The land–sea coastal border: a quantitative definition by considering the wind and wave conditions in a wave-dominated, micro-tidal environment

A quantitative definition for the land–sea (coastal) transitional area is proposed here for wave-driven areas, based on the variability and isotropy of met-ocean processes. Wind velocity and significant wave height fields are examined for geostatistical anisotropy along four cross-shore transects on the Catalan coast (north-western Mediterranean), illustrating a case of significant changes along the shelf. The variation in the geostatistical anisotropy as a function of distance from the coast and water depth has been analysed through heat maps and scatter plots. The results show how the anisotropy of wind velocity and significant wave height decrease towards the offshore region, suggesting an objective definition for the coastal fringe width. The more viable estimator turns out to be the distance at which the significant wave height anisotropy is equal to the 90th percentile of variance in the anisotropies within a 100 km distance from the coast. Such a definition, when applied to the Spanish Mediterranean coast, determines a fringe width of 2–4 km. Regarding the probabilistic characterization, the inverse of wind velocity anisotropy can be fitted to a log-normal distribution function, while the significant wave height anisotropy can be fitted to a log-logistic distribution function. The joint probability structure of the two anisotropies can be best described by a Gaussian copula, where the dependence parameter denotes a mild to moderate dependence between both anisotropies, reflecting a certain decoupling between wind velocity and significant wave height near the coast. This wind–wave dependence remains stronger in the central baylike part of the study area, where the wave field is being more actively generated by the overlaying wind. Such a pattern controls the spatial variation in the coastal fringe width.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Preliminary data on the culture of juveniles of the dusky grouper, Epinephelus marginatus (Lowe, 1834)

This study shows preliminary data about the culture of juvenile dusky grouper, Epinephelus marginatus. Twoexperiments were carried out to determine the effects of three salinity levels (35, 27 and 20 psu) and twodifferent temperatures (20 and 26 ºC) on the growth, survival, and feeding parameters of fish raised in concrete tanks. Also, growth, feeding efficiency and biometry was studied for seven grams juveniles in a 15 month trials. Results indicated that fish maintained at a salinity of 35 psu grew faster than fish at 20 and 27 psu, and significant differences in weight gain, feed conversion ratio, protein efficiency ratio, specific growth rate, and survival were obtained between these treatments. Best growth and better feeding parameters were obtained for fish at high temperature. Significant differences in feed conversion ratio, protein efficiency ratio and specific growth rate were obtained between temperature treatments. At the end of the experimental procedure the final mean weight was 458 g in 15 months. Mean weight gain was 451 g and the feed conversion ratio was 1.23. This study also demonstrated a faster growth in culture conditions than in the wild. The results obtained were courageous and could be the basis of further studies for the culture of this species

Food habits of groupers Epinephelus marginatus (Lowe, 1834) and Epinephelus costae (Steindachner, 1878) in the Mediterranean Coast of Spain

Stomach contents of Epinephelus marginatus were analyzed to determine their food habits and the relationship with the predator size. Also, the food habits of Epinephelus costae were studied and results obtained for both species were compared according to the ecological categories of preys found in the stomach contents, percentage number (N%) and frequency of occurrence (F%). Results revealed that fishes (33.3%), crustaceans (30.1%) and mollusks (36.6%) were the main preys consumed by E. marginatus. The main prey consumed by Epinephelus costae was fishes (97.1%) and mollusks (2.9%) were occasionally found inside their stomachs. Comparison of ecological categories of prey for both species indicated that E. marginatus fed on benthonic species and E. costae on pelagic species. The relation between diet and size of E. marginatus is discussed in the text

Evidence of sexual transition in Leopard Grouper (Mycteroperca rosacea) individuals held in captivity

This study describes histological observations of the gonads of 12 captive leopard grouper, M. rosacea maintained in captivity. Monthly gonad samples during February to April 2003, were obtained by catheterization and analyzed to determine sex and degree of ovarian development. Oocytes were classified into 5 stages of development and the frequencies were obtained to describe the oocyte distribution in the ovary. Two fish that were females in February were in a bisexual stage in March and functional males in April. The transitional stage was observed during the reproductive season and included degeneration of primary oocytes and proliferation of spermatogonia

Auditoría voluntaria de una sociedad del sector tecnológico

En este trabajo se redacta la experiencia de realizar una auditoría de carácter voluntario sobre una empresa perteneciente al sector tecnológico. Todo el trabajo que se ha llevado a cabo se ha realizado en la firma de auditoría de MOORE LP, S.L, junto a un pequeño equipo de trabajo perteneciente a ella. Lo primero que se realiza es una breve introducción explicando los motivos por los cuales se ha elegido este tipo de empresa. Seguidamente, se comienza por la fase de planificación, donde se hará hincapié en los riesgos que afectan a la empresa. En segundo lugar, se realizará un estudio de la empresa a través de sus estados financieros y de diversos ratios. Para dar cierre a la fase de planificación se llevará a cabo el calculo de la materialidad. Por último, se expondrá todo el trabajo realizado en diferentes áreas, tanto de riesgo alto como bajo, dentro de la fase de ejecución.<br /

Financiación de las pymes en la Comunidad Valenciana: estudio empírico

This paper analyses the difficulties that small firms have in obtaining finance within the private sector of credit, and also the repercussions they have 011 the growth of these very companies. Furthermore, we have studied the relationship between finance and investment, and provided empirical evidence about the degree of additionality that other financial sources can offer. Our research is based on a sample of small firms randomly selected and on the opinions given by their managing directors. Our findings show that significant finance restrictions for the development of these companies do not exist in spite of the unquestionable disadvantages that they face up when competing with large firms. Finally, the additionality detected in relation to other alternative mechanisms might be considered to be irre1evant. La presente investigación analiza las dificultades a las que se enfrentan las pymes para conseguir financiación en el mercado de crédito privado y la incidencia que ello tiene sobre sus posibilidades de crecimiento. También, hemos tratado de analizar la intel1'elación entre financiación e inversión y obtener evidencia empírica acerca del grado de adicionalidad que otras fuentes de financiación puedan ofrecer a dicho mercado. El trabajo se ha desarrollado a través de la explotación de las opiniones manifestadas por los responsables de una muestra de empresas seleccionada con criterios de aleatoriedad. Los resultados señalan que no han existido barreras significativas al desarrollo de las pymes imputables al mercado de crédito, pese a las indudables desventajas con que compiten frente a las grandes empresas. La adicionalidad detectada, por otra parte, en otros mecanismos opcionales de financiación puede considerarse irrelevante.Pymes, adicionalidad, mercado de crédito Small finns, additionality, credit market

Investigación sobre la Potencialidad Aromática de las Manzanas

El aroma es un elemento clave en la calidad de la manzana. Los compuestos responsables del aroma de manzana según la etapa de maduración son los aldehídos, alcoholes y ésteres. Estos son sintetizados a partir de aminoácidos y ácidos grasos, los principales precursores de las rutas metabólicas. La β-oxidación de ácidos grasos, la vía lipoxigenasa y el metabolismo de aminoácidos son las tres rutas más importantes de la biosíntesis del aroma de manzana. A parte de estos precursores existen unos compuestos “preodorantes”, formas muy solubles en medios acuosos y por tanto compuestos no volátiles procedentes de moléculas polihidroxiladas, ácidos, glicósidos o conjugados con aminoácidos. La liberación del odorante se produce mediante la rotura de un enlace, un rearreglo molecular, un proceso de deshidratación o una combinación de ambos. En condiciones normales de temperatura estos procesos pueden tardar mucho tiempo en producirse de manera espontánea, pero en este trabajo se ha diseñado un proceso de aislamiento e hidrólisis acelerada en medio anóxico que permite acceder a una amplia gama de aromas procedentes de la fracción fenólico aromática (FFA).<br /

Análisis morfológico comparado entre las casas-cueva de la Romana (Alicante) y otros asentamientos de España

Según la historiografía, Granada es la provincia con mayor número de cuevas habitadas de España. Le sigue, por orden de cantidad, entre otras, Alicante, donde se encuentran numerosas poblaciones con importantes asentamientos excavados en tierra, entre ellos, Crevillente, Alfafara, Rojales y poblaciones de la comarca del Vinalopó Medio. La investigación aquí planteada analiza la morfología y configuración espacial de las cuevas de una zona geográficamente delimitada en las poblaciones de La Romana y Monóvar en Alicante. Se ha realizado un análisis morfológico de seis casos de estudio que ha permitido establecer el desarrollo espacial típico de las casas-cuevas de la zona. El esquema básico así obtenido se ha comparado con la morfología característica de las cuevas de otros asentamientos relevantes de España como son los de Paterna (Valencia), Aguilar de Campos (Valladolid), Guadix (Granada), Chinchilla de Montearagón (Albacete) o Crevillente (Alicante), permitiendo obtener conclusiones acerca de la íntima relación entre morfología y características geológicas y topográficas de cada lugar.Martínez Antón, A.; López Patiño, MG.; Aranda Navarro, F.; Blanca Giménez, V. (2015). Análisis morfológico comparado entre las casas-cueva de la Romana (Alicante) y otros asentamientos de España. Arché. (10):325-332. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/847703253321

A novel aspect of essential oils: Coating seeds with thyme essential oil induces drought resistance in wheat

Coating seeds with biostimulants is among the promising approaches in crop production to increase crop tolerance to drought stress. In this study, we evaluated the potential of coating durum wheat seeds of the cultivar 'Karim' with thyme essential oil on enhancing seed germination and seedling growth, and on plant growth promotion and induction of drought resistance. Coated seeds were pre-germinated, grown in hydroponics, and grown in pots under controlled well-watered and progressive water/nutrient stress conditions. Seed coating with thyme oil increased germination rate and enhanced seedling growth development in hydroponics. In the pot experiment, thyme oil increased, when well watered, root and shoot development, chlorophyll, nitrogen balance index (NBI), abscisic acid (ABA), anthocyanins and flavonoids in leaves, decreased nitrogen isotope composition (δ15N) and increased carbon isotope composition (δ13C) of shoots. Increasing water/nutrient stress in control plants induced higher accumulation of ABA and anthocyanins coupled with a transient decrease in chlorophyll and NBI, a decrease in shoot and root development, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), shoot C content, δ15N, and an increase in δ13C, revealing the avoidance strategy adopted by the cultivar. Thyme oil had the potential to enhance the avoidance strategy by inducing roots elongation, reducing the loss of shoot and roots dry matter and chlorophyll, maintaining balanced NBI, an decreasing anthocyanins, flavonoids, and δ13C via maintaining lower ABA-mediated-stomatal closure. Thyme oil increased shoot N content and δ15N indicating preferential uptake of the 15N enriched NH4+. Coating seeds with thyme oil is suggested as a promising alternative approach to improve plant's water and nutrient status and to enhance drought resistance