Identifying Post-Fire Recovery Trajectories and Driving Factors Using Landsat Time Series in Fire-Prone Mediterranean Pine Forests

Wildfires constitute the most important natural disturbance of Mediterranean forests, driving vegetation dynamics. Although Mediterranean species have developed ecological post-fire recovery strategies, the impacts of climate change and changes in fire regimes may endanger their resilience capacity. This study aims at assessing post-fire recovery dynamics at different stages in two large fires that occurred in Mediterranean pine forests (Spain) using temporal segmentation of the Landsat time series (1994?2018). Landsat-based detection of Trends in Disturbance and Recovery (LandTrendr) was used to derive trajectory metrics from Tasseled Cap Wetness (TCW), sensitive to canopy moisture and structure, and Tasseled Cap Angle (TCA), related to vegetation cover gradients. Different groups of post-fire trajectories were identified through K-means clustering of the Recovery Ratios (RR) from fitted trajectories: continuous recovery, continuous recovery with slope changes, continuous recovery stabilized and non-continuous recovery. The influence of pre-fire conditions, fire severity, topographic variables and post-fire climate on recovery rates for each recovery category at successional stages was analyzed through Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR). The modeling results indicated that pine forest recovery rates were highly sensitive to post-fire climate in the mid and long-term and to fire severity in the short-term, but less influenced by topographic conditions (adjusted R-squared ranged from 0.58 to 0.88 and from 0.54 to 0.93 for TCA and TCW, respectively). Recovery estimation was assessed through orthophotos, showing a high accuracy (Dice Coefficient ranged from 0.81 to 0.97 and from 0.74 to 0.96 for TCA and TCW, respectively). This study provides new insights into the post-fire recovery dynamics at successional stages and driving factors. The proposed method could be an approach to model the recovery for the Mediterranean areas and help managers in determining which areas may not be able to recover naturally.Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y UniversidadesMinisterio de Economía y Competitivida

Assessing post-fire forest structure recovery by combining LiDAR data and Landsat time series in Mediterranean pine forests

Understanding post-fire recovery dynamics is critical for effective management that enhance forest resilience to fire. Mediterranean pine forests have been largely affected by wildfires, but the impacts of both changes in land use and climate endanger their capacity to naturally recover. Multispectral imagery is commonly used to estimate post-fire recovery, yet changes in forest structure must be considered for a comprehensive evaluation of forest recovery. In this research, we combine Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) with Landsat imagery to extrapolate forest structure variables over a 30-year period (1990?2020) to provide insights on how forest structure has recovered after fire in Mediterranean pine forests. Forest recovery was evaluated attending to vegetation cover (VC), tree cover (TC), mean height (MH) and heterogeneity (CVH). Structure variables were derived from two LiDAR acquisitions from 2016 and 2009, for calibration and independent spatial and temporal validation. A Support Vector Regression model (SVR) was calibrated to extrapolate LiDAR-derived variables using a series of Landsat imagery, achieving an R2 of 0.78, 0.64, 0.70 and 0.63, and a relative RMSE of 24.4%, 30.2%, 36.5% and 27.4% for VC, TC, MH and CVH, respectively. Models showed to be consistent in the temporal validation, although a wider variability was observed, with R2 ranging from 0.51 to 0.74. A different response to fire was revealed attending to forest cover and height since vegetation cover recovered to a pre-fire state but mean height did not 26-years after fire. Less than 50% of the area completely recovered to the pre-fire structure within 26 years, and the area subjected to fire recurrence showed signs of greater difficulty in initiating the recovery. Our results provide valuable information on forest structure recovery, which can support the implementation of mitigation and adaptation strategies that enhance fire resilience.Comunidad de Madri

Using spectral indices as early warning signals of forest dieback: The case of drought-prone Pinus pinaster forests

Moreno-Fernández, D. et al. (2021) 'Using spectral indices as early warning signals of forest dieback: The case of drought-prone Pinus pinaster forests', The Science of the total environment, 793, pp. 148578&-148578. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148578.Forest dieback processes linked to drought are expected to increase due to climate warming. Remotely sensed data offer several advantages over common field monitoring methods such as the ability to observe large areas on a systematic basis and monitoring their changes, making them increasingly used to assess changes in forest health. Here we aim to use a combined approximation of fieldwork and remote sensing to explore possible links between forest dieback and land surface phenological and trend variables derived from long Landsat time series. Forest dieback was evaluated in the field over 31 plots in a Mediterranean, xeric Pinus pinaster forest. Landsat 31-year time series of three greenness (EVI, NDVI, SAVI) and two wetness spectral indices (NMDI and TCW) were derived covering the period 1990?2020. Spectral indices from time series were decomposed into trend and seasonality using a Bayesian estimator while the relationships of the phenological and trend variables among levels of damage were assessed using linear and additive mixed models. We have not found any statistical pieces of evidence of extension or shortening patterns for the length of the phenological season over the examined 31-year period. Our results indicate that the dieback process was mainly related to the trend component of the spectral indices series whereas the phenological metrics were not related to forest dieback. We also found that plots with more dying or damaged trees displayed lower spectral indices trends after a severe drought event in the middle of the 1990s, which confirms the Landsat-derived spectral indices as indicators of earlywarning signals. Drops in trends occurred earlier for wetness indices rather than for greenness indices which suggests that the former could be more appropriate for dieback detection, i.e. they could be used as early warning signals of impending loss of tree vigor.Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidade

The Interplay of the Tree and StandLevel Processes Mediate DroughtInduced Forest Dieback: Evidence from Complementary Remote Sensing and Tree-Ring Approaches

Moreno-Fernández, D., Camarero, J.J., García, M. et al. The Interplay of the Tree and Stand-Level Processes Mediate Drought-Induced Forest Dieback: Evidence from Complementary Remote Sensing and Tree-Ring Approaches. Ecosystems 25, 1738-1753 (2022).Drought-induced forest dieback can lead to a tipping point in community dominance, but the coupled response at the tree and stand-level response has not been properly addressed. New spatially and temporally integrated monitoring approaches that target different biological organization levels are needed. Here, we compared the temporal responses of dendrochronological and spectral indices from 1984 to 2020 at both tree and stand levels, respectively, of a drought-prone Mediterranean Pinus pinea forest currently suffering strong dieback. We test the influence of climate on temporal patterns of tree radial growth, greenness and wetness spectral indices; and we address the influence of major drought episodes on resilience metrics. Tree-ring data and spectral indices followed different spatio-temporal patterns over the study period (1984?2020). Combined information from tree growth and spectral trajectories suggests that a reduction in tree density during the mid-1990s could have promoted tree growth and reduced dieback risk. Additionally, over the last decade, extreme and recurrent droughts have resulted in crown defoliation greater than 40% in most plots since 2019. We found that tree growth and the greenness spectral index were positively related to annual precipitation, while the wetness index was positively related to mean annual temperature. The response to drought, however, was stronger for tree growth than for spectral indices. Our study demonstrates the value of long-term retrospective multiscale analyses including tree and stand-level scales to disentangle mechanisms triggering and driving forest dieback.Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovacion y UniversidadesUniversidad de AlcaláMinisterio de Ciencia e InnovaciónComunidad de MadridUK Research and Innovatio

Gender-Based Differences by Age Range in Patients Hospitalized with COVID-19: A Spanish Observational Cohort Study

There is some evidence that male gender could have a negative impact on the prognosis and severity of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. The aim of the present study was to compare the characteristics of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) between hospitalized men and women with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. This multicenter, retrospective, observational study is based on the SEMI-COVID-19 Registry. We analyzed the differences between men and women for a wide variety of demographic, clinical, and treatment variables, and the sex distribution of the reported COVID-19 deaths, as well as intensive care unit (ICU) admission by age subgroups. This work analyzed 12,063 patients (56.8% men). The women in our study were older than the men, on average (67.9 vs. 65.7 years; p < 001). Bilateral condensation was more frequent among men than women (31.8% vs. 29.9%; p = 0.007). The men needed non-invasive and invasive mechanical ventilation more frequently (5.6% vs. 3.6%, p < 0.001, and 7.9% vs. 4.8%, p < 0.001, respectively). The most prevalent complication was acute respiratory distress syndrome, with severe cases in 19.9% of men (p < 0.001). In men, intensive care unit admission was more frequent (10% vs. 6.1%; p < 0.001) and the mortality rate was higher (23.1% vs. 18.9%; p < 0.001). Regarding mortality, the differences by gender were statistically significant in the age groups from 55 years to 89 years of age. A multivariate analysis showed that female sex was significantly and independently associated with a lower risk of mortality in our study. Male sex appears to be related to worse progress in COVID-19 patients and is an independent prognostic factor for mortality. In order to fully understand its prognostic impact, other factors associated with sex must be considered

Organoleptic characterization of wines in contact with oak wood fragments immersed in plasma activated water (PAW)

Oak barrels are a valuable material for wine ageing, although their difficult cleaning and disinfection favours microbiological contamination causing wine quality depreciation. Atmospheric pressure cold plasma is a suitable technique to reduce microbiota, but there is little research on its impact on the nutritional and sensory characteristics of foods. The aim of this study was to analyse the organoleptic characteristics of red wines in contact with plasma-activated waters (PAW) treated wood, of different origins and toasting levels. These red wines were compared with others that had been in contact with two types of control wood; some immersed in distilled water and others subjected to sulphur dioxide combustion. The results showed that oak wood treated with PAW did not cause defects at the olfactory and gustatory level of the red wines, which presented good harmony, sufficient body and balanced fruity and spicy notes, sometimes even superior to those described for red wines in contact with control wood (sulphited or submerged in distilled water). Therefore, the treatment of the wood with PAW did not have a negative impact on the sensory quality of the wines, regardless of the origin and toasting of the wood

Documentary study of the occupational needs of the population of the municipality of Fene

[Resumen] Objetivos: Describir las necesidades ocupacionales de la población del Ayuntamiento de Fene y detectar las prioridades de actuación más urgentes, de aquí a diez años. Métodos: Se realiza un estudio descriptivo a través de la metodología cuantitativa, siguiendo la estructura del Modelo Persona-Entorno-Ocupación. El ámbito de estudio es la población de Fene, en la provincia de A Coruña. La recogida de datos se realizó mediante la puesta en contacto con el Ayuntamiento y bases de datos poblacionales públicas (IGE, INE). Para el análisis de los datos se ha empleado el programa Excel, del paquete de Microsoft Office 2013. Resultados: Se detectan las necesidades ocupacionales de la población de Fene y se sugieren unas líneas de actuación de aquí a diez años. Estas líneas son: la atención a las personas mayores; el acompañamiento en el proceso de jubilación; la atención a la infancia y a la adolescencia, así como, a la discapacidad y a la dependencia; la atención a las personas en situación de desempleo o precariedad laboral y; por último, fomentar y garantizar la accesibilidad del entorno de Fene, así como, de la entidad del Ayuntamiento. Conclusión: El desempleo, la precariedad laboral y el envejecimiento de la población son problemas sociales de la población. Proporcionarle salud, bienestar y calidad de vida a las personas, debe ser una de las prioridades de actuación para las autoridades.[Abstract] Objective: To describe the occupational needs of the population of municipality of Fene and to detect the most urgent priorities of action, of the present to ten years. Methods: A descriptive study is realized through the quantitative methodology, following the structure of the Person-Environment-Occupation Model. Data collection was carried out through contact with city council and public databases (IGE, INE). For the data analysis, the Excel program of the Microsoft Office 2013 package was used. Results: The occupational needs of the Fene municipality’s population are detected and a few lines of action are suggested of the present to ten years. These lines are: the attention to the elderly; the accompaniment in the process of retirement; the attention to the infancy and to the adolescence, as well as, to the disability and to the dependence; the attention to the persons in situation of unemployment or precariousness work and; finally, to promote and to guarantee the accessibility of Fene's environment, as well as, of the entity of the council.Conclusion: Unemployment, job precariousness and the aging of the population are social problems of the population. Providing health, well-being and quality of life to the people, should be one of the priorities of action for the authorities

Estudio documental de las necesidades ocupacionales de la población del ayuntamiento de Fene.

Objective: To describe the occupational needs of the population of municipality of Fene and to detect the most urgent priorities of action, of the present to ten years. Methods: A descriptive study is realized through the quantitative methodology, following the structure of the Person-Environment-Occupation Model. Data collection was carried out through contact with city council and public databases (IGE, INE). For the data analysis, the Excel program of the Microsoft Office 2013 package was used. Results: The occupational needs of the Fene municipality’s population are detected and a few lines of action are suggested of the present to ten years. These lines are: the attention to the elderly; the accompaniment in the process of retirement; the attention to the infancy and to the adolescence, as well as, to the disability and to the dependence; the attention to the persons in situation of unemployment or precariousness work and; finally, to promote and to guarantee the accessibility of Fene's environment, as well as, of the entity of the council.Conclusion: Unemployment, job precariousness and the aging of the population are social problems of the population. Providing health, well-being and quality of life to the people, should be one of the priorities of action for the authorities.Objetivos: Describir las necesidades ocupacionales de la población del Ayuntamiento de Fene y detectar las prioridades de actuación más urgentes, de aquí a diez años. Métodos: Se realiza un estudio descriptivo a través de la metodología cuantitativa, siguiendo la estructura del Modelo Persona-Entorno-Ocupación. El ámbito de estudio es la población de Fene, en la provincia de A Coruña. La recogida de datos se realizó mediante la puesta en contacto con el Ayuntamiento y bases de datos poblacionales públicas (IGE, INE). Para el análisis de los datos se ha empleado el programa Excel, del paquete de Microsoft Office 2013. Resultados: Se detectan las necesidades ocupacionales de la población de Fene y se sugieren unas líneas de actuación de aquí a diez años. Estas líneas son: la atención a las personas mayores; el acompañamiento en el proceso de jubilación; la atención a la infancia y a la adolescencia, así como, a la discapacidad y a la dependencia; la atención a las personas en situación de desempleo o precariedad laboral y; por último, fomentar y garantizar la accesibilidad del entorno de Fene, así como, de la entidad del Ayuntamiento. Conclusión: El desempleo, la precariedad laboral y el envejecimiento de la población son problemas sociales de la población. Proporcionarle salud, bienestar y calidad de vida a las personas, debe ser una de las prioridades de actuación para las autoridades

Effect of the Atmospheric Pressure Cold Plasma Treatment on Tempranillo Red Wine Quality in Batch and Flow Systems

The demand for chemical-free beverages is posing a challenge to the wine industry to provide safe and healthy products with low concentrations of chemical preservatives. The development of new technologies, such as Atmospheric Pressure Cold Plasma (APCP), offers the wine industry the opportunity to contribute to this continuous improvement. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the effect of Argon APCP treatment, applied in both batch and flow systems, on Tempranillo red wine quality. Batch treatments of 100 mL were applied with two powers (60 and 90 W) at four periods (1, 3, 5, and 10 min). For flowing devices, 750 mL of wine with a flow of 1.2 and 2.4 L/min were treated at 60 and 90 W for 25 min and was sampled every 5 min. Treatments in batch resulted in wines with greater color intensity, lower tonality, and higher content in total phenolic compounds and anthocyanins, so that they were favorable for wine quality. Among the batch treatments, the one with the lowest power was the most favorable. Flow continuous treatments, despite being more appropriate to implement in wineries, neither led to significant improvements in the chromatic and phenolic wine properties nor caused wine spoilage.This work was funded by the Government of La Rioja project R-11-18 that could be co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund, granted to the Autonomous Community of La Rioja, within the ERDF Operational Progra