Search

The ICES Working Group on Southern horse mackerel, anchovy and sardine (WGHANSA) assessed the status of anchovy in Atlantic Iberian waters (ane.27.9a; western and southern components) and horse mackerel in Atlantic Iberian waters (hom.27.9a) in the May meeting. The status of anchovy in Bay of Biscay (ane.27.8), sardine in southern Celtic Seas and the English Channel (pil.27.7), sardine in Bay of Biscay (pil.27.8abd) and sardine in Cantabrian Sea and Atlantic Iberian waters (pil.27.8c9a) will be assessed in the November meeting. The status of jack mackerel in Subdivision 10.a.2 (Azores grounds) (jaa.10.a2) won’t be assessed this year, since the advice is provided biannually. The stock of anchovy in Bay of Biscay (ane.27.8) has been above Blim since the reopening of the fishery in 2010. SSB in 2023 has been estimated as the second highest of the historical series. Recruitment (age 1 biomass at the beginning of the year) in 2024 is estimated above the average of the time-series. Harvest rates (catch/SSB) have been stable in the last years. The stock of anchovy in Atlantic Iberian waters (ane.27.9a) is composed by the western component (distributed in areas 9.a North, Central–North, and Central–South) and the southern component (distributed in area 9.a South). The advice is provided for the two components separately for the management calendar from July to June next year. Based on the MSE work developed for each component, the advice is based for the first time on constant harvest rate rules. For the western component, the combined PELACUS and PELAGO acoustic biomass estimate is used as an indicator of stock development and the advice is based on the stock indicator for 2023, multiplied by a constant harvest rate of 0.25, with no biomass safeguard. For the southern component, the relative SSB from an analytical assessment conducted with GADGET is used as the index of stock size development and the advice is based on the stock indicator for 2023, multiplied by a constant

The deep-water rose shrimp is a main resource for the GSA 6 bottom trawling fleet. In the last decade, landings have increased without a clear understanding of the causes. This study aims to analyze this trend, potentially related to changes in environmental conditions. Results showed an increase in the species' landings, which spread northwards along the GSA 6. GAM models detected a significant effect of location, time, and depth on the distribution of the deep-water rose shrimp, as did for temperature and salinity. Similar values between landings and LPUE were found throughout, suggesting no effects of fishing effort in time. ANOVA tests showed a significant increase of sea bottom temperature and salinity in time, which were correlated with increasing LPUE values. Then, the trend seems to be related to environmental changes rather than changes in fishing effort. Further research is needed to implement management plans that ensure the resource sustainability

West Nile Virus (WNV) is a zoonotic arbovirus worldwide spread. Seasonal WNV outbreaks occur in the Mediterranean basin since the late 1990's with ever-increasing incidence. In Southern Spain WNV is endemic, as disease foci - caused by WNV lineage 1 (WNV-L1) strains - occur every year. On the contrary, WNV-L2 is the dominant lineage in Europe, so most European WNV sequences available belong to this lineage, WNV-L1 sequences being still scarce.

Diet studies on the endangered and genetically distinct Iberian population of the southern harbour porpoise Phocoena phocoena are scarce. The present study provides updated information on the feeding ecology of this cetacean along the Galician coast (NW Spain) over the last 3 decades (1990-2018). The stomach contents of 72 stranded harbour porpoises were analysed to determine diet composition, to study which factors affect dietary variability and to estimate overlap between harbour porpoise diet and the target species of the fisheries in the study area, one of the most important fishing regions in Europe. Results showed that harbour porpoises are mainly piscivorous. We identified 33 prey taxa, but only 4 were important in the diet: fish of the genus Trisopterus, blue whiting Micromesistius poutassou, Atlantic horse mackerel Trachurus trachurus and European hake Merluccius merluccius. Interannual and ontogenetic variability in the diet were statistically significant, although differences in diet between sexes or between seasons were not detected. The diet of harbour porpoises from the Galician coast shows a partial overlap with fisheries catches in the area in terms of commercial fish species (≈61%) and size classes (≈45%), confirming the potential vulnerability of the Iberian population to interactions with fishing activities (i.e. bycatch in fishing gear and/or reduced prey availability)

Pine resin is a valuable non-wood forest product with an increasing interest in multiple industrial sectors. Resin-tapping activities also provide valuable ecosystem services in timber-oriented and highly productive pine forest of Atlantic regions, where little previous experience in resin-tapping is available. The objectives of this study were to determine the efficiency of different stimulant pastes and its variation with pine species, site conditions, seasonality and frequency of tapping interventions. We conducted parallel experiments using both conventional and micro-tapping techniques in mature pine stands in NW Spain. We tested four stimulants (control and Zeta, Cunningham and Salicylic pastes) and two groove frequencies (every 2 or 3 weeks). All stimulant pastes significantly increased resin yield compared to the control, being resin stimulation highly consistent across years, sites and species. In conventional resin tapping, resin yield was maximized with the Cunningham and Salicylic pastes while in micro-tapping Salicylic was the most outstanding stimulant treatment. According to the rapid decay of resin flow after wounding, total resin yield decreased with more spaced grooves. However, the reduction was low, and the global efficiency of the tapping operations are likely maximized with grooves applied every three weeks, which would allow increasing the number of tapped trees. Micro-tapping techniques were valuable for screening stimulant pastes and anticipating variation among sites in resin production. Altogether, the Salicylic paste is recommended, especially at the beginning of the resin campaign, when the effect of the pastes was maximized, and if tapping is conducted using closed atmospheres and containers.

[Background] The development of a sustainable business model with social acceptance, makes necessary to develop new strategies to guarantee the growth, health, and well-being of farmed animals. Debaryomyces hansenii is a yeast species that can be used as a probiotic in aquaculture due to its capacity to i) promote cell proliferation and differentiation, ii) have immunostimulatory effects, iii) modulate gut microbiota, and/or iv) enhance the digestive function. To provide inside into the effects of D. hansenii on juveniles of gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) condition, we integrated the evaluation of the main key performance indicators coupled with the integrative analysis of the intestine condition, through histological and microbiota state, and its transcriptomic profiling., [Results] After 70 days of a nutritional trial in which a diet with low levels of fishmeal (7%) was supplemented with 1.1% of D. hansenii (17.2 × 105 CFU), an increase of ca. 12% in somatic growth was observed together with an improvement in feed conversion in fish fed a yeast-supplemented diet. In terms of intestinal condition, this probiotic modulated gut microbiota without affecting the intestine cell organization, whereas an increase in the staining intensity of mucins rich in carboxylated and weakly sulphated glycoconjugates coupled with changes in the affinity for certain lectins were noted in goblet cells. Changes in microbiota were characterized by the reduction in abundance of several groups of Proteobacteria, especially those characterized as opportunistic groups. The microarrays-based transcriptomic analysis found 232 differential expressed genes in the anterior-mid intestine of S. aurata, that were mostly related to metabolic, antioxidant, immune, and symbiotic processes., [Conclusions] Dietary administration of D. hansenii enhanced somatic growth and improved feed efficiency parameters, results that were coupled to an improvement of intestinal condition as histochemical and transcriptomic tools indicated. This probiotic yeast stimulated host-microbiota interactions without altering the intestinal cell organization nor generating dysbiosis, which demonstrated its safety as a feed additive. At the transcriptomic level, D. hansenii promoted metabolic pathways, mainly protein-related, sphingolipid, and thymidylate pathways, in addition to enhance antioxidant-related intestinal mechanisms, and to regulate sentinel immune processes, potentiating the defensive capacity meanwhile maintaining the homeostatic status of the intestine.

In the One Health context, Integrated Wildlife Monitoring (IWM) merges wildlife health monitoring (WHM) and host community monitoring to early detect emerging infections, record changes in disease dynamics, and assess the impact of interventions in complex multi-host and multi-pathogen networks. This study reports the deployment and results obtained from a nationwide IWM pilot test in eleven sites representing the habitat diversity of mainland Spain. In each study site, camera-trap networks and sampling of indicator species for antibody and biomarker analysis were used to generate information. The results allowed identifying differences in biodiversity and host community characteristics among the study sites, with a range of 8 to 19 relevant host species per point. The Eurasian wild boar (Sus scrofa) was the most connected and central species of the host communities, becoming a key target indicator species for IWM. A negative relationship between biodiversity and disease risk was detected, with a lower number and prevalence of circulating pathogens in the sites with more species in the community and larger network size. However, this overall trend was modified by specific host-community and environmental factors, such as the relative index of wild boar - red deer interactions or the proximity to urban habitats, suggesting that human-driven imbalances may favour pathogen circulation. The effort of incorporating wildlife population monitoring into the currently applied WHM programs to achieve effective IWM was also evaluated, allowing to identify population monitoring as the most time-consuming component, which should be improved in the future. This first nationwide application of IWM allowed to detect drivers and hotspots for disease transmission risk among wildlife, domestic animals, and humans, as well as identifying key target indicator species for monitoring. Moreover, anthropogenic effects such as artificially high wildlife densities and urbanisation were identi

[EN] Blache’s flounder, Arnoglossus blachei Stauch, 1965, is redescribed from the eastern Atlantic (Morocco south to Namibia, including the Canary Islands, larvae reaching South Africa) and distinguished from the imperial flounder A. imperialis (Rafinesque, 1810) by having a live colouration of the lower side of males which is bright red (whitish in A. imperialis), the caudal fin with lateral-line scales 52-57 (vs. 58-63), and the dorsal-fin filaments in male light grey, with black margins, distally yellowish (vs. plain white). A lectotype is selected for Arnoglossus blachei. The species is compared with similar species. The externally similar species Arnoglossus imperialis is also redescribed; its distibution range is restricted to the Mediterranean and northeastern Atlantic, including Madeira and the Azores. Neotypes are selected to stabilize the usage of the names Bothus imperialis Rafinesque, 1810, Bothus punctatus Rafinesque, 1814, Rhombus cristatus Lowe, 1839 and Charybdia rhomdoidichthys Facciolà, 1885. Molecular analyses based on two mitochondrial fragments (12s rRNA and COI) clearly support the validity of A. blachei. Moreover, though A. blachei is morphologically close to A. imperialis, the two species show the highest genetic distances among all Arnoglossus species compared (including A. capensis, A. imperialis, A. laterna, A. rueppelii and A. thori). A key to the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean species of Arnoglossus is presented., [ES] Se vuelve a describir el pez plano de Blache’s Arnoglossus blachei Stauch, 1965 del Atlántico oriental (desde el sur de Marruecos a Namibia incluido las Islas Canarias, pudiendo sus larvas llegar a Sudáfrica), y se distingue del pez plano imperial A. imperialis (Rafinesque, 1810) por tener, en fresco, una coloración rojo brillante en la parte inferior de los machos (blanquecina en A. imperialis), la aleta caudal con escamas en la línea lateral 52-57 (vs. 58-63), y en los machos, los filamentos de la aleta dorsal son de color gris claro, con márgenes negros y en su parte distal amarillenta (vs. blanco liso). La especie se compara con especies similares. Asimismo, la especie externamente similar Arnoglossus imperialis, se vuelve a describir, cuya área de distribución está restringida al Mediterráneo y Atlántico nororiental, incluidas Madeira y Azores. Además, se seleccionan neotipos para estabilizar el uso de los nombres Bothus imperialis Rafinesque, 1810, Bothus punctatus Rafinesque, 1814, Rhombus cristatus Lowe, 1839 y Charybdia rhomdoidichthys Facciolà, 1885. Los análisis moleculares basados en dos fragmentos mitocondriales (12s rRNA y COI) respaldan claramente la validez de A. blachei. Por otra parte, a pesar de que A. blachei es morfológicamente más cercano a A. imperialis, ambas especies muestran las distancias genéticas más largas entre todas las especies de Arnoglossus comparadas (A. capensis, A. imperialis, A. laterna, A. rueppelii y A. thori). Se presenta una clave para las especies de Arnoglossus del Atlántico oriental y Mediterráneo.

[EN] The formation and development of a small Mediterranean deltaic system are investigated through a primary seismic stratigraphic interpretation of a high-resolution seismic profile network, combined with multiple bathymetric data (including multibeam bathymetric imagery) and collated with shallow sediment cores collected with a vibro-corer device. The submarine delta of the Adra River is divided into a basal patchy seismic unit and five wedge-shaped younger seismic units that are related to the Holocene highstand stabilization. Limited age control indicates that the two uppermost seismic units are very recent, most likely related to a dearth of fluvial fluxes led by channel deviations and by sediment retention. The formation of the three older seismic units is correlated to three humid periods during the middle Holocene, late Holocene and Little Ice Age, under a general context of progressive aridification of southeastern Iberia. The stacking patterns and spatial distribution of individual seismic units document a history of episodic progradation of successive prodeltaic lobes, with a long-term evolution mediated by climatically-induced changes in the river basin and more recent anthropogenic interventions. Overall, the prodeltaic system registers the complete modification of a deltaic system that evolves from a fluvial-dominated delta to recent wave-dominated wedges. In between, the deltaic system exhibits a progressive asymmetric character, due to the instauration of Atlantic waters on the shelf and their subsequent eastward redistribution. The Adra deltaic system is proposed as an outstanding example of a small deltaic system that reacts almost immediately to the complex interaction between natural changes in the system and anthropogenic interventions in the drainage basin., [ES] La formación y la evolución de un pequeño sistema deltaico mediterráneo se ha estudiado mediante la interpretación estratigráfica de una red de perfiles sísmicos de alta resolución, combinada con múltiples datos batimétricos (incluidas datos de batimetria multihaz) y cotejada con testigos de sedimentos someros recogidos con vibro-corer. En el delta submarino del río Adra se diferencia una unidad sísmica basal y cinco unidades sísmicas más jóvenes en forma de cuña que están relacionadas con la estabilización del alto nivel del Holoceno. A partir de las dataciones realizadas se observa que las dos unidades sísmicas superiores son muy recientes, muy probablemente relacionadas con una disminución en los aportes fluviales provocada por las desviaciones del cauce y por la retención de sedimentos. La formación de las tres unidades sísmicas más antiguas se correlaciona con tres periodos húmedos durante el Holoceno medio, el Holoceno tardío y la Pequeña Edad de Hielo, en un contexto general de progresiva aridificación del sureste de Iberia. Los patrones de sedimentación y la distribución espacial de las unidades sísmicas indican una progradación episódica de sucesivos lóbulos prodeltaicos , con una evolución a largo plazo en la cuenca fluvial mediada por cambios climáticos y más recientemente por intervenciones antropogénicass. En conjunto, el sistema prodeltaico registra la modificación de un sistema deltaico que evoluciona en principio como un delta dominado por flujos fluviales hasta cuñas recientes dominadas por el oleaje. Entre medias, el sistema deltaico muestra un carácter asimétrico progresivo, debido a la influencia de las aguas atlánticas en la plataforma y su posterior redistribución hacia el este. El sistema deltaico del río Adra se propone como ejemplo de un pequeño sistema deltaico que reacciona de forma casi inmediata a la compleja interacción entre los cambios naturales del sistema y las intervenciones antropogénicas en la cuenca de drenaje.

Fisheries bycatch is a critical threat to sea turtle populations worldwide, particularly because turtles are vulnerable to multiple gear types. The Canary Current is an intensely fished region, yet there has been no demographic assessment integrating bycatch and population management information of the globally significant Cabo Verde loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) population. Using Boa Vista island (Eastern Cabo Verde) subpopulation data from capture–recapture and nest monitoring (2013–2019), we evaluated population viability and estimated regional bycatch rates (2016–2020) in longline, trawl, purse-seine, and artisanal fisheries. We further evaluated current nesting trends in the context of bycatch estimates, existing hatchery conservation measures, and environmental (net primary productivity) variability in turtle foraging grounds. We projected that current bycatch mortality rates would lead to the near extinction of the Boa Vista subpopulation. Bycatch reduction in longline fisheries and all fisheries combined would increase finite population growth rate by 1.76% and 1.95%, respectively. Hatchery conservation increased hatchling production and reduced extinction risk, but alone it could not achieve population growth. Short-term increases in nest counts (2013–2021), putatively driven by temporary increases in net primary productivity, may be masking ongoing long-term population declines. When fecundity was linked to net primary productivity, our hindcast models simultaneously predicted these opposing long-term and short-term trends. Consequently, our results showed conservation management must diversify from land-based management. The masking effect we found has broad-reaching implications for monitoring sea turtle populations worldwide, demonstrating the importance of directly estimating adult survival and that nest counts might inadequately reflect underlying population trends.

[EN] Food waste is a significant sustainability problem. Fish, in particular, is a very perishable product. In fact, spoilage increases rapidly when the storage temperature is not adequately controlled. Mathematical models are useful tools to predict fish quality evolution during transport and storage. This knowledge will help to develop strategies to reduce food waste and to increase the product value. In this work, we propose a new methodology to predict the evolution of quality, during transport and storage, of hake fillets packed in modified atmospheres. It consists of two parts: a model based on the process mechanisms to describe the evolution of two highly used quality indicators (bacterial content and volatile bases), and a machine learning model to correlate such indicators with one of the most employed sensory indexes: the Quality Index Method (QIM). Moreover, we propose a Power Law model to describe volatile bases evolution. We estimate the unknown parameters using experimental data. In the machine learning part, we compare random forest models and neural networks using several statistical techniques. Overall, this methodology is an improvement in fish quality prediction because it makes QIM prediction using just temperature data with promising results, [ES] El desperdicio alimentario supone un gran problema de sostenibilidad. El pescado, en concreto, es un producto especialmente perecedero, degradándose con mucha rapidez cuando la temperatura de almacenamiento no se controla adecuadamente. Los modelos matemáticos son herramientas útiles para predecir la evolución de la calidad del pescado durante el transporte y almacenamiento. Conocer la dinámica de la degradación con antelación también nos permitir´a definir estrategias para reducir el desperdicio alimentario y aumentar el valor añadido del pescado. En este trabajo se presenta una nueva metodología para la descripción de la evolución de calidad de filetes de merluza (Merluccius merluccius) envasada en atmósferas modificadas durante el transporte y almacenamiento. Dicha metodología consta de dos partes: un modelo basado en los mecanismos del proceso que describe la evolución de dos de los indicadores de calidad más utilizados (contenido bacteriano y bases volátiles), y un modelo de aprendizaje automático que permite correlacionar dichos indicadores con un indicador sensorial, el QIM (del inglés, Quality Index Method). Para la evolución de las bases volátiles se propone un nuevo modelo basado en la ley de potencias. Además, en este trabajo, los parámetros desconocidos del modelo se estiman utilizando datos experimentales. En el caso de los modelos de aprendizaje automático, se comparan técnicas de redes neuronales y árboles de decisión utilizando diferentes indicadores del error. El modelo combinado supone un avance en la predicción de calidad, ya que permite predecir el QIM a partir, exclusivamente, de datos de temperatura y obtener resultados satisfactorios

Mitigation measures and improvement of scientific knowledge to reduce accidental captures of cetaceans during fishing activities are the focus of regulations that respond to the need to adopt measures based on the EU request on "emergency measures to prevent the bycatch of cetaceans in the northeast Atlantic”. These emergency measures are aimed at eliminating, in particular, incidental catches of common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) in the Bay of Biscay. The most important and best documented threat to cetaceans in Spanish fishing grounds in the ICES area is that produced by entanglement in commercial fishing gear. The problem of accidental capture in different fishing grounds of the Iberian Peninsula has been known since ancient times and causes mortality rates that can be serious in some areas/species. Acoustic deterrent devices test pilots have been carried out in NW Spain. Several different models of pingers have been used in the short distance gillnet fisheries in Galicia, to test their effectiveness in reducing catches of common dolphin and common porpoise (Phocoena phocoena). In the sardine purse seine fishery, the use of pingers has been tested to avoid the effect of predation and damage to the nets of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). The effectiveness of bycatch reduction devices such as pingers depends on the behavior of cetaceans in and around the fishing gear. Although there have been several previous studies, such behavior is likely to be species, gear, and catch reduction device specific and may vary regionally and over time, as responses may involve learned behavior. An approximation to the problem is carried out with the input of the fishing sector to study future directions. Lessons learned and potential measures are proposed based on the opinions of fishermen collected in surveys carried out on boats

Gymnesigobius medits is reported for the first time after a recent description recorded from the Balearic Islands and from the slope of the Gulf of Vera on the Iberian Peninsula coast. The record from the Emile Baudot seamount on the Balearic Islands represents the deepest positive benthic gobiiform species record in general. The presence of the membrane connection between the pelvic fins in Gymnesigobius medits, presumed on the damaged fin in the original description, was confirmed. The recently described Gobius xoriguer is the first record from the Pitiusas and Columbretes islands and from the Iberian Peninsula coast. It appears to be widely distributed in the circalittoral bottoms, preferentially in red algae beds. Morphological identification of both species was confirmed using molecular analyses based on the sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (DNA barcode) gene. The deepest records of gobiiform fishes in oceans and seas are reviewed. The European seas, a well-studied area with eight gobiid species recorded deeper than 200 m, show high bathyal gobiid species richness compared to other areas. The real worldwide diversity of bathyal gobies, although only a fraction of the shallow water species richness of this taxon, is probably much larger than presently known.

Key message: This paper proposes a methodology that could be considered as a base for a harmonized protocol for stem-quality reporting in Europe while conducting National Forest Inventories, in order to cost-efficiently obtain a visual wood quality proxy. The importance of the variables selected, the limitations identified, and some improvements to the methodology are suggested. Forest areas with better wood quality, which in turn it would be useful for breeding programs, can be easily detected. Context: The establishment of harmonized standards or indicators that allow us to determine the quality of the wood present in a forest prior to its exploitation has long been demanded by the European forestry sector, although agreed methodologies for the evaluation of wood quality in standing trees, which is one of the sector’s most urgent requirements, have not, as yet, been implemented. Aims: To develop a protocol that visually characterizes wood quality on standing trees in a cost-effective way for the National Forest Inventory (NFI). After some improvements, it can be considered as a base for a European harmonized protocol. Methods: In this article, we analyze the implementation, in the NFI, of a visual wood-quality assessment methodology in forests of Central Spain based on the different European standards as well as on research papers addressing this issue. Results: The silvicultural practices employed are of the utmost importance to obtain the best wood quality, regardless of the species. Several areas with higher wood quality were identified as well as areas most affected by specific pests in the studied region. The impact of the variables measured (e.g., branchiness, crookedness, maximum branch diameter) is discussed. Conclusion: It is feasible to estimate a proxy for wood quality on standing trees in the NFI. Furthermore, after studying the inventory data provided, several enhancements are proposed, not only to improve wood-quality estimates but also to optimize f

How much wealth is generated from the fish unloaded in the Spanish Mediterranean Sea harbours? How is this wealth distributed among the different actors? How much occupation is derived? How would the generation and distribution of wealth be affected by applying various models of fisheries management? What would be the impact if there were changes in marketing or operating costs? Value chain analysis is a tool that, when coupled with ecosystem models, can help answer this kind of questions, which are key in the Mediterranean Sea, at a time when fisheries management is being reconsidered in a socioeconomic and ecological context. In this session we will present the work carried out so far in the context of SOSMED project, where we analyse the buying and selling structure of the fish first-sell points in Catalonia and Mallorca

Little is known about pollutant concentrations in marine remote areas such as the Porcupine Bank in the NE Atlantic Ocean. Remote locations are much less studied than the more readily accessible coastal areas, nevertheless, are of great importance both to unveil how far human influence has reached and, are more challenging, to infer background concentrations (BCs) of naturally occurring and/or anthropogenic pollutants. Knowledge of contaminant background levels are critical for establishing remediation and management strategies; in addition, background assessment is heavily emphasised in legislative monitoring requirements. Obtaining suitable sampling locations to assess background concentrations can be challenging, as samples should match characteristics to the target area and not be impacted by historical or current inputs of the chemical substances of study. Anthropogenic impacts generally deem local-based sampling to be unsuitable to infer background pollution values. Sampling in remote areas such as the Porcupine Bank better fulfils low impact and pressure requirements making them more suitable for the derivation of background concentration estimates for organic compounds and metals. The total concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and metal(loid)s in deep sea sediments were evaluated and both an environmental status and a set of concentration data were adequate to derive BCs concentrations is presented. Concentration data indicated, in comparison with previous published data, trace level presence of PAHs and metal(loids) in sediments from the Porcupine Bank. These values will provide a valuable tool to identify the natural presence of organic and inorganic compounds and be the basis to perform a sound environmental assessment.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious chronic disease due to infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) bacteria. Monitoring of wildlife, especially potential reservoirs, is important for detecting changes in disease occurrence and assessing the impact of interventions. Here, we examined whether wild boar (Sus scrofa) may contribute to the re-emergence of TB in Asturias (10,604 km2), northern Spain. Although this province was declared free of TB in cattle in November 2021, MTC bacteria remain prevalent in several “hotspots,” with the European badger (Meles meles) suggested as a TB potential wild reservoir. Drawing on data from the Spanish National Bovine Tuberculosis Eradication Program and the Government of the Principality of Asturias covering the period 2014–2020, we analyzed the prevalence of TB in cattle and wild boar in this region. In hotspots (592 km2), we also investigated the ranging behavior and habitat use of five cows that belonged to farms with a history of TB and six trapped sympatric wild boar. During the observation period, TB prevalence was 0.14% among cattle overall and 0.13–0.41% in hotspots, which was much lower than the prevalence in wild boar, which was 3.15% overall and 5.23–5.96% in hotspots. Infected cattle and infected wild boar in hotspots shared the same strains of M. bovis, and GPS tracking showed spatiotemporal overlap between the species, mainly around pastures during sunrise (06:00–07:00 h) and sunset (19:00–20:00 h). Our results suggest that in addition to cattle and badgers, wild boar possibly help maintain TB in northern Spain, increasing the host richness that influences TB transmission risk in the area, which should be taken into account in monitoring and eradication efforts.

This study examines the determinants of resilience in Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and strategies for CSA expansion, including the role of public policies, providing a genuine international comparison of inputs from CSA coordinators in Brazil and Spain. The results indicate that CSA projects with an engaged small consumer core group that supports the producer have additional tools to build resilience. Synergies with other like-minded social, educational, or environmental projects offer significant expansion opportunities. Distrust of CSA actors in public policies limits their ability to support the CSA movement, but indirect policy adjustments could have a favorable effects on CSA expansion.

Flavonoids are a group of secondary metabolites from plants that have received attention as high value-added pharmacological substances. Recently, a robust and efficient bioprocess using recombinant microbes has emerged as a promising approach to supply flavonoids. In the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway, the rate of chalcone synthesis, the first committed step, is a major bottleneck. However, chalcone synthase (CHS) engineering was difficult because of high-level conservation and the absence of effective screening tools, which are limited to overexpression or homolog-based combinatorial strategies. Furthermore, it is necessary to precisely regulate the metabolic flux for the optimum availability of malonyl-CoA, a substrate of chalcone synthesis. In this study, we engineered CHS and optimized malonyl-CoA availability to establish a platform strain for naringenin production, a key molecular scaffold for various flavonoids. First, we engineered CHS through synthetic riboswitch-based high-throughput screening of rationally designed mutant libraries. Consequently, the catalytic efficiency (kcat/Km) of the optimized CHS enzyme was 62% higher than that of the wild-type enzyme. In addition to CHS engineering, we designed genetic circuits using transcriptional repressors to fine-tune the malonyl-CoA availability. The best mutant with synergistic effects of the engineered CHS and the optimized genetic circuit produced 98.71 mg/L naringenin (12.57 mg naringenin/g glycerol), which is the highest naringenin concentration and yield from glycerol in similar culture conditions reported to date, a 2.5-fold increase compared to the parental strain. Overall, this study provides an effective strategy for efficient production of flavonoids.

Length-weight relationships (LWR) were determined for Brotula barbata, Dentex angolensis, Dentex macrophthalmus, Neomerinthe folgori and Scorpaena stephanica using individual fish records collected between July 2002 and January 2003, during a pilot project of experimental fishing over the shelf off Guinea Bissau. Fishes were caught by commercial vessels using bottom longline, measured defrost for the total length (to the lower 0.1 cm) and weighted for the total weight (TW, to the 0.1 g), and sexed. Two new maximum total lengths were registered for Scorpaena stephanica and Neomerinthe folgori, whose LWR b-values corresponded to the limits of the range obtained, between 2.833 and 3.318, respectively. All LWRs were obtained from well-adjusted linear regressions with r2 ≥ 0.90. Data presented herein expand the knowledge base for these species in West Africa, as they have limited or no LWR data available.

Investigations of population structuring in wild species are fundamental to complete the bigger picture defining their ecological and biological roles in the marine realm, to estimate their recovery capacity triggered by human disturbance and implement more efficient management strategies for fishery resources. The Blackspot Seabream (Pagellus bogaraveo, Brünnich 1768) is a commercially valuable deep-water fish highly exploited over past decades. Considering its exploitation status, deepening the knowledge of intraspecific variability, genetic diversity, and differentiation using high-performing molecular markers is considered an important step for a more effective stock assessment and fishery management. With one of the largest efforts conceived of and completed by countries overlooking the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts in recent years, a total of 320 individuals were collected from different fishing grounds in the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean and analysed using 29 microsatellite loci. We applied multiple statistical approaches to investigate the species’ connectivity and population structure across most of its described distribution area. Considering the incomplete knowledge regarding the migratory behaviour of adults, here we suggest the importance of egg and larval dispersal in sustaining the observed genetic connectivity on such a large geographical scale.

Tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium bovis and other related mycobacteria has been reported in a wide range of mammals worldwide. In the case of the Herpestidae family, Mycobacterium mungi and M. bovis, both belonging to the Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex, have been reported in banded mongooses (Mungos mungo) in Africa and in Egyptian mongooses (Herpestes ichneumon) in Portugal, respectively. Thus, we hypothesized that Tuberculosis may occur in Egyptian mongooses from Spain. Twenty-five found dead Egyptian mongooses were necropsied in order to detect macroscopic TB-compatible lesions and mandibular lymph nodes and lungs were cultured onto mycobacteria-specific growth media. We isolated M. bovis in 3/25 Egyptian mongooses (12.00%, IC95: 4.17–29.96%) and identified spoligotypes SB0121 (2/3) and SB0134 (1). No macroscopic TB-compatible lesions were observed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of M. bovis in Egyptian mongoose in Spain, as well as the only study that includes spolygotyping in this species. Although the absence of visible lesions suggests a minor role of the Egyptian mongoose in Tuberculosis epidemiology, further research thereon is encouraged.

Gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) is considered an asymptomatic carrier for the nodavirus genotype affecting European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax), RGNNV. Only larvae and juveniles of sea bream have been found to be susceptible to the RGNNV/SJNNV reassortant. Nevertheless, the molecular bases of the high resistance of sea bream against RGNNV are not known, and the overall transcriptome response to the virus remains unexplored. In this work, we conducted the first RNA-Seq analysis of sea bream infected with RGNNV to elucidate the immune mechanisms involved in their resistance. Since we recently published the transcriptome response of sea bass infected with RGNNV, we wanted to take the same tissues (brain and head kidney) at the same time points (24 and 72 h postinfection) to conduct comparative analyses. Sea bream responded to RGNNV challenge with a powerful immune arsenal characterized by the high expression of a multitude of type I interferon-related genes, immune receptors and antigen presentation-related genes in both tissues. Moreover, complement-, coagulation- and angiogenesis-related genes were highly enriched in the head kidney at the earlier sampling point. Interestingly, despite the strong immune response found in the brain, inflammation seems to have been restrained, resulting in a neuroprotective scenario. While the response in sea bass was characterized by the activation of the stress axis, which could lead to immunosuppression and neuronal damage, genes involved in these processes were not modulated in sea bream. An efficient antiviral response accompanied by low inflammation and the absence of stimulation of the stress response seem to play a role in the success of sea bream in resisting RGNNV infection

En 2021 en Mallorca se comercializaron 1.532 toneladas de pescado con un valor superior a los 12 millones de euros. En este documento se analizan las ventas en la lonja de Palma, cuáles fueron los principales compradores, qué importancia relativa tuvieron los distintos canales de compra, y cuál fue la concentración de compra y los precios pagados. Así mismo se lleva a cabo una comparación con la primera venta en Cataluña. Es un primer paso para estudiar la cadena de valor del pescado, una tipología de análisis que puede ayudarnos a explorar preguntas tan relevantes como: ¿Cuánta riqueza se genera a partir del pescado descargado en los puertos? ¿Cómo se distribuye esta riqueza entre los distintos actores? ¿Cuánta ocupación se deriva? ¿Cómo se vería afectada la generación y distribución de la riqueza al aplicarse varios modelos de gestión pesquera? ¿Cuál sería el impacto si se produjesen cambios en la comercialización o en los costes operativos? Este trabajo presenta los principales rasgos descriptivos del primer eslabón de esta cadena de valor: la primera venta del pescado

The supercritical defatting of H. illucens was scaled up at 450 bar and 60 °C from a 270 cm3 extraction cell to a vessel five times larger. Then, eight different H. illucens larvae batches, with variable content of oil (16.80–29.17% w/w) and moisture (4.45–15.95% w/w) were defatted. The effect of these parameters on yield and oil composition was analyzed. The presence of moisture in the larvae batch, in the range of the values studied, had no negative effect on the oil recovery efficiency, which was mainly determined by the initial content of oil in the larvae samples. Furthermore, no differences were determined in the fatty acid profile of the oils recovered, which were rich in saturated fatty acids, mainly lauric acid (ca. 50% w/w). Minor lipids, such as squalene and phytosterols, were determined in all the oil samples. The moisture content in the oils extracted was in the range of 0.118–1.706% w/w. Therefore, some samples exceeded the limits recommended for volatile matter in edible fats and oils (0.2%, including moisture). Yet, concerning the oil peroxide index, values were much lower than those corresponding to the oil extracted using hexane.

The persistence of fluopyram and tebuconazole has been studied in different crops and agricultural soils. However, the behaviour of these fungicides may be altered when they are applied as a combined formulation in organically amended vineyard soils under field conditions. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of applying spent mushroom substrate (SMS) or this residue re-composted with ophite (SMS + OF) on the adsorption, dissipation, and mobility of the fungicides fluopyram and tebuconazole in vineyard soils. Triplicate 10 m2 plots per treatment were set up in two different vineyard soils in the eastern La Rioja region: silt loam (ARN1) and sandy loam (ARN2), respectively, with low organic carbon (OC) content. The organic residues SMS and SMS + OF were applied at doses of 25 and 100 Mg ha−1. The adsorption distribution coefficients (Kd) increased when SMS and SMS + OF were applied, especially at the higher dose (100 Mg ha−1). The dissipation curve of both compounds fitted a two-phase kinetic model, with a very fast initial dissipation rate, followed by slower prolonged dissipation during the second phase. The dissipation half-lives (DT50) ranged between 4.7 and 26.3 days for fluopyram and between 2.3 and 6.3 days for tebuconazole in the different soils, increasing for fluopyram in the ARN1 amended with SMS and SMS + OF. The fungicide residues at 15–30 cm depth were lower in the unamended and amended sandy loam soil (ARN2), indicating that fungicides are dissipated mainly in the topsoil. The results indicate different dissipation mechanisms for both fungicides, as the adsorption by soil OC prevented the dissipation of fluopyram but facilitated the dissipation of tebuconazole, probably due to the formation of non-extractable residues.

More than half of the Mediterranean sharks and rays are threatened by fishing exploitation. However, population assessments are limited by the scarcity of specific data on fishing catches. In this study, we assessed temporal trends of the indicators developed within the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive over the last two decades in order to assess the conservation status of demersal sharks and batoids in the Balearic Islands, which represent an important fraction of the bycatch of bottom trawling in this area. On the basis of a georeferenced, fishery-independent dataset of 19 species of elasmobranchs, we analyzed 20 year time series (2002–2021) of nine indicators regarding area distribution, population size, population status, and community structure. Between 30% and 50% of the elasmobranch species and functional groups showed increasing trends in distribution area and population size. This was especially true for batoids, whereas the distribution area and population size of most sharks remained stable over the study period. The remaining indicators showed stability or, in some cases, variable trends. Only in one case did we find a negative trend sustained all along the time series (i.e., the proportion of R. radula large individuals in relation to the reference period). Overall, our results suggest that the populations of elasmobranchs from the Balearic Islands show stable or recovery trends, mainly in terms of distribution area and density. However, it remains elusive whether this community can recover to the levels of more than half a century ago, before the development of the bottom trawl fishery, or whether this apparent current steady state should be interpreted as a new equilibrium.

The management of animal tuberculosis (TB) is a priority for European Union animal health authorities. However, and despite all the efforts made to date, a significant part of Spain has as yet been unable to obtain the officially tuberculosis-free (OTF) status. Information regarding wildlife disease status is usually scarce, signifying that the role played by wildlife is usually ignored or poorly assessed in large-scale TB risk factor studies. The National Wildlife Health Surveillance Plan in Spain now provides information on infection rates in wildlife reservoirs at a national level, but there are limitations as regards the sample size, the spatio-temporal distribution of the samples, and the lack of homogeneity of the diagnostic techniques employed. The objective of the study described herein was, therefore, to employ a Bayesian approach with the intention of identifying the risk factors associated with four TB rates in cattle: prevalence, incidence, maintenance and persistence in Spain during the period 2014–2019. The modeling approach included highly informative spatio-temporal latent effects with which to control the limitations of the data. Variation partitioning procedures were carried out, and the pure effect of each factor was mapped in order to identify the most relevant factors associated with TB dynamics in cattle in each region. This made it possible to disclose that the movement of cattle, particularly from counties with herd incidence > 1%, was the main driver of the TB dynamics in cattle. The abundance of herds bred for bullfighting was retained in all four models, but had less weight than the movements. After accounting for farm-related factors, the TB prevalence in wild boar was retained in all the models and was significantly related to incidence, maintenance and persistence. With regard to the incidence, variation partitioning revealed that wildlife was the most explicative factor, thus suggesting that it plays a role in the introduction of the p

The assessment of the status of fisheries resources is pivotal due to the importance of marine resources in global food security and to halt the ongoing decline in marine biodiversity. Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) is one of the most valuable resources in the Northeast Atlantic. However, overfishing has caused the decline of several Nephrops stocks over the last decades, particularly in the Nephrops Functional Units (FUs) 25 (NW Spain), 26-27 (NW Spain and North Portugal) and 31 (Cantabrian Sea, North Spain). Since 2003, the information provided by the very low level of landings and fishing effort of these three stocks was insufficient to carry out an adequate analytical assessment, so the base of the assessment has been the trends from commercial catch per unit effort (CPUE). The objective of this study was to carry out the first assessment of these three stocks with an analytical MSY-based model. A review of the available data was made and the stochastic Surplus Production Model in Continuous Time (SPiCT) was fitted for each FU. The results indicate an extremely low biomass for FUs 25 and 26-27 since the mid-nineties well below the reference points. For FU 31, on the other hand, estimated biomass is larger. Our findings also identified long-term temporal and spatial changes in the population dynamic of Nephrops in the Northwest Iberian coast. The results were compare with those obtained in the same stocks with other data-limited methods. Also the role of abiotic factors on the observed dynamic of the stocks was explored. The results of this study are not only relevant for the sustainable exploitation of Norway lobster stocks off the Northwest Iberian coast but provide valuable insights into the suitability and limitations of production models for the assessment of crustacean stocks in general.

Several factors influence consumers’ choices of food products. While price remains the main criterion, quality, pleasure, convenience, and health are also important driving factors in food market evolution. Food enterprises are making significant efforts to manufacture products that meet consumers’ demands without compromising on safety standards. Additionally, the food industry also aims to improve the efficiency of transformation and conservation processes by minimizing energy consumption, process duration, and waste generation. However, foods are highly complex systems in which: (i) non-linear dynamics and interactions among different temporal and spatial scales must be considered; (ii) a wide range of physical phenomena (such as evaporation, mechanical changes, thawing, energy/mass transport, and color changes) occur; (iii) different food matrices (such as meat, vegetables, cereal, milk, and juices) with different microstructures and properties are involved; and (iv) the number of quality and safety indicators (such as bacteria, total volatile basic nitrogen, color, texture, odor, and sensory characteristics) is substantial. Mathematical modeling and simulation are key elements that allow us to gain a deeper understanding of food processes and enable the use of tools such as optimization and real-time control to improve their efficiency. This special issue aims to gather research on the development of dynamic mathematical models that describe the relevant factors in food processes from the perspectives of food safety (chemical or microbiological), food quality (organoleptic or nutritional), or resource consumption. Additionally, the development of model-based tools to improve food processes is also considered. This includes decision-making and optimization tools, the characterization of uncertainty/variability in model predictions, model simulation techniques, software sensors, and software development. The contributions published in this Special Issue can be gr

Pine resin is a non-wood forest product that has been used for multiple purposes since ancient times throughout the world. In recent years, resin tapping activity has increased in countries that were historically producers, but in which it had practically disappeared since the late 1980 s, and is expected to grow in importance due to its bio-product nature. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the research work on the main factors modulating resin yield. A total of 205 papers were selected and classified according to their main topics. The species and its intraspecific genetic variation are two of the main factors influencing both the production and the quality of the resin obtained. The environmental factors most commonly studied and which in turn were the most successful when related to resin production, were temperature and water availability. Diameter at breast height was the most investigated dendrometric variable, although other variables such as total height or crown ratio were also studied, generally obtaining positive relationships between them and resin production. The resin ducts, which produce, secrete and transport resin through the tree, are the most influential anatomical variable and the focus of the anatomical research. Other factors that can modulate resin production are the presence of pests, which induce the tree's immune response, and fire, with contradictory results on their effects. Finally, the extraction method and the stimulant paste used influence resin production, research is focusing on new extraction methods and more efficient and cheaper stimulant pastes with lower proportions of sulfuric acid. Although interest in and knowledge about resin tapping has increased in recent years, research needs to further develop and deepen the relationships between resin production and the different factors involved.

Management strategy evaluation (MSE) generally involves defining a decision problem, specifying objectives, and simulating the managed system to help evaluate uncertainties, risks, and trade-offs of management alternatives. Stakeholders' involvement is a core component of MSE to design pragmatic and applicable management strategies that are robust to uncertainty and balance ecological, economic and social objectives. Knowledge advances and computational capabilities allow fisheries scientists to generate evidence practically and transparently. Transparency is a cornerstone fisheries management principle with inherent paradoxes (Wilson, 2009). For instance, assessment models can be used to build political options into the models as alternatives. Hence, scientists can deliver advice that makes explicit the trade-offs and consequences of policy objectives. Under this perspective, the Math4Fish project involves natural and social scientists , managers (Spanish General Secretariat for Fisheries) and representatives of the fishing sector to jointly define management strategies to be simulated in MSE environments for the European hake, Merluccius merluccius (Linnaeus, 1758), southern stock in the Iberian Peninsula (International Council for the Exploration of the Sea divisions 8c9a). Workshops were held to introduce the fishing sector and managers mathematical modelling tools to evaluate management strategies for hake, as well as to propose information to explore/simulate different scenarios. During our experience, the allocation of quotas based on selectivity criteria between fishing gears has emerged as a scenario worth exploring. The redistribution of resources between the different fleet segments is a sensitive issue that causes tensions. Scientifically, quota redistribution simulations can be carried out, and the results analysed and compared with the current situation, highlighting the scope and limitations of the analysis. This would benefit a structured dialogue on

Effective spatial fisheries management requires a proper understanding of the spatial distribution of both target species and discards. Also, spatial modelling of fishery-dependent data is an effective tool to capture uncertainties in data-limited situations. This study analyses the drivers behind discarding by comparing the standardising properties of three different components: Total Discards, Discards Per Unit of Effort and Total Discard Ratio. These metrics were analysed by means of Bayesian hierarchical spatio-temporal Gamma regression models to correctly to identify areas with high discards values that are characterized as discards hotspots. Our results showed that Total Discards is the component which better quantified the aggregated ecological impact of discarding practices, whereas Total Discard Ratio and Discards Per Unit of Effort identify complementary issues of benefits versus loss of biomass. Spatial maps obtained by combining these three approaches are a powerful tool for the spatial management of discards.

Los insectos comestibles destacan como una fuente alternativa de proteínas. No obstante, durante el procesado de algunas especies se genera igualmente una fracción grasa relevante, como es el caso de las larvas de Hermetia illucens (mosca soldado negra), siendo un coproducto de gran interés para alimentación animal y humana. Por tanto, estudiar la influencia del procesado tecnológico sobre esta fracción grasa es clave para garantizar su calidad y uso en diversos fines. En el presente estudio, se llevó a cabo la evaluación del efecto de distintas formas de procesado de las larvas de H. illucens sobre la composición, calidad y bioactividad de la grasa obtenida. En concreto, se evaluaron dos formas de sacrificio (congelación o escaldado), seguido de dos formas de secado (horno o liofilización) y, de dos formas de desgrasado (prensado o extracción con fluidos supercríticos, SFE). Atendiendo al rendimiento de grasa, para todas las combinaciones de tratamientos, fue preferible el procedimiento de SFE, consiguiéndose el menor rendimiento al combinar escaldado-liofilización-prensa. De manera general, el perfil de ácidos grasos no sufrió cambios relevantes en función del procesado. No obstante, sí se evidenció una evidente lipólisis, con la consecuente generación de acidez libre, en función del tratamiento. Así, la aplicación de métodos no térmicos de congelación junto con liofilización dio lugar a la mayor degradación de la grasa en forma de ácidos grasos libres. Sin embargo, esta acidez fue minoritaria al aplicar métodos térmicos, como sacrificio por escaldado y secado por horno. Por otro lado, la combinación de congelación-liofilización-prensado produjo el mejor estado oxidativo inicial. De igual manera, el proceso de liofilización-prensado produjo las grasas más estables durante su almacenamiento a lo largo de 6 meses. En cuanto a la bioactividad de la grasa, se encontró una relación significativa entre la estabilidad oxidativa y la actividad antioxidante de la grasa, su

The interrelated effect of different slaughtering, drying and defatting methods of black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) on the lipid composition and properties of the fat was studied. Blanching and freezing were compared as slaughtering methods, oven or freeze-drying as drying methods, and mechanical pressing or supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) as defatting methods. The different modes of slaughtering, drying, and defatting, along with both binary and ternary interactions caused significant effects on processes yields, lipid composition, moisture content and thermal properties. Thus, considering the defatting degree and the yield in total valued products (defatted meal plus fat), the combination of blanching, freeze-drying plus mechanical pressing was the worst option (51.2% and 87.5%, respectively). In contrast, the other combinations demonstrated better and comparable efficiency, although SFE is preferable for defatting (83.2% and 96.9%, respectively). The content of major fatty acids (lauric, palmitic and myristic acids) was significantly affected by the BSFL treatments, although with unsignificant impact on the total saturated fatty acids content. To preserve the integrity of the fat, the combination of blanching and oven-drying was preferred, as non-thermal methods of slaughtering and drying caused intense lipolysis, releasing free fatty acids (FFA) in the range of 18.6-23.5%. To achieve the lowest moisture content in the fats (≤0.1%), oven-drying with mechanical pressing were desired, regardless of the slaughtering method; while values > 1% were reached for freezing, freeze-drying and SFE. Both differences in FFA and moisture contents caused different thermal behaviors in the samples. Specially, the melting temperature was lower for samples with higher FFA and moisture contents, with a notable difference when freezing, freeze-drying and SFE were combined (14.5 °C vs 30.6 °C, as the mean value for the rest of samples). The different modes of processing did not a

The aim of this study was to evaluate the modulating effect of the processing of Hermetia illucens larvae on the antibacterial activity of the fat related to lipolysis to free fatty acids (FFAs), mainly as lauric acid. Blanching and freezing were compared for slaughtering, oven or freeze-drying for drying, and mechanical pressing or supercritical fluid for defatting. Freezing plus freeze-drying produced the highest FFAs content (21%), mainly as lauric acid (11%). In agreement, freezing plus freeze-drying was also the most effective method to obtain fats with higher antibacterial activity, regardless of the defatting method. The antibacterial activity was significantly more relevant for gram-positive bacteria, having a strain-dependent character. The most effective fat was bactericidal for Listeria monocytogenes and Bacillus subtilis and reduced Staphylococcus aureus growth. Therefore, it is possible to selectively modulate the antibacterial activity of the H. illucens fat due to lipolysis by the processing methods of larvae.

[Simple Summary] In addition to the potential of edible insects as an alternative source of proteins, the production of insect meals generates a significant amount of fat that is also of interest for food and feed. The consideration of the impact of processing factors on the quality of insect fats, such as oxidative stability, is indispensable to fully realize their value as a co-product. Therefore, this study aimed to understand how the different successive modes of processing of Hermetia illucens larvae (black soldier fly larvae, BSFL), such as slaughtering (by blanching or freezing), drying (by oven-drying or freeze-drying) and defatting (by mechanical pressing or supercritical CO2 SFE), as well as their interactions, affect the oxidation of the resulting fat and defatted meal. The preferred procedure would be a combination of freezing with freeze-drying and mechanical pressing, especially the combination of freeze-drying and mechanical pressing, for the best oxidative quality during storage. Such oxidative stability was strongly related to the antioxidant activity of the fats, which was conditioned by the processing methods used for BSFL. Therefore, this study provides guidance on selecting the best combinations of slaughtering, drying, and defatting processes for BSFL to obtain fats with the best oxidative quality., The interrelation effect of slaughtering, drying, and defatting methods of BSFL on the oxidative quality of the derived fat was studied. Blanching and freezing were compared as slaughtering methods, followed by oven or freeze-drying for drying and mechanical pressing or SFE for defatting. The oxidative state and stability of the extracted fat and defatted meals were monitored immediately after their production, using peroxide value (PV) and Rancimat test, and over 24 weeks of storage. Slaughtering and drying methods had an independent effect on PV, with freezing and freeze-drying being the best methods. Mechanical pressing and SFE were comparable and superior to conventional hexane defatting. Interactions were observed between slaughtering and defatting, drying and defatting, and between all three factors. Generally, freeze-drying combined with any of the slaughtering and defatting methods resulted in the lowest PVs, with mechanical pressing being preferred. Freeze-drying plus mechanical pressing also produced the most stable fats during storage according to the evolution of PV, while the combination of blanching and SFE produced the least stable. A significant correlation was found between the PV at 24 weeks and the antioxidant activity of the fats. Contrary to storage assays, in accelerated Rancimat assays, freeze-dried samples were the least stable, which was partially attributed to the significant correlation with the acid values of the samples. Defatted meals followed a similar pattern to the extracted fat, except for worse oxidation for SFE defatting. Therefore, the different processing methods of slaughtering, drying, and defatting of BSFL differently affect lipid oxidation, with interactions between such successive steps.

In Spain, almost all pistachios are grown under water-stress conditions. Pistachio plants have sophisticated mechanisms to avoid or tolerate stress. It is known that the rootstock affects responses to water stress in the cultivar grafted onto it. The traditional belief is that Pistacia terebinthus L. is the rootstock best adapted to rainfed conditions. This study examined the effect of rootstock on stress traits, photosynthetic rate, transpiration, stomatal conductance, chlorophyll, polyphenol concentrations, and growth in plants of Pistacia vera L. cv. Kerman grafted onto P. terebinthus, P. atlantica, and UCB-1. These responses were classified into constituent traits and characteristics of the plant’s adaptation to water stress. The latter was induced by adding PEG 6000 to the nutrient solution. Plants grafted onto P. terebinthus showed more constituent traits, while plants grafted onto UCB-1 showed a greater number of drought-responsive traits. Plants grafted onto P. atlantica showed similar adaptative traits to those observed in UCB-1 but lower values of transpiration and net photosynthesis. Although it is likely that plants grafted onto P. terebinthus survive longer under extreme drought conditions, under moderate stress conditions, their yield is probably lower than that of plants grafted onto UCB-1 under the same moderate stress conditions.

Se presenta un nuevo visor web cartográfico de la calidad de estación de las principales especies forestales españolas (24 especies arbóreas) en su área de distribución nacional. Para ello, se han ajustado modelos para estimar el índice de forma utilizando los datos del Inventario Forestal Nacional. A partir de los valores estimados se han elaborado mapas a nivel nacional incorporando información del medio físico mediante técnicas geoestadísticas. El visor cuenta con una capa base topográfica y presenta, en cualquier región del territorio español, la calidad de estación para una determinada especie según la información del Mapa Forestal Español.

Metal pollution monitoring programs make use of organisms, such as mussels, as biomonitors to evaluate and compare the metal pollution status of coastal areas worldwide. Despite the widespread distribution of mussels of the genus Mytilus, there are places where these organisms are absent or where their abundance is insufficient for biomonitoring purposes, such as in the Canary Islands (Spain). This study considers the use of limpets of the genus Patella as alternative/complementary species in metal pollution monitoring, and compares the bioaccumulation capacity of mussels and limpets collected simultaneously during several sampling campaigns at 11 sampling sites along the continental Spanish Atlantic coastline. Results show that there are some differences in bioaccumulation capacity between limpets and mussels, with limpets showing in average higher concentrations of Cd, Cr, Ni, As and Cu, and lower concentrations of Zn, while concentrations of Hg and Pb were similar for both types of organisms. Significant correlations between metal concentration in mussels and limpets were found for most metals, with the notable exception of Cd, that showed a very different bioaccumulation pattern in both types of organisms. Limpet to mussel metal concentration ratios were derived that can be used to compare the results of metal biomonitoring using either limpets or mussels, and limpets were successfully used in a monitoring survey in the Canary Islands.

Estimates of contemporary effective population size (Ne) can provide valuable information for genetic conservation and monitoring, pinpointing populations at higher risk of genetic erosion, decreased fitness, maladaptation and, ultimately, demographic decline. There are however potential limitations in the application of commonly employed genetic estimators of contemporary Ne to widespread forest tree populations. Genetic isolation by distance within populations, small and spatially restricted samples, among-population gene flow and overlapping generations are factors that can potentially affect the accuracy of marker-based estimates of contemporary Ne, depending on the demographic scenario. In particular, we illustrate the uncertainty faced by forest researchers and managers when interpreting contemporary Ne estimates obtained for continuously distributed tree populations with large census size N. To that end, we use previously published genotypic data of 21 Pinus pinaster populations, including distinct sampling schemes, together with a widely used method based on linkage disequilibrium patterns observed in a single (one-time) population sample. We hypothesize that spatially restricted sampling might be the main putative factor behind the apparently low Ne/N estimates obtained for the large and continuously-distributed populations studied here. Because of its statistically-inherent assessment difficulty, we call for caution when interpreting marker-based estimates of contemporary Ne for monitoring widely-distributed tree populations or small genetic conservation units embedded within large continuous tree populations.

Plantations of Eucalyptus species have been widely used in Spain to meet the high demand for wood given their rapid growth and high wood production capacity. Defoliation induced by the invasive eucalypt weevil (Gonip terus platensis (Marelli)), however, has been causing significant economic damage to Spanish Eucalyptus spp. plantations since the 1990s. G. platensis is native to Tasmania, Australia, where populations are controlled by natural enemies including the egg parasitoid Anaphes nitens Girault. In this study, spatio-temporal Universal Kriging was applied to examine the dynamics of defoliation damage caused by G. platensis in Spanish Eucalyptus spp. plantations and to identify the main factors associated with the presence and spread of the pest. The data set combines the Spanish national plots belonging to the network of the European transnational survey of forest condition in Europe (ICP Forest Level I, 16 × 16 km grid) along with regional plots, measured using similar field protocols, in which Eucalyptus spp. are present. A total of 264 Eucalyptus plots were included in the study, G. platensis being present in 167 of these plots at some time during the observed period (2005–2020). Our results show that defoliation damage > 0% and defoliation damage > 5% caused by G. platensis increased over the period 2005–2010 and then decreased between 2010 and 2020. Defoliation damage > 15% incidence steadily decreased from 2005 to 2015, but showed an upturn in 2020. Stands belonging to the Atlantic region are more affected by this pest (76% of the Atlantic sampling plots affected versus just 4% of the Mediterranean plots). The species Eucalyptus globulus Labill. and monospecific stands, as well as spring precipitation of the current year were found to be positively associated with the incidence of G. platensis whereas the relationship with summer temperature of the previous year was negative. Finally, maps showing the degree of incidence over time have been produced to s

Rhagoletis cerasi (L.) is the most damaging pest of cherries in Europe and Western Asia and it has been recently introduced in North America. Females sting the ripening cherries and tolerance of damaged fruit is very low (<2%). The management of this pest is mainly based on insecticide applications near harvest. Only a few insecticides are authorized for this use in Europe, and repeated use of them likely entails environmental risks, resistance to insecticides and residues in the fruit. Therefore, alternative tools are needed. Trap-attractant combinations were compared on searching an efficient and economical device for a viable mass trapping method against R. cerasi on a large-scale use. A folded yellow sticky trap with a homemade ammonium acetate dispenser was the most efficient and also the cheapest one. The efficacy of mass trapping using this device was evaluated in farm-scale trials. With low pest pressure, mass trapping was sufficient to obtain commercially acceptable fruit. With high pest pressure, mass trapping reduced the number of insecticide (spinosad) applications while keeping damage below the economic threshold. Therefore, mass trapping can be a useful tool for managing R. cerasi and reducing insecticide application.

A protocol for managing the main diseases and pests of sweet cherry in Spain (New IPM) has been implemented in order to reduce the use of pesticides. This New IPM includes nonchemical strategies, such as biological products against diseases and mass trapping of pests, and adjusts the timing and number of pesticide applications according to damage thresholds and a predictive model of diseases based on climatic factors. The New IPM was compared—in commercial orchards from the main cherry-producing areas in Spain (Aragon and Extremadura)—to the integrated management usually carried out in these areas (Standard IPM). Furthermore, a multiresidue method for the determination of the residues in cherries was developed. The number of applications, active ingredients used, and residue levels in fruit were reduced very significantly with this New IPM without affecting the effectiveness in the control of the main cherry diseases (brown rot, shot-hole, and leaf-spot) and pests (European cherry fly, spotted wing drosophila, and black cherry aphid). Neither significant differences in the abundance and diversity of microorganisms in flowers and fruit nor soil and canopy dwelling arthropods were observed between the two protocols, although some positive effects of this New IPM were seen on some groups of natural enemies.

The faba bean (Vicia faba) is a temperate grain legume, that is regaining interest due to the high demand for food and feed uses and the environmental services provided. The parasitic weed broomrape (Orobanche crenata) appears as the major constraint to agricultural production in the Mediterranean Basin. The yield stability can be managed by adjusting agronomic practices and breeding for adaptation. In this study, we compared the performance of three susceptible faba bean accessions with that of eight lines previously selected for their broomrape resistance, in multi-environment field trials. Results confirmed that the grain yield in the region was negatively affected, mainly by broomrape infection, followed at a distance by ascochyta blight (Ascochyta fabae), whereas the grain yield was little affected by the low occurring levels of chocolate spot infection (Botrytis fabae). The yield was favored by rain at flowering and was reduced by low temperatures at preflowering and flowering, and by high temperatures at flowering and grain-filling. The combined ANOVA showed significant effects of the genotype, environment, and genotypex environment interaction. The weighted average of the absolute scores biplot (WAASB), a heat map with 21 scenarios based on the WAASB ratio and the multi-trait stability index (MTSI) were utilized to determine the mean performance and stability of the faba bean genotypes. Quijote, Navio6, Baraca and Far-aonSC are proposed as ideal lines for cultivation in the region and to be further used in future breeding programs.

NK-lysins are a family of antimicrobial peptides conserved in all vertebrate groups that stand out for their antitumor and broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. The tertiary structure of these peptides shows helical regions stabilized by disulfide bridges that exhibit a lysine-rich facet responsible for its interaction with anionic lipid membranes. In our previous papers, the peptide corresponding to such region in the turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) NK-lysin ortholog (Nkl71-100) showed membrane-disrupting activity against the parasite Philasterides dicentrarchi, as well as inhibition of the pH-dependent fusion step of the entry phase of the spring viremia of carp virus (SVCV). Biophysical data showed that Nkl71-100 preferentially interacts with anionic phosphatidylserine lipid bilayers at low pH conditions. In the present study, the susceptibility of a diverse range of fish viruses to Nkl71-100 has been determined in vitro. In particular, SVCV and tilapia lake virus (TiLV) showed high sensitivity to the Nkl71-100 treatment, while the inhibitory effect on cyprinid herpesvirus 3 (CyHV-3) was only present at higher concentrations and common carp paramyxovirus (CCPV) infectivity was not affected by the peptide. In conclusion, the fusion step of the viral entry phase is postulated as a promising target for the treatment of some viruses with high economic impact on aquaculture by means of molecules such as NK-lysins

[ES] Este documento describe los trabajos realizados durante la campaña TUNIBAL0622, desarrollada en aguas del archipiélago Balear entre el 13 y el 30 de junio del año 2022. Esta campaña tiene como objetivo principal monitorizar el estado de las comunidades ictioplantónicas en el medio pelágico para el análisis del estado del atún rojo y otras especies de túnidos durante su desarrollo temprano. Se caracteriza también el escenario hidrográfico. La campaña, financiada por el Plan Nacional de Datos Básicos (PNDB), responde a los requerimientos de la UE y de la Comisión Internacional del Atún Atlántico., [EN] This document describes the work carried out during the TUNIBAL0622 campaign, developed in the Balearic archipelago between June 13 and 30, 2022. The main objective of this campaign is to monitor the status of ichthyoplankton communities in the pelagic environment for the analysis of the status of bluefin tuna and other tuna species during their early stages. The hydrographic scenario is also characterized. The campaign, financed by the National Data Collection Framework (PNDB), responds to the requirements of the EU and the International Atlantic Tuna Commission.