Northeast Spain Research Articles

Sancho, the oldest known Iberian shrub

Cliffs are refuges for old trees and shrubs. In the Mediterranean Basin most dendroclimatic reconstructions have focused on high-elevation forests where tree radial growth is constrained by low temperatures in addition to drought stress. Old shrubs may provide longer ring-width series of hydroclimate proxies in low-elevation, drought-prone Mediterranean ecosystems where old trees are rare. To fill this research gap we investigated the maximum age and climate sensitivity of young, old, and recently dead Phoenician junipers (Juniperus phoenicea L.), growing on calcareous cliffs and nearby plains, in the Guara Natural Park (northeast Spain). The oldest living juniper was 14C-dated to be 927 years old, and it was named “Sancho” after Don Quixote’s squire. Based on ring counts, the maximum age was 655 years. The difference in age estimates between the 14C-dates and ring counts was 39 years indicating that ring counts underestimate age. This was due to missing and wedging rings making the cross-dating of old junipers unfeasible. Cool and wet conditions from May to July enhanced radial growth of young junipers. Old shrubs have a high dendroecological potential in Mediterranean sites where their growth is constrained by warm-dry conditions during the growing-season. Further techniques combining dendrochronological and wiggle-match 14C dating may allow reconstructing long-term hydroclimate in low-elevation Mediterranean areas.

What Did Really Improve Our Mesoscale Hydrological Model? A Multidimensional Analysis Based on Real Observations

AbstractModelers can improve a model by addressing the causes for the model errors (data errors and structural errors). This leads to implementing model enhancements (MEs), for example, meteorological data based on more monitoring stations, improved calibration data, and/or modifications in process formulations. However, deciding on which MEs to implement remains a matter of expert knowledge. After implementing multiple MEs, any improvement in model performance is not easily attributed, especially when considering different objectives or aspects of this improvement (e.g., better dynamics vs. reduced bias). We present an approach for comparing the effect of multiple MEs based on real observations and considering multiple objectives (MMEMO). A stepwise selection approach and structured plots help to address the multidimensionality of the problem. Tailored analyses allow a differentiated view on the effect of MEs and their interactions. MMEMO is applied to a case study employing the mesoscale hydro‐sedimentological model WASA‐SED for the Mediterranean‐mountainous Isábena catchment, northeast Spain. The investigated seven MEs show diverse effects: some MEs (e.g., rainfall data) cause improvements for most objectives, while other MEs (e.g., land use data) only affect a few objectives or even decrease model performance. Interaction of MEs was observed for roughly half of the MEs, confirming the need to address them in the analysis. Calibration and increasing the temporal resolution showed by far stronger impact than any of the other MEs. The proposed framework can be adopted in other studies to analyze the effect of MEs and, thus, facilitate the identification and implementation of the most promising MEs for comparable cases.

Pasta-Making Quality QTLome From Mediterranean Durum Wheat Landraces.

In order to identify genome regions related to pasta-making quality traits, association mapping (AM) was performed in a set of 165 durum wheat landraces from 21 Mediterranean countries. The collection was genotyped using 1149 DArT markers and 872 of them with a known genetic position were used for AM. The collection was grown in north-east Spain during 3 years. Results of ANOVA showed that trait variation for quality traits, except for grain protein content (GPC), was mainly explained by genetic effects. Landraces showed higher GPC than modern cultivars but lower gluten strength (GS). Modern and eastern landraces showed the highest yellow color index (YI). Balkan landraces showed the lowest test weight (TW). A total of 92 marker-trait associations were detected, 20 corresponding to GS, 21 to GPC, 21 to YI and 30 to TW. With the aim of detecting new genomic regions involved in grain quality, the position of the associations was compared with previously mapped QTL by a meta-QTL analysis. A total of 249 QTLs were projected onto the same map used for AM, identifying 45 meta-QTL (MQTL) regions and the remaining 15 QTLs as singletons. The position of known genes involved in grain quality was also included, and gene annotation within the most significant regions detected by AM was carried out using the wheat genome sequence.

Two decades of monitoring in marine debris ingestion in loggerhead sea turtle, Caretta caretta, from the western Mediterranean

Anthropogenic marine debris is one of the major worldwide threats to marine ecosystems. The EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) has established a protocol for data collection on marine debris from the gut contents of the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta), and for determining assessment values of plastics for Good Environmental Status (GES). GES values are calculated as percent turtles having more than average plastic weight per turtle. In the present study, we quantify marine debris ingestion in 155 loggerhead sea turtles collected in the period 1995–2016 in waters of western Mediterranean (North-east Spain). The study aims (1) to update and standardize debris ingestion data available from this area, (2) to analyse this issue over two decades using Zero-altered (hurdle) models and (3) to provide new data to compare the only GES value available (off Italian waters). The composition of marine debris (occurrence and amounts of different categories) was similar to that found in other studies for the western Mediterranean and their amounts seem not to be an important threat to turtle survival in the region. Model results suggest that, in the study area, (a) period of stranding or capture, (b) turtle size and (c) latitude are significant predictors of anthropogenic debris ingestion (occurrence and amount) in turtles. The GES value for late juvenile turtles (CCL>40 cm) has decreased in the last ten years in the study area, and this is very similar to that obtained in Italian waters. We also provide a GES value for early juvenile turtles (CCL≤40 cm) for the first time. Recommendations arising from this study include ensuring use of (1) the standardized protocol proposed by the MSFD for assessing marine debris ingestion by loggerhead sea turtles and (2) the ecology of the turtles (neritic vs oceanic), rather than their size, to obtain GES values.

Seasonal dynamics of canine antibody response to Phlebotomus perniciosus saliva in an endemic area of Leishmania infantum

BackgroundCanine leishmaniosis (CanL) is an important zoonotic parasitic disease, endemic in the Mediterranean basin. In this region, transmission of Leishmania infantum, the etiological agent of CanL, is through the bite of phlebotomine sand flies. Therefore, monitoring host-vector contact represents an important epidemiological tool, and could be used to assess the effectiveness of vector-control programmes in endemic areas. Previous studies have shown that canine antibodies against the saliva of phlebotomine sand flies are specific markers of exposure to Leishmania vectors. However, this method needs to be further validated in natural heterogeneous dog populations living in CanL endemic areas.MethodsIn this study, 176 dogs living in 12 different locations of an L. infantum endemic area in north-east Spain were followed for 14 months. Blood samples were taken at 5 pre-determined time points (February, August and October 2016; January and April 2017) to assess the canine humoral immune response to whole salivary gland homogenate (SGH) and to the single salivary 43 kDa yellow-related recombinant protein (rSP03B) of Phlebotomus perniciosus, a proven vector of L. infantum naturally present in this region. Simultaneously, in all dogs, L. infantum infection status was assessed by serology. The relationship between anti-SGH and anti-rSP03B antibodies with the sampling month, L. infantum infection and the location was tested by fitting multilevel linear regression models.ResultsThe dynamics of canine anti-saliva IgG for both SGH and rSP03B followed the expected trends of P. perniciosus activity in the region. Statistically significant associations were detected for both salivary antigens between vector exposure and sampling month or dog seropositivity to L. infantum. The correlation between canine antibodies against SGH and rSP03B was moderate.ConclusionsOur results confirm the frequent presence of CanL vectors in the study area in Spain and support the applicability of SGH- and rSP03B-based ELISA tests to study canine exposure to P. perniciosus in L. infantum endemic areas.

Long-term Impact of Hip Fracture on the Use of Healthcare Resources: a Population-Based Study

ObjectivesTo assess the impact of hip fracture (HF) on health care expenditures and resource use. DesignObservational, retrospective study. An administrative registry was used to obtain sociodemographic, clinical, and expenditure data of patients treated in centers all over Catalonia (North-East Spain). Setting and participantsMale and female patients aged 65 years or older admitted to a Catalonian hospital due to hip fracture (HF) between January 1 2012, and December 31, 2016. MeasuresThe study data set included the expenditure and frequency of using nonemergency transport, rehabilitation, skilled nursing facility, specialist visits, admissions to the emergency department, hospitalization, pharmacy, and primary care. The patient status at each time point included living at home, staying in hospital, staying in a skilled nursing facility, institutionalized in a nursing home, and death. ResultsThe record included 38,628 patients (74.4% female) with a mean [standard deviation (SD)] age of 84.9 (7.07) years. The average expenditure per patient during the first year after hospital admission was €11,721.06, the index hospitalization being the leading expenditure (€4740.29). Expenditures related to hospitalization and skilled nursing facility remained higher than preinjury throughout the 3 years following HF. Three years after the index admission, 44.9% of patients had died, 39.7% were living in their homes, 14.2% were in a nursing home, 0.9% were in a skilled nursing facility, and 0.3% were in hospital. The expenditure of hospitalizations, primary care, and visits to the emergency department increased few months before the HF. ConclusionsIn patients hospitalized for HF, the expenditure per patient decreases after hospital discharge but the use of healthcare resources is not restored to preinjury values. The increase of expenditures associated with primary care services, hospitalization, and emergency department services during the few months preceding hospital admission suggests a decline of health status in these patients.

Influence of demographic and clinical characteristics of elderly patients with a hip fracture on mortality: A retrospective, total cohort study in North-East Spain.

The increased mortality after hip fracture (HF) is caused by multiple factors, and large samples are needed to assess the weight of each factor. To date, few studies have investigated these factors through a total cohort approach, and the complexity of underlying medical conditions has not been considered. To investigate the influence of demographic and clinical characteristics on increased mortality risk in elderly patients with hip fracture (HF). Retrospective, total cohort study collecting 4-year data. All hospitals and primary care units owned by, or associated with, Catalonia's local health department (CatSalut) (north-east Spain). All patients aged ≥65 years, admitted to Catalan hospitals from CatSalut because of a HF between 1st January 2012 and 31st December 2015. Hip fracture. The main outcome was survival. Measures regarding demographic and clinical characteristics at the moment of hospital admission included age, sex, osteoporosis treatment, previous fractures, type of intervention, nutritional status, and comorbidities. Patients were stratified using the Adjusted Morbidity Groups (GMA) risk assessment tool. Of the 30,552 patients included in the study sample, 10,439 (34%) died during follow-up, 6821 (22%) within the first year after hospital admission. Mean (SD) age was 84 (7) years; 75% were female. Baseline factors with greater influence on survival were age (HRs 1.44 [95% CI 1.22-1.70], 2.38 [2.03-2.79], and 4.38 [3.73-5.15] for age groups 70-79, 80-89, and >89, respectively), underweight (HR 1.65 [1.36-2.01]), lack of surgical intervention (HR 2.64 [2.47-2.83]), and very high risk stratum of GMA risk (HR 1.58 [1.45-1.73]). Vitamin D/calcium supplementation and osteoporosis treatment showed a significant but moderate influence on mortality (HRs 0.84 (0.79-0.88) and 0.92 [0.85-0.99], respectively). In elderly patients with HF, age and health status factors at hospital admission have the greatest impact on mortality risk after hospital admission. Our findings encourage a comprehensive intervention aimed at improving underlying medical conditions of HF patients.

Factors influencing the introduction and spread of Harmonia axyridis in the Iberian Peninsula

Harmonia axyridis is a global invasive alien species and its ecological effects are well documented. However, in some regions where it was deliberately introduced, it never became fully established. Until recently, Southern Europe was one such region, although, recently several overwintering populations were found in northeast Spain, which may indicate that the species can potentially spread to the rest of the Iberian Peninsula. Besides the negative impacts for native coccinellid species, the establishment of H. axyridis in the Iberian Peninsula could have an important impact on the wine industry, which is very significant in this region. To predict if H. axyridis will be able to spread across western southern Europe, with an emphasis on vine-growing regions, we used the Mahalanobis distance presence-only species distribution model, which was constructed based on 16 bioclimatic and environmental variables to characterize the occupied niche and predict the distribution of this invasive alien species. Our model revealed that H. axyridis can find suitable conditions mostly in northern regions of the Iberian Peninsula, as well as in punctual locations, in coastal regions of this territory, including important vine-growing regions, which will constitute a challenge to producers. Until recently, the spread of H. axyridis was constrained by climatic factors such as high summer temperatures, however, the overwintering individuals found in Spain seem to be able to deal with such limitations, which apparently indicate the ability to adapt to these conditions. To prevent future negative impacts of H. axyridis in the Iberian Peninsula, we recommend the implementation of an active monitoring programme, together with local stakeholders (farmers and advisers) and citizens, to record and track the dispersion of seminal propagules, which could be more easily contained, with fewer resources.

Tourism and religion: sacred spaces as transmitters of heritage values

Religious heritage can act as a transmitter of the age-old values linked to the identity of a territory, while reflecting on the relationship between the religious value and the monumental value of a place. This reflection is based on the initial premise that at present there are elements related to the architectural heritage of the church that have wholly or in part lost their use value as places of worship. After introducing the relationship between tangible and intangible heritage at religious sites and the role of tourism helping in the preservation (or not) of these values, the current situation is analyzed through a case study. The case study is focused on the Catalonia Sacra project and analyses 325 religious heritage sites from the region of Catalonia, in the north-east of Spain. Several sets of data were collected referring to the monumental and architectural values of these places and also the religious use of them, among others, with the aim to compare the relationship between the monumental values and the religious use of these sites.

Adapting the CROPGRO Model to Simulate Alfalfa Growth and Yield

Alfalfa is the main forage legume in crop livestock systems worldwide. There is still a scarcity of perennial crop models for alfalfa simulation. Regrowth and herbage yield depend on reserves, seasonal temperature and daylength. A systematic procedure was followed to develop species and cultivar parameters. CROPGRO‐PFM‐alfalfa is available in the latest DSSAT model version (4.7). Despite alfalfa’s global importance, there is a dearth of crop simulation models available for predicting alfalfa growth and yield with its associated composition. The objectives of this research were to adapt the CSM‐CROPGRO Perennial Forage Model for simulating alfalfa growth and yield and to describe model adaptation for this species. Data from six experimental plots grown under sprinkler irrigation in the Ebro valley (Northeast Spain) were used for model adaptation. Starting with parameters for Bracharia brizantha, the model adaptation was based on values and relationships reported from the literature for cardinal temperatures and dry matter partitioning. A Bayesian optimizer was used to optimize temperature effects on photosynthesis and daylength effects on partitioning and an inverse modeling technique was employed for nitrogen fixation rate and nodule growth. The calibration of alfalfa tissue composition was initiated from soybean composition analogy but was improved with values from alfalfa literature. There was considerable iteration in optimizing parameters for the processes outlined above where comparisons were made to measured data. After adaptation, the Root Mean Square Error and d‐statistic of harvested herbage averaged across 58 harvests (yield range: 990–4617 kg ha−1) were 760 kg ha−1 and 0.75, respectively. In addition, good agreement was observed for Leaf Area Index (LAI) (LAI range: 0.1–6.7) with d‐statistic of 0.71. Simulated belowground mass was within the range of literature values. The results of this study showed that CROPGRO‐PFM‐Alfalfa can be used to simulate alfalfa growth and development. Further testing with more extensive datasets is needed to improve model robustness.

Monitoring levels of viable Helicobacter pylori in surface water by qPCR in Northeast Spain.

Helicobacter pylori infection is a risk factor for chronic active gastritis, peptic ulcers, gastric carcinoma and lymphoma. Although the infection may be acquired through different transmission routes, the presence and viability of H. pylori in water sources are not well known. Therefore, the aim of our study was to analyse the viability of H. pylori cells in urban surface waters collected at the Vallparadís public park in Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain. The water samples were analysed by viability quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) using propidium monoazide and specific primers for the H. pylori vacuolating cytotoxin (vacA gene). Viable H. pylori were found in 91.3% of the samples analysed, with an average concentration of 3.46 ± 1.06 log cell 100 mL-1. Our work proves a quick and simple procedure for evaluating viable H. pylori cells in environmental samples by qPCR. Furthermore, the results provide evidence that urban surface waters may contain considerable levels of viable H. pylori cells, thus indicating they are a potential source of infection, which represents a public health concern.

INNOVATION MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES AND TOOLS: ITS IMPACT ON FIRM INNOVATION PERFORMANCE

Innovation management is a subject that raises the interest of academics and practitioners in the field of management. However, the academic literature is scarce regarding the details of implementing it in a systemic and routinised way. Additionally, although there are multiple tools and models to apply it at a firm level, there is little information concerning its effectiveness. The purpose of this paper is to fill this research gap by analysing how the utilisation of Innovation Management Techniques (IMTS) influences the innovation performance of firms. The research was based on a large and representative sample of industries in the Basque Region in Northeast Spain. The primary conclusions drawn from the research are that IMTS have a definite positive impact on the firm’s innovation results, and some of them have a stronger influence, with a significant impact on incremental innovation; the latter results will affect the radical innovation performance of the companies. Additionally, it has been concluded that the industry environment has a strong moderating influence on this relationship.

Experimental study of the susceptibility of a European Aedes albopictus strain to dengue virus under a simulated Mediterranean temperature regime.

Dengue virus (DENV) has re-emerged in Europe driven by the geographic expansion of the mosquito species Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) and the introduction of the virus by viraemic travellers. In the present study, the vector competence (VC) of Ae.albopictus collected in Catalonia (northeast Spain) was evaluated for two different DENV strains, DENV-1 and DENV-2, the serotypes responsible for all outbreaks of dengue that have occurred in Europe. Mosquitoes were reared under environmental conditions mimicking the mean temperature and humidity recorded in July on the Mediterranean coast of Catalonia. Mosquitoes were fed on an artificial infectious bloodmeal and, at 14 days post-exposure, infection, disseminated infection and transmission rates (IR, DIR, TR) and transmission efficiency (TE) were determined by testing the virus in the body, legs and saliva. The tested Ae.albopictus strain was found to be susceptible to both DENV-1 and DENV-2 and to be able to transmit DENV-1. This is the first time that the VC of Ae.albopictus for DENV has been tested in Europe in this specific context (i.e. mimicking the Mediterranean temperature and humidity recorded in Catalonia in July). This study confirms the potential of Ae.albopictus to start autochthonous DENV transmission cycles in the Mediterranean basin.

The influence of education on the access to childhood immunization: the case of Spain

BackgroundIn order to enhance childhood vaccination uptake and the health consequences for the whole society, there is a need to study predictors that might help in understanding parents’ behaviour in relation to childhood vaccination schemes. The aim of this paper is to assess whether parental education has an influence on their children’s public health-care use in terms of visits for vaccinations, and thus evaluate whether more educated parents use public health resources more frequently in childhood immunization schedules.MethodsThe setting was the region of Catalonia in the north-east of Spain. Three different databases, containing information about 11,415 individuals corresponding to 79,905 observations, were merged and linked: 1) observational and longitudinal administrative data for adults and children in Catalonia; 2) a database containing information on the vaccination of children in relation to the public health programme called the “Healthy Child Programme”; and 3) the governmental vaccination registration. The presence of an education gradient was explored using a logistic regression. Children’s health-care use was modelled using a logistic procedure.ResultsThe greater the mothers’ educational attainment level, the higher the probability of being vaccinated in this immunization programme. The presence of an age profile for vaccinations showed that less educated parents visit their GPs more frequently for immunizations when their children are below the age of six, but that pattern is completely the opposite after that age. Hence, for children aged between six and 16, more educated parents are more likely to ensure their children are immunized. Likewise, systematic vaccinations are more likely for those parents with a lower educational attainment level.ConclusionsThis paper evidenced the presence of an education gradient for specific preventive care through the public health system and visits to the GP without any particular disease or advice for specific vaccinations.

Un conjunto de capiteles de origen asiático en Tarraco y Barcino. Reflexiones sobre la importación de elementos orientales en la arquitectura del nordeste de Hispania a partir del siglo II d.C.

Entre los capiteles compuestos de Tarraco, este artículo distingue un conjunto de fragmentos de zona superior fechables en el siglo II y relacionables con grupos de capiteles minorasiáticos de esa época. A partir de su estudio, y con el complemento de otras piezas de Barcino y de la propia Tarraco, se analizan las corrientes de importación de elementos orientales de decoración arquitectónica en el nordeste de Hispania y se advierte una transformación sustancial de los esquemas durante la época de Adriano.

Coastally trapped disturbances caused by the tramontane wind on the northwestern Mediterranean: numerical study and sensitivity to short‐wave radiation

The Tramontane‐Cierzo wind system is a recurrent feature of the northwestern Mediterranean basin in front of the Catalan coast (northeast Spain). Associated with this feature, northeast wind surges occasionally affect the coast and become a weather hazard for low‐level aircraft operations, affecting for example the Barcelona international airport. This article first reports these surges characterizing them as Coastal‐Trapped Disturbances (CTDs). Climatological features are described, showing that CTDs occur frequently during the warm season and between the afternoon and the evening. We classified CTDs into two synoptic patterns related to the location of a mid‐level tropospheric geopotential trough and the Iberian Peninsula: pattern A, with the trough crossing eastwards along the north of Spain; and pattern B, with the trough over the Mediterranean, after crossing the Iberian Peninsula. To study the CTDs in detail, numerical simulations were conducted using the non‐hydrostatic and convection‐permitting numerical weather prediction model HARMONIE‐AROME. Two cases, one for each synoptic pattern, were studied showing that CTDs generate in the discontinuity between cool outflows and warmer air progressing southward as a density current, trapped by the mountain ranges parallel to the coastline. Cool outflows may have two different sources: in Pattern A the origin of the cold air is the tramontane itself, while in Pattern B convective outflows associated with storm downdraughts play this role. Both cases show similarities with CTDs studied on the California coast, showing an antitriptic and ageostrophic flow behind the CTD. An additional numerical sensitivity experiment was conducted by varying the short‐wave radiation to explore the effects of diabatic warming on CTDs. It is demonstrated that a large warming influences CTDs by enhancing the potential temperature gradient between the density current and the environment, modulating their intensity and speed.

Hydrosaline Balance in and Nitrogen Loads from an irrigation district before and after modernization

The stress on water resources and the need to maintain water quality and to protect the environment push for an efficient use of natural resources: irrigation water and nutrients (particularly nitrogen). Traditional surface irrigation areas (frequently located on saline materials) use huge amounts of these resources, contributing to the degradation of water bodies by salts and nitrate loads in Irrigation Return Flows (IRF), and also to soil salinization when salt leaching is constrained. In this respect, 1.5 Mha of irrigated lands in Spain have been modernized recently to more efficient systems. Such is the case of the Violada Irrigation District (VID; 4880 ha; Northeast Spain) modernized from surface to sprinkler irrigation. The availability of historical data under both irrigation systems in VID offered an ideal scenario to analyze the impact of the modernization process on water consumption and nitrogen management. The analysis was based on the water and salt balances, which showed that irrigation modernization triggered an alteration of the hydrological regime of the VID controlled by the irrigation system. The transformation to sprinkler irrigation resulted in high quality non-diverted water savings of 5536 m3/ha yr (19 h m3/yr for the whole VID) available for other uses downstream, triggering a reduction of the IRF from the VID to the Ebro River. In general, the modernization has brought about a clear reduction of all flows in the water balance (except ETa), together with a slight increase in salt and nitrate concentrations in IRF. Both changes entailed a reduction in salt and nitrate loads of 11.5 Mg/ha yr (44,889 Mg/yr; −60.4%) and 82.2 kg N/ha yr (301 Mg N/yr; −70.4%), respectively. The modernization also resulted in better water use and agronomic indices (drainage fraction, consumptive fraction and irrigation fraction). It was also concluded that at the moment, there is no risk of soil salinization in VID.

Trade‐offs and synergies between bird conservation and wildfire suppression in the face of global change

AbstractThe combined effects of climate change and other factors, such as land‐use change or fire disturbance, pose daunting challenges for biodiversity conservation world‐wide.We predicted the future effectiveness of the Natura 2000 (N2000), the current network of protected areas (PA) in Europe, at maintaining and representing suitable environmental conditions for a set of 79 bird species between 2000 and 2050 in a fire‐prone area, strongly affected by land abandonment processes in North East Spain. We then compared PA performance with a set of alternative priority areas for conservation, which consider fire‐vegetation dynamics, selected by using a conservation planning tool (Marxan). Fire‐vegetation dynamics were modelled using a process‐based model (Medfire Model) under alternative fire management and climate change scenarios. Bird communities were predicted using the spatially explicit species assemblage modelling framework (SESAM) and species distribution models that hierarchically integrate climate change and wildfire‐vegetation dynamics.The amount of suitable environmental conditions within the N2000 network was predicted to fall by around 15%, on average, over the next decades in relation to the initial conditions but could be partially modulated by fire management policies in future. The efficiency of the current PA system was predicted to decrease from 17.4% to 15% between 2000 and 2050. However, a more efficient PA system could be achieved with a conservation planning approach that explicitly considers fire‐vegetation dynamics and their management.Synthesis and applications. Our findings show: (a) how the current Natura 2000 could still hold an important bird conservation value by 2050; (b) how the relocation of some protected areas should be considered in order to substantially increase bird conservation effectiveness; and (c) how the integration of fire‐vegetation dynamics, fire management policies and their objectives within conservation planning provide “win–win” solutions for bird conservation and fire prevention in fire‐prone abandoned landscapes.

Subsidence Management System for Underground Mining

Potash mining is an important economic activity in the north-east of Spain. However, one of the main environmental issues produced for such type of mining is subsidence, which generates horizontal and vertical ground displacements. A Geographic Information System (GIS)-based model is proposed as a management system in a case study with two mines. This system is able to deal with subsidence data and its behavior over time. More than 1300 control points are included in the GIS, with data since 2007. These data processed by the GIS allowed determining the module, sense and direction of the displacements, the sinking velocity and the possible affectation of subsidence to infrastructures and buildings. Hence, the system created can be a useful tool to manage subsidence data, determine its evolution, predict future environmental and social impacts and control corrective measures.

Modelling the night sky brightness and light pollution sources of Montsec protected area

We proceeded to the modelling of the night sky brightness of Montsec area (north-east of Spain), an astronomical protected area certified as a Starlight Reserve. We have used the hyperspectral version of ILLUMINA, an artificial sky brightness model. Ground based measurements for Montsec and other areas of Catalonia [15,16], including both photometric and spectroscopic data, has been used to fit and evaluate the input parameters of the model. In this first modelling attempt, Lleida, the biggest city in the area, has been considered as the unique source of light pollution. In 2014 there was an update of the lighting infrastructure in Lleida. A detailed comparison of the sky brightness before and after the change is shown in order to measure the effects that different kind of lamps can produce. This information could be used to plan for future updates and improvements of the lighting systems in the area.