Long bone histology of a eusuchian crocodyliform from the Upper Cretaceous of Spain: Implications for growth strategy in extinct crocodiles

The long bone histology of a Late Cretaceous eusuchian crocodyliform from the Iberian Peninsula reveals clear variations in the cortical structure which reflects changes in the speed of bone deposition (i.e., skeletal growth) related to ontogeny. The presence of secondary woven-fibred bone tissue in the perimedullar region of the cortex, and the existence of an external fundamental system in the most external periostic cortex, which is a proxy for somatic maturity and effective cessation of growth, challenges the former idea that the growth strategy of extinct crocodylians fit in the typical ectotherm condition, according to which these animals grew slowly during life under an indeterminate growth strategy. The analysed specimen lived for a minimum of 16 years and the highest preserved apposition rates took place in an advanced ontogenetic stage. The study suggests that the general aspects of the modern crocodylian growth strategy were already in place in some lineages by the Cretaceous.     

Ornamental plants and the production of nature(s) in the Spanish real estate boom and bust: the case of Alicante

The Spanish real estate boom and bust of the 2000s caused immense economic, social, and environmental changes across the country. Massive urbanization, however, does not necessarily entail the end of nature and natural processes, instead marking a radical transformation of environments and societies. Through a political ecology approach, we analyze how ornamental species have become a fundamental part of new natures induced by urbanization in the Spanish province of Alicante. We connect the economic and ecological characteristics of ornamental plants like the palm tree to urbanization and real estate trends in Alicante. Our evidence indicates that, in Alicante, economic recession and environmental crises (manifested in the pests affecting palm trees) have mutually reinforced one other, creating a new geography of ecological desolation in many areas.     

A method to assess annual average renewable groundwater reserves for large regions in Spain

Abstract

This paper proposes a method for assessing the renewable groundwater reserves of large regions for an average year, based on the integration of the recession curves for their basins' springs or the natural baseflow of their rivers. In this method, the hydrodynamic volumes (or renewable reserves), were estimated from the baseflow. It was assumed that the flow was the same as the natural recharge, and the recession coefficients were derived from the hydrogeological parameters and geometric characteristics of the aquifers and adjusted to fit the recession curves at gauging stations. The method was applied to all the aquifers of Spain, which have a total renewable groundwater reserve of 86 118 hm³—four times the mean annual recharge. However, the spatial distribution of these reserves is highly variable; 18.6% of the country's aquifers contain 94.7% of the entire reserve.

Citation Sanz, E. & Recio, B. (2010) A method to assess annual average renewable groundwater reserves for large regions in Spain. Hydrol. Sci. J. 56(1), 99–107.     

Household Structure,Migration Trends,and Residential Preferences in Inner-city León,Spain: Unpacking the Demographies of Reurbanization

This study examines the changing demography of the Spanish city of León, and aims to explore the manner in which its urban fabric was reshaped by processes of reurbanization, a dynamic whereby the inner city becomes more attractive to a wide variety of household types and social groups. We draw on sociodemographic analyses of municipal census data, as well as a customized questionnaire survey of local residents. Empirical evidence is provided both for the city as a whole and two inner-city districts, Casco Antiguo and El Ejido. Among other findings, it is argued that, although the contiguous built-up area of the city is clearly losing its inhabitants through out-migration and aging, there are a series of small-scale migration flows that increasingly concentrate "nontraditional" households in and around the city center. This is accompanied by an increasing trend toward "city-mindedness" as a residential choice and housing preference among both in-migrants and the long-time residential population. Overall, the evidence points to the emergence of a spatially fragile, fragmented reurbanization process.     

C#与Matlab混合编程技术在数字地震信号处理软件中的应用

Matlab软件具有功能强大的数值计算和数字信号处理功能.C序开发语言.Matlab Builder NE可以将MTALAB函数打包,供所有支持公共语言规范的.NET语言调用.为了充分利用两种语言各自的优势,结合数字信号功率谱分析实例,提出了基于.NET组件的Matlab和C#混合编程方法.该方法能够轻松实现C#环境下...     

华南板块南缘早中生代的逆冲推覆构造及其相关的动力学背景

作为理解华南构造演化的关键地区,在华南板块南缘的云开地体和越北的Song Chay地体发育了早中生代的向北东逆冲推覆的韧性变形.在云开地体,经历角闪岩相和绿片岩相变质的矿物指示了产状平缓的面理上发育明显的北东-南西向矿物拉伸线理.沿着这些矿物拉伸线理,具有上部指向北东的剪切变形.同位素年代学的定年结果指示了变形事件发生...     

Are red tides affecting economically the commercialization of the Galician (NW Spain) mussel farming?

Harmful algal blooms (HABs), more specifically red tides, are among the most critical environmental factors affecting mussel cultivation in Galicia (NW Spain), and they often have been blamed for economic losses for producers. This statement is based on the correlation between days of closure of the production areas and unsold product. The present article shows that such a statement is not always correct, at least in the case of Galician mussel farming, because red tides only cause losses to producers under specific circumstances that arise from the impossibility of placing their product in the market. In addition, this article reveals the importance of finding organizational solutions within the framework of the production sector to counteract the impact of this type of phenomenon.     

History and adaptation stories of the vertebrate fauna of southern Spain’s semi-arid habitats

Southern Spain’s semi-arid habitats are a Mediterranean ecosystem modelled mainly by historic factors which make them unique in comparison with North African deserts. Southern Spanish vertebrates have adapted to the recent emergence of semi-arid habitats in varying degrees of success. This paper reviews the current status of these terrestrial vertebrates (amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals), their origins and their main features in relation to this biogeographic area. The vertebrate fauna of the semi-arid southeast of the Iberian peninsula differs widely from the one in the semi-arid Maghreb mainly because the former is composed by generalist vertebrates and much less so by species adapted to arid conditions. Moreover, a large fraction of the vertebrates in the semi-arid Iberia does not exploit the semi-arid areas but depends on riparian and human-managed habitats. The species diversity is rather low since only a small fraction of Palaearctic, European or Mediterranean species can adapt to the ecological limitations imposed by aridity and dwell in these semi-arid habitats. Such adaptations comprehend features like trophic plasticity, low morphological specialization, high dispersal ability, shortened life cycles and behavioural mechanisms to exploit the limited resources available. This paper identifies major conservation issues and proposes specific courses of action.     

RESTORATION OF SHEEP TRANSHUMANCE IN THE EBRO VALLEY,ARAGON, SPAIN*

For centuries, sheep transhumance has connected the Spanish highlands with the lowlands, creating a livestock system with important social, economic, cultural, and landscape effects. About 5 million sheep were involved in transhumant movements in the mid‐1700s, but transhumance started to decay in the nineteenth century and almost disappeared in the 1970s and 1980s. In the 1980s, transhumant sheep did not number more than 25,000 in the study area; at present the number exceeds 134,000, with herders practicing both descending and ascending transhumance. In this article we provide information not only on current numbers of transhumant sheep but also on the origins and destinations of the flocks. We also confirm that the reputation of transhumance, once regarded as quaint and antiquated, has been enhanced by the ecosystem services it provides and by the cultural and heritage continuities it renders.     

Effects of the 'Prestige' oil spill on macroalgal assemblages: large-scale comparison

An assessment of the effects of the 'Prestige' oil spill on intertidal, macroalgal assemblages was carried out comparing abundance data obtained before and after the spill. Four zones in the North and Northwest coast of Spain were sampled, one of them located at the immediate vicinity of the spill, the zone most heavily oiled. Macroalgal assemblages had similar structure between years. Neither critical decrease in abundance of the dominant macroalgae, nor increase in opportunistic species were found. Some differences in abundance were observed, but they did not show any pattern, being more likely the result of the natural variability of the assemblage. Extensive, but not intense fuel deposition on the shores and a limited use of aggressive cleanup methods are suggested as possible causes for the lack of the effects in these assemblages after the 'Prestige' oil spill.