L’activité géographique en France (Le maître Raoul Blanchard et le tome sixième de ses « Alpes occidentales »)

Geographical research and production in France have known a remarkable development during the last half century. One of the leaders of this contemporary movement bas been Professor Raoul Blanchard who was not only a chef d'école, but also a leader for his students and colleagues. Professor Blanchard has shown the way himself in publishing numerous important works on several parts of the world, and, of special interest to Canadians, his collection of regional monographs about French Canada. Not so well known to Canadian geographers and readers are his works (12 volumes) on the Alpes occidentales. In this article, a prominent French geographer, Professor Maurice Parde, of Grenoble, studies the influence of Professor Blanchard on the contemporary geographical movement in France. He also analyses more especially the sixth and last part of this monumental work on the Alps. Mr. Blanchard, who is an honorary president of the Canadian Association of Geographers, has recently been awarded a golden medal by the American Geographical Society

Defining and building a decision support system: the experience of the Bibliothèque Nationale de France

Intervention au 34e congrès LIBER qui s\u27est tenu à Groningue aux Pays-Pas du 6 au 9 juillet 2005

Biomass conversion and expansion factors are afected by thinning

Aim of the study: The objective of this paper is to investigate the use of Biomass Conversion and Expansion Factors (BCEFs) in maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.) stands subjected to thinning. Area of the study: The study area refers to different ecosystems of maritime pine stands in Northern Portugal. Material and methods: The study is supported by time data series and cross sectional data collected in permanent plots established in the North of Portugal. An assessment of BCEF values for the aboveground compartments and for total was completed for each studied stand. Identification of key variables affecting the value of the BCEFs in time and with thinning was conducted using correlation analysis. Predictive models for estimation of the BCEFs values in time and after thinning were developed using nonlinear regression analysis. Research highlights: For periods of undisturbed growth, the results show an allometric relationship between the BCEFs, the dominant height and the mean diameter. Management practices such as thinning also influence the factors. Estimates of the ratio change before and after thinning depend on thinning severity and thinning type. The developed models allow estimating the biomass of the stands, for the aboveground compartments and for total, based on information of stand characteristics and of thinning descriptors. These estimates can be used to assess the forest dry wood stocks to be used for pulp, bioenergy or other purposes, as well as the biomass quantification to support the evaluation of the net primary productivityinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio