Barranquilla is known as a dynamically growing city in the Colombian Caribbean. Urbanisation induces land use and land cover (LULC) changes in the city and its hinterland affecting the region’s climate and biodiversity. This paper aims to identify the trends of land use and land cover changes in the hinterland of Barranquilla corresponding to 13 municipalities in the north of the Department Atlántico. Landsat TM/ETM/OLI imagery from 1985 to 2017 was used to map and analyse the spatio-temporal development of land use and land cover changes. During the investigation period, the settlement areas grew by approximately 50% (from 103.3 to 153.6 km2), while areas with woody vegetation cover experienced dynamic changes and increased in size since 2001. Peri-urban and rural areas were characterized by highly dynamic changes, particularly regarding clearing and recovery of vegetated areas. Regression analyses were performed to identify the impact factors of detected vegetation cover changes. Computed logistic regression models included 20 independent variables, such as relief, climate, soil, proximity characteristics and socio-economic data. The results of this study may act as a basis to enable researchers and decision-makers to focus on the most important signals of systematic landscape transformations and on the conservation of ecosystems and the services they provide.

No abstract

No abstract

The birth of a child with a disorder of sex development (DSD) prompts a long-term management strategy that involves a myriad of professionals working with the family. There has been progress in diagnosis, surgical techniques and in understanding psychosocial issues related to this condition. However, since these kinds of disorders are rare and have many anatomical variations, individual care is necessary, especially regarding surgical management. Gonadectomy is indicated in a number of intersex disorders with a Y chromosome to reduce the associated risk of cancer. Recently, laparoscopy has gained wide acceptance in pediatric urology. Laparoscopy is also reported to be a useful tool for diagnosing and treating DSD because of its minimal invasiveness and favorable cosmetic outcome. However, reports of evaluation and management using laparoscopy for large numbers of DSD patients are limited and debate is still open about indications and timing of gonadectomy. In this study, we reviewed the literature of the last 10 years about the role of laparoscopic gonadectomy in patients with DSD. In the analyzed papers, all the procedures were accomplished successfully using laparoscopy. No conversions to open surgery neither intra-operative complications were reported in all series. Post-operative complications were reported only in one series and included 1 umbilical port infection [2% (1/50)] and 1 pelvic abscess [2% (1/50)], both treated with antibiotic therapy (grade I Clavien-Dindo). Of the analyzed series, 7/10 reported postoperative diagnosis of gonadal tumors. The histopathologic examinations revealed 15 cases of gonadoblastoma, 7 cases of dysgerminoma and 2 cases of seminoma. Analyzing the single series, the incidence of these tumors varied between 10% and 33%. The results of our review confirmed the safety and efficacy of laparoscopic gonadectomy in DSD patients. In our mind, laparoscopic gonadectomy should be accepted as the treatment of choice in children and adolescents with these rare conditions. It thereby eliminates the risk of malignancies of gonadal origin with the advantages of a minimally invasive procedure, with lower morbidity, quicker postoperative recovery and excellent cosmetic results.

RESUMENLos cambios en los modos de vida de las comarcas de Sierra Nevada, las nuevas funciones que se les atribuyen y el efecto de políticas sectoriales, como la forestal o la de protección de la naturaleza, han significado profundas mutaciones en el modelo de ordenación del territorio y del paisaje.Este artículo analiza la evolución de los paisajes desde mediados del S. XX, apoyándose en la lectura de las series de fotografías aéreas de 1956 y 2006, para determinar la naturaleza y magnitud de las transformaciones paisajísticas y relacionarlas con los procesos derivados de la crisis de la economía tradicional, las nuevas aspiraciones y demandas sobre los recursos de la montaña y la implantación actual de paradigmas tales como el de la multifuncionalidad del mundo rural o el desarrollo rural sostenible.Palabras clave: montaña mediterránea, evolución del paisaje, espacios protegidos, Sierra Nevada. ABSTRACTChanges in the ways of living in the Sierra Nevada region, its new functions as well as the effects of sectoral policies, such as forestry or protection measures, have led to profound changes in the planning model and the landscape.

No abstract

Agricultural activity is the major anthropogenic source of nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from terrestrial ecosystems. Conservation agriculture including crop residue management can play a key role in enhancing soil resilience to climate change and mitigating N2O emissions. We investigated the effects of crop residue rates, including 100 % (R100), 50 % (R50), and residue removal (R0), on N2O emissions in corn-wheat rotation under conventional (CT) and no-tillage (NT) systems. The key factors evaluated affecting N2O emissions included soil temperature, soil moisture, soil ammonium, and soil nitrate concentrations. Results showed that the N2O emissions increased with the increasing rate of residue under both CT and NT systems. Both R100 and R50 significantly ( p < .05) increased the N2O emissions compared to R0 during the annual rotation cycle. Soil moisture and mineral nitrogen (ammonium and nitrate) were the main driving factors that stimulated N2O emission in both CT and NT systems. In the NT and CT systems, cumulative N2O emissions showed a significant increase with R50 (+75.5 % in NT, +36.5 % in CT) and R100 (+134 % in NT, +40 % in CT) as compared to R0. Furthermore, no significant differences were found between R100 and R50 in the CT system, while in the NT system significant increases were observed for R100 compared to R50. Overall, our study justified as a first approach only during the first year that crop residue removal led to decreased N2O emissions under semi-arid conditions. However, due to the deteriorating impact of crop residue removal on crop productivity and soil C sequestration, this management method cannot be considered a sustainable agronomic practice. We suggest long-term studies to determine the appropriate rate of postharvest crop residue to achieve less N2O emissions and climate-friendly agricultural practices.

El manejo del suelo es un tema clave para la correcta conservación del territorio, que permite contribuir al cuidado del medioambiente y garantizar la seguridad alimentaria. Su gestión poco sostenible, debido al uso de herbicidas, el laboreo o la intensificación de las plantaciones, dificulta la compleción de dichas metas. En la costa meridional de la Península Ibérica, en las provincias de Málaga, Granada y Almería, la sustitución de especies tradicionales (olivar, vid y almendro) por cultivos subtropicales está generando una desestabilización del suelo poco estudiada. El objetivo de esta investigación es el estudio exhaustivo de las condiciones del suelo utilizando perfiles y descripciones edáficas junto con análisis de suelo. El área de estudio es una parcela experimental en el Valle del Guadalhorce (Málaga) con cultivos de aguacate, mango y mandarinos. Los resultados muestran la degradación del perfil del suelo en todos sus horizontes y la pérdida de propiedades como consecuencia de un modelo de gestión poco sostenible. Esto repercute en la calidad de la producción y en la productividad. Son necesarias medidas de control de la degradación, no solo a nivel parcelario, si no a nivel regional para que dicho problema no se traslade a una mayor escala en el territorio.