La pintura literaria y al óleo de Venecia en Proust, Turner, Whistler y Monet

La ciudad de Venecia en Á la Recherche du Temps Perdu se construye como un espacio fragmentario y multiforme sometido a las variaciones lumínicas, atmosféricas y acuáticas que también caracterizan las representaciones de la ciudad de los pintores Turner, Whistler y Monet. Tanto en el lenguaje literario como en el plástico, la ciudad se erige como un espacio cambiante y evanescente, situado entre la realidad y el sueño. La descripción literaria de Proust y el lenguaje pictórico de estos tres artistas se ponen al servicio de la representación de una ciudad en la que se pierden las fronteras entre lo acuático, lo aéreo y lo pétreo

Zooming into plant-flower visitor networks: an individual trait-based approach

Understanding how ecological communities are structured is a major goal in ecology. Ecological networks representing interaction patterns among species have become a powerful tool to capture the mechanisms underlying plant-animal assemblages. However, these networks largely do not account for inter-individual variability and thus may be limiting our development of a clear mechanistic understanding of community structure. In this study, we develop a new individual-trait based approach to examine the importance of individual plant and pollinator functional size traits (pollinator thorax width and plant nectar holder depth) in mutualistic networks. We performed hierarchical cluster analyses to group interacting individuals into classes, according to their similarity in functional size. We then compared the structure of bee-flower networks where nodes represented either species identity or trait sets. The individual trait-based network was almost twice as nested as its species-based equivalent and it had a more symmetric linkage pattern resulting from of a high degree of size-matching. In conclusion, we show that by constructing individual trait-based networks we can reveal important patterns otherwise difficult to observe in species-based networks and thus improve our understanding of community structure. We therefore recommend using both trait-based and species-based approaches together to develop a clearer understanding of the properties of ecological networks

Increasing efficiency and reducing bias in the sampling of seed-dispersal interactions based on mist-netted birds

Efficient and unbiased sampling of ecological interactions is essential to our understanding of the functions they mediate. Seed dispersal by frugivorous birds is a key mutualism for plant regeneration and community dynamics. Mist-netting is one of the most widely used methods to sample avian seed dispersal through the identification of seeds in droppings of captured birds kept inside cloth bags. However, birds may drop seeds on the ground before being extracted from the net, leading to a fraction of missing information due to ineffective sampling. Worryingly, this fraction could be unevenly distributed across bird and plant species, leading to sampling biases. Here, we assess the effectiveness of using a 1-m wide mesh below mist nets to sample seeds dropped by entangled birds. We used data from birds mist-netted during one-year-round. We sampled nearly 50% of interaction events and 75% of dispersed seeds on the mesh band below the mist nets (i.e. lost information without this optimization). The proportion of seeds sampled on the mesh bands was not evenly distributed among bird species but strongly related to bird size, ranging from 57–63% in warblers to 84–94% in thrushes. Moreover, the proportion of seeds sampled on the mesh was negatively related to seed size, although this relationship was weaker. We also evaluated accumulation curves of species and pairwise interactions with increasing sampling effort, both with and without using the mesh bands. The number of seed species sampled increased by 21% when using the mesh bands and the number of pairwise interactions by 36%. Our findings provide strong evidence on how inefficient and biased traditional mist-netting can be for sampling community-wide seed–dispersal interactions. We thus urge the use of mesh bands in future studies to increase sampling effectiveness and avoid biases, which will ultimately improve our understanding of the seed dispersal function

The Colonization History of Juniperus brevifolia (Cupressaceae) in the Azores Islands

Background A central aim of island biogeography is to understand the colonization history of insular species using current distributions, fossil records and genetic diversity. Here, we analyze five plastid DNA regions of the endangered Juniperus brevifolia, which is endemic to the Azores archipelago. Methodology/Principal Findings The phylogeny of the section Juniperus and the phylogeographic analyses of J. brevifolia based on the coalescence theory of allele (plastid) diversity suggest that: (1) a single introduction event likely occurred from Europe; (2) genetic diversification and inter-island dispersal postdated the emergence of the oldest island (Santa Maria, 8.12 Ma); (3) the genetic differentiation found in populations on the islands with higher age and smaller distance to the continent is significantly higher than that on the younger, more remote ones; (4) the high number of haplotypes observed (16), and the widespread distribution of the most frequent and ancestral ones across the archipelago, are indicating early diversification, demographic expansion, and recurrent dispersal. In contrast, restriction of six of the seven derived haplotypes to single islands is construed as reflecting significant isolation time prior to colonization. Conclusions/Significance Our phylogeographic reconstruction points to the sequence of island emergence as the key factor to explain the distribution of plastid DNA variation. The reproductive traits of this juniper species (anemophily, ornithochory, multi-seeded cones), together with its broad ecological range, appear to be largely responsible for recurrent inter-island colonization of ancestral haplotypes. In contrast, certain delay in colonization of new haplotypes may reflect intraspecific habitat competition on islands where this juniper was already present.B. Rumeu and J.L. Blanco-Pastor were funded by a Spanish National Research Council grant µ(CSIC: JAE-PRE; http://www.csic.es/web/guest/programa-ja​e). This contribution is framed within the projects CGL2010-18759 and PI2007/053 and financed by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (http://www.micinn.es), and the Canary Island Government (http://www.gobcan.es), respectively, both of which were partially funded by the European Union. The Organismo Autónomo de Parques Nacionales (http://www.mma.es/secciones/el_ministeri​o/organismos/oapn/) also financed part of this work (project 051/2010). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.Peer reviewe

Experiences of frontline nurse managers during the COVID-19: a qualitative study

Aim The aim of this study is to explore the experiences of Jordanian first-line nurse managers during COVID-19. Background Nurses are exposed to life-threatening occupational risks during COVID-19. Exploring the first-line nurse managers' experiences will help in designing health policies to better deal with such emerging crises. Methods A descriptive phenomenological study was conducted. A purposive sample was used to recruit 16 first-line nurse managers from Jordanian hospitals. Semistructured interviews were conducted. Phenomenological data analysis method was used to analyse the data. Results Four major themes emerged: (a) unprecedented pressure (first-line nurse managers revealed their suffering with the unprecedented demanding situations during COVID-19 pandemic); (b) strengthening system and resilience (nurse managers employed several strategies to strengthen the health system and enhance resilience); (c) building a supportive team (the presence of a robust supportive system is vital to deal with the pandemic); and (d) maturity during the crisis (exposure to a new experience developed nurse managers management skills and self-awareness). Conclusions The unprecedented pressure associated with COVID-19 drained first-line nurse managers physically and psychosocially. Providing adequately trained staff and medical equipment is important to better deal with crises. Implications for Nursing Management Strengthening emergency training and improving emergency response plans of hospitals are essential

Level of empowerment of hospitalized chronic heart failure patient

Fundamento. Conocer el nivel de empoderamiento de las personas con insuficiencia cardiaca crónica hospitalizadas es crucial para identificar a las personas con un nivel de empoderamiento más bajo y fundamentar el diseño de estrategias efectivas para mejorar su control sobre las decisiones y acciones que afectan a su salud y bienestar. La falta de estudio de este fenómeno en esta población y contexto, sugiere que estos pacientes no están siendo atendidos adecuadamente. Material y métodos. Estudio descriptivo, prospectivo. Se utilizó el Cuestionario de empoderamiento del paciente con enfermedad crónica, traducido y validado al español, que consta de 47 ítems, agrupados en tres dimensiones: Actitud positiva y sentido del control, Toma de decisiones compartida e informada, y Búsqueda de información y compartir entre iguales. Fue distribuido para su cumplimentación en las 24 horas previas al alta hospitalaria. Resultados. Se recogieron 25 cuestionarios (81%). La puntuación global media de empoderamiento fue de 165,92 ± 20,9. La dimensión Actitud positiva y sentido de control fue la peor puntuada, con una media de 3,4 ± 0,5. Se encontró una relación inversa y débil entre el nivel de empoderamiento y la edad (rho=-0,240; p=0,000) y una relación débil y positiva con la supervivencia a los 10 años (rho=0,316; p=0,01). Conclusión. El nivel de empoderamiento de los pacientes de este estudio fue medio-alto. Las estrategias para abordar la atención de esta población deberían centrarse en trabajar su actitud respecto a la enfermedad y percepción de control de la situación e individualizarse conforme a la edad.Background. Establishing the level of chronic cardiac inpatient empowerment is essential. By doing so, it is possible to identify groups with a lower level. It also provides a basis for designing effective strategies to improve their control over decision making and the actions that affect their health and wellness. The shortage of studies of this phenomenon for this particular population and context suggests that such patients are not receiving proper care. Methods. A prospective and descriptive study was carried out. A validated Spanish version of the Patient empowerment in long-term conditions scale was used. The survey has 47 items, grouped into three dimensions: Positive attitude and feeling of control, Knowledge in shared decision making, and Seeking information and sharing with other patients. It was distributed 24 hours before hospital discharge. Results. Twenty five questionnaires were collected (81%). The mean global empowerment score of the patients was 165.92 ± 20.9. The dimension Positive attitude and sense of control showed the lowest score, with a mean of 3.4 ± 0.5. An inverse weak relationship was found between the level of empowerment and age (rho=-0.240; p=0.000) while a positive one was found with 10-year survival (rho=0,316; p=0.01). Conclusion. The level of empowerment of the patients in this study was medium-high. The strategies used to address the care of this population should focus on working on their attitude towards the disease and perceived control of the situation, and should be individualized according to age

Newly discovered seed dispersal system of Juniperus cedrus questions the pristine nature of the high elevation scrub of El Teide (Tenerife, Canary Islands)

As a working hypothesis, we examined evidence for the former presence of a climacic woodland of Juniperus cedrus above the pine forest in the high elevation area of Tenerife (Canary Islands), which would indicate that the current dominant vegetation (endemic Spartocytisus supranubius scrub) may not be pristine. The main causes of the great regression of this woodland were caused by human activities (timber harvesting, herbivory by goats, and fires). The main support for this hypothesis is the survival of a presumably relict seed dispersal system of the endangered endemic J. cedrus, which relies mainly on the wintering thrush Turdus torquatus. The fact that genetic factors are directly involved in the control of bird migration routes strongly supports the idea that this interaction could be remnant of an older system, probably more widespread in the past. To test this hypothesis, we propose that a paleoecological approach could reconstruct the vegetation dynamics in the Teide National Park (Tenerife) and the past presence of this seed disperser migratory thrush. The analysis of plant microfossils in sediments (e.g., pollen, spores, phytoliths, coprolites, and charcoal) would allow us to evaluate whether the current vegetation is the same as that which naturally existed in the past, and assess the impact of the anthropogenic and natural factors to which it has been subjected during history. The results of these analyses will be useful for future management policies and practices aimed at restoring the pristine landscape and biotic interactions of the Teide National Park. To our knowledge, the case presented in this contribution, based on the high dependence of the seed dispersal of an endemic tree (J. cedrus) on a migratory bird, is the only reported in the context of oceanic islands.Ministerio de Ciencia e InnovaciónGobierno de las Islas CanariasOrganismo Autónomo de Parques Nacionale

Ecology and evolution of Macaronesian junipers

Durante el desarrollo de esta Tesis Doctoral, se han abordado diferentes aspectos ecológicos y evolutivos de la biología de los cedros macaronésicos, el ¿cedro canario¿ Juniperus cedrus, presente en las Islas Canarias, y el ¿cedro do mato¿ J. brevifolia, distribuido en el archipiélago de Azores. A pesar de que el cedro que existe en la isla de Madeira ha sido recientemente propuesto como una nueva especie (J. maderensis), al comienzo de este trabajo de investigación, dicho taxón era catalogado como J. cedrus, por lo que fue considerado como tal. Además, aunque ha sido extensamente cultivado, la población natural de J. maderensis es realmente testimonial (aproximadamente 40 individuos). Las dos especies de cedro objeto de esta Tesis se encuentran amenazadas en distinto grado como consecuencia de las intensas talas sufridas en el pasado. Debido a su calidad, su apreciada madera tuvo multitud de usos (ebanistería, construcción, fuego¿), lo que provocó un drástico declive de las poblaciones naturales, que quedaron en su mayoría relegadas a zonas abruptas de difícil acceso en el caso de J. cedrus, o incluso llegaron a desaparecer de alguna isla, como ocurrió en Graciosa con J. brevifolia, en el archipiélago de Azores. Sin embargo, en este último archipiélago, aún es posible encontrar zonas de vegetación dominadas por J. brevifolia. La Tesis Doctoral que aquí se presenta, recopila información que incrementa el conocimiento sobre los procesos ecológicos y evolutivos que ocurren en medios insulares y, además, resulta básica para un manejo apropiado de estas especies amenazadas. Mediante el estudio de diferentes aspectos reproductivos (fenología y principales características de las gálbulas maduras), así como de la efectividad de sus respectivos dispersores de semillas, se ha podido evaluar la complejidad y la robustez del sistema de dispersión de semillas de J. cedrus y J. brevifolia. Los resultados mostraron un mayor potencial de reclutamiento en el caso de J. brevifolia, que presentó valores de viabilidad de semillas superiores a los de J. cedrus. En ambos casos, la efectividad de los procesos ornitócoros quedó patente, siendo aves de la familia Turdidae los principales dispersores de semillas tanto a nivel cuantitativo como cualitativo. Sin embargo, pese a la mayor complejidad del sistema de dispersión de J. cedrus, su dependencia del mirlo capiblanco Turdus torquatus para la dispersión a larga distancia de sus semillas denotó una mayor fragilidad que en el caso de J. brevifolia, donde el mirlo común T. merula, una ave nativa muy abundante y ubicua, resultó ser el principal dispersor de sus semillas. Con respecto a los patrones de colonización y diversificación de los cedros macaronésicos en sus respectivos archipiélagos, los análisis filogenéticos de la sección Juniperus indicaron historias evolutivas independientes, y apoyaron la propuesta de J. maderensis como una especie diferente a J. cedrus. El cedro do mato, mantiene altos valores de diversidad genética, cuya distribución indica una diversificación y colonización inter-insular temprana tras la colonización del archipiélago. Por el contrario, la composición genética del cedro canario se encuentra mucho más empobrecida, reflejo de un mayor grado de fragmentación de las poblaciones naturales. Sin embargo, dentro de este contexto general, la isla de La Gomera albergó los mayores niveles de diversidad y diferenciación genética, situándola en un lugar prioritario para la conservación del cedro canario. El conjunto de investigaciones desarrolladas a lo largo de esta Tesis Doctoral sitúan a J. brevifolia en un mejor estado de conservación que J. cedrus, aunque se trata de una especie que aún soporta numerosas perturbaciones antrópicas que deben ser paliadas. Por otro lado, la conservación de J. cedrus pasa inevitablemente por el mantenimiento a largo plazo de sus interacciones mutualistas de dispersión de semillas. Dichas interacciones resultan imprescindibles para la regeneración natural y para la existencia de un flujo génico efectivo, que asegure niveles de di

Temporal and spatial variation in the diet of the endemic lizard Gallotia galloti in an insular Mediterranean scrubland

10 pages, 3 figures, 3 tables.We analyzed 621 lizard fecal pellets to assess the diet of the endemic lizard Gallotia galloti (Lacertidae) throughout one year in the thermophilous scrubland, the most threatened habitat in the Canary Islands. Indicating the importance of frugivory, 98.1% of pellets contained seeds from fleshy-fruited plant species (8,028 seeds in total), and the fruit volume reached 47.5%. The Canarian endemic plants Rhamnus crenulata and Canarina canariensis were most important in frequency of occurrence and number of seeds found in pellets, respectively. Lizards were more frugivorous during the summer (63.0% of volume), and seasonal variation was associated with temporal changes in availability of ripe fleshy fruits. We detected microspatial differences in the consumption of fruits and plant material. Significant correlations were found between plant cover of each species and their respective consumption by lizards. Lizards consumed invertebrates throughout the year; Formicidae, Hemiptera, Coleoptera, and Hymenoptera were the most frequently consumed prey (76.5% of the animal prey items). Our results indicate that G. galloti is one of the most frugivorous lacertids studied. The high number of undamaged seeds removed by these lizards also implies an important role in the seed dispersal processes of many fleshy-fruited plant species from this threatened habitat.This work was partially financed by a Canarian Government project (PI042004/037) and supported by Feder funds from the European Union. AR benefited from a postgraduate fellowship (I3P-BPG2005) from the Spanish National Research Council

Status and population trend of Eleonora's Falcon Falco eleonorae in the Canary Islands

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