Browsing by Author "Loyola, Rodrigo"

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    Chronological sequence (early and late Holocene) and cultural trajectories in Quebrada Pedernales, southern Puna, Chile (26°S-3,456-3,730 masl)
    (2023) Mendoza, Patricio Lopez; Carrasco, Carlos; Loyola, Rodrigo; Mendez, Victor; Varas, Daniel; Diaz, Pablo; Santana-Sagredo, Francisca; Quiroz, Luciana; Soto, Angelica; Flores-Aqueveque, Valentina; Maldonado, Antonio; Vera, Francisca; Bravo, Alvaro; Hernandez, Daniel; Alamos, Ignacio; Orrego, Vanessa
    This article presents the results of the interdisciplinary investigation in Quebrada Pedernales (26 degrees S-69 degrees W, Chile 3456 masl), in the highlands of northern Chile. The excavations and surveys carried out revealed a great diversity of pre-Hispanic evidence in an area of the Andes that has been little investigated. This evidence allowed us to reconstruct a sequence of continuous occupation between 11,201-11,612 and 539-634 cal. BP. Zooarchaeological, radiocarbon, technological, geochemical, and carpological analyses suggest wide mobility circuits between the coast and the puna on both slopes of the Andes at the start of the Holocene, coinciding with improved environmental conditions in this area and greater aridity on the coast. A severe lack of human occupation is observed during the mid-Holocene, a phenomenon associated with extreme arid environmental conditions. These trends indicate that the southern limit of influence of this environmental event, which has been recorded in a large part of the south-central Andes, extended into the study area, with a direct impact on the settlement and mobility of human groups. Towards ca. 3000 cal. BP, environmental conditions similar to those of today are associated with the reappearance of archaeological evidence and greater complexity in the formation of settlements, especially in terms of hunting activities.
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    Huentelauquén coastal groups in the Andean highlands? An assessment of human occupations of the Early Holocene in Salar de Pedernales, Chile (26°S, 3356 masl)
    (2022) López, Patricio; Carrasco, Carlos; Loyola, Rodrigo; Flores-Aqueveque, Valentina; Maldonado, Antonio; Santana Sagredo, Francisca; Méndez, Víctor; Díaz, Pablo; Varas, Daniel; Soto, Angélica
    We present new evidence obtained in archaeological surveys in Quebrada Pedernales (3356 masl), in the southern puna of Chile (26°S; 69°W). A series of surface findings such as large lanceolate stemmed projectile points and geometric stones, together with chronostratigraphic and artifactual data recovered in excavations at the Pedernales-38 site, suggest that the coastal Huentelauquén groups explored and inhabited the Andean highlands between 10,151 and 9695 cal yr BP. The archaeological record is discussed as it relates to the known evidence for this cultural complex, recognized principally on the Pacific coast. The archaeological findings allow us to broaden the diversity of environments exploited by coastal populations of the Early Holocene, and provide new data on their mobility and settlement strategies.
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    Human dynamics in the Southern Puna of Chile (25°-27°s) during the Late Holocene: abandonment, re-occupation and diversification
    (2024) López Mendoza, Patricio; Loyola, Rodrigo; Carrasco, Carlos; Latorre, Elvira; Méndez Muñoz, Victor Andrés
    We discuss the process of human re-occupation of the Southern Puna (25°-27°S) during the Late Holocene through a variety of lines of evidence, such as ceramics, faunal bones, lithic technology, sources of raw materials like obsidian, and rock art, and their integration with spatial analyses using least-cost paths. Our results indicate a process in which niches were formed in the puna, focused on a variety of activities such as vicuña hunting; exploitation of lithic sources, minerals and pigments; camelid grazing; symbolic manifestations, and inter-Andean circulation. This suggests that human dynamics in the highlands of the Southern Puna toward the Late Holocene were motivated by a range of biotic and abiotic resources, and different modes of occupation, which tended to become diversified in the long term; nevertheless, they retained a common base in vicuña hunting and obsidian procurement, circulation and exchange.
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    Late Pleistocene human occupations in the southern puna, Chile (12,4-10,7 ka cal. BP): Primary results from the Salar de Infieles (25°S, 3529 m. a.s.l.)
    (2023) Mendoza, Patricio Lopez; Carrasco, Carlos; Loyola, Rodrigo; Mendez, Victor; Blanco, Elvira Latorre; Diaz-Jarufe, Pablo; Flores-Aqueveque, Valentina; Varas, Daniel; Santana-Sagredo, Francisca; Orrego, Vanessa; Soto, Angelica; Maldonado, Antonio; Maturana-Fernandez, Anahi
    This article presents the results of excavations at the Infieles-1 site, located at 3529 m. a.s.l. in the Salar de Infieles (25 degrees S), highlands of the Chile's southern Puna ecoregion. An initial human occupation was discovered next to an ignimbrite rock-shelter at a depth of 70-80 cm on top of a volcanic ash deposit, dated between 10,798 and 12,440 cal yr BP. The archaeological record consists of lithic wasted-flakes and knapping debris, an ultra-marginal andesite side-scraper, vicuna bone fragments and traces of red mineral pigment. As far as now, this event is the first human occupation recorded in the southern Puna. It is a camp associated with more favourable environmental conditions during the late Central Andean Pluvial Event II (CAPE II). (C) 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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    Pedernales-5: An enclave for flamingo (Phoenicopteridae) exploitation during the Early Holocene in the Chilean southern Puna (26°S-69°W)
    (SAGE Publications, 2024) López, Patricio; Loyola, Rodrigo; Carrasco, Carlos; Roa Solís, Constanza; Varas, Daniel; Santana Sagredo, Francisca; Méndez Muñoz, Víctor Andrés; Bravo, Gabriela; Latorre, Elvira; Sáez, Alina; Orrego, Vanessa; Sperling, Ariel
    We present the results of an interdisciplinary study conducted at the Pedernales-5 site, situated in the Salar de Pedernales basin (26°S; 3356 masl), dated from 10,510−10,749 to 11,201−11,612 cal. BP. Unlike other Late Pleistocene and Holocene sites in the Andean Puna, where vicuñas (Vicugna vicugna) were the primary prey, at Pedernales-5, the zooarcheological assemblage consists almost exclusively of flamingo (Phoenicopteridae) and bird remains. Through the analysis of lithic and bone artifacts, archeobotanical remains, pigment composition, and paleoenvironmental data, we propose that the emphasis on flamingo exploitation cannot be solely explained by alimentary consumption but also served cultural and symbolic purposes related to the acquisition of feathers, hides, and bones. The unique archeological context of Pedernales-5 offers a distinctive perspective on human dynamics in the Andean highlands during the Early Holocene.
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    Phytoplasma and virus detection in commercial plantings of Vitis vinifera cv. Merlot exhibiting premature berry dehydration
    (UNIV CATOLICA DE VALPARAISO, 2008) Matus, Jose Tomas; Vega, Andrea; Loyola, Rodrigo; Serrano, Carolina; Cabrera, Soledad; Arce Johnson, Patricio
    A new and devastating physiological disorder of Vitis vinifera cv. Merlot was recently reported, known as premature berry dehydration (PBD), which is characterized by plant growth reduction, induction of general senescence and pedicel necrosis in the fruit, causing significant reductions in vineyard production. The causes of this disease remain unclear and previous reports suggest that it may be associated with phloem disruption and water provision. For this reason, any factor causing phloem disturbances could cause an important change in the berry water status. As some micro-organisms have been reported to disrupt phloem flow, we analyzed the occurrence of phytoplasma and viruses in commercial vineyards presenting PBD. In this study, a phytoplasma was detected by electron microscopy and nested PCR while virus infections were diagnosed by RT-PCR in samples collected during two growing seasons. The presence of phytoplasma only in samples from grape plants with PBD suggests that this pathogen may be one of the causal agents of this disorder. We suggest that the influence of other factors, such as virus infections, agronomic handling and environmental conditions also modulate berry dehydration. This is the first study at the microscopic and molecular levels that correlates phytoplasma presence with PBD.
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    Post-veraison sunlight exposure induces MYB-mediated transcriptional regulation of anthocyanin and flavonol synthesis in berry skins of Vitis vinifera
    (OXFORD UNIV PRESS, 2009) Thomas Matus, Jose; Loyola, Rodrigo; Vega, Andrea; Pena Neira, Alvaro; Bordeu, Edmundo; Arce Johnson, Patricio; Antonio Alcalde, Jose
    Anthocyanins, flavan-3-ols, and flavonols are the three major classes of flavonoid compounds found in grape berry tissues. Several viticultural practices increase flavonoid content in the fruit, but the underlying genetic mechanisms responsible for these changes have not been completely deciphered. The impact of post-veraison sunlight exposure on anthocyanin and flavonol accumulation in grape berry skin and its relation to the expression of different transcriptional regulators known to be involved in flavonoid synthesis was studied. Treatments consisting of removing or moving aside the basal leaves which shade berry clusters were applied. Shading did not affect sugar accumulation or gene expression of HEXOSE TRANSPORTER 1, although in the leaf removal treatment, these events were retarded during the first weeks of ripening. Flavonols were the most drastically reduced flavonoids following shading and leaf removal treatments, related to the reduced expression of FLAVONOL SYNTHASE 4 and its putative transcriptional regulator MYB12. Anthocyanin accumulation and the expression of CHS2, LDOX, OMT, UFGT, MYBA1, and MYB5a genes were also affected. Other regulatory genes were less affected or not affected at all by these treatments. Non-transcriptional control mechanisms for flavonoid synthesis are also suggested, especially during the initial stages of ripening. Although berries from the leaf removal treatment received more light than shaded fruits, malvidin-3-glucoside and total flavonol content was reduced compared with the treatment without leaf removal. This work reveals that flavonol-related gene expression responds rapidly to field changes in light levels, as shown by the treatment in which shaded fruits were exposed to light in the late stages of ripening. Taken together, this study establishes MYB-specific responsiveness for the effect of sun exposure and sugar transport on flavonoid synthesis.
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    Provenance and long-term circulation of archaeological obsidian in the Puna de Copiapo (25-27°S), South-Central Andes
    (2023) Loyola, Rodrigo; Lopez-Mendoza, Patricio; Carrasco, Carlos; Glascock, Michael D.; Flores-Aqueveque, Valentina; Mendez, Victor; Varas, Daniel; Orrego, Vanessa
    We present obsidian compositional data obtained by X-ray fluorescence analysis in the Andean highlands (25-27 degrees S/68-69 degrees W) of northern Chile. Seventy-six samples (n = 76) from three lithic sources and six archaeological sites were analyzed, covering a chronological sequence from 10,100 to 500 cal BP. Compositional analyses indicate the exploitation of the Cienaga Redonda and Cerro Manchado local sources as well as Ona-Las Cuevas and Salar del Hombre Muerto located between 200 and 230 km away on the eastern slope of the Andes, in northwestern Argentina. The results obtained show that the Puna de Copiapo has been a key area for circulation between the eastern and western slopes of the Andes since pre-Columbian times.
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    Short-term UV-B radiation affects photosynthetic performance and antioxidant gene expression in highbush blueberry leaves
    (2016) Inostroza Blancheteau, Claudio; Acevedo, Patricio; Loyola, Rodrigo; Arce Johnson, Jorge Patricio; Alberdi, Miren; Reyes Díaz, Marjorie
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    Technological and Protein Residue Analysis on Ancient Stemmed Projectile Points of the Southern Andes Highlands
    (2024) Loyola, Rodrigo; López-Mendoza, Patricio; Carrasco, Carlos; Walker, Cam; Fagan, John; Méndez Muñoz, Víctor Andrés; Santana Sagredo, Francisca; Flores Aqueveque, Valentina; Soto, Angélica
    We present the results of technological and protein residue analyses of the lithic assemblagesrecovered at the Pedernales-38 site (26.5°S; 69°W), located in the highlands of the southernAndes (3380 masl). Based on a reconstruction of the operational chains and the differentialrepresentation of their phases, we suggest that the final production, use, maintenance, anddiscard of large stemmed projectile points occurred at the site. Of the assemblage studied, nine(9) projectile points and one end-scraper were subjected to residue analysis using cross-overimmunoelectrophoresis (CIEP). Four positive reactions to antisera of human, camelid (guanacoor vicuña) and canid (Andean fox) were recorded. The results are discussed based on thedepositional context and the structure of the archeological record. We propose that Pedernalesprojectile points were mainly used in hunting weapons to capture wild camelids during theseasonal occupation of the Andes highlands
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    The photomorphogenic factors UV-B RECEPTOR 1, ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL 5, and HY5 HOMOLOGUE are part of the UV-B signalling pathway in grapevine and mediate flavonol accumulation in response to the environment
    (2016) Loyola, Rodrigo; Herrera, Daniela; Mas, Abraham; Wong, Darren Chern Jan; Hoell, Janine; Cavallini, Erika; Amato, Alessandra; Azuma, Akifumi; Ziegler, Tobias; Aquea, Felipe; Castellarin, Simone Diego; Bogs, Jochen; Tornielli, Giovanni Battista; Pena-Neira, Alvaro; Czemmel, Stefan; Antonio Alcalde, Jose; Tomas Matus, Jose; Arce-Johnson, Patricio
    By performing molecular studies coupled to radiation experiments and in silico systems analyses, we have ascertained the role of the grapevine UV-B receptor and two HY5 homologues in regulating flavonol synthesis.Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) is a species well known for its adaptation to radiation. However, photomorphogenic factors related to UV-B responses have not been molecularly characterized. We cloned and studied the role of UV-B RECEPTOR (UVR1), ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL 5 (HY5), and HY5 HOMOLOGUE (HYH) from V. vinifera. We performed gene functional characterizations, generated co-expression networks, and tested them in different environmental conditions. These genes complemented the Arabidopsis uvr8 and hy5 mutants in morphological and secondary metabolic responses to radiation. We combined microarray and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data with promoter inspections to identify HY5 and HYH putative target genes and their DNA binding preferences. Despite sharing a large set of common co-expressed genes, we found different hierarchies for HY5 and HYH depending on the organ and stress condition, reflecting both co-operative and partially redundant roles. New candidate UV-B gene markers were supported by the presence of HY5-binding sites. These included a set of flavonol-related genes that were up-regulated in a HY5 transient expression assay. We irradiated in vitro plantlets and fruits from old potted vines with high and low UV-B exposures and followed the accumulation of flavonols and changes in gene expression in comparison with non-irradiated conditions. UVR1, HY5, and HYH expression varied with organ, developmental stage, and type of radiation. Surprisingly, UVR1 expression was modulated by shading and temperature in berries, but not by UV-B radiation. We propose that the UV-B response machinery favours berry flavonol accumulation through the activation of HY5 and HYH at different developmental stages at both high and low UV-B exposures.
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    'White gold' guano fertilizer drove agricultural intensification in the Atacama Desert from ad 1000
    (2021) Santana-Sagredo, Francisca; Schulting, Rick J.; Mendez-Quiros, Pablo; Vidal-Elgueta, Ale; Uribe, Mauricio; Loyola, Rodrigo; Maturana-Fernandez, Anahi; Diaz, Francisca P.; Latorre, Claudio; McRostie, Virginia B.; Santoro, Calogero M.; Mandakovic, Valentina; Harrod, Chris; Lee-Thorp, Julia
    The archaeological record shows that large pre-Inca agricultural systems supported settlements for centuries around the ravines and oases of northern Chile's hyperarid Atacama Desert. This raises questions about how such productivity was achieved and sustained, and its social implications. Using isotopic data of well-preserved ancient plant remains from Atacama sites, we show a dramatic increase in crop nitrogen isotope values (delta N-15) from around ad 1000. Maize was most affected, with delta N-15 values as high as +30 parts per thousand, and human bone collagen following a similar trend; moreover, their carbon isotope values (delta C-13) indicate a considerable increase in the consumption of maize at the same time. We attribute the shift to extremely high delta N-15 values-the highest in the world for archaeological plants-to the use of seabird guano to fertilize crops. Guano-'white gold' as it came to be called-thus sustained agricultural intensification, supporting a substantial population in an otherwise extreme environment.