Analysis of strawberry ripening by dynamic speckle measurements

This work seeks to determine the age of a fruit from observation of its dynamic speckle pattern. A mobile speckle pattern originates on the fruit's surface due to the interference of the wavefronts reflected from moving scatterers. For this work we analyzed two series of photographs of a strawberry speckle pattern, at different stages of ripening, acquired with a CMOS camera. The first day, we took ten photographs at an interval of one second. The same procedure was repeated the next day. From each series of images we extracted several statistical descriptors of pixel-to-pixel gray level variation during the observation time. By comparing these values from the first to the second day we noticed a diminution of the speckle activity. This decay demonstrated that after only one day the ripening process of the strawberry can be detected by dynamic speckle pattern analysis. For this study we employed a simple new algorithm to process the data obtained from the photographs. This algorithm allows defining a global mobility index that indicates the evolution of the fruit's ripening.Fil: Mulone, C.. Universidad Tecnológica Nacional. Facultad Regional Paraná; ArgentinaFil: Budini, Nicolas. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico - CONICET- Santa Fe. Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Industria Química (i); Argentina. Universidad Tecnológica Nacional. Facultad Regional Paraná; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico - CONICET - Santa Fe. Instituto de Física del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Vincitorio, F. M.. Universidad Tecnológica Nacional. Facultad Regional Paraná; ArgentinaFil: Freyre, C.. Universidad Tecnológica Nacional. Facultad Regional Paraná; ArgentinaFil: López Díaz, A. J.. Universidad da Coruña; España;Fil: Ramil Rego, A.. Universidad da Coruña; España

Galician Atlantic Islands National Park: Challenges for the Conservation and Management of a Maritime-Terrestrial Protected Area

At present, biodiversity conservation and management in Spanish National Parks in Spain must respond to a series of regulations at a European, national and regional level, also adapting to scientific-technical progress. The availability of increasingly precise data on the values to be conserved (ecosystems, habitats, species, geodiversity) in these protected areas enables more detailed management, but also requires more rigorous, powerful, and multidisciplinary tools. Maritime-terrestrial national parks are highly sensitive areas to public use, so their impact must be one of the most important factors to take into account when planning their management. This work evaluates the past and present challenges for conservation in Galician Atlantic Islands National Park (NW Spain), where biodiversity conservation and management has evolved over time in a significant way, providing a valid case study applicable to other national parks worldwide, as well as similar situations in other contexts and scenarios. Future challenges are arising in the National Park to improve the conservation status of natural habitats and wildlife, mainly through new European initiatives that may establish important synergies with other countries

Revealing the last 13,500 years of environmental history from the multiproxy record of a mountain lake (Lago Enol, northern Iberian Peninsula)

This is the author's accepted manuscript. The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10933-009-9387-7.We present the Holocene sequence from Lago Enol (43°16′N, 4°59′W, 1,070 m a.s.l.), Cantabrian Mountains, northern Spain. A multiproxy analysis provided comprehensive information about regional humidity and temperature changes. The analysis included sedimentological descriptions, physical properties, organic carbon and carbonate content, mineralogy and geochemical composition together with biological proxies including diatom and ostracod assemblages. A detailed pollen study enabled reconstruction of variations in vegetation cover, which were interpreted in the context of climate changes and human impact. Four distinct stages were recognized for the last 13,500 years: (1) a cold and dry episode that includes the Younger Dryas event (13,500–11,600 cal. year BP); (2) a humid and warmer period characterizing the onset of the Holocene (11,600–8,700 cal. year BP); (3) a tendency toward a drier climate during the middle Holocene (8,700–4,650 cal. year BP); and (4) a return to humid conditions following landscape modification by human activity (pastoral activities, deforestation) in the late Holocene (4,650–2,200 cal. year BP). Superimposed on relatively stable landscape conditions (e.g. maintenance of well established forests), the typical environmental variability of the southern European region is observed at this site.The Spanish Inter-Ministry Commission of Science and Technology (CICYT), the Spanish National Parks agency, the European Commission, the Spanish Ministry of Science, and the European Social Fund

Revealing the last 13,500 years of environmental history from the multiproxy record of a mountain lake (Lago Enol, northern Iberian Peninsula)

This is the author's accepted manuscript. The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10933-009-9387-7.We present the Holocene sequence from Lago Enol (43°16′N, 4°59′W, 1,070 m a.s.l.), Cantabrian Mountains, northern Spain. A multiproxy analysis provided comprehensive information about regional humidity and temperature changes. The analysis included sedimentological descriptions, physical properties, organic carbon and carbonate content, mineralogy and geochemical composition together with biological proxies including diatom and ostracod assemblages. A detailed pollen study enabled reconstruction of variations in vegetation cover, which were interpreted in the context of climate changes and human impact. Four distinct stages were recognized for the last 13,500 years: (1) a cold and dry episode that includes the Younger Dryas event (13,500–11,600 cal. year BP); (2) a humid and warmer period characterizing the onset of the Holocene (11,600–8,700 cal. year BP); (3) a tendency toward a drier climate during the middle Holocene (8,700–4,650 cal. year BP); and (4) a return to humid conditions following landscape modification by human activity (pastoral activities, deforestation) in the late Holocene (4,650–2,200 cal. year BP). Superimposed on relatively stable landscape conditions (e.g. maintenance of well established forests), the typical environmental variability of the southern European region is observed at this site.The Spanish Inter-Ministry Commission of Science and Technology (CICYT), the Spanish National Parks agency, the European Commission, the Spanish Ministry of Science, and the European Social Fund

Landscape dynamics and fire activity since 6740 cal yr BP in the Cantabrian region (La Molina peat bog, Puente Viesgo, Spain)

A lack of paleobotanic studies with adequate resolution and multiproxy approaches has limited proper discussion of vegetation dynamics in Cantabria and of the role of fires in the configuration of the plant landscape during the Holocene in the northwest part of the Iberian peninsula. The pollen diagram of La Molina peat bog in Puente Viesgo (43 ‹15 Œ38 N.3 ‹58 Œ37 W; ETRS89), located at 484 m.a.s.l., and the study of its sedimentary charcoals allowed the acquisition of a continuous and thorough fire sequence for the last 6 700 cal yr BP and an understanding of its relationship to the forest. The results show the importance of human influence on the incidence and characteristics of fire activity during the different phases studied: the Neolithic, Bronze Age, Iron Age, Roman period, and Middle Ages. A synergy seems to exist between dry climate periods (especially during Bond events 3 and 4) and a greater presence of biomass. As the Holocene advances, vegetation coverage clearly tends to decrease. This study provides key elements for understanding the role of fire activity in the forest dynamics of deciduous and evergreen Quercus, Corylus, Pinus, Fagus, and Alnus and demonstrates the strongly artificialized character of the present landscape

Introducción al patrimonio geológico de interés turístico de la Red Española de Reservas de la Biosfera

160 p.Esta publicación se ha realizado con el objetivo de describir el origen y formación de una buena parte del patrimonio geológico de interés turístico de la Red Española de Reservas de la Biosfera para que éste sea conocido y pueda ser utilizado como motor de desarrollo económico local. La necesidad de dar a conocer este sorprendente patrimonio natural de la Red español de Reservas de la Biosfera fue constatada por su Consejo de Gestores que encargó el trabajo a su Consejo Científico. La publicación tiene la vocación de ser accesible para todos los públicos. Sin embargo, parte de un trabajo bibliográfico profundo abordado con una rigurosa metodología científica. Es además el fruto de una continua colaboración de los editores con las personas gestoras de las Reservas de la Biosfera españolas, así como con varios miembros de su Consejo Científico asesor.Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, Españ

Shells and humans: molluscs and other coastal resources from the earliest human occupations at the Mesolithic shell midden of El Mazo (Asturias, Northern Spain)

Human populations exploited coastal areas with intensity during the Mesolithic in Atlantic Europe, resulting in the accumulation of large shell middens. Northern Spain is one of the most prolific regions, and especially the so-called Asturian area. Large accumulations of shellfish led some scholars to propose the existence of intensification in the exploitation of coastal resources in the region during the Mesolithic. In this paper, shell remains (molluscs, crustaceans and echinoderms) from stratigraphic units 114 and 115 (dated to the early Mesolithic c. 9 kys cal BP) at El Mazo cave (Asturias, northern Spain) were studied in order to establish resource exploitation patterns and environmental conditions. Species representation showed that limpets, top shells and sea urchins were preferentially exploited. One-millimetre mesh screens were crucial in establishing an accurate minimum number of individuals for sea urchins and to determine their importance in exploitation patterns. Environmental conditions deduced from shell assemblages indicated that temperate conditions prevailed at the time of the occupation and the morphology of the coastline was similar to today (rocky exposed shores). Information recovered relating to species representation, collection areas and shell biometry reflected some evidence of intensification (reduced shell size, collection in lower areas of exposed shores, no size selection in some units and species) in the exploitation of coastal resources through time. However, the results suggested the existence of changes in collection strategies and resource management, and periods of intense shell collection may have alternated with times of shell stock recovery throughout the Mesolithic.This research was performed as part of the project “The human response to the global climatic change in a littoral zone: the case of the transition to the Holocene in the Cantabrian coast (10,000–5000 cal BC) (HAR2010-22115-C02-01)” funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. AGE was funded by the University of Cantabria through a predoctoral grant and IGZ was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness through a Juan de la Cierva grant. We also would like to thank the University of Cantabria and the IIIPC for providing support, David Cuenca-Solana, Alejandro García Moreno and Lucia Agudo Pérez for their help. We also thank Jennifer Jones for correcting the English. Comments from two anonymous reviewers helped to improve the paper

Clasificaciones climáticas aplicadas a Galicia: revisión desde una perspectiva biogeográfica

The main methods of climatic classification that have been applied to the Galician territory are reviewed in this paper, stressing those aimed to explain the relationships between climatic parameters and the distribution of plants on land (bioclimatology). This?the first time that detailed maps (macrobioclimates, bioclimates, termotypes and ombrotypes) were drawn from the results of the application of the S. Rivas’ “World Bioclimatic Classification” to the data of 209 weather stations from Galicia and neighbouring territories. Our results show that the majority of the territory belongs to the temperate macrobioclimate, mostly to its submediterranean variant. Only the last stretch of the Sil river watershed and their main affluents (Bibei, Xares, Lor) belong to the mediterranean-pluvistational macrobioclimate. With regard to the continentality of the climate, most of the territory has low seasonal contrasts (hyperoceanic and semioceanic bioclimates) due to the buffering effect of the sea. Only the extreme SE area belongs to the semicontinental bioclimate. The termotypes found in the area were termotemperate, mesotemperate, supratemperate, orotemperate and (infered) criorotemperate, this last termotype being only present in the highest summits of the Trevinca-Sanabria range. In the mediterranean areas, only the mesomediterranean termotype was found. The ombrotypes found ranged from the lower subhumid to the ultrahyperhumid ombrotypes, being dominants the humid types (lower and upper). Finally, some issues are discussed which relate to the limitations caused by the weather station network employed and to the need of improving it to give a response to the growing needs of information related to global warming and its influence on terrestrial habitats, specially in mountainous areas.En este trabajo se revisan los principales métodos de clasificación climática que han sido aplicados al territorio gallego, haciendo especial énfasis en aquellos orientados a explicar la relación entre parámetros climáticos y la distribución de los vegetales sobre la superficie terrestre (bioclimatología). Igualmente, se presentan por primera vez expresiones cartográficas de detalle (macrobioclimas, bioclimas, termotipos y ombrotipos) resultantes de la aplicación de la “Clasificación Bioclimática Mundial” de S. Rivas-Martínez a una base de 209 estaciones meteorológicas de Galicia y territorios próximos. Según esta clasificación bioclimática, la mayor parte del territorio de Galicia se encuentra dentro del macrobioclima templado, perteneciendo una proporción elevada del mismo a su variante submediterránea, mientras que solamente el tramo final de la cuenca del Río Sil y sus principales afluentes (Bibei, Xares, Lor) pertenecen al macrobioclima mediterráneo-pluviestacional. En cuanto al grado de continentalidad, se puede considerar que la mayor parte de Galicia presenta un clima poco contrastado (bioclimas hiperoceánicos y semioceánicos), debido al efecto modulador del mar. De esta tendencia se aleja únicamente el extremo SE que se incluye en el bioclima semicontinental. Los termotipos presentes en las áreas templadas son termotemplado, mesotemplado, supratemplado, orotemplado y criorotemplado, este último restringido a las cumbres más elevadas del macizo de Trevinca-Sanabria; dentro de las áreas mediterráneas se reconoce exclusivamente el termotipo mesomediterráneo. Los ombrotipos representados comprenden desde el subhúmedo inferior al ultrahiperhúmedo, siendo dominantes los de tipo húmedo (inferior y superior). Por último, se discuten algunas cuestiones relativas a las limitaciones derivadas de la red de estaciones meteorológicas empleada así como la necesidad de su mejora para cubrir las crecientes demandas de información relativas al calentamiento global y su posible influencia en los hábitats terrestres, especialmente en las áreas de montaña

Environmental characterizacion, demography and threatens for conservation of the population of Culcita macrocarpa C. Presl. in Lugo Province (NW Spain)

Se aportan datos sobre el biotopo y parámetrosdemográficos de la única población conocida hasta estemomento de Culcita macrocarpa C. Presl. en la Provincia deLugo (Galicia, NW España). Los individuos se distribuyen entres subpoblaciones de tamaño desigual (19, 21 y 1 plantas)que crecen entre los 460 y 500 m en ambientes sombríos allado de un curso de auga temporal que discurre por elinterior de un extenso robledal. En conjunto, la proporciónde individuos juveniles y adultos es muy semejante,mostrando los ejemplares una elevada vitalidad, aunquealgo más del 10% de sus frondes están afectadas por lapérdida de superficie fotosintética de origen desconocido.Actualmente no existen factores de amenaza evidentes,aunque la sustitución del bosque en el que se encuentra lapoblación estudiada por plantaciones de crecimiento rápidoo la intensificación del pastoreo podrían afectarnegativamente su conservación. Por esta razón, se proponela declaración de un Espacio Natural Protegido en la cuencadel Río Sor para asegurar la supervivencia de estapoblación de un helecho protegido por su condición deespecie amenazada de extinción.Data on biotope characteristics and demographyof the unique Culcita macrocarpa C. Presl. population knownin Lugo province (Galice, NW Spain) are presented. Theplants form three sub-populations with 19, 21 and 1individuals between 450 and 500 m a.s.l. and grow in ashady and wet biotope near a temporay stream that runsinto a wide common oak-dominated forest. Proportion ofadult and juvenile plants are similar and they show greatvitality in general. Nevertheless, almost 10% of the frondsshow a more or less severe loss of photosynthetic tissuecaused by an unkown agent. Nowadays there is nooutstanding threats that menace this population, butreplacement of native woodlands by rapid-growth speciesplantations or increase cattle preassure could affect in anegative way its future preservation. We suggest that thebetter action to ensure the preservation of the studiedpopulation of this endangered fern is to included the site intoa protected area for conservation