Analysis of water erosion using GIS and remote sensing for the management of protected natural environments in the south of the province of Salamanca (Spain)

Resumen del trabajo presentado al IV International Symposium on Gully Erosion, celebrado en la Universidad Pública de Navarra del 17 al 19 de septiembre de 2007.The soil is a natural resource that must be conserved in protected natural areas since it is one of the determinant physical supports in territorial planning because it governs its different uses. Accordingly, specific studies must be carried out aimed at estimating soil losses at individual project level and at the general level of Natural Environments in order to establish methodologies for the control and ordering of activities, above all in protected environments whose focus is on sustainable activities. The basic objective should delimit different erosive forms where best it reflects the risk of water erosion (gullies, rills) and the degree (weak, light, important, and burden) and the processes induced (slides, scarp, remontant erosion...) in addition the evolution with time.Part of the work reported in this paper was financially supported by the GCL 2005-04655/BTE and CGL 2005-01336/BTE Projects

Pampa del Palo : an anomalous composite marine terrace on the uprising coast of Southern Peru

Quaternary sediments along the southern Peruvian coast occur as staircase terraces of coastal and shallow-marine deposits in response to continuous uplift related to the active boundary between the Nazca and South-American plates. However, near Ilo (in the same coastal stretch) the emergent Pampa del Palo terrace consists of a relatively-thick, vertical stack of shallow-marine, coastal and lagoonal deposits that indicate a rather different geodynamic behaviour. Coastal deposits are correlatable with the successive marine highstands of isotopic stages 7 (?) and 5 (substages 5e and 5c). Combining aerial photo-interpretation, geomorphological mapping, sedimentological analysis, chronostratigraphical data, and structural observations, the Pampa del Palo feature is interpreted as a faulted block that moved independently of the remaining southern Peruvian coast and, for some time between the end of Middle Pleistocene (before ca. 220 ka) and the early Late Pleistocene (ca. 120 ka), it rose more slowly or was even down-faulted relative to the rest of the southern Peruvian margin. The independent block movements ceased after substage 5e, when the Pampa del Palo "terrace" was incorporated into the regional uplift of the area. Since ca. 100 ka, measured uplift rate in the Ilo area amounted up to 160 mm/1000 y when the area has been affected by a few active, NE-SE trending faults only. (Résumé d'auteur

Sensorimotor speech disorders in Parkinson's disease: Programming and execution deficits.

Introduction: Dysfunction in the basal ganglia circuits is a determining factor in the physiopathology of the classic signs of Parkinson's disease (PD) and hypokinetic dysarthria is commonly related to PD. Regarding speech disorders associated with PD, the latest four-level framework of speech complicates the traditional view of dysarthria as a motor execution disorder. Based on findings that dysfunctions in basal ganglia can cause speech disorders, and on the premise that the speech deficits seen in PD are not related to an execution motor disorder alone but also to a disorder at the motor programming level, the main objective of this study was to investigate the presence of sensorimotor disorders of programming (besides the execution disorders previously described) in PD patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a sample of 60 adults matched for gender, age and education: 30 adult patients diagnosed with idiopathic PD (PDG) and 30 healthy adults (CG). All types of articulation errors were reanalyzed to investigate the nature of these errors. Interjections, hesitations and repetitions of words or sentences (during discourse) were considered typical disfluencies; blocking, episodes of palilalia (words or syllables) were analyzed as atypical disfluencies. We analysed features including successive self-initiated trial, phoneme distortions, self-correction, repetition of sounds and syllables, prolonged movement transitions, additions or omissions of sounds and syllables, in order to identify programming and/or execution failures. Orofacial agility was also investigated. Results: The PDG had worse performance on all sensorimotor speech tasks. All PD patients had hypokinetic dysarthria. Conclusion: The clinical characteristics found suggest both execution and programming sensorimotor speech disorders in PD patients

Sea level changes during the last and present interglacials in Sal Island (Cape Verde archipelago)

Last interglacial and Holocene deposits are particularly well developed in the southern parts of Sal Island (Cape Verde Archipelago). They primarily consist of low-elevation (≤2 m above sea level [a.s.l.]) marine deposits made of a basal conglomerate embedded in carbonate mud, passing upwards to calcarenites. All deposits contain an abundant fauna with corals, algae and molluscs with Strombus latus Gmelin and accompanying warm water species of the “Senegalese” fauna. Small scale geomorphological mapping with detailed morphosedimentary analysis revealed lateral facies changes and imbricate (offlapping) structures that suggest small-scale oscillations of paleo-sealevels during high sea stand intervals. U-series measurements (in coral fragments) allowed unequivocal identification of Marine Isotope Substage (MIS) 5.5 units, but were not precise enough to date the sea level oscillations of the interval. However, geomorphological data and sedimentary facies analysis suggest a double sea level highstand during the peak of the last interglacial. MIS 5.5 age deposits occur at Sal and the Canary Islands at low topographic elevations, between 1 and 2 masl. However, these values are lower than the elevations measured for the correlative terraces outcropping at the western tropical Atlantic islands, widely considered to be tectonically stable. Combining the results in this paper with earlier investigations of the “Senegalese” fauna distribution as far north as the Mediterranean basin, it is suggested that the last-interglacial oceanic temperatures in this basin, as well as the temperatures in other islands of the Eastern Atlantic and the coasts of Morocco, were warmer than modern temperatures

Paleo and historical seismicity in Mallorca (Baleares, Spain): a preliminary approach

The island of Mallorca is subject to low seismic activity. The instrumental record shows that current seismicity is surficial (<10 km depth) and low in magnitude (mb<4). Both historical and geological records display the occurrence of strong events, e.g. the 1851 Palma earthquake (VIII, MSK intensity). Data on this destruct ive event indicate that this was a seven month long seismic sequence, with two strong events, causing severe damage and collapse of buildings along Palma bay in addition to moderate ground collapses in the macroseismal zone. The earthquake epicenter was situated between Sa Cabaneta and Sta. Eugènia. This earthquake can be correlated with the trace of the Sencelles fault, the main extensional structure of the island on the surface. The geological and geophysical analyses of recent surface faulting features at the Portol doline (reverse surface faulting) and on the Sta. Eugènia segment of the Sencelles fault (bedrock fault scarp ) suggest recurrent large prehistoric events. Preliminary data show minimum vertical offsets of 2.56 m at the Portol doline and offsets of 3.50m at the Sta. Eugènia bedrock fault scarp. These offsets were accumulated in recent times (Holocene?). Displacements per event can be initially estimated as mean values of 0.88 to 0.40 m in both places, but larger offsets of a maximum of 1.68 m can also be inferred. Specific dendrochronologic, lichenometric, and weathering analyses to assess true single-event slip values, and their time-bracketing will be necessary. The interpretation of these displacement events in terms of earthquake magnitude is not straightforward because of the apparent subordinate nature of the ground rupture at the Po rtol doline and the possible influence of salt tectonics in both places. To address these issues, a fault-trench was planned along the Sencelles fault within the framework of a new research project. The Spanish seismic code (NCS94) assigns an expected maximum ground acceleration of 0.04 g for a 500 year return period to the area. In the light of our data these values are underestimated. The historical and geological records indicate the occurrence of historical VII to VIII MSK, and stronger prehistoric events. Peak ground horizontal accelerations of up to 0.10 g could be expected during modern earthquakes

Behavior change training for pregnant women's communication during birth: A randomized controlled trial.

Applying health psychological theories can improve communication interventions to empower pregnant women and ensure safe births. The aim was to test a short digital communication intervention based on the health action process approach. A randomized-controlled trial was conducted with pregnant women at two German university hospitals. The intervention group (NT1  = 225; NT2  = 142) received a 2.5 h online training focusing on communication planning, self-efficacy and communicating personal needs and preferences under difficult circumstances. This group was compared with a passive control group (NT1  = 199; NT2  = 144). Data from the N = 286 women with complete datasets were used for multilevel analyses. Data from all recruited N = 424 women were used for intention-to-treat analyses with multiple imputation. Both groups improved regarding communication behavior, quality of birth, action planning, coping planning and coping self-efficacy after birth, which was more pronounced in the intervention group. The intention-to-treat analyses confirmed the higher improvement for communication behavior, perceived quality of birth and coping planning. The intervention was related to improvements in pregnant women's communication behavior and quality of birth. Hence, future research and practice should apply and evaluate health psychological theories when targeting communication and empowerment

Paleo and historical seismicity in Mallorca (Baleares, Spain): a preliminary approach

The island of Mallorca is subject to low seismic activity. The instrumental record shows that current seismicity is surficial (La isla de Mallorca presenta una actividad sísmica baja. El registro instrumental muestra que la sismicidad actual es superficial

Did Strombus survive the Last Interglacial in the Western Mediterranean Sea?

El litoral de Almería constituye el sector más rico del Mediterráneo en niveles tirrenienses, todos ellos conteniendo Strombus bubonius. Cuatro playas diferentes se observan al Este de Almería, la más reciente, datada en 37.720 ± 1.740 años BP (14C) y 39.000 ± 2.000 años BP (Th/U) años BP, está claramente encajada en las anteriores, y a su vez se presenta relacionada con depósitos continentales de abanicos aluviales que constituyen los sistemas más recientes de la costa oriental de Almería. Por otro lado los depósitos tirrenienses de esta región constituyen un claro ejemplo de la distinta distribución espacial de los niveles con S. bubonius, tanto en lo que se refiere al número, cota, o incluso disposición geométrica de los mismos que depende fundamentalmente del marco neotectónico en el que se desarrollen. Por otra parte los autores hacen una llamada de atención sobre el empleo del término «Tirreniense» sugiriendo que se continúe utilizando a éste en el sentido de su definición original «capas que contienen S. bubonius» sin darle un sentido cronoestratigráfico estricto. Asimismo y a la vista de los resultados sería conveniente llevar a cabo una revisión sobre la significación climato-estratigráfica de la entrada del S. bubonius en el Mediterráneo.The warm gastropod Strombus bubonius spread into the Mediterranean Sea during the last interglacial period. Its fossil ocurrence is normally used as a climatostratifraphic indicator of the Tyrrhenian transgression and linked to high sea levels of this episode. However, a sequence of four successive and discordant stratigraphic units containing S. bubonius is observed in the Rambla Amoladeras-Rambla Sepultura compisite section, east of Almería, on the Spanish Mediterranean coast. The youngest unit has been dated between 39.000 and 34.000 y BP, suggesting therefore that S. bubonius survived the last interglacial in the western part of the Mediterranean basin. Reconsideration of the use and meaning of the term «Tyrrhenian» and of the current somewhat confusing terminology is thus required.This study was supported by the Spanish CAICYT (Grant 3.228/79)