Molecular detection of (Chytridiomycota) and culturable skin bacteria associated with three critically endangered species of (Anura: Bufonidae) in Ecuador.

Chytridiomycosis is a fungal disease responsible for massive amphibian die-offs worldwide, caused by the fungus (Bd). Potential symbiotic relationships between frogs and the bacteria residing on their skin-referred to as skin-bacteria-may inhibit Bd growth, aiding in resistance to this lethal disease. This research had three main objectives: (1) to detect the presence of Bd in native populations of , and in the central Andes and coastal southern regions of Ecuador; (2) to identify the culturable skin-bacteria; and (3) to analyze differences among the bacterial communities in the three species studied.

From field to plate: Agricultural pesticide presence in the guayas estuary (Ecuador) and commercial mangrove crabs.

Mangroves are unique coastal ecosystems, located in tropical and subtropical regions. Yet, the functioning of these essential ecosystems is threatened by the presence of pollutants, including pesticides originating from agricultural activities. We investigated pesticide residues in the Guayas estuarine environment, since agricultural activities rapidly increased in the Guayas river basin over the past decades.

Polluted paradise: Occurrence of pesticide residues within the urban coastal zones of Santa Cruz and Isabela (Galapagos, Ecuador).

Although pesticides are frequently used for agriculture in the Galapagos Islands (Ecuador), there are, to date, no investigations of pesticide occurrences in its coastal waters. We examined the presence of pesticide residues in the coastal waters of urban areas in two islands of the Galapagos archipelago using a repeated sampling design. Quantification was performed by solid-phase extraction, followed by chemical analysis using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and gas chromatography-electron capture detector (GC-ECD).