Mechanistic target of rapamymcin (mTOR) is a highly conserved protein kinase that controls cellular protein synthesis and energy homeostasis. We hypothesize that mTOR integrates intrinsic signals (moulting hormones) and extrinsic signals (thermal stress) to regulate moulting and growth in decapod crustaceans. The effects of temperature on survival, moulting and mRNA levels of mTOR signalling genes (, ,, and) and neuropeptides ( and ) were quantified in juvenile Crabs at different moult stages (12, 19 or 26 days postmoult) were transferred from ambient temperature (∼15°C) to temperatures between 5 and 30°C for up to 14 days. Survival was 97-100% from 5 to 20°C, but none survived at 25 or 30°C. Moult stage progression accelerated from 5 to 15°C, but did not accelerate further at 20°C. In eyestalk ganglia, , and mRNA levels decreased with increasing temperatures. and mRNA levels were lowest in the eyestalk ganglia of mid-premoult animals at 20°C. In the Y-organ, mRNA levels decreased with increasing temperature and increased during premoult, and were positively correlated with haemolymph ecdysteroid titre. In the heart, moult stage had no effect on mTOR signalling gene mRNA levels; only , and mRNA levels were higher in intermoult animals at 10°C. These data suggest that temperature compensation of neuropeptide and mTOR signalling gene expression in the eyestalk ganglia and Y-organ contributes to regulate moulting in the 10 to 20°C range. The limited warm compensation in the heart may contribute to mortality at temperatures above 20°C.

From February to June 2008 at inshore sites of the Magdalena region, specifically in Gaira and Granate inlets and Taganga Bay, six field trips were done comparing the main dry and short rainy seasons. The main aim was to determine the coupled ocean-atmosphere influence on the upwelling intensity, considering the physical and chemical variability within the water column between 0 and 60 m and the response of the phytoplankton community measured as chlorophyll a. Atmospheric, oceanographic, and biological conditions were evaluated following the Eulerian method. According to the oceanic and atmospheric conditions during the research period, Ekman transport and continental upwelling processes occurred through February and April, in response to adequate conditions: average wind speed (>4.0 m/s) and wind direction (parallel and perpendicular to the coast). Physical and chemical anomalies were detected in the water mass, such as low temperature (25.34±0.82°C), high salinity (35.5±0.30) and oxygen subsaturation (70.6±7.8 %). The inorganic nutrient supply was higher during upwelling processes,consequently, the system was defined as mesotrophic, causing greater phytoplankton chlorophyll a biomass with level up to 1.60 μg/L. "La Niña" 2007/2008 event, which covered the period of this of this research, did not incite any important disturbance over the typical upwelling conditions.