CSIC Delegation in Andalusia and Extremadura

An international team of researchers has reconstructed the first European seed dispersal network based on a literature review. The data indicate that extinction threats and demographic changes in the animals that disperse them have resulted in 30% of plant species having their dispersers listed as 'high concern.' The lack of seed dispersal could hinder the recovery of declining plant populations. The authors publish their results in the journal Science. 

With summer, the presence of these gelatinous creatures on the Spanish coasts bothers swimmers, who can suffer injuries if they come in contact with them. Are there more jellyfish than before? Which ones are the most dangerous? What should I do if one stings me? How can I avoid it? In this guide, we answer the main questions on jellyfish so you know how to act. 

The risks of ultraviolet radiation are well-known: it can cause everything from burns and spots to immune system alterations, cataracts, infections, and skin cancer. We need to protect ourselves from the sun, but do we really know how to do it? What is myth and what is reality? We answer the main questions when it comes to using sunscreens. 

In a paper published in Molecular Cell, a team of researchers led by the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO) provides the first evidence that a possible cause of the hereditary type of ALS - familial ALS - is the accumulation in motor neurons of 'junk proteins', proteins with no function that accumulate unduly and prevent the cell from functioning properly. In addition, the research describes a new causal factor in the ageing process: nucleolar stress, which encompasses alterations in organelles called nucleoli. 

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has recommended granting marketing authorisation in the European Union for a new therapy for the treatment of adult patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a rare and frequently fatal disease that causes muscle weakness and leads to paralysis. Qalsody (tofersen) is indicated for the treatment of adults with ALS who have a mutation in the SOD1 gene. There is currently only one treatment for ALS authorised in the EU (riluzole).

Chronic exposure to various air pollutants has been linked to an increased risk of stroke, but the short-term effects have been less well studied. A review of 110 papers and more than 18 million stroke cases shows that recent exposure - in the five days prior to stroke - also increases the likelihood of stroke. The results are published in the journal Neurology.

One of the world's most invasive species is Solenopsis invicta, an ant native to South America with a painful sting. In an article published in Current Biology, experts confirm the first official sighting of this species in Europe: 88 nests spread over five hectares near Syracuse in Sicily, Italy. The ants could soon spread across the continent, causing serious environmental, health and economic problems. The study is led by the Institute of Evolutionary Biology (IBE) of the CSIC and the UPF.

According to a new report from the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), human activities have introduced over 37,000 exotic species to regions around the world. The document highlights that more than 3,500 of these are harmful invasive exotic species that are often overlooked until it's too late.

Species of birds common in the marshes of Doñana as the common tern, the brown pochard, the marbled teal, the marsh harrier or the black-bellied sandpiper have recorded a decline in their population for more than a decade, a trend that accelerated since 2019. This is one of the conclusions of the Report on the conservation status of waterfowl in Doñana, published today by SEO/BirdLife.

The Participation Council of Doñana has analysed this Monday in an extraordinary meeting the bill presented in the Andalusian Parliament that aims to extend the legal irrigation in the area. The Andalusian Government maintains its support for the new regulation, which will begin its parliamentary debate tomorrow, Wednesday, with the proposal to take the bill into consideration. For his part, the director of the Doñana Biological Station, Eloy Revilla, in his speech to the Council warned of the general deterioration of the lagoon system and pointed out that "the current exploitation of the aquifer is not sustainable". "Spain has been condemned by the European Court of Justice for failing to comply with its obligations under the Water Framework Directive and the Habitat Directive," he said. The Ministry for Ecological Transition has warned that it will take the law to the Constitutional Court.