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The geochemical controls of groundwater baseline chemistry of the Doñana aquifer system (DAS -SW Spain) have been characterised using major and minor inorganic components and environmental isotopes. In unconfi ned areas, groundwater baseline is controlled mainly by rainwater composition, which is of Na-Cl type, equilibrium with silica and dissolution of soil CO 2 , Naand K-feldspars, and CaCO 3 where present. The resulting mineralisation ranges from very low to moderate. Groundwater baseline changes from the unconfi ned areas to the confi ned sector mostly by mixing with old marine water, Na/Ca-(Mg) cation exchange, sulphate reduction and calcite dissolution/ precipitation. The resulting salinity ranges from 1 mS cm -1 up to 80 mS cm -1 .In the shallower layers (<40 m) of the unconfi ned areas, groundwater baseline has been modifi ed by different human activities, as shown by the presence of agrochemicals (nutrients, metals, pesticides) and of industryderived airborne pollutants (mainly metals coming from the nearby Huelva industrial site and from open-pit mining sulphide exploitation). This is supported by tritium based ages, which show residence times greater than 40 years for fl ow lines deeper than 35-40 m.Groundwater composition in the confi ned areas is mostly naturally derived (baseline), as supported by 14 C ages ranging from 1 to more than 15 kyr. Agriculture-derived pollutants are present in groundwater below irrigation areas exploiting groundwater confi ned layers close to the northern boundary of the aquifer confi ned under the marshes, as well as the unconfi ned aquifer.

ABSTRACT. The objective of this study was to analyse the reproductive performance of hybrid (Yorkshire x Landrace) gilts/ sows in relation to temperature-humidity index (THI) at artificial insemination (AI), season of AI, occurrence of estrus >8 d postweaning, repeated estrus, insemination technique (cervical, CAI or post-cervical, PCAI) and parity. Data included 8851 reproductive records (1771 for gilts and 7080 for sows) from a pig farm in a sub-tropical zone (THI ranged from 72.9 in January to 81.8 in June). A decrease in pregnancy rate (PR, 89.8 vs 93.0%; P<0.01) and a tendency to decline farrowing rate (FR, 87.9 vs 90.3%; P=0.07) following AI during high THI (>82), compared to AI at <74 THI were observed. The spring and summer season were associated with decreased (P<0.01) PR compared with fall and winter (90.0% vs 93.0%). Likewise, FR decreased in spring and summer compared to fall and winter (88.5% vs. 90.9%). FR was higher (P<0.01) in non-repeat breeders compared with that of repeat-breeders (90.3% vs 76.2%). Litter size increased (P<0.01) from 10.8 ± 3.2 to 11.1 ± 3.1 pigs when the interval from weaning to estrus was >8 d. The insemination technique did not affect PR and FR but the litter size decreased (P<0.05) from 11.3 ± 3.0 to 11.1 ± 2.9 pigs when PCAI was used compared to CAI. This study reaffirms the negative effects of the hot season on reproductive performance of gilts/sows, although thermal stress at AI did not cause foetal losses. Also, there is no advantage in using the PCAI as compared to the CAI in gilts/sows with high numbers of sperm cells per AI.

The objectives of this study were to examine the effects of several factors affecting fawning rate, litter size, litter weight and neonatal fawn mortality in white-tailed deer inseminated either transcervically or by means of laparoscopy. Oestrus synchronisation with a controlled internal drug release (CIDR)-based protocol and fixed-time artificial insemination (FTAI) was conducted in 130 white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus texanus) during three reproductive seasons (2007-2009; 271 services) in a game-hunting ranch in a hot-arid environment (26°4' N, 101°25' W). Ninety additional non-treated does were exposed to bucks for natural mating. Fawning rate did not differ between AI methods (40.0 vs 45.0% for transcervical and laparoscopic AI, respectively). Overall fawning rate (proportion of all does fawning after FTAI and a subsequent period of buck exposure) did not differ between transcervical (89.5%), laparoscopic (80.3%) or natural (88.9%) insemination. Litter size per fawning doe was higher (P<0.05) in naturally-served does (1.65±0.48) than in transcervically-inseminated does (1.40±0.51) or in laparoscopically-inseminated does (1.48±0.50). The main conclusion was that no enhancement of fawning rate or litter size occurred as a result of intrauterine deposition of semen by laparoscopy compared with the transcervical insemination technique.

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