Natural Resources and Environment

Natural Resources and Environment

New mineralogical techniques contribute to prevent national heritage damage

Humidity, environmental pollution, cleaning with aggressive products for the chemical composition of the rock, etc give rise to the appearance of salts which cause stone decomposition, paint coats detachment, dust accumulation, etc. The treatments used up to now to deal with the problem have been directed, almost exclusively, to preserve the beauty of the affected… Seguir Leyendo New mineralogical techniques contribute to prevent national heritage damage

Natural Resources and Environment

Experts prove the geochemical origin of part of the CO2 emissions in semiarid climates

The implementation of the Kyoto Protocol has raised, among other pressing matters, the need of getting to know the annual levels of carbon in different earth’s ecosystems. Scientists connected with the CEAMA-Andalusian Centre for the Environment (University of Granada-Andalusian Council) are studying these levels in semiarid Mediterranean scrubland, situated in Eastern Andalusia, whose results are… Seguir Leyendo Experts prove the geochemical origin of part of the CO2 emissions in semiarid climates

Natural Resources and Environment

Experts of the University of Granada publish the first detailed list of ants of the Sierra Nevada

After 30 years of research, the zoology team led by Alberto Tinaut has recently finished a study started in 1977. According to this study, published in the “Zoología baetica” journal, this list includes a third of the existing species in the Iberian Peninsula.Tinaut states that “the altitude of the Sierra Nevada and its valleys, with… Seguir Leyendo Experts of the University of Granada publish the first detailed list of ants of the Sierra Nevada

Natural Resources and Environment

Scientifics have compiled temperature data of the 20th century in Spain as an evidence of the climatic change

This research work is the first step to confirm the existence of a temperature change. Their main goal has been “to detect the signs of the Climatic Change through the temperatures in Spain”, explained to SINC the researcher of the department of Applied Physics of the Universidad de Granada and main author, Matthias Staudt. The… Seguir Leyendo Scientifics have compiled temperature data of the 20th century in Spain as an evidence of the climatic change

Natural Resources and Environment

Scientists obtain anticancer medicines from the elecampe, a wild plant growing in the Mediterranean

A group of scientists from the Department of Organic Chemistry and the Biotechnology Institute of the University of Granada have found out that the plant “Dittirichia viscose”, known as elecampe, can be used to obtain inhibitors of neurogenic vasodilatation, a significant progress in migraine and cancer treatments. The study, supervised by professors María del Mar… Seguir Leyendo Scientists obtain anticancer medicines from the elecampe, a wild plant growing in the Mediterranean

Natural Resources and Environment

Scientists call upon the Spanish Government to declare Sierra Bermeja, Palmitera and Real de Malaga mountain ranges as a National Park

Several associations and scientists have called upon the Ministry of the Environment to declare Sierra Bermeja, Palmitera and Real de Malaga mountain ranges (Malaga) as a National Park to be added to the list of Spanish National Parks. This list includes well preserved natural areas with representative samples of national ecosystems. In this case, this… Seguir Leyendo Scientists call upon the Spanish Government to declare Sierra Bermeja, Palmitera and Real de Malaga mountain ranges as a National Park

Natural Resources and Environment

100% of people carry at least one type of pesticide from the air, water or food in their bodies

A study carried out by researchers from the Department of Radiology and Physical Medicine of the University of Granada, in collaboration with the Escuela Andaluza de Salud Pública, found that 100% of Spaniards analyzed had at least one kind of persistent organic compound (POC´s), substances internationally classified as potentially harmful to one’s health, in their… Seguir Leyendo 100% of people carry at least one type of pesticide from the air, water or food in their bodies

Natural Resources and Environment

Scientists of the University of Granada prove that rivers do not act as barriers for groundwater flow

The research team from the Geodynamics Department at the University of Granada and the Spanish Institute of Geology and Mining (which is part of the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science) has studied the hydrogeology of the karst aquifers in the Mediterranean climate. It has been found that, contrary to popular belief, rivers do not… Seguir Leyendo Scientists of the University of Granada prove that rivers do not act as barriers for groundwater flow

Natural Resources and Environment

Researchers of Granada University (Spain) have studied the influence of linear Alkylbenzene Sulfonate (LAS) on the bacterial diversity of an agricultural soil

A study carried out by Mª del Mar Sánchez Peinado, Ph.D. and conducted by Mª Victoria Martínez-Toledo, Mª Belén Rodelas González and Clementina Pozo Llorente, researchers of the Institute of Water Research and the Department of Microbiology (University of Granada, Spain), has focused on the effect of this compound on the microbial composition and biological… Seguir Leyendo Researchers of Granada University (Spain) have studied the influence of linear Alkylbenzene Sulfonate (LAS) on the bacterial diversity of an agricultural soil

Natural Resources and Environment

Seawater intrusion is the first cause of contamination of coastal aquifers

Seawater intrusion is often the consequence of freshwater aquifers overexploitation. This is a very common and serious phenomenon all over the Mediterranean basin, as well as in other areas with similar weather conditions and population. In Spain, the most severely affected areas by seawater intrusion are the Mediterranean and South-Atlantic coastlines. Given that Spain is… Seguir Leyendo Seawater intrusion is the first cause of contamination of coastal aquifers