Spain. Regional differences in population density in 1986: the end of a process of increasing internal disequilibrium?

This is an analysis of regional differences in population trends in Spain during the twentieth century. Data are from a variety of official sources, including the censuses of 1900, 1960, 1970, and 1981. The author notes that up until 1975, interregional migration flows had acccentuated regional economic differences. However, the economic problems that have occurred since 1975, coupled with the political changes associated with greater regional autonomy, have resulted in new trends in internal migration that could have significant effects on the future distribution of the country's population.     

Evaluation of 2D models for the prediction of surface depression storage using realistic reference values

Depression storage (DS) is the maximum storage of precipitation and runoff in the soil surface at a given slope. The DS is determined by soil roughness that in agricultural soils is largely affected by tillage. The direct measurement of DS is not straightforward because of the natural permeability of the soil. Therefore, DS has generally been estimated from 2D/3D empirical relationships and numerical algorithms based on roughness indexes and height measurements of the soil surface, respectively. The objective of this work was to evaluate the performance of some 2D models for DS, using direct and reliable measurements of DS in an agricultural soil as reference values. The study was carried out in experimental microplots where DS was measured in six situations resulting from the combination of three types of tillage carried out parallel and perpendicular to the main slope. Those data were used as reference to evaluate four empirical models and a numerical method. Longitudinal altitudinal profiles of the relief were obtained by a laser profilometer. Infiltration measurements were carried out before and after tillage. The DS was largely affected by tillage and its direction. Highest values of DS are found on rougher surfaces mainly when macroforms cut off the dominant slope. The empirical models had a limited performance while the numerical method was the most effective, even so, with an important variability. In addition, a correct hydrological management should take into account that each type of soil tillage affects infiltration rate differently. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Epizooic metazoan meiobenthos associated with tubeworm and mussel aggregations from cold seeps of the northern Gulf of Mexico

The abundance and higher taxonomic composition of epizooic metazoan meiobenthic communities associated with mussel and tubeworm aggregations of hydrocarbon seeps at Green Canyon, Atwater Valley, and Alaminos Canyon in depths between 1400 and 2800?m were studied and compared to the infaunal community of non-seep sediments nearby. Epizooic meiofaunal abundances of associated meiobenthos living in tubeworm bushes and mussel beds at seeps were extremely low (usually <100?ind. 10?cm(-2)), similar to epizooic meiofauna at deep-sea hydrothermal vents, and the communities were composed primarily of nematodes, copepods, ostracods, and halacarids. In contrast, epizooic meiobenthic abundance is lower than previous studies have reported for infauna from seep sediments. Interestingly, non-seep sediments contained higher abundances and higher taxonomic diversity than epizooic seep communities, although in situ primary production is restricted to seeps.     

Parametric calibration of the Hargreaves–Samani equation for use at new locations

The Hargreaves–Samani (HS) evapotranspiration equation is very useful for the on‐site irrigation management in data‐short situations such as small and midsize farms and landscaped areas. Although much work has been performed to improve the precision of the evapotranspiration (ET_o) estimates for use at new locations, the results have not been consistent and many have not been confirmed by other works. The purpose of this study was to review and to evaluate the seven most promising parameters used for the calibration of the HS evapotranspiration equation, using two different regions: California and Bolivia. The results of this study show that annual correlations between HS and Penman–Monteith can be misleading because the correlation is poor in the humid months and improves progressively along the dry season until the first rains. The average monthly wind speed can be used for both spatial and seasonal calibration of the HS equation, especially during the irrigation season. Elevation and precipitation can be used to calibrate the HS equation when no reference ET_o values are available at nearby stations. The monthly value of K_T calculated from solar radiation follows a parabolic function along the year and should not be used for improving the estimates of the HS equation because the clearness index produces better results than actual solar radiation measurements. The results also indicate that the use of distance to coast, temperature range and temperature parameter does not improve the precision of the HS equation. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Closure of a hyperextended system in an orogenic lithospheric pop‐up,Western Pyrenees: The role of mantle buttressing and rift structural inheritance

The Early Cretaceous hyperextended Mauléon rift is localized in the north‐western Pyrenean orogen. We infer the Tertiary evolution of the Mauléon basin through the restoration of a 153‐km‐long crustal‐scale balanced cross‐section of the Pyrenean belt, which documents at least 67 km (31%) of orogenic shortening in the Western Pyrenees. Initial shortening, accommodated through inversion of inherited crustal structures, led to formation of a pop‐up structure, in which the opposite edges underwent similar shortening with different tectonic reactivation styles, localized versus. distributed. Underthrusting of the Iberian margin accommodated further convergence, forming the Axial Zone antiformal stack of crustal nappes within a lithospheric pop‐up. Thin‐skinned and thick‐skinned structures propagated outward from the heart of this pop‐up, a block of strong mantle acting as a buttress inhibiting complete inversion of the Mauléon rift basin.     

Spatial and temporal changes in benthic communities of the Galician continental shelf after the Prestige oil spill

Two years after the Prestige oil spill (POS) an assessment of the effects on benthic fauna was carried out using the data obtained in five multidisciplinary surveys. Otter trawl, beam trawl, suprabenthic sled and box corer were used to study the main benthic compartments, along eight transects perpendicular to the coastline. Beam trawl was also employed to quantify the amount of tar aggregates on the continental shelf. No significant correlations between tar aggregates and species richness, biomass and diversity of benthic communities were found. This result was corroborated when the role of depth, season, latitude and sediment characteristics was examined by canonical ordination, in which POS-related variables had low influence on spatial distribution patterns. Depth and sediment grain diameter profoundly influence epibenthic communities. Sediment organic content is a third key variable for the infaunal, suprabenthic and lower-sized epibenthic communities, but not for the larger epibenthic communities. Nevertheless, a decrease in the densities of several epibenthic indicators was detected the first year after spill, followed by a noteworthy recovery in 2004. Non-macroscopic toxicity and some oceanographic agents are suggested as possible causes of these shifts.     

Is self-regulation a myth? Case study on Spanish groundwater user associations and the role of higher-level authorities

Self-regulation of groundwater users offers tremendous potential for effective groundwater management. The attributes of higher-level authorities that are more likely to facilitate the beneficial management of groundwater in economic, social and environmental terms are discussed. For this purpose, eight groundwater user associations in Spain have been compared. Factors that support institutional change were analyzed, namely: salience, common understanding, trust and reciprocity, autonomy, prior organizational experience and local leadership. These factors are complemented by features that strengthen actions by higher-level authorities that oversee self-regulation by water users (clear boundaries, legitimate recognition of appropriators, facilitating roles, trust in cross-scale linkages, clear division of responsibilities, institutional culture and co-management model choices). Self-regulation includes the creation of reflexive organizations that are capable of learning, provided first, the administration itself is modernized to meet the challenges of self-regulation, and second, that ‘regulatory capture’ is avoided by external organizations, ensuring that the regulator and the regulated are not so close in their relationship as to be detrimental to effectiveness.

Experimental and theoretical determination of concentration profiles and influence of particle characteristics in blowing snow

Snow drift transport may cause avalanches on the roads during the periods of snowfall and strong wind. To better understand the factors influencing transport we have developed a theoretical model. This model is based on the boundary layer theory, where the particle mass conservation is considered. Assuming that the saturation is reached, the concentration profile can be represented by a negative exponential law. By means of this analysis, the influence of particle characteristics is explored through the roles of threshold friction velocity and fall velocity. Using fluid mechanics laws, an analysis of the concentration profile resulting from the effect of the wind on a particle bed was also developed. For several velocities of flow and for different kinds of particles an experimental determination of the concentration profile was achieved. We used a laser visualisation and image processing technique to carry out these experiments. The obtained results fit with the values predicted by the theoretical model.     

La chaine hercynienne d'amerique du sud structure et evolution d'un orogene intracratonique

Résumé Une chaîne hercynienne, remaniant des noyaux précambriens, forme le substratum de la chaîne des Andes centrales depuis le Nord du Pérou jusqu'en Argentine moyenne. L'évolution préorogénique de cette chaîne s'amorce, dès la fin du Précambrien, par une fracturation sur la bordure ouest de l'actuelle plaque sud-américaine. Au Paléozoïque inférieur s'individualise un vaste sillon coudé, sur croûte amincie, où s'accumulent 8000 à 15 000 m de sédiments marins essentiellement detritiques. Ce sillon intracratonique est bordé, à l'Est, par le Bouclier brésilien et, à l'Ouest, par une aire continentale: le massif précambrien d'Arequipa que prolongeait, vers l'ouest, le »Paléocontinent sud-est pacifique«. Deux phases tectoniques: la phase majeure éohercynienne (350-330 Ma) puis la phase tardihercynienne (265-260 Ma), sont responsables de la formation de la chaîne hercynienne laquelle résulte du serrage, du sillon paléozoïque entre les deux blocs précambriens rigides.C'est une chaîne intracontinentale apparemment simple, d'allure symétrique, à structures généralement verticales. Le métamorphisme est épizonal sauf dans certaines zones très localisées où la montée de granites syntectoniques s'accompagne d'un métamorphisme méso-à catazonal intermediaire de basse pression.En conclusion et dans une optique de tectonique globale, il est proposé une hypothèse sur l'évolution paléogéodynamique de la chaîne hercynienne sud-américaine des Andes centrales, en mettant l'accent sur les mécanismes particuliers de sa formation; mécanismes où la compression se traduit par du plissement associé à des décrochements.

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A Hercynian Foldbelt, reworking elements of Precambrian, constitues the basement of the Central Andes that extend from the northern Peru to the central Argentina. The preorogenic evolution of the belt initiate after the end of the Upper Precambrian with continental fracturation on the western boundary of the actual South American Plate. During the Paleozoïc a great elbowed trough, lying on thinned crust, was filled by 8000 to 15000 m of essentially detritic marine sediments. That intracratonic trough was bounded to the East by the Brasilian Shield and also to the West by an other continental area that acted during the Lower Paleozoïc as an important sediment source area: the Precambrian Massif of Arequipa that extend toward the West with the South-East Pasific Paleocontinent. The Hercynian Foldbelt resulted from the compression of the paleozoïc basin between that rigid precambrian blocs. Two main compression stages are distinguished: an Eochercynian Phase (350-330 My) that is the most important and a Tardi hercynian Phase (265-260 My). That Hercynian intracontinental Foldbelt of the Central Andes is obviously simple with symetrical aspect and subvertical structures. The metamorphism is epizonal except in very limited areas where syntectonic granits are associated with meso-and catazonal metamorphism of low-pressure type.To conclude a paleogeodynamic evolution model of the south american hercynian foldbelt is proposed in terms of global tectonic, with emphasis on the mecanism of its formation, mechanism where folding is associated with strike-slip faulting.

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Zusammenfassung Ein variskischer Faltengürtel, der auch einige präkambrische Elemente umfaßt, bildet die Basis der Zentralanden, die sich von Nordperu bis Zentralargentinien erstrecken. Die präorogene Entwicklung dieses Gürtels beginnt am Ende des oberen Präkambriums mit einem Kontinentalbruch an der westlichen Grenze der heutigen südamerikanischen Platte. Während des Paläzoikums wurde eine große Senke, die auf einer dünnen Kruste lag, mit 8000–15 000 m ditritischen, marinen Sedimenten gefüllt. Die intrakratonische Senke war auf der östlichen Seite durch den brasilianischen Schild begrenzt und auf der westlichen Seite durch eine Kontinentalfläche, die während des unteren Paläozoikums als ein wichtiges Liefergebiet für Sedimente diente. Dieser westliche Kontinent setzte sich aus dem präkambrischen Massiv von Arequipa und dem südostpazifischen Kontinent zusammen. Die Entwicklung des variskischen Faltengürtels kann auf die Kompression des paläozoischen Beckens zwischen den regiden präkambrischen Blöcken zurückgeführt werden. Hier unterscheidet man zwei Hauptkompressionsphasen: eine wichtigere frühvarskische Phase (350–330 mJ) und eine spätvariskische Phase (265–260 mJ). Es ist aber deutlich, daß der variskische interkontinentale Faltengürtel der Zentralanden einfach symmetrisch aufgebaut ist und von subvertikalen Strukturen bestimmt wird. Die Metamorphose ist epizonal mit Ausnahme von sehr begrenzten Gebieten, wo die syntektonischen Granite mit einer mezobis catazonalen Druckmetamorphosen verbunden sind.In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird ein geodynamisches Entwicklungsmodell für den südamerikanischen variskischen Faltengürtel vorgeschlagen, das im Sinne einer Globaltektonik die Faltung mit Blocktektonik erklärt.

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Electrical conductivity of igneous rocks: Composition and temperature relations

The conductivity of four igneous rocks with, 49, 65, 77, and 84% SiO₂ was measured as a function of temperature in the interval from 20° to 1280°C; measurements were made in a vacuum of 10^?3 torr. No simple relationships were found between conductivity and SiO₂ content or versus major element groupings such as Na₂O=K₂O=CaO and TiO₂=Cr₂O₃=Al₂O₃=Fe₂O₃=FeO. An analytical expression was obtained between conductivity and the albite-quartz ratio, valid for temperatures between 300° and 1200°C. It was necessary to compute the CIPW norm in order to obtain the albite and quartz percentages. The onset of melting apparently occurred between 600° and 700°C. Petrography performed on two samples after cooling showed 70 and 85% partial melting. Three conduction regions were identified: 1) below 300°C, 2) between 300°C and 600°C, and 3) above 600°C. Different activation energies obtained for the heating and cooling intervals confirm that the sample undergoes textural changes in the heating-cooling cycle. Activation energy increments of 0.1 and 0.2 eV per decade of albite-quartz ratio were obtained.