Possible Demographic Consequences of Intraspecific Shelter Competition Among American Lobsters

Pioneering work by J. Stan Cobb described how habitat architecture and body size scaling affect shelter-related behavior of American lobsters. Subsequent research suggested that shelter availability and competition could set local carrying capacity and demographics for this species. To determine how shelter spacing affects population density, the intensity of intraspecific competition and the distribution of body size for this species, I deployed sets of 10 identically sized artificial shelters spaced at distances of 2.5, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 meters on otherwise featureless substrate at 10 m depth in mid-coast Maine, U.S.A. Five sets had two parallel strings of five opposing shelters and an additional linear string set 2 to apart without opposing shelters was the most widely separated treatment. Shelters spaced I m apart and closer had higher lobster population densities, more intraspecific competition and higher proportions of empty shelters. Surprisingly, lobsters there were also significantly smaller, declining from 62.7 mm to 50.9 on the carapace (CL) for 2 to linear to 0.25 m spaced shelters, respectively. Nearly all 932 lobsters measured in this study were juvenile (< 90 mm CL) and preharvestable (< 83 mm CL) sized, so mate selection and fishing effects were unlikely. At the scale of the experiment, larger lobsters leave or avoid areas of high lobster population density and intense competition for areas of low population density and relaxed competition (called "demographic diffusion"). Scuba surveys in coastal zones found lobster population densities scale with shelter densities and were highest in boulder habitat where, like the experiment, more than half the shelters were vacant. Fisheries independent scuba and trawl surveys in Maine's shallow coastal zone repeatedly recorded declines of preharvestable, lobsters larger than 60 turn CL in size and increases of those sizes offshore and in deep water. It is possible that this demographic diffusion is driven by behaviors associated with intraspecific shelter competition.

The Underwater Photic Environment of Cape Maclear, Lake Malawi: Comparison Between Rock- and Sand-Bottom Habitats and Implications for Cichlid Fish Vision

Lake Malawi boasts the highest diversity of freshwater fishes in the world. Nearshore sites are categorized according to their bottom substrate, rock or sand, and these habitats host divergent assemblages of cichlid fishes. Sexual selection driven by mate choice in cichlids led to spectacular diversification in male nuptial coloration. This suggests that the spectral radiance contrast of fish, the main determinant of visibility under water, plays a crucial role in cichlid visual communication. This study provides the first detailed description of underwater irradiance, radiance and beam attenuation at selected sites representing two major habitats in Lake Malawi. These quantities are essential for estimating radiance contrast and, thus, the constraints imposed on fish body coloration. Irradiance spectra in the sand habitat were shifted to longer wavelengths compared with those in the rock habitat. Beam attenuation in the sand habitat was higher than in the rock habitat. The effects of water depth, bottom depth and proximity to the lake bottom on radiometric quantities are discussed. The radiance contrast of targets exhibiting diffused and spectrally uniform reflectance depended on habitat type in deep water but not in shallow water. In deep water, radiance contrast of such targets was maximal at long wavelengths in the sand habitat and at short wavelengths in the rock habitat. Thus, to achieve conspicuousness, color patterns of rock-and sand-dwelling cichlids would be restricted to short and long wavelengths, respectively. This study provides a useful platform for the examination of cichlid visual communication.

Play in Rats: Association across Contexts and Types , and Analysis of Structure.

Play has been proposed as a promising indicator of positive animal welfare. We aimed to study play in rats across contexts (conspecific/heterospecific) and types (social: pinning, being pinned; solitary: scampering), and we investigated its structure using behavioral sequence analysis. Group-housed (three per cage) adolescent male Lister Hooded rats (n = 21) were subjected to a Play-In-Pairs test: after a 3 hour isolation period, a pair of cage-mates was returned to the home cage and both social and solitary play were scored for 20 min. This procedure was repeated for each pair combination across three consecutive days, and individual play scores were calculated. Heterospecific play was measured using a Tickling test: rats were individually tickled by the experimenter through bouts of gentle, rapid finger movements on their underside, and the number of positive 50 kHz frequency modulated vocalizations and experimenter-directed approach behaviors were recorded. Both of the above tests were compared with social play in the home cage. While conspecific play in both the Play-In-Pairs test and home cage were correlated, both seemed to be unrelated to heterospecific play in the Tickling test. During the Play-In-Pairs test, although both solitary and social play types occurred, they were unrelated, and solitary locomotor play of one rat did not predict the subsequent play behavior of its cage mate. Analysis of play structure revealed that social play occurred more often in bouts of repeated behaviors while solitary play sequences did not follow a specific pattern. If play is to be used as an indicator of positive welfare in rats, context, type and structure differences should be taken into account.

Process and pattern in cichlid radiations - inferences for understanding unusually high rates of evolutionary diversification

The cichlid fish radiations in the African Great Lakes differ from all other known cases of rapid speciation in vertebrates by their spectacular trophic diversity and richness of sympatric species, comparable to the most rapid angiosperm radiations. I review factors that may have facilitated these radiations and compare these with insights from recent work on plant radiations. Work to date suggests that it was a coincidence of ecological opportunity, intrinsic ecological versatility and genomic flexibility, rapidly evolving behavioral mate choice and large amounts of standing genetic variation that permitted these spectacular fish radiations. I propose that spatially orthogonal gradients in the fit of phenotypes to the environment facilitate speciation because they allow colonization of alternative fitness peaks during clinal speciation despite local disruptive selection. Such gradients are manifold in lakes because of the interaction of water depth as an omnipresent third spatial dimension with other fitness-relevant variables. I introduce a conceptual model of adaptive radiation that integrates these elements and discuss its applicability to, and predictions for, plant radiations.

Gene flow and the maintenance of species boundaries

Hybrid zones are regions where individuals from genetically differentiated populations meet and mate, resulting in at least some offspring of mixed ancestry. Patterns of gene flow (introgression) in hybrid zones vary across the genome, allowing assessment of the role of individual genes or genome regions in reproductive isolation. Here, we document patterns of introgression between two recently diverged species of field crickets. We sampled at a very fine spatial scale and genotyped crickets for 110 highly differentiated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) identified through transcriptome scans. Using both genomic and geographic cline analysis, we document remarkably abrupt transitions (<100 m) in allele frequencies for 50 loci, despite high levels of gene flow at other loci. These are among the steepest clines documented for any hybridizing taxa. Furthermore, the cricket hybrid zone provides one of the clearest examples of the semi-permeability of species boundaries. Comparisons between data from the fine-scale transect and data (for the same set of markers) from sampling a much larger area in a different region of the cricket hybrid zone reveal consistent patterns of introgression for individual loci. The consistency in patterns of introgression between these two distant and distinct regions of the hybrid zone suggests that strong selection is acting to maintain abrupt discontinuities within the hybrid zone and that genomic regions with restricted introgression likely include genes that contribute to nonecological prezygotic barriers.

How many species of cichlid fishes are there in African lakes?

The endemic cichlid fishes of Lakes Malawi, Tanganyika and Victoria are textbook examples of explosive speciation and adaptive radiation, and their study promises to yield important insights into these processes. Accurate estimates of species richness of lineages in these lakes, and elsewhere, will be a necessary prerequisite for a thorough comparative analysis of the intrinsic and extrinsic factors influencing rates of diversification. This review presents recent findings on the discoveries of new species and species flocks and critically appraises the relevant evidence on species richness from recent studies of polymorphism and assortative mating, generally using behavioural and molecular methods. Within the haplochromines, the most species-rich lineage, there are few reported cases of postzygotic isolation, and these are generally among allopatric taxa that are likely to have diverged a relatively long time in the past. However, many taxa, including many which occur sympatrically and do not interbreed in nature, produce viable, fertile hybrids. Prezygotic barriers are more important, and persist in laboratory conditions in which environmental factors have been controlled, indicating the primary importance of direct mate preferences. Studies to date indicate that estimates of alpha (within-site) diversity appear to be robust. Although within-species colour polymorphisms are common, these have been taken into account in previous estimates of species richness. However, overall estimates of species richness in Lakes Malawi and Victoria are heavily dependent on the assignation of species status to allopatric populations differing in male colour. Appropriate methods for testing the specific status of allopatric cichlid taxa are reviewed and preliminary results presented.

Color polymorphism and sex ratio distortion in a cichlid fish as an incipient stage in sympatric speciation by sexual selection

We investigated a Lake Victoria cichlid with a complex colour polymorphism that apparently represents one original species and two incipient species, all of which are sympatric. In laboratory breeding experiments we observed sex ratio distortion in certain matings between original and incipient species. Mate choice experiments show that males of the incipient species exhibit mating preferences against the original species, and males and females of the original species exhibit strong mating preferences against the incipient species. Mating preferences might evolve by sex ratio selection to avoid matings with distorted progeny sex ratios. Phenotype frequencies in nature suggest that mating preferences translate into mating frequencies, thus restricting gene flow and exerting disruptive sexual selection between the original and incipient species. The incipient species do not differ in morphology or ecology from the original species, implying that colour polymorphism, associated with sex ratio distortion, can be an incipient stage in sympatric speciation, and that disruption of gene flow can precede ecological differentiation

Evolution of colour patterns in East African cichlid fish

African cichlid fishes have undergone outbursts of explosive speciation in several lakes, accompanied by rapid radiations in coloration and ecology. Little is known about the evolutionary forces that triggered these events but a hypothesis, published by Wallace Dominey in 1984, has figured prominently. It states that the evolution of colour patterns is driven by sexual selection and that these colour patterns are important in interspecific mate choice, a combination which holds the potential for rapid speciation. Here we present phylogenetic analyses that describe major events in colour evolution and test predictions yielded by Dominey's hypothesis. We assembled information on stripe patterns and the presence or absence of nuptial coloration from more than 700 cichlid species representing more than 90 taxa for which molecular phylogenetic hypotheses were available. We show that sexual selection is most likely the selection force that made male nuptial coloration arise and evolve quickly. In contrast, stripe patterns, though phylogenetically not conserved either, are constrained ecologically. The evolution of vertical bar patterns is associated with structurally complex habitats, such as rocky substrates or vegetation. The evolution of a horizontal stripe is associated with a piscivorous feeding mode. Horizontal stripes are also associated with shoaling behaviour. Strength of sexual selection, measured in terms of the mating system (weak in monogamous, strong in promiscuous species), has no detectable effects on stripe pattern evolution. In promiscuous species the frequency of difference between sister species in nuptial hue is higher than in pair bonding and harem forming species, but the frequency of difference in stripe pattern is lower. We argue that differences between the two components of coloration in their exposure to natural selection explain their very different evolutionary behaviour. Finally, we suggest that habitat-mediated selection upon chromomotor flexibility, a special form of phenotypic plasticity found in the river-dwelling outgroups of the lake-dwelling cichlids, explains the rapid and recurrent ecology-associated radiation of stripe patterns in lake environments, a new hypothesis that yields experimentally testable predictions.

Can ancient colour polymorphisms explain why some cichlid lineages speciate rapidly under disruptive sexual selection?

It is not sufficiently understood why some lineages of cichlid fishes have proliferated in the Great Lakes of East Africa much more than anywhere else in the world, and much faster than other cichlid lineages or any other group of freshwater fish. Recent field and experimental work on Lake Victoria haplochromines suggests that mate choice-mediated disruptive sexual selection on coloration, that can cause speciation even in the absence of geographical isolation, may explain it. We summarize the evidence and propose a hypothesis for the genetics of coloration that may help understand the phenomenon. By detl ning colour patterns by hue and arrangement of hues on the body, we could assign almost all observed phenotypes of Lake Victoria cichlids to one of three female («plain», «orange blotched», «black and white») and three male («blue», «red-ventrum», «reddorsum») colour patterns. These patterns diagnose species but frequently eo-occur also as morphs within the same population, where they are associated with variation in mate preferences, and appear to be transient stages in speciation. Particularly the male patterns occur in almost every genus of the species flock. We propose that the patterns and their association into polymorphisms express an ancestral trait that is retained across speciation. Our model for male colour pattern assumes two structural loci. When both are switched off, the body is blue. When switched on by a cascade of polymorphic regulatory genes, one expresses a yellow to red ventrum, the other one a yellow to red dorsum. The expression of colour variation initiates speciation. The blue daughter species will inherit the variation at the regulatory genes that can, without new mutational events, purely by recombination, again expose the colour polymorphism, starting the process anew. Very similar colour patterns also dominate among the Mbuna of Lake Malawi. In contrast, similar colour polymorphisms do not exist in the lineages that have not proliferated in the Great Lakes. The colour pattern polymorphism may be an ancient trait in the lineage (or lineages) that gave rise to the two large haplochromine radiations. We propose two tests of our hypothesis.

Cichlid Fish Diversity Threatened by Eutrophication That Curbs Sexual Selection

Cichlid fish species of Lake Victoria can interbreed without loss of fertility but are sexually isolated by mate choice. Mate choice is determined on the basis of coloration, and strong assortative mating can quickly lead to sexual isolation of color morphs. Dull fish col- oration, few color morphs, and low species diversity are found in areas that have become turbid as a result of recent eutrophication. By constraining color vision, turbidity interferes with mate choice, relaxes sexual selection, and blocks the mechanism of reproductive isolation. In this way, human activities that increase turbidity destroy both the mechanism of diversification and that which maintains diversity.

Gender Differences in Online Dating: What Do We Know So Far? A Systematic Literature Review

With millions of users worldwide, online dating platforms strive to assert themselves as powerful tools to find dates and form romantic relationships. However, significant differences exist in male and female use of this mate-matching technology with respect to motivation, preferences, self-presentation, interaction and outcomes. While existing research has routinely reported on gender differences in online dating, these insights remain scattered across multiple studies. To gain a systematic insight into existing findings, in this study we conduct a meta-review of existing research. We find that evolutionary theory generally holds true in online dating: Users still follow natural stereotypes when it comes to choosing a mate online. Physical attractiveness is the key criteria for men; while women, being much more demanding, prioritize socio-economic attributes when choosing a male partner. Together, our structured findings offer a deeper insight into the underlying dynamics of gender differences in online dating.

Habitat Choice and Female Preference in a Polymorphic Stickleback Population

Background: A small pond, c. 90 years old, near Bern, Switzerland contains a population of threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) with two distinct male phenotypes. Males of one type are large, and red, and nest in the shallow littoral zone. The males of the other are small and orange, and nest offshore at slightly greater depth. The females in this population are phenotypically highly variable but cannot easily be assigned to either male type. Question: Is the existence of two sympatric male morphs maintained by substrate-associated male nest site choice and facilitated by female mate preferences? Organisms: Male stickleback caught individually at their breeding sites. Females caught with minnow traps. Methods: In experimental tanks, we simulated the slope and substrate of the two nesting habitats. We then placed individual males in a tank and observed in which habitat the male would build his nest. In a simultaneous two-stimulus choice design, we gave females the choice between a large, red male and a small, orange one. We measured female morphology and used linear mixed effect models to determine whether female preference correlated with female morphology. Results: Both red and orange males preferred nesting in the habitat that simulated the slightly deeper offshore condition. This is the habitat occupied by the small, orange males in the pond itself. The proportion of females that chose a small orange male was similar to that which chose a large red male. Several aspects of female phenotype correlated with the male type that a female preferred.

Organizaciones Agrarias y Cooperativas: Transformaciones en trabajo, producción, y acceso a la tierra en Misiones. 16H351

Las actividades agropecuarias en Misiones, vienen sufriendo profundas transformaciones que impactan de manera diferencial sobre los trabajadores y sobre los productores agrarios, pero también en el proceso manufacturero y de comercialización. Con el objetivo de identificar y analizar éstas transformaciones recientes, intentaremos generar conocimiento sobre cambios productivos y en la organización del trabajo en encadenamientos agroindustriales del té y la yerba mate, relevar las estrategias económicas de las cooperativas agroindustriales, identificando sus particularidades respecto a la organización del trabajo, a las modalidades de incorporación de tecnologías y normas de calidad, y en relación con las políticas públicas. También investigaremos la incidencia de organizaciones de productores agrarios sobre los cambios en la implementación de políticas agropecuarias, en especial respecto a la producción, comercialización de alimentos y acceso a la tierra. Considerando las interacciones complejas en las transformaciones en curso, al mismo tiempo las limitaciones contextuales y las estrategias de los actores, exploraremos canales de circulación de insumos y de productos, mecanismos de fijación de precios, para analizar relaciones económicas y de poder, así como transferencias entre los distintos sectores. Desde una perspectiva metodológica cualitativa, tomaremos algunas experiencias de producción y comercialización, por parte de pequeños productores en forma asociativa, como referencia empírica para reflexionar sobre las posibilidades y dificultades de las organizaciones agrarias.

Políticas Económicas y Desarrollo Rural: en el territorio de la Provincia de Misiones. 16H281

I) Aportes al debate conceptual sobre economía rural: Con diferentes documentos aportamos al debate teórico sobre economía rural, políticas públicas, en especial las políticas alimentarias, recuperando y adecuando conceptos desarrollados por las ciencias sociales para realidades análogas a la investigada. Participamos de instancias de formación de posgrado vinculadas directamente al tema de investigación, como docentes de posgrado de la Maestría de Políticas Sociales, y de la Maestría en Desarrollo Rural, además de numerosas cátedras de grado. Los resultados de la investigación se transfirieron con ponencias presentadas y expuestas en diversos eventos académicos como las VII Jornadas Interdisciplinarias de Estudios Agrarios y Agroindustriales 2011 del Centro Interdisciplinario de Estudios Agrarios (CIEA) de la Facultad de Ciencias Económicas de la UBA y el VIII Congresso Latinoamericano de Sociologia Rural: América Latina, realineamientos políticos y proyectos en disputa llevado a cabo en Recife, Pernambuco – Brasil en 2010, las que se adjuntan como parte de la producción del proyecto. II) Análisis de las políticas de regulación del mercado: preparación de una “Propuesta de Formulación Participativa de un Plan Estratégico para Yerba Mate”, una discusión metodológica sobre como formular en forma colectiva un Plan Estratégico, con la participación activa de los actores y organizaciones que forman parte de la cadena económica de la yerba mate en Argentina. Participamos en las reuniones preparatorias con integrantes de INYM (Res 028/11), INTA, UNaM, del gobierno de las provincias de Misiones y Corrientes, y de representantes sectoriales. Trabajo conjunto con la Sec de Acción Cooperativa, Mutual, Comercio e Integración de la provincia de Misiones en el debate sobre los fundamentos normativos, que en materia alimentaria, acompañan la definición de políticas macroeconómicas, elaborando un informe específico. (Ver Anexo Informe Final 2011). Participación en el 2º Encuentro Regional “PISAC Programa Investigación Sociedad Argentina Contemporánea” organizado por el Mininsterio de Ciencia, Tecnología e innovación Productiva de la Nación, el Consejo de Decanos y la Facultad de Trabajo Social - UNER. Res CD 275/09. Paraná, 8 Oct 2009. Asistencia a las IV Jornadas de Estudios Sociales Agrarios Set 2009 “Conflictividad territorial y desarrollo agrario. Visiones de América Latina”. Doctorado en Estudios Sociales Agrarios / Programa de Estudios Socio-antropológicos Agrarios. Programa de Estudios Conflictividad agraria y Desarrollo rural. Centro de Estudios Avanzados (UNC). Espacio Rural. Secretaría de Extensión (UNC). Córdoba, 9 Set 2009; al Taller Mar-Abr 2009 Enfoque Sistemas Agroalimentarios Localizados (SIAL), coordinado por Dr José MUCHNIK. Organizado por INTA – EEA Cerro Azul – AER Oberá - Min del Agro y la Producción. Oberá. 31 Mar y 1 Abr 2009. III) Estudio de estrategias de desarrollo rural, soberanía alimentaria y agroecología: Avanzamos en el análisis de algunas estrategias específicas de desarrollo rural implementadas en la Provincia de Misiones. Elaboramos documentos de trabajo como insumos para poner en debate los resultados parciales de la presente investigación, como marcos de referencia sobre desarrollo rural, soberanía alimentaria y agroecología. En este sentido confrontamos ideas y teorías, e indagamos sobre la visión agroecológica, con el fin de comprender sus límites y contradicciones. Se identificaron estrategias de desarrollo a nivel local y provincial con un interés exploratorio que permitiera dar cuenta de la diversidad de situaciones y características. Se tomo contacto directo con algunos grupos en el ámbito territorial, para profundizar sobre modos de organización y gestión, principales actividades proyectos y demandas, y las redes de las que participan, entre los que podemos mencionar. Preparación para publicación de trabajos de manejo sustentables de cultivos en el marco del PRASY (Programa Regional de Asistencia al Sector Yerbatero) INYM, en colaboración con el equipo técnico de la ong INDES: Desarrollo de Experiencias (semilleros) en la multiplicación de semillas de cubiertas verdes para el cultivo de yerba mate” Expte. Nº 0250/07, aprobado por resolución Nº 016/08. Instituto Nacional de la Yerba Mate. Preparación de información para la preparación de folleto sobre “poroto sable” y “mucuna enana”. Participación en el equipo de Sistematización de Experiencias en Desarrollo Rural. Desde el Proyecto Regional MNES 12, el INTA realizó una convocatoria a otras instituciones que trabajan en la provincia en el área de desarrollo. Se consolidó así un espacio interinstitucional integrado por INTA-Misiones e IPAF-NEA, Subsecretaría de Desarrollo Rural y Agricultura Familiar (SSDRyAF), Instituto de Desarrollo Social y Promoción Humana (INDES) y Unión de Trabajadores Técnicos Rurales de Misiones (UTTERMI). Participamos en reuniones, encuentros de trabajo, de los que se sistematizaron algunos debates en torno a estrategias de comercialización alternativas, y se realizaron algunas entrevistas con algunos informantes claves acerca de sus problemas, demandas y perspectivas. Elaboración del Informe “Cambios en las estrategias de comercialización de los productores rurales del nordeste de Misiones” (beca CEDIT). A partir de viajes a la sede de la Unión de Trabajadores Rurales (UTR) localizada en la ciudad de Bernardo de Irigoyen y de realización de entrevistas semiestructuradas a miembros del equipo técnico y productores se sistematizó la experiencia de comercialización de lechones la que fue presentada en Marzo de 2009 en la Jornada de Iniciación en la Investigación organizada por el CEDIT. Ensayo sobre “Agroecología y pequeños productores en la Provincia de Misiones” debatiendo sobre la relación entre Agroecología y Campesinado y un segundo informe “Reflexiones sobre la caracterización conceptual del campesinado en Argentina y Misiones” que partiendo de los debates clásicos acerca del campesinado, avanza sobre la consideración del tema en Argentina y en Misiones. Vinculación y Transferencia: Se desarrollaron numerosas actividades en vinculación y transferencia con otros proyectos de investigación y extensión, que permitieron el enriquecimiento mutuo de los equipos. Entre ellas cabe mencionar la respuesta a demandas específicas de información, acompañamiento técnico y capacitación de diferentes organizaciones sociales e instituciones públicas de la región sobre la temática de la investigación: Participación en la implementación de los Proyectos “UNAM-12 - Desarrollo participativo de herramientas apropiadas de gestión, administración y planificación para organizaciones de agricultores de la Provincia de Misiones” (Convocatoria 2011) e “Incorporación de técnicas y herramientas participativas de gestión y mercadeo para el fortalecimiento de la comercialización colectiva de la Unión de Trabajadores Rurales del Nordeste Misionero.” (Convocatoria 2010 del Programa de Voluntariado Universitario - Secretaría de Políticas Universitarias - Ministerio de Educación, Ciencia y Tecnología), cuyas actividades tuvieron estrecha vinculación con el Seminario de Economía Social del Profesorado en Ciencias Económicas, en un esfuerzo novedoso de articulación de actividades de investigación, académicas y de extensión universitaria. Como resultado de dicho proceso y con los aportes de los alumnos del Seminario se elaboró un informe sobre “Potencialidad para la producción, faena y comercialización porcina en el nordeste de Misiones”. Coordinación del Proyecto de Voluntariado Universitario “UNAM-6 Acceso a la información y reconocimiento de derechos sobre la propiedad de la tierra, en NE Misiones. Fortalecimiento de organizaciones de agricultores familiares.” (Convocatoria 2011 Programa Nacional de Voluntariado Universitario, Secretaría de Políticas Universitarias, del Ministerio de Educación de la Nación. FHyCS, UNaM. Participación en el relevamiento de tipo censal de las principales dimensiones socio-económicas de la población de trabajadores rurales en Yerba Mate. Las actividades de investigación se articulan con el Primer Relevamiento Provincial de Tareferos de la Provincia de Misiones que se desarrolla en el marco del Convenio de Cooperación entre la Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias Sociales y el Gobierno de la Provincia de Misiones. Desarrollo de actividades vinculadas al Estudio cualitativo del Relevamiento de Tareferos a partir de entrevistas con las familias de los trabajadores. A nivel académico, contribuimos a la formulación del Proyecto y puesta en marcha de la Carrera de Maestría en Desarrollo Rural de la UNaM, que en uno de sus objetivos plantea “integrar en la formación el aporte de las distintas disciplinas que confluyen en la problemática del desarrollo rural, desde una perspectiva de investigación y desarrollo, con énfasis en las características de las estructuras agrarias del NEA”. También se aportó a la formulación de los contenidos propuestos para varios módulos. Coorganización del Seminario Internacional “Agroecológica para un Desarrollo Sustentable en la Región de la Triple Frontera”. Resolución C.D. 070/11. FHyCS, desarrollado en Posadas el 2 y 3 de Junio de 2011. Colaboramos en la organización de la Jornada Abierta “Hablemos de Economía Social… nuevas experiencias en formación” con alumnos del Seminario de Economía Social - Departamento del Profesorado en Ciencias Económicas - FHyCS. Posadas. 14 Set de 2011.

Organizaciones Agrarias y Cooperativas: Transformaciones en trabajo, producción, y acceso a la tierra en Misiones. 16H381

Las actividades agropecuarias en Misiones, vienen sufriendo profundas transformaciones que impactan de manera diferencial sobre los trabajadores y sobre los productores agrarios, pero también en el proceso manufacturero y de comercialización. Con el objetivo de identificar y analizar éstas transformaciones recientes, intentaremos generar conocimiento sobre cambios productivos y en la organización del trabajo en encadenamientos agroindustriales del té y la yerba mate, relevar las estrategias económicas de las cooperativas agroindustriales, identificando sus particularidades respecto a la organización del trabajo, a las modalidades de incorporación de tecnologías y normas de calidad, y en relación con las políticas públicas. También investigaremos la incidencia de organizaciones de productores agrarios sobre los cambios en la implementación de políticas agropecuarias, en especial respecto a la producción, comercialización de alimentos y acceso a la tierra. Considerando las interacciones complejas en las transformaciones en curso, al mismo tiempo las limitaciones contextuales y las estrategias de los actores, exploraremos canales de circulación de insumos y de productos, mecanismos de fijación de precios, para analizar relaciones económicas y de poder, así como transferencias entre los distintos sectores. Desde una perspectiva metodológica cualitativa, tomaremos algunas experiencias de producción y comercialización, por parte de pequeños productores en forma asociativa, como referencia empírica para reflexionar sobre las posibilidades y dificultades de las organizaciones agrarias.