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Pastoralism Can Mitigate Biodiversity Loss on Global Rangelands
Get PDFSustainable pastoralism represents a primary strategy for supporting goals of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Sixty-seven percent of biodiversity hotspots and 38% of key biodiversity areas globally include rangelands, but international conventions seldom recognize this vast biodiversity repository. We summarize four synergies between pastoralism and biodiversity conservation: working lands conservation, continuation of vital disturbance regimes, connectivity through transhumance corridors, and community-led governance. Actions that leverage these synergies offer critical opportunities to mitigate biodiversity loss through the creation of a vast conservation network that includes working lands and protected areas. This will require that the contemporary conservation paradigm envision pastoralists as an asset rather than a threat to biodiversity conservation and recognize grazing and fire as ecological disturbances vital to the maintenance of biodiversity. Greater inclusion of rangelands and sustainable pastoralism within global conservation frameworks has high potential to enhance attainment of global biodiversity targets.The organizational support of the IYRP Global Alliance and Biodiversity working group, and constructive comments of two reviewers are gratefully acknowledged
Dyslexia: a window into the cortical mechanisms of adaptive speech analysis
Get PDFPublished online on 21st January, 2026.Atypical phonological processing is at the core of developmental dyslexia and is linked to aberrant tracking and analysis of auditory information in the cortex. Despite the importance of these mechanisms for speech processing and linguistic development, oral language comprehension in dyslexia remains largely intact. Recent findings suggest that dyslexia-linked atypical cortical processing patterns reflect both underlying deficits and compensatory strategies. This review synthesizes recent evidence linking atypical cortical tracking of auditory information in dyslexia, language development, and neurocognitive mechanisms of adaptive and resilient speech comprehension. We propose hemispheric rebalancing of linguistic analysis as a key compensatory mechanism in dyslexia, supported by interhemispheric connectivity within the distributed bilateral language network and greater reliance on lexico-semantic features during speech processing.A.K-G. acknowledges support from internal funding for pump-prime research from the University of Aberdeen and support and networking opportunities provided by Scottish Imaging Network: A Platform for Scientific Excellence (SINAPSE). M.B. acknowledges support from the Cambridge Language Sciences Incubator funds and the Isaac Newton Trust. N.M. and M.L. acknowledge support from the Basque Government through the BERC 2022-2025 program, funded by the Spanish State Research Agency through BCBL Severo Ochoa excellence accreditation CEX2020-001010/AEI/10.13039/501100011033. N.M. acknowledges funding from the ERC Advanced Grant Cortical Rhythms and financial support from the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (Grants PID2022-136991NB-I00, PCI2022-135031-2, and PDC2022-133917-I00) and the IKUR initiative. M.L. acknowledges funding from the ERC Consolidator Grant BIBALANCE and the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (PID2022-136989OB-I00)
Clean vehicle ownership: Implications for effective policy interventions
Get PDFThe transport sector's increasing greenhouse gas emissions pose a critical challenge to efforts to mitigate climate change. This paper examines the factors influencing electric and hybrid vehicle ownership in Spain, while assessing the effectiveness of the MOVES Plan, the primary policy designed to encourage their adoption. Using seldom available revealed preferences data from the 2021 Survey of Essential Characteristics of the Population and Housing (ECEPOV-21) and a mixed logit model, key determinants of clean vehicle ownership are identified, highlighting an access gap driven by factors such as income, education level, or urban residence. The joint analysis of these results and the MOVES Plan shows that the current structure of the subsidies disproportionately benefits wealthier, urban, and highly educated households. Policy implications are discussed, providing recommendations for refining the design of the subsidy to support a more equitable and widespread adoption of clean vehicles.The authors acknowledge financial support from MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 through Grants PID2020-113650RB-I00 and PID2023-147981OB-I00, the Basque Government through Grant IT1508-22 (UPV/EHU Econometrics Research Group) and the María de Maeztu Excellence Unit 2023-2027 Ref. CEX2021-001201-M, funded by ICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033, and the Basque Government through the BERC 2022-2025 program. The authors also thank Clàudia Rodés-Bachs for her assistance with computational aspects of the simulation
Linkages between Caribbean hydroclimate, atmospheric CO2, and methane production on orbital to millennial timescales
No full textWe present the oldest speleothem isotope record from Central America and the Caribbean, a high-resolution stalagmite (“Katún”) spanning discontinuously ∼198–322 ka BP, that documents hydroclimate variability across glacial–interglacial and millennial timescales. Katún δ18O covaries significantly with atmospheric CO2 and CH4, and multivariate analyses show that CO2 + CH4 together explain more variance in δ18O than either gas alone. Consistent with a CO2-mediated SST mechanism, Katún δ18O correlates with tropical Atlantic and eastern Pacific SST reconstructions, indicating that radiative forcing influenced Caribbean precipitation primarily through tropical surface warming. At millennial scales, Katún δ18O tracks North Atlantic variability: it aligns with CH4 peaks associated with Greenland D–O cycles and with detrital proxies of Heinrich-type ice-rafting, implicating AMOC-paced ITCZ shifts and SST-driven convection as key controls. A weak Katún–Cariaco Mo relationship highlights proxy sensitivities and argues against ITCZ migration as the sole driver. In contrast to Asian monsoon archives, Katún shows little precessional insolation imprint, emphasizing the dominance of internal ocean–atmosphere dynamics (AMOC, SSTs) in regulating Caribbean hydroclimate and modulating tropical wetland methane emissions during MIS 7–9.This project was supported by M. Medina-Elizalde and S. Burns P2C2 NSF Grant # 2102983. U-Th dating was partially supported by grants from the National Science and Technology Council, Taiwan (111-2116-M-002-022-MY3), the National Taiwan University, Taiwan (112L894202), and the Higher Education Sprout Project of the Ministry of Education, Taiwan (110L901001 and 110L8907)
An EEG correlation framework to study state anxiety and learning under uncertainty
No full textPublished on 12th February, 2026.Objective. Recent developments in computational neuroscience have shed light on the neural processes underlying altered decision-making under uncertainty in anxiety. These disruptions are partly attributed to impaired encoding of precision-weighted prediction errors (pwPEs), which guide belief updating during learning and decision-making, as described by hierarchical Bayesian models. In this paper, we introduce a gamified paradigm for collecting decision-making data, together with a framework for extracting EEG features linked to computationally relevant variables, drawing on principles from neurofeedback and brain-computer interface research. This approach aims to develop tools that target functionally meaningful brain networks involved in decision-making, with the potetntial to inform future neurofeedback interactions. Approach. Forty healthy participants performed a volatile decision-making task in a game-based, immersive environment. EEG data were analysed to identify spatial filters whose theta- and alpha-band power correlated with pwPEs and state anxiety scores. Both intra-subject (trial-wise pwPEs) and inter-subject (state anxiety) analyses were conducted to uncover distinct neural signatures. Main results. The intra-subject analysis revealed that pwPEs were significantly and positively correlated with theta power, and significantly and negatively correlated with alpha power—supporting the hypothesis that these oscillatory patterns underlie belief updating. In contrast, the inter-subject analysis showed that higher state anxiety was associated with reduced theta and increased alpha power, consistent with attenuated learning and impaired adaptation in anxious individuals. These findings align with theoretical models of hierarchical Bayesian inference and prior evidence of anxiety-related disruptions in uncertainty processing. Significance. The findings validate the proposed EEG framework for identifying neural markers related to belief updating and anxiety-related learning impairments. This approach lays the foundation for personalized neurofeedback procedures that target maladaptive decision-making in anxiety, with the added benefit of using immersive task paradigms for better engagement and translational potential for real-world applications.This research is supported by the Basque Government through the BERC 2022-2025 program and by the BCBL Severo Ochoa excellence accreditation CEX2020-001010/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 funded by the Spanish State Research Agency and through projects PID2020-118829RB-I00 and PRE2021-099863 funded by the Spanish Ministry of Research and Innovation
Critical Success Factors in Technology Transfer: An Integrative Framework for the SME–Technology Center Context
No full text[ES]Este trabajo analiza de manera sistemática los factores críticos de éxito (FCE) asociados a los procesos de transferencia de tecnología, con un énfasis específico en la relación entre centros tecnológicos y pequeñas y medianas empresas, un contexto aun insuficientemente abordado en la literatura. A partir de una revisión exhaustiva y estructurada, se identifican, agrupan y sintetizan factores previamente dispersos, proponiendo un marco analítico que concibe la transferencia de tecnología como un proceso relacional, dinámico y fuertemente condicionado por el contexto organizativo e institucional de las pymes.
La principal contribución del estudio reside en la estructuración de los factores críticos de éxito en torno a un modelo genérico de transferencia de naturaleza comunicativa (broadcasting), articulado en seis elementos interrelacionados: emisor, receptor, relación, objeto, contexto y mecanismo. Este enfoque permite superar aproximaciones fragmentadas y avanzar hacia una comprensión sistémica del proceso de transferencia, especialmente relevante en entornos caracterizados por asimetrías de recursos, capacidades tecnológicas y horizontes temporales, como las que definen la relación entre centros tecnológicos y pymes.
El análisis pone de relieve que, en este contexto, el éxito de la transferencia no depende exclusivamente de la excelencia tecnológica, sino de la interacción entre la capacidad absortiva de la pyme, la calidad y continuidad de la relación con el centro tecnológico, la adecuación del objeto transferido y el diseño del proyecto como mecanismo de transferencia. Asimismo, se subraya el papel específico de los centros tecnológicos como intermediarios especializados, capaces de reducir la incertidumbre, facilitar el aprendizaje progresivo y acompañar a las pymes en la maduración y explotación de tecnologías con potencial de impacto en el mercado. El marco propuesto ofrece una base conceptual sólida para futuras investigaciones sobre transferencia de tecnología en pymes y proporciona orientaciones relevantes tanto para la gestión de la transferencia por parte de centros tecnológicos y empresas como para el diseño de políticas públicas de innovación más sensibles a las limitacionesy necesidades reales de las pymes.[EN]This paper systematically analyzes the critical success factors associated with technology transfer processes, with a specific emphasis on the relationship between technology centers and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), a context that remains insufficiently addressed in the literature. Based on a comprehensive and structured review, previously dispersed factors are identified, grouped, and synthesized, proposing an analytical framework that conceptualizes technology transfer as a relational and dynamic process that is strongly conditioned by the organizational and institutional context of SMEs. The main contribution of the study lies in structuring the critical success factors around a generic communicative (broadcasting) model of transfer articulated around six interrelated elements: sender, receiver, relationship, object, context, and mechanism. This approach makes it possible to move beyond fragmented perspectives and advance toward a systemic understanding of the transfer process, particularly relevant in environments characterized by asymmetries in resources, technological capabilities, and time horizons, such as those defining the relationship between technology centers and SMEs. The analysis highlights that, in this context, successful transfer does not depend solely on technological excellence, but rather on the interaction between the SME’s absorptive capacity, the quality and continuity of its relationship with the technology center, the suitability of the transferred object, and the design of the project as a transfer mechanism. Furthermore, the specific role of technology centers as specialized intermediaries is emphasized, as they help reduce uncertainty, facilitating progressive learning, and supporting SMEs in the maturation and exploitation of technologies with potential market impact. The proposed framework offers a solid conceptual basis for future research on technology transfer in SMEs and provides relevant insights for both the management of transfer processes by technology centers and firms and for the design of innovation policies that are more attuned to the real constraints and needs of SMEs.Basque Government, Consolidated Research Group (Grant No. IT1641-22
Influencia de la motivación hacia el aprendizaje y la procrastinación en la dependencia a ChatGPT
Get PDFEn poco tiempo, las inteligencias artificiales generativas como ChatGPT se han convertido en herramientas de apoyo para el aprendizaje, transformando la forma en que muchos estudiantes afrontan las tareas académicas. Su inmediatez y accesibilidad las hacen especialmente atractivas frente a los recursos tradicionales, hasta el punto de que algunos estudiantes pueden desarrollar cierta dependencia a ellas. Este trabajo investiga el impacto de la motivación hacia el aprendizaje y la procrastinación en la dependencia a ChatGPT. 467 estudiantes universitarios del área de la Educación participaron completando una serie de escalas validadas para evaluar diferentes tipos de motivación definidas en la Teoría de la Autodeterminación (motivación extrínseca, intrínseca y amotivación), procrastinación y dependencia a ChatGPT. Los análisis de mediación mostraron que los estudiantes con menor motivación intrínseca (β = -.076; LI = -.121; LS = -.037) y mayor amotivación (β = .090; LI = .041; LS = .144) tendían a procrastinar con mayor frecuencia, siendo la procrastinación un factor clave que aumentaba la dependencia a ChatGPT. Además, el alumnado con alta motivación extrínseca (incluso sin la mediación de la procrastinación) resultó ser más propenso a desarrollar una mayor dependencia a ChatGPT (β = .122; p = .022). Estos hallazgos destacan la importancia de implementar estrategias que fomenten la motivación intrínseca y la autorregulación, ayudando a los estudiantes a utilizar adecuadamente las herramientas basadas en la IA generativa mientras desarrollan competencias esenciales que podrían estar en riesgo por el uso excesivo de estas herramientas, como el pensamiento crítico y la resolución de problemas
Vulnerability of marine megafauna to global at-sea anthropogenic threats
Get PDFMarine megafauna species are affected by a wide range of anthropogenic threats. To evaluate the risk of such threats, species’ vulnerability to each threat must first be determined. We build on the existing threats classification scheme and ranking system of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species by assessing the vulnerability of 256 marine megafauna species to 23 at-sea threats. The threats we considered included individual fishing gear types, climate-change-related subthreats not previously assessed, and threats associated with coastal impacts and maritime disturbances. Our ratings resulted in 70 species having high vulnerability (v > 0.778 out of 1) to at least 1 threat, primarily drifting longlines, temperature extremes, or fixed gear. These 3 threats were also considered to have the most severe effects (i.e., steepest population declines). Overall, temperature extremes and plastics and other solid waste were rated as affecting the largest proportion of populations. Penguins, pinnipeds, and polar bears had the highest vulnerability to temperature extremes. Bony fishes had the highest vulnerability to drifting longlines and plastics and other solid waste; pelagic cetaceans to 4 maritime disturbance threats; elasmobranchs to 5 fishing threats; and flying birds to drifting longlines and 2 maritime disturbance threats. Sirenians and turtles had the highest vulnerability to at least one threat from all 4 categories. Despite not necessarily having severe effects for most taxonomic groups, temperature extremes were rated among the top threats for all taxa except bony fishes. The vulnerability scores we provide are an important first step in estimating the risk of threats to marine megafauna. Importantly, they help differentiate scope from severity, which is key to identifying threats that should be prioritized for mitigation.We thank D. Fernando, S. Williams (bony fishes), J. Barlow, J. Manuel Arcos, and M. Biuw for their contributions to scores. We are thankful for support from the Jock Clough Marine Foundation (to M.V.C. and A.M.M.S.). M.V.C. was supported by the C.F. & E.A. Jenkins postgraduate scholarship at UWA. A.M.M.S. was supported by a 2020 Fellowship in Marine Conservation by the Pew Charitable Trusts and an ARC DP210103091
Along the Silenced Footsteps of Latin American Pastoralists: From Mexico to Argentina, a Journey Through Pastoral Systems in Latin America
Get PDFPastoralism worldwide faces a complex landscape of increased pressures and exclusion. Beyond ecological and economic challenges, pastoralists suffer eroding cultural identity, limited generational renewal, and political marginalization. Yet pastoral livelihoods are increasingly recognized as stewards of sustainable futures and amongst the best food producers in a post-fossil world scenario. In such a struggle for socio-ecological justice, voices of Latin America pastoralists remain unheard both within regional debates and pastoral scholarship globally. With this article we explore the Latin American context to push conceptual, economic, and political boundaries that pose constraints for sustainable rural development. Rising voices of Latin American pastoralists reveal local agency, resourcefulness, and resistance. Critical notions of identity and feeling to belong tied to rootedness and “sense of place” emerge as particularly relevant, in contrast with conventional framings focused on environmental and economic constraints.We wish to thank the support received by Jürgen Hoth for his initial guidance in setting up the research and help throughout fieldwork. We are also very grateful to Carlos Martorell, Elco Blanco, Raul Hernandez, Leticia Soriano, Lourdes Peñuela, José Alexander Bejarano, Cecilia Turin, Higinio Puerto Huasco, Letizia Bindi, Maria Rosa Lanari, and Andres Marcelo Gaetano, for their assistance in setting up field logistics, sharing contacts, helping finding host families, and all the brainstorming and shared reflections. Most of all we wish to thank all our hosting families in Mexico, Colombia, Peru, and Argentina for their generosity, friendship, and hospitality. We thank the support received from PASTORAMERICAS network for the active engagement during the research, providing contacts, welcoming and hosting us in the various countries visited, and for the joint struggle to have pastoralists voices heard and respected. We also wish to thank Prof Javier Gonzalez Diez for reading a draft of the manuscript and providing insightful feedback. Open access publishing facilitated by Helsingin yliopisto, as part of the Wiley – FinELib agreement
Influence of forest thinning on the soil fauna: a systematic review of current knowledge and research gaps
Get PDFKey message
This systematic review shows that thinning effects on soil fauna abundance and species richness vary with thinning strategy and methodological approach. Positive responses are due to improved resources and favorable microclimate conditions, whereas negative responses were mainly associated with unfavorable microclimate conditions. However, current evidence remains fragmented, highlighting the need for standardized, comprehensive experiments to draw robust conclusions and generalize management recommendations.
Context
As harvesting and reforestation expand to meet bio-economy and renewable energy demands, forests face increasing pressure from both unsustainable practices and climate change. Forest thinning, widely used across many regions, alters forest structure, vegetation and microclimate, leading to cascading effects on soil biodiversity. Yet, compared to microbial communities, soil fauna remains comparatively understudied despite their diversity and central role in ecosystem functioning.
Aims
We conducted a systematic review to assess how forest thinning influences soil fauna.
Results
Only 41 articles were identified: 27 focused on macrofauna (170 observations), 20 on mesofauna (96), and 6 on microfauna (13). These experiments varied considerably in their forest thinning strategies, sampling methods and soil fauna metrics, making it difficult to conclude whether soil fauna abundance or species richness respond to thinning in a consistent way. Both positive and negative effects were reported. Reducing forest cover can lead to less favorable microclimatic conditions with cascading negative effects on soil fauna. Conversely, the resulting increase in understory vegetation biomass and diversity caused by forest opening can create more heterogeneous microhabitats and resources with cascading positive effects on soil fauna.
Conclusion
The observed variability in research approaches limits our mechanistic understanding of soil fauna response to thinning. We therefore emphasized recommendations for future research to improve methodological consistency and the robustness of findings.The study was supported by the \u201CExcellence Initiative of Aix Marseille University\u201D - A*Midex, a French \"Investissements d'Avenir programme\", through the \u201CMediterranean Institute for the Environmental Transition\u201D - ITEM (Grant No. AMX-19-IET-012; IMPACT-ALEP research project) and by the project \u201CHolistic management practices, modelling and monitoring for European forest soils\u201D - HoliSoils funded by the European commission (EU Horizon 2020 Grant Agreement No. 101000289). We thank Dr. J. Pearce for providing English language editing services. We are grateful to Dr. Philip A. Martin and Dr. Jorge Curiel Yuste for their constructive feedback on the review methodology and for their insightful comments on the manuscript. We would also like to thank the editor and the two referees for their help in improving this article