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Road effects on demographic traits of small mammal populations
No full textRecent studies have highlighted the positive effects of road verges on the abundance of small mammals. However, most of these studies occurred in intensively grazed or cultivated areas, where verges were the last remnants of suitable habitats, which could mask the true effects of roads on population traits. We analysed the effects of roads on small mammal populations living in a well-preserved Mediterranean forest. We used the wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) as a model of forest-dwelling small mammals that probably are among the species most affected by road clearings. Our study compared populations in similar habitat areas with and without road influence. We assessed abundance, survival and temporary emigration using extended Pollock’s robust design capture-recapture models. Moreover, we analysed population turnover, sex ratio, age structure and body condition. We found that wood mouse abundance and body condition were lower at the road bisected area, whereas the remaining population traits were similar. This suggests that the reduced habitat availability and quality due to the physical presence of the road and verge vegetation clearing are the main drivers of demographic differences in wood mouse populations between areas. Nevertheless, our results also suggest that in high-quality habitats surrounding national roads, wood mouse populations present similar dynamics to others living in undisturbed areas, despite the decrease in abundance and body condition. Overall, the often-reported increased small mammal abundance in road surroundings should not be generalized independently of habitat quality or to other population traits
Anomalias em Revestimentos de Argamassa de Cimento Aplicados sobre Paredes de Fachada em Alvenaria de Tijolo Cerâmico
No full textApós a conclusão das empreitadas de construção civil, são cada vez mais as reclamações apresentadas relativas a problemas que surgem à posteriori. A rápida execução dos trabalhos, a falta de mão de obra especializada que associadas a falhos que possam vir do projeto e/ou execução, facilitam que possam ocorrer cada vez mais problemas. Para além destes, também podem surgir outros, que podem ser de carater acidental. Neste trabalho foram recolhidos e analisados todos os processos judiciais apresentados perante a justiça espanhola pelos seus proprietários, por terem alguma anomalia nas suas habitações, entre os anos 2015-2019. Estes processos foram apresentados contra os Diretores de Obra, já que em Espanha os promotores e construtores não têm a obrigação de ter seguros de responsabilidade civil, tentando assim os proprietários que sejam as companhias de seguros destes técnicos, as que paguem os danos das suas habitações. O principal objetivo deste estudo foi o de determinar os tipos e frequência das anomalias observadas nos relatórios periciais, relativamente aos revestimentos de argamassa de cimento aplicados em paredes de fachada em alvenaria de tijolo cerâmico. Durante este período de 5 anos, foram apresentadas 701 reclamações, as quais foram todas analisadas. A recolha destes dados é uma novidade nesta área do conhecimento, já que não existem precedentes em Portugal, em Espanha ou noutros países. De maneira a conseguir analisar todos os casos, foram considerados 6 tipos de anomalias e foram enquadrados nestes, todos os casos identificados. Verificou-se que a metodologia adotada é válida e que pode ser aplicada noutros países que consigam ter acesso a este mesmo tipo de dados
Did wage inequality increase in Portugal? Yes, and for good reasons
No full textAs in Anglo-Saxon countries, wage inequality increased in Portugal from the beginning of the 1980s to the end of the 2000s. Using data from a matched employer-employee data set and reweighting methods, we show that the increased wage inequality in Portugal is fundamentally explained by compositiona
Comparative Exam of Deterioration in Cladded Facades with Cement Mortar
No full textThis research presents the usual types of damages and the causes that occur most frequently in building facades, through the analysis of all judicial complaints in Spain over 6 years. These facades all were cladded with cement mortar renders. A total of 2,018 cases were analyzed in detail. Most of the problems that were found had a direct relationship to the presence of water (humidity, condensation, and infiltration). The list of 37 analyzed parameters will provide both construction stakeholders and researchers with a tool to improve the planning of the maintenance of building facades and to minimize errors in the design and execution phases, in turn leading to a reduction of repair costs during the service life
Classification of the most common pathology processes in foundation slabs: Learning from failures
No full textFoundation slabs are a construction system common in many countries. Nevertheless, they have yet to be extensively studied in the scientific literature, to determine their most common anomalies during the service phase. The starting point of this study is a data source for which no international precedents were found: complaints by owners whose buildings suffered important defects and had to complain in the face of the courts. Through the reading of the judicial records it was possible to determine the damages that occurred, as well as each of the causal origins that led to them. A set of fundamental (most recurrent) damages was identified, as well as a classification according to their nature and affinity between them. Furthermore, an interrelational binomial pair was established between all damages and their causes, determining fifteen possible combi- nations, from which one should highlight fissures of structural origin, due to differential settle- ment of the terrain. Another aspect studied pertained to the types of buildings in which each of these cases took place, including their percentage weight according to the descriptors analysed during the research. All these results can be of great interest for forensic engineers
Taxonomy of Defects in Auxiliary Elements of Facades and Its Relation with Lawsuits Filed by Property Owners
No full textWhile at first it can be thought that the auxiliary elements of facades are merely ornamental with little practical function, this study shows that these components of the building envelope have a high impact on the envelope’s functioning and performance. This is carried out through the analysis of all relevant lawsuits filed in Spain over a 10 year period, a data set in which a surprisingly high number of 1033 cases of defects was found to affect external windowsills, exterior wainscots or cornices (the three auxiliary elements considered) was found. Considering the total number of lawsuits, this is an objectively unprecedented study. An analysis is carried out regarding the interrelations between elements, defects, causes, and types of buildings, with the aim of obtaining a sorted classification of the data. This constitutes a useful tool to prevent future problems arising from either the design, execution, or maintenance of facades. These include various issues resulting from humidities, one of the most frequent envelope defects, which are found to significantly affect the auxiliary elements of facades
Defectos en las Instalaciones Domésticas con Agua Debido a Disputas Legales: El Caso de Barcelona
No full textEsta investigación permite conocer los defectos existentes en instalaciones con canalizaciones de agua de tres variantes de tipología constructiva residencial. Se recurre a informes periciales edificatorios debidos a las demandas de usuarios ante los tribunales. Se determinaron cuáles son las anomalías y los orígenes del fallo que actúan como agentes causales. Para cada uno de ellos se determinaron los casos presentes en la instalación en donde se ubican, así como las situaciones más recurrentes. Se desglosaron uno por uno todos los procesos patológicos que se constataron, los cuáles se definen como la interrelación constructiva entre los parámetros estudiados. De esta forma, los diferentes intervinientes en el sector edificatorio dispondrán del know-how necesario para evitar a futuro los errores de obra
Rehabilitation of the Penhas Chapel in Mitras’s Homestead
No full textThis communication describes the main rehabilitation works carried out at Capela das Penhas. Some structural anomalies were found that were causing cracks in the walls and vaults. The Chapel had already undergone several interventions over the years, but not all of them had been successful, with some problems prevailing until today. The correct analysis of the structure's behavior was essential to be able to correct them and avoid further problems. We tried to maintain the same layout and identity of the Chapel, using traditional materials and techniques, whenever possible
Road verges provide connectivity for small mammals: A case study with wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) in an agro-silvo pastoral system
No full textRoads disrupt landscape connectivity for many terrestrial mammals. These infrastructures can be barriers to movement thereby threatening population persistence. Nonetheless, small mammals may use road verges as habitat or corridor, thus increasing migration across intensively managed landscapes. However, in well-preserved habitats where road verges show a similar vegetation structure to surrounding areas, their role is still unknown. Road verges would have an important role as fine-scale connectivity providers for small mammals in a well-preserved habitat depending on land management on road surroundings. We aimed to quantify the effects of road verges and paved lanes on the fine-scale landscape connectivity for the wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) in a well-preserved Mediterranean woodland. Additionally, we assessed the impact on connectivity of vegetation cutting on verges and of management in surrounding areas (i.e. firebreaks, grazing, ploughing and cork stripping). We quantified connectivity using graph theory based on two years of capture-recapture data. We compared a set of connectivity metrics (derived from the probability of connectivity index) in a road area and in a virtual roadless scenario. We found that the presence of the road reduced overall fine-scale landscape connectivity, acting as a partial barrier for wood mice movement. However, verges had a key role in promoting movement on road surroundings. Vegetation cutting on verges, and land ploughing in the surrounding landscape were the only management activities compromising connectivity. Our study supports the already known role of road verges as habitat corridors for small mammals. However, it goes beyond existing knowledge by quantifying the connectivity enhancement provided by road verges and demonstrating that this role is highly relevant even in well-preserved landscapes. Therefore, our findings emphasize the critical role of road verges and suggest important management options to enhance landscape connectivity for small mammals.FC
Diverging trends of wage inequality in Europe
No full textSince the middle/end of the 2000s wage inequality has increased in some European
countries (such as Portugal or the UK) and decreased in others (especially in Hungary and Poland). In this article, we analyse the role of the minimum wage and of workers’ and firms’ observed characteristics behind these diverging trends in
wage inequality. Our findings indicate that compositional changes as regards education
are a key factor pushing up inequality in the majority of the countries, but particularly
in Italy and Portugal. Other factors either contribute to increased or
decreased inequality, specifically minimum wage changes, the percentage of nonnative
employees and native wage premiums. Minimum wage changes seem to be
of crucial importance in Greece, Hungary and Poland. Finally, the presence of nonnatives
in the labour market is a key determinant in the UK, but also to some extent
in Austria and Hungary