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Cueva DF, Zug R, Pozo MJ, Molina S, Cisneros R, Bustamante MR, Torres MDL. Evidence of population genetic structure in Ecuadorian Andean bears. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2834. [PMID: 38310153 PMCID: PMC10838292 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53003-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Wildlife conservation in Andean countries is a global priority because of the high levels of biodiversity and endemism. Historically, these countries have had limited resources to monitor wildlife (e.g., through genetic tools) and establish conservation programs. Focusing on the study and emblematic use of a few charismatic species has been a strategic approach to direct efforts for conservation and development planning. Consequently, the Andean bear is a flagship and umbrella species for highly biodiverse Andean countries like Ecuador. The few studies exploring the population genetics of this species have concluded that it has low genetic diversity and few units for conservation as populations appear to be well connected. However, these results might be attributed to ascertainment bias as studies have been performed with heterologous molecular markers. Here, using both mtDNA sequences and species-specific microsatellite markers, we show that Andean bears in Ecuador have population structure. Additionally, we found through the study of three Ecuadorian populations that the species might have a higher genetic diversity than we previously thought. These results could support the revision of research priorities, conservation, and planning strategies to improve connectivity for this species which occurs in crucial biodiversity hotspots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dario F Cueva
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Vegetal, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Diego de Robles y Via Interoceanica s/n, Quito, 170157, Ecuador
| | - Rebecca Zug
- Laboratorio de Carnívoros, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Diego de Robles y Vía Interoceanica s/n, Quito, 170157, Ecuador
| | - María José Pozo
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Vegetal, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Diego de Robles y Via Interoceanica s/n, Quito, 170157, Ecuador
| | - Santiago Molina
- Laboratorio de Carnívoros, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Diego de Robles y Vía Interoceanica s/n, Quito, 170157, Ecuador
- Fundación Zoológica del Ecuador, Pircapamaba s/n y Rumichupa, Guayllabamba, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Rodrigo Cisneros
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, San Cayetano Alto, C/París s/n., 1101608, Loja, Ecuador
| | - Martín R Bustamante
- Fundación Zoológica del Ecuador, Pircapamaba s/n y Rumichupa, Guayllabamba, Quito, Ecuador
| | - María de Lourdes Torres
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Vegetal, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Diego de Robles y Via Interoceanica s/n, Quito, 170157, Ecuador.
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Zambrano-Mite LF, Villasana Y, Bejarano ML, Luciani C, Niebieskikwiat D, Álvarez W, Cueva DF, Aguilera-Pesantes D, Orejuela-Escobar LM. Optimization of microfibrillated cellulose isolation from cocoa pod husk via mild oxalic acid hydrolysis: A response surface methodology approach. Heliyon 2023; 9:e17258. [PMID: 37389052 PMCID: PMC10300216 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e17258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Theobroma cacao L. species, cultivated worldwide for its valuable beans, generates up to 72% weight of the fruit as waste. The lack of reutilization technologies in the cocoa agroindustry has hindered the exploitation of valuable bio-components applicable to the generation of high value added bioproducts. One such bioproduct is microfibrillated cellulose (MFC), a biopolymer that stands out for its desirable mechanical properties and biocompatibility in biomedical, packing, 3D printing, and construction applications. In this study, we isolated microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) from cocoa pod husk (CPH) via oxalic acid hydrolysis combined with a steam explosion. MFC isolation started with the Solid/Liquid extraction via Soxhlet, followed by mild citric acid hydrolysis, diluted alkaline hydrolysis, and bleaching pre-treatments. A Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the hydrolysis reaction at levels between 110 and 125 °C, 30-90 min at 5-10% (w/v) oxalic acid concentration. The cellulose-rich fraction was characterized by Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analyses. Characterization analyses revealed a cellulose-rich polymer with fibers ranging from 6 to 10 μm, a maximum thermal degradation temperature of 350 °C, and a crystallinity index of 63.4% (peak height method) and 29.0% (amorphous subtraction method). The optimized hydrolysis conditions were 125 °C, 30 min, at 5% w/v oxalic acid: with a 75.7% yield. These results compare with MFC obtained through highly concentrated inorganic acid hydrolysis from different biomass sources. Thus, we show a reliable and greener alternative chemical treatment for the obtention of MFC.
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Affiliation(s)
- L. Fernando Zambrano-Mite
- Biomass Laboratory, Biomass to Resources Group, Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam, Tena 096975, Ecuador
| | - Yanet Villasana
- Biomass Laboratory, Biomass to Resources Group, Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam, Tena 096975, Ecuador
| | - M. Lorena Bejarano
- Institute of Energy and Materials, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Diego de Robles y Vía Interoceánica, Quito 170901, Ecuador
| | - Christian Luciani
- Departamento de Física, Colegio de Ciencias e Ingenierías, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Diego de Robles y Vía Interoceánica, Quito 170901, Ecuador
| | - Dario Niebieskikwiat
- Departamento de Física, Colegio de Ciencias e Ingenierías, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Diego de Robles y Vía Interoceánica, Quito 170901, Ecuador
| | - Willin Álvarez
- Facultad de Ciencias de La Vida. Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam, Tena 096975, Ecuador
| | - Dario F. Cueva
- Applied Circular Engineering & Simulation Group (GICAS), Chemical Engineering Department, Colegio de Ciencias e Ingenierías, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Diego de Robles y Vía Interoceánica, Quito 170901, Ecuador
| | | | - Lourdes M. Orejuela-Escobar
- Institute of Energy and Materials, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Diego de Robles y Vía Interoceánica, Quito 170901, Ecuador
- Applied Circular Engineering & Simulation Group (GICAS), Chemical Engineering Department, Colegio de Ciencias e Ingenierías, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Diego de Robles y Vía Interoceánica, Quito 170901, Ecuador
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Ambientales (Biósfera), Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Diego de Robles y Vía Interoceánica, Quito 170901, Ecuador
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (IBioMed), Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Diego de Robles y Vía Interoceánica, Quito 170901, Ecuador
- Geocircular Consulting Group LLC, Temple Terrace, FL 33617, USA
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Chaves JA, Lopes F, Martínez D, Cueva DF, Gavilanes GI, Bonatto SL, de Oliveira LR, Páez-Rosas D. Population Genetics and Phylogeography of Galapagos Fur Seals. Front Genet 2022; 13:725772. [PMID: 35664327 PMCID: PMC9160918 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.725772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Pinnipeds found across islands provide an ideal opportunity to examine the evolutionary process of population subdivision affected by several mechanisms. Here, we report the genetic consequences of the geographic distribution of rookeries in Galapagos fur seals (GFS: Arctocephalus galapagoensis) in creating population structure. We show that rookeries across four islands (nine rookeries) are genetically structured into the following major groups: 1) a western cluster of individuals from Fernandina; 2) a central group from north and east Isabela, Santiago, and Pinta; and possibly, 3) a third cluster in the northeast from Pinta. Furthermore, asymmetric levels of gene flow obtained from eight microsatellites found migration from west Isabela to Fernandina islands (number of migrants Nm = 1), with imperceptible Nm in any other direction. Our findings suggest that the marked structuring of populations recovered in GFS is likely related to an interplay between long-term site fidelity and long-distance migration in both male and female individuals, probably influenced by varying degrees of marine productivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaime A. Chaves
- Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Diego de Robles y Pampite, Quito, Ecuador
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, United States
- *Correspondence: Jaime A. Chaves,
| | - Fernando Lopes
- Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Mamíferos, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos (UNISINOS), São Leopoldo, Brazil
| | - Daniela Martínez
- Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Diego de Robles y Pampite, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Dario F. Cueva
- Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Diego de Robles y Pampite, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Gabriela I. Gavilanes
- Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Diego de Robles y Pampite, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Sandro L. Bonatto
- Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Larissa Rosa de Oliveira
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Mamíferos, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos (UNISINOS), São Leopoldo, Brazil
- Grupo de Estudos de Mamíferos Aquáticos do Rio Grande do Sul (GEMARS), Torres, Brazil
| | - Diego Páez-Rosas
- Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Diego de Robles y Pampite, Quito, Ecuador
- Unidad Técnica Operativa San Cristóbal, Dirección Parque Nacional Galápagos, San Cristobal-Galapagos, Ecuador
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