The poorly known sponge species Axinella vellerea (Topsent, 1904), Acarnus levii (Vacelet, 1960) and Haliclona poecillastroides (Vacelet, 1969) are reported from bottom-trawl samples off the Balearic Islands, Western Mediterranean. A re-description is provided for all three species and the Folmer fragment of cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) obtained for A. levii and H. poecillastroides. This is the second report of A. vellerea in the Mediterranean, the first time that A. levii is reported outside Corsica and the first time that H. poecillastroides is documented outside the Gulf of Lion, France. The systematic allocation of A. levii and H. poecillastroides is discussed based on a COI phylogenetic analysis and morphology. The poorly understood phylogeny of the Haplosclerida does not permit us to find a proper allocation for H. poecillastroides, although its current position in the genus Haliclona or the family Chalinidae is not defensible. On the other hand, A. levii currently fits best in the family Microcionidae, and seems related to some Clathria species with mixed features between Clathria and Acarnus. Considering that the species of the genus Acarnus shares a strong synapomorphy (the possession of Cladotylotes), it is plausible for all Acarnus species to be Microcionids. We conclude that H. poecillastroides needs to be reallocated to a new genus: Xestospongia poecillastroides comb. nov. (Petrosiidae). However, a reallocation of A. levii is not advisable for the moment, as this would imply major systematic changes such as the reallocation of the whole genus Acarnus to Microcionidae, and the redescription of Microcionidae and Acarnidae.

A special type of coastal settlement, promontory forts defended by inland-facing walls, appeared in the Balearic Islands in an imprecise time during the Bronze Age. A research project was initiated in 2011 to study one of these sites on each of the two major islands of the archipelago. The first one, Es Coll de Cala Morell (north Menorca), is a walled promontory with a relatively large plateau, with 13 horseshoe-shaped houses (navetes). The second, Sa Ferradura (east Mallorca), is a smaller coastal cape, with a different spatial planning, with only two large built-up areas, both attached to the enclosure wall. Two of the navetes have been excavated at Es Coll de Cala Morell, showing a domestic space with a central hearth in both cases. The occupation has been dated to around 1600–1200 cal BC. At Sa Ferradura seven hearths have been recorded in a large, open-air area. Their chronology falls within the interval of approximately 1200/1100–900 cal BC. From a chronological point of view, fortified settlements in coastal promontories are not, as was expected, a unitary phenomenon in Menorca and Mallorca and have to be related to different cultural periods.

Only domestic mammals (sheep, goat, cattle, pig, and dog) and two rodent species constituted the faunal package introduced to the Balearic Islands by the early settlers in the 3rd millennium cal BC. Later animal introductions in the archipelago were thought to occur by the end of the 1st millennium cal BC due to contacts with Punic merchants or, more than likely, to the Roman conquest of the islands. Recently, several faunal remains belonging to different vertebrates (red deer, chicken, and rabbit) were found in the Talayotic site of Cornia Nou (Minorca), in contexts that date to the early 1st millennium cal BC. A series of radiocarbon (14C) dates was made directly on samples of small species to exclude the possibility of infiltration into lower layers. The obtained results show that chicken and rabbit were already present on Minorca in the early 1st millennium cal BC. Chicken is recorded in Phoenician colonies in south Iberia as early as the 8th century cal BC. Rabbit, on the other hand, is indigenous to the Iberian Peninsula. These new faunal introductions recorded in Minorca could be related to the Late Bronze and Phoenician maritime activity.

Humans colonized the Balearic Islands 5–4 ka ago. They arrived in a uniquely adapted ecosystem with the Balearic mountain goat Myotragus balearicus (Bovidae, Antilopinae, Caprini) as the only large mammal. This mammal went extinct rapidly after human arrival. Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain the extinction of M. balearicus. For the present study ancient DNA analysis (Sanger sequencing, Roche-454, Ion Torrent), and pollen and macrofossil analyses were performed on preserved coprolites from M. balearicus, providing information on its diet and paleo-environment. The information retrieved shows that M. balearicus was heavily dependent on the Balearic box species Buxus balearica during at least part of the year, and that it was most probably a browser. Hindcast ecological niche modelling of B. balearica shows that local distribution of this plant species was affected by climate changes. This suggests that the extinction of M. balearicus can be related to the decline and regional extinction of a plant species that formed a major component of its diet. The vegetation change is thought to be caused by increased aridity occurring throughout the Mediterranean. Previous hypotheses relating the extinction of M. balearicus directly to the arrival of humans on the islands must therefore be adjusted.

Four pollen diagrams from Minorca (Balearic Islands) have been correlated with other previously studied sequences from Majorca and Minorca to define a Holocene landscape sequence for the region from 8000 yr B.P. to the present. The lower part of the pollen diagrams reflects a climatic phase with more rain and less-marked seasonality than today. Significant quantities of Corylus, Buxus, and mesophilous taxa are found. In the middle part, between 5000 and 4000 yr B.P., a strong change is recorded in composition and structure of the vegetational landscape, with vegetation appearing that was adapted to Mediterranean conditions. This episode coincided with the first human colonization of the island and also with a widespread climatic change in the western Mediterranean region. The change in taxa was complex and some sclerophyllous taxa such Olea played an important role in the transformation of the landscape physiognomy from the mid-Holocene until the present. Although human activities have removed much of the Mediterranean vegetation on the Balearic Islands, it seems clear that the changes have been brought about, in part, by increasing dryness.

From September 2000 to September 2001 the concentration of chlorophyll a, and the abundance and composition of the phytoplanktonic community was studied in a neritic station of the Mallorca Channel (Western Mediterranean). Sampling was performed approximately every 12 days. Chlorophyll a concentration and phytoplankton abundance reached maxima of 1.79 μg L−l and 352 cells mL−1, respectively. It was a relatively productive period, as a result of the high convective mixing in winter and the prevalence of northern waters during most of the cycle. Phytoplankton proliferations (chlorophyll a concentration >1 mg L−1) were detected in January, February, March and June. Those blooms mainly happened under the influence of northern waters, with the exception of the February proliferation, when mixing conditions were found. During bloom conditions it highlights the presence of coccolithophores as proliferation precursors. During no-bloom situations the phytoplankton community was mainly constituted by nanoplanktonic flagellated forms. The Winter Mixing period was dominated by different groups of nanoflagellates, including coccolithophores, undetermined flagellates and dinoflagellates. However, in the most oligotrophic conditions (from April until November) dinoflagellates were clearly dominant, except in the DCM in summer where diatoms prevailed.

The capture of three specimens of Seriola rivoliana is reported from Mallorca (Balearic Islands). It represents the first report of the species in the western Mediterranean and the fourth and fifth for the whole Mediterranean. Morphometric and meristic measurements are provided, and the presence of this species and other Atlantic migrants of the genus Seriola in the Mediterranean are discussed.

The aim of the present work was to assess the prevalence of the Mediterranean dietary pattern (MDP) in Balearic Islands adolescents, and socio-demographic and lifestyle factors that might determine adherence to the MDP. A cross-sectional nutritional survey was carried out in the Balearic Islands between 2007 and 2008. A random sample (n 1231) of the adolescent population (12–17 years old) was interviewed. Dietary questionnaires and a general questionnaire incorporating questions related to socio-economic status, parental education level and lifestyle factors were used. Dietary habits were assessed by means of two 24 h recalls and a quantitative FFQ. Adherence to the MDP was defined according to a score constructed considering the consumption of nine MDP characteristic components: high MUFA:SFA ratio, moderate ethanol consumption, high legumes, cereals and roots, fruits, vegetables and fish consumption, and low consumption of meat and milk. Then, socio-demographic, lifestyle and health status variables that could determine a higher or ower adherence were assessed. The mean adherence was 57·9 (sd 8·9) % and the median adherence was 57·3 %. Half of the Balearic Islands adolescents (50·5 %) showed an adherence to the MDP comprised between 52·7 and 62·8 %. By multivariate analyses, a high maternal level of education, increased physical activity, reduced alcohol intake and abstinence from smoking were independent associations of better adherence to the MDP. The promotion of not only the MDP but also the Mediterranean lifestyle, including greater physical activity, should be reinforced among the Balearic younger generations.

The aim of this work was to assess the prevalence and risk factors of obesity in the Balearic Islands' adolescents. A cross-sectional nutritional survey was carried out in the Balearic Islands (2007–2008). A random sample (n 1231) of the adolescent population (12–17 year old) was interviewed. Anthropometric measurements, two non-consecutive 24 h recalls and a general questionnaire incorporating questions related to sociodemographic and lifestyle variables including the physical activity questionnaire were used. The prevalence of overweight was 19·9 % (boys) and 15·5 % (girls), and obesity 12·7 % (boys) and 8·5 % (girls). The main risk factors associated with a higher prevalence of obesity were low parental education level (boys OR: 3·47; 95 % CI: 1·58, 7·62; girls OR: 3·29; 95 % CI: 1·38, 7·89), to skip meals (boys OR: 4·99; 95 % CI: 2·1, 11·54; girls OR: 2·20; 95 % CI: 0·99, 4·89), age (12–13-year-old boys; OR: 2·75; 95 % CI: 1·14, 6·64), attention to mass media (television (TV)+radio; boys OR: 1·50; 95 % CI: 0·81, 2·84; girls OR: 2·06; 95 % CI: 0·91, 4·68), short sleep (boys OR: 3·42; 95 % CI: 0·88, 13·26), low parental socioeconomic status (girls OR: 3·24, 95% CI: 1·04, 10·05 ) and smoking (girls OR: 2·51; 95 % CI: 0·88, 7·13). A programme of action including school healthy education and promotion programmes targeted at parents and adolescents are needed. These programmes may be mainly focused to increase educational level, to make the adolescents to be aware of to skip meals and to smoke are not appropriate methods to reduce the risk of obesity, but the usefulness is to do not eat while watching TV, to sleep 8–10 h/d and to be physically active.

Selectivity studies usually describe the effects on target species, whereas information on by-catch and discards is scarce. Nevertheless, large quantities of undersized individuals and invertebrates are discarded in the Mediterranean multi-species bottom trawl fishery. The present work analyses the data from two surveys carried out on the shallow and deep continental shelf (50–78 m, and 147–189 m, respectively) off the Balearic Islands (western Mediterranean). In these surveys, the traditionally used 40 mm diamond mesh codend and an experimental square mesh codend were used under commercial conditions. Catch composition, yields, size selectivity of both target and by-catch species, and discards were compared between the two mesh types. The mean selection length (L 50) clearly increased for most species when using square mesh, escaping many more individuals under their minimum landing size. Yield of Spicara smaris was significantly lower by using the square mesh, changing the composition of the retained catch. Escapement ratio and economic loss were significantly higher with square mesh, although economic loss was almost negligible for both meshes on the deep continental shelf. The use of square mesh significantly reduced the discards of algae in the shallow waters and fish on the deep continental shelf. The results confirmed that square mesh codend reduces the fishing pressure on small specimens as well as the impact of trawling on the ecosystem. These benefits would not lead to a reduction of the yields neither of the main target species, the fishes Merluccius merluccius, Mullus surmuletus, Zeus faber, and the cephalopods Loligo vulgaris and Octopus vulgaris, nor of the rest of commercial categories, except for Spicara smaris.

The aim of this study was to assess whether the recently developed Diet Quality Index-International (DQI-I) could be used to evaluate diet quality of a Mediterranean population. A cross-sectional nutritional survey was carried out in the Balearic Islands (Spain) between 1999 and 2000. Dietary information (replicated 24 h recall and a food frequency questionnaire), and socio-demographic and lifestyle data were collected from a representative sample of the population (n 1200: 498 males and 702 females) aged 16–65 years (response rate 77·22 %). The DQI-I was developed according to the method defined by Kim et al. (2003), and focused on four major aspects of a high-quality diet (variety, adequacy, moderation and overall balance). The percentage of adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern (MDP) was also calculated and correlation analysis was carried out between the DQI-I score and the percentage of adherence to the MDP. The total score of the DQI-I reached 43 % of the possible score, indicating that the Balearic diet was a poor-quality diet. Correlation analysis between the DQI-I scores and adherence to the MDP showed that the DQI-I subcategories protein, iron and calcium adequacy were negatively correlated with the MDP. Furthermore, moderation in empty calorie food consumption and overall balance subcategories were not significantly correlated with the MDP. Due to some methodological factors and cultural biases, the proposed DQI-I scoring system is not useful to evaluate the quality of this Mediterranean-type diet. Further research is needed to develop a new diet quality index adapted to the MDP.

The aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence of the Mediterranean dietary pattern (MDP) in the population of the Balearic Islands and socio-demographic and lifestyle factors that might determine adherence to the MDP. A cross-sectional nutritional survey was carried out in the Balearic Islands between 1999 and 2000. A random sample (n 1200) of the adult population (16–65 years) was interviewed. Dietary questionnaires incorporating questions related to socio-economic status, education level, lifestyle factors and health status were utilised. Dietary habits were assessed by means of two 24 h recalls, and a quantitative food-frequency questionnaire. Adherence to the MDP was defined according to a score constructed considering the consumption of nine MDP characteristic components: high MUFA:saturated fatty acids ratio, moderate ethanol consumption, high legumes, cereals and roots, fruits, vegetables, and fish consumption, and low consumption of meat and milk. Then, socio-demographic, lifestyle and health status variables that could determine a higher or lower adherence were assessed. Adherence to the MDP among the population of the Balearic Islands was found to be 43·1 (sd 5·8) %, and was similar in all socio-demographic and lifestyle groups, with some differences according to age, sex and physical status. There was an increase in the percentage of adherence with age, which was greater in males than in females. A more physically active lifestyle was associated with a higher adherence to the MDP. The promotion of the Mediterranean lifestyle, including the MDP and greater physical activity, should be reinforced in the population of the Balearic Islands and especially in the younger generations.