Effects of Irrigation and Tree Spacing on Soil and Air Temperature Profiles of Olive Orchards

Changes on the climate of the boundary layer occur when a vegetation cover above a bare soil is introduced, namely on temperatures and humidity profiles, above and under soil surface. Since air and soil temperatures affect crop growth and development and also soil moisture, they have been used as driving variables in numerous crop growth and development models as well as in those referred to soil mineralization, evaporation, transpiration, etc. The aim of this work was to evaluate (a) the soil thermal behavior in two olive orchards (Olea europaea sp. europaea), both grown on soils with little profile development (Regosol and Cambisol) and subject to drip irrigation but with different spacing between trees, and (b) the air thermal profile over olive rows. Experiments were performed from April to June 2012 in Southern Portugal. Soil and air temperatures were measured by thermocouples. The two orchards changed spatial distribution of soil surface temperature, soil temperature profiles and air temperature within the canopy, either on a daily or hourly basis. Olive tree spacing and irrigation affected both the soil thermal behavior and air thermal profiles. Tree spacing affected the horizontal gradients established along the interrows (intensity and rhythm). Irrigation reduced hourly and daily mean soil surface temperatures and daily thermal amplitudes of both profiles. Differences were also found on damping depths of the thermal wave estimated for the driest and the wettest profiles. Along the row, the effect of shading seems to overlap that of irrigation in a hourly basis

Seroprevalence of human cysticercosis in Maputo, Mozambique.

We carried out a serosurvey for cysticercosis among people visiting the Central Hospital of Maputo, the capital of Mozambique, between January and June 1993. A standardized questionnaire was designed to obtain information on demographic, socioeconomic, environmental, and behavioral characteristics related to the transmission of the infection. Four hundred eighty-nine individuals were tested for anti-cysticercosis antibodies: 222 blood donors and patients from the Department of Orthopedics, 148 patients from the Department of Neurology, and 119 patients from the Department of Psychiatry. The overall positivity rate was 12.1% (59 of 489). Anti-cysticercus antibodies was detected in 14.9% of the blood donors and patients from the Department of Orthopedics, 11.5% of the patients from the Department of Neurology, and 7.6% of the patients from the Department of Psychiatry. Living in poor sanitary conditions seems to be an important factor related to human cysticercosis in Maputo, Mozambique

Pensamiento creador en tiempos de crisis

Se muestra la importancia del pensamiento creativo en la evolución humana como responsable de todo el avance cultural. Se plantea el proceso creador como la respuesta a un desafío personal o colectivo. La crisis se convierte en una tensión creadora que se resuelve en la producción de algo original y valioso en un ámbito de la cultura. Nos habla de la forma en que situaciones de conflicto social han desencadenado una efervescencia creativa en las artes para terminar definiendo, en términos psicológicos, la naturaleza de ese proceso que resuelve un conflicto personal mediante la obra de creació

Seroprevalence of human cysticercosis in Maputo, Mozambique

We carried out a serosurvey for cysticercosis among people visiting the Central Hospital of Maputo, the capital of Mozambique, between January and June 1993. A standardized questionnaire was designed to obtain information on demographic, socioeconomic, environmental, and behavioral characteristics related to the transmission of the infection. Four hundred eighty-nine individuals were tested for anti-cysticercosis antibodies: 222 blood donors and patients from the Department of Orthopedics, 148 patients from the Department of Neurology, and 119 patients from the Department of Psychiatry. The overall positivity rate was 12.1% (59 of 489). Anti-cysticercus antibodies was detected in 14.9% of the blood donors and patients from the Department of Orthopedics, 11.5% of the patients from the Department of Neurology, and 7.6% of the patients from the Department of Psychiatry. Living in poor sanitary conditions seems to be an important factor related to human cysticercosis in Maputo, Mozambique.publishersversionpublishe

Cultural accessible pedestrian ways. The case of Faro historic centre

In a historic city the existence of accessible pedestrian routes constitutes an essential feature to a true access to culture heritage, contributing for processes of social inclusion. It is necessary to create accessible pedestrian infrastructures network to hold a set of attributes that guarantee usability for all citizens. The creation and design of an accessible physical environment should be considered as a criterion of urban quality, which will make walking more pleasant not only for the elderly and people with disabilities but, also, for the entire resident population and tourists. In this case study it is ascertainable whether the physical characteristics of pedestrian infrastructures of cultural interest, located in the Historical Centre of Faro (Portugal), comply with the requirements of the National Law of Accessibility. There has, therefore, been created a methodology for evaluating the accessibility of pedestrian infrastructure through the construction of performance indicators. The analysis is achieved through a model of evaluation of the degree of conformity of the spaces, and presented, spatially, with appeal to a Geographical Information System, which is a tool to support the decision taking in the processes of urban rehabilitation, thus contributing to the choice of priority areas of intervention in the field of accessibility. The diagnosis confirms the existence of inaccessible pedestrian infrastructure and concludes the need to trigger processes of urban renovation.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Seasonal dynamics and operational monitoring of hedgerow olive tree transpiration in response to applied water

We used 2012 sap-flow measurements to assess the seasonal dynamics of daily plant transpiration (ETc) in a high-density olive orchard (Olea europaea L. ‘Arbequina’) with a well-watered (HI) control treatment A, to supply 100% of the crop water needs, and a moderately watered (MI) treatment B, which replaced 70% of crop needs. We then tested the hypothesis of indirectly monitoring olive ETc from readily available vegetation index (VI) and ground-based plant water stress indicators. In the process, we used the FAO56 dual crop coefficient (Kc) approach. For the HI olive trees, we defined Kcb as the basal transpiration coefficient, and we related Kcb to the remotely sensed soil-adjusted vegetation index (SAVI) through a Kcb-SAVI functional relationship. For the MI treatment, we defined the actual transpiration ETc as the product of Kcb and the stress reduction coefficient Ks, and we correlated Ks with MI midday stem water potential (ψst) values through a Ks-ψ functional relationship. Operational monitoring of ETc was then implemented with the relationship ETc = Kcb(SAVI) × Ks(ψ) × ET0 derived from the FAO56 approach and validated, taking as inputs collected SAVI and ψst data reporting to year 2011. Low validation error (6%) and high goodness-of-fit of prediction were observed (R2=0.94, RSME=0.2 mm day-1, P=0.0015), allowing us to consider that, under field conditions, it is possible to predict ETc values for our hedgerow olive orchards if SAVI and water potential (ψst) values are known

Standards behaviours face to innovation of the entrepreneurships of Beira Interior

Accord Aydalot (1986), the firm in no heaven-sent agent free to “choose” an environment, it is secrete by its environment. The firm is not an isolated innovative agent but is part of the milieu, which makes it act. The competitive and innovative performance of the territory, territories more or less competitive and innovative, requires persistence and participation of the different actors: companies, institutions of support and assistance to the company’s activity, public institutions. We do not have the ambition to cover the whole different actors, but illustrate the approach that reflect the better performance innovative of the companies is associate to different factors of the environment milieu and evaluate the determinant conditions of participation in innovation activities. Our purpose is to analyse the behaviour of the companies of 3 NUTS III of Beira Interior of Portugal, relatively to the innovative initiatives. We use a survey applied to vast set of companies. The methodology is based on the application of the multivariate statistics: k-means analysis clusters that allowed distinguish 3 standard behaviours from the companies. To classify the standard behaviour of the companies and identify the characteristics of each cluster, we applied the crosstabs and compare means. We consider the fowling attributes to the different clusters: process of innovation, the mechanisms of knowledge, the networks and the system of governance. These attributes will help to trace the profile of the innovative behaviours and to perceive which the factors or variables of the environment those are links with the best performance on innovation.

Development of microparticles with biocidal properties

Tese de mestrado integrado. Engenharia Química. Faculdade de Engenharia. Universidade do Porto. 200

Cruise tourism in Lisbon - Cruise tourism activity and its impact on the city

Field lab: Touris