Isidella elongata (Cnidaria: Alcyonacea) facies in the western Mediterranean Sea: Visual surveys and descriptions of its ecological role

Isidella elongata is a candelabrum-shaped alcyonacean forming important facies on the bathyal muddy bottoms of the Mediterranean Sea, currently considered a sensitive habitat and heavily impacted by deep-sea fisheries. Until a few decades ago, this facies was a widespread habitat of the deep Mediterranean seabed and I. elongata was a common species in the trawling fishery's bycatch. Despite its current persistence in dense aggregations being very scarce, a dense facies of I. elongata was revealed during several ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) surveys carried out from 2010 to 2014 on the muddy bottoms between two seamounts east of Ibiza (Balearic Sea). The facies developed in an area between 480 and 615 m in depth where trawling is forbidden, with an extraordinary density of about 2300–2683 colonies/ha, representing one of the biggest facies of I. elongata currently known for the Mediterranean Sea considering the surface covered and the colonies' density. The associated community was surveyed, with 50 taxa identified. Moreover, a canyon southwest of Formentera characterised by the presence of I. elongata together with a high trawling impact was investigated. The density of the colonies was 53–62 colonies/ha and only 19 taxa of associated fauna were observed. The results of the two areas are compared and discussed in the framework of the protection of such an important habitat

Evolution of a long-lived volcanic complex: the Chachani case study (south Peru)

The study of numerous individual volcanoes carried out in the Central Andean Volcanic Zone over the past 20 years has provided information to better understand active volcanism in the Peruvian Andes. However, large-sized, dormant volcanic complexes remain much less understood due to their complexity or because the impact of individual active volcanoes on populated areas has led researchers to prioritize their study on the most recent composite cones. Large, long-lived volcanic complexes have not yet been considered in volcanological studies in Peru, although they belie a rich history of eruptive activity that may be more recent than previously thought. The Chachani Volcanic Complex (CVC) is one of the few Andean volcanic complexes in which the relationships between stratigraphy, chronology and compositional changes are considered to understand the compositional evolution of a long-lived magmatic system

Implicancias de los sistemas de fallas regionales en el magmatismo del sur del Perú: estratigrafía del Complejo Volcánico Chachani

La mayoría de los arcos magmáticos continentales ocurren en contextos convergentes oblicuos y muestran movimientos de rumbo dentro del arco magmático o adyacentes a estos (Saint Blanquat et al., 1998). El volcanismo tiende a estar asociado con ambientes transtensionales porque estos ofrecen zonas con menor resistencia como fracturas subverticales o fallas por las cuales el magma sale hacia la superficie (Acocella et al., 1999). El complejo volcánico Chachani, ubicado a 22 km aprox. al NNE de la ciudad de Arequipa (del centro de la ciudad a la cumbre del complejo); es uno de los más grandes centros eruptivos de la Zona Volcánica de los Andes Centrales (ZVC) en el Sur del Perú, la cual está relacionada al proceso de subducción. El Chachani es un conjunto de domos y estrato volcanes de composición andesítica principalmente (Suaña, 2011) y tiene como basamento a depósitos de flujos piroclásticos y depósitos volcanoclásticos atribuidos a unidades conocidas como Tufo de Yura, Ignimbrita del Aeropuerto e Ignimbrita del Rió Chili (Paquereau et al., 2006, 2008). Tiene aproximadamente un área de 526.6 Km2 y un volumen 864 Km3

Field estimates of reproductive success in a model insect: behavioural surrogates are poor predictors of fitness

Understanding, and therefore measuring, factors that determine fitness is a central problem in evolutionary biology. We studied a natural population of Coenagrion puella (Odonata: Zygoptera) over two entire breeding seasons, with over a thousand individuals uniquely marked and genotyped, and all mating events at the rendezvous site recorded. Using a parentage analysis, fitness of individuals in the first generation was quantified as the numbers of offspring that survived to maturity. Although mating behaviour can be predicted by environmental and demographical variables, the numbers of mature offspring produced (fitness) cannot, and crucially, are poorly correlated with behavioural observations of mating. While fitness of both sexes was positively related to mating behaviour and to female’s ectoparasite burden, these behavioural observations explained little more variance in offspring production than environmental and demographical variables. Thus, we demonstrate that behavioural measures of reproductive success are not necessarily reliable estimates of fitness in natural populations

Identification and expression pattern of a new carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase gene member from Bixa orellana

Carotenoid cleavage dioxygenases (CCDs) are a class of enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of a broad diversity of secondary metabolites known as apocarotenoids. In plants, CCDs are part of a genetic family with members which cleave specific double bonds of carotenoid molecules. CCDs are involved in the production of diverse and important metabolites such as vitamin A and abscisic acid (ABA). Bixa orellana L. is the main source of the natural pigment annatto or bixin, an apocarotenoid accumulated in large quantities in its seeds. Bixin biosynthesis has been studied and the involvement of a CCD has been confirmed in vitro. However, the CCD genes involved in the biosynthesis of the wide variety of apocarotenoids found in this plant have not been well documented. In this study, a new CCD1 gene member (BoCCD1) was identified and its expression was charaterized in different plant tissues of B. orellana plantlets and adult plants. The BoCCD1 sequence showed high homology with plant CCD1s involved mainly in the cleavage of carotenoids in several sites to generate multiple apocarotenoid products. Here, the expression profiles of the BoCCD1 gene were analysed and discussed in relation to total carotenoids and other important apocarotenoids such as bixin

Evaluación de un método sensorial sencillo y efectivo para determinar la rancidez en aceite de soja

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the 2 Alternative Forced Choice (2-AFC) sensory method in detecting rancidity in soybean oils. Additionally, correlations between the physico-chemical quality and the sensory attributes of edible soybean oils were studied. Soybean oil samples from four different plants were analyzed for their fatty acid profile, Free fatty acid (FFA), Anisidine Value (AV), Peroxide Value (PV), Conjugated Dienes (CD), Colour, Rancimat and TOTOX. The sensory attributes of the oils were measured using The American Oil Chemists Society (AOCS) sensory method and additionally, rancidity was assessed using the 2-AFC sensory method. All oil samples fit the quality control criteria for edible soybean oil. The 2-AFC The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the 2 Alternative Forced Choice (2-AFC) sensory method in detecting rancidity in soybean oils. Additionally, correlations between the physico-chemical quality and the sensory attributes of edible soybean oils were studied. Soybean oil samples from four different plants were analyzed for their fatty acid profile, Free fatty acid (FFA), Anisidine Value (AV), Peroxide Value (PV), Conjugated Dienes (CD), Colour, Rancimat and TOTOX. The sensory attributes of the oils were measured using The American Oil Chemists Society (AOCS) sensory method and additionally, rancidity was assessed using the 2-AFC sensory method. All oil samples fit the quality control criteria for edible soybean oil. The 2-AFC  method was sensitive to small differences in rancidity. Differences in anisidine value and Rancimat were correlated to the difference in rancidity (d') among oilsEl propósito de este trabajo fue evaluar la eficacia de la prueba de selección forzada de dos alternativas (2-AFC) para determinar la rancidez en aceite de soja. La correlación entre la calidad química y los atributos sensoriales de los aceites fue el segundo objetivo del trabajo. El perfil de ácidos grasos, ácidos grasos libres (AGL), índice de anisidina (VA), índice de peróxidos (VP), dienos conjugados (DC), color, Rancimat y TOTOX se midieron en aceites de cuatro plantas procesadoras de aceite comestible de soja. Los atributos sensoriales del aceite se midieron utilizando la prueba oficial de la Sociedad Americana de Químicos de Aceites (AOCS) y el atributo de rancidez se evaluó usando la prueba 2-AFC. Todos los aceites satisficieron los criterios de calidad química para los aceites de soja. El método sensorial 2-AFC fue eficaz en determinar diferencias pequeñas en rancidez. Se encontró correlación entre los valores de anisidina y Rancimat y las diferencias sensoriales en rancidez (d')

Multimodal sensory reliance in the nocturnal homing of the amblypygid \u3ci\u3ePhrynus pseudoparvulus\u3c/i\u3e (Class Arachnida, Order Amblypygi)?

Like many other nocturnal arthropods, the amblypygid Phrynus pseudoparvulus is capable of homing. The environment through which these predators navigate is a dense and heterogeneous tropical forest understory and the mechanism(s) underlying their putatively complex navigational abilities are presently unknown. This study explores the sensory inputs that might facilitate nocturnal navigation in the amblypygid P. pseudoparvulus. Specifically, we use sensory system manipulations in conjunction with field displacements to examine the potential involvement of multimodal—olfactory and visual—stimuli in P. pseudoparvulus’ homing behavior. In a first experiment, we deprived individuals of their olfactory capacity and displaced them to the opposite side of their home trees (\u3c5 m). We found that olfaction-intact individuals were more likely to be re-sighted in their home refuges than olfaction-deprived individuals. In a second experiment, we independently manipulated both olfactory and visual sensory capacities in conjunction with longer-distance displacements (8 m) from home trees. We found that sensory-intact individuals tended to be re-sighted on their home tree more often than sensory-deprived individuals, with a stronger effect of olfactory deprivation than visual deprivation. Comparing across sensory modality manipulations, olfaction-manipulated individuals took longer to return to their home trees than vision-manipulated individuals. Together, our results indicate that olfaction is important in the nocturnal navigation of P. pseudoparvulus and suggest that vision may also play a more minor role

Effect of plant growth-promoting bacteria and inoculation media in the yield on cooksfoot yield

Objetives: To determine the effect of three PGPB bacteria (Ewingella americana, Bacillus simplex y Microbacterium ginsengiterrae) and three inoculant methods (digestate, compost and cornstarch) on yield, plant height, leaf temperature, tiller density and morphological composition of cooksfoot. Desing/methodology/approach: A completely randomized design was used, with a factorial arrangement 4*3, the experimental units being a pot with five stems. Results: The dry matter did not register difference between treatments with bacteria (P>0.05), but with respect to the control the values increased up to 50%. Compost and digestate media outperformed cornstarch by 22%. The inoculation media had an effect (P<0.05) on the yield and leaf, while the bacteria promoted the formation of new tillers, the yield and reduced the leaf temperature. Findings/conclusions: Compost and digestate as inoculation media can notably favor the beneficial effect of M. ginsengiterrae, which was the one that registered the best yieldsObjective: To determine the effect of three PGPB bacteria (Ewingella americana, Bacillus simplex and Microbacterium ginsengiterrae) and three inoculation media (digestate, compost and cornstarch) on plant height, leaf temperature, stalkdensity, morphological composition, and dry matter yield of orchard grass.Design/Methodology/Approach: A completely randomized design was used, with a factorial arrangement 4X3, the experimental units being a pot with five initial stalks.Results: The dry matter did not show difference between treatments with bacteria (P>0.05), but the control the values increased up to 50%. Compost and digestate media outperformed cornstarch by 22%. The inoculation media had an effect(P?0.05) on the yield and leaf variables, while the bacteria promoted the formation of new stalks and the production of  biomass, and reduced the leaf temperature.Findings/Conclusions: Compost and digestate as inoculation media can notably favor the beneficial effect of M. ginsengiterrae, which was the one that registered the best yield