La Funcionalidad Física Arrecifal, indicador de la diversidad funcional en ensamblajes de peces de arrecifes en el Parque Nacional Islas Marietas, Nayarit, México

Reef Physical Functionality, indicator of functional diversity on reef fishes assemblages from Islas Marietas National Park, Nayarit, Mexico

Luis Mario Montalvo Jaramillo (2023, [Tesis de maestría])

La ecología funcional se basa en el uso de rasgos funcionales; características de las especies (morfológicas, fisiológicas, comportamiento) medidas a nivel individual que influencian el rendimiento de una especie, siendo de gran utilidad para determinar cambios dentro del ecosistema. El presente trabajo busca evaluar la funcionalidad física como indicador de disponibilidad de hábitat de peces y su relación con la diversidad funcional. La funcionalidad física del arrecife se evaluó mediante el IFA integrando datos de cobertura coralina, complejidad estructural y tasa de calcificación. La estructura de los ensamblajes de peces se analizó mediante el cálculo de índices de diversidad funcional (riqueza, equitatividad y divergencia) con base en cuatro rasgos funcionales (tamaño corporal, movilidad, tipo de agregación y dieta). La relación entre la diversidad funcional del ensamblaje y el IFA se evaluó mediante un análisis de regresión lineal. El IFA fue influenciado de manera positiva por la presencia Pocilloporidos al generar un mayor aporte a la funcionalidad física (FF) y consecuentemente, una mayor provisión de hábitat. Por el contrario, el IFA disminuyó con la presencia de Porites panamensis debido a su baja tasa de calcificación.La diversidad funcional de los ensamblajes no presentó variaciones temporales, atribuible a una baja variabilidad entre los sitios debido a una alta cercanía, baja variacion batimétrica y alta conectividad. La relación entre el IFA y la riqueza funcional de los ensamblajes se atribuye a que sitios con mayor funcionalidad física otorgan disponibilidad de hábitat y refugio contra la depredación a especies crípticas, de talla pequeña y juveniles; ya que, especies de este tipo se asocian a hoyos similares a su tamaño corporal y la supervivencia de las mismas aumenta en sustratos más complejos.

Functional diversity it’s based on functional traits; characteristics of species (morphological, physiological, behavior) measured at individual level that impact their performance and have great utility to determine changes within the ecosystem. This work aims to evaluate physical functionality as indicator of fish habitat availability and its relationship with functional diversity. The physical functionality of the reef was evaluated using the RFI, integrating data on coral cover, structural complexity, and calcification rate. The structure of the fish assemblages was analyzed by calculating functional diversity index (richness, evenness, and divergence) based on four functional traits (body size, mobility, type of aggregation and diet). The relationship between functional diversity and RFI was evaluated using linear regression analysis. The RFI was influenced on positive way for the presence of Pocilloporids due to the great contribution to physical functionality (PF) creating more habitat availability. For the other hand, the RFI was influenced on negative way for the presence of Porites panamensis due their low calcification rate. The functional diversity of the assemblages did not present temporal variations, attributable to a low variability between the sites due high proximity, low bathymetric variation and high connectivity. The relationship between RFI and the functional richness of the assemblages is attributed to fact that sites with greater physical functionality provide more availability of habitat and refuge against predation to cryptic, small and juvenile species; species of this type are associate with holes similar to their body size and their survival increases in more complex substrates.

Pacífico Méxicano, Índice de Función Arrecifal, Diversidad Funcional, Arrecife Reef, Functional Diversity, Reef Functional Index, Mexican Pacific BIOLOGÍA Y QUÍMICA CIENCIAS DE LA VIDA OTRAS ESPECIALIDADES DE LA BIOLOGÍA OTRAS OTRAS

Statistical machine-learning methods for genomic prediction using the SKM library

Osval Antonio Montesinos-Lopez Brandon Alejandro Mosqueda González Jose Crossa (2023, [Artículo])

Sparse Kernel Methods R package Statistical Machine Learning Genomic Selection CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA MARKER-ASSISTED SELECTION MACHINE LEARNING GENOMICS METHODS

Agricultural emissions reduction potential by improving technical efficiency in crop production

Arun Khatri-Chhetri Tek Sapkota sofina maharjan Paresh Shirsath (2023, [Artículo])

CONTEXT: Global and national agricultural development policies normally tend to focus more on enhancing farm productivity through technological changes than on better use of existing technologies. The role of improving technical efficiency in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction from crop production is the least explored area in the agricultural sector. But improving technical efficiency is necessary in the context of the limited availability of existing natural resources (particularly land and water) and the need for GHG emission reduction from the agriculture sector. Technical efficiency gains in the production process are linked with the amount of input used nd the cost of production that determines both economic and environmental gains from the better use of existing technologies. OBJECTIVE: To assess a relationship between technical efficiency and GHG emissions and test the hypothesis that improving technical efficiency reduces GHG emissions from crop production. METHODS: This study used input-output data collected from 10,689 rice farms and 5220 wheat farms across India to estimate technical efficiency, global warming potential, and emission intensity (GHG emissions per unit of crop production) under the existing crop production practices. The GHG emissions from rice and wheat production were estimated using the CCAFS Mitigation Options Tool (CCAFS-MOT) and the technical efficiency of production was estimated through a stochastic production frontier analysis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that improving technical efficiency in crop production can reduce emission intensity but not necessarily total emissions. Moreover, our analysis does not support smallholders tend to be technically less efficient and the emissions per unit of food produced by smallholders can be relatively high. Alarge proportion of smallholders have high technical efficiency, less total GHG emissions, and low emissions intensity. This study indicates the levels of technical efficiency and GHG emission are largely influenced by farming typology, i.e. choice and use of existing technologies and management practices in crop cultivation. SIGNIFICANCE: This study will help to promote existing improved technologies targeting GHG emissions reduction from the agriculture production systems.

Technical Efficiency Interventions CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA MITIGATION PRODUCTIVITY CROP PRODUCTION GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS

The cerato-mandibular ligament: a key functional trait for grazing in damselfishes (Pomacentridae)

Damien Olivier Bruno Frederich MILTON ALEJANDRO SPANOPOULOS ZARCO Eduardo Francisco Balart Páez Eric Parmentier (2014, [Artículo])

"The success of a taxonomic group can be promoted by a key character that allows the group to interact with its environment in a different way and to potentially occupy new niches. The Pomacentridae possess a synapomorphic trait, the cerato-mandibular (c-md) ligament, which joins the hyoid bar to the inner part of the lower jaw. It has previously been shown that this ligament is a key trait in communication in damselfishes because it enables them to slam the oral jaws shut causing teeth collision and sound production. This specific behavior of mouth closing could, however, also be used for other tasks, such as feeding. Many territorial damselfishes are referred to as farmers, due to their ability to manage algal crops on which they feed. This study hypothesizes that the c-md ligament provides an advantage for grazing filamentous algae, and should thus be considered a key trait for farming behavior."

Biomechanics, Evolution, Farming, Functional morphology BIOLOGÍA Y QUÍMICA CIENCIAS DE LA VIDA BIOLOGÍA ANIMAL (ZOOLOGÍA) ZOOLOGÍA MARINA ZOOLOGÍA MARINA

Chapter 9. Genome-informed discovery of genes and framework of functional genes in wheat

awais rasheed Rudi Appels (2024, [Capítulo de libro])

Wheat Genomics KASP Markers Gene Discovery Functional Markers Gene Networks CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA WHEAT GENOMICS SINGLE NUCLEOTIDE POLYMORPHISMS FUNCTIONAL GENOMICS

Funcionalidad física de los arrecifes de coral en el Pacífico mexicano (Bahía de Los Ángeles, Bahía de La Paz, Bahía de Banderas y Bahías de Huatulco

Physical functionality of coral reefs in the mexican Pacific (Bahía de Los Ángeles, Bahía de La Paz, Bahía de Banderas y Bahías de Huatulco)

CLAUDIA REBECA NAVARRETE TORICES (2023, [Tesis de maestría])

Los corales son la base en la estructura y funcionamiento de los arrecifes. Sin embargo, en las últimas décadas, estos ecosistemas han sufrido un deterioro debido a presiones naturales, antrópicas y factores de gran escala como el cambio climático. En general, la cobertura de corales ha disminuido y aunque en algunos casos se ha observado su recuperación, la caracterización de la funcionalidad de la estructura física de los sistemas ha sido escasamente explorada. El presente trabajo evalúa la funcionalidad física de los arrecifes de coral en cuatro áreas a lo largo del Pacífico mexicano, empleando el Índice Funcional Arrecifal (IFA). El IFA considera la tasa de calcificación, la complejidad estructural y la abundancia de las especies de coral de en cada sitio; los valores que el índice puede adquirir varían de cero a uno, son valores cercanos a cero refieren a un arrecife con baja funcionalidad, mientras que los valores cercanos a uno indican un arrecife con alta funcionalidad. La cobertura coralina promedio de las cuatro áreas fue 35.62 ± 15.01%, siendo Bahías de Huatulco (BH) quien presentó la mayor cobertura coralina con 55.61 ± 21.94 %, mientras que Bahía de Los Ángeles (BLA) tuvo la menor cobertura coralina (17.16 ± 0.08 %). El IFA promedio de las áreas fue de 0.54 ± 0.12, y con base en el indicador, BH tuvo una mayor funcionalidad con un IFA de 0.68 ± 0.09, mientras que BLA tuvo una menor funcionalidad (0.34 ± 0.08). Los corales del género Pocillopora fueron los que mayor IFA aportaron en la mayoría de los sitios excepto en BLA que es representada por Porites panamensis. El coral con mayor coeficiente funcional (CF) fue Pocillopora grandis con 0.81, perteneciente a Bahía de Banderas (BB) y por ende fue el coral que mayor contribuyó al IFA en el área. El valor del IFA de 0.68 a lo largo del Pacífico mexicano, nos indica que tiene una alta complejidad estructural, debido a la forma de los corales Pocillopora que son clave para la permanencia de los arrecifes del área.

Corals are the basis for the structure and functioning of reefs. However, in recent decades, these ecosystems have suffered deterioration due to natural and anthropogenic pressures and large-scale factors such as climate change. In general, coral cover has decreased and although in some cases their recovery has been observed, the characterization of the functionality of the physical structure of the systems has been barely explored. This study evaluates the physical functionality of coral reefs in four areas along the Mexican Pacific, using the Reef Functional Index (IFA). The IFA considers the calcification rate, structural complexity, and abundance of coral species at each site; The values that the index can acquire vary from zero to one, values close to zero refer to a reef with low functionality, while values close to one indicate a reef with high functionality. The average coral cover of the four areas was 35.62 ± 15.01%, with Bahías de Huatulco (BH) having the highest coral cover with 55.61 ± 21.94%, while Bahía de Los Ángeles (BLA) had the lowest coral cover (17.16 ± 0.08%). The average IFA of the areas was 0.54 ± 0.12, and based on the indicator, BH had higher functionality with an IFA of 0.68 ± 0.09, while BLA had lower functionality (0.34 ± 0.08). Corals of the genus Pocillopora were the ones that contributed the highest IFA in most of the sites except in BLA, which is represented by Porites panamensis. The coral with the highest functional coefficient (CF) was Pocillopora grandis with 0.81, belonging to Bahía de Banderas (BB) and therefore was the coral that contributed the greatest to the IFA in the area. The IFA value of 0.68 along the Mexican Pacific indicates that it has a high structural complexity, due to the shape of the Pocillopora corals that are key to the permanence of the reefs in the area.

Corales, Pocillopora, Índice de función arrecifal, Pacífico mexicano Corals, Pocillopora, mexican Pacific, Reef Functional Index BIOLOGÍA Y QUÍMICA CIENCIAS DE LA VIDA OTRAS ESPECIALIDADES DE LA BIOLOGÍA OTRAS OTRAS

Review of Nationally Determined Contributions (NCD) of Kenya from the perspective of food systems

Tek Sapkota (2023, [Documento de trabajo])

Agriculture is one of the fundamental pillars of the 2022–2027 Bottom-up Economic Transformation Plan of the Government of Kenya for tackling complex domestic and global challenges. Kenya's food system is crucial for climate change mitigation and adaptation. Kenya has prioritized aspects of agriculture, food, and land use as critical sectors for reducing emissions towards achieving Vision 2030's transformation to a low-carbon, climate-resilient development pathway. Kenya's updated NDC, as well as supporting mitigation and adaptation technical analysis reports and other policy documents, has identified an ambitious set of agroecological transformative measures to promote climate-smart agriculture, regenerative approaches, and nature-positive solutions. Kenya is committed to implementing and updating its National Climate Change Action Plans (NCCAPs) to present and achieve the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets and resilience outcomes that it has identified.

CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA CLIMATE CHANGE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS FOOD SYSTEMS LAND USE CHANGE AGRICULTURE POLICIES DATA ANALYSIS FOOD WASTES

Balancing quality with quantity: a case study of UK bread wheat

Nick Fradgley Keith Gardner Stéphanie M. Swarbreck Alison Bentley (2023, [Artículo])

Grain Protein Content Environmental Sustainability End-Use Quality Modern Bread Baking Methods CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA GRAIN PROTEIN CONTENT HISTORY QUALITY WHEAT YIELDS

Systematic Literature Review on Smart Specialization: Future Prospects and Opportunities

Beatriz Rosas Michael Demmler (2023, [Artículo])

"Smart specialisation (SS) has been the new cohesion policy in the European Union during the last two periods. The present study aims to analyse the most relevant existing state-of-the-art literature on smart specialisation through a systematic and bibliometric review. Using the Web of Science bibliographic database, we analysed the content of 207 articles under the TCCM methodology and constructed a network of citations in order to summarize theories, characteristics, context and methods presented in existing studies on the topic. Our results show the theoretical and methodological gaps of the past, such as Entrepreneurial Discovery Process and SS indicators. These remain to the present day. The context analysis showed that the scope of smart specialisation extended beyond the frontiers of the European Union, given how it has been adopted by other countries as well. These results suggest the importance of developing a more robust theoretical, conceptual and methodological framework. Consequently, the guides need to be more accurate and should be continuously updated. Our results are valuable for the EDP actors and have policymaking implications".

Especialización inteligente Estrategias de innovación regional Revisión de literatura sistemática Métodos de especialización inteligente Smart specialization Smart specialization methods CIENCIAS SOCIALES CIENCIAS SOCIALES

Bacterial communities in the rhizosphere at different growth stages of maize cultivated in soil under conventional and conservation agricultural practices

Yendi Navarro-Noya Bram Govaerts Nele Verhulst Luc Dendooven (2022, [Artículo])

Farmers in Mexico till soil intensively, remove crop residues for fodder and grow maize often in monoculture. Conservation agriculture (CA), including minimal tillage, crop residue retention and crop diversification, is proposed as a more sustainable alternative. In this study, we determined the effect of agricultural practices and the developing maize rhizosphere on soil bacterial communities. Bulk and maize (Zea mays L.) rhizosphere soil under conventional practices (CP) and CA were sampled during the vegetative, flowering and grain filling stage, and 16S rRNA metabarcoding was used to assess bacterial diversity and community structure. The functional diversity was inferred from the bacterial taxa using PICRUSt. Conservation agriculture positively affected taxonomic and functional diversity compared to CP. The agricultural practice was the most important factor in defining the structure of bacterial communities, even more so than rhizosphere and plant growth stage. The rhizosphere enriched fast growing copiotrophic bacteria, such as Rhizobiales, Sphingomonadales, Xanthomonadales, and Burkholderiales, while in the bulk soil of CP other copiotrophs were enriched, e.g., Halomonas and Bacillus. The bacterial community in the maize bulk soil resembled each other more than in the rhizosphere of CA and CP. The bacterial community structure, and taxonomic and functional diversity in the maize rhizosphere changed with maize development and the differences between the bulk soil and the rhizosphere were more accentuated when the plant aged. Although agricultural practices did not alter the effect of the rhizosphere on the soil bacterial communities in the flowering and grain filling stage, they did in the vegetative stage.

Community Assembly Functional Diversity Intensive Agricultural Practices Plant Microbiome CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE TILLAGE SOIL BACTERIA MAIZE