THE RACE TO UNDERSTAND COLOMBIA'S EXCEPTIONAL BIODIVERSITY

Summary: Despite its biodiversity, Colombia faces poverty and food insecurity. This study examines the diversity and distribution of edible plants in Colombia using spatial and taxonomic analysis, highlighting the importance of these resources for addressing food security. The Andean humid forests were identified as major biodiversity hotspots, and specific areas were identified for further investigation and conservation efforts.

Summary: In the karstic region of the Andes of Santander, cave-dwelling catfish in the genus Trichomycterus exhibit variable levels of reduction of eyes and body pigmentation, which provides ample potential to study questions related to convergent adaptation to cave environments. The mitochondrial DNA sequences suggest that caves in this region have been colonized independently by two separate clades, with possible additional events of cave colonization in one clade. This system is promising for studies on a wide range of ecological and evolutionary questions.