The results of the archaeological excavation of levels 1, 2 and 3 of the cave Pico Ramos (Biscay, Basque Country) are explained. On the level 3 of this site a Chalcolithic burial has been recovered. Non calibrated 14 C dates are: 4790 ±... more
The results of the archaeological excavation of levels 1, 2 and 3 of the cave Pico Ramos (Biscay, Basque Country) are explained. On the level 3 of this site a Chalcolithic burial has been recovered. Non calibrated 14 C dates are: 4790 ± 110, 4210 ± 110 and 4100 ± 110 B.P. The cave was used for funerary purposes from the beginning of the Chalcolithic until Beaker times. The ritual of this multiple tomb consists of an accumulation of individual priman/deposits and the mni is 104. Together with the human bones, numerous artifacts made of flint, bone, ceramics. lignit, moluscs, copper and polished stone have been recovered, all of them within tipical Chalcolithic types of Western Europe. The human group that used the cave practised broad subsistence strategies which included hunting-gathering as well as farming.
Plant macro-remains analyses show that cereal agriculture is present from at least mid- 5th millennium cal BC by the coast of the Basque Country. During the Neolithic barley (Hordeum vulgare) and emmer wheat (Triticum dicoccum) are the... more
Plant macro-remains analyses show that cereal agriculture is present from at least mid- 5th millennium cal BC by the coast of the Basque Country. During the Neolithic barley (Hordeum vulgare) and emmer wheat (Triticum dicoccum) are the only cereals identified so far. In the Bronze Age, the cave of Arenaza suggests that free-threshing wheats (Triticum aestivum/durum) had become the main crop of the region and millet (Setaria italica) is present. During the Iron Age the hillfort of Intxur shows a complex and diverse agriculture with spelt (Triticum spelta) being a very important crop.
El yacimiento de Mandañu ha sido localizado durante una campaña de prospección arqueológica al aire libre en la comarca de Uribe Kosta. Se compone de un conjunto de 237 restos líticos, asignables en su mayoría al Neolítico... more
El yacimiento de Mandañu ha sido localizado durante una campaña de prospección arqueológica al aire libre en la comarca de Uribe Kosta. Se compone de un conjunto de 237 restos líticos, asignables en su mayoría al Neolítico Final-Calcolítico. El estudio de los sistemas de talla permite identificar una producción laminar de calidad destinada a la producción de soportes muy regulares que frecuentemente se localizan en yacimientos funerarios y de habitación de este periodo. Mandañu's site has been located during a campaign of archaeological surface prospecting in Uribe Kosta's region. It contains a set of 237 lithic remains, most of them may be assigned to the Final Neolithic-Calcolithic. The technological analysis have allowed the identification of a high quality blade production system destined to the obtention of very regular supports that frequently are located in funeral deposits and habitats of this period.
The main conclusions of this work are that this indigenous populations along the coast of the Bay of Biscay adopted farming. According to pollen data, the first crops were present from at least ca. 5200–4700 cal BC and macro-remains... more
The main conclusions of this work are that this indigenous populations along the coast of the Bay of Biscay adopted farming. According to pollen data, the first crops were present from at least ca. 5200–4700 cal BC and macro-remains (caryopses of wheat and barley) have only been identified in contexts dated from ca. 4700 BC. Thus, there is a time lag between the first agriculture in the region compared with that in the other Iberian regions (Catalonia, Valencia, northern Meseta and Andaluc ́ıa), where radiocarbon dates carried out on cereals are as early as ca. 5600–5100 cal BC. This gap may, however, only be due to the lack of archaeological information for the fourth millennium cal BC in the Basque-Cantabrian region. I do not think it is a question of ‘resistance’ to the adoption of farming, as has been documented in other European coastal territories. In fact, the high values of domestic fauna in Arenaza, Kobaederra and El Mir ́on from 5100–4500 cal BC suggest that there may have been an earlier transitional phase.
This work recognises five species of Paradiopatra from southwestern Europe, represented in the Bay of Biscay, the Atlantic coasts of Iberia and the western Mediterranean Sea. One species, Paradiopatra florencioi sp. nov., is newly... more
This work recognises five species of Paradiopatra from southwestern Europe, represented in the Bay of Biscay, the Atlantic coasts of Iberia and the western Mediterranean Sea. One species, Paradiopatra florencioi sp. nov., is newly described from the Cantabrian slope, northern Spain. We are presenting detailed diagnoses of all species and report ontogenetic changes of P. bihanica and P. hispanica. Scanning electron microscopy elucidated previously known Meth-ylene Blue or Green staining patterns of the ventral glandular pads as cuticular pores. A dichotomous key to all species is included.
Preliminary results from the excavation of the cave site Kobaederra are presented. For the moment, the stratigraphy -more than two meters deep- goes from the early Neolithic (ca. 4500 cal B.C.) to the Bronze Age. The most interesting... more
Preliminary results from the excavation of the cave site Kobaederra are presented. For the moment, the stratigraphy -more than two meters deep- goes from the early Neolithic (ca. 4500 cal B.C.) to the Bronze Age. The most interesting information relates to prehistoric agriculture. The analysis of bothanical macro-remains shows that barley (Hordeum vulgare) was present at the oldest occupation and emmer wheat (Triticum dicoccum) and millet (Panicum/Setaria) in the upper level.
Los primeros campos cultivados se establecen en el V milenio a.C. en un paisaje de robledal, en pequeños claros antrópicos o naturales, probablemente aprovechando los suelos de ladera, más potentes en la época y más fáciles de trabajar y... more
Los primeros campos cultivados se establecen en el V milenio a.C. en un paisaje de robledal, en pequeños claros antrópicos o naturales, probablemente aprovechando los suelos de ladera, más potentes en la época y más fáciles de trabajar y limpiar que los profundos y boscosos suelos de valle. El aprovechamiento de los frutos recolectados se mantiene centrado básicamente en los mismos productos que abastecieron a las poblaciones del Mesolítico local, y es muy probable que hayan tenido un importante papel en la subsistencia humana por la posibilidad de desarrollo de técnicas de conservación mediante el tostado y el secado. La ganadería está basada en obicápridos, bóvidos y cerdo y se encuentra en un proceso de expansión a largo plazo. Sin embargo, continúa la explotación de ungulados salvajes y el aprovechamiento de los recursos marisqueros, sobre todo los procedentes de los especialmente ricos estuarios del V milenio a.C. El bosque va sufriendo una profunda alteración. En el Holoceno medio encontramos instalado un denso robledal que aprovecha las excelentes condiciones de humedad y temperatura del período Atlántico, apenas alterado por las prácticas de los cazadores-recolectores mesolíticos. La introducción de la agricultura y de la ganadería y un aprovechamiento más intensivo de algunos recursos vegetales llevan a una apertura de claros, primero de forma tímida y acelerada más tarde. La intensificación de estas prácticas produce una alteración más generalizada que probablemente afecta a la cubierta edáfica y favorece con posterioridad la instalación de los encinares en los suelos cálcicos adelgazados.
We summarize the available data about neolithic agriculture from the european atlantic façade, discussing some common assumptions for this area: continuity between the Mesolithic and the Neolithic, limited importance of the first crops... more
We summarize the available data about neolithic agriculture from the european atlantic façade, discussing some common assumptions for this area: continuity between the Mesolithic and the Neolithic, limited importance of the first crops and high mobility. The first crops reach atlantic Europe in the Vth millenium cal BC. Atlantic agriculture is, particularly in the North, related to its european foci but it also presents peculiar features such as the cultivation of crops adapted to wetter conditions (hulled wheats like emmer and barley) and the selection of agrarian practices like the harvesting of cereals without sickles. There seems to exist a long period in which wild foods play an important role in human subsistence. However, the lower visibility of cereals when compared to other foods needs to be taken into account. The type of sites that have been sampled –almost exclusively caves in southern areas- may be biasing the general picture.
The polychaetous annelid Diopatra biscayensis Fauchald et al., 2012 was recently described from the Atlantic coast of France. It has been the subject of a plethora of publications dealing with its importance in the field of ecology: from... more
The polychaetous annelid Diopatra biscayensis Fauchald et al., 2012 was recently described from the Atlantic coast of France. It has been the subject of a plethora of publications dealing with its importance in the field of ecology: from its role as an ecosystem engineer, being an indicative species of climate change in western Europe to questions of whether it was native or introduced to the old continent, spawning theories about its hypothetical routes of introduction and spreading. We have redescribed D. biscayensis, traced its biogeographical history in the Bay of Biscay through examination of old museum holdings and studied its ecology and reproductive biology throughout a one year period from a northern Spain estuary, showing for the first time that the species is a protandric simultaneous hermaphrodite. The annual spawning season is from early August to late September, when large numbers of oocytes of 260 mm diameter were deposited in gelatinous egg masses attached to the parental tubes. Early trochophores developed in the jelly mass by 4e6 h, 3-chaetiger metatrochophores after 48 h, and the jelly mass had totally disintegrated by 72 h, releasing the lecithotrophic larvae. Our studies have clarified the morphology and reproductive pattern of D. biscayensis, documented that the species has inhabited the European waters for more than a century and we hope that these findings will serve as a basis to robust ecological studies and hypotheses concerning this and the related species.
El yacimiento en cueva de Pico Ramos (Muskiz, Bizkaia) presenta dos niveles arqueológicos: un nivel de ocupación fechado a principios del 5º milenio cal. BC y otro sepulcral suprayacente de mediados del 4º milenio cal BC. En este artículo... more
El yacimiento en cueva de Pico Ramos (Muskiz, Bizkaia) presenta dos niveles arqueológicos: un nivel de ocupación fechado a principios del 5º milenio cal. BC y otro sepulcral suprayacente de mediados del 4º milenio cal BC. En este artículo se estudia la función del utillaje lítico de los útiles de ambos niveles. En el nivel más antiguo se ha documentado la existencia de elementos de proyectil, trabajos de carnicería y labores someras de reparación de utillaje. En el nivel Calcolítico destaca la presencia de puntas de flecha, algunas láminas empleadas para el corte de la piel y otras usadas para el corte de cereales.
Seismic interpretation of the MARCONI deep seismic survey enables recognition of the upper crustal structure of the eastern part of the Bay of Biscay and the main features of its Alpine geodynamic evolution. The new data denotes that two... more
Seismic interpretation of the MARCONI deep seismic survey enables recognition of the upper crustal structure of the eastern part of the Bay of Biscay and the main features of its Alpine geodynamic evolution. The new data denotes that two domains with different Pyrenean and north foreland structures exist in the Bay of Biscay. In the eastern or Basque‐Parentis Domain, the North Pyrenean front is located close to the Spanish coast, and the northern foreland of the Pyrenees is con- stituted by a continental crust thinned by a north dip- ping fault that induced the formation of the Early Cretaceous Parentis Basin. In the western or Cantab- rian Domain, the North Pyrenean front is shifted to the north and deforms a narrower and deeper foreland basin which lies on the top of a transitional crust formed from the exhumation of lithospheric mantle along a south dipping extensional low‐angle fault during the Early Cretaceous. The transition between these two domains corresponds to a soft tran...
Seismic interpretation of the MARCONI deep seismic survey enables recognition of the upper crustal structure of the eastern part of the Bay of Biscay and the main features of its Alpine geodynamic evolution. The new data denotes that two... more
Seismic interpretation of the MARCONI deep seismic survey enables recognition of the upper crustal structure of the eastern part of the Bay of Biscay and the main features of its Alpine geodynamic evolution. The new data denotes that two domains with different Pyrenean and north foreland structures exist in the Bay of Biscay. In the eastern or Basque‐Parentis Domain, the North Pyrenean front is located close to the Spanish coast, and the northern foreland of the Pyrenees is con- stituted by a continental crust thinned by a north dip- ping fault that induced the formation of the Early Cretaceous Parentis Basin. In the western or Cantab- rian Domain, the North Pyrenean front is shifted to the north and deforms a narrower and deeper foreland basin which lies on the top of a transitional crust formed from the exhumation of lithospheric mantle along a south dipping extensional low‐angle fault during the Early Cretaceous. The transition between these two domains corresponds to a soft transfer zone linking the shifted North Pyrenean fronts and a north‐ to WNW‐directed thrust that places the continental crust of the Landes Plateau over the transitional crust of the Bay of Biscay abyssal plain. Comparison between this structure and regional data enables char- acterization of the extensional rift system developed between Iberia and Eurasia during the Late Jurassic and Cretaceous and recognizes that this rift system controlled not only the location and features of the Pyrenean thrust sheets but also the overall structure of this orogen.
Principales novedades en el estudio de la neolitización del Cantábrico. Las especias domésticas, tanto animales como vegetales, se introdujeron en la región a comienzos del V milenio cal BC, integrándose de forma paulatina en el sistema... more
Principales novedades en el estudio de la neolitización del Cantábrico. Las especias domésticas, tanto animales como vegetales, se introdujeron en la región a comienzos del V milenio cal BC, integrándose de forma paulatina en el sistema económico de comunidades indígenas que siguieron practicando una estrategia de subsistencia de espectro amplio, no muy diferente de la del Mesolítico. Será a partir del IV milenio cal BC cuando se empiecen a detectar indicios de preferencia hacia las actividades agropecuarias, junto con manifestaciones relativamente completas de comportamiento ritual.
Seasonality might have been a key factor for early farming societies. If the people occupying Pico Ramos or Herriko Barra had incipient farming practices, maybe with poor results, the months before the harvesting of cereals would be the... more
Seasonality might have been a key factor for early farming societies. If the people occupying Pico Ramos or Herriko Barra had incipient farming practices, maybe with poor results, the months before the harvesting of cereals would be the most critical time, the lean period when they might rely on wild products. This is of course the time when red deer was hunted and brought back to sites like Herriko Barra and molluscs were gathered and consumed in the cave at Pico Ramos We might also question how the landscape was used. In the large cave sites domestic animals dominate, but whenever cereal macro-remains are present, they only offer a few remains of clean grain with no weeds or chaff. This suggests that agricultural activities most probably took place somewhere else and that caves from the Neolithic are likely to have been used for particular activities (Bouby 2003) such as storage places, areas for keeping animals, or ritual space.
The European anchovy, Engraulis encrasicolus, in the Bay of Biscay suffered a collapse in census population size (N c) starting in 2002, from which it did not recover until 2010. The slow recovery raised concern over sustainability,... more
The European anchovy, Engraulis encrasicolus, in the Bay of Biscay suffered a collapse in census population size (N c) starting in 2002, from which it did not recover until 2010. The slow recovery raised concern over sustainability, potential reduction in adaptive potential, and vulnerability to local extirpation. Long- and short-term effective population size (N e), N e/N c ratio, and other genetic parameters were estimated to evaluate demographic signals of population decline. A total of 349 neutral single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were screened in 330 anchovy individuals from the Bay of Biscay distributed across a 20-year period. We show that N c fluctuations have not significantly affected short-term N e, and therefore, genetic diversity has remained stable throughout the recent collapse. This study illustrates that N e estimates should be incorporated into management plans. Our results on short-term N e suggested that the anchovy in the Bay of Biscay has not faced any recent severe threat of losing evolutionary potential due to genetic drift. However, differences between short- and long-term N e estimates suggested that the Bay of Biscay anchovy population may be currently much smaller than in the historical past.
River plumes are important features in coastal ecosystems and more studies are necessary to improve our knowledge about their influence on the distribution and dispersion of plankton, especially at small scales. Four surveys were... more
River plumes are important features in coastal ecosystems and more studies are necessary to improve our knowledge about their influence on the distribution and dispersion of plankton, especially at small scales. Four surveys were conducted in the Nalo´n River mouth (Spain, southern Bay of Biscay) to study the effect of the river plume front on the distribution of doliolids (Doliolum nationalis) and salps (Thalia democratica). During each survey, surface currents, physicochemical variables and plankton distribution were measured by means of several GPS-tracked drifters, a CTD probe and a surface floating bongo net. Thaliacean abundance was related mainly to the intensity of the offshore convergent flow at the plume front, and less to physicochemical or biological parameters. Surface thaliacean abundances were lower at the plume and higher on the oceanic side of the front, and peaked closer to the foam line in fronts with stronger convergent flow. The distance between the point of maximum thaliacean abundance and the front was significantly correlated with a ratio of individual swimming speed to convergent current velocity. We interpret this result in terms of their capacity to oppose convergent flow.
Long-term studies are necessary to gain insight into the influence of external climate forcing on zooplankton dynamics. Using monthly time series (1993–2010) collected in the Cantabrian Sea (southern Bay of Biscay), we studied long-term... more
Long-term studies are necessary to gain insight into the influence of external climate forcing on zooplankton dynamics. Using monthly time series (1993–2010) collected in the Cantabrian Sea (southern Bay of Biscay), we studied long-term trends and seasonal cycles of zooplankton abundance and biomass along a coastal-ocean gradient. We also analysed changes in environmental variables such as sea surface temperature (SST) and chlorophyll a concentration. Zooplankton abundance and biomass increased during the study period, with greater increases in biomass towards the coast and for larger size classes. These results contrast with the decrease in biomass and size expected under global warming, which is shown in the region by the rise in summer SST, suggesting the operation of other processes. Indeed, winter mixing and coastal upwelling were key drivers of zooplankton dynamics in spring and autumn, respectively. In these seasons, zooplankton inter-annual increases were stronger. Including these hydrographic processes in future models of zooplankton dynamics for the Bay of Biscay and other temperate areas will improve their accuracy. Our results highlight the importance of disentangling the main mechanisms behind long-term changes in zooplankton, especially within the context of climate change.
Presentation of the results of the project "The origins of peasant societies in the Cantabrian region". This research has documented several stratigraphic sequences, which may contribute to a better definition of the evolution of the... more
Presentation of the results of the project "The origins of peasant societies in the Cantabrian region". This research has documented several stratigraphic sequences, which may contribute to a better definition of the evolution of the societies living in that part of Iberia from the Mesolithic to the Bronze Age. Concerning the Neolithic, it must be stressed that the groups occupying the region were practising agriculture and stock herding since, at least, the second third of fifth millennium cal BC.
The spring phytoplankton bloom plays a key role in the dynamics of temperate and polar seas. Nevertheless, the mechanisms and processes behind these blooms remain a subject of considerable debate. We analyzed the influence of deep mixing... more
The spring phytoplankton bloom plays a key role in the dynamics of temperate and polar seas. Nevertheless, the mechanisms and processes behind these blooms remain a subject of considerable debate. We analyzed the influence of deep mixing during winter on the spring phytoplankton bloom in the Cantabrian Sea (southern Bay of Biscay). To this end, we combined long-term physical and biogeochemical in situ data (1993–2012) and satellite observations (1997–2012). Deeper winter mixing led to higher nitrate and chlorophyll concentrations through the water column during the spring bloom. However, this effect was modified by short-term variability in near-surface stratification in spring. Winter-mixing preconditioning also influenced different spring bloom metrics: deeper and later mixing in winter was followed by later blooms with a larger peak. In these enhanced blooms, nitrate was taken up at faster rates, indicating higher rates of phytoplankton production. Winters with weaker mixing (that led to weaker spring blooms) were associated with warmer surface temperatures. This relationship suggests that the multi-decadal trend toward warmer surface temperatures in the Bay of Biscay may promote a decrease in the magnitude of the spring bloom, which could impact upper trophic levels and also deep carbon export in the future.
Los resultados disponibles hasta el momento para Euskal Herria en los primeros milenios del Holoceno muestran en la vertiente atlántica una explotación intensiva de las formaciones de robledal de Quercus subg. Quercus (roble albar,... more
Los resultados disponibles hasta el momento para Euskal Herria en los primeros milenios del Holoceno muestran en la vertiente atlántica una explotación intensiva de las formaciones de robledal de Quercus subg. Quercus (roble albar, pedunculado, pubescente, quejigo, melojo), mientras que en la vertiente meditárrena el protagonismo es para el pino, siendo posteriormente sustituido por el roble.
We present the result of the analises of plant macroremains (charcoal, fruits and seeds) from the archaeological excavation carried out at Santa María La Real (Zarautz). One group of samples is dated to the roman age and the others are... more
We present the result of the analises of plant macroremains (charcoal, fruits and seeds) from the archaeological excavation carried out at Santa María La Real (Zarautz). One group of samples is dated to the roman age and the others are medieval. The earliest ones include a bigger diversity of crops (hulled wheats such as Triticum dicoccum and Triticum spelta, free-threshing wheats, barley and Italian millet). The most recent ones include wheat and Italian millet. In both cases Setaria italica (Italian millet) is the most abundant crop. A minimum number of 15 arboreal species are represented in the charcoal analysis. Deciduous oaks sum more than half the fragments followed by alder.
Este trabajo presenta datos sobre el cultivo de cereales en la Euskal Herria atlántica durante este siglo analizándose las diferentes prácticas y tareas agrícolas. Los datos etnográficos obtenidos constituyen un elemento importante para... more
Este trabajo presenta datos sobre el cultivo de cereales en la Euskal Herria atlántica durante este siglo analizándose las diferentes prácticas y tareas agrícolas. Los datos etnográficos obtenidos constituyen un elemento importante para justificar la existencia de una agricultura cerealista en esta zona en época prehistórica.
The effect of coastal upwelling on the recruitment and connectivity of coastal marine populations has rarely been characterized to a level of detail to be included into sound fishery management strategies. The gooseneck barnacle... more
The effect of coastal upwelling on the recruitment and connectivity of coastal marine populations has rarely been characterized to a level of detail to be included into sound fishery management strategies. The gooseneck barnacle (Pollicipes pollicipes) fishery at the Cantabrian Coast (Northern Spain) is located at the fringes of the NW Spanish Upwelling system. This fishery is being co-managed through a fine-scale, interspersed set of protected rocks where each rock receives a distinct level of protection. Such interspersion is potentially beneficial, but the extent to which such spacing is consistent with mean larval dispersal distances is as yet unknown. We have simulated the spread of gooseneck barnacle larvae in the Central Cantabrian Coast using a high-resolution time-series of current profiles measured at a nearshore location. During a year of high upwelling activity (2009), theoretical recruitment success was 94% with peak recruitment predicted 56 km west of the emission point. However, for a year of low upwelling activity (2011) theoretical recruitment success dropped to 15.4% and peak recruitment was expected 13 km east of the emission point. This is consistent with a positive correlation between catch rates and the Integrated Upwelling Index, using a 4-year lag to allow recruits to reach commercial size. Furthermore, a net long-term westward larval transport was estimated by means of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences for five populations in the Cantabrian Sea. Our results call into question the role of long distance dispersal, driven by the mesoscale processes in the area, in gooseneck barnacle populations and point to the prevalent role of small-scale, asymmetric connectivity more consistent with the typical scale of the co-management process in this fishery.
Se distinguen los siguientes conjuntos: 1. Conjuntos botánicos de posible origen antrópico en cotas superiores con elementos indicadores de presencia de coníferas y carbón de madera. En el Sondeo ER-1 este episodio se ha datado por 14C c.... more
Se distinguen los siguientes conjuntos: 1. Conjuntos botánicos de posible origen antrópico en cotas superiores con elementos indicadores de presencia de coníferas y carbón de madera. En el Sondeo ER-1 este episodio se ha datado por 14C c. s. XVI-XVIII pero hay elementos más modernos 2. Conjuntos botánicos de origen natural: se trata de tallos, tejidos de epidermis, raíces, musgos, semillas, floema o cortezas de árboles. Algunas de estas muestras tienen un gran interés paleoambiental por la alta frecuencia y diversidad de los materiales.
The archaeological intervention realized in the site of Santa Catalina cave has provided a sequence of the advanced Magdalenian and Azilian occupations. The archaeological register is really abundant not only in industrial remains but... more
The archaeological intervention realized in the site of Santa Catalina cave has provided a sequence of the advanced Magdalenian and Azilian occupations. The archaeological register is really abundant not only in industrial remains but also in palaeofauna collections. It includes an interesting collection of craft furniture on a lithium and osseus support.
AMS dating of cereals in Iberia is starting to provide a better chronological framework for the origins of agriculture. The first dates cluster in the central and second part of the 6th millenium BC, although they are later for the... more
AMS dating of cereals in Iberia is starting to provide a better chronological framework for the origins of agriculture. The first dates cluster in the central and second part of the 6th millenium BC, although they are later for the northern Atlantic coast. This delay in the north might be a result of current research although some have proposed a resistance to the adoption of agriculture in an Ertebølle-like scenario.
Understanding the response of chlorophyll-a (as a proxy for phytoplankton biomass) to both anthropogenic pressures and natural factors is important for water quality assessment purposes and for the management of biological resources. In... more
Understanding the response of chlorophyll-a (as a proxy for phytoplankton biomass) to both anthropogenic pressures and natural factors is important for water quality assessment purposes and for the management of biological resources. In the Basque coastal area, discharges produced by the Adour and Nervión rivers (south-eastern part of the Bay of Biscay) have been proven to reach up to 15-20 km off the coast. The first objective of this study was to describe the spatial and temporal variability of chlorophyll-a in the Basque coast and the Bay of Biscay, in relation to river discharges at a daily, seasonal and inter-annual scale using MODIS images acquired between 2005 and 2010. The second objective was to offer a synoptic description of the spatio-temporal variability of chlorophyll-a in the entire Bay of Biscay, using multivariate statistical methods and satellite imagery. The results indicate that seasonal chlorophyll-a cycle is slightly different in coastal areas affected by the Adour and the Nervión river waters, compared to offshore waters. The spring chlorophyll-a peak in March in offshore waters shifts to May in the Adour nearby area Nervión. The multivariate statistical analysis highlights the influence of river discharges in the spatial variability of chlorophyll-a in coastal areas of the bay. The Spanish and French Basque coastal waters are differentiated in terms of chlorophyll-a concentrations levels reached, river regimes and morphology of the continental shelf. Statistical and indicator maps have been created to represent the main components of chlorophyll-a variability in the area of study. They confirm that, at present, phytoplankton is at good status and eutrophication risk is low in the Basque coastal waters. These maps may provide water quality indicators in a continuous spatial distribution in the area and may be used for the selection of water quality stations as a function of the dynamics of the water masses characterised.
The human groups that lived on the Basque coast during the beginning of the 4th millenium BC developed broad spectrum subsistence strategies where plant foods could have played a major role. It is not known when agricultural practices... more
The human groups that lived on the Basque coast during the beginning of the 4th millenium BC developed broad spectrum subsistence strategies where plant foods could have played a major role. It is not known when agricultural practices started although it is suggested that they were previous or parallel to megalithism.
During this campaign, we excavated several stratigraphic units which reveal a sequence that includes a possible Mousterian context (Middle Palaeolithic). All are rich contexts in terms of lithic and faunal assemblages.
En la excavación efectuada y hasta la base que hemos alcanzado en los cuadros AF55 y AG55 hemos podido documentar nuevas unidades estratigráficas que se añaden al contexto arqueológico anteriormente excavado para ayudarnos a comprender la... more
En la excavación efectuada y hasta la base que hemos alcanzado en los cuadros AF55 y AG55 hemos podido documentar nuevas unidades estratigráficas que se añaden al contexto arqueológico anteriormente excavado para ayudarnos a comprender la secuencia cronológica de esta cavidad.
The pelagic phases of the commercially important stalked barnacle, Pollicipes pollicipes (Cirripedia: Scalpellomorpha), still remain a knowledge gap due to the extreme paucity of these larvae in the plankton. During four cruises at the... more
The pelagic phases of the commercially important stalked barnacle, Pollicipes pollicipes (Cirripedia: Scalpellomorpha), still remain a knowledge gap due to the extreme paucity of these larvae in the plankton. During four cruises at the Nalón River mouth (Spain, Southern Bay of Biscay) high densities of these larvae were consistently found inside the river plume. Surface currents, hydrographic conditions and meroplankton distributions were measured during each cruise by means of several GPS-tracked drifters, a CTD probe and a surface floating bongo net. Surface abundance of P. pollicipes larvae reached densities over 300 individuals per cubic meter within the plume and only 24 outside, and were strongly and positively correlated with chlorophyll a concentrations. Larvae were probably gathered and entrained into the river plume by offshore convergent currents. We conclude that river plumes might act as nurseries for P. pollicipes larvae due to their enhanced food supply and their mechanistic effect of aggregation.
The European anchovy, Engraulis encrasicolus, in the Bay of Biscay suffered a collapse in census population size (N c) starting in 2002, from which it did not recover until 2010. The slow recovery raised concern over sustainability,... more
The European anchovy, Engraulis encrasicolus, in the Bay of Biscay suffered a collapse in census population size (N c) starting in 2002, from which it did not recover until 2010. The slow recovery raised concern over sustainability, potential reduction in adaptive potential, and vulnerability to local extirpation. Long- and short-term effective population size (N e), N e/N c ratio, and other genetic parameters were estimated to evaluate demographic signals of population decline. A total of 349 neutral single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were screened in 330 anchovy individuals from the Bay of Biscay distributed across a 20-year period. We show that N c fluctuations have not significantly affected short-term N e, and therefore, genetic diversity has remained stable throughout the recent collapse. This study illustrates that N e estimates should be incorporated into management plans. Our results on short-term N e suggested that the anchovy in the Bay of Biscay has not faced any rec...
We present the result of the analises of plant macroremains (charcoal, fruits and seeds) from the archaeological excavation carried out at Santa Maria La Real (Zarautz). One group of samples is dated to the roman age and the others are... more
We present the result of the analises of plant macroremains (charcoal, fruits and seeds) from the archaeological excavation carried out at Santa Maria La Real (Zarautz). One group of samples is dated to the roman age and the others are medieval. The earliest ones include a bigger diversity of crops (hulled wheats such as Triticum dicoccum and Triticum spelta, free-threshing wheats, barley and Italian millet). The most recent ones include wheat and Italian millet. In both cases Setaria italica (Italian millet) is the most abundant crop. A minimum number of 15 arboreal species are represented in the charcoal analysis. Deciduous oaks sum more than half the fragments followed by alder.
Excavation of a Neolithic tomb containing one individual, complex structure but without funerary deposits. Opening of a new sector reveals Bronze Age and Chalcolithic levels.
En la Galería Principal hemos documentado una secuencia de 1,60 m de profundidad con varias unidades estratigráficas que incluyen cerámica, restos de cultivos y fauna doméstica. La datación de un hueso de bóvido de la base del sondeo ha... more
En la Galería Principal hemos documentado una secuencia de 1,60 m de profundidad con varias unidades estratigráficas que incluyen cerámica, restos de cultivos y fauna doméstica. La datación de un hueso de bóvido de la base del sondeo ha proporcionado una cronología que corresponde a la Edad del Bronce (Beta 317437: 4240-4010 cal BP / 2290-2060 cal BC) y que es coherente con toda la secuencia.
The site of Kobaederra (Kortezubi, Biscay), being excavated from 1995, has provided new data of the first Neolithic communities during the 5th millenium cal BC in the Atlantic coast of the Basque Country. In this paper, the Neolithic... more
The site of Kobaederra (Kortezubi, Biscay), being excavated from 1995, has provided new data of the first Neolithic communities during the 5th millenium cal BC in the Atlantic coast of the Basque Country. In this paper, the Neolithic burial of Kobaederra, dating from the end of the 5th millenium, is shown. This burial is related with some other Neolithic burials in the region, which seem to be slightly previous to the spread of Megalitism, at 4.000 cal BC.
The implementation of water quality European Directives requires an intensification of water quality monitoring, within the limits of the Exclusive Economic Zone. Remote sensing technologies can provide a valuable tool for frequent,... more
The implementation of water quality European Directives requires an intensification of water quality monitoring, within the limits of the Exclusive Economic Zone. Remote sensing technologies can provide a valuable tool for frequent, synoptic, water-quality observations, over large areas. The aim of this study is to assess the ecological status of Basque coastal water bodies using satellite imagery from MODIS sensor, together with optical and chlorophyll-a in situ measurements. Thus, sea surface satellite-derived chla algorithms, the OC3 M, OC5 and a Local empirical algorithm, were compared against in situ measurements using satellite in situ match-ups, 90th Percentile (P90) monthly values for the 2005–2010 period. The OC5 algorithm corresponded most accurately with in situ measurements performed in the area, hence, it was selected. A P90 chlorophyll-a map was created with this algorithm to apply the classification scheme required by the directives. The classification of water bodies, based upon satellite-derived chlorophyll-a, could improve considerably the assessment of water quality.