Southeast Spain Research Articles

Assessment of Molecular Additives on the Lifetime of Carbon-Based Mesoporous Perovskite Solar Cells

Perovskite solar cells have progressed very steadily, reaching power conversion efficiencies (PCE) beyond 20% while also improving their lifetimes up to 10,000 h. A large number of cell architecture and materials for active, transporting and electrode layers have been used, either in blends or in nanostructured layers. In this article, a set of perovskite solar cells have been designed, fabricated and characterized with special focus on their lifetime extension. The inclusion of 5-amino-valeric acid iodide (5–AVAI) as interlayer in a methyl-amino lead-iodide (MAPI) perovskite solar cell has provided additional stability in cells with PCE > 10% and T80 = 550 h. Experiments for up to 1000 h with solar cells at maximum power point under continuous illumination with solar simulator have been carried out (1 kW/m2, AM1.5G, equivalent to more than six months of outdoor illumination in locations such as Southeast Spain, with an average irradiation of 1900 kWh/m2/year). The addition of molecular additives in the bulk active layer and ETL and carbon layers not only allows better carrier transport, but also increases the stability of the perovskite solar cell by reducing ion migration within the bulk MAPI and between the different layers. Engineered interfaces with ZrO2 between the TiO2 and carbon layers contribute to reducing degradation.

Identifying Changes in Sediment Texture along an Ephemeral Gravel-Bed Stream Using Electrical Resistivity Tomography 2D and 3D

Differences in deposit geometry and texture with depth along ephemeral gravel-bed streams strongly reflect fluctuations in bedload which are due to environmental changes at the basin scale and to morphological channel adjustments. This study combines electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) with datasets from borehole logs to analyse the internal geometry of channel cross-sections in a gravel-bed ephemeral stream (southeast Spain). The survey was performed through longitudinal and transverse profiles in the upper channel stretch, of 14 to 30 m in length and 3 to 6 m in depth, approximately. ERT values were correlated with data on sediment texture as grain size distribution, effective grain sizes, sorting, and particle shape (Zingg’s classification). The alluvial channel-fills showed the superposition of four layers with uneven thickness and arrangement: (1) the softer rocky substrate (<1000 Ω.m); (2) a thicker intermediate layer (1000 to 2000 Ω.m); and (3) an upper set composed of coarse gravel and supported matrix, ranging above 2000 Ω.m, and a narrow subsurface layer, which is the most resistive (>5000 Ω.m), corresponding to the most recent armoured deposits (gravel and pebbles). The ERT results coupled with borehole data allowed for determining the horizontal and vertical behaviour of the materials in a 3D model, facilitating the layer identification.

Evolution of the Beaches in the Regional Park of Salinas and Arenales of San Pedro del Pinatar (Southeast of Spain) (1899–2019)

Coastal erosion is anissuewhich affects beaches all over the world and that signifies enormous economic and environmental losses. Classed as a slow phenomenon, the evolution of the coastline requires long-term analysis. In this study, old cartography and aerial photographs from various dates have been used to study the evolution of the coastline. The information has been processed with free software (QGIS) and for the calculation of sediment transport the Coastal Modeling System (SMC) software. The results show the accretion/erosion phenomena that occurred after the construction of the port in San Pedro del Pinatarin 1954 and which changed the coastal dynamics of a highly protected area. In some sectors, the beach has been reduced almost in its entirety, with retreat rates of up to −2.05 m per year and a total area loss of 66,419.81 m2 in Las Salinas beach and 76,891.13 m2 on Barraca Quemada beach.

An Assessment of Groundwater Recharge at a Regional Scale for Sustainable Resource Management: Province of Alicante (SE Spain)

For decades, the Province of Alicante, located in the Southeast of Spain, has experienced important economic development associated with groundwater exploitation. The scarcity of superficial resources and irregular distribution in the time and space of rainfall, typical of the Mediterranean environment, together with the extensive limestone outcrops, have made groundwater a key resource for the area. However, insufficient knowledge about aquifers, especially the lack of precise recharge estimates, hinders regional water management. This study establishes updated recharge estimates and water budgets for the 200 aquifers found in Alicante, using readily usable methodologies and available data. These are soil water budget models, groundwater flow models, water table fluctuation methods, and spring flow analyses. The results show low mean annual values of recharge from precipitation (69 mm/year and a coefficient of 12%) and two main differentiated domains. The first one, in the northeast of the province, under more humid climatic conditions with larger carbonate aquifer systems, has higher recharge coefficients, ranging from 14% to 24%, and greater resources. For the rest of the province, where aquifers are smaller and annual averages of rainfall range between 250 and 400 mm, average recharge rates are low (9–12%).

The Vega Alta of Segura River (Southeast of Spain): A Wetland of International Importance

The Ramsar Convention is an intergovernmental treaty for the conservation and wise use of wetlands, which establishes nine criteria related to natural values and a cultural one that wetlands must meet to be included in the list of wetlands of international importance. We aim to evaluate if the wetlands of the Vega Alta of the Segura River (southeast of Spain) meet the requirements to fulfil this agreement. Thanks to meticulous fieldwork and a bibliographic review related to the stated objective, we collected information on the existing environmental and cultural values. The results show that this set of wetlands is home to 11 species of threatened vertebrates in Spain, two priority habitats in the European Union, as well as cultural values related to their origin, conservation, and ecological functioning. Likewise, in the area there are archaeological sites, traditional uses of water associated with the cultivation of rice, and religious manifestations. Effective wetland inventories and rigorous analyzes of their ecological and environmental characteristics, as well as their socioeconomic functions, need to be carried out in order to improve their management and protection. This wetland certainly meets three criteria to be included in the Ramsar Convention list of wetlands.

A process‐based soil erosion model ensemble to assess model uncertainty in climate‐change impact assessments

AbstractThe impact of climate change on future soil loss is commonly assessed with soil erosion models, which are suggested to be an important source of uncertainty. Here, we present a novel soil erosion model ensemble to assess model uncertainty in climate‐change impact assessments. The model ensemble consists of five continuous process‐based soil erosion models that run at a daily time step (i.e., DHSVM, HSPF, INCA, MMF, SHETRAN). The models were implemented in the SPHY hydrological model and simulate detachment by raindrop impact, detachment by runoff, and immediate deposition. The soil erosion model ensemble was applied in a semiarid catchment in the southeast of Spain. We applied three future climate scenarios based on global mean temperature rise (+1.5, +2 and +3°C). Data from two contrasting regional climate models were used to assess how an increase and a decrease in projected extreme precipitation affect model uncertainty. Soil loss is projected to increase (up to 95%) and decrease (up to −30%) under climate change, mostly reflecting the change in extreme precipitation. Model uncertainty is found to increase with increasing slope, extreme precipitation and runoff, which reveals some inherent differences in model assumptions among the five models. Moreover, the model uncertainty increases in all climate change scenarios, independent of the projected change in annual precipitation and extreme precipitation. This stresses the importance to consider model uncertainty through model ensembles of climate, hydrology, and soil erosion in climate‐change impact assessments.

Phytoremediation of potentially toxic elements using constructed wetlands in coastal areas with a mining influence.

This paper proposes the use of wetlands as a phytoremediation strategy for areas of mining and maritime influence in the southeast of Spain. Potentially toxic elements (PTEs) tolerant and salinity-resistant macrophytes (Phragmites australis, Juncus effusus and Iris pseudacorus) have been used. The experiment is carried out in an aerobic artificial wetland using representative sediments affected by mining activities in the study area. Selected species were placed in pots containing substrates made with different mixtures of topsoil and/or peat, mining residues (black or yellow sand). After six months, rhizosphere, root and aerial parts were collected. A transfer study of As, Pb, Zn and Cu is performed, determining contents in rhizosphere and plant (aerial and underground part). From these data, the TF and BCF were calculated for each plant in 15 different substrates. The work is complemented by an initial study of scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDX) of plants. The obtained results indicate a tolerance of the metallophytes to these PTEs, which may favour the obtaining of a naturalized habitat that acts as an effective protective barrier to the ecosystem, that is easy to maintain and that avoid the risk of transfer to the trophic chain. The use of these species can be a complement to the chemical stabilization proposed for the whole area and carried out in experimental plots. Because they are perennial plants, it is necessary to continue with the experiments and obtain results in a longer period of time that allows to evaluate yield and stabilization.

The ancestral Andalusian water courts: a resilient model for contemporary Islamic banking and finance

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the functioning and organizational structure of the historic Andalusian water courts, institutions of Islamic origin whose basic model should be considered in light of the regulation of modern Islamic banking and finance.Design/methodology/approachThe methodology of this study has been focused on the contextualization of al-Andalus during the European Middle Ages, highlighting its enormous contributions and implications in the creation of Western knowledge. In the same way, the ordinances of the Castilian-Aragonese kings, aimed at the persistence of the Andalusian water courts in the Southeast of Spain after the Muslim period, have been used as the main sources of reference.FindingsThis research has detected that the main features of the Andalusian water courts, i.e. integrity, democracy, transparency, credibility, moral authority or simplicity (among many others), can be conveniently replicated in the scope of the current Islamic banking and finance.Research limitations/implicationsSeveral implications can be derived from this study: first, it highlights the total resilience of a regulatory model that “it was already there,” given by the history of the Andalusian civilization. This model will be always welcomed by the Muslim community in Western countries as it is a matter of regulating themselves according to the way their ancestors did. The main limitation faced by this research is the relative scarcity of original sources, which is justifiable given that most of the royal ordinances come from the 13th century, having unfortunately lost a good number of sources over time.Originality/valueThis paper seeks a feasible alternative to the controversy arising from the resolution of possible disputes in Islamic banking and finance taking into account that Western judges do not know (nor do they have to) the principles on which this discipline is based. The application of the historical Andalusian model would allow the creation of an independent jurisdiction, while subordinated to the established juridic power, without contravening the principle of “jurisdictional unity.” The last element that gives an added value to this research is spreading the achievements of the Andalusian culture and civilization, unjustly omitted by a great part of the existing literature.

Farmers’ profiles and behaviours toward desalinated seawater for irrigation: Insights from South-east Spain

In South-east Spain the implementation of desalinated seawater for irrigation was planned as an alternative water supply for farmers. However, most high-volume desalination plants are underused as farmers’ current demands are lower than was previously expected. In order to develop programmes promoting an effective behavioural shift of farmers toward desalinated water, it is necessary to first explore their preferences and attitudes. This paper shows the results of a survey examining the attitudes and behaviour of farmers toward the use of desalinated seawater for irrigation in the South-east of Spain. The results show the existence of different farmer typologies regarding desalinated seawater use, as well as their preferences and attitudes. The main finding of this study has been to identify further factors, besides price, that condition the acceptance of the use of desalinated seawater. Finally, a series of measures are proposed to encourage the use of desalinated seawater for irrigation based on the identified profiles. The insights gained from this study could be useful for other regions where the construction of desalination plants has been planned as a measure to increase the availability of irrigation water.

The small polychaete Platynereis dumerilii revealed as a large species complex with fourteen MOTUs in European marine habitats

Recent studies reporting complexes of cryptic or pseudo-cryptic species with narrow geographic distributions have been challenging the cosmopolitan status of a fair number of marine benthic invertebrates. Morphologically similar species are often overlooked but molecular techniques have been extremely effective in signalling potential hidden diversity which, complemented with further detailed examination, might reveal unique morphological and ecological features. Evidence of morphological stasis, where no clear and stable morphological differences are apparent, can be exemplified by the annelids Platynereis dumerilii (Audouin & Milne Edwards, 1833) and Platynereis massiliensis (Moquin-Tandon, 1869). These sibling species, usually found among algae in marine intertidal and subtidal habitats, can only be distinguished by their different reproductive strategies and life histories. The former is gonochoric, with a single reproductive event in life (semelparous) transforming into a pelagic epitokous form called heteronereis, has free spawning synchronized by lunar periodicity and a larval stage with planktotrophic development; while the latter shows no epitokous transformation and is a protandrous hermaphrodite, characterized by egg brooding and lecithotrophic larval stages with a semi-direct development. In order to verify the possible existence of additional hidden Platynereis species within the P. dumerilii morphotype, we used a multi-locus approach to investigate 26 populations along Europe from the NE Atlantic and the Macaronesia islands (Azores, Madeira and Canaries) to the Western and Eastern Mediterranean Sea. We concatenated the mtDNA COI-5P, rDNA 16S and 28S-D2 sequences and performed a phylogenetic analysis through Bayesian inference (BI). To depict Molecular Operational Taxonomic Units (MOTUs), we applied three delimitation methods (ABGD, bPTP and GYMC) to the concatenated alignment, except for COI where we also applied the Barcode Index Number (BIN), implemented in BOLD, which is exclusive to this locus. Consensus MOTUs were defined based on the majority rule and, in case of draw, the most conservative MOTUs were chosen. We detected at least 14 MOTUs with 23.1% COI mean K2P distance (6.6 - 32.6%). The BI tree is split into three major clades (Clade A: MOTUs 1-3, Clade B: MOTUs 4-9 and Clade C: MOTUs 10-14), with MOTU 3 appearing to represent P. dumerilii sensu stricto and MOTU 9 P. massiliensis. This assumption is based on data from the Type locality and a previous study by Wage et al. (2017), which combined phylogeographic (COI barcode region), reproductive biology and life-history observations on some selected Platynereis populations thriving in the vent areas from the Italian islands of Ischia and Vulcano. Major Cade C seems to be pseudo-cryptic as some visible differences can be found in the specimens, as for example, the size of the tentacular cirri and lack of dorsal pigmentation, in contrast with Clades A and B, where only differences in pigmentation types were found so far. The Spanish archipelago of the Canary Islands and the whole Mediterranean Sea seem to be a cryptic hotspot. Five MOTUs are unique to the Macaronesia and five sympatric MOTUs are present in the Gran Canaria and La Palma islands alone. Additionally, three lineages were present exclusively in the Mediterranean with four sympatric MOTUs spotted in the southeast of Spain (Calpe) and the Greek island of Crete. Three out of four NE Atlantic MOTUs are shared with the Mediterranean with one exclusive to this part of the continent. Failure to recognise this hidden biodiversity may compromise the accuracy and the interpretation of biomonitoring data or other relevant ecological studies. Integrative taxonomy is thus essential to solve these uncertainties and to allow naming the involved undescribed species. Otherwise, most molecular data providing enough support for species hypothesis will continue to be unused, and large fractions of biodiversity will persist unnoticed.

Extending Natural Limits to Address Water Scarcity? The Role of Non-Conventional Water Fluxes in Climate Change Adaptation Capacity: A Review

Water consumption continues to grow globally, and it is estimated that more than 160% of the total global water volume will be needed to satisfy the water requirements in ten years. In this context, non-conventional water resources are being considered to overcome water scarcity and reduce water conflicts between regions and sectors. A bibliometric analysis and literature review of 81 papers published between 2000 and 2020 focused on south-east Spain were conducted. The aim was to examine and re-think the benefits and concerns, and the inter-connections, of using reclaimed and desalinated water for agricultural and urban-tourist uses to address water scarcity and climate change impacts. Results highlight that: (1) water use, cost, quality, management, and perception are the main topics debated by both reclaimed and desalinated water users; (2) water governance schemes could be improved by including local stakeholders and water users in decision-making; and (3) rainwater is not recognized as a complementary option to increase water supply in semi-arid regions. Furthermore, the strengths–weaknesses–opportunities–threats (SWOT) analysis identifies complementary concerns such as acceptability and investment in reclaimed water, regulation (cost recovery principle), and environmental impacts of desalinated water.

Landscape and Tourism as Tools for Local Development in Mid-Mountain Rural Areas in the Southeast of Spain (Castilla-La Mancha)

The modernization of economic activities in mountain areas is conditioned by the physical characteristics of the territory, the weight of activities related to the primary sector, infrastructure deficits, low population density, as well as the declining and ageing population. The response to this situation has involved implementing a certain degree of functional diversification. One of the aspects that has assisted in the expansion of the tertiary sector is leisure and recreational activities. Rural tourism in European mid-mountain regions has emerged as a key element, supported by local development strategies and changing preferences in demand. In the tourism industry, the resources are the raw material, in which landscape plays a leading role. The aim of this prospective study is to evaluate the landscape as a heritage and a tourism resource, focusing on its capacity to reactivate depressed rural areas of inland Spain (mid-mountain areas in the southeast of the autonomous region of Castilla-La Mancha). The study is based on opinions provided by tourists and uses a directed survey as an analytical tool. The results highlight the key role of landscape, especially natural landscape, in the use of such areas for tourism. This, in turn, underlines the need for a greater focus on organizing how the landscape is utilized.

Active Control of Greenhouse Climate Enhances Papaya Growth and Yield at an Affordable Cost

Papaya is a tropical fruit crop that in subtropical regions depends on protected cultivation to fulfill its climate requirements and remain productive. The aim of this work was to compare the profitability of different climate control strategies in greenhouses located in subtropical areas of southeast Spain. To do so, we compared papayas growing in a greenhouse equipped with active climate control (ACC), achieved by cooling and heating systems, versus plants growing in another greenhouse equipped with passive climate control (PCC), consisting of only natural ventilation through zenithal and lateral windows. The results showed that ACC favored papaya plant growth; flowering; fruit set; and, consequently, yields, producing more and heavier fruits at an affordable cost. Climate control strategies did not significantly improve fruit quality, specifically fruit skin color, acidity, and total soluble solids content. In conclusion, in the current context of prices, an active control of temperature and humidity inside the greenhouse could be a more profitable strategy in subtropical regions where open-air cultivation is not feasible.

The state of agricultural landscapes in the Mediterranean: smallholder agriculture and land abandonment in terraced landscapes of the Ricote Valley, southeast Spain

The fast and broad adoption of mechanization and chemical inputs in Mediterranean terraced agriculture, combined with warming climate trends, has led to the progressive degradation of environmental and social conditions. These factors have concurred with the increasing abandonment of smallholder agriculture. We aimed to detect and quantify the progression of cultivated and abandoned terraced fields in the Ricote Valley between 2016 and 2019 while also exploring reasons for land abandonment over the past decades. To quantify cultivated and abandoned agricultural terraces, we conducted (1) a terrace detection based on Lidar and cadaster data, (2) a land use classification based on Sentinel imagery, and (3) an investigation of the reasons for land abandonment based on participant observation and an expert survey. Our results show high rates of abandonment compared to the total available agricultural terraced area in the Ricote Valley. In 2016, 56% of the detected terraced area was classified as not cultivated. In 2019, the percentage decreased to 40%. Small parcels are cultivated to a higher percentage than large or medium-sized parcels. We identified five main reasons underlying land abandonment: (1) low income of farmers; (2) land fragmentation resulting in higher transaction costs; (3) lack of interest in agricultural activities among young generations; (4) lack of modernization; and (5) emotional bonds preventing the sale of abandoned parcels. We stressed the importance of a place-based mixed method approach to gain a comprehensive understanding of the specificities of a given research area.

Optimal Water Management in Agro-Industrial Districts: An Energy Hub’s Case Study in the Southeast of Spain

In this work, the optimal management of the water grid belonging to a pilot agro-industrial district, based on greenhouse cultivation, is analyzed. Different water supply plants are considered in the district, some of them using renewable energies as power sources, i.e., a solar thermal desalination plant and a nanofiltration facility powered up by a photovoltaic field. Moreover, the trade with the water public utility network is also taken into account. As demanding agents, a greenhouse and an office building are contemplated. Due to the different water necessities, demand profiles, and the heterogeneous nature of the different plants considered as supplier agents, the management of the whole plant is not trivial. In this way, an algorithm based on the energy hubs approach, which takes into account economic terms and the optimal use of the available resources in its formulation, is proposed for the pilot district with a cropping area of 616 m2. Simulation results are provided in order to evidence the benefits of the proposed technique in two cases: Case 1 considers the flexible operation of the desalination plant, whereas in Case 2 the working conditions are forced to equal the plant’s maximum capacity (Case 2). A flexible operation results in a weekly improvement of 4.68% in profit, an optimized use of the desalination plant, and a reduction of the consumption of water from the public grid by 58.1%.

Effects of soil microbial communities associated to different soil fertilization practices on tomato growth in intensive greenhouse agriculture

Intensive greenhouse vegetable production is one of the most important economic activities in south-east Spain. Agricultural intensification has limited the application of organic matter (OM) in favor of synthetic chemical fertilizers, leading to altered soil microbial communities and production loss. We addressed the effects of soil microbial communities on plant productivity depending on different soil management practices in greenhouse agriculture. Greenhouse managements were i) conventional (i.e., with addition of synthetic chemical fertilizers) without organic amendments (CM), ii) conventional with organic amendments (CMOM) and with addition of synthetic chemical fertilizers, and iii) organic management with annual organic amendments and with no synthetic chemical fertilizer addition (ORG). We extracted soil microbial communities from five greenhouses per management type, added these inocula to pots with sterile substrate (peat:sand), and seeded disinfected tomato seeds. Plants grew for 2 months without nutrient addition (only water irrigation). Immediately prior to the end of the study, we measured photosynthetic rate, plant growth, and leaf functional traits. At the end of study, pot substrates inoculated with i) ORG soil communities had higher bacterial abundance (qPCR) compared to microbial communities inoculated with CM extracts; and ii) prokaryotic communities of CM and CMOM substrates differed in composition. Besides, substrates inoculated with CM inocula were significantly associated with the presence of a potential fungal pathogen. Plants inoculated with extracts from organic greenhouses grew more and had a higher photosynthetic rate than plants receiving soil microbial extracts from greenhouses with conventional management. There were differences in the NO3−, total N and organic matter contents of substrates between treatments at the end of the study, but not at the beginning of the study, suggesting differences in microbial activity between treatments. Although substrate N content differences did not translate into differences in leaf N, leaf δ15N differed between treatments, indicating that the source of the soil microbial inocula influenced the N compound used by the tomato plants. Overall, this study suggested that soil microbial communities from organic greenhouses had a positive effect on crop productivity in intensive greenhouse agriculture.

Improving Energy Efficiency of Irrigation Wells by Using an IoT-Based Platform

The irrigation sector has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent decades due to the application of pressurized water distribution technologies, improving the management of limited water resources. As a result of this transformation, irrigation has become, together with agricultural machinery, the primary consumer of energy within the agri-food sector. Furthermore, the energy cost of operating pumping equipment during a farming season represents 30–40% of the crop’s total cost. For this reason, one of the most interesting challenges in this scope is that of improving energy efficiency and reducing economic costs so that productive work become more and more competitive. Energy audit makes possible to determine the efficiency of installations, and enables to determine energy saving protocols (requirements), for this reason the aim of this article is to carry out these by using IoT-based systems. The proposed system improves decision-making on agricultural pumping management by classifying wells’ efficiency and integrating the data sets that determine their efficiency into a single information model. The system monitors energy efficiency according to different parameters such as: infrastructure, energy consumption, electric rates, manometric height or type of installation, making it possible to enhance each pumping operation’s decisions. This solution has been deployed in an irrigation community in southeast Spain whose results have warned about the lack of efficiency in two of its wells: in one of them it is proposed that they be replaced, due to the high cost of pumping water, and in the other, hydraulic mechanisms are implemented to improve the water-energy binomial.

Early Detection of Academic Performance During Primary Education Using the Spanish Primary School Aptitude Test (AEI) Battery.

The aim of this study was to assess the predictive capacity of some of the most relevant cognitive skills pertaining to the academic field as measured by the Spanish Primary School Aptitude Test Battery. This psychometric tool was applied to all students who were enrolled in the final year of Early Childhood Education (631 students) in the public schools of the province of Alicante (in the South-East of Spain) and a follow-up of their academic progress was carried out when they completed Primary Education (6 school years). The results obtained show that medium-high and high scores in Verbal Aptitude and Numerical Aptitude tests in Early Childhood Education (5 years of age), can predict academic success at the end of Primary Education (12 years of age) in instrumental subjects such as: (1) Language (Verbal Aptitude Odds Ratio = 1.39 and Numerical Aptitude Odds Ratio = 1.39) and (2) Mathematics (Verbal Aptitude Odds Ratio = 1.47 and Numerical Aptitude Odds Ratio = 1.52). We have determined the importance of developing pedagogical programs that stimulate the development of these skills during Early Childhood Education, while implementing support strategies during Primary Education, for those students who present underdeveloped aptitudes in these areas. In this way, school difficulties would be prevented in the instrumental subjects that provide access to other academic areas.

Pre-Messinian ecological diversity of Mediterranean sharks revealed by the study of their dermal denticles

The Messinian salinity crisis (~5.59 Ma) is regarded as one of the most determining events for the recent evolutionary and palaeobiogeographic history of the Mediterranean biota. The impact of such episode has usually been assessed by evaluating the associated taxonomic turnover, however its consequences have rarely been interpreted from an ecological perspective. Here we assess the functional diversity of shark dermal denticles in a Serravallian locality from southeast Spain, providing a primary view into the pre-Messinian ecological diversity of shark communities from the Western Mediterranean. Our results reveal a high diversity of functional types of dermal denticles including dermal denticles that prevent the settlement of ectoparasites and epibiontes, abrasion resistant dermal denticles, drag reduction dermal denticles and dermal denticles with less specific, or more generalized, functions. This variety of dermal denticles supports the presence of several ecological groups of sharks such as schooling and strong swimming species and, possibly, demersal species, slow sharks of the open water bioluminescent taxa. Therefore, the application of this methodology to Pliocene and Pleistocene fossiliferous sites will be crucial for unravelling the impact of Messinian salinity crisis and other recent geological events from an ecological perspective, allowing us to understand the shark communitycompositionand diversityof the current Mediterranean Sea.

Bioaerosols in urban environments: Trends and interactions with pollutants and meteorological variables based on quasi-climatological series

Pollen grains emitted by urban vegetation are the main primary biological airborne particles (PBAPs) which alter the biological quality of urban air and have a significant impact on human health. This work analyses the interactions which exist between pollen-type PBAPs, meteorological variables, and air pollutants in the urban atmosphere so that the complex relationships and trends in future scenarios of changing environmental conditions can be assessed. For this study, the 1992–2018 pollen data series from the city of Granada (southeast Spain) was used, in which the dynamics of the total pollen as well as the 8 main pollen types (Cupressaceae, Olea, Pinus, Platanus, Poaceae, Populus, Quercus and Urticaceae) were analysed. The trend analysis showed that all except Urticaceae trended upward throughout the series. Spearman's correlations with meteorological variables showed that, in general, the most influential variables on the pollen concentrations were the daily maximum temperature, relative humidity, water vapor pressure, global radiation, and insolation, with different effects on different pollen types. Parallel analysis by neural networks (ANN) confirmed these variables as the predominant ones, especially global radiation. The correlation with atmospheric pollutants revealed that ozone was the pollutant with the highest influence, although some pollen types also showed correlation with NO2, SO2, CO and PM10. The Generalized Linear Models (GLM) between pollen and pollutants also indicated O3 as the most prominent variable. These results highlight the active role that pollen-type PBAPs have on urban air quality by establishing their interactions with meteorological variables and pollutants, thereby providing information on the behaviour of pollen emissions under changing environmental conditions.