Lionfish ( Pterois spp.) are hypothesized to negatively influence cryptobenthic reef fish assemblages through predation. We evaluated these potential effects on Caribbean reefs in Costa Rica and tropical reefs in Brazil. Brazil provided a reference condition for cryptobenthic assemblages prior to lionfish invasion, while the Costa Rica sites enabled comparisons between reefs inside marine protected areas (MPAs), where lionfish...

We investigated the community structure, spatial distribution, and molecular phylogeny of peritrich ciliates living as epibionts on the shells of Gundlachia lutzi . Seven peritrich species were registered, including Epistylis portoalegrensis , Epistylis sp., Opercularia articulata , Opercularia nutans , Opercularia sp., Platycola decumbens , and Thuricola sp. We delimited specific shell regions (e.g. anterior, posterior, A, B,...

The sorghum aphid, Melanaphis sorghi (Theobald, 1904) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is a significant pest. This study classified the host suitability of seven Poaceae genotypes: commercial and wild sorghum ( S. bicolor , S. sudanense , S. bicolor verticilliflorum ), pearl millet ( Pennisetum glaucum ), and maize ( Zea mays ). Aphid biological performance was assessed via leaf-disc bioassays under controlled conditions (24 ± 2 °C, 60...

This study identified four hidden rainfall states in Northeast Brazil (NEB) during the austral autumn (March–May) from 1981 to 2015 using a Hidden Markov Model (HMM). Two states correspond to widespread dry (State 1) and wet (State 2) conditions, both exhibiting strong daily persistence and associations with large‐scale atmospheric features, including the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), the South American Monsoon System...

As alkali-activated materials represent a technical and environmental alternative for reducing cement consumption, it is necessary to enable their applications under the same conditions in which traditional Portland cement (OPC) is used. Supported by records of good mechanical performance, durability, and capacity to incorporate industrial waste, studies have investigated their use in additive manufacturing or 3D printing—a te...

Bees play a pivotal role in terrestrial environments. Urbanization can affect these organisms and the ecosystem services they provide. However, knowledge of the global diversity of urban bees is limited. Thus, we summarized data on urban bee species identities and occurrences; compared distributions of all bees with those found in urban environments; described traits and resource collection across latitudinal regions; and dete...

Aging and insulin resistance are intertwined factors in the development of metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disorders. Liraglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, has shown promising cardioprotective effects in preclinical and clinical studies of metabolic diseases. Yet, its action on insulin-resistant aged subjects is not clearly defined. This study aimed to investigate the ef...

The COVID-19 pandemic triggered unparalleled political, economic, and social ramifications, exacerbating global food insecurity (FI). To understand the overall impact of the pandemic and how different socio-economic groups were affected, we assessed prevalence and severity of FI in a sample of 18,997 households across seven countries in South America. We employed the Food Insecurity Experience Scale developed by the FAO. Our r...

Genomic data has revealed hybridisation is common in nature. Highly divergent allopatric species are often overlooked in our efforts to characterise the prevalence and consequences of hybridisation in natural systems, presumably because they are viewed as less likely to hybridise. Yet, such species are models to investigate later stages of the speciation continuum. Here, we study such a system—the Iberian chubs ( Squalius spp....

Our primary objective was to compile a comprehensive dataset on bird–window collisions throughout the Neotropical region, including both published and unpublished sources. On May 12, 2020, we extensively disseminated invitations to provide data via email and social media platforms. By providing a template worksheet, we required standardized information from collaborators to complete and register their data. To better understan...