Study systems
Our primary research interest is to understand how changes in water quality affect fish health and mosquito proliferation in both natural and invaded ecosystems. We focus on fishes, their pathogens, and mosquitoes due to their co-occurrence in freshwater food-webs, their value as bioindicators of environmental health, and their public health significance. Our studies are conducted in collaboration with national and international researchers in the four settings described below.
Mediterranean-type rivers
The world's five Mediterranean-climate regions (California; Central Chile, the Mediterranean Basin, the Cape Region of South Africa, and Southwestern and South Australia) house singular fauna, including rivers in northeastern Spain, where we carry out part of our field work. Stream flows in this region are highly dependent on wastewater-treatment plant effluents and we study the consequences of having effluent-fed streams for the health of fishes and humans.
Main collaborators for this topic:
Humbert Salvadó (UB), Alexis Ribas (UB), Rosa M. Araujo (UB), Ralph Mac Nally (University of Melbourne, Australia), Nicole Colin (Universidad Austral de Chile), Francesc Sabater (UB), Jo Cable (Cardiff University, UK), Robert Poulin (University of Otago, New Zealand), Marcos Tavares-Diaz (Embrapa, Brazil), Mário Pacheco (University of Aveiro, Portugal), Jian Yen (University of Merlbourne, Australia), Carlos Barata, Demetrio Raldúa, Cinta Porté (IDAEA-CSIC), Albert Martínez-Silvestre (CRARC), Josep Escribano-Alacid (Museu de Ciències Naturals-BCN), and Ysabel Santos (University of Santiago de Compostela).
Some publications from this topic:
Maceda-Veiga, A., Mac Nally, R., Green, A.J., Poulin, R. & de Sostoa, A. (2019) Major determinants of the occurrence of a globally invasive parasite in riverine fish over large-scale environmental gradients. International Journal for Parasitology
Marqueño, A., Blanco, M., Maceda-Veiga, A. & Porte, C. (2019). Skeletal muscle lipidomics as a new tool to determine altered lipid homeostasis in fish exposed to urban and industrial wastewaters. Environmental Science & Technology 53: 8416-8425.
Colin, N.*, Porte, C., Fernandes, D., Barata, C., Padrós, F., Carrassón, M., Monroy, M., Cano-Rocabayera, O., de Sostoa, A., Piña, B. & Maceda-Veiga, A. (2016) Ecological relevance of biomarkers in monitoring studies of macro-invertebrates and fish in Mediterranean rivers. Science of the Total Environment 540: 307-323.
Artificial wetlands
Rivers can store and remove contaminants during downstream transport but current discharge of wastewaters is exceeding the 'self-purification' ability of rivers. We address this challenge by assessing the performance of different types of artificial lakes and channels as Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) for water pollution. Together with water quality, we study the consequences that NBS may have for terrestrial fauna and humans, including mosquito abundance.
Main collaborators for this topic:
Humbert Salvadó (UB), Francesc Sabater (UB), Núria Roca (UB), Rosa M. Araujo (UB), Carles Aranda (Mosquito Control Service, Baix Llobregat), Miguel Carles-Tolrá (Fauna Ibérica), Isabel Muñoz (UB), Edwin THM. Peeters (University of Wageningen, Netherlands), Sándor Szabó (University of Nyíregyháza, Hungary), Guy Woodward (Imperial College London, UK), Daniel Perkins (University of Roehampton, UK), Gordon Webster (Cardiff University, UK) and Ralph Mac Nally (University of Melbourne, Australia).
Some publications from this topic:
Maceda-Veiga, A., Mac Nally, R., Rodríguez, S., Szabó, S., Peeters, THME., Ruff, T. & Salvadó, H. (2022). Effects of two submerged macrophyte species on microbes and metazoans in rooftop water-storage ponds with different labile carbon loadings. Water Research 211: 117999.
Cano-Rocabayera, O., de Sostoa, A., Coll, Ll. & Maceda-Veiga A. (2019) Managing small, highly prolific invasive aquatic species: exploring an ecosystem approach for the eastern mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki). Science of the Total Environment 673: 594-604.
Maceda-Veiga, A., López, R. & Green, A.J. (2017) Dramatic impact of alien carp Cyprinus carpio on globally threatened diving ducks and other waterbirds in Mediterranean shallow lakes. Biological Conservation 212: 74-85.
Cruz do Incio
In the green landscapes of the village of my childhood, Cruz do Incio, we study how different types of riparian zones may help to reduce the impacts of agriculture and farming on streams. Besides inspiring Nature-Based Solutions for runoff waters, our work in O Incio seeks to understand the ecological links between riparian areas and adjacent lands and to improve knowledge of its biodiversity, primarily arthropods.
Main collaborators for this topic:
Francesc Sabater (UB), Carles Aranda (Mosquito Control Service, Baix Llobregat), Núria Roca (UB), Ralph Mac Nally (University of Melbourne, Australia), Edwin THM. Peeters (University of Wageningen, Netherlands), Sándor Szabó (University of Nyíregyháza, Hungary), Marc Domènech (UB), Xavier Espadaler (CREAF, UAB), Miguel Carles-Tolrá (Fauna Ibérica), Eduard Vives (Museu de Ciències Naturals-BCN), Sergio Albacete (CREAF), Antoni Serra (CRBA-UB), Juli Pujade-Villar (UB), Jan Máca (Czech Entomological Society , Czech Republic), Francesc Sabater (CREAF, UB), Raimundo Outerelo Dominguez (UCM), Purificación Gamarra (UAM), José Domingo Gilgado (UAH), Vicenç Bros (DIBA), Carlos Enrique Prieto (UPV), Miguel Angel Alonso-Zarazaga (MNCN-CSIC), Julio Cifuentes (UAM), Joke van Erkelens (Netherlands), Michael von Tschirnhaus (Germany) and Pierfilippo Cerretti (Italy).
Some publications from this topic:
Albacete, S., Mac Nally, R., Carles-Tolrá, M., Domènech, M., Vives, E., Espadaler, X., Pujadé-Villar, J., Serra, A. & Maceda-Veiga, A*. (2020). Stream distance and vegetation structure are among the major factors affecting various groups of arthropods in non-riparian chestnut forests. Forest Ecology and Management 460: 117860.
Carles-Tolrá, M., Albacete, S., & Maceda-Veiga, A. (2018) Tres especies nuevas de dípteros para España (Diptera: Lauxaniidae, Periscelididae, Fanniidae). Arquivos Entomolóxicos 19: 167-168 .
Carles-Tolrá, M., Albacete, S., & Maceda-Veiga, A. (2019) Piezura pardalina Rondani, 1866 y Mesembrina intermedia Zetterstedt, 1849, dos especies nuevas para España, y eliminación de Sapromyza nitida Czerny, 1932 de la lista española (Diptera: Lauxaniidae, Fanniidae, Muscidae). Arquivos Entomolóxicos 21: 217-219.
Aquarium trade
The aquarium trade is popular worldwide, but it has positives and negatives for freshwater fish conservation. We aim to stick a balance between the pros and cons of the aquarium hobby, to improve regulation and reduce species invasions with aquarium origin, and to use aquarist knowledge to inspire nature-based solutions for the conservation of freshwaters, including the potential design of novel 'green-filters' for water treatment.
Main collaborators for this topic:
Jiri Patoka (Czech University of Life Sciences, Praga), André L. B. Magalhães (Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Brazil), John D. Lyons (University of Wisconsin, USA), Omar Domínguez-Domínguez (Universidad Michoacana, México), Josep Escribano-Alacid (Museu de Ciències Naturals-BCN), Ralph Mac Nally (University of Melbourne, Australia) and Albert Martínez-Silvestre (CRARC).
Some publications from this topic:
Maceda-Veiga, A., Escribano-Alacid, J., Martínez-Silvestre, A., Verdaguer, I. & Mac Nally, R. (2019) What's next? The release of exotic pets continues unabated seven years after enforcement of new legislation for managing invasive species. Biological Invasions 21: 2933-2947
Maceda-Veiga, A., Domínguez-Domínguez, O., Escribano-Alacid, J. & Lyons, J. (2016) The aquarium hobby: can sinners become saints in freshwater fish conservation?. Fish and Fisheries 17: 860-874.
Maceda-Veiga, A., Escribano-Alacid, J., De Sostoa, A. & García-Berthou, E. (2013) The aquarium trade as a potential source of fish introductions in southwestern Europe. Biological Invasions 15:2707-2716.