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Climate change poses a severe environmental crisis where many European urban centers face increased risks, among others, of flooding and/or water scarcity due to intense rainfall and prolonged droughts. Urgent adaptation measures are required to enhance resilience in urban, peri-urban, and agricultural areas against extreme weather events. This article describes a method for categorizing urban areas based on climate-related risks as a targeting and prioritization system for allocating climate resilience measures in cities. The method allows for calculating a climate vulnerability index value, considering temperature, precipitation, wind patterns, population density, altitude, and urban area. Focused on the Mediterranean region, particularly Sicily, the index application generates quantifiable vulnerability values for urban settlements, enabling comparison and prioritization. The reproducible and scalable method provides a valuable tool for urban analysis beyond the Mediterranean and can facilitate decision-making processes to initiate future studies and projects.

Walkability is a modern concept that has become important in recent years due to the doubtless effects it has on aspects such as health and wellbeing, sustainable development, climate change, and tourism. It is necessary, therefore, that urban development strategies aim to achieve walkable cities. The main objective of this study is to define a methodology to calculate the walkability index in tourist cities and to predict the effects of climate change on this index, which is applied to three World Heritage cities in central Spain: Salamanca, Ávila, and Segovia. The methodology is developed in three phases. Phase I focus on the calculation of walkability, considering the following factors: facilities and services, accessibility, sidewalk width, population density, green areas, and urban trees. In Phase II, walkability in 2020, climate-related variables were added to the previous result: temperatures, solar radiation, and shadows. Finally, the third phase, walkability under climate change pressure in 2030, 2050, and 2100, establish predictions for different climate scenarios. The results show excellent walkability indices (higher) in city centers and newly built neighborhoods and low values in the rest of the peripheral areas, industrial estates, and neighborhoods. Climate predictions showed a generalized decrease in walkability over time, even higher in the scenario with high greenhouse gas emissions. Likewise, the models can be an excellent tool for the tourist management of cities since they show the most walkable areas and, therefore, the most suitable for tourist routes.

The yellow-winged darter (Sympetrum flaveolum Linnaeus, 1758, Odonata), which is associated with high mountain areas, can be considered a flagship species. Due to climate change, its natural range will be negatively affected. In this study, we propose global potential distributions for this species up to the year 2100, considering four time periods (2021–2040, 2041–2060, 2061–2080, and 2081–2100) and three shared socioeconomic pathways (optimistic—SSP245, middle of the road—SSP370, and worst—SSP585), by using an ecological niche model to produce two sets of distribution models (80% to 100% and 60% to 100%). It is foreseen that in the worst of the considered climate scenario (SSP585– 2100 year), the distribution of this species could be reduced by almost half, which could pose a risk for the species and provoke the shift from vulnerable to endangered. An analysis of connectivity has also been carried out for all the studied scenarios by applying the MSPA and PC indices, showing that the core habitat of this species will become more important, which is consistent with the decrease in the distribution range. Over time, the importance of the most valuable connectors will increase, implying a greater risk of some populations becoming isolated.

The aim of the Natura 2000 Network is to ensure the conservation of habitats and species in their natural areas of distribution. Connectivity is an essential part of this conservation. For this purpose, a value map of importance for biodiversity (V.I.B) was generated proposing 4 levels of protection and overlapped with the Natura 2000 network. New boundaries for the zoning are proposed adding 1.600.000 ha. Two connectivity indices (MSPA and PC) are calculated in the 4 different scenarios. With these indices it is possible to know the number of existing nuclei and connectors in each of the scenarios. New boundaries cover more areas of interest for biodiversity as well as zones of great importance in relation to connectivity. We propose a uniform method that can be extrapolated to any European territory.

Se presenta información sobre la localización de lugares de reproducción de la especie Anax imperator Leach, 1815 en lagunas de alta montaña del Sistema Central en la provincia de Ávila. Las citas de reproducción de esta especie en los años 80 en esta zona se limitaban a altitudes cercanas a los 1300 m s.n.m. Sin embargo, coincidiendo con un aumento de las temperaturas debido al cambio climático, esta especie ha ido subiendo en altitud, hasta reproducirse con éxito a altitudes superiores de 1700 m s.n.m.

The effects of climate change on species can influence the delicate balance in ecosystems. For this reason, conservation planning needs to take account of connectivity and the related ecological processes within the framework of climate change. In this study, we focus on the change in the ecological connectivity of the Lebanon cedar (Cedrus libani A. Rich.), which is widely distributed in the Mediterranean, particularly in the Amanus and Taurus Mountains. To this end, we evaluated the changes in spatial units providing connectivity in the potential and future distributions of the species through ecological niche modelling, morphological spatial pattern analysis, and landscape metrics. The results suggest that the species is moving to the northeast. According to the future projections, we predict that the potential habitat suitability of the species will shrink significantly and that, in the case of pessimistic scenarios, the extent of the suitable habitats will decrease, particularly in the western and central Taurus Mountain chains. A comparison of potential and future cores indicates that there will be a slight increase under the RCP 4.5 2050 scenario, whereas core areas will decrease in the RCP 4.5 2070, RCP 8.5 2050, and RCP 8.5 2070 scenarios. In addition, it is predicted that bridges would increase in the RCP 4.5 2070 and RCP 8.5 2050 scenarios but decrease in other scenarios.

This paper presents a multi-criteria methodology for the detection of optimal locations for solar photovoltaic installations connected to the electrical grid. The proposed methodology has been applied to the island of Tenerife, as it is one of the territories in Spain with the greatest solar potential. This methodology integrates an Aptitude Model (which covers variables such as connections to the electrical grid, accessibility, cloudiness, solar irradiation and slope) together with an Impact Model (which considers variables such as landscape vulnerability, land use and hydrology). Each one of the variables considered has been transformed into standardized decision criteria, which have been weighted by means of Saaty’s pair method, having also assigned them relative weights by means of expert consultation. The integration of both Models in a Hosting Capacity Model makes it possible to consider urban and environmental constraints in different possible scenarios. Finally, the Hosting Capacity Model generated is implemented through a Geographic Information System (GIS) on the island of Tenerife, so that it has been possible to detect the optimum locations for each municipality and region.

A União Europeia (UE), através da sua iniciativa Natura 2000, estabeleceu a classificação e seleção de áreas protegidas na Europa, a fim de assegurar a conservação da biodiversidade. No entanto, não há parâmetros claros e uniformes para permitir que os países membros tomem as melhores decisões de zoneamento para a conservação da biodiversidade. Por esta razão, uma metodologia baseada na avaliação de critérios de importância para a conservação da biodiversidade é apresentada nesta tese. A metodologia introduzida visa estabelecer critérios relevantes que podem ser analisados através do método estatístico de análise multicritério e interpolação de dados com o método geoestatístico de krigagem. O objetivo é verificar a adequação das áreas designadas para a rede Natura 2000 em Castilla y León, Espanha, e desenvolver uma proposta de zoneamento baseada em valores de importância da biodiversidade quando considerando o uso da terra. A metodologia proposta foi realizada com critérios básicos de conservação da biodiversidade que podem ser adaptados e aplicados em diferentes países membros da UE, contribuindo para uma seleção ótima de áreas protegidas com parâmetros claros e uniformes para o zoneamento.

Se comprobó la producción de enterotoxina termoestable en una cepa de E. coli, mediante el ensayo del factor de permeabilidad en la piel del curi (Cavia cobaya), inyectando intracutáneamente 0.1 ml de suspensión de la cepa en solución reguladora de borato a pH 7,5 y midiendo después de una hora la intensidad y el diámetro de las manchas azules producidas en la piel, por un colorante inyectado intravenosamente. Igualmente, se probaron las suspensiones de cepas provenientes de cultivos suplementados con cisteína, el sobrenadante del cultivo incubado libre de células y varias fracciones obtenidas en la purificación de la enterotoxina. La suspensión de cepa y el sobrenadante del medio de cultivo libre de células. originan manchas azules con 6.8 y 0,4 cm de diámetro, cuyas intensidades fueron 10 y 3, respectivamente. La suplementación del medio de cultivo con cisteína no mejoró la producción de enterotoxina según este bioensayo. Finalmente, se encontró positivo el bioensayo para las fracciones obtenidas en la primera etapa de la purificación de la enterotoxina.

Abstract Recent scientific evidence shows that genetic diversity must be maintained, managed, and monitored to protect biodiversity and nature's contributions to people. Three genetic diversity indicators, two of which do not require DNA‐based assessment, have been proposed for reporting to the Convention on Biological Diversity and other conservation and policy initiatives. These indicators allow an approximation of the status and trends of genetic diversity to inform policy, using existing demographic and geographic information. Application of these indicators has been initiated and here we describe ongoing efforts in calculating these indicators with examples. We specifically describe a project underway to apply these indicators in nine countries, provide example calculations, address concerns of policy makers and implementation challenges, and describe a roadmap for further development and deployment, incorporating feedback from the broader community. We also present guidance documents and data collection tools for calculating indicators. We demonstrate that Parties can successfully and cost‐effectively report these genetic diversity indicators with existing biodiversity observation data, and, in doing so, better conserve the Earth's biodiversity.

Bud rot is a limiting disease that affects most oil palm crops destroying thousands of hectares in Latin America. Bud rot (BR) is caused by the oomycete Phytophthora palmivora (Butler). Integrated disease management (IDM) technology has been used to control the disease, which slows down the progress of the disease, allowing palm recovery. However, the effect of this technology on the recovery speed of treated palms is not well known. We studied the time taken for palm recovery from BR under the integrated management approach. The study was carried out on 21 oil palm commercial cultivars dura × pisifera (D × P) and O × G hybrids affected by BR in the Colombian oil palm Central Zone. The analysis included different recovery times (RT), the severity degree, time of the year (wet or dry season), number of reinfections, and cultivar. The RT of bud rot-affected palms ranges from 103 to 315 days, with an average of 202.8 days when an IDM is used. RT was lower than that reported in the diseased palms without IDM (540 days). According to the severity degree, the RT lasted 202 days for severity degree 1, 198 days for severity degree 2, and 222 with severity degree 3 and 4. In comparison, there was no significant difference between dry and rainy seasons in RT. Differences between cultivars were found; however, under IDM, all cultivars showed low RT. The IDM has a positive impact in reducing the RT to BR. Low RT has indirect effects minimizing potential yield losses, improving the number of successfully recovered palms, and reducing the risk of disease dissemination.