Press releases

Researchers from the Doñana Biological Station and the University of Barcelona have discovered that nearly one-fifth of the spiny starfish's genome is organized differently depending on the environment in which it lives

Martín-Huete M., García-Berro A., Mérot C., Pérez-Portela R., Leiva C. (Accepted) Hidden genomic structure and widespread structural polymorphism across environmental gradients in the spiny sea star Marthasterias glacialis. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2026.0791

A team led by the Doñana Biological Station (EBD-CSIC) presents the most comprehensive catalogue to date of bee diversity in the Doñana Natural Area, with almost 390 species recorded. The study confirms that Doñana is one of the main refuges for bee diversity in the Iberian Peninsula and provides a key reference for their conservation.

Francisco P. Molina, Nerea Montes-Pérez, Luis Villagarcía, Ignasi Bartomeus. Mapping wild bee diversity and flower use for an effective conservation of the Doñana biodiversity hotspot. Insect Conservation and Diversity. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/icad.70121

More than half of the 73 brown bear incursions into villages across the Cantabrian Mountains analyzed by the CSIC were driven by the search for fruit. The study, published in ‘Scientific Reports’, proposes preventive measures to reduce conflicts and promote coexistence between rural communities and brown bears.


Díaz-Fernández, M., Naves, J., de Gabriel Hernando, M. et al. Patterns of brown bear (Ursus arctos) visits to human settlements provide insights for human–wildlife coexistence. Scientific Reports. DOI: doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-47443-4

The study, led by the Doñana Biological Station (EBD-CSIC), identifies climate change and the availability of floral resources as the main factors influencing ageing and physiological wear in the western honeybee (Apis mellifera). The findings suggest that these pollinators may be able to buffer, to some extent, the effects directly associated with human activities, such as urbanisation and certain types of pollution.

Pablo Burraco, Néstor Pérez-Méndez, Sofía Graffigna, Lucía C. Martínez, Joana P. Haedo, Michel Sciberras, Mara A. Maldonado, Juan P. Torretta, Gabriel Pompozzi, Sofia Copperi, Francisco Miranda, Guadalupe Peralta, Leopoldo J. Álvarez, Luis I. Pérez, Mariana L. Allasino, Mary E. R. Diniz, María P. Pascual-Tudanca, Rocío González-Vaquero, Diego P. Vázquez, Jorgelina C. Altamirano, Bilikis T. Folarin, Giulia Poma, Adrian Covaci, Hugo J. Marrero. Ageing in honeybees: telomere length is driven by climate and resource availability rather than urbanisation or pollution. Global Change Biology. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.71014

An international research team, including scientists from the Doñana Biological Station, will investigate how insects respond to the sudden darkness caused by the total solar eclipse crossing Spain on 12 August. The researchers expect to detect the early emergence of nocturnal and crepuscular species.

A study led by the Doñana Biological Station (EBD-CSIC) concludes that the high mortality of Iberian wolf explains why their population has remained stagnant in recent decades. Reducing the mortality rate of the Iberian wolf is key to improve the conservation status of the species, classified as “Vulnerable” in Spain and “In danger” in Portugal by the UICN

Morales-González, A., Fernández-Gil, A., Quevedo, M., Kramer-Schadt, S., Paniw, M. & Revilla, E. (2026). Resident mortality determines grey wolf range dynamics. Journal of Applied Ecology, 63, e70465. https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2664.70465

 The two platforms allow users to explore, visualise and download high-resolution environmental data. Hydromet provides near real-time hydrometeorological information from the Doñana marshes at five-minute intervals, while Meteo Palacio offers access to a historical meteorological dataset spanning more than 45 years of continuous observations.

Researchers from the Doñana Biological Station (EBD-CSIC) and the University of Milan have identified four new species of tiny blood-feeding flies belonging to the genus Leptoconops, an insect group of importance for public and animal health. The discovery was made during mosquito surveillance campaigns carried out to monitor the presence of West Nile virus across Andalusia.

Paun-Tanase DI, González MA, Magallanes S, Naro G, Epis S, Figuerola J (2026) Hidden diversity in Europe: new species and a revised taxonomy of the subgenus Leptoconops (Leptoconops) (Diptera, Ceratopogonidae). ZooKeys 1279: 201-239. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1279.186179

An international study involving the Doñana Biological Station shows that the wintering areas of the European pied flycatcher are determined by both genetic inheritance and natal environment. The research reveals that all birds, from Spain to Siberia, migrate via the Iberian Peninsula and the West African coast, representing a major detour for Siberian populations. Understanding the links between breeding and wintering areas improves predictions of how migratory species may adapt to climate change.

Lamers, K.P., Ouwehand, J., Ubels, R., Nicolaus, M., Camacho, C., Potti, J. … & Both, C. 2026. Innate factors and ontog-eny determine non-breeding areas of migrant songbirds. Science, DOI: /doi/10.1126/science.ads0532

An international study led by the University of Freiburg, with the participation of the Doñana Biological Station – CSIC, has analyzed wildlife activity in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone before, during, and after the 2022 Russian occupation. The results reveal immediate changes in the activity patterns of several mammal species due to military activity, with impacts varying depending on the species and the intensity of the disturbance


Svitlana Kudrenko, Richard Bischof, Andreas Zedrosser, Nuria Selva, Kateryna Korepanova, Denys Vishnevskiy, Martin Gahbauer, Serhii Obrizan, Serhii Domashevskiy, Oleksandr Borsuk, Alona Varukha, Marco Heurich. Changes in wildlife activity patterns in response to war in Ucraine. Science www.doi.org/10.1126/science.aed1493