Marine microlitter is widespread in the ocean and known for accumulating in the North and South Atlantic Gyres. However, studies sampling continuous transects and providing a high spatial resolution are mainly descriptive and very scarce. The aim of this study was to assess the microlitter distribution from tropical to temperate regions of the Atlantic Ocean using the pump-underway ship intake system. A total of 52 samples collected from Brazil (Salvador) to the Strait of Gibraltar allowed us to identify its accumulation zones. The OpenDrift dispersion model was used to determine the potential pathways and sources of microlitter, based on the ocean currents' speed and direction from the GLORYS ocean model. The large fraction (≥315μm) had an average abundance of 1.49±1.11 items/m3 and was dominated by cellulosic fibers (90.46%) and the smaller-sized fraction (10-315μm) had an average abundance of 20.63±18.76 items/m3 and was dominated by fragments (95.57%). The Northern Hemisphere was shown to contain a greater cellulosic fiber abundance than the Southern Hemisphere, probably due to their greater population and industrial activity, combined with the accumulation mechanisms of the North Atlantic Gyre. The greatest microlitter abundances were found near the Equator, Brazil and around 10°N along our transect. The dispersion model determined that most particles originated from West Africa, mainly following the different branches of the Equatorial Current, with additional contributions from Northern Brazil and the Iberian Peninsula.

Archaeometric characterization of Early Bronze Age building materials in the Iberian Peninsula. An example from Central Spain, the Bocapucheros site (Almagro, Ciudad Real)

The Early Pleistocene site of Quibas preserves a rich terrestrial vertebrate assemblage, dated between 1.1 and 0.9 Ma, providing an opportunity to investigate ungulate dietary strategies and habitat use during a crucial phase of hominin dispersal in the Iberian Peninsula. Dental wear analyses of Equus altidens , Hemitragus alba , Praeovibos mediterraneus , and Dama vallonnetensis , combining long-term tooth mesowear and short-term occlusal microwear, reveal a broad spectrum of feeding behaviours in these large vertebrates, ranging from browsing to mixed feeding and grazing, with evidence of seasonal dietary shifts. The occurrence of high pit frequencies, puncture pits, and gouges suggests occasional ingestion of exogenous grit, consistent with the use of open and arid habitats. Integration of dental wear results with previous microfaunal palaeoecological reconstructions indicates a heterogeneous landscape composed of grasslands interspersed with wooded patches. A comparative analysis with other Early Pleistocene Iberian sites reveals recurring patterns of dietary flexibility among ungulates, reflecting the exploitation of mosaic environments. However, no distinct landscape-related pattern emerges from dental wear analyses when comparing sites with and without hominin presence. • Dental wear patterns reveal a varied dietary spectrum from grazing to mixed feeding and browsing in Quibas. • The combination of both dental wear methods suggests seasonal dietary shifts. • Dental wear analyses reveal no distinct diet or habitat signal compared to other Early Pleistocene sites with hominin presence.

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are increasingly released into the environment. However, their presence and behavior in marine biota remain poorly understood. Brown algae, known for their high metal concentration capacity, have never been directly analysed for AgNPs in natural conditions. Moreover, data on total silver (Ag) in marine organisms are scarce, despite Ag's high toxicity and potential for biomagnification. In this study, we analysed Fucus spp. samples collected from 173 sites along the Galician coast (NW Iberian Peninsula) between 1990 and 2021 to assess long-term trends in total Ag and AgNP concentrations. A total of 446 samples were analysed for Ag, and 30 samples from 10 representative sites (collected in 1990, 2005-2007, and 2021) were assessed for AgNPs. We also conducted a global review of Ag concentrations in brown algae worldwide. Total Ag concentrations in Fucus spp. declined significantly over the past three decades (-58.1%). Accordingly, a global downward trend was observed in brown algae since the 1980s. AgNP concentrations also decreased over time and showed a positive correlation with total Ag levels, despite the increasing release of engineered AgNPs. These results are more consistent with the hypothesis of in situ formation via algal-mediated reduction of dissolved Ag rather than direct accumulation from external sources. Our findings indicate that brown algae serve not only as sentinels of Ag pollution but could also play an active role in AgNP formation. Although AgNPs accounted for less than 5% of total Ag, their persistence and possible biomagnification potential highlight the need for continued monitoring. By integrating long-term data, nanoparticle detection, and a global perspective, this study provides new insights into the behavior and fate of silver in marine ecosystems.

No refuge from pollution: ingestion of synthetic debris by the endangered Iberian desman (Galemys pyrenaicus) in freshwater ecosystems of Spain.

• Sequential δ 13 C and δ 18 O analyses of dental enamel provided evidence of cattle feeding habits from Mas Castellar de Pontós. • Data confirm the integration of C 4 plants into the cattle diet during the warmer months. • Two possible options are proposed: the consumption of cultivated cereals or of wild plants from the coast and salt marshes. • Cattle, as well as sheep, had access to a diversified range of plant resources during the year. • The results suggest the adoption of a deliberate and adaptive seasonal livestock feeding strategy. This study investigates cattle feeding strategies at the Late Iron Age rural establishment of Mas Castellar de Pontós (Empordà plain, northeastern Iberian Peninsula), a key agricultural and commercial centre linked to the coastal Greek colonies of Emporion and Rhode. Previous isotopic data from bulk collagen analyses of bones (Messana et al. 2025) suggested a potential introduction of C 4 plants into the cattle diet; however, the temporal dimensions of this practice remained unclear. To address this gap, sequential analyses of δ 13 C and δ 18 O values were performed on dental enamel from seven lower molars belonging to five cattle, allowing a seasonal resolution of their feeding habits. The results confirm the seasonal integration of C 4 plants into the cattle diet during the warmer months, complementing a basal C 3 plant consumption during the year. Considering the landscape surrounding the settlement and the agricultural activity, two options are proposed regarding the nature of the C 4 plants consumed: cultivated cereals such as millet or wild plants growing along the coast and in salt marshes. The isotopic data currently available do not allow a discernment between the two hypotheses, resulting in a scenario of so-called equifinality. This pattern reflects a deliberate and seasonally adaptive feeding strategy, comparable to that observed in sheep from the same settlement. This evidence suggest that cattle, as has been documented for sheep, had access to a diversified range of plant resources during the year. These livestock feeding habits may have been adopted by herders to maximise the availability of pasture and/or fodder.

Fingerprinting and modelling of the Toconao pellet spill in the Iberian Atlantic.

The figurative motifs in the portable art of Grotta Romanelli (southern Italy) within the late Pleistocene art tradition of southwestern Europe

Deformation, strains and velocities for the Alpine Himalayan Belt from trans-continental Sentinel-1 InSAR & GNSS

River fragmentation caused by dam construction threatens global fish conservation. Mediterranean ecosystems are particularly affected, and the Iberian Peninsula, with its highly fragmented rivers, exemplifies this challenge. Endemic allopatric congeneric barbels (Luciobarbus bocagei and L. sclateri) are particularly vulnerable cyprinids because they rely on river connectivity for migration. Despite the deployment of fishways, their effectiveness in Mediterranean rivers with variable hydrology and high endemism remains unclear. This study compares the passage of L. bocagei (Duero basin) and L. sclateri (Segura basin) across two fishway types: Vertical Slot and Submerged Notch with Bottom Orifice. Passage trials were analysed using standardised metrics, motivation, ascent success, and transit time, under a time-to-event framework. Results suggest that species, size, ecohydrological context, and fishway interact to shape passage outcomes. L. sclateri exhibited higher motivation and faster passage attempts, likely reflecting adaptation to ephemeral flows. Ascent success was similar between species and fishway type. Larger individuals demonstrated greater motivation and shorter transit times, regardless of species or fishway. These findings highlight the importance of integrating ecohydrological context and behavioural variability into fishway assessment. Adaptive management accounting for species- and site-specific traits is essential to enhance connectivity and support endemic populations under growing anthropogenic and climatic pressures.

Abstract Addressing biodiversity loss requires knowing how different living beings are spatially distributed. For hyper‐diverse groups such as spiders, biogeographic dispersal‐related processes tend to be the main factor driving diversity patterns at large spatial scales, while the relevance of ecological filtering (species sorting) may increase at lower spatial scales. To determine how spider diversity and structure are shaped at local spatial scales, we sampled spider communities using a standardized optimized protocol and assessed habitat heterogeneity across 10 Mediterranean forest plots in the Northeastern Iberian Peninsula. We compared the spiders' composition and structure among forest types and across vegetation layers using generalized linear models and linear mixed models for assessing patterns of alpha‐diversity and constrained ordination analyses for understanding beta‐diversity patterns. Across forests, habitat heterogeneity was the only significant driver for structuring alpha‐ and beta‐diversity, and the geographic and climate distance explained a low variance of the models. Pine forests were separated in the redundancy analyses from holm oak and deciduous forests because a lower vegetation cover characterized the latter. Lineal models of alpha‐diversity at the microhabitat scale only showed significant negative tendencies for the rock cover. Beta‐diversity across vegetation layers within a plot and across forests appears to be influenced primarily by habitat heterogeneity, particularly by the presence of herbaceous and low shrub cover. Our results highlight the importance of species sorting over biogeography and climatic variables in shaping spider diversity patterns at the local scale. They also indicate that a mosaic of habitat structure within and between forest types is a significant driver of spider diversity. These findings have implications for assessing spider assemblages—and likely other arthropods—suggesting that a combination of methods capturing microhabitat descriptors is crucial for effective monitoring schemes.

ABSTRACT The astragalus plays a fundamental role in the graviportal locomotion of proboscideans, reflecting the biomechanical constraints imposed by large body masses. This study analyses the morphological variability of the astragalus in Quaternary elephantids using linear biometry and 3D geometric morphometrics, incorporating an unpublished astragalus of Mammuthus meridionalis from the Calabrian (ca. 0.9 Ma) of Barranc de la Boella (eastern Iberian Peninsula) within a broad comparative framework of fossil and extant forms. The results reveal a marked allometric relationship, whereby larger individuals have relatively flatter astragali, regardless of their taxonomic affinity. The Barranc de la Boella specimen fits this pattern perfectly, showing dimensions comparable to those of the largest elephantids of the Gelasian, Calabrian and Chibanian. No clear phylogenetic signal is detected in the morphology of the astragalus, suggesting that body size dominates the observed variation and limits its usefulness in discriminating specific taxonomic affinities or ecological adaptations.

A new genus and two new species of terrestrial cave-dwelling isopods from the eastern Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands, belonging to the family Philosciidae Kinahan, 1857, are described and fully illustrated. Iberoscia gen. nov . is erected to accommodate Iberoscia zaragozai sp. nov . from Catalonia, Murcia and the Valencian Community. Furthermore, the genus Paractenoscia Taiti & Rossano, 2015 is recorded for the first time in the Ibero-Balearic region with the description of a new species from Ibiza (Balearic Islands). Moreover, the male of Anaphiloscia simoni Racovitza, 1907, is illustrated for the first time based on topotypical specimens from Mallorca, and Anaphiloscia sicula Arcangeli, 1934, is proposed here as a subjective junior synonym of this species. Finally, the monotypic genus Parachaetophiloscia Cruz & Dalens, 1990, is revised and proposed as a subjective junior synonym of Chaetophiloscia Verhoeff, 1908.

Ecological restoration strategies are designed to promote ecosystem recovery after human disturbance. Gypsum outcrops on the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula are highly biodiverse ecosystems recognized as a priority for the protection of Iberian Gypsum Vegetation (Gypsophyletalia). The Iberian gypsophyte Ononis tridentata subsp. tridentata is a crucial species for ecological restoration but pre‐dispersal seed predation thwarts its suse. The aim of this research was to evaluate the potential of different locations with O. tridentata as seed sources. To achieve this, ten locations were compared based on habitat type (natural or restored) and distance to the mining lease (inside, adjacent, or distant). Fifteen unopened fruits were collected from ten plants in each location to assess total seeds, potentially viable seeds, and pre‐dispersal seed predation per fruit. One‐way analysis of variance was performed to compare locations, while the effects of habitat type and distance were evaluated using a linear mixed model for potentially viable seeds and a generalized linear mixed model with a gamma distribution for total seeds and pre‐dispersal seed predation. Our results suggest that promising seed sources can be found in both natural and restored areas, regardless of the distance to the mining lease. However, the distance to mining lease affects pre‐dispersal seed predation; higher values are found at greater distances. The low abundance of O. tridentata in restored locations may contribute to protection against predation. Furthermore, unique characteristics of the locations, plant density, seasonal variability, and genetic diversity are crucial factors that should be considered for select seed sources.

The montane water vole (Arvicola scherman) is a major pest in grasslands and perennial crops, where densities may exceed 1000 individuals/ha and control campaigns often show variable effectiveness. While control methods have been widely assessed, little is known about the responses of surviving individuals or the influence of landscape structure on post-control recovery. This study evaluated temporal changes in population structure, body condition, and gene flow under a trapping-based control program across a heterogeneous landscape. Three populations from the northern Iberian Peninsula (Oles, Priesca, and Fresnadiello), representing agrarian, mosaic, and forested landscapes respectively, showed contrasting demographic, physiological, and genetic responses linked to landscape context. Oles and Priesca exhibited high abundance in 2011 followed by sharp declines in 2012; Priesca partially recovered by 2013, whereas Oles continued to decline. Fresnadiello increased from low abundance to a 2012 peak and then stabilized. Age structure shifted toward adult dominance over time, while sex ratios remained stable. Body condition showed site- and sex-specific trends. Genetic responses paralleled demography: Oles suffered marked losses of allelic richness and heterozygosity with limited immigration; Priesca gained novel alleles through increased migrant input; and Fresnadiello maintained high genetic diversity, with indications of incipient inbreeding. Population responses to control depend strongly on landscape structure and connectivity rather than demographic crashes alone. Effective management of A. scherman requires integrating removal intensity with dispersal context and adaptive monitoring to limit recolonization and ensure long-term control. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.

ABSTRACT Climate factors shape the spring phenology of migrant birds in Europe. We examined carry-over effects of temperature and rainfall in four regions of Europe on the spring migration timing of a medium-distance migrant, Eurasian Wren, at the southern Baltic coast over 60 years. We modelled the effects of these climate factors on the timing of the start (10%), median (50%) and end (90%) of wrens’ spring passage at the bird ringing station Hel (N Poland) during 1964–2023. The dates of start and median of spring passage have not changed, but the end shifted earlier by 5.7 days over these 60 years. The start, median and end dates of wren passage on the Baltic coast were early after warm autumn, winter or spring, but delayed after high autumn and winter rainfall in central and northern Europe. Analogous climate conditions in southern and south-western Europe had the opposite effect on wrens’ timing of passage. High spring rainfall in central and southern Europe delayed spring passage at Hel. High rainfall in early summer in northern Europe was related to early wren passage the following spring, but such conditions in late summer resulted in a delay of spring passage. We assume that temperature and rainfall in these regions influence the timing of wren spring passage through their effect on food availability, individual fitness, migration distance and proportion of immatures among migrants. We suggest that varied humidity, which caused different insect abundance for wrens, explains the varied effects of rainfall in various regions of Europe on the timing of wren spring passage at Hel. We show that wrens’ spring migration phenology in the Baltic region is shaped by a combination of carry-over effects of many environmental factors. They affect wrens in regions of Europe where they stay previously, even months before their spring migration.

This study undertakes a taxonomic examination of hypogeous fungi collected in Konya Province, Türkiye, on May 11, 2023. An integrative method merges macroscopic and microscopic morphological evaluations with molecular phylogenetic assessments of the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (nrITS) region. The phylogenetic analysis indicates more than 99% sequence similarity to Terfezia albida Ant. Rodr., Mohedano & Bordallo, thus confirming the specimens' taxonomic classification. Although Terfezia albida was previously reported in Türkiye based on morphological features, this research marks the first molecularly verified occurrence outside the Iberian Peninsula, supported by comprehensive morphological and ecological data. The study also includes documentation of habitat specifics, geographic coordinates, collection dates, and photographic evidence. These results expand the range of Terfezia albida and highlight the importance of integrative taxonomic methods in deepening our understanding of hypogeous fungal diversity.

ABSTRACT The mythical archipelago of the Cassiterides (or Tin) Islands was first mentioned by Herodotus (5th century BC). Claudius Ptolemy (ca. AD 150) assigned them geographical coordinates (longitude and latitude) at a location off the northwestern coast of Spain. After the rediscovery of Ptolemy's Geography in Renaissance Europe, the Cassiterides started to appear in Ptolemaic manuscripts and printed maps of Hispania (the Iberian Peninsula) in the fifteenth century. Around 1468, the cartographer Nicolas Germanus identified the Cassiterides with the then recently discovered Azores Islands, effectively placing the ‘Pseudo-Azores’ in Ptolemy's coordinates to reconcile classical authority with new geographical knowledge. These ‘Psedo-Azores’ were subsequently reproduced in later ‘modern’ maps of Hispania. Our research focused on searching and examining high-resolution digitised manuscripts and printed maps of Spain from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries that feature the ‘Pseudo-Azores’. The analysis of these documents, many of which are accessible online, highlights the crucial role of digital resources in the history of cartography. The findings offer new insights into the cartographic relationships of some of the earliest maps of Spain and clarify the interconnections between the Ulm, Rome, and Strasbourg editions of Ptolemy´s Geography.

ABSTRACTThis study reports for the first time the co‐invasion of two Western Atlantic native species, the parasitic leech Myzobdella lugubris and the commensal barnacle Amphibalanus improvisus on the invasive Atlantic blue crab Callinectes sapidus in southwestern Europe. Two individuals of M. lugubris parasitizing two male crabs were collected from the Guadalquivir River estuary (SW Spain) in August 2024 and September 2025, while A. improvisus was found on the carapace of an ovigerous female in April 2025. This is the first worldwide record of M. lugubris parasitizing C. sapidus in the host's non‐native range and the third European record for the leech, the first two having been documented on fish and turtles. Also, it is the first documentation of both associations with a crustacean host in European waters. Molecular analyses confirmed the identity of both non‐native species, with the M. lugubris COI sequence showing the highest similarity (99.85%) to a non‐native Hawaiian specimen, and 100% similarity for A. improvisus. Given the blood‐feeding nature of M. lugubris and its role as a recognized pathogen vector, the establishment of this parasitic association poses an unquantified but substantial risk for the translocation and emergence of novel infectious diseases in native European fish and crustacean populations. Furthermore, this finding highlights the need for comprehensive health surveillance of commercially exploited C. sapidus populations across the non‐native range.

Sheep in Early Neolithic settlements in South Iberia, insights from proteomics