Atlantic mountain grassland-heathlands: structure and feeding value

Atlantic mountain pastures are composed by mosaics of semi-natural grasslands and heathlands. A knowledge of their structure and feeding value is useful to understand their livestock use and improve management of these communities. This study was carried out in the Gorbeia Natural Park in northern Spain. Pasture composition, sward height and nutritive value were measured over four grazing seasons (spring, summer, late summer and autumn) in three plant communities: grassland (GR), open heathland (OH) and dense heathland (DH). The grassland community had lower sward height and better nutritive value. In less favoured grazing periods, when sward height in GR becomes limiting livestock move to OH with higher pasture height and lower sward cover and nutritive value. Even both heathlands have similar height and quality, the selection of OH, and avoiding of the dense one, could be due to its higher sward cover, which could make it easier to look for feed. Moreover, considering the woody component the estimated nutritive value of DH does not cover the minimum required for livestock production

Los macro y mesomamíferos como indicadores ecológicos del estado de conservación del Parque Natural del Señorío de Bertiz

Los resultados del seguimiento de la comunidad de meso y macromamíferos pueden ser utilizados como indicador del estado de conservación de los Espacios Naturales (ENP). La combinación de metodologías que implica su estudio, aplicadas fuera y dentro del perímetro del ENP o a lo largo del tiempo, permite valorar el papel que juega el ENP en la conservación de estas especies. En el caso del Parque Natural Señorío de Bertiz, los resultados indican que se trata de un espacio con un elevado nivel de conservación en el que la sucesión ecológica ha permitido incrementar su madurez y complejidad.El trabajo es parte de un proyecto financiado por el Gobierno de Navarra titulado "Inventario y criterios de gestión de los mamíferos en el Parque Natural Señorío de Bertiz"

A methodology for the semiautomatic annotation of EPEC-RolSem, a basque corpus labeled at predicative level following the PropBank-Verb Net model

In this article we describe the methodology developed for the semiautomatic annotation of EPEC-RolSem, a Basque corpus labeled at predicate level following the PropBank-VerbNet model. The methodology presented is the product of detailed theoretical study of the semantic nature of verbs in Basque and of their similarities and differences with verbs in other languages. As part of the proposed methodology, we are creating a Basque lexicon on the PropBank-VerbNet model that we have named the Basque Verb Index (BVI). Our work thus dovetails the general trend toward building lexicons from tagged corpora that is clear in work conducted for other languages. EPEC-RolSem and BVI are two important resources for the computational semantic processing of Basque; as far as the authors are aware, they are also the first resources of their kind developed for Basque. In addition, each entry in BVI is linked to the corresponding verb-entry in well-known resources like PropBank, VerbNet, WordNet, Levin’s Classification and FrameNet. We have also implemented several automatic processes to aid in creating and annotating the BVI, including processes designed to facilitate the task of manual annotation.Lan honetan, EPEC-RolSem corpusa etiketatzeko jarraitu dugun metodologia deskribatuko dugu. EPEC-RolSem corpusa PropBank-VerbNet ereduari jarraiki predikatu-mailan etiketatutako euskarazko corpusa da. Etiketatze-lana aurrera eramateko euskal aditzen izaera semantikoa aztertu eta ingeleseko aditzekin konparatu dugu, azterketa horren emaitza da lan honetan proposatzen dugun metodologia. Metodologiaren atal bat PropBank-VerbNet eredura sortutako euskal aditzen lexikoiaren osaketa izan da, lexikoi hau Basque Verb Index (BVI) deitu dugu. Gure lanak alor honetan beste hizkuntzetan dagoen joera nagusia jarraitzen du, hau da, etiketatutako corpusetatik lexikoiak sortzea. EPEC-RolSem eta BVI oso baliabide garrantzitsuak dira euskararen semantika konputazionalaren alorrean, izan ere, euskararako sortutako mota honetako lehen baliabideak dira. Honetaz guztiaz gain, BVIko sarrera bakoitza PropBank, VerbNet, WordNet, Levinen sailkapena eta FrameNet bezalako baliabide ezagunekin lotua dago. Hainbat prozesu automatiko inplementatu ditugu EPEC-RolSem corpusaren eskuzko etiketatzea laguntzeko eta baita BVI sortzeko eta osatzeko ere

El abandono del pastoreo afecta negativamente a la calidad del pasto en pastizales atlánticos ibéricos

Forage quality in mountain grasslands is an important factor for maintaining or improving animal performance. Previous studies identified plant traits beneficial for animal nutrition; however, little is known regarding their maintenance in plant communities. Our main hypothesis was that grazing favors plants with high regrowth capacity and low resource utilization efficiency, promoting the production of high-quality forage. To test the hypothesis, we conducted a grazer exclusion experiment in an Iberian Atlantic grassland combined with a response-effect framework based on various plant traits and an appropriate statistical methodology to measure the relative contribution of species turnover and intraspecific trait variability (ITV) after grazing abandonment. Our results showed that forage quality declined after short-term grazing abandonment, via strong ITV effects and weak species turnover effects. Strong species turnover effects might appear after longer period of abandonment if, as expected, tall grasses with low tissue quality outcompete species with high tissue quality.La calidad del pasto en los pastizales de montaña es un factor importante para mantener o mejorar el rendimiento animal. Estudios previos han identificado atributos vegetales beneficiosos para la nutrición animal; sin embargo, poco se sabe sobre su mantenimiento en comunidades vegetales. Nuestra principal hipótesis sostiene que el pastoreo favorece a las especies con una alta capacidad de rebrote y una baja eficiencia de utilización de recursos, promoviendo así la producción de pasto de alta calidad. Para testar la hipótesis, realizamos un experimento de exclusión del pastoreo en un pastizal de la montaña atlántica, combinado con un marco teórico de respuesta-efecto basado en varios atributos vegetales y una metodología estadística apropiada para medir la contribución relativa del recambio de especies y la variabilidad intraespecífica de los atributos (ITV) tras el abandono del pastoreo. Nuestros resultados mostraron que la calidad del pasto disminuyó tras el abandono del pastoreo a corto plazo, principalmente debido al efecto de la ITV. Los efectos por recambio de especies podrían aparecer tras un período más largo de abandono si, tal y como es esperable, las gramíneas altas con tejidos de baja calidad nutritiva sustituyen a las especies de mayor calidad

Mountain sheep grazing systems provide multiple ecological, socio-economic, and food quality benefits

Altres ajuts: Basque Government to E.G (IT1022-16), A.A (IT1365-19), and L.J.R.B. (IT944-16)Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu CEX2019-000940-MPastoral systems face increasing pressure from competing global markets, food sector industrialization, and new policies such as Europe's post-2020 Common Agriculture Policy. This pressure threatens the use of extensive sheep-grazing systems in mountain areas of low productivity but high natural value. Using information gathered at a long-term research setting in a mountainous area of the Basque Country (northern Spain), we assessed the multiple benefits of extensive dairy sheep grazing systems from multiple perspectives using indicators pertaining to ecological, socio-economic, and food quality domains. In this way, we address the benefits that would be lost if sheep grazing abandonment persists in mountain regions. Our results show that the benefits of extensive dairy sheep grazing in the research area include the production of healthy and high-quality foods and multiple ecological benefits including biodiversity conservation. Extensive dairy sheep grazing also contributes to rural development by generating employment and income in marginal, low-productivity lands that can support few economic alternatives. In particular, we found that sheep farmers who produce high-value products, such as cheese, have enhanced their economic profitability and are less dependent on public subsidies. However, careful attention to sustainable practices, support for new generations of farmers, and streamlined supply chains are required. These would contribute to ensure socio-economic benefits for farmers, avoid the ecological costs associated with grazing abandonment, and enhance ecosystem services for the whole society

Corpusen etiketatze linguistikoa

In this article, we shall comment on the steps that have to be taken to give a linguistic label to a corpus and the difficulties that appear in this process. Our main objective was to highlight the importance of the labelling when preparing a corpus that is useful for linguistic research, and the need to establish criteria and to take the decisions that this entails. We also explain how semi-automatic methods are applied and how the manual revision that guarantees the quality of the corpus is carried out. Once the corpus has been revised and labelled, it will be useful both for carrying out linguistic analyses and for improving or assessing the linguistic tools and resources, and also for channelling automatic study

Corpusen etiketatze linguistikoa

In this article, we shall comment on the steps that have to be taken to give a linguistic label to a corpus and the difficulties that appear in this process. Our main objective was to highlight the importance of the labelling when preparing a corpus that is useful for linguistic research, and the need to establish criteria and to take the decisions that this entails. We also explain how semi-automatic methods are applied and how the manual revision that guarantees the quality of the corpus is carried out. Once the corpus has been revised and labelled, it will be useful both for carrying out linguistic analyses and for improving or assessing the linguistic tools and resources, and also for channelling automatic study

Construcción de un corpus etiquetado sintácticamente para el euskera

El objetivo de este trabajo es la construcción de un corpus anotado sintácticamente para el euskera. En esta comunicación presentaremos, en primer lugar, las bases sobre las que se asienta nuestro etiquetado. Tras examinar diversas opciones se optó por el esquema presentado por (Carrol et al., 1998). Este esquema sigue los estándares EAGLES y se basa en la idea de añadir a cada frase del corpus una serie de relaciones gramaticales que especifican la dependencia existente entre el núcleo y sus modificadores. Una vez presentado el formalismo de etiquetado, se expondrán los problemas que hemos encontrado en nuestra tarea y las decisiones tomadas. Seguidamente se describirá un ejemplo concreto en el que se muestra la aplicación de dicho esquema sobre un corpus inicial. Finalmente, presentaremos las conclusiones sobre la idoneidad del esquema al euskera y trabajo futuro.The aim of this work is the construction of a syntactically annotated treebank for Basque. In this paper we present first, the basis of the annotation. After examining several options we chose the scheme presented in (Carrol et al., 1998). It follows the EAGLES standards and it is based on the idea of adding to each sentence in the corpus a series of grammatical relations specifying the dependencies between modifiers and their nucleus. After the formalism has been presented, we will describe the problems we have found and the decisions we have taken to solve them. Next we present an example showing the application of the scheme to an initial corpus. Finally, we present the main conclusions about the applicability to Basque and future work.Este trabajo se ha realizado dentro del proyecto "Construcción de una base de datos de árboles sintácticos y semánticos", subvencionado por el Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia (PROFIT: FIT-150500-2002-244)

Influence of Snowmelt Timing on the Diet Quality of Pyrenean Rock Ptarmigan (Lagopus muta pyrenaica): Implications for Reproductive Success

The Pyrenean rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta pyrenaica) is the southernmost subspecies of the species in Europe and is considered threatened as a consequence of changes in landscape, human pressure, climate change, and low genetic diversity. Previous studies have shown a relationship between the date of snowmelt and reproductive success in the Pyrenean ptarmigan. It is well established that birds laying early in the breeding season have higher reproductive success, but the specific mechanism for this relationship is debated. We present an explicative model of the relationship between snowmelt date and breeding success mediated by food quality for grouse in alpine environments. From microhistological analyses of 121 faecal samples collected during three years in the Canigou Massif (Eastern Pyrenees), and the assessment of the chemical composition of the main dietary components, we estimated the potential quality of individual diets. Potential dietary quality was correlated with free-urate faecal N, a proxy of the digestible protein content ingested by ptarmigan, and both were correlated with phenological stage of consumed plants, which in turn depends on snowmelt date. Our findings suggest that the average snowmelt date is subject to a strong interannual variability influencing laying date. In years of early snowmelt, hens benefit from a longer period of high quality food resources potentially leading to a higher breeding success. On the contrary, in years of late snowmelt, hens begin their breeding period in poorer nutrient condition because the peaks of protein content of their main food items are delayed with respect to laying date, hence reducing breeding performance. We discuss the possible mismatch between breeding and snowmelt timing

Baztan-Kintoa lurraldeko landaredi kormofitikoaren ikerketa : katalogo floristikoa

En este trabajo sobre la vegetación cormofítica se hace mención de las situación geográfica y biogeográfica de la zona estudiada, así como las características generales de sus aspectos climáticos, geomorfológicos y edafológicos. Igualmente quedan explicados conceptos fundamentales en torno a la flora, vegetación y elementos corológicos, habiéndose incluido también la descripción de las principales comunidades vegetales. Finalmente, en el catálogo de plantas se mencionan para cada especie citada, su nombre científico, el autor, a qué elemento corológico corresponde, nuestros comentarios (datos incluidos) y citas bibliográficas de diferentes autoresBaztan-Kintoako landaredi kormofitikoen ikerketan, azterturiko eremuaren kokapen geografiko zein biogeografikoa, bai eta aspektu klimatiko, geologiko, geomorfologiko eta edafologikoen ezaugarri orokorrak ere aipatu dira. Halaber, flora, landaredia eta elementu korologikoei buruzko oinarrizko kontzeptuak explikatu dira, landaredi-komunitate nagusienen gainetiko deskripzioa ere inkluditu delarik. Azkenik, landare-katalogoan, zitaturiko espezie bakoitzaren kasuan, izen zientifikoa, autorea, zein elementu korologikori dagokion, gure aipamenak (datuez horniturik) eta beste autoreen zita bibliografikoak ere adierazi diraThis work on cormophytic vegetation mentions the geographical and biographical situation of he studied arae, as eell as the genral characteristics of its climatic, geological, geomorphological and edaphological aspects. Also explained are fundamental concepts and corollogical elements of the flora and vegetation, including a description of the main vegetable communities. Lastly, the plant catalogue gives, for each mentioned species, its scientific name, the author, to which corollogical element in corresponds, our comments (including data) and bibliographical quotas by different author