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The aim of this paper is to study the process of linguistic change recently detected in the pronominal system of the Spanish variety from the Canary Islands. According to a number of parameters which define the domain of study, such as age, gender, sociocultural level, origin, residence and possible influence of other varieties, the survey makes use of data extracted from the social network Facebook comments to try to find out to what extend the pronominal system generally used in the Canary Islands has undergone a relevant change and what kind of system(s) can best represent the linguistic competence of at least some part of this speech community. Finally, it discusses whether or not the attested change can be related to linguistic self-esteem problems or the influence of peninsular Spanish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Populations inhabiting the periphery of a species' distribution suffer the immediate pressure of the environmental changes. Studying their physiology under stressful conditions is essential in the context of climate change. We characterized two morphotypes with measurements of length, thickness and width of the thallus of the macroalga Fucus guiryi in two localities (north and south) in Tenerife (Canary Islands), the southern limit of distribution of the species. We hypothesized that the individuals from the north locality, especially the large morphotype, would be more vulnerable to desiccation and high temperatures than those from the south. Tolerance to desiccation was tested through two long desiccation experiments and by comparing the vegetative and reproductive blades. Tolerance to high temperatures was tested by keeping the individuals in seawater (26–32 °C) for 24 h. The recovery of physiological functions after the stressful conditions was estimated through maximal photochemical efficiency of PSII. Results indicate that both of the two morphometrically differentiated morphotypes were tolerant to prolonged desiccation; however, the small one was more affected, particularly in the northern locality. The reproductive blades were hardly affected, indicating greater tolerance to desiccation than the vegetative blades. Fucus guiryi showed tolerance to high temperatures (32 °C) suggesting plasticity to future warming scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Canary Islands are home to a large variety of endemic fauna. The Canary shrew (Crocidura canariensis) has a distribution restricted to Fuerteventura, Lanzarote and the islets of Lobos and Montaña Clara. One of the main threats to the insular fauna is the arrival of exotic species. The greater white-toothed shrew (Crocidura russula) is an easily transportable animal and a potential competitor for C. canariensis. Therefore, C. russula should be taken into account in the management protocols for invasive species. One of the most easily applicable techniques for detecting shrews is the analysis of pellets. This study aims to assess which morphological characters are diagnostic and easy to use when identifying both species of shrews. For this purpose, a blind specific assignment has been made using seven previously described characters and another three added in the present study. The results show that the observer's experience did not improve the correct identification rate and that only three of the evaluated characters have a high discriminant capacity. Finally, it was found that the combined use of the maximum number of characters and the identification by two independent observers reduces the probability of making a mistake in the determination to minimum values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fifteen attached macroalgae from the Madeira Archipelago, comprising three green, three red and nine brown algal species, as well as two beach-cast macroalgal samples, collected along the north shore of Gran Canaria, were assessed for their biochemical properties. The analysis included the determination of total minerals, total carbohydrates, protein, lipids, chlorophyll a, total carotenoids, total phenolic content, fucoxanthin and phycobilins (allophycocyanin, phycocyanin and phycoerythrin). The results showed a high variability of biochemical composition, allowing for the targetting of specific bioresources for particular purposes, including functional foods. This work provides the foundation for a biorefinery strategy implementation plan, for which specific macroalgae may be targeted for valuable and beneficial compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gelidium canariense and Gelidium arbusculum coexist in the upper sublittoral zone in the Canary Islands and are the only Gelidiales registered as vulnerable species. Spore germination and the formation of rhizoids are vital steps for the successful growth of new plants. We investigated the initial germination stages of tetraspores and the growth of the primary rhizoid in these two vulnerable species. Both Gelidiales exhibited Gelidium-type germination. However, liberated tetraspores of G. canariense and G. arbusculum germinated earlier than those of other species of the Gelidiales. The growth curves of primary rhizoids were similar in both species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]