IUPA: a tool for the evaluation of the general usefulness of practices for adaptation to climate change and variability

A prototype multi-purpose index is proposed for use in the evaluation of practices for adaptation to climate variability and change. The Index of Usefulness of Practices for Adaptation (IUPA) allows the user to assign weights and scores to a set of user-defined evaluation criteria. Individual criterion scores are aggregated into a final index value. Both the final value and the individual parameter scores provide useful information for improved decision making in the context of climate change. An innovative aspect of IUPA is that guidance is given to the user through the inclusion of recommendations on evaluation criteria and criterion-specific weight factors. These have been defined by a panel of experts from the Latin-American and Caribbean Region (LAC). Application of the index is demonstrated for an existing adaptation practice from the Coquimbo Region, Chile. The IUPA tool is recommended for use in the evaluation of adaptation practices in their design, implementation and post-implementation phase. It is practical for a quick first assessment or when limited financial resources are available, making the tool especially useful for practitioners in the developing world. The index is flexible both from the perspective of its construction and use. Additional expert opinions can easily be included in the future versions of the tool.     

Reassessment of intensity estimates from vulnerability and damage distributions: the 2011 Lorca earthquake

This paper presents a reassessment of the seismic intensity estimated for the 2011 Lorca (southeastern Spain) earthquake based on detailed vulnerability data and its comparison with the observed damage. Building and urban data are gathered in selected areas during a field campaign and are completed with office work. The significance of vulnerability modifiers in the final vulnerability distribution is analyzed, and their relation with observed damage trends is explored. A direct application of the vulnerability modifiers is not capable of reproducing the observed damage patterns. A significant increase of vulnerability related to the performance of buildings presenting soft story is required to reach a damage distribution consistent with intensity estimates in the study areas. Accordingly, an intensity increase in certain study zones (as compared to other areas of the city of Lorca) is suggested. Although the approach followed in this study is applied in a city of Spain, it can be extrapolated to other areas where detailed vulnerability assessment is feasible and damage data are available.     

Study of a rockfall in a limy conglomerate canyon (Covarrubias, Burgos, N. Spain)

In this paper, a rockfall of some tenths of cubic metres of rock, occurred in a conglomerate canyon in the northern Castilian plateau (N-Central Spain), is described in detail. This includes the basic data (geology, mapping, meteorological data and rock involved), the mechanical mechanism of the instability, the propagation and reach of the fallen rock boulders and the final location of the pieces. The study is based on detailed geological, aerial photography and geotechnical studies and advance topographical measurements. Geological engineering techniques are used to analyze the instability initiation and rockfall propagation. This study contributes to a better understanding of the geological processes leading to the occurrence of calcareous canyons and cliffs in the drainage network of the upper Castilian plateau. It is also helpful to improve our knowledge on natural rockfall phenomena for risk engineering purposes aiming to quantify, control and mitigate associated hazards.     

Seed germination of wild,in situ-managed,and cultivated populations of columnar cacti in the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley,Mexico

Seed germination was compared among wild, in situ-managed (wild plants let standing in areas cleared for agriculture), and cultivated populations of the columnar cacti Stenocereus pruinosus, Polaskia chichipe, Myrtillocactus schenckii, and Polaskia chende, species representing a gradient from higher to lower management intensity, respectively. We hypothesized that seeds from cultivated populations have higher water requirements to germinate than seeds of other populations, and that such difference is stronger in species more intensely managed. Germination was evaluated under water potential treatments at 0.0, ?0.2, and ?0.4 MPa. Interspecific differences were identified; germination rates markedly decreased in S. pruinosus and P. chichipe as water potential reduced. M. schenckii seeds germinated better at ?0.2 MPa, and seeds of P. chende in all treatments. Seed germination of wild and cultivated populations was similar in all cases and, therefore, at the population level domestication does not appear to have influenced variations in germination of the studied cacti species. However, experiments to test whether germination of seeds from plants with clear signs of domestication differs with seeds from other plants and their differential germination and seedling survival in wild, in situ-managed and cultivated environments could help to precise the influence of domestication on these plants.     

CO2-rich thermomineral groundwater in the Betic Cordilleras, southeastern Spain: Genesis and tectonic implications

The CO₂-rich thermal groundwater in the Betic Cordilleras in Spain has been studied with regard to the geological and hydrogeological setting, physical and chemical characteristics, and ¹³C-isotope content. The study area is about 60 km northeast of Almería city, in southeastern Spain. The thermomineral waters are plentiful and are related to regional geothermal anomalies. Temperatures of 20 −41°C, high bicarbonate concentrations (183–1824 mg/L), and high amounts of PCO₂ (<1.1 bar) characterize the groundwater. CO₂ spatial variations are related to proximity to the Carboneras, Palomares, and Guadalentín fault systems, which may be the surface representation of the zone of crustal thinning and magmatism. δ ¹³C values probably indicate a deep source for the CO₂, either the mantle or perhaps carbonate rocks in the metamorphic substratum. The high amount of CO₂ in the groundwater causes problems in wells and severely restricts water usage. The hydrothermal features of this area are probably related to neotectonic activity. Received, September 1998/Revised, June 1999, September 1999/Accepted, December 1999     

Total mercury in terrestrial systems (air-soil-plant-water) at the mining region of San Joaquín,Queretaro, Mexico

Deficient management of cinnabar mining left the San Joaquín region with high concentrations of mercury in its soils (2.4 – 4164 mg kg^-1). Numerous cinnabar mines have contributed to the dispersion of mercury into agricultural (0.5 –314 mg kg^-1) and forest (0.2 – 69 mg kg^-1) soils. Sediments are a natural means of transportation for mercury, causing its spreading, especially in areas near mine entrances (0.6 – 687 mg kg^-1). The nearness of maize crops to mines favors mercury accumulation in the different plant structures, such as roots, stems, leaves, and grain (0.04 – 8.2 mg kg^-1); these being related to mercury volatilization and accumulation in soils. Mercury vapor present in the settlements could indicate a constant volatilization from lands and soils (22 – 153 ng m^-3). The mercury levels found in the soils, in maize grain, and in the air resulted greater than the standards reported by the Official Mexican Norm (NOM) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Mercury in rainwater is due mainly to the presence of suspended atmospheric particles, later deposited on the surface (1.5 – 339 μg |^-1). Mercury dissolution was found in the drinking water (10 – 170 ng |^-1), with concentrations below those established by the NOM and the WHO. The contamination existing in the San Joaquín region does not reach the levels of the world’s greatest mercury producers: Almaden (Spain) and Idrija (Slovenia). It is, however, like that found in other important second degree world producers such as Guizhou (China). The population of San Joaquín, as well as its surrounding environment, are constantly exposed to mercury contamination, thus making a long term monitoring necessary to determine its effects, especially to people.     

Faults at the proximal continental shelf off Atlit,central Israel,and their neotectonic significance

A seismic reflection survey was conducted in the proximal shelf off Atlit, western Mt. Carmel, Israel, to clarify the regional neotectonic regime. The Atlit promontory is built of late Pleistocene eolianite ridge, truncated by faults at its northern extension. The seismic survey encountered two series of faults, trending N—S and NW—SE, offsetting the upper strata by 1–5 m. Faulted escarpments of the N—S faults are barely covered by sediments, suggesting that they are tectonically active. The escarpments of the NW—SE faults are rarely exposed, suggesting their late Pleistocene age. A submerged undamaged Neolithic well near a major NW trending fault indicates that the structural stability of these faults during the last 8000 years can be presumed.     

Trends in the frequency of synoptic types in central-southern Chile in the period 1961–2012 using the Jenkinson and Collison synoptic classification

Atmospheric circulation patterns in southern Chile (42° 30′ S) were studied in order to determine and analyse the most characteristic synoptic types and their recent trends, as well as to gain an understanding of how they are associated with low-frequency variability patterns. According to the Jenkinson and Collison (J&C) classification method, a 16-point grid of sea-level pressure data was employed. The findings reveal that some synoptic types show statistically significant trends with a 95% confidence level, positively for anticyclonic westerly hybrids (AW) and advective types for third and fourth quadrant wind flows (W, NW, and N) and negatively for SW and cyclonic hybrids (CS and CSW). A model has been constructed of the linear regression of some weather types with teleconnections that most affect Chile: the undetermined types (U), AW were associated with El Niño or the warm phase of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), whereas the cyclonic northerly and cyclonic northeasterly types (CN and CNE) were associated with La Niña or cool phase of the PDO. The weather types associated with Antarctic Oscillation (AAO) in its positive phase are anticyclonic northerly and northeasterly and northerly advection types, while in its negative phase are cyclonic southwesterly and advection types.     

AGNs,X-ray background and the possible candidates for great attractor

In the five last years, different structures (density excess 1) have been proposed as the direct cause of our infall toward the direction of Hydra—Centaurus with a velocity of 500 km s^–1. The direct effect of the mentioned matter accumulations on the X-ray background (XRB) can be estimated as a function of the geometry of the structures and of the cosmological evolution of the sources emitting in the X-ray band (2–10 keV) for different universes (₀1). If the XRB comes mostly from AGNs with low luminosity (L _X <10⁴³ erg s^–1 and, therefore, they will have a weak cosmological evolution) and we consider the difference between the intensities coming from both hemispheres (that oriented toward the direction of our motion and the opposite one) obtained by means of different satellites, we can conclude that some candidates are highly unlikely.Paper presented at the 11th European Regional Astronomical Meetings of the IAU on New Windows to the Universe, held 3–8 July, 1989, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain