Frugivoría y dispersión de semillas por mamíferos carnívoros: rasgos funcionales

Muchas especies de mamíferos carnívoros (Orden Carnivora) consumen frutos carnosos, transportan semillas en sus tractos digestivos y las defecan sin dañarlas en condiciones apropiadas para la germinación. En este artículo, revisamos el conocimiento adquirido sobre este mutualismo en las últimas tres décadas, desde que tres trabajos pioneros revelaron la importancia de los carnívoros como dispersores de semillas en ecosistemas templados. Nos centramos en los rasgos funcionales de los carnívoros consumiendo frutos y diseminando semillas, haciendo especial énfasis en sus diferencias con las aves, el principal grupo de vertebrados frugívoros en ecosistemas templados. Los carnívoros no están sujetos a las restricciones fenológicas o morfológicas que típicamente limitan el consumo de determinados frutos en muchas especies de aves. Consumen preferentemente frutos cuyos atributos son compartidos con muchas especies de frutos cultivados por el hombre, lo que explica el consumo frecuente de éstos en paisajes antrópicos. Sus amplios requerimientos espaciales favorecen la dispersión de semillas a larga distancia, mientras que su generalismo en relación al hábitat favorece el flujo de semillas entre hábitats contrastados. De este modo, los carnívoros promueven la conectividad entre poblaciones vegetales y la colonización. Estas funciones ecológicas son clave para las comunidades vegetales nativas, especialmente en escenarios de cambios de uso de suelo. Sin embargo, estos patrones de dispersión de semillas pueden contribuir a la invasión de plantas exóticas. Aún ignoramos en gran medida el papel de los carnívoros en términos cuantitativos de la dispersión de semillas y las diferencias funcionales entre especies dentro del gremio. La integración de muestreos clásicos e innovadoras técnicas moleculares y de análisis espacial promete aportar conocimiento inédito en estas cuestiones[EN ] Many species of carnivorous mammals (Order Carnivora) consume fleshy fruits, transport seeds in their digestive tracts, and defecate them without damage in conditions that are suitable for germination. In this article, we review the state of the art on this mutualism in the past three decades, since three pioneering studies revealed the importance of carnivores as seed dispersers in temperate ecosystems. We focus on the functional traits of carnivores consuming fruits and disseminating seeds, with particular emphasis on their differences with birds, the main group of vertebrate frugivores in temperate ecosystems. Carnivores are not subject to the phenological or morphological constraints that typically limit the consumption of certain fruit species in many bird species. They preferably consume fruits whose traits are shared with many fruit species cultivated by man, which explains the frequent consumption of cultivated fruits in anthropogenic landscapes. The large spatial requirements of carnivores promote long-distance seed dispersal, while their habitat generalism promotes seed flows between contrasting habitats. Thus, carnivores promote connectivity between plant populations and colonization. These are key ecological functions for native plant communities, especially in scenarios of land-use changes. However, these seed dispersal patterns can contribute to the invasion of exotic plants. We still largely ignore the role of carnivores in quantitative terms of seed dispersal and the functional differences between species within the guild. Integrating traditional fieldwork and innovative molecular techniques and spatial analysis promises to provide unprecedented knowledge on these issuesPeer reviewe

Histological response of soda-lime glass-ceramic bactericidal rods implanted in the jaws of beagle dogs

Bacterial and fungal infections remain a major clinical challenge. Implant infections very often require complicated revision procedures that are troublesome to patients and costly to the healthcare system. Innovative approaches to tackle infections are urgently needed. We investigated the histological response of novel free P2O5 glass-ceramic rods implanted in the jaws of beagle dogs. Due to the particular percolated morphology of this glass-ceramic, the dissolution of the rods in the animal body environment and the immature bone formation during the fourth months of implantation maintained the integrity of the glass-ceramic rod. No clinical signs of inflammation took place in any of the beagle dogs during the four months of implantation. This new glass-ceramic biomaterial with inherent bactericidal and fungicidal properties can be considered as an appealing candidate for bone tissue engineeringThis work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MICINN) under the projects MAT2012-38645. A.P. Tomsia work was supported by the National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIH/NIDCR) Grant No. 1R01DE015633S

Revista de Vertebrados de la Estación Biológica de Doñaña

Alimentación de la boga del Guadiana (Chondrostoma polylepis wi/lkommi, Stein. 1866) en la interfase río-embalse de Sierra Boyera (Córdoba. España)Predación del búho real (Bubo bubo) sobre la perdiz roja (Alectoris rufa): selección de edad y sexoAlimentación de la nutria (Lutra lufra L, 1758)en el Nordeste de la Península IbéricaDatos sobre la distribución espacialde micromamíferos en el Parque Nacionalde DoñanaGuía para el reconocimiento microscópico de los pelos de los mamíferos de la Patagonia.Sobre la distribución geográfica de Anaecypris hispanica (STEINDACHNER, 1866) (OSTEICHTHYES, CYPRINIDAE)Cronología del periodo reproductor de Rana temporaria L. en La Coruña (NW de España).Un nuevo caso de melanismo en Natrix natrix (LINNAEUS 1758) procedente de Fuente Dé (Santander)Nuevas citas de anfibios y reptiles para el SE de la Península Ibérica.Datos sobre la dieta invernal del Búho chico (Asia atus) en la provinvia de LeónLa Distribucióndel Mara (Dolichotis patagonum) según criterios ecológicos e históricosSolapamiento entre la dieta de la cabra montés (Capra pyrenaica) y la del muflón (Ovis musimon)Nota sobre dietas de carnívoros e índices de abundancia en una Reserva de caza del norte de España.Discriminación osteométrica en el géneroTalpa (LINNEO, 1758), en el norte IbéricoObservaciones sobre el comportamiento depredativo de algunos colúbridos Ibéricos en estado salvajePeer reviewe

Anales de Edafología y Agrobiología Tomo 34 Número 3-4

Estudio de la materia orgánica del ranker atlántico. I. Caracterización general, por P. Rodríguez Seoane, T. Carballas y F. Guitián Ojea.-- Movimiento y distribución de sales solubles en suelos calizos, por F. G. Fernández, M. Caro y A. Cerda.-- The availability of added and native phosphorus to barley grown in sorne Egyptian soils .containing different levels of calciurn carbonate, by M. H. Nafady.-- The measurernent of soil pH in calciurn chloride solutions, by M. H. Nafady.- Nuevas aportaciones al conocimiento del género Mnema (nernatoda) y su distribución en los suelos españoles, por María Arias.-- Estudios bioquímicos y fisiológicos en aceituna. III. Variaciones en el crecimiento de hojas y frutos, por J. P. Donaire, A. J. Sánchez-Raya, J. López Corge y L. Recalde.-- Importancia de la rnicorrización espontánea en ensayos de nutrición vegetal en suelos deficientes en fósforo, por R. Azcón y J. M. Barea.-- Andosoles canarios. J. Características generales de estos suelos, por E. Fernández Caldas y M. L. Tejedor Salguero.-- Andosoles canarios. II. Intergrados andosol-tierra parda oligotrófica. Características morfológicas y quírnkas, por M. L. Tejedor Salguero y E. Fernández Caldas.-- Andosoles canarios. lll. Jntergrados andosol-tierra parda otigotrófica. Catacterísticas físicas, por E. Fernández Caldas y M. L. Tejedor Salguero.-- Andosoles canario;. IV. In ter grados andosol-tierra parda ohgotrófica. Características mineralógicas. Interpretación y clasificación, por C. Rodríguez Pascual, P. Quantin, M. L. Tejedor Salguero y E. Fernández Caldas.-- Estudios recapitualtivos.-- La vid una revisión de las condiciones del cultivo, por C. González O. y M. Lachica.—Notas científicas.-- Nota sobre la determinación del carbono orgánico en suelos, por J. F. Gallardo.—Notas.-- Ampliación de la Comisión Permanente de la Junta de Gobierno del Patronato Alonso de Herrera.-- Nombramiento de Secretario del Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada de Tenerife.-- Nombramientos en el Instituto de Alimentación v Productividad Animal.-- Cambio de representantes del Patronato Alonso de Herrera en la Comisión Asesora de la Investigación Científica y Técnica.-- Convenio con ASPA.-- Dimisión del Director del Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura de Murcia.-- Nombramientos de representantes en los C. R. l. D. A. S.-- Designación de Jurados para Premios del C. S. l. C.-- Informes del Secretario Adjunto del C. S. I. C. sobre reuniones en Europa.-- Convenio entre la Estación Experimental del Zaidín y la Universidad de Nápoles.-- Donación de terrenos a la Diputación de Badajoz.-- Seminario Oleícola Internacional.-- Congreso de la Unión Fitopatológica Mediterránea.-- Situaciones de personal.-- Reunión de la Comisión de Protección Vegetal.-- Día Forestal Mundial.-- Congresos y reuniones internacionales y viajes.-- Premio Agrícola Aedos.-- BibliografíaPeer reviewed2019-08.- CopyBook.- Libnova.- Biblioteca ICA

Geographic genetic structure of Iberian columbines (gen. Aquilegia)

Southern European columbines (genus Aquilegia)are involved in active processes of diversification, and the Iberian Peninsula offers a privileged observatory to witness the process. Studies on Iberian columbines have provided significant advances on species diversification,but we still lack a complete perspective of the genetic diversification in the Iberian scenario. This work explores how genetic diversity of the genus Aquilegia is geographically structured across the Iberian Peninsula. We used Bayesian clustering methods, principal coordinates analyses, and NJ phenograms to assess the genetic relationships among 285 individuals from 62 locations and detect the main lineages. Genetic diversity of Iberian columbines consists of five geographically structured lineages, corresponding to different Iberian taxa. Differentiation among lineages shows particularly complex admixture patterns at Northeast and highly homogeneous toward Northwest and Southeast. This geographic genetic structure suggests the existence of incomplete lineage sorting and interspecific hybridization as could be expected in recent processes of diversification under the influence of quaternary postglacial migrations. This scenario is consistent with what is proposed by the most recent studies on European and Iberian columbines, which point to geographic isolation and divergent selection by habitat specialization as the main diversification drivers of the Iberian Aquilegia complex

Does Day Length Affect Winter Bird Distribution? Testing the Role of an Elusive Variable

Differences in day length may act as a critical factor in bird biology by introducing time constraints in energy acquisition during winter. Thus, differences in day length might operate as a main determinant of bird abundance along latitudinal gradients. This work examines the influence of day length on the abundance of wintering crested tits (Lophophanes cristatus) in 26 localities of Spanish juniper (Juniperus thurifera) dwarf woodlands (average height of 5 m) located along a latitudinal gradient in the Spanish highlands, while controlling for the influence of food availability, minimum night temperature, habitat structure and landscape characteristics. Top regression models in the AIC framework explained 56% of variance in bird numbers. All models incorporated day length as the variable with the highest magnitude effect. Food availability also played an important role, although only the crop of ripe juniper fruits, but not arthropods, positively affected crested tit abundance. Differences in vegetation structure across localities had also a strong positive effect (average tree height and juniper tree density). Geographical variation in night temperature had no influence on crested tit distribution, despite the low winter temperatures reached in these dwarf forests. This paper demonstrates for the first time that winter bird abundance increases with day length after controlling for the effect of other environmental variables. Winter average difference in day length was only 10.5 minutes per day along the 1°47′ latitudinal interval (190 km) included in this study. This amount of time, which reaches 13.5 h accumulated throughout the winter season, appears to be large enough to affect the long-term energy budget of small passerines during winter and to shape the distribution of winter bird abundance under restrictive environmental conditions

Effect of invader removal: pollinators stay but some native plants miss their new friend

Removal of invasive species often benefits biological diversity allowing ecosystems’ recovery. However, it is important to assess the functional roles that invaders may have established in their new areas to avoid unexpected results from species elimination. Invasive animal-pollinated plants may affect the plant–pollination interactions by changing pollinator availability and/or behaviour in the community. Thus, removal of an invasive plant may have important effects on pollinator community that may then be reflected positive or negatively on the reproductive success of native plants. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of removing Oxalis pescaprae, an invasive weed widely spread in the Mediterranean basin, on plant–pollinator interactions and on the reproductive success of co-flowering native plants. For this, a disturbed area in central Portugal, where this species is highly abundant, was selected. Visitation rates, natural pollen loads, pollen tube growth and natural fruit set of native plants were compared in the presence of O. pes-caprae and after manual removal of their flowers. Our results showed a highly resilient pollination network but also revealed some facilitative effects of O. pes-caprae on the reproductive success of co-flowering native plants. Reproductive success of the native plants seems to depend not only on the number and diversity of floral visitors, but also on their efficiency as pollinators. The information provided on the effects of invasive species on the sexual reproductive success of natives is essential for adequate management of invaded areas.This work is financed by FEDER funds through the COMPETE Program and by Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) funds in the ambit of the project PTDC/ BIA-BIC/110824/2009, by CRUP Acc¸o˜es Integradas Luso- Espanholas 2010 with the project E10/10, by MCI-Programa de Internacionalizacio´n de la I ? D (PT2009-0068) and by the Spanish DGICYT (CGL2009-10466), FEDER funds from the European Union, and the Xunta de Galicia (INCITE09- 3103009PR). FCT also supported the work of S. Castro (FCT/ BPD/41200/2007) and J. Costa (CB/C05/2009/209; PTDC/ BIA-BIC/110824/2009). The work of V. Ferrero was supported by the Fundacio´n Ramo´n Areces