A method to assess annual average renewable groundwater reserves for large regions in Spain

This paper proposes a method for assessing the groundwater renewable reserves of large regions for an average year, based on the integration of the recession curves for their basins springs or the natural base flow of their rivers. In this method, the hydrodynamic volume (or renewable reserves), were estimated from the baseflow equation. It was assumed that the flow was the same as the natural recharge, and that the recession coefficients were derived by the hydrogeological parameters and geometrical characteristics of aquifers, and adjusted to fit the recession curves at gauging stations. The method was applied to all the aquifers of Spain, which have a total groundwater renewable reserve of 86,895 hm3 four times the mean annual recharge. However, the distribution of these reserves is very variable; 18.6% of the country aquifers contain 94.7% of the entire reserve

Geological and Hydrogeological Characterization of Springs in a DSGSD Context (Rodoretto Valley – NW Italian Alps)

As continuous groundwater monitoring in the upper sector of Rodoretto Valley (Germanasca Valley, Italian Western Alps) is hampered by logistical problem of data collection during winter and spring months, the only tools currently available to derive hydrogeological information are non-continuous and non-long-term dataset of spring discharge (Q), temperature (T) and electrical conductivity (EC). In order to quantity aquifer groundwater reserve, available Q dataset of a small mountain spring (Spring 1 CB) was investigated by applying the analytical solutions developed by Boussinesq (J Math Pure Appl 10:5–78, 1904) and Maillet (Essais dı’hydraulique souterraine et fluviale, vol 1. Herman et Cie, Paris, 1905); T and EC datasets were also used to provide qualitative information about the nature of the aquifer that supplies the spring. The outcomes of the elaborations highlighted the limits of applicability of these methods in the presence of a non-continuous Q dataset: both Boussinesq (J Math Pure Appl 10:5–78, 1904) and Maillet (Essais dı’hydraulique souterraine et fluviale, vol 1. Herman et Cie, Paris, 1905) estimated that discharge values as a function of recession time were found to be consistently lower than the available discharge ones and the estimated groundwater volumes stored over time above the spring level turned out to be underestimated. Continuous (hourly value) and long-term Q, EC and T values are, therefore, needful to correctly quantify and to make a proper management of groundwater resources in mountain areas

Analysis of climate change, high-flows and low-flows scenarios on the Meuse basin: WP1 report - Action 3

AMICE: Adaptation of the Meuse to the Impact of Climate Evolutio

Ancient wheat varieties have a higher ability to interact with plant growth‐promoting rhizobacteria

International audiencePlant interactions with plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are highly dependent on plant genotype. Modern plant breeding has largely sought to improve crop performance but with little focus on the optimization of plant x PGPR interactions. The interactions of the model PGPR strain Pseudomonas kilonensis F113 were therefore compared in 199 ancient and modern wheat genotypes. A reporter system, in which F113 colonization and expression of 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol biosynthetic genes (phl) were measured on roots was used to quantify F113 x wheat interactions under gnotobiotic conditions. Thereafter, eight wheat accessions that differed in their ability to interact with F113 were inoculated with F113 and grown in greenhouse in the absence or presence of stress. F113 colonization was linked to improved stress tolerance. Moreover, F113 colonization and phl expression were higher overall on ancient genotypes than modern genotypes. F113 colonization improved wheat performance in the four genotypes that showed the highest level of phl expression compared with the four genotypes in which phl expression was lowest. Taken together, these data suggest that recent wheat breeding strategies have had a negative impact on the ability of the plants to interact with PGPR

A “Fork-to-Farm” Multi-Scale Approach to Promote Sustainable Food Systems for Nutrition and Health: A Perspective for the Mediterranean Region

International audienceMediterranean countries are undergoing dietary and nutritional changes that affect their inhabitants' health, while facing massive environmental challenges. The increasing demand of water in agriculture, the capacity to maintain local food production, and the growing dependence on food imports are interconnected issues that must be addressed to ensure food security and nutrition in the Mediterranean region. Here, we present the conceptual framework and methodologies developed by the MEDINA-Study Group for rethinking food systems toward sustainable consumption and production modes. Based on its multidisciplinary expertise, the MEDINA-Study Group designed a " fork-to-farm " multi-scale approach, stemming from current dietary habits and examining how some options to nutritionally improve these habits might affect the food systems. This approach was developed for research activities in the South of France and Tunisia, two areas with very different diet-agriculture-environment nexus. The conceptual framework is based on the analysis of elements of the food systems (from consumption to production) at different levels (individual, household, regional and national levels). The methods include: (i) modeling options of dietary changes at different scales, in order to nutritionally optimize food consumption-production without increasing the environmental impact, (ii) translating the best-choice changes into possible policy actions, (iii) testing the acceptability and feasibility of these actions with several stakeholders, and (iv) producing guidelines for sustainable food choices and production. The MEDINA-Study Group identified additional issues that could be included in a future framework to help designing ambitious agricultural, food and health policies in the Mediterranean region

Surface Waters and Groundwater in Karst

In karst terrains, groundwater and surface water constitute a single dynamic system. In this chapter the following aspects of the interaction between the surface water and groundwater are discussed: (1) catchment in karst; (2) karst aquifer; (3) karst spring; (4) karst ponor; (5) karst open streamflow (sinking, losing and underground streams); (6) piezometers. Surface water and groundwater in karst terrains are hydraulically connected through numerous karst forms which facilitate and govern the exchange of water between the surface and subsurface. Due to this fact determination of karst catchment area and boundaries is a difficult and complex task, which very often remains unsolved. The specific characteristic of karst aquifer is existence of solution and erosion generation and permanently enlarged karst voids of different dimensions. Circulation of groundwater in karst aquifers is quite different from water circulation in other non-karstic type aquifers. In karst aquifers water is being collected in networks of interconnected cracks, caverns, and channels. Because of very special and complex underground and surface karst forms, which control surface water and groundwater behavior there are very different cases of karst springs. Karst springs can be perennial (permanent) or intermittent (temporary, ephemeral, or seasonal). The piezometer boreholes represent an exceptionally important source of information of a wide range, necessary for all types of investigations related to the regime of water circulation in karst