Code-Switching Knowledge as Heritage Grammar Attainment: A Case Study

This study examines sensitivity to putative grammatical constraints on intra-sentential code-switching, viewed as a relative measure of attainment in heritage bilingual grammars. This is exemplified by a series of interactive tasks carried out with heritage Portuguese speakers in Misiones Province, Argentina. The results demonstrate the viability of deploying a range of experimental techniques in field settings with heritage speakers who do not engage in habitual code switching.

Spanish contact influence in a Finnish heritage community in Misiones, Argentina

This study examines contact outcomes in Finnish spoken in a heritage community in Misiones province, Argentina, in the 1970s. The data show limited morphosyntactic differences from dialectal varieties of Finnish, and most of the Spanish influence is lexical loans or sporadic codeswitches that have an emphatic function. The results show that beyond established lexical loans, both fluent and less fluent speakers avoid mixing and comment on it when it occurs. Translation and word search strategies show evidence of the speakers’ awareness about language mixing in the interview setting in which data were collected.

Concentration, Spatial Distribution and Potential Ecological Risk of Heavy Metals in Stream Sediments of the Misiones Province, Argentina

One hundred and twenty-eight stream sediment samples were collected in the Misiones province of Argentina by the low-density geochemical mapping project of the China Geological Survey. The analyzed data were used to study the concentration, spatial distribution, local pollution level and potential ecological risk of eight heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn) by factor analysis, geoaccumulation index (Igeo), enrichment factor (EF) and the Hakanson’s potential ecological risk index (Eir and RI) methods. Results showed that the background values (median) of those elements were 2.97 ppm, 0.13 ppm, 212.60 ppm, 322.53 ppm, 0.013 ppm, 64.42 ppm, 12.58 ppm, and 198.85 ppm, respectively. Except for Hg, the contents of other elements were higher than the abundance of continental crust. The spatial distribution of Cu and Zn in stream sediments were consistent, while that of other elements were different. The factor analysis results implied that Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni and Zn were mainly affected by geological background and inherited the characteristics of regional parent rocks. Furthermore, Pb was not only controlled by natural conditions but also related to human activities, while As and Hg represented the anthropogenic sources, and their concentrations were affected by human activities. The results of Igeo and EF told us that Cu was heavily polluted in stream sediments; Pb and Zn were largely mildly polluted; As, Cr, Cd, Ni and Hg were mostly nonpolluted. The ecological risks were ordered as As > Cu > Cd > Pb > Hg > Cr > Ni > Zn. In general, the potential ecological risk of heavy metals in the Misiones province was low, but As and Cu also have a high ecological risk at some sampling points, which should be considered.

First reports of Toxophora aurea Macquart (Diptera: Bombyliidae: Toxophorinae) in Argentina, and comments on the biology of two species of the genus

The bee fly Toxophora aurea Macquart is reported for the first time in Argentina. One single specimen of this species was reared from a nest of Isodontia costipennis (Spinola) (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae) in the province of Formosa and others were captured in southern Misiones province, and others housed in entomological collections from the provinces Chaco, Santiago del Estero and Santa Fe. Data about the biology of Toxophora leucon Séguy from individuals reared in nests of Cyphomenes anisitsii (Brèthes), Pachodyneurs guadulpensis (Saussure) and Zethus dicomboda (Spinola) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae) in the province of Formosa are also reported. These are the first data about the reproductive ecology of these parasitic flies in Argentina.

THE VIOLETS OF THE BRAZILIAN SAVANNA: A REVISION OF THE POMBALIA LANATA COMPLEX (VIOLACEAE), WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF TWO NEW SPECIES

Pombalia Vand. (Violaceae) is represented in the Cerrado by a well-supported monophyletic group of species known as the Pombalia lanata complex, characterised by some unique vegetative and reproductive features within the genus. This group includes six species – Pombalia cristalina, P. insignis, P. lanata, P. poaya, P. strigoides and P. velutina – the first two of which are new to science. Pombalia lanata shows the widest geographical distribution throughout the Central Brazilian Plateau and the Espinhaço Range in Minas Gerais state, with a disjunction in Misiones Province, Argentina. Because most species in this group are narrow endemics, we evaluated the conservation status of all taxa. An identification key for the species, descriptions, illustrations, maps of geographical distribution and nomenclatural notes are also provided.

Odonata (Insecta) checklist in reserves in Campos y Malezales ecoregion in Misiones, with new distributional records

The dragonfly fauna of four reserves located in Campos y Malezales ecoregion, Misiones Province, was studied between 2014 and 2018. Thirty-six species and eight morphotypes, belonging to six families of Anisoptera and Zygoptera were identified, representing together 22% of the known species in the Province. Libellulidae was the family with the highest number of species recorded (22 species) followed by Coenagrionidae (15 species). Two species were new records, one for Argentina (Minagrion waltheri Selys), and one for Misiones province (Tholymis citrina Hagen)

Evaluation of different strategic planning approaches in a forest plantation in the North of Misiones Province, Argentina

<abstract> <p>In this paper we evaluate different models and constraints to define strategic planning approaches. In addition, we analyze the best models to meet the expectations generated by the organization. A forest company situated in the province of Misiones, Argentina, provided the data. Hence, forest growth was simulated and, ultimately, optimized planning was used to evaluate different scenarios with 50-year horizon. The best results to stabilize log production were obtained when the harvest is relaxed in ±2 years. Relaxing the clear-cut age leads to a better balance in planting, thinning (1, 2, 3 and 4) and clear felling operations. We found that when maximizing the economic benefit, the NPV is slightly higher, however, this is not significant. In this sense, the planner chooses an economic or volumetric objective function. Furthermore, we demonstrated that model 1 presented better results than model 2 because it manages to stabilize production in the planning horizon. The results allow forest companies to see the implication of choosing the model for strategic planning.</p> </abstract>

Overlooked diversity in Argentine caviomorph rodents: the need to increase field efforts

Based on a variety of evidence (photographs, feces, specimens), three previously unsuspected caviomorph rodents are reported from Argentina: (1) a spiny rat (Echimyidae) probably belonging to the genus Phyllomys, in northern Misiones Province near Iguazú National Park; (2) an undetermined octodontid (Octodontidae) in western Chacoan Córdoba Province; and (3) the octodontid Spalacopus (Octodontidae), in high-Andean ranges of San Juan Province. The latter constitutes the first record of the genus for Argentina, and all the three findings highlight the necessity to increase collecting efforts in the country.