Spatial and Socio-environmental Dynamics of Catalan Regional Planning from a Multivariate Statistical Analysis Using 1980s and 2000s Data

This article summarizes the protocol applied to analyse the spatial consequences of diverse regional plans included in the General Spatial Planning of Catalonia (GSPC) municipalities since 1985. The main aims of the GSPC were to achieve a more balanced distribution of population, avoiding Barcelona metropolitan region congestion, coastal overcrowding and mountain areas depopulation, and to improve mobility infrastructures and social welfare. The methodology used was based on factor analysis that reduced 30 socioeconomic and geographic variables provided by different sources into a smaller number of common factors. Afterwards a non-hierarchical clustering was employed to simplify the analysis of dynamics. The six first common factors retained in the model explained the 82.6% of total variance. After labelling them, six clusters were mapped to describe the most important dynamics: urban sprawl, urbanalization, depopulation, reterritorialization and coastalization. Finally, some socio-environmental consequences of such dynamics are discussed.     

Feeding behaviour and taphonomic characterization of non-ingested rabbit remains produced by the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus)

The rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is usually the most abundant taxon found in the Palaeolithic and Epipalaeolithic archaeological sites of southern Europe and the Mediterranean Basin. These accumulations may be the result of different abiotic factors, biotic agents and/or the interaction of both. For these reasons, over the last decades actualistic research has been conducted on different predators of rabbits. Among them, the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) is an excellent candidate for study because: 1) its diet is based almost exclusively on this leporids and 2) its historical distribution overlaps with one of the most interesting areas for small game research, the Iberian Peninsula and southern France. Here we present the taphonomical analysis of non-ingested rabbit remains collected from two Iberian lynx captive breeding centers located in southern Spain. Our results show: i) predominance of the distal segment of the appendicular skeleton; ii) variable breakage patterns, with a high proportion of whole bones of the autopodium and heavy breakage of the zeugopodium and stylopodium; iii) rare bone surface modifications. Comparison of these results with those obtained for other terrestrial carnivores, such as the fox, reveals great similarities, the only difference being the more abundant tooth marks present on fox non-ingested rabbit assemblages.     

The mortgage crisis and evictions in Barcelona: identifying the determinants of the spatial clustering of foreclosures

The article identifies the determinants of the uneven spatial distribution of housing accumulated by banks via foreclosures in the city of Barcelona. Working with a new data source, we geolocalised foreclosed housing and analysed its tendency to spatially cluster. Using the bivariate version of the Local Moran Indicator, we confirmed the spatial correlation between the concentration of foreclosed housing and indicators of the socio-economic vulnerability of the neighbourhoods containing it. We also applied an OLS model to identify and weight the determinants of this clustering at the neighbourhood level. Our findings revealed that the growth of unemployment, the concentration of (non-EU) immigrant population and a greater presence of residents with low levels of studies were the key variables that explain the uneven geography of foreclosures in Barcelona. The results obtained also allowed us to characterize the spatial distribution of the housing accumulated by the banks during the mortgage crisis. As a result of the massive wave of evictions, banks have emerged as large-scale property owners in Spain and key agents for present and future housing policies.     

Ochre fingerprints: Distinguishing among Malawian mineral pigment sources with Homogenized Ochre Chip LA–ICPMS

In this study, we compared the effectiveness of instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) of bulk ochre to laser ablation‐inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry of homogenized ochre chips (HOC LA–ICPMS) at distinguishing among three ochre sources in northern Malawi. Both techniques upheld the Provenance Postulate; however, HOC LA–ICPMS required less sample material than INAA and facilitated fast, inexpensive replicate observations that allowed for more robust statistical analysis. Our results indicated that HOC LA–ICPMS is a maturing technique that will be a valuable option for analysing artefacts that require minimally destructive sampling but are too large to fit into the laser cell for direct ablation. With regard to the statistical procedures used, stepwise canonical discriminant analysis was demonstrated to be a highly effective method for distinguishing among ochre sources, even in the presence of significant intra‐source and intra‐sample heterogeneity. Continued development of the HOC sample preparation technique will expand the range of archaeological ochre artefacts that can be included in provenance studies and prevent bias towards artefacts of convenient‐to‐analyse dimensions.     

Preventive Intervention for a Group of Buildings in the Historic Centre of Manresa (Barcelona)

The preservation of old downtowns has become a necessity of growing interest. New urban policies have been approved in different countries in order to revive the old city centers and make them economically sustainable. In this global trend, the municipality of Manresa (Barcelona) developed an important urban planning operation in the old district that included the demolition of a group of existing buildings and the construction of a new modern one in close proximity to a group of old residential buildings which are cultural heritage of the city. As a consequence, specific areas of risk were generated which lead to the adoption of precautionary measures to ensure safety. This article presents the preliminary analysis, diagnostics and monitoring carried out on this group of heterogeneous old buildings, as well as the results and precautionary measures taken to ensure their safety. The article also provides a translatable methodology that combines qualitative and quantitative aspects.