Island Of Mallorca Research Articles

Calibration and validation of rockfall modelling at regional scale: application along a roadway in Mallorca (Spain) and organization of its management

The Tramuntana range, in the northwestern sector of the island of Mallorca (Balearic Islands, Spain), is frequently affected by rockfalls which have caused significant damage, mainly along the road network. In this work, we present the procedure we have applied to calibrate and validate rockfall modelling in this region, using 103 cases of the available detailed rockfall inventory (630 rockfall events collected since the eighteenth century). We have exploited STONE (Guzzetti et al. 2002), a GIS-based rockfall simulation software which computes 2D and 3D rockfall trajectories starting from a DTM and maps of the dynamic rolling friction coefficient and of the normal and tangential energy restitution coefficients. The appropriate identification of these parameters determines the accuracy of the simulation. To calibrate them, we have selected 40 rockfalls along the range which include a wide variety of outcropping lithologies. Coefficients values have been changed in numerous attempts in order to select those where the extent and shape of the simulation matched the field mapping. Best results were summarized with the average statistical values for each parameter and for each geotechnical unit, determining that mode values represent more precisely the data. Initially, for the validation stage, 10 well-known rockfalls exploited in the calibration phase have been selected. Confidence tests have been applied to their modelling results taking into account not only the success but also the mistakes. The best accuracy is obtained when the rockfall has a preferential trajectory and worse results when the rockfall follows two or more trajectories. Additionally, the greater the rockfall runout length, the less precise the simulation is. We have further validated the calibrated parameters along the Ma-road (111 km), the main transportation corridor in the range, using 63 rockfall events that occurred during the past 18 years along the road. Of the rockfalls where source areas were properly identified, 81.5 % are well represented by STONE modelling, as the travel paths and the depositional areas are successfully ascertained. Results of the analysis have been used by the Road Maintenance Service of Mallorca to assess hazard and risk posed by rockfall at regional scale to design the road management plan.

Long-term bio-cultural heritage: exploring the intermediate disturbance hypothesis in agro-ecological landscapes (Mallorca, c. 1850–2012)

We applied an intermediate disturbance-complexity approach to the land-use change of cultural landscapes in the island of Mallorca from c. 1850 to the present, which accounts for the joint behaviour of human appropriation of photosynthetic capacity used as a measure of disturbance, and a selection of land metrics at different spatial scales that account for ecological functionality as a proxy of biodiversity. We also delved deeper into local land-use changes in order to identify the main socioeconomic drivers and ruling agencies at stake. A second degree polynomial regression was obtained linking socio-metabolic disturbance and landscape ecological functioning (jointly assessing landscape patterns and processes). The results confirm our intermediate disturbance-complexity hypothesis by showing a hump-shaped relationship where the highest level of landscape complexity (heterogeneity connectivity) is attained when disturbance peaks at 50–60 %. The study proves the usefulness of transferring the concept of intermediate disturbance to Mediterranean cultural landscapes, and suggests that the conservation of heterogeneous and well connected land-use mosaics with a positive interplay between intermediate level of farming disturbances and land-cover complexity endowed with a rich bio-cultural heritage will preserve a wildlife-friendly agro-ecological matrix that is likely to house high biodiversity.

Electro-acupuncture for treatment of knee pain from osteoarthritis and the possible endocrinology changes: a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BackgroundOsteoarthritis of the knee is a major cause of disability among adults. Electro-acupuncture is considered a potentially useful treatment for osteoarthritis. The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy of electro-acupuncture on pain control, pain perception, plasma cortisol and beta-endorphin levels, patient-perceived quality of life, and pain medication use in patients with chronic knee pain.Methods/designThis study is a placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind, parallel design trial. One hundred sixty out-patients who are more than 50 years old and who have osteoarthritis of the knee will be recruited from the island of Mallorca, Spain. Each participant will be randomly placed into one of two groups: (sham) electro-acupuncture non-insertion technique and real electro-acupuncture.Acupuncture treatments will be the Traditional Chinese Medicine type. The patients will be evaluated after a period of 1 month (with two weekly sessions), 3 months (with one monthly session), 6 months (with one session every 45 days), and 1 year later with follow-up sessions at the end of the study (with one session every 2 months).The primary outcomes will be based on the observed changes from the baseline of the visual analogue scale (VAS) and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) for pain measured at 12 weeks after the end of treatment.Also to be included in the study are the possible changes in the secondary efficacy variables from baseline as assessed by the Short Form 36 version 2 health survey (patient-perceived quality of life), patient plasma cortisol and beta-endorphin levels at the different treatment stages, the Goldberg Anxiety and Depression Scale, pain medication use, functional capacity and stiffness (WOMAC subscales), and a VAS. These variables will be assessed at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year after study commencement.DiscussionThe findings from this study will help to determine whether electro-acupuncture is effective for chronic knee pain management in older people and whether electro-acupuncture can deliver results for the improvement of pain relief, stiffness, and disability. The study will therefore be a major step toward understanding the roles of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the endogenous opioid system in the effectiveness of electro-acupuncture for chronic pain.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT02299713 (11 Nov. 2014).

Does fragmentation of wetlands affect gene flow in sympatric Acrocephalus warblers with different migration strategies?

Wetlands are naturally patchy habitats, but patchiness has been accentuated by the extensive wetlands loss due to human activities. In such a fragmented habitat, dispersal ability is especially important to maintain gene flow between populations. Here we studied population structure, genetic diversity and demographic history of Iberian and North African populations of two wetland passerines, the Eurasian reed warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus and the moustached warbler Acrocephalus melanopogon. These species are closely related and sympatric in our study sites, but the reed warbler is a widespread long‐distance migrant while the moustached warbler's breeding range is patchier and it is resident or migrates over short distances. Using microsatellite and mtDNA data, we found higher differentiation in moustached than in reed warblers, indicating higher dispersal capability of the latter species. Our results also suggest that the sea limits dispersal in the moustached warbler. However, we found evidence of gene flow between the study sites in both species, indicating a capability to compensate for habitat fragmentation. In most cases, the gene flow was restricted, possibly because of the large distances between study sites (from ca 290 to 960 km) or breeding site fidelity. The reed warbler had higher haplotype diversity, likely due to dispersal from different populations, past admixture event and a larger population size. We found also signs of postglacial population growth for both species and evidence of a recent colonization or re‐colonization of the Mallorca Island by the moustached warbler.

Radon survey in caves from Mallorca Island, Spain

This study reports radon concentration in the most representative caves of Mallorca, identifying those in which the recommended action level is exceeded, thus posing health risks. Two show caves (Campanet and Artà) and three non-touristic caves (Font, Drac, Vallgornera) were investigated. Data were collected at several locations within each cave for three different periods, from March 2013 to March 2014. Except for Vallgornera, where only one monitoring period was possible, and Artà in which low values were recorded throughout the year, a clear seasonal variability, with higher values during the warm seasons and lower during winter time is prominent. Radon concentrations differed markedly from one cave to another, as well as within the same cave, ranging from below detection limit up to 3060Bq·m−3. The results of this study have significant practical implications, making it possible to provide some recommendation to cave administrators and other agencies involved in granting access to the investigated caves.

Estimation of cold pool areas and chilling hours through satellite-derived surface temperatures

A methodology is proposed to identify the coldest areas of the island of Mallorca through satellite-derived surface temperatures. Land-surface temperatures from the Meteosat Second Generation (MSG-LST) just before sunrise for 1 year starting on September 1, 2007, were used. Fields for situations with clear skies and weak wind nights were selected, corresponding to 173 days of the year under study. Under these conditions, cold pools were generated in the centre of the three main basins of the island, in agreement with previous numerical and climatological studies. Maps of minimum air temperature and chilling hours, averaged over a season or annually, were obtained from the MSG-LST fields. These maps were then associated with the requirements of actual crop distributions.

Physiological adaptation to Mediterranean habitats of the native crab <em>Pachygrapsus marmoratus</em> and the invasive <em>Percnon gibbesi</em> (Crustacea: Decapoda)

Markers of oxidative stress in the hepatopancreas and carotenoid and vitamin E content in the carapace of the invasive crab Percnon gibbesi and the native crab Pachygrapsus marmoratus were compared as indicators of their physiological condition and environmental adaptation. Crabs similar in size were collected from coastal waters of Portals Vells (Mallorca Island, Spain; 39°28’18.79”N, 2°28’19.63”E) at < 1 m depth. Vitamin E levels were significantly higher in P. marmoratus than in P. gibbesi, whereas all carotenoid concentrations, except astaxanthin, were significantly higher in P. gibbesi. Catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase activities were significantly greater in P. marmoratus. Malondialdehyde concentration, a marker of lipid peroxidation, was higher in the hepatopancreas of P. gibbesi. The differences in carotenoid and vitamin E contents and in the antioxidant enzyme activities are a reflection of the different physiological activity of the two species and may suggest that P. gibbesi is not a potential competitor for the native crab P. marmoratus.

A new species of Tambja (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Nudibranchia) from the Mediterranean Sea: description of the first species of the genus from the Balearic Islands and Malta

A new species of polycerid nudibranchs of the genus Tambja is described from Mallorca Island (Spain) and Malta. So far, only two species of Tambja had been recorded in the Mediterranean Sea with a distribution limited to southern Spain. With Tambja mediterranea sp. nov., the distribution of the genus in the Mediterranean Sea is extended, and the new species represents the first occurrence of Tambja at the Balearic Islands and Malta. Externally, the new species is mainly characterized by having ground orange-red colour, dorsum covered with rounded whitish tubercles, rhinophores red with whitish tips and three gill branches with orange-reddish rachis and whitish branches. In the present paper, external and internal features of T. mediterranea are described and compared with other species of the genus, especially with its most similar species, T. limaciformis. Additionally, phylogenetic analyses (Bayesian and maximum likelihood) based on mitochondrial sequences (COI) show that T. mediterranea sp. nov. is sister to T. divae and that both species cluster together with T. limaciformis and T. amakusana with the maximum support.

Draft Genome Sequences of Thalassobacter Strains 1CONIMAR09 and 16PALIMAR09, Two Members of the Roseobacter Lineage Isolated from Coastal Areas of the Mediterranean Sea around Mallorca Island.

We report the draft genome sequence of two new members of the Roseobacter lineage, Thalassobacter strains 1CONIMAR09 and 16PALIMAR09, which were isolated from the seawater coast of Mallorca Island. Each genome harbored putative genes for obtaining energy by chemolithotrophy and making aerobic anoxygenic photosynthesis.

Organic carbon inputs to the sea bottom of the Mallorca continental slope

To assess the origin and degradation state of the organic particles sinking towards the sea bottom of the Mallorca continental slope, the major inorganic and organic components of the total mass flux and its biochemical composition (in terms of protein, carbohydrate, lipid and phytopigment contents) have been analysed. Two instrumented lines were deployed at the western (Sóller station, Balearic sub-basin) and southern (Cabrera station, Algerian sub-basin) slopes of Mallorca Island, 900m depth from November 2009 to January 2011. The two locations are characterized by putatively different environmental settings. Settled material at Sóller station has higher lithogenic contents when compared with the Cabrera one. Such difference can be explained by the synergistic presence in the Sóller station of large inputs of resuspended material due to the mesoscale variability of the Balearic current and the impact of bottom trapped waves. On the other hand, at the Cabrera station sinking particles are characterized by OM and opal percentages higher than those recorded at the Sóller station. This result points out that organic particles reaching the sea floor at the Cabrera station have a pre-eminent pelagic origin. Based on analyses of the C and N stable isotopes of the sinking material, our results also highlight that, overall, the OM reaching the sea floor at the Mallorca slope is mostly of marine origin. In general, the OM settled at the Sóller station has a higher nutritional value than that at the Cabrera one. Such a difference, occurring across a relatively reduced spatial scale, let us hypothesizing that the nutritionally richer particles descending in the Cabrera station are exposed to a less energetic environment than that in the Sóller setting. This would lead to higher settling velocity of particles in the Sóller setting which in turn would result in lower degradation rates of particles during their descent towards the sea bottom.

A proposal for pellet production from residual woody biomass in the island of Majorca (Spain)

The use of residual biomass for energy purposes is of great interest in isolated areas like Majorca for waste reduction, energy sufficiency and renewable energies development. In addition, densification processes lead to easy-to-automate solid biofuels which additionally have higher energy density. The present study aims at (i) the estimation of the potential of residual biomass from woody crops as well as from agri-food and wood industries in Majorca, and (ii) the analysis of the optimal location of potential pellet plants by means of a GIS approach (location-allocation analysis) and a cost evaluation of the pellets production chain. The residual biomass potential from woody crops in Majorca Island was estimated at 35,874 metric tons dry matter (t DM) per year, while the wood and agri-food industries produced annually 21,494 t DM and 2717 t DM, respectively. Thus, there would be enough resource available for the installation of 10 pellet plants of 6400 t·year−1 capacity. These plants were optimally located throughout the island of Mallorca with a maximum threshold distance of 28 km for biomass transport from the production points. Values found for the biomass cost at the pellet plant ranged between 57.1 €·t−1 and 63.4 €·t−1 for biomass transport distance of 10 and 28 km. The cost of pelleting amounted to 56.7 €·t−1; adding the concepts of business fee, pellet transport and profit margin (15%), the total cost of pelleting was estimated at 116.6 €·t−1. The present study provides a proposal for pellet production from residual woody biomass that would supply up to 2.8% of the primary energy consumed by the domestic and services sector in the Balearic Islands.

Influence of boat anchoring on Pinna nobilis: a field experiment using mimic units

Anchoring by recreational boats causes several different effects on marine habitats and species. The influence of boat anchoring on the Mediterranean endemic bivalve Pinna nobilis was assessed experimentally in the field by deploying non-biological mimic units of the bivalve around the islands of Mallorca and Malta. In each of these two localities, two study areas having different levels of boat anchoring activities, namely, ‘control’ (no anchoring allowed) and ‘affected’ (anchoring allowed), were used for the field experiment. A significant number of P. nobilis mimic bivalves were affected by boat anchoring; the influence was three times higher at anchoring sites than in control areas. Boat anchoring also had an adverse effect on Posidonia oceanica meadows, with seagrass cover, shoot density and global density being lower in the anchoring areas. Moreover, lower values of natural P. nobilis density and size classes were recorded from the anchoring areas.

Características epidemiológicas de las paradas cardiorrespiratorias extrahospitalarias registradas por el sistema de emergencias 061 (SAMU) de la Comunidad Autónoma de las Islas Baleares (2009-2012)

ObjectiveTo describe the epidemiology of out-of-hospital cardiorespiratory arrest (OHCA) and identify factors associated with recovery of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). DesignObservational study of OHCA registered on a continuous basis in the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) database during 2009-2012. SettingThe islands of Mallorca, Ibiza, Menorca and Formentera (Balearic Islands, Spain). PatientsOHCA in patients ≥ 18 years of age.The main variables were: Patient sex, age, probable cause, place of arrest, bystander, witnessed, basic life support (BLS), shockable rhythm, intervention time, semi-automatic defibrillator (AED), duration of cardiopulmonary arrest (CA), and ROSC. Independent variables were defined according to the Utstein protocol, and the dependent variable was defined as ROSC. ResultsThe EMS treated 1170 OHCAs (28/100,000 persons-year). We included 1130 CA. The mean age was 61.4 years (73.4% males). Most CA (72.3%) were of cardiac etiology, and 84.7% were witnessed. A total of 840 (74.3%) received BLS and 400 (47.6%) did so before arrival of the EMS (45 by bystander relatives). AED was available in 330 cases CA (29.2%) (96 with shockable rhythm). The interval between emergency call and BLS and between emergency call and advanced life support was 8.4 and 15.8min, respectively. Shockable rhythm was monitored in 257 CAs (22.7%). ROSC occurred in 261 (23.1%). Factors associated with ROSC were age, shockable rhythm, BLS before EMS arrival, and CA duration less than 30min. ConclusionThe incidence rate of the OHCA is low. The proportion of patients receiving BLS from relatives was low. Age, shockable rhythm and BSL before EMS arrival were associated with ROSC.

Discovered just before extinction? The first endemic ant from the Balearic Islands (Lasius balearicus sp. nov.) is endangered by climate change

AbstractAimWe analyse the taxonomic status, phylogenetic relationships, distribution and age of a newly discovered ant taxon found in the mountaintops of the island of Mallorca (Spain). We also consider the potential impact of short‐term climate change on the survival of this ant and make proposals on its conservation status, risks and management.LocationBalearic Islands (Spain).MethodsWe used morphological, molecular and ecological evidence to assess the specific status of the potential new species. We gathered distribution data to conduct climate‐based distribution modelling of present and future occupancy under several SRES emission scenarios.ResultsThe existence of a new non‐cryptic species of ant (Lasius balearicus Talavera, Espadaler &amp; Vila, sp. nov.) is described from the island of Mallorca. Its distribution was found to be extremely restricted (Serra de Tramuntana) and elevationally constrained to island summits (between 800 and 1400 m a.s.l.). Molecular dating indicated that this species diverged about 1.51 million years ago from its nearest relatives, from which it can be distinguished based on several morphological traits. Ecological niche modelling shows a dramatic reduction of areas with suitable climatic conditions under the different scenarios studied.Main conclusionsLasius balearicus represents the first endemic ant to be described in the Balearic Islands, as well as the first endemic Lasius species in the Mediterranean islands. Distribution modelling predictions, the low intraspecific genetic diversity observed, and the geographical and elevational isolation of the populations indicated a low probability for the survival of the species in the short term, thus making it a potential model to study real‐time climate‐based biodiversity loss. As a consequence, we strongly recommend including L. balearicus in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species under the category ‘Endangered’. This case illustrates that a fraction of biodiversity remains unexplored even within Europe, arguably the best‐studied region of the planet, and that the available time‐window for us to study and protect it may be in some instances notably narrow.

Study of a Sea-Breeze Case through Momentum, Temperature, and Turbulence Budgets

AbstractA simulation with the Méso-NH model over the island of Mallorca, Spain, has been made in a case of synoptic high pressure (5 June 2010) that allowed the development of sea breezes (SB) in the three main basins of the island. The results compare well to the available observations and are qualitatively very close to a previous idealized study with no synoptic forcing made by Ramis and Romero in 1995. The temporal and spatial structure of the SB in the southeastern basin is analyzed with the use of the momentum, temperature, and turbulence kinetic energy budgets provided by the numerical model. Five stages of evolution from before dawn to after sunset are discussed, identifying the main physical mechanisms at play. The morning land heating warms the land and the air over it until an air temperature gradient is created and a marine flow accelerates inland, dragged by turbulence in the low layers. The upper part of the inland current and the layers just above are dominated by compensatory motions, which oppose the corresponding pressure gradient at these levels. These mechanisms last while the SB is active, with significant effects from the local topography, and they decrease in intensity as sunset approaches. This relatively simple case has been used to check the goodness of two analytical models of the SB that perform relatively well because they use turbulence as a surrogate for the missing advection terms in the layers above 200 m. These models are formulated here in a more consistent manner in the turbulence parameterization than were the original propositions.

Record of the Messinian Salinity Crisis in the SW Mallorca area (Balearic Promontory, Spain)

The current interpretation of the Messinian Salinity Crisis (MSC) involves the deposition of the so-called “peripheral or marginal” evaporites in onshore basins, as well as the erosion of the margins and the formation of thick evaporites in the deep parts of the basins. The present study focuses on intermediate depth basins, i.e. located between the onshore outcrops and the deep basins. Indeed, the Balearic Promontory shows small stepped basins filled with MSC deposits between its western extremity on the Alicante shelf and its eastern end around the Menorca block. New and already available seismic reflection profiles and onshore data allow us to investigate the nature and geometrical relationships of these deposits in the area between the islands of Ibiza and Mallorca. Our observations suggest the existence of three MSC-related units in this area. The lowermost transparent seismic unit can be interpreted as a 100 to 200-m-thick salt layer deposited in the deepest part of the Central Mallorca Depression. These evaporites pass laterally and upward into a thin-bedded seismic unit, which could be lithologically equivalent to the Upper Evaporites of the deep basins. All around the borders of the Central Mallorca Depression, this bedded seismic unit onlaps a Slope Unit which shows bedded to chaotic and rafted facies. The Messinian continental shelf is eroded and incised by a valley extending from the Palma onshore area to the Mallorca downslope domain. Our results suggest the presence offshore of at least two generations of diachronous MSC deposits. The observation of salt on a continental high and the widespread MSC deposits on the margins of the Central Mallorca Depression call into question the location of halite preferentially in the deep abyssal basins and the significance of the deep basin MSC units that onlap onto the Margin Erosional Surface (MES), as observed all around the passive margins of the Northwest-Mediterranean Basin. The dual terminology used for peripheral/deep MSC evaporites cannot be applied to any of the MSC units found in the study area.

Solar radiation and water vapor pressure to forecast chickenpox epidemics.

The clear seasonality of varicella infections in temperate regions suggests the influence of meteorologic conditions. However, there are very few data on this association. The aim of this study was to determine the seasonal pattern of varicella infections on the Mediterranean island of Mallorca (Spain), and its association with meteorologic conditions and schooling. Data on the number of cases of varicella were obtained from the Network of Epidemiologic Surveillance, which is composed of primary care physicians who notify varicella cases on a compulsory basis. From 1995 to 2012, varicella cases were correlated to temperature, humidity, rainfall, water vapor pressure, atmospheric pressure, wind speed, and solar radiation using regression and time-series models. The influence of schooling was also analyzed. A total of 68,379 cases of varicella were notified during the study period. Cases occurred all year round, with a peak incidence in June. Varicella cases increased with the decrease in water vapor pressure and/or the increase of solar radiation, 3 and 4weeks prior to reporting, respectively. An inverse association was also observed between varicella cases and school holidays. Using these variables, the best fitting autoregressive moving average with exogenous variables (ARMAX) model could predict 95% of varicella cases. In conclusion, varicella in our region had a clear seasonality, which was mainly determined by solar radiation and water vapor pressure.

Radon concentration and effective dose assessment in Coves de Campanet (Mallorca Island, Spain)

This study documents measured radon concentration levels in Coves de Campanet, a touristic cave from Mallorca (Spain). The mean annual concentration at eight different locations within the cave varied between 644.37 and 1,694.40 Bq m−3. As expected, a seasonal variation was observed, with higher radon levels during summer and lower values during the winter season. The integrated measurements were confirmed by continuous radon monitoring in two selected locations. The effective dose expected to be received by tour guides within the cave ranged from 0.72 to 1.89 mSv y−1 with an annual dose of 1.23 mSv y−1.

First Report of Phaeoacremonium venezuelense Associated with Wood Decay of Apricot Trees in Spain

In July 2011, a survey was conducted to evaluate the phytosanitary status of apricot trees (Prunus armeniaca L.) in an orchard in Binissalem (Mallorca Island, Spain). Fungal isolation was performed on a 40-year-old apricot trees (cv. Galta Vermella, double-grafted onto bitter almond and Japanese plum) showing a collapse of branches, chlorosis of leaves, and shoot dieback. These symptoms appeared in approximately 10% of the trees. Black spots and dark streaking of the xylem vessels were observed in cross- or longitudinal sections of the branches. Symptomatic branches were collected and wood sections (10 cm long) were cut, washed under running tap water, surface-disinfested for 1 min in a 1.5% sodium hypochlorite solution, and washed twice with sterile distilled water. The sections were split longitudinally, and small pieces of discolored tissues were plated onto malt extract agar (MEA) supplemented with 0.5 g liter-1 of streptomycin sulfate. Dishes were incubated at 25°C in the dark for 14 to 21 days, and all colonies were transferred to potato dextrose agar (PDA). A Phaeoacremonium sp. was consistently isolated from necrotic tissues (more than 50% of the isolations). Single conidial isolates were obtained and grown on PDA and MEA in the dark at 25°C for 2 to 3 weeks until colonies produced spores (3). Colonies were brownish orange on PDA and MEA. Conidiophores were short and occasionally branched, and 26 to 35 (avg. 29) μm long. Phialides were terminal or lateral, mostly monophialidic. Conidia were hyaline, oblong-ellipsoidal or fusiform-ellipsoidal, 3 to 4 (avg. 3.9) μm long, and 1 to 1.5 (avg. 1.2) μm wide. Based on these characters, the isolates were identified as Phaeoacremonium venezuelense L. Mostert, Summerb. & Crous (2,3). DNA sequencing of a fragment of the beta-tubulin gene of the isolate 9.3 using primers T1 and Bt2b (GenBank Accession No. KF765487) matched P. venezuelense GenBank accession HQ605026. Pathogenicity tests were conducted using isolate 9.3. Ten 2-year-old apricot trees of cv. Galta Rotja grown in pots were wounded in two branches with a 8-mm cork borer. A 5-mm mycelium PDA plug from a 2-week-old culture was placed in the wound before being wrapped with Parafilm. Ten control plants were inoculated with 5-mm non-colonized PDA plugs. Plants were maintained in a greenhouse at 25 to 30°C. Within 5 months, shoots on all Phaeoacremonium-inoculated branches had weak growth with chlorosis of leaves and there were black streaks in the xylem vessels. The vascular necroses that developed on the inoculated plants were 5.5 ± 0.6 cm long, significantly greater than those on the control plants (P < 0.01). Control plants did not show any symptoms. The fungus was re-isolated from discolored tissue of all inoculated cuttings, completing Koch's postulates. P. venezuelense was reported as a pathogen of grapevines in Algeria (1) and South Africa (2) and, to our knowledge, this is the first report of P. venezuelense associated with wood decay of apricot trees in Spain or any country in the world.

Multilocus assessment of phylogenetic relationships in Alytes (Anura, Alytidae)

With the advent of large multilocus datasets, molecular systematics is experiencing very rapid progress, but important challenges remain regarding data analysis and interpretation. Midwife toads (genus Alytes) exemplify two of the most widespread problems for accurate phylogenetic reconstruction: discerning the causes of discordance between gene trees, and resolving short internodes produced during rapid, successive splitting events. The three species in subgenus Baleaphryne (A. maurus, A. dickhilleni and A. muletensis), the sister group to A. obstetricans, have disjunct and highly restricted geographical ranges, which are thought to result from old vicariant events affecting their common ancestor, but their phylogenetic relationships are still unresolved. In this study we re-address the phylogeny of Alytes with a special focus on the relationships in Baleaphryne with a multilocus dataset including >9000 base pairs of mitochondrial DNA and four nuclear markers (3142bp) in all recognized taxa, including all subspecies of A. obstetricans. Both concatenation and species tree analyses suggest that A. muletensis, endemic to the Balearic island of Mallorca, is the sister taxon to a clade comprising the southeastern Iberian endemic A. dickhilleni and the North African A. maurus. This scenario is consistent with palaeogeological evidence associated with the fragmentation of the Betic-Rifean Massif, followed by the opening of the Strait of Gibraltar. On the other hand, analyses of intraspecific variation in A. obstetricans are inconclusive regarding relationships between major clades and conflict with current subspecific taxonomy.