Article
Fisheries
Miriam Gimeno, Jose Antonio Garcia, Isabel Afan, Raul Aymi, Tomas Montalvo, Joan Navarro
Summary: This study investigated the use of fishing vessels and the foraging behavior at sea of yellow-legged gulls at different developmental stages. The results showed age-related differences in behavior, with adults being constrained by reproduction and immature/juvenile individuals having lower foraging ability. Furthermore, the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy might increase the use of urban environments by this species, leading to conflicts with human activities.
ICES JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Ethan R. Wyrsch, Kristina Nesporova, Hassan Tarabai, Ivana Jamborova, Ibrahim Bitar, Ivan Literak, Monika Dolejska, Steven P. Djordjevic
Summary: By conducting a comprehensive genomic study on Escherichia coli isolates from the Australian silver gull, this research reveals the presence and distribution of antibiotic resistance genes in different lineages of E. coli. The findings demonstrate the potential transmission of resistant and pathogenic E. coli between wildlife and human populations. The study highlights the importance of understanding the role of bystander species in the spread of antibiotic resistance.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Marc Vez-Garzon, Joan Gimenez, Antoni Sanchez-Marquez, Tomas Montalvo, Joan Navarro
Summary: During the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, the diet of urban yellow-legged gulls in Barcelona changed, with a decrease in diversity and a reduction in the consumption of urban birds and marine prey. This demonstrates the trophic flexibility of urban-dwelling species in adapting to changes in the availability of human-related anthropogenic resources.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Dillen Ng, Daisuke Taira, Eliza C. Heery, Peter A. Todd
Summary: Marine urbanization often leads to increased artificial coastal defenses and heavy sedimentation, negatively impacting coral reef systems in tropical coastal cities. This study shows that fish assemblages on sloping granite seawalls differ from those on reef flats, with higher feeding activity on seawalls. However, elevated sediment loads may reduce feeding activity on the epilithic algal matrix, limiting its utility as a feeding ground for nearshore communities. These findings highlight the complexities and interactive effects of anthropogenic changes driven by coastal urbanization.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jose M. Fragoso, Andre P. Antunes, Kirsten M. Silvius, Pedro A. L. Constantino, Galo Zapata-Rios, Hani R. El Bizri, Richard E. Bodmer, Micaela Camino, Benoit de Thoisy, Robert B. Wallace, Thais Q. Morcatty, Pedro Mayor, Cecile Richard-Hansen, Mathew T. Hallett, Rafael A. Reyna-Hurtado, H. Harald Beck, Soledad de Bustos, Alexine Keuroghlian, Alessandra Nava, Olga L. Montenegro, Ennio Painkow Neto, Mariana Altrichter
Summary: Many vertebrate species experience random or regularly cyclic population fluctuations. This study found that the disappearance of the white-lipped peccary in the Neotropics is widespread and occurs regularly at large spatial and temporal scales. The authors suggest that the population cycles of this species may be caused by over-compensatory, density-dependent mortality, and the increase phase of the cycle relies on recolonization from undisturbed forests.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Kaja Wierucka, Chloe E. R. Hatten, Derek Murphy, John A. Allcock, Astrid A. Andersson, Jack W. N. Bojan, Tsz Ching Kong, Jun Kin Kwok, Jack Y. K. Lam, Calvin H. Ma, Sagarika Phalke, Hannah B. Tilley, Rebecca S. Wang, Yifu Wang, Sam J. Webster, Hannah S. Mumby, Caroline Dingle
Summary: Urban areas in Asia undergo rapid land use transformations, leading to frequent human-wildlife interactions. A review of literature on HWI in urban southern and eastern Asia revealed a predominant framing of interactions as conflicting, yet there is also discourse highlighting interspecific coexistence. While invertebrates, mammals, and birds are commonly studied, studies on amphibians, reptiles, and fish are scarce. Our study emphasizes the complexity of HWI in Asia and the importance of considering these interactions in sustainable urban designs.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Monika Egerer, Sascha Buchholz
Summary: The article discusses the normative framing of urban wildlife and how this framing may bias urban conservation efforts. It argues for a holistic approach to urban wildlife inclusive of all life forms for future research, publicity, and policy interventions.
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Eduardo A. Silva-Rodriguez, Nicolas Galvez, George J. F. Swan, Jeremy J. Cusack, Dario Moreira-Arce
Summary: During the COVID-19 pandemic, a series of wild carnivore sightings were recorded in urban areas of two cities in Chile during partial lockdown measures, including threatened species such as the guina and the endangered southern river otter. These records provide valuable baseline data for studying urban wildlife ecology, but caution is needed in interpreting the potential effects of lockdown measures on wildlife. International collaboration is emphasized for evaluating the impacts of the Anthropause on wildlife.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Amandine J. M. Sabadel, Colin D. MacLeod
Summary: Stable isotopes have been used to characterize host-parasite trophic relationships, revealing parasites being N-15 enriched compared to hosts, with their δN-15 values strongly related to feeding behaviors. Broader sample inclusion helped to understand metabolic mechanisms, while carbon stable isotope values and C:N ratios identified lipid requirement of trematode parasites. Parasitic infections should not be ignored as they influence host trophic position significantly, and focusing on specific host and parasite groups reduces variation seen in broader isotope studies.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Philip J. Manlick, Seth D. Newsome
Summary: Animals consume resources through multiple energy channels, connecting food webs and driving trophic structure. Stable isotope 'fingerprints' can trace energy flow in wild systems. This study shows that ΔC-13 fingerprints accurately measure energy flow to vertebrate consumers and can estimate multichannel feeding at various temporal scales.
METHODS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Merri K. Collins, Seth B. Magle, Travis Gallo
Summary: As urbanization continues to expand globally, research on urban wildlife is crucial for creating livable cities for both humans and wildlife. In the past decade, there has been an increase in urban wildlife publications, but significant knowledge gaps still exist, particularly in areas like herptiles, arthropods, and fish.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2021)
Review
Ecology
Alexander J. Felson, Aaron M. Ellison
Summary: The interest in designing resilient and ecologically rich urban environments that provide social and ecological benefits is growing. Designing urban landscapes for food webs and manipulating them are complicated and challenging, but have the potential to increase ecological health and enhance ecosystem services in urban environments. Urban food web prototypes can be generated through a learning-by-doing approach in urban development projects.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Marta Herrero-Villar, Patricia Mateo-Tomas, Ines S. Sanchez-Barbudo, Pablo R. Camarero, Mark A. Taggart, Rafael Mateo
Summary: Veterinary pharmaceuticals, including antibiotics, are emerging contaminants of concern worldwide. Avian scavengers, such as griffon vultures, are exposed to antibiotics through consumption of livestock carcasses. This study found that griffon vultures feeding on livestock carcasses from intensive farming were more exposed to antibiotics than those relying on carcasses from extensive farming or wild animals. Additionally, the study detected quinolones in domestic livestock supplied at feeding stations, highlighting the importance of assessing and managing the risks posed by veterinary pharmaceuticals in carcass disposal for avian scavengers.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Ana Carolina Franca Balbino Silva, Jorge Fernando Saraiva De Menezes, Luiz Gustavo Rodrigues Oliveira Santos
Summary: This study developed a new approach to estimate capybara roadkill hotspots in the big city of Campo Grande, Brazil, and investigated driving factors correlated with roadkill occurrences. The analysis revealed hotspots around large green areas and water bodies where capybara habitat and physiological requirements are likely met. The predictive map identified latent hotspots that have the necessary characteristics for capybaras to live but where observed deaths have not occurred. Speed reduction tools around parks are recommended to mitigate the risk. Reducing capybara roadkills could have a positive impact on human population welfare and material damage caused by collisions.
LANDSCAPE AND URBAN PLANNING
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Bianca de Sousa Rangel, Neil Hammerschlag, Renata Guimaraes Moreira
Summary: The field of marine urban ecology is a growing area of research. This study investigated the influence of urbanization on the dietary patterns and nutritional quality of nurse sharks, finding that urban sharks had lower nutritional quality than non-urban sharks, which may have long-term consequences on their health and growth.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Review
Oceanography
E. Lloret-Lloret, M. Albo-Puigserver, J. Gimenez, J. Navarro, M. G. Pennino, J. Steenbeek, J. M. Bellido, M. Coll
Summary: This study investigates the seasonal patterns of fish fitness for two important Mediterranean small pelagic fish species, the European anchovy and European sardine, along a latitudinal gradient in the Northwestern Mediterranean Sea. The results show spatial and temporal variations in terms of body condition, fat content, and reproduction indices, as well as stable isotopic values. Environmental variables, along with spatial and seasonal factors, mostly explain the variability in fitness for both species. This study provides insights into the interplay of the fitness of these commercial species and contributes to proactive fisheries management.
PROGRESS IN OCEANOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Victor Martin-Velez, Tomas Montalvo, Isabel Afan, Antoni Sanchez-Marquez, Raul Aymi, Jordi Figuerola, Adam Lovas-Kiss, Joan Navarro
Summary: The yellow-legged gull plays an important role in plant dispersal in the city of Barcelona, with average dispersal distances of around 700 m and maximum distances reaching up to 35 km. These gulls frequently disperse seeds, including alien species, within urban environments, posing a risk to native biodiversity.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Review
Ecology
M. -Martina Quaggiotto, Jose A. Sanchez-Zapata, David M. Bailey, Ana Payo-Payo, Joan Navarro, Andrew Brownlow, Rob Deaville, Sergio A. Lambertucci, Nuria Selva, Ainara Cortes-Avizanda, Fernando Hiraldo, Jose A. Donazar, Marcos Moleon
Summary: This article systematically reviews global data on cetacean strandings and analyzes its association with human population density and regulations. The study found that stranded cetacean carcasses provide a wide range of ecosystem services to ancient and modern civilizations worldwide, and the occurrence of strandings is not strongly correlated with human population density or regulations. The article provides recommendations for the future management of stranded cetacean carcasses, including encouraging natural decomposition and improving coastal management strategies.
ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jean-Noel Druon, Steven Campana, Frederic Vandeperre, Fabio H. V. Hazin, Heather Bowlby, Rui Coelho, Nuno Queiroz, Fabrizio Serena, Francisco Abascal, Dimitrios Damalas, Michael Musyl, Jon Lopez, Barbara Block, Pedro Afonso, Heidi Dewar, Philippe S. Sabarros, Brittany Finucci, Antonella Zanzi, Pascal Bach, Inna Senina, Fulvio Garibaldi, David W. Sims, Joan Navarro, Pablo Cermeno, Agostino Leone, Guzman Diez, Maria Teresa Carreon Zapiain, Michele Deflorio, Evgeny V. Romanov, Armelle Jung, Matthieu Lapinski, Malcolm P. Francis, Humberto Hazin, Paulo Travassos
Summary: This study presents the first global-scale analysis of blue shark habitat preferences based on a large dataset of observations and environmental data. The results reveal that the blue shark's habitat requirements vary across different size and sex classes, and are influenced by factors such as productivity and temperature. Understanding the habitat needs of sensitive stages in the blue shark population is essential for effective management and conservation of this species.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lola Riesgo, Carola Sanpera, Salvador Garcia-Barcelona, Moises Sanchez-Fortun, Marta Coll, Joan Navarro
Summary: Human activities have led to increased pollution in marine ecosystems, which has harmful effects on marine organisms. Top predators like the blue shark are good indicators for monitoring mercury accumulation in marine ecosystems. This study investigated the impact of body size, sex, trophic niche, and geographic area on mercury concentrations in blue sharks. The results showed higher mercury concentrations in the Mediterranean blue sharks, with a positive relationship between mercury concentrations and body size. Additionally, individuals that foraged in offshore waters had higher mercury values. Importantly, most of the analyzed blue sharks exceeded the European Union's limits for human consumption of mercury.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alba Vidal, Laura Cardador, Salvador Garcia-Barcelona, David Macias, Jean-Noel Druon, Marta Coll, Joan Navarro
Summary: Human activities have significantly altered marine ecosystems, leading to a decrease in the number of sharks which could have cascading effects on marine communities. This study analyzed stable isotope values of blue sharks and found that biological factors, geographic location, and environmental factors all play important roles in the trophodynamics of blue sharks. Specifically, environmental variables such as chlorophyll-a, pelagic productivity, and sea-surface temperature were reliable predictors of stable isotope values and trophic position.
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Antoni Sanchez-Marquez, Joan Navarro, Antigoni Kaliontzopoulou, Marc Farre, Morag Taite, Oscar Escolar, Roger Villanueva, A. Louise Allcock, Fernando A. Fernandez-Alvarez
Summary: The shape of cephalopod beaks is mainly influenced by phylogenetic relationships, while feeding habits have a minor impact. Studying beak shape is important for identifying gut contents of marine megafauna.
REVIEWS IN FISH BIOLOGY AND FISHERIES
(2023)
Review
Biology
Jacopo Aguzzi, Simona Violino, Corrado Costa, Nixon Bahamon, Joan Navarro, Damianos Chatzievangelou, Nathan. J. J. Robinson, Jennifer Doyle, Michela Martinelli, Colm Lordan, Joan. B. B. Company
Summary: This study used VOSviewer software to investigate the research status of Norway lobsters by analyzing scientific literature published in SCOPUS. The analysis revealed that research focused on fishery performance, biological cycles, and physiology and ecotoxicology. However, there is limited knowledge about how the burrowing behavior of Norway lobsters is influenced by environmental conditions and its impact on stock assessment, which may be due to the underutilization of advanced monitoring technologies.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Marc Vez-Garzon, Joan Gimenez, Antoni Sanchez-Marquez, Tomas Montalvo, Joan Navarro
Summary: During the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, the diet of urban yellow-legged gulls in Barcelona changed, with a decrease in diversity and a reduction in the consumption of urban birds and marine prey. This demonstrates the trophic flexibility of urban-dwelling species in adapting to changes in the availability of human-related anthropogenic resources.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
M. Vigo, J. Navarro, G. Rotllant, N. Bahamon, M. Carreton, J. Quevedo, A. Rojas, J. B. Company
Summary: Fishing activity, especially bottom trawling, is a main driver of marine ecosystem change and has led to overexploitation of Norway lobster stocks in the western Mediterranean Sea. To recover these overexploited populations, the implementation of no-take fishery reserves has been suggested as an efficient management measure. This study demonstrates that after 4 years of closure, the Norway lobster population increased in abundance, biomass, body size, and trophic level in the no-take reserve, and other demersal fish species also benefited from the reserve.
ICES JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Elena Fernandez-Corredor, Luca Francotte, Ilaria Martino, Fernando A. Fernandez-Alvarez, Salvador Garcia-Barcelona, David Macias, Marta Coll, Francisco Ramirez, Joan Navarro, Joan Gimenez
Summary: This study reconstructed the diet of juvenile swordfish in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea using stomach content and stable isotope analyses. The results showed a dietary shift with increasing consumption of cephalopods and decreasing consumption of Gadiformes between 2012 and 2020. The findings highlight the generalist and opportunistic diet of Mediterranean swordfish.
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Robotics
I. Masmitja, M. Martin, T. O'Reilly, B. Kieft, N. Palomeras, J. Navarro, K. Katija
Summary: In order to enhance the observational capacity of autonomous underwater robots in the ocean, new techniques are necessary. Fleets of these robots can be used to study complex marine systems and animal behavior using new imaging configurations or tracking tagged animals. This can inform the development of new policies for community conservation. However, there are challenges in tracking underwater targets and robustly responding to changing environments during monitoring missions. Analytical techniques for optimal sensor placement and path planning are not straightforward in these cases.
Article
Fisheries
Elena Fernandez-Corredor, Jazel Ouled-Cheikh, Joan Navarro, Marta Coll
Summary: Fisheries, climate change, and habitat degradation are causing depletion of marine animal populations worldwide. This study focuses on the trophic ecology of chondrichthyan species in the Mediterranean Sea, finding diet dissimilarities among species and the significant contribution of large chondrichthyan species to the food web. The study highlights the importance of conservation efforts for chondrichthyans in the Mediterranean to maintain ecological balance and biodiversity.
REVIEWS IN FISH BIOLOGY AND FISHERIES
(2023)
Proceedings Paper
Engineering, Marine
M. Francescangeli, M. Carandell, Toma D. Mihai, E. Martinez, M. Nogueras, A. Santin, D. Charzievangelou, J. Grinyo, J. N. Robinson, J. Navarro, J. Aguzzi, J. Del Rio
Summary: This study conducted a monitoring of cetacean carcass in shallow waters of the northwestern Mediterranean, and found that bony fish were the main scavenger taxa. Different species arrived at different times, which may reflect their roles as scavengers or active predators.
OCEANS 2023 - LIMERICK
(2023)
Proceedings Paper
Engineering, Marine
Ivan Masmitja, Mario Martin, Tom O'Reilly, Narcis Palomeras, Kakani Katija, Joan Navarro
OCEANS 2023 - LIMERICK
(2023)
