Range and livestock production in the Monte Desert,Argentina

This article reviews and analyzes the available information on range and livestock production in the Monte Desert. Cow–calf operations, goats for meat, and sheep for wool are the dominant production systems under continuous grazing. Rest-rotational grazing systems improved the efficiency of the current cow–calf production. Forage resources are primarily composed of perennial grasses and woody species. Rain-use efficiency for the total vegetation ranged from 3.9 to 4.8 kg DM ha^?1 year^?1 mm^?1. Carrying capacity showed a broad range: 18.7, 4.5–64.5, and 21.6–89.3 ha AU^?1 in the north, central, and south portions of the Monte, respectively. Mean crude protein (CP) content of grasses varied from 8.4 to 10.3 (wet season) and 7.1–3.7% DM (dry season) in the central west and Patagonia, respectively. Grasses predominated in the cattle diet, while the sheep diet was highly diverse because they ate most of the available plant species, and there was no unanimity as to the fact that goats are strictly browsers. Livestock diseases have lower prevalence indices than those recorded in other areas of the country. The high variability in carrying capacity values could be attributed to differences in rangeland condition and to the different methods used for its estimation. The CP levels in forage could meet cattle requirements provided that a proper-stocking rate were used. The most promising species for land rehabilitation are Opuntia, Atriplex spp., Eragrostis curvula and Cenchrus ciliaris. Priorities for future research should include topics such as assessment of the carrying capacity for most of the areas and nutrient content of the components of livestock diet, the livestock intake values, the economic feasibility of the use of complementary feeds and the development of seeding technology for valuable forage resources as Trichloris crinita, among others.     

Harmonization check of M w within the central, northern, and northwestern European earthquake catalogue (CENEC)

Large data sets covering large areas and time spans and composed of many different independent sources raise the question of the obtained degree of harmonization. The present study is an analysis of the harmonization with respect to the moment magnitude M _w within the earthquake catalogue for central, northern, and northwestern Europe (CENEC). The CENEC earthquake catalogue (Grünthal et al., J Seismol, 2009) contains parameters for over 8,000 events in the time period 1000–2004 with magnitude M _w ≥ 3.5. Only about 2% of the data used for CENEC have original M _w magnitudes derived directly from digital data. Some of the local catalogues and data files providing data give M _w, but calculated by the respective agency from other magnitude measures or intensity. About 60% of the local data give strength measures other than M _w, and these have to be transformed by us using available formulae or new regressions based on original M _w data. Although all events are thus unified to M _w magnitude, inhomogeneity in the M _w obtained from over 40 local catalogues and data files and 50 special studies is inevitable. Two different approaches have been followed to investigate the compatibility of the different M _w sets throughout CENEC. The first harmonization check is performed using M _w from moment tensor solutions from SMTS and Pondrelli et al. (Phys Earth Planet Inter 130:71–101, 2002; Phys Earth Planet Inter 164:90–112, 2007). The method to derive the SMTS is described, e.g., by Braunmiller et al. (Tectonophysics 356:5–22, 2002) and Bernardi et al. (Geophys J Int 157:703–716, 2004), and the data are available in greater extent since 1997. One check is made against the M _w given in national catalogues and another against the M _w derived by applying different empirical relations developed for CENEC. The second harmonization check concerns the vast majority of data in CENEC related to earthquakes prior to 1997 or where no moment tensor based M _w exists. In this case, an empirical relation for the M _w dependence on epicentral intensity (I ₀) and focal depth (h) was derived for 41 master events, i.e., earthquakes, located all over central Europe, with high-quality data. To include also the data lacking h, the corresponding depth-independent relation for these 41 events was also derived. These equations are compared with the different sets of data from which CENEC has been composed, and the goodness of fit is demonstrated for each set. The vast majority of the events are very well or reasonably consistent with the respective relation so that the data can be said to be harmonized with respect to M _w, but there are exceptions, which are discussed in detail.     

The DATA program for the calculation of ESR age estimates on tooth enamel

The supplementary ZIP file of this paper contains the DATA program, which can be used for ESR age calculations of tooth enamel. This paper outlines the use and limitations of this program.     

The comparison of macroseismic intensity scales

The number of different macroseismic scales that have been used to express earthquake shaking in the course of the last 200 years is not known; it may reach three figures. The number of important scales that have been widely adopted is much smaller, perhaps about eight, not counting minor variants. Where data sets exist that are expressed in different scales, it is often necessary to establish some sort of equivalence between them, although best practice would be to reassign intensity values rather than convert them. This is particularly true because difference between workers in assigning intensity is often greater than differences between the scales themselves, particularly in cases where one scale may not be very well defined. The extent to which a scale guides the user to arrive at a correct assessment of the intensity is a measure of the quality of the scale. There are a number of reasons why one should prefer one scale to another for routine use, and some of these tend in different directions. If a scale has many tests (diagnostics) for each degree, it is more likely that the scale can be applied in any case that comes to hand, but if the diagnostics are so numerous that they include ones that do not accurately indicate any one intensity level, then the use of the scale will tend to produce false values. The purpose of this paper is chiefly to discuss in a general way the principles involved in the analysis of intensity scales. Conversions from different scales to the European Macroseismic Scale are discussed.     

Stellar winds and mass loss of a rotating star

The mass loss to be expected from the corona of a rotating F2-star is calculated. The rotation is supposed to be rigid up to a certain distances, as if it were maintained by a strong magnetic field. Dependent on the values of the rotational velocity the mass loss can increase to 26–40% forv _rot up to 200 km s^–1.     

Seasonal variability of Holocene climate: a palaeolimnological study on varved sediments in Lake Jues (Harz Mountains, Germany)

Studies combining sedimentological and biological evidence to reconstruct Holocene climate beyond the major changes, and especially seasonality, are rare in Europe, and are nearly completely absent in Germany. The present study tries to reconstruct changes of seasonality from evidence of annual algal successions within the framework of well-established pollen zonation and ¹⁴C-AMS dates from terrestrial plants. Laminated Holocene sediments in Lake Jues (10°20.7′ E, 51°39.3′ N, 241 m a.s.l.), located at the SW margin of the Harz Mountains, central Germany, were studied for sediment characteristics, pollen, diatoms and coccal green algae. An age model is based on 21 calibrated AMS radiocarbon dates from terrestrial plants. The sedimentary record covers the entire Holocene period. Trophic status and circulation/stagnation patterns of the lake were inferred from algal assemblages, the subannual structure of varves and the physico-chemical properties of the sediment. During the Holocene, mixing conditions alternated between di-, oligo- and meromictic depending on length and variability of spring and fall periods, and the stability of winter and summer weather. The trophic state was controlled by nutrient input, circulation patterns and the temperature-dependent rates of organic production and mineralization. Climate shifts, mainly in phase with those recorded from other European regions, are inferred from changing limnological conditions and terrestrial vegetation. Significant changes occurred at 11,600 cal. yr. BP (Preboreal warming), between 10,600 and 10,100 cal. yr. BP (Boreal cooling), and between 8,400 and 4,550 cal. yr. BP (warm and dry interval of the Atlantic). Since 4,550 cal. yr. BP the climate became gradually cooler, wetter and more oceanic. This trend was interrupted by warmer and dryer phases between 3,440 and 2,850 cal. yr. BP and, likely, between 2,500 and 2,250 cal. yr. BP.     

The European-Mediterranean Earthquake Catalogue (EMEC) for the last millennium

The catalogue by Grünthal et al. (J Seismol 13:517?C541, 2009a) of earthquakes in central, northern, and north-western Europe with M _w????3.5 (CENEC) has been expanded to cover also southern Europe and the Mediterranean area. It has also been extended in time (1000?C2006). Due to the strongly increased seismicity in the new area, the threshold for events south of the latitude 44°N has here been set at M _w????4.0, keeping the lower threshold in the northern catalogue part. This part has been updated with data from new and revised national and regional catalogues. The new Euro-Mediterranean Earthquake Catalogue (EMEC) is based on data from some 80 domestic catalogues and data files and over 100 special studies. Available original M _w and M ₀ data have been introduced. The analysis largely followed the lines of the Grünthal et al. (J Seismol 13:517?C541, 2009a) study, i.e., fake and duplicate events were identified and removed, polygons were specified within each of which one or more of the catalogues or data files have validity, and existing magnitudes and intensities were converted to M _w. Algorithms to compute M _w are based on relations provided locally, or more commonly on those derived by Grünthal et al. (J Seismol 13:517?C541, 2009a) or in the present study. The homogeneity of EMEC with respect to M _w for the different constituents was investigated and improved where feasible. EMEC contains entries of some 45,000 earthquakes. For each event, the date, time, location (including focal depth if available), intensity I ₀ (if given in the original catalogue), magnitude M _w (with uncertainty when given), and source (catalogue or special study) are presented. Besides the main EMEC catalogue, large events before year 1000 in the SE part of the investigated area and fake events, respectively, are given in separate lists.     

Influence of atmospheric parameters on downward longwave radiation and features of its regime in Moscow

Measurement results of downward longwave radiation (DLR) in a wavelength range of 3.5?C50 ??m are considered which have been obtained with the use of a precision IR radiometer (Eppley pyrgeometer) of the PIR model at the Meteorological Observatory of Moscow State University in 2008?C2010. The influence of air temperature and atmospheric moisture content on the DLR values has been analyzed; correlations between DLR and the above parameters have been found. The effect of clouds on DLR has been estimated: DLR increases by about 30% in daytime and by 25% in nighttime under overcast low clouds. The annual average DLR in Moscow is 305 W/m², with a minimum in December?CMarch and a maximum in July?CAugust. Variations in DLR throughout a year can exceed 250 W/m². The daily average amplitude is 18?C33 W/m² in summer and 6?C13 W/m² in winter. An increase in DLR by about 40 W/m² is noted under conditions of haze from forest and peat-bog fires and an aerosol optical depth of about 4 at a wavelength of 500 nm.