Avian Plasmodium and malaria-like parasites of the genus Haemoproteus are widespread vector-borne parasites commonly found infecting birds. These parasites impose deleterious effects on their vertebrate hosts compromising their survival. While the interaction between these parasites and their vertebrate hosts has received much attention, the study of those factors determining the consequences of parasite infections in the insect vectors has been traditionally neglected.

Over the past few years discussions on the pollinator crisis have increased and campaigns to save bees have multiplied. However, these campaigns have not always been evidence-based. During the last years, also research on this topic has substantially increased and our knowledge about the causes and consequences of the current loss of pollinators has reached an important maturity. This monograph reviews the importance of pollinators, their main threats and what consequences the decline of...

Allee effects reduce the viability of small populations in many different ways, which act synergistically to lead populations towards extinction vortexes. The Sierra Morena wolf population, isolated in the south of the Iberian Peninsula and composed of just one or few packs for decades, represents a good example of how diverse threats act additively in very small populations. The genome of one of the last wolves identified (and road?killed) in Sierra Morena and that of another wolf in the...

Spatiotemporal ecological modelling of terrestrial ecosystems relies on climatological and biophysical Earth observations. Due to their increasing availability, global coverage, frequent acquisition and high spatial resolution, satellite remote sensing (SRS) products are frequently integrated to in situ data in the development of ecosystem models (EMs) quantifying the interaction among the vegetation component and the hydrological, energy and nutrient cycles. This review highlights the main...

Camouflage is a widespread strategy to avoid predation and is of particular importance for animals with reduced mobility or those in exposed habitats. Camouflage often relies on matching the visual appearance of the background, and selecting fine-scale backgrounds that complement an individual’s appearance is an effective means of optimising camouflage. It was investigated whether there was an active selection of microhabitats and nest materials in three ground-nesting birds.