Invasive alien species of European Union concern: the use of a faunistic database for the knowledge and future management at a local scale

A research group of the Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, with the contribution of the Province of Modena and the Emilia-Romagna Region, implemented a faunistic database named Darwin. The database gathers information chiefly on the vertebrate fauna of the province of Modena (Northern Italy). To date, over 20,000 historical and recent records have been collected, regarding 535 vertebrate species and 7 invertebrates (Bivalvia and Crustacea) of high managing interest. Darwin allows to register the modification of the local fauna, with regards to the most problematic taxa and especially to the allochthonous species, which are mainly organisms living in the lowlands that became invasive at different levels. Some of these assumed the role of key species in a variety of ecosystems (e.g., Pseudorasbora parva), some threaten certain autochthonous species already at risk (e.g., Trachemys scripta and Procambarus clarkii), others give rise to economic issues (e.g., Myocastor coypus), whilst the remaining ones have progressively lost their invasivity, becoming rare or sporadic (e.g., Ameiurus melas and Lepomis gibbosus). The database represents a strongly effective tool for the basic knowledge functional to the actions deriving from the European Regulation 2014/1143, regarding the recent “List of invasive alien species of Union concern” (EU 2016/1141). Overall, Darwin collects information on the local distribution of 32 invasive allochthonous species, 7 of which of Union concern, namely: Lithobates catesbeianus, Myocastor coypus, Procambarus clarkii, Pseudorasbora parva, Trachemys scripta, Threskiornis aethiopicus, and Oxyura jamaicensis. The first four species are established within the province, while T. scripta is diffused but not definitively confirmed as breeding, T. aethiopicus is present but not breeding, and O. jamaicensis is observed only occasionally. Thanks to the database the autochthonous species of EU interest comprised in the national IUCN Red list and their competitors could be brought into focus. For instance, we revealed the presence of merely 8 local populations of Emys orbicularis, threatened by the wide distribution of T. scripta, which is reported from over 20 sites within Modena’s territory. Furthermore, we found Austropotamobius pallipes at 122 mid-elevation sites (100-1100 m a.s.l.), whilst its direct competitor P. clarkii, currently expanding to the foothills, was recorded from 101 locations from 10 to 100 m a.s.l. These preliminary results highlight the necessity of control plans towards the two alien species, which could be developed on the basis of the already available distribution patterns. Our research group aims at the constant implementation of the database by adding information from ongoing and forthcoming studies on species of major interest. The existing data, presently used in various control plans, will pave the way to more specific investigations on the invasive alien fauna and increase the effectiveness of future managing actions

A kinematic observer with adaptive dead-zone for vehicles lateral velocity estimation

International audienceIn this paper we tailor the dead-zone based mechanism presented in [3] to the well-known kinematic observer for the estimation of vehicle lateral velocity. We extend the previous results on the dead-zone observer to linear parameter varying systems. The proposed mechanism maintains the structure of the kinematic observer but inserts an adaptive dead-zone at the output injection term. This dead-zone mechanism partially "cuts" the noise and increases the noise rejection performance allowing for the selection of a larger observer gain. We use this freedom to increase the observer gain to attenuate constant bias errors in the acceleration measurements. The proposed solution is easy to implement and requires only measurements acquired from standard on-board sensors. The adaptation parameters are selected solving a suitable Linear Matrix Inequality (LMI), and no manual tuning is required. We show the effectiveness of the proposed solution through numerical simulations

LMI-based non-overshooting pressure control design for a wet clutch

International audienceA Hydromechanical Variable Transmission is a device able to efficiently transmit non-constant mechanical torque from a source to a load. To suitably control this torque, Dana Rexroth has developed a hybrid transmission that combines a hydrostatic pathway and a mechanical one. The power transmitted along each pathway can be controlled by means of clutches. The torque and so the power transferred by each clutch depends on the oil pressure inside it. For this reason in this work we investigate a novel strategy for oil pressure control. First, we developed a simplified model for filled clutch systems and the related identification technique. Second, we developed a controller that ensures a fast rise time and a non-overshooting behavior. The controller synthesis relies on a convex Linear Matrix Inequalities formulation. The experimental tests show desirable rise time, overshoot and good robustness with respect to modeling errors and noise

Hybrid Nonovershooting Set-Point Pressure Regulation for a Wet Clutch

International audienceWe propose a control oriented Wiener model for wet-clutches in filled conditions and we discuss the associated identification technique. We design a novel hybrid controller, which ensures zero steady-state error and a fast non-overshooting response. We show that the controller parameters can be conveniently obtained by solving a set of linear matrix inequalities. Finally, we test the proposed control strategy on the hydromechanical variable transmission developed by Dana-Rexroth Transmission Systems. The experiments show good performance and robustness with respect to modeling errors and noise