In the present work, we studied seven communities occurring in salt marshes in the west of the Iberian Peninsula, mostly ascribable to Sarcocornietea fruticosae class. Three new syntaxa are described: Myriolimo diffusi-Limonietum algarvensis, Triglochino maritimae-Sarcocornietum alpini subass. puccinellietosum maritimae and Limonion lanceolati-algarvensis. The first one is a chamaephytic community existing on thermomediterranean dry salt marshes, only inundated during high tides; it occupies welldrained sands from the Algarve (Coastal Lusitanian- Andalusian Province, Mediterranean Region), which the director species are the Iberian endemisms Myriolimon diffusum and Limonium algarvense. The second one is a halophytic community formed by Sarcocornia perennis subsp. alpini, Triglochin maritima, Halimione portulacoides, Puccinellia maritima, and Plantago maritima on sites occasionally inundated by saltwater, rich in sand and silt, north of the Ria de Aveiro (Miniense District, Cantabrian- Atlantic Subprovince, Eurosiberian Region). The last one is the alliance Limonion lanceolati-algarviensis, formed by Limonium sp. pl. communities from the Coastal Lusitanian-Andalusian Province. We also extend the distribution area of Puccinellio tenuifoliae- Limonietum plurisquamati to the Tagus estuary We propose the segregation between Myriolimetum ferulacei, from the Algarve sea cliffs, and Inulo crithmoidis- Myriolimetum ferulacei, from salt marshes

Close examination of Dactylorhiza maculata s.l. populations in the Serra da Estrela lead to the proposal that all of them are referable to D. caramulensis and that D. ericetorum is probably absent from this area, although it is well represented in the north of the country. New hypotheses are formulated towards a possible hybrid origin of D. caramulensis between D. ericetorum and D. elata. Three localities with truly typical representatives of Epipactis helleborine are reported, two from the Bragança district and one from the Serra da Estrela. A single individual of E. phyllanthes was discovered close to Bragança; this is the first mention of an autogamous Epipactis in Portugal. Trend towards autogamy was also detected on one plant from the Serra da Estrela. A discussion is initiated on the need to further develop understanding on chromosome structure and mating systems in orchid species, especially in complex genera such as Dactylorhiza and Epipactis, to adequately fulfil conservation purposes.

As mais antigas investigações arqueológicas no âmbito do Paleolítico da bacia hidrográfica do rio Minho (NW Peninsular) iniciaram-se na primeira metade do século XX. Por esta mesma altura realizaram-se também os primeiros estudos geomorfológicos na região, que permitiram correlacionar artefactos líticos com terraços fluviais. Durante a segunda metade daquele mesmo século, o estudo do Paleolítico ocorreu essencialmente na Galiza, ficando em Portugal reduzido a trabalhos pontuais e geograficamente circunscritos. A partir de 2010 assiste-se, igualmente na Galiza, ao desenvolvimento de um projecto de investigação que possibilitou não só a identificação de novos sítios arqueológicos, como também a sua datação absoluta, remetendo-os para o Plistocénico médio. A elaboração do projecto Miño-Minho, cujos primeiros resultados agora se apresentam, teve como principal objectivo dar continuidade na margem portuguesa a estes trabalhos iniciados no país vizinho.

Despite the use of tributyltin (TBT) had been banned worldwide in 2008 there is still evidence of its deleterious presence in environment. We evaluate the usefulness of a 28 days sediment bioassay with Nassarius reticulatus females to monitor TBT pollution, using imposex as endpoint. In addition, butyltins were determined in sediments and tissues, and, whenever posible, imposex was assessed in native N. reticulatus at the same sites where sediments were sampled. In the bioassay, a significant increase in imposex parameters was obtained with three sediments (Vi2, Vi3, and Vi4). No correlation was found between this and TBT concentrations in sediment although good correlations were obtained for TBT in tissues, putting in evidence TBT bioavailability in sediment. A significant decrease in imposex from 2008 to 2013 in native snails was only observed at sites that did not cause any effect in the bioassay. In contrast, imposex levels in 2013 were kept as high as 2008 in one of the sites where a significant imposex increase in the bioassay was observed. The bioassay proves thus to be a practical and ecological relevant tool, as: (i) it can be conducted in sites with no native populations of snails, (ii) it provides early identification of polluted sites, anticipating future imposex levels or early identification of recovering, and (iii) it yields information on the bioavailable fraction of the TBT in the sediment. Therefore, this tool can be of extreme usefulness under the scope of recent European legislative frameworks.

This textual and visual piece exceeds the traditional paper form to explore popular winemaking and drinking cultures in Galicia and Alentejo. It does not illustrate our fieldwork, but evocates alternative geographies of production and consumption that coexist with the standard commercial and legal wine market. In our quotidian learning by doing and living, we understand symmetrically the cultures we are part of, and by extension our practice of cultural geography. Through a combination of documentary and ethnographic approaches, we reveal geographies of practice that enact diverse forms of being together at the verge of disappearance. Symmetry eventually emerged, but only as the practice of research, not as a discursive rhetoric nor as an alternative form of representation.

Benchmarking could be defined as the systematic process of identifying, comparing and learning from the best practices or successful experiences of a particular sector in diverse geographical areas by disaggregating and analysing in an orderly manner the set of factors that condition their success. The outcome of this process helps improve key processes of a sector or adapt those practices that after a long search have been proven successful, to other areas. This study has gathered, in an orderly and synthetic manner, diverse successful experiences that guarantee a sustainable model for tourism from a social, environmental and economic point of view. These experiences fall under four types of tourism: cultural or heritage tourism, urban tourism, language learning tourism and rural tourism. In total, over forty success stories were analysed, ten per type, in twelve different European countries: Italy, France, Spain, The Netherlands, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Poland, Germany, Greece, Norway, Austria and Ireland. On the other hand, this benchmarking of tourist products has allowed us to develop applicability models for other geographic realities, but above all, for the tourism reality of Galicia.

RESUMEN En el paisaje litoral atlántico hay edificios que se yerguen con luz propia desde principios de nuestra era. Se trata de los faros marítimos. La guirnalda de luces y siluetas de estas edificaciones son hitos indiscutibles de nuestro paisaje, de nuestro rico patrimonio arquitectónico y símbolo de la estrecha relación de Galicia con el mar, cuya función es servir de apoyo a la navegación marítima señalizando los accidentes geográficos que delimitan la costa. Debido a la evolución tecnológica del último siglo, las necesidades habitacionales que acompañaban a estas infraestructuras han sido menores, ya que se ha tecnificado el funcionamiento de los faros. Esta situación ha provocado el abandono de parte de este patrimonio, haciendo necesario su reintegración en la actividad socio-económica de la región. Advertir esta problemática es el motivo ha llevado a realizar la disertación “Los faros atlánticos gallegos con valor patrimonial en el marco legislativo”. Es objetivo de la investigación es contribuir al conocimiento con la aportación de un estudio riguroso del extenso marco jurídico, básicamente urbanístico, que afecta a estos inmuebles, como base para proponer implantar en los mismos un uso alternativo sociocultural de carácter turístico que permita a la sociedad su acceso, uso y disfrute y sirva como mecanismo para minimizar el riesgo de pérdida de los valores culturales antes de su completo abandono. No se estudia un faro en particular sino todo un sistema de faros dispersos por el litoral con una tipología espacial que, como se deducirá, está estrechamente relacionada con el “plan de alumbrado” de las diferentes épocas. La metodología empleada ha sido un estudio multicaso, tras la realización de un completo inventario de los faros gallegos que permitió la selección de la muestra: faro de Touriñan, faro de Ons y faro de Silleiro, se realiza el análisis comparativo de los tres para extraer elementos comunes, opuestos o las particularidades existentes entre los casos analizados. La conclusión resultante de esta investigación demuestra que hay diversas limitaciones urbanísticas en los faros gallegos con valor patrimonial, estando sujetas a las condiciones de uso de la edificación, su distancia a la ribera del mar, el nivel de protección patrimonial, la clasificación y categorización del suelo, y las condiciones medio ambientales del entorno natural en el que se ubican. Además de esta diversidad de legislación de aplicación junto a la ausencia de relaciones interadministrativas crean una situación compleja para la conservación y preservación de los bienes, por lo que es importante su estudio. Sería un gran acierto por parte de las administraciones proporcionar la puesta en valor de los faros del litoral gallego fomentando rutas marítimas y terrestres que dinamicen el entorno eminentemente rural en el que se asientan y sea potenciador de la cultura gallega.

This paper focuses on slope dynamics in schist/slate materials in cold humid environments. It characterises the sedimentological features and controls involved in the for-mation of stratified slope deposits in two areas with similar topographical, lithological and cli-matic characteristics. In both areas, the slopes have dips >30º and the dominant rock types are schists and slates. In the case of Tierra del Fuego, the sedimentary deposits studied are modern; those in Galicia are Pleistocene in age. The slope processes operating in Tierra del Fuego, gen-erating modern stratified slope sedimentary deposits, throw light upon the interpretation of sim-ilar ancient sediments studied in Galicia. This comparative study reveals the fundamental role played by snow and freeze-thaw cycles in the creation of stratified slope deposits. Firstly, snow cover has a direct effect on the slope, compacting sediments, keeping ground temperature stable during winter, or moving clasts as they slip down the slope or act as a slide ramp. Indirectly, as the snow melts, it creates surface run-off and mud or gravel slides. Secondly, the activity gen-erated by numerous freeze-thaw cycles results in the vertical mobility of clasts. However, the continuous loading of sediments on the slope hinders the formation of coarse-grained pavement. Thirdly, the rock type and slope steepness play an important role in the creation of stratified slope deposits.

A fractional compartmental mathematical model for the spread of the COVID-19 disease is proposed. Special focus has been done on the transmissibility of super-spreaders individuals. Numerical simulations are shown for data of Galicia, Spain, and Portugal. For each region, the order of the Caputo derivative takes a different value, that is not close to one, showing the relevance of considering fractional models.