Electrochemical behavior of lanthanum and yttrium ions in two molten chlorides with different oxoacidic properties: The eutectic LiCl-KCl and the equimolar mixture CaCl2-NaCl

The electrochemical behavior of LaCl3 and YCl3 was studied in two molten chloride mixtures with different oxoacidic properties, the eutectic LiCl-KCl and the equimolar CaCl2-NaCl melt at different temperatures. The stable oxidation states of both elements have been found to be (III) and (0) in both melts, and it was found that both La(III) and Y(III) cations were less solvated by the chloride ions in the calcium-based melt, which was explained by the stability of CaCl4 2- ions in that melt. Transient electrochemical techniques, such as cyclic voltammetry, chronopotentiometry and chronoamperometry were used in order to study the reaction mechanism and the transport parameters of electro active species at a tungsten electrode. The results showed that in the eutectic LiCl-KCl, the electro crystallization of lanthanum and yttrium seems to be the controlling electrochemical step while in CaCl2-NaCl this phenomenon has not been observed. That was explained in terms of the differences in the physicochemical properties of the systems, especially interfacial tensions. In the eutectic LiCl-KCl chronoamperometric studies indicated instantaneous and three dimensional nucleation and crystal growth of lanthanum and yttrium whatever the applied over potential of the rare earth metal is, whereas in the equimolar mixture CaCl2-NaCl, the corresponding electrochemical exchanges were found to be quasi-reversible, and the values of the kinetic parameters, K0 and α,were obtained for both reactions. Mass transport towards the electrode is a simple diffusion process, and the diffusion coefficients have been calculated. The validity of the Arrhenius law was also verified by plotting the variation of the logarithm of the diffusion coefficient versus 1/T

La Cabra Palmera (video)

Recent investigations have shown that within the Canary Caprine Group, the Palmera Goat is which most differs in morphological and productive aspects. This video, shows the characteristics of the Palmera goat and the present management systems which include similar custom to those developed in the prehispanic age when goats constitute the essential basis of the native economy.Investigaciones recientes han demostrado que dentro de la Agrupación Caprina Canaria, la Cabra Palmera es la que más difiere en morfología y en aspectos productivos. Este video, muestra las características de la cabra Palmera y los actuales sistemas de manejo que incluyen costumbres similares a las desarrolladas en tiempos prehispánicos cuando las cabras constituían la base de la economía aborigen

Characterisation of Palmera sheep breed

The Palmera sheep breed is officially registered in the Spanish Breeds Catalogue in 1997, as autoctonus breed with a special protection. The census in 1996 was not above 150 animals (82 females, 6 males and 60 animals under 12 months). In order to the census we can affirm the critical situation of the breed in serious extinction danger. In this study we try to define its racial patron serving as a base for its recuperation and conservation. A sample of 64 adult animals (60 females and 4 males) was studied, describing its morphology and faneroptic characters an studying its zoometric parameters.La raza Palmera queda recogida oficialmente en el Catálogo de Razas Españolas en el año 1997, como raza autóctona de protección especial. El censo no superaba en 1996 los 150 ejemplares (82 hembras reproductoras, 6 machos y 60 animales menores de 12 meses). Atendiendo al censo podemos afirmar que la raza atraviesa por una situación crítica, estando en grave peligro de extinción. Con este trabajo se pretende definir el patrón racial, que sirva de base para la recuperación y conservación de esta raza ovina. Fueron analizados 64 animales adultos, 60 hembras y 4 machos, describiendo su morfología y faneróptica y estudiando su características zoométricas

Razas autóctonas de las islas canarias: pasado, presente y futuro

We describe the means developed by official and private institutions for the conservation of Canary Breeds. We evaluate the response to concrete actions comparing the evolution of their census with presented at the Warwick Conference (1989).Se describen la evolución de las Razas autóctonas canarias y las medidas que se han de tomar de cara al futuro, tanto por organismos oficiales como por entidades particulares, para evitar el peligro de desaparición de dichas razas

Characterisation of canarian sheep breed

The sheep census of the Canary Islands is about 43.000 animals, of this the Canarian Sheep Breed is above 90 percent. It presents a great interest for obtaining milk and meat as quality products. Attending exclusively to the census, there is no problem of conservation, but this breed is affected by hybridisation process, overcoat in Tenerife. Here we present a study about the breed characterisation, analysing descriptive parameters as morphometric and faneroptic, and zoometric parameters of 168 animals (156 females and 12 males) in La Palma and Tenerife.El censo de ganado ovino en Canarias se sitúa en las 43.000 cabezas, de las cuales los ejemplares de la raza Canaria suponen más del 90 p.100. Presenta gran interés para la obtención de productos de calidad (leche y carne), en los que las islas son deficitarias. Atendiendo exclusivamente al censo, la raza, no presenta problemas de conservación, pero sí se encuentra afectada por procesos de hibridación sobre todo en la Isla de Tenerife. En este trabajo se aborda la caracterización racial, analizando los parámetros descriptivos (morfología y faneróptica) y zoométricos de 168 animales adultos (156 ovejas y 12 carneros) en La Palma y Tenerife

Origin and influences of canarian sheep

When the Spaniards begun the conquest of the Canary Islands at the XVth Century, they found a hair sheep exploited in semi-domestic conditions, as it was written by the cronists in the seven islands. A few later, after the discovery of America, a hair sheep appeared in the Caribe. The researchers locate its origin directly in the present hair sheep of the Sub-Saharian Africa. In this paper we present some hypothesis firstly justifying the presence of hair sheep in the Canary Island, located in a latitude of wool sheep in those times. Secondly, we try to justify the sure relationship in origin between the present Iberoamerican and Caribbean hair sheep and the prehispanic canarian sheep. Finally, we also discuss the relationship of these paleocanarian ovine over the present sheep breeds of the archipelago.Cuando los españoles inician la conquista de las Islas Canarias en el siglo XV, encuentran un ovino de pelo explotado de manera semi-doméstica, como reflejan los cronistas en las siete islas. Tras el descubrimiento de América, aparecen unos ovinos de pelo en el Caribe, cuyo origen directo se atribuye a los ovinos de este tipo que actualmente pueblan el Africa Sub-Sahariana. En este trabajo se emiten hipótesis para justificar, en primer lugar, la presencia de ovinos de pelo en las Islas Canarias, ubicados en aquella época en una latitud propia del ovino de lana; en segundo, lugar se intenta justificar una más que segura relación en origen entre los actuales ovinos caribeños e iberoamericanos con el ovino canario prehispánico. Por último, se discute la relación de estos ovinos paleocanarios tuvieron con las actuales razas ovinas del archipiélago

Conservation program for the canarian creole cattle

The Cattle census of the Canary Islands is about 20500 animals, of this the Canary Creole Cattle Breed is only the 15.8 p.100. The other part of the census is formed by another selected breeds for milk production. Until the beginning of this decade this authochtonous breed became into danger of extinction because the competence of these imported breeds. In many cases the local population were absorbed and the total number decreased. At present, with the participation of an specific farmer association (Asociación Canaria de Arrastre) and the Official Institutions, the census are stabilised and is possible to see the future survival of the breed. In this paper we present the results of the main studies that had been made for the official acknowledgement of the Breeders Association, the standard of the breed and the situation of the Conservation program.El censo de ganado vacuno en Canarias es de unas 20500 cabezas, el 15,8 p.100 de raza Canaria y el resto, en su mayoría, es ganado selecto de aptitud lechera. Hasta principios de los años noventa esta raza se vio en grave peligro de extinción por la presión que sobre ella ejercieron otras razas más seleccionadas. A partir de entonces, gracias al esfuerzo de la Asociación Canaria de Arrastre y el apoyo de las distintas administraciones de la Comunidad Autónoma Canaria, los censos se han estabilizado e inician su recuperación. En esta comunicación se recopilan los resultados de los principales trabajos llevados a cabo para el reconocimiento de la Asociación de Criadores de esta raza, su estándar racial, así como el programa para su conservación

AXA: a computer program for the management of the Canary Goat Group milking control programs

A computer program, developed in Clipper, for the management of the genealogical and productive information from the Canary Goat Group, is described. The two first sections of this program are planned for the males and females genealogical data arrangement. Third section is devised for the productive data storage. Fourth section is constructed for the emission of reports and finally, fifth section is a miscellaneous of utilities, where the connection with other programs must be highlighted. Also an exit control is enclosed. The basic purposes of this program aim the emission of official production reports for the Administration and farmers, and the information processing for its analysis in programs of genetic selection.Se describe un programa de ordenador, desarrollado en Clipper, para la gestión de la información genealógica y productiva de la Agrupación Caprina Canaria. Sus dos primeras secciones se ocupan de la organización de la información genealógica de machos y de hembras; la tercera de la información productiva; la cuarta de la elaboración de informes y la quinta es una miscelánea de utilidades y un control de salida, con conexión con otros programas. Las misiones básicas del programa se centran en la emisión de informes productivos oficiales, destinados a la administración y a los ganaderos, y la preparación de la información para su análisis en programas de selección genética

Does Functionality Condition the Population Structure and Genetic Diversity of Endangered Dog Breeds under Island Territorial Isolation?

Despite the undefinition of the origins of Ca de Rater (CR) and Ca de Bestiar (CB) dogs, references to these endangered autochthonous breeds highlighted their ratting/pet and shepherding/guard skills for centuries. Genealogical historical records were traced back to founders. Founder number in the reference population (146 and 53 for CR and CB, respectively), historical and reference maximum generations traced (eight and seven for CR and CB, respectively), and historical average number of complete generations (1.04 for both breeds) were determined. Structure assessment revealed the existence of subpopulations regarding criteria such as breeders (75 and 17), breeder location (32 and eight), owners (368 and 198), and owner location (73 and 51) for CR and CB, respectively. Average inbreeding (F) within breed subpopulations ranged from 0.27–1.20% for CB breeders and the rest of subpopulation criteria for both breeds, respectively, except for CB owners and owner location. F ranged from 0.27–1.41% for CB historical population and CR current population, respectively. The study of genetic diversity revealed a relatively similar genetic background between subpopulations. Average coancestry between and within breeds suggested a similar evolutionary process. However, Mann–Whitney U test determined significant differences for diversity parameters (F, ΔR, coancestry, nonrandom mating degree, maximum, complete, and equivalent generations, ΔF, and genetic conservation index) between breeds and their functionalities. Conclusively, functionality in dog breeds may determine the genetic diversity evolution of endangered breeds, even when these share the same geographic isolation conditions

The white andalusian goat breed: characterization and conservation

The Blanca Serrana Andaluza goat breed is one of the most ancient in the Iberian Peninsula and for its origin the only one showing the influence of African branches; its meat aptitude, its size and its adaptation to hard conditions has always located this breed in the most marginal areas of Andalusia, usually zones without use for agriculture and other farming activities. Presently three main causes of endangering are over the breed; the first is the diminution of the census; the second is the competence by feeding areas with hunting species, specially deers, and finally the most important cause is the cross-breeding with the Blanca Celtibérica goat breed, shorter animal with low adaptability. In opposite of this situation, we are using the advantages presented by the scarce census of the breed, one of them is that the existing farms belong to young farmers very sensitized for the conservation and the improvement of traditional extensive management systems, what is favouring the creation of a breeders association. We have also started the characterization of the breed by mean of molecular markers, as a fundamental tool for the populational definitions, specially in situation like this one with clear crossbreeding with other breeds.La cabra Blanca Serrana Andaluza es una de las más antiguas de la península Ibérica y por origen, la única con marcada influencia de troncos africanos, su aptitud cárnica, envergadura y adaptación a las condiciones adversas ha situado siempre su área de explotación en las zonas más marginales de Andalucía, zonas de montaña, no aptas para cultivos u otras ganaderías como bovinas, ovinas y caprinas lecheras. En la actualidad tres grandes amenazas se ciernen sobre esta raza, por un lado, la imparable disminución de sus censos, por otro, la competencia con las especies cinegéticas, fundamentalmente ciervos, por las zonas de pastoreo, y por último, la amenaza más peligrosa pues es menos visible y más destructiva, el cruce con animales de la raza Blanca Celtibérica, de menor envergadura y e inferior aptitud para zonas de monte cerrado. Ante esta situación, se aprovechan las ventajas que presentan los escasos efectivos de la raza, una de ellas, es que los rebaños que no han sido sacrificados, han ido pasando a manos de ganaderos y ganaderas jóvenes y, en gran parte de las ocasiones, con sensibilidad a los temas conservacionistas y a la mejora de los sistemas de explotación tradicionales, extensivos, lo que ha favorecido la creación de una asociación. También para defensa de los intereses de la raza, se ha comenzando por su caracterización, que en estos momentos se está desarrollando, mediante el uso de marcadores moleculares, pues es una herramienta fundamental en la definición de poblaciones, sobre todo en situaciones de cruce de individuos con otras razas