Simulation of land use evolution by discrete events method: Application to “la chaîne des puys” from XV to XVIII Century

By using a discrete event method, simulation of land use evolution has been applied to a landscape model of “la ChaÎne des Puys” (French Massif Central) during along period (XV–XVIII centuries). The indications concerning the evolution of land use are in conformity with the observation of actual situations but the dynamic changes are faster than in actual facts. In spite of limitations due to necessary simplifications, it is now established that the discrete event method is efficient to simulate land use evolution during a long period. The model is immediately able to describe actual dynamics and to show sensitive variables with their critical values. Although oversimplified, it shows how far factors such as level of crops production and taxation can influence land use and landscape changes with a more or less lengthy period. In the future, the model should be bettered by introducing other determined and/or stochastic events

Modélisation de l'entretien du paysage par des herbivores en moyenne montagne : une approche multi-agents

L'abandon de l'utilisation des ressources herbagères par l'activité pastorale entraîne un appauvrissement de la diversité écologique et spécifique. A terme, cette évolution se traduit par le déplacement des activités humaines hors de ces zones et à un déséquilibre au niveau du territoire national. Un programme de recherche pluridisciplinaire, dans le cadre d'un Groupement d'intérêt Scientifique, a été mis en place dès 1994 pour élaborer de nouveaux modes de gestion qui concilient production agricole et entretien de l'espace en condition de sous chargement (peu d'animaux par unité de surface). Cet article s'inscrit dans une démarche d'acquisition de méthodes afin d'expérimenter des techniques de gestion de pâturage mixte bovins et chevaux selon une hypothèse de complémentarité entre ces deux espèces. La partie informatique présentée vise à simuler les dynamiques animales, végétales et paysagères futures et, à terme, proposer des protocoles de gestion aptes à répondre à ces nouvelles demandes. L'objectif de la modélisation que nous présentons est de simuler le fonctionnement de l'estive, afin de comprendre l'interaction entre l'évolution de la végétation, les déplacements et les actions des animaux en pâture. Un des modes de simulation utilise un système multi-agents. Le modèle conceptuel de la simulation est en cours de validation, il a été formalisé avec la notation graphique du langage de modélisation unifié (UML) et la version actuelle du logiciel est implémentée avec le langage de programmation Java. Pour suivre et enregistrer les localisations des animaux sur le terrain, ceux-ci sont équipés d'un récepteur satellite GPS (Global Positioning System). L'activité de pâturage des animaux est enregistrée par des colliers Ethosys. / The surrender of herbaceous resources by the grazing activity results in an impoverishment of both ecological and specific diversity. On the long term, this trend imposes the localization of human activities far from these zones and a national imbalance. A multidisciplinary research program was set up in 1994 with the aim of elaborating new ways of management, which would contribute to maintain both the productivity and the opened landscapes within the condition of low grazing pressure. This paper exposes the methods we elaborated in order to test several management techniques of grasslands by mean of cattle and horses within the hypothesis of complementarity between these two species. The computer science part of this paper presents the results of simulations of future dynamic behaviors of the animals, vegetation and landscape, in order to propound some management protocols. The simulator is based on a multi-agent system. The conceptual model, formalized with Unified Modeling Language graphical notation is actually in validation phase and the implementation of the software was done in the Java programming language. The following of the animals in the field was done by means of GPS equipments and the animal activity was recorded by Ethosys equipments

Segmentation and kinematics of the North America-Caribbean plate boundary offshore Hispaniola

We explored the submarine portions of the Enriquillo–Plantain Garden Fault zone (EPGFZ) and the Septentrional–Oriente Fault zone (SOFZ) along the Northern Caribbean plate boundary using high-resolution multibeam echo-sounding and shallow seismic reflection. The bathymetric data shed light on poorly documented or previously unknown submarine fault zones running over 200 km between Haiti and Jamaica (EPGFZ) and 300 km between the Dominican Republic and Cuba (SOFZ). The primary plate-boundary structures are a series of strike-slip fault segments associated with pressure ridges, restraining bends, step overs and dogleg offsets indicating very active tectonics. Several distinct segments 50–100 km long cut across pre-existing structures inherited from former tectonic regimes or bypass recent morphologies formed under the current strike-slip regime. Along the most recent trace of the SOFZ, we measured a strike-slip offset of 16.5 km, which indicates steady activity for the past ~1.8 Ma if its current GPS-derived motion of 9.8 ± 2 mm a−1 has remained stable during the entire Quaternary.Depto. de Geodinámica, Estratigrafía y PaleontologíaFac. de Ciencias GeológicasTRUEpu

SYNTHESIS AND PROPERTIES OF ACICULAR BARIUM HEXAFERRITE

The barium hexaferrite crystallizes in the hexagonal system of the magnetoplumbite type. The particles, generally prepared by solid state reactions, coprecipitation, crystallisation ion a glass or by growth under a flux, usually appear in the form of hexagonal platelets. We have prepared the barium hexaferrite in the acicular form, which may be of some considerable interest for high density recording. We present in this paper the results obtained from an original process, namely the impregnation of acicular "ferrous hydroxide" by a barium alcoholate. During the course of formation of BaFe12O19, the acicular morphology is conserved, while maintaining a high magnetization of about 60 emu/g and the coercive field of around 5200 oersteds

Isotopic tracing of clear water sources in an urban sewer: A combined water and dissolved sulfate stable isotope approach

International audienceThis paper investigates the potential of stable isotopes of both water (δD and δ18OH2O) and dissolved sulfate (δ34S and δ18OSO4) for determining the origin and the amount of clear waters entering an urban sewer. The dynamics of various hydrological processes that commonly occur within the sewer system such as groundwater infiltration, rainwater percolation, or stormwater release from retention basins, can be readily described using water isotope ratios. In particular, stable water isotopes indicate that the relative volumes of infiltrated groundwater and sewage remain approximately constant and independent of wastewater flow rate during the day, thus demonstrating that the usual quantification of parasitic discharge from minimal nocturnal flow measurements can lead to completely erroneous results. The isotopic signature of dissolved sulfate can also provide valuable information about the nature of water inputs to the sewage flow, but could not be used in our case to quantify the infiltrating water. Indeed, even though the microbial activity had a limited effect on the isotopic composition of dissolved sulfate at the sampling sites investigated, the dissolved sulfate concentration in sewage was regulated by the formation of barite and calcium-phosphate mineral species. Sulfate originating from urine was also detected as a source using the oxygen isotopic composition of sulfate, which suggests that δ18OSO4 might find use as a urine tracer

The retrieval of cloud microphysical properties using satellite measurements and an in situ database

By combining AVHRR data from the NOAA satellites with information from a database of in situ measurements, large-scale maps can be generated of the microphysical parameters most immediately significant for the modelling of global circulation and climate. From the satellite data, the clouds can be classified into cumuliform, stratiform and cirrus classes and then into further sub-classes by cloud top temperature. At the same time a database of in situ measurements made by research aircraft is classified into the same sub-classes and a statistical analysis is used to derive relationships between the sub-classes and the cloud microphysical properties. These two analyses are then linked to give estimates of the microphysical properties of the satellite observed clouds. Examples are given of the application of this technique to derive maps of the probability of occurrence of precipitating clouds and of precipitating water content derived from a case study within the International Cirrus Experiment (ICE) held in 1989 over the North Sea

In vivo assessment of the active foliar area of banana plants (Musa spp.) using the OTO model

International audienceThe active foliar area (AFA) is a key parameter in banana crop models, but it is hard to evaluate and existing in vivo assessment models are unreliable. We studied the leaf area dynamics in 405 plantains belonging to nine varieties (Batard, Big Ebanga, CRBP39, D248, D535, Essong, FHIA21, French clair and Mbouroukou n • 3) throughout one crop cycle. An analysis of the structure of 8858 monitored leaf configurations (i.e. each defined by a variety, a number of living leaves and a banana development stage at the monitoring time) revealed the leaf area dynamics versus banana development phases. This analysis also confirmed the relevance of a linear leaf area (LA) increase model. Two ANOVAs were performed to assess the sensitivity of the linear AFA simulation model regarding the variety, number of living leaves and banana development stage at the monitoring time. Finally, we propose a new banana AFA simulation model based on a combination of two linear models. The OTO (for 'leaves One, Three, One') model only involves two input parameters: the number of living leaves at the monitoring time and the length and width of three of these living leaves. The model validation confirmed its independence from the variety, banana configuration at the monitoring time, and cropping conditions. This simple and portable tool can be used to assess the AFA of any banana plant, irrespective of its variety, development stage and cropping conditions