Invasive species
CREAF participates in a new COST ACTION to increase understanding of alien species through citizen science
Bernat Claramunt participates in the COST Action AlienCSI to address multidisciplinary research questions to develop and implement citizen science strategies to increase the scientific understanding of IAS ecology and dynamics, specifically informing decision-makers to implement technical requirements of relevant legislation.
First detection of Aedes japonicus in Spain thanks to citizen scientists
Aedes japonicus is an invasive insect capable of transmitting diseases such as West Nile virus. The mosquito was found in Asturias (North Spain) when a person sent a photo of the insect with the Mosquito Alert app in june.
Project shows 10% of exotic species in Catalonia are invasive
The data base of the research project EXOCAT, commissioned by the Catalonian government and coordinated by CREAF, has more than 1,100 exotic species registered in Catalonia, 111 of which are considered as invasive. This data base is a benchmark tool for improving policy on biological invasions and their control.
The State of the World’s Plants, a gift from the Kew Gardens
In mid-May, NASA announced the discovery of 1,284 new planets, thanks to the Kepler space telescope. Quite a lot... The globalization seems to make the Earth small and small, but the known Universe grows fast.
Yellow sugarcane aphid detected in Spain
The yellow sugarcane aphid feeds on plants of the family of grasses. Researchers from the UAB and CREAF and from the University of León have discovered this species in Tarragona and Girona, which probably arrived from Northen Africa. Up to now it is unknown to what extent the aphid could represent a threat to European extensive crops of such plants, such as rice or maize, so it is needed a distribution map of this species in Europe in order to evaluate its potential pest behaviour.