Evaluating three-pillar sustainability modelling approaches for dairy cattle production systems

Milk production in Europe is facing major challenges to ensure its economic, environmental, and social sustainability. It is essential that holistic concepts are developed to ensure the future sustainability of the sector and to assist farmers and stakeholders in making knowledge-based decisions. In this study, integrated sustainability assessment by means of whole-farm modelling is presented as a valuable approach for identifying factors and mechanisms that could be used to improve the three pillars (3Ps) of sustainability in the context of an increasing awareness of economic profitability, social well-being, and environmental impacts of dairy production systems (DPS). This work aims (i) to create an evaluation framework that enables quantitative analysis of the level of integration of 3P sustainability indicators in whole-farm models and (ii) to test this method. Therefore, an evaluation framework consisting of 35 indicators distributed across the 3Ps of sustainability was used to evaluate three whole-farm models. Overall, the models integrated at least 40% of the proposed indicators. Different results were obtained for each sustainability pillar by each evaluated model. Higher scores were obtained for the environmental pillar, followed by the economic and the social pillars. In conclusion, this evaluation framework was found to be an effective tool that allows potential users to choose among whole-farm models depending on their needs. Pathways for further model development that may be used to integrate the 3P sustainability assessment of DPS in a more complete and detailed way were identified. © 2021 by the authors.This study was financially supported by the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) through the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE) under grant number 2819ERA08A (MilKey project, funded under the Joint Call 2018 ERA-GAS, SusAn and ICT-AGRI 2 on ?Novel technologies, solutions and systems to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions in animal production systems?). BC3-Research is supported by the Spanish Government through Mar?a de Maeztu excellence accreditation 2018-2022 (Ref. MDM-2017-0714) and by the Basque Government through the BERC 2018-2021 program. Agustin del Prado is financed through the Ramon y Cajal program by the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry, and Competitiveness (RYC-2017-22143)

Transoceanic Dispersal and Subsequent Diversification on Separate Continents Shaped Diversity of the Xanthoparmelia pulla Group (Ascomycota)

In traditional morphology-based concepts many species of lichenized fungi have world-wide distributions. Molecular data have revolutionized the species delimitation in lichens and have demonstrated that we underestimated the diversity of these organisms. The aim of this study is to explore the phylogeography and the evolutionary patterns of the Xanthoparmelia pulla group, a widespread group of one of largest genera of macrolichens. We used a dated phylogeny based on nuITS and nuLSU rDNA sequences and performed an ancestral range reconstruction to understand the processes and explain their current distribution, dating the divergence of the major lineages in the group. An inferred age of radiation of parmelioid lichens and the age of a Parmelia fossil were used as the calibration points for the phylogeny. The results show that many species of the X. pulla group as currently delimited are polyphyletic and five major lineages correlate with their geographical distribution and the biosynthetic pathways of secondary metabolites. South Africa is the area where the X. pulla group radiated during the Miocene times, and currently is the region with the highest genetic, morphological and chemical diversity. From this center of radiation the different lineages migrated by long-distance dispersal to others areas, where secondary radiations developed. The ancestral range reconstruction also detected that a secondary lineage migrated from Australia to South America via long-distance dispersal and subsequent continental radiation

A model species for agricultural pest genomics: the genome of the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

The Colorado potato beetle is one of the most challenging agricultural pests to manage. It has shown a spectacular ability to adapt to a variety of solanaceaeous plants and variable climates during its global invasion, and, notably, to rapidly evolve insecticide resistance. To examine evidence of rapid evolutionary change, and to understand the genetic basis of herbivory and insecticide resistance, we tested for structural and functional genomic changes relative to other arthropod species using genome sequencing, transcriptomics, and community annotation. Two factors that might facilitate rapid evolutionary change include transposable elements, which comprise at least 17% of the genome and are rapidly evolving compared to other Coleoptera, and high levels of nucleotide diversity in rapidly growing pest populations. Adaptations to plant feeding are evident in gene expansions and differential expression of digestive enzymes in gut tissues, as well as expansions of gustatory receptors for bitter tasting. Surprisingly, the suite of genes involved in insecticide resistance is similar to other beetles. Finally, duplications in the RNAi pathway might explain why Leptinotarsa decemlineata has high sensitivity to dsRNA. The L. decemlineata genome provides opportunities to investigate a broad range of phenotypes and to develop sustainable methods to control this widely successful pest

CIUDADANOS A PARTIR DEL ESTUDIO GEOGRAFICO

<p><strong>RESUMEN</strong><strong>:</strong></p><p>En este artículo se plantea el concepto de ciudadanía que fundamenta los programas de Ciencias Sociales en la Educación básica de Colombia y su relación con la enseñanza geográfica en el mismo ciclo y en la formación de educadores. Relación que se presenta en la síntesis de algunas experiencias de práctica pedagógica. Establece el vínculo entre la enseñanza de la geografía y la formación de ciudadanos. Así mismo, valora la importancia de tener conciencia del espacio en el que se vive para avanzar en la construcción de ciudadanía y por ende consolidar relaciones más humanas en el espacio urbano. La ciudad se concibe como un espacio pedagógico y didáctico que permite la formación de ciudadanos con pensamiento reflexivo y crítico.</p><p><strong> </strong><strong>PALABRAS-CLAVE: </strong>Ciudadanía; práctica pedagógica; escuela; competencias ciudadanas; formación de ciudadanos; espacio público.</p><p><strong> </strong><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>ABSTRACT:</strong></p><p>This article sets up the meaning of citizenship as basis of the Social Studies program, and its relationship with the geography teaching-learning process not only in Elementary School, but also in the Teachers formation process in Colombia. That relationship is evident in the synthesis of diverse pedagogical experiences in the classroom, and reveals the link between the geography learning- teaching exchange and the citizens formation process.Moreover, it emphasises the importance of raising awareness about building up a real citizenship sense, and to consolidate a more humanistic relationship in the urban space. Finally, the city is considered as a pedagogical and didactic context that allows a reflective and critical citizens formation process.</p><p><strong>KEYWORDS: </strong>Citizenship, pedagogical training, school, citizenship competences, citizens formation, public context, space awareness.</p><p> </p><p><strong>RÉSUMÉ:</strong></p><p>Dans cet article se pose le concept de citoyenneté qui fonde les programmes de Sciences Sociales dans l'Éducation basique de la Colombie et sa relation avec l'enseignement géographique dans le même cycle et dans la formation d'éducateurs. C'est la relation que l'on présente dans la synthèse de quelques expériences de pratique pédagogique. Il établit le lien entre l'enseignement de la géographie et la formation de citadins. De même, il évalue l' importance d'avoir la conscience de l'espace dans lequel il est vécu pour avancer dans la construction de citoyenneté et par ende, consolider des relations plus humaines dans l'espace urbain. La ville est conçue comme un espace pédagogique et didactique qui permet la formation de citadins avec une pensée réfléchissante et critique.</p><p> <strong>M</strong><strong>OTS CLÉ</strong><strong>: </strong>La citoyenneté, une pratique pédagogique, une école, concurrences citadines, formation de citadins, un espace public.</p

Ecological Specialization of Two Photobiont- Specific Maritime Cyanolichen Species of the Genus Lichina

22 páginas, 4 tablas, 4 figurasAll fungi in the class Lichinomycetes are lichen-forming and exclusively associate with cyanobacteria. Two closely related maritime species of the genus Lichina (L. confinis and L. pygmaea) show similar distribution ranges in the Northeast Atlantic, commonly co-occurring at the same rocky shores but occupying different littoral zones. By means of 16S rRNA and phycocyanin operon markers we studied a) the phylogenetic relationships of cyanobionts associated with these species, b) the match of divergence times between both symbionts, and c) whether Lichina species differ in photobiont association and in how geography and ecology affect selectivity. The cyanobionts studied are closely related to both marine and freshwater strains of the genus Rivularia.We found evidence of a high specificity to particular cyanobiont lineages in both species: Lichina pygmaea and L. confinis incorporate specific lineages of Rivularia that do not overlap at the haplotype nor the OTU levels. Dating divergences of the fungal and cyanobacterial partners revealed an asynchronous origin of both lineages. Within each fungal species, selectivity varied across the studied area, influenced by environmental conditions (both atmospheric and marine), although patterns were highly correlated between both lichen taxa. Ecological speciation due to the differential association of photobionts to each littoral zone is suspected to have occurred in marine Lichina.Both ROA (BES-2013-066105) and SPO (CTM2012-38222-C02-02) were supported in the form of salary by grants from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness.Peer reviewe