This article aims to analyze the main factors that contribute to the occurrence of traffic accidents in São Gabriel da Cachoeira/AM, a municipality located in the extreme northwest of Brazil. The research developed a descriptive study, with a qualitative and quantitative approach, based on statistical data, field observation and interviews with local traffic agents. The specific objectives include surveying the number and frequency of accidents, classifying them according to the type of vehicle involved, verifying the presence and effectiveness of traffic enforcement, identifying road signaling instruments and traffic education actions, as well as analyzing the relationship between these factors and road safety. The results indicate that most accidents are associated with risky behavior on the part of drivers, such as speeding and disregarding traffic signs, combined with the low presence of traffic enforcement and deficient road infrastructure. It is concluded that there is an urgent need to implement more effective public policies, continuous educational actions and structural improvements to promote traffic safety. The study contributes to the reflection on the challenges of urban mobility in cities in the Amazon and to the development of strategies aimed at preventing accidents.

The primary objective of this paper is to illuminate the various food crops that are cultivated for household consumption and also used as items of trade in local transactions in the South West Region of Cameroon. The South West Region is one of the ten regions that make up the Republic of Cameroon. The other nine regions are Central, Littoral, Eastern, Adamawa, South, North, Extreme North and North West. The culinary history of the people of the South West Region is particularly attractive and impressive because of a multiplicity of factors, including the ethnic, linguistic, nutritional, and cultural diversity of the region. The major ethnic groups found in the region include Bakweri, Bambuko, Ejaghan, Bakundu, Balundu, Bakossi, Anyang, Banyang, and Mbo. Due to the presence of Mount Fako which is the highest mountain in West Africa, the region has the most fertile soil found in the country. This has led to the cultivation of a variety of export crops such as cocoa, coffee, bananas, oil palms, rubber and tea. Contrary to cash crops, the prominent food crops grown in the region both for domestic consumption and also as items of local trade include yams, pumpkins, watermelon, okra, oil palms, cola nuts, cocoyams, maize, plantains and others. Each of these food items discussed in the paper is broken down into varieties, and the date when each variety was introduced into the South West Region of Cameroon is also given. The prominent source of animal protein in the Region is essentially beef which is quite expensive because cattle must be imported from the Northern Regions of Cameroon. It is worth mentioning the point that very few cattle are reared in South West Cameroon because of the prevalence of the tse-tse fly which causes trypanosomiasis, a disease which kills cattle. Some people in the rural areas keep fowls, sheep, goats and pigs but these often do not form part of the regular diet. These domesticated animals are used as an integral part of bride-wealth payment, and also play a part during festivals and traditional celebrations. To make a request or settle a dispute requires a gift which is often given in livestock. For this paper to be realised, two categories of sources were consulted, including primary and secondary sources. Primary sources were essentially archival materials, while secondary sources were both published and unpublished. Published sources included printed articles and published books. Unpublished sources for their part were theses and dissertations.

ABSTRACT Adopting a blue cultural studies perspective, this article examines the local impact of the forced introduction of a knowledge-based and technology-driven economy in Europe to analyse its controversial effects on human well-being and environmental sustainability. Using the example of the boatyards of Caminha in the extreme northwest of Portugal, the article documents the rise, decline and abandonment of these yards following the death of one individual master shipwright, José Lopes, in 2015, as well as the steady disappearance of the traditional fishing boats, the ‘gamelas’, that Master Lopes used to build. The article links the trajectories of Master Lopes and the boatyards to an analysis of current cultural and policy trends to highlight the antagonistic measures imposed by the Portuguese state on craftmanship in general and the fishing profession in particular. Despite the economic and ecological viability of traditional fishing practices, excessive taxes and restrictive measures exacerbate the resentment of local fishers against the state and contribute to the public perception of their profession as an ecologically destructive and discredited remnant of an undesirable past. This happens in a context where younger generations find it increasingly difficult to secure meaningful jobs in the state-endorsed knowledge-based, pro-growth, and competition-driven neoliberal economy.

Spatial and interindustry interactions in labour productivity convergence: An Industrial Journey via Galician Shires, 2010–2018

The forest species in arid and semi-arid Mediterranean ecosystems already under threat from human and animal activities are now facing heightened vulnerability. This is evident with Pistacia atlantica in the extreme northwest of Algeria, which now occupies a smaller territory than previously. Our study aims to identify and describe P. atlantica communities based on floristic, physiognomic, and dynamic aspects, using a phytoecological approach at the ecological station scale. In this study, the sigmatist phytosociological method was used, based on floristic surveys that integrate all the ecological factors (climatic, edaphic, biotic and anthropic) responsible for the distribution of the vegetation. The climatic conditions in the far northwest of Algeria, from ancient times to the present day, are still favorable for the rehabilitation and maintenance of P. atlantica. Results revealed four distinct P. atlantica groups, varying geographically and floristically. Transitions between groups trigger regressive phenomena, leading to environmental disturbance and a high degree of therophytisation (68%). In conclusion, P. atlantica is experiencing dual-directional evolution, with regressive changes due to human pressures, leading to spiny/toxic species proliferation, and progressive changes within these clusters, promoting P. atlantica seed germination.

The article deals with the contribution of Hegumen Irinarkh (Shemanovsky) to missionary service in the territory of the Berezovsky vicariate as the head of the Obdorsk mission (1897-1910). The relevance of the proposed re search is due to the fact that the successful missionary endeavors of Hegumen Irinarkh at the end of the 19th century - the first decade of the 20th century can be guidelines for modern missionaries. In 13 years Hegumen Irinarkh managed to gain the trust of the indigenous peoples living in the vicinity of Obdorsk, as well as to increase the effectiveness of the Obdorsk mission. The article presents the main factors that contributed to the success of Hegumen Irinarkh’s missionary activities. With his personal funds he purchased the building of the ethnographic museum and library, equipped the missionary temple, created the Brotherhood in the name of Saint Gury, the wonderworker of Kazan and Sviyazhsk, which carried out research work: studied the life, culture and language of the Samoyeds of the extreme northwest of Siberia, was engaged in translation activities, maintenance of the museum and library. Hegumen Irinarkh promoted the opening of the Women’s Community in the Name of the Icon of the Consolation of “All Who Sorrow”. With the help of nuns invited from the Virov Spassky Convent, it was possible to organize a shelter for girls and an almshouse. Systematic and integrated approaches to evangelizing the natives of Siberia, consolidating the efforts of many social institutions allowed Hegumen Irinarch to implement a large-scale educational project. Thus, the activities of Hgumen Irinarch (Shemanovsky) can be considered as a guideline in the development of modern recommendations for missionary service.

Brazil hosts a wide range of Odonata species, including many hitherto unde¬scribed ones, especially in remote and unexplored regions where logistics are difficult. The northwestern Brazilian Amazon is an example of this situation, and many locations still need to be sampled there and have their taxonomic inventories compiled. Against this background, this study aimed to survey the Odonata species in the municipality of São Ga¬briel da Cachoeira, located in the extreme northwest of the Western Amazon. The survey was conducted at 11 water bodies, where 67 Odonata species were recorded, including four new records for the state of Amazonas and seven new records for Brazil. Pioneering studies like this are important for enhancing our understanding of the region’s biodiversity and contribute to conservation efforts.

Abstract We analyze the variability of the Chaffinch’s (Fringilla coelebs) song and rain calls in 20 populations localized along a transect of about 3,000 km, crossing the territory of European Russia between the White Sea, Crimean Peninsula and the Caucasus Mountains. Three subspecies of Chaffinch inhabit this area: European (F. c. coelebs), Caucasian (F. c. caucasicus), and Crimean (F. c. solomkoi). The results of cluster analysis based on song show that the populations of Crimea and southeastern Dagestan stand out the most. All other populations fall clearly into two clusters corresponding to the European and Caucasian subspecies. In most of the European subspecies vast range in Russia, the “buzzing” dialect of the rain call is widespread. Only in the extreme northwest of Russia, it is replaced by a whistling dialect. In most of the Caucasus and in the Ciscaucasia, Chaffinches also emit exclusively whistling sounds, but of a completely different structure. In the Western Caucasus, Chaffinches perform also a whistling call having a unique two-syllable structure. The Crimean peninsula is inhabited by whistling Chaffinches as well, although the frequency modulation of its call is different from that of Caucasian subspecies. We discuss the spatial distribution of song types and of rain calls dialects within the ranges of subspecies and in the contact zones between them.

An analysis of 82 non-synonymous Pisum fulvum accessions for sequence variation in a fragment of the STAYGREEN (SGR) locus revealed 57 alleles, most of which differed in indel structure. Eight additional P. fulvum accessions, each supposedly synonymous with a different accession of the initial group, were also analyzed. In every case the paired synonymous accessions possessed the same SGR sequence but varied slightly for a 6-trait morphological phenotype, indicating that SGR sequence is a much more reliable indicator of accession identity than is a morphological characterization. SGR sequence analysis confirmed our previous finding that P. fulvum accessions separate into two allele groups. This division was not supported by results of previous studies that were based on sequences distributed across the entire genome, suggesting that the division may have been produced by selection at a nearby locus and that the SGR phylogeny may not be good indicator of overall relationships within the species. One P. fulvum accession, PI 595941 (=JI1796), displayed an SGR sequence outside the variation typical of the species. Instead, its allele resembled alleles limited to a set of Pisum sativum landraces from the Middle East, suggesting hybridization between ancestors of PI 595941 and some primitive form of domesticated P. sativum. With one exception from the extreme northwest corner of Israel, P. fulvum accessions collected north of latitude 35.5° N were fixed for alleles from group A. These northern accessions also displayed greatly reduced SGR sequence diversity compared to group A accessions collected from other regions, suggesting that the northern populations may represent recent extensions of the range of the species. Group B accessions were distributed from Lake Tiberias south and were generally sympatric with the southern group A accessions. Although group B accessions occupied a smaller area than group A, the SGR sequence diversity in this group (28 alleles in 33 accessions) exceeded that for group A.

A Serra da Miaba, localizada na região centro-oeste do estado de Sergipe e o Vale dos Mestres, no extremo noroeste, compõem importantes pontos turísticos de Sergipe. Cada qual pode ser interpretado como a memória do ambiente de formação de rochas, de onde é possível extrair informações sobre climas glaciais e interglaciais na história geológica não só do Estado, mas de escala global. Contudo, apesar do tema ser muito debatido na literatura científica e de grande relevância para as discussões sobre aquecimento global, é pouco conhecido pelo grande público e por turistas. No sentido de suprir esta deficiência de informações e melhorar o conhecimento de guias e condutores de trilhas, principais agentes de comunicação com o grande público, a presente contribuição objetivou ilustrar dois exemplos de rochas que comprovam a existência de variações climáticas acompanhadas de mudanças na paisagem do passado sergipano. O primeiro exemplo está preservado na Formação Tacaratu, unidade de rochas aflorantes no Vale dos Mestres, interpretada como produto de rios ancestrais ao Rio São Francisco, capazes de transportar sedimentos por uma extensa rede de drenagens desde Sergipe até o Ceará, entre os períodos Siluriano e Devoniano, há 440-360 milhões de anos (Ma), quando a vegetação ainda era escassa sobre os continentes. No entorno do vale, próximo ao povoado Curituba, porém de idade mais jovem (Permo-carbonífera 360 – 250 Ma), estão preservadas as melhores evidências de abrasão e deformação por geleiras do Estado, em um período que a América do Sul e África estavam unidas e faziam parte de um supercontinente chamado Gondwana. Já as evidências da transição entre eventos glaciais e interglaciais de maior profundidade do tempo geológico em Sergipe, foram deixadas ao longo do Neoproterozoico (cerca de 800 Ma atrás), respectivamente, nas rochas das formações Ribeirópolis e Jacoca, localizadas na Serra da Miaba. Este registro estratigráfico, ou seja, do empilhamento das rochas, inclui Sergipe, assim como Bahia, Minas Gerais e o Mato Grosso, como uma das áreas influenciadas por processos glaciais de maiores proporções que se tem conhecimento na história do planeta.

This study aimed to evaluate the extent and severity of water erosion in the Toudgha river catchment in the Central High Atlas of Morocco using two different erosion models, the Erosion Potential Model (EPM) and the Priority Actions Programme/Regional Activity Centre (PAP/RAC) model. From the modeling results, the catchment was affected by varying degrees of erosion, ranging from “very slight” to “excessive”, with different locations identified under each model. The very high erosion areas were located in the extreme northwest of the catchment area for both of the applied models, covering 9.65% (according to PAP/RAC) and 8.56% (EPM) of the total area primarily driven by factors such as intense rainfall events, limited vegetation cover, high soil erodibility due to low organic matter content and coarser soil texture, and human activities such as overgrazing and land use changes, which exacerbate the effects of these natural factors on water erosion in these semi-arid areas. The study’s findings suggest that erosion is a significant concern in these environmental areas and provide valuable information for designing effective erosion control measures and guiding soil and environmental management practices. Both models effectively simulated the erosion phenomenon and provided useful tools for soil and environmental management. The EPM model can be used to design effective erosion control measures, while the PAP/RAC model can be used to develop a comprehensive strategy for the sustainable management of the catchment area. These results have implications for the implementation of effective erosion control measures in mountainous watersheds and highlight the need for further research in this area.

О гнездовании степного орла в Дагестане

E&P Notes (December 2022)

Genetic investigations of Upper Palaeolithic Europe have revealed a complex and transformative history of human population movements and ancestries, with evidence of several instances of genetic change across the European continent in the period following the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Concurrent with these genetic shifts, the post-LGM period is characterized by a series of significant climatic changes, population expansions and cultural diversification. Britain lies at the extreme northwest corner of post-LGM expansion and its earliest Late Glacial human occupation remains unclear. Here we present genetic data from Palaeolithic human individuals in the United Kingdom and the oldest human DNA thus far obtained from Britain or Ireland. We determine that a Late Upper Palaeolithic individual from Gough's Cave probably traced all its ancestry to Magdalenian-associated individuals closely related to those from sites such as El Mirón Cave, Spain, and Troisième Caverne in Goyet, Belgium. However, an individual from Kendrick's Cave shows no evidence of having ancestry related to the Gough’s Cave individual. Instead, the Kendrick’s Cave individual traces its ancestry to groups who expanded across Europe during the Late Glacial and are represented at sites such as Villabruna, Italy. Furthermore, the individuals differ not only in their genetic ancestry profiles but also in their mortuary practices and their diets and ecologies, as evidenced through stable isotope analyses. This finding mirrors patterns of dual genetic ancestry and admixture previously detected in Iberia but may suggest a more drastic genetic turnover in northwestern Europe than in the southwest.

Neurergus derjugini is a mountain brook-dwelling newt which is distributed in the mid-Zagros Mountains in the border areas between Iran and Iraq. During extensive fieldwork in spring and summer 2016, two new localities were found for this endangered species in Kurdistan Province, western periphery of the Iranian Plateau. One locality is in Mariwan county and the other one is located in the extreme northwest of Baneh county. Both newly-found habitats are in relatively remote and lightly populated areas, increasing hopes for conservation of this valuable and critically endangered species.

The Ons-O Grove Complex is classified as a ZEC zone, it is located in the extreme northwest of the province of Pontevedra (Galicia). It is a coastal wetland of great biological interest formed by a great variety of aquatic environments. A provisional catalog of aquatic beetles is proposed for this wetland consisting of 76 taxa from 11 different families. The data presented have been obtained from different sources, 19 species based on bibliographic citations already published and 57 species (22 Adephaga / 35 Polyphaga) collected within the ZEC Ons-O Grove. The knowledge of the aquatic beetles of the autonomous community of Galicia is expanded with the contribution of 5 new species for this community Dryops gracilis (Karsch, 1881), Helophorus (Rhopalhelophorus) obscurus Mulsant, 1844, Helophorus (Rhopalhelophorus) asturiensis Kuwert, 1885, Helophorus (Helophorus) grandis Illiguer, 1798 and Cercyon (Cercyon) sternalis (Sharp, 1918). This last species is listed for the first time for the iberian peninsula. For the province of Pontevedra there are 11 new species and for the study area 36.

The current distribution of the Persian squirrel (Sciurus anomalus) in Syria is described based on recent observations. The species distribution extends along the coastal mountains from the vicinity of Kasab in the extreme northwest of the country, along the mountains of Lattakia and Tartus, reaching the vicinity of Damascus in the southwest, with the highest situated records from the Tartus area. Threats including hunting, trading, habitat degradation, and conflicts with local people are outlined.

Durability assessment of the oldest concrete structure in the Mediterranean coastline: The Ghazaouet harbour

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has been consolidated as a fundamental pillar of the new model of competitiveness and sustainable development of territories. However, there has still not been sufficient in-depth study of the role that geographical proximity plays in the digital inequalities that affect regional competitiveness. In this context, this paper aims to identify and characterise the clusters and patterns that define the spatial behaviour of ICT access and usage variables at household and individual level in the Technology Readiness (TR) pillar of the Regional Competitiveness Index (RCI). A database of 280 NUTS2 has been created in order to perform: i) an exploratory statistical analysis to show the regional behaviour of the ICT variables; and ii) a spatial autocorrelation analysis to detect the presence of spatial dependence. The results at regional level in Europe demonstrate that: i) the greatest inequalities occur in the ICT usage variables and not in those of access; ii) the indicators of TR create a spatial pattern with a gradient from the regions of the extreme north-west to south-western and eastern Europe; and iii) there is evidently an opportunity to incorporate other regional variables of ICT usage for future editions of the RCI.

The new normal dates of onset/progress and withdrawal of southwest monsoon over the country are computed based on the operationally declared dates of these events by India Meteorological Department (IMD) during recent years. The normal onset/progress dates were calculated based on 1961-2019 data and that of withdrawal were calculated based on 1971-2019 data. This study also suggests new objective rainfall criteria to define the monsoon onset/ progress over various parts of the country. The new objective criteria are based on the IMD daily rainfall data at 1° × 1° (latitude × longitude) spatial grids over the country. The new criteria were designed so as to closely simulate IMD’s operational declaration of onset/progress of monsoon. However, no new criteria are suggested for defining withdrawal dates. The dates of monsoon onset/progress derived in each of these 1° × 1° grids based on the new criteria for the period 1961-2019 were also used to compute normal onset/progress dates of monsoon over the country. The climatological normal dates of onset and withdrawal of monsoon over India currently used by IMD for operational services are based on old data period (1901-1940) obtained from the rainfall analysis of 149 stations. This study proposes the new normal dates of monsoon onset/progress (based on the new rainfall criteria) and withdrawal (based on the operational data) to replace the existing normal. On comparing the new normal dates of monsoon onset and withdrawal with the existing normal dates of these events, interesting difference were observed. The monsoon onset/progress is relatively delayed over most parts of the Indian monsoon region in the new normal compared to the existing normal. However, monsoon onset/ progress is relatively faster in the new normal than the existing normal over Lakshadweep Islands, a few grids from western part of northeast India and western parts of south Peninsula and some areas of north and extreme northwest India. As per the new normal, the monsoon sets over Kerala around 1st June, nearly same as the existing normal date and covers the entire country one week before the existing normal. However, monsoon withdrawal from northwest India is delayed by more than 2 weeks compared to the existing normal date (i.e., 1st September). Monsoon retreats from most parts of the country except south Peninsula and some parts of neighboring central India by 15th October coinciding with the existing normal and subsequently northeast monsoon gets established over south Peninsula.