Artículos (Biología Vegetal y Ecología)

URI permanente para esta colecciónhttps://hdl.handle.net/11441/10819

Examinar

Mostrando 1 - 20 de 1319

Transcontinental Patterns in Floral Pigment Abundance Among Animal-pollinated Species
(Nature Research, 2025) Narbona, Eduardo; Valle García, José Carlos del; Whittall, Justen B.; León Osper, Melissa; Buide, M. Luisa; Pulgar, Iñigo; Gutiérrez de Camargo, María Gabriela; Cerdeira Morellato, Leonor Patricia; Rodríguez Castañeda, Nancy L.; Rossi, Victor; Ortiz Ballesteros, Pedro Luis; Arista Palmero, Montserrat; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología; Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (MICIU). España; Junta de Andalucía; São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP); Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico. Brasil; Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)
Flower color arises primarily from pigments that serve dual functions: attracting pollinators and mitigating environmental stresses. Among major pigment types, anthocyanins and UV-absorbing phenylpropanoids (UAPs) fulfill one or both roles and should be widespread. Our review of the UV-vis absorption profiles of major floral pigments demonstrates that UAPs are the primary UV protectants. Next, we analyzed the floral pigment composition of 926 animal-pollinated species from California, Southern Spain, and Southeastern Brazil. UAPs were ubiquitous (the “dark matter” of the flower). Among the remaining pigment types, ~ 56% of species had anthocyanins, ~ 37% had carotenoids, and ~ 17% had chlorophylls (some species had > 1 pigment type). Pigment abundance varied in response to abiotic and biotic factors, particularly with pollinator type in California. Despite regional differences in environmental filtering, pollination guilds, and relatedness, UAPs are omnipresent and there is a transcontinental stable distribution of flower colors and their underlying floral pigments.
Pathological and serological insights into Lagovirus diseases dynamics in the European brown hare (Lepus europaeus): A nine-year longitudinal study
(Elsevier, 2025-05) Estruch, Josep; Cavadini, Patrizia; Lavazza, Antonio; Capucci, Lorenzo; Abrantes, Joana; Lopes, Ana M.; Almeida, Tereza; Neimanis, Aleksija; Lavín, Santiago; Rouco Zufiaurre, Carlos; Serrano, Emmanuel; Velarde, Roser; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología; Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICIN). España
The European brown hare syndrome virus (EBHSV; GII.1) and rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus 2 (RHDV2;,GI.2) are pathogenic lagoviruses affecting the European brown hare (Lepus europaeus). EBHSV/GII.1 causes,periodic epidemics, while RHDV2/GI.2 infections emerge from spillover events in areas where hares are sympatric with European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). In the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula, the overlap of,these species provides a unique opportunity to investigate how the epidemiology of these viruses correlates with,disease course. We analysed the presence of lagoviruses in 113 European brown hare carcasses recovered in,Catalonia (NE Spain) between 2015 and 2024. Animals were necropsied, and tissue and serum samples were,collected for histopathology, virological investigation, and serology. Sera from hunted hares apparently healthy,(n = 89, 2015–2023) were also included in the study. PCR on liver samples (n = 58) and virological ELISA on,positive sera (n = 52) confirmed 28 EBHSV/GII.1 and 24 RHDV2/GI.2 cases. After the first EBHSV/GII.1,detection in 2016, antibody titres decreased progressively until 2020–2021, coinciding with an outbreak. No,conclusive seropositivity for RHDV2/GI.2 was observed during the study. Pathology revealed more acute lesions,in RHDV2/GI.2-infected hares compared to EBHSV/GII.1. These lesions, resulting in sudden death due to a,deficient immune response, may explain this distinct epidemiological scenario. Despite a decade of circulation,,RHDV2/GI.2 has not fully adapted to hares. However, ongoing monitoring is essential, as mutations or recombination events could increase its epizootic potential. The co-circulation of both lagoviruses, combined with,other co-factors, might jeopardise the viability of European brown hare populations at the southern limit of their,range.
Influence of Nitrogen Bioavailability on the Anaerobic Co-Digestion of the Aegagropiles of the Seagrass Posidonia oceanica with Different Nitrogen-Rich Substrates: Process Performance and Kinetic Analysis
(Mdpi, 2025-03-07) Lama Calvente, David de la; Mancilla Leytón, Juan Manuel; Garrido Murillo, Iván; Rojas Carrillo, Javier; Borja, Rafael; Fernández Rodríguez, María José; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología; Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (MICIU). España; Agencia Estatal de Investigación. España
The shedding of leaves by Posidonia oceanica (P. oceanica) in autumn results in the,accumulation of shoreline debris, contributing to significant economic, social, and environmental problems. Due to the lack of alternative solutions, this waste biomass is disposed of,in landfills, incurring an economic cost for the disposal process. In the context of the circular,economy, anaerobic digestion (AD) can serve as a highly efficient biological alternative for,treating and valorizing wastes with a high organic load. The aim of this research was to comparatively evaluate the performance and kinetics of the AD of ashore P. oceanica biomass and,its anaerobic co-digestion (co-AD) with different nitrogen-rich co-substrates. To evaluate,the effect of the nitrogen source in the co-AD system, peptone, casein, synthetic casein, urea,,and the microalgae Raphidocelis subcapitata were used as co-substrates in biomethanization,tests at a mesophilic temperature (35 ± 2,◦C). The lowest methane yield was achieved for,the sole AD of P. oceanica (79 ± 3 NL CH4 kg−1 VS), while the highest yields were found,for the three co-ADs of P. oceanica with proteins (i.e., peptone, casein, and synthetic casein),,showing no significant differences among them (380 ± 30 − 420 ± 30 NL CH4 kg−1 VS).,Additionally, the first-order kinetics and the transference function model were proven and,allowed for adequately fitting the experimental results of methane production with time.
Impacts of elevated temperature and CO2 concentration on carbon metabolism in an endangered carnation: Consequences for biomass allocation and flowering
(Elsevier, 2024-05) López Jurado, Javier; Balao Robles, Francisco J.; Mateos Naranjo, Enrique; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología; Junta de Andalucía; Universidad de Sevilla; European Union (UE); Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (MICIU). España; Agencia Estatal de Investigación. España
One of the greatest threats to plant function and fitness is global warming, characterised by a combination of,increased atmospheric CO2 concentrations and temperatures. However, their effects on plant physiology, growth,,and reproduction remain unclear, particularly for rare species that support vulnerable ecosystem functions. Here,,we investigated these effects on leaf and whole-plant functional traits of the rare endangered C3 species Dianthus,inoxianus. Mature plants were grown for 18 weeks in controlled-environment chambers under four environmental scenarios that combined day/night air temperatures (ambient: 25/20 ◦C or elevated: 29/24 ◦C) with CO2,concentrations (400 ppm or 700 ppm). Under elevated temperature, D. inoxianus exhibited impaired photosynthetic capacity but also employed an avoidance strategy by prioritising accelerated reproduction (earlier,flowering) and biomass allocation to roots for future resprouting. Elevated CO2 induced photosynthesis acclimation and biochemical constraints, preventing growth enhancement, but also mitigated the loss of stomatal,functionality and carboxylation capacity loss caused by elevated temperature. Although plants sustained gas,exchange under combined elevated CO2 and temperature, assimilation rates decreased. Such a decline, linked to,reduced photoprotection capacity and photosystem performance, was accompanied by an advanced onset of,flowering and reduced flower production. These changes suggest that the vulnerability of D. inoxianus might,increase under climate change, with additional stressors potentially exacerbating photoinhibition. Our findings,offer critical insights into the complex relationships between threatened species and their environment, underscoring the need for preventive conservation measures for D. inoxianus to address the challenges posed by more,extreme or prolonged environmental stresses.
Identifying conservation priorities of a pantropical plant lineage: a case study in Scleria (Cyperaceae)
(Asociación Española de Ecología Terrestre, 2025-05-02) Díaz, Javier Galán; Bachman, Steven P.; Forest, Félix; Escudero Lirio, Marcial; Rotton, Hannah; Larridon, Isabel; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología
Scleria is a pantropical genus of annual and perennial herbs and the sixth largest genus in the Cyperaceae family with around 261 species. In this study, we produced preliminary extinction risk assessments for the ~30% of Scleria species that do not yet have a global Red List assessment and followed the Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE2) and Ecologically Distinct and Globally Endangered (EoDGE) protocols to identify evolutionary and ecologically unique Scleria species at greatest risk of extinction and hotspots of rare and endangered species. Our results indicate that 38 of the 78 Scleria species not yet included in the Red List, and 26% of species in the genus, are potentially threatened with extinction. The risk of extinction is not equally distributed across the phylogeny, and the Afrotropics and the Neotropics accumulate most threatened species. Eleven ecoregions mostly from four African (Madagascar, D.R. Congo, Zambia and Tanzania) and two South American (Brazil, Venezuela) countries accumulate almost half of Scleria species and stand out in terms of their sum of EDGE2 scores. Phylogenetic and functional distinctiveness metrics were largely uncorrelated, and the EcoDGE metric mostly points towards South American countries as reservoirs of ecologically distinctive and endangered species: Brazil, Venezuela, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Guyana and Dominican Republic. Recent methodological advances in the identification of species at-risk of extinction and the novel EDGE2 framework emerge as powerful tools to identify conservation priorities.
Functional traits predict changes in floral phenology underclimate change in a highly diverse Mediterranean community
(Wiley, 2025-04-09) Pareja Bonilla, Daniel; Ortiz Ballesteros, Pedro Luis; Cerdeira Morellato, Leonor Patricia; Arista, Montserrat; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología; Universidad de Sevilla; Junta de Andalucía; Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICIN). España; Agencia Estatal de Investigación. España; Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)
1. Plants are shifting their flowering phenology in response to climate change, buttrends differ between species and communities. Functional traits can largely ex-plain how different species respond to climate change by shifting their phenology,and can therefore help predicting which species will be most affected by climatechange. 2. Here we studied how functional traits affected the response to climate changeof the flowering phenology of 269 species from a Mediterranean community be-tween two periods in the last 35 years. 3. We used circular statistics to assess whether the community means for the startof flowering, start of intense flowering, end of intense flowering, and end of flow-ering had advanced in the last 35 years. Then, we fitted generalised linear mixedmodels to assess the influence of vegetative and reproductive functional traitson the shift of the start of flowering, start of intense flowering, end of intenseflowering, end of flowering, flowering duration, and intense flowering duration. 4. The flowering phenology of our study community advanced significantly in re-sponse to climate change, and both vegetative and reproductive functional traitsinfluenced phenological change. We demonstrated that woody species, shortones, species with wider leaves, high specific leaf area (SLA) values, larger flow-ers, early flowering, or short flowering periods were advancing more the start oftheir flowering, while taller plants, species with high SLA values, or early flower-ing were advancing more the end of their flowering. Consistently, taller specieswith wider leaves and early flowering species with short flowering time durationwere increasing more the duration of their flowering. 5. We showed that phenological shifts associated with climate change are condi-tioned by functional traits in a different way than previously reported for higherlatitudes, indicating that these responses are highly context dependent. In ourMediterranean community, reproductive traits were important for predictingspecies flowering shifts, indicating that plant species reproduction during thehottest and driest periods of the year—the Mediterranean resting season—may be compromised, along with the persistence of animals that depend on floralresources.
Ecophysiological and biochemical responses to cold and heat waves of native Spartina maritima, alien S. densifora and their reciprocal hybrids
(Springer, 2025-04-01) Álvarez Morales, Rosario; Fernandez-Gonzalez, Salvador A.; Perera Bonaño, Adrián; Cires Segura, Alfonso de; Castillo Segura, Jesús Manuel; Gallego Tevar, Blanca; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología
Extreme climatic events, such as cold and heat waves, are becoming more frequent, intense, and prolonged due,to climate change. Simultaneously, invasive alien plant species are altering the composition of plant communities. Both,climate change and the introduction of alien species pose signifcant threats to biodiversity. We studied the responses of 25,biochemical and physiological functional traits for native Spartina maritima, alien invasive S. densifora and their reciprocal,hybrids to changing environmental conditions during a cold snap in winter and a heat wave in summer in Guadiana Marshes,(Southwest Iberian Peninsula). These four closely related taxa responded diferently to seasonal environmental fuctuations.,Both hybrid taxa, particularly S. maritima×densifora, exhibited transgressive responses, allowing them to display a wider,range of acclimation responses to air temperature compared to their parental species. Native S. maritima also demonstrated a,relatively high acclimation capacity to seasonal meteorological changes. In contrast, alien S. densifora presented few acclimation responses to seasonal environmental changes, responding primarily to sediment salinity rather than to air temperature.,Even so, all four studied Spartina taxa appear to be well-adapted to the occurrence of cold and heat waves in the Gulf of,Cadiz. These fndings underscore the complexity of plant acclimation strategies in response to extreme climatic events and,highlight the potential for hybrid taxa to face the future dynamics of salt marshes under climate change.
Earlywood vessel characteristics are early indicators of drought-induced decline in ring-porous oak species within the Mediterranean Basin
(Elsevier, 2025-06-10) Colangelo, Michele; Gazol, Antonio; Camarero, J. Julio; Borghetti, Marco; Sánchez Salguero, Raúl; Matías Resina, Luis; Castellaneta, Maria; Nola, Paola; Ripullone, Francesco; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología; European Union (UE); Gobierno de Italia
Heat and drought stress have triggered forest dieback episodes worldwide, affecting oak forests, particularly in,hotspots of climate change such as the Mediterranean Basin. However, forecasting dieback is not straightforward.,In this study, we used the earlywood anatomy to improve dieback forecasts in five oak species characterized by,different drought sensitivity (i.e. from high to low Quercus robur, Q. cerris, Q. frainetto and Q. canariensis, Q.,humilis, Q. pubescens) across Italy and Spain. We measured radial growth, expressed as basal area increment,(BAI), earlywood hydraulic diameter (Dh) and vessel area of coexisting non-declining (ND) and declining (D),trees in each stand. Then, we calculated the product between the coefficient of variation (CV) of vessel area and a,spatial aggregation index (AI). High CV × AI values indicate regularly spaced vessels with variable area of,vessels, while low values correspond to clustered vessels with similar area. ND trees showed higher BAI values,than D trees from 10 to 40 years before the dieback onset, when ND trees grew 20–50 % more than the D trees.,We observed a decline in the vessel area CV several decades prior to dieback in D trees, with the exception of Q. cerris. The AI showed higher values in ND than in D trees. Consequently, the CV × AI product was consistently,higher in ND than in D trees. The CV × AI divergence between ND and D trees was pronounced in the wettest,sites, specifically for Q. robur and Q. humilis. Time series of CV × AI effectively differentiated trees based on their,vigor. Wood anatomy variables could be used to enhance predictions of vulnerability to drought-induced,dieback. This study can help identify vulnerable trees before the onset of dieback symptoms, serving as a tool,to support the management of forests prone to drought.
A review on the distribution and habitat features of Chara canescens in the Iberian Peninsula: sexual populations revisited
(Asociación Ibérica de Limnología, 2024-07-11) Arnal, Adriana; Rodrigo, María A.; Bernhardt, Karl Georg; Guarino, Riccardo; Troía, Angelo; Turner, Barbara; Weitzel, Johanna; Schubert, Hendrik; García Murillo, Pablo; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología
Chara canescens, mainly distributed in Europe and the African Mediterranean coast, is the only Charophyceae species capable of,reproducing parthenogenetically, the asexual populations being common; however, the sexual ones are rare. In this study we compile,all the literature and herbaria data concerning the presence of C. canescens in the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands over,several decades, analysing the historical and spatial distribution of the species and the limnological characteristics of its habitats.,A decline in the number of records in the literature and herbarium sheets since 2010 was detected. Most of the populations are,concentrated in Castilla-La Mancha, Andalucía and Castilla-León. The species lives in brackish waterbodies, both in coastal areas and,endorheic shallow small lakes, and the majority of these locations do not exhibit a good conservation status. The only three locations,with sexual populations previously cited in the literature (Bodón Blanco –Valladolid- and Las Eras –Segovia- lakes and Lucio Largo –,Doñana-) were revisited in June 2023. Sexual populations of C. canescens in the two former lakes occurred, but the lake in the Doñana,National Park was completely dry. Two new sexual populations of the species were found in La Iglesia and Caballo Alba lakes(Segovia), increasing the citation to five sexual populations. A description of population (coverage, male:female ratio) and individual,(reproductive features) variables for the four C. canescens sexual populations are provided. The analysed limnological variables (water,chemistry, other hydrophytes and marginal vegetation) showed that the lakes harbouring these populations exhibited signs of pollution,,as well as altered and unstructured marginal vegetation. The genetic diversity of the species depends on the sexual populations, which,are very rare in Europe, and are mainly concentrated in Spain. Therefore, the preservation of these inner brackish-water habitats in essential for th implementation of transnational effective conservation measures to protect this relevant and particular species.
A Review of Edible Wild Plants Recently Introduced into Cultivation in Spain and Their Health Benefits
(Mdpi, 2025-01-03) Valdés Castrillón, Benito; Kozuharova, Ekaterina; Stoycheva, Christina; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología; European Union (UE); Gobierno de la República de Bulgaria
Before the Bronze age, when agricultural practices spread throughout the Iberian,Peninsula, the diet of the native people was based on hunting, fishing, and gathering wild,plants. In spite of modern agriculture, the popular gathering of wild species for medical,use, food, craftwork, etc., for centuries has left a detailed knowledge on the use of many of,these species. Of the 6176 Angiosperms native to the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic,Islands, over 200 species were introduced into cultivation during the Neolithic period,outside the Iberian Peninsula. The names of 30 of the progenitors still popularly used as,food are listed in this paper, together with the names of their derived crops. This review,focuses on five wild species collected as food from ancient times, namely Borago officinalis L.,Prunus spinosa L., Silene vulgaris (Moench) Garke subsp. vulgaris, Scolymus hispanicus L., and,Asparagus acutifolius L. In response to great demand, they have been recently introduced,into cultivation in Spain and are now harvested and commercialized as new crops. Special,attention is paid to their basic bioactive compounds and pharmacological properties. The,limitation of this study is that the published information about the bioactive compounds,of these five plants originates from different parts of the world where they grow wild or,are cultivated. Therefore, further research is needed to trace the metabolomic dynamics,of these plants regarding geographical and ecological principles, as well as wild versus,cultivated origins.
De novo transcriptome assembly of the plant Helianthemum marifolium for the study of adaptive mechanisms
(Nature Publishing Group, 2025-03-27) Martín Díaz, Andrea; Vega, Clara de; Martín Hernanz, Sara; Aparicio Martínez, Abelardo; González Albaladejo, Rafael; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología; Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICIN). España
The genus Helianthemum, commonly known as rockroses, encompasses 140 species primarily,distributed in the Palearctic region, with notable diversifcation driven by climatic and geological,changes. These plants are valuable for studying speciation processes and ecological divergence.,The chemical properties of the leaves have also been investigated for containing valuable bioactive,compounds with several therapeutic properties. However, the availability of genomic resources,for species in this genus are almost entirely lacking. Here, we assembled and annotated the frst,reference transcriptome of Helianthemum marifolium, a species with wide morphological variability,and infraspecifc diversity. Illumina paired-end RNA sequences were generated using leaves from,16 individuals, representing the four recognized subspecies, all cultivated in a greenhouse. RNA reads,were assembled with Trinity and Oases, and EvidentialGene produced a transcriptome with 122,002,transcripts. The transcriptome showed 59524 hits on the UniProtBK database through BLASTx. This,transcriptome will be an invaluable resource for transcriptome-level population studies, conservation,genetics of the many endangered species within the genus, and for deepen into the metabolic pathways,of leaf-derived compounds.
The war in Ukraine is changing plausible future socioeconomic scenarios leading to an unexplored outlook for biodiversity
(Wiley, 2023-11-24) Vincent, Claire; Cristiano, Andrea; Cuadros Casanova, Ivon; Pacifici, Michela; Soria, Carmen D.; Tedeschi, Lisa; Lucas Ibáñez, Pablo Miguel; Rondinini, Carlos; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología; Ministry of Education, University and Research. Italy
Shared socioeconomic pathways are a key tool in predicting biodiversity sce-narios and in the subsequent design of environmental policies. Here, we dis-cuss how recent policy changes to global trade routes, agriculture, and energyproduction in response to the war in Ukraine are impacting socioeconomicscenarios used to set and assess biodiversity targets. We also discuss how thedisruption to the global geopolitical landscape provides a window of opportu-nity for policy reform and the radical societal paradigm shift that is needed totackle the global biodiversity crisis. We call for the re-evaluation of biodiversitytargets with newly developed scenarios that reflect the changes made to pro-duction and consumption patterns. We also recommend establishing nationalbiodiversity working groups to screen proposed policies for their potential risksto the drivers of biodiversity change, since policy decisions made in responseto the war that seemingly are far removed from the environment can have last-ing impacts on nature.
The Potential of Biocrust-Forming Cyanobacteria to Enhance Seedling Growth of Native Semi-arid Plants Through Seed Biopriming
(Springer, 2024-10-04) Alameda Martín, Aitor; Chamizo, Sonia; Rodríguez Caballero, Emilio; Muñoz Rojas, Miriam; Cantón, Yolanda; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Bioquímica Vegetal y Biología Molecular; Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICIN). España; Agencia Estatal de Investigación. España; European Union (UE)
In drylands, extreme environmental conditions pose a challenge for restoration, especially on a large scale. Direct seeding,is the most cost-efective approach to restore large areas, but it requires improvements to enhance seedling survival and,establishment. For this purpose, biopriming seeds with cyanobacteria is promising due to their plant growth-promoting,properties. We evaluated the efect of seed biopriming with native biocrust-forming cyanobacteria on seed germination and,radicle length of four native plant species, two perennials (Macrochloa tenacissima and Thymus hyemalis) and two annuals,(Plantago ovata and Stipa capensis), chosen for their ubiquity in Mediterranean drylands. Treatments included seed biopriming with cyanobacteria inoculants (biomass+exudate), seed priming only with the cyanobacterial exudate, and controls,(BG11 culture medium and distilled water). Biopriming efect was assessed individually for four native biocrust-forming,cyanobacteria species: Nostoc commune, Tolypothrix distorta, Trichocoleus desertorum, and Leptolyngbya frigida. Seed,biopriming showed no efect on germination with similar rates among treatments (on average, 45±12.6% for M. tenacissima,,38.8±12.4% for T. hyemalis, 91.7±9.8% for P. ovata and 77.6±10.8% for S. capensis). However, biopriming signifcantly,afected radicle length of annual plants. Radicles were signifcantly increased in P. ovata when treated with cyanobacterial,exudates (15–30% increase over control), and in S. capensis when treated with cyanobacterial biomass+exudate (26–42%,increase over control). These results indicate that the efect of seed biopriming is species specifc, but selecting the appropriate plant species and biopriming treatment can enhance plant survival and establishment in drylands, making restoration,eforts more successful.
Spatio-temporal variation in the zooplankton community of the Zahara-El Gastor Reservoir (Cádiz, Spain)
(Asociacion Iberica de Limnologia, 2024-05-24) Orduna, Carlos; Meo, Ilaria de; Encina Encina, Lourdes; Cid Quintero, Juan Ramón; Rodríguez Ruiz, Amadora; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología
Reservoirs play a crucial role in providing essential social and economic services at different scales. However, in recent years, anthropogenic impacts such as climate change and pollution have increased, affecting this type of ecosystem. Zooplankton communities are fundamental for regulating the biological balance in these environments, so it is essential to understand the processes that affect their dynamics. This study investigated the seasonal and spatial variation in species abundance of the zooplankton community of the Zahara- El Gastor Reservoir, Cádiz, Spain. This reservoir it is located in the Guadalete-Barbate River basin and is included in the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park, the area with the highest rainfall in the Iberian Peninsula. Water and zooplankton samples were collected monthly over a year at four sampling sites located along the reservoir’s long-axis to determine its physicochemical characteristics and zooplankton species composition. The reservoir presented a mesotrophic state and a monomictic thermal cycle, with the mixing period occurring in winter. Temperature, water depth and volume, phosphates, carbonates, pH, and conductivity were the main environmental variables that affected the seasonal and spatial patterns of the zooplankton community. Rotifers presented the highest number of species and were predominant at the tail of the reservoir, especially in autumn, where Polyarthra spp. reached high densities. Relatively low densities of copepods were found throughout the year. Small branchiopods and cyclopoids were predominant in summer, while Daphnia longispina was linked to the colder seasons. The zooplankton community of the Zahara-El Gastor Reservoir reflected changes in the trophic state of the reservoir both in space and time.
Soil Bacterial Biodiversity in Drylands Is Dependent onGroundcover Under Increased Temperature
(Wiley, 2024-11-05) Stewart, Jana; Lima, Nathali Machado de; Kingsford, Richard; Muñoz Rojas, Miriam; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología; Hermon Slade Foundation (HSF). Australia; Australian Research Council; Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICIN). España
Introduction: Drylands are a major terrestrial biome, supporting much of the earth's population. Soil microbial communitiesmaintain drylands’ ecosystem functions but are threatened by increasing temperature. Groundcover, such as vegetation orbiocrust, drives the patchiness of drylands' soil microbial communities, reflected in fertile islands and rhizosphere soil microbialassociations. Groundcover may shelter soil microbial communities from increasingly harsh temperatures under climate change,mitigating effects on microclimate, but few data on the microbial response exists. Understanding the fine‐scale interactionsbetween plants and soil is crucial to improving conservation and management of drylands under climate change.Materials and Methods: We used open‐top chambers to experimentally increase the temperature on five key groundcoverspecies found in arid Australia, and are commonly present in drylands worldwide; bareground (controls), biocrust, perennialgrass, Maireana sp. shrub, Acacia aneura trees, testing soil bacterial diversity and community composition response to theeffects of increased temperatures.Results: We found that groundcover was a stronger driver of soil bacterial composition than increased temperature, but thisresponse varied with groundcover type. Larger groundcover types (Acacia and Maireana) buffered the impact of heat stress onthe soil bacterial community. Bacterial diversity and species richness declined with heat stress affecting the bacterial com-munities associated with perennial grass, Maireana and Acacia. We identified 16 bacterial phyla significantly associated withgroundcover types in ambient treatment. But, under heat stress, only three phyla, Verrumicrobiota, Patescibacteria, andAbditibacteriota, had significantly different relative abundance under groundcovers, Acacia and Maireana, compared tobareground controls. The soil bacterial community associated with perennial grass was most affected by increased temperature.Conclusion: Our findings suggest soil communities may become more homogeneous under climate change, with composi-tional change, rather than diversity, tracking soil response to heat stress.
Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) a legume with great ecological and agronomical potential under climate change
(Cambridge Univ Press, 2024-08-03) Sakhraoui, Anis; Ltaeif, Hela B.; Sakhraoui, Asma; Villalba, Juan J.; Castillo Segura, Jesús Manuel; Rouz, Slim; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología
Climate change is a global challenge to ecosystem services, altering crop yields and food,security worldwide. In the context of climate change, Onobrychis viciifolia Scop. (sainfoin),can offer a multitude of ecosystem services conferred by its multifaceted beneficial properties.,We reviewed the morphological, biochemical and physiological responses to environmental,stressors of O. viciifolia, summarized its ecological, agronomic, nutritional and biological,interests, and we discussed its use under climate change. Onobrychis viciifolia is a hemicryptophyte forage legume adapted to arid and semiarid regions by evolving a diverse array of protective mechanisms against abiotic stressors at morphological, biochemical and physiological,levels. In the present scenario of climate change, O. viciifolia has desirable forage characteristics such as high nutritive value, high voluntary intake and palatability to grazing animals,,leading to satisfying animal performance for milk, meat, honey and wool production. Recent,studies suggest that O. viciifolia has several highly beneficial phytochemical properties,including condensed tannins and polyphenol content, which have been demonstrated to,have anthelmintic activities, enhance protein utilization, and prevent bloating. In addition,,O. viciifolia also has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and sequestrate atmospheric carbon and nitrogen into the soil. Ethnobotanical investigations show that O. viciifolia,possesses antimicrobial, antiseptic and vulnerary activities. This review could be helpful for,understanding of O. viciifolia characteristics, interests and uses, thus promoting its reasonable,cultivation under a changing climate.
Rewilding through inappropriate species introduction:The case of European bison in Spain
(Wiley, 2024-08-06) Nores, Carlos; Álvarez-Laó, Diego; Navarro, Alberto; Pérez-Barbería, Francisco Javier; Castaños, Pedro María; Castaños de la Fuente, Jone; Granado Lorencio, Carlos Antonio; Vilà, Montserrat; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología; Principado de Asturias; Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICIN). España
Most European rewilding initiatives are based on the recovery of large herbi-vores, particularly European bison Bison bonasus, aiming at restoring ecosys-tem processes and increase trophic complexity. The growing support for therelease of bison as a wild species, and change its legal status, in Spain, as anecological analogue of the extinct steppe bison Bison priscus, makes it an excel-lent example to reflect the limits of a rewilding biogeographically advisable.We discuss if this initiative could be justified from ecological, biogeographical,ethical, and legal reasons. Besides remarkable taxonomic and functional differ-ences between both bison species, the Mediterranean environment, under thepresent and future climatic scenarios, does not suit the European bison. Fur-thermore, there is no evidence to support the presumption that the Europeanbison was ever present in the Iberian Peninsula, with legal implications. Weexpect that our approach will be inspirational for similar assessments onrewilding initiatives globally.
Optimizing survival and growth of inoculated biocrust-forming cyanobacteria through native plant-based habitat amelioration
(Elsevier, 2024) Alameda Martín, Aitor; Chamizo, Sonia; Maggioli, Lisa; Román, Raúl; Machado de Lima, Nathali; Muñoz Rojas, Miriam; Cantón, Yolanda; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología
Low restoration success in degraded drylands has promoted research efforts towards recovery of pioneer components of these ecosystems such as biocrusts. Biocrusts can stabilize soils and improve nutrient cycling to assist vegetation establishment, but their natural recovery following a disturbance may be very slow. Soil inoculation with biocrust-forming components such as cyanobacteria is widely spread to foster biocrust formation. However, the growth of induced biocrust can be constrained under field conditions due to the harsh environmental conditions in drylands. Thus, strategies to reduce abiotic stresses have to be explored to improve cyanobacteria survival and growth. In this study, we performed an outdoor experiment to analyze the effect of plant-based ameliorating strategies in combination with cyanobacteria inoculum on biocrust formation and improvement of degraded arid soil properties. These ameliorants consisted of a plant mesh made of Macrochloa tenacissima and a Plantago ovata-based stabilizer. Application of ameliorating treatments improved cyanobacteria growth (higher chlorophyll a content, lower albedo and higher NDVI) compared to the application of cyanobacteria inoculum alone. Inoculated soils showed higher aggregate stability than non-inoculated ones, but the highest soil stability was found in the soils treated with P. ovata and was also significantly increased in the soils covered by the M. tenacissima mesh compared to uncovered soils. Both the mesh and the P. ovata stabilizer increased soil organic carbon content by up to 10% and 172%, respectively, compared to soils without habitat amelioration. Microbial community composition was similar between control and inoculated soils and between the mesh covered and uncovered soils, indicating that neither cyanobacteria inoculation nor the vegetal mesh had negative effects on the native soil community. In contrast, the soil with the P. ovata stabilizer alone displayed a different composition, with up to 95% of the bacteria’s relative abundance represented by Firmicutes. This effect needs to be considered when applying this stabilizer to prevent a potential alteration of the indigenous soil microbial community. This study indicates the viability of using plant-based ameliorating strategies to optimize the establishment and growth of cyanobacteria inoculum and maximize their effects on soil properties, thus contributing to advancing in the application of nature-based solutions for the restoration of degraded dryland ecosystems.
Observed and Potential Range Shifts of Native and Nonnative Species with Climate Change
(Annual Reviews, 2024-06-17) Bradley, Bethany A.; Beaury, Evelyn M.; Gallardo, Belinda; Ibáñez, Inés; Jarnevich, Catherine; Morelli, Toni Lyn; Sofaer, Helen R.; Sorte, Cascade J.B.; Vilà, Montserrat; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología; United States Geological Survey (USGS); National Science Foundation (NSF). United States; Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (MICIU). España
There is broad concern that the range shifts of global flora and fauna will not keep up with climate change, increasing the likelihood of population declines and extinctions. Many populations of nonnative species already have advantages over native species, including widespread human-aided dispersal and release from natural enemies. But do nonnative species also have an advantage with climate change? Here, we review observed and potential range shifts for native and nonnative species globally. We show that nonnative species are expanding their ranges orders of magnitude faster than native species, reflecting both traits that enable rapid spread and ongoing human-mediated introduction. We further show that nonnative species have large potential ranges and range expansions with climate change, likely due to a combination of widespread introduction and broader climatic tolerances. With faster spread rates and larger potential to persist or expand, nonnative populations have a decided advantage in a changing climate
A large-scale assessment of European rabbit damage to agriculture in Spain
(John Wiley & Sons, 2018-01) Delibes Mateos, Miguel; Farfán, Miguel Ángel; Rouco Zufiaurre, Carlos; Olivero, Jesús; Márquez, Ana Luz; Fa, John E.; Vargas, Juan Mario; Villafuerte, Rafael; Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología; European Union (UE); Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICIN). España; Organismo Autónomo Parques Nacionales. España
BACKGROUND: Numerous small and medium-sized mammal pests cause widespread and economically significant damage to crops all over the globe. However, most research on pest species has focused on accounts of the level of damage. There are fewer studies concentrating on the description of crop damage caused by pests at large geographical scales, or on analysis of the ecological and anthropogenic factors correlated with these observed patterns. We investigated the relationship between agricultural damage by the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and environmental and anthropogenic variables throughout Spain. RESULTS: Rabbit damage was mainly concentrated within the central-southern regions of Spain. We found that rabbit damage increased significantly between the early 2000s and 2013. Greater losses were typical of those areas where farming dominated and natural vegetation was scarce, where main railways and highways were present, and where environmental conditions were generally favourable for rabbit populations to proliferate. CONCLUSION: From our analysis, we suggest that roads and railway lines act as potential corridors along which rabbits can spread. The recent increase in Spain of such infrastructure may explain the rise in rabbit damage reported in this study. Our approach is valuable as a method for assessing drivers of wildlife pest damage at large spatial scales, and can be used to propose methods to reduce human − wildlife conflict.

Examinar

Envíos recientes