Zooplankton Variability and Copepod Species Assemblages from a Tropical Coastal Lagoon

Results of monthly zooplankton sampling, carried out from December 1990 to November 1991, are compared from three localities in the Mexican Caribbean. Two stations, Bojórquez, and Cuenca Norte, represent partially enclosed areas of the Nichupté Lagoon System in the northeastern region of the Yucatán Peninsula; a third station was located in adjacent neritic waters. At the neritic station, temperature was lower, salinity was higher, and variations in the two parameters smaller as compared to the two lagoon stations. Zooplankton abundance ranged from 3585.5 org./m3 at the neritic station to 18,742.7 org./m3 at Cuenca Norte. Considering all animals collected, decapod larvae (39%), copepods (28.7%) and ophiopluteus-echinopluteus larvae (22.8%) made the bulk of the catch. A total of 47 copepod species were recorded, of these, 14 were found at Bojórquez, 12 at Cuenca Norte and 42 at the neritic station. Acartia tonsa dominated the copepod population assemblage at Bojórquez (94.4%) and made important contributions at Cuenca Norte (34.5%) and in the neritic station (24.5%). Paracalanus quasimodo was most abundant at Cuenca Norte (40.3%) and contributed 20.9% at the neritic station. It is suggested that both, the high capture of A. tonsa in Bojórquez and the dominance of P. quasimodo at Cuenca Norte, is probably related with two factors: the anthropogenically nutrient-enriched condition of Bojórquez lagoon and the relatively higher breeding frequency of the chaetognath Sagitta hispida in Bojórquez. The highest abundance of zooplankters occurred at the stations within the lagoonal system, and the highest number of copepod species was found at the neritic station, where more stable conditions prevailed

A Survey of the Reef-Related Medusa (Cnidaria) Community in the Western Caribbean Sea

The species composition, distribution, and abundance of medusae collected during a 4-day plankton survey in a reef system of the Mexican Caribbean were studied. Highest mean medusae abundance was observed over the fore-reef zone and in daytime samples. Lowest abundances occurred in the reef lagoon and at dusk. Seventeen species were identified, with Liriope tetraphylla, Aglaura hemistoma, Cubaia aphrodite, and Sarsia prolifera being the most abundant. They belong to a group of medusae dominant along the world\u27s second largest barrier reef. Cluster analysis revealed primary (fore-reef) and secondary (reef lagoon, channel) oceanic groups, showing the strong oceanic influence along and across the reef system. Day-to-day variation in the reef medusan community seemed relatively unimportant. The community structure of the reef medusa fauna appeared to be quite uniform despite the expected migratory behavior of these predators, tidal exchange across the reef, introduction of oceanic species, and time of day. The species composition was most closely related to that of the Campeche Bank and oceanic Caribbean waters. Dominance of oceanic medusae within the reef lagoon was attributed to the narrowness of the continental shelf and the mesoscale hydrological features of the zone

A Survey of the Reef-Related Medusa (Cnidaria) Community in the Western Caribbean Sea

The species composition, distribution, and abundance of medusae collected during a 4-day plankton survey in a reef system of the Mexican Caribbean were studied. Highest mean medusae abundance was observed over the fore-reef zone and in daytime samples. Lowest abundances occurred in the reef lagoon and at dusk. Seventeen species were identified, with Liriope tetraphylla, Aglaura hemistoma, Cubaia aphrodite, and Sarsia prolifera being the most abundant. They belong to a group of medusae dominant along the world\u27s second largest barrier reef. Cluster analysis revealed primary (fore-reef) and secondary (reef lagoon, channel) oceanic groups, showing the strong oceanic influence along and across the reef system. Day-to-day variation in the reef medusan community seemed relatively unimportant. The community structure of the reef medusa fauna appeared to be quite uniform despite the expected migratory behavior of these predators, tidal exchange across the reef, introduction of oceanic species, and time of day. The species composition was most closely related to that of the Campeche Bank and oceanic Caribbean waters. Dominance of oceanic medusae within the reef lagoon was attributed to the narrowness of the continental shelf and the mesoscale hydrological features of the zone

CIBERER : Spanish national network for research on rare diseases: A highly productive collaborative initiative

Altres ajuts: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII); Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación.CIBER (Center for Biomedical Network Research; Centro de Investigación Biomédica En Red) is a public national consortium created in 2006 under the umbrella of the Spanish National Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII). This innovative research structure comprises 11 different specific areas dedicated to the main public health priorities in the National Health System. CIBERER, the thematic area of CIBER focused on rare diseases (RDs) currently consists of 75 research groups belonging to universities, research centers, and hospitals of the entire country. CIBERER's mission is to be a center prioritizing and favoring collaboration and cooperation between biomedical and clinical research groups, with special emphasis on the aspects of genetic, molecular, biochemical, and cellular research of RDs. This research is the basis for providing new tools for the diagnosis and therapy of low-prevalence diseases, in line with the International Rare Diseases Research Consortium (IRDiRC) objectives, thus favoring translational research between the scientific environment of the laboratory and the clinical setting of health centers. In this article, we intend to review CIBERER's 15-year journey and summarize the main results obtained in terms of internationalization, scientific production, contributions toward the discovery of new therapies and novel genes associated to diseases, cooperation with patients' associations and many other topics related to RD research

Variación estacional de la comunidad de medusas (Cnidria) en la Laguna Bojórquez, Cancún, México

Fluctuations in composition and abundance of the medusae community in Bojórquez, Cancún, were analyzed. Plankton samples and hydrological data were taken monthly form January to December 1991 in four sampling stations. A standard plankton net of 0.33 mm mesh was towed following circular patterns. The medusae community showed two peaks of abundance, on in February with 598.6 ind/100m3 and the most important in October with 1809.2 ind/100m3. A total of 17 species of Hydromedusae and 2 of Scyphomedusae were identified. Aequorea aequorea and Clytia discoida were the most abundant species representing 91.4% of the total population. Abundance of these two species was not significatively correlated to temperature or salinity. Highest specific richness ocurred in August when 10 out of the 19 species were recorded. Diversity values were low along the study period. Olindias tenuis, Sarsia angulata and Vallentinis gabriellae were recorded for the first time in mexican waters.Se analizaron las fluctuaciones de la composición y abundancia de la comunidad de medusas en la Laguna Bojórquez, Cancún. El material plántico y los datos hidrológicos se obtuvieron mensualmente de enero a diciembre de 1991 en cuatro estaciones de muestreo. Los arrastres fueron circulares y superficiales empleando una red cónica estándar de 0.33 mm de abertura de malla. La comunidad de medusas presentó dos pulsos de máxima densidad, uno en febrero con 598.6 ind/100m3, y el más importante en octubre con 1809.2 ind/m3. Se identificaron un total de 17 especies de hidromedusas y 2 de escifomedusas. Aequorea aequorea y Clytia discoida fueron las especies más abundantes, representando el 91.4% de la población total. La abundancia de estas dos especies no estuvo correlacionada significativamente con la temperatura o la salinidad del agua. La riqueza específica fue mayor en agosto, cuando se registraron 10 de las 19 especies determinadas. Los valores de diversidad fueron bajos a lo largo del ciclo estudiado. Olindias tenuis, Sarsia angulata y Vallentinia gabrielae se registran por primera vez para las aguas mexicanas