Latitudinal environmental niches and riverine barriers shaped the phylogeography of the Central Chilean endemic Dioscorea humilis (Dioscoreaceae)

The effects of Pleistocene glaciations and geographical barriers on the phylogeographic patterns of lowland plant species in Mediterranean-climate areas of Central Chile are poorly understood. We used Dioscorea humilis (Dioscoreaceae), a dioecious geophyte extending 530 km from the Valparaíso to the Bío-Bío Regions, as a case study to disentangle the spatio-temporal evolution of populations in conjunction with latitudinal environmental changes since the Last Inter-Glacial (LIG) to the present. We used nuclear microsatellite loci, chloroplast (cpDNA) sequences and environmental niche modelling (ENM) to construct current and past scenarios from bioclimatic and geographical variables and to infer the evolutionary history of the taxa. We found strong genetic differentiation at nuclear microsatellite loci between the two subspecies of D. humilis, probably predating the LIG. Bayesian analyses of population structure revealed strong genetic differentiation of the widespread D. humilis subsp. humilis into northern and southern population groups, separated by the Maipo river. ENM revealed that the ecological niche differentiation of both groups have been maintained up to present times although their respective geographical distributions apparently fluctuated in concert with the climatic oscillations of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and the Holocene. Genetic data revealed signatures of eastern and western postglacial expansion of the northern populations from the central Chilean depression, whereas the southern ones experienced a rapid southward expansion after the LGM. This study describes the complex evolutionary histories of lowland Mediterranean Chilean plants mediated by the summed effects of spatial isolation caused by riverine geographical barriers and the climatic changes of the Quaternary. Copyright: © 2014 Bischoff et al.Financial support for this study was provided by a Fundación BBVA BIOCON 05-093/06 project grant to PC and JGSM. JV was supported by a Fundación BBVA Ph.D. grant. JGSM was supported by two consecutive Spanish Aragón Government ‘‘Araid’’ and Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation ‘‘Ramón y Cajal’’ postdoctoral contracts. PC was partially funded by a Bioflora (http://bifi.es/bioflora/) research team grant co-funded by the Spanish Aragón Government and the European Social Fund.Peer Reviewe

Holistic management approach as a tool for dehesa/montado restoration

PosterDehesa/montado can be defined as a multi-purpose agroforestry system with scattered oak trees. This ecosystem covers an estimated 3.1 million ha and is the most extended silvopastoral system and the largest High Nature Value Farming System in Europe. However, the sustainability of dehesas/montados has been questioned in recent years because of trends towards more intensive and simplified management, which in turn have led to changes in vegetation and soil properties and increased soil erosion rates. Holistic Management approach, based on time-controlled grazing systems, not only increases productivity but also implies ecosystem improvements: soil properties (soil structure, amount of organic matter, water efficiency, and availability soil nutrients) and pasture species cover and composition. McCoster (2000) has described a synergistic effect between a cell grazing (similar to HM) and trees regeneration in Australia. The main goal of this study is to evaluate the effect of the Holistic Management Grazing Approach on the soil properties, trees recovery, pasture cover, biodiversity and productivity opposite to nowadays continuous grazing management and different pasture innovations in Spanish and Portuguese dehesa/montado farms

A spiral structure in the disk of EX Draconis on the rise to outburst maximum

We report on the R-band eclipse mapping analysis of high-speed photometry of the dwarf nova EX Dra on the rise to the maximum of the November 1995 outburst. The eclipse map shows a one-armed spiral structure of ~180 degrees in azimuth, extending in radius from R ~0.2 to 0.43 R_{L1} (where R_{L1} is the distance from the disk center to the inner Lagrangian point), that contributes about 22 per cent of the total flux of the eclipse map. The spiral structure is stationary in a reference frame co-rotating with the binary and is stable for a timescale of at least 5 binary orbits. The comparison of the eclipse maps on the rise and in quiescence suggests that the outbursts of EX Dra may be driven by episodes of enhanced mass-transfer from the secondary star. Possible explanations for the nature of the spiral structure are discussed.Comment: To appear in the Astrophysical Journal Letters; 8 pages, 2 figures; coded with AAS latex styl

Production of the Superconducting Matching Quadrupoles for the LHC Insertions

The LHC insertions are equipped with individually powered superconducting quadrupole assemblies comprising several quadrupole magnets and orbit correctors, and range in length from 5.3 m to 11.3 m. Following the initial experience in the assembly of the pre-series cold masses, the production has advanced well and about half of the total of 82 units has been produced at CERN. In this paper we present the experience gained in steering the cold mass production, in particular with respect to the alignment requirements. We also report on the field quality and other measurements made for assuring the quality of the quadrupoles

El complejo de Órdenes: subdivisión, descripción y discusión sobre su origen.

[Resumen] El Complejo de Ordenes, el mayor de los macizos alóctonos con rocas máficas y ultramAficas de Galicia y el N de Portugal, se ha subdividido en cinco unidades en base, fundamentalmente, a las asociaciones litológicas: U. de Santiago, U. de Villa de Cruces, U. De la Sierra del Careón-Bazar, U. de SobradoMellid y U. de Betanzos-Arzúa. Todas ellas están separadas entre si por cabalgamientos y superpuestas tectónicamente. Para cada unidad, se realiza una descripción petrológica y se analizan las relaciones de las diferentes rocas entre si. ,Se efectúa, además, una revisión de los datos geoquimicos disponibles y, finalmente, se discute el origen probable de las distintas unidades[Abstract] The Ordenes Complex, the biggest OI the allochthonous massifs with mafic and ultramafic rocks in Galicia and northern Portugal, has been divided into five units according to the lithological associations: Santiago Unit, Villa de Cruces Unít, Sierra del Care6n-Bazar Unit, Sobrado-Mellid Unít and BetanzoS-Arzúa Unít. They are separated from each other by thrust faults and tectonically stacked. For each OI the units, a petrological description is given, explaining the relationships between the different rock types. Moreover, the geochemical data available are reviewed and the probable origin of the units is discusse

Increased Dust Deposition in New Zealand Related to Twentieth Century Australian Land Use

Mineral aerosols (dust) generated in the dryland regions of Australia have the potential to reach New Zealand through atmospheric transport. Although a large portion of dust in New Zealand originates in Australia, little is known about how dust deposition has varied over time in New Zealand or what may have caused this variation. We used geochemical dust proxies to examine the recent history of dust deposition to two alpine lakes in Kahurangi National Park, South Island, New Zealand. Geochemical indicators suggest that dust deposition began to increase around 1900, with the greatest deposition rates occurring from ~1920 to ~1990. In subsequent decades, dust deposition rates to New Zealand lakes appear to have declined. This rise and fall of dust deposition recorded in New Zealand lakes is consistent with dust records from the Antarctic Ice Sheet, Eastern Australia, and incidents of low visibility due to dust events recorded at Australian climate stations. The dust deposition rate over time also follows the temporal pattern of land use in south and central Australia over the time scale of the twentieth century suggesting a causal linkage. It is possible, and perhaps likely, that drought cycles also affected both emissions and transport pathways but over shorter time periods this was difficult to discern at the temporal resolution of these lake sediment cores. The increase in dust deposition to the high‐elevation regions of New Zealand likely has implications for the biogeochemistry of alpine lakes in the Tasman Mountains

The Construction of the Superconducting Matching Quadrupoles for the LHC Insertions

After several years of effort, the construction of the superconducting matching quadrupoles for the LHC insertions is nearing completion. We retrace the main events of the project from the initial development of the quadrupole magnets of several types to the series production of over 100 complex superconducting magnets, and report on the techniques developed for steering of the production. The main performance parameters for the full series, such as quench training, field quality and magnet geometry are presented. The experience gained in the production of these special superconducting magnets is of considerable value for further development of the LHC insertions

Features of the Extension of a Statistical Measure of Complexity to Continuous Systems

We discuss some aspects of the extension to continuous systems of a statistical measure of complexity introduced by Lopez-Ruiz, Mancini and Calbet (LMC) [Phys. Lett. A 209 (1995) 321]. In general, the extension of a magnitude from the discrete to the continuous case is not a trivial process and requires some choice. In the present study, several possibilities appear available. One of them is examined in detail. Some interesting properties desirable for any magnitude of complexity are discovered on this particular extension.Comment: 22 pages, 0 figure

A Revision of the characteristics and clasification of the hercynian granitoids of Northern Galicia and Western Asturias (NW Spain)

[Resumen] Este trabajo resume parte de los resultados obtenidos en el desarrollo del proyecto «Caracterización y correlación petrológica, geoquímica y geocronológica de las rocas graníticas de Galicia (A Coruña-Lugo)>>, realizado por el 1. ~G. M. E. El estudio sistemático de los distintos plutones graníticos de esta región ha puesto de manifiesto que los criterios de clasificación tradicionalmente utilizados en este ámbito geológico, presentan una serie de limitaciones debidas por una parte a la rigidez de los grupos establecidos y por otra, a las características transicionales de algunas unidades plutónicas. Estos hechos permiten suponer que las relaciones entre los «granitoides alcalinos y alumínicos de dos micas» y los «granitoides de tendencia calcoalcalina» no son tan independientes como se ha venido considerando en los modelos preexistentes. En función de la profundidad y etapa de emplazamiento y de las características petrológicas, las distintas unidades se han agrupado en las siguientes familias: - Granitoides sincinemáticos de emplazamiento relativamente profundo. - Granitoides sincinemáticos de emplazamiento somero. - Granitoides postcinemáticos de emplazamiento somero. Asimismo se detectan unidades plutónicas complejas, constituidas por varios granitos, a los cuales les corresponderían génesis diferentes, si se siguiesen los criterios previamente vigentes.[Abstract] This article summarizes part of the results of the project «Petrological, geochemical and geochronological caracterization and correlation of the granitic rocks of Galicia (provinces of A Coruña-Lugo)>>, executed on behalf of the Spanish Institute of Geology and Mining (1. G. M. E.). The Systematic investigation of the different granite plutons of the area evidences that the application of the criteria traditionally used for the classification of the granitic rocks in Galicia meets with serious difficulties. These are due to the rigidity of the established groups on the one hand and the transitional character of a number of plutonic units on the other hand. The study suggests that the relationship among the {<a1caline and aluminous two-mica granites» and the granitoids of the «ca1c-a1caline tendency is less independent than assumed in the hitherto used classification schemes and petrogenetical models. As a function of the depth and time of their emplacement and their petrological features, the different plutonic units are grouped into the following families: - Synkinematic, relatively deep-seated granitoid bodies. - Synkinematic, shallow-level granitoid bodies. - Postkinematic, shallow-level granitoid bodies. Attention is drawn to the occurrence of complex plutonic units whose constituent members would, according to the criteria of the pre-existing classification schemes, be petrogenetically unrelated or poorly related

The space density distribution of galaxies in the absolute magnitude - rotation velocity plane: a volume-complete Tully-Fisher relation from CALIFA stellar kinematics

The space density distribution of galaxies in the absolute magnitude - rotation velocity plane: a volume-complete Tully-Fisher relation from CALIFA stellar kinematicsComment: Accepted to A&