Estat de conservació de les praderies de Posidonia oceanica (Linnaeus) Delile, 1813 dins la Badia de Portocolom (Mallorca)

[cat] Posidonia oceanica (Linnaeus), Delile, 1813 és una fanerògama marina endèmica del Mediterrani que proporciona gran quantitat de serveis ecosistèmics i és clau per a la conservació de la biodiversitat. Com la majoria de la vegetació marina està en greu recessió. Una de les principals amenaces que afecten aquesta planta, juntament amb l’eutrofització i l’escalfament global, és el fondeig incontrolat. En aquest estudi fem una avaluació de l’estat de conservació de la praderia de P. oceanica situada davant la platja de s’Arenal a la badia de Portocolom afectada per fondeig incontrolat. La mitjana del percentatge de cobertura entre una fondària de 2 i 4.8 metres va ser de 44.2 ± 13.6 %, cobertures inferiors a les reportades anteriorment per aquesta zona. Les densitats van variar entre 392 i 576 feixos/m2, amb una mitjana de 508 ± 31 feixos/m2. Aquesta praderia té molt baixa densitat, o densitat anormal, indicant que està sotmesa a pressions que posen en perill el seu estat de conservació. Vam poder estimar el nombre de feixos arrabassats per una àncora d’un vaixell d’uns 15 metres d’eslora, que va ser de 165 ± 31 feixos. Aquesta praderia necessitaria 5 anys en condicions òptimes per poder recolonitzar l’àrea arrabassada per aquesta àncora. Una estima del carboni alliberat per l’efecte del fondeig d’aquesta àncora revelaria que 915 g de carboni quedaria disponible i podria ser alliberat a l’atmosfera.[eng] Posidonia oceanica (Linnaeus), Delile, 1813 is an endemic Mediterranean seagrass that provides multiple ecosystem services and is a key species for biodiversity conservation. Like most submerged vegetation, this key habitat is regressing alarmingly. One of the main threats affecting this seagrass, together with eutrophication and global warming, is uncontrolled anchoring. Here, we evaluate the conservation status of the P. oceanica meadow in front of s’Arenal beach in Portocolom Bay that is affected by uncontrolled anchoring. The mean cover percentage at depths between 2 and 4.8 meters was 44.2 ± 13.6 %, lower than previously reported for this area. Densities varied between 392 and 576 shoots/m2, with an average of 508 ± 31 shoots/m2. This is a very low, or even an abnormal, density, indicating that this meadow is subject to pressures that are threatening its conservation. We could estimate the number of shoots that were torn off by the action of anchoring of a 15 m long boat: 165 ± 31 shoots. This meadow would require 5 years of optimal conditions to be able to recolonize the area removed by the action of this anchoring. An estimate of the carbon released by the action of this anchoring was 915 g of carbon that could become available and could be released to the atmosphere

Fish assemblages of an artificial reef in Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile, 1813 meadow off the southern Balearic Islands (western Mediterranean)

The fish assemblage associated with an artificial reef composed of small blocks (12 m³) with high structural complexity set in a Posidonia oceanica (L) Delile, 1813 meadow has been studied for 2 years by means of visual censuses. The fish assemblage was dominated qualitatively by species with medium home ranges living; in the surrounding areas of the blocks (mainly Labridae species), and numerically by schooling mid water species. After 38 months of deployment the progressive colonisation of species living on the blocks and the surrounding areas was still ongoing. The colonisation process interacts with seasonal changes, and no clear variations in the fish community variables were observed. The type of block used and the situation of the reef seem inappropriate to the aims for which it was deployed.La evolución de la comunidad íctica de un arrecife artificial situado sobre pradera de Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile, 1813 y formado por pequeños bloques (12 m³) de gran complejidad estructural se ha estudiado mediante censos visuales durante dos años. Cualitativamente la comunidad íctica está dominada por especies con desplazamientos medios que viven en las proximidades de los módulos (principalmente lábridos) y cuantitativamente por especies gregarias que se distribuyen en la columna de agua. A los 38 meses del fondeo del arrecife aun se observa la colonización de los bloques por especies que viven en sus proximidades o sobre los mismos. El proceso de colonización interacciona con las variaciones estacionales, no observándose una tendencia clara en los parámetros poblacionales. El tipo de módulo utilizado y la localización del arrecife no parecen ser apropiados para la consecución de los objetivos perseguidos en su inmersión.Instituto Español de Oceanografí

Stock assessment of Mullus surmuletus from GFCM GSA-05 (Balearic Islands)

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Short spatio-temporal variations in the population dynamics and biology of the deep-water rose shrimp Parapenaeus longirostris (Decapoda: Crustacea) in the western Mediterranean

The deep-water rose shrimp Parapenaeus longirostris is a demersal decapod crustacean that is commercially exploited by trawl fleets. The present work compares its population dynamics, biology and condition in two locations (southern and north-western Mallorca in the Balearic Islands, western Mediterranean, separated by a distance of 120 km) with different environmental conditions and explores the relationships between the species and certain environmental factors. Six multidisciplinary bimonthly surveys were carried out during 2003 and 2004 in these two locations (between 150 and 750 m depth) in order to collect data on the demersal species with bottom trawl, the hydrography (temperature and salinity) with CTD casts, and trophic resources (zooplankton in the water column and suprabenthos with Bongo net and Macer-GIROQ sledge respectively) and sediments with a Shipeck dredge. The trawl fleets from both locations were monitored by monthly on board sampling and daily landings obtained from sales bills. Additional data was obtained from other trawl surveys. Temporal differences were detected both annually, with a decreasing trend over the last years in species abundance, and seasonally, in the biological indexes analysed. Bathymetric differences were also found in abundance, mean length, sex-ratio and condition of females. There were clear differences between the two locations studied, with higher abundance, condition and mean length and a lower length at first maturity for females in the north-western location. Trophic conditions could act as a link between geo-physical and biological changes. These short spatio-temporal differences could be due to the higher productivity found at this location, with higher density of preferred prey for the studied species together with adequate seafloor topography, sediment composition and hydrographical characteristicsPublicado

L’atenció de la cronicitat a les Illes Balears, una oportunitat

Els canvis en el patró poblacional representat per l’envelliment, en el patró epidemiològic evidenciat per la presència de les malalties cròniques, la discapacitat o la dependència i les dificultats econòmiques actuals, condicionen el model d’atenció sanitària i social tal com el coneixem actualment i orienta el conjunt a un nou paradigma assistencial —l’atenció de la cronicitat. Des de diferents àmbits, es manifesta que si es manté el sistema actual poden sorgir dificultats per sostenir-lo, i es proposen canvis tant en l’organització sanitària (molt orientada als pacients aguts) com en la social per tal d’adaptar-lo al nou model en què l’atenció primària i la gestió de pacients crònics assumeixin més protagonisme sense necessitar més recursos, i en què els usuaris adoptin un paper més proactiu envers la salut i l’autonomia pròpies.Changes in the demographic and epidemiologic pattern due to aging, pattern –evidenced by the presence of chronic illnesses, disability or dependence– in combination with the present economic hardship are affecting the health and social care system as we know it, and point to the need for a new attention paradigm focusing on chronicity., The claim is being made from different angles and if the present system is kept, its sustainability may be difficult. Thus, changes have been proposed both in health —highly oriented to acute care today— and social organization, to adapt it to the new model where primary care and chronic patients’ management play a major role —without demanding extra resources— and where users become more involved in their own health and autonomy

Transcending capitalism growth strategies for biodiversity conservation

The search of unlimited economic growth to fuel capitalism's metabolism has profoundly transformed a large portion of the Earth. The derived environmental destruction has led to a biodiversity loss at an unprecedented rate. Following the large-scale losses of habitats and species, it was recognized that biodiversity is crucial in maintaining ecosystems. Since the 1970s a global sustainability agenda was set to develop different types of sustainable development (SD) related milestones, including Green-Blue Economic Growth which despite not specifically addressing the biodiversity issues served to reinforce the idea that economic development based on profit is compatible with our planet's ecology. Only after biodiversity literature became mainstream in the early 2000s a global biodiversity agenda was implemented. The agenda highlights biodiversity conservation as a major international challenge and finally recognizes that the main drivers for biodiversity loss derive from economic activities. Much alike pre-, the post-2000 biodiversity agendas, including the 2030 Agenda for SD and post-2020 Convention on Biological Diversity Global Strategy Framework, are based on SD principles, and do not consider the negative impacts of growth-oriented strategies on biodiversity. As a result, the global biodiversity conservation priorities are governed by the biodiversity's economic value and its assumed contribution to people's welfare. While pointing to a body of empirical evidence that unlimited economic growth is the main driver of biodiversity loss in the Anthropocene, we strongly argue for sustainable degrowth and a fundamental shift in societal values. An equitable downscaling of the physical economy can improve ecological conditions, reducing biodiversity loss, while enhancing our well-being. This paper attempts to reinforce the debate on the contradictions between growth and biodiversity within the biology conservation literature, as well as invite scholars to engage in this discussion to reverse the biodiversity crisis searching and applying alternative strategies.Preprin

Effets de la protection sur la structure démographique et l’abondance d’Epinephelus marginatus (Lowe, 1834). L’exemple du Parc national de l’archipel des îles Cabrera (Méditerranée centre-ouest)

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