Revista de Biología Tropical Revista de Biología Tropical / International Journal of Tropical Biology and Conservation, is a full open access journal from the University of Costa Rica focused on tropical biology and conservation. All issues, from 1953 to the present, are available for free download here.
OUR SCOPE (Objective)
Our journal publishes scientific articles that increase our understanding of biology, conservation, and biomedical life sciences in the tropics.
Selection criteria are the quantity and quality of new information and its potential interest to the general audience as well as to specialists. The studied ecosystems, or at least the organisms, must be tropical.
THEMATIC COVERAGE
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We give preference to feature articles that include testable study questions —for example, studies with an experimental design to evaluate factors that influence biological variables, or studies that explain the mechanisms underlying biological or biomedical phenomena such as, for example, behavior or physiology. Field studies should be extensive enough to identify temporal or spatial patterns. We also welcome systematic or phylogenetic studies above the species level, meta-analyses, and bibliometric studies that critically examine what is known and what remains to be done in any field of tropical biology.
Review articles are mostly published by invitation of the Editorial Board to recognized authorities. Other specialists interested in submitting a review must first send a titled outline to biologia.tropical@ucr.ac.cr. Accepted proposals receive the same evaluation as regular manuscripts.
All reviews and meta-analyses need to identify and fill gaps in knowledge, present methodological advances, and propose future research directions.
Note about old data: We encourage authors to compare old results with more recent data or to use the data within a meta-analysis. Studies based on data collected over six years ago must include a justification of why they are still of interest, and in the case of field studies, they need to present spatial patterns or temporal trends of historical significance. The Editorial Board evaluates the validity of methods and the relevance of results before sending the manuscript to reviewers.
The journal now has one issue per year (continuous publication from January 1st to December 31st) and publishes articles the same week that an edited version becomes available. Until 2021, it published four regular issues per year: issue 1 (January – March), issue 2 (April – June), issue 3 (July – September), and issue 4 (October – December).
We do not publish notes; short communications; species lists; single new species; range extensions; new records and other preliminary or short studies; or highly specialized technical reports based on protocols (e.g. agricultural, forestry, biochemical, microbiological, aquaculture, fishery or similar studies that only apply well known techniques to particular cases of local interest).
SPECIAL ISSUES
Special issues financed by research organizations are accepted after approval by the Editorial Board. They may contain a diversity of report types, including short papers, new records, new species descriptions, checklists, technical reports, etc. To publish a special issue, contact biologia.tropical@ucr.ac.cr for a cost estimate.
TARGET AUDIENCE
Researchers with an interest in studying all fields of tropical biology.
WHY PUBLISH IN REVISTA DE BIOLOGÍA TROPICAL?
- Fully indexed: Revista de Biología Tropical is included in Science Citation Index Expanded, REDIB Journals Ranking, Current Contents, Google Scholar, Biological Abstracts, and about 50 other international indices.
- Rapid decision and publication (7 days for first decision, 4-8 months from submission to publication).
- Fair: We use a double-blind system for a fair evaluation of manuscripts.
- High impact, not only because of its citation rate but also because it is widely read in countries with the highest tropical biodiversity, ensuring your article will have the most impact on the conservation of tropical biodiversity. Web of Science Impact Factor of 0.6. SJR Impact Factor of 0.28 (Q2).
- A personalized treatment by our dedicated staff.
- World Class Editorial and Scientific Boards.
- Open Access: All articles, since the first issue in 1953 to the present are freely available online (Archives) so they are more likely to be cited than articles behind pay-walls.
- FREE PUBLICATION: Each article receives 10 free pages of space in PDF format, which is enough for most scientific papers. Additional pages can be published in page layout format of the pdf at a cost of $50 each. Complementary material such as additional texts, figures, tables, graphics, and databases at a cost of $60. Contact tropical@ucr.ac.cr for more information.
OAI-PMH: https://revistas.ucr.ac.cr/index.php/RBT/oai
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- Avian diversity in river levee forest: the effect of microscale heterogeneitypor Carolina Antonella Brarda el julio 24, 2024 a las 6:00 am
Introducción: Los bosques fluviales generalmente se ubican en porciones más altas de las islas llamadas albardón. Los bosques de albardón exhiben estratificación vertical, lo que contribuye a la complejidad estructural y permite que prospere una rica diversidad de aves en las islas y en el corredor fluvial circundante. Objetivos: El objetivo del estudio fue evaluar las variaciones de la diversidad de avifauna dentro de los bosques de albardón. Hipotetizamos que las aves usan diferentes tipos de bosques de albardón de manera diversa y que esto se puede observar en las estructuras del ensamble de aves para cada tipo de bosque. Métodos: El estudio se realizó durante tres años, en el Delta del Paraná, que es un área de humedales reconocida internacionalmente. Se realizó un análisis comparativo de riqueza, abundancia y diversidad en tres bosques de albardón diferentes utilizando el método de conteo de puntos. Resultados: El estudio identificó tres tipos de bosques de diques denominados bosques abiertos, intermedios y cerrados, con base en su composición florística, cobertura de dosel y altura del estrato herbáceo. Se registró un total de 85 especies de aves. Se observaron diferencias en la estructura de la comunidad de aves entre estaciones y entre tipos de bosque. Encontramos que los bosques abiertos presentan los valores más altos de riqueza, abundancia y diversidad. Nuestros hallazgos revelan la importancia de la variación estructural presente en los bosques de albardón, observada como una variación a microescala. A menudo estos bosques se consideran como una unidad ambiental homogénea en las llanuras aluviales. Conclusiones: Las unidades ambientales de los bosques de albardón en el mosaico del paisaje de humedales tienen diferencias a macroescala y microescala. Nuestros resultados muestran que las diferencias a microescala generan variaciones entre los conjuntos de comunidades de aves como un patrón asociado con un humedal fluvial en ambientes subtropicales donde la heterogeneidad es evidente. Con base en esto, consideramos que tener en cuenta la heterogeneidad ambiental a microescala de los bosques riparios es una estrategia importante para planificar el manejo de la conservación de los humedales fluviales.
- Environmental controls on bioluminescent dinoflagellate density, in Laguna Grande, Fajardo, Puerto Ricopor Yogani Govender el julio 22, 2024 a las 6:00 am
Introduction: Bio bays in Puerto Rico play an important socio-economic role and declines in dominant bioluminescent dinoflagellate Pyrodinium bahamense are concerning. Studies show erratic blooms with is weak correlation to in situ environmental factors. Our study examines shorter field and longer proxy records on dinoflagellate density at Laguna Grande de Fajardo (LGF). Objectives: To quantify temporal changes in dinoflagellate density in a long-term monitoring study, understand how the marine environment modulates those changes, and determine the wider impacts of a fluctuating climate and extreme events on proxies for dinoflagellate density. Methods: Bimonthly samples were collected from 2016 to 2021 at three sampling sites in LGF. Dinoflagellates density was estimated by Sedgewick Rafter counting cells. Environmental conditions were obtained from Rio Fajardo 5007100 station and NOAA buoy 41056. Marine climate and biotic proxies were obtained from remote sensing measurements. Kruskal Wallis, Spearman correlations and cross-correlations in the shorter field and longer proxy records were used to evaluate environmental controls on LGF dinoflagellate blooms. Results: Six years of field monitoring densities found a low period in 2016-2017, frequent and intense blooms in 2018-2021 punctuated by hurricanes. Generally low values were recorded in late winter in contrast with higher values in late summer (Aug-Nov). Light winds and mixed layer response to seasonal warming in the form of high tides and low salinity, were found to sustain dinoflagellate reproduction. Conclusions: Bioluminescent dinoflagellates are vital to coastal tourism and require resource management. LGF results show that: 1) dinoflagellate counts fluctuate widely, 2) fluorescing dinoflagellates are sensitive to environmental conditions because of limited seasonality and narrow physiological range, 3) hurricanes play a role by ‘raking and refreshing’ the coastal lagoon for subsequent biotic reproduction, and 4) intra-seasonal fluctuations of density and proxies relate to air-sea thermodynamic conditions, the salinity budget and sea level.
- Habitat structure influences the diversity of diurnal butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) in high-montane ecosystems in Colombiapor Alejandra Clavijo-Giraldo el julio 16, 2024 a las 6:00 am
Introduction: Recent ecological studies have found a positive correlation between habitat structure and animal communities that inhabit them. Generally, such studies try to test the hypotheses that animal species diversity increases in complex and heterogeneous habitats since they may provide more potential niches that structurally simpler habitats. Objective: In this research, the effect of habitat complexity and heterogeneity, and structural habitat characteristics on the butterfly community (Papilionoidea) inhabiting three vegetation covers (shrubs, highland forest and paramo) was evaluated in high-montane ecosystems of the Central Cordillera, Antioquia department, Colombia. Methods: From January to July 2012, butterflies were systematically sampled using Van Someren Rydon traps. Simultaneously, complexity, heterogeneity, and vegetation structure were quantified using 0.04 ha circular plots established around the traps. Results: We reported 108 species, 48 genus and five families of butterflies. Butterfly richness and abundance were sensible to both complexity and heterogeneity of the vegetation covers, as well as to changes in the vegetation structure, showing strong correlations with habitat characteristics. Butterfly diversity was highest in the shrub habitat (1D = 25.02; 2D = 11.97), followed by the highland forest (1D = 15.83; 2D = 9.42) and paramo (1D = 12.36; 2D = 7.86). Moreover, richness and abundance of butterfly species were positively associated with the increase in canopy cover and vegetation density in horizontal and vertical strata. Conclusion: These findings underline the importance of preserving the heterogeneity of habitats and vegetation structure in the Andean high-montane ecosystems to maintain the diversity and abundance of butterflies, highlighting the need for conservation and management policies that consider the complexity and diversity of these ecosystems.
- Physiological and anatomical responses of Passiflora tripartita var. mollissima (Passifloraceae) in water deficitpor Gabriela Toro-Tobón el julio 11, 2024 a las 6:00 am
Introduction: Passiflora tripartita var. mollissima (banana passionfruit) is one of the most promising exotic tropical fruits from the diversity of the Passifloraceae family in South America, because of its organoleptic properties and antioxidant activity. Objective: To evaluate the physiological and anatomical responses of banana passionfruit plants under water deficit to better understand the mechanisms that mitigate this stress and affect the production of crops subject to climate change and global warming. Methods: Three-month-old seedlings of banana passionfruit were subjected to a soil water deficit through an irrigation reduction at 70 % for 49 days under greenhouse conditions. Morphology (leaf area, height, and number of leaves) and physiological (stomatal conductance, Fv/Fm, total chlorophyll content) measurements were made through time, and after the irrigation treatments were measured biomass parameters and anatomical foliar traits. Results: The plants experienced a decrease in height, leaf area, number of leaves, leaf area index, and relative water content, that are common responses in plants subjected to reduced irrigation. Additionally, the plants exhibited certain mechanisms that can be attributed to water deficit tolerance such as higher root: shoot ratio, stomatal closing, an increase in stomatal density, a reduction in mesophyll tissue thickness, and a decrease in the number of vessels and its diameter as they enable the banana passionfruit to reduce water loss and decrease the probability of cavitation in xylem vessels. Conclusions: banana passionfruit plants could implement strategies against water scarcity, allowing them to survive and endure challenging environmental conditions
- A life controlled by the current: rheotaxis behavior of the river prawn Macrobrachium tenellum (Decapoda: Palaemonidae)por Omar Alejandro Peña-Almaraz el julio 5, 2024 a las 6:00 am
Introduction: The currents of streams and rivers are natural signals that influence the migrations in the life cycle of amphidromous shrimp. Objective: To evaluate the rheotaxis behavior in juveniles and adults of Macrobrachium tenellum, in relation to their response capacity to different water currentspeeds in a closed-loop experimental system. Methods: A PVC pipe system was used, with a tub for water recirculation and a backwater placed in the middle of the system. Water flows of 10-30 cm/s were tested to establish the experimental conditions. Rheotaxis behavior without backwater (SR) and with backwater (CR) was evaluated; three water flows were tested: FI, 14 cm/s; FII, 18.7 cm/s; and FIII, 22.1 cm/s, and a control FC flow, 0 cm/s, with 40 juveniles, 40 females and 40 males per flow. Three main behaviors were identified: positive rheotaxis, negative rheotaxis, and no reaction. Results: For both SR and CR, water flows stimulate positive rheotaxis and the behavioral response is different depending on the speed of the water flow and whether they are juveniles, females, or males. In CR there was a greater response of the prawns to continue swimming against the current when they entered the pool. At a straight angle, the constant flow of water greater than 23.2 cm/s makes it difficult for this species to swim against the current Conclusions: The positive rheotaxis response was the most prevalent in juveniles, females, and males of M. tenellum.