Effects of recent minimum temperature and water deficit increases on Pinus pinaster radial growth and wood density in southern Portugal

Western Iberia has recently shown increasing frequency of drought conditions coupled with heatwave events, leading to exacerbated limiting climatic conditions for plant growth. It is not clear to what extent wood growth and density of agroforestry species have suffered from such changes or recent extreme climate events. To address this question, tree-ring width and density chronologies were built for a Pinus pinaster stand in southern Portugal and correlated with climate variables, including the minimum, mean and maximum temperatures and the number of cold days. Monthly and maximum daily precipitations were also analyzed as well as dry spells. The drought effect was assessed using the standardized precipitation-evapotranspiration (SPEI) multi-scalar drought index, between 1 to 24-months. The climate-growth/density relationships were evaluated for the period 1958-2011. We show that both wood radial growth and density highly benefit from the strong decay of cold days and the increase of minimum temperature. Yet the benefits are hindered by long-term water deficit, which results in different levels of impact on wood radial growth and density. Despite of the intensification of long-term water deficit, tree-ring width appears to benefit from the minimum temperature increase, whereas the effects of long-term droughts significantly prevail on tree-ring density. Our results further highlight the dependency of the species on deep water sources after the juvenile stage. The impact of climate changes on longterm droughts and their repercussion on the shallow groundwater table and P. pinaster’s vulnerability are also discussed. This work provides relevant information for forest management in the semi-arid area of the Alentejo region of Portugal. It should ease the elaboration of mitigation strategies to assure P. pinaster’s production capacity and quality in response to more arid conditions in the near future in the regioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Genetic diversity of a large set of horse breeds raised in France assessed by microsatellite polymorphism

After the recent publication of our article (Leroy, Genetics Selection Evolution 2009 41:5), we found several errors in the published Table Three, concerning the computation of contribution to within-breed diversity (CW). We apologize to the readers for these errors, which are corrected in the present erratum

Le LiDAR aéroporté haute résolution, un outil efficace pour le relevé topographique et la détection des anomalies de surface sur les digues de protection contre les inondations

[Departement_IRSTEA]Eaux [TR1_IRSTEA]RIVAGEInternational audienceLiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) is an active remote sensing technique that provides georeferenced distance measurements between an airborne platform and the surface. Embedded in an helicopter, a high-resolution corridor mapping system like FLI-MAP (Fast Laser Imaging and Mapping on Airborne Platform) developed by FUGRO can provide, over a 105 m wide corridor at a fly height of 150 m, a point density of 80 pts/m2, with an absolute height accuracy (Z) of 0.03 m and (X,Y) accuracy of about 0.05 m in good conditions. Such LiDAR system is able to acquire data on dike structures of up to 80 km per day, which makes this technique particularly efficient during emergency situations (during and after a major flood, for example). The high-resolution digital images allow to measure with accuracy visible objects. Moreover, in case of wooded dikes, LiDAR data makes possible to study structures hidden by vegetation cover. Vegetation itself is also an important concern for levee owners—the development of woody vegetation near or onto the dike being a major risk factor. Surface singularities are often clues of disorders in the dike itself: for example a subsidence or a sinkhole on the crest may result from internal erosion or karst collapse. Such singularities, once pre-identified on the images are, of course, to be confirmed by field visits, but the contribution of high resolution LiDAR data is to improve the completeness of these visual clues. Geophysical survey or geotechnical testing will then characterize possible extension of surface singularities in the dike body or in the foundation. Finally, high resolution LiDAR data and aerial photographs could contribute efficiently to the civil engineering diagnosis of a flood defence structure both in “dry” condition (e.g.: dike not under hydraulic head) or during flood. Our paper proposes and describes a relevant methodology to exploit these remote sensing data collected during “dry condition”, for levee safety assessments

Projet FloodProBE WP 3 : Fiabilité des digues urbaines. Guide pour l'utilisation du LIDAR héliporté pour contribuer au diagnostic des digues - Expérimentation sur le site pilote "Val d'Orléans"

[Departement_IRSTEA]Eaux [TR1_IRSTEA]RIVAGEIn support of a real case of application (“Val d’Orléans” Pilot Site), our research work provide a methodology for using remote sensing LiDAR data and high-resolution aerial imagery – acquired in “dry conditions” (e.g. not in a flood context) - to contribute efficiently to a rural or urban flood defence structure diagnostic or assessment. The main objective of our task 3.2.2 is resolutely operational: to put in practice the developed methodology, it is necessary to dispose high-resolution LiDAR data that our task deliverable “Technical specifications template for LiDAR aerial acquisition on dikes” allows to operate. Topographic data furnished as deliverables of a LiDAR acquisition campaign are precious information tools regarding levee maintenance and operations

Plateforme RHYTMME, notice utilisateur

Depuis 2007, Météo-France et IRSTEA portent le projet RHYTMME (Risques Hydro-météorologiques en Territoires de Montagnes et Méditerranéens) destiné à mieux anticiper les aléas liés aux précipitations auxquels la Région Provence – Alpes – Côte d’Azur est particulièrement soumise. Ce projet, financé par la Région, l’Union européenne et le Ministère en charge de l’Écologie, au titre du Contrat de Projet État-Région 2007-2013, a permis l’élaboration d’une plate-forme de services, accessible via internet et diffusant, en temps réel, des cartes destinées à aider l’anticipation et la gestion de ces aléas naturels. Cette plate-forme, innovante et gratuite pour les utilisateurs, vise à fournir des éléments d’aide à la décision en période de phénomènes intenses. Après avoir été testée pendant quatre ans dans les trois départements des Alpes du Sud grâce à un groupe d’expérimentateurs, cette plate-forme devient opérationnelle à compter de janvier 2016. La plate-forme RHYTMME est un site internet donnant accès à des services cartographiques pour l’anticipation et le suivi des aléas naturels liés aux précipitations (crues soudaines, crues torrentielles, mouvements de terrains) dont l’accès se fait par des identifiants propres à chaque utilisateur. La plate-forme RHYTMME a été conçue comme un outil d’appui à l’anticipation et au suivi de situations hydrométéorologiques à risques. La durée de rétention d’affichage de la plupart des informations est de deux à cinq jours, ce qui permet d’utiliser aussi l’outil en analyse post-événementielle. Cette notice pour but de décrire les fonctionnalités de la plate-forme RHYTMME et ses limites, afin de guider l'utilisateur vers des usages appropriés de cette plate-forme

Report of the international equine gene mapping workshop: Male linkage map

The goal of the First International Equine Gene Mapping Workshop, held in 1995, was the construction of a low density, male linkage map for the horse. For this purpose, the International Horse Reference Family Panel (IHRFP) was established, consisting of 12 paternal half-sib families with 448 half-sib offspring provided by 10 laboratories. Blood samples were collected and DNA extracted in each laboratory and sent to the Lexington laboratory (KY, USA) for dispatch in aliquots to 14 typing laboratories. In total, 161 markers (144 microsatellites, seven blood groups and 10 proteins) were tested for all families for which the sire was heterozygous. Genealogies and typing data were sent for analysis to the INRA laboratory (Jouy-en-Josas, France) according to a specific format and entered into a database with input verification and output processes. Linkage analysis was performed with the CRIMAP program. Significant linkage was detected for 124 loci, of which 95 were unambiguously ordered using a multipoint analysis with an average spacing of 14.2 CM. These loci were distributed among 29 linkage groups. A more comprehensive analysis including synteny group data and FISH data suggested that 26 autosomes out of 31 are covered. The complete map spans 936 cM