East Spain Research Articles

Seed vs. microsite limitation for seedling emergence in the perennial grass Stipa tenacissima L. (Poaceae)

This paper examines the relative influence of seed and microsite availability in the seedling emergence of Stipa tenacissima, a perennial grass inhabiting semi-arid Mediterranean steppes. A correlative approximation was used to establish 21 (10 × 10 m) plots along a climatic gradient in the Northern limit of the geographic distribution in East Spain. Seed production, seed removal by ants, ant nest density, and the relative cover of S. tenacissima, other perennial plants and bare ground, as explanatory variables, were measured in each plot. Multiple linear regression with forward stepwise selection procedure was used to analyze the relationships between seedling emergence and the explanatory variables. There was large variation between and within plots of all the studied variables, but cover of perennial plants was the only explanatory variable included in the regression model when all the plots were used for the analysis. We suggest that this result was the consequence that high annual precipitation on the Northernmost plots had on the cover of perennial plants and it is consistent with the experimental evidence that shadowing by perennial plants negatively affects germination and performance of the S. tenacissima seedlings. Once the Northernmost plots were removed from the model of regression then seed production, seed removal by ants and ant nest density significantly affected seedling emergence. We concluded that microsite quality, defined in relation to the shadowing capacity of perennial species, was more influential than seed and microsite availability at the Northern limit of the geographic distribution of S. tenacissima.

Spatial patterns of land degradation and their impacts on the water balance of rainfed treecrops: A case study in South East Spain

Rainfed permanent crops such as almonds, olives and vines cover important areas in the drier parts of the Mediterranean. The acreage of almonds has expanded rapidly into marginal soils of the hillslopes of southeast Spain. This expansion starting in the 1970s was reinforced by the subsidies under the EU Common Agricultural Policy since the late 1980s. Trees are widely spaced and the soil in between is kept bare to reduce competition with weeds for the scarce rainfall. Hence, the large areas of bare soil are vulnerable to water erosion. However, recently it has been demonstrated that soil redistribution by tillage can be an even more important cause of degradation. This paper investigates the systematic variation in soil properties as a result of soil redistribution by tillage of a small catchment (21 ha in Murcia Region, southeast Spain) converted to almond groves in the late 1970s. Furthermore, the impacts of the spatial variation in soil properties on the water balance of the almond cropping system are evaluated. The results of a spatially distributed tillage erosion model, WATEM, are validated by a topographic survey of accumulation and removal of soil along field borders (root mean square difference (RMS) = 6.7 ton ha − 1 y − 1 ). On the hillslopes, soil loss by tillage erosion amounts to 26.6 ton ha − 1 y − 1 while sedimentation occurs at a rate of 21.1 ton ha − 1 y − 1 . The difference between erosion and sedimentation on the hillslopes results in a net transport of sediment towards the valley bottom, where the sediment is retained behind 17 earthen dams. Overall, these currently store 156.5 tons ha − 1 , which is about half their total capacity. The area suffering from erosion is larger (53%) than the area undergoing sedimentation (34%) or the area undergoing a change within the accuracy of the model prediction (13%). Hence, soils in a large part of the catchment become gradually thinner and stonier. The PATTERN model, developed to describe the hydrology of thin and stony soils, was validated on two columns of bare soil for which wetting and drying runs were monitored. Frequent tillage destroys the roots in the plough layer and forces the widely spaced trees to develop a lateral root system in the broken bedrock below. The model results indicate that evaporation losses (92.8–94.7 mm per year) are similar for all soil profiles regardless of landscape position. The water draining below the plough layer (i.e. 67% of the rainfall) will be used by the tree crop to develop its canopy covering the fields only partially (i.e. the transpiring surface is a fraction of the total area). However, the frequent ploughing causes important soil redistribution, which reduces soil thickness on the one hand and fills up the storage behind dams in the valley bottom on the other hand.

Total and faecal coliform bacteria persistence in a pig slurry amended soil

The aim of this experiment was to study the effect of the application of pig slurry on potential pathogen (total and faecal coliform bacteria) presence in a Typic Xerofluvent soil. The experiment was conducted in field conditions, in the Segura River valley in the South East of Spain. Four treatments, in a fully-randomised design with three replicates per treatment, were established in experimental plots of 16 m 2 each. Fertiliser treatments were: MF, mineral fertiliser (with a complex 16N– 16P2O5–16K2O) equivalent to 150 kg N ha 1 ; PSF, organic fertilisation with swine manure slurry, at two different rates (supplying 150 and 210 kg N ha 1 ), and C, a controlled treatment without fertilisation. A high variability of the concentrations of total and faecal coliforms was observed during the experiment, mainly depends on the time and the treatment. The pig slurry amendment induced the highest initial and also persistent presence of total and faecal coliform bacteria. The higher application rate seemed to induce a long-lasting persistence of the total, but especially the faecal coliform, population in the amended soils compared to the lower rate. In most cases, an increase in the total coliforms content was observed in the soils amended with mineral fertiliser compared to controlled soils, probably due to an increase in soil microorganisms populations. In general, the total coliform bacteria was 2–3 log10 units higher than the faecal ones. Mostly, a tendency to decrease with time was observed in both indicator microorganisms, in all the treatments. D 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Runoff and soil loss under individual plants of a semi‐arid Mediterranean shrubland: influence of plant morphology and rainfall intensity

AbstractThe influence of plant morphology and rainfall intensity on soil loss and runoff was determined at the plant scale for three representative species of a semi‐arid patchy shrubland vegetation of east Spain, representing contrasting canopy structures and plant phenologies (Rosmarinus officinalis, Anthyllis cytisoides and Stipa tenacissima).Twenty‐seven microplots of less than 1 m2, each containing one single plant, were built to quantify runoff volume and sediment yield under the canopies of the three species. Runoff and rates of soil loss measured in these plots under natural rainfall conditions were compared with control microplots built in the bare inter‐plant areas. Precipitation was automatic‐ally recorded and rainfall intensity calculated over a two‐year period.Results indicated that individual plants played a relevant role in interrill erosion control at the microscale. Compared with a bare soil surface, rates of soil loss and runoff reduction varied strongly depending on the species. Cumulative soil loss was reduced by 94·3, 88·0 and 30·2 per cent, and cumulative runoff volume was reduced by 66·4, 50·8 and 18·4 per cent under the Rosmarinus, Stipa and Anthyllis canopies, respectively, compared with a bare surface. Anthyllis was significantly less efficient than the two other species in reducing runoff volume under its canopy. Differences between species could only be identified above a rainfall intensity threshold of 20 mm h−1. The different plant morphologies and plant compon‐ents explained the different erosive responses of the three species. Canopy cover played a major role in runoff and soil loss reduction. The presence of a second layer of protection at the soil surface (litter cover) was fundamental for erosion control during intense rainfall. Rainfall intensity and soil water status prior to rainfall strongly influenced runoff and soil loss rates. The possible use of these species in restoration programmes of degraded areas is discussed. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Gamma‐linolenic and stearidonic acids from Moroccan Boraginaceae

Seeds from 20 species belonging to Boraginaceae, subfamilies Boraginoideae and Heliotropioideae, were surveyed in a search for new sources of γ-linolenic acid (GLA) and stearidonic acid (SDA). Seed oil content ranged from 7.5% in Echium humile ssp. pycnanthum to 28.8% in Anchusa undulata. GLA ranged from 0.2% of total fatty acids in Heliotropium undulatum to 20.2% in Lithodora maroccana. This last species may be considered as new source of GLA. GLA content was also tested in other Lithodora species from the south east of Spain, to compare GLA percentages among related taxa. GLA amounts in all Echium species reached approximately 12%, in good agreement with previous findings in other European Echium species. SDA ranged from an absence in several Cynoglossum species to 16.2% in Echium humile ssp. pycnanthum, which may be considered as a new source of this fatty acid.

Assessment of some spatial and temporal issues in landslide initiation within the Río Aguas Catchment, South–East Spain

A research programme underway in south–east Spain has the overall aim of developing a long-term landscape evolution model for the Tertiary depositional basins that lie within the eastern part of the Betic cordillera. As part of the work it has become apparent that there are multiple natural hazards to development in the region, and the nature and distribution of these is presently under investigation. For one hazard, namely landsliding, a database of over 300 cases has been compiled within one defined 425 km2 river catchment, namely the Rio Aguas. Evaluation of the database has demonstrated that the contemporary distribution of landslides correlates with areas of steepest slopes across a range of the different lithologies. However, the “slope” component of the landscape is controlled by a wave of incision associated with a river capture event c. 100000 years ago which locally increased erosion by between 5 and 10 times. This event was a function of differential uplift between the depositional basins and resulted in over-steepened slopes within parts of the catchment which have yet to reach equilibrium in this evolving landscape.

Spatial Dominance and Inorganic Carbon Assimilation by Conspicuous Autotrophic Biofilms in a Physical and Chemical Gradient of a Cold Sulfurous Spring: The Role of Differential Ecological Strategies

The community composition and ecophysiological features of microbial autotrophic biofilms were studied in Fuente Podrida, a cold sulfur spring located in East Spain. We demonstrated how different ecophysiological strategies, such as resistance and/or utilization of sulfide and oxygen, light adaptation, or resistance to high water flow, allow each of the microorganisms described to efficiently colonize several areas within the environmental gradient. In the zone of the spring constantly influenced by sulfide-rich waters, biofilms were formed by purple bacteria, cyanobacteria, and filamentous colorless sulfur bacteria. Purple bacteria showed higher photosynthetic efficiency per pigment unit than cyanobacteria, although they were dominant only in anoxic areas. Two filamentous cyanobacteria, strain UVFP1 and strain UVFP2, were also abundant in the sulfide-rich area. Whereas the cyanobacterial strain UVFP2 shows a strategy based on the resistance to sulfide of oxygenic photosynthesis, strain UVFP1, additionally, has the capacity for sulfide-driven anoxygenic photosynthesis. Molecular phylogenetic analyses cluster the benthic strain UVFP1 with genus Planktothrix, but with no particular species, whereas UVFP2 does not closely cluster with any known cyanobacterial species. The colorless sulfur bacterium Thiothrix sp. extended throughout the zone in which both sulfide and oxygen were present, exhibiting its capacity for chemolithoautotrophic dark carbon fixation. Downstream from the source, where springwater mixes with well-oxygenated stream water and sulfide disappears, autotrophic biofilms were dominated by diatoms showing higher photosynthetic rates than cyanobacteria and, by a lesser extent, by a sulfide-sensitive cyanobacterium (strain UVFP3) well adapted to low light availability, although in the areas of higher water velocity far from the river shore, the dominance shifted to crust-forming cyanobacteria. Both types of microorganisms were highly sensitive to sulfide impeding them from occupying sulfide-rich areas of the spring. Sulfide, oxygen, light availability, and water velocity appear as the main factors structuring the autotrophic community of Fuente Podrida spring.

Di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate in sewage sludge and post-treated sludge: Quantitative determination by HRGC-MS and mass spectral characterization

DEHP was quantified into sewage sludge, thermally dried sludge and compost samples from different areas of Catalonia (North East Spain) using high-resolution gas chromatography (HRGC) coupled to a mass spectrometry (MS). The aim of the work was to determine the evolution of this ubiquitous environmental contaminant along some post-treatment sludge processes, such as composting and thermally drying. DEHP concentration detected in some sludges are above the maximum limit suggested by the EC (100 ppm d.m.) for agricultural use. However, the composting and thermally drying reduce the amount of DEHP in sewage sludge to acceptable level for safe land application. The study was completed with the characterization and long-term observation of DEHP in sewage sludge, composted sludge and thermally dried sludge mixed with two types of soils. In all cases, the percentage of DEHP degraded was higher than 50% after 9 months of incubation.

An enigmatic cave-dwelling ground beetle: Trechus barratxinai Español, 1971 (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Trechinae, Trechini)

Espanol, 1971 (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Trechinae, Trechini). - An important population of Trechus barratxinai Espanol, 1971 was discovered in the Penyes de Roset, near the type locality (abyss of Barratxina, Xixona-Alicante, East Spain). This species, originally considered as cavernicolous, shows epigeal and lapidicolous life habits, as now discovered. A detailed laboratory study revealed the presence of wings which had been overlooked in the concise description of the species. The development of wings confirms the suspicion that, as in other species in this genus, barratxinai has geophilic, lucifugous and hygrophilous habits but is not a cavernicolous (troglobiont) species. The species description is completed with details on the anatomy of the female genitalia. Also, the taxonomic position of barratxinai is questioned and its position within the T. austriacus-group, near diecki Putzeys 1870, its geographical neighbour, is proposed. Finally, the first data on the species biology and on its habitat characteristics are given.

A nine-year study of successful breeding in a Bonelli’s eagle population in southeast Spain: a basis for conservation

We analyse the factors influencing breeding success in a healthy population of Bonelli’s eagle ( Hieraaetus fasciatus) from south–east Spain, a raptor that has suffered a serious decline in Europe. Between 18 and 33 pairs were annually monitored during the period 1994–2002. Several factors that may affect four breeding parameters were studied, namely human presence, vegetation, relief, climatic factors, intra- and inter-specific relationships, diet, prey abundance, nest building, adult mortality and age of reproduction. A consistently high breeding success was registered during the study period (productivity=1.43, SD=0.11), which was probably the result of high adult survival, adequate prey availability and mild weather conditions. However, a certain vulnerability to the presence of golden eagles ( Aquila chrysaetos) and to human disturbance was observed. One interesting result was the reduced survival of young chicks on north-facing cliffs owing to colder conditions, which may partially explain the decline of the Bonelli’s eagle populations along its European distribution limits. We discuss the role of this healthy subpopulation in an Iberian metapopulation context, and propose that the potential interference of golden eagles should be taken into account when designing management strategies for Bonelli’s eagles. Finally, we pinpoint some conservation priorities and the importance of reducing the main causes of adult mortality (i.e. shooting and electrocution) to assure successful reproduction and survival of this species.

Influence of LDL receptor gene mutations and the R3500Q mutation of the apoB gene on lipoprotein phenotype of familial hypercholesterolemic patients from a South European population.

Few data are available on genotype-phenotype interactions among familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) patients in South European populations and there are no data about the influence of R3500Q mutation on lipoprotein phenotype compared to low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) mutations. The objective of the study is to analyze the influence of mutations in the LDLR and apolipoprotein B (apoB) genes on lipoprotein phenotype among subjects clinically diagnosed of FH living in East Spain. In all, 113 FH index patients and 100 affected relatives were studied. Genetic diagnosis was carried out following a protocol based on Southern blot and PCR-SSCP analysis. A total of 118 FH subjects could be classified into three groups according to the type of LDLR mutations (null mutations, missense mutations affecting the ligand binding 3-5 repeat, and missense mutations outside this domain). In addition, the lipoprotein phenotype of these FH groups was compared with 19 heterozygous subjects with familial ligand-defective apoB (FDB), due to R3500Q mutation. FH patients carrying missense mutations affecting the ligand binding repeat 3-5 showed total and LDL cholesterol levels significantly higher than FH patients with missense mutations in other LDLR domains or FDB patients. FH subjects carrying null mutations showed lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol plasma values compared to FH carrying missense mutations. FDB subjects showed the lowest total and LDL cholesterol plasma values. In conclusion, the type of LDLR gene mutation and R3500Q mutation influences the lipoprotein phenotype of FH population from East Spain.

CHARACTERIZATION OF THE SOLAR DIFFUSE COMPONENT UNDER "PARRAL" PLASTIC GREENHOUSES

The diffuse and direct components of solar global radiation were measured during autumn months under a “parral” type greenhouse, commonly used in South East of Spain. For the covering material tested during this period (co-extruded three-layers film), the ratio of diffuse to global radiation (D/G) was significantly enhanced under the greenhouse. On sunny days, the inside diffuse radiation (Di) can reach values as high as three o four times the outside diffuse radiation (D0). The transmission of direct radiation (direct to direct) reached 0.21 on a daily average basis while the direct to diffuse transmission (β) was about double. It was found a significant correlation between the ratio Di/D0 and the outside diffuse to global ratio, allowing to predict the greenhouse diffuse radiation from the knowledge of the outside solar radiation components.

DYS19 and DYS390 Y-STR polymorphism in the Iberian Peninsula: A multivariate analysis

Genetic polymorphism of two Y-specific short tandem repeats (DYS19 and DYS390) was investigated in six populations from the Iberian Peninsula (Andalusia, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla-Leon, Extremadura, Galicia and South East Spain) comprising a total of 895 unrelated and native individuals, and a complete database of DYS19 and DYS390 allele frequency distributions in 34 world-wide populations collected from literature was analysed. DYS19 and DYS390 polymorphism was screened by automated fluorescence analysis of PCR-amplified labelled sample fragments performed with and ABI PRISM 377 Genetic Analyser. The degree of population differentiation was analysed using the STP Test to calculate G Statistic values. Correspondence Analysis based on the allelic frequencies of each locus and combining both was performed using the NTSYS-PC version 1.70 computer package. The diversity of the genetic profiles of gene frequencies suggests an important population heterogeneity in the Iberian Peninsula as a whole (DYS390 being particularly evident), which is corroborated after statistical analyses (G = 139.8457, p = 1.7822 x 10(-14) for DYS19, G = 116.0293, p = 4.6845 x 10(-12) for DYS390). However, multivariate analysis indicates a well defined cluster of the populations of the Central region, and sets them apart from the positions within which peripheral Iberian Peninsula populations are distributed. The Galician population shows trends which bring it closer to the positions throughout which European Atlantic populations are distributed. The results shown by the Central Iberian Peninsula seem to lend support to a model of settlement population stocks which came from the region of Castilla-Leon after the Islam invasions, whereas in the South-East populations the genetic record of Middle Eastern populations is still present, a consequence of the expansion of Islam in Southern Europe in the Middle Ages.

Validation of a dust production model from measurements performed in semi-arid agricultural areas of Spain and Niger

Models of two processes (saltation and sandblasting) that lead to fine dust release in arid areas have recently been combined to form a dust production model (DPM), the physical bases of which are summarized. In order to validate DPM at field scale, its predictions in terms of horizontal and vertical mass fluxes are compared to direct measurements made in natural conditions on a silt loam soil in north–east Spain during Wind Erosion and Loss of SOil Nutrients in semi-arid Spain (WELSONS) experiment and a sandy soil in Niger during the PROgramme Soil and Erosion (PROSE) experiment. In the Spanish case, due to the formation of a coalescing crust after rainfall, a limited supply of loose particles on the soil surface restricts the availability of soil aggregates for saltation. Once this supply limitation is taken into account in the saltation submodel, the vertical fluxes, predicted by DPM with the binding energies previously determined in a wind tunnel experiment, agree well with the measured ones. In the Niger case, the agreement is found to be directly satisfactory for unlimited saltation, even in crusted conditions. However, in order to retrieve measured vertical fluxes, the aggregate binding energies that constitute key factors involved in the sandblasting computation must be divided by 3. These results validate the sandblasting part of DPM but show that saltation has to be adequately tuned when a coalescing crust forms on loamy soils. These results also show that the potential of soil for fine-dust production does not increase with its clay content which rather tends to slightly reduce sandblasting efficiencies. A high clay content favours formation of a coalescing crust that efficiently traps formerly loose soil aggregates. The supply limitation resulting from this crust formation controls the importance of saltation, and hence, of fine-dust production. Finally, saltation clearly appears as the limiting factor for fine-dust production.

Biotic interaction and synecology in a Late Cretaceous coral–rudist biostrome of southeastern Spain

A coral–rudist biostrome exposed in Campanian limestones near the village of Tabernas de Valldigna in south–east Spain was analysed with respect to its palaeontology, sedimentology and palaeoecology. Special attention was given to possible evidence for synecological interactions between corals and rudists. Changes in the rudist shell accretion process are evident in some polished slabs and thin sections and resulted from in vivo contact with coral-colonies. These unusual balcony-like shell protuberances exist where the rudist’s commissure was in contact with corals. They likely represent defence-reactions of rudists against the coral cnidia. Nevertheless, the fossil record of these biotic interactions is rare. This may be due to different growth-rates of rudists and corals, differing shape and size of interacting areas, or different life-spans. In consequence, the discrete ‘window’ of intergroup biotic interaction was small. Sedimentation and resuspension rates were high in the biostrome and corals only established pioneer associations under these unfavourable conditions. A higher diversity of corals is reached, however, when rudists are present. This increase in diversity resulted from the availability of additional ecological niches such as rudist-shell hard substrates and elevation above mobile sediment surface. Rudists on the other hand, received support from stabilisation of their shells through coral encrustation and framework building. In consequence, both groups benefited from their co-existence.

Study of eight novel Y-chromosome STRs in a sample from Valencia (East of Spain): analysis of gene and haplotypes frequencies

Because of the great interest in Y-chromosome polymorphisms not only in the forensic field but also in evolutionary studies, the number of described Y-chromosome markers has been increased considerably in the recent literature. During the last few years, new Y-chromosome polymorphisms have been described, including binary polymorphisms, microsatellites and minisatellites. In this study, eight recently described tetranucleotide microsatellites have been analysed: DYS434, DYS437, DYS439, Y-GATA A7.1, Y-GATA A7.2, Y-GATA A.10, Y-GATA C4 and Y-GATA H4. Gene and haplotype frequencies have been estimated in the Valencian population, to determine highly informative haplotypes, using these new Y-STRs combined with the classical ones.

Comparative analysis of biological and ecological differentiation of Anemone palmata L. (Ranunculaceae) in the western Mediterranean (France and Spain): an assessment of rarity and population persistence

The western Mediterranean geophyte Anemone palmata L. is one of the most endangered angiosperm taxa in France. The biological and ecological characteristics of French populations are contrasted with those of populations from near the centre of the species distribution in east Spain. A Correspondence Analysis discriminates the French and Spanish populations according to substrate and the composition of the plant communities where they grow. The karyological study reveals that east Spanish plants are autotetraploid, whilst the French are all diploid. In addition, morphological differences were registered, Spanish plants generally being more vigorous. French populations consist mostly of senile plants, without or with very low rates of sexual reproduction, whereas the populations from Spain include all age groups with an important percentage of juvenile plants. The main factors which could affect the French populations are habitat destruction and modification of plant communities due to land-abandonment. Conservation measures should be supported by immediate protection of the French localities and habitats to prevent the total decline of this rare species. © 2002 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2002, 140, 95–114.

Characterising rainfall regimes in relation to recharge of the Sierra de Gador-Campo de Dalias aquifer system (S-E Spain)

This paper demonstrates the use of the deuterium excess parameter to distinguish between origin of precipitation in the Mediterranean basin. Isotope signatures in precipitation from the GNIP network around the Mediterranean basin and literature data are combined with isotopic data from aquifers in south east Spain to explain the typology of the precipitation events dominating recharge. Although precipitation from Atlantic origin (d-excess = 10‰) occurs more frequently in the western Mediterranean basin, the quantities in each event are generally moderate to low. Important rainfall events generally have Mediterranean origin (d-excess=15‰). The total precipitation in Gibraltar is a mixture between precipitation from both origins (d-excess in Gibraltar = 12.39‰). However, with increasing volume of the storms the Mediterranean character dominates. These heavier storms contribute mainly to recharge, as illustrated by the d-excess of 13.8‰ in deep groundwater of the Campo de Dalias (Almeria province). One of the challenges to meet ever-growing water demands is to increase recharge from events with a low return period yielding intermediate quantities per event, but forming the bulk of the annual precipitation.

Using stable isotope analysis ( δD– δ18O) to characterise the regional hydrology of the Sierra de Gador, south east Spain

Water stress is rapidly increasing in many Mediterranean coastal zones mainly due to expansion in agriculture and tourism. In this paper, we focus on the Sierra de Gador–Campo de Dalias aquifer system (southeastern Spain) in order to assess the capability of water stable isotope analysis ( δD– δ 18O) to refine the understanding on recharge of this karstic aquifer system. Different types of surface and groundwater were sampled along an altitudinal gradient from the recharge zone in the mountains to the coastal plain. Surface water is restricted to local runoff, collected in closed reservoirs. Runoff amounts, collected in three of these reservoirs were monitored together with the precipitation in their catchments. Meteorological maps were used to detect the origin of the precipitation generating the majority of the runoff. The results were compared to literature data on local and regional precipitation. The use of oxygen and hydrogen isotopic composition has proved to be a useful tool to explain the origin of groundwater in a Mediterranean karstic system. Such studies are, however, not numerous and are often limited to local scale recharge for fast-reacting systems. This paper focuses on the δ 18O– δD relationships of local precipitation to explain the isotopic variability of a large karstic aquifer system. The isotopic compositions of groundwater sampled along an altitudinal gradient from the recharge zone to the coastal plain are well displayed, in a δD– δ 18O diagram, on a mixing line connecting a pole of Mediterranean waters to a pole of Atlantic waters. The Atlantic signature predominates in the shallow groundwater of natural springs, reflecting the rainfall which produced the local runoff sampled. The Mediterranean signature is mainly restricted to deep groundwater from boreholes in the coastal plain. The existence of a degree of spatial separation of groundwater types demonstrates that groundwater flow in a complex karstic system is not always continuous. The Mediterranean signature of deep groundwater could be due to past extreme rainfall events during which connectivity between recharge and reservoir exists, while at the same time the Atlantic signature of recent winter rains dominates in shallow groundwater. The assumption that an equilibrium in isotopic composition is established within a continuous aquifer and that therefore a slope lower than 8 in a δD– δ 18O diagram indicates evaporation is not necessarily valid.

The strategic process of a cultural change to implement total quality management: A case study

The implementation of a total quality management (TQM) culture, with its implicit orientation towards the customer, is a complex matter and requires a long-term approach. Consequently, the firms that try to change from a bureaucratic culture to one oriented towards quality will have to design an appropriate strategy in order to succeed. This type of modification can only be achieved through an evolutionary process and not a reactionary or a revolutionary one, since we are dealing with individual and collective behaviours that can obtain customer satisfaction through continuous improvement. In this respect, we present the case of a transformation towards a TQM culture in the Division of Alicante (Alicante is a province in the East of Spain) of Telefonica Group (a Spanish telecommunications company which, in 1999, provided jobs for over 100000 people and had profits of more than 1780 million euros). Thus, we are going to study the stages the Division went through in the process and the problems they had to face, finally reflecting the results obtained after implementing a strategy that was formulated to achieve this purpose in the long run.