Research news
Red coral colonies survive a decade after being transplanted in the Medes Islands
The red coral colonies that were transplanted a decade ago on the seabed of the Medes Islands have survived successfully. They are very similar to the original communities and have contributed to the recovery of the functioning of the coral reef, a habitat where species usually grow very slowly. Thus, these colonies, seized years ago from illegal fishing, have found a second chance to survive, thanks to the restoration actions of the University of Barcelona teams, in collaboration with the Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM - CSIC), to transplant seized corals and mitigate the impact of poaching. These results are now presented in an article in the journal Science Advances. Its main authors are the experts Cristina Linares and Yanis Zentner, from the UB’s Faculty of Biology and the Biodiversity Research Institute (IRBio), and Joaquim Garrabou, from the ICM (of the Spanish National Research Centre, CSIC).
Glaciers, ice and snow are shrinking at an accelerated rate on the Iberian Peninsula
Over the last decade, glaciers in Spain have experienced an accelerated retreat, with a significant loss of extension and thickness. This process has reduced their number and has generated processes typical of the final stages before they disappear. Cities, where more than 81% of the population lives, are experiencing an unprecedented rise in temperatures, driven by climate change and aggravated by the urban heat island effect. This trend intensifies heatwaves, with direct impacts on citizens’ health and quality of life. These are some conclusions of the CLIVAR-Spain report, a scientific publication coordinated by a committee led by Professor Isabel Cacho, from the Faculty of Earth Sciences of the University of Barcelona, and Gabriel Jordà, from the Spanish Institute of Oceanography in Mallorca (COB-IEO). The report, which was presented on 13 March at the headquarters of the Biodiversity Foundation, provides a detailed overview of climate impacts and risks on terrestrial and marine ecosystems in Spain, complementing the conclusions of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The State-Secretary for the Environment, Hugo Morán; the Director General of the Spanish Climate Change Office, Elena Pita; the President of the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), María José Rallo, and the coordinators of the CLIVAR-España committee, Gabriel Jordà and Isabel Cacho, participated in the presentation, along with several authors of the report.
UB researcher leads discovery of first Bronze Age settlement in the Maghreb
Most Bronze Age settlements have been documented in European territory. Despite its geographical proximity, the Maghreb has always been absent from these historical narratives, erroneously characterized as an ‘empty land’ until the arrival of the Phoenicians around 800 BC. Now, a research study led by Hamza Benattia Melgarejo ( University of Barcelona) has uncovered the first Bronze Age settlement in this geographical area, predating the Phoenician period. This discovery is of great significance for the history of Africa and the Mediterranean.
Finding the evolutionary code of molluscs
An international team of experts has resolved long-standing questions about the evolutionary history of molluscs, one of the most diverse zoological groups on the planet. The study, now featured on the cover of Science, reconstructs the family tree of molluscs and provides a ground-breaking perspective on their evolutionary history. Professor Juan Moles, from the Faculty of Biology and the Biodiversity Research Institute (IRBio) of the University of Barcelona, is the only expert from a Spanish institution to sign the study, which responds to scientific debates that have persisted for decades.