Evidencias magdalenienses de industria en materias óseas del yacimiento de Legunova (Biel, Zaragoza)

El abrigo de Legunova es un yacimiento que se localiza en el tramo medio de la cuenca del Ebro, en las estribaciones pirenaicas. En su nivel q, Magdaleniense superior, se recuperaron en 2004 tres elementos trabajados en materia ósea: azagaya, punzón y candil de cérvido de dudosa manipulación, que se estudian en detalle. Su valor reside no tanto en su tipología, habitual en conjuntos de esta cronología, como en el hecho de haberse conservado en un tipo de sitio arqueológico, los abrigos rocosos, cuyos restos óseos, incluida la fauna, suelen verse profunda y negativamente afectados por procesos naturales que conllevan su destrucción.L’abri de Legunova est un gisement situé dans la partie moyenne du basin de l’Ebre, dans les premiers contreforts des Pyrénées. Pendant la campagne de fouilles de 2004, dans le niveau Magdalénien supérieur (n. q), ont été récupérés trois éléments travaillés en matières osseuses: une armature de sagaie, un poinçon et un andouiller de cerf possiblement modifié par l’homme. L’étude détaillée de ces pièces est présentée dans cet article. Même si ce type de vestiges sont présents de façon habituelle dans les sites de cette chronologie, l’intérêt des pièces analysées dans ce travail est dû à la difficulté de conservation liée aux abris sous roches près des cours fluviaux, où les vestiges d’exploitation des matières osseuses, voire la faune, sont couramment affectés par des processus naturels qui contribuent à leur disparition

The marine chert from Las Lezas (Biel, Zaragoza) within the lithic raw materials management in the Arba de Biel sites

The upper Arba de Biel Basin hosts an interesting archaeological ensemble composed by five sites that were repeatedly occupied by human groups from the Upper Magdalenian until the Chalcolithic (between ca. 15,000 and 4,500 years calBP).This work presents the first results of the petrographic study of the local chert (Las Lezas), as well as a dissection of the different strategies concerning its gathering, management and exploitation in every occupation period. The implications derived from the different contribution of local and exogenous raw materials are exposed in the final section of our work.The upper Arba de Biel Basin hosts an interesting archaeological ensemble composed by five sites that were repeatedly occupied by human groups from the Upper Magdalenian until the Chalcolithic (between ca. 15,000 and 4,500 years calBP). Our research group has worked at the area since 1999, revealing one of the most coherent prehistoric ensembles of the Ebro Basin. Accurately framed thanks to thirty-five radiocarbon dates, it offers great study possibilities that are the basis for several PhDs: anthracology, faunal remains or lithic raw materials are already offering copious data that help to reconstruct the prehistoric life in that secluded area.This work presents the first results of the petrographic study of the local chert (Las Lezas), which was the main lithic raw material exploited by the human groups that frequented the area. This paper is also the first one that characterizes in petrological terms this chert outcrop. The different contribution along time of this local variety and other exogenous cherts like Monegros and Evaporitic of Ebro to the lithic assemblages from the five analysed sites are exposed in the final section of our work. There is a notable shift in lithic raw materials management from Magdalenian to Neolithic times: at first, local chert is predominant, with special tools knapped in good-quality Monegros chert. In Neolithic times, Las Lezas chert is barely employed and exogenous Evaporitic white chert is especially chosen to knap blades that eventually are used to obtain double-bevel retouched geometric microliths.

The Monegros-type chert: Petrographic characterization and prehistoric use

In recent years, allusions to exploitation of a so-called “Monegros-type” chert have been a commonplace in archaeological literature, mostly in Iberia but also in southern France. It has been also a routine that these references did not include a true petrographic characterization, being mere de visu descriptions of those products.This work presents, for the first time, macro and microscopic characterizations of some of the most outstanding chert outcrops located in the Middle Ebro Basin. There, tertiary limestone sediments that form the top part of the flat plateau reliefs hold great quantities of chert nodules. The noteworthy erosive processes that have affected this area have facilitated the gathering of those cherts: they are easy to find either in their original location, still embedded in the limestone layers, or in secondary position along the enormous glacis that connect those flat reliefs to the river terraces. Two main flint varieties have been defined: Monegros and Evaporitic of Ebro. Both were originated in continental lacustrine environments. They are fine-grained and offer excellent knapping possibilities; hence its common use since prehistoric times to recent semi-industrial exploitations related to 18th century gunflint productions.This paper offers a preliminary study that will be developed in a forthcoming PhD dissertation, but we also include examples of its prehistoric exploitation in the Ebro Basin and abroad

Deficit irrigation in fruit trees and vines in Spain

[ENG] Water has become the most precious of natural resources in many areas of Spain and, since agriculture is the major consumer of water, improvements in water use efficiency are increasingly sought. Regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) is an irrigation strategy based on applying only a fraction of the plant water requirements during certain periods of plant development. The paper reviews the available information on RDI strategies, in woody tree crops and vines based on studies by Spanish research groups. Both the promising results obtained and the drawbacks are covered. [ESP] El agua se ha convertido en el más preciado de los recursos naturales en muchas zonas de España y, dado que la agricultura es el principal consumidor, es prioritario mejorar la eficiencia de uso del agua en la agricultura de regadío. El riego deficitario controlado (RDC) es una estrategia de riego que se basa en aplicar tan sólo una fracción de los requerimientos hídricos del cultivo durante determinados períodos del ciclo vegetativo. En este trabajo se presenta la información disponible sobre diferentes estrategias de RDC aplicadas en cultivos leñosos y vid, basada en estudios realizados por grupos de investigación españoles. Se discuten las ventajas y desventajas así como los prometedores resultados obtenidos.This research was supported by Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation MICINN (AGL2006-12914- C02-01; AGL2007-66279-C03-03/AGR; AGL2009- 06981), Séneca Foundation, Murcia (08845/PI/08; 08847/PI/08), and Rideco-Consolider CSD2006-00067 grants to the authors

Programación del riego en uva de mesa cv. Crimson Seedless a partir de indicadores de planta

En una explotación comercial de uva de mesa tardía (Crimson Seedless x Paulsen 1103), se evaluaron, durante dos años consecutivos, líneas de referencia obtenidas a través de la relación entre la máxima contracción diaria del tronco (MCD) y distintas variables climáticas, a partir de la medida de la fluctuación del diámetro del tronco (FDT) en vides bien regadas, para ser utilizadas en la programación del riego a través de la intensidad de señal (IS) de la MCD, relación entre la MCD actual y la de referencia. Después del primer año, se comprobó que los mejores ajustes tenían lugar en pre‐envero, antes del cambio de color de las bayas. La temperatura media diaria (Tmed) fue la variable climática que mejor explicó las variaciones de MCD (r2=0,66). El mantenimiento de IS = 1 y del potencial hídrico de tallo a mediodía (Ψt) de ‐ 0,65 MPa resultaron ser indicadores idóneos de programación durante pre y post‐envero, respectivamente para vides bien regadas. Además, la programación IS=1 durante pre‐envero de 2013 repercutió positivamente en el estado hídrico de la vid evaluado durante post‐envero, incrementado en el doble el coeficiente de determinación observado en la relación MCD versus Tmed del año anterior.El presente trabajo se realizó en una finca comercial perteneciente a la empresa Frutas Esther SA, al amparo del proyecto CYCIT (AGL‐ 2010‐19201‐ C04‐04) financiado por el ministerio de Educación y Ciencia. Maria R. Conesa, disfrutó de una ayuda del programa de formación de profesorado universitario (FPU)

Evidencias magdalenienses de industria en materias óseas del yacimiento de Legunova (Biel, Zaragoza)

El abrigo de Legunova es un yacimiento que se localiza en el tramo medio de la cuenca del Ebro, en las estribaciones pirenaicas. En su nivel q, Magdaleniense superior, se recuperaron en 2004 tres elementos trabajados en materia ósea: azagaya, punzón y candil de cérvido de dudosa manipulación, que se estudian en detalle. Su valor reside no tanto en su tipología, habitual en conjuntos de esta cronología, como en el hecho de haberse conservado en un tipo de sitio arqueológico, los abrigos rocosos, cuyos restos óseos, incluida la fauna, suelen verse profunda y negativamente afectados por procesos naturales que conllevan su destrucción

Deficit irrigation automation assessment in cherry tree. Improve of irrigation management to ensuring productivity and sustainability

[SPA] En regiones áridas y semiáridas donde el principal factor limitante de la producción es el agua, la utilización de estrategias de riego deficitario unido al uso de las nuevas tecnologías puede contribuir a la mejora de la eficiencia de uso y sostenibilidad de la agricultura de regadío. El trabajo de investigación recientemente iniciado se desarrolla en cerezo, variedad ¨Prime Giant¨, en ella tanto el desarrollo del fruto como su madurez comercial se alcanzan antes del periodo de máxima demanda evaporativa. Con el objetivo de valorar la idoneidad de “Prime Giant” para ser manejada en riego deficitario controlado (RDC) en clima semiárido iniciamos un estudio sobre las relaciones hídricas y respuesta agronómica del cerezo al RDC. [ENG] In arid and semiarid regions where water is the main limiting factor of production, the use of deficit irrigation strategies linked to the use of new technologies can contribute to improving the efficiency and sustainability of irrigated agriculture. The recently started research work is performed in sweet cherry, var. "Prime Giant", whose fruit development and commercial maturity are reached before the period of maximum evaporative demand. In order to assess the suitability of "Prime Giant" in semiarid climate to be managed under regulated deficit irrigation (RDI), water relations and agronomic response to RDI were studied.Este trabajo de Tesis Doctoral será financiado por el Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad a través del proyecto RIDEFRUIT. Referencia: AGL2013-49047-C2-1R

Early morning fluctuations in trunk diameter are highly sensitive to water stress in nectarine trees

The sensitivity to water stress of different plant water status indicators was evaluated during two consecutive years in early nectarine trees grown in a semi-arid region. Measurements were made post-harvest and two irrigation treatments were applied: a control treatment (CTL), irrigated at 120 % of crop evapotranspiration demand to achieve non-limiting water conditions, and a deficit irrigation treatment, that applied around 37 % less water than CTL during late postharvest. The plant water status indicators evaluated were midday stem water potential (Ψ stem) and indices derived from trunk diameter fluctuations: maximum daily shrinkage (MDS), trunk daily growth rate, early daily shrinkage measured between 0900 and 1200 hours solar time (EDS), and late daily shrinkage that occurred between 1200 hours solar time and the moment that minimum trunk diameter was reached (typically 1600 hours solar time). The most sensitive [highest ratio of signal intensity (SI) to noise] indices to water stress were Ψ stem and EDS. The SI of EDS was greater than that of Ψ stem, although with greater variability. EDS was a better index than MDS, with higher SI and similar variability. Although MDS was linearly related to Ψ stem down to −1.5 MPa, it decreased thereafter with increasing water stress. In contrast, EDS was linearly related to Ψ stem, although the slope of the regression decreased as the season progressed, as in the case of MDS. Further studies are needed to determine whether EDS is a sensitive index of water stress in a range of species.This research was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science of Innovation (AGL2010-19201-C04-04), European project SIRRIMED (FP7-KBBE-2009-3-245159) and also by the Regional Science Agency of Murcia Region (08845/PI/08). We thank E. Fereres for editorial comments

Spectral Filter Selection for Increasing Chromatic Diversity in CVD Subjects

We are grateful to Angela Tate for revising the English text. We are also grateful to the reviewers for their insightful suggestions.This paper analyzes, through computational simulations, which spectral filters increase the number of discernible colors (NODC) of subjects with normal color vision, as well as red–green anomalous trichromats and dichromats. The filters are selected from a set of filters in which we have modeled spectral transmittances. With the selected filters we have carried out simulations performed using the spectral reflectances captured either by a hyperspectral camera or by a spectrometer. We have also studied the effects of these filters on color coordinates. Finally, we have simulated the results of two widely used color blindness tests: Ishihara and Farnsworth–Munsell 100 Hue (FM100). In these analyses the selected filters are compared with the commercial filters from EnChroma and VINO companies. The results show that the increase in NODC with the selected filters is not relevant. The simulation results show that none of these chosen filters help color vision deficiency (CVD) subjects to pass the set of color blindness tests studied. These results obtained using standard colorimetry support the hypothesis that the use of color filters does not cause CVDs to have a perception similar to that of a normal observer.This research was supported by the Spanish State Agency for Research (AEI) and the Ministry for Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (MIMECO) by means of grant number FIS2017-89258-P with European Union FEDER (European Regional Development Funds) support, and by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities, with support from the European Regional Development Funds under grant number RTI2018-094738-B-I00

Automatic crop canopy temperature measurement using a low-cost image-based thermal sensor: application in a pomegranate orchard under a permanent shade net house

Water scarcity in arid and semi-arid areas has led to the development of regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) strategies on most species of fruit trees in order to improve water productivity. For a successful implementation, these strategies require continuous feedback of the soil and crop water status. This feedback is provided by physical indicators from the soil–plant–atmosphere continuum, as is the case of the crop canopy temperature, which can be used for the indirect estimation of crop water stress. Infrared Radiometers (IRs) are considered as the reference tool for temperature-based water status monitoring in crops. Alternatively, in this paper, we assess the performance of a low-cost thermal sensor based on thermographic imaging technology for the same purpose. The thermal sensor was tested in field conditions by performing continuous measurements on pomegranate trees (Punica granatum L. ‘Wonderful’) and was compared with a commercial IR. A strong correlation (R2 = 0.976) between the two sensors was obtained, demonstrating the suitability of the experimental thermal sensor to monitor the crop canopy temperature for irrigation management.This research was funded by the Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI), grant numbers AGL2016-77282-C33-R and PID2019-106226-C22 AEI/10.13039/501100011033; and the Ministerio de Educación y Formación Profesional, grant numbers FPU17/05155 and FPU19/00020