Alternative glacial-interglacial refugia demographic hypotheses tested on Cephalocereus columna-trajani (Cactaceae) in the intertropical Mexican drylands.

Historic demography changes of plant species adapted to New World arid environments could be consistent with either the Glacial Refugium Hypothesis (GRH), which posits that populations contracted to refuges during the cold-dry glacial and expanded in warm-humid interglacial periods, or with the Interglacial Refugium Hypothesis (IRH), which suggests that populations contracted during interglacials and expanded in glacial times. These contrasting hypotheses are developed in the present study for the giant columnar cactus Cephalocereus columna-trajani in the intertropical Mexican drylands where the effects of Late Quaternary climatic changes on phylogeography of cacti remain largely unknown. In order to determine if the historic demography and phylogeographic structure of the species are consistent with either hypothesis, sequences of the chloroplast regions psbA-trnH and trnT-trnL from 110 individuals from 10 populations comprising the full distribution range of this species were analysed. Standard estimators of genetic diversity and structure were calculated. The historic demography was analysed using a Bayesian approach and the palaeodistribution was derived from ecological niche modelling to determine if, in the arid environments of south-central Mexico, glacial-interglacial cycles drove the genetic divergence and diversification of this species. Results reveal low but statistically significant population differentiation (FST = 0.124, P < 0.001), although very clear geographic clusters are not formed. Genetic diversity, haplotype network and Approximate Bayesian Computation (ABC) demographic analyses suggest a population expansion estimated to have taken place in the Last Interglacial (123.04 kya, 95% CI 115.3-130.03). The species palaeodistribution is consistent with the ABC analyses and indicates that the potential area of palaedistribution and climatic suitability were larger during the Last Interglacial and Holocene than in the Last Glacial Maximum. Overall, these results suggest that C. columna-trajani experienced an expansion following the warm conditions of interglacials, in accordance with the GRH.

Diagnóstico de componentes bioéticos en el ámbito educativo de ciencias biológicas y de la salud / Diagnosis of bioethical components in the field of education in biological and health-sciences / Diagnóstico de componentes de bioética no âmbito de ensino de ciências biológicas e da saúde

Las múltiples crisis ecológico-sociales de la actualidad necesitan que la bioética global se integre a la educación superior en Ciencias Biológicas y de la Salud. Partiendo de esta premisa y con miras a desarrollar estrategias educativas que fortalezcan la adquisición de actitudes bioéticas entre los alumnos de las licenciaturas de la División de Ciencias Biológicas y de la Salud (DCBS) de la Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Iztapalapa (UAM-I), nuestro equipo realizó dos estudios entre 2012 y 2014, con el objetivo de conocer el contenido de bioética en planes y programas de las licenciaturas de la DCBS y las actitudes de los alumnos de licenciatura, para los cuales se emplearon una metodología de análisis de coincidencias con palabras clave y un cuestionario tipo Likert. Los resultados sugieren que la bioética no se ha incluido adecuadamente en el contenido de planes y programas, ni ha jugado un papel importante en la formación de las actitudes de los estudiantes que; sin embargo, no son tan desfavorables al respecto. Con base en lo anterior, los autores sugerimos una serie de estrategias educativas que podrían mejorar dicha situación, así como otro tipo de análisis para profundizar en el conocimiento de esta problemática.

The multiple ecological and social crisis of today require the integration of global bioethics into higher education in Biological and Health Sciences. Based on this premise and with the intention of developing educational strategies to strengthen the acquisition of bioethical attitudes among the undergraduate students of the Division of Biological Sciences and Health (DCBS) of the Autonomous Metropolitan University, Iztapalapa (UAM-I), our team conducted two studies between 2012 and 2014, aiming to know the content of bioethics in plans and research programs of the degrees offered at the DCBS and the attitudes of undergraduate students. Therefore, we used a methodology of keyword analysis and a Likert questionnaire. Our results suggest that bioethics has not been adequately included as a content of plans and study programs, nor has it played an important role in shaping the attitudes of students. These attitudes, however, are not so unfavorable. Based on the above, we suggest some educational strategies that could improve the situation, as well as another type of analysis to deepen the knowledge of this problem.

As múltiplas crises ecológico-sociais da atualidade precisam que a bioética global integre-se ao ensino superior em Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde. Partindo deste principio e com vista a desenvolver estratégias educacionais que fortaleçam a aquisição de atitudes bioéticas entre os estudantes das licenciaturas da Divisão de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (DCBS) da Universidade Autônoma Metropolitana, Iztapalapa (UAM-I), nossa equipe realizou dois estudos entre 2012 e 2014, com o objetivo de conhecer o conteúdo da bioética nos planos e programas das licenciaturas da Divisão de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde e as atitudes de alunos de licenciaturas, para o os quais foram empregados uma metodologia de análise de coincidências com palavras-chave e um questionário do tipo Likert. Os resultados sugerem que a bioética não tem sido adequadamente incluída no conteúdo dos planos e programas, e nem tem desempenhado um papel importante na formação das atitudes dos alunos que; no entanto, não são tão desvantajosos ao respeito. Com base no exposto, os autores sugeriremos uma série de estratégias educacionais que poderiam melhorar dita situação, bem como outras análises para aprofundar na compreensão deste problema.

Distribution of Peucetia viridans (Araneae: Oxyopidae) on Croton ciliatoglandulifer.

Peucetia viridans (Hentz) lives almost exclusively on Croton ciliatoglandulifer (Ortega) in the dry forests of western Mexico. This spider is usually found on pubescent shrubs. Within their host plants, P. viridans has been associated with plant height and cover, as well as with number of flowers or inflorescences in anthesis. Flowers can be used as cues of good habitat conditions or because they attract prey detected by the spider. In this study, we assessed the importance of flowers, plant cover, and plant exposure (sun/shade) on the spider distribution in five 50-plant transects. In a field experiment, we also compared the number of spiders between controls, plants from which inflorescences were removed, and plants with artificial inflorescences. The results from the transects indicate that, when the number of flowers per spider is high, spiders were more abundant in exposed locations, which presumably offer better microclimatic conditions; when flowers become scarce, food may be more difficult to find and the spider distribution become strongly associated with the number of flowers, where they are more likely to find prey. Spider abundances on the experimental plot decreased on plants from which flowers were removed in comparison to control plants. Spider abundance increased on those in which artificial inflorescences were added. The similarity between plants with natural and artificial inflorescences suggests that spiders use flowers as cues of good microhabitats instead of prey visitors, which are significantly less abundant on artificial inflorescences.