Christian Javier Malaga-Espinoza

Mr. Christian Javier Malaga-Espinoza

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Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

5Years (2022-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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14 July 2022 in Microorganisms
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Journal Article
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SASarelia Mirey Castañeda Alejo
Sarelia Mirey Castañeda Alejo
KMKevin Tejada Meza
Kevin Tejada Meza
MVMaria Rosario Elsa Valderrama-Valencia
Maria Rosario Elsa Valderrama-Valencia
Armando ArenazasArmando Arenazas
Armando Arenazas
CMChristian Javier Malaga-Espinoza
Christian Javier Malaga-Espinoza
Rubber is a natural product, the main car tire component. Due to the characteristics acquired by this material after its vulcanization process, its degradation under natural conditions requires very long times, causing several environmental problems. In the present work, the existence of a bacterial consortium isolated from a discarded tire found within the Socabaya River with the ability to degrade shredded tire rubber without any chemical pretreatment is explored. Taking into consideration the complex chemical composition of a rubber tire and the described benefits of the use of pretreatments, the study is developed as a preliminary analysis. The augmentative growth technique was used, and the level of degradation was quantified as a percentage through the analysis of microbial respiration. Schiff’s test and the use of comparative photographs of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were also used. The consortium using next generation genetic sequencing was analyzed. A 4.94% degradation point was obtained after 20 days of experimentation, and it was found that the consortium was mostly made up with Delftia tsuruhatensis with 69.12% of the total genetic readings of the consortium and the existence of 15% of unidentified microbial strains at the genre level. The role played by the organisms in the degradation process is unknown. However, the positive results in the tests carried out show that the consortium had action on the shredded tire, showing a mineralization process.

16 October 2026 in Alpine Botany
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Journal Article
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HZHoracio Zeballos
Horacio Zeballos
GPG. Sofía Pezo-Alencastre
G. Sofía Pezo-Alencastre
ABArlette T. Barletti
Arlette T. Barletti
SCSarelia M. Castañeda-Alejo
Sarelia M. Castañeda-Alejo
CMChristian Javier Malaga-Espinoza
Christian Javier Malaga-Espinoza
ASAlexandra V. Sanchez-Moreno
Alexandra V. Sanchez-Moreno
High-Andean grasslands, located between 3,500 and 5,000 m in the Tropical Andes, cover approximately 16% of South America and represent a significant proportion of the world’s alpine ecosystems. These systems support nearly one million pastoralists while harbouring a unique share of tropical alpine biodiversity. However, management practices, including overgrazing, recurrent burning, and the introduction of non-native livestock, combined with soil degradation processes, have led to widespread ecosystem deterioration. This situation has been exacerbated by the promotion of a generalized management strategy across the Puna which overlooks Puna´s ecological variability and complexity. This study aimed to characterize plant biodiversity, structure, and composition, across four Puna types in the Peruvian Andes, and to compare how different management regimes within each type affects these variables. A total of 160 plots (10 × 10 m) were surveyed during both wet and dry seasons in 2021. Data were analysed using Indicator Species Analysis, Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling, Principal Component Analysis, and multivariate regression. A total of 419 plant species were recorded, with higher diversity observed in humid Puna systems (Puno and Huánuco), particularly during the rainy season. Vegetation structure and composition were primarily driven by altitude, soil nitrogen, and minimum temperature, while species dominance patterns shifted along a gradient of grazing intensity. Disturbance level emerged as a key driver of diversity, with clear differentiation among plant communities across both environmental and management gradients. These results evidence that the Puna is best understood as a heterogeneous mosaic of ecosystems, where climatic constraints and grazing pressure interact to shape vegetation dynamics. This highlights the need for context-specific management strategies aimed at conserving biodiversity and enhancing ecosystem resilience in High-Andean grasslands.