The Detritic Compartment in a Posidonia oceanica Meadow: Litter Features, Decomposition Rates, and Mineral Stocks

Abstract. The ecosystem associated to the Mediterranean seagrass Posidonia oceanica shows a clear distinction in two subcompartments regarding turnover time: aboveground and belowground. Aboveground parts (leaves) are highly dynamic, and most of the leaf material is decomposed or exported in less than one year, representing a net loss of nutrients. In contrast, belowground biomass (roots and rhizomes) has a turnover time of the order of centuries, with a consequent accumulation of organic matter in the sediment. The accumulation rates for the single elements rank in the order C > N > P. This ecosystem may be considered as a sink for biogenic elements.     

The Development of the Spanish Fireball Network Using a New All-Sky CCD System

We have developed an all-sky charge coupled devices (CCD) automatic system for detecting meteors and fireballs that will be operative in four stations in Spain during 2005. The cameras were developed following the BOOTES-1 prototype installed at the El Arenosillo Observatory in 2002, which is based on a CCD detector of 4096 × 4096 pixels with a fish-eye lens that provides an all-sky image with enough resolution to make accurate astrometric measurements. Since late 2004, a couple of cameras at two of the four stations operate for 30 s in alternate exposures, allowing 100% time coverage. The stellar limiting magnitude of the images is +10 in the zenith, and +8 below ~ 65° of zenithal angle. As a result, the images provide enough comparison stars to make astrometric measurements of faint meteors and fireballs with an accuracy of ~ 2°arcminutes. Using this prototype, four automatic all-sky CCD stations have been developed, two in Andalusia and two in the Valencian Community, to start full operation of the Spanish Fireball Network. In addition to all-sky coverage, we are developing a fireball spectroscopy program using medium field lenses with additional CCD cameras. Here we present the first images obtained from the El Arenosillo and La Mayora stations in Andalusia during their first months of activity. The detection of the Jan 27, 2003 superbolide of ± 17 ± 1 absolute magnitude that overflew Algeria and Morocco is an example of the detection capability of our prototype.     

The discovery of Segue 2: a prototype of the population of satellites of satellites

We announce the discovery of a new Milky Way satellite Segue 2 found in the data of the Sloan Extension for Galactic Understanding and Exploration (SEGUE). We followed this up with deeper imaging and spectroscopy on the Multiple Mirror Telescope (MMT). From this, we derive a luminosity of   M _v =−2.5  , a half-light radius of 34 pc and a systemic velocity of  ∼−40 km s⁻¹  . Our data also provide evidence for a stream around Segue 2 at a similar heliocentric velocity, and the SEGUE data show that it is also present in neighbouring fields. We resolve the velocity dispersion of Segue 2 as 3.4 km s⁻¹ and the possible stream as  ∼7 km s⁻¹  . This object shows points of comparison with other recent discoveries, Segue 1, Boo II and Coma. We speculate that all four objects may be representatives of a population of satellites of satellites – survivors of accretion events that destroyed their larger but less dense parents. They are likely to have formed at redshifts   z > 10  and are good candidates for fossils of the reionization epoch.     

The Bizielle vein (valle de Gistain): A case of iron oxide transformations at the Pyrenees of Spain

The Bizielle vein has some unique features among the Pyrenean alpine veins that allow us to address the question of the nature of iron oxides transformations under low temperature hydrothermal conditions, which is well known to prevailed over wide areas of western Europe between early Triassic to early Cretaceous times. Isotopic studies indicate a deep-seated origin of the ore-forming fluids and suggest that the metals were leached from the Variscan basement (mainly from granites). Isotopic geothermometry and regional evidences point to a 250 °C and reducing fluid, being SH₂ the predominant S specie. Under such conditions, the proposed in situ deposition of hematite is a consequence of Fe carbonates dissolution and oxidation involving dissolution/precipitation processes in the sense of Putnis. Non-redox model is a quite plausible origin for subsequent hematite to magnetite conversion.     

Sensitivity analysis of main variables present in flash flood processes. Application in two Spanish catchments: Arás and Aguilón

The program Simulation of Hydrological Extreme Events provides a set of functionalities that combined together allows constructing, manipulating, analyzing and comparing the hydrological processes involved in flash flood generation. The program makes use of existing databases of interest in hydrology and available in Spain, such as digital terrain models, coverage of rainfall or curve number. Two pilot watersheds from Spain were selected, Arás and Aguilón, where flash flood episodes have taken place. A sensitivity analysis of the flash flood episodes in response to changes in the main hydrological processes involved has been made, such as spatial and temporal distribution of rainfall, soil moisture status and water flow through channel network. In this work, we found that the antecedent moisture condition is the most influential factor in the magnitude of flash floods produced by the same amount of rain. The temporal distribution of the storm represents the second characteristic in order of relevance. In addition, terrain morphology (specially the slope) is found to be decisive in the results differences obtained.     

Current status of coral takeover by an encrusting excavating sponge in a Caribbean reef

On Caribbean reefs, the excavating sponge Cliona tenuis opportunistically colonized dead skeletons of the elkhorn coral Acropora palmata after its massive die‐off in the 1980s. Further C. tenuis population increase occurred by colonization of other coral species, causing coral tissue death through undermining of live tissue and lateral growth. To follow up on a previous (2001) characterization of the abundance and size structure of C. tenuis at Islas del Rosario (Colombia), these factors were again estimated in 2014, along with its substratum utilization. The fate of sponge individuals colonizing massive coral colonies marked in 2001–2004 was also followed. By 2014 C. tenuis was still disproportionally occupying dead A. palmata branches, but its abundance and density, and the cover of other benthic elements, had not significantly changed over the 13‐year period, suggesting that a stasis has been reached. Cliona tenuis was thus initially favored in the 1980s, but substratum monopolization did not occur. From 2001 to 2014, small individuals increased in number and very large ones decreased, suggesting not only that new recruitment is occurring, but also that larger sponges are shrinking or fragmenting. Marked sponges continued killing corals over the first few years, but over longer times they retreated or died, allowing corals to resume upward growth. However, it could not be ascertained whether the sponge retreat was age‐related or the result of some environmental effect. The apparent preference for recently dead clean coral by larvae of C. tenuis and its current dynamics of recruitment, growth, fragmentation and mortality have stabilized its space occupation at Islas del Rosario.     

Origin and evolution of playas and blowouts in the semiarid zone of Tierra de Pinares (Duero Basin, Spain)

A large number of blowouts and playas occur in the marginal sectors of the aeolian deposits located in the southern sector of the Duero Depression (Tierra de Pinares) in Spain. The blowouts are relict landforms that were developed on sand sheets by deflation during dry periods with lower vegetation cover and a deeper water table. The studied blowouts form complexes of NW–SE and NNW–SSE elongated hollows with accompanying dunes up to 4 km long in the leeward margins. Some hollows host lakes or swampy areas related to a shallow water table. The dunes formed by NE–ENE winds show steep windward slopes and gentle leeward slopes. The studied playas, with prevalent NNW–SSE orientations, result from the aeolian excavation of terrace deposits and the underlying marly bedrock. It is probable that the formation of these depressions in an initial stage was related to deflation processes affected preferentially NNW–SSE sandy channels perpendicular to the dominant wind direction. The precipitation of salts in the playas generates aggregates of clay particles (peloids) that are easily removed by the wind. Once the bottom reached the substratum, the deepening of the depressions progressed by the deflation of particles produced by weathering of the argillaceous bedrock.     

Marine debris ingestion in loggerhead sea turtles, Caretta caretta, from the Western Mediterranean

Marine debris represents an important threat for sea turtles, but information on this topic is scarce in some areas, such as the Mediterranean sea. This paper quantifies marine debris ingestion in 54 juvenile loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) illegally captured by fishermen in Spanish Mediterranean waters. Curved carapace length was measured, necropsies were performed and debris abundance and type was recorded. Different types of debris appeared in the gastrointestinal tract of 43 turtles (79.6%), being plastics the most frequent (75.9%). Tar, paper, Styrofoam, wood, reed, feathers, hooks, lines, and net fragments were also present. A regression analysis showed that the volume of debris increased proportionally to the size of the turtles. The high variety of debris found and the large differences in ingestion among turtles indicated low feeding discrimination of this species that makes it specially prone to debris ingestion. Our data suggest that more severe control of litter spills and greater promotion of environmental educational programmes are needed in the Western Mediterranean.     

Integrated photometric properties of magellanic cloud star clusters

Integrated CCD BVR photometric measurements of Magellanic Cloud (MC) star clusters are described and summarized. The integrated colour-magnitude diagrams and colour-age relations for these systems imply that (a) the colour distribution of MC clusters is distinctly bi-modal (although this bi-modality is not simply explained as a distinction between young and old clusters), and (b) the MCs are probably not forming as many (if any) extremely massive clusters at the present as they did early in their lifetimes (i.e., 10 Gyr ago). Structurally, the MC clusters are seen to be intermediate between galactic globular and open clusters and their radial surface brightness profiles can generally be adequately fitted to single-mass King (1966) models (some exceptions do occur, however). Although the distribution of the derived structural parameters of young and old MC clusters are similar, they differ significantly from the distribution of structural parameters observed in intermediate-age clusters, suggesting that these structural properties do not evolve monotonically with time.Visiting astronomer at the Cerro Tololo Interamerican Observatory, National Optical Astronomy Observatories, operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under contract with the National Science Foundation.     

Geomorphological and sedimentological analysis of a catastrophic flash flood in the Arás drainage basin (Central Pyrenees, Spain)

On August 7th, 1996, an intense and short-duration convective storm occurred over the 18.6-km² Arás drainage basin (Central Pyrenees, Spain). This high relief basin is composed of three subbasins, Aso, Betés and La Selva, and feeds the Arás alluvial fan, in the Gállego river valley. This alluvial fan had been drained by an artificial channel (about 125 m³/s at bank-full capacity). More than 30 check dams in its feeder channel, the Arás barranco, had been previously filled by earlier sediments. The heaviest rain was over the Betés subbasin (total rainfall 178.4 mm; maximum rainfall intensity of 153 mm/h for a 10-min time interval was estimated). Most of the rainfall fell in a 70-min period. This storm resulted in high runoff, causing catastrophic damage and significant geomorphic changes in the drainage basin, especially in the Betés subbasin. The high discharge, concentrated in the Arás barranco, destroyed most of the check dams, flushing out a great amount of debris. Major channel trenching and widening occurred in this barranco. When the confined sediment-laden flash flood reached the basin mouth, it sheet-flooded the southern sector of the Arás fan depositing a massive amount of debris. On this fan 87 people lost their lives and the direct physical damage has been estimated at 55 million dollars. Two stages in the development of the flood have been differentiated from the sedimentological and morphological analysis of the flooded fan lobe. A first stage (peak discharge) of sheet-flooding deposited a coarse boulder lobe, burying the artificial channel at the fan head and causing a darnming effect on the water flood. During the second stage (discharge decline) the flood made its way through the fan head, incising the previous debris accumulation and splitting into two main flow paths.