Recent publications
The Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM–GBF) envisions a world living in harmony with nature by 2050, with 23 intermediate targets to be achieved by 2030. However, aligning international policy and national and local implementation of effective actions can be challenging. Using steppe birds, one of the most threatened vertebrate groups in Europe, as a model system, we identified 36 conservation actions for the achievement of the KM–GBF targets and we singled out—through an expert-based consensus approach—ten priority actions for immediate implementation. Three of these priority actions address at least five of the first eight KM–GBF targets, those related to the direct causes of biodiversity loss, and collectively cover all the targets when implemented concurrently. These actions include (i) effectively protecting priority areas, (ii) implementing on-the-ground habitat management actions, and (iii) improving the quality and integration of monitoring programmes. Our findings provide a blueprint for implementing effective strategies to halt biodiversity loss in steppe-like ecosystems. Our approach can be adapted to other taxonomic groups and ecosystems and has the potential to serve as a catalyst for policy-makers, prompting a transition from political commitment to tangible actions, thereby facilitating the attainment of the KM–GBF targets by 2030.
While there is high certainty that chronic coastal hazards like flooding and erosion are increasing due to climate change induced sea‐level rise, there is high uncertainty surrounding the timing, intensity, and location of future hazard impacts. Assessments that quantify these aspects of future hazards are critical for adaptation planning under a changing climate and can reveal new insights into the drivers of coastal hazards. In particular, probabilistic simulations of future hazard impacts can improve these assessments by explicitly quantifying uncertainty and by better simulating dependence structures between the complex multivariate drivers of hazards. In this study, a regional‐scale probabilistic assessment of climate change induced coastal hazards is conducted for the Cascadia region (Northern Washington to Northern California), USA during the 21st century. Three co‐produced hazard proxies for beach safety, erosion, and flooding are quantified to identify areas of high hazard impacts and determine hazard uncertainty under three sea‐level rise scenarios. A novel chronic coastal hazard hotspot indicator is introduced that identifies areas that may experience significant increases in hazard impacts compared to present day conditions. We find that beaches near the California‐Oregon border and in Northern Washington have larger hazard impacts and hazard uncertainty due to their morphologic setting. Erosional hazards, relative to beach safety and coastal flooding, will increase the most in Cascadia during the 21st century under all sea‐level rise scenarios. Finally, we find that hazard uncertainty associated with wave and water level variability exceeds the uncertainty associated with sea‐level rise for most of the 21st century.
Marine caves constitute vulnerable habitats with unique and diverse biocoenoses. Monitoring these habitats is still challenging, which hinders the ability to evaluate global and local pressures that threatens their ecological value. In this study, ecological quality is estimated in twenty-one marine caves distributed along the northern and southern coasts of the Alboran Sea, a highly understudied area regarding marine caves. For that purpose, adjustments on the original Cave Ecosystem Based Quality Index (CavEBQI) are suggested in order to efficiently estimate the ecological quality of marine caves. Several methodological aspects regarding the assessment of biotic coverage, the visual census of motile fauna and the plasticity of the index usability were evaluated. Ecological quality of marine caves was in average "good" although it ranged between "poor", "moderate" and "good" depending on the features of each cave. This study emphasizes the importance of adapting biotic indicators to biogeographical differences and technological advancements.
Coxiella burnetii is a multi-host bacterium of major public and animal health concern. This pathogen circulates
among several wild species in the Iberian Peninsula, however, the role of the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) in the
epidemiology of this emerging pathogen is still unknown. The objective of this work was to assess the circulation
of C. burnetii in Iberian lynx populations from the Iberian Peninsula and to study the molecular characterisation
of this pathogen in lynxes and their feeding ticks. A total of 922 lynxes, including free-ranging and captive individuals,
were sampled between 2010 and 2022 for the collection of sera (n = 543), spleen samples (n = 390)
and ticks (n = 357 from 61 lynxes). The overall seroprevalence was 7.7 % (42/543; 95 %CI: 5.5–10.0 %), with
age being significantly associated with the C. burnetii exposure in free-ranging lynxes. A longitudinal study was
also carried out to assess the dynamics of the circulation of C. burnetii in this wild host, revealing that 7 of the 37
longitudinally surveyed individuals seroconverted during the study period. The PCR prevalence was 4.4 % (17/
390, 95 %CI: 2.3–6.4 %) for spleen samples and 1.1 % (4/357; 95 % CI: 0.0–2.2) in ticks. This is the first study to
evaluate the circulation of C. burnetii in the Iberian lynx and to confirm the infection in this felid. The results
obtained show a moderate, wide, homogeneous, and endemic circulation of this bacterium in the Iberian lynx
populations.
In carbonate coastlines, karst studies have traditionally focused on reconstructing Quaternary coastal uplift and sea level oscillations. However, their potential for investigating coastal subsidence remains unexplored in regions with limited sedimen-tary records and scientific monitoring. In line with this, our study delved into the utility of karst research for deciphering the Quaternary evolution of the Granada coast in southern Spain-a shoreline marked by a conspicuous scarcity of records and information regarding recent tectonic movements. The current labelling data and the absence of evidence for uplift led to the hypothesis that the Granada coast may be susceptible to subsidence, though this conjecture remained unconfirmed. While submerged marine terraces were clearly identified, they were previously interpreted as consequences of sea-level oscillations. Our multidisciplinary approach integrated karst vadose features, biostratigraphy, and the dating of 22 speleothems to address the potential uplifting or subsiding dynamics of the Granada coast. The findings indicated that the Granada coast experienced emersion between 3.5/2.4 Ma and 650 ka ago. Notably, this uplift predated similar occurrences in neighbouring coastal regions to the W and E, which occurred within the last 200-180 ka. These disparities in timing cannot be solely attributed to sea-level fluctuations, suggesting the involvement of the tectonic activity during the Quaternary. The tectonic likely led to the emergence of the Granada coast and its karstification, followed by subsidence. Furthermore , we identified the extensional faults that caused the coastal subsidence, previously documented in studies conducted in nearby regions. However, until now, their specific impact on the Granada coast had not been comprehensively stated. In summary, our research introduces a novel application of classical karst investigations in the understanding coastal subsidence and the extensional active tectonic. By comparing
vadose cave ages with established chronologies in adjacent coastal areas, this
approach sheds light on the complex tectonic evolution of coastal regions.
Freshwater macroinvertebrates are a diverse group and play key ecological roles, including accelerating nutrient cycling, filtering water, controlling primary producers, and providing food for predators. Their differences in tolerances and short generation times manifest in rapid community responses to change. Macroinvertebrate community composition is an indicator of water quality. In Europe, efforts to improve water quality following environmental legislation, primarily starting in the 1980s, may have driven a recovery of macroinvertebrate communities. Towards understanding temporal and spatial variation of these organisms, we compiled the TREAM dataset (Time seRies of European freshwAter Macroinvertebrates), consisting of macroinvertebrate community time series from 1,816 river and stream sites (mean length of 19.2 years and 14.9 sampling years) of 22 European countries sampled between 1968 and 2020. In total, the data include >93 million sampled individuals of 2,648 taxa from 959 genera and 212 families. These data can be used to test questions ranging from identifying drivers of the population dynamics of specific taxa to assessing the success of legislative and management restoration efforts.
Se evaluó la potencial reactividad frente a la reacción álcali-sílice de cantos rodados provenientes de una cantera ubi-cada en proximidades a la localidad de Villalonga, partido de Patagones (provincia de Buenos Aires). Se realizó el análisis petrográfico según la norma IRAM 1649, el ensayo acelerado de la barra de mortero (IRAM 1674) y el método del prisma de hormigón convencional y acelerado (IRAM 1700) de acuerdo con los requisitos establecidos para los agregados gruesos para hormigón (IRAM 1531). Se identificaron vidrio volcánico parcialmente alterado, variedades de sílice criptocristalina y, en menor proporción, cuarzo microcristalino, como componentes potencialmente reactivos. La expansión medida en las barras de mortero y en los prismas de hormigón superó el límite máximo establecido por norma, calificando al agregado como mo-deradamente reactivo (R1) (IRAM 1531). Por último, se observó un efecto pessimum al reemplazar 40% del canto rodado por una arena no reactiva, registrándose 0,36% de expansión en el ensayo acelerado de la barra de mortero a 16 días de ensayo.
Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) infection is considered one of the most serious disease threats for the endangered Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) Over 14 years (2008–2021), we investigated FeLV infection using point-of-care antigen test and quantitative real-time TaqMan qPCR for provirus detection in blood and tissues in lynxes from Andalusia (Southern Spain). A total of 776 samples from 586 individuals were included in this study. The overall prevalence for FeLV antigen in blood/serum samples was 1.4% (5/360) (95% CI: 0.2–2.6), FeLV proviral DNA prevalence in blood samples was 6.2% (31/503) (95% CI: 4.1–8.6), and FeLV proviral DNA in tissues samples was 10.2% (34/333) (95% CI: 7–13.5). From a subset of 129 longitudinally sampled individuals, 9.3% (12/129) PCR-converted during the study period. Our results suggest that FeLV infection in the Andalusian population is enzootic, with circulation of the virus at low levels in almost all the sampling years. Moreover, since only one viremic individual succumbed to the infection, this study suggests that lynxes may therefore control the infection decreasing the possibility of developing a more aggressive outcome. Although our results indicate that the FeLV infection in the Iberian lynx from Andalusia tends to stay within the regressive stage, continuous FeLV surveillance is paramount to predict potential outbreaks and ensure the survival of this population.
Chytridiomycosis caused by the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is pushing amphibians towards extinction. Whilst mitigation methods were suggested a decade ago, we lack field trials testing their efficacy. We used the agrochemical fungicide, tebuconazole, to treat Bd infected breeding waterbodies of an endangered species that is highly susceptible to the fungus. Just two applications of tebuconazole led to a significant reduction in infection loads in the vast majority of sites, and at six sites the disinfection remained one/two-years post-application. Tebuconazole values drastically decreased in the waterbodies within a week after application, with no significant effects on their hydrochemical and hydrobiological characteristics. Although the use of chemicals in natural populations is undesirable, the growing existential threat to amphibians all over the world indicates that effective interventions in selected populations of endangered species are urgently needed.
In this work the state of conservation of the San Jerónimo arch-gravity dam (Córdoba, Argentina) was investigated, mainly focusing on the potential development of the alkali-silica reaction (ASR). The structure was the first of its kind in Argentina and one of the oldest in South America. It was built between 1939 and 1941, 6 km east of La Cumbre city (province of Córdoba, Argentina). First, a site inspection involving visual observation, photographic documentation and in-situ evaluation (sclerometry and air permeability) was performed. Then, cores were extracted and studied by physical–mechanical test methods (compressive strength, capillary suction, density, absorption and volume of voids) and measurement of soluble alkalis by the hot-water extraction method. Finally, petrographic-mineralogical and microchemical studies were performed on concrete samples by stereomicroscopy, polarizing microscopy, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry. Considering the age of the structure, the dam is well preserved, although some cracks developed in different sectors, but mainly in the pavement at the crest. Exuded material (calcium carbonate) was observed in the downstream walls, possibly associated with leaching of calcium-rich phases in the concrete. The quality of near surface and inner concrete varies, but in general is low, according to physical and durability indicators. Major durability problems are related to the local development of the ASR, mainly in the upstream concrete wall in the dam body, and the numerous cracks in the pavement at the dam crest, which can act as pathways for the ingress of water and CO2 into the structure.
The desert vipers of the genus Cerastes are a small clade of medically important venomous snakes within the family Viperidae. According to published morphological and molecular studies, the group is comprised by four species: two morphologically similar and phylogenetically sister taxa, the African horned viper (Cerastes cerastes) and the Arabian horned viper (Cerastes gasperettii); a more distantly related species, the Saharan sand viper (Cerastes vipera), and the enigmatic Böhme’s sand viper
(Cerastes boehmei), only known from a single specimen in captivity allegedly captured in Central Tunisia. In this study, we sequenced one mitochondrial marker (COI) as well as genome-wide data (ddRAD sequencing) from 28 and 41 samples, respectively, covering the entire distribution range of
the genus to explore the population genomics, phylogenomic relationships and introgression patterns within the genus Cerastes. Additionally, and to provide insights into the mode of diversification of the group, we carried out niche overlap analyses considering climatic and habitat variables. Both nuclear phylogenomic reconstructions and population structure analyses have unveiled an unexpected evolutionary history for the genus Cerastes, which sharply contradicts the morphological similarities
and previously published mitochondrial approaches. Cerastes cerastes and C. vipera are recovered as sister taxa whilst C. gasperettii is a sister taxon to the clade formed by these two species. We found a relatively high niche overlap (OI > 0.7) in both climatic and habitat variables between C. cerastes and
C. vipera, contradicting a potential scenario of sympatric speciation. These results are in line with the introgression found between the northwestern African populations of C. cerastes and C. vipera. Finally, our genomic data confirms the existence of a lineage of C. cerastes in Arabia. All these results highlight
the importance of genome-wide data over few genetic markers to study the evolutionary history of species.
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM-GBF) envisions a world living in harmony with nature by 2050, with 23 intermediate targets to be achieved by 2030. However, aligning international policy and local implementation of effective actions can be challenging. Using steppe birds, one of the most threatened vertebrate groups in Europe, as a model system, we identified 36 conservation actions for the achievement of the KM-GBF targets and single out – through an expert-based consensus approach – ten priority actions for immediate implementation. Three of these priority actions address at least five of the first eight KM-GBF targets, those related to the direct causes of biodiversity loss, and collectively cover all the targets when implemented concurrently. These actions include i) effectively protecting priority areas, ii) implementing on-the-ground habitat management actions, and iii) improving the quality and integration of monitoring programs. Our findings provide a blueprint for implementing effective strategies to halt biodiversity loss in steppe-like ecosystems. Our approach can be adapted to other taxonomic groups and ecosystems and has the potential to serve as a catalyst for policy makers, prompting a transition from political commitment to tangible actions, thereby facilitating the attainment of the KM-GBF targets by 2030.
Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) virus (CCHFV) is a tick-borne zoonotic pathogen that can cause a lethal haemorrhagic disease in humans. Although the virus appears to be endemically established in the Iberian Peninsula, CCHF is an emerging disease in Spain. Clinical signs of CCHFV infection are mainly manifested in humans, but the virus replicates in several animal species. Understanding the determinants of CCHFV exposure risk from animal models is essential to predicting high-risk exposure hotspots for public health action. With this objective in mind, we designed a cross sectional study of Eurasian wild boar (Sus scrofa) in Spain and Portugal. The study analysed 5,291 sera collected between 2006 and 2022 from 90 wild boar populations with a specific double-antigen ELISA to estimate CCHFV exposure prevalence and identify the main determinants of exposure probability. To do so, we statistically modelled exposure risk with host- and environment-related predictors and spatially projected it at a 10 x 10 km square resolution at the scale of the Iberian Peninsula to map foci of infection risk. Fifty-seven (63.3%) of the 90 populations had at least one seropositive animal, with seroprevalence ranging from 0.0 to 88.2%. Anti-CCHFV antibodies were found in 1,026 of 5,291 wild boar (19.4%; 95% confidence interval: 18.3-20.5%), with highest exposure rates in southwestern Iberia. The most relevant predictors of virus exposure risk were wild boar abundance, local rainfall regime, shrub cover, winter air temperature and soil temperature variation. The spatial projection of the best-fit model identified high-risk foci as occurring in most of western and southwestern Iberia and identified recently confirmed risk foci in eastern Spain. The results of the study demonstrate that serological surveys of CCHFV vector hosts are a powerful, robust and highly informative tool for public health authorities to take action to prevent human cases of CCHF in enzootic and emergency settings.
Owing to a long history of anthropogenic pressures, freshwater ecosystems are among the most vulnerable to biodiversity loss¹. Mitigation measures, including wastewater treatment and hydromorphological restoration, have aimed to improve environmental quality and foster the recovery of freshwater biodiversity². Here, using 1,816 time series of freshwater invertebrate communities collected across 22 European countries between 1968 and 2020, we quantified temporal trends in taxonomic and functional diversity and their responses to environmental pressures and gradients. We observed overall increases in taxon richness (0.73% per year), functional richness (2.4% per year) and abundance (1.17% per year). However, these increases primarily occurred before the 2010s, and have since plateaued. Freshwater communities downstream of dams, urban areas and cropland were less likely to experience recovery. Communities at sites with faster rates of warming had fewer gains in taxon richness, functional richness and abundance. Although biodiversity gains in the 1990s and 2000s probably reflect the effectiveness of water-quality improvements and restoration projects, the decelerating trajectory in the 2010s suggests that the current measures offer diminishing returns. Given new and persistent pressures on freshwater ecosystems, including emerging pollutants, climate change and the spread of invasive species, we call for additional mitigation to revive the recovery of freshwater biodiversity.
We analyzed changes in the composition of the community of birds of prey and corvids in a rainfed agrosystem after the transformation of 37.2 % of the sampled area into irrigated land between 2005 and 2020. We sampled 57 transects (372 km per year) and fitted generalized linear mixed models (GLMM) to study changes in species occurrence. Our results showed that specific richness and the Shannon index did not vary significantly between rainfed and irrigated transects, but there was a certain positive trend when comparing the years 2005 and 2020. Regarding the differences detected for each species, the occurrence of Montagu’s harrier Circus pygargus, hen harrier Circus cyaneus, Eurasian short-toed eagle Circaetus gallicus, griffon vulture Gyps fulvus and carrion crow Corvus corone was significantly lower in irrigated land than in rainfed land, while magpie Pica pica, Western marsh harrier Circus aeruginosus, common kestrel Falco tinnunculus and black kite Milvus migrans showed a significantly higher occurrence in the irrigated transects. In addition, our findings confirm a significant decrease in occurrence between 2005 and 2020 both in rainfed and irrigated areas for Montagu’s harrier, hen harrier and magpie, while Western marsh harrier, golden eagle Aquila chrysaetos, common buzzard Buteo buteo, red kite Milvus milvus, griffon vulture Gyps fulvus, red-billed chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax and Western jackdaw Coloeus monedula were detected significantly more frequently in 2020 than in 2005. These results suggest that assessment of the impact of a new irrigation system should focus on the most characteristic species of rainfed agrosystems because the apparently positive effect on other species, equally protected but more generalist, may mask the real effect on conservation.
The Iberian Pyrite Belt (IPB), in the southwestern Iberian Peninsula, is a large metallogenic province exploited since ancient times. As a result of historical and current mining activity, a vast volume of metallic mineral waste, mainly derived from the processing of pyrite, is still in situ and polluting the environment. A specific mine waste residuum locally known in the area as “morrongos”, which was produced during pyrite roasting mainly in the 19th century, is evaluated here in order to unravel untapped resources of high-tech metals commonly used in high-tech devices. Applying a combination of whole-rock geochemical (ICP-AES, ICPMS, FA-AAS) and single-grain mineralogical techniques (EPMA, LA-ICP-MS, FESEM, and FIB-HRTEM) on the “morrongos”, we unhide the still-present remarkable concentrations of Au, Ag, Pb, Zn, and Cu in them. The mineralogical expressions for these economic metals include oxides (hematite, magnetite, and hercynite), arsenates, sulfates of the jarosite group, native metals, and, to a lesser extent, relictic sulfides. This first-ever estimation of these economic metals in this type of residue allows their revalorization, highlighting them as suitable sources for the exploitation and recovery of metals necessary for the clean energy transition.
The Iberian lynx has shown a favourable demographic trajectory in the last decade as a result of the conservation measures adopted which are still ongoing. However, the viability of the species is still compromised by genetic factors. Here, we used the GESP software that predicts the effective population size (Ne) and inbreeding accumulation (∆f) over time in metapopulations, to find realistic scenarios that guarantee the genetic viability of this species. We proposed as genetic targets that Ne of the metapopulation (NeMeta) should exceed 500 in 20 generations (long term), whereas ∆f of the subpopulations (∆fx) should not exceed 0.05 in five generations (short term). The current Iberian lynx metapopulation configuration, with the expected subpopulations sizes at carrying capacity (5 subpops.; Ne1 = 100, Ne2,3,4,5 = 25), does not reach the long‐term goal, with a NeMeta ~ 150 in 20 generations. The results indicate that the long‐term genetic viability of the metapopulation requires an increase in the subpopulation size of 50–200%, the creation of at least 8 new subpopulations, and migration rates close to 0.1 between neighbouring subpopulations, comprising 2165 effective individuals (ca. 1100 breeding females). In addition, a minimum migration rate of 0.05 into the smallest subpopulations of Ne = 25 (i.e. 1.25 migrants/generation) is needed to avoid excessive inbreeding accumulation (short‐term goal). Larger subpopulations are preferable to several smaller subpopulations with the same number of effective individuals, even when the latter are well connected. Although these requirements seem challenging to achieve in the short‐medium term, the study provides key information for informed decision making by environmental managers and policymakers. The conclusions drawn here apply to other carnivores in need of conservation.
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