Articles publicats en revistes (Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals)

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Contrasting vital rate contributions across interconnected populations of a highly vagile avian scavenger: A multisite modelling approach
(Elsevier B.V., 2025-11-01) Arévalo-Ayala, Diego José; Real, Joan; Margalida, Antoni; Badia-Boher, Jaume A.; Mañosa, Santi; Durà, Carles; Aymerich, Joan; Jiménez, Juan; Martínez, José María; Hernández Matías, Antonio, 1974-
Identifying the key drivers of population dynamics in long-lived species is critical for understanding their life history and guiding conservation. However, dispersal processes like immigration and emigration are often overlooked in long-term studies of highly vagile, transboundary species such as vultures, despite their role on population trends. Additionally, estimating often-neglected population fractions like non-breeders is essential to assess trends accurately, especially in species of conservation concern. Using the Eurasian griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) as a model species, we assessed the dynamics of three neighbouring populations in northeastern Iberia (Catalonia -CAT-, Aragon -ARA-, Valencian Community -VAL-) over 14 years using a Bayesian multisite Integrated Population Model (ms-IPM), explicitly incorporating movements between regions. Results showed distinct trends: steady growth (CAT), stabilization (VAL), and decline followed by stabilization (ARA). Adult survival was the key driver of population growth in ARA, despite being the lowest (0.94 vs. 0.97 in VAL and 0.98 in CAT), likely due to mortality from windfarms and electrocution. In contrast, the floater (non-breeder)-to-breeder ratio and immigration were more influential in CAT and VAL, but both were negatively correlated with population size across regions, indicating density dependence. In VAL density dependence suggested that the population was approaching its carrying capacity, increasing dispersal. Our study highlights the importance of ms-IPM for understanding complex demographic processes, such as the role of dispersal and non-breeders, in population dynamics of wide-ranging species. We provide a comprehensive framework to account for spatial and demographic heterogeneity, aimed at improving vulture conservation at both local and transboundary scales.
A comprehensive spatial analysis of invertebrate diversity within intermittent stream networks: Responses to drying and land use
(Elsevier B.V., 2024-07-20) Viza, Aida; Burgazzi, Gemma; Menéndez López, Margarita; Schäffer, Ralf B.; Muñoz Gràcia, Isabel
Freshwater ecosystems are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, which affect both diversity and ecosystem functioning. Furthermore, these ecosystems face additional threats from human activities, such as changes in land use, leading to water pollution and habitat degradation. Intermittent streams represent nearly half of all fluvial systems and support a rich diversity adapted to cope with drying. This study examines the impact of drying and different land uses on the taxonomic and functional diversity of aquatic invertebrates in a Mediterranean intermittent stream network. By sampling 16 reaches seasonally, we hypothesised that longer dry-phase duration and agriculture would both reduce α-diversity, with drying dominating impacts on β-diversity over agricultural practices. We anticipated that drying and agriculture would alter species and trait compositions, favouring desiccation-tolerant and generalist taxa. Drying adversely affected the taxonomic and functional α-diversity of aquatic invertebrates, while it positively influenced β-diversity. Land use only affected α-diversity. Specifically, habitat heterogeneity and increased water nutrient levels within the stream network correlated positively with invertebrate diversity. However, the negative effects of drying were less pronounced in upstream forested regions with high habitat heterogeneity compared to downstream areas influenced by agriculture. Our research highlights the importance of preserving natural and forested streams in intermittent networks, particularly in headwater regions, thus facilitating recolonization when flow is restored throughout the stream network.
Filling the gap: The unique isotopic niche of medium-sized and large sharks in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea
(Elsevier , 2024-04-01) Nuez, Ignasi; Gazo i Pérez, Manel; Borrell Thió, Assumpció; Aguilar, Àlex; Barría, Claudio; Navarro Cid, José; Cardona Pascual, Luis
The Mediterranean Sea is considered a biodiversity hotspot and hosts a broad diversity of shark species. Unfortunately, many shark populations have suffered a long story of overexploitation and their abundance has strongly declined over the last decades. A few studies have addressed the trophic role of sharks in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea, yet little is known about their isotopic niches. In this study, the isotopic niches of six shark species (Alopias vulpinus, Galeorhinus galeus, Hexanchus griseus, Isurus oxyrinchus, Prionace glauca and Squalus acanthias) from the northwestern Mediterranean Sea were determined and compared with those of sympatric predatory teleosts and marine mammals. Overall, δ13C and δ15N values were similar amongst all the shark species except for the three individuals of G. galeus, whose high δ15N values indicate recent immigration from a distinct area with a different isotopic baseline and hence were excluded from further analysis. The mixing models identified cephalopods as the dominant prey of the other five shark species and revealed that the medium-sized and large shark species studied here filled unique isotopic niches. Their trophic positions were similar to those of predatory teleosts and small dolphins but lower than those of larger dolphins, pilot whales and beaked whales. The high contribution of cephalopods to the diet of sharks in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea might be indicative of fish scarcity and deserves further research in the context of potential ontogenetic diet changes.
Chlorination Cessation Alters Greenhouse Gas Dynamics in Artificial Urban Ponds
(Wiley, 2025-08-05) Montes-Pérez, Jorge Juan; Irusta, Paula; Cañas, Lídia; Mejía, Fernanda; Pinaud-Brageot, Näel; Obrador Sala, Biel; Puigserver Cuerda, Diana; Millán Martos, Alberto; Schiller Calle, Daniel von
Cities are facing an ecological challenge, and international policies are increasingly focused on implementing nature-based solutions to support this transition. In this context, the naturalization of artificial urban ponds (AUP) is a promising approach with proved benefits for biodiversity and human well-being. However, the naturalization of AUP may be accompanied by increased greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Here, we evaluated the effect of chlorination cessation, an essential step in the naturalization process, on GHG dynamics in AUP. Partial pressures of CO2 (pCO2), CH4 (pCH4), and N2O (pN2O) were measured in 41 artificial urban ponds (28 non-chlorinated and 13 chlorinated) in the city of Barcelona during winter and summer to assess: (a) the effect of chlorination treatment, (b) the effect of seasonality, and (c) the main drivers behind the partial pressures of these GHGs. Results show that although chlorination cessation increased pCH4, it reduced pN2O and had no significant effect on pCO2. The main drivers of these patterns were naturalization, with factors related to primary production playing a major role; seasonality, with temperature as a key environmental variable; and groundwater legacy. Importantly, the net global warming potential (GWP), expressed as CO2 equivalents, was not significantly higher in non-chlorinated ponds. These findings suggest that the naturalization of artificial water bodies could be a viable strategy to create more resilient cities without significantly increasing GHG emissions.
Learning the syntax of plant assemblages
(2025-10-13) Leblanc, César; Bonnet, Pierre; Servajean, Maximilien; Thuiller, Wilfried; Chytrý, Milan; Aćić, Svetlana; Argagnon, Olivier; Biurrun, Idoia; Bonari, Gianmaria; Bruelheide, Helge; Campos, Juan Antonio; Čarni, Andraž; Ćušterevska, Renata; De Sanctis, Michele; Dengler, Jürgen; Dziuba, Tetiana; Garbolino, Emmanuel; Jandt, Ute; Jansen, Florian; Lenoir, Jonathan; Moeslund, Jesper Erenskjold; Pérez Haase, Aaron; Pielech, Remigiusz; Sibik, Jozef; Stančić, Zvjezdana; Uogintas, Domas; Wohlgemuth, Thomas; Joly, Alexis
To address the urgent biodiversity crisis, it is crucial to understand the nature of plant assemblages. The distribution of plant species is shaped not only by their broad environmental requirements but also by micro-environmental conditions, dispersal limitations, and direct and indirect species interactions. While predicting species composition and habitat type is essential for conservation and restoration purposes, it remains challenging. In this study, we propose an approach inspired by advances in large language models to learn the ‘syntax’ of abundance-ordered plant species sequences in communities. Our method, which captures latent associations between species across diverse ecosystems, can be fine-tuned for diverse tasks. In particular, we show that our methodology is able to outperform other approaches to (1) predict species that might occur in an assemblage given the other listed species, despite being originally missing in the species list (16.53% higher accuracy in retrieving a plant species removed from an assemblage than co-occurrence matrices and 6.56% higher than neural networks), and (2) classify habitat types from species assemblages (5.54% higher accuracy in assigning a habitat type to an assemblage than expert system classifiers and 1.14% higher than tabular deep learning). The proposed application has a vocabulary that covers over 10,000 plant species from Europe and adjacent countries and provides a powerful methodology for improving biodiversity mapping, restoration and conservation biology. As ecologists begin to explore the use of artificial intelligence, such approaches open opportunities for rethinking how we model, monitor and understand nature.
Compost from forest cleaning green waste and Trichoderma asperellum strain T34 reduced incidence of Fusarium circinatum in Pinus radiata seedlings
(Elsevier, 2016-04-01) López-López, Noelia; Segarra Braunstein, Guillem; Vergara Díaz, Omar; López-Fabal, Adolfo; Trillas Gay, M. Isabel
Fusarium circinatum is a quarantine pathogen in numerous countries that causes important economic losses in forest nurseries and mature pine trees. Alternatives to chemical control of plant diseases such as suppressive composts and the use of biological control agents in growth media can reduce the incidence and spread of disease. In this work, four gorse composts obtained from forest cleaning green wastes and reference compost prepared from the organic fraction of solid urban waste were studied as environmentally sustainable peat substitutes. Their ability to suppress the effects of mating types M1 and M2 of the pathogen F. circinatum on Pinus radiata was evaluated in the presence or absence of the biocontrol agent Trichoderma asperellum strain T34. One of the gorse composts was more suppressive than the reference compost (15% and 55% of disease incidence, respectively). The former had a low EC, moderate amounts of P, Ca, Mg and K, and high levels of NH4+, as well as moderate levels of Ca, B and oligotrophic actinomycetes, the highest levels of total fungi, moderate levels of Trichoderma spp. and the lowest levels of Fusarium spp. Adding T34 to the moderately suppressive and non-suppressive composts decreased pre- and post-emergence incidence of the disease by up to 50%. In conclusion, one gorse compost decreased the incidence of F. circinatum disease when used as a growth medium for P. radiata seedlings. T. asperellum strain T34 further reduced the incidence of disease and improved the health of pine seedlings grown in moderately non-suppressive composts.
An experimental study to assess resistance and resilience strategies of freshwater diatoms to cope with drying in Mediterranean temporary rivers
(Springer Verlag, 2024-06-01) Quevedo Ortiz, Guillermo; Fernández Calero, José María; Cañedo-Argüelles, Miguel; Schiller Calle, Daniel von; Fortuño Estrada, Pau; Bonada i Caparrós, Núria; Gomà Martínez, Joan
Temporary rivers are aquatic ecosystems that alternate periods of water flow with dry periods. Diatoms are a group of unicellular microalgae with a high colonizing ability, but little is known about their responses to drying. We carried out different resist- ance and resilience experiments to evaluate temporal and spatial dispersal capacity of diatoms during the dry period. The resistance was tested experimen- tally by rehydrating dried biofilms and sediments from temporary rivers, whereas resilience was tested by installing artificial mesocosms along a dry river section. Disconnected pools were also sampled to evaluate their propagule emission capacity. In turn, dogs from the area were sampled to test potential zoochory dispersal capacity. In the resistance experi- ment, we found living diatoms in all the rehydrated sediments but not in biofilms. Diatoms with mobility traits, high ecological plasticity, and resistance spores presented high, along with typical soil diatoms. In the resilience experiment, all mesocosms hosted liv- ing diatoms, which were low-profile, pioneering, and small species. Diatoms found in the mesocosms were also common in the disconnected pools, underscoring the potential role of the latter as a propagule emission zone. Dogs’ paws also had living diatoms, which evi- dences that wild fauna could potentially act as passive diatom vectors.
Annual Vegetation of Saline Seasonal Wetlands (Crypsietea aculeatae) in Europe
(Wiley, 2025-11-07) Iemelianova, Svitlana; Dítě, Daniel; Dítě, Zuzana; Willner, Wolfgang; Bergmeier, Erwin; Pérez Haase, Aaron; Dziuba, Tetiana; Aćić, Svetlana; Ćuk, Mirjana; Ćušterevska, Renata; Dubyna, Dmytro; Vassilev, Kiril; Chytrý, Milan
Aims: The class Crypsietea aculeatae comprises pioneer ephemeral dwarf-graminoid vegetation occurring in periodically flooded saline habitats. Although numerous regional studies have described this vegetation, a unified classification across Europe has been lacking. This study aims to establish a formalized, continent-wide classification at the association level, identify its biogeographical patterns, and assess relationships between species composition and environmental gradients. Location: Europe (except Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Russia). Methods: We compiled a dataset of 2538 vegetation plots from the European Vegetation Archive (EVA), private databases, and literature. A hierarchical expert system was developed using formal definitions of syntaxa based on species cover. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) was applied to evaluate compositional differences and reveal biogeographical patterns. Distance-based redundancy analysis (db-RDA) and unweighted community means of Ellenberg-type indicator values (EIVs) were used to assess environmental drivers. Results: We present a revised syntaxonomic framework for the class Crypsietea aculeatae and propose updates to the EuroVegChecklist. One alliance (Cypero-Spergularion marinae) and four associations (Crypsietum aculeatae, Crypsietum schoenoidis, Cyperetum pannonici, and Oxybasio chenopodioidis-Crypsietum aculeatae) were formally defined, with basic descriptions of their species composition, ecological characteristics, and geographical distribution. The main gradients in vegetation variability within the class Crypsietea aculeatae are driven by climatic gradient and edaphic factors, including soil moisture, soil acidity, salinity, and nutrient availability. Conclusions: We established the first formal classification of annual vegetation in European saline seasonal wetlands. The syntaxonomic nomenclature was revised, and modifications to the EuroVegChecklist were proposed. The resulting classification system, accompanied by an expert system, enables consistent application in nature conservation and ecological research.
Analysing the contribution of intermittent rivers to beta diversity can improve freshwater conservation in Mediterranean rivers
(Springer Verlag, 2024-04-25) Soria Extremera, Maria; Bonada i Caparrós, Núria; Cid Puey, Núria; Ortega, Jean Carlo Gonçalves; Bini, Luis Mauricio; Acosta Rivas, Carlos Raul; Gutiérrez-Cánovas, Cayetano; Rodríguez Lozano, Pablo; Fortuño, Pau; Vinyoles Cartanyà, Dolors; Gallart Gallego, Francesc; Prat i Fornells, Narcís
In Mediterranean climate regions, intermittent rivers (IRs) harbor highly dynamic communities with species and trait composition changing over time and space. Simultaneously considering multiple biodiversity facets and a spatiotemporal perspective is, therefore, key to developing effective conservation strategies for these ecosystems. We studied the spatiotemporal dynamics of aquatic macroinvertebrates in rivers of the western Mediterranean Basin by analysing (1) the taxonomic and functional richness and the local contribution to beta diversity (LCBD; measured considering taxonomic and functional facets) of perennial rivers and IRs over five sampling times, and (2) their relation with flow intermittence, local environmental uniqueness, and the number of anthropogenic impacts. Both analyses were also conducted for the subset of data including only IRs to compare values between their flowing and disconnected pool phases. According to our results, taxonomic and functional richness tended to be higher in perennial rivers than in IRs, while taxonomic and functional LCBD tended to be higher in IRs than in perennial rivers. When comparing IR sites over time, higher values of taxonomic and functional LCBD corresponded mostly to their disconnected pool phase. Flow intermittence, the number of anthropogenic impacts and th environmental uniqueness were significant predictors of taxonomic and functional richness, but only flow intermittence was an important predictor of taxonomic LCBD. For the IR-only data subset, disconnected pool permanence was the main predictor explaining spatiotemporal patterns. Our results highlight the importance of IRs to biodiversity conservation of Mediterranean climate rivers, especially during the disconnected pool phase, suggesting that these ecosystems cannot be ignored in conservation planning strategies.
Crossing the polar front—Antarctic species discovery in the nudibranch genus Tritoniella (Gastropoda)
(Springer Verlag, 2022-06-01) Schächinger, Peter M.; Schrödl, Michael; Wilson, Nerida G.; Moles, Juan
Tritoniella belli is the only valid species of a nudibranch genus endemic to the Southern Ocean. Recent exhaustive sampling and molecular analyses led to the discovery of several new lineages. A total of 69 specimens were collected from 25 sites across the Weddell and Scotia Seas, from 5 to 751 m depth. In this study, we provide morphological and anatomical characters to describe five new Tritoniella species, namely T. gnocchi n. sp., T. prinzess n. sp., T. gnathodentata n. sp., T. schoriesi n. sp., T. heideae n. sp. Detailed descriptions of colouration, external morphology, digestive and reproductive organs, distribution, and ecology are presented in a systematic context. These are compared to the type material from the Ross Sea of T. belli and its synonym T. sinuata, whose status requires additional sampling to be solved. Discrete differences in external characters, including the shape of dorsal notum ridge and mantle edges, support the species hypotheses delimited by Moles, Berning et al. (2021). Moreover, detailed scanning electron microscopy images of the masticatory border of the jaws, radula teeth, and penial papilla were provided and their differences discussed. The gut content of all species revealed sclerites of Primnoidae gorgonians as their preferred prey. Pseudo-cryptic radiations along the Scotia Arc, explained by the combination of distribution reduction due to glacial cycles and the existence of refugia, and enhanced by their direct development, could explain the allopatric speciation events in Tritoniella species.
Drivers of Alpine Mire Vegetation at Their Range Limit
(MDPI, 2025-10-08) Pérez Haase, Aaron; Ninot i Sugrañes, Josep Maria
Mires are fragile ecosystems in which plant communities are structured by complex interactions among hydrological regimes and groundwater properties. Although extensively studied in boreal and temperate regions, their environmental drivers in southern European mountains remain poorly understood. We investigated five complex mires in the Pyrenees, sampling 156 plots of vascular plants and bryophytes while measuring water table dynamics and groundwater chemistry over two years. Vegetation was classified into six main groups, including acid and alkaline fens, transition mires and Sphagnum hummocks. Ordination analyses (tb-PCA and RDA) revealed that mean water table depth, groundwater calcium and silicon content, and pH were the most important determinants of floristic composition. Bryophytes responded primarily to pH, whereas vascular plants were more influenced by water table variables, reflecting functional trait differences. Despite these environmental effects, spatial structure explained a comparable or greater proportion of variance, especially for vascular plants, underscoring the roles of local species pools, dispersal limitation, and site history in shaping community patterns. Establishing a reliable baseline is crucial for interpreting the distribution patterns of mire vegetation. Our results demonstrate that both environmental gradients and spatial processes are fundamental to understanding mire vegetation and highlight the importance of analyzing plant taxonomic groups separately.
Tracking Soil Organic Carbon and Nitrogen under Organic Management: A Temporal Perspective
(MDPI, 2025-10-11) Bragg, Daniel; Romanyà i Socoró, Joan; Blanco Moreno, José Manuel; Sans, Xavier (Sans i Serra)
Understanding the long-term impact of agricultural practices on soil parameters is essential for improving soil quality and sustainability. Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) and total Nitrogen (N) are key indicators due to their influence on crop productivity, nutrient cycling, and microbial activity. This study assesses the effects of tillage intensity (inversion vs. non-inversion) and organic amendments (manure vs. no manure) on SOC and total N dynamics in Mediterranean rain-fed arable systems. Data were collected over a ten-year field trial (2011–2020) in Catalonia, under cereal–legume rotation and organic management, focusing on two soil depths (0–10 and 10–20 cm). Fertilization was the main driver of SOC and N changes. Non-inversion tillage promoted topsoil accumulation and microbial colonization, especially during the first period (2011–2015). The combination of manure and reduced tillage led to faster and greater SOC increases. Moreover, initial SOC levels were negatively related to SOC changes in the topsoil. These results revealed the combination of manure and non-inversion tillage as the more suitable management practice to preserve soil quality in organic arable rain-fed systems, emphasizing the importance of understanding the impact of agricultural management in the long-term under Mediterranean conditions.
Restoring High Mountain Sphagnum Communities in the Central Pyrenees
(MDPI, 2025-10-07) Pladevall Izard, Eulàlia; Pérez Haase, Aaron; Carrillo, Empar; Escolà Lamora, Nil; Ninot i Sugrañes, Josep Maria
A handful of Sphagnum species and their ecosystems find their southernmost occurrence in the Pyrenees, and these small, relict units are endangered through anthropic activities and climatic change. A number of hydropower reservoirs covered former mire systems with water or let them ashore. These infrastructures will eventually become useless and abandoned, and the mires could possibly be restored, but there have been no known experiments in the Pyrenees in this field. The removal of the dam of a small reservoir in the Central Pyrenees in 2012 uncovered bare ground that was appropriate for testing mire restoration. In 2017, we started the restoration of two Habitats of Community Interest (HCIs), i.e., transition mires and quaking bogs (HCI 7140) and active raised bogs (HCI 7110*). To restore HCI 7140, we set a Carex rostrata population by planting cuttings and then small tufts of two Sphagnum species within the sedge sward. In parallel, we set small clumps of two other Sphagnum species intended to grow into hummocks (HCI 7110*). After seven growing seasons, HCI 7140 reached a good progression level, with a prosperous C. rostrata sward and progressive expansion of the Sphagnum populations. HCI 7110* turfs had varying performance, exhibiting moderate survivorship and positive expansion of the remaining turfs. The varying performance of the restored populations illustrates the possibilities of restoring mire communities in suboptimal environments. Interestingly, such restorative actions are appropriate for enhancing populations of species under threat, such as Sphagnum divinum.
Intraindividual variability as a large source of trait variation in clonal tundra dwarf shrubs along elevation and latitude gradients
(John Wiley & Sons, 2025-09-23) Anadon Rosell, Alba; Casanovas, Amanda; Bog, Manuela; Illa Bachs, Estela; Kreyling, Jürgen; Martínez Vilalta, Jordi, 1975-; Ninot i Sugrañes, Josep Maria; Pérez Haase, Aaron; Wilmking, Martin
Aim: Intraindividual trait variability (iITV), which is the variability among repeated architectural units within an individual, may represent a crucial dimension of functional diversity in plant eco-evolutionary dynamics. Although inter- and intraspecific trait variability have been widely studied, the extent of iITV remains largely overlooked. Since iITV might be especially relevant in long-lived clonal plants, we investigated sources of trait variability (species, site, clone, ramet, leaf) in tundra clonal dwarf shrubs, particularly focusing on iITV and its potential drivers. Location: Europe. Time Period: July 2019 to September 2020. Major Taxa Studied: Clonal dwarf shrubs. Methods: We sampled four widespread boreo-alpine clonal dwarf shrub species (Dryas octopetala, Empetrum hermaphroditum, Vaccinium myrtillus and Vaccinium uliginosum) along elevation gradients in the Pyrenees and along a latitude gradient in Europe. At each site, we selected four clones per species and sampled five ramets per clone. We measured size-architectural traits in each ramet and leaf traits in five leaves per ramet. We quantified interspecific, intraspecific and iITV, investigated the relationship between iITV and both climate and clone structural variables, and compared sampling protocols either accounting for or ignoring iITV. Results: Although interspecific trait variability was substantial, we found large proportions of iITV within species. Size-architectural traits showed larger iITV (up to 100% of ITV), but leaf traits also showed remarkable values (up to 77%). Our results showed that iITV increased with mean annual temperature for specific leaf area. However, climate and clone structural variables were not predictive for iITV for any other trait. Conclusions: Our quantification of iITV in clonal dwarf shrubs evidences the importance of this source of variability and its potential ecological implications and emphasises the need to integrate it in sampling protocols, both to avoid bias in comparative studies and improve the predictive capacity of trait-based approaches in population and community ecology.
Characterizing decision-making and reward processing in bipolar disorder: A cluster analysis
(Elsevier B.V., 2018-07) Jiménez Martínez, Ester; Solé Cabezuelo, Brisa; Arias Sampériz, Bárbara; Mitjans Niubó, Marina; Varo, Cristina; Reinares, María; Bonnín Roig, Caterina del Mar; Salagre Muñoz, Estela; Ruíz, Victoria; Torres, Imma; Tomioka, Yoko; Sáiz Martínez, Pilar Alejandra; García-Portilla González, María Paz, 1962-; Burón, Patricia; Bobes García, Julio; Martínez-Arán, Anabel, 1971-; Torrent Font, Carla; Vieta i Pascual, Eduard, 1963-; Benabarre, Antonio
The presence of abnormalities in emotional decision-making and reward processing among bipolar patients (BP) has been well rehearsed. These disturbances are not limited to acute phases and are common even during remission. In recent years, the existence of discrete cognitive profiles in this psychiatric population has been replicated. However, emotional decision making and reward processing domains have barely been studied. Therefore, our aim was to explore the existence of different profiles on the aforementioned cognitive dimensions in BP. The sample consisted of 126 euthymic BP. Main sociodemographic, clinical, functioning, and neurocognitive variables were gathered. A hierarchical-clustering technique was used to identify discrete neurocognitive profiles based on the performance in the Iowa Gambling Task. Afterward, the resulting clusters were compared using ANOVA or Chi-squared Test, as appropriate. Evidence for the existence of three different profiles was provided. Cluster 1 was mainly characterized by poor decision ability. Cluster 2 presented the lowest sensitivity to punishment. Finally, cluster 3 presented the best decision-making ability and the highest levels of punishment sensitivity. Comparison between the three clusters indicated that cluster 2 was the most functionally impaired group. The poorest outcomes in attention, executive function domains, and social cognition were also observed within the same group. In conclusion, similarly to that observed in "cold cognitive" domains, our results suggest the existence of three discrete cognitive profiles concerning emotional decision making and reward processing. Amongst all the indexes explored, low punishment sensitivity emerge as a potential correlate of poorer cognitive and functional outcomes in bipolar disorder.
From marine sand to land and rivers: A combined phylogenomic strategy unveils the evolution of minute Acochlidimorpha slugs (Gastropoda: Heterobranchia)
(Elsevier, 2025-12-01) Fernández-Simón, Jose; Jörger, Katharina M.; Brenzinger, Bastian; Schrödl, Michael; Wilson, Nerida G.; Neusser, Timea P.; Moles, Juan
The repeated colonisation of non-marine environments in panpulmonate molluscs represents a major evolutionary transition, yet many lineages remain poorly understood. Among gastropods, Acochlidimorpha stands out for its ecological and morphological diversity, originating in marine interstitial habitats before independently invading freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems. Here, we present the most complete phylogeny of Acochlidimorpha to date based on a global taxon sampling collected over several decades. We integrate ultra-conserved element (UCE) data from 58 museum-preserved specimens—comprising over 1,700 nuclear loci—with all publicly available Sanger-sequencing markers, totalling more than 150 specimens. This pioneering approach sets a new benchmark for phylogenomic studies in minute molluscan lineages. Our results resolve long-standing systematic ambiguities, reinstating Pontohedylidae stat. rest. and Strubelliidae stat. rest. and establishing Helicohedylidae fam. nov. Within Acochlidioidea, Strubelliidae is recovered as the sister to Pseudunelidae + (Tantulidae + Acochlidiidae). At the species level, we clarify the position of key taxa, including Asperspina loricata and two unidentified species of Hedylopsis. Ancestral habitat reconstruction analyses reveal at least four independent transitions to freshwater and terrestrial environments, highlighting the anatomical innovations facilitating these shifts. Altogether, our study provides a robust evolutionary framework for Acochlidimorpha, offering new insights into the processes underlying terrestrialisation, morphological evolution, and ecological diversification in a lineage characterised by both extreme miniaturisation and evolutionary dynamism.
Sphagnum lindbergii: a new peat moss species to the Iberian Flora
(Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 2025-09-12) Pérez Haase, Aaron; Escolà Lamora, Nil; Pladevall Izard, Eulàlia; Martínez-Amigo, Violeta; Blanco Moreno, José Manuel
Sphagnum lindbergii Schimp., a moss species of circumpolar distribution, is reported for the first time in Spain and in the Iberian Peninsula. This discovery, made in the chalybeate springs in the Chistau Valley (Central Pyrenees), adds to the only Pyrenean population currently known, limited to the French Rioumajou Valley. The Spanish population comprises four small patches occupying an estimated 5 m2. We describe its morphology, emphasizing diagnostic traits, and its habitat, characterized by iron-rich flushes in acidic, sub-alpine environments. The population faces significant threats, including livestock trampling and climate change, prompting its classification as Critically Endangered (CR) following IUCN criteria. Conservation measures are urgently recommended given its extreme rarity in the Pyrenees. Sphagnum lindbergii Schimp.: une nouvelle espèce de sphaigne pour la flore ibérique. Sphagnum lindbergii Schimp., une espèce de mousse à distribution circumpolaire, est recensée pour la première fois en Espagne et dans la péninsule ibérique. Cette découverte, réalisée dans les sources d'eau ferrugineuse de la vallée de Chistau (Pyrénées centrales), s'ajoute à la seule population pyrénéenne actuellement connue, limitée à la vallée française du Rioumajou. La population espagnole comprend quatre petites parcelles couvrant une surface estimée à 5 m2. Nous décrivons sa morphologie, en mettant l'accent sur les caractères diagnostiques, et son habitat, caractérisé par des eaux riches en fer dans des environnements subalpins acides. La population est confrontée à des menaces importantes, notamment le piétinement du bétail et le changement climatique, ce qui a conduit à la classer dans la catégorie « en danger critique d'extinction» (CR) selon les critères de l'UICN. La mise en place de mesures de conservation sont fortement recommandées étant donné son extrême rareté dans les Pyrénées.
Intricate Spatial Soil Carbon Distribution in Four Pyrenean Mires
(International Mire Conservation Group and International Peatland Society, 2025-09-19) Ninot i Sugrañes, Josep Maria; Miyasiro-López, María G.; Martínez-Amigo, Violeta; Carrillo, Empar; Pladevall Izard, Eulàlia; Pérez Haase, Aaron
Alpine mires in the Pyrenees are remarkable ecosystems for the singularity of their plant communities and for their occurrence at a southern distribution limit. However, the structure of their organic soils and their contribution to carbon (C) dynamics are largely unknown. In this study, we aimed to map and quantify organic C stocks and peat thickness in Pyrenean mires for the first time. In four mire sites located on the Iberian side of the central Pyrenees, we took more than a hundred soil core samples encompassing the vegetation mosaics found at each site and analysed their organic matter content along the soil profile. We then mapped overall C stock and peat thickness in the sites using interpolation techniques and analysed the relationship between soil properties and vegetation units. Peat thickness and organic C stocks varied greatly within and amongst mires, with average values increasing with elevation from 31.1 to 43.2 cm and from 14 to 21.3 kg m-2, respectively. Only part of the peat layer in each mire was thicker than 30 cm, and this part increased with elevation. Our results showed that the variation within and among sites is related to the complexity of the alpine physiography, where some drivers (like topoclimatic variables) operate at larger scale and others (such as topography and hydrology) at smaller scales coupled with complex vegetation mosaics. The complexity of the spatial patterns in C stocks observed, along with their relationship to vegetation, highlights the need for future research in mountain peatlands focused on disentangling the distinct factors that contribute to peat formation.
Aportaciones al conocimiento de las ciperáceas, con especial referencia a los taxones ibéricos
(Flora Montiberica / Jolube Consultor y Editor Botánico, 2024-08-07) Luceño Garcés, Modesto; Martín Bravo, Santiago; Sánchez Villegas, Rogelio; Algarra, José Antonio; Casimiro Soriguer, Federico; Hidalgo Triana, Noelia; Fabado Alós, Javier; Jiménez Alfaro, Borja; Pérez Haase, Aaron; Román Hernández, Ramón; Jiménez Mejías, Pedro
En el presente artículo damos a conocer varias novedades corológicas, cariológicas y no-menclaturales de la familia Cyperaceae, con especial énfasis en los táxones ibéricos y baleáricos. En cuanto a las primeras, destacamos la tercera y cuarta citas ibero-baleáricas de Bolboschoenus planiculmis (F. Schmidt) T.V. Egorova, el primer hallazgo de Carex lachenalii Schkuhr en la Península Ibérica sensu stricto, la primera cita de Carex oedipostyla Duval-Jouve para la isla de Ibiza y de Carex liparocarpos Gaudin para la Comunidad Valenciana, así como el descubrimiento de la primera población de Eriophorum angustifolium Honck en el tramo español del Sistema Central. Varias de estas citas tienen interés conservacionista, ya que se refieren a especies catalogadas en distintas categorías de amenaza. Respecto a las novedades cariológicas presentamos recuentos cromosomáticos en Metafase I meiótica de Carex lainzii Luceño, E. Rico & T. Romero, Carex microcarpa Bertol. ex Moris y Carex pseudocyperus L. Finalmente, lectotipificamos el nombre Carex dyrrachiensis Nelmes (=Carex castroviejoi Luceño & Jim.-Mejías × Carex oederi Retz.) y reivindicamos el nombre Carex × emmanuelis Luceño como el que debe aplicarse al híbrido entre Carex depressa Link y Carex caryophyllea Latourr.
Sphagnum fuscum (Sphagnaceae: Bryophyta) a la Vall de Ribes
(Institució Catalana d'Història Natural, 2023-12-30) Pladevall Izard, Eulàlia; Escolà Lamora, Nil; Domènech, Gemma; Pallàs, Roger; Pérez Haase, Aaron
Sphagnum fuscum (Schimp.) H. Klinggr.: Pirineus, Ripollès, Vall de Ribes, Parc Natural de les Capçaleres del Ter i del Freser, la coma de Vaca, ETRS89 UTM 434437 4694369, 2185 m, 10-VII-2021, leg. & det. E. Pladevall Izard & N. Escolà Lamora (BCN-bryo 4022). Aquesta és la primera localitat documentada de S. fuscum al Ripollès i la primera població d’aquesta espècie que s’ha trobat al vessant sud dels Pirineus catalans. Ja es coneixien algunes poblacions repartides al llarg de la serralada pirinenca, majoritàriament al vessant atlàntic, on es troben sis poblacions franceses i dues d’araneses (Corriol, 2005; Gauthier, 1992, Pérez-Haase et al., 2010). Tanmateix, fins a l’actualitat només es coneixien quatre poblacions al vessant sud, totes elles andorranes (Lazare et al., 2005).

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