Sediment organic matter and meiofauna community response to long-term fish-farm impact in the Ligurian Sea (Western Mediterranean)

Quantitative and qualitative changes in meiofauna community structure were investigated to assess the impact of a fish farm, which was operating continuously for 15 years (La Spezia Gulf, W Mediterranean). Sediment samples were collected in June, July, September, October 2000 and February 2001 for the analysis of phytopigments (chlorophyll-a and phaeopigments), the biochemical composition of organic matter (proteins, carbohydrates and lipids) and related to meiofaunal parameters.

Sediment organic matter reached extremely high concentrations beneath the fish cages when compared to the control. Particularly lipids, carbohydrates and chlorophyll-a were significantly higher in fish-farm sediments. On a long-term basis meiofauna displayed adaptations in sediments beneath the cages resulting in an increase of density. Organic impact on meiofaunal community structure was evident in terms of an increase of the nematodes to copepods (Ne/Co) and nauplius to copepods (Na/Co) ratios in fish farm sediments. Cumaceans and kinorhynchs were encountered in control sediments, but disappeared in fish-farm samples. These data suggest that meiofauna is a sensitive tool for evaluating the effects of organic enrichment in fish farm impacted areas.     

Sedimentary organic matter and bacterial community in microtidal mixed beaches of the Ligurian Sea (NW Mediterranean)

The quantity and quality of organic matter, and bacterial density and frequency of dividing cells were investigated in six microtidal mixed beaches of the Ligurian Sea (NW Mediterranean) to evaluate their main trophodynamic features. Concentrations of biopolymeric carbon (average 88.5?±?89.0 µgC/g) and the protein:carbohydrate ratio (on average lower than 1) were very low and classified these beaches as highly oligotrophic. The study of biochemical composition highlighted the nature of organic matter as being mainly refractory; furthermore, the quantitative differences observed along the across-beach gradient together with the unchanged pattern in qualitative features suggest that the organic matter in Ligurian beaches is prevalently of marine origin. This implies a negligible contribution of allochtonous and anthropogenic terrestrial input or in situ autochthonous production. Bacterial density displayed values ranging from 0.1–9.0 cell?×?10⁸/g DW in the top 2?cm layer and showed a significant correlation with the quantity of organic matter. In addition, the frequency of dividing cells showed a positive correlation with the protein:carbohydrate ratio, suggesting that the biochemical composition of organic matter also has an influence on the active bacterial fraction. Because of the exposed nature, a strong coupling was found between the beach and the marine systems, and this seems to be of fundamental importance in terms of material and energy supply for the beach ecosystem. A shortage within this linkage was observed in summer owing to the strong environmental constrains leading to a sort of “beach desertification” and to a marked oligotrophy. Summer also has an effect of smoothing for spatial variability occurring within the biochemical and microbiological variables among the different beaches. The linkage observed between the sea and the land is the main factor controlling the origin and nature of sediment organic matter in these beaches also regulating bacterial abundances and the frequency of dividing cells.     

Application of the electrochemical speciation of heavy metals in tracking groundwater pollution

The application of the electrochemical speciation of heavy metals in tracking groundwater is presented. Three fractions interchangeable, associated to the organic materials and associated to the matter in suspension of the metals Zn, Cd, Pb and Cu by means of the anodic stripping voltammetry were determined. The parameters of the determination were: electrodeposition potential ‐1.2 V, time of deaerating with nitrogen 300 s, time of the electrolysis 90 s (with stirring) and the rest time 40 s. The core of this work was to determine the validity of this scheme of electrochemical speciation in the pursuit of the follow‐up of groundwater pollution caused by heavy metals after the breakdown of the mining raft at the River Guadiamar Basin (Andalusia, Spain).     

Receiver sex differences in visual response to dynamic motion signals in Sceloporus lizards

Visual signal properties often vary greatly between and within individuals in a variety of social contexts. While it is widely known that visual displays emitted by senders can exhibit great variation in efficacy and content, far less is understood whether and how receivers vary in the ability to respond to variability in signal properties, such as motion. Here, we tested for receiver sex differences in visual response latency to motion signals in Sceloporus undulatus lizards. We used a moving robotic lizard model as a visual stimulus to assay response latency in male and female lizards. We measured visual reaction times to slow and fast, up-and-down motions, characteristic of territorial and courtship male motion displays, respectively. We found sex differences in response latency to the two different displays. Specifically, male lizards were faster than females at responding to slow motion produced by the robotic lizard, while female lizards were faster than males at responding to fast motion. These results demonstrate that dynamic visual signals that vary temporally under different social contexts can differ in eliciting a visual response from each sex. Our study highlights that physical differences in dynamic and complex visual signals exhibited during different social contexts (i.e., territorial and courtship contexts) can closely match sex differences in visual responses.     

Opportunities and challenges for Common Agricultural Policy reform to support the European Green Deal

The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is the European Union's main instrument for agricultural planning, with a new reform approved for 2023–2027. The CAP intends to align with the European Green Deal (EGD), a set of policy initiatives underpinning sustainable development and climate neutrality in the European Union (EU), but several flaws cast doubts about the compatibility of the objectives of these 2 policies. We reviewed recent literature on the potential of CAP environmental objectives for integration with the EGD: protection of biodiversity, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and sustainable management of natural resources. The CAP lacks appropriate planning measures, furthering instead risks to biodiversity and ecosystem services driven by landscape and biotic homogenization. Funding allocation mechanisms are not tailored to mitigate agricultural emissions, decreasing the efficiency of climate mitigation actions. The legislation subsidies farmers making extensive use of synthetic inputs without adequately supporting organic production, hindering the transition toward sustainable practices. We recommend proper control mechanisms be introduced in CAP Strategic Plans from each member state to ensure the EU is set on a sustainable production and consumption path. These include proportional assignment of funds to each CAP objective, quantitative targets to set goals and evidence-based interventions, and relevant indicators to facilitate effective monitoring of environmental performance. Both the CAP and the EGD should maintain ambitious environmental commitments in the face of crisis to avoid further degradation of the natural resources on which production systems stand.     

Monitoring of heavy metal concentrations in home outdoor air using moss bags

One monitoring station is insufficient to characterize the high spatial variation of traffic-related heavy metals within cities. We tested moss bags (Hylocomium splendens), deployed in a dense network, for the monitoring of metals in outdoor air and characterized metals’ long-term spatial distribution and its determinants in Girona, Spain. Mosses were exposed outside 23 homes for two months; NO₂ was monitored for comparison. Metals were not highly correlated with NO₂ and showed higher spatial variation than NO₂. Regression models explained 61-85% of Cu, Cr, Mo, Pb, Sb, Sn, and Zn and 72% of NO₂ variability. Metals were strongly associated with the number of bus lines in the nearest street. Heavy metals are an alternative traffic-marker to NO₂ given their toxicological relevance, stronger association with local traffic and higher spatial variability. Monitoring heavy metals with mosses is appealing, particularly for long-term exposure assessment, as mosses can remain on site many months without maintenance.     

Mercury, methylmercury, and selenium in blood of bird species from Doñana National Park (Southwestern Spain) after a mining accident

Total mercury (Hg), monomethylmercury (MeHg), and selenium (Se) were determined in blood of 11 bird species living in Doñana National Park (DNP, Southwestern Spain) and the surrounding area in 1999 and 2000 after a mine spill accident. The total Hg contents found varied from 1.00 to 587 ng/mL, with an MeHg percentage higher than 80 %, except in mallard species. In all the cases, the concentrations found were below the threshold of high risk for the bird populations. The parameters which most affected the accumulation of Hg and MeHg in the birds studied were, first, species, or trophic position, and second sampling area. Age does not seem to have a great influence on the content of Hg in the blood of these birds. The levels of Se found ranged from 108 to 873 ng/mL, and they were not affected by species, trophic level, age, or sampling area. The blood Hg concentrations of birds living in the area directly affected by the toxic mud, outside the park, were higher than those found in the other birds, and this could be explained by the mine spill accident happened in 1998.     

A contribution for the evaluation of the territorial impact of transport infrastructures in the early stages of the EIA: application to the Huelva (Spain)–Faro (Portugal) rail link

The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) procedure should predict and identify the major impacts of a project development that may cause specific spatial and temporal effects. Early in the EIA, the scoping stage provides all the relevant information on the impacts of the project alternatives. In particular, potential effects on the territorial network such as habitat connectivity loss and accessibility improvements should be taken into account in the various proposed layout alternatives when evaluating transport infrastructure projects. However, several authors have identified deficiencies in practice. The aim of this article is to provide a methodology for the assessment of these territorial impacts using adequate indicators in the early stages of the EIA procedure.

The proposed method is based on a comparison of a range of alternative layouts for a railway line linking two population centres, using indicators calculated with geographic information systems. The methodology was applied to a case study – the rail link between Huelva (Spain) and Faro (Portugal) – and the high speed rail (HSR) and conventional rail were evaluated in different layouts. The method was effective in spatially identifying significant impacts on accessibility improvements, which occurred closer to the cross border area. The conventional railway alternatives have similar accessibility values to the HSR. The results also reveal that connectivity loss is not limited to the area around the infrastructure, but extends throughout the territory. The results are at variance with the initiative proposed by Spanish and Portuguese transport decision-makers, and raise the possibility of selecting a conventional railway option. An adequate territorial evaluation methodology enables the new action to be correctly assessed, and supplies the information required to propose the most suitable alternative from a socio-economic and environmental standpoint, regardless of whether this proposal was initially included in the transport policy.     

Selenium Distribution in Topsoils and Plants of a Semi-arid Mediterranean Environment

Selenium was determined from 25 topsoils and 25 plants in the semi-arid Central Spain where large extents of soils are developed on evaporitic materials. Some species of vegetation associated with them are of the genera Astragalus, Salsola, Mercurialis, Phlomis, Thymus and Atriplex. Total selenium in soils was determined and its bioavailability assessed by chemical sequential fractionation. Se content in soils was adequate (in the range 0.17–0.39 mg kg⁻¹) or large (in the range 0.50–4.38 mg kg⁻¹) and appeared in highly and/or potentially available forms. Several plant species showed high Se levels (in the range 5–14.3 mg kg⁻¹), which can be a potential risk of toxicity to animals. Data obtained from the study area can be used as a guide to the range of values in soils and plants of the European Mediterranean area that are relatively unpolluted from industrial sources, allowing comparison with more polluted areas.     

Immobilization of heavy metals in polluted soils by the addition of zeolitic material synthesized from coal fly ash

The use of zeolitic material synthesized from coal fly ash for the immobilization of pollutants in contaminated soils was investigated in experimental plots in the Guadiamar Valley (SW Spain). This area was affected by a pyrite slurry spill in April 1998. Although reclamation activities were completed in a few months, residual pyrite slurry mixed with soil accounted for relatively high leachable levels of trace elements such as Zn, Pb, As, Cu, Sb, Co, Tl and Cd. Phytoremediation strategies were adopted for the final recovery of the polluted soils. The immobilization of metals had previously been undertaken to avoid leaching processes and the consequent groundwater pollution. To this end, 1100 kg of high NaP1 (Na6[(AlO2)6(SiO2)10] .15H2O) zeolitic material was synthesized using fly ash from the Teruel power plant (NE Spain), in a 10 m3 reactor. This zeolitic material was manually applied using different doses (10000-25000 kg per hectare), into the 25 cm topsoil. Another plot (control) was maintained without zeolite. Sampling was carried out 1 and 2 years after the zeolite addition. The results show that the zeolitic material considerably decreases the leaching of Cd, Co, Cu, Ni, and Zn. The sorption of metals in soil clay minerals (illite) proved to be the main cause contributing to the immobilization of these pollutants. This sorption could be a consequence of the rise in pH from 3.3 to 7.6 owing to the alkalinity of the zeolitic material added (caused by traces of free lime in the fly ash, or residual NaOH from synthesis).