This study analyzes tree diversity and its ecological importance value in silvopastoral systems in the Sumaco Biosphere Reserve (SBR), Ecuador, along an altitudinal gradient of 400-2000 masl. Twenty-six plots distributed in low (400-700 masl), medium (701-1600 masl) and high (1601-2000 masl) zones were used. The Shannon index and the Importance Value Index (IVI), based on abundance, dominance and relative frequency, were estimated. The results show variations in the diameter structure of the trees, influenced by factors such as settlement history and pasture management. The lower and middle zones showed higher tree density and diversity, linked to regeneration and the presence of nearby forests. Species of high commercial value, such as Cedrela odorata and Jacaranda copaia, were common, reflecting knowledge of the local timber market. In the lower and middle zones, the 10 most important species accounted for more than 70% of the trees, and up to 96% in the upper zone, indicating the need for further research on abundance factors and promotion of diversification in pastures. A total of 51 tree species were identified, mostly native, 64.7% are classified by the IUCN as "Least Concern", 31.4% as "Not Evaluated", and 3.9% as "Vulnerable", specifically highlighting Cedrela odorata and Cedrela Montana. The study concludes with policy recommendations related to the importance of trees in silvopastoral systems for the conservation of species and the livelihoods of local communities, highlighting the need for responsible management of Amazonian pasturelands.

This manuscript reviews the relationship between customer perception factors and AI-enabled customer experience in the Ecuadorian banking industry. The study employs a self-designed online questionnaire with five factors for customer perception (convenience in use, personalization, trust, customer loyalty, and customer satisfaction) and two categories for AI-enabled customer experience (AI-hedonic customer experience and AI-recognition customer service). The final valid dataset consisted of 226 questionnaires. The data analyses and the hypotheses tests were done using SPSS 26 and structural equation modeling, respectively. The main findings displayed that all five customer perception factors have a positive and significant effect on AI-enabled customer experience in the Ecuadorian banking industry. Study results are aligned with previous findings from other countries, particularly the banking environment in the United Kingdom, Canada, Nigeria, and Vietnam. The AI techniques involved in the financial sector increase the valuation of customer experience due to AI algorithms recollecting, processing, and analyzing customer behavior. This study contributes with a complete statistical and econometric model for determinants of AI-enabled customer experience. The main restriction of the study is the particular analysis of the most demanded AI financial services (not all services and products are included) and the inexistence of a customer perception index. For upcoming research, the authors recommend performing a longitudinal study using quantitative data to measure the effect of AI-enabled customer experience on the Ecuadorian banks’ performance.

This paper explores how the medicinal plant knowledge of the Waorani indigenous society in Ecuador varies in accordance with both socio-economic and demographic factors. Medicinal plant knowledge was compared at both individual and community levels. Fifty-nine semi-structured interviews (men n = 30, women n = 29) were performed with people between fifteen and seventy years old in five Waorani communities located within the Yasuní Biosphere Reserve. Results show a positive correlation between an individual’s medicinal plant knowledge and age, a negative correlation between medicinal plant knowledge and the years of schooling, and differences among isolated and easily accessible communities. Reasons behind these findings are seen in the rapid socio-cultural changes of the Waorani society due to globalization processes. Increased accessibility to health centers, improved transportation infrastructure and changes in how knowledge is transmitted to young people all result in a loss of ethnobotanical knowledge. Policymakers need to take action in order to ensure the maintenance of ethnoecological knowledge among the Waorani.