Estràtegies de gestió per al manteniment de la biodiversitat a la sabana brasilera: control d'especies exòtiques amb foc

Report for the scientific sojourn at the Instituto de Biociências, of the Universidade de Sao Paulo, Brazil, from 2007 to 2009. African exotic grasses, used as forage crops for cattle, found optimal conditions in Brazilian savannas for their spread. They established as invasive grasses in almost all conservation units, becoming a serius threat to native biote and to most ecological processes. Fire is a cyclical event in Brazilian savannas and can be used as a management tool for enhancing competitivity of native grasses and controlling exotic grasses. Seeking for alternatives for the management of these grasses, this study investigates the effect of recurrent burnings in different periods of the year (fire regimes) on: distribution patterns of exotic grasses and their associations wotih native grasses, the local edaphic characteristics, the nutrient pool of the aerial biomass of both native and exotic grasses, and soil seed banks. This project is held on the IBGE Ecological Reserve, in Brasília (Brazil), in an area destined specifically for research of fire effects on brazilian savannas. The project quantifies: aerial biomass of native and exotic grasses, soil seed bank of exotic grasses, nutrient pool in soil and also in grasses tissues. Spatial relationships for any association between species, as well as for nutrient pools in soil and in plant tissues will be established. A better understanding of these processes will provide useful tools for adopting specific policies on the management of exotic grasses in Brazilian savanna.

Quantificació de l'error comès pels models de níxol ecològic al predir la distribució d'especies generalistes

Report for the scientific sojourn carried out at the University of California at Berkeley, from September to December 2007. Environmental niche modelling (ENM) techniques are powerful tools to predict species potential distributions. In the last ten years, a plethora of novel methodological approaches and modelling techniques have been developed. During three months, I stayed at the University of California, Berkeley, working under the supervision of Dr. David R. Vieites. The aim of our work was to quantify the error committed by these techniques, but also to test how an increase in the sample size affects the resultant predictions. Using MaxEnt software we generated distribution predictive maps, from different sample sizes, of the Eurasian quail (Coturnix coturnix) in the Iberian Peninsula. The quail is a generalist species from a climatic point of view, but an habitat specialist. The resultant distribution maps were compared with the real distribution of the species. This distribution was obtained from recent bird atlases from Spain and Portugal. Results show that ENM techniques can have important errors when predicting the species distribution of generalist species. Moreover, an increase of sample size is not necessary related with a better performance of the models. We conclude that a deep knowledge of the species’ biology and the variables affecting their distribution is crucial for an optimal modelling. The lack of this knowledge can induce to wrong conclusions.

Búsqueda de ancentros comunes entre genomas de diferentes especies

La cerca de similituds entre regions de diferents genomes ofereix molta informació sobre les relaciones entre les especies d’aquest genomes. Es molt útil per a l’estudi de la conservació de gens d’una especia a un altre, de com les propietats d’un gen son assignades a un altre gen o de com es creen variacions en genomes diferents durant l’evolució d’aquestes especies. La finalitat d’aquest projecte es la creació d’una eina per a la cerca d’ancestres comuns de diferents especies basada en la comparació de la conservació entre regions dels genomes d’aquestes especies. Per a una comparació entre genomes mes eficaç una part important del projecte es destinarà a la creació d’una nova unitat de comparació. Aquestes noves unitats seran superestructures basades en agrupació dels MUMs existent per la mateixa comparació que anomenarem superMUMs. La aplicació final estarà disponible al servidor: http://revolutionresearch.uab.es

Modelación de la distribución de especies y ecosistemas en el tiempo y en el espacio: una revisión de las nuevas herramientas y enfoques disponibles

This article aims to present the conceptual and methodological framework in which models techniques for species and ecosystems distribution are developed. An historical review of concepts behind these techniques is made as well as the presentation of the major methodological steps involved in these tests. A discussion on how these approaches are useful for the development of new questions in the field of biogeography and biological conservation is generated. Finally, an application of distribution modeling techniques, using the specie Beilschmiedia miersii (belloto Del Norte) as a study case, is presented. This conceptual and methodological review as well as the example applied, seeks to clarify the usefulness and potential of distribution models techniques, with the objective to go forward in biogeography research and thus, farther progress in understanding spatial and temporal patterns of organism's distribution

Efectos del consumo de aceites termo-oxidados sobre la peroxidación lipídica en animales de laboratorio.

INTRODUCTION The quality of fats and oils used for frying is as important as the quality of the final product since during the frying process oxidization by-products are formed and become part of the diet, being potentially harmful for the consumers' health. OBJECTIVE To determine the effects of thermo-oxidised fats and oils on the oxidization of plasma lipoproteins inexperimental rats. METHODS Determination by means of spectrophotometric techniques of those substances reacting with thiobarbituric acid and total cholesterol (enzymatic method) in the sera of 40 Wistar rats that consumed crude thermooxidised oils and fats with different levels of malonil aldehyde(MDA) for 30 days. RESULTS The group of rats receiving a diet with thermooxidised oils and fats experienced significant increases in MDA plasma levels throughout the study period, lipid peroxidation being higher with increasing MDA content (p < 0.05) regardless the type of fat compound consumed. However, those rats receiving crude oils and fats kept plasma levels of lipidic peroxides without significant changes throughout the experimental period (p > 0.05). By contrast, cholesterol levels increased towards the end of the experimental period in both the rats consuming crude fats and those consuming thermo-oxidised fats (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Consumption of oils and fats submitted to repeat thermal heating has an influence on plasma lipidic peroxidation, which becomes higher with increasing number of heating processes applied, so that it would advisable not to abuse of reheating the oils used for frying foods.

Efectos de los factores dietéticos sobre la conducta agresiva y otras patologías del comportamiento del perro

Studies show that feeding patterns, environmental conditions, and pet management mainly affect animal health, behavior and welfare. However, little epidemiologic data exist about pet dog feeding habits and management and canine behavior, especially aggression. Moreover, it is well known that serotonin is involved in aggression: a diet low in tryptophan (serotonin precursor) with high levels of neutral amino-acids could decrease the central levels of serotonin and increase the expression of aggression and impulsiveness in several domestic animals. oreover, brain levels of serotonin in humans and other species can be increased by physical activity. In this study we alysed the effects of diet management, supplementation and regular physical activity on oncentration of serotonin in a population of non aggressive dogs. The general aim of the study is to determine the effect of environmental factors on the dogs’ feeding habits as well as the relationship between the type of food provided and management and behavioral problems in dogs. The specific objectives were: characterization and comparison of different physiological and blood parameters between dogs with and without behavior pathologies. Observation of the impact of the diet and managment factors (exercise, education) on those parameters and on dog’s behavior, with particular attention to aggression. This study is divided into three phases, according with the objectives. Firstly, characterization of the dogs’ characteristics and serics profiles on the basis of the blood tests. Comparison between the values noticed on animals without any behavior pathology and animals with behavior disorder to point out the difference between the biochemical parameters of the two groups. Secondly, the purpose of the second phase is to verify whether a type of food is able to affect the biochemical paramenters of a population of non-aggressive dogs. Thirdly, the goal is to evaluate the effects of different diet factors, management and physical exercise on the canine aggression.

Trabajo final de carrera .NET : protectora de animales

Para justificar el proyecto, durante la fase de elaboración del plan de trabajo, se examinaron diversas webs de sociedades protectoras de animales, haciendo un análisis exhaustivo de las que se consideraron más representativas. Tras la realización de un análisis de varios proyectos similares al que planteaba la propuesta del enunciado, se detectaron diversas deficiencias en las webs analizadas. Con el proyecto se ha conseguido como productos la aplicación web y los documentos de Planificación del Trabajo, Diseño y Análisis de Proyecto y los manuales entregados con la Implementación.La aplicación web ha resultado finalmente un producto amigable e intuitivo que cumple todos los requisitos expuestos en el enunciado así como todas las funcionalidades que se detallan a continuación en las síntesis de cada una de las fases de trabajo.

Exposition internationale des industries et du travail de Turin, 1911. Groupe XVI. Classe 90 (A et B). Produits de la grande culture. M. le Dr Bousquet, rapporteur. Classe 102 B. Corps gras, huiles végétales et animales, suifs, cires, etc. M. C. Artus, rapporteur. Classe 80. Météorologie, géognosie et géologie agricoles. M. le Dr Thouvenin, rapporteur

Comprend : Corps gras, huiles végétales et animales, suifs, cires

Servicio web para el cuidado de animales domésticos

El proyecto consiste en la creación un software que permita dar servicio a familias con mascotas que necesiten encontrar de una manera rápida residencias cercanas, protectoras o bien veterinarios. En caso de no poder mantener a la mascota, tener la posibilidad de anunciarlo para que otra familia pueda hacerse cargo de nuestra mascota adoptándola. En esta etapa de crisis económica se quiere ofrecer un servicio que permite a familias con mascota ponerse en contacto con personas de su provincia que se responsabilicen de su mascota durante un periodo de tiempo llegando a un acuerdo. De esta manera los dueños de la mascota obtienen un cuidado temporal más económico que una guardería de verano.

Dos nuevas especies de Iridopsis Warren (Lepidoptera, Geometridae) del norte de Chile

Se presentan descripciones de dos nuevas especies de Iridopsis Warren, 1894, del norte de Chile: I. hausmanni sp. nov., del valle de Azapa, Provincia de Arica; e I. parrai sp. nov., de la Pampa del Tamarugal, Provincia de Iquique. Los estados inmaduros de I. parrai se asocian con Prosopis tamarugo Phil. (Fabaceae). Esta es la primera mención de Iridopsis para Chile.

Algunas características físicas y químicas de las principales especies para consumo humano y sus rendimientos en productos pesqueros en el Perú

Estudio que abarca dos aspectos importantes de la tecnología de procesamiento o transformación: características físicas y químicas de las principales especies marinas comerciales para el consumo humano directo y los rendimientos y factores de conversión de los productos pesqueros en el Perú. La primera parte, comprende las relaciones de longitud -peso y características organolépticas de las especies comerciales seleccionadas por el IMARPE para sus estudios.