Operational short term health impact assessment of air pollution modelling system over Europe

The last decade, scientific studies have indicated an association between air pollution to which people are exposed and wide range of adverse health outcomes. We have developed a tool which is based on a model (MM5-CMAQ) running over Europe with 50 km spatial resolution, based on EMEP annual emissions, to produce a short-term forecast of the impact on health. In order to estimate the mortality change (forecasted for the next 24 hours) we have chosen a log-linear (Poisson) regression form to estimate the concentration-response function. The parameters involved in the C-R function have been estimated based on epidemiological studies, which have been published. Finally, we have derived the relationship between concentration change and mortality change from the C-R function which is the final health impact function

El género Evax Gaertn. (Compositae) en Galicia (España)

Se presenta una revisión del género Evax en Galicia. Se aporta la descripción de los táxones presentes y una clave para diferenciarlos. Se realiza un estudio biométrico de los aquenios de Evax pygmaea para diferenciar las subespecies. Se incluyen fotografías de sus aquenios y mapas de distribución en el área estudiada. Las poblaciones de E. pygmaea en Galicia son fundamentalmente costeras y se adscriben a la subsp. ramosissima mientras que E. lasiocarpa parece acantonarse en las montañas del SE de la región. Se reivindica la prioridad del nombre E. lasiocarpa Lange ex Cutanda sobre E. carpetana Lange.This is a revision of the genus Evax in Galicia. It is provided a description of the taxa in the region and a key to differentiate them. It becomes a study of biometric achenes of Evax pygmaea to differentiate subspecies. It includes photographs of their achenes and maps of their distribution in the study area. The populations of E. pygmaea in Galicia are mainly coastal and belong to the subsp. ramosissima while E. lasiocarpa seems to be located in the mountains of SE in the region. It claims the priority of the name E. lasiocarpa Lange ex Cutanda on E. carpetana Lange

Sensitivity of feedback effects in CBMZ/MOSAIC chemical mechanism

To investigate the impact of the aerosol effects on meteorological variables and pollutant concentrations two simulations with the WRF-Chem model have been performed over Europe for year 2010. We have performed a baseline simulation without any feedback effects and a second simulation including the direct as well as the indirect aerosol effect. The paper describes the full configuration of the model, the simulation design, special impacts and evaluation. Although low aerosol particle concentrations are detected, the inclusion of the feedback effects results in an increase of solar radiation at the surface over cloudy areas (North-West, including the Atlantic) and decrease over more sunny locations (South-East). Aerosol effects produce an increase of the water vapor and decrease the planet boundary layer height over the whole domain except in the Sahara area, where the maximum particle concentrations are detected. Significant ozone concentrations are found over the Mediterranean area. Simulated feedback effects between aerosol concentrations and meteorological variables and on pollutant distributions strongly depend on the aerosol concentrations and the clouds. Further investigations are necessary with higher aerosol particle concentrations. WRF-Chem variables are evaluated using available hourly observations in terms of performance statistics. Standardized observations from the ENSEMBLE system web-interface were used. The research was developed under the second phase of Air Quality Model Evaluation International Initiative (AQMEII). WRF-Chem demonstrates its capability in capturing temporal and spatial variations of the major meteorological variables and pollutants, except the wind speed over complex terrain. The wind speed bias may affect the accuracy in the chemical predictions (NO2, SO2). The analysis of the correlations between simulated data sets and observational data sets indicates that the simulation with aerosol effects performs slightly better. These results indicate potential importance of the aerosol feedback effects and an urgent need to further improve the representations in current atmospheric models to reduce uncertainties at all scales

Aportaciones a la flora de Galicia, X

In this study mentioned 79 different plants with interest to the flora of Galicia and other territories of the Iberian Peninsula. One of them are new records for Spain flora (Watsonia bulbillifera), 24 are regional novelties (Crassula arborescens, Teline monspessulana, Hippocrepis comosa, Chamaesyce polygonifolia, Myosotis congesta, Verbena bonariensis, Senecio pyrenaicus, Taraxacum acutangulum, T. braun-blanquetii, T. cantabricum, T. ekmanii, T. fulgidum, T. hispanicum, T. lambinonii, T. maculosum, T. pinto-silvae, T. rubicundum, T. sundbergii, Agropyrum cristatum subsp. pectinatum, Bromus inermis, Pennisetum clandestinum, Eragrostis mexicana var. virescens, Iris planifolia, Chasmanthe floribunda), 26 novedades provinciales (Ranunculus peltatus subsp. peltatus var. peltatus, Modiola caroliniana, Sedum dendroideum, Paraserianthes lophantha, Geranium purpureum, Calystegia silvatica subsp. disjuncta, Echium vulgare subsp. pustulatum, Linaria aguillonensis, Linaria lamarckii, Glechoma hederacea, Asperula aristata subsp. scabra, Taraxacum drucei, T. gallaecicum, T. marklundii, T. nordstedtii, Luzula lactea, Commelina communis, Canna indica, Cyperus involucratus, Paspalum notatum, Asphodelus fistulosus, Muscari neglectum, Veratrum album, Iris foetidissima and Hedychium gardnerianum, Passiflora caerulea). Also 15 of them are commented by its taxonomic, ecologic or chorological interest. Clypeola jonthlaspi, Alchemilla transiens, Asperula cynanchica subsp. cynanchica, Valeriana tripteris subsp. tripteris, Luzula sudetica and Rhynchos pora modesti-lucennoi are confirmed for the Galician flora. Morever, in the light of further information, we remove 6 plants from the catalog of the vascular flora of Galicia (Iberis amara, I. linifolia, Sedum sediforme, Anarrhinum laxiflorum, Asperula aristata subsp. aristata and Taraxacum palustre) and Carex vesicaria from the catalog of the Parque Nacional de las Illas Atlánticas.En este trabajo se mencionan 79 plantas de diverso interés para la flora de Galicia y otras zonas de la Península ibérica. Se incluyen 1 novedades para España (Watsonia bulbillifera), 24 novedades regionales (Crassula arborescens, Teline monspessulana, Hippocrepis comosa, Chamaesyce polygonifolia, Myosotis congesta, Verbena bonariensis, Senecio pyrenaicus, Taraxacum acutangulum, T. braun-blanquetii, T. cantabricum, T. ekmanii, T. fulgidum, T. hispanicum, T. lambinonii, T. maculosum, T. pinto-silvae, T. rubicundum, T. sundbergii, Agropyrum cristatum subsp. pectinatum, Bromus inermis, Pennisetum clandestinum, Eragrostis mexicana var. virescens, Iris planifolia, Chasmanthe floribunda), 26 novedades provinciales (Ranunculus peltatus subsp. peltatus var. peltatus, Modiola caroliniana, Sedum dendroideum, Paraserianthes lophantha, Geranium purpureum, Calystegia silvatica subsp. disjuncta, Echium vulgare subsp. pustulatum, Linaria aguillonensis, Linaria lamarckii, Glechoma hederacea, Asperula aristata subsp. scabra, Taraxacum drucei, T. gallaecicum, T. marklundii, T. nordstedtii, Luzula lactea, Commelina communis, Canna indica, Cyperus involucratus, Paspalum notatum, Asphodelus fistulosus, Muscari neglectum,Veratrum album, Iris foetidissima y Hedychium gardnerianum, Passiflora caerulea) y otras 15 de interés diverso, bien ecológico, corológico o taxonómico. Se confirma la presencia de Clypeola jonthlaspi, Alchemilla transiens, Asperula cynanchica subsp. cynanchica, Valeriana tripteris subsp. tripteris, Luzula sudetica y Rhynchospora modesti-lucennoi. También, y a la luz de la información obtenida, eliminamos del catálogo de la flora vascular de Galicia 6 taxones (Iberis amara, I. linifolia, Sedum sediforme, Anarrhinum laxiflorum, Asperula aristata subsp. aristata y Taraxacum palustre) y Carex vesicaria del Parque Nacional de las Illas Atlánticas

A global observational analysis to understand changes in air quality during exceptionally low anthropogenic emission

This global study, which has been coordinated by the World Meteorological Organization Global Atmospheric Watch (WMO/GAW) programme, aims to understand the behaviour of key air pollutant species during the COVID-19 pandemic period of exceptionally low emissions across the globe. We investigated the effects of the differences in both emissions and regional and local meteorology in 2020 compared with the period 2015–2019. By adopting a globally consistent approach, this comprehensive observational analysis focuses on changes in air quality in and around cities across the globe for the following air pollutants PM2.5, PM10, PMC (coarse fraction of PM), NO2, SO2, NOx, CO, O3 and the total gaseous oxidant (OX = NO2 + O3) during the pre-lockdown, partial lockdown, full lockdown and two relaxation periods spanning from January to September 2020. The analysis is based on in situ ground-based air quality observations at over 540 traffic, background and rural stations, from 63 cities and covering 25 countries over seven geographical regions of the world. Anomalies in the air pollutant concentrations (increases or decreases during 2020 periods compared to equivalent 2015–2019 periods) were calculated and the possible effects of meteorological conditions were analysed by computing anomalies from ERA5 reanalyses and local observations for these periods. We observed a positive correlation between the reductions in NO2 and NOx concentrations and peoples’ mobility for most cities. A correlation between PMC and mobility changes was also seen for some Asian and South American cities. A clear signal was not observed for other pollutants, suggesting that sources besides vehicular emissions also substantially contributed to the change in air quality. As a global and regional overview of the changes in ambient concentrations of key air quality species, we observed decreases of up to about 70% in mean NO2 and between 30% and 40% in mean PM2.5 concentrations over 2020 full lockdown compared to the same period in 2015–2019. However, PM2.5 exhibited complex signals, even within the same region, with increases in some Spanish cities, attributed mainly to the long-range transport of African dust and/or biomass burning (corroborated with the analysis of NO2/CO ratio). Some Chinese cities showed similar increases in PM2.5 during the lockdown periods, but in this case, it was likely due to secondary PM formation. Changes in O3 concentrations were highly heterogeneous, with no overall change or small increases (as in the case of Europe), and positive anomalies of 25% and 30% in East Asia and South America, respectively, with Colombia showing the largest positive anomaly of ~70%. The SO2 anomalies were negative for 2020 compared to 2015–2019 (between ~25 to 60%) for all regions. For CO, negative anomalies were observed for all regions with the largest decrease for South America of up to ~40%. The NO2/CO ratio indicated that specific sites (such as those in Spanish cities) were affected by biomass burning plumes, which outweighed the NO2 decrease due to the general reduction in mobility (ratio of ~60%). Analysis of the total oxidant (OX = NO2 + O3) showed that primary NO2 emissions at urban locations were greater than the O3 production, whereas at background sites, OX was mostly driven by the regional contributions rather than local NO2 and O3 concentrations. The present study clearly highlights the importance of meteorology and episodic contributions (e.g., from dust, domestic, agricultural biomass burning and crop fertilizing) when analysing air quality in and around cities even during large emissions reductions. There is still the need to better understand how the chemical responses of secondary pollutants to emission change under complex meteorological conditions, along with climate change and socio-economic drivers may affect future air quality. The implications for regional and global policies are also significant, as our study clearly indicates that PM2.5 concentrations would not likely meet the World Health Organization guidelines in many parts of the world, despite the drastic reductions in mobility. Consequently, revisions of air quality regulation (e.g., the Gothenburg Protocol) with more ambitious targets that are specific to the different regions of the world may well be required.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio

La Flora de Galicia en el proyecto Flora iberica (excepto Gramineae)

Con la publicación en 2019 del tercer volumen del tomo XVI (Compositae, Asteroideae), del plan general de la obra Flora iberica solo queda pendiente la publicación de la familia Gramineae. Con 188 familias tratadas parece un momento adecuado para realizar evaluaciones provisionales de conjunto y su relación con territorios espec´ıficos como Galicia. Hemos revisado toda la obra publicada del proyecto Flora iberica recogiendo información pormenorizada de cada nombre, su posición taxonómica, distribución provincial, su carácter endémico o aloctono así como la autoría declarada de cada monografía. Se conformó así una base de datos de 7.217 registros, a partir de la cual pudieron obtenerse los resultados de este trabajo. Sin contar la familia Gramineae por no estar publicada y Musaceae y Adosaceae por no incluir especies con secuencias provinciales, se ha recopilado información sobre 186 familias, 1.130 géneros, 5.706 especies, 6.632 taxones si se incluyen las categorías infraespecíficas, 1.640 táxones endémicos, 694 plantas alóctonas y 45 consideradas extintas en diferentes partes del territorio. La distribución de los taxones en las unidades territoriales tratadas por Flora ibérica, muestra una correlación positiva entre la diversidad α o riqueza específica de cada territorio y su rango altitudinal. Por otra parte, los análisis de similitud basados en índice de diversidad β, muestran con carácter general correlaciones entre provincias geográficamente vecinas, aunque con anomalías en algunos casos. Los datos segregados de Flora ibérica muestran a Gerona como la provincia globalmente m´as diversa, a Granada con la que cuenta un mayor número de endemismos, mientras que Barcelona capitaliza el mayor número de plantas aloctonas. Flora ibérica recoge hasta el momento 66 novedades nomenclaturales (8 sp. nov., 11 subsp. nov., 2 nom. nov. y 45 comb. nov.). Flora ibérica es una obra colegiada en la que han participado 238 investigadores como autores de 1.480 referencias bibliográficas. En lo que respecta a Galicia, Flora ibérica identifica 152 familias, 720 géneros, 2.006 especies, 2.201 taxones si se incluyen los infraespecíficos, 13 taxones estrictamente endémicos, 230 plantas alóctonas y 1 considerada extinta en Pontevedra (Rhynchospora modesti-lucennoi Castrov. in Nordic J. Bot 569 (1995)). La Coruña reúne 1.315 taxones, 5 de ellos endémicos de la provincia; Lugo, es la provincia más diversa con 1.573, pero al igual que Orense no cuenta con ningún endemismo propio; Orense presenta 1.526 taxones y Pontevedra 1.305, con una planta endémica de la provincia. Con la publicación en 2019 del tercer volumen del tomo XVI (Compositae, Asteroideae), del plan general de la obra Flora iberica solo queda pendiente la publicación de la familia Gramineae. Con 188 familias tratadas parece un momento adecuado para realizar evaluaciones provisionales de conjunto y su relación con territorios específicos como Galicia. Hemos revisado toda la obra publicada del proyecto Flora ibérica recogiendo información pormenorizada de cada nombre, su posición taxonómica, distribución provincial, su carácter endémico o alóctono así como la autoría declarada de cada monografía. Se conformó así una base de datos de 7.217 registros, a partir de la cual pudieron obtenerse los resultados de este trabajo. Sin contar la familia Gramineae por no star publicada y Musaceae y Adosaceae por no incluir especies con secuencias provinciales, se ha recopilado información sobre 186 familias, 1.130 géneros, 5.706 especies, 6.632 taxones si se incluyen las categorías infraespecíficas, 1.640 taxones end´emicos, 694 plantas al´octonas y 45 consideradas extintas en diferentes partes del territorio. La distribución de los taxones en las unidades territoriales tratadas por Flora iberica, muestra una correlación positiva entre la diversidad α o riqueza específica de cada territorio y su rango altitudinal. Por otra parte, los análisis de similitud basados en ´índice de diversidad β, muestran con carácter general correlaciones entre provincias geográficamente vecinas, aunque con anomalías en algunos casos. Los datos segregados de Flora ibérica muestran a Gerona como la provincia globalmente más diversa, a Granada con la que cuenta un mayor número de endemismos, mientras que Barcelona capitaliza el mayor número de plantas alóctonas. Flora ibérica recoge hasta el momento 66 novedades nomenclaturales (8 sp. nov., 11 subsp. nov., 2 nom. nov. y 45 comb. nov.). Flora ibérica es una obra colegiada en la que han participado 238 investigadores como autores de 1.480 referencias bibliográficas. En lo que respecta a Galicia, Flora ibérica identifica 152 familias, 720 géneros, 2.006 especies, 2.201 taxones si se incluyen los infraespec´ıficos, 13 t´axones estrictamente end´emicos, 230 plantas alóctonas y 1 considerada extinta en Pontevedra (Rhynchospora modesti-lucennoi Castrov. in Nordic J. Bot 569 (1995)). La Coruña re´une 1.315 taxones, 5 de ellos endémicos de la provincia; Lugo, es la provincia más diversa con 1.573, pero al igual que Orense no cuenta con ningún endemismo propio; Orense presenta 1.526 taxones y Pontevedra 1.305, con una planta endémica de la provincia

212 especies de dípteros de Galicia (NO España) (Insecta: Diptera)

212 dipterous species from Galicia (NW Spain) (Insecta: Diptera) - With the aim of improving the dipterological knowledge of Spain, the results obtained after the study of abundant material collected in Galicia are presented. A total of 212 species, belonging to 44 families, have been identified, highlighting ten species of them: 8 for being the first record for the Iberian Peninsula (Sylvicola zetterstedti (Anisopodidae), Liponeura matris (Blephariceridae), Dixa nebulosa and D. obsoleta (Dixidae), Beris geniculata (Stratiomyidae), Platycheirus podagratus (Syrphidae), Suillia flavifrons (Heleomyzi-dae) and Geomyza martineki (Opomyzidae)), and 2 for being the first record for Spain (Leopoldius coronatus (Conopidae) and Diastata costata (Diastatidae)). Furthermore, 13 families, 48 genera and 84 species are recorded for the first time from Galicia.Con la finalidad de mejorar el conocimiento dipterológico de España, se presentan los resultados obtenidos tras el estudio de abundante material capturado en Galicia. En total se han identificado 212 especies, pertenecientes a 44 fami-lias, de las cuales destacamos diez: 8 por citarse por primera vez para la Península Ibérica (Sylvicola zetterstedti (Aniso-podidae), Liponeura matris (Blephariceridae), Dixa nebulosa y D. obsoleta (Dixidae), Beris geniculata (Stratiomyidae), Platycheirus podagratus (Syrphidae), Suillia flavifrons (Heleomyzidae) y Geomyza martineki (Opomyzidae)), y 2 por citar-se por primera vez para España (Leopoldius coronatus (Conopidae) y Diastata costata (Diastatidae)). Además, 13 familias, 48 géneros y 84 especies se citan por primera vez para Galicia

Nueva cita de Endromis versicolora (Linnaeus, 1758) (Lepidoptera, Endromis versicolora (Linnaeus, 1758) (Lepidoptera,

We add a new record of Endromis versicolora (L.) from Galicia (NW Spain). We also present unpublished data of fifteen specimens from the Eume River Basin (A Coruña) and provide a map of Galicia with the known distribution of the species and the potential distribution based on the type of vegetation in which they were found.Se aporta una nueva cita de Endromis versicolora (L.) para Galicia. Se añaden además los datos de quince ejemplares inéditos de la cuenca del río Eume y se presenta un mapa con la distribución conocida de la especie y la potencial basándo-se en el tipo de vegetación en el que se la encontr

Primera cita de Alsophila aceraria ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) (Lepidoptera, Geometridae, Alsophilinae) para Galicia (NO España)

First record of Alsophila aceraria ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775), a rare winter Geometridae, from Galicia, Sierra de Ancares (Lugo, NW Spain).Se cita por primera vez para Galicia el geométrido invernal Alsophila aceraria ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) de la Sierra de Ancares (NO España, Lugo, Cervantes, Vilarello)