Ecología espacial y diversidad genética de Ranitomeya variabilis en el bosque bajo de la Reserva Biológica Colonso-Chalupas

Abstract

Population dynamics, distribution and genetic diversity are the main components to understand ecological processes and development of effective conservation strategies for threatened species. Spatial distribution patterns may be influenced by local ecological factors such as topography, vegetation cover, and microclimate. In parallel, mitochondrial or nuclear molecular markers (i.e. microsatellites) can provide insights into population connectivity, traits diversity and evolutionary processes, not evident from morphology alone. This study will evaluate the spatial ecology and genetic diversity of the dart frog Ranitomeya variabilis in a fragmented landscape in the piedmont forest, nearby to the Colonso-Chalupas Biological Reserve, norther Amazon basin of Ecuador. Although the species has been recorded in various provinces of northeastern Ecuador, no detailed studies have been conducted on its spatial distribution or genetic structure within this reserve. The integration of geospatial tools and molecular analyses will allow the identification of genetic differentiation and ecological structuring in the area. The results of this research will contribute to establishing a scientific basis for the conservation, monitoring, and management of Ranitomeya variabilis, in a fragmented landscape surrounding the piedmont forests of the Colonso-Chalupas, one of the most complex and diverse ecosystems in the Ecuadorian Amazon.

Keywords:

Amazon basin, connectivity, conservation biology, genetic structure, molecular markers, population dynamics, spatial patterns.