Payments for Environmental Services: To whom, where, and how much?

In this paper we consider different strategies for implementing a payment for environmental services (PES) program to mitigate deforestation in Mexican common property forests (ejidos). We begin by discussing the policy context within which PES programs find themselves, highlighting other possible interventions to help preserve environmental amenities in Mexico. We then discuss some basic principles of environmental payment schemes, formalizing these into three that we simulate: payment of the opportunity cost for forests at risks; payment for environmental benefits provided by forests at risk; a flat payment scheme with a cap on allowable hectares, similar to the type of program often applied in developing countries; and a program of opportunity cost payments for forest at risk with highest environmental benefit per dollar paid. We find that, of these three, the last is most efficient and the second most egalitarian. We also repeat a simulation of the third scheme using predicted, rather than actual risk, which circumvents the problem of strategic behavior on the part of recipient communities but introduces some error into the targeting process. Finally, we consider the characteristics of communities that receive payments from the most efficient program, finding that larger and more remote ejidos receive the lion's share of the budget, but that payments to them are not necessarily more efficient. This scheme also gives more, though smaller on a per capita basis, payments to poor and indigenous communities, where they are more efficient than those to non-poor and non-indigenous ejidos.Environmental Economics and Policy,

La palette végétale méditerranéenne et les ambiances bioclimatiques dans le projet d'architecture

Ce travail de recherche a commencé en 1980 sous l'égide de l'Agence Française pour la Maîtrise de l'Energie, du Plan Construction et du Secrétariat à la Recherche en Architecture. Le rapport entre le végétal et l'architecture a été examiné sous l'angle des ambiances microclimatiques par une équipe constituée d'architectes, paysagistes et géographes. Des actions de recherche ont été formulées et instrumentées, en particulier la mise en forme de données adaptées au projet d'aménagement et d'architecture

A(40)Ar/(39) Ar study of oceanic and continental deformation processes during an oblique collision: Taconian orogeny in the Quebec reentrant of the Canadian Appalachians

International audienceTwo phases of penetrative deformation are documented in the Taconian hinterland of the Appalachian orogen in the Gaspé Peninsula. D1 is associated with the obduction of the Mont-Albert ophiolite onto the Paleozoic Laurentian margin, whereas D2 corresponds to later transport of allochthons across the margin. In the metamorphic sole, S1 is a SE-dipping mylonitic fabric with a downdip lineation. In underlying metabasalts, D1 is characterized by NW-overturned and recumbent folds, and a subhorizontal S1 schistosity with an ENE-trending orogen-parallel lineation. D2 is characterized by a S2 steeply dipping penetrative axial-planar crenulation cleavage and NE-trending F2 folds. The intraoceanic thrusting of ophiolite is dated at 465 Ma (early D1) whereas emplacement of ophiolite and subsequent deformation of the margin was recorded by isotopic signatures between 459 and 456 Ma (late D1). D2 is dated at 448 Ma throughout the hinterland. Taconian transpressive deformation is related to an oblique collision within the Quebec reentrant of the Canadian Appalachians during the Ordovician

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Combined With Listening to Preferred Music Alters Cortical Speech Processing in Older Adults

Emerging evidence suggests transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can improve cognitive performance in older adults. Similarly, music listening may improve arousal and stimulate subsequent performance on memory-related tasks. We examined the synergistic effects of tDCS paired with music listening on auditory neurobehavioral measures to investigate causal evidence of short-term plasticity in speech processing among older adults. In a randomized sham-controlled crossover study, we measured how combined anodal tDCS over dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) paired with listening to autobiographically salient music alters neural speech processing in older adults compared to either music listening (sham stimulation) or tDCS alone. EEG assays included both frequency-following responses (FFRs) and auditory event-related potentials (ERPs) to trace neuromodulation-related changes at brainstem and cortical levels. Relative to music without tDCS (sham), we found tDCS alone (without music) modulates the early cortical neural encoding of speech in the time frame of ∼100–150 ms. Whereas tDCS by itself appeared to largely produce suppressive effects (i.e., reducing ERP amplitude), concurrent music with tDCS restored responses to those of the music+sham levels. However, the interpretation of this effect is somewhat ambiguous as this neural modulation could be attributable to a true effect of tDCS or presence/absence music. Still, the combined benefit of tDCS+music (above tDCS alone) was correlated with listeners’ education level suggesting the benefit of neurostimulation paired with music might depend on listener demographics. tDCS changes in speech-FFRs were not observed with DLPFC stimulation. Improvements in working memory pre to post session were also associated with better speech-in-noise listening skills. Our findings provide new causal evidence that combined tDCS+music relative to tDCS-alone (i) modulates the early (100–150 ms) cortical encoding of speech and (ii) improves working memory, a cognitive skill which may indirectly bolster noise-degraded speech perception in older listeners

Two NEMO-like Ubiquitin-Binding Domains in CEP55 Differently Regulate Cytokinesis

International audience(F.A.) HIGHLIGHTS CEP55 contains two NEMO-like NOA and UBZ domains CEP55 NOA and UBZ are crucial for the CEP55 function in cytokinetic coordination UBZ CEP55 functions as cargo receptor to the midbody in a ubiquitin-dependent manner UBZ CEP55 preferentially binds non-degradative linear and K63 polyubiquitin chains Said Halidi et al., iScience 20, SUMMARY CEP55 regulates the final critical step of cell division termed cytokinetic abscission. We report herein that CEP55 contains two NEMO-like ubiquitin-binding domains (UBDs), NOA and ZF, which regulate its function in a different manner. In vitro studies of isolated domains showed that NOA adopts a dimeric coiled-coil structure, whereas ZF is based on a UBZ scaffold. Strikingly, CEP55 knocked-down HeLa cells reconstituted with the full-length CEP55 ubiquitin-binding defective mutants, containing structure-guided mutations either in NOA CEP55 or ZF CEP55 domains, display severe abscission defects. In addition, the ZF CEP55 can be functionally replaced by some ZF-based UBDs belonging to the UBZ family, indicating that the essential function of ZF CEP55 is to act as ubiquitin receptor. Our work reveals an unexpected role of CEP55 in non-degradative ubiquitin signaling during cytokinetic abscis-sion and provides a molecular basis as to how CEP55 mutations can lead to neurological disorders such as the MARCH syndrome

Applied geophysics in archaeological prospecting at sites of Authumes (Saône-et-Loire) and Mirebeau (Côte-d’Or) (Bourgogne, Eastern France)

Authumes « Le Tertre » (Saône-et-Loire, Bourgogne) The most visible part of the archaeological site of Authumes (Burgundy, Eastern France) is the top of an escarpment which forms the limit separating the Bressan plateau from the floodplain of the Doubs River. The importance and interest of the site are directly connected to the presence of archaeological material abounding on the ground. Numerous varied artefacts such as ceramic, architectural tiles, cut stones, can be found in a band (approx..

Applied geophysics in archaeological prospecting at sites of Authumes (Saône-et-Loire) and Mirebeau (Côte-d’Or) (Bourgogne, Eastern France)

Authumes « Le Tertre » (Saône-et-Loire, Bourgogne) The most visible part of the archaeological site of Authumes (Burgundy, Eastern France) is the top of an escarpment which forms the limit separating the Bressan plateau from the floodplain of the Doubs River. The importance and interest of the site are directly connected to the presence of archaeological material abounding on the ground. Numerous varied artefacts such as ceramic, architectural tiles, cut stones, can be found in a band (approx..