Biology subjects

Cano, D.

Publications and source records attributed to Cano, D..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Assessing pollinator community recovery in restored agroecosystems using the recovery debt framework

Recovery debt (RD) quantifies the interim deficit of biodiversity and function during the recovery process after disturbance. Unlike typical recovery indices derived from data on experimental-control comparisons, RD further considers the target (reference) biodiversity level, modelling the rate at which it is approached over time. However, the application of the RD approach to active restoration has not been explicitly implemented to date. Here, we extend the RD framework to evaluate active ecological restoration in agricultural systems, defining the onset of recovery as the shift from intensive to wildlife-friendly management. We applied this approach to assess short-term pollinator recovery in 14 olive groves across a gradient of farming intensification and landscape complexity in southern Spain. Restoration actions included adopting low-intensity ground cover management and actively restoring field margins. At one, three, and five years post-restoration, we assessed community responses by quantifying bee abundance, species richness, plant-bee network properties, and flower visitation rates. Reference systems were defined by olive groves in complex landscapes with low-intensity herb cover management and organic farming practices. Following restoration, the RD of bee abundance decreased from 71% to 55%. We found no significant effects of pre-intervention agricultural management on RD. Instead, across sites, the reduction of the RD (i.e., recovery) of bee abundance, richness, network connectance and flower visitation rate was strongly mediated by the availability of high-quality semi-natural areas in the surrounding landscape and by the ecological contrast created by restoration interventions at both the farm and floral patch levels. RD for other network metrics showed no significant pattern of variation. Our study demonstrates that wildlife-friendly management and targeted habitat restoration can rapidly reduce recovery debt for bee abundance and function in permanent agroecosystems. However, the recovery of more complex interaction-network properties likely requires longer timescales.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2025

BIOFABRICATION OF AN OVINE INTERVERTEBRAL DISC MODEL BY COMBINING A POLYCAPROLACTONE FRAME WITH A BIOPRINTED ALGINATE HYDROGEL

The intervertebral disc (IVD) primarily comprises an outer ring of collagen fibers (annulus fibrosus, AF), which encases a soft, gelatinous core (nucleus pulposus, NP). Existing in vitro models have failed to integrate these two tissues effectively or accurately replicate their intricate organization. By combining two biofabrication techniques, we developed a novel 3D in vitro model that closely mimics the organization of an ovine IVD. Our approach employs a polycaprolactone (PCL) frame produced via melt electrowriting to recreate the multilamellar architecture of the annulus fibrosus. Ovine primary cells, encapsulated in a photocrosslinkable alginate hydrogel, were precisely extruded within the multilamellar structure, thereby mimicking the native shape and size of an ovine disc. The bioink containing the NP cells was deposited at the center of the construct, while the bioink with the AF cells was strategically layered in between the lamellae of the PCL frame. Photocrosslinking was optimized to match the native stiffness of the disc. The constructs were maintained in culture for 28 days, during which we thoroughly assessed reproducibility, stability, and cell viability and phenotype. The results unequivocally demonstrated that the PCL frame effectively guided the alignment and proliferation of AF cells, while the alginate hydrogel preserved NP cell phenotype. This model successfully replicates the organization of the IVD, providing a promising platform for advancing our understanding of disc biology and driving the development of novel therapeutic strategies.

bioengineering↗

bioRxiv2019

LINE-1 retrotransposition impacts the genome of human pre implantation embryos and extraembryonic tissues

Long Interspersed Element 1 (LINE-1/L1) is an abundant retrotransposon that has greatly impacted human genome evolution. LINE-1s are responsible for the generation of millions of insertions in the current human population. The characterization of sporadic cases of mosaic individuals carrying pathogenic L1-insertions, suggest that heritable insertions occurs during early embryogenesis. However, the timing and potential genomic impact of LINE-1 mobilization during early embryogenesis is unknown. Here, we demonstrate that inner cell mass of human pre-implantation embryos support the expression and retrotransposition of LINE -1s. Additionally, we show that LINE-1s are expressed in trophectoderm cells of embryos, and identify placenta-restricted endogenous LINE-1 insertions in newborns. Using human embryonic stem cells as a model of post-implantation epiblast cells, we demonstrate ongoing LINE-1 retrotransposition, which can impact expression of targeted genes. Our data demonstrate that LINE-1 retrotransposition starts very shortly after fertilization and may represent a previously underappreciated factor in human biology and disease.

genomics↗