La impresionante diversidad y estructura del bosque tropical a través de una gradiente altitudinal en la selva central del Perú

Los bosques pre-montanos y montanos son poco estudiados y su composición florística es muy poco conocida, aunque últimamente aquí se han descubierto nuevas especies de árboles. Describimos la diversidad, composición florística y estructura del bosque en 13 parcelas permanentes de 1 ha, evaluadas en el 2018 en el Transecto Yanachaga en el Perú (400 a 3170msnm). Registramos un total de 6998 árboles, 617 especies, 249 géneros y 82 familias. Existe unas altas correlaciones  entre la altitud, la riqueza y diversidad de especies. La mayor riquezaocurre en la parcela PNY-05 a 470 msnm con 202 especies y la menor con 43 especies en la parcela PNY-01 a 3170 mnsm. La altura promedio del dosel es mayor entre los 400 y 800 msnm, y disminuye progresivamente a medida que se va subiendo, presentando alturas mínimas entre 2800 y 3170 msnm. Este mismo comportamiento ocurre con respecto al área basal y volumen de madera. Los individuos muestreados están representados por especies de árboles (88%), palmeras (4%), helechos arborescentes (6.5%), lianas (1.5%) y hemiepífitos leñosos (0. 03%). Las f ormas de vi da varí an notablemente en el transecto altitudinal, los árboles y palmeras son más abundantes y diversos en la parte baja, mientras los helechos arborescentes son abundantes por encima de los 1800 m. Existen diferencias en la diversidad, composición y estructura de árboles entre parcelas y también si se compara al llano amazónico. Los bosques del Transecto Yanachaga juegan un papel importante, puesto que conservan una alta diversidad de especies y hábitats

The global abundance of tree palms

Aim Palms are an iconic, diverse and often abundant component of tropical ecosystems that provide many ecosystem services. Being monocots, tree palms are evolutionarily, morphologically and physiologically distinct from other trees, and these differences have important consequences for ecosystem services (e.g., carbon sequestration and storage) and in terms of responses to climate change. We quantified global patterns of tree palm relative abundance to help improve understanding of tropical forests and reduce uncertainty about these ecosystems under climate change. Location Tropical and subtropical moist forests. Time period Current. Major taxa studied Palms (Arecaceae). Methods We assembled a pantropical dataset of 2,548 forest plots (covering 1,191 ha) and quantified tree palm (i.e., ≥10 cm diameter at breast height) abundance relative to co‐occurring non‐palm trees. We compared the relative abundance of tree palms across biogeographical realms and tested for associations with palaeoclimate stability, current climate, edaphic conditions and metrics of forest structure. Results On average, the relative abundance of tree palms was more than five times larger between Neotropical locations and other biogeographical realms. Tree palms were absent in most locations outside the Neotropics but present in >80% of Neotropical locations. The relative abundance of tree palms was more strongly associated with local conditions (e.g., higher mean annual precipitation, lower soil fertility, shallower water table and lower plot mean wood density) than metrics of long‐term climate stability. Life‐form diversity also influenced the patterns; palm assemblages outside the Neotropics comprise many non‐tree (e.g., climbing) palms. Finally, we show that tree palms can influence estimates of above‐ground biomass, but the magnitude and direction of the effect require additional work. Conclusions Tree palms are not only quintessentially tropical, but they are also overwhelmingly Neotropical. Future work to understand the contributions of tree palms to biomass estimates and carbon cycling will be particularly crucial in Neotropical forests

Gradientes orográficos de clima y cobertura forestal en la Cordillera Yanachaga, Perú

Parámetros climáticos y forestales fueron estudiados en un gradiente orográfico de tres bosques: en la ladera barlovento a 2400 m, en el abra de la cordillera a 2800 . y en la ladera sotavento a 2400 m. Se hallaron diferencias y correlaciones en temperatura, precipitación, radiación fotosintética, frecuencia de neblina, tanto como riqueza de especies, área basal, densidad de tallos, altura del dosel, área de follaje y tamaño de hojas. Comparativamente el bosque sotavento tuvo menos tiempo de inmersión en neblinca (c. 20%) y mayor diversidad de plantas, área basal, altura del dosel, área de follaje y tamaño de hojas. Existieron asociaciones florísticas dentro de los bosques relacionadas a las áreas expuestas y protegidas. Los eventos de neblina ligeros y moderados en sotavento demostraron temperaturas de radiación fotosintética similar a cielos despejados, mientras la neblina densa demostró condiciones iguales a eventos de precipitación, pero con mayor radiación fotosintética. La radiación fotosintética demostró una correlación fuerte con la frecuencia de neblina y con el área de follaje, apoyando la teoría que los efectos de la frecuencia de neblina en las condiciones de luz es uno de los factores principales en la variación de productividad de bosque montano tropical.Australia. Australian Postgraduate Award (APA)Tesi

Connectedness and ICT: opening the door to possibilities for people with intellectual disabilities

This study aimed to investigate the experiences of people with intellectual disability (ID) using information and communication technologies (ICTs) and the ways these technologies foster social connectedness. In partnership with a community mental health organization, this qualitative descriptive study explored the experiences of 10 people with ID using ICTs. Participants described how ICTs Opened the Door to Possibilities in their life - ICTs provided an avenue for connecting with other people, a means to pursue personal interests and a tool for organizing everyday life. Opening the door to possibilities was further understood as movement towards digital inclusion for people with ID, conceptualized as the fit between social opportunity and personal skills. We have identified the prominent role social supports play in creating (and constraining) opportunities for digital inclusion, and that digital inclusion has the potential to enable social connectedness and the development of agency. Consideration of the complex interaction between social opportunity and personal skills, and the mediating influence of supports, will enhance the inclusion of people with ID

Distribution of NOTECHS II scores for the whole team and the three sub-teams (Anaesthetists, Nurses, Surgeons).

<p>Distribution of NOTECHS II scores for the whole team and the three sub-teams (Anaesthetists, Nurses, Surgeons).</p

Results of the team Delphi experiment, categorising the predicted relationship between Oxford NOTECHS II and glitch category.

<p>Results of the team Delphi experiment, categorising the predicted relationship between Oxford NOTECHS II and glitch category.</p

Inter-rater agreement between HF and clinical observers.

<p>Inter-rater agreement between HF and clinical observers.</p

Inter-rater agreement (% agreement, intraclass correlation coefficient).

<p>Inter-rater agreement (% agreement, intraclass correlation coefficient).</p

Surgical case mix.

<p>Surgical case mix.</p

Relationship between glitch rate (total glitch rate per operation per hour) and total Oxford NOTECHS II score.

<p>Relationship between glitch rate (total glitch rate per operation per hour) and total Oxford NOTECHS II score.</p