Dolors Vinyoles

Understanding individual movement patterns in stream-resident salmonids is critical for conservation and river management, particularly in Mediterranean streams characterized by high environmental variability. We tagged 997 Mediterranean brown trout (Salmo trutta complex) and conducted an 11-month mark–recapture study using Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) technology to assess movement behavior in the Flamisell River (Ebro Basin, northeastern Iberian Peninsula). Movements followed a leptokurtic distribution, with 81.8% of the individuals classified as sedentary (median movement = 24.9 m) and 18.2% as mobile (median movement = 376.2 m). Generalized linear models revealed distinct drivers of fish movement for each group. In sedentary trout, movement was mainly influenced by mesohabitat type, season, sex, and body size, with males and larger individuals moving farther. In mobile trout, mesohabitat type, density, and body size were key predictors. Movement patterns were repeatable over time, indicating consistent behavioral tendencies. These results support a bimodal movement strategy and highlight the importance of individual variation. Conservation planning should account for both sedentary and mobile groups to preserve functional and genetic connectivity and improve resilience of Mediterranean streams.

In Mediterranean climate regions, intermittent rivers (IRs) harbor highly dynamic communities with species and trait composition changing over time and space. Simultaneously considering multiple biodiversity facets and a spatiotemporal perspective is, therefore, key to developing effective conservation strategies for these ecosystems. We studied the spatiotemporal dynamics of aquatic macroinvertebrates in rivers of the western Mediterranean Basin by analysing (1) the taxonomic and functional richness and the local contribution to beta diversity (LCBD; measured considering taxonomic and functional facets) of perennial rivers and IRs over five sampling times, and (2) their relation with flow intermittence, local environmental uniqueness, and the number of anthropogenic impacts. Both analyses were also conducted for the subset of data including only IRs to compare values between their flowing and disconnected pool phases. According to our results, taxonomic and functional richness tended to be higher in perennial rivers than in IRs, while taxonomic and functional LCBD tended to be higher in IRs than in perennial rivers. When comparing IR sites over time, higher values of taxonomic and functional LCBD corresponded mostly to their disconnected pool phase. Flow intermittence, the number of anthropogenic impacts and the environmental uniqueness were significant predictors of taxonomic and functional richness, but only flow intermittence was an important predictor of taxonomic LCBD. For the IR-only data subset, disconnected pool permanence was the main predictor explaining spatiotemporal patterns. Our results highlight the importance of IRs to biodiversity conservation of Mediterranean climate rivers, especially during the disconnected pool phase, suggesting that these ecosystems cannot be ignored in conservation planning strategies.

Temporary rivers (TRs) have been largely overlooked in conservation assessments. Because TRs are such dynamic ecosystems, spatial and temporal aspects of their hydrology and ecology need to be taken into account when designing conservation plans. The aim of this paper is to propose a set of recommendations that could be useful for managers to do this, using seasonal diatom and macroinvertebrate data from north‐eastern Spain as a case study. Beta diversity was partitioned into local and species contributions to beta diversity (LCBD and SCBD). Additionally, priority conservation sites covering the spatial distribution of all species were identified using Marxan and the selection frequency (MSF) of the sites served as a measure of the relative irreplaceability of each site. Using both approaches (beta diversity and Marxan), the effects of changing spatiotemporal connectivity and habitat heterogeneity on the selection and prioritization of sites to be conserved were assessed. It was found that LCBD and MSF ranged widely both in space and time. However, LCBD and MSF were weakly related. Marxan adequately represented all taxa by selecting a few sites, while LCBD selected communities with higher differentiation but not necessarily those with rare species. In addition, SCBDs assigned low values to rare taxa, thus care must be taken when using this index for conservation planning. Spatiotemporal connectivity and local habitat heterogeneity played a critical role at the regional and local scales, driving site prioritization. Overall, we recommend: 1) monitoring multiple hydrological phases to encompass the different community types and capturing total diversity; 2) using Marxan and LCBD in combination, to benefit from their complementary insights; and 3) integrating spatiotemporal isolation and habitat heterogeneity into conservation plans, since they are the main drivers of community variation over space and time in TRs.

Los ríos temporales (RTs) son ecosistemas fluviales en los que los efectos de las perturbaciones antrópicas se mezclan con los de la propia perturbación natural que impone la temporalidad del flujo. A pesar de los avances en el conocimiento de los RTs, todavía persisten muchas lagunas de conocimiento que limitan el desarrollo de metodologías adecuadas para la evaluación de su estado ecológico. En esta revisión identificamos los retos actuales para la correcta evaluación del estado ecológico de los RTs y analizamos las oportunidades existentes para hacerles frente. Estos retos se centran en: la diferenciación entre RTs naturales o hidrológicamente impactados, la diferenciación entre perturbaciones naturales y antrópicas, el desarrollo de índices biológicos para pozas desconectadas y cauces secos, la adaptación de los índices hidrogeomorfológicos, y la aplicación de la teoría de metacomunidades en RTs. Las oportunidades están relacionadas con: el uso de nuevas herramientas moleculares, la existencia de índices alternativos a los tradicionales, la disponibilidad de datos para poder hacer modelización, y la implicación social en la evaluación del estado hidrológico y ecológico. La revisión se centra mayoritariamente en el conocimiento científico y de gestión acumulado desde la implementación de la DMA en España, pero recoge experiencias en otros RTs del mundo para guiar acciones de conservación y gestión en estos ecosistemas únicos y altamente amenazados por el cambio global.

Los cuentos ambientales, aparte de beneficiarse de los aspectos positivos asociados a las narraciones como pueden ser facilitar el aprendizaje y conectar con las emociones, permiten transmitir contenidos y fomentar valores y actitudes de respeto hacia el medio natural. Con el fin de dar a conocer el ciclo de vida de la anguila y hablar de las principales problemáticas que amenazan los ecosistemas fluviales, se describe el diseño e implementación de una actividad consistente en explicar un cuento ambiental junto al río Besós. Se llevaron a cabo seis sesiones en las que se explicó el cuento de diferentes maneras: en la primera variante se explicó utilizando únicamente las ilustraciones del cuento, en la segunda se añadió la observación de anguilas vivas, y en la tercera se repartieron imágenes entre los participantes que debían utilizarse en distintos momentos del relato del cuento. Se evaluó el efecto de cada variante en la atención y en el grado de participación de la audiencia en edad primaria. Para la segunda variante se pudo analizar también el efecto sobre dicha atención y participación en participantes en edad infantil y de secundaria. Los resultados muestran que la franja de edad que mantuvo niveles más altos de atención y participación fueron los niños/as de primaria. El contacto con anguilas vivas se asoció con una mayor comprensión de sus características y el uso de imágenes interactivas, incrementó notablemente la participación. En base a la experiencia se dan ideas de qué dinámicas pueden contribuir a que el cuento ambiental sea más efectivo. Palabras clave: Cuentacuentos; Divulgación científica; Educación no-formal; Biodiversidad; Sostenibilidad. Improving an environmental tale about eels. How the presence of live animals and interactive materials increases attention and participation Environmental stories, apart from benefiting from the positive aspects associated with narratives such as facilitating learning and connecting with emotions, allow content to be transmitted and foster values and attitudes of respect towards the natural environment. In order to show the life cycle of the eel and talk about the main problems that threaten river ecosystems, the design and implementation of an activity consisting of telling an environmental story next to the Besós River is described. Six sessions were held in which the story was explained in different ways: in the first variant it was explained using only the illustrations of the story, in the second the observation of live eels was added, and in the third images were distributed among the participants that should be used at different times of the story. The effect of each variant on attention and on the degree of participation of the audience from Primary education was evaluated. For the second variant it was also possible to analyze this effect on Preschool children and Secondary education participants. The results show that the age group that maintained higher levels of attention and participation were primary school children. Contact with live eels was associated with a greater understanding of their characteristics and the use of interactive images markedly increased participation. Based on experience, ideas are given of what dynamics can contribute to making the environmental story more effective. Keywords: Storytelling; Scientific communication; Informal Education; Biodiversity; Sustainability. Los cuentos ambientales, aparte de beneficiarse de los aspectos positivos asociados a las narraciones como pueden ser facilitar el aprendizaje y conectar con las emociones, permiten transmitir contenidos y fomentar valores y actitudes de respeto hacia el medio natural. Con el fin de dar a conocer el ciclo de vida de la anguila y hablar de las principales problemáticas que amenazan los ecosistemas fluviales, se describe el diseño e implementación de una actividad consistente en explicar un cuento ambiental junto al río Besós. Se llevaron a cabo seis sesiones en las que se explicó el cuento de diferentes maneras: en la primera variante se explicó utilizando únicamente las ilustraciones del cuento, en la segunda se añadió la observación de anguilas vivas, y en la tercera se repartieron imágenes entre los participantes que debían utilizarse en distintos momentos del relato del cuento. Se evaluó el efecto de cada variante en la atención y en el grado de participación de la audiencia en edad primaria. Para la segunda variante se pudo analizar también el efecto sobre dicha atención y participación en participantes en edad infantil y de secundaria. Los resultados muestran que la franja de edad que mantuvo niveles más altos de atención y participación fueron los niños/as de primaria. El contacto con anguilas vivas se asoció con una mayor comprensión de sus características y el uso de imágenes interactivas, incrementó notablemente la participación. En base a la experiencia se dan ideas de qué dinámicas pueden contribuir a que el cuento ambiental sea más efectivo. Palabras clave: Cuentacuentos; Divulgación científica; Educación no-formal; Biodiversidad; Sostenibilidad. Improving an environmental tale about eels. How the presence of live animals and interactive materials increases attention and participation Environmental stories, apart from benefiting from the positive aspects associated with narratives such as facilitating learning and connecting with emotions, allow content to be transmitted and foster values and attitudes of respect towards the natural environment. In order to show the life cycle of the eel and talk about the main problems that threaten river ecosystems, the design and...

Freshwater salinization poses a growing global environmental concern, introducing complex chemical cocktails and jeopardizing freshwater biodiversity, particularly fish populations. This research aimed to elucidate the molecular foundations of salinity adaptation in a non-native minnow species ( Phoxinus septimaniae x P. dragarum ) exposed to saline effluents from potash mines in the Llobregat River, Barcelona, Spain. Employing high-throughput mRNA sequencing and differential gene expression analyses, we examined brain, gills, and liver tissues collected from fish at two stations (upstream and downstream of saline effluent discharge). Salinization markedly influenced global gene expression profiles, with the brain exhibiting the most differentially expressed genes, emphasizing its unique sensitivity to salinity fluctuations. Pathway analyses revealed the expected enrichment of ion transport and osmoregulation pathways across all tissues. Furthermore, tissue-specific pathways associated with stress, reproduction, growth, immune responses, methylation, and neurological development were identified in the context of salinization. Rigorous validation of RNA-seq data through quantitative PCR (qPCR) underscored the robustness and consistency of our findings across platforms. This investigation unveils intricate molecular mechanisms steering salinity adaptation in non-native minnows confronting diverse environmental stressors. Advancing our comprehension of genomic responses to salinity changes, our study provides crucial insights into the adaptive strategies of aquatic organisms grappling with freshwater salinization. This comprehensive analysis sheds light on the underlying genetic and physiological mechanisms governing fish adaptation in salinity-stressed environments, offering essential knowledge for the conservation and management of freshwater ecosystems facing escalating salinization pressures.

TITLE: “HOW CAN ECOLOGICAL ETHICS ASSIST IN THE PROGRESS OF MAN? TOWARDS A REFLECTION ON THE ENCYCLICAL LETTER LAUDATO SI” COMMENT: In the title, reference is made to "man" as a synonym for "humanity." Why not refer directly to "humanity"? The term...

Lionfish was studied in the mesophotic environment. 237 specimens were observed, most in the upper mesophotic zone. Males were larger than females and differences between sexes in growth models were found. Sixteen prey items were identified, the most important being the teleost families Acanthuridae and Monacanthidae, and the crustacean Penaeidae. The mean of δ13C was -17.08 ± 0.36 ‰ and δ15N was 8.68 ± 0.46 ‰, with no differences between sexes. Lionfish occupies a less extensive isotopic niche in mesophotic environment than in shallow sectors; there is an isotopic niche overlap between sexes. Likewise, lionfish has specialized trophic habits. All specimens were mature and in females regression phase predominated. In females, condition factor (CF), gonadosomatic index (GSI) and hepatosomatic index (HSI) increased with gonadal development, reaching peak in the active spawning phase, and decreasing in regression. Males had a condition factor similar to spawning females, but IGS and IHS were lower

Ammonia is a pollutant frequently found in aquatic ecosystems. In fish, ammonia can cause physical damage, alter its behaviour, and even cause death. Exposure to ammonia also increases fish physiological stress, which can be measured through biomarkers. In this study, we analysed the effect of sublethal ammonia concentrations on the behaviour and the oxidative stress of Barbus meridionalis that had been pre-exposed to this compound in the wild. Wild-caught fish from a polluted site (pre-exposed fish) and from an unpolluted site (non-pre-exposed fish) were exposed, under experimental conditions, to total ammonia concentrations (TAN) of 0, 1, 5, and 8 mg/L. Swimming activity, feeding behaviour, and oxidative stress response based on biomarkers were analysed. Pre-exposed fish showed both an altered behaviour and an altered oxidative stress response in the control treatment (0 mg/L). Differences in swimming activity were also found as pre-exposed fish swam less. Lower feeding activity (voracity and satiety) and altered response to oxidative stress were also observed at ≥ 1 mg/L TAN. Biomarker results confirmed pre-exposed fish suffer from a reduction in their antioxidant defences and, hence, showed increased oxidative tissue damage. In summary, pre-exposed fish showed more sensitivity to ammonia exposure than fish from a pristine site.

This paper provides an overview of the last 40 years of use, and in many cases abuse, of the natural resources in Catalonia, a country that is representative of European countries in general, and especially those in the Mediterranean region. It analyses the use of natural resources made by mining, agriculture, livestock, logging, fishing, nature tourism, and energy production and consumption. This use results in an ecological footprint, i.e., the productive land and sea surface required to generate the consumed resources and absorb the resulting waste, which is about seven times the amount available, a very high number but very similar to other European countries. This overexploitation of natural resources has a huge impact on land and its different forms of cover, air, and water. For the last 25 years, forests and urban areas have each gained almost 3% more of the territory at the expense of agricultural land; those municipalities bordering the sea have increased their number of inhabitants and activity, and although they only occupy 6.7% of the total surface area, they account for 43.3% of the population; air quality has stabilized since the turn of the century, and there has been some improvement in the state of aquatic ecosystems, but still only 36% are in good condition, while the remainder have suffered morphological changes and different forms of nonpoint source pollution; meanwhile the biodiversity of flora and fauna remains still under threat. Environmental policies do not go far enough so there is a need for revision of the legislation related to environmental impact and the protection of natural areas, flora, and fauna. The promotion of environmental research must be accompanied by environmental education to foster a society which is more knowledgeable, has more control and influence over the decisions that deeply affect it. Indeed, nature conservation goes hand in hand with other social and economic challenges that require a more sustainable vision. Today’s problems with nature derive from the current economic model, which is environmentally unsustainable in that it does not take into account environmental impacts. Lastly, we propose a series of reasonable and feasible priority measures and actions related to each use made of the country’s natural resources, to the impacts they have had, and to their management, in the hope that these can contribute to improving the conservation and management of the environment and biodiversity and move towards sustainability.