Ordinary and Extraordinary Movement Behaviour of Small Resident Fish within a Mediterranean Marine Protected Area

It is important to account for the movement behaviour of fishes when designing effective marine protected areas (MPAs). Fish movements occur across different spatial and temporal scales and understanding the variety of movements is essential to make correct management decisions. This study describes in detail the movement patterns of an economically and commercially important species, Diplodus sargus, within a well-enforced Mediterranean MPA. We monitored horizontal and vertical movements of 41 adult individuals using passive acoustic telemetry for up to one year. We applied novel analysis and visualization techniques to get a comprehensive view of a wide range of movements. D. sargus individuals were highly territorial, moving within small home ranges ( 50 m), where they aggregated to spawn. This study advances our understanding about the functioning of an established MPA and provides important insights into the biology and management of a small sedentary species, suggesting the relevance of rare but important fish behaviours

Evolution of Irritability, Anger, and Aggression after Traumatic Brain Injury: Identifying and Predicting Subgroups

The current prospective, multi-center, longitudinal cohort study examined how veterans/service members (V/SM) changed in their irritability, anger, and aggression (IAA) scores from admission to discharge in post-acute rehabilitation settings. The goals were to identify trajectory subgroups, and explore if there were different predictors of the subgroups. V/SM (n = 346) from five Veterans Affairs TBI Model Systems Polytrauma Rehabilitation Centers participated. The sample was mostly men (92%) and identified as white (69%), black (13%), and other races (18%). Median age was 28 years, and 78% had sustained a severe TBI. Staff rated IAA at admission and discharge using the Mayo-Portland Adaptability Inventory-4 item#15. Four IAA trajectory subgroups were identified: (1) no IAA at admission or discharge (n = 89, 25.72%), (2) resolved IAA (n = 61, 17.63%), (3) delayed onset IAA (n = 31, 8.96%), and (4) persistent IAA (n = 165, 47.69%). Greater post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms were the only consistent predictor of belonging to all the subgroups who had IAA compared with the no IAA subgroup. We conclude that IAA had different trajectories after a TBI. The majority of V/SM had persistent impairment from IAA, a quarter of the sample had no impairment from IAA, and fewer participants had resolving or worsening IAA. Findings emphasize the importance of educating providers and family of the different ways and times that IAA can manifest after TBI. Timely diagnosis and treatment of PTSD symptoms during and after rehabilitation are critical treatment targets

Thermal stratification drives movement of a coastal apex predator

A characterization of the thermal ecology of fishes is needed to better understand changes in ecosystems and species distributions arising from global warming. The movement of wild animals during changing environmental conditions provides essential information to help predict the future thermal response of large marine predators. We used acoustic telemetry to monitor the vertical movement activity of the common dentex (Dentex dentex), a Mediterranean coastal predator, in relation to the oscillations of the seasonal thermocline during two summer periods in the Medes Islands marine reserve (NW Mediterranean Sea). During the summer stratification period, the common dentex presented a clear preference for the warm suprathermoclinal layer, and adjusted their vertical movements following the depth changes of the thermocline. The same preference was also observed during the night, when fish were less active. Due to this behaviour, we hypothesize that inter-annual thermal oscillations and the predicted lengthening of summer conditions will have a significant positive impact on the metabolic efficiency, activity levels, and population dynamics of this species, particularly in its northern limit of distribution. These changes in the dynamics of an ecosystem’s keystone predator might cascade down to lower trophic levels, potentially re-defining the coastal fish communities of the futureVersión del editor2,92

Nuevos antecedentes sobre los sistemas culturales en Chile central de composición de elementos

Se presentan y discuten los resultados de análisis en hueso humano y cerámica de los sitios El Mercurio y Laguna El Peral-C (Chile central) realizados con técnicas de Rayos-X (PIXE y EDXRF). El objetivo es contrastar hipótesis sobre las relaciones intrarregionales y los sistemas de asentamiento en esta región durante el período alfarero temprano

Cortisol levels in the hair of prehispanic populations of San Pedro de Atacama, Northern Chile Niveles de cortisol en cabellos de poblaciones prehispánicas de San Pedro de Atacama, Norte de Chile

Systemic stress in prehispanic populations of San Pedro de Atacama (SPA) during the Middle and Late Intermediate periods was explored through cortisol analysis of hair samples of mummies from these periods. The cortisol levels in the SPA samples were similar to those in samples from present day individuals. This suggests that, in spite of the different environmental and social conditions, prehispanic populations from SPA were not exposed to higher levels of systemic stress than modern populations, possibly due to their long history of occupation and adaptation to the local environment. Individuals from the Middle period showed lower cortisol levels than those from the Late Intermediate period, thus reflecting the differences in the quality of life as shown by osteological markers as well as the cultural and environmental changes associated with the transition from one period to the other. Although cortisol levels in archaeological samples may be affected by a range of factors, they ca

Cartografia bionòmica dels hàbitats de la costa del Montgrí i les illes Medes

Podeu consultar l'informe complet [El fons marí de les illes Medes i el Montgrí: quatre dècades de recerca per a la conservació] a: http://hdl.handle.net/2445/33366La caracterització dels ecosistemes bentònics i el coneixement de l’estructura i funcionalitat dels ecosistemes és una eina imprescindible per a la gestió i conservació del medi natural. A causa de la seva composició específica i dinàmica, les diferents espècies i les comunitats que formen responen de forma diferent a les pertorbacions que s’hi produeixen, de manera que la gestió del medi natural ha de tenir en compte les particularitats de cada hàbitat..

Osteofitosis vertebral en poblaciones prehispánicas de San Pedro de Atacama, norte de Chile

Se estudió la osteofitosis vertebral como indicador de estrés físico en grupos humanos prehistóricos de San Pedro de Atacama, durante los períodos Medio (400 DC - 1000 DC) e Intermedio Tardío (1000 DC - 1450 DC). Se registró el grado promedio de osteofitosis vertebral de cada segmento vertebral en 154 individuos adultos de cuatro sitios: Solcor 3, Coyo 3, Quitor 6 y Toconao Oriente. Se comprobó el carácter degenerativo de la osteofitosis vertebral, ya que el grado promedio de osteofitosis fue mayor en el rango etario más viejo. Se observaron diferencias significativas entre sitios sólo en este rango. No se encontraron diferencias en el grado de osteofitosis entre sexos. Los resultados indicaron que durante el período Intermedio Tardío, tanto hombres como mujeres, sufrieron un estrés físico sobre la espalda menor que las poblaciones que vivieron durante el período Medio, especialmente a finales de este período, posiblemente por cambios en los patrones de actividad, ya sea en la energía invertida en sus actividades y por consecuencia, en la intensidad de las actividades físicas desarrolladas, o en diferencias en el tipo de actividades desarrolladas.Palabras claves: bioarqueología - estrés físico - período Medio - período Intermedio Tardío.Abstract Vertebral osteophytosis was studied as a marker for physical stress in prehistoric populations of San Pedro de Atacama from the Middle (400 – 1.000 A.D.) and Late Intermediate (1.000 – 1.450 A.D.) periods. The mean degree of osteophytosis was recorded in each vertebral segment of 154 individuals from four sites: Solcor 3, Coyo 3, Quitor 6 and Toconao Oriente. Osteophytosis prevalence was more severe in older individuals, corroborating its degenerative nature. However, after correction for age impact in osteophytosis prevalence, significant differences were observed between sites. Differences in osteophytosis prevalence between sexes were not significant. The results show that during the Late Intermediate period populations of both sexes suffered less vertebral stress than during the Middle period, particularly during the its end. Changes in activity patterns (amount of energy invested, intensity or type of activities undertaken) could account for the differences found.Key words: bioarchaeology - physical stress - Middle period - Late Intermediate period