Autoconcepto y rendimiento académico en adolecentes

El objetivo de este estudio es medir la relación existente entre las diferentes dimensiones del autoconcepto –académico, social, familiar, físico y social- y el rendimiento académico. El cuestionario de Autoconcepto forma 5 (AF5) se administró a 180 adolescentes de ambos sexos con edades comprendidas entre los 13 y 18 años (M = 15.25; DT = 1.09. Para analizar los datos se realiza una correlación de Pearson y un análisis discriminante. Los resultados obtenidos indicaron que hay una relación directa entre el autoconcepto académico y el rendimiento académico y que son significativas las relaciones entre el autoconcepto físico y social y el rendimiento académico. Los datos no mostraron una relación significativa entre el autoconcepto familiar y el autoconcepto académico.The objective of this study is to measure the relationship between the different dimensions of self-concept - academic, social, family, physical and social - and academic performance. The questionnaire of self-concept form 5 (AF5) was administered to 180 teenagers of both sexes aged between 13 and 18 years (M = 15.25; DT = 1.09. A Pearson correlation and a discriminant analysis are performed to analyze the data. The results indicated that there is a direct relationship between academic self-concept and academic performance and that relations between the social and physical self-concept and academic performance are significant. The data did not show a significant relationship between family self-concept and the academic self-concept.peerReviewe

Coexistence of a native and an invasive mussel species across an environmental gradient: Do interactions matter?

Introductions of invasive species are increasing worldwide, potentially threatening biodiversity. Although invasive species often displace native species by outcompeting them, coexistence between native and non-native species is common in diverse communities. A field experiment investigated the interactions between the native mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis and the invasive black pygmy mussel Xenostrobus securis across an environmental salinity gradient in the Ria de Vigo (NW Spain). The salinity gradient strongly affected the physiological responses of both mussel species as well as the competitive interactions between the two species. Mytilus galloprovincialis had a stronger effect on the invader than vice versa. The competition with M. galloprovincialis and the release from predation in certain estuarine areas may in part explain the dynamics of the invader population in the Ría de Vigo. Furthermore, results suggest that the invader may contribute positively to ecosystem functioning by increasing bentho-pelagic coupling, water-column clearance, and biodeposition of organic material in the innermost parts of estuaries, where it reaches large abundances. These areas are likely to promote and maintain the supply of propagules to the outermost parts, as well as favouring secondary spread along the Galician coast.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad | Ref. CGL2014-60193-PXunta de Galicia | Ref. ED431C 2021/4

Attachment hierarchies for Spanish adolescents: family, peers and romantic partner figures

Background: Attachment Theory has become one of the leading theories in human development. Nonetheless, empirical studies focusing on how attachment unfolds during adolescence are still scarce particularly in Spain, due to the lack of adequate measures. Objective: This study aims to validate the Important People Interview (IPI, Rosenthal & Kobak, 2004; 2010) in a shorter questionnaire version (Important People- Questionnaire; IP-Q); to analyse the changes in different affiliative bonds to multiple figures -family, peers, romantic partners– over the course of adolescence; and to identify boys’ and girls’ hierarchical ordering of their specific attachment bonds. Method: 1025 Spanish adolescents, aged 12-17 years old completed the IP-Q. Results: The results showed that the IP-Q has convergent and divergent validity. Moreover, this measure indicated that peers overtake some family members in proximity-seeking and support-seeking, but not in the overall hierarchical ordering of the attachment bond during adolescence. Conclusions: The bond with the romantic partner increases in terms of scoring on the affiliative subscales as adolescence progresses. There are significant gender differences among the hierarchy patterns of attachment for boys and girls. Developmental changes in adolescent attachment are discussed

Are clam-seagrass interactions affected by heatwaves during emersion?

The increased frequency of heatwaves expected in the context of global warming will affect socio-ecological systems such as shellfish beds at intertidal seagrass meadows. A mesocosm experiment was performed to assess the effects of a simulated atmospheric heatwave during low tide on the bioturbation indicators and growth of the commercial juvenile native Ruditapes decussatus and the introduced clam R. philippinarum, and on their interactions with the seagrass Zostera noltei. Under the heatwave, heat dissipation at 5 cm depth was significantly greater in the sediments below Z. noltei than below bare sand, the photosynthetic efficiency (Fv/Fm) of Z. noltei decreased and the clams tended to grow less. Furthermore, after the heatwave clams below bare sand tended to burrow deeper than those below Z. noltei, indicating that seagrass provided a refuge for clams. Ruditapes philippinarum grew less, and did not burrow as deeply as R. decussatus, which may imply greater vulnerability to desiccation and heat at low tide. The particle displacement coefficient (PDC) of R. philippinarum indicated lower bioturbation values in Z. noltei than in bare sand and was a suitable bioturbation indicator for juvenile Ruditapes spp. clams. In Z. noltei coexisting with R. philippinarum, the Fv/Fm values were higher than without clams after a recovery period, which may be linked to the assimilation of phosphate excreted by the clams and suggests a facilitative interaction. No such interaction was observed with R. deccusatus, probably because of its deeper burrowing depth. The findings suggest reciprocal facilitative interactions between R. philippinarum and Z. noltei and the potential contribution of Z. noltei to the sustainability of clams under global warming scenarios, which may support management actions aimed at enhancing the coexistence between shellfishing activities and seagrass conservation.Agencia Estatal de Investigación | Ref. RTI2018-095583-B-I00Xunta de Galicia | Ref. ED431C 2021/42Xunta de Galicia | Ref. ED481A-2020/199Universidade de Vigo/CISU

Unveiling changes in rhizosphere-associated bacteria linked to the genotype and water stress in quinoa

Drought is among the main abiotic factors causing agronomical losses worldwide. To minimize its impact, several strategies have been proposed, including the use of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPBs), as they have demonstrated roles in counteracting abiotic stress. This aspect has been little explored in emergent crops such as quinoa, which has the potential to contribute to reducing food insecurity. Thus, here we hypothesize that the genotype, water environment and the type of inoculant are determining factors in shaping quinoa rhizosphere bacterial communities, affecting plant performance. To address this, two different quinoa cultivars (with contrasting water stress tolerance), two water conditions (optimal and limiting water conditions) and different soil infusions were used to define the relevance of these factors. Different bacterial families that vary among genotypes and water conditions were identified. Certain families were enriched under water stress conditions, such as the Nocardioidaceae, highly present in the water-sensitive cultivar F15, or the Pseudomonadaceae, Burkholderiaceae and Sphingomonadaceae, more abundant in the tolerant cultivar F16, which also showed larger total polyphenol content. These changes demonstrate that the genotype and environment highly contribute to shaping the root-inhabiting bacteria in quinoa, and they suggest that this plant species is a great source of PGPBs for utilization under water-liming conditionsThe authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support received from the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICINN, Spain) and the Agencia Estatal de Investigación (PID2019–105748RA-I00 AEI/10.13039/501100011033), the FPI UAM Fellowship Programme 2019 (to SG-R), and the Ramón y Cajal Programme 2019 (RYC2019-028148-I) (to MR

Effects of warming on biological interactions between clams and the seagrass Zostera noltei: A case study using open top chambers

Financiado para publicación en acceso aberto: Universidade de Vigo/CISUGBivalves and seagrasses can interact through diverse environmentally-modulated mechanisms. To assess the effects of climate warming on bivalve-seagrass interactions, we carried out a pioneering field experiment in which open top chambers (OTCs) were used to increase air and sediment temperature in a shellfish bed in NW Spain during two consecutive spring tides (16 days of exposure to OTCs). The temperature increase produced by OTCs was significant, as observed in the daily maximum and mean temperature and in degree hours, although the difference was greater in air and at the sediment surface (up to 8 ◦C and 3 ◦C, respectively) than at 5 cm depth (up to 1 ◦C). Warming was less acute in boxes with the seagrass Zostera noltei, which acted as a thermal buffer, reducing the mean temperature by 1 ◦C at the sediment surface in OTC boxes and control boxes (without OTCs). Although the short-term increase in temperature did not greatly affect physiological responses of Z. noltei, the carbohydrate reserves and nutrient content increased in the presence of clams. Growth of the native clam Ruditapes decussatus was significantly slower in OTC boxes with bare sediment, and the seagrass thus buffered the negative effect of warming on growth. The presence of Z. noltei may save clams from having to spend energy to burrow deeper to encounter cooler conditions, leaving more energy available for growth. Conversely, growth of the introduced clam R. philippinarum did not differ between habitats or treatments. Our findings confirm a twoway facilitative interaction that may be particularly important in relation to the resilience of both species in the current context of global warming.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación | Ref. RTI2018-095583-B-I00Xunta de Galicia-FEDER | Ref. ED431C 2021/42Xunta de Galicia | Ref. ED481A- 2020/199NASA | Ref. 80NSSC20K007

Quinoa plant architecture: A key factor determining plant productivity and seed quality under long-term drought

Chenopodium quinoa (quinoa) is an underutilized crop proposed as key to achieving food security within the current climatic context, where water scarcity in rainfed areas is becoming more frequent and severe, especially in Mediterranean regions. Thus, aiming at deepening our knowledge regarding the impact of water limitation on the quinoa seed nutritional quality, seeds obtained from primary and secondary panicles of four different European-adapted cultivars (F14, F15, F16, and Titicaca) growing under full irrigation and water-limiting conditions, were here analyzed. A set of parameters were evaluated in this work, including agronomical (such as yield, seed weight, seed area, and seed germination and viability rates) and nutritional (including the seed proximate composition, mineral content, and antioxidants) traits. Our results indicate that the morphological changes associated with drought stress affect secondary panicles’ seed yield. This phenomenon was generally associated with an improvement in the nutritional quality of those seeds. However, cultivars such as F16, despite keeping total seed yield under low water availability, showed drought's detrimental effect on the seed nutritional quality. In contrast, cultivars like F15 and Titicaca reduced their seed yield under water-limiting conditions but increased their protein, iron, copper, calcium, manganese, and zinc contents, especially in secondary panicles. Therefore, the dichotomy between seed quantity and quality has to be considered in this crop under water stress scenarios, highlighting differences in sink strength along the plant panicles determining seed nutritional qualityThe authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support received from the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion ´ (MICINN, Spain) and the Agencia Estatal de Investigacion ´ (PID2019-105748RA-I00 AEI/10.13039/ 501100011033), the CYTED (ValSe-Food 119RT0567), the FPI UAM Fellowship Programme 2019 (to SG-R), and the Ramon ´ y Cajal Programme 2019 (to MR

The stress response of the seagrass Zostera noltei and three commercial clam species to low salinity associated with heavy rainfall

Abstract The maintenance of stocks of estuarine species strongly depends on the ability of the species to cope with environmental stress. In NW Spain, commercial clam beds, which are usually co-occupied by the seagrass Zostera noltei, are often exposed to reduced salinity caused by intense rainfalls. Our goals were to evaluate the effects of low salinity events on both juvenile clams and Z. noltei, including their interactions. A mesocosm experiment was performed to simulate three salinity decreases (35–35, 25–10, and 20–5), and several indicators of clam and seagrass performance were measured after 3 and 6 days of exposure and again after a recovery period of 4 days. No differences were observed in the non-native clam Ruditapes philippinarum, while oxygen consumption, clearance rate and growth decreased significantly in the native clams R. decussatus and Venerupis corrugata in response to low salinity stress. Zostera noltei indicators did not vary in response to low salinity exposure, except the sucrose content, which decreased. Moreover, the seagrass buffered juvenile clams from salinity fluctuations in the short term, although the interactions were weak. The species-specific sensitivity to low salinity should be a major concern in future management plans for the shellfish beds in the context of climate change.Agencia Estatal de Investigación | Ref. RTI2018-095583-B-I00Xunta de Galicia | Ref. ED481A-2020/199Xunta de Galicia | Ref. ED431C 2021/4

La excelencia en el rendimiento del alumnado universitario a través del desarrollo de competencias socioemocionales

El objetivo de este trabajo fue crear de un programa de intervención para incluir en la formación de nuestros universitarios el desarrollo de las competencias socioemocionales. Desde el mundo profesional se están valorando las cualidades de personas que sean capaces de gestionar de manera eficaz sus emociones para afrontar retos y desarrollar una actitud innovadora, creativa y resiliente. La universidad está comprometida con el desarrollo integral de su alumnado y pretende ofrecerle los estímulos apropiados para que pueda adquirir los conocimientos necesarios y ponerlos en acción para resolver los problemas reales que se va encontrar en su desempeño profesional. Por tanto, a través de esta investigación se muestra una manera de trabajar las competencias socioemocionales del alumnado mediante la convergencia de escenarios convencionales de enseñanza y la formación a través una plataforma virtual. En conclusión, el desarrollo de competencias sociomemocionales desde el currículum universitario muestra una validez predictiva en el desarrollo óptimo de habilidades, destrezas, competencias y valores que son demandados desde la esfera laboral y que implican una apuesta por la excelencia en el desempeño profesional. La inclusión de programas que permitan desarrollar dichas competencias desde el entorno universitario es un reto y una inversión en valor añadido

Desarrollo de competencias socioemocionales en el alumnado universitario

Las demandas de un mundo globalizado requieren universidades capaces de formar a estudiantes con un potencial desempeño profesional. Se buscan nuevas maneras de preparar a los universitarios para lograr una exitosa inserción laboral. De hecho, la misión de la Asociación Europea para la Garantía de la Calidad en la Educación Superior (ENQA) es contribuir al mantenimiento y mejora de la calidad de la educación superior europea con un alto nivel de excelencia. Con el fin de conseguir este objetivo, este estudio toma la competencia emocional como factor importante del éxito entre los estudiantes universitarios. La inteligencia emocional implica dos competencias importantes para alcanzar el éxito profesional: (1) la capacidad de reconocer sus propios sentimientos y emociones de los demás; (2) la capacidad de utilizar esa información para resolver los conflictos y mejorar la socialización. Por lo tanto, el desarrollo de competencias socioemocionales podría ser integrado en el currículum académico puesto que se considera un facilitador del éxito. Una gran cantidad de expertos creen que la inteligencia emocional se debe promover en la universidad no sólo de forma puntual, sino de una manera holística