Forecasting Forest Vulnerability to Drought in Pyrenean Silver Fir Forests Showing Dieback

Forest dieback is manifested as widespread loss of tree vigor, growth decline and high mortality rates. Forest dieback is becoming increasingly frequent and extended, particularly in drought-prone regions. This is the case of the south-western Spanish Pyrenees, where keystone species such as Silver fir reach their xeric and southern distribution limits. While dieback of this species has been widely documented in this area, we still lack methodologies to forecast the vulnerability of these forests in response to increasing drought stress so as to anticipate their potential dieback in the future. Here we study multiple features of Silver fir forests and trees to evaluate whether previous growth rates and their growth trends are valid predictors of forest dieback. Further, we validate our methodology revisiting two Silver fir sites sampled two decades ago. The defoliation degree was strongly related with radial growth, and growth trends differed between moderately to highly defoliated trees and non-defoliated trees. Forests showing dieback, i.e., those in which 25% of the sampled trees showed defoliation > 50%, were located at low elevation and received less rainfall in summer than forests showing no dieback. Trees showing high defoliation presented lower growth rates than non-defoliated trees. Moreover, we ratified that defoliation has increased considerably over the last two decades in one of the two revisited sites, but we were unable to accurately forecast growth trends in both sites, particularly in the site not showing dieback. The retrospective assessment of growth rates and trends offers valuable information on the vulnerability of Silver fir trees to drought. However, we are still far from being able to forecast the vulnerability of Silver fir forests to increasing drought. A systematic monitoring of growth across a wide tree-ring network of sites might provide valuable information to advance in this direction

Timing of Drought Triggers Distinct Growth Responses in Holm Oak: Implications to Predict Warming-Induced Forest Defoliation and Growth Decline

Droughts negatively impact forests by reducing growth and increasing defoliation leading to forest dieback as the climate becomes warmer and drier. However, the timing and severity of droughts determine how differently or intensively water shortage affects primary (shoot and leaf formation) and secondary growth (stem radial growth based on tree-ring widths). We compare the impact of two severe droughts (2005, 2012), showing different climatic characteristics on the growth responses of three Mediterranean holm oak stands in northeastern Spain. We also quantify climate trends and drought severity. Then, we use remote sensing data to infer how those droughts impacted forest productivity. Both droughts were characterized by warm and dry spring conditions leading to reduced budburst, low shoot production, asynchrony in primary growth and decreased productivity and scarce radial growth, particularly in 2005. However, defoliation peaked in 2012 when radial growth showed minimum values and early spring and late summer temperatures reached maximum values. We discuss how uncoupled and resilient are the responses of primary and secondary growth to drought. Finally, these findings are used to gain insight into the drought-related drivers of defoliation in Spanish holm oak forests.We acknowledge support by the CSIC Open Access Publication Initiative through its Unit of Information Resources for Research (URICI).Peer reviewe

Delineating limits: Confronting predicted climatic suitability to field performance in mistletoe populations

1. Biotic stressors such as hemiparasites have a profound impact on forest functioning. However, predicting the future incidence of these stressors on forests remains challenging because climate-based distribution does not consider tree-hemiparasite interactions or the impacts of extreme climate events on stressors'' performance. 2. We use species distribution models (SDMs) and ecophysiological and demographic field data to assess whether climatic suitability is a proxy for the performance of the hemiparasite mistletoe (Viscum album) in two forests with contrasting climatic conditions. Two host tree species representing wet-cold (Scots pine) and dry-warm (Aleppo pine) conditions were selected. We fitted SDMs based on climate variables, and measured different ecophysiological variables capturing cold- (photoinhibition) and drought tolerance (intrinsic water-use efficiency, iWUE). We also assessed demographic variables related to seed germination and establishment rates of mistletoe through a translocation experiment. 3. Species distribution models showed a high climatic suitability of mistletoe in both forests. Mistletoes living in the Scots pines site presented a higher cold tolerance, while those inhabiting the Aleppo pine site showed a higher iWUE. Seedlings coming from local seeds showed a lower mortality than seedlings coming from translocated seeds. Germination and seedling establishment showed temporal mismatches when comparing local and translocated seeds. 4. Synthesis. Habitat suitability predicted by SDMs based on climate data and field performance were related in this mistletoe species. However, ecophysiological and demographic variables indicated a lower fitness of mistletoe in the dry-warm site associated with drought stress. In conclusion, predicted climate suitability based on SDMs forecasts should be refined using field data on actual performance and considering plant-to-plant interactions and extreme climate events

Evapotranspiration deficit controls net primary production and growth of silver fir: Implications for Circum-Mediterranean forests under forecasted warmer and drier conditions

Warming-induced drought stress has been hypothesized as a major driver of forest net primary production (NPP) reduction, but we lack reliable field data to assess if higher temperatures lead to forest NPP reduction, particularly in humid sites and at basin to landscape spatial scales. The use of a landscape approach would allow considering the feedbacks operating between climate, topography, soil vegetation and water resources. Here we follow that approach by simulating NPP using the regional hydro-ecologic simulation system (RHESSys) model and by comparing the results with radial growth data (tree-ring widths and intrinsic water-use efficiency - iWUE). We evaluate the relationships between climate, growth, NPP, atmospheric CO2 concentrations (ca) and iWUE in xeric and mesic silver fir forests subjected to contrasting water balances. The growth data successfully validated the 11-month NPP cumulated until spring. The main negative climatic driver of growth and NPP was the summer evapotranspiration deficit, which shows a negative association with tree-ring width indices. Sensitivity analyses indicate that rising ca do not compensate the severe NPP reduction associated to warmer and drier conditions. The positive effect of rising ca on NPP is mediated by climatic site conditions being detected only in mesic sites, whereas the negative effects of drought on NPP override any ca-related enhancement of NPP in xeric sites. Future warmer and drier conditions causing a higher evaporative demand by the atmosphere could lead to a NPP decline in temperate conifer forests subjected to episodic droughts. © 2015 Elsevier B.V.We would like to thank the Spanish Meteorological State Agency (AEMET) and the Confederación Hidrográfica del Ebro for providing the climatic and streamflow databases used in this study. This work has been supported by research projects CGL2011-27574-CO2-02, CGL2011-27536, CGL2014-52135-CO3-01 and Red de variabilidad y cambio climático RECLIM (CGL2014-517221-REDT) financed by the Spanish Commission of Science and Technology and FEDER, “LIFE12 ENV/ES/000536-Demonstration and validation of innovative methodology for regional climate change adaptation in the Mediterranean area (LIFE MEDACC)” financed by the LIFE programme of the European Commission and CTTP1/12 financed by the Comunidad de Trabajo de los Pirineos. JJC also acknowledges the support of ARAID and projects 012/2008, 387/2011 and 1012S (Organismo Autónomo Parques Nacionales, Spain).Peer Reviewe

Interventions to improve immigrant health. A scoping review.

Background: Disparities in health between immigrants and their host populations have been described across countries and continents. Hence, interventions for improving health targeting general populations are not necessarily effective for immigrants. Aims: To conduct a systematic search of the literature evaluating health interventions for immigrants; to map the characteristics of identified studies including range of interventions, immigrant populations and their host countries, clinical areas targeted and reported evaluations, challenges and limitations of the interventions identified. Following the results, to develop recommendations for research in the field. Methods: A scoping review approach was chosen to provide an overview of the type, extent and quantity of research available. Studies were included if they empirically evaluated health interventions targeting immigrants and/or their descendants, included a control group, and were published in English (PubMed and Embase from 1990 to 2015). Results: Most of the 83 studies included were conducted in the USA, encompassed few immigrant groups and used a randomized controlled trial (RCT) or cluster RCT design. Most interventions addressed chronic and non-communicable diseases and attendance at cancer screening services, used individual targeted approaches, targeted adult women and recruited participants from health centres. Outcome measures were often subjective, with the exception of interventions for cardiovascular risk and diabetes. Generally, authors claimed that interventions were beneficial, despite a number of reported limitations. Conclusions: Recommendations for enhancing interventions to improve immigrant health are provided to help researchers, funders and health care commissioners when deciding upon the scope, nature and design of future research in this area

The analysis of meiosis of the B genome of common wheat.

6 p.Two intervarietal hybrids of common wheat, Triticum aestivum L., are meiotically analyzed using the C-banding staining method. The C-banding pattern of nine meiotic chromosomes (4A, 7A, and the seven of the B genome) permitted their unequivocal recognition at first metaphase plates. The pairing frequency of each B-genome chromosome arm was scored. Data on the pairing frequency of the arms, separately considered, are applied to calculate expected pairing of whole chromosomes and whole genomes. The application of mathematical models to predict the genome pairing using either equal or different frequencies per chromosome arm is discussed.Key words: meiotic analysis, Triticum aestivum L., C-banding

Diseño de una planta industrial para la reutilización de los efluentes generados en la producción de cuero

In this article, the design and implementation of an industrial plant for the treatment of effluents generated in the production process of a tannery was developed in order to achieve its treatment and reuse in the activities of the company. Currently there are no major advances regarding the management of their effluents, being these directly disposed to the sewage system which has caused the breach of the environmental regulations in force in the country, causing a negative impact on the environment, in addition, it has been wasted the potential of reusing them within their processes. Due to this, it was decided to develop a technical study that allows to implement the proposed treatment plant according to the needs of the company. The treatment system is divided into three units, the first one for Pre-treatment of the effluents, the second one for the physical-chemical treatment and the last one for the conditioning of sludge.En el presente artículo se desarrolló el diseño e implementación de una planta industrial para el tratamiento de los efluentes generados en el proceso productivo de una curtiembre con el objetivo de lograr la reutilización de los mismos en sus actividades. Actualmente la empresa no se presentan mayores avances respecto al manejo de sus efluentes, siendo estos dispuestos directamente al sistema de alcantarillado lo que ha ocasionado el incumplimiento de la normativa ambiental vigente en el país provocando un impacto negativo en el medio ambiente. Debido a esto se decidió desarrollar un estudio técnico que permita implementar una planta de tratamiento adecuada las instalaciones y necesidades de la empresa. El sistema de tratamiento está dividido en tres unidades, la primera correspondiente al Pre-tratamiento de los efluentes, la segunda destinada al tratamiento físico-químico y la última para el acondicionamiento de lodos

Distinct Differentiation Programs Triggered by IL-6 And LPS in Teleost IgM+ B Cells in the Absence of Germinal Centers

We would like to thank Lucia Gonzalez and Maria Sanz for technical assistance. Professor Øystein Evensen is also acknowledged for providing us with the inactivated IPNV. This work was supported by the European Research Council (ERC Starting Grant 2011 280469) and by the European Commission under the 7th Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7) of the European Union (Grant Agreement 311993 TARGETFISH). T. W. received funding from the MASTS pooling initiative (The Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland). MASTS is funded by the Scottish Funding Council (grant reference HR09011).Peer reviewedPublisher PD

An extinct Eocene taxon of the daisy family (Asteraceae): Evolutionary, ecological and biogeographical implications

Background and Aims: Morphological, molecular and biogeographical information bearing on early evolution of the sunflower alliance of families suggests that the clade containing the extant daisy family (Asteraceae) differentiated in South America during the Eocene, although palaeontological studies on this continent failed to reveal conclusive support for this hypothesis. Here we describe in detail Raiguenrayun cura gen. & sp. nov., an exceptionally well preserved capitulescence of Asteraceae recovered from Eocene deposits of northwestern Patagonia, Argentina. Methods: The fossil was collected from the 47·5 million-year-old Huitrera Formation at the Estancia Don Hiplito locality, Ro Negro Province, Argentina. Key Results: The arrangement of the capitula in a cymose capitulescence, the many-flowered capitula with multiseriateimbricate involucral bracts and the pappus-like structures indicate a close morphological relationship with Asteraceae. Raiguenrayun cura and the associated pollen Mutisiapollis telleriae do not match exactly any living member of the family, and clearly represent extinct taxa. They share a mosaic of morphological features today recognized in taxa phylogenetically close to the root of Asteraceae, such as Stifftieae, Wunderlichioideae and Gochnatieae (Mutisioideae sensu lato) and Dicomeae and Oldenburgieae (Carduoideae), today endemic to or mainly distributed in South America and Africa, respectively. Conclusions: This is the first fossil genus of Asteraceae based on an outstandingly preserved capitulescence that might represent the ancestor of MutisioideaeCarduoideae. It might have evolved in southern South America some time during the early Palaeogene and subsequently entered Africa, before the biogeographical isolation of these continents became much more pronounced. The new fossil represents the first reliable point for calibration, favouring an earlier date to the split between Barnadesioideae and the rest of Asteraceae than previously thought, which can be traced back at least 47·5 million years. This is the oldest well dated member of Asteraceae and perhaps the earliest indirect evidence for bird pollination in the family.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

An extinct Eocene taxon of the daisy family (Asteraceae): Evolutionary, ecological and biogeographical implications

Background and Aims: Morphological, molecular and biogeographical information bearing on early evolution of the sunflower alliance of families suggests that the clade containing the extant daisy family (Asteraceae) differentiated in South America during the Eocene, although palaeontological studies on this continent failed to reveal conclusive support for this hypothesis. Here we describe in detail Raiguenrayun cura gen. & sp. nov., an exceptionally well preserved capitulescence of Asteraceae recovered from Eocene deposits of northwestern Patagonia, Argentina. Methods: The fossil was collected from the 47·5 million-year-old Huitrera Formation at the Estancia Don Hiplito locality, Ro Negro Province, Argentina. Key Results: The arrangement of the capitula in a cymose capitulescence, the many-flowered capitula with multiseriateimbricate involucral bracts and the pappus-like structures indicate a close morphological relationship with Asteraceae. Raiguenrayun cura and the associated pollen Mutisiapollis telleriae do not match exactly any living member of the family, and clearly represent extinct taxa. They share a mosaic of morphological features today recognized in taxa phylogenetically close to the root of Asteraceae, such as Stifftieae, Wunderlichioideae and Gochnatieae (Mutisioideae sensu lato) and Dicomeae and Oldenburgieae (Carduoideae), today endemic to or mainly distributed in South America and Africa, respectively. Conclusions: This is the first fossil genus of Asteraceae based on an outstandingly preserved capitulescence that might represent the ancestor of MutisioideaeCarduoideae. It might have evolved in southern South America some time during the early Palaeogene and subsequently entered Africa, before the biogeographical isolation of these continents became much more pronounced. The new fossil represents the first reliable point for calibration, favouring an earlier date to the split between Barnadesioideae and the rest of Asteraceae than previously thought, which can be traced back at least 47·5 million years. This is the oldest well dated member of Asteraceae and perhaps the earliest indirect evidence for bird pollination in the family.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse