Publicaciones

first_page settings Order Article Reprints Open AccessArticle Deployment of Solar Energy at the Expense of Conservation Sensitive Areas Precludes Its Classification as an Environmentally Sustainable Activity Abstract Solar energy (SE) is essential for the decarbonization of our economy and for energetic transition. Solar energy can be a sustainable economic activity, as long as a balance […]

Abstract The identification and location of groundwater-dependent ecosystems are the first steps in protecting and managing them. Such identifications are challenging where the surface expressions of groundwater are not obvious. This work presents a remote-sensing-based approach to infer the groundwater dependence of semiarid shrubs from their association with fractures that facilitate root access to groundwater. […]

Abstract During the last century, the abandonment of traditional dryland farming and pastures in the Mediterranean basin promoted the development of ambitious afforestation programs causing a drastic transformation of the landscape. Afforestation programs were usually accomplished without considering the potential ecological impacts on the recipient ecosystems. Forest streams rely on terrestrial organic detritus, so their […]

Abstract Conservation biology faces the challenge of safeguarding the ecosystem functions and ecological processes (the water cycle, nutrients, energy flow, and community dynamics) that sustain the multiple facets of biodiversity. Characterization and evaluation of these processes and functions can be carried out through functional attributes or traits related to the exchanges of matter and energy […]

Abstract Land abandonment is a major global change driver in the Mediterranean region, where anthropic activity has played an important role in shaping landscape configuration. Understanding the woodland expansion towards abandoned croplands is critical to develop effective management strategies. In this study, we analyze the colonization pattern of abandoned croplands by Quercus pyrenaica in the Sierra Nevada […]

Abstract Documenting temporal trends in the extent of ecosystems is essential to monitoring their status but combining this information with the degree of protection helps us assess the effectiveness of societal actions for conserving ecosystem diversity and related ecosystem services. We demonstrated indicators in the Tropical Andes using both potential (pre-industrial) and recent (~2010) distribution […]

Abstract Biophysical characterization analyses of protected areas (PA) that provide information on their ecological values and potential areas with similar characteristics are needed to make informed PA network planning and management decisions. This study combines and further develops methodologies that use remote sensing and modelling to identify habitat functional types in PAs and map similar areas at […]

Abstract Background. As a strategy to design actions aimed at sustainable development at the local level, it is necessary to carry out a thorough diagnosis of the social, economic and environmental dimensions that affect the sustainability of a community. Objective. With that in mind, this research evaluated the sustainability of the natural resource management of […]

In this work, the microwave drying of amaranth seeds at different temperatures has been studied. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of temperature on three key variables of the drying process and viability of amaranth seeds (drying time, energy consumption, and germination rate) after drying with microwave energy. The tests were performed in a […]

Abstract Through Traditional Plant Knowledge (TPK), the Indigenous communities of the Ecuadorian Andes benefit from the different ecosystem services provided by plants. However, this TPK is endangered for several causes. Thus, we developed a Participatory Action Research (PAR) project in the community of San Ignacio (Ecuadorian Andes) to test whether, through the implementation of the PAR […]