Functional diversity

Understanding how landscape characteristics affect biodiversity patterns and ecological processes at local and landscape scales is critical for mitigating effects of global environmental change. In this review, we use knowledge gained from human-modified landscapes to suggest eight hypotheses, which we hope will encourage more systematic research on Teja Tscharntke and others the role of landscape composition and configuration in determining the structure of ecological communities, ecosystem functioning and services. We organize the eight hypotheses under four overarching themes. Section A: 'landscape moderation of biodiversity patterns' includes (1) the landscape species pool hypothesis-the size of the landscape-wide species pool moderates local (alpha) biodiversity, and (2) the dominance of beta diversity hypothesis-landscapemoderated dissimilarity of local communities determines landscape-wide biodiversity and overrides negative local effects of habitat fragmentation on biodiversity. Section B: 'landscape moderation of population dynamics' includes (3) the cross-habitat spillover hypothesis-landscape-moderated spillover of energy, resources and organisms across habitats, including between managed and natural ecosystems, influences landscape-wide community structure and associated processes and (4) the landscape-moderated concentration and dilution hypothesis-spatial and temporal changes in landscape composition can cause transient concentration or dilution of populations with functional consequences. Section C: 'landscape moderation of functional trait selection' includes (5) the landscape-moderated functional trait selection hypothesis-landscape moderation of species trait selection shapes the functional role and trajectory of community assembly, and (6) the landscape-moderated insurance hypothesis-landscape complexity provides spatial and temporal insurance, i.e. high resilience and stability of ecological processes in changing environments. Section D: 'landscape constraints on conservation management' includes (7) the intermediate landscape-complexity hypothesis-landscapemoderated effectiveness of local conservation management is highest in structurally simple, rather than in cleared (i.e. extremely simplified) or in complex landscapes, and (8) the landscape-moderated biodiversity versus ecosystem service management hypothesis-landscape-moderated biodiversity conservation to optimize functional diversity and related ecosystem services will not protect endangered species. Shifting our research focus from local to landscape-moderated effects on biodiversity will be critical to developing solutions for future biodiversity and ecosystem service management.

La presente comunicación pretende analizar la autoestima en las personas con diversidad funcional y cómo esto condiciona una situación de ocultamiento e invisibilidad a partir de la propuesta del modelo de diversidad funcional. Para ello se ha seleccionado historias de vida de mujeres con diversidad funcional física y sensorial, en un intervalo de edad entre 16 y 65 años. La metodología en la investigación tiene un carácter mixto. El análisis de datos obtenido ha sido procesado por el programa AQUAD 6 (Huber, 2006), surgiendo una serie de códigos y categorías semánticos. Así, a través de este instrumento sean podido recoger las diferentes narrativas de las mujeres con diversidad funcional. El programa nos diferencia en un primer lugar, entre códigos descriptivos y demográficos y en segundo lugar, entre códigos referenciales y de interpretación. Se analizan las valoraciones personales que tienen las mujeres con diversidad funcional en relación a su autoestima y como esto lo proyectan...

Root herbivores and plant mutualists, such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), have a significant effect on the structure and dynamic of plant communities. Nevertheless, the interactions between the two groups of organisms in natural ecosystems are far from understood. We carried out an inoculation experiment to examine the effect of two root herbivores, Pratylenchus penetrans and P. dunensis (Nematoda), on the composition of the AMF communities associated with two populations of the dune grass Ammophila arenaria. The outcome of the interaction in terms of plant and nematode performance was also analyzed. The total percentage of AMF colonization was not affected by the presence of root-feeders, but they did alter the composition of the AMF communities inside the roots. These changes were dependent on the root-feeder species and the original AMF community: the most severe alterations were observed in the mycorrhizal plants from Wales attacked by P. penetrans. Plant growth was impaired in plants from Wales inoculated with AMF and P. dunensis, which suggests a highly species-specific synergistic interaction with negative consequences for the plant. Root infection by the nematodes was reduced in all mycorrhizal plants when compared to non-mycorrhizal plants. However, a significant reduction of the final number of nematodes was observed only in the mycorrhizal plants from one population.

The annual occurrence and distribution of the predatory bugs Anthocoris nemorum and Anthocoris nemoralis between apple, pear and herbal vegetation, was assessed in three apple orchards in 2001, and in two apple and two pear orchards in 2002. In the laboratory anthocorid prey preference was assessed in twochoice experiments with key pests of apple and pear including pear psyllid, apple psyllid, green apple aphid, rosy apple aphid and red spider mites. Anthocorid predation behavior towards pear psyllids was assessed. Anthocorids were the dominant early season predatory bugs. A. nemorum dominated in apple, while A. nemoralis dominated in pear. A. nemorum was also common in herbal vegetation, especially in mid-summer. Anthocorid numbers were correlated with numbers of collembola, psyllids and aphids in apple, and with numbers of psyllids in pear. A. nemoralis preferred pear psyllid to green apple aphid, while A. nemorum preferred green apple aphid. Both species preferred psyllids to spider mites. The success rate of A. nemoralis in attacking pear psyllids was higher than that of A. nemorum. A. nemorum had two generations in both 2001 and 2002 proving that it can be bivoltine under Danish climate conditions. The mid-summer move by A. nemorum from trees to herbal vegetation suggests that herbal vegetation may maintain A. nemorum in orchards at times of low prey numbers in the trees. Habitat and prey preference trials both identify A. nemorum as a biological control agent of special importance in apple, whereas A. nemoralis is of importance in pear.

The relationship between species and functional diversity remains poorly understood for nearly all ecosystem types, yet determining this relationship is critically important for developing both a mechanistic understanding of community assembly and appropriate expectations and approaches to protecting and restoring biological communities. Here we use two distinct data sets, one from kelp forests in the Channel Islands, California, and one from a global synthesis of marine reserves, to directly test how ...

In addition to answering Hutchinson's question ''Why are there so many species?'', we need to understand why certain species are found only under certain environmental conditions and not others. Trait-based approaches are being increasingly used in ecology to do just that: explain and predict species distributions along environmental gradients. These approaches can be successful in understanding the diversity and community structure of phytoplankton. Among major traits shaping phytoplankton distributions are resource utilization traits, morphological traits (with size being probably the most influential), grazer resistance traits, and temperature responses. We review these trait-based approaches and give examples of how trait data can explain species distributions in both freshwater and marine systems. We also outline new directions in trait-based approaches applied to phytoplankton such as looking simultaneously at trait and phylogenetic structure of phytoplankton communities and using adaptive dynamics models to predict trait evolution.

Community level physiological profile Mesocosms BIOLOG ecoplate a b s t r a c t A novel experiment design based on the axial simplex design was used to study the effects of earthworm functional diversity on microbial biomass and microbial community level physiological profiles in soils. This mesocosm experiment was carried out at two densities of earthworm and at two levels of food supply. Soil mesocosms were maintained for 7 months and watered each week with 300 ml of distilled water. At the end of this period the soil columns were divided into upper and lower halves and microbial biomass carbon and functional diversity assessed. Greater microbial biomass and activity was found in the upper layer of soil. Food supply was the major driver leading to increased microbial activity and biomass. Increased earthworm biomass had the opposite effect. In the lower soil layer, the presence of anecic worms had the greatest effect on microbial biomass and activity.

Soils that were naturally infested with high levels of Verticillium dahliae, the causal agent of wilt disease in strawberry, were amended with fresh and waste lavender, fresh and waste lavandin, hydrosols generated during essential oil production, BioFence TM (a mustard-based defatted seedmeal pellet), or water in microcosms to estimate their efficacy against microslecrotia of the pathogen. Single chemicals and mixtures of the chemicals detected from the substrata were also effective in microcosms. The mixtures were more effective than were the individual chemicals. Microplot evaluation of fresh and waste lavender and lavandin was also made in comparison to BioFence TM and water controls. Lavandin waste was compared to BioFence TM and untreated controls at three sites in field plots that were subsequently planted to strawberry. Disease incidence and severity were measured over time in the field. All of the Lavandula-based materials could be associated with large reductions in the numbers of viable of microsclerotia recovered in all but one experiment with greatest effect in microcosms and smaller effects in microplots and field plots, as could BioFence TM pellets. Due to the high levels of inoculum found at all field sites the reduction in pathogen inoculum density was not necessarily associated with a corresponding reduction in disease incidence, nor with severity as determined by yield. The monoterpenoids associated with the Lavandula spp. are of lower volatility than the isothiocyanates associated with crucifer decomposition and were detected for more than one week after materials were incorporated in soil. This suggests both differences in mode of action and the possibility of combining either the chemicals or the materials that produce them in order to further enhance efficacy. Several non-target effects were considered: numerosity and diversity of bacterial and fungal populations; infection by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi; and functional diversity of soil microflora. No persistent non-salient effects were detected. (D. Yohalem). colony forming units of the pathogen per gram of soil. Disease incidence and severity in the crop are also used to determine treatment efficacy.

Regrowing forests on cleared land is a key strategy to achieve both biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation globally. Maximizing these co-benefits, however, remains theoretically and technically challenging because of the complex relationship between carbon sequestration and biodiversity in forests, the strong influence of climate variability and landscape position on forest development, the large number of restoration strategies possible, and long time-frames needed to declare success. Through the synthesis of three decades of knowledge on forest dynamics and plant functional traits combined with decision science, we demonstrate that we cannot always maximize carbon sequestration by simply increasing the functional trait diversity of trees planted. The relationships between plant functional diversity, carbon sequestration rates above ground and in the soil are dependent on climate and landscape positions. We show how to manage 'identities' and 'complementarities' between plant functional traits to achieve systematically maximal cobenefits in various climate and landscape contexts. We provide examples of optimal planting and thinning rules that satisfy this ecological strategy and guide the restoration of forests that are rich in both carbon and plant functional diversity. Our framework provides the first mechanistic approach for generating decisionmakingrules that can be used to manage forests for multiple objectives, and supports joined carbon credit and biodiversity conservation initiatives, such as Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation REDD+. The decision framework can also be linked to species distribution models and socio-economic models to find restoration solutions that maximize simultaneously biodiversity, carbon stocks, and other ecosystem services across landscapes. Our study provides the foundation for developing and testing cost-effective and adaptable forest management rules to achieve biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and other socio-economic co-benefits under global change.

From a comparison of the photoresponses and membrane properties of photoreceptors from 20 species of Diptera, we conclude that coding in the time domain is matched to the dictates of visual ecology. This matching involves the dynamics of phototransduction and the use of an appropriate mix of potassium conductances to tune the photoreceptor membrane. Rapidly flying, manoeuvrable diurnal Diptera from several families have fast photoreceptors, with corner frequencies (the frequency at which signal power falls by a half) of between 50 and 107 Hz. The ponderous and predominantly nocturnal tipulids have slow photoreceptors with fully light adapted corner frequencies of 16 to 19 Hz. Dark adapted fast photoreceptors have a lower gain (as indicated by lower noise levels), a lower sensitivity, and light adapt more rapidly than dark adapted slow photoreceptors. Fast cells also have much lower input resistances and shorter time constants. Fast photoreceptors rectify more strongly in the steady state because of a weakly inactivating delayed rectifier potassium conductance with fast and slow components of activation. Slow photoreceptors rectify less strongly in the steady state because their membrane properties are dominated by strongly inactivating outward currents with reversal potentials in the range — 80 to -90 mV. The differences between potassium conductances match the differing functional requirements of fast and slow photoreceptors. The non-inactivating delayed rectifier promotes the rapid response of fast cells by reducing the membrane time constant. This is an expensive strategy, involving large conductances and currents. Slowly flying nocturnal insects do not require a high speed of response. The potassium conductances in their slow photoreceptors inactivate to avoid costly and unnecessary ion fluxes. Both the dynamics of the photoresponse and photoreceptor membrane properties exhibit sexual dimorphism. Light adapted photoreceptors in the enlarged male dorsal eye of Bibio markii have a corner frequency of 42 Hz, compared with 27 Hz for cells in the smaller female eye. This difference in frequency response correlates with the male's higher spatial acuity and is accompanied by consistent differences in potassium conductance activation rate. We conclude that the divison between fast and slow cells is the product of cellular constraints, metabolic costs and the requirements of coding efficiency at different light levels and retinal image velocities.

The heterogeneity of neuronal subpopulations within particular brain regions plays an important role in the information processing of those regions. Although it is of critical importance, the issue of heterogeneity has been largely ignored for aminergic nuclei; these neurons have been long considered as rather functionally homogenous populations. This is in spite of the fact that neurons within these nuclei often exhibit different connectivity profiles. In this review we will describe electro-

Microbial functional diversity in four soils sampled in the vicinity of Wanda Glacier, Antarctic Peninsula, was determined using Biolog EcoPlates at 5°C and 25°C. Comparisons of the patterns of substrate utilization and the diversity index showed differences in community composition, reflecting the heterogeneous distribution of microorganisms in this environment. Differences in microbial diversity may be related to soil chemical properties. Higher incubation temperature influenced the overall microbial diversity, reducing richness due to the selection of psychrotrophic microorganisms. To our knowledge, this is the first study with microbial communities from Wanda Glacier and contributes to understanding the microbial diversity of Antarctic environments.

Ancient landscapes, which have not been glaciated in recent times or disturbed by other major catastrophic events such as volcanic eruptions, are dominated by nutrient-impoverished soils. If these parts of the world have had a relatively stable climate, due to buffering by oceans, their floras tend to be very biodiverse. This review compares the functional ecophysiological plant traits that dominate in old, climatically buffered, infertile landscapes (OCBILS) with those commonly found in young, frequently disturbed, fertile landscapes (YODFELs). We show that, within the OCBILs of Western Australia, nonmycorrhizal species with specialised root clusters predominantly occur on the most phosphateimpoverished soils, where they co-occur with mycor-rhizal species without such specialised root clusters. In global comparisons, we show that plants in OCBILs, especially in Western Australia, are characterised by very low leaf phosphorus (P) concentrations, very high N:P ratios, and very high LMA values (LMA = leaf mass per unit leaf area). In addition, we show that species in OCBILs are far more likely to show P-toxicity symptoms when exposed to slightly elevated soil P levels when compared with plants in YODFELs. In addition, some species in OCBILs exhibit a remarkable P-resorption proficiency, with some plants in Western Australia achieving leaf P concentrations in recently shed leaves that are lower than ever reported before. We discuss how this knowledge on functional traits can guide us towards sustainable management of ancient landscapes.

Volunteer-based standardized monitoring of birds has been widely implemented in Europe and North America. In France, a breeding bird survey is running since 1989 and offers keen birdwatchers to count spring birds annually during 5 min exactly on 10 fix points within a randomly selected square. The first goal of such breeding bird surveys is to measure temporal trends in order to detect possible species declines. Combining annual indices of species sharing ecological affinities or a protected/red list status further provides biodiversity indicators for policy makers. Because the sampling effort is similar among sites, and because the initial selection of monitored sites is random, the temporal trends can be considered representative of national trends, and spatial comparisons of the obtained metrics are possible. Species abundance, community richness but also community specialization and average trophic level can be estimated for each site and each year and further related to the wide range of habitat and landscape characteristics and to agricultural or forestry practices. The large number of sites allows overcoming the opposition between adaptive and passive monitoring, making such schemes fitted to adaptive monitoring. This provides opportunities to determine which type of management or practices favour biodiversity. The comparison of population fate or community dynamics across a wide range of climates and temperatures, e.g. from southern to northern Europe, revealed how European birds are already affected by climate change. Bird communities are shifting northwards, but at a slower rate than temperatures, while bird populations have larger growth rates away from their hot thermal limit. Finally, such large-scale long-term monitoring data on a complete taxonomic group (Aves) is original and offers the opportunity to compare different measures of biological diversity, such as taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional diversity. Such a citizen science scheme is an efficient scientific tool (numerous papers published in international peer-reviewed journals) which is furthermore highly cost-effective, with a reduced permanent staff in a state insitution coordonating the network and analysing the data, while a similar survey conducted by state staff only would cost more than one million euros annually. The future development of bio-economic dynamic models for providing scenarios of sustainable farming and logging to maintain biodiversity will further highlight the necessity of such volunteer monitoring for policy makers and decision planning. Scientific and logistic partnerships could be proposed to help developing such a monitoring scheme in China.

Resumen: Las personas con diversidad funcional sufrieron con mayor inci-dencia las limitaciones y las carencias del sistema dictatorial y sus políticas so-ciales. Sin embargo, al igual que ocurrió en otros puntos del mundo, a mediados del siglo se fue gestando un importante cambio de consciencia y un espíritu crí-tico que se consolidó a la muerte de Franco. De hecho, la transición política a la democracia fue entendida como una oportunidad de cambio y un momento his-tórico clave para la consecución de la igualdad de derechos. Este texto, basado en una investigación mucho más amplia, analiza la participación de las perso-nas con diversidad funcional en la construcción de la democracia. Para ello nos acercamos tanto a la participación directa en la política como, sobre todo, al ac-tivismo específico que consideramos colaboró en la evolución social de la na-ciente democracia. Además, sin ser el objetivo principal de esta aportación, ha-cemos referencias a las numerosas dificultades que afrontaban estas personas y sin las cuales no se podría entender el significado de estos movimientos socia-les. Debido a la práctica ausencia de bibliografía secundaria hemos utilizado principalmente fuentes hemerográficas y orales, además de testimonios escritos rescatados de bibliografía divulgativa de la época. Palabras clave: diversidad funcional, transición a la democracia, movi-mientos sociales, participación política, problemas sociales. Historia Contemporánea 58, 2018: 747-779

Existen múltiples definiciones de diversidad, tantas que resulta complejo elegir una a la hora de pensar en transmitir una idea que tenga que ver con este término. NOSS en 1990 decía que era improbable que se encontrase una definición simple, entendible y operativa de la diversidad. No es el simple número de especies, genes o ecosistemas o cualquier grupo de objetos en un área determinada, la diversidad tiene que ver con todos los niveles de orga-RESUMEN El término diversidad ecosistémica es un descriptor poco preciso, dada la amplitud de los temas que se engloban bajo esta denominación. Abarca desde el estudio de la variedad de hábitats existente en una región (diversidad estructural) hasta los múltiples procesos funcionales dentro de un ecosistema concreto (diversidad funcional). Este último aspecto, la componente funcional de la diversidad ecosistémica, será el objeto central de este trabajo. Bajo este prisma se revisan y discuten los distintos conceptos e hipótesis que relacionan diversidad con funciones en los ecosistemas. Se contempla la existencia de especies con distintos papeles funcionales en la naturaleza y se analizan los modelos teóricos que pretenden facilitar una explicación de la diversidad funcional en un territorio dado.

In this work, we explore the educational opportunities that the presence of a child with functional diversity in the family brings. We focus especially on the development of siblings' social skills, and on attitudes of responsibility and solidarity in the face of vulnerability. We conclude with a proposal to reinforce social support for these families, so that they can carry out their educational task in better conditions.

The benthic fauna in mangrove forests is usually dominated by burrowing sesarmid (Grapsidae) and fiddler crabs (Ocypodidae). They are herbivores that retain, bury, macerate and ingest litter and microalgal mats. Most species within these two groups actively dig and maintain burrows in the sediment as a refuge from predation and environmental extremes. Based on the current knowledge on the biology and ecology of these crabs, it seems obvious that their activities have considerable impact on ecosystem functioning. However, no convincing conceptual framework has yet been defined into which the role of these crabs can be identified and characterized. The attributes by which these abundant animals affect the microbial and biogeochemical functional diversity fit well into the concept of ecosystem engineering. The conceptualization of mangrove benthic communities within this framework is distinguished and documented by examples provided from the most recent literature on mangrove ecosystem functioning. It appears that the features and processes driving the engineering effects on distribution and activity of associated organisms operate differently for sesarmid and fiddler crabs. The most obvious and well-documented difference between engineering effects of the two types of crab seems to be associated with foraging. More attention must be devoted in the future to elucidate engineering aspects related to crab burrows in mangrove environments. Particularly comparative work on the burrow-dwelling life styles of the two types of crab is needed.

The fungal symbionts forming ectomycorrhizas, as well as their associated bacteria, benefit forest trees in a number of ways although the most important is enhancing soil nutrient mobilization and uptake. This is reciprocated by the allocation of carbohydrates by the tree to the fungus through the root interface, making the relationship a mutualistic association. Many field observations suggest that ectomycorrhizal fungi contribute to a number of key ecosystem functions such as carbon cycling, nutrient mobilization from soil organic matter, nutrient mobilization from soil minerals, and linking trees through common mycorrhizal networks. Until now, it has been very difficult to study trees and their fungal associates in forest ecosystems and most of the work on ECM functioning has been done in laboratory or nursery conditions. In this review with discuss the possibility of working at another scale, in forest settings. Numerous new techniques are emerging that makes possible the in situ study of the functional diversity of ectomycorrhizal communities. This approach should help to integrate developing research on the functional ecology of ectomycorrhizas and their associated bacteria with the potential implications of such research for managing the effects of climate change on forests.

Enmarcada teóricamente en la Antropología del Deporte y del Cuerpo, en los Estudios Feministas y de Género y en los Estudios Sociales de la Discapacidad, y como resultado de una dilatada investigación sobre el Goalball (deporte para personas con discapacidad visual), la tesis doctoral sostiene que, en sentido contrario al reconocimiento y fomento de la diversidad, el deporte moderno institucionalizado o federado (re)produce tanto el sistema capacitista (capacidad/discapacidad) como el sistema androcéntrico de género (masculino/femenino) mediante la (re)construcción dicotómica, jerárquica y naturalizada de cuerpos con y sin capacidad y de cuerpos de hombre y de mujer. Como demuestra la etnografía del equipo de Goalball alavés ¿Itxaropena¿, la participación conjunta de jugadoras y jugadores con y sin discapacidad visual durante los entrenamientos se vuelve inviable para la competición en función de la mayor intervención de las estructuras federativas que, de un modo segregacionista, organizan, gestionan y regulan dicha modalidad deportiva. Consecuentemente, además de contribuir al debate sobre la idoneidad del deporte como herramienta para la integración socio-cultural y la igualdad entre las personas, la tesis ahonda en la reflexión sobre los aportes y límites del paradigma social de la discapacidad y en los diferentes usos y significados del concepto de inclusión que de él se derivan, los que en el contexto del deporte de la discapacidad parecen plegarse aún a los sistemas biopolíticos de ordenamiento social que impiden la mezcolanza de cuerpos y personas diversas en pro de la reproducción del sujeto moderno ideal hegemónico, este es, un varón capaz.

Este documento presenta una análisis de la diversidad funcional de mamíferos a dos escalas, la primera correspondiente al Departamento del Magdalena y la segunda a nivel nacional, con el propósito de cuantificar la diversidad de mamíferos desde un enfoque multidimensional, donde no sólo se tiene en cuenta la medida clásica de la riqueza de especies (diversidad taxonómica) sino que también se evalua la diversidad funcional (variabilidad nichos o roles ecológicos) y la diversidad funcional (variabilidad evolutiva). El objetivo fue el de detectar los patrones espaciales que presentan estos tres componentes de la diversidad; tanto a nivel departamental como a nivel nacional se encontró que estas variables se encuentran fuertemente espacializadas respondiendo a patrones de agrupamiento, lo cual permitió identificar cuales son los sitios considerados como hotspots y en el caso del departamento del Magdalena poder establecer el grado de representación que tienen estos dentro del sistema áreas protegidas.
Los resultados indican que existe una fuerte asociación espacial hacia la región centro y sur de los andes colombianos, que permitió re-evaluar la definición de zooregiones así como definir prioridades de conservación. Estos patrones espaciales difieren en sus patrones espaciales de acuerdo a la escala, lo que parece estar relacionado a la información de base tal la confirmación de la presencia de especies en ciertas zonas, los rangos de distribución o la información de historia natural (evolutiva o de rasgos funcionales).

Past research indicates that the effect of TMT functional diversity on firm performance is equivocal. We address this issue by focusing on the integrative role of the CEO, postulating that the CEO's expertise and background characteristics affect the TMT functional diversity-firm performance relationship, because of their impact on the exchange and integration of distributed knowledge within the TMT. Using a dataset of 33 Dutch and Belgian Information Technology firms we investigate the moderating role of three sets of CEO characteristics (functional background, status as founder, and shared experience with the other TMT members) on the relationship between TMT functional diversity and firm performance. Our results reveal that CEO and TMT characteristics do interact in realizing the potential advantages of distributed TMT functional expertise.

Resumen Este trabajo presenta una revisión bibliográfica sobre los estudios realizados sobre la sexualidad de las personas con diversidad funcional publicados en castellano. Para ello, se han consultado diferentes bases de datos y se constata la escasez de estudios. Entre los resultados destaca el encuadre de la sexualidad en un enfoque de calidad de vida y como un derecho, así como el triángulo familia-persona con diversidad-profesionales como clave en la sexualidad de estas personas. Finalmente resalta la necesidad de educación sexual para desarrollar una adecuada vida afectiva y evitar riesgos como la explotación, el abuso sexual y las enfermedades, entre otros.
Palabras clave: sexualidad, diversidad funcional, afectividad, educación sexual.

Functional diversity is the diversity of species traits in ecosystems. This concept is increasingly used in ecological research, yet its formal definition and measurements are currently under discussion. As the overall behavior and consistency of functional diversity indices have not been described so far, the novice user risks choosing an inaccurate index or a set of redundant indices to represent functional diversity.

El presente documento presentado en el Congreso Mundial del CID Unesco sobre Investigación en Danza en Malaga, Espana en el 2009 representa un resumen de la investigación pionera en el uso de las Artes para el mejoramiento de la calidad de vida de las personas con diversidad funcional, en este caso los ciegos.
Ha sido una experiencia extraordinaria apoyada por la Unión Nacional de ciegos del Perú y la Escuela Peruana de Biodanza. En su presentación en España recibió mucho apoyo por el impacto de sus resultados y en especial porque Once es una Institución de España dedicada profundamente al bienestar y derechos de las personas con limitaciones visuales. 
Hablamos muchas veces de una “ceguera existencial” cuando los seres humanos limitan el disfrute y la alegría de vivir y empañan el cada día con una visión limitada de la realidad. Pero los hay también quienes son realmente ciegos físicos que se desenvuelven en el cada día de la obscuridad. Esta pregunta de cómo es el mundo de los ciegos y que es la ceguera, pregunta de tipo existencial nos llevó a adentrarnos en el mundo de los ciegos y proponer el uso de la biodanza.

Se diseñaron sesiones de biodanza ligadas al recorrido de la propia vida a través de la Biodanza. El poema con el que iniciamos la presentación expresa sumariamente la propuesta del Arte como agente transformador de vidas.

Among the nitrogen (N2)-fixing bacteria, the rhizobia in symbiosis with legumes are generally the most important in agriculture, although Frankia, cyanobacteria and heterotrophic free-living N~-fixers may fix significant amounts of nitrogen under specific conditions. The taxonomy of N2-fixing bacteria is undergoing substantial revisions due to the advent of molecular methods for phylogenetic analysis, and in certain cases this has proved useful in unravelling ecological relationships among confusing groups. Molecular methods are also proving useful in studies of biodiversity within populations of rhizobial species.

Taxonomic and functional diversity of the bycatch fishes community of trawl fishing from Northern Gulf of California, Mexico. The Northern Gulf of California (NGC) is a mega diverse area of high endemism with major economic interest because of the multi-specific fisheries developed, mainly shrimp. There is a lack of recent studies on bycatch fish assemblages, so during the fishing seasons from 2009-2010 and 2010-2011, on board 13 shrimp boats, 14 commercial fishing trips were performed from 5 m - 90 m in depth with a total of 119 catches. The 119 catches were analyzed to assess fish community structure using taxonomic diversity indices to detect changes in the community following the taxonomic distinctness average Δ+ and the diversity index Δ* (TAXDEST of the PRIMER v6 program). To confirm the structure of functional groups, we considered similarities of ecologic and morphologic traits among species. The results showed that the indices Δ+ and Δ* were within the expected average and confidence intervals at 95%, finding significant differences between the indices. The analyses showed a well-structured community because of the great variety of forms and functions of the species within the community. In the community of the functional groups, reproduction was the ecological attribute that contributed the most to their structure. The community structure was represented by intermediate trophic levels (3-3.9), preferably primary and secondary carnivores within the trophic categories of predators of benthic ichthyo-fauna that belong to demersal species of soft bottoms and mostly fusiform body. To conclude, the NGC showed high functional redundancy according to the estimated functional groups, thus the ecosystem was considered stable and with great diversity. This type of studies should be followed using fishing and environmental effort due to the great biological and ecologic importance in the area. Rev. Biol. Trop. 64 (2): 587-602. Epub 2016 June 01.

The harsh and stressful growing environment of extensive green roofs means that only a limited range of plant species is routinely used. However, ecological theory suggests that highly diverse or species-rich vegetation might be more resistant and resilient to severe environmental stress. This paper describes an experiment investigating the influence of vegetation diversity on green roof plant survival following an imposed drought. Twelve species were selected from the three major taxonomic and functional plant groups that are commonly used for extensive green roofs (forbs, sedums and grasses). Four species were chosen from each group and planted in combinations of increasing diversity and complexity: monocultures, four-species mixtures and twelve-species mixtures. Three watering regimes were imposed: wet, moderate and dry (watering every 1 week, 2 weeks and 3 weeks, respectively). It was concluded that a diverse plant mix was more advantageous than a monoculture in terms of greater survivability and higher visual rating under dry conditions. It was shown that combinations of species differing in functional diversity and complexity achieved this more effectively compared to plants of the same taxonomic group that compete for resources when grown together. Drought tolerance in sedums was superior to that in forbs and grasses. Little difference in drought tolerance was observed between forbs and grasses, which must be watered before reaching a permanent wilting point. Plants that exhibited over 50% leaf desiccation were unable to survive to the end of the study.

Biological wastewater treatment has been applied for more than a century to ameliorate anthropogenic damage to the environment. But only during the last decade the use of molecular tools allowed to accurately determine the composition, and dynamics of activated sludge and biofilm microbial communities. Novel, in many cases yet not cultured bacteria were identified to be responsible for filamentous bulking and foaming as well as phosphorus and nitrogen removal in these systems. Now, methods are developed to infer the in situ physiology of these bacteria. Here we provide an overview of what is currently known about the identity and physiology of some of the microbial key players in activated sludge and biofilm systems.

The Knuckles Mountain Forest Range (KMFR) has a complex mosaic of natural and human modified habitats and the contribution of these habitats to the biological and functional diversities has not been deeply studied. Present study investigated both of these diversities in five habitat types (two natural habitats: Sub-montane forest and Pitawala Patana grassland; three modified habitats: cardamom, pinus and abandoned tea plantations) in Northern Flank of KMFR using birds as the indicator group. Bird communities were surveyed using point count method. A total of 1,150 individuals belonging to 56 species were observed. The highest species richness was reported from the cardamom plantation where as sub-montane forest had the highest feeding guild diversity in terms of Shannon Weiner index. The abandoned tea plantation and the Pitawala Patana grasslands with fairly open habitats, showed relatively lower levels of feeding guild diversities. It is clear that the structurally complex habitats contribute more to the area’s biological and functional diversities and need to be taken into consideration when developing conservation plans.

Facing a human-dominated world, ecologists are now reconsidering the role of disturbance for coral reef ecosystem dynamics. Human activities alter the natural disturbance regimes of coral reefs by transforming pulse events into persistent disturbance or even chronic stress, by introducing new disturbance, or by suppressing or removing disturbance. Adding these alterations to natural disturbance regimes will probably result in unknown synergistic effects. Simultaneously, humans are altering the capacity of reefs to cope with disturbance (e.g. by habitat fragmentation and reduction of functional diversity), which further exacerbates the effects of altered disturbance regimes. A disturbance that previously triggered the renewal and development of reefs might, under such circumstances, become an obstacle to development. The implications of these changes for reef-associated human activities, such as fishing and tourism, can be substantial.

Physico-chemical and microbiological investigations were carried out on rumen content material composted for nine months, fresh vermicasts (obtained after passing the same compost through the guts of a mixture of three species of earthworms: Eisenia fetida, Lumbricus rubellus and Perionyx excavates) and microbially enhanced extracts derived from rumen compost, vermicast and vermicast leachate incubated for up to 48 h. Compared to composted rumen contents, vermicast was only improved in terms of microbial biomass C, while vermicast leached extract was significantly higher in NH þ 4 -N; PO À 4 -P, humic acid, bacterial counts and total microbial activity compared to rumen compost extract. Although no difference between treatments was observed in genetic diversity as indicated by DGGE analysis, community level functional diversity of vermicast leached extract (Biolog™) was higher than that of composted rumen contents, vermicast and rumen compost extract indicating an enhancement of microbial activity rather than diversity due to liquid incubation.

This paper proposes a new feature selection method that uses a backward elimination procedure similar to that implemented in support vector machine recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE). Unlike the SVM-RFE method, at each step, the proposed approach computes the feature ranking score from a statistical analysis of weight vectors of multiple linear SVMs trained on subsamples of the original training data. We tested the proposed method on four gene expression datasets for cancer classification. The results show that the proposed feature selection method selects better gene subsets than the original SVM-RFE and improves the classification accuracy. A Gene Ontology-based similarity assessment indicates that the selected subsets are functionally diverse, further validating our gene selection method. This investigation also suggests that, for gene expression-based cancer classification, average test error from multiple partitions of training and test sets can be recommended as a reference of performance quality.

1. Indices quantifying the functional aspect of biodiversity are essential in understanding relationships between biodiversity, ecosystem functioning and environmental constraints. Many indices of functional diversity have been published but we lack consensus about what indices quantify, how redundant they are and which ones are recommended.

41 Microbial ecology provides insights into the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of microbial 42 communities underpinning every ecosystem on Earth. Microbial communities can now be investigated 43 in unprecedented detail, although there is still a wealth of open questions to be tackled. Here we 44 identify 50 research questions of fundamental importance to the science or application of microbial 45 ecology, with the intention of summarising the field and bringing focus to new research avenues.

RESUMEN: El presente artículo analiza las estrategias de intensificación en el discurso de docentes de primaria sobre diversidad sexual y funcional. Las estrategias de intensificación constituyen un mecanismo pragmalingüístico mediante el cual los hablantes establecen un determinado nivel de cercanía en el marco de una interacción comunicativa. Metodológicamente, se desarrolla un abordaje de carácter cualitativo abocado a tres procesos: la identificación y la descripción de los recursos de intensificación a nivel del enunciado y la elaboración de inferencias discursivas mediante una articulación teórico- analítica. Los resultados del proceso de investigación reflejan que la búsqueda, de acuerdo con el oyente, constituye un mecanismo para hacer creíble lo dicho y, en la misma dirección, una forma para resguardar la propia imagen (fachada) que, concomitantemente, refleja las dificultades por parte del personal docente en lo que respecta al abordaje de la diversidad sexual y funcional.

ABSTRACT: The present paper analyses the intensification strategies used by the primary school teachers discourse about sexual and functional diversity. Intensification strategies constitutes a pragmalinguistic mechanism through which the speaker stablish a certain level of proximity in the frame of a particular communicative interaction. Methodologically, the article proposes a qualitative approach based on three different processes: the identification and description of intensification resources in the enunciative setting and the elaboration of discursive inferences throughout an analytical theoretical articulation. The results of the research process show that the tendency of trying to achieve a mutual agreement with the interlocutor, represents a mechanism to make the elocutions believable and, in the same direction, a way to protect the self-image (front) that, concomitantly, reflects the difficulties that the teachers have approaching sexual and functional diversity.