Cooperatives have the potential to develop an economic, social and environmental activity in a sustainable manner. In particular, social management is aimed at meeting the needs of its partners, families and community in an efficient and effective way. A study of social management was carried out in 60 savings and credit cooperatives in Pichincha, Ecuador, to determine if this is carried out under sustainability principles, with the determination that the recognition of social responsibility and the integral management of the economic and social issues, depends on the segment to which they belong, in which the non-definition of the social budget has a negative influence. The ignorance of the partners about the principles of Cooperativism; the inexistence of Cooperative Education Committees, specifically environmental education and action programs; the lack of granting credits for partner undertakings and the non-application of the cooperative social balance sheet are also other issues that damage the correct functioning of these associative forms. There were recognized areas to be strengthened to guarantee the sustainability of cooperatives as an associative form, such as the definition of social objectives; the active participation of the partners in decision-making and of another two interest groups (families and community).

<p>Las múltiples crisis ecológico-sociales de la actualidad necesitan que la bioética global se integre a la educación superior en Ciencias Biológicas y de la Salud. Partiendo de esta premisa y con miras a desarrollar estrategias educativas que fortalezcan la adquisición de actitudes bioéticas entre los alumnos de las licenciaturas de la Divi- sión de Ciencias Biológicas y de la Salud (dcbs) de la Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Iztapalapa (uam-I), nuestro equipo realizó dos estudios entre 2012 y 2014, con el objetivo de conocer el contenido de bioética en planes y programas de las licenciaturas de la dcbs  y las actitudes de los alumnos de licenciatura, para los cuales se emplearon una metodología de análisis de coincidencias con palabras clave y un cuestionario tipo <em>Likert</em>. Los resultados sugieren que la bioética no se ha incluido adecuadamente en el contenido de planes y programas, ni ha jugado un papel importante en la formación de las actitudes de los estudiantes que; sin embargo, no son tan desfavorables al respecto. Con base en lo anterior, los autores sugerimos una serie de estrategias educativas que podrían mejorar dicha situación, así como otro tipo de análisis para profundizar en el conocimiento de esta problemática.</p><p><strong> </strong></p>

Tamiahua is one of the largest estuarine-lagoonal systems in the Mexican Gulf of Mexico. It has great economic and ecological importance due to high fisheries productivity and because it serves as a nursery, feeding and reproduction area for numerous populations of fishes and crustaceans. Spatial and temporal variations of fish diversity, abundance, dominant species and community inhabitants were determined based on samples taken on a bimonthly basis from May 1994 to March 1995. A total of 83 species, 62 genera and 32 families were collected, of which 14 species, 8 genera and 3 families were recorded for the first time in this area. Based on our collections and earlier reports, 136 species are known to use this lagoon system at some stage of their life cycle. The highest diversity and abundance values occurred during the rainy season (H'n = 2.7, D = 7.1, and J' = 0.6; biomass = 59.3 g m–2, density = 5.8 ind m–2, and average weight = 10.2 g ind–1). Seasonal fluctuation of these parameters reflects the life cycles of different species (mainly the dominant species) related to the environmental dynamics of the ecosystem. Based on a graph-statistical analysis of the abundance and frequency data of 22,984 individuals, the fish species inhabiting the system were classified into four groups: resident, transient, irregular and rare. This analysis revealed the presence of 9 resident species, representing 77% and 73% of the total number of individuals and biomass, respectively. In order of importance, these species were Anchoa mitchilli, Membras vagrans, Hyporhamphus roberti, Bairdiella chrysoura, Eucinostomus melanopterus, Strongylura notata, Mugil curema, Achirus lineatus, and Cynoscion nebulosus.

In columnar cacti, a higher production of reproductive structures on branches oriented towards the Equator has been explained by their higher interception of photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) as well as resource availability. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of orientation on diverse aspects of the reproductive biology of Myrtillocactus geometrizans. Phenology was studied in north-and south-facing branches. Floral cycle events, floral visitors, reproductive traits associated with sexual and attraction functions, and reproductive success were estimated from reproductive structures with contrasting orientation. Pollination experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of orientation on mating system. Our results showed that south-facing branches had a longer duration of the mature fruit phenophase. Moreover, flower synchrony, production of reproductive structures, and floral traits associated with the male (number of anthers and pollen grains per floral bud), female (number and size of ovules and dimensions of both ovary and ovary cavity), and attraction (petal size) functions had higher values in south-facing flowers. The beginning and ending of the male function and the end of flower anthesis occurred earlier in south-facing flowers. Diversity of floral visitors was similar between orientations, except for beetles whose abundance was greater in flowers oriented towards the south. North-and southfacing flowers had a mixed mating system, with similar reproductive success. Our results showed strong differences in the reproductive biology of an intertropical columnar cactus, probably in response to the uneven PAR interception and resource availability in branches and flowers with contrasting orientation.