Marçalo, A., Marques, T. A., Araújo, J., Pousão-Ferreira, P., Erzini, K., and Stratoudakis, Y. 2010. Fishing simulation experiments for predicting the effects of purse-seine capture on sardine (Sardina pilchardus). – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 67: 334–344. To study the impact of purse-seine fishing on deliberately released sardine, two laboratory experiments were performed to explore the effect of net confinement for 10, 20, 40, and 60 min at 18 and 23°C. A third experiment considered two levels of fish density while confined for 20 and 40 min at 16°C. Analysis of cortisol and haematocrit demonstrated that stress immediately after simulated fishing was milder than in commercial fishing and did not correlate with observed delayed mortality. Scale loss was related to the probability of dying (mean values of 16.3 and 2% for dead fish and survivors, respectively), and fin erosion was a long-term stress response observed in both dead and surviving fish. Time of confinement was an important stressor, with survival rates decreasing significantly with increasing periods in the net, and temperature having an additional negative effect. Density effects were less conclusive, but there was some indication that survival correlated with biological condition (heavier fish were more likely to survive). It seems that delayed mortality after release can be substantial, although death is not certain and appropriately modified fishing operations and favourable environmental conditions may enhance the probability of sardine survival.

Fire is currently perceived as a major threat to ecosystems and biodiversity in the mountains of the Mediterranean region. Portugal's highest mountain range, the Serra da Estrela, is one of the country's most important protected areas and also the most fireprone. We present a ~14000-year fire history based on microscopic charred particles in an infilled glacial lake to better understand the antiquity of biomass burning and its effects on Mediterranean vegetation at the Atlantic margin. Results indicate the continuous occurrence of fire in the Serra da Estrela over the period of the record. Two periods of increased fire activity-around 12000-11000 calendar years before the present (cal. a BP) and 3500-2500 cal. a BP-were accompanied by major vegetation changes and followed by long periods of vegetation stabilisation. Cross-correlation analyses reveal that post-fire succession consistently began with herbaceous vegetation, followed by forest and shrubland stages. Past successional trends were often markedly different to those observed at present. Holocene climatic changes, including shifts in the North Atlantic Oscillation, played a pivotal role in the vegetation development and fire history of the Serra da Estrela. In the late Holocene, human use of fire became a major agent of vegetation change, accelerating the Holocene decline of forests.

The behavioural effects of confinement of sardine Sardina pilchardus in a purse seine were evaluated through three laboratory experiments simulating the final stages of purse seining; the process of slipping (deliberately allowing fishes to escape) and subsequent exposure to potential predators. Effects of holding time (the time S. pilchardus were held or entangled in the simulation apparatus) and S. pilchardus density were investigated. Experiment 1 compared the effect of a mild fishing stressor (20 min in the net and low S. pilchardus density) with a control (fishing not simulated) while the second and third experiments compared the mild stressor with a severe stressor (40 min in the net and high S. pilchardus density). In all cases, sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax were used as potential predators. Results indicated a significant effect of crowding time and density on the survival and behaviour of slipped S. pilchardus. After simulated fishing, S. pilchardus showed significant behavioural changes including lower swimming speed, closer approaches to predators and higher nearest-neighbour distances (wider school area) than controls, regardless of stressor severity. These results suggest that, in addition to the delayed and unobserved mortality caused by factors related to fishing operations, slipped pelagic fishes can suffer behavioural impairments that may increase vulnerability to predation. Possible sub-lethal effects of behavioural impairment on fitness are discussed, with suggestions on how stock assessment might be modified to account for both unobserved mortality and sub-lethal effects, and possible approaches to provide better estimates of unobserved mortality in the field are provided.

The quality of the microalgae provided on Paracentrotus lividus larvae rearing is a primordial factor having a direct (nutritional properties) and indirect (water quality) impact on growth, competence and survival. Skeletonema costatum is a diatom commonly used in the bivalve cultivation. However, the use of this diatom in P. lividus larval cultivations is poorly known. The Rhodomonas spp. is a microalgae commonly used in sea urchin larvae culture. Three different diets were tested on P. lividus larvae and post-larvae cultivation (D1-Rhodomonas marina, D2-S. costatum, D3-mixture of both algae). Larvae fed with the D2 diet (55.8%) and D3 (39.9%) had a survival at 15 DAH higher than D1 (5.5%). The low survival in D1 could be due to the higher microbiological load on microalgae (Vibrio alginolyticus and V. pectenicide). Larvae fed with S. costatum (D2) showed a lower development than other diets. The competency index was lower for larvae fed with the D2.These results show that microalgae diversified diets contribute to a better development of P. lividus larvae. During the settlement and post-settlement phase, there was also a lower growth of the sea urchin fed with the D2 and a higher survival for D3.

Slow cortical oscillations play a crucial role in processing the speech envelope, which is perceived atypically by children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) and developmental dyslexia. Here we use electroencephalography (EEG) and natural speech listening paradigms to identify neural processing patterns that characterize dyslexic versus DLD children. Using a story listening paradigm, we show that atypical power dynamics and phase-amplitude coupling between delta and theta oscillations characterize dyslexic and DLD children groups, respectively. We further identify EEG common spatial patterns (CSP) during speech listening across delta, theta and beta oscillations describing dyslexic versus DLD children. A linear classifier using four delta-band CSP variables predicted dyslexia status (0.77 AUC). Crucially, these spatial patterns also identified children with dyslexia in a rhythmic syllable task EEG, suggesting a core developmental deficit in neural processing of speech rhythm. These findings suggest that there are distinct atypical neurocognitive mechanisms underlying dyslexia and DLD.

The temporal modulation structure of speech plays a key role in neural encoding of the speech signal. Amplitude modulations (AMs, quasi-rhythmic changes in signal energy or intensity) in speech are encoded by neuronal oscillations (rhythmic variations in neural excitability in large cell networks) that oscillate at matching temporal rates. To date, however, all neural studies have investigated adult-directed speech (ADS) as produced and perceived by highly literate adults. Whether temporal features of ADS vary with the skills of the speaker, for example literacy skills, is currently unknown. Here we analyse the temporal structure of ADS spoken by illiterate, low literate (≤ 4 years of literacy) and highly literate (≥ 12 years of literacy) adults. We find that illiterates produce speech differently. Spontaneous conversational speech produced by illiterate adults showed significantly less synchronised coupling between AM bands (less phase synchronisation) than conversational speech produced by low literate and highly literate adults, and contained significantly fewer syllables per second. There was also a significant relationship between years of literacy and the amount of theta-band energy in conversational speech. When asked to produce rhythmic proverbs learned in childhood, all groups could produce speech with similar AM phase synchronisation, suggesting that the differences in spontaneous conversational speech were not caused by physiological constraints. The data suggest that the temporal modulation structure of spoken language changes with the acquisition of cultural skills like literacy that are usually a product of schooling. There is a cultural effect on the temporal modulation structure of spoken language.

Aim Temperate forests are currently facing multiple stresses due to climate change, biological invasions, habitat fragmentation and fire regime change. How these stressors interact with each other influences how, when and whether ecosystems recover, or whether they adapt or transition to a different ecological state. Because forest recovery or collapse may take longer than a human lifetime, predicting the outcomes of different stressor combinations remains difficult. A clearer vision of future forest trajectories in a changing world may be gained by examining collapses of forests in the past. Here, we use long‐term ecological data to conduct a post‐mortem examination of the decline of maritime pine forests (Pinus pinaster Ait.) on the SW Iberian Peninsula 7000–6500 years ago. Location Portugal and Spain. Methods We compared four palaeoecological records—two with pine declines and two without—using a multiproxy approach. Bioclimatic differences between the four sites were explored. Proxies for past vegetation and disturbance (fire and grazing) were compared with independent palaeoclimatic records. We performed functional traits analysis and used phase plots to examine the causes of pine decline. Results The pine decline represents a critical transition in SW Iberia, which lies close to maritime pine's bioclimatic limits. Prolonged drought likely killed trees and suppressed the fires that normally stimulate pine germination and pinewood recovery. Increased grazing pressure facilitated the rapid spread of resprouter shrubs. These competed with pine trees and ultimately replaced them. Our data highlight complex interactions between climate, fire, grazing and forest resilience. Main Conclusions The pine decline occurred at least a century after post‐fire resprouters overtook obligate seeders in the vegetation, constituting an early‐warning signal of forest loss. Fire suppression, resprouter encroachment and grazing may threaten the persistence of Mediterranean forests as droughts become more frequent and extreme.

Sea urchin gonads are a prized gourmet product in many areas of the globe, and wild populations are threatened by increasing demand, making this species a very desirable product in aquaculture. Due to the unique needs of each stage of the life cycle, a viable food protocol that seeks to satisfy each stage while optimizing production profitability is required. The objective of this work was to test a formulated feed for sea urchins, through the analysis of somatic growth, gonad development and their fatty acid profile. These results were compared with sea urchins fed natural food (Ulva spp.) At the end of the trial Paracentrotus lividus juveniles fed inert diet had higher total wet weight gain, total specific growth rate, and gonadosomatic index than those fed with macroalgae. However, histological observations did not reveal differences in the maturation state of the gonads. In comparison to sea urchins fed fresh Ulva spp., inert diet showed higher total wet weight gain and higher total specific growth rate. Fatty acid contents of the gonads of each treatment were found to be similar. The DHA levels in the gonads of sea-urchins fed the formulated feed were significantly higher. It was possible to record the biosynthesis activity of some fatty acids such as 20:4 ω 6, 16:4 ω 3, and 20:3 ω 3. It was found that the presence of some essential fatty acids, such as DHA and EPA, in the gonads is only dependent on the food profile. The addition of a DHA-rich ingredient in the formulated feed may have been preponderant in the constitution and development of the sea-urchins’ gonads.