Assessment and management of the geomorphological heritage of Monte Pindo (NW Spain): a landscape as a symbol of identity

This study focuses on the granite mountain known as Monte Pindo (627 m above sea level) in the Autonomous Community of Galicia (NW Spain). This territory is included in the area classified as “Costa da Morte” in the “Politica de Ordenación Litoral” (POL) (Coastal Planning Policy) for the region of Galicia. This coastal unit, located between “Rías Baixas” and “Cape Fisterra” has great potential for demonstrating geological processes and its geomorphological heritage is characterized by a high degree of geodiversity of granite landforms. The main objective of our work is to assess the geomorphological heritage of the site, thus revealing its wide geodiversity. We shall analyze and highlight: its scientific value, developing an inventory of granite landforms; its educational valuel and its geotouristic potential. It must be ensured that the Administration understands that natural diversity is composed of both geodiversity and biodiversity. Only then will the sustainable management of Monte Pindo become possible by integrating natural and cultural heritage values. The goal is to ensure that Monte Pindo and its immediate surroundings become a geopark with the aim of promoting local development projects based on the conservation and valorization of its geological heritage.This research was conducted under the research projects CPC2014/009 and R2014/001 funded by the Xunta de Galicia

Coastal retreat and sedimentation during the Last 3000 years. Atlantic coast of NW Spain

During the last glaciation, thick nival and periglacial sediments buried large sectors of the NW coast of Spain. The sediments were mostly eroded by the rising sea level during the Holocene, but in several places they remain, forming sedimentary cliffs. Radiocarbon dates obtained at the topmost layers of these cliffs prove that continental sedimentation was active until very recent times, followed by a retreat of the cliffs. During the first stages of the transgression, the erosion of the cliffs and the changes in the coastal system were controlled by the rising sea-level. Once the sea-level stabilized, the exhumation of inherited landforms, the supply of sediments, and a continuous continental sedimentation became the main factors. The last stages of cliff retreat were almost synchronous with the sedimentation of the upper layers of the deposits.S

Sea-level change and human occupation over 6000 years on Areoso Island (Ría de Arousa, NW Iberian Peninsula)

Coastal areas are extremely sensitive to variations in environmental conditions. The interaction of marine and continental processes causes a high degree of dynamism, generating depositional formations of great value for palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. This paper focuses on two pedostratigraphic deposits located under the current beach, in close proximity to archaeological tumuli located on Areoso Island (Ría de Arousa, NW Iberian Peninsula). Employing a geoarchaeological approach, sea-level rise, environmental conditions and human occupation over a 6000-year period are interpreted. The results of granulometric and mineralogical data, elemental composition and stratigraphic features, help to identify three successive environments: continental (rock weathering, soil formation and erosion); a transition to a coastal environment; and the establishment of full coastal conditions. The geomorphological evolution of the last 6.0 kyr BP has been controlled by climate, sea-level rise and human activity. The continental facies shows evidence of low sea-level up to 4.8 kyr BP and the first evidence of coastal processes after 3.2 kyr BP. These pedostratigraphic deposits located in an open coastal system improve the Holocene sea-level rise curve in the NW Iberian Peninsula and help to understand the context in which the most important archaeological structures on the island (the tumuli) began to be erodedOpen Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Springer NatureS

Formas litorales en la costa noroccidental gallega: los sectores acantilados entre Cabo Prioriño (Ferrol) y Punta Frouxeira (Valdoviño)

This paper analyzes litoral landforms in Galician northwestern coast, particularly cliffs, shore platforms and related forms. According to the balance between marine and continental processes working on cliffs, we studie their different profiles and ways of evolution, strongly related with the presence of shore platforms and their geometry. The result shows the high structural control in coastal dinamics of the sector, and the importance of the poligenic character of the coastal forms, on account of the succesion of periods of stability and inestability.En el presente trabajo se analizan las formas litorales de la  costa noroccidental gallega, en concreto acantilados, plataformas y formas asociadas. En función del balance existente entre los procesos marinos y continentales que operan sobre los acantilados, se estudian sus diferentes tipos de perfil y modos de evolución, relacionándolo estrechamente con la presencia de plataformas litoralesy su geometría. El resultado del estudio pone de manifiesto el elevado control estructural existente en la dinámica de la costa atlántica gallega, y la importancia del carácter poligenético de las formas a causa de la sucesión de períodos de estabilidad e inestabilidad

Sea level rise and coastal environmental changes during the Late Holocece. Areoso Island, Ría de Arousa

X Jornadas de Geomorfología Litoral, celebradas del 4 al 6 de septiembre de 2019 en Castelldefels y organizadas por el Institut de Ciències del Mar (CSIC), la Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), la Universitat de Barcelona (UB) y la Universitat de Girona (UdG).-- 292 pagesEl islote Areoso, localizado en la Ría de Arousa (Galicia) alberga yacimientos arqueológicos y depósitos edafo-sedimentarios desde la zona intermareal hasta las dunas actuales. Entre 2015 y 2017 se obtuvieron muestras en la zona intermareal, en un sondeo bajo la playa actual y en una columna sedimentaria durante la excavación de un túmulo. Los análisis y dataciones han permitido identificar una secuencia evolutiva con tres etapas. La primera entre 4070-3865 cal. BP y 3407-3249 cal. BP, se caracteriza por el desarrollo de un sistema intermareal. La segunda comenzaría alrededor del 3610-3458 cal. BP y se corresponde con la formación de la playa-duna, identificada en los depósitos bajo la playa actual y en el túmulo. Sobre estos niveles, la fecha de 2277-2153 cal. BP indica la acumulación de facies eólicas, verificada por la identificación malacológica. Estas secuencias permiten definir la evolución morfosedimentaria y contribuyen a ajustar la curva de ascenso del nivel del mar para el NO Península Ibérica desde el Holoceno Medio. Los resultados concuerdan con otras investigaciones sobre el litoral gallego, siendo esta la primera secuencia completa en un ambiente no lagunar.The Areoso islet, located in the RÌa de Arousa (Galicia), contains archaeological and edapho-sedimentary deposits from the intertidal zone to the recent dunes. Between 2015 and 2017, samples were taken in the intertidal zone, in a sounding under the actual beach and in a sedimentary column during the excavation of a tumulus. The C14 analyzes and dates have allowed us to identify an evolutionary sequence with three stages. The first between 4070-3865 cal. BP is characterized by the development of an intertidal system. The second one would start around 3610-3458 cal. BP and corresponds to the formation of the beach-dune, identified in the deposits under the current beach and in the tumulus. On these levels, the date of 2277-2153 cal. BP indicates the accumulation of aeolian facies, verified by the malacological identification. These sequences allow us to define the morphosedimentary evolution and contribute to adjust the sea level rise curve for the NO of the Iberian Peninsula from the Middle Holocene. The results agree with other researchs on the Galician coast, this being the first complete sequence in a non-lagoon environmentS

Caracterización morfométrica de formas glaciares en cuña en las Sierras de Xistral, Teleno y Cabrera

En el presente trabajo se cita la presencia en distintos macizos del NW de la Península Ibérica de formas de erosión glaciar descritas como «formas glaciares en cuña». Este tipo de formas se describen en la bibliografía como vinculada a glaciares activos, y se consideran indicadoras de la presencia de glaciarismo de base fría. Estas condiciones indican en último término la presencia de permafrost continuo. Otros indicios, como la presencia en el área de estudio de campos de bloques refuerzan esta interpretació

Interests groups in Parliament: Exploring MPs' interest affiliations (2000-2011)

This research note presents an innovative dataset of Swiss MPs' interest ties between 2000-2011. The longitudinal analysis shows that the average number of interest ties per MP has more than doubled: from 3.5 in 2000 to 7.6 in 2011. Since the mid-2000s, public interest groups have accounted for approximately one out of two ties between MPs and interest groups, showing the strongest increase during the period. However, when looking at the most present individual groups, important business groups dominate and appear well connected with the governmental parties of the political right. Finally, interest groups are also able to forge themselves a strategic presence within the parliamentary committees that are the most relevant for their policy issues. Next research steps include the assessment of the (un)biased access of interest groups to the parliamentary venue and their policy influenc

Correction of tau mis-splicing caused by FTDP-17 MAPT mutations by spliceosome-mediated RNA trans-splicing

Frontotemporal dementia with parkinsonism linked to chromosome 17 (FTDP-17) is caused by mutations in the MAPT gene, encoding the tau protein that accumulates in intraneuronal lesions in a number of neurodegenerative diseases. Several FTDP-17 mutations affect alternative splicing and result in excess exon 10 (E10) inclusion in tau mRNA. RNA reprogramming using spliceosome-mediated RNA trans-splicing (SMaRT) could be a method of choice to correct aberrant E10 splicing resulting from FTDP-17 mutations. SMaRT creates a hybrid mRNA through a trans-splicing reaction between an endogenous target pre-mRNA and a pre-trans-splicing RNA molecule (PTM). However, FTDP-17 mutations affect the strength of cis-splicing elements and could favor cis-splicing over trans-splicing. Excess E10 inclusion in FTDP-17 can be caused by intronic mutations destabilizing a stem-loop protecting the 5′ splice site at the E10/intron 10 junction. COS cells transfected with a minigene containing the intronic +14 mutation produce exclusively E10+ RNA. Generation of E10− RNA was restored after co-transfection with a PTM designed to exclude E10. Similar results were obtained with a target containing the exonic N279K mutation which strengthens a splicing enhancer within E10. Conversely, increase or decrease in E10 content was achieved by trans-splicing from a target carrying the Δ280K mutation, which weakens the same splicing enhancer. Thus E10 inclusion can be modulated by trans-splicing irrespective of the strength of the cis-splicing elements affected by FTDP-17 mutations. In conclusion, RNA trans-splicing could provide the basis of therapeutic strategies for impaired alternative splicing caused by pathogenic mutations in cis-acting splicing elements

Characterization and dating of coastal deposits of NW Portugal (Minho - Neiva area): a record of climate, eustasy and crustal uplift during the Quaternary

This study presents the characterization and numerical dating of Quaternary coastal deposits of NW Portugal, located between the mouths of the Minho and Neiva rivers. They record continental (small alluvial fans and streams) and transitional (aeolian dunes, interdune ponds, estuary, sandy and gravelly beaches) paleoenvironments. Quartz and K-feldspar optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating is employed as well as AMS C-14 dating. A staircase of coastal terraces (abrasion shore platforms) was identified (altimetry, a.s.l.) and ascribed to the following probable Marine Isotope Stages (MIS): T1 - 20-18 m (MIS11); T2 - ca. 13 m (MIS9); T3 - 9.3-7.3 m (MIS7); T4 - 5.5-4.5 m (MIS5); T5 - 3.5-2.0 m (MIS5). The terraces have some preserved sedimentary facies that includes coeval beach sediments on the lowest four. A late Pleistocene to Holocene sedimentary cover comprises four sub-units: a) the lower sub-unit, corresponding to ferruginous stream deposits and aeolian dunes dated ca. 67-61 ka (MIS4), probably related with sub-humid to arid mid-cold conditions; b) on the slopes, the lower sub-unit is overlapped by sandy-silty colluvium and sandy alluvial deposits dated ca. 56-28 ka (MIS3) and probably reflecting cold/mid-cold and wet/dry climate conditions; c) this sub-unit is topped by soliflucted lobes and sandy-silty/silty deposits recording cold and dry climate dated 20-13 ka (MIS2), and d) a top subunit dated to 16-18th century, recording Little Ice Age events, consisting of fluvial sediments coeval with temperate climate evolving to aeolian dunes from the Maunder Minimum (cold windy dry conditions).Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) - grant SFRH/BD/16438/2004 - project PTDC/GEO-GEO/2860/2012 - Sabbatical Leave Grant ref. SFRH/BSAB/1289/2012 - Research also has been supported by both Aarhus University and Risø DTU (Denmark