Assessment of the development of aquifer management councils (COTAS) for sustainable groundwater management in Guanajuato, Mexico

Collective groundwater management by water users—self-regulation—is increasingly advocated as a complement to state regulation. This article analyzes the attempts by the Guanajuato State Water Commission (CEAG) in central Mexico to promote user self-regulation through the establishment and development of 14 Consejos Técnicos de Aguas (COTAS; Technical Water Councils). Based on a joint assessment by a former senior CEAG policy-maker and two researchers, Guanajuato’s groundwater-management policy is reviewed to understand why user self-regulation was less successful than expected. It concludes that increasing awareness and improving the knowledge base on groundwater is not enough to trigger self-regulation by groundwater users. A wider delegation of responsibilities to the COTAS is necessary, combined with: (1) functioning mechanisms for enforcing groundwater legislation, especially concerning well permits and pumped volumes, and (2) mechanisms that ensure the legitimacy and accountability of users’ representatives to both users and state agencie

A pilot study on yearlings' reactions to handling in relation to the training method

Handling and training methods of horses, which specially emphasize the importance of understanding horse body language and the use of reinforcements, are often used in practice, yet their effects are not completely known. This study investigated whether the use of a sympathetic approach during the preparation for public auctions influenced the reactivity of young horses towards humans. Sixteen thoroughbred yearlings were prepared for the public auctions during one month: eight horses ("Control") were handled according to conventional practices, while the others ("Treated") were handled with two sessions of basic training based on body language. The reactivity of horses was assessed in the presence of an "unfamiliar person" and a "familiar person" inside the horse's box. The experimenter recorded the presence/absence of selected behaviors during seven observational moments: "approaching the box," "opening the box door," "entering the box," and four consecutive observations every thirty seconds. Reactivity of horses was ranked during the first experience of "bit," "grooming," "shower," and application of the "surcingle." Heart rate was telemetrically recorded during this final test. At the end of the auction preparation, "Treated" horses exhibited more "contact" (p = 0.08) and "lick" (p < 0.05) behaviors in the presence of a person. "Control" horses showed higher (non-significant) percentages of negative (more nervous) rankings during "bit," "grooming," and "surcingle" tests. Two "Control" horses showed aggressive behavior during the application of the surcingle and the test was interrupted to guarantee person and animal safety. In this pilot study, horses handled with a sympathetic approach showed less reactive behaviors compared with "Control" horses. It would be interesting to enlarge the sample size and assess if the use of non-coercive handling during the whole training period influences their welfare positively and for a long time

Using qualitative behaviour assessment (QBA) to explore the emotional state of horses and its association with human-animal relationship

This study aimed to apply qualitative behaviour assessment (QBA) to horses farmed in single boxes, in order to investigate their emotional state and explore its association with indicators of human-animal relationship. A fixed list of 13 QBA descriptive terms was determined. Three assessors experienced with horses and skilled in measuring animal behaviour underwent a common training period, consisting of a theoretical phase and a practical phase on farm. Their inter-observer reliability was tested on a live scoring of 95 single stabled horses. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was conducted to analyse QBA scores and identify perceived patterns of horse expression, both for data obtained in the training phase and from the on-farm study. Given the good level of agreement reached in the training phase (Kendall W\u202f=\u202f0.76 and 0.74 for PC1 and PC2 scores respectively), it was considered acceptable in the subsequent on-farm study to let these three observers each carry out QBA assessments on a sub-selection of a total of 355 sport and leisure horses, owned by 40 horse farms. Assessment took place immediately after entering the farms: assessors had never entered the farms before and were unaware of the different backgrounds of the farms. After concluding QBA scoring, the assessors further evaluated each horse with an avoidance distance test (AD) and a forced human approach test (FHA). A MANOVA test was used to assess the association of the AD and FHA tests with the on-farm QBA PC scores. The QBA approach described in this paper was feasible on farm and showed good acceptability by owners. In the analysis of on-farm QBA scores, the first Principal Component ranged from relaxed/at ease to uneasy/alarmed, the second Component ranged from curious/pushy to apathetic. Horses perceived as more relaxed/at ease with QBA showed less avoidance during the AD test (P\u202f=\u202f0.0376), and responded less aggressively and fearfully to human presence in the FHA test (P\u202f<\u202f0.0001). Our results support the hypothesis that QBA is sensitive to the quality of human contact in horses

Cronoestratigrafía del volcanismo con énfasis en ignimbritas desde hace 25 Ma en el SO del Perú – Implicaciones para la evolución de los Andes centrales

El sur del Perú representa el segundo campo ignimbrítico de los Andes con un área que sobrepasa los 25 000 km2 y volúmenes de casi 5000 km3. Se prresenta la extensión, la estratigrafía y la cronología de 12 ignimbritas que afloran en el área de los cañones profundos de los Ríos Ocoña–Cotahuasi–Marán y Colca (OCMC). La cronología de las ignimbritas a lo largo de los últimos 25 Myr está basada en 74 dataciones 40Ar/39Ar and U/Pb. Antes de 9 Ma, ocho ignimbritas con gran volumen fueron producidas cada 2.4 Myr. Después de 9 Ma, el periodo de reposo entre cada ignimbrita de volumen pequeño a moderado ha disminuido hasta 0.85 Myr. Esta cronología de las ignimbritas y de las lavas del Neógeno y Cuaternario ayuda a revisar la nomenclatura de las formaciones volcánicas utilizadas para la Carta Geológica Nacional. Además las unidades volcánicas identificadas son herramientas para reconstruir la evolución geológica del flanco occidental de los Andes Centrales durante su levantamiento desde hace 25 Ma. Junto con la cronoestratigrafía de estas unidades, datos geomorfológicos obtenidos en las cuencas y sobre otros depósitos de los cañones OCMC ayudan a precisar la historia de la incisión del flanco occidental de los Andes Centrales desde hace 25 Ma. Finalmente la cronología de depósitos de avalancha de escombros y de terrazas rocosas basada en cosmogénicos (Be10) permite precisar la evolución de los cañones durante el Pleistoceno y el Holoceno