ecology

A study led by the CSIC, which has analysed more than four million records of wild bees and hoverflies — known as flower flies — in Europe over the last century, shows that the majority of bee species and approximately half of the hoverfly species have experienced a decline. The study, published in PNAS, covers data on 88 per cent of these species and highlights that, by region, there were declines in the Atlantic and continental zones for both groups of pollinators, whilst recent increases were observed in the Alpine region in the case of bees.

Transboundary aquifers are groundwater reserves that extend across the territory of two or more countries, as is the case between Spain and Portugal. Globally, these aquifers supply 35 per cent of farmland irrigated with groundwater, but few are covered by international cooperation agreements. A study published in the journal PNAS has analysed water use in the 426 known transboundary aquifers. The results find no evidence that these aquifers, on average, suffer greater depletion than those located within a single country, although depletion tends to be concentrated near borders.

The peaks of European mountains such as the Pyrenees or the Sierra Nevada may be gaining plant species as the climate warms, but this apparent increase in biodiversity is masking a growing wave of local extinctions. These are the main conclusions of a study published in the journal Science, which includes Spanish participation and analyses nearly a thousand vegetation plots spread across 62 European mountain peaks. The reason is that higher-altitude mountain regions have gained plant species in recent decades as plants from lower altitudes have expanded up the slopes, but this may mask the decline or disappearance of specialised, high-altitude resident species.

So far this year, up to 20 August, 262,000 hectares have been burnt in Spain, compared with the average of 105,600 hectares burnt between 2015 and 2024. Large-scale wildfires, exacerbated by climate change, are increasing both in frequency and in the area affected. But what happens in the forests after a fire? Can the woodland regenerate on its own? What criteria should be followed? We analyse, with the help of experts, how these ecosystems recover and what measures are taken to protect and restore them.

A study published in Science Advances has shown that areas affected by extreme wildfires – characterised by rapid spread and great difficulty in extinguishing them – have lower tree cover and reduced resilience compared to less intense fires, which may lead to long-term changes in vegetation. The team analysed 32.1 million hectares of coniferous forest in Canada and the western United States that were affected by fires between 2012 and 2023. Of this area, more than a third was burnt by extreme fires. In these cases, they observed that the faster the fire front advances, the greater the size and severity of the fire and the greater the distance from seed sources for the surviving trees, paving the way for long-term changes in vegetation.

Next Monday, 17 August, COP17 on desertification gets underway in Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia). This is the first of three environmental summits to be held this year. The next event will be in Yerevan (Armenia), where the COP17 on biodiversity will be held from 19 to 30 October, and the year will conclude with the COP31 on climate change, which will take place in Antalya (Turkey) from 9 to 20 November and will be co-chaired by Australia. Why has there been no proposal for a single summit encompassing all three? Would a climate summit held every two years, like those on biodiversity and desertification, be more appropriate? With the United States out of the picture, who is leading them? To answer these and other questions, SMC Spain organised a briefing session with experts who have extensive experience of this type of summit.

A meta-analysis published today in PNAS shows that, globally, the loss of agricultural production due to insufficient pollination has declined since the 1980s, primarily thanks to the use of honeybees. The research includes 165 studies published between 1950 and 2019, the results of which showed that fields without managed pollinators did not exhibit a clear reduction in this loss of productivity. According to the authors, this type of pollination has mitigated yield losses, but the heavy reliance on a single pollinator species—the common honeybee—poses risks to agriculture. 

In December 2025, the European Commission proposed new rules for the placing on the market of genetically modified microorganisms (GMMs). Tomorrow, European Union health ministers will vote to adopt the position of the Council of the European Union (EU) on this proposal. The Commission, the Council, and the European Parliament must agree on the final version of the legislative text.

Decades ago, concerns began to be raised about the decline in honeybee populations. Although their situation has improved, the same cannot be said for other pollinating insects. Together, they enable the reproduction of nearly 90% of flowering plants and directly contribute to three out of every four crops that feed the world. We examine the causes of this decline, their current situation, and the measures being taken to protect them.

The deliberate consumption of soil—known as geophagy—is a common practice among animals, either to supplement their diet or as a protective mechanism against intoxication and other digestive issues. For the first time, a research team with Spanish participation has documented this behaviour in Barbary macaques in Gibraltar, particularly during the summer, when tourist numbers peak. This has led the authors of the study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, to hypothesise that the purpose of geophagy is to mitigate the digestive discomfort caused by food provided by visitors.