Five key attributes can increase marine protected areas performance for small-scale fisheries management

Marine protected areas (MPAs) have largely proven to be effective tools for conserving marine ecosystem, while socio-economic benefits generated by MPAs to fisheries are still under debate. Many MPAs embed a no-take zone, aiming to preserve natural populations and ecosystems, within a buffer zone where potentially sustainable activities are allowed. Small-scale fisheries (SSF) within buffer zones can be highly beneficial by promoting local socio-economies. However, guidelines to successfully manage SSFs within MPAs, ensuring both conservation and fisheries goals, and reaching a win-win scenario, are largely unavailable. From the peer-reviewed literature, grey-literature and interviews, we assembled a unique database of ecological, social and economic attributes of SSF in 25 Mediterranean MPAs. Using random forest with Boruta algorithm we identified a set of attributes determining successful SSFs management within MPAs. We show that fish stocks are healthier, fishermen incomes are higher and the social acceptance of management practices is fostered if five attributes are present (i.e. high MPA enforcement, presence of a management plan, fishermen engagement in MPA management, fishermen representative in the MPA board, and promotion of sustainable fishing). These findings are pivotal to Mediterranean coastal communities so they can achieve conservation goals while allowing for profitable exploitation of fisheries resources

Alignment of the ALICE Inner Tracking System with cosmic-ray tracks

37 pages, 15 figures, revised version, accepted by JINSTALICE (A Large Ion Collider Experiment) is the LHC (Large Hadron Collider) experiment devoted to investigating the strongly interacting matter created in nucleus-nucleus collisions at the LHC energies. The ALICE ITS, Inner Tracking System, consists of six cylindrical layers of silicon detectors with three different technologies; in the outward direction: two layers of pixel detectors, two layers each of drift, and strip detectors. The number of parameters to be determined in the spatial alignment of the 2198 sensor modules of the ITS is about 13,000. The target alignment precision is well below 10 micron in some cases (pixels). The sources of alignment information include survey measurements, and the reconstructed tracks from cosmic rays and from proton-proton collisions. The main track-based alignment method uses the Millepede global approach. An iterative local method was developed and used as well. We present the results obtained for the ITS alignment using about 10^5 charged tracks from cosmic rays that have been collected during summer 2008, with the ALICE solenoidal magnet switched off.Peer reviewe

Transverse momentum spectra of charged particles in proton-proton collisions at s=900\sqrt{s} = 900 GeV with ALICE at the LHC

The inclusive charged particle transverse momentum distribution is measured in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 900$ GeV at the LHC using the ALICE detector. The measurement is performed in the central pseudorapidity region $(|\eta|<0.8)$ over the transverse momentum range $0.15<p_{\rm T}<10$ GeV/$c$. The correlation between transverse momentum and particle multiplicity is also studied. Results are presented for inelastic (INEL) and non-single-diffractive (NSD) events. The average transverse momentum for $|\eta|<0.8$ is $\left<p_{\rm T}\right>_{\rm INEL}=0.483\pm0.001$ (stat.) $\pm0.007$ (syst.) GeV/$c$ and \left_{\rm NSD}=0.489\pm0.001 (stat.) $\pm0.007$ (syst.) GeV/$c$, respectively. The data exhibit a slightly larger $\left<p_{\rm T}\right>$ than measurements in wider pseudorapidity intervals. The results are compared to simulations with the Monte Carlo event generators PYTHIA and PHOJET.Comment: 20 pages, 8 figures, 2 tables, published version, figures at http://aliceinfo.cern.ch/ArtSubmission/node/390

Las comunidades vegetales del Zacatonal Alpino de los volcanes Popocatépetl y Nevado de Toluca, Región Central de México.

This study of the zacatonal alpino zone of the volcanoes Popocatepetl (5452 in) and Nevado de Toluca (4690 m) in the central region of the Transmexican Volcanic Belt, is a follow-up of the study of ALMEIDA et al. (1994). This tropical alpine zacatonal represents the potential vegetation of the altitudinal belt between 3950 and 4500 in. These altitudinal limits constitute the uppermost limit of Pinus hartwegii forests and the lower limit of the periglacial areas that are almost without vegetation. On both volcanoes a total of 117 vegetation phytosociological relevees were made along the altitudinal gradient. They were clustered according to a classification analysis. The syntaxonomic scheme of the different units is presented and discussed. Special emphasis is given to the association level, aspects such as floristic composition, altitudinal zone, distribution and relation with environmental factors. Syntaxonomically new is the class Drabo jorullensis-Calama-grostietea tolucensis, which includes herbaceous formations dominated by tussock grasses, ground rosettes and cushions growing on Andosols and Lithosols. This class includes the orders Festucetalia lividae (ord. nov.) and Calamagrostietalia tolucensis. The first is located above 4150 m, and colonizes umbric Lithosols; the latter type of grassland, dense zacatonal formations, is present between about 3950 and 4150 m, and preferably on Andosols. The first order includes the alliance Plantagino tolucensis-Festucion lividae (all. nov.). The vegetation of this alliance is distributed on gentle slopes and almost level grounds with intense cryoturbation. This alliance comprises two associations, one of which is the new association Drabo nivicolae-Plantaginetum tolucensis. The pioneer vegetation consists of small tussocks and rosettes, and occurs in zones of colluvial accumulation and wind swept passes. It is restricted to Nevado de Toluca. The second order includes the new alliance Lupinomontani-calamagrostion tolucensis, which comprises the zacatonal associations above the pine transition zones of Pinus hartwegii. One out of four, the newly described association Lupino mexicani-Calamagrostietum tolucensis, is developed on slopes above the upper limit of these pine forests, only at Nevado de Toluca. A total of 22 families, 42 genera and 61 species of vascular plants are presented. The more representative families are Caryophyllaceae, Asteraceae, Brassicaceae y Poaceae; among the genera are: Arenaria, Calamagrostis, Draba, Festuca, Senecio y Trisetum. Among the species with a wide range are: Arenaria bryoides, Calamagrostis tolucensis, Draba jorullensis, Senecio procumbens and Trisetum spicatum. More genera and species are documented from Nevado de Toluca than from Popocatepetl, due to historic-geological, edaphic, topographic and perturbation differences. The physiognomically dominant growth forms are the tussocks. The xerophytic aspect of the alpine vegetation on these volcanoes is determined by low temperatures during the largest part of the year, and by dryness which is reflected by the sheath of dry leaves of the tussocks. There is no arbustive fringe of transition among the sand paths limiting the high monotonous coniferous Pinus hartwegii forest and the "zacatonal alpino"