Search

The article focuses on the use of drying materials and pre-treatments in the process and product of domestic composting. Costa Rica has implemented Law No. 8839 for the Comprehensive Management of Waste since 2010, with the aim of regulating the management of biodegradable solid waste. However, only a fraction close to 1% of organic waste is properly processed in the country. Domestic composting offers a solution for the specific treatment of accumulated waste, but the lack of standards makes it difficult to carry out properly and at a low cost. The project will evaluate the effects of pre-treatments and the use of drying materials in domestic composting through a 2x2 factorial experimental design. [Extracted from the article]

This paper describes petrographically and genetically, a number of peperites, as examples of spatial and temporal coexistence of magmatism and sedimentation in Costa Rica. The cases are presented in basic igneous complexes (ophiolites), mixtures varying from incomplete (megablocks of radiolarite with diabase in the Nicoya Complex) to complete mixes in various stages of Maastrichtian-Paleocene (Golfito Formation) or Paleocene pelagic limestones with basalts (Quepos Subcomplex or Tulín Formation) to form brechoid and pillowed peperites. Within the Oligo-Miocene arc, there are examples extended along the Talamanca range and its foothills, as well as Sarapiquí's plains represented for brechoid and bulbous (fluidal) peperites in latiandesitic lavas (Pacacua Formation) or brechoid peperitic pipes in ignimbrites (Mata de Limón Member) or possible brechoid peperites in lavas in the Crucitas mining prospect (Cureña Formation), or simple brechoid peperites in andesitic flow (Pacacua Formation, in Talamanca) or as hydroclastic breccias with fragments of dacitic composition in lava flow deposits of Carbonal Guanacaste, just between the beaches Cabuyal and Naranjo. All these rocks represented proximal equivalents of the explosive, effusive and subvolcanic volcanism (endogenous domes and criptodomes) and his concomitance with the fluvial sedimentation. In Quaternary period, we have a sample in the base of Tiribí Formation in contact with Palmares Lacustrine. Also this paper included possible and potential cases. It hopes that the description and interpretation of this type of rocks helps to its identification in other regions of Costa Rica and Central America in general, as well as a potential source for the exploration of valuable metals [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We highlight the contributions of Dr. Paul Schaufelberger, who arrived to Costa Rica in 1929, contracted by the government, to teach geology at the Liceo de Costa Rica, Colegio Superior de Señoritas and Escuela Nacional de Agricultura. He was the director of the department of Geology and Mineralogy of the Centro Nacional de Agricultura located at San Pedro de Montes de Oca in what is now Ciudad Universitaria Rodrigo Facio. In his work Schaufelberger contributed scientific and disclosure papers about geology as known in his time. He wrote many papers that served as guidance for the lessons related to the subject of Geology in Costa Rica. He left the country in 1939 hired by the Federación de Cafetaleros de Colombia with the purpose of performing geologic field studies intended for the betterment of the Colombian coffee industry. Schaufelberger died in 1976 in Colombia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The technical feasibility of pulping and papermaking of the "paste" (Luffa cylindrica Roem) from waste of the production of bathroom products in Costa Rica was studied. Two pulping processes were employed to produce and characterized pulps for papermaking: hydrothermal and thermochemical with 2 % soda. Characterization included physical, mechanical, optical and chemical properties. Principal results showed high strength properties, low density, low brightness and high opacity, making the pulp suitable for papermaking fine papers, printing and packing uses. In spite of having a short to median fiber length (around 1305 μm), the testing Luffa sheets presented a strong fiber-fiber union, generating a high mechanical resistance, added to a light beige color and high opacity, similar in mechanical resistance to testing sheets produced with long fibres (greater than 3 000 μm) like banana fibres (Musa Giant Cavendish). This study is one of a series of investigations led by the Laboratory of Forest Products of the University of Costa Rica looking for a better agroindustrial waste management, a decrease of the environmental impact and to reach a sustainable development as defined by Costa Rican policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document presents the results of a process of technical review of nearly 60 records of environmental impact assessment (EIA) carried out in recent years as part of the course of Environmental Geology I. The main problems detected and most common indicated in most records. This concludes that there are serious problems in implementing existing procedures and current technical tools, by both environmental consultants and the “Secretaría Técnica Nacional Ambiental” (SETENA). To this situation, the environmental management consultant geologist is not the exception, reason why it is necessary that the above mentioned professionals are aware of the severe legal consequences involved. Finally, this paper proposes five key solutions to correct and improve the serious efficiency problem of the EIA system, which has brought the country to a condition of unsustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growth of Vochysia guatemalensis in Ultisols and Inceptisols of the Northern Huetar Region of Costa Rica were evaluated. This paper introduces the conditions of the sites, in the region under study where the species is growing. Making use of physical and chemical soil variables, it tries to explain the behavior of the site index (Is) and its relationship with those edaphic variables that show some kind of relation with this indicator of the quality of the land. In addition, working at 2 depths, the factors of the soil which limit or favor the growth of this species are determined, in order to identify the most appropriate, as well as the most inadequate, sites for the species. At to 20 cm depth, the best sites (IS greater than 23), are related to low pH, low calcium concentrations and median concentrations of magnesium, medium sum of bases and medium effective cation exchange capacity, an extractable medium acidity and medium saturation acidity. From 20 to 40 cm, it is observed that the best sites are associated with low apparent density, a high content of clay and iron, and a good amount of organic matter. The soils that show the best chemical condition are those associated with the worst quality of site (IS lesser than 20) for V. guatemalensis. This highlights the low nutritional requirements of this species, V. guatemalensis, which can be considered as adapted to relatively acidic soils of low fertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An integrated approximation of the impact of volcanic eruptions in the period between the years 1953 and 2005 in Costa Rica is presented for the first time. The detail-led damage (bridges, houses, railways, factories), economic losses (agriculture, livestock, drinking water), disruption of activities, loss of life and investments (donations, mitigation measurements), is given. This focuses on the disasters and economic effects, but the sociological and psychological effects were not assessed. Two national emergencies occurred with the eruption of Irazú in 1963-1965 and Arenal in 1968, and several volcanic crises occurred at other volcanoes including Poás (1953-1955, 1989-1994), Rincón de la Vieja (1967, 1991, 1995 and 1998), and again in Arenal (1975, 1988 and 2000), which produced economic losses due acid rain and/or lahars, and loss of life resulting from pyroclastic flows. Volcanic activity is responsible for a loss of at least $48.7 million in the last century, quantity that is necessary scalar in a future study. In this century, the damage due acid rain is more than $200 million. It is certain that 103 people were killed by volcanic activity in the 20th century, and there are no additional reports of deaths or injuries since 1700. This paper is the basis for future work focused on the socio-economic evaluation, risk analyses and future projections. If a new eruption similar to those of Irazú in 1963-1965 or Arenal in 1968 were to happen during the present century, the economic losses can be expected to be larger than previous ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to describe a fragment of left mandible of a juvenile specimen of Pliometanastes. That found brings some light about the phyletic relations among Pliometanastes protistus Hirschfeld & Webb, 1968 and ?Pliometanastes galushai Hirschfeld & Webb, 1968, and strongly suggests that Pliometanastes is a monospecific genus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper summarizes available information on soil clay mineralogy in topsoils of Costa Rica, including clay minerals described in B horizons when significantly different from predominant mineralogy in the topsoil. The soil clay suites ("predominant clay groups") emphasized are grouped as: (1) smectites and interstratified clays (Vertisols and other soils with vertic properties), and (2) oxides-hidroxides-oxihidroxides-kaolinite-gibbsite (in Alfisols, Ultisols and Oxisols). The soil clay genesis of these dominant groups is discussed when enough information is available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Findings in a total of 84 research papers identifying clay minerals on 520 soil samples of Costa Rica are summarized. This review emphasizes on the clay minerals described in the topsoil samples, although clay minerals in the B horizons are also discussed when they are different to predominant mineralogy in the topsoil. Sites where soil clays information is available were geo-referenced, to observe their geographical distribution. In general most of the country possesses soil clays identified, except for the Nicoya Peninsula, the Northern Zone, and the Eastern Talamanca Range. Clay mineralogy suites ("predominant clay groups") were grouped as: (1) vitrous-amorphous-halloysitic (Andisols and other soils with andic properties; (2) smectites and interstratified clays (Vertisols and other soils with vertic properties); (3) oxides-hidroxides-oxihidroxides-kaolinite-gibbsite (Alfisols, Ultisols and Oxisols); Plus a large area of soils with mixed clay mineralogy, found in places with little or no development (Entisols and Inceptisols). The soil clay genesis of the main clay types in the country is discussed when enough information was available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the relationship between soil clay mineralogy classes and soil fertility characteristics of soils cultivated with banana in the Caribbean lowlands of Costa Rica. The results corroborate that some fertility properties are closely related to the amount and type of dominant clay of the soils; among these characteristics the most relevant are CEC, phosphate retention and exchangeable cations. Soils belonging to the esmectitic clay mineralogy class showed greater values of CEC and exchangeable bases but lower phosphorus retention than soils of the metahalloysitic clay mineralogy class. Soil dominated by vermiculite showed lower amounts of available K and larger amounts of exchangeable Mg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper attempts to update the species of plant feeding mites identified for Costa Rica, along with their host plants, since 2002 to June 2008. Plant material provided by growers, technicians, students, and interested public, as well as the collected by the staff of the laboratory of Acarology, was identified. One hundred and fifty nine new host plants for phytophagous mites, grouped in 52 families, are mentioned for Costa Rica. Tetranychus urticae, family Tetranychidae, was the most abundant species found, which is reported from 49 new hosts for the country. Moreover, other tetranychid species were collected: Tetranychus abacae, T. ludeni, T. marianae, T. mexicanus, T. neocaledonicus, T. tumidus, Oligonychus yothersi, Panonychus citri, Schizotetranychus sp., Sonotetranychus vaneyndhoveni, Mononychellus estradai, Eutetranychus banksi and Paraponychus sp. Brevipalpus californicus, B. obovatus, and B. phoenicis, in the family Tenuipalpidae, are mentioned, along with Tenuipalpus pacificus, which is an orchid specific mite. The species Tuckerella pavoniformis, in the family Tuckerellidae, is also included, which was found in a new host for Costa Rica, and the world. Within the family Tarsonemidae, Polyphagotarsonemus latus and Phytonemus pallidus were collected acting as pests in some crops, as well as Hemitarsonemus tepidariorum, on leather leaf fern (Rumohra adiantiformis), and Steneotarsonemus spinki, on rice. Mites in the family Eriophyidae were collected from different hosts, showing that most of the species found are not informed from other areas being, probably, new species to science. Finally, field diagnosis is also offered for some chosen species within the 5 families studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the research carried out by Eng. Luis Matamoros Sandoval, who in 1902 published in Costa Rica his investigations on seismology in an article entitled "El interior de la corteza terrestre: una nueva teoría sobre el origen de los temblores" (The interior of the Earth's crust: a new theory about the origin of earthquakes). In his work, Matamoros followed the Aristotelic current and mixed it with the hypothesis developed by the Spanish friar Benito Feijoo, who proposed electricity as the physical cause of intense earthquakes perceived over large regions. Matamoros justifies his results by the use of mathematics combined with fundamental physical principles, some which he had great difficulty to explain due in part to the use of criteria and basic concepts that were not supported by the traditional physical knowledge. Despite his conceptual errors, the value of his work resides in the fact that it was the first local formal scientific attempt to explain the origin of earthquakes, a process that even in the great scientific centers of the period was the source of continuous speculation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data collection of astronomical phenomena in Costa Rica began at the end of the colonial period (1799). Most of this information reveals the social impact that they caused in the region. Scholars of that time tried to find a rational explanation for those phenomena, especially meteor showers and meteorites, in order to contrast the religious conceptions. This paper analyzes the most representative data obtained from the observations during the period 1799-1910. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we described fossil dunes found at the Islas Murciélago, Área de Conservación Guanacaste, south of the Santa Elena Peninsula, on the northwest part of Costa Rica. Currently, this region is exposed to strong winds during the dry season (December to May), which produce coastal dunes. This process has been active at least since the Upper Pleistocene, as we propose with the finding of the fossil dunes in the area. These dunes have a maximum corrected age, based on a 14C radiometric dating, between 15 981 and 17 132 years before the present, which coincide with the Heinrich 1 event. This finding indicates a paleoclimate of the region as very dry and with very strong winds, related to the Heinrich 1 event after the Last Glacial Maximum, which was a dry period. The direction of the wind, based on the stratigraphy, was NE to SW and from the NNW to the SSE. These directions correspond with the present day winds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]