Forest Research Centre

Funder

Organizational Unit

Publications

A multi-taxa assessment of aquatic non-indigenous species introduced into Iberian freshwater and transitional waters

Publication . Zamora-Marín, Jose M.; Ruiz-Navarro, Ana; Oficialdegui, Francisco J.; Anastácio, Pedro M.; Miranda, Rafael; García-Murillo, Pablo; Cobo, Fernando; Ribeiro, Filipe; Gallardo, Belinda; García-Berthou, Emili; Boix, Dani; Medina, Leopoldo; Morcillo, Felipe; Oscoz, Javier; Guillén, Antonio; Herrero-Reyes, Antonio A.; Aguiar, Francisca C.; Almeida, David; Arias, Andrés; Ayres, César; Banha, Filipe; Barca, Sandra; Biurrun, Idoia; Cabezas, M. Pilar; Calero, Sara; Campos, Juan A.; Capdevila-Argüelles, Laura; Capinha, César; Carapeto, André; Casals, Frederic; Chainho, Paula; Cirujano, Santos; Clavero, Miguel; Cuesta, Jose A.; Deltoro, Vicente; Encarnação, João; Fernández-Delgado, Carlos; Franco, Javier; García-Meseguer, Antonio J.; Guareschi, Simone; Guerrero-Gómez, Adrián; Hermoso, Virgilio; López-Cañizares, Celia; López-Soriano, Joaquín; Machordom, Annie; Martelo, Joana; Mellado-Díaz, Andrés; Moreno, Juan C.; Olivo del Amo, Rosa; Otero, J. Carlos; Perdices, Anabel; Pou-Rovira, Quim; Quiñonero-Salgado, Sergio; Rodríguez-Merino, Argantonio; Ros, Macarena; Sánchez-Gullón, Enrique; Sánchez, Marta I.; Sánchez-Fernández, David; Sánchez-González, Jorge R.; Soriano, Oscar; Teodosio, M A; Torralva, Mar; Vieira-Lanero, Rufino; Zamora-López, Antonio; Oliva-Paterna, Francisco J.

Aquatic ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to the introduction of non-indigenous species (NIS), lead-ing to multi-faceted ecological, economic and health impacts worldwide. The Iberian Peninsula comprises an exceptionally biodiverse Mediterranean region with a high number of threatened and endemic aquatic species, most of them strongly impacted by biological invasions. Following a structured approach that combines a systematic review of available information and expert opinion, we provide a comprehensive and updated multi-taxa inventory of aquatic NIS (fungi, macroalgae, vascular plants, invertebrates and vertebrates) in Iberian inland waters. Moreover, we assess overall patterns in the establishment status, in-troduction pathways, native range and temporal introduction trends of listed NIS. In addition, we discuss the legal coverage provided by both national (Spanish and Portuguese) and European NIS regulations. We inventoried 326 aquatic NIS in Iberian inland waters, including 215 established, 96 with uncertain estab-lishment status and 15 cryptogenic taxa. Invertebrates (54.6%) and vertebrates (24.5%) were the groups with the highest number of NIS, with Arthropoda, Mollusca, and Chordata being the most represented phyla. Recorded NIS originated from diverse geographic regions, with North and South America being the most frequent. Vertebrates and vascular plants were mostly introduced through intentional pathways (i.e. release and escape), whereas invertebrates and macroalgae arrived mostly through unintentional ways (i.e. contaminant or stowaway). Most of the recorded NIS were introduced in Iberian inland waters over the second half of the 20th century, with a high number of NIS introductions being reported in the 2000s. While only 8% of the recorded NIS appear in the European Union list of Invasive Alien Species of Union concern, around 25% are listed in the Spanish and Portuguese NIS regulations. This study provides the most updated checklist of Iberian aquatic NIS, meeting the requirements set by the EU regulation and providing a baseline for the evaluation of its application. We point out the need for coordinated transna-tional strategies to properly tackle aquatic invasions across borders of the EU members.

2023Journal article

Open access

Physicochemical characteristics and antiproliferative and antioxidant activities of Moroccan Zantaz honey rich in methyl syringate

Publication . Elamine, Youssef; Lyoussi, Badiaa; Miguel, Maria G.; Anjos, Ofelia; Estevinho, Leticia; Alaiz, Manuel; Giron-Calle, Julio; Martin, Jesus; Vioque, Javier

Zantaz honey is a monofloral variety produced from the melliferous plant Bupleurum spinosum (Apiaceae), a shrub that grows mainly in the Atlas Moroccan Mountains. Determination of the polyphenol composition revealed that methyl syringate accounts for more than 50% of total polyphenols, which represents a very useful parameter for the characterization of this monofloral honey. Epicatechin, syringic acid and catechin are also abundant. Caco-2 and THP-1 cells were used for determination of antioxidant and antiproliferative activities in Zantaz honey, respectively. All six commercial samples that were used for these studies exhibited antioxidant activity and inhibited cell proliferation. Interestingly, these activities had a positive correlation mainly with the content in methyl syringate and gallic acid. The recognition of health promoting activities in Zantaz honey should increase its commercial value, which would have a positive economic impact on the poor rural communities of Morocco where it is produced.

2021-03Journal article

Restricted access

Innovative approach in sustainable agriculture: harnessing microalgae potential via subcritical water extraction

Publication . Ferreira, Alice; Vladić, Jelena; Corrêa, Diego de Oliveira; Butzke, Valéria Louzada Leal; Martins, Pedro L.; Ribeiro, Belina; Marques-dos-Santos, Cláudia; Acién, F. Gabriel; Gouveia, Luisa

Microalgae can contribute to sustainable agriculture and wastewater treatment. This study investigated Tetradesmus obliquus, , grown in piggery wastewater (To-PWW), as a biostimulant/ biofertilizer compared to biomass grown in synthetic medium (To-B). Subcritical water extraction was tested for disruption/hydrolysis of wet biomass, at three temperatures (120, 170, and 220 degrees C) and two biomass loads (1:10 and 1:80 (g dry biomass/mL water)). Extracts were evaluated for germination, and root formation/expansion. Residues were quantified for nutrient composition to assess their biofertilizer potential and tested for their affinity to oil compounds for bioremediation. The best germination was achieved by To-B extracts at 170 degrees C (1:10: 148% at 0.2 g/L, 1:80: 145% at 0.5 g/L). Only To-PWW extracts at 0.2 g/L had a significant germination effect (120 degrees C: 120-123 % for both loads; 170 degrees C: 115% for 1:80). To-PWW extract at 120 degrees C and 1:10 significantly affected cucumber and mung bean root formation (224 and 268%, respectively). Most extracts significantly enhanced root expansion, with all To-B extracts at 1:10 showing the best results (139-181 %). The residues contained essential nutrients (NPK), indicating their biofertilizer potential, helping decrease synthetic fertilizers demands. To-B residues had high affinity to toluene and diesel but lower to used cooking and car oils. To-PWW showed very low affinity to all oil compounds. Finally, all residues were only able to form stable emulsions with the used car oil. This study fully exploits the use of microalgal biomass in sustainable agriculture, producing biostimulant extracts, and residues for biofertilizer and bioremediation, from a low-cost wastewater source.

2024-11Journal article

Open access

Piggery wastewater treatment by solar photo-Fenton coupled with microalgae production

Publication . Ferreira, Alice; Belachqer-El Attar, Solaima; Villaró-Cos, Silvia; Ciardi, Martina; Soriano-Molina, Paula; López, José Luis Casas; Lafarga, Tomás; Marques-dos-Santos, Cláudia; Acién, Gabriel; Gouveia, Luisa

Pig farming generates highly polluted wastewater that requires effective treatment to minimize environmental damage. Microalgae can recover nutrients from piggery wastewater (PWW), but excessive nutrient and turbidity levels inhibit their growth. Solar photo-Fenton (PF) offer a sustainable and cost-effective pretreatment to allow microalgal growth for further PWW treatment. This study optimized the concentrations of PF reagents to minimise water and nutrient inputs while maintaining microalgae-based treatment efficiency. PF trials were conducted in pilot-scale raceway ponds under solar radiation, testing different concentrations of FeSO4 (4.48 and 8.95 mM) and H2O2 (77, 154, and 309 mM). Following PF, Tetradesmus obliquus was used in a biological treatment of PWW to recover the remaining nutrients. PF achieved high removal efficiencies for turbidity (97.6-99.5 %), total organic carbon (59.2-77.1 %), and chemical oxygen demand (83.8-94.7 %), but ammonium was not significantly removed. Phosphorus was almost completely removed through iron precipitation during neutralisation. Lowering the H2O2 concentration from 309 to 77 mM did not compromise removal efficiency but reducing FeSO4 below 8.95 mM negatively affected the process. Consequently, 8.95 mM FeSO4 and 77 mM H2O2 were selected for microalgae production. The pretreated PWW could be recycled at least once for microalgal production, without nutrient supplementation, improving biomass productivity and PWW treatment, especially targeting ammonium. Phosphorus supplementation, however, did not significantly boost biomass productivity or treatment efficiency. Moreover, the iron sludge generated from PF pretreatment contained enough NPK to be repurposed as an organic fertilizer boosting sustainable agricultural practices. These findings encourage further investigation of this emerging combined technology towards wastewater treatment at large-scale.

2025-03Journal article

Restricted access