Southeast Spain Research Articles

Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection in severely immunocompromised people living with HIV: Findings from a five-year cohort.

We sought to clarify the current incidence, risk factors and symptoms of disseminated Mycobacterium avium complex (dMAC) infection in admitted people living with HIV in a hospital in the Southeast of Spain. 5-years observational, retrospective and single-centre study. Demographic, clinical and analytical variables, along with microbiological, treatment and follow-up were collected. Five cases of dMAC infection in severely immunocompromised people living with HIV people living were found. dMAC was diagnosed in 22.7% of patients under 100 CD4. All patients presented with fever and clinical manifestations of pneumonia, lymphadenopathy, or gastrointestinal symptoms. Despite low CD4 levels and high viral loads in some cases, primary prophylaxis had not been previously administered. Until 2018, U.S. American guidelines recommended antimycobacterial prophylaxis for patients with low CD4 cell counts, a practice not adopted in Europe. Untreated dMAC infection is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. dMAC infection represents a prevalent disease in severely immunosuppressed people living with HIV. dMAC requires a high index of suspicion in this population, in order to perform mycobacterial cultures from different samples.

Smart agriculture as source of sustainability in intensive greenhouse production

Abstract The article addresses the interaction between smart agriculture and sustainability within the specific context of intensive greenhouse agriculture in southeast Spain. Combining a literature review and expert interviews, the methodology is based on a qualitative data analysis, whose main goal is to gain a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon under study. The results identify three key areas of technology that strongly influence this type of agriculture. The first relates to soil, water savings, sensor utilization, and environmental improvement, while the second encompasses robot use, labor reduction, resulting cost improvement, and economic sustainability. Finally, the third group, albeit of lesser importance, links artificial intelligence with ethical issues such as data control, usage, and technological dependence. In summary, the application of smart agriculture is projected to have positive impacts on economic and environmental sustainability, relegating the social dimension to a more distant level. This imbalance suggests that social and ethical aspects could be subordinated to more immediate benefits. The results also suggest that the need for future investments could create polarization in the sector. Not all farmers and businesses can afford these investments, leading to progressive deterioration and even abandonment of agricultural activities in some cases.

Mechanized Transplanting Improves Yield and Reduces Pyricularia oryzae Incidence of Paddies in Calasparra Rice of Origin in Spain

The rice variety Bomba is grown in Calasparra—a rice of origin in southeast Spain—resulting in a product with excellent cooking quality, although its profitability has declined in recent years due to low grain yields and susceptibility to rice blast disease (Pyricularia oryzae Cavara). An innovation project to test the efficacy of mechanized transplanting against traditional direct seed sowing was conducted in 2022 and 2023 at four locations for the first time. A lower plant density (67–82 plants m−2) and shorter plants with higher leaf nitrogen content were observed in transplanted plots compared with seed sowing (130–137 plants m−2) in the first year. The optimal climatic conditions for P. oryzae symptom appearance were determined as temperatures of 25–29 °C and a 50–77% relative humidity. The most-affected sowing plots presented 3–20% leaf area damage and a reduction in yield to values of 1.5 t ha−1 in the first year and 2.12 t ha−1 in the second year. In transplanted plots, there was generally less humidity at the plant level and therefore, disease incidence was low in both seasons. Grain yields did not significantly differ among the treatments studied; however, there were differences in the yield components of panicle density and the number of grains for panicles. Principal component analysis revealed two principal components that explained 81% of the variability. Variables related to yield contributed positively to the first component, while plant biomass variables contributed to the second component. Plant density, tiller density, and panicle density were found to be positively correlated (r > 0.81 ***). Overall, transplanting (frame of 30 × 15–18 cm2) resulted in uniform crop growth with less rice blast disease, as well as higher grain yields (2.92–3.89 t ha−1), in comparison with the average for the whole D.O. Calasparra (2.3–2.5 t ha−1) in both seasons and a good percentage of whole grains at milling. This is novel knowledge which can be considered useful for farmers operating in the region.

Agronomic Evaluation and Chemical Characterization of Salvia lavandulifolia Vahl. over 3 Consecutive Years Cultivated Under Harsh Climatic Conditions in Southeast Spain.

The cultivation of Salvia lavandulifolia, Spanish sage, makes an important contribution to the economy of many rural areas in Southeastern Spain. This aromatic plant species is characterized by high intraspecific variability, which makes the selection process for the establishment of homogeneous crops difficult. Additionally, imminent climate change threatens to reduce its production, especially when cultivated in drylands. Therefore, to guarantee the continued production of this type of sage, it is essential to study its agronomic behavior and production quality. For this, clones from four ecotypes were cultivated for three years, assessing changes in their biomass production, essential oil yield and quality, and phenolic fraction, as well as the corresponding antioxidant activity. The results suggest that essential oil yield is genetically predetermined, greater biomass not being associated with higher quantities of essential oil. Weather conditions affected both essential oil and phenolic fraction secondary metabolism. Under very harsh conditions, Spanish sage produces higher concentrations of camphor and 1,-8-cineole along with luteolin-7-O-glucoside, and lithospermic, rosmarinic, and salvianolic A acids in its phenolic fraction. The synthesis of these components helps the species to withstand the hot and dry conditions typical of southeast Spain.

Long-term effects of combining reclaimed and freshwater on mandarin tree performance

The current scenario of water scarcity leads to a seek for new irrigation strategies that maintain agricultural productivity while reducing the pressure on freshwater resources, especially in the Mediterranean region, which has a structural deficit of water sources. In this study, the effects of irrigation with water from different origins were assessed over six consecutive years in soil salinity indicators, tree physiology and yield of mandarin trees in south east Spain. The following treatments were considered: i) freshwater from the “Tagus-Segura” water-transfer canal (TW or Control); ii) reclaimed water from a wastewater-treatment plant (RW); iii) irrigation with TW, except in stage II of fruit development when RW was used (TWc); and iv) irrigation with RW except in stage II when TW was used (RWc). Soil salinity indicators increased in all treatments with respect to Control, except for TWc in winter. However, this increase only led to reductions in net photosynthesis and stomatal conductance in the RW treatment, while gas exchange parameters of trees from TWc and RWc were not negatively affected. Tree vegetative growth was only affected in the long-term, with trees from the RWc treatment having greater canopies. Yield was increased in the TWc and RWc treatments by 23.1 % and 29.5 %, respectively; while it was reduced by 23.5 % in RW when compared to TW. Likewise, differences among treatments in fruit quality traits were also detected. Our results suggest that combining water from different sources could be a viable alternative for irrigating mandarin trees under semiarid conditions with savings of approximately 50 % of fresh water, although the sustainability of soil health should be ensured. In addition, further research is needed to adapt these strategies to other species and cultivar-rootstock combinations.

Landscape Heterogeneity Drives Genetic Diversity in the Highly Dispersive Moss Funaria hygrometrica Hedw.

Funaria hygrometrica, a cosmopolitan moss species known for its remarkable dispersal capacity, was selected as the focal organism to investigate the relationship between landscape features and genetic diversity. Our study encompassed samples collected from two distinct regions: the Spanish Sierra Nevada Mountains (SN), characterized by a diverse landscape with an altitudinal difference of nearly 3500 m within a short distance, and the Murcia Region (MU) in Southeast Spain, characterized by a uniform landscape akin to the lowlands of Sierra Nevada. Genotyping analysis targeted three genetic regions: the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (nrITS), the chloroplast rps3-rpl16 region, and the mitochondrial rpl5-rpl16 spacer. Through this analysis, we aimed to assess genetic variability and population structure across these environmentally contrasting regions. The Sierra Nevada populations exhibited significantly higher haplotype diversity (Hd = 0.78 in the highlands and 0.67 overall) and nucleotide diversity (π% = 0.51 for ITS1) compared to the Murcia populations (Hd = 0.35, π% = 0.14). Further investigation unveiled that samples from the lowlands of Sierra Nevada showed a closer genetic affinity to Murcia than to the highlands of Sierra Nevada. Furthermore, the genetic differentiation between highland and lowland populations was significant (ΦST = 0.55), with partial Mantel tests and ResistanceGA analysis revealing a strong correlation between ITS1-based genetic diversity and landscape features, including altitude and bioclimatic variables. Our study elucidated potential explanations for the observed genetic structuring within F. hygrometrica samples' populations. These included factors such as a high selfing rate within restricted habitats, a limited average dispersal distance of spores, hybrid depression affecting partially incompatible genetic lineages, and recent migration facilitated via human activities into formerly unoccupied areas of the dry zones of Southeast Spain.

Chemical profiling of organic contaminants in rural surface waters combining target and non-target LC-HRMS/MS analysis

The pollution of natural waters by contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) is one of the pressing problems due to their global distribution and potential negative effects on the environment and human health. In rural areas with lower population density and limited industrial development, less contamination is expected. However, the lack of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) or their poor removal efficiency can lead to significant input of pollutants. In this context, 11 streams of rural areas in the Guadalquivir River basin, southeast of Spain, were studied over two years to obtain an overview of the origin and distribution of contaminants. A target method using solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) was developed for the analysis of 316 compounds in surface waters. A total of 78 target analytes were detected, comprising pesticides, pharmaceuticals, personal care products (PCPs), transformation products (TPs), and industrial chemicals. The flame retardant tributyl phosphate (16–3572 ng L−1) was detected in all samples, followed by caffeine (30–8090 ng L−1) and the analgesic tramadol (3–1493 ng L−1). The target approach was combined with a non-target analysis (NTA) strategy to obtain an overall perspective of the chemical profile of unexpected or unknown compounds in the samples. Up to 79 contaminants were tentatively identified, and 12 of them were finally confirmed with standards. Most of the contaminants determined by NTA were pharmaceuticals and their TPs. The results indicated that most of CECs have an urban origin despite traditional agriculture is the main economic activity in this region. Moreover, the absence of WWTPs in small towns is significant, as contamination levels at these sites were comparable to or higher than those in larger populations with sewage treatments.

Soil response in a Mediterranean forest ecosystem of Southeast Spain following early prescribed burning

The escalation of global warming, high temperatures, and wildfire frequency in dry ecosystems, including semi-arid landscapes, has resulted in increased wildfire regimes, compromising ecosystem resistance and resilience. To mitigate these risks, prescribed burning (PB) is being employed as a preventive measure to modify fuel loads in forest ecosystems. However, fire can also impact soil structure and microbiota, which play critical roles in nutrient cycling, biodiversity conservation, and overall ecosystem functioning. Therefore, understanding post-fire processes is essential for sustainable forest management. However, while previous studies have explored the effects of prescribed fire management on semi-arid soil properties in Mediterranean forest ecosystems, gaps remain in our understanding of its specific impact on the physical structure, chemical composition, and biological activities of soils.In this study, we conducted early spring PB in SE Spain in 2021 and assessed the ecological and temporal effects of PB on semi-arid soils. Soil respiration (SR) measurements using automatic CO2 flow chambers were employed to evaluate microbiota recovery. To examine impacts on soil structure we evaluated physicochemical characteristics, soil hydraulic conductivity (SHC), and soil water repellency (SWR). No significant differences were observed in any of the variables studied after one year. However, immediate effects were detected shortly after the PB. Our research specifically targeted soil structure and microbiota in a semi-arid landscape with poor soils, characterized by slower recovery and potentially fragile ecosystems. These results provide valuable insights for forest management practices, indicating that prescribed fire management strategies in similar ecosystems are unlikely to cause adverse effects on soil health. However, further research is warranted to explore the potential effects of prescribed fire intensity and seasonality. Future studies can focus on investigating these factors to provide more targeted recommendations for effective forest management strategies and wildfire prevention efforts.

Transhumance in Sierra de Segura (Spain): A resilient traditional grazing system

Transhumance is tending to continuously decline globally, despite persisting in certain regions. Due to marked lack of knowledge about this practice and its cultural, economic, and environmental significance, our study aimed to identify the factors that contribute to the persistence of transhumance. We focused on ruminant herds of a transhumant community in the Santiago-Pontones municipality in Sierra de Segura, Spain. We processed official data from ruminant livestock enterprises and incorporated insights gained as observer-participants during seven transhumant displacements from 2016 to 2023. The census included 55042 ruminant heads and 118 herds, and 70 % of animals and 61 % of herds practiced transhumance. These herds wintered in pastures located within a range from 33 to 176 linear kilometers from their respective origins that span 15 municipalities. Significant differences were observed between sedentary and transhumant farm sizes (363 vs. 533 heads, respectively). Transhumance correlated significantly with herd size, number of sheep, percentage of female goats and number of ruminant species in herds. Women owned 19 % of ruminant enterprises, with no differences in herd structure or displacement type compared to those owned by men. Of the transhumant herds, 66 % traveled on foot, with no significant differences in herd structure parameters or distances based on their transport system, except that on-foot transhumant herds commenced their displacements earlier than those using trucks. In conclusion, our study outlines an active transhumant community in southeast Spain, whose resilience is a noteworthy asset that deserves recognition and safeguarding.

The secret is quartz: technology of production of an eleventh-twelfth century western Mediterranean polychrome glazed ware

A group of a well-known polychrome glazed ceramic, widespread in the western Mediterranean in the eleventh and first half of the twelfth centuries, has been analysed for the first time using Optical Microscopy (OM) and a Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM) with Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS), in order to shed some light on the materials, production technology and provenance, about which there are various hypotheses. This ware is characterised by a perfectly drawn and varied iconography, with often stylised zoomorphic and anthropomorphic and nautical motifs. It was produced in an as yet unidentified workshop in North Africa or the Iberian Peninsula. The pottery analysed was found in an archaeological excavation in the Barrio Andalusi of Almería (south-east of Spain). Technologically, the ceramics are fairly homogeneous, with copper-green and manganese-brown pigments applied over the raw tin glaze filled with large undissolved quartz particles. The use of quartz is consistent with a Fatimid-Zirid contribution from Ifriqiya, the use of tin is consistent with an Andalusi Umayyad-Taifas contribution, and the green and brown colours on a white ground to either Ifriqiya or Andalusi. Our study has shown that the use of quartz on the decorated glazed surface is not related to the need for an opacifier, but rather to the need for a highly viscous melt that limits the spread of the pigments during the firing allowing a finer and more detailed drawing. This fusion of different techniques has been identified for the first time. It is intriguing from the historical point of view of medieval technology, and provides the first insights into understanding the technological transfers and technical solutions that took place in the Mediterranean basin during this period.

Cadmium and lead in European eels from the river Segura (southeast Spain)

Cadmium and lead in European eels from the river Segura (southeast Spain)

Assessing current and future available resources to supply urban water demands using a high-resolution SWAT model coupled with recurrent neural networks and validated through the SIMPA model in karstic Mediterranean environments

Hydrological simulation in karstic areas is a hard task due to the intrinsic intricacy of these environments and the common lack of data related to their geometry. Hydrological dynamics of karstic sites in Mediterranean semiarid regions are difficult to be modelled mathematically owing to the existence of short wet episodes and long dry periods. In this paper, the suitability of an open-source SWAT method was checked to estimate the comportment of a karstic catchment in a Mediterranean semiarid domain (southeast of Spain), which wet and dry periods were evaluated using box-whisker plots and self-developed wavelet test. A novel expression of the Nash–Sutcliffe index for arid areas (ANSE) was considered through the calibration and validation of SWAT. Both steps were completed with 20- and 10-year discharge records of stream (1996–2015 to calibrate the model as this period depicts minimum gaps and 1985–1995 to validate it). Further, SWAT assessments were made with records of groundwater discharge and relating SWAT outputs with the SIMPA method, the Spain’s national hydrological tool. These methods, along with recurrent neural network algorithms, were utilised to examine current and predicted water resources available to supply urban demands considering also groundwater abstractions from aquifers and the related exploitation index. According to the results, SWAT achieved a “very good” statistical performance (with ANSE of 0.96 and 0.78 in calibration and validation). Spatial distributions of the main hydrological processes, as surface runoff, evapotranspiration and aquifer recharge, were studied with SWAT and SIMPA obtaining similar results over the period with registers (1980–2016). During this period, the decreasing trend of rainfalls, characterised by short wet periods and long dry periods, has generated a progressive reduction of groundwater recharge. According to algorithms prediction (until 2050), this declining trend will continue reducing groundwater available to meet urban demands and increasing the exploitation index of aquifers. These results offer valuable information to authorities for assessing water accessibility and to provide water demands in karstic areas.

Lower Valanginian ammonite biostratigraphy of the Cañón de la Vaca section, Taraises Formation, Coahuila state, northern Mexico

The present work carries out a biostratigraphic analysis of the Valanginian ammonite record from the Cañón de la Vaca section in the Sierra de Parras, Coahuila, Mexico. The collection of ammonites exhibits an abundance of specimens, representing a biodiverse range of taxa, and numerous occurrences throughout the biostratigraphic section. This record in the Taraises Formation allowed a solid identification and diagnosis of the ‘Thurmanniceras’ pertransiens, Neocomites neocomiensiformis and Karakaschiceras inostranzewi zones, along with the Neocomites premolicus, Neocomites neocomiensiformis, Busnardoites campylotoxus, Karakaschiceras inostranzewi and Neocomites platycostatus subzones. These biostratigraphic units corresponds to the lower Valanginian of the Standard Mediterranean Ammonite Zonation. Among the collected ammonites, numerous specimens of significant biostratigraphic importance remain scarcely known or lack a proper taxonomic identification. This situation has been already observed in other sections, such as Peña del Águila, Zacatecas, Mexico, and in the Betic Cordillera, southeast Spain. Fortunately, these unknown taxa can be compared with other sections in Mexico and with lower Valanginian ammonites from Spain, facilitating a more comprehensive biostratigraphic analysis. The present biostratigraphic analysis is expected to contribute to an increased understanding of lower Valanginian strata, thereby enabling future taxonomic and biostratigraphic research on the lower Valanginian in Mexico and globally.

Assessing an Abandoned Pyrite Cinder Deposit in Southeast Spain with Electrical Resistivity Tomography: A Case Study

Industrial activities have historically generated significant quantities of by-products, including pyrite cinders, a residue produced during the synthesis of sulphuric acid. This study presents a multidisciplinary approach to characterise an abandoned pyrite cinder deposit. Combining geophysical (electrical resistivity tomography—ERT), geochemical, and statistical methods, we assess the physicochemical properties of the deposit and its environmental implications. Our findings reveal the presence of heavy metals, with lead (7017.5 mg.kg−1) being the most concentrated element on the surface of the deposit, exceeding local legal thresholds by more than 163 times, posing environmental risks and inhibiting vegetation growth. Subsurface characterisation indicates a decreasing concentration trend of metals with depth, alongside variations in pH and electrical conductivity. Clustering analysis identifies groups of similar behaviours between resistivity, the most abundant heavy metals, and other variables, providing valuable insights into the complex interplay within the deposit. Our study underscores the importance of integrated approaches in assessing and managing hazardous waste sites, with implications for environmental remediation strategies.

One-year effects of stand age, pre-fire treatments, and hillslope aspect on recovery of plant diversity and soil properties in a Mediterranean forest burnt by a severe wildfire

Although several management options are adopted to redirect post-fire forest ecosystems towards less vulnerable and more resilient and functional communities, little is known about the interactions among tree stand age, pre-fire forest management, and slope aspects, and their consequences for plant species and soil properties recovery immediately after severe wildfires. To address this knowledge need, this study evaluates the post-fire changes in species richness and diversity (with a specific focus on regeneration mechanisms and life forms) of regenerating plants as well as the main physico-chemical and biological properties of burned soils with the reciprocal relations. Plant cover and diversity, and many soil properties have been monitored in forests of southeast Spain with mature, middle and young stands, presence of pre-fire treatments or not, and north and south hillslopes about one year after the fire. To this aim, the reciprocal relationships among soil properties and plants were evaluated adopting a combination of statistical techniques (PERMANOVA, Non-metric Multi-Dimensional Scaling, Distance-based Linear Modelling, Distance-based Redundancy Analysis, and Spearman correlation analysis). The damage to soil and vegetation was so high that both plants and pre-fire soil properties slowly recovered. Only a few life forms of vegetation (geophytes and herbaceous chamaephytes) were influenced by the stand age. If combined with soil aspect, stand age resulted in significantly lower germinating species in mature stands and lower resprouters in young stands, both on south hillslopes. Plant diversity was high, and the post-fire regeneration did not change the species richness and evenness. The post-fire changes in soil properties were limited, and only slight small differences in pH and betaglucosidase among stands of different age were found. No evident associations between soil properties and plant diversity were revealed by the low correlation coefficient. The low variance in plant cover and diversity, as well as in soil properties, resulted in a low accuracy of the dbRDA model to reproduce its variability among sites with different pre-fire characteristics.

Introducing MapSWAT: An open source QGIS plugin integrated with google earth engine for efficiently generating ready-to-use SWAT+ input maps.

Hydrological modeling plays a significant role in addressing global water challenges. Streamlining the implementation of hydrological models enables more people to participate in designing solutions to water issues. This study presents the development and workflow of a QGIS-based tool called MapSWAT, designed to facilitate the application of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT+). MapSWAT is an open-source plugin written in Python for collecting and producing ready-to-use SWAT + input maps. It can generate SWAT + input maps for any location globally, including limited data regions, by connecting to the Google Earth Engine. The potential for and feasibility of MapSWAT have been demonstrated through its application in a case study in southeast Spain. The results indicate that MapSWAT is a useful tool for efficiently generating SWAT + input maps that optimizes the hydrological modeling process with SWAT+. The MapSWAT software is freely and publicly available at https://github.com/AdrLBallesteros/MapSWAT.

Gypsum Cave Biofilm Communities are Strongly Influenced by Bat- And Arthropod-Related Fungi

The Gypsum Karst of Sorbas, Almeria, southeast Spain, includes a few caves whose entrances are open and allow the entry and roosting of numerous bats. Caves are characterized by their diversity of gypsum speleothems, such as stalactites, coralloids, gypsum crusts, etc. Colored biofilms can be observed on the walls of most caves, among which the Covadura and C3 caves were studied. The objective was to determine the influence that bat mycobiomes may have on the fungal communities of biofilms. The results indicate that the fungi retrieved from white and yellow biofilms in Covadura Cave (Ascomycota, Mortierellomycota, Basidiomycota) showed a wide diversity, depending on their location, and were highly influenced by the bat population, the guano and the arthropods that thrive in the guano, while C3 Cave was more strongly influenced by soil- and arthropod-related fungi (Ascomycota, Mortierellomycota), due to the absence of roosting bats.

Evaluating Accessibility Solutions in Collective Residential Buildings: Field Research in Southeast Spain

With the ageing of the population in Western countries, the prevalence of disability and mobility problems is increasing, highlighting the urgent need to improve accessibility in environments where people spend a significant amount of time, such as collective housing. This paper examines the accessibility of building entrances in collective housing in the Region of Murcia, south-eastern Spain, where 9.8% of the population is estimated to live with disabilities. Starting with a thorough review of national and regional accessibility regulations, this study applies a robust methodology by conducting fieldwork in 150 buildings to assess compliance and identify barriers. The methodology involved a systematic assessment of the accessibility of entrances, using criteria derived from the regulations, and a specific proposal of the accessibility solutions required for each case. The key findings show that the most effective way for improving the accessibility is a properly constructed ramp, with over 40% of buildings requiring the installation or improvement of ramps, either as a stand-alone solution or in combination with other adaptations. In 54% of cases, a multi-faceted approach was required to meet accessibility standards. It was also noted that older buildings typically require higher adaptation costs. Based on these findings, the study provides specific recommendations, such as the construction of ramps and other critical interventions, to improve the accessibility of buildings. These recommendations have the potential to guide public policy and drive improvements in urban planning to make residential areas more accessible.

Beware with the backpack! New hosts and pathogens identified for Ixodes simplex ticks collected from bats in the Iberian Peninsula

To improve the knowledge on the role of bats in the maintenance and transmission of tick-borne pathogens, a molecular approach was used to characterize Anaplasma spp., Rickettsia spp., Coxiella burnetii, Borrelia burgdorferi s.l., piroplasmids, Hepatozoon spp., flaviviruses and nairoviruses in ticks collected from Iberian bats. A total of 732 bats from 25 species were captured at 38 sampling sites distributed in seven provinces of Spain between 2018 and 2022. Seventy-nine Ixodes simplex ticks were collected from 31 bats (Eptesicus isabellinus, Hypsugo savii, Myotis capaccini, Myotis emarginatus, Myotis myotis, Miniopterus schreibersii, Pipistrellus pipistrellus and Rhinolophus ferrumequinum). Sixty of 79 I. simplex were positive for at least one pathogen tested and were collected from 23 bats captured in southeast Spain. We detected the presence of Rickettsia slovaca in 12 ticks collected from M. emarginatus, H. savii, M. schreibersii and E. isabellinus; Rickettsia aeschlimannii in 1 tick from M. schreibersii; Anaplasma ovis in 3 ticks from H. savii and M. schreibersii; C. burnetii in 2 ticks from H. savii; Occidentia massiliensis in 1 tick from H. savii; piroplasmids in 12 ticks from H. savii, M. schreibersii and E. isabellinus; and a novel nairovirus in 1 tick from M. schreibersii. Furthermore, blood samples obtained from 14 of the 31 tick-infested bats were negative in all PCR analyses. This study describes new host and pathogen associations for the bat-specialist I. simplex, highlights the risk of spread of these pathogens, and encourages further research to understand the role of Iberian bats in the epidemiology of tick-borne pathogens.

Flow-geomechanics coupling constrains fault geometry in induced earthquakes

Post-mortem analysis of earthquakes induced by fluid extraction or injection is often complicated by the uncertainty in the location and geometry of the causative fault. The 2011 Lorca earthquake in southeast Spain is believed to have been triggered by long-term groundwater withdrawal, causing slip along the Alhama de Murcia Fault (AMF) dipping northwest. However, the regional InSAR deformation data can be equally fit by AMF and an unmapped fault located approximately 5-8 km west of AMF and dipping southeast, which creates an ambiguity in the causative fault that hosted the earthquake. Here, we show that the assumptions of elastic dislocation, undrained deformation, and decoupling between flow and deformation processes contributed to the ambiguity, which can be resolved by conducting a fully coupled analysis that provides additional constraints on the problem. We test that hypothesis and propose that the Lorca earthquake was likely caused by the rupture of a southeast dipping fault plane, which is antithetic to AMF. We build a mechanistic model of groundwater withdrawal over the time period of interest (1960–2010) that includes pressure diffusion, aquifer contraction, crustal unloading, and basement expansion mechanisms. The model identifies the difference in production-induced loading of the two faults: AMF experiences poroelastic compression and down-dip shear whereas the antithetic fault experiences tension and up-dip shear. We demonstrate that two-way coupling between flow and deformation processes plays a crucial role in the natural selection of the causative fault. The proposed framework holds the potential to detect hidden faults capable of hosting earthquakes.