The Cantabrian capercaillie: A population on the edge.

The capercaillie Tetrao urogallus - the world's largest grouse- is a circumboreal forest species, which only two remaining populations in Spain: one in the Cantabrian mountains in the west and the other in the Pyrenees further east. Both have shown severe declines, especially in the Cantabrian population, which has recently been classified as "Critically Endangered". To develop management plans, information on demographic parameters is necessary to understand and forecast population dynamics. We used spatial capture-recapture (SCR) modeling and non-invasive DNA samples to estimate the current population size in the whole Cantabrian mountain range. In addition, for the assessment of population status, we analyzed the population trajectory over the last 42 years (1978-2019) at 196 leks on the Southern slope of the range, using an integrated population model with a Dail-Madsen model at its core, combined with a multistate capture-recapture model for survival and a Poisson regression for productivity. For 2019, we estimate the size of the entire population at 191 individuals (95% BCI 165-222) for an estimated 60 (48-78) females and 131 (109-157) males. Since the 1970s, our study estimates a shrinkage of the population range by 83%. The population at the studied leks in 2019 was at about 10% of the size estimated for 1978. Apparent annual survival was estimated at 0.707 (0.677-0.735), and per-capita recruitment at 0.233 (0.207-0.262), and insufficient to maintain a stable population. We suggest work to improve the recruitment (and survival) and manage these mountain forests for capercaillie conservation. Also, in the future, management should assess the genetic viability of this population.

New porous monolithic membranes based on supported ionic liquid-like phases for oil/water separation and homogenous catalyst immobilisation.

Porous monolithic advanced functional materials based on supported ionic liquid-like phase (SILLP) systems were used for the preparation of oleophilic and hydrophobic cylindrical membranes and successfully tested as eco-friendly and safe systems for oil/water separation and for the continuous integration of catalytic and separation processes in an aqueous-organic biphasic reaction system.

Platinum-Based Organometallic Folders for the Recognition of Electron-Deficient Aromatic Substrates.

A series of platinum complexes with cis-oriented polyaromatic N-heterocyclic carbene ligands were prepared and characterized. The relative disposition of the polyaromatic ligands about the metal cause these compounds to behave as metallofolders, featuring a cavity defined by the void space between the polyaromatic functionalities. The complexes were used as receptors of organic molecules, whereby selective affinity was displayed for electron-deficient aromatic substrates, such as 1,2,4,5-tetracyanobenzene (TCNB), 2,4,7-trinitro-9-fluorenone (TNFLU), and 1,4,5,8-naphtalenetetracarboxylic dianhydride (NTCDA). The binding affinities of two of the metallofolders with these substrates were determined by means of 1 H NMR titrations. Electrospray mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) was also used to assess the affinities. The molecular structure of one of the platinum folders was determined in the presence of TCNB, showing the clear interaction between this guest molecule and the folder formed by the two mutually cis-oriented polyaromatic ligands. This work demonstrates how the presence of the mutually cis-oriented polyaromatic ligands may be a very useful tool for the preparation of metal-based receptors.