Moss diversity of the cloud forest of the Sierra Juárez, Oaxaca, Mexico

Antecedentes y Objetivos: El bosque nublado de la Sierra Juárez, Oaxaca, presenta el mayor nivel de conservación y es el más grande en términos de extensión en México. Los musgos son un componente clave de la flora del bosque nublado y desempeñan funciones ecológicas importantes. Sin embargo, la composición y diversidad de musgos de esta región continúan siendo desconocidas. Los objetivos de este trabajo fueron determinar la composición florística y estimar la diversidad α y β de musgos del bosque nublado de la Sierra Juárez. Métodos: La composición florística de musgos del bosque nublado, ubicado dentro del municipio Santiago Comaltepec, Oaxaca, fue evaluada a través de ocho sitios de muestreo. Además, se estimó la diversidad α y β de este grupo florístico. Los análisis fueron realizados para todas las especies, así como para los gremios de especies terrestres y epífitas. Resultados clave: Se registraron 102 especies de musgos, agrupadas en 64 géneros y 32 familias. De dichas especies, 13 son nuevos registros para el estado. Las familias más diversas fueron Leucobryaceae y Orthotrichaceae. Los géneros con el mayor número de especies fueron Syrrhopodon, Campylopus, Fissidens, Macromitrium y Pogonatum. En este estudio se reporta una alta diversidad α y β de musgos con un patrón similar entre los musgos de los gremios terrestre y epífito. Conclusiones: El bosque nublado de la Sierra Juárez, Oaxaca, es un ecosistema con una alta diversidad de musgos y gran posibilidad de incrementar los registros para el estado. Con base en los análisis de diversidad estimada, se hace evidente la necesidad de continuar estudios básicos a nivel microambiente sobre uno de sus componentes más característicos.Background and Aims: The cloud forest of the Sierra Juárez, Oaxaca, presents the highest level of conservation and is the largest in terms of extension in Mexico. Mosses are a key component of cloud forest flora, playing important ecological functions. However, the composition and moss diversity in this region remains unknown. Hence, our goals were to determine the floristic composition and estimate the α and β diversity of mosses in the cloud forest of the Sierra Juárez. Methods: The floristic composition of mosses in the cloud forest located within the municipality of Santiago Comaltepec, Oaxaca, was evaluated through eight sampling sites. In this forest, the diversity α and β of this floristic group were also estimated. The analyses were performed for all the species, as well as for the guilds of the terrestrial and epiphytic species. Key results: In this study, we registered 102 species of mosses, grouped into 64 genera and 32 families. Of those species, 13 are new records for the state. The most diverse families were Leucobryaceae and Orthotrichaceae. The genera with the highest number of species were Syrrhopodon, Campylopus, Fissidens, Macromitrium and Pogonatum. This study reports a high α and β diversity of mosses with a similar pattern between the terrestrial and epiphytic species. Conclusions: The cloud forest of the Sierra Juárez, Oaxaca, is an ecosystem with a high moss diversity and a great possibility of increasing the records for the state. Based on the analyses of estimated diversity, the need becomes evident to continue fundamental studies at the microenvironmental level on one of its most characteristic components

Financial education and its impact on the management capacity of merchants of the municipal public company Agricultural Producers Market Riobamba´s San Pedro (EP-EMMPA)

La presente investigación tuvo como objetivo determinar los niveles de educación financiera de los comerciantes de la empresa pública Mercado de Productores Agrícolas San Pedro de Riobamba EP-EMMPA, y su incidencia en la capacidad de gestión; de un universo de 946 comerciantes arrendatarios permanentes, se obtuvo una muestra representativa de 195 a quienes se aplicó una encuesta mediante el método aleatorio   sobre aspectos relacionados con: nivel de formación y conocimientos financieros; comportamiento y actitudes  en relación a la  inversión, el financiamiento, el  ahorro y manejo de herramientas financieras básicas. Los hallazgos relevantes evidenciaron el manejo empírico de las finanzas por parte de los comerciantes del mercado mayorista de la ciudad de Riobamba, debido al bajo nivel de educación financiera que incide en la capacidad de gestión y manejo de sus recursos económicos. Al mismo tiempo generan graves dificultades tales como: sobre endeudamiento, falta de inversión, deficiente ahorro y financiamiento de la actividad comercial a través de fuentes informales con elevados costos financieros y sociales. La investigación concluye la necesidad de trasferencia de conocimientos que permita en el mediano y largo plazo fortalecer la cultura financiera de los comerciantes mediante programa de formación y educación financiera con participación directa de las Universidades y Escuelas Politécnicas de la localidad a través de sus Facultades de Administración de Empresas y unidades de vinculación con la comunidadThe objective of this research was to determine the levels of financial education of the merchants of the public company Agricultural Producers Market Riobamba´s San Pedro EP-EMMPA, and its impact on management capacity; from a universe of 946 permanent tenant merchants, a representative sample of 195 was obtained, to whom a survey was applied using the random method on aspects related to: level of education and financial knowledge; behavior and attitudes in relation to investment, financing, saving and management of basic financial tools. The relevant findings evidenced the empirical management of finances by the merchants of the Riobamba wholesale market, due to the low level of financial education that affects the ability to manage and manage their economic resources. At the same time, they generate serious difficulties such as: over-indebtedness, lack of investment, poor savings and financing of commercial activity through informal sources with high financial and social costs. The research concludes the need for knowledge transfer that allows in the medium and long term to strengthen the financial culture of merchants through financial training and education programs with direct participation of the Universities and Polytechnic Schools of the town through their Management Faculties. Companies and community engagement units

Abundancia y distribución de agallas foliosas en Quercus resinosa Liemb. (Fagaceae) en Aguascalientes, México

Las agallas son estructuras de crecimiento anormal en los tejidos de las plantas debido a la actividad parasítica de otro organismo. El estudio de este tipo de estructuras como microhábitat de avispas es escaso en la literatura y no se presenta una descripción detallada de su conformación. En este trabajo se describe la anatomía y morfología de las agallas foliosas, y se evalúan los factores que restringen su abundancia y distribución a nivel foliar, individual y poblacional en los encinosQuercus resinosa. Se encontró que la agalla es generada por una avispa de la familia Cynipidae, específica deQuercus resinosaLiemb. A nivel foliar, las agallas presentan características anatómicas y morfológicas similares a las del hospedero. A nivel del individuo, el 72.52% de las agallas están ubicadas en el envés de la hoja, mientras que sólo el 27.48% de estas estructuras se forman en el haz. A nivel de la población, el número de agallas varía de una a diez agallas por árbol. En promedio, cada árbol puede tener 4.88 ± 2.34 agallas. Los árboles mayormente infectados son los de categorías intermedias (X2=9.67;

Updated BaSTI Stellar Evolution Models and Isochrones. II. α-enhanced Calculations

This is the second paper of a series devoted to presenting an updated release of the BaSTI (a Bag of Stellar Tracks and Isochrones) stellar model and isochrone library. Following the publication of the updated solar-scaled library, here we present the library for an α-enhanced heavy element distribution. These new α-enhanced models account for all improvements and updates in the reference solar metal distribution and physics inputs, as in the new solar-scaled library. The models cover a mass range between 0.1 and 15 M⊙, 18 metallicities between [Fe/H] = -3.20 and +0.06 with [α/Fe] = +0.4, and a He-to-metal enrichment ratio ΔY/ΔZ = 1.31. For each metallicity, He-enhanced stellar models are also provided. The isochrones cover (typically) an age range between 20 Myr and 14.5 Gyr, including consistently the pre-main-sequence phase. The asteroseismic properties of the theoretical models have also been calculated. Models and isochrones have been compared with results from independent calculations, with the previous BaSTI release, and also with selected observations, to test the accuracy/reliability of these new calculations. All stellar evolution tracks, asteroseismic properties, and isochrones are publicly available at http://basti-iac.oa-teramo.inaf.it

Ocean monitoring, observation network and modelling of the Gulf of Mexico by CIGOM

The tragic accident of the Macondo platform operated by British Petroleum (BP) unleashed in 2010 one of the largest oil spills in history, lasting over three months, spilling nearly 500 million liters of oil in one of the most biodiverse ocean regions. This accident revealed the technological deficiencies for the control of a spill in deep waters of the hydrocarbon industry. Simultaneously it showed important gaps in knowledge to predict the propagation and fate of the large volumes of hydrocarbons at depth and on the surface ocean and, more importantly, on their impact on the great ecosystem of the Gulf of Mexico. The necessity to understand and predict the transport, fate and ecosystem-level impacts of large oil spills in the southern Gulf of Mexico, a key region for oil exploration and extraction, led policymakers, scientists, and industry representatives from PEMEX (the Mexican oil company) to jointly launch an ocean observation project (2015-22) aimed to provide a multi-layered environmental baseline, develop a modern monitoring and computational modeling capacity and promote scientific understanding of the marine environment throughout the Mexican Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The initiative, led by the Research Consortium for the Gulf of Mexico (CIGoM), brought together more than 300 multidisciplinary researchers from more than a two dozen institutions in Mexico and abroad, including the Centre for Scientific Research and Higher Education of Ensenada (CICESE) as the leading institution, the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), the Centre for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute (CINVESTAV) in Mérida, the Autonomous University of Baja California (UABC), and the Centre for Engineering and Industrial Development (CIDESI). Financial support was provided by the National Council for Science and Technology and the Ministry of Energy Hydrocarbon Fund

The Updated BaSTI Stellar Evolution Models and Isochrones: I. Solar Scaled Calculations

We present an updated release of the BaSTI (a Bag of Stellar Tracks and Isochrones) stellar model and isochrone library for a solar scaled heavy element distribution. The main input physics changed from the previous BaSTI release include the solar metal mixture, electron conduction opacities, a few nuclear reaction rates, bolometric corrections, and the treatment of the overshooting efficiency for shrinking convective cores. The new model calculations cover a mass range between 0.1 and 15 Msun, 22 initial chemical compositions between [Fe/H]=-3.20 and +0.45, with helium to metal enrichment ratio dY /dZ=1.31. The isochrones cover an age range between 20 Myr and 14.5 Gyr, take consistently into account the pre-main sequence phase, and have been translated to a large number of popular photometric systems. Asteroseismic properties of the theoretical models have also been calculated. We compare our isochrones with results from independent databases and with several sets of observations, to test the accuracy of the calculations. All stellar evolution tracks, asteroseismic properties and isochrones are made available through a dedicated Web site

Nuestros microcompañeros

This work seeks to explain some aspects of microorganisms and other entities (viruses). To accomplish this, we write about their structure, habitat, and interactions. As well as to mention their importance in some areas of the industry (biotechnology). In the end, we will have an approach with micro-beings and other infectious agents (viruses), as well as the way in which our life can coexist with them. Knowing the surrounding world, allows us to be more conscious with the reality we are currently living. It also helps to understand we are surrounded by micro-beings and other entities. Once we realize we are not alone, it is easy to answer the following question: Who coexists with us? Our response must include organisms we do not perceive. Se explican algunos aspectos de los microorganismos y demás entes (virus), así como su importancia que tienen en algunas áreas de la industria (biotecnología). Se usaron las estructuras, hábitats e interacciones. A partir de los elementos desarrollados se tendrá un acercamiento de las características de estos microseres y demás agentes infecciosos (virus), así como su manera en que nuestra vida puede coexistir con ellos. Conocer nuestro entorno permite acercarnos a la realidad en la que actualmente estamos y comprender que hay microseres y otros entes que no vemos, pero con los que cotidianamente convivimos de tal manera que al preguntarnos “quién nos acompaña” nuestra respuesta tenga inmersa a los organismos que no percibimos por nuestros sentidos.&nbsp

Abundancia y distribución de agallas foliosas en Quercus resinosa Liemb. (Fagaceae) en Aguascalientes, México

Las agallas son estructuras de crecimiento anormal en los tejidos de las plantas debido a la actividad parasítica de otro organismo. El estudio de este tipo de estructuras como microhábitat de avispas es escaso en la literatura y no se presenta una descripción detallada de su conformación. En este trabajo se describe la anatomía y morfología de las agallas foliosas, y se evalúan los factores que restringen su abundancia y distribución a nivel foliar, individual y poblacional en los encinosQuercus resinosa. Se encontró que la agalla es generada por una avispa de la familia Cynipidae, específica deQuercus resinosaLiemb. A nivel foliar, las agallas presentan características anatómicas y morfológicas similares a las del hospedero. A nivel del individuo, el 72.52% de las agallas están ubicadas en el envés de la hoja, mientras que sólo el 27.48% de estas estructuras se forman en el haz. A nivel de la población, el número de agallas varía de una a diez agallas por árbol. En promedio, cada árbol puede tener 4.88 ± 2.34 agallas. Los árboles mayormente infectados son los de categorías intermedias (X2=9.67; P<0.022). Entre las cuatro poblaciones estudiadas existen diferencias significativas en los niveles de infestación (X2=14.78; P<0.001). La supervivencia de las avispas presentes en las agallas fue menor a 35% y se observó una relación significativa entre el tamaño de la agalla y la supervivencia de su hospedero. Finalmente, se piensa que factores climáticos y fisiográficos regulan la abundancia y distribución de la agalla foliosa en el estado de Aguascalientes.</span

Effects of Habitat Loss on the Ecology of Pachyphytum caesium (Crassulaceae), a Specialized Cliff-Dwelling Endemic Species in Central Mexico

Cliff-dwelling plant species are highly specialized and adapted to a vulnerable, fragmented, and are mostly endemic, narrowly-distributed and threatened. As a contribution to the conservation efforts of endemic cliff-dwelling species, this study provides an overview of the effects of habitat loss on the abundance and distribution of Pachyphytum caesium (Crassulaceae) due to human disturbances. To achieve this objective, we first conducted a retrospective analysis from 2003–2013 to assess the effects of land use change on the abundance of P. caesium. Secondly, we estimate the abundance and distribution of P. caesium throughout the study area, as well as analyze the effect of rock-climbing activities on the density and population structure of P. caesium. The results suggest differences in population abundance among sites is due to the adverse effects of habitat loss. P. caesium presents a very restricted distribution with small and fragmented populations. In addition, guava agriculture has a significant impact on the chemical soil properties of the hillsides, causing a significant effect on the occurrence of P. caesium, while sport activities remove both the soil and the plants from the cliffs. According to the results, P. caesium is classified as a plant species with extremely small populations (PSESP), and it is highly vulnerable to habitat disturbance. Its conservation is thus a priority to ensure its permanence