Effects of drought-induced forest die-off on litter decomposition

Aims: drought-induced forest die-off and subsequent species replacement may modify environmental conditions and eventually affect litter decomposition. We aimed to disentangle the effects of tree species and die-off state on litter decomposition in a mixed forest where Pinus sylvestris populations experiencing severe drought-induced die-off are being replaced by Quercus ilex. - Methods: litter bags with leaves and fine roots from both species were placed under canopies representing three habitats of the die-off and replacement process (healthy and dead P. sylvestris and healthy Q. ilex). Mass was assessed over 3 years. - Results: species-specific chemistry of litter (C:N ratio) had a direct effect on mass loss, but also indirect effects, attributed to the decomposer microbial community associated with a given habitat-species. In their respective original habitats, oak leaves decomposed 44 % faster than pine needles, whereas oak roots decomposed 46 % slower than pine roots. - Conclusions: forest die-off and species replacement affected litter decomposition. This effect can have great implications in forest functioning, particularly if drought-induced die-off worsens in the next decades, according with the trend observed in the studied system

Aportació al coneixement de la micoflora del Baix Empordà i rodalies (Catalunya). II. Myxomycetes I

Seguint la sèrie de treballs iniciada pel primer autor, es presenta un recull dels mixomicets conservats en l'herbari del mateix. L'estudi comprèn un llistat de 64 espècies recol·lectades fins avui en aquesta àrea geogràfica, amb comentaris d'aquelles que es consideren més interessants per la seva raresa com sóm Arcyria affinis, A. afroalpina, Cribraria persoonii, Diderma cinereum, Didymium anellus, Didymium serpula, Oligonema schweinitzii i Physarum pezizoideum. D'aquestes espècies, A. afroalpina és nova per a Europa, O. schweinitzii ho és per a Espanya i P. pezizoideum per a Catalunya.Contribution to the fungal flora of Baix Empordà and neighbouring region (Catalonia, NE Spain). II Myxomycetes. I. Following the series of floristic contributions started by the first autor, we present now a study on the myxomycetes preserved in the same author's herbarium. The paper contents a list of the 64 species collected until today in this geographic area, and comments those considered as more interesting: Arcyria affinis, A. afroalpina, Cribraria persoonii, Diderma cinereum, Didymium anellus, Didymium serpula, Oligonema schweinitzii and Physarum pezizoideum. Amongst them, A. afroalpina is an addition to European flora, O. schweinitzii is a new record to the Spanish flora, and P. pezizoideum is new for Catalonia

Aportació al coneixement de la micoflora del Baix Empordà i rodalies (Catalunya). II. Myxomycetes I

Seguint la sèrie de treballs iniciada pel primer autor, es presenta un recull dels mixomicets conservats en l'herbari del mateix. L'estudi comprèn un llistat de 64 espècies recol·lectades fins avui en aquesta àrea geogràfica, amb comentaris d'aquelles que es consideren més interessants per la seva raresa com sóm Arcyria affinis, A. afroalpina, Cribraria persoonii, Diderma cinereum, Didymium anellus, Didymium serpula, Oligonema schweinitzii i Physarum pezizoideum. D'aquestes espècies, A. afroalpina és nova per a Europa, O. schweinitzii ho és per a Espanya i P. pezizoideum per a Catalunya.Contribution to the fungal flora of Baix Empordà and neighbouring region (Catalonia, NE Spain). II Myxomycetes. I. Following the series of floristic contributions started by the first autor, we present now a study on the myxomycetes preserved in the same author's herbarium. The paper contents a list of the 64 species collected until today in this geographic area, and comments those considered as more interesting: Arcyria affinis, A. afroalpina, Cribraria persoonii, Diderma cinereum, Didymium anellus, Didymium serpula, Oligonema schweinitzii and Physarum pezizoideum. Amongst them, A. afroalpina is an addition to European flora, O. schweinitzii is a new record to the Spanish flora, and P. pezizoideum is new for Catalonia

Strong resilience of soil respiration components to drought-induced die-off resulting in forest secondary succession

How forests cope with drought-induced perturbations and how the dependence of soil respiration on environmental and biological drivers is affected in a warming and drying context are becoming key questions. The aims of this study were to determine whether drought-induced die-off and forest succession were reflected in soil respiration and its components and to determine the influence of climate on the soil respiration components. We used the mesh exclusion method to study seasonal variations in soil respiration (R S) and its components: heterotrophic (R H) and autotrophic (R A) [further split into fine root (R R) and mycorrhizal respiration (R M)] in a mixed Mediterranean forest where Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) is undergoing a drought-induced die-off and is being replaced by holm oak (Quercus ilex L.). Drought-induced pine die-off was not reflected in R S nor in its components, which denotes a high functional resilience of the plant and soil system to pine die-off. However, the succession from Scots pine to holm oak resulted in a reduction of R H and thus in an important decrease of total respiration (R S was 36 % lower in holm oaks than in non-defoliated pines). Furthermore, R S and all its components were strongly regulated by soil water content-and-temperature interaction. Since Scots pine die-off and Quercus species colonization seems to be widely occurring at the driest limit of the Scots pine distribution, the functional resilience of the soil system over die-off and the decrease of R S from Scots pine to holm oak could have direct consequences for the C balance of these ecosystems

A Chamber for fruiting Volvariella volvacea in laboratory

Es presenta el disseny d'una cambra dirigida al cultiu de bolets termòfils en el laboratori. Els sistemes de control permeten regular de manera senzilla la temperatura, la humitat relativa, entre el 100% i el 85%, i la concentració de CO2 de l'aire, així com els intercanvis d'aire fresc i la il·luminació de la cambra de cultiu. Pel que fa al cultiu de bolets mesòfils, incloem un esquema de les modificacions que permeten un millor control de la temperatura, la humitat relativa i la ventilació. Les modificacions es centren en l'ús d'una unitat de refrigeració, que en aquest cas és una cèl·lula de Peltier.A chamber for fruiting thennophilic mushrooms in laboratory is described. This design allows an easy control of temperature, relative humidity (between 100% and 85%), CO2 levels, air exchange and illumination. Moreover, a diagram with further modifications is described. These improvements enable greater control of temperature, relative humidity and aur exchanges. They are focused on the use of a Peltier cell and allows mesophilic mushrooms growth.Se presenta el diseño de una cámara dirigida al cultivo de hongos termófilos en el laboratorio. Los sistemes de control permiten regular de manera sencilla la temperatura, la humedad relativa, entre el 100% y el 85%, y la concentración de CO2 del aire, así como los intercambios de aire fresco y la iluminación de la cámara de cultivo. Respecto al cultivo de hongos mesófilos, incluimos un esquema de las modificaciones que permiten un mayor control de la temperatura, la humedad relativa y la ventilación. Las modificaciones se centran en el uso de una unidad de refrigeración, que en este caso es una célula de Peltier

A Chamber for fruiting Volvariella volvacea in laboratory

Es presenta el disseny d'una cambra dirigida al cultiu de bolets termòfils en el laboratori. Els sistemes de control permeten regular de manera senzilla la temperatura, la humitat relativa, entre el 100% i el 85%, i la concentració de CO2 de l'aire, així com els intercanvis d'aire fresc i la il·luminació de la cambra de cultiu. Pel que fa al cultiu de bolets mesòfils, incloem un esquema de les modificacions que permeten un millor control de la temperatura, la humitat relativa i la ventilació. Les modificacions es centren en l'ús d'una unitat de refrigeració, que en aquest cas és una cèl·lula de Peltier.Se presenta el diseño de una cámara dirigida al cultivo de hongos termófilos en el laboratorio. Los sistemes de control permiten regular de manera sencilla la temperatura, la humedad relativa, entre el 100% y el 85%, y la concentración de CO2 del aire, así como los intercambios de aire fresco y la iluminación de la cámara de cultivo. Respecto al cultivo de hongos mesófilos, incluimos un esquema de las modificaciones que permiten un mayor control de la temperatura, la humedad relativa y la ventilación. Las modificaciones se centran en el uso de una unidad de refrigeración, que en este caso es una célula de Peltier.A chamber for fruiting thennophilic mushrooms in laboratory is described. This design allows an easy control of temperature, relative humidity (between 100% and 85%), CO2 levels, air exchange and illumination. Moreover, a diagram with further modifications is described. These improvements enable greater control of temperature, relative humidity and aur exchanges. They are focused on the use of a Peltier cell and allows mesophilic mushrooms growth

Below-ground functional resilience along drought-induced forest die-off and species replacement

Resumen de una presentación realizada en: I Simposio sobre Interacciones Planta-Suelo (ICA-CSIC, Madrid, 25-26 Febrero 2016)Understanding how ecosystems functioning may respond to increments of temperature and climatic variability is crucial in the global change context. We studied the plant-and-soil interaction in a mixed Mediterranean forest where several drought events since 1990’s have resulted in Scots pine defoliation and mortality, with a subsequent replacement by Holm oak (HO). The study focused on how this die-off and species replacement affected soil respiration (SR) and its heterotrophic and autotrophic components. It dealt with SR dependency on abiotic and biotic controls (i.e. soil temperature and moisture, photosynthetic activity, forest structure, litter inputs on soil, fine roots biomass) at different temporal and spatial scales. The study also determined rates of litter decomposition (both leaves and fine roots) along the die-off process. Soil temperature and moisture strongly regulated temporal variability of SR (from daily to seasonal), including both autotrophic and heterotrophic components. Plant activity exerted strong control over temporal variability of SR, with higher influence on living pines at daily time scales but stronger effect on HO at seasonal scale. SR and its components remained apparently unaffected by drought-induced Scots pine die-off denoting a high functional resilience of the studied plant-and-soil system. This functional resilience of SR was the result of colonization by HO of the gaps created by the dead of pines. Additionally, litter decomposition rates, specific root respiration, plant activity and soil bacterial communities compared between living pines, dead pines and HO also supported the role of HO rhizosphere colonization on below-ground functioning resilience.Peer reviewe

Anàlisi de l’hospitalització dels nadons amb gran prematuritat

Prematuritat; Mortalitat hospitalària; Nivell de riscPrematurity; Hospital mortality; Level of riskPrematuridad; Mortalidad hospitalaria; Nivel de riesgoL’objectiu d’aquest treball és descriure el fenomen de la gran prematuritat a Catalunya: conèixer la incidència i la distribució dels nadons amb gran prematuritat (NGP) entre hospitals i entre territoris, descriure les hospitalitzacions segons el nivell de risc i la mortalitat, així com la utilització de recursos.The purpose of this study is to describe the phenomenon of preterm birth in Catalonia: to know the incidence and distribution of premature babies in hospitals and regions, to describe hospitalizations according to the level of risk and mortality, and the use of resources.El objetivo de este trabajo es describir el fenómeno de la gran prematuridad en Cataluña: conocer la incidencia y la distribución de los bebés con gran prematuridad (NGP) entre hospitales y entre territorios, describir las hospitalizaciones según el nivel de riesgo y la mortalidad, así como la utilización de recursos

Generalized tuberculosis due to Mycobacterium caprae in a red fox phylogenetically related to livestock breakdowns

Ajuts: Generalitat de Catalunya. Departament d'Acció Climàtica, Alimentació i Agenda Rural EFA357/INNOTUBTuberculosis (TB) due to Mycobacterium caprae is endemic in goat herds and free-ranging wild boars in Spain, causing infections in other livestock or wild animals to a lesser extent. TB infection in foxes is infrequently reported and they are usually considered spillover hosts of TB