A Casa Grande de Romarigães. Um contributo histórico e arquitectónico

A Casa Grande de Romarigães terá sido erguida em 1700 em Romarigães, no concelho de Paredes de Coura, em torno da construção da capela de Nossa Senhora do Amparo, conformando a Quinta do Amparo. Terá servido de cenário literário a uma das mais simbólicas obras do escritor Aquilino Ribeiro – A Casa Grande de Romarigães, escrita entre 1950 e 1957, ano da sua publicação. A estrutura arquitectónica foi classificada como Imóvel de Interesse Público em 1986, atribuição que, apesar de demonstrar a preocupação de proteger e conservar este legado histórico e arquitectónico, ainda não derivou em nenhum estudo rigoroso sobre a sua evolução morfológica – instrumento fundamental para a coerência de futuras intervenções neste lugar. Com base nas constantes descrições na obra de Aquilino Ribeiro, e do seu confronto com a documentação histórica entretanto encontrada (escrita e gráfica, em grande parte inédita), este trabalho de investigação propõe o desenho da evolução morfológica da casa ao longo dos tempos, bem como a enunciação da influência deste solar para a organização social, cultural e económica da aldeia de Romarigães. Procura, enfim, e num sentido mais lato, indagar sobre a utilidade de um documento literário para o lançamento de hipóteses no contexto de uma investigação arquitectónica, consubstanciadas pela posterior comprovação através de fontes primárias; ABSTRACT: A Casa Grande de Romarigães (The Great House of Romarigães) was erected in early XVIII century, in Romarigães, Paredes de Coura, nearby the chapel of Nossa Senhora do Amparo, the chosen name for the villa – Quinta do Amparo. This house and villa has been the literary scene of one of the most remarkable works of the writer Aquilino Ribeiro (1885C1963) – A Casa Grande Romarigães, written between 1950 and 1957, the year of its publication. In 1986, the architectural structure is classified as cultural heritage by the Portuguese state but, despite the meaningful idea of preservation and protection of the historical legacy and architecture, there has not been an initiative to study its morphological evolution and architectural relevance – key tool for future and consistent interventions in such rich and particular scenario. Based on descriptions that can be found in the work of Aquilino Ribeiro, and supported with historical documentation research (both written and graphic, mostly unpublished), this work suggests the design of the morphological evolution of the house over the years, together with the construction of its influence on social, cultural and economic organization of the village of Romarigães. In a broader sense, this work intends to inquire about the usefulness of a literary document for launching assumptions in the context of an architectural research, substantiated by further evidence through primary sources.

Provenance of Holocene beach sand in the Western Iberian

Detrital zircons from Holocene beach sand and igneous zircons from the Cretaceous syenite forming Cape Sines (Western Iberian margin) were dated using laser ablation – inductively coupled plasma – mass spectrometry. The U–Pb ages obtained were used for comparison with previous radiometric data from Carboniferous greywacke, Pliocene–Pleistocene sand and Cretaceous syenite forming the sea cliff at Cape Sines and the contiguous coast. New U–Pb dating of igneous morphologically simple and complex zircons from the syenite of the Sines pluton suggests that the history of zircon crystallization was more extensive (ca 87 to 74 Ma), in contrast to the findings of previous geochronology studies (ca 76 to 74 Ma). The U–Pb ages obtained in Holocene sand revealed a wide interval, ranging from the Cretaceous to the Archean, with predominance of Cretaceous (37%), Palaeozoic (35%) and Neoproterozoic (19%) detrital-zircon ages. The paucity of round to subrounded grains seems to indicate a short transportation history for most of the Cretaceous zircons (ca 95 to 73 Ma) which are more abundant in the beach sand that was sampled south of Cape Sines. Comparative analysis using the Kolmogorov–Smirnov statistical method, analysing sub-populations separately, suggests that the zircon populations of the Carboniferous and Cretaceous rocks forming the sea cliff were reproduced faithfully in Quaternary sand, indicating sediment recycling. The similarity of the pre- Cretaceous ages (>ca 280 Ma) of detrital zircons found in Holocene sand, as compared with Carboniferous greywacke and Pliocene–Pleistocene sand, provides support for the hypothesis that detritus was reworked into the beach from older sedimentary rocks exposed along the sea cliff. The largest percentage of Cretaceous zircons (primary sources that became progressively more exposed to erosion during Quaternary uplift. This work highlights the application of the Kolmogorov–Smirnov method in compar- ison of zircon age populations used to identify provenance and sediment recycling in modern and ancient detrital sedimentary sequences.

Mafic and felsic plutonism in the Elvas region (SW Iberia, Portugal): two distinct Nd isotope sources and geodynamics

The occurrence of mafic (mainly gabbros and diorites) and felsic (syenites and granites) rocks, in close spatial association, in the Elvas region, at the northern part of the Ossa-Morena Zone, could be interpreted as a single bimodal (alkaline) plutonic complex. However, in spite of scarce isotopic (Sm-Nd) data, the co-magmatic origin of both rock groups (mafic and felsic) has already been questioned [1]. Based on the mineral chemistry of primary clinopyroxenes (Di–Hd, %En: 45.5 – 27.2) and representative whole-rock analyses, gabbros and diorites of the Elvas massif show a transitional character between alkaline and non-alkaline fields and wide compositions: SiO2 (42.47 – 58.00 wt%); TiO2 (0.24 – 1.68 wt%); Y/Nb (4.0 – 10.7); Th (0.1 – 6.8 ppm); Zr (18.6 – 576.9 ppm). The felsic group is composed by highly differentiated rocks which correspond to distinct levels of silica saturation and alkalinity. Peralkaline syenites usually present sodic (riebeckite) and sodic-calcic (aegirine-augite, ferrowinchite) inosilicates and reveal quite variable compositions: SiO2 (57.50 – 72.07 wt%); TiO2 (0.10 – 1.45 wt%); Th (1.7 – 67.0 ppm); Zr (133.0 – 4800.0 ppm). The alkaline granites show hedenbergite as the characteristic inosilicate, presenting relatively common compositions: SiO2 (61.85 – 78.06 wt%); TiO2 (0.21 – 0.58 wt%); Th (11.8 – 38.4 ppm); Zr (317.3 – 1234.6 ppm) [2]. Recent Sm-Nd isotopic results, on a total of 18 whole-rock samples (6 mafites and 12 felsites), allow new and more consistent interpretation concerning the petrogenesis of these plutonic rocks. Assuming an age of 490 Ma [3], the felsic rocks provide (0.6 < Nd490 < 4.3), similar to other contemporary (per)alkaline rocks of this region [4], reflecting magmatic extractions from time-integrated depleted mantle sources followed by variable and incomplete mixing (and/or AFC-type) processes with enriched, probably crustal sources. This alkaline/peralkaline magmatism is thought to represent the main regional record of the rifting event which presumably led to the opening of the Rheic Ocean. On the other hand, the mafic plutonic rocks of the Elvas massif cannot represent the magmatic precursors of these syenites and granites as they show completely distinct Nd isotopic ratios (3.7 < Nd490 < 1.2) indicating important contribution of long-term enriched (crustal) sources. Instead, considering the age and the Nd isotopic signature of other mafic plutonic unit emplaced nearby (the Campo Maior massif: ca. 370 Ma; 6.0 < Nd370 < 5.2) [5], and recalculating the isotopic ratios of the Elvas massif for the same age (4.3 < Nd370 < 1.6), it is plausible to consider that these plutons (Campo Maior and Elvas) can be coeval and representative of the Variscan magmatism in this region. In such hypothesis, the differences between these isotopic values could be explained, on a time-integrated basis, either by magmatic sources for the Elvas massif less enriched in LREE than the sources involved in the Campo Maior massif, or, if both plutonites share similar depleted mantle sources, by magmatic differentiation paths considerably affected by crustal contamination processes, which reached higher degrees in the Campo Maior massif.

Sensible use of primary energy in organic greenhouse production.

This document addresses the direct and indirect use of energy in European organic greenhouse horticulture (OGH) with the aim of reviewing available means for making it more environmental friendly and identifying knowledge gaps that should be addressed to attain this aim. The first observation is that there is no common regulation for energy use in OGH, which is not unexpected, since the need for climatisation is not uniformly distributed in the EU (and outside). Accordingly, the EU directive on organic agriculture does not set limitations on the use of energy, but rather promotes the responsible use of energy and of natural resources. The restrictions and rules of most private standards are slightly more stringent. Some standards have specific restrictions on the amount and sources of energy and/or on the seasonal use of energy for heating. Some standards also address processes that may affect (in)direct energy use, such as cultivation methods, mulching, lighting and growing media or substrates. However, most private standards have no or little restrictions or regulations on energy use. Accordingly, it should not surprise that very little quantitative information is available about energy use in OGH. In the present document we have filled the gaps with data with estimates drawn on energy use in conventional greenhouses. With respect to ongoing research, whereas many of the present research results about energy use and saving in conventional greenhouses are relevant (and also applied) in OGH, little research is devoted to address the energy use that is peculiar to OGH, particularly energy use for humidity control. In short, there are still a lot of knowledge gaps to improve quality and to lower energy use in organic greenhouses. The purpose of this document is a summary of present relevant knowledge about energy use and energy saving and of the perspective for improvement. In particular, the goal is to make an overview on the methods and technologies which can be used to reduce the energy use in OGH. We start from the assumption that methods and technologies that are used for reducing direct and indirect energy in conventional greenhouses can also be applied in organic greenhouses. Research on reducing energy use in conventional greenhouses is also more widely available because the area of conventional greenhouse horticulture is much larger than the area of OGH. When implementing these methods and techniques we should take into account the specific characteristics of organic agriculture like soil-based cultivation, use of organic fertilizers and the limited use of crop protection products. This document is organised as follows: first we report the results of a survey about energy use and relevant standards in the countries participating to the COST action (chapter 1); then we review the energy use for climatisation: heating (chapter 2) and humidity (chapter 3). In chapter 4 we review the available design and management means that would either reduce energy use and/or increase energy use efficiency by increasing productivity of OGH. In chapter 5 we present a short summary of existing information on indirect energy use, that is the energy required to manufacture production means (greenhouse structure and cover, fertilisers, equipment etc.) and for crop protection, particularly steaming, and briefly discuss possible savings. Finally (chapter 6) we review briefly the potential for application of renewable energy sources in OGH.

Barn owl feathers as biomonitors of mercury: sources of variation

Given their central role in mercury (Hg) excretion and suitability as reservoirs, bird feathers are useful Hg biomonitors. Nevertheless, the interpretation of Hg concentrations is still questioned as a result of a poor knowledge of feather physiology and mechanisms affecting Hg deposition. Given the constraints of feather availability to ecotoxicological studies, we tested the effect of intraindividual differences in Hg concentrations according to feather type (body vs. flight feathers), position in the wing and size (mass and length) in order to understand how these factors could affect Hg estimates. We measured Hg concentration of 154 feathers from 28 un-moulted barn owls (Tyto alba), collected dead on roadsides. Median Hg concentration was 0.45 (0.076–4.5) mg kg-1 in body feathers, 0.44 (0.040–4.9) mg kg-1 in primary and 0.60 (0.042–4.7) mg kg-1 in secondary feathers, and we found a poor effect of feather type on intra-individual Hg levels. We also found a negative effect of wing feather mass on Hg concentration but not of feather length and of its position in the wing. We hypothesize that differences in feather growth rate may be the main driver of between-feather differences in Hg concentrations, which can have implications in the interpretation of Hg concentrations in feathers. Finally, we recommend that, whenever possible, several feathers from the same individual should be analysed. The five innermost primaries have lowest mean deviations to both betweenfeather and intra-individual mean Hg concentration and thus should be selected under restrictive sampling scenarios.