Effect of terrigenous sediments on macroalgae functional-form groups of coral reefs in Capurganá, Colombian Caribbean

Increased sedimentation in the marine environment has been described as a key factor in the degradation of coral reefs. One of the most important biological components of coral reefs is macroalgae. The objective of this study was to determine whether the effects of terrigenous sediments on macroalgae affect the current state of the coral reef ecosystem. In an in situ experiment in Capurganá Bay, terrigenous sediments were added to artificial plates and the impact on the recruitment and growth of the macroalgae was examined. In this experiment, three treatments were used: sediment addition and two natural conditions, one up to 10 m distance from the sediment addition (control 1) and one between 15 and 20 m distance from the sediment addition (control 2). The results indicated a high complexity and variability in the response of reef algae to the effects of sedimentation depending on the sediment grade size deposited. The addition had a positive effect on the recruitment and growth of filamentous algae, primarily red algae, whereas it had a negative effect on coralline algae. The sediments found on the plates did not significantly change the macroalgal structure (P>0.05). However, a trend was observed in the change of the algal cover in each treatment. These results indicate that there is a wide range of response of the algae depending on the functional groups and the nature of the sediment

Recolección y preservación de macroalgas marinas: una guía para estudios ficológicos

It is necessary to know the way to collect, preserve, and conserve marine macroalgae in order to generate biological collections that can be used for different research purposes (taxonomy, systematic, ecology, evolution, etc). Such collections also provide important ducational tools. Thus, the collections constitute part of the national patrimonyConocer la forma adecuada de recolectar, preservar y conservar las macroalgas marinas es indispensable para generar colecciones biológicas que puedan ser utilizadas en diversas investigaciones (taxonomía, sistemática, ecología, evolución, etc.) y de igual forma brinden importantes herramientas para la educación. De esta forma, las colecciones se constituyen en patrimonio de la nación.   &nbsp

Respuesta de las especies macroalgales a las adiciones de varios tipos de sedimentos: un bioensayo en arrecifes del Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona

Increased rates of sedimentation in the marine environment as a consequence of increased runoff, deforestation, inappropriate agricultural practices, etc, is a matter of concern due to the negative impacts on the ecology of coral reefs. Benthic algae are amongst the most important biological components of such ecosystems, however, little is known about the impacts of sedimentation on the ecology of tropical benthic algae. In this study we explored the effects of different types of sediment on the abundance and community structure of the algae in the Tayrona National Natural Park, Colombian Caribbean. The results showed that the addition of different types of sediments (from land, river, and marine) had minor effects on the cover,  diversity and community structure of the algae. The different type of sediments added did not significantly change the algal structure, however there were rare species with low abundance that occurred preferentially in specific sediment treatments. We conclude that there are a wide range of responses of algae to nature of the sediments.El incremento de las tasas de sedimentación en el medio marino, producto de la deforestación, prácticas de agricultura y uso inadecuado del suelo entre otros, ha generado preocupación por el impacto negativo que puede tener en los arrecifes coralinos. Uno de los componentes biológicos más importante de los arrecifes de coral son las algas bentónicas. A pesar de su importancia es muy poco lo que se conoce de los impactos de la sedimentación en la ecología de las algas bénticas tropicales. En este estudio se examinaron los efectos de la adición de sedimentos de diferente naturaleza en la abundancia y estructura de la comunidad de las algas arrecifales en la bahía de Chengue, Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona, Caribe colombiano. Los resultados indicaron que la adición de sedimentos de origen terrestre, de río y marinos, tuvieron efectos menores en la cobertura, diversidad y estructura de la comunidad de algas investigada. Los diferentes tipos de sedimentos adicionados no cambiaron de manera significativa la estructura algal, aunque algunas especies raras y de baja abundancia prefirieron uno u otro tipo de sedimento. Se concluye que existe gran variabilidad en las respuestas de las algas a la naturaleza del sedimento.

Draft genome sequence of marine alphaproteobacterial strain HIMB11, the first cultivated representative of a unique lineage within the Roseobacter clade possessing an unusually small genome

© The Author(s), 2014. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Standards in Genomic Sciences 9 (2014): 632-645, doi:10.4056/sigs.4998989.Strain HIMB11 is a planktonic marine bacterium isolated from coastal seawater in Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaii belonging to the ubiquitous and versatile Roseobacter clade of the alphaproteobacterial family Rhodobacteraceae. Here we describe the preliminary characteristics of strain HIMB11, including annotation of the draft genome sequence and comparative genomic analysis with other members of the Roseobacter lineage. The 3,098,747 bp draft genome is arranged in 34 contigs and contains 3,183 protein-coding genes and 54 RNA genes. Phylogenomic and 16S rRNA gene analyses indicate that HIMB11 represents a unique sublineage within the Roseobacter clade. Comparison with other publicly available genome sequences from members of the Roseobacter lineage reveals that strain HIMB11 has the genomic potential to utilize a wide variety of energy sources (e.g. organic matter, reduced inorganic sulfur, light, carbon monoxide), while possessing a reduced number of substrate transporters.We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, which funded the sequencing of this genome. Annotation was performed as part of the 2011 C-MORE Summer Course in Microbial Oceanography (http://cmore.soest.hawaii.edu/summercourse/2011/index.htm), with support by the Agouron Institute, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the University of Hawaii and Manoa School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST), and the Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education (C-MORE), a National Science Foundation-funded Science and Technology Center (award No. EF0424599)

Methane production induced by dimethylsulfide in surface water of an upwelling ecosystem

Coastal upwelling ecosystems are areas of high productivity and strong outgassing, where most gases, such as N2O and CH4, are produced in subsurface waters by anaerobic metabolisms. We describe seasonal CH4 variation as well as potential mechanisms producing CH4 in surface waters of the central Chile upwelling ecosystem (36°S). Surface waters were always supersaturated in CH4 (from 125% up to 550%), showing a clear seasonal signal triggered by wind driven upwelling processes (austral spring– summer period), that matched with the periods of high chlorophyll-a and dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) levels. Methane cycling experiments, with/without the addition of dimethylsulfide (including 13C-DMS) and acetylene (a nonspecific inhibitor of CH4 oxidation) along with monthly measurements of CH4, DMSP and other oceanographic variables revealed that DMS can be a CH4 precursor. Net CH4 cycling rates (control) fluctuated between -0.64 and 1.44 nmol L-1 d-1. After the addition of acetylene, CH4 cycling rates almost duplicated relative to the control, suggesting a strong methanotrophic activity. With a spike of DMS, the net CH4 cycling rate significantly increased relative to the acetylene and control treatment. Additionally, the d13C values of CH4 at the end of the incubations (after addition of 13C enriched-DMS) were changed, reaching -32‰ PDB compared to natural values between -44‰ and -46‰ PDB. These findings indicate that, in spite of the strong CH4 consumption by methanotrophs, this upwelling area is an important source of CH4 to the atmosphere. The effluxes are derived partially from in situ surface production and seem to be related to DMSP/DMS metabolism

Dissolved greenhouse gases (nitrous oxide and methane) associated with the naturally iron-fertilized Kerguelen region (KEOPS 2 cruise) in the Southern Ocean

The concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs), such as nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4), were measured in the Kerguelen Plateau region (KPR). The KPR is affected by an annual microalgal bloom caused by natural iron fertilization, and this may stimulate the microbes involved in GHG cycling. This study was carried out during the KEOPS 2 cruise during the austral spring of 2011. Oceanographic variables, including N2O and CH4, were sampled (from the surface to 500 m depth) in two transects along and across the KRP, the north south (TNS) transect (46 degrees-51 degrees S, similar to 72 degrees E) and the east west (TEW) transect (66 degrees -75 degrees E, similar to 48.3 degrees S), both associated with the presence of a plateau, polar front (PF) and other mesoscale features. The 'FEW presented N2O levels ranging from equilibrium (105 %) to slightly supersaturated (120%) with respect to the atmosphere, whereas CH4 levels fluctuated dramatically, being highly supersaturated (120-970%) in areas close to the coastal waters of the Kerguelen Islands and in the PF. The TNS showed a more homogenous distribution for both gases, with N2O and CH4 levels ranging from 88 to 171 % and 45 to 666% saturation, respectively. Surface CH4 peaked at southeastern stations of the KPR (A3 stations), where a phytoplankton bloom was observed. Both gases responded significantly, but in contrasting ways (CH4 accumulation and N2O de- pletion), to the patchy distribution of chlorophyll a. This seems to be associated to the supply of iron from various sources. Air sea fluxes for N2O (from -10.5 to 8.65, mean 1.25 +/- 4.04 mu mol m(-2) d(-1)) and for CH4 (from 0.32 to 38.1, mean 10.01 9.97 mmol(-2) d(-1)) indicated that the KPR is both a sink and a source for N2O, as well as a considerable and variable source of CH4. This appears to be associated with biological factors, as well as the transport of water masses enriched with Fe and CH4 from the coastal area of the Kerguelen Islands. These previously unreported results for the Southern Ocean suggest an intense microbial CH4 production in the study area

ESTUDIO DE FACTIBILIDAD PARA LA CREACION DE LA EMPRESA CURTIEMBRES JASAN LTDA.

Esta clase de estudio empresarial busca estimular a los estudiantes para que se involucre en la creación de nuevas empresas, para lograr el desarrollo económico y social de la región a través de la generación de nuevos empleos y oportunidades de superación. Por ella esta desarrollando este proyecto que busca conocer que factibilidad tiene la creación de una empresa de curtiembres en el Norte de Santander. Con el estudio de mercados se busca definir los conceptos que muestra en gran parte el comportamiento del consumidor ante las perspectivas que encuentran en el mercado. La estructura organizacional relaciona todos los aspectos para construir la empresa como son: la razón social, la misión, visión, logotipo, la organización jurídica y el manual de funciones; todo este contribuye a que la empresa funcione en condiciones normales. La realización la este proyecto servirá como guía e instrumento para llevar a cabo el desenvolvimiento de una nueva empresa sólida y con visión clara de los mecanismos a utilizar. La industria de curtido de pieles es una actividad estrechamente ligada a dos importantes sectores productivos del país, la industria del calzado y marroquinería, y el sacrificio de animales especialmente bovinos. Para el primero contribuye su principal proveedor de materia prima; en cambio para el segundo, es un importante cliente para su subproducto piel. Desde el punto de vista ambiental las curtiembres siempre han sido catalogadas como altamente contaminante, sin tener en cuenta que aprovecha un subproducto Putrescibles y de biodegradación lenta: la piel. El proceso de curtido genera una importante carga de contaminante; sin embargo tomando las medidas y precauciones necesarias, esto puede contrarrestarse adecuadamente. Al final los diferentes estudios de mercadeo, organizacional, técnico y financiero se concluye que la creación Curtiembre del Norte, es un proyecto factible

Recolección y preservación de macroalgas marinas: una guía para estudios ficológicos

It is necessary to know the way to collect, preserve, and conserve marine macroalgae in order to generate biological collections that can be used for different research purposes (taxonomy, systematic, ecology, evolution, etc). Such collections also provide important educational tools. Thus, the collections constitute part of the national patrimony.Conocer la forma adecuada de recolectar, preservar y conservar las macroalgas marinas es indispensable para generar colecciones biológicas que puedan ser utilizadas en diversas investigaciones (taxonomía, sistemática, ecología, evolución, etc.) y de igual forma brinden importantes herramientas para la educación. De esta forma, las colecciones se constituyen en patrimonio de la nación

On the Magnetization and Entanglement Plateaus in One-Dimensional Confined Molecular Magnets

One-dimensional (1D) magnetic systems offer rich phenomena in the quantum limit, proving more chemically accessible than zero-dimensional or higher-dimensional frameworks. Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) have recently been used to encapsulate trimetric nickel(II) acetylacetonate [Nanoscale, 2019, 11, 10615–10621]. Here, we investigate the magnetization on spin chains based on nickel trimers by Matrix Product State (MPS) simulations. Our findings reveal plateaus in the exchange/magnetic-field phase diagram for three coupling configurations, showcasing effective dimeric and trimeric spin-ordering with similar or staggered entanglement across chains. These ordered states allow the qubit-like tuning of specific local magnetic moments, exhibiting disengagement or uniform coupling in entanglement plateaus. This behavior is consistent with the experimental transition from frustrated (3D) to non-frustrated (1D) molecules, corresponding to large and smaller SWCNT diameters. Our study offers insights into the potential of 1D-confined trimers for quantum computation, extending beyond the confinement of trimetric nickel-based molecules in one dimension