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Biological invasions are of special conservation concern in the Iberian Peninsula and other regions with high levels of endemism. Environmental variability, such as the seasonal fluctuations of Mediterranean streams, is a key factor that affects the spread of aquatic species in novel habitats. Fish parasites have a great potential to reflect such changes in the habitat features of freshwater ecosystems. The aim of this study consisted of seasonally analysing the health status and parasitological traits of non-native fish in Iberian waters. In particular, a strongly invasive population of Languedoc minnow Phoxinus septimaniae (leuciscid species native to south-east France) was assessed in Tordera Stream (north-eastern Iberian Peninsula, Mediterranean conditions). Fish were sampled in April, July, and October 2023 by electrofishing. Health status (external/internal organs) was significantly better in autumn (HAI = 28.8) than spring (HAI = 35.6). Life-cycle complexity was higher in spring (LCI = 1.98), whereas parasite abundance and Shannon diversity were significantly lower in autumn (TA = 19.6 and H’ = 2.15, respectively). In October (more ‘benign’ environmental conditions in Iberian streams), minnows could display elevated foraging activity, with fish increasing their health condition and level of parasite resistance/tolerance. Overall results showed a particular seasonal profile of health and parasite infra-communities that allow this minnow species to thrive under highly fluctuating habitat conditions. This information could help environmental managers to control non-native fish in Mediterranean streams.

1. Invasive fishes are a major environmental issue at the global scale, particularly for their impacts on freshwater ecosystems via the mechanisms of hybridisation, competition, predation, and disease transmission. This is of special conservation concern on the Iberian Peninsula due to the high level of endemism. With the aim to improve our knowledge on the invasion process of non-native fishes, the present study consists of analysing key biological traits potentially related to their colonisation capacity: morphology, parasite communities, and genetic diversity. 2. A non-native population of Languedoc minnow Phoxinus septimaniae (leuciscid species native to south-east France) was assessed in Tordera Stream (north-eastern Iberian Peninsula). Fish were sampled in mid-May (reproductive period) 2018 and 2019. Biological traits were compared between colonising and resident individuals from stream reaches of intermittent and perennial flow, respectively. 3. After adjusting for fish size/body mass with analysis of covariance, body condition and health status (external and internal examination) tended to be better in the intermittent reach. Parasite load (number) and diversity (Shannon index) were significantly higher in the perennial reach. Fish development was also more stable in colonising minnow, as detected by low levels of fluctuating asymmetry for the eye diameter and the length of pectoral fins (adjusted for bilateral character size). Genetic diversity (microsatellite markers) was lower in resident minnow. Minnow genetic homozygosity (index of internal relatedness) was positively associated with parasite load and developmental instability (high fluctuating asymmetry levels). 4. Our results show that colonising minnows display particular profiles of morphological, parasitological, and genetic traits that apparently allow these individuals to increase their dispersal capacity to survive and reproduce in harsher environmental conditions. The potential mechanisms may b, Fundació Rivus, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MCIN), Generalitat de Catalunya, Uiversidad CEU San Pablo, Depto. de Genética, Fisiología y Microbiología, Fac. de Ciencias Biológicas, TRUE, pub

1. Coastal lagoons are key ‘transitional’ aquatic environments for biodiversity conservation. Ecological indicators are useful tools for the management of water resources in the European Union. Among different biological communities, fish are a very sensitive tool to assess environmental integrity. Indeed, their parasites can be used as complementary indicators of habitat quality. Yet there is still a deep lack of information on ecological assessment using fish (along with their parasites) for coastal lagoons, particularly for the Iberian Peninsula. 2. The aim of the present study was to assess the use of fish morphology and their parasite communities as ecological indicators of anthropogenic impact within the Mar Menor coastal lagoon (SE Spain), a Mediterranean area of special conservation concern for European/Iberian biodiversity. 3. Fish samples (black-striped pipefish Syngnathus abaster and marbled goby Pomatoschistus marmoratus) were collected in August 2022 from the Littoral (high level of nutrient enrichment) and Barrier habitats. Physical status (both external and internal indices), asymmetry (level of developmental instability), parasite load, diversity and life-cycle complexity were compared between habitat types. 4. Body condition and mainly the health assessment index were better in the Barrier habitat. Except for pectoral fins in pipefish, the fluctuating asymmetry was statistically greater in the Littoral habitat (i.e. with eutrophication leading to poorer fish development). The parasite load was higher in the Littoral habitat for both host fish species. However, the diversity and life-cycle complexity of parasite communities were statistically lower in the Barrier habitat (a structurally simpler environment) only for gobies. 5. This study demonstrates an elevated potential for certain fish morphological and parasitological traits to be considered as good ecological indicators of environmental health. This could help environmental managers and policy m

Ecosystem Service (ES) toolkits are increasingly used to quantify and visualize the benefits gained from Nature-based-solutions (NBS) but modules for hydrology are often absent, or if present they lack meaningful hydrological functionality or validation. This leads to gaps in the evidence base required by decision makers. To bridge the gap between such limitations and more complex hydrological models this paper presents a hydrologically based NBS model compatible with spatial ES toolkits. The approach ‘Adapted Nature-based-solutions Rational Method’ (ANaRM) is based on the Rational Method, widely used in hydrology. We apply this model to the city of Birmingham, England, to validate its performance and to analyse the effects of different NBS scenarios. The validated ANaRM model provided robust estimates of peak flow using design storm rainfall. It proved capable of simulating the hydrological effects of NBS such as land use change from urban to green, or installation of SuDS and ponds. Results suggest ponds are found most effective for achieving peak flow reduction in channels and are the best option for mitigating fluvial flooding downstream. Reduction in localised runoff and pluvial flooding is best achieved by converting impervious surfaces such as buildings, hardstanding and roads to green solutions such as green roofs, permeable pavements and greenspace. This paper highlights the importance of considering the spatial effects of urban NBS on hydrology, and that these can be captured with relatively simple modelling approaches such as ANaRM. Its ease of use means it suits any level of user looking to represent the flood mitigation aspect of NBS spatially and has high potential as part of any ES toolkit focused on representing the spatial effects of NBS on ecosystem services.

European populations of the barn owl Tyto alba are undergoing a sharp decline. The assessment of habitat structure, feeding habits and nestling quality is relevant to the conservation of this bird of prey, particularly in the Iberian Peninsula. The aim of this study was to analyse habitat features of nesting sites and diet of chicks in order to assess their effects on brood size, body condition and nutritional status of Iberian barn owl offspring. Nests were sampled in Madrid County (central Spain) during spring 2019. After pellet analysis from chicks, prey richness and prey diversity were higher in more heterogeneous habitats (identified by data processing with GIS). Large brood sizes were more frequent next to urban areas, with greater consumption of human-associated Muridae (house mouse Mus musculus and brown rat Rattus norvegicus). Conversely, chicks showed better body condition (body mass controlled by size measurements) and nutritional status (blood samples: glucose, proteins, triglycerides and alkaline phosphatase levels) in mountainous habitats with well-developed vegetation. In this habitat type, diet was based on wild micromammals (Etruscan shrew Suncus etruscus, Cabrera’s vole Microtus cabrerae and wood mouse Apodemus sylvaticus). Ecological, morphological and physiological traits are different indicators that provide more accurate insights into the productivity and nestling quality in the barn owl. This information may be applied by policy-makers and environmental managers for the conservation of Iberian barn owl populations.

1. Invasive fishes are a major environmental issue at the global scale, particularly for their impacts on freshwater ecosystems via the mechanisms of hybridisation, competition, predation, and disease transmission. This is of special conservation concern on the Iberian Peninsula due to the high level of endemism. With the aim to improve our knowledge on the invasion process of non-native fishes, the present study consists of analysing key biological traits potentially related to their colonisation capacity: morphology, parasite communities, and genetic diversity. 2. A non-native population of Languedoc minnow Phoxinus septimaniae (leuciscid species native to south-east France) was assessed in Tordera Stream (north-eastern Iberian Peninsula). Fish were sampled in mid-May (reproductive period) 2018 and 2019. Biological traits were compared between colonising and resident individuals from stream reaches of intermittent and perennial flow, respectively. 3. After adjusting for fish size/body mass with analysis of covariance, body condition and health status (external and internal examination) tended to be better in the intermittent reach. Parasite load (number) and diversity (Shannon index) were significantly higher in the perennial reach. Fish development was also more stable in colonising minnow, as detected by low levels of fluctuating asymmetry for the eye diameter and the length of pectoral fins (adjusted for bilateral character size). Genetic diversity (microsatellite markers) was lower in resident minnow. Minnow genetic homozygosity (index of internal relatedness) was positively associated with parasite load and developmental instability (high fluctuating asymmetry levels). 4. Our results show that colonising minnows display particular profiles of morphological, parasitological, and genetic traits that apparently allow these individuals to increase their dispersal capacity to survive and reproduce in harsher environmental conditions. The potential mechanisms may b

Noise pollution from road traffic is ubiquitous in modern cities and is the second greatest environmental risk to health in Western Europe. Urban woodland can provide substantial noise mitigation if located properly, yet such considerations are often absent from the urban planning process. Current approaches for quantifying this important ecosystem service (ES) do not account adequately for important spatial factors and are unable to identify effectively the best locations to place new woodland for noise mitigation. We present new methods, in which we exploit the concept of least-cost-distance, to map and value the mitigating effect of urban woodland, and to identify optimal locations to place new woodland. Applying these methods, we show that urban woodland currently provides Birmingham City (UK) with over GBP 3.8 million in noise mitigation benefits, annually. We also show that our new ‘opportunity’ mapping methods effectively identify the best locations for new woodland, achieving close to a maximum service with less than a quarter of the additional woodland needed to achieve it. This has important implications for the design and implementation of urban tree planting for noise mitigation, and these methods can be adapted for other ES, allowing consideration of multiple service outcomes.

Endozoochory is a mutualistic interaction between plants and animals. Such a relationship has rarely been examined in the Eurasian otter Lutra lutra. This study aimed to assess the use and electivity of fruit by this carnivore, along with the viability of ingested seeds. Otter spraints and fruit were collected from the River Bullaque (Guadiana River basin, central Spain) in June and September 2018-2019. A high occurrence of fruit (> 40%) was found in spraints during September. Otters ingested fruit in June from only one plant species: Iberian bushweed Flueggea tinctoria (Phyllanthaceae); whereas seeds ingested in September belonged to four plant species: apple mint Mentha suaveolens (Lamiaceae), common hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, dog rose Rosa canina and elmleaf blackberry Rubus ulmifolius (three Rosaceae species). According to the environmental availability, otters displayed avoidance for mint and rose, neutral selection for hawthorn and preference for blackberry. Germination was unsuccessful for mint seeds, whereas germination was the highest for blackberry (37%; 49% for blackbird Turdus merula, a well-known frugivorous species). Otters appear to display an ecological role as seed dispersers for riparian vegetation in Iberian fresh waters. These findings provide insights into this endozoochorous co-evolution between plants and Carnivora.

The benefits of urban green and blue infrastructure (UGI) are widely discussed, but rarely take into account local conditions or contexts. Although assessments increasingly consider the demand for the ecosystem services that UGI provides, they tend to only map the spatial pattern of pressures such as heat, or air pollution, and lack a wider understanding of where the beneficiaries are located and who will benefit most. We assess UGI in five cities from four continents with contrasting climate, socio-political context, and size. For three example services (air pollution removal, heat mitigation, accessible greenspace), we run an assessment that takes into account spatial patterns in the socio-economic demand for ecosystem services and develops metrics that reflect local context, drawing on the principles of vulnerability assessment. Despite similar overall levels of UGI (from 35 to 50% of urban footprint), the amount of service provided differs substantially between cities. Aggregate cooling ranged from 0.44 °C (Leicester) to 0.98 °C (Medellin), while pollution removal ranged from 488 kg PM2.5/yr (Zomba) to 48,400 kg PM2.5/yr (Dhaka). Percentage population with access to nearby greenspace ranged from 82% (Dhaka) to 100% (Zomba). The spatial patterns of pressure, of ecosystem service, and of maximum benefit within a city do not necessarily match, and this has implications for planning optimum locations for UGI in cities.