Impact of a transformation from flood to drip irrigation on groundwater recharge and nitrogen leaching under variable climatic conditions.

The sustainability of agriculture in the Mediterranean climate is challenged by high irrigation water demands and nitrogen fertilizer losses to the environment, causing significant pressure on groundwater resources and groundwater-dependent ecosystems. Advanced irrigation technologies and improved fertilizer management have been promoted as key solutions to reduce the agricultural impact on aquatic systems. However, it remains unclear how different irrigation-fertilizer practices perform on the long-term under a highly variable climate, such as the Mediterranean one. Here, we conduct hydrological simulations over a fifty-year period to quantify the magnitude and dynamics of groundwater recharge and nitrogen leaching under five real-case irrigation-fertilizer practices observed in Valencia (eastern Spain). The Valencian Region is the largest citrus-producing region of Europe and current irrigation-fertilizer practices reflect the ongoing transformation of irrigation systems from flood to drip irrigation. Our simulations highlight three major implications of the irrigation transformation for groundwater resources. First, the transformation from flood to drip irrigation reduces the recharge fraction (19% vs. 16%) and especially the nitrogen leaching fraction (33% vs. 18%) on the long term. Second, the long-term performance of the two irrigation practices is subject to substantial inter-annual differences controlled by precipitation variability. The sensitivity of recharge and nitrogen leaching to annual meteorological conditions is stronger in drip irrigation, which eventually leads to a similar performance of flood and drip irrigation in wet years if fertilizer inputs are similar. Third, we identify a pronounced year-to-year nitrogen memory in the soil, whereby an enhanced (decreased) nitrogen leaching is observed after anomalously dry (wet) years, affecting the performance of irrigation-fertilizer practices. Overall, the study demonstrates the highly variable nature of the performance of irrigation-fertilizer practices, and the major findings can guide future efforts in designing sustainable water management strategies for agricultural areas with a Mediterranean climate.

Managing low productive forests at catchment scale: Considering water, biomass and fire risk to achieve economic feasibility.

Semi-arid forests are water limited environments considered as low-productive. As a result, these forests usually end up unmanaged and abandoned, with the subsequent wild fire risk increasing, water yield decreasing and a general diminishing of the forest resilience. Hydrological-oriented silviculture could be a useful alternative that increases management possibilities by combining forest productivity and water yield. However, the slight water yield increase after forest management together with the low forest productivity, could make this option insufficient for semi-arid forests, and other goods and services should be included and quantified. In this sense, the present study analyzes to what extent semi-arid forest management for water yield results effective and profitable at catchment scale, and how does it improve when it is combined with other benefits such as biomass production and fire risk diminishing. To that end, the effects of forest management of semi-arid Aleppo pine post-fire regeneration stands are analyzed in terms of water yield (TETIS-VEG model), fire risk (KDBY index and FARSITE) and biomass production, at catchment scale. Regarding to water yield, the results confirmed the slight effect of forest management on its increase (average increase of 0.27 ±â€¯0.29 mm yr-1), at the same time that highlighted the role of the upper catchment area as an important water contributor. The management produced 4161.6 Mg of biomass, and decreased in 27±17% and 25.6 ±â€¯14.1% the fire risk and fire propagation, respectively. Finally, a simple economic estimation of the management profitability is carried out by means of comparing the Benefit/Cost ratio of the managed and unmanaged scenarios. Both scenarios were always above the unity when just considering water as benefit, although the unmanaged scenario produced a higher ratio, as no management costs are expended. Contrarily, when wildfire was also included into the evaluation, the situation is overturned for wildfires equal or higher than 1.5 day duration, where the forest management is shown as the most convenient alternative.

Modeling the evolution of riparian woodlands facing climate change in three European rivers with contrasting flow regimes.

Global circulation models forecasts indicate a future temperature and rainfall pattern modification worldwide. Such phenomena will become particularly evident in Europe where climate modifications could be more severe than the average change at the global level. As such, river flow regimes are expected to change, with resultant impacts on aquatic and riparian ecosystems. Riparian woodlands are among the most endangered ecosystems on earth and provide vital services to interconnected ecosystems and human societies. However, they have not been the object of many studies designed to spatially and temporally quantify how these ecosystems will react to climate change-induced flow regimes. Our goal was to assess the effects of climate-changed flow regimes on the existing riparian vegetation of three different European flow regimes. Cases studies were selected in the light of the most common watershed alimentation modes occurring across European regions, with the objective of appraising expected alterations in the riparian elements of fluvial systems due to climate change. Riparian vegetation modeling was performed using the CASiMiR-vegetation model, which bases its computation on the fluvial disturbance of the riparian patch mosaic. Modeling results show that riparian woodlands may undergo not only at least moderate changes for all flow regimes, but also some dramatic adjustments in specific areas of particular vegetation development stages. There are circumstances in which complete annihilation is feasible. Pluvial flow regimes, like the ones in southern European rivers, are those likely to experience more pronounced changes. Furthermore, regardless of the flow regime, younger and more water-dependent individuals are expected to be the most affected by climate change.

Modelling the emerging pollutant diclofenac with the GREAT-ER model: application to the Llobregat River Basin.

The present research aims at giving an insight into the increasingly important issue of water pollution due to emerging contaminants. In particular, the source and fate of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac have been analyzed at catchment scale for the Llobregat River in Catalonia (Spain). In fact, water from the Llobregat River is used to supply a significant part of the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona. At the same time, 59 wastewater treatment plants discharge into this basin. GREAT-ER model has been implemented in this basin in order to reproduce a static balance for this pollutant for two field campaigns data set. The results highlighted the ability of GREAT-ER to simulate the diclofenac concentrations in the Llobregat Catchment; however, this study also pointed out the urgent need for longer time series of observed data and a better knowledge of wastewater plants outputs and their parameterization in order to obtain more reliable results.

Assessing and forecasting the impacts of global change on Mediterranean rivers. The SCARCE Consolider project on Iberian basins.

INTRODUCTION: The Consolider-Ingenio 2010 project SCARCE, with the full title "Assessing and predicting effects on water quantity and quality in Iberian Rivers caused by global change" aims to examine and predict the relevance of global change on water availability, water quality, and ecosystem services in Mediterranean river basins of the Iberian Peninsula, as well as their socio-economic impacts. Starting in December 2009, it brought together a multidisciplinary team of 11 partner Spanish institutions, as well as the active involvement of water authorities, river basin managers, and other relevant agents as stakeholders. METHODS: The study areas are the Llobregat, Ebro, Jucar, and Guadalquivir river basins. These basins have been included in previous studies and projects, the majority of whom considered some of the aspects included in SCARCE but individually. Historical data will be used as a starting point of the project but also to obtain longer time series. The main added value of SCARCE project is the inclusion of scientific disciplines ranging from hydrology, geomorphology, ecology, chemistry, and ecotoxicology, to engineering, modeling, and economy, in an unprecedented effort in the Mediterranean area. The project performs data mining, field, and lab research as well as modeling and upscaling of the findings to apply them to the entire river basin. RESULTS: Scales ranging from the laboratory to river basins are addressed with the potential to help improve river basin management. The project emphasizes, thus, linking basic research and management practices in a single framework. In fact, one of the main objectives of SCARCE is to act as a bridge between the scientific and the management and to transform research results on management keys and tools for improving the River Basin Management Plans. Here, we outline the general structure of the project and the activities conducted within the ten Work Packages of SCARCE.

[Small flexible drains after cardiac surgery. Efficacy and safety of a new system]. / Drenajes torácicos flexibles de pequeño calibre en cirugía cardíaca. Eficacia y seguridad de un nuevo sistema.

INTRODUCTION: The use of thoracic drains after cardiac surgery is distressing to patients and can cause a local inflammatory response. The objective of this study was to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of the flexible Blake drain for mediastinal and pleural drainage following cardiac surgery. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We retrospectively studied 292 consecutive patients who underwent open heart surgery. The patients were divided in 2 groups: group A: 152 patients (Blake drain, 19 Ch) and group B: 140 patients (semi-flexible drains, 32 Ch). There were no significant differences in gender (56 males and 96 females in group A vs 49 males and 91 females in group B), age (67 +/- 14 in group A vs 65 +/- 14 in group B) or type of intervention (group A: 90 coronary, 59 valvular, 3 other; group B: 82 coronary, 53 valvular, 6 other). Preoperative parameters were similar in both groups. All patients received tranexamic acid as anti-fibrinolytic treatment. RESULTS: Postoperative bleeding was lower in group A (742 +/- 368) than in group B (872 +/- 439) (p = 0.042). The number of transfusions and re-operations for bleeding re-exploration was similar in both groups. Patient satisfaction was significantly greater in the group with flexible drains (p < 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: The use of flexible Blake drains reduced drainage after cardiac surgery without increasing the risk of bleeding or tamponade and can therefore be systematically used in cardiac surgery. Because of their flexibility, these drains produce less irritation, with accelerated recovery and lower analgesic use.

Drenajes torácicos flexibles de pequeño calibre en cirugía cardíaca. Eficacia y seguridad de un nuevo sistema / Small flexible drains after cardiac surgery. Efficacy and safety of a new system

Introducción. Los drenajes torácicos en el postoperatorio de cirugía cardiovascular son molestos para el paciente y pueden derivar a una respuesta inflamatoria local. El objetivo de este estudio es demostrar la eficacia y la seguridad de los drenajes Blake® (Ethicon, Somerville, NJ, USA) de pequeño calibre en el postoperatorio de cirugía cardíaca. Material y método. Se estudió retrospectivamente a 292 pacientes consecutivos, sometidos a cirugía cardíaca, a los que se dividió en 2 grupos. Grupo A: 152 pacientes (drenaje de Blake de 19 CH), y grupo B: 140 pacientes (drenaje semiflexible de 32 CH). No hubo diferencias significativas en cuanto a sexo (A: 56 varones y 96 mujeres; B: 49 varones y 91 mujeres), edad ± desviación estándar (A: 67 ± 14; B: 65 ± 14) y tipo de intervención (A: 90 coronarios, 59 valvulares, 3 otras; B: 82 coronarios, 53 valvulares, 6 otras). Todos los parámetros preoperatorios fueron similares en ambos grupos. Todos los pacientes recibieron ácido tranexámico como tratamiento antifibrinolítico. Resultados. La hemorragia postoperatoria fue menor en el grupo A frente al B (742 ± 368 frente a 872 ± 439; p = 0,042). El número de transfusiones y las reintervenciones por hemorragia fueron similares en ambos grupos. Hubo un mayor grado de satisfacción de los pacientes en el grupo de los drenajes flexibles p < 0,005. Conclusiones. Los tubos Blake® disminuyen el drenado postoperatorio sin incrementar el riesgo de hemorragia o taponamiento cardíaco, por lo que se pueden utilizar de modo sistemático en cirugía cardíaca. Por su flexibilidad, disminuyen la irritación de las serosas y proporcionan una recuperación rápida y una necesidad de analgésicos menor (AU)

Introduction. The use of thoracic drains after cardiac surgery is distressing to patients and can cause a local inflammatory response. The objective of this study was to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of the flexible Blake® drain for mediastinal and pleural drainage following cardiac surgery. Material and method. We retrospectively studied 292 consecutive patients who underwent open heart surgery. The patients were divided in 2 groups: group A: 152 patients (Blake drain, 19 Ch) and group B: 140 patients (semi-flexible drains, 32 Ch). There were no significant differences in gender (56 males and 96 females in group A vs 49 males and 91 females in group B), age (67 ± 14 in group A vs 65 ± 14 in group B) or type of intervention (group A: 90 coronary, 59 valvular, 3 other; group B: 82 coronary, 53 valvular, 6 other). Preoperative parameters were similar in both groups. All patients received tranexamic acid as anti-fibrinolytic treatment. Results. Postoperative bleeding was lower in group A (742 ± 368) than in group B (872 ± 439) (p = 0.042). The number of transfusions and re-operations for bleeding re-exploration was similar in both groups. Patient satisfaction was significantly greater in the group with flexible drains (p < 0.005). Conclusions. The use of flexible Blake® drains reduced drainage after cardiac surgery without increasing the risk of bleeding or tamponade and can therefore be systematically used in cardiac surgery. Because of their flexibility, these drains produce less irritation, with accelerated recovery and lower analgesic use (AU)