Michoacán centre for science and technology education a summary of the project

Summary This paper looks at the problems of science and technology education in Mexico, and proposes ways in which the quality of education at every level can be improved. It advocates an interdisciplinary approach, and from that approach to science education, the development of environmental education.Prof. Gutiérrez-Vázquez received his training in microbiology and biochemistry in the National Polytechnic Institute in his native Mexico City, receiving his degree in 1954. He went from instructor to assistant professor (1950–1960), becoming a full professor, deputy dean and then dean of the Faculty of Biology in the same Institute (1961–1969); he published two books and some 20 papers dealing with the physiology of tubercle bacillus and other mycobacteria, as well as with other topics on microbiology. More recently (1970 to date), he became a full professor in the Center for Advanced Studies of the same Institute, where he has been head of the Department of Educational Research (1972–1981) and carried out research and development projects on science education for children and adolescents. During this period he has published some 20 more books and 30 odd papers, and written more than 80 science programmes for commercial television.     

Foraging habitats of the seabird community of Europa Island (Mozambique Channel)

We investigated the foraging habitats of the winter breeding community of tropical seabirds from Europa Island (Mozambique Channel) in September 2003. We focused our study on the dominant species of this austral community, the sooty tern (Sterna fuscata), the red-footed booby (Sula sula), and the frigatebirds, including the great (Fregata minor) and the lesser frigatebirds (F. ariel). We considered the at-sea distribution and abundance of these species in relation to chlorophyll concentration, sea-surface temperatures, sea-surface height anomalies, depth of the thermocline, distance to the colony, and presence of surface marine predators, flying fishes and other seabirds. Although the marine environment where seabirds foraged was oligotrophic, it presents the best feeding opportunities for seabirds for the area in winter. Our study demonstrates that the winter-breeding seabird species of Europa Island tend to forage in productive waters in association with other marine predators when possible. Sooty terns and frigatebirds were widely distributed in the whole study area, whereas red-footed boobies were not found farther than 160 km from their colonies and were associated with relatively productive waters. Sooty terns and red-footed boobies were aggregated where flying fishes were abundant. The presence of other marine predators was associated with larger multispecies feeding flocks than when no association occurred. Sooty terns, which are numerically dominant at Europa and adopted network foraging, seem to be catalysts of feeding events, and represented a good target for the other foraging species, especially frigatebirds. However, when possible, frigatebirds favour association with flocks of red-footed boobies.Communicated by S.A. Poulet, Roscoff     

Statistical evaluation of chronic toxicity data on aquatic organisms for the hazard identification: the chemicals toxicity distribution approach

Presently, in the Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals the classification of substances for long-term effects to aquatic life is based on acute toxicity in combination with degradation and/or bioaccumulation potential. Recently an OECD Working Group was created to develop the classification scheme to accommodate chronic toxicity data related to aquatic organisms for assigning a chronic hazard category. This study focuses on a new approach for setting chronic toxicity cut-off values based on Chemicals Toxicity Distributions (CTDs). A CTD is obtained through statistical fitting of the data used by regulatory bodies for setting hazard-based classifications. The CTDs were made using the lowest aquatic NOEC value of each chemical. A review of different toxicological sources reporting acute aquatic toxicities was carried out. Initially, the data were arranged according to the specific source and distributions for key taxonomic groups (i.e. fishes, crustaceans and algae) were evaluated separately. In most cases, no significant departures from normality were observed. Thereafter, a compiled database containing >900 values was developed and the CTDs were constructed for each taxonomic group. Significant deviation from normality (P < 0.05) was observed in the fishes and crustaceans' CTDs. However, this deviation was apparently produced by the presence of only seven values with NOECs <1 x 10(-5) mg l(-1), while high correlation between the data and the normal scores (r-values>or= 0.989) indicated that the data were samples from normal distributions. From these observations, potential cut-off values would allow quantitative estimations of the percentage of chemicals falling into each specific category. This approach results in a simple classification hazard scheme where most chemicals are covered in one of the categories, allowing a clear distribution of the chemicals among three categories for chronic toxicity.