Valuation of ecosystem services in the catalan coastal zone

Este estudio parte de la hipótesis que los servicios del ecosistema son cada vez más escasos debido a la seria degradación de su capacidad para proporcionar servicios eficientemente en la costa Catalana, España. El estudio constituye una contribución al análisis del capital natural que no es parte de los mercados económicos desde una perspectiva de asignación eficiente de recursos en la zona costera. El objetivo general consistió en "determinar el valor que no es parte de los mercados de los servicios del ecosistema proporcionados en la zona costera Catalana, en términos monetarios". El trabajo comienza proporcionando una descripción de las tres dimensiones principales para la gestión integrada de la zona costera: socioeconómica, natural y administrativa. Las 12 comarcas litorales y el área marina hasta una profundidad de 50 m constituyeron la definición operacional del área de estudio. La aproximación metodológica se centró en las funciones y servicios de los ecosistemas, naturales y semi natural, terrestre y marinos que no se cuentan en los mercados económicos actualmente. Los resultados proporcionan una perspectiva de las funciones ecológicas y los servicios que ofrecen los ecosistemas de la costa Catalana, así como los datos disponibles sobre su valor monetario. El estudio consta de tres metodologías que contribuyen a estimar el valor de los servicios del ecosistema que se debe considerar como relevante en la gestión costera y ambiental. El primero propone un método basado en indicadores para identificar la heterogeneidad espacial de las dimensiones socio-ecológica de la costa y que llevó a la identificación de las unidades homogéneas para la gestión en las cuales la valoración del sistema socio-ecológico fue realizada a nivel comarcal. Cuatro diversas clases de unidades ambientales homogéneas para la gestión fueron obtenidas. Las comarcas varían desde las altamente naturales y menos desarrolladas económicamente a las menos naturales y altamente desarrolladas económicamente. En segundo lugar, se empleó una función espacial de transferencia de los beneficios para estimar la contribución anual del valor de los servicios del ecosistema al bienestar de los ciudadanos. De acuerdo con la información encontrada en más de 90 estudios científicos, basada en las preferencias individuales, se obtuvo que los servicios de los ecosistemas terrestres y marinos proporcionaron por lo menos 3.2 mil millones de Dólares Americanos en 2004 (2.572 x 106 Euros) en el área del estudio. Se encontró que los servicios del ecosistema cuando son proveídos por diversa cubierta del suelo, su valor económico refleja dicha variabilidad variando este sustancialmente. La contribución más significativa al valor de los servicios de los ecosistemas fue proporcionada por los bosques, mientras que la costero-marina más valiosa fue la plataforma continental. Se estimó que para sustituir el flujo de los servicios de los ecosistemas es necesario un incremento anual de 2.7 % en el producto interior bruto en el área del estudio. Además, se asumió que cuanto más eficiente es un ecosistema en la provisión de servicios, más valioso es éste para la sociedad. De esta manera los índices ecológicos, de huella humana y de fragilidad ecológica fueron utilizados en la construcción del índice de la capacidad de proveer servicios por los ecosistemas. Este representa la capacidad de los ecosistemas de proveer de servicios a los ciudadanos en la parte terrestre del área del estudio. Los resultados muestran que el área de estudio cuenta con una capacidad positiva de proporcionar servicios, así como que su geografía representa un subrogado de la estructura y procesos naturales. Como resultado se obtuvo un valor integrado de los servicios del ecosistema de 3.37 mil millones USD/yr (2.712 x 106 Euros). Esta nueva estimación representa un 42 % de incremento en el valor de los ecosistemas terrestres obtenido a partir de las preferencias humanas. Ambos procesos de valoración mantuvieron una relación espacial cercana a la de la geografía de unidades ambientales homogéneas. Se consideró que el método de valoración integrada reduce en gran medida el sesgo inducido (vía preferencias humanas) y proporciona una estimación más realista del valor del flujo de servicios del ecosistema. Se considera que la estimación del valor monetario de los servicios revela los costes o las ventajas sociales que estos proporcionan y que de otra manera seguirían ocultos o infravalorados. Este trabajo puede ser útil en el análisis del costo-beneficio entre el desarrollo económico y la conservación en la zona costera. Se considera que al hacer mas explícita la contribución de las funciones y servicios del ecosistema al bienestar humano se motivará una política de integrada de sostenibilidad en el futuro.This study departs from the hypothesis that ecosystem services are becoming scarce by experiencing serious degradation in regard to their capability to provide services efficiently in the Catalan coast, Spain. It constitutes a contribution to the analysis of non-market natural capital in the Catalan coastal zone from an efficient allocation perspective. The general objective of the study was to "assess the non market value of ecosystem services provided in the Catalan coastal zone, in monetary terms." The work start providing a description of three main dimensions relevant to Integrated Coastal Zone Management of the Catalan coast: socio economic, natural and administrative dimensions. The 12 littoral comarcas and their marine water xtent to a depth of 50 m constituted the perational definition and study area in this work. The approach focused on natural and semi natural, terrestrial and marine, functions and services which are not counted in the economic markets. Results provide an outlook of ecological functions and services provided by the Catalan coast and available data on its value. The study provided a set of three methodologies which contribute to estimating the ecosystem services value that should be considered relevant in coastal and environmental management. First, it proposes an indicator based method to identify the social-ecological spatial heterogeneity of the coast, which led to the identification of homogeneous management units on which valuation of the socialecological system was carried out at the comarca level. Four different classes of Homogeneous Environmental Management Units were obtained, ranging form highly natural and less developed comarcas to less natural and highly developed comarcas. Secondly, a benefit transfer spatial function was used in order to estimate the annual contribution of ecosystem services value to citizens' well-being. Based on individual preferences value from more than 90 peer reviewed studies, it was found that nonmarket services of terrestrial and marine ecosystems in the study area provide at least 3.2 billion USD in 2004 (2,572 x 106 Euros). It was found that ecosystem services when provided by different land cover types vary substantially in its economic value, and this study reflects such variability. Single largest contribution to ESV flow was provided by forest while larger coastal marine contribution was provided by the continental shelf. To replace the current ecosystem services, at least an annual increment of 2.7 % in the Gross Domestic Product should take place in the study area. Furthermore, it was assumed that the more efficient is an ecosystem in providing a service, the more valuable will be to the society. Thus, ecological, human footprint and fragility indexes were used in the construction of the Ecosystem Services' Provision Capacity Index which constituted the proxy of the capacity of ecosystems to deliver services to citizens in the terrestrial part of the study area. Result showed that it accounted for a positive capacity to provide services and its resulting geography represented a proxy of the natural structure and processes. An integrated ecosystem services value flow of 3.37 billion USD/yr (2,712 x 106 Euros) was estimated. This new estimate represents more than a 42 % increment to that of terrestrial individual preference value. Both valuation processes kept close spatial relationship to that of Homogeneous Environmental Management Units geography. Integrated valuation method was considered to reduce human induced bias (via stated preferences) and thus provide a more realistic estimate of the ecosystem services flow. By estimating the economic value of ecosystem services not traded in the marketplace, social costs or benefits that otherwise would remain hidden or unappreciated are revealed. Therefore, this work can be useful in evaluating tradeoffs etween economic development and conservation in the coastal zone. It was considered that making the contribution of ecosystem services to human well-being and the ecosystem functions that underlie those services more explicit, should help motivate policy towards integrated sustainability

Differentiation of Andean and Mesoamerican accessions in a proposed core collection of grain amaranths

Grain amaranths are made up of three New World species of pseudo-cereals with C4 photosynthesis from the dicotyledonous family Amaranthaceae and the genus Amaranthus. They originate in two ecoregions of the Americas, namely, the inter-Andean valleys of South America and the volcanic axis and lowlands of Mexico and Central America. These correspond to two centers of domestications for Andean and Mesoamerican crops, with one cultivated species found in the first region and two found in the latter region. To date, no core collection has been made for the grain amaranths in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) germplasm system. In this study, our objective was to create a core for the 2,899 gene bank accessions with collection site data by town or farm site of which 1,090 have current geo-referencing of latitude and longitude coordinates. We constituted the core with 260 genotypes of Amaranthus, which we evaluated with 90 single-nucleotide polymorphism markers. Our goal was to distinguish between Andean and Mesoamerican gene pools of amaranths, including the cultivated species and three possible progenitor or wild relative ancestors along with two more species in an outgroup. Population structure, clustering, and discriminant analysis for principal components showed that Andean species Amaranthus caudatus and Amaranthus quitensis shared fewer alleles with Mesoamerican species Amaranthus cruentus and Amaranthus hypochondriacus, compared to each group individually. Amaranthus hybridus was a bridge species that shared alleles with both regions. Molecular markers have the advantage over morphological traits at quickly distinguishing the Andean and Mesoamerican cultivars and have the added benefit of being useful for following inter-species crosses and introgression

Partition-Induced Vector Chromatography in Microfluidic Devices

The transport of Brownian particles in a slit geometry in the presence of an arbitrary two-dimensional periodic energy landscape and driven by an external force or convected by a flow field is investigated by means of macrotransport theory. Analytical expressions for the probability distribution and the average migration angle of the particles are obtained under the Fick-Jackobs approximation. The migration angle is shown to differ from the orientation angle of the driving field and to strongly depend on the physical properties of the suspended species, thus providing the basis for vector chormatography, in which different species move in different directions and can be continuously fractionated. The potential of microfluidic devices as a platform for partition-induced vector chromatography is demonstrated by considering the particular case of a piece-wise constant, periodic potential that, in equilibrium, induces the spontaneous partition of different species into high and low concentration stripes, and which can be easily fabricated by patterning physically or chemically one of the surfaces of a channel. The feasibility to separate different particles of the same and different size is shown for systems in which partition is induced via 1g-gravity and Van der Waals interactions in physically and chemically patterned channels, respectively

Lipid thermotropic transitions in Triatoma infestans lipophorin

The structure and lipid thermotropic transitions of highly purified lipophorin of Triatoma infestam were examined by several techniques: steady-state fluorescence polarization of 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatrien(eD PH), cis-parinaric acid (cis-PnA) and tram-parinaric acid (tram-PnA), light scattering fluorescence energy transfer between the lipophorin tryptophan residues and the bound chromophores, DPH, tram-parinaric acid cis-parinaric acid, gel electrophoresis, and gel filtration. Fluorescence polarization of PnAs and DPH revealed a reversible lipid thermotropic transition in intact lipophorin at about 2OoC and 18OC, respectively. In lipophorin, lipid dispersion fluorescence polarization of DPH detected a lipid transition approximately at 2OoC, while tram-PnA showed a gel phase formation at a temperature below 3OOC. Similar experiments in which tram-PnA was incorporated into diacylglycerols and phospholipids extracted from the lipophorin revealed gel phase formation below 3OoC and 24OC, respectively. Light scattering measurements showed that lipophorin particles aggregate irreversibly at 45OC, increasing the molecular weight, as determined by gel filtration on Sephacryl S-300, from 740,000 to values larger than 1,500,000. The particle aggregation did not change the physical properties of the lipophorin studied by fluorescence polarization, indicating that the aggregation is apparently a non-denaturing process. Energy transfer between the lipophorin tryptophans and the bound chromophores cis-PnA, tram-PnA, and DPA revealed a different locationo f the fluorescent probes within thleip ophorin. Temperature-dependence on the energy transfer efficiency for all probes confirmed a change in the ordering of the lipophorin lipids at 24'C-Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plat

Coral Reefs in the Gulf of Mexico Large Marine Ecosystem: Conservation Status, Challenges, and Opportunities

The importance of coral reefs (CR) within marine ecosystems has become widely recognized. Although shallow CR are not as abundant in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) as in other areas such as the Caribbean, their uniqueness, singularity, isolation, and conservation status make their conservation highly important. Corals and CR, both shallow and deep, are more widely distributed throughout the GoM than previously thought, providing new venues of research but also new challenges for their sustainable management. They are widely present in the three countries circumscribing the GoM (Cuba, Mexico, and the United States). Corals are also distributed throughout different depths, from the keys of Florida and Cuba, to the mesophotic reefs in Flower Garden Banks, Pulley Ridge, and submerged banks in the southern GoM; additional coral presence occurs even beyond mesophotic depths (~30–150 m). Like reefs around the world, they are subject to an increased threat from anthropogenic causes, including overfishing, pollution, and climate change. But there is also hope. Some reefs in the area, such as those in Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary are probably the best-preserved reefs in the region, with coral cover greater than 50%, which is unusual in the Wider Caribbean. Others are experiencing new protections through the work of government, and local communities. The objectives of this manuscript are to summarize the overall status of corals and CR in the GoM, analyze some of the current and future threats, and explore opportunities for their conservation in the region. Aside from the above mentioned anthropogenic threats bleaching, coral diseases, and hurricanes have been identified as main contributors for CR declines not only in the GoM but abroad; some nowadays present but likely to increase threats are invasion by alien species or by Sargassum spp. Among some of the opportunities identified are to capitalize on existing and emerging multilateral agreements, and initiatives (e.g., GoM Large Marine Ecosystem, trinational sanctuaries agreement); increase financial support for conservation through international initiatives and the private sector; and a need to comprehend the inherent interconnection among corals, CR, and deeper bank ecosystems as they do not function in isolation

Ecological resilience indicators for salt marsh ecosystems

Salt marshes are coastal ecosystems within the intertidal zone, characterized by hypoxic, saline, soil conditions and low biodiversity. Low diversity arises from frequent disturbance and stressful conditions (i.e., high salinity and hypoxia), where vegetative reproduction and low competition result in mostly monotypic stands, with some differences in plant community influenced by flooding regime (described below). While there are several types of salt marshes in the Northern Gulf of Mexico (NGoM), ranging from low to high salt marshes and salt flats (Tiner, 2013), Spartina alterniflora–dominated salt marshes in the Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard (CMECS) Low and Intermediate Salt Marsh Biotic Group (FGDC, 2012) are the most extensive and are the focus of this project. These salt marshes are classified as “Gulf Coast Cordgrass Salt Marsh” (CEGL004190; USNVC, 2016). Within the NGoM region, some salt marsh areas are dominated by other species such as Spartina patens and Juncus roemerianus, which both occupy higher elevations in high-precipitation zones (e.g., Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida). In lower precipitation regions (southern Texas), hypersaline conditions often develop yielding communities of succulent salt marsh plants (Batis and Salicornia spp.). In climatic zones with warmer winter temperatures, temperate salt marshes naturally transition to mangrove (generally in the southern Gulf of Mexico range) or, in areas with lower precipitation, to salt flats (generally in western part of the study area)

Effects of the K65R and K65R/M184V reverse transcriptase mutations in subtype C HIV on enzyme function and drug resistance

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>We investigated the effects of mutations K65R and K65R plus M184V on enzymatic function and mechanisms of drug resistance in subtype C reverse transcriptase (RT).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Recombinant subtype C HIV-1 RTs containing K65R or K65R+M184V were purified from <it>Escherichia coli</it>. Enzyme activities and tenofovir (TFV) incorporation efficiency by wild-type (WT) and mutant RTs of both subtypes were determined in cell-free assays. Efficiency of (-) ssDNA synthesis and initiation by subtype C RTs was measured using gel-based assays with HIV-1 PBS RNA template and tRNA3^Lysas primer. Single-cycle processivity was assayed under variable dNTP concentrations. Steady-state analysis was performed to measure the relative inhibitory capacity (ki/km) of TFV-disphosphate (TFV-DP). ATP-dependent excision and rescue of TFV-or ZDV-terminated DNA synthesis was monitored in time-course experiments.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The efficiency of tRNA-primed (-)ssDNA synthesis by subtype C RTs was: WT > K65R > K65R+M184V RT. At low dNTP concentration, K65R RT exhibited lower activity in single-cycle processivity assays while the K65R+M184V mutant showed diminished processivity independent of dNTP concentration. ATP-mediated excision of TFV-or ZDV-terminated primer was decreased for K65R and for K65R+M184V RT compared to WT RT. K65R and K65R+M184V displayed 9.8-and 5-fold increases in IC50 for TFV-DP compared to WT RT. The Ki/Km of TFV was increased by 4.1-and 7.2-fold, respectively, for K65R and K65R+M184V compared to WT RT.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The diminished initiation efficiency of K65R-containing RTs at low dNTP concentrations have been confirmed for subtype C as well as subtype B. Despite decreased excision, this decreased binding/incorporation results in diminished susceptibility of K65R and K65R+M184 RT to TFV-DP.</p

Purification and properties of the very high density lipoprotein from the hemolymph of adult Triatoma infestans

The very high density lipoprotein (VHDL) of Triatoma injesfum hemolymph from adult males has been isolated and purified by two-step density gradient ultracentrifugation. It appears to be homogeneous as judged by native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The content of VHDL in hemolymph was estimated to be 8 mg proteidml. The purified protein has a molecular weight (M,) of 450,000, is composed of six subunits of M, p 77,000, and possesses a high content of aromatic amino acids. This protein is glycosylated and contains 3% of lipids by weight with a remarkable amount of free fatty acids (25% of total lipids). The I: injesfans VHDL has a different lipid and amino acid composition from lipophorin. The lipid composition and the spectroscopic studies using cis-parinaric acid indicated a high fatty acid binding affinity. It has nine binding sites per mol of VHDL. Competence studies revealed that VHDL has its highest affinity for the binding of palmitic acid followed by stearic and arachidonic acids.Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plat

Plan de negocio para determinar la viabilidad de una plataforma digital colaborativa para la venta de productos org?nicos y saludables en la zona 7 de la ciudad de Lima

Waylla box es una plataforma digital colaborativa cuyo fin es ser un intermediario digital entre los grandes y peque?os productores y proveedores de productos org?nicos y saludables, con los consumidores finales, brindando una experiencia de compra y venta completa, a ambos clientes. Waylla Box presenta una plataforma digital amigable, en la cu?l los clientes pueden encontrar informaci?n sobre comida saludable, nutrici?n, recetas nutritivas, atenci?n virtual para consultas en tiempo real, y tambi?n un blog donde los consumidores pueden intercambiar su experiencia y vivencias con el servicio y otros en general. Los proveedores y productores pueden beneficiarse del desarrollo de un potente marketing digital, el cu?l trae consigo, la creaci?n de su marca a nivel digital y una mayor demanda. Ambos clientes, se ven finalmente beneficiados con precios competitivos gracias a la filosof?a colaborativa de la plataforma digital. La plataforma digital colaborativa se encuentra disponible en un app amigable, en tablets y/o iPad y entorno web. El servicio de Waylla Box incluye entrega a domicilio (delivery) y una pasarela de pagos que acepta los principales medios de pago digitales. Tambi?n incluye una gesti?n eficaz de reclamos y atenci?n al cliente, garantizando de esta forma, una experiencia de compra y venta segura

No reef is an island: integrating coral reef connectivity data into the design of regional-scale marine protected area networks

We integrated coral reef connectivity data for the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico into a conservation decision-making framework for designing a regional scale marine protected area (MPA) network that provides insight into ecological and political contexts. We used an ocean circulation model and regional coral reef data to simulate eight spawning events from 2008-2011, applying a maximum 30-day pelagic larval duration and 20% mortality rate. Coral larval dispersal patterns were analyzed between coral reefs across jurisdictional marine zones to identify spatial relationships between larval sources and destinations within countries and territories across the region. We applied our results in Marxan, a conservation planning software tool, to identify a regional coral reef MPA network design that meets conservation goals, minimizes underlying threats, and maintains coral reef connectivity. Our results suggest that approximately 77% of coral reefs identified as having a high regional connectivity value are not included in the existing MPA network. This research is unique because we quantify and report coral larval connectivity data by marine ecoregions and Exclusive Economic Zones (EZZ) and use this information to identify gaps in the current Caribbean-wide MPA network by integrating asymmetric connectivity information in Marxan to design a regional MPA network that includes important reef network connections. The identification of important reef connectivity metrics guides the selection of priority conservation areas and supports resilience at the whole system level into the future