54 research outputs found

    Dynamic wavelet correlation analysis for multivariate climate time series

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    The wavelet local multiple correlation (WLMC) is introduced for the first time in the study of climate dynamics inferred from multivariate climate time series. To exemplify the use of WLMC with real climate data, we analyse Last Millennium (LM) relationships among several large‑scale reconstructed climate variables characterizing North Atlantic: i.e. sea surface temperatures (SST) from the tropical cyclone main developmental region (MDR), the El Niño‑Southern Oscillation (ENSO), the North Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO), and tropical cyclone counts (TC). We examine the former three large‑scale variables because they are known to influence North Atlantic tropical cyclone activity and because their underlying drivers are still under investigation. WLMC results obtained for these multivariate climate time series suggest that: (1) MDRSST and AMO show the highest correlation with each other and with respect to the TC record over the last millennium, and: (2) MDRSST is the dominant climate variable that explains TC temporal variability. WLMC results confirm that this method is able to capture the most fundamental information contained in multivariate climate time series and is suitable to investigate correlation among climate time series in a multivariate contextJ.M.P.M was funded by the PIC 444/18 – EU Interreg project MOSES (EAPA 224/2016), FEDER funds and the SEPE (Spanish Public Service of Employment). J.F.M. acknowledges research funding received from UPV/EHU Econometrics Research Group (Basque Government Dpt. of Education grant IT-1359-19) and Spanish Ministry of Economy and Business (grant MTM2016-74931-P)

    A reconstructed database of historic bluefin tuna captures in the Gibraltar Strait and Western Mediterranean

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    This data paper presents a reconstruction of a compilation of a small but consistent database of historical capture records of bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus; BFT hereafter) from the Gibraltar Strait and Western Mediterranean (Portugal, Spain and Italy). The compilation come from diverse historical and documentary sources and span the time interval from 1525 to 1936 covering a period of 412 years. There is a total of 3074 datum, which reach up to 67.83% of the total implying a 32.17% of missing data. However, we have only reconstructed the captures for the time interval 1700 1936 and we provide these reconstructions only for this time interval and for 9 out of 11 series due to the scarcity and inhomogeneity of the two oldest capture time series. This reconstructed database provides an invaluable opportunity for fisheries and marine research as well as for multidisciplinary research in climate change. © 2017 The AuthorsJ.M.P.M. was funded by a Basque Government post-doctoral fellowship. A. M. Caballero-Alfonso was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports

    Legacies of past forest management determine current responses to severe drought events of conifer species in the Romanian Carpathians

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    Worldwide increases in droughts- and heat-waves-associated tree mortality events are destabilizing the future of many forests and the ecosystem services they provide. Along with climate, understanding the impact of the legacies of past forest management is key to better explain current responses of different tree species to climate change. We studied tree mortality events that peaked in 2012 affecting one native (silver fir; growing within its natural distribution range) and two introduced (black pine and Scots; growing outside their natural distribution range) conifer species from the Romanian Carpathians. The three conifers were compared in terms of mortality events, growth trends, growth resilience to severe drought events, climate-growth relationships, and regeneration patterns. The mortality rates of the three species were found to be associated with severe drought events. Nevertheless, the native silver fir seems to undergo a self-thinning process, while the future of the remaining living black pine and Scots pine trees is uncertain as they register significant negative growth trends. Overall, the native silver fir showed a higher resilience to severe drought events than the two introduced pine species. Furthermore, and unlike the native silver fir, black pine and Scots pine species do not successfully regenerate. A high diversity of native broadleaf species sprouts and develops instead under them suggesting that we might be witnessing a process of ecological succession, with broadleaves recovering their habitats. As native species seem to perform better in terms of resilience and regeneration than introduced species, the overall effect of the black pine and Scots pine mortality might be compensated. Legacies of past forest management should be taken into account in order to better understand current responses of different tree species to ongoing climate change. © 2020 Elsevier B.V.We thank the Forest District staff of Sacele, Kronstadt, Rasnov, Teliu, Codlea, and Intorsura Buzaului for all their support and for giving us access to the Forest Management Plans. This work was financed by the NATIvE ( PN-III-P1-1.1-PD-2016-0583 ) and TreeMoris ( PN-II-RU-TE-2014-4-0791 ) projects through UEFISCDI (link; Romanian Ministry of Education and Research ) and supported by the BERC 2018-2021 ( Basque Government ), and BC3 María de Maeztu Excellence Accreditation 2018-2022, Ref. MDM-2017-0714 ( Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities ). We also thank Antonio Gazol for interesting discussions on the study and Ionela-Mirela Medrea, Andrei Apafaian, Maria Băluţ, and Florin Dinulică for assistance during field and laboratory campaigns. Silver fir, black pine, and Scots pine figures included in the graphical abstract are reproduced with the authorization of the designer Luiza Anamaria Pop (©2020) who drew the three conifer species and processed the drawings in Adobe Illustrator® CS5 (v. 15.0.0)

    Light-triggered carotenogenesis in myxococcus xanthus: New paradigms in photosensory signaling, transduction and gene regulation

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    22 pags., 6 figs. -- This article belongs to the Special Issue Myxobacteria: Physiology and RegulationMyxobacteria are Gram-negative δ-proteobacteria found predominantly in terrestrial habitats and often brightly colored due to the biosynthesis of carotenoids. Carotenoids are lipophilic isoprenoid pigments that protect cells from damage and death by quenching highly reactive and toxic oxidative species, like singlet oxygen, generated upon growth under light. The model myxobacterium Myxococcus xanthus turns from yellow in the dark to red upon exposure to light because of the photoinduction of carotenoid biosynthesis. How light is sensed and transduced to bring about regulated carotenogenesis in order to combat photooxidative stress has been extensively investigated in M. xanthus using genetic, biochemical and high-resolution structural methods. These studies have unearthed new paradigms in bacterial light sensing, signal transduction and gene regulation, and have led to the discovery of prototypical members of widely distributed protein families with novel functions. Major advances have been made over the last decade in elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying the light-dependent signaling and regulation of the transcriptional response leading to carotenogenesis in M. xanthus. This review aims to provide an up-to-date overview of these findings and their significance.This research was funded by grants PGC2018-094635-B-C21 (to M.E.-A.) and PGC2018- 094635-B-C22 (to S.P) from the Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI)-Spain and European Regional Development Fund (FEDER), and by grant 20992/PI/18 (to M.E.-A.) from Fundación Séneca (Murcia)- Spain. The Ministerio de Educación y Cultura-Spain funded Ph.D. fellowships to A.J.M.-G, E.P.-M. and E.B.-M., and AEI-Spain funded that to R.P.-C

    PIH32 WOMEN'S PREFERENCES FOR OVARIAN STIMULATING HORMONES IN THE TREATMENT OF INFERTILITY

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    Ancient DNA of guinea pigs (Cavia spp.) indicates a probable new center of domestication and pathways of global distribution

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    Guinea pigs (Cavia spp.) have a long association with humans. From as early as 10,000 years ago they were a wild food source. Later, domesticated Cavia porcellus were dispersed well beyond their native range through pre-Columbian exchange networks and, more recently, widely across the globe. Here we present 46 complete mitogenomes of archaeological guinea pigs from sites in Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, the Caribbean, Belgium and the United States to elucidate their evolutionary history, origins and paths of dispersal. Our results indicate an independent centre of domestication of Cavia in the eastern Colombian Highlands. We identify a Peruvian origin for the initial introduction of domesticated guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) beyond South America into the Caribbean. We also demonstrate that Peru was the probable source of the earliest known guinea pigs transported, as part of the exotic pet trade, to both Europe and the southeastern United States. Finally, we identify a modern reintroduction of guinea pigs to Puerto Rico, where local inhabitants use them for food. This research demonstrates that the natural and cultural history of guinea pigs is more complex than previously known and has implications for other studies regarding regional to global-scale studies of mammal domestication, translocation, and distribution.Fil: Lord, E.. Stockholms Universitet; Suecia. University of Otago; Nueva ZelandaFil: Collins, C.. University of Otago; Nueva ZelandaFil: deFrance, S.. University of Florida; Estados UnidosFil: LeFebvre, M. J.. University of Florida; Estados UnidosFil: Pigière, F.. Universidad de Dublin; IrlandaFil: Eeckhout, P.. Université Libre de Bruxelles; BélgicaFil: Erauw, C.. Université Libre de Bruxelles; BélgicaFil: Fitzpatrick, S. M.. State University of Oregon; Estados UnidosFil: Healy, P. F.. Trent University; CanadáFil: Martínez Polanco, M. F.. Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle; Francia. Universitat Rovira I Virgili; España. Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social; EspañaFil: Garcia, J. L.. Stetson University; Estados UnidosFil: Ramos Roca, E.. Universidad de los Andes. Facultad de Ciencias Sociales. Departamento de Antropología; ColombiaFil: Delgado Burbano, Miguel Eduardo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Área Antropológica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentina. School of Life Sciences and Human Phenome Institute Fudan University; ChinaFil: Sánchez Urriago, A.. Instituto Colombiano de Antropología e Historia; ColombiaFil: Peña Léon, G. A.. Universidad Nacional de Colombia; ColombiaFil: Toyne, J. M.. University of Florida; Estados UnidosFil: Dahlstedt, A.. Arizona State University; Estados UnidosFil: Moore, K. M.. State University of Pennsylvania; Estados UnidosFil: Laguer Diaz, C.. University of Florida; Estados UnidosFil: Zori, C.. Baylor University; Estados UnidosFil: Matisoo-Smith, E.. University of Otago; Nueva Zeland

    Volcanism and climate change as drivers in Holocene depositional dynamic of Laguna del Maule (Andes of central Chile – 36° S)

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    Late Quaternary volcanic basins are active landscapes from which detailed archives of past climate and seismic and volcanic activity can be obtained. A multidisciplinary study performed on a transect of sediment cores was used to reconstruct the depositional evolution of the high-elevation Laguna del Maule (LdM) (36∘ S, 2180 m a.s.l., Chilean Andes). The recovered 5 m composite sediment sequence includes two thick turbidite units (LT1 and LT2) and numerous tephra layers (23 ash and 6 lapilli). We produced an age model based on nine new 14C AMS dates, existing 210Pb and 137Cs data, and the Quizapú ash horizon (1932 CE). According to this age model, the relatively drier Early Holocene was followed by a phase of increased productivity during the mid-Holocene and higher lake levels after 4.0 ka cal BP. Major hydroclimate transitions occurred at ca. 11, 8.0, 4.0 and 0.5 ka cal BP. Decreased summer insolation and winter precipitation due to a southward shift in the southern westerly winds and a strengthened Pacific Subtropical High could explain Early Holocene lower lake levels. Increased biological productivity during the mid-Holocene (∼8.0 to 6.0 ka cal BP) is coeval with a warm–dry phase described for much of southern South America. Periods of higher lake productivity are synchronous to a higher frequency of volcanic events. During the Late Holocene, the tephra layers show compositional changes suggesting a transition from silica-rich to silica-poor magmas at around 4.0 ka cal BP. This transition was synchronous with increased variability of sedimentary facies and geochemical proxies, indicating higher lake levels and increased moisture at LdM after 4.0 ka cal BP, most likely caused by the inception of current El Niño–Southern Oscillation and Pacific Decadal Oscillation (ENSO–PDO) dynamics in central Chile.Postprin

    The ACER pollen and charcoal database: a global resource to document vegetation and fire response to abrupt climate changes during the last glacial period

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    Quaternary records provide an opportunity to examine the nature of the vegetation and fire responses to rapid past climate changes comparable in velocity and magnitude to those expected in the 21st-century. The best documented examples of rapid climate change in the past are the warming events associated with the Dansgaard–Oeschger (D–O) cycles during the last glacial period, which were sufficiently large to have had a potential feedback through changes in albedo and greenhouse gas emissions on climate. Previous reconstructions of vegetation and fire changes during the D–O cycles used independently constructed age models, making it difficult to compare the changes between different sites and regions. Here, we present the ACER (Abrupt Climate Changes and Environmental Responses) global database, which includes 93 pollen records from the last glacial period (73–15 ka) with a temporal resolution better than 1000 years, 32 of which also provide charcoal records. A harmonized and consistent chronology based on radiometric dating (14C, 234U∕230Th, optically stimulated luminescence (OSL), 40Ar∕39Ar-dated tephra layers) has been constructed for 86 of these records, although in some cases additional information was derived using common control points based on event stratigraphy. The ACER database compiles metadata including geospatial and dating information, pollen and charcoal counts, and pollen percentages of the characteristic biomes and is archived in Microsoft AccessTM at https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.870867

    Establecimiento del tamaño de raciones de consumo de frutas y hortalizas para su uso en guías alimentarias en el entorno español: propuesta del Comité Científico de la Asociación 5 al día

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    Introduction: Food servings are standard amounts of food stuffs or drinks to help dietetic advice to promote and preserve health. The aim is to establish the serving size of fruits and vegetables (FH) to be used in food based dietary guidelines (FBDG). Material and Methods: Methodology of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) was adapted to establish serving sizes for FBDG, along of the followed by the food exchange system. Data was collected from the FH portion sizes reported in nutritional surveys and common sizes available in the Spanish market, and they were adjusted to an easily recognisable quantities of food with equivalence on key nutrients: the compliance with public health goals for FH consumption was evaluated. Results: Portion sizes typically reported in Spanish nutrition surveys are scarce and not homogeneous, and no data published in scientific journals on portion sizes were available. The Spanish FBDG, in spite of showing a range of serving size for FH, do not assure that they are interchangeable nor specify the method to obtein them.The serving of vegetables was 139,44g (DS:+/- 21.98, CV:0.16), 137,68g (DS:+/- 49,61, CV:0,36) for fruits and 28.00g (DS:+/- 7,53, CV:0.27) for dried fruits. Conclusions: With the established servings, the recommendation of consuming "at least 5 servings of FH a day" would allow reaching the Public Health goals for FH established in 600g (net weight)/person/day. It is recommended that the Spanish Agency for Consumers, Food Safety and Nutrition (AECOSAN) uses this methodology to establish serving sizes for the rest of food groups that make up the FBDG for the Spanish population.Introducción: Las raciones de consumo son cantidades estándar de alimentos o bebidas sugeri-das para asesorar sobre la cantidad de alimento a consumir para preservar un estado de salud adecuado. El objetivo principal de este trabajo es establecer los tamaños de ración de consumo de frutas y hortalizas (FH) para uso en guías alimentarias.Material y Métodos: Se adaptó la metodología de la United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) para el establecimiento de los tamaños de ración de consumo para guías, y la del Sistema de Intercambios. Se recopilaron datos de porción reportados en encuestas y calibres comunes en el mercado, se ajustó a cantidades de alimento fácilmente reconocibles y con equivalencia de nutrientes clave y se evaluó el grado de cumplimiento de los objetivos de salud pública para el consumo de FH. Resultados: Los tamaños de porción típicamente reportados en encuestas españolas son escasos y poco homogéneos, y no se encontraron datos publicados en revistas científicas sobre los cali-bres. Las guías alimentarias españolas, a pesar de mostrar un rango de tamaño de ración para FH no aseguran que sean intercambiables ni especifican el método para llegar a las mismas. La ración de hortalizas obtenida ha sido de 139,44g (DS:±21,98; CV:0,16), de 137,68g (DS:±49,61; CV:0,36) para frutas y 28,00g (DS:±7,53; CV:0,27) para frutas desecadas. . Conclusiones: Con las raciones establecidas, el mensaje “consume al menos 5 raciones entre FH al día” permitiría alcanzar los objetivo de Salud Pública para FH establecidos en 600g (peso neto)/persona/día. Se recomienda a la Agencia Española de Consumo, Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutrición (AECOSAN) que use esta misma metodología para el establecimiento de raciones en el resto de grupos de alimentos que configuran la Guía Dietética Basada en Alimentos para la población española
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