Archive for 2012

F.P. Kacoliris 
The Somuncura Plateau is a priority conservation area given its unique biology, geology and anthropology. This area is home to three species that are internationally recognized as high conservation priorities: the Somuncura frog (Pleurodema somuncurensis), the Laguna Raimunda frog (Atelognathus reverberii) and the naked characin (Gymnocharacinus bergii). The objective of this project was to Read more

R. Cajade 
Paraje Tres Cerros is comprised of three outcrops that rise above the Corrientes plains and constitute true rocky “islands”. Until this project, the herpetofauna of the site were unknown. The primary objectives of this project were to survey the herpetofauna and use the results as a tool for educating the regional population and contributing Read more

J.I. Zanón Martínez
Puma populations of Argentina, and in particular those of La Pampa Province, are not immune to the conservation threats affecting the species worldwide. Along with loss and modification of habitat within the Caldén Forest region, puma populations have been affected by both sport hunting and management culling. In 2007, amid suspicions of illegal Read more

M. Ruiz Blanco 
It is widely recognized that predatory interactions involving large carnivores play significant ecological roles on terrestrial communities. However, in the neotropics, these interactions have scarcely been studied. Particularly, there is a lack of information regarding ungulate neonatal predation and its consequence on prey population dynamics. Guanacos were the main puma prey in South Read more

R. Mariano-Jelicich
Diet studies of migratory birds have been a necessary tool for analyzing processes associated with overwintering site selection, interactions with primary prey species, detection of potential conflicts with anthropogenic activities and evaluation of habitat quality. The common tern (Sterna hirundo) is a neotropical migratory marine bird that breeds in North America and migrates to Read more

P. Fiorta 
For many years, stocks of sedentary invertebrates were assessed and managed using a finfish-oriented framework. However, most of these sedentary stocks are small-scale, spatially structured and data poor, yielding inappropriate management approaches when finfish models are applied. This project aims to develop non-traditional monitoring protocols for artisanal diving fisheries that target scallops, which are Read more

C.I. Roesler
The hooded grebe (Podiceps gallardoi) is a globally listed critically endangered bird species that inhabits the plateaus of western Santa Cruz Province, Argentina. The conservation threats affecting the species have been recently identified and management actions have been considered a priority for their conservation. Since 2009, a team from universities and conservation NGOs has Read more

M.B. Argüelles 
The southern right whale is a protected species, one of four to be declared a National Natural Monument in Argentina. It is a cultural icon and an opportunity for sustainable ecotourism economies. Understanding the effects of human activities on these whale populations is therefore a priority for their conservation and management. This project compared Read more

G. Sinimbu 
One third of tropical forest plants bear extrafloral nectaries to attract ants. Ants, in turn, provide protective services for plant’s young leaves by preying on herbivores. Although these diverse and abundant ant-plant associations are classically viewed as mutualisms, the paucity of data suggest that ants may not always benefit plants. This project focused on Read more

S. Copello 
One of the primary processes that affect marine coastal areas is urban development, and the anthropogenic activities it brings such as industry and tourism. The Argentine Pampean coastal region is characterized by a concentration of such activities and consequently is an area of high user conflict. This region is also used by a large Read more

P. L. Perrig 

The Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus), the largest flying bird in the New World and an emblematic animal of South America, is declining in abundance range-wide and critically endangered at the northern half of its distribution. Different human activities affect the species, but the most widespread and insidious threat faced by Andean condors involves decreasing Read more

I. Berkunsky 
The blue-throated macaw (Ara glaucogularis) is a critically endangered macaw endemic of Bolivia. At present, fewer than 150 individuals exist in the wild, which presents one of primary limits to reproduction and population growth. In 2013, after approval from the Bolivian government, the first 6 (of 60) captive individuals were moved from the United Read more