Taxonomic characterization of populations ofHyacinthoides sect.Somera (Hyacinthaceae) in the northwestern Iberian Peninsula

A classical morphological study ofHyacinthoides sect.Somera in the northwestern Iberian Peninsula revealed the new speciesH. paivae. It differs from the closely related speciesH. italica, H. hispanica, andH. mauritanica by vegetative and generative characters, such as leaf length, raceme shape, tepal length and width. It typically occurs in woodlands in the A Coruña province of NW Spain.     

Karyology of theScorzonera (Compositae) species from the Iberian Peninsula

A karyological study of 15 taxa ofScorzonera L. from the Iberian Peninsula has been made. The chromosome numbers found inS. hispanica var.pinnatifida, S. baetica, S. reverchonii, S. angustifolia, S. laciniata var.calcitrapifolia and var.subulata (2n = 14) are new. Diploid cytotypes with 2n = 14 and 2n = 12 prevail, andS. hispanica var.crispatula is the only taxon which exhibits autopolyploidy (2n = 14, 28). x = 7 is considered to be the base chromosome number within the genus, with x = 6 being derived from it by translocation. This and detailed karyotype analyses allow to group the Iberian Peninsula species ofScorzonera into three groups.     

Survival and long-term maintenance of tertiary trees in the Iberian Peninsula during the Pleistocene: first record of Aesculus L. (Hippocastanaceae) in Spain

The Italian and Balkan peninsulas have been places traditionally highlighted as Pleistocene glacial refuges. The Iberian Peninsula, however, has been a focus of controversy between geobotanists and palaeobotanists as a result of its exclusion from this category on different occasions. In the current paper, we synthesise geological, molecular, palaeobotanical and geobotanical data that show the importance of the Iberian Peninsula in the Western Mediterranean as a refugium area. The presence of Aesculus aff. hippocastanum L. at the Iberian site at Cal Guardiola (Tarrasa, Barcelona, NE Spain) in the Lower–Middle Pleistocene transition helps to consolidate the remarkable role of the Iberian Peninsula in the survival of tertiary species during the Pleistocene. The palaeodistribution of the genus in Europe highlights a model of area abandonment for a widely-distributed species in the Miocene and Pliocene, leading to a diminished and fragmentary presence in the Pleistocene and Holocene on the southern Mediterranean peninsulas. Aesculus fossils are not uncommon within the series of Tertiary taxa. Many appear in the Pliocene and suffer a radical impoverishment in the Lower–Middle Pleistocene transition. Nonetheless some of these tertiary taxa persisted throughout the Pleistocene and Holocene up to the present in the Iberian Peninsula. Locating these refuge areas on the Peninsula is not an easy task, although areas characterised by a sustained level of humidity must have played an predominant role.     

Floral rewards in someScrophularia species (Scrophulariaceae) from the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands

The genusScrophularia in the Iberian Peninsula and Balearic Islands comprises two sections,Scrophularia andCaninaG. Don. Analyses were carried out on flower production, flower duration and their sexual phases, pollen and nectar production together with observations on their pollinators. Nectar production is correlated with corolla size and pollen production with anther size. The taxa of sect.Scrophularia show greater nectar and pollen production than those of sect.Canina. Also, those of the first section produce more ovules per ovary than those of the second group, production being correlated with the ovary size.Some observations on floral and reproductive biology in some species ofScrophularia from the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands. I.     

Reproductive biology of twoPrunus species (Rosaceae) in the Northwest Iberian Peninsula

We studied the reproductive biology ofPrunus spinosa andPrunus mahaleb (Prunoideae, Rosaceae) in the northwest Iberian Peninsula. The two species flowered at the same time (peaking on March 9 and 11, respectively in 1990) but differ significantly in their fruit maturation times. Nectar volume peaked in the early morning in both species, and was ten times greater inP. spinosa than inP. mahaleb. Neither species shows apomixis, nor does fruit-set occur if pollinators are excluded. In both species self-pollination resulted in fewer fruits than open pollination. The principal pollinators belong to theApidae family (79% and 63% of visits toP. spinosa andP. mahaleb, respectively). Results are compared with those for other rosaceous plants with fleshy fruits.     

Sexual reproduction in someScrophularia species (Scrophulariaceae) from the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands

The reproductive biology of someScrophularia species in the Iberian Peninsula and Balearic Islands has been studied. Levels of fruit-set in bagged and unbagged inflorescences, the production of seeds/capsule, the effectiveness of seed-set following cross-pollination in the genus and the pollen/ovule ratios have been analyzed.Some observations on floral and reproductive biology in some species ofScrophularia from the Iberian Peninsula and Balearic Islands. II. For first part seeOrtega Olivencia & Devesa 1993.     

Flow cytometric and cytogenetic analyses of Iberian Peninsula Festuca spp.

Festuca L. has an important diversification centre in the Iberian Peninsula. We used chromosome counting, fluorescence (FISH) and genomic in situ hybridization (GISH), and DNA flow cytometry (FCM) to clarify the taxonomic position of several taxa, to search for phylogenetic relationships and to assess the extent and pattern of genome variation in fescues. The chromosome number of Festuca duriotagana var. barbata is determined for the first time and new ploidy level estimations are given for F. rothmaleri and F. summilusitana. In the latter species, besides the reported decaploid level, dodecaploidy was found in some populations, which points to the existence of an unrecognized taxon. Moreover, these differences were confirmed by FCM and a high positive correlation was found with the type of substrate where F. summilusitana was growing. For each section, a decrease of genome size with increase of polyploidy was observed. In general, in situ hybridization techniques failed to reveal phylogenetic relationships among the selected species. In FISH, a variation in the number of rDNA sites was observed in some species. GISH results indicate that F. henriquesii is not a progenitor of the studied polyploid species.     

Multivariate and cladistic analyses of the purple-flowered species ofErysimum (Cruciferae) from the Iberian Peninsula

A taxonomically difficult purple-flowered group within the genusErysimum, restricted to the Iberian Peninsula, is analyzed by multivariate and cladistic analyses. 51 specimens have been scored for 14 characters. Both principal components and discriminant analyses provide support to the recognition of the five species considered by the author, namelyE. linifolium, E. lagascae, E. baeticum, E. popovii, andE. cazorlense. Cladistic analysis, using 7 characters resulted in a single most parsimonious cladogram containing no homoplasies. The pattern of morphologic divergence follows a clear NW.-SE. trend, which is congruent with the topology of the cladogram. This trend significantly affects growth-form as well as fruit characters, both providing the main grounds for species recognition. The different behavior and significance of several characters in both kinds of analysis is discussed. The co-occurrence of morphologically similar individuals differing in the flower color is discussed, too. Possible explanations for this phenomenon involve hybridization in a wide sense or, alternatively, rejecting the assumption of monophyly for the group.     

Importance of historical factors on species richness and composition of butterfly assemblages (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera) in a northern Iberian mountain range

ABSTRACT. The butterfly assemblages of three vegetation types (pasture, heathland and rocky outcrop with Genista spp.) and two geographical orientations (a northern slope and a sheltered gorge) were studied along an altitudinal gradient in the Picos de Europa in northern Spain. In order to study the effects or historical climatic changes on current butterfly assemblages, it was examined if changes in richness and faunal composition of assemblages were joined with changes in their biogeographical composition. The three vegetation types showed characteristic butterfly assemblages, but no difference in species richness and biogeographical composition was found. Species richness in the sheltered gorge was higher than in the northern slope. Faunal composition also varied between orientations and there were more widespread and Mediterranean species in the sheltered gorge than in the northern slope. Species richness declined with increasing altitude, though a midaltitudinal peak was observed. There was a faunal segregation between high and low localities. Species richness of widespread and Mediterranean butterflies decreased as altitude increased, whereas the reverse was true for montane species. Moreover, biogeographical elements differed in their climatic tolerances measured as altitudinal ranges. Therefore, changes in richness and composition of butterfly assemblages between both slopes and along the altitudinal gradient were joined in part with variation in their biogeographical composition. These results suggest that current species richness and composition of butterfly assemblages in the Picos de Europa might be the consequence of differential colonization of refuges during the past climatic changes.     

Diet of the Iberian hare (Lepus granatensis) in a mountain ecosystem

The diet of the Iberian hare (Lepus granatensis) was studied through microhistological pellet analysis in two areas from a mountain ecosystem in Central Portugal. Fecal pellets were collected monthly in 24 plots spatially distributed throughout the two study areas. For each period, a sample of 15 to 20 pellets was milled and 400 epidermal fragments were identified, by comparison with a reference collection. A wide range of plant species was observed in hare’s diet. Grasses represent the basis of the Iberian hare diet, with frequencies always higher than 50% in both study areas (annual average = 69.98%). Most of the 35 species of grasses assembled for the reference collection (91.43%) were identified in the pellets. Nevertheless, only six of these were consumed in proportions greater than 5%, being Anthoxanthum odoratum, Secale cereale and Agrostis spp. the species ingested in higher frequencies. The rate of grasses consumption reached 80.69% in winter but decreased in summer to around 55%. In this season, a concurrent rise in the ingestion of other plant groups, like herbs and shrubs, and of plant inflorescences was observed. This work provides the first results on the Iberian hare’s diet on mountain ecosystems, and suggests that the Iberian hare diet in a mountain ecosystem is similar to the observed in L. europaeus and L. timidus.     

Taxonomy and cytogeography of Cardamine raphanifolia and C. gallaecica (Brassicaceae) in the Iberian Peninsula

For a long time it was considered that Cardamine raphanifolia is widely distributed with several infraspecific taxa in the Mediterranean region. Recent studies showed that C. raphanifolia is restricted to the northern Iberian Peninsula. Cardamine gallaecica from NW Spain was regarded to be closely related, but was originally regarded as C. amara, and later described as C. raphanifolia subsp. gallaecica. In this study, we validate the treatment of C. raphanifolia and C. gallaecica as distinct species, and show their clear differentiation based on morphometric and molecular AFLP analyses. Moreover, both species are clearly distinct from C. amara subsp. pyrenaea, which has an overlapping distributional range with C. raphanifolia. Hexaploid (2n = 48) and octoploid cytotypes (2n = 64) of C. raphanifolia, and tetraploid (2n = 32) and hexaploid (2n = 48) cytotypes of C. gallaecica were found. Due to their weak morphological and genetic differentiation, these polyploid races are not classified as separate taxa.     

Isozyme studies in the genusCheirolophus (Asteraceae:Cardueae-Centaureinae) in the Iberian Peninsula, North Africa and the Canary Islands

The phylogenetic and phenetic analysis of 109 RAPD polymorphisms inS. nebrodensis, a perennial and self-incompatible endemic of four mountain ranges in Spain, andS. viscosus, a self-compatible annual widespread in Europe, as well asS. lividus, S. sylvaticus andS. vulgaris revealed a sister group relationship between the first two species. This result contrasts sharply with the earlier hypothesis based on isozyme variation thatS. viscosus originated from within a paraphyleticS. nebrodensis and that the two species represent a progenitor-derivative pair. After considering possible reasons for the sister group relationship found, including the possibility of rooting artefacts, it is concluded that neither the RAPD data nor the isozyme data allow to draw safe conclusions about the mode of speciation and therefore the relative age of the two species. As a consequence, the limited genetic variation ofS. viscosus in comparison toS. nebrodensis as revealed by both the RAPD and the isozyme data may reflect its population history, geographical distribution, reproductive ecology, or mode of dispersal just as well as its recent origin from a paraphyleticS. nebrodensis. The result of this study calls for a critical reexamination of other taxon pairs postulated to have a progenitor-derivative relationship on the basis of isozyme evidence.     

Deciduous and semi-deciduous oak forests (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Quercus robur,Q. petraea</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Q. pyrenaica</Emphasis>) floristic composition in the Northwest Iberian Peninsula

Oak forests in the Northwest Iberian Peninsula represent climax communities with a high floristic diversity of vascular plants. This study presents data from 189 botanical samples randomly collected in stands of deciduous and semi-deciduous oak as Quercus robur (98), Q. petraea (50) and Q. pyrenaica (41). Within these stands, 187 species or subspecies were identified, in addition to 20 genera and 68 families, all of them present in forests of Quercus robur. A total of 126 species occur in more than five relevés. The largest number of species corresponds to Poaceae (22), Fabaceae (19) and Rosaceae (14). The biological spectrum is dominated by hemicryptophytes, with mainly Atlantic and Sub-Atlantic floristic elements. The distribution of the stands has been studied by using Two-Way Indicator Species Analysis, obtaining like pseudo-species, with shrubby and arborea form, the following ones: Fagus sylvatica, Castanea sativa, Sorbus aucuparia, Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, Pyrus cordata, Erica arborea, Frangula alnus and Cytisus scoparius.     

The Middle-to-Upper Palaeolithic transition in Cova Gran (Catalunya, Spain) and the extinction of Neanderthals in the Iberian Peninsula

The excavations carried out in Cova Gran de Santa Linya (Southeastern PrePyrenees, Catalunya, Spain) have unearthed a new archaeological sequence attributable to the Middle Palaeoloithic/Upper Palaeolithic (MP/UP) transition. This article presents data on the stratigraphy, archaeology, and ¹⁴C AMS dates of three Early Upper Palaeolithic and four Late Middle Palaeolithic levels excavated in Cova Gran. All these archaeological levels fall within the 34-32 ka time span, the temporal frame in which major events of Neanderthal extinction took place. The earliest Early Upper Palaeolithic (497D) and the latest Middle Palaeolithic (S1B) levels in Cova Gran are separated by a sterile gap and permit pinpointing the time period in which the Mousterian disappeared from Northeastern Spain. Technological differences between the Early Upper Palaeolithic and Late Middle Palaeolithic industries in Cova Gran support a cultural rupture between the two periods. A series of 12 ¹⁴C AMS dates prompts reflections on the validity of reconstructions based on radiocarbon data. Thus, results from excavations in Cova Gran lead us to discuss the scenarios relating the MP/UP transition in the Iberian Peninsula, a region considered a refuge of late Neanderthal populations.     

Habitat and reproductive phenology of wild boar (Sus scrofa) in the western Iberian Peninsula

We examined the reproductive phenology of wild boar populations in four regions of the western Iberian Peninsula during the 1999/2000 hunting season (October–February). To estimate conception dates and birth distribution frequencies, we used foetal weights. Regions differed significantly, and we detected a relationship between region and birth distribution frequencies. Throughout the year, food availability had a major influence on the distribution of farrowing. Although a short period of high food availability leads to highly synchronous births, even in relatively harsh environmental conditions, adult females that exploit low-quality food items appear to be able to give birth at any time of the year.     

History and traditional cultivation ofLathyrus sativus L. andLathyrus citera L. in the Iberian peninsula

Recent ethnographic research carried out in Spain has allowed the cultivation ofLathyrus sativus L. andL. cicera L. to be documented. Both species already appear in the Spanish archaeological record. Grown under traditional farming systems,L. sativus L. andL. cicera L. are still used for human consumption (onlyL. sativus L.) and both are used for fodder. Data on cultivation history, fanning practices, crop processing sequence and uses are here presented, which will enable a better understanding of their possible roles in prehistoric times.     

Phenomorphology and Eco-morphological Characters of Rhododendron Lauroid Forests in the Western Mediterranean (Iberian Peninsula, Spain)

The evergreen broad-leaved forest of Rhododendron ponticum represents a special type of Mediterranean vegetation because of their relict nature (allegedly pre-glacial, Southern-Iberian and Pontic) and connection with Macaronesian-Atlantic flora. The findings of ecomorphological (growth forms) and phenological (phenology) studies point to characteristics typical of its relict character and its relationship with subtropical lauroid vegetation (greater forest stratification, larger leaves, high percentage of photosynthetic stems, scarce tomentosity, pre-flowering in a season different to Mediterranean species and closeness of autumn–winter flowering species). There are, however, links with typical Mediterranean vegetation (Quercus L. forests) that surrounds the Rhododendron stands, due to its adaptation to Mediterranean climate (sclerophyll leaves, plant and leaf duration, post-fire regeneration, fleshy fruit and fruit setting-seed dispersal seasonality). Within the community, different groups of plants show different adaptations to the same biotope, suggesting their distinct paleo-phytogeographical origins. The results confirm the singularity of this vegetation within the typically Mediterranean environment where it grows and its connections with other extra-Mediterranean types.     

The rise and fall of the mountain hare (Lepus timidus) during Pleistocene glaciations: expansion and retreat with hybridization in the Iberian Peninsula

The climatic fluctuations during glaciations have affected differently arctic and temperate species. In the northern hemisphere, cooling periods induced the expansion of many arctic species to the south, while temperate species were forced to retract in southern refugia. Consequently, in some areas the alternation of these species set the conditions for competition and eventually hybridization. Hares in the Iberian Peninsula appear to illustrate this phenomenon. Populations of Iberian hare (Lepus granatensis), brown hare (Lepus europaeus) and broom hare (Lepus castroviejoi) in Northern Iberia harbour mitochondrial haplotypes from the mountain hare (Lepus timidus), a mainly boreal and arctic species presently absent from the peninsula. To understand the history of this past introgression we analysed sequence variation and geographical distribution of mitochondrial control region and cytochrome b haplotypes of L. timidus origin found in 378 specimens of these four species. Among 124 L. timidus from the Northern Palaearctic and the Alps we found substantial nucleotide diversity (2.3%) but little differentiation between populations. Based on the mismatch distribution of the L. timidus sequences, this could result from an expansion at a time of temperature decrease favourable to this arctic species. The nucleotide diversity of L. timidus mtDNA found in Iberian L. granatensis, L. europaeus and L. castroviejoi (183, 70 and 1 specimens, respectively) was of the same order as that in L. timidus over its range (1.9%), suggesting repeated introgression of multiple lineages. The structure of the coalescent of L. granatensis sequences indicates that hybridization with L. timidus was followed by expansion of the introgressed haplotypes, as expected during a replacement with competition, and occurred when temperatures started to rise, favouring the temperate species. Whether a similar scenario explains the introgression into Iberian L. europaeus remains unclear but it is possible that it hybridized with already introgressed L. granatensis.     

On the establishment and range expansion of oriental weatherfish (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Misgurnus anguillicaudatus</Emphasis>) in NE Iberian Peninsula

Oriental weatherfish has become an invasive fish species in many temperate areas. In this work we report the presence of an established weatherfish population in northeastern Iberian Peninsula and describe, for the first time in Europe, a clear range expansion. The species was first located in the Ebro River Delta in 2001 and has since been detected in 31 UTM 1 × 1 km quadrates. The capture of over 1,000 weatherfish shows that its population is composed by both juvenile and adult individuals. Weatherfish occupies mostly the web of irrigation channels associated with rice culture, although it has also been detected in rice fields and in the Ebro River. The expansion of the species in the area seems to be limited by water conductivity. An additional location for the species in the Ter basin (some 300 km to the north) suggests that inter-basin expansion could be occurring. This new fish invasion reinforces the need to implement strict controls to the trade and culture of ornamental fish.     

Presence of internal photosynthetic cylinder surrounding the stele in stems of the tribe <Emphasis Type="Italic">Salicornieae</Emphasis> (Chenopodiaceae) from SW Iberian Peninsula

Fluorescence microscopy and physiological examination revealed the presence of an inner cylinder of active photosynthetic cells located below the endodermis-like layer in stems of four of the six taxa of the tribe Salicornieae (Chenopodiaceae).