Net effect of environmental fluctuations in multiple global-change drivers across the tree of life

Jensen’s inequality predicts that the response of any given system to average constant conditions is different from its average response to varying ones. Environmental fluctuations in abiotic conditions are pervasive on Earth; yet until recently, most ecological research has addressed the effects of multiple environmental drivers by assuming constant conditions. One could thus expect to find significant deviations in the magnitude of their effects on ecosystems when environmental fluctuations are considered. Drawing on experimental studies published during the last 30 years reporting more than 950 response ratios ( n = 5,700), we present a comprehensive analysis of the role that environmental fluctuations play across the tree of life. In contrast to the predominance of interactive effects of global-change drivers reported in the literature, our results show that their cumulative effects were additive (58%), synergistic (26%), and antagonistic (16%) when environmental fluctuations were present. However, the dominant type of interaction varied by trophic level (autotrophs: interactive; heterotrophs: additive) and phylogenetic group (additive in Animalia; additive and positive antagonism in Chromista; negative antagonism and synergism in Plantae). In addition, we identify the need to tackle how complex communities respond to fluctuating environments, widening the phylogenetic and biogeographic ranges considered, and to consider other drivers beyond warming and acidification as well as longer timescales. Environmental fluctuations must be taken into account in experimental and modeling studies as well as conservation plans to better predict the nature, magnitude, and direction of the impacts of global change on organisms and ecosystems.Agencia Estatal de Investigación | Ref. PGC2018-094553B-I00Agencia Estatal de Investigación | Ref. FJCI2017-32318Agencia Estatal de Investigación | Ref. IJC2019-040850-IJunta de Andalucía | Ref. POSTDOC-21-0004

Large-scale meridional and zonal variability in the nitrogen isotopic composition of plankton in the Atlantic Ocean

The zonal (ca. 15º-40ºW along 26-29ºN) and meridional (ca. 30ºN-30ºS along 28º-29ºW) variability of δ15N of suspended particles and zooplankton (>40 µm) was studied to assess the influence of nitrogen fixation in the isotopic budget of the tropical and subtropical Atlantic ocean. Two cruises were conducted in October-November 2007 and April-May 2008 comprising a zonal and meridional transect each. In the region between 30º-15ºN, the concurrently measured nitrogen fixation was insufficient to explain the consistent patch of suspended particles with δ15N < 2‰ and points to a significant contribution of atmospheric deposition of light nitrogen to the isotopic budget. The equatorial region (15ºN-10ºS) is subject to intense nitrogen fixation, which, according to a two-end-member mixing model, may explain 40-60% of the observed δ15N in suspended particles and 3-30% in zooplankton. In the South region between 10ºS-30ºS, low values (<4‰) were measured in suspended particles and zooplankton during 2008. The values of δ15N of suspended particles suggest that nitrogen fixation, which is usually low (<10 µmol N m−2 d−1), may represent 50-60% of phytoplankton nitrogen in this region. Hence, diazotrophy in the South Atlantic may be more important than previously thought.Minsiterio de Ciencia y Tecnología (CTM2004-05174-C01 and CTM2004-05174-C02), Xunta de Galicia PGIDIT05PXIC31201PNPreprint1,749

Variabilidade e tendencias interanuais no fitoplancto mariño das costas de Galicia

13 páginas, 2 tablas, 7 figuras[EN] The available information on phytoplankton biomass and species composition in Galician waters was studied to find out their spatial variability as well as the annual trends. The areas covered included the oceanic zone, the shelf and the inner part of the Rías. In general a significant drop in diatoms was observed. The series also indicated an increase in dinoflagellates, although it was not statistically significant. The diatom species related to blooms in the area declined, whereas those indicative of weak upwelling or stratificacion showed an increase. Even though not all trends were significant, the available data are consistent with the decrease in upwelling intensity over the last 40 years. The results also suggest that effects of climate changes on phytoplankton may be delayed for several years. In any case, the large oceanographic variability of the region, along with the lack of continuity of some o[GA] Co obxecto de coñecer a variabilidade espacial e as tendencias interanuais do fitoplancto galego, estudáronse as series de datos históricos dispoñibles para Galicia, abarcando desde a zona oceánica ata as zonas máis costeiras das rías e a plataforma continental. En xeral, observouse unha diminución significativa das diatomeas, especialmente na zona oceánica. Tamén hai indicios dun incremento, aínda que non significativo, dos dinoflaxelados. O descenso das diatomeas foi debido á caída das abundancias de especies propias de floracións, tanto primaverais como estivais asociadas ao afloramento. Así mesmo, aumentaron as especies de diatomeas propias de afloramentos febles ou estratificación. Malia que non todas as tendencias foron significativas, os resultados son coherentes cunha diminución da intensidade do afloramento nos últimos 40 anos e un cambio nas condicións climáticas desde a década de 1980. Os resultados indican que os efectos dos cambios climáticos sobre o fitoplancto se poden manifestar con varios anos de retardo. Con todo, a alta variabilidade oceanográfica da zona, especialmente de alta frecuencia, e mais a falta de continuidade de moitas series de datos dificultan o establecemento de relacións claras entre cambios ambientais e o fitoplanctoEsta análise das tendencias do fitoplancto en Galicia foi financiada parcialmente pola Consellería de Medio Ambiente e Desenvolvemento Sostible (Programa CLIGAL) e polo proxecto REFORZA (PGIDT06RMA60401PR) da Consellería de Innovación e Industria da Xunta de Galicia. O traballo de María Huete-Ortega estivo financiado polo Programa Predoutoral de Formación de Profesorado Universitario do Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia.Peer reviewe

El indicador de la provincia de Logroño

Contiene publicidad comercialDescripción basada en: Cub. tomada como port

Open fires. Final Report of Grants FG-Sp-114 and FG-SP Vol. I

The research program has comprised the experimental and theoretical study of some basic laws of open fires. This study has been carried out by utilizing the pool fire technique, which consists in burning liquid fuels in cylindrical vessels, and in measuring and analyzing burning rates, energy balances, flame properties and fuel temperatures. Several important conclusions have been obtained on burning rates, energy balances and flame characteristics including the influence of type of fuel, vessel size and vessel configuration

Nutrient limitation suppresses the temperature dependence of phytoplankton metabolic rates

Climate warming has the potential to alter ecosystem function through temperature-dependent changes in individual metabolic rates. The temperature sensitivity of phytoplankton metabolism is especially relevant, since these microorganisms sustain marine food webs and are major drivers of biogeochemical cycling. Phytoplankton metabolic rates increase with temperature when nutrients are abundant, but it is unknown if the same pattern applies under nutrient-limited growth conditions, which prevail over most of the ocean. Here we use continuous cultures of three cosmopolitan and biogeochemically relevant species (Synechococcus sp., Skeletonema costatum and Emiliania huxleyi) to determine the temperature dependence (activation energy, Ea) of metabolism under different degrees of nitrogen (N) limitation. We show that both CO2 fixation and respiration rates increase with N supply but are largely insensitive to temperature. Ea of photosynthesis (0.11 ± 0.06 eV, mean ± SE) and respiration (0.04 ± 0.17 eV) under N-limited growth is significantly smaller than Ea of growth rate under nutrient-replete conditions (0.77 ± 0.06 eV). The reduced temperature dependence of metabolic rates under nutrient limitation can be explained in terms of enzyme kinetics, because both maximum reaction rates and half-saturation constants increase with temperature. Our results suggest that the direct, stimulating effect of rising temperatures upon phytoplankton metabolic rates will be circumscribed to ecosystems with high-nutrient availabilityMinisterio de Economía y Competitividad | Ref. CTM2014-53582-

Temporal variability of diazotroph community composition in the upwelling region off NW Iberia.

Knowledge of the ecology of N2-fixing (diazotrophic) plankton is mainly limited to oligotrophic (sub)tropical oceans. However, diazotrophs are widely distributed and active throughout the global ocean. Likewise, relatively little is known about the temporal dynamics of diazotrophs in productive areas. Between February 2014 and December 2015, we carried out 9 one-day samplings in the temperate northwestern Iberian upwelling system to investigate the temporal and vertical variability of the diazotrophic community and its relationship with hydrodynamic forcing. In downwelling conditions, characterized by deeper mixed layers and a homogeneous water column, non-cyanobacterial diazotrophs belonging mainly to nifH clusters 1G (Gammaproteobacteria) and 3 (putative anaerobes) dominated the diazotrophic community. In upwelling and relaxation conditions, affected by enhanced vertical stratification and hydrographic variability, the community was more heterogeneous vertically but less diverse, with prevalence of UCYN-A (unicellular cyanobacteria, subcluster 1B) and non-cyanobacterial diazotrophs from clusters 1G and 3. Oligotyping analysis of UCYN-A phylotype showed that UCYN-A2 sublineage was the most abundant (74%), followed by UCYN-A1 (23%) and UCYN-A4 (2%). UCYN-A1 oligotypes exhibited relatively low frequencies during the three hydrographic conditions, whereas UCYN-A2 showed higher abundances during upwelling and relaxation. Our findings show the presence of a diverse and temporally variable diazotrophic community driven by hydrodynamic forcing in an upwelling system

Time-lagged associations between cognitive and cortical development from childhood to early adulthood

Throughout childhood and adolescence, humans experience marked changes in cortical structure and cognitive ability. Cortical thickness and surface area, in particular, have been associated with cognitive ability. Here we ask the question: What are the time related associations between cognitive changes and cortical structure maturation. Identifying a developmental sequence requires multiple measurements of these variables from the same individuals across time. This allows capturing relations among the variables and, thus, finding whether: (a) developmental cognitive changes follow cortical structure maturation, (b) cortical structure maturation follows cognitive changes, or (c) both processes influence each other over time. 430 children and adolescents (age range = 6.01 22.28 years) completed the WASI battery and were MRI scanned at three time points separated by ≈ 2 years (mean age t1 = 10.60, SD = 3.58, mean age t2=12.63, SD=3.62, mean age t3=14.49, SD=3.55). Latent Change Score (LCS) models were applied to quantify age related relationships among the variables of interest. Our results indicate that cortical and cognitive changes related to each other reciprocally. Specifically, the magnitude or rate of the change in each variable at any occasion and not the previous level was predictive of later changes. These results were replicated for brain regions selected according to the coordinates identified in the Basten et al.’s (2015) meta analysis, to the Parieto Frontal Integration Theory (P FIT, Jung & Haier, 2007) and to the whole cortex. Potential implications regarding brain plasticity and cognitive enhancement are discusse

Effects of temperature and nutrient supply on resource allocation, photosynthetic strategy, and metabolic rates of Synechococcus sp.

Temperature and nutrient supply are key factors that control phytoplankton ecophysiology, but their role is commonly investigated in isolation. Their combined effect on resource allocation, photosynthetic strategy, and metabolism remains poorly understood. To characterize the photosynthetic strategy and resource allocation under different conditions, we analyzed the responses of a marine cyanobacterium ( Synechococcus PCC 7002) to multiple combinations of temperature and nutrient supply. We measured the abundance of proteins involved in the dark (RuBis CO , rbc L) and light (Photosystem II , psbA) photosynthetic reactions, the content of chlorophyll a , carbon and nitrogen, and the rates of photosynthesis, respiration, and growth. We found that rbc L and psbA abundance increased with nutrient supply, whereas a temperature‐induced increase in psbA occurred only in nutrient‐replete treatments. Low temperature and abundant nutrients caused increased RuBis CO abundance, a pattern we observed also in natural phytoplankton assemblages across a wide latitudinal range. Photosynthesis and respiration increased with temperature only under nutrient‐sufficient conditions. These results suggest that nutrient supply exerts a stronger effect than temperature upon both photosynthetic protein abundance and metabolic rates in Synechococcus sp. and that the temperature effect on photosynthetic physiology and metabolism is nutrient dependent. The preferential resource allocation into the light instead of the dark reactions of photosynthesis as temperature rises is likely related to the different temperature dependence of dark‐reaction enzymatic rates versus photochemistry. These findings contribute to our understanding of the strategies for photosynthetic energy allocation in phytoplankton inhabiting contrasting environments.Agencia Estatal de Investigación | Ref. PGC2018‐094553‐B‐I00National Science Foundation (USA) | Ref. ANT‐0944254National Environmental Research Council (UK) | Ref. NE/F019254/1National Environmental Research Council (UK) | Ref. NE/G009155/1Xunta de Galici

Mesopelagic respiration near the ESTOC (European Station for Time-Series in the Ocean, 15.5°W, 29.1°N) site inferred from a tracer conservation model

© The Author(s), 2016. This is the author's version of the work and is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers 115 (2016): 63–73, doi:10.1016/j.dsr.2016.05.010.Remineralization of organic matter in the mesopelagic zone (ca. 150–700 m) is a key controlling factor of carbon export to the deep ocean. By using a tracer conservation model applied to climatological data of oxygen, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and nitrate, we computed mesopelagic respiration at the ESTOC (European Station for Time- Series in the Ocean, Canary Islands) site, located in the Eastern boundary region of the North Atlantic subtropical gyre. The tracer conservation model included vertical Ekman advection, geostrophic horizontal transport and vertical diffusion, and the biological remineralization terms were diagnosed by assuming steady state. Three different approaches were used to compute reference velocities used for the calculation of geostrophic velocities and flux divergences: a no-motion level at 3000 m, surface geostrophic velocities computed from the averaged absolute dynamic topography field, and surface velocities optimized from the temperature model. Mesopelagic respiration rates computed from the model were 2.8–8.9molO2 m2 y=1, 2.0–3.1mol Cm2 y=1 and 0.6–1.0molNm2 y=1, consistent with remineralization processes occurring close to Redfield stoichiometry. Model estimates were in close agreement with respiratory activity, derived from electron transport system (ETS) measurements collected in the same region at the end of the winter bloom period (3.61 ± 0.48molO2 m=2 y=1). According to ETS estimates, 50% of the respiration in the upper 1000 m took place below 150 m. Model results showed that oxygen, DIC and nitrate budgets were dominated by lateral advection, pointing to horizontal transport as the main source of organic carbon fuelling the heterotrophic respiration activity in this region.Funding for this study was provided by the Xunta de Galicia under the research project VARITROP (09MDS001312PR, PI B. Mouriño-Carballido) and by the Ministerio de Educación y Cultura under the research project MESOPELAGIC (MAR97-1036, PI S. Hernández-León). B. Fernández-Castro acknowledges the receipt of FPU grant from the Spanish government (AP2010-5594).2017-05-2