In Mexico: They will identify hydrocarbon spills through analysis of satellite images

Researchers from CENIT2 (Nayarita Center for Innovation and Technology Transfer) of the Autonomous University of Nayarit (UAN) will analyze the rivers of Nayarit, using software that uses satellite images, to identify possible spills of hydrocarbons in the Gulf of Mexico. The software called ARTMOS (Automated Radiative Transfer Models Operator) generates algorithms from biophysical parameters and identifies the differences between a spot and oceanic water. It is a free tool and is available in http://ipl.uv.es/artmo/

Link: CONACYTPRENSA

Tips for choosing a laboratory or mentor

During the student stage, the most critical thing is to make an informed decision when choosing the research laboratory to develop your career, so you can enjoy doing science. According to a publication made by HOT, you must cover the following aspects:

Know yourself: by asking yourself self-reflective questions, the research environment should go with your lifestyle and personality. Select a tutor who is a good scientist and a good mentor: if your main researcher (IP) is not a good scientist or does not know how to become one, it will be more difficult for you to be one of them! The way your IP addresses challenges and opportunities will be the way in which you will manage your independent laboratory. Your tutor must have good research qualities and as a mentor! This to guide you as a person, share your experience and support you throughout your long-term development. Select a research environment that is right for you. Where you feel comfortable with your research group and cover your needs. Select a research project that makes you interesting. That motivates you and allows you to develop new skills. Try to be a Pioneer in new areas! Track for current positions. In case you are interested in being part of the academy. Be alert for possible warnings. For example, excessive overlap between projects, depressed people, members who do not respect the IP, etc.

• Reference: HOT newsletter june- jul 2016 (page 10).

Predoctoral examination presentation (ORAL)

Access to scientific and technological information resources CONRICYT

If you are a student in an institution in Mexico, you have FREE access to the resources of the page of the CONRICYT.

You will have to request your access and in case it does not reach you, do not forget to contact the administrators of the page, who will help you to register.

Once you are registered, you can search books, magazines and other publications for free, provided they are registered on the CONRICYT page:

Acclimatization to pollution, adaptation, resistance and tolerance in ecotoxicology

Acclimation, adaptation, resistance or tolerance can be defined as the capacity of organisms to cope with stress, either natural changes in temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen and toxins or chemicals depending on anthropogenic sources.

Defense mechanisms: physiological responses to chemical stress (biomarkers)

• Types of biological response:
• Changes at the molecular level (genetic integrity, biochemical responses)
• Changes at the physiological or organ level (histopathological disturbances, immunotoxicological changes)
• Changes at the population or community level (dynamics, structure)

The effects of environmental stressors start from the effects (biomarkers) to lower levels (individual, subindividual). In individuals exposed to chemical compounds (heavy metals, organic pollutants) there may be increases in biochemical biomarkers (metalotein induction, biotransformation metabolism, oxidative stress). However, when acute or chronic chemical stress exceeds compensation limits, biomarker responses are depleted and may decrease below control levels.

Ecological and ecophysiological aspects of tolerance

In a biological community exposed to toxics in a polluted environment, the most sensitive organisms are lost as a result of contaminating pressure, while the most tolerant survive. Consequently, the new community is more tolerant to the toxics responsible for the selection than another originally identical community, but has never been exposed to the toxicant.


Physiologically, the ability to tolerate increased levels of toxic substances can be expensive in terms of energy or other resources. The energy costs are due to processes that protect organisms against stressors (escape reactions, mucous barriers, protein synthesis) or contribute to eliminate the body of a stressor (metabolizing or excreting pollutants).

According to the metabolic cost hypothesis, a decrease in energy reserves (carbohydrates, lipids, proteins) is observed in different species exposed to various types of contaminants. The intensity of the impact of the stressor varies according to the species and type of stressors, due to the effect it has on different biological characteristics.

However, the adaptive benefit of tolerance has another negative counterpart to the potential cost of tolerance that leaves a system deficient to respond to additional stressors.

Referencia: Férard y Blaise (2013). Encyclopedia of Aquatic Ecotoxicology.

Aquatic biomarkers

Biomarker:

It is defined as an observable and / or measurable change in a biological or biochemical response, which ranges from the molecular level to the physiological level and includes behavioral changes.
The responses of the biomarkers indicate any exposure or toxic effect of environmental stressors and should be ecologically relevant.
They are considered as early warning systems in the evaluation of ecosystem quality. They can be used to evaluate the chemical exposure and the adverse effects of contaminants on biota in situ.
These are measured at the individual level but their responses are significant to be predictors of effects at the population level.


Biomarkers of ecotoxicological relevance:

Although individual and subindividual biomarkers are important sensitive tools for assessing the health of organisms, there is a lack of ecological relevance. To improve the ecological risk assessment, higher levels of biological organization (population) are used in the following ecologically relevant biomarkers:

• Behavior
• Reproduction
• Increase
• Energetic metabolism
• Integrity in lysosomes
• Immunotoxicity
• Genotoxicity

Referencia: Férard y Blaise (2013). Encyclopedia of Aquatic Ecotoxicology.

Extrapolation

For a better evaluation of the environmental risk of the chemicals, it is necessary to make a better integration of the ecological theory in the aquatic ecotoxicology, starting from the ecology of communities, trophic interaction and disturbance in ecology (Schmitt-Jansen et al 2008).

For a higher level of biological complexity, the authors introduce the concepts of:

• Sensitivity distribution in species
• Induced tolerance of the community in pollution
• Use of model ecosystems
• Sediment quality
• Landscape ecology

In agreement Schmitt-Jansen et al. (2008), a good water quality is fundamental for a sustainable development of the human society for the water supply, recreational purposes or the maintenance of the biodiversity of the ecosystem. Unfortunately, in many industrialized and agricultural regions pollution of surface and underground water bodies has been a serious problem (Schwarenbach et al., 2006). Despite political efforts to regulate ecological and environmental risk (WFD, EC 2000) or REACH, other aspects of various disciplines are needed, beyond standard toxicity tests. There are almost no approaches based on community indexes with respect to toxics, when evaluating the ecological status of a site.

The authors propose an integrated approach based on the union of basic and applied ecology approaches, aquatic ecotoxicology, ecology of stress and landscape ecology, which take into account the following:

• Laboratory test protocols
• Experimental and field monitoring
• Include early warning systems and computer simulation models
• Information on life cycle characteristics and trophic position of trophic chain species

In agreement Schmitt-Jansen et al. (2008), the union of these aspects could improve ecological realism in the evaluation of chemicals in aquatic ecosystems and be a worthwhile frontier for ecological research with implications for policy and legislation.

Referencia: Schmitt-Jansen M, U Veit, G Dudel y R Altenburger (2008). An ecological perspective in aquatic ecotoxicology: approaches and challenges. Basic and applied ecology 9(4): 337-345.