Marta I. Sánchez

Spanish National Research Council | CSIC · Department of Wetland Ecology

¿Conoces a los responsables de los estornudos del 30 % de la población mundial? ¿Qué tipo de bicho perseguido hasta la muerte está siendo clave en los estudios biomédicos? ¿Sabías que la revolución de la escritura en Occidente fue posible gracias a unas avispas con muchas agallas? ¿Has oído hablar de un fósil viviente con varios récords Guinness? ¿...

General context: gulls ingest plastic and other litter while foraging in open landfills, because organic matter is mixed with other debris. Therefore, gulls are potential biovectors of plastic pollution into natural habitats, especially when they concentrate in wetlands for roosting. Novelty: we quantified, for the first time, the flow of plastic...

Research into plastic pollution has extensively focused on abiotic vectors, overlooking transport by animals. Opportunistic birds, such as white storks (Ciconia ciconia) often forage on landfills, where plastic abounds. We assess plastic loading by ingestion and regurgitation of landfill plastic in Cadiz Bay, a major stopover area for migratory whi...

Aquatic ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to the introduction of non-indigenous species (NIS), leading to multi-faceted ecological, economic and health impacts worldwide. The Iberian Peninsula comprises an exceptionally biodiverse Mediterranean region with a high number of threatened and endemic aquatic species, most of them strongly impacted...

Invasive alien species have widespread impacts on native biodiversity and ecosystem services. Since the number of introductions worldwide is continuously rising, it is essential to prevent the entry, establishment and spread of new alien species through a systematic examination of future potential threats. Applying a three-step horizon scanning con...

After breeding, black-necked grebes (Podiceps nigricollis) perform a moult-migration to autumn hypersaline staging sites, where they moult the flight feathers and forage on superabundant brine shrimp (Artemia spp.) before leaving for wintering areas. During the stay in moulting sites, the grebes experience changes in organs and muscle size (atrophy...

The authors regret that the printed version of the above article contained an incomplete version of Table 1, in which only 20 invasive alien species were published out of the top-ranked 24 that should have been. The correct Table 1 is shown below. The authors apologise for any inconvenience caused.

As the number of introduced species keeps increasing unabatedly, identifying and prioritising current and potential Invasive Alien Species (IAS) has become essential to manage them. Horizon Scanning (HS), defined as an exploration of potential threats, is considered a fundamental component of IAS management. By combining scientific knowledge on tax...

Background Connections between habitats are key to a full understanding of anthropic impacts on ecosystems. Freshwater habitats are especially biodiverse, yet depend on exchange with terrestrial habitats. White storks (Ciconia ciconia) are widespread opportunists that often forage in landfills and then visit wetlands, among other habitats. It is we...

Recent field data suggest that migratory gulls disperse many rice field weeds by gut passage (endozoochory), most of which are dry fruited and widely assumed to have no long-distance dispersal mechanisms, except via human activity. We investigated this mechanism with a feeding experiment, in which seeds of five common rice field weeds (in order of...

The climate is currently warming fast, threatening biodiversity all over the globe. Populations often adapt rapidly to environmental change, but for climate warming very little evidence is available. Here, we investigate the pattern of adaptation to an extreme +10°C climate change in the wild, following the introduction of brine shrimp Artemia fran...

The widespread occurrence of antibiotics in the environment may exert a negative impact on wild organisms. In addition, they can become environmental reservoirs, through the ingestion of food or contaminated water, and vectors for antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This fact is even more important in migratory birds that can promote their dissemination...

Waterbirds can transport aquatic invertebrates internally, contributing to metapopulation dynamics between aquatic habitats in a terrestrial matrix. However, research into this dispersal process to date has focused on individual field sites or laboratory studies. We investigated the invertebrates dispersed by endozoochory by the lesser black-backed...

Hypersaline ecosystems are under increasing threat due to anthropogenic pressures such as environmental pollution and biological invasions. Here we address the ecotoxicological implications of the Artemia franciscana (Crustacea) invasion in saltpans of southern Spain. This North American species is causing the extinction of native Artemia populatio...

Further biogeographical studies of parasites are vital to improve our understanding of biodiversity distribution and predict the impacts of global change. Hypersaline lakes are good laboratories to investigate the avian cestode abundance and species diversity given the abundance of hosts (waterbirds and Artemia) and their broad latitudinal distribu...

Se presenta una lista actualizada de las especies exóticas que se encuentran en etapa de establecimiento o de propagación de la invasión en aguas continentales de la península ibérica. La lista está basada en la evaluación sistemática de los datos en colaboración con un amplio equipo de expertos de España y Portugal. Esta lista de actualización es...

An updated list is presented of the alien species in the establishment or spread invasion stage in in-land waters at the Iberian Peninsula. The list is based on a systematic assessment of information in collaboration with a wide expert team from Spain and Portugal. This updated list is an important tool supporting the implementation of the IAS Regu...

An updated list is presented of the alien species in the transport or introduction invasion stage in inland waters of the Iberian Peninsula. The list is based on a systematic assessment of information in collaboration with a wide expert team from Spain and Portugal. This list is an important tool to support the implementation of the IAS Regulation,...

Migratory birds may have a vital role in the spread of antimicrobial resistance across habitats and regions, but empirical data remain scarce. We investigated differences in the gut microbiome composition and the abundance of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in faeces from four migratory waterbirds wintering in South-West Spain that differ in the...

Non‐frugivorous waterbirds disperse a wide variety of plants by endozoochory, providing longer‐dispersal distances than other mechanisms. Many waterbirds visit both agricultural and natural landscapes during their daily movements, but potential bird‐mediated dispersal of weed plants within and from agricultural landscapes to other habitats is commo...

We assessed the spatial variation in concentrations of ten metals in faeces of the lesser black-backed gull (LBBG) Larus fuscus wintering at seven localities in SouthWest Spain. We found high concentrations of metals in gull faeces, with several elements (As, Cu, Mo, Pb, Zn) locally exceeding (by 2 to 11 times) derived Lowest Effect Level (LEL) val...

The climate is currently warming fast, threatening biodiversity all over the globe. Adaptation is often rapid when the environment changes quickly, but for climate warming very little evidence is available. Here, we investigate the pattern of adaptation to an extreme +10°C climate change in the wild, following the introduction of brine shrimp Artem...

In recent decades, brine shrimps of the genus Artemia has suffered a major biodiversity loss in the Mediterranean region due to the introduction of the highly invasive A. franciscana. Pollution has been proposed as an important factor limiting this global invasion. Contrary to the general acceptation that pollution tends to favour invasive species,...

Aims Research into the dispersal of plants lacking a fleshy fruit by avian endozoochory remains limited, particularly regarding the different roles of specific vectors in the same habitat. Methods We compared plants dispersed by endozoochory between two migratory waterbirds differing in body size: the lesser black‐backed gull Larus fuscus, and the...

Flexible management of exploited invasive species is needed when population control is unfeasible to avoid societal opposition and legal setbacks. Conservation conflicts arise frequently in the management of non-native invasive species (NIS) when such species provide socioeconomic benefits and have negative environmental impacts (van Wilgen & Rich...

• Patterns of genetic diversity in invasive populations can be modulated by a range of factors acting at different stages of the invasion process, including the genetic composition of the source population(s), the introduction history (e.g. propagule pressure), the environmental suitability of recipient areas, and the features of secondary introduc...

The red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) (hereafter RSC), native to the southern United States and north-eastern Mexico, is currently the most widely distributed crayfish globally as well as one of the invasive species with most devastating impacts on freshwater ecosystems. Reconstructing the introduction routes of invasive species and identify...

This supplementary material shows the invasion history of the red swamp crayfish in each of the 40 countries where it is present, a list of references and methodology used for the literature search in the review: Oficialdegui, F.J., Sánchez, M.I. & Clavero, M. One century away from home: how the red swamp crayfish took over the world. Rev Fish Bio...

One of the biggest challenges in understanding and managing biological invasions is the identification of the routes of introduction. This information is often incomplete because of unnoticed, unreported and, sometimes, illegal translocations. Reports on the introduction of the red swamp crayfish ( Procambarus clarkii ) into Europe describe that it...

Emerging infectious diseases are increasingly recognized as a severe threat to wildlife. Chytridiomycosis, caused by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), is considered one of the most important causes for the decline of amphibian populations worldwide. Identifying potential biological reservoirs and characterizing the role they can play in pathogen...

Antibiotic resistance is a global health concern due to the worldwide dissemination of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) and their resistance genes (ARGs) by different mechanisms. Among them, birds can disperse ARBs and ARGs thanks to their ability to migrate long distances. Seagulls occupy a wide variety of environments, including highly anthrop...

Eutrophication of aquatic ecosystems is a global problem with major ecological and economic impacts. In many lakes and reservoirs, guanotrophication occurs when roosting waterbirds import nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) from surrounding terrestrial habitats. To date, nutrient loading by waterbirds has been estimated based on censuses in the abs...

Biological invasions provide an opportunity for ecological and evolutionary exploration of immune function in host–parasite interactions. Studying parasite-induced immune response in native and invasive species can provide novel insights into mechanisms underlying invasion success. We aimed to establish the influence of mite ectoparasites on the in...

• Understanding how introduced species succeed and become widely distributed within non‐native areas is critical to reduce the threats posed by them. Our goal was to reconstruct the main invasion routes and invasion dynamics of a global freshwater invader, the red swamp crayfish, Procambarus clarkii, through the analysis of its genetic variability...

Although a substantial amount of research exists on pollution and biological invasions, there is a paucity of understanding of how both factors interact. Most studies show that pollution favours the establishment of invasive species, but pollution may also promote local adaptation of native species and prevent the establishment of new incomers. How...

Salinity is increasing in aquatic ecosystems in the Mediterranean region due to global change, and this is likely to have an important impact on host-parasite interactions. Here we studied the relationships between infection by ectoparasitic water mites and salinity variation, on survival and fecundity of water boatmen Corixidae in the laboratory....

A failed moult of a Sigara lateralis larva infected by a larval water mite. A failed moult of Sigara lateralis apparently due to the consequences of mite parasitism. The individual died in the act of moulting from larva stage V to the adult stage. The exuvia from a water mite Hydrachna skorikowi is highlighted in an orange box (this was reddish. bu...

Prevalence of water mites in adults and larvae of sampled corixids. Prevalence of water mites in adults and larvae of corixids that were sampled in the field on the same date and in the same locality as samples collected for experimental analyses (Dulce pond on 09/06/2014). H (Hydrachna skorikowi), E (Eylais infundibulifera)). (DOCX)

Survival analysis (Cox proportional hazard regression) for Corixa affinis adults. Effects of salinity treatments, infection status (Hydrachna skorikowi and uninfected), sex (female and male) and their interactions on survival times in Corixa affinis adults. Salinity treatments were 0.5, 5, 10 and 15 g/l and water from the collection site as a contr...

Physico-chemical field-data. Physico-chemical characteristics of Laguna Dulce from RBD (Doñana Biological Reserve) on 09/06/2014. (DOCX)

List of Hemiptera species sampled and their abundance. List of species of Hemiptera and the abundance of each species sampled from Dulce pond (RBD) on 09/06/2014. (DOCX)

Survival time for adult female and male Corixa affinis (CA) with and without mite parasites. Survival time for adult female and male Corixa affinis (CA) with and without mite parasites Hydrachna skorikowi under different salinity treatments. C.W. represents water from the collection site (0.8 g/l). (TIFF)

Shorebirds (Charadriiformes) undergo rapid migrations with potential for long‐distance dispersal (LDD) of plants. We studied the frequency of endozoochory by shorebirds in different parts of Europe covering a broad latitudinal range and different seasons. We assessed whether plants dispersed conformed to morphological dispersal syndromes. A total o...

Trichocorixa verticalis (Corixidae) is native to North America but is well established as an alien in the Western Mediterranean region, where it is invasive in permanent coastal wetlands with high salinities. We investigated the annual cycle and generation time of T. verticalis in the introduced range in south-west Spain, through a combination of f...

European populations of black-necked grebes (Podiceps nigricollis) congregate every year to moult at the salt ponds of the Odiel Marshes (SW Spain). However, the Odiel Marshes are part of one of the most metal-polluted coastal estuaries in the world, which may pose risks to wildlife. We assessed the exposure of grebes to metal pollution during the...

The cover image, by Adam Lovas-Kiss et al., is based on the Original Article Crayfish invasion facilitates dispersal of plants and invertebrates by gulls, DOI: 10.1111/fwb.13080. Image Credit: Andy J. Green.

1. The red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii), originally from North America, is one of the world’s worst aquatic invaders. It is a favoured prey item for waterbirds, but the influence of this novel predator-prey relationship on dispersal of other organisms has not previously been considered. We investigated the potential for dispersal of plants...

Resurrection Ecology (RE) is a very powerful approach to address a wide range of question in ecology and evolution. This approach rests on using appropriate model systems, and only few are known to be available. In this paper, we show that Artemia has multiple attractive features (short generation time, cyst bank and collections, well documented ph...

Trichocorixa verticalis (T. verticalis), native to North America and the Caribbean islands, is an invasive waterboatman species (Corixidae) in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula. Previous studies in the native range have suggested that predation by T. verticalis can regulate the abundance of Anostracan and Cladoceran zooplankton in saline ecosy...

Only a few years ago, the Odiel marshes (Huelva, Spain) were colonized by Artemia parthenogenetica, a small, native crustacean of hypersaline waters. However, from 2016 this species has been replaced by Artemia franciscana, an invasive species from America. This change has had profound implications for the ecosystem. ISSN: 0212-0054

Filter-feeding organisms are often keystone species with a major influence on the dynamics of aquatic ecosystems. Studies of filtering rates in such taxa are therefore vital in order to understand ecosystem functioning and the impact of natural and anthropogenic stressors such as parasites, climate warming and invasive species. Brine shrimps Artemi...

Post hoc tests for analysis from Table 1 under different salinity treatments. Post hoc tests for the differences between taxa under different salinity treatments in the GLM of Table 1. See Table 1 for more details. Significant differences are shown in italics. (DOCX)

Post hoc tests for analysis from Table 1 under different temperature treatments. Post hoc tests for the differences between taxa under different temperature treatments in the GLM of Table 1. See Table 1 for more details. Significant differences are shown in italics. (DOCX)

Physico-chemical variables, Artemia density and parasite prevalence at Odiel. Physico-chemical variables, Artemia density and parasite prevalence recorded in individual salt ponds at Odiel on 23 April 2013. The column Artemia density includes adults, metanauplii and juveniles. (DOCX)

Salinity, chlorophyll-a concentration and Artemia density at Odiel and Tapa. Mean values (± SE) of salinity, chlorophyll-a concentration and Artemia density (A. franciscana and A. parthenogenetica) from April to December 2011 at La Tapa (invaded by A. franciscana) and Odiel (occupied by the native A. parthenogenetica). (DOCX)

GLM on the number of cells consumed by A. parthenogenetica as a function of parasitic status (F. liguloides or uninfected). Results of GLM analysis on the number of cells consumed by A. parthenogenetica as a function of parasitic status (infected with F. liguloides FL or uninfected) at a salinity of 130 g/l. Parasitized status is aliased. Significa...

GLM on the number of cells consumed by A. parthenogenetica as a function of parasitic status (C. podicipina, A. tringae or uninfected). Results of GLM analysis on the number of cells consumed by A. parthenogenetica as a function of parasitic status (infected with C. podicipina CP, A. tringae AT or uninfected) at a salinity of 130 g/l. Unparasitized...

Post hoc tests for analysis from S5 Table. Post hoc tests for the differences between parasitic status (Confluaria podicipina CP, Anomotaenia tringae AT, non-infected NI) in the GLM of S4 Table. Significant differences are shown in italics. (DOCX)

Parasites and pollutants can both affect any living organism, and their interactions can be very important. To date, repeated studies have found that parasites and heavy metals or metalloids both have important negative effects on the health of animals, often in a synergistic manner. Here, we show for the first time that parasites can increase host...

May arsenic pollution contribute to limiting Artemia franciscana invasion in southern Spain?

Limited information exists regarding the complex interactions between biological invasions, pollution, and climate change. Most studies indicate that pollution tends to favor invasive species. Here, we provide evidence that arsenic (As) pollution may have a role in limiting the invasion of the exotic brine shrimp Artemia franciscana. We tested As t...

Limited information exists regarding complex interactions between biological invasions, pollution, and climate change. Most studies indicate that pollution tends to favor invasive species. Here, we provide evidence that arsenic (As) pollution may contribute to limit the invasion of the exotic brine shrimp Artemia franciscana. We tested As toxicity...

Limited information exists regarding complex interactions between biological invasions, pollution, and climate change. Most studies indicate that pollution tends to favor invasive species. Here, we provide evidence that arsenic (As) pollution may contribute to limit the invasion of the exotic brine shrimp Artemia franciscana. We tested As toxicity...