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Siphonaria pectinata (L., 1758) is a pulmonate gastropod of the order Basommatophora, which has adopted a lifestyle superficially similar to that of patellogastropod limpets, and is thus often referred to as a «false limpet». In this... more
Siphonaria pectinata (L., 1758) is a pulmonate gastropod of the order Basommatophora, which has adopted a lifestyle superficially similar to that of patellogastropod limpets, and is thus often referred to as a «false limpet». In this paper, we present the results of a study investigating microalgal availability and resource utilization by this species in its intertidal habitat, on a rocky shore off Gibraltar (southern Iberian Peninsula). A number of different experiments are described, which serve to provide an overview of the main food types and their relative availability to this species. These include the sampling of the surface microbial algal film, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and light microscopy of rock chips and slurry, radular structure, gut contents and faecal pellets. The results of this study suggest that S. pectinata does not feed on encrusting «hard» algae, but rather uses its fine-toothed radula to graze superficial, soft algae, including spores and emerging germlings. We suggest that such a feeding strategy would allow it to reduce competition with other patellogastropod limpets, which tend to scrape deeper into the rocky substrate while foraging. Possible avenues for further research are discussed.
The Bay of Gibraltar contains a high biological diversity which is conditioned by a suite of both biotic and abiotic factors of natural origin.However, the Bay is also subjected toa variety of anthropic impacts which have a considerable... more
The Bay of Gibraltar contains a high biological diversity which is conditioned by a suite of both biotic and abiotic factors of natural origin.However, the Bay is also subjected toa variety of anthropic impacts which have a considerable effect on the marine biota. The rocky littoral is particular!y useful in environmental monitoring programmes as it is easily accessible and amenable to sampling, and the sessile nature ofthe majority of the species make long-term monitoring relatively simple. In this study we compare data obtained for a number of environmental variables using a range of statistical methods to the community data obtained at six sites inside the Bay and two sites immediately outside, one to the East and another to the West. The results of these preliminary analyses indicate that, within the range of environmental parameters measured, small and intermediate-scale natural variables such as microtopography and exposure to wave action are important. However, within the Bay, the effects of urban and agricultura) effluents and associated variables assume a greater role in the structuring of these intertidal communities.La Bahía de Gibraltar contiene una alta riqueza biológica que se ve condicionada por factores bióticos y abióticos de origen natural. Sin embargo, la Bahía también sufre una gran variedad de actividades antrópicas que afectan a la biota marina de manera considerable. El litoral rocoso es relativamente accesible y sencillo de muestrear, y es un ecosistema muy útil para estudiar el posible efecto de estas alteraciones, pues las especies son generalmente sésiles y la composición y estructura de sus comunidades reflejan su historia
Invasive non‐native species (INNS) are recognized as a major threat to island biodiversity, ecosystems, and economies globally. Preventing high‐risk INNS from being introduced is the most cost‐effective way to avoid their adverse impacts.... more
Invasive non‐native species (INNS) are recognized as a major threat to island biodiversity, ecosystems, and economies globally. Preventing high‐risk INNS from being introduced is the most cost‐effective way to avoid their adverse impacts. We applied a horizon scanning approach to identify potentially INNS in the United Kingdom Overseas Territories (OTs), ranging from Antarctica to the Caribbean, and from the Pacific to the Atlantic. High‐risk species were identified according to their potential for arrival, establishment, and likely impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem function, economies, and human health. Across OTs, 231 taxa were included on high‐risk lists. The highest ranking species were the Asian green mussel (Perna viridis), little fire ant (Wasmannia auropunctata), brown rat (Rattus norvegicus), and mesquite tree (Prosopis juliflora). Shipping containers were identified as the introduction pathway associated with the most species. The shared high‐risk species and pathways ...
ABSTRACT The limestone Rock of Gibraltar offers a complete register of marine erosion, at different scales, that include periods of tectonic uplifting lasting for tens or hundreds of thousands of years, and climatic and eustatic events... more
ABSTRACT The limestone Rock of Gibraltar offers a complete register of marine erosion, at different scales, that include periods of tectonic uplifting lasting for tens or hundreds of thousands of years, and climatic and eustatic events lasting thousands or tens of thousand years.
On the eastern side of Gibraltar is located the large aeolian accumulation of Catalan Bay (Catalan Sands Formation). These climbing dunes were generated in several episodes during the Marine Isotope Stages (MIS) 5 to 2, as reflected by... more
On the eastern side of Gibraltar is located the large aeolian accumulation of Catalan Bay (Catalan Sands Formation). These climbing dunes were generated in several episodes during the Marine Isotope Stages (MIS) 5 to 2, as reflected by OSL dates performed in basal sections and nearby caves and shelters. The source area was an exposed plain that existed to the east of the Rock and extended down to −80 m, with cliffs reaching +6 m. The prevailing winds that generated this accumulation ranged from E to S during this period. The effect of these winds was to transport the dunes from the SE and progressively pile them against the slopes of the Rock, growing the deposit from North to South.
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Geology, Cave, and Bay
Resumen: La comparación temporal de edades de espeleotemas en dos zonas kársticas de la Cordillera Bética, de muy diferente altitud e igual longitud (meridiano), como la Sierra de Grazalema y el Peñón de Gibraltar, ponen en evidencia la... more
Resumen: La comparación temporal de edades de espeleotemas en dos zonas kársticas de la Cordillera Bética, de muy diferente altitud e igual longitud (meridiano), como la Sierra de Grazalema y el Peñón de Gibraltar, ponen en evidencia la correlación de los óptimos climáticos (OIS 3 y 5) con fases de precipitación química. Los estadios fríos (OIS 2 y 4) con espeleotemas están peor representados a elevadas altitudes, al contrario que sucede en la costa, que se configura como refugio climático en estos estadios. La ausencia de ...
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The mollusc Patella ferruginea, endemic to the Mediterranean, is the most endangered marine species of the list of the European Council Directive 92/43/EEC and it is presently under serious risk of extinction. Survival, growth rates and... more
The mollusc Patella ferruginea, endemic to the Mediterranean, is the most endangered marine species of the list of the European Council Directive 92/43/EEC and it is presently under serious risk of extinction. Survival, growth rates and life‐history of this species were studied for the first time in this species. A total of 570 specimens (420 introduced in a new habitat
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Resumen La Directiva 2000/60 CE del Parlamento Europeo y del Consejo Europeo contempla la necesidad de establecer regiones ecológicas a lo largo del litoral europeo. Con el objetivo de contribuir a la delimitación y caracterización de... more
Resumen La Directiva 2000/60 CE del Parlamento Europeo y del Consejo Europeo contempla la necesidad de establecer regiones ecológicas a lo largo del litoral europeo. Con el objetivo de contribuir a la delimitación y caracterización de estas ecorregiones se ha realizado este estudio de varios ecosistemas marinos centrado en el litoral andaluz (sur de España). Los muestreos se realizaron en la franja intermareal rocosa y en sedimentos infralitorales. Los sistemas estudiados dieron resultados similares con respecto a la ...
During the period represented by the sandy infills of the eastern flank caves and the Catalan Sand formation, it was likely that Gibraltar was part of the mainland, including a broad coastal plain covered with transgressive wind-blown... more
During the period represented by the sandy infills of the eastern flank caves and the Catalan Sand formation, it was likely that Gibraltar was part of the mainland, including a broad coastal plain covered with transgressive wind-blown dunes. All aeolian formations originated on marine beaches, from 6 m a.s.l. to 100 m b.s.l., before being blown inland to accumulate as topographic dunes. CUff-front aeolian accumulations comprise echo dunes, climbing dunes and sand ramps. Aeolian deposition began immediately before the last interglacial marine highstand (MIS 6-5 transition) and continued during the subsequent fall in sea level until the end ofMIS
• There is clear evidence that the direct and indirect effects of climate change, such as warming seas, reduced dissolved oxygen and presence of invasive species, is prevalent and widespread within the Mediterranean Sea. • Although... more
• There is clear evidence that the direct and indirect effects of climate change, such as warming seas, reduced dissolved oxygen and presence of invasive species, is prevalent and widespread within the Mediterranean Sea. • Although evidence is generally increasing, the evidence base in Mediterranean UK Overseas Territories (OTs) is limited. • The effects of the presence of invasive and alien species (IAS) are observable in both Gibraltar and the Sovereign Base Area Authority (SBAA), with the presence of invasive macroalgae within Gibraltar's waters and the invasive Lionfish around Cyprus. • Gibraltar has well established Marine Policy regulations and a programme of measures for its Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). • The SBAA will need to ensure collaboration with Republic of Cyprus to manage impacts from climate change. • SBAs lack marine habitat and species condition assessments and baselines. • The SBAA is aware of the threat from invasive alien species but at early stages of biosecurity planning and does not currently have policy in place to manage risks from IAS species.
ABSTRACT The main morphological erosion record in the limestone rocky shore of Gibraltar is linked with the Last Interglacial period (OIS 5e). A pervasive notch at +5 m runs along the coastal cliffs. The composite assemblage dominated by... more
ABSTRACT The main morphological erosion record in the limestone rocky shore of Gibraltar is linked with the Last Interglacial period (OIS 5e). A pervasive notch at +5 m runs along the coastal cliffs. The composite assemblage dominated by the ichnotaxons Gastrochaenolites and Entobia linked to these forms records the overlaying of successive ichnocoenoses during the beginning of transgressive event.
The Rock of Gibraltar is located in a geographic configuration and a geodynamic context that favors the occurrence and preservation of tsunami deposits in their coasts. These deposits show different sedimentological and paleontological... more
The Rock of Gibraltar is located in a geographic configuration and a geodynamic context that favors the occurrence and preservation of tsunami deposits in their coasts. These deposits show different sedimentological and paleontological features depending on the sedimentary environment exposed to these high-energy events. The aim of this research is to describe the sedimentary record of the historical tsunamis in the Rock, i.e. those originated by the Lisbon earthquake (AD 1755) and the 218-209 BC earthquake, mainly characterized by their high heterogeneity. Three tsunamigenic facies have been differentiated in both the coast and the adjacent marine area of Gibraltar: i) massive, fine to medium sandy facies with reworked microfauna from the nearby Pliocene outcrops, characterized by the presence of vegetation remains to the top, normal grading and mud clast in the bottom, that record the inundation and the fast filling of a coastal lagoon due to erosion of the littoral spit; ii) crev...
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The distribution of humans in the southern Iberian Peninsula since the last interglacial is studied in relation to temperature and climate variability at the scale of 0.5 kyr. The trend is for site density to increase from the Acheulian... more
The distribution of humans in the southern Iberian Peninsula since the last interglacial is studied in relation to temperature and climate variability at the scale of 0.5 kyr. The trend is for site density to increase from the Acheulian to the Neolithic and the rate of increase is greater in the Holocene starting in the Epipaleolithic. The Solutrean stands out as a peak in site density. Duration of cultures decreases with the time an the main step coincides with the onset of the Upper Palaeolithic. The relationship between human dispersion patterns and climate was confirmed and the great influence of climate stability emphasized. The distribution pattern of humans in southern Iberia is interpreted in relation to its refugium characteristics and the movement of steppic environments into and out of the region.
Beefsteak Cave is located towards the southern end of the Rock of Gibraltar, along the cliff line between the wave-eroded platforms of Europa and Windmill Hill Flats. Set within the grey dolomites of the early Jurassic Europa Member, the... more
Beefsteak Cave is located towards the southern end of the Rock of Gibraltar, along the cliff line between the wave-eroded platforms of Europa and Windmill Hill Flats. Set within the grey dolomites of the early Jurassic Europa Member, the Cave is almost certainly of marine origin. It was probably formed during a sea-level highstand earlier than 250 ky. The exposed brecciated deposits form part of an earlier gallery within a larger cave system that has since been eroded away. The Cave still contains almost 5m of brecchiated ...
In this paper we present a new alternative explanation and a mechanism for the dispersal of Modern Humans from Africa and the extinction of archaic human populations, specifically the Neanderthals, something which has been lacking (Lahr... more
In this paper we present a new alternative explanation and a mechanism for the dispersal of Modern Humans from Africa and the extinction of archaic human populations, specifically the Neanderthals, something which has been lacking (Lahr & Foley, 1994). This mechanism departs from the traditional alternatives for the Neanderthal extinction of either “eviction” or “continuity/replacement” (Lahr & Foley, 1998; Tattersall & Schwarz, 1999), none of which consider non-human related extinction. Our hypothesis is strongly founded in theoretical evolutionary ecology and biogeography (MacArthur & Wilson, 1967; MacArthur, 1972; Brown, 1995) and, additionally, does not require changes in human exploitation patterns that allow populations to change or expand niches and exist at elevated environmental carrying capacities (Lahr & Foley, 1998). The use of culture as an all-embracing and all-pervading explanation to the evolution of Modern humans has obscured the processes by which Modern Humans evolved (Foley, 1989). Our focus sees humans as components of ecological communities and the driving evolutionary force is selection working to “keep up” with the spatio-temporal heterogeneities of Pleistocene Earth. We agree with Foley (1992) that the patterns of hominid evolution and the key elements of Modern Human behaviour are explicable in terms of the general principles of evolutionary ecology.
Significance The production of purposely made painted or engraved designs on cave walls is recognized as a major cognitive step in human evolution, considered exclusive to modern humans. Here we present the first known example of an... more
Significance The production of purposely made painted or engraved designs on cave walls is recognized as a major cognitive step in human evolution, considered exclusive to modern humans. Here we present the first known example of an abstract pattern engraved by Neanderthals, from Gorham’s Cave in Gibraltar. It consists of a deeply impressed cross-hatching carved into the bedrock of the cave older than 39 cal kyr. The engraving was made before the accumulation of Mousterian layer IV. Most of the lines composing the design were made by repeatedly and carefully passing a pointed lithic tool into the grooves, excluding the possibility of an unintentional or utilitarian origin. This discovery demonstrates the Neanderthals’ capacity for abstract thought and expression.
The protandric limpet, Patella ferruginea G., is the most endangered marine species in the Western Mediterranean and is at serious risk of extinction. Nevertheless, its biology and ecology are little known. In the present work, several... more
The protandric limpet, Patella ferruginea G., is the most endangered marine species in the Western Mediterranean and is at serious risk of extinction. Nevertheless, its biology and ecology are little known. In the present work, several reproductive aspects are studied. Recruitment take place in June and the largest individuals are the most scarce. The sex ratio is slanted towards the largest sizes, and the species seems to show sex change at sizes from 60 mm upwards, although males can be. observed up to 80 mm. There is no correlation between size of oocytes and shell length; however, the larger females contribute greatly to the reproductive event, with high fecundity and GSI values. The mean diameter of oocytes was observed to be 149.78 mu m, whereas the heads of spermatozoa were 3.78 mu m long. The results of the present study increase the maximum length for males by double that cited in previous literature and highlight the importance of strictly protecting females (i.e., most of...
espanolPatella ferruginea es el invertebrado marino endemico del Mediterraneo occidental mas amenazado segun la Directiva 92/43 / CEE del Consejo Europeo y esta considerado en “peligro de extincion” en el Catalogo Espanol de Especies... more
espanolPatella ferruginea es el invertebrado marino endemico del Mediterraneo occidental mas amenazado segun la Directiva 92/43 / CEE del Consejo Europeo y esta considerado en “peligro de extincion” en el Catalogo Espanol de Especies Amenazadas. En el presente estudio se recoge la informacion actualmente disponible sobre los estudios de distribucion realizados en el area del estrecho de Gibraltar. Con el objetivo de evaluar el estado ambiental de las poblaciones, se analizan los datos recabados hasta la fecha desde la bahia de Algeciras hasta Cabo de Gracia respecto al litoral gaditano, y desde Oued el Marsa hasta Ceuta, respecto a la peninsula Tingitana. Ademas, se describen algunos proyectos de investigacion que se estan desarrollando actualmente. Disponer de una vision integrada de toda la informacion registrada en los ultimos anos puede resultar muy util para la elaboracion de los planes de gestion de la especie, los cuales deben ser actualizados periodicamente. Los datos consul...
Resumen: Siphonaria pectinata (L., 1758) es un gasterópodo pulmonado del orden Basommatophora que ha adoptado un modo de vida parecido al de los patelogasterópodos o lapas por lo que, a menudo, se le denomina «falsa lapa». En este trabajo... more
Resumen: Siphonaria pectinata (L., 1758) es un gasterópodo pulmonado del orden Basommatophora que ha adoptado un modo de vida parecido al de los patelogasterópodos o lapas por lo que, a menudo, se le denomina «falsa lapa». En este trabajo presentamos los resultados de un estudio sobre la disponibilidad y la utilización de las microalgas por esta especie, en su hábitat intermareal, en un litoral rocoso de Gibraltar (al sur de la península Ibérica).
... & Bailey, RM (2000). AMS radiocarbon and Luminescence Dating of Gorham's and Vanguard Caves, Gibraltar, and Implications for the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic Transition in Iberia. In Stringer, С. В., Barton, RNE &... more
... & Bailey, RM (2000). AMS radiocarbon and Luminescence Dating of Gorham's and Vanguard Caves, Gibraltar, and Implications for the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic Transition in Iberia. In Stringer, С. В., Barton, RNE & Finlayson, JC (Eds.). Neanderthals on lhe Edge. ...
Información del artículo La fauna de mamíferos solutrense de Gorham's Cave, Gibraltar.
The marine mollusc Patella ferruginea is considered one of the species in greatest danger of extinction in the Mediterranean. A study was carried out to establish the distribution extent, abundance and size of this species in the Bay of... more
The marine mollusc Patella ferruginea is considered one of the species in greatest danger of extinction in the Mediterranean. A study was carried out to establish the distribution extent, abundance and size of this species in the Bay of Algeciras (Strait of Gibraltar) in 2004. A total of 140 individuals were found over approximately 20km of coastline, with the highest numbers occurring along the eastern shores of the Bay. This represents the largest known population of this limpet species along the coast of Iberia. Although higher overall numbers were encountered along artifical constructions such as breakwaters, highest densities occurred on natural rocky substrates. Differences between both types of substrates were not significant, probably due to the relatively low overall numbers encountered. A normal distribution of body sizes was found in this study, indicating that the area sampled could contain a well-established breeding population. New studies are urgently required to esta...
Spatial and trophic competitive interactions were analysed for the seldom-studied limpet Patella ferruginea (which is considered as an "extinction risk"). Spatial patterns of distribution of P. ferruginea were studied using... more
Spatial and trophic competitive interactions were analysed for the seldom-studied limpet Patella ferruginea (which is considered as an "extinction risk"). Spatial patterns of distribution of P. ferruginea were studied using quadrats of 1 X 1 m(2) at several transects along the coastline, whereas trophic interactions were studied through manipulations of densities of P. ferruginea and Patella caerulea in experimental plots located at the mid-shore. Physical parameters were measured inside each plot to determine the microenvironmental differences between fenced and unfenced plots. Fenced plots of 50 X 50 cm(2) were used with six different treatments. Mortality was recorded every 15 days and length was measured monthly during the 3.5 months of the experiment. At the beginning and end of the experiment, lengths and weights of limpets were recorded and chlorophyll concentration was measured by spectrophotometric analysis of rock surface. Both species showed increased mortality ...
Molluscs are the second most diverse of all animal phyla, and occur in many habitat types. They are, therefore, a particularly good phylum with which to compare and contrast differences between ecosystems. Mollusc data from a number of... more
Molluscs are the second most diverse of all animal phyla, and occur in many habitat types. They are, therefore, a particularly good phylum with which to compare and contrast differences between ecosystems. Mollusc data from a number of sites along the southern coast of the Iberian Peninsula are analysed to study patterns of diversity and distribution using a range of multivariate techniques. Within each site, data are presented from three locations -fully terrestrial, rocky intertidal and soft bottom benthic (10 m and 20 m depths)- all in close proximity. The species are then classified in relation to morphology and size, and analysed at supraspecific levels to elucidate underlying patterns. The observed patterns are briefly discussed, with particular reference to the differential scope and importance of controlling factors in each ecosystem, such as dispersal processes. The results from the systems are compared and discussed in the context of ecological and evolutionary constraints...
Siphonaria pectinata (L., 1758) is a pulmonate gastropod of the order Basommatophora, which has adopted a lifestyle superficially similar to that of patellogastropod limpets, and is thus often referred to as a «false limpet». In this... more
Siphonaria pectinata (L., 1758) is a pulmonate gastropod of the order Basommatophora, which has adopted a lifestyle superficially similar to that of patellogastropod limpets, and is thus often referred to as a «false limpet». In this paper, we present the results of a study investigating microalgal availability and resource utilization by this species in its intertidal habitat, on a rocky shore off Gibraltar (southern Iberian Peninsula). A number of different experiments are described, which serve to provide an overview of the main food types and their relative availability to this species. These include the sampling of the surface microbial algal film, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and light microscopy of rock chips and slurry, radular structure, gut contents and faecal pellets. The results of this study suggest that S. pectinata does not feed on encrusting «hard» algae, but rather uses its fine-toothed radula to graze superficial, soft algae, including spores and emerging ger...
ABSTRACT .
This paper deals with the so-called Middle Pleistocene revolution, that is, the transition between the Early and Middle Pleistocene between 1.2 and 0.5 million years ago. Our knowledge about biotic changes during this transition has been... more
This paper deals with the so-called Middle Pleistocene revolution, that is, the transition between the Early and Middle Pleistocene between 1.2 and 0.5 million years ago. Our knowledge about biotic changes during this transition has been so far largely based on studies of large mammals. Here we address the issue whether all faunal groups were equally affected. Three datasets have been used: (a) European large mammals present in the Middle and Late Pleistocene, (b) European fossil bird species recorded from the Early, Middle and Late Pleistocene of Europe, and (c) present-day birds currently classified in subfamilies that contain at least one Palaearctic representative species. Each species was allocated to all those geographical areas, climates, habitats in which it is present today; migratory status was also recorded. These datasets serve to undertake a biochronological analysis of mammal and bird groups, thus establishing patterns and processes of extinction and survival at the ge...
EC Directive 2000/60 of the European Parliament and of the Council of Europe provides for the need to establish ecological regions along European coasts. The present article outlines research carried out in various coastal marine... more
EC Directive 2000/60 of the European Parliament and of the Council of Europe provides for the need to establish ecological regions along European coasts. The present article outlines research carried out in various coastal marine ecosystems as a contribution to the characterization of these ecoregions of the coast of Andalusia (southern Spain). Sampling was undertaken along the coastline in the intertidal zone and sublittoral sediments. The various systems studied all gave very similar results with regard to the ecoregions identified, which is indicative of their robustness. These results consistently identified a main Mediterranean region, which could subsequently be subdivided into two, as well as three main ecoregions in the Atlantic: one from the Straits of Gibraltar to the Bay of Cadiz, and the other two along the Huelva coastline, which are clearly affected by the effluents of major river systems such as the Guadalquivir, Odiel and Tinto. Our results suggest that similar struc...
El propósito de este trabajo es resumir los avances realizados en los últimos doce años por el equipo dirigido por los tres investigadores principales. Esta labor se ha dedicado principalmente al mejor conocimiento del poblamiento humano... more
El propósito de este trabajo es resumir los avances realizados en los últimos doce años por el equipo dirigido por los tres investigadores principales. Esta labor se ha dedicado principalmente al mejor conocimiento del poblamiento humano del Sur de la Península Ibérica durante el Pleistoceno y el Holoceno. Dentro de este amplio marco, las investigaciones se han enfocado en varias vertientes de particular interés como son el primer poblamiento del sur de la Península Ibérica por homínidos, cuestiones sobre posibles cruces del Estrecho de Gibraltar por homínidos, cambios poblacionales asociados a los cambios culturales en el Paleolítico Medio y Superior, y relaciones entre homínidos y el medio natural cambiante.
This volume is about the importance of the coastal zone in human evolution and the wide range of disciplinary perspectives and sources of evidence that are now being brought to bear on this issue. A proximate stimulus is the recent... more
This volume is about the importance of the coastal zone in human evolution and the wide range of disciplinary perspectives and sources of evidence that are now being brought to bear on this issue. A proximate stimulus is the recent demonstration that Neanderthal populations survived in Gibraltar several thousand years later than elsewhere in Europe (Finlayson et al., 2006), a fact that prompts investigation of underlying causes, with particular emphasis on the distinctive environmental history of a coastal region that lies on the boundary between Africa and Europe, and between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. New studies on the Gibraltar Caves also coincide with renewed interest in other parts of the world in the role of coastal environments in human evolution and dispersal, a growing realisation that they have been neglected or discounted in existing accounts, not least because most of the relevant evidence (w90% in Pleistocene times) is now submerged on the sea bed, and a recog...
Evidence of the AD 1755 tsunami consisting of the same type of accretions produced by the re-deposition of earlier sediments, has been recorded at three different height along the coast of Gibraltar: Along a shallow sandy shore, the... more
Evidence of the AD 1755 tsunami consisting of the same type of accretions produced by the re-deposition of earlier sediments, has been recorded at three different height along the coast of Gibraltar: Along a shallow sandy shore, the tsunami wave reached a run-up of 2-3 m, whereas along steep, cliff-lined shores (Rosia Bay) it surpassed 5 m. An overwash deposit was also identified at the bottom of a lagoon (The Inundation), at 0.5 m b.s.l., on the isthmus that joins the Rock with the mainland. Southern submerged platforms (Vladi's Reef) were also affected by the erosional backwash to a depth of 22 m. The tsunamigenic sediments exhibit a bimodal granulometry, mainly composed of sands with a coarser fraction composed of marine faunal shells remains, together with larger clasts derived from the rocky substrate. All remobilized sediments were dated by historical methods and radiocarbon dating.

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The distribution of humans in the southern Iberian Peninsula since the last interglacial is studied in relation to temperature and climate variability at the scale of 0.5 kyr. The trend is for site density to increase from the Acheulian... more
The distribution of humans in the southern Iberian Peninsula since the last interglacial is studied in relation to temperature and climate variability at the scale of 0.5 kyr. The trend is for site density to increase from the Acheulian to the Neolithic and the rate of increase is greater in the Holocene starting in the Epipaleolithic. The Solutrean stands out as a peak in site density. Duration of cultures decreases with the time an the main step coincides with the onset of the Upper Palaeolithic. The relationship between human dispersion patterns and climate was confirmed and the great influence of climate stability emphasized. The distribution pattern of humans in southern Iberia is interpreted in relation to its refugium characteristics and the movement of steppic environments into and out of the region.
Research Interests:
El propósito de este trabajo es resumir los avances realizados en los últimos doce años por el equipo dirigido por los tres autores principales. Esta labor se ha dedicado principalmente al mejor conocimiento del poblamiento humano del Sur... more
El propósito de este trabajo es resumir los avances realizados en los últimos doce años por el equipo dirigido por los tres autores principales. Esta labor se ha dedicado principalmente al mejor conocimiento del poblamiento humano del Sur de la Península Ibérica durante el Pleistoceno y el Holoceno. Dentro de este amplio marco, las investigaciones se han enfocado en varias vertientes de particular interés como son el primer poblamiento por homínidos, cuestiones sobre posibles cruces del Estrecho de Gibraltar por homínidos, cambios poblacionales asociados a los cambios culturales en el Paleolítico Medio y Superior, y relaciones entre homínidos y el medio natural cambiante.