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The settlement of cold and arid environments by Pleistocene hunter-gatherers has been a heated topic in Paleolithic Archaeology and the Quaternary Sciences for years. In the Iberian Peninsula, a key area for studying human adaptations to such environments is composed by the large interior and upland regions of the northern and southern plateaus (Mesetas) and bordering areas. As, traditionally, these regions have been relatively under-investigated compared to the ecologically more favored coastal areas of the peninsula, our knowledge of the human settlement of the whole Iberian hinterland remains scarce for the Last Glacial. In this paper we present the discovery and first geoarcheological, paleoenvironmental and chronometric evidence obtained at Charco Verde II, a new site close to the southwestern foothills of the Iberian system range (Guadalajara province, Spain), bearing a sequence of Magdalenian human occupations starting at least at 20.8-21.4 ka cal BP during the Last Glacial Maximum, and covering Greenland Stadial 2 until ∼15.1-16.6 ka cal BP, including Heinrich stadial 1. As this site is located in an upland region which today faces one of the harshest climates in Iberia, such occupation sequence, occurred during some of the coldest and most arid phases of the Last Glacial, has relevant implications for our understanding of human-environment-climate interactions and population dynamics in Iberia and Western Europe. These findings support the hypothesis that the Iberian hinterland was not avoided by Upper Paleolithic hunter-gatherers due to ecological constraints, but it hosted a complex and relatively dense settlement at least in some areas, even during cold periods. This suggest, one more time, that the historical scarcity of Upper Paleolithic sites in inland Iberia is, to a significant extent, an artifact of research bias., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Aragoncillo-del Río et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Simple Summary: Chestnut cultivation makes it possible to invigorate the economy of many rural areas in Europe. The chestnut gall wasp Dryocosmus kuriphilus is a serious invasive pest that causes severe damage to chestnut cultivation worldwide. Its rapid spread across Europe endangers the continuity of the entire chestnut industry. Despite this growing concern, scarce attention has been paid to the status of D. kuriphilus in its southernmost distributional range in continental Europe and limited knowledge on the factors modelling their populations is available. In this study, we assessed spatio-temporal patterns in the population dynamics, phenology and tree damage in southern Spain, and further evaluated the relationship between these variables and thermal trends. Strong variation in the population dynamics and flight phenology was found both among localities and over time, which was influenced by differences in thermal regimes. Similarly, tree damage evolved differently over time in each locality, thus suggesting that local conditions may determine significant differences in damage evolution. Our work contributes to a better understanding of this pest in countries throughout the Mediterranean basin and can be useful for further improvement of control and management strategies. The invasive chestnut gall wasp (CGW), Dryocosmus kuriphilus, the worst pest of chestnut cultivation, has spread worryingly throughout Europe in less than 20 years. Despite the great concern around this pest, little is known about the status in its southernmost distribution in continental Europe. We assessed spatio-temporal patterns in the population dynamics, phenology and tree damage caused by CGW in southern Spain. Likewise, the relationship between these variables and thermal trends was evaluated. We found strong variation in the population dynamics and flight phenology among localities and over time, which were highly influenced by changes in thermal regimes. Specifically, warmer localities and vegetative periods promoted higher population densities, a partial increase in the survival of immature stages, and advanced flight activity. Moreover, tree damage evolved differently over time in each locality, which suggests that local conditions may determine differences in damage evolution. Our findings evidence that great spatio-temporal variability in the CGW populations takes place across invaded areas in its southernmost European distributional range. Although control mechanisms have been introduced, implementation of further control and management measures are critical to cope with this main threat for the chestnut industry and to prevent its spread to nearing chestnut-producing areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the relationship between migratory performance and fitness is crucial for predicting population dynamics of migratory species. In this study, we used geolocators to explore migration performance (speed and duration of migratory movements, migratory timings) and its association with breeding phenology and productivity in an Afro-Palearctic insectivore, the European bee-eater (Merops apiaster), breeding in Iberian Peninsula. Bee-eaters migrated at higher travel speeds and had shorter travel duration in spring compared to autumn. Individuals that departed earlier or spent fewer days in-flight arrived earlier to the breeding areas. Our results show overall positive, but year-specific, linkages between arrival and laying dates. In one year, laying was earlier and productivity was higher, remaining constant throughout the season, while in the subsequent year productivity was lower and, importantly, declined with laying date. These results suggest that arriving earlier can be advantageous for bee-eaters, as in years when breeding conditions are favourable, early and late breeders produce high and similar number of fledglings, but when conditions are unfavourable only early breeders experience high productivity levels., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

• Delottococcus aberiae is an invasive citrus pest in Europe and its predators are still unknown. • This study evaluated the potential use of Cryptolaemus montrouzieri as a biological control agent of D. aberiae. • Their seasonal trends were synchronized but the predator did not prevent fruit damage. • The abundance of C. montrouzieri in summer affected the increase of D. aberiae density the following year. • The utilization of C. montrouzieri might be considered complementary to classical biological control. Delottococcus aberiae De Lotto (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) is one of the latest invasive mealybugs in Europe. It causes severe fruit distortion and reduced fruit size leading into important economic losses in citrus. Cryptolaemus montrouzieri (Mulsant) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) is probably one of the most-used predators of mealybugs in biological control programs worldwide. However, its impact on D. aberiae is still unknown. Here, we conducted a two-year field study in nine citrus orchards located in eastern Spain in order to describe the population dynamics of D. aberiae and C. montrouzieri and evaluate the effect of the predator on D. aberiae using different approaches. Our results showed that C. montrouzieri and D. aberiae had two main synchronised population peaks per year: early spring and summer. Although D. aberiae and C. montrouzieri seasonal trends were synchronised, C. montrouzieri neither reduced mealybug density within the same year nor prevented fruit damage, which occurs early in the season. Moreover, D. aberiae population growth rates were not correlated with C. montrouzieri density. When two consecutive years were analyzed, the increase of D. aberiae in the second year was negatively correlated with the density of C. montrouzieri in summer of the previous year. Based on our two years of data, C. montrouzieri was not able to regulate D. aberiae on its own or prevent the damages produced by the mealybug but might become a valuable addition to the natural enemy guild when combined with other natural enemies and rational control measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The displacement of species from equatorial latitudes to temperate locations following the increase in sea surface temperatures is among the significant reported consequences of climate change. Shifts in the distributional ranges of species result in fish communities tropicalisation, i.e., high latitude colonisations by typically low latitude distribution species. These movements create new interactions between species and new trophic assemblages. The Senegal seabream, Diplodus bellottii, may be used as a model to understand the population genetics of these invasions. In the last decades, this species has undergone an outstanding range expansion from its African area of origin to the Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula, where now occurs abundantly. Mitochondrial and nuclear markers revealed a striking high haplotypic nucleotide and genetic diversity values, along with significant population differentiation throughout the present-day geographical range of the Senegal seabream. These results are not consistent with the central-marginal hypothesis, nor with the expectations of a leptokurtic distribution of individuals, as D. bellottii seems to be able to retain exceptional levels of diversity in marginal and recently colonised areas. We discuss possible causes for hyperdiversity and lack of geographical structure and subsequent implications for fisheries.

Psyllids (Hemiptera: Psylloidea) can transmit the phloem restricted bacterium 'Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum' (Lso). In Europe, Lso causes severe losses to carrot and represents a threat to the potato industry. A rising concern is Lso transmission from carrot to potato and within potato, and this has driven the need for monitoring populations of psyllid species which could serve as vectors on both crops. This would provide a fundamental understanding of the epidemiology of Lso. Different sampling methods were used to survey populations of psyllid species in commercial carrot and potato fields in central and eastern mainland Spain from 2015 to 2017. Two psyllid species, Bactericeratrigonica and Bactericeranigricornis were found on carrot and potato crops. In carrot fields the most abundant species was B.trigonica (occurring from crop emergence to harvest); whereas in potato crops the most abundant psyllid species was B.nigricornis. Depending on field location, the maximum psyllid populations occurred between June and October. Since B.nigricornis was found on both carrot and potato and is the only psyllid species able to feed and reproduce on both these crops in Europe, there is the potential risk of Lso transmission from carrot to potato. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last decades roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) populations have increased in number and distribution throughout Europe. Such increases have profound impacts on ecosystems, both positive and negative. Therefore monitoring roe deer populations is essential for the appropriate management of this species, in order to achieve a balance between conservation and mitigation of the negative impacts. Despite being required for an effective management plan, the study of roe deer ecology in Portugal is at an early stage, and hence there is still a complete lack of knowledge of roe deer density within its known range. Distance sampling of pellet groups coupled with production and decay rates for pellet groups provided density estimates for roe deer in northeastern Portugal (Lombada National Hunting Area--LNHA, Serra de Montesinho--SM and Serra da Nogueira--SN; LNHA and SM located in Montesinho Natural Park). The estimated roe deer density using a stratified detection function was 1.23/100 ha for LNHA, 4.87/100 ha for SM and 4.25/100 ha in SN, with 95% confidence intervals (CI) of 0.68 to 2.21, 3.08 to 7.71 and 2.25 to 8.03, respectively. For the entire area, the estimated density was about 3.51/100 ha (95% CI - 2.26-5.45). This method can provide estimates of roe deer density, which will ultimately support management decisions. However, effective monitoring should be based on long-term studies that are able to detect population fluctuations. This study represents the initial phase of roe deer monitoring at the edge of its European range and intends to fill the gap in this species ecology, as the gathering of similar data over a number of years will provide the basis for stronger inferences. Monitoring should be continued, although the study area should be increased to evaluate the accuracy of estimates and assess the impact of management actions.

Phylogeography of the mitochondrial lineages commonly found in Western Europe can be interpreted in the light of a postglacial resettlement of the continent. The center of this proposal lies in the Franco-Cantabrian glacial refuge, located in the northern Iberian Peninsula and Southwestern France. Recently, this interpretation has been confronted by the unexpected patterns of diversity found in some European haplogroups. To shed new lights on this issue, research on Iberian populations is crucial if events behind the actual genetics of the European continent are to be untangled. In this regard, the region of Asturias has not been extensively studied, despite its convoluted history with prolonged periods of isolation. As mitochondrial DNA is a kind of data that has been commonly used in human population genetics, we conducted a thorough regional study in which we collected buccal swabs from 429 individuals with confirmed Asturian ancestry. The joint analysis of these sequences with a large continent-wide database and previously published diversity patterns allowed us to discuss a new explanation for the population dynamics inside the Franco-Cantabrian area, based on range expansion theory. This approximation to previously contradictory findings has made them compatible with most proposals about the postglacial resettlement of Western Europe.

Despite a commitment by the European Union to protect its migratory bat populations, conservation efforts are hindered by a poor understanding of bat migratory strategies and connectivity between breeding and wintering grounds. Traditional methods like mark-recapture are ineffective to study broad-scale bat migratory patterns. Stable hydrogen isotopes (δD) have been proven useful in establishing spatial migratory connectivity of animal populations. Before applying this tool, the method was calibrated using bat samples of known origin. Here we established the potential of δD as a robust geographical tracer of breeding origins of European bats by measuring δD in hair of five sedentary bat species from 45 locations throughout Europe. The δD of bat hair strongly correlated with well-established spatial isotopic patterns in mean annual precipitation in Europe, and therefore was highly correlated with latitude. We calculated a linear mixed-effects model, with species as random effect, linking δD of bat hair to precipitation δD of the areas of hair growth. This model can be used to predict breeding origins of European migrating bats. We used δ(13)C and δ(15)N to discriminate among potential origins of bats, and found that these isotopes can be used as variables to further refine origin predictions. A triple-isotope approach could thereby pinpoint populations or subpopulations that have distinct origins. Our results further corroborated stable isotope analysis as a powerful method to delineate animal migrations in Europe.

We studied the isonymic structure of Western Europe using the distributions of 26.2 million surnames in 8 countries, 125 regions and 2094 towns of the Subcontinent. We found that, for the whole of Western Europe, Nei's distance was correlated with geographic distance (r=0.610+/-0.009). It was observed that at long geographic distances the isonymyc distance stays below linearity and tends to become asymptotic, and this was attributed to long distance migration. A dendrogram of the125 regions was built and the clusters identified by the dendrogram are almost exactly coincident with the nations of the Subcontinent. Random inbreeding calculated from isonymy, F(ST), was highest in Spanish regions, and lowest in France. The geographical distribution of alpha in 2094 towns, high in the Center and East of the Subcontinent and lower in Spain, is compatible with the settlement of subsequent waves of migrants moving from the West and from the South toward the centre of the Continent. The present surname structure of Western Europe is strictly linked to local languages.

"This paper provides interpretation of the changing patterns of internal migration in Spain at the inter-provincial scale, and new analysis of age-specific migration during the 1980s using a 10% sample of anonymised records from the 1991 census. Schedules of age-specific gross migration rates are constructed and classified according to their shape and level relative to the national schedule, and the relationships between in-migration and out-migration rates are examined for four selected age groups to demonstrate how aggregate patterns of inter-provincial migration conceal a wide diversity of age specific experience.", (excerpt)

"This paper compares regional patterns of leaving home in Spain during the 1970s and 1980s based on analysis of the 1991 Spanish Sociodemographic Survey. The purpose of this analysis is to demonstrate that while nationally Spain is representative of a southern European pattern of leaving home, (i.e. relatively late and closely associated with partnership formation), there is considerable regional variation in timing, incidence and initial destinations on leaving home. These differences are explored using hazard rates of leaving home by destination and birth cohort for 11 Spanish regions.", (excerpt)

"This paper studies northern European retired immigrants, using data generated by a questionnaire survey of 300 respondents and in-depth interviews with 20 people in 13 municipalities. Reasons for moving to Spain, the advantages and disadvantages reported of living there, and the perceived impacts on the local region were analysed, paying particular attention to cross-national differences between British, German, Benelux and Nordic retirees. The results show that sociodemographic and economic features of the settlers tend to be quite similar, whilst reasons for moving, stated advantages and disadvantages, and consequences and impacts exhibit some cross-national differentiation.", (excerpt)

"The article presents a brief overview of the historical study of the family in Spain, and deals with household work patterns, labor migration, adaptive strategies of households, and property devolution. From a belated and rater timid beginnings in the early part of the 1980s, the growth of this field in recent years has been noteworthy. The articles included in this volume are fitting testimony to the maturity achieved by this discipline in a very short amount of time. There are many important methodological and conceptual challenges facing family historians in Spain today. If they are able to respond to them successfully, the future of the discipline will be a bright one indeed.", (excerpt)

"This article analyzes the migration strategies of those social groups making up the labor supply during the first phase of industrialization in the Basque Country (1877-1910), which was one of the most industrialized regions of the northern part of Spain. Migration is estimated by sex, marital status, and origin and interpreted within the context of family decision-making. The article also deals with the expectations among potential migrants by the areas of destination. The study of the labor market, from the standpoint of job specialization, will enable us to know more about the profile of a typical migrant, and the family as a protagonist in migratory flows.", (excerpt)

"Immigration is one of the more controversial areas in the history of European integration. Whilst northern European countries have been constructing elaborate compromises in the European Union (EU) Treaties and in the Schengen group, southern European countries have been trying to construct their own immigration policies. Little attention has been paid in the literature to the relationship between these two phenomena: it is suggested here that southern countries have found it expedient to fit in with EU and Schengen arrangements, even though these appear impossible to implement. This contradiction is seen as intrinsic to the overall relations of Portugal, Spain, Italy and Greece to the EU.", (excerpt)

"The purpose of this paper is to identify which regional economic factors influence male migration decisions [in Spain], taking into account personal characteristics....[We present] evidence on the importance...of the person's situation, in particular: (i) family characteristics, such as being married to a working woman, having children, or living with relatives (ii) personal factors such as education or age, and (iii) own employment situation such as being registered as unemployed as opposed to non-registered, or being self-employed.", (excerpt)

The extent to which counterurbanization is affecting rural population dynamics in southern Europe is explored using the example of Andalucia, Spain. "The purpose of this paper is to ask, in the context of Andalucia, whether an emergent counterurbanization trend is evident in a traditional area of rural population decline in southern Europe. More broadly, it raises questions about whether the concept counterurbanization helps or hinders our understanding of rural migration.", (excerpt)

"The Spanish emigration to America along three centuries divided in two periods of equal length is analyzed. Between 1493 and 1650 roughly four hundred thousand people emigrated, mostly from Andalusia, Extremadura and New Castile.... The bulk of emigrants came from urban middle strata and settled in towns. Emigration between 1650 and 1810 is estimated at roughly a quarter million people, whereby military men, colonists and public servants sent at public expense become relevant, as well as merchants travelling on their own.... Throughout the three centuries, the emigration of Spaniards was mostly of [a] spontaneous nature." (SUMMARY IN ENG), (excerpt)