Temporal changes in soil water repellency after a forest fire in a Mediterranean calcareous soil: Influence of ash and different vegetation type.

Forest fires usually modify soil water repellency (SWR), and its persistence and intensity show a high variability both in space and time. This research studies the evolution of SWR in a Mediterranean calcareous soil affected by a forest fire, which occurred in Gorga (SE Spain) in July 2011, comparing the effect of the main vegetation cover between pine (Pinus halepensis) and shrubs species (Quercus coccifera, Rosmarinus officinalis, Cistus albidus, Erica arborea and Brachypodium retusum) and the relationship with soil moisture content (SMC). Also the study analyzed the effect of ash on SWR dynamics under field conditions. Six plots were established on the fire-affected area and the unburned-control-adjacent area to monitoring SWR with the water drop penetration time (WDPT) test, SMC through moist sensors (5cm depth) and three different ash treatments: ash presence, ash absence and incorporation of ash into the soil. An immediate increase of SWR was observed in the fire-affected area, mainly in pine plots. SWR changes in control (unburned) plots were quite similar between different types of vegetation influence, despite higher SWR values being observed on pine plots during the study period. A noticeable decrease of SWR was observed during the first months after fire in the affected areas, especially after the first rainy period, both in pine and shrubs plots. SWR increase was registered in all plots, and the highest levels were in March 2012 in burned pine plots. SWR decrease was higher in plots where ash was removed. Fire-affected soils became wettable 1year and a half after the fire.

Changes in land cover and vegetation carbon stocks in Andalusia, Southern Spain (1956-2007).

Land use has significantly changed during the recent decades at global and local scale, while the importance of ecosystems as sources/sinks of C has been highlighted, emphasizing the global impact of land use changes. Land use changes can increase C loss rates which are extremely difficult to reverse, in the short term, opposite to organic carbon (OC) which accumulates in soil in the long-term. The aim of this research is to improve and test methodologies to assess land cover change (LCC) dynamics and temporal and spatial variability in C stored in vegetation at a wide scale. LCCs between 1956 and 2007 in Andalusia (Southern Spain) were selected for this pilot study, assessed by comparison of spatial data from 1956 to 2007 and were reclassified following land cover flows (LCFs) reported in major areas in Europe. Carbon vegetation densities were related to land cover, and C vegetation stocks for 1956 and 2007 were calculated by multiplying C density for each land cover class with land cover areas. The study area has supported important changes during the studied period with significant consequences for vegetation C stocks, mainly due to afforestation and intensification of agriculture, resulting in a total vegetation C stock of 156.08Tg in 2007, with an increase of 17.24Tg since 1956. This study demonstrates the importance of LCC for C sequestration in vegetation from Mediterranean areas, highlighting possible directions for management policies in order to mitigate climate change as well as promoting land conservation. The methodologies and information generated in this project will be a useful basis for designing land management strategies helpful for decision makers.

The effect of furosemide on intracranial pressure and hemorrhage in preterm rabbits.

The hypothesis that intracranial hypotension due to excessive postnatal fluid loss places the premature infant at risk for germinal matrix and intraventricular hemorrhage (GM-IVH) was tested in preterm rabbits delivered at 28 and 29 days of gestation (term 32 days). Furosemide administered to newborn pups induced a diuresis that resulted in a 11% to 22% loss in body weight and a concomitant decline in muscle water (13% to 16%) and sodium (18% to 21%). Paradoxically, no change occurred in the water or electrolyte content of the brain even though cerebrospinal fluid and brain tissue pressure, but not blood pressure, declined. These changes were absent in littermates treated with saline. Microscopic examination of brain sections revealed a greater incidence of intracranial hemorrhage, particularly in the germinal matrix and choroid plexus, in furosemide-treated than in saline-treated preterm rabbit pups. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that intracranial hypotension promotes the incidence of GH-IVH in preterm animals.

Hydrocephalus and intraspinal tumor.

Hydrocephalus with spinal subarachnoid obstruction is rare, and its cause is obscure. Two such patients are presented. The pathophysiology is reviewed. Spinal absorptive pathways for cerebrospinal fluid are postulated to play a critical role in such cases.

Brain tissue pressure measurements in perinatal and adult rabbits.

Brain tissue pressure (BTP) in pre- and post-natal anesthetized rabbits, held in a stereotactic head holder, was measured with a fluid filled 23 gauge open-ended cannula connected distally to a pressure transducer. By advancing the cannula step wise through a hole in the cranium it was possible to sequentially measure pressure from the cranial subarachnoid space, cortex, ventricle and basal ganglia. Separate cannulas and transducers were used to measure CSFP from the cisterna magna and arterial and/or venous pressure. Pressure recordings obtained when the tip of the BTP cannula was located in the cranial subarachnoid space or ventricle exhibited respiratory and blood pressure pulsations equivalent to and in phase with CSF pulsations recorded from the cisterna magna. When the tip was advanced into brain parenchymal sites such pulsations were suppressed or non-detectable unless communication with a CSF compartment had been established inadvertently. Although CSF pressures in the three spinal fluid compartments were equivalent, in most animals BTP was higher than CSFP. However, after momentary venting of the system BTP equilibrated at a pressure below that of CSFP. We speculate that venting of the low compliance system (1.20 x 10(-5) ml/mmHg) relieves the isometric pressure build-up due to insertion of the cannula into brain parenchyma. Under these conditions, and at all ages examined, BTP in the rabbit is consistently lower than CSFP and, as with CSFP, it increases as the animal matures.

Furosemide lowers intracranial pressure by inhibiting CSF production.

Furosemide administration effectively lowers intracranial pressure in newborn preterm and term rabbit pups. This effect may be due to the diuretic action of the drug, its ability to inhibit cerebrospinal fluid production or to a combination of both. To test these possibilities newborn rabbits were either injected with furosemide and left unmolested for 6 hours, or anaesthetized and subjected to ventriculocisternal perfusions. During the 6 hour postnatal period the decrease in body weight was 8 times greater in furosemide than in saline treated pups. However, no difference was noted between the average brain weights of these two groups. Secondary effects of the diuretic were noted in blood (12.5% increase in the haematocrit over control value) and in muscle in which tissue water content and NA+ concentration were decreased while K+ concentration was increased. The fact that these parameters remained unchanged in brain suggests that the lowering of intracranial pressure was not attributable to the secondary effects of the diuretic agent. However, the marked reduction in cerebrospinal production noted following furosemide administration indicates that in newborn rabbits this may represent the primary mechanism by which furosemide lowers intracranial pressure.