Dead level contour technical design parameters required for sustainable crop production in semiarid areas of Zimbabwe

Menas Wuta Isaiah Nyagumbo (2021, [Artículo])

CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA MAIZE DRY SPELLS RAINWATER HARVESTING CROP PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY

Interaction between plants growing together from germination to 2 years: A test of competition and phylogenetic closeness for Northeastern Mexico

Interacción entre plantas coexistiendo desde la germinación hasta los 2 años: un experimento de competencia y cercanía filogenética en el noreste de México

ENRIQUE JURADO YBARRA Joel David Flores Rivas Jonathan Marroquín MARISELA PANDO MORENO DAVID ALBERTO RODRIGUEZ TRAPERO Humberto González Rodríguez José Alejandro Selvera Mancha Juan Ángel López Carmona (2022, [Artículo])

"Competition and facilitation are important factors affecting seedling survival. These factors probably affect plant distribution and abundance. Interactions between species relate to phylogeny, in that closely related species are likely to compete more for resources and facilitation is expected between more distantly related species. We tested for Tamaulipan thornscrub plants, grown with close and distant relatives if they differed in survival, length and weight of shoots and roots, assuming that closely related species would compete more than distant ones. We also explored whether seed mass was associated with plant size from 1-24 months after germination. We grew plants from Tamaulipan thornscrub, with a sibling or with one individual from other species from 1-24 months. Seedling survival was similar for all species when their seedlings grew alone or under competition, at 1, 6 and 12 months. At 24 months seedling survival of Vachellia farnesiana was lower when grown with Havardia pallens. There was no evidence of stronger competition or facilitation for phylogenetically closer species. Seedling size correlated with seed mass one month after germination but not after 6 months. Maximum and mean adult plant height did not correlate with seed mass or with plant height in our trials. We found no evidence of phylogeny explaining nearest neighbors in competition during germination for Tamaulipan thornscrub."

"La competencia y la facilitación son factores importantes que afectan la supervivencia de las plántulas y probablemente afectan la distribución y abundancia de las plantas. Las interacciones entre especies se relacionan con la filogenia, es probable que las especies estrechamente relacionadas compitan más por recursos y que en las menos emparentadas ocurra facilitación. Se investigó si plantas de matorral tamaulipeco creciendo junto a parientes cercanos y lejanos diferían en supervivencia, longitud y peso de tallos y raíces, asumiendo que las especies estrechamente relacionadas competirían más que las lejanas. También se exploró si el peso de semillas se asoció con el tamaño de la planta entre 1 y 24 meses de edad. Se pusieron a crecer plantas de matorral tamaulipeco, con un hermano o con un individuo de otras especies, de 1-24 meses. La supervivencia de plántulas fue similar para todas las especies cuando éstas crecieron solas o en competencia, a los 1, 6 y 12 meses. A los 24 meses, la supervivencia de plántulas de Vachellia farnesiana fue menor cuando creció con Havardia pallens. No hubo evidencia de una competencia o facilitación fuerte para especies filogenéticamente más cercanas. El tamaño de la plántula se correlacionó con el peso de la semilla únicamente al mes de germinadas. La altura máxima y promedio de la planta adulta no se correlacionó con el peso de semillas o con la altura de la planta. La filogenia no explicó la competencia con los vecinos más cercanos durante la germinación de especies del matorral tamaulipeco."

Phylogeny Seed mass Seedling Shoot/root ratio Tamaulipan thornscrub BIOLOGÍA Y QUÍMICA CIENCIAS DE LA VIDA BIOLOGÍA VEGETAL (BOTÁNICA) BIOLOGÍA VEGETAL (BOTÁNICA)

Dead level contour technical design parameters required for sustainable crop production in semi-arid areas of Zimbabwe

Menas Wuta Isaiah Nyagumbo (2021, [Artículo])

Maize Yield Optimum Interval Dead Level Contours CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA TECHNOLOGY DRY SPELLS MAIZE YIELDS RAINWATER HARVESTING

Transpiration of a tropical dry deciduous forest in Yucatan, Mexico

EVELYN RAQUEL SALAS ACOSTA José Luis Andrade Torres Jorge Perera ROBERTH ARMANDO US SANTAMARIA bernardo figueroa-espinoza Jorge M. Uuh-Sonda EDUARDO CEJUDO ESPINOSA (2022, [Artículo])

The study of forest hydrology and its relationships with climate requires accurate estimates of water inputs, outputs, and changes in reservoirs. Evapotranspiration is frequently the least studied component when addressing the water cycle; thus, it is important to obtain direct measurements of evaporation and transpiration. This study measured transpiration in a tropical dry deciduous forest in Yucatán (Mexico) using the thermal dissipation method (Granier-type sensors) in representative species of this vegetation type. We estimated stand transpiration and its relationship with allometry, diameter-at-breast-height categories, and previously published equations. We found that transpiration changes over time, being higher in the rainy season. Estimated daily transpiration ranged from 0.562 to 0.690 kg m–2 d–1 in the late dry season (April–May) and from 0.686 to 1.29 kg m–2 d–1 in the late rainy season (September–October), accounting for up to 51% of total evapotranspiration in the rainy season. These daily estimates are consistent with previous reports for tropical dry forests and other vegetation types. We found that transpiration was not species-specific; diameter at breast height (DBH) was a reliable way of estimating transpiration because water use was directly related to allometry. Direct measurement of transpiration would increase our ability to accurately estimate water availability and assess the responses of vegetation to climate change. © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

SAP FLUX SEASONALITY STAND TRANSPIRATION EVAPOTRANSPIRATION DRY DECIDUOUS FOREST BIOLOGÍA Y QUÍMICA CIENCIAS DE LA VIDA BIOLOGÍA VEGETAL (BOTÁNICA) ECOLOGÍA VEGETAL ECOLOGÍA VEGETAL

Soil CO2 efflux fluctuates in three different annual seasons in a semideciduous tropical forest in Yucatan, Mexico

El flujo de CO2 del suelo fluctúa en tres temporadas del año en un bosque tropical semideciduo de Yucatán, México

Fernando Arellano-Martín JUAN MANUEL DUPUY RADA ROBERTH ARMANDO US SANTAMARIA José Luis Andrade Torres (2022, [Artículo])

Tropical forest soils store a third of the global terrestrial carbon and control carbon dioxide (CO2) terrestrial effluxes to the atmosphere produced by root and microbial respiration. Soil CO2 efflux varies in time and space and is known to be strongly influenced by soil temperature and water content. However, little is known about the influence of seasonality on soil CO2 efflux, especially in tropical dry forests. This study evaluated soil CO2 efflux, soil temperature, and soil volumetric water content in a semideciduous tropical forest of the Yucatan Peninsula under two sites (flat areas close to and far from hills), and three seasons: dry, wet, and early dry (a transition between the rainy and dry seasons) throughout a year. Additionally, six 24-h periods of soil CO2 efflux were measured within these three seasons. The mean annual soil CO2 efflux was 4±2.2 μmol CO2 m-2 s-1, like the mean soil CO2 efflux during the early dry season. In all seasons, soil CO2 efflux increased linearly with soil moisture, which explained 45% of the spatial-temporal variation of soil CO2 efflux. Soil CO2 efflux was higher close to than far from hills in some months. The daily variation of soil CO2 efflux was less important than its spatial and seasonal variation likely due to small diel variations in temperature. Transition seasons are common in many tropical dry forests, and they should be taken into consideration to have a better understanding of the annual soil CO2 efflux, especially under future climate-change scenarios. © 2022 Mexican Society of Soil Science. All Rights Reserved.

EARLY DRY SEASON SOIL TEMPERATURE SOIL VOLUMETRIC WATER CONTENT TROPICAL DRY FOREST BIOLOGÍA Y QUÍMICA CIENCIAS DE LA VIDA BIOLOGÍA VEGETAL (BOTÁNICA) ECOLOGÍA VEGETAL ECOLOGÍA VEGETAL

DINÁMICA DE ACUMULACIÓN DE ARSÉNICO EN RELACIÓN A OTROS ELEMENTOS TRAZA Y POLISACÁRIDOS DE LA PARED CELULAR DE Sargassum spp. DE ARRIBAZONES

Paulina Annette Ortega Flores (2023, [Tesis de doctorado])

"La frecuencia e intensidad del fenómeno de arribazón de macroalgas marinas ha ido en aumento a nivel mundial. En el Caribe Mexicano, se ha identificado a especies pelágicas de algas pardas del género Sargassum como dominantes en estos arribazones. La gran cantidad de material que arriba a la costa ha resaltado la necesidad de generar información sobre la biología y composición química de las especies presentes en este fenómeno, la cual pueda ser incorporada en futuras estrategias sustentables de aprovechamiento de la biomasa arribada. En el presente estudio se determinaron las concentraciones totales de arsénico (As), cadmio (Cd), plomo (Pb), cobre (Cu), hierro (Fe) y zinc (Zn) en S. fluitans, S. natans I, S. natans VIII, recolectadas mensualmente durante un año, en Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, México mediante Espectrofotometría de Absorción Atómica (EAA). Para As, se determinó el contenido de su especie química inorgánica (iAs) en los tres morfotipos mediante voltametría. Adicionalmente, en S. fluitans se determinó el contenido de alginato, fucoidano, ácidos urónicos y sulfatos y se identificaron las variables de contribución significativa en la acumulación de As a partir de un Modelo Lineal Generalizado (GLM). La presencia de As se detectó en el 100% de las muestras; seguido de Fe (98%), Zn (90%), Cu (78%), Pb (71%) y Cd (65%). Las concentraciones máximas obtenidas en las especies pelágicas de Sargassum fueron de 255.20 mg kg-1 para As, 3.75 mg kg-1 para Cd, 17.39 mg kg-1 para Pb, 6.44 mg kg-1 para Cu, 78.27 mg kg-1 para Fe y 33.25 mg kg-1 para Zn. En general, las concentraciones promedio de los elementos analizados se encuentran en rangos previamente reportados para algas pardas. Los elementos As, Cu, Fe y Pb presentaron diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre morfotipos, mientras que los elementos Cd y Zn no. El morfotipo S. natans VIII presentó las concentraciones más elevadas de As respecto a las especies S. fluitans y S. natans I, siendo la temporada de lluvias (julio a octubre) cuando se presentaron las concentraciones más elevadas de este elemento. En cuanto al iAs, este representó del 14.15% al 81.70 % del As total (TotAs), lo que corresponde a 12.69 mg kg-1 a 62. 93 mg kg-1..."

"The frequency and intensity of the seaweed massive influx and arrival phenomenon has been increasing globally. On Mexican shores, has been identified to pelagic species of brown algae of genus Sargassum as dominant in these events. The large amount of material that reaches to the coast, has highlighted the need to generate basic information about the biology and chemical composition of the species present in the arrival phenomenon to be incorporated into future sustainable strategies for the use of Sargassum biomass. In the present study, the total concentrations were determined for arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) in S. fluitans, S. natans I, S. natans VIII, collected monthly during one year, in Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico. For As, the content of its inorganic chemical species (iAs) was determined. Additionally, in S. fluitans the content of alginate, fucoidan, uronic acids and sulfates was determined and a Generalized Linear Model (GLM) was developed to identify the variables of significant contribution in the accumulation of As. The presence of As was detected in 100% of the samples; followed by Fe (98%), Zn (90%), Cu (78%), Pb (71%) and Cd (65%). The maximum concentrations obtained in the pelagic Sargassum species were 255.20 mg kg-1 for As, 3.75 mg kg-1 for Cd, 17.39 mg kg-1 for Pb, 6.44 mg kg-1 for Cu, 78.27 mg kg-1 for Fe y 33.25 mg kg-1 for Zn. Mean concentrations are in ranges previously reported for brown algae. The elements As, Cu, Fe and Pb showed statistically significant differences between morphotypes, while the elements Cd and Zn did not. The S. natans VIII morphotype presented the highest As concentrations respect to S. fluitans and S. natans I species, being the rainy season (July to October) when the highest concentrations was presented. –Regard to iAs. this represented from 14.15% to 81.70% of the total As (TotAs) which corresponds to 12.69 mg kg-1 to 62. 93 mg kg-1. In S. fluitans, identified the variables: Cu, uronic acids and sulfates from fucoidan, as variables that contribute significantly to the accumulation of As. Monitoring of the diverse components of sargazo is important for the decision making regarding the safe use and exploitation of this resource, as well as, the generation of basic knowledge regarding the process of metal accumulation in Sargassum upwelling."

Mexican Caribbean, Massive influxes, macroalgae, heavy metals Caribe Mexicano, arribazones, macroalgas, metales pesados BIOLOGÍA Y QUÍMICA QUÍMICA QUÍMICA INORGÁNICA METALES METALES

Estudio de biomarcadores metabólicos en la piel relacionados con el envejecimiento en una población del noroeste de México

Study of metabolic biomarkers in the skin related to aging in a population from northwest Mexico

JHORDAN OJEDA GONZALEZ (2023, [Tesis de maestría])

La piel, siendo el órgano más grande, es fácilmente accesible para la obtención de muestras no invasivas. Esto convierte a la piel en una valiosa fuente de datos biológicos para la evaluación del estado de salud de los individuos. Sin embargo, la edad desempeña un papel central en casi todos los procesos humanos, y si no se tiene en cuenta adecuadamente, podría introducir sesgos al evaluar la condición de la piel. Por lo tanto, comprender cómo la edad afecta el metabolismo de la piel es crucial para crear perfiles del tipo y abundancia de metabolitos en diferentes etapas del desarrollo humano. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo identificar las diferencias metabólicas en la piel entre sujetos mexicanos de diferentes grupos de edad. Para lograrlo, se recolectaron muestras superficiales de piel (obtenidas mediante hisopos de algodón) de 75 pacientes con edades comprendidas entre 3 y 74 años. Los datos metabolómicos se obtuvieron a través de cromatografía líquida-espectrometría de masas en tándem (LC-MS2), mientras que la identificación de metabolitos y los análisis estadísticos se realizaron utilizando programas informáticos exhaustivos y complementarios (GNPS, Sirius, MZmine, Metaboanalyst, entre otros). Después de un extenso uso de herramientas quimioinformáticas, se identificaron de manera putativa 2,193 metabolitos (peptídicos y no peptídicos) de diversas clases químicas, como ácidos carboxílicos y sus derivados, acilos grasos, benceno y sus derivados sustituidos, compuestos organooxigenados, entre otros. Algunos metabolitos se cree que son sintetizados por bacterias. A través de un análisis de regresión logística con ajuste de covariables, identificamos varios metabolitos asociados positiva y negativamente con la edad, algunos de los cuales eran específicos para cada género. Los hallazgos de este trabajo incluyen la identificación de potenciales biomarcadores del envejecimiento como ciclo(Leu-Pro), destiobiotina, entre muchos otros, y también se proponen las principales clases químicas afectadas, como son azoles, diazinas y polipéptidos. En general, hemos contribuido a iluminar el panorama químico de la piel humana en una población mexicana, sugiriendo metabolitos que podrían funcionar potencialmente como biomarcadores de envejecimiento y enfermedades. No obstante, para validar nuestros hallazgos, se requieren estudios más amplios con grupos étnicos diversos y tamaños de muestra más grandes.

The skin, being the largest organ, is readily accessible for non-invasive sampling, making it a valuable source of biological data that could facilitate the assessment of individuals health status. However, age exerts a central role in nearly all human processes, and if not appropriately accounted for, it could introduce biases when assessing skin condition. Therefore, understanding how age affects skin metabolism is crucial for creating profiles of the types and abundances of metabolites across different stages of human development. This study aimed to uncover metabolic differences in the skin among Mexican subjects of different age groups. To achieve this, surface skin samples (collected via cotton swabs) were gathered from 75 patients spanning ages 3 to 74. Metabolomic data was obtained through liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS2), while metabolite identification and statistical analyses were performed using comprehensive yet complementary software (GNPS, Sirius, MZmine, Metaboanalyst, among others). After an exhaustive use of comprehensive chemoinformatic tools, a total of 2,529 metabolites (peptidic and non-peptidic) were putatively identified covering diverse chemical classes, such as carboxylic acids and derivatives, fatty acyls, benzene and substituted derivatives, organooxygen compounds, among others. Some metabolites are thought to be synthesized by bacteria. Through logistic regression analysis and covariate adjustment, we identified several metabolites positively and negatively associated with age, some of which were gender specific. The findings of this study include the identification of potential aging biomarkers such as cyclo(Leu-Pro), dethiobiotin, among many others, and the proposal of the major affected chemical classes, including azoles, diazines, and polypeptides. Overall, we have contributed to illuminating the chemical landscape of human skin within a Mexican population, hinting at metabolites that could potentially function as aging and disease biomarkers. Nonetheless, to validate our findings, broader studies involving diverse ethnic groups and larger sample sizes are required.

Metabolómica, Espectrometría-de-masas, Quimioinformática, Envejecimiento-de-la-piel, Biomarcadores Metabolomics, Mass-Spectrometry, Chemoinformatics, Skin-aging, Biomarkers BIOLOGÍA Y QUÍMICA CIENCIAS DE LA VIDA OTRAS ESPECIALIDADES DE LA BIOLOGÍA OTRAS OTRAS

Freshwater exchanges and surface salinity in the Colombian basin, Caribbean Sea

Emilio Beier (2017, [Artículo])

Despite the heavy regional rainfall and considerable discharge of many rivers into the Colombian Basin, there have been few detailed studies about the dilution of Caribbean Surface Water and the variability of salinity in the southwestern Caribbean. An analysis of the precipitation, evaporation and runoff in relation to the climate variability demonstrates that although the salt balance in the Colombian Basin overall is in equilibrium, the area south of 12N is an important dilution sub-basin. In the southwest of the basin, in the region of the Panama-Colombia Gyre, Caribbean Sea Water is diluted by precipitation and runoff year round, while in the northeast, off La Guajira, its salinity increases from December to May by upwelling. At the interannual scale, continental runoff is related to El Niño Southern Oscillation, and precipitation and evaporation south of 12°N are related to the Caribbean Low Level Jet. During El Niño years the maximum salinification occurs in the dry season (December-February) while in La Niña years the maximum dilution (or freshening), reaching La Guajira Coastal Zone, occurs in the wet season (September-November). © 2017 Beier et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

sea water, fresh water, Article, Caribbean, dilution, dry season, El Nino, environmental parameters, evaporation, freshwater exchange, geographic distribution, molecular weight, oscillation, precipitation, river basin, salinity, seasonal variation, s CIENCIAS FÍSICO MATEMÁTICAS Y CIENCIAS DE LA TIERRA CIENCIAS DE LA TIERRA Y DEL ESPACIO OCEANOGRAFÍA OCEANOGRAFÍA