Alex Santillán-Sarmiento

The Tumbes-Chocó-Magdalena hotspot is a globally recognized center of endemism that is undergoing severe deforestation. While conservation and restoration efforts typically prioritize the recovery of aboveground macroscopic biodiversity, the response of soil microbial communities remains largely uncharacterized in this region. To address this data gap, we assessed soil bacterial communities in three land-use types (reference forest, early-stage restored parcel, and degraded land) within the "La Esperanza Forest" reserve in the Ecuadorian Chocó. Using 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding and robust compositional data analysis (e.g., ALDEx2, PERMANOVA), we evaluated shifts in taxonomic diversity and community structure. Sequencing revealed 1,208 genera and dominant genera (e.g., Bacillus , Paenibacillus ) that persisted across all habitats. However, despite the shared presence of these dominant taxa, the sampled land-use plots exhibited distinct structural differences in their microbial communities. Reference remnant forest's soils exhibited significantly higher community evenness and distinct multivariate partitioning driven by strongly associated structural taxa (e.g., Dinghuibacter , Phyllobacterium ). Conversely, degraded lands were significantly enriched in stress-associated bacteria, notably Rhodanobacter . Early-stage restored parcel soil clustered structurally closer to degraded soil than to the reference forest, indicating a pronounced spatial compositional similarity to disturbed soils rather than the reference state. Our findings from this localized study indicate that the fundamental microbial scaffolding of this remnant Chocó Forest soil hosts a distinct bacterial community structure, and that recovering soil microbial diversity in the adjacent old agricultural land may require extended timeframes and additional restoration approaches. We highlight remnant forest patches as critical reservoirs of belowground biodiversity and emphasize the necessity of integrating soil microbiology into continuous, long-term conservation monitoring frameworks.

Nanoparticles are increasingly being employed in a variety of industrial and environmental applications. In this study, we aimed to develop a sustainable method for synthesizing silver nanoparticles and to evaluate their potential as algal growth inhibitors. A seedless protocol was established using ascorbic acid and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) to obtain spherical silver nanoparticles, thereby avoiding the use of strong reducing agents. The nanoparticles were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and IR spectroscopy. Since microalgae and other marine organisms often grow on the surfaces of boats, ships, and other human-made devices in aquatic environments, antifouling products are necessary to prevent unwanted fouling. The algal growth inhibition capacity of the synthesized silver nanoparticles was assessed using two marine diatoms Cylindrotheca Closterium and Skeletonema marinoi . The results revealed a marked inhibitory effect on algal proliferation in treated samples compared to controls. Overall, this study demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed synthetic method and paves the way for the use of these silver nanoparticles as a tool for controlling microalgal growth.

The Ecuadorian Tropical Andes serve as vital biodiversity hotspots, crucial for hosting and preserving unique endemic species. While numerous taxonomic groups within these hotspots have been extensively studied, microalgae remain relatively unknown. This study aimed to document the microalgal diversity of Tropical Andean lakes in Ecuador and its relationship with abiotic environmental factors. Water samples were collected from 28 lakes throughout 10 conservation areas, spanning different altitudes in the Ecuadorian Tropical Andes, along with water physical/chemical data. A total of 92 microalgal genera were identified, spanning Bacillariophyta, Chlorophyta, Glaucophyta, Ocrophyta, Cyanophyta, and Euglenophyta. Lakes such as Rodeococha, Anteojos, Chinchillas, Toreadora, Magdalena, and La Mica exhibited the highest richness of microalgal genera. A positive association between temperature and the majority of microalgal phyla, except Glaucophyta, was observed. On the other hand, negative correlations were observed between total dissolved solids and water conductivity with microalgal biodiversity. Additionally, all groups displayed negative associations with pH, except Glaucophyta. The Jaccard similarity index was low among lake communities in agreement with the uniqueness of genera found in some lakes. This study represents a fundamental baseline for future investigations into Ecuador’s microalgal diversity and its relationship with abiotic environmental factors in the delicate freshwater ecosystems of Tropical Andean lakes.

The toxic effects of copper (Cu) excess in brown macroalgae have been well characterized. However, the interactive effects of increased temperatures, associated with climate change, and Cu stress on these macrophytes remain almost unexplored. In this study, we exposed the model brown seaweed Ectocarpus to different Cu concentrations (0, 0.8, 1.6, and 3.2 μM) at two different temperatures (15 and 25 °C). Relative growth rates decreased at 25 °C for the two highest Cu concentrations after 8 days of exposure, but a contrasting pattern was observed in the photosynthetic maximum quantum yield (F_v/F_m) and photosynthetic efficiency (α), where reductions were observed at 15 °C for the same Cu concentrations. Although no differences among treatments were observed for chlorophyll a (Chla) and chlorophyll c (Chlc), a reduction in concentration of the accessory pigment fucoxanthin (Fx) was only observed at 15 °C in all Cu treatments. Interestingly, at 25 °C, 20.1% less total Cu (intracellular + extracellularly bound) accumulated compared to 15 °C upon exposure to 3.2 μM Cu. Likewise, 33.1 and 23.8% less Cu accumulated intracellularly at 25 °C after exposure to 1.6 μM and 3.2 μM Cu, respectively. Additionally, at 25 °C about half of the Cu ions accumulated intracellularly and half extracellularly compared to 15 °C, where Cu accumulated mostly intracellularly at the two highest Cu concentrations. The results presented here provide valuable information to better understand the interactive effects of increased temperature and excess Cu in the stress response of Ectocarpus, suggesting that increased temperature helps to offset the negative impacts of exposure to high Cu concentrations.

In the era of globalization, we find different digital tools that have contributed to the evolution of the internet, allowing the user to become an active entity that produces and transmits information. Podcasts are digital audio recordings that are an excellent teaching and learning tool for creating and disseminating academic content. The objective of this bibliographic research is to compare educational experiences on the use of podcasts in higher education. The methodology used is hermeneutic, an exhaustive selection of articles and research papers was made that responded to the following criteria: in Spanish or English, having been published in the last 10 years, the articles must be national and international research and be focused on higher education. The following search pages and databases were used: Google Scholar, Dialnet and Scielo; using the keywords: "ICT", "higher education", "academia" and "podcast". The main findings indicated that podcast design demands from the student, planning, creativity and eloquence in what they want to express. In addition, elderly people are less likely to use digital tools, therefore, the teacher needs to become familiar with the creation of podcasts since it facilitates the understanding of academic content from different areas of knowledge. In conclusion, podcast production helps the development of superior skills in students and are digital tools compatible with asynchronous learning.

DNA methylation (DNAm) has been intensively studied in terrestrial plants in response to environmental changes, but its dynamic changes in a temporal scale remain unexplored in marine plants. The seagrassPosidonia oceanicaranks among the slowest-growing and longest-living plants on Earth, and is particularly vulnerable to sea warming and local anthropogenic pressures. Here, we analysed the dynamics of DNAm changes in plants collected from coastal areas differentially impacted by eutrophication (i.e. oligotrophic, Ol; eutrophic, Eu) and exposed to abiotic stressors (nutrients, temperature increase and their combination). Levels of global DNAm (% 5-mC) and the expression of key genes involved in DNAm were assessed after one, two and five weeks of exposure. Results revealed a clear differentiation between plants, depending on environmental stimuli, time of exposure and plants' origin. % 5-mC levels were higher during the initial stress exposure especially in Ol plants, which upregulated almost all genes involved in DNAm. Contrarily, Eu plants showed lower expression levels, which increased under chronic exposure to stressors, particularly to temperature. These findings show that DNAm is dynamic inP. oceanicaduring stress exposure and underlined that environmental epigenetic variations could be implicated in the regulation of acclimation and phenotypic differences depending on local conditions.

Seagrasses are marine flowering plants providing key ecological services and functions in coasts and estuaries across the globe. Increased environmental changes fueled by human activities are affecting their existence, compromising natural habitats and ecosystems’ biodiversity and functioning. In this context, restoration of disturbed seagrass environments has become a worldwide priority to reverse ecosystem degradation and to recover ecosystem functionality and associated services. Despite the proven importance of genetic research to perform successful restoration projects, this aspect has often been overlooked in seagrass restoration. Here, we aimed to provide a comprehensive perspective of genetic aspects related to seagrass restoration. To this end, we first reviewed the importance of studying the genetic diversity and population structure of target seagrass populations; then, we discussed the pros and cons of different approaches used to restore and/or reinforce degraded populations. In general, the collection of genetic information and the development of connectivity maps are critical steps for any seagrass restoration activity. Traditionally, the selection of donor population preferred the use of local gene pools, thought to be the best adapted to current conditions. However, in the face of rapid ocean changes, alternative approaches such as the use of climate-adjusted or admixture genotypes might provide more sustainable options to secure the survival of restored meadows. Also, we discussed different transplantation strategies applied in seagrasses and emphasized the importance of long-term seagrass monitoring in restoration. The newly developed information on epigenetics as well as the application of assisted evolution strategies were also explored. Finally, a view of legal and ethical issues related to national and international restoration management is included, highlighting improvements and potential new directions to integrate with the genetic assessment. We concluded that a good restoration effort should incorporate: (1) a good understanding of the genetic structure of both donors and populations being restored; (2) the analysis of local environmental conditions and disturbances that affect the site to be restored; (3) the analysis of local adaptation constraints influencing the performances of donor populations and native plants; (4) the integration of distribution/connectivity maps with genetic information and environmental factors relative to the target seagrass populations; (5) the planning of long-term monitoring programs to assess the performance of the restored populations. The inclusion of epigenetic knowledge and the development of assisted evolution programs are strongly hoped for the future.

Seaweeds are important components of near‐shore ecosystems as primary producers, foundation species, and biogeochemical engineers. Seaweed communities are likely to alter under predicted climate change scenarios. We tested the physiological responses of three perennial, turf‐building, intertidal rhodophytes, Mastocarpus stellatus, Osmundea pinnatifida, and the calcified Ellisolandia elongata, to elevated pCO₂ over 6 weeks. Responses varied between these three species. E. elongata was strongly affected by high pCO₂, whereas non‐calcified species were not. Elevated pCO₂ did not induce consistent responses of photosynthesis and respiration across these three species. While baseline photophysiology differed significantly between species, we found few clear effects of elevated pCO₂ on this aspect of macroalgal physiology. We found effects of within‐species variation in elevated pCO₂ response in M. stellatus, but not in the other species. Overall, our data confirm the sensitivity of calcified macroalgae to elevated pCO₂, but we found no evidence suggesting that elevated pCO₂ conditions will have a strong positive or negative impact on photosynthetic parameters in non‐calcified macroalgae.