Current occurrence of the Atlantic Sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus in Northern Spain: a new prospect for Sturgeon conservation in Western Europe

Acipenser oxyrinchus is considered extirpated in Europe, but numerous breeding populations still exist on the Atlantic coast of North America. An adult female A. oxyrinchus, 2500 mm total length and 120 kg wet weight, was accidentally fished on 24 November 2010 near the coast of Gijón, Asturias, Spain. The fish was identified by its morphological pattern as well as by mitochondrial and nuclear DNA analyses. Because the sturgeon was found far away from any known breeding area, it was considered a stray or vagrant specimen. It certainly has a natural origin, but its eventual birthplace could not be determined. Because its current occurrence was unknown in southwestern Europe until now, the species is not cataloged or protected in this area. Therefore, the residual European stocks of A. oxyrinchus ought to be listed as Critically Endangered (CR) according to the IUCN categories. Likewise, it is imperative for southwestern European countries with an historic or recent occurrence of A. oxyrinchus to protect the species through domestic and international legislation. The present sympatric occurrence of A. sturio and A. oxyrinchus raises new challenges about key questions, such as the species selection for restoration program in European countries. Accurate monitoring is mandatory to obtain appropriate information for an assessment of the current occurrence of A. oxyrinchus in southwestern Europe

Determinants of large-scale spatial distribution and seasonal microhabitat selection patterns of the endangered freshwater blenny Salaria fluviatilis in the Ebro River basin, Spain

The freshwater blenny Salaria fluviatilis is an endangered fish species with populations that are in rapid decline, largely owing to habitat degradation caused by human activity. This situation highlights the urgent need to develop measures for the conservation and recovery of the species based on a deep understanding of its specific habitat requirements. 2. In this study, spatial distribution and habitat selection patterns were investigated to determine the limiting factors for the species at different times of the year and at different spatial scales, from macro to microhabitats. 3. The presence of the freshwater blenny was assessed at 127 sites in the Ebro River basin, Spain, between 2002 and 2012. It was only detected at 25 sites, corresponding to the intermediate and lower reaches of medium-sized tributaries and in the main river, in accordance with the ecology of the species. Whether the species was present depended on the physicochemical, habitat and biological conditions of the study sites. Freshwater blenny was very sensitive to organic pollution and eutrophication, the deterioration of substrate composition and channel structure, and the degradation of aquatic and riparian vegetation. 4. Freshwater blenny showed a selective use of microhabitat locations with high current velocity, linked to gravel or cobble substrate. It was also observed that the species is capable of adapting its selection behaviour to the flow-mediated seasonal changes in its physical environment. 5. Although the results presented indicate that the species is not a microhabitat specialist, individual survival is likely to be dependent on the availability of key microhabitats, which must be protected against detrimental human activity

Seasonal patterns of microhabitat selection in the Southern Iberian spined-loach Cobitis paludica

The Southern Iberian spined-loach Cobitis paludica is an Iberian endemism threatened by human activities, including habitat destruction. For this reason, the development of conservation and the recovery plans for the species calls for a precise knowledge of its habitat requirements. Here, microhabitat use and selection patterns were investigated to determine the limiting factors for the species in diferent seasons, corresponding to a gradient in fow conditions. The microhabitat of the loach was analysed in the River Jarama (Tagus River basin, central Spain) in the period of maximum activity between March and September 2013. No signifcant diferences in microhabitat use were found between males and females, and only very weak ontogenetic changes were detected. The microhabitat used by the loach varied signifcantly throughout the study period, generally adapting to the fow-mediated dynamics of available habitat. The most stable pattern throughout the year was the use of very low water velocities. Additionally, the loach made selective use of certain microhabitat features, with slight adjustments to the seasonally changing habitat conditions. The loach signifcantly selected positions with abundant silt substrate and aquatic vegetation, and avoided coarser substrates. The availability of fne substrates and abundant vegetation is therefore a critical habitat requirement for the loach, which needs instream structures that provide foraging substrate, refuge and safe positions for spawning. Selection of refuge elements (deep habitats, aquatic vegetation) was especially apparent under low-fow conditions. Human activities leading to the loss of these critical microhabitats may threaten the survival of already scarce loach populations

Desarrollo de metodologías activas y trabajo no presencial en las asignaturas Biogeografía y Biología Evolutiva

Los objetivos del proyecto fueron la discusión, preparación, puesta en práctica y valoración de metodologías activas en la enseñanza de aspectos concretos seleccionados del temario oficial de las asignaturas Biogeografía y Biología Evolutiva del segundo y tercer cursos del Grado en Biología

Aplicación de metodología activa y aprendizaje inverso en asignaturas del Grado en Biología en el contexto de un modelo de enseñanza no presencial

Desarrollo de metodologías activas y aprendizaje inverso en asignaturas del Grado en Biología, mediante contenidos elaborados por los alumnos de manera independiente y no presencial a partir de materiales docentes propuestos por el profesor

Puesta en práctica de metodologías activas en la enseñanza de la asignatura Biología Evolutiva

Depto. de Biodiversidad, Ecología y EvoluciónFac. de Ciencias BiológicasFALSEsubmitte

Provisional atlas of the freshwater fishes of Alicante (E. Spain)

Se presentan el catálogo y el atlas provisional de los peces continentales de Alicante. Los datos de distribución se ofrecen en mapas de reticulado U. T. M. de 10 x 10 km, donde se distinguen las citas anteriores y posteriores a 1970.The checklist and a provisional atlas of the freshwater fish species occurring in Alicante (E. Spain) are presented. The known records of every species are offered in U. T. M. grid maps. The 10 x 10 km squares are labelled with different symbols for pre- and post-1970 records.Este trabajo ha contado con una ayuda del Instituto de Cultura "Juan Gil-Albert" de la Excma. Diputación Provincial de Alicante

Estudio de la clasificación de los distintos grupos de vertebrados a través de la base de datos virtual del Museo de Anatomía Comparada de Vertebrados (MACV)

Desde hace más de treinta años, el Museo de Anatomía Comparada de Vertebrados (MACV) de la Facultad de Biología viene reuniendo una considerable cantidad de ejemplares y preparados anatómicos destinados a la formación de su alumnado en este campo de la Zoología

Optimal harvest regulations under conflicting tradeoffs between conservation and recreational fishery objectives

Length-based harvest regulations alter the fishing-induced demographic and evolutionary trajectories of exploited stocks and thus shape the existing tradeoffs among fishery and conservation objectives. We used a structurally realistic eco-genetic individual-based harvest model that implements dynamic angling mortality and cryptic mortality sources (illegal harvest and hooking mortality). We (1) analyzed the effects of alternative length-based harvest regulations under scenarios involving different combinations of exploitation intensity and hooking mortality on a suite of indicators of fishery performance and conservation status of a freshwater fish stock, and (2) determined the regulations that optimize the tradeoff among selected indicators under different management strategies, and fishery and conservation objectives. Fishing scenarios under a maximum-length limit regulation maximized harvest yield but led always to recruitment overfishing, irrespective of the exploitation and hooking mortality rates simulated. Fishing scenarios under a harvest slot limits regulation (HS) were best at maintaining a high status of old, large, fecund fish and a more natural age-structure with higher biomass and reproductive potential, performing increasingly better than minimum-length limit (MLL) regulations with decreasing hooking mortality. Both regulation types were effective at preventing overexploitation and only under scenarios with low restrictiveness and high exploitation intensity and hooking mortality was the stock at risk of recruitment overfishing. MLLs outperformed HS regulations in terms of fishery performance, consistently presenting greater harvest yield and efficiency, and size of harvested fish. High rates of hooking mortality rendered HS regulations less effective than assumed, so they were always outperformed by MLLs irrespective of the management strategy and objectives. When hooking mortality was low, HSs constituted the optimal regulation type in most cases except when high fishery performance was favoured over conservation objectives or harvest of large fish was regarded as critically important

Ontogenetic and spatial variations in brown trout habitat selection

Habitat quality and quantity determine many biological processes and traits that directly affect the population dynamics of stream fishes. Understanding how habitat selection is adjusted to different ecological conditions is essential to improve predictive modelling of population dynamics. We describe brown trout Salmo trutta summer habitat selection patterns through univariate and multivariate habitat selection functions across defined river reach typologies. We sampled 44 sites and performed a principal component analysis that defined eight reach types differing in both local site and catchment‐scale physical features. We observed ontogenetic changes in habitat selection, as trout preferred deeper and slower flowing water as they increased in size. Likewise, selectivity for different types of structural habitat elements changed through ontogeny. Both patterns were consistent across reach types. Moreover, we detected spatial variations in habitat selection patterns within age‐classes among different reach types. Our results indicate that brown trout is a habitat generalist and suggest that spatial variations in habitat selection patterns are driven by physical and environmental factors operating at multiple spatial scales.Depto. de Biodiversidad, Ecología y EvoluciónFac. de Ciencias BiológicasTRUEpu