Practical Method Proposed to Estimate Silting’s Rate in Small and Hillside Dams

The construction of small dams and hillside reservoirs is a common practice for dealing with erratic and unevenly distributed rainfalls in arid and semi arid areas. Moreover, these small hydraulics structures are recommended as a solution to adapt to climate change in rural areas. They are fundamental for the sustainability of the water resources. However, these dams are potential sinks for upstream sediment. Therefore, it would be useful to monitor and measure the amount of sediments in small dams because it is necessary to understand siltation and better functioning of these vital structures. This control and these measurements require the application of the bathymetry or topography surveys which is too expensive for the responsible of these small dams. In this context, this paper proposes a simple and low cost method called: Triangulation of the estimated silted level. This method is based on direct measurement of the accessible silted level in dam. This new method is compared with another method based on the initial Elevation-Capacity curve of dam, usually used when the bathymetry is not attainable. The results of both of them have been verified with those of the bathymetry and electrical tomography methods and validated the proposal method as the most approximate. Therefore, this method is recommended as a new direct and simple technique to evaluate the amount of silting in small dams and hillside reservoirs

Marrakech conférence poster

Le présent travail à pour but de réaliser une évaluation de la qualité des sols cultivés dans les périmètres irrigués de la plaine du Souss. L’objectif est de décrire le degré de la dégradation des ressources en eaux et en sols et d’améliorer la durabilité des systèmes de production agricole irriguée de la plaine à travers une gestion optimale de ces ressources. Cent seize échantillons d’eau et du sol ont été prélevés en ce basant sur la carte pédologique existante et sur la carte piézométrique des zones irriguées. Une caractérisation des principaux paramètres de qualité de sol et de l’eau d’irrigation a été effectuée. Les eaux d’irrigation présentent une salinité qui varie entre 0,30 et 1,33 dS/m. Les sols irrigués à partir des eaux souterraines ont montrées une salinisation secondaire supérieure à celle des sols irrigués par les eaux de barrage. Dans le périmètre d’Issen les sols cultivés présente une salinité qui atteint 8,80 dS/m dans certaines zones. Dans le périmètre d’El Guerdane les valeurs de la conductivité électrique des sols peuvent aller jusqu'à 6,13 dS/m. Les résultats montrent que 71% des échantillons des sols de la région sont pauvres en matière organique et présentent une valeur moyenne de 1,25%. Enfin, les données ont été intégrées dans un système d’information géographique pour une interpolation en utilisant les modèles probabilistes de la géostatistique et d’établir des cartes pour délimiter les zones qui sont a priori sujettes à une dégradation de la qualité de leurs eaux et sols. Ceci pour faciliter aux décideurs la perception du problème de dégradation des ressources naturelles et de promouvoir une gestion durable de ces ressources non renouvelables

Geographical Variation of Honey Bee (Apis mellifera L. 1758) Populations in South-Eastern Morocco: A Geometric Morphometric Analysis

In Morocco, there are two well-recognised honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) subspecies: A. m. intermissa in the north and A. m. sahariensis in the south-east. The latter subspecies is found in the arid and semiarid climates of the Sahara Desert. In this study, we used honey bees from four areas of south-eastern Morocco which are, to some degree, isolated by arid zones. We analysed the shape and size of the forewings, using the method of geometric morphometrics. The bees from the four areas of south-eastern Morocco differed significantly in terms of wing shape. Moreover, bees from traditional hives were smaller than those from modern hives. The bees from south-eastern Morocco were clearly different from the reference samples obtained from the Morphometric Bee Data Bank in Oberursel, Germany, representing most of the global variation in honey bees. Surprisingly, the bees were also different from A. m. sahariensis, which should occur in the study area, according to earlier studies. This difference could have been caused by introgression with non-native subspecies imported by beekeepers. The distinct honey bees from south-eastern Morocco deserve to be protected. We provide a method for identifying them, which can help protect them

Modernizing Training on Renewable Energies in the Maghreb Transfer of experience (MOMATE)

Le projet vise à développer une formation de type DUT (Diplôme Universitaire de Technologie) en ingénierie des Energies Renouvelables et à soutenir l'émergence de technopoles spécialisées dans les Energies Renouvelables. L'objectif est de développer des compétences permettant d'acquérir des connaissances de base sur la production d'électricité à partir d'énergies renouvelables (éolienne, solaire, photovoltaïque, etc.). El proyecto pretende desarrollar un programa de formación como el DUT (Diplôme Universitaire de Technologie) en ingeniería de Energías Renovables y apoyar la aparición de tecnopolos especializados en Energías Renovables. Para ello se pretende desarrollar competencias que permitan adquirir conocimientos básicos sobre la producción de energía eléctrica a partir de energías renovables (eólica, solar, fotovoltaica, etc.)The project aims to develop a DUT (University Diploma of Technology) type training in Renewable Energies engineering and to support the emergence of technology parks specializing in Renewable Energies. The objective is to develop skills allowing to acquire basic knowledge on the production of electricity from renewable energies (wind, solar, photovoltaic, etc.). The project intends to launch a training program such as the DUT (University Diploma of Technology) in Renewable Energy Engineering and to support the appearance of engineers specializing in Renewable Energy. Para ello claims to desarrollar competences that allow to acquire basic knowledge sober the production of electrical energy from renewable energies (electrical, solar, photovoltaic, etc.)MOMAT

Thrips advisor : exploiting thrips-induced defences to combat pests on crops

Plants have developed diverse defence mechanisms to ward off herbivorous pests. However, agriculture still faces estimated crop yield losses ranging from 25% to 40% annually. These losses arise not only because of direct feeding damage, but also because many pests serve as vectors of plant viruses. Herbivorous thrips (Thysanoptera) are important pests of vegetable and ornamental crops worldwide, and encompass virtually all general problems of pests: they are highly polyphagous, hard to control because of their complex lifestyle, and they are vectors of destructive viruses. Currently, control management of thrips mainly relies on the use of chemical pesticides. However, thrips rapidly develop resistance to these pesticides. With the rising demand for more sustainable, safer, and healthier food production systems, we urgently need to pinpoint the gaps in knowledge of plant defences against thrips to enable the future development of novel control methods. In this review, we summarize the current, rather scarce, knowledge of thrips-induced plant responses and the role of phytohormonal signalling and chemical defences in these responses. We describe concrete opportunities for breeding resistance against pests such as thrips as a prototype approach for next-generation resistance breeding

Thrips advisor : exploiting thrips-induced defences to combat pests on crops

Plants have developed diverse defence mechanisms to ward off herbivorous pests. However, agriculture still faces estimated crop yield losses ranging from 25% to 40% annually. These losses arise not only because of direct feeding damage, but also because many pests serve as vectors of plant viruses. Herbivorous thrips (Thysanoptera) are important pests of vegetable and ornamental crops worldwide, and encompass virtually all general problems of pests: they are highly polyphagous, hard to control because of their complex lifestyle, and they are vectors of destructive viruses. Currently, control management of thrips mainly relies on the use of chemical pesticides. However, thrips rapidly develop resistance to these pesticides. With the rising demand for more sustainable, safer, and healthier food production systems, we urgently need to pinpoint the gaps in knowledge of plant defences against thrips to enable the future development of novel control methods. In this review, we summarize the current, rather scarce, knowledge of thrips-induced plant responses and the role of phytohormonal signalling and chemical defences in these responses. We describe concrete opportunities for breeding resistance against pests such as thrips as a prototype approach for next-generation resistance breeding

The Immuno-Dynamics of Conflict Intervention in Social Systems

We present statistical evidence and dynamical models for the management of conflict and a division of labor (task specialization) in a primate society. Two broad intervention strategy classes are observed– a dyadic strategy – pacifying interventions, and a triadic strategy –policing interventions. These strategies, their respective degrees of specialization, and their consequences for conflict dynamics can be captured through empirically-grounded mathematical models inspired by immuno-dynamics. The spread of aggression, analogous to the proliferation of pathogens, is an epidemiological problem. We show analytically and computationally that policing is an efficient strategy as it requires only a small proportion of a population to police to reduce conflict contagion. Policing, but not pacifying, is capable of effectively eliminating conflict. These results suggest that despite implementation differences there might be universal features of conflict management mechanisms for reducing contagion-like dynamics that apply across biological and social levels. Our analyses further suggest that it can be profitable to conceive of conflict management strategies at the behavioral level as mechanisms of social immunity