Articles publicats (Agrotecnio Center)
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Agrotecnio aims to become a reference in Europe addressing all the key elements of the food production chain in an integrated way focusing on target crops and animals of commercial importance, rather than model systems. This later aspect sets our centre apart from other centers which focus on fundamental science and/or model plant and animal systems. As a result we should be able to address fundamental and important questions in the crop/animal of interest and results from our research will be directly and immediately applicable to our target organism. [Més informació]
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- ItemOpen AccessThe contribution of whole-genome sequence data to genome-wide association studies in livestock: outcomes and perspectives(Elsevier, 2024) Ros Freixedes, RogerGenome-wide association studies (GWAS) in livestock are a powerful method for pursuing deeper insights into the biological mechanisms that control complex traits, often with sights set on the improvement of productive efficiency. There has been a wide uptake of whole-genome sequence (WGS) data for GWAS across the main livestock species. In this review, we aim to provide a critical survey of the contribution of WGS-based GWAS in livestock, by spotlighting the outcomes of some of the most representative efforts. First, we review the empirical results on the efficacy of WGS data for GWAS compared to marker arrays, and what strategies are currently being applied to increase the detection power of WGS-based GWAS. Then, we review the contribution of WGS-based GWAS to our understanding of the genetic architecture of complex traits, and how data structure but also our own practices hinder the fine-mapping of causal variants. We also provide a perspective on our own biases in identifying candidate genes and variants, the practical relevance of GWAS results, and data sharing. There is a need to apply better GWAS practices as the availability of WGS data continues to grow in the future.
- ItemOpen AccessContrasting fungal functional groups influence nutrient cycling across four Japanese cool-temperate forest soils(Elsevier, 2024) Seidel, Felix; Castaño, Carles; Alday, Josu G; Lopez C., M. Larry; Bonet Lledos, José AntonioUnderstanding soil dynamics and nutrient cycling is crucial for the sustainable management of Japanese forests covering 70 % of the national land area. These forests are dominated by tree species with contrasting traits, influencing soil dynamics differently. We investigated how changes in soil characteristics across different forest stands shift in composition and functioning of fungal communities. Four different forest stands dominated by two different mycorrhizal types were selected: Fagus crenata and Larix kaempferi, representing ectomycorrhizal (ECM) types, and Cryptomeria japonica and Robinia pseudoacacia, representing arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) types. In total, 62 composite topsoil samples from two depths were analyzed for their physicochemical properties and fungal communities were profiled by DNA sequencing. Ectomycorrhizal fungi dominated soils of Fagus crenata and Larix kaempferi forests, while fungal saprotrophs were more abundant in Cryptomeria japonica and Robinia pseudoacacia forests. Forest stand type rather than soil depth determined the composition and structure of soil fungal communities. Soil pH was positively correlated with abundances of saprotrophic fungi (P < 0.05) and negatively with ECM fungi. Soil C:N ratio was positively correlated, and nitrate was negatively correlated with relative abundances of root-associated fungi, primarily ECM fungi. No links between C nor N stocks with fungal guilds were found across the dataset. Observed links between soil C:N ratio and relative abundances of root-associated fungi and saprotrophs stress the importance of these guilds for influencing nutrient cycling economy across contrasting forest types. The lack of correlation between fungal communities and soil C and N stocks suggests distinct mechanisms driving stocks in these soils.
- ItemOpen AccessNegative photoperiod induces an increase in the number of ovulations in dairy cattle(The Japanese Society of Animal Reproduction, 2024) López Gatius, FernandoThis study sought to examine the impact of negative photoperiod on the incidence of multiple ovulations and pregnancies in dairy cattle. The study population consisted of 5,373 pregnant cows in their third or greater lactation that experienced their first post-partum pregnancy after spontaneous estrus. The positive photoperiod (increasing day-length) extends from December 22 to June 21, whereas the negative photoperiod (decreasing day-length) extends from June 22 to December 21. The odds ratios (ORs) for multiple ovulations and pregnancies in cows that became pregnant during the negative photoperiod and the remaining cows that became pregnant during the positive photoperiod were 1.4 and 1.3 (P < 0.0001), respectively. The ORs for cows that became pregnant ≥ 90 days in milk and the remaining cows that became pregnant < 90 days in milk were 4.3 and 4.1 (P < 0.0001), respectively. No significant differences were detected in the monthly rates of multiple ovulations or pregnancies during positive and negative photoperiods. Thus, the present study demonstrates that the ovarian function in cows is related to changes in day-length, with decreasing day-length being associated with greater multiple ovulation and pregnancy rates. The present study also shows that positive and negative photoperiods exhibit different trends. The results of this study are consistent with a growing body of work demonstrating the effects of photoperiod patterns on the reproductive physiology of cows, with clear implications for twin pregnancy prevention. © 2024, The Japanese Society of Animal Reproduction (JSAR).
- ItemOpen AccessMaximum tree height in European Mountains decreases above a climate-related elevation threshold(Nature Publishing Group, 2024) Gelabert Vadillo, Pere Joan; Rodrigues Mimbrero, Marcos; Coll Mir, Lluís; Vega García, Cristina; Améztegui González, AitorMountain forests face important threats from global change and spatio-temporal variation in tree height can help to monitor these effects. In this study, we used the Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation space-borne laser sensor to examine the relationship between maximum tree height and elevation, and the role of climate, in the main European mountain ranges. We found a piecewise relationship between elevation and maximum tree height in all mountain ranges, supporting the existence of a common breakpoint that marks the beginning of tree development limitations. Temperature and precipitation were identified as the most important drivers of tree height variation. Additionally, we predicted significant upward displacement of the breakpoint for the period 2080-2100 under climate change scenarios, potentially increasing the area without growth limitations for trees. These findings contribute to understanding the impacts of global warming on mountain forest ecosystems and provide insights for their monitoring and management.
- ItemOpen AccessMarine protection enhances the resilience of biological communities on temperate rocky reefs(Wiley, 2024) Sanabria-Fernández, José A.; Alday, Josu G.Conservation science faces the urgent challenge of halting the biodiversity loss caused by the biological crisis of the present era. To achieve this, conservation science requires cutting-edge tools to focus on vital properties of ecosystems, such as the resilience. Resilience informs about the cost of recovering biological communities. Here, we developed a metric to quantify the ecological assemblage recovery cost based on the dissimilarity between unprotected and partially protected communities compared with totally protected communities in Cabo de Gata Marine Reserve. Our results show that the biological assemblage composed of fish, macroinvertebrates and cryptic fish, and macroalgae species in unprotected zones requires a higher ecological recovery cost than in partially protected zones when moving towards a fully protected community. This research contributes to monitoring marine the effectiveness of marine protection from a resilience perspective, with the goal of promoting the use of the recovery cost metric for building resilient coastal ecosystems.