva no se refiere solo un rio, sino al territorio aledano que integra la cuenca transfronteriza entre Mexico y Guatemala, “la mejor tierra que el sol alumbra”. Se reconoce por sus humedales, imponentes bellezas naturales y presas hidroelectricas, pero tambien por la pobreza y el deterioro ambiental que afectan a sus habitantes, y que deben revertirse en beneficio de esta zona de gran riqueza biocultural.

In order to obtain necessary information to promote ecosystem-based management strategies, ecosystem services were assessed in a cattle rangeland in the Paraguayan Humid Chaco. Carbon sequestration in forest biomass, carbon sequestration in wetlands soil, water quality in wetlands, functional connectivity of forest islets, economic valuation of a silvopastoral system based on native savannas and forests, and infiltration and evaporation of water in the soil were studied. Different methodologies were applied with a multidisciplinary approach. Results give information about these ecosystem services and their interaction with livestock rearing, activity installed for several generations, taking advantage of frequently-flooded native savannas. From these assessments, recommendations were made for the improvement and restoration of these services, with cartographic updating of the vegetation units. Wetlands in the study site, in addition to carbon sequestration, are in a good state of conservation. Livestock rearing has had occasional and isolated negative impacts on water quality, which, nonetheless can be corrected. Forest islets present in the study area allow biological connectivity of Alouatta caraya, however, it's still necessary to conduct similar analysis for other species. Regarding livestock production, palm groves/savannas systems offer a higher fodder value than forests/savannas, on the other hand, carbon sequestration in the forest resulted in an economic value that is more than double that of the palm groves occupying a surface six times smaller. Infiltration trials emphasized the role of individual forests and trees in improving infiltration, especially relevant to floodable soils in this region. The mosaic of natural plant formations in the Humid Chaco raises the need for a management based on the knowledge of the functioning of the different ecosystems.

Pareciera que la produccion ganadera y la conservacion de bosques son antagonistas, sin embargo, el presente estudio de caso en la region del Chaco Humedo resalta los beneficios proveidos por los bosques y humedales asociados con actividades ganaderas semi-intensivas, permitiendo la conservacion del ecosistema nativo dominado por pastizales naturales y una produccion economicamente viable al mismo tiempo. Se presenta un balance financiero de un establecimiento ganadero en fase inicial, asi como proyecciones futuras. Posteriormente, se reportan diferentes servicios ambientales medidos en el mismo sitio, utilizando un enfoque de servicios ecosistemicos, mostrandose que la provision de estos servicios ambientales y la ganaderia economicamente viable podrian ser posibles sin deforestacion, medida habitualmente utilizada para la intensificacion productiva en la region. El estudio confronta la idea de que es necesaria la deforestacion de bosques para la plantacion de pasturas a traves del balance financiero y la enumeracion de los beneficios economicos directos para la produccion ganadera, derivados de manejar y conservar estos bosques y ecosistemas nativos. Durante los cuatro anos de estudio, se evaluaron servicios ecosistemicos, manteniendose simultaneamente un registro del balance financiero y las inversiones, lo que permitio una discusion “en el terreno” de la conexion entre productividad y conservacion y restauracion de ecosistemas nativos. Se enfatizan los desafios para los sistemas productivos, derivados mayormente de las presiones del mercado, y se exploran soluciones que aseguren incentivos eficientes para preservar los bosques y ecosistemas nativos, en el marco de sistemas productivos mas intensivos que posibiliten un flujo de caja positivo para el productor.

El sector ganadero es uno de los mas dinamicos dentro del comercio internacional de Paraguay y en los ultimos anos ha aumentado su contribucion al Producto Interno Bruto (PIB). No obstante, el sector cuenta aun con potencial de desarrollo ante la creciente demanda mundial de carne. El objetivo de este trabajo es determinar que tan solida es la competitividad de la produccion ganadera paraguaya, teniendo en cuenta al mercado internacional. Para el efecto, se utiliza la teoria de las ventajas competitivas de Michael Porter, basada en cuatro determinantes que en su accionar sistemico se retroalimentan entre si. Como resultado del analisis, se propone el fortalecimiento de la sanidad interna y de sus mecanismos de control, la continuidad de programas de retencion de vientres, trazabilidad, aumento de la tasa de extraccion (faena/rebano), y la generalizacion del proceso de validacion de la tecnologia a traves del apoyo a centros de investigacion. Estas medidas posibilitarian el crecimiento del hato ganadero y del potencial de oferta, con una mayor diversificacion de los destinos de exportacion.

Cattle production sector is one of the most dynamic within Paraguay’s international trade and has in early years increased its contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Nonetheless, the sector still has a development potential in face of the increasing demand of meat worldwide. The objective of this work is to determine how solid the competitiveness of Paraguayan livestock production is, taking the international market into account. For this purpose, Michael Porter’s theory of competitiveness advantages is used, based in four determinants that in their systemic action mutually support themselves. As a result of the analysis, the following are proposed: strengthening of internal sanitation and related control mechanisms, the continuity of programs directed to the conservation of breeding females, traceability, increase in extraction rates (slaughter/herd), and the generalization of validation processes of technology with the support of research centers. These measures, could allow an increase of the herd size and the offer potential, with a broader diversification of exporting destinations.

Se estudió la abundancia y el uso de hábitat de Crax fasciolata utilizando cámaras trampa en distintos tipos de bosques en el Chaco Húmedo de Paraguay. En un total de 996 díascámara de esfuerzo de muestreo se obtuvieron 114 registros, la mayoría de ellos de uno y dos individuos, con un máximo de cinco individuos. La mayor cantidad de registros se obtuvo en el bosque ripario, con un éxito de captura de 20%, y durante la primavera, con un éxito de captura de 22%. La especie mostró actividad diurna con la mayor cantidad de registros durante la mañana. Se recomienda profundizar estas investigaciones analizando no solo el tipo de bosque sino también la época del año en que se registra la especie en cada hábitat.

The objective was to characterize the water quality in a section of the Grijalva River and in some of its tributaries on the border between the States of Chiapas and Tabasco, in the rainy and dry seasons. Twenty-three physical, chemical and microbiological parameters as well as contaminants were determined. The values obtained were compared with the maximum permissible limits (MPLs) for water use and human consumption set out in O cial Mexican standard NOM-127-SSA1-1994, and with the water quality classi cation scale of the Comisión Nacional del Agua (CONAGUA). The water quality in the studied section of the Grijalva River decreases as it descends to more populated areas of the State of Tabasco. Water turbidity and E. coli coliform levels increase, both in the river channels and in sources destined for human consumption. For the other variables evaluated, there are acceptable water quality characteristics, mainly in the dry season, except for mercury, which occurs at levels higher than those recommended. Further studies on the presence of mercury in the Grijalva River basin are recommended.

There is strong upswing in conservation and restoration efforts in Latin America (LA), particularly in the recent decades after several countries have committed to international agreements such as the Aichi targets of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Initiative 20x20, and the Bonn Challenge. To fulfill these agreements, the practice of ecological restoration has to be defined based on ecological knowledge, but also on the specific social, economic, and legal aspects of each country in the region. Here, we give some examples about the national understanding of ecological restoration in 10 countries of LA. We identify difficulties and opportunities to define restoration priorities and needs, and discuss some approaches to cope with economic constraints and agreements, including the potential role of restoration networks in this process. On the basis of the socioecological complexity of these countries and the expectations they have in relation to restoration, we proposed four approaches to guide restoration practice and policy in the region: (1) including biodiversity and ecosystem services approach into ecosystem restoration initiatives; (2) promoting restoration in their frequently human-modified landscapes; (3) accounting for cost-benefit trade-offs; and (4) assembling horizontal communication frameworks. These approaches should be based at national levels, but adapted to local-regional levels, in a bottom-up perspective. We consider that national and international restoration networks in the region can help to overcome difficulties, fostering a solid scientific community, helping to develop national approaches that better match the specific conditions of each country and enhancing communication among different groups of stakeholders.