A Comparative Analysis of Soil Loss Tolerance and Productivity of the Olive Groves in the Protected Designation of Origin(PDO) Areas Norte Alentejano (Portugal) and Estepa (Andalusia, Spain)

Olive groves are Mediterranean systems that occupy more than 2.5 M ha in Spain and 0.352 M ha in Portugal. Assuming the differences between both countries in terms of olive grove regulation and considering their multifunctionality, it is useful to implement agronomic indices to estimate their sustainability. The Soil Loss Tolerance Index (SLTI) and the Soil Productivity Index (SPI) are two such indices. We calculated both indices in the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) Norte Alentejano (Portugal). The SLTI index was adapted considering specific variables of the analysed olive groves (i.e., SLTIog). The values obtained were compared with those previously estimated for PDO Estepa (Spain). The negative impacts of erosion and the underlying agricultural practices on the sustainability of olive groves became evident, resulting in decreased soil productivity at the regional level. The SLTIog index showed higher values for crops, being a more realistic tool to analyse sustainability. A higher soil loss tolerance was detected for integrated groves in the PDO Norte Alentejano than for PDO Estepa due to the shorter age of olive cultivation in Portugal, with incipient soil impacts. These indices provide information on the degree of soil erosion, allowing farmers and decision-makers to apply practices to maximise the sustainability of olive groves.To the University Complutense of Madrid, for awarding the lead author a short-term fellowship through which this research could be carried out. To MED-Universidade de Évora (Portugal), for providing to the main author with the opportunity to jointly perform field work and analytical tasks in Portugal. The time devoted by J.M.-R. and T.P.-C. to retrieve and treat the data and to write and revise the article has received partial funding from the following sources: (a) FCT—Foundation for Science and Technology (Portugal) under the Project UIDB/05183/2020; (b) SUSTAINOLIVE research project (https://sustainolive.eu/?lang=en [accessed on: 29 March 2021]), funded by the PRIMA EU program. Lastly, we thank María Aurora Rodríguez Sousa for her support and advice

Physiological study of pulmonary involvement in adults with cystic fibrosis through simulated modeling of different clinical scenarios

Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disorder of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene (CFTR) that affects the respiratory system. Current treatment is palliative, but there is a gene therapy under investigation which involves inserting a functional CFTR gene into affected cells. Given the clinical variety of the disease, it is necessary to characterize key indicators in its evolution (e.g., the number of functional alveolar sacs and its relationship with a healthy lung function), to anticipate its advancement. A dynamic model was used to evaluate the evolution of cystic fibrosis over time. We considered the application of conventional medical treatments and evaluated the benefits of the application of an experimental gene therapy that would reverse lung damage. Without treatment the life expectancy of the patient is low, but it is increased with the application of conventional treatments, being the progressive loss of the lung function inevitable. Simulating the application of a gene therapy, the life expectancy of patients would not be limited, given the recovery of all altered cellular processes. With this model we can make predictions that demonstrate the need for a curative treatment, in addition to presenting the evolution of pathology in a specific clinical setting. [Figure not available: see fulltext.]Authors want to thank the support received for this work by a predoctoral contract of researcher in training (UCM-Santander scholarship) granted by University Complutense of Madrid to Antonio Alberto Rodríguez Sousa and a predoctoral scholarship granted to Jonathan Pereira Miller

Opportunities for GHG emissions reduction in road projects: a comparative evaluation of emissions scenarios using CO2NSTRUCT

In the road construction sector, a number of measures and alternatives have been proposed to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG). While these measures can result in a notable abatement of this impact, when analyzed independently and in absolute terms, they are not equally relevant within a common context, such as a complete road transport infrastructure project. In this work, we analyze a broad range of scenarios for emission reduction combining plausible options given the current state of technology and involving those elements of road construction and maintenance with major contributions to the total balance of emissions. The selection of scenarios goes beyond the usual perspectives focused on pavements and materials, and includes other factors dealing with machinery, transport distance, energy sources, land-use change, as well as combined scenarios intended to find optimal alternatives. This has been achieved using the tool CO2NSTRUCT, which considers a life-cycle assessment approach for road transport infrastructure in evaluating GHG emission, thus providing an adequately comprehensive context for comparing relative contributions. This common reference enables to accomplish the ranking of the possible solutions. Results indicate that strategies involving the use of construction materials with lower emissions in their production process and recycled materials are the most effective, followed by those using lower-pollutant sources of energy in both off-road and transport machinery and lighting. This research also shows that the process of selection of suitable options should consider not only the construction stage but also the maintenance stage spanning road service life. Furthermore, the study demonstrates the importance of performing these analyses within a reference framework, enabling the identification of more efficient strategies amongst the universe of alternative solutions to mitigate GHG emissions.Sin financiación4.959 JCR (2015) Q1, 5/50 Engineering, Environmental, 16/225 Environmental sciences, 5/29 Green & sustainable science & technologyUE

Estimation of CO2 emissions in the life cycle of roads through the disruption and restoration of environmental systems

Effects of disruption and restoration of terrestrial ecosystems have been largely overlooked when conducting assessments of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in road construction projects. This is an important oversight given the intensive land-conversion generated by linear infrastructure development, as well as the relevance given to carbon pool variations associated with land use and land-use changes by national inventories of GHG emissions and global reports. This paper describes the implementation of a methodology to classify those environmental systems in land-uses categories, to determine their carbon stocks (vegetation and soil), and to quantify CO2 emissions and removal related to their management at the different stages of road construction projects. The procedure is illustrated through its application in the impact assessment of road projects in the territory of Spain. This methodology integrates currently available information on carbon stocks and considers the accounting criteria adopted in national GHG emissions inventories. It is intended to constitute part of an integral assessment tool for GHG emissions in linear infrastructure projects. Four case studies are presented in which emissions from the disruption of environmental systems range from 0.55 to 3.66 kT CO2 km−1. This represents 5 to 13% of the total emissions in the construction stage, and 3.5 to 7% of the net CO2 balance, i.e., once the initial carbon sequestration by restoration planting has been discounted. Results also indicate that under ideal conditions the long-term effect of restoration may even fully offset this impact, though really such conditions are far from being the case in the usual development of plantations. This study confirms the advisability of systematically incorporating the analysis of land use and land-use changes into the assessment of GHG emissions of road projects for consideration in decision-making from the design stage to the maintenance stage in such projects.Sin financiación2.580 JCR (2014) Q2, 55/145 Ecology, 14/47 Engineering, environmental; 67/223 Environmental sciencesUE