Eurasian otter Lutra lutra distribution and habitat use in a Mediterranean catchment managed for the control of invasive giant reed Arundo donax

We assessed the distribution and habitat use of Eurasian otter Lutra lutra on the middle course of the River Segura and its tributaries (Murcia, SE Spain) within the framework of the project LIFE13BIO/ES/001407 RIPISILVANATURA (2014–2019). Between April 2016 and June 2018, we surveyed for otter spraints 42 sampling stretches (mean length ± SD = 0.5 ± 0.2 km), covering a 109.8 km long section of the river. The study time frame coincided with the main restoration activities of the LIFE project, consisting in the eradication of widespread, invasive alien giant reed Arundo donax and plantation of autochthonous riparian vegetation. Otter habitat preferences were assessed by measuring ten environmental parameters potentially affecting its occurrence. The relationship between the presence/absence of the otter and habitat variables was evaluated by both linear multiple regression and non-parametric random forest regression model. Otters preferred river stretches crossing forested areas, avoided polluted waters and their occurrence was inversely related to the width of the emerged aquatic vegetation, mostly consisting of Arundo reed beds. Moreover, in managed stretches, otter marking intensity increased after the removal of alien reeds and was higher in RIPISILVANATURA restored transects (1.18 spraints/100 m) than in the downstream, unmanaged half of the watercourse (0.76 spraints/100 m). The combined effects of water pollution and giant reed spread may alter fish distribution and abundance, reducing prey availability to otters. The improvement of chemical and physical habitat quality of streams through alien reeds removal seems thus pivotal to enhance the recovery of otter's populations in the south-eastern Iberian Peninsula

Multidifferential study of identified charged hadron distributions in ZZ-tagged jets in proton-proton collisions at s=\sqrt{s}=13 TeV

Jet fragmentation functions are measured for the first time in proton-proton collisions for charged pions, kaons, and protons within jets recoiling against a $Z$ boson. The charged-hadron distributions are studied longitudinally and transversely to the jet direction for jets with transverse momentum 20 $< p_{\textrm{T}} < 100$ GeV and in the pseudorapidity range $2.5 < \eta < 4$. The data sample was collected with the LHCb experiment at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.64 fb$^{-1}$. Triple differential distributions as a function of the hadron longitudinal momentum fraction, hadron transverse momentum, and jet transverse momentum are also measured for the first time. This helps constrain transverse-momentum-dependent fragmentation functions. Differences in the shapes and magnitudes of the measured distributions for the different hadron species provide insights into the hadronization process for jets predominantly initiated by light quarks.Comment: All figures and tables, along with machine-readable versions and any supplementary material and additional information, are available at https://cern.ch/lhcbproject/Publications/p/LHCb-PAPER-2022-013.html (LHCb public pages

Study of the B−→Λc+Λˉc−K−B^{-} \to \Lambda_{c}^{+} \bar{\Lambda}_{c}^{-} K^{-} decay

The decay $B^{-} \to \Lambda_{c}^{+} \bar{\Lambda}_{c}^{-} K^{-}$ is studied in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5 $\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$ collected by the LHCb experiment. In the $\Lambda_{c}^+ K^{-}$ system, the $\Xi_{c}(2930)^{0}$ state observed at the BaBar and Belle experiments is resolved into two narrower states, $\Xi_{c}(2923)^{0}$ and $\Xi_{c}(2939)^{0}$, whose masses and widths are measured to be $$m(\Xi_{c}(2923)^{0}) = 2924.5 \pm 0.4 \pm 1.1 \,\mathrm{MeV}, \\ m(\Xi_{c}(2939)^{0}) = 2938.5 \pm 0.9 \pm 2.3 \,\mathrm{MeV}, \\ \Gamma(\Xi_{c}(2923)^{0}) = \phantom{000}4.8 \pm 0.9 \pm 1.5 \,\mathrm{MeV},\\ \Gamma(\Xi_{c}(2939)^{0}) = \phantom{00}11.0 \pm 1.9 \pm 7.5 \,\mathrm{MeV},$$ where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second systematic. The results are consistent with a previous LHCb measurement using a prompt $\Lambda_{c}^{+} K^{-}$ sample. Evidence of a new $\Xi_{c}(2880)^{0}$ state is found with a local significance of $3.8\,\sigma$, whose mass and width are measured to be $2881.8 \pm 3.1 \pm 8.5\,\mathrm{MeV}$ and $12.4 \pm 5.3 \pm 5.8 \,\mathrm{MeV}$, respectively. In addition, evidence of a new decay mode $\Xi_{c}(2790)^{0} \to \Lambda_{c}^{+} K^{-}$ is found with a significance of $3.7\,\sigma$. The relative branching fraction of $B^{-} \to \Lambda_{c}^{+} \bar{\Lambda}_{c}^{-} K^{-}$ with respect to the $B^{-} \to D^{+} D^{-} K^{-}$ decay is measured to be $2.36 \pm 0.11 \pm 0.22 \pm 0.25$, where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second systematic and the third originates from the branching fractions of charm hadron decays.Comment: All figures and tables, along with any supplementary material and additional information, are available at https://cern.ch/lhcbproject/Publications/p/LHCb-PAPER-2022-028.html (LHCb public pages

Measurement of the ratios of branching fractions R(D∗)\mathcal{R}(D^{*}) and R(D0)\mathcal{R}(D^{0})

The ratios of branching fractions $\mathcal{R}(D^{*})\equiv\mathcal{B}(\bar{B}\to D^{*}\tau^{-}\bar{\nu}_{\tau})/\mathcal{B}(\bar{B}\to D^{*}\mu^{-}\bar{\nu}_{\mu})$ and $\mathcal{R}(D^{0})\equiv\mathcal{B}(B^{-}\to D^{0}\tau^{-}\bar{\nu}_{\tau})/\mathcal{B}(B^{-}\to D^{0}\mu^{-}\bar{\nu}_{\mu})$ are measured, assuming isospin symmetry, using a sample of proton-proton collision data corresponding to 3.0 fb${ }^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity recorded by the LHCb experiment during 2011 and 2012. The tau lepton is identified in the decay mode $\tau^{-}\to\mu^{-}\nu_{\tau}\bar{\nu}_{\mu}$. The measured values are $\mathcal{R}(D^{*})=0.281\pm0.018\pm0.024$ and $\mathcal{R}(D^{0})=0.441\pm0.060\pm0.066$, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic. The correlation between these measurements is $\rho=-0.43$. Results are consistent with the current average of these quantities and are at a combined 1.9 standard deviations from the predictions based on lepton flavor universality in the Standard Model.Comment: All figures and tables, along with any supplementary material and additional information, are available at https://cern.ch/lhcbproject/Publications/p/LHCb-PAPER-2022-039.html (LHCb public pages

La Nutria eurasiática (Lutra lutra) como bioindicador ambiental en relación con las especies exóticas invasoras: Caña común (Arundo donax), Cangrejo rojo americano (Procambarus clarkii) y Visón americano (Neovison vison)

Resumen: La nutria euroasiática (Lutra lutra, Lineaeus 1758), atravesó en la cuenca del Segura un periodo crítico desde los años 60 hasta principios de los 80, seguido de un periodo de estabilidad durante la década de los 90 tras el cual ha experimentado un ligero incremento durante el siglo XX. Así depen-diendo del buen estado y conservación de los ecosistemas acuáticos, este mamífero semiacuático es unos de los principales depredadores del río Segura y sus afluentes, y un potencial bioindicador de su situación ambiental. En este trabajo, desarrollado entra abril 2016 y Junio 2019, se ha relacionado la presencia y la distribución de la especie con las condiciones ambientales, el uso del hábitat y la dieta de la nutria euroasiática en el río Segura y sus afluentes en la Región de Murcia a partir de datos, obtenidos fundamental-mente dentro del proyecto LIFE13BIO/ES/001407 RIPISILVANATURA, que finalmente se podrán aplicar a una política de conservación efectiva para las poblaciones, y los individuos, de este carnívoro amenazado. Un manejo correcto en función de las interacciones con las actividades hu-manas generadas por la presencia de estos carnívoros debe poder contar con una información adecuada sobre la distribución, consistencia y dinámica de las poblaciones mediante la implementación de programas de monitoreo mo-dernos y adecuados. En primer lugar, se ha evaluado la distribución y uso del hábitat de la nutria euroasiática (Lutra lutra) en el curso medio del río Segura y sus afluentes (Murcia, SE España) en el marco del proyecto LIFE13BIO / ES / 001407 RIPI-SILVANATURA (2014-2019). Se han recogido datos sobre 42 tramos de mues-treo en búsqueda de marcas de nutrias euroasiática a lo largo de una sección de río de 109,8 km de longitud utilizando el método estándar (Macdonald et al., 1987) que prevé la creación de transectos de entre 600 y 1000m y que se han visitados periódicamente de 1 a 10 veces, para recoger y detectar restos (heces y geles) de la especie. El periodo de estudio ha coincidido con las principales actividades de restauración del proyecto LIFE, que han consistido en la erradi-cación de la caña común, una especie exótica invasora, Arundo donax en fa-vor de la repoblación de la vegetación de ribera autóctona. El segundo paso ha sido el estudio de la dieta de la nutria euroasiática (Lutra lutra) en la cuenca del Segura procediendo con la identificación de las presas para la determinación de la nutrición del animal en la actualidad, repartida por zonas con diferente presión antrópica, y se han comparado los resultados con datos de hace 20 años. El uso de métodos genéticos no invasivos ha permitido poder cruzar los datos a nivel de ADN (genética molecular) obteniendo infor-mación que junto a la tipificación de las muestras ha ayudado a identificar con precisión tanto a las especies como sus haplotipos. El último paso ha sido el estudio de la simpatría entre la nutria euroasiática (Lutra lutra) y el visón ameri-cano (Neovison vison, Schreber, 1777) un invasor potencial, y se ha adaptado con éxito un protocolo basado en los métodos genéticos no invasivo de PCR-RFLP lo cual ha permitido estudiar su distribución en los cuerpos de agua donde las dos especies coexisten: Comunidad de Madrid, Provincia de Guada-lajara y Provincia de Teruel. En conclusión, se han establecido las recomen-daciones para la conservación y la gestión de la nutria en la Cuenca del Segu-ra, en el marco de las acciones de restauración ecológica y en las políticas de gestión de las EEIs en dicho ámbito.Abstract: The Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra, Lineaeus 1758), went through a critical period in the Segura river basin (SE Spain) from the 1960s to the early 1980s, followed by a period of a time of stability during the 1990s, after which it has ex-perienced a slight increase during the 21st century. Thus, depending on the good condition and conservation of the aquatic ecosystems, this semi-aquatic mammal is one of the main apical predators of the River Segura and its tributar-ies, and it is a potential bioindicator of the environmental situation by the hydro-graphic network. In this work, the presence with its distribution, the habitat use, and diet of the Eurasian otter have been related to the environmental conditions of the river Segura and its tributaries in the Region of Murcia, based on data obtained main-ly within the project LIFE13BIO/ES/001407 RIPISILVANATURA, in order to ap-ply an effective conservation policy for the populations of this threatened carni-vore. In the habitat surroundings of their areas of presence an attempt has been made to provide guidelines for a management that considers human activity, with the aim of improving the available information base on the distribution, use of the habitat, response to urbanization, presence of invasive alien species (IAS) and environmental restoration, through the implementation of adequate research and monitoring programs. In the first part of the work, collected qualitative and quantitative data on the dis-tribution of the Eurasian otter in the Region of Murcia, in order to better under-stand its occupation of the river basin and its relations with environmental man-agement and restoration. To this end, as part of the project RIPISILVANATURA (2014-2019), it is valuing the distribution and use of the habitat in the central section of the river Segura and its tributaries. Between April 2016 and June 2018, 42 sections were sampled for the species' droppings, covering 109.8 km linear of river using the standard method (Macdonald et al., 1987) that foresees the creation of transects of between 600 and 1000m and that it has been visited periodically from 1 to 10 times, to collect and detect remains (feces and gels) of the species. The second step was the study of the diet of the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) in the basin of Segura, proceeding with the prey identification to determine the current-ly nutrition of the animal, distributed by areas with different anthropogenic pres-sure, and the results were compared with data from 20 years ago. The use of non-invasive genetic methods made it possible to cross-reference data on DNA level (molecular genetics) obtaining information which, together with the typing of the samples, helped to accurately identify both the species and their haplo-types. Last step was the study of the sympatria between the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) and the American mink (Neovison vison, Schreber, 1777) a potential in-vader, and a protocol based on non-invasive genetic methods PCR-RFLP that allowed study the distribution in the water bodies where the two species coexist: Community of Madrid, Province of Guadalajara and Province of Teruel. In con-clusion, recommendations were established for the conservation and manage-ment of the otter in the basin of Segura, in the framework of ecological restora-tion actions and in the management policies of IAS in this area

Efficacy of passive hair-traps for the genetic sampling of a low-density badger population

&lt;p&gt;A hair-trapping survey was carried out in the western River Po plain (NW Italy). We aimed to test whether barbed wire hair snares in combination with DNA profiling might represent an effective tool to study a low-density badger population. Traps were placed above the entrances of twelve badger setts between 15 February and 30 April 2010. Trapping effort was expressed as the number of trap-nights required to pluck a hair sample and the trend in the number of genotyped individual over time was analysed by regression analysis. Forty-three hair samples were collected, with an overall trapping effort of 54.8 trap-nights per one hair sample. Twenty-eight samples yielded reliable genotypes, allowing the identification of nine individual badgers. The length of storage period (1-3 months) before DNA extraction did not seem to affect genotyping success. According to the regression model, trapping effort allowed to sample 75% of the overall population. Our results suggest that the efficacy of passive devices is affected by population density.&lt;/p&gt

Eurasian otter Lutra lutra diet mirrors the decline of native fish assemblages in a semi-arid catchment (River Segura, SE Spain)

© The Author(s) 2022. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.In semi-arid environments, the effects of irregularly distributed rainfall, flow regulation and water inter-basin transfer enhance the spread of non-native fish to the detriment of native communities. In the River Segura, since the 1980s the number of non-native fish species has progressively increased, also because of the building of water transfer facility connecting the rivers Segura and Tajo. With the aim of highlighting how man-driven changes in the diversity of fish communities affect the diet of top-predators, we compared Eurasian otter Lutra lutra diet in the span of 20 years, i.e. 1997–98 vs. 2016–19. As habitat quality affects the condition of Andalusian barbel Luciobarbus sclateri, the most widespread native fish, we also compared the size of preyed barbels to point out whether human activities may have lowered their profitability to otters. Fish and introduced red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii formed the bulk of otter diet in both study periods. In 2016–19 the contribution of non-native species to otter diet increased significantly, both for crayfish and fish, which included ten non-native species. Otter feeding habits faithfully mirrored the variation in the composition of the fish community and confirmed the importance of crayfish as alternative-to-fish prey in the Iberian Peninsula. The average length of preyed barbels was significantly lower in the second study period, consistently with a decline in barbel profitability for otters.Open access funding provided by Università degli Studi di Milano within the CRUI-CARE Agreement. The research was supported by the LIFE13 BIO/ES/001407 RIPISILVANATURA. Daniel Bruno was funded by “PTI ECOBIODIV” through the Vicepresidencia Adjunta de Áreas Científico-Técnicas (VAACT-CSIC).Peer reviewe

Феномен саморегуляции в профессиональном становлении архитектора

Рассмотрены специфические черты подготовки и профессиональной деятельности архитектора в современном обществе. Определены возможные формы саморегуляции личности в процессе профессионального становления архитектора. Полученные эмпирические оценки параметров семи форм саморегуляции позиционированы в пространстве «расщепленных» переменных «эффективность» - «темп изменений». Показана целесообразность оценки достоверности результатов на основе «ципфовского» распределени