Open Access
iNaturalist Arga: acercándonos a la biodiversidad de los ríos urbanos para aprender a cuidarlos
(Fundación Conama, 2021) González García, Esther; Peralta de Andrés, Francisco Javier; García, Mar; Alzueta, José; Fernández Escalada, Manuel; Marzo Pérez, Asier; Aliende, Andrea; Miguel, Jon; Alvira Guallart, María Aránzazu; Ciencias; Zientziak; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua, CENEDUCA3-2019
La biodiversidad es un concepto que forma parte del currículo de la educación secundaria. Las herramientas TIC (Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación) colaborativas abiertas disponibles ofrecen nuevas posibilidades para el ampliar el conocimiento sobre biodiversidad de los estudiantes de secundaria y futuros ciudadanos. Este estudio utiliza la plataforma de ciencia ciudadana iNaturalist como herramienta de utilidad en el currículo sobre biodiversidad incluido en la educación secundaria obligatoria. En este contexto, se ha creado un proyecto en esta plataforma centrado en el río Arga que atraviesa la ciudad de Pamplona: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/arga. El proyecto implica a centros de educación secundaria, formación profesional y educación ambiental para realizar observaciones sobre biodiversidad en el entorno dicho río. Su objetivo es mejorar el conocimiento de los estudiantes de educación secundaria del concepto biodiversidad así como del río, además de poner en valor este ecosistema fluvial en un entorno urbano en las futuras generaciones. El proyecto fue puesto en marcha en el curso 2019-2020 e incorpora 468 observaciones de 213 especies aportadas por 39 observadores y 140 identificadores han colaborado en su validación. Aunque la participación en ese curso fue limitada a un centro educativo como consecuencia de la pandemia COVID, esta experiencia ha servido como modelo para el futuro desarrollo del proyecto. En el curso 2020-2021 se vuelve a poner en marcha el proyecto ARGA con el objetivo de establecerse como una herramienta de referencia para la comunidad educativa y de conectar el sector educativo con la sociedad en torno al concepto biodiversidad para destacar su importancia en la calidad ambiental en medios urbanos.
Open Access
Potencialidades del frijol caupí para la resiliencia al cambio climático en sistemas agrícolas locales
(2022) Santana-Baños, Yoerlandy; González García, Esther; Ariz Arnedo, Idoia; Carrodeguas Díaz, Sergio; Ciencias; Zientziak
Las evidencias científicas sugieren tres usos fundamentales del frijol caupí, con agro-ecológicas y beneficios productivos, sociales y ambientales en los sistemas agrícolas locales; sin embargo, su rendimiento a nivel mundial y en América no experimenta crecimiento en los últimos años. Los resultados obtenidos en Pinar del Río, Cuba, sugieren la posibilidad de emplearlo como alternativa para la producción de grano pero debe fomentarse, desde la ciencia, la innovación y las instituciones y órganos de decisión a nivel local, la cultura de producción y consumo de esta leguminosa para su aprovechamiento en la sostenibilidad agrícola de los agro-ecosistemas.
Open Access
Estudio de prospectiva, análisis y propuesta de participación y colaboración de la Administración Foral de Navarra con las redes, plataformas e iniciativas de ciencia ciudadana
(2016) González García, Esther; Peralta de Andrés, Francisco Javier; Imbert Rodríguez, Bosco; Ciencias del Medio Natural; Natura Ingurunearen Zientziak
El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar las redes y plataformas de ciencia ciudadana existentes con el fin de realizar una propuesta para su implementación en Navarra por parte de la Administración Ambiental; para ello se revisa cómo abordan otras administraciones la ciencia ciudadana a distintos niveles y las posibles formas de participación o colaboración de la Administración.
Open Access
Root system of Medicago sativa and Medicago truncatula: drought effects on carbon metabolism
(Springer, 2021-03-18) Echeverría Obanos, Andrés; González García, Esther; Ciencias; Zientziak; Institute for Multidisciplinary Research in Applied Biology - IMAB
Aims: Here, we assess the differential impact of drought on root carbon metabolism in the widely cultivated alfalfa (Medicago sativa, Ms) and the model legume Medicago truncatula (Mt). Understanding how carbon allocation is regulated under drought stress conditions is a central issue to improving alfalfa productivity under future climate change scenarios. Methods: Alfalfa and Medicago truncatula were compared under water deficit conditions. Root carbon metabolism of the taproot and fibrous roots was analysed. M. truncatula drought tolerance variability was compared to that of alfalfa using six accessions of the Medicago Hapmap project. The prominent taproot is much less developed in M. truncatula than in alfalfa with the former exhibiting an extensive fibrous root system. Results: In both examined Medicago species the taproot contained the major pools of soluble protein, sucrose and pinitol, whereas the major pools of hexoses and carbon metabolism enzymes appeared to be in the fibrous roots. Under water-deficit conditions, the response of M. sativa strongly differed from that of M. truncatula at the root level. Conclusions: Water deficit conditions differentially modulate the root carbon metabolism of M. sativa and M. truncatula. Mt maintained a more active carbon metabolism in the fibRs, as sucrose, myo-inositol and pinitol accumulated to cope with the water deficit (WD). Conversely, the root system of Ms did not accumulate cyclitols and carbon metabolism was more severely affected under water deficit conditions. This differentially exerted control may determine the drought response of these two close relatives.
Open Access
Long-term mannitol-induced osmotic stress leads to stomatal closure, carbohydrate accumulation and changes in leaf elasticity in Phaselous vulgaris leaves
(Academic Journals, 2010) Sassi, Sameh; Aydi, Samir; Hessini, Kamel; González García, Esther; Arrese-Igor Sánchez, César; Abdelly, Chedly; Ciencias del Medio Natural; Natura Ingurunearen Zientziak
The effect of long-term osmotic stress was investigated in leaves of two common bean lines, with contrasting tolerance: Flamingo (tolerant) and coco blanc (sensitive). Water relations, organic solute, ion accumulation and amino acids content as well as osmotic adjustment (OA) were studied during an extended exposure to osmotic stress. Osmotic stress was applied by means of 50 mM mannitol for 15 days. At the end of the stress period, both osmotic potential at full turgor (psi(100)) and at turgor loss point (psi(0)) decreased significantly in stressed plants compared with the control. The decrease being greater in the sensitive line, showed a greater OA compared with flamingo. Sugars contents increased in stressed plants and seem to be the major components of osmotic adjustment in stressed common bean leaves. The increase was more marked in coco blanc. Osmotic stress tolerance could thus not be associated with higher OA. The possible role of decreased leaf cell elasticity (epsilon(max)) is discussed in relation to osmotic stress tolerance in this species.
Open Access
Drought stress causes a reduction in the biosynthesis of ascorbic acid in soybean plants
(Frontiers Media, 2017) Seminario Huárriz, Amaia; Song, Li; Zulet González, Amaia; Nguyen, Henry T.; González García, Esther; Larrainzar Rodríguez, Estíbaliz; Ciencias del Medio Natural; Natura Ingurunearen Zientziak; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua, 2016/PI013; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa, 1287/2011
Drought provokes a number of physiological changes in plants including oxidative damage. Ascorbic acid (AsA), also known as vitamin C, is one of the most abundant water-soluble antioxidant compound present in plant tissues. However, little is known on the regulation of AsA biosynthesis under drought stress conditions. In the current work we analyze the effects of water deficit on the biosynthesis of AsA by measuring its content, in vivo biosynthesis and the expression level of genes in the Smirnoff-Wheeler pathway in one of the major legume crop, soybean (Glycine max L. Merr). Since the pathway has not been described in legumes, we first searched for the putative orthologous genes in the soybean genome. We observed a significant genetic redundancy, with multiple genes encoding each step in the pathway. Based on RNA-seq analysis, expression of the complete pathway was detected not only in leaves but also in root tissue. Putative paralogous genes presented differential expression patterns in response to drought, suggesting the existence of functional specialization mechanisms. We found a correlation between the levels of AsA and GalLDH biosynthetic rates in leaves of drought-stressed soybean plants. However, the levels of GalLDH transcripts did not show significant differences under water deficit conditions. Among the other known regulators of the pathway, only the expression of VTC1 genes correlated with the observed decline in AsA in leaves.
Open Access
Drought stress provokes the down-regulation of methionine and ethylene biosynthesis pathways in Medicago truncatula roots and nodules
(Wiley, 2014) Larrainzar Rodríguez, Estíbaliz; Molenaar, Johanna A.; Wienkoop, Stefanie; Gil Quintana, Erena; Alibert, Bénédicte; Limami, Anis M.; Arrese-Igor Sánchez, César; González García, Esther; Ciencias del Medio Natural; Natura Ingurunearen Zientziak; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa, 735/2008
Symbiotic nitrogen fixation is one of the first physiological processes inhibited in legume plants under water-deficit conditions. Despite the progress made in the last decades, the molecular mechanisms behind this regulation are not fully understood yet. Recent proteomic work carried out in the model legume Medicago truncatula provided the first indications of a possible involvement of nodule methionine (Met) biosynthesis and related pathways in response to waterdeficit conditions. To better understand this involvement, the drought-induced changes in expression and content of enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of Met, S-adenosyl-Lmethionine (SAM) and ethylene in M. truncatula root and nodules were analyzed using targeted approaches. Nitrogenfixing plants were subjected to a progressive water deficit and a subsequent recovery period. Besides the physiological characterization of the plants,the content of total sulphur,sulphate and main S-containing metabolites was measured. Results presented here show that S availability is not a limiting factor in the drought-induced decline of nitrogen fixation rates in M. truncatula plants and provide evidences for a downregulation of the Met and ethylene biosynthesis pathways in roots and nodules in response to water-deficit conditions.
Open Access
Functional analysis of the taproot and fibrous roots of Medicago truncatula: sucrose and proline catabolism primary response to water deficit
(Elsevier, 2019) Castañeda Presa, Verónica; Peña, Marlon de la; Azcárate Górriz, Lidia; Aranjuelo Michelena, Iker; González García, Esther; Ciencias; Zientziak; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa
Root performance represents a target factor conditioning plant development under drought conditions. Moreover, recent root phenotyping studies remark relevant differences on functionality of the different root types. However, despite its relevance, the performance of different types of roots such as primary/taproot (tapR) and lateral/fibrous roots (fibR) under water stress conditions is largely unknown. In the current study, the impact of water stress on target C and N metabolism (namely sucrose and proline) processes were characterized in tapR and fibR of Medicago truncatula plants exposed to different water stress severity regimes (moderate versus severe). While both root types exhibit some common responses to face water stress, the study highlighted important physiological and metabolic differences between them. The tapR proved to have an essential role on carbon and nitrogen partitioning rather than just on storage. Moreover, this root type showed a higher resilience towards water deficit stress. Sucrose metabolization at sucrose synthase level was early blocked in this tissue together with a selective accumulation of some amino acids such as proline and branched chain amino adds, which may act as alternative carbon sources under water deficit stress conditions. The decline in respiration, despite the over-accumulation of carbon compounds, suggests a modulation at sucrose cleavage level by sucrose synthase and invertase. These data not only provide new information on the carbon and nitrogen metabolism modulation upon water deficit stress but also on the different role, physiology, and metabolism of the taproot and fibrous roots. In addition, obtained results highlight the fact that both root types show distinct performance under water deficit stress; this factor can be of great relevance to improve breeding programs for increasing root efficiency under adverse conditions.
Open Access
Unlocking nature's drought resilience: a focus on the parsimonious root phenotype and specialised root metabolism in wild Medicago populations
(Springer Nature, 2024-10-28) Calleja Satrustegui, Aitziber; Echeverría Obanos, Andrés; Ariz Arnedo, Idoia; Peralta de Andrés, Francisco Javier; González García, Esther; Ciencias; Zientziak; Institute for Multidisciplinary Research in Applied Biology - IMAB; Unviersidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa
Background and aims: crop wild relatives, exposed to strong natural selection, exhibit effective tolerance traits against stresses. While an aggressive root proliferation phenotype has long been considered advantageous for a range of stresses, it appears to be counterproductive under drought due to its high metabolic cost. Recently, a parsimonious root phenotype, metabolically more efficient, has been suggested to be better adapted to semiarid environments, although it is not clear that this phenotype is a trait exhibited by crop wild relatives. Methods: firstly, we analysed the root phenotype and carbon metabolism in four Medicago crop wild relatives adapted to a semiarid environment and compared them with the cultivated M. truncatula Jemalong (A17). Secondly, we exposed the cultivated (probably the least adapted genotype to aridity) and the wild (the most common one in arid zones) M. truncatula genotypes to water deficit. The carbon metabolism response in different parts of their roots was analysed. Results: a reduced carbon investment per unit of root length was a common trait in the four wild genotypes, indicative of an evolution towards a parsimonious root phenotype. During the water deficit experiment, the wild M. truncatula showed higher tolerance to drought, along with a superior ability of its taproot to partition sucrose and enhanced capacity of its fibrous roots to maintain sugar homeostasis. Conclusion: a parsimonious root phenotype and the spatial specialization of root carbon metabolism represent two important drought tolerance traits. This work provides relevant findings to understand the response of Medicago species roots to water deficit.
Open Access
Learning plant biodiversity in nature: the use of the citizen–science platform iNaturalist as a collaborative tool in secondary education
(MDPI, 2021) Echeverría Obanos, Andrés; Ariz Arnedo, Idoia; Moreno Echeverría, Judit; Peralta de Andrés, Francisco Javier; González García, Esther; Zientziak; Institute for Multidisciplinary Research in Applied Biology - IMAB; Ciencias; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua, CENEDUCA3/2019
Biodiversity is a concept of great scientific interest and social value studied in different subjects of the secondary education curriculum. Citizen–science programs may contribute to increasing the engagement of students when studying biodiversity. This work aimed to explore the use of the citizen–science platform iNaturalist as a complement of the elaboration of herbaria in an outdoor activity for 4th course 16-year-old students in the Basaula Reserve. The platform iNaturalist was chosen for its suitability to develop collaborative projects in an educational context. The Basaula project was created and 122 students were trained to record plant species in an outdoor activity. A total of 32 species were recorded, among them the most abundant were beech (Fagus sylvatica) and holm oak (Quercus ilex). The students positively evaluated their experience, highlighting its adequacy to record biodiversity data and make a virtual herbarium. Students valued the innovative character of iNaturalist and its usefulness for research but also the opportunity to integrate mobile devices in school education. We concluded that iNaturalist is a valuable tool to carry out collaborative projects dealing with biodiversity in secondary education.