Teresa Buchaca

Spanish National Research Council | CSIC · Centre for Advanced Studies of Blanes

The cover image is based on the Original Article Invaders they are a‐changing: A recent, unexpected surge of invasive loaches in Catalonia, by Miguel Clavero et al., https://doi.org/10.1111/fwb.14051.

Paleoclimatological information derived from the study of lacustrine sedimentary records is not only biased by taphonomical processes but also by potential differences in the expression of climate variability in the sediments due to site-specific factors. Using a multiproxy approach (the elemental and isotopic compositions of organic matter, diatom...

1. Risk analyses for invasive species often assume that the characteristics of future invaders will resemble those already successful, but these features may change. 2. Here, we use data from more than 3,500 fish sampling events, sequencing of mitochondrial and nuclear genes and analyses of several traits describing non-native fish to describe the...

In this study we present results from a survey of 49 high mountain lakes in the Pyrenees including lakes from the Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Parc, which range from ultraoligotrophic to mesotrophic. Lakes are representative of four major scenarios: fishless, with trout, with minnows and with both trout and minnows. Overall, the e...

As part of the BIOOCULT project, we compared the results coming from the high-throughput sequencing of barcodes (DNA metabarcoding) and the morphology-based identification approach applied on samples from 38 lakes and 9 streams within the National Park and nearby areas. The samples of benthic macroinvertebrates, planktonic crustaceans and fish stom...

In order to prevent the introduction in high mountain lakes of species such as the european minnow (Phoxinus sp.), it is necessary to know which species are being introduced and the possible routes of introduction. This study focuses on the genetic analysis of different populations from high mountain lakes and streams from the National Park and oth...

Identifying and quantifying global change impacts on biotic and abiotic components of ecosystems is critical to promote an effective adaptation that increases the success of conservation strategies. To achieve this goal, global and regional assessment efforts require certain degree of harmonization on local monitoring programs to establish relevant...

Lake Dres (Gran Paradiso National Park) is situated at 2,048 m above sea level (asl) at the local treeline. (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/aqc.3868)

Introduced fish are a widespread ecological threat in originally fishless high mountain lakes. However, basic distribution data are largely missing for most high mountain regions. Using time‐consuming standard methods (e.g. Nordic standard fishing nets) to assess fish distribution and relative densities at a relevant spatial scale can be impractica...

Small fish species such as minnows (Phoxinus sp.) are introduced into mountain lakes by anglers that use them as live bait for fishing salmonids, that were previously introduced in these naturally fishless habitats. Introduced fish severely impact native biota but minnows are nevertheless released believing to provide forage for game fish, i.e., sa...

Despite being naturally fishless, the widespread introduction of trout and minnows is threatening the conservation of high mountain lakes all over the world. Previous studies have reported that amphibians quickly disappear after trout introduction, followed by many conspicuous invertebrates. Here, we have studied the effects of minnows versus trout...

Sea spray aerosol (SSA) formation plays a major role in the climate system. The Antarctic Peninsula (AP) is affected by the greatest warming occurring in the Southern Ocean; changes in cryospheric and biological processes are being observed. Whilst there is some evidence that organic material produced by ice algae and/or phytoplankton in the high A...

Thermal variables are crucial drivers of biological processes in lakes and ponds. In the current context of climate change, determining which factors better constrain their variation within lake districts become of paramount importance for understanding species distribution and their conservation. In this study, we describe the regional and short-t...

1. Invasive alien species are among the most important threats to biodiversity. Plans for their eradication have been implemented worldwide but estimating residual population size and eradication probability to assess removal success is complicated by the imperfect detection of residual individuals. 2. Most methods to assess residual abundance and...

The corixid Sigara (Subsigara) distincta (Fieber, 1848) in the Pyrenees: a first record for Spain and an unsolved taxonomic puzzle The occurrence of Sigara (Subsigara) distincta (Fieber, 1848) in Spain is reported for the first time based on specimens collected in the Pyrenean municipality of Vielha e Mijaran (Central Pyrenees). Multiple captures b...

La presencia inicial de los humanos en la alta montaña desde hace poco menos de 8000 años presenta más ele-mentos de domesticación de lo que inicialmente se había estimado. raciones arqueológicas es todavía limitada, hay evidencias de uso de ganado doméstico y, en algunos casos, una probable agricultura utilizando mezcla de cereales a cotas interme...

Amphibians of high mountain lakes face many threats related to global change, including novel pathogens, development, climate change and overexploitation. However, the foremost threat is the presence of non-native fish. One of the objectives of the LIFE+ LIMNOPIRINEUS project (2014-2019) was the recovery of protected amphibian communities (includin...

Seagrass ecosystems, which have important functions such as coastal protection and blue carbon sequestration, are threatened by anthropogenic pressure including climate change. Long-term data series from seagrass sedimentary archives (mats) can be used to understand natural cycles of environmental change and answer key questions related to contempo...

Understanding the perceptions of local residents of and visitors to mountain protected areas in terms of their knowledge of and the value they place on aquatic ecosystems is crucial to assess whether nature management and conservation actions will be accepted. This study analyzed the perceptions of visitors to and local residents of the Aigüestorte...

Historical factors (colonization scenarios, demographic oscillations) and contemporary processes (population connectivity, current population size) largely contribute to shaping species’ present‐day genetic diversity and structure. In this study, we use a combination of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA markers to understand the role of Quaternary clim...

Interaction between non-native predatory fishes and native galaxiids (Pisces: Galaxiidae) shapes food web structure in Tasmanian lakes, Inland Waters, ABSTRACT Non-native fish invasions threaten native fauna and ecosystem functioning, not least in isolated island lakes. In Tasmania, where the native fish are mostly galaxiids, 9 non-native freshwate...

In order to provide an integrated overview of the basic functioning of Lake Montcortès related to our modern analogue studies, a synthesis of the main processes and their spatial and temporal course is presented (Figure 10). This figure is intended to serve as a guide for high resolution paleoecological and paleoenvironmental reconstructions and de...

Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile meadows are highly productive coastal marine ecosystems that provide multiple ecosystem services. The seagrass is not always the major contributor to total primary production, however, little is known about long-term changes in the composition of primary producers within seagrass meadows. Understanding compositional s...

In Quaternary paleosciences, the rationale behind analogical inference presupposes that 19 former processes can be explained by causes operating now, although their intensity and rates can 20 vary through time. In this paper we synthetize the results of different modern analogue studies 21 performed in a varved lake. We discuss their potential valu...

L’estudi ha analitzat la percepció que tenen els visitants i els residents que viuen a l’entorn del Parc Nacional d’Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici i del Parc Natural de l’Alt Pirineu en relació amb els ecosistemes aquàtics d’alta muntanya. L’estudi ha permès identificar els diferents graus de coneixement social i de valoració (des del punt d...

El estudio ha analizado la percepción que tienen los visitantes y los residentes del entorno del Parque Nacional de Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici y del Parque Natural del Alt Pirineu en relación con los ecosistemas acuáticos de alta montaña. El estudio ha permitido identificar los distintos grados de conocimiento social y de valoración (des...

The study analysed the perception that visitors and nearby residents of the Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park and the Alt Pirineu Natural Park have with respect to high mountain aquatic ecosystems. The study has allowed the identification of the different degrees of social knowledge and evaluation (from the ecological, landscape,...

The Pyrenean sculpin (Cottus hispaniolensis) is one of the most threatened freshwater fish in Catalonia and Spain. Its status in the Aran Valley drastically deteriorated as a result of the floods of 2013, to the point of reaching its practical disappearance. Since then, their populations have been progressively recovering, with a slow increase in t...

Abstract The LIFE+ LimnoPirineus project (2014-2019) includes the recovery of amphibian populations in eight lakes of Aigü estortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park and Alt Pirineu Natural Park, by eradicating or controlling non-native fish. During the summers from 2014-2018 practically all of the fish present in the lakes were removed. We fo...

In the Quaternary paleosciences, the rationale behind analogical inference presupposes that former natural changes can be explained by causes operating now, although their intensity and rates can vary through time. In this paper we synthesise synthetize the results of different modern analog studies and discuss their value to obtain the best infere...

• Pigments in lake surface sediments integrate both benthic and pelagic primary producer composition at the whole‐lake ecosystem level. • We gathered a comprehensive set of water chemistry, morphometric, physical and biological lake variables, catchment and climate characteristics, and geographical descriptors. We used multiple regressions to relat...

Worldwide, increasing amounts of dams and weirs have been established in rivers in recent decades, often with drastic effects on their ecosystems. Between late 2009 and 2011, 16 large-scale dams were built in the main channels of the four largest rivers in South Korea, eight of these along the main channel of Nakdong River (300 km, 520 km in total)...

Submersed aquatic plants are a key component of shallow, clear water lakes contributing to primary production and water quality. High mountain lakes are naturally fishless although invasive trout and most recently minnows have been introduced causing a major impact on fauna richness. The Pyrenean high mountain range has preserved soft-water oligotr...

Varved sediments provide unique opportunities to carry out high-resolution paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental reconstructions with accurate time control. To better interpret the sediment record it is necessary to understand the physical, chemical and biological factors that influence varve formation and preservation. We explored the link between...

Recent expansion of anoxia has become a global issue and there is potential for worsening under global warming. At the same time, obtaining proper long-term instrumental oxygen records is difficult, thus reducing the possibility of recording long-term changes in oxygen shifts that can be related with climate or human influence. Varved lake sediment...

High mountain lakes are originally fishless, although many have had introductions of non-native fish species, predominantly trout, and recently also minnows introduced by fishermen that use them as live bait. The extent of these introductions is general and substantial often involving many lakes over mountain ranges. Predation on native fauna by in...

Lakes with varved sediments are especially well suited for paleoecological reconstruction from annual to seasonal resolution. The interpretative power of these reconstructions relies on the availability of modern analogs with the same resolution. In this paper, we study the seasonal pollen sedimentation of a varved lake from the Central Pyrenees (L...

Recent spread of anoxia in aquatic ecosystems has become an issue worldwide and is expected to increase with current global warming. Concern exists and different projects on this complex phenomenon are currently ongoing. At the same time, proper long-term instrumental oxygen records are scarce, thus reducing the possibility of recording long-term c...

Recent spread of anoxia in aquatic ecosystems has become an issue worldwide and is expected to increase with current global warming. Concern exists and different projects on this complex phenomenon are currently ongoing. At the same time, proper long-term instrumental oxygen records are scarce, thus reducing the possibility of recording long-term c...

Abstract: Lakes with varved sediments are especially well suited for paleoecological reconstruction from annual to seasonal resolution. The interpretative power of these reconstructions relies on the availability of modern analogs with the same resolution. In this paper, we study the seasonal pollen sedimentation of a varved lake from the Central P...

Lakes with varved sediments are especially well suited for paleoecological study, from annual to even seasonal resolution. The interpretative power of such high-resolution paleoenvironmental reconstructions relies on the availability of modern analogs with the same temporal resolution. We studied seasonal pollen sedimentation in varved Lake Montcor...

The introduction of invasive species is a fundamental cause of global change that affects ecosystem conservation. At present, conservation management (e.g. National Parks) has to face the consequences of the arrival of new species, especially those that take a strong role in structuring ecosystems. To be able to develop correct management policies...

In this study, we present the preliminary results from the first sampling under the LIFE project LIMNOPIRINEUS, performed in summer 2014. We sampled 26 lakes with relatively similar morphometric and physicochemical characteristics that differed primarily in terms of the presence of fish. The aim was go see if fish had any effect on different groups...

Ecological monitoring contributes to the understanding of complex ecosystem functions. The diets of fish reflect the surrounding environment and habitats and may, therefore, act as useful integrating indicators of environmental status. It is, however, often difficult to visually identify items in gut contents to species level due to digestion of so...

Figure S2 Comparison of the number of identification levels between visual quantification and DNA barcoding for all the sampled lakes, first column: visual quantification; second column: DNA barcoding. Figure S3 Comparison of the number of identification levels between the visual quantification and DNA barcoding analysis for each individual fish (...

Figure S1 Alignment of the sequences obtained in this study with all the sequences retrieved from the Genbank and BOLD system for the COI region.

Varved sediments are highly valuable environmental archives used for paleoenvironmental reconstructions. Changes in varvestructure, thickness and micro-facies features provide a continuous dataset of information if the local processes of varve formation are known. Varve formation depends on seasonally variable and significant fluxes of different co...

Increases in atmospheric temperature and nutrients from land are thought to be promoting the expansion of harmful cyanobacteria in lakes worldwide, yet to date there has been no quantitative synthesis of long-term trends. To test whether cyanobacteria have increased in abundance over the past ~ 200 years and evaluate the relative influence of poten...

Varved sediments provide an extraordinary opportunity to obtain high-resolution paleoenviromental data and paleoecological information. To properly use these valuable achieves, it is necessary to know, understand and quantify the relationship between sedimentation and varve formation within the lake. This involves an accurate study of factors contr...

Among the environmental factors affecting benthic algae and cyanobacteria in streams, the one often producing the largest effects is flow intermittency. This study aimed to characterize the responses of algal assemblages to flow intermittency in a Mediterranean intermittent stream during the drying, non-flow (112 days), and rewetting phases. Algae...

The Rano Aroi mire on Easter Island (also known as Rapa Nui; 27°09′S, 109°27′W, 430 m above sea level) pro-vides a unique non-marine record in the central South Pacific Ocean for reconstructing Late Pleistocene environ-mental changes. The results of a multiproxy study on two cores from the center and margin of the Rano Aroi mire, including peat str...

Azores archipelago lies in the southern area of the dipole that defines the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). During the negative phase of the NAO, the Azores high pressure is displaced southwards allowing the storms to cross the islands increasing the precipitation in this area and also in southern Europe. This fact makes them excellent key places...

The North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) climate mode controls, to a large extent, the winter climate of southwestern Europe. The dominant role played by the NAO on climatic and environmental variables has a direct impact on terrestrial ecosystems and in the distribution development and phenology of many species, which could be related to the variabili...