Soil under dead or live organic matter systems: Effect of European shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis L.) nesting on soil nematodes and nutrient mineralization.

Enlace mardeaves ESPECIES,Phalacrocorax aristotelis,PUBLICACIÓN CIENTÍFICA,REPOSITORIO ,,,,

Aira, M. and Domínguez, J., 2020. Soil under dead or live organic matter systems: Effect of European shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis L.) nesting on soil nematodes and nutrient mineralization. Soil Ecology Letters, pp.1-7.

Here we studied whether soil systems differ if they are under the influence of live (plants) or dead organic matter systems (nest) in terms of C and N mineralization, microbiological characteristics and nematode trophic group structure. We analyzed physicochemical and microbiological properties of soils inside and outside nests of the European shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis L.) on the Cíes Islands (NW Spain). We sampled fresh soil below dead (nests) and live organic matter (plants) (paired samples, n = 7). Soil of nests had lower organic matter and higher electric conductivity and dissolved organic C and extractable N contents than the soil of plants. Microbial biomass and activity were greater in soil of nests than in soil of plants. The abundance of nematode trophic groups (bacterivores, fungivores, omnivores and herbivores) differred between soils of nests and plants, and the soil of plants supported a more abundant and diverse nematode community. The present results points to that source of organic matter promote differences in the decomposer community, being more efficient in soil of nests because C mineralization is greater. Further, this occurred independently of the complexity of the systems, higher in the soil of plants with more groups of nematodes.

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Soil nutrient dynamics in colonies of the yellow-legged seagull (Larus michahellis) in different biogeographical zones

Enlace mardeaves ESPECIES,Larus michahellis,PUBLICACIÓN CIENTÍFICA ,,,,

De la Peña-Lastra, S., Affre, L. and Otero, X.L., 2020. Soil nutrient dynamics in colonies of the yellow-legged seagull (Larus michahellis) in different biogeographical zones. Geoderma, 361, p.114109.

Seabirds drastically alter the ecosystems where they establish their colonies. However, previous studies have not considered how colonies of the same species affect their surroundings in different environmental contexts. The main objective of this study was to determine the degree to which environmental factors (particularly climate and lithology) modulate the impact of seabird colonies on soil nutrients. For this purpose, two breeding colonies of the yellow-legged gull were selected: one located in the Atlantic Islands National Park (AINP, Atlantic region) and the other in Calanques National Park (CNP, Mediterranean region). In both parks, samples of soil and excrement were obtained from colonies with different densities of birds and in control zones, without birds, in two different seasons (winter and summer). The samples were analysed to determine the concentrations of N-NO3–, N-NH4+, total P and different geochemical P forms, including bioavailable P. The colony soils were enriched in N and P relative to soils from the control zones. However, the annual nutrient dynamics were modulated by the environmental conditions in each park. In winter in CNP, NH4+ concentrations were low and similar to those in the control zones, while the concentrations of NO3– were highest at this time of year. By contrast, in AINP, the annual N cycling appeared to be less variable, although the NH4+ concentrations were lower than in the control zone in winter, while those of NO3– remained high, despite the high rainfall in this season. The concentrations of P (total and bioavailable) remained high in soils in both parks throughout the year. However, fractionation of the P forms revealed different geochemical behaviour at the two sites. In CNP, calcium phosphate and residual P were the dominant fractions. In AINP, the P was distributed more homogeneously between the different fractions, with a slight predominance of the P associated with Al hydroxides and clays. The findings clearly show alteration of the cycling of both nutrients in both parks, although the impact is modulated by the environmental conditions at each location.

Food-web interactions in a coastal ecosystem influenced by upwelling and terrestrial runoff off North-West Spain

Enlace mardeaves PUBLICACIÓN CIENTÍFICA,REPOSITORIO ,,,,,

Paradell, O.G., López, B.D., Methion, S. and Rogan, E., 2020. Food-web interactions in a coastal ecosystem influenced by upwelling and terrestrial runoff off North-West Spain. Marine Environmental Research, p.104933.

Ecopath with Ecosim has been used to create mass-balance models of different type of ecosystems around the world to explore and analyse their functioning and structure. This modelling framework has become a key tool in the ecosystem approach to fisheries management, by providing a more comprehensive and holistic understanding of the interactions between the different species. Additionally, Ecopath with Ecosim has provided a useful framework to study ecosystem maturity, changes in the ecosystem functioning over time and the impact of fisheries and aquaculture on the ecosystem, among other aspects. The present work explores the ecosystem functioning and structure in an anthropogenically impacted coastal area, influenced by seasonal coastal upwelling and high input of nutrients from rias (ancient drowned tectonic valleys) off North-West Spain. A mass-balance model with 23 functional groups was created using Ecopath to study the trophic interactions in the ecosystem during the post-upwelling period (August to October) in 2017. The model described an immature, wasp-waist ecosystem, that shared characteristics of ecosystems found in upwelling areas and ecosystems found in fjords or coastal embayments. Deeper analyses highlighted the importance of small planktivorous pelagic fish as a keystone functional group, and of zooplankton, blue whiting (Micromesistius poutassou) and phytoplankton as structuring groups in the ecosystem. Additionally, the study revealed that the existing fishing pressure on species of intermediate-high trophic levels could alter ecosystem functioning and structure, and ultimately affect top predators in the area. Findings of this study provide baseline information in ecosystem functioning and structure in the area and highlight the need to deeper study the effects of fisheries and their potential impacts on top predators.

Anthropogenic food resources, sardine decline and environmental conditions have triggered a dietary shift of an opportunistic seabird over the last 30 years on the northwest coast of Spain

Enlace mardeaves ESPECIES,Larus michahellis,PUBLICACIÓN CIENTÍFICA,REPOSITORIO ,,,,,,,,

Calado, J.G., Paiva, V.H., Ramos, J.A., Velando, A. & Munilla, I., 2020. Anthropogenic food resources, sardine decline and environmental conditions have triggered a dietary shift of an opportunistic seabird over the last 30 years on the northwest coast of Spain. Regional Environmental Change, 20(1), p.10.

Human activities and environmental conditions are the main drivers of ecosystem change. One major alteration near the western Iberian coast has been the collapse of the Atlanto-Iberian sardine Sardina pilchardus stock, with important cascading effects on marine top predators. We investigated the effect of long-term changes in fishery landings, sardine availability and environmental conditions on the diet of the yellow-legged gull Larus michahellis in the northwest coast of Spain, over the last 30 years (1987–2017). Dietary trends of gulls were investigated through the analysis of 5010 pellets that revealed a sharp decline of fish and refuse and a shift to a crustacean-based diet. General additive mixed models showed that both total fish and sardine occurrences in gull pellets were negatively associated with total fishery landings and positively associated with sardine landings, suggesting fish depletion and higher fishing efficiency (i.e. reduced discards) during the study period. The winter North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index was also positively related with sardine occurrence in gull pellets, possibly due to low sardine abundance and rough conditions in years with very low NAO values. The refuse decline was most probably caused by the closure of open-air landfills, implemented under the European Union Landfill Directive. Our results suggest that changes in fishing practices and waste disposal were the main factors responsible for the sharp decline of fish and refuse in yellow-legged gull diet.

Bird embryos perceive vibratory cues of predation risk from clutch mates

Enlace mardeaves Larus michahellis,PUBLICACIÓN CIENTÍFICA,REPOSITORIO ,,,,

Noguera, J.C. and Velando, A., 2019. Bird embryos perceive vibratory cues of predation risk from clutch mates. Nature ecology & evolution, 3(8), pp.1225-1232.

During development in fluctuating environments, phenotypes can be adjusted to the conditions that individuals will probably encounter later in life. As developing embryos have a limited capacity to fully capture environmental information, theory predicts that they should integrate relevant information from all reliable sources, including the social environment. In many oviparous species, embryos are able to perceive cues of predator presence in some circumstances, but whether this information is socially transmitted among clutch mates—promoting phenotypic adjustments in the whole clutch—is unknown. Here, using an experimental design for which we modified the exposure to some, but not all, embryos of the same clutch to cues of predator presence (that is, alarm calls), we show that exposed embryos of the yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis) and their unexposed clutch mates showed similar developmental changes that were absent in embryos from control clutches. Compared with the control broods, both embryos that were exposed to alarm calls and their unexposed clutch mates showed altered prenatal and postnatal behaviours, higher levels of DNA methylation and stress hormones, and reduced growth and numbers of mitochondria (which may be indicative of the capacity for energy production of cells). These results strongly suggest that gull embryos are able to acquire relevant environmental information from their siblings. Together, our results highlight the importance of socially acquired information during the prenatal stage as a non-genetic mechanism promoting developmental plasticity.

Marine megafauna niche coexistence and hotspot areas in a temperate ecosystem

Enlace mardeaves PUBLICACIÓN CIENTÍFICA,REPOSITORIO ,,,,,,,

Louzao, M., Valeiras, J., García-Barcelona, S., González-Quirós, R., Nogueira, E., Iglesias, M., Bode, A., Vázquez, J.A., Murcia, J.L., Saavedra, C. and Pierce, G.J., 2019. Marine megafauna niche coexistence and hotspot areas in a temperate ecosystem. Continental Shelf Research, 186, pp.77-87. 

In the last few decades, there has been a remarkable development of niche models to help understand the ecological response of species to current rapid environmental changes. In the present study, we applied niche modelling to the megafauna community of shelf waters of the northwestern (NW) and northern Iberian Peninsula in order to analyse the coexistence of different species taking into consideration their niche preferences. The Spanish Institute of Oceanography conducts the PELACUS multidisciplinary survey annually to assess pelagic fish stocks and collect information on the status of other ecosystem components, such as oceanographic conditions, phytoplankton, zooplankton and marine megafauna. Using data collected from these surveys, we developed niche models for 14 marine megafauna taxa (3 cetaceans, 10 seabirds and 1 fish) incorporating multi-trophic ecological descriptors collected simultaneously during the surveys alongside the more commonly used oceanographic variables (e.g. chlorophyll a and sea surface temperature). Megafauna niche models were developed by pooling observations from 2007 to 2013 and were found to be driven by mean fish biomass and its variability, in addition to sea surface temperature. Hierarchical clustering identified four distinct megafauna assemblages, the first comprising wide-ranging species and the other three associated with shelf-slope waters in Galicia, coastal/shelf waters in Galicia, and the eastern Cantabrian Sea, respectively. Community-level hotspot areas were found in shelf and shelf-break sectors of Galicia, along with small diversity spots scattered throughout the Cantabrian coastal area. Our results showed that synoptically collected survey-based ecological descriptors, especially acoustic-based preyscapes, were among the most important variables explaining megafauna niche preference. These findings highlight the advantage of using integrated ecosystem surveys to collect simultaneous information on a suite of ecosystem components for spatial assessments.

 

Metal content in the liver, kidney, and feathers of Northern gannets, Morus bassanus, sampled on the Spanish coast

Enlace mardeaves Morus bassanus,PUBLICACIÓN CIENTÍFICA,REPOSITORIO ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Nardiello, V., Fidalgo, L.E., López-Beceiro, A., Bertero, A., Martínez-Morcillo, S., Míguez, M.P., Soler, F., Caloni, F. and Pérez-López, M., 2019. Metal content in the liver, kidney, and feathers of Northern gannets, Morus bassanus, sampled on the Spanish coast. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, pp.1-9.

The value of birds as bioindicators for monitoring the environmental inorganic elements has been globally recognized. In this context, due to its well-known ecology and population stability, the Northern gannet (Morus bassanus) could be particularly useful. Dead Northern gannets (n = 30) were collected and samples from the liver, kidney, and feathers were taken, dried, mineralized, and finally analyzed via ICP-MS. Metals and metalloids, namely As, Cd, Hg, Pb, and Zn, associated with environmental pollution and toxicity on living organisms, were evaluated. The mean highest concentrations of As, Hg, and Zn were found in the liver (0.916, 7.026, and 89.81 mg/kg dry weight, respectively). For Cd, the kidney showed the highest mean concentration (17.51 mg/kg dry weight), whereas for Pb, this value corresponded to the feathers (0.399 mg/kg dry weight). Significant differences were found between the age classes in terms of contaminant concentrations, with the adults exhibiting higher metal levels. This difference was significantly relevant for Pb and Hg, where the effect of age was observed for all the considered tissues. When considering the effect of gender, no significant differences were observed, in agreement with similar studies performed in other geographical regions. Finally, positive correlations between the concentrations of Hg and Pb in the feathers and in the liver (r = 0.688, p < 0.001 and r = 0.566, p < 0.001, respectively) were observed, as well as between the feather and kidney concentrations (r = 0.685, p < 0.001) indicating the possibility to use feathers, a non-invasive biomonitoring tissue, for better understanding Hg and Pb exposure in seabirds.

Lead (Pb) in the tissues of Anatidae, Ardeidae, Sternidae and Laridae of the Northern Hemisphere: a review of environmental studies

Enlace mardeaves Larus michahellis,PUBLICACIÓN CIENTÍFICA,REPOSITORIO ,,,,,,,,,,,
Korbecki, J., Gutowska, I., Chlubek, D. and Baranowska-Bosiacka, I., 2019. Lead (Pb) in the tissues of Anatidae, Ardeidae, Sternidae and Laridae of the Northern Hemisphere: a review of environmental studies. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 26(13), pp.12631-12647.

Due to the ability of birds to travel long distances in the air, the potential feeding area of each individual is much larger than that of typical terrestrial animals. This makes birds a convenient indicator of environmental lead (Pb) pollution over large areas, in particular areas of inland and coastal waters. The aim of this study was to assess the concentrations of Pb in various organs of water birds from a variety of locations. The focus was on ducks, geese and swans (Anatidae); herons and egrets (Ardeidae); terns (Sternidae); and gulls (Laridae). This article describes the level of lead in the most commonly studied tissue types: feathers, bones and the liver. The study also presents data concerning the concentration of lead in the eggs of water birds. The highest levels of lead pollution can be observed in China and Korea, related to their high level of industrialization. In Iran too, environmental lead pollution is high, likely due to the developed petrochemical industry. Lead pollution in Japan, as well as in Western European countries (Spain, France, Italy), seems to be much lower than in China, India or Iran. Nevertheless, the level of pollution in Europe is higher than satisfactory, despite the introduction of a number of bans related to, for example, the use of leaded petrol or lead-containing paints. Finally, the USA and Canada appear to be the areas with the lowest lead pollution, possibly due to their low population densities.

Redox-regulation and life-history trade-offs: scavenging mitochondrial ROS improves growth in a wild bird

Enlace mardeaves ESPECIES,Larus michahellis,PUBLICACIÓN CIENTÍFICA,REPOSITORIO ,,,
Velando, A., Noguera, J.C., da Silva, A. e Kim, S.Y., 2019. Redox-regulation and life-history trade-offs: scavenging mitochondrial ROS improves growth in a wild bird. Scientific reports, 9(1), p.2203.
It has been proposed that animals usually restrain their growth because fast growth leads to an increased production of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS), which can damage mitochondrial DNA and promote mitochondrial dysfunction. Here, we explicitly test whether this occurs in a wild bird by supplementing chicks with a mitochondria-targeted ROS scavenger, mitoubiquinone (mitoQ), and examining growth rates and mtDNA damage. In the yellow-legged gull Larus michahellis, mitoQ supplementation increased the early growth rate of chicks but did not reduce mtDNA damage. The level of mtDNA damage was negatively correlated with chick mass, but this relationship was not affected by the mitoQ treatment. We also found that chick growth was positively correlated with both mtDNA copy number and the mitochondrial enzymatic activity of citrate synthase, suggesting a link between mitochondrial content and growth. Additionally, we found that mitoQ supplementation increased mitochondrial content (in males), altered the relationship between mtDNA copy number and damage, and downregulated some transcriptional pathways related to cell rejuvenation, suggesting that scavenging mtROS during development enhanced growth rates but at the expense of cellular turnover. Our study confirms the central role of mitochondria modulating life-history trade-offs during development by other mechanisms than mtROS-inflicted damage.

 

Seguimento das poboacións de aves mariñas no Parque Nacional Marítimo e Terrestre das illas Atlánticas de Galicia. Resultados de 2018.

Enlace mardeaves Calonectris diomedea,ESPECIES,INFORME,Larus fuscus,Larus marinus,Larus michahellis,Phalacrocorax aristotelis,REPOSITORIO ,,,,

Munilla, I. 2018. Seguimento das poboacións de aves mariñas no Parque Nacional Marítimo e Terrestre das Illas Atlánticas de Galicia: resultados de 2018. Parque Nacional Marítimo e Terrestre das Illas Atlánticas de Galicia. Decembro 2018.

RESUMO

Corvo mariño (P. aristotelis)

  • A poboación reprodutora de corvo mariño no Parque Nacional en 2018 estimouse en 894 parellas repartidas en oito colonias principais. Dous terzos da poboación do Parque localízanse no arquipélago de Ons, o 25% no arquipélago de Cíes e o 7% restante en Sagres. A colonia máis numerosa é Ons Norte con 465 parellas, a metade das estimadas para o conxunto do Parque.
  • O número de parellas censadas representa unha lixeira baixa (-5,3%) con respecto dos datos de 2017.
  • A estima do éxito reprodutor no Parque Nacional en 2018 foi de (media ± desviación típica): 0,73 ± 0,87 polos por niño (N = 73 niños), con diferenzas pouco marcadas entre os tres arquipélagos: Cíes = 0,60 ± 0,94 polos por niño; Ons = 0,77 ± 0,86; Sagres = 0,78 ± 0,85.
  • A análise de 183 egagrópilas recollidas durante o periodo reprodutor nas illas Cíes (N= 57), Ons (N= 76) e Sagres de Fora (N= 50) indican que en 2018 os corvos mariños do Parque Nacional consumiron maioritariamente catro grupos de peixe, por esta orde: lábridos (Labridae), pións (Atherina presbyter), fanecas (Trisopterus) e lorchos (Gobiidae).
  • A presa principal dos corvos nos tres arquipélagos do parque son os lábridos. A frecuencia de bolos (Ammodytidae) na mostra de de Cíes foi moi baixa, o que suxire que as poboacións deste peixe perto das illas aínda non se deron recuperado.
  • Este ano equipáronse dous corvos mariños con equipos de seguimento remoto GPS/GSM, un na colonia de Ons e outro na de Sagres. Dous terzos das 4374 localizacións obtidas entre xuño e decembro producíronse fora das augas do Parque.
  • O corvo de Sagres moveuse por unha área de 14,6 km2 entre A Graña, Aguiño e o norte da illa de Sálvora, coa meirande parte das localizacións entre Sagres e Aguiño. O corvo de Ons desplazóuse por unha área de 88,7 km2 que vai da illa de Arousa á de Onza, coa meirande parte das observacións entre o norte da illa de Ons e A Lanzada.

Gaivota patiamarela (L. michahellis)

  • O seguimento interanual do número de territorios aparentemente ocupados nos sectores de censo repartidos polas colonias do Parque indica unha diminución da poboación reprodutora de gaivota patiamarela do 7% en relación ás cifras de 2017. A poboación reprodutora ten diminuído en tódolos sectores agás en Sálvora, illa na que a poboación incrementouse nun 30%.
  • O declive anual promedio para o conxunto de sectores ao longo do periodo de seguimento (2011-2018) é considerable (-8,7%). Tódolos sectores, agás o das dunas de Cíes, levan perdido entre o 44% e o 64% da poboación que se lles estimara no 2011.
  • Comparouse de novo o éxito reprodutor entre dúas parcelas representativas dos principais hábitats de cría en Cíes, o cantíl de toxo (Cortello do porco, 45 territorios) e as dunas (Muxieiro, 39 territorios). O éxito reprodutor conxunto foi baixo (media ± desviación típica = 0,69 ± 0,87 polos a voar por territorio), algo superior na duna (0,74 ± 0,93) que no cantíl (0,64 ± 0,82).
  • En 2018 a incidencia do sindrome de parálise foi elevada, se cadra o episodio máis agudo dende 2011. Os datos recollidos apuntan cara un brote agudo da enfermidade nas colonias de Sálvora no mes de xuño.
  • A análise da mostra de egagrópilas (N= 117) indica que as patiamarelas adultas basaron a súa dieta en invertebrados mariños (frecuencia de aparición= 59,8%). Os tipos de alimento máis representados foron os invertebrados do intermareal (33,3%) e o patexo (Polybius henslowii) (26,5%). O lixo urbano estivo presente no 22,2% da mostra, e o alimento de hábitats terrestres no 12,0%. Os peixes apenas estiveron representados (5,1%). As principais diferenzas espaciais entre arquipélagos veñen dadas polas variacións na frecuencia de aparición de patexo, mexillón e lixo.

Gaivota de asa escura (L. fuscus)

  • En 2018 a poboación reprodutora de Larus fuscus no Parque foi estimada en 24 parellas, dúas por cima das estimadas en 2017.
  • Entre 2011 e 2018 a perda de poboación ten sido do 45,5%, equivalente ao -8,3% anual.
  • En Sálvora atopouse o cadavre dun adulto reprodutor con sinais de ter morto despois de sufrir parálise. Esta é a primeira evidencia de que esta doenza afecta á poboación de Larus fuscus do Parque

Gaivotón (L. marinus)

  • A estima da poboación reprodutora de gaivotón no ano 2018 é de dúas parellas unha na illa Vionta e máis a outra en Sálvora.

Pardela cincenta (C. diomedea)

  • Na colonia de Tropezas, o principal núcleo reprodutor da especie no Parque Nacional, ocupáronse 25 sitios e a poboación reprodutora foi estimada en 18 parellas. Estes valores son semellantes aos rexistrados o ano anterior.
  • Na última visita á colonia, o 23 de outubre, detectáronse 6 sitios ocupados por polos a piques de voar.