Docencia en la Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales en tiempos de COVID: crónica de un desafío

El confinamiento decretado el día 14 de marzo de 2020 en España y la suspensión de toda actividad lectiva presencial en la Universidad de León a partir del día 16 de marzo supuso el inicio de un reto al que tuvimos que enfrentarnos de forma inmediata y en el que estuvimos implicados todos los estamentos de la Facultad. Realizamos en este artículo un repaso cronológico sobre cómo se ha desarrollado la actividad docente en la Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales desde ese mes de marzo de 2020 hasta la actualidad

Áreas verdes sostenibles en entornos urbanos marginales : el caso concreto del Cercado de Lima, Perú

El presente trabajo, se basa en la presentación de una propuesta en una convocatoria internacional, el Concurso OPPTA 2011-2012, para el emplazamiento de Perú, concretamente en Lima Cercado. La concentración personas que residen en las zonas marginales de ciudades en países en desarrollo es cada vez mayor. Existe, en estas zonas, un círculo de degradación ambiental y pobreza difícil de romperse y con costes sociales y ecológicos elevados que amenazan el crecimiento y desarrollo de las poblaciones urbanas. Por lo que la creación de áreas verdes sostenibles en países en vías de desarrollo puede contribuir en gran medida a romper ese círculo. Se propone la planificación y diseño de áreas verdes con criterios de sostenibilidad en áreas urbanas marginales con repercusiones positivas en la salud y bienestar de la población, reduciendo los problemas ambientales, y mejorando el desarrollo económico y social de la zona. Se comentarán las técnicas para el diseño de áreas verdes sostenibles: xeropaisajismo, compostaje y depuradoras biológica

Assesment of Hypoderma infestation in a wild population of Cervus elaphus from mountains Atlantic ecosystems in southwestern Europe (Spain)

[EN] Hypodermosis in Cervus elaphus was studied in the Riaño Regional Hunting Reserve, Province of León, north-western Spain. One hundred and ten red deer were examined for the presence of warble fly larvae. They were analyzed by PCR analysis of the COI region of mt-DNA and identified as Hypoderma actaeon. The prevalence of larvae was 42.7% with a mean intensity of 12.5 ± 18 (range 1–80) warbles/deer infested. The distribution of larvae in the infested animals showed an aggregated/overdispersed pattern (aggregation index = 25.84), where the larvae are not randomly or uniformly distributed, but strongly aggregated among their hosts. Larvae were found in all three states. First and second-instars were observed mainly in the autumn until the end of winter (November-March) and third-instars in late winter until mid-spring (March–May). The adult animals and the males had a higher prevalence than the young and the females, finding statistically significant differences only according to the sex of the animals. Seasonal variations were observed in the prevalence with the highest number of infested animals in winter and autumn, but not in terms of the mean intensity of parasites. Additionally, we assessed the presence of anti-Hypoderma antibodies in serum by means of indirect ELISA tests, using a crude larval extract (CLE) and a purified fraction the hypodermin C (HyC) obtained from first instars of Spanish isolates of Hypoderma lineatum (cattle). These findings confirm that H. actaeon is widely distributed in northern Spain, and provide new information about its chronobiology in mountainous Atlantic ecosystems from southwestern Europe.SIPublicación en abierto financiada por el Consorcio de Bibliotecas Universitarias de Castilla y León (BUCLE), con cargo al Programa Operativo 2014ES16RFOP009 FEDER 2014-2020 DE CASTILLA Y LEÓN, Actuación:20007-CL - Apoyo Consorcio BUCL

Impact of soil texture on plant communities of Raphanus raphanistrum L.

Our soil study of the chromic soils located in the strip of land between Sierra Morena and the Guadalquivir Valley reveals a pH-value close to neutral in 25 samples. The pH-values are close to 5.5 only in the samples taken from the arenosols of the granitic batholith of Los Pedroches. However, it is the percentage of clay, sand and silt that explains the occurrence of grassland dominated by Raphanus raphanistrum, in the company of species with a psammophilous character such as Linaria spartea, Linaria amethystea and Brassica barrelieri. Our soil analysis reveals the presence of acid or base-poor soils. Consequently, the community of Raphanus raphanistrum found there displays an acidophilous, neutro-basophilous and subarenicolous character. Different types of sabulicolous plant communities appear as a result of the gradation of the soil texture. Since the Raphanus communities cannot be considered as genuinely sabulicolous, we have coined the term ‘subarenicolous’ to describe any plant community whose optimum sand content lies between 50% and 70%. The community of Linaria spartea and Raphanus raphanistrum is neutro-basophilous and is found in at least the Marianic-Monchiquensean and North Hispalensean sectors. The floristic composition of the association is made up of Raphanus raphanistrum, Linaria spartea, Linaria amethystea, Medicago polymorpha, Hordeum leporinum, Bromus diandrus, Brassica barrelieri

Bioclimatic indices trends in California (U.S.) from 1980 to 2019

Ponencia presentada en: XII Congreso de la Asociación Española de Climatología celebrado en Santiago de Compostela entre el 19 y el 21 de octubre de 2022.[ES]La Bioclimatología es una ciencia interdisciplinar que estudia las relaciones entre las condiciones climáticas y la distribución de los seres vivos y sus comunidades en el planeta (Rivas-Martínez et al., 2011). En este sentido, los valores de los parámetros e índices climáticos y bioclimáticos en lugares concretos se utilizan para la toma de decisiones. El objetivo de esta investigación es mostrar resultados actualizados de los índices bioclimáticos y a su vez señalar la importancia de conocer la evolución espacial y temporal de estos índices y cómo puede afectar a la biodiversidad de la flora de California. Para ello, a partir de los datos originales de las estaciones meteorológicas (350) este estudio se centra en las 172 finalmente seleccionadas. De cada una de ellas se calcularon los parámetros e índices bioclimáticos siguiendo a Rivas-Martínez et al. (2011). Se aplicó el método de la pendiente de Sen y el test de Mann-Kendall para estimar las tendencias y la significación estadística. Los resultados se muestran en mapas de contornos en los que se observó que en los índices ombrotérmicos (Io, Ios1, Ios2, Ios3, Ios4) se presentan marcadas tendencias negativas en el sur y centro de California de -3 mm/año, a -0,028 unidades/año, -0,02 unidades/año, -0,025 unidades/año, -0,03 unidades/año, respectivamente. Las temperaturas positivas en el desierto de Mojave y sus alrededores son las que muestran los mayores incrementos con una tendencia de +6 unidades/año.[EN]Bioclimatology is an interdisciplinary science that studies the relationships between climate conditions and the distribution of living beings and their communities on the Globe (Rivas-Martínez et al., 2011). In this regard, values of climate and bioclimate parameters and indices in specifically locations are used for decision making. The aim of this research is to show updated results of the bioclimatic indices and to point out the importance of knowing the spatial and temporal evolution of these indices and how it can affect the biodiversity of the flora of California. To achieve this, from the original meteorological station data (350) this study is focused on the 172 finally selected. From each one of them, bioclimatic parameters and indices were calculated according Rivas-Martínez et al. (2011). It was applied Sen´s slope method and Mann-Kendall test to estimate trends and the statistical significance. Results are shown in contour maps in which the ombrothermic indices (Io, Ios1, Ios2, Ios3, Ios4) marked negative trends are shown in southern and central of California from -3 units/year, to -0.028 units/year, -0.02 units/year, -0.025 units/year, -0.03 units/year, respectively. Positive temperature has shown the highest increases in Mojave Desert and surrounding areas with a trend of +6 units/year

La Geobotánica y Salvador Rivas-Martínez

[ES] Salvador Rivas Martínez, oficialmente Salvador Carmelo Marcelo Trinidad Rivas Martínez, nació en Madrid el 16 de julio de 1935. Hijo y nieto de los catedráticos de Botánica de la Facultad de Farmacia de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid, los Dres. Salvador Rivas Goday y Marcelo Rivas-Mateos. En recuerdo a ellos recibió dos de sus nombres. El tercero, Trinidad, en honor a su madre, y el cuarto, Carmelo, por haber nacido el día de la Virgen del Carmen. Falleció el 27 de agosto de 2020 en Pozuelo de Alarcón (Madrid), tenía 85 años. En los últimos años nos decía con frecuencia: Que sepáis que yo seguiré trabajando hasta los 90, luego ya veremos. No pudo ser, aunque hasta pocos días antes de su fallecimiento continuó trabajando y creando ciencia, de la misma manera que llevaba haciendo durante toda su vida

Identification of Hypoderma actaeon (Diptera: Oestridae) in red deer ( Cervus elaphus ) from northern Spain: Microscopy study and molecular analysis

[EN] Hypoderma spp. larvae were observed subcutaneously in the dorsal and lumbar regions of red deer (Cervus elaphus) hunted in the province of León (northwestern Spain) causing a myiasis. They were removed and initially classified by their size, shape, color, and location under the skin into the three larval stages that parasitize these animals. The morphological characteristics of the first and second-instar are described and from the features of the third-instar the species was identified as Hypoderma actaeon. To accurately identify this species, five isolates of genomic DNA from the third-instar, two from the second-instar and two from first-instar of H. actaeon were analyzed by PCR analysis of the COI region of mt-DNA. The results confirmed that the examined samples exactly matched with H. actaeon. This study has shown the morphological identification of the three larval stages of H. actaeon and, for the first time, the first and second-instar larvae have been molecularly characterized. Finally, identification of only H. actaeon suggests that this species is the only affecting red deer in the Iberian Peninsula.S

Bioclimatic drought and its trends in California State (U.S.)

[EN] Drought occurs naturally all over the world. Global warming has led an increase in the areas affected by this phenomenon. The study of drought involves the analysis of indicators and indices used to assess changes in the hydrological cycle of a region. A large number of indices developed for drought monitoring are based on meteorological and hydrological variables. This research has applied the Ombroxeric Index for the first time in California. It is based on the concept of ombroxericity: a condition of the territory characterised from an ombrothermic point of view, which can develop in relatively humid areas/zones, depending on the time scale of the study (i.e. monthly, seasonal or annual basis). Temperatures and precipitation from 180 meteorological stations have been considered for a period of observation from 1980 to 2016. In order to know the evolution of this index, a modified trend analysis based on the Mann-Kendall test and a modified Sen slope analysis were used. Empirical Bayesian Kriging was applied as an interpolation technique. Results are presented in both surface and contour maps. California showed a wide range of ombroxeric levels that went from upper strong dry in northern zones, to lower weak arid. Trend results showed an increase in bioclimatic drought throughout the whole State. In addition, summer showed the highest levels on the Ombroxeric Index. An increase in drought trends was observed at the seasonal level, being more pronounced in summer and spring. In both cases are increases in the central (+5 and +3.6 units year−1 respectively) and the southern (+4 and +4.5 units year−1 respectively) areas of the State. Increasing frequency and severity of droughts could have implications for the management of water resources and the survival of Californian vegetation types, such as conifers.S

A new integrated methodology for characterizing and assessing suitable areas for viticulture: A case study in Northwest Spain

.In 2018, Spain was the third largest producer and the leading exporter of wine in the world. Viticulture is an important economic activity in the Castilla y León region, and is an element capable of halting the flight from the countryside and favouring demographic settlement in rural areas. A new integrated methodology for characterizing and delimitating areas suitable for vineyard cultivation is proposed here. The approach combines traditional climate indices with others used in bioclimatology and with soil variables, and applies various statistical analyses to select the predictors that best characterize the vineyards. These predictors are then integrated in species distribution models and a geographic information system. The methodology was tested in the Denomination of Origin León (hereafter DO León) in northwest Spain. Ten single models using the maximum entropy modelling algorithm were run for each of the six wine-grape varieties. Single-model projections built as a consensus of the ten models into an ensemble-forecasting approach were later used to generate maps of suitable areas for each variety. The results confirm the delimitation of the DO León as a Denomination of Origin. The bioclimatic variables Compensated Thermicity Index and Continentality Index and the soil variables pH, Clay Content, Soil Retention Capacity and Soil Saturation Humidity are defining for all the varieties studied. Garnacha and Mencía were the most different varieties in relation to their bioclimatic and soil requirements. Suitability maps revealed that the DO could be extended into neighbouring areas up to 30 km around it. The proposed methodology is a useful tool for agronomic and oenological management; it allows a more effective selection of sites for new vineyards, improves vineyard management, and can even be used to protect territories with a historical and cultural heritage of grape cultivation, thus favouring demographic settlement in rural areas and avoiding depopulation.S

Phytosociological analysis of the endemic Quercus faginea forests of the Iberian Peninsula

Official Journal of the Societa Botanica Italiana[EN] A phytosociological analysis of the Iberian Quercus faginea forests was carried out. For this purpose, 291 relevés were studied. A multivariate analysis consisting of a numerical classification based on the floristic composition of the relevés, was performed. The coherence and explanatory value of the current syntaxa are reviewed. As a result, the diversity of Iberian gall oak forests is resolved into 15 associations characterised according to their floristic, biogeographical, bioclimatic and synecological data supported by the statistical analyses. Thirteen have been described previously, and two new associations are proposed: Glandoro diffusae-Quercetum fagineae and Helianthemo mollis-Quercetum fagineae. A new combination, a lectotypification and a nomenclatural correction are also proposed. The Ios₂ (ombrothermic index of the warmest bimonth of the summer quarter), Itc (compensated thermicity index) and Ic (continentality index) indexes proved to be fundamental to explain the syntaxonomic differentiation of the forests in the study. We consider that the differentiation and precision in the definition of clear syntaxonomic entities is vital to prioritize objectives in the conservation of these singular forests, and to ensure their adequate management in the context of the Habitats DirectiveSIThe authors wish to acknowledge the Department of Science and Technology (DST) India and Indo-German Center for Sustainable Development (IGCS) for providing necessary funding (MEE/13-14/313/IITM/PRAM) to carry out this review wor