The surface energy balance algorithm for land (SEBAL) has been successfully applied to estimate evapotranspiration (ET) and yield at different spatial scales. However, ET and yield patterns have never been investigated under highly heterogeneous conditions. We applied SEBAL in a salt-affected and water-stressed maize field located at the margin of the Venice Lagoon, Italy, using Landsat images. SEBAL results were compared with estimates of evapotranspiration by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) method (ET_c) and three-dimensional soil-plant simulations. The biomass production routine in SEBAL was then tested using spatially distributed crop yield measurements and the outcomes of a soil-plant numerical model. The results show good agreement between SEBAL evapotranspiration and ET_c. Instantaneous ET simulated by SEBAL is also consistent with the soil-plant model results (R² = 0.7047 for 2011 and R² = 0.6689 for 2012). Conversely, yield predictions (6.4 t/ha in 2011 and 3.47 t/ha in 2012) are in good agreement with observations (8.64 t/ha and 3.86 t/ha, respectively) only in 2012 and the comparison with soil-plant simulations (8.69 t/ha and 5.49 t/ha) is poor. In general, SEBAL underestimates land productivity in contrast to the soil-plant model that overestimates yield in dry years. SEBAL provides accurate predictions under stress conditions due to the fact that it does not require knowledge of the soil/root characteristics.

La Isla de Calor Urbano (ICU) asociada a los recientes fenómenos de calor extremo, trae consigoconsecuencias sociales, económicas y ambientales. Incrementan el consumo energético y lacontaminación del aire, agua y suelo, disminuyendo la calidad de vida de la población yrepresentando un riesgo para la salud, en especial de sectores sociales vulnerables. Se presenta untrabajo de investigación de carácter interdisciplinario, con una mirada integral sobre las ICU desdelas carreras de Gestión Ambiental, Arquitectura y Urbanismo. Se estudia el caso del ÁreaMetropolitana de la Ciudad de Córdoba, Argentina.El trabajo se concentra en tres ejes: la definición de mapas de amenaza mediante elaprovechamiento de recursos satelitales, la determinación del Índice de Vulnerabilidad Social (IVSD)y la definición de estrategias de capacidad adaptativa basadas en la naturaleza. Representa unejemplo de aprovechamiento de recursos tecnológicos en pos de un diseño arquitectónico y urbanoasertivo.