Phylogeography and demographic history of Lacerta lepida in the Iberian Peninsula: multiple refugia, range expansions and secondary contact zones

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The Iberian Peninsula is recognized as an important refugial area for species survival and diversification during the climatic cycles of the Quaternary. Recent phylogeographic studies have revealed Iberia as a complex of multiple refugia. However, most of these studies have focused either on species with narrow distributions within the region or species groups that, although widely distributed, generally have a genetic structure that relates to pre-Quaternary cladogenetic events. In this study we undertake a detailed phylogeographic analysis of the lizard species, Lacerta lepida, whose distribution encompasses the entire Iberian Peninsula. We attempt to identify refugial areas, recolonization routes, zones of secondary contact and date demographic events within this species. Results Results support the existence of 6 evolutionary lineages (phylogroups) with a strong association between genetic variation and geography, suggesting a history of allopatric divergence in different refugia. Diversification within phylogroups is concordant with the onset of the Pleistocene climatic oscillations. The southern regions of several phylogroups show a high incidence of ancestral alleles in contrast with high incidence of recently derived alleles in northern regions. All phylogroups show signs of recent demographic and spatial expansions. We have further identified several zones of secondary contact, with divergent mitochondrial haplotypes occurring in narrow zones of sympatry. Conclusions The concordant patterns of spatial and demographic expansions detected within phylogroups, together with the high incidence of ancestral haplotypes in southern regions of several phylogroups, suggests a pattern of contraction of populations into southern refugia during adverse climatic conditions from which subsequent northern expansions occurred. This study supports the emergent pattern of multiple refugia within Iberia but adds to it by identifying a pattern of refugia coincident

Phylogeography and demographic history of Lacerta lepida in the Iberian Peninsula: multiple refugia, range expansions and secondary contact zones.

PubMed

Miraldo, Andreia; Hewitt, Godfrey M; Paulo, Octavio S; Emerson, Brent C

2011-06-17

The Iberian Peninsula is recognized as an important refugial area for species survival and diversification during the climatic cycles of the Quaternary. Recent phylogeographic studies have revealed Iberia as a complex of multiple refugia. However, most of these studies have focused either on species with narrow distributions within the region or species groups that, although widely distributed, generally have a genetic structure that relates to pre-Quaternary cladogenetic events. In this study we undertake a detailed phylogeographic analysis of the lizard species, Lacerta lepida, whose distribution encompasses the entire Iberian Peninsula. We attempt to identify refugial areas, recolonization routes, zones of secondary contact and date demographic events within this species. Results support the existence of 6 evolutionary lineages (phylogroups) with a strong association between genetic variation and geography, suggesting a history of allopatric divergence in different refugia. Diversification within phylogroups is concordant with the onset of the Pleistocene climatic oscillations. The southern regions of several phylogroups show a high incidence of ancestral alleles in contrast with high incidence of recently derived alleles in northern regions. All phylogroups show signs of recent demographic and spatial expansions. We have further identified several zones of secondary contact, with divergent mitochondrial haplotypes occurring in narrow zones of sympatry. The concordant patterns of spatial and demographic expansions detected within phylogroups, together with the high incidence of ancestral haplotypes in southern regions of several phylogroups, suggests a pattern of contraction of populations into southern refugia during adverse climatic conditions from which subsequent northern expansions occurred. This study supports the emergent pattern of multiple refugia within Iberia but adds to it by identifying a pattern of refugia coincident with the southern distribution

Tomography of the upper mantle beneath the African/Iberian collision zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonnin, Mickael; Nolet, Guust; Thomas, Christine; Villaseñor, Antonio; Gallart, Josep; Levander, Alan

2013-04-01

In this study we take advantage of the dense broadband-station networks available in western Mediterranean region (IberArray, PICASSO and MOROCCO-MUENSTER networks) to develop a high-resolution 3D tomographic P velocity model of the upper mantle beneath the African/Iberian collision zone. This model is based on teleseismic arrival times recorded between 2008 and 2012 for which cross-correlation delays are measured with a new technique in different frequency bands centered between 0.03 and 1.0 Hz, and interpreted using multiple frequency tomography. Such a tomography is required to scrutinize the nature and extent of the thermal anomalies inferred beneath Northern Africa, especially in the Atlas ranges region and associated to sparse volcanic activities. Tomography is notably needed to help in determining the hypothetical connection between those hot anomalies and the Canary Island hotspot as proposed by geochemistry studies. It also provides new insights on the geometry of the subducting slab previously inferred from tomography, GPS measurements or shear-wave splitting patterns beneath the Alboran Sea and the Betic ranges and is indispensable for deciphering the complex geodynamic history of the Western Mediterranean region. We shall present the overall statistics of the delays, their geographical distribution, as well as the first inversion results.

Clusters of Earthquakes In The Southern of Iberian Peninsula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Posadas, A. M.; Luzón, F.; Vidal, F.

The southern part of the Iberian Peninsula forms part of the western border of Eurasia- Africa plate boundary. This area is characterized by the occurrence of earthquakes of moderate magnitude (the maximum magnitude ranging from 4.5 to 5.5). From the point of view of seismic activity, this region is the most active one in he Iberian Penin- sula. Until earlier 80, only the National Seismic Network belonging to the National Geographic Institute monitores the activity in the south of Iberian Peninsula. From 1983 to the actuality, the Andalusian Seismic Network belonging to the Andalusian Geophysics Institute and Seismic Disaster Prevention, records the microseismicity of the area. Nowadays, the earthquakes catalogue used belongs to the Andalusian Insti- tute of Geophysics and Seismic Disaster Prevention and it counts on more than 20000 events registered from 1985 to 2001. Today, after 20 years of recording seismic ac- tivity, statistics analysis of the catalogue have sense. In this paper we present a first approach to the clustering properties of the seismicity in the south of the Iberian Penin- sula. The analysis carried out starts with the study of clustering properties (temporal and spatial properties) in the Southern of Iberian Peninsula seismicity to demonstrate, by using the Fractal Dimension of the temporal earthquake distribution and the Mor- ishita Index of the spatial distribution of earthquakes, that this seismicity is charac- terized by a tendency to form earthquake clusters, both spatial and temporal clusters. As an example, five seismogenetic areas of the zone are analyzed (Adra-Berja, Agron, Alboran, Antequera and Loja). This particular study of the series find out the b param- eter from the Gutenberg-Richter's Law (which characterizes the energetic relaxation of events), the p parameter from Omori's Law (that characterizes the temporal relax- ation of aftershocks) and the Fractal Dimension of the spatial distribution of earth- quakes (to find the

Tomography of the upper mantle beneath the African/Iberian collision zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mickael, B.; Nolet, G.; Villasenor, A.; Josep, G.; Thomas, C.

2013-12-01

During Cenozoic, geodynamics of the western Mediterranean domain has been characterized by a complex history of subduction of Mesozoic oceanic lithosphere. The final stage of these processes is proposed to have led to the development of the Calabria and Gibraltar arcs, whose formation is still under debate. In this study we take advantage of the dense broadband-station networks now available in Alborán Sea region, to develop a high-resolution 3D tomographic P velocity model of the upper mantle beneath the African/Iberian collision zone that will bring new constraints on the past dynamics of this zone. The model is based on 13200 teleseismic arrival times recorded between 2008 and 2012 at 279 stations for which cross-correlation delays are measured with a new technique in different frequency bands centered between 0.03 and 1.0 Hz, and interpreted using multiple frequency tomography. Our model shows, beneath Alborán Sea, a strong (~ 4%) fast vertically dipping anomaly observed to at least 650 km depth. The arched shape of this anomaly and its extent at depth are coherent with a lithospheric slab, thus favoring the hypothesis of a westward consumption of the Ligurian ocean slab by roll-back during Cenozoic. In addition to this fast anomaly in the deep upper-mantle, several high intensity slow anomalies are widely observed in the lithosphere and asthenosphere beneath Morocco and southern Spain. These anomalies are correlated at surface with the position of the orogens (Rif and Atlas) and with Cenozoic volcanic fields. We thus confirm the presence, beneath Morocco, of an anomalous (hot) upper mantle, with piece of evidence for a lateral connection with the Canary volcanic islands, likely indicating a lateral spreading of the Canary plume to the east.

Are the Pyrenees a barrier for the transport of birch (Betula) pollen from Central Europe to the Iberian Peninsula?

PubMed

Izquierdo, Rebeca; Alarcón, Marta; Mazón, Jordi; Pino, David; De Linares, Concepción; Aguinagalde, Xabier; Belmonte, Jordina

2017-01-01

This work provides a first assessment of the possible barrier effect of the Pyrenees on the atmospheric transport of airborne pollen from Europe to the North of the Iberian Peninsula. Aerobiological data recorded in three Spanish stations located at the eastern, central and western base of the Pyrenees in the period 2004-2014 have been used to identify the possible long range transport episodes of Betula pollen. The atmospheric transport routes and the origin regions have been established by means of trajectory analysis and a source receptor model. Betula pollen outbreaks were associated with the meteorological scenario characterized by the presence of a high-pressure system overm over Morocco and Southern Iberian Peninsula. France and Central Europe have been identified as the probable source areas of Betula pollen that arrives to Northern Spain. However, the specific source areas are mainly determined by the particular prevailing atmospheric circulation of each location. Finally, the Weather Research and Forecasting model highlighted the effect of the orography on the atmospheric transport patterns, showing paths through the western and easternmost lowlands for Vitoria-Gasteiz and Bellaterra respectively, and the direct impact of air flows over Vielha through the Garona valley. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Body-size structure of Central Iberian mammal fauna reveals semidesertic conditions during the middle Miocene Global Cooling Event.

PubMed

Menéndez, Iris; Gómez Cano, Ana R; García Yelo, Blanca A; Domingo, Laura; Domingo, M Soledad; Cantalapiedra, Juan L; Blanco, Fernando; Hernández Fernández, Manuel

2017-01-01

We developed new quantitative palaeoclimatic inference models based on the body-size structure of mammal faunas from the Old World tropics and applied them to the Somosaguas fossil site (middle Miocene, central Iberian Peninsula). Twenty-six mammal species have been described at this site, including proboscideans, ungulates, carnivores, insectivores, lagomorphs and rodents. Our analyses were based on multivariate and bivariate regression models correlating climatic data and body-size structure of 63 modern mammal assemblages from Sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian subcontinent. The results showed an average temperature of the coldest month higher than 26°C for the Somosaguas fossil site, a mean annual thermal amplitude around 10°C, a drought length of 10 months, and an annual total precipitation greater than 200 mm per year, which are climate conditions typical of an ecotonal zone between the savanna and desert biomes. These results are congruent with the aridity peaks described over the middle Aragonian of Spain and particularly in the local biozone E, which includes Somosaguas. The aridity increase detected in this biozone is associated with the Middle Miocene Global Cooling Event. The environment of Somosaguas around 14 Ma was similar to the current environment in the Sahel region of North Africa, the Horn of Africa, the boundary area between the Kalahari and the Namib in Southern Africa, south-central Arabia, or eastern Pakistan and northwestern India. The distribution of modern vegetation in these regions follows a complex mosaic of plant communities, dominated by scattered xerophilous shrublands, semidesert grasslands, and vegetation linked to seasonal watercourses and ponds.

Body-size structure of Central Iberian mammal fauna reveals semidesertic conditions during the middle Miocene Global Cooling Event

PubMed Central

Gómez Cano, Ana R.; García Yelo, Blanca A.; Domingo, Laura; Domingo, M. Soledad; Cantalapiedra, Juan L.; Blanco, Fernando; Hernández Fernández, Manuel

2017-01-01

We developed new quantitative palaeoclimatic inference models based on the body-size structure of mammal faunas from the Old World tropics and applied them to the Somosaguas fossil site (middle Miocene, central Iberian Peninsula). Twenty-six mammal species have been described at this site, including proboscideans, ungulates, carnivores, insectivores, lagomorphs and rodents. Our analyses were based on multivariate and bivariate regression models correlating climatic data and body-size structure of 63 modern mammal assemblages from Sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian subcontinent. The results showed an average temperature of the coldest month higher than 26°C for the Somosaguas fossil site, a mean annual thermal amplitude around 10°C, a drought length of 10 months, and an annual total precipitation greater than 200 mm per year, which are climate conditions typical of an ecotonal zone between the savanna and desert biomes. These results are congruent with the aridity peaks described over the middle Aragonian of Spain and particularly in the local biozone E, which includes Somosaguas. The aridity increase detected in this biozone is associated with the Middle Miocene Global Cooling Event. The environment of Somosaguas around 14 Ma was similar to the current environment in the Sahel region of North Africa, the Horn of Africa, the boundary area between the Kalahari and the Namib in Southern Africa, south-central Arabia, or eastern Pakistan and northwestern India. The distribution of modern vegetation in these regions follows a complex mosaic of plant communities, dominated by scattered xerophilous shrublands, semidesert grasslands, and vegetation linked to seasonal watercourses and ponds. PMID:29073193

Drought variability and change across the Iberian Peninsula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coll, Joan Ramon; Aguilar, Enric

2015-04-01

Drought variability and change is assessed in this study across the Iberian Peninsula along the 20th century and the first decade of the 21st century using state of the art drought indices: the Sc-PDSI, the SPI and the SPEI. Daily temperature and precipitation data from 24 time-series regularly spread over Iberian Peninsula are quality controlled and also homogenized in a monthly scale to create the Monthly Iberian Temperature and Precipitation Series (MITPS) for the period 1906-2010. The Sc-PDSI, the 12-month SPI and 12-month SPEI are computed on a monthly basis using the newly MITPS dataset to identify dry and wet conditions across time. Precipitation data is only required to compute SPI, but potential evapotranspiration (PET) is also needed to perform the Sc-PDSI and SPEI, which is estimated using the Tornthwaite's method. The analysis conducted in this study confirms that drought conditions are worsening for most of the Iberian Peninsula across time strongly induced by global warming especially during the last three decades. All drought indices have found a drying trend in the Pyrenees, Ebro basin, central Iberia and in the south and south-eastern area while a wetting trend is identified in the western and in the north-western region. Future projections also indicate a clear increase in hydrological drought conditions along the 21st century, thus, water saving and the application of effective water management strategies will be crucial to minimize the impact of hydrological droughts over the Iberian Peninsula into the near future. KEY WORDS: Drought, climate change, Iberian Peninsula, drought indices.

Crustal parameters in the Iberian Peninsula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banda, E.

1988-06-01

The structure of the crust in the Iberian Peninsula has been investigated for the last 15 years by Spanish and Portuguese groups in close collaboration with other European institutions. The first experiments were carried out in Portugal (Mueller et al., 1973) with the aim of investigating the crustal structure of the Hercynian belt in the southwest corner of the Iberian peninsula. Other experiments have been subsequently realized to study different aspects of the crust in various regions of Portugal. In Spain the main effort has been focused in Alpine areas, with the first experiments in the Alboran Sea and the Betic Cordilleras (Working Group for Deep Seismic Sounding in Spain, 1974-1975, 1977; Working Group for Deep Seismic Sounding in the Alboran Sea, 1974-1975, 1978). Follow-up experiments until 1981 completed the work in the Betic Cordillera. Extensive experiments were carried out in the Pyrenees in 1978. Further surveys covered the Balearic Islands in 1976, the Valencia Trough in 1976 and 1983, and the Celtiberian Chain (or Iberic system) in 1981. The Hercynian belt has only been studied in detail in the northwest corner of Spain in 1982, with smaller studies in the central Iberian Massif in 1976 and 1986. Mostaanpour (1984) has compiled some crustal parameters (crustal thickness, average crustal velocity and Pn velocity) for western Europe. Meanwhile, more complete data are available for the Iberian Peninsula. The results presented here were derived from a large number of seismic refraction experiments which have been carried out mostly along or close to coastal areas of the Iberian Peninsula. Offshore explosions of various sizes were used as the energy source in most cases, in addition to some quarry blasts. Unfortunately this leaves most of the inner part of the Iberian Peninsula unsurveyed. Our purpose is to summarize some of the crustal parameters obtained so far and to detail the appropriate literature for the interested reader.

Evolution and genome specialization of Brucella suis biovar 2 Iberian lineages.

PubMed

Ferreira, Ana Cristina; Tenreiro, Rogério; de Sá, Maria Inácia Corrêa; Dias, Ricardo

2017-09-12

Swine brucellosis caused by B. suis biovar 2 is an emergent disease in domestic pigs in Europe. The emergence of this pathogen has been linked to the increase of extensive pig farms and the high density of infected wild boars (Sus scrofa). In Portugal and Spain, the majority of strains share specific molecular characteristics, which allowed establishing an Iberian clonal lineage. However, several strains isolated from wild boars in the North-East region of Spain are similar to strains isolated in different Central European countries. Comparative analysis of five newly fully sequenced B. suis biovar 2 strains belonging to the main circulating clones in Iberian Peninsula, with publicly available Brucella spp. genomes, revealed that strains from Iberian clonal lineage share 74% similarity with those reference genomes. Besides the 210 kb translocation event present in all biovar 2 strains, an inversion with 944 kb was presented in chromosome I of strains from the Iberian clone. At left and right crossover points, the inversion disrupted a TRAP dicarboxylate transporter, DctM subunit, and an integral membrane protein TerC. The gene dctM is well conserved in Brucella spp. except in strains from the Iberian clonal lineage. Intraspecies comparative analysis also exposed a number of biovar-, haplotype- and strain-specific insertion-deletion (INDELs) events and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that could explain differences in virulence and host specificities. Most discriminative mutations were associated to membrane related molecules (29%) and enzymes involved in catabolism processes (20%). Molecular identification of both B. suis biovar 2 clonal lineages could be easily achieved using the target-PCR procedures established in this work for the evaluated INDELs. Whole-genome analyses supports that the B. suis biovar 2 Iberian clonal lineage evolved from the Central-European lineage and suggests that the genomic specialization of this pathogen in the Iberian Peninsula

The recent (upper Miocene to Quaternary) and present tectonic stress distributions in the Iberian Peninsula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herraiz, M.; de Vicente, G.; Lindo-Ñaupari, R.; Giner, J.; Simón, J. L.; GonzáLez-Casado, J. M.; Vadillo, O.; RodríGuez-Pascua, M. A.; CicuéNdez, J. I.; Casas, A.; CabañAs, L.; Rincón, P.; CortéS, A. L.; RamíRez, M.; Lucini, M.

2000-08-01

A general synthesis of the recent and present stress situation and evolution in the Iberian Peninsula was obtained from microstructural and seismological analysis. The stress evolution was deduced from (1) fault population analysis (FPA) from 409 sites distributed throughout the Iberian Peninsula, (2) paleostress indicators given by 324 stations taken from the bibliography, and (3) seismic data corresponding to 161 focal mechanisms evenly spread in the studied region. The application of FPA together with the determination of stress tensors and focal mechanisms for the whole Iberian microplate has provided two main results: (1) the Iberian Peninsula is undergoing a NW-SE oriented compression, except for the northeastern part (Pyrenees, Ebro Basin, and Iberian Chain), where it is N-S to NE-SW, and the Gulf of Cádiz, where it seems to be E-W, and (2) the main trends of the stress field have remained almost constant since the upper Miocene. The analysis performed by zones suggests the presence of local heterogeneities in the stress field.

To Eat or Not To Eat? The Diet of the Endangered Iberian Wolf (Canis lupus signatus) in a Human-Dominated Landscape in Central Portugal

PubMed Central

Torres, Rita Tinoco; Silva, Nicole; Brotas, Gonçalo; Fonseca, Carlos

2015-01-01

Livestock predation by large carnivores and their persecution by local communities are major conservation concerns. In order to prevent speculations and reduce conflicts, it is crucial to get detailed and accurate data on predators’ dietary ecology, which is particularly important in human dominated landscapes where livestock densities are high. This is the case of the endangered Iberian wolf in Portugal, an endemic subspecies of the Iberian Peninsula, which has seen its population distribution and abundance decline throughout the 20th century. Accordingly, the diet of the Iberian wolf was analyzed, using scat analysis, in a humanized landscape in central Portugal. From 2011 to 2014, a total of 295 wolf scats were collected from transects distributed throughout the study area, prospected on a monthly basis. Scat analysis indicated a high dependence of Iberian wolf on livestock. Domestic goat predominated the diet (62% of the scats), followed by cow (20%) and sheep (13%); the only wild ungulate present in the scat analysis was the wild boar (4% of the scats). Our results show that even though livestock constitute most part of wolves diet, different livestock species may represent different predation opportunities. We conclude that the high levels of livestock consumption may be a result of low diversity and density of wild ungulates that settles livestock as the only abundant prey for wolves. Our findings help on the understanding of the Iberian wolf feeding ecology and have implications for conflict management strategies. Finally, management implications are discussed and solutions are recommended. PMID:26030294

Shear zones bounding the central zone of the Limpopo Mobile Belt, southern Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCouri, Stephen; Vearncombe, Julian R.

Contrary to previously suggested north-directed thrust emplacement of the central zone of the Limpopo mobile belt, we present evidence indicating west-directed emplacement. The central zone differs from the marginal zones in rock types, structural style and isotopic signature and is an allochthonous thrust sheet. It is bounded in the north by the dextral Tuli-Sabi shear zone and in the south by the sinistral Palala shear zone which are crustal-scale lateral ramps. Published gravity data suggest that the lateral ramps are linked at depth and they probably link at the surface, in a convex westward frontal ramp, in the vicinity of longitude 26°30'E in eastern Botswana. Two phases of movement, the first between 2.7 and 2.6 Ga and the second between 2.0 and 1.8 Ga. occurred on both the Tuli-Sabi and the Palala shear zones.

Oblique collision and deformation partitioning in the SW Iberian Variscides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pérez-Cáceres, Irene; Simancas, José Fernando; Martínez Poyatos, David; Azor, Antonio; González Lodeiro, Francisco

2016-05-01

Different transpressional scenarios have been proposed to relate kinematics and complex deformation patterns. We apply the most suitable of them to the Variscan orogeny in SW Iberia, which is characterized by a number of successive left-lateral transpressional structures developed in the Devonian to Carboniferous period. These structures resulted from the oblique convergence between three continental terranes (Central Iberian Zone, Ossa-Morena Zone and South Portuguese Zone), whose amalgamation gave way to both intense shearing at the suture-like contacts and transpressional deformation of the continental pieces in-between, thus showing strain partitioning in space and time. We have quantified the kinematics of the collisional convergence by using the available data on folding, shearing and faulting patterns, as well as tectonic fabrics and finite strain measurements. Given the uncertainties regarding the data and the boundary conditions modeled, our results must be considered as a semi-quantitative approximation to the issue, though very significant from a regional point of view. The total collisional convergence surpasses 1000 km, most of them corresponding to left-lateral displacement parallel to terrane boundaries. The average vector of convergence is oriented E-W (present-day coordinates), thus reasserting the left-lateral oblique collision in SW Iberia, in contrast with the dextral component that prevailed elsewhere in the Variscan orogen. This particular kinematics of SW Iberia is understood in the context of an Avalonian plate salient currently represented by the South Portuguese Zone.

Annual variation in decomposition and insect succession at a periurban area of central Iberian Peninsula.

PubMed

Díaz-Aranda, Luisa M; Martín-Vega, Daniel; Gómez-Gómez, Aída; Cifrián, Blanca; Baz, Arturo

2018-05-01

The variation in decomposition and insect succession among the four seasons of one year was studied for the first time in a periurban area of central Spain. During the winter trial, the carcasses showed corification, a cadaveric preservation phenomenon which apparently leaded to a significant delay in decomposition processes. The composition of the insect fauna breeding on carcasses changed significantly between trials. Active decay was mainly driven by Calliphoridae (Diptera) larvae in every season except in winter trial, when larvae of Thanatophilus species (Coleoptera: Silphidae) were the main consumers of soft tissues. Advanced decay was characterized by the occurrence of Dermestidae, Silphidae, Cleridae, Nitidulidae (Coleoptera) and Piophilidae (Diptera) larvae. Differences in the species composition in comparison with other regions of the Iberian Peninsula were also observed. The current paper provides baseline and preliminary information on the insect succession on carrion in central Spain, as well as a starting point for further research on forensic entomology in this region. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Constraints on strain rate and fabric partitioning in ductilely deformed black quartzites (Badajoz-Córdoba Shear Zone, Iberian Massif)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puelles, Pablo; Ábalos, Benito; Fernández-Armas, Sergio

2013-04-01

The Badajoz-Córdoba Shear Zone is a is 30-40 km wide and 400 km long, NW-SE trending structure located at the boundary between the Ossa-Morena and Central-Iberian Zones of the Iberian Massif. Two elongated domains can be differentiated inside: the Obejo-Valsequillo domain to the NE and the Ductile Shear Belt (DSB) to the SW. The former exhibits Precambrian to Cambrian volcano-sedimentary rocks unconformably overlaying a Neoproterozoic basement formed by the "Serie Negra". The latter, 5-15 km wide, is composed mainly of metamorphic tectonites including the "Serie Negra" and other units located structurally under it. The petrofabric of "Serie Negra" black quartzites from the DSB is analyzed in this study with the Electron Back-Scattered Diffraction technique (EBSD). Black quartzites represent originally siliceous, chemical-biochemical shallow-water marine deposits, currently composed almost exclusively of quartz and graphite. Macroscopically they exhibit an outstanding planolinear tectonic fabric. Petrographically, coarse- and fine-grained dynamically recrystallized quartz bands alternate. The former contain quartz grains with irregular shapes, mica inclusions and "pinning" grain boundaries. Oriented mica grains and graphite particles constrain irregular quartz grain shapes. Quartz ribbons with chessboard microstructures also occur, indicating recrystallization under elevated temperatures coeval with extreme stretching. Fine-grained recrystallized quartz bands are dominated by quartz grains with straight boundaries, triple junctions, a scarcer evidence of bulging, and a higher concentration of dispersed, minute graphite grains. Quartz lattice-preferred orientation (LPO) patterns permit to identify two well-developed maxima for [c] axes: one close to the Y structural direction and the other one around Z, and -axes girdles normal to Y and Z. Although both [c] axis maxima appear in the coarse- and fine-grained bands, subsets can be isolated with grain cluster

CHARACTER AND REGIONAL SIGNIFICANCE OF GREAT FALLS TECTONIC ZONE, EAST-CENTRAL IDAHO AND WEST-CENTRAL MONTANA.

USGS Publications Warehouse

O'Neill, J. Michael; Lopez, David A.

1985-01-01

The Great Falls tectonic zone, here named, is a belt of diverse northeast-trending geologic features that can be traced from the Idaho batholith in the Cordilleran miogeocline, across thrust-belt structures and basement rocks of west-central and southwestern Montana, through cratonic rocks of central Montana, and into southwestern-most Saskatchewan, Canada. Geologic mapping in east-central Idaho and west-central Montana has outlined a continuous zone of high-angle faults and shear zones. Recurrent fault movement in this zone and strong structural control over igneous intrusion suggest a fundamental tectonic feature that has influenced the tectonic development of the Idaho-Montana area from a least middle Proterozoic time to the present. Refs.

49 CFR 71.7 - Boundary line between central and mountain zones.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Boundary line between central and mountain zones. 71.7 Section 71.7 Transportation Office of the Secretary of Transportation STANDARD TIME ZONE... mountain standard time zone, except Murdo, S. Dak., which is in the central standard time zone. [Amdt. 71...

Crustal structure of an intraplate thrust belt: The Iberian Chain revealed by wide-angle seismic, magnetotelluric soundings and gravity data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seillé, Hoël; Salas, Ramon; Pous, Jaume; Guimerà, Joan; Gallart, Josep; Torne, Montserrat; Romero-Ruiz, Ivan; Diaz, Jordi; Ruiz, Mario; Carbonell, Ramon; Mas, Ramón

2015-11-01

The Iberian Chain is a Cenozoic intraplate thrust belt located within the Iberian plate. Unlike other belts in the Iberia Peninsula, the scarcity of geophysical studies in this area results in a number of unknowns about its crustal structure. The Iberian Chain crust was investigated by means of a NE-SW refraction/wide-angle reflection seismic transect and two magnetotelluric profiles across the chain, oriented along the same direction. The seismic profile was designed to sample the crust by means of three shots designed to obtain a reversed profile. The resulting velocity-depth model shows a moderate thickening of the crust toward the central part of the profile, where crustal thickness reaches values above 40 km, thinning toward de SW Tajo and NE Ebro foreland basins. The crustal thickening is concentrated in the upper crust. The seismic results are in overall agreement with regional trends of Bouguer gravity anomaly and the main features of the seismic model were reproduced by gravity modeling. The magnetotelluric data consist of 39 sites grouped into two profiles, with periods ranging from 0.01 s to 1000 s. Dimensionality analyses show significant 3D effects in the resistivity structure and therefore we carried out a joint 3D inversion of the full impedance tensor and magnetic transfer functions. The Mesozoic and Cenozoic basins along the Chain are well characterized by shallow high conductive zones and low velocities. Elongated conductors reaching mid-crustal depths evidence the presence of major faults dominating the crustal structure. The results from the interpretation of these complementary geophysical data sets provided the first images of the crustal structure of the Iberian Chain. They are consistent with a Cenozoic shortening responsible of the upper crust thickening as well as of the uplift of the Iberian Chain and the generation of its present day topography.

Ancient origin of endemic Iberian earth-boring dung beetles (Geotrupidae).

PubMed

Cunha, Regina L; Verdú, José R; Lobo, Jorge M; Zardoya, Rafael

2011-06-01

The earth-boring dung beetles belong to the family Geotrupidae that includes more than 350 species classified into three subfamilies Geotrupinae, Lethrinae, and Taurocerastinae, mainly distributed across temperate regions. Phylogenetic relationships within the family are based exclusively on morphology and remain controversial. In the Iberian Peninsula there are 33 species, 20 of them endemic, which suggests that these lineages might have experienced a radiation event. The evolution of morphological adaptations to the Iberian semi-arid environments such as the loss of wings (apterism) or the ability to exploit alternative food resources is thought to have promoted diversification. Here, we present a phylogenetic analysis of 31 species of Geotrupidae, 17 endemic to the Iberian Peninsula, and the remaining from southeastern Europe, Morocco, and Austral South America based on partial mitochondrial and nuclear gene sequence data. The reconstructed maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference phylogenies recovered Geotrupinae and Lethrinae as sister groups to the exclusion of Taurocerastinae. Monophyly of the analyzed geotrupid genera was supported but phylogenetic relationships among genera were poorly resolved. Ancestral character-state reconstruction of wing loss evolution, dating, and diversification tests altogether showed neither evidence of a burst of cladogenesis of the Iberian Peninsula group nor an association between apterism and higher diversification rates. Loss of flight did not accelerate speciation rates but it was likely responsible for the high levels of endemism of Iberian geotrupids by preventing their expansion to central Europe. These Iberian flightless beetle lineages are probably paleoendemics that have survived since the Tertiary in this refuge area during Plio-Pleistocene climatic fluctuations by evolving adaptations to arid and semi-arid environments. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Strain accumulation across the central Nevada seismic zone, 1973-1994

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savage, J. C.; Lisowski, M.; Svarc, J. L.; Gross, W. K.

1995-10-01

Five trilateration networks extending for 280 km along the central Nevada seismic zone (1915 Pleasant Valley, M = 7.3; 1954 Dixie Valley, M = 6.8; 1954 Stillwater, M = 6.8; 1954 Rainbow Mountain, M = 6.6; 1954 Fairview Peak, M = 7.1; and 1932 Cedar Mountain, M = 7.2) have been surveyed 6 times since 1973 to determine deformation along the zone. Within the precision of measurement the deformation appears uniform along the zone and is described by the principal strain rates 0.036±0.008 μstrain/yr N60°W±3° and -0.031±0.008 μstrain/yr N30°E±3°, extension reckoned positive. The observed strain rates are consistent with simple, right-lateral, tensor shear at the rate of 0.033 μstrain/yr across a shear zone striking N15°W. This central Nevada shear zone appears to be the northward continuation of the eastern California shear zone. The orientation of the strike-slip and normal-slip ruptures within the central Nevada seismic zone are consistent with principal stress axes parallel to the measured principal strain rate axes. Space-based geodetic measurements (very long baseline interferometry) indicate that the relative motion accommodated across the Basin and Range province west of Ely, Nevada, is about 9.1±1.5 mm/yr N16°W±8° (Dixon et al., 1995.) Notice that the right-lateral shear zone postulated to explain deformation in the central Nevada seismic zone is properly oriented to accommodate that relative motion. However, a 135-km effective width of the shear zone would be required to accommodate all of the 9.1 mm/yr relative motion at the strain rates observed in the Nevada seismic zone; only about 3 mm/yr of that relative motion is accommodated within the span of the trilateration networks.

The genetics of the pre-Roman Iberian Peninsula: a mtDNA study of ancient Iberians.

PubMed

Sampietro, M L; Caramelli, D; Lao, O; Calafell, F; Comas, D; Lari, M; Agustí, B; Bertranpetit, J; Lalueza-Fox, C

2005-09-01

The Iberians developed a surprisingly sophisticated culture in the Mediterranean coast of the Iberian Peninsula from the 6th century BC until their conquest by the Romans in the 2nd century BC. They spoke and wrote a non-Indo-European language that still cannot be understood; their origins and relationships with other non-Indo-European peoples, like the Etruscans, are unclear, since their funerary practices were based on the cremation of bodies, and therefore anthropology has been unable to approach the study of this people. We have retrieved mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from a few of the scarce skeletal remains that have been preserved, some of them belonging to ritualistically executed individuals. The most stringent authentication criteria proposed for ancient DNA, such as independent replication, amino-acid analysis, quantitation of template molecules, multiple extractions and cloning of PCR products, have been followed to obtain reliable sequences from the mtDNA hypervariable region 1 (HVR1), as well as some haplogroup diagnostic SNPs. Phylogeographic analyses show that the haplogroup composition of the ancient Iberians was very similar to that found in modern Iberian Peninsula populations, suggesting a long-term genetic continuity since pre-Roman times. Nonetheless, there is less genetic diversity in the ancient Iberians than is found among modern populations, a fact that could reflect the small population size at the origin of the population sampled, and the heterogenic tribal structure of the Iberian society. Moreover, the Iberians were not especially closely related to the Etruscans, which points to considerable genetic heterogeneity in Pre-Roman Western Europe.

Granite emplacement at the termination of a major Variscan transcurrent shear zone: The late collisional Viseu batholith

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valle Aguado, B.; Azevedo, M. R.; Nolan, J.; Medina, J.; Costa, M. M.; Corfu, F.; Martínez Catalán, J. R.

2017-05-01

A major event of plutonic activity occurred all across the Central Iberian Zone of the Iberian Variscan Belt at the end of Late Paleozoic Variscan collisional tectonism. The present study focuses on the western sector of the Viseu late-post-tectonic batholith (central Portugal), a large composite intrusion comprising three main plutonic units: (a) small bodies of mafic to intermediate composition preferentially concentrated along the northern border, (b) a wide ring of coarse porphyritic biotite monzogranite (Cota-Viseu granite) and (c) a more evolved medium porphyritic, biotite-muscovite monzogranite occupying the central part of the intrusion (Alcafache granite). The compositional zonation pattern of the whole batholith and the complex mixing/mingling relationships between the voluminous Cota-Viseu porphyritic granite and the mafic/intermediate rocks suggest that these melts were withdrawn from a lower crustal source region undergoing partial melting, invasion by mantle-derived mafic magmas, mixing and fractional crystallization. New CA-ID-TIMS U-Pb zircon ages indicate that pluton assembly via multipulse injection of successive magma batches took place between 299.4 ± 0.4 Ma and 296.0 ± 0.6 Ma. A detailed anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) survey suggests that pluton emplacement occurred at the extensional termination of a regional-scale, ENE-WSW trending, sinistral D3 shear zone - the Juzbado-Penalva Shear Zone (JPSZ). A dilational opening model involving the development of "en-échelon" tensional gashes at the extensional termination of the fault, followed by progressive opening and widening of north-south trending fractures, provided the space into which the successive magma batches arriving from below were emplaced. Vertical inflation was accommodated by depression of the pluton floor. The proposed model is consistent with the asymmetric wedge-shaped geometry of the intrusion (steep root zone on the northern side, discordant subvertical walls and

A STEP fault in Central Betics, associated with lateral lithospheric tearing at the northern edge of the Gibraltar arc subduction system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mancilla, Flor de Lis; Heit, Benjamin; Morales, Jose; Yuan, Xiaohui; Stich, Daniel; Molina-Aguilera, Antonio; Azañon, Jose Miguel; Martín, Rosa

2018-03-01

We study the crustal and lithospheric mantle structure under central Betics in the westernmost Mediterranean region by migrating P-receiver functions along a dense seismic profile (∼2 km interstation distance). The profile, North-South oriented, probes the crustal structure of different geological units, from the Alboran domain in the south with metamorphic rocks, through the External Zones with sedimentary rocks to the Variscan terrains of the Iberian Massif in the north. From north to south, the Moho depth increases from ∼30 km to ∼46 km underneath the Guadix basin, due to the underthrusting of the Iberian crust below the Alboran crust, and suddenly shallows to ∼30 km underneath the Internal Zones with a step of 17 km. This sharp Moho step correlates well with a lithospheric step of ∼40 km, where the thickness of the lithosphere changes abruptly from ∼100 km in the north to ∼50 km in the south. We interpret this sharp and prominent lithospheric step as the termination of the Iberian lithosphere caused by a near-vertical STEP (Subduction-Transform-Edge-Propagator) fault that continues towards the surface as a positive flower tectonic structure of crustal scale. This STEP fault is located at the northern edge of the narrow Westernmost Mediterranean subduction system facilitating the slab rollback motion towards the west. The sharp termination of the Iberian lithosphere occurs under the contact between the Alpujarride and the Nevado-Filabride complexes of the Alboran domain in an ENE-WSW right-lateral transpressive shear zone. The thickest crust and lithosphere do not correlate with the highest topography along the profile suggesting that this high topography is a combined effect of the positive flower structure, and the push up of the asthenosphere produced by the removal of the Iberian lithosphere.

49 CFR 71.5 - Boundary line between eastern and central zones.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Boundary line between eastern and central zones... BOUNDARIES § 71.5 Boundary line between eastern and central zones. (a) Minnesota-Michigan-Wisconsin. From the junction of the western boundary of the State of Michigan with the boundary between the United States and...

Model Package Report: Central Plateau Vadose Zone Geoframework Version 1.0

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Springer, Sarah D.

The purpose of the Central Plateau Vadose Zone (CPVZ) Geoframework model (GFM) is to provide a reasonable, consistent, and defensible three-dimensional (3D) representation of the vadose zone beneath the Central Plateau at the Hanford Site to support the Composite Analysis (CA) vadose zone contaminant fate and transport models. The GFM is a 3D representation of the subsurface geologic structure. From this 3D geologic model, exported results in the form of point, surface, and/or volumes are used as inputs to populate and assemble the various numerical model architectures, providing a 3D-layered grid that is consistent with the GFM. The objective ofmore » this report is to define the process used to produce a hydrostratigraphic model for the vadose zone beneath the Hanford Site Central Plateau and the corresponding CA domain.« less

49 CFR 71.7 - Boundary line between central and mountain zones.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 49 Transportation 1 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Boundary line between central and mountain zones... BOUNDARIES § 71.7 Boundary line between central and mountain zones. (a) Montana-North Dakota. Beginning at... south along the range line between Rs. 30 and 31 W. to the southwest corner of sec. 19, T. 33 N., R. 30...

49 CFR 71.7 - Boundary line between central and mountain zones.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 49 Transportation 1 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Boundary line between central and mountain zones... BOUNDARIES § 71.7 Boundary line between central and mountain zones. (a) Montana-North Dakota. Beginning at... south along the range line between Rs. 30 and 31 W. to the southwest corner of sec. 19, T. 33 N., R. 30...

49 CFR 71.7 - Boundary line between central and mountain zones.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 49 Transportation 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Boundary line between central and mountain zones... BOUNDARIES § 71.7 Boundary line between central and mountain zones. (a) Montana-North Dakota. Beginning at... south along the range line between Rs. 30 and 31 W. to the southwest corner of sec. 19, T. 33 N., R. 30...

Paleoecological and paleoenvironmental changes during the continental Middle-Late Permian transition at the SE Iberian Ranges, Spain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De la Horra, R.; Galán-Abellán, A. B.; López-Gómez, J.; Sheldon, N. D.; Barrenechea, J. F.; Luque, F. J.; Arche, A.; Benito, M. I.

2012-08-01

The Middle and Late Permian are characterized by a pair of mass-extinction events that are recorded in both marine and continental environments. Here, we present the first continental western peri-Tethyan record of an extinction event located in the Middle-Late interval. In the SE Iberian Ranges, Central Spain, the transition between the Lower and Middle subunits of the Middle Permian Alcotas Formation indicates a significant paleoclimatic change from arid and semiarid conditions towards more humid conditions. Coincident with the onset of humid conditions there were changes in the sedimentology, mineralogy, and geochemistry that indicate significant environmental changes including a shift in weathering intensity and a change of fluvial style from braided to meandering systems. Near the top of the Middle Subunit, a local biotic crisis is recorded by palynomorph assemblages. Following this crisis, there is a total absence of coal beds, plant remains, and microflora that defines a barren zone in the uppermost part of the Alcotas Formation which is recorded throughout the basin. The barren zone is accompanied by a shift back to braided stream systems, but not by a return to carbonate-bearing paleosols indicative of arid or semi-arid conditions. This combination of features is consistent with other Middle-Late continental basins related with mass extinctions, so the barren zone is interpreted as the extinction interval. The regional character of the extinction interval and its proximity with the Middle-Late Permian transition could be related with the global mid-Capitanian biotic turnover described in this period of time in other marine basins. However, the common difficulties of dating with precision non-marine rocks make this relationship difficult to probe in the Iberian Basin and in other Middle-Late Permian basins. Further work, including high resolution carbon-isotope analyses and complete studies of the magnetostratigraphy, should be desirable in order to obtain

Geomorphology of the Iberian Continental Margin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maestro, Adolfo; López-Martínez, Jerónimo; Llave, Estefanía; Bohoyo, Fernando; Acosta, Juan; Hernández-Molina, F. Javier; Muñoz, Araceli; Jané, Gloria

2013-08-01

The submarine features and processes around the Iberian Peninsula are the result of a complex and diverse geological and oceanographical setting. This paper presents an overview of the seafloor geomorphology of the Iberian Continental Margin and the adjacent abyssal plains. The study covers an area of approximately 2.3 million km2, including a 50 to 400 km wide band adjacent to the coastline. The main morphological characteristics of the seafloor features on the Iberian continental shelf, continental slope, continental rise and the surrounding abyssal plains are described. Individual seafloor features existing on the Iberian Margin have been classified into three main groups according to their origin: tectonic and/or volcanic, depositional and erosional. Major depositional and erosional features around the Iberian Margin developed in late Pleistocene-Holocene times and have been controlled by tectonic movements and eustatic fluctuations. The distribution of the geomorphological features is discussed in relation to their genetic processes and the evolution of the margin. The prevalence of one or several specific processes in certain areas reflects the dominant morphotectonic and oceanographic controlling factors. Sedimentary processes and the resulting depositional products are dominant on the Valencia-Catalán Margin and in the northern part of the Balearic Promontory. Strong tectonic control is observed in the geomorphology of the Betic and the Gulf of Cádiz margins. The role of bottom currents is especially evident throughout the Iberian Margin. The Galicia, Portuguese and Cantabrian margins show a predominance of erosional features and tectonically-controlled linear features related to faults.

Aridification across the Carboniferous-Permian transition in central equatorial Pangea: The Catalan Pyrenean succession (NE Iberian Peninsula)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mujal, Eudald; Fortuny, Josep; Marmi, Josep; Dinarès-Turell, Jaume; Bolet, Arnau; Oms, Oriol

2018-01-01

The Carboniferous-Permian terrestrial successions record a global climatic shift from icehouse to hothouse conditions. Our multidisciplinary study documents an aridification trend throughout the 1000 m thick composite terrestrial succession of the western Catalan Pyrenees (NE Iberian Peninsula), representing this time period. The detailed stratigraphic framework integrates sedimentology, paleopedology, biochronology (plant fossils and tetrapod footprints) and geochronology (paleomagnetism). Additional absolute age correlation is also carried out. The new and reviewed data show that the late Carboniferous wet environments (with short drought periods) progressively changed to a strong seasonal semi-arid and arid climate (with short humid periods) through the early Permian. This paleoclimatic trend supports the previously suggested aridification of the Pangean pan-tropical belt, and supports the hypothesis of the influence of the recurrent climatic fluctuations in Central Pangea, being tentatively correlated to the Southern Gondwanan glaciation-deglaciation periods. Therefore, the Carboniferous-Permian terrestrial succession from the Catalan Pyrenees emerges as a continuous record that can help to constrain late Paleozoic paleoenvironmental events.

Ancient DNA evidence of Iberian lynx palaeoendemism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodríguez-Varela, Ricardo; Tagliacozzo, Antonio; Ureña, Irene; García, Nuria; Crégut-Bonnoure, Evelyne; Mannino, Marcello A.; Arsuaga, Juan Luis; Valdiosera, Cristina

2015-03-01

The Iberian lynx, endemic to the Iberian Peninsula, is the most threatened carnivore in Europe and the most endangered felid in the world. Widely distributed throughout Iberia during the Pleistocene and Holocene it is now confined to two small populations in southern Spain. Lynx species differentiation, based solely on morphological analysis from skeletal traits, is a difficult task and can potentially lead to misidentification. In order to verify whether Iberian lynx had a wider geographical distribution in the past, we successfully sequenced 152 base pairs (bp) of the cytochrome b gene and 183 bp of the mitochondrial control region in 20 Late Pleistocene and Holocene fossil remains of Lynx sp. from southern Europe. Our results confirm the presence of Iberian lynx outside the Iberian Peninsula demonstrating that this is a palaeoendemic species that had a wider distribution range in southern Europe during the Holocene and the Late Pleistocene. In addition, we documented the presence of both Palaearctic extant lynx species in the Arene Candide (north Italy) site during the Last Glacial Maximum.

The maternal genetic make-up of the Iberian Peninsula between the Neolithic and the Early Bronze Age.

PubMed

Szécsényi-Nagy, Anna; Roth, Christina; Brandt, Guido; Rihuete-Herrada, Cristina; Tejedor-Rodríguez, Cristina; Held, Petra; García-Martínez-de-Lagrán, Íñigo; Arcusa Magallón, Héctor; Zesch, Stephanie; Knipper, Corina; Bánffy, Eszter; Friederich, Susanne; Meller, Harald; Bueno Ramírez, Primitiva; Barroso Bermejo, Rosa; de Balbín Behrmann, Rodrigo; Herrero-Corral, Ana M; Flores Fernández, Raúl; Alonso Fernández, Carmen; Jiménez Echevarria, Javier; Rindlisbacher, Laura; Oliart, Camila; Fregeiro, María-Inés; Soriano, Ignacio; Vicente, Oriol; Micó, Rafael; Lull, Vicente; Soler Díaz, Jorge; López Padilla, Juan Antonio; Roca de Togores Muñoz, Consuelo; Hernández Pérez, Mauro S; Jover Maestre, Francisco Javier; Lomba Maurandi, Joaquín; Avilés Fernández, Azucena; Lillios, Katina T; Silva, Ana Maria; Magalhães Ramalho, Miguel; Oosterbeek, Luiz Miguel; Cunha, Claudia; Waterman, Anna J; Roig Buxó, Jordi; Martínez, Andrés; Ponce Martínez, Juana; Hunt Ortiz, Mark; Mejías-García, Juan Carlos; Pecero Espín, Juan Carlos; Cruz-Auñón Briones, Rosario; Tomé, Tiago; Carmona Ballestero, Eduardo; Cardoso, João Luís; Araújo, Ana Cristina; Liesau von Lettow-Vorbeck, Corina; Blasco Bosqued, Concepción; Ríos Mendoza, Patricia; Pujante, Ana; Royo-Guillén, José I; Esquembre Beviá, Marco Aurelio; Dos Santos Goncalves, Victor Manuel; Parreira, Rui; Morán Hernández, Elena; Méndez Izquierdo, Elena; Vega Y Miguel, Jorge; Menduiña García, Roberto; Martínez Calvo, Victoria; López Jiménez, Oscar; Krause, Johannes; Pichler, Sandra L; Garrido-Pena, Rafael; Kunst, Michael; Risch, Roberto; Rojo-Guerra, Manuel A; Haak, Wolfgang; Alt, Kurt W

2017-11-15

Agriculture first reached the Iberian Peninsula around 5700 BCE. However, little is known about the genetic structure and changes of prehistoric populations in different geographic areas of Iberia. In our study, we focus on the maternal genetic makeup of the Neolithic (~ 5500-3000 BCE), Chalcolithic (~ 3000-2200 BCE) and Early Bronze Age (~ 2200-1500 BCE). We report ancient mitochondrial DNA results of 213 individuals (151 HVS-I sequences) from the northeast, central, southeast and southwest regions and thus on the largest archaeogenetic dataset from the Peninsula to date. Similar to other parts of Europe, we observe a discontinuity between hunter-gatherers and the first farmers of the Neolithic. During the subsequent periods, we detect regional continuity of Early Neolithic lineages across Iberia, however the genetic contribution of hunter-gatherers is generally higher than in other parts of Europe and varies regionally. In contrast to ancient DNA findings from Central Europe, we do not observe a major turnover in the mtDNA record of the Iberian Late Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age, suggesting that the population history of the Iberian Peninsula is distinct in character.

Influence of the Amlia fracture zone on the evolution of the Aleutian Terrace forearc basin, central Aleutian subduction zone

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ryan, Holly F.; Draut, Amy E.; Keranen, Katie M.; Scholl, David W.

2012-01-01

During Pliocene to Quaternary time, the central Aleutian forearc basin evolved in response to a combination of tectonic and climatic factors. Initially, along-trench transport of sediment and accretion of a frontal prism created the accommodation space to allow forearc basin deposition. Transport of sufficient sediment to overtop the bathymetrically high Amlia fracture zone and reach the central Aleutian arc began with glaciation of continental Alaska in the Pliocene. As the obliquely subducting Amlia fracture zone swept along the central Aleutian arc, it further affected the structural evolution of the forearc basins. The subduction of the Amlia fracture zone resulted in basin inversion and loss of accommodation space east of the migrating fracture zone. Conversely, west of Amlia fracture zone, accommodation space increased arcward of a large outer-arc high that formed, in part, by a thickening of arc basement. This difference in deformation is interpreted to be the result of a variation in interplate coupling across the Amlia fracture zone that was facilitated by increasing subduction obliquity, a change in orientation of the subducting Amlia fracture zone, and late Quaternary intensification of glaciation. The change in coupling is manifested by a possible tear in the subducting slab along the Amlia fracture zone. Differences in coupling across the Amlia fracture zone have important implications for the location of maximum slip during future great earthquakes. In addition, shaking during a great earthquake could trigger large mass failures of the summit platform, as evidenced by the presence of thick mass transport deposits of primarily Quaternary age that are found in the forearc basin west of the Amlia fracture zone.

Revisiting the Iberian honey bee (Apis mellifera iberiensis) contact zone: maternal and genome-wide nuclear variations provide support for secondary contact from historical refugia.

PubMed

Chávez-Galarza, Julio; Henriques, Dora; Johnston, J Spencer; Carneiro, Miguel; Rufino, José; Patton, John C; Pinto, M Alice

2015-06-01

Dissecting diversity patterns of organisms endemic to Iberia has been truly challenging for a variety of taxa, and the Iberian honey bee is no exception. Surveys of genetic variation in the Iberian honey bee are among the most extensive for any honey bee subspecies. From these, differential and complex patterns of diversity have emerged, which have yet to be fully resolved. Here, we used a genome-wide data set of 309 neutrally tested single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), scattered across the 16 honey bee chromosomes, which were genotyped in 711 haploid males. These SNPs were analysed along with an intergenic locus of the mtDNA, to reveal historical patterns of population structure across the entire range of the Iberian honey bee. Overall, patterns of population structure inferred from nuclear loci by multiple clustering approaches and geographic cline analysis were consistent with two major clusters forming a well-defined cline that bisects Iberia along a northeastern-southwestern axis, a pattern that remarkably parallels that of the mtDNA. While a mechanism of primary intergradation or isolation by distance could explain the observed clinal variation, our results are more consistent with an alternative model of secondary contact between divergent populations previously isolated in glacial refugia, as proposed for a growing list of other Iberian taxa. Despite current intense honey bee management, human-mediated processes have seemingly played a minor role in shaping Iberian honey bee genetic structure. This study highlights the complexity of the Iberian honey bee patterns and reinforces the importance of Iberia as a reservoir of Apis mellifera diversity. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Whole-genome mapping reveals a large chromosomal inversion on Iberian Brucella suis biovar 2 strains.

PubMed

Ferreira, Ana Cristina; Dias, Ricardo; de Sá, Maria Inácia Corrêa; Tenreiro, Rogério

2016-08-30

Optical mapping is a technology able to quickly generate high resolution ordered whole-genome restriction maps of bacteria, being a proven approach to search for diversity among bacterial isolates. In this work, optical whole-genome maps were used to compare closely-related Brucella suis biovar 2 strains. This biovar is the unique isolated in domestic pigs and wild boars in Portugal and Spain and most of the strains share specific molecular characteristics establishing an Iberian clonal lineage that can be differentiated from another lineage mainly isolated in several Central European countries. We performed the BamHI whole-genome optical maps of five B. suis biovar 2 field strains, isolated from wild boars in Portugal and Spain (three from the Iberian lineage and two from the Central European one) as well as of the reference strain B. suis biovar 2 ATCC 23445 (Central European lineage, Denmark). Each strain showed a distinct, highly individual configuration of 228-231 BamHI fragments. Nevertheless, a low divergence was globally observed in chromosome II (1.6%) relatively to chromosome I (2.4%). Optical mapping also disclosed genomic events associated with B. suis strains in chromosome I, namely one indel (3.5kb) and one large inversion (944kb). By using targeted-PCR in a set of 176 B. suis strains, including all biovars and haplotypes, the indel was found to be specific of the reference strain ATCC 23445 and the large inversion was shown to be an exclusive genomic marker of the Iberian clonal lineage of biovar 2. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The phylogeographical history of the Iberian steppe plant Ferula loscosii (Apiaceae): a test of the abundant-centre hypothesis.

PubMed

Pérez-Collazos, E; Sanchez-Gómez, P; Jiménez, F; Catalán, P

2009-03-01

The geology and climate of the western Mediterranean area were strongly modified during the Late Tertiary and the Quaternary. These geological and climatic events are thought to have induced changes in the population histories of plants in the Iberian Peninsula. However, fine-scale genetic spatial architecture across western Mediterranean steppe plant refugia has rarely been investigated. A population genetic analysis of amplified fragment length polymorphism variation was conducted on present-day, relict populations of Ferula loscosii (Apiaceae). This species exhibits high individual/population numbers in the middle Ebro river valley and, according to the hypothesis of an abundant-centre distribution, these northern populations might represent a long-standing/ancestral distribution centre. However, our results suggest that the decimated southern and central Iberian populations are more variable and structured than the northeastern ones, representing the likely vestiges of an ancestral distribution centre of the species. Phylogeographical analysis suggests that F. loscosii likely originated in southern Spain and then migrated towards the central and northeastern ranges, further supporting a Late Miocene southern-bound Mediterranean migratory way for its oriental steppe ancestors. In addition, different glacial-induced conditions affected the southern and northern steppe Iberian refugia during the Quaternary. The contrasting genetic homogeneity of the Ebro valley range populations compared to the southern Iberian ones possibly reflects more severe bottlenecks and subsequent genetic drift experienced by populations of the northern Iberia refugium during the Pleistocene, followed by successful postglacial expansion from only a few founder plants.

Tsunami risk zoning in south-central Chile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lagos, M.

2010-12-01

The recent 2010 Chilean tsunami revealed the need to optimize methodologies for assessing the risk of disaster. In this context, modern techniques and criteria for the evaluation of the tsunami phenomenon were applied in the coastal zone of south-central Chile as a specific methodology for the zoning of tsunami risk. This methodology allows the identification and validation of a scenario of tsunami hazard; the spatialization of factors that have an impact on the risk; and the zoning of the tsunami risk. For the hazard evaluation, different scenarios were modeled by means of numerical simulation techniques, selecting and validating the results that better fit with the observed tsunami data. Hydrodynamic parameters of the inundation as well as physical and socioeconomic vulnerability aspects were considered for the spatialization of the factors that affect the tsunami risk. The tsunami risk zoning was integrated into a Geographic Information System (GIS) by means of multicriteria evaluation (MCE). The results of the tsunami risk zoning show that the local characteristics and their location, together with the concentration of poverty levels, establish spatial differentiated risk levels. This information builds the basis for future applied studies in land use planning that tend to minimize the risk levels associated to the tsunami hazard. This research is supported by Fondecyt 11090210.

Aerobiological study in east-central Iberian Peninsula: pollen diversity and dynamics for major taxa.

PubMed

Pérez-Badia, Rosa; Rapp, Ana; Vaquero, Consolación; Fernández-González, Federico

2011-01-01

A study was made of airborne pollen counts in Cuenca (east-central Iberian Peninsula, Spain), using data obtained over a 3-year period (2008-2010). This is the first such study carried out in the World Heritage city of Cuenca, situated in the large region of Castilla-La Mancha. Air monitoring was performed using the sampling and analysis procedures recommended by the Spanish Aerobiology Network. Sampling commenced in mid- 2007, and provided the first recorded pollen-spectrum for the area. The greatest pollen-type diversity was recorded in spring, whilst the highest pollen counts (over 80 percent of the annual total) were observed between February and June. The lowest counts were found in September, November and December. The 10 leading taxa, in order of abundance, were: Cupressaceae, Quercus, Urticaceae, Pinus, Olea, Poaceae, Populus, Platanus, Chenopodiaceae-Amaranthaceae and Plantago. The pollen calendar was thus typically Mediterrean, and comprised the 27 pollen types reaching 10-day mean counts of over 1 grain/m(3) of air. Maximum concentration values during the day were recorded between 12:00-20:00, coinciding with the highest temperatures and lowest humidity levels. The pollen types responsible for most allergies in the city of Cuenca, ordered by the number of days on which risk levels were reached, were: Poaceae, Urticaceae, Cupressaceae, Olea, Platanus and Chenopodiaceae-Amaranthaceae.

Active faulting in the central Betic Cordillera (Spain): Palaeoseismological constraint of the surface-rupturing history of the Baza Fault (Central Betic Cordillera, Iberian Peninsula)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castro, J.; Martin-Rojas, I.; Medina-Cascales, I.; García-Tortosa, F. J.; Alfaro, P.; Insua-Arévalo, J. M.

2018-06-01

This paper on the Baza Fault provides the first palaeoseismic data from trenches in the central sector of the Betic Cordillera (S Spain), one of the most tectonically active areas of the Iberian Peninsula. With the palaeoseismological data we constructed time-stratigraphic OxCal models that yield probability density functions (PDFs) of individual palaeoseismic event timing. We analysed PDF overlap to quantitatively correlate the walls and site events into a single earthquake chronology. We assembled a surface-rupturing history of the Baza Fault for the last ca. 45,000 years. We postulated six alternative surface rupturing histories including 8-9 fault-wide earthquakes. We calculated fault-wide earthquake recurrence intervals using Monte Carlo. This analysis yielded a 4750-5150 yr recurrence interval. Finally, compared our results with the results from empirical relationships. Our results will provide a basis for future analyses of more of other active normal faults in this region. Moreover, our results will be essential for improving earthquake-probability assessments in Spain, where palaeoseismic data are scarce.

Ultrasonic monitoring of Iberian fat crystallization during cold storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corona, E.; García-Pérez, J. V.; Santacatalina, J. V.; Peña, R.; Benedito, J.

2012-12-01

The aim of this work was to evaluate the use of ultrasonic measurements to characterize the crystallization process and to assess the textural changes of Iberian fat and Iberian ham during cold storage. The ultrasonic velocity was measured in two types of Iberian fats (Montanera and Cebo) during cold storage (0, 2, 5, 7 and 10 °C) and in vacuum packaged Iberian ham stored at 6°C for 120 days. The fatty acid profile, thermal behaviour and textural properties of fat were determined. The ultrasonic velocity and textural measurements showed a two step increase during cold storage, which was related with the separate crystallization of two fractions of triglycerides. It was observed that the harder the fat, the higher the ultrasonic velocity. Likewise, Cebo fat resulted harder than Montanera due to a higher content of saturated triglycerides. The ultrasonic velocity in Iberian ham showed an average increase of 55 m/s after 120 days of cold storage due to fat crystallization. Thus, non-destructive ultrasonic technique could be a reliable method to follow the crystallization of fats and to monitor the changes in the textural properties of Iberian ham during cold storage.

Domino structures evolution in strike-slip shear zones; the importance of the cataclastic flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moreira, N.; Dias, R.

2018-05-01

The Porto-Tomar-Ferreira do Alentejo dextral Shear Zone is one of the most important structures of the Iberian Variscides. In its vicinity, close to Abrantes (Central Portugal), a localized heterogeneous strain pattern developed in a decimetric metamorphic siliceous multilayer. This complex pattern was induced by the D2 dextral shearing of the early S0//S1 foliation in brittle-ductile conditions, giving rise to three main shear zone families. One of these families, with antithetic kinematics, delimits blocks with rigid clockwise rotation surrounded by coeval cataclasites, generating a local domino structure. The proposed geometrical and kinematic analysis, coupled with statistical studies, highlights the relation between subsidiary shear zones and the main shear zone. Despite the heterogeneous strain pattern, a quantitative approach of finite strain was applied based on the restoration of the initial fracture pattern. This approach shows the importance of the cataclastic flow coupled with the translational displacement of the domino domain in solving space problems related to the rigid block rotation. Such processes are key in allowing the rigid block rotation inside shear zones whenever the simple shear component is a fundamental mechanism.

Drought variability and change across the Iberian Peninsula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coll, J. R.; Aguilar, E.; Ashcroft, L.

2017-11-01

Drought variability and change was assessed across the Iberian Peninsula over more than 100 years expanding through the twentieth century and the first decade of the twenty-first century. Daily temperature and precipitation data from 24 Iberian time series were quality controlled and homogenized to create the Monthly Iberian Temperature and Precipitation Series (MITPS) for the period 1906-2010. The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), driven only by precipitation, and the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI), based on the difference between the precipitation and the reference evapotranspiration (ET0), were computed at annual and seasonal scale to describe the evolution of droughts across time. The results confirmed that a clear temperature increase has occurred over the entire Iberian Peninsula at the annual and seasonal scale, but no significant changes in precipitation accumulated amounts were found. Similar drought variability was provided by the SPI and SPEI, although the SPEI showed greater drought severity and larger surface area affected by drought than SPI from 1980s to 2010 due to the increase in atmospheric evaporative demand caused by increased temperatures. Moreover, a clear drying trend was found by the SPEI for most of the Iberian Peninsula at annual scale and also for spring and summer, although the SPI did not experience significant changes in drought conditions. From the drying trend identified for most of the Iberian Peninsula along the twentieth century, an increase in drought conditions can also be expected for this region in the twenty-first century according to future climate change projections and scenarios.

Lithospheric strength across the ocean-continent transition in the NW of the Iberian Peninsula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martín-Velázquez, Silvia; Martín-González, Fidel

2014-05-01

The main objective of this work is to investigate the relation between the strength of the lithosphere and the observed pattern of seismicity across the ocean-continent transition in the NW margin of the Iberian Peninsula. The seismicity is diffuse in this intraplate area, far from the seismically active margin of the plate: the Eurasia-African plate boundary, where convergence occurs at a rate of 4-5mm/year. The earthquake epicentres are mainly limited to an E-W trending zone (onshore seismicity is more abundant than offshore), and most earthquakes occur at depths less than 30 km, however, offshore depths are up to 150 km). Moreover, one of the problems to unravel in this area is that the seismotectonic interpretations of the anomalous seismicity in the NW peninsular are contradictory. The temperature and strength profiles have been modelled in three domains along the non-volcanic rifted West Iberian Margin: 1) the oceanic lithosphere of the Iberian Abyssal Plain, 2) the oceanic lithosphere near the ocean-continent transition of the Galicia Bank, and 3) the continental lithosphere of the NW Iberian Massif. The average bathymetry and topography have been used to fit the thermal structures of the three types of lithospheres, given that the heat flow and heat production values show a varied range. The geotherms, together with the brittle and ductile rheological laws, have been used to calculate the strength envelopes in different stress regimes (compression, shear and tensile). The continental lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary is located at 123 km and several brittle-ductile transitions appear in the crust and the mantle. However, the oceanic lithospheres are thinner (110 km near the Galicia Bank and 87 km in the Iberian Abbysal Plain) and more simple (brittle behaviour in the crust and upper mantle). The earthquake distribution is best explained by lithospheres with dry compositions and shear or tensile stress regimes. These results are similar can be compared to

Paleoseismological surveys on the Hinagu fault zone in Kumamoto, central Kyushu, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azuma, T.

2017-12-01

The Hinagu fault zone is located on the south of the Futagawa fault zone, which was a main part of the source fault of the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake of Mj 7.3. Northernmost part of the Hinagu fault zone was also acted in 2016 event and surface faults with right-lateral displacement upto ca. 50 cm were appeared. Seismicity along the central part of the Hinagu fault was increased just after the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake. It seems that the Hinagu fault zone would produce the next large earthquake in the near future, although it has not occurred yet. The Headquarters of the Earthquake Research Promotions (HERP) conducted active fault surveys on the Hinagu fault zone to recognize the probability of the occurrence of the next faulting event. The Hinagu fault zone is composed with 3 fault segments, Takano-Shirahata, Hinagu, and Yatsushiro Bay. Yatsushiro Bay segment is offshore fault. In FY2016, we conducted paleoseismological trenching surveys at 2 sites (Yamaide, Minamibeta) and offshore drilling. Those result showed evidences that the recurrence intervals of the Hinagu fault zone was rather short and the last faulting event occurred around 1500-2000 yrsBP. In FY2017, we are planning another trenching survey on the southern part of the central segment, where Yatsushiro city located close to the fault.

Mitochondrial haplotype variation and phylogeography of Iberian brown trout populations.

PubMed

MacHordom, A; Suárez, J; Almodóvar, A; Bautista, J M

2000-09-01

The biogeographical distribution of brown trout mitochondrial DNA haplotypes throughout the Iberian Peninsula was established by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment polymorphism analysis. The study of 507 specimens from 58 localities representing eight widely separated Atlantic-slope (north and west Iberian coasts) and six Mediterranean drainage systems served to identify five main groups of mitochondrial haplotypes: (i) haplotypes corresponding to non-native, hatchery-reared brown trout that were widely distributed but also found in wild populations of northern Spain (Cantabrian slope); (ii) a widespread Atlantic haplotype group; (iii) a haplotype restricted to the Duero Basin; (iv) a haplotype shown by southern Iberian populations; and (v) a Mediterranean haplotype. The Iberian distribution of these haplotypes reflects both the current fishery management policy of introducing non-native brown trout, and Messinian palaeobiogeography. Our findings complement and extend previous allozyme studies on Iberian brown trout and improve present knowledge of glacial refugia and postglacial movement of brown trout lineages.

Acid mine drainage in the Iberian Pyrite Belt: 1. Hydrochemical characteristics and pollutant load of the Tinto and Odiel rivers.

PubMed

Nieto, Jose M; Sarmiento, Aguasanta M; Canovas, Carlos R; Olias, Manuel; Ayora, Carlos

2013-11-01

Acid mine drainage in the Iberian Pyrite Belt is probably the worst case in the world of surface water pollution associated with mining of sulphide mineral deposits. The Iberian Pyrite Belt is located in SW Iberian Peninsula, and it has been mined during the last 4,500 years. The central and eastern part of the Iberian Pyrite Belt is drained by the Tinto and Odiel rivers, which receive most of the acidic leachates from the mining areas. As a result, the main channels of the Tinto and Odiel rivers are very rich in metals and highly acidic until reaching the Atlantic Ocean. A significant amount of the pollutant load transported by these two rivers is delivered during the rainy season, as is usual in rivers of Mediterranean climate regions. Therefore, in order to have an accurate estimation of the pollutant loads transported by the Tinto and Odiel rivers, a systematic sampling on a weekly basis and a high temporal resolution sampling of floods events were both performed. Results obtained show that metal fluxes are strongly dependent on the study period, highlighting the importance of inter-annual studies involving dry and wet years.

The reactivation of the SW Iberian passive margin: a brief review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duarte, Joao; Rosas, Filipe; Terrinha, Pedro; Schellart, Wouter; Almeida, Pedro; Gutscher, Marc-André; Riel, Nicolas; Ribeiro, António

2016-04-01

On the morning of the 1st of November of 1755 a major earthquake struck offshore the Southwest Iberian margin. This was the strongest earthquake ever felt in Western Europe. The shake, fire and tsunami devastated Lisbon, was felt as far as Finland and had a profound impact on the thinkers of that time, in particular on the Enlightenment philosophers such as Voltaire, Rousseau and Kant. The Great Lisbon Earthquake is considered by many as the event that marks the birth of modern geosciences; and made of this region one of the most well studied areas in the world. After the 1755 earthquake, Kant and others authors wrote several treaties dealing with the causes and dynamics of earthquakes and tsunamis and were close to identify some key elements of what we now call plate tectonics. More than two hundred years later, in the year of 1969, the region was struck by another major earthquake. This was precisely during the period in which the theory of plate tectonics was being built. Geoscientists like Fukao (1973), Purdy (1975) and Mackenzie (1977) immediately focused their attention in the area. They suggested that these events were related with "transient" subduction of Africa below Iberia, along the East-West Azores-Gibraltar plate boundary. Several years later, Ribeiro (1989) suggested that instead of Africa being subducted below Iberia, it was the West Iberian passive margin that was being reactivated, a process that may, in time, lead to the formation of a new subduction zone. In the turning of the millennium, a subducting slab was imaged bellow the Gibraltar Straits, a remanent of the Western Mediterranean arc system that according to Gutscher et al. (2002) was related with ongoing subduction. Recently, it was proposed that a causal link between the Gibraltar subduction system and the reactivation of the SW Iberian margin might exist. In addition, the large-scale Africa-Eurasia convergence is inducing compressive stresses along the West Iberian margin. The margin

Theorizing Iberian Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newcomb, Robert Patrick

2015-01-01

A growing number of scholars invested in Iberian Studies are asking how peninsular literary and cultural studies might be reimagined, and reinvigorated, by placing the Spanish and Portuguese canons into critical dialogue with each other, and with Galician, Catalan, Basque/Euskadi, and Latin American and North African immigrant writers, cultural…

Sensitivity of two Iberian lakes to North Atlantic atmospheric circulation modes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernández, Armand; Trigo, Ricardo M.; Pla-Rabes, Sergi; Valero-Garcés, Blas L.; Jerez, Sonia; Rico-Herrero, Mayte; Vega, José C.; Jambrina-Enríquez, Margarita; Giralt, Santiago

2015-12-01

The North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) exerts a major influence on the climate of the North Atlantic region. However, other atmospheric circulation modes (ACMs), such as the East Atlantic (EA) and Scandinavian (SCAND) patterns, also play significant roles. The dynamics of lakes on the Iberian Peninsula are greatly controlled by climatic parameters, but their relationship with these various ACMs has not been investigated in detail. In this paper, we analyze monthly meteorological and limnological long-term datasets (1950-2011 and 1992-2011, respectively) from two lakes on the northern and central Iberian Peninsula (Sanabria and Las Madres) to develop an understanding of the seasonal sensitivity of these freshwater systems to the NAO, EA and SCAND circulation modes. The limnological variability within Lake Sanabria is primarily controlled by fluctuations in the seasonal precipitation and wind, and the primary ACMs associated with the winter limnological processes are the NAO and the SCAND modes, whereas only the EA mode appears to weakly influence processes during the summer. However, Lake Las Madres is affected by precipitation, wind and, to a lesser extent, temperature, whereas the ACMs have less influence. Therefore, we aim to show that the lakes of the Iberian Peninsula are sensitive to these ACMs. The results presented here indicate that the lake dynamics, in some cases, have a higher sensitivity to variations in the ACMs than single local meteorological variables. However, certain local features, such as geography, lake morphology and anthropic influences, are crucial to properly record the signals of these ACMs.

Understanding Seismotectonic Aspects of Central and South American Subduction Zones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vargas-Jiménez, Carlos A.; Monsalve-Jaramillo, Hugo; Huérfano, Victor

2004-10-01

The Circum-Pacific, and particularly the Central and South America, subduction zones are complex structures that are subject to frequent, large-magnitude earthquakes, volcanic activity, tsunamis, and geological hazards. Among these natural hazards, earthquakes produce the most significant social and economic impacts in Latin America, and the subduction zones therefore demand constant vigilance and intensive study. The American continent has witnessed serveral earthquakes that rank among the most destrive in the world. Earthquakes such as the ones that occurred in Colombia-Ecuador [Mw = 8.9, 1906], Chile [Mw = 9.6, 1960; Mw = 8.9, 1995], Mexico [Mw = 9.6, 1985], and Peru [Mw = 8.0, 2001], as well as a number of destuctive events related to crustal fault systems and volcanic eruptions [e.g., Soufrière, El Ruiz, Galeras, ect.], have produced significant human and economic loss.The latent seismic hazards in the Caribbean, and Central and South America demand from the regional Earth sciences community accurate models to explain the mechanisms of these natural phenomena.

Immunogenetic and population genetic analyses of Iberian cattle.

PubMed

Kidd, K K; Stone, W H; Crimella, C; Carenzi, C; Casati, M; Rognoni, G

1980-01-01

Blood samples were collected from more than 100 animals in each of 2 Spanish cattle breeds (Retinto and De Lidia), 2 Portuguese breeds (Alentejana and Mertolenga), and American Longhorn cattle. All samples for the 4 Iberian breeds were tested for 20 polymorphic systems; American Longhorn were tested for 19 of the 20. For each breed an average inbreeding coefficient was estimated by a comparison of the observed and expected heterozygosity at 7 or 8 codominant systems tested. All breeds had positive values but only 3 breeds had estimates of inbreeding that were statistically significantly different from 0: De Lidia with f = 0.17, Retinto with f = 0.08 and Mertolenga with f = 0.05. The De Lidia breed especially may be suffering from inbreeding depression since this high value is greater than expected if all of the animals were progeny of half-sib matings. Genetic distances were calculated from the gene frequency data on these 5 breeds plus 9 other European breeds. Analyses of these distances show a closely related group of the 4 Iberian breeds and American Longhorn, confirming the close relationships among the Iberian breeds and the Iberian, probably Portuguese, origin of American Longhorn cattle.

Meta-Analysis of Mitochondrial DNA Variation in the Iberian Peninsula.

PubMed

Barral-Arca, Ruth; Pischedda, Sara; Gómez-Carballa, Alberto; Pastoriza, Ana; Mosquera-Miguel, Ana; López-Soto, Manuel; Martinón-Torres, Federico; Álvarez-Iglesias, Vanesa; Salas, Antonio

2016-01-01

The Iberian Peninsula has been the focus of attention of numerous studies dealing with mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation, most of them targeting the control region segment. In the present study we sequenced the control region of 3,024 Spanish individuals from areas where available data were still limited. We also compiled mtDNA haplotypes from the literature involving 4,588 sequences and 28 population groups or small regions. We meta-analyzed all these data in order to shed further light on patterns of geographic variation, taking advantage of the large sample size and geographic coverage, in contrast with the atomized sampling strategy of previous work. The results indicate that the main mtDNA haplogroups show primarily clinal geographic patterns across the Iberian geography, roughly along a North-South axis. Haplogroup HV0 (where haplogroup U is nested) is more prevalent in the Franco Cantabrian region, in good agreement with previous findings that identified this area as a climate refuge during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), prior to a subsequent demographic re-expansion towards Central Europe and the Mediterranean. Typical sub-Saharan and North African lineages are slightly more prevalent in South Iberia, although at low frequencies; this pattern has been shaped mainly by the transatlantic slave trade and the Arab invasion of the Iberian Peninsula. The results also indicate that summary statistics that aim to measure molecular variation, or AMOVA, have limited sensitivity to detect population substructure, in contrast to patterns revealed by phylogeographic analysis. Overall, the results suggest that mtDNA variation in Iberia is substantially stratified. These patterns might be relevant in biomedical studies given that stratification is a common cause of false positives in case-control mtDNA association studies, and should be also considered when weighting the DNA evidence in forensic casework, which is strongly dependent on haplotype frequencies.

Meta-Analysis of Mitochondrial DNA Variation in the Iberian Peninsula

PubMed Central

Barral-Arca, Ruth; Pischedda, Sara; Gómez-Carballa, Alberto; Pastoriza, Ana; Mosquera-Miguel, Ana; López-Soto, Manuel; Martinón-Torres, Federico; Álvarez-Iglesias, Vanesa; Salas, Antonio

2016-01-01

The Iberian Peninsula has been the focus of attention of numerous studies dealing with mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation, most of them targeting the control region segment. In the present study we sequenced the control region of 3,024 Spanish individuals from areas where available data were still limited. We also compiled mtDNA haplotypes from the literature involving 4,588 sequences and 28 population groups or small regions. We meta-analyzed all these data in order to shed further light on patterns of geographic variation, taking advantage of the large sample size and geographic coverage, in contrast with the atomized sampling strategy of previous work. The results indicate that the main mtDNA haplogroups show primarily clinal geographic patterns across the Iberian geography, roughly along a North-South axis. Haplogroup HV0 (where haplogroup U is nested) is more prevalent in the Franco Cantabrian region, in good agreement with previous findings that identified this area as a climate refuge during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), prior to a subsequent demographic re-expansion towards Central Europe and the Mediterranean. Typical sub-Saharan and North African lineages are slightly more prevalent in South Iberia, although at low frequencies; this pattern has been shaped mainly by the transatlantic slave trade and the Arab invasion of the Iberian Peninsula. The results also indicate that summary statistics that aim to measure molecular variation, or AMOVA, have limited sensitivity to detect population substructure, in contrast to patterns revealed by phylogeographic analysis. Overall, the results suggest that mtDNA variation in Iberia is substantially stratified. These patterns might be relevant in biomedical studies given that stratification is a common cause of false positives in case-control mtDNA association studies, and should be also considered when weighting the DNA evidence in forensic casework, which is strongly dependent on haplotype frequencies. PMID

Characterization of the Iberian Y chromosome haplogroup R-DF27 in Northern Spain.

PubMed

Villaescusa, Patricia; Illescas, María José; Valverde, Laura; Baeta, Miriam; Nuñez, Carolina; Martínez-Jarreta, Begoña; Zarrabeitia, Maria Teresa; Calafell, Francesc; de Pancorbo, Marian M

2017-03-01

The European paternal lineage R-DF27 has been proposed as a haplogroup of Iberian origin due to its maximum frequencies in the Iberian Peninsula. In this study, the distribution and structure of DF27 were characterized in 591 unrelated male individuals from four key populations of the north area of the Iberian Peninsula through the analysis of 12 Y-SNPs that define DF27 main sublineages. Additionally, Y-SNP allele frequencies were also gathered from the reference populations in the 1000 Genomes Project to compare and obtain a better landscape of the distribution of DF27. Our results reveal frequencies over 35% of DF27 haplogroup in the four North Iberian populations analyzed and high frequencies for its subhaplogroups. Considering the low frequency of DF27 and its sublineages in most populations outside of the Iberian Peninsula, this haplogroup seems to have geographical significance; thus, indicating a possible Iberian patrilineal origin of vestiges bearing this haplogroup. The dataset presented here contributes with new data to better understand the complex genetic variability of the Y chromosome in the Iberian Peninsula, that can be applied in Forensic Genetics. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in Iberian pig sows.

PubMed

Pablos-Tanarro, Alba; Ortega-Mora, Luis Miguel; Palomo, Antonio; Casasola, Francisco; Ferre, Ignacio

2018-05-01

The objective of the present study was to investigate the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in Iberian sows reared in extensive and intensive management conditions and to compare two serologic techniques used for diagnosis. In addition, some possible risk factors associated with the presence of serum antibodies to T. gondii were also studied. Serum samples were collected from 2492 Iberian sows on 14 pig farms. Three types of management systems were included, traditional extensive outdoor farms (five farms), intensive farms with outdoor access (n = 4), and conventional intensive indoor farms (n = 5). The presence of serum antibodies to T. gondii was evaluated by two commercially available tests: an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a direct agglutination test (DAT). Serum antibodies against T. gondii were detected in 237 sows (9.5%) by at least one of the techniques used. The mean seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in Iberian sows was 5.8% by ELISA and 8.9% by DAT. An agreement kappa-value of 0.68 (95%, CI = 0.63-0.74) was found between both tests. The results from this study suggest that the prevalence of T. gondii antibodies among Iberian sows seems to be moderate-low. The presence of serum antibodies against T. gondii in Iberian sows was associated to an extensive management system and low-level facilities of the farm, sow number (> 1000 animals), presence of cats, absence of rodent control and bird-proof nets in windows, well-water source, feed sources and storage (from the same farm and not stored in silo), absence of fences, and low farm worker qualification.

A Powerful Antidote, a Strange Camel and Turkish Pepper: Iberian Science, the Discovery of the New World and the Early Modem Czech Lands.

PubMed

Cerna, Jana

2016-08-01

This article analyses the reception of knowledge about new world nature, and, more specifically, the reception of Iberian scientific knowledge of nature in the Americas, in the early modem Czech lands. It shows how the process of the reception of information about nature in the new world differed among the urban classes, intellectuals and the nobility; particular attention is paid to herbals, cosmographical works and travel reports. On the one hand, the study reveals that the efforts of Central European intellectuals to interpret new world nature were limited by the lack of necessary data and experience, which led to some misinterpretations and simplifications. On the other hand, it shows these Central European scholars to be fully-fledged members of an information network, whose works share many of the same characteristics as Iberian and, in general, early modem European science.

Parasite species of the endangered Iberian wolf (Canis lupus signatus) and a sympatric widespread carnivore.

PubMed

Figueiredo, Ana; Oliveira, Lucia; Madeira de Carvalho, Luís; Fonseca, Carlos; Torres, Rita Tinoco

2016-08-01

Parasites have a profound impact on wildlife population dynamics. However, until some years ago, studies on the occurrence and prevalence of wildlife parasites were neglected comparatively with the studies on humans and domestic animals. In this study, we determined the parasite prevalence of two sympatric wild canids: the endangered Iberian wolf (Canis lupus signatus) and the widespread red fox (Vulpes vulpes), in central Portugal. From November 2014 to July 2015, fresh fecal samples from both species were collected monthly in several transects distributed throughout the study area. All samples were submitted to several coprological techniques. In total, 6 helminth parasites (Crenosoma vulpis, Angiostrongylus vasorum, Toxocara canis, Trichuris vulpis, Ancylostomatidae, Toxascaris leonina), and a protozoa (Balantidium coli) were identified based on size and morphology. The red fox was infected by seven different parasites while the Iberian wolf was infected by four. All parasites present in wolf were also present in the red fox. C. vulpis had the higher prevalence in red fox, while Ancylostomatidae were the most prevalent parasites in wolf. To our knowledge, this is the first study in this isolated subpopulation of the Iberian wolf. Our results show that both carnivores carry parasites that are of concern as they are pathogenic to humans and other wild and domestic animals. We suggest that surveillance programs must also include monitoring protocols of wildlife; particularly endangered species.

Evaluation of methodology for delineation of protection zones around public-supply wells in west-central Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vecchioli, John; Hunn, J.D.; Aucott, W.R.

1989-01-01

Public-supply wells in the west-central Florida area of Citrus, Hernando, Pasco, Hillsborough, and Pinellas Counties derive their supply solely from the Floridan aquifer system. In much of this area, the Floridan is at or near land surface and vulnerable to contamination. Recognizing this potential threat to the aquifer, the Florida Department of Environmental Regulation (FDER) recently promulgated regulations providing for the delineation of protection zones around public-supply wells that tap vulnerable aquifers, such as the Floridan in west-central Florida. This report evaluates the methodology for delineation of protection zones for public supply wells in west-central Florida in accordance with the methods detailed in the FDER regulations. Protection zones were delineated for public supply wells or well fields that are permitted an average daily withdrawal of 100,000 gal or more from the Floridan aquifer system where it is unconfined or leaky confined. Leaky confined, as used in FDER regulations describe conditions such that the time for a particle of water to travel vertically from the water table to the top of the Floridan is 5 years or less. Protection zones were delineated by using a radial volumetric-displacement model that simulated 5 years of permitted-rate withdrawal. Where zones overlapped, such as for well fields, composite protection zones in shapes that varied according to the configuration of well arrays were delineated on maps. (USGS)

Southern dispersal and Palaeoecological implications of woolly rhinoceros ( Coelodonta antiquitatis): review of the Iberian occurrences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Álvarez-Lao, Diego J.; García, Nuria

2011-07-01

Cold-adapted large mammal populations spread southward during the coldest and driest phases of the Late Pleistocene reaching the Iberian Peninsula. Presence of woolly rhinoceros ( Coelodonta antiquitatis) can be identified from 23 Iberian sites, which is compiled and analyzed herein, and the fossil specimens from seven of these sites are described here for first time. Morphological and biometrical analyses demonstrate that the Iberian woolly rhinoceros did not significantly differ from individuals of other European populations, but represent the westernmost part of a continuous Eurasian belt of distribution. The first presence of woolly rhino in the Iberian Peninsula has been identified during the late Middle Pleistocene and early Late Pleistocene. However, the highest abundance of this species is recorded during MIS 3 and 2. The latest Iberian occurrences can be dated around 20 ka BP. The presence of woolly rhinoceros in the Iberian Peninsula correlates with periods of extreme dry and cold climatic conditions documented in Iberian terrestrial and marine sediment sequences. From a palaeobiogeographic point of view, the maximum southern spread of C. antiquitatis on the Iberian Peninsula was registered during the late Middle Pleistocene or early Late Pleistocene, reaching the latitude of Madrid (about 40°N). Subsequently, during MIS 3 and 2, all Iberian finds were restricted to the Northern regions of Iberia (Cantabrian area and Catalonia). The southern expansion of C. antiquitatis during the Late Pleistocene in the Iberian Peninsula reached similar latitudes to other Eurasian regions. The ecological composition of fossil assemblages with presence of woolly rhinoceros was statistically analyzed. Results show that temperate ungulate species are predominant at Iberian assemblages, resulting in a particular mixture of temperate and cold elements different of the typical Eurasian cold-adapted faunal associations. This particular situation suggests two possible

Mesozoic and Cenozoic exhumation history of the SW Iberian Variscides inferred from low-temperature thermochronology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vázquez-Vílchez, Mercedes; Jabaloy-Sánchez, Antonio; Azor, Antonio; Stuart, Finlay; Persano, Cristina; Alonso-Chaves, Francisco M.; Martín-Parra, Luis Miguel; Matas, Jerónimo; García-Navarro, Encarnación

2015-11-01

The post-Paleozoic tectonothermal evolution of the SW Iberian Variscides is poorly known mainly due to the scarce low-temperature geochronological data available. We have obtained new apatite fission-tracks and apatite (U-Th)/He ages to constrain the Mesozoic and Cenozoic tectonic evolution of this portion of the Iberian Massif located just north of the Betic-Rif Alpine orogen. We have obtained nine apatite fission-track ages on samples from Variscan and pre-Variscan granitoids. These ages range from 174.4 (± 10.8) to 54.1 (± 4.9) Ma, with mean track lengths between 10.3 and 13.9 μm. We have also performed 5 (U-Th)/He datings on some of the same samples, obtaining ages between 74.6 (± 1.6) and 18.5 (± 1.4) Ma. Time-temperature path modeling of these low-temperature geochronological data leads us to envisage four post-Paleozoic tectonically controlled exhumation episodes in the SW Iberian Variscides. Three of these episodes occurred in Mesozoic times (Middle Triassic to Early Jurassic, Early Cretaceous, and Late Cretaceous) at rates of ≈ 1.1 to 2.5 °C Ma- 1, separated by periods with almost no cooling. We relate these Mesozoic cooling events to the formation of important marginal reliefs during the rifting and opening of the central and northern Atlantic realm. The fourth exhumation episode occurred in Cenozoic times at rates of ≈ 3.2 to 3.6 °C Ma- 1, being only recorded in samples next to faults with topographic escarpments. These samples cooled below 80 °C at ≈ 20 Ma at rates of 3-13 °C Ma- 1 due to roughly N-S oriented compressional stresses affecting the whole Iberian plate, which, in the particular case of SW Iberia, reactivated some of the previous Late Paleozoic thrusts.

Morphogenesis and grain size variation of alluvial gold recovered in auriferous sediments of the Tormes Basin (Iberian Peninsula) using a simple correspondence analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barrios, S.; Merinero, R.; Lozano, R.; Orea, I.

2015-12-01

With present techniques it is difficult to determine whether the gold particles present at fluvial placers have come from one or multiple sources. Knowledge of this would be useful in prospecting for larger gold deposits. The aim of the present work was to test the potential of a technique based on modern visual and classic statistical methods to determine the single or multisource origin of gold particles at different sites in the Tormes Basin (Central Iberian Zone of the Iberian Massif, Iberian Peninsula). This basin contains numerous lode and placer gold deposits that have been exploited since ancient times. Today, gold nuggets (usually associated with quartz, 0.2-6 g in weight, 0.53-3.74 cm long and mostly discoidal in shape and of intermediate roundness) can be recovered from the sediments of the upper reaches of the River Tormes. These nuggets, as well as small gold particles collected at three gravel pits from across the basin (all of which showed abrasion marks) were examined by optical and/or environmental scanning electron microscopy, and the differences in their dimensions and morphological features noted. Simple correspondence analysis of the sphericity and roundness of the nuggets and particles was used to morphologically classify the gold samples collected at each location. The gold nuggets were best classified as elongated rods of intermediate roundness. Surprisingly, the gold particles from the most upstream and downstream gravel pits were best described as discs/sub-discs of rounded appearance, while those from the intermediate gravel pit were discs of intermediate roundness. Analysis of the variance followed by the Tukey honest significant differences test revealed the particles from the most upstream gravel pit to be significantly more flattened and smaller. These were therefore transported further from their source than the particles collected at the other two pits. These results suggest that multiple sources of sedimentary gold exist in the

The Late Cretaceous Alkaline Igneous Province in the Iberian Peninsula, and its tectonic significance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rock, N. M. S.

1982-04-01

The Iberian Province consists of the following: the three subvolcanic, syenitic, major intrusive complexes of Monchique, Sines and Sintra in W. and SW Portugal, together with their basanitic/lamprophyric minor intrusive suites; basanitic volcanic complexes around Lisbon; at least some of a widespread suite of basanitic to theralitic minor intrusives in west central Portugal; about 80 small basanitic/lamprophyric to nepheline syenitic intrusions scattered through the Pyrenees, NE Spain, the French Corbières, and off the coast of NW Spain; and the Ormonde Seamount of the Gorringe Bank off the SW coast of Portugal. Most of these occurrences have been dated isotopically or from field evidence as Late Cretaceous. Geological and petrological details of the various occurrences are compiled and reviewed. Primary basanitic magmas were probably parental to the entire Province, and generated syenitic magmas by differentiation processes; oversaturated rocks were produced by alkali loss and perhaps also by crustal involvement. The Iberian Province is related to the opening of the N. Atlantic, specifically that of the Bay of Biscay.

A comparison of daily evaporation downscaled using WRFDA model and GLEAM dataset over the Iberian Peninsula.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

José González-Rojí, Santos; Sáenz, Jon; Ibarra-Berastegi, Gabriel

2017-04-01

GLEAM dataset was presented a few years ago and since that moment, it has just been used for validation of evaporation in a few places of the world (Australia and Africa). The Iberian Peninsula is composed of different soil types and it is affected by different weather regimes, with different climate regions. It is this feature which makes it a very interesting zone for the study of the meteorological cycle, including evaporation. For that purpose, a numerical downscaling exercise over the Iberian Peninsula was run nesting the WRF model inside ERA Interim. Two model configurations were tested in two experiments spanning the period 2010-2014 after a one-year spin-up (2009). In the first experiment (N), boundary conditions drive the model. The second experiment (D) is configured the same way as the N case, but 3DVAR data assimilation is run every six hours (00Z, 06Z, 12Z and 18Z) using observations obtained from the PREPBUFR dataset. For both N and D runs and ERA Interim, the evaporation of the model runs was compared to GLEAM v3.0b and v3.0c datasets over the Iberian Peninsula, both at the daily and monthly time scales. GLEAM v3.0a was not used for validation as it uses for forcing radiation and air temperature data from ERA Interim. Results show that the experiment with data assimilation (D) improve the results obtained for N experiment. Moreover, correlations values are comparable to the ones obtained with ERA Interim. However, some negative correlation values are observed at Portuguese and Mediterranean coasts for both WRF runs. All of these problematic points are considered as urban sites by the NOAH land surface model. Because of that, the model is not able to simulate a correct evaporation value. Even with these discrepancies, better results than for ERA Interim are observed for seasonal Biases and daily RMSEs over Iberian Peninsula, obtaining the best values inland. Minimal differences are observed for the two GLEAM datasets selected.

A review of the arcuate structures in the Iberian Variscides; constraints and genetic models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dias, R.; Ribeiro, A.; Romão, J.; Coke, C.; Moreira, N.

2016-06-01

The main Ibero-Armorican Arc (IAA) is essentially defined by a predominant NW-SE trend in the Iberian branch and an E-W trend in the Brittany one. However, in northern Spain it presents a 180° rotation, sometimes known as the Cantabrian Arc (CA). The relation between both arcs is controversial, being considered either as a single arc due to one tectonic event, or as the result of a polyphasic process. According to the last assumption, there is a later arcuate structure (CA), overlapping a previous major one (IAA). Whatever the models, they must be able to explain the presence of a Variscan sinistral transpression in Iberia and a dextral one in Armorica, and a deformation spanning from the Devonian to the Upper Carboniferous. Another arcuate structure, in continuity with the CA, the Central-Iberian Arc (CIA) was recently proposed mainly based upon on magnetic anomalies, geometry of major folds and Ordovician paleocurrents. The critical review of the structural, stratigraphic and geophysical data supports both the IAA and the CA, but as independent structures. However, the presence of a CIA is highly questionable and could not be supported. The complex strain pattern of the IAA and the CA could be explained by a Devonian - Carboniferous polyphasic indentation of a Gondwana promontory. In this model the CA is essentially a thin-skinned arc, while the IAA has a more complex and longer evolution that has led to a thick-skinned first order structure. Nevertheless, both arcs are essentially the result of a lithospheric bending process during the Iberian Variscides.

Characterising the metamorphic discontinuity across the Main Central Thrust Zone of eastern-central Nepal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jiamin; Zhang, Jinjiang; Wei, Chunjing; Rai, SantaMan; Wang, Meng; Qian, Jiahui

2015-04-01

The Main Central Thrust Zone (MCTZ) is a top-to-south shear zone that has exhumed the high-grade Himalayan metamorphic core during the orogeny. Identifying the location of the MCTZ is a major challenge and the characteristics of the metamorphic discontinuity remain under debate. To clarify this issue, petrologic and thermobarometric studies were carried out on metapelites and metapsammites that were collected from the basal Nyalam transect in eastern-central Nepal. Results reveal that the metamorphic discontinuity across the MCTZ is characterised by a continuous increase in peak P-T conditions toward higher structural levels, a relatively high field temperature gradient (25-50 °C km-1) and different types of P-T paths. Specifically, representative rocks in the MCTZ record sub-solidus peak conditions (637 ± 16 °C and 9.2 ± 1.0 kbar) and a hairpin-type P-T path. The lower GHC rocks record supra-solidus peak conditions (690 ± 32 °C and 10.3 + 1.1/-1.4 kbar) and a prograde loading path with a small segment of decompression. The presence of a high field pressure gradient across the MCTZ is debatable in the Nyalam transect due to the large uncertainties in pressure estimates. Comparison between obtained P-T results and model predictions indicates that a multiple thrusting process dominated exhumation of the MCTZ and lower GHC rocks, while crustal flow contributed partly to exhumation of the lower GHC rocks.

Kinematics of an oblique deformation front using paleomagnetic data; the Altomira-Loranca structures (Iberian Chain, Central Spain)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valcarcel, M.

2013-05-01

Manoel Valcárcel1, 5, Ruth Soto2, Elisabet Beamud3, Belén Oliva-Urcia4 and Josep Anton Muñoz5 1 IGME, Departamento de Investigación y Prospección Geocientífica. C/ La Calera, 1, 28760 Tres Cantos; m.valcarcel@igme.es 2 IGME, Unidad de Zaragoza, C/ Manuel Lasala 44, 9 B, 50006 Zaragoza, Spain 3 Lab. Paleomagnetisme (CCiT UB-CSIC). ICT "Jaume Almera", Solé i Sabarís, s/n, 08028 Barcelona, Spain. 4 IPE-CSIC, Avda. Montañana 1005, 50059 Zaragoza, Spain 5 Grup Geodinàmica i Anàlisi de Conques, Universitat de Barcelona, Zona Universitària Pedralbes, 08028 Barcelona, Spain The Altomira and Loranca structures consist of a fold-and-thrust system detached on Triassic evaporites. They are oriented N-S to NNE-SSW and NNW-SSE at its northern and southern end, respectively, forming a subtle arc, oblique with respect to the general NW-SE trend of the Iberian Chain. The aim of this work is to characterize with paleomagnetic data the kinematic evolution of the the Altomira Range, located at the southwestern deformation front of the Iberian Chain, and of the structures within its associated piggy-back basin, the Loranca basin. This approach will also give clues regarding the primary and/or secondary origin of these structures to better characterize them in further studies (3D reconstruction and restoration, fault pattern). A total of 180 samples were obtained from 19 sites in Eocene, Oligocene and Miocene rocks (including clays, fine sandstones and limestones). They were analyzed by means of stepwise thermal demagnetization and subsequent measurement of the natural remanent magnetization (NRM). Although fold tests are not statistically significant, a primary origin of the magnetization is deduced by samples showing either normal or reverse polarity after bedding correction of the calculated characteristic components. Declinations of the site mean directions appear scattered after bedding correction suggesting differential vertical-axis rotations. Sites located at the

Fracture zone drilling through Atotsugawa fault in central Japan - geological and geophysical structure -

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Omura, K.; Yamashita, F.; Yamada, R.; Matsuda, T.; Fukuyama, E.; Kubo, A.; Takai, K.; Ikeda, R.; Mizuochi, Y.

2004-12-01

Drilling is an effective method to investigate the structure and physical state in and around the active fault zone, such as, stress and strength distribution, geological structure and materials properties. In particular, the structure in the fault zone is important to understand where and how the stress accumulates during the earthquake cycle. In previous studies, we did integrate investigation on active faults in central Japan by drilling and geophysical prospecting. Those faults are estimated to be at different stage in the earthquake cycle, i.e., Nojima fault which appeared on the surface by the 1995 Great Kobe earthquake (M=7.2), the Neodani fault which appeared by the 1891 Nobi earth-quake (M=8.0), the Atera fault, of which some parts have seemed to be dislocated by the 1586 Tensyo earthquake (M=7.9), and Gofukuji Fault that is considered to have activated about 1200 years ago. Each faults showed characteristic features of fracture zone structure according to their geological and geophysical situations. In a present study, we did core recovery and down hole measurements at the Atotsugawa fault, central Japan, that is considered to have activated at 1858 Hida earthquake (M=7.0). The Atotsugawa fault is characterized by active seismicity along the fault. But, at the same time, the shallow region in the central segment of the fault seems to have low seismicity. The high seismicity segment and low seismicity segments may have different mechanical, physical and material properties. A 350m depth borehole was drilled vertically beside the surface trace of the fault in the low seismicity segment. Recovered cores were overall heavily fractured and altered rocks. In the cores, we observed many shear planes holding fault gouge. Logging data showed that the apparent resistance was about 100 - 600 ohm-m, density was about 2.0 - 2.5g/cm3, P wave velocity was approximately 3.0 - 4.0 km/sec, neutron porosity was 20 - 40 %. Results of physical logging show features of fault

SIFT-MS analysis of Iberian hams from pigs reared under different conditions.

PubMed

Carrapiso, Ana I; Noseda, Bert; García, Carmen; Reina, Raquel; Sánchez Del Pulgar, José; Devlieghere, Frank

2015-06-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the usefulness of a Selected Ion Flow Tube-Mass Spectrometry (SIFT-MS) equipment to tentatively quantify relevant volatile compounds of dry-cured Iberian ham, and to differentiate Iberian hams from pigs reared at four different conditions yielding different commercial grades. The SIFT-MS analysis allowed the rapid quantification of 39 Iberian ham volatile compounds, 16 of them being significantly affected by the rearing conditions of pigs. The full spectra SIFT-MS data allowed the correct classification of 79.2% of hams according to diet, which is a smaller percentage than that obtained using intramuscular fatty acid data (95.8%) obtained by using a gas chromatograph-flame ionization detector after lipid extraction and transesterification. Therefore, the SIFT-MS analysis would be a rapid tool to tentatively quantify some relevant volatile compounds, and also would provide a rapid but rough classification of Iberian ham according to the rearing conditions of pigs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pleistocene and Holocene Iberian flora: a complete picture and review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

González Sampériz, Penélope

2010-05-01

A detailed analysis of the location and composition of Iberian vegetation types during the whole Pleistocene and Holocene periods shows a complex patched landscape with persistence of different types of ecosystems, even during glacial times. In addition, recent, high-resolution palaeoecological records are changing the traditional picture of post-glacial vegetation succession in the Iberian Peninsula. The main available charcoal and pollen sequences include, coniferous and deciduous forest, steppes, shrublands, savannahs and glacial refugia during the Pleistocene for Meso-thermophytes (phytodiversity reservoirs), in different proportions. This panorama suggests an environmental complexity that relates biotic responses to climate changes forced by Milankovitch cycles, suborbital forcings and by the latitudinal and physiographic particularities of the Iberian Peninsula. Thus, many factors are critical in the course of vegetational developments and strong regional differences are observed since the Early Pleistocene. Currently, the flora of Iberia is located in two biogeographical/climatic regions: the Eurosiberian and the Mediterranean. The first one includes northern and northwestern areas of the peninsula, where post-glacial responses of vegetation are very similar to Central Europe, although with some particularities due to its proximity to both the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean region. The second one comprises the main territory of Iberia and shows more complex patterns and singularities, now and in the past. Steppe landscapes dominated extensive areas over all the territory during the cold spells of the Quaternary, especially during the Late Pleistocene up to the Last Glacial Maximum, but differences in composition of the dominant taxa (Compositae versus Artemisia) are observed since the Early Pleistocene, probably related to moisture regional gradients. Coastal shelves and intramountainous valleys, even in continental areas, are spots of floristic

Genesis of the central zone of the Nolans Bore rare earth element deposit, Northern Territory, Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schoneveld, Louise; Spandler, Carl; Hussey, Kelvin

2015-08-01

The Nolans Bore rare earth element (REE) deposit consists of a network of fluorapatite-bearing veins and breccias hosted within Proterozoic granulites of the Reynolds Range, Central Australia. Mineralisation is divided into three zones (north, central, and south-east), with the north and south-east zones consisting of massive REE-bearing fluorapatite veins, with minor brecciation and carbonate infill. The central zone is distinctively different in mineralogy and structure; it features extensive brecciation, a high allanite content, and a large, epidote-rich enveloping alteration zone. The central zone is a reworking of the original solid apatite veins that formed during the Chewings Orogeny at ca. 1525 Ma. These original apatite veins are thought to derive from phosphate-rich magmatic-hydrothermal fluid exsolved from as-yet unrecognised alkaline magmatic bodies at depth. We define four ore breccia types (BX1-4) in the central zone on the basis of detailed petrological and geochemical analysis of drillcore and thin sections. BX1 ore comprises fluorapatite with minor crackle brecciation with carbonate infill and resembles ore of the north and south-east zones. Breccia types BX2, BX3, and BX4 represent progressive stages of ore brecciation and development of calc-silicate mineral (amphibole, epidote, allanite, calcite) infill. Comparison of bulk ore sample geochemistry between breccia types indicates that REEs were not mobilised more than a few centimetres during hydrothermal alteration and brecciation. Instead, most of the REEs were partitioned from the original REE fluorapatite into newly formed allanite, REE-poor fluorapatite and minor REE carbonate in the breccias. Negative europium (Eu) anomalies in the breccia minerals are accounted for by a large positive Eu anomaly in epidote from the alteration zones surrounding the ore breccias. This observation provides a direct link between ore recrystallisation and brecciation, and the formation of the alteration halo in

Quantifying the Variation in Shear Zone Character with Depth: a Case Study from the Simplon Shear Zone, Central Alps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cawood, T. K.; Platt, J. P.

2017-12-01

A widely-accepted model for the rheology of crustal-scale shear zones states that they comprise distributed strain at depth, in wide, high-temperature shear zones, which narrow to more localized, high-strain zones at lower temperature and shallower crustal levels. We test and quantify this model by investigating how the width, stress, temperature and deformation mechanisms change with depth in the Simplon Shear Zone (SSZ). The SSZ marks a major tectonic boundary in the central Alps, where normal-sense motion and rapid exhumation of the footwall have preserved evidence of older, deeper deformation in rocks progressively further into the currently-exposed footwall. As such, microstructures further from the brittle fault (which represents the most localized, most recently-active part of the SSZ) represent earlier, higher- temperature deformation from deeper crustal levels, while rocks closer to the fault have been overprinted by successively later, cooler deformation at shallower depths. This study uses field mapping and microstructural studies to identify zones representing deformation at various crustal levels, and characterize each in terms of zone width (representing width of the shear zone at that time and depth) and dominant deformation mechanism. In addition, quartz- (by Electron Backscatter Diffraction, EBSD) and feldspar grain size (measured optically) piezometry are used to calculate the flow stress for each zone, while the Ti-in-quartz thermometer (TitaniQ) is used to calculate the corresponding temperature of deformation. We document the presence of a broad zone in which quartz is recrystallized by the Grain Boundary Migration (GBM) mechanism and feldspar by Subgrain Rotation (SGR), which represents the broad, deep zone of deformation occurring at relatively high temperatures and low stresses. In map view, this transitions to successively narrower zones, respectively characterized by quartz SGR and feldspar Bulge Nucleation (BLG); quartz BLG and brittle

Persistent genetic signatures of colonization in Brachionus manjavacas rotifers in the Iberian Peninsula.

PubMed

Gómez, Africa; Montero-Pau, Javier; Lunt, David H; Serra, Manuel; Campillo, Sergi

2007-08-01

Recent phylogeographical assessments have consistently shown that continental zooplankton display high levels of population subdivision, despite the high dispersal capacity of their diapausing propagules. As such, there is an apparent paradox between observed cosmopolitanism in the zooplankton that is associated with long-distance dispersal, and strong phylogeographical structures at a regional scale. Such population dynamics, far from migration-drift equilibrium, have been shown in the rotifer species complex Brachionus plicatilis, a group of over a dozen species inhabiting salt lakes and coastal lagoons worldwide. Here we present the mitochondrial DNA phylogeography of one of these species, Brachionus manjavacas, in the Iberian Peninsula, where it often co-occurs with the morphologically similar species B. plicatilis sensu stricto. We obtained sequences from 233 individuals from diapausing eggs and clonal cultures from 16 lakes in the Iberian Peninsula, and a Tunisian lake. Two strongly supported deep mitochondrial DNA clades were found (A and B). Phylogenetic and nested clade analysis showed that clade A has a strong phylogeographical structure, with a strong similarity of phylogeographical patterns between B. manjavacas clade A and B. plicatilis s.s. These include (i) signatures of allopatric fragmentation between central and southern populations, and (ii) range expansions in the Iberian Peninsula, both likely to have occurred during the Pleistocene. We find evidence for a glacial refugium in the Guadiana basin. Clades A and B co-occurred in several of these lakes because of range expansion and secondary contact between both clades. The co-occurrence between B. plicatilis s.s. and B. manjavacas is not recent, and both species might have experienced similar environmental challenges during the Pleistocene. The strong correlation of genetic and geographical distance found suggests that historical events can lead to such correlation, mirroring the effects of

Diptera of forensic importance in the Iberian Peninsula: larval identification key.

PubMed

Velásquez, Y; Magaña, C; Martínez-Sánchez, A; Rojo, S

2010-09-01

A revision of the species and families of sarcosaprophagous flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae, Sarcophagidae, Muscidae, Fanniidae, Drosophilidae, Phoridae, Piophilidae and Stratiomyidae) suitable for forensic purposes in the Iberian Peninsula is presented. Morphological characteristics that allow the accurate identification of third instars of the species present in the Iberian Peninsula are described and presented in the form of a diagnostic key. For larval Calliphoridae, characteristics such as the spines of the body segments were useful for the genus Calliphora whereas features of the anal segment and the cephalopharyngeal skeleton were useful for larvae of Lucilia. Identification of three Chrysominae species present in the Iberian Peninsula is included. For larval Sarcophagidae, characters such as the arrangement and shape of spiracular openings, structures of the anal segment and the cephalopharyngeal skeleton were used for the first time. A new record of Sarcophaga cultellata Pandellé, from a human corpse, is also included as well as recent incursions into the European cadaveric entomofauna such as Synthesiomyia nudiseta (van der Wulp) and Hermetia illucens (Linnaeus). This work provides useful new information that could be applied to forensic investigations in the Iberian Peninsula and in southern Europe.

Climate variability during the Holocene inferred from northeastern Iberian speleothems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moreno, A.; Bartolomé, M.; Sancho, C.; Belmonte, Á.; Stoll, H.; Cacho, I.; Edwards, R. L.; Hellstrom, J.

2012-04-01

Although the general climate trends during the Holocene in the Iberian Peninsula have been well described after the study of marine and lacustrine records, many questions regarding the timing of some of the events together with the characterization of the higher-frequency climate variability are still poorly understood. New speleothem records from several caves in northeastern Iberia provide data to explore Holocene climate changes. The selected caves are located in a latitudinal transect from the Pyrenees to the Iberian Range and placed at different altitude. Two of them, 5 de Agosto and Pot au Feu, belong to the same karstic complex in Cotiella massif (Central Pyrenees, 1600 m asl). Seso Cave, also in the Central Pyrenees but at 781 m of altitude, and Molinos cave, a cavity very rich in speleothems located at 1040 m in the Iberian Range, complete the transect. Although in all the caves precipitation coming from Atlantic fronts dominates over the year, a significant Mediterranean influence, specially in summer months, is identified after rainfall monitoring. Speleothem formation during the Holocene occurred at a very low pace in 5 de Agosto cave (80yrs/mm) and increased dramatically at low-altitude caves and during particular periods proved to be wetter (eg. Early Holocene in Molinos cave, less than 10yr/mm). In Seso and Pot au Feu caves, up to seven studied speleothems only grew during short climatic events such as the Iron Cold Period (3000-2500 cal yr BP) or the Little Ice Age (1300-1850 yr AD) that, although cold, were particularly humid periods in northeastern Spain. First stable isotope results highlight the importance of comparing speleothems with similar growing rates and from the same cave to extract climate information and discard other influences. From the integration of four stalagmites from Molinos cave covering since the Holocene onset to 2000 cal yrs BP, the Early Holocene (11.7-8.5 ka BP) with d13C values between -11 and - 9‰ appears as the

Prehistoric contacts over the Straits of Gibraltar indicated by genetic analysis of Iberian Bronze Age cattle

PubMed Central

Anderung, Cecilia; Bouwman, Abigail; Persson, Per; Carretero, José Miguel; Ortega, Ana Isabel; Elburg, Rengert; Smith, Colin; Arsuaga, Juan Luis; Ellegren, Hans; Götherström, Anders

2005-01-01

The geographic situation of the Iberian Peninsula makes it a natural link between Europe and North Africa. However, it is a matter of debate to what extent African influences via the Straits Gibraltar have affected Iberia's prehistoric development. Because early African pastoralist communities were dedicated to cattle breeding, a possible means to detect prehistoric African–Iberian contacts might be to analyze the origin of cattle breeds on the Iberian Peninsula. Some contemporary Iberian cattle breeds show a mtDNA haplotype, T1, that is characteristic to African breeds, generally explained as being the result of the Muslim expansion of the 8th century A.D., and of modern imports. To test a possible earlier African influence, we analyzed mtDNA of Bronze Age cattle from the Portalón cave at the Atapuerca site in northern Spain. Although the majority of samples showed the haplotype T3 that dominates among European breeds of today, the T1 haplotype was found in one specimen radiocarbon dated 1800 calibrated years B.C. Accepting T1 as being of African origin, this result indicates prehistoric African–Iberian contacts and lends support to archaeological finds linking early African and Iberian cultures. We also found a wild ox haplotype in the Iberian Bronze Age sample, reflecting local hybridization or backcrossing or that aurochs were hunted by these farming cultures. PMID:15941827

Test development and use in five Iberian Latin American countries.

PubMed

Wechsler, Solange M; Oakland, Thomas; León, Carmem; Vivas, Eleonora; de Almeida, Leandro; Franco, Amanda; Pérez-Solís, María; Contini, Norma

2014-08-01

The abundance of scholarship on test development and use generally is higher in English-speaking than in Iberian Latin American countries. The purpose of this article is to help overcome this imbalance by describing and identifying similarities and differences in test development and use in two Iberian (Portugal and Spain) and three of the largest Latin American (Argentina, Brazil, and Venezuela) countries. The stages of test development in each country, roles of professional associations, presence of standards for test use, professionals' educational training, commonly used tests, together with prominent challenges to continued progress are discussed. Test development and use in these five countries are transitioning from a dependence on the use of translated tests to greater reliance on adapted and finally nationally constructed tests. Continued growth requires adherence to international standards guiding test development and use. Stronger alliance among professional associations in the Iberian Latin American countries could serve as a catalyst to promote test development in these regions. © 2014 International Union of Psychological Science.

76 FR 45217 - Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Central Gulf of Alaska Rockfish Program...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-28

..., management, safety, and economic gains realized under the Rockfish Pilot Program and viability of the Gulf of...-BA97 Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Central Gulf of Alaska Rockfish Program... available for public review and comment. The groundfish fisheries in the exclusive economic zone of Alaska...

Connection Zones, Surface Water - Groundwater: Aquifers Associated To Niger Central Delta, In Mali.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kone, S.

2016-12-01

Surface water infiltration recharging Mali aquifers occurs through, underlying perched hydrogeological networks, lacustrine zones of the Central Delta or inundation valleys. The mapping of both the Surface water and the Groundwater, their types and availabilities, are briefly presented, and the focus of the study is on the types of hydraulic connections between these water bodies. The aquifers hydraulically connected to the Niger Central Delta flows systems are Continental Terminal/Quaternary, and they concern some areas where either inundation or perennial surface water flow occurs. These aquifers belong to the hydrogeological Unit of Central Delta where the recharge by surface water is estimated to be five percent of the flow loss between the entry and the outlet of this hydrological system. Some attempts of simulation along with a review based on the first studies synthetized in "Synthese Hydrogeologique du Mali" would permit to pave the way to other studies on these hydraulically connected zones in Mali. A previews simulation study, about mapping the potential rate of pumping capacity, corroborates some observed structural characteristics and leads to subdivide the area in two hydrogeological sectors, and the present simulation studies focus on the sector "Macina -Diaka" where surface water are in hydraulic relation with groundwater.

Structural Mapping Along the Central San Andreas Fault-zone Using Airborne Electromagnetics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zamudio, K. D.; Bedrosian, P.; Ball, L. B.

2017-12-01

Investigations of active fault zones typically focus on either surface expressions or the associated seismogenic zones. However, the largely aseismic upper kilometer can hold significant insight into fault-zone architecture, strain partitioning, and fault-zone permeability. Geophysical imaging of the first kilometer provides a link between surface fault mapping and seismically-defined fault zones and is particularly important in geologically complex regions with limited surface exposure. Additionally, near surface imaging can provide insight into the impact of faulting on the hydrogeology of the critical zone. Airborne electromagnetic (AEM) methods offer a unique opportunity to collect a spatially-large, detailed dataset in a matter of days, and are used to constrain subsurface resistivity to depths of 500 meters or more. We present initial results from an AEM survey flown over a 60 kilometer long segment of the central San Andreas Fault (SAF). The survey is centered near Parkfield, California, the site of the SAFOD drillhole, which marks the transition between a creeping fault segment to the north and a locked zone to the south. Cross sections with a depth of investigation up to approximately 500 meters highlight the complex Tertiary and Mesozoic geology that is dismembered by the SAF system. Numerous fault-parallel structures are imaged across a more than 10 kilometer wide zone centered on the surface trace. Many of these features can be related to faults and folds within Plio-Miocene sedimentary rocks found on both sides of the fault. Northeast of the fault, rocks of the Mesozoic Franciscan and Great Valley complexes are extremely heterogeneous, with highly resistive volcanic rocks within a more conductive background. The upper 300 meters of a prominent fault-zone conductor, previously imaged to 1-3 kilometers depth by magnetotellurics, is restricted to a 20 kilometer long segment of the fault, but is up to 4 kilometers wide in places. Elevated fault-zone

Sedimentation across the central California oxygen minimum zone: an alternative coastal upwelling sequence.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vercoutere, T.L.; Mullins, H.T.; McDougall, K.; Thompson, J.B.

1987-01-01

Distribution, abundance, and diversity of terrigenous, authigenous, and biogenous material provide evidence of the effect of bottom currents and oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) on continental slope sedimentation offshore central California. Three major OMZ facies are identified, along the upper and lower edges of OMZ and one at its core.-from Authors

Stictonectes abellani sp. n. (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae: Hydroporinae) from the Iberian Peninsula, with notes on the phylogeny, ecology and distribution of the Iberian species of the genus.

PubMed

Millán, Andrés; Picazo, Félix; Fery, Hans; Moreno, José Luis; Sánchez-Fernández, David

2013-12-09

Stictonectes abellani sp. n. is described from the Iberian Peninsula. On average, the new species is larger and the colouration of the upper surface darker than in most other species of the genus. Seemingly the species has been confounded with others in the past, particularly S. optatus (Seidlitz, 1887). Males can be separated from externally similar species by studying the shape of the parameres. Additionally, the anterior margin of the clypeus is provided with a distinct rim in both sexes, which is absent or only weakly present in other species. The habitus and the male genitalia of the new species are illustrated, and compared with those of S. optatus. External morphological differences from other members of the genus are discussed. According to studies of the molecular phylogeny, based on fragments of four mitochondrial genes, S. abellani sp. n. is clearly separated from previously described species of Stictonectes Brinck, 1943, apparently being relatively basal within the genus. The new species is rather widely distributed in the south-western part of the Iberian Peninsula, inhabiting pools in small temporary siliceous streams. We provide distributional maps for all eight Iberian Stictonectes and estimate the potential distributional areas of the new species and the other two endemic Iberian species S. occidentalis Fresneda & Fery, 1990 and S. rebeccae Bilton, 2011, based on environmental niche modelling. 

The central zone has increased 68Ga-PSMA-11 uptake: "Mickey Mouse ears" can be hot on 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET.

PubMed

Pizzuto, Daniele A; Müller, Julian; Mühlematter, Urs; Rupp, Niels J; Töpfer, Antonia; Mortezavi, Ashkan; Nagel, Hannes; Kranzbühler, Benedikt; Eberli, Daniel; Burger, Irene A

2018-03-09

Given the good correlation between PSMA expression and intraglandular tumour aggressiveness based on immunohistochemistry, there is increasing interest in 68 Ga-PSMA-11 PET/MRI for staging prostate cancer (PCA). Therefore, accurate knowledge of prostate anatomy as well as normal distribution of PSMA within the prostate gland is becoming essential. The aim of this study was to investigate the physiological intraprostatic distribution of 68 Ga-PSMA-11. We retrospectively analysed all patients who underwent a staging 68 Ga-PSMA-11 PET/MRI scan between June 2016 and January 2018 for high-risk PCA, underwent radical prostatectomy in our institution, and gave written consent for further data analysis. In each patient, standardized volumes of interest (VOIs) were placed bilaterally in the central, transition and peripheral zones within the zonal anatomy according to T2 weighted sequences in the axial and coronal planes. VOIs were only placed if they were safely within healthy tissue without spillover from the PCA. SUV max and SUV mean were determined and their differences among the regions were assessed using the Wilcoxon signed-ranks test. Of 283 consecutive patients scanned with 68 Ga-PSMA-11 PET/MR, 31 were analysed. A total of 133 VOIs were placed, 46 in the central zone, 41 in the transition zone and 46 in the peripheral zone. Differences in SUV max between the central zone (mean 3.9 ± 0.58) and transition zone (mean 3.2 ± 0.59) and between the central zone and peripheral zone (mean 2.7 ± 0.54) were statistically significant (both p < 0.001). Our results suggest that higher 68 Ga-PSMA-11 accumulation in the central zone than in the transition and peripheral zones is normal, and leads to a pattern resembling "Mickey Mouse ears" on 68 Ga-PSMA-11 PET. This pattern could be helpful in avoiding false-positive interpretations of PET scans.

Imaging the Chicxulub central crater zone from large scale seismic acoustic wave propagation and gravity modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fucugauchi, J. U.; Ortiz-Aleman, C.; Martin, R.

2017-12-01

Large complex craters are characterized by central uplifts that represent large-scale differential movement of deep basement from the transient cavity. Here we investigate the central sector of the large multiring Chicxulub crater, which has been surveyed by an array of marine, aerial and land-borne geophysical methods. Despite high contrasts in physical properties,contrasting results for the central uplift have been obtained, with seismic reflection surveys showing lack of resolution in the central zone. We develop an integrated seismic and gravity model for the main structural elements, imaging the central basement uplift and melt and breccia units. The 3-D velocity model built from interpolation of seismic data is validated using perfectly matched layer seismic acoustic wave propagation modeling, optimized at grazing incidence using shift in the frequency domain. Modeling shows significant lack of illumination in the central sector, masking presence of the central uplift. Seismic energy remains trapped in an upper low velocity zone corresponding to the sedimentary infill, melt/breccias and surrounding faulted blocks. After conversion of seismic velocities into a volume of density values, we use massive parallel forward gravity modeling to constrain the size and shape of the central uplift that lies at 4.5 km depth, providing a high-resolution image of crater structure.The Bouguer anomaly and gravity response of modeled units show asymmetries, corresponding to the crater structure and distribution of post-impact carbonates, breccias, melt and target sediments

3D seismic structures in different subduction zones (Central Java, Toba Caldera, Central Chile, Costa-Rica and others): common and particular features

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koulakov, I.

2009-12-01

We present several seismic models for different subduction zones derived using the LOTOS tomographic code based on travel times from local earthquakes. The quality and reliability of all these models are supported by various tests (odd/even test, reconstructions with different starting models and free parameters, synthetic modeling with realistic setup, etc). For two datasets (Central Chile and Costa-Rica) we present the results of anisotropic inversion, which determines the orientations and values of fastest and slowest velocities in each point of the study volume. Comparing the velocity models for all considered subduction zones reveals some common features and differences. For example, in all cases we observe a clear low velocity anomaly which appears to link the cluster of intermediate seismicity in the Benioff zone with the volcanoes of the main arc. This pattern is interpreted as paths of ascending fluids and melts which are related to phase transitions in the slab. However, the depths of the seismicity clusters and dipping angle of the low-velocity anomaly are considerably different. For example, beneath Toba the cluster is at 100-130 km depth, and the anomaly is vertical. In Central Java the anomaly is strongly inclined to the direction of the slab, while beneath Central Chile it has the opposite orientation. The amplitudes of velocity anomalies are considerably different. The strongest heterogeneity (up to 30% of negative anomaly) is observed in the crust beneath Central Java, while much lower amplitudes (~15%) are found beneath the Toba Caldera, where a catastrophic super-eruption took place about 70000 years ago. The anisotropic inversion reveal similar features in Costa-Rica and Central Java: trench perpendicular fast velocity orientations in the subducting plate and trench parallel orientations in the mantle wedge. This is consistent with shear wave splitting results obtained for many other subduction zones. Such anisotropy in the corner flow may be

The Origin of The Piz Terri-Lunschania zone (Central Alps, Switzerland)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galster, Federico; Stockli, Daniel

2017-04-01

The Piz Terri-Lunschania zone (PTLZ) represents a band of metasedimentary rocks embedded in a crucial knot at the NE border of the Lepontine dome, at the intersection of the Gotthard, Lucomagno, Simano, Adula and Grava nappes. Its origin and its position in the tectonostratigraphy of the Central Alps are still not completely understood. A better understanding of this sedimentary zone and its tectonic position could shed lights on the Helvetic-Penninic connection and facilitate the disentanglement of the Lepontine dome tectonics. In this study we combine structural and stratigraphic observations with detrital zircon (DZ) and detrital rutile (DR) U-Pb geochronology as well as mineral trace element data from Permian, Triassic and Jurassic sandstones. We compare these data with those from adjacent tectonic units and coeval strata in other portions of the Alpine chain. Maximal depositional ages, abrupt changes in provenances and stratigraphic correlations based on new DZ and DR U-Pb and trace element data allow for a better understanding of the sedimentary evolution of the Terri basin and its palaeogeographic position along the northern margin of the Alpine Tethys. In particular the DZ U-Pb signatures, with its abundant 260-280 Ma zircons and the scarcity of 290-350 Ma zircons, corroborates an Ultra-Adula origin of the PTLZ as proposed by Galster et al (2010; 2012) based on stratigraphic arguments and reinforces the notion of a Briançonnais influence on the stratigraphic record of this complex zone, a fact that has important tectonic and Palaeogeographic implications. Galster F, Cavargna-Sani M, Epard J-L, Masson H (2012) New stratigraphic data from the Lower Penninic between the Adula nappe and the Gotthard massif and consequences for the tectonics and the paleogeography of the Central Alps. Tectonophysics 579:37-55. doi: 10.1016/j.tecto.2012.05.029 Galster F, Epard J-L, Masson H (2010) The Soja and Luzzone-Terri nappes: Discovery of a Briançonnais element below the

High resolution reconstruction of monthly precipitation of Iberian Peninsula using circulation weather types

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cortesi, N.; Trigo, R.; Gonzalez-Hidalgo, J. C.; Ramos, A. M.

2012-06-01

Precipitation over the Iberian Peninsula (IP) is highly variable and shows large spatial contrasts between wet mountainous regions, to the north, and dry regions in the inland plains and southern areas. In this work, a high-density monthly precipitation dataset for the IP was coupled with a set of 26 atmospheric circulation weather types (Trigo and DaCamara, 2000) to reconstruct Iberian monthly precipitation from October to May with a very high resolution of 3030 precipitation series (overall mean density one station each 200 km2). A stepwise linear regression model with forward selection was used to develop monthly reconstructed precipitation series calibrated and validated over 1948-2003 period. Validation was conducted by means of a leave-one-out cross-validation over the calibration period. The results show a good model performance for selected months, with a mean coefficient of variation (CV) around 0.6 for validation period, being particularly robust over the western and central sectors of IP, while the predicted values in the Mediterranean and northern coastal areas are less acute. We show for three long stations (Lisbon, Madrid and Valencia) the comparison between model and original data as an example to how these models can be used in order to obtain monthly precipitation fields since the 1850s over most of IP for this very high density network.

Critical Review of Spatial Planning of CAT Watuputih, Rembang Zone, Central Java, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hadi, Sudharto P.

2018-02-01

The Act 26 of 2007 on spatial planning stipulates that spatial planning at national, provincial and local level must be based on environmental carrying capacity and environmental carrying capability. Provincial governments generally finished its spatial planning in 2010 and the city and regency's governments in 2011.This paper reviews the spatial planning of Central Java and Rembang Regency regarding the use of CAT (ground water basin) Watuputih, Rembang Zone. Both spatial planning determined that CAT Watuputih was allocated for conservation and for mining. The mixed use zoning stimulates conflict between private sector and government on one side and local people along with academician and NGOs on another side. The SEA (Strategic Environmental Assessment) studies initiated by central government found that CAT Watuputih has strong indication to be KBAK (natural landscape area of karst) need to be conserved while at the moment there have been 21 mining permit holders operating since 1998. The lesson learned from the review is that formulation of spatial planning must be conducted participatory by involving relevant stakeholder, objective and accountable.

Evaluating Contaminant Flux from the Vadose Zone to the Groundwater in the Hanford Central Plateau. SX Tank Farms Case Study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Truex, Michael J.; Oostrom, Martinus; Last, George V.

At the DOE Hanford Site, contaminants were discharged to the subsurface through engineered waste sites in the Hanford Central Plateau. Additional waste was released through waste storage tank leaks. Much of the contaminant inventory is still present within the unsaturated vadose zone sediments. The nature and extent of future groundwater contaminant plumes and the growth or decline of current groundwater plumes beneath the Hanford Central Plateau are a function of the contaminant flux from the vadose zone to the groundwater. In general, contaminant transport is slow through the vadose zone and it is difficult to directly measure contaminant flux inmore » the vadose zone. Predictive analysis, supported by site characterization and monitoring data, was applied using a structured, systems-based approach to estimate the future contaminant flux to groundwater in support of remediation decisions for the vadose zone and groundwater (Truex and Carroll 2013). The SX Tank Farm was used as a case study because of the existing contaminant inventory in the vadose zone, observations of elevated moisture content in portions of the vadose zone, presence of a limited-extent groundwater plume, and the relatively large amount and wide variety of data available for the site. Although the SX Tank Farm case study is most representative of conditions at tank farm sites, the study has elements that are also relevant to other types of disposal sites in the Hanford Central Plateau.« less

A strong-motion database from the Central American subduction zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arango, Maria Cristina; Strasser, Fleur O.; Bommer, Julian J.; Hernández, Douglas A.; Cepeda, Jose M.

2011-04-01

Subduction earthquakes along the Pacific Coast of Central America generate considerable seismic risk in the region. The quantification of the hazard due to these events requires the development of appropriate ground-motion prediction equations, for which purpose a database of recordings from subduction events in the region is indispensable. This paper describes the compilation of a comprehensive database of strong ground-motion recordings obtained during subduction-zone events in Central America, focusing on the region from 8 to 14° N and 83 to 92° W, including Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. More than 400 accelerograms recorded by the networks operating across Central America during the last decades have been added to data collected by NORSAR in two regional projects for the reduction of natural disasters. The final database consists of 554 triaxial ground-motion recordings from events of moment magnitudes between 5.0 and 7.7, including 22 interface and 58 intraslab-type events for the time period 1976-2006. Although the database presented in this study is not sufficiently complete in terms of magnitude-distance distribution to serve as a basis for the derivation of predictive equations for interface and intraslab events in Central America, it considerably expands the Central American subduction data compiled in previous studies and used in early ground-motion modelling studies for subduction events in this region. Additionally, the compiled database will allow the assessment of the existing predictive models for subduction-type events in terms of their applicability for the Central American region, which is essential for an adequate estimation of the hazard due to subduction earthquakes in this region.

Influence of pre-cure freezing of Iberian ham on proteolytic changes throughout the ripening process.

PubMed

Pérez-Palacios, Trinidad; Ruiz, Jorge; Barat, Jose Manuel; Aristoy, María Concepción; Antequera, Teresa

2010-05-01

This work aimed to investigate the effect of pre-cure freezing Iberian hams on proteolysis phenomena throughout the ripening process. Non-protein nitrogen (NPN), peptide nitrogen (PN) and amino acid nitrogen (AN) as well as amino acid and dipeptide evolution followed the same trend in both refrigerated (R) and pre-cure frozen (F) Iberian hams during processing. At the different stages of ripening, there were no differences in the content of NPN and AN while F dry-cured hams had higher levels of PN than R hams at the final step. This seemed to be more related to the salt content (lower in F than in R hams) than to the pre-cure freezing treatment. Most amino acids and dipeptides detected showed higher concentrations in F than in R Iberian hams at the green stage, being rather similar at the intermediate phases. At the final stage, the effects of pre-cure freezing of Iberian hams were not well defined, higher levels of some amino acids and dipeptides were found in R than in F Iberian hams whereas other amino acids were lower in R than in F hams. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

78 FR 73454 - Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of Pacific Cod in the Central...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-06

... in the Gulf of Alaska exclusive economic zone according to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish.... 120918468-3111-02] RIN 0648-XC976 Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of Pacific Cod in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska Management Area AGENCY: National Marine...

Electronic nose for the identification of pig feeding and ripening time in Iberian hams.

PubMed

Santos, J P; García, M; Aleixandre, M; Horrillo, M C; Gutiérrez, J; Sayago, I; Fernández, M J; Arés, L

2004-03-01

An electronic nose system to control the processing of dry-cured Iberian ham is presented. The sensors involved are tin oxide semiconductors thin films. They were prepared by RF sputtering. Some of the sensors were doped with metal catalysts as Pt and Pd, in order to improve the selectivity of the sensors. The multisensor with 16 semiconductor sensors, gave different responses from two types of dry-cured Iberian hams which differ in the feeding and curing time. The data has been analysed using the PCA (principal component analysis) and backpropagation and probabilistic neural networks. The analysis shows that different types of Iberian ham can be discriminated and identified successfully.

Atlas of Iberian water beetles (ESACIB database).

PubMed

Sánchez-Fernández, David; Millán, Andrés; Abellán, Pedro; Picazo, Félix; Carbonell, José A; Ribera, Ignacio

2015-01-01

The ESACIB ('EScarabajos ACuáticos IBéricos') database is provided, including all available distributional data of Iberian and Balearic water beetles from the literature up to 2013, as well as from museum and private collections, PhD theses, and other unpublished sources. The database contains 62,015 records with associated geographic data (10×10 km UTM squares) for 488 species and subspecies of water beetles, 120 of them endemic to the Iberian Peninsula and eight to the Balearic Islands. This database was used for the elaboration of the "Atlas de los Coleópteros Acuáticos de España Peninsular". In this dataset data of 15 additional species has been added: 11 that occur in the Balearic Islands or mainland Portugal but not in peninsular Spain and an other four with mainly terrestrial habits within the genus Helophorus (for taxonomic coherence). The complete dataset is provided in Darwin Core Archive format.

Atlas of Iberian water beetles (ESACIB database)

PubMed Central

Sánchez-Fernández, David; Millán, Andrés; Abellán, Pedro; Picazo, Félix; Carbonell, José A.; Ribera, Ignacio

2015-01-01

Abstract The ESACIB (‘EScarabajos ACuáticos IBéricos’) database is provided, including all available distributional data of Iberian and Balearic water beetles from the literature up to 2013, as well as from museum and private collections, PhD theses, and other unpublished sources. The database contains 62,015 records with associated geographic data (10×10 km UTM squares) for 488 species and subspecies of water beetles, 120 of them endemic to the Iberian Peninsula and eight to the Balearic Islands. This database was used for the elaboration of the “Atlas de los Coleópteros Acuáticos de España Peninsular”. In this dataset data of 15 additional species has been added: 11 that occur in the Balearic Islands or mainland Portugal but not in peninsular Spain and an other four with mainly terrestrial habits within the genus Helophorus (for taxonomic coherence). The complete dataset is provided in Darwin Core Archive format. PMID:26448717

A new high-resolution kinematic model for the southern North Atlantic region: the Iberian plate kinematics since the Late Cretaceous

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macchiavelli, Chiara; Vergés, Jaume; Schettino, Antonio; Fernández, Manel; Turco, Eugenio; Torné, Montserrat; Casciello, Emilio

2017-04-01

We present the first high-resolution kinematic model for the southern North Atlantic since the late Cretaceous, in order to constrain the Iberian kinematics during the last 83 Myr. Assessing the detailed movements of the Iberian plate is crucial to constrain the kinematics of the Western Mediterranean region and to better understand the Pyrenees and Betic - Rif orogenic systems evolution. The new plate motions model for the Iberia - North America plate pair is accompanied by a high-resolution isochron map for the southern North Atlantic region, resulting from a re-examination of 400 ship tracks and 3 aeromagnetic tracks in the NGDC data base for the area between the Azores triple junction and 46° N. We derive a well-constrained kinematic solution for the relative motion between an independent Iberia and North America from seafloor spreading data despite the short length of the magnetic lineations and the scarcity of large-offset transform faults and fracture zones. Accurate finite reconstruction poles for the Iberia - North America conjugate plate pair between the Late Cretaceous (Chron 34, 83.5 Ma) and the present day (Chron 2A, 2.58 Ma) are calculated on the basis of a set of 100 magnetic profiles through an iterative method. Euler poles and associated angles of rotation are computed as follow. An initial rotation pole is calculated using only magnetic anomaly crossings. The initial large uncertainty associated with the first determination is reduced by generating a set of synthetic fracture zones associated with the initial pole and using points sampled along these structures in conjunction with magnetic anomaly crossings to calculate a new Euler pole and associated confidence ellipse. This procedure is repeated n times, generating a sequence of improving approximate solutions and stopped when the solution become stable excluding solutions that were inconsistent with geological constraints. We used these results to build a comprehensive kinematic model for the

Surprising migration and population size dynamics in ancient Iberian brown bears (Ursus arctos)

PubMed Central

Valdiosera, Cristina E.; García-Garitagoitia, José Luis; Garcia, Nuria; Doadrio, Ignacio; Thomas, Mark G.; Hänni, Catherine; Arsuaga, Juan-Luis; Barnes, Ian; Hofreiter, Michael; Orlando, Ludovic; Götherström, Anders

2008-01-01

The endangered brown bear populations (Ursus arctos) in Iberia have been suggested to be the last fragments of the brown bear population that served as recolonization stock for large parts of Europe during the Pleistocene. Conservation efforts are intense, and results are closely monitored. However, the efforts are based on the assumption that the Iberian bears are a unique unit that has evolved locally for an extended period. We have sequenced mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from ancient Iberian bear remains and analyzed them as a serial dataset, monitoring changes in diversity and occurrence of European haplogroups over time. Using these data, we show that the Iberian bear population has experienced a dynamic, recent evolutionary history. Not only has the population undergone mitochondrial gene flow from other European brown bears, but the effective population size also has fluctuated substantially. We conclude that the Iberian bear population has been a fluid evolutionary unit, developed by gene flow from other populations and population bottlenecks, far from being in genetic equilibrium or isolated from other brown bear populations. Thus, the current situation is highly unusual and the population may in fact be isolated for the first time in its history. PMID:18347332

Surprising migration and population size dynamics in ancient Iberian brown bears (Ursus arctos).

PubMed

Valdiosera, Cristina E; García-Garitagoitia, José Luis; Garcia, Nuria; Doadrio, Ignacio; Thomas, Mark G; Hänni, Catherine; Arsuaga, Juan-Luis; Barnes, Ian; Hofreiter, Michael; Orlando, Ludovic; Götherström, Anders

2008-04-01

The endangered brown bear populations (Ursus arctos) in Iberia have been suggested to be the last fragments of the brown bear population that served as recolonization stock for large parts of Europe during the Pleistocene. Conservation efforts are intense, and results are closely monitored. However, the efforts are based on the assumption that the Iberian bears are a unique unit that has evolved locally for an extended period. We have sequenced mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from ancient Iberian bear remains and analyzed them as a serial dataset, monitoring changes in diversity and occurrence of European haplogroups over time. Using these data, we show that the Iberian bear population has experienced a dynamic, recent evolutionary history. Not only has the population undergone mitochondrial gene flow from other European brown bears, but the effective population size also has fluctuated substantially. We conclude that the Iberian bear population has been a fluid evolutionary unit, developed by gene flow from other populations and population bottlenecks, far from being in genetic equilibrium or isolated from other brown bear populations. Thus, the current situation is highly unusual and the population may in fact be isolated for the first time in its history.

An economic assessment of implementing streamside management zones in central Appalachian hardwood forests

Treesearch

Yaoxiang Li; Chris B. LeDoux; Jingxin Wang

2006-01-01

The effects of variable width of streamside management zones (25, 50, 75, and 100 ft) (SMZs) and removal level of trees (10%, 30%, and 50% of basal area) on production and cost of implementing SMZs in central Appalachian hardwood forests were simulated by using a computer model. Harvesting operations were performed on an 80-year-old generated natural hardwood stand...

Capability of MODIS radiance to analyze Iberian turbid plumes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernandez-Novoa, Diego; deCastro, Maite; Des, Marisela; Costoya, Xurxo; Mendes, Renato; Gomez-Gesteira, Moncho

2017-04-01

River plumes are formed near river mouths by freshwater and riverine materials. Therefore, the area influenced by freshwater (salinity plume) is usually negatively correlated with the area occupied by suspension and dissolved material (turbid plume). Suspended material results in a strong signal detected by satellite sensors whereas ocean clear waters have negligible contributions. Thus, remote sensing data, such as radiance obtained from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), are a very useful tool to analyze turbid plumes due to the high spatial and time resolution provided. Here, MODIS capability for characterizing similarities and differences among the most important Iberian plumes was assessed under the influence of their main forcing. Daily radiance data from MODIS-Aqua and MODIS-Terra satellite sensors were processed obtaining a resolution of 500 m. Two approaches are usually used for atmospheric correction treatments: Near-Infrared (NIR) bands and a combined algorithm using NIR and Short Wave Infrared (SWIR) bands. In the particular case of Iberian Peninsula plumes both methods offered similar results, although NIR bands present a lower associated error. MODIS allows working with several bands of normalized water-leaving radiances (nLw). Focusing in the resolution provided, nLw555 and 645 were the most appropriate because both provide the best coverage and correlation with river discharge. The nLw645 band was chosen because has a lower water penetration avoiding overestimations of turbidity caused by shallow seafloor areas and/or upwelling blooms. Daily data from both satellites were merged to enhance the robustness and precision of the study by increasing the number of available pixels. Results indicate that differences between radiance data from both satellites are negligible for Iberian plumes, justifying the merging. By last, each turbid limit, to delimit the respective plume from adjacent seawater, was obtained using two alternative

Hidden MHC genetic diversity in the Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica).

PubMed

Angelone, Samer; Jowers, Michael J; Molinar Min, Anna Rita; Fandos, Paulino; Prieto, Paloma; Pasquetti, Mario; Cano-Manuel, Francisco Javier; Mentaberre, Gregorio; Olvera, Jorge Ramón López; Ráez-Bravo, Arián; Espinosa, José; Pérez, Jesús M; Soriguer, Ramón C; Rossi, Luca; Granados, José Enrique

2018-05-08

Defining hidden genetic diversity within species is of great significance when attempting to maintain the evolutionary potential of natural populations and conduct appropriate management. Our hypothesis is that isolated (and eventually small) wild animal populations hide unexpected genetic diversity due to their maintenance of ancient polymorphisms or introgressions. We tested this hypothesis using the Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica) as an example. Previous studies based on large sample sizes taken from its principal populations have revealed that the Iberian ibex has a remarkably small MHC DRB1 diversity (only six remnant alleles) as a result of recent population bottlenecks and a marked demographic decline that has led to the extinction of two recognized subspecies. Extending on the geographic range to include non-studied isolated Iberian ibex populations, we sequenced a new MHC DRB1 in what seemed three small isolated populations in Southern Spain (n = 132). The findings indicate a higher genetic diversity than previously reported in this important gene. The newly discovered allele, MHC DRB1*7, is identical to one reported in the domestic goat C. aegagrus hircus. Whether or not this is the result of ancient polymorphisms maintained by balancing selection or, alternatively, introgressions from domestic goats through hybridization needs to be clarified in future studies. However, hybridization between Iberian ibex and domestic goats has been reported in Spain and the fact that the newly discovered allele is only present in one of the small isolated populations and not in the others suggests introgression. The new discovered allele is not expected to increase fitness in C. pyrenaica since it generates the same protein as the existing MHC DRB1*6. Analysis of a microsatellite locus (OLADRB1) near the new MHC DRB1*7 gene reveals a linkage disequilibrium between these two loci. The allele OLADRB1, 187 bp in length, was unambiguously linked to the MHC DRB1*7 allele

Marine exotic isopods from the Iberian Peninsula and nearby waters.

PubMed

Martínez-Laiz, Gemma; Ros, Macarena; Guerra-García, José M

2018-01-01

Effective management of marine bioinvasions starts with prevention, communication among the scientific community and comprehensive updated data on the distribution ranges of exotic species. Despite being a hotspot for introduction due to numerous shipping routes converging at the Strait of Gibraltar, knowledge of marine exotics in the Iberian Peninsula is scarce, especially of abundant but small-sized and taxonomically challenging taxa such as the Order Isopoda. To fill this gap, we conducted several sampling surveys in 44 marinas and provide the first comprehensive study of marine exotic isopods from the Iberian Peninsula, the southern side of the Strait of Gibraltar (northern Africa) and the Balearic Islands. Exotic species included Ianiropsis serricaudis (first record for the Iberian Peninsula and Lusitanian marine province), Paracerceis sculpta (first record for the Alboran Sea ecoregion), Paradella dianae , Paranthura japonica (earliest record for the Iberian Peninsula) and Sphaeroma walkeri . Photographs with morphological details for identification for non-taxonomic experts are provided, their worldwide distribution is updated and patterns of invasion are discussed. We report an expansion in the distribution range of all species, especially at the Strait of Gibraltar and nearby areas. Ianiropsis serricaudis and Paranthura japonica are polyvectic, with shellfish trade and recreational boating being most probable vectors for their introduction and secondary spread. The subsequent finding of the studied species in additional marinas over the years points at recreational boating as a vector and indicates a future spread. We call for attention to reduce lags in the detection and reporting of small-size exotics, which usually remain overlooked or underestimated until the invasion process is at an advanced stage.

Marine exotic isopods from the Iberian Peninsula and nearby waters

PubMed Central

Ros, Macarena; Guerra-García, José M.

2018-01-01

Effective management of marine bioinvasions starts with prevention, communication among the scientific community and comprehensive updated data on the distribution ranges of exotic species. Despite being a hotspot for introduction due to numerous shipping routes converging at the Strait of Gibraltar, knowledge of marine exotics in the Iberian Peninsula is scarce, especially of abundant but small-sized and taxonomically challenging taxa such as the Order Isopoda. To fill this gap, we conducted several sampling surveys in 44 marinas and provide the first comprehensive study of marine exotic isopods from the Iberian Peninsula, the southern side of the Strait of Gibraltar (northern Africa) and the Balearic Islands. Exotic species included Ianiropsis serricaudis (first record for the Iberian Peninsula and Lusitanian marine province), Paracerceis sculpta (first record for the Alboran Sea ecoregion), Paradella dianae, Paranthura japonica (earliest record for the Iberian Peninsula) and Sphaeroma walkeri. Photographs with morphological details for identification for non-taxonomic experts are provided, their worldwide distribution is updated and patterns of invasion are discussed. We report an expansion in the distribution range of all species, especially at the Strait of Gibraltar and nearby areas. Ianiropsis serricaudis and Paranthura japonica are polyvectic, with shellfish trade and recreational boating being most probable vectors for their introduction and secondary spread. The subsequent finding of the studied species in additional marinas over the years points at recreational boating as a vector and indicates a future spread. We call for attention to reduce lags in the detection and reporting of small-size exotics, which usually remain overlooked or underestimated until the invasion process is at an advanced stage. PMID:29507825

Genetic Footprints of Iberian Cattle in America 500 Years after the Arrival of Columbus

PubMed Central

Martínez, Amparo M.; Gama, Luis T.; Cañón, Javier; Ginja, Catarina; Delgado, Juan V.; Dunner, Susana; Landi, Vincenzo; Martín-Burriel, Inmaculada; Penedo, M. Cecilia T.; Rodellar, Clementina; Vega-Pla, Jose Luis; Acosta, Atzel; Álvarez, Luz A.; Camacho, Esperanza; Cortés, Oscar; Marques, Jose R.; Martínez, Roberto; Martínez, Ruben D.; Melucci, Lilia; Martínez-Velázquez, Guillermo; Muñoz, Jaime E.; Postiglioni, Alicia; Quiroz, Jorge; Sponenberg, Philip; Uffo, Odalys; Villalobos, Axel; Zambrano, Delsito; Zaragoza, Pilar

2012-01-01

Background American Creole cattle presumably descend from animals imported from the Iberian Peninsula during the period of colonization and settlement, through different migration routes, and may have also suffered the influence of cattle directly imported from Africa. The introduction of European cattle, which began in the 18th century, and later of Zebu from India, has threatened the survival of Creole populations, some of which have nearly disappeared or were admixed with exotic breeds. Assessment of the genetic status of Creole cattle is essential for the establishment of conservation programs of these historical resources. Methodology/Principal Findings We sampled 27 Creole populations, 39 Iberian, 9 European and 6 Zebu breeds. We used microsatellite markers to assess the origins of Creole cattle, and to investigate the influence of different breeds on their genetic make-up. The major ancestral contributions are from breeds of southern Spain and Portugal, in agreement with the historical ports of departure of ships sailing towards the Western Hemisphere. This Iberian contribution to Creoles may also include some African influence, given the influential role that African cattle have had in the development of Iberian breeds, but the possibility of a direct influence on Creoles of African cattle imported to America can not be discarded. In addition to the Iberian influence, the admixture with other European breeds was minor. The Creoles from tropical areas, especially those from the Caribbean, show clear signs of admixture with Zebu. Conclusions/Significance Nearly five centuries since cattle were first brought to the Americas, Creoles still show a strong and predominant signature of their Iberian ancestors. Creole breeds differ widely from each other, both in genetic structure and influences from other breeds. Efforts are needed to avoid their extinction or further genetic erosion, which would compromise centuries of selective adaptation to a wide range of

Long-term patterns in Iberian hare population dynamics in a protected area (Doñana National Park) in the southwestern Iberian Peninsula: Effects of weather conditions and plant cover.

PubMed

Carro, Francisco; Soriguer, Ramón C

2017-01-01

The Iberian hare (Lepus granatensis) is a widely distributed endemic species in the Iberian Peninsula. To improve our knowledge of its population dynamics, the relative abundance and population trends of the Iberian hare were studied in the autumns of 1995-2012 in a protected area (Doñana National Park) by spotlighting in 2 different habitats: marshland and ecotones. The average relative abundance was 0.38 hare/km (SD = 0.63) in the marshland and 3.6 hares/km (SD = 4.09) in ecotones. The Iberian hare population exhibited local interannual fluctuations and a negative population trend during the study period (1995-2012). The results suggest that its populations are in decline. The flooding of parts of the marshland in June, July and October favor hare abundance in the ecotone. Hare abundance in the marshland increases as the flooded surface area increases in October. These effects are more pronounced if the rains are early (October) and partially flood the marsh. By contrast, when marsh grasses and graminoids are very high and thick (as measured using the aerial herbaceous biomass [biomass marshland] as a proxy), the abundance of hares decreases dramatically as does the area of the marsh that is flooded (in November). © 2016 International Society of Zoological Sciences, Institute of Zoology/Chinese Academy of Sciences and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Geoelectrical structure of the central zone of Piton de la Fournaise volcano (Reunion)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lenat, J.-F.; Fitterman, D.; Jackson, D.B.; Labazuy, P.

2000-01-01

A study of the geoelectrical structure of the central part of Piton de la Fournaise volcano (Reunion, Indian Ocean) was made using direct current electrical (DC) and transient electromagnetic soundings (TEM). Piton de la Fournaise is a highly active oceanic basaltic shield and has been active for more than half a million years. Joint interpretation of the DC and TEM data allows us to obtain reliable 1D models of the resistivity distribution. The depth of investigation is of the order of 1.5 km but varies with the resistivity pattern encountered at each sounding. Two-dimensional resistivity cross sections were constructed by interpolation between the soundings of the 1D interpreted models. Conductors with resistivities less than 100 ohm-m are present at depth beneath all of the soundings and are located high in the volcanic edifice at elevations between 2000 and 1200 m. The deepest conductor has a resistivity less than 20 ohm-m for soundings located inside the Enclos and less than 60-100 ohm-m for soundings outside the Enclos. From the resistivity distributions, two zones are distinguished: (a) the central zone of the Enclos; and (b) the outer zone beyond the Enclos. Beneath the highly active summit area, the conductor rises to within a few hundred meters of the surface. This bulge coincides with a 2000-mV self-potential anomaly. Low-resistivity zones are inferred to show the presence of a hydrothermal system where alteration by steam and hot water has lowered the resistivity of the rocks. Farther from the summit, but inside the Enclos the depth to the conductive layers increases to approximately 1 km and is inferred to be a deepening of the hydrothermally altered zone. Outside of the Enclos, the nature of the deep, conductive layers is not established. The observed resistivities suggest the presence of hydrated minerals, which could be found in landslide breccias, in hydrothermally altered zones, or in thick pyroclastic layers. Such formations often create perched

Pre-cure freezing effect on physicochemical, texture and sensory characteristics of Iberian ham.

PubMed

Pérez-Palacios, T; Ruiz, J; Martín, D; Barat, J M; Antequera, T

2011-04-01

The aim of this work was to investigate the effect of pre-cure freezing on the physicochemical, texture and sensory characteristics of raw and dry-cured hams. Both, refrigerated (R) and pre-cure frozen (F) hams showed the same weight losses during the processing. At the green stage F Iberian hams had lower moisture content, higher values of a* and chroma, lower hardness and chewiness and higher adhesiveness and springiness than R ones. However, at the end of the processing R and F Iberian hams only were different in salt content, F hams showing lower values than R ones. Sensory analysis of Iberian dry-cured ham did not show differences in salty taste. Panelist detected a higher fat hardness and lean pastiness in F than in R hams. The overall acceptability for both groups of dry-cured hams was between average and good.

Evidence of synsedimentary microbial activity and iron deposition in ferruginous crusts of the Late Cenomanian Utrillas Formation (Iberian Basin, central Spain)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

García-Hidalgo, José F.; Elorza, Javier; Gil-Gil, Javier; Herrero, José M.; Segura, Manuel

2018-02-01

Ferruginous sandstones and crusts are prominent sedimentary features throughout the continental (braided)-coastal siliciclastic (estuarine-tidal) wedges of the Late Cenomanian Utrillas Formation in the Iberian Basin. Crust types recognized are: Ferruginous sandy crusts (Fsc) with oxides-oxyhydroxides (hematite and goethite) concentrated on sandstone tops presenting a fibro-radial internal structure reminding organic structures that penetrate different mineral phases, suggesting the existence of bacterial activity in crust development; Ferruginous muddy crusts (Fmc) consisting of wavy, laminated, microbial mats, being composed mainly of hematite. On the other hand, a more dispersed and broader mineralization included as Ferruginous sandstones with iron oxides and oxyhydroxides (hematite and goethite) representing a limited cement phase on these sediments. The presence of microbial remains, ferruginous minerals, Microbially-induced sedimentary structures, microbial laminites and vertebrate tracks preserved due to the presence of biofilms suggest firstly a direct evidence of syn-depositional microbial activity in these sediments; and, secondly, that iron accumulation and ferruginous crusts development occurred immediately after deposition of the host, still soft sediments. Ferruginous crusts cap sedimentary cycles and they represent the gradual development of hard substrate conditions, and the development of a discontinuity surface at the top of the parasequence sets, related to very low sedimentary rates; the overlying sediments record subsequent flooding of underlying shallower environments; crusts are, consequently, interpreted as boundaries for these higher-order cycles in the Iberian Basin.

Hybridization patterns in two contact zones of grass snakes reveal a new Central European snake species.

PubMed

Kindler, Carolin; Chèvre, Maxime; Ursenbacher, Sylvain; Böhme, Wolfgang; Hille, Axel; Jablonski, Daniel; Vamberger, Melita; Fritz, Uwe

2017-08-07

Recent studies found major conflicts between traditional taxonomy and genetic differentiation of grass snakes and identified previously unknown secondary contact zones. Until now, little is known about gene flow across these contact zones. Using two mitochondrial markers and 13 microsatellite loci, we examined two contact zones. One, largely corresponding to the Rhine region, involves the western subspecies Natrix natrix helvetica and the eastern subspecies N. n. natrix, whereas in the other, more easterly, contact zone two lineages meet that are currently identified with N. n. natrix and N. n. persa. This second contact zone runs across Central Europe to the southern Balkans. Our analyses reveal that the western contact zone is narrow, with parapatrically distributed mitochondrial lineages and limited, largely unidirectional nuclear gene flow. In contrast, the eastern contact zone is very wide, with massive nuclear admixture and broadly overlapping mitochondrial lineages. In combination with additional lines of evidence (morphology, phylogeny, divergence times), we conclude that these differences reflect different stages in the speciation process and that Natrix helvetica should be regarded as a distinct species. We suggest a nomenclatural framework for presently recognized grass snake taxa and highlight the need for reconciling the conflicts between genetics and taxonomy.

Genetic variation of the endangered Gentiana lutea L. var. aurantiaca (Gentianaceae) in populations from the Northwest Iberian Peninsula.

PubMed

González-López, Oscar; Polanco, Carlos; György, Zsuzsanna; Pedryc, Andrzej; Casquero, Pedro A

2014-06-05

Gentiana lutea L. (G. lutea L.) is an endangered plant, patchily distributed along the mountains of Central and Southern Europe. In this study, inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers were used to investigate the genetic variation in this species within and among populations of G. lutea L. var. aurantiaca of the Cantabrian Mountains (Northwest Iberian Peninsula). Samples of G. lutea L. collected at different locations of the Pyrenees and samples of G. lutea L. subsp. vardjanii of the Dolomites Alps were also analyzed for comparison. Using nine ISSR primers, 106 bands were generated, and 89.6% of those were polymorphic. The populations from the Northwest Iberian Peninsula were clustered in three different groups, with a significant correlation between genetic and geographic distances. Gentiana lutea L. var. aurantiaca showed 19.8% private loci and demonstrated a remarkable level of genetic variation, both among populations and within populations; those populations with the highest level of isolation show the lowest genetic variation within populations. The low number of individuals, as well as the observed genetic structure of the analyzed populations makes it necessary to protect them to ensure their survival before they are too small to persist naturally.

Genetic Variation of the Endangered Gentiana lutea L. var. aurantiaca (Gentianaceae) in Populations from the Northwest Iberian Peninsula

PubMed Central

González-López, Oscar; Polanco, Carlos; György, Zsuzsanna; Pedryc, Andrzej; Casquero, Pedro A.

2014-01-01

Gentiana lutea L. (G. lutea L.) is an endangered plant, patchily distributed along the mountains of Central and Southern Europe. In this study, inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers were used to investigate the genetic variation in this species within and among populations of G. lutea L. var. aurantiaca of the Cantabrian Mountains (Northwest Iberian Peninsula). Samples of G. lutea L. collected at different locations of the Pyrenees and samples of G. lutea L. subsp. vardjanii of the Dolomites Alps were also analyzed for comparison. Using nine ISSR primers, 106 bands were generated, and 89.6% of those were polymorphic. The populations from the Northwest Iberian Peninsula were clustered in three different groups, with a significant correlation between genetic and geographic distances. Gentiana lutea L. var. aurantiaca showed 19.8% private loci and demonstrated a remarkable level of genetic variation, both among populations and within populations; those populations with the highest level of isolation show the lowest genetic variation within populations. The low number of individuals, as well as the observed genetic structure of the analyzed populations makes it necessary to protect them to ensure their survival before they are too small to persist naturally. PMID:24905405

Radical Islamist Ideologies and the Long War: Implications for U.S. Strategic Planning and U.S. Central Command’s Operations

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

conquered a swath of territory from Central Asia to Persia, across North Africa and then on to nearly all of the Iberian Peninsula and Southern Italy...the Iberian Peninsula in 1492, what Princeton Professor Bernard Lewis has termed “the House of Islam” (dar al-Islam)14 continued to expand its...Muslim community, with particular focus on the Arabian peninsula and Middle East region where the caliphate was seated. The anti-Western thrust of

Environmental isolation explains Iberian genetic diversity in the highly homozygous model grass Brachypodium distachyon.

PubMed

Marques, Isabel; Shiposha, Valeriia; López-Alvarez, Diana; Manzaneda, Antonio J; Hernandez, Pilar; Olonova, Marina; Catalán, Pilar

2017-06-15

Brachypodium distachyon (Poaceae), an annual Mediterranean Aluminum (Al)-sensitive grass, is currently being used as a model species to provide new information on cereals and biofuel crops. The plant has a short life cycle and one of the smallest genomes in the grasses being well suited to experimental manipulation. Its genome has been fully sequenced and several genomic resources are being developed to elucidate key traits and gene functions. A reliable germplasm collection that reflects the natural diversity of this species is therefore needed for all these genomic resources. However, despite being a model plant, we still know very little about its genetic diversity. As a first step to overcome this gap, we used nuclear Simple Sequence Repeats (nSSR) to study the patterns of genetic diversity and population structure of B. distachyon in 14 populations sampled across the Iberian Peninsula (Spain), one of its best known areas. We found very low levels of genetic diversity, allelic number and heterozygosity in B. distachyon, congruent with a highly selfing system. Our results indicate the existence of at least three genetic clusters providing additional evidence for the existence of a significant genetic structure in the Iberian Peninsula and supporting this geographical area as an important genetic reservoir. Several hotspots of genetic diversity were detected and populations growing on basic soils were significantly more diverse than those growing in acidic soils. A partial Mantel test confirmed a statistically significant Isolation-By-Distance (IBD) among all studied populations, as well as a statistically significant Isolation-By-Environment (IBE) revealing the presence of environmental-driven isolation as one explanation for the genetic patterns found in the Iberian Peninsula. The finding of higher genetic diversity in eastern Iberian populations occurring in basic soils suggests that these populations can be better adapted than those occurring in western areas

Not so deserted…paleoecology and human subsistence in Central Iberia (Guadalajara, Spain) around the Last Glacial Maximum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yravedra, José; Julien, Marie-Anne; Alcaraz-Castaño, Manuel; Estaca-Gómez, Verónica; Alcolea-González, Javier; de Balbín-Behrmann, Rodrigo; Lécuyer, Christophe; Marcel, Claude Hillaire; Burke, Ariane

2016-05-01

In contrast to the coastal areas of the Iberian Peninsula, the Upper Palaeolithic settlement of central Iberia, dominated by the Spanish plateau, is poorly known. Traditional models assume a total or virtual depopulation of the interior of the Iberian Peninsula during the Last Glacial. In this paper we present a detailed investigation of human-environment interactions through the first zooarchaeological, taphonomic and isotopic study of the key site of Peña Capón, a rock shelter located in the south-eastern foothills of the Central System range that contains a multi-layered deposit dated to marine isotope stage 2 (MIS 2). Analyses of the faunal assemblages of the Proto-Solutrean (3) and Middle Solutrean (2) layers show that human preferentially hunted horse, deer and iberian ibex living in the vicinity of the rock shelter. Isotope geochemistry of the animal remains of Peña Capón provides us with the first detailed intra-tooth multi-proxy analysis for this time period in south-western Europe, providing estimates of climatic conditions, seasonal flucturation of diet, as well as patterns of seasonal mobility. Our results indicate that human presence at Peña Capón was apparently restricted to relatively warm intervals around the LGM or reflects the presence of an ecological refuge, and provide us with evidence of recurrent human presence in the Iberian interior during the Upper Paleolithic prior to the Magdalenian.

Instrumental colour of Iberian ham subcutaneous fat and lean (biceps femoris): Influence of crossbreeding and rearing system.

PubMed

Carrapiso, Ana I; García, Carmen

2005-10-01

The influence of crossbreeding (Iberian vs Iberian×Duroc 50% pigs) and rearing system (Montanera vs Pienso) on the instrumental colour of Iberian ham (subcutaneous fat and biceps femoris muscle) and the relationships to sensory appearance and chemical composition were researched by using a factorial design. In subcutaneous fat, a significant effect (p<0.05) of crossbreeding and rearing system was found: b* and chroma were larger in hams from Iberian pigs than from Iberian×Duroc (50%) pigs, and L*, a* and chroma were larger in Pienso hams than in Montanera hams. CIEL*a*b* variables of subcutaneous fat were closely related to subcutaneous fatty acid composition, the largest correlationships involving L* (L* and 18:0, 0.652, p<0.001; L* and 18:1, -0.616, p<0.001). Instrumental colour variables and sensory appearance were also correlated (L* and fat pinkness, -0.539, p<0.001). In lean (biceps femoris), instrumental colour data was not affected by crossbreeding and rearing system. CIEL*a*b* variables were not related to chemical composition (moisture, NaCl, intramuscular fat and pigment content), although they were correlated to sensory appearance (L* and marbling, 0.419, p=0.014).

Three-dimensional structure and seismicity beneath the Central Vanuatu subduction zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foix, Oceane; Crawford, Wayne; Pelletier, Bernard; Regnier, Marc; Garaebiti, Esline; Koulakov, Ivan

2017-04-01

The 1400-km long Vanuatu subduction zone results from subduction of the oceanic Australian plate (OAP) beneath the North-Fijian microplate (NFM). Seismic and volcanic activity are both high, and several morphologic features enter into subduction, affecting seismicity and probably plate coupling. The Entrecasteaux Ridge, West-Torres plateau, and Bougainville seamount currently enter into subduction below the large forearc islands of Santo and Malekula. This collision coincides with a strongly decreased local convergence velocity rate - 35 mm/yr compared to 120-160 mm/yr to the north and south - and significant uplift on the overriding plate, indicating a high degree of deformation. The close proximity of large uplifted forearc islands to the trench provides excellent coverage of the megathrust seismogenic zone for a seismological study. We used 10 months of seismological data collected using the 30-instrument land and sea ARC-VANUATU seismology network to construct a 3D velocity model — using the LOTOS joint location/model inversion software — and locate 11655 earthquakes using the NonLinLoc software suite. The 3-D model reveals low P and S velocities in the first tens of kilometers beneath both islands, probably due to water infiltration in the heavily faulted upper plate. The model also suggests the presence of a subducted seamount beneath south Santo. The earthquake locations reveal a complex interaction of faults and stress zones related to high and highly variable deformation. Both brittle deformation and the seismogenic zone depth limits vary along-slab and earthquake clusters are identified beneath central and south Santo, at about 10-30 km of depth, and southwest of Malekula island between 10-20 km depth.

Following solar activity with geomagnetic and cosmic-ray ground-based stations in the Iberian Peninsula region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Villasante-Marcos, Victor; José Blanco, Juan; Miquel Torta, Joan; Catalán, Manuel; Ribeiro, Paulo; Morozova, Anna; Tordesillas, José Manuel; Solé, Germán; Gomis-Moreno, Almudena

2016-04-01

The Iberian Peninsula is located in the South-West of Europe between 36°00' N and 43°47' N and between 9°29' W and 3°19' E. There are four Geomagnetic Observatories currently operative in this area devoted to the observation of the Earth's magnetic field: Observatori de l'Ebre (NE Spain); Observatorio de San Pablo de los Montes (central Spain); Observatorio de San Fernando (southern Spain); Observatório de Coimbra (central Portugal); plus another one, Observatorio de Güímar, in Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain). There is also one neutron monitor located in Guadalajara (central Spain; 40°38' N, 3°9' W at 708 m asl) continuously measuring the arrival of cosmic rays to the Earth's surface. In this work we show combined observations of these six stations during events caused by solar activity. We analyze them looking for differences that could imply extremely local effects caused by the response of the Earth's magnetosphere and ionosphere to solar activity.

Estimation of recurrence interval of large earthquakes on the central Longmen Shan fault zone based on seismic moment accumulation/release model.

PubMed

Ren, Junjie; Zhang, Shimin

2013-01-01

Recurrence interval of large earthquake on an active fault zone is an important parameter in assessing seismic hazard. The 2008 Wenchuan earthquake (Mw 7.9) occurred on the central Longmen Shan fault zone and ruptured the Yingxiu-Beichuan fault (YBF) and the Guanxian-Jiangyou fault (GJF). However, there is a considerable discrepancy among recurrence intervals of large earthquake in preseismic and postseismic estimates based on slip rate and paleoseismologic results. Post-seismic trenches showed that the central Longmen Shan fault zone probably undertakes an event similar to the 2008 quake, suggesting a characteristic earthquake model. In this paper, we use the published seismogenic model of the 2008 earthquake based on Global Positioning System (GPS) and Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) data and construct a characteristic seismic moment accumulation/release model to estimate recurrence interval of large earthquakes on the central Longmen Shan fault zone. Our results show that the seismogenic zone accommodates a moment rate of (2.7 ± 0.3) × 10¹⁷ N m/yr, and a recurrence interval of 3900 ± 400 yrs is necessary for accumulation of strain energy equivalent to the 2008 earthquake. This study provides a preferred interval estimation of large earthquakes for seismic hazard analysis in the Longmen Shan region.

Estimation of Recurrence Interval of Large Earthquakes on the Central Longmen Shan Fault Zone Based on Seismic Moment Accumulation/Release Model

PubMed Central

Zhang, Shimin

2013-01-01

Recurrence interval of large earthquake on an active fault zone is an important parameter in assessing seismic hazard. The 2008 Wenchuan earthquake (Mw 7.9) occurred on the central Longmen Shan fault zone and ruptured the Yingxiu-Beichuan fault (YBF) and the Guanxian-Jiangyou fault (GJF). However, there is a considerable discrepancy among recurrence intervals of large earthquake in preseismic and postseismic estimates based on slip rate and paleoseismologic results. Post-seismic trenches showed that the central Longmen Shan fault zone probably undertakes an event similar to the 2008 quake, suggesting a characteristic earthquake model. In this paper, we use the published seismogenic model of the 2008 earthquake based on Global Positioning System (GPS) and Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) data and construct a characteristic seismic moment accumulation/release model to estimate recurrence interval of large earthquakes on the central Longmen Shan fault zone. Our results show that the seismogenic zone accommodates a moment rate of (2.7 ± 0.3) × 1017 N m/yr, and a recurrence interval of 3900 ± 400 yrs is necessary for accumulation of strain energy equivalent to the 2008 earthquake. This study provides a preferred interval estimation of large earthquakes for seismic hazard analysis in the Longmen Shan region. PMID:23878524

Palaeostress perturbations near the El Castillo de las Guardas fault (SW Iberian Massif)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

García-Navarro, Encarnación; Fernández, Carlos

2010-05-01

Use of stress inversion methods on faults measured at 33 sites located at the northwestern part of the South Portuguese Zone (Variscan Iberian Massif), and analysis of the basic dyke attitude at this same region, has revealed a prominent perturbation of the stress trajectories around some large, crustal-scale faults, like the El Castillo de las Guardas fault. The results are compared with the predictions of theoretical models of palaeostress deviations near master faults. According to this comparison, the El Castillo de las Guardas fault, an old structure that probably reversed several times its slip sense, can be considered as a sinistral strike-slip fault during the Moscovian. These results also point out the main shortcomings that still hinder a rigorous quantitative use of the theoretical models of stress perturbations around major faults: the spatial variation in the parameters governing the brittle behaviour of the continental crust, and the possibility of oblique slip along outcrop-scale faults in regions subjected to general, non-plane strain.

Population structure of Cicada barbara Stål (Hemiptera, Cicadoidea) from the Iberian Peninsula and Morocco based on mitochondrial DNA analysis.

PubMed

Pinto-Juma, G A; Quartau, J A; Bruford, M W

2008-02-01

We assess the genetic history and population structure of Cicada barbara in Morocco and the Iberian Peninsula, based on analysis of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. The divergence between Morocco and the Iberian Peninsula populations was strongly corroborated by the molecular data, suggesting genetically isolated populations with a low level of gene flow. The Ceuta population from Spanish North Africa was more similar to the Iberian populations than the surrounding Moroccan populations, suggesting that the Strait of Gibraltar has not been acting as a strict barrier to dispersal while the Rif Mountains have. The Iberian Peninsula specimens showed a signature of demographic expansion before that which occurred in Morocco, but some of the assumptions related to the demographic parameters should be considered with caution due to the small genetic variation found. The high haplotype diversity found in Morocco implies higher demographic stability than in the Iberian Peninsula populations. These results do not, however, suggest a Moroccan origin for Iberian cicadas; but the most northwest region in Africa, such as Ceuta, might have acted as a southern refuge for Iberian cicadas during the most severe climatic conditions, from where they could expand north when climate improved. The separation of two subspecies within C. barbara (C. barbara lusitanica and C. barbara barbara) finds support with these results.

Iberian Odonata distribution: data of the BOS Arthropod Collection (University of Oviedo, Spain)

PubMed Central

Torralba-Burrial, Antonio; Ocharan, Francisco J.

2013-01-01

Abstract Odonata are represented from the Iberian Peninsula by 79 species. However, there exists a significant gap in accessible knowledge about these species,especially regarding their distribution. This data paper describes the specimen-based Odonata data of the Arthropod Collection of the Department of Biología de Organismos y Sistemas (BOS), University of Oviedo, Spain. The specimens were mainly collected from the Iberian Peninsula (98.63% of the data records), especially the northern region. The earliest specimen deposited in the collection dates back to 1950, while the 1980’s and 2000’s are the best-represented time periods. Between 1950 and 2009, 16, 604 Odonata specimens were deposited and are documented in the dataset. Approximately 20% of the specimens belong to the families Coenagrionidae and Calopterygidae. Specimens include the holotype and paratypes of the Iberian subspecies Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis asturica Ocharan, 1983 and Sympetrum vulgatum ibericum Ocharan, 1985. The complete dataset is also provided in Darwin Core Archive format. PMID:23794917

Iberian Odonata distribution: data of the BOS Arthropod Collection (University of Oviedo, Spain).

PubMed

Torralba-Burrial, Antonio; Ocharan, Francisco J

2013-01-01

Odonata are represented from the Iberian Peninsula by 79 species. However, there exists a significant gap in accessible knowledge about these species,especially regarding their distribution. This data paper describes the specimen-based Odonata data of the Arthropod Collection of the Department of Biología de Organismos y Sistemas (BOS), University of Oviedo, Spain. The specimens were mainly collected from the Iberian Peninsula (98.63% of the data records), especially the northern region. The earliest specimen deposited in the collection dates back to 1950, while the 1980's and 2000's are the best-represented time periods. Between 1950 and 2009, 16, 604 Odonata specimens were deposited and are documented in the dataset. Approximately 20% of the specimens belong to the families Coenagrionidae and Calopterygidae. Specimens include the holotype and paratypes of the Iberian subspecies Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis asturica Ocharan, 1983 and Sympetrum vulgatum ibericum Ocharan, 1985. The complete dataset is also provided in Darwin Core Archive format.

Comparability of fish-based ecological quality assessments for geographically distinct Iberian regions.

PubMed

Segurado, P; Caiola, N; Pont, D; Oliveira, J M; Delaigue, O; Ferreira, M T

2014-04-01

In this work we compare two Iberian and a pan-European fish-based methods to assess ecological quality in rivers: the Fish-based Index of Biotic Integrity for Portuguese Wadeable Streams (F-IBIP), the Mediterranean Index of Biotic Integrity (IBIMED) and the pan-European Fish Index (EFI+). The results presented herein were developed in the context of the 2nd phase of the Intercalibration Exercise (IC), as required by the Water Frame Directive (WFD). The IC is aimed at ensuring comparability of the quality boundaries among the different WFD assessment methods developed by the Member States for each biological quality element. Although the two national assessment methods were developed for very distinct regions of Iberia (Western and Eastern Iberian Peninsula) they share the same methodological background: both are type-specific and guild-based multimetric indices. EFI+ is a multimetric guild-based model, but it is site-specific and uses a predictive modelling approach. The three indices were computed for all sites included in the Iberian Intercalibration database to allow the direct comparison, by means of linear regressions, of the resulting three quality values per site. The quality boundary harmonization between the two Iberian methods was only possible through an indirect comparison between the two indices, using EFI+ as a common metric. The three indices were also shown to be responsive to a common set of human induced pressures. This study highlights the need to develop general assessment methods adapted to wide geographical ranges with high species turnover to help intercalibrating assessment methods tailored for geographically more restricted regions. © 2013.

Lice infesting horses in three agroecological zones in central Oromia.

PubMed

Tafese, Adane; Jibat, Tariku; Aklilu, Nigatu; Zewdu, Hanna; Kumsa, Bersissa

2014-12-01

A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence and species composition of lice infesting horses in three agroecological zones in seven different districts in central Oromia from November 2011 to April 2012. For this purpose, a total of 420 horses were thoroughly examined for presence of lice. Collected lice were identified to species level under a microscope. The study showed an overall prevalence of 28.8 % (121/420) lice infestation on horses. We identified two spp. of lice on horses namely, Bovicola (Werneckiella) equi and Haematopinus asini with an overall prevalence of 22.9 % (96/420) and 5.9 % (25/420), respectively. The overall prevalence of lice infestation on horses in districts was 48.3, 43.3, 33.3, 23.3, 21.7, 18.3 and 13.3 %, in Debre Brehan, Shashemene, Hawassa, Akaki, Adama, Modjo and Bishoftu, respectively. B. equi was encountered as the predominant species on horses in all districts. Higher overall prevalence of lice infestation was recorded in highland agroecology than mid and lowland agroecological zones. Similarly, our study revealed significantly higher overall prevalence of lice on saddle horses than on cart horses. In view of the findings of the present study two species of lice are responsible for health and welfare problems of horses in all the districts. Detailed epidemiological studies on the significance, prevalence and role of lice as vectors of zoonotic pathogens in different agroecological zones, breeds and management systems warrant urgent attention. Animal owners and veterinarians should consider lice control in horses as part of the ectoparasite control in other species of animals.

Food Vulnerability and Alluvial Farming for Food Security in Central Dry Zone Area of Myanmar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boori, M. S.; Choudhary, K.; Evers, M.; Kupriyanov, A.

2017-10-01

The central dry zone area of Myanmar is the most water stressed and also one of the most food insecure regions in the country. In the Dry Zone area, the total population is 10.1 million people in 54 townships, in which approximately 43 % live in below poverty line and 40-50 % of the rural population is landless. Agriculture is the most important economic sector in Myanmar as it is essential for national food security and a major source of livelihood for its people. In this region the adverse effects of climate change such as late or early onset of monsoon season, longer dry spells, erratic rainfall, increasing temperature, heavy rains, stronger typhoons, extreme spatial-temporal variability of rainfall, high intensities, limited rainfall events in the growing season, heat stress, drought, flooding, sea water intrusion, land degradation, desertification, deforestation and other natural disasters are believed to be a major constraint to food insecurity. For food vulnerability, we use following indicators: slope, precipitation, vegetation, soil, erosion, land degradation and harvest failure in ArcGIS software. The erosion is influenced by rainfall and slope, while land degradation is directly related to vegetation, drainage and soil. While harvest failure can be generate by rainfall and flood potential zones. Results show that around 45 % study area comes under very high erosion danger level, 70 % under average harvest failure, 59 % intermediate land degradation area and the overall around 45 % study area comes under insecure food vulnerability zone. Our analysis shows an increase in alluvial farming by 1745.33 km2 since 1988 to reduce the insecure food vulnerability. Food vulnerability map is also relevant to increased population and low income areas. The extreme climatic events are likely increase in frequency and magnitude of serious drought periods and extreme floods. Food insecurity is an important thing that must

Ascent ability of brown trout, Salmo trutta, and two Iberian cyprinids − Iberian barbel, Luciobarbus bocagei, and northern straight-mouth nase, Pseudochondrostoma duriense − in a vertical slot fishway

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sanz-Ronda, Fco. Javier; Bravo-Cordoba, F.J.; Fuentes-Perez, J.F.; Castro-Santos, Theodore R.

2016-01-01

Passage performance of brown trout (Salmo trutta), Iberian barbel (Luciobarbus bocagei), and northern straight-mouth nase (Pseudochondrostoma duriense) was investigated in a vertical slot fishway in the Porma River (Duero River basin, Spain) using PIT telemetry. We analysed the effects of different fishway discharges on motivation and passage success. Both cyprinid species ascended the fishway easily, performing better than the trout despite their theoretically weaker swimming performance. Fishway discharge affected fish motivation although it did not clearly influence passage success. Observed results can guide design and operation criteria of vertical slot fishways for native Iberian fish.

75 FR 73981 - Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Big Skate in the Central Regulatory Area of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-30

.... 0910131362-0087-02] RIN 0648-XA066 Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Big Skate in the... prohibiting retention of big skate in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary because the 2010 total allowable catch (TAC) of big skate in the Central Regulatory Area of the...

78 FR 27863 - Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Big Skate in the Central Regulatory Area of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-13

.... 120918468-3111-02] RIN 0648-XC673 Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Big Skate in the... prohibiting retention of big skate in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary because the 2013 total allowable catch of big skate in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA has...

77 FR 75399 - Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Big Skate in the Central Regulatory Area of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-20

.... 111207737-2141-02] RIN 0648-XC405 Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Big Skate in the... prohibiting retention of big skate in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary because the 2012 total allowable catch of big skate in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA has...

A reappraisal of the Middle Triassic chirotheriid Chirotherium ibericus Navás, 1906 (Iberian Range NE Spain), with comments on the Triassic tetrapod track biochronology of the Iberian Peninsula

PubMed Central

Castanera, Diego; Gasca, José Manuel; Canudo, José Ignacio

2015-01-01

Triassic vertebrate tracks are known from the beginning of the 19th century and have a worldwide distribution. Several Triassic track ichnoassemblages and ichnotaxa have a restricted stratigraphic range and are useful in biochronology and biostratigraphy. The record of Triassic tracks in the Iberian Peninsula has gone almost unnoticed although more than 25 localities have been described since 1897. In one of these localities, the naturalist Longinos Navás described the ichnotaxon Chirotherium ibericus in 1906.The vertebrate tracks are in two sandy slabs from the Anisian (Middle Triassic) of the Moncayo massif (Zaragoza, Spain). In a recent revision, new, previously undescribed vertebrate tracks have been identified. The tracks considered to be C. ibericus as well as other tracks with the same morphology from both slabs have been classified as Chirotherium barthii. The rest of the tracks have been assigned to Chirotheriidae indet., Rhynchosauroides isp. and undetermined material. This new identification of C. barthii at the Navás site adds new data to the Iberian record of this ichnotaxon, which is characterized by the small size of the tracks when compared with the main occurrences of this ichnotaxon elsewhere. As at the Navás tracksite, the Anisian C. barthii-Rhynchosauroides ichnoassemblage has been found in other coeval localities in Iberia and worldwide. This ichnoassemblage belongs to the upper Olenekian-lower Anisian interval according to previous biochronological proposals. Analysis of the Triassic Iberian record of tetrapod tracks is uneven in terms of abundance over time. From the earliest Triassic to the latest Lower Triassic the record is very scarce, with Rhynchosauroides being the only known ichnotaxon. Rhynchosauroides covers a wide temporal range and gives poor information for biochronology. The record from the uppermost Lower Triassic to the Middle Triassic is abundant. The highest ichnodiversity has been reported for the Anisian with an

Characteristics of storms that contribute to extreme precipitation events over the Iberian Peninsula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trigo, Ricardo; Ramos, Alexandre M.; Ordoñez, Paulina; Liberato, Margarida L. R.; Trigo, Isabel F.

2014-05-01

Floods correspond to one of the most deadly natural disasters in the Iberian Peninsula during the last century. Quite often these floods are associated to intense low pressure systems with an Atlantic origin. In recent years a number of episodes have been evaluated on a case-by-case approach, with a clear focus on extreme events, thus lacking a systematic assessment. In this study we focus on the characteristics of storms for the extended winter season (October to March) that are responsible for the most extreme rainfall events over large areas of the Iberian Peninsula. An objective method for ranking daily precipitation events during the extended winter is used based on the most comprehensive database of high resolution (0.2º latitude by 0.2º longitude) gridded daily precipitation dataset available for the Iberian Peninsula. The magnitude of an event is obtained after considering the total area affected as well as its intensity in every grid point (taking into account the daily normalised departure from climatology). Different precipitation rankings are studied considering the entire Iberian Peninsula, Portugal and also the six largest river basins in the Iberian Peninsula (Duero, Ebro, Tagus, Minho, Guadiana and Guadalquivir). Using an objective cyclone detecting and tracking scheme [Trigo, 2006] the storm track and characteristics of the cyclones were obtained using the ERA-Interim reanalyses for the 1979-2008 period. The spatial distribution of extratropical cyclone positions when the precipitation extremes occur will be analysed over the considered sub-domains (Iberia, Portugal, major river basins). In addition, we distinguish the different cyclone characteristics (lifetime, direction, minimum pressure, position, velocity, vorticity and radius) with significant impacts in precipitation over the different domains in the Iberian Peninsula. This work was partially supported by FEDER (Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional) funds through the COMPETE (Programa

New insights into the genetic composition and phylogenetic relationship of wolves and dogs in the Iberian Peninsula.

PubMed

Pires, Ana Elisabete; Amorim, Isabel R; Borges, Carla; Simões, Fernanda; Teixeira, Tatiana; Quaresma, Andreia; Petrucci-Fonseca, Francisco; Matos, José

2017-06-01

This study investigates the gene pool of Portuguese autochthonous dog breeds and their wild counterpart, the Iberian wolf subspecies ( Canis lupus signatus ), using standard molecular markers. A combination of paternal and maternal molecular markers was used to investigate the genetic composition, genetic differentiation and genetic relationship of native Portuguese dogs and the Iberian wolf. A total of 196 unrelated dogs, including breed and village dogs from Portugal, and other dogs from Spain and North Africa, and 56 Iberian wolves (wild and captive) were analyzed for nuclear markers, namely Y chromosome SNPs, Y chromosome STR loci, autosomal STR loci, and a mitochondrial fragment of the control region I. Our data reveal new variants for the molecular markers and confirm significant genetic differentiation between Iberian wolf and native domestic dogs from Portugal. Based on our sampling, no signs of recent introgression between the two subspecies were detected. Y chromosome data do not reveal genetic differentiation among the analyzed dog breeds, suggesting they share the same patrilineal origin. Moreover, the genetic distinctiveness of the Iberian wolf from other wolf populations is further confirmed with the description of new mtDNA variants for this endemism. Our research also discloses new molecular markers for wolf and dog subspecies assignment, which might become particularly relevant in the case of forensic or noninvasive genetic studies. The Iberian wolf represents a relic of the once widespread wolf population in Europe and our study reveals that it is a reservoir of unique genetic diversity of the grey wolf, Canis lupus . These results stress the need for conservation plans that will guarantee the sustainability of this threatened top predator in Iberia.

Latest Early Pleistocene remains of Lynx pardinus (Carnivora, Felidae) from the Iberian Peninsula: Taxonomy and evolutionary implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boscaini, Alberto; Alba, David M.; Beltrán, Juan F.; Moyà-Solà, Salvador; Madurell-Malapeira, Joan

2016-07-01

The Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) is a critically endangered felid that, during the last fifty years, has been subject to an intensive conservation program in an attempt to save it from extinction. This species is first recorded at ca. 1.7-1.6 Ma (late Villafranchian, late Early Pleistocene) in NE Iberian Peninsula, roughly coinciding with the large faunal turnover that occurred around the middle to late Villafranchian boundary. Here we describe the largest collection of L. pardinus remains available to date from the Iberian late Early Pleistocene (Epivillafranchian), including localities from the Vallparadís Section (Vallès-Penedès Basin, NE Iberian Peninsula) and Cueva Victoria (Cartagena, SE Iberian Peninsula). The morphology and biometry of the studied material attests to the widespread occurrence of L. pardinus in the Mediterranean coast of the Iberian Peninsula since the latest Early Pleistocene, i.e., about 0.5 million years earlier than it was generally accepted (i.e., at the beginning of the Middle Pleistocene). Based on the features observed in the large sample studied in this paper, we conclude that Lynx spelaeus is a junior synonym of L. pardinus and further propose to assign all the Epivillafranchian and younger fossil lynxes from SW Europe to the extant species L. pardinus. Due to the arrival of the Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) into Europe at the beginning of the Late Pleistocene, the attribution of specimens younger than MIS 5e to either this species or L. pardinus solely on morphological grounds has proven equivocal. Here we discuss the main diagnostic features of both species of European lynxes and further review their evolutionary history and paleobiogeography throughout the Pleistocene.

The ichthyoplankton assemblage and the environmental variables off the NW and N Iberian Peninsula coasts, in early spring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodriguez, J. M.; Gonzalez-Nuevo, G.; Gonzalez-Pola, C.; Cabal, J.

2009-05-01

Ichthyoplankton and mesozooplankton were sampled and fluorescence and physical environmental variables were measured off the NW and N Iberian Peninsula coasts, during April 2005. A total of 51 species of fish larvae, belonging to 26 families, were recorded. Sardina pilchardus, with 43.8% and 58.7% of the total fish egg and larval catches, respectively, dominated the ichthyoplankton assemblage. The study area was divided by a cross-shelf frontal structure into two hydrographic regions that coincided with the Atlantic and Cantabrian geographic regions. Ichthyoplankton abundance was higher in the Cantabrian region while larval diversity was higher in the Atlantic region. This was the main alongshore variability in the structure of the larval fish assemblage. Nevertheless, the stronger variability, related with the presence of a shelf-slope front, was found in the central-eastern Cantabrian region where two major larval fish assemblages, an "outer" and a "coastal", were distinguished. The Atlantic region, where the shelf-slope front was not found, was inhabited by a single larval fish assemblage. Canonical correspondence analysis revealed that, off the NW and N Iberian Peninsula coasts, the horizontal distribution of larval fish species in early spring may be explained by a limited number of environmental variables. Of these, the most important were the physical variables depth and sea surface temperature.

Common Pb isotope mapping of UHP metamorphic zones in Dabie orogen, Central China: Implication for Pb isotopic structure of subducted continental crust

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Ji; Wang, Ying; Li, Shu-Guang

2014-10-01

We report Pb isotopic compositions for feldspars separated from 57 orthogneisses and 2 paragneisses from three exhumed UHPM slices representing the North Dabie zone, the Central Dabie zone and the South Dabie zone of the Dabie orogen, central-east China. The feldspars from the gneisses were recrystallized during Triassic continental subduction and UHP metamorphism. Precursors of the orthogneisses are products of Neoproterozoic bimodal magmatic events, those in north Dabie zone emplaced into the lower crust and those in central and south Dabie zones into middle or upper crust, respectively. On a 207Pb/204Pb vs. 206Pb/204Pb diagram, almost all orthogneisses data lie to the left of the 0.23 Ga paleogeochron and plot along the model mantle evolution curve with the major portion of the data plotting below it. On a 208Pb/204Pb vs. 206Pb/204Pb diagram the most of data of north Dabie zone extend in elongate arrays along the lower crustal curve and others extend between the lower crustal curve to near the mantle evolution curve for the plumbotectonics model. This pattern demonstrates that the Pb isotopic evolution of the feldspars essentially ended at 0.23 Ga and the orthogneiss protoliths were principally dominated by reworking of ancient lower crust with some addition of juvenile mantle in the Neoproterozoic rifting tectonic zone. According to geological evolution history of the locally Dabie orogen, a four-stage Pb isotope evolution model including a long time evolution between 2.0 and 0.8 Ga with a lower crust type U/Pb ratio (μ = 5-6) suggests that magmatic emplacement levels of the protoliths of the orthogneisses in the Dabie orogen at 0.8 Ga also play an important role in the Pb evolution of the exhumed UHPM slices, corresponding to their respective Pb characters at ca. 0.8-0.23 Ga. For example, north Dabie zone requires low μ values (3.4-9.6), while central and south Dabie zones require high μ values (10.9-17.2). On the other hand, Pb isotopic mixing between

Woody debris in north Iberian streams: influence of geomorphology, vegetation, and management.

PubMed

Diez, J R; Elosegi, A; Pozo, J

2001-11-01

The effect of stream geomorphology, maturity, and management of riparian forests on abundance, role, and mobility of wood was evaluated in 20 contrasting reaches in the Agüera stream catchment (northern Iberian Peninsula). During 1 year the volume of woody debris exceeding 1 cm in diameter was measured in all reaches. All large woody debris (phi > 5 cm) pieces were tagged, their positions mapped, and their subsequent changes noted. Volume of woody debris was in general low and ranged from 40 to 22,000 cm3 m-2; the abundance of debris dams ranged from 0 to 5.5 per 100 m of channel. Wood was especially rare and unstable in downstream reaches, or under harvested forests (both natural or plantations). Results stress that woody debris in north Iberian streams has been severely reduced by forestry and log removal. Because of the important influence of woody debris on structure and function of stream systems, this reduction has likely impacted stream communities. Therefore, efforts to restore north Iberian streams should include in-channel and riparian management practices that promote greater abundance and stability of large woody debris whenever possible.

Geodynamic evolution of the Sabzevar zone, northern central Iranian micro-continent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Omrani, Hadi; Moazzen, Mohssen; Oberhänsli, Roland

2018-02-01

The Northern Central Iranian Micro-continent (CIM) represents Neotethys-related oceanic crust remnants, emplaced due to convergence between CIM and Eurasia plates during Eocene. Mafic and ultramafic units are exposed along the northern part of the CIM in the Sabzevar area. The geology and field relation of Sabzevar ophiolite indicate northward subduction of the Sabzevar basin. The average whole rock chemistry of mafic (gabbros) and ultramafic samples (lherzolite, harzburgite and dunite) is characterized by a range of MgO of 11.16-31.88, CaO 5.22-11.53 and Al2O3 2.77-14.57, respectively. Low LREE/HREE ratio of ultramafic samples is accompanied by enrichment of large ion lithophile elements (LILE) such as Sr, Pb and K. Mafic samples show two distinct groups with low and high LREE/HREE ratios. The spider diagram of mafic samples indicates enrichment in Sr, Pb and K and depletion in REE. Petrological and geochemical evidence and field relations show that the mafic rocks formed in a supra-subduction zone setting. Petrological studies reveal the role of fractional crystallization and assimilation effect by released fluids during subduction related generation of the Sabzevar mafic rocks. We suggest that the studied mafic rocks likely represent the basement of an initial island arc, which was generated in a supra-subduction zone setting within the Neotethys branch of the Sabzevar Ocean at the north of CIM. Copper, gold and chromite mineralizations are studied in relation to island arc setting and supra-subduction environment. Similarities in lithology, ophiolite age and mineralization between Sabzevar ophiolite and Bardaskan-Torbat Heydariyeh ophiolites testify for their separation due to rotation (or faulting) of the Central Iranian Micro-continent.

Interplate coupling along segments of the Central America Subduction zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zarifi, Zoya; Raeesi, Mohammad; Atakan, Kuvvet

2013-04-01

We analyzed 5 major earthquakes that occurred during 1992 to 2012 in a segment of the Central America subduction zone along the coasts of Guatemala and El Salvador. These events include 1992/09/02 (Mw 7.7), 1993/09/10 (Mw 7.2), 2001/01/13 (Mw 7.7), 2012/08/27 (Mw 7.3) and 2012/11/07 (Mw 7.3). We derived the asperities of these earthquakes using two completely independent methods of body-waveform inversion and a gravity-derived measure, Trench Parallel Bouguer Anomaly (TPBA). Using TPBA we discuss the status of interplate coupling along the segment and interpret each of the major earthquakes as a piece of the governing rupture process. We delineate the critical unbroken asperities along the segment that will likely generate great earthquake(s) in the future.

The gastropod Phorcus sauciatus (Koch, 1845) along the north-west Iberian Peninsula: filling historical gaps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rubal, Marcos; Veiga, Puri; Moreira, Juan; Sousa-Pinto, Isabel

2014-03-01

The intertidal gastropod Phorcus sauciatus is a subtropical grazer that reaches its northern boundary in the Iberian Peninsula. Distribution of P. sauciatus along the Iberian Peninsula shows, however, gaps in its distribution. The present study was aimed at detecting possible recent changes on the population structure and distribution of P. sauciatus along the north-west Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula. To achieve this aim, we adopted a qualitative sampling design to explore the presence of P. sauciatus along a region within its historical gap of distribution (north Portuguese coast). In addition, a quantitative sampling design was adopted to test hypotheses about the abundance and size structure of P. sauciatus populations among regions with different historical records of its abundance and among shores with different exposure. Results showed that P. sauciatus was present along the north Portuguese coast. However, the abundance and size structure of the newly settled populations were significantly different to those of the historically recorded populations. Moreover, P. sauciatus was able to establish populations at sheltered shores. Considering these results, we propose models for the distribution of P. sauciatus along the Iberian Peninsula, based on effects of sea surface temperature, and to explain the size-frequency of their populations based on their density.

Oceanic crust in the mid-mantle beneath Central-West Pacific subduction zones: Evidence from S-to-P converted waveforms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, X.

2015-12-01

The fate of subducted slabs is enigmatic, yet intriguing. We analyze seismic arrivals at ~20-50 s after the direct P wave in an array in northeast China (NECESSArray) recordings of four deep earthquakes occurring beneath the west-central Pacific subduction zones (from the eastern Indonesia to Tonga region). We employ the array analyzing techniques of 4th root vespagram and beam-form analysis to constrain the slowness and back azimuth of later arrivals. Our analyses reveal that these arrivals have a slightly lower slowness value than the direct P wave and the back azimuth deviates slightly from the great-circle direction. Along with calculation of one-dimensional synthetic seismograms, we conclude that the later arrival is corresponding to an energy of S-to-P converted at a scatterer below the sources. Total five scatterers are detected at depths varying from ~700 to 1110 km in the study region. The past subducted oceanic crust most likely accounts for the seismic scatterers trapped in the mid-mantle beneath the west-central subduction zones. Our observation in turn reflects that oceanic crust at least partly separated from subducted oceanic lithosphere and may be trapped substantially in the mid-mantle surrounding subduction zones, in particular in the western Pacific subduction zones.

A New Southern North Atlantic Isochron Map: Insights Into the Drift of the Iberian Plate Since the Late Cretaceous

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macchiavelli, Chiara; Vergés, Jaume; Schettino, Antonio; Fernández, Manel; Turco, Eugenio; Casciello, Emilio; Torne, Montserrat; Pierantoni, Pietro Paolo; Tunini, Lavinia

2017-12-01

This paper presents a new southern North Atlantic plate model from Late Cretaceous to present, with the aim of constraining the kinematics of the Iberian plate during the last 83.5 Myr. This model is presented along with a detailed isochron map generated through the analysis of 3 aeromagnetic tracks and 400 ship tracks from the National Centers for Environmental Information database. We present a new technique to obtain well-constrained estimates of the Iberia-North America plate motions from magnetic anomalies, overcoming the scarcity of large-offset fracture zones and transform faults. We build an integrated kinematic model for NW Africa, Morocco, Iberia, Europe, and North America, which shows that the deformation is partitioned between Pyrenees and Betic-Rif orogenic domain during the Late Cretaceous-Oligocene time interval. In the Eastern Betics domain, the calculated amount of NW Africa-Iberia convergence is 80 km between 83.5 and 34 Ma, followed by 150 km since the Oligocene. The motion of Iberia relative to Europe in the Central Pyrenees is characterized by overall NE directed transpressional motion during the Campanian and the Paleocene, followed by NW directed transpressional movement until the Lutetian and overall NNW directed convergence from Bartonian to Chattian. This motion occurs along the axis of the Bay of Biscay from the Santonian-Campanian boundary to the middle Priabonian, subsequently jumping to King's Trough at Anomaly 17 (36.62 Ma).

Termination of the Last Glaciation in the Iberian Peninsula Inferred from the Pollen Sequence of Quintanar de la Sierra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peñalba, M. Cristina; Arnold, Maurice; Guiot, Joël; Duplessy, Jean-Claude; de Beaulieu, Jacques-Louis

1997-09-01

A 4.5-m-thick late-glacial pollen sequence, supported by 17 AMS 14C dates, has been investigated at the Quintanar de la Sierra marshland (Iberian cordillera, north-central Spain). Pollen zones were defined that correspond to successive phases in vegetation history during the end of the Late Würm, late-glacial interstade, and Younger Dryas periods. A transfer function approach has been adopted to derive quantitative climate estimates from the pollen assemblage data. A first expansion of Juniperusand Hippophae,about 13,500 14C yr B.P., indicates the beginning of the late-glacial interstade which is characterized by a Juniperus-Betula-Pinussuccession that suggests higher temperatures and moisture than during full-glacial time. The Younger Dryas interval is recorded by a 120-cm-thick sediment unit that is dominated by herbaceous pollen. Transfer function estimates suggest that the climate during this period was cold, with low precipitation during most of the year, although not in summer. The Holocene arboreal recolonization in the area started about 10,000 14C yr B.P., with a renewed Juniperus-Betula-Pinussuccession related to a strong increase in annual temperature and precipitation. The start of this process was synchronous with mean sea-surface temperature changes, as recorded from the nearby SU 81-18 marine core. The strong affinity with other European late-glacial pollen sequences demonstrates that the pattern of climatic changes during the last glacial-interglacial transition was similar in both northwestern and southwestern Europe.

Influence of physicochemical characteristics and high pressure processing on the volatile fraction of Iberian dry-cured ham.

PubMed

Martínez-Onandi, Nerea; Rivas-Cañedo, Ana; Ávila, Marta; Garde, Sonia; Nuñez, Manuel; Picon, Antonia

2017-09-01

The volatile fraction of 30 Iberian dry-cured hams of different physicochemical characteristics and the effect of high pressure processing (HPP) at 600MPa on volatile compounds were investigated. According to the analysis of variance carried out on the levels of 122 volatile compounds, intramuscular fat content influenced the levels of 8 benzene compounds, 5 carboxylic acids, 2 ketones, 2 furanones, 1 alcohol, 1 aldehyde and 1 sulfur compound, salt concentration influenced the levels of 1 aldehyde and 1 ketone, salt-in-lean ratio had no effect on volatile compounds, and water activity influenced the levels of 3 sulfur compounds, 1 alcohol and 1 aldehyde. HPP-treated samples of Iberian ham had higher levels of 4 compounds and lower levels of 31 compounds than untreated samples. A higher influence of HPP treatment on volatile compounds than physicochemical characteristics was observed for Iberian ham. Therefore, HPP treatment conditions should be optimized in order to diminish its possible effect on Iberian ham odor and aroma characteristics. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Conceptual Model of Uranium in the Vadose Zone for Acidic and Alkaline Wastes Discharged at the Hanford Site Central Plateau

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Truex, Michael J.; Szecsody, James E.; Qafoku, Nikolla

2014-09-01

Historically, uranium was disposed in waste solutions of varying waste chemistry at the Hanford Site Central Plateau. The character of how uranium was distributed in the vadose zone during disposal, how it has continued to migrate through the vadose zone, and the magnitude of potential impacts on groundwater are strongly influenced by geochemical reactions in the vadose zone. These geochemical reactions can be significantly influenced by the disposed-waste chemistry near the disposal location. This report provides conceptual models and supporting information to describe uranium fate and transport in the vadose zone for both acidic and alkaline wastes discharged at amore » substantial number of waste sites in the Hanford Site Central Plateau. The conceptual models include consideration of how co-disposed acidic or alkaline fluids influence uranium mobility in terms of induced dissolution/precipitation reactions and changes in uranium sorption with a focus on the conditions near the disposal site. This information, when combined with the extensive information describing uranium fate and transport at near background pH conditions, enables focused characterization to support effective fate and transport estimates for uranium in the subsurface.« less

Atrazine retention and degradation in the vadose zone at a till plain site in central Indiana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bayless, E.R.

2001-01-01

The vadose zone was examined as an environmental compartment where significant quantities of atrazine and its degradation compounds may be stored and transformed. The vadose zone was targeted because regional studies in the White River Basin indicated a large discrepancy between the mass of atrazine applied to fields and the amount of the pesticide and its degradation compounds that are measured in ground and surface water. A study site was established in a rotationally cropped field in the till plain of central Indiana. Data were gathered during the 1994 growing season to characterize the site hydrogeology and the distribution of atrazine, desethylatrazine, deisopropylatrazine, didealkylatrazine and hydroxyatrazine in runoff, pore water, and ground water. The data indicated that atrazine and its degradation compounds were transported from land surface to a depth of 1.5 m within 60 days of application, but were undetected in the saturated zone at nearby monitoring wells. A numerical model was developed, based on the field data, to provide information about processes that could retain and degrade atrazine in the vadose zone. Simulations indicated that evapotranspiration is responsible for surface directed soil-moisture flow during much of the growing season. This process causes retention and degradation of atrazine in the vadose zone. Increased residence time in the vadose zone leads to nearly complete transformation of atrazine and its degradation products to unquantified degradation compounds. As a result of mascropore flow, small quantities of atrazine and its degradation compounds may reach the saturated zone.

Internal tectonic structure of the Central American Wadati-Benioff zone based on analysis of aftershock sequences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Å PičáK, Aleš; Hanuš, VáClav; VaněK, JiřÃ.­; BěHounková, Marie

2007-09-01

Relocated Engdahl et al. (1998) global seismological data for 10 aftershock sequences were used to analyze the internal tectonic structure of the Central American subduction zone; the main shocks of several of these were the most destructive and often referenced earthquakes in the region (e.g., the 1970 Chiapas, 1983 Osa, 1992 Nicaragua, 1999 Quepos, 2001 El Salvador earthquakes). The spatial analysis of aftershock foci distribution was performed in a rotated Cartesian coordinate system (x, y, z) related to the Wadati-Benioff zone, and not in a standard coordinate system (ϕ, λ, h are latitude, longitude, focal depth, respectively). Available fault plane solutions were also transformed into the plane approximating the Wadati-Benioff zone. The spatial distribution of earthquakes in each aftershock sequence was modeled as either a plane fit using a least squares approximation or a volume fit with a minimum thickness rectangular box. The analysis points to a quasi-planar distribution of earthquake foci in all aftershock sequences, manifesting the appurtenance of aftershocks to fracture zones. Geometrical parameters of fracture zones (strike, dip, and dimensions) hosting individual sequences were calculated and compared with the seafloor morphology of the Cocos Plate. The smooth character of the seafloor correlates with the aftershock fracture zones oriented parallel to the trench and commonly subparallel to the subducting slab, whereas subduction of the Cocos Ridge and seamounts around the Quepos Plateau coincides with steeply dipping fracture zones. Transformed focal mechanisms are almost exclusively (>90%) of normal character.

Internal tectonic structure of the Central American Wadati-Benioff zone based on analysis of aftershock sequences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Špičák, Aleš; Hanuš, Václav; Vaněk, Jiří; Běhounková, Marie

2007-09-01

Relocated Engdahl et al. (1998) global seismological data for 10 aftershock sequences were used to analyze the internal tectonic structure of the Central American subduction zone; the main shocks of several of these were the most destructive and often referenced earthquakes in the region (e.g., the 1970 Chiapas, 1983 Osa, 1992 Nicaragua, 1999 Quepos, 2001 El Salvador earthquakes). The spatial analysis of aftershock foci distribution was performed in a rotated Cartesian coordinate system (x, y, z) related to the Wadati-Benioff zone, and not in a standard coordinate system ($\\varphi$, λ, h are latitude, longitude, focal depth, respectively). Available fault plane solutions were also transformed into the plane approximating the Wadati-Benioff zone. The spatial distribution of earthquakes in each aftershock sequence was modeled as either a plane fit using a least squares approximation or a volume fit with a minimum thickness rectangular box. The analysis points to a quasi-planar distribution of earthquake foci in all aftershock sequences, manifesting the appurtenance of aftershocks to fracture zones. Geometrical parameters of fracture zones (strike, dip, and dimensions) hosting individual sequences were calculated and compared with the seafloor morphology of the Cocos Plate. The smooth character of the seafloor correlates with the aftershock fracture zones oriented parallel to the trench and commonly subparallel to the subducting slab, whereas subduction of the Cocos Ridge and seamounts around the Quepos Plateau coincides with steeply dipping fracture zones. Transformed focal mechanisms are almost exclusively (>90%) of normal character.

Scale-Up Information for Gas-Phase Ammonia Treatment of Uranium in the Vadose Zone at the Hanford Site Central Plateau

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Truex, Michael J.; Szecsody, James E.; Zhong, Lirong

Uranium is present in the vadose zone at the Hanford Central Plateau and is of concern for protection of groundwater. The Deep Vadose Zone Treatability Test Plan for the Hanford Central Plateau identified gas-phase treatment and geochemical manipulation as potentially effective treatment approaches for uranium and technetium in the Hanford Central Plateau vadose zone. Based on laboratory evaluation, use of ammonia vapor was selected as the most promising uranium treatment candidate for further development and field testing. While laboratory tests have shown that ammonia treatment effectively reduces the mobility of uranium, additional information is needed to enable deployment of thismore » technology for remediation. Of importance for field applications are aspects of the technology associated with effective distribution of ammonia to a targeted treatment zone, understanding the fate of injected ammonia and its impact on subsurface conditions, and identifying effective monitoring approaches. In addition, information is needed to select equipment and operational parameters for a field design. As part of development efforts for the ammonia technology for remediation of vadose zone uranium contamination, field scale-up issues were identified and have been addressed through a series of laboratory and modeling efforts. This report presents a conceptual description for field application of the ammonia treatment process, engineering calculations to support treatment design, ammonia transport information, field application monitoring approaches, and a discussion of processes affecting the fate of ammonia in the subsurface. The report compiles this information from previous publications and from recent research and development activities. The intent of this report is to provide technical information about these scale-up elements to support the design and operation of a field test for the ammonia treatment technology.« less

East Atlantic (EA) and North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) interplay over the Iberian Peninsula for the last two millennia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernandez, A.; Sánchez-López, G.; Pla-Rabes, S.; Trigo, R.; Toro, M.; Granados, I.; Sáez, A.; Masque, P.; Pueyo, J. J.; Rubio-Inglés, M. J.; Giralt, S.

2016-12-01

The multi-proxy approach from sediments of an Iberian alpine lake allowed us to establish the climatic conditions in the Iberian Central Range (ICR) over the last two millennia. The comparison with other Iberian reconstructions permitted to identify possible forcing climate mechanisms. Climatic conditions would be transmitted to the sediments via the frequency of intense run-off events, derived from rain-on-snow events, and the lake productivity, ruled by ice-cover duration. The early Roman Period (RP; 200 BC - 350 AD) in the ICR was characterized by oscillations of intense run-off events, as a consequence of an alternation between cold and warm periods. From the second half of the RP to the onset of the Early Middle Ages (EMA; 350 - 500 AD) an increase in the intense run-off events suggests warm conditions, although a noticeable decrease during the rest of the EMA (500 - 900 AD) evidences a shift to very cold temperatures in this region. In terms of humidity, both RP and EMA climatic periods displayed a transition from a dry to a wet scenario that led to a decrease in lake productivity. These climatic conditions have been registered by other reconstructions in the Iberian Peninsula (IP), and a North-South humidity gradient could be envisaged, although spatial climatic discrepancies were significant. Precipitation and temperature in the IP present a more homogeneous spatial pattern when the NAO and EA modes have the same sign than when they have the opposite sign. Hence, a predominance of periods with NAO - EA in opposite phases could explain the climatic spatial heterogeneity in the IP during these two periods. The Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA; 900 - 1300 AD) in the ICR was characterized by warm and dry conditions represented by an increase in exceptional run-off episodes and lake productivity whereas the Little Ice Age (LIA; 1300 - 1850 AD) showed the opposite scenario. Similar climatic conditions were registered in all the IP, reflecting a spatial climatic

Superposed buckle folding in the eastern Iberian Chain, Spain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simón, José L.

2004-08-01

The Aliaga area (eastern Iberian Chain) shows large-scale examples of buckle superposition developed during Tertiary folding. In most cases, ENE-trending folds overprint earlier NNW-SSE-trending ones. The resulting structures are mapped, analysed, and genetically classified by comparison with analogue models described by several authors. The following types are found: standard Type 1 (1a: dome-and-basin structure, 1b: unequal-wavelength overprinted folds); modified Type 1 (1c: T-shaped 'joined' folds; 1d: T-shaped 'abutting' folds; 1e: L-shaped folds; 1f: 'snake-like' folds); standard Type 2 (2a: non-cylindrical buckling of earlier axial surfaces involving hinge replacement). Different superposed sets of flexural-slip striations record successive folding episodes in snake-like folds, and hinge replacement in the case of Type 2a superpositions. Types 1 and 2 apparently develop where the earlier folds have interlimb angles over and below 90°, respectively, which fits the results of analogue modelling and theoretical analysis by previous authors. Types 1b and 1d are associated with higher W1/W2 wavelength ratios than Types 1a and 1c. Other controlling factors are viscosity contrast and erosion processes. Specifically, erosion of competent limestone beds in the hinge zone of a NNW-SSE-trending anticline allowed the near-vertical eastern limb to be refolded into snake-like folds.

Syntectonic Variscan magmatism in the Aguiar da Beira region (Iberian Massif, Portugal)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mafalda Costa, Maria; Margarida Neiva, Ana; do Rosario Azevedo, Maria; Corfu, Fernando

2014-05-01

The Aguiar da Beira region (Portugal) is located in the core of the Iberian Massif, more precisely in the Central-Iberian Zone, which is dominantly composed by abundant volumes of plutonic rocks, emplaced into Late Proterozoic - Early Cambrian and Palaeozoic metasediments, mainly during or slightly after the third deformation phase of the Variscan Orogeny (D3). A considerable amount of these granites are syntectonic, intruded during the peak of this deformation event (D3). In particular, at the Aguiar da Beira region, two suites of syntectonic granitoids represent distinct magmatic series: a medium- to coarse-grained porphyritic biotite granodiorite-granite (322 Ma), which belongs to the early granodiorite series, and a medium-grained muscovite-biotite granite (317 Ma) that is part of the two-mica peraluminous leucogranites suite. The petrographic, geochemical (whole-rock and mineral compositions) and isotopic (Sr-Nd, δ18O-wr and δ18O-zr) study of the two intrusions reveals their remarkably different character. It is concluded that they correspond to two independent magma pulses, derived from distinct sources and/or petrogenetic processes. The biotite granodiorite-granite is a weakly peraluminous intrusion, characterized by intermediate to felsic SiO2 contents (66 - 68 %), high Ba, Sr and REE, and biotite with high Al and Mg contents, typical of the calc-alkaline associations. The Sr-Nd initial ratios are homogeneous (87Sr-86Sr322: 0.7070 - 0.7074; ɛNd322: -3.9 to -4.6) and overlap the isotopic signatures of lower crustal felsic metaigneous granulites (Villaseca et al. 1999). This similarity, which is further supported by δ18O-wr and δ18O-zr data, may indicate an origin by anatexis of lower felsic metaigneous rocks. Alternatively, the same data, allied to the presence of microgranular enclaves seen in this intrusion, can also be explained by the mixing of lower crustal derived magmas and mantle melts. By contrast, the muscovite-biotite granite has an entirely

Effect of muscle type and frozen storage on the quality parameters of Iberian restructured meat preparations.

PubMed

Antequera, Teresa; Pérez-Palacios, Trinidad; Rodas, Elena; Rodríguez, Mar; Córdoba, Juan J

2014-10-01

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of muscle type and frozen storage on the quality of restructured meat preparations from undervalued Iberian muscle to make use of meat from a high-quality and natural pig production system. The effect of two muscle types (i.e. white-glycolytic (W) and red-oxidative (R)) and frozen storage (lasting 0, 30, 60 and 90 days) on quality characteristics were assessed. Significant differences were found between the W and R Iberian restructured preparations in most physicochemical and some colour, texture and sensory traits, and in the fatty acid profile and oxidative measurements, suggesting that the R muscles are more suitable; however, the microbial contamination should be reduced. Frozen storage reduced but did not eliminate the initial microbial contamination, and it enhanced some quality traits in the Iberian restructured preparations, i.e. increased a* values, cohesiveness and juiciness and decreased adhesiveness and pastiness, without negatively affecting any parameter. Thus, frozen Iberian restructured preparations are recommended to be commercialized. In addition, the implementation or revision of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point is recommended to reduce microbial contamination. © The Author(s) 2013 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

The Central Eurasia collision zone: insights from a neotectonic study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tunini, Lavinia; Jiménez-Munt, Ivone; Fernandez, Manel; Vergés, Jaume

2017-04-01

In this study, we explore the neotectonic deformation in the whole Central Eurasia, including both the India-Eurasia and the Arabia-Eurasia collision zones, by using the thin-sheet approach in which the lithosphere strength is calculated from the lithosphere structure and thermal regime. We investigate the relative contributions of the lithospheric structure, rheology, boundary conditions, and friction coefficient on faults on the predicted velocity and stress fields. The resulting models have been evaluated by comparing the predictions with available data on seismic deformation, stress directions and GPS velocities. A first order approximation of the velocity and stress directions is obtained, reproducing the counter-clockwise rotation of Arabia and Iran, the westward escape of Anatolia, and the eastward extrusion of the northern Tibetan Plateau. To simulate the observed extensional faults within Tibet a weaker lithosphere is required, provided by a change in the rheological parameters or a reduction of the lithosphere thickness in NE-Tibet. The temperature increase generated by the lithospheric thinning below the Tibetan Plateau would also allow reconciling the model with the high heat flow and low mantle seismic velocities observed in the area. Besides the large scale, this study offers a coherent result in regions with little or no data coverage, as in the case of the Arabia-India inter-collision zone, over large areas of Pakistan and entire Afghanistan. The study is supported by MITE (CGL2014-59516-P) and WE-ME (PIE-CSIC-201330E111) projects.

Modelling larval dispersal dynamics of common sole (Solea solea) along the western Iberian coast

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanner, Susanne E.; Teles-Machado, Ana; Martinho, Filipe; Peliz, Álvaro; Cabral, Henrique N.

2017-08-01

Individual-based coupled physical-biological models have become the standard tool for studying ichthyoplankton dynamics and assessing fish recruitment. Here, common sole (Solea solea L.), a flatfish of high commercial importance in Europe was used to evaluate transport of eggs and larvae and investigate the connectivity between spawning and nursery areas along the western Iberian coast as spatio-temporal variability in dispersal and recruitment patterns can result in very strong or weak year-classes causing large fluctuations in stock size. A three-dimensional particle tracking model coupled to Regional Ocean Modelling System model was used to investigate variability of sole larvae dispersal along the western Iberian coast over a five-year period (2004-2009). A sensitivity analysis evaluating: (1) the importance of diel vertical migrations of larvae and (2) the size of designated recruitment areas was performed. Results suggested that connectivity patterns of sole larvae dispersal and their spatio-temporal variability are influenced by the configuration of the coast with its topographical structures and thus the suitable recruitment area available as well as the wind-driven mesoscale circulation along the Iberian coast.

Constraints Imposed by Rift Inheritance on the Compressional Reactivation of a Hyperextended Margin: Mapping Rift Domains in the North Iberian Margin and in the Cantabrian Mountains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cadenas, P.; Fernández-Viejo, G.; Pulgar, J. A.; Tugend, J.; Manatschal, G.; Minshull, T. A.

2018-03-01

The Alpine Pyrenean-Cantabrian orogen developed along the plate boundary between Iberia and Europe, involving the inversion of Mesozoic hyperextended basins along the southern Biscay margin. Thus, this margin represents a natural laboratory to analyze the control of structural rift inheritance on the compressional reactivation of a continental margin. With the aim to identify former rift domains and investigate their role during the subsequent compression, we performed a structural analysis of the central and western North Iberian margin, based on the interpretation of seismic reflection profiles and local constraints from drill-hole data. Seismic interpretations and published seismic velocity models enabled the development of crustal thickness maps that helped to constrain further the offshore and onshore segmentation. Based on all these constraints, we present a rift domain map across the central and western North Iberian margin, as far as the adjacent western Cantabrian Mountains. Furthermore, we provide a first-order description of the margin segmentation resulting from its polyphase tectonic evolution. The most striking result is the presence of a hyperthinned domain (e.g., Asturian Basin) along the central continental platform that is bounded to the north by the Le Danois High, interpreted as a rift-related continental block separating two distinctive hyperextended domains. From the analysis of the rift domain map and the distribution of reactivation structures, we conclude that the landward limit of the necking domain and the hyperextended domains, respectively, guide and localize the compressional overprint. The Le Danois block acted as a local buttress, conditioning the inversion of the Asturian Basin.

Riparian zones as havens for exotic plant species in the central grasslands

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stohlgren, T.J.; Bull, K.A.; Otsuki, Yuka; Villa, C.A.; Lee, M.

1998-01-01

In the Central Grasslands of the United States, we hypothesized that riparian zones high in soil fertility would contain more exotic plant species than upland areas of low soil fertility. Our alternate hypothesis was that riparian zones high in native plant species richness and cover would monopolize available resources and resist invasion by exotic species. We gathered nested-scale vegetation data from 40 1 m2subplots (nested in four 1000 m2 plots) in both riparian and upland sites at four study areas in Colorado, Wyoming, and South Dakota (a total of 320 1 m2subplots and 32 1000 m2 plots). At the 1 m2 scale, mean foliar cover of native species was significantly greater (P < 0.001) in riparian zones (36.6% ?? 1.7%) compared to upland sites (28.7% ?? 1.5%), but at this small scale there were no consistent patterns of native and exotic species richness among the four management areas. Mean exotic species cover was slightly higher in upland sites compared to riparian sites (9.0% ?? 3.8% versus 8.2% ?? 3.0% cover). However, mean exotic species richness and cover were greater in the riparian zones than upland sites in three of four management areas. At the 1000 m2 scale, mean exotic species richness was also significantly greater (P < 0.05) in riparian zones (7.8 ?? 1.0 species) compared to upland sites (4.8 ?? 1.0 species) despite the heavy invasion of one upland site. For all 32 plots combined, 21% of the variance in exotic species richness was explained by positive relationships with soil % silt (t = 1.7, P = 0.09) and total foliar cover (t = 2.4, P = 0.02). Likewise, 26% of the variance in exotic species cover (log10 cover) was explained by positive relationships with soil % silt (t = 2.3, P = 0.03) and total plant species richness (t = 2.4, P = 0.02). At landscape scales (four 1000 m2 plots per type combined), total foliar cover was significantly and positively correlated with exotic species richness (r = 0.73, P < 0.05) and cover (r = 0.74, P < 0.05). Exotic

Long-term changes in composition and distribution patterns in the Iberian herpetofaunal communities since the latest Pleistocene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bisbal-Chinesta, Josep Francesc; Blain, Hugues-Alexandre

2018-03-01

The climate has undergone significant changes since the end of the Last Glacial Maximum and in the course of the Holocene, parallel to important cultural transformations and migrations in the human communities. The faunal record has also suffered the effects of climate change. Amphibians and reptiles in particular have been shown to be highly sensitive because they are very susceptible to temperature alterations due to their ectothermy. This research presents the first approach to the Iberian paleobiogeography of the different species of amphibians and reptiles from the Late Pleistocene (MIS3) to present times, based on a comparative synthesis of the latest research published in recent years and the fossil record of the 58 archaeo-paleontological sites with significant assemblages. The paleoherpetofaunal associations make it possible to establish two major biotic regions during the Late Pleistocene. The first biotic region was located in the center and south of the Iberian Peninsula, with thermophilic species as the most representative taxa. The second biotic region was formed by the Atlantic-Cantabrian facade and the northeast Iberian area, dominated by hygrophilous and Euro-Siberian species, with an absence of Mediterranean species. After the Last Glacial Maximum there was an unprecedented concurrence in the northern Iberian Peninsula of autochthonous taxa from that area with thermophilic species. In the early Holocene, new species with no previous record in the Iberian Peninsula entered northern Iberia from eastern Mediterranean refugia. Finally, the introduction of North African species was the last significant biogeographical change during the Middle-Late Holocene.

Water movement through thick unsaturated zones overlying the central High Plains aquifer, southwestern Kansas, 2000-2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

McMahon, Peter B.; Dennehy, K.F.; Michel, R.L.; Sophocleous, M.A.; Ellett, K.M.; Hurlbut, D.B.

2003-01-01

The role of irrigation as a driving force for water and chemical movement to the central High Plains aquifer is uncertain because of the thick unsaturated zone overlying the aquifer. Water potentials and profiles of tritium, chloride, nitrate, and pesticide concentrations were used to evaluate water movement through thick unsaturated zones overlying the central High Plains aquifer at three sites in southwestern Kansas. One site was located in rangeland and two sites were located in areas dominated by irrigated agriculture. In 2000?2001, the depth to water at the rangeland site was 50 meters and the depth to water at the irrigated sites was about 45.4 meters. Irrigation at the study sites began in 1955?56. Measurements of matric potential and volumetric water content indicate wetter conditions existed in the deep unsaturated zone at the irrigated sites than at the rangeland site. Total water potentials in the unsaturated zone at the irrigated sites systematically decreased with depth to the water table, indicating a potential existed for downward water movement from the unsaturated zone to the water table at those sites. At the rangeland site, total water potentials in the deep unsaturated zone indicate small or no potential existed for downward water movement to the water table. Postbomb tritium was not detected below a depth of 1.9 meters in the unsaturated zone or in ground water at the rangeland site. In contrast, postbomb tritium was detected throughout most of the unsaturated zone and in ground water at both irrigated sites. These results indicate post-1953 water moved deeper in the unsaturated zone at the irrigated sites than at the rangeland site. The depth of the interface between prebomb and postbomb tritium and a tritium mass-balance method were used to estimate water fluxes in the unsaturated zone at each site. The average water fluxes at the rangeland site were 5.4 and 4.4 millimeters per year for the two methods, which are similar to the average water

Patterns of Exposure of Iberian Wolves (Canis lupus) to Canine Viruses in Human-Dominated Landscapes.

PubMed

Millán, Javier; López-Bao, José Vicente; García, Emilio J; Oleaga, Álvaro; Llaneza, Luis; Palacios, Vicente; de la Torre, Ana; Rodríguez, Alejandro; Dubovi, Edward J; Esperón, Fernando

2016-03-01

Wildlife inhabiting human-dominated landscapes is at risk of pathogen spill-over from domestic species. With the aim of gaining knowledge in the dynamics of viral infections in Iberian wolves (Canis lupus) living in anthropized landscapes of northern Spain, we analysed between 2010 and 2013 the samples of 54 wolves by serology and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for exposure to four pathogenic canine viruses: canine distemper virus (CDV), canine parvovirus-2 (CPV), canine adenovirus 1 and 2 (CAV-1 and CAV-2) and canine herpesvirus. Overall, 76% of the studied wolves presented evidence of exposure to CPV (96% by HI, 66% by PCR) and 75% to CAV (75% by virus neutralization (VN), 76% by PCR, of which 70% CAV-1 and 6% CAV-2). This represents the first detection of CAV-2 infection in a wild carnivore. CPV/CAV-1 co-infection occurred in 51% of the wolves. The probability of wolf exposure to CPV was positively and significantly correlated with farm density in a buffer zone around the place where the wolf was found, indicating that rural dogs might be the origin of CPV infecting wolves. CPV and CAV-1 appear to be enzootic in the Iberian wolf population, which is supported by the absence of seasonal and inter-annual variations in the proportion of positive samples detected. However, while CPV may depend on periodical introductions by dogs, CAV-1 may be maintained within the wolf population. All wolves were negative for exposure to CDV (by VN and PCR) and CHV (by PCR). The absence of acquired immunity against CDV in this population may predispose it to an elevated rate of mortality in the event of a distemper spill-over via dogs.

Spatial and temporal characteristics of wildfire activity over the Iberian Peninsula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calado, Teresa; DaCamara, Carlos C.; Ermida, Sofia; Trigo, Isabel.

2013-04-01

According to the official reports of the European Commission, during the period 1980-2010 the Iberian Peninsula has contributed to 60% of the total burned area of 14 620 968 ha, which was recorded in the five Southern Member States with higher wildfire activity (Portugal, Spain, France, Italy and Greece). The aim of the present study is to assess fire activity over the Iberian Peninsula based on time series of hot spots extracted from the MODIS global daily active fire product (MOD14A1 and MYD14A1). This dataset, which contains the coordinates of MODIS pixels where fire events were identified together with the respective date and quality indicators, covers the period from July 2002 to August 2012. It is first shown that overall hot spot activity exhibits power law behaviour. A spatial analysis is then undertaken based on land cover information as obtained from Globcover - an ESA initiative relying on observations from the 300m MERIS on board the ENVISAT. Temporal analysis of hot spot activity is also performed based on daily information about meteorological conditions provided by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. Results obtained allow defining a set of fire regions over the Iberian Peninsula determined essentially by the respective land cover type, which present coherent statistical behaviour in space and time. Finally, models of fire risk are developed for each region and their potential operational use by forest and civil protection services is discussed.

Basement thrust sheets in the Clearwater orogenic zone, central Idaho and western Montana

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skipp, Betty

1987-03-01

The Clearwater orogenic zone in central Idaho and western Montana contains at least two major northeast-directed Cordilleran thrust plates of Early Proterozoic metasedimentary and metaigneous rocks that overrode previously folded Middle Proterozoic rocks of the Belt basin in Cretaceous time. The northeastward migration of the resultant thickened wedge of crustal material combined with Cretaceous subduction along the western continental margin produced a younger northern Bitterroot lobe of the Idaho batholith relative to an older southern Atlanta lobe. Eocene extensional unroofing and erosion of the Bitterroot lobe has exposed the roots of the thick Cordilleran thrust sheets.

Genetic diversity and structure of Iberian Peninsula cowpeas compared to world-wide cowpea accessions using high density SNP markers.

PubMed

Carvalho, Márcia; Muñoz-Amatriaín, María; Castro, Isaura; Lino-Neto, Teresa; Matos, Manuela; Egea-Cortines, Marcos; Rosa, Eduardo; Close, Timothy; Carnide, Valdemar

2017-11-21

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) is an important legume crop due to its high protein content, adaptation to heat and drought and capacity to fix nitrogen. Europe has a deficit of cowpea production. Knowledge of genetic diversity among cowpea landraces is important for the preservation of local varieties and is the basis to obtain improved varieties. The aims of this study were to explore diversity and the genetic structure of a set of Iberian Peninsula cowpea accessions in comparison to a worldwide collection and to infer possible dispersion routes of cultivated cowpea. The Illumina Cowpea iSelect Consortium Array containing 51,128 SNPs was used to genotype 96 cowpea accessions including 43 landraces and cultivars from the Iberian Peninsula, and 53 landraces collected worldwide. Four subpopulations were identified. Most Iberian Peninsula accessions clustered together with those from other southern European and northern African countries. Only one accession belonged to another subpopulation, while two accessions were 'admixed'. A lower genetic diversity level was found in the Iberian Peninsula accessions compared to worldwide cowpeas. The genetic analyses performed in this study brought some insights into worldwide genetic diversity and structure and possible dispersion routes of cultivated cowpea. Also, it provided an in-depth analysis of genetic diversity in Iberian Peninsula cowpeas that will help guide crossing strategies in breeding programs.

Understanding the NAO from Iberian and UK paleoclimate records. The NAOSIPUK project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia-Alix, Antonio; Toney, Jaime L.; Jiménez-Moreno, Gonzalo; Slaymark, Charlotte; José Ramos-Román, Maria; Camuera, Jon; Jiménez-Espejo, Francisco J.; Anderson, R. Scott

2017-04-01

The main goal of the NAOSIPUK project was to understand the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) during the Holocene, because the NAO is one major climate mode influencing climate patterns across Europe, and therefore, economy and society (Hurrell, 1995). We analysed several sedimentary records in two regions with opposing NAO responses. Our sedimentary surface survey from numerous lakes and bogs, led to further investigation of four records in the southern Iberian Peninsula and three in the central/northern UK. Past environments of the different sites were analysed using pollen and charcoal analysis, organic and inorganic geochemistry analyses, and sedimentary and geophysical surveys were performed. This work compares general environmental trends in both regions as deduced from the organic matter from bulk sediment to get an idea of the organic matter source, as well as specific organic compounds extracted from the sediment, such as leaf waxes (n-alkanes), algae-related compounds (diols and alkenones), and bacteria-related compounds (hopanes), to specify the sources of the organic matter, environmental temperature ranges, as well as hydrological changes. Our preliminary results show that the palaeoenvironmental indices developed from n-alkanes agree with the variations deduced from the carbon and nitrogen atomic ratios, as well as the carbon isotopic composition from bulk sediments in southern Iberia records. Interestingly, these indices show that some locations display opposite trends from one another, and are used to distinguish regional versus local effects of climate change, human impacts, and aeolian dust inputs. During the late Holocene solar forcing and NAO fluctuations are the main drivers of the environmental evolution in most of the Iberian and UK sites. However, we do detect the influence of the NAO in the temperatures oscillations of the studied sites in southern Iberia. This influence is much more important in the north/central UK sites. The regional

Downscaling of Global Climate Change Estimates to Regional Scales: An Application to Iberian Rainfall in Wintertime.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

von Storch, Hans; Zorita, Eduardo; Cubasch, Ulrich

1993-06-01

A statistical strategy to deduct regional-scale features from climate general circulation model (GCM) simulations has been designed and tested. The main idea is to interrelate the characteristic patterns of observed simultaneous variations of regional climate parameters and of large-scale atmospheric flow using the canonical correlation technique.The large-scale North Atlantic sea level pressure (SLP) is related to the regional, variable, winter (DJF) mean Iberian Peninsula rainfall. The skill of the resulting statistical model is shown by reproducing, to a good approximation, the winter mean Iberian rainfall from 1900 to present from the observed North Atlantic mean SLP distributions. It is shown that this observed relationship between these two variables is not well reproduced in the output of a general circulation model (GCM).The implications for Iberian rainfall changes as the response to increasing atmospheric greenhouse-gas concentrations simulated by two GCM experiments are examined with the proposed statistical model. In an instantaneous `2 C02' doubling experiment, using the simulated change of the mean North Atlantic SLP field to predict Iberian rainfall yields, there is an insignificant increase of area-averaged rainfall of 1 mm/month, with maximum values of 4 mm/month in the northwest of the peninsula. In contrast, for the four GCM grid points representing the Iberian Peninsula, the change is 10 mm/month, with a minimum of 19 mm/month in the southwest. In the second experiment, with the IPCC scenario A ("business as usual") increase Of C02, the statistical-model results partially differ from the directly simulated rainfall changes: in the experimental range of 100 years, the area-averaged rainfall decreases by 7 mm/month (statistical model), and by 9 mm/month (GCM); at the same time the amplitude of the interdecadal variability is quite different.

Subduction zone slip variability during the last millennium, south-central Chile

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dura, Tina; Horton, Benjamin P.; Cisternas, Macro; Ely, Lisa L; Hong, Isabel; Nelson, Alan R.; Wesson, Robert L.; Pilarczyk, Jessica E.; Parnell, Andrew C.; Nikitina, Daria

2017-01-01

The Arauco Peninsula (37°-38°S) in south-central Chile has been proposed as a possible barrier to the along-strike propagation of megathrust ruptures, separating historical earthquakes to the south (1960 AD 1837, 1737, and 1575) and north (2010 AD, 1835, 1751, 1657, and 1570) of the peninsula. However, the 2010 (Mw 8.8) earthquake propagated into the Arauco Peninsula, re-rupturing part of the megathrust that had ruptured only 50 years earlier during the largest subduction zone earthquake in the instrumental record (Mw 9.5). To better understand long-term slip variability in the Arauco Peninsula region, we analyzed four coastal sedimentary sections from two sites (Tirúa, 38.3°S and Quidico, 38.1°S) located within the overlap of the 2010 and 1960 ruptures to reconstruct a ∼600-year record of coseismic land-level change and tsunami inundation. Stratigraphic, lithologic, and diatom results show variable coseismic land-level change coincident with tsunami inundation of the Tirúa and Quidico marshes that is consistent with regional historical accounts of coseismic subsidence during earthquakes along the Valdivia portion of the subduction zone (1960 AD and 1575) and coseismic uplift during earthquakes along the Maule portion of the subduction zone (2010 AD, 1835, 1751). In addition, we document variable coseismic land-level change associated with three new prehistoric earthquakes and accompanying tsunamis in 1470–1570 AD, 1425–1455, and 270–410. The mixed record of coseismic subsidence and uplift that we document illustrates the variability of down-dip and lateral slip distribution at the overlap of the 2010 and 1960 ruptures, showing that ruptures have repeatedly propagated into, but not through the Arauco Peninsula and suggesting the area has persisted as a long-term impediment to slip through at least seven of the last megathrust earthquakes (∼600 years).

Subduction zone slip variability during the last millennium, south-central Chile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dura, Tina; Horton, Benjamin P.; Cisternas, Marco; Ely, Lisa L.; Hong, Isabel; Nelson, Alan R.; Wesson, Robert L.; Pilarczyk, Jessica E.; Parnell, Andrew C.; Nikitina, Daria

2017-11-01

The Arauco Peninsula (37°-38°S) in south-central Chile has been proposed as a possible barrier to the along-strike propagation of megathrust ruptures, separating historical earthquakes to the south (1960 AD 1837, 1737, and 1575) and north (2010 AD, 1835, 1751, 1657, and 1570) of the peninsula. However, the 2010 (Mw 8.8) earthquake propagated into the Arauco Peninsula, re-rupturing part of the megathrust that had ruptured only 50 years earlier during the largest subduction zone earthquake in the instrumental record (Mw 9.5). To better understand long-term slip variability in the Arauco Peninsula region, we analyzed four coastal sedimentary sections from two sites (Tirúa, 38.3°S and Quidico, 38.1°S) located within the overlap of the 2010 and 1960 ruptures to reconstruct a ∼600-year record of coseismic land-level change and tsunami inundation. Stratigraphic, lithologic, and diatom results show variable coseismic land-level change coincident with tsunami inundation of the Tirúa and Quidico marshes that is consistent with regional historical accounts of coseismic subsidence during earthquakes along the Valdivia portion of the subduction zone (1960 AD and 1575) and coseismic uplift during earthquakes along the Maule portion of the subduction zone (2010 AD, 1835, 1751). In addition, we document variable coseismic land-level change associated with three new prehistoric earthquakes and accompanying tsunamis in 1470-1570 AD, 1425-1455, and 270-410. The mixed record of coseismic subsidence and uplift that we document illustrates the variability of down-dip and lateral slip distribution at the overlap of the 2010 and 1960 ruptures, showing that ruptures have repeatedly propagated into, but not through the Arauco Peninsula and suggesting the area has persisted as a long-term impediment to slip through at least seven of the last megathrust earthquakes (∼600 years).

Style and rate of quaternary deformation of the Hosgri Fault Zone, offshore south-central coastal California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hanson, Kathryn L.; Lettis, William R.; McLaren, Marcia; Savage, William U.; Hall, N. Timothy; Keller, Mararget A.

2004-01-01

The Hosgri Fault Zone is the southernmost component of a complex system of right-slip faults in south-central coastal California that includes the San Gregorio, Sur, and San Simeon Faults. We have characterized the contemporary style of faulting along the zone on the basis of an integrated analysis of a broad spectrum of data, including shallow high-resolution and deep penetration seismic reflection data; geologic and geomorphic data along the Hosgri and San Simeon Fault Zones and the intervening San Simeon/Hosgri pull-apart basin; the distribution and nature of near-coast seismicity; regional tectonic kinematics; and comparison of the Hosgri Fault Zone with worldwide strike-slip, oblique-slip, and reverse-slip fault zones. These data show that the modern Hosgri Fault Zone is a convergent right-slip (transpressional) fault having a late Quaternary slip rate of 1 to 3 mm/yr. Evidence supporting predominantly strike-slip deformation includes (1) a long, narrow, linear zone of faulting and associated deformation; (2) the presence of asymmetric flower structures; (3) kinematically consistent localized extensional and compressional deformation at releasing and restraining bends or steps, respectively, in the fault zone; (4) changes in the sense and magnitude of vertical separation both along trend of the fault zone and vertically within the fault zone; (5) strike-slip focal mechanisms along the fault trace; (6) a distribution of seismicity that delineates a high-angle fault extending through the seismogenic crust; (7) high ratios of lateral to vertical slip along the fault zone; and (8) the separation by the fault of two tectonic domains (offshore Santa Maria Basin, onshore Los Osos domain) that are undergoing contrasting styles of deformation and orientations of crustal shortening. The convergent component of slip is evidenced by the deformation of the early-late Pliocene unconformity. In characterizing the style of faulting along the Hosgri Fault Zone, we assessed

Extreme precipitation events in the Iberian Peninsula and its association with Atmospheric Rivers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramos, Alexandre M.; Liberato, Margarida L. R.; Trigo, Ricardo M.

2015-04-01

Extreme precipitation events in the Iberian Peninsula during the winter half of the year have major socio-economic impacts associated with floods, landslides, extensive property damage and life losses. In recent years, a number of works have shed new light on the role played by Atmospheric Rivers (ARs) in the occurrence of extreme precipitation events in both Europe and USA. ARs are relatively narrow regions of concentrated WV responsible for horizontal transport in the lower atmosphere corresponding to the core section of the broader warm conveyor belt occurring over the oceans along the warm sector of extra-tropical cyclones. Over the North Atlantic ARs are usually W-E oriented steered by pre-frontal low level jets along the trailing cold front and subsequently feed the precipitation in the extra-tropical cyclones. It was shown that more than 90% of the meridional WV transport in the mid-latitudes occurs in the AR, although they cover less than 10% of the area of the globe. The large amount of WV that is transported can lead to heavy precipitation and floods. An automated ARs detection algorithm is used for the North Atlantic Ocean Basin allowing the identification and a comprehensive characterization of the major AR events that affected the Iberian Peninsula over the 1948-2012 period. The extreme precipitation days in the Iberian Peninsula were assessed recently by us (Ramos et al., 2014) and their association (or not) with the occurrence of AR is analyzed in detail here. The extreme precipitation days are ranked by their magnitude and are obtained after considering 1) the area affected and 2) the precipitation intensity. Different rankings are presented for the entire Iberian Peninsula, Portugal and also for the six largest Iberian river basins (Minho, Duero, Tagus, Guadiana, Guadalquivir and Ebro) covering the 1950-2008 period (Ramos et al., 2014). Results show that the association between ARs and extreme precipitation days in the western domains (Portugal

Re-Engineering Vocational and Technical Education (VTE) for Sustainable Development in North Central Geo-Political Zone, Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sofoluwe, Abayomi Olumade

2013-01-01

The purpose of the study is to re-engineer vocational and technical education for sustainable development in the North Central Geo-Political Zone in Nigeria. The research design adopted was a survey inferential type. Stratified random was used to select 36 schools out of 98 schools while 920 students out of 3680 students were sampled. The data…

Long-term vegetation activity trends in the Iberian Peninsula and The Balearic Islands using high spatial resolution NOAA-AVHRR data (1981 - 2015).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin-Hernandez, Natalia; Vicente-Serrano, Sergio; Azorin-Molina, Cesar; Begueria-Portugues, Santiago; Reig-Gracia, Fergus; Zabalza-Martínez, Javier

2017-04-01

We have analysed trends in the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in the Iberian Peninsula and The Balearic Islands over the period 1981 - 2015 using a new high resolution data set from the entire available NOAA - AVHRR images (IBERIAN NDVI dataset). After a complete processing including geocoding, calibration, cloud removal, topographic correction and temporal filtering, we obtained bi-weekly time series. To assess the accuracy of the new IBERIAN NDVI time-series, we have compared temporal variability and trends of NDVI series with those results reported by GIMMS 3g and MODIS (MOD13A3) NDVI datasets. In general, the IBERIAN NDVI showed high reliability with these two products but showing higher spatial resolution than the GIMMS dataset and covering two more decades than the MODIS dataset. Using the IBERIAN NDVI dataset, we analysed NDVI trends by means of the non-parametric Mann-Kendall test and Theil-Sen slope estimator. In average, vegetation trends in the study area show an increase over the last decades. However, there are local spatial differences: the main increase has been recorded in humid regions of the north of the Iberian Peninsula. The statistical techniques allow finding abrupt and gradual changes in different land cover types during the analysed period. These changes are related with human activity due to land transformations (from dry to irrigated land), land abandonment and forest recovery.

Structural evolution of the Irtysh Shear Zone: implication for the Late Paleozoic amalgamation of multiple arc systems in Central Asia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Pengfei; Sun, Min; Rosenbaum, Gideon

2015-04-01

The NW-SE Irtysh Shear Zone represents a major tectonic boundary in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt, recording the amalgamation history between the peri-Siberian orogenic system and the Kazakhstan orogenic system. The structural evolution and geodynamics of this shear zone is still poorly documented. Here we present new structural data complemented by chronological data in an attempt to unravel the geodynamic significance of the Irtysh Shear Zone in the context of accretion history of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt. Our results show three episodes of deformation for the shear zone. D1 foliation is locally recognized in low strain area and recorded by garnet inclusions, whereas D2 is represented by a sub-horizontal fabric and related NW-SE lineation. D3 is characterized by a transpersonal deformation event, to form a series of NW-SE mylonitic belts with sinistral kinematics, and to overprint D2 fabric forming regional-scale NW-SE upright folds. A paragneiss sample from the shear zone yielded the youngest detrital zircon peaks in the late Carboniferous, placing a maximum age constraint on the deformation, which overlaps in time with the late Paleozoic collision between the Chinese Altai and the intraoceanic arc system of the East Junggar and West Junggar. We interpret three episodes of deformation to represent orogenic thickening (D1), collapse (D2) and thickening (D3) in response to this collisional event. Sinistral shearing (D3) together with the coeval dextral shearing in the Tianshan accommodate eastward extrusion of the Kazakhstan orogenic system during the late Paleozoic amalgamation of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt. Acknowledgements: This study was financially supported by the Major Basic Research Project of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (Grant: 2014CB440801), Hong Kong Research Grant Council (HKU705311P and HKU704712P), National Science Foundation of China (41273048, 41273012) and a HKU CRCG grant. The work is a contribution of the Joint

Microstructural investigations on carbonate fault core rocks in active extensional fault zones from the central Apennines (Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cortinovis, Silvia; Balsamo, Fabrizio; Storti, Fabrizio

2017-04-01

The study of the microstructural and petrophysical evolution of cataclasites and gouges has a fundamental impact on both hydraulic and frictional properties of fault zones. In the last decades, growing attention has been payed to the characterization of carbonate fault core rocks due to the nucleation and propagation of coseismic ruptures in carbonate successions (e.g., Umbria-Marche 1997, L'Aquila 2009, Amatrice 2016 earthquakes in Central Apennines, Italy). Among several physical parameters, grain size and shape in fault core rocks are expected to control the way of sliding along the slip surfaces in active fault zones, thus influencing the propagation of coseismic ruptures during earthquakes. Nevertheless, the role of grain size and shape distribution evolution in controlling the weakening or strengthening behavior in seismogenic fault zones is still not fully understood also because a comprehensive database from natural fault cores is still missing. In this contribution, we present a preliminary study of seismogenic extensional fault zones in Central Apennines by combining detailed filed mapping with grain size and microstructural analysis of fault core rocks. Field mapping was aimed to describe the structural architecture of fault systems and the along-strike fault rock distribution and fracturing variations. In the laboratory we used a Malvern Mastersizer 3000 granulometer to obtain a precise grain size characterization of loose fault rocks combined with sieving for coarser size classes. In addition, we employed image analysis on thin sections to quantify the grain shape and size in cemented fault core rocks. The studied fault zones consist of an up to 5-10 m-thick fault core where most of slip is accommodated, surrounded by a tens-of-meters wide fractured damage zone. Fault core rocks consist of (1) loose to partially cemented breccias characterized by different grain size (from several cm up to mm) and variable grain shape (from very angular to sub

Taeniid species of the Iberian wolf (Canis lupus signatus) in Portugal with special focus on Echinococcus spp.☆

PubMed Central

Guerra, Diogo; Armua-Fernandez, Maria Teresa; Silva, Marta; Bravo, Inês; Santos, Nuno; Deplazes, Peter; Carvalho, Luís Manuel Madeira de

2012-01-01

Taeniid species represent relevant pathogens in human and animals, circulating between carnivorous definitive hosts and a variety of mammalian intermediate hosts. In Portugal, however, little is known about their occurrence and life cycles, especially in wild hosts. An epidemiological survey was conducted to clarify the role of the Iberian wolf as a definitive host for taeniid species, including Echinococcus spp. Wolf fecal samples (n = 68) were collected from two regions in Northern Portugal. Taeniid eggs were isolated through a sieving-flotation technique, and species identification was performed using multiplex-PCR followed by sequencing of the amplicons. Taenia hydatigena (in 11.8% of the samples), Taenia serialis (5.9%), Taenia pisiformis (2.9%), Taenia polyacantha (1.5%) and Echinococcus intermedius (Echinococcus granulosus ‘pig strain’, G7) (1.5%) were detected. This is the first study to characterize the taeniid species infecting the Portuguese Iberian wolf, with the first records of T. polyacantha and E. intermedius in this species in the Iberian Peninsula. Iberian wolves can be regarded as relevant hosts for the maintenance of the wild and synanthropic cycles of taeniids in Portugal. PMID:24533315

Structure of the Upper Mantle and Mantle Transition Zone in Central Mongolia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Z.; Meltzer, A.; Stachnik, J.; Fischer, K. M.; Russo, R. M.; Munkhuu, U.; Baasanbat, T.

2016-12-01

Located between two major Archean cratons, the Siberian Craton to the north and the Tarim and Sino-Korean Cratons to the south, the lithosphere of Central Mongolia was constructed over an extended period of orogenesis associated with the Central Asian Orogenic Belt. Archean to Early Proterozoic basement was modified by accreted subduction complexes during the Paleozoic and early Mesozoic and basalt magmatism in the Cenozoic. Central and western Mongolia constitute a significant portion of the greater Mongolian plateau, an approximately 2.6 million km2area of Central Asia with an average elevation of 1500 meters. The high topography of the Mongolian Plateau has been attributed to far-field effects of India-Asia convergence, Pacific plate subduction, mantle plume activity, convective mantle flow, and magmatic underplating. The origin and persistence of continental plateaus through time provides insight into the evolution of continents and interactions between mantle dynamics and surface processes. As part of a larger interdisciplinary project to understand the origin of high topography in continental interiors we deployed 112 seismic broadband stations in central Mongolia as three separate subarrays in two separate mobilizations over a four year period (2012-2016). The stations extend from the Hovsgol rift in northern Mongolia, through the Hangay Dome, and into the Gobi Altai in southern Mongolia. We use S wave Receiver functions (SRF) to examine the lithosphere asthenosphere boundary and P wave Receiver functions (PRF) to investigate the mantle transition zone (MTZ). Preliminary SRF results from the subarray in the Hangay show lithospheric thinning and E-W variation. The LAB beneath the Hangay is 100km. It gradually thins to 90 km at the western end of the central Hangay and thins more abruptly to 80km at the eastern end of the central Hangay. These results are in agreement with results from joint inversion of receiver functions and surface waves and teleseismic

Recent decadal trends in Iberian water vapour: GPS analysis and WRF process study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miranda, Pedro M. A.; Nogueira, Miguel; Semedo, Alvaro; Benevides, Pedro; Catalao, Joao; Costa, Vera

2016-04-01

A 24-year simulation of the recent Iberian climate, using the WRF model at 9km resolution forced by ERA-Interim reanalysis (1989-2012), is analysed for the decadal evolution of the upwelling forcing coastal wind and for column integrated Precipitable water vapour (PWV). Results indicate that, unlike what was found by Bakun et al. (2009) for the Peruvian region, a statistically significant trend in the upwelling favourable (northerly) wind has been accompanied by a corresponding decrease in PWV, not only inland but also over the coastal waters. Such increase is consistent with a reinforced northerly coastal jet in the maritime boundary layer contributing to atmospheric Ekman pumping of dry continental air into the coastal region. Diagnostics of the prevalence of the Iberian thermal low following Hoinka and Castro (2003) also show a positive trend in its frequency during an extended summer period (April to September). These results are consistent with recent studies indicating an upward trend in the frequency of upwelling in SW Iberia (Alves and Miranda 2013), and may be relevant for climate change applications as an increase in coastal upwelling (Miranda et al 2013) may lead to substantial regional impacts in the subtropics. The same analysis with ERA-Interim reanalysis data, which was used to force the WRF simulations, does not reveal the same signal in PWV, and indeed correlates poorly with the GPS observations, indicating that the data assimilation process makes the water vapour data in reanalysis unusable for climate change purposes. The good correlation between the WRF simulated data and GPS observations allow for a detailed analysis of the processes involved in the evolution of the PWV field. Akcnowledgements: Study done within FCT Grant RECI/GEO-MET/0380/2012, financially supported by FCT Grant UID/ GEO/50019/2013-IDL Alves JMR, Miranda PMA (2013) Variability of Iberian upwelling implied by ERA-40 and ERA-Interim reanalyses, Tellus A 2013, http

Remote sensing detection of gold related alteration zones in Um Rus area, Central Eastern Desert of Egypt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amer, Reda; Kusky, Timothy; El Mezayen, Ahmed

2012-01-01

Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) and Phased Array L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (PALSAR) images covering the Um Rus area in the Central Eastern Desert of Egypt were evaluated for mapping geologic structure, lithology, and gold-related alteration zones. The study area is covered by Pan-African basement rocks including gabbro and granodiorite intruded into a variable mixture of metavolcanics and metasediments. The first three principal component analyses (PCA1, PCA2, PCA3) in a Red-Green-Blue (RGB) of the visible through shortwave-infrared (VNIR + SWIR) ASTER bands enabled the discrimination between lithological units. The results show that ASTER band ratios ((2 + 4)/3, (5 + 7)/6, (7 + 9)/8) in RGB identifies the lithological units and discriminates the granodiorite very well from the adjacent rock units.The granodiorites are dissected by gold-bearing quartz veins surrounded by alteration zones. The microscopic examination of samples collected from the alteration zones shows sericitic and argillic alteration zones. The Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM) and Spectral Information Divergence (SID) supervised classification methods were applied using the reference spectra of the USGS spectral library. The results show that these classification methods are capable of mapping the alteration zones as indicated by field verification work. The PALSAR image was enhanced for fracture mapping using the second moment co-occurrence filter. Overlying extracted faults and alteration zone classification images show that the N30E and N-S fractures represent potential zones for gold exploration. It is concluded that the proposed methods can be used as a powerful tool for ore deposit exploration.

Assessment of College Students' Knowledge and Attitudes toward Solid Waste Management in North Central Zone of Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dung, Mohammed Dauda; Makilik, Mangut; Ozoji, Bernadette Ebele

2017-01-01

This study focused on assessment of colleges of education students' knowledge and attitudes toward solid waste management in the North Central zone of Nigeria. The cross-sectional survey design was adopted. A students' knowledge and attitudes toward solid waste management questionnaire were used to collect data from 1,800 students. The findings…

Novel efficient genome-wide SNP panels for the conservation of the highly endangered Iberian lynx.

PubMed

Kleinman-Ruiz, Daniel; Martínez-Cruz, Begoña; Soriano, Laura; Lucena-Perez, Maria; Cruz, Fernando; Villanueva, Beatriz; Fernández, Jesús; Godoy, José A

2017-07-21

The Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) has been acknowledged as the most endangered felid species in the world. An intense contraction and fragmentation during the twentieth century left less than 100 individuals split in two isolated and genetically eroded populations by 2002. Genetic monitoring and management so far have been based on 36 STRs, but their limited variability and the more complex situation of current populations demand more efficient molecular markers. The recent characterization of the Iberian lynx genome identified more than 1.6 million SNPs, of which 1536 were selected and genotyped in an extended Iberian lynx sample. We validated 1492 SNPs and analysed their heterozygosity, Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, and linkage disequilibrium. We then selected a panel of 343 minimally linked autosomal SNPs from which we extracted subsets optimized for four different typical tasks in conservation applications: individual identification, parentage assignment, relatedness estimation, and admixture classification, and compared their power to currently used STR panels. We ascribed 21 SNPs to chromosome X based on their segregation patterns, and identified one additional marker that showed significant differentiation between sexes. For all applications considered, panels of autosomal SNPs showed higher power than the currently used STR set with only a very modest increase in the number of markers. These novel panels of highly informative genome-wide SNPs provide more powerful, efficient, and flexible tools for the genetic management and non-invasive monitoring of Iberian lynx populations. This example highlights an important outcome of whole-genome studies in genetically threatened species.

Climatic record of the Iberian peninsula from lake Moncortes' sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Min; Huguet, Carme; Rull, Valenti; Valero, Blas; Rosell-Mele, Antoni

2014-05-01

Climatic record of the Iberian peninsula from lake Moncortes' sediments Min Cao1, Carme Huguet1, Valenti Rull2, Blas L. Valero-Garces3, Antoni Rosell-Melé1,4 1Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals (ICTA), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Catalonia, Spain; 2Institut de Botanic de Barcelona (CSIC), Passeig del Migdia s/n, 08038, Barcelona, Spain, 3 Instituto Pirenaico de Ecologıa (CSIC), Avda. Montañana 1005, 50059 Zaragoza, Spain, 4Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), 08010 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The continuing buildup of industrial greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and concomitant increase in global temperatures has made much of the world's society aware that decades to centuries of environmental change lie ahead, and that these will have profound economic, political and societal impacts. The Iberian Peninsula lies in the boundary between tropical and subtropical climates and seems to amplify the climatic signals form the northern hemisphere through both atmospheric and water circulation feedbacks, making it an ideal site to monitor Northern hemisphere climate changes. This extreme sensitivity to climatic changes also makes the Iberian Peninsula extremely vulnerable to future climate changes. This is why understanding sensitivity to climate change and the consequences it will have on both climate and the hydrological cycle is key to implement preventive measures. The aim of our study is to come up with a high resolution quantitative reconstruction of climate variability (temperature, production and precipitation) in the Iberian Peninsula from lake sediments. We also want to establish the relation between those changes and the ones observed in both ice cores from Greenland and paleotemperature records from marine sediments of the continental Iberian margin. For these reasons we sampled a core in Moncortes (42.3N, 0.99E), a lake of karstic origin with an average depth of 25m and an area of 0

Crustal structure of the North Iberian continental margin from seismic refraction/wide-angle reflection profiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruiz, M.; Díaz, J.; Pedreira, D.; Gallart, J.; Pulgar, J. A.

2017-10-01

The structure and geodynamics of the southern margin of the Bay of Biscay have been investigated from a set of 11 multichannel seismic reflection profiles, recorded also at wide angle offsets in an onshore-offshore network of 24 OBS/OBH and 46 land sites. This contribution focuses on the analysis of the wide-angle reflection/refraction data along representative profiles. The results document strong lateral variations of the crustal structure along the margin and provide an extensive test of the crustal models previously proposed for the northern part of the Iberian Peninsula. Offshore, the crust has a typical continental structure in the eastern tip of the bay, which disappears smoothly towards the NW to reach crustal thickness close to 10 km at the edge of the studied area ( 45°N, 6°W). The analysis of the velocity-depth profiles, altogether with additional information provided by the multichannel seismic data and magnetic surveys, led to the conclusion that the crust in this part of the bay should be interpreted as transitional from continental to oceanic. Typical oceanic crust has not been imaged in the investigated area. Onshore, the new results are in good agreement with previous results and document the indentation of the Bay of Biscay crust into the Iberian crust, forcing its subduction to the North. The interpreted profiles show that the extent of the southward indentation is not uniform, with an Alpine root less developed in the central and western sector of the Basque-Cantabrian Basin. N-S to NE-SW transfer structures seem to control those variations in the indentation degree.

Proposed seed collection zones for the central states

Treesearch

Gustaf A. Limstrom

1963-01-01

Seed collection zones have been established in several regions and countries to insure that the sources of seed used in tree planting are properly selected. Use of such zones has undoubtedly improved the survival and growth of trees in plantations and has also facilitated the establishment of specifications for seed procurement and seed certification.

Pleistocene leopards in the Iberian Peninsula: New evidence from palaeontological and archaeological contexts in the Mediterranean region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanchis, Alfred; Tormo, Carmen; Sauqué, Víctor; Sanchis, Vicent; Díaz, Rebeca; Ribera, Agustí; Villaverde, Valentín

2015-09-01

This study analyses the fossil record of leopards in the Iberian Peninsula. According to the systematic and morphometric features of new remains, identified mainly in Late Pleistocene palaeontological and archaeological sites of the Mediterranean region, they can be attributed to Panthera pardus Linnaeus 1758. The findings include the most complete leopard skeleton from the Iberian Peninsula and one of the most complete in Europe, found in a chasm (Avenc de Joan Guitón) south of Valencia. The new citations and published data are used to establish the leopard's distribution in the Iberian Peninsula, showing its maximum development during the Late Pleistocene. Some references suggest that the species survived for longer here (Lateglacial-Early Holocene) than in other parts of Europe. Finally, the contexts of appearance and origin of leopard remains are described and the processes of interaction with prehistoric human groups are assessed.

Microsatellite variation in Donax trunculus from the Iberian Peninsula, with particular attention to Galician estuaries (NW Spain)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nantón, A.; Arias-Pérez, A.; Freire, R.; Fernández-Pérez, J.; Nóvoa, S.; Méndez, J.

2017-10-01

Genetic variation and population structure information is essential for conservation and stock management policies. The wedge clam Donax trunculus is an important fishing resource in the Iberian Peninsula and in some areas, such as the northwestern Spain, wild stocks have decreased greatly. Despite this, information is mainly from the southwestern Atlantic to the northwestern Mediterranean of the Iberian Peninsula. In this study, fifteen microsatellite loci were examined at 17 localities along the Iberian Peninsula to characterize its genetic diversity and population structure. Particular attention was paid to the northwestern Atlantic area, and to test if the pattern previously described for this species is confirmed when localities distributed across the Atlantic coast are included and different microsatellite markers are used. All localities displayed similar allelic richness values and heterozygosity levels but when genetic diversity levels were compared among groups of localities, tests were significant and samples from the northwestern area (Galicia) showed the lowest values. The analysis of population structure indicated that localities from the Atlantic coast are genetically homogeneous although some samples showed significant pairwise Fst values. These values were low and Bayesian analysis of genetic differentiation did not show a consistent structure along the Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula. However, Atlantic samples were genetically different from those located in Mediterranean coast, which may be explained by the existence of the Almeria-Oran front. Moreover, Fuengirola, locality situated in the Alboran Sea between the Strait of Gibraltar and Mediterranean Sea, showed significant differences from all remaining localities included in the study. Overall, the data showed the existence of genetic homogeneity along the Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula and support the three management units (Atlantic Ocean, the Alboran Sea and the northwestern

Kinetics of N-Utilization By Natural Phytoplankton Assemblages During Upwelling Events At The NW Iberian Shelf

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brion, N.; Elskens, M.; Dehairs, F.; Baeyens, W.

2003-04-01

The concentration-dependent uptakes of nitrate, ammonium and the effect of ammo-nium on the f-ratio were surveyed in surface waters of the NW Iberian shelf during June 1997, July 1998 and September 1999. Because relationships between rates and substrate concentrations were quite variable, ranging from linear to convex shaped curves, they were fitted to rational functions. Stepwize regression analysis yielded subsequent model equations with reasonable statistical properties which allowed describing all but all a few cases. Differentiating these equations with respect to the concentration gave the slope of the tangent to the curve, i.e., the variation in rate expected for a given perturbation of the ambient substrate concentration. The initial slope value was then used as an index to gauge the "affinity" of the plankton community for the nitrogen substrate utilization. In June 1997, the situation at the Iberian shelf showed no upwelling except near Cape Finistère. Overall, the phytoplankton community displayed a high "affinity" for both nitrate and ammonium and low f-ratio values, which is indicative of a re-generated production regime. High ammonium regeneration rates supported furthermore these observations. It was also demonstrated that the new production rates is only marginally sensitive to changes of the ambient nitrate and/or ammonium concentrations. This indicates that the production regime is rather stable throughout. Only at Cape Finistère, nitrate concentrations were high reflecting the onset of an upwelling event. In this zone, the phytoplankton community, taking advantage of its high affinity for nitrate enhanced both total N-uptake rate and f-ratio. In July 1998, the situation evolved towards an extension to the south of the upwelling event starting at Cape Finistère. In this southern zone of the upwelling the phytoplankton community displayed generally a lower affinity for nitrate (but not for ammonium) than in 1997. In spite of this lower affinity

Effects of cadmium exposure on Iberian ribbed newt (Pleurodeles waltl) testes

PubMed Central

Hirako, Ayano; Takeoka, Yuki; Hayashi, Toshinori; Takeuchi, Takashi; Furukawa, Satoshi; Sugiyama, Akihiko

2017-01-01

To characterize the histomorphologic effects of cadmium on adult newt testes, male Iberian ribbed newts (6 months post-hatching) were intraperitoneally exposed to a single dose of 50 mg/kg of cadmium, with histologic analysis of the testes at 24, 48, 72, and 96 h. Beginning 24 h after cadmium exposure, apoptosis of spermatogonia and spermatocytes was observed, and congestion was observed in the interstitial vessels of the testes. Throughout the experimental period, the rates of pyknotic cells and TUNEL and cleaved caspase-3 positivity were significantly higher in the spermatogonia and spermatocytes of cadmium-treated newts compared with control newts. There were no significant differences between cadmium-treated and control newts in phospho-histone H3 positivity in the spermatogonia and spermatocytes. These results suggest that spermatogonia and spermatocytes in adult Iberian ribbed newts are highly sensitive to cadmium. This is the first report of the histomorphologic characteristics of cadmium-induced testicular dysfunction in newts. PMID:29097846

The Post-Eocene Evolution of the Doruneh Fault Region (Central Iran): The Intraplate Response to the Reorganization of the Arabia-Eurasia Collision Zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tadayon, Meisam; Rossetti, Federico; Zattin, Massimiliano; Nozaem, Reza; Calzolari, Gabriele; Madanipour, Saeed; Salvini, Francesco

2017-12-01

The Cenozoic deformation history of Central Iran has been dominantly accommodated by the activation of major intracontinental strike-slip fault zones, developed in the hinterland domain of the Arabia-Eurasia convergent margin. Few quantitative temporal and kinematic constraints are available from these strike-slip deformation zones, hampering a full assessment of the style and timing of intraplate deformation in Iran and the understanding of the possible linkage to the tectonic reorganization of the Zagros collisional zone. This study focuses on the region to the north of the active trace of the sinistral Doruneh Fault. By combing structural and low-temperature apatite fission track (AFT) and (U-Th)/He (AHe) thermochronology investigations, we provide new kinematic and temporal constraints to the deformation history of Central Iran. Our results document a post-Eocene polyphase tectonic evolution dominated by dextral strike-slip tectonics, whose activity is constrained since the early Miocene in response to an early, NW-SE oriented paleo-σ1 direction. A major phase of enhanced cooling/exhumation is constrained at the Miocene/Pliocene boundary, caused by a switch of the maximum paleo-σ1 direction to N-S. When integrated into the regional scenario, these data are framed into a new tectonic reconstruction for the Miocene-Quaternary time lapse, where strike-slip deformation in the intracontinental domain of Central Iran is interpreted as guided by the reorganization of the Zagros collisional zone in the transition from an immature to a mature stage of continental collision.

A theoretical explanation for the Central Molecular Zone asymmetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sormani, Mattia C.; Treß, Robin G.; Ridley, Matthew; Glover, Simon C. O.; Klessen, Ralf S.; Binney, James; Magorrian, John; Smith, Rowan

2018-04-01

It has been known for more than 30 yr that the distribution of molecular gas in the innermost 300 parsecs of the Milky Way, the Central Molecular Zone, is strongly asymmetric. Indeed, approximately three quarters of molecular emission come from positive longitudes, and only one quarter from negative longitudes. However, despite much theoretical effort, the origin of this asymmetry has remained a mystery. Here, we show that the asymmetry can be neatly explained by unsteady flow of gas in a barred potential. We use high-resolution 3D hydrodynamical simulations coupled to a state-of-the-art chemical network. Despite the initial conditions and the bar potential being point symmetric with respect to the Galactic Centre, asymmetries develop spontaneously due to the combination of a hydrodynamical instability known as the `wiggle instability' and the thermal instability. The observed asymmetry must be transient: observations made tens of megayears in the past or in the future would often show an asymmetry in the opposite sense. Fluctuations of amplitude comparable to the observed asymmetry occur for a large fraction of time in our simulations, and suggest that the present is not an exceptional moment in the life of our Galaxy.

Radon measurements in an area of tectonic zone: A case study in Central Slovakia.

PubMed

Mojzeš, Andrej; Marko, František; Porubčanová, Barbara; Bartošová, Andrea

2017-01-01

General overviews of the spatial distribution of radon and other natural radionuclides in the geological basement as commonly presented on regional or country maps tend to offer a low density of information, insufficient for gaining relevant knowledge of the environmental impact, especially in the areas of tectonic zones often assumed to be radon prone and therefore dangerous for the human population. An additional survey, employing radon measurements in soil and indoor air, was carried out seeking to provide a more detailed characterization of the expressive fault zone of the Malá Magura in the Horná Nitra region of Central Slovakia. Eventually, the results of soil 222 Rn volume activity measurements along two short profiles crossing the assumed fault line did not reveal any indication of active nature of local tectonics, but merely pointed to an existence of a zone of contact between different types of rocks. The results of indoor radon measurements in dwellings of two villages lying on the studied fault showed values that were lower than those commonly observed on the Slovak territory, ruling out any negative health impact on population. Nevertheless, in order to add new findings to an already well established study of geological structure of the region, the indoor radon data collected through a previous survey require a further analysis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Daily precipitation extreme events for the Iberian Peninsula and its association with Atmospheric Rivers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramos, Alexandre M.; Trigo, Ricardo M.; Liberato, Margarida LR

2014-05-01

Extreme precipitation events in the Iberian Peninsula during the extended winter months have major socio-economic impacts such as floods, landslides, extensive property damage and life losses. These events are usually associated with low pressure systems with Atlantic origin, although some extreme events in summer/autumn months can be linked to Mediterranean low pressure systems. Quite often these events are evaluated on a casuistic base and making use of data from relatively few stations. An objective method for ranking daily precipitation events is presented here based on the extensive use of the most comprehensive database of daily gridded precipitation available for the Iberian Peninsula (IB02) and spanning from 1950 to 2008, with a resolution of 0.2° (approximately 16 x 22 km at latitude 40°N), for a total of 1673 pixels. This database is based on a dense network of rain gauges, combining two national data sets, 'Spain02' for peninsular Spain and Balearic islands, and 'PT02' for mainland Portugal, with a total of more than two thousand stations over Spain and four hundred stations over Portugal, all quality-controlled and homogenized. Through this objective method for ranking daily precipitation events the magnitude of an event is obtained after considering the area affected as well as its intensity in every grid point and taking into account the daily precipitation normalised departure from climatology. Different precipitation rankings are presented considering the entire Iberian Peninsula, Portugal and also the six largest river basins in the Iberian Peninsula. Atmospheric Rivers (AR) are the water vapour (WV) core section of the broader warm conveyor belt occurring over the oceans along the warm sector of extra-tropical cyclones. They are usually W-E oriented steered by pre-frontal low level jets along the trailing cold front and subsequently feed the precipitation in the extra-tropical cyclones. They are relatively narrow regions of concentrated WV

49 CFR 71.8 - Mountain zone.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Office of the Secretary of Transportation STANDARD TIME ZONE BOUNDARIES § 71.8 Mountain zone. The fourth zone, the mountain standard time zone, includes that part of the United States that is west of the boundary line between the central and mountain standard time zones described in § 71.7 and east of the...

Climate-Induced Larch Growth Response Within the Central Siberian Permafrost Zone

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kharuk, Viacheslav I.; Ranson, Kenneth J.; Im, Sergei T.; Petrov, Il'ya A.

2015-01-01

Aim: estimation of larch (Larix gmelinii) growth response to current climate changes. Location: permafrost area within the northern part of Central Siberia (approximately 65.8 deg N, 98.5 deg E). Method: analysis of dendrochronological data, climate variables, drought index SPEI, GPP (gross primary production) and EVI vegetation index (both Aqua/MODIS satellite derived), and soil water content anomalies (GRACE satellite measurements of equivalent water thickness anomalies, EWTA). Results: larch tree ring width (TRW) correlated with previous year August precipitation (r = 0.63), snow accumulation (r = 0.61), soil water anomalies (r = 0.79), early summer temperatures and water vapor pressure (r = 0.73 and r = 0.69, respectively), May and June drought index (r = 0.68-0.82). There are significant positive trends of TRW since late 1980s and GPP since the year 2000. Mean TRW increased by about 50%, which is similar to post-Little Ice Age warming. TRW correlated with GPP and EVI of larch stands (r = 0.68-0.69). Main conclusions: within the permafrost zone of central Siberia larch TRW growth is limited by early summer temperatures, available water from snowmelt, water accumulated within soil in the previous year, and permafrost thaw water. Water stress is one of the limiting factors of larch growth. Larch TRW growth and GPP increased during recent decades.

Basement thrust sheets in the Clearwater orogenic zone, central Idaho and western Montana ( USA).

USGS Publications Warehouse

Skipp, B.

1987-01-01

The Clearwater orogenic zone in central Idaho and W Montana contains at least 2 major NE-directed Cordilleran thrust plates of Early Proterozoic metasedimentary and metaigneous rocks that overrode previously folded Middle Proterozoic rocks of the Belt basin in Cretaceous time. The northeastward migration of the resultant thickened wedge of crustal material combined with Cretaceous subduction along the W continental margin produced a younger N Bitterroot lobe of the Idaho batholith relative to an older S Atlanta lobe. Eocene extensional unroofing and erosion of the Bitterroot lobe has exposed the roots of the thick Cordilleran thrust sheets.-Author

Past, present and future distributions of an Iberian Endemic, Lepus granatensis: ecological and evolutionary clues from species distribution models.

PubMed

Acevedo, Pelayo; Melo-Ferreira, José; Real, Raimundo; Alves, Paulo Célio

2012-01-01

The application of species distribution models (SDMs) in ecology and conservation biology is increasing and assuming an important role, mainly because they can be used to hindcast past and predict current and future species distributions. However, the accuracy of SDMs depends on the quality of the data and on appropriate theoretical frameworks. In this study, comprehensive data on the current distribution of the Iberian hare (Lepus granatensis) were used to i) determine the species' ecogeographical constraints, ii) hindcast a climatic model for the last glacial maximum (LGM), relating it to inferences derived from molecular studies, and iii) calibrate a model to assess the species future distribution trends (up to 2080). Our results showed that the climatic factor (in its pure effect and when it is combined with the land-cover factor) is the most important descriptor of the current distribution of the Iberian hare. In addition, the model's output was a reliable index of the local probability of species occurrence, which is a valuable tool to guide species management decisions and conservation planning. Climatic potential obtained for the LGM was combined with molecular data and the results suggest that several glacial refugia may have existed for the species within the major Iberian refugium. Finally, a high probability of occurrence of the Iberian hare in the current species range and a northward expansion were predicted for future. Given its current environmental envelope and evolutionary history, we discuss the macroecology of the Iberian hare and its sensitivity to climate change.

Past, Present and Future Distributions of an Iberian Endemic, Lepus granatensis: Ecological and Evolutionary Clues from Species Distribution Models

PubMed Central

Acevedo, Pelayo; Melo-Ferreira, José; Real, Raimundo; Alves, Paulo Célio

2012-01-01

The application of species distribution models (SDMs) in ecology and conservation biology is increasing and assuming an important role, mainly because they can be used to hindcast past and predict current and future species distributions. However, the accuracy of SDMs depends on the quality of the data and on appropriate theoretical frameworks. In this study, comprehensive data on the current distribution of the Iberian hare (Lepus granatensis) were used to i) determine the species’ ecogeographical constraints, ii) hindcast a climatic model for the last glacial maximum (LGM), relating it to inferences derived from molecular studies, and iii) calibrate a model to assess the species future distribution trends (up to 2080). Our results showed that the climatic factor (in its pure effect and when it is combined with the land-cover factor) is the most important descriptor of the current distribution of the Iberian hare. In addition, the model’s output was a reliable index of the local probability of species occurrence, which is a valuable tool to guide species management decisions and conservation planning. Climatic potential obtained for the LGM was combined with molecular data and the results suggest that several glacial refugia may have existed for the species within the major Iberian refugium. Finally, a high probability of occurrence of the Iberian hare in the current species range and a northward expansion were predicted for future. Given its current environmental envelope and evolutionary history, we discuss the macroecology of the Iberian hare and its sensitivity to climate change. PMID:23272115

Active transfer fault zone linking a segmented extensional system (Betics, southern Spain): Insight into heterogeneous extension driven by edge delamination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martínez-Martínez, José Miguel; Booth-Rea, Guillermo; Azañón, José Miguel; Torcal, Federico

2006-08-01

Pliocene and Quaternary tectonic structures mainly consisting of segmented northwest-southeast normal faults, and associated seismicity in the central Betics do not agree with the transpressive tectonic nature of the Africa-Eurasia plate boundary in the Ibero-Maghrebian region. Active extensional deformation here is heterogeneous, individual segmented normal faults being linked by relay ramps and transfer faults, including oblique-slip and both dextral and sinistral strike-slip faults. Normal faults extend the hanging wall of an extensional detachment that is the active segment of a complex system of successive WSW-directed extensional detachments which have thinned the Betic upper crust since middle Miocene. Two areas, which are connected by an active 40-km long dextral strike-slip transfer fault zone, concentrate present-day extension. Both the seismicity distribution and focal mechanisms agree with the position and regime of the observed faults. The activity of the transfer zone during middle Miocene to present implies a mode of extension which must have remained substantially the same over the entire period. Thus, the mechanisms driving extension should still be operating. Both the westward migration of the extensional loci and the high asymmetry of the extensional systems can be related to edge delamination below the south Iberian margin coupled with roll-back under the Alborán Sea; involving the asymmetric westward inflow of asthenospheric material under the margins.

Influence of pre-cure freezing on the profile of volatile compounds during the processing of Iberian hams.

PubMed

Pérez-Palacios, Trinidad; Ruiz, Jorge; Martín, Diana; Grau, Raúl; Antequera, Teresa

2010-04-15

This work was designed to study the effect of pre-cure freezing of raw thighs from Iberian pigs on the profile of volatile compounds during the processing of hams. Generation of volatile compounds during Iberian ham processing was similar in both pre-cure frozen and refrigerated hams, the main differences being at the final stage. The levels of 2-methylbutanal, 2-methyl-1-butanol, 2,3-butanediol and 2-heptanol were significantly higher in dry-cured hams that were pre-cure frozen than in refrigerated ones, whereas the content of most detected esters was statistically lower in pre-cure frozen than in refrigerated hams. The effect of pre-cure freezing of Iberian ham on the profile of volatile compounds during ripening was not remarkable. Few differences were found in the final product, which would not greatly modify the aroma and flavour features of the dry-cured hams. (c) 2010 Society of Chemical Industry.

Kinematics of the New Madrid seismic zone, central United States, based on stepover models

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pratt, Thomas L.

2012-01-01

Seismicity in the New Madrid seismic zone (NMSZ) of the central United States is generally attributed to a stepover structure in which the Reelfoot thrust fault transfers slip between parallel strike-slip faults. However, some arms of the seismic zone do not fit this simple model. Comparison of the NMSZ with an analog sandbox model of a restraining stepover structure explains all of the arms of seismicity as only part of the extensive pattern of faults that characterizes stepover structures. Computer models show that the stepover structure may form because differences in the trends of lower crustal shearing and inherited upper crustal faults make a step between en echelon fault segments the easiest path for slip in the upper crust. The models predict that the modern seismicity occurs only on a subset of the faults in the New Madrid stepover structure, that only the southern part of the stepover structure ruptured in the A.D. 1811–1812 earthquakes, and that the stepover formed because the trends of older faults are not the same as the current direction of shearing.

Marine research in the Iberian Peninsula: A pledge for better times after an economic crisis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borja, Angel; Marques, Joao-Carlos; Olabarria, Celia; Quintino, Victor

2013-10-01

The “17th Iberian Symposium of Marine Biology Studies” took place in San Sebastian (Spain), in September 2012. This contribution is an introduction to a special issue collating the most challenging papers submitted by Portuguese and Spanish scientists to the symposium. The text was structured as a novel, with the three main parts of a novel: (i) Setup: a historical context, from old times to the 1970's. This part presents the main Iberian scientific contribution to marine science, since the 15th Century, as a precedent to modern scientific research; (ii) Conflict: from the 1970's to the economic crisis. This part presents the evolution of Iberian research production, based upon a bibliometric study, from 1974 to 2012; and (iii) Resolution: what for the future?, which shows the main challenges, proposed by the authors, to the European research initiative 'Horizon 2020', including aspects such as the need of knowledge-base for marine management, the marine research as a potential source of jobs, the ecosystem-based approach, human activities and Marine Spatial Planning, moving from fisheries to aquaculture, or global change issues, among others.

Regional Climate Modelling of the Western Iberian Low-Level Wind Jet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soares, Pedro M. M.; Lima, Daniela C. A.; Cardoso, Rita M.; Semedo, Álvaro

2016-04-01

The Iberian coastal low-level jet (CLLJ) is one the less studied boundary layer wind jet features in the Eastern Boundary Currents Systems (EBCS). These regions are amongst the most productive ocean ecosystems, where the atmosphere-land-ocean feedbacks, which include marine boundary layer clouds, coastal jets, upwelling and inland soil temperature and moisture, play an important role in defining the regional climate along the sub-tropical mid-latitude western coastal areas. Recently, the present climate western Iberian CLLJ properties were extensively described using a high resolution regional climate hindcast simulation. A summer maximum frequency of occurrence above 30% was found, with mean maximum wind speeds around 15 ms-1, between 300 and 400m heights (at the jet core). Since the 1990s the climate change impact on the EBCS is being studied, nevertheless some lack of consensus still persists regarding the evolution of upwelling and other components of the climate system in these areas. However, recently some authors have shown that changes are to be expected concerning the timing, intensity and spatial homogeneity of coastal upwelling and of CLLJs, in response to future warming, especially at higher latitudes, namely in Iberia and Canaries. In this study, the first climate change assessment study regarding the Western Iberian CLLJ, using a high resolution (9km) regional climate simulation, is presented. The properties of this CLLJ are studied and compared using two 30 years simulations: one historical simulation for the 1971-2000 period, and another simulation for future climate, in agreement with the RCP8.5 scenario, for the 2071-2100 period. Robust and consistent changes are found: 1) the hourly frequency of occurrence of the CLLJ is expected to increase in summer along the western Iberian coast, from mean maximum values of around 35% to approximately 50%; 2) the relative increase of the CLLJ frequency of occurrence is higher in the north off western Iberia

Structural analysis of the Gachsar sub-zone in central Alborz range; constrain for inversion tectonics followed by the range transverse faulting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yassaghi, A.; Naeimi, A.

2011-08-01

Analysis of the Gachsar structural sub-zone has been carried out to constrain structural evolution of the central Alborz range situated in the central Alpine Himalayan orogenic system. The sub-zone bounded by the northward-dipping Kandovan Fault to the north and the southward-dipping Taleghan Fault to the south is transversely cut by several sinistral faults. The Kandovan Fault that controls development of the Eocene rocks in its footwall from the Paleozoic-Mesozoic units in the fault hanging wall is interpreted as an inverted basin-bounding fault. Structural evidences include the presence of a thin-skinned imbricate thrust system propagated from a detachment zone that acts as a footwall shortcut thrust, development of large synclines in the fault footwall as well as back thrusts and pop-up structures on the fault hanging wall. Kinematics of the inverted Kandovan Fault and its accompanying structures constrain the N-S shortening direction proposed for the Alborz range until Late Miocene. The transverse sinistral faults that are in acute angle of 15° to a major magnetic lineament, which represents a basement fault, are interpreted to develop as synthetic Riedel shears on the cover sequences during reactivation of the basement fault. This overprinting of the transverse faults on the earlier inverted extensional fault occurs since the Late Miocene when the south Caspian basin block attained a SSW movement relative to the central Iran. Therefore, recent deformation in the range is a result of the basement transverse-fault reactivation.

Origin of the Blytheville Arch, and long-term displacement on the New Madrid seismic zone, central United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pratt, Thomas L.; Williams, Robert; Odum, Jackson K.; Stephenson, William J.

2013-01-01

The southern arm of the New Madrid seismic zone of the central United States coincides with the buried, ~110 km by ~20 km Blytheville Arch antiform within the Cambrian–Ordovician Reelfoot rift graben. The Blytheville Arch has been interpreted at various times as a compressive structure, an igneous intrusion, or a sediment diapir. Reprocessed industry seismic-reflection profiles presented here show a strong similarity between the Blytheville Arch and pop-up structures, or flower structures, within strike-slip fault systems. The Blytheville Arch formed in the Paleozoic, but post–Mid-Cretaceous to Quaternary strata show displacement or folding indicative of faulting. Faults within the graben structure but outside of the Blytheville Arch also appear to displace Upper Cretaceous and perhaps younger strata, indicating that past faulting was not restricted to the Blytheville Arch and New Madrid seismic zone. As much as 10–12.5 km of strike slip can be estimated from apparent shearing of the Reelfoot arm of the New Madrid seismic zone. There also appears to be ~5–5.5 km of shearing of the Reelfoot topographic scarp at the north end of the southern arm of the New Madrid seismic zone and of the southern portion of Crowley's Ridge, which is a north-trending topographic ridge just south of the seismic zone. These observations suggest that there has been substantial strike-slip displacement along the Blytheville Arch and southern arm of the New Madrid seismic zone, that strike-slip extended north and south of the modern seismic zone, and that post–Mid-Cretaceous (post-Eocene?) faulting was not restricted to the Blytheville Arch or to currently active faults within the New Madrid seismic zone.

Detection of Iberian ham aroma by a semiconductor multisensorial system.

PubMed

Otero, Laura; Horrillo, M A Carmen; García, María; Sayago, Isabel; Aleixandre, Manuel; Fernández, M A Jesús; Arés, Luis; Gutiérrez, Javier

2003-11-01

A semiconductor multisensorial system, based on tin oxide, to control the quality of dry-cured Iberian hams is described. Two types of ham (submitted to different drying temperatures) were selected. Good responses were obtained from the 12 elements forming the multisensor for different operating temperatures. Discrimination between the two types of ham was successfully realised through principal component analysis (PCA).

Determination of the relationship between major fault and zinc mineralization using fractal modeling in the Behabad fault zone, central Iran

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adib, Ahmad; Afzal, Peyman; Mirzaei Ilani, Shapour; Aliyari, Farhang

2017-10-01

The aim of this study is to determine a relationship between zinc mineralization and a major fault in the Behabad area, central Iran, using the Concentration-Distance to Major Fault (C-DMF), Area of Mineralized Zone-Distance to Major Fault (AMZ-DMF), and Concentration-Area (C-A) fractal models for Zn deposit/mine classification according to their distance from the Behabad fault. Application of the C-DMF and the AMZ-DMF models for Zn mineralization classification in the Behabad fault zone reveals that the main Zn deposits have a good correlation with the major fault in the area. The distance from the known zinc deposits/mines with Zn values higher than 29% and the area of the mineralized zone of more than 900 m2 to the major fault is lower than 1 km, which shows a positive correlation between Zn mineralization and the structural zone. As a result, the AMZ-DMF and C-DMF fractal models can be utilized for the delineation and the recognition of different mineralized zones in different types of magmatic and hydrothermal deposits.

The use of normalized climatological anomalies to rank precipitation events in the Iberian Peninsula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramos, Alexandre M.; Trigo, Ricardo M.; Liberato, Margarida L. R.

2013-04-01

Extreme precipitation events in the Iberian Peninsula during winter months have major socio-economic impacts such as flooding, landslides, extensive property damage and life losses, and are usually associated to deep low pressure systems with Atlantic origin, although some extreme events in summer/autumn months are fed by the Mediterranean. Quite often these events are evaluated on a casuistic base and with relatively few stations. An objective method for ranking daily precipitation events is presented based on the extensive use of the most comprehensive database of daily precipitation available for the Iberian Peninsula (IB02) and spanning from 1950 to 2003, with a resolution of 0.2° (approximately 16 x 22 km at latitude 40°N), for a total of 1673 pixels. This database is based on a dense network of rain gauges, combining two national data sets, 'Spain02' for peninsular Spain and Balearic islands (Herrera et al., 2012), and 'PT02' for mainland Portugal (Belo-Pereira et al., 2011), with a total of more than two thousand stations over Spain and four hundred stations over Portugal, all quality-controlled and homogenized. The daily precipitation data from 1950 to 2003 are compared with a 30-year (1961-90) precipitation climatology to achieve a daily normalized departure from the climatology. The magnitude of an event is given daily by an index that is obtained after multiplying 1) the area (in percentage) that has precipitation anomalies above two standard deviations by 2) the mean values of these anomalies over this area. With this criterion we are able to evaluate not only the spatial extent of the precipitation events but also their spatially integrated intensity. In addition, to stress out the hydrological responses to precipitation, rankings taking into account the sum of the normalized anomalies over different time periods (3 days, 5 days and 10 days) were also computed. Here different precipitation rankings will be presented considering the entire Iberian

Extremadura (Spain): a case to be considered as Global Heritage Stone Province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mota, Maribel; Tejado, Juanjo; Pereira, Dolores

2015-04-01

Extremadura is geologically located in the Iberian Massif, belonging part of the Central Iberian Zone, in the north of the region, and the Ossa Morena zone, in the south of it. The Central Iberian Zone is characterized by the abundance of clastic metasedimentary rocks and greywacke, sandstones, shales, conglomerates, quartzites and lesser amounts of carbonate materials such as limestone and dolomite (600-300 Ma). Also featured are Hercynian granitic intrusions. The rocks from the Ossa-Morena zone are metamorphic, intrusive igneous and volcanic (650-300 Ma). Extremadura, given its strategic geographical position, has been the site of human settlement since ancient times, and this civilisation has left its influence on the building materials used in buildings and monuments. The rocks used in building, are directly related to the geology of the immediate area, since rock outcrops, near the construction are mostly granites, slates and marbles. The historic and artistic heritage from Extremadura includes Roman treasures (like the bridges located in the Via de la Plata, dams, walls and milestones), Islamic and Christian treasures as well as medieval and Renaissance Jewish treasures. Extremadura has three World Heritage Sites declared by UNESCO: the old town of Cáceres, the archaeological site at Merida and the monastery of Guadalupe. The latter is built mainly of bricks and masonry. In Merida, granites and diorites of various facies of the batholiths located north of the city are used together with Sierra Carija's marble and quartzite alluvial gravels from the river Guadiana. Among the constructions in Merida, granite utilisation in the theater and amphitheater, aqueduct of Miracles and the Proserpina dam, are remarkable. The old town of Cáceres is characterised by the presence of narrow streets and monuments, medieval churches and Renaissance palaces, built with granite and flanked by a wall constructed during the Muslim period. This granite comes from the quarries

New evidence for hybrid zones of forest and savanna elephants in Central and West Africa.

PubMed

Mondol, Samrat; Moltke, Ida; Hart, John; Keigwin, Michael; Brown, Lisa; Stephens, Matthew; Wasser, Samuel K

2015-12-01

The African elephant consists of forest and savanna subspecies. Both subspecies are highly endangered due to severe poaching and habitat loss, and knowledge of their population structure is vital to their conservation. Previous studies have demonstrated marked genetic and morphological differences between forest and savanna elephants, and despite extensive sampling, genetic evidence of hybridization between them has been restricted largely to a few hybrids in the Garamba region of northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Here, we present new genetic data on hybridization from previously unsampled areas of Africa. Novel statistical methods applied to these data identify 46 hybrid samples--many more than have been previously identified--only two of which are from the Garamba region. The remaining 44 are from three other geographically distinct locations: a major hybrid zone along the border of the DRC and Uganda, a second potential hybrid zone in Central African Republic and a smaller fraction of hybrids in the Pendjari-Arli complex of West Africa. Most of the hybrids show evidence of interbreeding over more than one generation, demonstrating that hybrids are fertile. Mitochondrial and Y chromosome data demonstrate that the hybridization is bidirectional, involving males and females from both subspecies. We hypothesize that the hybrid zones may have been facilitated by poaching and habitat modification. The localized geography and rarity of hybrid zones, their possible facilitation from human pressures, and the high divergence and genetic distinctness of forest and savanna elephants throughout their ranges, are consistent with calls for separate species classification. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Castro ring zone: a 4,500-km2 fossil hydrothermal system in the Challis volcanic field, central Idaho.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Criss, R.E.; Ekren, E.B.; Hardyman, R.F.

1984-01-01

The largest fossil hydrothermal system occupying a 4500 km2 area in central Idaho is revealed by delta 18O studies. The remains of this meteoric-hydrothermal system are preserved within a sharply bounded, 15 km wide, 70-km-diameter annulus of low delta 18O rock (+2.0 to -8.8per mille) termed the Castro ring zone. The zone is centred on a less depleted (+4.5) core zone consisting of granitic rocks of the Castro pluton. This 700-km2 Eocene subvolcanic batholith has intruded, domed, and hydrothermally metamorphosed a thick sequence of Challis Volcanics, the stratigraphically low rocks in the 2000-km2 Van Horn Peak and the 1000-km2 Thunder Mountain cauldron complexes being most strongly altered. Less extreme 18O depletions occur in the youngest major ash-flow sheets of these complexes, indicating a vertical 18O gradient. Water/rock ratios of geothermal systems are surprisingly insensitive to the circulation scale.-L.-di H.

Human Impact on Biogeochemical Cycles and Deposition Dynamics in Karstic Lakes: El Tobar Lake Record (Central Iberian Range, Spain)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barreiro-Lostres, F.; Moreno-Caballud, A.; Giralt, S.; Hillman, A. L.; Brown, E. T.; Abbott, M. B.; Valero-Garces, B. L.

2014-12-01

Karstic lakes in the Iberian Range (Central Spain) provide a unique opportunity to test the human impact in the watersheds and the aquatic environments during historical times. We reconstruct the depositional evolution and the changes in biogeochemical cycles of El Tobar karstic lake, evaluating the response and the resilience of this Mediterranean ecosystem to both anthropogenic impacts and climate forcing during the last 1000 years. Lake El Tobar (40°32'N, 3°56'W; 1200 m a.s.l.; see Figure), 16 ha surface area, 20 m max. depth and permanent meromictic conditions, has a relatively large watershed (1080 ha). Five 8 m long sediment cores and short gravity cores where recovered, imaged, logged with a Geotek, described and sampled for geochemical analyses (elemental TOC, TIC, TN, TS), XRF scanner and ICP-MS, and dated (137Cs and 10 14C assays). The record is a combination of: i) laminated dark silts with terrestrial remains and diatoms and ii) massive to banded light silts (mm to cm -thick layers) interpreted as flood deposits. Sediments, TOC, and Br/Ti and Sr/Ca ratios identify four periods of increased sediment delivery occurred about 1500, 1800, 1850 and 1900 AD, coinciding with large land uses changes of regional relevance such as land clearing and increased population. Two main hydrological changes are clearly recorded in El Tobar sequence. The first one, marked by a sharp decrease in Mg, Ca and Si concentrations, took place about 1200 AD, and during a period of increasing lake level, which shifted from shallower to deeper facies and from carbonatic to clastic and organic-rich deposition. This change was likely related to increased water availability synchronous to the transition from the Medieval Climate Anomaly to the Little Ice Age. The second one was a canal construction in 1967 AD when a nearby reservoir provided fresh water influx to the lake, and resulted in stronger meromictic conditions in the system after canal construction, which is marked by lower

New constraints on the age and conditions of LPHT metamorphism in the southwestern Central Zone of the Damara Belt, Namibia and implications for tectonic setting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Longridge, L.; Gibson, R. L.; Kinnaird, J. A.; Armstrong, R. A.

2017-05-01

Orthopyroxene-bearing pelitic migmatites and associated anatectic leucogranites from the southwestern Central Zone of the Damara Belt provide revised constraints on the age and grade of LPHT metamorphism and its timing relative to deformation. Pseudosection modelling using THERMOCALC 3.33 indicates a single metamorphic event with peak temperatures of ca. 835 °C and pressures of 4.9 kbar for a garnet-cordierite-biotite-orthopyroxene schist. These temperatures confirm the attainment of true granulite facies conditions in the belt and are higher than previous estimates based on cation-exchange thermobarometry, which are likely to have been affected by retrograde re-equilibration and underestimate peak temperatures for the Central Zone by 50-150 °C. The early growth of sillimanite, consumption of sillimanite to produce cordierite, and the late development of garnet, together with modal isopleths and textural constraints on mineral reactions suggest a near-isobaric heating path for the southwestern Central Zone. Field and petrographic relationships indicate that the metamorphic peak was coeval with non-coaxial D2 deformation that produced orogen-normal, south- to SE-verging, km-scale, recumbent folds and late-D2 shear zones linked to NE-SW, orogen-parallel, extension. Weighted mean U-Pb single-grain concordia ages of 520.3 ± 4.6 Ma (zircon) and 514.1 ± 3.1 Ma (monazite) from a syn-D2 anatectic garnet-bearing granite constrain the age of metamorphism and the D2 deformation event in the southwestern Central Zone to 520-510 Ma. It is suggested that two tectonometamorphic episodes are preserved in the Central Zone. NW-verging folding and thrusting coeval with the emplacement of the Salem-type granites and mafic-dioritic Goas Suite took place at 550-530 Ma, and south- to SE-verging folding, shearing and NE-SW extension at 520-510 Ma was coeval with granulite-facies metamorphism and the emplacement of crustal melt granitoids. These events are temporally distinct and

Two new species of Tardigrada (Eutardigrada: Ramazzottiidae, Macrobiotidae) from the supralittoral zone of the Atlantic Iberian Peninsula rocky shores.

PubMed

Fontoura, Paulo; Rubal, Marcos; Veiga, Puri

2017-05-10

Two new species of Eutardigrada were found in supralittoral lichens, growing on rocky shores at two localities of the Western Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula. Ramazzottius littoreus sp. nov., found in San Cibrao (North of Spain), has the dorsal cuticle sculptured with small tubercles and claws with accessory points similar to R. oberhaeuseri. It can be distinguished from all the other known Ramazzottius species with the same type of cuticular sculpture by the dotted egg shell and the peculiar reticulation visible at the bulbous base of egg processes. Macrobiotus halophilus sp. nov., found in Cascais (Centre of Portugal), belongs to the Macrobiotus hufelandi group. The slightly wrinkled egg shell and egg processes in the shape of inverted chalice with dentate distal disc, identifies it as a member of the Macrobiotus persimilis subgroup. The new dioecious species differs from the six other species of the M. persimilis subgroup by a unique combination of some characters (small and very sparse circular cuticular pores, granulation on legs I-III and dentate lunules on legs IV), by measurements of some structures (claws and buccal apparatus), and by the number, dimension and shape of egg processes.

Oppositely dipping thrusts and transpressional imbricate zone in the Central Eastern Desert of Egypt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abd El-Wahed, Mohamed A.

2014-12-01

This paper documents the 40-60 km wide ENE-WSW trending Mubarak-Barramiya shear belt (MBSB) in the Central Eastern Desert of Egypt by examining its structural styles, kinematics and geometry. Our study revealed the existence of prevalent dextral and minor sinistral conjugate shear zones. The MBSB is metamorphic belt (greenschist-amphibolite) characterized by at least three post-collisional (740-540 Ma) ductile Neoproterozoic deformation events (D1, D2 and D3) followed by a brittle neotectonic deformation (D4). D1 event produced early top-to-the-northwest thrust displacements due to NW-SE shortening. D2 produced discrete zones of NNW-trending upright folds and culminated in initiation of major NW-trending sinistral shear zones of the Najd Fault System (NFS, at c. 640-540 Ma ago) as well as steeply dipping S2 foliation, and shallowly plunging L2 lineation. NW-to NNW-trending F2 folds are open to steep and vary in plunge from horizontal to vertical. D2 deformational fabrics are strongly overprinted by D3 penetrative structures. D3 is characterized by a penetrative S3 foliation, steeply SE- to NW-plunging and shallowly NE-plunging stretching lineations (L3), asymmetric and sheath folds (F3) consistent with dextral sense of movement exhibited by delta- and sigma-type porphyroclast systems and asymmetric boudinage fabrics. D2-D3 represent a non-coaxial progressive event formed in a dextral NE- over NW-sinistral shear zone during a partitioned transpression in response to E-W-directed compression during oblique convergence between East and West Gondwana developed due to closure of the Mozambique Ocean and amalgamation of the Arabian-Nubian Shield in Cryogenian-early Ediacaran time.

Integrated Analysis of Climate, Soil, Topography and Vegetative Growth in Iberian Viticultural Regions

PubMed Central

Fraga, Helder; Malheiro, Aureliano C.; Moutinho-Pereira, José; Cardoso, Rita M.; Soares, Pedro M. M.; Cancela, Javier J.; Pinto, Joaquim G.; Santos, João A.

2014-01-01

The Iberian viticultural regions are convened according to the Denomination of Origin (DO) and present different climates, soils, topography and management practices. All these elements influence the vegetative growth of different varieties throughout the peninsula, and are tied to grape quality and wine type. In the current study, an integrated analysis of climate, soil, topography and vegetative growth was performed for the Iberian DO regions, using state-of-the-art datasets. For climatic assessment, a categorized index, accounting for phenological/thermal development, water availability and grape ripening conditions was computed. Soil textural classes were established to distinguish soil types. Elevation and aspect (orientation) were also taken into account, as the leading topographic elements. A spectral vegetation index was used to assess grapevine vegetative growth and an integrated analysis of all variables was performed. The results showed that the integrated climate-soil-topography influence on vine performance is evident. Most Iberian vineyards are grown in temperate dry climates with loamy soils, presenting low vegetative growth. Vineyards in temperate humid conditions tend to show higher vegetative growth. Conversely, in cooler/warmer climates, lower vigour vineyards prevail and other factors, such as soil type and precipitation acquire more important roles in driving vigour. Vines in prevailing loamy soils are grown over a wide climatic diversity, suggesting that precipitation is the primary factor influencing vigour. The present assessment of terroir characteristics allows direct comparison among wine regions and may have great value to viticulturists, particularly under a changing climate. PMID:25251495

Integrated analysis of climate, soil, topography and vegetative growth in Iberian viticultural regions.

PubMed

Fraga, Helder; Malheiro, Aureliano C; Moutinho-Pereira, José; Cardoso, Rita M; Soares, Pedro M M; Cancela, Javier J; Pinto, Joaquim G; Santos, João A

2014-01-01

The Iberian viticultural regions are convened according to the Denomination of Origin (DO) and present different climates, soils, topography and management practices. All these elements influence the vegetative growth of different varieties throughout the peninsula, and are tied to grape quality and wine type. In the current study, an integrated analysis of climate, soil, topography and vegetative growth was performed for the Iberian DO regions, using state-of-the-art datasets. For climatic assessment, a categorized index, accounting for phenological/thermal development, water availability and grape ripening conditions was computed. Soil textural classes were established to distinguish soil types. Elevation and aspect (orientation) were also taken into account, as the leading topographic elements. A spectral vegetation index was used to assess grapevine vegetative growth and an integrated analysis of all variables was performed. The results showed that the integrated climate-soil-topography influence on vine performance is evident. Most Iberian vineyards are grown in temperate dry climates with loamy soils, presenting low vegetative growth. Vineyards in temperate humid conditions tend to show higher vegetative growth. Conversely, in cooler/warmer climates, lower vigour vineyards prevail and other factors, such as soil type and precipitation acquire more important roles in driving vigour. Vines in prevailing loamy soils are grown over a wide climatic diversity, suggesting that precipitation is the primary factor influencing vigour. The present assessment of terroir characteristics allows direct comparison among wine regions and may have great value to viticulturists, particularly under a changing climate.

Climate and environments during Marine Isotope Stage 11 in the central Iberian Peninsula: the herpetofaunal assemblage from the Acheulean site of Áridos-1, Madrid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blain, Hugues-Alexandre; Santonja, Manuel; Pérez-González, Alfredo; Panera, Joaquin; Rubio-Jara, Susana

2014-06-01

The interglacial episodes of the Quaternary Period are currently the focus of a great deal of attention within the scientific community, primarily because they can help us to understand how the climate of the current interglacial may have evolved without human intervention and to assess the impact of these climate changes on ecological systems. In the central Iberian Peninsula, the archaeological site of Áridos-1 (Arganda, Madrid), with numeric dates of 379.7 ± 45 ka obtained by AAR for the upper part of the sedimentological unit of Arganda I, in combination with the evolved state of the small mammals, has been chronologically attributed to Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 11. Given the diversified faunal assemblages delivered by the 1976 excavations, Áridos-1 is probably one of the best terrestrial candidates for an understanding of the climatic and environmental conditions that prevailed in central Spain during the MIS 11 interglacial. In consequence, the fossil amphibians and squamate reptiles stored in the collections of the Museo Arqueológico Nacional of Madrid have been newly described and quantified in order to apply the mutual climatic range and habitat weighting methods for estimating quantitative data. The Mediterranean climate is shown to have been warmer and wetter than today in central Spain during MIS 11, with the mean annual temperature 1.7 °C higher and mean annual precipitation 223.9 mm higher than at present. The monthly climatic reconstruction shows differences in the distribution of precipitation over the course of the year, with more abundant precipitation during the winter months, at the beginning of spring and at the end of fall (from October to March) and less precipitation than today during the summer months and at the end of spring (from May to August), suggesting stronger rainfall seasonality between winter and summer than currently occurs. Such climate reconstruction is consistent with other European MIS 11 paleoclimatic records. The

Reliability of an ELISA test for diagnosing oestrosis in Iberian ibex.

PubMed

Arias, María Sol; Moreno, Virginia; Sarasa, Mathieu; Paz-Silva, Adolfo; Sánchez-Andrade, Rita; Morrondo, Patrocinio; Díez-Baños, Pablo; Granados, José E; Sánchez, Antonio; Pérez, Jesús M

2014-04-01

Oestrosis is one of the most prevalent parasitosis affecting the Iberian ibex, Capra pyrenaica . To date, both the diagnosis of oestrosis and the determination of the intensity of parasitism require the use of invasive methods (necropsy), which necessarily limit research possibilities. We analyzed the immune humoral response (IgM and IgG) against Oestrus ovis L. excretory/secretory larval antigens in 32 sera taken from Iberian ibex from the Sierra Nevada Natural Space (southern Spain). Three antigens were collected: L1OES (from L1 larvae), L2OES (L2), and L3OES (L3). Necropsy was considered as the gold standard. The percentage of ibexes harboring Oestrus spp. larvae was 88%, the mean intensity of parasitism being 16.96 ± 14.96 larvae per parasitized host (range: 2-52). In our sample, first-instar larvae (L1) were found in 9% of ibexes, while 69% of hosts carried L2 larvae and 88% L3 larvae. Positive correlations between L1 and L2 numbers, and between L2 and L3 numbers were detected. The best results with the immunoenzymatic assay were obtained using IgG antibodies against the L1OES antigens (specificity = 89%; sensitivity = 100%; positive predictive value = 100%; negative predictive value = 57%). The IgG seroprevalence against L1OES was 78%. Thus, the analysis of IgG antibodies against antigens collected from L1 O. ovis larvae would seem to be a noninvasive method for reliably diagnosing oestrosis in naturally infested Iberian ibex. Nevertheless, additional immunological and methodological advances are still required because false positive and false negative results still represent a non-negligible part of the results of the ELISA tests.

Ecophysiology Tracks Phylogeny and Meets Ecological Models in an Iberian Gecko.

PubMed

Rato, C; Carretero, M A

2015-01-01

Because fitness of ectotherms, including reptiles, is highly dependent on temperature and water availability, the study of ecophysiological traits, such as preferred temperature (T p) and water loss rates (WLRs), may provide mechanistic evidence on the restricting factors to the species ranges. The Moorish gecko, Tarentola mauritanica, is a species complex with a circum-Mediterranean distribution. In the Iberian Peninsula, two sister parapatric forms of the complex, known as the Iberian and the European clades, are found. Ecological models previously performed using presence records and bioclimatic variables suggest niche divergence between both lineages correlated with precipitation rather than with temperature. In this study, we test this correlative hypothesis using ecophysiological evidence. In the laboratory, we analyzed the T p and WLRs for 84 adult males from seven distinct populations ascribed to one of the two lineages present in Iberia. Specifically, we evaluated the existence of trait conservatism versus adaptation among populations, lineages, or both. In addition, we tested for a trade-off between water and thermal traits and assessed whether climate regime of sampling localities had any influence on the ecophysiological patterns found. We found that T p is quite conserved at both the population and lineage levels and independent from body size. In contrast, water loss experiments revealed some variation among populations, but the regression analysis failed to detect correlation between T p and WLR at any level. Overall, the European lineage displayed a trend for higher water loss and was more diverse among populations when compared with the Iberian lineage. The lack of correspondence between ecophysiological traits and local climatic conditions favors phylogenetic signal versus adaptation. This suggests divergent evolutionary responses to the environment, mainly acting on water ecology, in both lineages, which may account for the differences in their

New archaeomagnetic data recovered from the study of celtiberic remains from central Spain (Numantia and Ciadueña, 3rd-1st centuries BC). Implications on the fidelity of the Iberian paleointensity database

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osete, M. L.; Chauvin, A.; Catanzariti, G.; Jimeno, A.; Campuzano, S. A.; Benito-Batanero, J. P.; Tabernero-Galán, C.; Roperch, P.

2016-11-01

Variations of geomagnetic field in the Iberian Peninsula prior to roman times are poorly constrained. Here we report new archaeomagnetic results from four ceramic collections and two combustion structures recovered in two pre-roman (celtiberic) archaeological sites in central Spain. The studied materials have been dated by archaeological evidences and supported by five radiocarbon dates. Rock magnetic experiments indicate that the characteristic remanent manetization (ChRM) is carried by a low coercivity magnetic phase with Curie temperatures of 530-575 °C, most likely Ti-poor titanomagnetite/titanomaghemite. Archaeointensity determinations were carried out by using the classical Thellier-Thellier protocol including tests and corrections for magnetic anisotropy and cooling rate dependency. Two magnetic behaviours were depicted during the laboratory treatment. Black potsherds and poor heated samples from the kilns, presented two magnetization components, alterations or curved Arai plots and were therefore rejected. In contrast, well heated specimens (red ceramic fragments and well heated samples from the kilns) show one single well defined component of magnetization going through the origin and linear Arai plots providing successful archaeointensity determinations. The effect of anisotropy of the thermoremanent magnetization (ATRM) on paleointensity analysis was systematically investigated obtaining very high ATRM corrections on fine pottery specimens. In some cases, differences between the uncorrected and ATRM corrected paleointensity values reached up to 86 %. The mean intensity values obtained from three selected set of samples were 64.3 ± 5.8 μT; 56.8 ± 3.8 and 56.7 ± 4.6 μT (NUS2, CI2 and CIA, respectively), which contribute to better understand the evolution of the palaeofield intensity in central Iberia during the 3rd-1st centuries BC. The direction of the field at first century BC has also been determined from oriented samples from CIA kilns (D = 357

Curie Point Depth of the Iberian Peninsula and Surrounding Margins. A Thermal and Tectonic Perspective of its Evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andrés, J.; Marzán, I.; Ayarza, P.; Martí, D.; Palomeras, I.; Torné, M.; Campbell, S.; Carbonell, R.

2018-03-01

In this work the thermal structure of the Iberian Peninsula is derived from magnetic data by calculating the bottom of the magnetization, assumed to be the Curie-point depth (CPD) isotherm, which accounts for the depth at which magnetite becomes paramagnetic (580°C). Comparison of the CPD with crustal thickness maps along with a heat flow map derived from the CPD provides new insights on the lithospheric thermal regime. Within Iberia, the CPD isotherm has thickness in the range of 17 to 29 km. This isotherm is shallow (<18 km) offshore, where the lithosphere is thinner. In continental Iberia, the NW Variscan domain presents a magnetic response that is most probably linked to thickening and later extension processes during the late Variscan Orogeny, which resulted in widespread crustal melting and emplacement of granites (in the Central Iberian Arc). The signature of the CPD at the Gibraltar Arc reveals a geometry consistent with the slab roll-back geodynamic model that shaped the western Mediterranean. In offshore areas, a broad extension of magnetized upper mantle is found. Serpentinization of the upper mantle, probably triggered in an extensional context, is proposed to account for the magnetic signal. The Atlantic margin presents up to 8 km of serpentinites, which, according to the identification of exhumed mantle, correlates with a hyperextended margin. The Mediterranean also presents generalized serpentinization up to 6 km in the Algerian Basin. Furthermore, a heat flow map and a Moho temperature map derived from the CPD are presented.

The role of recharge zones, discharge zones, springs and tile drainage systems in peneplains of Central European highlands with regard to water quality generation processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doležal, František; Kvítek, Tomáš

The hydrogeology, runoff generation and water quality generation in old peneplains of Central Europe built by acid crystalline rocks (such as the Bohemo-Moravian Highland) are described and interpreted in terms of a three-zone concept. The recharge zones are located on flat tops of hills and their soils are mostly permeable. It is mainly through them that the shallow groundwater-bearing formations are loaded with nitrate. The groundwater exfiltrates on the lower parts of slopes (in the so-called transient zone) and in narrow valleys (in the discharge zone), creating dispersed springs and waterlogged areas. In addition, the rapid and shallow flow of perched groundwater down the slope, which takes place during wet periods in the recharge zone and, mainly, in the transient zone, leaches the nitrate from the soil directly to the stream, without necessarily being in contact with the permanent groundwater table of the recharge and the transient zones. Discharge and water quality measurements in the Kopaninský tok experimental catchment (6.7 km 2) were analysed, using a combination of two runoff separation techniques (a digital filter and a simple conceptual model GROUND). Three runoff components were distinguished (direct runoff, interflow and baseflow). There is a weak but significant positive correlation between the stream nitrate concentration on the one hand and either the interflow or the baseflow on the other hand. There is also a weak but significant negative correlation between the stream nitrate concentration on the one hand and either the ratio of direct runoff to total stream flow or the logarithm of this ratio on the other hand, provided that the cases of zero direct runoff are disregarded. A simple mixing model was used to estimate the characteristic nitrate concentrations of individual runoff components. The interflow has the highest characteristic nitrate concentration and is probably the main stream water polluter with nitrate. The baseflow is identified

Characterization of Staphylococcus spp. and Micrococcus spp. isolated from Iberian ham throughout the ripening process.

PubMed

Rodríguez, M; Núñez, F; Córdoba, J J; Sanabria, C; Bermúdez, E; Asensio, M A

1994-12-01

The Iberian dry cured ham is an uncooked meat product highly appreciated because of its characteristic flavour. This product is obtained from highly marbled Iberian pig hindlegs after 18-24 months of maturation under natural environmental conditions. The role of Micrococcaceae in the development of the aroma characteristics of this products remains unclear. Identification of Gram-positive, catalase-positive cocci isolated from Mannitol Salt Agar plates showed that Staphylococcus xylosus followed by Staphylococcus equorum are the predominant organisms, even after 16 months of maturing. A remarkable variety of types of both staphylococci and micrococci are detected at any sampling time. The metabolic activities of these organisms could contribute to the characteristics of the final product.

Gravity and magnetic anomalies used to delineate geologic features associated with earthquakes and aftershocks in the central Virginia seismic zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shah, A. K.; Horton, J.; McNamara, D. E.; Spears, D.; Burton, W. C.

2013-12-01

Estimating seismic hazard in intraplate environments can be challenging partly because events are relatively rare and associated data thus limited. Additionally, in areas such as the central Virginia seismic zone, numerous pre-existing faults may or may not be candidates for modern tectonic activity, and other faults may not have been mapped. It is thus important to determine whether or not specific geologic features are associated with seismic events. Geophysical and geologic data collected in response to the Mw5.8 August 23, 2011 central Virginia earthquake provide excellent tools for this purpose. Portable seismographs deployed within days of the main shock showed a series of aftershocks mostly occurring at depths of 3-8 km along a southeast-dipping tabular zone ~10 km long, interpreted as the causative fault or fault zone. These instruments also recorded shallow (< 4 km) aftershocks clustered in several areas at distances of ~2-15 km from the main fault zone. We use new airborne geophysical surveys (gravity, magnetics, radiometrics, and LiDAR) to delineate the distribution of various surface and subsurface geologic features of interest in areas where the earthquake and aftershocks took place. The main (causative fault) aftershock cluster coincides with a linear, NE-trending gravity gradient (~ 2 mgal/km) that extends over 20 km in either direction from the Mw5.8 epicenter. Gravity modeling incorporating seismic estimates of Moho variations suggests the presence of a shallow low-density body overlying the main aftershock cluster, placing it within the upper 2-4 km of the main-fault hanging wall. The gravity, magnetic, and radiometric data also show a bend in generally NE-SW orientation of anomalies close to the Mw5.8 epicenter. Most shallow aftershock clusters occur near weaker short-wavelength gravity gradients of one to several km length. In several cases these gradients correspond to geologic contacts mapped at the surface. Along the gravity gradients, the

Increasing sea surface temperature and range shifts of intertidal gastropods along the Iberian Peninsula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rubal, Marcos; Veiga, Puri; Cacabelos, Eva; Moreira, Juan; Sousa-Pinto, Isabel

2013-03-01

There are well-documented changes in abundance and geographical range of intertidal invertebrates related to climate change at north Europe. However, the effect of sea surface warming on intertidal invertebrates has been poorly studied at lower latitudes. Here we analyze potential changes in the abundance patterns and distribution range of rocky intertidal gastropods related to climate change along the Iberian Peninsula. To achieve this aim, the spatial distribution and range of sub-tropical, warm- and cold-water species of intertidal gastropods was explored by a fully hierarchical sampling design considering four different spatial scales, i.e. from region (100 s of km apart) to quadrats (ms apart). Variability on their patterns of abundance was explored by analysis of variance, changes on their distribution ranges were detected by comparing with previous records and their relationship with sea water temperature was explored by rank correlation analyses. Mean values of sea surface temperature along the Iberian coast, between 1949 and 2010, were obtained from in situ data compiled for three different grid squares: south Portugal, north Portugal, and Galicia. Lusitanian species did not show significant correlation with sea water temperature or changes on their distributional range or abundance, along the temperature gradient considered. The sub-tropical species Siphonaria pectinata has, however, increased its distribution range while boreal cold-water species showed the opposite pattern. The latter was more evident for Littorina littorea that was almost absent from the studied rocky shores of the Iberian Peninsula. Sub-tropical and boreal species showed significant but opposite correlation with sea water temperature. We hypothesized that the energetic cost of frequent exposures to sub-lethal temperatures might be responsible for these shifts. Therefore, intertidal gastropods at the Atlantic Iberian Peninsula coast are responding to the effect of global warming as it

Coastal evidence for Holocene subduction-zone earthquakes and tsunamis in central Chile

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dure, Tina; Cisternas, Marco; Horton, Benjamin; Ely, Lisa; Nelson, Alan R.; Wesson, Robert L.; Pilarczyk, Jessica

2015-01-01

The ∼500-year historical record of seismicity along the central Chile coast (30–34°S) is characterized by a series of ∼M 8.0–8.5 earthquakes followed by low tsunamis (<4 m) occurring on the megathrust about every 80 years. One exception is the AD 1730 great earthquake (M 9.0–9.5) and high tsunami (>10 m), but the frequency of such large events is unknown. We extend the seismic history of central Chile through a study of a lowland stratigraphic sequence along the metropolitan coast north of Valparaíso (33°S). At this site, higher relative sea level during the mid Holocene created a tidal marsh and the accommodation space necessary for sediment that preserves earthquake and tsunami evidence. Within this 2600-yr-long sequence, we traced six laterally continuous sand beds probably deposited by high tsunamis. Plant remains that underlie the sand beds were radiocarbon dated to 6200, 5600, 5000, 4400, 3800, and 3700 cal yr BP. Sediment properties and diatom assemblages of the sand beds—for example, anomalous marine planktonic diatoms and upward fining of silt-sized diatom valves—point to a marine sediment source and high-energy deposition. Grain-size analysis shows a strong similarity between inferred tsunami deposits and modern coastal sediment. Upward fining sequences characteristic of suspension deposition are present in five of the six sand beds. Despite the lack of significant lithologic changes between the sedimentary units under- and overlying tsunami deposits, we infer that the increase in freshwater siliceous microfossils in overlying units records coseismic uplift concurrent with the deposition of five of the sand beds. During our mid-Holocene window of evidence preservation, the mean recurrence interval of earthquakes and tsunamis is ∼500 years. Our findings imply that the frequency of historical earthquakes in central Chile is not representative of the greatest earthquakes and tsunamis that the central Chilean subduction zone has

Structural interpretation and physical property estimates based on COAST 2012 seismic reflection profiles offshore central Washington, Cascadia subduction zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Webb, S. I.; Tobin, H. J.; Everson, E. D.; Fortin, W.; Holbrook, W. S.; Kent, G.; Keranen, K. M.

2014-12-01

The Cascadia subduction zone has a history of large magnitude earthquakes, but a near-total lack of plate interface seismicity, making the updip limit of the seismogenic zone difficult to locate. In addition, the central Cascadia accretionary prism is characterized by an extremely low wedge taper angle, landward vergent initial thrusting, and a flat midslope terrace between the inner and outer wedges, unlike most other accretionary prisms (e.g. the Nankai Trough, Japan). The Cascadia Open Access Seismic Transect (COAST) lines were shot by R/V Marcus Langseth in July of 2012 off central Washington to image this subduction zone. Two trench-parallel and nine trench-perpendicular lines were collected. In this study, we present detailed seismic interpretation of both time- and depth-migrated stacked profiles, focused on elucidating the deposition and deformation of both pre- and syn-tectonic sediment in the trench and slope. Distribution and timing of sediments and their deformation is used to unravel the evolution of the wedge through time. Initially, interpretation of the time-sections is carried out to support the building of tomographic velocity models to aid in the pre-stack depth migration (PSDM) of selected lines. In turn, we use PSDM velocity models to estimate porosity and pore pressure conditions at the base of the wedge and across the basal plate interface décollement where possible, using established velocity-porosity transforms. Interpretation in this way incorporates both accurate structural relationships and robust porosity models to document wedge development and present-day stress state, in particular regions of potential overpressure. Results shed light on the origin and evolution of the mid-slope terrace and the low taper angle for the forearc wedge. This work may shed light ultimately on the position of the potential updip limit of the seismogenic zone beneath the wedge.

Larval connectivity studies in the Western Iberian Peninsula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dubert, Jesus; Nolasco, Rita; Queiroga, Henrique

2010-05-01

The study of the connectivity between populations is one of the 'hot' applications of numerical models of the ocean circulation. An IBM (Individual Based model) was developed, using Carcinus manenas larvae crab as a model. A set of particles was used as a representation of larvae, in order to study their larval life cycle, including the larval growth, larval mortality (both depending on temperature and salinity), larval dispersal by currents, diel vertical migration, and larval recruitment. The life cycle of every larvae in the ocean, was modeled from zoeae 1 stage to megalopae stage, during typical periods of 30-50 days. Larvae were initialized in 14 estuarine systems of the Atlantic Western Iberian Peninsula, from January to July. In every period, a number of 225 larvae are initialized in everyone of the 14 considered estuaries, with fortynighly periodicity. The larvae evolves during the (variable, depending mainly on temperature) period of growth in the ocean, and when a larvae reach the age for recruit, if it is located in the neighborhood of the considered estuarine systems, the larvae is accounted as a recruited larvae in that place. With this methodology, a connectivity matrix can be computed, acconting for the 225 larvae emitted in every estuary, the number of larvae that reaches the every place. The connectivity matrix depends strongly on the current regime along the Atlantic coast of Iberian Peninsula, and has been calculated for the present circulation, for the period 2001 to 2009, for runs with realistic forcing with NCEP2 and Quikscat (for winds) forcing. The connectivity matrix, have also been calculated for climatological runs. For the present climatological conditions, it is observed the prevalence of southward transport for the period January-July, because the prevalence of Northerly winds along the west coast of IP in the COADS present time climatology. Strong dispersal is observed at the Northern estuaries, during winter with strong loss of

Seismicity near a Highly-Coupled Patch in the Central Ecuador Subduction Zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Regnier, M. M.; Segovia, M.; Font, Y.; Charvis, P.; Galve, A.; Jarrin, P.; Hello, Y.; Ruiz, M. C.; Pazmino, A.

2017-12-01

The temporary onshore-offshore seismic network deployed during the 2-years period of the OSISEC project provides an unprecedented, detailed and well-focused image of the seismicity for magnitudes as low as 2.0 in the Central Ecuadorian subduction zone. Facing the southern border of the Carnegie Ridge, a shallow and discrete highly-coupled patch is correlated to the subduction of a large oceanic relief. No large earthquake is known in this area that is experiencing recurrent seismic swarms and slow slip events. The shallow and locked subduction interface shows no evidence of background seismicity that instead occurred down dip of the coupled patch where it is possibly controlled by structural features of the overriding plate. We show a clear spatial correlation between the background microseismicity, the down dip extension of the locked patch at 20 km depth and the geology of the upper plate. The dip angle of the interplate contact zone, defined by a smooth interpolation through the hypocenters of thrust events, is consistent with a progressive increase from 6° to 25° from the trench to 20 km depth. Offshore, a seismic swarm, concomitant with a slow slip event rupturing the locked area, highlights the reactivation of secondary active faults that developed within the thickened crust of the subducting Carnegie Ridge, at the leading edge of a large oceanic seamount. No seismicity was detected near the plate interface suggesting that stress still accumulates at small and isolated asperities

Evolutionary history of Lissotriton helveticus: multilocus assessment of ancestral vs. recent colonization of the Iberian Peninsula.

PubMed

Recuero, Ernesto; García-París, Mario

2011-07-01

The Pleistocene was characterized by climatic changes that greatly altered the distribution of organisms. Population extinctions, bottlenecks, isolation, range expansions and contractions were often associated with glaciations, leaving signatures in the spatial patterns of genetic diversity across species. Lissotriton helveticus belongs to a Pan-European lineage of newts that were strongly affected by glaciations and represent an excellent model to analyse the effect of generalized climatic changes in phylogeographic patterns. We studied the genetic diversity of the species using data from two mitochondrial and three nuclear genes analyzed in a Bayesian phylogenetic framework to investigate the historical processes shaping spatial patterns of genetic diversity. Mitochondrial haplotypes cluster in four different groups present in the Iberian Peninsula and of Pleistocene origin, probably by allopatric fragmentation. Nuclear genes present no obvious geographic structure patterns, suggesting gene flow and generalized incomplete lineage sorting. Populations north of the Pyrenees are closely related to those from northeastern Iberia, suggesting recent range expansion from this region. Historical demographic analyses indicate a demographic expansion starting about 100,000years ago and more recent population declines. Compared to other Lissotriton species, L. helveticus includes only relatively young genetic lineages, suggesting a Central European pre-Pleistocene distribution followed by complete extirpation of the species during glaciations in that area. Historical demographic trends in the Iberian Peninsula are reversed with respect to the more Mediterranean species Lissotriton boscai, indicating different responses of both species to climate changes. Diversity patterns among Lissotriton species seem to be defined by four main factors: ancestral distributions, colonization capabilities, interactions with other species and effective population sizes. Differences in these

Moment tensor solutions for the Iberian-Maghreb region during the IberArray deployment (2009-2013)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martín, R.; Stich, D.; Morales, J.; Mancilla, F.

2015-11-01

We perform regional moment tensor inversion for 84 earthquakes that occurred in the Iberian-Maghreb region during the second and third leg of IberArray deployment (2009-2013). During this period around 300 seismic broadband stations were operating in the area, reducing the interstation spacing to ~ 50 km over extended areas. We use the established processing sequence of the IAG moment tensor catalogue, increasing to 309 solutions with this update. New moment tensor solutions present magnitudes ranging from Mw 3.2 to 6.3 and source depths from 2 to 620 km. Most solutions correspond to Northern Algeria, where a compressive deformation pattern is consolidated. The Betic-Rif sector shows a progression of faulting styles from mainly shear faulting in the east via predominantly extension in the central sector to reverse and strike-slip faulting in the west. At the SW Iberia margin, the predominance of strike-slip and reverse faulting agrees with the expected transpressive character of the Eurasian-Nubia plate boundary. New strike-slip and oblique reverse solutions in the Trans-Alboran Shear Zone reflect its left-lateral regime. The most significant improvement corresponds to the Atlas Mountains and the surroundings of the Gibraltar Arc with scarce previous solutions. Reverse and strike-slip faulting solutions in the Atlas System display the accommodation of plate convergence by shortening in the belt. At the Gibraltar Arc, several new solutions were obtained at lower crustal and subcrustal depths. These mechanisms show substantial heterogeneity, covering the full range of faulting styles with highly variable orientations of principal stress axes, including opposite strike slip faulting solutions at short distance. The observations are not straightforward to explain by a simple geodynamic scenario and suggest the interplay of different processes, among them plate convergence in old oceanic lithospheric with large brittle thickness at the SW Iberia margin, as well as

Drought trends in the Iberian Peninsula over the last 112 years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gouveia, Célia M.; Ramos, Patrícia; Russo, Ana; Trigo, Ricardo M.

2015-04-01

The Iberian Peninsula is often affected by drought events with strong influences in ecosystems and the related social and economic impacts (Gouveia et al. 2012, Trigo et al., 2013). In the last decades the severity of droughts in Iberia have increased due to the higher atmospheric evaporative demand (Vicente-Serrano et al., 2014). The need for a deeper knowledge of drought frequency, duration and intensity over the Iberian Peninsula during the last 112 years is reinforced by the findings showing that the period of 1970-2010 over the Mediterranean region was considered drier when compared with 1901-1970. Together with the increasing dryness, the projections point for an increase of drought conditions during the twenty-first century (Hoerling et al., 2012) will tend to exacerbate these problems. The evolution of drought in the Iberian Peninsula was analyzed, using the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) and the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), for the period 1901-2012, and the sub-periods 1901-1937, 1938-1974 and 1975-2012. We have used SPI and SPEI for the time scale of 12 months, as obtained from CRU TS3.21 database between 1901 and 2012, using a spatial resolution of 0.5°. The drought indices were analyzed in order to identify significant trends during the entire period and sub-periods. Trends in annual precipitation and PET were also performed. Drought's duration, magnitude and time spanned between drought events were computed. SPI and SPEI significant trends show areas with opposite signals in the period 1901-2012, following precipitation patterns. Precipitation trends are significant and positive in the Northwestern region of the IP, and significant and negative in the Southern areas. SPEI identified dryer conditions and an increase in the area affected by droughts, which is in agreement with the increase in PET on the majority of the territory. The same spatial differences were identified in the drought duration, magnitude and

Evidence for a Battle Mountain-Eureka crustal fault zone, north-central Nevada, and its relation to Neoproterozoic-Early Paleozoic continental breakup

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grauch, V.J.S.; Rodriguez, B.D.; Bankey, V.; Wooden, J.L.

2003-01-01

Combined evidence from gravity, radiogenic isotope, and magnetotelluric (MT) data indicates a crustal fault zone that coincides with the northwest-trending Battle Mountain-Eureka (BME) mineral trend in north-central Nevada, USA. The BME crustal fault zone likely originated during Neoproterozoic-Early Paleozoic rifting of the continent and had a large influence on subsequent tectonic events, such as emplacement of allochthons and episodic deformation, magmatism, and mineralization throughout the Phanerozoic. MT models show the fault zone is about 10 km wide, 130-km long, and extends from 1 to 5 km below the surface to deep crustal levels. Isotope data and gravity models imply the fault zone separates crust of fundamentally different character. Geophysical evidence for such a long-lived structure, likely inherited from continental breakup, defies conventional wisdom that structures this old have been destroyed by Cenozoic extensional processes. Moreover, the coincidence with the alignment of mineral deposits supports the assertion by many economic geologists that these alignments are indicators of buried regional structures.

Ancient mitochondrial lineages support the prehistoric maternal root of Basques in Northern Iberian Peninsula.

PubMed

Palencia-Madrid, Leire; Cardoso, Sergio; Keyser, Christine; López-Quintana, Juan Carlos; Guenaga-Lizasu, Amagoia; de Pancorbo, Marian M

2017-05-01

The Basque population inhabits the Franco-Cantabrian region in southwest Europe where Palaeolithic human groups took refuge during the Last Glacial Maximum. Basques have been an isolated population, largely considered as one of the most ancient European populations and it is possible that they maintained some pre-Neolithic genetic characteristics. This work shows the results of mitochondrial DNA analysis of seven ancient human remains from the Cave of Santimamiñe in the Basque Country dated from Mesolithic to the Late Roman period. In addition, we compared these data with those obtained from a modern sample of Basque population, 158 individuals that nowadays inhabits next to the cave. The results support the hypothesis that Iberians might have been less affected by the Neolithic mitochondrial lineages carried from the Near East than populations of Central Europe and revealed the unexpected presence of prehistoric maternal lineages such as U5a2a and U3a in the Basque region. Comparison between ancient and current population samples upholds the hypothesis of continuity of the maternal lineages in the area of the Franco-Cantabrian region.

Influence of frontal zones on the distribution of particulate matter and organic compounds in surface waters of the Atlantic and Southern Oceans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nemirovskaya, I. A.; Lisitzin, A. P.; Kravchishina, M. D.; Redzhepova, Z. Yu.

2015-10-01

Particulate matter and organic compounds (chlorophyll, lipids, and hydrocarbons) were analyzed in surface waters along the routes of R/Vs Akademik Fedorov (cruise 32) and Akademik Treshnikov (cruise 2) in February-May of 2012 and 2014, respectively, in the course of the 57th and 59th Russian Antarctic expeditions. It was found that the frontal zones exert the primary influence on the concentrations of the mentioned components in the Southern Ocean and in the western part of the Atlantic Ocean. The supply of pollutants into the Eastern Atlantic Ocean on the shelf of the Iberian peninsula results in a pronounced increase in the concentrations of lipids and hydrocarbons causing local anthropogenic pollution zones.

Transient response of the Northwestern Iberian upwelling regime.

PubMed

Ferreira Cordeiro, Nuno Gonçalo; Dubert, Jesus; Nolasco, Rita; Desmond Barton, Eric

2018-01-01

The hydrography and dynamics of NW Iberian margin were explored for July 2009, based on a set of in situ and remote sensing observations. Zonal sections of standard CTD casts, towed CTD (SeaSoar), Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCP) and Lagrangian surveys were made to characterize cycles of upwelling and relaxation in this region. Two periods of northerly winds, bounded by relaxation periods, were responsible for the formation of an upwelling front extending to the shelf edge. An equatorward flow was quickly set up on the shelf responding to the northerly wind pulses. South of Cape Silleiro, the development and subsequent relaxation of an upwelling event was intensively surveyed in the shelf, following a Lagrangian drifter transported by the upwelling jet. This region is part of an upwelling center extending from Cape Silleiro to Porto, where the surface temperature was colder than the neighboring regions, under upwelling favorable winds. As these winds relaxed, persistent poleward flow developed, originating south of the upwelling center and consisting in an inner-shelf tongue of warm waters. During an event of strong southerly wind, the poleward flow was observed to extend to the whole continental shelf. Although the cruise was executed during summertime, the presence of river-plumes was observed over the shelf. The interaction of the plumes with the circulation on the shelf was also described in terms of coastal convergence and offshore advection. The sampling of the offshore and slope regions showed the presence of the Iberian poleward current offshore and a persistent equatorward flow over the upper slope.

Two-dimensional seismic image of the San Andreas Fault in the Northern Gabilan Range, central California: Evidence for fluids in the fault zone

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thurber, C.; Roecker, S.; Ellsworth, W.; Chen, Y.; Lutter, W.; Sessions, R.

1997-01-01

A joint inversion for two-dimensional P-wave velocity (Vp), P-to-S velocity ratio (Vp/Vs), and earthquake locations along the San Andreas fault (SAF) in central California reveals a complex relationship among seismicity, fault zone structure, and the surface fault trace. A zone of low Vp and high Vp/Vs lies beneath the SAF surface trace (SAFST), extending to a depth of about 6 km. Most of the seismic activity along the SAF occurs at depths of 3 to 7 km in a southwest-dipping zone that roughly intersects the SAFST, and lies near the southwest edge of the low Vp and high Vp/Vs zones. Tests indicate that models in which this seismic zone is significantly closer to vertical can be confidently rejected. A second high Vp/Vs zone extends to the northeast, apparently dipping beneath the Diablo Range. Another zone of seismicity underlies the northeast portion of this Vp/Vs high. The high Vp/Vs zones cut across areas of very different Vp values, indicating that the high Vp/Vs values are due to the presence of fluids, not just lithology. The close association between the zones of high Vp/Vs and seismicity suggests a direct involvement of fluids in the faulting process. Copyright 1997 by the American Geophysical Union.

Wear Fast, Die Young: More Worn Teeth and Shorter Lives in Iberian Compared to Scottish Red Deer

PubMed Central

Pérez-Barbería, F. J.; Carranza, J.; Sánchez-Prieto, C.

2015-01-01

Teeth in Cervidae are permanent structures that are not replaceable or repairable; consequently their rate of wear, due to the grinding effect of food and dental attrition, affects their duration and can determine an animal's lifespan. Tooth wear is also a useful indicator of accumulative life energy investment in intake and mastication and their interactions with diet. Little is known regarding how natural and sexual selection operate on dental structures within a species in contrasting environments and how these relate to life history traits to explain differences in population rates of tooth wear and longevity. We hypothesised that populations under harsh environmental conditions should be selected for more hypsodont teeth while sexual selection may maintain similar sex differences within different populations. We investigated the patterns of tooth wear in males and females of Iberian red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus) in Southern Spain and Scottish red deer (C. e. scoticus) across Scotland, that occur in very different environments, using 10343 samples from legal hunting activities. We found higher rates of both incisor and molar wear in the Spanish compared to Scottish populations. However, Scottish red deer had larger incisors at emergence than Iberian red deer, whilst molars emerged at a similar size in both populations and sexes. Iberian and Scottish males had earlier tooth depletion than females, in support of a similar sexual selection process in both populations. However, whilst average lifespan for Iberian males was 4 years shorter than that for Iberian females and Scottish males, Scottish males only showed a reduction of 1 year in average lifespan with respect to Scottish females. More worn molars were associated with larger mandibles in both populations, suggesting that higher intake and/or greater investment in food comminution may have favoured increased body growth, before later loss of tooth efficiency due to severe wear. These results

Wear Fast, Die Young: More Worn Teeth and Shorter Lives in Iberian Compared to Scottish Red Deer.

PubMed

Pérez-Barbería, F J; Carranza, J; Sánchez-Prieto, C

2015-01-01

Teeth in Cervidae are permanent structures that are not replaceable or repairable; consequently their rate of wear, due to the grinding effect of food and dental attrition, affects their duration and can determine an animal's lifespan. Tooth wear is also a useful indicator of accumulative life energy investment in intake and mastication and their interactions with diet. Little is known regarding how natural and sexual selection operate on dental structures within a species in contrasting environments and how these relate to life history traits to explain differences in population rates of tooth wear and longevity. We hypothesised that populations under harsh environmental conditions should be selected for more hypsodont teeth while sexual selection may maintain similar sex differences within different populations. We investigated the patterns of tooth wear in males and females of Iberian red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus) in Southern Spain and Scottish red deer (C. e. scoticus) across Scotland, that occur in very different environments, using 10343 samples from legal hunting activities. We found higher rates of both incisor and molar wear in the Spanish compared to Scottish populations. However, Scottish red deer had larger incisors at emergence than Iberian red deer, whilst molars emerged at a similar size in both populations and sexes. Iberian and Scottish males had earlier tooth depletion than females, in support of a similar sexual selection process in both populations. However, whilst average lifespan for Iberian males was 4 years shorter than that for Iberian females and Scottish males, Scottish males only showed a reduction of 1 year in average lifespan with respect to Scottish females. More worn molars were associated with larger mandibles in both populations, suggesting that higher intake and/or greater investment in food comminution may have favoured increased body growth, before later loss of tooth efficiency due to severe wear. These results

Structure of a normal seismogenic fault zone in carbonates: The Vado di Corno Fault, Campo Imperatore, Central Apennines (Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demurtas, Matteo; Fondriest, Michele; Balsamo, Fabrizio; Clemenzi, Luca; Storti, Fabrizio; Bistacchi, Andrea; Di Toro, Giulio

2016-09-01

The Vado di Corno Fault Zone (VCFZ) is an active extensional fault cutting through carbonates in the Italian Central Apennines. The fault zone was exhumed from ∼2 km depth and accommodated a normal throw of ∼2 km since Early-Pleistocene. In the studied area, the master fault of the VCFZ dips N210/54° and juxtaposes Quaternary colluvial deposits in the hangingwall with cataclastic dolostones in the footwall. Detailed mapping of the fault zone rocks within the ∼300 m thick footwall-block evidenced the presence of five main structural units (Low Strain Damage Zone, High Strain Damage Zone, Breccia Unit, Cataclastic Unit 1 and Cataclastic Unit 2). The Breccia Unit results from the Pleistocene extensional reactivation of a pre-existing Pliocene thrust. The Cataclastic Unit 1 forms a ∼40 m thick band lining the master fault and recording in-situ shattering due to the propagation of multiple seismic ruptures. Seismic faulting is suggested also by the occurrence of mirror-like slip surfaces, highly localized sheared calcite-bearing veins and fluidized cataclasites. The VCFZ architecture compares well with seismological studies of the L'Aquila 2009 seismic sequence (mainshock MW 6.1), which imaged the reactivation of shallow-seated low-angle normal faults (Breccia Unit) cut by major high-angle normal faults (Cataclastic Units).

Lessons learned from the ATLAS performance studies of the Iberian Cloud for the first LHC running period

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sánchez-Martínez, V.; Borges, G.; Borrego, C.; del Peso, J.; Delfino, M.; Gomes, J.; González de la Hoz, S.; Pacheco Pages, A.; Salt, J.; Sedov, A.; Villaplana, M.; Wolters, H.

2014-06-01

In this contribution we describe the performance of the Iberian (Spain and Portugal) ATLAS cloud during the first LHC running period (March 2010-January 2013) in the context of the GRID Computing and Data Distribution Model. The evolution of the resources for CPU, disk and tape in the Iberian Tier-1 and Tier-2s is summarized. The data distribution over all ATLAS destinations is shown, focusing on the number of files transferred and the size of the data. The status and distribution of simulation and analysis jobs within the cloud are discussed. The Distributed Analysis tools used to perform physics analysis are explained as well. Cloud performance in terms of the availability and reliability of its sites is discussed. The effect of the changes in the ATLAS Computing Model on the cloud is analyzed. Finally, the readiness of the Iberian Cloud towards the first Long Shutdown (LS1) is evaluated and an outline of the foreseen actions to take in the coming years is given. The shutdown will be a good opportunity to improve and evolve the ATLAS Distributed Computing system to prepare for the future challenges of the LHC operation.

Freshwater macroinvertebrate samples from a water quality monitoring network in the Iberian Peninsula.

PubMed

Escribano, Nora; Oscoz, Javier; Galicia, David; Cancellario, Tommaso; Durán, Concha; Navarro, Patricia; Ariño, Arturo H

2018-06-05

This dataset gathers information about the macroinvertatebrate samples and environmental variables collected on rivers of the Ebro River Basin (NE Iberian Peninsula), the second largest catchment in the Iberian Peninsula. The collection is composed of 1,776 sampling events carried out between 2005 and 2015 at more than 400 sampling sites. This dataset is part of a monitoring network set up by the Ebro Hydrographic Confederation, the official body entrusted with the care of the basin, to fulfill the requirements of the European Water Framework Directive. Biological indices based on the freshwater macroinvertebrate communities were used to evaluate the ecological status of the water bodies within the basin. Samples were qualitatively screened for all occurring taxa. Then, all individuals from all taxa in a quantitative subsample of each sample were counted. Biological indices were calculated to estimate water quality at each sampling site. All samples are kept at the Museum of Zoology of the University of Navarra.

Freshwater macroinvertebrate samples from a water quality monitoring network in the Iberian Peninsula

PubMed Central

Escribano, Nora; Oscoz, Javier; Galicia, David; Cancellario, Tommaso; Durán, Concha; Navarro, Patricia; Ariño, Arturo H.

2018-01-01

This dataset gathers information about the macroinvertatebrate samples and environmental variables collected on rivers of the Ebro River Basin (NE Iberian Peninsula), the second largest catchment in the Iberian Peninsula. The collection is composed of 1,776 sampling events carried out between 2005 and 2015 at more than 400 sampling sites. This dataset is part of a monitoring network set up by the Ebro Hydrographic Confederation, the official body entrusted with the care of the basin, to fulfill the requirements of the European Water Framework Directive. Biological indices based on the freshwater macroinvertebrate communities were used to evaluate the ecological status of the water bodies within the basin. Samples were qualitatively screened for all occurring taxa. Then, all individuals from all taxa in a quantitative subsample of each sample were counted. Biological indices were calculated to estimate water quality at each sampling site. All samples are kept at the Museum of Zoology of the University of Navarra. PMID:29870034

The use of radio-collars for monitoring wildlife diseases: a case study from Iberian ibex affected by Sarcoptes scabiei in Sierra Nevada, Spain

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Wildlife radio tracking has gained popularity during the recent past. Ecologists and conservationists use radio-collars for different purposes: animal movement monitoring, home range, productivity, population estimation, behaviour, habitat use, survival, and predator-prey interaction, among others. The aim of our present study is to highlight the application of radio-collars for wildlife diseases monitoring. The spread of wildlife diseases and the efficacy of management actions for controlling them propose serious challenges for ecologists and conservationists, since it is difficult to re-capture (or simply observe) the same animal in pre-determined temporal interval, but such difficulty is overcome by the use of gps-gsm radio collars. Methods In the present study we report, for the first time to our knowledge, the use of radio-collars in the monitoring of Iberian ibex affected by Sarcoptes scabiei in Sierra Nevada mountain range, Spain. Twenty-five moderate or slightly mangy animals were radio-collared between 2006 and 2013. Results The radio-collars allowed us to confirm the presence of resistance to S. scabiei within Iberian ibex population. Twenty (80%) of the collared animals recovered totally from mange, while the disease progressed in the other five Iberian ibex (20% of the collared animals) and the animals died. The average estimated recovery time of the resistant animals was 245 ± 277 days, and the estimated average survival time of the non-resistant Iberian ibex was 121 ± 71 days. Non-resistant animals survived at least 100 days, while all of them died with less than 200 days. Sixty per cent of the resistant animals were recovered with less than 200 days. Conclusions We report, for the first time, the successful use of radio collars for wildlife diseases monitoring using Iberian ibex/S. scabiei as a model. By using radio collars we documented that most of the Sarcoptes-infected Iberian ibex are resistant to this disease, and we

Assessment of darkling beetle fauna after implementation of an environmental restoration program in the southern Iberian Peninsula affected by the Aznalcóllar toxic spill.

PubMed

Cárdenas, Ana M; Bujalance, José L; Hidalgo, Juan M

2011-01-01

This study is part of the Follow up Restoration Program of animal communities that colonize the Guadiamar River Basin. In 1998, the area was affected by a release of toxic sludge after the retention walls of the Aznalcóllar Mines (southern Iberian Peninsula) broke. The main objective of this study was to assess the current state of the population of Tenebrionidae, one of the most representative groups of edaphic Coleoptera inhabiting the Guadiamar River Basin. This paper analyses the progress made by the darkling beetle community six years after the disaster occurred and the Restoration Program was implemented. The study is based on faunistic data from systematic sampling carried out for six years to monitor plots distributed across the damaged area. To make an overall assessment of the tenebrionid fauna in relation to adjacent areas qualitative and quantitative ecological indices were applied, and temporal follow up and biogeographical comparisons were also made. The results indicate that, on the whole, tenebrionid fauna was somewhat affected by the Aznalcóllar Mine spill, and that a greater loss of fauna was detected closer to the accident site. The analysis of the temporal population dynamic suggests that the most affected zones are undergoing a process of re-colonization. However, this process varies widely by species and has not yet reached the expected levels of a non-affected river basin in the southern Iberian Peninsula.

Effects of teleconnection patterns on the atmospheric routes, precipitation and deposition amounts in the north-eastern Iberian Peninsula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Izquierdo, Rebeca; Alarcón, Marta; Aguillaume, Laura; Àvila, Anna

2014-06-01

The North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) has been identified as one of the atmospheric patterns which mostly influence the temporal evolution of precipitation and temperature in the Mediterranean area. Recently, the Western Mediterranean Oscillation (WeMO) has also been proposed to describe the precipitation variability in the eastern Iberian Peninsula. This paper examines whether the chemical signature and/or the chemical deposition amounts recorded over NE Iberian Peninsula are influenced by these climatic variability patterns. Results show a more relevant role of the WeMO compared to NAO in the deposition of either marine (Cl-, Na+, Mg2+) or anthropogenic pollutants (H+, NH4+, NO3- and SO42-). A cluster classification of provenances indicated that in winter (December to March) fast Atlantic air flows correspond to positive WeMO indices, while negative WeMOi are associated to Northeastern and Southwestern circulations. The negative phase of WeMO causes the entry of air masses from the Mediterranean into the Iberian Peninsula, that are enriched with marine ions and ions of anthropogenic origin (NH4+, NO3- and SO42-). For these later, this suggests the advection over the Mediterranean of polluted air masses from southern Europe and the scavenging and deposition of this pollution by precipitation during the WeMO negative phases. This will carry transboundary pollutants to the NE Iberian Peninsula. However, local pollutants may also contribute, as precipitation events from the Mediterranean and the Atlantic (associated to both WeMO phases) may incorporate emissions that accumulate locally during the winter anticyclonic episodes typical of the region.

Outbreak of ringworm in a traditional Iberian pig farm in Spain.

PubMed

García-Sánchez, Alfredo; Bazán, Javier; de Mendoza, Javier Hermoso; Martínez, Remigio; Sánchez, Sergio; de Mendoza, Miguel Hermoso

2011-03-01

An outbreak of dermatophytosis caused by Microsporum nanum in a traditional Iberian extensive farm is described. The morbidity was 100% among lactating sows; however, suckling and weaning pigs, as well as boars never developed the lesions seen in the sows. The clinical aspects of porcine ringworm caused by this fungus are discussed and the ecology of the organism is reviewed. © 2009 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Intrathermocline eddies in the coastal transition zone off central Chile (31-41°S)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hormazabal, Samuel; Combes, Vincent; Morales, Carmen E.; Correa-Ramirez, Marco A.; Di Lorenzo, Emmanuel; Nuñez, Sergio

2013-10-01

The three-dimensional structure and the origin of mesoscale anticyclonic intrathermocline eddies (ITEs) in the coastal transition zone (CTZ) off central Chile (31-41°S) were analyzed through the combination of data from oceanographic cruises and satellite altimetry, and the application of an eddy-resolving primitive equation ocean model coupled with a numerical experiment using a passive tracer. In this region, ITEs are represented by subsurface lenses (˜100 km diameter; 500 m thickness or vertical extension) of nearly homogeneous salinity (>34.5) and oxygen-deficient (<1.0 mL L-1) waters, properties which are linked to the equatorial subsurface water mass (ESSW) transported poleward by the Peru-Chile undercurrent (PCUC) in the coastal band. At least five to seven ITEs were observed simultaneously in the area between 31° and 38°S during winter cruises in 1997 and 2009. Satellite data indicated that the ITEs identified from in situ data moved westward, each at a mean speed of ˜2 km d-1 and transported a total volume of ˜1 × 106 m3 s-1 (=1 Sv); the lifespan of each ITE ranged from a few months to 1 year. Model results indicate that ITEs become detached from the PCUC under summer upwelling conditions in the coastal zone.

Collision tectonics of the Central Indian Suture zone as inferred from a deep seismic sounding study

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mall, D.M.; Reddy, P.R.; Mooney, W.D.

2008-01-01

The Central Indian Suture (CIS) is a mega-shear zone extending for hundreds of kilometers across central India. Reprocessing of deep seismic reflection data acquired across the CIS was carried out using workstation-based commercial software. The data distinctly indicate different reflectivity characteristics northwest and southeast of the CIS. Reflections northwest of the CIS predominantly dip southward, while the reflection horizons southeast of the CIS dip northward. We interpret these two adjacent seismic fabric domains, dipping towards each other, to represent a suture between two crustal blocks. The CIS itself is not imaged as a sharp boundary, probably due to the disturbed character of the crust in a 20 to 30-km-wide zone. The time sections also show the presence of strong bands of reflectors covering the entire crustal column in the first 65??km of the northwestern portion of the profile. These reflections predominantly dip northward creating a domal structure with the apex around 30??km northwest of the CIS. There are a very few reflections in the upper 2-2.5??s two-way time (TWT), but the reflectivity is good below 2.5??s TWT. The reflection Moho, taken as the depth to the deepest set of reflections, varies in depth from 41 to 46??km and is imaged sporadically across the profile with the largest amplitude occurring in the northwest. We interpret these data as recording the presence of a mid-Proterozoic collision between two micro-continents, with the Satpura Mobile Belt being thrust over the Bastar craton. ?? 2008.

CMZoom: The Submillimeter Array Survey of our Galaxy’s Central Molecular Zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Battersby, Cara; CMZoom Team

2018-01-01

The inner few hundred parsecs of the Milky Way, the Central Molecular Zone (CMZ), is our closest laboratory for understanding star formation in the extreme environments (hot, dense, turbulent gas) that once dominated the universe. We present an update on the first large-area survey to expose the sites of star formation across the CMZ at high-resolution in submillimeter wavelengths: the CMZoom survey with the Submillimeter Array (SMA). We identify the locations of dense cores and search for signatures of embedded star formation. CMZoom is a three-year survey, completed this year, and has mapped out the highest column density regions of the CMZ in dust continuum and a variety of spectral lines around 1.3 mm. CMZoom combines SMA compact and subcompact configurations with single-dish data from BGPS and the APEX telescope, achieving an angular resolution of about 4” (0.2 pc) and good image fidelity up to large spatial scales.

Hydrodynamic Simulations of the Central Molecular Zone with a Realistic Galactic Potential

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shin, Jihye; Kim, Sungsoo S.; Baba, Junichi; Saitoh, Takayuki R.; Hwang, Jeong-Sun; Chun, Kyungwon; Hozumi, Shunsuke

2017-06-01

We present hydrodynamic simulations of gas clouds inflowing from the disk to a few hundred parsec region of the Milky Way. A gravitational potential is generated to include realistic Galactic structures by using thousands of multipole expansions (MEs) that describe 6.4 million stellar particles of a self-consistent Galaxy simulation. We find that a hybrid ME model, with two different basis sets and a thick-disk correction, accurately reproduces the overall structures of the Milky Way. Through non-axisymmetric Galactic structures of an elongated bar and spiral arms, gas clouds in the disk inflow to the nuclear region and form a central molecular zone-like nuclear ring. We find that the size of the nuclear ring evolves into ˜ 240 {pc} at T˜ 1500 {Myr}, regardless of the initial size. For most simulation runs, the rate of gas inflow to the nuclear region is equilibrated to ˜ 0.02 {M}⊙ {{yr}}-1. The nuclear ring is off-centered, relative to the Galactic center, by the lopsided central mass distribution of the Galaxy model, and thus an asymmetric mass distribution of the nuclear ring arises accordingly. The vertical asymmetry of the Galaxy model also causes the nuclear ring to be tilted along the Galactic plane. During the first ˜100 Myr, the vertical frequency of the gas motion is twice that of the orbital frequency, thus the projected nuclear ring shows a twisted, ∞ -like shape.

[Postfire restoration of organic substance in the ground cover of the larch forests in the permafrost zone of central Evenkia].

PubMed

Prokushkin, S G; Bogdanov, V V; Prokushkin, A S; Tokareva, I V

2011-01-01

The role of ground fires in transformation of organic substances in the ground cover of larch stands in the permafrost zone of Central Siberia was studied, as was the postfire restoration dynamics of organic substances. Ground fires lead to a considerable decrease in concentrations and resources of organic carbon and its individual fractions in the ground cover, and restoration takes many decades.

Evaluation of three enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for sarcoptic mange diagnosis and assessment in the Iberian ibex, Capra pyrenaica.

PubMed

Ráez-Bravo, Arián; Granados, José Enrique; Serrano, Emmanuel; Dellamaria, Debora; Casais, Rosa; Rossi, Luca; Puigdemont, Anna; Cano-Manuel, Francisco Javier; Fandos, Paulino; Pérez, Jesús María; Espinosa, José; Soriguer, Ramón Casimiro; Citterio, Carlo; López-Olvera, Jorge Ramón

2016-10-21

Sarcoptic mange is a contagious skin disease caused by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei, affecting different mammalian species worldwide including the Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica), in which mortalities over 90 % of the population have been reported. No efficient diagnostic methods are available for this disease, particularly when there are low mite numbers and mild or no clinical signs. In this study, three enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) developed for dog (ELISA A), Cantabrian chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica parva) (ELISA B) and Alpine chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) (ELISA C), were evaluated to detect specific antibodies (IgG) to sarcoptic mange in Iberian ibex sera. Serum samples from 131 Iberian ibexes (86 healthy and 45 scabietic) were collected from 2005 to 2012 in the Sierra Nevada Natural and National Parks (southern Spain). Based on visual inspection, ibexes were classified into one of three categories, namely healthy (without scabietic compatible lesions), mildly affected (skin lesions over less than 50 % of the body surface) and severely affected (skin lesions over more than 50 % of the body surface). The optimal cut-off point, specificity, sensitivity and the area under the curve (AUC) were calculated, and the agreement between tests was determined. Moreover, differences in the optical density (OD) related to scabies severity have been evaluated for the best test. ELISA C showed better performance than the two other tests, reaching higher values of sensitivity (93.0 %) and specificity (93.5 %) against the visual estimation of the percentage of affected skin, chosen as the gold standard. Significantly higher concentrations of specific antibodies were observed with this test in the mildly and severely infested ibexes than in healthy ones. Our results revealed that ELISA C was an optimal test to diagnose sarcoptic mange in the Iberian ibex. Further studies characterizing immune response during the course of the disease, including spontaneous or drug

Lack of evidence of spill-over of Salmonella enterica between cattle and sympatric Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica) from a protected area in Catalonia, NE Spain.

PubMed

Navarro-Gonzalez, N; Velarde, R; Porrero, M C; Mentaberre, G; Serrano, E; Mateos, A; Domínguez, L; Lavín, S

2014-08-01

Salmonella enterica is a zoonotic agent of worldwide importance found in a wide range of wild hosts. However, its prevalence in many popular game species has never been assessed. Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica) is the main game caprinae of the Iberian Peninsula and around two thousand individuals are hunted every year for trophy or for home consumption. In this work, 313 Iberian ibexes from the Ports de Tortosa i Beseit National Game Reserve (NE Spain) were tested for Salmonella enterica in faeces, and anti microbial susceptibility was determined. The exact location of shooting or capture was recorded with a GPS device to study the links of Salmonella infection with cattle presence and human proximity. Additionally, samples were taken from cattle grazing inside this reserve (n = 73). Only three Iberian ibexes (0.96%, 95% CI 0.2-2.8) were positive to Salmonella (serotype Enteritidis, Bardo and 35:r:z35), while prevalence was moderate in cattle: 21.92% (95% CI 13.10-33.14, serotype Meleagridis, Anatum, Kedougou and Othmarschen). All isolates were susceptible to the anti microbial agents tested. Moreover, a case of fatal septicaemic salmonellosis in an 11-year-old male Iberian ibex is described where Salmonella enterica serotype Enteritidis was isolated from the lung, liver and spleen samples. The low prevalence of Salmonella in Iberian ibex and the lack of shared serotypes suggest no association to cattle. Despite this, game meat aimed for human consumption should be examined, and it is strongly recommended that hunters and game keepers manipulate animals and carcasses under maximal hygienic conditions to avoid environmental contamination and human contagion. © 2012 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Iberian Spanish Function Catalog. Method for Determining Language Objectives and Criteria, Volume VI.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Setzler, Hubert H., Jr.; And Others

This Iberian Spanish Function Catalog presents sentences, phrases, and patterns organized by language functions and functional categories. This catalog is part of the communication/language objectives-based system (C/LOBS), which supports the front-end analysis efforts of the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center. The C/LOBS project,…

Deep Vadose Zone Treatability Test for the Hanford Central Plateau: Interim Post-Desiccation Monitoring Results, Fiscal Year 2014

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Truex, Michael J.; Strickland, Christopher E.; Johnson, Christian D.

Over decades of operation, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and its predecessors have released nearly 2 trillion L (450 billion gal.) of liquid into the vadose zone at the Hanford Site. Much of this discharge of liquid waste into the vadose zone occurred in the Central Plateau, a 200 km 2 (75 mi 2) area that includes approximately 800 waste sites. Some of the inorganic and radionuclide contaminants in the deep vadose zone at the Hanford Site are at depths below the limit of direct exposure pathways, but may need to be remediated to protect groundwater. The Tri-Party Agenciesmore » (DOE, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Washington State Department of Ecology) established Milestone M 015 50, which directed DOE to submit a treatability test plan for remediation of technetium-99 (Tc-99) and uranium in the deep vadose zone. These contaminants are mobile in the subsurface environment and have been detected at high concentrations deep in the vadose zone, and at some locations have reached groundwater. Testing technologies for remediating Tc-99 and uranium will also provide information relevant for remediating other contaminants in the vadose zone. A field test of desiccation is being conducted as an element of the DOE test plan published in March 2008 to meet Milestone M 015 50. The active desiccation portion of the test has been completed. Monitoring data have been collected at the field test site during the post-desiccation period and are reported herein. This is an interim data summary report that includes about 3 years of post-desiccation monitoring data. The DOE field test plan proscribes a total of 5 years of post-desiccation monitoring.« less

Analysis of the relationship between the monthly temperatures and weather types in Iberian Peninsula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peña Angulo, Dhais; Trigo, Ricardo; Nicola, Cortesi; José Carlos, González-Hidalgo

2016-04-01

In this study, the relationship between the atmospheric circulation and weather types and the monthly average maximum and minimum temperatures in the Iberian Peninsula is modeled (period 1950-2010). The temperature data used were obtained from a high spatial resolution (10km x 10km) dataset (MOTEDAS dataset, Gonzalez-Hidalgo et al., 2015a). In addition, a dataset of Portuguese temperatures was used (obtained from the Portuguese Institute of Sea and Atmosphere). The weather type classification used was the one developed by Jenkinson and Collison, which was adapted for the Iberian Peninsula by Trigo and DaCamara (2000), using Sea Level Pressure data from NCAR/NCEP Reanalysis dataset (period 1951-2010). The analysis of the behaviour of monthly temperatures based on the weather types was carried out using a stepwise regression procedure of type forward to estimate temperatures in each cell of the considered grid, for each month, and for both maximum and minimum monthly average temperatures. The model selects the weather types that best estimate the temperatures. From the validation model it was obtained the error distribution in the time (months) and space (Iberian Peninsula). The results show that best estimations are obtained for minimum temperatures, during the winter months and in coastal areas. González-Hidalgo J.C., Peña-Angulo D., Brunetti M., Cortesi, C. (2015a): MOTEDAS: a new monthly temperature database for mainland Spain and the trend in temperature (1951-2010). International Journal of Climatology 31, 715-731. DOI: 10.1002/joc.4298

Evolutionary history and molecular epidemiology of rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus in the Iberian Peninsula and Western Europe

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) is a highly virulent calicivirus, first described in domestic rabbits in China in 1984. RHDV appears to be a mutant form of a benign virus that existed in Europe long before the first outbreak. In the Iberian Peninsula, the first epidemic in 1988 severely reduced the populations of autochthonous European wild rabbit. To examine the evolutionary history of RHDV in the Iberian Peninsula, we collected virus samples from wild rabbits and sequenced a fragment of the capsid protein gene VP60. These data together with available sequences from other Western European countries, were analyzed following Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo methods to infer their phylogenetic relationships, evolutionary rates and demographic history. Results Evolutionary relationships of RHDV revealed three main lineages with significant phylogeographic structure. All lineages seem to have emerged at a common period of time, between ~1875 and ~1976. The Iberian Peninsula showed evidences of genetic isolation, probably due to geographic barriers to gene flow, and was also the region with the youngest MRCA. Overall, demographic analyses showed an initial increase and stabilization of the relative genetic diversity of RHDV, and a subsequent reduction in genetic diversity after the first epidemic breakout in 1984, which is compatible with a decline in effective population size. Conclusions Results were consistent with the hypothesis that the current Iberian RHDV arose from a single infection between 1869 and 1955 (95% HPD), and rendered a temporal pattern of appearance and extinction of lineages. We propose that the rising positive selection pressure observed throughout the history of RHDV is likely mediated by the host immune system as a consequence of the genetic changes that rendered the virus virulent. Consequently, this relationship is suggested to condition RHDV demographic history. PMID:21067589

The contribution of total suspended solids to the Bay of Biscay by Cantabrian Rivers (northern coast of the Iberian Peninsula)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prego, Ricardo; Boi, Paola; Cobelo-García, Antonio

2008-07-01

Information of suspended sediments fluxes of small rivers to the coastal zone is sparse, and this is particularly so for the Iberian Rivers. To help address this shortage of information, the relationship between fluvial discharge and total suspended solids (TSS) for the main 28 Cantabrian Rivers using data from 22 years monitoring by the COCA network has been analysed, and their particulate material fluxes to the Bay of Biscay coasts have been quantified. The Cantabrian Fluvial System (drainage basin area of 20,333 km 2) may be considered as a quasi-homogeneous fluvial system with an average discharge of 561 m - 3 s - 1 and average loads of 35 kg TSS s - 1 with rivers showing similar average yields of 56 t km - 2 a - 1 . The average TSS contribution is 1.2 ± 0.2 10 9 kg a - 1 . This seaward flux of sediment is dispersed along the entire North Iberian coast and is rather modest (25% of the total supply) in comparison with the output from the French Rivers to the Bay of Biscay. The TSS loads of Cantabrian Rivers indicate they are similar to world upland rivers and those of other parts of Northern Europe according to Milliman and Syvistki [Milliman and Syvistki, 1992. Geomorphic/tectonic control of sediment discharge to the ocean: the importance of small mountainous rivers. Journal of Geology, 100: 525-544] and Milliman [Milliman, 2001. Delivery and fate of fluvial water and sediment to the sea: a marine geologist's view of European rivers. Scientia Marina, 65: 121-132]. Although their TSS flux is practically negligible (13,000 times lower) when compared to the world average flux, they provide a good example of the role of small Atlantic temperate rivers.

Diatoms as a paleoproductivity proxy in the NW Iberian coastal upwelling system (NE Atlantic)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zúñiga, Diana; Santos, Celia; Froján, María; Salgueiro, Emilia; Rufino, Marta M.; De la Granda, Francisco; Figueiras, Francisco G.; Castro, Carmen G.; Abrantes, Fátima

2017-03-01

The objective of the current work is to improve our understanding of how water column diatom's abundance and assemblage composition is seasonally transferred from the photic zone to seafloor sediments. To address this, we used a dataset derived from water column, sediment trap and surface sediment samples recovered in the NW Iberian coastal upwelling system. Diatom fluxes (2.2 (±5.6) 106 valves m-2 d-1) represented the majority of the siliceous microorganisms sinking out from the photic zone during all studied years and showed seasonal variability. Contrasting results between water column and sediment trap diatom abundances were found during downwelling periods, as shown by the unexpectedly high diatom export signals when diatom-derived primary production achieved their minimum levels. They were principally related to surface sediment remobilization and intense Minho and Douro river discharge that constitute an additional source of particulate matter to the inner continental shelf. In fact, contributions of allochthonous particles to the sinking material were confirmed by the significant increase of both benthic and freshwater diatoms in the sediment trap assemblage. In contrast, we found that most of the living diatom species blooming during highly productive upwelling periods were dissolved during sinking, and only those resistant to dissolution and the Chaetoceros and Leptocylindrus spp. resting spores were susceptible to being exported and buried. Furthermore, Chaetoceros spp. dominate during spring-early summer, when persistent northerly winds lead to the upwelling of nutrient-rich waters on the shelf, while Leptocylindrus spp. appear associated with late-summer upwelling relaxation, characterized by water column stratification and nutrient depletion. These findings evidence that the contributions of these diatom genera to the sediment's total marine diatom assemblage should allow for the reconstruction of different past upwelling regimes.

First cases of European bat lyssavirus type 1 in Iberian serotine bats: Implications for the molecular epidemiology of bat rabies in Europe.

PubMed

Mingo-Casas, Patricia; Sandonís, Virginia; Obón, Elena; Berciano, José M; Vázquez-Morón, Sonia; Juste, Javier; Echevarría, Juan E

2018-04-01

Previous studies have shown that EBLV-1 strains exclusively hosted by Eptesicus isabellinus bats in the Iberian Peninsula cluster in a specific monophyletic group that is related to the EBLV-1b lineage found in the rest of Europe. More recently, enhanced passive surveillance has allowed the detection of the first EBLV-1 strains associated to Eptesicus serotinus south of the Pyrenees. The aim of this study is the reconstruction of the EBLV-1 phylogeny and phylodynamics in the Iberian Peninsula in the context of the European continent. We have sequenced 23 EBLV-1 strains detected on nine E. serotinus and 14 E. isabellinus. Phylogenetic analyses were performed on the first 400-bp-5' fragment of the Nucleoprotein (N) gene together with other 162 sequences from Europe. Besides, fragments of the variable region of the phosphoprotein (P) gene and the glycoprotein-polymerase (G-L) intergenic region were studied on Spanish samples. Phylogenies show that two of the new EBLV-1a strains from Iberian E. serotinus clustered together with French strains from the North of the Pyrenees, suggesting a recent expansion southwards of this subtype. The remaining seven Iberian strains from E. serotinus grouped, instead, within the cluster linked, so far, to E. isabellinus, indicating that spatial distribution prevails over species specificity in explaining rabies distribution and supporting interspecific transmission. The structure found within the Iberian Peninsula for EBLV-1b is in concordance with that described previously for E. isabellinus. Finally, we have found that the current EBLV-1 European strains could have emerged only 175 years ago according to our evolutionary dynamics analyses.

High-Resolution Analysis of Human Y-Chromosome Variation Shows a Sharp Discontinuity and Limited Gene Flow between Northwestern Africa and the Iberian Peninsula

PubMed Central

Bosch, Elena; Calafell, Francesc; Comas, David; Oefner, Peter J.; Underhill, Peter A.; Bertranpetit, Jaume

2001-01-01

In the present study we have analyzed 44 Y-chromosome biallelic polymorphisms in population samples from northwestern (NW) Africa and the Iberian Peninsula, which allowed us to place each chromosome unequivocally in a phylogenetic tree based on >150 polymorphisms. The most striking results are that contemporary NW African and Iberian populations were found to have originated from distinctly different patrilineages and that the Strait of Gibraltar seems to have acted as a strong (although not complete) barrier to gene flow. In NW African populations, an Upper Paleolithic colonization that probably had its origin in eastern Africa contributed 75% of the current gene pool. In comparison, ∼78% of contemporary Iberian Y chromosomes originated in an Upper Paleolithic expansion from western Asia, along the northern rim of the Mediterranean basin. Smaller contributions to these gene pools (constituting 13% of Y chromosomes in NW Africa and 10% of Y chromosomes in Iberia) came from the Middle East during the Neolithic and, during subsequent gene flow, from Sub-Saharan to NW Africa. Finally, bidirectional gene flow across the Strait of Gibraltar has been detected: the genetic contribution of European Y chromosomes to the NW African gene pool is estimated at 4%, and NW African populations may have contributed 7% of Iberian Y chromosomes. The Islamic rule of Spain, which began in a.d. 711 and lasted almost 8 centuries, left only a minor contribution to the current Iberian Y-chromosome pool. The high-resolution analysis of the Y chromosome allows us to separate successive migratory components and to precisely quantify each historical layer. PMID:11254456

Gravity and magnetic modeling of granitic bodies in Central Portugal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Machadinho, Ana; Figueiredo, Fernando; Pereira, Alcides

2015-04-01

A better understanding of the subsurface geometry of the granitic bodies in Central Portugal is the main goal of this work. The results are also relevant for the assessment of the geothermal potential of the same region. The study area is located in the Central Iberian Zone where the Beiras granite batholith outcrops. These variscan granitoids were emplaced into the "Complexo Xisto-Grauváquico" (CXG), a thick and monotonous megasequences of metapelites and metagreywackes. This metasedimentary sequence is affected by the Variscan deformation phases and a late Proterozoic to Cambrian age has been generally assumed for this rocks. The granitoids in the region are attributed to the magmatic activity associated to the post-collisional stages of the Variscan orogeny during the D3 stage. The granitic bodies in the study area are considered syn-D3 and late to post-D3. To achieve the goal of the research, magnetic and gravimetric surveys where performed in order to obtain the Bouguer and magnetic anomalies. All the standard corrections were applied to the gravimetric and magnetic data. Considering and integrating all the available geological data and physical proprieties (density and magnetic susceptibility) the mentioned potential fields were simultaneously modeled. In this way it was possible to characterize the subsurface geometry of the granitic bodies in the studied region. The modeling results show that the regional tectonic setting controls the geometry of the granitic bodies as well as the structure of the host CXG metasedimentary sequence. Through the modeling of the potential field the overall geometry, average and maximum depths of the granitic bodies in the study area was obtained. Some late to post-D3 plutons outcrop in spatial continuity and as they have similar ages, a common feeding zone is assumed as the most likely scenario. The sin-D3 pluton is more abrupt and vertical, suggesting the presence of a fault contact with the late-D3 pluton. According to the

Genetic signatures of a Mediterranean influence in Iberian Peninsula sheep husbandry.

PubMed

Pereira, Filipe; Davis, Simon J M; Pereira, Luísa; McEvoy, Brian; Bradley, Daniel G; Amorim, António

2006-07-01

Highly adaptable and versatile populations of domestic sheep, the result of millennia of intense husbandry, are found in almost every corner of the world. Here we describe a genetic survey of sheep from the western fringe of its European distribution. We studied the mitochondrial DNA control region sequences from 161 individuals belonging to 7 Portuguese sheep breeds. Our study revealed a high level of genetic diversity, with an average breed haplotype diversity of 0.983, substantially above that observed in central European breeds, as well as the presence of maternal lineages until now only found in the Middle East and Asia. A broad north-south pattern describes the most important trend in the Portuguese sheep population with a southern population clearly distinct from most other breeds. A recurrent influx of new genetic diversity, probably via the Mediterranean Sea, may explain these patterns and appears to corroborate the importance of this maritime route in the history of both mankind and livestock. Zooarchaeological studies of sheep bones from southern Portugal indicate a marked size increase during the Moslem period that may reflect an improvement of this animal--perhaps part of the well known "Arab agricultural revolution" in Andalusia. This could have been a time when the gene pool of Iberian sheep was substantially enriched and may help to explain the history of modern sheep breeds in this peninsula.

Volcanic avalanche fault zone with pseudotachylite and gouge in French Massif Central

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bernard, Karine; van Wyk de Vries, Benjamin

2017-11-01

Structures and textures with sedimentological variations at different scales of the lithofacies assemblage help us to constrain the basal kinematic transition from non-depositional to depositional conditions during volcanic avalanche emplacement. In the well-exposed impact-sheared contact along volcanic avalanche fault zone in the French Massif Central, we observe how the granular textures of the pseudotachylite and fault gouge have recorded the propagation of shock wave with granular oscillatory stress. Sequential events of basal aggradation along avalanche fault zone have been established related to fractal D-values, temperature pressure regime and oscillatory stress during slow wave velocity. A typical lithofacies assemblage with a reverse grading shows the pseudotachylite and fault gouge. A cataclastic gradient is characterised by the fractal D-values from 2.7 in jigsaw breccias with pseudotachylite partial melt, to 2.6 in the polymodal gouge. Shock, brecciation and comminution produce cataclastic shear bands in the pseudotachylite and quartz microstructures along the basal contact of the volcanic debris-avalanche deposit. Gouge microstructures show granular segregation, cataclasis with antithetic rotational Riedel shear, and an arching effect between the Riedel shear bands. X-ray microtomography provided 3D microfabrics along the clastic vein in the sandy-gouge. From the available statistical dataset, a few equations have been developed implicating the same cataclastic origin with a co-genetic evolution of lithofacies. An impact wave during primary shear propagation may contribute to produce hydroclastic matrix, pseudotachylite partial melt and proximal gouge thixotropy with v 50m/s and a T < 654 °C. The interseismic period with oscillatory stress is related to crushed clasts and basaltic melt around 800 °C, Riedel shear bands with granular segregation along the fault gouge. The secondary shock by matrix-rich avalanche (ΔP = 10GPa, T ≥ 1000-1500 �

Composition and microstructure of Roman metallic artefacts of Southwestern Iberian Peninsula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valério, P.; Voráčová, E.; Silva, R. J. C.; Araújo, M. F.; Soares, A. M. M.; Arruda, A. M.; Pereira, C.

2015-10-01

The Roman invasion introduces new alloys and metallurgical practices in Iberian Peninsula. The southwestern end of this region has many evidences of connections with the Roman World, but there are no studies about the manufacture and use of copper-based artefacts during this period. Therefore, a set of about 20 ornaments, tools and small attachments recovered at the Roman sites of Monte Molião and Cidade das Rosas was studied by an analytical approach combining micro-EDXRF, optical microscopy, SEM-EDS and Vickers microhardness testing. The artefact composition shows a good correlation with function, namely pure copper for nails and rivets, low-tin bronze (2-6 wt% Sn) for basic tools, high-tin bronze (14 wt% Sn) for fibulae and high-lead bronze (19 wt% Pb) for a decorated jug handle. The manufacture also depends on function because most artefacts were subjected to thermomechanical processing, except the ornaments that would not benefit from post-casting work. Brass and gunmetal were only present in the site with a later chronology. A metallurgy visibly ruled by economical, aesthetical and technological concerns reinforces the evidences about the total integration of Southwestern Iberian Peninsula in the Roman World, but further studies will be essential to determine the evolution of copper-based alloys in Lusitania under Roman influence.

Downscaling of global climate change estimates to regional scales: An application to Iberian rainfall in wintertime

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

von Storch, H.; Zorita, E.; Cubasch, U.

A statistical strategy to deduct regional-scale features from climate general circulation model (GCM) simulations has been designed and tested. The main idea is to interrelate the characteristic patterns of observed simultaneous variations of regional climate parameters and of large-scale atmospheric flow using the canonical correlation technique. The large-scale North Atlantic sea level pressure (SLP) is related to the regional, variable, winter (DJF) mean Iberian Peninsula rainfall. The skill of the resulting statistical model is shown by reproducing, to a good approximation, the winter mean Iberian rainfall from 1900 to present from the observed North Atlantic mean SLP distributions. It ismore » shown that this observed relationship between these two variables is not well reproduced in the output of a general circulation model (GCM). The implications for Iberian rainfall changes as the response to increasing atmospheric greenhouse-gas concentrations simulated by two GCM experiments are examined with the proposed statistical model. In an instantaneous [open quotes]2 CO[sub 2][close quotes] doubling experiment, using the simulated change of the mean North Atlantic SLP field to predict Iberian rainfall yields, there is an insignificant increase of area-averaged rainfall of I mm/month, with maximum values of 4 mm/month in the northwest of the peninsula. In contrast, for the four GCM grid points representing the lberian Peninsula, the change is - 10 mm/month, with a minimum of - 19 mm/month in the southwest. In the second experiment, with the IPCC scenario A ([open quotes]business as usual[close quotes]) increase of CO[sub 2], the statistical-model results partially differ from the directly simulated rainfall changes: in the experimental range of 100 years, the area-averaged rainfall decreases by 7 mm/month (statistical model), and by 9 mm/month (GCM); at the same time the amplitude of the interdecadal variability is quite different. 17 refs., 10 figs.« less

Biogeography of Iberian freshwater fishes revisited: The roles of historical versus contemporary constraints

USGS Publications Warehouse

Filipe, Ana F.; Araújo, Miguel B.; Doadrio, Ignacio; Angermeier, Paul L.; Collares-Pereira, Maria J.

2009-01-01

Main conclusions The results support the hypothesis that historical factors exert greater constraints on native freshwater fish assemblages in the Iberian Peninsula than do current environmental factors. After examining patterns of assemblage variation across space, as evidenced by the biogeographical provinces, we discuss the likely dispersal and speciation events that underlie these patterns. 

Influence of finite-time Lyapunov exponents on winter precipitation over the Iberian Peninsula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garaboa-Paz, Daniel; Lorenzo, Nieves; Pérez-Muñuzuri, Vicente

2017-05-01

Seasonal forecasts have improved during the last decades, mostly due to an increase in understanding of the coupled ocean-atmosphere dynamics, and the development of models able to predict the atmosphere variability. Correlations between different teleconnection patterns and severe weather in different parts of the world are constantly evolving and changing. This paper evaluates the connection between winter precipitation over the Iberian Peninsula and the large-scale tropospheric mixing over the eastern Atlantic Ocean. Finite-time Lyapunov exponents (FTLEs) have been calculated from 1979 to 2008 to evaluate this mixing. Our study suggests that significant negative correlations exist between summer FTLE anomalies and winter precipitation over Portugal and Spain. To understand the mechanisms behind this correlation, summer anomalies of the FTLE have also been correlated with other climatic variables such as the sea surface temperature (SST), the sea level pressure (SLP) or the geopotential. The East Atlantic (EA) teleconnection index correlates with the summer FTLE anomalies, confirming their role as a seasonal predictor for winter precipitation over the Iberian Peninsula.

Downtown Crossing: Auto Restricted Zone in Boston

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1982-07-01

The Downtown Crossing auto restricted zone, implemented in 1978, involved the : elimination of all auto traffic froma zone of twelve blocks encompassing six : different streets in Bostn's central business district. Some of the blocks were : pedestria...

Efficiency of mitochondrial DNA restriction analysis and RAPD-PCR to characterize yeasts growing on dry-cured Iberian ham at the different geographic areas of ripening.

PubMed

Andrade, María J; Rodríguez, Mar; Casado, Eva; Córdoba, Juan J

2010-03-01

The efficiency of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) restriction analysis and random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR to characterize yeasts growing on dry-cured Iberian ham was evaluated. Besides, the distribution of the main species and biotypes of yeasts in the different ripening areas of this product was investigated. MtDNA restriction analysis allowed yeast characterization at species and strain level. RAPD-PCR with the primers (GACA)(4) and (GAC)(5) was inappropriate for characterization at species level. Most of the mtDNA restriction patterns detected in dry-cured Iberian ham were consistent with Debaryomyces hansenii. Several yeasts biotypes were associated to specific geographic areas of dry-cured Iberian ham ripening. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Shallow methylmercury production in the marginal sea ice zone of the central Arctic Ocean

PubMed Central

Heimbürger, Lars-Eric; Sonke, Jeroen E.; Cossa, Daniel; Point, David; Lagane, Christelle; Laffont, Laure; Galfond, Benjamin T.; Nicolaus, Marcel; Rabe, Benjamin; van der Loeff, Michiel Rutgers

2015-01-01

Methylmercury (MeHg) is a neurotoxic compound that threatens wildlife and human health across the Arctic region. Though much is known about the source and dynamics of its inorganic mercury (Hg) precursor, the exact origin of the high MeHg concentrations in Arctic biota remains uncertain. Arctic coastal sediments, coastal marine waters and surface snow are known sites for MeHg production. Observations on marine Hg dynamics, however, have been restricted to the Canadian Archipelago and the Beaufort Sea (<79°N). Here we present the first central Arctic Ocean (79–90°N) profiles for total mercury (tHg) and MeHg. We find elevated tHg and MeHg concentrations in the marginal sea ice zone (81–85°N). Similar to other open ocean basins, Arctic MeHg concentration maxima also occur in the pycnocline waters, but at much shallower depths (150–200 m). The shallow MeHg maxima just below the productive surface layer possibly result in enhanced biological uptake at the base of the Arctic marine food web and may explain the elevated MeHg concentrations in Arctic biota. We suggest that Arctic warming, through thinning sea ice, extension of the seasonal sea ice zone, intensified surface ocean stratification and shifts in plankton ecodynamics, will likely lead to higher marine MeHg production. PMID:25993348

Shallow methylmercury production in the marginal sea ice zone of the central Arctic Ocean.

PubMed

Heimbürger, Lars-Eric; Sonke, Jeroen E; Cossa, Daniel; Point, David; Lagane, Christelle; Laffont, Laure; Galfond, Benjamin T; Nicolaus, Marcel; Rabe, Benjamin; van der Loeff, Michiel Rutgers

2015-05-20

Methylmercury (MeHg) is a neurotoxic compound that threatens wildlife and human health across the Arctic region. Though much is known about the source and dynamics of its inorganic mercury (Hg) precursor, the exact origin of the high MeHg concentrations in Arctic biota remains uncertain. Arctic coastal sediments, coastal marine waters and surface snow are known sites for MeHg production. Observations on marine Hg dynamics, however, have been restricted to the Canadian Archipelago and the Beaufort Sea (<79 °N). Here we present the first central Arctic Ocean (79-90 °N) profiles for total mercury (tHg) and MeHg. We find elevated tHg and MeHg concentrations in the marginal sea ice zone (81-85 °N). Similar to other open ocean basins, Arctic MeHg concentration maxima also occur in the pycnocline waters, but at much shallower depths (150-200 m). The shallow MeHg maxima just below the productive surface layer possibly result in enhanced biological uptake at the base of the Arctic marine food web and may explain the elevated MeHg concentrations in Arctic biota. We suggest that Arctic warming, through thinning sea ice, extension of the seasonal sea ice zone, intensified surface ocean stratification and shifts in plankton ecodynamics, will likely lead to higher marine MeHg production.

Climate-Induced Landslides within the Larch Dominant Permafrost Zone of Central Siberia.

PubMed

Kharuk, Viacheslav I; Shushpanov, Alexandr S; Im, Sergei T; Ranson, Kenneth J

2016-04-01

Climate impact on landslide occurrence and spatial patterns were analyzed within the larch-dominant communities associated with continuous permafrost areas of Central Siberia. We used high resolution satellite imagery (i.e. QuickBird, WorldView) to identify landslide scars over an area of 62000 km 2 . Landslide occurrence was analyzed with respect to climate variables (air temperature, precipitation, drought index SPEI), and GRACE satellite derived equivalent of water thickness anomalies (EWTA). Landslides were found only on southward facing slopes, and the occurrence of landslides increased exponentially with increasing slope steepness. Lengths of landslides correlated positively with slope steepness. The observed upper elevation limit of landslides tended to coincide with the tree line. Observations revealed landslides occurrence was also found to be strongly correlated with August precipitation (r = 0.81) and drought index (r = 0.7), with June-July-August soil water anomalies (i.e., EWTA, r = 0.68-0.7), and number of thawing days (i.e., a number of days with t max > 0°C; r = 0.67). A significant increase in the variance of soil water anomalies was observed, indicating that occurrence of landslides may increase even with a stable mean precipitation level. The key-findings of this study are (1) landslides occurrence increased within the permafrost zone of Central Siberia in the beginning of the 21st century; (2) the main cause of increased landslides occurrence are extremes in precipitation and soil water anomalies; and (3) landslides occurrence are strongly dependent on relief features such as southward facing steep slopes.

Climate-Induced Landsliding within the Larch Dominant Permafrost Zone of Central Siberia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kharuk, Viacheslav I.; Shushpanov, Alexandr S.; Im, Sergei T.; Ranson, Kenneth J.

2016-01-01

Climate impact on landslide occurrence and spatial patterns were analyzed within the larch-dominant communities associated with continuous permafrost areas of central Siberia. We used high resolution satellite imagery (i.e. QuickBird, WorldView) to identify landslide scars over an area of 62 000 km2. Landslide occurrence was analyzed with respect to climate variables (air temperature, precipitation, drought index SPEI), and Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment satellite derived equivalent of water thickness anomalies (EWTA). Landslides were found only on southward facing slopes, and the occurrence of landslides increased exponentially with increasing slope steepness. Lengths of landslides correlated positively with slope steepness. The observed upper elevation limit of landslides tended to coincide with the tree line. Observations revealed landslides occurrence was also found to be strongly correlated with August precipitation (r = 0.81) and drought index (r = 0.7), with June-July-August soil water anomalies (i.e., EWTA, r = 0.68-0.7), and number of thawing days (i.e., a number of days with t (max) > 0 deg C; r = 0.67). A significant increase in the variance of soil water anomalies was observed, indicating that occurrence of landslides may increase even with a stable mean precipitation level. The key-findings of this study are (1) landslides occurrence increased within the permafrost zone of central Siberia in the beginning of the 21st century; (2) the main cause of increased landslides occurrence are extremes in precipitation and soil water anomalies; and (3) landslides occurrence are strongly dependent on relief features such as southward facing steep slopes.

Climate-Induced Landslides within the Larch Dominant Permafrost Zone of Central Siberia

PubMed Central

Shushpanov, Alexandr S; Im, Sergei T; Ranson, Kenneth J

2017-01-01

Climate impact on landslide occurrence and spatial patterns were analyzed within the larch-dominant communities associated with continuous permafrost areas of Central Siberia. We used high resolution satellite imagery (i.e. QuickBird, WorldView) to identify landslide scars over an area of 62000 km2. Landslide occurrence was analyzed with respect to climate variables (air temperature, precipitation, drought index SPEI), and GRACE satellite derived equivalent of water thickness anomalies (EWTA). Landslides were found only on southward facing slopes, and the occurrence of landslides increased exponentially with increasing slope steepness. Lengths of landslides correlated positively with slope steepness. The observed upper elevation limit of landslides tended to coincide with the tree line. Observations revealed landslides occurrence was also found to be strongly correlated with August precipitation (r = 0.81) and drought index (r = 0.7), with June-July-August soil water anomalies (i.e., EWTA, r = 0.68–0.7), and number of thawing days (i.e., a number of days with tmax > 0°C; r = 0.67). A significant increase in the variance of soil water anomalies was observed, indicating that occurrence of landslides may increase even with a stable mean precipitation level. The key-findings of this study are (1) landslides occurrence increased within the permafrost zone of Central Siberia in the beginning of the 21st century; (2) the main cause of increased landslides occurrence are extremes in precipitation and soil water anomalies; and (3) landslides occurrence are strongly dependent on relief features such as southward facing steep slopes. PMID:29326754

Mantle transition zone beneath the central Tien Shan: Lithospheric delamination and mantle plumes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kosarev, Grigoriy; Oreshin, Sergey; Vinnik, Lev; Makeyeva, Larissa

2018-01-01

We investigate structure of the mantle transition zone (MTZ) under the central Tien Shan in central Asia by using recordings of seismograph stations in Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and adjacent northern China. We apply P-wave receiver functions techniques and evaluate the differential time between the arrivals of seismic phases that are formed by P to SV mode conversion at the 410-km and 660-km seismic boundaries. The differential time is sensitive to the thickness of the MTZ and insensitive to volumetric velocity anomalies above the 410-km boundary. Under part of the southern central Tien Shan with the lowest S wave velocity in the uppermost mantle and the largest thickness of the crust, the thickness of the MTZ increases by 15-20 km relative to the ambient mantle and the reference model IASP91. The increased thickness is a likely effect of low (about - 150 K) temperature. This anomaly is indicative of delamination and sinking of the mantle lithosphere. The low temperature in the MTZ might also be a relic of subduction of the oceanic lithosphere in the Paleozoic, but this scenario requires strong coupling and coherence between structures in the MTZ and in the lithosphere during plate motions in the last 300 Myr. Our data reveal a reduction of thickness of the MTZ of 10-15 km under the Fergana basin, in the neighborhood of the region of small-scale basaltic volcanism at the time near the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary. The reduced thickness of the MTZ is the effect of a depressed 410-km discontinuity, similar to that found in many hotspots. This depression suggests a positive temperature anomaly of about 100-150 K, consistent with the presence of a thermal mantle plume. A similar depression on the 410-km discontinuity is found underneath the Tarim basin.

High resolution projections for the western Iberian coastal low level jet in a changing climate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soares, Pedro M. M.; Lima, Daniela C. A.; Cardoso, Rita M.; Semedo, Alvaro

2017-09-01

The Iberian coastal low-level jet (CLLJ) is one of the less studied boundary layer wind jet features in the Eastern Boundary Currents Systems (EBCS). These regions are amongst the most productive ocean ecosystems, where the atmosphere-land-ocean feedbacks, which include marine boundary layer clouds, coastal jets, upwelling and inland soil temperature and moisture, play an important role in defining the regional climate along the sub-tropical mid-latitude western coastal areas. Recently, the present climate western Iberian CLLJ properties were extensively described using a high resolution regional climate hindcast simulation. A summer maximum frequency of occurrence above 30 % was found, with mean maximum wind speeds around 15 ms-1, between 300 and 400 m heights (at the jet core). Since the 1990s the climate change impact on the EBCS is being studied, nevertheless some lack of consensus still persists regarding the evolution of upwelling and other components of the climate system in these areas. However, recently some authors have shown that changes are to be expected concerning the timing, intensity and spatial homogeneity of coastal upwelling, in response to future warming, especially at higher latitudes, namely in Iberia and Canaries. In this study, the first climate change assessment study regarding the Western Iberian CLLJ, using a high resolution (9 km) regional climate simulation, is presented. The properties of this CLLJ are studied and compared using two 30 years simulations: one historical simulation for the 1971-2000 period, and another simulation for future climate, in agreement with the RCP8.5 scenario, for the 2071-2100 period. Robust and consistent changes are found: (1) the hourly frequency of occurrence of the CLLJ is expected to increase in summer along the western Iberian coast, from mean maximum values of around 35 % to approximately 50 %; (2) the relative increase of the CLLJ frequency of occurrence is higher in the north off western Iberia; (3

Gram-positive, catalase-positive cocci from dry cured Iberian ham and their enterotoxigenic potential.

PubMed Central

Rodríguez, M; Núñez, F; Córdoba, J J; Bermúdez, E; Asensio, M A

1996-01-01

Iberian ham is an uncooked, cured meat product ripened under natural uncontrolled conditions for 18 to 24 months. Gram-positive, catalase-positive cocci are the main microbial population in Iberian ham for most of the ripening time. Since some of these organisms are able to produce enterotoxins, adequate characterization and toxicological study are needed. For this, 1,327 gram-positive, catalase-positive cocci, isolated from Iberian hams at different stages and locations, were characterized by physiological and biochemical tests. Selected isolates were further characterized by guanine-cytosine (G+C) content and restriction enzyme analysis of genes coding for 16S rRNA. The toxigenic potential of these organisms was tested with specific DNA gene probes for staphylococcal enterotoxins A, B, C, and D and confirmed by semiquantitative sandwich enzyme immunoassay. The majority of the isolates were identified as Staphylococcus spp. and Micrococcus spp. Non-identified gram-positive, catalase-positive cocci which were moderately halophilic and showed a 42 to 52% G+C content were detected. A great variety of staphylococcal strains were found within the different species at any sampling time. Two strains of Staphylococcus xylosus, one Staphylococcus cohnii strain, and four of the non-identified organisms with 42 to 52% G+C contents hybridized with some of the DNA probes for C and D staphylococcal enterotoxin genes. S. xylosus hybridizing with C-enterotoxin probe reacted with both C and D enterotoxins in the immunological test. In addition, enterotoxin D was confirmed in the nonidentified strains. Some toxigenic organisms were isolated from the final product, posing a health hazard for the consumer. PMID:8787389

Geology and mineral resources of central Antioquia Department (Zone IIA), Colombia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hall, R.B.; Alvarez A., Jairo; Rico H., Hector

1973-01-01

This report summarizes the geology of an area of some 6000 square kilometers in the northern part of the Central Cordillera of the Colombian Andes. The area, in north-central Department of Antioquia, was mapped between 1964 and 1968 as part of the Inventario Minero Nacional (IMN) project. Mineral resources are summarized within a larger area, designated as subzone ILK of IMN Zone If, which comprises almost 22,000 sq. kin, including the area mapped geologically by IMN and additional areas mapped by other agencies. The oldest formation is a micaceous paragneiss of early Paleozoic or possibly late Precambrian age. A thick geosynclinal sedimentary series accumulated during the Paleozoic Era and became regionally metamorphosed to greenschist (locally amphibolite) facies during the Permian or early Triassic; these schists and gneisses are designated collectively as the Valdivia Group. The Permian(?) orogenic episode included intrusion of concordant syntectonic plutons, mostly of tonalitic composition. Rocks of unequivocal Triassic or Jurassic age are not recognized. The Cretaceous is well represented by both igneous and sedimentary assemblages. Eugeosynclinal alpine ophiolites comprising submarine basalt flows and numerous intrusions of gabbro and serpentinite are prominent in the Lower Cretaceous, together with flysch composed of marine shale and lesser sandstone and conglomerate. The Upper Cretaceous is represented along the west border of the mapped area by submarine basalt flows and pyroclastic rocks, locally Interbedded with fine-grained clastic sedimentary beds, and lenses of dark laminated chert, at least part of which is radiolarian. The Late Cretaceous was marked by an orogenic event that profoundly folded and faulted all rocks and in the Central Cordillera caused low-grade metamorphism, the overprint of which is hardly observable in pre-Cretaceous rocks elsewhere. The Late Cretaceous orogeny culminated with discordant intrusion of the epizonal tonalitic

Daily gridded datasets of snow depth and snow water equivalent for the Iberian Peninsula from 1980 to 2014

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alonso-González, Esteban; López-Moreno, J. Ignacio; Gascoin, Simon; García-Valdecasas Ojeda, Matilde; Sanmiguel-Vallelado, Alba; Navarro-Serrano, Francisco; Revuelto, Jesús; Ceballos, Antonio; Jesús Esteban-Parra, María; Essery, Richard

2018-02-01

We present snow observations and a validated daily gridded snowpack dataset that was simulated from downscaled reanalysis of data for the Iberian Peninsula. The Iberian Peninsula has long-lasting seasonal snowpacks in its different mountain ranges, and winter snowfall occurs in most of its area. However, there are only limited direct observations of snow depth (SD) and snow water equivalent (SWE), making it difficult to analyze snow dynamics and the spatiotemporal patterns of snowfall. We used meteorological data from downscaled reanalyses as input of a physically based snow energy balance model to simulate SWE and SD over the Iberian Peninsula from 1980 to 2014. More specifically, the ERA-Interim reanalysis was downscaled to 10 km × 10 km resolution using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. The WRF outputs were used directly, or as input to other submodels, to obtain data needed to drive the Factorial Snow Model (FSM). We used lapse rate coefficients and hygrobarometric adjustments to simulate snow series at 100 m elevations bands for each 10 km × 10 km grid cell in the Iberian Peninsula. The snow series were validated using data from MODIS satellite sensor and ground observations. The overall simulated snow series accurately reproduced the interannual variability of snowpack and the spatial variability of snow accumulation and melting, even in very complex topographic terrains. Thus, the presented dataset may be useful for many applications, including land management, hydrometeorological studies, phenology of flora and fauna, winter tourism, and risk management. The data presented here are freely available for download from Zenodo (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.854618). This paper fully describes the work flow, data validation, uncertainty assessment, and possible applications and limitations of the database.

Speciation of Iberian diving beetles in Pleistocene refugia (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae).

PubMed

Ribera, Ignacio; Vogler, Alfried P

2004-01-01

The Mediterranean basin is an area of high diversity and endemicity, but the age and origin of its fauna are still largely unknown. Here we use species-level phylogenies based on approximately 1300 base pairs of the genes 16S rRNA and cytochrome oxidase I to establish the relationships of 27 of the 34 endemic Iberian species of diving beetles in the family Dytiscidae, and to investigate their level of divergence. Using a molecular clock approach, 18-19 of these species were estimated to be of Pleistocene origin, with four to six of them from the Late Pleistocene ( approximately 100 000 years). A second, lower speciation frequency peak was assigned to Late Miocene or Early Pliocene. Analysis of the distributional ranges showed that endemic species placed in the tip nodes of the trees are significantly more likely to be allopatric with their sisters than endemic species at lower node levels. Allopatric sister species are also significantly younger than sympatric clades, in agreement with an allopatric mode of speciation and limited subsequent range movement. These results strongly suggest that for some taxa Iberian populations were isolated during the Pleistocene long enough to speciate, and apparently did not expand their ranges to recolonize areas north of the Pyrenees. This is in contradiction to observations from fossil beetles in areas further north, which document large range movements associated with the Pleistocene glacial cycles hypothesized to suppress population isolation and allopatric speciation.

Geologic map of the Kechumstuk fault zone in the Mount Veta area, Fortymile mining district, east-central Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Day, Warren C.; O’Neill, J. Michael; Dusel-Bacon, Cynthia; Aleinikoff, John N.; Siron, Christopher R.

2014-01-01

This map was developed by the U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Resources Program to depict the fundamental geologic features for the western part of the Fortymile mining district of east-central Alaska, and to delineate the location of known bedrock mineral prospects and their relationship to rock types and structural features. This geospatial map database presents a 1:63,360-scale geologic map for the Kechumstuk fault zone and surrounding area, which lies 55 km northwest of Chicken, Alaska. The Kechumstuk fault zone is a northeast-trending zone of faults that transects the crystalline basement rocks of the Yukon-Tanana Upland of the western part of the Fortymile mining district. The crystalline basement rocks include Paleozoic metasedimentary and metaigneous rocks as well as granitoid intrusions of Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous age. The geologic units represented by polygons in this dataset are based on new geologic mapping and geochronological data coupled with an interpretation of regional and new geophysical data collected by the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys. The geochronological data are reported in the accompanying geologic map text and represent new U-Pb dates on zircons collected from the igneous and metaigneous units within the map area.

Maternal Genetic Composition of a Medieval Population from a Hungarian-Slavic Contact Zone in Central Europe.

PubMed

Csákyová, Veronika; Szécsényi-Nagy, Anna; Csősz, Aranka; Nagy, Melinda; Fusek, Gabriel; Langó, Péter; Bauer, Miroslav; Mende, Balázs Gusztáv; Makovický, Pavol; Bauerová, Mária

2016-01-01

The genetic composition of the medieval populations of Central Europe has been poorly investigated to date. In particular, the region of modern-day Slovakia is a blank spot in archaeogenetic research. This paper reports the study of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in ancient samples from the 9th-12th centuries originating from the cemeteries discovered in Nitra-Šindolka and Čakajovce, located in western Slovakia (Central Europe). This geographical region is interesting to study because its medieval multi-ethnic population lived in the so-called contact zone of the territory of the Great Moravian and later Hungarian state formations. We described 16 different mtDNA haplotypes in 19 individuals, which belong to the most widespread European mtDNA haplogroups: H, J, T, U and R0. Using comparative statistical and population genetic analyses, we showed the differentiation of the European gene pool in the medieval period. We also demonstrated the heterogeneous genetic characteristics of the investigated population and its affinity to the populations of modern Europe.

Maternal Genetic Composition of a Medieval Population from a Hungarian-Slavic Contact Zone in Central Europe

PubMed Central

Csákyová, Veronika; Szécsényi-Nagy, Anna; Csősz, Aranka; Nagy, Melinda; Fusek, Gabriel; Langó, Péter; Bauer, Miroslav; Mende, Balázs Gusztáv; Makovický, Pavol; Bauerová, Mária

2016-01-01

The genetic composition of the medieval populations of Central Europe has been poorly investigated to date. In particular, the region of modern-day Slovakia is a blank spot in archaeogenetic research. This paper reports the study of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in ancient samples from the 9th–12th centuries originating from the cemeteries discovered in Nitra-Šindolka and Čakajovce, located in western Slovakia (Central Europe). This geographical region is interesting to study because its medieval multi-ethnic population lived in the so-called contact zone of the territory of the Great Moravian and later Hungarian state formations. We described 16 different mtDNA haplotypes in 19 individuals, which belong to the most widespread European mtDNA haplogroups: H, J, T, U and R0. Using comparative statistical and population genetic analyses, we showed the differentiation of the European gene pool in the medieval period. We also demonstrated the heterogeneous genetic characteristics of the investigated population and its affinity to the populations of modern Europe. PMID:26963389

Structural organization of process zones in upland watersheds of central Nevada and its influence on basin connectivity, dynamics, and wet meadow complexes

Treesearch

Jerry R. Miller; Mark L. Lord; Lionel F. Villarroel; Dru Germanoski; Jeanne C. Chambers

2012-01-01

The drainage network within upland watersheds in central Nevada can be subdivided into distinct zones each dominated by a unique set of processes on the basis of valley form, the geological materials that comprise the valley floor, and the presence or absence of surficial channels. On hillslopes, the type and structure (frequency, length, and spatial arrangement) of...

Seafloor Geodetic Monitoring of the Central Andean Subduction Zone: The Geosea Array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kopp, H.; Lange, D.; Contreras Reyes, E.; Behrmann, J. H.; McGuire, J. J.; Flueh, E. R.

2014-12-01

Seafloor geodesy has been identified as one of the central tools in marine geosciences to monitor seafloor deformation at high resolution. To quantify strain accumulation and assess the resultant hazard potential we urgently need systems to resolve seafloor crustal deformation. The GeoSEA (Geodetic Earthquake Observatory on the Seafloor) array consists of a seafloor transponder network comprising a total of 35 units and a wave glider acting as a surface unit (GeoSURF) to ensure satellite correspondence, data transfer and monitor system health. For horizontal direct path measurements, the system utilizes acoustic ranging techniques with a ranging precision better than 15 mm and long term stability over 2 km distance. Vertical motion is obtained from pressure gauges. Integrated inclinometers monitor station settlement in two horizontal directions. Travel time between instruments and the local water sound velocity will be recorded autonomously subsea without system or human intervention for up to 3.5 years. Data from the autonomous network on the seafloor can be retrieved via the integrated high-speed acoustic telemetry link without recovering the seafloor units. In late 2015 GeoSEA will be installed on the Iquique segment of the South America - Nazca convergent plate boundary to monitor crustal deformation. The Iquique seismic gap experienced the 2014 Mw 8.1 Pisagua earthquake, which apparently occurred within a local locking minimum. It is thus crucial to better resolve resolve strain in the forearc between the mainland and the trench in order to improve our understanding of forearc deformation required for hazard assessment. Mobile autonomous seafloor arrays for continuous measurement of active seafloor deformation in hazard zones have the potential to lead to transformative discoveries of plate boundary/fault zone tectonic processes and address a novel element of marine geophysical research.

Imaging Subsurface Structure of Central Zagros Zone/Iran Using Ambient Noise Tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vahidravesh, Shaghayegh; Pakzad, Mehrdad, ,, Dr.; Hatami, Mohammad Reza, ,, Dr.

2017-04-01

The Central Zagros zone, of west Iran & east Iraq, is surrounded by many active faults (including Main Zagros Reversed Fault, Main Recent Fault, High Zagros Fault, Zagros Fold, & Thrust Belt). Recent studies show that cross-correlation of a long-term ambient seismic noise data recorded in station-pair, includes important information regarding empirical Green's functions (EGFs) between stations. Hence, ambient seismic noise carries valuable information of the wave propagation path (which can be extracted). The 2D model of surface waves (Rayleigh & Love) velocities for the studied area is obtained by seismic ambient noise tomography (ANT) method. Throughout this research, we use continuous records of all three vertical, radial, and tangential components (obtained by rotation) recorded by IRSC (Iranian Seismological Center) and IIEES (International Institute of Earthquake Engineering) networks for this area of interest. The IRSC & IIEES networks are equipped by SS-1 kinematics and Guralp CMG-3T sensors respectively. Data of 20 stations were used for 12 months from 2014/Nov. to 2015/Nov. The performed data processing is similar to the one, put into words in detail by Bensen et al. (2007) including the processed daily base data. Mean, trend, and instrument response were removed and the data were decimated to 5 sps (sample per second) to reduce the amount of storage space and computational time required. We then applied merge to handle data gaps. One-bit time-domain normalization was also applied to suppress the influence of instrument irregularities and earthquake signals followed by spectral (frequency-domain) normalization between 0.05-0.2 Hz (period 5-20 sec). After cross-correlation (processing step), we perform rms stacking (new approach of stacking) to stack many cross-correlation functions based on the highest energy in a time interval which we accordingly anticipate to receive Rayleigh & Love waves fundamental modes. To evaluate quality of the stacking process

UV filters bioaccumulation in fish from Iberian river basins.

PubMed

Gago-Ferrero, Pablo; Díaz-Cruz, M Silvia; Barceló, Damià

2015-06-15

The occurrence of eight organic UV filters (UV-Fs) was assessed in fish from four Iberian river basins. This group of compounds is extensively used in cosmetic products and other industrial goods to avoid the damaging effects of UV radiation, and has been found to be ubiquitous contaminants in the aquatic ecosystem. In particular, fish are considered by the scientific community to be the most feasible organism for contamination monitoring in aquatic ecosystems. Despite that, studies on the bioaccumulation of UV-F are scarce. In this study fish samples from four Iberian river basins under high anthropogenic pressure were analysed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). Benzophenone-3 (BP3), ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate (EHMC), 4-methylbenzylidene camphor (4MBC) and octocrylene (OC) were the predominant pollutants in the fish samples, with concentrations in the range of ng/g dry weight (d.w.). The results indicated that most polluted area corresponded to Guadalquivir River basin, where maximum concentrations were found for EHMC (241.7 ng/gd.w.). Sediments from this river basin were also analysed. Lower values were observed in relation to fish for OC and EHMC, ranging from below the limits of detection to 23 ng/gd.w. Accumulation levels of UV-F in the fish were used to calculate biota-sediment accumulation factors (BSAFs). These values were always below 1, in the range of 0.04-0.3, indicating that the target UV-Fs are excreted by fish only to some extent. The fact that the highest concentrations were determined in predators suggests that biomagnification of UV-F may take place along the freshwater food web. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Foraging activity and dietary spectrum of the Argentine ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in invaded natural areas of the northeast Iberian Peninsula.

PubMed

Abril, S; Oliveras, J; Gómez, C

2007-10-01

We analyzed the foraging activity and the dietary spectrum of the Argentine ant (Linepithema humile Mayr) and select native ants on cork oaks from Mediterranean open cork oak (Quercus suber) secondary forests. The study areas included invaded and noninvaded zones in close proximity. The Argentine ant's daily foraging activity was correlated to the abiotic factors studied, whereas the seasonal foraging activity was related not only to the variations in the average air temperature, but also to the trophic needs of the colony. Argentine ant workers focused their attention on protein foods during the queens' oviposition periods and during the larvae development phase, and on carbohydrate foods, such as honeydew, when males and workers were hatching. There were no significant differences over the entire year in the quantity of liquid food collected by the Argentine ant workers in comparison with the native ants studied. The solid diet of the Argentine ant on cork oaks is composed of insects, most of which are aphids. Our results have clear applications for control methods based on toxic baits in the invaded natural ecosystems of the Iberian Peninsula.

Prediction of groundwater flowing well zone at An-Najif Province, central Iraq using evidential belief functions model and GIS.

PubMed

Al-Abadi, Alaa M; Pradhan, Biswajeet; Shahid, Shamsuddin

2015-10-01

The objective of this study is to delineate groundwater flowing well zone potential in An-Najif Province of Iraq in a data-driven evidential belief function model developed in a geographical information system (GIS) environment. An inventory map of 68 groundwater flowing wells was prepared through field survey. Seventy percent or 43 wells were used for training the evidential belief functions model and the reset 30 % or 19 wells were used for validation of the model. Seven groundwater conditioning factors mostly derived from RS were used, namely elevation, slope angle, curvature, topographic wetness index, stream power index, lithological units, and distance to the Euphrates River in this study. The relationship between training flowing well locations and the conditioning factors were investigated using evidential belief functions technique in a GIS environment. The integrated belief values were classified into five categories using natural break classification scheme to predict spatial zoning of groundwater flowing well, namely very low (0.17-0.34), low (0.34-0.46), moderate (0.46-0.58), high (0.58-0.80), and very high (0.80-0.99). The results show that very low and low zones cover 72 % (19,282 km(2)) of the study area mostly clustered in the central part, the moderate zone concentrated in the west part covers 13 % (3481 km(2)), and the high and very high zones extended over the northern part cover 15 % (3977 km(2)) of the study area. The vast spatial extension of very low and low zones indicates that groundwater flowing wells potential in the study area is low. The performance of the evidential belief functions spatial model was validated using the receiver operating characteristic curve. A success rate of 0.95 and a prediction rate of 0.94 were estimated from the area under relative operating characteristics curves, which indicate that the developed model has excellent capability to predict groundwater flowing well zones. The produced map of groundwater

Disentangling migratory routes and wintering grounds of Iberian near-threatened European Rollers Coracias garrulus.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Ruiz, Juan; de la Puente, Javier; Parejo, Deseada; Valera, Francisco; Calero-Torralbo, Miguel A; Reyes-González, José M; Zajková, Zuzana; Bermejo, Ana; Avilés, Jesús M

2014-01-01

Long-distance migrants are suffering drastic declines in the last decades. Causes beneath this problem are complex due to the wide spatial and temporal scale involved. We aim to reveal migratory routes, stopover areas, wintering grounds, and migratory strategies for the most southwestern populations of the near-threatened European Roller Coracias garrulus in order to identify conservation key areas for the non-breeding stage of this species. To this end, we used tracking data from seven satellite transmitters fitted to birds breeding in different populations throughout the Iberian Peninsula and four geolocators fitted to individuals in a southeastern Iberian population. Precise satellite data were used to describe daily activity patterns and speed in relation to the main regions crossed during the migration. Individuals from the most southwestern Iberian populations made a detour towards the Atlantic African coast whereas those from northeastern populations followed a straight north-to-south route. We identified important stopover areas in the Sahel belt, mainly in the surroundings of the Lake Chad, and wintering grounds on southwestern Africa farther west than previously reported for the species. Concerning the migratory strategy, satellite data revealed: 1) a mainly nocturnal flying activity, 2) that migration speed depended on the type of crossed habitat, with higher average speed while crossing the desert; and 3) that the migration was slower and lasted longer in autumn than in spring. The studied populations showed weak migratory connectivity, suggesting the confluence of birds from a wide range of breeding grounds in a restricted wintering area. Therefore, we suggest to target on defining precisely key areas for this species and identifying specific threats in them in order to develop an appropriate global conservation programme for the European Roller.

Identification and characterisation of regional ozone episodes in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Domínguez-López, D.; Vaca, F.; Hernández-Ceballos, M. A.; Bolívar, J. P.

2015-02-01

Tropospheric ozone is considered one of the most significant air pollutants due to its negative effects on human health, agricultural crops, ecosystems and climate. The features of the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula (high temperatures and high solar radiation, the presence of the Guadalquivir basin and sources of precursors) favour the occurrence of episodes of high concentrations that cause exceedances of legal thresholds with relative frequency. Despite this, no study examining regional ozone episodes has been carried out in this region until now. In the present work a surface hourly ozone dataset (2003-2006) measured at 11 representative stations located in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula (western Andalusia) was analysed in order to identify and characterise, for the first time, the regional ozone episodes that occur in this area. Using a statistical criterion, eight regional episodes were identified and analysed. The analysis of synoptic weather patterns revealed that these episodes occur in conjunction with two different synoptic conditions (high surface pressure either close to the British Isles or over the Atlantic Ocean). Both conditions generate weak isobaric surface pressure over the Iberian Peninsula, favouring the establishment of easterly winds at 500 m and the development of winds with two main prevailing directions (southwest-northwest, following the Guadalquivir basin) in the study area. During episodic days ozone follows a similar daily cycle to that observed on non-episode summer days, although the levels reached during the former are higher. In both cases, a direct relationship between the daily ozone cycle and the local wind regimen was not observed. This therefore seems to indicate that the daily cycle followed by ozone is mainly regulated by the precursor emissions produced in the environment, by the temperature changes taking place during the day and by the influence of the lower troposphere during anticyclonic weather conditions.

Zone-dependent changes in human vertebral trabecular bone: clinical implications.

PubMed

Thomsen, Jesper Skovhus; Ebbesen, E N; Mosekilde, Li

2002-05-01

We have previously shown that there are pronounced age-related changes in human vertebral cancellous bone density and microarchitecture. However, the magnitude of these changes seemed to be dependent on zone location in the vertebral body-the central third vs. the areas adjacent to the endplates. The aim of the present study was, therefore, to investigate whether such zone-specific differences could be identified by static histomorphometric measures. The material comprised 48 individuals (24 women aged 19-97 years, and 24 men aged 23-95 years). Three of the women had a known fracture of the L-2. From each L-2, thick frontal sections of half of the vertebra were embedded undecalcified in methylmethacrylate, cut into 10-microm-thick sections, and stained with aniline blue. The sections were scanned into a computer, and classic static histomorphometry was performed on the images. The histomorphometry was performed on both the whole section and on the separate zones (central and sub-endplate zone). The results showed that trabecular bone volume, trabecular number, and connectivity density decreased significantly faster with age, whereas marrow space star volume increased significantly faster with age in the zones adjacent to the endplates than in the central zone. The other histomorphometric measures showed no zone specificity in relation to aging. However, trabecular thickness and trabecular separation were both higher at all ages in the central zone than in the sub-endplate zone, although this was significant only for trabecular separation. The described differences might have significant clinical implications concerning quantitative computed tomography (QCT) scanning, X-ray analyses, and assessment of fracture liability in the human spine, but the underlying pathogenesis is still not known. This study shows that the human vertebral body can be described as two distinct zones with very specific age-related changes in density and microstructure. This zone

Tourmaline occurrences within the Penamacor-Monsanto granitic pluton and host-rocks (Central Portugal): genetic implications of crystal-chemical and isotopic features

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

da Costa, I. Ribeiro; Mourão, C.; Récio, C.; Guimarães, F.; Antunes, I. M.; Ramos, J. Farinha; Barriga, F. J. A. S.; Palmer, M. R.; Milton, J. A.

2014-04-01

Tourmalinization associated with peraluminous granitic intrusions in metapelitic host-rocks has been widely recorded in the Iberian Peninsula, given the importance of tourmaline as a tracer of granite magma evolution and potential indicator of Sn-W mineralizations. In the Penamacor-Monsanto granite pluton (Central Eastern Portugal, Central Iberian Zone), tourmaline occurs: (1) as accessory phase in two-mica granitic rocks, muscovite-granites and aplites, (2) in quartz (±mica)-tourmaline rocks (tourmalinites) in several exocontact locations, and (3) as a rare detrital phase in contact zone hornfels and metapelitic host-rocks. Electron microprobe and stable isotope (δ18O, δD, δ11B) data provide clear distinctions between tourmaline populations from these different settings: (a) schorl-oxyschorl tourmalines from granitic rocks have variable foititic component (X□ = 17-57 %) and Mg/(Mg + Fe) ratios (0.19-0.50 in two-mica granitic rocks, and 0.05-0.19 in the more differentiated muscovite-granite and aplites); granitic tourmalines have constant δ18O values (12.1 ± 0.1 ‰), with wider-ranging δD (-78.2 ± 4.7 ‰) and δ11B (-10.7 to -9.0 ‰) values; (b) vein/breccia oxyschorl [Mg/(Mg + Fe) = 0.31-0.44] results from late, B- and Fe-enriched magma-derived fluids and is characterized by δ18O = 12.4 ‰, δD = -29.5 ‰, and δ11B = -9.3 ‰, while replacement tourmalines have more dravitic compositions [Mg/(Mg + Fe) = 0.26-0.64], close to that of detrital tourmaline in the surrounding metapelitic rocks, and yield relatively constant δ18O values (13.1-13.3 ‰), though wider-ranging δD (-58.5 to -36.5 ‰) and δ11B (-10.2 to -8.8 ‰) values; and (c) detrital tourmaline in contact rocks and regional host metasediments is mainly dravite [Mg/(Mg + Fe) = 0.35-0.78] and oxydravite [Mg/(Mg + Fe) = 0.51-0.58], respectively. Boron contents of the granitic rocks are low (<650 ppm) compared to the minimum B contents normally required for tourmaline saturation in

Exploring Interactions Between Subduction Zone Earthquakes and Volcanic Activity in the South Central Alaskan Subduction Zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lanagan, K. M.; Richardson, E.

2012-12-01

Although great earthquakes such as the recent moment-magnitude (M) 9 Tohoku-Oki earthquake have been shown to trigger remote seismicity in volcanoes, the extent to which subduction zone earthquakes can trigger shallow seismic swarms at volcanoes is largely unexplored. Unknowns in this relationship include the upper limit of distance, the lower limit of magnitude, the upper time limit between events, and the effects of rupture directivity. We searched the Advanced National Seismic System earthquake catalog from 1989 - 2011 for correlations in space and time between M > 5.0 earthquakes in the south central Alaskan subduction zone (between 58.5°N and 62.5°N, and 150.7°W and 154.7°W) and volcanic activity at Mt. Redoubt, Mt. Iliamna, and Mt. Spurr volcanoes. There are 48 earthquakes M > 5 in this catalog; five of these are M > 6. The depths of the 48 M>5 events range from 49km to 220km, and they are all between 100km and 350km of the three volcanoes. Preliminary analysis of our catalog shows that four of the five M > 6 earthquakes are followed by a volcanic earthquake swarm at either Redoubt or Spurr within 100 days, and three of them are followed by a volcanic earthquake swarm within a month. None of these events correlated in space and time with swarms at Mt. Iliamna. We are also searching for swarms and moderate earthquakes occurring in time windows far removed from each other. The likeliest case of remotely triggered seismicity in our search area to date occurred on January 24 2009, when a magnitude 5.8 earthquake beneath the Kenai Peninsula at 59.4°N, 152.8°W, and 95km depth was immediately followed by an increase of volcanic activity at Mt. Redoubt approximately 153km away. The first swarm began on Jan 25 2009. On Jan 30 2009, volcanologists at the Alaskan Volcano observatory determined the increased volcanic seismicity was indicative of an impending eruption. Mt. Redoubt erupted on March 15 2009. Proposed mechanisms for triggering of volcanoes by

Gamma-ray spectrometry in the field: Radioactive heat production in the Central Slovakian Volcanic Zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harley, Thomas L.; Westaway, Rob; McCay, Alistair T.

2017-05-01

We report 62 sets of measurements from central-southern Slovakia, obtained using a modern portable gamma-ray spectrometer, which reveal the radioactive heat production in intrusive and extrusive igneous rocks of the Late Cenozoic Central Slovakian Volcanic Zone. Sites in granodiorite of the Štiavnica pluton are thus shown to have heat production in the range 2.2-4.9 μW m- 3, this variability being primarily a reflection of variations in content of the trace element uranium. Sites in dioritic parts of this pluton have a lower, but overlapping, range of values, 2.1-4.4 μW m- 3. Sites that have been interpreted in adjoining minor dioritic intrusions of similar age have heat production in the range 1.4-3.3 μW m- 3. The main Štiavnica pluton has zoned composition, with potassium and uranium content and radioactive heat production typically increasing inward from its margins, reflecting variations observed in other granodioritic plutons elsewhere. It is indeed possible that the adjoining dioritic rocks, hitherto assigned to other minor intrusions of similar age, located around the periphery of the Štiavnica pluton, in reality provide further evidence for zonation of the same pluton. The vicinity of this pluton is associated with surface heat flow 40 mW m- 2 above the regional background. On the basis of our heat production measurements, we thus infer that the pluton has a substantial vertical extent, our preferred estimate for the scale depth for its downward decrease in radioactive heat production being 8 km. Nonetheless, this pluton lacks any significant negative Bouguer gravity anomaly. We attribute this to the effect of the surrounding volcanic caldera, filled with relatively low-density lavas, 'masking' the pluton's own gravity anomaly. We envisage that emplacement occurred when the pluton was much hotter, and thus of lower density, than at present, its continued uplift, evident from the local geomorphology, being the isostatic consequence of localized erosion

A New Species of Haplophyllum A. Juss. (Rutaceae) from the Iberian Peninsula: Evidence from Morphological, Karyological and Molecular Analyses

PubMed Central

NAVARRO, F. B.; SUÁREZ-SANTIAGO, V. N.; BLANCA, G.

2004-01-01

• Background and Aims The discovery of a new species, Haplophyllum bastetanum F.B. Navarro, V.N. Suárez-Santiago & Blanca sp. nov., in the south-east of Spain has prompted the comparative study of species of the Iberian Peninsula, and others related, through morphological, cytogenetic, molecular, distributional and ecological characterization. • Methods The morphological study involved a quantitative analysis of the species present in the Iberian Peninsula and a comparative analysis of the morphological characteristics between H. bastetanum and other related species. Mitotic analyses were made with root meristems taken from germinating seeds. Phylogenetic analyses of the internal transcribed spacer sequences of nuclear ribosomal DNA were performed using neighbour-joining (NJ) and maximum-parsimony methods. • Key Results Haplophyllum bastetanum is a diploid species (2n = 18) distinguished primarily for its non-trifoliate glabrous leaves, lanceolate sepals, dark-green petals with a dorsal band of hairs, and a highly hairy ovary with round-apex locules. The other two Iberian species (H. linifolium and H. rosmarinifolium) are tetraploid (2n = 36) and have yellow petals. Both phylogenetic methods generated a well-supported clade grouping H. linifolium with H. rosmarinifolium. In the NJ tree, the H. linifolium–H. rosmarinifolium clade is a sister group to H. bastetanum, while in the parsimony analysis this occurred only when the gaps were coded as a fifth base and the characters were reweighted according to the rescaled consistency index. This latter group is supported by the sequence divergence among taxa. • Conclusions The phylogenies established from DNA sequences together with morphological and cytogenetic analyses support the separation of H. bastetanum as a new species. The results suggest that the change in the number of chromosomes may be the key mechanism of speciation of the genus Haplophyllum in the Iberian Peninsula. An evolutionary scheme for them

Strain Localisation at Rift Segment Boundaries: An Example from the Bocana Transfer Zone in Central Baja California, Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seiler, C.; Gleadow, A. J.; Kohn, B. P.

2012-12-01

Rifts are commonly segmented into several hundred kilometre long zones of opposing upper-plate transport direction with boundaries defined by accommodation and transfer zones. A number of such rift segments have been recognized in the northern Gulf of California, a youthful oceanic basin that is currently undergoing the rift-drift transition. However, detailed field studies have so far failed to identify suitable structures that could accommodate the obvious deformation gradients between different rift segments, and the nature of strain transfer at segment boundaries remains enigmatic. The situation is even less clear in central and southern Baja California, where a number of rift segments have been hypothesized but it is unknown whether the intervening segment boundaries facilitate true reversals in the upper-plate transport direction, or whether they simply accommodate differences in the timing, style or magnitude of deformation. The Bocana transfer zone (BTZ) in central Baja California is a linear, WNW-ESE striking structural discontinuity separating two rift segments with different magnitudes and styles of extensional deformation. North of the BTZ, the Libertad fault is part of the Main Gulf Escarpment, which represents the breakaway fault that separates the Gulf of California rift to the east from the relatively stable western portion of the Baja peninsula. The N-striking Libertad escarpment developed during the Late Miocene (~10-8Ma) and exhibits a topographic relief of ca. 1,000m along a strike-length of ca. 50km. Finite displacement decreases from ~1000m in the central fault segment to ~500m further south, where the fault bends SE and merges with the BTZ. In the hanging wall of the Libertad fault, a series of W-tilted horsts are bound along their eastern margins by two moderate-displacement E-dipping normal faults. South of the BTZ, extension was much less than further north, which explains the comparatively subdued relief and generally shallower tilt of

Assessing the Snow Advance Index as potential predictor of winter streamflow of the Iberian Peninsula Rivers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hidalgo-Muñoz, José Manuel; García-Valdecasas-Ojeda, Matilde; Raquel Gámiz-Fortis, Sonia; Castro-Díez, Yolanda; Jesús Esteban-Parra, María

2015-04-01

This study examines the ability of the Eurasian snow cover increase during the previous October as potential predictor of winter streamflow in the Iberian Peninsula Rivers. The streamflow data base used has been provided by the Center for Studies and Experimentation of Public Works, CEDEX. Series from gauging stations and reservoirs with less than 10% of missing data (filled by regression with well correlated neighboring stations) have been considered. The homogeneity of these series has been evaluated through the Pettit test and degree of human alteration by the Common Area Index. The application of these criteria led to the selection of 382 streamflow time series homogeneously distributed over the Iberian Peninsula, covering the period 1975-2008. For this streamflow data, winter seasonal values were obtained by averaging the monthly values from January to March. The recently proposed Snow Advance Index (SAI) was employed to monitor the snow cover increase during previous October. The stability of the correlations was the criterion followed to establish if SAI could be considered as potential predictor of winter streamflow at each gauging station. Winter streamflow is predicted using a linear regression model. A leave-one-out cross validation approach was adopted to create calibration and validations subsets. The correlation coefficient (RHO), Root Mean Square Error Skill Score (RMSESS) and the Gerrity Skill Score (GSS) were used to evaluate the forecasting skill. From the 382 stations evaluated, significant and stable correlations with SAI were found in 238 stations, covering most of the IP (except for the Cantabrian and Mediterranean slopes). Some forecasting skill was found in 223 of them, being this skill moderate (RHO>0.44, RMSESS>10%, GSS>0.2) in 141 of them, and particularly good (RHO>0.5, RMSESS>20%, GSS>0.4) in 23. This study shows that the SAI of previous October is a reliable predictor of following winter streamflow for the Iberian Peninsula Rivers

Cryopreservation of Iberian pig spermatozoa. Comparison of different freezing extenders based on post-thaw sperm quality.

PubMed

De Mercado, Eduardo; Rodríguez, Ana; Gómez, Emilio; Sanz, Elena

2010-03-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the cryoprotective effect of different freezing extenders against cryopreservation injuries on Iberian boar sperm. The sperm-rich fraction was collected and pooled from six sexually mature Iberian boars, and was frozen in different extenders containing glucose, lactose or fructose as sugar source and including Orvus ES Paste only in the freezing extender-2 (Glucose; Lactose and Fructose) or in both freezing extenders (Glucose2; Lactose2 and Fructose2). During the cryopreservation process, the supernatant was removed after the centrifugation step, then was extended with freezing extender-1 for the equilibration period and with freezing extender-2 immediately before freezing. Post-thaw sperm characteristics, such as plasma membrane integrity (SYBR-14/PI), mitochondrial function (Rhodamine 123) and acrosome integrity (NAR), were monitored. Overall sperm motility and the individual kinematic parameters of motile spermatozoa (assessed by the computer-aided sperm analysis system Sperm Class Analyzer [SCA]) were recorded in the different experimental treatments. Measurements were taken at 30 and 150 min post-thaw. The state of the acrosome after thawing did not show significant differences between the freezing extenders studied. Freezing-thawing caused a significant decrease (P<0.001) in plasma membrane integrity and in mitochondrial activity in the spermatozoa frozen with Orvus ES Paste in both freezing extenders. Furthermore, spermatozoa frozen with Orvus ES Paste in both freezing extenders exhibited lower (P<0.05) motility and kinematic parameters than those frozen in the absence of Orvus ES Paste in the first freezing extender. The spermatozoa frozen with the Lactose extender and with Orvus ES Paste only in the second freezing extender showed a better evolution of the motility and kinematic characteristics (P<0.05) over time. The deterioration in post-thaw sperm motility and kinematic parameters were concurrent with reduced sperm

Compensating additional optical power in the central zone of a multifocal contact lens forminimization of the shrinkage error of the shell mold in the injection molding process.

PubMed

Vu, Lien T; Chen, Chao-Chang A; Lee, Chia-Cheng; Yu, Chia-Wei

2018-04-20

This study aims to develop a compensating method to minimize the shrinkage error of the shell mold (SM) in the injection molding (IM) process to obtain uniform optical power in the central optical zone of soft axial symmetric multifocal contact lenses (CL). The Z-shrinkage error along the Z axis or axial axis of the anterior SM corresponding to the anterior surface of a dry contact lens in the IM process can be minimized by optimizing IM process parameters and then by compensating for additional (Add) powers in the central zone of the original lens design. First, the shrinkage error is minimized by optimizing three levels of four IM parameters, including mold temperature, injection velocity, packing pressure, and cooling time in 18 IM simulations based on an orthogonal array L 18 (2 1 ×3 4 ). Then, based on the Z-shrinkage error from IM simulation, three new contact lens designs are obtained by increasing the Add power in the central zone of the original multifocal CL design to compensate for the optical power errors. Results obtained from IM process simulations and the optical simulations show that the new CL design with 0.1 D increasing in Add power has the closest shrinkage profile to the original anterior SM profile with percentage of reduction in absolute Z-shrinkage error of 55% and more uniform power in the central zone than in the other two cases. Moreover, actual experiments of IM of SM for casting soft multifocal CLs have been performed. The final product of wet CLs has been completed for the original design and the new design. Results of the optical performance have verified the improvement of the compensated design of CLs. The feasibility of this compensating method has been proven based on the measurement results of the produced soft multifocal CLs of the new design. Results of this study can be further applied to predict or compensate for the total optical power errors of the soft multifocal CLs.

THE INTEGRATION OF A PROPOSED ZONE CLOSURE APPROACH FOR THE PLUTONIUM FINISHING PLANT (PFP) DECOMMISSIONING & THE PFP ZONE HANFORD SITE WASHINGTON

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

HOPKINS, A.M.

2005-02-23

The Plutonium Finishing Plant (PFP) and associated processing facilities are located in the 200 area of the Hanford Site in Eastern Washington. This area is part of what is now called the Central Plateau. In order to achieve closure of the contaminated facilities and waste sites at Hanford on the Central Plateau (CP), a geographic re-districting of the area into zones has been proposed in the recently published Plan for Central Plateau Closure. One of the 22 zones proposed in the Central Plateau encompasses the PFP and ancillary facilities. Approximately eighty six buildings are included in the PFP Zone. Thismore » paper addresses the approach for the closure of the PFP Zone within the Central Plateau. The PFP complex of buildings forms the bulk of the structures in the PFP Zone. For closure of the above-grade portion of structures within the PFP complex, the approach is to remove them to a state called ''slab-on-grade'' per the criteria contained in PFP End Point Criteria document and as documented in action memoranda. For below-grade portions of the structures (such as below-grade rooms, pipe trenches and underground ducts), the approach is to remove as much residual contamination as practicable and to fill the void spaces with clean fill material such as sand, grout, or controlled density fill. This approach will be modified as planning for the waste sites progresses to ensure that the actions of the PFP decommissioning projects do not negatively impact future planned actions under the CERCLA. Cribs, settling tanks, septic tanks and other miscellaneous below-grade void spaces will either be cleaned to the extent practicable and filled or will be covered with an environmental barrier as determined by further studies and CERCLA decision documents. Currently, between two and five environmental barriers are proposed to be placed over waste sites and remaining building slabs in the PFP Zone.« less

First records of Cotylea (Polycladida, Platyhelminthes) for the Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula

PubMed Central

Noreña, Carolina; Marquina, Daniel; Perez, Jacinto; Almon, Bruno

2014-01-01

Abstract A study of polyclad fauna of the Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula was carried out from 2010 to 2013. The paper reports nine new records belonging to three Cotylean families: the family Euryleptidae Lang, 1884, Pseudocerotidae Lang, 1884 and the family Prosthiostomidae Lang, 1884, and describes one new species, Euryleptodes galikias sp. n. PMID:24843268

Solar shortwave radiation in the Iberian Peninsula along the last six decades

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bilbao, Julia; Román, Roberto; de Miguel, Argimiro; Pérez-Burgos, Ana

2014-05-01

The solar total shortwave radiation (SW, 305-2,800 nm) reaching the Earth surface is a key factor in the Earth energy balance and in the climate change. A decrease in SW levels has a cooling effect over the Earth. The SW changes are of interest in order to know the possible climatic effects. However long-term measured SW series are scarce, for example the oldest SW measurements in Spain are from 1973. The main objective of this work is to reconstruct and analyze nine long-term SW series from 1950 to 2011 in nine Spanish places located in the Iberian Peninsula. The data from different satellite retrievals were downloaded at the nine places: Total ozone column from different databases, spectral surface albedo and water vapour column from MODIS instrument, aerosol optical depth at 443 nm and Angström Exponent (between 443 nm and 670 nm) from MISR instrument onboard Terra satellite, and single scattering albedo from OMI instrument onboard Aura satellite. Moreover, sunshine duration records taken in the places were used. The UVSPEC/Libradtran radiative transfer model was run to obtain the daily SW irradiation under cloudless conditions in each location using as inputs monthly climatology tables calculated with the mentioned satellite retrievals. A model to obtain SW irradiation through the cloudless simulations and the sunshine records was developed, finding a great agreement with the monthly averaged SW measurements: a root mean square error of 5% and a mean bias error of 0.7%. The proposed model was used to obtain the daily SW irradiation, and the monthly, seasonal and annual averages, on the nine locations from 1950 to 2011. The homogeneity of these series was tested obtaining that all series are homogeneous. The anomalies of the series were calculated and a new series (Iberian Peninsula) of anomalies were obtained as an average of the nine locations. The annual SW on the Iberian Peninsula (the averaged series) shown a negative and statistically significant (99

Chronological changes of radiofrequency ablation zone in rabbit liver: an in vivo correlation between gross pathology and histopathology

PubMed Central

Song, Kyoung D; Rhim, Hyunchul; Kang, Tae Wook; Cha, Dong Ik; Yang, Jehoon

2017-01-01

Objective: To examine the gross pathology and histopathology of ablation zones created from radiofrequency (RF) ablation and to correlate their chronological changes. Methods: A total of 48 in vivo ablation zones (16 rabbit livers) were obtained immediately after and also 30 min, 1 h and 2 h after RF ablation and were subjected to haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) diaphorase staining, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL) staining. Chronological changes in gross pathology and histopathology were evaluated and correlated with each other. Results: Peripheral red zones on gross pathology correlated with peripheral zones on H&E staining, lightly stained peripheral zones on NADH staining and peripheral positive zones on TUNEL staining. Central white zones on gross pathology correlated with combined central and border zones on H&E staining, central negative zones on NADH staining and combined central-positive and middle-negative zones on TUNEL staining. Boundary visibility between central white and peripheral red zones on gross pathology was significantly higher at 1 and 2 h than immediately after RF ablation. As time increased after RF ablation, visibility of the border zone on H&E staining and the grade of positively stained hepatocytes in the peripheral zone on TUNEL staining increased. Conclusion: Chronological changes in gross pathology of RF ablation zones correlated well with histopathology. The boundary between the central white and peripheral red zones tended to become clear at 1 h after RF ablation. Advances in knowledge: (1) RF ablation zones show chronological changes on gross pathology and histopathology. (2) Gross pathology and histopathology correlate well with each other. PMID:28139942

Intracontinental subduction and hinged unroofing along the Salmon River Suture Zone, west central Idaho

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Selverstone, Jane; Wernicke, Brian P.; Aliberti, Elaine A.

1992-02-01

The Salmon River suture zone in west central Idaho juxtaposes volcanic arc rocks of the Wallowa terrane directly against cratonic North America. Detailed metamorphic studies along a 10 km traverse perpendicular to the suture indicate that the arc and two crystalline fragments thrust upon it each record different pressure-temperature (P-T) histories. From lowest to highest structural level: the Wallowa terrane shows only subgreenschist metamorphism, the Rapid River plate (RRP) records unroofing and cooling from ˜8 kbar and 550°C to 6 kbar and 475°-500°C, and the Pollock Mountain plate (PMP) shows evidence for polymetamorphism and records burial and heating paths to final equilibration conditions of 9-11 kbar and 600°-625° C. Ar-Ar hornblende ages combined with the P-T data suggest that currently exposed levels of the RRP and PMP were juxtaposed against one another at 15-20 km depth at or prior to 118 Ma, indicating that 10-20 km of uplift, and hence also the onset of collision-related metamorphism, occurred before ˜118 Ma. Correlation of the metamorphic and age data with geometric constraints from the initial Sr 0.706 line and the dimensions of the RRP and PMP permit construction of large-scale retrodeformable sections of the west side of the suture from Late Jurassic through Late Cretaceous time. The abrupt nature of the Sr 0.706 line implies that the arc-continent boundary extends vertically through most of the crust, which requires sharp downwarping of the arc lithosphere in order to account for the PMP metamorphic data. Narrow zoned overgrowths on PMP garnets record this burial event and require initially rapid (≥3 km/m.y.) uplift rates in order to be preserved. We suggest that the onset of rapid uplift resulted from the separation of the negatively buoyant lithospheric root from the downwarped arc, allowing buoyant rise of fragments of thickened crust. Detachment of the root is suggested to change the environment of crustal shortening from one in which

Magnetostratigraphy of Venta del Moro: evidence for an Afro-Iberian land-bridge during the pre-evaporitic Messinian

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gibert, L.; Scott, G. R.; Montoya, P.; Ruíz Sánchez, F.; Morales, J.

2012-12-01

The fossil site of Venta del Moro, Spain, has Western Europe's most complete vertebrate fauna for the latest Miocene. Its uniquely cosmopolitan assemblage is evidence of faunal dispersals from Africa and Asia towards Europe during the latest Miocene glaciation. Venta del Moro has 48 species of mammals including the oldest European camel (Paracamelus aguirrei) and the first appearance datum (FAD) in Europe for the murid Paraethomys meini. It is the type locality for 6 mammal species and has the type fauna of the local Ventian mammal age (within the Neogene mammal zone MN13). A preliminary paleomagnetic report suggested an age of 5.8Ma for this site. Here we describe an expanded magnetostratigraphic study placing this fauna at 6.21Ma, 3.5m above the basal boundary of magnetozone C3An.1n. We use the Astronomical Tuned Neogene Time Scale (ATNTS) to recalibrate the age of the North African site of Afoud-1 where European mammals have been discovered and the Iberian site Librilla (SIF61), which shares with Venta del Moro the genus Paracamelus and Paraethomys. Our results show a contemporaneous presence of European mammals in North Africa (Afoud-1, 6.21Ma) and of African immigrants in Iberia (Venta del Moro 6.21Ma and Librilla 6.19Ma). Latest Miocene tectonics generate the closure of the Betic marine corridor at 6.3Ma and the progressive restriction of the Rifian seaway until its total closure at 6Ma, triggering the onset of Messinian Salinity Crisis (MSC) at 5.96Ma. Our results suggest that at least an ephemeral land corridor existed between these two continents 250Ka before the onset of the MSC. This corridor occurred after the intensification of the latest Miocene glaciation at 6.26Ma that increased the restriction in Mediterranean sea water circulation and developed during an obliquity-induced glacio-eustatic sea level fall between 6.22-6.18Ma. This pre-evaporitic corridor acted as a filter bridge that allowed a limited exchange of immigrants, serving as a prelude of a

The Generation of Continents through Subduction Zone Processing of Large Igneous Provinces: A Case Study from the Central American Subduction Zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harmon, N.; Rychert, C.

2013-12-01

Billions of years ago primary mantle magmas evolved to form the continental crust, although no simple magmatic differentiation process explains the progression to average andesitic crustal compositions observed today. A multiple stage process is often invoked, involving subduction and or oceanic plumes, to explain the strong depletion observed in Archean xenoliths and as well as pervasive tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite and komatiite protoliths in the greenstone belts in the crust in the cratons. Studying modern day analogues of oceanic plateaus that are currently interacting with subductions zones can provide insights into continental crust formation. Here we use surface waves to image crustal isotropic and radially anisotropic shear velocity structure above the central American subduction system in Nicaragua and Costa Rica, which juxtaposes thickened ocean island plateau crust in Costa Rica with continental/normal oceanic crust in Nicaragua. We find low velocities beneath the active arc regions (3-6% slower than the surrounding region) and up to 6% radially anisotropic structures within the oceanic crust of the Caribbean Large Igneous Province beneath Costa Rica. The low velocities and radial anisotropy suggest the anomalies are due to pervasive deep crustal magma sills. The inferred sill structures correlate spatially with increased silicic outputs in northern Costa Rica, indicating that deep differentiation of primary magmas is more efficient beneath Costa Rica relative to Nicaragua. Subduction zone alteration of large igneous provinces promotes efficient, deep processing of primary basalts to continental crust. This scenario can explain the formation of continental lithosphere and crust, by both providing strongly depleted mantle lithosphere and a means for rapidly generating a silicic crustal composition.

On the behavior of site effects in Central Mexico (the Mexican Volcanic Belt - MVB), based on records of shallow earthquakes that occurred in the zone between 1998 and 2011

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clemente-Chavez, A.; Zúñiga, F. R.; Lermo, J.; Figueroa-Soto, A.; Valdés, C.; Montiel, M.; Chavez, O.; Arroyo, M.

2013-11-01

The Mexican Volcanic Belt (MVB) is a seismogenic zone that transects the central part of Mexico with an east-west orientation. The risk and hazard seismic of this seismogenic zone has not been studied at detail due to the scarcity of instrumental data as well as because seismicity in the continental regimen of Central Mexico is not too frequent, however, it is known that there are precedents of large earthquakes (Mw > 6.0) that have taken place in this zone. The Valley of Mexico City (VM) is the sole zone, within the MVB, which has been studied in detail; mainly focusing on the ground amplification during large events such as the 1985 subduction earthquake that occurred in Michoacan. The purpose of this article is to analyze the behavior of site effects in the MVB zone based on records of shallow earthquakes (data not reported before) that occurred in the zone between 1998 and 2011. We present a general overview of site effects on the MVB, a classification of the stations in order to reduce the uncertainty in the data to obtain attenuation parameters in future works, and some comparisons between the information presented here and that presented in previous studies. A regional evaluation of site effects and Fourier Acceleration Spectrum (FAS) shape was estimated based on 80 records of 22 shallow earthquakes within the MVB zone. Data of 25 stations were analyzed. Site effects were estimated by using the Horizontal-to-Vertical Spectral Ratio (HVSR) methodology. The results show that seismic waves are less amplified in the northeast sites of the MVB with respect to the rest of the zone and that it is possible to classify two groups of stations: (1) stations with Negligible Site Amplification (NSA) and (2) stations with Significant Site Amplification (SSA). Most of the sites in the first group showed small (< 3) amplifications while the second group showed amplifications ranging from 4 to 6.5 at frequencies of about 0.35, 0.75, 15 and 23 Hz. With these groups of

On the behavior of site effects in central Mexico (the Mexican volcanic belt - MVB), based on records of shallow earthquakes that occurred in the zone between 1998 and 2011

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clemente-Chavez, A.; Zúñiga, F. R.; Lermo, J.; Figueroa-Soto, A.; Valdés, C.; Montiel, M.; Chavez, O.; Arroyo, M.

2014-06-01

The Mexican volcanic belt (MVB) is a seismogenic zone that transects the central part of Mexico with an east-west orientation. The seismic risk and hazard of this seismogenic zone has not been studied in detail due to the scarcity of instrumental data as well as because seismicity in the continental regime of central Mexico is not too frequent. However, it is known that there are precedents of large earthquakes (Mw > 6.0) that have taken place in this zone. The valley of Mexico City (VM) is the sole zone, within the MVB, that has been studied in detail. Studies have mainly focused on the ground amplification during large events such as the 1985 subduction earthquake that occurred off coast of Michoacán. The purpose of this article is to analyze the behavior of site effects in the MVB zone based on records of shallow earthquakes (data not reported before) that occurred in the zone between 1998 and 2011. We present a general overview of site effects in the MVB, a classification of the stations in order to reduce the uncertainty in the data when obtaining attenuation parameters in future works, as well as some comparisons between the information presented here and that presented in previous studies. A regional evaluation of site effects and Fourier acceleration spectrum (FAS) shape was estimated based on 80 records of 22 shallow earthquakes within the MVB zone. Data of 25 stations were analyzed. Site effects were estimated by using the horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio (HVSR) methodology. The results show that seismic waves are less amplified in the northeast sites of the MVB with respect to the rest of the zone and that it is possible to classify two groups of stations: (1) stations with negligible site amplification (NSA) and (2) stations with significant site amplification (SSA). Most of the sites in the first group showed small (<3) amplifications while the second group showed amplifications ranging from 4 to 6.5 at frequencies of about 0.35, 0.75, 15 and 23

Mechanisms for strain localization within Archaean craton: A structural study from the Bundelkhand Tectonic Zone, north-central India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarkar, Saheli; Patole, Vishal; Saha, Lopamudra; Pati, Jayanta Kumar; Nasipuri, Pritam

2015-04-01

The transformation of palaeo-continents involve breakup, dispersal and reassembly of cratonic blocks by collisional suturing that develop a network of orogenic (mobile) belts around the periphery of the stable cratons. The nature of deformation in the orogenic belt depends on the complex interaction of fracturing, plastic deformation and diffusive mass transfer. Additionally, the degree and amount of melting during regional deformation is critical as the presence of melt facilitates the rate of diffusive mass transfer and weakens the rock by reducing the effective viscosity of the deformed zone. The nature of strain localization and formation of ductile shear zones surrounding the cratonic blocks have been correlated with Proterozoic-Palaeozoic supercontinent assembly (Columbia, Rodinia and Gondwana reconstruction). Although, a pre-Columbia supercontinent termed as Kenorland has been postulated, there is no evidence that supports the notion due to lack of the presence of shear zones within the Archaean cratonic blocks. In this contribution, we present the detailed structural analysis of ductile shear zones within the Bundelkhand craton. The ductlile shear zone is termed as Bundelkhand Tectonic Zone (BTZ) that extends east-west for nearly 300 km throughout the craton with a width of two-three kilometer . In the north-central India, the Bundelkhand craton is exposed over an area of 26,000 sq. The craton is bounded by Central Indian Tectonic zone in the south, the Great Boundary fault in the west and by the rocks of Lesser Himalaya in the north. A series of tonalite-trondjhemite-granodiorite gneiss are the oldest rocks of the Bundelkhand craton that also contains a succession of metamorphosed supracrustal rocks comprising of banded iron formation, quartzite, calc-silicate and ultramafic rocks. K-feldspar bearing granites intrude the tonalite-trondjhemite-granodiorite and the supracrustal rocks during the time span of 2.1 to 2.5 Ga. The TTGs near Babina, in central

Cranial nerve vascular compression syndromes of the trigeminal, facial and vago-glossopharyngeal nerves: comparative anatomical study of the central myelin portion and transitional zone; correlations with incidences of corresponding hyperactive dysfunctional syndromes.

PubMed

Guclu, Bulent; Sindou, Marc; Meyronet, David; Streichenberger, Nathalie; Simon, Emile; Mertens, Patrick

2011-12-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the anatomy of the central myelin portion and the central myelin-peripheral myelin transitional zone of the trigeminal, facial, glossopharyngeal and vagus nerves from fresh cadavers. The aim was also to investigate the relationship between the length and volume of the central myelin portion of these nerves with the incidences of the corresponding cranial dysfunctional syndromes caused by their compression to provide some more insights for a better understanding of mechanisms. The trigeminal, facial, glossopharyngeal and vagus nerves from six fresh cadavers were examined. The length of these nerves from the brainstem to the foramen that they exit were measured. Longitudinal sections were stained and photographed to make measurements. The diameters of the nerves where they exit/enter from/to brainstem, the diameters where the transitional zone begins, the distances to the most distal part of transitional zone from brainstem and depths of the transitional zones were measured. Most importantly, the volume of the central myelin portion of the nerves was calculated. Correlation between length and volume of the central myelin portion of these nerves and the incidences of the corresponding hyperactive dysfunctional syndromes as reported in the literature were studied. The distance of the most distal part of the transitional zone from the brainstem was 4.19  ±  0.81 mm for the trigeminal nerve, 2.86  ±  1.19 mm for the facial nerve, 1.51  ±  0.39 mm for the glossopharyngeal nerve, and 1.63  ±  1.15 mm for the vagus nerve. The volume of central myelin portion was 24.54  ±  9.82 mm(3) in trigeminal nerve; 4.43  ±  2.55 mm(3) in facial nerve; 1.55  ±  1.08 mm(3) in glossopharyngeal nerve; 2.56  ±  1.32 mm(3) in vagus nerve. Correlations (p  < 0.001) have been found between the length or volume of central myelin portions of the trigeminal, facial, glossopharyngeal and vagus nerves and incidences

The climate of the Common Era off the Iberian Peninsula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abrantes, Fátima; Rodrigues, Teresa; Rufino, Marta; Salgueiro, Emília; Oliveira, Dulce; Gomes, Sandra; Oliveira, Paulo; Costa, Ana; Mil-Homens, Mário; Drago, Teresa; Naughton, Filipa

2017-12-01

The Mediterranean region is a climate hot spot, sensitive not only to global warming but also to water availability. In this work we document major temperature and precipitation changes in the Iberian Peninsula and margin during the last 2000 years and propose an interplay of the North Atlantic internal variability with the three atmospheric circulation modes (ACMs), (North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), east atlantic (EA) and Scandinavia (SCAND)) to explain the detected climate variability. We present reconstructions of sea surface temperature (SST derived from alkenones) and on-land precipitation (estimated from higher plant n-alkanes and pollen data) in sedimentary sequences recovered along the Iberian Margin between the south of Portugal (Algarve) and the northwest of Spain (Galiza) (36 to 42° N). A clear long-term cooling trend, from 0 CE to the beginning of the 20th century, emerges in all SST records and is considered to be a reflection of the decrease in the Northern Hemisphere summer insolation that began after the Holocene optimum. Multi-decadal/centennial SST variability follows other records from Spain, Europe and the Northern Hemisphere. Warm SSTs throughout the first 1300 years encompass the Roman period (RP), the Dark Ages (DA) and the Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA). A cooling initiated at 1300 CE leads to 4 centuries of colder SSTs contemporary with the Little Ice Age (LIA), while a climate warming at 1800 CE marks the beginning of the modern/Industrial Era. Novel results include two distinct phases in the MCA: an early period (900-1100 years) characterized by intense precipitation/flooding and warm winters but a cooler spring-fall season attributed to the interplay of internal oceanic variability with a positive phase in the three modes of atmospheric circulation (NAO, EA and SCAND). The late MCA is marked by cooler and relatively drier winters and a warmer spring-fall season consistent with a shift to a negative mode of the SCAND. The Industrial Era

Geomorphological and sedimentary processes of the glacially influenced northwestern Iberian continental margin and abyssal plains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Llave, Estefanía; Jané, Gloria; Maestro, Adolfo; López-Martínez, Jerónimo; Hernández-Molina, F. Javier; Mink, Sandra

2018-07-01

The offshore region of northwestern Iberia offers an opportunity to study the impacts of along-slope processes on the morphology of a glacially influenced continental margin, which has traditionally been conceptually characterised by predominant down-slope sedimentary processes. High-resolution multibeam bathymetry, acoustic backscatter and ultrahigh-resolution seismic reflection profile data are integrated and analysed to describe the present-day and recent geomorphological features and to interpret their associated sedimentary processes. Seventeen large-scale seafloor morphologies and sixteen individual echo types, interpreted as structural features (escarpments, marginal platforms and related fluid escape structures) and depositional and erosional bedforms developed either by the influence of bottom currents (moats, abraded surfaces, sediment waves, contourite drifts and ridges) or by gravitational features (gullies, canyons, slides, channel-levee complexes and submarine fans), are identified for the first time in the study area (spanning 90,000 km2 and water depths of 300 m to 5 km). Different types of slope failures and turbidity currents are mainly observed on the upper and lower slopes and along submarine canyons and deep-sea channels. The middle slope morphologies are mostly determined by the actions of bottom currents (North Atlantic Central Water, Mediterranean Outflow Water, Labrador Sea Water and North Atlantic Deep Water), which thereby define the margin morphologies and favour the reworking and deposition of sediments. The abyssal plains (Biscay and Iberian) are characterised by pelagic deposits and channel-lobe systems (the Cantabrian and Charcot), although several contourite features are also observed at the foot of the slope due to the influence of the deepest water masses (i.e., the North Atlantic Deep Water and Lower Deep Water). This work shows that the study area is the result of Mesozoic to present-day tectonics (e.g. the marginal platforms

Apatite Fission Track Constraints On The Denudational History Of The Bielsa And Millares Plutons, West-Central Pyrenees, Spain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwabe, E.; Fitzgerald, P. G.; Munoz, J. A.; Baldwin, S. L.

2006-12-01

The Pyreneean orogen extends for ~ 440 km from the Bay of Biscay to the Mediterranean Sea, forming a WNW-ESE topographic barrier between France and Spain. The mountain belt, formed by the Late Cretaceous-Early Miocene oblique collision and partial subduction of the Iberian Plate beneath the European Plate. Restored and balanced cross sections show a decrease in crustal shortening from ~165 km in the central Pyrenees to ~ 50 km in the Cantabrian margin, further to the west. The variation in shortening and crustal style is due to the decrease westward in convergence and differences in inherited geometry of pre- existing extensional faults. We propose the variation must also be reflected in the denudation record, with relative timing of the main denudational events younging to the west, as well as the magnitude and rates of denudation decreasing westward. In this study we analyze AFT data collected from vertical profiles on the southern flank of the mountains in the west-central Pyrenees. The results constrain the relative timing of structures between the central and west-central Pyrenees. AFTT data from the Bielsa and Millares massifs, located in the Bielsa and Millares thrust sheets on the southern flank of the axial zone, west-central Pyrenees yield AFT ages from 30 to 20 Ma. The data, including constraints from inverse thermal modeling, indicate denudation at rates ca. 300 m/my underway in the middle Oligocene, slowing in the Miocene. Denudation is likely related to erosion following thrusting during which the granites were transported within the south-vergent Bielsa and Millares thrust sheets. The Late Oligocene-Early Miocene AFT PAZ has since been exhumed to its present elevation. In form, results are similar to those from the central Pyrenees (Fitzgerald et al., 1999) but that Oligocene denudation in the west-central Pyrenees occurred later, was slower, and of reduced magnitude when compared to extremely rapid Oligocene denudation recorded ~50 km east in the

Geomorphic status of regulated rivers in the Iberian Peninsula.

PubMed

Lobera, G; Besné, P; Vericat, D; López-Tarazón, J A; Tena, A; Aristi, I; Díez, J R; Ibisate, A; Larrañaga, A; Elosegi, A; Batalla, R J

2015-03-01

River regulation by dams modifies flow regimes, interrupts the transfer of sediment through channel networks, and alters downstream bed dynamics, altogether affecting channel form and processes. So far, most studies on the geomorphic impacts of dams are restricted to single rivers, or even single river stretches. In this paper we analyse the geomorphic status of 74 river sites distributed across four large basins in the Iberian Peninsula (i.e. 47 sites located downstream of dams). For this purpose, we combine field data with hydrological data available from water agencies, and analyse historical (1970) and current aerial photographs. In particular, we have developed a Geomorphic Status (GS) index that allows us to assess the physical structure of a given channel reach and its change through time. The GS encompasses a determination of changes in sedimentary units, sediment availability, bar stability and channel flow capacity. Sites are statistically grouped in four clusters based on contrasted physical and climate characteristics. Results emphasise that regulation changes river's flow regime with a generalized reduction of the magnitude and frequency of floods (thus flow competence). This, in addition to the decrease downstream sediment supply, results in the loss of active bars as they are encroached by vegetation, to the point that only reaches with little or no regulation maintain exposed sedimentary deposits. The GS of regulated river reaches is negatively correlated with magnitude of the impoundment (regulation). Heavily impacted reaches present channel stabilization and, in contrast to the hydrological response, the distance and number of tributaries do not reverse the geomorphic impact of the dams. Stabilization limits river dynamics and may contribute to the environmental degradation of the fluvial ecosystem. Overall, results describe the degree of geomorphological alteration experienced by representative Iberian rivers mostly because of regulation

Along-strike complex geometry of subduction zones - an experimental approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Midtkandal, I.; Gabrielsen, R. H.; Brun, J.-P.; Huismans, R.

2012-04-01

Recent knowledge of the great geometric and dynamic complexity insubduction zones, combined with new capacity for analogue mechanical and numerical modeling has sparked a number of studies on subduction processes. Not unexpectedly, such models reveal a complex relation between physical conditions during subduction initiation, strength profile of the subducting plate, the thermo-dynamic conditions and the subduction zones geometries. One rare geometrical complexity of subduction that remains particularly controversial, is the potential for polarity shift in subduction systems. The present experiments were therefore performed to explore the influence of the architecture, strength and strain velocity on complexities in subduction zones, focusing on along-strike variation of the collision zone. Of particular concern were the consequences for the geometry and kinematics of the transition zones between segments of contrasting subduction direction. Although the model design to some extent was inspired by the configuration along the Iberian - Eurasian suture zone, the results are also of significance for other orogens with complex along-strike geometries. The experiments were set up to explore the initial state of subduction only, and were accordingly terminated before slab subduction occurred. The model wasbuilt from layers of silicone putty and sand, tailored to simulate the assumed lithospheric geometries and strength-viscosity profiles along the plate boundary zone prior to contraction, and comprises two 'continental' plates separated by a thinner 'oceanic' plate that represents the narrow seaway. The experiment floats on a substrate of sodiumpolytungstate, representing mantle. 24 experimental runs were performed, varying the thickness (and thus strength) of the upper mantle lithosphere, as well as the strain rate. Keeping all other parameters identical for each experiment, the models were shortened by a computer-controlled jackscrew while time-lapse images were

Volumetric runoff coefficients for experimental rural catchments in the Iberian Peninsula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taguas, Encarnación V.; Molina, Cecilio; Nadal-Romero, Estela; Ayuso, José L.; Casalí, Javier; Cid, Patricio; Dafonte, Jorge; Duarte, Antonio C.; Farguell, Joaquim; Giménez, Rafael; Giráldez, Juan V.; Gómez, Helena; Gómez, Jose A.; González-Hidalgo, J. Carlos; Keizer, J. Jacob; Lucía, Ana; Mateos, Luciano; Rodríguez-Blanco, M. Luz; Schnabel, Sussane; Serrano-Muela, M. Pilar

2015-04-01

Analysis of runoff and peaks therein is essential for designing hydraulic infrastructures and for assessing the hydrological implications of likely scenarios of climate and/or land-use change. Different methods are available to calculate runoff coefficients. For instance, the runoff coefficient of a catchment can be described either as the ratio of total depth of runoff to total depth of rainfall or as the ratio of peak flow to rainfall intensity for the time of concentration (Dhakal et al. 2012). If the first definition is considered, runoff coefficients represent the global effect of different features and states of catchments and its determination requires a suitable analysis according to the objectives pursued (Chow et al., 1988). In this work, rainfall-runoff data and physical attributes from small rural catchments located in the Iberian Peninsula (Portugal and Spain) were examined in order to compare the representative values of runoff coefficients using three different approaches: i) statistical analysis of rainfall-runoff data and their quantiles (Dhakal et al., 2012); ii) probabilistic runoff coefficients from the rank-ordered pairs of observed rainfall-runoff data and their relationships with rainfall depths (Schaake et al., 1967); iii) finally, a multiple linear model based on geomorphological attributes. These catchments exhibit great variety with respect to their natural settings, such as climate, topography and lithology. We present a preliminary analysis of the rainfall-runoff relationships as well as their variability in a complex context such as the Iberian Peninsula where contrasted environmental systems coexist. We also discuss reference parameters representing runoff coefficients commonly included into hydrological models. This study is conceived as the first step to explore further working protocols and modeling gaps in a very susceptible area to the climate change such as the Iberian Peninsula's, where the analysis of runoff coefficients is

Remarkably Consistent Thermal State of the south Central Chile Subduction Zone from 36°S to 45°S

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rotman, H.; Spinelli, G. A.

2013-12-01

Delineating the rupture areas of large subduction zone earthquakes is necessary for understanding the controls on seismic and aseismic slip on faults. For the largest recorded earthquake, an event in south central Chile in 1960 with moment magnitude 9.5, the rupture area is only loosely defined due to limitations in the global seismic network at the time. The rupture extends ~900 km along strike on the margin. Coastal deformation is consistent with either a constant rupture width of ~200 km along the entire length, or a much narrower width (~115 km) for the southern half of the rupture. A southward narrowing of the seismogenic zone has been hypothesized to result from warming of the subduction zone to the south, where the subducting plate is younger. Here, we present results of thermal models at 36°S, 38°S, 43°S, and 45°S to examine potential along-strike changes the thermal state of the margin. We find that temperatures in the subduction zone are strongly affected by both fluid circulation in the high permeability upper oceanic crust and frictional heating on the plate boundary fault. Hydrothermal circulation preferentially cools transects with young subducting lithosphere; frictional heating preferentially warms transects with older subducting lithosphere. The combined effects of frictional heating and hydrothermal circulation increase decollement temperatures in the 36°S and 38°S transects by up to ~155°C, and decrease temperatures in the 45°S transect by up to ~150°C. In our preferred models, decollement temperatures 200 km landward of the trench in all four transects are ~350-400°C. This is consistent with a constant ~200 km wide seismogenic zone for the 1960 Mw 9.5 rupture, with decreasing slip magnitude in the southern half of the rupture.

Late Pleistocene and Holocene paleoseismology of an intraplate seismic zone in a large alluvial valley, the New Madrid seismic zone, Central USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guccione, Margaret J.

2005-10-01

The New Madrid seismic zone (NMSZ) is an intraplate right-lateral strike-slip and thrust fault system contained mostly within the Mississippi Alluvial Valley. The most recent earthquake sequence in the zone occurred in 1811 1812 and had estimated moment magnitudes of 7 8 (e.g., [Johnston, A.C., 1996. Seismic moment assessment of stable continental earthquakes, Part 3: 1811 1812 New Madrid, 1886 Charleston, and 1755 Lisbon. Geophysical Journal International 126, 314 344; Johnston, A.C., Schweig III, E.S, 1996. The enigma of the New Madrid earthquakes of 1811 1812. Annual Reviews of Earth and Planetary Sciences 24, 339 384; Hough, S.E., Armbruster, J.G., Seeber, L., Hough, J.F., 2000. On the modified Mercalli intensities and magnitudes of the New Madrid earthquakes. Journal of Geophysical Research 105 (B10), 23,839 23,864; Tuttle, M.P., 2001. The use of liquefaction features in paleoseismology: Lessons learned in the New Madrid seismic zone, central United States. Journal of Seismology 5, 361 380]). Four earlier prehistoric earthquakes or earthquake sequences have been dated A.D. 1450 ± 150, 900 ± 100, 300 ± 200, and 2350 B.C. ± 200 years using paleoliquefaction features, particularly those associated with native American artifacts, and in some cases surface deformation ([Craven, J. A. 1995. Paleoseismology study in the New Madrid seismic zone using geological and archeological features to constrain ages of liquefaction deposits. M.S thesis, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, U.S.A.; Tuttle, M.P., Lafferty III, R.H., Guccione, M.J., Schweig III, E.S., Lopinot, N., Cande, R., Dyer-Williams, K., Haynes, M., 1996. Use of archaeology to date liquefaction features and seismic events in the New Madrid seismic zone, central United States. Geoarchaeology 11, 451 480; Guccione, M.J., Mueller, K., Champion, J., Shepherd, S., Odhiambo, B., 2002b. Stream response to repeated co-seismic folding, Tiptonville dome, western Tennessee. Geomorphology 43(2002), 313 349; Tuttle, M

Project WILAS: Seismic imaging of crustal and upper mantle structures beneath the western Iberian Peninsula by means of the receiver-function technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dündar, Süleyman; Dias, Nuno A.; Silveira, Graça; Vinnik, Lev; Haberland, Christian

2013-04-01

An accurate knowledge of the structure of the earth's interior is of great importance to our understanding of tectonic processes. The WILAS-project (REF: PTDC/CTE-GIX/097946/2008) is a three-year collaborative project developed to study the subsurface structure of the western Iberian Peninsula, putting the main emphases on the lithosphere-asthenosphere system beneath the mainland of Portugal. The tectonic evolution of the target area has been driven by major plate-tectonic processes such as the historical opening of the Central Atlantic and the subsequent African-Eurasian convergence. Still, very little is known about the spatial structure of the continental collision. Within the framework of this research, a temporary network of 30 broadband three-component digital stations was operated between 2010 and 2012 in the target area. To carry out a large-scale structural analysis and facilitate a dense station-coverage for the area under investigation, the permanent Global Seismic Network stations, and temporary broadband stations deployed within the scope of the several seismic experiments (e.g. Doctar Network, Portuguese National Seismic Network), were included in the research analysis. In doing so, an unprecedented volume of high-quality data of a ca. 60X60 km density along with a combined network of 65 temporary and permanent broadband seismic stations are currently available for research purposes. One of the tasks of the WILAS research project has been a study of seismic velocity discontinuities beneath the western Iberian Peninsula region, up to a depth range of 700 km, utilizing the P- and S-receiver function techniques (PRF, SRF). Both techniques are based mainly on mode conversion of the elastic body-waves at an interface dividing the layers with different elastic properties. In the first phase of the project, PRF analysis was conducted in order to image the crust-mantle interface (Moho) and the mantle-transition-zone discontinuities at a depth of 410 km and

[The intensity of phytodetrite decomposition in Larch Forest of the permafrost zone in central Siberia].

PubMed

Prokushkin, S G; Prokushkin, A S; Sorokin, N D

2014-01-01

Based on the results of long-term investigations, quantitative assessment ofphytodetrite mineralization rates is provided. Their role in the biological cycle of larch stands growing in the permafrost zone of Central Evenkia is discussed. It is demonstrated that their destruction in the subshrub-sphagnum and cowberry-green moss larch stands is extremely slow, the plant litter contains the most cecalcitrant organic matter demonstrating the lowest decomposition coefficient of 0.03-0.04 year(-1), whereas fresh components of the plant litter have 3- to 4-fold higher values. An insignificant input of N and C from the analyzed mortmass to the soil has been registered. It has been revealed that the changes in N and C in the decomposition components are closely related to the quantitative dynamics (biomass) of microorganisms, such as hydrolytics and, especially, micromicetes.

Large bowel fermentation of maize or sorghum-acorn diets fed as a different source of carbohydrates to Landrace and Iberian pigs.

PubMed

Morales, J; Pérez, J F; Martín-Orúe, S M; Fondevila, M; Gasa, J

2002-11-01

Twenty-four finishing pigs (twelve Iberian and twelve Landrace) were used in a growing and slaughtering experiment. Animals were fed two diets differing in their ingredients, maize (diet C) or sorghum-acorn (diet A). At an average weight of 107.0 kg pigs were slaughtered and hindgut digesta sampled to study the effect of breed and diet on large bowel fermentation. Flows of digesta to the hindgut compartment were estimated based on an indigestible flow marker (Cr2O3) and were higher in Iberian than in Landrace pigs (P<0.001), and higher in animals fed diet A than diet C (P=0.07). The higher flows in Iberian pigs were mainly associated with a higher voluntary feed intake (3.50 v. 2.70 kg/d, P<0.01) and lower ileal digestibility of NSP (-12.8 v. 47.8, P<0.01). Differences between diets were mainly associated with a lower ileal digestibility of starch from diet A (89.2 v. 96.9 %, P=0.06), although no differences in the resistant starch content were observed in vitro. Fermentation of different carbohydrates through the large bowel showed that NSP-glucose had lower digestibility in Iberian than in Landrace pigs (62.5 v. 94.2 %, P<0.001), but no differences were observed in starch, or other NSP-fibre fractions (arabinose, xylose and galactose). The type and amount of carbohydrates reaching the large bowel were related to the diet but also to breed, and promoted differences in the fermentative activity associated with different volatile fatty acid patterns and changes in microbial enzymic activity.

Iberian and California-Oregon Upwelling Systems: trends and status of two upwelling systems at the same latitude over the last four decades.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barreiro, B.; Barton, E. D.

2012-04-01

The study of Eastern Boundary Upwelling Systems is of vital importance, given the interest in rational management of the fisheries resources. The high level of biogeochemical activity associated with the physical process of upwelling increases primary production and enriches the living resources of these areas. This presentation focuses on the variability of these physical processes on daily to interdecadal scales, in an investigation of the effects of climate change in the Iberian and California-Oregon Upwelling Systems. The Upwelling Index (UI) was analysed for the period 1967-2010 at 35.5-44.5°N in both areas. The two systems differ in that the magnitudes of upwelling intensity off California-Oregon are 3.3 higher than off Iberia but they show a similar latitudinal behaviour. The annual/interannual scale variability of upwelling can be represented by the recently introduced Cumulative Upwelling Index (CUI) based on summing the mean daily UI. The seasonal cycle results show the length of upwelling season increases southwards from 180 to 300 days and a net upwelling occurs only for latitudes lower than 43°N. On the interannual scales, the CUI showed a roughly linear change at high and low latitudes (R>0.9), with slopes between 250 and -130 m3 s-1 km-1 day-1 in Iberian and 620 and -290 m3 s-1 km-1 day-1 in California-Oregon. The central areas (40.5-42.5°N) are less stable and shifted between net upwelling and downwelling over extended periods. This information helps us contextualize the present state of the study area and interpreted ongoing intensive process-oriented studies within the longer term variability.

Slip Zone versus Damage Zone Micromechanics, Arima-Takasuki Tectonic Line, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, J. C.; Lin, A.

2017-12-01

The Arima-Takasuki Tectonic Line (ATTL) of southern Honshu, Japan is defined by historically active faults and multiple splays producing M7 earthquakes. The damage zone of the ATTL comprises a broad zone of crushed, comminuted and pulverized granite/rhyolite1,2containing cm-scale slip zones and highly comminuted injection veins. In this presentation, prior work on the ATTL fault rocks is extending to include microstructural characterization by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) from recent trenching of the primary slip zone, as well as secondary slip zones. This is necessary to adequately characterize the extremely fine-grained material (typically less than 1mm) in both damage and core zones. Damage zone material exhibits generally random textures3 whereas slip zones are macroscopically foliated, and compositionally layered, notwithstanding a fairly homogeneous protolith. The latter reflects fluid-rock interaction during both coseismic and interseismic periods. The slip zones are microstructurally heterogeneous at all scales, comprising not only cataclasites and phyllosilicate (clay)-rich gouge zones, but Fe/Mn pellets or clasts that are contained within gouge. These structures appear to have rolled and would suggest rapid recrystallization and/or growth. A central question related to earthquake recurrence along existing faults is the nature of the gouge. In both near-surface exposures and ongoing drilling at depth, "plastic" or "viscous" gouge zones comprise ultra-fine-grained clay-siliciclastic particles that would not necessarily respond in a simple frictional manner. Depending on whether the plastic nature of these slip zones develops during or after slip, subsequent focusing of slip within them could be complicated. 1 Mitchell, T.A., Ben-Zion, Y., Shimamoto, T., 2011. Ear. Planet. Sci. Lett. 308, 284-297. 2 Lin, A., Yamashita, K, Tanaka, M. J., 2013. Struc. Geol. 48, 3-13. 3 White, J.C., Lin, A. 2016. Proc. AGU Fall Mtg., T42-02 San Francisco.

Extranodal Marginal Zone Lymphoma of the Central Nervous System.

PubMed

Ayanambakkam, Adanma; Ibrahimi, Sami; Bilal, Khalid; Cherry, Mohamad A

2018-01-01

Extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of the central nervous system (CNS EMZBL) is a rare disease. We present a review of the literature and describe its presentation, differential diagnosis, treatment options, and outcomes. Systematic search of PubMed, Medline, and Embase databases via the Ovid engine for primary articles and case reports yielded 37 unduplicated peer-reviewed articles of CNS EMZBL. We identified 69 cases in these articles and 1 unreported case at our institution, which were included for this review's analysis. Median age at diagnosis was 55 years (range, 18-78 years), with a female preponderance of 77% (n = 54). Most common presenting symptoms were headache in 43% (n = 30), seizures in 31% (n = 22), and visual defects in 27% (n = 19). The most common treatment modalities were localized therapies, which were provided to 67% (n = 47) of cases. These included radiotherapy in 27% (n = 19), radiotherapy with surgery in 24% (n = 17), and surgery alone in 16% (n = 11). Ninety percent (n = 63) of patients had a median follow-up of 23 months. Complete remission was experienced by 77% (n = 49) patients, and 22% (n = 14) were alive with disease. Three patients had evidence of relapse, and one patient died. CNS EMZBL is an indolent, low-grade, radiosensitive lymphoma with good treatment outcomes and prognosis. It is an important differential to consider in extra-axial dural-based masses. Individualized management plans, with preference given to localized treatment options, should be considered after factoring in the site and extent of disease, its resectability, and the expected adverse effects of systemic therapy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Subsurface geomicrobiology of the Iberian Pyritic Belt, a terrestrial analogue of Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amils, Ricardo

Terrestrial subsurface geomicrobiology is a matter of growing interest on many levels. From a fundamental point of view, it seeks to determine whether life can be sustained in the absence of radiation. From an astrobiological point of view, it is an interesting model for early life on Earth, as well as a representation of life as it could occur in other planetary bodies, e.g., Mars. Ŕ Tinto is an unusual extreme acidic environment due to its size, constant acidic pH, high ıo concentration of heavy metals and high level of microbial diversity. Ŕ Tinto rises in the core of ıo the Iberian Pyritic Belt (IPB), one of the biggest sulfidic ore deposits in the world. Today it is clear that the extreme characteristics of Ŕ Tinto are not due to acid mine drainage resulting ıo from mining activity. To explore the hypothesis that a continuous underground reactor of chemolithotrophic microorganisms thriving in the rich sulfidic minerals of the IPB is responsible for the extreme conditions found in the river, a drilling project has been developed to detect evidence of subsurface microbial activity and potential resources to support these microbial communities in situ from retrieved cores (MARTE project). Preliminary results clearly show that there is an active subsurface geomicrobiology in the Iberian Pyritic Belt associated to places were ground waters intersects the sulfidic ore body.

Drought-induced weakening of growth-temperature associations in high-elevation Iberian pines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diego Galván, J.; Büntgen, Ulf; Ginzler, Christian; Grudd, Håkan; Gutiérrez, Emilia; Labuhn, Inga; Julio Camarero, J.

2015-01-01

The growth/climate relationship of theoretically temperature-controlled high-elevation forests has been demonstrated to weaken over recent decades. This is likely due to new tree growth limiting factors, such as an increasing drought risk for ecosystem functioning and productivity across the Mediterranean Basin. In addition, declining tree growth sensitivity to spring temperature may emerge in response to increasing drought stress. Here, we evaluate these ideas by assessing the growth/climate sensitivity of 1500 tree-ring width (TRW) and 102 maximum density (MXD) measurement series from 711 and 74 Pinus uncinata trees, respectively, sampled at 28 high-elevation forest sites across the Pyrenees and two relict populations of the Iberian System. Different dendroclimatological standardization and split period approaches were used to assess the high- to low-frequency behavior of 20th century tree growth in response to temperature means, precipitation totals and drought indices. Long-term variations in TRW track summer temperatures until about 1970 but diverge afterwards, whereas MXD captures the recent temperature increase in the low-frequency domain fairly well. On the other hand summer drought has increasingly driven TRW along the 20th century. Our results suggest fading temperature sensitivity of Iberian high-elevation P. uncinata forest growth, and reveal the importance of summer drought that is becoming the emergent limiting factor of tree ring width formation in many parts of the Mediterranean Basin.

A study of surface ozone variability over the Iberian Peninsula during the last fifty years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernández-Fernández, M. I.; Gallego, M. C.; García, J. A.; Acero, F. J.

2011-02-01

There is good evidence for an increase in the global surface level of ozone in the past century. In this work we present an analysis of 18 surface ozone series over the Iberian Peninsula, considering the target values of ozone for the protection of human health and for the protection of vegetation, as well as the information and alert thresholds established by the current European Directive on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe (Directive 2008/50/EC). The results show that the stations located on the Cantabrian coast exceeded neither the target value for the protection of human health nor the target value for the protection of vegetation. The information threshold was exceeded in most of the stations, while the alert threshold was only exceeded in one. The seasonal and daily evolution of ozone concentrations were as expected. A trend analysis of three surface ozone concentration indices (monthly median and 98th percentile, and monthly maximum of the daily maximum 8-h mean) was performed both for the whole period of each station and for the common period from 2001 to 2007 for all the months of the year. It was noted that generally the south of the Iberian Peninsula presented increasing trends for the three indices, especially in the last six months of the year, and the north decreasing trends. Finally, a correlation analysis was performed between the daily maximum 8-h mean and both daily mean temperature and daily mean solar radiation for the whole and the common periods. For all stations, there was a significant positive association at a 5% significance level between the daily maximum 8-h mean and the two meteorological variables of up to approximately 0.5. The spatial distribution of these association values from 2001 to 2007 showed a positive northwest to southeast gradient over the Iberian Peninsula.

A new interpretation for the interference zone between the southern Brasília belt and the central Ribeira belt, SE Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trouw, Rudolph A. J.; Peternel, Rodrigo; Ribeiro, Andre; Heilbron, Mônica; Vinagre, Rodrigo; Duffles, Patrícia; Trouw, Camilo C.; Fontainha, Marcos; Kussama, Hugo H.

2013-12-01

In southeastern Brazil, the Neoproterozoic NNW-SSE trending southern Brasília belt is apparently truncated by the ENE-WSW central Ribeira belt. Different interpretations in the literature of the transition between these two belts motivated detailed mapping and additional age dating along the contact zone. The result is a new interpretation presented in this paper. The southern Brasília belt resulted from E-W collision between the active margin of the Paranapanema paleocontinent, on the western side, now forming the Socorro-Guaxupé Nappe, with the passive margin of the São Francisco paleocontinent on the eastern side. The collision produced an east vergent nappe stack, the Andrelândia Nappe System, along the suture. At its southern extreme the Brasília belt was thought to be cut off by a shear zone, the "Rio Jaguari mylonites", at the contact with the Embu terrane, pertaining to the Central Ribeira belt. Our detailed mapping revealed that the transition between the Socorro-Guaxupé Nappe (Brasília belt) and the Embu terrane (Ribeira belt) is not a fault but rather a gradational transition that does not strictly coincide with the Rio Jaguari mylonites. A typical Cordilleran type magmatic arc batholith of the Socorro-Guaxupé Nappe with an age of ca. 640 Ma intrudes biotite schists of the Embu terrane and the age of zircon grains from three samples of metasedimentary rocks, one to the south, one to the north and one along the mylonite zone, show a similar pattern of derivation from a Rhyacian source area with rims of 670-600 Ma interpreted as metamorphic overgrowth. We dated by LA-MC-ICPMS laser ablation (U-Pb) zircon grains from a calc-alkaline granite, the Serra do Quebra-Cangalha Batholith, located within the Embu terrane at a distance of about 40 km south of the contact with the Socorro Nappe, yielding an age of 680 ± 13 Ma. This age indicates that the Embu terrane was part of the upper plate (Socorro-Guaxupé Nappe) by this time. Detailed mapping

“Tertius gaudens”: germplasm exchange networks and agroecological knowledge among home gardeners in the Iberian Peninsula

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The idea that knowledge flows through social networks is implicit in research on traditional knowledge, but researchers have paid scant attention to the role of social networks in shaping its distribution. We bridge those two bodies of research and investigate a) the structure of network of exchange of plant propagation material (germplasm) and b) the relation between a person’s centrality in such network and his/her agroecological knowledge. Methods We study 10 networks of germplasm exchange (n = 363) in mountain regions of the Iberian Peninsula. Data were collected through participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and a survey. Results The networks display some structural characteristics (i.e., decentralization, presence of external actors) that could enhance the flow of knowledge and germplasm but also some characteristics that do not favor such flow (i.e., low density and fragmentation). We also find that a measure that captures the number of contacts of an individual in the germplasm exchange network is associated with the person’s agroecological knowledge. Conclusion Our findings highlight the importance of social relations in the construction of traditional knowledge. PMID:23883296

Phylogeographic distribution of very virulent infectious bursal disease virus isolates in the Iberian Peninsula.

PubMed

Cortey, Martí; Bertran, Kateri; Toskano, Jennifer; Majó, Natàlia; Dolz, Roser

2012-01-01

Viral population dynamics of very virulent infectious bursal disease virus (vvIBDV) field strains isolated in the Iberian Peninsula since the first outbreak in the 1990s have been analysed. Low levels of genetic variability and a global purification selection pattern were reported in 480 base pairs of the hypervariable region of the VP2 gene, indicating a lack of a selection-driven immune escape in the evolutive pathway of the virus. The viral population structure of vvIBDV strains in the Iberian Peninsula showed a strong relationship between geography and phylogeny, with two main groups observed. A global comparison among vvIBDV strains also showed an association with sequences from the same country. The low variability, the strong purifying selection and the geographical pattern observed point to a picture where the virus evolves slowly, occupying the same geographical niche for a long time. The scenario depicted fits well with the biological features of the virus: being able to remain viable for long periods of time due to a strong environmental resistance, and as an immunosuppressive agent, capable per se of annihilating temporally the immune system of the host.

A shift in the spatial pattern of Iberian droughts during the 17th century

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Domínguez-Castro, F.; García-Herrera, R.; Ribera, P.; Barriendos, M.

2010-06-01

In this paper, series of drought occurrence and drought extension in the Iberian Peninsula are constructed for the 1600-1750 period from seven rogation series. These rogation ceremony records come from Bilbao, Catalonia, Zamora, Zaragoza, Toledo, Murcia and Seville. They are distributed across the Peninsula and include the areas with the most characteristic Iberian climate types, influenced by the Atlantic and the Mediterranean conditions, described from modern data. A seasonal division of the series shows that spring is a critical season for rogation series in most of Iberia, being Bilbao the only site were the highest number of rogations is detected for a different season. The annual analysis of the series shows a dramatic difference between the period 1600-1652, when droughts are characterized by its local character; and the period 1653-1749, when they affect to broader regions or even to the whole Peninsula. The analysis of spring series confirms the existence of the two periods detected in the annual analysis. Finally, secondary documentary sources are used to further characterise the two most extended droughts in the period, 1664 and 1680, and to verify the extension of the areas affected by droughts recorded through rogation series.

Kinematic vicissitudes and the spatial distribution of the alteration zone related to the Byobuyama fault, central Japan. (Implication; Influence of another faults.)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katori, T.; Kobayashi, K.

2015-12-01

The central Japan is one of the most concentrated area of active faults (Quaternary fault). These are roughly classified into two orthogonally-oriented fault sets of NE-SW and NW-SE strikes. The study area is located in Gifu prefecture, central Japan. In there, the basement rocks are composed mainly of Triassic-Jurassic accretionary prism (Mino belt), Cretaceous Nohi Rhyolite and Cretaceous granitic rocks. Miocene Mizunami G. and Pliocene-Pleistocene Toki Sand and Gravel F. unconformably cover the basement rocks. The Byobuyama fault, 32 km in length, is NE-SW strike and displaces perpendicularly the Toki Sand and Gravel F. by 500 m. The northeastern terminal of the fault has contact with the southern terminal of the Atera fault of NW-SE strike and offset their displacements each other. It is clear that the activity of the Byobuyama fault plays a role of the development of the complicated fault geometry system in the central Japan. In this study, we performed a broad-based investigation along the Byobuyama fault and collected samples. Actually, we observed 400 faults and analyzed 200 fault rocks. Based on these results, we obtained the following new opinion. 1. The Byobuyama fault has experienced following activities that can be divided to 3 stages at least under different stress field. 1) Movement with the sinisterly sense (preserved in cataclasite zone). 2) Dextral movement (preserved in fault gouge zone). 3) Reverse fault movement (due to the aggressive rise of mountains). In addition, the change from Stage 2 to Stage 3 is a continuous. 2. There is a relationship between the distance from the trace of the Byobuyama fault and the combination of alteration minerals included in the fault rocks. 3. In the central part of the Byobuyama fault (CPBF), fault plane trend and combination of alteration minerals shows specific features. The continuous change is considered to mean the presence of factors that interfere with the dextral movement of the Byobuyama fault. What is

Genetic evidence for multiple events of hybridization between wolves and domestic dogs in the Iberian Peninsula.

PubMed

Godinho, Raquel; Llaneza, Luis; Blanco, Juan C; Lopes, Susana; Álvares, Francisco; García, Emilio J; Palacios, Vicente; Cortés, Yolanda; Talegón, Javier; Ferrand, Nuno

2011-12-01

Hybridization between wild species and their domestic counterparts may represent a major threat to natural populations. However, high genetic similarity between the hybridizing taxa makes the detection of hybrids a difficult task and may hinder attempts to assess the impact of hybridization in conservation biology. In this work, we used a combination of 42 autosomal microsatellites together with Y-chromosome microsatellite-defined haplotypes and mtDNA sequences to investigate the occurrence and dynamics of wolf-dog hybridization in the Iberian Peninsula. To do this, we applied a variety of Bayesian analyses and a parallel set of simulation studies to evaluate (i) the differences between Iberian wolves and dogs, (ii) the frequency and geographical distribution of hybridization and (iii) the directionality of hybridization. First, we show that Iberian wolves and dogs form two well-differentiated genetic entities, suggesting that introgressive hybridization is not a widespread phenomenon shaping both gene pools. Second, we found evidence for the existence of hybridization that is apparently restricted to more peripheral and recently expanded wolf populations. Third, we describe compelling evidence suggesting that the dynamics of hybridization in wolf populations is mediated by crosses between male dogs and female wolves. More importantly, the observation of a population showing the occurrence of a continuum of hybrid classes forming mixed packs may indicate that we have underestimated hybridization. If future studies confirm this pattern, then an intriguing avenue of research is to investigate how introgression from free-ranging domestic dogs is enabling wolf populations to adapt to the highly humanized habitats of southern Europe while still maintaining their genetic differentiation. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Mid-late Holocene climatic changes in the Southwestern Iberian shelf

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gomes, S.; Naughton, F.; Rodrigues, T.; Drago, T.; Sanchez-Goñi, M.; Freitas, C.

2012-04-01

Vegetation (pollen analysis) and alkenone-derived Sea Surface Temperature (SST) reconstructions from a south western Iberian shelf core (POPEI VC2B) (36°53'12,99'' N, 8°03'57,98'' W) show orbital and suborbital climate variability at extremely high resolution for the last 6000 years in this region. In particular, the mid-late Holocene is marked by a long-term cooling revealed by the gradual decrease of arboreal pollen (AP) percentages and SST which parallels the general decreasing trend of the δ18-O isotope composition recorded in Greenland ice records and the decrease of the mid-latitudes summer insolation. The short-term vegetation changes, reflecting millennial scale climatic variability, are clearly identified in the POPEI VC2B over the last 6000 years. In particular, the basement of this record is marked by the presence of semi-desert plants (Chenopodiaceae, Artemisia and Ephedra) reflecting dry conditions. These particular dry conditions have been detected elsewhere in the southern Iberian Peninsula and in North African records. Following the particularly dry period, there is a decline of semi-desert plants and an increase of Ericaceae and Pinus associated with establishment of an incipient forest of Quercus deciduous type reflecting temperate and humid conditions. This period was followed by a decrease of arboreal pollen percentages, suggesting a relative climate cooling. Finally, the last 2500/2000 years, are marked by the presence of anthropogenic associations (including Cerealia-type, Plantago lanceolata-coronopus type, and Olea) and are characterized by several vegetation and climate oscillations associated with the Roman Period (RP), the Dark Ages (DA), the Medieval Climatic Anomaly (MCA), and the Little Ice Age (LIA).

Widespread Secondary Contact and New Glacial Refugia in the Halophilic Rotifer Brachionus plicatilis in the Iberian Peninsula

PubMed Central

Campillo, Sergi; Serra, Manuel; Carmona, María José; Gómez, Africa

2011-01-01

Small aquatic organisms harbour deep phylogeographic patterns and highly structured populations even at local scales. These patterns indicate restricted gene flow, despite these organisms' high dispersal abilities, and have been explained by a combination of (1) strong founder effects due to rapidly growing populations and very large population sizes, and (2) the development of diapausing egg banks and local adaptation, resulting in low effective gene flow, what is known as the Monopolization hypothesis. In this study, we build up on our understanding of the mitochondrial phylogeography of the halophilic rotifer Brachionus plicatilis in the Iberian Peninsula by both increasing the number of sampled ponds in areas where secondary contact is likely and doubling sample sizes. We analyzed partial mitochondrial sequences of 252 individuals. We found two deep mitochondrial DNA lineages differing in both their genetic diversity and the complexity of their phylogeographic structure. Our analyses suggest that several events of secondary contact between clades occurred after their expansion from glacial refugia. We found a pattern of isolation-by-distance, which we interpret as being the result of historical colonization events. We propose the existence of at least one glacial refugium in the SE of the Iberian Peninsula. Our findings challenge predictions of the Monopolization hypothesis, since coexistence (i.e., secondary contact) of divergent lineages in some ponds in the Iberian Peninsula is common. Our results indicate that phylogeographic structures in small organisms can be very complex and that gene flow between diverse lineages after population establishment can indeed occur. PMID:21698199

Widespread secondary contact and new glacial refugia in the halophilic rotifer Brachionus plicatilis in the Iberian Peninsula.

PubMed

Campillo, Sergi; Serra, Manuel; Carmona, María José; Gómez, Africa

2011-01-01

Small aquatic organisms harbour deep phylogeographic patterns and highly structured populations even at local scales. These patterns indicate restricted gene flow, despite these organisms' high dispersal abilities, and have been explained by a combination of (1) strong founder effects due to rapidly growing populations and very large population sizes, and (2) the development of diapausing egg banks and local adaptation, resulting in low effective gene flow, what is known as the Monopolization hypothesis. In this study, we build up on our understanding of the mitochondrial phylogeography of the halophilic rotifer Brachionus plicatilis in the Iberian Peninsula by both increasing the number of sampled ponds in areas where secondary contact is likely and doubling sample sizes. We analyzed partial mitochondrial sequences of 252 individuals. We found two deep mitochondrial DNA lineages differing in both their genetic diversity and the complexity of their phylogeographic structure. Our analyses suggest that several events of secondary contact between clades occurred after their expansion from glacial refugia. We found a pattern of isolation-by-distance, which we interpret as being the result of historical colonization events. We propose the existence of at least one glacial refugium in the SE of the Iberian Peninsula. Our findings challenge predictions of the Monopolization hypothesis, since coexistence (i.e., secondary contact) of divergent lineages in some ponds in the Iberian Peninsula is common. Our results indicate that phylogeographic structures in small organisms can be very complex and that gene flow between diverse lineages after population establishment can indeed occur.

The Punta Lucero Quarry site (Zierbena, Bizkaia): a window into the Middle Pleistocene in the Northern Iberian Peninsula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gómez-Olivencia, Asier; Sala, Nohemi; Arceredillo, Diego; García, Nuria; Martínez-Pillado, Virginia; Rios-Garaizar, Joseba; Garate, Diego; Solar, Gonzalo; Libano, Iñaki

2015-08-01

The period between the end of the Early Pleistocene and the mid-Middle Pleistocene (roughly between 1.0 and 0.4 Ma BP) is of great interest in Western Europe. It witnessed several climatic oscillations and changes in the fauna, the demise of a hominin species and the appearance of another, along with important cultural and technological changes. Thus, the few available sites with these chronologies is vital to the understanding of the tempo and mode of these changes. Middle Pleistocene sites in the Northern Iberian Peninsula are very rare. Here we present the study of the site found at the Punta Lucero Quarry (Biscay province, Northern Iberian Peninsula), which includes for the first time the complete collection from the site. The fossil association from this site includes several ungulates, such as a Megacerine deer, Cervus elaphus, large bovids (likely both Bos primigenius and Bison sp. are present), Stephanorhinus sp., and carnivores, such as Homotherium latidens, Panthera gombaszoegensis, Canis mosbachensis and Vulpes sp. This association is typical of a middle Middle Pleistocene chronology and would be the oldest macro-mammal site in the Eastern Cantabrian region. This site would likely correspond to a chronology after Mode 1 technological complex and before the arrival of Mode 2 technology in this region. Thus, it offers a glimpse into the paleoecological conditions slightly prior to or contemporaneous with the first Acheulian makers in the northern fringe of the Iberian Peninsula.

Effect of different carotenoid-containing diets on the vitamin A levels and colour parameters in Iberian pigs' tissues: utility as biomarkers of traceability.

PubMed

Álvarez, R; Vicario, I M; Meléndez-Martínez, A J; Alcalde, M J

2014-10-01

Retinol and fat colour parameters in Iberian pigs fed on different carotenoid-containing diets were assessed. Thirty animals in two groups were considered: Iberian breed pigs fed on acorns and grass (Montanera) and on concentrate (Cebo). Carotenoids and retinoids were analysed in the diets and in plasma, liver and perirenal fat of the animals by HPLC and HPLC-MS. Retinol levels in plasma and fat were similar in Montanera and Cebo animals. The utility of retonids and colour parameters as traceability index was also explored. Retinoids in liver classified correctly 93% of the animals according to their diet L* and hab. CIELAB parameters of the perirenal fat discriminated correctly 78.6% of the animals according to their diet. L* values for the Montanera animals were significantly different (P<0.01) from those fed on concentrate. It can be claimed that the liver retinol profile and fat colour parameters can be useful for feeding traceability purposes in Iberian pigs breed in Montanera and Cebo. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characteristics of the Central Costa Rican Seismogenic Zone Determined from Microseismicity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeShon, H. R.; Schwartz, S. Y.; Bilek, S. L.; Dorman, L. M.; Protti, M.; Gonzalez, V.

2001-12-01

Large or great subduction zone thrust earthquakes commonly nucleate within the seismogenic zone, a region of unstable slip on or near the converging plate interface. A better understanding of the mechanical, thermal and hydrothermal processes controlling seismic behavior in these regions requires accurate earthquake locations. Using arrival time data from an onland and offshore local seismic array and advanced 3D absolute and relative earthquake location techniques, we locate interplate seismic activity northwest of the Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica. We present high resolution locations of ~600 aftershocks of the 8/20/1999 Mw=6.9 underthrusting earthquake recorded by our local network between September and December 1999. We have developed a 3D velocity model based on published refraction lines and located events within a subducting slab geometry using QUAKE3D, a finite-differences based grid-searching algorithm (Nelson & Vidale, 1990). These absolute locations are input into HYPODD, a location program that uses P and S wave arrival time differences from nearby events and solves for the best relative locations (Waldhauser & Ellsworth, 2000). The pattern of relative earthquake locations is tied to an absolute reference using the absolute positions of the best-located earthquakes in the entire population. By using these programs in parallel, we minimize location errors, retain the aftershock pattern and provide the best absolute locations within a complex subduction geometry. We use the resulting seismicity pattern to determine characteristics of the seismogenic zone including geometry and up- and down-dip limits. These are compared with thermal models of the Middle America subduction zone, structures of the upper and lower plates, and characteristics of the Nankai seismogenic zone.

A multidisciplinary approach for the characterisation of fault zones in geothermal areas in central Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Comina, Cesare; Ferrero, Anna Maria; Mandrone, Giuseppe; Vinciguerra, Sergio

2017-04-01

There are more than 500 geothermal areas in the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt of central Mexico. Of these, two are presently object of a transnational project between EU and Mexico (GEMex): Acoculco, where there is already a commercial exploitation, and Los Humeros, at present not developed yet. The GEMex project aims to improve the resource assessment and the reservoir characterization using novel geophysical and geological methods and interpretations. One of the main issues controlling the geothermal system is the presence of pervasive fracture systems affecting the carbonatic basements underlying the volcanic complex (basalts and andesites). We propose the characterization of rock masses (rock and fractures) using a multiscale analysis, from the field to the outcrop up to the micro scale integrating a number of techniques. In detail, the University of Torino unit will take care of: 1) Technical field studies aimed to the characterization of the mechanical transitions throughout brittle deformation zones, from the intact rock, to the damage zone to the shear/slip zone; moreover, key geophysical parameters (seismic and electrical properties) will be measured; 2) Petrophysical and minero-petrographic detailed studies on representative samples will be performed at room temperature; verification of the mechanical properties of the samples subjected to cycles of heating up to the temperatures of the reservoir (> 400 °C) will be done; measurements of the geophysical properties of the samples will be done in comparison with the measures in place. 3) Numerical modeling to estimate the petrophysical, geophysical and geomechanical properties of the rock mass under the P and T conditions of the reservoir (i.e., using Comsol, VGeST, UDEC, 3DEC, ...). Detailed geological field studies and photogrammetry/laser scanner imaging of studied outcrops are supposed to be available soon: multiscale analysis will benefis from these new data. Results will be shared between EU and Mexican

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Central Molecular Zone H2O temperature maps (Ginsburg+, 2016)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ginsburg, A.; Henkel, C.; Ao, Y.; Riquelme, D.; Kauffmann, J.; Pillai, T.; Mills, E. A. C.; Requena-Torres, M. A.; Immer, K.; Testi, L.; Ott, J.; Bally, J.; Battersby, C.; Darling, J.; Aalto, S.; Stanke, T.; Kendrew, S.; Kruijssen, J. M. D.; Longmore, S.; Dale, J.; Guesten, R.; Menten, K. M.

2015-08-01

We observed the Central Molecular Zone from -0.4°

400 Years of summer hydroclimate from stable isotopes in Iberian trees

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andreu-Hayles, Laia; Ummenhofer, Caroline C.; Barriendos, Mariano; Schleser, Gerhard H.; Helle, Gerhard; Leuenberger, Markus; Gutiérrez, Emilia; Cook, Edward R.

2017-07-01

Tree rings are natural archives that annually record distinct types of past climate variability depending on the parameters measured. Here, we use ring-width and stable isotopes in cellulose of trees from the northwestern Iberian Peninsula (IP) to understand regional summer hydroclimate over the last 400 years and the associated atmospheric patterns. Correlations between tree rings and climate data demonstrate that isotope signatures in the targeted Iberian pine forests are very sensitive to water availability during the summer period, and are mainly controlled by stomatal conductance. Non-linear methods based on extreme events analysis allow for capturing distinct seasonal climatic variability recorded by tree-ring parameters and asymmetric signals of the associated atmospheric features. Moreover, years with extreme high (low) values in the tree-ring records were characterised by coherent large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns with reduced (enhanced) moisture transport onto the northwestern IP. These analyses of extremes revealed that high/low proxy values do not necessarily correspond to mirror images in the atmospheric anomaly patterns, suggesting different drivers of these patterns and the corresponding signature recorded in the proxies. Regional hydroclimate features across the broader IP and western Europe during extreme wet/dry summers detected by the northwestern IP trees compare favourably to independent multicentury sea level pressure and drought reconstructions for Europe. Historical records also validate our findings that attribute non-linear moisture signals recorded by extreme tree-ring values to distinct large-scale atmospheric patterns and allow for 400-year reconstructions of the frequency of occurrence of extreme conditions in late spring and summer hydroclimate.

Conservation genetics of the endangered Iberian steppe plant Ferula loscosii (Apiaceae).

PubMed

Pérez-Collazos, E; Catalán, P

2008-07-01

Ferula loscosii (Lange) Willk (Apiaceae) is a threatened endemic species native to the Iberian Peninsula. The plant has a narrow and disjunct distribution in three regions, NE, C and SE Spain. Genetic variability within and among 11 populations from its natural distribution was assessed using allozymes. Intermediate levels of genetic diversity were detected in F. loscosii (P(99%) = 36.83; H(E) = 0.125; H(T) = 0.152). However, the highest genetic diversity (58%) corresponded to the threatened populations from SE and C Spain (H(T) = 0.169) rather than the more abundant and larger populations from NE Spain (Ebro valley) (H(T) = 0.122). Low to moderate levels of genetic structure were found among regional ranges (G(ST) = 0.134), and several statistical spatial correlation analyses corroborated substantial genetic differentiation among the three main regional ranges. However, no significant genetic differentiation was found among the NE Spain populations, except for a northernmost population that is geographically isolated. Outcrossing mating and other biological traits of the species could account for the maintenance of the present values of genetic diversity within populations. The existence of an ancestral late Tertiary wider distribution of the species in SE and C Spain, followed by the maintenance of different Quaternary refugia in these warmer areas, together with a more recent and rapid post-glacial expansion towards NE Spain, are arguments that could explain the low genetic variability and structure found in the Ebro valley and the higher levels of diversity in the southern Iberian populations.

Abundance and fragmentation patterns of the ecosystem engineer Lithophyllum byssoides (Lamarck) Foslie along the Iberian Peninsula Atlantic coast. Conservation and management implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Veiga, Puri; Rubal, Marcos; Cacabelos, Eva; Moreira, Juan; Sousa-Pinto, Isabel

2013-10-01

The crustose calcareous red macroalgae Lithophyllum byssoides (Lamarck) Foslie is a common ecosystem engineer along the Atlantic and Mediterranean coast of the Iberian Peninsula. This species is threatened by several anthropogenic impacts acting at different spatial scales, such as pollution or global warming. The aim of this study is to identify scales of spatial variation in the abundance and fragmentation patterns of L. byssoides along the Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula. For this aim we used a hierarchical sampling design considering four spatial scales (from metres to 100s of kilometres). Results of the present study indicated no significant variability among regions investigated whereas significant variability was found at the scales of shore and site in spatial patterns of abundance and fragmentation of L. byssoides. Variance components were higher at the spatial scale of shore for abundance and fragmentation of L. byssoides with the only exception of percentage cover and thus, processes acting at the scale of 10s of kilometres seem to be more relevant in shaping the spatial variability both in abundance and fragmentation of L. byssoides. These results provided quantitative estimates of abundance and fragmentation of L. byssoides at the Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula establishing the observational basis for future assessment, monitoring and experimental investigations to identify the processes and anthropogenic impacts affecting L. byssoides populations. Finally we have also identified percentage cover and patch density as the best variables for long-term monitoring programs aimed to detect future anthropogenic impacts on L. byssoides. Therefore, our results have important implications for conservation and management of this valuable ecosystem engineer along the Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula.

Hybrid zone formation and contrasting outcomes of secondary contact over transects in common toads.

PubMed

Arntzen, Jan W; de Vries, Wouter; Canestrelli, Daniele; Martínez-Solano, Iñigo

2017-10-01

Much progress in speciation research stems from documenting patterns of morphological and genetic variation in hybrid zones. Contrasting patterns of marker introgression in different sections of the contact can provide valuable insights on the relative importance of various evolutionary mechanisms maintaining species differences in the face of hybridization and gene flow and on hybrid zone temporal and spatial dynamics. We studied species interactions in the common toads Bufo bufo and B. spinosus in France and northwestern Italy using morphological and molecular data from the mitochondrial and nuclear genomes in an extensive survey, including two independent transects west and east of the Alps. At both, we found sharp, coincident and concordant nuclear genetic transitions. However, morphological clines were wider or absent and mtDNA introgression was asymmetric. We discuss alternative, nonexclusive hypotheses about evolutionary processes generating these patterns, including drift, selection, long-distance dispersal and spatial shifts in hybrid zone location and structure. The distribution of intraspecific mtDNA lineages supports a scenario in which B. bufo held a local refugium during the last glacial maximum. Present-day genetic profiles are best explained by an advance of B. spinosus from a nearby Iberian refugium, largely superseding the local B. bufo population, followed by an advance of B. bufo from the Balkans, with prongs north and south of the Alps, driving B. spinosus southwards. A pendulum moving hybrid zone, first northwards and then southwards, explains the wide areas of introgression at either side of the current position of the contact zones. © 2017 The Authors. Molecular Ecology Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A new perspective on the significance of the Ranotsara shear zone in Madagascar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schreurs, Guido; Giese, Jörg; Berger, Alfons; Gnos, Edwin

2010-12-01

The Ranotsara shear zone in Madagascar has been considered in previous studies to be a >350-km-long, intracrustal strike-slip shear zone of Precambrian/Cambrian age. Because of its oblique strike to the east and west coast of Madagascar, the Ranotsara shear zone has been correlated with shear zones in southern India and eastern Africa in Gondwana reconstructions. Our assessment using remote sensing data and field-based investigations, however, reveals that what previously has been interpreted as the Ranotsara shear zone is in fact a composite structure with a ductile deflection zone confined to its central segment and prominent NW-SE trending brittle faulting along most of its length. We therefore prefer the more neutral term “Ranotsara Zone”. Lithologies, tectonic foliations, and axial trace trajectories of major folds can be followed from south to north across most of the Ranotsara Zone and show only a marked deflection along its central segment. The ductile deflection zone is interpreted as a result of E-W indentation of the Antananarivo Block into the less rigid, predominantly metasedimentary rocks of the Southwestern Madagascar Block during a late phase of the Neoproterozoic/Cambrian East African Orogeny (c. 550-520 Ma). The Ranotsara Zone shows significant NW-SE striking brittle faulting that reactivates part of the NW-SE striking ductile structures in the flexure zone, but also extends along strike toward the NW and toward the SE. Brittle reactivation of ductile structures along the central segment of the Ranotsara Zone, confirmed by apatite-fission track results, may have led to the formation of a shallow Neogene basin underlying the Ranotsara plain. The present-day drainage pattern suggests on-going normal fault activity along the central segment. The Ranotsara Zone is not a megascale intracrustal strike-slip shear zone that crosscuts the entire basement of southern Madagascar. It can therefore not be used as a piercing point in Gondwana

CHALLENGES OF PASSIVE TREATMENT OF METAL MINE DRAINAGE IN THE IBERIAN PYRITE BELT (SOUTHERN SPAIN): PRELIMINARY STUDIES

EPA Science Inventory

AMD in the Iberian Pyrite Belt is a problem of global scale. Successful implementation of passive treatment systems could remediate at least part of this problem at reasonable costs. However, initial trials with ALD and RAPS based on gravel size limestone failed due to rapid loss...

Iberian fish records in the vertebrate collection of the Museum of Zoology of the University of Navarra

PubMed Central

Rodeles, Amaia A.; Galicia, David; Miranda, Rafael

2016-01-01

The study of freshwater fish species biodiversity and community composition is essential for understanding river systems, the effects of human activities on rivers, and the changes these animals face. Conducting this type of research requires quantitative information on fish abundance, ideally with long-term series and fish body measurements. This Data Descriptor presents a collection of 12 datasets containing a total of 146,342 occurrence records of 41 freshwater fish species sampled in 233 localities of various Iberian river basins. The datasets also contain 148,749 measurement records (length and weight) for these fish. Data were collected in different sampling campaigns (from 1992 to 2015). Eleven datasets represent large projects conducted over several years, and another combines small sampling campaigns. The Iberian Peninsula contains high fish biodiversity, with numerous endemic species threatened by various menaces, such as water extraction and invasive species. These data may support the development of large biodiversity conservation studies. PMID:27727236

Iberian fish records in the vertebrate collection of the Museum of Zoology of the University of Navarra.

PubMed

Rodeles, Amaia A; Galicia, David; Miranda, Rafael

2016-10-11

The study of freshwater fish species biodiversity and community composition is essential for understanding river systems, the effects of human activities on rivers, and the changes these animals face. Conducting this type of research requires quantitative information on fish abundance, ideally with long-term series and fish body measurements. This Data Descriptor presents a collection of 12 datasets containing a total of 146,342 occurrence records of 41 freshwater fish species sampled in 233 localities of various Iberian river basins. The datasets also contain 148,749 measurement records (length and weight) for these fish. Data were collected in different sampling campaigns (from 1992 to 2015). Eleven datasets represent large projects conducted over several years, and another combines small sampling campaigns. The Iberian Peninsula contains high fish biodiversity, with numerous endemic species threatened by various menaces, such as water extraction and invasive species. These data may support the development of large biodiversity conservation studies.

Zilsel's Thesis, Maritime Culture, and Iberian Science in Early Modern Europe.

PubMed

Leitão, Henrique; Sánchez, Antonio

2017-01-01

Zilsel's thesis on the artisanal origins of modern science remains one of the most original proposals about the emergence of scientific modernity. We propose to inspect the scientific developments in Iberia in the early modern period using Zilsel's ideas as a guideline. Our purpose is to show that his ideas illuminate the situation in Iberia but also that the Iberian case is a remarkable illustration of Zilsel's thesis. Furthermore, we argue that Zilsel's thesis is essentially a sociological explanation that cannot be applied to isolated cases; its use implies global events that involve extended societies over large periods of time.

Plant-based remedies for wolf bites and rituals against wolves in the Iberian Peninsula: Therapeutic opportunities and cultural values for the conservation of biocultural diversity.

PubMed

González, José A; Carvalho, Ana Maria; Vallejo, José Ramón; Amich, Francisco

2017-09-14

Combined approaches to local knowledge and folk plant use improve awareness and promote effective strategies for the conservation of significant biocultural patrimony. Moreover, the information reported might be the basis for further appropriate phytochemical and pharmacological research. Therefore we provide an insight into traditional herbal remedies and practices for healing bite injuries in humans and domestic animals caused by the Iberian wolf. Wolf bites are associated with inflammatory processes and rabies is a potential complication AIMS: This paper describes and summarises the medicinal-veterinary empirical and ritual uses of the Iberian flora for wolf injuries and reviews the ethnopharmacological data of specific plants that are already published. The Iberian wolf is a critically endangered subspecies of the grey wolf. Livestock attacks attributed to wolves are increasingly frequent in the Iberian Peninsula, resulting in serious social problems. Interesting strategies for Iberian wolf conservation might be related to traditional grazing practices that are deeply linked with empirical knowledge and local practices passed on by oral tradition, which are also vulnerable now. Based on documentary sources from the beginning of the twentieth century to the present, we systematically searched old monographs, regional documents, technical papers, project reports, as well as the international and national databases and the available scientific literature, without restrictions regarding the language of the publications consulted. A total of 39 remedies for healing wolf bite injuries in humans and domestic animals was reported, highlighting the medicinal use of 33 species of vascular plants, mostly wild herbs, belonging to 18 botanical families. The use of wood ashes was also reported. The number of use-reports found represents a very high number considering similar European studies. Leaves were the predominant plant part mentioned. Boiling plant materials in water

Geochemistry, mineralization, structure, and permeability of a normal-fault zone, Casino mine, Alligator Ridge district, north central Nevada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hammond, K. Jill; Evans, James P.

2003-05-01

We examine the geochemical signature and structure of the Keno fault zone to test its impact on the flow of ore-mineralizing fluids, and use the mined exposures to evaluate structures and processes associated with normal fault development. The fault is a moderately dipping normal-fault zone in siltstone and silty limestone with 55-100 m of dip-slip displacement in north-central Nevada. Across-strike exposures up to 180 m long, 65 m of down-dip exposure and 350 m of along-strike exposure allow us to determine how faults, fractures, and fluids interact within mixed-lithology carbonate-dominated sedimentary rocks. The fault changes character along strike from a single clay-rich slip plane 10-20 mm thick at the northern exposure to numerous hydrocarbon-bearing, calcite-filled, nearly vertical slip planes in a zone 15 m wide at the southern exposure. The hanging wall and footwall are intensely fractured but fracture densities do not vary markedly with distance from the fault. Fault slip varies from pure dip-slip to nearly pure strike-slip, which suggests that either slip orientations may vary on faults in single slip events, or stress variations over the history of the fault caused slip vector variations. Whole-rock major, minor, and trace element analyses indicate that Au, Sb, and As are in general associated with the fault zone, suggesting that Au- and silica-bearing fluids migrated along the fault to replace carbonate in the footwall and adjacent hanging wall rocks. Subsequent fault slip was associated with barite and calcite and hydrocarbon-bearing fluids deposited at the southern end of the fault. No correlation exists at the meter or tens of meter scale between mineralization patterns and fracture density. We suggest that the fault was a combined conduit-barrier system in which the fault provides a critical connection between the fluid sources and fractures that formed before and during faulting. During the waning stages of deposit formation, the fault behaved as

A Common Genetic Origin for Early Farmers from Mediterranean Cardial and Central European LBK Cultures

PubMed Central

Olalde, Iñigo; Schroeder, Hannes; Sandoval-Velasco, Marcela; Vinner, Lasse; Lobón, Irene; Ramirez, Oscar; Civit, Sergi; García Borja, Pablo; Salazar-García, Domingo C.; Talamo, Sahra; María Fullola, Josep; Xavier Oms, Francesc; Pedro, Mireia; Martínez, Pablo; Sanz, Montserrat; Daura, Joan; Zilhão, João; Marquès-Bonet, Tomàs; Gilbert, M. Thomas P.; Lalueza-Fox, Carles

2015-01-01

The spread of farming out of the Balkans and into the rest of Europe followed two distinct routes: An initial expansion represented by the Impressa and Cardial traditions, which followed the Northern Mediterranean coastline; and another expansion represented by the LBK (Linearbandkeramik) tradition, which followed the Danube River into Central Europe. Although genomic data now exist from samples representing the second migration, such data have yet to be successfully generated from the initial Mediterranean migration. To address this, we generated the complete genome of a 7,400-year-old Cardial individual (CB13) from Cova Bonica in Vallirana (Barcelona), as well as partial nuclear data from five others excavated from different sites in Spain and Portugal. CB13 clusters with all previously sequenced early European farmers and modern-day Sardinians. Furthermore, our analyses suggest that both Cardial and LBK peoples derived from a common ancient population located in or around the Balkan Peninsula. The Iberian Cardial genome also carries a discernible hunter–gatherer genetic signature that likely was not acquired by admixture with local Iberian foragers. Our results indicate that retrieving ancient genomes from similarly warm Mediterranean environments such as the Near East is technically feasible. PMID:26337550

Vocal anatomy, tongue protrusion behaviour and the acoustics of rutting roars in free-ranging Iberian red deer stags (Cervus elaphus hispanicus).

PubMed

Frey, Roland; Volodin, Ilya; Volodina, Elena; Carranza, Juan; Torres-Porras, Jerónimo

2012-03-01

Roaring in rutting Iberian red deer stags Cervus elaphus hispanicus is unusual compared to other subspecies of red deer, which radiated from the Iberian refugium after the last glacial maximum. In all red deer stags, the larynx occupies a permanent low mid-neck resting position and is momentarily retracted almost down to the rostral end of the sternum during the production of rutting calls. Simultaneous with the retraction of the larynx, male Iberian red deer pronouncedly protrude the tongue during most of their rutting roars. This poses a mechanical challenge for the vocal tract (vt) and for the hyoid apparatus, as tongue and larynx are strongly pulled in opposite directions. This study (i) examines the vocal anatomy and the acoustics of the rutting roars in free-ranging male C. e. hispanicus; (ii) establishes a potential mechanism of simultaneous tongue protrusion and larynx retraction by applying a two-dimensional model based on graphic reconstructions in single video frames of unrestrained animals; and (iii) advances a hypothesis of evaporative cooling by tongue protrusion in the males of a subspecies of red deer constrained to perform all of the exhausting rutting activities, including acoustic display, in a hot and arid season. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Anatomy © 2012 Anatomical Society.

Vocal anatomy, tongue protrusion behaviour and the acoustics of rutting roars in free-ranging Iberian red deer stags (Cervus elaphus hispanicus)

PubMed Central

Frey, Roland; Volodin, Ilya; Volodina, Elena; Carranza, Juan; Torres-Porras, Jerónimo

2012-01-01

Roaring in rutting Iberian red deer stags Cervus elaphus hispanicus is unusual compared to other subspecies of red deer, which radiated from the Iberian refugium after the last glacial maximum. In all red deer stags, the larynx occupies a permanent low mid-neck resting position and is momentarily retracted almost down to the rostral end of the sternum during the production of rutting calls. Simultaneous with the retraction of the larynx, male Iberian red deer pronouncedly protrude the tongue during most of their rutting roars. This poses a mechanical challenge for the vocal tract (vt) and for the hyoid apparatus, as tongue and larynx are strongly pulled in opposite directions. This study (i) examines the vocal anatomy and the acoustics of the rutting roars in free-ranging male C. e. hispanicus; (ii) establishes a potential mechanism of simultaneous tongue protrusion and larynx retraction by applying a two-dimensional model based on graphic reconstructions in single video frames of unrestrained animals; and (iii) advances a hypothesis of evaporative cooling by tongue protrusion in the males of a subspecies of red deer constrained to perform all of the exhausting rutting activities, including acoustic display, in a hot and arid season. PMID:22257361

Defining the Fresnel zone for broadband radiation.

PubMed

Pearce, Jeremy; Mittleman, Daniel

2002-11-01

The concept of the Fresnel zone is central to many areas of imaging. In tomographic imaging, the transverse spatial resolution can be limited by the size of the first Fresnel zone, usually defined only for monochromatic radiation. With the increasing prevalence of broadband tomographic imaging systems, a generalization of this concept is required. Here, a proposed generalization is described in the context of femtosecond optics, and experimentally verified using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy. Based on this definition, a simple zone plate design is demonstrated.

An Iberian climatology of solar radiation obtained from WRF regional climate simulations for 1950-2010 period

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perdigão, João; Salgado, Rui; Magarreiro, Clarisse; Soares, Pedro M. M.; Costa, Maria João; Dasari, Hari Prasad

2017-12-01

The mesoscale Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model is used over the Iberian Peninsula to generate 60 years (1950-2010) of climate data, at 5 km resolution, in order to evaluate and characterize the incident shortwave downward radiation at the surface (SW ↓), in present climate. The simulated values of SW ↓ in the period 2000-2009 were compared with data measured in Spanish and Portuguese meteorological stations before and a statistical BIAS correction was applied using data from Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES), on board four different satellites. The spatial and temporal comparison between WRF results and observations show a good agreement for the analyzed period, although the model overestimates observations. This overestimation has a mean normalized bias of about 7% after BIAS correction (or 17% for original WRF output). Additionally, the present simulation was confronted against another previously validated WRF simulation performed with different resolution and set of parametrizations, showing comparable results. WRF adequately reproduces the observational features of SW ↓ with correlation coefficients above 0.8 in annual and seasonal basis. 60 years of simulated SW ↓ over the Iberian Peninsula were produced, which showed annual mean values that range from 130 W/m2, in the northern regions, to a maximum of around 230 W/m2 in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula (IP). SW ↓ over IP shows a positive gradient from north to south and from west to east, with local effects influenced by topography and distance to the coast. The analysis of the simulated cloud fraction indicates that clear sky days are found in > 30% of the period at the southern area of IP, particularly in the Algarve (Portugal) and Andalusia (Spain), and this value increases significantly in the summer season for values above 80%.

Stability and normal zone propagation in YBCO CORC cables

DOE PAGES

Majoros, M.; Sumption, M. D.; Collings, E. W.; ...

2016-03-11

In this study, a two layer conductor on round core cable was tested for stability and normal zone propagation at 77 K in a liquid nitrogen bath. The cable was instrumented with voltage taps and wires on each strand over the cable’s central portion (i.e. excluding the end connections of the cable with the outside world). A heater was placed in the central zone on the surface of the cable, which allowed pulses of various powers and durations to be generated. Shrinking (recovering) and expanding (not recovering) normal zones have been detected, as well as stationary zones which were inmore » thermal equilibrium. Such stationary thermal equilibrium zones did not expand or contract, and hit a constant upper temperature while the heater current persisted; they are essentially a form of Stekly stability. Overall, the cable showed a high degree of stability. Notably, it was able to carry a current of 0.45I c cable with maximum temperature of 123 K for one minute without damage.« less

Assessing methods for developing crop forecasting in the Iberian Peninsula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ines, A. V. M.; Capa Morocho, M. I.; Baethgen, W.; Rodriguez-Fonseca, B.; Han, E.; Ruiz Ramos, M.

2015-12-01

Seasonal climate prediction may allow predicting crop yield to reduce the vulnerability of agricultural production to climate variability and its extremes. It has been already demonstrated that seasonal climate predictions at European (or Iberian) scale from ensembles of global coupled climate models have some skill (Palmer et al., 2004). The limited predictability that exhibits the atmosphere in mid-latitudes, and therefore de Iberian Peninsula (PI), can be managed by a probabilistic approach based in terciles. This study presents an application for the IP of two methods for linking tercile-based seasonal climate forecasts with crop models to improve crop predictability. Two methods were evaluated and applied for disaggregating seasonal rainfall forecasts into daily weather realizations: 1) a stochastic weather generator and 2) a forecast tercile resampler. Both methods were evaluated in a case study where the impacts of two seasonal rainfall forecasts (wet and dry forecast for 1998 and 2015 respectively) on rainfed wheat yield and irrigation requirements of maize in IP were analyzed. Simulated wheat yield and irrigation requirements of maize were computed with the crop models CERES-wheat and CERES-maize which are included in Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT v.4.5, Hoogenboom et al., 2010). Simulations were run at several locations in Spain where the crop model was calibrated and validated with independent field data. These methodologies would allow quantifying the benefits and risks of a seasonal climate forecast to potential users as farmers, agroindustry and insurance companies in the IP. Therefore, we would be able to establish early warning systems and to design crop management adaptation strategies that take advantage of favorable conditions or reduce the effect of adverse ones. ReferencesPalmer, T. et al., 2004. Development of a European multimodel ensemble system for seasonal-to-interannual prediction (DEMETER). Bulletin of the

Determination of grain-size characteristics from electromagnetic seabed mapping data: A NW Iberian shelf study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baasch, Benjamin; Müller, Hendrik; von Dobeneck, Tilo; Oberle, Ferdinand K. J.

2017-05-01

The electric conductivity and magnetic susceptibility of sediments are fundamental parameters in environmental geophysics. Both can be derived from marine electromagnetic profiling, a novel, fast and non-invasive seafloor mapping technique. Here we present statistical evidence that electric conductivity and magnetic susceptibility can help to determine physical grain-size characteristics (size, sorting and mud content) of marine surficial sediments. Electromagnetic data acquired with the bottom-towed electromagnetic profiler MARUM NERIDIS III were analysed and compared with grain size data from 33 samples across the NW Iberian continental shelf. A negative correlation between mean grain size and conductivity (R=-0.79) as well as mean grain size and susceptibility (R=-0.78) was found. Simple and multiple linear regression analyses were carried out to predict mean grain size, mud content and the standard deviation of the grain-size distribution from conductivity and susceptibility. The comparison of both methods showed that multiple linear regression models predict the grain-size distribution characteristics better than the simple models. This exemplary study demonstrates that electromagnetic benthic profiling is capable to estimate mean grain size, sorting and mud content of marine surficial sediments at a very high significance level. Transfer functions can be calibrated using grains-size data from a few reference samples and extrapolated along shelf-wide survey lines. This study suggests that electromagnetic benthic profiling should play a larger role for coastal zone management, seafloor contamination and sediment provenance studies in worldwide continental shelf systems.

Assessing sea-level rise impact on saltwater intrusion into the root zone of a geo-typical area in coastal east-central Florida.

PubMed

Xiao, Han; Wang, Dingbao; Medeiros, Stephen C; Hagen, Scott C; Hall, Carlton R

2018-07-15

Saltwater intrusion (SWI) into root zone in low-lying coastal areas can affect the survival and spatial distribution of various vegetation species by altering plant communities and the wildlife habitats they support. In this study, a baseline model was developed based on FEMWATER to simulate the monthly variation of root zone salinity of a geo-typical area located at the Cape Canaveral Barrier Island Complex (CCBIC) of coastal east-central Florida (USA) in 2010. Based on the developed and calibrated baseline model, three diagnostic FEMWATER models were developed to predict the extent of SWI into root zone by modifying the boundary values representing the rising sea level based on various sea-level rise (SLR) scenarios projected for 2080. The simulation results indicated that the extent of SWI would be insignificant if SLR is either low (23.4cm) or intermediate (59.0cm), but would be significant if SLR is high (119.5cm) in that infiltration/diffusion of overtopping seawater in coastal low-lying areas can greatly increase root zone salinity level, since the sand dunes may fail to prevent the landward migration of seawater because the waves of the rising sea level can reach and pass over the crest under high (119.5cm) SLR scenario. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Trichinella pseudospiralis in the Iberian peninsula.

PubMed

Zamora, M J; Alvarez, M; Olmedo, J; Blanco, M C; Pozio, E

2015-06-15

Nematode worms of the genus Trichinella are zoonotic parasites circulating in most continents, including Europe. In Spain, Trichinella spiralis and Trichinella britovi are highly prevalent in wildlife but seldom in domestic pigs. In Portugal, only T. britovi was documented in wild carnivores. In the period 2006-2013 in Spain, 384 (0.0001%) pigs and 1399 (0.20%) wild boars (Sus scrofa) were positive for Trichinella spp. larvae, which were identified as T. spiralis or T. britovi. In 2014, Trichinella pseudospiralis larvae were isolated from a wild boar hunted in the Gerona province, Cataluña region, North-East of Spain, near the border to France. This is the first report of T. pseudospiralis in the Iberian peninsula, which suggests a broad distribution area of this zoonotic nematode in Europe. Since larvae of this Trichinella species do not encapsulate in the host muscles, they can be detected only by artificial digestion of muscle samples. T. pseudospiralis is the only Trichinella species infecting both mammals and birds. Birds can spread this pathogen over great distances including islands triggering new foci of infections in areas previously considered at low risk for this pathogen. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Dense Gas Fraction in the Central Molecular Zone in the Milky Way

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vargas-Salazar, Irene; Battersby, Cara; Walker, Daniel; Zhang, Qizhou; CMZoom

2017-01-01

The Central Molecular Zone (CMZ), a large reservoir of dense molecular gas occupying the central 500pc of the Milky Way, is an extreme star-formation environment where the validity of star formation prescriptions can be tested. The star formation rate (SFR) in the CMZ is about an order of magnitude lower than predicted by the currently accepted prescriptions. An international team lead by PIs Battersby and Keto conducted a survey from 2013-2016 called CMZoom using the Submillimeter Array (SMA) to characterize star formation within resolved molecular clouds in this extreme region. One of the main goals of this survey is to further quantify and understand the low SFR found in this region of the Galaxy. Here, we use the CASA software package to run synthetic observations of hydrodynamical simulations of molecular clouds and vary the observation parameters in such a way that we explore the real parameter space that was probed during the survey. The purpose of this is to investigate how the different observational parameters affect the resultant data. Afterwards, we estimate the “dense gas fraction” (DGF) found in regions across the CMZ. This estimate was found by using the interferometric flux from SMA and the single-dish flux from the Bolocam Galactic Plane Survey. We analyzed the effects that different locations of the CMZ had on these approximate DGF. With these simulations and DGF estimates, we are able to generate improved methods to analyze the data from this survey that will help understand star formation in an extreme environment.The SAO REU program is funded in part by the National Science Foundation REU and Department of Defense ASSURE programs under NSF Grant no.1262851, and by the Smithsonian Institution.

Direct and maternal additive effects are not the main determinants of Iberian piglet perinatal mortality.

PubMed

Muñoz, M; Rodríguez, M C; García-Cortes, L A; González, A; García-Casco, J M; Silió, L

2017-12-01

Data of 127,800 Iberian piglets were used to study genetic parameters of mortality at birth at the piglet level. These records proceed from three data sets: 4,987 litter of 2,156 sows of a dam line, 2,768 litter of 817 sows of a complete diallel cross between four Iberian strains and 7,153 litter of 2,113 sows of the Torbiscal composite line. Perinatal mortality was considered as a binary trait, and Bayesian threshold animal models were fitted to separately analyse the three data sets. The posterior means of direct heritability were 0.010, 0.004 and 0.003, and those of maternal heritability were 0.034, 0.011 and 0.014 for dam line, diallel cross and Torbiscal line, respectively. Important effects of litter size and parity order were inferred in the three data sets, of within-breed cross-breeding parameters in the diallel cross and of sex and sow handling in the Torbiscal line Therefore, the inclusion of perinatal mortality in the objective of selection is questionable in this breed and strategies for reducing piglet mortality successful in other breeds should be considered. © 2017 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

A shift in the spatial pattern of Iberian droughts during the 17th century

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Domínguez-Castro, F.; García-Herrera, R.; Ribera, P.; Barriendos, M.

2010-09-01

In this paper, series of drought occurrence and drought extension in the Iberian Peninsula are constructed for the 1600-1750 period from seven rogation series. These rogation ceremony records come from Bilbao, Catalonia, Zamora, Zaragoza, Toledo, Murcia and Seville. They are distributed across the Peninsula and include the areas with the most characteristic Iberian climate types, influenced by the Atlantic and the Mediterranean conditions, described from modern data. A seasonal division of the series shows that spring is a critical season for rogation series in most of Iberia, being Bilbao the only site were the highest number of rogations is detected for a different season. The annual analysis of the series shows a dramatic difference between the first half of the 17th century when droughts are characterized by its local character; and the rest of the period, when they affect to broader regions or even to the whole Peninsula. The analysis of spring series confirms the existence of the two periods detected in the annual analysis. Finally, secondary documentary sources are used to further characterise the two most extended droughts in the period, 1664 and 1680, and to verify the extension of the areas affected by droughts recorded through rogation series.

Adapted conservation measures are required to save the Iberian lynx in a changing climate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fordham, D. A.; Akçakaya, H. R.; Brook, B. W.; Rodríguez, A.; Alves, P. C.; Civantos, E.; Triviño, M.; Watts, M. J.; Araújo, M. B.

2013-10-01

The Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) has suffered severe population declines in the twentieth century and is now on the brink of extinction. Climate change could further threaten the survival of the species, but its forecast effects are being neglected in recovery plans. Quantitative estimates of extinction risk under climate change have so far mostly relied on inferences from correlative projections of species' habitat shifts. Here we use ecological niche models coupled to metapopulation simulations with source-sink dynamics to directly investigate the combined effects of climate change, prey availability and management intervention on the persistence of the Iberian lynx. Our approach is unique in that it explicitly models dynamic bi-trophic species interactions in a climate change setting. We show that anticipated climate change will rapidly and severely decrease lynx abundance and probably lead to its extinction in the wild within 50 years, even with strong global efforts to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. In stark contrast, we also show that a carefully planned reintroduction programme, accounting for the effects of climate change, prey abundance and habitat connectivity, could avert extinction of the lynx this century. Our results demonstrate, for the first time, why considering prey availability, climate change and their interaction in models is important when designing policies to prevent future biodiversity loss.

Zoning of agricultural field using a fuzzy indicators model

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Zoning of agricultural fields is an important task for utilization of precision farming technology. One method for deciding how to subdivide a field into a few relatively homogenous zones is using applications of fuzzy sets theory. Data collected from a precision agriculture study in central Texas...

The rise and fall of the mountain hare (Lepus timidus) during Pleistocene glaciations: expansion and retreat with hybridization in the Iberian Peninsula.

PubMed

Melo-Ferreira, J; Boursot, P; Randi, E; Kryukov, A; Suchentrunk, F; Ferrand, N; Alves, P C

2007-02-01

The climatic fluctuations during glaciations have affected differently arctic and temperate species. In the northern hemisphere, cooling periods induced the expansion of many arctic species to the south, while temperate species were forced to retract in southern refugia. Consequently, in some areas the alternation of these species set the conditions for competition and eventually hybridization. Hares in the Iberian Peninsula appear to illustrate this phenomenon. Populations of Iberian hare (Lepus granatensis), brown hare (Lepus europaeus) and broom hare (Lepus castroviejoi) in Northern Iberia harbour mitochondrial haplotypes from the mountain hare (Lepus timidus), a mainly boreal and arctic species presently absent from the peninsula. To understand the history of this past introgression we analysed sequence variation and geographical distribution of mitochondrial control region and cytochrome b haplotypes of L. timidus origin found in 378 specimens of these four species. Among 124 L. timidus from the Northern Palaearctic and the Alps we found substantial nucleotide diversity (2.3%) but little differentiation between populations. Based on the mismatch distribution of the L. timidus sequences, this could result from an expansion at a time of temperature decrease favourable to this arctic species. The nucleotide diversity of L. timidus mtDNA found in Iberian L. granatensis, L. europaeus and L. castroviejoi (183, 70 and 1 specimens, respectively) was of the same order as that in L. timidus over its range (1.9%), suggesting repeated introgression of multiple lineages. The structure of the coalescent of L. granatensis sequences indicates that hybridization with L. timidus was followed by expansion of the introgressed haplotypes, as expected during a replacement with competition, and occurred when temperatures started to rise, favouring the temperate species. Whether a similar scenario explains the introgression into Iberian L. europaeus remains unclear but it is possible

Structure of pseudotachylyte vein systems as a key to co-seismic rupture dynamics: the case of Gavilgarh-Tan Shear Zone, central India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chattopadhyay, A.; Bhattacharjee, D.; Mukherjee, S.

2014-04-01

The secondary fractures associated with a major pseudotachylyte-bearing fault vein in the sheared aplitic granitoid of the Proterozoic Gavilgarh-Tan Shear Zone in central India are mapped at the outcrop scale. The fracture maps help to identify at least three different types of co-seismic ruptures, e.g., X-X', T1 and T2, which characterize sinistral-sense shearing of rocks, confined between two sinistral strike-slip faults slipping at seismic rate. From the asymmetric distribution of tensile fractures around the sinistral-sense fault vein, the direction of seismic rupture propagation is predicted to have occurred from west-southwest to east-northeast, during an ancient (Ordovician?) earthquake. Calculations of approximate co-seismic displacement on the faults and seismic moment ( M 0) of the earthquake are attempted, following the methods proposed by earlier workers. These estimates broadly agree to the findings from other studied fault zones (e.g., Gole Larghe Fault zone, Italian Alps). This study supports the proposition by some researchers that important seismological information can be extracted from tectonic pseudotachylytes of all ages, provided they are not reworked by subsequent tectonic activity.

Crustal structure of the Izu Collision zone, central Japan, revealed by dense seismic array observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurashimo, E.; Sato, H.; Abe, S.; Kato, N.; Ishikawa, M.; Obara, K.

2009-12-01

In central Japan, the Philippine Sea Plate (PSP) subducts beneath the Tokyo Metropolitan area, the Kanto region. In western Kanto region, the Izu-Bonin arc (IBA) within the PSP has been colliding from the south with the Honshu arc, forming a complex structure called the Izu-Collision zone (ICZ). Several active faults were formed in and around the ICZ. The geometry of the subducting PSP and the overlying crustal structure of the ICZ are important to constrain the process of earthquake occurrence and the crustal evolution process associated with arc-arc collision. Recent seismic experiments reveal the geometry of the subducting PSP beneath the Kanto region (Sato et al., 2005). The Japanese islands, including the ICZ, are covered with dense arrays of permanent seismic stations, which provide good constraints on velocity structures by a tomographic method. Such studies reveal a general picture of the lithospheric structure such as a descending plate configuration (e.g. Matsubara et al., 2008). However, since an average spacing of the permanent station is typically 20 km, a detailed structure in the upper crust, which is imperative for an understanding of the active tectonics, cannot be well constrained by permanent array alone. Two dense seismic array observations were conducted to obtain a structural image beneath the ICZ. One is a 40-km-long line (EW-line) located in the northern part of the ICZ and the other is a 55-km-long line (NS-line) located in the central part of the ICZ. Seventy-five 3-component portable seismographs were deployed on EW-line with 500 to 700 m interval and waveforms were recorded during a four-month period from October, 2008. Forty 3-component portable seismographs were deployed on NS-line with about 1 km spacing and waveforms were recorded during the three month period from January, 2006. In order to obtain a high-resolution velocity model, a well-controlled hypocenter is essential. Due to this, we combined the seismic array data with

Iberian-Europe convergence: evolution of the Cretaceous and Eocene basins in Pyrenees and Provence

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Muller, J.; Ducassel, L.; Guieu, G.

1988-08-01

During Cretaceous time the geodynamic evolution of Northern and Western Pyrenean basins was related to scissors-shaped rifting which evolved as a passive margin filled by thick flysch deposits. In Provence, the carbonate platform was marked since the late Albian by the arrival of significant detrital flows originated from an uplifted Paleozoic block situated in the Gulf of Lion. In Provence the northward migration of the basin from Cenomanian to Eocene and Oligocene indicates the growing of the Gulf of Lion-South Provence crustal uplift and its northward displacement. The Cretaceous opening of the western Pyrenean, Parentis, and Bay of Biscay basinsmore » is synchronous with the first stages of compression in the Gulf of Lion. These features are induced by the rotation of Iberia. During the Eocene the compression, resulting from the Iberian-Europe convergence, affected nearly the whole Pyrenean-Provencal area. In the southern part of the Pyrenees east of the Pamplona fault, the successive dislocations of carbonate platforms, migration of reefs, and filling of foreland basins became the signature of the intracontinental subduction of Iberia. The transform fault pattern, still well preserved in spite of the Eocene compression, prevents any important strike-slip movement between Europe and Iberia, especially along the so-called North Pyrenean fault zone, which shows several discontinuities in the western part of Pyrenees. The final evolution of Gulf of Lion crustal uplift generated a gliding of its cover (Provence overthrusts) and, during Oligocene, the opening of the Ligurian-Provencal basin by a propagating rift process.« less

Latest Early Pleistocene wolf-like canids from the Iberian Peninsula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartolini Lucenti, Saverio; Alba, David M.; Rook, Lorenzo; Moyà-Solà, Salvador; Madurell-Malapeira, Joan

2017-04-01

Several species of the genus Canis (Carnivora: Canidae) have been recorded from the European Early Pleistocene, but the phylogenetic relationships among them and in relation to extant members of this genus are still unclear. This is particularly true for the medium-sized and wolf-like extinct species Canis mosbachensis. It has been considered by many researchers as a descendant of the larger Canis etruscus and as a likely putative ancestor of extant wolves (Canis lupus). Other scholars, in contrast, have advocated instead for a closer relationship between C. mosbachensis and the extinct Canis arnensis, and even a close relationship between C. mosbachensis and C. lupus has been questioned. Here we describe the previously unpublished medium-sized Canis remains from the late Early Pleistocene site of Vallparadís Estació, along with additional new Canis material from the roughly coeval site of Cueva Victoria (both in the Iberian Peninsula), and compare them qualitatively and morphometrically with both extant and extinct species of this genus. The described material most closely resembles in craniodental size and shape the remains from Central and Southern Europe that have been previously assigned to C. mosbachensis, to which they are hence formally attributed. The excellent preservation of the newly described specimens (which include the most complete skull of this taxon) enables the description of features previously unknown for this species, which further support a close phylogenetic link with living wolves. Based on the described material, we review the role played by C. mosbachensis in the evolutionary history of European fossil canids, and conclude that this extinct species is most closely related to C. lupus and other closely-allied species, such as Canis anthus and Canis latrans.

EUNIS habitat's thresholds for the Western coast of the Iberian Peninsula - A Portuguese case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monteiro, Pedro; Bentes, Luis; Oliveira, Frederico; Afonso, Carlos M. L.; Rangel, Mafalda O.; Gonçalves, Jorge M. S.

2015-06-01

The European Nature Information System (EUNIS) has been implemented for the establishment of a marine European habitats inventory. Its hierarchical classification is defined and relies on environmental variables which primarily constrain biological communities (e.g. substrate types, sea energy level, depth and light penetration). The EUNIS habitat classification scheme relies on thresholds (e.g. fraction of light and energy) which are based on expert judgment or on the empirical analysis of the above environmental data. The present paper proposes to establish and validate an appropriate threshold for energy classes (high, moderate and low) and for subtidal biological zonation (infralittoral and circalittoral) suitable for EUNIS habitat classification of the Western Iberian coast. Kinetic wave-induced energy and the fraction of photosynthetically available light exerted on the marine bottom were respectively assigned to the presence of kelp (Saccorhiza polyschides, Laminaria hyperborea and Laminaria ochroleuca) and seaweed species in general. Both data were statistically described, ordered from the largest to the smallest and percentile analyses were independently performed. The threshold between infralittoral and circalittoral was based on the first quartile while the 'moderate energy' class was established between the 12.5 and 87.5 percentiles. To avoid data dependence on sampling locations and assess the confidence interval a bootstrap technique was applied. According to this analysis, more than 75% of seaweeds are present at locations where more than 3.65% of the surface light reaches the sea bottom. The range of energy levels estimated using S. polyschides data, indicate that on the Iberian West coast the 'moderate energy' areas are between 0.00303 and 0.04385 N/m2 of wave-induced energy. The lack of agreement between different studies in different regions of Europe suggests the need for more standardization in the future. However, the obtained thresholds in

Loading Rate Variations Along a Midcrustal Shear Zone Preceding the Mw6.0 Earthquake of 24 August 2016 in Central Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vuan, A.; Sugan, M.; Chiaraluce, L.; Di Stefano, R.

2017-12-01

To identify greater detail in the seismicity pattern preceding the 24 August 2016 Mw6.0 earthquake in Central Italy, we apply waveform matching using 1,028 events as templates. In the 8 months before the mainshock, we find 2,000 additional earthquakes mostly located along a subhorizontal shear zone (SZ) bounding at depth the extensional fault system. Asynchrony is observed in the occurrence of events nucleating along the SZ compared to the ones on fault portions embedded in the shallower upper crust, with the former anticipating the latter. Within the SZ, we also observe along-strike seismic migration episodes with earthquakes pointing toward the Mw6.0 mainshock nucleation zone. These episodes are followed by an apparent quiescence within the main fault area. We suggest that the variations in the seismic activity along the SZ represent the brittle signature of the tectonic loading process enabling portions of the overlaying normal faults to become unlocked.

Synthesis of the Hydrogeologic Framework of the Floridan Aquifer System and Delineation of a Major Avon Park Permeable Zone in Central and Southern Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reese, Ronald S.; Richardson, Emily

2008-01-01

The carbonate Floridan aquifer system of central and southern Florida (south of a latitude of about 29 degrees north) is an invaluable resource with a complex framework that has previously been mapped and managed primarily in a subregional context according to geopolitical boundaries. As interest and use of the Floridan aquifer system in this area increase, a consistent regional hydrogeologic framework is needed for effective management across these boundaries. This study synthesizes previous studies on the Floridan aquifer system and introduces a new regional hydrogeologic conceptual framework, linking physical relations between central and southern Florida and between the west and east coastal areas. The differences in hydrogeologic nomenclature and interpretation across the study area from previous studies were identified and resolved. The Floridan aquifer system consists of the Upper Floridan aquifer, middle confining unit, and Lower Floridan aquifer. This study introduces and delineates a new major, regional productive zone or subaquifer, referred to as the Avon Park permeable zone. This zone is contained within the middle confining unit and synthesizes an extensive zone that has been referred to differently in different parts of the study area in previous studies. The name of this zone derives from the description of this zone as the ?Avon Park highly permeable zone? in west-central Florida in a previous study. Additionally, this zone has been identified previously in southeastern Florida as the ?middle Floridan aquifer.? An approximately correlative or approximate time-stratigraphic framework was developed and was used to provide guidance in the identification and determination of aquifers, subaquifers, and confining units within the Floridan aquifer system and to determine their structural relations. Two stratigraphic marker horizons within the Floridan aquifer system and a marker unit near the top of the aquifer system were delineated or mapped. The marker

Seismic anisotropy in central North Anatolian Fault Zone and its implications on crustal deformation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Licciardi, A.; Eken, T.; Taymaz, T.; Piana Agostinetti, N.; Yolsal-Çevikbilen, S.

2018-04-01

We investigate the crustal seismic structure and anisotropy around the central portion of the North Anatolian Fault Zone, a major plate boundary, using receiver function analysis. The characterization of crustal seismic anisotropy plays a key role in our understanding of present and past deformation processes at plate boundaries. The development of seismic anisotropy in the crust arises from the response of the rocks to complicated deformation regimes induced by plate interaction. Through the analysis of azimuthally-varying signals of teleseismic receiver functions, we map the anisotropic properties of the crust as a function of depth, by employing the harmonic decomposition technique. Although the Moho is located at a depth of about 40 km, with no major offset across the area, our results show a clear asymmetric distribution of crustal properties between the northern and southern blocks, divided by the North Anatolian Fault Zone. Heterogeneous and strongly anisotropic crust is present in the southern block, where complex intra-crustal signals are the results of strong deformation. In the north, a simpler and weakly anisotropic crust is typically observed. The strongest anisotropic signal is located in the first 15 km of the crust and is widespread in the southern block. Stations located on top of the main active faults in the area indicate the highest amplitudes, together with fault-parallel strikes of the fast plane of anisotropy. We interpret the origin of this signal as due to structure-induced anisotropy, and roughly determine its depth extent up to 15-20 km for these stations. Away from the faults, we suggest the contribution of previously documented uplifted basement blocks to explain the observed anisotropy at upper and middle crustal depths. Finally, we interpret coherent NE-SW orientations below the Moho as a result of frozen-in anisotropy in the upper mantle, as suggested by previous studies.

400 years of summer hydroclimate from stable isotopes in Iberian trees

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andreu-Hayles, Laia; Ummenhofer, Caroline C.; Barriendos, Mariano; Schleser, Gerhard H.; Helle, Gerhard; Leuenberger, Markus; Gutierrez, Emilia; Cook, Edward R.

2017-04-01

Tree rings are natural archives that annually record distinct types of past climate variability depending on the parameters measured. Here, we use ring-width and stable isotopes in cellulose of trees from the northwestern Iberian Peninsula (IP) to understand regional summer hydroclimate over the last 400 years and the associated atmospheric patterns. Correlations between tree rings and climate data demonstrate that isotope signatures in the targeted Iberian pine forests are very sensitive to water availability during the summer period, and are mainly controlled by stomatal conductance. Non-linear methods based on extreme events analysis allow for capturing distinct seasonal climatic variability recorded by tree-ring parameters and asymmetric signals of the associated atmospheric features. Moreover, years with extreme high (low) values in the tree-ring records were characterised by coherent large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns with reduced (enhanced) moisture transport onto the northwestern IP. These analyses of extremes revealed that high/low proxy values do not necessarily correspond to mirror images in the atmospheric anomaly patterns, suggesting different drivers of these patterns and the corresponding signature recorded in the proxies. Regional hydroclimate features across the broader IP and western Europe during extreme wet/dry summers detected by the northwestern IP trees compare favourably to an independent multicentury sea level pressure and drought reconstruction for Europe. Historical records also validate our findings that attribute non-linear moisture signals recorded by extreme tree-ring values to distinct large-scale atmospheric patterns and allow for 400-yr reconstructions of the frequency of occurrence of extreme conditions in summer hydroclimate. We will discuss how the results for Lillo compare with other records.

Long-term and Short-term Vertical Deformation Rates across the Forearc in the Central Mexican Subduction Zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramirez-Herrera, M. T.; Gaidzik, K.; Forman, S. L.; Kostoglodov, V.; Burgmann, R.

2015-12-01

Spatial scales of the earthquake cycle, from rapid deformation associated with earthquake rupture to slow deformation associated with interseismic and transient slow-slip behavior, span from fractions of a meter to thousands of kilometers (plate boundaries). Similarly, temporal scales range from seconds during an earthquake rupture to thousands of years of strain accumulation between earthquakes. The complexity of the multiple physical processes operating over this vast range of scales and the limited coverage of observations leads most scientists to focus on a narrow space-time window to isolate just one or a few process. We discuss here preliminary results on the vertical crustal deformation associated with both slow and rapid crustal deformation along a profile across the forearc region of the central Mexican subduction zone on the Guerrero sector, where the Cocos plate underthrusts the North American plate. This sector of the subduction zone is characterized by a particular slab geometry (with zones of rapid bending-unbending of the slab), irregular distributed seismicity, exceptionally large slow slip events (SSE) and non-volcanic tremors (NVT). We used the river network and geomorphic features of the Papagayo River to assess Quaternary crustal deformation. The Papagayo drainage network is strongly controlled by Late Cenozoic tectonic, Holocene and recent earthquake cycle processes. This is particularly true for the southern section of the drainage basin; from the dam in La Venta to the river mouth, where W-E structures commonly offset the course of the main river. River terraces occur along the course of the river at different elevations. We measured the height of a series of terraces and obtained OSL ages on quartz extracts to determine long-term rates of deformation. Finally, we discuss associations of the topography and river characteristics with the Cocos slab geometry, slow earthquakes, crustal deformation, and interseismic deformation.

U-PLANT GEOGRAPHIC ZONE CLEANUP PROTOTYPE

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

ROMINE, L.D.

2006-02-01

The U Plant geographic zone (UPZ) occupies 0.83 square kilometers on the Hanford Site Central Plateau (200 Area). It encompasses the U Plant canyon (221-U Facility), ancillary facilities that supported the canyon, soil waste sites, and underground pipelines. The UPZ cleanup initiative coordinates the cleanup of the major facilities, ancillary facilities, waste sites, and contaminated pipelines (collectively identified as ''cleanup items'') within the geographic zone. The UPZ was selected as a geographic cleanup zone prototype for resolving regulatory, technical, and stakeholder issues and demonstrating cleanup methods for several reasons: most of the area is inactive, sufficient characterization information is availablemore » to support decisions, cleanup of the high-risk waste sites will help protect the groundwater, and the zone contains a representative cross-section of the types of cleanup actions that will be required in other geographic zones. The UPZ cleanup demonstrates the first of 22 integrated zone cleanup actions on the Hanford Site Central Plateau to address threats to groundwater, the environment, and human health. The UPZ contains more than 100 individual cleanup items. Cleanup actions in the zone will be undertaken using multiple regulatory processes and decision documents. Cleanup actions will include building demolition, waste site and pipeline excavation, and the construction of multiple, large engineered barriers. In some cases, different cleanup actions may be taken at item locations that are immediately adjacent to each other. The cleanup planning and field activities for each cleanup item must be undertaken in a coordinated and cohesive manner to ensure effective execution of the UPZ cleanup initiative. The UPZ zone cleanup implementation plan (ZCIP) was developed to address the need for a fundamental integration tool for UPZ cleanup. As UPZ cleanup planning and implementation moves forward, the ZCIP is intended to be a living document that

Holocene re-colonisation, central-marginal distribution and habitat specialisation shape population genetic patterns within an Atlantic European grass species.

PubMed

Harter, D E V; Jentsch, A; Durka, W

2015-05-01

Corynephorus canescens (L.) P.Beauv. is an outbreeding, short-lived and wind-dispersed grass species, highly specialised on scattered and disturbance-dependent habitats of open sandy sites. Its distribution ranges from the Iberian Peninsula over Atlantic regions of Western and Central Europe, but excludes the two other classical European glacial refuge regions on the Apennine and Balkan Peninsulas. To investigate genetic patterns of this uncommon combination of ecological and biogeographic species characteristics, we analysed AFLP variation among 49 populations throughout the European distribution range, expecting (i) patterns of SW European glacial refugia and post-glacial expansion to the NE; (ii) decreasing genetic diversity from central to marginal populations; and (iii) interacting effects of high gene flow and disturbance-driven genetic drift. Decreasing genetic diversity from SW to NE and distinct gene pool clustering imply refugia on the Iberian Peninsula and in western France, from where range expansion originated towards the NE. High genetic diversity within and moderate genetic differentiation among populations, and a significant pattern of isolation-by-distance indicate a gene flow drift equilibrium within C. canescens, probably due to its restriction to scattered and dynamic habitats and limited dispersal distances. These features, as well as the re-colonisation history, were found to affect genetic diversity gradients from central to marginal populations. Our study emphasises the need for including the specific ecology into analyses of species (re-)colonisation histories and range centre-margin analyses. To account for discontinuous distributions, new indices of marginality were tested for their suitability in studies of centre-periphery gradients. © 2014 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

A new subdivision of the central Sesia Zone (Aosta Valley, Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giuntoli, Francesco; Engi, Martin; Manzotti, Paola; Ballèvre, Michel

2015-04-01

The Sesia Zone in the Western Alps is a continental terrane probably derived from the NW-Adriatic margin and polydeformed at HP conditions during Alpine convergence. Subdivisions of the Sesia Zone classically have been based on the dominant lithotypes: Eclogitic Micaschist Complex, Seconda Zona Diorito-Kinzigitica, and Gneiss Minuti Complex. However, recent work (Regis et al., 2014) on what was considered a single internal unit has revealed that it comprises two or more tectonic slices that experienced substantially different PTDt-evolutions. Therefore, detailed regional petrographic and structural mapping (1:3k to 1:10k) was undertaken and combined with extensive sampling for petrochronological analysis. Results allow us to propose a first tectonic scheme for the Sesia Zone between the Aosta Valley and Val d'Ayas. A set of field criteria was developed and applied, aiming to recognize and delimit the first order tectonic units in this complex structural and metamorphic context. The approach rests on three criteria used in the field: (1) Discontinuously visible metasedimentary trails (mostly carbonates) considered to be monocyclic (Permo-Mesozoic protoliths); (2) mappable high-strain zones; and (3) visible differences in the metamorphic imprint. None of these key features used are sufficient by themselves, but in combination they allow us to propose a new map that delimits main units. We propose an Internal Complex with three eclogitic sheets, each 0.5-3 km thick. Dominant lithotypes include micaschists associated with mafic rocks and minor orthogneiss. The main foliation is of HP, dipping moderately NW. Each of these sheets is bounded by (most likely monometamorphic) sediments, <10-50 m thick. HP-relics (of eclogite facies) are widespread, but a greenschist facies overprint locally is strong close to the tectonic contact to neighbouring sheets. An Intermediate Complex lies NW of the Internal Complex and comprises two thinner, wedge-shaped units termed slices. These

Eurasian otters, Lutra lutra, have a dominant mtDNA haplotype from the Iberian Peninsula to Scandinavia.

PubMed

Ferrando, Ainhoa; Ponsà, Montserrat; Marmi, Josep; Domingo-Roura, Xavier

2004-01-01

The Eurasian otter, Lutra lutra, has a Palaearctic distribution and has suffered a severe decline throughout Europe during the last century. Previous studies in this and other mustelids have shown reduced levels of variability in mitochondrial DNA, although otter phylogeographic studies were restricted to central-western Europe. In this work we have sequenced 361 bp of the mtDNA control region in 73 individuals from eight countries and added our results to eight sequences available from GenBank and the literature. The range of distribution has been expanded in relation to previous works north towards Scandinavia, east to Russia and Belarus, and south to the Iberian Peninsula. We found a single dominant haplotype in 91.78% of the samples, and six more haplotypes deviating a maximum of two mutations from the dominant haplotype restricted to a single country. Variability was extremely low in western Europe but higher in eastern countries. This, together with the lack of phylogeographical structuring, supports the postglacial recolonization of Europe from a single refugium. The Eurasian otter mtDNA control region has a 220-bp variable minisatellite in Domain III that we sequenced in 29 otters. We found a total of 19 minisatellite haplotypes, but they showed no phylogenetic information.

Snowfall in the Northwest Iberian Peninsula: Synoptic Circulation Patterns and Their Influence on Snow Day Trends

PubMed Central

Merino, Andrés; Fernández, Sergio; Hermida, Lucía; López, Laura; Sánchez, José Luis; García-Ortega, Eduardo; Gascón, Estíbaliz

2014-01-01

In recent decades, a decrease in snowfall attributed to the effects of global warming (among other causes) has become evident. However, it is reasonable to investigate meteorological causes for such decrease, by analyzing changes in synoptic scale patterns. On the Iberian Peninsula, the Castilla y León region in the northwest consists of a central plateau surrounded by mountain ranges. This creates snowfalls that are considered both an important water resource and a transportation risk. In this work, we develop a classification of synoptic situations that produced important snowfalls at observation stations in the major cities of Castilla y León from 1960 to 2011. We used principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster techniques to define four synoptic patterns conducive to snowfall in the region. Once we confirmed homogeneity of the series and serial correlation of the snowfallday records at the stations from 1960 to 2011, we carried out a Mann-Kendall test. The results show a negative trend at most stations, so there are a decreased number of snowfall days. Finally, variations in these meteorological variables were related to changes in the frequencies of snow events belonging to each synoptic pattern favorable for snowfall production at the observatory locations. PMID:25152912

Airborne pollen trends in the Iberian Peninsula.

PubMed

Galán, C; Alcázar, P; Oteros, J; García-Mozo, H; Aira, M J; Belmonte, J; Diaz de la Guardia, C; Fernández-González, D; Gutierrez-Bustillo, M; Moreno-Grau, S; Pérez-Badía, R; Rodríguez-Rajo, J; Ruiz-Valenzuela, L; Tormo, R; Trigo, M M; Domínguez-Vilches, E

2016-04-15

Airborne pollen monitoring is an effective tool for studying the reproductive phenology of anemophilous plants, an important bioindicator of plant behavior. Recent decades have revealed a trend towards rising airborne pollen concentrations in Europe, attributing these trends to an increase in anthropogenic CO2 emissions and temperature. However, the lack of water availability in southern Europe may prompt a trend towards lower flowering intensity, especially in herbaceous plants. Here we show variations in flowering intensity by analyzing the Annual Pollen Index (API) of 12 anemophilous taxa across 12 locations in the Iberian Peninsula, over the last two decades, and detecting the influence of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). Results revealed differences in the distribution and flowering intensity of anemophilous species. A negative correlation was observed between airborne pollen concentrations and winter averages of the NAO index. This study confirms that changes in rainfall in the Mediterranean region, attributed to climate change, have an important impact on the phenology of plants. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Meat mixture detection in Iberian pork sausages.

PubMed

Ortiz-Somovilla, V; España-España, F; De Pedro-Sanz, E J; Gaitán-Jurado, A J

2005-11-01

Five homogenized meat mixture treatments of Iberian (I) and/or Standard (S) pork were set up. Each treatment was analyzed by NIRS as a fresh product (N=75) and as dry-cured sausage (N=75). Spectra acquisition was carried out using DA 7000 equipment (Perten Instruments), obtaining a total of 750 spectra. Several absorption peaks and bands were selected as the most representative for homogenized dry-cured and fresh sausages. Discriminant analysis and mixture prediction equations were carried out based on the spectral data gathered. The best results using discriminant models were for fresh products, with 98.3% (calibration) and 60% (validation) correct classification. For dry-cured sausages 91.7% (calibration) and 80% (validation) of the samples were correctly classified. Models developed using mixture prediction equations showed SECV=4.7, r(2)=0.98 (calibration) and 73.3% of validation set were correctly classified for the fresh product. These values for dry-cured sausages were SECV=5.9, r(2)=0.99 (calibration) and 93.3% correctly classified for validation.

Cascadia Subduction Zone

USGS Publications Warehouse

Frankel, Arthur D.; Petersen, Mark D.

2008-01-01

The geometry and recurrence times of large earthquakes associated with the Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) were discussed and debated at a March 28-29, 2006 Pacific Northwest workshop for the USGS National Seismic Hazard Maps. The CSZ is modeled from Cape Mendocino in California to Vancouver Island in British Columbia. We include the same geometry and weighting scheme as was used in the 2002 model (Frankel and others, 2002) based on thermal constraints (Fig. 1; Fluck and others, 1997 and a reexamination by Wang et al., 2003, Fig. 11, eastern edge of intermediate shading). This scheme includes four possibilities for the lower (eastern) limit of seismic rupture: the base of elastic zone (weight 0.1), the base of transition zone (weight 0.2), the midpoint of the transition zone (weight 0.2), and a model with a long north-south segment at 123.8? W in the southern and central portions of the CSZ, with a dogleg to the northwest in the northern portion of the zone (weight 0.5). The latter model was derived from the approximate average longitude of the contour of the 30 km depth of the CSZ as modeled by Fluck et al. (1997). A global study of the maximum depth of thrust earthquakes on subduction zones by Tichelaar and Ruff (1993) indicated maximum depths of about 40 km for most of the subduction zones studied, although the Mexican subduction zone had a maximum depth of about 25 km (R. LaForge, pers. comm., 2006). The recent inversion of GPS data by McCaffrey et al. (2007) shows a significant amount of coupling (a coupling factor of 0.2-0.3) as far east as 123.8? West in some portions of the CSZ. Both of these lines of evidence lend support to the model with a north-south segment at 123.8? W.

Three-dimensional structure and seismicity beneath the Central Vanuatu subduction zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foix, O.; Crawford, W. C.; Koulakov, I.; Regnier, M. M.; Pelletier, B.; Garaebiti, E.

2017-12-01

The 1 400 km long Vanuatu subduction zone marks the subduction of the oceanic Australia plate beneath the North-Fijian microplate. Seismic and volcanic activity is high, and several morphologic features enter into subduction, affecting seismicity and probably plate coupling. The Northern d'Entrecasteaux Ridge, West-Torres plateau, and Bougainville seamount currently enter into subduction below the forearc islands of Santo and Malekula. This subduction/collision coincides with a strongly decreased local convergence velocity rate at the trench (35 mm/yr compared to 120-160 mm/yr to the north and south) and significant uplift on the overriding plate. Two large forearc islands located 20-30 km from the subduction front Santo and Malekula to the trench allow excellent coverage of the megathrust seismogenic zone for a seismological study. We use data from the 10 months, 30-station amphibious ARC-VANUATU seismology network to construct a 3D velocity model and locate 11 617 earthquakes. The 3D model reveals low P and S velocities in the uppermost tens of kilometers in front of the Northern d'Entrecasteaux Ridge and the Bougainville Guyot. These anomalies may be due to heavy faulting of related subducted features, possibly including important water infiltration. We also identify a possible seamount entered into subduction beneath a smaller uplifted island between the two main islands. The spatial distribution of earthquakes is highly variable, as is the depth limit of the seismogenic zone, suggests a complex interaction of faults and stress zones related to high and highly variable stress that may be associated with the subducted features.

Strain localization on different scales and the importance of brittle precursors during deformation in the lower crust (Davenport Shear Zone, Central Australia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hawemann, Friedrich; Mancktelow, Neil; Wex, Sebastian; Camacho, Alfredo; Pennacchioni, Giorgio

2014-05-01

High strain rocks in the Musgrave Ranges (Central Australia) provide a rather unique insight into the development of lower crustal shear zones during the 550 Ma Petermann Orogeny, allowing common models for lower crustal deformation to be critically evaluated. The observed structures in the study area are, from south to north: (1) The Mann Fault, which is poorly exposed but evident on airborne geomagnetic maps. This regional scale fault with a component of dextral shear shows a step-over resulting in the formation of a pull-apart basin. (2) The Davenport Shear Zone, accommodating the horizontal extension in a 7 km wide WNW-ESE-trending mylonitic zone developed under subeclogitic, lower crustal conditions. This high strain zone is bounded to the north by a more than 50 km long, continuous, sheared dolerite dyke. North of this dyke, the ~1200 Ma Musgravian fabric is still preserved, only slightly rotated and typically N-S trending. (3) The Woodroffe Thrust, marking the northern boundary of the Musgrave Ranges, brings these lower crustal rocks on top of amphibolite facies units, with a top-to-north sense of movement. Strain in the Davenport Shear Zone is very heterogeneously distributed, with localization and partitioning from the kilometre down to the millimetre scale. Pseudotachylyte is commonly associated with dykes, especially on the boundaries, and is often sheared. The orientation of sheared dykes and localized shear zones is typically at a high angle to either side of the shortening direction, resulting in a variable sense of shear and a major component of flattening, with a nearly horizontal extension direction. Detailed outcrop-scale mapping shows that compositional inhomogeneities, such as quartz veins, are generally not exploited, even when favourably oriented for shear reactivation. Ultramylonitic shear zones are sometimes only a few millimetres wide but extend for several metres and are generally oblique to the background foliation. Pseudotachylyte often

Observations of SKS splitting beneath the Central and Southern External Dinarides in the Adria-Eurasia convergence zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Subašić, Senad; Prevolnik, Snježan; Herak, Davorka; Herak, Marijan

2017-05-01

Seismic anisotropy beneath the greater region of the Central and Southern External Dinarides is estimated from observations of SKS splitting. The area is located in the broad and complex Africa-Eurasia convergent plate boundary zone, where the Adriatic microplate interacts with the Dinarides. We analyzed recordings of 12 broadband seismic stations located in the Croatian coastal region. Evidence of seismic anisotropy was found beneath all stations. Fast axis directions are oriented approximately in the NE-SW to NNE-SSW direction, perpendicularly to the strike of the Dinarides. Average delay times range between 0.6 and 1.0 s. A counter-clockwise rotation in average fast axis directions was observed for the stations in the northern part with respect to the stations in the southern part of the studied area. Fast axis directions coincide with the assumed direction of asthenospheric flow through a slab-gap below the Northern and Central External Dinarides, with the maximum tectonic stress orientation in the crust, and with fast directions of Pg and Sg-waves in the crust. These observations suggest that the detected SKS birefringence is primarily caused by the preferred lattice orientation of mantle minerals generated by the asthenospheric flow directed SW-NE to SSW-NNE, with a possible contribution from the crust.

Dynamics of water mass in the Central Siberia permafrost zone based on gravity survey from the grace satellites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Im, S. T.; Kharuk, V. I.

2015-12-01

The GRACE gravimetric survey is applied to analyze the equivalent water mass anomalies (EWMAs) in the permafrost zone of Central Siberia. Variations in EWMAs are related to precipitation, air temperature, potential evapotranspiration, and soil composition (drainage conditions). The EWMA dynamics demonstrates two periods. The period of 2003-2008 is characterized by a positive trend. The one of 2008-2012 shows a decrease in the trend with a simultaneous increase by 30-70% of EWMA dispersion in the background of growth (up to 40%) of precipitation variability. The rate of water mass increment demonstrates a positive correlation with the sand and gravel contents in soil ( r = 0.72) and a negative one with clay content ( r =-0.69 to-0.77). For Taimyr Peninsula, there is a deficit of residual water mass (~250 mm for the period of 2012-2013) indicating the deeper thawing of permafrost soils. In the Central Siberian Plateau, the indicator of more intensive permafrost thawing (and that of an increase in active layer thickness) is a considerable trend of water mass increase (2003-2008). The increasing trend of the largest Siberian rivers (Yenisei and Lena) is revealed in the period of 2003-2012.

Regional Climate Simulations of the Hydrological Cycle in the Iberian Peninsula with a Coupled WRF-HYDRO Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rios-Entenza, A.; Miguez-Macho, G.

2008-12-01

Land-atmosphere water exchanges and heat fluxes play an important role in climate and particularly in controlling precipitation in water-limited regions. One of such regions is the Iberian Peninsula, and in this study we examine the relevance of water recycling in convective precipitation regimes of the Fall and Spring there, when rainfall is critical for agriculture and many other human activities. We conducted simulations with WRF-ARW model at 5 km horizontal resolution, using a 1500 km x 1500 km nested grid that covers the Iberian Peninsula, with a parent domain that uses spectral nudging in order to avoid the distortion of the large-scale circulation caused by the interaction of the modeled flow with the lateral boundaries of the nested grid. For land-surface interactions we coupled WRF with the LEAF-HYDRO land surface model, which includes water table dynamics. We use therefore a tool that simulates the entire water cycle, including the water table, which has been reported to be critical for soil moisture dynamics in semi-arid regions like the Iberian Peninsula. For each one of the events that we selected, we performed two simulations: a control one, where all land-atmosphere feedbacks are taken into account, and the experiment, where infiltration of the precipitated water into the soil was suppressed. In this manner we explore the role of upward latent and sensible heat fluxes and evapotranspiration in precipitation dynamics. Preliminary results suggest that water recycling is a key factor in extending convective precipitation during several days, and that the total new water added in the area as a whole is only a fraction of the total measured rainfall. An estimation of this fraction is very important to better understanding the water budget and for hydrological planning in this water-stressed region.

Predicting km-scale shear zone formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerbi, Christopher; Culshaw, Nicholas; Shulman, Deborah; Foley, Maura; Marsh, Jeffrey

2015-04-01

Because km-scale shear zones play a first-order role in lithospheric kinematics, accurate conceptual and numerical models of orogenic development require predicting when and where they form. Although a strain-based algorithm in the upper crust for weakening due to faulting appears to succeed (e.g., Koons et al., 2010, doi:10.1029/2009TC002463), a comparable general rule for the viscous crust remains unestablished. Here we consider two aspects of the geological argument for a similar algorithm in the viscous regime, namely (1) whether predicting km-scale shear zone development based on a single parameter (such as strain or shear heating) is reasonable; and (2) whether lithologic variability inherent in most orogenic systems precludes a simple predictive rule. A review of tectonically significant shear zones worldwide and more detailed investigations in the Central Gneiss belt of the Ontario segment of the Grenville Province reveals that most km-scale shear zones occur at lithological boundaries and involve mass transfer, but have fairly little else in common. As examples, the relatively flat-lying Twelve Mile Bay shear zone in the western Central Gneiss belt bounds the Parry Sound domain and is likely the product of both localized anatexis and later retrograde hydration with attendant metamorphism. Moderately dipping shear zones in granitoids of the Grenville Front Tectonic Zone apparently resulted from cooperation among several complementary microstructural processes, such as grain size reduction, enhanced diffusion, and a small degree of metamorphic reaction. Localization into shear zones requires the operation of some spatially restricted processes such as stress concentration, metamorphism/fluid access, textural evolution, and thermal perturbation. All of these could be due in part to strain, but not necessarily linearly related to strain. Stress concentrations, such as those that form at rheological boundaries, may be sufficient to nucleate high strain

Major Crustal Fault Zone Trends and Their Relation to Mineral Belts in the North-Central Great Basin, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rodriguez, Brian D.; Sampson, Jay A.; Williams, Jackie M.

2007-01-01

The Great Basin physiographic province covers a large part of the western United States and contains one of the world's leading gold-producing areas, the Carlin Trend. In the Great Basin, many sedimentary-rock-hosted disseminated gold deposits occur along such linear mineral-occurrence trends. The distribution and genesis of these deposits is not fully understood, but most models indicate that regional tectonic structures play an important role in their spatial distribution. Over 100 magnetotelluric (MT) soundings were acquired between 1994 and 2001 by the U.S. Geological Survey to investigate crustal structures that may underlie the linear trends in north-central Nevada. MT sounding data were used to map changes in electrical resistivity as a function of depth that are related to subsurface lithologic and structural variations. Two-dimensional (2-D) resistivity modeling of the MT data reveals primarily northerly and northeasterly trending narrow 2-D conductors (1 to 30 ohm-m) extending to mid-crustal depths (5-20 km) that are interpreted to be major crustal fault zones. There are also a few westerly and northwesterly trending 2-D conductors. However, the great majority of the inferred crustal fault zones mapped using MT are perpendicular or oblique to the generally accepted trends. The correlation of strike of three crustal fault zones with the strike of the Carlin and Getchell trends and the Alligator Ridge district suggests they may have been the root fluid flow pathways that fed faults and fracture networks at shallower levels where gold precipitated in favorable host rocks. The abundant northeasterly crustal structures that do not correlate with the major trends may be structures that are open to fluid flow at the present time.

Three-dimensional geometry and tectonostratigraphy of the Pennine zone, Central Alps, Switzerland and Northern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maxelon, Michael; Mancktelow, Neil S.

2005-08-01

Continental collision during Alpine orogenesis entailed a polyphase deformation history (D 1-D 5) in the Pennine zone of the Central Alps. The regional tectonostratigraphy was basically developed during D 1 and D 2, characterised by isoclinal, typically north-closing recumbent anticlines, separated by pinched-in synclines, on the scale of tens of kilometres. Later deformation phases (D 3 and D 4) warped the stack into wavy to open folds. Exhumation of this zone resulted locally in later vertical shortening and folding of already steep fabrics (D 5). Three-dimensional models of the nappe pile were constructed, based on geostatistical assessment of the regional foliation field and considering the abundant structural field data. These models indicate the existence of five principal tectonostratigraphic levels developed during D 1 and thus equivalent to nappe units s. str.: the Gotthard, the Leventina-Antigorio, the Maggia-Simano (and probably the Monte Leone as well as the Composite Lepontine Series), Lebendun-Soja and Adula-Cima Lunga levels. All these tectonic units formed part of the passive continental margin of Europe prior to the onset of the Alpine orogenesis. Individual isoclinal post-nappe folds reflect relative displacements on the order of 40 km or more. The most prominent D 2 post-nappe structure is the Wandfluhhorn Fold, structurally equivalent to the northern closure of the Leventina-Lucomagno Antiform. The Lebendun and Monte Leone folds are of similar magnitudes and also affect the whole nappe pile, whereas the smaller Mogno and Molare synforms only refold the Maggia-Simano nappe internally. Principal D 3 and D 4 structures are the tight Mergoscia Synform directly north of the Insubric Fault between Bellinzona and Locarno (Southern Steep Belt), the Maggia Steep Zone, forming the steep western limb of the Campo Tencia Synform and subdividing the Lepontine dome into the Simplon and Ticino subdomes, the Chiéra Synform steepening the dominant foliation in

Sensory and consumer evaluation of pork loins from crossbreeds between Danish Landrace, Yorkshire, Duroc, Iberian and Mangalitza.

PubMed

Straadt, Ida K; Aaslyng, Margit D; Bertram, Hanne Christine

2013-09-01

Iberian (I) and Mangalitza (M) boars were crossed with Duroc (D) and Landrace/Yorkshire (LY) sows and compared with the traditional crossbreed DLY. The sensory attributes were analysed, and consumers evaluated the fried loins. Gas chromatography (GC) aroma analysis was performed on the fried meat, and fatty acid composition was determined on the loin and the subcutaneous fat, respectively. No marked differences were found in odour, appearance or flavour/taste between the alternative crossbreeds and DLY; however, the alternative crossbreeds had improved textural properties. Consumer evaluation revealed that the alternative crossbreeds obtained positive associations compared with DLY, and MD was ranked best or second best by almost 60% of the consumers. No pronounced differences were found in the aroma compounds between the different crossbreeds. Correlations were found between the fatty acid composition and sensory attributes. In conclusion, by crossing the alternative breeds Iberian and Mangalitza with traditional Danish pig breeds it is possible to produce pork with attractive sensory attributes. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Authentication of fattening diet of Iberian pigs according to their volatile compounds profile from raw subcutaneous fat.

PubMed

Narváez-Rivas, M; Pablos, F; Jurado, J M; León-Camacho, M

2011-02-01

The composition of volatile components of subcutaneous fat from Iberian pig has been studied. Purge and trap gas chromatography-mass spectrometry has been used. The composition of the volatile fraction of subcutaneous fat has been used for authentication purposes of different types of Iberian pig fat. Three types of this product have been considered, montanera, extensive cebo and intensive cebo. With classification purposes, several pattern recognition techniques have been applied. In order to find out possible tendencies in the sample distribution as well as the discriminant power of the variables, principal component analysis was applied as visualisation technique. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and soft independent modelling by class analogy (SIMCA) were used to obtain suitable classification models. LDA and SIMCA allowed the differentiation of three fattening diets by using the contents in 2,2,4,6,6-pentamethyl-heptane, m-xylene, 2,4-dimethyl-heptane, 6-methyl-tridecane, 1-methoxy-2-propanol, isopropyl alcohol, o-xylene, 3-ethyl-2,2-dimethyl-oxirane, 2,6-dimethyl-undecane, 3-methyl-3-pentanol and limonene.

Phylogenetic Analysis Shows That Neolithic Slate Plaques from the Southwestern Iberian Peninsula Are Not Genealogical Recording Systems

PubMed Central

García Rivero, Daniel; O'Brien, Michael J.

2014-01-01

Prehistoric material culture proposed to be symbolic in nature has been the object of considerable archaeological work from diverse theoretical perspectives, yet rarely are methodological tools used to test the interpretations. The lack of testing is often justified by invoking the opinion that the slippery nature of past human symbolism cannot easily be tackled by the scientific method. One such case, from the southwestern Iberian Peninsula, involves engraved stone plaques from megalithic funerary monuments dating ca. 3,500–2,750 B.C. (calibrated age). One widely accepted proposal is that the plaques are ancient mnemonic devices that record genealogies. The analysis reported here demonstrates that this is not the case, even when the most supportive data and techniques are used. Rather, we suspect there was a common ideological background to the use of plaques that overlay the southwestern Iberian Peninsula, with little or no geographic patterning. This would entail a cultural system in which plaque design was based on a fundamental core idea, with a number of mutable and variable elements surrounding it. PMID:24558384

Statistical Study of High-Velocity Compact Clouds Based on the Complete CO Imagings of the Central Molecular Zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tokuyama, Sekito; Oka, Tomoharu; Takekawa, Shunya; Yamada, Masaya; Iwata, Yuhei; Tsujimoto, Shiho

2017-01-01

High-velocity compact clouds (HVCCs) is one of the populations of peculiar clouds detected in the Central Molecular Zone (CMZ) of our Galaxy. They have compact appearances (< 5 pc) and large velocity widths (> 50 km s-1). Several explanations for the origin of HVCC were proposed; e.g., a series of supernovae (SN) explosions (Oka et al. 1999) or a gravitational kick by a point-like gravitational source (Oka et al. 2016). To investigate the statistical property of HVCCs, a complete list of them is acutely necessary. However, the previous list is not complete since the identification procedure included automated processes and manual selection (Nagai 2008). Here we developed an automated procedure to identify HVCCs in a spectral line data.

Palaeoenvironments of the last Neanderthals in SW Europe (MIS 3): Cova del Coll Verdaguer (Barcelona, NE of Iberian Peninsula)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daura, J.; Sanz, M.; Allué, E.; Vaquero, M.; López-García, J. M.; Sánchez-Marco, A.; Domènech, R.; Martinell, J.; Carrión, J. S.; Ortiz, J. E.; Torres, T.; Arnold, L. J.; Benson, A.; Hoffmann, D. L.; Skinner, A. R.; Julià, R.

2017-12-01

Marine isotope stage 3 (MIS 3) was characterised by marked oscillations of extreme cold episodes with very short warm events during the stadial, and several regional differences have been recorded in the ice cores and marine deposits. The aim of this study is to reconstruct this period by evaluating both terrestrial and regional responses. Cova del Coll Verdaguer, a site located on the Iberian Peninsula, preserves a sedimentary deposit dated to between 34 and 56 ka BP and provides an opportunity for evaluating the impact of climate changes on the regional landmass during a period that coincided with the last Neanderthal population on the Iberian Peninsula. Several dating methods, including U-series, electron spin resonance, amino acid racemization and radiocarbon (14C), were applied to the site and the ages obtained show good agreement. The biotic evidence obtained is substantial, comprising floristic data from palynology and charcoal analysis, and faunal data from large and small mammals, birds and gastropods. Environmental reconstruction points to an initially open meadow landscape at the base of the sequence (∼56 ka) that progressively changes to a woodland environment dominated by conifers (∼34 ka). The presence of few thermophilous taxa, in contrast with lower latitudes of the Iberian Peninsula, is also detected. The environmental conditions of mid-altitude, Mediterranean, limestone mountains for the last Neanderthal populations appear to have been dominated by a forested landscape comprising boreal or mixed coniferous forest, characterised by a low usable biomass with poor comestible plant resources and dispersed herbivore populations.

Volatile hydrocarbon profile of Iberian dry-cured hams. A possible tool for authentication of hams according to the fattening diet.

PubMed

Narváez-Rivas, Mónica; Vicario, Isabel M; Alcalde, M Jesús; León-Camacho, Manuel

2010-06-15

The aims of this work were to carry out a comprehensive study of the volatile hydrocarbons of 34 Iberian dry-cured hams and to evaluate the efficiency of these compounds for discriminating hams according to the fattening system: "Montanera" (B) and "Cebo" (C). The samples of hams were obtained by mincing the semimembranosus and semitendinosus muscles from slices of dry-cured ham. The analyses were carried out by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with a polar capillary column and after a previous extraction by Purge and Trap method. Forty-three volatile hydrocarbons were identified, 26 of them for the first time in Iberian dry-cured ham. Only five compounds showed significant differences between the two types of hams. Among the 33 volatile hydrocarbons, 22 of them allowed a complete discrimination of the two groups of hams according the fattening system.

Assessing extreme droughts in the Iberian Peninsula during 1750-1850 from rogation ceremonies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Domínguez-Castro, F.; Ribera, P.; García-Herrera, R.; Vaquero, J. M.; Barriendos, M.; Cuadrat, J. M.; Moreno, J. M.

2011-11-01

Among the different meteorological risks, droughts are the ones with the highest socio-economical impact in the Iberian Peninsula. Drought events have been largely studied in the instrumental period, but very little is known about the characteristics of droughts in the preinstrumental period. In this work, new series of rogation ceremonies identify severe droughts within the period 1750-1850. The overlapping of the rogation series with some instrumental series served to identify some climatic characteristics of rogation ceremonies: a) during spring, rainfall deficits needed to celebrate rogation ceremonies are smaller than in any other season; b) when the number of location celebrating rogations increases in a region the hydrological deficit on each location increases as well. On the other hand, it was found that the periods 1750-1754 and 1779-1783 are probably the driest periods of the 101 analyzed years. Both show an important number of rogations all over the Iberian Peninsula and during all the seasons. The most extended drought of this period occurred during the spring of 1817, affecting 15 of the 16 locations studied. This drought was influenced by the Tambora eruption (1815). The study of the climate footprint of this eruption and its comparison with similar situations in the series suggest that the spring drought of 1824 may be associated with the eruptions of the Galunggung and Usu volcanoes (1822). Further studies are required to confirm this fact and understand the atmospheric mechanisms involved.

Neoproterozoic transpression and granite magmatism in the Gavilgarh-Tan Shear Zone, central India: Tectonic significance of U-Pb zircon and U-Th-total Pb monazite ages

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chattopadhyay, Anupam; Chatterjee, Amitava; Das, Kaushik; Sarkar, Arindam

2017-10-01

The Gavilgarh-Tan Shear Zone (GTSZ) is a crustal-scale shear/fault zone that dissects the unclassified basement gneisses separating two major supracrustal belts, viz. the Paleo- to Mesoproterozoic (≥1.5 Ga) Betul Belt and the Neoproterozoic (∼1.0 Ga) Sausar Belt, of the Central Indian Tectonic Zone (CITZ). The GTSZ extends for more than 300 km strike length, partly covered by the Deccan Trap flows. Granitoid rocks ranging from syenogranite to granodiorite in composition, sheared at temperatures corresponding to the amphibolite facies metamorphic condition, define the GTSZ in the Kanhan River Valley. Earlier geological studies have suggested that the GTSZ underwent a sinistral-sense partitioned transpression in response to an oblique collision between two continental fragments, possibly related to crustal thickening and high-pressure granulite metamorphism (the Ramakona-Katangi granulite: RKG) in the northern part of the Sausar Belt. LA-ICP-MS U-Pb dating of zircon and EPMA U-Th-total Pb dating of monazite grains from four different types of syn-tectonic granitoids of the GTSZ carried out in the present study show that granitoids intruded the basement gneisses between 1.2 Ga and 0.95 Ga, given the error limit of the calculated ages. The age of transpression and mylonitization is more definitely bracketed between 1.0 Ga and 0.95 Ga, which correlates well with the published ages of deformation and metamorphism in the Sausar Belt. This age data strongly supports the suggested collisional tectonic model involving the GTSZ and the RKG granulites of the Sausar Belt and underlines a Grenvillian-age tectonic history for the southern part of the Central Indian Tectonic Zone (CITZ), which possibly culminated in the crustal assembly of the Neoproterozoic supercontinent Rodinia.

MAAG Job Position: Rolebooks and Technical Vocabulary (Iberian Spanish). Methods for Determining Language Objectives and Criteria, Volume VII.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Setzler, Hubert H., Jr.; And Others

Rolebooks and technical Iberian Spanish vocabulary for the job position of military advisory and assistance group (MAAG) officer of the Air Force are presented. The materials are part of the communication/language objectives-based system (C/LOBS), which supports the front-end analysis efforts of the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language…

Towards understanding carbon recycling at subduction zones - lessons from Central America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hilton, D. R.; Barry, P. H.; Fischer, T. P.

2010-12-01

Subduction zones provide the essential pathways for input of carbon from Earth’s external reservoirs (crust, sediments, oceans) to the mantle. However, carbon input to the deep interior is interrupted by outputs via the fore-arc, volcanic front, and back-arc regions. Coupled CO2 and He isotope data for geothermal fluids from throughout Central American (CA) are used to derive estimates of the output carbon flux for comparison with inputs estimated for the subducting Cocos Plate. The carbon flux carried by the incoming sediments is ~1.6 × 109 gCkm-1yr-1[1], as is the ratio of input carbon derived from pelagic limestone (L) and organic sediment (S), i.e., L/S ~10.7. Additionally, the upper 7 km of oceanic (crustal) basement supplies ~9.1 × 108 gCkm-1yr-1[2]: this flux is dominated by L-derived CO2. In terms of output, measured carbon concentrations coupled with flow rates for submarine cold seeps sites at the Costa Rica outer forearc yield CO2 and CH4 fluxes of ~ 6.1 × 103 and 8.0 × 105 (gCkm-1yr-1), respectively [3]. On the Nicoya Peninsula, the Costa Rica Pacific coastline (including the Oso Peninsula) and the Talamanca Mountain Range, coupled CO2-He studies allow recognition of a deep input (3He/4He up to 4RA) and resolution of CO2 into L- and S-components. There is an increase in the L/S ratio arc-ward with the lowest values lying close to diatomaceous ooze in the uppermost sequence of subducting sediment package. This observation is consistent with under-plating and removal of the uppermost organic-rich sediment from deeper subduction. As the input carbon fluxes of the individual sedimentary layers are well constrained [1], we can limit the potential steady-state flux of carbon loss at the subaerial fore-arc to ~ 6 × 107 gCkm-1yr-1, equivalent to ~88% of the input flux of the diatomaceous ooze, or < 4% of the total incoming sedimentary carbon. The greatest loss of slab-derived carbon occurs at the volcanic front. Estimates of the output CO2 flux along the

First record of Hermetia illucens (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) on human corpses in Iberian Peninsula.

PubMed

Martínez-Sánchez, Anabel; Magaña, Concepción; Saloña, Marta; Rojo, Santos

2011-03-20

This article presents the first record of Hermetia illucens larvae on a human corpse in Spain (the second case report in Europe). Prepupae of H. illucens, and other insects, were recovered from the dead body of a 72-year-old man in an advanced stage of decomposition. The body was located in Reus (NE Spain), in October 1998. This article provides additional biological data on experimental studies and an update on the geographic distribution of this species in the Iberian Peninsula. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ozone attributed to Madrid and Barcelona on-road transport emissions: Characterization of plume dynamics over the Iberian Peninsula.

PubMed

Valverde, Víctor; Pay, María T; Baldasano, José M

2016-02-01

Despite the ~30% emission decrease of the main tropospheric ozone (O3) precursors in Spain in the 2001-2012 period, the O3 concentration in summer still exceeds the target value for the protection of the human health of the Air Quality Directive (2008/50/EC). On-road transport is the main anthropogenic contributor to O3 precursor's emissions in Madrid and Barcelona metropolitan areas (65%/59% of NOx, 40%/33% of NMVOC, and 67%/85% of CO emissions) but this contribution to O3 formation is not well understood. The present work aims at increasing the understanding on the role of on-road transport emissions from main Spanish urban areas in O3 dynamics over Spain under typical circulation types. For that purpose, the Integrated Source Apportionment Method is used within the CALIOPE modelling system (WRF/CMAQ/HERMES/BSC-DREAM8b). The results indicate that the daily maximum O3 concentration attributed to the on-road transport emissions from Madrid (O3T-MAD) and Barcelona metropolitan areas (O3T-BCN) contribute up to 24% and 8% to total O3 concentration, respectively, within an area of influence of 200 km. The contribution of O3T-MAD and O3T-BCN is particularly significant (up to 80-100 μg m(-3) in an hour) to the O3 concentration peak during the central hours of the day in the high O3 concentration season (April-September). The maximum O3T-MAD concentration is calculated within the metropolitan area of Madrid but the plume, channelled by the Tajo and the Henares valleys, affects large areas of the Iberian Peninsula. The O3T-BCN plume is more driven by sea-land and mountain-valley breezes than by the synoptic advection and its maximum concentration is usually registered over the Mediterranean Sea. The O3 concentration transported long-range to the Iberian Peninsula is significant in the area of influence of Madrid and Barcelona, being maxima under cold (70-96%) and minima in warm circulation types (35-70%). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Volcanic gas emissions and degassing dynamics at Ubinas and Sabancaya volcanoes; implications for the volatile budget of the central volcanic zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moussallam, Yves; Tamburello, Giancarlo; Peters, Nial; Apaza, Fredy; Schipper, C. Ian; Curtis, Aaron; Aiuppa, Alessandro; Masias, Pablo; Boichu, Marie; Bauduin, Sophie; Barnie, Talfan; Bani, Philipson; Giudice, Gaetano; Moussallam, Manuel

2017-09-01

Emission of volcanic gas is thought to be the dominant process by which volatiles transit from the deep earth to the atmosphere. Volcanic gas emissions, remain poorly constrained, and volcanoes of Peru are entirely absent from the current global dataset. In Peru, Sabancaya and Ubinas volcanoes are by far the largest sources of volcanic gas. Here, we report the first measurements of the compositions and fluxes of volcanic gases emitted from these volcanoes. The measurements were acquired in November 2015. We determined an average SO2 flux of 15.3 ± 2.3 kg s- 1 (1325-ton day- 1) at Sabancaya and of 11.4 ± 3.9 kg s- 1 (988-ton day- 1) at Ubinas using scanning ultraviolet spectroscopy and dual UV camera systems. In-situ Multi-GAS analyses yield molar proportions of H2O, CO2, SO2, H2S and H2 gases of 73, 15, 10 1.15 and 0.15 mol% at Sabancaya and of 96, 2.2, 1.2 and 0.05 mol% for H2O, CO2, SO2 and H2S at Ubinas. Together, these data imply cumulative fluxes for both volcanoes of 282, 30, 27, 1.2 and 0.01 kg s- 1 of H2O, CO2, SO2, H2S and H2 respectively. Sabancaya and Ubinas volcanoes together contribute about 60% of the total CO2 emissions from the Central Volcanic zone, and dominate by far the total revised volatile budget of the entire Central Volcanic Zone of the Andes.

Coseismic microstructures of experimental fault zones in Carrara marble

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ree, Jin-Han; Ando, Jun-ichi; Han, Raehee; Shimamoto, Toshihiko

2014-09-01

Experimental fault zones developed in Carrara marble that were deformed at seismic slip rates (1.18-1.30 m s-1) using a high-velocity-rotary-shear apparatus exhibit very low friction (friction coefficient as low as 0.06) at steady state due to nanoparticle lubrication of the decomposition product (lime). The fault zones show a layered structure; a central slip-localization layer (5-60 μm thick) of lime nanograins mantled by gouge layers (5-150 μm thick) and a plastically deformed layer (45-500 μm thick) between the wall rock and gouge layer in the marginal portion of cylindrical specimens. Calcite grains of the wall rock adjacent to the slip zone deform by dislocation glide when subjected to frictional heating and a lower strain rate than that of the principal slip zone. The very fine (2-5 μm) calcite grains in the gouge layer show a foam structure with relatively straight grain boundaries and 120° triple junctions. This foam structure is presumed to develop by welding at high temperature and low strain once slip is localized along the central layer. We suggest that a seismic event can be inferred from deformed marbles, given: (i) the presence of welded gouge with foam structure in a fault zone where wall rocks show no evidence of thermal metamorphism and (ii) a thin plastically deformed layer immediately adjacent to the principal slip zone of a cataclastic fault zone.

A Common Genetic Origin for Early Farmers from Mediterranean Cardial and Central European LBK Cultures.

PubMed

Olalde, Iñigo; Schroeder, Hannes; Sandoval-Velasco, Marcela; Vinner, Lasse; Lobón, Irene; Ramirez, Oscar; Civit, Sergi; García Borja, Pablo; Salazar-García, Domingo C; Talamo, Sahra; María Fullola, Josep; Xavier Oms, Francesc; Pedro, Mireia; Martínez, Pablo; Sanz, Montserrat; Daura, Joan; Zilhão, João; Marquès-Bonet, Tomàs; Gilbert, M Thomas P; Lalueza-Fox, Carles

2015-12-01

The spread of farming out of the Balkans and into the rest of Europe followed two distinct routes: An initial expansion represented by the Impressa and Cardial traditions, which followed the Northern Mediterranean coastline; and another expansion represented by the LBK (Linearbandkeramik) tradition, which followed the Danube River into Central Europe. Although genomic data now exist from samples representing the second migration, such data have yet to be successfully generated from the initial Mediterranean migration. To address this, we generated the complete genome of a 7,400-year-old Cardial individual (CB13) from Cova Bonica in Vallirana (Barcelona), as well as partial nuclear data from five others excavated from different sites in Spain and Portugal. CB13 clusters with all previously sequenced early European farmers and modern-day Sardinians. Furthermore, our analyses suggest that both Cardial and LBK peoples derived from a common ancient population located in or around the Balkan Peninsula. The Iberian Cardial genome also carries a discernible hunter-gatherer genetic signature that likely was not acquired by admixture with local Iberian foragers. Our results indicate that retrieving ancient genomes from similarly warm Mediterranean environments such as the Near East is technically feasible. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

Spatial Distribution of Dorylaimid and Mononchid Nematodes from Southeast Iberian Peninsula: Chorological Relationships among Species

PubMed Central

Liébanas, G.; Peña-Santiago, R.; Real, R.; Márquez, A. L.

2002-01-01

The spatial distribution of 138 Dorylaimid and Mononchid species collected in a natural area from the Southeast Iberian Peninsula was studied. A chorological classification was used to examine distribution patterns shared by groups of species. Eighty species were classified into 14 collective and 16 individual chorotypes. The geographical projections of several collective chorotypes are illustrated along with their corresponding distribution maps. The importance of this analysis to nematological study is briefly discussed. PMID:19265962

Sediment delivery and lake dynamics in a Mediterranean mountain watershed: Human-climate interactions during the last millennium (El Tobar Lake record, Iberian Range, Spain).

PubMed

Barreiro-Lostres, Fernando; Brown, Erik; Moreno, Ana; Morellón, Mario; Abbott, Mark; Hillman, Aubrey; Giralt, Santiago; Valero-Garcés, Blas

2015-11-15

Land degradation and soil erosion are key environmental problems in Mediterranean mountains characterized by a long history of human occupation and a strong variability of hydrological regimes. To assess recent trends and evaluate climatic and anthropogenic impacts in these highly human modified watersheds we apply an historical approach combining lake sediment core multi-proxy analyses and reconstructions of past land uses to El Tobar Lake watershed, located in the Iberian Range (Central Spain). Four main periods of increased sediment delivery have been identified in the 8m long sediment sequence by their depositional and geochemical signatures. They took place around 16th, late 18th, mid 19th and early 20th centuries as a result of large land uses changes such as forest clearing, farming and grazing during periods of increasing population. In this highly human-modified watershed, positive synergies between human impact and humid periods led to increased sediment delivery periods. During the last millennium, the lake depositional and geochemical cycles recovered quickly after each sediment delivery event, showing strong resilience of the lacustrine system to watershed disturbance. Recent changes are characterized by large hydrological affections since 1967 with the construction of a canal from a nearby reservoir and a decreased in anthropic pressure in the watershed as rural areas were abandoned. The increased fresh water influx to the lake has caused large biological changes, leading to stronger meromictic conditions and higher organic matter accumulation while terrigenous inputs have decreased. Degradation processes in Iberian Range watersheds are strongly controlled by anthropic activities (land use changes, soil erosion) but modulated by climate-related hydrological changes (water availability, flood and runoff frequency). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sediment Transport at River Lima Estuary: Developing a Sound Methodology to Assess Sediment River Basin Input to an Erosion Prone Coast (NW Iberian Peninsula)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pinho, J.; Costa, N.; Venâncio, S.; Martins, M.; Vieira, J.; Granja, H.

2016-12-01

The NW coast of Iberian Peninsula is mainly formed by rocky cliffs northern of the river Minho mouth and by narrow sandy beaches south of this river. These beaches are mainly in a sedimentary deficit status resulting from the north-south longitudinal drift driven by the dominant wave climate that acts from the NW direction. In this scenario understand and quantify river sediment inputs to the coast is crucial in order to follow a sustainable management policy to mitigate erosion impacts both in the natural and social environments. This work will present results from research conducted at rive Lima Estuary, one of the rivers flowing to the NW Iberian coast, based on both numerical modeling and field data acquisition. A hydrological model of the river basin and a detailed morphodynamic model of the estuary were implemented. Instrumentation of the estuary that is being conducted comprises traditional sensor pressures and new ones that are being designed and assembled to be installed at different measurement stations within the estuary. Modelling results for flood events showed that the river is capable of remove all the sediments that are deposited in the narrow estuarine canal located near the river mouth. Some of these sediments are immediately deposited downstream, within the interior of the harbor. Here, there is a strong possibility of silting of the river mouth and the central area of the harbor. Since the river flows during extreme events are controlled by an upstream reservoir, the capacity of the river to transport sediments to the coast was lowered during the last decades, which, moreover, requires dredging works over the years to maintain navigation depth requirements. Dredging sediments should be correctly deposited at the coast in order to properly feed the longitudinal drift, otherwise they will be out of the system, which aggravate the installed erosion tendency.

Inclusion of seminal plasma in sperm cryopreservation of Iberian pig.

PubMed

Gómez-Fernández, José; Gómez-Izquierdo, Emilio; Tomás, Cristina; González-Bulnes, Antonio; Sánchez-Sánchez, Raúl; de Mercado, Eduardo

2012-01-01

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the inclusion of seminal plasma (SP) in the freezing extender, trying to preserve as much as possible of SP with spermatozoa from Iberian pigs, thus improving the conservation of animal genetic resources of this breed. Experiment 1, evaluated the effect of substituting water with SP as diluent in the freezing media in different proportions (0%, 10%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%), over pre-freezing (at 10°C and 5°C) and post-thawing sperm quality. The results showed that over 50% of SP in the extender, significantly decreased sperm quality in comparison to the control sample (0% SP) and the samples with 10% and 25% of SP (P<0.05). No significant differences were found between the control sample and the samples with 10% and 25% SP (P>0.05), but treatment with 25% did not show significant differences between the time of incubation at 37°C after thawing (P>0.05), showing greater sperm quality resistance over time. Experiment 2, evaluated the effect of prolonged incubation period, until 480min (simulating the lifespan of sperm in the female genital tract), of sperm samples with 0%, 10% and 25% of SP. Treatment with 25% of SP maintained better sperm quality over time, compared to control sample. Significant differences were observed especially in the parameters of motility analysis (TMS, total motile spermatozoa; PMS: progressive motility spermatozoa. P<0.05). In Experiment 3, the effect of the presence of SP was evaluated during the thawing process. Although some differences were observed between treatments, these differences were not as clear as the previous experiments. In conclusion, replacement of 25% of the water by SP as diluent in the freezing extender could be considered the maximum percentage of inclusion, without harmful effects to the sperm. In addition, this proportion of SP maintained Iberian sperm quality for longer time when it was present during the freezing and thawing process. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B

Energy-environmental benefits and economic feasibility of anaerobic codigestion of Iberian pig slaughterhouse and tomato industry wastes in Extremadura (Spain).

PubMed

González-González, A; Cuadros, F; Ruiz-Celma, A; López-Rodríguez, F

2013-05-01

Anaerobic digestion of Iberian pig slaughterhouse and tomato industry wastes, as well as codigestion operations from such residues, are reported to achieve 54-80% reduction in Chemical Oxygen Demand and 6-19 N m(3)/m(3) substrate methane production. Furthermore, 0.79-0.88 m(3)water/m(3) substrate is seen to be recovered after the above mentioned operations, which might be used as irrigation water, and 0.12-0.21 m(3)agricultural amendment/m(3) substrate with 91-98% moisture content. The present paper also reports on the economic feasibility of both an anaerobic codigestion plant operating with 60% slaughterhouse wastes/40% tomato industry wastes (optimal ratio obtained in previous laboratory-scaled experiments), and an anaerobic digestion plant for Iberian pig slaughterhouse waste. Payback times are reported as 14.86 and 3.73 years, respectively. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Phylogeography of a tough rock survivor in European dry grasslands

PubMed Central

Poschlod, Peter; Reisch, Christoph

2017-01-01

Phylogeographic analyses of plants in Europe have revealed common glacial refugia and migration routes for several trees and herbs with arctic-alpine distributions. The postglacial histories of dry grassland species in central Europe have rarely been analyzed, even though the extremely species-rich habitat is threatened. Sedum album (Crassulaceae) is a common inhabitant of rocky sites in central European dry grasslands. We inferred the phylogeographic history of S. album over its distribution range in Europe. Genetic diversity within and differentiation between 34 S. album populations was examined using AFLP markers. Population isolation was indicated based on the rarity of the fragments and by isolation-by-distance effects. We sequenced the trnL-trnF region in 32 populations and used chloroplast microsatellites to analyze chloroplast haplotype distributions. Two distinct S. album lineages were detected. One lineage was comprised of populations from eastern and central parts of central Europe, and the Apennine Peninsula. A second lineage was comprised of populations from the Iberian Peninsula and western and northern parts of central Europe. Glacial refugia were identified based on the accumulation of ancient chloroplast haplotypes, high diversity of AFLP fragments within populations, and high levels of rare fragments in Liguria, Serbia, the Apennine and Iberian peninsulas. Cryptic refugia were detected in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Isolation by distance was present all over the distribution range, and it was separately detected in southwestern and central Europe. In western Europe, where a contact zone between the two lineages can be expected, no isolation by distance was detected. Our results suggest migration routes of S. album northeastward from glacial refugia in southern Iberia, northward from the Apennine Peninsula, and northward and westward from the southeastern parts of central Europe. Therefore, central European grasslands were recently colonized

Precipitation extremes in the Iberian Peninsula: an overview of the CLIPE project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santos, João A.; Gonçalves, Paulo M.; Rodrigues, Tiago; Carvalho, Maria J.; Rocha, Alfredo

2014-05-01

The main aims of the project "Climate change of precipitation extreme episodes in the Iberian Peninsula and its forcing mechanisms - CLIPE" are 1) to diagnose the climate change signal in the precipitation extremes over the Iberian Peninsula (IP) and 2) to identify the underlying physical mechanisms. For the first purpose, a multi-model ensemble of 25 Regional Climate Model (RCM) simulations, from the ENSEMBLES project, is used. These experiments were generated by 15 RCMs, driven by five General Circulation Models (GCMs) under both historic conditions (1951-2000) and SRES A1B scenario (2001-2100). In this project, daily precipitation and mean sea level pressure, for the periods 1961-1990 (recent past) and 2021-2100 (future), are used. Using the Standardised Precipitation Index (SPI) on a daily basis, a precipitation extreme is defined by the pair of threshold values (Dmin, Imin), where Dmin is the minimum number of consecutive days with daily SPI above the Imin value. For both past and future climates, a precipitation extreme of a specific type is then characterised by two variables: the number of episodes with a specific duration in days and the number of episodes with a specific mean intensity (SPI/duration). Climate change is also assessed by changes in their Probability Density Functions (PDFs), estimated at sectors representative of different precipitation regimes. Lastly, for the second objective of this project, links between precipitation and Circulation Weather Regimes (CWRs) are explored for both past and future climates. Acknowledgments: this work is supported by European Union Funds (FEDER/COMPETE - Operational Competitiveness Programme) and by national funds (FCT - Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology) under the project CLIPE (PTDC/AAC-CLI/111733/2009).

Zone plate lenses for X-ray microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vladimirsky, Y.; Kern, D. P.; Chang, T. H. P.; Attwood, D. T.; Iskander, N.; Rothman, S.; McQuaide, K.; Kirz, J.; Ade, H.; McNulty, I.; Rarback, H.; Shu, D.

1988-04-01

Fresnel zone plate lenses with feature sizes as small as 50 nm have been constructed and used in the Stony Brook/NSLS scanning X-ray microscope with 3.1 nm radiation from Brookhaven's X-17 mini-undulator. The zone plates were fabricated at IBM using electron beam writing techniques, moiré pattern techniques to monitor ellipticity, and a double development/double plating technique to provide additional thickness in the central region. A spatial resolution down to 75 nm was measured in the microscope. Using these zone plates, biological images were obtained of unaltered subcellular components. The images highlight protein concentration in unsectioned, unfixed, and unstained enzymatic granules in an aqueous environment.

Anatomy of an Active Seismic Source: the Interplay between Present-Day Seismic Activity and Inherited Fault Zone Architecture (Central Apennines, Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fondriest, M.; Demurtas, M.; Bistacchi, A.; Fabrizio, B.; Storti, F.; Valoroso, L.; Di Toro, G.

2017-12-01

The mechanics and seismogenic behaviour of fault zones are strongly influenced by their internal structure, in terms of both fault geometry and fault rock constitutive properties. In recent years high-resolution seismological techniques yielded new constraints on the geometry and velocity structure of seismogenic faults down to 10s meters length scales. This reduced the gap between geophysical imaging of active seismic sources and field observations of exhumed fault zones. Nevertheless fundamental questions such as the origin of geometrical and kinematic complexities associated to seismic faulting remain open. We addressed these topics by characterizing the internal structure of the Vado di Corno Fault Zone, an active seismogenic normal fault cutting carbonates in the Central Apennines of Italy and comparing it with the present-day seismicity of the area. The fault footwall block, which was exhumed from < 2 km depth, was mapped with high detail (< 1 m spatial resolution) for 2 km of exposure along strike, combining field structural data and photogrammetric surveys in a three dimensional structural model. Three main structural units separated by principal fault strands were recognized: (i) cataclastic unit (20-100 m thick), (ii) damage zone (≤ 300 m thick), (iii) breccia unit ( 20 thick). The cataclastic unit lines the master fault and represents the core of the normal fault zone. In-situ shattering together with evidence of extreme (possibly coseismic) shear strain localization (e.g., mirror-like faults with truncated clasts, ultrafine-grained sheared veins) was recognized. The breccia unit is an inherited thrust zone affected by pervasive veining and secondary dolomitization. It strikes subparallel to the active normal fault and is characterized by a non-cylindrical geometry with 10-100 m long frontal and lateral ramps. The cataclastic unit cuts through thrust flats within the breccia unit, whereas normal to oblique inversion occur on frontal and lateral ramps

Patterns of acoustic variation in Cicada barbara Stål (Hemiptera, Cicadoidea) from the Iberian Peninsula and Morocco.

PubMed

Pinto-Juma, G A; Seabra, S G; Quartau, J A

2008-02-01

Field recordings of the calling song and of an amplitude modulated signal produced by males of Cicada barbara from North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula were analysed in order to assess the geographical acoustic variation and the potential usefulness of acoustic data in the discrimination of subspecies and populations. Sound recordings were digitized and the frequency and temporal properties of the calls of each cicada were analysed. In all regions studied, peak frequency, quartiles 25, 50 and 75% and syllable rate showed low coefficients of variation suggesting inherent static properties. All frequency variables were correlated with the latitude, decreasing from south to north. In addition, most acoustic variables of the calling song showed significant differences between regions, and PCA and DFA analyses supported a partitioning within this species between Iberian Peninsula+Ceuta and Morocco, corroborating mtDNA data on the same species. Therefore, the subspecific division of C. barbara into C. barbara barbara from Morocco and C. barbara lusitanica from Portugal, Spain and Ceuta finds support from the present acoustic analyses, a result which is also reinforced by molecular markers.

Fault geometries illuminated from seismicity in central Taiwan: Implications for crustal scale structural boundaries in the northern Central Range

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gourley, Jonathan R.; Byrne, Timothy; Chan, Yu-Chang; Wu, Francis; Rau, Ruey-Juin

2007-12-01

Data sets of collapsed earthquake locations, earthquake focal mechanisms, GPS velocities and geologic data are integrated to constrain the geometry and kinematics of a crustal block within the accreted continental margin rocks of Taiwan's northeastern Central Range. This block is laterally extruding and exhuming towards the north-northeast. The block is bound on the west-southwest by the previously recognized Sanyi-Puli seismic zone and on the east by a vertical seismic structure that projects to the eastern mountain front of the Central Range. Focal mechanisms from the Broadband Array of Taiwan Seismicity (BATS) catalog consistently show west-side-up reverse displacements for this fault zone. A second vertical structure is recognized beneath the Slate Belt-Metamorphic Belt boundary as a post-Chi-Chi relaxation oblique normal fault. BATS focal mechanisms show east-side-up, normal displacements with a minor left-lateral component. The vertical and lateral extrusion of this crustal block may be driven by the current collision between the Philippine Sea Plate and the Puli basement high indenter on the Eurasian Plate and/or trench rollback along the Ryukyu subduction zone. In addition, the vertical extent of the two shear zones suggests that a basal décollement below the eastern Central Range is deeper than previously proposed and may extend below the brittle-ductile transition.

Linking evolutionary lineage with parasite and pathogen prevalence in the Iberian honey bee.

PubMed

Jara, Laura; Cepero, Almudena; Garrido-Bailón, Encarna; Martín-Hernández, Raquel; Higes, Mariano; De la Rúa, Pilar

2012-05-01

The recent decline in honey bee colonies observed in both European countries and worldwide is of great interest and concern, although the underlying causes remain poorly understood. In recent years, growing evidence has implicated parasites and pathogens in this decline of both the vitality and number of honey bee colonies. The Iberian Peninsula provides an interesting environment in which to study the occurrence of pathogens and parasites in the host honey bee populations due to the presence of two evolutionary lineages in A. m. iberiensis (Western European [M] or African [A]). Here, we provide the first evidence linking the population structure of the Iberian honey bee with the prevalence of some of its most important parasites and pathogens: the Varroa destructor mite and the microsporidia Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae. Using data collected in two surveys conducted in 2006 and 2010 in 41 Spanish provinces, the evolutionary lineage and the presence of the three parasitic organisms cited above were analyzed in a total of 228 colonies. In 2006 N. apis was found in a significantly higher proportion of M lineage honey bees than in the A lineage. However, in 2010 this situation had changed significantly due to a higher prevalence of N. ceranae. We observed no significant relationships in either year between the distributions of V. destructor or N. ceranae and the evolutionary lineage present in A. m. iberiensis colonies, but the effects of these organisms on the genetic diversity of the honey bee populations need further research. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Shear-wave splitting in Quaternary sediments: Neotectonic implications in the central New Madrid seismic zone

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harris, J.B.

1996-01-01

Determining the extent and location of surface/near-surface structural deformation in the New Madrid seismic zone (NMSZ) is very important for evaluating earthquake hazards. A shallow shear-wave splitting experiment, located near the crest of the Lake County uplift (LCU) in the central NMSZ, shows the presence of near-surface azimuthal anisotropy believed to be associated with neotectonic deformation. A shallow fourcomponent data set, recorded using a hammer and mass source, displayed abundant shallow reflection energy on records made with orthogonal source-receiver orientations, an indicator of shear-wave splitting. Following rotation of the data matrix by 40??, the S1 and S2 sections (principal components of the data matrix) were aligned with the natural coordinate system at orientations of N35??W and N55??E, respectively. A dynamic mis-tie of 8 ms at a two-way traveltime of 375 ms produced an average azimuthal anisotropy of ???2% between the target reflector (top of Quaternary gravel at a depth of 35 m) and the surface. Based on the shear-wave polarization data, two explanations for the azimuthal anisotropy in the study area are (1) fractures/cracks aligned in response to near-surface tensional stress produced by uplift of the LCU, and (2) faults/fractures oriented parallel to the Kentucky Bend scarp, a recently identified surface deformation feature believed to be associated with contemporary seismicity in the central NMSZ. In addition to increased seismic resolution by the use of shear-wave methods in unconsolidated, water-saturated sediments, measurement of near-surface directional polarizations, produced by shear-wave splitting, may provide valuable information for identifying neotectonic deformation and evaluating associated earthquake hazards.

Groundwater influence on soil moisture memory and land-atmosphere interactions over the Iberian Peninsula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinez-de la Torre, Alberto; Miguez-Macho, Gonzalo

2017-04-01

We investigate the memory introduced in soil moisture fields by groundwater long timescales of variation in the semi-arid regions of the Iberian Peninsula with the LEAFHYDRO soil-vegetation-hydrology model, which includes a dynamic water table fully coupled to soil moisture and river flow via 2-way fluxes. We select a 10-year period (1989-1998) with transitions from wet to dry to again wet long lasting conditions and we carry out simulations at 2.5 km spatial resolution forced by ERA-Interim and a high-resolution precipitation analysis over Spain and Portugal. The model produces a realistic water table that we validate with hundreds of water table depth observation time series (ranging from 4 to 10 years) over the Iberian Peninsula. Modeled river flow is also compared to observations. Over shallow water table regions, results highlight the groundwater buffering effect on soil moisture fields over dry spells and long-term droughts, as well as the slow recovery of pre-drought soil wetness once climatic conditions turn wetter. Groundwater sustains river flow during dry summer periods. The longer lasting wet conditions in the soil when groundwater is considered increase summer evapotranspiration, that is mostly water-limited. Our results suggest that groundwater interaction with soil moisture should be considered for climate seasonal forecasting and climate studies in general over water-limited regions where shallow water tables are significantly present and connected to land surface hydrology.

High resolution reconstruction of monthly autumn and winter precipitation of Iberian Peninsula for last 150 years.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cortesi, N.; Trigo, R.; González-Hidalgo, J. C.; Ramos, A.

2012-04-01

Precipitation over Iberian Peninsula (IP) presents large values of interannual variability and large spatial contrasts between wet mountainous regions in the north and dry regions in the southern plains. Unlike other European regions, IP was poorly monitored for precipitation during 19th century. Here we present a new approach to fill this gap. A set of 26 atmospheric circulation weather types (Trigo R.M. and DaCamara C.C., 2000) derived from a recent SLP dataset, the EMULATE (European and North Atlantic daily to multidecadal climate variability) Project, was used to reconstruct Iberian monthly precipitation from October to March during 1851-1947. Principal Component Regression Analysis was chosen to develop monthly precipitation reconstruction back to 1851 and calibrated over 1948-2003 period for 3030 monthly precipitation series of high-density homogenized MOPREDAS (Monthly Precipitation Database for Spain and Portugal) database. Validation was conducted over 1920-1947 at 15 key site locations. Results show high model performance for selected months, with a mean coefficient of variation (CV) around 0.6 during validation period. Lower CV values were achieved in western area of IP. Trigo, R. M., and DaCamara, C.C., 2000: "Circulation weather types and their impact on the precipitation regime in Portugal". Int. J. Climatol., 20, 1559-1581.

Spatiotemporal patterns of fault slip rates across the Central Sierra Nevada frontal fault zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rood, Dylan H.; Burbank, Douglas W.; Finkel, Robert C.

2011-01-01

Patterns in fault slip rates through time and space are examined across the transition from the Sierra Nevada to the Eastern California Shear Zone-Walker Lane belt. At each of four sites along the eastern Sierra Nevada frontal fault zone between 38 and 39° N latitude, geomorphic markers, such as glacial moraines and outwash terraces, are displaced by a suite of range-front normal faults. Using geomorphic mapping, surveying, and 10Be surface exposure dating, mean fault slip rates are defined, and by utilizing markers of different ages (generally, ~ 20 ka and ~ 150 ka), rates through time and interactions among multiple faults are examined over 10 4-10 5 year timescales. At each site for which data are available for the last ~ 150 ky, mean slip rates across the Sierra Nevada frontal fault zone have probably not varied by more than a factor of two over time spans equal to half of the total time interval (~ 20 ky and ~ 150 ky timescales): 0.3 ± 0.1 mm year - 1 (mode and 95% CI) at both Buckeye Creek in the Bridgeport basin and Sonora Junction; and 0.4 + 0.3/-0.1 mm year - 1 along the West Fork of the Carson River at Woodfords. Data permit rates that are relatively constant over the time scales examined. In contrast, slip rates are highly variable in space over the last ~ 20 ky. Slip rates decrease by a factor of 3-5 northward over a distance of ~ 20 km between the northern Mono Basin (1.3 + 0.6/-0.3 mm year - 1 at Lundy Canyon site) to the Bridgeport Basin (0.3 ± 0.1 mm year - 1 ). The 3-fold decrease in the slip rate on the Sierra Nevada frontal fault zone northward from Mono Basin is indicative of a change in the character of faulting north of the Mina Deflection as extension is transferred eastward onto normal faults between the Sierra Nevada and Walker Lane belt. A compilation of regional deformation rates reveals that the spatial pattern of extension rates changes along strike of the Eastern California Shear Zone-Walker Lane belt. South of the Mina Deflection

Spatiotemporal Patterns of Fault Slip Rates Across the Central Sierra Nevada Frontal Fault Zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rood, D. H.; Burbank, D.; Finkel, R. C.

2010-12-01

We examine patterns in fault slip rates through time and space across the transition from the Sierra Nevada to the Eastern California Shear Zone-Walker Lane belt. At each of four sites along the eastern Sierra Nevada frontal fault zone between 38-39° N latitude, geomorphic markers, such as glacial moraines and outwash terraces, are displaced by a suite of range-front normal faults. Using geomorphic mapping, surveying, and Be-10 surface exposure dating, we define mean fault slip rates, and by utilizing markers of different ages (generally, ~20 ka and ~150 ka), we examine rates through time and interactions among multiple faults over 10-100 ky timescales. At each site for which data are available for the last ~150 ky, mean slip rates across the Sierra Nevada frontal fault zone have probably not varied by more than a factor of two over time spans equal to half of the total time interval (~20 ky and ~150 ky timescales): 0.3 ± 0.1 mm/yr (mode and 95% CI) at both Buckeye Creek in the Bridgeport basin and Sonora Junction; and 0.4 +0.3/-0.1 mm/yr along the West Fork of the Carson River at Woodfords. Our data permit that rates are relatively constant over the time scales examined. In contrast, slip rates are highly variable in space over the last ~20 ky. Slip rates decrease by a factor of 3-5 northward over a distance of ~20 km between the northern Mono Basin (1.3 +0.6/-0.3 mm/yr at Lundy Canyon site) and the Bridgeport Basin (0.3 ± 0.1 mm/yr). The 3-fold decrease in the slip rate on the Sierra Nevada frontal fault zone northward from Mono Basin reflects a change in the character of faulting north of the Mina Deflection as extension is transferred eastward onto normal faults between the Sierra Nevada and Walker Lane belt. A compilation of regional deformation rates reveal that the spatial pattern of extension rates changes along strike of the Eastern California Shear Zone-Walker Lane belt. South of the Mina Deflection, extension is accommodated within a diffuse zone of

Modeling vadose zone processes during land application of food-processing waste water in California's Central Valley.

PubMed

Miller, Gretchen R; Rubin, Yoram; Mayer, K Ulrich; Benito, Pascual H

2008-01-01

Land application of food-processing waste water occurs throughout California's Central Valley and may be degrading local ground water quality, primarily by increasing salinity and nitrogen levels. Natural attenuation is considered a treatment strategy for the waste, which often contains elevated levels of easily degradable organic carbon. Several key biogeochemical processes in the vadose zone alter the characteristics of the waste water before it reaches the ground water table, including microbial degradation, crop nutrient uptake, mineral precipitation, and ion exchange. This study used a process-based, multi-component reactive flow and transport model (MIN3P) to numerically simulate waste water migration in the vadose zone and to estimate its attenuation capacity. To address the high variability in site conditions and waste-stream characteristics, four food-processing industries were coupled with three site scenarios to simulate a range of land application outcomes. The simulations estimated that typically between 30 and 150% of the salt loading to the land surface reaches the ground water, resulting in dissolved solids concentrations up to sixteen times larger than the 500 mg L(-1) water quality objective. Site conditions, namely the ratio of hydraulic conductivity to the application rate, strongly influenced the amount of nitrate reaching the ground water, which ranged from zero to nine times the total loading applied. Rock-water interaction and nitrification explain salt and nitrate concentrations that exceed the levels present in the waste water. While source control remains the only method to prevent ground water degradation from saline wastes, proper site selection and waste application methods can reduce the risk of ground water degradation from nitrogen compounds.

Central Japan's Atera Active Fault's Wide-Fractured Zone: An Examination of the Structure and In-situ Crustal Stress

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ikeda, R.; Omura, K.; Matsuda, T.; Mizuochi, Y.; Uehara, D.; Chiba, A.; Kikuchi, A.; Yamamoto, T.

2001-12-01

In-situ downhole measurements and coring within and around an active fault zone are needed to better understand the structure and material properties of fault rocks as well as the physical state of active faults and intra-plate crust. Particularly, the relationship between the stress concentration state and the heterogeneous strength of an earthquake fault zone is important to estimate earthquake occurrence mechanisms which correspond to the prediction of an earthquake. It is necessary to compare some active faults in different conditions of the chrysalis stage and their relation to subsequent earthquake occurrence. To better understand such conditions, "Active Fault Zone Drilling Project" has been conducted in the central part of Japan by the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention. The Nojima fault which appeared on the surface by the 1995 Great Kobe earthquake (M=7.2) and the Neodani fault created by the 1981 Nobi earthquake, the greatest inland earthquake M=8.0 in Japan, have been drilled through the fault fracture zones. During these past four years, a similar experiment and research at the Atera fault, of which some parts seem to have been dislocated by the 1586 Tensyo earthquake, has been undertaken. The features of the Atera fault are as follows: (1) total length is about 70 km, (2) general trend is NW45_Kwith a left-lateral strike slip, (3) slip rate is estimated as 3-5 m/1000 yrs. and the average recurrence time as 1700 yrs., (4) seismicity is very low at present, and (5) lithologies around the fault are basically granitic rocks and rhyolite. We have conducted integrated investigations by surface geophysical survey and drilling around the Atera fault. Six boreholes have been drilled from the depth of 400 m to 630 m. Four of these boreholes are located on a line crossing the fracture zone of the Atera fault. Resistivity and gravity structures inferred from surface geophysical surveys were compared with the physical properties

The reticulate evolutionary history of the polyploid NW Iberian Leucanthemum pluriflorum clan (Compositae, Anthemideae) as inferred from nrDNA ETS sequence diversity and eco-climatological niche-modelling.

PubMed

Oberprieler, Christoph; Greiner, Roland; Konowalik, Kamil; Vogt, Robert

2014-01-01

The genus Leucanthemum Mill. is a species-rich polyploid complex of southern and central Europe, comprising 41 species with ploidy levels ranging from 2x to 22x. The Leucanthemum pluriflorum clan, a geographically isolated species group of the NW Iberian Peninsula, comprises the diploid L. pluriflorum, the tetraploids Leucanthemumircutianum subsp. pseudosylvaticum and Leucanthemum×corunnense (being a putative hybrid taxon based on a cross between L. pluriflorum and Leucanthemummerinoi), and the two hexaploids Leucanthemumsylvaticum and L. merinoi. In order to reconstruct the evolutionary history of this species group, we analysed sequence variation at the external transcribed spacer region of the nuclear ribosomal repeat (nrDNA ETS) for its members and for a number of other diploid species of Leucanthemum. Our results indicate that there are two major ETS ribotypes present in Leucanthemum, with some of the diploid species fixed for either of the two types and several species (among them L. pluriflorum) exhibiting both types. This polymorphism at the nrDNA ETS locus suggests either gene flow among some of the diploid species (possibly via polyploids) or a homoploid hybrid origin of some of those diploids. Additionally, patterns of ETS ribotype sharing among populations of the four species of the L. pluriflorum clan suggest that the tetraploid L. ircutianum subsp. pseudosylvaticum and the hexaploids L. sylvaticum and L. merinoi have an allopolyploid origin with L. pluriflorum as the maternal parent. Eco-climatological modelling of present and past (last glacial maximum, LGM) distribution areas of the members of the L. pluriflorum clan indicates that the diploid L. pluriflorum may have undergone geographical differentiation into northern (Galician) and southern (central Portuguese) coastal lineages that could account for the two chloroplast haplotype groups observable in the tetra- and hexaploids. Later climatic changes in the Holocene could then have led to the

Deep crustal electromagnetic structure of central India tectonic zone and its implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naganjaneyulu, K.; Naidu, G. Dhanunjaya; Rao, M. Someswara; Shankar, K. Ravi; Kishore, S. R. K.; Murthy, D. N.; Veeraswamy, K.; Harinarayana, T.

2010-07-01

Magnetotelluric data at 45 locations along the Mahan-Khajuria Kalan profile in the central India tectonic zone are analysed. This 290 km long profile yields data in the period range 0.001-1000 s across the tectonic elements of the study region bounded by Purna fault, Gavligarh fault, Tapti fault, Narmada South fault and Narmada North fault. Multi-site, multi-frequency analysis suggests N70°E as the geo-electric strike direction. Data rotated into the N70°E strike direction are modelled using a non-linear conjugate gradient scheme with error floors of 10% for both apparent resistivity and phase components. Two-dimensional magnetotelluric model yields conductors that correlate with known faults in the study region and regional seismicity. Presence of a -30 mgal gravity high together with the observed conductive bodies (less than 20 ohm m) in the deep crust beneath the Purna graben and Tapti valley is explained by the process of magmatic underplating. The conductive bodies beneath the Mahakoshal rift belt and Vindhyans accompanied by regional gravity lows of the order -70 mgal are attributed to the presence of deep crustal fluids. Following the re-activation model proposed for the entire region, the conductors (20 ohm m) at various depth levels correspond to mafic magmatic and/or fluid intrusions controlled by deep-seated faults that seem to tap reservoirs beyond the crust-mantle boundary. The shallow depth localized faults also seem to have facilitated further upward movement of these underplated material and fluids release during this process.

Paraglacial dynamics in Little Ice Age glaciated environments in the Iberian Peninsula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oliva, Marc; Serrano, Enrique; Ruiz-Fernández, Jesús; Gómez-Ortiz, Antonio; Palacios, David

2017-04-01

Three Iberian mountain ranges encompassed glaciers during the Little Ice Age (LIA): the Pyrenees, Cantabrian Mountains and Sierra Nevada. The gradual warming trend initiated during the second half of the XIX century promoted the progressive shrinking of these glaciers, which completely melted during the first half of the 20th century in the Cantabrian Mountains and Sierra Nevada and reduced by 80% of their LIA extent in the Pyrenees. Currently, the formerly glaciated environments are located within the periglacial belt and still present to a major or lesser degree signs of paraglacial activity. LIA moraines are devoid of vegetation and composed of highly unstable sediments that are being intensely mobilized by slope processes. Inside the moraines, different landforms and processes generated following LIA glacial retreat have generated: (i) buried ice trapped within rock debris supplied from the cirque walls, which has also generated rock glaciers and protalus lobes; (ii) semi-permanent snow fields distributed above the ice-patches remnants of the LIA glaciers, and (iii) small periglacial features such as frost mounds, sorted circles and solifluction landforms generated by processes such as solifluction and cryoturbation. Present-day morphodynamics is mostly related to seasonal frost conditions, though patches of permafrost have formed in some areas in contact with the buried ice. This 'geomorphic permafrost' is undergoing a process of degradation since it is not balanced with present-day climate conditions. This is reflected in the occurrence of multiple collapses and subsidences of the debris cover where the frozen bodies sit. In the highest areas of the Pyrenees there is a permafrost belt next to the small glaciated environments in the highest massifs. Finally, we propose a model for paraglacial activity in Iberian mountain ranges and compare it to other mid-latitude mountain environments as well as to other past deglaciation stages.

North Atlantic Oscillation and moisture transport towards the Iberian Peninsula during winter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ordóñez, Paulina; Liberato, Margarida L. R.; Gouveia, Célia; Trigo, Ricardo M.

2013-04-01

The North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) is the major source of interannual variability in winter precipitation over the Iberian Peninsula (IP). Recent works have identified the most important sources of moisture that supply the IP during different seasons of the year, including the nearby western Mediterranean and the tropical-subtropical North Atlantic corridor that extends from the Gulf of Mexico to the IP, and the IP itself (Gimeno et al., 2010). However, although rainfall is directly related to the moisture supply, the relationship between the water vapor transported towards IP and the NAO phase remains unclear. In this work the moisture transport towards IP was analyzed using a Lagrangian diagnosis method, which relies on the Lagrangian particle dispersion model FLEXPART. This methodology computes budgets of evaporation minus precipitation (E-P) by evaluating changes in the specific humidity along back-trajectories. Here we have computed (for each day) the evolution of moisture of the particles bound for Iberia up to 10 days prior to their arrival. The analysis was constrained to the winter (DJF) season, responsible for the largest fraction of precipitation, for the 20 years of ECMWF Reanalyses ERA40 dataset from 1980 to 2000. The contribution of the NAO phase on the water budgets is examined using composites of the obtained (E - P) fields for the 5 most extreme positive and negative NAO years of the study period. Results confirm that the IP is dominated by positive (negative) E-P anomalies during positive (negative) NAO phase. Additionally an anomalous water vapor sink (source) region located approximately over the Gulf Stream is found during positive (negative) NAO phase. Gimeno L., Nieto R., Trigo R.M. , Vicente-Serrano S.M, Lopes-Moreno J.I., (2010) "Where does the Iberian Peninsula moisture come from? An answer based on a Lagrangian approach". J. Hydrometeorology, 11, 421-436 DOI: 10.1175/2009JHM1182.1.

Late Pleistocene intraplate extension of the Central Anatolian Plateau, Turkey: Inferences from cosmogenic exposure dating of alluvial fan, landslide and moraine surfaces along the Ecemiş Fault Zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yildirim, Cengiz; Akif Sarikaya, Mehmet; Ciner, Attila

2016-04-01

Late Pleistocene activity of the Ecemiş Fault Zone is integrally tied to ongoing intraplate crustal deformation in the Central Anatolian Plateau. Here we document the vertical displacement, slip rate, extension rate, and geochronology of normal faults within a narrow strip along the main strand of the fault zone. The Kartal, Cevizlik and Lorut faults are normal faults that have evident surface expression within the strip. Terrestrial cosmogenic nuclide geochronology reveals that the Kartal Fault deformed a 104.2 ± 16.5 ka alluvial fan surface and the Cevizlik Fault deformed 21.9 ± 1.8 ka glacial moraine and talus fan surfaces. The Cevizlik Fault delimits mountain front of the Aladaglar and forms >1 km relief. Our topographic surveys indicate 13.1 ± 1.4 m surface breaking vertical displacements along Cevizlik Faults, respectively. Accordingly, we suggest a 0.60 ± 0.08 mm a-1 slip rate and 0.35 ± 0.05 mm a-1 extension rate for the last 21.9 ± 1.8 ka on the Cevizlik Fault. Taken together with other structural observations in the region, we believe that the Cevizlik, Kartal ve Lorut faults are an integral part of intraplate crustal deformation in Central Anatolia. They imply that intraplate structures such as the Ecemiş Fault Zone may change their mode through time; presently, the Ecemiş Fault Zone has been deformed predominantly by normal faults. The presence of steep preserved fault scarps along the Kartal, Cevizlik and Lorut faults point to surface breaking normal faulting away from the main strand and particularly signify that these structures need to be taken into account for regional seismic hazard assessments. This project is supported by The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK, Grant number: 112Y087).

Identification of groundwater potential zones in the Machuca River in the Central Pacific of Costa Rica using a GIS-Multi-criteria analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonilla, J. P.; Stefan, C.

2015-12-01

Water supply systems in the Machuca River basin in the Central Pacific of Costa Rica are subject to fluctuations in their production capacity at the end of the dry season; especially in the lower part of the basin. The urban development - and water demand -- is expected to increase because of a newly build highway. In order to understand the actual water resources and to asses new ones, the identification of groundwater potential zones is done using a geographical information system (GIS) based on thematic raster using fixed score and weight computed by the multi influencing factor (MIF) technique. The thematic layers used in the analysis are lithology, slope, land-use, lineament, drainage, soil and rainfall. The results were compared with the results of the Modified Thornthwaite-Mather model used to perform the water balance on a monthly scale. The groundwater potential was divided into three categories: no suitable, suitable, and very suitable zones. The resulting map is a decision support tool for the planning and management of groundwater resources in the Machuca River basin.

2nd Iberian Nuclear Astrophysics Meeting on Compact Stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perez-Garcia, M. Angeles; Pons, Jose; Albertus, C.

2012-02-01

ORGANIZING COMMITTEE Dr M Ángeles Pérez-García (Área Física Teórica-Universidad de Salamanca & IUFFYM) Dr J A Miralles (Universidad de Alicante) Dr J Pons (Universidad de Alicante) Dr C Albertus (Área Física Nuclear-Universidad de Salamanca & IUFFYM) Dr F Atrio (Área Física Teórica-Universidad de Salamanca & IUFFYM) PREFACE The second Iberian Nuclear Astrophysics meeting was held at the University of Salamanca, Spain on 22-23 September 2011. This volume contains most of the presentations delivered at this international workshop. This meeting was the second in the series following the previous I Encuentro Ibérico de Compstar, held at the University of Coimbra, Portugal in 2010. The main purpose of this meeting was to strengthen the scientific collaboration between the participants of the Iberian and the rest of the southern European branches of the European Nuclear Astrophysics network, formerly, COMPSTAR. This ESF (European Science Foundation) supported network has been crucial in helping to make a broader audience for the the most interesting and relevant research lines being developed currently in Nuclear Astrophysics, especially related to the physics of neutron stars. It is indeed important to emphasize the need for a collaborative approach to the rest of the scientific communities so that we can reach possible new members in this interdisciplinary area and as outreach for the general public. The program of the meeting was tailored to theoretical descriptions of the physics of neutron stars although some input from experimental observers and other condensed matter and optics areas of interest was also included. The main scientific topics included: Magnetic fields in compact stars Nuclear structure and in-medium effects in nuclear interaction Equation of state: from nuclear matter to quarks Importance of crust in the evolution of neutron stars Computational simulations of collapsing dense objects Observational phenomenology In particular, leading

Mapping the mantle transition zone beneath the central Mid-Atlantic Ridge using Ps receiver functions.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agius, M. R.; Rychert, C.; Harmon, N.; Kendall, J. M.

2017-12-01

Determining the mechanisms taking place beneath ridges is important in order to understand how tectonic plates form and interact. Of particular interest is establishing the depth at which these processes originate. Anomalies such as higher temperature within the mantle transition zone may be inferred seismically if present. However, most ridges are found in remote locations beneath the oceans restricting seismologists to use far away land-based seismometers, which in turn limits the imaging resolution. In 2016, 39 broadband ocean-bottom seismometers were deployed across the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, along the Romanche and Chain fracture zones as part of the PI-LAB research project (Passive Imaging of the Lithosphere and Asthenosphere Boundary). The one-year long seismic data is now retrieved and analysed to image the mantle transition zone beneath the ridge. We determine P-to-s (Ps) receiver functions to illuminate the 410- and 660-km depth mantle discontinuities using the extended multitaper deconvolution. The data from ocean-bottom seismometers have tilt and compliance noise corrections and is filtered between 0.05-0.2 Hz to enhance the signal. 51 teleseismic earthquakes generated hundreds of good quality waveforms, which are then migrated to depth in 3-D. The topography at the d410 deepens towards the west of the Romanche and Chain fracture zone by 15 km, whereas the topography of d660 shallows beneath the ridge between the two zones. Transition zone thickness thins from 5 to 20 km. Thermal anomalies determined from temperature relationships with transition zone thickness and depth variations of the d410 and d660 suggests hotter temperatures of about 200 K. Overall, the result suggests mid-ocean ridges may have associated thermal signatures as deep as the transition zone.

Feasibility of use of fatty acid and triacylglycerol profiles for the authentication of commercial labelling in Iberian dry-cured sausages.

PubMed

Horcada, Alberto; Fernández-Cabanás, Víctor M; Polvillo, Oliva; Botella, Baltasar; Cubiles, M Dolores; Pino, Rafael; Narváez-Rivas, Mónica; León-Camacho, Manuel; Acuña, Rafael Rodríguez

2013-12-15

In the present study, fatty acid and triacylglycerol profiles were used to evaluate the possibility of authenticating Iberian dry-cured sausages according to their label specifications. 42 Commercial brand 'chorizo' and 39 commercial brand 'salchichón' sausages from Iberian pigs were purchased. 36 Samples were labelled Bellota and 45 bore the generic Ibérico label. In the market, Bellota is considered to be a better class than the generic Ibérico since products with the Bellota label are manufactured with high quality fat obtained from extensively reared pigs fed on acorns and pasture. Analyses of fatty acids and triacylglycerols were carried out by gas chromatography and a flame ion detector. A CP-SIL 88 column (highly substituted cyanopropyl phase; 50 m × 0.25 mm i.d., 0.2 µm film thickness) (Varian, Palo Alto, USA) was used for fatty acid analysis and a fused silica capillary DB-17HT column (50% phenyl-50% methylpolysiloxane; 30 m × 0.25 mm i.d., 0.15 µm film thickness) was used for triacylglycerols. Twelve fatty acids and 16 triacylglycerols were identified. Various discriminant models (linear quadratic discriminant analyses, logistic regression and support vector machines) were trained to predict the sample class (Bellota or Ibérico). These models included fatty acids and triacylglycerols separately and combined fatty acid and triacylglycerol profiles. The number of correctly classified samples according to discriminant analyses can be considered low (lower than 65%). The greatest discriminant rate was obtained when triacylglycerol profiles were included in the model, whilst using a combination of fatty acid and triacylglycerol profiles did not improve the rate of correct assignation. The values that represent the reliability of prediction of the samples according to the label specification were higher for the Ibérico class than for the Bellota class. In fact, quadratic and Support Vector Machine discriminate analyses were not able to assign the

Optical comparison of multizone and single-zone photorefractive keratectomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonzalez-Cirre, Xochitl; Manns, Fabrice; Rol, Pascal O.; Parel, Jean-Marie A.

1997-05-01

The purpose is to calculate and compare the point-spread function and the central ablation depth (CAD) of a paraxial eye model after photo-refractive keratectomy (PRK), with single and multizone treatments. A modified Le Grand-El Hage paraxial eye model, with a pupil diameter ranging from 2 to 8 mm was used. Ray-tracing was performed for initial myopia ranging from 1 to 10D; after single zone PRK; after double zone PRK; and after tripe zone PRK. The ray-tracing of a parallel incident beam was calculated by using the paraxial matrix method. At equal CAD, the optical image quality is better after single zone treatments. Multizone treatments do not seem to be advantageous optically.

Cheatgrass Dead Zones in Northern Nevada

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Reports of areas of cheatgrass die-off are becoming more frequent. In 2009, we investigated cheatgrass die-off in north-central Nevada. Dead zones ranged from several to hundreds of acres in size and were largely unvegetated and covered by cheatgrass litter with a distinct gray cast. We collected re...

Mapping rift domains within an inverted hyperextended rift system: The role of rift inheritance in controlling the present-day structure of the North Iberian margin (Bay of Biscay)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cadenas, Patricia; Fernández-Viejo, Gabriela; Álvarez-Pulgar, Javier; Tugend, Julie; Manatschal, Gianreto; Minshull, Tim

2017-04-01

This study presents a new rift domain map in the central and western North Iberian margin, in the southern Bay of Biscay. This margin was structured during polyphase Triassic to Lower Cretaceous rifting events which led to hyperextension and exhumation and the formation of oceanic crust during a short-lived seafloor spreading period. Extension was halted due to the Alpine convergence between the Iberian and the European plates which led to the formation of the Cantabrian-Pyrenean orogen during the Cenozoic. In the Bay of Biscay, while the northern Biscay margin was slightly inverted, the North Iberian margin, which is at present-day part of the western branch of the Alpine belt together with the Cantabrian Mountains, exhibits several degrees of compressional reactivation. This makes this area a natural laboratory to study the influence of rift inheritance into the inversion of a passive margin. Relying on the interpretation of geological and geophysical data and the integration of wide-angle results, we have mapped five rift domains, corresponding to the proximal, necking, hyperthinned, exhumed mantle, and oceanic domains. One of the main outcomes of this work is the identification of the Asturian Basin as part of a hyperthinned domain bounded to the north by the Le Danois basement high. We interpret Le Danois High as a rift-related crustal block inherited from the margin structure. Our results suggest that the inherited rift architecture controlled the subsequent compressional reactivation. The hyperextended domains within the abyssal plain focused most of the compression resulting in the development of an accretionary wedge and the underthrusting of part of these distal domains beneath the margin. The presence of the Le Danois continental block added complexity, conditioning the inversion undergone by the Asturian Basin. This residual block of less thinned continental crust acted as a local buttress hampering further compressional reactivation within the platform

Human-water interactions in Myanmar's Dry Zone under climate change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taft, Linda; Evers, Mariele

2016-04-01

Understanding human-water interactions is particularly essential in countries where the economy and the people's well-being and income strongly depend on the availability and quality of sufficient water resources. Such a strong dependency on water is existent in Myanmar's Dry Zone located in the central Ayeyarwady River basin. In this area, rainfall is associated with high heterogeneity across space and time. Precipitation amounts in the Dry Zone (500-1000 mm annually) are generally less compared to other regions in Myanmar (up to 4000-6000 mm). Following the Global Climate Risk Index, Myanmar is one of the countries which were most affected by extreme weather events between 1994 and 2013. Severe drought periods e.g in the years 1997-1998, 2010 and 2014 led to crop failures and water shortage in the Dry Zone, where more than 14 mio people predominantly practice agriculture. Due to the high variability of rainfalls, farming is only possible with irrigation, mainly conducted by canal systems from the rivers and groundwater withdrawal. Myanmar is recently facing big challenges which result from comprehensive political and economic reforms since 2011. These may also include increasing water use by new industrial zones and urbanization. However, not only policy and economy modify the need for water. Variability of river runoff and changes in seasonality are expected as a result of climate change. The overarching goal of the study is to understand and increase the knowledge on human-water-climate interactions and to elaborate possible future scenarios for Myanmar's Dry Zone. It is not well studied yet how current and future climate change and increasing human impact will influence the country's abundant water resources including groundwater. Therefore, the first step of this study is to identify the major drivers within the central Ayeyarwady River basin. We are in the process of collecting and analyzing data sets and information including hydrologic and eco

Along-Strike Variation in Geometry and Kinematics of a Major, Active Intracontinental Thrust System: the Pred-Terskey Fault Zone, Kyrgyz Tien Shan, Central Asia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burgette, R. J.; Weldon, R. J.; Abdrakhmatov, K. Y.; Ormukov, C.

2004-12-01

The Pred-Terskey fault zone defines the southern margin of the Issyk-Kul basin, extending eastward over 250 km from at least the Chu River to the Kazakhstan border, and appears to be one of the most active zones in the Kyrgyz Tien Shan. Despite a diversity of structural styles and changes of vergence at the surface, the lateral continuity and overall geometry of the zone is consistent with a single north vergent thrust at depth, which uplifts the Terskey Range and generally tilts the south margin of the basin to the north. This northward tilting of the margin is probably due to a flattening of the fault as it approaches the surface. In spite of historical quiescence, it is likely capable of producing great earthquakes. We have conducted detailed field mapping coupled with terrace profiling and dating at seven representative, well-exposed areas of the fault zone. Based on these field observations and satellite image and air photo interpretation along the entire zone, we identify three major divisions in structural style expressed at the surface. The western segment is typified by the Tura-Su, Ak-Terek and Ton areas. A series of left-stepping, south-vergent, basement-involved reverse faults and folds are uplifting the southern margin of the Issyk-Kul basin in this area. The resulting uphill-facing scarps have trapped and diverted many of the rivers flowing north from the Terskey Range. Tertiary strata and Quaternary geomorphic surfaces show consistent, progressive northward tilting across the entire zone. The west-central segment is represented by the Kajy-Say area. South-vergent reverse faults and a north-vergent backthrust have uplifted an arcuate granite block. Offshore of this area, the lake floor descends to a sharp break in slope with a low relief area at a depth of about 650 m. Late Quaternary geomorphic features do not show evidence of tilting. In contrast to the areas east and west, the major north-dipping thrust is likely planar over this segment and

Multilocus phylogeography of the common lizard Zootoca vivipara at the Ibero-Pyrenean suture zone reveals lowland barriers and high-elevation introgression

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The geographic distribution of evolutionary lineages and the patterns of gene flow upon secondary contact provide insight into the process of divergence and speciation. We explore the evolutionary history of the common lizard Zootoca vivipara (= Lacerta vivipara) in the Iberian Peninsula and test the role of the Pyrenees and the Cantabrian Mountains in restricting gene flow and driving lineage isolation and divergence. We also assess patterns of introgression among lineages upon secondary contact, and test for the role of high-elevation trans-mountain colonisations in explaining spatial patterns of genetic diversity. We use mtDNA sequence data and genome-wide AFLP loci to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships among lineages, and measure genetic structure. Results The main genetic split in mtDNA corresponds generally to the French and Spanish sides of the Pyrenees as previously reported, in contrast to genome-wide AFLP data, which show a major division between NW Spain and the rest. Both types of markers support the existence of four distinct and geographically congruent genetic groups, which are consistent with major topographic barriers. Both datasets reveal the presence of three independent contact zones between lineages in the Pyrenean region, one in the Basque lowlands, one in the low-elevation mountains of the western Pyrenees, and one in the French side of the central Pyrenees. The latter shows genetic evidence of a recent, high-altitude trans-Pyrenean incursion from Spain into France. Conclusions The distribution and age of major lineages is consistent with a Pleistocene origin and a role for both the Pyrenees and the Cantabrian Mountains in driving isolation and differentiation of Z. vivipara lineages at large geographic scales. However, mountain ranges are not always effective barriers to dispersal, and have not prevented a recent high-elevation trans-Pyrenean incursion that has led to asymmetrical introgression among divergent lineages

The Wenquan ultramafic rocks in the Central East Kunlun Fault zone, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau—crustal relics of the Paleo-Tethys ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia, Lihui; Meng, Fancong; Feng, Huibin

2018-06-01

The Wenquan ultramafic rocks, located in the East Kunlun Orogenic belt in the northeastern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, consist of dunite, wehrlite, olivine-clinopyroxenite and clinopyroxenite, and exhibit cumulate textures. Olivine from dunite has high Fo (forsterite, 90.0-91.8 wt%) and NiO content (0.15-0.42 wt%). Cr-spinels from all of the rocks in this suite are characterized by high Cr# (100×[Cr/(Cr + Al)], 67-91), low Mg# (100×[Mg/(Mg + Fe2+)], 17-35) and low TiO2 contents (mostly < 0.5 wt%). Clinopyroxene displays high Mg# (92-98) and low TiO2 content (0.002-0.099 wt%), similar to those in ophiolitic cumulates. Geochemically, the Wenquan ultramafic rocks show enrichment of LILE, Sr, and Ba, and depletion of Nb and Th. High-Mg# (mostly > 80) and low-CaO (< 0.08 wt%) olivine, high-Cr# (up to 91) spinel, and low Ti contents of clinopyroxene and Cr-spinel indicate that the Wenquan cumulates were generated by high-degree partial melting of a depleted oceanic lithosphere mantle. The ultramafic intrusion most likely evolved from high-Mg basaltic magmas (Mg# = 77.5) that underwent fractional crystallization and crustal contamination. Zircon grains from clinopyroxenites yield a U-Pb weighted mean age of 331 ± 2 Ma, which is nearly coeval with the formation age of the A'nyemaqen ophiolites. The Wenquan Carboniferous ophiolites are confirmed to exist in the Central East Kunlun Fault zone, whereas previous studies have considered them to be the Proterozoic ophiolites. The Wenquan ophiolite might be a relict of the Paleotethyan ocean, indicating that there were two cycles of oceanic-continental evolution along the Central East Kunlun Fault zone.

Early Holocene humidity patterns in the Iberian Peninsula reconstructed from lake, pollen and speleothem records

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morellón, Mario; Aranbarri, Josu; Moreno, Ana; González-Sampériz, Penélope; Valero-Garcés, Blas L.

2018-02-01

Comparison of selected, well-dated, lacustrine, speleothem and terrestrial pollen records spanning the Holocene onset and the Early Holocene (ca. 11.7-8 cal kyrs BP) in the Iberian Peninsula shows large hydrological fluctuations and landscape changes with a complex regional pattern in timing and intensity. Marine pollen records from Alboran, the Mediterranean and off shore Atlantic sites show a step-wise increase in moisture and forest during this transition. However, available continental records point to two main patterns of spatial and temporal hydrological variability: i) Atlantic-influenced sites located at the northwestern areas (Enol, Sanabria, Lucenza, PRD-4), characterized by a gradual increase in humidity from the end of the Younger Dryas to the Mid Holocene, similarly to most North Atlantic records; and ii) continental and Mediterranean-influenced sites (Laguna Grande, Villarquemado, Fuentillejo, Padul, Estanya, Banyoles, Salines), with prolonged arid conditions of variable temporal extension after the Younger Dryas, followed by an abrupt increase in moisture at 10-9 cal kyrs BP. Different local climate conditions influenced by topography or the variable sensitivity (gradual versus threshold values) of the proxies analyzed in each case are evaluated. Vegetation composition (conifers versus mesothermophilous taxa) and resilience would explain a subdued response of vegetation in central continental areas while in Mediterranean sites, insufficient summer moisture availability could not maintain high lake levels and promote mesophyte forest, in contrast to Atlantic-influenced areas. Comparison with available climate models, Greenland ice cores, North Atlantic marine sequences and continental records from Central and Northern Europe and the whole Mediterranean region underlines the distinctive character of the hydrological changes occurred in inner Iberia throughout the Early Holocene. The persistent arid conditions might be explained by the intensification

Future Drought Projections over the Iberian Peninsula using Drought Indices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)