An integrative assessment based on land cover

Cabral, P., Campos, F. S., David, J., & Caser, U. (2021). Disentangling ecosystem services perception by stakeholders: An integrative assessment based on land cover. Ecological Indicators, 126, 1-10. [107660]. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.107660Understanding where ecosystem services (ES) are and quantifying their supply using stakeholderś information is key for effective sustainable management. This paper describes a participatory methodology for extracting stakeholders’ ES perception for continental Portugal based on land cover using analytical hierarchy process (AHP), matrix-based approach with data visualization techniques, and scenario analysis. Results show that drought regulation was the most valued ES by stakeholders and recreation was considered the least important. Results also show that the “Agricultural areas and “Forests and semi-natural areas” land cover classes provide about two-thirds of the total ES for the country. An “Economic development” scenario will yield negative values for all ES except recreation and food supply, whereas an “Environmental development” scenario will increase all ES, except food supply. Finally, a “Sustainable development” scenario, presents values between the previous two scenarios and is the best for food supply. This operational methodology for extracting information from stakeholders and to report information on the mapping and assessment of ES can be helpful for sustainable planning in Portugal and elsewhere.publishersversionpublishe

Sensory profile, shelf life, and dynamics of bioactive compounds during cold storage of 17 edible flowers

In this study, 17 edible flowers (Allium ursinum L., Borago officinalis L., Calendula officinalis L., Centaurea cyanus L., Cichorium intybus L., Dianthus carthusianorum L., Lavandula angustifolia Mill., Leucanthemum vulgare (Vaill.) Lam., Paeonia officinalis L., Primula veris L., Robinia pseudoacacia L., Rosa canina L., Rosa pendulina L., Salvia pratensis L., Sambucus nigra L., Taraxacum officinale Weber, and Tropaeolum majus L.) were investigated to assess their sensory profile at harvest and their shelf life and bioactive compounds dynamics during cold storage. The emerging market of edible flowers lacks this information; thus, the characteristics and requirements of different flower species were provided. In detail, a quantitative descriptive analysis was performed by trained panelists at flower harvest, evaluating 10 sensory descriptors (intensity of sweet, sour, bitter, salt, smell, specific flower aroma, and herbaceous aroma; spiciness, chewiness, and astringency). Flower visual quality, biologically active compounds content (total polyphenols and anthocyanins), and antioxidant activity (FRAP, DPPH, and ABTS assays) were evaluated both at harvest and during storage at 4 °C for 14 days to assess their shelf life. Generally, species had a wide range of peculiar sensory and phytochemical characteristics at harvest, as well as shelf life and bioactive compounds dynamics during postharvest. A strong aroma was indicated for A. ursinum, D. carthusianorum, L. angustifolia, and L. vulgare, while B. officinalis and C. officinalis had very low values for all aroma and taste descriptors, resulting in poor sensory profiles. At harvest, P. officinalis, R. canina, and R. pendulina exhibited the highest values of polyphenols (884–1271 mg of gallic acid equivalents per 100 g) and antioxidant activity (204–274 mmol Fe2+/kg for FRAP, 132–232 and 43–58 µmol of Trolox equivalent per g for DPPH and ABTS). The species with the longest shelf life in terms of acceptable visual quality was R. pendulina (14 days), followed by R. canina (10 days). All the other species lasted seven days, except for C. intybus and T. officinale that did not reach day 3. During cold storage, the content of bioactive compounds differed, as total phenolics followed a different trend according to the species and anthocyanins remained almost unaltered for 14 days. Considering antioxidant activity, ABTS values were the least variable, varying in only four species (A. ursinum, D. carthusianorum, L. angustifolia, and P. officinalis), while both DPPH and FRAP values varied in eight species. Taken together, the knowledge of sensory profiles, phytochemical characteristics and shelf life can provide information to select suitable species for the emerging edible flower market

Santos Replies

E. Santos gives comments on violation of Bell’s theorem as discussed by A. I. M. Rae, Y. Ben-Aryeh, and A. Postan.(AIP

Binary data corruption due to a Brownian agent

We introduce a model of binary data corruption induced by a Brownian agent (active random walker) on a d-dimensional lattice. A continuum formulation allows the exact calculation of several quantities related to the density of corrupted bits \rho; for example the mean of \rho, and the density-density correlation function. Excellent agreement is found with the results from numerical simulations. We also calculate the probability distribution of \rho in d=1, which is found to be log-normal, indicating that the system is governed by extreme fluctuations.Comment: 39 pages, 10 figures, RevTe