scholarly journals A database of functional traits for spiders from native forests of the Iberian Peninsula and Macaronesia

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nuria Macías-Hernández ◽  
Cândida Ramos ◽  
Marc Domènech ◽  
Sara Febles ◽  
Irene Santos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Iberian Peninsula ◽  
Morphological Traits ◽  
Functional Trait ◽  
Foraging Strategy ◽  
Dispersal Ability ◽  
Trophic Specialization ◽  
Spider Species ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Direct Measurements ◽  
Total Body

There is an increasing demand for databases including species trait information for biodiversity and community ecology studies. The existence of trait databases is useful for comparative studies within taxa or geographical regions, but there is low availability of databases for certain organisms. Here we present an open access functional trait database for spiders from Macaronesia and the Iberian Peninsula, recording several morphological and ecological traits related to the species life histories, microhabitat and trophic preferences. We present a database that includes 12 biological traits for 506 spider species present in natural forests of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain) and three Macaronesian archipelagoes (Azores, Madeira and Canary Islands). The functional trait database consists of two sections: individual-level data for six morphological traits (total body size, prosoma length, prosoma width, prosoma height, tibia I length and fang length), based on direct measurements of 2844 specimens of all spider species; and species-level aggregate data for 12 traits (same 6 morphological traits as in the previous section plus dispersal ability, vertical stratification, circadian activity, foraging strategy, trophic specialization and colonization status), based on either the average of the direct measurements or bibliographic searches. individual-level data for six morphological traits (total body size, prosoma length, prosoma width, prosoma height, tibia I length and fang length), based on direct measurements of 2844 specimens of all spider species; and species-level aggregate data for 12 traits (same 6 morphological traits as in the previous section plus dispersal ability, vertical stratification, circadian activity, foraging strategy, trophic specialization and colonization status), based on either the average of the direct measurements or bibliographic searches. This functional trait database will serve as a data standard for currently ongoing analyses that require trait and functional diversity statistics.

Revisión de la obesidad como concepto científico (Obesity review as a scientific concept)

Retos ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
pp. 365-374
Author(s):  
Sagrario Lobato Huerta ◽  
Juan Víctor Moneda Rovira ◽  
Yaneth Martínez Tovilla ◽  
José Hugo Eloy Meléndez Aguilar
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Research ◽  
Total Body Weight ◽  
Scientific Concept ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Adverse Health Effects ◽  
Noam Chomsky ◽  
Theoretical Perspectives ◽  
Grasa Corporal ◽  
Total Body ◽  
The Individual

  El lenguaje según Noam Chomsky, es una capacidad innata que puede emplearse para comunicar la ciencia. Analizar el término obesidad como concepto científico, permitirá su correcto abordaje epistemológico para contribuir con la investigación científica multidisciplinaria que busca reducir esta pandemia. La obesidad es una acumulación excesiva de grasa corporal, por encima de las necesidades fisiológicas y capacidad de adaptación, que puede conducir a efectos adversos para la salud, como una discapacidad. Se considera un estado en el que el tejido adiposo representa más del 20% del peso corporal total en hombres y el 25% en mujeres. Un IMC de 30 kg/m2 o más se cataloga como obesidad. Desde una perspectiva genética, la obesidad es clasificada en tres subdivisiones de acuerdo con el trastorno y número de genes involucrados: monogénica, sindrómica y poligénica. Para las ciencias sociales, involucra un problema sociocultural injertado en una predisposición a nivel individual. Desde la perspectiva evolutiva, el cuerpo humano no está desarrollado para la exposición constante a un ambiente rico en calorías y sedentario. Comprender las perspectivas teóricas actuales que conceptualizan a la obesidad, estipulada como patología en sí misma, como factor de riesgo para las demás enfermedades no transmisibles y como etiología indirecta de discapacidad, permitirá que la investigación científica pueda desarrollarse con panoramas más amplios, a través de su diseño con variables, categorías y teorías mixtas, que permitan formular hipótesis y explicaciones con un enfoque multidisciplinario, en concordancia con la etiología multifactorial de la obesidad.  Abstract. Language according to Noam Chomsky, is an innate ability that can be used to communicate science. Analyzing the term obesity as a scientific concept will allow its correct epistemological approach to contribute to multidisciplinary scientific research that seeks to reduce this pandemic. Obesity is an excessive accumulation of body fat, in excess of physiological needs and adaptability, which can lead to adverse health effects, such as disability. It is considered a state in which adipose tissue represents more than 20% of total body weight in men and 25% in women. A BMI of 30 kg / m2 or more is classified as obesity. From a genetic perspective, obesity is classified into three subdivisions according to the disorder and number of genes involved: monogenic, syndromic and polygenic. For the social sciences, it involves a sociocultural problem grafted onto a predisposition at the individual level. From an evolutionary perspective, the human body is not developed for constant exposure to a calorie-rich and sedentary environment. Understanding the current theoretical perspectives that conceptualize obesity, stipulated as a pathology in itself, as a risk factor for other non-communicable diseases and as an indirect etiology of disability, will allow scientific research to be developed with broader perspectives, through its design with mixed variables, categories and theories, which allow the formulation of hypotheses and explanations with a multidisciplinary approach, in accordance with the multifactorial etiology of obesity.

Lingering neighbourhood effects: A framework to account for residential histories and temporal dynamics

Urban Studies ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 151-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily M Miltenburg ◽  
Tom WG van der Meer
Keyword(s):  
Temporal Dynamics ◽  
Single Point ◽  
Population Data ◽  
Blind Spot ◽  
Neighbourhood Effects ◽  
Temporal Dimension ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Conventional Models ◽  
Total Body

The large and growing body of neighbourhood effect studies has almost exclusively neglected individuals’ particular residential histories. Yet, former residential neighbourhoods are likely to have lingering effects beyond those of the current one and are dependent on exposure times and number of moves. This paper tests to what extent this blind spot induced a misestimation of neighbourhood effects for individuals with differential residential histories. Ultimately, we develop a methodological framework for studying the temporal dynamics of neighbourhood effects, capable of dealing with residential histories (moving behaviour, the passage of time and temporal exposure to different neighbourhoods). We apply cross-classified multi-level models (residents nested in current and former neighbourhoods) to analyse longitudinal individual-level population data from Dutch Statistics, covering fine-grained measures of residential histories. Our systematic comparison to conventional models reveals the necessity of including a temporal dimension: our models reveal an overestimation of the effect of the current neighbourhood by 16–30%, and an underestimation of the total body of neighbourhood effects by at least 13–24%. Our results show that neighbourhood effects are lingering, long-lasting and structural and also cannot be confined to a single point in time.

Functional diversity in biters: the evolutionary morphology of the oral jaw system in pacus, piranhas and relatives (Teleostei: Serrasalmidae)

2019 ◽  
Vol 127 (4) ◽  
pp. 722-741 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessia Huby ◽  
Aurélien Lowie ◽  
Anthony Herrel ◽  
Régis Vigouroux ◽  
Bruno Frédérich ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Morphological Traits ◽  
Morphological Diversity ◽  
Evolutionary Morphology ◽  
Trophic Specialization ◽  
Jaw Muscles ◽  
Lower Jaw ◽  
Carnivorous Species ◽  
Herbivorous Species ◽  
Fish Group

Abstract Serrasalmid fishes form a highly specialized group of biters that show a large trophic diversity, ranging from pacus able to crush seeds to piranhas capable of cutting flesh. Their oral jaw system has been hypothesized to be forceful, but variation in bite performance and morphology with respect to diet has not previously been investigated. We tested whether herbivorous species have higher bite forces, larger jaw muscles and more robust jaws than carnivorous species. We measured in vivo and theoretical bite forces in 27 serrasalmid species. We compared the size of the adductor mandibulae muscle, the jaw mechanical advantages, the type of jaw occlusion, and the size and shape of the lower jaw. We also examined the association between bite performance and functional morphological traits of the oral jaw system. Contrary to our predictions, carnivorous piranhas deliver stronger bites than their herbivorous counterparts. The size of the adductor mandibulae muscle varies with bite force and muscles are larger in carnivorous species. Our study highlights an underestimated level of functional morphological diversity in a fish group of exclusive biters. We provide evidence that the trophic specialization towards carnivory in piranhas results from changes in the configuration of the adductor mandibulae muscle and the lower jaw shape, which have major effects on bite performance and bite strategy.

scholarly journals Measuring the body composition of elderly subjects: a comparison of methods

1994 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. J. Reilly ◽  
L. A. Murray ◽  
J. Wilson ◽  
J. V. G. A. Durnin
Keyword(s):  
Body Composition ◽  
Total Body Water ◽  
Body Water ◽  
The Body ◽  
Practical Significance ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Total Body ◽  
The Individual

There is a paucity of data on differences between methods for the assessment of body composition in elderly subjects. Studies on younger adults suggest that such differences are of some practical significance at the individual level. In the present study the following methods of estimating percentage body fatness (BF%) were compared in healthy elderly men and women (mean age 70 (SD 6) years: densitometry; skinfold thickness; total body water; bioelectrical impedance (BIA) using an age-specific predictive equation and the manufacturers' equation; body mass index (BMI). Though BF% estimates from the various methods tended to be highly correlated with those from densitometry and with each other, differences between methods at the individual level were marked. In particular, the age-specific equations based on BMI and BIA systematically overestimated BF% relative to the other methods. Biases between BF% estimates derived from densitometry, skinfolds, BIA (manufacturers' equation) and total body water were less marked, indicating little evidence of systematic differences between these methods in elderly subjects. Individual differences between methods were slightly greater than those reported in some studies of younger adults, but this may be of little practical significance, and may be considered inevitable in view of variability between and within subjects in the extent to which the underlying assumptions of these two-component methods are met in elderly subjects.

Two new calcicolous species of Pinguicula sect. Pinguicula (Lentibulariaceae) growing on rocky habitats of the Iberian Peninsula

Phytotaxa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 456 (3) ◽  
pp. 269-284
Author(s):  
MANUEL B. CRESPO ◽  
MARIO MARTÍNEZ-AZORÍN ◽  
MARÍA ÁNGELES ALONSO ◽  
LLORENÇ SÁEZ
Keyword(s):  
Iberian Peninsula ◽  
Phylogenetic Relationships ◽  
Morphological Traits ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
Mountain Ranges ◽  
La Mancha ◽  
Central Eastern ◽  
Close Relatives ◽  
Rocky Habitats ◽  
Easy Differentiation

Two new rupicolous species of Pinguicula are described from the limestone and dolomitic mountain ranges of central and southern Iberian Peninsula, which were previously identified as P. submediterranea, P. mundi or P. dertosensis. First, the name P. tejedensis sp. nov. is applied to populations concealed to the high elevation areas of Sierra de Tejeda and Sierra de Almijara, in Granada Province (Andalusia, southern Iberian Peninsula). They resemble P. submediterranea, a name here revived for the Subbetic populations of Jaen Province, but its floral features, fruits and seeds allow easy differentiation. Second, P. casperiana is proposed to name populations occurring in the medium to high elevation areas of Serranía de Cuenca, between Cuenca and Guadalajara Provinces (Castilla-La Mancha, central-eastern Iberian Peninsula). Members of the Castillian species are closer to P. dertosensis and also akin to P. mundi, but again their floral features, fruits and seeds allow safe recognition. Both species are significantly different to each other and with regard to their morphologically close relatives, and they also show molecular divergences that support recognition at species rank. Data on morphological traits, ecology, distribution, biogeography and phylogenetic relationships are also presented.

scholarly journals Walk the line: 600000 years of molar evolution constrained by allometry in the fossil rodent Mimomys savini

2014 ◽  
Vol 369 (1649) ◽  
pp. 20140057 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cyril Firmat ◽  
Iván Lozano-Fernández ◽  
Jordi Agustí ◽  
Geir H. Bolstad ◽  
Gloria Cuenca-Bescós ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Iberian Peninsula ◽  
Morphological Traits ◽  
Growth Regulation ◽  
Rodent Species ◽  
Evolutionary Divergence ◽  
Allometric Relationships ◽  
Evolutionary Allometry ◽  
Dental Measurements ◽  
Lower Molar

The allometric-constraint hypothesis states that evolutionary divergence of morphological traits is restricted by integrated growth regulation. In this study, we test this hypothesis on a time-calibrated and well-documented palaeontological sequence of dental measurements on the Pleistocene arvicoline rodent species Mimomys savini from the Iberian Peninsula. Based on 507 specimens representing nine populations regularly spaced over 600 000 years, we compare static (within-population) and evolutionary (among-population) allometric slopes between the width and the length of the first lower molar. We find that the static allometric slope remains evolutionary stable and predicts the evolutionary allometry quite well. These results support the hypothesis that the macroevolutionary divergence of molar traits is constrained by static allometric relationships.

scholarly journals Pilot Study Examining Pregnancy-specific Equations to Estimate Percent Body Fat in an Overweight/obese Pregnant Hispanic Population

2016 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 22-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy Reisenberg ◽  
Kasuen Mauldin ◽  
Lisa Sawrey-Kubicek ◽  
Mary N. R. Lesser ◽  
Janet King
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Body Fat ◽  
Hispanic Women ◽  
Percent Body Fat ◽  
Hispanic Population ◽  
Third Trimester ◽  
Direct Measurements ◽  
Study Population ◽  
Gestational Week ◽  
Total Body

Background and Purpose: Over half of women entering pregnancy are overweight or obese, increasing metabolic risk. This pilot study investigated whether established equations for estimating maternal percent body fat using anthropometry are accurate for Hispanic, overweight or obese pregnant women. Methods: The Siri technique of calculating percent body fat from direct measurements of body density and total body water was the gold-standard. Other pregnancy-specific equations were also examined. The study population included 15 normoglycemic, pregnant Hispanic women in their third trimester (33.2±1.9 gestational week) with a pre-pregnancy body mass index ≥25 to

Route Selection in The Foraging of Patella Vulgata (Mollusca: Gastropoda)

1998 ◽  
Vol 78 (4) ◽  
pp. 1223-1232 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Chelazzi ◽  
G. Santini ◽  
P. Della Santina
Keyword(s):  
Light Emitting Diode ◽  
Spatial Relationship ◽  
Foraging Strategy ◽  
Cropping Pattern ◽  
Light Emitting ◽  
Patella Vulgata ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
North Wales ◽  
Directional Preference ◽  
Directional Decisions

The prosobranch limpet Patella vulgata is an intertidal grazer performing looped excursions centred on a home scar. Foraging within each excursion is mostly concentrated around the point of maximum distance from home. The orientation of the foraging excursions in a group of limpets was analysed on a vertical substrate on a sheltered shore in North Wales. The spatial relationship between different excursions of the same individual was also analysed. A total of 174 complete excursions from 47 adult limpets were obtained using the LED (light emitting diode) tracking technique. In particular, the leaving direction and the direction of the main foraging area of each excursion were computed. When considering the foraging strategy over five consecutive days, a substantially radial cropping pattern was evident at both the population and individual level, with no evident directional preference. However, when considering consecutive excursions of the same individual a concordance in leaving directions was evident in about 40% of cases. The high overlap between the outward branch of the trajectory of one night and the homing branch of the previous one suggests that the directional decision can be based on a trail-following mechanism. Moreover, our data suggest that directional decisions are taken at the beginning of each excursion when leaving home.

Species status and conservation issues of New Zealand's endemic Latrodectus spider species (Araneae : Theridiidae)

2008 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 589 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cor J. Vink ◽  
Phil J. Sirvid ◽  
Jagoba Malumbres-Olarte ◽  
James W. Griffiths ◽  
Pierre Paquin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Morphological Traits ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Mean Annual Temperature ◽  
Species Status ◽  
Colour Variation ◽  
Spider Species ◽  
Australian Species ◽  
Conservation Implications ◽  
Conservation Threats

New Zealand has two endemic widow spiders, Latrodectus katipo Powell, 1871 and L. atritus Urquhart, 1890. Both species face many conservation threats and are actively managed. The species status of the Latrodectus spiders of New Zealand was assessed using molecular (COI, ITS1, ITS2) and morphological methods and with cross-breeding experiments. Latrodectus katipo and L. atritus were not found to be reciprocally monophyletic for any of the gene regions or morphological traits. Other than colour, which is variable, there were no morphological characters that separated the two species, which cross-bred in the laboratory and produced fertile eggsacs. Colour variation is clinal over latitude and correlates significantly with mean annual temperature. We conclude that L. atritus is a junior synonym of L. katipo. An example of introgression from the Australian species L. hasseltii Thorell, 1870 was also detected and its conservation implications are discussed.

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