Identification of socio-ecological connection in Rete ZUB

Curs 2017-2018Rete ZUB is a non-profit public-private partnership (Borromeo Wetland Network – Rete Zona Umida Borromeo). It aims to extend a successful initiative a broader geographical area. This initiative was carried out in Peschiera Borromeo, south-east of Milan in Lombardy, within the Watermill project and focused on increasing agricultural productivity, environmental sustainability and social solidarity. The identification of socio-ecological connectors between wetlands in this area was performed through an agreement between Antico Mulino ltd and Universitat de Vic- Universitat Central de Catalunya. The project is based on an interactive map which allows us to understand new possibilities for connecting high points of biodiversity, mitigating the effects of climate change in Mediterranean regions. Social and ecological values are featured to determine the connection between the existing wetlands and management advice for improving the worst socio-ecological connectors. Finally, some new potential wetlands have been identified to become reservoirs for excessive rainfall waters and new research projects.Rete ZUB és una associació públic-privada sense ànim de lucre, formant l’anomenada Xarxa d’Aiguamolls Borromeo. El seu objectiu és estendre el projecte realitzat en una àrea geogràfica més àmplia. Aquesta iniciativa s’ha dut a terme a Peschiera Borromeo, al sud-est de Milà a Lombardia, emmarcat en el projecte de Antico Mulino, centrant-se en augmentar la productivitat agrícola, la sostenibilitat ambiental i la solidaritat social. La identificació socio-ecològica dels connectors entre els aiguamolls d’aquesta àrea s’ha realitzat a través d’un acord entre Antico Mulino ltd i la Universitat de Vic- Universitat Central de Catalunya. El projecte es basa en un mapa interactiu que permet entendre noves possibilitats per connectar alts punts de biodiversitat, mitigant els efectes del canvi climàtic en les regions mediterrànies. Els valors socials i ecològics es caracteritzen per determinar la connexió entre els aiguamolls existents i la corresponent gestió per millorar els pitjors connectors identificats. Finalment, alguns aiguamolls potencials s’han identificat podent ser reservoris per a l’excés d’aigua en fortes precipitacions i per a nous projectes de recerca científica

Tècniques de control biològic i tractaments silvícoles per minimitzar l’impacte de la processionària del pi

El Berguedà i el Solsonès s’està duent a terme una prova pilot des del Centre Tecnològic Forestal de Catalunya per a la reducció dels impactes de la processionària del pi (Thaumetopoea pityocampa Schiff) com a perills en la salut pública i en el benestar animal, en especial els ramats de bestiar de ramaderia extensiva característics d’aquestes comarques en un entorn marcat pels efectes del canvi climàtic. El projecte es desenvolupa en diferents tipologies de rodals segons les actuacions de tallada, de tallada i de presència de caixes refugi de ratpenats i d’ocells, i control. L’objectiu del projecte és l’anàlisi de la prova pilot que es vol duu a terme a partir de dades obtingudes de la caracterització dels rodals, dels depredadors potencials i de les variables ambientals més representatives entre el 2016 i 2018, duent a terme anàlisis estadístics per tal d’avaluar els seus efectes i valorar les tècniques de control biològic i tractaments silvícoles per a minimitzar l’impacte de la processionària del pi, considerada com a plaga forestal. Els resultats obtinguts es basen en un efecte representatiu de les abundàncies relatives de ratpenats forestals, dels ratpenats depredadors de la processionària del pi i dels ratpenats ocupants de les caixes refugi respecte l’abundància relativa de la papallona de la processionària del pi, sense presentar un efecte significatiu de les característiques dels rodals, dels ocells inssectívors i de les variables ambientals. Aquest estudi permet idealitzar diferents rodals forestals per tal d’aconseguir una reducció en la dinàmica poblacional de la processionària del pi

Tècniques de control biològic i tractaments silvícoles per minimitzar l’impacte de la processionària del pi

Curs 2017-2018El Berguedà i el Solsonès s’està duent a terme una prova pilot des del Centre Tecnològic Forestal de Catalunya per a la reducció dels impactes de la processionària del pi (Thaumetopoea pityocampa Schiff) com a perills en la salut pública i en el benestar animal, en especial els ramats de bestiar de ramaderia extensiva característics d’aquestes comarques en un entorn marcat pels efectes del canvi climàtic. El projecte es desenvolupa en diferents tipologies de rodals segons les actuacions de tallada, de tallada i de presència de caixes refugi de ratpenats i d’ocells, i control. L’objectiu del projecte és l’anàlisi de la prova pilot que es vol duu a terme a partir de dades obtingudes de la caracterització dels rodals, dels depredadors potencials i de les variables ambientals més representatives entre el 2016 i 2018, duent a terme anàlisis estadístics per tal d’avaluar els seus efectes i valorar les tècniques de control biològic i tractaments silvícoles per a minimitzar l’impacte de la processionària del pi, considerada com a plaga forestal. Els resultats obtinguts es basen en un efecte representatiu de les abundàncies relatives de ratpenats forestals, dels ratpenats depredadors de la processionària del pi i dels ratpenats ocupants de les caixes refugi respecte l’abundància relativa de la papallona de la processionària del pi, sense presentar un efecte significatiu de les característiques dels rodals, dels ocells inssectívors i de les variables ambientals. Aquest estudi permet idealitzar diferents rodals forestals per tal d’aconseguir una reducció en la dinàmica poblacional de la processionària del pi

What happens when salinization meets eutrophication? A test using stream microcosms

Nutrient and salt pollution often co-occur in rivers and streams due to human activities (e.g., agriculture, urbanization). Thus, understanding the interactive effects of nutrients and salinity on freshwater ecosystems is critical for environmental management. We experimentally assessed the interactive effects of nutrient and salt pollution on stream microcosms using biofilm and macroinvertebrates as model systems. Six treatments were performed in triplicate: control (C: N-NH4+ = 0.05; P- PO43- = 0.037; Cl- = 33.5 mg L-1), intermediate nutrient (IN: N-NH4+ = 0.4; P- PO43- = 0.271; Cl- = 33. 5 mg L-1), high nutrient (HN: N-NH4+ = 0.84; P- PO43- = 0.80; Cl- = 33.5 mg L-1), salt (S: N-NH4+ = 0.05; P- PO43- = 0.037; Cl- = 3000 mg L-1), salt with intermediate nutrient (SIN: N-NH4+ = 0.4; P- PO43- = 0.27; Cl- = 3000 mg L-1) and salt with high nutrient (SHN: N-NH4+ = 0.84; P- PO43- = 0.80; Cl- = 3000 mg L-1). After 14 days of exposure, biofilm chlorophyll-a increased across all treatments, with cyanobacteria replacing diatoms and green algae. Treatments with no added nutrients (C and S) had more P uptake capacity than the rest. The indicator species analysis showed 8 significant taxa, with Orthocladius (Orthocladius) gr. Wetterensis and Virganytarsus significantly associated with the salinity treatment. Overall, salt pollution led to a very strong decline in macroinvertebrate richness and diversity. However, salt toxicity seemed to be ameliorated by nutrient addition. Finally, both structural equation models and biotic-abiotic interaction networks showed that complex biological interactions could be modulating the response of the biological communities to our treatments. Thus, our study calls for species-level assessments of salt and nutrient effects on river ecosystems and advocates for better management of co-occurring pollutants.This work was supported by a doctoral grant from the Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología e innovación y Colfuturo (Colombia) and IDAEA-CSIC contract associated to Ramón y Cajal (RYC2020-029829-I) for Alvaro Moyano. Miguel Cañedo- Argüelles Iglesias was supported by a Ramón y Cajal contract funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (RYC2020-029829-I). Lorenzo Proia was supported by a Ramón y Cajal contract funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (RYC2020-029829-I). David Cunillera-Montcusí was supported by European Union-NextGenerationEU, Ministry of Universities and Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, through a call from Universitat de Girona.Peer reviewe

Dissipation of pesticides by stream biofilms is influenced by hydrological histories

International audienceAbstract To evaluate the effects of hydrological variability on pesticide dissipation capacity by stream biofilms, we conducted a microcosm study. We exposed biofilms to short and frequent droughts (daily frequency), long and less frequent droughts (weekly frequency) and permanently immersed controls, prior to test their capacities to dissipate a cocktail of pesticides composed of tebuconazole, terbuthylazine, imidacloprid, glyphosate and its metabolite aminomethylphosphonic acid. A range of structural and functional descriptors of biofilms (algal and bacterial biomass, extracellular polymeric matrix (EPS) concentration, microbial respiration, phosphorus uptake and community-level physiological profiles) were measured to assess drought effects. In addition, various parameters were measured to characterise the dynamics of pesticide dissipation by biofilms in the different hydrological treatments (% dissipation, peak asymmetry, bioconcentration factor, among others). Results showed higher pesticide dissipation rates in biofilms exposed to short and frequent droughts, despite of their lower biomass and EPS concentration, compared to biofilms in immersed controls or exposed to long and less frequent droughts. High accumulation of hydrophobic pesticides (tebuconazole and terbuthylazine) was measured in biofilms despite the short exposure time (few minutes) in our open-flow microcosm approach. This research demonstrated the stream biofilms capacity to adsorb hydrophobic pesticides even in stressed drought environments

Toxicokinetic of a pesticides cocktail pulse on stream biofilms with different hydrological histories

International audienceSession: Microbial roles in contaminant fate and bioremediationThe potential adverse effects of pesticides on stream ecosystems subjected to extreme hydrological events has been poorly explored. Therefore, there is an urgent need to increase our knowledge to propose suitable pesticide mitigation strategies in the context of global change scenarios affecting stream ecosystems. In this study, a microcosm experiment was performed to assess the dissipation kinetics of a pulse of pesticide mixture (glyphosate,aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), tebuconazole, terbuthylazine and imidacloprid) by stream biofilms with a different hydrological history. The effects of two types of drought events caused by hydropeaking (short and more frequent droughts) and agricultural practices (long and less frequent droughts) on aquatic biofilm structure-function were evaluated and compared with an immersed control, before and after the pesticide cocktail pulse. Different biomass and functional parameters were analyzed in biofilms to determine the combined impact of droughts and pesticides, whereas the dissipation kinetics of each pesticide molecule of the cocktail wasevaluated in the water as well as in the biofilm. Algal biomass measured as chlorophylla concentration was significantly lower under drought conditions compared to the control and these differences were more remarkable after the application of the pesticides cocktail. Microbial respiration per unit of microbial (algal and bacterial) carbon was higher in biofilms subjected to droughts, which tended to accumulate lower extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) comparing to the immersed control. Droughts also modified the organic matter decomposition fingerprint of stream biofilms, independently from pesticides cocktail exposure. The diffusion of glyphosate and AMPA into biofilms was lower than that of tebuconazole, terbuthylazine and imidacloprid and this was explained by the differences in molecules’ hydrophobicity. However, long droughts tended to further decrease the diffusion of pesticides per unit of biofilm EPS in comparison the short droughts and control treatments

Impacts of diffuse urban stressors on stream benthic communities and ecosystem functioning: A review

Catchment urbanisation results in urban streams being exposed to a multitude of stressors. Notably, stressors originating from diffuse sources have received less attention than stressors originating from point sources. Here, advances related to diffuse urban stressors and their consequences for stream benthic communities are summarised by reviewing 92 articles. Based on the search criteria, the number of articles dealing with diffuse urban stressors in streams has been increasing, and most of them focused on North America, Europe, and China. Land use was the most common measure used to characterize diffuse stressor sources in urban streams (70.7 % of the articles characterised land use), and chemical stressors (inorganic nutrients, xenobiotics, metals, and water properties, including pH and conductivity) were more frequently reported than physical or biological stressors. A total of 53.3 % of the articles addressed the impact of urban stressors on macroinvertebrates, while 35.9 % focused on bacteria, 9.8 % on fungi, and 8.7 % on algae. Regarding ecosystem functions, almost half of the articles (43.5 %) addressed changes in community dynamics, 40.3 % addressed organic matter decomposition, and 33.9 % addressed nutrient cycling. When comparing urban and non-urban streams, the reviewed studies suggest that urbanisation negatively impacts the diversity of benthic organisms, leading to shifts in community composition. These changes imply functional degradation of streams. The results of the present review summarise the knowledge gained to date and identify its main gaps to help improve our understanding of urban streams.This study has received funding from the Iberian Association of Limnology (AIL) through the project URBIFUN (Urbanization effects on the relationship between microbial biodiversity and ecosystem functioning), awarded to Míriam Colls and Ferran Romero. Authors thank as well the Basque Government (Consolidated Research Group IT951-16) and the MERLIN project 101036337 – H2020-LC-GD-2020/H2020-LC-GD-2020-3.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio