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Climate change and the northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) population in Baja California, Mexico

M. Concepción García-Aguilar (2018, [Artículo])

The Earth0s climate is warming, especially in the mid- and high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. The northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) breeds and haul-outs on islands and the mainland of Baja California, Mexico, and California, U.S.A. At the beginning of the 21st century, numbers of elephant seals in California are increasing, but the status of Baja California populations is unknown, and some data suggest they may be decreasing. We hypothesize that the elephant seal population of Baja California is experiencing a decline because the animals are not migrating as far south due to warming sea and air temperatures. Here we assessed population trends of the Baja California population, and climate change in the region. The numbers of northern elephant seals in Baja California colonies have been decreasing since the 1990s, and both the surface waters off Baja California and the local air temperatures have warmed during the last three decades. We propose that declining population sizes may be attributable to decreased migration towards the southern portions of the range in response to the observed temperature increases. Further research is needed to confirm our hypothesis; however, if true, it would imply that elephant seal colonies of Baja California and California are not demographically isolated which would pose challenges to environmental and management policies between Mexico and the United States. © 2018 García-Aguilar 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.

air temperature, article, Baja California, climate change, human, Mirounga angustirostris, nonhuman, population size, warming, animal, ecosystem, environmental protection, Mexico, Phocidae, population density, population migration, temperature, Anima CIENCIAS FÍSICO MATEMÁTICAS Y CIENCIAS DE LA TIERRA CIENCIAS DE LA TIERRA Y DEL ESPACIO OCEANOGRAFÍA OCEANOGRAFÍA

Búsqueda de un conjunto óptimo de descriptores moleculares para la modelación QSAR

Search for an optimal subset of molecular descriptors for QSAR modeling

Luis Antonio García González (2023, [Tesis de doctorado])

En la actualidad, se estima que más de 10 millones de vertebrados son utilizados cada año en estudios toxicológicos. Dadas estas circunstancias, varias agencias regulatorias están impulsando activamente a la comunidad científica para el desarrollo de una alternativa a la experimentación con animales. Entre las alternativas existentes se pueden encontrar los estudios in-silico, especialmente los métodos de Relación Cuantitativa Estructura-Actividad (QSAR por sus siglas en inglés), los cuales se destacan como uno de los más utilizados. Los estudios QSAR se basan en la hipótesis de que compuestos estructuralmente similares presentan una actividad similar, lo que permite predecir la actividad de nuevos compuestos en función de compuestos estructuralmente similares, para los cuales se definió su actividad de forma experimental. Estudios han demostrado que la selección del subconjunto “óptimo” de las variables (descriptores moleculares) que caracterizan estructuralmente los compuestos tiene mayor importancia para la construcción de un modelo QSAR robusto que la estrategia de modelación utilizada. Actualmente, los descriptores moleculares (DMs) utilizados para la modelación QSAR son calculados con herramientas computacionales que no tienen en cuenta si estos caracterizan bien la actividad que se quiere modelar y los compuestos que se están analizando. En este trabajo se describen las limitaciones del enfoque actual, teniendo en cuenta que, si se sigue este enfoque, se puede pasar por alto información relevante al suponer que el conjunto de DMs calculado caracteriza bien las estructuras químicas que se están analizando, cuando en realidad puede que esto no suceda. Estas limitaciones se deben principalmente a que dichas herramientas limitan el número de DMs que calculan, restringiendo el dominio de los parámetros en los que se definen los algoritmos que calculan los DMs, parámetros que definen el Espacio de Configuración de Descriptores (DCS por sus siglas en inglés). En este trabajo se propone relajar estas restricciones en un enfoque DCS abierto, de manera que se pueda considerar inicialmente un universo más amplio de DMs y que estos caractericen de manera adecuada las estructuras a modelar. La generación de DMs se aborda entonces como un problema de optimización multicriterio, y para darle solución, dos algoritmos evolutivos son propuestos. Estos algoritmos incluyen conceptos de coevolución cooperativa para medir la sinergia entre descriptores moleculares ...

Currently, it is estimated that more than 10 million vertebrates are used per year for toxicological studies. Numerous regulatory agencies are actively advocating for the development of alternative methods to avoid unnecessary experimentation on animals. Among the existing alternatives in silico studies, especially Quantitative Structure Activity Relationships (QSAR) methods, stands out as one ofthe most widely used approaches. QSAR Methods are based on the premise that molecules with similar structures presents similar activities, which makes it possible to predict the activity of new compounds based on structurally similar compounds, for which their activity has been defined experimentally. Studies have demonstrated that the selection of the “optimal” set of molecular descriptors (MDs) is more important to build a robust QSAR models than the choice of the learning algorithm. Nowadays, the molecular descriptors (MD) used for QSAR modeling are calculated using computational tools that do not consider whether they accurately characterize the activity to be modeled and the compounds being analyzed. We demonstrate here that this approach may miss relevant information by assuming that the initial universe of MDs codifies, when it does not, all relevant aspects for the respective learning task. We argue that the limitation is mainly because of the constrained intervals of the parameters used in the algorithms that compute the MDs, parameters that define the Descriptor Configuration Space (DCS). We propose to relax these constraints in an open CDS approach, so that a larger universe of MDs can initially be considered, and these descriptors can adequately characterize the structures to be modeled. We model the MD generation as a multicriteria optimization problem, and two genetic algorithms-based approaches are proposed to solve it. These algorithms include cooperative-coevolutionary concepts to consider the synergism between theoretically different MDs during the evolutionary process. As a novel component, the individual fitness function is computed by aggregating four criteria via the Choquet Integral using a fuzzy non-additive measure. Experimental outcomes on benchmarking chemical datasets show that models created from an “optimized” sets of MDs present greater probability to achieve better performances than models created from sets of MDs obtained without optimizing their DCSs. Therefore, it can be concluded that the proposed algorithms are more suitable ..

algoritmos genéticos, descriptores moleculares QuBiLS-MAS, QSAR, DILI, cooperación coevolutiva genetics algorithms, QuBiLS-MAS molecular descriptors, QSAR, DILI, cooperativecoevolutionary algorithms INGENIERÍA Y TECNOLOGÍA CIENCIAS TECNOLÓGICAS TECNOLOGÍA DE LOS ORDENADORES DISEÑO CON AYUDA DE ORDENADOR DISEÑO CON AYUDA DE ORDENADOR

Effects of geostrophic kinetic energy on the distribution of mesopelagic fish larvae in the southern Gulf of California in summer/fall stratified seasons

FERNANDO CONTRERAS CATALA (2016, [Artículo])

Effects of geostrophic kinetic energy flux on the three-dimensional distribution of fish larvae of mesopelagic species (Vinciguerria lucetia, Diogenichthys laternatus, Benthosema panamense and Triphoturus mexicanus) in the southern Gulf of California during summer and fall seasons of stronger stratification were analyzed. The greatest larval abundance was found at sampling stations in geostrophic kinetic energy-poor areas (<7.5 J/m3), where the distribution of the dominant species tended to be stratified. Larvae of V. lucetia (average abundance of 318 larvae/10m2) and B. panamense (174 larvae/10m2) were mostly located in and above the pycnocline (typically ∼ 40 m depth). In contrast, larvae of D. laternatus (60 larvae/10m2) were mainly located in and below the pycnocline. On the other hand, in sampling stations from geostrophic kinetic energy-rich areas (> 21 J/m3), where mesoscale eddies were present, the larvae of the dominant species had low abundance and were spread more evenly through the water column, in spite of the water column stratification. For example, in a cyclonic eddy, V. lucetia larvae (34 larvae/10m2) extended their distribution to, at least, the limit of sampling 200 m depth below the pycnocline, while D. laternatus larvae (29 larvae/10m2) were found right up to the surface, both probably as a consequence mixing and secondary circulation in the eddy. Results showed that the level of the geostrophic kinetic energy flux affects the abundance and the three-dimensional distribution of mesopelagic fish larvae during the seasons of stronger stratification, indicating that areas with low geostrophic kinetic energy may be advantageous for feeding and development of mesopelagic fish larvae because of greater water column stability. © 2016 Contreras-Catala 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.

Article, autumn, Benthosema panamense, Diogenichthys laternatus, environmental factor, environmental parameters, fish, geographic distribution, geostrophic kinetic energy, hydrography, larva, nonhuman, population abundance, population dispersion, pop CIENCIAS FÍSICO MATEMÁTICAS Y CIENCIAS DE LA TIERRA CIENCIAS DE LA TIERRA Y DEL ESPACIO OCEANOGRAFÍA OCEANOGRAFÍA

Expansión poblacional reciente en la historia evolutiva de la anchoveta de California Engraulis mordax

Recent population expansion in the evolutionary history of the Californian anchovy Engraulis mordax

NOE DIAZ VILORIA LAURA SANCHEZ VELASCO RICARDO PEREZ ENRIQUEZ (2012, [Artículo])

"La anchoveta de California Engraulis mordax, es una especie templada que pudo haber pasado por un proceso de disyunción poblacional, debido al proceso postglacial de calentamiento del agua alrededor de la punta de la península de Baja California, hace unos 10,000 años. Se realizó un análisis genético para probar la hipótesis nula de homogeneidad genética entre el Golfo de California, México y el sur de California, EUA y si este era el caso, estimar el tiempo de surgimiento de haplotipos en términos de coalescencia. Se analizaron en total 80 secuencias de la región control hipervariable (ADNmt) de E. mordax, capturadas en la región central del Golfo de California (n = 40) y el sur de California (n = 40). A pesar del gran número de haplotipos únicos, no se observó diferenciación genética significativa entre localidades (FST = –0.0025, p = 0.686). Una distribución unimodal en la frecuencia del número de diferencias entre haplotipos indica un modelo de expansión rápida en el tamaño poblacional, que basado en una tasa mutacional de 3.6% por millón de años para la región control, indicó un tiempo de diferenciación nucleotídica relativamente reciente de aproximadamente 61,000 años. Este periodo de tiempo corresponde al Pleistoceno tardío, después de la formación de la península de Baja California, sugiriendo expansiones poblacionales en cada una de las localidades, seguidas del último episodio de glaciación, el cual quizás contribuyó a la migración de esta especie de afinidad templada entre las dos localidades y a su homogenización genética. Sin embargo este único evento reciente de flujo genético en la historia evolutiva de la especie, no explica por sí solo los patrones de distribución encontrados en las frecuencias de diferencias nucleotídicas."

"The Californian anchovy Engraulis mordax, a temperate species, may have undergone a process of population disjunction from experiencing post-glacial water heating processes around the tip of the Baja California Peninsula, Mexico about 10,000 b.p. A genetic analysis was performed to test the null hypothesis of genetic homogeneity between the Gulf of California and Southern California, U. S. A., and if this is the case, to estimate the time of haplotype emergence in terms of coalescence. A total of 80 sequences of the mtDNA hypervariable control region of E. mordax captured in the central Gulf of California (n = 40) and Southern California (n = 40) were analyzed. In spite of the large number of private haplotypes, no significant genetic differentiation among sites (FST = –0.0025, p = 0.686) was observed. An unimodal distribution of mismatch frequency between haplotypes indicated a model of rapid expansion in population size that, based on a mutation rate of 3.6% per million years in the control region, indicates a relatively recent nucleotide differentiation

time of approximately 61,000 years. This time period corresponds to the late Pleistocene, suggesting population expansions at each locality, followed by the last episode of glaciation, which may have contributed to migration of this temperate-affinity species between two locations and the genetic homogenization. However this unique recent event of gene flow in the evolutionary history of species does not explain by itself the mismatch distribution patterns found."

ADN mitocondrial, expansión poblacional reciente, flujo genético, región control, reloj molecular. Control region, gene flow, mitochondrial DNA, molecular clock, recent population expansion. BIOLOGÍA Y QUÍMICA CIENCIAS DE LA VIDA BIOLOGÍA ANIMAL (ZOOLOGÍA) ZOOLOGÍA MARINA ZOOLOGÍA MARINA

Multiple approaches to understanding the taxonomic status of an enigmatic new scorpion species of the genus Tityus (Buthidae) from the biogeographic island of Paraje Tres Cerros (Argentina)

Andres Alejandro Ojanguren Affilastro (2017, [Artículo])

Tityus curupi n. sp., belonging to the bolivianus complex, is described from the biogeographically distinct area of Paraje Tres Cerros in north-eastern Argentina. We also present a molecular species delimitation analysis between Tityus curupi n. sp. and its sister species Tityus uruguayensis Borelli 1901 to confirm species integrity. Furthermore, a cytogenetic analysis is presented for these two species which contain different multivalent associations in meiosis, as a consequence of chromosome rearrangements, and the highest chromosome numbers in the genus. © 2017 Ojanguren-Affilastro 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.

Argentina, chromosome analysis, chromosome rearrangement, genus, human, meiosis, sister, species, anatomy and histology, animal, Argentina, chemistry, chromosome, classification, ecosystem, fluorescence in situ hybridization, genetics, geography, isl BIOLOGÍA Y QUÍMICA CIENCIAS DE LA VIDA BIOLOGÍA DE INSECTOS (ENTOMOLOGÍA) BIOLOGÍA DE INSECTOS (ENTOMOLOGÍA)

Assessing the Response of Nematode Communities to Climate Change-Driven Warming: A Microcosm Experiment

RUTH GINGOLD WERMUTH (2013, [Artículo])

Biodiversity has diminished over the past decades with climate change being among the main responsible factors. One consequence of climate change is the increase in sea surface temperature, which, together with long exposure periods in intertidal areas, may exceed the tolerance level of benthic organisms. Benthic communities may suffer structural changes due to the loss of species or functional groups, putting ecological services at risk. In sandy beaches, free-living marine nematodes usually are the most abundant and diverse group of intertidal meiofauna, playing an important role in the benthic food web. While apparently many functionally similar nematode species co-exist temporally and spatially, experimental results on selected bacterivore species suggest no functional overlap, but rather an idiosyncratic contribution to ecosystem functioning. However, we hypothesize that functional redundancy is more likely to observe when taking into account the entire diversity of natural assemblages. We conducted a microcosm experiment with two natural communities to assess their stress response to elevated temperature. The two communities differed in diversity (high [HD] vs. low [LD]) and environmental origin (harsh vs. moderate conditions). We assessed their stress resistance to the experimental treatment in terms of species and diversity changes, and their function in terms of abundance, biomass, and trophic diversity. According to the Insurance Hypothesis, we hypothesized that the HD community would cope better with the stressful treatment due to species functional overlap, whereas the LD community functioning would benefit from species better adapted to harsh conditions. Our results indicate no evidence of functional redundancy in the studied nematofaunal communities. The species loss was more prominent and size specific in the HD; large predators and omnivores were lost, which may have important consequences for the benthic food web. Yet, we found evidence for alternative diversity-ecosystem functioning relationships, such as the Rivets and the Idiosyncrasy Model. © 2013 Gingold et al.

aquaculture, article, bacterivore, benthos, biodiversity, biomass, climate, community dynamics, controlled study, ecosystem, environmental temperature, microcosm, nematode, nonhuman, population abundance, species diversity, species richness, taxonomy CIENCIAS FÍSICO MATEMÁTICAS Y CIENCIAS DE LA TIERRA CIENCIAS DE LA TIERRA Y DEL ESPACIO OCEANOGRAFÍA OCEANOGRAFÍA