Efectos de los cambios en el patrón de precipitaciones sobre los microorganismos y los procesos del suelo

Programa de Doctorado en Biodiversidad y Biología de la ConservaciónEl objetivo de esta tesis doctoral es evaluar los efectos de los cambios en el patrón de precipitación sobre los microbios y sobre una amplia variedad de procesos del suelo en distintos ecosistemas. Para ello, hemos estudiado cuatro zonas diferentes: dos ecosistemas mediterráneos (un pinar y un matorral}, en los que se ha llevado a cabo un estudio de campo observacional no manipulativo y un ecosistema semiárido y otro templado en los que se han realizado experimentos manipulativos. En el capítulo 1 evaluamos los efectos de los ciclos naturales de humedecido y secado del suelo sobre el pool de nitrógeno (N) en los dos ecosistemas mediterráneos anteriormente mencionados muestreando semanalmente durante un año. Nuestros resultados mostraron que el pool de N tiene una alta variabilidad temporal que es independiente del contenido en materia orgánica y del carbono (C) y N lábil del suelo. De este modo, es esperable que los cambios en los pulsos de agua producidos por el cambio climático tengan un impacto significativo sobre la disponibilidad y reciclaje de las formas orgánicas e inorgánicas de N. En el capítulo 2 estudiamos las tasas de respiración de estos dos mismos ecosistemas utilizando el mismo diseño muestra! que en el capítulo 1. Nuestros resultados evidenciaron que mientras que la tasa de respiración en el pinar aumentaba durante los ciclos de humedecido y disminuía durante los de secado, la tasa de respiración en el matorral no respondía a la humedad del suelo. Nuestros resultados apuntaron a que las bajas concentraciones de fósforo en el matorral estaban limitando la respuesta de la respiración del suelo a los pulsos de agua. En el capitulo 3 evaluamos la respuesta estacional de los microbios del suelo al consumo de diferentes fuentes de C en relación a las concentraciones de C lábil del suelo y calculamos la diversidad microbiana en los dos ecosistemas mediterráneos de estudio. Nuestros resultados evidenciaron que las concentraciones de C lábil del suelo no son un predictor fiable de la respuesta microbiana a distintas fuentes de C. También encontramos un patrón estacional diferente de la respuesta microbiana a las distintas fuentes de C en los dos ecosistemas, probablemente debido a la distinta fertilidad de sus suelos. En el capítulo 4 analizamos cómo la longitud y la intensidad de los ciclos de humedecido y la presencia de la costra biológica del suelo (CBS) determinan las variables relacionadas con el ciclo del C y N en un ecosistema semiárido. Nuestros resultados indicaron que los eventos de humedecido más largos e intensos pueden estar relacionados con un aumento en las tasas de descomposición que compensaría las pérdidas de nutrientes asociadas con los eventos de humedecido cortos. Esta tendencia es mucho más evidente en CBS que en suelo desnudo. De esta forma, los cambios en la longitud e intensidad de los eventos de humedecido y la presencia de la CBS podrían alterar la estructura y la función de la comunidad del suelo. Por último, en el capítulo 5 evaluamos cómo el efecto combinado de la adición de N en el suelo y más frecuentes ciclos de humedecido y secado afectan al flujo de los gases de efecto invernadero (GEis), la diversidad funcional microbiana y los ciclos del N y C. Nuestros resultados no sólo indicaron que la intensificación de la frecuencia de los ciclos de humedecido y secado afecta a los flujos de los GEIs y a la capacidad del suelo de ciclar N y C, si no también demostraron que la adición de N cambia las respuestas de estas variables a los pulsos de humedad del suelo. La población microbiana vio aumentada su diversidad en respuesta a la adición de N, pero no se vio afectada por la frecuencia de los ciclos de humedecido y secado del suelo. Estos resultados confirman que cambios tanto en la frecuencia de los ciclos de humedecido y secado como en la adición de N en el suelo pueden inducir alteraciones significativas en la población microbiana y los procesos del suelo. Los resultados obtenidos en esta tesis doctoral no sólo han mejorado nuestro conocimiento sobre la importancia del efecto que los pulsos de agua tienen sobre los microorganismos y los procesos del suelo, sino que además han explorado las consecuencias de futuros cambios en los pulsos de agua provocados por el cambio climático, tales como cambios en la longitud de los eventos de humedecido o en la frecuencia de los ciclos de humedecido y secado del suelo. También se ha explorado el papel de moduladores de la respuesta a los pulsos de agua como la C8S o la adición de N. Estos resultados pueden ser de ayuda para realizar previsiones más aproximativas de las consecuencias del cambio global sobre los ciclos biogequimicos y los microorganismos del suelo.Universidad Pablo de Olavide. Departamento de Sistemas Físicos, Químicos y Naturale

Resilience of Epiphytic Lichens to Combined Effects of Increasing Nitrogen and Solar Radiation

Lichens are classified into different functional groups depending on their ecological and physiological response to a given environmental stressor. However, knowledge on lichen response to the synergistic effect of multiple environmental factors is extremely scarce, although vital to get a comprehensive understanding of the effects of global change. We exposed six lichen species belonging to different functional groups to the combined effects of two nitrogen (N) doses and direct sunlight involving both high temperatures and ultraviolet (UV) radiation for 58 days. Irrespective of their functional group, all species showed a homogenous response to N with cumulative, detrimental effects and an inability to recover following sunlight, UV exposure. Moreover, solar radiation made a tolerant species more prone to N pollution’s effects. Our results draw attention to the combined effects of global change and other environmental drivers on canopy defoliation and tree death, with consequences for the protection of ecosystems.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Non-Toxic Increases in Nitrogen Availability Can Improve the Ability of the Soil Lichen Cladonia rangiferina to Cope with Environmental Changes

Climate change and atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition on drylands are greatly threatening these especially vulnerable areas. Soil biocrust-forming lichens in drylands can provide early indicators of these disturbances and play a pivotal role, as they contribute to key ecosystem services. In this study, we explored the effects of different long-term water availability regimes simulating climate changes and their interaction with N addition on the physiological response of the soil lichen Cladonia rangiferina. Three sets of this lichen were subjected to control, reduced watering, and reduced watering and N addition (40 kg NH4NO3 ha−1 year−1) treatments for 16 months. Finally, all samples were subjected to daily hydration cycles with N-enriched water at two levels (40 and 80 kg NH4NO3 ha−1 year−1) for 23 days. We found that reduced watering significantly decreased the vitality of this lichen, whereas N addition unexpectedly helped lichens subjected to reduced watering to cope with stress produced by high temperatures. We also found that long-term exposure to N addition contributed to the acclimation to higher N availability. Overall, our data suggest that the interactions between reduced watering and increased N supply and temperature have an important potential to reduce the physiological performance of this soil lichen.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Women’s Empowerment, Research, and Management: Their Contribution to Social Sustainability

This article enhances some ideas and opinions related with the challenges that women across the world face nowadays to pursue a professional career. The route they take has frequent obstacles of a distinct nature, which are not always comparable with those faced by men. The starting point of this work is the conclusions of the workshop “Women empowerment and gender equality, responsible research and innovation”—Research Project “SOILdarity”. This workshop revealed a diversified view about the subject, evidencing its connection with the social sustainability, with a special focus on academia and research management. This document introduces the topic in the context of the workshop, revises key aspects of women’s empowerment in a society still dominated by men’s opinions and organization (gender balance, obstacles and strategies), highlights the situation of women in academia and in research management, and gives the authors’ opinions about some questions related to gender and equality. We conclude that all societal actors must acknowledge women as key actors in contributing to social sustainability, working together towards creating an environment where they can have leadership roles.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Nivel de satisfacción en los servicios del restaurante, bar, snack cabaña y cafeteria del Golf y Country Club de Trujillo

El presente estudio se ha realizado con el propósito de determinar el nivel de satisfacción en los servicios del Restaurante, Bar, Snack Cabaña y Cafetería del Golf y Country Club de Trujillo. Se utilizó el diseño de una casilla, empleando la técnica del cuestionario. Se consideró como muestra a los asociados del Golf y Country Club de Trujillo. Los resultados de la investigación han permitido saber el nivel de satisfacción que tienen los asociados del Club con respecto a los servicios brindados por el Restaurante, Bar, Snack Cabaña y Cafetería del Golf y Country Club de Trujillo. De esta manera se ha logrado detectar que el nivel de satisfacción de los servicios no es compartido por todos los asociados del Club. Llegando a la conclusión que existe un nivel de satisfacción medio, esto se debe a que los distintos servicios de atención del Club ya sea Restaurante, Bar, Snack Cabaña y Cafetería, no cuentan con estándares de calidad de productos, servicios y nivel de atención.Tesi

Entrevista a Dña. Mª Isabel Celaá Diéguez, ministra de Educación y Formación Profesional de España

Isabel Celaá Diéguez has a degree in Philosophy and Letters in the specialty of English Philology, a degree in Law and professor of Baccalaureate in the specialty of English. She has been a teacher for several years; She has held many different elected positions with which she has accumulated extensive management experience, preferably focused on the field of Education. She is currently Minister of Education and Vocational Training of the Government of Spain since June 7, 2018. In her mandate, Organic Law 3/2020, of December 29, has been approved, which modifies Organic Law 2/2006, of May 3, Education, also called LOMLOE and in some areas known as the Celaá law. Recently, she has presented to the Council of Ministers in first reading the text of the Draft Organic Law for the Organization and Integration of Vocational Training. The editorial team of the magazine “Advances in Educational Supervision” wanted to know first-hand the response to different concerns raised by the new law, but not without first congratulating it for having obtained its approval.Isabel Celaá Diéguez es licenciada en Filosofía y Letras en la especialidad de Filología Inglesa, licenciada en Derecho y catedrática numeraria de Bachillerato de la especialidad de inglés. Ha ejercido como profesora durante varios años; ha ocupado muchos y diferentes cargos electos y de designación con los que ha acumulado una amplísima experiencia de gestión centrada preferentemente en el ámbito de la Educación. Actualmente es Ministra de Educación y Formación Profesional del Gobierno de España desde el 7 de junio de 2018. En su mandato se ha aprobado la Ley Orgánica 3/2020, de 29 de diciembre, por la que se modifica la Ley Orgánica 2/2006, de 3 de mayo, de Educación, también denominada LOMLOE y en algunos ámbitos conocida como ley Celaá. Recientemente, ha presentado al Consejo de Ministros en primera lectura el texto de Anteproyecto de Ley Orgánica de Ordenación e Integración de la Formación Profesional. El equipo editorial de la revista “Avances en supervisión Educativa” ha querido conocer de primera mano la respuesta a diferentes inquietudes que suscita la nueva ley no sin antes felicitarla por haber conseguido su aprobación

Nitrogen Deposition Effects on Soil Properties, Microbial Abundance, and Litter Decomposition Across Three Shrublands Ecosystems From the Mediterranean Basin

Atmospheric nitrogen (N) inputs in the Mediterranean Basin are projected to increase due to fossil fuel combustion, fertilizer use, and the exacerbation of agricultural production processes. Although increasing N deposition is recognized as a major threat to ecosystem functioning, little is known about how local environmental conditions modulate ecosystem function response to N addition, particularly in the context of Mediterranean-Basin ecosystems. Here, we assess how N addition affects important ecosystem properties associated with litter decomposition, soil physical-chemical properties, soil extracellular enzymatic activity and microbial abundance across three long-term N addition experimental sites in the Mediterranean Basin. Sites were located in El Regajal (Madrid, Spain), Capo Caccia (Alghero, Italy), and Arrábida (Lisbon, Portugal) and are all representative of Mediterranean shrublands. No common pattern for litter decomposition process or other studied variables emerged among the control plots of the studied sites. Nitrogen supply only affected soil pH, a major driver of decomposition, in two out of three experimental sites. Moreover, when we explored the role of N addition and soil pH in controlling litter decay, we found that the effects of these factors were site-dependent. Our results point out to local ecosystem features modulating N addition effects in controlling litter decomposition rates in Mediterranean ecosystems, suggesting that the responses of soil functioning to N deposition are site-dependent. These findings provide further knowledge to understand contrasting ecosystem responses to N additions based on a single field experiments

Climatic controls on leaf litter decomposition across European forests and grasslands revealed by reciprocal litter transplantation experiments

Carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling under future climate change is associated with large uncertainties in litter decomposition and the turnover of soil C and N. In addition, future conditions (especially altered precipitation regimes and warming) are expected to result in changes in vegetation composition, and accordingly in litter species and chemical composition, but it is unclear how such changes could potentially alter litter decomposition. Litter transplantation experiments were carried out across six European sites (four forests and two grasslands) spanning a large geographical and climatic gradient (5.6-11.4 degrees C in annual temperature 511-878mm in precipitation) to gain insight into the climatic controls on litter decomposition as well as the effect of litter origin and species. The decomposition k rates were overall higher in warmer and wetter sites than in colder and drier sites, and positively correlated with the litter total specific leaf area. Also, litter N content increased as less litter mass remained and decay went further. Surprisingly, this study demonstrates that climatic controls on litter decomposition are quantitatively more important than species or site of origin. Cumulative climatic variables, precipitation, soil water content and air temperature (ignoring days with air temperatures below zero degrees Celsius), were appropriate to predict the litter remaining mass during decomposition (M-r). M-r and cumulative air temperature were found to be the best predictors for litter carbon and nitrogen remaining during the decomposition. Using mean annual air temperature, precipitation, soil water content and litter total specific leaf area as parameters we were able to predict the annual decomposition rate (k) accurately.Peer reviewe

Nitrogen deposition effects on soil properties, microbial abundance, and litter decomposition across three shrublands ecosystems from the Mediterranean Basin

Atmospheric nitrogen (N) inputs in the Mediterranean Basin are projected to increase due to fossil fuel combustion, fertilizer use, and the exacerbation of agricultural production processes. Although increasing N deposition is recognized as a major threat to ecosystem functioning, little is known about how local environmental conditions modulate ecosystem function response to N addition, particularly in the context of Mediterranean-Basin ecosystems. Here, we assess how N addition affects important ecosystem properties associated with litter decomposition, soil physical-chemical properties, soil extracellular enzymatic activity and microbial abundance across three long-term N addition experimental sites in the Mediterranean Basin. Sites were located in El Regajal (Madrid, Spain), Capo Caccia (Alghero, Italy), and Arrábida (Lisbon, Portugal) and are all representative of Mediterranean shrublands. No common pattern for litter decomposition process or other studied variables emerged among the control plots of the studied sites. Nitrogen supply only affected soil pH, a major driver of decomposition, in two out of three experimental sites. Moreover, when we explored the role of N addition and soil pH in controlling litter decay, we found that the effects of these factors were site-dependent. Our results point out to local ecosystem features modulating N addition effects in controlling litter decomposition rates in Mediterranean ecosystems, suggesting that the responses of soil functioning to N deposition are sitedependent. These findings provide further knowledge to understand contrasting ecosystem responses to N additions based on a single field experiments

Where are we now with European forest multi-taxon biodiversity and where can we head to?

The European biodiversity and forest strategies rely on forest sustainable management (SFM) to conserve forest biodiversity. However, current sustainability assessments hardly account for direct biodiversity indicators. We focused on forest multi-taxon biodiversity to: i) gather and map the existing information; ii) identify knowledge and research gaps; iii) discuss its research potential. We established a research network to fit data on species, standing trees, lying deadwood and sampling unit description from 34 local datasets across 3591 sampling units. A total of 8724 species were represented, with the share of common and rare species varying across taxonomic classes: some included many species with several rare ones (e.g., Insecta); others (e.g., Bryopsida) were represented by few common species. Tree-related structural attributes were sampled in a subset of sampling units (2889; 2356; 2309 and 1388 respectively for diameter, height, deadwood and microhabitats). Overall, multitaxon studies are biased towards mature forests and may underrepresent the species related to other developmental phases. European forest compositional categories were all represented, but beech forests were overrepresented as compared to thermophilous and boreal forests. Most sampling units (94%) were referred to a habitat type of conservation concern. Existing information may support European conservation and SFM strategies in: (i) methodological harmonization and coordinated monitoring; (ii) definition and testing of SFM indicators and thresholds; (iii) data-driven assessment of the effects of environmental and management drivers on multi-taxon forest biological and functional diversity, (iv) multi-scale forest monitoring integrating in-situ and remotely sensed information. Forest biodiversity Multi-taxon Sustainable management Biodiversity conservation Forest stand structurepublishedVersio