El quiensabe, Hedeoma piperita (Lamiaceae), una especie con importancia cultural en la comunidad indígena de San Francisco Pichátaro, Michoacán, México: bases para su manejo de conservación

Background and Aims: Hedeoma piperita is a plant popularly known as quiensabe and with traditional uses by the Purépecha people of San Francisco Pichátaro in Michoacán, Mexico. Despite its cultural relevance, the populations of H. piperita have been drastically reduced due to overexploitation. This work evaluated the traditional knowledge on the biology, ecology, and management of H. piperita among the indigenous community of San Francisco Pichátaro. Moreover, we aimed to evaluate its phenological development and relationships between phenological phases and local environmental variables. Methods: We applied 75 semi-structured surveys among women and men in three age groups of the community. Phenological analyses were conducted for 31 plants established in the wild and by recording the height, total number of leaves, branches, flowers, fruits and sprouts every 15 days from March 2014 to March 2015. Significant correlations between phenological and environmental variables were calculated using Spearman’s correlation coefficients. Key results: Sixty percent of the interviewed people knew and have used H. piperita, and most of them were women (71%). Alimentary purposes (as breakfast tea) were recognized as the main use among children and young people, while adults used it mostly for medicinal purposes. However, among the interviewees, little was known about the biological and ecological aspects of the species. We found that the stages of flowering and fructification overlap with the most intensive extraction season. Conclusions: Urgent management strategies are needed to recover and maintain this species in the wild, and within the Purépecha cosmos-corpus-praxis complex.Antecedentes y Objetivos: Hedeoma piperita es una especie popularmente conocida como quiensabe con importantes usos tradicionales entre los purépechas de San Francisco Pichátaro en Michoacán, México. A pesar de su importancia cultural, las poblaciones de H. piperita han sido reducidas drásticamente debido a la sobreexplotación. Este trabajo se realizó para evaluar el conocimiento tradicional acerca de la biología, ecología y manejo de H. piperita en la comunidad indígena de San Francisco Pichátaro. Además, se evaluó su desarrollo fenológico y las relaciones entre fases fenológicas y variables ambientales locales. Métodos: Se realizaron 75 encuestas semiestructuradas en hombres y mujeres en tres grupos de edades de la comunidad. El análisis fenológico se realizó en 31 plantas en estado silvestre y se registró la altura, el número total de hojas, ramas, flores, frutos y retoños cada 15 días entre marzo de 2014 y marzo de 2015. Las correlaciones entre las variables fenológicas y ambientales se calcularon utilizando el coeficiente de correlación de Spearman. Resultados clave: Sesenta por ciento de los entrevistados reconocieron y han usado a H. piperita, siendo la mayoría mujeres (71%). Los usos alimenticios (té en el desayuno) fueron reconocidos como el principal uso por niños y jóvenes, mientras que los adultos la usan principalmente como medicinal. Sin embargo, entre los entrevistados muy pocos conocen detalles de la biología y ecología de la especie. Encontramos que las etapas de floración y fructificación coinciden con la temporada de recolección. Conclusiones: Es urgente diseñar estrategias de manejo que permitan recuperar las poblaciones silvestres para seguir manteniendo a la especie dentro del complejo cosmos-corpus-praxis purépecha

Viabilidad y germinación de polen en probables híbridos de Bursera (sección Bullockia; Burseraceae) en México

Background and Aims: The genus Bursera (~100 species) has its center of diversification and endemism in Mexico. Interspecific hybridization is a frequent phenomenon in Bursera in areas where related species coexist. Hybridization on the one hand can reinforce reproductive barriers, increase genetic variation, generate novel ecotypes and new lineages, and on the other hand, can lead to maladaptation. However, the ecological and evolutionary consequences of natural hybridization critically depend on hybrid fitness. In this study, within a putative hybrid population in the tropical dry forest of the Bajío region in Mexico and as a proxy of hybrid fitness, we investigated pollen viability among Bursera cuneata, B. bipinnata, and their putative hybrid.Methods: We used two techniques: a pollen staining test with tetrazolium chloride 1% and an in vitro germination test to observe the formation of pollen tubes. Viability percentages were calculated for each group; statistical tests were conducted with general linear models. Key results: Results demonstrated that the putative hybrid is not sterile and exhibited higher germination rates relative to the parental species. Conclusions: Our results imply that gene flow between the parental species and the putative hybrid is likely to occur. Future genetic studies should confirm the genetic identity and ploidy levels of hybrids and evaluate whether genetic introgression has occurred. Our study demonstrates that Bursera hybrids can be fertile and contributes towards understanding the role of hybridization and reproductive isolation in Mexican Bursera species.Antecedentes y Objetivos: El género Bursera (~100 especies) tiene su centro de diversificación y endemismo en México. La hibridación interespecífica es un fenómeno común en Bursera en áreas donde coexisten especies relacionadas. La hibridación, por un lado, puede reforzar las barreras reproductivas, aumentar la variación genética, generar ecotipos novedosos y nuevos linajes y, por otro lado, puede conducir a una mala adaptación. Sin embargo, las consecuencias ecológicas y evolutivas de la hibridación natural dependen críticamente de la aptitud de los híbridos. En este estudio, dentro de una población de posibles híbridos en el bosque tropical seco de la región del Bajío en México y utilizando una aproximación de aptitud híbrida, investigamos la viabilidad del polen entre Bursera cuneata, B. bipinnata, y su respectivo híbrido hipotético.Métodos: Utilizamos dos técnicas: una prueba de tinción de polen con cloruro de tetrazolio 1% y una prueba de germinación in vitro para observar la formación de tubos de polen. Se calcularon porcentajes de viabilidad para cada grupo; las pruebas estadísticas se realizaron con modelos lineales generales.Resultados clave: Los resultados demuestran que el híbrido hipotético no es estéril y que presenta mayores tasas de germinación en comparación con las especies parentales.Conclusiones: Nuestros resultados sugieren que el flujo genético entre las especies parentales y el híbrido hipotético es probable. Futuros estudios genéticos deben confirmar el origen genético y nivel de poliploidía de los híbridos y determinar si existe introgresión genética. Nuestro estudio demuestra que los híbridos de Bursera pueden ser fértiles, por lo que contribuye a comprender el papel de la hibridación y el aislamiento reproductivo en las especies mexicanas de Bursera

An ecological connectivity network maintains genetic diversity of a flagship wildflower, Pulsatilla vulgaris

Ecological connectivity networks have been proposed as an efficient way to reconnect communities in fragmented landscapes. Yet few studies have evaluated if they are successful at enhancing actual functional connectivity (i.e. realized dispersal or gene flow) of focal species, or if this enhanced connectivity is enough to maintain genetic diversity and fitness of plant populations. Here we test the efficacy of an ecological connectivity network implemented in southern Germany since 1989 to reconnect calcareous grassland fragments through rotational shepherding. We genotyped 1449 individuals from 57 populations and measured fitness-related traits in 10 populations of Puisatilla vulgaris, a flagship species of calcareous grasslands in Europe. We tested if the shepherding network explained functional connectivity in P. vulgaris and if higher connectivity translated to higher genetic diversity and fitness of populations. We found that population-specific F-st was lowest in populations that had high connectivity within the shepherding network, and that well-connected populations within the network had significantly higher genetic diversity than ungrazed and more isolated grazed populations. Moreover, genetic diversity was significantly positively correlated with both seed set and seed mass. Together our results suggest that the implementation of an ecological shepherding network is an effective management measure to maintain functional connectivity and genetic diversity at the landscape scale for a calcareous grassland specialist. Populations with reduced genetic diversity would likely benefit from inclusion, or better integration into the ecological connectivity network. Our study demonstrates the often postulated but rarely tested sequence of positive associations between connectivity, genetic diversity, and fitness at the landscape scale, and provides a framework for testing the efficacy of ecological connectivity networks for focal species using molecular genetic tools.Peer reviewe

Diferenciación poblacional en la talla corporal de la liebre de Tehuantepec (lepus flavigularis)

In this work we analyzed the body size differentiation of three populations of the Tehuantepec jackrabbit, Lepus flavigularis, in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, Oaxaca, Mexico. Linear regression analysis between body size and body weight were statistically significant for the males and females from the population of Santa María del Mar, and for the males from Montecillo Santa Cruz, but not for the females. In addition, the regression analysis for the males of Aguachil was not significant. The ANOVAanalysis revealed that jackrabbits from Santa María del Mar were statistically significant larger than the jackrabbits from Aguachil and Montecillo Santa Cruz. The results were coincident with the genetic data that highlight the genetic differentiation of Santa María del Mar of the rest of populations. It is possible that the differences in body size are related with the ecological characteristics of the habitat prevailing in each population of jackrabbits. En este trabajo se analizaron las diferencias en la talla corporal de tres poblaciones de la liebre de Tehuantepec, Lepus flavigularis, en el Istmo de Tehuantepec, Oaxaca, México. Los análisis de regresiónlinear entre la longitud total del cuerpo y el peso corporal fueron estadísticamente significativos para las hembras y machos de la población de Santa María del Mar, y para los machos de la población de Montecillo Santa Cruz, pero no para las hembras. Asimismo, la relación no fue significativa para los machos de Aguachil. El análisis de varianza indicó que las liebres de Santa María del Mar tienen mayor longitud corporal que las liebres de Aguachil y Montecillo Santa Cruz. Los resultados encontrados coincidieron con los datos genéticos que separan a las liebres de Santa María del Mar en un grupo distinto del resto de las poblaciones. Es posible que las diferencias en la longitud corporal estén relacionadas con las características ecológicas del hábitat que predominan en cada una de las poblaciones de liebres

Fine-scale genetic structure of <em>Magnolia iltisiana</em> in forest regeneration sites with a history of selective logging

Background: Selective logging is a frequent practice in the Tropical Montane Cloud Forest which can impact forest regeneration and the genetic makeup of successive generations of trees. The spatial clustering of genetically related individuals, fine-scale genetic structure (FSGS), can develop from the reduction of gene dispersal and the decrease in the number of reproductive individuals at the local scale due to selective logging. Questions: In regeneration sites with a history of selective logging, does FSGS differ from a site without such a history? Is FSGS stronger in seedlings and saplings relative to juveniles and adults? Is genetic diversity similar among life stages and sites? Studied species: Magnolia iltisiana an endemic tree. Study site and dates: Sierra de Manantlan Biosphere Reserve, Jalisco, Mexico. 2020. Methods: We evaluated genetic diversity, genetic structure, and FSGS across four life stages (seedlings, saplings, juveniles, and adults) by genotyping 211 individuals with seven nuclear microsatellite loci in two regeneration and one conserved site. Results: We found statistically significant FSGS in the two regeneration sites only for seedlings and saplings, while no evidence of FSGS was detected in the conserved site. No differences in genetic diversity estimates and structure were found among life stages. Conclusions: Our study does not suggest an effect of selective logging on genetic diversity on the contrasted conditions and an FSGS pattern only in the earlier stages of the regeneration sites in M. iltisiana

Insights and strategies for improving equity in graduate school admissions.

Applying to graduate school can be particularly challenging for students from historically minoritized backgrounds due to a hidden curriculum in the graduate admissions process. To address this issue, a team of volunteer STEM trainees established the Científico Latino Graduate Student Mentorship Initiative (CL-GSMI) in 2019 to support applicants from historically minoritized backgrounds. CL-GSMI is designed to improve access to critical resources, including information, mentorship, and financial support, and has assisted 443 students in applying and matriculating to graduate school. Using program evaluation data from 2020 to 2021, we highlight areas in graduate school admissions that can be improved to promote equity and inclusion

Diplomado Gestión del Marketing para el Emprendimiento Social

En el presente trabajo de la Fase de Resultados se presenta un modelo de negocios CANVAS mejorado, presentándolo de forma Gráfica y Escrita; con el cual se busca hacer “Un modelo de negocio fundamentado en la innovación que se basa en encontrar y fomentar nuevas formas de crear, entregar y captar valor para el cliente” por lo que empleamos las estrategias y propuesta de valor desarrolladas en actividades anteriores para culminar nuestro plan de negocios y presentar la propuesta del proyecto de emprendimiento en un Pitch elaborado por el grupo colaborativo como trabajo final del Diplomado de Profundización para Tecnologías, Gestión de Marketing para el Emprendimiento Social. El modelo de negocios CANVAS describe las bases sobre la que una empresa crea proporciona y capta valor, creando un valor diferenciador en sus productos y servicios para entregar a sus clientes con lo cual se pretende que Dulce Bendición logre posición y estabilidad en el mercado. El Pitch consiste en una presentación atractiva de un proyecto con el objetivo de captar la atención del interlocutor desde el primer segundo, mostrando las características diferenciadoras de éste; y por medio del cual pretendemos exponer los avances realizados en todo el proceso de elaboración de nuestra idea de negocio Dulce Bendición. Con el desarrollo de este último trabajo colaborativo estaríamos exponiendo el consolidado neto, del proyecto trabajado en todo el Diplomado representando así el esfuerzo, dedicación y empeño que le pusimos a éste.In this paper results of Phase KEDS a business model improved graphically presenting Written and presented; with which it seeks to "A business model based on innovation that is based on finding and promoting new ways to create, deliver and capture value for the customer" so we use strategies and value proposition developed in previous activities completion of our business plan and present the project proposal entrepreneurship in a Pitch developed by the collaborative group work as a final Deepening Diploma for Technology Management, Marketing for Social Entrepreneurship. KEDS business model describes the basis on which a company creates and captures value provides, creating a differentiating value in their products and services to deliver to their customers which is intended to achieve Blessing Dulce position and market stability. The Pitch is an attractive presentation of a project aiming to capture the listener's attention from the first second, showing the distinguishing characteristics thereof; and by which we intend to present the progress made throughout the process of developing our business idea Dulce blessing. With the development of the latter collaborative work we are exposing the net consolidated project worked throughout the Diploma and representing the effort, dedication and commitment that we put to it

Everything you always wanted to know about gene flow in tropical landscapes (but were afraid to ask)

The bulk of the world’s biodiversity is found in tropical regions, which are increasingly threatened by the human-led degradation of natural habitats. Yet, little is known about tropical biodiversity responses to habitat loss and fragmentation. Here we review all available literature assessing landscape effects on gene flow in tropical species, aiming to help unravel the factors underpinning functional connectivity in the tropics. We map and classify studies by focus species, the molecular markers employed, statistical approaches to assess landscape effects on gene flow, and the evaluated landscape and environmental variables. We then compare qualitatively and quantitatively landscape effects on gene flow across species and units of analysis. We found 69 articles assessing landscape effects on gene flow in tropical organisms, most of which were published in the last five years, were concentrated in the Americas, and focused on amphibians or mammals. Most studies employed population-level approaches, microsatellites were the preferred type of markers, and Mantel and partial Mantel tests the most common statistical approaches used. While elevation, land cover and forest cover were the most common gene flow predictors assessed, habitat suitability was found to be a common predictor of gene flow. A third of all surveyed studies explicitly assessed the effect of habitat degradation, but only 14 of these detected a reduced gene flow with increasing habitat loss. Elevation was responsible for most significant microsatellite-based isolation by resistance effects and a single study reported significant isolation by non-forested areas in an ant. Our study reveals important knowledge gaps on the study of landscape effects on gene flow in tropical organisms, and provides useful guidelines on how to fill them

Una experiencia de un ERP en una Institución de salud del Estado de Veracruz

Tesis de Maestría presentada al Instituto de Investigaciones y Estudios Superiores de las Ciencias Administrativas. Región Xalapa

Effects of Rotational Shepherding on Plant Dispersal and Gene Flow in Fragmented Calcareous Grasslands

Understanding dispersal and gene flow in human-modified landscapes is crucial for effective conservation. Seed dispersal governs colonization, recruitment, and distribution of plant species, whereas both pollen and seed dispersal determine gene flow among populations. This PhD thesis tests the effect of rotational shepherding on seed dispersal and gene flow in fragmented calcareous grasslands. Calcareous grasslands (Gentiano-Koelerietum pyramidatae vegetation) in Central Europe are semi-natural communities traditionally used for rotational grazing that experienced a decline of plant species during the 20th century due to abandonment of shepherding. This PhD profits from a management project started in 1989 in Bavaria, Germany to reconnect previously abandoned calcareous grasslands in three non-overlapping shepherding systems. Two vegetation surveys in 1989 and 2009 revealed colonizations in previously abandoned grasslands reconnected by shepherding. First, I propose a comprehensive approach to identify determinants of community-level patch colonization rates based on 48 habitat specialist plants by testing competing models of pre-dispersal and dispersal effects and accounting for post-dispersal effects. Mean source patch species occupancy in 1989, and structural elements in focal patches related to establishment explained community-level patch colonization rates. Secondly, by adapting the community analysis to all 31 individual species of the same community with sufficient data, I corroborate the role of shepherding to support dispersal for a range of species, even if they lack seed morphological traits related to zoochory. Thirdly, for the habitat specialist Dianthus carthusianorum, I genotyped 1,613 individuals from 64 populations at eleven microsatellites to test the effect of dispersal by sheep on spatial genetic structure at the landscape scale. Genetic distances between grazed patches of the same herding system were related to distance along herding routes, whereas ungrazed patches showed isolation by geographic distance. Lastly, within individual grassland patches, shepherding significantly decreases the degree of relatedness among neighboring individuals (kinship structure) and increases genetic diversity. My thesis contributes towards understanding the effects of zoochory on spatial dynamics in plant populations across scales.Ph