Proyecto EXTREME-REEF. Investigación para la adaptación: conociendo los efectos de los eventos de climatología extrema en los arrecifes costeros. INFORME EJECUTIVO

El fin de este resumen ejecutivo es dar a conocer a los diferentes grupos de interés los principales resultados y conclusiones del proyecto EXTREME-REEF (cofinanciado por la fundación biodiversidad del ministerio para la transición ecológica y el reto demográfico) para que los gestores ambientales tengan información relevante que les ayude al diseño de estrategias eficientes de gestión ambiental orientadas a la conservación de este hábitat de interés comunitario en el marco actual de cambio global marcado por la emergencia climática

El estado ecológico de las plataformas de vermétidos afecta la cobertura de la especie exótica Caulerpa cylindracea

The seaweed Caulerpa cylindracea Sonder is one of the most important invaders on Mediterranean rocky shores. However, many driving pressures affecting its spread are poorly understood and seem to involve the interactions between abiotic and biotic factors. We studied the invasiveness of C. cylindracea on two shallow vermetid platforms with a contrasting ecological status on which C. cylindracea was first detected simultaneously 15 years ago. The cover values of C. cylindracea and the other macroalgal species were assessed for one year, embracing the whole platform width. Caulerpa cylindracea cover was higher on the platform that had a low ecological status, especially during warmer months at the outer seaward margin. The ecological status of the overstory of native species seems to be a key point conditioning the success of C. cylindracea invasiveness on these platforms.El alga Caulerpa cylindracea Sonder es una de las principales especies invasoras de las costas rocosas mediterráneas. Sin embargo, muchos condicionantes que afectan su proliferación son poco conocidos y parecen ser el resultado de la interacción entre factores bióticos y abióticos. Estudiamos la invasividad de C. cylindracea en dos plataformas de vermétidos que presentan un estado ecológico contrastado y en las que se detectó simultáneamente C. cylindracea hace 15 años. Los valores de cobertura de C. cylindracea y del resto de macroalgas fueron evaluados durante un año abarcando toda la anchura de la plataforma. La cobertura de C. cylindracea fue mayor en la plataforma que presentaba un pobre estado ecológico, especialmente durante los meses cálidos y en el margen externo y más expuesto de la plataforma. El estado ecológico del dosel, formado por las especies nativas, parece un condicionante clave en el éxito de la invasividad de C. cylindracea en estas plataformas de vermétidos.This work was partially funded by the project GRE14-19 of the University of Alicante

Mollusc-shell debris can mitigate the deleterious effects of organic pollution on marine sediments

1. Organic pollution is widespread in coastal areas and can have profound impacts on the seabed. Coastal sediments play an important role at a global scale in the recycling of organic matter, and this process is influenced by the habitat complexity of the sediments, among other factors. Mollusc shells are produced as a waste product from a range of anthropogenic activities, but we demonstrate that they can be used to increase the habitat complexity of sediments. 2. We studied the effect of mussel-shell debris (shell-hash) on the biogeochemical processes of marine sediments affected by organic pollution, using a mesocosm experiment simulating the bioturbation effects of macrofauna. 3. We found that shell-hash improved the ecological status of organically polluted sediments by reducing the accumulation of sulphide from anaerobic metabolic pathways. 4. Additionally, when shell-hash was present in an organically polluted sediment, there was a decrease in ammonium release to the water column, thus preventing the negative ecological consequences of eutrophication. 5. Synthesis and applications. Our study indicates that shell-hash debris can be used as a potential tool to mitigate the effects of organic enrichment on marine sediments. A density of shell-hash debris of 1900 g m-2 in the sediment can diminish toxic by-products (sulphides and ammonium) derived from the stimulation of anaerobic metabolic pathways by organic pollution, at levels that are biologically relevant. The mitigation effect of shell-hash is more pronounced in sediments where macrofauna is not present.This work has been funded by the projects: GRE14-19 from the University of Alicante, GV/2015/001 from the ‘Conselleria de Educación, Cultura y Deporte’ of the government of the Valencia region and CGL2015-70136-R from the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO/FEDER) of Spain. CS was funded by the contract ‘Juan de la Cierva’ (ref. JCI-2012-12413) from MINECO

Identificar el estado de afección del hábitat prioritario 1170 “Arrecifes” por presencia de basuras marinas, detectando zonas de especial acumulación

Este informe se deriva del proyecto de “Investigación y ciencia ciudadana para mejorar la gestión de la presencia de plásticos de las Áreas Marinas Protegidas (SOCIPLAS)” y se encuadra dentro del objetivo específico “Evaluar el nivel de contaminación de basuras marinas de gran tamaño en áreas marinas protegidas” y proviene a partir de los datos de la acción 1. En esta acción se han recopilado y analizado la información de bases de datos de basuras marinas obtenidas usando la tarjeta del MITECO y aplicaciones como MARNOBA en Áreas Marinas Protegidas, concretamente en el hábitat prioritario 1170 “Arrecifes” añadiendo la información recopilada en este proyecto

Estudio piloto de la interacción de las basuras marinas con la Pardela balear (Puffinus mauretanicus) para conocer el posible grado de afección

Este informe se deriva del proyecto de “Investigación y ciencia ciudadana para mejorar la gestión de la presencia de plásticos de las Áreas Marinas Protegidas (SOCIPLAS)” y se encuadra dentro del objetivo específico “Evaluar el nivel de contaminación de basuras marinas de gran tamaño en áreas marinas protegidas” y proviene a partir de los datos de la acción 1 y 3. En estas acciones se han recopilado y analizado la información de bases de datos de basuras marinas obtenidas usando la tarjeta del MITECO y aplicaciones como MARNOBA en Áreas Marinas Protegidas, y se han relacionado los datos con el área de distribución de la pardela balear (Puffinus mauretanicus) para conocer el grado de afección, prestando especial atención a aquellas basuras que pueden tener un mayor impacto en esta especie que se encuentra en peligro crítico de extinción según la Unión para la Conservación de la Naturaleza (UICN). Además, esta especie se encuentra en la directiva de conservación de aves silvestres de la unión europea (2009/147/CE)

A step towards the validation of bacteria biotic indices using DNA metabarcoding for benthic monitoring

Environmental genomics is a promising field for monitoring biodiversity in a timely fashion. Efforts have increasingly been dedicated to the use of bacteria DNA derived data to develop biotic indices for benthic monitoring. However, a substantial debate exists about whether bacteria‐derived data using DNA metabarcoding should follow, for example, a taxonomy‐based or a taxonomy‐free approach to marine bioassessments. Here, we showcase the value of DNA‐based monitoring using the impact of fish farming as an example of anthropogenic disturbances in coastal areas and compare the performance of taxonomy‐based and taxonomy‐free approaches in detecting environmental alterations. We analysed samples collected near to the farm cages and along distance gradients from two aquaculture installations, and at control sites, to evaluate the effect of this activity on bacterial assemblages. Using the putative response of bacterial taxa to stress we calculated the taxonomy‐based biotic index microgAMBI. The distribution of individual amplicon sequence variants (ASVs), as a function of a gradient in sediment acid volatile sulphides, was then used to derive a taxonomy‐free bacterial biotic index specific for this data set using a de novo approach based on quantile regression splines. Our results show that microgAMBI revealed a organically enriched environment along the gradient. However, the de novo biotic index outperformed microgAMBI by providing a higher discriminatory power in detecting changes in abiotic factors directly related to fish production, whilst allowing the identification of new ASVs bioindicators. The de novo strategy applied here represents a robust method to define new bioindicators in regions or habitats where no previous information about the response of bacteria to environmental stressors exists.This work was partially funded by the project CGL2015-70136-R from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) and the EU ERDF funding program. E.A. and S.C. are supported by funding from a collaboration between KAUST and Saudi Aramco within the framework of the Saudi Aramco –KAUST Center for Marine Environmental Observations. K.T.-G. is supported by Ministerio de Ciencia, Innnovación y Universidades through the Juan de la Cierva Incorporación program (IJCI-2017-34174)

Mussel Shells from Marine Aquaculture Act like Ecosystem Engineers: Legacy Effects on Benthic Communities

Ecosystem engineers are organisms that cause changes in the physical state of biotic and abiotic structures that modulate the availability of resources to other species, thus affecting biochemical cycles. Molluscs, especially bivalves such as mussels, are widespread in coastal environments and they are excellent ecosystem engineers because of the durability of their shells, which add complexity and heterogeneity to benthic environments. The presence of mussel farms favours the accumulation of shells in benthic environments and may influence surrounding bare sediments, with potential legacy effects on benthic communities. We studied the effects of the accumulation of mussel shells at finfish farms and mussel farms by experimentally comparing bare sediment and sediment with fragmented shells in terms of the abundance of the most relevant faunal groups, specifically polychaete families as well as physical–chemical variables in sediment water samples, specifically organic matter (OM), redox potential, and acid-volatile sulphides (AVS) NH4+ and PO43−. The experiment was replicated under two environmental conditions over a period of 35 days: eutrophic muddy sediments and oligotrophic sandy sediments. The OM and AVS values were significantly higher in the eutrophic sediment with mussel shells. Only NH4+ was positively affected by the mussel shells in the oligotrophic conditions. Differences between the two environments were observed, and the effect of the mussel shells on the polychaete assemblages was more significant in the oligotrophic conditions. Mussel shell accumulations affected the structure of benthic assemblages by modifying their heterogeneity and complexity, which suggests that the presence of mussel farms above bare sediment may affect ecosystem functioning. Aquaculture has potentially negative or positive effects that must be addressed on a large scale, considering the increased input of organic matter and also the simultaneous presence of mussel shell waste, both of which alter the surrounding environment. This is particularly important in oligotrophic sandy sediment.This research was funded by the project CGL2015-70136-R from the Spanish National Agency for Research (MINECO/FEDER)

Mussel shells from marine aquaculture act like ecosystem engineers: legacy effects on benthic communities

Ecosystem engineers are organisms that cause changes in the physical state of biotic and abiotic structures that modulate the availability of resources to other species, thus affecting biochemical cycles. Molluscs, especially bivalves such as mussels, are widespread in coastal environments and they are excellent ecosystem engineers because of the durability of their shells, which add complexity and heterogeneity to benthic environments. The presence of mussel farms favours the accumulation of shells in benthic environments and may influence surrounding bare sediments, with potential legacy effects on benthic communities. We studied the effects of the accumulation of mussel shells at finfish farms and mussel farms by experimentally comparing bare sediment and sediment with fragmented shells in terms of the abundance of the most relevant faunal groups, specifically polychaete families as well as physical–chemical variables in sediment water samples, specifically organic matter (OM), redox potential, and acid-volatile sulphides (AVS) NH4+ and PO43−. The experiment was replicated under two environmental conditions over a period of 35 days: eutrophic muddy sediments and oligotrophic sandy sediments. The OM and AVS values were significantly higher in the eutrophic sediment with mussel shells. Only NH4+ was positively affected by the mussel shells in the oligotrophic conditions. Differences between the two environments were observed, and the effect of the mussel shells on the polychaete assemblages was more significant in the oligotrophic conditions. Mussel shell accumulations affected the structure of benthic assemblages by modifying their heterogeneity and complexity, which suggests that the presence of mussel farms above bare sediment may affect ecosystem functioning. Aquaculture has potentially negative or positive effects that must be addressed on a large scale, considering the increased input of organic matter and also the simultaneous presence of mussel shell waste, both of which alter the surrounding environment. This is particularly important in oligotrophic sandy sediment.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad | Ref. CGL2015-70136-

Microsynthetics in waters of the South American Pantanal

Microplastics are an emerging global threat to freshwater ecosystems. There is a growing number of microplastic studies in wetlands and floodplains such as the Pantanal. Microplastics in the Pantanal’s water courses, lakes, and floodplains were sampled with a plankton net in 16 locations in the Pantanal lowlands at varying distances from their potential urban sources over 2 years. Microplastics from the water samples were separated from sediments and organic matter and examined under a stereomicroscope to be identified and counted. Visual determination was then confirmed by RAMAN spectrometry. We found 730 microplastics. The average ± std microplastic concentration was 38 ± 16 x/m3, ranging between 10 and 100 x/m3. Fibres, fragments, and films represented 68%, 28%, and 4%, respectively, of the total microplastics. Surprisingly, a synthetic blue fibre of non-identified composition accounted for 51.0% of the microplastics. Other identified polymers included PP (18.2%), PET (16.9%), PVC (5.1%), PVA (4.4%) and LDPE (4.4%). The blue fibres, PP, and PET were found at all sampling locations. Microplastic concentrations varied from 27 ± 12 x/m3 to 48 ± 21 x/m3 across the sampling sites. Microplastics’ average size was 0.51 ± 0.21 mm, ranging from 0.06 to 0.97 mm. In the study area, the average seasonal concentrations varied from 34 ± 11 to 43 ± 18 x/m3 during the 2 years study period (2018–2019). In lentic environments, the median concentrations (30 x/m3) were significantly lower than in the lotic ones (40 x/m3). Urban human activities are a potential source of microplastics as the concentration of these increased significantly with the population of the nearest human agglomeration. These results indicate widespread contamination of the Pantanal waters by microplastics. Furthermore, a microsynthetic of indeterminate composition is found everywhere in the Pantanal, and more research is urgently needed to determine its composition and sources. The contamination by micropolymers and other microsynthetics will likely impact the Pantanal biota and, eventually, humans living in these floodplains

Estado de la docencia universitaria en inglés y herramientas para facilitar su implantación

El inglés es la lengua vehicular de la ciencia y con el establecimiento del Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior su relevancia en el ámbito docente va a ir en aumento. Con el fin de conocer el nivel de inglés y las opiniones respecto a la enseñanza en este idioma, se realizaron unas encuestas a alumnos de la facultad de Ciencias en la Universidad de Alicante. A partir de los datos recopilados se obtuvo una estima del nivel de inglés del alumnado y sus principales inquietudes en esta materia. Los resultados de las encuestas fueron usados para diseñar propuestas que promuevan una mayor aceptación del inglés en las aulas y su integración progresiva en el ámbito académico. Las propuestas de este estudio se espera que ayuden a facilitar la implantación de la docencia en inglés en las universidades españolas y, en consecuencia, a la integración de éstas en el Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior