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Resiliencia del pinar canario después de la erupción del volcán Tajogaite (La Palma, 2021)

Resiliencia del pinar canario después de la erupción del volcán Tajogaite (La Palma, 2021)

Durante 85 días (19 de septiembre – 13 de diciembre de 2021), la isla de La Palma sufrió el mayor evento eruptivo desde que se tienen registros históricos. El volcán Tajogaite emitió una gran cantidad de materiales volcánicos y gases, afectando a la población, a la economía local y a la biodiversidad. Tres ecosistemas se vieron afectados: matorral costero, matorral termófilo y pinar canario, siendo este último el que resultó más dañado, especialmente desde el cráter hasta 7 km hacia el sur de la isla. A pesar de ser un hábitat ampliamente estudiado, nunca se había evaluado el impacto de una erupción volcánica sobre su biodiversidad. Este estudio se ha centrado en este ecosistema, a similar altitud del cráter, a lo largo de la dorsal de Cumbre Vieja. Los resultados muestran que la velocidad de recuperación del pinar es más rápida de lo que se pensaba, permitiendo entender mejor los efectos de una erupción volcánica sobre la biodiversidad canaria.

Guerrero Campos, María; Marrero Rodríguez, Patricia; García Becerra, Rafael; Miranda García-Rovés, José Carlos; Domínguez Flores, Tania; Chano González, Víctor; Fariña Trujillo, Beatriz; Nogales, Manuel; Manuel Medina, Félix.

Foresta, 87: 78-89 (2024)
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A new eyeless Poecilochroa Westring, 1874 (Araneae: Gnaphosidae) from Gran Canaria, Spain

A new eyeless Poecilochroa Westring, 1874 (Araneae: Gnaphosidae) from Gran Canaria, Spain

The mesovoid shallow substratum (MSS) of Gran Canaria is known to harbour a rich and diverse underground fauna. Since the 2000s surveys have been intensified in this island and the number of species associated with caves and MSS has steadily increased, now exceeding fifty species. In this study we describe another MSS species from Gran Canaria which is also the first eyeless member of the spider family Gnaphosidae from the Canary Islands. The new species is only tentatively placed in Poecilochroa Westring, 1874 and is named P. exoculata sp. nov.

Lissner, Jørgen; Suárez, Daniel; López, Heriberto.

Arachnology, 19(7): 1018-1024 (2024)
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Sensory attributes and quality perception of red natural wines: a comparative study in Spain and France

Sensory attributes and quality perception of red natural wines: a comparative study in Spain and France

Although the definition of natural wine remains contested and still lacks official recognition, it can be broadly described as a wine made with organic or biodynamic grapes without oenological additives in the cellar and minimal intervention in all winemaking stages. Despite growing interest in natural wines, uncertainty prevails about their sensory and quality attributes among both consumers and experts. In light of this research gap, this study aims to determine, first, if there are specific sensory dimensions allowing to differentiate natural wine as a wine category from conventional wines; second, if this sensory dimension affects the perception of the quality; and third, to characterise the physicochemical differences in terms of basic oenological parameters between natural wines and their conventional counterparts. To do so, 24 red wines (12 self-defined as natural and 12 conventional wines) were sensory and chemically characterised. The sensory evaluation was first carried out by winemakers from Spain. It consisted of a descriptive task (labelled sorting task) followed by a quality evaluation under two conditions: with and without information regarding the production method. A second panel of French experts carried out the same quality assessment, also with and without information. The aim was to find out whether expectations existed linked to each type of wine and to explore potential cross-cultural effects. The results of the labelled sorting task showed that natural wines tended to be different from conventional wines, but the difference was not clear-cut. However, natural wines were perceived to be of lower quality than their conventional counterparts, both with and without the information provided, regardless of the origin of winemakers. Results of the chemical analysis showed that natural wines presented higher values for volatile and total acidity and turbidity, while they had lower values for total and free sulphur. The study points to the existence of sensory dimensions with an impact on overall quality associated with the production method.

Ballester, Jordi; Belascoin, Mirian; Gonzalez-Hernandez, Marivel; Parga-Dans, Eva; Alonso-González, Pablo; Sáenz-Navajas, María-Pilar.

OENO One, 58(1): 1-10 (2024)

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Friday, 25 November 2022