Cantabrian Mountains Research Articles

Sexually selected infanticide or predation? Killing and consumption of a female brown bear in a male infanticide attempt

Sexually selected infanticides (SSI) committed by male bears during the mating season has attracted a great research attention, although this type of behavior has been rarely observed in the wild. Here, we document a bear infanticide attempt in the Cantabrian Mountains in which the male killed the adult female during the fight and, subsequently, consumed the carcass for several days. Interestingly, in this case, the bear male tried to reach the cub with the apparent intention of killing it, even though the female was already dead. We complement this observation with data on documented cases of SSI events between 1996 and 2020 in the Cantabrian Mountains. We hypothesize that when females are unintentionally killed while defending their cubs in SSI events, males can benefit by feeding on the carcasses.

Miocene to present-day tectonic control on the relief of the Duero and Ebro basins confluence (North Iberia)

ABSTRACT This article presents a morpho-structural map at 1:50,000 scale of the confluence area between three regional units: (1) the Burgalesa Platform (Mesozoic; Cantabrian Mountains), (2) the Duero Basin and (3) the Ebro Basin (Cenozoic foreland basins). The map covers an area of 527 km2 in north Iberia. Additionally, structural lineaments such as joints are well preserved and documented in the Upper Cretaceous sediments of the Burgalesa Platform, represented by four main sets regarding their orientation. The foreland basins are incised in Miocene materials by rivers that have developed a complex drainage system controlling the deposition of the most recent alluvial sediments, following the four structural orientations. The map, together with the analysis of orthophotos and a Digital Terrain Model, and outcrop-scale observations, have led us to document the influence of the Miocene to present-day compression and strike-slip tectonic regime on the configuration of the drainage system and the geomorphological features.

Like cat and fox: diurnal interactions between two sympatric carnivores in pastoral landscapes of NW Spain

Felids and canids coexist along their ranges worldwide. Various interactions can occur between these carnivores, with multiple consequences such as demographic changes of competitors, or behavioural modifications in the use of the spatial, temporal or trophic niches. European wildcats (Felis silvestris silvestris) and red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) coexist across Europe using multi-use landscapes when hunting rodents. They commonly use open fields during the day in the Cantabrian Mountains (NW Spain). We collected 597 diurnal phenotypic wildcat observations between 2012 and 2019, during which we observed 14 encounters (2.34%) of wildcats and foxes. We compiled 11 more encounters from collaborators. Diurnal encounters between both species seem to be rare, which could result from the two species displaying active avoidance. During the encounters, foxes mainly showed offensive behaviours whereas wildcats showed a defensive intimidation strategy, probably in relation to their morphology. Both strategies were equally effective for maintaining the position in feeding grounds.

Rubbing behavior of European brown bears: factors affecting rub tree selectivity and density.

Scent-mediated communication is considered the principal communication channel in many mammal species. Compared with visual and vocal communication, odors persist for a longer time, enabling individuals to interact without being in the same place at the same time. The brown bear (Ursus arctos), like other mammals, carries out chemical communication, for example, by means of scents deposited on marking (or rub) trees. In this study, we assessed rub tree selectivity of the brown bear in the predominantly deciduous forests of the Cantabrian Mountains (NW Spain). We first compared the characteristics of 101 brown bear rub trees with 263 control trees. We then analyzed the potential factors affecting the density of rub trees along 35 survey routes along footpaths. We hypothesized that: (1) bears would select particular trees, or tree species, with characteristics that make them more conspicuous; and (2) that bears would select trees located in areas with the highest presence of conspecifics, depending on the population density or the position of the trees within the species’ range. We used linear models and generalized additive models to test these hypotheses. Our results showed that brown bears generally selected more conspicuous trees with a preference for birches (Betula spp.). This choice may facilitate the marking and/or detection of chemical signals and, therefore, the effectiveness of intraspecific communication. Conversely, the abundance of rub trees along footpaths did not seem to depend on the density of bear observations or their relative position within the population center or its border. Our results suggest that Cantabrian brown bears select trees based on their individual characteristics and their location, with no influence of characteristics of the bear population itself. Our findings can be used to locate target trees that could help in population monitoring.

State of the art of Triassic palynostratigraphical knowledge of the Cantabrian Mountains (N Spain)

The present-day Cantabrian Mountains (North Spain) represent the western continuation of the Pyrenean-Cantabrian Orogen, which arose from a Cenozoic collision between the Iberian and Eurasian plates. The early Alpine sedimentary record of the Cantabrian basin is represented by the latest Carboniferous-Permian and Triassic rocks, mostly of continental origin. A lack of palaeontological data has led, until recently, to erroneous interpretations of the stratigraphic position of this sedimentary record. Within the framework of the Triassic sedimentary record in northern Spain, the precise age of six samples was determined and they were grouped into four palynological assemblages according to their taxonomic composition. The study of these assemblages includes a review of all the Triassic assemblages published to date as regards the Cantabrian Mountains, thereby optimising our Triassic palynostratigraphical knowledge of this area enabling comparisons with other Triassic assemblages of Central and SW Europe.

Local-regional raw material procurement in the "Mesolithic with geometrics" south of the Picos de Europa (Cantabrian Mountains, Spain)

In this work we have analysed the provenance of the lithic raw materials recovered during the excavation campaigns at two Mesolithic sites of the Cantabrian Mountains: La Uña (levels III and IV) and El Espertín (level II). From the data obtained, differences between the two deposits and their levels have been observed, with sourcing of very similar lithic resources, but with important differences in the percentages. In the case of El Espertín there is a greater contribution of varieties from the La Liébana area (NE of Picos de Europa) while at La Uña the NW varieties percentages are higher highlighting in both cases the exclusive origin from the northern slope of the Cantabrian Mountains with the exception of Alba radiolarite, a widely distributed raw material.

Tracing prehistoric past human routes in the Pyrenees: new data about chert procurement at Montlleó open-air site (Prats i Sansor, Spain)

In this work we have analysed the provenance of the lithic raw materials recovered during the excavation campaigns at two Mesolithic sites of the Cantabrian Mountains: La Uña (levels III and IV) and El Espertín (level II). From the data obtained, differences between the two deposits and their levels have been observed, with sourcing of very similar lithic resources, but with important differences in the percentages. In the case of El Espertín there is a greater contribution of varieties from the La Liébana area (NE of Picos de Europa) while at La Uña the NW varieties percentages are higher highlighting in both cases the exclusive origin from the northern slope of the Cantabrian Mountains with the exception of Alba radiolarite, a widely distributed raw material.

The Origin and Collapse of Relict Rock Glaciers During the Bølling-Allerød Interstadial: A New Study Case from the Cantabrian Mountains (Spain)

The Origin and Collapse of Relict Rock Glaciers During the Bølling-Allerød Interstadial: A New Study Case from the Cantabrian Mountains (Spain)

Chronology of geomorphological changes in a cantabrian mountain valley over the last 20,000 years.

This is an in-depth study of a mixed deposit of terrace and alluvial fan in a valley of the Cantabrian Mountains that aims to characterize environmental conditions during the period following the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) at the end of the Pleistocene and the entire Holocene, including human influence to the present day. In this perspective, the lithostratigraphy of different layers was described, the granulometric analysis performed in situ and in the laboratory, the organic bulk sediment dated by radiocarbon and weight, and other empirical studies, such as paleomagnetism were performed. The results reveal a temporal sequence of deposition from around 19.4 ky BP to the present showing different sedimentary environments. Paleoclimatical scientific literature in sorrounding areas complemented the interpretation of the results e.g. pleistocene glaciers, speleothems, palynology and geomorphology. We conclude a completely diferent evolution of studied section between Late-Pleistocene and Holocene. Bottom layers, composed of coarse boulders, are interpreted in the context of a second glacial push after the Local Last Glacial Maximum under conditions of torrentiality. In the upper layers, in the Holocene, there was an increase in sedimentation from slopes through alluvial and colluvial cones, and rivers lost their capacity to transport these sediments. Important environmental changes in the Middle Holocene, 5.5 ky BP, were detected with possible evidence of human action. A decrease from that moment in the deposited sediment caliber was verified.

GIVETIAN BRACHIOPOD FAUNAS OF THE PALENTIAN DOMAIN (N SPAIN)

The origin, evolution, structural and stratigraphical features of the Palentian Domain (Cantabrian Mountains, N Spain) are summarily described. The boundaries of the Givetian succession (ca. 40 m thick) in that area are established from previously known conodont and ammonoid data. The base of the Givetian is situated in the upper part of the Gustalapiedra Formation, at the base of the La Pedrosa Member. The upper Givetian boundary is situated at the top of the lower calcareous interval of the Cardaño Formation. Middle Devonian brachiopods are scarce in the Palentian Domain. Nine brachiopod species (three new) of the Givetian interval are described and figured: Skenidium cf. polonicum, Rhyssochonetes aff. douvillei, Prodavidsonia havliceki n. sp., Bifida aff. lepida, Ambothyris cf. infima, “Pyramidalia” palentina n. sp., Cingulodermis sotoana n. sp., Parastringocephalus cf. dorsalis, and Ense andrea. The genera Skenidium, Rhyssochonetes, Ambothyris, Cingulodermis, Parastringocephalus, and Ense are cited in Spain for the first time. Near the base of the Cardaño Fm. a coquina with thousands of specimens of Ense andrea has been found. This coquina could represent the area of the famous “Pumilio” Event, described previously from Germany, France and North Africa. The Spanish Ense andrea specimens are endopunctate and a sectioned shell shows a centronelliform brachidium. The terebratulid nature of the species is certain and the features referred to above and the external morphology of the shell are closer to the Subfamily Adreninae than to the Subfamily Mutationellinae where Ense had previously been tentatively included.

Spatial capture-recapture with random thinning for unidentified encounters.

Spatial capture–recapture (SCR) models have increasingly been used as a basis for combining capture–recapture data types with variable levels of individual identity information to estimate population density and other demographic parameters. Recent examples are the unmarked SCR (or spatial count model), where no individual identities are available and spatial mark–resight (SMR) where individual identities are available for only a marked subset of the population. Currently lacking, though, is a model that allows unidentified samples to be combined with identified samples when there are no separate classes of “marked” and “unmarked” individuals and when the two sample types cannot be considered as arising from two independent observation models. This is a common scenario when using noninvasive sampling methods, for example, when analyzing data on identified and unidentified photographs or scats from the same sites.Here we describe a “random thinning” SCR model that utilizes encounters of both known and unknown identity samples using a natural mechanistic dependence between samples arising from a single observation model. Our model was fitted in a Bayesian framework using NIMBLE.We investigate the improvement in parameter estimates by including the unknown identity samples, which was notable (up to 79% more precise) in low‐density populations with a low rate of identified encounters. We then applied the random thinning SCR model to a noninvasive genetic sampling study of brown bear (Ursus arctos) density in Oriental Cantabrian Mountains (North Spain).Our model can improve density estimation for noninvasive sampling studies for low‐density populations with low rates of individual identification, by making use of available data that might otherwise be discarded.

Following the Roman Army between the Southern Foothills of the Cantabrian Mountains and the Northern Plains of Castile and León (North of Spain): Archaeological Applications of Remote Sensing and Geospatial Tools

Sixty-six new archaeological sites have been discovered thanks to the combined use of different remote sensing techniques and open access geospatial datasets (mainly aerial photography, satellite imagery, and airborne LiDAR). These sites enhance the footprint of the Roman military presence in the northern fringe of the River Duero basin (León, Palencia, Burgos and Cantabria provinces, Spain). This paper provides a detailed morphological description of 66 Roman military camps in northwestern Iberia that date to the late Republic or early Imperial eras. We discuss the different spatial datasets and GIS tools used for different geographic contexts of varied terrain and vegetation. Finally, it stresses out the relevance of these novel data to delve into the rationale behind the Roman army movements between the northern Duero valley and the southern foothills of the Cantabrian Mountains. We conclude that methodological approaches stimulated by open-access geospatial datasets and enriched by geoscientific techniques are fundamental to understand the expansion of the Roman state in northwestern Iberia during the 1st c. BC properly. This renewed context set up a challenging scenario to overcome traditional archaeological perspectives still influenced by the cultural-historical paradigm and the pre-eminence of classical written sources.

Erratum to Upper-Crustal Seismic Anisotropy in the Cantabrian Mountains (North Spain) from Shear-Wave Splitting and Ambient Noise Interferometry Analysis

Correction| November 18, 2020 Erratum to Upper‐Crustal Seismic Anisotropy in the Cantabrian Mountains (North Spain) from Shear‐Wave Splitting and Ambient Noise Interferometry Analysis Jorge Acevedo; Jorge Acevedo * 1Department of Geology, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain *Corresponding author: *Correspondingauthor:acevedojorge@uniovi.es Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Gabriela Fernández‐Viejo; Gabriela Fernández‐Viejo 1Department of Geology, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Sergio Llana‐Fúnez; Sergio Llana‐Fúnez 1Department of Geology, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Carlos López‐Fernández; Carlos López‐Fernández 1Department of Geology, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Javier Olona Javier Olona 1Department of Geology, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Seismological Research Letters (2021) 92 (1): 613. https://doi.org/10.1785/0220200356 Article history first online: 18 Nov 2020 Connected Content Errata: Upper‐Crustal Seismic Anisotropy in the Cantabrian Mountains (North Spain) from Shear‐Wave Splitting and Ambient Noise Interferometry Analysis Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Jorge Acevedo, Gabriela Fernández‐Viejo, Sergio Llana‐Fúnez, Carlos López‐Fernández, Javier Olona; Erratum to Upper‐Crustal Seismic Anisotropy in the Cantabrian Mountains (North Spain) from Shear‐Wave Splitting and Ambient Noise Interferometry Analysis. Seismological Research Letters 2020;; 92 (1): 613. doi: https://doi.org/10.1785/0220200356 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietySeismological Research Letters Search Advanced Search When originally published online on 2 September 2020, Figures 1 and 8 in Acevedo et al. (2020) contained errors, as described in the following. The original Figures 1 and 8 contained have been replaced in the online version (both HTML and PDF) and the printed version of the article, which will be available alongside this erratum. The caption of Figure 1 has been modified to include the reference Pulgar et al. (1999), whereas Figure 8 is shown along its original caption. The corrections are made on the geological background but do not affect the results nor the interpretations of... View Original Article You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.

Not exodus, but population increase and gene flow restoration in Cantabrian brown bear (Ursus arctos) subpopulations. Comment on Gregório et al. 2020.

In a genetic study on brown bears (Ursus arctos) in the Cantabrian Mountains, Gregório et al. (2020) interpreted the asymmetrical gene flow they found from the eastern subpopulation towards the western one as an exodus of bears forced to flee from the eastern nucleus “with higher human disturbance and poaching”, concluding that connectivity may be operating as a means for eastern Cantabrian bears to find more suitable territories. In this reply, we maintain that the explanations of Gregorio et al. contradict the source-sink theory and we also present demographic data not considered by these authors showing that the eastern subpopulation is not declining, but persistently increasing. After reviewing the demographic and genetic studies published during the last 20 years, we conclude that the connectivity between the two subpopulations is operating as a route which allows the regular movement of males and the restoration of the gene flow across the whole Cantabrian population.

Partial migration of White-winged snowfinches is correlated with winter weather conditions

Seasonal movements are a response to variability in resource availability and result from a complex interaction between the behavioral and physiological traits of a species and its prevailing environment. A widespread bird migration strategy is partial latitudinal migration, where some proportion of the population moves from breeding to winter grounds, while the remaining individuals stay year-round on the breeding grounds. Deciphering how and why some individuals migrate while others stay is essential to understanding population and community structure and dynamics. Little is known about the drivers of partial migration strategies of high-mountain birds that are subjected to strong seasonal environmental fluctuations and count among the species most threatened by climate change. In this study, we investigated the migratory pattern of an alpine songbird, the White-winged Snowfinch (Montifringilla nivalis nivalis), through the analysis of stable hydrogen isotopes of feathers (δ2Hf), and how it relates to weather factors. First, values of δ2Hf were used to assess the probability that snowfinches wintering in the Spanish Pyrenees and Cantabrian Mountains have a breeding origin in the Alps. Second, we analysed whether winter weather conditions (ambient temperature and precipitation) in the Alps may play a role in migratory movements towards the southern wintering grounds. Overall, ca 98% and 86% of the individuals sampled in winter in the Spanish Pyrenees and Cantabrian Mountains, respectively, were likely to originate from breeding populations in the Alps. Snowfinches also had a higher propensity for large-scale movements to the South in winters where the average monthly temperature was particularly low in the Alps, typically < −2 °C (i.e., in the 42% coldest winters). Our results suggest that snowfinches adopt a partial migratory strategy, with different patterns among and within populations that have important implications in terms of population connectivity, spatio-temporal dynamics and structuring. Considering the role of cold winter conditions in migration propensity of snowfinches, there is a risk of increased isolation of the southern populations under a scenario of global warming, insofar as the hypothetical settling of winter immigrants could no longer contribute to a demo-genetic rescue. Future research should decipher how these risks affect alpine species that are particularly exposed to climatic shifts, and how they adapt and evolve.

The role of spring temperatures in the den exit of female brown bears with cubs in southwestern Europe

Hibernation represents the most refined adaptation of endothermic species to overcome unfavorable periods when food is scarce. Thus, hibernation should take place within specific time frames with respect to environmental factors. Flexibility in the timing of biological events is thus central to how well mammals can deal with varying climatic conditions. For brown bears (Ursus arctos), hibernation is not only a critical period that allows them to save vital energy reserves for times of food shortage, but also the period during which pregnant females give birth to cubs. Here, we analyzed the relationship between 74 den exit dates of females with cubs, recorded from 1995 to 2018 in the Cantabrian Mountains in northwestern Spain, with (1) average daily precipitation and (2) average maximum temperature during the 30 days before den exit, as well as with (3) the number of cubs. The bears exited from 1 April to 16 May, and the mean date was 28 April. Our results, which are consistent with the general latitudinal pattern of den emergence reported in other studies, suggested that in years with higher maximum temperatures, exit dates tended to be earlier, whereas the number of cubs and the average rainfall for the 30 days prior to den exit did not seem to determine the variation in den exit dates. Considering the relationship between spring temperatures and den exit dates of females with cubs, it is important to take into account the repercussions that current global warming may have on the reproduction of brown bears. Current trends of climate change might trigger earlier den exit dates than in the past, which may have negative consequences on the population dynamics of brown bear populations. For example, a mismatch between the chronology of hibernation and food availability might reduce cub survival and, consequently, the fitness of females.

Mire microclimate: Groundwater buffers temperature in waterlogged versus dry soils

AbstractEcosystems adapt differently to global warming through microclimatic factors. Mires are sensitive wetland habitats that strongly rely on local soil properties, making them a good model to understand how local climatic parameters counteract the effects of climate change. We quantified the temperature buffering effect in waterlogged mire soils as compared with adjacent dry soils. We buried dataloggers at 5 cm depth in waterlogged and dry points in eight mires of the Cantabrian Mountains (Spain, southwestern Europe) and recorded soil temperatures for ca. 5 years. We also compared our local measures with air temperatures predicted by the CHELSA model. Waterlogged soils had less diurnal thermal amplitude (−2.3°C), less annual thermal amplitude (−5.1°C), cooler summer maxima (−4.3°C) and warmer winter minima (+0.8°C). CHELSA air temperatures only correlated significantly (p &lt; .05) with winter minimum soil temperatures (Pearson's r &gt; .83), and CHELSA predictions were less accurate (higher root‐mean‐square error [RMSE]) for waterlogged soils, except for the summer maxima. We conclude that mire soils show a thermal buffer effect that insulates them from the surrounding landscape. This effect is stronger at the warm end of the climatic spectrum, that is, during summer and at lower elevations. These results highlight the potential refugial character of mires under global warming, and the need to integrate microclimate measurements into climate change models.

SUBFAMILIA TEICHOSTROPHIINAE HARPER &amp; BOUCOT, 1978c (STROPHOMENOIDEA, STROPHODONTIDAE) DEL DEVÓNICO INFERIOR (EMSIENSE SUPERIOR) DE LA CORDILLERA CANTÁBRICA (N DE ESPAÑA)

Se discute la autonomía y relaciones de la Subfamilia Teichostrophiinae, como rama de la Familia Strophodontidae, y se propone la división del género Teichostrophia, que da nombre al taxón, en dos subgéneros Teichostrophia (Teichostrophia), con especie-tipo Strophomena lepis y T. (Gozoniella) n. sg., con especie-tipo T. (G.) barroisi n. sp. El nuevo subgénero es propio del Emsiense superior del área astur-leonesa de la Cordillera Cantábrica, donde está representado, además de por la especie-tipo, por T. (G.) naranjoana y por T. (G.) tricornuta. Varias especies de los Pirineos (España, Francia), La Saoura (Argelia), Zemmour (Mauritania), Macizo Armoricano (Francia) y Kellerwald (Alemania), habitualmente asignadas a Teichostrophia lepis, podrían pertenecer también al nuevo subgénero

CRINOIDEOS DEL GÉNERO Bactrocrinites DEL DEVÓNICO INFERIOR Y MEDIO DE LA CORDILLERA CANTÁBRICA (NO DE ESPAÑA)

Se describen nuevas formas de Bactrocrinites de ambas vertientes de la Cordillera Cantábrica. En la vertiente asturiana: Bactrocrinites longibrachiatus n. sp., Bactrocrinites aff. fusiformis y Bactrocrinites sp., proceden respectivamente de la Punta del Aguión, cerca de Luanco, Formación Aguión (Emsiense superior), de la Ensenada de Moniello, Luanco, base de la Formación Moniello (Emsiense superior) y de Arbeyales, Somiedo, techo de la Formación Santa Lucía (Eifeliense inferior). En la leonesa: Bactrocrinites breimeri n. sp., Bactrocrinites truyolsi n. sp., un segundo ejemplar de Bactrocrinites aff. fusiformis y ? Bactrocrinites sp.; los dos primeros proceden de Huergas de Gordón, Pola de Gordón, en la Formación Portilla (Givetiense) y Formación Santa Lucía (Eifeliense inferior), respectivamente, el tercero, de Valporquero, Valle de Torío, Grupo La Vid (Emsiense superior) y el último de Colle, también en el Grupo La Vid (Emsiense superior). Todas las especies recogidas y descritas en el presente trabajo son relativamente pequeñas y esbeltas y muestran evidentes afinidades con la especie tipo fusiformis

Future surface temperature changes for the Iberian Peninsula according to EURO-CORDEX climate projections

Future changes in the mean, maximum and minimum temperature in the Iberian Peninsula were investigated using bias-corrected EURO-CORDEX climate projections. The results show that the future temperatures are projected to substantially increase in all the Iberian Peninsula, particularly towards the end of the century at the south-central region. Mean and maximum temperatures are projected to increase around 2 °C (4 °C) for the 2046–2065 (2081–2100) period, with much higher frequencies of days above 20 (mean temperature) and 30 °C (maximum temperature). However, much higher increases are projected in the south of Spain, Cantabrian and Pyrinees mountain ranges, while lower ones are projected for the Atlantic coastal areas. In the south-central part of the Iberian Peninsula, hot days (mean temperature > 30 °C) are projected to increase 20–35 days/year (40–80 days/year) for the period 2046–2065 (2081–2100), while very hot days (maximum temperature > 40 °C) are projected to increase 10–25 days/year (10–50 days/year) for the period 2046–2065 (2081–2100). These results show a clear tendency, associated with a high confidence, in a significant increase of the surface temperatures and in the frequency of high temperature episodes in the southern part of the Iberian Peninsula, which can have severe impacts on the population, environment and economy. The currently hottest areas located in south-central Iberian Peninsula are also the ones with the highest projected temperature increases, which will significantly exacerbate the temperature stress in these areas.