Stable populations in unstable habitats: temporal genetic structure of the introduced ascidian Styela plicata in North Carolina

14 páginas, 3 tablas, 4 figuras.The analysis of temporal genetic variability is an essential yet largely neglected tool to unveil and predict the dynamics of introduced species. We here describe the temporal genetic structure and diversity over time of an introduced population of the ascidian Styela plicata (Lesueur, 1823) in Wilmington (North Carolina, USA, 34°08′24″N, 77°51′44″W). This population suffers important salinity and temperature changes, and in June every year we observed massive die-offs, leaving free substratum that was recolonized within a month. We sampled 12–14 individuals of S. plicata every 2 months from 2007 to 2009 (N = 196) and analyzed a mitochondrial marker (the gene cytochrome oxidase subunit I, COI) and seven nuclear microsatellites. Population genetic analyses showed similar results for both types of markers and revealed that most of the genetic variation was found within time periods. However, analyses conducted with microsatellite loci also showed weak but significant differences among time periods. Specifically, in the samplings after die-off episodes (August–November 2007 and 2008) the genetic diversity increased, the inbreeding coefficient showed prominent drops, and there was a net gain of alleles in the microsatellite loci. Taken together, our results suggest that recruits arriving from neighboring populations quickly occupied the newly available space, bringing new alleles with them. However, other shifts in genetic diversity and allele loss and gain episodes were observed in December–January and February–March 2008, respectively, and were apparently independent of die-off events. Overall, our results indicate that the investigated population is stable over time and relies on a periodic arrival of larvae from other populations, maintaining high genetic diversity and a complex interplay of allele gains and losses.This research was supported by a grant from the United States–Israel Binational Science Foundation (BSF), Jerusalem, Israel (number 2014025), the Spanish Government project CTM2013—48163—and the Catalan Government Grant 2014SGR-336 for Consolidated Research Groups.Peer reviewe

Low genetic diversity and recent demographic expansion in the red starfish Echinaster sepositus (Retzius 1816)

16 páginas, 5 tablas, 7 figuras.Understanding the phylogeography and genetic structure of populations and the processes responsible of patterns therein is crucial for evaluating the vulnerability of marine species and developing management strategies. In this study, we explore how past climatic events and ongoing oceanographic and demographic processes have shaped the genetic structure and diversity of the Atlanto- Mediterranean red starfish Echinaster sepositus. The species is relatively abundant in some areas of the Mediterranean Sea, but some populations have dramatically decreased over recent years due to direct extraction for ornamental aquariums and souvenir industries. Analyses across most of the distribution range of the species based on the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene and eight microsatellite loci revealed very low intraspecific genetic diversity. The species showed a weak genetic structure within marine basins despite the a priori low dispersal potential of its lecithotrophic larva. Our results also revealed a very recent demographic expansion across the distribution range of the species. The genetic data presented here indicate that the species might be highly vulnerable, due to its low intraspecific genetic diversity.This study was supported by a FPI-MICINN PhD fellowship (BES-2011-044154) to AGC, a ‘Juan de la Cierva’ contract from the Spanish Government to RPP, and the Spanish government research projects BENTHOMICS (CTM2010-22218-C02-) and CHALLENGEN (CTM2103-48163). This paper is a contribution of the Consolidated Research Group 2009SRG665 supported by the Generalitat de Catalunya.Peer reviewe

Connectivity of the Pulley Ridge with remote locations as inferred from satellite- tracked drifter trajectories

Using historical (1994-2017) satellite‐tracked surface drifter trajectory data, we conduct a probabilistic Lagrangian circulation study which sheds light on the connectivity of Pulley Ridge with other locations in the Gulf of Mexico and adjacent areas. The analysis reveals that Pulley Ridge is connected with the North Atlantic, the Caribbean Sea, and most of the Gulf of Mexico. Preferred connecting pathways are identified and arrival times to potential reef sites computed. The study demonstrates the importance of Pulley Ridge as a source for neighboring regions like the Dry Tortugasa, the Florida Keys, Campeche Bank, and the east Florida coast as well as a self‐recruitment area for species with short competence time. The study further suggests that the reefs in the Caribbean Sea, the Dry Tortugas, the western Florida Keys, and the West Florida Shelf can act as sources for Pulley Ridge, indicating the importance of Pulley Ridge as a central refugium for species in the Gulf of Mexico

Primera cita de Ctenophora (Cnemoncosis) ornata Meigen 1818 (Diptera: Tipulidae) para Galicia (España)

Ctenophora (Cnemoncosis) ornata Meigen, 1818 es un tipúlido que está distribuido por el paleártico occidental, desde Irlanda hasta Ucrania y Turquía (Oosterbroek et al., 2006: 146; Palaczyk, 2004), presente en la mayoría de los países europeos, incluyendo España (Eiroa & Báez, 2002: 79), pero que hasta el momento no se había colectado en Galicia (Eiroa, 1988)

Genetic diversity, connectivity and gene flow along the distribution of the emblematic Atlanto-Mediterranean sponge Petrosia ficiformis (Haplosclerida, Demospongiae)

Background: Knowledge about the distribution of the genetic variation of marine species is fundamental to address species conservation and management strategies, especially in scenarios with mass mortalities. In the Mediterranean Sea, Petrosia ficiformis is one of the species most affected by temperature-related diseases. Our study aimed to assess its genetic structure, connectivity, and bottleneck signatures to understand its evolutionary history and to provide information to help design conservation strategies of sessile marine invertebrates. Results: We genotyped 280 individuals from 19 locations across the entire distribution range of P. ficiformis in the Atlanto-Mediterranean region at 10 microsatellite loci. High levels of inbreeding were detected in most locations (especially in the Macaronesia and the Western Mediterranean) and bottleneck signatures were only detected in Mediterranean populations, although not coinciding entirely with those with reported die-offs. We detected strong significant population differentiation, with the Atlantic populations being the most genetically isolated, and show that six clusters explained the genetic structure along the distribution range of this sponge. Although we detected a pattern of isolation by distance in P. ficiformis when all locations were analyzed together, stratified Mantel tests revealed that other factors could be playing a more prominent role than isolation by distance. Indeed, we detected a strong effect of oceanographic barriers impeding the gene flow among certain areas, the strongest one being the Almeria-Oran front, hampering gene flow between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Finally, migration and genetic diversity distribution analyses suggest a Mediterranean origin for the species. Conclusions: In our study Petrosia ficiformis showed extreme levels of inbreeding and population differentiation, which could all be linked to the poor swimming abilities of the larva. However, the observed moderate migration patterns are highly difficult to reconcile with such poor larval dispersal, and suggest that, although unlikely, dispersal may also be achieved in the gamete phase. Overall, because of the high genetic diversity in the Eastern Mediterranean and frequent mass mortalities in the Western Mediterranean, we suggest that conservation efforts should be carried out specifically in those areas of the Mediterranean to safeguard the genetic diversity of the species

Genetic Homogeneity of the Invasive Lionfish Across the Northwestern Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico Based On Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms

Despite the devastating impact of the lionfish (Pterois volitans) invasion on NW Atlantic ecosystems, little genetic information about the invasion process is available. We applied Genotyping by Sequencing techniques to identify 1,220 single nucleotide polymorphic sites (SNPs) from 162 lionfish samples collected between 2013 and 2015 from two areas chronologically identified as the first and last invaded areas in US waters: the east coast of Florida and the Gulf of Mexico. We used population genomic analyses, including phylogenetic reconstruction, Bayesian clustering, genetic distances, Discriminant Analyses of Principal Components, and coalescence simulations for detection of outlier SNPs, to understand genetic trends relevant to the lionfish’s long-term persistence. We found no significant differences in genetic structure or diversity between the two areas (FST p-values \u3e 0.01, and t-test p-values \u3e 0.05). In fact, our genomic analyses showed genetic homogeneity, with enough gene flow between the east coast of Florida and Gulf of Mexico to erase previous signals of genetic divergence detected between these areas, secondary spreading, and bottlenecks in the Gulf of Mexico. These findings suggest rapid genetic changes over space and time during the invasion, resulting in one panmictic population with no signs of divergence between areas due to local adaptation

Docencia en cirugía general. Una propuesta para su perfeccionamiento Teaching in General Surgery: a proposal for its training

La metodología propia del diseño curricular para la formación de recursos humanos de la salud, se fundamenta en el enfoque histórico cultural y por tanto tiene en cuenta el aprendizaje basado en el desarrollo social de cada etapa histórico-social concreta. La Educación Superior en Cuba marcha acorde con el desarrollo de la ciencia contemporánea, esto hace que indiscutiblemente la entrada al tercer milenio tenga que estar encaminada a la formación de profesionales con una elevada calificación científico- técnica, lo cual implica que los curriculum tengan un alto nivel científico y respondan a los intereses de la sociedad. La metodología en sí misma, tiene en cuenta como punto de partida los problemas de salud y el modo de actuación profesional, este último como objetivo supremo. No obstante lo anterior, el hecho del desarrollo científico técnico acelerado en las ciencias, como es el caso de la Cirugía General, marca una nueva pauta ya que los objetivos supremos dejan de ser la esencialidad al ser superados por los contenidos, o lo que es lo mismo dejan de ser la categoría rectora obligando a nuevos diseños, como es el caso que nos ocupa. Palabras clave: DOCENTE MEDICO, CIRUGÍA, APRENDIZAJE, ESTUDIANTES DE MEDICINA ABSTRACT The typical methodology for the curricular design for the training of the health human resources is based on the historical-cultural approach, bearing in mind the learning based on the social development in every specific historical-social stage. In Cuba, Higher Education goes on according to the development of the contemporary science. This unquestionably causes the entering into the third millennium to be directed to a high scientific-technical qualification of the professionals, that means that the curricula have a high scientific level and respond to the needs of the society. The methodology itself deals with the health problems and the ways of professional performance, this being the supreme objective. In spite of the above mentioned, the fact of an accelerated scientific-technical development in sciences, and that is the case in General Surgery, makes us face the dilemma that the supreme objectives are not so essential, being overcome by the contents, that is to say, they are not the principal category which leads to new designs, this being the case we are discussing. Key words: FACULTY MEDICAL, SURGERY, LEARNING, MEDICAL STUDENTS

Aportaciones a la flora de Galicia, VIII

Se citan 37 plantas de variado interés para la flora gallega. Se incluyen 8 novedades de carácter regional (Pteris incompleta Cav., Potentilla recta L., Myriophyllum spicatum L., Solanum sisymbrifolium Lam., Knautia integrifolia (L.) Bertol., Senecio inaequidens DC. Melica arrecta G. Kunze y Stipa clausa Trab.), 17 novedades provinciales (Vandenboschia speciosa (Willd.) G. Kunkel, Ranunculus bupleuroides Brot., Silene niceensis All., Armeria transmontana (Samp.) Lawr., Alcea rosea L., Crambe hispanica L., Rorippa microphylla (Rchb.) Hyl., Saxifraga lepismigena Planellas, Cytisus commutatus subsp. merinoi Laínz & M. Laínz, Galega officinalis L., Melilotus spicatus (Sm.) Breistr., Calystegia silvatica (Kit.) Griseb., Orobanche hederae Baucher ex Duby, Aegilops triuncialis L., Eleusine tristachya (Lam.) Lam., Gagea nevadensis Boiss. y Paradisea lusitanica (Cout.) Samp.) y 12 de interés corológico pero que no suponen novedad gallega o provincial (Lycopodiella inundata (L.) Holub., Corydalis cava (L.) Schweigg. & Körte, Quercus cerris L., Genista sanabrensis Valdés Berm., Castrov. & Casaseca, Oenothera speciosa Nutt., Ligustrum vulgare L., Stachys sylvatica L., Antirrhinum meonanthum Hoffmanns. & Link, Cynara cardunculus L., Nardus stricta L., Gagea pratensis (Pers.) Dumort. y Narcissus rupicola Dufour). Como en anteriores aportaciones, cada taxon va acompañado de diversos comentarios que indican su relevancia corológica o ecológica

Aportaciones a la flora de Galicia, IX

En este trabajo se mencionan 53 plantas de diverso interés para la flora de Galicia o zonas próximas. Se incluyen 3 novedades para España (Sesamoides minor (Lange) O. Kuntze x S. purpurascens (L.) G. López, Hedychium gardnerianum Sheppard ex Ker-Gawler y Oxalis incarnata L.) y otra para Portugal (Bromus hordeaceus L. subsp. ferronii (Mabille) P.M. Smith), 3 novedades regionales (Oxalis incarnata L., Antirrhinum latifolium Mill., Sisyrinchium striatum Mill.), 16 novedades provinciales (Ranunculus bulbosus L. subsp. aleae (Willk.) Rouy & Fouc. var. adscendens (Brot.) Pinto da Silva, Ranunculus peltatus subsp. peltatus var. microcarpus Meikle, Dianthus laricifolius subsp. merinoi (M. Laínz) M. Laínz, Spartium junceum L., Sanicula europea L., Tordylium maximum L., Euphorbia flavicoma DC. subsp. occidentalis M. Laínz, Campanula medium L., Centaurea melitensis L., Festuca durandoi Clauson in Billot subsp. capillifolia (Pau ex Willk.) Rivas Ponce, Cebolla & M.B. Crespo var. livida (Hack.) Rivas-Ponce, Cebolla & M.B. Crespo, Phalaris minor Retz, Carex distans L., Carex umbrosa Hornem. subsp. umbrosa) y otras 40 de interés diverso, bien ecológico, corológico o taxonómico. También, y a la luz de más información, eliminamos del catálogo de la flora vascular de Galicia Iberis contracta subsp. welwitschii (Boiss.) Moreno y Arctium lappa L. Se lectotipifica Euphorbia polygalifolia subsp. hirta (Lange) M. Laínz y Senecio doria var. subintegrum Merino