Physical and CFD model used in the analysis of particles dispersion.

Air pollution, representing one of the major environmental crises affecting us all, is responsible for half a million deaths each year in Europe. This research shows a numerical model based on Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and a methodology for its validation allowing to know the evolution of particles in open urban environments. In this case, the model represents an area of Gijón (Asturias), specifically chosen as it serves to highlight a location at which the daily limit values of PM set by the regulations are most frequently exceeded.

CFD model to study PM[Formula: see text] dispersion in large-scale open spaces.

Air pollution has become a major concern in industrial or highly populated areas. Although legislation has been enacted to limit pollution levels, air quality monitoring still needs to be carried out by stations which are located at fixed points unable to provide the spatial evolution of pollutants. This research, focused on the city of Gijón (Asturias), includes a Computational Fluid Dynamics model capable of simulating the dispersion of pollutants in a large urban environment (12x18 km[Formula: see text]).

Fruit Size and Structure of Zoochorous Trees: Identifying Drivers for the Foraging Preferences of Fruit-Eating Birds in a Mexican Successional Dry Forest.

Tropical dry forests (TDFs) are affected by land-use changes. These modifications impact their composition and arboreal structure, as well as the availability of food for several bird groups. In this study, we evaluated the foraging preferences in zoochorous trees of fruit-eating birds during the dry season of the year in three successional stages (early, intermediate, and mature) of TDFs in southern Mexico.

Patterns of Bird Diversity and Endemism Along an Elevational Gradient in the Southern Mexican Highlands.

Knowledge of bird species diversity along elevational gradients is key for understanding the distributional limits of species and, ultimately, for promoting measures that conserve biodiversity. In the present study, we evaluated changes in bird species richness, diversity, and endemism along an elevational gradient in the Sierra Madre del Sur in southern Mexico -a globally recognized biodiversity hotspot. Monthly bird surveys were carried out at localities with elevations of 1600, 1800, 2000, and 2200 m over the course of one year (2014-2015) covering an area of 2000 km (10 circular plots with a radius of 25 m per elevation site).

Hydrodynamic water tunnel for characterization of hydrokinetic microturbines designs.

Abstract: The enormous inroads made by renewable energy in recent years have been the key to the development of new technologies designed to obtain energy from a range of resources. Hydrokinetic microturbines used to harness kinetic energy from rivers, tidal and marine currents epitomize such developments. As the reservoir is dispensed with, the water footprint normally associated with conventional hydroelectric generation is minimized.