Current status, uncertainty and future needs in soil organic carbon monitoring

Increasing human demands on soil-derived ecosystem services requires reliable data on global soil resources for sustainable development. The soil organic carbon (SOC) pool is a key indicator of soil quality as it affects essential biological, chemical and physical soil functions such as nutrient cycling, pesticide and water retention, and soil structure maintenance. However, information on the SOC pool, and its temporal and spatial dynamics is unbalanced. Even in well-studied regions with a pronounced interest in environmental issues information on soil carbon (C) is inconsistent. Several activities for the compilation of global soil C data are under way. However, different approaches for soil sampling and chemical analyses make even regional comparisons highly uncertain. Often, the procedures used so far have not allowed the reliable estimation of the total SOC pool, partly because the available knowledge is focused on not clearly defined upper soil horizons and the contribution of subsoil to SOC stocks has been less considered. Even more difficult is quantifying SOC pool changes over time. SOC consists of variable amounts of labile and recalcitrant molecules of plant, and microbial and animal origin that are often operationally defined. A comprehensively active soil expert community needs to agree on protocols of soil surveying and lab procedures towards reliable SOC pool estimates. Already established long-term ecological research sites, where SOC changes are quantified and the underlying mechanisms are investigated, are potentially the backbones for regional, national, and international SOC monitoring programs. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.

Latin American supply and major world market demand for the principal metals, 1970-1990: aluminium, copper, iron, nickel, lead, zinc, tin

Includes bibliography

Demanda de maquinaria y equipo de la minería metalífera en algunos países de América Latina = Demand for machinery and equipment by the metal mining industry in some countries of Latin America

Incluye Bibliografía

Geração automática de Trimap para Matting Digital de Imagens e Vídeo

Pós-graduação em Ciência da Computação - IBILCE

Global economic developments, 1999

Includes bibliography

Capital flows to Latin America: first quarter 2006

Includes bibliography

Confusion and uncertainty in credit markets

Includes bibliography

Capital flows to Latin America: recent developments

Includes bibliography

Shipping suply and demand, biennium 2008 - 2009

This edition of the FAL Bulletin analyses the performance of the shipping industry during the biennium 2008-2009 in its three main markets: containers, dry-bulk cargoes and liquid bulk (oil and its derivatives).

Reducing Legal Uncertainty: A Challenge for Subregional Integration in Latin America and the Caribbean

Despite the recovery in intraregional trade over the past three years, intra-group trade, that is trade within the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR), the Andean Community (CAN) and the Central American Common Market (CACM), remains much weaker than that observed within similar groups in other regions of the world. This weakness is due essentially to the serious lack of complementarity in the process of eliminating tariff barriers (see chapter 3 of Latin America and the Caribbean in the World Economy 2004: Trends 2005, and the study on regional integration entitled: "América Latina y El Caribe: La integración regional en la hora de las definiciones", which is due to be published shortly and which updates basic information for the year 2005). The reasons include (a) weak institutional capacities; (b) the lack of macroeconomic coordination; (c) inadequate infrastructure and d) the lack of depth in integration-related trade disciplines.  This edition of the Bulletin reviews the mechanisms for dispute settlement within Mercosur, the Andean Community and CACM with a view to drawing conclusions on the extent to which they are used. In order to reform such mechanisms, consideration should be given to the creation of a single dispute settlement mechanism which would replicate the procedures and regulations of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Changes in maritime transport supply and demand

This FAL bulletin reviews changes in water transport supply and demand in three markets: containers, dry bulk and liquid cargo (dirty and clean) over the past several years.

Towards diversification of the tourism sector: A recreational demand study of yachting and marina services in the Caribbean

Includes bibliography.

Social mobility and the demand for income redistribution in Latin America

Includes bibliography