Browsing by Author "Chinga, Javiera"

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    A New Distinctive Species of Schizanthus (Solanaceae) and the Reinstatement of Schizanthus fallax
    (2021) Lavandero, Nicolas; Chinga, Javiera; Pinto, Raquel; Fernanda Perez, Maria
    A new Schizanthus species from northern Chile is described and illustrated. Schizanthus nutantiflorus was discovered based on recent collections made during unusual rain events in the Atacama Desert in 2015. The new species is distinguished morphologically from other Schizanthus species from northern Chile by its short corolla tube, with a distinct upper lip arrangement and colour, having the longest lower lip, and downward-facing flowers. Additionally, the reinstatement of Schizanthus fallax is proposed. By using both nDNA and cpDNA, phylogenetic relationships among all species of Schizanthus were investigated. Molecular and field observations, as well as an exhaustive morphological revision of fresh material and herbarium specimens, supports the segregation of Schizanthus with short corolla tubes from northern Chile into three species. We propose that, in order to fully understand both the taxonomy and evolution of Schizanthus, an integrative framework encompassing molecular, ecological, and morphological data should be carried out. Information on distribution, habitat, informal conservation status, as well as taxonomic notes and illustrations are provided. In addition, an updated key for the species of Schizanthus from northern Chile is given.
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    Exploring perceptions towards biodiversity conservation in urban parks: Insights on acceptability and design attributes.
    (2024) Chinga, Javiera; Murua, Maureen; Gelcich, Stefan
    Green infrastructure has emerged as an opportunity to balance sociocultural and ecological benefits, alongside the potential for biodiversity conservation in cities. However, key design challenges that remain unsolved including 1) how to effectively balance biodiversity conservation and sociocultural benefits, and 2) how user's perception and knowledge may affect the acceptance of conservation interventions in parks. In this study, we used a mixed methods approach in which focus groups were used to explore users'perceptions of landscape attributes, their benefits, biodiversity, climate change, and conservation interventions in parks. This was followed by faceto-face interviews with the broader general public to quantitatively assess perceptions and acceptability for conservation interventions in parks. While plant density and functional diversity were identified as key landscape attributes, trade-offs may occur with other attributes such as multi-functionality and the order of the vegetation. Most conservation interventions had high acceptance levels, where the decrease of grass in parks was the most controversial attribute. All interventions were correlated with the importance of landscape attributes and climate change concerns, but poorly associated with knowledge of native biodiversity. The results support 1) increasing the functional diversity of plants in parks as a way to balance environmental and sociocultural benefits and promote the acceptability of conservation interventions, however such an increase should be linked to designs that respect notions of order and other park uses, and 2) environmental education based on climate change may be the key to improving acceptability of these initiatives.
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    The role of heterochrony in Schizanthus flower evolution- a quantitative analysis
    (2021) Chinga, Javiera; Perez, Maria Fernanda; Classen-Bockhoff, Regine
    Changes in the timing of development within a lineage (heterochrony) have an enormous impact on floral diversification. However, comparative quantitative studies in a broad range of ontogenetic stages are still needed to identify the role of different heterochronic processes shaping diversification patterns. In this study, changes in petal development were compared across species in the genus Schizanthus showing floral diversification mediated by pollinators. In this genus, transitions from bee-to hummingbird-and moth-pollination are associated with lower lip diversification. Variation in size and shape of petals was quantified at key ontogenetic stages by using a traditional and a geometric morphometric approach. Buds from petal initiation until shortly before anthesis were considered. Lower lip reduction can arise by different combinations of ontogenetic processes such as a delay in organ initiation, a decrease in growth rate, and/or by terminal deletion of the final shape. These processes may interact having an additive effect along ontogeny. Compensatory effects can also occur, as an increase in growth rates can offset the effect of a delay in organ initiation. Heterochronic changes underlying independent reductions of the lower lip varied between lower lip structures: the wing and the keel. While wing reduction was achieved by similar ontogenetic process in both clades, keel reduction was achieved mostly by terminal deletion of the final shape in the moth-pollinated clade and by a decrease in growth rates in the hummingbird-pollinated clade. Therefore, the lower lip structures (keel and wings) originating from the same primordia are governed by different processes indicating that they are discrete developmental units. In conclusion, comparative quantitative studies along a broad range of ontogenetic stages are key to understand how different combinations of onto genetic processes shape morphological variation and promote adaptive evolution.