Invasive species are among the top five causes of biodiversity loss worldwide. Arundo donax has progressively colonized the riparian zones of Mediterranean rivers with detrimental effects on terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity, being catalogued as one of the 100 worst invasive species. In order to control this invasive species and restore native riparian vegetation, different methods have been traditionally used, depending on the environmental, economic and social context. Here, the effect of repeated above-ground removal of A. donax on aquatic and terrestrial communities was assessed by testing two different frequencies of mowing (monthly-intensive and quarterly-extensive), combined with the plantation of native species. Specifically, it was evaluated if riparian vegetation, birds and aquatic macroinvertebrates showed significant responses throughout time and between restoration treatments based on 4-year annual biomonitoring data (2015–2018). Changes in taxonomic diversity and ecological quality indices for the different biological communities were tested using mixed-effect models (LMEs). Similarly, comparisons between restored and reference sites were also performed. LMEs were also applied to assess how riparian variables were related to bird and aquatic macroinvertebrate indices. NMDS and MGLM-Mvabund analyses were performed to detect significant post-treatment differences in taxa composition compared to the initial state and reference sites. During this short-term assessment, increases in riparian and aquatic macroinvertebrate richness and quality indices were found, as well as significant decreases in A. donax height, density and cover, without significant differences between restoration treatments. However, differential effects between extensive (positive-neutral effect) and intensive treatments (neutral-negative effect) were detected for bird richness, density and abundance. After three years of restoration actions, restored sites are still far from reference values in terms of taxa composition, species richness and ecological quality, especially for riparian vegetation and birds. Given the high cost and the great efforts required for restoration, extensive repeated mowing, together with native species plantation, are only recommended on river reaches not fully invaded by A. donax and with a high ecological interest.

Mediterranean semiarid areas are suffering a growing process of agricultural abandonment that represents a challenge for restoration. Limited seed arrival, drought, and scarce suitable microhabitats in oldfields make plant colonization difficult. Restoration through ecological succession can take advantage of increased seed dispersal through animal vectors, but precise knowledge of the factors involved (e.g., seed disperser behavior, rate of effective recruitment of dispersed seeds, and effectiveness of the applied restoration structures) is critical. Otherwise, efforts to foster the processes of interest may be misdirected. We propose and test a methodological approach based on the combination of ecological (bird censuses and camera trapping) and genetic tools (DNA barcoding), to assess seed dispersal of fleshy‐fruited shrub species by birds toward oldfields in one of the driest areas of southeastern Spain. We assisted natural restoration with artificial bird attractors (perches and water troughs) in two abandoned areas with different ages. Furthermore, we provided microenvironments (rocks) and prevented herbivory (by fencing) to enhance plant recruitment. Results revealed strong differences among assessment techniques in the characterization of dispersal interactions. While bird censuses only informed about frugivores occurrence, camera trapping and barcoding enabled the quantification of species responses. Attractors proved to be effective in triggering a quantifiable seed arrival, but no subsequent plant establishment occurred. We highlight the importance of implementing different techniques to characterize and assess avian seed disperser performance. Water provision increased seed arrival, but our design failed to enhance plant recruitment. The next logical step in the restoration of Mediterranean oldfields is the optimization of conditions for seed germination and successful plant establishment.

Investment in soldier production in eusocial lineages involves a trade‐off between maintenance costs and defense benefits. Termites are eusocial insects that live in colonies organized into three castes: primary reproductives, soldiers, and workers or pseudergates. Neotermes chilensis (Blanchard) (Isoptera: Kalotermitidae) is a one‐piece nesting termite that nests and forages in a single piece of wood. Two scenarios may be of importance in a defense context of one‐piece nesting termites: during swarms, when colonies may be invaded by winged termites (alates) in search of a place to found a new colony, and when colonies of conspecifics are present within the same substrate. It was hypothesized that the ratio of soldiers to non‐soldiers would be higher at the onset of the swarming period and in substrates bearing more than one termite colony. A method based on X‐ray computed tomography (CT) was developed to study gallery connectivity in colonies of N. chilensis and caste composition within colonies. Computed tomography allowed the digital reconstruction of the galleries within the substrate, even when they belonged to different colonies, and was effective in distinguishing termites from substrate, and soldiers from reproductives and pseudergates. Using CT, the ratio of soldiers to non‐soldiers was shown to be highest in colonies within multicolonial scapes (i.e., neighboring colonies were present in the same substrate) during the swarming season, thus supporting our initial hypotheses. These results constitute a unique example of induced defenses arising from intraspecific interactions in termites.

The examination of the long-distance dispersal (LDD) of seeds is crucial to determine the demographic trends of plant populations, as well as their spatial genetic structures (SGS), and distribution ranges (Nathan, 2006). Empirical LDD data are scarce owing to the inherent difficulty of tracking the fate of dispersed seeds (Nathan, 2006). However, molecular tools have provided ample evidence for the impact of LDD

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