The aim of our project is to undertake a survey of the freshwater bryozoans that are present in Doñana and to collect representative material. By establishing what bryozoan species are present we can then evaluate whether statoblasts found in the digestive tracts and faeces of waterfowl may derive from local sources (see Figuerola et al. 2003, 2004 for previous information). The collection of representative material would enable the development of subsequent long term and larger scale studies using molecular biological approaches. This would be achieved by characterising the phylogeography of a focal bryozoan species identified in this study.


1) to establish what taxa are present in Doñana through undertaking field surveys
2) to determine whether the statoblasts sampled from waterfowl guts and faeces at Doñana may have come from local sources by reference to the species identified in the survey
3) to identify a focal species for future phylogeographic investigations
4) to collect material (bryozoans and statoblasts in faeces) that will contribute to future phylogeographic work