In recent years, our group has been studying the microbial communities of the water column associated with the oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) off northern Chile and Peru, trying to understand who the main players are in the OMZ biogeochemical cycles and which metabolic strategies they are using. For that, we are combining flow cytometry, molecular techniques and biogeochemical approaches. Most of our work, so far, has focused on microbes capable of doing oxygenic photosynthesis, such as the cyanobacteria, and those involved in the nitrogen cycle, such as the denitrifying, nitrifying and anammox bacteria. We have also started to look at the more general microbial abundance and diversity. In each case, we are finding that the OMZ holds distinct microbial communities, either from a phylogenetic or a functional perspective. In this presentation we will give a summary of our main results.<br>El los último años, nuestro grupo ha estado estudiando las comunidades microbianas de la columna de agua asociada a la zona de mínima de oxígeno (ZMO) frente al norte de Chile y Perú, tratando de entender quienes son los principales involucrados en los ciclos biogeoquímicos de la ZMO y que estrategias metabólicas están utilizando. Para ellos, combinamos técnicas de citometría de flujo, moleculares y aproximaciones biogeoquímicas. La mayor parte de nuestro trabajo, hasta el momento, se ha focalizado en los microbios capaces de realizar fotosíntesis oxigénica, como las cianobacterias, y aquellos involucrados en el ciclo del nitrógeno, como las bacterias desnitrificantes, nitrificantes y anammox. También hemos comenzado a investigar la abundancia y diversidad microbiana en general. En cada caso, estamos encontrando que la ZMO alberga comunidades microbianas propias, ya sea desde una perspectiva filogenética o funcional. En este trabajo presentaremos un resumen de nuestros principales resultados.

Se analizan las dinámicas territoriales que se han desarrollado en las comarcas valencianas beneficiadas con las políticas de desarrollo regional (iniciativa LEADER y programa PRODER) desde la década de los noventa del siglo XX. Éstas se relacionan con la nueva funcionalidad de los medios rurales y, concretamente, la importancia creciente que, desde el punto de vista económico, ha adquirido el turismo en estas comarcas interiores. Su análisis permite establecer, en una fase posterior, las repercusiones de estas políticas de diversificación económica en el consumo de agua. Determinada la situación actual de las actividades turístico-residenciales, se elaborarán hipótesis de crecimiento del sector. Ello permitirá proponer tendencias y estimaciones de consumo según horizontes y la incidencia de las nuevas demandas. | It is analyzed territorial dynamics that have been developed in Valencian areas benefited with regional development policies (LEADER and PRODER) since 1991. These ones are related with new rural areas functionality and, particularly, the increasing importance that tourist activities have acquired in these inner areas, from economic criterion. The analysis of these dynamics allows establishing, in a later phase, repercussions of economic diversification policies on water demand. Fixed present situation of tourist and residential activities, it will be elaborated hypotheses about economic sector increase. It will allow proposing tendencies and estimations of water consumption according to horizons and incidences of new demands.

O Paricá (Schizolobium amazonicum Huber ex Ducke) é uma espécie florestal, pertencente à família Leguminosae-Caesalpinioideae, utilizada na recuperação de áreas degradadas e que apresenta destaque no mercado madeireiro. O presente trabalho foi conduzido com o objetivo de avaliar diferentes volumes de água no substrato e temperaturas para a germinação de sementes de S. amazonicum. As sementes foram imersas em ácido sulfúrico por 50 minutos, para superar a impermeabilidade do tegumento à água. Em seguida, foram semeadas em rolos de papel Germitest umedecidos com quantidades (mL.g-1 papel) de água equivalentes a 15; 2,0; 2,5 e 3,0 vezes a massa do substrato, sem adição posterior de água e mantidas em câmaras nas temperaturas constantes de 25, 30 e 35ºC. Foram avaliados a porcentagem de germinação, o índice de velocidade de germinação e os comprimentos da raiz primária e do hipocótilo das plântulas normais. O delineamento experimental foi o inteiramente casualizado com os tratamentos em esquema fatorial 4 x 3. O melhor desempenho germinativo foi observado nas temperaturas de 25, 30 e 35ºC, com as quantidades de água de 2,5 e 3,0 vezes a massa do papel. A velocidade do processo foi favorecida pelas temperaturas de 30 e 35ºC e pela quantidade de água equivalente a 3,0 vezes a massa do papel. Ocorre maior desenvolvimento da raiz e do hipocótilo com a quantidade de água de 3,0 vezes a massa do papel a 25ºC. | Paricá (Schizolobium amazonicum Huber ex Ducke) is a tree species of the Leguminosae-Caesalpinioideae botanical family. This species has been used in rehabilitation programs for of degraded areas and it has good acceptance at local timber markets as well. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different water contents in the substrate and temperatures on germination of S. amazonicum. Seeds were immersed in sulfuric acid for 50 minutes in order to break the impermeability of the seed-coat. After this, they were seeded over Germitest paper rolls wetted with water contents (mL.g-1 paper) equivalent to 1.5, 2, 2.5 and 3 times the substrate mass without new water addition, and they were maintained in chambers at constant temperatures of 25, 30 and 35ºC. In addition to the germination percentage, the speed of germination index and length of primary roots and hypocotyl of normal seedlings were also evaluated. A completely randomized design was used with a 4x3 factorial. The best germination performance was observed at temperatures of 25, 30 and 35ºC combining with water contents of 2.5 and 3 times the paper mass. The germination speed was favored by temperatures of 30 and 35ºC as well as by the largest water content, which corresponded to 3 times the paper mass. The best results related to root and hypocotyl development were observed in treatments involving water content 3 times the paper mass at a temperature of 25ºC.

ASDI, San José (Costa Rica) | El manejo de una cuenca requiere de una plataforma de convergencia y concertación entre las organizaciones de base, la sociedad civil y las autoridades locales, para identificar los principales problemas ambientales e implementar las acciones prioritarias para solucionarlos. Este arreglo para una cogestión con enfoque territorial busca la sinergia en las capacidades e intereses de los actores. En este contexto, las juntas de aguas son las organizaciones de base más importantes para el manejo del recurso hídrico en las comunidades rurales. En esta plataforma de concertación, las juntas de agua adquieren un rol protagónico en la gestión conjunta de la cuenca. Sin embargo, las experiencias con las juntas de agua son diversas ‐desde organizaciones muy débiles por su informalidad y de poca envergadura, hasta ejemplos de gran capacidad administrativa, técnica y financiera. Este trabajo pretende rescatar las lecciones aprendidas en siete comunidades en la subcuenca del río Copán en Honduras, las cuales se organizaron para construir, manejar y mantener su propio sistema de abastecimiento de agua potable. Consideramos que en esta experiencia se dieron factores claves importantes para cualquier manejo participativo, tanto del agua en sí como del manejo de la cuenca y, sobre todo, para valorar cómo este proceso demuestra las ventajas de la cogestión a nivel local. | CATIE - Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza Turrialba, Costa Rica | 2 figuras, fotografías, ilustraciones, 12 ref.

This thesis presents the work carried out to develop a simulation system for nuclear power plants, denominated TRETA / COPMA-III integrated simulator, which allows the simulation of the thermalhydraulic processes that take place in this type of facilities, in normal operation and emergency operation, as well as the control room crew actions related with the management of the emergency situations. The simulation of the thermalhydraulic processes is carried out by means of the TRETA (PWR) or TIZONA (BWR) simulators, both developed by the Spanish Nuclear Council (CSN). In what concerns to the simulation of the human performance, and taking into account the fact that in this type of facilities the management of the emergencies is strongly proceduralized, the COPMA-III procedures simulator is used. This simulator has been developed by the Halden Reactor Project (HRP), and it was adapted by the HRP development team for its use in the integrated simulator. This new tool is characterized mainly by its modular structure and its interconnection ability with other codes. In an individual way, the different codes that compose the simulator present advanced capacities in its models. Firstly, the TRETA simulator presents great versatility in defining the grade of complexity in the simulation of the processes. On the other hand, regarding to the COPMA-III simulator, it enables the automatic simulation of human actions proceduralized or planned, that means, all of those manual performances of which it is possible to develop a deterministic scheme, including aspects of timing and work load. Concerning the simulator package modular structure, it makes possible even the substitution of the process or procedures simulators and the implementation of any other simulator that it is considered more appropriate for specific necessities. This simulation system not only could be applied to validate the procedures design, but rather could be use in the verification of the consistency of the analyses made in the safety analysis. This last aspect is specially relevant, because these studies don’t include, except for seldom cases, the dynamic evaluation of the operator actions impact in the analysis of the accidental sequences.

Cultivos experimentais com pós-larvas do Litopenaeus vannamei, na fase de berçário, foram realizados em uma fazenda de camarão, objetivando avaliar a influência da utilização de duas dietas na qualidade físico-química das águas residuais. As dietas foram formuladas à base de ração comercial e náuplios de artêmia, denominadas MAC e MAA, respectivamente. Foram utilizadas pós-larvas no estágio (PL19), estocadas a 16PL/L em dois tanques-berçário de 60 m3. Ao final de 10 dias de cultivo, as concentrações dos compostosnitrogenados (amônia, nitrito e nitrato) e fosfatados (fósforo total e ortofosfatos) dos tanquesberçário foram menores na dieta MAA do que na MAC (p<0,05). Conseqüentemente, a dieta MAA induziu menores taxas de incremento diário desses compostos, contribuindo com uma redução significativa dos nutrientes responsáveis pela eutrofização da água.<br><br>Experiments were carried out in a commercial marine shrimp farm in order to evaluate the use of two diets in Litopenaeus vannamei post-larvae, during nursery phase, on physiochemical wastewater quality. Two feeding methods were adopted: Commercial Feeding Method (MAC) and Artemia Feeding Method (MAA). The nursery tanks (60 m3) were provided with 19 days post-larvae (PL19) with a stocking density of 16PL/liter. After 10 days of culture, the concentrations of nitrogen (ammonia, nitrite and nitrate) and phosphorus compounds (total phosphorus and orthophosphate) in the nursery tank were smaller for MAC, rather than MAA treatment (p<0.05). Consequently, MAA treatment induced low levels of daily compounds increment,thus contributing to a significant reduction of the nutrients that caused water eutrophication.

Este trabalho foi desenvolvido com o objetivo de se ajustar equações para cálculo da perda de carga contínua em tubulações de polietileno, conduzindo água residuária de suinocultura com concentrações iguais a 1,15; 1,24; 1,43; e 1,75 g L-1 de sólidos totais. A perda de carga foi determinada em tubulações de polietileno, com diâmetros internos de 12,62; 15,47; 19,79 e 25,76 mm, por meio de quatro piezômetros, distanciados 4 m ao longo da tubulação. Os resultados indicaram que as equações empíricas ajustadas com a aplicação das metodologias de Duffy & Titchener e Hazen-Williams modificada, apresentaram bons ajustes, com coeficiente de determinação igual a 0,99. Desta maneira, recomenda-se a sua aplicação no dimensionamento de projetos com tubulações de polietileno.<br>The objective of this work was to adjust equations to calculate continuous head loss in polyethylene pipelines carrying swine wastewater with concentrations of 1.15; 1.24; 1.43 and 1.75 g L-1 of total solids. The head loss was determined in polyethylene pipelines, with internal diameters of 12.62; 15.47; 19.79 and 25.76 mm, by means of four piezometers, 4 m apart along the pipelines. The results indicated that the empirical equations adjusted with the methodologies of Duffy & Titchener and Hazen-Williams modified gave good results with coefficient of determination equivalent to 0.99, therefore, its application is recommended to design of projects with polyethylene pipelines.

Se midió la presencia de microcistina en el Área Metropolitana de Costa Rica por la técnica de ELISA de inhibición competitiva y se cuantificó coliformes totales, coliformes termotolerantes, Escherichia coli (por medio de la técnica Numero Más Probable) y recuento total aerobio. Se realizaron dos etapas de muestreo, una durante la estación lluviosa del 2003 (abril-octubre) y otra durante la estación seca del 2004 (febrero-marzo), cada una con 30 muestras de agua. Se muestreó agua pretratada, semitratada y tratada. Se determinaron niveles de microcistina < 0.5&#8200;ppb durante la estación lluviosa del 2003, mientras que durante la estación seca, se detectaron concentraciones de microcistina > 0.5&#8200;ppb. Se informó la presencia de cianotoxinas en la Planta de Tratamiento de Tres Ríos. No se establece correlación entre los parámetros microbiológicos de calidad del agua y las concentraciones de microcistina en el agua. Los estudios deberían considerar la diversidad y toxicidad de cianobacterias en estas plantas, los efectos del tratamiento, y presencia de otros microorganismos y sustancias (dióxido de carbono, fósforo, Nitrógeno), sobre la presencia, estructura y efecto de estas toxinas.<br>Microcystin in plants that treat water for human consumption in a tropical environment: the Metropolitan Area of Costa Rica. We measured microcystin levels in water of the Metropolitan Area of Costa Rica by competitive inhibition ELISA and we quantified total coliforms, fecal coliforms, Escherichia coli (by a Most Probable Number method) and aerobic count. We wanted to identify any cyanotoxin correlation with these parameters, as a public health risk. We sampled in the rainy season of 2003 (April-October) and in the dry season of 2004 (February-March) (30 samples/season). We sampled pre-treated, semi-treated and treated water. Microcystin levels < 0.5 ppb were found in the rainy season (and > 0.5 ppb in the dry season). Dry season levels exceeded World Health Organization limits (1.0 ppb). Cyanotoxins occurred in the Tres Ríos plant. We did not find a correlation between these microbiologic parameters of water quality and microcystin levels in water. Rev. Biol. Trop. 54 (3): 711-716. Epub 2006 Sept. 29.

Se describen dos nuevas especies de cangrejos de agua dulce del género Hypolobocera de la Serranía de Los Paraguas, Cordillera Occidental de Colombia. H. solimani n. sp. está estrechamente relacionada con H. alata Campos 1989, pero se puede distinguir de ésta por el margen superior del mero del tercer maxilípedo, el cual es liso; por la forma del ápice del primer gonópodo y la forma del lóbulo interno o papila del canal espermático, la cual es cóncava, levantada y termina bordeada por diminutas papilas o tubérculos redondeados. H. triangula n. sp. es muy similar a H. rotundilobata Rodríguez 1994, pero se diferencia de ésta por el tamaño y la forma del lóbulo lateral, una cresta basal de tubérculos y la superficie apical del gonópodo. Con estas dos nuevas descripciones se incrementa a 20 el número de miembros válidos del género Hypolobocera conocidos del occidente de Colombia o del Chocó biogeográfico.<br>Two new species of fresh water crab (Brachyura: Pseudothelphusidae) from Serranía de Los Paraguas, Cordillera Occidental, Colombia. Two new species of freshwater crabs of the genus Hypolobocera from Serranía de Los Paraguas, Cordillera Occidental, Colombia, are described. Hypolobocera solimani n. sp. is closely related to H. alata Campos 1989, but can be distinguished from it by smooth upper margin of third maxilliped merus, the size and shape of apex of first gonopod, and the internal lobe or papilla of spermatic channel, which is concave, raised, with ends with minute papillae or rounded tubercles. Hypolobocera triangula n. sp. is very similar to H. rotundilobata Rodríguez 1994, but differs from it by the shape and size of the lateral lobe, an oblique basal ridge of tubercles and by the apex of first gonopod. With the two new species, the total number of valid members of the genus Hypolobocera known from western Colombia or biogeographic Chocó is 20. Rev. Biol. Trop. 54 (3): 1047-1056. Epub 2006 Sept. 29.