Spacecraft thermal control design data

This paper shows the actual state of a compilation work on Thermal Control Design Data being done at Madrid (Lamf-ETSIA) under several ESTEC contracts, introducing a Handbook already issued, its additions and updatings

LandTrendr smoothed spectral profiles enhance woody encroachment monitoring

Secondary succession (SS) is one of the main consequences of the abandonment of agricultural and forestry practices in rural areas, causing -among other processes- woody encroachment on former pastures and croplands. In this study we model and monitor the spatial evolution of SS over semi-natural grassland communities in the mountain range of the Pyrenees in Spain, during the last 36 years (1984-2019). Independent variables for ‘annual-based’ and ‘period-based’ modeling were drawn from a suite of Surface Reflectance Landsat images, LandTrendr (LT)-algorithm-adjusted images and LT outputs. Support vector machine (SVM) classifiers were trained and tested using all possible variable combinations of all the aforementioned datasets. The best modeling strategy involved yearly time series of LT-adjusted Tasseled Cap Brightness (TCB) and Wetness (TCW) axes as predictors, attaining a F1-score of 0.85, a Matthew Correlation Coefficient (MCC) of 0.67 and an AUC 0.83. Woodlands encroached above 480, 000 ha of grasslands and crops during the study period. A model using LT outputs for the whole period also denoted good performance (F1-score = 0.85, MCC = 0.75) and estimated a similar area of woodland expansion (~509, 000 ha), but this ‘period’ approach was unable to provide temporal information on the year or the encroachment dynamics. Our results suggest an overall proportion of 66% for the Pyrenees being affected by SS, with higher intensity in the west-central part, decreasing towards the eastern end. © 2021 The Author

Correlates of species richness in the largest Neotropical amphibian radiation

Although tropical environments are often considered biodiversity hotspots, it is precisely in such environments where least is known about the factors that drive species richness. Here, we use phylogenetic comparative analyses to study correlates of species richness for the largest Neotropical amphibian radiation: New World direct-developing frogs. Clade-age and species richness were nonsignficantly, negatively correlated, suggesting that clade age alone does not explain among-clade variation in species richness. A combination of ecological and morphological traits explained 65% of the variance in species richness. A more vascularized ventral skin, the ability to colonize high-altitude ranges, encompassing a large variety of vegetation types, correlated significantly with species richness, whereas larger body size was marginally correlated with species richness. Hence, whereas high-altitude ranges play a role in shaping clade diversity in the Neotropics, intrinsic factors, such as skin structures and possibly body size, might ultimately determine which clades are more speciose than others

A first approach to the Paleoentomology present in the Quaternarian sites of Atapuerca (Burgos, Spain): the subfossil oribatid fauna (Acari, Oribatida)

8 páginas, 3 figuras, 2 tablas.[ES] Los yacimientos cuaternarios de la Sierra de Atapuerca ofrecen interés mundial por haber hospedado varias especies de homínidos que vivieron en el último millón de años. En este contexto, durante la campaña de excavaciones de 2003 se realizó un muestreo puntual en algunos de sus yacimientos para obtener los primeros datos de restos de artrópodos que pudieran conservarse en los mismos. En este trabajo se presentan los resultados obtenidos de ácaros subfósiles pertenecientes al suborden de los oribátidos (Acari, Oribatida). Después de procesar los sedimentos, se obtuvieron un total de 7 individuos en el conjunto de los yacimientos muestreados, de los cuales 6 aparecieron en Gran Dolina en un nivel con datación en torno a los 300.000 años. Los ejemplares, identificados en su mayoría a nivel taxonómico de especie, pertenecen a las familias Cosmochthoniidae, Scheloribatidae, Oribatulidae y Hemileiidae. Dado el conocimiento que se dispone de la biología de los taxones encontrados, que pertenecen a géneros y especies presentes en la actualidad, se han realizado inferencias sobre los ambientes pretéritos en que los animales vivieron.[EN] The Atapuerca Quaternarian sites are of worldwide interest due to the presence of human remains belonging to the last million years. The oribatid mites (Acari, Oribatida) found in several archaeological samples extracted from the Atapuerca Quaternarian deposits, have been analyzed during the 2003 excavation campaign to study the Palaeoentomology of the site. The oribatid mite fauna consists of 7 individuals, 6 of which were obtained from Gran Dolina site (about 300.000 years old) and belong to families Cosmochthoniidae, Scheloribatidae, Oribatulidae and Hemileiidae. Most of the taxa were identified to species level. The results obtained were used as a basis to reconstruct the paleo-environments of the site in correspondence with the biological and ecological preferences of the taxa.Las investigaciones entomológicas de Atapuerca se realizaron dentro del Proyecto BOS2003-08938-C03-02.Peer reviewe

Herpetofauna del Parque Nacional de Monte Alén (Río Muni, Guinea Ecuatorial)

In the framework of a broad study of the vertebrate diversity at Monte Alen National Park (Río Muni, Equatorial Guinea), we identified 16 families, 47 genera, and 65 species of reptiles and seven families, 29 genera, and 56 species of amphibians. 21 species of reptiles and four species of amphibians represent new records for the Río Muni region. We present the preliminary inventory of the herpetofauna as well as some ecological comments. Monte Alén is considered one of the most diverse protected areas in central Africa from a herpetological standpoint.En el marco de un estudio general sobre de la diversidad de vertebrados del Parque Nacional de Monte Alén (Río Muni, Guinea Ecuatorial), se identificaron 16 familias, 47 géneros y 65 especies de reptiles, y 7 familias, 29 géneros y 56 especies de anfibios; 21 especies de reptiles y 4 de anfibios representan nuevos registros para la región de Río Muni. En el presente trabajo se expone el inventario preliminar de especies e información ecológica puntual sobre las mismas. Monte Alén puede ser considerada una de las áreas protegidas de mayor diversidad herpetológica de África central

Rural Revitalization in New Mexico

The Rural Education Bureau of the New Mexico Public Education Department has established a program to address the special needs of schools and communities in the extensive rural areas of the state. High poverty rates, depopulation and a general lack of viable economic opportunity have marked rural New Mexico for decades. The program underway aims at establishing holistic community socioeconomic revitalization at the grass roots level with the schools playing a leading role. Initiatives include community conversations with key leaders to determine necessary steps to take in encouraging economic growth and attracting businesses, the institution of entrepreneurship within the community, the transformation of the school into a community resource and the encouragement of place-based education within schools. In the second year of this program there are 13 school districts actively involved in the enhancement of their schools and community. The program adopted many of the principles for rural revitalization seen in the remote communities of South Australia

Aerial mapping and multi-sensors approaches from remote sensing applied to the roman archaeological heritage

This report details the preliminary results of the research focused on Roman archaeological heritage in the Middle Ebro Valley (Spain). The principal objective of this project was to obtain several different readings by means of a UAV equipped with different sensors. Firstly, it has been possible to obtain accurate maps, 3D models and digital elevation models of the site. Secondly, it has been possible to investigate and define archaeological remains still underground, via a new methodology which utilises visible and near-infrared wavelengths

An endemic new species of Andean lizard of the genus Liolaemus from southern Peru (Iguania: Liolaemidae) and its phylogenetic position

Integrative evidence of several external morphological characters and molecular phylogeneticanalyses of mitochondrial DNA (12S, cyt-b) are used to place a new species of Andean lizard of the genus Liolaemus (Iguania: Liolaemidae) in the Liolaemus montanus group and as sister group of the clade formed by L. signifer. The new species is characterized by a unique combination of morphometric characteristics, scalation, and color pattern. The L. montanus group now contains seventeen species in southern Peru, distributed along the eastern and western slopes of the Andes.Utilizamos evidencia integradora de varios caracteres morfológicos externos y análisis filogenéticos moleculares de ADN mitocondrial (12S, cyt-b) que ubican una nueva especie del género Liolaemus (Iguania: Liolaemidae) en el grupo de Liolaemus montanus y como grupo hermano del clado formado por L. signifer. La nueva especie se caracteriza por una combinación única de patrón morfométrico, escamación y color. El grupo montanus del género Liolaemus en Perú contiene diecisiete especies, distribuidas a lo largo de la vertiente oriental y occidental de los Andes en el sur del paísFil: Chaparro, Juan C.. Museo de Biodiversidad del Perú; PerúFil: Quiroz, Aaron. Universidad Nacional de San Agustín. Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas. Departamento Académico de Biología. Museo de Historia Natural; PerúFil: Mamani, Luis. Universidad Nacional de San Antonio Abad del Cusco; PerúFil: Gutiérrez, Roberto C.. Universidad Nacional de San Agustín. Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas. Departamento Académico de Biología. Museo de Historia Natural; PerúFil: Condorí, Peter. Universidad Nacional de San Antonio Abad del Cusco; PerúFil: de la Riva, Ignacio. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas; EspañaFil: Herrera Juárez, Gabriela. niversidad Nacional de San Agustín de Arequipa; PerúFil: Cerdeña José. Universidad Nacional de San Agustín. Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas. Departamento Académico de Biología. Museo de Historia Natural; PerúFil: Arapa, Laura Andrea. Universidad Nacional de San Agustín. Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas. Departamento Académico de Biología. Museo de Historia Natural; PerúFil: Abdala, Cristian Simón. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico - Tucumán. Unidad Ejecutora Lillo; Argentin