Regadíos agrícolas, territorio y desarrollo rural

This article analyses how the topics linked to water management have changed in social perception and political agenda in Spain. From a hydraulic and agricultural-oriented logic it has shifted toward other more integral and multifunctional one, where the Ministry of Environment is the most relevant player. In such a social and political context, the new orientations of rural development policies are analysed, particularly in relation to the sustainable management of water resources in farming sector and their implications on territory. The authors propose a typology of irrigable areas in Spain, and analyse the process of implementation of the new European Regulation on Rural Development (Reg. 1690/2005). The conclusion is that this new policy could be a useful tool to promote the environmental sustainability of these areas only if there was a good coordination between agricultural and environmental departments at the regional level.En este artículo se analiza la percepción social y política de los temas relacionados con la gestión del agua en España, mostrando cómo se ha pasado de una lógica hidráulica y sectorial (agraria), canalizada a través de los ministerios de Obras Públicas y Agricultura, a otra integral y multifuncional, en la que se valoran sus implicaciones territoriales y en la que asume protagonismo el ministerio de Medio Ambiente. En ese contexto, se analizan las nuevas orientaciones de las políticas de desarrollo rural, especialmente en lo relacionado con la gestión sostenible de los recursos hídricos en la agricultura y sus efectos sobre el territorio. La diversidad del regadío agrícola en España es analizada por los autores, proponiendo una tipología de zonas regables con problemas de eficiencia, y valorando en qué medida las acciones contempladas en el nuevo Reglamento europeo de Desarrollo Rural (FEADER) pueden ser un instrumento útil para avanzar en la sostenibilidad ambiental de dichas áreas. La conclusión de los autores es que la utilidad de esta nueva política de desarrollo rural dependerá de que exista una adecuada cooperación entre los departamentos de agricultura y medio ambiente a nivel regional

Capital social y desarrollo en zonas rurales. Un análisis de los programas Leader II y Proder en Andalucía

In this article the Leader and Proder schemes for rural áreas are analysed from the social capital approach. Firstly, their authors review the main dimensions of the notion of social capital and analyse its theoretical sources in the social sciences. Secondly, they show the framework elaborated by Michael Woolcock as a tool to analyse the dynamics of development in local áreas. Finally, they offer the results of an empirical research on the implementation process of the Leader and Proder schemes in the Spanish región of Andalusia using the capital social approach.En este artículo se analizan los programas Leader y Proder de desarrollo en zonas rurales utilizando la perspectiva del "capital social". En primer lugar, se presentan los elementos fundamentales de la noción de "capital social", ofreciendo un breve recorrido por el pensamiento sociológico de modo que podamos encontrar sus fuentes intelectuales. En segundo lugar, se presenta el marco teórico elaborado por M. Woolcock, como un modelo-síntesis para analizar los problemas que se plantean en las políticas de desarrollo. Finalmente, se exponen los resultados de un análisis experimental realizado en el marco de la evaluación de la iniciativa europea de desarrollo rural Leader 11 y del programa Proder en Andalucí

Ampliando el horizonte de la agroecología: principios, práctica y cadena de valor

La Agroecología es una forma integral de conocimiento enraizado en el saber ancestral del campesinado, en contraposición al más especializado de la agricultura moderna. El enfoque de la Agroecología analiza el funcionamiento del mundo agrícola contemplando globalmente las interacciones entre sus componentes (suelo, agua, plantas, animales…) y de éstos con los seres humanos. Los principios considerados esenciales de la Agroecología inspiran el desarrollo de prácticas agrarias concretas, destacando entre ellas la agricultura ecológica, pero también la agricultura de conservación, la producción integrada, los huertos urbanos… Las prácticas agrícolas y ganaderas inspiradas en la Agroecología pueden dar lugar a cadenas de valor si interaccionan con otros eslabones, como el comercio, la distribución, la transformación y el consumo. Esas cadenas pueden ser cortas (producción-consumo), medias (producción-comercio-consumo) o largas (producción-industria-distribución-consumo), dándose dinámicas específicas de interacción entre productores y agentes de la cadena alimentaria. En esta comunicación, se revisan los principios de la Agroecología, planteando su flexibilización e incluyendo como “agroecológicas” prácticas agrícolas que, sin ser las tradicionales del campesinado, contribuyen a la sostenibilidad ecológica, social y económica de las áreas rurales

Reducing wind erosion through agroforestry: a case study using large Eddy simulations

Wind erosion is seen as one of the main risks for modern agriculture in dry and sandy regions. Shelterbelts and agroforestry systems are known for their ability to reduce wind speed and, consequently, wind erosion. The current study considers temperate alley cropping agroforestry systems, where multiple tree strips (shelterbelts) are interleaved with either annual rotating crops or perennial grassland. The aim was to quantify the potential wind erosion reduction by alley cropping agroforestry systems and the effect of design decisions for a case study in Germany. By combining wind measurements and Large Eddy Simulations, the wind speed and potential wind erosion inside an agroforestry system were estimated. Our model simulations result in an average reduction in wind speed between 17% and 67%, and a reduction of average potential wind erosion between 24% and 97%. The most optimal reduction of the average potential wind erosion was larger than 92% for tree strips orientated perpendicular to the main wind direction, whereas for a diagonal orientation of the tree strips to the main wind direction we found an average reduction of 86%. Parallel orientated tree strips reduce wind erosion on average by less than 35%. Tree strips planted with ≤48 m distance provide a strong and constant reduction of wind erosion, even for tree strips of 2 m height the average reduction was 86%, when the tree strips were orientated optimal to the dominant wind direction. Our model simulations showed that alley cropping agroforestry systems in a temperate climate have a large potential to reduce wind erosion by more than 80% when the system is well-designed and managed

Sexual behavior, use of contraceptive methods and pregnancy in young people from a population affiliated in a health insurer company in Colombia 2018

Describe the average age of sexual life onset from young people and adolescents, the prevalence of contraceptive methods and explore determinants of pregnancy. A retrospective cohort (2014-2018) was followed by a health insurer of the subsidized regime in Colombia. The study sample consisted of 35,214 young people aged 10-24 years living in 21 municipalities of the Colombian Caribbean region. For the social determinants of pregnancy, a multivariate probit model was estimated using as explanatory variables, housing area, education, family functionality and sexual behavior. 10.3% of women and 14.1% of men had their first sexual encounter before age 14 and 43.5% of women and 37.4% of men began their sex life after age 17. From the young people who claimed to have started their sexual life, 70.9% of the men made use of the condom as a contraceptive method, while the women divided on average 27.2% for the pills and / or injections followed by 16 , 1% in the use of the subdermal implant. As determinants of pregnancy in young people under 20, it was found that variables such as suspending school years [Yes (β = 0.6, p = 0.006)], being planned with hormonal method [Yes (β = 0.5, p = 0.000)] or start sexual life [Between 10 to 14 years (β = 0.14, p = 0.000)], increase the likelihood of young women becoming pregnant at some time in their life. These results also showed that the schooling of the young [University (β = -0.4, p = 0.038)] and always use condoms in sexual intercourse [Yes (β = -0.5, p = 0.042)] help prevent the pregnancy event from occurring. The age of sexual onset establishes a basis on which decision makers should intervene for promote a safe sex life, from use of anticonceptives in young people and thus avoiding unplanned pregnancy

Perception, prevalence and factors associated to school bullying in young people from a population affiliated in a colombian health subsidized insurance company in 2018.

Describe the perception from young people about bullying, the prevalence of this event and explore the factors associated with being a victim. A retrospective cohort (2014-2018) was followed by a health insurer company of the subsidized regime in Colombia. The study sample consisted of 35,214 young people aged 10-24 years living in 21 municipalities of the Colombian Caribbean region. Means and standard deviation were expressed for continuous variables and frequencies for categorical variables. For the associated factors, a logistic model was estimated using as explanatory variables, sex, housing area, age range, family functionality, disability of the young person, disability of a family member and variables of psychological perception. 63.6% of young people answered that they have knowledge about what school bullying is, noting that as the schooling of the young person increases, the higher the proportion of positive response. The physical or verbal school bullying rate was 94 young people per 1,000. It was found that factors such as the youth feeling useless and guilty (OR = 3.14, p = 0.000), attending psychological counseling (OR = 1.78, p = 0.000), repeating years (OR = 1.49, p = 0.000), that the young person has a disability (OR = 1.33, p = 0.004), or a family member has a disability (OR = 1.27, p = 0.000), is associated with being a victim of bullying. Likewise, it was found that belonging to a highly functional family environment (OR = 0.57, p = 0.000) is a protective factor. School bullying is an event that needs attention and requires supervision of all those around young people, in order to avoid changes in behavior or suicide. Therefore, health systems must offer comprehensive care to prevent mental health risks related to bullying given their relationship with the presence of disability of the young person or a relativ

Metabolic rates in Atlantic bluefin tuna larvae: first data and methodological challenges

Atlantic bluefin tuna is an emblematic scombrid species, but many physiological aspects during the larval stages are still unknown. The mechanisms of how fish larvae balance growth and activity are of great interest since metabolic costs are very high compared to juveniles and adults. However, there is a lack of information about metabolic costs in scombrid larvae. This lack of data is probably related to the challenges associated to larval handling before and during respirometry trials. In this study for the first time, we: i) estimate the relationship between routine metabolic rate and the larval dry weight (mass scaling exponent) at 26°C, ii) measure metabolism under light and darkness and iii) explore the influence of nutritional status (RNA:DNA ratio) on the inter-individual variability in metabolic rates. The relationship between metabolism and size (ranging from 0.6 to 23 mg) was near isometric (slope, b=0.99), in contrast to the allometric relationship observed in most species (b=0.87). Our results show no significant differences in oxygen consumption under light and darkness. A possible regulation (decrease) of their swimming activity with the consequent decrease in the oxygen consumption in light situations is discussed. Nutritional condition did not explain the inter-individual differences in oxygen consumption. This study first reports metabolic rates of Atlantic bluefin tuna larvae and discusses the challenges of performing bioenergetics studies with early life stages of Scombrids

Implementing a new rubber plant functional type in the Community Land Model (CLM5) improves accuracy of carbon and water flux estimation

Rubber plantations are an economically viable land-use type that occupies large swathes of land in Southeast Asia that have undergone conversion from native forest to intensive plantation forestry. Such land-use change has a strong impact on carbon, energy, and water fluxes in ecosystems, and uncertainties exist in the modeling of future land-use change impacts on these fluxes due to the scarcity of measured data and poor representation of key biogeochemical processes. In this current modeling effort, we utilized the Community Land Model Version 5 (CLM5) to simulate a rubber plant functional type (PFT) by comparing the baseline parameter values of tropical evergreen PFT and tropical deciduous PFT with a newly developed rubber PFT (focused on the parameterization and modification of phenology and allocation processes) based on site-level observations of a rubber clone in Indonesia. We found that the baseline tropical evergreen and baseline tropical deciduous functions and parameterizations in CLM5 poorly simulate the leaf area index, carbon dynamics, and water fluxes of rubber plantations. The newly developed rubber PFT and parametrizations (CLM-rubber) showed that daylength could be used as a universal trigger for defoliation and refoliation of rubber plantations. CLM-rubber was able to predict seasonal patterns of latex yield reasonably well, despite highly variable tapping periods across Southeast Asia. Further, model comparisons indicated that CLM-rubber can simulate carbon and energy fluxes similar to the existing rubber model simulations available in the literature. Our modeling results indicate that CLM-rubber can be applied in Southeast Asia to examine variations in carbon and water fluxes for rubber plantations and assess how rubber-related land-use changes in the tropics feedback to climate through carbon and water cycling

Decoding the ocean's microbiological secrets for marine enzyme biodiscovery

A global census of marine microbial life has been underway over the past several decades. During this period, there have been scientific breakthroughs in estimating microbial diversity and understanding microbial functioning and ecology. It is estimated that the ocean, covering 71% of the earth's surface with its estimated volume of about 2 x 10(18) m(3) and an average depth of 3800 m, hosts the largest population of microbes on Earth. More than 2 million eukaryotic and prokaryotic species are thought to thrive both in the ocean and on its surface. Prokaryotic cell abundances can reach densities of up to 10(12) cells per millilitre, exceeding eukaryotic densities of around 10(6) cells per millilitre of seawater. Besides their large numbers and abundance, marine microbial assemblages and their organic catalysts (enzymes) have a largely underestimated value for their use in the development of industrial products and processes. In this perspective article, we identified critical gaps in knowledge and technology to fast-track this development. We provided a general overview of the presumptive microbial assemblages in oceans, and an estimation of what is known and the enzymes that have been currently retrieved. We also discussed recent advances made in this area by the collaborative European Horizon 2020 project 'INMARE'