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Este artículo contiene 16 páginas, 7 figuras, 3 tablas., The aim of the study is to describe the macrofaunal composition of marine soft bottom habitats on the Catalan coast between a depth of 3 and 35 meters, considering all groups of macroinvertebrates. The study also aims to compare our data with previous studies focused on the NW Mediterranean and to define the variables that drive assemblage composition. Depending on the species composition and the structure of the assemblages, six different habitats, mainly defined by depth and sediment granulometry, are described. Shallow (20 m) habitats are easily distinguished and are subdivided in three habitats each: (1) very coarse and coarse sediments (coarse sediments); (2) medium, fine and very fine sands (fine sediments); and (3) muddy sediments. Fine sediments in both shallow and deep waters have emerged as the most common and extensive habitats along the coast up to a depth of 35 meters. Neither coarse nor muddy habitats are frequent. The characterization of shallow habitats produced some unexpected results with respect to previous studies: Spisula subtruncata and Lucinella divaricata were dominant, while neither Ditrupa arietina nor Owenia fusiformis, previously mentioned as dominant polychaetes in shallow fine sand habitats, were common. Polychaetes were, in general, the dominant group (both in species richness and abundance) in the six habitats, except in shallow fine sediments, which were dominated by mollusks. The study is a benchmark for future monitoring of soft bottom habitats on the Catalan coast to a depth of 35 meters., The Agència Catalana de l’Aigua (Catalonia Government) and the INTRAMURAL-CSIC project reference 201330E065 provided the funding for this research.

Following on from the partial review of European Magelonidae by Fiege et al. (2000), a dichotomous identification key, a table of characters and images of all nine known European magelonid species are provided. Magelona equilamellae is redescribed highlighting several features not reported originally by Harmelin. Notably the thoracic neuropodial lamellae, which are initially prechaetal but become distinctly postchaetal by chaetiger 7, an additional character allowing separation from the morphologically similar Magelona alleni. Records suggest that M. equilamellae is a Mediterranean species, more commonly occurring in shallow, transitional waters. Several new characters for Magelona filiformis are additionally highlighted as well as a number of corrections to the existing description, including the number of prostomial ridges, presence of abdominal lateral pouches, morphology of chaetiger 9, and the presence of smaller abdominal hooded hooks adjacent to lateral lamellae. The first image of M. filiformis minuta is provided, and its synonymy with M. filiformis further supported.

Este artículo contiene 18 páginas, 8 figuras, 1 tabla., Historical information on marine organisms needs to be incorporated to develop effective management plans and conservation targets. In the Mediterranean Sea most species of brown seaweeds of the order Fucales are threatened or endangered and need protection. Here we merge data on historical and current records to create the first reference dataset on past and present distributions of Fucales from shallow and sheltered shores of Catalonia (NW Mediterranean Sea). Most Cystoseira sensu lato populations were found in the northern shores, where the most suitable environments exist. Carpodesmia mediterranea and Cystoseira compressa are far more abundant in exposed than in shallow, sheltered shores. Populations of most of the taxa (i.e. Carpodesmia crinita, Treptacantha elegans, T. sauvageauana, T. barbata f. aurantia) have suffered an important regression and two taxa have apparently become locally extinct (Cystoseira foeniculacea, Treptacantha barbata f. barbata). Carpodesmia caespitosa is still widespread in sheltered environments from the northern shores and a previously unreported taxon has been found (T. ballesterosii var. tenuior). Our regional-scale study makes available a solid, comprehensive baseline for future monitoring and application of conservation measures for the several threatened species of Fucales., Financial support to this research came from the projects ‘‘Cartografia dels Hàbitats Litorals a Catalunya’’ (Departament de Territori i Sosteniblitatand Institut Cartogàfic, Generalitat de Catalunya, Spain), CTN1500528 of the Agència Catalana de l’Aigua, Spain, and the INTRAMURAL CSIC PIE201730E033. Jana Verdura and Alba Medrano benefitted of funding from the Horizon 2020 EU Research and Innovation Program under grant agreement No. 689518 (MERCES). Partial funding came from the Sustainable Blue Economy program, European Union under the grant agreement AFRIMED EASME/EMFF/2017/1.2.1.12/S4/01/SI2.789059 to Jana Verdura.

Background: Disability following a stroke leads to deterioration in the quality of life (QoL) not only of patients, but also of their relatives. Identifying which patient-related variables have the greatest impact on caregivers’ QoL will allow us to improve rehabilitation interventions. Objective: To assess the QoL of patients after a stroke and that of their main caregivers. A secondary aim was to analyse potential relationships between patient-related variables and the most affected aspects of caregivers’ QoL. Methods: Prospective cohort study. Sociodemographic data, cognitive status, aphasia, dysphagia, and disability were evaluated 6 months after a stroke. The QoL of patients and caregivers was assessed using the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). Results: 157 patients and 119 caregivers were evaluated. Patients had a mean age of 70.9 ± 11.8 years and Barthel index of 77.15 ± 22.77. The caregiver was usually a woman (74%) and mean age of 58.8 ± 12.43 years. Stroke patients and caregivers perceived deterioration in their QoL, this being more marked in the case of women. Older patients obtained poorer scores in physical function. In caregivers, the SF-36 physical component summary score was lower when care recipients had poorer functional status and/or difficulty swallowing, while the mental component summary score was lower when care recipients were younger and/or male. Conclusions: Disability of patients following a stroke has a negative impact on their quality of life and that of their main caregiver. The degree of disability and dysphagia of the care recipient have the greatest impact on caregivers’ mental and physical health.

Resumen Objetivo Conocer la satisfaccion de los pacientes con ictus y sus cuidadores durante su hospitalizacion en rehabilitacion y analizar la efectividad del tratamiento, el riesgo social y el destino del paciente al alta. Material y metodo Estudio multicentrico de cohorte longitudinal prospectivo. Se valoro el riesgo social (escala Gijon), la comorbilidad (indice de Charlson), la discapacidad (indice de Barthel), la efectividad del tratamiento rehabilitador, la satisfaccion con la atencion (cuestionario de Pound) y el destino al alta en 241 pacientes. De 119 cuidadores evaluados a los 6 meses postictus se recogieron la edad, el parentesco, las horas diarias dedicadas al cuidado y la satisfaccion con la informacion/formacion y con la accesibilidad del equipo rehabilitador. Resultados El perfil del paciente era el de un varon de 71 anos, con riesgo social bajo/intermedio, comorbilidad alta y dependencia total/severa. Un 27,1% vivian solos. El 96,6% referian estar satisfechos/muy satisfechos con el tratamiento, siendo menor la satisfacion con la recuperacion (80,3%). La efectividad fue de 32,5 ± 20,4. El 81,7% de los pacientes regresaron a su domicilio. La media de edad de los cuidadores fue de 58,8 ± 12,3 anos y el 73,9% eran mujeres. La dedicacion a los cuidados era superior a 6 h diarias en el 62%. El 89,9% de los cuidadores estaban satisfechos/muy satisfechos con la informacion recibida. Conclusiones Los pacientes ingresados para tratamiento rehabilitador tras un ictus obtienen una ganancia funcional significativa durante su hospitalizacion y regresan a su domicilio en la mayoria de los casos. La satisfaccion con el tratamiento rehabilitador y la informacion es elevada. Un campo especialmente mejorable es la formacion del cuidador.

En este estudio se analizan las relaciones entre la felicidad, la depresion y la creencia en la benevolencia humana en un grupo de adultos mayores que se encuentran institucionalizados (24) y en otro grupo que vive con su familia (38). Se utilizo la Escala de Felicidad de Lima (EFL), la Escala de Depresion Geriatrica de Yesavage y la Escala de Creencia en la Benevolencia Humana. Se hallo que no hay diferencias significativas en los niveles de depresion de ambos grupos de adultos mayores, siendo sus puntuaciones muy bajas, pero si hubo diferencias significativas en felicidad y en los factores de sentido positivo de la vida y satisfaccion con la vida a favor de los adultos mayores que viven con sus familias. Tambien se encontraron relaciones negativas entre la creencia en la benevolencia humana y la depresion para el grupo de adultos mayores no institucionalizados, asi como relaciones negativas con la realizacion personal para el grupo que esta institucionalizado.

12 páginas, 4 figuras, 4 tablas, The boundary between land and sea, i.e. the littoral zone, is home to a large number of habitats whose distribution is primarily driven by the distance to the sea level but also by other environmental factors such as littoral's geomorphological features, wave exposure, water temperature or orientation. Here we explore the relative importance of those major environmental factors that drive the presence of littoral rocky habitats along 1100 Km of Catalonia's shoreline (Spain, NW Mediterranean) by using Geographic Information Systems and Generalized Linear Models. The distribution of mediolittoral and upper infralittoral habitats responded to different environmental factors. Mediolittoral habitats showed regional differences drawn by sea-water temperature and substrate type.Wave exposure (hydrodynamism), slope and geological features were only relevant to those mediolittoral habitats with specific environmental needs. We did not find any regional pattern of distribution in upper infralittoral habitats, and selected factors only played a moderate role in habitat distribution at the local scale. This study shows for the first time that environmental factors determining habitat distribution differ within the mediolittoral and the upper infralittoral zones and provides the basis for further development of models oriented at predicting the distribution of littoral marine habitats., Financial support for this work was provided by projects INTRAMURAL CSIC 0065 “Estudios para la implementaci on de las Directivas Europeas H abitats, Marco del Agua y Estrategia Marina en el Mediterr aneo Español”.

According to the Water Framework Directive (Directive 2000/60/CE), assessment methods for the biological quality element benthic invertebrates must include diversity, abundance and proportion of pollution sensitive/indicator taxa as indicative parameters. By one hand, the use of pollution sensitive/indicator taxa (indicator taxa indices) is criticized due to the lack of a reliable methodology to know the level at which indicator species can be well represented in unaffected communities. By the other hand, it is often remarked in the literature that the response of diversity measures may be biased by several methodological constraints. In the last few years, several multimetrics, combining both types of indices, have been proposed with the aim of providing a better picture of the response of benthic communities to disturbance gradients. In order to understand how different responses of diversity measures may affect the responses of multimetric indices, several biotic indices, including diversity measures, indicator taxa indices and multimetrics, were calculated for a set of Mediterranean coastal ecosystems affected by different ranges of organic matter content. Diversity measures did not show monotonic patterns of response to the gradient of organic content, particularly at the low end of its range, while strong correlations were found between indicator taxa indices and this pressure indicator gradient. The multimetric used in the study (M-AMBI) was more correlated with its diversity components (H′ and S) than with its indicator taxa component (AMBI) and, consequently, M-AMBI was always less correlated with the gradient of organic content than AMBI. In Mediterranean coastal water ecosystems naturally poor in sediment organic matter content, indicator taxa indices, such as MEDOCC, BOPA, AMBI or BENTIX, seem to give a more reliable picture of the response of benthic communities to moderate increments of organic content than diversity indices., The authors acknowledge Agència Catalana de L’Aigua, Govern de les Illes Balears, Generalitat Valenciana, Junta de Andalucia, EGMASA (Empresa de Gestión Medioambiental, S.A.), Comunidad Autónoma de la Region de Murcia, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research and the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning and the Agency for Environment of the Republic of Slovenia for providing the framework of the case studies and the access to data.

10 páginas, 4 tablas, 5 figuras., Changes in the species composition and structure of Mediterranean macroalgal-dominated communities from the upper sublittoral zone are described along agradient of nutrient enrichment coming from a urban sewage outfall. Ulva-dominated communities only appear close to the sewage outfall. Corallina-dominated communities replace ulvacean algae at intermediate levels of nutrient enrichment. Cystoseira-dominated communities thrive in the reference site but already appear at nutrient levels that are threefold higher than those reported from unpolluted sites. Assemblage variability of Cystoseira-dominated communities decreases along the gradient of nutrient enrichment. Methods based on the functional-form groups of macroalgae to assess the waterquality provide equivocal results at intermediate levels of nutrient enrichment because species belonging to the same group can display a completely different response to pollution. Alternatively, methods based on indicator species showed correlated evidence among species abundances and pollution levels and seem to have better performances in waterquality assessment., This study has been financially supported by the “Agència Catalana de l’Aigua” (Departament de Medi Ambient i Habitatge, Generalitat de Catalunya).

The assessment of ecological quality in the frame of the Water Framework Directive has been performed in Ebre Delta bays (Alfacs and Fangar) using MEDOCC (MEDiterranean OCCidental) index. Results demonstrate the applicability of the index in heavily modified transitional water bodies and its response to pressures (mainly agricultural activities) affecting macroinvertebrate assemblages inhabiting soft bottoms. According to previous studies and the organic matter enrichment and heavy metal gradients inside the bays, three different Transitional Waters (TW) have been distinguished, but only two of them are assigned to Heavily Modified Water Bodies (HMWB). Two different reference conditions have been considered depending on the acting pressures: a Maximum Ecological Potential (MEP) for the areas highly affected by the pressures (i.e., HMWB) and a Reference Condition (RC) for non-modified waters from the southern shelf of Alfacs Bay where the effect of agricultural activity is scarce. A good Ecological Potential/Status (EP/ES) was always achieved in the surveys.

The Mediterranean Sea is especially prone to the introduction of alien species due to an intense marine traffic, the connection with the Red Sea through the Suez Canal and intensive aquaculture. Catalonia, a region in the Northwestern Mediterranean, began an extensive study on the presence, distribution and impact of invasive macroalgae in 1992, which was extended to all macrobenthic alien species by 2007. Gathering all presence and abundance data of introduced species from the monitoring, we also calculated a Biopollution Level (BPL) index to assess the magnitude of the effects of introduced species on the marine biota at a local level (water body) as required by Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). Seventeen alien species have been identified although only three can be considered so far as threatening in non-modified environments: the green alga Caulerpa cylindracea and the red algae Womersleyella setacea and Asparagopsis armata. These species show an uneven distribution along the coast but sometimes coexist in the same water body. The impact of alien species on native communities was never severe as shown by the low values obtained using the BPL. The only species triggering a moderate to strong impact was Caulerpa cylindracea but it only affected a single water body. However, C. cylindracea exhibited a great temporal variability on its abundance, with sudden collapses of its populations, which also caused a great variability in the BPL. Future monitoring of the coasts of Catalonia is advised as there is an increase in the number of water bodies affected by alien species and an increase in their abundances from 2007 to 2012.

17 páginas, 5 figuras, 2 tablas, The spatial distribution of soft-bottom macrofaunal assemblages and their relationship with sediment characteristics were examined in two semienclosed shallow-water bays (Alfacs Bay and Fangar Bay) in the Ebre Delta (Catalonia, NW Mediterranean) during 2006 and 2011. Three assemblages were identified: group 1, present in sediments that contain a high percentage of silt-clay, small median particle size and high organic matter content and located at the most external areas of both bays and in the central basin of Alfacs Bay; group 2, present in the shallow northern platform in Alfacs Bay and in both platforms in Fangar Bay, the locations which feature highly variable sediment characteristics; and group 3, present in the shallow areas of both bays, which are characterised by low siltclay and organic matter content. In Alfacs Bay, the differentiation of these assemblages has persisted since 1987, independently of the increase in organic matter content and heavy metal concentrations and of the shift in macrofaunal composition that have occurred over the past 20 years, most likely the result of increased agricultural activity., Funding was provided by Agència Catalana de l’Aigua (Departament de Medi Ambient i Habitatge, Generalitat de Catalunya) and INTRAMURAL-CSIC project (reference 201330E065).

14 páginas, 7 figuras, 1 tabla., Macroinvertebrate communities inhabiting shallow sandy bottoms from Catalonia and Balearic Islands coastal waters (Western Mediterranean) were used to develop the Mediterranean Occidental (MEDOCC) index, a new methodology to assess the ecological status (ES) according to Water Framework Directive (WFD) requirements. The dominance pattern of four ecological groups (EG; sensitive, indifferent, tolerant and opportunistic organisms) was studied along a disturbance gradient. Sensitive taxa were present in disturbed situations and tolerant species were related to opportunistic taxa. The thresholds between ES were scaled according to the shifts in the dominance pattern of the EGs. The distribution of the EGs along the gradient of disturbance may vary depending on the studied communities, thus influencing the boundaries defining the ES. With the development of the MEDOCC index it is shown that analysing the response of the communities to the increasing gradient of disturbance is critical to enable an accurate proposal for boundary setting to be made, and to improve the applicability of the indices. AMBI (AZTI Marine Biotic Index), Bentix (Biotic Index), and MEDOCC indices were applied to the dataset to compare the ES obtained., Ag encia Catalana de l’Aigua, the Govern de les Illes Balears, and the INTRAMURAL-CSIC proyect reference 201330E065 provided the funding to develop this index.

CARLIT is a Water Framework Directive-compliant methodology permitting a rapid assessment of water quality using rocky-shore macroalgae as biological quality elements. Here we present the water quality assessment of 32 coastal water bodies of Catalonia (Northwestern Mediterranean) during a period of 14 years (1999–2012) applying CARLIT. The averaged ecological status of the water bodies ranges between high and poor and the Ecological Quality Ratio shows a significant negative relationship with a modified LUSI index, thus providing further evidence on the utility of CARLIT to detect anthropogenic pressures. The lowest interannual variability in water quality was found in water bodies having most of their shore covered by natural rocks, while the highest variability was observed in water bodies situated in semi-confined environments or located close to freshwater discharges. In spite of the multiple advantages of CARLIT as a monitoring methodology, it can show strong disagreements in water quality assessment with other methodologies using other biological quality elements (i.e., macroinvertebrates). These discrepancies mainly occur in water bodies with reduced extension of rocky shores, questioning the use of CARLIT in these situations.

The Ecological Status (ES) of littoral coastal waters from Catalonia (Northwestern Mediterranean Sea) has been evaluated between 2002 and 2010 using MEDOCC (MEDiterranean OCCidental) index. Macroinvertebrate assemblages inhabiting both littoral fine sands (

Coarse to fine-sand sediments characterize shallow sublittoral soft bottoms in the Northwestern Mediterranean Sea. Within the framework of a wider research project on the littoral ecosystem of the Bay of Blanes (Catalan coast), the dynamics of shallow soft-bottom macroinfaunal assemblages have been followed since March 1992. These assemblages exhibited a highly predictive annual cycle. Abundance and biomass rose sharply during spring, followed by a striking drop through summer, and reaching the lowest values during winter. These cycles were consistent with the temporal variation in several key species. During the summer and autumn of 1994, shallow soft bottoms (10 to 30 m depth) off the Tordera River were dredged for beach nourishment. Recolonization in these dredged habitats was fast, and no changes in seasonal trends were detected after dredging. However, density values rose sharply during the following spring and autumn with exceptionally large numbers of Ditrupa arietina, Spisula subtruncata, and Branchiostoma lanceolatum. Dredging activities also led to rapid increases in biomass values, which were significantly higher than those obtained before dredging. After two years, densities were back to normal but biomasses were still high. Other species, such as the filter-feeder Callista chione and the carnivorous polychaetes Protodorvillea kefersteini and Glycera spp., were still clearly reduced after two years, suggesting that a longer period is needed to restructure dredged bottoms to their initial situation. Dredged habitats supported artisanal bivalve fisheries in the harbour of Blanes. The official catch data of bivalves (mainly C. chione, Acanthocardia aculeata, Donax trunculus, and D. variegatus) showed a decreasing yield since the end of dredging.

Fundamento Para planificar los objetivos del tratamiento rehabilitador tras un ictus es necesario conocer el pronostico funcional del paciente. Se investigan los principales factores pronosticos de discapacidad en el paciente hemiplejico, mediante un analisis de sus deficit neurologicos: afasia, desorientacion, incontinencia urinaria, hemianopsia, trastornos sensitivos, anosognosia, deficit de fuerza y control de tronco. Pacientes y metodo Se incluyeron 73 pacientes hemiplejicos, ingresados en un servicio de rehabilitacion tras un ictus. La valoracion clinica y funcional de los pacientes se efectuo al ingreso en rehabilitacion, al tercer y sexto meses y al ano del accidente cerebrovascular. Para valorar el grado de discapacidad se empleo el indice de Barthel modificado por Shah en 1989 Resultados La mayoria de los sintomas neurologicos (deficit de fuerza, sensitivos, del control del tronco, afasia) presentan un patron de recuperacion similar, con una recuperacion principal al tercer mes que se estabiliza hacia el sexto mes del accidente cerebrovascular. El 57% de los pacientes alcanzan un nivel de independencia elemental (indice de Barthel > 90) en la realizacion de las actividades de la vida diaria. Los enfermos con un deficit grave de fuerza en la extremidad superior o una alteracion en la sensibilidad profunda tienen 9 y 13 veces mas riesgo de obtener un mal resultado funcional, respectivamente, que aquellos que no los presentan, independientemente de otros deficit clinicos asociados. Las variables clinicas con mayor importancia pronostica en la discapacidad del paciente hemiplejico son el grado de paresia (p Conclusion No hay una unica variable clinica, sino un conjunto de deficit fisicos que influyen en el pronostico funcional del paciente hemiplejico tras un accidente cerebrovascular, entre los que destacan la gravedad de la paresia, el deficit en la sensibilidad profunda y el deficit en el control de tronco.

The spatial distribution of the tubicolous polychaete Owenia fusiformis Delle Chiaje in the Bay of Blanes was studied during summer 1996. Populations were located on sandy sediments and a heterogeneous distribution of specimens was found. Three areas with different densities were observed: the vicinity of the harbour, the mouth of the Tordera River, and the open bay. Although adult individuals were present all over the bay at low densities, large numbers were mainly found near the harbour. Differences in mean individual biomass were also observed among stations. The largest individuals were found at the mouth of the river, where the fluxes of suspended matter were maximal. Juveniles of O. fusiformis also showed a regular pattern of spatial variation along the bay. The highest density of juveniles was found in the area where high densities of adults occurred. The consequences of this spatial variability were analyzed in relation to the effect of sediment grain size on 3 successive processes of recruitment (metamorphosis, juvenile transformation and tube construc- tion) in running still-water experiments. The influence of sediment particle size on the disappearance of larvae in the 3 processes was analyzed. The large grain size of the substratum had a significant negative effect on the construction of O. fusiformis tubes. After settlement, O. fusiformis needs a high percentage of fine sediment to construct the tube. Our results support the hypothesis that the spatial distribution pattern of the species in the field is influenced by sediment particle size. The importance of the presence of O. fusiformis adult tubes and seagrass shoots in stabilizing the sediments, and thus determining the pattern, is also discussed.

The distribution and population structure of the serpulid polychaeteDitrupa arietinawere assessed along the section of the Mediterranean coast between Barcelona and Montpellier. The study combined: (1) the analysis of the existing historical data referring to the period before the 1970s; (2) the results of impact assessment surveys carried out in the late 1980s and the 1990s; and (3) the results of two surveys carried out in the Bay of Blanes and along the coast between Cape Cerbere and Port-la-Nouvelle during 1996. The results of the surveys carried out in the 1990s show the occurrence of high densities (i.e. >1000 ind m−2) ofDitrupa arietinaat all the sites sampled. These results can be compared with the few reports of this species before 1970, leading to the conclusion thatD. arietinahas recently increased all along the Catalan coast.Ditrupa arietinais preferentially found between 20 and 30 m depth, which mostly corresponds to well-sorted fine sands and muddy sands. Both the results of population monitoring and the heterogeneity of population structure at small spatial scale show that the dynamics of this species is unstable. The observed distribution pattern is therefore interpreted as resulting from a response to both wide-scale environmental parameters (accounting for the dramatic increase of the species at a wide geographical scale), and to local environmental factors (accounting for small-scale heterogeneity in population structure). Analysis of the relationship between sedimentary data and densities ofD. arietinasuggests that this species is highly sensitive to the presence of fine sediments. However, because of the regional importance of the phenomenon, it is concluded that the dramatic increase ofD. arietinaalong both the Spanish and the French Catalan coast does not result from sediment instability.

9 páginas, 2 tablas, 3 figuras., Sampling of sublittoral macroalgal assemblages was carried out in 1982 and 1999 along the coast of Catalonia (Northwestern Mediterranean, Spain) in order to study long-term changes in species composition. Ordination analysis revealed significant differences in species composition and abundance between the two study periods. The number of stations with indicators of eutrophication, such as species of Chaetomorpha, Cladophora, and Ulva, decreased from 1982 to 1999. This decrease was not balanced by an increase in species typical of pristine environments, such as large perennial brown algae (in particular, Cystoseira mediterranea), but rather by an increase of stress-resistant species such as Corallina elongata. The observed shifts seem to be driven by the decrease in nutrient loadings in the water column, resulting from the progressive implementation of sewage treatment management in the study region since the mid-1970s., This study has been financed by the “Agència Catalana de l’Aigua” (Departament de Medi Ambient i Habitatge, Generalitat de Catalunya) and by the INTRAMURAL-CSIC project reference 201330E065.

The implementation of the European Water Framework Directive has enhanced the development of several indices based on benthic invertebrate communities. Some of them, such as BOPA, simplify the calculation employing the taxonomic sufficiency principle to assess the ecological status of ecosystems since they only consider opportunistic polychaetes and amphipods; others, such as MEDOCC, include all the species found in the community, and assign them to four ecological groups: sensitive, indifferent, tolerant, and opportunistic. Anyway, there is the need for testing, validating and improving these indices in different regions and communities. In this study we test the application of MEDOCC and BOPA along the Spanish Mediterranean coastal waters (Catalonia, Balearic Islands, Valencia, Murcia, and Andalusia regions) in order to investigate whether benthic indices with different taxonomic resolution provide similar ecological status assessment. Shallow fine soft-bottom communities were sampled from 2002 to 2010 in a total of 241 locations. The comparison between both indices demonstrated that the concordance for the studied communities reached up to 79% in some areas, although it was less than 30% in natural and anthropogenically modified ecosystems dominated by stress-tolerant species. Even though BOPA index provides good results, in general it evaluates in higher ecological status than MEDOCC does and it does not always allow discriminating more disturbed situations. The assignation of a same species to different ecological groups (some opportunistic polychaetes of one method are classified as indifferent by the other) and the fact that all the amphipods (except genus Jassa) are considered as sensitive species in BOPA index but not in MEDOCC, could contribute to the observed discrepancies. Some suggestions to improve the agreement between both methods are pointed and discussed., The authors acknowledge Agència Catalana de l’Aigua, Govern de les Illes Balears, Generalitat Valenciana, Junta de Andalucia and Comunidad Autónoma de la Region de Murcia for providing the framework of the case studies and the access to data.

2 páginas, 1 tabla.

9 páginas,4 figuras, 5 tablas., Macroalgae is a biological key element for the assessment of the ecological status in coastal waters in the frame of the European Water Framework Directive (WFD, 2000/60/EC). Here we propose a methodology for monitoring water quality based on the cartography of littoral and upper-sublittoral rocky-shore communities (CARLIT, in short). With the use of spatial databases, GIS, and available information about the value of rocky-shore communities as indicators of water quality, it is possible to obtain an environmental quality index representative of the ecological status of rocky coasts. This index, which completely fulfils the requirements of the WFD, is expressed as a ratio between the observed values in the sector of shore that is being assessed and the expected value in a reference condition zone with the same substrate and coastal morphology (Ecological Quality Ratio, EQR). The application of this index to the coast of Catalonia (North-Western Mediterranean) is presented., This study has been financially supported by the “Agència Catalana de l’Aigua” (Departament de Medi Ambient i Habitatge, Generalitat de Catalunya). One of the authors (SP) has been supported by a research contract from the CSIC in the I3P program funded by the European Social Fund.

18 páginas, 2 tablas, 6 figuras., Only five of fourteen species of Fucales reported at the end of the XIXth century are currently present in the Albères Coast (France, NW Mediterranean). According to historical data there has been a steady decrease of all the populations since the 1940s. Seven taxa now extinct (Cystoseira crinita, Cystoseira barbata, Cystoseira foeniculacea f. tenuiramosa, Cystoseira spinosa, Cystoseira spinosa var. compressa, Sargassum hornschuchii and Sargassum vulgare) were considered frequent and some of them were the dominant and engineering species in several phytobenthic assemblages. Moreover, only one of the five species left, shows no signs of regression (Cystoseira compressa), two are considered as rare (Cystoseira caespitosa, Cystoseira zosteroides), and one is very rare (Cystoseira elegans). Cystoseira mediterranea, a species that was reported to make a continuous belt along the shores of the Albe`res coast, has almost disappeared from some areas. Overgrazing by sea urchins, outcompetition by mussels, habitat destruction, scientific research sampling and, probably, human trampling and chemical pollution are to be blamed for the decline of populations thriving in shallow waters. Deep-water species have been affected by an increase in water turbidity and, probably, chemical pollution and direct plant destruction attributed to net fishing. If degradation of the environmental conditions continues, the remaining Cystoseira species will face a most unwelcome prospect. Even after the removal of the causes that led to its die-off, natural restoration of extinct species seems not to be possible because the decline has also affected populations from nearby areas and zygotes are unable to disperse over long distances. Urgent management actions have to be designed in order to improve the current situation of the populations of Fucales in the Albères coast., Financial support has been obtained from the ‘‘Agència Catalana de l 'Aigua’’ (Conselleria de Medi Ambient, Generalitat de Catalunya).

20 páginas, 3 tablas , 6 figuras., Within the frame of a wider research project on the littoral ecosystem of the Bay of Blanes (NW Mediterranean), the dynamics of shallow soft-bottom macroinfaunal assemblages of medium-to-fine-sand sediment communities of Spisula subtruncata have been followed since March 1992. These assemblages exhibited a very predictive annual cycle. Abundance and biomass rose sharply during spring, followed by a striking drop through summer showing lower values during autumn and winter. These cycles were consistent with the temporal variation of key macroinfaunal species in these shallow habitats: Spisula subtruncata, Owenia fusiformis, Ditrupa arietina, Lucinella divaricata, Echinocardium mediterraneum, Spio decoratus, Chone infundibuliformis, Paradoneis armata, Mediomastus fragilis, Protodorvillea kefersteini, Branchiostoma lanceolatum, Glycera cf. capitata and Callista chione. These species were included in ecological groups based on the trends observed during the 4 years of seasonal dynamics which are presented., This research was supported by two CAICYT projects (MAR910503, and AMB94- 0746), by a predoctoral fellowship from the Ministry of Science and Education to Susana Pinedo, and by a postdoctoral fellowship from the CSIC to Daniel Martin.

11 páginas, 4 figuras, 1 tabla., The total number of meroplankton larvae collected off the Bay of Blanes (NW Mediterranean) on 12 April 1995 ranged from 113 to 203 ind. irr-1. Bivalve veligers were the most abundant, followed by polychaete larvae, among which those from the hesionids, spionids and nephtyds were dominant Larval abundances were higher in the deeper half of the water column and decreased just near the bottom, except in the shallowest confined site., This study is a contribution to the project AMB94-0746 funded by the CICYT of Spain and to the Associated European Laboratory (LEA) of Marine Sciences. D.M. and S.P. were supported by a research contract from the CSIC of Spain and a predoctoral fellowship from the MEC of Spain, respectively.

Introduction After a cerebrovascular accident (CVA) a hemiplegic patient is at risk from numerous complications after leaving hospital. Objective To analyze the frequency of occurrence of the commonest complications characteristic of the hemiplegic syndrome, during the first year after the stroke. Patients and methods We evaluated 73 hemiplegic patients admitted to the rehabilitation department for treatment after a stroke. At each medical consultation, on admission and three, six and twelve months after the CVA, the complications 'belonging' to the hemiplegic syndrome were evaluated. These included contractures, painful shoulder, sympathetic-reflex dystrophy, fractures and thalamic pain. Results During the first year of the illness 81% of the patients had some type of complication. A painful shoulder was the commonest complication, seen in 40% of the patients, followed by contractures (23%). Sympathetic-reflex dystrophy of the paretic arm occurred in 11 patients (15%). Conclusion The commonest complication in patients during the first year after their stroke are painful shoulder and contractures.