Impacto de las proliferaciones de medusas en la valoración económica ambiental de las playas de Denia (Sudoeste Mediterráneo), Alicante, España

El actual incremento de medusas en las costas mediterráneas, percibido como un factor negativo en la calidad de las playas, supone un factor reductor de la demanda turística en las ubicaciones costeras, sobre todo en aquellas más afectadas por éstas proliferaciones. Debido a que la época de mayor presencia de fitoplacton disponible (principal fuente de alimento de las medusas), relacionada a la alta incidencia lumínica, coincide con la temporada alta de turismo en el verano; las notificaciones de incidencias por picaduras de medusa en esta época son frecuentes. Ejemplo de ello, es el caso de Denia (Alicante, España) donde, desde 2008, se ha detectado un considerable aumento de incidencias sanitarias a causa de picaduras de medusa, paralela a la aparición de la especie invasora de cubomedusa Carybdea marsupialis (Bordehore et al, 2011). En este estudio se ha realizado una valoración económica de la playa como un bien ambiental recreativo, mediante encuestas semi-estructuradas elaboradas por Paulo Nunes (CIESM), aplicadas a una muestra inicial de 300 individuos; y evaluado cual sería el impacto social y económico en la valoración ambiental de Denia, si las proliferaciones de medusa no se estabilizaran. Se ha estimado el valor económico del impacto sicial causado por las bioinvasiones marinas en las playas recreacionistas según Nunes and Van den Bergh (2004) y Nunes and Markandya (2008); el método que también ha sido aplicado en el mismo estudio aplicado en Israel (B. Galil, J. Gowdy and P. Nunes 2012) y en Cataluña (2013, Paulo Nunes, M. Loureiro, L. Piñol, S. Sastre, L. Voltaire). En ambos casos los resultados en el impacto económico son considerables pero menores a los esperados, al igual que en los resultados obtenidos en Denia (Alicante).

Um experimento com propostas múltiplas para um laboratório de química geral

This article suggests a sequence of experiments on the preparation, analysis and some photochemical aspects of potassium tris (oxalato) ferrate(III) trihydrate. The sequence of experiments could be carried out in four or five 4-hour laboratory periods. The new part of this article is related to the kinetics studies involving the ambient illumination as well as the use of the cellophane paper of different colors as light filters. The aspects such as quantum yield, light absorption and photochemical reactions are explored in order to illustrate the relationships between the exposure time, light intensity and wavelength range on the photochemical reactions.

Implantació d'un Sistema de Gestió Integrada, qualitat i medi ambient, a una empresa constructora.

En aquest treball es defineix la documentació necessària per realitzar la implantació d’un sistema de gestió integrada, basat en la qualitat i en el medi ambient, a una empresa constructora, que permeti desenvolupar les seves activitats d’una forma simplificada i ordenada, i que faciliti la informació necessària per mantenir una millora continuada de les seves activitats.El Sistema de Gestió, integra les normes ISO 9001 i ISO 14001, que són normes de gestió de la Qualitat i el Medi Ambient, respectivament. Durant la implantació del Sistema de Gestió, s’han elaborat els procediments generals que les normes indiquen que s’han d’elaborar per complir amb totes les especificacions definides a elles. També, s’han elaborat els procediments específics, que són aquells propis de les activitats de l’empresa i que defineixen la seva forma de treballar. D’aquesta documentació es deriven els registres, que son els documents del Sistema de Gestió que ens permeten comprovar si s’adequa a la forma de treballar, i que son les evidencies de la posada en marxa del sistema.A la finalització d’aquest projecte, obtindrem un Sistema de Gestió Integrada, amb tots els procediments definits i implantats a l’empresa, que compliran amb les normes ISO 9001 i ISO 14001, dotant a l’organització d’un augment de la seva eficàcia i competitivitat, entrant al procés de millora continuada, i posicionar-se com una empresa socialment responsable, reforçant la seva imatge davant dels seus clients, optimitzant la gestió de residus i reduint els impactes ambientals negatius.

Hydrology, light and the use of organic and inorganic materials as structuring factors of biological communities in Mediterranean streams

Hydrological disturbances, light availability and nutrients are the most relevant factors determining the structure of the biological communities in Mediterranean rivers. While some hydrological disturbances are able to induce catastrophic effects, which may cause a complete reset in physical and biological conditions, continued enrichment or changes in light availability are factors leading to the progressive shift in the communities of autotrophs and heterotrophs in the systems. Primary production in Mediterranean streams shows relevant seasonal changes which mainly follows the variations in light availability. In most forested streams, the algal community is shade-adapted. Nutrient enrichment (especially phosphorus) leads to marked increases in primary production, but this increase is not lineal and there is a saturation of algal biomass even in the most enriched systems. The heterotrophs (bacteria, fungi) are related to the pattern of DOC availability (which most depends on the seasonal discharge and leaf fall dynamics) and to the available substrata in the stream. It has been repeatedly observed that shorttime increases of extracellular enzyme activities are related to the accumulation of autochthonous (algal) and/or allochthonous (leaves) organic matter on the streambed during spring and summer, this being more remarkable in dry than in wetter years. Flow reduction favours detritus concentration in pools, and the subsequent increase in the density and biomass of the macroinvertebrate community. In Mediterranean streams collectors are accounting for the highest density and biomass, this being more remarkable in the least permanent systems, in accordance with the effect of floods on the organic matter availability. Nutrients, through the effect on the primary producers, also affect the trophic food web in the streams by favouring the predominance of grazers

Viewpoint-Based Ambient Occlusion

We've developed a new ambient occlusion technique based on an information-theoretic framework. Essentially, our method computes a weighted visibility from each object polygon to all viewpoints; we then use these visibility values to obtain the information associated with each polygon. So, just as a viewpoint has information about the model's polygons, the polygons gather information on the viewpoints. We therefore have two measures associated with an information channel defined by the set of viewpoints as input and the object's polygons as output, or vice versa. From this polygonal information, we obtain an occlusion map that serves as a classic ambient occlusion technique. Our approach also offers additional applications, including an importance-based viewpoint-selection guide, and a means of enhancing object features and producing nonphotorealistic object visualizations

Ambient intelligence application based on environmental measurements performed with an assistant mobile robot

This paper proposes the use of an autonomous assistant mobile robot in order to monitor the environmental conditions of a large indoor area and develop an ambient intelligence application. The mobile robot uses single high performance embedded sensors in order to collect and geo-reference environmental information such as ambient temperature, air velocity and orientation and gas concentration. The data collected with the assistant mobile robot is analyzed in order to detect unusual measurements or discrepancies and develop focused corrective ambient actions. This paper shows an example of the measurements performed in a research facility which have enabled the detection and location of an uncomfortable temperature profile inside an office of the research facility. The ambient intelligent application has been developed by performing some localized ambient measurements that have been analyzed in order to propose some ambient actuations to correct the uncomfortable temperature profile.

Intel·ligència: entre el genoma i l'ambient

Els nens catalans actuals són més intel·ligents que els de fa 30 anys. Així ho han demostrat investigadors de la Universitat de Barcelona, que ofereixen dades que concorden amb les obtingudes per altres investigadors en diferents països [...].

Eficiència energètica aplicada a les instal·lacions de la Universitat de Vic

En termes generals, es pot definir l’Eficiència Energètica com la reducció del consum d’energia mantenint els mateixos serveis energètics, sense disminuir el nostre confort i qualitat de vida, protegint el medi ambient, assegurant el proveïment i fomentant un comportament Sostenible al seu ús. L’objectiu principal d’aquest treball, és reduir el consum d’energia i terme de potència contractat a la Universitat de Vic, aplicant un programa d’estalvi amb mesures correctores en el funcionament de les seves instal·lacions o espais. Per tal de poder arribar a aquest objectiu marcat, prèviament s’ha realitzat un estudi acurat, obtenint tota la informació necessària per poder aplicar les mesures correctores a la bossa més important de consum. Un cop trobada, dur a terme l’estudi de la viabilitat de la inversió de les mesures correctores més eficients, optimitzant els recursos destinats. L’espai on s’ha dut a terme l’estudi, ha estat a l’edifici F del Campus Miramarges, seguint les indicacions d’Arnau Bardolet (Cap de Manteniment de la UVIC). Aquest edifici consta d’un entresol, baixos i quatre plantes. L’equip de mesura que s’ha fet servir per realitzar l’estudi, és de la marca Circutor sèrie AR5-L, aquests equips són programables que mesuren, calculen i emmagatzemen en memòria els principals paràmetres elèctrics en xarxes trifàsiques. Els projectes futurs complementaris que es podrien realitzar a part d’aquest són: instal·lar sensors, instal·lar mòduls convertidors TCP/IP, aprofitar la xarxa intranet i crear un escada amb un sinòptic de control i gestió des d’un punt de treball. Aquest aplicatiu permet visualitzar en una pantalla d’un PC tots els estats dels elements controlats mitjançant un sinòptic (encendre/parar manualment l’enllumenat i endolls de les aules, estat d’enllumenat i endolls de les aules, consums instantanis/acumulats energètics, estat dels passadissos entre altres) i explotar les dades recollides a la base de dades. Cada espai tindria la seva lògica de funcionament automàtic específic. Entre les conclusions més rellevants obtingudes en aquest treball s’observa: · Que és pot reduir la potència contractada a la factura a l’estar per sota de la realment consumida. · Que no hi ha penalitzacions a la factura per consum de reactiva, ja que el compensador funciona correctament. · Que es pot reduir l’horari de l’inici del consum d’energia, ja que no correspon a l’activitat docent. · Els valors de la tensió i freqüència estan dintre de la normalitat. · Els harmònics estan al llindar màxim. Analitzant aquestes conclusions, voldria destacar les mesures correctores més importants que es poden dur a terme: canvi tecnològic a LED, temporitzar automàticament l’encesa i apagada dels fluorescents i equips informàtics de les aules “seguint calendari docent”, instal·lar sensors de moviment amb detecció lumínica als passadissos. Totes les conclusions extretes d’aquest treball, es poden aplicar a tots els edificis de la facultat, prèviament realitzant l’estudi individual de cadascuna, seguint els mateixos criteris per tal d’optimitzar la inversió.

TiO2 photocatalytic inactivation under simulated solar light of bacterial consortia in domestic wastewaters previously treated by UASB, duckweed and facultative ponds

In this work, TiO2 photocatalysis was used to disinfect domestic wastewaters previously treated by different biological treatment systems: Upward-flow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB), facultative pond, and duckweed pond. The microorganisms monitored were E. coli, total coliforms, Shigella species, and Salmonella species. Photocatalytic experiments were carried out using two light sources: a solar simulator (UV intensity: 68-70 W m-2) and black-light lamps (BLL UV intensity: 17-20 W m-2). Samples were taken after each treatment stage. Results indicate that bacterial photocatalytic inactivation is affected by characteristics of the effluent, including turbidity, concentration of organic matter, and bacterial concentration, which depend of the type of biological pretreatment previously used.

Theoretical investigation of electronic excitation transfer between chlorophylls in light-harvesting antenna of photosystem ii using quantum computers

The excitation energy transfer between chlorophylls in major and minor antenna complexes of photosystem II (PSII) was investigated using quantum Fourier transforms. These transforms have an important role in the efficiency of quantum algorithms of quantum computers. The equation 2n=N was used to make the connection between excitation energy transfers using quantum Fourier transform, where n is the number of qubits required for simulation of transfers and N is the number of chlorophylls in the antenna complexes.

Synthesis, characterization and thermal behaviour on solid pyruvates of light trivalent lanthanides

Solid State Ln-L compounds, where Ln stands for light trivalent lanthanides (La - Gd) and L is pyruvate, have been synthesized. Thermogravimetry and derivative thermogravimetry (TG/DTG), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-Ray powder diffractometry, infrared spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and complexometry were used to characterize and to study the thermal behaviour of these compounds. The results led to information about the composition, dehydration, ligand denticity, thermal behaviour and thermal decomposition of the isolated compounds.

Influence of substrates, light, filter paper and pH on the sporulation of Cercospora sojina

Fungi require special substrates for their isolation, vegetative growth and sporulation. In experiments conducted in the laboratory, the influence of substrates, light, filter paper and pH on the sporulation of Cercospora sojina conidia, the causal agent of soybean frogeye leaf spot, was assessed. The media potato sucrose agar, V-8 agar, tomato extract agar, soybean leaf extract agar, soybean seed extract agar, soybean meal agar, soybean flour agar and wheat flour agar were tested, added on the surface, with and without filter paper and under two light regimes, with 12 h light at 25°± 2°C and in the dark. A triple factorial 8x2x2 (substrates x light/dark x with/without filter paper) design with four replicates was used. V-8 agar medium was employed and the pH was adjusted with HCl 0.1N or NaOH 0.1N before autoclaving to the values: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8, and the pH of V-8 agar medium is 6.7. The evaluation was done on the seventh day of incubation. Data underwent regression analysis. Sporulation was maximized on the agar media V-8, seed extract, oat flour, tomato extract, and potato sucrose in the presence of filter paper and 12h light. On V-8 medium, maximal sporulation was obtained with pH 6.7.

Effects of different light levels on the initial growth and photosynthesis of Croton urucurana Baill. in southeastern Brazil

Four levels of shading (full sunlight (0%), 30, 50, 70% of solar radiation interception on growth, chlorophyll concentration and photosynthetic rate were studied in Croton urucurana Baill., a pioneer plant species. This species seedlings are of potential interest for reforestation projects and recovery of degraded areas. The seedlings were grown in pots containing soil and sand (2:1) and later transferred to plastic bags of 3 dm³ and submitted to different levels of shading (30, 50, 70%) of solar radiation and full sunlight, as control. The experimental design was completely randomized with five replicates and each experimental unit was composed of five plants. The results suggest that plants submitted to 70% shading showed higher dry weight accumulation in leaf and root, and higher plant height and leaf area. However, the seedlings root system showed higher dry biomass under full sunlight. It was observed a tendency to increase chlorophyll concentration and to decrease photosynthetic rate with the increase of the shading level.